Help! Finding A Lawyer

Chances are if you are looking for a lawyer you are at a very stressful time in your life, and are overwhelmed. It doesn’t have to be as hard or as costly as you think to find a good lawyer. Provided below are some tips that can take the stress out of finding a lawyer  
What is it that you want - When first starting out the whole process take time to jot down exactly what it is that you want in a lawyer and in your legal case in general. This will help save you cost and aid greatly in finding a lawyer. Have a detailed layout of your whole case, what it is that has happened, and what it is you want to happen as a result of the legal case. Another very important question to ask yourself is: How much can you afford to spend on a lawyer?
 Where to Look for a lawyer - Are first instinct when looking for a lawyer is to flip through the yellow pages and to see which ad, or slogan sounds right. This isn’t the worst idea, although setting up consultations can be very timely and time consuming. I would recommend talking to friends and family first to see if they or anyone they know have had experience working with lawyers in your area and what they would recommend. Several people have gone through the same situation as you, ask around, and I’m sure they will gladly help you out as they understand what it is like to be in your shoes. There are also several places online where you can search for lawyers. Be careful when searching online as often times sources aren’t as creditable as they would give themselves credit for.  
What to look for in a lawyer - I think the most important aspect in finding a lawyer is finding someone that you can work with. You might find the best lawyer in the world, but if your personalities don’t mesh, your going to have a really hard time working through your case. Make sure the lawyer you seek out has experience and expertise in the matter that you need him or her for. For Example if you need a divorce lawyer, there is no sense going to a lawyer who specializes in Corporate Law. This will help save in legal fee’s and also give you a much better chance in the case you are fighting. Look into the Lawyer’s experience and history. Is this lawyer qualified to handle your case? If you take these things into consideration I have no doubt that you will have success in finding a great lawyer. Feel free to reprint this article as long as you keep the following caption and author biography in tact with all hyperlinks.

Free Criminal Records Searches – For Every Investigator

“Don’t talk to strangers.” Echoes of this warning from our childhood days come to us briefly in certain moments. In today’s highly mobile society, it’s hard to trust just anyone. Everyday we encounter new faces of whom we know nothing about. We don’t know for one if that person we met at the subway has a record of mugging. We don’t know if the nanny we hire to care for our kids while we go to work has a history of violence against children. And then we don’t even know whether our co-workers have the same tendency to commit violence.

Before the time of free criminal records searches over the Internet, judging a person’s character requires some form of people intuition skills. But since intuition may not prove to be as reliable as we would like to believe, we feel threatened.

With the advent of free criminal records searches, that threat is lessened. The Internet has made it possible and easier for us to perform free criminal records searches on anyone. So now we can hire nannies for our children without worrying whether or not that person can be trusted to take good care of them. Now, we can hire people to work for our company, confident in the fact that we conducted free criminal records searches before accepting their applications. And we fee much safer now at the workplace where pre-employment background checks and free criminal records searches are performed, knowing that our fellow employees do not have a propensity to criminal behavior.

But like all things, information does not always come for free. You pay a high price just to stay informed. Most of the time, companies who are greater risk of negligence lawsuits hire private research firms who do their pre-employment background checks for them for charge. The costs for services rendered are high since these firms really send people out to government offices to manually retrieve information from their databases. Although the information you get from these research firms are really comprehensive and useful, not everyone can afford it. And so for the purpose of providing research sources for those who wish to conduct criminal records checks but want to save on costs, here is a short list of free websites offering databases of public records information.

State Central Repositories

Many States in the U.S. offer central repositories of criminal records where you can perform free searches. However, depending on which state, these state databases of criminal records may charge a minimum amount for each search request that you make. State databases usually include detailed information about statewide criminal records submitted by various law enforcement offices and criminal justice agencies located within the state.

City Databases

All states in the U.S. keep databases of criminal records based on reports filed in their major cities. These databases allow you to extract information on a particular subject. Hence, city databases are excellent places for you to start your free criminal records searches.

