Attorney Austin Robert Cosby Buerlein's Legal Cases

Divorce and separation

Harkness v. Harkness (Court of Appeals) -- case is CURRENTLY PENDING

Sep 11, 2026

OUTCOME: My Application for Appeal was granted by Court of Appeals; case is currently under consideration (PENDING)

Trial court found former husband (my client) in contempt, based on trial court's interpretations of his obligations under a Business Separation Agreement incorporated into divorce decree, as well as aw ... arded wife attorney fees. We filed an appeal to challenge that ruling as unlawful based on various positions.

Divorce and separation

Stickler v. Stickler (Court of Appeals) -- case is CURRENTLY PENDING

Jul 24, 2026

OUTCOME: My Application for Appeal was Granted by the Court of Appeals, and currently awaiting a final ruling -- CURRENTLY PENDING

I filed an Application for Appeal (which was granted), seeking to challenge an attorney fee award entered against my client in a divorce action.

Child custody

Evans v. Evans (Court of Appeals) - 2026

Apr 10, 2026

OUTCOME: The Court DISMISSED Mother's appeal outright based on technicalities we argued (re-emphasizing the importance of timely satisfying all requirements at both trial court and appellate court levels with transcripts and record preparation)

Opposing party (Mother) filed a second appeal to the Court of Appeals, seeking to challenge trial court's custody, child support and contempt ruling in favor of client (Father). We moved to have it dis ... missed based on technicality.

Child custody

McNair v. McNair (Court of Appeals), A25A1807 (2026)

Mar 26, 2026

OUTCOME: Prevailed, and the appellate court fully REVERSED the trial court's modification of custody (and thus returning custody back to client), agreeing with the various arguments I raised in the appeal.

We filed an appeal, seeking to challenge trial court's order granting the opposing party (father) custody of the party's children in a modification of custody case, based on various grounds raised.

Child custody

Smith v. Armstrong (Court of Appeals of Georgia), 379 Ga.App. 47 (2026)

Mar 11, 2026

OUTCOME: Prevailed in successfully securing affirmation of trial court's ruling (enabling client to retain custody & favorable ruling). Case helped establish helpful precedent in mod of custody cases and evidentiary issues

Father (opposing party) appealed trial court's order in Mother's (my client's) favor, denying his motion to modify custody of child; as well as appealed court's ruling of child support and attorney fee ... s in my client's favor. Father also appealed evidentiary related rulings and findings related to a psychologist that testified as expert witness in the case.

Family

Hartman v. DeCaro (Court of Appeals of Georgia), 378 Ga.App. 639 (2026)

Feb 24, 2026

OUTCOME: Prevailed, in securing a REVERSAL of trial court's ruling (and in turn secured sole custody for client), after years of appellate litigation in Supreme Court and COA

Appeal of Equitable Caregiver case, challenging trial court's ruling in several respects on several different grounds, including standing.

Child custody

Compton v. Gonzalez-Guerero (Court of Appeals) 378 Ga.App. 604 (2026)

Feb 19, 2026

OUTCOME: Successfully secured affirmation (enabling client to retain custody & favorable trial court ruling). Case also established a helpful precedent for how a party can introduce otherwise hearsay evidence of a child's testimony through a licensed therapist.

Defended an appeal filed by a Mother against our client (Father), challenging a trial court's award of primary custody and child support to Father, claiming various alleged errors of law and alleged ev ... identiary errors.

Family

Tongamoa v. Habib (Court of Appeals of Georgia), A26D0191

Jan 08, 2026

OUTCOME: Although the COA granted father's application, I was able to get the appeal DISMISSED at the trial court level based on technicality.

Opposing party appealed an attorney fee award in favor of my client in a legitimation/custody action.

Family

Garg v. Modi (Court of Appeals of Georgia), A24D0089 (2023)

Oct 13, 2023

OUTCOME: The Court of Appeals denied father's appeal (and thus we were able to get client's favorable ruling affirmed).

After we obtained a favorable custody and support ruling for client in the trial court for a mother, the father appealed to the Court of Appeals, arguing various grounds to set aside Order.

Family

Ritchie Thomas v. Tyesha Thomas (Court of Appeals) (2023)

Sep 27, 2023

OUTCOME: The Court of Appeals denied Father's application for appeal (and thus the client's favorable ruling was affirmed).

We defended against an appeal filed by husband, challenging a favorable ruling in a divorce trial for our client/wife.

Austin Robert Cosby Buerlein's Legal Cases (19)

Harkness v. Harkness (Court of Appeals) -- case is CURRENTLY PENDING

Stickler v. Stickler (Court of Appeals) -- case is CURRENTLY PENDING

Evans v. Evans (Court of Appeals) - 2026

McNair v. McNair (Court of Appeals), A25A1807 (2026)

Smith v. Armstrong (Court of Appeals of Georgia), 379 Ga.App. 47 (2026)

Hartman v. DeCaro (Court of Appeals of Georgia), 378 Ga.App. 639 (2026)

Compton v. Gonzalez-Guerero (Court of Appeals) 378 Ga.App. 604 (2026)

Tongamoa v. Habib (Court of Appeals of Georgia), A26D0191

Garg v. Modi (Court of Appeals of Georgia), A24D0089 (2023)

Ritchie Thomas v. Tyesha Thomas (Court of Appeals) (2023)