Having a warrant can be a scary thing, knowing that in any moment you can be taken to jail is not a risk anyone wants to take, and this is when you know it is possible. Imagine not knowing there is a warrant out for your arrest and you come in contact with a police officer for any reason, and you’re arrested. Bench warrants stem from simple infractions like an unpaid traffic ticket, missing a court date from a small speeding ticket, or simply forgetting you had a court date at all.

This is not to assume that you are on an FBI’s most wanted list, but a bench warrant informs law enforcement that a judge wants or needs to see you. This is how the judge communicates with you. An arrest warrant insinuates that a judge wants you arrested; the reason does not matter and may not be shared with law enforcement so when the arrest happens they may not be able to inform you. With a bench warrant, usually your bail totals in the amount of fees that may be due or any court costs. Once those fines are paid, you are released from jail and given a new court date. Because most bench warrants stem from a failure to appear to court matter, if you miss the court date again, a bench warrant will be issued again.

There are times when individuals genuinely forget or do not know about a court date, but in the event that you have had any contact with law enforcement for any reason in the past, you should find out so that you are not surprised by an arrest should you be stopped for a missing taillight. You can contact the clerk of the court in the arrest the encounter took place and verify if there is a bench warrant for you. They can also let you know how much you owe the court and instead of being arrested, in most cases, you can make the payment and receive a new court date without going to jail at all. 

Bench warrants can be tricky and some may be easily avoidable while others are not, speak with a skilled criminal defense attorney to see what options you have should it not be so simple for you. Make the call to the courts, and a criminal defense attorney in Atlanta, GA to ensure that no matter what, you get the best possible outcome should you have a bench warrant in your name.

Thanks to Andrew R. Lynch, P.C. for their insight into criminal law and bench warrants.

All dependent children are owed a legal right to be supported by their parents financially. When a couple lives together with their children, they both support the children together. Parents who no longer live together often have a custodial arrangement in which the child or children lives most of the time with one parent. That parent is the custodial parent and has custody of the child. 

When this custodial arrangement is written in a separation agreement or a court order, it is sometimes called legal custody. The arrangement may also occur without a written agreement or court order, and this is referred to as“de facto” custody. But, either way, the custodial parent has the bulk of the responsibility for the daily care of the child and incurs most of the expenses of raising the child. The noncustodial parent should also help with costs for the children by paying child support money to the parent with custody. 

Who pays child support?
All parents have the legal responsibility to support their children as well as they can. Parents with custody usually have most of the everyday expenses of child-raising, so may be owed child support from the other parent. The child support monies owed to the custodial parent may continue even if that person remarries or starts living with someone else.

Even if a man has never been married to, or lived with, the child’s mother, a biological father possesses a legal duty to support his child financially. This is the case even if he never had an ongoing relationship with the child’s mother. If a man claims he is not the biological father of a child, a court can order him to take a blood test to determine the facts.

When does child support terminate?
Child support generally must be paid as long as a child remains dependent. Any child under the age of 18 is considered dependent, unless:

• The child has married
• The child has a disability or illness
• The child is 16 years old or over and has withdrawn from parental control voluntarily 

Child support might continue after children turn 18 if they are unable to support themselves because they are still going to school full-time or have a disability or illness.

Even if a child is not living at home with the custodial parent while going to school, as long as the child maintains his or her primary residence with the custodial parent, the noncustodial parent might have to continue to provide child support payments. This typically continues until the child turns 22 or achieves a diploma or post-secondary degree. In some situations, a judge might order child support to go on even longer.

Why hire a child support attorney?
Child support can be a complex issue, and families often get tangled in the technicalities. Seek professional assistance from a child support lawyer when you’re navigating this and other aspects of family law, such as divorce, spousal support, and child custody. Get started by scheduling a consultation with a qualified Bloomington family lawyer today. 

Thanks to Pioletti, Pioletti & Nichols for their insight into family law and what you should know about child support.

Being involved in a motor vehicle accident is a very traumatic experience. As a passenger it can be even more frightening, as things may be completely out of your control. There are a few things that passengers should do to ensure they receive the most out of their personal injury claim. Should these things be done, the process to recover for your damages should be seamless and stress free.

