Georgia Divorce Laws

Dividing Stock Options | Atlanta Divorce Laws

Scott Shaw

 

Division of Stock Options During Divorce

In equitable division, stock options are subject to be divided in a divorce. Now, stock options can be a very complicated asset to divide. Not all employer plans actually allow stock options to be divided to each party, so you often have to determine what the monetary value of the stock option is to make sure the options can be divided.

Equitable Division of Property

Sometimes, you have to become a trustee for your spouse. A very complicated issue, and often is very hotly contested, is what if there are contingencies to be awarded of your stock option or other investment vehicle. For example, let’s say you have options that you’ve been awarded, but you only get them if you remain in the company – the golden handcuffs or something. You can argue that those options, even though it’s your option to quit the company, should not be awarded as marital property because if you don’t work the four years after the marriage, you don’t get them.

These are hotly contested issues. But, in general, your typical stock option that has been invested during the marriage needs to be valued and the property is divided in equitable division in the State of Georgia.

By: Scott Shaw

Division of Stock Options During Divorce

In equitable division, stock options are subject to be divided in a divorce. Now, stock options can be a very complicated asset to divide. Not all employer plans actually allow stock options to be divided to each party, so you often have to determine what the monetary value of the stock option is to make sure the options can be divided.

Equitable Division of Property

Sometimes, you have to become a trustee for your spouse. A very complicated issue, and often is very hotly contested, is what if there are contingencies to be awarded of your stock option or other investment vehicle. For example, let’s say you have options that you’ve been awarded, but you only get them if you remain in the company – the golden handcuffs or something. You can argue that those options, even though it’s your option to quit the company, should not be awarded as marital property because if you don’t work the four years after the marriage, you don’t get them.

These are hotly contested issues. But, in general, your typical stock option that has been invested during the marriage needs to be valued and the property is divided in equitable division in the State of Georgia.

By: Scott Shaw

Reasons for Divorce | Atlanta Family Law

Scott Shaw

 

Do You Need a Reason?

Under Georgia law, there are 13 different reasons for a divorce and reason number 13 says the marriage is irretrievably broken and there’s no chance to patch it up. That’s all you need to do. You need to allege that the marriage is irretrievably broken and you can’t patch it up. Now your spouse can actually contest even that issue, but it’s not done very often. In the end, you really don’t need a reason other than you guys can’t get along anymore.

Other Possible Reasons

But if you have a reason, there are 12 other reasons as well such as adultery, cruelty, drug abuse, and many other factors that are sometimes relevant to a divorce. Quite often, we take this issue for granted because it’s just a routine issue and no one is going to contest the need for the divorce, but in the right case, the grounds for divorce can be very critical.

By: Scott Shaw

Do You Need a Reason?

Under Georgia law, there are 13 different reasons for a divorce and reason number 13 says the marriage is irretrievably broken and there’s no chance to patch it up. That’s all you need to do. You need to allege that the marriage is irretrievably broken and you can’t patch it up. Now your spouse can actually contest even that issue, but it’s not done very often. In the end, you really don’t need a reason other than you guys can’t get along anymore.

Other Possible Reasons

But if you have a reason, there are 12 other reasons as well such as adultery, cruelty, drug abuse, and many other factors that are sometimes relevant to a divorce. Quite often, we take this issue for granted because it’s just a routine issue and no one is going to contest the need for the divorce, but in the right case, the grounds for divorce can be very critical.

By: Scott Shaw

How Long Does Divorce Take | Atlanta Family Law

Scott Shaw

 

Divorce Length in Atlanta

That can vary quite a bit. Divorces vary from uncontested divorces where all the issues are agreed to, to outright wars. An uncontested divorce, usually you can get it done – if there’s an agreement on all issues – within 60 to 90 days.

As for the most outrageous divorces, the ones that carry on the longest, 18 months to 2 years. At Shaw Law Firm, we strive to push our cases forward. We like to solve problems. We get to the nitty gritty of the issues, so we try to move things forward quicker, so our cases generally 6 to 18 months is probably the longest case we’ll have, but there are some divorces that can stretch out even longer.

By: Scott Shaw

Divorce Length in Atlanta

That can vary quite a bit. Divorces vary from uncontested divorces where all the issues are agreed to, to outright wars. An uncontested divorce, usually you can get it done – if there’s an agreement on all issues – within 60 to 90 days.

As for the most outrageous divorces, the ones that carry on the longest, 18 months to 2 years. At Shaw Law Firm, we strive to push our cases forward. We like to solve problems. We get to the nitty gritty of the issues, so we try to move things forward quicker, so our cases generally 6 to 18 months is probably the longest case we’ll have, but there are some divorces that can stretch out even longer.

