GA Code § 19-9-3 (2021)
2021 Georgia Code|Title 19 - Domestic Relations|Chapter 9 - Child Custody Proceedings|Article 1 - General Provisions|§ 19-9-3. Establishment and Review of Child Custody and Visitation

    In all cases in which the custody of any child is at issue between the parents, there shall be no prima-facie right to the custody of the child in the father or mother. There shall be no presumption in favor of any particular form of custody, legal or physical, nor in favor of either parent. Joint custody may be considered as an alternative form of custody by the judge and the judge at any temporary or permanent hearing may grant sole custody, joint custody, joint legal custody, or joint physical custody as appropriate.   The judge hearing the issue of custody shall make a determination of custody of a child and such matter shall not be decided by a jury. The judge may take into consideration all the circumstances of the case, including the improvement of the health of the party seeking a change in custody provisions, in determining to whom custody of the child should be awarded. The duty of the judge in all such cases shall be to exercise discretion to look to and determine solely what is for the best interest of the child and what will best promote the child's welfare and happiness and to make his or her award accordingly.   In determining the best interests of the child, the judge may consider any relevant factor including, but not limited to:   The love, affection, bonding, and emotional ties existing between each parent and the child;   The love, affection, bonding, and emotional ties existing between the child and his or her siblings, half siblings, and stepsiblings and the residence of such other children;   The capacity and disposition of each parent to give the child love, affection, and guidance and to continue the education and rearing of the child;   Each parent's knowledge and familiarity of the child and the child's needs;   The capacity and disposition of each parent to provide the child with food, clothing, medical care, day-to-day needs, and other necessary basic care, with consideration made for the potential payment of child support by the other parent;   The home environment of each parent considering the promotion of nurturance and safety of the child rather than superficial or material factors;   The importance of continuity in the child's life and the length of time the child has lived in a stable, satisfactory environment and the desirability of maintaining continuity;   The stability of the family unit of each of the parents and the presence or absence of each parent's support systems within the community to benefit the child;   The mental and physical health of each parent, except to the extent as provided in Code Section 30-4-5 and paragraph (3) of subsection (a) of Code Section 19-9-3 and such factors as provided in Code Section 15-11-26;   Each parent's involvement, or lack thereof, in the child's educational, social, and extracurricular activities;   Each parent's employment schedule and the related flexibility or limitations, if any, of a parent to care for the child;   The home, school, and community record and history of the child, as well as any health or educational special needs of the child;   Each parent's past performance and relative abilities for future performance of parenting responsibilities;   The willingness and ability of each of the parents to facilitate and encourage a close and continuing parent-child relationship between the child and the other parent, consistent with the best interest of the child;   Any recommendation by a court appointed custody evaluator or guardian ad litem;   Any evidence of family violence or sexual, mental, or physical child abuse or criminal history of either parent; and   Any evidence of substance abuse by either parent.     In addition to other factors that a judge may consider in a proceeding in which the custody of a child or visitation or parenting time by a parent is at issue and in which the judge has made a finding of family violence:   The judge shall consider as primary the safety and well-being of the child and of the parent who is the victim of family violence;   The judge shall consider the perpetrator's history of causing physical harm, bodily injury, assault, or causing reasonable fear of physical harm, bodily injury, or assault to another person;   If a parent is absent or relocates because of an act of domestic violence by the other parent, such absence or relocation for a reasonable period of time in the circumstances shall not be deemed an abandonment of the child for the purposes of custody determination; and   The judge shall not refuse to consider relevant or otherwise admissible evidence of acts of family violence merely because there has been no previous finding of family violence. The judge may, in addition to other appropriate actions, order supervised visitation or parenting time pursuant to Code Section 19-9-7.     