Divorce presents what seems to be an overwhelming number of legal issues that must be dealt with in what is almost always one of the most emotional and stressful time in a person’s life. Our firm’s attorneys are experienced assisting men and women maintain their financial security and their relationships with their children in the face of a life-altering event. Whether your case is hotly contested in Court, settles at the mediator’s table, or is uncontested from beginning to end, our attorneys will provide sound, reliable advice.

An individual can find him or herself in family court in many situations that do not involve divorce. Paternity, child custody modification and enforcement, child support modification, parenting time, adoption, and emancipation are just a few of the family law issues that our attorneys are qualified to handle. Our attorneys are also regularly appointed by the courts as guardian ad litems and represent children by presenting their best interests in the midst of often difficult and life altering familial disputes.

Not interested in fighting an issue in Court? Several of our firm’s attorneys trained as domestic relations mediators who are dedicated to helping families work through their differences toward enforceable mediated agreements in all types of family law cases.

The Smith Carpenter Probate and Estate Planning helps individuals to plan for unexpected occurrences in their lives and for the end of life. We believe that proper planning not only provides peace of mind to our clients, but also makes a difficult time easier on family members. Estate planning includes a full discussion of your particular issues and ways to carry out your wishes if you are unable to do so. Our attorneys will draft Wills, Trusts, Power of Attorneys, Living Wills, and Health Care Power of Attorneys that range from simple to complex. Our attorneys also help make a difficult time more manageable by helping your family manage the details during an extended illness, or upon your death through probate proceedings if necessary. Our attorneys are dedicated to making sure that your family is protected and that they receive what you have worked for during your life. Medicaid discussions are also available for those who may be in that situation. Remember to plan for your future so as not to leave your family in a mess.

Individuals who find themselves in the criminal justice system need advocates dedicated to protecting their constitutional rights and ensuring fair treatment regardless of the crime charged. Our firm’s attorneys have experience dealing with a range of criminal matters from minor misdemeanors, OWI, and traffic tickets to serious felonies. Our attorneys can assist you whether you are looking for a fair plea agreement or are looking for an attorney to aggressively defend you during a trial by your peers.

The United States’ Bankruptcy laws are meant to give everyone a chance to make a fresh start. Whether you are looking to have your debts discharged in a Chapter 7 bankruptcy or to make reduced payments on your debts in a Chapter 13 plan, our attorneys will guide you out from under the crushing weight of debt and onto the path of financial security and prosperity.

Businesses face an ever-changing and increasingly complicated legal landscape. The firm’s experience and expertise includes handling matters for many small and large businesses in southern Indiana including but not limited to hospitals, utilities, retailers, manufacturers, financial institutions, and charitable organizations. We believe that our experience equips us to serve business and corporate clients with both simple and complex legal needs. Whether you are looking to form a new business, expand a current business, manage your business affairs in a more efficient manner, enter into a contracts, manage employees, ensure compliance with state and federal law, or any other issue, our attorneys can provide the solutions you need.

The Smith Carpenter Real Estate Law practice group serves individuals, businesses, and other entities in all of their real estate needs, including drafting deeds and other simple documents, performing closings and litigation.

Individuals and businesses who suffer monetary injuries must seek redress through civil courts. Civil courts provide remedies to people who have suffered monetary losses as a result of personal injuries, breaches of contract, and other wrongful actions. Whether you have a small claim or a million dollar case, our civil litigation practice group will aggressively work to make sure that you are made whole.

The right to appeal a decision to a higher court helps ensure that lower courts follow the rule of law. Appellate advocacy is a distinct skill that requires the ability to fashion forceful arguments out of dull trial transcripts and hundreds of years of legal precedents. Our Appellate Litigation Practice Group can argue your case forcefully in Indiana state or federal appellate courts whether you are seeking to fix an unjust decision by a lower court or are defending the lower court’s judgment on appeal.

According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), a 20 year-old worker has a 3 in 10 chance of becoming disabled before reaching retirement age. Social Security disability benefits and supplemental income benefits are meant to provide a safety net for those who cannot work due to a physical or mental disability and to provide a way for a disabled people to maintain financial dignity and independence. A person who has been wrongfully denied benefits by the SSA at both the initial and reconsideration levels has a right to a fair hearing. Our Social Security Disability Practice Group fights for the rights of disabled people at both the reconsideration and hearing levels and assists individuals who are entitled to those benefits.

Aging presents many issues for individuals and families. Many people make the mistake of listening to friends and acquaintances to get answers to these problems. Being proactive in elder law issues and planning can make things easier for your family. Seek the advice of someone who can answer your questions. Our firm’s attorneys can help you or your loved one plan for the challenges that come with aging.

Whether because of age, illness, disability, or the death of a parent, sometimes an individual is incapable of taking care of his or her own affairs. In this situation it is sometimes necessary for a person to have a guardian appointed to take care of his or her affairs. If this is your family’s situation, we can guide you through the guardianship process.

Our firm’s attorneys represent people who have been injured in accidents of all types, whether on the road, at work, or in any other situation. We will work hard to ensure that you are compensated for your injuries, lost wages, pain, and suffering. We will aggressively pursue out-of-court settlements and, if necessary, we have the expertise to try your case in court.

Every municipality has its own separate set of zoning regulations which govern the way in which land can be used and the conditions under which a landowner can ask to rezone their property or get variances from those restricted uses. Our attorneys represent individuals and businesses who seek assistance in navigating the procedures governing what their land or adjacent land can be used for. We are experienced in representing individuals and neighborhood groups who oppose proposed land uses that would diminish the value of their own land.

Our firm has extensive experience advising county, city and town governments in the intricacies of government law. We have advised city and county plan commissions, city and county boards of zoning appeals, city councils, mayors, redevelopment commissions and other governmental agencies.