Legal Services in Ocean County Explained
Ocean County, NJ offers a variety of legal services to its residents, ranging from family law to criminal defense, real estate law, personal injury and beyond. Some of the most common legal issues residents might face include divorce, child custody disputes, DUI offenses, drug charges, auto accidents, municipal court matters, real estate transactions or estate planning.
Family Law: Family law encompasses a wide range of issues related to marriage, divorce, child custody, and support arrangements. Parents who are separating often need assistance resolving child custody and visitation disputes. Other important family law issues include child support calculations, spousal support arrangements and negotiations of a property settlement agreement. In the event that a couple is not able to come to an agreement, either on custody or on other issues, a family law attorney can help to facilitate things during a contested divorce action.
Criminal Defense: A criminal defense attorney can help to assert your rights if you have been charged with a crime in Ocean County, NJ. Potential criminal charges can range from misdemeanors to serious felonies. Whether you’ve been accused of drug possession, shoplifting, DUI, assault, robbery or other criminal actions, an experienced criminal law attorney can help to protect your rights and pursue any available legal remedies on your behalf. If you have been arrested, an experienced criminal defense attorney can attempt to get the charges against you reduced or dropped altogether. Alternatively, a criminal defense attorney may be able to help you negotiate a fair plea deal with prosecutors, which would allow you to avoid a costly and time-consuming trial.
Municipal Court and Motor Vehicle Violations: If you have been charged with a crime in Ocean County Municipal Court, you may need a dedicated criminal defense lawyer on your side . Municipal Courts have jurisdiction over offenses such as DUI and DWI, simple assault, criminal mischief, careless driving, shoplifting and criminal trespassing, among other charges. Because the consequences of a conviction in municipal court can have a potentially negative impact on your future, you should immediately reach out to an experienced Ocean County municipal court lawyer to protect your rights and help you avoid serious legal consequences.
Real Estate Law: Real estate issues can range from the sale or purchase of a home or business to landlord-tenant disputes. An experienced real estate attorney can help to ensure that all real estate transactions are conducted properly on your behalf. An attorney can also read a complicated lease and ensure that all provisions are fair and favorable.
Estate Planning: Estate planning involves organizing your affairs and making decisions in advance regarding how your assets will be divided up in the event of your death. An estate plan can help to minimize the amount of taxes, legal fees and other expenses that your heirs are required to pay. Estate planning can also involve putting a valid will in place, setting up trusts, and establishing a power of attorney or an advance healthcare directive.
Personal Injury: If you are harmed by the negligence of another person or party, you may be entitled to seek compensation for your injuries. Depending on your situation, you may be able to recover compensation for a myriad of losses, including lost wages, medical bills, property damage and pain and suffering. Keep in mind that it’s not in the best interests of insurance companies to resolve your case quickly and fairly. Therefore, it is advisable to talk to an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible after any type of accident.
How to Choose the Right Legal Professionals in Ocean County
When choosing legal professionals in Ocean County, whether they are counselors, officers of the court, or attorneys, it’s important to take certain factors into consideration. The following categories will help you to narrow your search and choose the best person for your needs. Credentials: Any attorney that you’re considering should be licensed to practice in New Jersey and able to represent you in Ocean, Monmouth, and other local County Courts. The attorney may also have certifications to practice in other areas of the law, such as estate planning and bankruptcy. Look for attorneys who are certified and listed by the New Jersey State Bar Association. This indicates that the attorney has passed New Jersey’s certification exam for competency and experience in a particular field of law. These certifications make it possible for a lawyer to call themselves a "Certified Civil Trial Lawyer" or a "Certified Family Law Specialist". Experience: Credentials and experience may be the same thing, but they are not. Credentials indicate that a lawyer is competent and experienced in their field of law. Experience refers to how long they’ve been practicing law or how long they’ve been concentrating their focus on your area of law. For example, a lawyer who specializes in bankruptcy may have been practicing for 10 years but has focused on bankruptcy law for the past three. Specialization: Although almost every lawyer has to have a focus in order to be the best at what they do, if you need to file for bankruptcy, you need a lawyer whose primary focus is in bankruptcy. Not every lawyer who "does a little bit of everything" is equipped to handle every case. Client Reviews: Referrals from previous clients are always appreciated by law firms and clients. Check reputable review forums, ask your friends, and go on social media to find out what others are saying about potential lawyers. Make sure to read both the positive and negative reviews to get a clearer picture of who you’re dealing with.
