Family Law

• Divorce
  After a complaint is filed, the other party will respond with an Answer, approximately thirty (30) days after the defendant is “served” with the complaint. The answer will determine which factors are being disputed and any counterclaims that are going to be at issue. If you have a truly, uncontested divorce (meaning the parties have agreed upon all terms), then you will be able to propose a joint settlement agreement for the court’s final approval. Otherwise, you will be going to court.
• Child Support
  As opposed to child support, there is no “formula” for the division of marital property. The division of marital property is based on the fair market value at the time of the divorce and is done based on what a judge or jury determines is “fair” or equitable. But, there is no “formula,” letting a judge or jury decide how to divide the assets and debts is very risky – that is why most of the time, the parties settle without going to court. Sometimes, as with a house, one party may get possession and ownership of the house, but the other party gets paid some money for giving up his/her right to possession and ownership.
• Child Custody and Visitation
  If the parties cannot agree, they may move forward with a jury trial or a bench trial (where only the Judge presides). Both parties must agree to waive their rights to a jury trial. Please keep in mind, that while a jury may determine the final outcome for a divorce, it cannot determine child custody and/or support issues which are left solely to the discretion of the court.
• Adoption
  The Rockefeller Law Center is a full-service family law firm, having assisted numerous satisfied clients with adoptions. We are well-versed in adoption law and can help potential clients with any of the various types of adoptions (contested or uncontested) discussed below.
• Paternity
  We understand that you want to be a part of your children’s lives and to parent your children. We are committed to representing men in establishing paternity and seeking custody and/or visitation rights with their children.
• Spousal Support
  In some cases a judge may award alimony to a spouse. This may just be temporary pending the outcome of the trial or in the final divorce order. A judge or jury will award alimony depending on the circumstances of the marriage, such as (this is the “short” list): the length of the marriage; the respective earning capacities of the parties; a spouse’s needs; educational level; and the ability of a spouse to pay to alimony. Alimony even on a temporary basis, is not always awarded and, generally, only where there is a great disparity in income or earning potential.
• Legal Separation
  The only significant difference between a divorce and a legal separation is that a divorce is final and a legal separation can only last for twelve (12) months, unless it is converted into a divorce. Otherwise, you would not notice a difference.

Criminal Law

• Criminal Defense
  Courtney is the Civil Rights, Personal injury, General Civil and Criminal Law Paralegal at Rockefeller Law Center. She graduated from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas with her Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy with a focus on legal studies in 2019, and she then went on to receive her Paralegal certification in 2020. She is a Florida-born native but recently moved from Las Vegas to Georgia in 2021.  Courtney enjoys spending all of her free time outside with her family, gardening, hiking, and going to the beach.
• DUI/DWI
  In the nearly fifteen (15) years of private practice, Jim has helped countless clients avoid horrid results, after being arrested.  Because of this unique background, working “both sides” of criminal and DUI cases, we can provide our clients with “real-world” advice on which cases to enter a guilty plea and which might merit taking to trial.  And, having tried over a hundred criminal and DUI cases, we also know how to best present our clients’ defense to a jury.  Thus, our clients received both the best advice on when to enter a guilty plea and the best defense when it comes time to try a case.
• Wrongful Death
  The Rockefeller Law Center is a full-service litigation law firm, having assisted numerous satisfied clients with Automobile Wreck, Slip and Fall, Wrongful Death, and Premises Liability cases in State and Federal courts throughout the Southeastern United States.
• Sex Crimes
  Traditionally, if a private individual (or entity) uses the machine of government to accomplish an illegal goal, the private individual (or entity) can be sued for a civil rights violation. For example, if an apartment complex hires a police officer to provide security in an apartment complex, and the officer negligently investigates the report of a rape; the victim could claim a constitutional right to have the report investigated. The officer will probably be protected by “qualified” and “official” immunities, but the apartment manager and/or owner could both be liable for negligently not having a policy requiring the officer to take specific actions in response to a claim of rape. You should note that, if the officer was acting “on the job” the government entity would have to have an unconstitutional policy, not merely a negligent one.
• Misdemeanors
  This distinction is very simple. A “misdemeanor” is any offense that is punishable by no more than twelve (12) months in jail. A “felony” is any other offense that is, potentially, punishable by more than one (1) year in prison. There are often different procedural, discovery, and trial rules that apply, with somewhat lesser rights existing for a defendant charged with a misdemeanor. However, the basic constitutional rights are the same regardless of the seriousness of the charge.
• Drug Crimes
  The attorneys of the Rockefeller Law Center have extensive experience in all areas of criminal law, Federal and State courts around the Southeastern United States, in appellate and trial courts. They have handled cases from simple thefts to murders, robberies, child molestations, all types of drug cases, including conspiracy and racketeering cases.
• Assault
• Homicide
  If the DUI is alleged to have resulted in serious bodily injury (DUI – Serious Bodily Injury), or death (Vehicular Homicide) then the fines become even more severe. For example, Vehicular Homicide is when a person causes the death of another because they were DUI. If convicted, one could be facing a sentence of imprisonment for “not less than three years no more than 15 years.” O.C.G.A. 40-6-393. DUI – Serious Bodily injury, as one may imagine, is when an individual is DUI and causes serious bodily injury to another person. If convicted of this crime, one will “be guilty of a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than 15 years” O.C.G.A. 40-6-394

Property Law

• Premises Liability
  The Rockefeller Law Center has helped clients vindicate their federal civil rights (or suing a governmental worker or entity for state violations) entity in a wide range of instances such as claims of excessive force, wrongful arrest, deficient medical care, and premises liability. The Rockefeller Law Center has purposed such cases in State and Federal courts throughout the Southeastern United States.
• Property Damage
  Obviously, either party to a custody fight can testify, but judges usually look for corroboration. Sometimes, this can be the testimony of a child, although judges will NOT generally want to listen to a child under age ten (10) testify. Often, family members and friends of either parent will testify, but a judge will typically listen carefully to such testimony for the natural “bias” of such witnesses. The best witnesses are “unbiased” witnesses, such as police officers, teachers, therapists, day care workers, and the like; and, the “best” evidence is something that a judge can direclty “look” at or “hear”, i.e., a statement/admission by the other parent, an e-mail, an audiotape (like a 911 call), a videotape, or pictures of injuries or property damage.

Health Law

• Personal Injury
  There are two parts to a personal injury lawsuit. First, liability must be determined. This answers the question whether or not the defendant engaged in any wrongful conduct. Second, damages must be assessed. This determines how much money should be paid to the plaintiff because of a defendant’s wrongful conduct.
• Medical Malpractice
  Still, if the harms are severe enough and the wrongs obvious enough, there are still claims worth pursuing, even though the simplest Medical Malpractice or Nursing Home Litigation is likely to easily cost in the neighborhood of $100,000.00

Finance Law

• Bankruptcy