Your Lake Mary Lawyer
AREAS OF PRACTICE
CRIMINAL LAW
As a former prosecutor, I have extensive experience in the Courtroom. I have handled nine felony jury trials in the past ten years, defending individuals charged with everything from felony drug possession to murder.
If you are charged with a criminal offense and have done nothing wrong, do not take a plea. Come talk to us and see what can be done to get you the best possible outcome possible.
JUVENILE LAW
When your child is in trouble with the law, your world is turned upside down! I have worked with enough parents to know that a parent does not sleep well when their child is facing charges. I have worked extensively with the juvenile justice system as both a prosecutor and a defense attorney. I know what alternatives are available to many first-time offenders. If your child is in trouble, come talk to us to see if those alternatives or others are available to him or her.
I am aware that juveniles who are facing delinquency charges, particularly if they come from a working-class environment, are at risk of being branded by teachers, school administration, and law enforcement as "bad kids", a reputation that can follow a child into adulthood and lead to a long-term engagement with the adult felony court system. If your child is facing delinquency charges, please do not leave it to chance. Call me.
DOMESTIC INJUNCTIONS
There is no reason why anybody has to suffer violence or abuse. If you or someone you know is suffering from violence at the hands of another, the most caring and compassionate thing you can do for that person (even if that person is yourself) is to help them free themselves from the attacker. There are laws in place to protect women and men (because it should not be forgotten that a sizable number of domestic violence are men, and for every man who is identified as a victim, many more suffer in silence) from domestic violence. Come talk to me and see if I can help you. I offer free consultations for individuals coming to see me regarding domestic injunctions.
Likewise, catastrophically, some people have used a system that is set in place to protect innocent victims to gain an undue upper hand in a divorce proceeding, a paternity proceeding, or an immigration proceeding. This abuse of the system is an affront to all the victims who desperately need help from the Courts. If you have received a temporary restraining order which you feel was filed to serve such an agenda, call me.
DEPENDENCY/DCF ACTIONS
When DCF calls, everything is put asunder. When there is an allegation of abuse or neglect of children or an elderly person, an entire family can be torn apart with children being sent to foster care, parents possibly being charged with criminal offenses, and the very real possibility of a parent's parental rights being terminated.
It doesn't have to be that way.
If you have received notice your children or elderly relative is the subject of a DCF investigation, you need a lawyer to help you with the labyrinth of legal proceedings. I have worked extensively with the dependency community in Seminole and Orange Counties, and know what must happen to help you reunify with your children as soon as possible.
DIVORCE AND PATERNITY
Nobody enters into a relationship thinking it will someday end, but sadly many relationships do end. When this happens, there are often decisions that must be made with regard to parenting time with the children, distribution of marital property, alimony, and child support. If you are facing divorce or are battling with a co-parent over the proper care of your child, it can be extremely aggravating. Come talk to me about possible options, your rights and responsibilities, and how to get the best possible outcome so you can move forward with your life.
I am also trained in what is known as "collaborative divorce", a process which involves a series of professionals and is geared toward settling a marital dissolution with the parties moving forward in the most emotionally stable and financially secure place possible. If this option interests you, please call me and mention that you are interested in collaborative divorce.
GUARDIANSHIP/
MENTAL HEALTH LAW
As a former mental health case worker, I know the challenges people who care for a loved one with a chronic mental illness face every day. I practice guardianship and mental health law as part of my commitment to making sure people who have chronic mental illness receive the care they need and that no legal obstacles stand in the way of the caregivers' making sure they get the care they need.
If you are caring for a loved one with a mental illness and need assistance through the Courts to assure they get the care they need, call me.