Family law representation backed by more than 40 years of combined experience serving clients across Roswell, GA and the surrounding area.
If you are dealing with a divorce, a custody disagreement, or another family law matter in Roswell, having the right legal counsel can make a real difference in the outcome of your case. Where your children live, how your property gets divided, and what your finances look like afterward all depend on the strength of your legal position and choice of representation.
Vayman & Teitelbaum, P.C. has been representing Georgia families through these situations for over two decades. As a trusted Roswell, GA family lawyer, we take cases involving divorce, custody, child support, property division, and spousal support, and we represent clients on both sides of these disputes. Call our office to speak with a member of our team about your situation.
Family Lawyer Roswell, GA
A family lawyer handles legal disputes involving domestic relationships. Divorce is the one most people think of first, but the category also covers child custody, visitation, child support, alimony, adoption, guardianship, and protective orders. These cases are both financial and deeply personal. An attorney who knows Fulton County's procedural rules and the nuances of Georgia's family statutes is going to be better positioned to move a case in the right direction.
Types of Family Law Cases We Handle in Roswell
We take on a broad range of family law cases for clients throughout Roswell, GA. The specifics change from case to case, but the stakes rarely do.
- Divorce. We handle both contested and uncontested divorces, walking clients through every phase from filing to final decree. Georgia is an equitable distribution state, so marital property is divided based on fairness rather than a strict 50/50 split.
- Child custody. These disputes tend to be the hardest part of any family case. We fight for parenting arrangements that protect our client's rights while keeping the focus on the child's best interests, the standard Georgia courts apply in every custody determination.
- High net worth divorce. Significant assets, business ownership, and complex portfolios make property division considerably more complicated. We focus on accurate valuation and on making sure nothing important gets missed.
- Prenup. A prenuptial agreement is a financial planning document, not an omen. We draft and review these agreements so both parties understand their rights and obligations before the marriage begins.
- Child support. Georgia relies on an income shares model that bases calculations on both parents' earnings. We help clients pursue or challenge amounts that reflect each parent's financial reality and the child's actual needs.
- Alimony and spousal support. Georgia courts look at marriage length, standard of living, and earning capacity, among other factors. We represent clients requesting alimony and clients contesting it.
- Modifications. A custody order or support arrangement that fit two years ago might not fit at all today. We help clients file modification petitions when a material change in circumstances has occurred, and we defend against requests from the other side.
- Adoption. Stepparent adoptions, private placements, and agency adoptions each carry their own legal requirements. We guide families from the initial filing through the finalization hearing.
- Contempt actions. If one party is violating a court order, the other may need to bring a contempt action to force compliance. We handle both enforcement and defense in these proceedings.
- Guardianship. When a minor or incapacitated adult needs someone appointed to make legal decisions on their behalf, we help families navigate the petition process and ongoing responsibilities.
Why Choose Vayman & Teitelbaum, P.C. as My Family Lawyer in Roswell, GA?
Decades of Georgia Family Law Experience
The firm was founded by Esther Vayman and Greg Teitelbaum, and both have built their careers around Georgia family law. Esther has been licensed to practice since 2005, and Greg since 2002, giving the firm more than 40 years of combined experience in divorce, custody, support, and property division cases across Roswell and north metro Atlanta.
Both are admitted to the State Bar of Georgia, the Supreme Court of Georgia, and the Georgia Court of Appeals. Esther holds additional admissions to the Federal Courts for the Northern and Middle Districts of Georgia.
Peer-Reviewed Recognition
The recognition both attorneys have received comes from organizations that evaluate lawyers through peer review, not self-nomination. Esther Vayman has been named a Super Lawyer every year from 2018 through 2024, and she earned the Rising Star designation annually from 2013 through 2017. She was selected to the Top 50 Women Attorneys list in Georgia in both 2023 and 2024, the Top 100 Georgia Lawyers list in 2024, and she received the AVLF Guardian Ad Litem of the Year award in 2015.
Greg Teitelbaum was named a Best Lawyer in 2023 and 2024, earned the GA Elite Lawyer designation from 2021 through 2024, and was recognized as a Top 10 Family Law Attorney in 2024. Those distinctions speak to the firm's reputation within the Georgia family law community.
