Phone: 718-522-3033 Fax: 718 522 7322 Email: ccbelgrave@aol.com
Areas of practice
Divorce/Family Law
The decision to divorce your spouse is undoubtedly one of the toughest decisions you will have to make in your life especially when you have children together. However, there comes a time when it is not in your or your children’s best interests to remain in the relationship and you have to extricate yourself from the bonds. The process of obtaining a divorce can be somewhat daunting, especially when you and your spouse have children and have accumulated real and personal property during the course of the marriage. The property has to be divided and the issues surrounding the children including custody, visitation, and child support must be resolved before the Court will grant a divorce. Issues of equitable distribution and child custody are complex and a more detailed discussion is beyond the scope of this article.
Through the years, I have often heard that, “I cannot get a divorce because my husband/wife said that he/she is not going to sign the papers”. Your spouse does not need to sign any papers for you to obtain a divorce. If you have the grounds (legally recognized reasons) the Court will grant you a divorce. If you are considering divorce and need further information about your particular situation, please call the office of Carl C. Belgrave and set up an appointment for a consultation
Immigration
The Law Office of Carl C. Belgrave has, over the years, represented hundreds of immigrants in obtaining immigration benefits such as Adjustment of Status, H-1B visas, and relief from deportation. If you have any questions on immigration law and procedure, please call.
General Civil Litigation
If you are injured through the negligence of another in any type of accident: motor vehicle, on the job, in a hospital or by a doctor, slips and falls on defective premises, call the Law Office of Carl C. Belgrave for a free consultation. If someone owes you money and refuses to pay, you may have a case for breach of contract. If there is a dispute over the ownership of any property, call the Law Office of Carl C. Belgrave , we may be able to assist you. In general, if you believe that you have been wronged, in any way, by the actions of another person or persons, please call and the attorney will evaluate your claim and advise you whether or not you have a case.
Bankruptcy
If you have no income or you are living from paycheck to paycheck and cannot get ahead, you may consider Bankruptcy as an option to provide you with a fresh start. At this time, you could be receiving harassing and threatening calls from your creditors and feel like there is nowhere to turn. When you file for Bankruptcy protection, all harassing, annoying phone calls must stop. All collection activities such as lawsuits, wage garnishment, and levies on your bank accounts must cease.If you want to find out whether you qualify for bankruptcy relief, please call the Law office of Carl C. Belgrave . Mr. Belgrave has represented hundreds of debtors in obtaining the bankruptcy discharge. He will evaluate your case and advise you whether your debts would be discharged (forgiven) and whether bankruptcy is the right option for you.
Employment Discrimination
Employment Discrimination Law focuses on whether the individual is being treated fairly in the workplace and not the victim of discrimination based on his/her race, religion, sexual orientation, age, gender etc. In our society, a majority of employees are employees at will and may be terminated at any time without cause by the employees at will and may be terminated at any time without cause by the employer. If there is no evidence of wrongdoing or discrimination by the employer, the Court will generally uphold the employer’s decision under the “business judgment” rule. In a limited number of situations, an individual may be able to sue for wrongful termination. If you believe that you have been the victim of employment discrimination, sexual harassment or wrongful termination, please call the Law Office of Carl C. Belgrave for a case evaluation.
Mr. Belgrave has represented clients in cases involving race discrimination, sexual harassment, failure to promote, wrongful termination and other forms of workplace claims. A former member of the National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA), Mr. Belgrave has substantial knowledge of the issues and the law in the area of employment discrimination.
Criminal Defense
As a Public Defender in Newark, New Jersey in the 1990's, Mr. Belgrave represented hundreds of criminal defendants charged with offenses including murder, attempted murder, drug and weapons possession, robbery, kidnapping, and sexual assault. During this period, he tried over thirty jury trials and lost only one case. In addition, Mr. Belgrave has successfully represented numerous clients charged in municipal courts with traffic offenses including driving while intoxicated, reckless or careless driving, driving without insurance or without other necessary documentation. Mr. Belgrave's value as criminal defense attorney is enhanced by his superb negotiating skills which are often as invaluable as trial skills.
Guardianship/Wills/Estates
- Guardianship: In the event that an individual becomes incapacitated to the extent that he is unable to manage his affairs, an interested person should make an application to the Court to appoint a Guardian over the person and property of the incapacitated individual. In turn, the Court will examine the application and make a determination as to whether the applicant is a suitable person to undertake the responsibility of managing the ward’s affairs. When appointed, the guardian has to report periodically to the Court and has to file an annual accounting. If you have any questions about guardianships, please call the law office of Carl C. Belgrave .
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Wills: A will is a legal document in which you specify how your property should be distributed after your death. Without a will, you are said to have died “intestate” (without a will) and your property will be distributed according to the laws of intestate succession. In other words, the law, not you, dictates who the beneficiaries of your estate are. This may result in situations where you desire that extended family members or friends share in your estate but since they are not included in the intestacy laws, they would not be considered for distribution. Another benefit of having a will is that you choose the person(s) responsible for carrying out your wishes, the Executor or Executrix. You may also name alternate Executors in case the person(s) you selected become unwilling or unable to serve. If you need to have a will prepared, or you need a preexisting will submitted for Probate, call the Law Offices of Carl C. Belgrave for a consultation.
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Estates: If you die without a will and have assets, it will be necessary for someone to petition the Courts for Letters of Administration to be in charge of your estate and to distribute your assets and liabilities according to law (not your will). This individual may not be the person whom you would have chosen but for you it is too late. The Law Office of Carl C. Belgrave will assist the proposed Administrator( Administratrix) in the preparation of the application for the Letters of Administration and through the entire administration process including the accounting. If you have any questions, please call the Law Offices of Carl C. Belgrave .
