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.

CELEBRITY DIVORCES: CHRIS PRATT

[Chris Pratt photo from wikipedia]

We are the Goolsby Law Firm, LLC, father and son divorce lawyers located in Augusta, Georgia.  We blog about common issues in Georgia divorces and sometimes also discuss celebrity divorces.

Earlier this year, we wrote about the split between actors Chris Pratt and Anna Faris.  Now, it appears
that both actors have moved on.  For instance, various news reports indicate that Mr. Pratt is now spending time with Katherine Schwarzenegger.  Celebrities are no different from anyone else. Following a divorce, celebrities must go on with their lives, just like everybody else!

What is your favorite Chris Pratt role? Guardians of the Galaxy? Jurassic World? Parks and Recreation?

DIVORCE AFTER FIFTY: FACTORS TO CONSIDER

[Courthouse photograph from wikipedia]

As Augusta, Georgia divorce lawyers, we at the Goolsby Law Firm, LLC see divorcing couples at all ages and stages of life.  Have you considered the special issues which confront divorcing couples who are over fifty years old?

Today, I want to discuss just one such issue: potential loss of friendships.  Put more simply, when you get a divorce after fifty, you may face a special challenge in that you may lose some friends who were friends of both of you while you were married.  Those friends may find it difficult to choose between the two of you. Also, many activities work better between couples rather than between a couple and an individual.

But there may be a positive outcome, too.  I suppose you will at least learn who your true friends are! What do you think? 

COMMON DIVORCE ISSUES TO CONSIDER

[Courthouse photo from wikipedia]

Let's assume you have decided to get a divorce in Augusta, Georgia, here are just some of the common issues for you to consider:

• Make a list of property items which you would want to take with you;
• Make a list of all your and your spouse's debts;
• Make a budget of estimated household expenses; and
• Find a good divorce lawyer.

As for the last item on the list, we at the Goolsby Law Firm, LLC, would suggest that you talk with family and friends for recommendations about good divorce attorneys in your area. We also always recommend that you should make an appointment and actually sit down to discuss your case with a prospective divorce lawyer before you retain them to handle your divorce case.

We at the Goolsby Law Firm, LLC also offer free initial consultations and will try to answer your questions about your Georgia divorce.

CELEBRITY DIVORCES: ANNA FARIS SELLING HOUSE

[Photo of Anna Faris from wikipedia]

This is a divorce-related blog written by the divorce attorneys of the Goolsby Law Firm, LLC, located in Augusta, Georgia. We offer practical information and tips for divorcing parties to discuss with their own divorce lawyers.

We also sometimes discuss some of the issues which arise in celebrity divorces. For example, we have already discussed the recent divorce between actors Chris Pratt and Anna Faris.

Today, various news outlets have also reported that Ms. Faris is now selling a house she owns in the Hollywood Hills for $2.5 million. Celebrities, like others going through a divorce, often must deal with both splitting and disposing of both real and personal property. In other words, equitable property divisions are a common issue in Georgia divorces.

We don't know the facts and circumstances surrounding Ms. Faris' property sale. But we do know that property division is an important matter for you to discuss with your own divorce attorney.

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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ONLINE DIVORCE KITS: POTENTIAL PITFALLS AND PROBLEMS

Everyone going through a divorce wants to get a divorce at the least possible cost. In short, most people want a cheap, uncontested divorce. And some people resort to the lure of cheap online divorce kits in their effort to achieve a "do it yourself" divorce!  

As Augusta, Georgia divorce attorneys, we can attest that retaining your own divorce lawyer is usually the best course to follow, especially if you have children or significant financial issues to consider. For example, if divorcing parties fail to hire a divorce attorney, judges will usually require you to take off time from work to attend a court hearing. In addition, the "do it yourself" kits sometimes fail to give you important information, such as details about required parenting seminars.

But you can have your cake and eat it, too, if you call the Goolsby Law Firm, LLC, in Augusta, GA!

We handle simple, uncontested divorces at affordable rates and even offer payment plans to help you

get a divorce! We are also there to help you in the event your divorce goes contested.

Please call us at the Goolsby Law Firm, LLC, (706) 863-5281, for a free initial consultation.

CHILD CUSTODY IN GEORGIA DIVORCES

[Photo from wikipedia]

Child custody is often one of the toughest issues in a Georgia divorce. We, at the Goolsby Law Firm, in Augusta, Georgia, often handle child custody as part of our divorce cases.  We also sometimes assist clients in seeking a modification, or change, of custody.

Generally, the standard which a Georgia judge will utilize is the "best interests" test. In other words, the judge will determine what is in the best interests of the children based upon all the facts. Sometimes, judges will appoint a guardian ad litem to investigate and report back to the court.

In addition, if your child has reached the age of 14 years old, that child may select which parent to primarily live with, subject to the judge's review.

We recommend that you sit down with your Augusta divorce attorney to discuss these and other issues in your divorce case.

