Tag Archives: christian lawyer tampa

Helping The Hurting | Tampa Bay Law Firm | Christian Lawyers

placeholderAt Blick Law Firm, our motto is “Helping the Hurting”; we strive to meet the legal needs of our clients, as well as provide emotional support to those in need. Grounded in Christian Values, Tampa Bay Law Firm accommodates clients with exceptional legal representation in many areas including:

Personal injury
Blick Law Firm can help you get the best medical assistance and legal representation in the areas of automobile accidents, motorcycle accidents, premises liability, dog bites, slip and falls, marine and boating accidents, wrongful deaths and medical malpractice.

Criminal law
Blick Law firm offers legal representation in criminal law specifying in the areas of DUI, traffic infractions, criminal defense, and sealing record removal. As well as specialize in white collar crime defense and medicaid/medicare fraud.

Immigration
Blick Law Firm’s immigration practice can help you in the areas of visa, asylum, citizenship, naturalization, deportation defense, adjustment of status, and employment authorization.

Bankruptcy
If you are overwhelmed with debt, filing for bankruptcy can offer you protection and relief from your financial hardships. Blick Law Firm can help make sure that your claim is successful, and can answer any questions you may have regarding your bankruptcy claim.

Real Estate
Blick Law firm’s real estate practice can aid you in foreclosure defense, title insurance, loan modifications, and short sale negotiations.call

If we can help you in any of these areas please give us a call at 888-973-2776, or come in for a free consultation with attorney Michael C. Blickensderfer. Think Quick, Call Blick!

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Criminal Arrests Tampa

When confronted by police, people often become nervous because they are unsure if they may be in violation of some ordinance or law. The difference between merely being detained by police and arrested creates different limitations to your rights. It is important to understand what you can do. Police may stop you, and it is not considered an arrest if you are just briefly detained.

In the event you are stopped for questioning, it is important to remain calm, be polite, keep your hands visible at all times, and do not attempt to flee. You do have the right to remain silent, however, it is best to identify yourself first and then notify the officer that you are exercising your right to silence.

If you are unsure of the situation, you can ask the officer why you have been detained and if you are under arrest. If at that time you are not under arrest, you have the right to leave. If the officer proceeds to arrest you, you have the right to speak to a Criminal Defense Attorney.

An arrest occurs only upon a determination of “probable cause”, this means the officer must have more than just a “suspicion”, the officer must have a “reasonable belief” that you committed a crime. Once the arrest is made, an officer can lawfully conduct a search incident to arrest of your person for weapons, evidence, and contraband. At this point, the officer can hold you in jail for up to 24 hours, or until a warrant is issued for the charges.

Anytime you are stopped and arrested it is important to quickly consult a Criminal Attorney regarding your rights and advice on what you should do. If you have been arrested for a criminal offense, or even issued a citation for a traffic violation, call Blick Law Firm today at (813) 931-0840 to schedule an appointment for a free 15 minute consultation with attorney Michael Blickensderfer. Think quick, call Blick!

 

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Probate: What is a Will? … and do I need one?

A Will is a legal document that provides direction for how a decedent intends to distribute their assets upon their death. Many times, people avoid considering the different options available through the probate process out of a fear of thinking about their own death.

A person without a will at the time of death is said to have died intestate. When a person dies intestate, the State will then follow the intestacy guidelines governing how to distribute intestate assets to heirs based on relation and bloodline.

Realistically, executing a Will for the disposition of one’s assets is an important part of planning the future of your estate; as it is always better to have your intentions for the disposition of your assets to be memorialized in an executed Will, rather than have the State determine the disposition of your assets. Probate is the process of identifying and gathering the assets of the deceased person, paying their debts, and distributing the assets to his or her beneficiaries.

Many considerations must be made prior to setting forth the distribution of one’s assets following their death, and often times other legal documents are more suitable for particular situations. It is important to discuss your situation with an experienced attorney, and determine what is best for you be it a Will or Trust instrument.

If you or a loved have concerns or questions about the future of your estate, call Blick Law Firm today. Schedule a free 15-minute consultation with attorney Michael Blickensderfer. Think quick, call Blick!

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Driving with License Suspended

Everyday Florida drivers get behind the wheel unaware that their driving privilege has been suspended, cancelled, or revoked. Law enforcement officers make daily arrests for driving with a suspended license which can lead to complications when trying to reinstate your driving privilege.

