Division of Assets
One on the main issues in every divorce is how to divide assets. In Georgia, each spouse is entitled to an equitable division of marital assets. The division of assets can be complex depending on the length of your marriage and the size of your estate. We have experience in helping clients divide everything from household furnishings to complex division of businesses.
Child Custody
One of the toughest issues in a divorce can be the custody and visitation of minor children. The primary consideration when establishing a custody and visitation schedule is the best interests of the minor child. Our attorneys are familiar with Georgia’s best interests factors to help you create a custody and visitation arrangement.
Child Support
Georgia’s child support guidelines consider both parents’ monthly gross income when setting child support. Based on the parents’ combined monthly income the child support guidelines set a basic child support obligation. Each parent is then responsible for their pro-rata share of the basic child support obligation. Our attorneys have experience with the Georgia Child Support Guidelines and what factors may increase or decrease your support, including work-related childcare, extracurricular expenses, health insurance, and extraordinary educational expenses.
Alimony
Alimony is an allowance out of one spouse’s (or ex-spouse’s) separate estate for the support of the other spouse when the spouses are living separately. The purpose of alimony is to provide the support to one spouse, or ex-spouse, if that spouse is in need of economic support. Alimony does not have a specific guideline amount like child support, but our attorneys have superior knowledge of the alimony factors that courts consider when awarding alimony to a spouse.
Legitimation
When a child is born to married parents or the parents of a child subsequently marry, the child is legitimated by the legal act of the marriage. If the mother and the father of a child were never married to each other, the child is considered to have been born out-of-wedlock. A legitimation is the legal process a biological father may undertake to establish his legal relationship with his child. The purpose of Georgia’s laws regarding legitimation and paternity is to provide a method for fathers to establish legal relationships with their children. It can be highly advantageous to legitimate a child soon after their birth. Do not wait to contact us if you’ve had a child with a person to whom you are not married.
Paternity
When a child is born out-of-wedlock and a mother is having trouble obtaining child support from the alleged father, the mother may file a paternity action. A paternity action establishes a father for the child and allows a court to award child support once paternity is proven. Our attorneys can help you file an action and get a paternity test quickly so you can begin receiving child support for your child.
Grandparent Custody
The State of Georgia encourages minor children to have continuing contact with parents and grandparents who have shown the ability to act in the best interest of the child. Grandparents have a legally recognized interest in the welfare of their grandchildren. If you are having difficulty maintaining a relationship with your grandchild or the parents of your grandchild are unable to properly care for their child, contact us to discuss your grandparent rights.
Temporary Protective Orders
Georgia law provides protection for individuals who have been the victim of family violence through the issuance of Temporary Protective Orders (TPOs). Some states refer to these as a restraining order. A TPO is a court order that can help victims of family violence obtain protection from the individual or individuals who have caused them harm through abuse, violence, stalking or harassment. Our attorneys have represented dozens of clients in successfully obtaining and defending TPOs.