Family Law Services Explored
Finding the Right Lawyer for Family Law in Ocean County
One of the most common legal issues that people in Ocean County face is family law. These attorneys specialize in areas such as divorce, child custody, spousal support (alimony), adoption, and paternity. They help individuals to understand their rights in these matters and guide them to an equitable solution to their legal problems. A local lawyer will assist you to file a complaint with the Court and navigate the proceedings from your initial filing to the final judgment. Family lawyers in Ocean County represent you in legal proceedings by working to ensure that the family unit is as intact as possible, balancing the relative rights of the parties and their respective children where applicable. It is thought that an overwhelming majority of family law cases, up to 95%, settle before reaching a final trial. Settlements can be reached between the parties themselves or during alternative dispute resolution efforts such as mediation or Early Settlement Panels. The early stages of the proceedings usually involve non-binding resolution of the issues through methods such as Early Settlement Panels and mediation. Early Settlement Panels are held in divorce matters only. Both parties and their attorneys will meet with a panel of attorneys, called the Early Settlement Panel, comprised of retired family court Judges, retired family court law clerks, and/or experienced private practitioners. At this meeting, or series of meetings, the parties will attempt to resolve the case with the assistance and guidance of the Early Settlement Panel. If, however, agreement is not reached between the parties at the Early Settlement Panel hearing, the Court will order participation in court-approved mediation. Mediation is another form of alternative dispute resolution wherein counselors and facilitators, called mediators, work with the litigants to achieve a settlement of the case by way of a structured process. In this process, the Mediator will meet with the parties and assist them in identifying the issues in their case and offer assistance to try to achieve a settlement to the case without Court intervention. While the mediator cannot impose a settlement, he or she can make suggestions to the parties on how to reach a settlement. Mediation is not appropriate for everyone. Domestic Violence, involve facts that require judicial intervention and, therefore, most likely do not qualify for this process. In addition, if parties have no interest in the process of mediation, it is not a good fit.
Criminal Defense Services in Detail
Ocean County, New Jersey, offers a variety of criminal defense services to individuals facing criminal charges. The first step in any criminal case is getting a current and comprehensive report of available charges against the person in question. The county’s law enforcement agencies, including local police, sheriff’s offices and clerks of courts, are all good resources for this information.
A few notable examples include being represented for suspected DUI (Driving Under the Influence) charges. A common charge in Ocean County is driving under the influence of alcohol, but it can also involve operating a watercraft, such as a boat or jet ski, while intoxicated. Driving while ability impaired, often referred to as DWI, is one charge associated with DUI offenses. It is a little less severe than a driving under the influence charge because it references a reduced level of impairment. Both of these are relatively common offenses, but the spectrum of possible charges ranges from a DWI to a more serious felony charge. The consequences of a DUI can be severe. If convicted, an individual could lose their license for one year, possibly receive a fine up to $300-$500 and face jail time of up to 30 days. For some people, these consequences can result in loss of employment, independence and mobility. An experienced Sea Bright DWI lawyer can help you understand the potential consequences you may face if convicted.
A DUI charge is not the only type of offense individuals may need representation for, however. Drug charges, ranging from possession of illegal drugs to illegally possessing prescription medications, are a major concern for residents of Ocean County. Like a DUI, this is another type of offense that has consequences dependent on the level of offense.
For example, a simple conviction for possession of marijuana is often a disorderly persons offense that can result in a fine of up to $1,000 and a jail sentence of up to six months. However, if an individual is charged with Sale of Marijuana, it can be a second degree offense, and a conviction can result in up to 10 years in jail and a fine of up to $150,000. The range of charges an individual may face moves far beyond mere possession or sale of marijuana, or other drugs like cocaine or heroin. A person in Ocean County could also face charges for drug distribution, or even drug manufacturing.
Of course, if the crime is classified as a theft, additional services will be required. A person might face charges for simple theft, shoplifting, auto theft, burglary, robbery, credit card theft, telemarketing fraud and various other forms of theft. The severity of a theft crime can be determined by the value of the items in question. Simple theft, where the value does not exceed $200, is a disorderly persons offense. However, the more value involved in a theft crime, the more damaging the potential consequences. For example, a robbery is classified as a second degree crime. If convicted, that offense can result in a prison sentence of five to 10 years. And in addition to that time in prison, a robbery conviction can also result in fines of up to $150,000.
If you are embroiled in any criminal matters, regardless of your geographic location within Ocean County, NJ, it is critical to contact a knowledgeable and experienced defense attorney to assist you through the legal process of the charges. After an initial consultation, a local attorney can begin building a solid case to assist in the cause of your defense.
The Importance of Real Estate Attorneys
Real estate attorneys are indispensable in every turn of the real estate business. Give us the keys to the house and we can show you what we can do. Real estate transactions are often the largest investments people make in their lifetime so good legal advice is critical at all stages of a purchase, sale or lease.
