Providing information and resources for self-representation

All posts by Megan McClinton

Find a private attorney

Posted by Megan McClinton at 9:30 am on September 26, 2016

The decision to hire an attorney is a very important one. The following attorneys or law firms may offer sliding scale or limited services options. Please note that Gwinnett Legal Aid is providing this information as a courtesy, but is not recommending any specific attorney or organization.

William E. Fields

Attorney at Law

770-469-9196

Kedra M. Gotel

The Barnette Law Firm, LLC.

(470) 222-3209

Vanessa Kosky (Spanish)

The Law Office of Vanessa Kosky PC

(678) 694-1540

Donald Osborne

Attorney at Law

(404) 474-1320

Dorothy “Dodie” Sachs
Sachs Family Law, PC
 
(770) 695-7430

Steve Shewmaker

Shewmaker & Shewmaker, LLC

(770) 939-1939

sshewmaker@shewmakerandshewmaker.com

ATLANTA BAR MODEST MEANS PROGRAM

Additionally, the Atlanta Bar has a low to moderate income attorney referral program. They can be reached by calling (404) 521-0777 or by visiting their website to complete the online application at: http://atlantabar.site-ym.com/?page=MMonlineapplication

ACCESS TO LAW FOUNDATION

(770) 685-1499

Online assistance request form: http://accesstolawfoundation.org/contact-us/

GWINNETT COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION ATTORNEY REFERRAL

For a list of other private attorneys practicing family law, you may also contact the Gwinnett County Bar Association for an attorney referral.

The referral information in this publication is provided as a resource, only, and is not Gwinnett Legal Aid/Gwinnett Family Law Clinic’s endorsement of any individual practitioner, firm, or organization.

Parenting Plans

Posted by Megan McClinton at 9:51 am on May 9, 2016

calendar

Parenting Plans must be completed in any action involving child custody (divorce, separate maintenance, legitimation, modification). Below are several forms to assist you in developing the plan that will work best for your family.

Blank parenting plan

Select your own provisions based on your family’s special circumstances.

Permanent-Parenting-Plan-STANDARD

Includes provisions such as joint legal custody, alternating weekends, alternating holidays and two weeks of summer vacation. You may customize provisions as needed.

Long distance parenting plan

The non-custodial parent lives out of state.

Sole custody to petitioner

This plan is intended for the following situations:

  • The non-custodial parent cannot be located
  • The non-custodial parent is incarcerated

Graduated Parenting Plan

This plan is intended for limited special circumstances to give the child and visiting parent time to adjust to visitation over a 12-month period.

Joint Parenting Plans (50/50)

Attorney consultation is recommended.

When you need two (2) separate Parenting Plans:

If you are filing a divorce or separate maintenance, and you have biological children with the Defendant and children who were not fathered or adopted by the husband, you will need:

  1. One of the blank, standard, or long distance plans listed above; AND
  2. One sole custody plan for the child(ren) who are not the husband’s biological/adopted child(ren).

Additional resources and contacts

Posted by Megan McClinton at 3:12 pm on March 17, 2016

Books

Gwinnett Family Violence Project

678-376-9844

FREE legal advice and/or representation for Petitioners obtaining temporary protection, modifying protective orders, and enforcing protective orders. No assistance provided for filing the petition for temporary protective order. For help or more information, call the number above and leave a message.  Someone from Gwinnett Family Violence Project will return your call and assess your eligibility for services under our income and citizenship guidelines.

Gwinnett Public Benefits Project

678-407-6469

FREE legal advice and/or representation to people appealing a decision by the Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS) that affects TANF, SNAP/Food Stamp, Medicaid or Childcare Assistance benefits.  For help or more information, call the number above and leave a message.  Someone from Gwinnett Legal Aid will return your call.

Hispanic Outreach Law Project

678-407-6462

FREE legal advice and/or representation for Spanish-speakers with civil legal problems. For help or more information, call the number above and leave a message in Spanish or English.  Someone from the Hispanic Outreach Project will return your call and assess your eligibility for services under our income and citizenship guidelines.

