In T.W. v. S.W., the parties were divorced in St. Johns County over 15 years ago. Recently, Former Wife, S.W., filed a Motion for Contempt claiming that Former Husband, T.W., had failed to comply with the payment agreement in the original divorce documents. Former Wife’s claim was for over $6,000. Blindsided by this Motion and facing a judgment that could be financially devastating, T.W. retained attorney Bill Arnau of The Albaugh Law Firm to defend him against these allegations. Mr. Arnau went right to work preparing for the upcoming hearing by reviewing the original divorce documents, motion filed by Former Wife, and the supporting documents Former Wife filed with her motion. At the hearing, Mr. Arnau effectively cross examined Former Wife and argued that she had breached at least three material provisions of the original divorce agreement she was seeking to have enforced. This breach, argued Mr. Arnau, should prevent Former Wife from receiving the $6,000 she was seeking. The Court agreed, and Denied Former Wife’s motion. As a result, T.W. was not required to pay Former Wife anything. Being faced with Contempt is a serious matter. If a motion for contempt has been filed against you or you want to file a contempt motion against your ex-spouse, contact an experienced Family Law Attorney at The Albaugh Law Firm today for a free consultation.
Child Support
Child Support – Child support is often paid from the noncustodial parent to the custodial parent. The purpose of child support orders is to ensure that the child is completely financially supported, even after the divorce. The state of Florida has established specific child support guidelines that take into account both parents’ incomes and the costs associated with raising and caring for the child.
Child Custody and Visitation
Child Custody – As you navigate a complex child custody issue, you can obtain the legal guidance of our firm to ensure that your child’s best interest is placed as the primary determining factor. In Florida, a parenting plan can be developed to establish the specific roles of each parent when it comes to making decisions regarding the child.
Adoption
With adoption, a child’s birth parents are relinquishing their parental rights and the adoptive parents are assuming all of the same rights and responsibilities as biological parents. While adoption and step-parent adoption can be joyous experiences, it’s crucial to learn about the adoption process and utilize the services of an experienced family law attorney from our firm.
Paternity
Divorce is never easy. It doesn’t matter if you are the spouse filing the papers or the one being served, or if you both agree on the necessity to end the marriage and wish to part ways amicably. In any divorce, you still have to work out important matters such as child custody, child support, visitation and time-sharing, alimony and spousal support. The decisions you make in these areas are momentous and have a lasting impact. The Jacksonville family lawyers at Albaugh Law Firm are here to help you resolve these matters amicably and efficiently, creating practical solutions that work for your family. When the parties are too far apart or can’t communicate effectively, our experienced litigators provide strong, capable representation in the courtroom to protect your rights and achieve an outcome that meets your needs. We are with you for any Jacksonville family law matter pre or post-divorce, including paternity actions, modification or enforcement of court orders, and relocation and move-away cases.
Spousal Support
Alimony – Alimony, often referred to as maintenance or spousal support, is provided by one of the parties to the other in a divorce case. Alimony is awarded to either ex-spouse who has a specific financial need if the other spouse demonstrates the ability to pay. Not every divorce case requires alimony.
Whether you need to find the Duval County Jail, the criminal court at the Duval County Courthouse, or the contact information for the local police and sheriff, the resources below can be extremely helpful. Florida’s criminal defense system can be complex and if you or a loved one is forced to navigate this system, a capable attorney is often very beneficial.
DUI/DWI
What made this arrest even more serious for A.A. was that he held a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL). Knowing that his career was at stake, A.A. turned to the Albaugh Law Firm for help. Attorney Ryan Albaugh has been handling DUI cases for over 15 years. This experience gave him the knowledge necessary to evaluate A.A.’s case from every angle and put together a strategy to defend A.A.
Wrongful Death
Traffic Violations
If you have been cited or arrested for any type of driving offense, such as driving without a valid license, reckless driving, or leaving the scene of an accident, we can fight for your rights. We also help individuals who are ticketed for speeding, careless driving, or causing an accident.
Sex Crimes
Getting arrested and charged with a crime is a scary and intimidating experience at every turn, from being handcuffed and taken to jail, to appearing before a judge, to being questioned by police and district attorneys. With an experienced defense lawyer on your side, you don’t need to feel scared or intimidated. We explain the process to you so you know what to expect, and we provide strong, forceful advocacy on your behalf at every stage. Our St. Augustine criminal lawyers are former prosecutors with years of experience on both sides of the courtroom. We know Florida criminal law inside and out and are intimately familiar with the procedures in the courts of St. Johns County. Our lawyers handle the full range of felony and misdemeanor defense in St. Augustine, including assault, DUI, drug crimes, sex offenses, theft offenses and white-collar crime. If you’ve been charged with a criminal offense in St. Augustine, Albaugh Law Firm is the place to turn for practical advice and strategic representation tailored to achieve the best result in your particular situation.
White Collar Crimes
Theft
Misdemeanors
The misdemeanor department is located in room 1229; the domestic violence department is located in Room 2409; and the felony department is located on the second floor of the courthouse.
Drug Crimes
The consequences of a conviction are often very severe, including a two-year driver’s license suspension for almost all drug crimes.
