Happy News for The Goolsby Law Firm!

Today is a happy day for us at The Goolsby Law Firm, LLC!  As many of you know, The Goolsby Law Firm is presently composed of father and son attorneys, (Richard Goolsby, Sr. and Richard Goolsby, Jr.), who enjoy practicing family law, criminal law, and handling other legal matters in Augusta, Georgia, (including Richmond and Columbia County).  The primary author of this blog is the dad, Richard Goolsby, Sr.  I am a former federal prosecutor who has handled some of the largest, most complex criminal cases in Georgia history.

Our good news includes the fact that my second son has just completed the half-way point of law school!  In other words, he will complete law school in only three more semesters!

But there's more good news!  My third son, currently a senior at the University of Georgia, has just been accepted for admission to law school next fall by both of his top choices!

So, don't you see, in just a few years, we may very well be the only law firm in this state composed of a father and three sons!  Now, you know why I am so happy and proud!  The Goolsby Law Firm is truly a family law firm!

Goolsby Law Firm: Check Out Our New Sign!

As many of you know, we are father and son Augusta, Georgia divorce lawyers. (We also practice criminal law, personal injury, and other general litigation). Please check out our new "GOOLSBY LAW FIRM" sign! Because our building is a little below road level, we hope that our law firm's new sign will help new clients find us easier!
We also hope you like our sign!

It's Moving Day at The Goolsby Law Firm!

I am sorry that I haven't been around to dispense legal wit and wisdom this week! You see, I have been very busy. It's moving day at the Goolsby Law Firm!

No, this blog hasn't moved anywhere. But our "brick and mortar" location has changed! Our law firm is now located at 233C Davis Road, Augusta, Georgia. (I took the photo above early this morning with my cell phone!) For those of you outside Augusta, that information won't tell you much! But hopefully, most folks in Augusta will realize that our new law office location is more centrally located. In short, we are now located near the intersections of many of Augusta's major highways.

Also, we are now located about half-way in between the courthouses in Augusta and Evans, Georgia. These are the two courthouses where much of our legal business is conducted. So, it will now be much easier and quicker to hop on a horse and get to either courthouse! My son and I will continue to handle divorces, (along with child custody, adoptions, and other family law cases), personal injury and medical malpractice cases, defense of criminal law cases, (in both state and federal court), and other general litigation.

So, that's what we have been up to this week at the Goolsby Law Firm! (Now, I've got to get back to work!)

Merry Christmas: From The Goolsby Law Firm!

From all of us at The Goolsby Law Firm, LLC, to all of you around the world: "Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!"

The Goolsby Law Firm: And How I Got Here!

Have you ever noticed how life can involve a series of "coincidental" circumstances and that life can lead you to places you never before dreamed you would be? That's sort of what happened to me in my arrival here, two years ago, to practice law with my oldest son, at The Goolsby Law Firm in Augusta!

Two years ago, I was working happily as a federal prosecutor, here, in Augusta, Georgia. At that time, I still enjoyed the challenge of prosecuting major fraud and public corruption cases and, after twenty years as a federal prosecutor, I thought I would finish my career in that position. But then, the coincidences began occurring and, suddenly, my life and career began changing rapidly! But let me give you a little background information.

At that time, my oldest son had recently gotten out of law school and had just started practicing law in a small Augusta law firm under the tutelage of a more experienced Augusta attorney. All of a sudden, out of the blue, that attorney decided to move away from Augusta. (You see, she was probably dealing with her own series of life's coincidences!) She offered to sell her law practice to my son. As a family, we all wondered what he should do?

Simultaneously, out of the blue, the Department of Justice offered all career employees with 20 years of government service an "early out," with full retirement benefits and a bonus! I will never forget how I learned about this early retirement opportunity. Get the picture: I was sitting in the U.S. Attorney's Office and thinking about my son's situation, when I learned that our office had just won an appeal in a major public corruption case that I had tried and won. The case was against State Senator Charles Walker who had appealed his convictions on 127 felony counts. By winning the appeal, I knew I wouldn't have to try that case again! Sitting there, I was elated! While I was actually reading the appellate court decision on my office computer monitor, all of a sudden, an email also "popped up" on the same screen informing me about the early retirement opportunity. Coincidentally, I had also just passed the 20 year milestone.

That email, along with winning the appeal on my "career case," provided all the answers I needed! I decided, right then and there, to take up Uncle Sam on his generous "early out" offer, and to leave the U.S. Attorney's Office and buy in to the law practice with my son! The timing was perfect! I was thrilled! After all, how often does a parent have a chance to do something like this with their children?!

And after two years, I haven't looked back! I enjoy my new career and practicing law with my son! (Two more sons may also join us down the road!) I am also proud of the work done and the clients helped by The Goolsby Law Firm during the past two years! But I am still amazed at how a series of coincidences led me to where I am today! The career prosecutor is now a proud criminal defense lawyer and a divorce attorney! I never would have dreamed it!