By: Scott Shaw

Marriage Counseling Services | Atlanta Divorce

Scott Shaw

 

Court Offered Services

The answer is no. The court offers mediation services and many counties require mediation of a case, not all counties. For example, Gwinnett country won’t require you to mediate, but they do encourage it. And other counties like county require mediation. But in regards to marriage counseling and trying to patch the marriage up, that’s something we can agree to. We can even get the court to sign an order that the parties will try to go to marriage counseling, but the court will not offer such a service to you.

By: Scott Shaw

Court Offered Services

The answer is no. The court offers mediation services and many counties require mediation of a case, not all counties. For example, Gwinnett country won’t require you to mediate, but they do encourage it. And other counties like county require mediation. But in regards to marriage counseling and trying to patch the marriage up, that’s something we can agree to. We can even get the court to sign an order that the parties will try to go to marriage counseling, but the court will not offer such a service to you.

By: Scott Shaw

International Divorce Issues | Atlanta Family Law

Scott Shaw

 

International Divorce Issues

In this video, I will be discussing the topic of international divorce, child custody, and passport issues. Family law issues frequently cross state and even international boundaries. We have handled cases involving the following countries: South Africa, Indonesia, India, Pakistan, Germany, Great Britain, Egypt, Saudia Arabia, Canada, China, Mexico, Peru, Russia, France, and probably a few other countries that I do not even recall. These cases create some very complex jurisdictional and international procedural questions.

Enforcing International Court Orders

Are foreign international divorces and custody orders enforceable in the United States even if there is no treaty with the country? To answer your question, in general, no matter which country you are from, as long as you reside in the state of Georgia for six months you can get a divorce in the state of Georgia. Your spouse does not have to consent to the divorce. Your spouse does not even have to come to the state of Georgia. With or without his or her cooperation you can get the divorce. And in most countries in the world the divorce will be legally binding on both of you.

Muslim Divorces

There are sometimes special issues dealing with Muslim divorces being recognized in certain parts of the Middle East that we can discuss with you, but, in general, a divorce in the United States will be recognized abroad. Likewise, if your children have lived in the United States for at least six months and call Georgia home we can probably get a custody order in the state of Georgia that would be legally enforceable in most countries in the rest of the world. One common issue is whether or not a child may travel internationally after the case. The issue is twofold.

Children Traveling Internationally

Will I be able to travel internationally with my child even if the other parent does not consent? Or two: Will I be able to prevent the other parent from taking the child out of the country without my consent?The court may not have the power to force a parent to cooperate with obtaining a passport, but the court does have the power to issue an order that allows one parent – without the consent of the other parent – to obtain a passport.

What this means from a practical perspective is you need to resolve any passport issues that may exist in your case with an appropriate court order. You cannot wait and rely on the other parent to cooperate with you after a child’s passport expires. International Family Law issues are becoming more and more common and it should not be so difficult to find a good lawyer to deal with these.

By: Scott Shaw

International Divorce Issues

In this video, I will be discussing the topic of international divorce, child custody, and passport issues. Family law issues frequently cross state and even international boundaries. We have handled cases involving the following countries: South Africa, Indonesia, India, Pakistan, Germany, Great Britain, Egypt, Saudia Arabia, Canada, China, Mexico, Peru, Russia, France, and probably a few other countries that I do not even recall. These cases create some very complex jurisdictional and international procedural questions.

Enforcing International Court Orders

Are foreign international divorces and custody orders enforceable in the United States even if there is no treaty with the country? To answer your question, in general, no matter which country you are from, as long as you reside in the state of Georgia for six months you can get a divorce in the state of Georgia. Your spouse does not have to consent to the divorce. Your spouse does not even have to come to the state of Georgia. With or without his or her cooperation you can get the divorce. And in most countries in the world the divorce will be legally binding on both of you.

Muslim Divorces

There are sometimes special issues dealing with Muslim divorces being recognized in certain parts of the Middle East that we can discuss with you, but, in general, a divorce in the United States will be recognized abroad. Likewise, if your children have lived in the United States for at least six months and call Georgia home we can probably get a custody order in the state of Georgia that would be legally enforceable in most countries in the rest of the world. One common issue is whether or not a child may travel internationally after the case. The issue is twofold.

Children Traveling Internationally

Will I be able to travel internationally with my child even if the other parent does not consent? Or two: Will I be able to prevent the other parent from taking the child out of the country without my consent?The court may not have the power to force a parent to cooperate with obtaining a passport, but the court does have the power to issue an order that allows one parent – without the consent of the other parent – to obtain a passport.

What this means from a practical perspective is you need to resolve any passport issues that may exist in your case with an appropriate court order. You cannot wait and rely on the other parent to cooperate with you after a child’s passport expires. International Family Law issues are becoming more and more common and it should not be so difficult to find a good lawyer to deal with these.

By: Scott Shaw

Dividing Family Business | Atlanta Divorce Laws

Scott Shaw

 

Family Business During Divorce

An equitable division of property in a divorce in the state of Georgia, one of the most important complicated issues is often if there is a family business. Can you keep the business running? How do you divide the value of the business?  And rest assured, a family business is a marital asset that can be divided, and it’s one of the most contested issues you will come into. Sometimes it’s as simple as just getting an appraiser and putting a value on it.  Of course how you value the business, that’s another issue. And sometimes you can be creative.

