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.

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.

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!

Uncontested Divorce in Georgia and What It Means










          We, at the Goolsby Law Firm, LLC, frequently receive telephone calls and email inquiries from people seeking information about how to get an uncontested divorce in the

State of Georgia. We thought it might be helpful to recap about some of the important points.

          First, it is important to understand, if you want an uncontested divorce, that you and

your spouse must have agreed on all the essential points, such as child custody and property division.  Also, it is essential that your spouse must fully cooperate and sign all the divorce documents, if it is going to truly be an uncontested divorce.

          In short, for an uncontested divorce to be truly uncontested, it is necessary that you and your spouse have already worked out all the terms, (and in a format which the court will approve), and that your spouse will cooperate and sign all the documents.

          Otherwise, you can still get a divorce, but it will likely be a contested divorce, and it may be necessary to get your spouse served with divorce papers and take him to court.

          I hope this brief summary helps explain some of the differences between uncontested and contested divorces. Of course, it is important for you to discuss these matters and all your questions about divorce with your own divorce lawyer!

Divorce and the Holidays

As Augusta, Georgia divorce lawyers, we generally expect the number of divorces to slow down at this time of year. I am sure it comes as no surprise to you that people will often delay seeking a divorce attorney until after the holidays.

This is especially true in cases involving children. In other words, many people want to wait until after Christmas before having their kids deal with the stress of a divorce.

Of course, after the first of the year, most divorce attorneys in our area will expect to see an uptick in the number of divorce cases, both uncontested and contested divorces.

But, for now, let's enjoy the holidays!

We, at the Goolsby Law Firm, wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!!

Expensive Celebrity Divorces: Robin Williams

[Photo of Robin Williams from wikipedia]

          Divorces, especially if they aren't uncontested divorces, can be expensive! Just ask actor Robin Williams! According to various news reports, Williams is reportedly returning to network television at least in part because of the expense of his two prior divorces! Williams is slated to star in a new t.v. sit-com called "The Crazy Ones!" As the comedian has put it, divorce is like removing your wallet through your heart! Here's hoping for much success for Williams and for a healthier wallet in the new television season!

Celebrity Marriages and Divorces: Usher's Child Custody Battle

[Photo of Usher from wikipedia]

Are you a fan of Usher? He appeared to be such a nice guy when he appeared as a celebrity judge on "The Voice" this past season! The well-known singer and dancer has sold over 65 million records and has six Grammy awards! But, as we have discussed before in the blog about divorce, Usher, like a lot of celebrities, has also faced his share of divorce and child custody issues.

According to various news reports, Usher's ex has filed for an emergency child custody hearing after their five year old son nearly drowned in a swimming pool at the singer's Atlanta home. Thankfully, the little boy reportedly will be okay!

Here's hoping that Usher and his ex will also find a way to resolve these and other issues without too much public scrutiny. But again, as we have discussed before, the media spotlight can be both a blessing and a curse for many celebrities facing divorce and child custody issues.

Don't you agree? What do you think?

Men or Women: Who Can Detect Adultery More Often?

So, who, in your opinion, can more often detect cheating, or infidelity, by their spouses: men or women?

Well, according to a new study reported in Discovery News, MEN can sense that their wives are cheating, more often, than the wives can detect it! But, according to the report, men were also more frequently wrong about guessing when their spouses were being unfaithful, too!

What do you think? I'm not sure I believe the results of this study!

But, as an Augusta, Georgia divorce lawyer, please let me warn everyone, BOTH men and women, that they should discuss the consequences of infidelity, and how to prove adultery, with their own divorce attorney!

Discovery Responses in Divorce Cases

In the State of Georgia, each party is entitled, through his or her divorce attorney, to engage in various discovery practices, in order to learn more of the facts of the case. For instance, your divorce lawyer may, in some divorce cases, take the deposition of the other party, (or depose "Sluggo's" mistress!). You can also make the other side disclose their financial information and who their witnesses will be.

In addition, your divorce lawyer may elect to submit interrogatories or requests for the production of documents by the other party.

Likewise, your divorce attorney may contact you and tell you that the other side has submitted similar discovery requests to which you must respond. 

But the important point I wanted to make today is that you should discuss with your own divorce lawyer any questions or problems you have in submitting your responses. Also, it is important that you be timely, because, ordinarily, your divorce lawyer will have only thirty days to review, format, and submit your discovery responses to the other attorney.

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!"

Celebrity Divorces: Danica Patrick

[Photo of Danica Patrick from wikipedia]

Well, all you NASCAR fans, it is official! Give her the checkered flag! Yes, the divorce of NASCAR driver Danica Patrick is reportedly final, according to various news sources. You may recall that, earlier, Ms. Patrick had selected an unusual way to inform her fans about her split-up. She did it via Facebook!

Here's hoping that Ms. Patrick and her new beau, reportedly NASCAR racer Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., find happiness while chasing each other around the track!

Celebrity Divorces, Porsha Stewart, and How People Learn About Divorce

[Real Housewives of Atlanta Photo from wikipedia]

How do most people learn that their spouses have filed for a divorce? In most divorce cases, it is fairly simple and straightforward. In other words, in most divorces, the parties tell each other in no uncertain terms about their decisions and all the reasons for it!

But did you hear about how Real Housewives of Atlanta reality t.v. star Porsha Stewart, (shown on the right above), reportedly learned that her husband, former pro quarterback Cordell Stewart had filed for a divorce from her? According to various news reports, Ms. Stewart first learned about it on twitter!!

