Atlanta aggressive and caring divorce law firm
Welcome to the Divorce Law Offices of Randy and Dolf in Atlanta, Georgia.  Our divorce attorneys are dedicated to using their expertise and knowledge of Georgia divorce laws on behalf of our clients.  We are familiar with the judges and the procedures in the Georgia Court system.  You, as a client, are very important to us.

Overview
In Georgia, you have to be a resident of the state for at least 6 months prior to filing for divorce.  A contested divorce can take from a few months to several years until it is final and your marriage is over.  All this depends on how many issues need to be resolved.

Definition
A divorce is a legally recognized termination of a marriage. There are two kinds of divorce in Georgia:

1.  Uncontested

• You and your spouse agree to this divorce
• All issues regarding the children, property division and assets are agreed on

2.  Contested

• You and spouse cannot agree on most issues

.Grounds for Divorce
There are 13 grounds for divorce in the State of Georgia. The most common ground cited is the marriage is irretrievably broken and it cannot continue.  Georgia law does not require proof that one party is at fault.

Child Custody
There are many ways child custody can be decided:

• Sole
• Joint
• joint legal
• joint physical or
• a combination

The court will determine what is the best interest and welfare of the child or children.  The court will take into consideration:

• the child’s age and gender
• siblings
• the relationship with the parents
• Who is the primary caretaker?

When your child reaches the age of 14, he or she can decide which parent he or she wants to live with.  This will be okay unless the court determines the parent is not fit to have custody.

Child Support

• Child support is the right of each child to be taken care of.  It is the obligation of each parent to take care of this child.

• Georgia has child support guidelines.  The amount is determined by taking your gross income and multiplying it by the following percentages:

• In order for these percentages to change, special circumstances must be involved.
• Effective January 1, 2007 – new guidelines state that the income of both parents will be taken into consideration.

Visitation Rights

• A visitation schedule is written up for the non-custodial parent.
• The non-custodial parent should have reasonable access to the child – this is for the best interest of the child.
• The visitation schedule allows visits every other weekend, alternating holidays and time during the summer.
• There are no specific rules stating what is adequate

Alimony

• Alimony is awarded to the spouse who has been economically dependent on the other.
• It can be awarded to the wife or husband.
• It is payable either in periodic payments or lump sum payments.
• Alimony awards are usually given when a long-term marriage ends.

Equitable Division
Georgia is an Equitable Division state.  The judge will determine what marital property is fair.  Some of the factors used in consideration of division are:

• Length of marriage
• Age of each party
• Occupations – amount of incomes
• Debts and needs of each party
• Economic circumstances

 Conclusion
At the Atlanta Divorce Law Offices of Randy and Dolf we know that domestic troubles can be very emotional on each member of the family.  The decision to file for divorce is a difficult and emotional time for you.  We will work hard for you in trying to reach a mutual agreement – regardless of your needs.  We will get you through this!

Website built and hosted by Legalberry.com. A leader in Business Development solutions for attorneys as well as one of the nations top legal directories.