Atlanta Divorce Attorney Blog

In Georgia, parties cannot obtain a divorce except on one of 13 grounds allowed by law, the twelfth of which is “[h]abitual drug addiction.” OCGA §19-5-3(12).

“Habitual drug addiction” is defined in the statute as addiction to the following controlled substances: narcotic drugs, marijuana, or stimulant drugs, depressant drugs, or hallucinogenic drugs. OCGA 19-5-3(12); OCGA 16-13-2(a). There must be a pattern of drug use resulting the party's addiction to the controlled substance. The terms "habitual" and "addiction" imply that a one-time use of a controlled substance will not be sufficient to obtain a divorce under this ground.

In Georgia, parties cannot obtain a divorce except on one of 13 grounds allowed by law. OCGA §19-5-3. The eleventh ground under the statute is “[i]ncurable mental illness.” OCGA §19-5-3(11).

There are three strict requirements necessary to obtain a divorce under this ground: (1) the mentally ill party must be adjudged to be mentally ill by the court or must be certified to be mentally ill by two physicians who have each personally examined the party; (2) the mentally ill party must have been in a mental institution or under continuous treatment for mental illness for at least two years preceding the filing of the divorce action; and (3) a chief executive officer of the institution and one physician appointed by the court must make a thorough examination of the party and certify under oath that it is their opinion “that the party evidences such a want of reason, memory, and intelligence as to prevent the party from comprehending the nature, duties, and consequences of the marriage relationship and that, in the light of present day medical knowledge, recovery of the party’s mental health cannot be expected at any time during his life.” OCGA 19-5-3(11).

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. See Uniform Superior Court Rule 24.8. DeKalb County (Avondale Estates, Chamblee, Decatur, Doraville, Lithonia, and Stone Mountain) offers its Seminar for Divorcing Parents at three different locations in the county. All remaining 2010 seminars will take place in the 1st floor Jury Room of the Dekalb County Courthouse Judicial Tower, located at 556 N. McDonough Street, Decatur, Georgia. The schedule for the remainder of 2010 is as follows:

Friday, September 10, 9:30am – 1:30pm
Friday, September 24, 9:30am – 1:30pm
Monday, October 4, 5:00pm – 9:00pm
Friday, October 22, 9:30am – 1:30pm
Monday, November 8, 5:00pm – 9:00pm
Friday, November 19, 9:30am – 1:30pm
Monday, December 6, 5:00pm – 9:00pm
Friday, December 17, 9:30am – 1:30pm

The cost of the seminar is currently $30.00 per person. Dates and time are subject to change so please check the DeKalb County Seminar for Divorcing Parents website for the most up to date information and for online registration under the divorce tab.

In Georgia, parties cannot obtain a divorce except on one of 13 grounds allowed by law. OCGA §19-5-3. The tenth ground under the statute is “[c]ruel treatment, which shall consist of the willful infliction of pain, bodily or mental, upon the complaining party, such as reasonably justifies apprehension of danger to life, limb, or health.” OCGA §19-5-3(10).

In order to obtain a divorce under this ground, the offending party must intend wound his/her spouse. Connor v. Connor, 212 Ga. 92, 94 (1955). It should be noted, however, that actual physical violence is not necessary. Slaughter v. Slaughter, 190 Ga. 229, 232 (1940). Generally, a party may not obtain a divorce under this ground based upon a single act of cruelty or violence, but if the single act is “accompanied by circumstances indicating a probability of repetition of similar conduct,” this may be sufficient. Phinzy v. Phinzy, 154 Ga. 199, 213 (1922). In addition, in certain instances, nagging and mental anguish have been held sufficient to obtain a divorce based upon cruel treatment. Womble v. Womble, 214 Ga. 438 (1958); Ross v. Ross, 169 Ga. 529 (1929).

In Georgia, parties cannot obtain a divorce except on one of 13 grounds allowed by law. OCGA §19-5-3. The ninth ground under the statute is “[h]abitual intoxication.” OCGA §19-5-3(9).

To obtain a divorce under this ground, it is not necessary for the Petitioner to prove that his or her spouse was continuously and constantly drunk during the marriage. Fuller v. Fuller, 108 Ga. 256 (1899). However, evidence that party “was ‘drunk’ or ‘under the influence of liquor’ on one occasion prior to the separation is wholly insufficient to sustain a divorce on the ground of habitual intoxication.” Stimpson v. Stimpson, 213 Ga. 235 (1957). Thus, there must be a pattern of drunkenness, but does not have to be a constant, unending situation.

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. See Uniform Superior Court Rule 24.8. Gwinnett County (Buford, Dacula, Duluth, Lawrenceville, Lilburn, Norcross, Snellville, and Suwanee) offers its Parenting Seminar at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center, 75 Langley Drive, Lawrenceville, Georgia 30045. The seminars are held in Conference Room A West Wing on the second floor. The schedule for the remainder of 2010 is as follows:

Weekday seminars from 9:00am – 1:00pm: September 2, September 9, September 23, October 7, October 14, October 28, November 4, November 10, December 2, December 9

Evening seminars from 5:00pm – 9:00pm: September 16, October 21, November 18, December 16

The cost of the seminar is currently $30.00 per person and registration MUST be received prior to the day of the seminar. You can find additional information and register online for these seminars at the Gwinnett County Parenting Seminar website.