Asesoramiento legal y/o representación GRATIS para personas que hablan español con problemas legales civiles. Para obtener ayuda o más información, llame al número indicado arriba y deje un mensaje en español o inglés. Alguien del proyecto hispano le devolverá la llamada y evaluará su elegibilidad para los servicios según nuestras pautas de ingresos y ciudadanía.

Legal Aid in the Law Library

FREE weekly general information sessions and individual legal consultations by Legal Aid attorneys and volunteers. Registration is required. Click here for more details.

On-site Clinics

Consumer Law Clinic

Are you being sued for a debt?  Are your wages being garnished? Do you have problems with a landlord?  Do you need to file a small claims suit? Do you have a court date coming up?

2nd Thursday of each month

1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center (Breezeway) 75 Langley Drive, Lawrenceville, GA

No appointment necessary.

First come, first served. Last client accepted at 4:00 PM.

Please do not bring children with you to the clinic. The Clinic does not provide childcare and children cannot be left without adult supervision.

Probate Clinic

Free consultations with local probate attorneys to answer questions regarding wills, estates, probates, administrations, guardianships, conservatorship, and more….

1st and 3rd Thursday of each month

1:30 PM – 4:00 PM

Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center (Breezeway) 75 Langley Drive, Lawrenceville, GA

Online Registration Required

Please do not bring children with you to the clinic. The Clinic does not provide childcare and children cannot be left without adult supervision.

REGISTER HERE

LEGAL AID OFFICES AND HOTLINES

Gwinnett County

324 W. Pike St., Suite 200, Lawrenceville, GA 30046

678-376-4545

Cobb County

30 S. Park Square, Marietta, GA 30090

770-528-2565

DeKalb County

246 Sycamore St., Suite 120, Decatur, GA 30030

404-377-0701

Clayton and South Fulton Counties

777 Cleveland Ave., Suite 410, Atlanta, GA 30315

404-669-0233

Fulton County

54 Ellis St. NE, Atlanta, GA 30303

404-524-5811

Georgia Senior Legal Hotline

Statewide assistance for Georgia residents age 60 and older. 

1-888-257-9519

Home Defense Project

Home equity scams, home purchase scams, predatory mortgage lending, wrongful denial of mortgage refinancing

404-377-0701

Gwinnett Legal Aid/Gwinnett Pro Bono Project

Free legal advice or representation to low income individuals

678-376-4545

 

TTD/TTY Users

Georgia Relay Center

1-800-255-0135

OTHER CONTACTS

Homer M. Stark Law Library

A place to research your legal issue

770-822-8577

Gwinnett County Clerk’s Office

770-822-8100

Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Department

770-822-8200

 

List of Every Form

Posted by Megan McClinton at 3:39 pm on March 11, 2016

This page lists every form which can be downloaded and printed. We are working to make all these forms fillable, but for now we recommend free PDF editing websites if you want to fill out these forms online.  Some websites we have used with success are https://www.ilovepdf.com, https://www.pdfescape.com, and https://www.pdf2go.com/.

Books

ADMINISTRATIVE COURT FORMS

These forms are required by the Court for family law cases

  1. Domestic relations case filing information form
  2. Domestic relations case final disposition form
  3. Mutual Restraining Order
  4. Parenting Seminar Order
  5. Report of divorce
  6. Standing Order Child Support and Perm Parenting Plans
  7. Summons

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS AND AGREEMENTS

  1. Acknowledgement of Service ONLY
  2. Acknowledgment of Service, Consent to Jurisdiction and Venue, and Consent to Present Case
  3. Consent- Birth Certificate Amendment
  4. Consent- Modification Custody
  5. Consent – Name Change Child
  6. Legitimation acknowledgment and consent
  7. Settlement agreement with children
  8. Settlement agreement withOUT children
  9. Family Law Clinic Consultation Agreement

AFFIDAVITS

An affidavit is a sworn statement made under oath. The affidavit is submitted in support of a claim or request included in your complaint/petition.

