- DivorceMost couples do not want to engage in protracted litigation to end their marriage, because divorce litigation tends to be time consuming, frustrating, and extremely expensive. Mr. Sutton helps his clients resolve all issues relating to their marriage as quickly and inexpensively as possible. The ultimate goal is for the divorcing couple to enter into a Voluntary Separation and Property Settlement Agreement to resolve all issues relating to their marriage so that the couple can proceed with a 10-minute uncontested divorce hearing.
- Child SupportWhen non-married couples separate, they will need to resolve issues relating to custody, visitation, and child support. A Parenting Agreement is a contract entered between the separating parties to resolve these issues, which will then be entered as a Consent Order by the Circuit Court.
- Child Custody and VisitationIf the parties are unable to resolve their child custody and/or property issues with a Voluntary Separation Agreement and Property Settlement Agreement, then the case will proceed to trial.
- AdoptionPublic adoptions involve an adoption agency. A private adoption is conducted between the biological parents and the adoptive parents without an adoption agency. The most common form of adoption is an adoption of a step-child by a step-parent. The cost of a step-parent adoption usually does not exceed $2,500.
- Premarital AgreementWhen parties have significant assets prior to their marriage, a Prenuptial Agreement is efficacious in documenting the parties’ pre-marital assets. A Prenuptial Agreement avoids the situation of proving that a spouse owned particular personal property prior to the marriage.
- GuardianshipWhen parents are unable to take care of a child, they can temporarily transfer their parental rights to another adult with a guardianship. The most common reasons for a guardianship include (a) an illness of a parent; (b) the parents being transferred overseas by their employer; (c) grandparents needing a guardianship of a grandchild to obtain insurance coverage through their employer.
- Spousal SupportUpon separation, the Court can award the economically dependent spouse pendente lite alimony to preserve the status quo. Pendente lite alimony is based upon the economic needs of the economically dependent spouse and the ability of the other spouse to contribute towards these expenses.
- Wrongful DeathFor a wrongful death of a child, parents can collect damages for their own emotional distress as well as for their child’s pre-death pain and suffering. As of October 1, 2016, the total amount of emotional distress damages (also known as non-economic damages) that parents can recover for the wrongful death of their child is capped at $1,245,500 in Maryland; and this amount increases by $22,500 on October 1st of each succeeding year.
- Sex CrimesStewart A. Sutton also obtained a settlement for a female high school student who had confidentially disclosed to a newspaper reporter that she had been a victim of a sexual assault, but the newspaper published this fact without her consent.
- AssaultAssault and battery occurs when a person threatens to harm or actually harms another. The perpetrator will often be criminally charged and convicted.
- Corporate LawMr. Sutton can incorporate your business as either a corporation or a limited liability corporation (LLC). The advantage of being incorporated is that the personal assets of the owners are beyond the reach of the corporation’s creditors.
- Business DisputesI am the owner of a Tennessee corporation; and I retained Stewart A. Sutton to collect a debt exceeding $14,000 from a corporate client located in Montgomery County, Maryland. I was incredibly pleased that the debtor immediately paid the entire amount owed as a result of Stewart Sutton’s efforts. I wish all attorneys possessed Mr. Sutton’s innate ability to resolve business disputes without the necessity of litigation.
- Employment Contract
- Severance Agreement
- Construction LitigationWe had incurred a $9,400 loss, because our prior attorneys had committed legal malpractice in a construction defect case. We retained Stewart A. Sutton to recover this money. Within a matter of weeks, he was able to reach a settlement in which we recovered $9,000.
- Landlord-Tenant DisputesStewart A. Sutton represents commercial tenants and landlords by reviewing and negotiating leases and termination agreements. In the event a lease is breached, he will represent the client in court.
- Property DamageThe most common type of personal injury case is a motor vehicle accident. For most accidents, usually one driver is at fault, meaning that individual caused the accident by being inattentive or by not obeying the rules of the road. A person who is injured as a result of another’s negligent driving is entitled to be compensated for his or her injuries, including medical bills, pain and suffering, property damage, and lost wages.
- Personal InjuryStewart A. Sutton has successfully represented hundreds of clients in personal injury and accident cases. Most personal injury and accident cases settle without litigation. Even if a lawsuit is filed, the case is likely to settle before trial.
- Medical MalpracticeMedical malpractice occurs when a healthcare professional’s negligent acts or omissions causes a patient to suffer harm. Physicians often fail to properly diagnose a treatable condition and the resulting delay in the diagnosis and treatment of the condition can have dire consequences.
- Auto Accidents
- Social Security DisabilityAs a result of a physical disability which prevents me from working, I accrued a $6,000 child support arrearage. I was sued for civil contempt for failing to pay child support. Stewart A. Sutton not only had the contempt charges against me dismissed, he was able to reduce my child support arrearage to zero. He also convinced the court to terminate my future obligation to pay child support, despite the fact that I receive Social Security Disability Insurance.
- Dog BitesThousands of children are wounded and scarred each year by dog bites. They are usually bitten by a neighbor or friend’s dog. Stewart A. Sutton successfully represented a girl who was bitten on the face at a friend’s house by the family dog.
- Estate PlanningEstate Planning involves the drafting of the appropriate legal documents to provide for the distribution of property upon a person’s death as well as to express the type of medical care a person will receive in their final days.
- WillsA Living Wills or Advanced Directive allows you to: (a) appoint a healthcare agent to make medical decisions when you are no longer capable of making informed decisions regarding your healthcare and (b) express the type of medical care you will receive when you have either a terminal condition or when you are in a persistent vegetative state with no reasonable expectation of recovery.
- TrustsEvery parent with a minor child needs a Will. Without a Will, the surviving spouse may receive only half of the decedent’s estate. Without a Will and surviving parent, the Court will decide who will raise the decedent’s minor children. Without a Will and testamentary Trust, children will receive their entire inheritance when they reach the age of 18.
- Power of AttorneyA durable Power of Attorney allows a person to appoint an agent to act on his or her behalf. An agent is typically appointed to manage someone’s financial affairs, because the person anticipates that he or she will soon become incapacitated. A power of attorney expires upon the person’s death.
- Probate
- BankruptcyI lost my home to foreclosure as a result of my bankruptcy attorney’s negligent acts and omissions. A well regarded Montgomery County law firm reviewed my Chapter 13 bankruptcy file but declined to represent me, because this firm did not believe that I had a viable legal malpractice case against my former bankruptcy attorney. I then met with Stewart A. Sutton. After reviewing my bankruptcy file, he agreed to represent me, because he concluded that I had lost my home due to my former bankruptcy attorney’s legal malpractice. Mr. Sutton filed a malpractice lawsuit on my behalf against my former bankruptcy attorney; and I received a satisfactory settlement to compensate me for my financial losses.
- ForeclosureSometimes mortgage companies fail to comply with the exacting requirements to foreclose upon a home in Maryland. In 2007, Stewart A. Sutton had a foreclosure sale vacated, because the mortgage company’s default notices to the borrower were mailed to the wrong address.