Lawrenceville Family Blog

Crystal Wright | March 1, 2022 | Child Custody

Georgia law gives judges the authority to order a psychological evaluation in child custody cases. Judges make custody decisions based on a child’s best interest. However, a psychological evaluation provides vital information that helps the judge decide custody matters in some cases. Interested parties may request a psychological evaluation in a custody case, including either… read more

Crystal Wright | February 10, 2022 | Family Law

People talk a lot about common law marriage, but only a few states recognize them. The state of Georgia only recognizes common law marriages from before January 1, 1997. It also recognizes common law marriages entered into before this date are valid. The same is true of common law marriages from other states. What is… read more

Crystal Wright | January 28, 2022 | Child Custody

Yes, under certain circumstances, you can kidnap your own child in Georgia. Parental kidnapping is a common form of child abduction, especially in disputed custody battles. A parent can be prosecuted for parental kidnapping if they take their child from the other parent without legal custody or a court order. A parent may kidnap their… read more

Crystal Wright | January 20, 2022 | Divorce

When spouses want to end a marriage, they have a few different legal options. Divorce is the most common route to permanently dissolve the marriage. However, some circumstances make divorce an undesirable or impractical option.  Legal separation is an alternative that offers many of the benefits of divorce, but it also keeps certain legal arrangements… read more

Crystal Wright | January 6, 2022 | Family Law

In the United States, there are more than 1.3 million attorneys. But when you need legal representation, not just any lawyer will do.  Unfortunately, not all attorneys have the skills and abilities to successfully fight for their clients. It is important to understand what makes a good attorney and avoid hiring a bad one. In… read more

Crystal Wright | December 17, 2021 | Child Custody

Child custody laws are changing. When parents disagreed over a custody arrangement in the past, the law favored the mother. It was assumed that a mother was the primary caretaker and better fit to care for the child’s well-being.  This is no longer the case. Child custody laws have increasingly moved toward viewing both parents… read more

Crystal Wright | December 12, 2021 | Divorce

Many factors can influence the outcome of a divorce or family law case. One is the ability of those involved to make the right impression on the judge. Just because someone can sway the judge’s opinion, doesn’t always mean they deserve an outcome in their favor. For example, perhaps you’re in the middle of divorce… read more

Crystal Wright | December 11, 2021 | Family Law

When someone files a lawsuit, the other parties don’t receive notice of the lawsuit automatically. A process server must serve them with the complaint papers so the lawsuit process can truly begin. Many would-be defendants take various steps to avoid process servers. However, process servers can go to significant lengths to track them down and… read more

Crystal Wright | December 10, 2021 | Family Law

Matters such as divorce, child custody, domestic violence, and similar issues are complicated. They can involve confidential or sensitive information that you may like to keep private. However, you may need to hire a lawyer if you’re ever involved in a case related to such issues. Your attorney will only be able to provide you… read more

Crystal Wright | November 18, 2021 | Child support

Except in cases of emancipation, parents have a legal obligation to support their minor children. After a divorce, the noncustodial parent is often assigned a monthly child support payment by the court.  The specific amount of child support designated is based on several factors, including the gross income of each parent. It is designed to… read more