We answer your questions and advise you before you decide on a particular deed, mortgage, or lease. We review every document and make recommendations before it is signed. We advise you , your real estate agent and mortgage broker in the prepurchasing phase and throughout the process.
Ocean County real estate lawyers also assist you in contract negotiations and closing till all the paperwork is signed and the deal is final. We conduct title searches and review them prior to closing. We review surveys and do the due diligence so that we can resolve any issues before closing. We will also review your mortgage documents so that they are in your best interest both short term and long term.
Rarely is there litigation but if there is a dispute, we will quickly advise and assist you with the best course of action. We will also resolve any issues with the homeowner’s association. If we can’t work it out amicably with the other party we’ll aggressively pursue litigation on your behalf.
Personal Injury Law Explained
Regardless of the circumstances surrounding your injury, the personal injury law in Ocean County, NJ, works against the negligent party who caused your injuries. The law is designed to make sure that the party responsible for your injuries pays for those injuries by providing damages (money) to the injured person in various ways. In Ocean County, NJ, the most common personal injury cases involve vehicle accidents and slips and falls. Other common ones include product liability (you were injured using a defective or dangerous product), medical malpractice (you were injured while under the care of a physician), and workplace injuries (you got hurt at the jobsite due to a third-party’s negligence).
Since personal injury law in Ocean County, NJ, is all about compensating the injured person for their injuries, making you "whole" again, a personal injury lawyer will look to maximize your compensation by advocating for you and your interests. They will gather all of the necessary documentation for your injury, whether that be police reports, hospital records, etc., and present them to the insurance company (or the court) to prove your injured condition. The insurance company or court will then determine how much money they think the negligent party should give you in order to compensate you for your injury.
Many times, a personal injury attorney will reach out to the at-fault party’s insurance company and negotiate a fair settlement on your behalf. If a fair settlement is reached and you are satisfied, great! The issue can be resolved without going to court. If no settlement can be reached, then the personal injury attorney will file a lawsuit against the negligent party, go through the discovery process, and then, if a settlement can’t be reached, go to trial and have a jury decide your case. Of course, as mentioned, some personal injury cases never go to trial—they’re worked out with the insurance company for the at-fault party.
In the vast majority of personal injury cases, the plaintiff (injured person) is a person filing the claim. However, sometimes they are a corporation, business, government agency, or other entity. The injured party can be a person, animal, vessel, or piece of property. Personal injury law in Ocean County, NJ, also has set time limitations—known as statutes of limitations—that limit the amount of time you have to file a legal action. It is important to remember that you don’t get as much time with a government agency as you do with an individual or corporation, and these time limits vary from one area of personal injury to another. For example, a slip and fall in a private workplace have one statute of limitations, while a slip and fall in a public place like a municipality park has a shorter limit.
Guide to Legal Aid Services
For those unable to afford private representation, there are ample resources available in Ocean County, NJ. Organizations like Legal Services of New Jersey provide a free legal aid hotline that connects individuals with the most suitable legal aid office for their needs. Since 1978, Legal Services of New Jersey has served New Jersey residents who qualify for civil legal aid on a low-income basis. It offers valuable tools such as a Statewide Legal Assistance Hotline that provides advice and/or assistance via telephone for civil legal cases that do not involve violence. For more detailed assistance, Legal Services of New Jersey connects individuals to nonprofit legal service organizations in their area that can act as the primary legal services provider for low-income individuals throughout every New Jersey county. Legal Services of New Jersey specifically serves plaintiffs in cases pertaining to physical, emotional or financial abuse. It provides individuals with a lawyer to represent them in court as they seek restraining orders. Eligible parties include those who have been victims of domestic violence and those who have been the victims of sexual assault, criminal harassment , or stalking. Legal Services of New Jersey helps citizens who require legal representation in hearings pertaining to emergency protective orders and final restraining orders in domestic violence cases. The Law Center at Courthouse Square is dedicated to civil issues and does not handle criminal cases. It may assist you in navigating municipal courts, division of youth and family services, welfare, or with housing issues including tenant/eviction matters, foreclosure, landlord/tenant issues, real estate law, public assistance, and mortgage foreclosure. Ocean County Rural Development Corporation runs Lifeline, a program which targets low- to moderate-income families, women, minorities, and disabled veterans in Ocean County. It focuses on protecting the legal rights of clients with community education, disability, family, landlord/tenant, and domestic violence law. Without cost, Lifeline ensures that qualified clients receive full representation in cases where no fee is paid. The Ocean County Bar Association is also instrumental in helping people who cannot afford legal representation. For those who do not meet the requirements for Legal Services, it refers them to other venues.
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