CELEBRITY DIVORCES: ZAC BROWN AND SHELLEY BROWN

[Photo of Zac Brown Band from wikipedia]

    Did you hear the news that country music singer Zac Brown and his wife Shelley, have reportedly told People Magazine that they are splitting up?  Zac, of course, is part of the Zac Brown Band, which has produced such hits as "Chicken Fried" and "Free."

    According to news reports, the couple, (parents of five  children), has issued a joint statement announcing the amicable divorce.

    Here's hoping that both parties will continue to get along, as they continue to parent together their five children.  As Augusta Georgia divorce lawyers, we understand how difficult divorces can be, especially where children and child custody are involved.

    

Communication with your Divorce Lawyer

[Photo of the Goolsby Law Firm Lawyers]

     Today, I want to talk with you a little bit about the importance of communication with your divorce attorney.  In short, you should tell your lawyer everything that is important about your divorce case, even if you are afraid it might be unfavorable. Trust your divorce lawyer! It is better for your lawyer to learn about a potential problem in his or her conference room than later at a divorce hearing!

     In addition, it is also important to consider how and when to communicate with your divorce attorney.  In other words, time is money, so, you usually don't want to call your divorce attorney about unimportant things which will just waste your money and your lawyer's time. Of course, if something is important, please call your lawyer.  Otherwise, you might also want to consider sending your divorce lawyer an email which summarizes whatever information you want to share, especially when an immediate response may be unnecessary.

PARENTING CLASSES IN AUGUSTA DIVORCES

[Photo from wikipedia]

As Augusta, Georgia divorce lawyers, we are often asked by divorcing parties
about the available options when taking the parenting seminar which our Augusta
Judicial Circuit judges require in divorce cases. The Augusta, GA bar association
website has a complete listing of the approved places where you can complete this
requirement.

One important point to remember is that, generally, you may NOT simply take an online

parenting class to meet this requirement in Augusta!

The other important point is that you should discuss this and all other divorce-related
questions with your own Augusta divorce attorney!

DIVORCE V. SEPARATE MAINTENANCE

[Photo from wikipedia]

Sometimes, our divorce attorneys at the Goolsby Law Firm receive inquiries from people who

seek information about separate maintenance actions, as opposed to getting a divorce. The State of Georgia does allow its citizens to consider both options.  And there are many pros and cons which

a person should sit down and discuss with his or her divorce or family law attorney.

For example, since you would lose your spouse's work insurance plan if you get a divorce, in some

situations, you might choose instead to seek the separate maintenance alternative, so that you insurance is not cut off, especially if you have a serious illness.

On the other hand, having to pay for both a separate maintenance action AND, subsequently, a divorce would be too costly for many people.

Again, the important point is that if you plan to kick "Sluggo" to the curb, you should first sit down with your own divorce lawyer to discuss the pros and cons of each alternative!

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DIVORCING PARENTS SEMINARS IN AUGUSTA, GA

In Augusta, Georgia, our Superior Court judges require all parents seeking a divorce involving children to take a one day seminar dealing primarily with issues affecting their kids.

Here is a list of such places which offer this seminar, as shown on the Augusta, GA Bar Association
website:

• Anne Watts, MS, LPC, 706-855-1365at www.divorcingfamilies.net;
• Army Community Service: Transparenting Class for military only: 706-791-3579
• Georgia Family Crisis Solutions, Inc., 706-869-7373;
• kidsrestart.org, 706-828-0180; and
• Life Management Group, 706-733-0333.

Your divorce attorney will give you more information about this requirement when you meet with him or her.  It is important for you to know that our judges, in Augusta, do not allow other online seminars to satisfy this requirement. You and your spouse will need to schedule and take the class, either together or separately, and please be sure to promptly turn over your certificate of completion to your divorce lawyer!

Celebrity Break-ups and Divorces: Lena Headey

[Photo of Lena Headey from wikipedia]

After several posts about practical tips and general information about divorce, let's finish up the week with another post about celebrity separations and divorces.

Are you familiar with Lena Headey, the star of the hit HBO series dealing with medieval fantasy, Game of Thrones?  Well, maybe you will also recall some of her other work, such as playing Queen Gorgo in the manly war movie, 300.

According to various news reports, Ms. Headey filed for divorce earlier this week, following a five-year marriage, from her musician spouse, Peter Loughran.  They reportedly have one son.

As we have discussed before, sometimes, being a celebrity can clearly add unique stressors to a marriage.  Don't you agree? Here's hoping that this couple can amicably work through any remaining issues in their divorce with the help of their respective divorce lawyers.

Dating and Divorce: When Can You Date?

As Augusta, Georgia divorce attorneys, we often receive inquiries, both to our Augusta law firm and to this divorce blog, in which folks are asking us questions about when or whether they can begin dating, while their divorce case is pending.  We consistently, authoritatively, and unquestionably always tell them: NO, you cannot, should not, and must not date while your divorce is pending!  In other words, as Georgia divorce lawyers, we generally recommend that you should wait until the ink on your divorce decree is dry BEFORE you start dating, or even playing the field.

While every divorce case is different, and while you should also discuss this matter with your own divorce lawyer, as Georgia divorce lawyers, we would also point out that, in many divorce cases, there could be serious negative consequences if you begin dating, or start going to dating sites, while your divorce is still pending.  Technically, you are still married, (until the final divorce decree is signed), so, technically, "fooling around" would be adultery.  And as we have discussed before, please recall that proof of adultery, in the State of Georgia, carries with it a number of deleterious consequences, including potential impact on divorce issues involving alimony and property divisions, and, in some cases, even child custody.

Again, we recommend that you consult with your own divorce attorney about whether it is okay to date!

So, that is why, if you ever contact the Goolsby Law Firm, in Augusta, Georgia, and ask us questions concerning when it is okay to date, you can expect us to tell you that you should wait until after your divorce is final!