On behalf of Claridge Law Firm posted in Divorce on Friday, June 14, 2013
Whenever multi-millionaires split, there is the assumption that money may be a main source of contention. However, even for those with a great deal of money and assets, the minor items in life may hold up divorce proceedings. Georgia couples wrangling over how to split assets may want to follow the story of the ex-model and her ex-spouse.
Model Kim Charlton and her husband ended their 3-year marriage in 2009; yet the fate of personal items has kept them in the court system. Their disagreement stems from a weather vane they had on top of a roof. Charlton bought the weather vane many years ago and hired someone to remove it from the roof when she divorced her husband. He contends she damaged the roof when she removed it, and he also claimed it was his. He was withholding the settlement he owed her until he got the item back.
On behalf of Claridge Law Firm posted in Child Custody on Tuesday, June 4, 2013
When people think about child custody disputes or litigation, they may automatically think about just the mother and father involved. However, one recent case exemplifies how a child custody issue can involve multiple family members. Any Georgia parents currently having difficulty negotiating child custody arrangements may want to know the law when it comes to the consequences of interference from family members.
The case centers around charges filed against three women. It started when a mother was to give her two children back to the father as ordered by a judge in their divorce proceeding. The mother did not comply; but instead told the father that she had left the country with the two children. Warrants were issued for the mother.
On behalf of Claridge Law Firm posted in Child Custody on Tuesday, May 28, 2013
It is not uncommon for parents to disagree over child custody issues and to have to revisit the court system to work out those issues. Any Georgia couples dealing with child custody issues, including disputes about visitation schedules, may take interest in a recent case that is making news as an example of what can happen if one parent oversteps a custody agreement without court approval. The case has resulted in the mother being held on bail in a county jail.
The couple had an agreement that was valid for six months. The father requested that the court make a schedule after he allegedly had problems dealing with the mother of his 3-year-old. The father dropped the child off with the mom for a scheduled visit and returned days later to find the pair gone. There was also an eviction notice on the mother's door.
On behalf of Claridge Law Firm posted in Child Custody on Monday, May 20, 2013
When many think about child custody issues or problems, they may only think about the mother and father involved. However, for one Georgia mother, court orders to regain physical child custody of her son were allegedly interfered with in another state by family members of the father. The grandfather accused of interfering with the court order from Georgia in this case is a 29-year police veteran.
The mother had two court orders from Georgia stating that the 3-year-old boy should be returned to her. However, when police went to the residence in Connecticut where the child was supposed to be, the grandfather allegedly told the police the child was in another state and he would not assist them in locating the boy. Police then discovered, with help from a witness, that the child was actually at a nearby house with the grandmother.
On behalf of Claridge Law Firm posted in Child Custody on Monday, May 13, 2013
When most people think about child custody arrangements or children being removed from the home a one parent, they may automatically assume the other biological parent will be awarded custody. However, one reported child custody arrangement making headlines involves a decision where neither biological parent received custody of the children. Any Georgia couples and their family members dealing with custody issues may want to follow the case of Charlie Sheen, his ex-wife Brooke Mueller and his other ex-wife Denise Richards.
Reports indicate 4-year-old twins belonging to Mueller and Sheen had to be removed from her home as she is under suspicion of being on drugs again. The L. A. Department of Children and Family Services ruled Mueller's home to an 'unsafe environment.' Instead of awarding custody to Sheen, the boy's father, temporary custody has been given to Richards, who also has two children with Sheen and was married to him before he married Mueller.
On behalf of Claridge Law Firm posted in Divorce on Monday, May 6, 2013
While most couples in the midst of divorce or contemplating ending their marriages already know the basics when it comes to the financial aspects of splitting up, there may be things they don't consider. For Georgia couples going through or thinking about going forth with dissolving a marriage, there are costs involved that they should know about up front. Divorce can simply cost more than a line item list of legal fees and expenses.
A recent report outlines several added financial costs for divorcing couples that any couple should be aware of first. The extra cost of childcare is a real expense that some may never have had to deal with before. If one spouse was a stay-at-home parent and childcare was not an issue, a divorce could change that, meaning both parents must now work and childcare could take a toll on the wallet. Taxes are also another area cited that some divorcing couples may not think about because when you go from married and filing taxes jointly to being single, your entire tax bracket and way of filing may change.
On behalf of Claridge Law Firm posted in Adoption on Friday, May 3, 2013
The U.S. Supreme Court has found itself charged with the task of deciding the fate of a now 4-year-old girl. The court will have to decide whether the girl will remain with her biological father or return to the couple who adopted her at birth. At the heart of the parental rights and adoption case is the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978. Georgia parents in the midst of adoption or fathers who wish to keep a child the mother may be considering putting up for adoption may want to follow the outcome of this particular case.
The father in this case left for military deployment while the mother to be was pregnant. She gave the child up for adoption to a couple when the girl was born. The father was notified of the pending adoption and was said to have initially agreed, and then days later decided he wanted his daughter. He is of Cherokee lineage and utilized the Indian Child Welfare Act to gain custody of his daughter over the adoptive parents who were raising her.
On behalf of Claridge Law Firm posted in Paternity on Monday, April 22, 2013
Even when a paternity suit is dismissed, there could still room for someone to re-file under certain circumstances. This appears to be the case with a paternity suit filed in Georgia court against basketball legend Michael Jordan. The woman whose suit was dismissed in March plans to re-file as soon as possible.
A judge in Georgia initially dismissed the suit in March. The woman, Pamela Smith, contends there is an issue with the original documents. According to reports, her ex-husband's name is on the birth certificate for the child she claims is the biological child of Michael Jordan. Once her husband's name is removed as the child's legal father, she allegedly will have opened the door to re-file a paternity suit against Jordan.
On behalf of Claridge Law Firm posted in Divorce on Wednesday, April 17, 2013
After announcing a split recently, one couple has found the details of their impending divorce in the news. The divorce between former NFL player, Kordell Stewart and his wife Porsha Williams, star of the Georgia reality show 'Real Housewives of Atlanta,' has seemed to taken an acrimonious turn as allegations and implications are made public. In particular, new allegations pertaining to the split and potential alimony rights are being discussed publically.
The documents in this case pertain to Porsha's quest for financial compensation in the form of alimony. She claims that she put her career on hold to raise a son that Stewart reportedly had with another woman. She also apparently sold a business during her marriage. She is seeking both alimony from Stewart and also sole use of the Atlanta home they shared together.
On behalf of Claridge Law Firm posted in Divorce on Thursday, April 11, 2013
The time it takes for a divorce for any couple is directly in relation to that particular couple and their unique circumstances. However, a bill being proposed in a nearby state may make the time period for filing for divorce two years. Couples in Georgia may want to pay close attention to the proposed law because, if approved in another state, it could very well open the door for Georgia state legislators to propose a similar law.
The law being proposed will essentially work to establish a set time period before a divorce would be considered final in that state. The bill is currently titled the 'Healthy Marriage Act.' The proposed two year waiting period before a couple could be legally divorced is substantially longer than the current 30 day waiting period that typically applies in Georgia.