In Florida, it is a criminal traffic offense if a driver operates a motor vehicle with knowledge that their driver’s license is cancelled, suspended, or revoked. The following charges may result from Driving with a Suspended License with knowledge of the suspension:

(1) First conviction is a second degree misdemeanor;

(2) Second conviction is a first degree misdemeanor;

(3) Third, or subsequent conviction, is a third degree felony and possible jail time may have to be served.

It is important to know that multiple infractions of Driving with a Suspended License can lead to very serious consequences, and drivers with repeated violations can become listed as a Habitual Traffic Offender.

The penalty of driving with your license suspended, whether you have knowledge or not, can be serious and generally lead to complications with your future driving privilege.

If you or a loved one have been arrested or issued a citation for driving with a suspended license, call Blick Law Firm today at (813) 931-0840. Schedule a free 15-minute consultation with attorney Michael Blickensderfer.

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Bankruptcy: Chapter 13

When considering Bankruptcy, a Chapter 7 filing is a useful way to discharge of most debt and can relieve the burden of creditor collection attempts. However, many times a debtor has equity in a home or property and would like to file for Bankruptcy but not surrender their home. In these cases, a debtor can reaffirm the debt for the particular property they would like to maintain and keep making the payments, or file for Chapter 13 Bankruptcy which allows the debtor to reorganize the debt into a consolidated and more manageable payment.

Chapter 13 Bankruptcy gives the debtor an opportunity to manage their debt over a period of 3 to 5 years and still maintain the rights to both exempt and non-exempt property. This is particularly useful when the debtor has a large amount of equity in the home or property. Chapter 13 also helps by reducing payments on debts that cannot be discharged by Chapter 7, such as Student Loans; additionally, Chapter 13 helps avoid wage garnishment, delays the foreclosure process on the home, protects co-signers, and allows for an overall extension on the repayment term of most debts.

However, the decision to declare Bankruptcy also comes with consequences. The disadvantages of filing Chapter 13 include:

  • Credit reports will show a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy filing for 7 years
  • The debtor will receive high interest rates on future credit
  • The debtor will have a strict budget in place in order to ensure the reorganized debt payments
  • Legal representation fees tend to be higher, plus added court costs

If you are having trouble meeting your debt obligations, consult an experienced Tampa Bankruptcy attorney to discuss your options.

Call Blick Law Firm today at 813-931-0840. Make an appointment for a free 15 minute consultation with Michael Blickensderfer to see if Bankruptcy is right for you.

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Tampa Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Process

Often times, people considering filing Bankruptcy are unsure of what documentation is required, how long the process takes, and what the Bankruptcy process entails. When a debtor seeks to file Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, they must first satisfy the requirements of the means test to determine their eligibility for a Chapter 7 filing. After determining eligibility, the debtor will then be required to provide a number of documents to the Bankruptcy Court for the Trustee’s review. This required information includes recent bank statements, pay stubs, creditor information, and specific information regarding the debtor’s assets and finances.

Upon compiling all of the necessary information, a voluntary petition for Bankruptcy is completed and filed for the debtor, whereby the Bankruptcy Court then schedules the Meeting of Creditors, or 341 Hearing as commonly referred to. The Meeting of Creditors is an informal questioning under oath of the debtor for the purpose of ensuring that the debtor fairly and honestly represented their assets, income, and debts in the filed bankruptcy petition. The Trustee appointed to the debtor’s case asks a series of questions under oath concerning the debtor’s property and financial situation. Upon completion of the Meeting of Creditors and Bankruptcy Filing Course Requirements, a debtor will have successfully completed the Bankruptcy process.

The entire process is usually completed within four months, and the debtor then receives a discharge of all dischargeable debts. This dischargeable debt includes credit card debt, old medical bills, utilities bills, unsecured loans, pay day loans, and most other types of unsecured debt. The advantage to filing Chapter 7 Bankruptcy is that your unsecured debt is completely eliminated, the process is fairly quick, and the automatic stay that takes place after filing prohibits creditors from making collection efforts.

It is important to be aware that while Chapter 7 Bankruptcy may ultimately relieve a debtor of the burden of insurmountable unsecured debt, it is a process that requires the production of several documents and tedious preparation. The more prepared the debtor is, the more seamless the process becomes.

No matter what your situation is, obtaining quality legal consultation from an experienced bankruptcy attorney is beneficial. Contact Blick Law Firm today at (813) 931-0840. Schedule a free 15 minute consultation with attorney Michael Blickensderfer to assess what option is best for you. Think quick, call Blick!

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