County Databases

Aside from cities, databases containing free criminal records are available county-wide. The search information you get from these sources are based on reports submitted to the county index from county courts, including district courts and circuit courts. County databases are excellent sources of free criminal records of court filings and you can use them to start your search.

Florida Homestead Property - The Basics

Florida Homestead property is one of the most misunderstood parts of Florida law.  The article gives the basics of Florida Homestead property.
Florida's Homestead protections are actually three distinct protections under Florida law, each with a different purpose and effect: asset protection, reduced property taxes, and protection of surviving spouses and minor children. Each is explained below.

The Florida Constitution exempts homestead property from levy and execution by most creditors. So long as the property qualifies as homestead, the amount that can be protected is not limited, which makes the Florida Homestead an excellent asset protection vehicle. Even if the purchase of the homestead was designed to defeat creditors, the protection still applies.
Under the Bankruptcy Reform Act of 2005, however, debtors in bankruptcy may lose all or a portion of the homestead protection. In bankruptcy, homestead protection is capped at $125,000, unless the debtor occupied the Florida homestead property and previous Florida homestead properties for 1215 days prior to the bankruptcy filing. Also, transfers into Florida Homestead within 10 years intended to defraud creditors may be challenged by the bankruptcy trustee.

Federal creditors, such as the Internal Revenue Service, mortgage holders, and persons holding mechanics liens on Florida homestead property are not restricted by the Florida homestead provisions.

Under Florida's Save Our Homes Act, the assessed value of a Florida Homestead is restricted to an increase of no more than 3% per year.

If a Florida resident passes away owning a Florida Homestead in his or her own name, if the resident had minor children, the minor children are entitled to the entire property, or, if the resident was married, to no less than a remainder interest in the property. A surviving spouse is entitled to no less than a life estate in Florida Homestead property.  The homestead provisions can be a trap for the unwary, especially for those with estate plans drafted while a resident of another state.  For example, a person owning a house in New York and a condominium in Florida may have decided, while a New York resident, to leave the house to his spouse and his condominium to a daughter from a first marriage.  If the person retires to Florida as a resident and then passes away, his spouse will inherit the house under the terms of the will and then be given a life estate in the Florida condominium.

Find A Good Family Law Attorney

The decision to divorce is never an easy one. You hurt, your spouse hurts, and if children are involved, you wonder if the decision you are making is in their best interests or not. Finding a family law attorney means interviewing candidates to represent your interets. I have listed five steps to help you navigate the process. If you are in need of locating a good attorney, one who specializes in family law, then you need someone who can look after your interests as well as the interests of your children. I have listed five options to help you find the attorney who is right for you. 

 1. Check with Friends, Family – People you know can be an excellent resource to help you locate a family law attorney. Somebody you know probably has been through a similar experience; their advice and support can be useful to you.  

2. The Bar Association – A local or state bar association can be a wonderful resource as they will tell you which of their members specialize in Family Law. Get a hold of that list, contact the attorneys directly, and interview them. Typically, your first visit is free so that you can learn what the family law attorney will do for you, their fee structure, and much more. 

 3. Legal Aid Societies – Your state or county should have a legal aid society. If you find that the cost of retaining counsel is prohibitive, consider contacting your local chapter for help. Some will offer their services for free or “pro bono.” Some attorneys will charge you based on a sliding scale, taking into consideration your ability to repay. For parents with limited means, this can be a terrific option. 4. Research – Your library has legal directories featuring all kinds of legal professionals, while the internet is an excellent resource for accurate and up to date information. Forums, list servs, ads, and articles like the one you are reading now can be good sources to help you find attorney related information. 

 5. Check the Phone Book – One of the most popular places for attorneys to list their availability is with an old stand by: your phone book. Right smack dab in the yellow pages you will find scores of attorneys featured with all the of their contact information listed, including web sites. Divorce certainly isn’t fun, in fact it is downright painful. Your children will suffer, but you can help ease the transition for them and you by finding an attorney who is compassionate and caring. For additional support and spiritual guidance, arrange a visit with your pastor today.