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TextSome attorneys feel that they are worth $500 an hour. Others feel that they are only worth $200 per hour. Some clients feel that you get what you pay for and others look for the deal. Then there are attorneys who charge for every conversation and piece of paper. Other attorneys charge per the job. So, when someone is looking for an attorney to solve their problem, how much should they pay? The first thing to remember is that you do not always get what you pay for in the legal community. Many attorneys are great sales men and lousy attorneys. They invest heavily in the plushest office to …
After a long and extended holiday season I thought it would be an ideal time to write about DUIs. Someone out there likely made the mistake of drinking and driving. So what do you do when confronted with this moment? First, take a cab no matter the expense, because once charged with a DUI the entire system will have its hands in your wallet and an $80 cab ride will look really good afterwards. Once stopped by police, you have a decision to make. Do I take the breathalyzer? Everyone has heard the advice offered that you should not take the test, but this is offered by attorneys preserving…
When we get married and have children we never suspect that one day they will be treated like property to be divided between two owners; yet, once a divorce begins that is exactly what can happen. In fact, custody battles in a divorce proceeding are usually the most expensive both emotionally and financially. Sadly, it is usually the children who pay the ultimate price. In Georgia, there is not a single set of rules to determine who will receive custody. The father and the mother are equally able to seek custody. The courts, being courts of equity, look toward multiple factors when making a …
In September there were two shootings in Savannah, in less than two weeks, allegedly due to domestic violence. In one shooting, the victim was killed. In the other shooting, the victim was hospitalized in critical condition. More than 100 people are killed each year in Georgia as a result of domestic violence. The majority of these victims are women (Georgia Commission on Family Violence). This does not include the hundreds of victims who are not killed but live in hostile and destructive environments. As an attorney, I regularly deal with people who choose to live in situations that are…
"I’m getting a divorce." That phrase is so common, yet there is so much misinformation about the process and its consequences. As a lawyer who handles a great deal of family matters, I wear two hats: I am the strong advocate seeking to gain a party to the divorce action everything he or she is entitled to, and I am Dr. Phil spending evenings and weekends guiding someone through confusion or simply listening because sometimes that is all an attorney can do. One thing I can advise all of my clients regarding divorce is that if you seek litigation because you want a pound of flesh, you might …
