Welcome To Advocate Law Office
"A Full Service Family Law Firm"
FREE First Consultation and Free Parking!
Simple Wills from $149
Living Trusts from $749
Bankruptcy from $999*
Uncontested Divorce $499*
( *plus court costs if any) SE HABLA ESPANOL
The Advocate Law Office will represent you in any Court!
ACCIDENTS & INJURIES:
We are committed to representing people who have been injured in an accident as a result of the negligence of someone else.
Injuries may have an impact on you and your family for the rest of your life.
When a serious injury occurs, we take the responsibility for effective, aggressive investigation and representation, negotiations and litigation if necessary.
This allows you to attend to your health, family and economic concerns. Advocate Law Office In Grand Rapids will
pursue a variety of legal avenues to obtain the highest possible financial recovery, that is why we say we are "FIGHTING" for the victim's rights. You do not pay any attorneys fees unless we win your case for you.
BANKRUPTCY:
Bankruptcy can be a huge, life altering and major decision in anyone's life. It's a major choice that can alter every facet of that person's life and can be somewhat intimidating for some individuals. Be that as it may, many folks find that filing for bankruptcy was the BEST decision to make in their current situation.
Advocate Law Office in Grand Rapids is committed to providing you with helpful information, honest services and true advice to get you a better financial future. Plus we communicate with our clients, attend to their real needs and return your phone calls within 24 hours!
You can email questions to us at LEGALKO@GMAIL.COM
BUSINESS CONTRACTS:
Regardless of the type of business you run, manage or own, you will be required to draft and negotiate contracts for and with your employees, vendors and customers. These contracts form a foundation of your business by determining how it will be run.
It is very important that you seek the advice of an attorney with business-contract experience, like Attorney Jeffrey Raymond Portko, who has 28 years of practice.
What ever business situation you find yourself in consult Advocate Law Office regarding your business contract needs today.
A contract is an agreement between two or more parties creating obligations that are legally enforceable or otherwise recognizable at law. Please see "Incorporation" topic below.
CRIMINAL DEFENSE:
When people are accused of a crime, they face a real possibility of being
incarcerated. A good attorney can negotiate with prosecutors and can often
arrange for reduced charges or lesser sentencing, or have the charges dismissed. You need to plead NOT GUILTY to protect your rights!
People who have been recently arrested need to talk to an attorney as soon as possible. The most urgent priority is often getting a lawyer to help arrange a release and provide some information about what's to come in the days ahead. We will protect your Constitutional Rights to a fair and speedy jury trial.
DEBT COLLECTIONS:
DEBTORS:
Dealing with debt collections can be one of life's most agonizing experiences. Tormenting phone calls and threats can drive your life crazy. What's worse, a collector may contact your employer leading to very embarrassing or
possibly damaging confrontational situations. You may even be called upon to pay a debt that is not rightfully yours. Yes, collection agencies have a job to do. But, there are legal limits on how far a debt collector can go.
The Statute of Limitations is SIX years for most debts.
If you have fallen behind paying on your home, have credit card debt, or owe money on a loan you can't pay off,
give us a call today so we can help and go over your debt situation.
You should know that the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act requires that debt collectors treat you fairly and prohibits certain methods of debt collection. The law does not erase any legitimate debt you owe, unless it violates the Statute of Limitations for collection, but Bankruptcy can and often does ERASE all of your debts.
CREDITORS:
Dedicated to your financial recovery of debts due to you, but unpaid. The Advocate Law Office In Grand Rapids represents creditors in the collection of overdue accounts, delinquent debts and open accounts. We handle all aspects of recovering delinquent debts and judgments on behalf of businesses and
individuals, even with foreign (out of state) judgements.
Let us help you recover the money you are owed at a fair price. We will thoroughly examine your case, and determine whether or not the debt is valid, and whether it would be cost-efficient for you to attempt to recover that debt through litigation or seizures.
CUSTODY & DIVORCE:
Divorce can be one of the most troublesome and bitter experiences a person could go through in life.
If you are going through a divorce, need a divorce filed or have a child custody battle, contact Advocate Law Office In Grand Rapids today!
We will FIGHT FOR YOU in Family Court!
We will be able to answer your questions regarding your divorce and or child custody situation.
Even though custody and visitation rights are never considered to be final, there are several outcomes that dictate custody arrangements, at least until further decisions are reached, including:
* Legal Custody * Joint Custody
* Physical Custody * Spouse Abuse
* Joint Legal Custody * Parenting Time * Visitation * PPO
A WORD TO THE WISE: GET A PRE-NUPTIAL AGREEMENT!
