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MAY 2022 NEWSLETTER
My Mother Was an
Amazing Person
by Attorney, John M. Goralka
Mom with my sister, Mary Jean, and me as an infant.
Sunday, May 8th is Mother's Day and it has
me thinking back about my own mother.
My mother was an amazing person. In an era when
women typically did not have professional
education or careers, she had a degree in
IN THIS
ISSUE
IN THE NEWS:
What if Johnny Depp
and Amber Heard Had
a Premarital
Agreement?
SUBMIT YOUR RECIPES
Cinco de Mayo
Margaritas
WATCH THIS VIDEO:
Importance of an
Attorney to Protect
Your Business
RECIPE OF THE MONTH:
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Thoughts of the Day
Contact Us
Chemistry and worked for a number of years in a
lab. The laboratory was located close to a
residential neighborhood. She liked to tell the story
of when there was an emergency drill and the
entire facility was evacuated. She did not know this
was a drill. She said the residents close by were
shocked to see all these people in white coats
sprinting as fast as possible out the front gate.
My mom’s father and his four (4) brothers were all
policemen in Chicago. Pictures of them reminded
me of the pictures you saw of gangsters in those
days. They must have been very tough individuals
to be police officers in those times.
My mom had two (2) sisters who were both
teachers. My mom also taught for a short time.
They taught in some of the most dangerous areas
of Chicago. Their colleagues might leave school to
find their car on blocks with no wheels. My mom
was a petite lady, but she was exceedingly
protective of her kids. You always knew she had
your back, even if you were punished in private at
home for your questionable adventure (such as
throwing pomegranates at passing cars).
My mom taught all of us to read long before we
started formal school or kindergarten. A love of
reading and a good story is shared by myself and
all my siblings.
My mom also raised nine (9) kids. If you have not
had the privilege of growing up in a large family,
you will never understand that experience. We
lived on a ranch with our nearest neighbor about 2
miles away. We played a lot of board games which
developed unique house, or Goralka, rules over the
years. Heaven help a visiting friend trying to play.
COVID-19
UPDATE
We are continuing to
provide our legal
services over the
telephone and by Video
Conferencing. We have
limited in-person
meetings at our office,
by appointment only.
THOUGHT
OF THE
DAY
“If you don't like
something, change
it. If you can't
change it, change
your attitude about
it.”
– Maya Angelou
“Change begins at
the end of your
comfort zone.”
– Roy T. Bennet
“We cannot
become what we
Mom with my siblings (I'm in the blue overalls on the right)
One of my favorite memories was an Easter upon
which we all woke up to find a numbered string
next to the bed. We each followed our string
crisscrossing throughout the house, in and out of
closets and various obstacles to find our easter
baskets.
My parents found ways for us all to have fun
together. Christmas was particularly memorable.
Decorating the tree together was a tradition with
many homemade, family ornaments along with
fancy heirloom ornaments. That was in the day of
the sparkling tinsel to throw on the tree over the
lights. If there was something you needed (such as
socks, underwear, paper, etc.) after about July, you
would expect to find that wrapped and under the
tree at Christmas. With 9 kids, the tree appeared to
be in an ocean of presents.
want by remaining
what we are.”
– Max de Pree
Mom with all 9 of her children
This year is particularly poignant. My parents are
both gone now. We sold the ranch a few weeks
ago, but the memories remain. The smell of garlicy
spaghetti sauce or other favorite dishes remind me
of my mom. My kids, when much younger, were
enamored with my mom’s tuna fish salad. We still
treasure those family recipes.
My parents did a great job. My siblings and I
remain a close-knit family. Each of them holds an
advanced degree of some kind. Each of my
brothers and sisters are intelligent, kind and caring
people. Education and maintaining family
relationships were important for my mom. A great
legacy for my mom. Thank you, Mom!
Happy Mother's Day!
John Goralka
Mom in blue with some her grandchildren.
Lots of kids means lots of grandkids!
What if Johnny Depp and Amber Heard
Had a Premarital Agreement?