  1. Affidavit of custody election (prior order)
  2. Affidavit of custody election (no prior order)
  3. Affidavit of Diligent Search
  4. Affidavit of Indigence and Eligibility to Proceed In Forma Pauperis (Pauper’s Affidavit/request for fee waiver)
  5. Affidavit of Single Status (marriage certificate applicants)
  6. Affidavit in Support of Birth Certificate Amendment
  7. Domestic Relations Financial Affidavit
  8. Domestic Relations Financial Affidavit (Excel calculator)

COMPLAINTS AND PETITIONS

A complaint or petition is the primary document which is filed to initiate a court case and indicates the type of case which is being filed.

  1. Annulment Complaint
  2. Birth Certificate Amendment petition
  3. Birth Certificate Amendment – ENGLISH (interactive online form)
  4. Birth Certificate Amendment – SPANISH (interactive online form)
  5. Contempt petition (general form for Gwinnett County orders)
  6. Contempt and modification of child support
  7. Declaration of Sole Custody
  8. Divorce Complaint With Children
  9. Divorce Complaint Without Children
  10. Legitimation and custody petition
  11. Modification of Custody and Child Support
  12. Modification of Child Support and Alimony petition
  13. Name Change -ADULT 
  14. Name Change -CHILD 
  15. Registration and contempt of Support 
  16. Registration Enforcement Custody 
  17. Registration and Enforcement of Support
  18. Registration and Modification of Custody
  19. Registration and Modification of Support 
  20. Registration Contempt and Modification of Custody
  21. Registration, Contempt, and Modification of Support
  22. Separate maintenance complaint with Children
  23. Separate maintenance complaint withOUT Children
  24. Support petition(establish child support-no paternity issues)
  25. Support and Paternity

DISCOVERY

  1. Discovery Responses_DEFENDANT_Admissions
  2. Discovery Responses_DEFENDANT_Interrogatories
  3. Discovery Response_DEFENDANT_Notice to Produce
  4. Discovery Response to Admissions-PLAINTIFF
  5. Discovery Response to Interrogatories-PLAINTIFF
  6. Discovery Response to Notice to Produce-PLAINTIFF
  7. Request for Production of Documents & Notice to Produce
  8. Request for Production of Documents to Employer
  9. Request for Production of Documents-NON PARTY (financial institutions)

GENERAL FORMS

  1. Certificate of Service
  2. Rule Nisi (notice of temporary hearing)
  3. Verification
  4. Voluntary dismissal (Defendant’s)
  5. Voluntary dismissal (Plaintiff’s)

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Child Support Slideshow
  2. How to efile (from home)
  3. How to Scan and Email Documents from Your Smartphone
  4. Instructions for service by Gwinnett County Sheriff
  5. Instructions for service by publication
  6. IInstructions for sheriff service outside of Gwinnett
  7. Instructions for voluntary Acknowledgement of Service
  8. How to Obtain Court Documents (re:SearchGA)

MOTIONS

  1. Motion to Appoint an Interpreter
  2. Motion for Contempt
  3. Motion for Reconsideration
  4. Motion for Service by Publication
  5. Motion to Appoint an Interpreter
  6. Motion to Appoint a Private Process Server
  7. Motion to Consolidate
  8. Motion to Seal File
  9. Motion for Temporary Hearing
  10. Motion to Terminate Income Deduction Order
  11. Motion to Transfer Venue

NOTICES

  1. Notice of Birth Certificate Amendment (with order)
  2. Notice of Change of Address
  3. Notice of Adult Name Change
  4. Notice of Filing Name Change – Minor Child
  5. Notice of Lis Pendens
  6. Notice of Publication (general)
  7. Notice of voluntary dismissal-DEFENDANT
  8. Notice of voluntary dismissal-PLAINTIFF

ORDERS

The orders on this website are proposed drafts which are submitted for the judge to sign. 

