Blawg of Attorney Christine M Bechtold

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

A temporary hearing is unique to family law. It is not a full trial, but a quick hearing with the judge. The temporary hearing can be held in open court or in the judge’s chambers. The purpose of this hearing is to determine what will happen while a divorce is pending. A temporary hearing can address: Where the parties will live Who will stay in the martial home Who is responsible for covering bills Who will keep which vehicle Will there be alimony Will one party pay the other’s attorney’s fees Who the children will live with When the other parent will have visitation with the children What amount of child support will be paid During a temporary hearing, both attorneys present a brief overview of the case, call witnesses to the stand, and argue their case to the judge. There is no jury involved in a temporary hearing, although there may be other parties in the Courtroom. The temporary hearing is limited to two live witnesses, th

Under Georgia law, both parents of children under the age of 18 years old in a divorce, separate maintenance, paternity, change of custody, visitation, legitimation, and any other domestic action, are required to attend a parenting seminar. Uniform Superior Court Rule 24.8 . The divorcing parent’s seminar “focuses on the developmental needs of children, with emphasis on fostering the child’s emotional health during periods of stress.” Gwinnett Courts Parenting Seminar The seminar must be completed within 31 days of the original complaint and should be attended in the County which the action was filed. Certificates will be issued after completing the seminar. If a parent cannot attend the class in the County the divorce was filed, they should contact their county superior court and see if their county holds an acceptable parenting seminar. Since the seminar is mandatory in Georgia there are many classes available to suit parent’s schedules. The Gwinnett County Divorcing Parent’

If your spouse has been away from your marriage, you should consult an attorney to protect your legal interests. People sometimes ask if they can have a divorce based on the fact that their spouse has left them. The simple answer is yes, but it may be difficult to prove. In Georgia there are 13 grounds for divorce, 12 of which are fault grounds, meaning that the divorce is the result of one spouse’s behavior. O.C.G.A. § 19-5-3 .  Desertion is the willful and continued desertion by either of the parties for one year. GA Bar . In order to have a fault divorce based on desertion, you must show that your spouse has been away from your marriage for 12 consecutive months and that they were away willfully. This reason for divorce is not common because most people obtain a legal separation of divorce prior to a year long separation. Additionally, if spouses have been apart for a year they have likely already separated their assets and debts and an uncontested, or no-fault, divorce may b

Many people have heard the word alimony but aren’t sure exactly what it is. When a couple is divorcing their once shared assets are divided up and that may include a sudden decrease in previously shared income for one spouse. Alimony can be appropriate in any divorce where one spouse earns less than the other and they are in need of financial support during a divorce. “Alimony is payment by one spouse to the other for support and maintenance.” GA Bar. Alimony is either ordered as temporary or permanent. Temporary alimony is ordered in the amount needed to keep things as they are while the divorce is in process, while permanent alimony is awarded when the divorce is final for long-term support. As with many issues in divorce, spouses can agree to the terms of the alimony on their own. Typically in uncontested divorces alimony is not seen, but if the parties agree otherwise, it can certainly be part of their final divorce. If the parties cannot agree on alimony, and one party is reque

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. ************************************** Great Communication Posted by: Melissa, a Divorce client, 7 days ago.       Overall rating            Excellent       Trustworthy              Excellent       Responsive               Excellent       Knowledgeable        Excellent       Kept me informed    Excellent   Client Review: Ms. Bechtold was very quick in responding to