Blawg of Attorney Christine M Bechtold

On this day in 1787, the U.S. Constitution was signed. Enjoy Constitution day by reading it here:  http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/constitution.html

No. The difference between legal separation and divorce often comes up in family law, and the difference is quite simple. In a legal separation the parties are still married.   "A divorce ends your marriage. After you get divorced, you will be single, and you can marry again.”   www.georgiacourts.org The Georgia Courts do allow for a type of action similar to legal separation called separate maintenance. "A party who wishes to live apart permanently, but who does not want to get a divorce, may file a separate maintenance action. The spouses will remain legally married although living apart." www.gabar.org You do not need a separate maintenance action to move forward with a divorce in Georgia. Some people chose a separate maintenance action due to religious, emotional, or financial reasons.  The legal process for a separate maintenance and an uncontested divorce in Georgia is very similar, so unless both people feel strongly about the separate maintena...

Independence Day is one of the most important federal holidays in the United States commemorating the Declaration of Independence , which declared our independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. “What Jefferson did was to summarize this philosophy in ‘self-evident truths’ and set forth a list of grievances against the King in order to justify before the world the breaking of ties between the colonies and the mother country.” www.archives.gov In the Declaration of Independence Thomas Jefferson describes why the Declaration is necessary:  " 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.” Declaration of Independence " He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, ...

The new Georgia Juvenile Justice Code House Bill 242 passed the Senate unanimously on March 21, 2013. GA HB 242. The Bill, which is expected to become effective on January 1, 2014, “incorporates many of the recommendations by the governor’s criminal justice reform council related to the juvenile justice system.” atlawblog 3/21/2013. The Bill is intended to emphasize community resources for lower-risk juvenile offenders. It “is designed to send fewer juveniles to state facilities for committing felonies and to divert kids who are not dangerous — especially so-called status offenders such as truants, runaways and the unruly — into less expensive community-based programs.”  AJC 3/21/2013.

People often ask “who will hear my case?” In Georgia, the answer depends on where you and/or the defendant lives and what your case is about, however many cases are heard by the Superior Court. There are 10 Judicial Districts in Georgia which includes 49 Superior Court Judicial Circuits. http://www.georgiacourts.gov/aoc/selfhelp/gacourts_guide.pdf . Every county in Georgia has its own Superior Court, but it may be attached to another Judicial Circuit. For example, the Gwinnett Superior Court Circuit just includes Gwinnett County while the Alcovy Superior Court Circuit includes both Newton and Walton Counties. Your Superior Court is based on the County you live in. The Superior Court has general jurisdiction, which means the Superior Court can rule on any criminal or civil action which is not already designated to be heard by another Court, such as traffic, misdemeanors, bankruptcy, immigration, or probate. Georgia Superior Courts hear a large variety of cases including fel...

By Chris Dyches Dec 12, 2012 5:15 p.m. Things are changing on Sesame Street and the writers behind the major children's series are tackling yet another tough subject... divorce. In an new web series, the Muppet show, which is in its 44th season, will publicly talk about divorced families. "Sesame Street has never shied away from taking on tough topics. If it's a challenge young children face in their lives, it's a challenge Sesame Street would like to help them weather," a blog posted on the Sesame Street website said. "Over the years we have tackled everything from the death of a loved one to helping children through challenging economic times. And now Sesame Workshop is providing tools and resources to help children and parents stay resilient during divorce and separation." Millions of young children experience divorce, and they struggle to understand what exactly is happening. Parents also struggle to explain these changes, if they are a...