Life is a series of coincidences! Or is it all coincidental?

Have you experienced a similar series of coincidences in your own life?!

Georgia's Child Support Guidelines

In the “good old days” in a Georgia divorce, (i.e. prior to 2007), child support was easier for a divorce lawyer to calculate, and generally was simply based upon a percentage of the noncustodial spouse’s income. And in those “good old days,” the parties in a Georgia divorce had greater flexibility, compared to today, about setting the amount of child support. But all that changed on January 1, 2007 with the passage of the Georgia child support guidelines, (see O.C.G.A. 19-6-15).

Georgia child support is now determined by your divorce attorney in accordance with the Georgia child support guidelines, based upon the gross income of both parties to a divorce. Parties in a Georgia divorce can no longer simply agree about an appropriate child support amount between themselves, unless the parties’ settlement agreement contains findings that a judge determines sufficiently support a deviation from the guidelines’ amount. In other words, in Georgia, the child support guidelines generally rule!

When calculating the child support guidelines, your Georgia divorce lawyer should initially determine each party’s gross income (and you should generally take into account income from just about any source, including your Georgia lottery winnings). If one of the spouses has previously had court-ordered child support for another child, then that spouse may be entitled to a deduction of that amount from his gross income amount.

Next, your divorce attorney will add each parent’s adjusted income figures together to compute the combined adjusted income. Then, your lawyer will locate the basic support obligation amount by referring to a child support obligation table. Next, you calculate the noncustodial spouse’s pro rata share of the basic child support obligation amount. You then make adjustments, in appropriate cases, based upon such things as whether there are health insurance costs (for the child), or whether there are work-related child care costs. In other words, as an example, if the custodial mother has to pay daycare costs, then the guidelines call for an adjustment which will require the noncustodial dad to pay his pro rata share of that daycare cost. Finally, the guidelines also allow some room for deviations from the presumptive guideline amount, in appropriate cases.

This is just a quick review of some of the types of issues which are generally considered in determining child support under Georgia’s new child support guidelines. Hopefully, the child support guidelines generally determine a fair child support amount which equitably takes into account both parties’ incomes. And hopefully, the guidelines will do a better job of ensuring that child support will actually be paid to Georgia’s children of divorce. Maybe the “good old days” when parties could more easily manipulate child support weren’t really so good after all.

Do You Need A Divorce Lawyer? (Did Tom Hanks Need A Dentist in "Cast Away?!")

So, you have already decided to get a Georgia divorce. Now, you are trying to decide whether or not you need a divorce attorney or whether you can "do it yourself." Do you really need a divorce lawyer in Georgia? Do you need a divorce attorney even in an uncontested divorce? The question is made more difficult by the availability of cheap, "do it yourself" kits and other information online. But if you ask me, or any divorce attorney at The Goolsby Law Firm, LLC, you will always be told, "yes," you should get a divorce lawyer to handle your divorce.

And it's not simply because that's how we at The Goolsby Law Firm, LLC earn our living! It's because your rights are important and you have too much at stake to risk your fate on one of those cheap, "do it yourself" divorce kits. Particularly if you have kids, or significant money, property or debt issues, (or other important issues), you should definitely retain a divorce attorney to make sure your important interests are protected. Also, as we just saw with a new divorce client today who had unsuccessfully tried to handle her own divorce alone, many of those divorce kits simply do not have all the information or forms to completely address all your needs in a Georgia divorce.

In addition, retaining a divorce attorney, especially in an uncontested divorce, is not necessarily that much more expensive than one of those "do it yourself" kits. Moreover, you should also consider the fact that some divorce law firms, including The Goolsby Law Firm, LLC, will discuss with you the possibility of a payment plan to make your divorce easier and more affordable.

So, the bottom line is: it's up to you! You can risk your fate and try to do it yourself, or you can call an experienced Georgia divorce attorney to help you through a difficult time. Sometimes there is no substitute for experienced, professional help. You wouldn't want to pull your own tooth, would you? And if you had asked Tom Hanks' character in the movie "Cast Away" if he needed a dentist or an ice skate, I suspect he would have quickly replied, "Get me a dentist!"

Practical Tips For Selecting a Divorce Lawyer For Your Georgia Divorce

In this blog, we at The Goolsby Law Firm, LLC. (http://www.goolsbylawfirm.com/) want to not only provide you with some interesting information about Georgia law pertaining to divorces (and other family law topics), but also to give you some practical, useful information about divorces and other family law matters, too. For example, here are five helpful tips or ideas to consider when you need to find and select a divorce attorney:

1. Talk to Family and Friends: When looking for a lawyer, we first recommend that you start by asking family members and friends about divorce attorneys they know or have retained in the past. Even in this internet age with an overabundance of available information, there still is no substitute for a personal recommendation from someone you trust. And when you talk with your family members and friends, be sure to ask alot of questions about the attorney they have used or recommend: For example, ask about the attorney's experience in family law and whether or not the attorney gave them good, personal service. Also, ask about the attorney's fee schedule, (i.e. how much do they cost), and be sure to ask whether or not the attorney promptly returned their phone calls. Finally, ask questions to learn whether or not your family member or friend believed they got a good or fair result and whether or not they would use the attorney again.

