Family Law Breakfast – a Successful Fall Kickoff

by Louis J. Tesser

The DBA Family Law Section kicked off its first post-summer breakfast on Sept. 2. Previous breakfasts featured members of the DeKalb County bench. This time, we were fortunate to host directors of DeKalb County family law resources to speak about their offices and the useful services they offer.

First to speak was Amber Gallman, executive director of the DeKalb County Dispute Resolution Center, and she came bearing good news: despite losing half of its staff, the center is reopened, and mediations are taking place there again.

Next was Miriam Campell, law librarian for the DeKalb County Law Library. She informed us that a growing wave of pro-se family law litigants are being served there, but the library remains a good resource for lawyers. It houses a substantial body of Georgia and federal reference materials and treatises, and provides wireless Internet access.

Miriam Royal, center coordinator, then discussed the Family Law Information Center, which began in 2002, and provides pro se litigants and other interested persons with legal forms and instruction packets, attorney consultations, reference materials and other services. It also provides tips on completing necessary documents, proper filing of those documents, and preparing and presenting a case in court. Ms. Royal also noted that attorneys have been known to use the center’s generic parenting plans and domestic relations financial affidavits.

Elizabeth “Libby” Blackwell, the DeKalb County Superior Court administrator, next described some of the resources available to family law litigators through the court system itself. Resources that her office can supply ¬– or find a supplier of – include audiovisual equipment, computers and printers, foreign and sign language interpreters, and court reporters. Ms. Blackwell reminded us that DeKalb County does not have any online divorcing parents seminars. All the seminars must be attended in person. She also told us about the availability of drug testing in the courthouse, where appropriate.

The Family Law Section breakfast meetings are held the first Thursday of every month in the Harrison Room at the historic Old Courthouse in downtown Decatur. All are welcome.