General Law

Bankruptcy:

This firm handles Chapter 7 bankruptcies only. Chapter 7's discharge the debt to allow you a fresh start with your finances. However, the court allows you to keep only a certain amount of your assets and the rest must be liquidated or surrendered to pay back your creditors. There are many other options that may be better for your situation. Some debts such as taxes and child support obligations can not be discharged. You may need a Chapter 13 debt consolidation in order to keep your home. With Chapter 13s, your attorney prepares a plan where you pay off your debts over time. You may also wish to consult with agencies that help you pay off your creditors before choosing bankruptcy. You can file a bankruptcy without an attorney but an attorney can advise you of the rights you have available and can handle the phone calls from those annoying creditors for you. There is no charge for an initial consultation to discuss whether a bankruptcy is right for your situation.

Civil Disputes:

Any legal problem that is not criminal is considered civil. Not all legal problems require a law suit to solve them. You may need a letter written on your behalf demanding your legal rights in a situation. You may simply require a legal document to ensure certain rights are granted such as a quit claim deed, a lease, a settlement agreement or an incorporation. Anytime you sign an agreement, you are making some type of legal promise and giving up or exercising some legal right. In each of these situations, you may need an attorney to explain your rights and obligations to you. This firm is a general civil litigation firm and can handle most civil disputes. We can also advise you of the law and precedents of your situation to help you decide if your case is worth your time and expense in a court of law if a suit is necessary. If your situation is one that this firm does not feel comfortable handling, we will tell you so immediately and provide you with referrals if you would like them.

Landlord/Tenant:

A rental agreement or lease is one of the most common legal documents that most people encounter at least once and usually more often. The landlord/tenant relationship is also one of the most common ones to develop into a legal dispute. Areas of contention are usually over repairs, nonpayment of rent, housing discrimination, safety, eviction, proper lease termination, property damage, and return of the security deposit. Many of these disputes can be prevented with a thorough lease agreement that both parties understand. Just because a lease is a common everyday agreement does not mean that it should not be reviewed by an attorney for either the landlord or the tenant's behalf. Each party should also be aware of their legal rights when entering into the contract. Georgia laws are very specific about each party's obligation especially about giving proper notice. Most importantly, to avoid disputes in this area and others, get it in writing! Verbal agreements are very difficult to prove. If you are already in a dispute, you may call for an initial consultation to determine if you need a lawyer.

Contracts:

The majority of legal disputes are contract disputes. Most of the time, the reason the dispute arose is because the parties never put the agreement in writing. Almost every agreement is a contract of some sort and most of them are verbal (spoken) contracts. If the roofer promises you a new roof and you promise to pay $4,000.00. You have a contract even if it isn't written down. Legal problems develop when parties either break the contract by not keeping up to their promise or if other terms to contract are never spelled out. What if you paid for the roof and six weeks later, it still isn't finished or isn't made with the best quality materials? Sometimes, an attorney is necessary to help you resolve these disputes when contingencies happen that weren't anticipated in the agreement. If you seek the advise of counsel, before the agreement is finalized, we can help anticipate problems or expectations so that both parties come to an agreement ahead of time. If you make a solid contract that you or the other party cannot fulfill, an attorney can also help you negotiate another solution and advise you of your rights if the dispute should go to court. Most attorneys will tell you if want a deal to come through the way you planned, always get it in writing. You may also need advice to determine if the contract you have is valid. Validity depends on many factors such as were both parties mentally competent or authorized to sign the contract. Was one party unfairly influenced to agree? Did the parties have the same agreement in their minds when they agreed? There is no charge for an initial consultation to determine if you need advice on your contract. For an alternative way to resolve your contract dispute without going to court see Mediation.