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!

What is the Price or Cost of an Uncontested Divorce in Augusta, GA?

As Augusta, Georgia divorce attorneys, (i.e. our father and son attorneys handle divorce and child custody cases throughout Richmond and Columbia County, and the CSRA), we receive telephone calls and email inquiries every single day concerning the cost or price of an uncontested Georgia divorce. We proudly offer free initial consultations in which you can talk with a divorce lawyer about your potential divorce case without any charge. Our Augusta family law firm also strives to offer some of the lowest, most affordable legal fees in the Augusta, Evans, Richmond and Columbia County, GA areas. 

Since we receive so many questions about it, I thought it might be helpful to discuss again the topic of how much does an uncontested, (as opposed to contested), divorce generally cost. Of course, you should first be aware that the costs of an uncontested divorce generally include the divorce attorney's fee, along with the cost of filing the uncontested divorce documents. In short, the going rate, here, for an uncontested divorce generally ranges from $500 to $1500, plus a court filing fee of $205. 

At the Goolsby Law Firm, LLC, depending upon the circumstances, we generally charge a legal fee at the low end of that range for an uncontested divorce. In addition, in uncontested divorce cases involving children, you should also expect to spend at least another $30 to $40 for the cost of attending a children of divorce seminar, which is court-mandated. Your divorce lawyer will be able to provide you with information about each of these costs.

I hope this information helps! Please feel free to call the Goolsby Law Firm, LLC at (706) 863-5281 for a free consultation. Have a great weekend!