GA now has a statute that prohibits drivers from texting on their cell phones while driving.  The statute reads as follows:  
No person shall operate a motor vehicle on any public road or highway of this state while using a wireless telecommunications device to write, send, or read any text based communication, including but not limited [...]

It is not unusual in some personal injury cases for an insurance company to offer to pay the entire limit of its policy to an injured party.  This generally occurs when the amount of damages are likely to exceed the policy limits.  In Georgia, many drivers have minimum insurance coverage, generally $25,000.  If medical expenses [...]

Georgia law does not recognize common law marriages contracted in Georgia after January 1, 1997.  However, a recent GA Supreme Court case shows that the issue can still arise in courts of this state.  In Norman v. Ault, the GA Supreme Court held that a common law marriage could be recognized in a GA trial court [...]

Our firm recently represented the administrator of an estate in an action against a Georgia health care provider for damages resulting from the death of an elderly patient who developed a severe (Stage Four or higher) decubitus ulcer.  An expert witness retained by the plaintiff believed that the ulcer was clearly preventable and contributed to the patient’s death.  [...]

The failure to file an answer in a divorce case can deprive a litigant of the right to notice of a final hearing.  In the case of Ellis v. Ellis, the GA Supreme Court affirmed a trial court’s denial of a motion for new trial where the wife’s attorney failed to file an answer.  The [...]

The recent economic downturn has lead to an increase in the number of child support modifications.  Non-custodial parents (“NCP’s”) who have lost jobs or income are increasingly turning to the courts for assistance in reducing the amount that they pay for child support.  The GA child support law was changed effective 2007.  If you are contemplating [...]

The recent case of Rifqa Bary in Florida raises important questions for parental rights and the rights of children who are faced with potential abuse in their parents’ home.  Rifqa converted to Christianity from Islam, and she alleges that her father or other family members might kill her if she returns to them in Ohio.  Under [...]

Several new laws went into effect in Georgia on July 1, 2009 – here’s a partial list:

Restaurant patrons may take unfinished bottles of wine home with them – the bottle must be re-corked, placed in a bag, and put in a locked trunk or glove box
Georgia law now allows concealed gun permit holders to carry [...]