Domestic Violence

It is very difficult to navigate the criminal justice system. Add those troubles to legal complications surrounding family law issues, and you definitely need some legal assistance. Conaway & Strickler, P.C., will take care of you. Below you will see that we can handle any domestic violence issue. But, our firm is also dedicated to helping you obtain a divorce if that is something you need.

If you or a loved one got into a verbal altercation, and someone called 911, a battery charge of some sort probably ensued. Confrontations with another person can many times lead to an arrest, oftentimes unnecessarily. Common charges are simple battery, simple assault, battery, domestic violence battery, aggravated battery or aggravated assault. Representation for these offenses is very important to ensure the best possible outcome. Some jurisdictions will offer a pretrial diversion program allowing a client to enroll in anger management classes and an alcohol/drug evaluation if applicable. The benefit of enrolling in such a program is that your case will be diverted out of the criminal justice system and successful completion of the program will result in the dismissal of the charges and potentially expunging the record.

Stalking in general is defined as harassment that occurs repeatedly. A charge of stalking will occur if there is some kind of order requiring someone to stay away from a person. Also, aggravated stalking, a felony, is a charge that can carry potentially harsh consequences. The criminal defense attorneys at Conaway & Strickler, P.C., can provide an experienced and strong defense to anyone facing stalking charges.

A TPO is a legal document issued by the court to help obtain protection from persons abusing, harassing or stalking them. A TPO, when initially filed, will generally prohibit contact between parties and other issues (see OCGA 19-13-4) until a judge can have a hearing to decide whether or not to issue a permanent protective order (that lasts one year).

Conaway & Strickler, P.C., prides itself in providing top-notch representation in contested divorces. Since our firm encompasses only trial lawyers, we are ready to fight to achieve the best possible outcome. Winning is always our goal. Our practice includes representation for divorce proceedings, child support, custody and alimony, legitimation and paternity issues, restraining and protective orders, and post-divorce issues such as contempt actions.

Divorce isn’t easy. The process can be very complicated or fairly simple. The less the various issues are contested, the less litigation and time your divorce will take. We handle uncontested divorces as well. No matter how your divorce proceeds, it will take an emotional toll. What is unique about Conaway & Strickler, P.C., is that you will have a team of at least two attorneys on your case, so that whenever you have a question or concern, you can always reach one of us. Dedication to our clients is the touchstone of our practice philosophy.

Please come in and discuss your particular situation with us. We can then give you an idea of how your case will proceed. At your initial consultation, you will need to fill out a financial affidavit and an intake sheet.

You must file a formal action with the court in order to initiate the divorce proceedings. The person filing for divorce, the “plaintiff” or “petitioner,” generally files the complaint for divorce in the Superior Court of the “defendant”/spouse’s county of residence. If the defendant no longer resides in the state of Georgia, or if the defendant simply consents to it, then the complaint can be filed in the plaintiff’s county of residence. This complaint will contain some basic information concerning the marriage, any children of the marriage, a brief description of assets and the specific reason for the divorce. There are some issues that the court can address immediately in a temporary order. If domestic violence is involved, the court can also issue a temporary restraining order.

In addition, under Georgia law, both parties in a divorce are required to attend a parenting seminar if the parties have children under the age of 18.

Contact Conaway & Strickler, P.C., in order to discuss your situation in more detail. We are happy to sit down with you and go through how the process will work in your situation.