Blawg of Attorney Christine M Bechtold

"Constitution Day commemorates the formation and signing of the U.S. Constitution by thirty-nine brave men on September 17, 1787, recognizing all who, are born in the U.S. or by naturalization, have become citizens." http://www.constitutionday.com .  "The U.S. Constitution established America's national government and fundamental laws, and guaranteed certain basic rights for its citizens." http://www.history.com/topics/constitution . "The United States Constitution is the world's longest surviving written charter of government." http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/generic/ConstitutionDay.htm . "Empowered with the sovereign authority of the people by the framers and the consent of the legislatures of the states, it is the source of all government powers, and also provides important limitations on the government that protect the fundamental rights of United States citizens."   https://www.whitehouse.gov/1600/constitution . ...

Divorce cases are filed as Domestic Civil Cases in Superior Court. Filing fees to the Superior Court vary by county, see list and links below for the most recent filing fees as of August, 2015. Alcovy (Walton and Newton Counties) $205.00 www.alcovycircuit.com Athens-Clark County $215.00 athensclarkecounty.com Dekalb County $210.00 www.dksuperiorclerk.com Fulton County $221.00 www.fcclk.org Gwinnett County $206.00 www.gwinnettcourts.com Rockdale County $205.00 www.rockdaleclerk.com The filing fee is paid to the Clerk’s office for the filing and processing of your case. If your case requires service of process by the Sheriff, there is a separate fee to the Sheriff’s office of $50.00 per person, per address.  If your county is not listed above, call the Clerk of the Superior Court in your county for the most recent fees. This is an update to the prior post: How Much AreYour Legal Fees For A Divorce? . Contact the Law Office of Chr...

Yes, everyone should have a living will. This legal document allows you to set-up guidelines for your healthcare in the event you can't make the decisions yourself. A living will, durable power of attorney for health care, and advance directive for health care (ADHC) are all the same document. Since 2007, Georgia has combined all of these documents into the ADHC. bechtold-law.blogspot.com. "You have the right to control all aspects of your personal care and medical treatment, including the right to insist upon medical treatment or direct that medical treatment be withheld or withdrawn. If you cannot (or do not want to) communicate your health care decisions for yourself, you have the right to choose someone to make health care decisions for you. You also have the right to state your treatment preferences if you have a terminal condition or are in a state of permanent unconsciousness. The Georgia Advance Directive for Health Care Act gives you an opportunity to choose ...

Divorce in Georgia requires a filing fee to the Court and attorney fees. Filing fees for divorce in Georgia vary by county and are approximately $205.      - $204 Gwinnett County www.gwinnettcourts.com     - $205 Alcovy (Newton and Walton Counties) www.alcovycircuit.com Attorney fees vary greatly from firm to firm and even from case to case. Some attorneys offer flat rates, while others require a retainer and bill against it hourly. Divorce situations vary greatly from case to case which in turn can impact your attorney fees. It is important to inquire about legal fees before you enter into an attorney-client relationship so you know your financial responsibility. Your attorney should give you an estimate of their fees, preferably in writing before you start. The Law Office of Christine M Bechtold, LLC offers flat fees for a variety of legal services. This process allows you to know your fees before we even begin. Although the firm attempts to pro...

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. bechtold-law.blogspot.com.   “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.” www.archives.gov. “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 ...

July 2, 1776 is the day the United States of America became independent, but we celebrate two days later; Why? The founders knew there needed to be a unifying document explaining the reasons for independence and not just a vote. "July 2 Congress voted for independence and proceeded to debate the wording of the Declaration, which was, with the notable deletion of Jefferson’s vehement condemnation of slavery, unanimously approved on the evening of July 4. Every Fourth of July, America celebrates not the actual act of independence (proclaimed on July 2) but rather the public proclamation of the principles behind the act." http://www.heritage.org/initiatives/first-principles/primary-sources/the-declaration-of-independence . On July 4 we celebrate both Independence and the unified Declaration of Independence .

Merry Christmas from The Law Office of Christine M Bechtold, LLC.