Celebrity Divorce: Which "Celebrity-Politician" Displayed the Worst Judgment?

Okay, "class," here is your assignment! Yes, you, the blog reader, are invited to consider and comment on the following question:

In your opinion, which of these two celebrity-politicians, Governor Mark Sanford, or Senator John Edwards, has displayed the worst judgment in damaging/wrecking his marriage, based upon published reports? What do you think and why? How can everyone else avoid the horrible mistakes made by these two men? Please try to complete this "divorce class assignment" by Wednesday!

Divorce, Child Custody, Child Visitation, and Parenting Plans

Divorces involving children present special challenges for divorce lawyers and clients. For instance, the lawyers and parties must address questions about child custody, child visitation, and child support, among other issues. Have you ever wondered what sorts of documents are used to deal with such questions? Today, let's just talk about one such legal document: parenting plans.
In all Georgia divorces involving children, our judges generally require the parties to utilize parenting plans. Parenting plans are court-approved documents, or forms, which address most of the relevant issues in divorces involving children. For instance, there are provisions in this form, (for the parties to check off), addressing which party gets primary physical custody, along with whether the parties will have joint legal custody, and when child visitation will occur. The parenting plan form requires great specificity as to issues involving child visitation. The goal is to lock in, very clearly, where the children will be, (i.e. with which parent), for each day of the calendar year and how they will get there and get back home. For example, there are common provisions, such as a holiday schedule, (which can also be checked off), in which the parties may elect to alternate visitation on the holidays.
These are just a few examples of the provisions in Georgia parenting plans. It is important for you to carefully go over the parenting plan in your case with your own divorce attorney.
The ultimate goal of requiring the parenting plan is to require the parties in a divorce with children to agree to as many terms as possible, so that there will be fewer disputes and fewer returns to court down the road. I'll bet we all can agree that any document which helps you avoid divorce lawyers and avoid going back to court is a good thing! And if a parenting plan makes things a little bit easier for children of divorce, then it is a good thing indeed!

Divorce and Bigamy Smigamy!

Have you ever thought about what it would be like to have more than one spouse?

Bigamy is really in the spotlight right now, particularly with the advent of the hit H.B.O. television series, "Big Love." Also, if you simply google the word "bigamy," you will realize that criminal cases are being made all over the world against bigamists. For instance, yesterday, it was reported that a Michigan judge jailed a woman for bigamy and gave her six months to straighten it out by getting at least one divorce. That's a wise judge!

In my opinion, bigamy, (or polygamy), is not only morally wrong and illegal, but also a really bad idea! You simply cannot share love like that in the real world. Also, it's difficult enough to become compatible with just one other person. Just imagine if you had to learn to live with snoring, dirty socks in the sink, complaining, and other bad habits from a whole bunch of live-in lovers! And as to those of you who are presently married to one worthless spouse, (the infamous "Sluggo"), can you imagine how life would be if you had two or more Sluggos?! It just wouldn't work! Don't you agree?

So, I agree with the Michigan judge. One marriage partner is enough! Don't wait six months. See a divorce lawyer today!

A Tale of John Edwards: A Poem About A Politician and Adultery

"A Tale of John Edwards"

By Richard Goolsby

John Edwards--Is he just a politician

Whose morals were lax?

Please pull up a chair,

As we examine the facts.

Son of Senaca, South Carolina,

From a poor ma and pa,

John earned a law degree

From the N.C. School of Law.

His career shot high,

Just like a shuttle rocket,

John could make jurors cry,

While he picked their pockets!

John earned millions from trials,

He was set for life.

John began a family,

With Elizabeth, his wife.

But John yearned for more,

This "giant among men,"

"Why not try politics,

With my Jimmy Carter grin?"

In '98, John first won

When he ran for the Senate,

He made more women swoon

Than Buble to Bennett.

John was as slick a politician

As politicians can get.

John was so slick he could swim

Without getting wet!

Then, in '04, John lost

As Kerry's running mate.

