This site is designed to reach those needing a lawyer who will provide them with effective legal representation, and do so without a lot of hype, arrogance, and greed. Most regular people do have a sincere wish to be committed to a simple principle: "to do what's right, because it's right." For our part, while realizing that all human interactions, especially commercial ones involve a certain BS quotient, our aim is to deal with clients in the most genuine way possible, and at the same time to handle their cases effectively, knowing that they are depending on us to do so.

The focus of our practice is to assist those who are experiencing trouble in one or more of the following interrelated areas...

• Court-Certified Foreclosure Mediation
• Bankruptcy
• IRS/Tax Settlement

In addition to those main categories, we have gained a great deal of experience in the following areas and so are able to provide expert assistance in them as well.

• Municipal Court
• Criminal and Civil Appeals
• Post-Conviction Relief
• Parental Rights/DYFS

Regardless of category, if you are experiencing some kind of trouble, my job would be to stand with you in it, and help you to resolve and get through it. For my part, this can be draining, but also rewarding and worthwhile. The core skills I would dedicate to your cause involve written and spoken communication. In many cases, this will mean striving to communicate your essential ‘humanness,’ among other things, to those who will judge you; communicating it first requires recognizing and understanding this unique humanness, in the context of the trouble you are going through. It is surprising that my approach in this regard seems to be essentially different from the conventional one followed by many others.

The areas of practice categorized as ‘legal’ in nature, are: New Jersey criminal appeals attorney, as well as civil appeals. In addition to my work as a New Jersey appellate lawyer, I have handled many post-conviction relief matters. Post-conviction relief is similar in some respects to the appellate process. But in most cases post-conviction relief can become available only after the appeals process has been exhausted. Nevertheless, being an appeals lawyer or post-conviction relief lawyer both require similar qualities of dedication, effort, and skill. For more information on appeals and post-conviction relief, and their differences, please see the practice areas page on each.

Additionally, I have handled a great many parental rights cases, that is, cases involving the New Jersey Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS matters). DYFS becomes involved in the lives of families when there are allegations of child abuse and/or neglect. Whether the allegations of abuse or neglect are founded, or false, I will be able to counsel you based on knowledge of this area of the law, and represent you based on more than a decade of courtroom experience in this area, having handled numerous trials in both abuse and neglect, and termination of parental rights cases. I am also available to consult in juvenile law matters. If you have a teen in trouble, and have nowhere to turn, do not hesitate to communicate by email. If you are not affluent, note that the sliding fee scale referenced elsewhere applies especially here.

I am available to handle appellate matters and post-conviction relief matters anywhere in New Jersey, not just northern and central New Jersey. The reason for this is that, because appellate matters by their nature primarily involve writing briefs, document review, and legal research, there is not a great deal of traveling to court hearings, or many in-person conferences with clients. For other kinds of matters, which do require many court appearances and client conferences, I am somewhat limited to the Northern New Jersey counties of Sussex, Warren, Morris, Passaic, Bergen, Essex, Hudson, and Union, as well as the central New Jersey counties of Mercer, Middlesex, Hunterdon, and Monmouth. However, as an appeals attorney, I can gladly take on appellate matters beyond Northern and Central New Jersey, in the shore areas of Ocean County and Atlantic County, and even throughout South Jersey, since as an appellate attorney, I can take a conscientious, personalized approach to the appeal while communicating with clients by telephone and email, and meeting together only occasionally. It is advisable to seek out an appellate attorney who will do the best job for you, and it is not inconvenient or costly if that lawyer is located at some distance from you.

The financial-trouble categories of my practice involve property rather than liberty issues. Here, usually, the work mainly involves a great deal of paperwork and attendant requirements; still, without saying much about it, I stay mindful of the difficulties clients are going through (see Plato’s quote above), and this makes the process less painful, and ultimately worthwhile. These categories are: New Jersey foreclosure mediation; bankruptcy attorney in New Jersey (primarily Chapter 7 filing, and Chapter 13 filing); IRS tax settlements in New Jersey, (and in the tri-state area of New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania).

In the area of foreclosure mediation, the State of New Jersey has instituted a foreclosure mediation program to assist homeowners experiencing trouble with their mortgages. The practice areas section includes a link to the website of that State program, and it has a great deal of potentially helpful information. It also provides information on my involvement with that program as a Court-certified foreclosure mediator, authorized to conduct foreclosure mediations throughout Northern and Central New Jersey.

