Whatever your legal problem, there’s likely an attorney who specializes in dealing specifically with your particular legal issue. If you’ve been trying to find a lawyer to help you solve your specific legal problem, you’ve probably realized there are many different types of lawyers.
For instance, non-profit organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) employ constitutional lawyers to protect minorities involved in a legal process. 13. Environmental Lawyers
It is extremely helpful to have a lawyer in a civil matter. Even in transactional civil matters, such as drafting a contract, a lawyer can be very helpful. A lawyer can make sure contracts are drafted correctly and avoid problems at a later date.
Without a lawyer, an individual runs the risk of inadvertently waiving their rights to alimony, visitation with their children, or even custody of their children. What Do Probate and Estate Planning Lawyers Do? Legal matters of probate include probating wills, guardianship, emancipation and conservatorship.
Unfortunately, church discipline and the departure of a pastor provide fertile grounds for lawsuits. Claims of defamation, tortious invasion of privacy, and intentional infliction of emotional distress often rear their ugly heads when a church attempts to discipline or remove an unrepentant member or pastor.
Vicarious liability. Any employer, religious organizations included, can be held liable for the actions of its employees when they're acting within the scope of their duties. If your employee negligently causes injury to another person or property, your organization — as well as the employee — will likely be sued.
Yes. Religious and/or charitable organizations and the individuals who are in charge and control of such entities have no special privilege or other legal protection if they commit a tort, including the tort of defamation.
An attorney will be able to provide valuable advice and suggestions about what to include in these documents to give the maximum protection to the organization. 2. Real Estate and Land Use. If your religious institution needs to move locations or expand its current location, an attorney will often be necessary.
Church board members have a legal responsibility to place the church's needs ahead of their own. If you receive a personal financial benefit as a result of serving on the church's board, you could potentially be sued for breaching your fiduciary responsibility to the church. 4.
In premises liability cases, the defendant who controls, owns, or possesses a property (such as a church's ownership or control of the building where it holds meetings) owes a duty to exercise reasonable care to prevent injury to visitors to the property.
When suing anyone a person must decide exactly which law the church violated. Some of the possibilities include but are not limited to fraud, extortion, emotional distress, class action and sexual abuse. Each claim has its own merit but the claimant must determine on a case-by-case basis what legal statute to invoke.
Any church can be sued by anybody at any time. However, churches can reduce their risk of being sued, losing in court, and suffering financial setbacks by taking several steps.
If someone suffers a significant injury while on church property or acting as an agent of the church, the church may face a personal injury lawsuit. There are some guiding principles that can help a church examine its potential risks when fulfilling its duty to exercise reasonable care: The foreseeability of harm.
Any church can be sued by anybody at any time. However, churches can reduce their risk of being sued, losing in court, and suffering financial setbacks by taking several steps.
To succeed in any claim, you must prove that that the remarks concerning you were defamatory (offending words that harmed your reputation), intentional (the person set about damaging your good name) and unlawful (wouldan unbiased person view the statement as unacceptable), that they referred to you directly and were ...
Lawyers can provide a wide range of services to their clients. Some lawyers handle many different types of cases. Some lawyers specialize in one or two types, such as family and divorce law.
A lawyer is an individual who is licensed to practice law in a state. Lawyers are also known as attorneys or an attorney at law. Some lawyers are licensed in multiple states. Some lawyers are admitted to practice at the Federal level as well.
Even in transactional civil matters, such as drafting a contract, a lawyer can be very helpful. A lawyer can make sure contracts are drafted correctly and avoid problems at a later date. A real estate purchase, business purchase, and/or creation of a trademark or copyright will most likely involve a lawyer.
Family law is law that involves family matters. These matters can include marriage, divorce, adoption, child support, custody and establishing parentage. In most cases, marriages do not require a lawyer but a prenuptial agreement should be reviewed by a lawyer.
It is important in divorce cases for an individual to have a family lawyer representing them to ensure their rights are protected.
