Blawg of Attorney Christine M Bechtold

Not quite. As of January 1, 2011, Gwinnett County Police and other nearby City Police lost their ability to use their radar and laser speed detection devices to catch speeders.  AJC 1/4/11.   The problem is the result of a legal battle over whose tax money will cover public safety issues. While the debate is in court, law enforcement officers are back to using the pacing method to determine a vehicle’s speed. However, “Only two Gwinnett County cities can continue to use radar and laser guns at this point." 11alive 1/5/11.   The City of Loganville Police Department is one of those cities. They can still use radar and laser speed detection devices on Loganville streets because their permit does not expire until the end of 2011. If you find yourself being pulled over by the Police for speeding, be sure to find out how your speed was determined and call our office to discuss your options. www.bechtold-law.com/Traffic.html

In Georgia, when a couple with children divorces or separates, their child's custody is determined by a judge. Even if both parents agree to custody issues for their child, a Court still needs to approve the custody arrangement. The judge shall look at the best interest of the child to make this decision. But what does that mean? The best interest of the child is a standard that does not focus on the parents, but rather looks forward and attempts to determine the child's best interests now and in the future. In Georgia, the best interest of the child is a statutory list of factors judges may look at when determining custody issues. This list of potential factors includes: the love, affection, bonding, and emotional ties existing between each parent and the child; capacity of the parent; parent's knowledge of the child; parent's ability to provide daily needs for child; parent's home environment (nurture and safety); stability; mental health of parent; physical heal