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Georgia law protects people against domestic violence, also known as family violence. Because of the makeup of a family unit, you do not have to be married to be a victim of, or to commit, domestic / family violence.

Sharing custody of your children can be worked out to the mutual benefit of both parents and children. Let’s face it, though, sharing custody during special days can be tricky and emotional – and no time can be more difficult than holidays when both parents naturally want to be with their children.

In addition to spending time with family and friends, most people look forward to the joy of giving and receiving gifts at Christmas. Unfortunately, many people feel pressured to provide high-ticket, expensive gifts that overwhelm their personal budgets.

Once a will is written, signed, notarized, and witnessed, it is lawfully in effect. In order to change a will completely, you must either create a new one or create a codicil, which is a document that changes an existing will. However, you cannot legally modify a will by merely crossing out something or adding something new.

In a study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), driving a motor vehicle while sending text messages is six times more dangerous than driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. According to the report, driving while operating a mobile device has become the leading cause of serious injury and death among teenage drivers.

While many Georgia jurisdictions are relaxing marijuana laws, it is important to understand that it is still against the law to drive under the influence of marijuana or any other drugs and alcohol. Georgia Code Section 40-6-391 makes it illegal for a person who is under the influence of any drug to operate a motor vehicle.

Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, texting and/or email can and have all been used as evidence in many divorce proceedings. If you are contemplating or in the early stages of a divorce, you should expect that all of your social media and electronic communications will be scrutinized.

The divorce rate in the U.S. ranges between 40% and 50%, resulting in a large number of blended families. How might this impact an estate plan?

When you pass away without leaving a will you are “intestate.” Intestacy means that state law, rather than you, determines who inherits what portion of your estate. Because death is a certainty for all of us, estate planning is a necessity.

Suppose that you have just been rear-ended by another driver who was paying more attention to his cell phone than to you. Suppose also that the other driver hits your car while travelling at about 20 miles per hour. This may sound like a low-speed, fender-bender accident, with little potential for personal injury.