People in Georgia are probably aware that our state has one of the highest divorce rates in the U.S. Getting an uncontested divorce when the marriage is irretrievably broken is relatively easy in Georgia as compared to other states, and a divorce can be finalized in as little as 30 days after the filing of the divorce documents. The divorce settlement process can take longer when child custodyis an area of disagreement, but for those parties who just want a no-fuss divorce, Georgia can accommodate in just about a month.
However, recent legislative efforts have targeted state divorce laws with the intent of making divorce more difficult, which supporters say will decrease the number of divorces and help keep families together. Under the newly proposed legislation most divorces would not only take longer, up to almost a year at minimum, but couples would be required to attend education and counseling sessions to improve marital communications and preach the negative impacts of divorce on children. In addition, counseling and mental health services would be made available to divorcing families.
Critics of the proposal argue that divorce is a choice people should be allowed to make without government interference, as people generally know what is best for their well-being even if, in some cases, that means splitting up a family. The legislation may be well intended, but adding new hoops for distraught people to jump through may not be the solution to promote family unity.
Families with children should know that divorce can be a challenging time for everyone in the family, as child custody is often the most hotly contested issue between divorcing spouses. People should always enlist the counsel of an experienced family law attorney to handle the intricacies of child support, visitation and parental rights so they can focus on doing the best thing for themselves and their children.