Blawg of Attorney Christine M Bechtold

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. ********************...

Divorcing couples often come face-to-face with unexpected financial issues when going through a divorce. Here are a few general tips to deal with the financial stress of divorce: Separate your bank accounts. Separating your checking and savings accounts before your divorce may make the divorce process less stressful because it will be one less issue for the Courts to decide. Check your credit. If you are unsure of your credit accounts, run a credit report prior to your divorce to ensure you are covering all of your bases. Clients are often surprised to learn that divorce does not impact joint credit card or other joint debts unless they are specifically addressed in your divorce documentation. If your name is on a credit card you are still responsible for that account. Do not stop paying your debts. Your debts and financial obligations do not stop during a divorce. Ensure that your marital debts are being addressed to avoid any future fees and consequences. Check your deed....

Divorce is not easy on anyone, especially children. Every divorcing family is different, but here are a few general tips to deal with the stress of divorcing from your child’s parent: Take the high road and stop fighting. The sooner you can stop fighting with your child’s parent the sooner you can focus on your child. Fighting in front of your child is not good for anyone. Encourage your children to visit their parent, their grandparents, and their extended family. Just because you may not want to be around your child’s parent anymore does not mean your children don’t need them in their life. Remember to keep your child’s best interest in mind. Never disparage a parent or other adult in front of the children . Adult conflicts are for adults only. Do not use your child as messenger. If you have communication for the other parent communicate with them directly. Do keep things as consistent as possible. Keeping your child’s schedule and daily routines in place will help them with...

“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."   U.S. Const. amend. II . This Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution is generally referred to simply as the “right to bear arms.” The United States Supreme Court recently addressed the Second Amendment and found that, “The Second Amendment protects an individual right to possess a firearm unconnected with service in a militia, and to use that arm for traditionally lawful purposes, such as self-defense within the home.”  District of Columbia v. Heller, 554 U.S. 570 (2008) .  Our Second Amendment right is regulated by each specific state. Georgia’s specific law is the "Georgia Firearms and Weapons Act." O.C.G.A. § 16-11-120 . In Georgia, the Judge of the Probate Court in your county has the authority to issue a valid firearms permit to qualified applicants. This firearm permit “shall authorize that person to carry...

Parents often ask if they have to pay child support, and the simple answer is yes. Georgia, like all states, believes that child support is a parental obligation based on public policy. Child support belongs to the child not to the parents; therefore parents cannot negotiate away that obligation. Child support is paid by the non-custodial parent to the custodial parent “or other person to whom the custody of the child or children is awarded .” O.C.G.A. § 19-6-17 . The amount of child support starts with the Georgia Child Support Commission .  This organization has “ the purpose of studying and collecting information and data relating to awards of child support and to create and revise the child support obligation table.” Georgia Courts . The Georgia Child Support Commission publishes child support calculators to determine a presumptive child support amount. Georgia Child Support Commission Calculators . This presumptive amount can be deviated upon judicial approval.   It i...

"In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right . . . to be confronted with the witnesses against him."  U.S. Const. amend. VI . This section of the sixth amendment of the U.S. Constitution is also known as the Confrontation Clause. The idea behind this amendment is that a defendant should have the opportunity to cross-examine and challenge the credibility of people making statements about him. In general, this right only applies when hearsay evidence is offered against a criminal defendant. The Confrontation Clause is often confusing because there are many exclusions when it does not apply. In fact, the issue of exclusion was recently brought before the United States Supreme Court. In their Michigan v. Bryant decision, the Supreme Court held that the admission of a dying man's statements was not a violation of the Confrontation Clause. SupremeCourt Michigan v. Bryant . The majority decision stated that the Confrontation Clause was not violated beca...

Georgia family law revolves around the best interest of your child. The court determines both physical and legal custody of your child after divorce or separation with your child’s other parent. Georgia law provides that the courts are not to give preference to either mothers or fathers when determining physical and legal custody. Physical custody is where the child resides and typically means that the other parent will have visitation rights. Physical custody can be joint or sole. Joint physical custody means that the child takes turns residing with each parent equally. Sole physical custody means that the child resides with just one parent (the custodial parent). In Georgia, it is not common to see joint physical custody. Legal custody gives you the authority to make decisions concerning your child’s needs. These include decisions about religion, education, and non-emergency medical care. Legal custody, like physical custody, can be joint or sole. Parents with joint legal custody ...