Every divorce case, whether it involves celebrities or not, is unique. And you should always discuss the facts of your divorce with your own divorce lawyer. But this case certainly involves one of the most unique ways to inform one's spouse about the filing of a divorce! What do you think?

Which Month is "Divorce Month?"

Which month of the year would you guess is the month during which the most divorces are filed? As an Augusta, Georgia divorce lawyer, I wondered why, so I did a little investigative work to learn the answer! Here is what I discovered!

According to some sources, January is the month during which more divorces are filed than any other month. For instance, according to the Huffington Post, some divorce attorneys actually take off the last two weeks of the year to rest up for the added work after the new year begins! 

But according to another source, findlaw, March, not January, is the most "popular" month of the year for couples to file for divorce. This source indicates that, while divorce filings start picking up in January, they reach their peak in March.

Look, as an Augusta, GA divorce lawyer, I believe that March is the correct answer. And here's why. While many couples do try to stay together during the holidays, for the sake of the kids, telephone calls to us, at the Goolsby Law Firm, do start picking up in January, after the holidays are behind. 

But I also believe that more people, at least in this part of Georgia, wait until they get their income tax refunds before they seek a divorce lawyer's help in filing for divorce. So, that is why I agree with findlaw that March is the correct answer as to the busiest month of the year for filing divorces.

But that doesn't mean that plenty of people don't wait and file for divorce in all the remaining months of the year, too. What do you think?

Equitable Division of Marital Property: Tycoon Style

[Photo of Oil Tycoon Harold Hamm from wikipedia]

According to various news reports, oil tycoon Harold Hamm, one of the wealthiest people in the United States, with over $11 billion in Continental Resources oil company stock, may face an equitable division of his wealth, and potential loss of control of his company, following reports that his wife of 25 years, Sue Ann Hamm, has filed for divorce.

As any reader of this divorce blog knows, in the State of Georgia, judges will generally make an equitable division of all marital property. And "equitable" does not always mean equal. In short, in some divorce cases we have seen, (as Augusta, Georgia divorce lawyers), if fault grounds, such as adultery, are proven, then one party may end up with more than one-half of the marital property.

Of course, no one knows the facts or what may happen in the Hamm divorce. But no matter how you slice it, Mr. Hamm will still be left with a sizable estate.

Celebrity Separations and Divorces: Jillian Barberie Reynolds and Grant Reynolds

[Photo of Jillian Barberie Reynolds from wikipedia]

When most folks get divorced, there is little or no fanfare and no public statements issued by publicists. But it is generally not the same for celebrities.

According to various news reports, a representative for actress and t.v. host Jillian Barberie Reynolds announced this week that Ms. Reynolds was divorcing her husband of six years, actor Grant Reynolds. The celebrity couple reportedly has two children.

No matter how a divorce may be announced, here's hoping that this couple, and anyone else going through a divorce, finds peace and happiness in their new lives.

Here's also hoping that if you have any questions about your own divorce from your worthless spouse, "Sluggo," (a celebrity in his own mind), you will avoid public statements, but you will find a good, experienced divorce lawyer near you.

Divorce, Stalking and Protective Orders

[Lady Justice depiction from ehow.com]

As Augusta, Georgia divorce attorneys, we sometimes receive questions about the availability of domestic violence protective orders, (or restraining orders), in Georgia. Generally, there are several ways to get help if your worthless spouse, "Sluggo," gets out of hand.

First and foremost, please call law enforcement if you are afraid for your life, or if a crime in being committed.

In addition, you can discuss with your divorce lawyer whether or not to seek a domestic violence protective order, especially if there has been a history of abuse. While obtaining such an order may add an extra step or two to your divorce, your divorce attorney will be able to help you get the protection you deserve. 

Also, your divorce lawyer may recommend simply relying upon the protection contained in the automatic domestic standing order, which is generally issued by a judge in every contested divorce case in Georgia. This order contains language which expressly forbids domestic violence, (and would therefore support a contempt motion if Sluggo gets out of hand, even if you elect not to go the extra step of seeking a separate protective order).

Finally, you might also consider seeking help from a family violence shelter near you. Here, in Augusta, Georgia, we are fortunate to have the Augusta Shelter which helps abused women every day.

I hope this general information about family violence helps! Again, please discuss all such issues about divorce with your own divorce lawyer!

Celebrity Breakups and Divorce: Diane Lane and Josh Brolin

[Photo of Diane Lane and Josh Brolin from wikipedia]

According to various news reports, on Valentines Day, February 14th, Hollywood actors Diane Lane and Josh Brolin signed divorce documents to end their eight year marriage. The couple reportedly have no children together.

Both actors have very busy, successful acting careers. We have discussed before in this divorce blog, (written by Augusta, Georgia divorce lawyers), about how Hollywood careers can present special stressors on celebrity marriages. Of course, only Brolin and Lane need to know about their own situation which led to this reported breakup and divorce.

What are some of your favorite movies featuring these two actors? As for me, Ms. Lane starred in my favorite television mini-series, Lonesome Dove. I also enjoyed Brolin's performance in the movie, No Country for Old Men.

According to reports, Ms. Lane does a lot of charitable work "under the radar," i.e. without seeking recognition. Here's hoping that these two fine actors find happiness and have continued success.