In all custody cases in which the child has reached the age of 14 years, the child shall have the right to select the parent with whom he or she desires to live. The child's selection for purposes of custody shall be presumptive unless the parent so selected is determined not to be in the best interests of the child. The parental selection by a child who has reached the age of 14 may, in and of itself, constitute a material change of condition or circumstance in any action seeking a modification or change in the custody of that child; provided, however, that such selection may only be made once within a period of two years from the date of the previous selection and the best interests of the child standard shall apply.   In all custody cases in which the child has reached the age of 11 but not 14 years, the judge shall consider the desires and educational needs of the child in determining which parent shall have custody. The judge shall have complete discretion in making this determination, and the child's desires shall not be controlling. The judge shall further have broad discretion as to how the child's desires are to be considered, including through the report of a guardian ad litem. The best interests of the child standard shall be controlling. The parental selection of a child who has reached the age of 11 but not 14 years shall not, in and of itself, constitute a material change of condition or circumstance in any action seeking a modification or change in the custody of that child. The judge may issue an order granting temporary custody to the selected parent for a trial period not to exceed six months regarding the custody of a child who has reached the age of 11 but not 14 years where the judge hearing the case determines such a temporary order is appropriate.   The judge is authorized to order a psychological custody evaluation of the family or an independent medical evaluation. In addition to the privilege afforded a witness, neither a court appointed custody evaluator nor a court appointed guardian ad litem shall be subject to civil liability resulting from any act or failure to act in the performance of his or her duties unless such act or failure to act was in bad faith.   If requested by any party on or before the close of evidence in a contested hearing, the permanent court order awarding child custody shall set forth specific findings of fact as to the basis for the judge's decision in making an award of custody including any relevant factor relied upon by the judge as set forth in paragraph (3) of this subsection. Such order shall set forth in detail why the court awarded custody in the manner set forth in the order and, if joint legal custody is awarded, a manner in which final decision making on matters affecting the child's education, health, extracurricular activities, religion, and any other important matter shall be decided. Such order shall be filed within 30 days of the final hearing in the custody case, unless extended by order of the judge with the agreement of the parties.     In any case in which a judgment awarding the custody of a child has been entered, on the motion of any party or on the motion of the judge, that portion of the judgment effecting visitation rights between the parties and their child or parenting time may be subject to review and modification or alteration without the necessity of any showing of a change in any material conditions and circumstances of either party or the child, provided that the review and modification or alteration shall not be had more often than once in each two-year period following the date of entry of the judgment. However, this subsection shall not limit or restrict the power of the judge to enter a judgment relating to the custody of a child in any new proceeding based upon a showing of a change in any material conditions or circumstances of a party or the child. A military parent's absences caused by the performance of his or her deployments, or the potential for future deployments, shall not be the sole factor considered in supporting a claim of any change in material conditions or circumstances of either party or the child; provided, however, that the court may consider evidence of the effect of a deployment in assessing a claim of any change in material conditions or circumstances of either party or the child.   In the event of any conflict between this Code section and any provision of Article 3 of this chapter, Article 3 shall apply.   It is the express policy of this state to encourage that a child has continuing contact with parents and grandparents who have shown the ability to act in the best interest of the child and to encourage parents to share in the rights and responsibilities of raising their child after such parents have separated or dissolved their marriage or relationship.   Upon the filing of an action for a change of child custody, the judge may in his or her discretion change the terms of custody on a temporary basis pending final judgment on such issue. Any such award of temporary custody shall not constitute an adjudication of the rights of the parties.     