What Is Important to Understand About Family Law Cases?
Grounds for Divorce and Property Division in Georgia
Georgia allows both no-fault and fault-based divorce. In a no-fault case, one spouse simply needs to state that the marriage is irretrievably broken. Fault-based grounds include adultery, desertion, cruel treatment, and habitual intoxication, along with several others.
On the property side, Georgia follows equitable distribution, meaning the court divides marital assets and debts in a way it deems fair rather than automatically splitting things down the middle. A few concepts come up in nearly every case:
- Marital property covers assets and debts acquired during the marriage, regardless of whose name is on the account or title.
- Separate property refers to what each spouse brought into the marriage, plus gifts or inheritances received individually.
- Courts weigh each spouse's financial situation, their contributions to the marriage, and future needs.
- Retirement accounts, business interests, and real estate often require professional appraisal.
- Debts from the marriage are subject to division as well, and allocation frequently becomes a contested issue.
What Are Important Aspects of a Family Law Case?
Georgia courts use the "best interest of the child" standard in every case involving a minor, and it controls outcomes on custody, visitation, and support. Documentation matters more than most people realize at the outset. Financial records, text messages, emails, and parenting plans can all end up as evidence.
- Courts can issue temporary orders early in a case to address custody, support, and use of the marital home while everything is still pending.
- Mediation is required in many Georgia family cases before a judge will let the matter go to trial, and many disputes resolve at that stage.
- Judges pay close attention to how each party behaves, both inside and outside the courtroom, and poor conduct can damage your position on custody and visitation.
- Both sides must provide full and accurate financial disclosure. Income, assets, and debts all have to be on the table, and attempts to hide information tend to backfire.
What Is the Family Law Case Timeline?
Timelines depend on the issues involved and whether both parties are willing to negotiate. A Georgia family case generally follows this trajectory:
- One party files a complaint or petition and formally serves the other side.
- If urgent issues need resolution, a temporary hearing addresses custody, support, and use of the marital home.
- Discovery follows, with both sides exchanging financial documents, answering interrogatories, and potentially sitting for depositions.
- Most cases then move to mediation, where a neutral third party helps both sides work toward a resolution.
- If mediation does not produce an agreement, the case goes to trial and the judge makes final decisions on every remaining issue.
An uncontested divorce in Georgia can be finalized in as few as 30 days. Contested cases routinely take six months to over a year, and complex matters involving business valuation or disputed custody can stretch longer.
What Should You Bring to Your Family Law Consultation?
Walking into your first consultation prepared makes a real difference. Here is what we recommend you gather before your appointment:
- A written overview of your family situation, including names and ages of any children.
- Financial records from the past year or two: tax returns, pay stubs, bank statements, and mortgage or lease documents.
- Copies of any existing court orders, custody agreements, or prenuptial agreements.
- Relevant text messages or emails that document key conversations or incidents.
- A list of questions you want addressed during the meeting.
A client coordinator will walk through the specifics of your matter during the consultation and outline what the path forward could look like.
What Are Important Georgia Legal Resources for Family Law Cases?
Georgia statutes control every piece of a family law case, from the grounds for divorce to child support calculations. These resources are a solid starting point for understanding the legal framework.
- The Georgia General Assembly website hosts the Official Code of Georgia, and Title 19 is where you will find the statutes governing domestic relations, including divorce, custody, and support.
- Georgia Courts publishes court procedures, self-help guides, and county-specific rules that apply to family law filings statewide.
- Georgia's Department of Human Services runs the state's child support enforcement programs and offers resources for parents dealing with support obligations.
- Georgia Legal Aid provides free legal information and self-help guides on common family law topics for residents across the state.
- The Fulton County Superior Court Clerk's office keeps local rules and forms for family law filings in the county that handles most Roswell cases.
Reach Out to Vayman & Teitelbaum, P.C. to Schedule a Consultation
If you need a family attorney in Roswell, GA, our firm is ready to help. A consultation with a client coordinator at our firm is a good starting point. We will review the details of your family law matter, answer your questions, and explain what the process looks like from here. Contact us to schedule a time that works for you.