Criminal law is the body of laws that pertain to crimes. Crimes are actions or behaviors prohibited by state or federal laws. Crimes are punishable by fines, probation, and/or imprisonment. Usually, crimes are categorized as misdemeanors or felonies.
There are many different types of lawyers that handle many different types of cases. Some cases may even overlap practice areas. Most lawyers have experience with a variety of cases and will be able to help you with your needs. Despite the prevalence of “lawyer jokes”, lawyers are service oriented and look out for the best interest of their clients.
If you haven’t updated your main governing documents in awhile, the church should touch base with an attorney.
If the church is contacted by an attorney representing someone else , you should respond through an attorney. If your church is engaged in church discipline, or removing members, talk to an attorney about your process. If you are contacted by an attorney representing a member, please have a church attorney respond.
If any staff, contractor, or volunteer is alleged to have taken unfair advantage of an elderly, infirm, or disabled person, talk to an attorney immediately. Some states have implemented “elder abuse” laws similar to child abuse laws, with similar reporting requirements.
If the sexual misconduct includes any person under 18 or over 65, contact an attorney immediately . In many states, ministers and other authorities are required to take very specific steps in a short timeframe. For example, in Missouri, alerting the police does not fulfill your duties!
If the church is contacted by the IRS or the State or local equivalents, you should talk to an attorney, and have them respond. If your church receives communication about a zoning issue, it will be helpful to talk to an attorney familiar with RLUIPA before you make any response.
If your church is going to terminate the employment of anyone, it is a good time to talk to an attorney. Non-ministerial employees are often subject to the same laws and regulations affecting other businesses.
Here are twenty times that Churches need lawyers, apart from being sued: Every new church planter should talk to a lawyer familiar with churches, and ask about forming a corporation or similar entity. The legal risks are too high and the solution is relatively easy.
A corporate lawyer will be able to help you with issues related to the formation of your corporation, general corporate governance issues and corporate compliance issues.
The Social Security Disability system can be a particularly complex system in which to navigate. An attorney who specializes in Social Security Disability issues can help you with any step in the Social Security Disability process, including assisting you with eligibility issues, launching an appeal of a decision to deny you benefits and dealing with the reduction or termination of your benefits.
The estate planning lawyer specializes in wills and trusts, and can help you to draw up a will to pass on your assets. Among other estate planning legal services, this type of lawyer can help you set up a trust which will help take care of your children’s financial needs.
If you’ve been injured while on the job, or have had to face the death of a loved one as a result of a workplace accident or occupational disease, a lawyer who specializes in workers compensation law can help you navigate the issues you face, such as the extent of the employer’s fault and the amount of benefits to which you are entitled.
Also known as an IP attorney, an intellectual property lawyer can advise you with regard to issues relating to intellectual property, such as copyrights, trademarks, patents, industrial design and trade secrets.
Employment Lawyer. Whether you’re a company that’s having a problem with an employee, or an individual who’s having problems with the company you work for, an employment lawyer can generally provide advice about legal issues which arise from an employment contract or within an employment relationship.
Doctors do occasionally make mistakes, and if you’re facing the consequences of a medical mistake such as a medical misdiagnosis or inaccurate treatment, a lawyer who specializes in medical malpractice issues can be particular helpful.
Some of the most common reasons a person seeks out a bankruptcy lawyer are for medical debt, mortgage foreclosure, and credit card debt. No matter what kind of legal issue you’re facing, there are lawyers who can handle your case, and finding the right one is essential to your peace of mind.
Criminal lawyers are attorneys who defend individuals and organizations against government charges in federal and state courts. Criminal lawyers understand the rules around arrest, arraignment, bail, pleas, proof, and related issues. Some of the most common crimes requiring criminal lawyers include homicide, sexual battery and assault.
Some of the most common types of cases handled by employment lawyers are contracts, wrongful termination, workplace harassment, retaliation, and workplace discrimination.