In any case in which a judgment awarding the custody of a child has been entered, the court entering such judgment shall retain jurisdiction of the case for the purpose of ordering the custodial parent to notify the court of any changes in the residence of the child.   In any case in which visitation rights or parenting time has been provided to the noncustodial parent and the court orders that the custodial parent provide notice of a change in address of the place for pickup and delivery of the child for visitation or parenting time, the custodial parent shall notify the noncustodial parent, in writing, of any change in such address. Such written notification shall provide a street address or other description of the new location for pickup and delivery so that the noncustodial parent may exercise such parent's visitation rights or parenting time.   Except where otherwise provided by court order, in any case under this subsection in which a parent changes his or her residence, he or she must give notification of such change to the other parent and, if the parent changing residence is the custodial parent, to any other person granted visitation rights or parenting time under this title or a court order. Such notification shall be given at least 30 days prior to the anticipated change of residence and shall include the full address of the new residence.     Except as provided in Code Section 19-6-2, and in addition to the attorney's fee provisions contained in Code Section 19-6-15, the judge may order reasonable attorney's fees and expenses of litigation, experts, and the child's guardian ad litem and other costs of the child custody action and pretrial proceedings to be paid by the parties in proportions and at times determined by the judge. Attorney's fees may be awarded at both the temporary hearing and the final hearing. A final judgment shall include the amount granted, whether the grant is in full or on account, which may be enforced by attachment for contempt of court or by writ of fieri facias, whether the parties subsequently reconcile or not. An attorney may bring an action in his or her own name to enforce a grant of attorney's fees made pursuant to this subsection.   In addition to filing requirements contained in Code Section 19-6-15, upon the conclusion of any proceeding under this article, the domestic relations final disposition form as prescribed by the Judicial Council of Georgia shall be filed.   Notwithstanding other provisions of this article, whenever a military parent is deployed, the following shall apply:   A court shall not enter a final order modifying parental rights and responsibilities under an existing parenting plan earlier than 90 days after the deployment ends, unless such modification is agreed to by the deployed parent;   Upon a petition to establish or modify an existing parenting plan being filed by a deploying parent or nondeploying parent, the court shall enter a temporary modification order for the parenting plan to ensure contact with the child during the period of deployment when:   A military parent receives formal notice from military leadership that he or she will deploy in the near future, and such parent has primary physical custody, joint physical custody, or sole physical custody of a child, or otherwise has parenting time with a child under an existing parenting plan; and   The deployment will have a material effect upon a deploying parent's ability to exercise parental rights and responsibilities toward his or her child either in the existing relationship with the other parent or under an existing parenting plan;     Petitions for temporary modification of an existing parenting plan because of a deployment shall be heard by the court as expeditiously as possible and shall be a priority on the court's calendar;     All temporary modification orders for parenting plans shall include a reasonable and specific transition schedule to facilitate a return to the predeployment parenting plan over the shortest reasonable time period after the deployment ends, based upon the child's best interest.   Unless the court determines that it would not be in the child's best interest, a temporary modification order for a parenting plan shall set a date certain for the anticipated end of the deployment and the start of the transition period back to the predeployment parenting plan. If a deployment is extended, the temporary modification order for a parenting plan shall remain in effect, and the transition schedule shall take effect at the end of the extension of the deployment. Failure of the nondeploying parent to notify the court in accordance with this paragraph shall not prejudice the deploying parent's right to return to the predeployment parenting plan once the temporary modification order for a parenting plan expires as provided in subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.   