Do we need a judge to get divorced in Georgia?

Yes, in Georgia a marriage can only be dissolved in court, with a judge
approving the final divorce decree. If the husband and wife can’t reach an agreement about all of the issues, a judge may need to decide those, often taking evidence and hearing testimony. Even if the husband and wife agree on everything, the court will need to approve the agreement to make it final. Until a divorce decree is final, the couple is still legally married.

Scot Sikes is a Columbus GA divorce lawyer & Georgia child custody attorney.

706-494-6900 – www.columbus-divorce.com

Fort Benning GA military divorce lawyer,
GA Uncontested Divorce – GA Contested Divorce – Separation – Spousal Support – Property Division – Alimony – Military Divorce – Contempt Actions in Divorce Cases – Child Custody / Custody modification – Child Support Modification – Child Visitation – - Domestic Mediations – Adoptions – Prenuptial Agreements Columbus GA Divorce lawyer and uncontested divorce attorney, and Fort Benning GA child support attorney.

Prominent lawyer dies

Brian T. Knight practiced law in Pueblo for almost four decades.
By NICK BONHAM nickb@chieftain.com
THE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN

Brian T. Knight, a longtime and prominent Pueblo lawyer, died unexpectedly Friday at his home, according to the county coroner and sheriff’s offices.

Knight was 65.

A divorce lawyer schooled at the University of Colorado, Knight had been licensed to practice law since 1969. He shared an office with defense lawyer Randy Jorgensen at 701 N. Grand Ave.

“I’ve known Brian for almost 40 years. I met him here. He initially was a prosecutor in municipal court and I was a public defender and we’ve been friends for all that time,” Jorgensen said. “He was a good man and a hell of a fine lawyer. I’m having a difficult time putting my head around this . . . He’s about as close to a brother that I’ve ever had (and) I don’t have brothers. I’m going to miss him incredibly.”

Jorgensen said Knight’s interests were his family and radio controlled airplanes, among others.

“He just loved that radio airplane stuff. About a week ago he crashed his new Corsair. A beautiful airplane, but he put it in the ground. He of course crashed a bunch of airplanes. I used to kid him about that.”

Jorgensen said he and Knight have shared an office since the 1970s. He said Knight had about 40 open court cases at the time of his death.

“He had clients coming in (Friday) afternoon.”

According to Jorgensen, Knight is survived by his wife, Beth; two grown children, Doug and Penny, and numerous grandchildren and other family members.

Beth Knight called 911 about 10:30 a.m. stating her husband had breathing problems, said Capt. Jeff Teschner of the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Department.

A Flight for Life helicopter was called out but Knight was never transported from his home, located south of Pueblo along Interstate 25.

Attempts to revive him failed. Pueblo County Coroner James Kramer said the cause of Knight’s death is pending an autopsy, but he deemed his passing as natural.

Scot Sikes is a Columbus GA divorce lawyer & Georgia child custody attorney.

706-494-6900 – www.columbus-divorce.com

Fort Benning GA military divorce lawyer,
GA Uncontested Divorce – GA Contested Divorce – Separation – Spousal Support – Property Division – Alimony – Military Divorce – Contempt Actions in Divorce Cases – Child Custody / Custody modification – Child Support Modification – Child Visitation – - Domestic Mediations – Adoptions – Prenuptial Agreements Columbus GA Divorce lawyer and uncontested divorce attorney, and Fort Benning GA child support attorney.

81-year-old lawyer going strong after handling 8,800 divorce cases
Sunday 12th July, 05:06 AM JST

By Miho Kaneko – Kyodo News

FUKUOKA —
Hisako Yukawa, an 81-year-old lawyer, asked a woman throwing a tantrum about her husband, ‘‘What does it mean for you to win a divorce case? I am ready to help you make happy.’’

The woman opened the door of Yukawa’s office wearing a somber expression. But while the lawyer was talking to her, her expression changed.

‘‘This person has turned to such a beauty,’’ Yukawa said. ‘‘That is the moment when I feel happy as a lawyer.’’

Yukawa, from Kumamoto City and the first female lawyer in Kyushu, has handled as many as 8,800 divorce cases in the last 52 years.

