Blawg of Attorney Christine M Bechtold

“ When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.” Declaration of Independence. The Declaration of Independence is one of America’s most important founding documents. In the Declaration of Independence Thomas Jefferson lists various reasons why Independence is necessary, just a few are listed below: ·      "He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.” archives.gov. ·      "He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.” archives.gov. ·    ...

" We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Declaration of Independence. “Drafted by Thomas Jefferson between June 11 and June 28, 1776, the Declaration of Independence is at once the nation's most cherished symbol of liberty and Jefferson's most enduring monument.” archives.gov . In the Declarationof Independence Thomas Jefferson lists various reasons why Independence is necessary, just a few are listed below: "The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States.” archives.gov. "He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us." archives.gov. "For taking away our Chart...

Most County Governments in Georgia are closed on Tuesday, July 4th in honor of our nation's Independence. Below is a list of local county hours.    "The Newton County Judicial Center will be closed on Tuesday, July 4, 2017.  The Walton County Government Building will be closed on Monday, July 3, 2017, and Tuesday, July 4, 2017, in observance of Independence Day." alcovycircuit.com. Barrow , Gwinnett , and Rockdale County Governments will be closed on Tuesday, July 4, 2017. barrowga.org ; gwinnettcounty.com ; rockdalecountyga.gov . Gwinnett County Courts are, "Closed on legal holidays." gwinnettcourts.com. The Law Office of Christine M Bechtold, LLC also will be closed Monday, July 3, 2017 and Tuesday, July 4, 2017 to celebrate this wonderful holiday of independence. Send a confidential email directly to attorney Bechtold for legal information Christine@Bechtold-Law.com .

"The Newton County Judicial Center and the Walton County Government Building will be closed on Friday, March 25, 2016, in observance of Good Friday." http://www.alcovycircuit.com/news/203-holiday-schedule.html . The Gwinnett County Courts are, "closed on legal holidays." http://www.gwinnettcourts.com/ . Good Friday is not an observed legal holiday in the State of Georgia. https://georgia.gov/popular-topic/observing-state-holidays . The Law Office of Christine M Bechtold, LLC will have limited appointments on Good Friday 2016 and will be available via email at Christine@Bechtold-Law.com and by phone message at 770.466.2700. Have a Happy Easter with your family!

You decide! On April 15, 2011, this blog discussed changes to local Loganville alcohol sales.  Bechtold Law Blog 4/15/11 . Then, Loganville voted to allow Sunday alcohol sales, and in November of 2011 it was reported that, " residents will be able to pick up a six-pack of beers while shopping in grocery stores."  Loganville Patch 11/10/11 . Loganville residence may soon vote on another change in the liquor law, specifically to allow a local liquor store."Dempsey, representing interested parties with the Loganville Citizens for Choice campaign, is pushing to place a referendum on the November ballot, which would allow the licensing and opening of a liquor store in the city limits of Loganville."  Walton Tribune 7/08/12 . The option is not yet on the ballot, but Loganville residences may soon vote again on liquor sales in Loganville.

Independence Day, is one of the most important federal holidays in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. Many people remember the popular quote, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Declaration of Independence However, later in the Declaration, Thomas Jefferson spells out in detail why the Declaration is necessary:     "But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security." Declaration of Independence "A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may ...

Client Reviews: All 5.0 out of 5.0 reviews on Lawyers.com “ Christine was very helpful and persistent in my divorce case. I would definitely use her services should I need them in the future” “ Ms. Bechtold always responded to my questions and provided me with the legal services I needed in a timely manner. I would recommend her to others who are seeking a hands-on attentive attorney.” “ Very easy to deal with. Answered all my questions.” "Ms. Bechtold was very professional, and very helpful in the process of my divorce. She was able to answer all of my questions on the process and application of my divorce. I would highly recommend her services to anyone I know needing legal services.” “Ms. Bechtold always replies promptly to communications. She is an expert in her fields and her fees are very reasonable. She explains things in laymen's terms so that I can fully understand them, since I am not a lawyer. I've been very happy with her se...