Intro: Oh, the gritty details
we’re learning from the
latest court battle between
Johnny Depp and Amber
Heard. This unfortunate
airing of dirty laundry may
have been avoided with a
prenup. Should you think
about getting one yourself?
As we observe the very public $50 million defamation lawsuit Johnny Depp
brought against his ex-wife Amber Heard, we realize that this all seems to be
related to or carried over from on their very public divorce proceedings. The
couple were married – without the benefit of a prenuptial agreement – in 2015
after meeting in 2011 on the film set for The Rum Diary. They split up when
Heard filed for divorce in 2016. That divorce was final in 2017, but it certainly
didn’t end their legal battles.
At the time of their divorce, Depp’s net worth was estimated to be more than 18
times larger than Heard’s. She initially sought $50,000 per month in spousal
support to maintain her marital lifestyle. The property settlement provided for
Depp to pay her $7 million. Heard declared that she would donate the divorce
proceeds to charity. So, Depp paid a portion of the divorce settlement to the
Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles and to the ACLU. Heard’s attorney then
demanded that Depp donate $14 million to charity to reflect a net payment of
$7 million for Depp after the projected $7 million in tax savings from the
charitable contribution deduction.
Amber and Johnny’s dispute still rages on now, five years after their divorce
was final in 2017. Note that the marriage itself lasted only 16 months, yet it
appears to have inspired six years of litigation and controversy. The couple
is currently back in court, with Depp suing over an op-ed Heard wrote in 2018
alleging she was the victim of domestic abuse.
How a Prenup Could Have Helped
A premarital agreement could have made a world of difference. It would almost
certainly have... READ ON
plays through a business owner's life-cycle from start to sale including
protecting the wealth with asset protection and solving the "unsolvable"
problems that often cause businesses to fail along the way. The Stormo family
had a multi-generation business and lived in both California and Nevada during
the time-frame that this film covers. This film contains interviews with the family
as well as our own, John Goralka of The Goralka Law Firm.
Also, thanks to all of our clients for their business and referrals over the
years. Reviews like these are a reminder about why we do what we do and
reaffirms that we are not simply just preparing legal documents, but we're
cultivating relationships and really helping families and their loved ones with
transformational changes for generations to come.
If you are a client with The Goralka Law Firm, we encourage you to take the
time to leave us some feedback and a review online at one (or more) of the
following:
RECIPE OF THE MONTH:
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Keeping with the Cinco de Mayo
theme, here's another soup recipe
that you're going to love! It's both
a family and Wine Down
Wednesday favorite! Not only is it
super tasty, but it's also very easy
to make!
INGREDIENTS
4 chicken breast halves
1 garlic clove, minced
2 Tbsp margarine
2 14.5oz cans of chicken broth
2 14.5oz cans of chopped stewed tomatoes
1 cup of salsa (mild, medium or hot, whichever you prefer)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 Tbsp (or more) ground cumin
8oz Monterey Jack cheese, cubed
Sour cream
Tortilla chips (or strips)
DIRECTIONS
1. In a slow cooker, cook, debone and shred chicken
2. Add minced garlic to margarine in slow cooker, saute
3. Combine all ingredients except cheese, sour cream and tortilla
chips/strips
4. Cover and allow to cook on low for 8 to 10 hours
5. Divide cubed cheese among 6 individual bowls
6. Ladle soup over cheese and sprinkle tortilla chips/strips
7. Top each bowl with a dollop of sour cream
8. Optional, add sliced avocado and additional shredded cheese on top
9. Stir in more vegetable broth to thin as desired. Serve warm topped with
Romano cheese.
Enjoy!
CONTACT US
THE GORALKA LAW FIRM, PC
4470 Duckhorn Drive
Sacramento, CA 95834
Phone: (916) 440-8036
NOTE: The client testimonials featured in this newsletter and on our website are from actual clients of
The Goralka Law Firm, PC. Their last names have been redacted to protect their privacy.
These client testimonials do not guarantee your particular results.