A temporary modification order for a parenting plan shall expire upon the completion of the transition period and the predeployment parenting plan shall establish the rights and responsibilities between parents for the child;     Upon a petition to modify an existing parenting plan being filed by a deploying parent and upon a finding that it serves the best interest of the child, the court may delegate for the duration of the deployment any portion of such deploying parent's parenting time with the child to anyone in his or her extended family, including but not limited to an immediate family member, a person with whom the deploying parent cohabits, or another person having a close and substantial relationship to the child. Such delegated parenting time shall not create any separate rights to such person once the period of deployment has ended;   If the court finds it to be in the child's best interest, a temporary modification order for a parenting plan issued under this subsection may require any of the following:   The nondeploying parent make the child reasonably available to the deploying parent to exercise his or her parenting time immediately before and after the deploying parent departs for deployment and whenever the deploying parent returns to or from leave or furlough from his or her deployment;   The nondeploying parent facilitate opportunities for the deployed parent to have regular and continuing contact with his or her child by telephone, email exchanges, virtual video parenting time through the internet, or any other similar means;   The nondeploying parent not interfere with the delivery of correspondence or packages between the deployed parent and child of such parent; and   The deploying parent provide timely information regarding his or her leave and departure schedule to the nondeploying parent;     Because actual leave from a deployment and departure dates for a deployment are subject to change with little notice due to military necessity, such changes shall not be used by the nondeploying parent to prevent contact between the deployed parent and his or her child;   A court order temporarily modifying an existing parenting plan or other order governing parent-child rights and responsibilities shall specify when a deployment is the basis for such order and it shall be entered by the court only as a temporary modification order or interlocutory order;   A relocation by a nondeploying parent during a period of a deployed parent's absence and occurring during the period of a temporary modification order for a parenting plan shall not act to terminate the exclusive and continuing jurisdiction of the court for purposes of later determining custody or parenting time under this chapter;   A court order temporarily modifying an existing parenting plan or other order shall require the nondeploying parent to provide the court and the deploying parent with not less than 30 days' advance written notice of any intended change of residence address, telephone numbers, or email address;   Upon a deployed parent's final return from deployment, either parent may file a petition to modify the temporary modification order for a parenting plan on the grounds that compliance with such order will result in immediate danger or substantial harm to the child, and may further request that the court issue an ex parte order. The deployed parent may file such a petition prior to his or her return. Such petition shall be accompanied by an affidavit in support of the requested order. Upon a finding of immediate danger or substantial harm to the child based on the facts set forth in the affidavit, the court may issue an ex parte order modifying the temporary parenting plan or other parent-child contact in order to prevent immediate danger or substantial harm to the child. If the court issues an ex parte order, the court shall set the matter for hearing within ten days from the issuance of the ex parte order;   Nothing in this subsection shall preclude either party from filing a petition for permanent modification of an existing parenting plan under subsection (b) of this Code section; provided, however, that the court shall not conduct a final hearing on such petition until at least 90 days after the final return of the deploying parent. There shall exist a presumption favoring the predeployment parenting plan or custody order as one that still serves the best interest of the child, and the party seeking to permanently modify such plan or order shall have the burden to prove that it no longer serves the best interest of the child;   When the deployment of a military parent has a material effect upon his or her ability to appear in person at a scheduled hearing, then upon request by the deploying parent and provided reasonable advance notice is given to other interested parties, the court may allow a deployed parent to present testimony and other evidence by electronic means for any matter considered by the court under this subsection. For purposes of this paragraph, the term "electronic means" shall include, but not be limited to, communications