Workers’ compensation lawyers specialize in helping workers navigate the unique laws that apply to people who have been injured on the job. A workers’ compensation lawyer typically has a large number of cases to manage, each with its own deadlines, so look for a firm using a modern cloud-based law firm management system. The Department of Labor administers four major disability compensation programs.
Intellectual property attorneys (“IP attorneys”) help companies, artists, and inventors with legal issues concerning copyrights, trademarks, patents, trade secrets and the like. IP attorneys spend a lot of time working with clients to help them avoid infringing upon the rights of others and making sure that their intellectual property is properly protected under the law.
Immigration lawyers help immigrants, and employers seeking to hire them, with legal issues related to the status of immigrants and their families. Immigration lawyers help with visas, green cards, citizenship, and asylum and refugee status. Immigration laws change constantly, so it’s important to consult an experienced attorney in these situations.
The general term “civil litigator” refers to an attorney who represents clients in civil (not criminal) court, either as plaintiff or defendant. The most common kinds of civil litigation involve contract ...
People with advocacies can consult constitutional lawyers if they think their rights have been violated. For instance, non-profit organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) employ constitutional lawyers to protect minorities involved in a legal process.
Different types of lawyers specialize in different areas of law. Some lawyers mostly do the work outside of the courtroom, such as drafting contracts and wills, preparing documents to comply with a process, negotiating deals, and advising clients on a legal problem. There are also lawyers who present cases in court or litigations ...
Family Lawyers. These are lawyers who handle all kinds of domestic cases, such as divorce, legal separation, child custody, adoption, paternity, alimony, prenuptial or postnuptial agreements, and emancipation. But family attorneys may also handle reproductive rights cases, and their work may intersect with other areas of the law.
Since these are professions that ascribe to a set of standards , they have greater professional responsibilities that may be challenged in the courtroom or in litigation.
Real estate lawyers provide legal guidance for individuals or companies seeking to buy or sell a property. They work with their clients and the real estate agents to draft documents and ensure that the paperwork is legally binding. They may also negotiate for the buyer or seller, or represent a property owner during a foreclosure dispute.
But family attorneys may also handle reproductive rights cases, and their work may intersect with other areas of the law. For instance, if there’s a criminal investigation of child abuse or a domestic violence case, or if there’s a juvenile delinquency case, a family lawyer may also work with a criminal lawyer. 3. Estate Planning Lawyers.
They need to have expert knowledge in both business and innovation trends. IP lawyers may also negotiate settlements on behalf of the creator or inventor if someone has infringed on their work, such as in cases where branded goods are faked and sold for a lower price in the market.
Churches can take steps to prevent abuse problems within their organizations by: Taking complaints seriously. Not believing the victim is a classic mistake that leads many organizations into trouble. Adopting an anti-abuse policy that the congregation will see and discuss.
A church or religious organization that controls, owns, or possesses a property (such as a church’s ownership or control of the building where it holds meetings) owes a duty to exercise reasonable care to prevent injury to visitors to the property. If someone suffers a significant injury while on church property or acting as an agent of the church, the church may face a personal injury lawsuit.
The Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) prohibits zoning laws that discriminate against churches and other places of religious activities. Under RLUIPA, it is unlawful for most localities to adopt zoning laws that “substantially burden the religious exercise of churches or other religious assemblies or institutions absent the least restrictive means of furthering a compelling governmental interest.”
This can be especially true for churches that have a long history. If title problems aren’t resolved, selling land or using it as collateral for a loan may prove impossible.
One significant reason that a church might choose to incorporate is to assign the church’s real estate to the corporation, which then owns all of the obligations associated with the land along with the land itself.
The Church Law Center of California advises churches and other nonprofits on how to protect themselves from risk while furthering their mission. Call us today at (949) 245-3177 or reach out to us through our contact page.
If someone suffers a significant injury while on church property or acting as an agent of the church, the church may face a personal injury lawsuit. There are some guiding principles that can help a church examine its potential risks when fulfilling its duty to exercise reasonable care: The foreseeability of harm.