Jodat Law Group, P.A.
521 9th Street West
Bradenton, FL 34205
941-749-1901
677 N Washington Blvd
Sarasota, FL 34236
941-355-6328
941-35JODAT
SERVICES
BRADENTON CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY
Diligent Representation • Initial Consultation Free
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Every criminal matter is serious and may have long-term consequences. We offer a FREE initial consultation. It is highly recommended that you contact an attorney familiar with criminal law before you make any decisions. It will not cost you anything to determine what rights you have, but you may have devastating results if you do not.
Our criminal department has taken many cases to trial with crimes as serious as murder and as simple as petty theft. However, many cases can be resolved prior to trial. Criminal procedure requires several court appearances. We will guide you through each step and in most cases appear on your behalf so that your appearance in court will not be necessary. Please make an appointment with us to review your options. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to call us at 941-749-1901 for an appointment to discuss your case with an experienced criminal law attorney.
NOTE: The information you obtain at this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for individual advice regarding your own situation.
Low Reasonable Rates
Payment Plans Available
SARASOTA AND BRADENTON BANKRUPTCY ATTORNEYS
Chapter 7 Consumer Bankruptcy Attorney
Chapter 7 bankruptcy is a liquidation proceeding. The Debtor turns over all non-exempt property to the bankruptcy trustee, who then converts it to cash for distribution to the creditors.
How Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Works
In Chapter 7 bankruptcy, you provide the court a list of all of your debts and a list of everything you own. You also answer questions about your past financial dealings. You can claim as exempt the property you are allowed by law. This property you may keep. The trustee has the right to liquidate any property that cannot be claimed as exempt and then apply the cash to your debts.
The only restriction on keeping exempt property is that you still must pay purchase-money liens, the liens placed on property you buy. For example, if you plan to keep your car or house, you are still required to make the regular contractual payments to the creditor.
The Most Common Reasons for Consumer Bankruptcy
- Unemployment
- Large medical expenses
- Seriously over extended credit
- Marital problems
- Large unexpected expenses
Chapter 13 Bankruptcy
A chapter 13 bankruptcy gives you the chance to reduce the amount you pay on debts, allowing you to keep your property you otherwise might not be able to afford to keep, and it protects you from your creditors. Debtors facing home foreclosure or interest accruing on back tax debt would benefit from filing a Chapter 13 bankruptcy.
A Debtor must meet certain qualifications in order to file a Chapter 13 bankruptcy. You must have stable and regular income. Your income must be high enough so that after you pay for your basic human needs, you are likely to have money left over to make periodic (usually monthly) payments to the bankruptcy court for three to five years. In addition, your debts must not be too high. There are limitations on how much secured as well as unsecured debt you are allowed to claim on a Chapter 13 bankruptcy.
What is a Bankruptcy Discharge and How Does It Work?
One of the reasons people file bankruptcy is to get a “discharge” of their debt. A discharge is a Court order, which states you are no longer obligated to pay the discharged debt back. Some debts cannot be discharged. For example, you cannot discharge debts for:
- Most taxes
- Child support
- Alimony
- Most Student loans
- Court fines and criminal restitutions; and
- Personal injury caused by driving drunk or under the influence of drugs.
The discharge only applies to debts that arose before the date you filed. If the Judge finds that you received money or property by fraud, that debt may not be discharged.
The Judge can also deny your discharge if something dishonest has been done in connection with your bankruptcy case, such as destroying or hiding property, falsifying records, lying or ignoring a Court Order.
If you’re looking for a Sarasota bankruptcy lawyer to fight for you, contact us today.
NOTE: The information you obtain at this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for individual advice regarding your own situation.
Low Reasonable Rates
Payment Plans Available
SARASOTA CREDITOR HARASSMENT LAWYER
Stop Annoying Phone Calls
Creditor harassment is the use of abusive, deceptive, and unfair debt collection practices by a debt collector. Abusive debt collection practices contribute to the number of personal bankruptcies filed each year.