by telephone, video teleconference, internet connection, or electronically stored affidavits or documents sent from the deployment location or elsewhere;     When deployment of a military parent appears imminent and there is no existing parenting plan or other order setting forth the parent's rights and responsibilities, then upon a petition filed by either parent the court shall:   Expedite a hearing to establish a temporary parenting plan;   Require that the deploying parent shall have continued access to the child, provided that such contact is in the child's best interest;   Ensure the disclosure of financial information pertaining to both parties;   Determine the child support responsibilities under Code Section 19-6-15 of both parents during the deployment; and   Determine the child's best interest and consider delegating to any third parties with close contacts to the child any reasonable parenting time during the deployment. In deciding such request the court shall consider the reasonable requests of the deployed parent.     Any pleading filed to establish a parenting plan or child support order under this paragraph shall be identified at the time of filing by stating in the text of the pleading the specific facts related to the deployment and by referencing this paragraph and subsection of this Code section;     When an impending deployment precludes court expedited adjudication before deployment, the court may agree to allow the parties to arbitrate any issues as allowed under Code Section 19-9-1.1, or order the parties to mediation under any court established alternative dispute resolution program. For purposes of arbitration or mediation, each party shall be under a duty to provide to the other party information relevant to any parenting plan or support issues pertaining to the children or the parties;   Each military parent shall be under a continuing duty to provide written notice to the nondeploying parent within 14 days of the military parent's receipt of oral or written orders requiring deployment or any other absences due to military service that will impact the military parent's ability to exercise his or her parenting time with a child. If deployment orders do not allow for 14 days' advance notice, then the military parent shall provide written notice to the other parent immediately upon receiving such notice; and   A military parent shall ensure that any military family care plan that he or she has filed with his or her commander is consistent with any existing court orders for his or her child. In all instances any court order will be the first course of action for the care of a child during the absence of a military parent, and the military family care plan will be the alternative plan if the nondeploying parent either refuses to provide care for the child or acknowledges an inability to provide reasonable care for the child. A military parent shall not be considered in contempt of any court order or parenting plan when he or she in good faith implements his or her military family care plan based upon the refusal or claimed inability of a nondeploying parent to provide reasonable care for a child during a deployment.      (Ga. L. 1913, p. 110, § 1; Code 1933, § 74-107; Ga. L. 1957, p. 412, § 2; Ga. L. 1962, p. 713, § 2; Ga. L. 1976, p. 1050, § 3; Ga. L. 1978, p. 258, § 3; Ga. L. 1982, p. 3, § 19; Ga. L. 1984, p. 22, § 19; Ga. L. 1986, p. 1000, § 2; Ga. L. 1990, p. 1423, § 1; Ga. L. 1991, p. 1389, § 1; Ga. L. 1993, p. 1983, § 1; Ga. L. 1995, p. 863, § 6; Ga. L. 1999, p. 329, § 4; Ga. L. 2000, p. 1292, § 2; Ga. L. 2004, p. 780, § 3; Ga. L. 2007, p. 554, § 5/HB 369; Ga. L. 2011, p. 274, § 3/SB 112; Ga. L. 2017, p. 632, § 2-10/SB 132; Ga. L. 2019, p. 459, § 3/HB 79; Ga. L. 2021, p. 922, § 19/HB 497.)    The 2017 amendment,  effective January 1, 2018, substituted "prescribed by the Judicial Council of Georgia" for "set forth in Code Section 9-11-133" near the end of subsection (h).    The 2019 amendment,  effective May 2, 2019, added the exception in subparagraph (a)(3)(I).    The 2021 amendment,  effective May 10, 2021, part of an Act to revise, modernize, and correct the Code, substituted "email" for "e-mail" in subparagraph (i)(6)(B) and paragraph (i)(10); and substituted "internet" for "Internet" in subparagraph (i)(6)(B) and in the second sentence of paragraph (i)(13).   Code Commission notes.   - Pursuant to Code Section 28-9-5, in 1991, subsection (c), which was added by Ga. L. 1991, p. 1389, was redesignated as subsection (d).   Pursuant to Code Section 28-9-5, in 2007, "its" was deleted preceding "discretion" in the last sentence of paragraph (a)(2), and "educational" was substituted for "education" in subparagraph (a)(3)(J).   Editor's notes.   - Ga. L. 2007, p. 554, § 1/HB 369, not codified by the General Assembly, provides: "The General Assembly of Georgia declares that it is the policy of this state to assure that minor children have frequent and continuing contact with parents who have shown the ability to act in the best interests of their children and to encourage parents to share in the rights and responsibilities of rearing their children after the parents have separated or dissolved their marriage or relationship."   