‘‘A divorce is a fresh start if that shoves one’s back,’’ she said. ‘‘If you decide on a divorce, face forward and consider your future life.’’

She writes these messages for women plagued with marital problems in her book ‘‘Dignity of Divorce.’’ The messages are rules for a ‘‘happy breakup.’’

She decided to become a lawyer at the advice of her father, also a lawyer, who said, ‘‘Hereafter, women should live independently.’’

She got married with Hiroshi, now 87, who also wanted to enter the legal community, and opened an office in Fukuoka City. Hiroshi eventually became a university professor.

‘‘In the first 10 years of our marriage, he was my dependent,’’ Yukawa said with a laugh. She used to bring her two small children to court, and make them sit in the gallery and wait for her.

Her association with clients is long. A full-time housewife opened a cram school to teach English after her divorce. Another woman bashfully visited her office with her new husband.

‘‘As long as there are clients, I will continue my job,’’ she said.

‘‘It’s not good to look only at your husband. What is important is to have your own world,’’ Yukawa said.

Scot Sikes is a Columbus GA divorce lawyer & Georgia child custody attorney.

706-494-6900 – www.columbus-divorce.com

Fort Benning GA military divorce lawyer,
GA Uncontested Divorce – GA Contested Divorce – Separation – Spousal Support – Property Division – Alimony – Military Divorce – Contempt Actions in Divorce Cases – Child Custody / Custody modification – Child Support Modification – Child Visitation – - Domestic Mediations – Adoptions – Prenuptial Agreements Columbus GA Divorce lawyer and uncontested divorce attorney, and Fort Benning GA child support attorney.

Lawyer jailed in divorce battle is released after 14 years
By Joann Loviglio in philadelphia – independent.co.uk

Sunday, 12 July 2009

A lawyer has been released from prison after serving 14 years for contempt of court because he refused to hand over millions of dollars in a bitter divorce battle.

It was the longest imprisonment on a civil contempt charge in US history, and prompted dozens of appeals to county, state and federal courts, twice reaching the US Supreme Court.

H Beatty Chadwick, now 73, was jailed in April 1995, accused of hiding $2.5m (£1.5m) from his ex-wife during divorce proceedings. Chadwick maintained he lost the money in bad investments. In 2006, before the economic downturn, experts estimated the money would be worth more than $8m.

Chadwick was released by Delaware County Judge Joseph Cronin, who decided that his continued incarceration had lost its coercive effect and would not result in him handing over the money.

Chadwick insisted on Friday that he was unable to pay the money and said there should be time limits on jailing people for contempt. He added: “If I had been convicted of murder in the third degree in Pennsylvania, I would have been out in half the time I was in jail.”

Scot Sikes is a Columbus GA divorce lawyer & Georgia child custody attorney.

706-494-6900 – www.columbus-divorce.com

Fort Benning GA military divorce lawyer,
GA Uncontested Divorce – GA Contested Divorce – Separation – Spousal Support – Property Division – Alimony – Military Divorce – Contempt Actions in Divorce Cases – Child Custody / Custody modification – Child Support Modification – Child Visitation – - Domestic Mediations – Adoptions – Prenuptial Agreements Columbus GA Divorce lawyer and uncontested divorce attorney, and Fort Benning GA child support attorney.

Divorce Creates Unique Challenges For Large Families

Financial Complications Can Be Tricky

July 7, 2009

JACKSON, Miss. — Divorce is stressful for any family. But for a large family, like Jon and Kate Gosselin and their children, the financial complications can be particularly tricky.
Large families facing divorce will need to figure out how much the non-custodial parent pays in child support. That figure is usually based on the total household income before the divorce and the number of children in the family.

In most cases, both parents will split any out-of-pocket health care costs. And all parents — even those of young children — should include planning for college tuition in a divorce agreement, rather than counting on both parties having the money down the road.
The smallest issues should be worked out in the divorce paperwork to make sure both parents are on the same page. Even a small amount of money like an allowance can create problems unless both parents agree on how much their children should get and what they have to do to earn it.
For details on these and other potential money traps for parents who are splitting up, go to SmartMoney.com.

