Experienced Guidance Through A Difficult Divorce
A divorce requires you to make important decisions that will affect you and your family for years to come. At the law firm of Candace M. Williams, P.C., you can expect to receive straightforward information about the documents and decisions that are vital to your case.
Families throughout northeast Georgia can rely on two decades of legal experience as they navigate some of the most challenging family disputes of their lives. As a family law attorney, I help clients through the dissolution of marriage, child custody concerns and asset division. I provide personalized attention to each client, regardless of the circumstances that brought you to this point.
Legal Grounds For Divorce
Many clients seek divorce once they determine that their marriage is irretrievably broken – they cannot improve their relationship. This is often called no-fault divorce. However, in Georgia, the divorce process can also begin due to specific allegations of fault, including:
- Adultery
- Impotency
- Mental illness
- Domestic abuse
- Regular intoxication
- Abandonment for one year or more
- Forced or coerced agreement to marry
- Prison sentencing for two or more years
- Intermarriage among specified blood relatives
- Mental incapacity when entering into the marriage
A husband’s unawareness of his wife’s pregnancy by another man at the time their marriage began could also factor into a divorce filing.
Why Work With An Experienced Divorce Lawyer?
Having the assistance of a hands–on, skilled lawyer provides a feeling of assurance that you and your children will receive the representation you need to get the best possible results in your case. My reasonable hourly rate will prepare you to:
- Understand the pros and cons of each choice available to you
- Strategize the announcement of your separation
- Determine how to serve divorce papers to your spouse
- Trace potential hidden assets
- Appoint a guardian ad litem to represent your children
- Obtain asset appraisals, including business valuation, when applicable
As your attorney, whether during mediation or in court, I will protect your interests.
Alternative Dispute Resolution
In some situations, mediation may be mandatory. Although this alternative to court often proves to be more cost-effective than a trial, you and your spouse may need to prepare to pay mediator fees.
To start, it is reasonable to plan on between four and six hours of mediation sessions at a rate of up to $400 per hour. Highly contentious cases may need more time to negotiate a settlement. Even so, mediation can allow you some control regarding your future and the custody arrangements of your children, rather than entrusting those decisions to a judge.
Expert Involvement In Your Case
The need to include expert testimony in your divorce depends on the specific matters of contention. Examples of these experts include:
- Psychologists: Support claims of mental or physical abuse, especially when children are involved
- Forensic accountants: Assess the value of a closely held business and appraise marital property
- Vocational experts: Determine how much money each party is capable of earning
An independent custody evaluator can also study your situation to aid financial support arrangements.
Get Help For Your Unique Family Matters
My Hall County family law practice has been home to the management and training of legal associates, assistants and paralegals. I have tried hundreds of cases and know how to get the best possible results in your case.
I provide in-person representation at the Candace M. Williams, P.C., Gainesville office. Depending on your circumstances, I can also meet with you by phone or on digital platforms (video calls, etc.). To schedule your initial consultation, complete this confidential intake form online or call 470-705-5442 to get more information about your options.