Rule 24.10.Parenting Plans

Rule 24. DOMESTIC RELATIONS · Last amended 2014 · Last verified July 17, 2026

In one sentenceRule 24.10 requires parents in permanent custody or custody-modification cases, other than emergency family-violence relief, to submit a standardized parenting plan covering legal and physical custody, day-to-day and major decision-making, visitation schedules, holidays, transportation, and record access, which becomes the court’s order once approved.

Full Text of Rule 24.10

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In all cases involving permanent custody or custody modification (except when a parent seeks emergency relief for family violence), each parent shall prepare and submit a parenting plan, or the parties may jointly submit a parenting plan, as directed by the judge. The parenting plan should be tailored to fit the needs of each individual family but must at a minimum contain the information required by OCGA § 19-9-1 (b) and be presented in substantially the following form:

Plaintiff, __________________COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT v. STATE OF GEORGIA Defendant. : : Civil Action : : Case Number __________ : :

PARENTING PLAN

( ) The parties have agreed to the terms of this plan and this information has been furnished by both parties to meet the requirements of OCGA § 19-9-1. The parties agree on the terms of the plan and affirm the accuracy of the information provided, as shown by their signatures at the end of this order.

( ) This plan has been prepared by the judge.

This plan ( ) is a new plan. ( ) modifies an existing Parenting Plan dated ___________. ( ) modifies an existing Order dated __________________.

Child’s Name Year of Birth

I. Custody and Decision Making: A. Legal Custody shall be (choose one:)

( ) with the Mother ( ) with the Father ( ) Joint

B. Primary Physical Custodian For each of the children named below the primary physical custodian shall be:

y/o/b: ( ) Mother ( ) Father ( ) Joint y/o/b: ( ) Mother ( ) Father ( ) Joint

y/o/b: ( ) Mother ( ) Father ( ) Joint

WHERE JOINT PHYSICAL CUSTODY IS CHOSEN BY THE PARENTS OR ORDERED BY THE COURT, A DETAILED PLAN OF THE LIVING ARRANGEMENTS OF THE CHILD(REN) SHALL BE ATTACHED AND MADE A PART OF THIS PARENTING PLAN.

C. Day-To-Day Decisions

Each parent shall make decisions regarding the day-to-day care of a child while the child is residing with that parent, including any emergency decisions affecting the health or safety of a child.

D. Major Decisions

Major decisions regarding each child shall be made as follows:

Educational decisions ( ) Mother ( ) Father ( ) Joint Non-emergency health care ( ) Mother ( ) Father ( ) Joint Religious upbringing ( ) Mother ( ) Father ( ) Joint Extracurricular activities ( ) Mother ( ) Father ( ) Joint _____________________ ( ) Mother ( ) Father ( ) Joint _____________________ ( ) Mother ( ) Father ( ) Joint

E. Disagreements Where parents have elected joint decision making in Section I.D above, please explain how any disagreements in decision-making will be resolved. ______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

II. Parenting Time/Visitation Schedules A. Parenting Time/Visitation During the term of this parenting plan the non-custodial parent shall have at a minimum the following rights of parenting time/visitation (choose an item): ( ) The weekend of the first and third Friday of each month. ( ) The weekend of the first, third, and fifth Friday of each month. ( ) The weekend of the second and fourth Friday of each month. ( ) Every other weekend starting on __________. ( ) Each _________ starting at _________a.m./p.m. and ending __________ a.m./p.m. ( ) Other: ______________________________________________________ ( ) and weekday parenting time/visitation on (choose an item): ( ) None ( ) Every Wednesday evening ( ) Every other Wednesday during the week prior to a non-visitation weekend. ( ) Every ___________________ and _____________ evening. ( ) Other: _____________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ For purposes of this parenting plan, a weekend will start at ______ a.m./p.m. on [Thursday/Friday/Saturday/Other: _____________ ] and end at _______ a.m./p.m. on [Sunday/Monday/ Other: _________________ ]. Weekday visitation will begin at _____ a.m./p.m. and will end [___p.m./when the child(ren) return(s) to school or day care the next morning/Other:________ ].

