Скачать или смотреть Attorney Fees: Do I Have to Pay My Own? | Lawyers Without Billboards Ep. 7

Do you really have to pay your own attorney fees in a Georgia divorce or custody case? Can you ever make your ex or the other side pay for your legal costs? In this episode of Lawyers Without Billboards, Atlanta attorneys Steve Shewmaker, Patty Shewmaker, Jimmy Lewis, and Alexa Lewis give you the facts about attorney fees in Georgia family law.

What’s Covered in This Episode:

The American Rule in Georgia: Why each party usually pays their own lawyer—and when there are exceptions

The most important statutes for attorney fee awards: OCGA 9-15-14, 19-6-2, 19-6-15, and more

When a judge can make the other party pay your legal fees (divorce, custody, child support, alimony, legitimation)

How “bad behavior” in court (like stalling, refusing discovery, or filing frivolous motions) can backfire

How judges weigh financial disparity and access to money in divorce and support cases

What’s actually realistic to expect: amounts awarded, client misconceptions, and what “discretion” really means

Actual stories from Georgia courtrooms—including fee awards of $80,000+!

Why relying on a fee award is risky—and why there’s rarely a guarantee in family law

🎯 Key Takeaways:
Fee awards are possible, but judges have wide discretion and don’t always grant the full amount

The specifics of your case—facts, conduct, financial situation, and judge—matter more than anything else

Get the inside perspective from real Atlanta trial lawyers who have fought these battles in court

👇 Chapters:
00:00 – Introduction: Welcome to Lawyers Without Billboards
00:45 – Icebreaker: Firm Potluck and Introductions
02:01 – Today’s Topic: Attorney Fees in Georgia Family Law
03:00 – The American Rule: Does Everyone Pay Their Own Fees?
04:00 – Can the Other Side Be Ordered to Pay? (Client Questions)
05:00 – Statutes that Allow Attorney Fee Awards in Georgia
05:55 – OCGA 9-15-14: Fees for Bad Conduct in Litigation
07:00 – Real-Life Stories: Biggest Fee Awards (and Losses)
10:00 – Burden-Shifting & Frivolous Litigation
11:53 – The Most Common Statute: OCGA 19-6-2 Explained
12:10 – Financial Disparity: How Judges Decide Fee Awards
13:20 – What the Court Considers: Not Always One-Sided
14:34 – Other Key Statutes: 19-6-15 (Child Support), 19-9-3 (Custody)
15:40 – Prevailing Party & Child Support Modifications
16:39 – Proving Income & Real Examples of Fee Awards
18:05 – Burden-Shifting Provisions & Modification Traps
19:23 – Alimony Modification and Fee Awards
20:23 – Risks of Fee Awards and Real-World Outcomes
21:00 – Other Scenarios: Legitimation, Paternity, and Discovery Motions
21:40 – Temporary Protective Orders (TPO) and Attorney Fees
22:15 – Judge’s Discretion: Why Fee Awards Are Never Guaranteed
23:33 – Partial Fee Awards: Why Clients Still Owe Their Lawyer
24:40 – Case-by-Case: Why Results Vary So Much
25:00 – How to Contact the Hosts & Wrap-Up

🔗 Visit https://www.shewmakerlewis.com to learn more or reach out for legal help.

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