Leon Storie, Attorney at Law

LEON STORIE, ATTORNEY AT LAW

Practice Areas

The following represent some of the areas in which I practice. The descriptions of each area should not be construed to contain legal advice of any kind and are given only to help potential clients understand the types of cases that fall within each category. If you have a legal problem that does not fit into any of the categories, I may still be able to help you or send you to someone who can; e-mail me or call me at (205) 344-5516 to discuss whether I can be of assistance.

Consumer Protection: Consumer Protection, broadly speaking, is any case in which the right of a consumer to trade with another in good faith has been violated by some illegitimate business practice, usually of a large company. The range of these types of cases is broad and includes any of the following:

Truth In Lending - the right of a consumer to receive adequate pre-financing disclosures about the terms of credit.

Fair Debt Collection Practices - the right of a consumer to expect fairness and reasonable business practices from debt collectors.

Credit Repair - the right of a consumer to receive certain information and services from a company that promises to improve the consumer's credit before payment is required.

Fair Credit Reporting - the right of the consumer to expect an accurate credit report.

Real Estate Settlement Procedures - the right of a consumer to receive settlement services in a mortgage transaction without illegal or hidden fees.

Deceptive Trade Practices - the right of consumers to trade with another without fear of being tricked or deceived about the transaction.

Fraud - Very similar to deceptive trade practices but usually dealing with representations about a service or product.

This is not an exhaustive list of the issues that consumers face everyday, but this is a list of some of the more common and emerging issues. I have experience in all of these areas and can help if you think that you have a case that falls into any of these areas. If you do believe you have been the victim of unfair business practices, just e-mail me or call me at (205) 344-5516 and let me know. Of course, all information obtained is strictly confidential.

Civil Litigation: This is a broad category that encompasses almost any dispute between individuals. The most common type of civil litigation people think of is personal injury actions. In these types of cases, a person seeks compensation for physical and non-physical injuries sustained as a result of the conduct of another person. These cases can range from the fairly simple to extremely complex. It is not possible to state with any precision what kinds of cases I handle in this category in this small space. Rather, a detailed consultation is necessary to determine if I can handle a particular case. If you have been injured, please e-mail me or call me at (205) 344-5516 to set up a consultation. Because of the financial devastation a personal injury can have on a person, I will waive the initial consultation fee in a personal injury case.

Criminal Cases: Criminal cases generally fall into the categories of felonies and misdemeanors and can be handled at the city, county, or federal levels. The quick retention of a criminal defense lawyer can mean the difference between a case being winnable and case being unwinnable. This is because the police will seek to have the suspect waive very important constitutional rights in order to make it easier to get a conviction. They may lead the suspect into believing that if you waive these rights, things will actually be easier for you. This is not true. If you have been accused of a crime, before you do or say anything, e-mail me or call me at (205) 344-5516 to discuss your options.

DUI: Almost everyone knows someone who has been charged with DUI. The police must follow many technical rules when processing a person for DUI. Not following any of these procedures could result in a DUI case being dismissed. A careful review of the facts of the case is always important to determine whether a DUI case can be won in court. If you or someone you know has been arrested for DUI, e-mail me or call me at (205) 344-5516 for a consultation.

Domestic Relations: Domestic Relations is another broad area that consists of many subcategories. These cases are usually handled by "the divorce court," but consist of much more than just divorce cases.

Divorce - This is what most people think of as the heart and soul of the domestic relations field. Divorces are very painful for all of the parties involved and require a special combination of aggressive representation and compassionate client relations. If handled properly, whether contested or uncontested, a very favorable resolution can be reached for the client in a reasonable amount of time.

Child Custody - Usually, but not always, an issue in a divorce. Child custody cases are time consuming and require an active, hands-on approach to ensure the client understands the type of factors the judges look at when making this difficult decision. Only through such a working relationship can you be certain that all favorable evidence is before the judge. I have access to quality investigative resources if they become necessary in the evidence gathering phase of the case.

Child Support - Very few people dispute that a parent should support his or her child. the crux of these cases is making sure that the correct amount of child support is being paid. Many parents are entitled to reductions in their support because of unforeseen economic difficulties. If you believe you are paying too much or not receiving enough e-mail me or call me at (205) 344-5516, and let me see what I can do for you.

Juvenile Court: Juvenile court is where legal problems involving children under the age of nineteen years are typically handled in Alabama. Generally two major areas are implicated in a juvenile case:

Delinquency - This is when a child is charged with a crime. It is of the utmost importance that a lawyer get involved as soon as possible after a child is arrested or even suspected of having committed a crime. Often, the appointment of a lawyer by the court is done after the child has waived very important constitutional rights. If you believe your child is suspected of having committed a crime or has been arrested, e-mail me or call me at (205) 344-5516 immediately to ensure those valuable rights are not waived.

Dependency - This is a situation where the parent(s) of a child, for whatever reason, are not able to properly care for their child and a temporary custodial arrangement is necessary until the parent(s) can "get on their feet." It is very important that a parent in this situation receive quality, timely legal advice. It is not enough to conduct one short interview just before court; rather, a game plan has to be established quickly to ensure all of the positive information about the parent is before the judge.

Probate: Probate work consists of several different types of work, including the following:

Adoption - This is the legal process of bringing a child into your home just as if that child was born to you. You will assume all of the duties of parenthood and receive all of the benefits of parenthood.

Guardianship - This is the process of being appointed to care for the person of another. Typically these are done when a child has come to live with another or when an adult is no longer capable of caring for themselves.

Conservatorship - This is the process of being appointed to care for the property of another person. Again, this is often done when a child has a separate estate that must be administered or when an adult is no longer capable of caring for their property.

Name Change - A fairly simple process whereby, for whatever reason, a person wishes to legally change their name.

Probate of Estates - This is the orderly collection and distribution of a decedent's estate. These can be quite simple or extremely complex. A thorough consultation must be scheduled to determine if I am able to help you administer an estate.

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"No representation is made that the quality of the legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services by another Alabama attorney." - Disclosure made pursuant to Alabama Rule of Professional Responsibility 7.2.

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