This parenting schedule begins: ( ) ____________________ (day and time) OR ( ) date of the Court’s Order

B. Major Holidays and Vacation Periods

Thanksgiving

The day to day schedule shall apply unless other arrangements are set forth: ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ beginning ____________________________________________________________________.

Winter Vacation

The ( ) mother ( ) father shall have the child(ren) for the first period from the day and time school is dismissed until December ______ at _____ a.m./p.m. in ( ) odd numbered years ( ) even numbered years ( ) every year. The other parent will have the child(ren) for the second period from the day and time indicated above until 6:00 p.m. on the evening before school resumes. Unless otherwise indicated, the parties shall alternate the first and second periods each year.

Other agreement of the parents:

Summer Vacation

Define summer vacation period: _______________________________________________

Spring Vacation (if applicable)

Define:________________________________________________________________________

Fall Vacation (if applicable)

Define:________________________________________________________________________

C. Other Holiday Schedule (if applicable)

Martin Luther King Day _________________ __________________ Presidents’ Day _________________ __________________

Mother’s Day _________________ __________________ Memorial Day _________________ __________________ Father’s Day _________________ __________________ July Fourth _________________ __________________ Labor Day _________________ __________________ Halloween _________________ __________________ Child(ren)’s Birthday(s) Mother’s Birthday _________________ __________________ Father’s Birthday _________________ __________________ Religious Holidays: _________________ __________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ____________ _____ ________________ _________________ __________________ ________________ _________________ __________________ _________________ __________________ Other: _________________ __________________ ________________ _________________ __________________

Other: _________________ __________________ ________________ Other: ________________

D. Other extended periods of time during school, etc. (refer to the school schedule) ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

E. Start and end dates for holiday visitation

For the purposes of this parenting plan, the holiday will start and end as follows (choose one):

( ) Holidays that fall on Friday will include the following Saturday and Sunday ( ) Holidays that fall on Monday will include the preceding Saturday and Sunday ( ) Other: ______________________________________________________________________

F. Coordination of Parenting Schedules

Check if applicable:

() The holiday parenting time/visitation schedule takes precedence over the regular

parenting time/visitation schedule.

( ) When the child(ren) is/are with a parent for an extended parenting time/visitation period (such as summer), the other parent shall be entitled to visit with the child(ren) during the extended period, as follows:

______________________________________________________________________________

G. Transportation Arrangements

For visitation, the place of meeting for the exchange of the child(ren) shall be: ______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

The ___________ will be responsible for transportation of the child at the beginning of visitation.

The ___________ will be responsible for transportation of the child at the conclusion of visitation.

Transportation costs, if any, will be allocated as follows:

______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

Other provisions: _______________________________________________________________ H. Contacting the Child When the child or children are in the physical custody of one parent, the other parent will have the right to contact the child or children as follows: ( ) Telephone ( ) Other:______________________________________________________________________ ( ) Limitations on contact: ______________________________________________________________________________ I. Supervision of Parenting Time (if applicable) ( ) Check here if applicable Supervised parenting time shall apply during the day-to-day schedule as follows:

Place: _______________________________________________________

Person/Organization supervising: _________________________________

Responsibility for cost:

( ) Mother ( ) Father ( ) Both equally

J. Communication Provisions

Please check:

( ) Each parent shall promptly notify the other parent of a change of address, phone number or cell phone number. A parent changing residence must give at least 30 days notice of the change and provide the full address of the new residence.

( ) Due to prior acts of family violence, the address of the child(ren) and victim of family violence shall be kept confidential. The protected parent shall promptly notify the other parent, through a third party, of any change in contact information necessary to conduct visitation.

III. Access to Records and Information

Rights of the Parents

Absent agreement to limitations or court ordered limitations, pursuant to OCGA § 19-9-1 (b) (1) (D), both parents are entitled to access to all of the child(ren)’s records and information, including, but not limited to, education, health, extracurricular activities, and religious communications. Designation as a non-custodial parent does not affect a parent’s right to equal access to these records.