Then, he lost again,

On his own, when he ran in '08.

His true colors were clear,

No if's, ands, or buts,

We all saw his hypocrisy

With his two hundred dollar haircuts!

In his hypocritical campaign

About "Two Americas,"

One day, out of the blue,

There..."She" was!

That day, John met Rielle,

A young film producer,

Did he think it was wise

When he began to seduce her?

How low did John go

When he began to romance her?

Should you consider he left home

A wife sick with cancer?

An affair in hiding,

A marriage defiled,

A career in ruins,

A little love child.

Still lower did John go?

How much did it bother

When he first denied the affair,

And then, that he was the father?

Did he make a sex tape?

Will the feds eat his dinner?

Will an aide's "tell-all" book

Make John a loser or winner?

Now, you can decide,

Is John a lecher, or a faker,

A player, or a cheater,

Like in the Benatar song, "Heart Breaker?"

Or will you decide

We should forgive and forget?

Is John Edwards no worse

Than the Clintons we've met?

As for me, it is clear

About this grinning "mouse among men,"

I never want to hear

About John Edwards again!

Divorce and Not Believing Everything You Hear!

Do you want some good advice? The advice is: Don't believe everything you hear! This advice is particularly true in divorce or child custody cases. If you aren't careful, you may get some really bad information "out there."

Believe me, as a divorce lawyer, I know what I am talking about. Every day, we get telephone calls and email from people who have questions about divorce, adultery, child custody, or some other aspect of Georgia family law. (Our divorce attorneys offer a free initial consultation to anyone who has a question about divorce, so, as you can imagine, we get a tremendous number of calls). And one thing we have learned is that there is a lot of bad information "out there" which people sometimes rely upon to their detriment.

For instance, I recently received one telephone call from a person who wanted to know if it is true that, in Georgia, you can no longer get alimony. Also, another caller wanted to know if it is true that, in order to prove adultery in Georgia, you have to catch your spouse and their lover in bed. In each case, we carefully answered "no" and discussed what it takes to get alimony, or to prove adultery.

The bottom line is that you can't believe everything you hear about divorce law, or about anything else! Instead, you should consult with an experienced divorce lawyer before jumping to any conclusions! And that is the best possible advice I could give to anyone today!

Divorce: Elizabeth and John Edwards?

By now, we all know all about the allegations made against former Presidential candidate, John Edwards, concerning his alleged adultery while he was running for President and while his wife was cancer-stricken. We also all know that, initially, he allegedly tried to get an aide to claim that he, not Edwards, had actually had the affair and had gotten his paramour pregnant. We also have all heard about Edwards' denials that he was the father of her love child, only to recently hear Edwards confess that he is, in fact, the child's father.

Now, it has been reported today, by numerous sources, that Elizabeth and John Edwards have finally separated. Who, on the planet Earth, could possibly blame Elizabeth Edwards if she has, in fact, finally kicked him out? What would you do?

Is this the end of the story? Will other shoes drop? What, if anything, will happen in the on-going federal criminal investigation concerning whether or not Edwards improperly used campaign funds to pay his paramour?

'Nuff said...for now.

Divorce, Child Custody, and "Bad Mouthing" Your Spouse In Front of the Children

Divorces are often emotional, traumatic experiences for adults. And divorces can be particularly traumatic for children of divorce. If you are going through a divorce, what can you do to make it easier for your children?
Child psychologists and other experts have written extensively about this topic and offered many solutions about how to make your divorce less traumatic for your children. But in this post, I simply want to focus on one good idea: Do not disparage, or "bad mouth," your spouse in front of the kids!
As divorce lawyers in Augusta, Georgia, we generally recommend to all divorce parties to include such language in every settlement agreement or parenting plan. We simply want to encourage everyone, (including your worthless spouse, "Sluggo"), to agree not to talk badly about their ex-spouse in front of the kids.
Isn't this a good idea? Is it so hard to follow, for your kids' sake?