Example Litigation

For example, we had a case where my client inherited the business when they got married. It was a 20-year marriage, so 20 years ago.   It was her family’s business. And her husband actually was president of the business for 20 years, and he demanded a certain amount of money to be paid for his share of the business that would have bankrupted the family business that she inherited from her parents, that her parents inherited from their parents.

So we got creative, and we had the business appraised going back from 20 years ago, the value at the time she inherited it and was married, and we adjusted it for the rate of inflation. And sure enough he still mismanaged the business, that over 20 years the business adjusted for inflation only increased by $25,000.

Hire a Lawyer to Assist in Your Divorce

So that’s what we offered him, and the judge agreed with us. So on the right case you can be creative, and you can save the family business. But in general, if you have the family business to deal with, you have a lot of complicated issues that have to be addressed, and you need someone who knows what they’re doing to address them. And at Shaw Law Firm we are happy to take your telephone calls or inquiries. Thank you.

By: Scott Shaw

Family Business During Divorce

An equitable division of property in a divorce in the state of Georgia, one of the most important complicated issues is often if there is a family business. Can you keep the business running? How do you divide the value of the business?  And rest assured, a family business is a marital asset that can be divided, and it’s one of the most contested issues you will come into. Sometimes it’s as simple as just getting an appraiser and putting a value on it.  Of course how you value the business, that’s another issue. And sometimes you can be creative.

Example Litigation

For example, we had a case where my client inherited the business when they got married. It was a 20-year marriage, so 20 years ago.   It was her family’s business. And her husband actually was president of the business for 20 years, and he demanded a certain amount of money to be paid for his share of the business that would have bankrupted the family business that she inherited from her parents, that her parents inherited from their parents.

So we got creative, and we had the business appraised going back from 20 years ago, the value at the time she inherited it and was married, and we adjusted it for the rate of inflation. And sure enough he still mismanaged the business, that over 20 years the business adjusted for inflation only increased by $25,000.

Hire a Lawyer to Assist in Your Divorce

So that’s what we offered him, and the judge agreed with us. So on the right case you can be creative, and you can save the family business. But in general, if you have the family business to deal with, you have a lot of complicated issues that have to be addressed, and you need someone who knows what they’re doing to address them. And at Shaw Law Firm we are happy to take your telephone calls or inquiries. Thank you.

By: Scott Shaw

Temporary Orders During Divorce | Atlanta Family Law

Scott Shaw

 

When Temporary Orders Take Effect

Temporary orders take effect during a divorce at the time the judge signs them and enters them with the clerk of court. It’s that simple. Once the order is signed, it gets entered with the clerk of court, there’s a file stamp date on it, the order is good and valid until either the divorce is dismissed, or a new order takes its place.

By: Scott Shaw

When Temporary Orders Take Effect

Temporary orders take effect during a divorce at the time the judge signs them and enters them with the clerk of court. It’s that simple. Once the order is signed, it gets entered with the clerk of court, there’s a file stamp date on it, the order is good and valid until either the divorce is dismissed, or a new order takes its place.

By: Scott Shaw

How to Begin a Divorce | Atlanta Divorce

Scott Shaw

 

How to Begin Your Divorce in Atlanta

You begin your divorce by contacting a good attorney who knows what they are doing, and your attorney will consult with you, advise you whether you should even get a divorce, talk about the relevant issues you have to deal with, whether now is even a good time to file, what sort of planning you need to do, and the attorney will instruct you how to proceed forward.

By: Scott Shaw

How to Begin Your Divorce in Atlanta

You begin your divorce by contacting a good attorney who knows what they are doing, and your attorney will consult with you, advise you whether you should even get a divorce, talk about the relevant issues you have to deal with, whether now is even a good time to file, what sort of planning you need to do, and the attorney will instruct you how to proceed forward.

By: Scott Shaw

Equitable Division of Property | Atlanta Divorce

Scott Shaw

 

Equitable Division of Property State

Georgia is an equitable division of property state and not a community property state. What that means is assets are not necessarily divided 50-50 between the parties. There are a lot of factors that go into the case. In the right case, you can argue that one party should get more than half of the assets. In most cases, in the end, once you’re able to ascertain what the assets are and put a valuation on them, the assets will generally be divided 50-50 between the parties.

By: Scott Shaw

Equitable Division of Property State

Georgia is an equitable division of property state and not a community property state. What that means is assets are not necessarily divided 50-50 between the parties. There are a lot of factors that go into the case. In the right case, you can argue that one party should get more than half of the assets. In most cases, in the end, once you’re able to ascertain what the assets are and put a valuation on them, the assets will generally be divided 50-50 between the parties.

By: Scott Shaw

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