Written by Wapt.com

Scot Sikes is a Columbus GA divorce lawyer & Georgia child custody attorney.

706-494-6900 – www.columbus-divorce.com

Fort Benning GA military divorce lawyer,
GA Uncontested Divorce – GA Contested Divorce – Separation – Spousal Support – Property Division – Alimony – Military Divorce – Contempt Actions in Divorce Cases – Child Custody / Custody modification – Child Support Modification – Child Visitation – - Domestic Mediations – Adoptions – Prenuptial Agreements Columbus GA Divorce lawyer and uncontested divorce attorney, and Fort Benning GA child support attorney.

Here’s a sad family law story: Sahel Kazemi thought Steve McNair would get a divorce and marry her

Sahel Kazemi’s family wasn’t exactly thrilled about her affair with a married man, but her adult nephew, Farzin Abdi, told the Tennesseean newspaper there had been promises that former All-Pro quarterback Steve McNair would divorce his wife and marry the then-19-year-old waitress.
They had no reason not to believe the promises. McNair bought Kazemi a Cadillac Escalade for her 20th birthday in May, Abdi said, and they all went out to a sushi place to celebrate.
We met him because I don’t watch football and didn’t know who he was. We went out to dinner and she was so happy and was having fun. Were we happy about the relationship? No. …
Though no divorce papers had been filed in Nashville, according to the Tennessean, he and Kazemi traveled together to Key West, Las Vegas, California, Hawaii and McNair’s family farm in Mississippi. McNair’s house was up for sale. But the 20-year-old, who moved to the United States in 2002 when her family fled Iran, was still officially living alone.
Abdi said he suggested she get a gun for safety purposes, but she told him there was no need “because Steve had lots of guns,” according to the report in the Tennesseean.
Steve McNair and Sahel Kazemi were found shot to death in the football player’s downtown Nashville condominium on Saturday. Police have ruled McNair’s death a homicide, but have not yet ruled Kazemi’s death a suicide. The semiautomatic weapon that was used to kill both of them was found on the floor under her body.

Scot Sikes is a Columbus GA divorce lawyer & Georgia child custody attorney.

706-494-6900 – www.columbus-divorce.com

Fort Benning GA military divorce lawyer,
GA Uncontested Divorce – GA Contested Divorce – Separation – Spousal Support – Property Division – Alimony – Military Divorce – Contempt Actions in Divorce Cases – Child Custody / Custody modification – Child Support Modification – Child Visitation – - Domestic Mediations – Adoptions – Prenuptial Agreements Columbus GA Divorce lawyer and uncontested divorce attorney, and Fort Benning GA child support attorney.

What is de facto custody?

The parent with whom the child is actually living has de facto custody which may need to be formalized. To do that before litigation starts in a custody case, the parent with de facto custody should file a Pendente Lite motion to establish temporary custody during the course of the litigation. Temporary custody can be reviewed and changed if the court determines that’s in the best interest of the child to do so.

Scot Sikes is a Columbus GA divorce lawyer & Georgia child custody attorney.

706-494-6900 – www.columbus-divorce.com

Fort Benning GA military divorce lawyer,
GA Uncontested Divorce – GA Contested Divorce – Separation – Spousal Support – Property Division – Alimony – Military Divorce – Contempt Actions in Divorce Cases – Child Custody / Custody modification – Child Support Modification – Child Visitation – - Domestic Mediations – Adoptions – Prenuptial Agreements Columbus GA Divorce lawyer and uncontested divorce attorney, and Fort Benning GA child support attorney.

Columbus GA Divorce Lawyer – Columbus Child Custody Divorce Attorney

Can we write a custody agreement ourselves?

Yes, you can, if you and your spouse have worked out a fair arrangement that takes into consideration what’s best for the child. This is called a stipulation. You will also need to write a consent order and present it to the judge to sign.
The agreement should be very specific, laying out not just who has physical custody, but all of the rights and responsibilities of each parent when it comes to the child. Things to consider are: how visitation will work; which parent will get the child during which holidays and school breaks; who will pick up or drop off the child and when and where; how will trips and vacations be handled and how much notice should either parent give the other; what if one parent is running late to pick up or drop off the child; how to handle moving and how far either parent may move from their current address.
If the parents are going to share either physical or legal custody of the child, the agreement needs to be even more specific, addressing issues like who will attend parent-teacher conferences or doctor’s visits. A lawyer can help make sure you address important issues.