We also prepare both Pre-Nuptial and Post-Nuptial Agreements for those about to be married or who are just going to seperate. These contracts PROTECT your assets from the wrosrt case scenario, the unforeseen, unpredictable, dreaded divorce! Most of the time these IRONCLAD contracts are ultimately approved by a judge if the marriage should fail, as 50% do. Wise people, expecially with a prior marriage with children or having been through a bitter and expensive divorce, will get a Pre-Nuptial Agreement dones to protect themselves and families.
DRUNK DRIVING:
Cases involving driving under the influence are known by many different names like, OUIL, OUL, DUI, DWI, DUII, DWVI and OMVI but all of them require the services of a skilled criminal defense lawyer like Jeff Portko.
If you have been arrested for any of these crimes, the potential ramifications are very serious, but help from a knowledgeable drunk driving criminal defense lawyer is just a phone call away.
MICHIGAN HAS A 14 DAY LIMIT - If you refused to take a breath, blood or urine test after being arrested for Driving Under the Influence, OWI/OWVI, or another drinking related charge in Grand Rapids Michigan, your license may be at risk of being suspended if you do not take
immediate action to demand an administrative hearing within 14 days after your arrest. Get more information about saving your driver's license NOW before it's too late. The fines and penalties are
extremely high, so on't take the risk.
CALL NOW! 616-456-5353 Always plead NOT GUILTY to protect your right to a fair pre-trial negotiation, jury trial or dismissal.
INCORPORATION:
Incorporating your Michigan business is a great way to protect your personal assets from company liabilities such as creditors or lawsuits. Many corporate business designs also save you money in taxes, provides greater business flexibility and makes it easier to seek outside investment. Advocate Law Offices In Grand Rapids can help you incorporate your business easily and
affordably.
Limited Liablity Corporations (LLC) have become the foundation for most business entities. The formation of a corporation as a business entity will help to reduce your taxes and liablity, but it can also provide peace of mind by protecting your personal family income and assets.
PROBATE:
Are you reday to go through the Probate process yourself? Are you unsure what the laws and requirements are for your particular case? You need a Probate lawyer! We know this is a tough time to try to find a lawyer, but it still has to be done. If you're involved in a lawsuit over an estate, or if think you may end up in one, please call us today.
All Wills normally must be Probated to effectively distribute a decedent's estate, but there are major pitfalls, so beware.
Sometimes Probate Court expense and time can be avoided entirely with a properly done Revocable Living Trust, see below.
REAL ESTATE:
If you are thinking about purchasing or are acquiring a home or some land, whether the property be a normal home or a ten story building, we can help you with your real estate investment with minimal inconvenience and relative ease.
Always ask for an inspection prior to purchase!
Realty is categorized as the land and anything growing on, attached to, or erected on a designated plot of land.
We are able to facilitate the transactions between buyers and sellers. Advocate Law Office In Grand Rapids can help you with the day-to-day specifics of ownership or rental and lease transactions and other aspects and concerns you may have.
We can clearly review the contracts that you will face and explain exactly what you and the agent are agreeing to. If you have purchased property and have a problem AFTER the fact, let's discuss your rights, damages and remedies. Call 616.456.5353
SUPPORT:
After a divorce, one of the largest concerns as a parent is that of child and spousal support. Child support payments are necessary to provide the child the same financial security as if the parents were not divorced.
Sousal support does the same for a parent without equal income.
Part of the often times complicated and difficult divorce process is the divorcing parties failure to agree upon a child support payment schedule in which both parties find agreement.
Advocate Law Offices Child Support lawyers are very experienced with possible troubles involved in child and spousal support differences, and are ready and willing to offer you our assistance in aiding your case today.
Michigan has adopted NO-Fault Divorce.
Even though, you and your former partner have agreed on how to handle the matter of spousal or child support, there are many other reasons why you should consult our support lawyers, even after the fact, when support must be modified.
LIVING TRUSTS:
Estate planning involves many considerations and various legal devices to make sure your inheritors (beneficiaries) receive your property according to your Last Will.
A trust is an agreement under which money or other assets are held and managed by one person for the benefit of another. Different types of trusts may be created to accomplish specific goals.
The customary benefits that living trusts offer include:
* Providing personal and financial safeguards for family and other beneficiaries;
* Postponing or avoiding Probate Court and unnecessary fees;
* Establishing a means of controlling or administering property;
* Meeting other charitable or commercial business goals.
WILLS:
Any person over the age of consent and of sound mind should have a will drafted with the aid of an attorney, just to be sure it was done right.
We've heard it time and time again that if we do nothing else we should take care of our legal affairs, we should write a Last Will and Testament.
If you fail to make a will before you die, the state will determine who gets your property and a judge may decide who will raise your minor children. In your Will, you can make these decisions yourself.
Don't wait to make or amend your Will, call us today or send us an email at LEGALKO@GMAIL.COM we WILL call you back!
Jeff makes free house calls for home-bound seniors in the city!