Regarding the category of New Jersey bankruptcy attorney, feel free to email and/or consult with me regarding whether filing for bankruptcy protection is advisable for you, and if so, whether a Chapter 7 filing or a Chapter 13 filing is the appropriate choice. Also, peruse the resources contained on the practice area section for more information on which kind of Bankruptcy filing would be best. Generally speaking, Chapter 13 involves setting up a repayment plan for debt, while Chapter 7 results in discharge of debts. The bankruptcy practice area contains more detailed information, especially regarding possible discharge of student loans in Chapter 7 Bankruptcy. As noted, my offices are located in Newton, in Sussex County; however, I travel to the Essex County courts several times a week, and am available to meet with clients for Chapter 7 bankruptcy filings and Chapter 13 filings in any of the North Jersey counties of Sussex, Warren, Morris, Passaic, Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Union, as well as the central New Jersey counties of Mercer, Middlesex, Hunterdon, and Monmouth. Bankruptcy filings throughout other areas of New Jersey are not a problem, but there is an additional cost if travel is necessary into Ocean or Atlantic County, or elsewhere in South Jersey.

In the area of IRS tax settlements, you have seen the television advertisements. However, beyond the hype, there are government programs available that can help taxpayers who owe the IRS for back taxes. By far the most important of these is the “Offer in Compromise” program. If you need assistance in dealing with your tax problems, I have the ability to do so. See the practice areas menu for detailed information on the Offer in Compromise and other IRS information. As noted in the above paragraph on my work as a bankruptcy lawyer for Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcies, my offices are located in Newton, in Sussex County; however, because I travel to the Essex County courts several times a week, I am available to meet with clients concerning IRS tax problems in Sussex, Warren, Morris, Passaic, Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Union, as well as Mercer, Middlesex, Hunterdon, and Monmouth counties. Consultation regarding IRS problems is available throughout other areas of New Jersey, but there will be an extra charge for travel to other areas of New Jersey. If you do not know anything about IRS programs such as the Offer in Compromise, it would be worthwhile and not costly to discuss this, even if on a somewhat long-distance basis, via email at first.

In addition to the above areas, I will handle municipal court matters. If you have questions regarding how many points will result from a given traffic ticket, or for other information on New Jersey traffic violations, see the practice area page. The information there and at the pages it links to may also help to answer some of the concerns raised by alarming letters likely filling your mailbox. Send an email if questions concerning your traffic violation remain after reviewing that information, if you find that you do need a New Jersey DWI attorney, DUI attorney, or traffic attorney. A note on travel: in connection with ordinary traffic violations, I am only able to handle such traffic violation matters within the municipalities of Sussex County. However, on more serious matters, DWI, “no-insurance” charges, and some disorderly persons offenses, I am able to travel to other municipal courts in Morris, Warren, Passaic, Bergen, Essex, Somerset, Middlesex, Hunterdon, and Mercer counties.

If you do have charges pending for DWI, or for ‘no insurance,’ or other more serious matters, it is strongly advised that you consult with a New Jersey DWI attorney, rather than just going into court and taking your lumps. Please note: if you despair that you cannot afford to do so, see sliding fee scale.

I handle a range of traffic violations such as speeding tickets and other municipal court offenses in municipal courts the length and breadth of Sussex County. Of those municipalities, Augusta, Branchville, Frankford, Lafayette, and Sandyston share a joint municipal court located in Lafayette. I also handle traffic tickets/violations in the other municipal courts in Sussex County: Andover Borough Municipal Court; Andover Township Municipal Court; Byram Township; Franklin Borough; Fredon Township; Green Township; Hamburg Borough; Hampton Township; Hardyston Township; Hopatcong Borough; Lafayette Township; Montague Township; Town of Newton (the Municipal Court in Newton, located at 39 Trinity Street, Newton, is directly across the street from, and shares a parking lot with this office); Ogdensburg Borough; Sparta Township (as travelers along State Route 15 will know, the Sparta police are ever-vigilant for traffic violations, however trivial, and the Sparta Municipal Court is the busiest in Sussex County); Stanhope Borough; Stillwater Township; Sussex Borough; Vernon Township; Walpack Township; and Wantage Township.