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July 11, 2020
Do you need to make a legal demand of someone? Give me 5 minutes and I am going to show you how to do it right. A demand letter is a formal demand that someone or some thing do or stop doing something. In theory, a demand letter is easy to do – you could just scribble something on a napkin and hand it to the person. But a well-done demand letter requires thought and professionalism. First, the technical issues. Often a written demand is a condition precedent to legal action. You may need to prove, sometimes years later, when […]
July 6, 2020
During twenty years practicing law, I enter into negotiations of some sort every day. Sometimes the negotiations are with opposing counsel, sometimes with the Judge, sometimes with my own client, sometimes at formal mediation. Here is what you need to know to negotiate like an experienced lawyer – all in under four minutes. Yes, I am that good. First, in order to win a negotiation, it’s vital that you know more than the other side. That’s why buying a used car is a horrible position to be in. You have less information about the car than the person selling it – how […]
June 1, 2020
Right away a disclaimer: I am going to tell you how to get a lawyer to “Take Your Case” and that includes potentially lying to the lawyer. You will not hear this information anywhere else and I feel no qualms about telling you because … well … other lawyers lie to me everyday. So here we go, I am about to tell you some secrets. By continuing to read this you hereby agree to never use this information against me or my law firm. Preparing for this blog, I did some research which basically consisted of Googling “How to get […]
May 22, 2020
Thinking of going into law? On today’s blog– something a little different and solely for the youngsters –I’m going to tell you if being a lawyer is right for you. Give me a few minutes and let Uncle Jeremy give you the 411. If you are over thirty and have no interest in lawyers, go away! This is between me and the youngbloods. I am about to tell you something that could literally save you a lifetime of frustration. My qualifications? I’m young enough to know what Tic-Tok is, but old and wise enough not to try the dance moves. Young […]
May 13, 2020
1. WHO CAN FILE FOR BANKRUPTCY? Any person who resides, does business, OR has property in the U.S. can file bankruptcy. There is no requirement that a person who resides here prove their legal status – so yes, undocumented workers can file bankruptcy as well. The big/main requirement is that you pass the “means test” for filing a Chapter 7 bankruptcy. That means that the bankruptcy filer must show that he or she makes under the median income of the state (In Florida that’s right around $51,000) OR prove that he or she has under $215 in disposable income. 2. […]
May 6, 2020
It’s hard to think about with everything going on with Covid-19 and stay at home orders, the 2020 hurricane season has officially begun. And it is expected to be an above average hurricane season so now is the time to review your home insurance to make sure your home and your family are protected. Your home insurance policy is a very complicated document – not even many lawyers completely understand it. But you absolutely need to know the basics and the place to start is by looking at your Declarations Page. This is a sample: After you find your Declarations […]
May 5, 2020
Today, we are going tell you everything you need to know about bankruptcy law, and some things you don’t. This will be quick so hold on to your hat. The idea of bankruptcy has been around since the days of the Old Testament and the tradition of “the Jubilee” in which slaves were freed and debts forgiven every 7 years. This is an ancient counter-part to the modern tradition of The Purge – in which all crimes are legal for 12 hours. Oh…that’s just a movie. Darn it, I was making plans … Anyways, going back to the founding of […]
April 29, 2020
The idea behind a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy is a “fresh start.” But the Court will not allow people with a lot of money or assets to keep all their personal belongings and file bankruptcy and not pay their creditors. So, the first question is, “What assets can you keep after you file bankruptcy and what assets must you give up”? In bankruptcy you generally can retain: $1,000.00 of personal property or $4,000.00 of personal property if you do not own a home with equity in it. We use garage sale figures – not new or retail! Your home – no […]
April 29, 2020
Small claims vary by state but the general idea is the same – trials are more informal. The Rules of Evidence, although liberally applied, are still in effect. You have to be prepared and professional. For purposes of this video we are assuming you have already been through mediation and all that stuff – you are going to trial with the Judge. Here’s what you do: First, take a look at your Complaint or Statement of Claim. There are certain facts you will have to prove in order to win. The Plaintiff has the burden of proving every single […]
April 13, 2020
As I write this blog, we are in the middle of the COVID-19 stay-at-home situation and we, maybe like you, have everyone working from home which has given me a little extra time to keep up with all the new laws and emergency orders coming down. And what I am seeing is a looming foreclosure trap on the horizon from some things that are going on and it shows an interesting interplay of law, private policies, and public perception. It’s extremely important that homeowners who need help with their mortgage be aware of what is going on. In late March […]