Ga. L. 2007, p. 554, § 8/HB 369, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that the 2007 amendment shall apply to all child custody proceedings and modifications of child custody filed on or after January 1, 2008.   Ga. L. 2011, p. 274, § 1/SB 112, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that: "This Act shall be known and may be cited as the 'Military Parents Rights Act.'"   Ga. L. 2019, p. 459, § 1/HB 79, not codified by the General Assembly, provides: "(a) The Georgia General Assembly finds that:   "(1) Blind individuals continue to face unfair societal biases regarding their ability to successfully provide parental care;   "(2) Blind individuals face unfair societal biases in family and dependency law proceedings, public and private adoption, guardianship, and foster care proceedings;   "(3) Children of blind individuals are being unnecessarily removed or restricted from parental care; and   "(4) Children are being denied the opportunity to enjoy loving homes with blind parents or other blind caretakers.   "(b) The purpose of this Act is to protect the best interests of children parented by blind individuals or children who could be parented by blind individuals through the establishment of procedural safeguards that require adherence to due process and equal protection rights of blind parents in the context of child welfare, foster care, adoption, and family law."   Law reviews.   - For article recommending more consistency in age requirements of laws pertaining to the welfare of minors, see 6 Ga. St. B.J. 189 (1969). For article, "The Child as a Party in Interest in Custody Proceedings," see 10 Ga. St. B.J. 577 (1974). For article, "Domestic Relations Law," see 53 Mercer L. Rev. 265 (2001). For survey article on domestic relations cases for the period from June 1, 2002 through May 31, 2003, see 55 Mercer L. Rev. 223 (2003). For annual survey of domestic relations law, see 56 Mercer L. Rev. 221 (2004). For annual survey of domestic relations law, see 58 Mercer L. Rev. 133 (2006). For survey article on domestic relations law, see 59 Mercer L. Rev. 139 (2007). For survey article on domestic relations law, see 60 Mercer L. Rev. 121 (2008). For annual survey of law on domestic relations, see 62 Mercer L. Rev. 105 (2010). For annual survey on domestic relations law, see 68 Mercer L. Rev. 107 (2016). For article, "Criminal Law as Family Law," see 33 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 285 (2017). For note, "Surrogate Mother Agreements in Georgia: Conflict and Accord with Statutory and Case Law," see 4 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 153 (1988). For note on 1993 amendment of this Code section, see 10 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 122 (1993). For comment on Stanton v. Stanton, 213 Ga. 545, 100 S.E.2d 289 (1957), holding that parents cannot by contract restrict the discretion of the court in awarding custody and provision regulating the religious upbringing of the child may be entirely disregarded by the court, see 20 Ga. B.J. 546 (1958). For comment on Bodrey v. Cape, 120 Ga. App. 859, 172 S.E.2d 643 (1969), see 7 Ga. St. B.J. 256 (1970). For comment on "Grandparents' Visitation Rights in Georgia," see 29 Emory L.J. 1083 (1980). For comment on In re A.R.B., 209 Ga. App. 324, 433 S.E.2d 411 (1993), regarding redefinition of the best interests standard, see 11 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 711 (1995).   JUDICIAL DECISIONS   ANALYSIS    General Consideration   Award of Custody   Parental Fitness   Selection by Child   Change of Custody   Visitation Rights    RESEARCH REFERENCES   Am. Jur. 2d.   - 24 Am. Jur. 2d, Divorce and Separation, §§ 893, 894, 919. 59 Am. Jur. 2d, Parent and Child, § 38 et seq.   Relocation of Children by the Custodial Parent, 65 Am. Jur. Trials 127.   C.J.S.   - 67A C.J.S., Parent and Child, §§ 63 et seq., 132 et seq., 146 et seq.   ALR.    - Attempt to bastardize child as affecting right to custody of the child, 4 A.L.R. 1119; 37 A.L.R. 531.    Validity of agreement by parent to surrender custody of child in consideration of promise to leave property to child, 15 A.L.R. 223.    Action between parents for the sole purpose of determining custody of child as a proper remedy, 40 A.L.R. 940.    Condition of health of child as consideration in awarding custody, 48 A.L.R. 137.    Death of mother of child whose custody has been awarded to her or to third person by divorce decree as reviving father's common-law duty to support, or right to custody of, child, 128 A.L.R. 989.    Jurisdiction acquired by court in divorce suit over custody and maintenance of child as excluding jurisdiction of other local courts, or as rendering its exercise improper, 146 A.L.R. 1153.    Order in divorce or separation proceeding concerning removal of child from jurisdiction, and award of custody to nonresident, 154 A.L.R. 552.    