On the coat-tails of efforts like these are more local Atlanta childhood obesity campaigns, like Strong4Life which have been quite controversial for how starkly they have been pushing the issue, as reported by National Public Radio (NPR).
A look at one of the ads puts the controversy in context. As NPR describes:
]]>One of the ads features a little boy and his mom entering a room with two folding chairs. They're both clearly overweight. They sit and look at each other.
"Mom, why am I fat?" the boy asks her.
These sort of ads have particular resonance in Georgia, which has the second highest child obesity rate in America, after Mississippi, reports NPR. They are being sponsored by Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, a pediatric hospital.
The more controversial and confrontational the childhood obesity campaigns like Strong4Life become, the more likely it is that the question of whether Georgia parents with obese children could lose custody will come up, as previously discussed on FindLaw's Atlanta Family Law News Blog.
The authority to take away children from parents lies with The Georgia Department of Human Services. It defines child abuse and neglect as follows:
Does childhood obesity fall under the neglect category? People may argue that if malnourishment does fall under neglect, perhaps obesity should as well.
Needless to say, the question of parents with obese children losing custody is one that is not likely to go away in the near future.
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The circumstances around Jongyu Kim's arrests are rather odd. It turns out that the associate pastor had left his three children at home while husband and wife attended a worship service at church. The children were aged two, six, and eight. The 2-year-old ended up walking around outside, crying and upset. He was discovered by a neighbor, who called the police.
]]> The pastor couple were charged with felony cruelty to children and misdemeanor reckless conduct, though the felony charge was later dropped. There was some evidence to suggest that cultural barriers may have caused the mistake. It probably helped that after the child wandered away, both the parents were out looking for him.The Georgia Division of Family and Children Services watched the children while the parents were arrested and then released on bond.
Georgia is among the many states that has stringent child abuse laws. For example, one of the important ways in which Georgia Law tries to limit child abuse is by stipulating a mandatory reporting of child abuse in Georgia. As such, physicians, hospital personnel, dentists, psychologists, nurses, social workers, counselors, school teachers/officials, child welfare agency and child service organization personnel, law enforcement personnel, podiatrists, all have to report child abuse to the authorities.
As you can see, neighbors are not mandatory reporters of child abuse and there may be no abuse here; but when they do act it is still helpful to all involved.
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]]>The paper poses the question through the life of a mom called Jennifer. She is struggling to determine who should be her children's guardian given that her nearest relative, her widowed mother, is approaching 70, and as such, is not the best long-term plan.
]]> Fortunately, the researchers at FindLaw have put forward some ideas as to how to choose your child’s guardian and about guardianship generally.First, figure out whether you are looking for a guardian of the estate, or a guardian of the person. The first manages money, while the guardian of the person is a substitute for a parent.
Next, you should think about if you would prefer multiple guardians or a single one. Multiple guardians can be chosen because you have multiple children, or because you have a group of people with whom you could trust your child.
Of course, then there are the questions of shared values, financial stability, character, logistics, and longevity. Choosing someone that is younger might be better for a child’s long-term stability.
Finally, once you’ve given thought to all this, consult your attorney to draft the necessary documents and make your choice of guardian legally binding and official. Your attorney can advise you on proper procedure, prepare the necessary paper work, and file any required documents.
For more information or to find a local attorney, please see the information below.
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There is generally a hearing involved in child support proceedings, though it doesn't always get before a judge. Often, support may be arranged either between the parties, or with the help of mediators.
]]> To make it easier for Georgia parents (and for the legal system), the legislature has created the Georgia Child Support Calculator, which is a handy way of determining in advance how much may be owed. Having this information can make it easier to negotiate with one another and mediators.The Georgia child support law is Georgia Code 19-6-15. One of the most important things about the law is that it after each modification, there is a two-year waiting period. This means that a party can’t go back for a modification every six months, for example. The upshot? You will want to get your numbers right when you get a chance.
Either parent may file for a modification of a child support order, as long as there is a material change in circumstances. To be material, the change of circumstances must be such that it would lead to a reduction (or increase) in the amount paid. The requesting parent must be able to show a substantial change in the other parent’s financial situation.
If you don’t want to go through the steps involved in child support calculation or feel more comfortable delegating the job to someone else, please contact a family law attorney in your area.
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These days, one in thirty babies in the USA is a twin. While experts cite fertility drugs as one reason for the increase in twin births in America, the rest has to do with an increase in the average age at which women give birth. Biologically speaking, older women are more likely to produce more than one egg in a cycle.
