Divorce in Georgia

Divorce is a difficult process for any couple.

Truth be told, parties involved would rather hand all the work to their lawyers without having to sit in court or even see each other if possible. Aside from the stressful proceedings, there are other things to consider, especially in view of children and properties.

Many divorces have become long-drawn, bitter processes when parties involved have been ill-advised or when one of the parties wants more than what is due to them. Hence, it is indeed very beneficial to lessen the emotional hassle that the proceedings would entail. However, it is also important for both parties involved to be knowledgeable of divorce laws as well as their options.

The State of Georgia defines 13 grounds for divorce one of which is called “irretrievably broken” or “no-fault” ground. The law says that to get a divorce on no-fault ground, one party must be able to show that he or she is not anymore willing to cohabit with the other, and that there is no more hope for “reunification.” However, it is not required for the other side to concur that the marriage is indeed in that state. Furthermore, it is also not required to demonstrate the actual presence of some shortcoming on the part of either. Hence, this by far is the least complicated ground to file for divorce which could mean a faster conclusion to the whole debacle.

The other 12 are fault grounds may be invoked only upon the capability of the plaintiff to demonstrate the commission of an act of wrongdoing by any of the parties. This is not only complicated, but may also cause more emotional damage on both sides. This list of twelve include adultery, desertion, mental or physical abuse, marriage between persons who are too closely related, mental incapacity at the time of marriage, impotency at the time of marriage, force or fraud in obtaining the marriage, pregnancy of the wife unknown to the husband at the time of the marriage, conviction and imprisonment for certain crimes, habitual intoxication or drug addiction and mental illness.

But then, regardless of the ground claimed for divorce, one condition of filing for divorce in Georgia is a six-month residency for one of the spouses.

To file for divorce, information on the marriage must be prepared including present living arrangements, children of the marriage, assets, debts and the specific grounds on which he or she is seeking the divorce. The complaint should then be filed in an appropriate superior court with the help of the lawyer.

That Pool

Back in the day when my siblings and I were little kids, we would always spend every hot summer afternoon basking in the backyard swimming pool. We would bring inflatable toys, pretending that they’re some superhero from Marvel or DC, and we would stay there for the whole day.

Life was so simple back then. We never had to worry about anything. You see, we were born in an upper middle class family, so we had the chance to experience – to enjoy – things which would not have been there had we been in a different place in life.

We enjoyed hanging out at the pool a lot, and then one day, we noticed the kids next door. There were five of them who would always watch us whenever we were playing. They were not as fortunate as we were; they are six in the family and their dad works in the mines earning just enough to feed them all. They would always look at us with innocent, jealous eyes. I know that they wanted to play with us too, but they were too scared to ask.

So we approached them and asked, “Would you guys want to go over the fence and jump right in?”

All their eyes glowed with joy. They climbed the picket fence dividing our lots, and with no hesitation, lunged right at the water. They smiled, and laughed, and shared stories with us. At that particular moment, those kids and we… were Joy itself.

My siblings and I became really good friends with them since then. We would invite them to swim in the pool with us. Neither they nor we wanted to do anything else. The look in their eyes whenever we’re with them - that feeling that I cannot quantify in words – is priceless. We played and had fun every day until they suddenly disappeared, their father was laid off and they had to move to somewhere else. We’ve never heard from them eversince.

Now, our old place houses no one anymore. My siblings and I have grown up. We have ceased to be children. We now live in the city, with the humdrum and permeating cold of urban life. The swimming pool of years past has gradually deteriorated from neglect. But once every now and then, I think of that time when we were still kids, playing with them in the swimming pool that was.

I would give up anything just to feel that feeling again, when happiness was just a few steps away.