Extraterritorial effect of provision in decree of divorce as to custody of child, 160 A.L.R. 400.    Custody of child as proper subject of declaratory action, 170 A.L.R. 521.   Jurisdiction to award custody of child having legal domicile in another state, 4 A.L.R.2d 7.   Nonresidence as affecting one's right to custody of child, 15 A.L.R.2d 432.   Alienation of child's affections as affecting custody award, 32 A.L.R.2d 1005.   Right to custody of child as affected by death of custodian appointed by divorce decree, 39 A.L.R.2d 258.   Remarriage of parent as ground for modification of divorce decree as to custody of child, 43 A.L.R.2d 363.   "Split," "divided," or "alternate" custody of children, 92 A.L.R.2d 695.   Violation of custody or visitation provision of agreement or decree as affecting child support payment provision, and vice versa, 95 A.L.R.2d 118.   Child's wishes as factor in awarding custody, 4 A.L.R.3d 1396.   Award of custody of child where contest is between child's father and grandparent, 25 A.L.R.3d 7.   Award of custody of child where contest is between child's grandparent and one other than the child's parent, 30 A.L.R.3d 290.   Extraterritorial effect of valid award of custody of child of divorced parents, in absence of substantial change in circumstances, 35 A.L.R.3d 520.   Noncustodial parent's rights as respects education of child, 36 A.L.R.3d 1093.   Right of putative father to custody of illegitimate child, 45 A.L.R.3d 216.   Right, in child custody proceedings, to cross-examine investigating officer whose report is used by court in its decision, 59 A.L.R.3d 1337.   Modern status of maternal preference rule or presumption in child custody cases, 70 A.L.R.3d 262.   Effect, in subsequent proceedings, of paternity findings or implications in divorce or annulment decree or in support or custody order made incidental thereto, 78 A.L.R.3d 846.   Right to require psychiatric mental examination for party seeking to obtain or retain custody of child, 99 A.L.R.3d 268.   Custodial parent's sexual relations with third person as justifying modification of child custody order, 100 A.L.R.3d 625; 65 A.L.R.5th 591.   Validity and effect, as between former spouses, of agreement releasing parent from payment of child support provided for in an earlier divorce decree, 100 A.L.R.3d 1129.   Admissibility of social worker's expert testimony on child custody issues, 1 A.L.R.4th 837.   Parent's physical disability or handicap as factor in custody award or proceedings, 3 A.L.R.4th 1044.   Race as factor in child custody award or proceedings, 10 A.L.R.4th 796.   Desire of child as to geographical location of residence or domicile as factor in awarding custody or terminating parental rights, 10 A.L.R.4th 827.   Religion as factor in child custody and visitation cases, 22 A.L.R.4th 971.   Interference by custodian of child with noncustodial parent's visitation rights as ground for change of custody, 28 A.L.R.4th 9.   Court-authorized permanent or temporary removal of child by parent to foreign country, 30 A.L.R.4th 548.   Visitation rights of homosexual or lesbian parent, 36 A.L.R.4th 997.   Mother's status as "working mother" as factor in awarding child custody, 62 A.L.R.4th 259.   Child custody: separating children by custody awards to different parents - post-1975 cases, 67 A.L.R.4th 354.   Child custody: when does state that issued previous custody determination have continuing jurisdiction under Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Act (UCCJA) or Parental Kidnapping Prevention Act (PKPA), 28 USCS § 1738A, 83 A.L.R.4th 742.   Age of parent as factor in awarding custody, 34 A.L.R.5th 57.   Mental health of contesting parent as factor in award of child custody, 53 A.L.R.5th 375.   Initial award or denial of child custody to homosexual or lesbian parent, 62 A.L.R.5th 591.   Custodial parent's relocation as grounds for change of custody, 70 A.L.R.5th 377.   Restrictions on parent's child visitation rights based on parent's sexual conduct, 99 A.L.R.5th 475.   Effect of parent's military service upon child custody, 21 A.L.R.6th 577.   Parents' work schedules and associated dependent care issues as factors in child custody determinations, 26 A.L.R.6th 331.   Availability and use of electronic communication in child custody and visitation determinations, 96 A.L.R.6th 103.   Sufficiency of evidence to modify existing joint legal custody of children pursuant to consent order or divorce judgment - general principles, jurisdictional issues, and general issues related to "best interests of child," 99 A.L.R.6th 203.   Sufficiency of evidence to modify existing joint legal custody of children pursuant to consent order or divorce judgment - conduct or condition of parents; evidentiary issues, 100 A.L.R.6th 1.   Sufficiency of evidence to modify existing joint legal custody of children pursuant to consent order or divorce judgment - primary custody, visitation, residence, and relocation, 102 A.L.R.6th 153.