Average Client Review 5 out of 5! Very happy with services Posted by: Teresa, a Family client, 7 days ago.       Overall rating            Excellent       Trustworthy              Excellent       Responsive               Excellent       Knowledgeable        Excellent       Kept me informed    Excellent   Client Review: Ms. Bechtold always replies promptly to communications. She is an expert in her fields and her fees are very reasonable. She explains things in laymen’s terms so that I can fully understand them, since I am not a lawyer. I’ve been very happy with her services. ********************...

The City of Loganville’s traffic citation amnesty program has been extended until 5:00 p.m. on September 16, 2011. waltontribune 8/31/11 . See prior post for details on the program. http://bechtold-law.blogspot.com/2011/07/outstanding-traffic-citation-in-city-of.html.

Much like the program offered in Gwinnett County in March 2011 bechtold-law.blogspot.com 2/28/11 , the City of Loganville’s traffic citation amnesty program begins August 1, 2011. Amnesty will be granted for persons having unpaid citations including contempt of court fees and failure to appear warrants. AJC 7/15/11 . This amnesty will allow citizens to clear their cases and, in some cases, even have their contempt of court fee waived. “Each case will be evaluated based on the offense and there will be some instances where some outstanding warrants will be cleared without an arrest.”  WaltonTribune 7/19/11 . Judge Brad Brownlow from the City of Loganville stated that “This will be their last opportunity to clear their cases without facing arrests and possible jail time.”  WaltonTribune 7/19/11 . If you have an outstanding traffic citation from the City of Loganville and you would like to take advantage of its amnesty program, contact the City of Loganville Municipal Court ...

Walton County Sheriff’s Office recently found a large amount of illegal drugs in a vehicle on highway 78.  “The deputy stated the tint was so dark there no way to determine if the driver was wearing a seat belt, leading to the belief visibility was less than 32 percent. The deputy turned around and initiated a traffic stop west of Cheek Road. “ Walton Tribune 6/19/2011 . After the traffic stop, the Sheriff’s deputy reported a strong odor and that the driver was breathing heavily and shaking. The driver consented to a search of both his body and his vehicle, during which time the Sheriff’s deputy “reported a strong odor of marijuana emanating from the back of the vehicle. A search of the back of the vehicle revealed two suitcases secured by padlocks.” Walton Tribune 6/19/2011 . The driver then refused consent for the deputy to search the suitcases. However, the deputy obtained legal authority to search the suitcases when the vehicle was later towed to the Sheriff’s office. Wh...

A police blotter is a written record of daily arrests in your area. Although you may be familiar with the blotter format, some of the terminology can be confusing. Georgia’s Criminal Code is defined in O.C.G.A. §§ 17-1-1 – 17-18-2. http://www.lexisnexis.com/hottopics/gacode/ .  A brief explanation of common charges is listed below: ·          Criminal Trespass : intentionally damaging the property of another in the amount of $500 or less; or entering the property of another for an unlawful purpose or without their authorization ·          Theft : taking property from another without their consent o    by Taking: unlawfully taking the property of another o    by Deception: obtaining the property of another by misleading o    by Shoplifting: taking merchandise from a retail establishment o    by Receiving: receiving another person’s property when you know it wa...

Georgia’s State Legislature recently approved a new immigration bill ( HB 87 - Illegal Immigration Reform and Enforcement Act of 2011 ) but it has yet to be signed into law by Governor Deal. AJC 4/15/11 . This new bill is similar to the much publicized Arizona immigration bill, with a few changes.  Similar to Arizona, the Georgia bill allows local law enforcement to demand documentation of residency. It also empowers police to detain people they reasonably suspect are here illegally. NYTtimes 4/16/11 . The Georgia bill also establishes an Immigration Enforcement Review Board to investigate complaints about those same enforcements.  Unlike the Arizona bill, the Georgia bill softens the requirements for the federal E-Verify program and requires the investigation into a State run guest worker program by the state Agriculture Department. Opponents to the bill state that it will lead to discrimination and harassment towards Georgia immigrants. ...

You decide. Georgia is one of only a few states that still ban retail sales of alcohol on Sundays, but that may soon change.  This week the state approved a bill to allow local communities to determine alcohol sales. WaltonTribune 4/14/11 . This change will allow local governments to decide about Sunday alcohol sales instead of the state, and  Loganvile may be one of the first cities to take on this issue. Voters can expect to see this topic on ballots soon. AJC 4/12/11 .