Assault
More importantly, your lawyer stands up for you and advocates for you at every stage. An experienced criminal law attorney isn’t intimidated by the process and is ready to go toe-to-toe with prosecutors, whether negotiating a plea agreement or taking the case before a judge and jury. The Jacksonville criminal lawyers at Albaugh Law Firm are former Florida prosecutors. They have been on both sides of the aisle and handled cases across the spectrum of misdemeanor and felony charges in Jacksonville. From DUI to assault and battery, from traffic tickets to drug offenses, you can trust the criminal defense team at Albaugh Law Firm to handle your Jacksonville criminal charges competently and efficiently, pursuing the strategy most likely to result in a satisfactory outcome you’ll be pleased with.
Juvenile Crimes
In Florida, the goal of the justice system is to rehabilitate juveniles who are charged with an offense, but penalties can still change a child’s life and damage his or her future. Get help from a strong attorney at once.
Probation Violation
At the sentencing hearing on the probation violation, Mr. Albaugh explained D.G.’s history to Judge Traynor. As importantly, however, Mr. Albaugh called D.G.’s mother as a witness and asked her to speak on D.G.’s behalf. D.G.’s mother made a heart felt plea to Judge Traynor asking him to allow D.G. to complete a residential treatment program and seek mental health assistance. Judge Traynor ultimately agreed, and reinstated D.G. on probation on condition that she complete a residential drug treatment program with a mental health component.
Restraining Order
If you have been accused of domestic violence and received a restraining order, we can help address your case effectively in order to defend your rights. Unfortunately, in too many cases, restraining orders are merely used for leverage in family law cases. Let us defend your rights and fight for you! Call the Albaugh Law Firm today to discuss your case.
Hit and Run
In State of Florida v. J.C., Mr. C. was stopped by a Sheriff’s Deputy after several people reported they saw him hit a parked car in the Publix parking lot. During the investigation of the Hit and Run crash, the Deputy smelled a faint odor of alcohol on Mr. C’s breath. Based on that, the Deputy also conducted a Driving Under the Influence (DUI) investigation. After making Mr. C. perform field sobriety tests, the Deputy placed him under arrest for DUI and Leaving the Scene of an Accident. As requested, Mr. C. provided a urine sample. Mr. C. contacted our office immediately after being released and hired Mr. Albaugh to represent him. After hearing what had happened, Mr. Albaugh questioned the ability of the State to prove the DUI charge based on a lack of evidence. Specifically, only a faint odor of alcohol and our Client’s performance on the field sobriety tests being explained by his age (65) and physical limitations. Recognizing that the leaving the scene of an accident charge would be difficult to beat, Mr. Albaugh got Mr. C’s insurance company to pay for the damage to the other car as quickly as possible. This defense strategy paid off, as the owner of the damaged car never became angry or demanded that the State punish Mr. C. Mr. Albaugh then went about convincing the State that there were weaknesses in the DUI case against Mr. C. The State ultimately agreed, and the case was settled as a Reckless Driving. This result saved Mr. C. considerable money and kept him from having a DUI on his record.
Why should you contact our firm, and what makes us different? Our St. Augustine personal injury lawyers have over 70 years of shared experience, and we are proud of our many victories. We are relentless, uncompromising, and we get results. Get us involved early in your case. Your actions now could make a significant difference in the value of your settlement or a jury award in civil court.
Medical Malpractice
At Albaugh Law Firm, our St. Augustine personal injury attorneys know the law, and we know how to prepare and present a compelling case to the insurance company, judge or jury. Our trial experience means we are ready to take your case to court and win. It also means the insurance company would rather settle than face us in court. Florida law might limit your ability to sue after a car accident or hold a hospital fully accountable for medical malpractice. Let our team pursue maximum compensation on your behalf after a personal injury accident in St. Augustine, including motorcycle crashes and truck wrecks, slip & fall and premises liability accidents, dog bites, nursing home abuse, wrongful death, and more. You were hurt through no fault of your own. We’ll seek justice on your behalf and work tirelessly to get it.
Having years of experience helping people file for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, attorney Albaugh carefully went through and detailed L.P.’s debts and assets in her Bankruptcy Petition. He attended the 341 Meeting of the Creditors with L.P. and assured that the trustee had all the information they needed to move L.P.’s case forward. Approximately 90 days after calling the Albaugh Law Firm for help, debt collectors had stopped calling, over $50,000 in debt had been erased, and L.P. had hope again for her financial future.
Foreclosure
Are you drowning in debt? Do you worry about your future financial security because you see no possible way to ever pay off everything you owe? Are you receiving threats of foreclosure or repossession? If any of these situations is true for you, bankruptcy might be the answer to your financial troubles and your pathway to a financial fresh start and future economic security. This federal debt relief option can serve as an excellent form of foreclosure defense and debt defense.
Debt Collection
L.P. lost her job about 2 years ago and had been struggling financially ever since. The further she got behind on her bills the more often the debt collectors started calling. L.P. attempted to explain her situation to the debt collectors but all they wanted was a lump sum payment that L.P. simply did not have. The harassing phone calls finally got so bad that L.P. called the Albaugh Law Firm for help. Attorney Ryan Albaugh has experience helping people who are facing debt collection lawsuits and harassing phone calls from creditors. He took the time to talk to L.P. about her entire financial situation and offered L.P. several different options. The strategy L.P. felt was best for her was to file for relief under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code. L.P. had numerous debts to credit card companies as well as some delinquent medical bills. In total, L.P.’s credit report revealed she had over $50,000 in unsecured debt.