Scot Sikes is a Columbus GA divorce lawyer & Georgia child custody attorney.

706-494-6900 – www.columbus-divorce.com

Fort Benning GA military divorce lawyer,
GA Uncontested Divorce – GA Contested Divorce – Separation – Spousal Support – Property Division – Alimony – Military Divorce – Contempt Actions in Divorce Cases – Child Custody / Custody modification – Child Support Modification – Child Visitation – - Domestic Mediations – Adoptions – Prenuptial Agreements Columbus GA Divorce lawyer and uncontested divorce attorney, and Fort Benning GA child support attorney.

Usher’s wife disputes divorce claim
2 hours ago
Usher’s wife has claimed the couple were “intimately together” less than a week before the singer filed for divorce.
In his divorce petition, filed on June 12, the Love In This Club singer claimed there was “no reasonable hope of reconciliation” and that the marriage was “irretrievably broken.”
But Tameka Raymond, 38, disputes Usher’s claims the couple have been separated since July 2008.
She said in court documents that she “had every reason to believe her marriage was intact” and that two were “intimately together as husband and wife as recently as June 6.”
Usher, whose real name is Usher Raymond IV, is seeking joint custody of the couple’s two sons, one-year-old Usher Raymond V and six-month-old Naviyd Ely Raymond.
Tameka Raymond has three children from a previous marriage. She said through her divorce lawyer that she has been a faithful wife and loving mother during the marriage.
She has asked a judge to ensure that Usher continues to support his family while the divorce works its way through the courts, including paying her legal fees.
The couple married in August 2007 in a lavish ceremony. About 200 people attended their wedding at resort built in the style of a 16th-century-style French chateau on 3,500 hilly acres outside Atlanta.

Before the two married, Usher had a string of romances, most notably his three-year relationship with Chilli from the group TLC.

Copyright © 2009 The Press Association. All rights reserved.
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The Law office of Scot Sikes handles family law in Columbus GA. Scot Sikes is a Columbus GA divorce lawyer & Georgia child custody attorney.

706-494-6900 – www.columbus-divorce.com

Fort Benning GA military divorce lawyer,
GA Uncontested Divorce – GA Contested Divorce – Separation – Spousal Support – Property Division – Alimony – Military Divorce – Contempt Actions in Divorce Cases – Child Custody / Custody modification – Child Support Modification – Child Visitation – - Domestic Mediations – Adoptions – Prenuptial Agreements Columbus GA Divorce lawyer and uncontested divorce attorney, and Fort Benning GA child support attorney.

Columbus GA Divorce Lawyer – Georgia Law on getting maiden name back after divorce

TITLE 19. DOMESTIC RELATIONS
CHAPTER 5. DIVORCE

O.C.G.A. § 19-5-16 (2008)

§ 19-5-16. Restoration of maiden or prior name

In all divorce actions, a party may pray in his pleadings for the restoration of a maiden or prior name. If a divorce is granted, the judgment or decree shall specify and restore to the party the name so prayed for in the pleadings.

HISTORY: Ga. L. 1880-81, p. 121, § 1; Code 1882, § 3586a; Civil Code 1895, § 2446; Civil Code 1910, § 2965; Code 1933, § 30-121.
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The Law office of Scot Sikes handles family law in Columbus GA. Scot Sikes is a Columbus GA divorce lawyer & Georgia child custody attorney.

706-494-6900 – www.columbus-divorce.com

Fort Benning GA military divorce lawyer,
GA Uncontested Divorce – GA Contested Divorce – Separation – Spousal Support – Property Division – Alimony – Military Divorce – Contempt Actions in Divorce Cases – Child Custody / Custody modification – Child Support Modification – Child Visitation – - Domestic Mediations – Adoptions – Prenuptial Agreements Columbus GA Divorce lawyer and uncontested divorce attorney, and Fort Benning GA child support attorney.