]]> That's the biology, what about the statistics?Well, in 2009, thirty-five percent of births were to women over the age of 30. In 1980, that number was 20 percent, reports The Times.
Of course, given the decline of marriage in America, it would be wrong to assume that all these twins are being born in married households.
And where you have divorces, you have alternative living arrangements, with a greater likelihood of shared parenting. That gives rise to issues like visitation and child custody and child support.
All of these situations, tricky when there is just one child, are a little bit more complex when there are twins involved.
Take just the issue of child support for twins. In our state, child support is calculated using the Georgia child support calculator. The calculator considers a number of factors that include the financial needs of a child, the incomes of both the custodial and non-custodial parents, and the child or children's standard of living before any divorce or separation.
And, of course, the number of children involved is also a consideration. And where there are twins, there is going to be double child-support. For more information on child support in Georgia, talk to a family law attorney in your area.
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Picking an attorney is an important part of any divorce proceeding, especially where there are children involved, as is the case here.
Kenny G and Lyndie Benson's children include a 14-year-old, named Noah.
When parents divorce, child custody and visitation issues need to be resolved as soon as possible. In divorce cases, the divorce decree will specify with whom the divorcing couple's children will live (and circumstances under which the other parent will visit with the children), but in any custody dispute parents can work out arrangements between themselves, or with the assistance of an attorney or mediator.
If parents are unable to reach a decision, a court may intervene and make custody and visitation decisions based on the child's best interests. The end result of any situation involving child custody and visitation is usually a custody and visitation schedule or court order setting out each parent's custody rights and a visitation schedule. In some cases, the custody and visitation rights of third parties such as grandparents or guardians are also spelled out.
To learn more about divorce and child custody please see the resources below.
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However, while the cultural landscape discussed them, there was a lot of empirical data missing. Now, thankfully, to resolve the teen mom mystery, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta has put forward a new study, reports 11 Alive Atlanta.
]]> The study is significant because while other studies have asked teens about their contraception and belief about pregnancy, this one focuses on teens that didn’t intend to get pregnant, but did.The teen mom statistics USA are shocking. One of the things that the study establishes is that approximately 400,000 teens aged 15-19 years give birth every year in the United States, and the teen birth rate remains the highest in the developed world.
In addition to the medical, social, and financial stress that teen mothers face there are legal issues that unintended teen moms face as well.
One of the first thing Texas teen mothers may want to do is to establish paternity. This will allow them to potentially have a partner in the raising of the child. At the least, they may be able to receive child support from the father. Or, if the teen mom is ambitious, she might be able to call upon the father to help provide child care and support while she pursues a career.
In paternity situations, a teen mom will have to be particularly aware of the fact that a paternity challenge may occur.
Teen parents, especially single moms, are often particularly reliant on their own parents for help. And what rights grandparents may exert concerning a baby is something an attorney is best qualified to help with.
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The incident occurred at the Belcourt Apartments off Belcourt Parkway. The kids locked out in the rain were aged 9 and 11.
"They were only wearing pajamas and no shoes, and it was cold and raining outside," Officer Lisa Holland, Roswell police spokeswoman, told WSBTV.
]]> The mother, Ruth Parada, has been charged with two counts of misdemeanor reckless conduct. According to reports, the police were alerted through the neighbors.The researchers at FindLaw have put together a useful chart that details Georgia's child abuse laws.
Georgia is among the many states that has stringent child abuse laws. For example, one of the important ways in which Georgia Law tries to limit child abuse is by stipulating a mandatory reporting of child abuse in Georgia. As such, physicians, hospital personnel, dentists, psychologists, nurses, social workers, counselors, school teachers/officials, child welfare agency and child service organization personnel, law enforcement personnel, podiatrists, all have to report child abuse to the authorities.
As you can see, neighbors are not mandatory reporters of child abuse; but when they do act in cases like this, it can be helpful.
In those cases where a parent gets identified as the person committing the abuse, not only can there be criminal charges brought (as here), but it may lead to Child Protective Service's involvement, too. This can have significant effect on whether you are able to retain custody over your children, so it is advisable not to let matters get this far.
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All around Georgia, there are thousands of poor parents facing jail-time for failure to pay child support. Getting approval for a class-action means that any and all of these poor parents may be able to join the lawsuit that is demanding that if they can’t afford it, a lawyer should be appointed to represent poor parents.