In Georgia, parties cannot obtain a divorce except on one of 13 grounds allowed by law. OCGA §19-5-3. The eighth ground under the statute is “[t]he conviction of either party for an offense involving moral turpitude, under which he is sentenced to imprisonment in a penal institution for a term of two years or longer.” OCGA §19-5-3(8).

Turpitude, in its legal sense includes “everything done contrary to justice, honesty, modesty or good morals.” Holloway v. Holloway, 126 Ga. 459, 460 (1906), quoting Black’s Law Dict. It is a very broad definition that can include almost any crime. There are three elements that must be proven in order for a court to grant a divorce under this ground: (1) the commission of the offense involving moral turpitude; (2) the conviction for said offense; and (3) a sentence of two years or longer in a penal institution. Holloway, 126 Ga. at 460.

In Georgia, parties cannot obtain a divorce except on one of 13 grounds allowed by law. OCGA §19-5-3. The seventh ground under the statute is “[w]illful and continued desertion by either of the parties for a term of one year.” OCGA §19-5-3(7).

Generally, desertion is “the voluntary separation of one of the marries parties from the other, or the voluntary refusal to renew a suspended cohabitation, without justification either in the consent or the wrongful conduct of the other.” Cagle v. Cagle, 193 Ga. 34 (1961). There are three elements that must be proven in order for a court to grant a divorce on the ground of desertion: (1) the parties’ cohabitation ended; (2) the offending party intended to desert his/her spouse; and (3) the desertion lasted for a minimum of one year. Id. It should be noted that “the pardon of the convict does not destroy the right to a divorce” under this ground. Id. at 461.

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. See Uniform Superior Court Rule 24.8. Cobb County (Acworth, Austell, Kennesaw, Marietta, Powder Springs and Smyrna) offers its Divorcing Parents Seminar at the Cobb County Superior Court Building (Building D; 6th floor jury assembly room), 30 Waddell Street, Marietta, GA 30090.

Cobb County offers a four-hour weekday seminar (from 8:30 am to 1:00 pm) or two two-hour evening sessions (from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm). The schedule for the remainder of 2010 is as follows:

Thursday morning classes (8:30am – 1:00pm): September 2, September 16, October 7, October 21, November 4, November 18, December 2, December 16

Monday evening classes (7:00pm – 9:00pm): September 13 AND 20, October 11 AND 18, November 8 AND 15, December 13 AND 20

The cost of the seminar is currently $30.00 per person. You can find additional information and register online for these seminars at the Cobb County Divorcing Parents Seminar website.

In Georgia, parties cannot obtain a divorce except on one of 13 grounds allowed by law. OCGA §19-5-3. The sixth ground under the statute is “[a]dultery in either of the parties after marriage.” OCGA §19-5-3(6).

Generally, a married person commits adultery when he or she “voluntarily has sexual intercourse with a person other than his [or her] spouse.” OCGA §16-6-19; Owens v. Owens, 247 Ga. 139, 140 (1981). Adultery includes “extramarital homosexual, as well as heterosexual, relations.” Owens v. Owens, 247 Ga. 139, 140 (1981). It is difficult to prove adultery with direct evidence and, often, the party only has circumstantial evidence. In Georgia, “[a]dultery may be proved by circumstantial evidence, but such evidence must infer as a necessary conclusion that adultery was committed.” Johnson v. Johnson, 218 Ga. 28 (1962). If the evidence can lead to more than one interpretation, it is not sufficient to prove adultery. Id.

In Georgia, parties cannot obtain a divorce except on one of 13 grounds allowed by law. OCGA §19-5-3. The fifth ground under the statute is “[p]regnancy of the wife by a man other than her husband, at the time of the marriage, unknown to the husband.” OCGA §19-5-3(5).

This ground is fairly straightforward, but all of the elements must be sufficiently proven. The Petitioner must prove that the wife was pregnant at the time of the marriage, that the child is not the husband’s biological child, and that the husband did not know that the wife was pregnant with someone else’s child. Since the party must prove that the child is not the husband’s biological child, there must be a paternity test and, thus, if the divorce is based solely on this ground, the parties will have to wait until after the child is born to obtain the divorce.

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. See Uniform Superior Court Rule 24.8. Forsyth County (Cumming) and Cherokee County (Ball Ground, Canton, and Woodstock) are part of the 9th judicial district. All of the counties in this 9th judicial district work jointly to offer their seminar for divorcing parents throughout the judicial district.

The schedule for September 2010 is as follows:
• Gainesville (New Hall County Courthouse, 225 Green Street SE) – Thursday, September 2, 5:00pm – 9:00pm; Thursday, September 16, 5:00pm – 9:00pm
• Dahlonega (North Georgia College and State University, Continuing Education Bldg., Highway 60) – Wednesday, September 8, 9:00am – 1:00pm
• Blairsville (Haralson Civic Center, 165 Welborn Street) – Monday, September 13, 9:00am – 1:00pm
• Clarkesville (North GA Technical College, 1500 Hwy. 197 North) – Tuesday, September 14, 1:00pm – 5:00pm
• Woodstock (Woodstock Public Library, 7735 Main Street) – Saturday, September 18, 10:00am – 2:00pm
• Ellijay (Gilmer County Library, 268 Calvin Jackson Drive) – Monday, September, 20 1:00pm – 5:00pm
• Cumming (First Baptist Church Cumming, Kids Town Building, 1597 Sawnee Drive) – Saturday, September 25, 10:00am – 2:00pm

The cost of the seminar is currently $50.00 per person. There is no pre-registration. You can find additional information about these seminars at 9th Judicial Office of Alternative Dispute Resolution website.