Atlanta High-Asset Divorce Law Blog

After your divorce is complete, it's natural to have some concerns about child custody. For example, you may not know what to expect when exchanging your children with your ex-spouse.

If you have concerns about this, here are a few tips to follow:

• Choose a safe place. This is top priority, as you don't want to exchange custody in an area in which you don't feel safe. If you really want to take this to the next level, conduct the exchange close to a police station. This way, help is only a short distance away.
• Don't be late. You don't want your ex to be late, and you should avoid this as well. You know what time the exchange is to occur, so arrive a few minutes in advance.
• Bring a third party. If you have any concerns about your well-being, bring a third party along with you. This can be any friend or family member. They don't have to say anything. They're simply there to provide support.

You're planning a divorce. As a business owner, you worry that your spouse -- soon-to-be your ex -- will take half of the company. Is that how it works?

It can be but don't automatically assume that is how things are going to play out. Your spouse may have a far smaller claim to the company or none at all. The court is going to think about things like:

• When you got married and how long the relationship lasted
• When you started the company and whether you were married at the time
• If your spouse had a role in that company and what the role was
• How your spouse contributed to the relationship that may have impacted the company

If you've been told that you'll be able to see your children with supervised custody, you may not be sure exactly what that means. You never want any harm to come to your child, so you can't understand why supervision is necessary.

The reality is that supervision is required for certain cases of custody based on numerous factors. There may be a concern about fleeing with the child or a concern over abuse, for instance.

There are times when co-parenting is easy. There are also times when you wonder what you're going to do to get back on the right track.

Making one co-parenting mistake after the next will only complicate your situation. Here are four that you want to avoid:

• Getting upset: It's hard not to get upset with your ex-spouse, especially if you went through a bad divorce. However, if you're always losing your temper, it'll only make matters worse.
• Neglecting to communicate: Even if you don't get along, you need to communicate to ensure the well-being of your children. A big part of successful co-parenting is keeping an open line of communication, whether it's through text messages, email or face to face visits.
• Putting your children in the middle: Don't tell your children bad things about their other parent. Don't ask your children who they like better. If your ex-spouse is doing this, kindly ask them to stop.
• Fighting in front of your children: If you disagree on something (and you probably will), find a private time and place to discuss it. Doing so in front of your children can put them in the middle of your argument.