Limitations on Access Rights: _____________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Other Information Sharing Provisions: ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

IV. Modification of Plan or Disagreements

Parties may, by mutual agreement, vary the parenting time/visitation; however, such agreement shall not be a binding court order. Custody shall only be modified by court order.

Should the parents disagree about this parenting plan or wish to modify it, they must make a good faith effort to resolve the issue between them.

V. Special Considerations

Please attach an addendum detailing any special circumstances of which the Court should be aware (e.g., health issues, educational issues, etc.)

______________________________________________________________________________

VI. Parents’ Consent

Please review the following and initial:

1. We recognize that a close and continuing parent-child relationship and continuity in the child’s life is in the child’s best interest.

Mother’s Initials: ___________ Father’s Initials: ____________

2. We recognize that our child’s needs will change and grow as the child matures; we have made a good faith effort to take these changing needs into account so that the need for future modifications to the parenting plan are minimized.

Mother’s Initials: ____________ Father’s Initials: ____________

3. We recognize that the parent with physical custody will make the day-to-day decisions and emergency decisions while the child is residing with such parent.

Mother’s Initials: __________ Father’s Initials: _____________

( ) We knowingly and voluntarily agree on the terms of this Parenting Plan. Each of us affirms that the information we have provided in this Plan is true and correct.

______________________________ _______________________________ Mother’s Signature Father’s Signature

ORDER

The Court has reviewed the foregoing Parenting Plan, and it is hereby made the order of this Court.

This Order entered on _____________________________________, 20 __.

__________________________________ JUDGE _________ COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT

Plain-English Summary

Rule 24.10 turns custody arrangements into a written document with a required shape. In every case that decides permanent custody or modifies existing custody — apart from an emergency request tied to family violence — each parent submits a parenting plan, or the parents submit one jointly, following the judge’s directions. Whatever the parties write has to meet the minimum content Georgia law requires and follow the standardized form the rule sets out.

That form works through the practical questions a custody order has to answer: who holds legal custody and who is the primary physical custodian for each child; who makes day-to-day decisions versus major decisions like schooling, medical care, religion, and activities; and how the parents will resolve disagreements if they share decision-making. It then builds out a full visitation calendar — regular weekends and weekdays, holidays, summer and school breaks, and how a moving holiday interacts with the regular schedule — along with transportation logistics and rules for how a non-custodial parent may contact the child.

The plan also addresses each parent’s right to a child’s school, medical, and other records regardless of custodial status, and states plainly that any informal agreement to vary parenting time does not modify the underlying custody order — only the court can do that. Once the judge reviews the plan, whether the parties agreed to it or the judge drafted it, it becomes an enforceable order of the court.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a parenting plan required in every domestic relations case involving children?

It is required in cases involving permanent custody or custody modification, but not when a parent is seeking emergency relief for family violence.

Can parents submit one joint parenting plan instead of each filing a separate one?

Yes, the parties may jointly submit a parenting plan as directed by the judge, or each parent may prepare and submit one.

Does an informal agreement between parents to change the visitation schedule modify the court’s custody order?

No. The rule states that any agreement to vary parenting time between the parents is not a binding court order, and that custody can only be modified by court order.

Does the non-custodial parent lose access to the child’s school and medical records?

No. Both parents are entitled to access to the child’s records, including education, health, extracurricular, and religious communications, and being the non-custodial parent does not affect that right absent a limiting agreement or court order.

Who can prepare the parenting plan if the parents cannot agree?

The judge may prepare the plan, as the form itself provides a checkbox for a plan “prepared by the judge.”

Amendment History

Adopted effective May 1, 2008; amended effective September 18, 2014.

Source & verification. Rule text and amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the Uniform Superior Court Rules, published by the Council of Superior Court Judges of Georgia. Last verified July 17, 2026. · Official source

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