Many people don't want to hear this but the first thing you need to do when you become involved in a divorce is to get an attorney
. This is particularly good advice in a state like Georgia which has a pretty complicated legal system.
The reason why you need a lawyer to represent your interests is obvious. The legal complications involved in a divorce could mess up your life and your children's lives for years or even decades to come.
A person without legal representation could get stuck paying most of their income in alimony or child support payments for years to come. Most of the money you make from your job or business could be taken away and given to your ex spouse by a family law judge if you don't have a litigator fighting for you.
The reverse is also true, it is often impossible to get a reasonable amount of alimony or child support without an attorney's help. Many people particularly women end up in poverty because they didn't fight for what they were legally owed.
How Family Law Works
Something that many people don't realize until they become involved in a divorce is that the courts and the law only work for those willing to make them work. A person who is not willing to fight their rights will probably loose their rights in our legal system. This is doubly true in family courts where many matters are decided at the discretion of a judge.
A person that does not have a litigator to represent their interests in a family court proceeding, simply puts themselves at the mercy of the court. The judge; or worse the former spouse's lawyer, can decide such matters as child custody, child support, alimony and disposal of property.
This is why an individual needs to find an experienced family law attorney before getting involved in a divorce. Even when the breakup is uncontested there will be legal issues involved.
Experienced Atlanta Divorce Attorneys
The litigators at Kitchens, New & Cleghorn LLC have over fifty years combined experience. Their areas of expertise include child support, child custody, alimony, prenuptial agreements and uncontested divorces.