Insights
At Shewmaker & Lewis, we believe that knowledge is power—especially when it comes to the law. Our Insights page is your resource for exploring a wide range of legal topics, from Family Law and Military Justice to Criminal Defense and beyond. Through our blog articles, videos, and in-depth discussions, we break down complex legal issues in a way that’s clear, practical, and relevant.
Looking for even more candid legal conversations? Be sure to check out our Podcast/Vodcast here ,where we tackle important legal topics with real talk—no billboards required.
Equitable Division is NOT Necessarily Equal Division
Georgia became an equitable division state in 1980. This occurred when the Georgia Supreme Court rendered its opinion in the case of Stokes v. Stokes, 246 Ga. 765 (19380). In that opinion the Court stated: “We deal here solely with the authority of the trier...
Georgia’s Child Abuse Registry – Know Before You Go
The Department of Family and Children Services investigates cases where there are allegations of child abuse, neglect, and any other matter in which a child is in a potentially dangerous or unsafe situation. However, the Department is able to determine that an...
Party to a Crime
In Georgia, “every person concerned in the commission of a crime is a party thereto and may be charged with and convicted of commission of the crime.” This is the exact language of O.C.G.A. § 16-2-20, When a person is a party to a crime. At first glance, the reach of...
Attorney’s Fees in Hague Cases
In family law, “Hague” cases are cases in which one parent seeks the return of a child who is alleged to have been wrongfully removed or retained from the country of the child’s “habitual residence.” The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of Child Abduction is an...
Case Review: Marlowe v. Marlowe (Supreme Court of Georgia, May 2015)
This case comes out of Henry County Superior Court, preside over by Judge Arch McGarity. Marlowe v. Marlowe doesn’t break any new ground, but it does serve as a useful reminder of some basics of modification of child support. It also gives some useful insight into...
Case Review: In the Interest of C.A.J. (Georgia Court of Appeals, May 2015)
Where do you go for gas for your car? Barnes & Noble? No! You go to QT. Being a lawyer means knowing where you go for certain things. Lawyers know (or should know!) that you go to certain courts for certain types of cases. You don’t go to State Court to try a...
Attorney Fees – An Overview
Most people in family law cases want to achieve their goals, and they want the other side to pay their attorney fees - all of their fees. You may or may not want to hear that the general rule in America is that each side pays their own attorney fees. This is true in...