Happy Mother's Day From The Goolsby Law Firm

[Mother's Day Depiction from connect-in.com]

"A Mother's Day Memory"

          By Richard Goolsby

Oh, to think of Mother's hug,
Evokes a sentimental tear!
My heart strings pull and tug,
As Mother's Day draws near!

When I was young and ill,
She would rock me through the night.
That old rocker squeaked and squealed,
But still, she held me tight.

I can feel her arms around me,
As she held me late one night.
I can feel her love surround me,
Mother's love makes most things right.

I can see her -- just above me,
I can hear her voice, so clear,
And the words to "Jesus Loves Me,"
From her lips down to my ear.

Yes, it's true -- my mother's gone,
But it's also true, you see,
My mother still lives on,
In my heart and memory!

Happy Mother's Day to all moms "out there!"

The Goolsby Law Firm Brag Board

[The Goolsby Law Firm, 233 Davis Rd., Augusta, GA]

Recently, I included a post in which I bragged about my second son Blake's passing the Georgia bar exam and joining our Augusta, Georgia family law firm. Today, I hope you don't mind that, as a proud father, I once again want to brag a little bit--this time about my third son, Zachary. Zach is home for Christmas break and has now passed the midway point of law school! 

In other words, Zach has three semesters down and only three more semesters to go until graduation! Then, I believe we will be the only law firm in the history of the State of Georgia composed of a parent and three children--practicing law together--who are attorneys!

As Augusta, GA lawyers, we primarily handle divorces, child custody cases, adoptions, personal injury cases, and criminal cases, in both state and federal court. I believe I am the only former twenty year federal prosecutor in the Augusta and Evans, Georgia area. I have handled some of the largest, most complex fraud and public corruption cases in Georgia and U.S. history.

My first two lawyer sons, Richard (Ric) Goolsby, Jr. and Blake Goolsby, with whom I presently practice law in Augusta, both graduated from Mercer Law School. My third son, Zach Goolsby, presently attends the University of Georgia School of Law, which is where I also graduated. He and I will be the two "Double Dawgs" in our family law firm!

So, thank you for understanding and allowing me--a proud father--to brag once again! 

Congrats, Zach! We are very proud of you and look forward to your joining us at The Goolsby Law Firm! 

The Goolsby Law Firm Brag Board!

[Photo of The Goolsby Law Firm, 233 Davis Rd., Augusta, GA]

Please allow me to brag a little bit today. My second son, Blake Goolsby, has successfully passed the Georgia Bar exam and has now been sworn in as a licensed Georgia attorney! Blake has now joined his brother, Richard H. Goolsby, Jr., and me, (his father, Richard H. Goolsby, Sr.), in our family law practice, here, in Augusta, GA. We will continue to handle Augusta area divorce cases, personal injury cases, criminal law cases, and other general litigation -- but now, our family of lawyers is just a little bit bigger!

Now, I hope you can understand why I am so happy today!

A Divorce "Joke of the Day" About Property Division

As you know, I am a divorce lawyer in Augusta, Georgia. On Friday, I attended a seminar about various Georgia divorce law issues, including alimony, adultery, child custody, and equitable property division.

While we realize, as divorce attorneys, that divorce is no laughing matter, we thought it might be a good way to start the week by sharing with you one of the jokes about divorce we heard at the seminar. The joke is about how to equitably divide a house in a divorce. Here goes:

A man going through a divorce was explaining to his friend about how the judge had equitably divided the marital home. "The judge said he was going to divide it equally. He gave her everything inside the house and I got everything left outside it."

I hope your week goes well!

Is the Cheapest Divorce Lawyer Always the Best?

So, your worthless spouse, "Sluggo," has been up to no good again and, this time, you have caught him runnin' around on you with Doris, the new waitress down at the local diner! So, you have decided to get a divorce, once and for all. Where do you begin? How do you find a good, cheap divorce lawyer? What should you do?

As an Augusta, Georgia divorce attorney, I recommend that you begin by talking with family and friends about recommendations of good, experienced divorce lawyers near you. You can also check the telephone book, or check online, to find divorce lawyers in your town. Next, we recommend that you should make appointments with prospective attorneys, meet with them, and ask good questions about their experience and about your divorce before deciding which family law attorney should represent you in your divorce case.

But take it from me, a divorce lawyer in Augusta, Georgia, you should never, never make your decision about which attorney to choose based solely upon who is the cheapest lawyer! This lesson is particularly true if important issues, such as child custody, alimony, or property division, may arise in your divorce! 

So, go ahead, if you choose, and "make Sluggo's day" by filing for a divorce, but we recommend that the cost or price should be only one of many factors in selecting a good divorce lawyer. After all, as with every other decision we make in life, sometimes we get what we pay for!  Don't you agree?