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act
A Federal Statute known as the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act gives you specific legal rights to sue debt collectors who:
- Use or threatens to use acts of violence or other criminal means;
- Uses obscene or profane language;
- Repeated phone calls with the intent to annoy, abuse or harass;
- Make false representations about the debt or their intentions,
- Or otherwise act in ways proscribed by the act.
False statements may include threats to:
- Contact your employer about your debt
- Call you “everyday until the debt is paid”
- Threaten imprisonment or punishment
- Contact your neighbors
- Contact the Immigration and Naturalization Service about your alien status
- Any threat where the collector says he is legal counsel or an attorney/lawyer when he/she is not
What Debt Collectors Must Do When They Call or Send Correspondence
Each time a Debt Collector contacts someone, they must abide by certain rules. If they don’t abide by these rules, they are violating the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. The following are examples of what they must do on each and every call:
- They must state their name, state that they are a Debt Collector and they must state the name of the company they represent.
- They must inform the caller, “Information obtained during the course of this call will be used for the purpose of collecting the debt”.
- Letters received in the mail from Collectors must also contain similar warnings such as:
“This is an attempt to collect a debt. Any information obtained will be used for that purpose. Unless within 30 days of your receipt of this notice, you notify us that you dispute the validity of this debt, it will be assumed to be correct. If you notify this office within thirty days that you dispute the validity of the debt, we will obtain verification of the debt or a copy of the judgment. If you request it within 30 days, we will provide you with the name and address of the original Creditor (if different from the current Creditor)”.
If the letter received does not have a warning similar to the one above, the Debt Collector is violating the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
It is impossible to list all prohibited types of threats or everything a Debt Collector is responsible for. If it seems wrong, it is worth speaking to a lawyer who is familiar with the subject.
NOTE: The information you obtain at this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for individual advice regarding your own situation.
No Fee Unless You Recover*
*Costs Excluded
SARASOTA DIVORCE LAWYER
We understand that going through a divorce is often an extremely difficult time in a person’s life. There are so many possible ramifications, both emotional and financial. Issues such as whether one spouse will be found to owe the other spouse alimony, who will get custody of the children, how much child support will be expected, and how the property and debts will be divided may make the process seem overwhelming. And that is before wondering what the tax consequences may be and how it may affect any retirement plans you have made.
Once you are served with a petition for dissolution of marriage, you have only twenty days to file an answer. The answer admits or denies the relevant aspects of the petition, it may be short or lengthy, and it may include a counter-petition. Just as the spouse who files the initial petition may ask for financial support, custody of the children, occupancy of the marital home, attorney fees, etc., you also have the right to request an equal division of assets, custody of the children or visitation, attorney fees, etc. Both parties to a divorce are expected to file financial affidavits with the court outlining their current fiscal situation.
When couples can agree on the major areas—division of property; custody and support of children; whether there will be spousal support and if so, in what form; and the apportionment of debt—a divorce can be finalized quickly. When couples cannot agree, there are options available other than a court battle to attempt to resolve the differences. Mediation can be a very effective way to save each party time, money, and the emotional toll as a result of lengthy litigation. Sometimes litigation, where each party presents evidence and a judge decides the outcome, is the only viable option.
A divorce can be a devastating experience for anyone. It can be made even worse if a party to the action feels as if the end result is unfair. Judges are not allowed to give legal advice and if the other side has an attorney that attorney is representing only their interests, not yours. You need to have your own advocate looking out for your interests.
Our firm is prepared to represent you in this matter. Please call 941-749-1901 and make an appointment for a free initial consultation where you will meet with an attorney who will evaluate your case and explain the options available to you, along with the estimated costs.
NOTE: The information you obtain at this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for individual advice regarding your own situation.