  1. Birth Certificate Amendment Order
  2. Child Support Addendum
  3. Divorce Final Judgment and Decree – WITH children
  4. Divorce Final Judgment and Decree – without children
  5. Adult Name Change Order
  6. Name Change Minor Child Order
  7. Order of Publication (general)
  8. Temporary Order
  9. Termination of parental rights (divorce cases only)

PACKETS

  1. Annulment Packet
  2. Birth certificate amendment packet
  3. Contempt Packet (for Gwinnett County orders)
  4. Contempt and modification of support packet
  5. Declaration of sole custody packet (for passport consent issues)
  6. Divorce with Minor Children (Uncontested)
  7. Uncontested Divorce without Children (complete packet)
  8. Divorce without Minor Children – Contested
  9. Establishment of Custody
  10. Establishment of Support and Paternity Packet
  11. Legitimation Packet
  12. Modification of child support-alimony packet
  13. Modification of custody packet
  14. Name Change Packet – ADULT
  15. Name change- Minor Child packet
  16. Publication packet
  17. Registration and contempt of custody
  18. Registration and contempt of support packet
  19. Registration, Contempt and Modification of Custody Packet
  20. Registration, Contempt and Modification of Support Packet
  21. Registration-modification of support packet
  22. Registration-modification of custody packet
  23. Separate maintenance with children packet
  24. Separate maintenance without minor children packet
  25. Support packet – no paternity issue (establish child support)

PARENTING PLANS

These are proposed parenting time arrangements to indicate to the judge what custody arrangement you believe is in the best interests of your child(ren).

  1. Permanent Parenting Plan – BLANK
  2. Graduated Parenting Plan
  3. Permanent-Parenting-Plan-STANDARD
  4. Permanent Parenting Plan-LONG DISTANCE
  5. Permanent Parenting Plan Order – sole custody to Plaintiff

POWER OF ATTORNEY

  1. Power of Attorney for care of a Minor Child

RESPONSES

Respond to a family law case which was filed against you in Gwinnett County 

  1. Annulment – Answer
  2. Annulment – Answer and Divorce Counterclaim
  3. Answer-and-Counterclaim-General
  4. Annulment – Answer
  5. Divorce-Answer and Counterclaim (no children)
  6. Divorce – Answer and counterclaim (with children)
  7. Legitimation answer and counterclaim
  8. Separate maintenance with children – Answer
  9. Separate maintenance with children – Answer and Divorce Counterclaim
  10. Separate Maintenance answer (no children)
  11. Separate Maintenance Answer and Divorce Counterclaim (no children)

SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT

Support enforcement documents can only be utilized after you have already obtained an order for child support and alimony. The Georgia Department of Children and Family Services will only enforce alimony if there is also a current child support obligation.

ESTABLISHING INCOME WITHHOLDING
  1. Checklist
  2. FSR Registration Form
  3. Income Deduction Order (IDO)
  4. Income Withholding Order for Support (fillable version helpful hints)
  5. Notice To Payor
  6. Statement of Rights, Remedies, and Duties

For more information about enforcing child support, please visit: Georgia Child Support Services

TERMINATING INCOME WITHHOLDING
  1. Motion to Terminate Current Support Withholding
  2. Consent order terminating withholding

For more information, please visit: http://ido.georgiacourts.gov/content/terminate-iwo

Filing and service instructions

Posted by Megan McClinton at 9:25 am on March 4, 2016

Get your case started

How to efile

Service after your start your case 

Uncontested

 

Contested

Defendant resides in Gwinnett County
Defendant resides outside of Gwinnett County

Defendant is avoiding service or

service has to be at a special place & time

Defendant cannot be located

About the Gwinnett Family Law Clinic

Posted by Megan McClinton at 11:07 pm on November 13, 2015

This comprehensive collection of self help forms are provided by the Gwinnett Family Law Clinic for those wanting to represent themselves in family law matters. It is strongly recommended that you speak with an attorney before filing or answering any lawsuit. Improperly completed forms may result in your case being delayed or dismissed.

Free Attorney Consultation

The Family Law Clinic offers brief consultations with a family law attorney to answer questions and review forms before you file pro se. Income limits apply. Appointments are currently available on Wednesdays. To schedule an appointment, call 678-376-4545.

Family Law Information Class

Posted by Megan McClinton at 4:38 pm on January 5, 0015

This class can teach you legalese!

Gwinnett Legal Aid is not currently holding the Family Law Information Class. Please check back here in a few months for any updates.

Download the new class materials here

Checklist for nonlawyers

Courtroom Diagram

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