Augusta, GA Divorce Lawyers: Free Consultations

As Augusta, Georgia divorce attorneys -- a father and two sons practicing law together -- we generally offer free initial consultations.  In other words, every day, as Augusta divorce lawyers, we talk with people and try to answer all their questions about divorce, including, among other things, issues about child custody, child visitation, alimony, and equitable property and debt division.

While we still have to make a living, we are proud that we can and do offer this service -- and our time -- at no cost.

"Cheap" Divorce Attorneys in Augusta GA

Do you bloggers "out there" ever check to see what key words bring folks to your blogs? I have noticed that we, at the Goolsby Law Firm, LLC, (see our law firm's website here), sometimes receive visits to our sites from people looking for "cheap divorce lawyers in Augusta, Georgia." Should this make our divorce lawyer law firm happy or sad?!

I guess it depends upon which definition of the word "cheap" you go with!  For instance, according to the free online dictionary, one definition of "cheap" would refer to a divorce attorney who is "relatively low in cost," or "inexpensive."  I like that definition! And I believe it applies to us, because we attempt to make our services as Georgia divorce lawyers affordable, low in cost, or relatively inexpensive.

But according to another definition of "cheap," it would refer to a divorce lawyer who is "of poor quality," or "stingy." Naturally, we do not accept that definition of the divorce attorneys at our Augusta, Georgia law firm! We always try to give good, personal service, in divorce or child custody cases, at a low cost. We also offer free initial consultations.

In any event, no matter how you came to visit our divorce blog, or our Augusta, GA divorce law firm, we welcome you and hope to provide you with some good, general information and tips for you to discuss with your own divorce lawyer.  And this is better than cheap. It is free!

Augusta Georgia Divorce Lawyers Offering Free Initial Consultations

As I indicated in the last post, we are Augusta, Georgia divorce attorneys who provide, in this divorce blog, some good, practical tips and information about Georgia divorce for you to discuss with your own divorce lawyer.  And here is another thing which we, at the Goolsby Law Firm, LLC, offer:  a free initial consultation.

Some divorce attorneys will reportedly charge you several hundred dollars to simply answer a few questions about your separation or divorce.  But we, at the Goolsby Law Firm, (father and son divorce attorneys), are willing to talk with you and attempt to give you some good, general information about a Georgia divorce at no charge! We do it every day!

If you would like to talk with an Augusta, GA divorce lawyer about a Georgia divorce, please feel free to simply call us today at (706) 863-5281 for a free consultation.

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!

Divorce Hotels: A New Reality?

[Sample Hotel photo from hotelsinnorthcyprus.com]

Are you a fan of reality shows?  Well, if Dutch entrepreneur Jim Halfens has his way, you may soon be able to watch a new reality show called the "Divorce Hotel!"  Halfens' proposed reality show about divorce is based upon his actual "divorce hotels," which are presently located throughout The Netherlands.

The premise is fairly simple:  Couples check in (separately) to the lavish "divorce hotel" on a friday and then leave divorced by the end of the weekend.  The guests can meet with mediators, lawyers, and other professionals, who attempt to make divorce more pleasant in a luxurious hotel setting.

According to news reports, Halfens supposedly invited Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher to be his guests, but the couple reportedly did not respond.

As an Augusta, Georgia divorce attorney, (see here), I must admit that I find Halfens' idea of a "divorce hotel" to be somewhat intriguing.  But because divorces can often be complicated matters, particularly when child custody and complex property division issues are present, I personally doubt whether this idea will work for most people.  

Also, there is the matter of cost.  According to news reports, the "divorce hotel" experience can run from $3500 to $10,000.00.  That is simply beyond the means of most people.

But again, even if I, as a divorce lawyer, never send any clients to a divorce hotel, (and Halfens plans to open "divorce hotels" in the United States soon), I can still possibly sit back, like you, and watch his proposed new "divorce hotel" reality show on t.v. in the fall!

The Goolsby Law Firm Brag Board

[Photo of Goolsby Law Firm located at 233 Davis Road, Augusta GA]

I hope you don't mind if I, as a proud father, brag a little bit today about my second son, Blake Goolsby.  As you may know, I already practice law in Augusta, Georgia with my oldest son, Ric, and now, my second son, Blake Goolsby, will be joining us, later this summer, at the Goolsby Law Firm! (see here) In other words, my second son, Blake, just graduated from Mercer Law School a week ago. Now, he is studying for the Georgia Bar Exam before he joins us at our family law practice later this summer in Augusta. We are so proud of Blake and all his accomplishments!

Of course, I don't mean to overlook my third son, Zachary, who just completed his first year of law school at the University of Georgia, in Athens.  We are proud of Zach, too, and also look forward to him joining us at the Goolsby Law Firm in a couple of years, too!  We are truly a family law firm which handles a little bit of everything, including divorces, adoptions, personal injury, and criminal law, in both Georgia state and federal courts.

That's all for bragging about my sons today!  I hope you understood!