Low Reasonable Rates
Payment Plans Available
Personal Injury & Wrongful Death
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PAIN AND SUFFERING • MEDICAL BILLS • LOST WAGES
If you have been injured by the negligence of another, contact Jodat Law Group, P.A. and you will have direct communication with an attorney. Attorneys at Jodat Law Group, P.A. will evaluate your case, not an investigator, not a paralegal, not a legal secretary, but the attorney.
The experienced and knowledgeable attorneys and staff at Jodat Law Group, P.A. will address your specific needs on an individual basis. Jodat Law Group, P.A. will consider your interests as top priority in negotiations with insurance companies.
You will pay no fee, unless we recover. Our fee follows the requirements of Florida Bar Rule 4-1.5 Fees for Legal Services.
Sarasota Car Accident Attorney
According to NHTSA, deaths and injuries resulting from motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for persons of every age from 2 through 33 years old. In 2003, 42,643 people were killed in the estimated 6,328,000 police reported motor vehicle traffic crashes, 2,889,000 people were injured, and 4,365,000 crashes involved property damage only.
Vehicle occupants accounted for 87 percent of traffic fatalities in 2003. The remaining 13 percent were pedestrians, pedalcyclists, and other non-occupants. In 2003 there were 17,013 fatalities in alcohol-related crashes. NHTSA estimates that alcohol was involved in 40 percent of fatal crashes and in 7 percent of all crashes in 2003. Alcohol and speeding are clearly a deadly combination.
Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
The 3,661 motorcyclist fatalities in 2003 accounted for 9 percent of all traffic fatalities for the year. An additional 67,000 motorcycle occupants were injured.
Per vehicle mile traveled in 2002, motorcyclists were 27 times as likely as passenger car occupants to die in a motor vehicle traffic crash and 6 times as likely to be injured.
Pedestrians
In 2003, 70,000 pedestrians were injured and 4,749 were killed in traffic crashes in the United States, representing 2 percent of all the people injured in traffic crashes and 11 percent of all traffic fatalities. On average, a pedestrian is killed in a motor vehicle crash every 111 minutes, and one is injured every 8 minutes.
Pedalcyclists
In 2003, 622 pedalcyclists were killed and an additional 46,000 were injured in traffic crashes. Pedalcyclists made up 1 percent of all traffic fatalities and 2 percent of all the people injured in traffic crashes during the year.
Dog Bites
Approximately 35 percent of American households own dogs and the US dog population is over 50 million.
The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta (“CDC”) has reported that dogs bite about 2% of the U.S. population or almost 5 million people every year. One out of every 6 bites requires medical attention. From 1979 to 1996, more than 300 people in the U.S. died from dog attacks. Most dog attacks occur in the home and the majority of the attacking dogs belong to an acquaintance.
Premises Liability
Under Florida law, a person who lawfully enters upon a premises is owed certain duties. The duty of care owed to such person is threefold. The possessor of the premises must use ordinary care in keeping the premises in a reasonably safe condition and correct any dangerous conditions of which the owner knows or should reasonably have known about, as well as giving timely notice of latent or concealed perils that are known or should have been known to the owner or possessor.
Safety code and statute violations may apply in a case. In this regard, Florida Statute, Section 83.51(1)(a) requires an owner or occupier to comply with all applicable codes concerning their property, and that proof of a code violation represents prima facie evidence of negligence. Holland v. Baquette, Inc., 540 So.2d 197 (Fla. 3d DCA 1989) and The Grand Union Company v. Rocker, 454 So.2d 14 (Fla. 3d DCA 1984).
Nursing Home Negligence Lawyer
When a resident is abused or neglected in a nursing home that is nursing home negligence. This negligence results in deaths, broken bones, malnutrition, dehydration and decubitus ulcers.
The nursing home industry is a multi-billion dollar business and efficiency and profitability have sometimes taken priority over proper care. Federal and state governments have introduced legislation to protect residents of nursing homes.
NOTE: The information you obtain at this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for individual advice regarding your own situation.
No Fee Unless You Recover*
*Costs Excluded
Home and Hospital Consultation
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