LexisNexis Practice Guide: Georgia Family Law

Patricia Patty Shewmaker, a native of Nebraska, attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York where she earned a bachelor of science in political science and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in Military Intelligence. Patty served seven (7) years on active duty in the United States Army and three (3) years in the Georgia Army National Guard. Patty deployed as a Company Commander of a Counterintelligence Company in support of OPERATIONS IRAQI FREEDOM and OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM. Patty received the Bronze Star Medal for her service in a combat theater of operations. With her extensive military background and understanding of the unique issues that confront military families, Patty represents many military service members in family law issues.

Patty earned her law degree from the Georgia State University College of Law where she graduated with honors. She has an active practice in all areas of family law including divorce litigation, modification of custody, alimony and child support, contempt actions and legitimations and paternity suits.

Patty also specializes in dividing qualified retirement plans incident to divorce and legal separation, including pensions under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), military pensions, private pensions, 401(k)s, Thrift Savings Plans (TSPs), and other qualified retirement plans.

Patty also has extensive experience with cross jurisdictional family law litigation. She represents clients whose cases span across multiple states and foreign countries, be it a divorce, custody action, or a modification. Patty is well versed in the special jurisdictional requirements of the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA) and the Uniform Family Support Act (UFSA), and International Child Abduction cases under the Hague Convention.

Patty is a member in good standing with the State Bar of Georgia. Patty is also a member of the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia, and she is the co-chair of the Military Legal Assistance Program at the State Bar of Georgia. She is also a member of the American Bar Association, the DeKalb Bar Association, and a member of the Class of 2012 of Leadership DeKalb.

Patty is admitted to practice with the State Bar of Georgia, the Georgia Court of Appeals, the Georgia Supreme Court, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia, and United States Army Court of Criminal Appeals.

Steven Steve Shewmaker is a founding partner of Shewmaker & Lewis. Steve is a native of the Southeast, growing up in Texas and Alabama. He attended the University of Alabama on cross country and Army ROTC scholarships and graduated from the University of Alabama in 1990 as a Distinguished Military Graduate. Steve was commissioned as an active duty Army Officer in 1990. Steve served as an Infantry Officer in the 25th Infantry Division (Schofield Barracks, Hawaii) and later served in Military Intelligence assignments in the III U.S. Armored Corps at Fort Hood, Texas and in the Middle East.

Following his years of active military service, Steve earned his law degree from the Georgia State University College of Law where he graduated with honors. Steve's legal expertise has been invaluable while serving in Military Intelligence and Judge Advocate assignments in the Georgia National Guard and the U.S. Army Reserve. Notably in 2003-2004, Steve was activated to participate in OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM where he served in Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan. Steve received the Bronze Star Medal for his service in a combat theater of operations.

With his extensive military background and understanding of the unique issues that confront military personnel and their families, Steve represents military service members and retirees from all five branches of the U.S. Armed Services as well as their families in family law and criminal cases. Steve has over twenty-eight years of total military service in the active Army and the Army Reserves.

Steve practices in the full spectrum of family law cases, including contested child custody, complex asset division, drafting of prenuptial and postnuptial agreements and modifications of custody, alimony and child support. In addition, Steve specializes in multi-jurisdictional domestic cases, military domestic matters and division of retirement accounts incident to divorce (military pension, FERS and TSP). As a former prosecutor, Steve also practices criminal defense matters in state, superior, federal and military courts.

Steve is a member in good standing with the State Bar of Georgia, and is also a member of the Family Law and Criminal law Sections of the State Bar of Georgia. He is a former member of the executive committee of the Military and Veterans Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia and formerly served as the Treasurer of the DeKalb Family Law Section. Steve is also a member of the American Bar Association, the DeKalb Bar Association, and a member of the Class of 2013 of Leadership DeKalb.

Steve is admitted to practice with the State Bar of Georgia, the Georgia Court of Appeals, the Georgia Supreme Court, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia, and United States Army Court of Criminal Appeals.

Alexa N. Lewis was born in Poughkeepsie, New York and moved to Georgia in February 1996. She attended the University of Georgia and graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in 2009. Alexa received her law degree from Georgia State University College of Law in 2012. While at Georgia State, she was a member of the Student Trial Lawyers Association where she was able to practice and learn litigation skills by competing in multiple competitions including the National Trial Competition in Charlotte, North Carolina and National Trial Advocacy Competition at Michigan State University. Alexa was also a member of the Georgia State Moot Court Team where she competed in the Emory Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Competition and the Prince Evidence Competition at the Brooklyn Law School.

Alexa practices family law and military law. She also handles more specialized cases like Title IX, ROTC disenrollment, and international child abduction. Prior to joining Shewmaker and Lewis, she litigated family law and personal injury cases.

Alexa is a member of the State of Georgia Bar Association, Georgia Family Law Section, Gwinnett County Bar Association, and the family law section of the Gwinnett County Bar Association.

Alexa enjoys traveling with her husband Jimmy and their cat Adeline (Addy), as well as spending time at home with their dogs Zak and Ace.

James Jimmy Lewis was born and raised in Atlanta Georgia. He attended Auburn University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science focusing on Pre-Law and Conflict Resolution. Jimmy received his law degree from John Marshall Law School in 2014, where he began to learn litigation skills under two Cobb County District Attorneys.

Jimmy joined Shewmaker & Lewis in February 2015 and practices in all areas of family law including divorce litigation, modification of custody, alimony and child support, contempt actions, and military-related family law issues. He is a member of the State of Georgia Bar Association, Georgia Family Law Section, Georgia Young Lawyers Division, DeKalb County Bar Association, and the Family Law section of the DeKalb Bar.

Jimmy is a member in good standing with the State Bar of Georgia.