2. Consult with (Bar) Referral Services: If you, your family members and friends don't know any attorneys, then you might consider contacting a lawyer referral service. Of course, if you are in a pre-paid lawyer referral service at work, then you may have to go this route. But your state or local bar association will also be a source of information about attorneys. In addition, if you have been a victim of abuse, most safe homes or shelters for battered women can also help you find a good, experienced divorce lawyer.

3. "Let Your Fingers Do the Walking....: Even though the trend in lawyer advertising is away from print media and toward the internet, you can still begin your divorce lawyer search by thumbing through the yellow pages of your telephone book. You will notice that there are attorneys who practice in a number of different areas of the law. Obviously, you want to focus on those attorneys who advertise in the area of family law matters. Many of these advertisements will also refer you to the law firms' websites. Go there and get even more information to help you decide whether or not the divorce law firm merits a telephone call for a consultation. And one more bit of advice: We at The Goolsby Law Firm, LLC. recommend that you consider contacting divorce attorneys, like us, who offer a FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION! At our law firm, you can call and talk freely with a divorce attorney about your divorce problems by simply calling us at (706) 863-5281. But be careful! Not all divorce lawyers offer a free consultation. Please be sure to ask the receptionist before you make an appointment!

4. Find a Lawyer Over the Internet: Finding an attorney over the internet is becoming one of the most common ways that people make their lawyer selections. There are several ways to accomplish this. The most obvious way is to simply sit at your computer and type in the key words, such as "augusta, Georgia divorce lawyers," or "augusta divorce attorneys," in one of the search engines. Of course, if you do not refine your search terms by confining your search to "Augusta, Georgia," then you may also get a plethora of choices from Augusta, Maine! You can also search online by going to online referral services, such as http://www.findlaw.com/. This will give you a large number of lawyers and law firms to choose from. Then, you can refine your search by going to the websites of the various divorce lawyers that appeal to you. Again, we also advise you to check whether or not the attorneys offer a free initial consultation.

5. MEET THE LAWYER: And finally, no matter which method of finding a lawyer you utilize, we strongly urge you not to simply rely on what family or friends, or ads, or internet websites say. Instead, it is important that you meet with the prospective attorney, in person, to size them up, before you make your final decision! After all, when you select a divorce attorney to represent you, you should be satisfied that you have carefully found a lawyer who is not only an experienced divorce attorney, but also someone in whom you have complete confidence to handle the most important matters affecting your life and the lives of your precious children. If you need to talk with an Augusta, Martinez, or Evans, Georgia divorce lawyer, please feel free to call us for a FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION at (706) 863-5281.

About "Divorce Lawyer in Augusta, Georgia:" A Blog by The Goolsby Law Firm, LLC. FOR A FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION, CALL (706) 863-5281

We are The Goolsby Law Firm, LLC., a father and son family law practice located at 4416 Columbia Road, Suite 100, in Martinez, Georgia. Our family of divorce attorneys include: Richard H. Goolsby, Sr. and Richard H. Goolsby, Jr. We enjoy helping people every day with their divorce cases, child custody cases, child support cases, contempt and modification actions, adoptions, and other family law cases in Augusta, Georgia, (Richmond County, Georgia), Martinez, Georgia, Evans, Georgia, Grovetown, Georgia, Harlem, Georgia, (Columbia County), and all areas and Georgia counties surrounding Augusta, Georgia.

We understand that your divorce or other family law matter may be very stressful for you. So, when you retain our divorce attorneys to handle your divorce or other family law matter, please know that we always try to be understanding and give you good, confidential and personal service in all your divorce and other family law cases. If you would like to discuss retaining us for your possible divorce case, child custody case, or other family law matter with us, then please feel free to call us for a FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION at (706) 863-5281.

In this blog, we at The Goolsby Law Firm, LLC. hope to not only give you some general, helpful information and issues to think about when considering your divorce or other family law matter, but also to provide some interesting articles and some practical tips about Georgia law concerning divorces, child custody cases, and other types of family law cases. Of course, the usual caveats and disclaimers will appear elsewhere on this blog, but please let us also forewarn you here that no one should ever rely on any opinions or other information about divorces or other legal matters appearing in this blog. In other words, no attorney-client (or any other) relationship is in any way established through this blog and it is important that you should always instead consult, in person, with your own Augusta, Georgia area attorney before making any decisions affecting your legal rights or conduct.