Family Law

After a bit of a hiatus from my blogging activities, I am pleased to return to posting this week, with a return to a popular series of posts I have done in the past.

I am attending the 28th Annual Family Law Institute in Destin, Florida, this week. Except for last year's (when my family was preparing for out Journey to China), I have attended each of these since 1988. It is a three day program on current events and cutting edge issues in family law, led by the premier family law attorneys and judges throughout the State of Georgia. I will be blogging reports of the program as I have in the past.

The entire program has been created under the leadership of K. Paul Johnson, of McCorkle & Johnson, LLP, Savannah. He has created a fact pattern which is desgned to educate and entertain, and will use video vignettes followed by presentation on various aspects of a divorce and child custody trial.

An overview of the program is listed below:

On Thursday, May 27, Tina S. Roddenbery, Chair of the Family Law Section, State Bar of Georgia, of the law firm of Holland Schaeffer Roddenbery Blitch LLP, Atlanta, will present the Opening Remarks.

Edward J. Coleman, III, Surrett & Coleman, P.A., Augusta, and Jonathan J. Tuggle, Boyd Collar Nolen & Tuggle, LLC, Atlanta, will be presenting on THE INITIAL CLIENT INTERVIEW. A section on PLanning your case strategy (surveillance, documents, etc.) will be led by Thomas P. Hawkins, Jr., Hawk Private Investigations, Inc., Atlanta, and Richard M. Nolen, Boyd Collar Nolen & Tuggle, LLC, Atlanta.

Hon. Adele P. Grubbs, Judge, Superior Court, Cobb Judicial Circuit, Marietta, James C. Metts, III, James. C. Metts, III, P.C., Savannah, Tyler J. Browning, Browning & Smith LLC, Marietta, and Stephen C. Steele, Moore Ingram Johnson & Steele, LLP, Marietta, will delve into the subject of Discovery/Evidence.

Hon. J. Stephen Schuster, Judge, Superior Court, Cobb Judicial Circuit, Marietta, and Randall M. Kessler, Kessler, Schwarz & Solomiany, P.C., Atlanta, will cover the important topic: TEMPORARY HEARING (when time is short).

On FRIDAY, MAY 28, 2010, we will cover alternate dispute resolution in "Making mediation Successful" with Carl S. Pedigo, Jr., Attorney at Law, Savannah, Wendy W. Williamson, The Mediation Center, Savannah, and Leigh F. Cummings, Warner, Mayoue, Bates & McGough, Atlanta.

This will be followed by a review of ETHICAL AND CRIMINAL ISSUES, with Hon. David L. Dickinson, Judge, Superior Court, Bell-Forsyth Judicial Circuit, Cumming, Hon. Mark Anthony Scott, Judge, Superior Court, Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit, Decatur, Kurt A. Kegel, Davis, Matthews & Quigley, P.C., Atlanta, and Barry B. McGough, Warner, Mayoue, Bates & McGough, P.C., Atlanta.

UNUSUAL CUSTODY ISSUES: Religious DIFFERENCES, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, ETC., will be covered with Hon. Jeffrey S. Bagley, Judge, Superior Court, Bell-Forsyth Judicial Circuit, Cumming, Hon. Gail S. Tusan, Judge, Superior Court, Atlanta Judicial Circuit, Atlanta, Charles E. Bailey, Warner, Mayoue, Bates & McGough, Atlanta, Sarah C. Brogdon, LCSW, Peachtree Psychological Associates, Atlanta, and Rebecca L. Crumrine, Davis, Matthews & Quigley, P.C., Atlanta.

The topic of EQUITABLE DIVISION (VALUING ASSETS, NONMARITAL PROPERTY ISSUES) will be explored by Kelly A. Miles, Smith Gilliam Williams & Miles, P.A., Gainesville, R. Scot Kraeuter, Savage Turner Pinson & Karsman, Savannah, Martin S. Varon, Alternative Resolution Methods, Inc., Smyrna.

On SATURDAY, MAY 29, 2010, we will conclude with: TAKING THE CASE TO TRIAL, led by Hon. Lawton E. Stephens, Judge, Superior Court, Western Judicial Circuit, Athens, Regina M. Quick, Regina M. Quick, P.C., Athens, and Katheleen B. Connell, Boyd Collar, LLC, Atlanta

DRAFTING THE FINAL JUDGMENT AND DECREE/SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT Hon. Bill Reinhardt, Chief Judge, Superior Court, Tifton Judicial Circuit, Tifton Kelley O?Neill Boswell, Watson Spence LLP, Albany

Protecting your client after the entry of the Final Judgment and decree, with Hon. Cynthia Wright, Judge, Superior Court, Atlanta Judicial Circuit, Atlanta, Gwenn D. Holland, Holland, Schaeffer Roddenbery Blitch, LLP, Atlanta, and Kice H. Stone, Stone & Driggers LLC, Macon.

And finally, a review of the past year's Case Law update and recent developments, presented by Jonathan V. Dunn, McCorkle & Johnson, LLP, Savannah, and Sarah McCormack, Kessler, Schwarz & Solomiany, Atlanta.