Celebrity Marriage and Divorce: Steve Martin

[Photo of Comedian Steve Martin from wikipedia]

Steve Martin is one of my favorite comedians! So, I really wanted to figure out a way to write a post about him which is relevant to this blog about divorce, (which is written by an Augusta, Georgia divorce lawyer). Here goes! See how I do!

Have you heard the good news about comedian Steve Martin? According to various news reports, Martin, an avid banjo player, stand up comedian, and talented star of such popular movies as Roxanne, Father of the Bride, and one of my favorites: Plains, Trains, and Automobiles, has just become a new father!

Martin and his wife, Anne Stringfield, have reportedly just had their first child together, but, according to the reports I have seen, no one yet knows the baby's gender. You may recall that Martin divorced actress Victoria Tennant back in 1994 and then later married his current spouse in 2007. I suppose that Martin's re-marriage and becoming a father for the first time, at age 67, illustrates that, frequently, people can go through divorces and still find happiness the second time around! Here's hoping for many blessings for Martin and his new (larger) family! 

So, how did I do? Did I successfully weave together a post about my favorite comedian with a topic related to divorce? I hope so! What is your favorite Steve Martin movie?

Divorce, Loneliness, and the Holidays

As Augusta, GA divorce attorneys, we are fully aware that the holidays can be difficult for some parties who are going though a divorce, along with their families. Children must frequently divide their time between two households and parents must often spend time without them. People are lonely. As Augusta divorce lawyers, we must never forget that.

Here's hoping that, if you are going through a divorce, you will still find peace and happiness during the holidays. Our family of lawyers at the Goolsby Law Firm, LLC, also wish you and your family a happy new year!

Divorce and the Holidays: Why Do Some People Wait?

[Depiction of Lady Justice from ehow.com]

As divorce lawyers in Augusta, Georgia, we are accustomed to helping people with their divorce cases throughout the year. But while we don't have any statistics to support it, it appears to us that, generally, divorces slow down somewhat during the holidays.

Maybe that conclusion seems obvious, or logical, to you. But what do you think are some of the common reasons why some people wait until after the holidays to file for a divorce? Here are just a few of the possible explanations, from our perspective, as Augusta, Ga divorce lawyers.

In some divorce cases, some people simply do not have the financial resources to go to court during the holidays. In fact, some folks will wait until after they receive their income tax refunds, in January or February, before they seek help from a divorce attorney. In other divorce cases, involving children, other people want to wait to file after the holidays and give their kids one more peaceful Christmas.

Divorces can be difficult for everyone involved. Here's hoping that, no matter for what reason people are waiting to file for a divorce from their worthless spouse, "Sluggo," they will find peace throughout the holidays.

How To Deal With The Marital Home In A Divorce

Since I began this week with a joke about how to deal with a marital home in a divorce, I thought that maybe this next post should focus on some real, practical tips for you to discuss about this topic with your own Georgia divorce lawyer.

First of all, this discussion assumes that we are referring to marital property; that is, a home acquired during the marriage and not as a result of an inheritance by one of the parties in the divorce.

Second, here are a couple of practical tips to consider: If the marital home is in both names, but one of you wants to keep it, then it is important that you consider how to get it out of the other party's name. In other words, it generally would be unfair, if one party is going to keep the home, for the other party to have their credit tied up over the next 20 or so years until the mortgage is paid off. Therefore, you should discuss with your divorce attorney the idea of including in a settlement agreement, (or arguing before a judge), a provision requiring the party who is keeping the house to refinance, (and get the mortgage/property out of the other side's name), within a specified period of time. Also, while that party is refinancing, they may also be able to borrow money to cover the other party's share of any equity, if that is appropriate. Finally, you should also discuss with your own divorce lawyer the idea that, if the other party does not, or cannot, refinance within the specified time, then the house probably must be listed and sold.

Again, every divorce is different. So, please discuss all these issues about equitable division of marital property with your own divorce lawyer.

I hope this post gave you some good practical information and tips! But I think we will both agree that it wasn't as funny as the divorce "joke of the day!" Have a nice weekend!

Celebrity Separations and Breakups: Chipper Jones

[Photo of Chipper Jones from wikipedia]

As we have discussed before in this blog about divorce, being a celebrity can present unique challenges for a marriage. It is also interesting to see how various celebrities facing marital problems react to the media spotlight.  Some celebrities shun the media attention; others seem to enjoy the media focus.

In my opinion, Atlanta Braves baseball star Chipper Jones and his spouse have handled matters in the proper way. In short, while various media outlets reported earlier this year that he and his spouse had separated, since then, little or nothing has been reported by either party. And that is the way that such matters should be handled --i.e. privately, between them and their divorce lawyers -- in my opinion!

What do you think?