Blawg of Attorney Christine M Bechtold

Serving on a Jury: The Right and Duty of a Citizen Law Day: May 1st at 6:30PM The Historic Walton County Courthouse, Monroe GA www.waltoncountybar.org

In most cases, yes, obtaining legal services to protect yourself is a wise choice. "Even if your divorce is friendly and you've reached a mutual agreement with your spouse about custody and property, obtaining help from a professional is often a good idea." family-law.lawyers.com. Although some Courts have forms online, to someone who is not familiar with the law, those forms can be overwhelming. Some fill-in forms do not suit your needs and often do not address all issues for a divorcing couple. "An attorney will ensure that all matters that should be resolved in a divorce are resolved. Acting without an attorney could end up being a costly mistake both to the parties and to their children." www.gabar.org. Whether you are starting the divorce process, have already filed, or are in the process of divorce, contact the Law Office of Christine M. Bechtold today at 770.466.2700 or Christine@Bechtold-Law.com to schedule your free divorce initial consultation

The Law Office of Christine M Bechtold is offering free initial consultations for all new clients. "Receiving a free consultation with an attorney can be extremely helpful, if you know how to make the most of the time." www.huffingtonpost.com During the initial consultation, attorney Christine Bechtold will discuss your current situation, your legal needs, and rates for legal services. Legal advice is not given during the initial consultation, but you will be informed about the process for the legal services you need. The meeting is both for the benefit of the client and the attorney. You can obtain information about the law and the attorney will determine if they can take your case.  It is important to ask questions during the initial consultation. Do not be afraid to be open and honest in your meeting. It can be overwhelming to attend an initial consultation with an attorney but attorney Christine Bechtold is here to listen to your concerns and help you with your legal

Georgia child custody law revolves around the best interest of your child. "In determining the best interests of the child, the judge may consider any relevant factor." O.C.G.A. 19-9-3. An inclusive list of factors a Judge can consider can be found at O.C.G.A. 19-9-3(a)(3) . "If either parent has a history of domestic violence, judges must consider this as well in some states. However, if one parent falsely accuses the other of violence, this false accusation can work against the parent who makes it." family-law.lawyers.com The court determines both legal and physical custody of your child. Legal custody provides that parent with the right to make major decisions regarding the child’s welfare. Physical custody is just what it sounds like; it is where the child will stay. Parents can have joint legal and/or joint physical child custody where they share these responsibilities evenly. Upon divorce where children are involved, Georgia child custody

Prenuptial agreements are generally looked upon negatively. They are believed to be for people with exceptional amounts of money or when someone believes their marriage is likely to end in divorce - this is simply not true. A prenuptial agreement is a contract between two willing parties who are interested in protecting their interests after marriage. A prenuptial agreement starts with an open discussion between two people who are interested in moving into a successful marriage and are not planning for divorce, but rather, are having an honest conversation about what happens if something goes wrong. A prenuptial agreement allows a marrying couple to clarify what will happen to their personal and financial items in the event of divorce. Having these decisions about personal property decided ahead of time may potentially avoid a delayed and expensive divorce later. For those who did not enter into a prenuptial agreement, a postnuptial agreement between married c

There are some times in our lives when we are too ill to make decisions about our own healthcare. These times can range from going into simple surgery to end of life care. A living will, or advance directive for health care (ADHC), is a legal document that you set-up before you are too ill to make your own decisions. It allows you to set-up guidelines for your healthcare and how you would like these decisions to be made for you when you can't make them yourself. "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

Dealing with your ex-spouse about visitation with your child can be especially difficult during the holidays. It is important to communicate with your ex about the plan for visitation in advance. The sooner you communicate and work out a schedule, the better. In most cases, you will have a Parenting Plan or Visitation Agreement regarding visitation with your child. This Plan will include a schedule for how to manage visitation for the holidays. If you do not have this schedule already written, or if either of you want to change it, you will both need to work out a new plan. It is important to be clear about where your child will be during the holidays and who is responsible for transporting your child to and from the visitation.     If your child is age appropriate, you should also make the schedule clear to your child well in advance. Communication is the key to a smooth holiday visitation.