Add Required Fields To Legal Alabama Guardianship Forms For Free

First Petition for Child Custody Form PS-05: Use this form only if this is the FIRST custody order for your children. To CHANGE an order, use form PS-07 above. Important! You MUST file this form in the same county where the children live.

In Alabama, courts understand the role both parents play in a child's life and, if possible, prefer to grant joint custody. However, ing to Alabama Code § 30-3-2, the courts may give custody to either the father or the mother.

Only the plaintiff pays a filing fee. Ask your local court clerk what filing a case there costs (usually about $300). If you can't afford the filing fee, complete an Affidavit of Substantial Hardship, sign it in front of a notary and submit it to the court. The defendant doesn't pay to respond.

Go to a Family Law Attorney and file in Family/Probate Court with all of the police and medical records that show why you need to take guardianship. The court may appoint a Guardian ad Litem and an Attorney for the minor's interests to determine who would be the best Guardian of the minor until age 18.

You may file in the family court or a court of a different name that hears custody cases. Generally, you will file in the county where the child lives and, depending on the circumstances, you may be able to request an emergency or temporary order as part of your petition.

In Person in Alabama: You may go to any county health department in the State of Alabama to obtain a certified copy of an Alabama divorce certificate. Most divorce certificates can be issued while you wait. A map showing locations of county health departments where vital records may be obtained is available.