]]> One of the aims of what might be termed the 'Georgia deadbeat class-action suit' is to end the imbalance between rich and poor parents in a child support proceeding. Georgia is one of the few states that doesn't provide lawyers for poor parents facing civil contempt in child-support proceedings, reports the AJC. Those filing the class action have tried to show that Georgia has created a modern day debtor prison by incarcerating individuals that simply can't pay.Since the start of last year 3,500 poor parents have been jailed.
Conversations about child support modification in Georgia become moot where people can't afford attorneys or even the filing fees associated with the family law petitions. Given the fact that failure to pay child support can result, not only in jail time, but also in revoking of driving and other licenses, it makes sense that the indigent parents are demanding assistance from the state.
Georgia's position, as is the case in many of these battles, is that it simply does not have the money to pay for assisting people in family law proceedings, particularly as it barely has money to provide attorneys to individuals in criminal law proceedings.
So it might be ironic that the Georgia deadbeat class action for poverty stricken parents might be defended by the government itself arguing poverty.
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Halle is well known around Atlanta, because of her history with the city. During the 1990's she was married to former Atlanta Braves star David Justice, reports Time.
Berry's Oscar-winning performance in the film, Monster's Ball, is also set in the Southern United States.
]]> Previously, Berry was married to Gabriel Aubry, with whom she had a daughter, Nahla. Berry and Aubry's custody battle over Nahla has been quite contentious. Aubry has argued for shared custody of Nahla, while Berry has been trying to show that Aubry is not able to be a parent.What will happen to Berry and Aubry's custody arrangement now that Berry will be able to provide a full-time father to Nahla?
Well, not much. A non-custodial parent's relationship with a child doesn't end just because the custodial parent enters into a new long-term relationship.
Generally, regardless of a custodial parent's relationship status, a noncustodial parent is entitled to visitation -- unless there is harm to the child. For example, if the noncustodial parent has molested the child, is likely to kidnap the child, has a long history of domestic violence, or is likely to use illegal drugs or excessive amounts of alcohol while caring for the child, a court will probably deny or restrict visitation.
It doesn't sound as if Berry has been able to show that her ex-husband and "baby-daddy" Aubry would harm their child in any such way. As such, Halle Berry's engagement to Olivier Martinez shouldn't much affect Berry and Aubry's custody situation.
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If you were listening to the community affairs program "In Contact" with host Angela Robinson you may have accidentally gotten a hint of Kasim Reed's marriage in the near future, reports the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The information came out during the last minutes of Angela Robinson's show when the viewing public could call in. One viewer asked if the Mayor would marry before the end of his term, and with a smile the Mayor said, "Yes, I think so."
]]> Although Mayor Reed's people have rejected any further comment on the story, the slight remark will probably enough to launch a thousand tweets.Mayor Kasim Reed, who is an attorney from Howard University School of Law, is probably already aware of the legal dimensions of marriage. For many Georgians, when planning a wedding, the topic of a Georgia prenuptial agreement often comes up.
If you think you are an eligible single, maybe you should also start planning your prenuptial agreement. Here are some basic things you need to brainstorm about: distribution in the event of a divorce, management of household bills, management of joint bank accounts, life insurance, each other's debts, and distinguishing joint and separate property.
Nowadays, it seems that it isn't so much about whether or not you are going to have a Georgia prenuptial agreement, but what will go in it.
Other things you'll want to think about estate planning issues, like conveying family property, or providing for children from previous marriages. But you should most likely leave child support off the list, because you can't designate that in a prenup.
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Gucci Mane -- whose real name is Radric Davis -- recently entered into a child support agreement with his baby mama Sheena Evans in a Georgia court, reports TMZ. Gucci Mane will be paying $2,026 a month to help pay for his 4-year-old son.
]]> It was reported that Gucci makes $24,908 a month.Reports the website:
It was pretty amicable all around — both sides also agreed to let Sheena take primary physical custody … giving Gucci visitation as his schedule permits.
This is positive news for Gucci and his fans, even though Gucci is facing a civil suit separately, reports 11 Alive. That suit arises from the same incident that got him incarcerated. Allegedly, Gucci picked up a woman at a mall and now stands accused of battering her.
If the civil suit and the incarceration has a negative effect on Gucci’s earning powers and he starts making less than then five-figures he’s making per month currently, then he might feel inclined to try and modify his child support obligations.
In tough financial situations, it is good policy to act quickly and seek out an attorney experienced in engaging in child support modifications. One important element of adjusting child support, is to continue paying as much as you can in the meantime, so you can show the court that you maded an effort.
Gucci Mane may be familiar with a criminal law attorney; but he should be more familiar with family law attorneys in the area.