1. Much like any other motor vehicle accident, should you or someone you know be involved in a motor vehicle accident, contact the police as soon as you can. It is possible there may be serious injuries you are not yet aware of due to the adrenaline rush from the wreck. Medical professionals should be on their way to you once they receive the call.
2. Even if you are in the vehicle with the at-fault driver, take down all contact and insurance information for later use. This includes any other passengers or witnesses’ information as well.
3. Because you are a passenger, you may not recall exactly what happened to cause the accident. However, do the best you can to recall any details leading up to, during, and following the motor vehicle accident. Details about what you saw outside of the vehicle that may have contributed to the accident, what may have been going on inside of the vehicle, and any other observations will be beneficial later on during your claim.
4. Depending on how injured you are and how this motor vehicle accident has affected you personally, keep a note of all damages you are a victim of. This may be time away from work, loss of income, and medical bills. Keep any doctor notes, out-of-pocket payment receipts, photographs, statements, reports, and bills incurred. Once you consult with your attorney this will help determine what damages you can claim.
5. Speak with a personal injury attorney. These attorneys specialize in your type of case and have been through many before. Sooner than later, consult with an attorney for advice on what your next step should be and to be clear on whether or not you have a case.

When you are a passenger in a motor vehicle accident, you are able to seek damages from both the insured person you rode with and the other party involved. While the process for a passenger should be smoother, you do not have to do it alone. Speak with a personal injury attorney, like a personal injury attorney in Atlanta, GA, for confirmation on what you should do next.

Thanks to the law office of Andrew R. Lynch for their insight into how to file a personal injury claim if you are a passenger in the car during an accident. 

Personal Injury Lawsuits

Suffering a serious accident not only causes physical pain, but it can have financial and emotional effects as well. Minor accidents don’t cause much concern, but when the incident keeps you from working and enjoying daily activities, you can experience extreme hardship. Medical bills can pile up, too, which causes even more distress. To help relieve stress and burdens, you can file a personal injury lawsuit. It’s best to talk to an experienced lawyer first. Your legal counsel will help you file on time and correctly.

Be Aware of the Statute of Limitations

Like criminal matters and other civil lawsuits, there is a statute of limitations on when you can file a personal injury lawsuit. The timeline varies from state to state to state. In some places, you must file a suit within one year of the incident. Other states allow up to six years for you to file. Whatever the time frame is, you cannot generally exceed it. Make sure you understand the guidelines where you live so you don’t miss out on the opportunity to file.

Extensions

There are situations where you can go beyond the statute of limitations. This is called the discovery period. This provision lets you extend your filing if you didn’t originally know about the injury or that you didn’t know that the defendant’s negligent or deliberate actions caused the injury. For example, you may have been exposed to a hazardous chemical at work a decade ago, but the symptoms didn’t show up until now. If a doctor’s evaluation shows that you have a serious health condition that this chemical caused, you may still be able to file a lawsuit. The new statute of limitations would start from the day you found out about your condition.

Factors in Winning Your Case

Not every personal injury lawsuit gives claimants the result they want. The court will look at the severity of the injury and how much it impacts your daily life. If you are unable, or if the injury significantly diminishes your quality of life, you have a much better chance of winning. Also, if you can prove the other party acted with maliciousness against you and caused your injuries on purpose, you will likely walk away with a fair settlement that you can feel good about.

When you and your friends make plans to take trips, the last thing you expect is to run into some sort of legal troubles. Unfortunately, these things can happen very unexpectedly. To make matters worse, if you are not from the city you or your friends incurred criminal charges in, it is very likely that you are unaware of its laws. This happens quite often in the city of Atlanta and its surrounding cities, Atlanta is a very popular destination for tourists to visit on a daily basis and year round. From historic sites, restaurants you will never forget, amusements parks, and the southern hospitality, Atlanta has plenty for someone to do, which means there is also plenty of trouble to get into as well.

Sometimes, tourists get into trouble here and a having a night out on the town can lead down the wrong path. Not understanding the local laws and ordinances can unfortunately lead to arrests. This can cause undue stress on everyone involved. Many times if you are arrested and charges are brought against you in a particular state, you will have to appear in court in that same state of city. Of course, this can quickly become a very expensive and frustrating matter. The first thing anyone should do if they are arrested in a state they do not currently reside in is contacting a local Decatur criminal lawyer. An attorney would be an expert in the local laws and can better assist you in navigating through any legal matters. In the state of Georgia, an attorney can represent and act on your behalf in court. This means that you do not have to be present for your court hearing, unless otherwise requested by a judge.

By hiring a local attorney, they are able to provide some monetary and stress relief by cutting down on travel costs. It is also important to note that the right attorney will be able to review all the details of your case, and sometimes, the fact that you are not a resident can be used in your defense. It is okay to have fun on trips with friends and family, but everywhere you go there are laws in place. Should you or anyone you know have a criminal case outside of their area, speak with a criminal defense attorney in the area the charge was obtained as soon as possible.

Thanks to Andrew R. Lynch, P.C. for their insight into criminal defense and charges out of state.