Blawg of Attorney Christine M Bechtold

Yes, child support can be modified, but only through court Order. Parties are legally required to pay the court Ordered child support obligation unless and until there is a change to the original Order. If there has been a “substantial change in either parent's income and financial status or the needs of the child” a modification of child support can be submitted to the Court. O.C.G.A. §19-6-15 (k) . Once the modification is submitted to the Court, it will go through the same process as the original Order for child support: financial information will be obtained, a child support worksheet will be calculated, documents will be reviewed by the Court, then the judge will enter a final Order on the modification. “In Georgia, a judge may consider increasing or decreasing child support for the following reasons: The paying party involuntarily loses their job or falls ill; Either parent receives additional income through remarriage; Cost of living inc

No, the Georgia Courts do not require child support to continue through college. “The duty to provide support for a minor child shall continue until the child reaches the age of majority, dies, marries, or becomes emancipated, whichever first occurs.” O.C.G.A. § 19-6-15(e) . Child support generally ends at age 18, but can be continued through age 19 if the child is still in high school. The Courts do not Order child support past the age of 19 unless the parties agree in clear written language. The Georgia Commission on Child Support was formed to establish and regularly review, “child support guidelines, development and maintenance of the Georgia Child Support Calculator, recommending legislation, providing training throughout the State to judges, attorneys, and the public, and many other duties.” http://csc.georgiacourts.gov/ . This Commission ensures that child support is standard across the entire state of Georgia. Any variation on the standard child support duty must be

“Disputes over pet custody most commonly occur when a couple, married or unmarried, breaks up and both partners want custody of the animal.” stories.avvo.com . “A pet owner might feel that his or her beloved pet is like a child, but Georgia courts simply view pets as personal property.” www.ksfamilylaw.com . “Because pets are personal property legally, the courts do not have to consider their best interest in awarding ownership.” www.animallaw.info . If parties cannot agree to custody of the family pet then the Georgia Court will apply its equitable division standard. “Equity seeks to do that which is fair, and what is fair is not necessarily equal - not in Georgia.” www.avvo.com . In many pet custody issues, parties reach an agreement outside of Court regarding the family pet to avoid fighting in Court over another highly emotional topic. If the parties can not agree on custody of the pet, mediation may be recommended to work out the details outside of Court. Some p