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Disbrow, the child of Dutch immigrants, used to live in South Dakota, where at the age of thirteen, she and another girl were raped by three men. When Disbrow became pregnant she was sent to a Lutheran home where she gave birth to Betty Jane, whom Minka Disbrow ended up giving up for adoption.
]]> Fast forward nearly a century and Disbrow came to learn that her daughter, who now went by the name Ruth Lee, was looking for her. In fact, Ruth Lee had been living in Alabama and had given birth to numerous children and grandchildren. One of Ruth Lee's sons -- Mark Lee -- was a famous astronaut and had circled the world 517 times. The reunion occurred largely because of research by Ruth Lee's children and now all the families have been meeting one another regularly.This story is inspiring and heart-warming, of course, but it also speaks well about the adoption process in general. People who are adopted can become successful and well-adjusted mothers and grandmothers with accomplished children.
Under Georgia adoption laws -- any child ten years younger than the person seeking adoption (as well as any adult that gives written consent) may be adopted by another person. If a child is more than 14 years of age, then it is required by law to get his or her consent.
And who may adopt in Georgia? Any adult at least 25 years of age or married and living with a spouse, who is a resident of the state for at least six months. For more information about Georgia adoption laws kindly speak to a family law attorney.
Minka Disbrow and Ruth Lee are not the only successful American adoption story; though they may be one of the most memorable.
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However, some non-custodial parents get behind on child support payments and fail to catch up. For some this is caused by a lack of employment, for others it might be due to personal circumstances.
Then there are cases of celebrity child support arrears, which have their own dynamic, and this year Georgia saw a handful of these. Here are the top five child support stories covered by this blog:
]]> 5 - Usher's Child SupportThis year Usher Raymond's ex, Tameka Raymond, wanted an increase in the child support he was giving her. This particular story was driven by the fact that one of Tameka's demands was a reactivation of a Saks Fifth Avenue credit card.
4 - Terrell Owens Child Support
Former and oft-controversial NFL wide-receiver Terrell Owens was back in the news despite not being in the league. This had to do with the child support Terrell Owes was paying to Melanie Paige Smith. Apparently he got a few months behind and was facing the threat of jail. He managed to avoid jail by settling out. His case was eventually transferred to California, meaning no Terrell Owens on this blog in 2012.
3 - Iron Bowl Deadbeat Dads
This one isn't a celebrity story, but a law enforcement one. But it made quite a splash. Basically, a Sheriff in nearby Alabama used the lure of Iron Bowl tickets to draw deadbeat dads out from hiding and arrested them. The story wrote itself.
2 - Sheree Whitfield Child Support
Real Housewives of Atlanta star, Sheree Whitfield, took her ex-husband Bob Whitfield to court for child support arrears -- only to sort of lose that case. And it was all caught on film. The entire story was further complicated by the fact that Sheree used her castmate Phaedra Parks as her attorney and they had some tension of their own.
1 - Georgia Military Parents Rights Act
The top child support story on this blog had to do with Georgia's military parents and their child support and child custody rights. Turns out that many long-deployed military parents were losing their visitation with children (while continuing to pay child support). Governor Nathan Deal signed the bills into law. Given that an estimate 104,000 Georgians serve in the military, this was by far the biggest state-wide child support story.
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The DeKalb deadbeat dads, as they are being called, were arrested after authorities filtered through hundreds of warrants — 114 to be exact. The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office sets up roundups like this once a year, usually around the holidays, to try and get unpaid child support for children that need it most. The warrants issued often include a “purge amount” that lets the men pay a certain amount to get out of jail, reports WSB.
At least the DeKalb deadbeat arrests were not an elaborate trap like the one carried out in Alabama a few months earlier.
]]> Whether you are a "non-custodial" mom or dad, paying ordered child support is mandatory. And as this episode clearly shows, will be strictly enforced by the state authorities. In fact, the federal government gives financial incentives to those states that collect child support, which is going to make state law enforcement even more likely to chase deadbeat parents.Countless non-custodial parents get behind on child support payments and never catch up, thinking that they can just "let it ride." This is not a good idea. Many times deadbeat parents stop paying because they are too poor or they don't have a job. In those cases they should seek out a competent attorney and file a child support modification petition.
Even if they can't afford a lawyer they can file a "pro se" petition in their own words. Courts will then give them a hearing date at which point they can present their financial troubles. The most important element in a modification petition is if there is "a substantial change in your circumstances." It also helps if you talk to the other parent beforehand.
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