ATLANTA, GA, Aug. 13, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Natalie Tyler, a family law attorney and founder of Tyler Family Law in Atlanta, Georgia, has outlined what parents should know when considering a child custody modification across Georgia, including DeKalb and Fulton counties. She addresses one of the most frequently misunderstood areas of Georgia family law: what is actually required for a court to modify an existing custody order.
Custody modifications are one of the most common post-decree matters heard in Georgia superior courts, and among the most commonly misunderstood. Parents often assume that dissatisfaction with a current parenting plan, or with their co-parent, is sufficient grounds to modify a custody order. Georgia law sets a different standard.
"The threshold question is not whether a parent is unhappy with the current arrangement," said Natalie Tyler. "It is whether there are new and material conditions existing that substantially affect the interest and welfare of the child since the original decree was entered. Those are different questions, and the difference is what separates a petition that has merit from one that does not."
Under Georgia law, a parent seeking to modify custody generally must show that, since entry of the existing custody order, there has been a material change in circumstances affecting the welfare of the child. It is important to note, however, that any modification must be demonstrated to be in the best interests of the child.
Changes that may support a modification may include, but are not limited to, a parent's relocation, significant changes in a child's medical or educational needs, changes in a parent's work schedule or availability, or circumstances affecting the child's safety and well-being. Whether a particular change is sufficient to warrant modification depends on the specific facts of each case, and no single circumstance necessarily determines the outcome.
"Every custody modification case turns on its own facts," Tyler said. "A parent considering modification should focus first on what has actually changed since the existing custody order was entered, how that change has affected the child, and whether a different custody arrangement would better serve the child's best interests. The court is ultimately focused on the child's best interests, not simply whether one parent believes the current arrangement should be different."
Natalie Tyler also addresses a procedural point that frequently surprises parents. In Georgia, a child's election to live with a certain parent carries weight once the child reaches a certain age, but that preference does not by itself control the outcome. The courts retain discretion to determine what serves the child's best interests regardless of the election. Once a child reaches age 14, however, Georgia law gives significantly greater weight to the child's choice. A child who is 14 or older may elect the parent with whom the child wishes to live, and that election is presumptive unless the court determines that living with the selected parent would not be in the child's best interests.
The guidance follows Tyler's 2026 selection to the Super Lawyers Rising Stars list, the ninth consecutive year she has received the distinction. Custody modification remains one of the more frequently misunderstood areas of Georgia family law. Tyler Family Law provides this information to help parents better understand the legal standard for modifying an existing custody order and evaluate whether changes in their circumstances may warrant seeking a modification.
Tyler has been licensed to practice law in Georgia since 2013 and is an active member in good standing of the State Bar of Georgia. She earned her law degree from Atlanta's John Marshall Law School and is the founder of Tyler Family Law, LLC. She has been named to the Super Lawyers Rising Stars list each year from 2018 through 2026. The firm represents clients in DeKalb County and throughout metropolitan Atlanta in matters including divorce, child custody, child support, paternity and legitimation.
The full article is available at tylerfamilylawfirm.com.
About Tyler Family Law
Tyler Family Law, LLC is a family law practice based in Atlanta, Georgia, founded by attorney Natalie Tyler. The firm represents clients in DeKalb County and throughout the metropolitan Atlanta area in divorce, child custody, child support, paternity and legitimation matters. The firm is located at 1201 W Peachtree St NW, Suite 2300, Atlanta, GA 30309. For more information, visit tylerfamilylawfirm.com or contact the firm at 404-239-3995.
Media contact:
Company Name: Tyler Family Law, LLC
Contact Person: Natalie Tyler
Contact Number: 404-239-3995
Email: natalie@tylerfamilylawfirm.com
Country: United States
Media contact: Company Name: Tyler Family Law, LLC Contact Person: Natalie Tyler Contact Number: 404-239-3995 Email: natalie@tylerfamilylawfirm.com Country: United States
