GUARDIANSHIP

CONSERVATORSHIP

Are you worried because your special needs child is now an adult and schools and doctors won’t talk to you? Are they telling you that you have no “legal authority” to make medical and educational decisions for your child?

Are you afraid that you can’t protect your child and continue to provide the care that your child needs?

Do you have a parent, sibling or friend whose dementia or mental health challenges are getting worse? Are you seeing your loved one forget or refuse to take medication, spend money recklessly or become combative with family, doctors or even delivery people?

If your situation is similar to those described above, you probably feel overwhelmed. You want to step in and help, but you don’t know what to do or where to begin. You need help before things get worse.

This is where Clay Law comes in. You will work directly with Connie Clay. She will listen carefully and ask questions about your unique situation. She will gather details and craft a clear, personalized plan to protect your loved one and get you the legal authority that you need to act. Depending on your particular situation, Connie will recommend guardianship, conservatorship or both.

Connie Clay thinks ahead, explains every option and never leaves you guessing.

Connie is the right attorney for individuals navigating the emotional and logistical complexities of guardianship and conservatorship. In addition to extensive legal experience, Connie has lived experience as a caregiver, legal guardian and conservator for her elders. Connie knows what it’s like to be the one stepping up, searching for the right lawyer, scheduling and attending medical appointments, going to court, and parenting a parent all while managing her own household and working full time.

Connie focuses on clarity, patience and simplicity-explaining the process in plain English, giving you space to ask questions and guiding you step-by-step. She’s meticulous about getting the details right, but she never loses sight of the main thing-protecting the dignity, rights and well-being of the person at the center of the case. Connie knows that family friction can surface in these cases, and she brings a calm, knowledgeable and resourceful presence to help you move forward with confidence and minimal conflict.

Here’s how you will work with Connie:

1. Personalized consultation. Connie will ask you to complete a simple form so that she can learn about your case. She will ask you to submit the form and any related documents in advance. Connie reviews the information that you submit before your consultation. During the consultation, she asks questions for clarification and gives you time to ask your questions. She will recommend a solution based on your family and your needs.

2. Guidance at every step from consultation to filing, to court appearances and after you receive your court order.

3. Connection with community resources for your loved one

4. Zealous advocacy in circuit court and a court order that gives you the legal authority to help and protect your loved one.

5. Ongoing support after your case is over. Connie wants to hear from you. You’re encouraged to call or email with updates, and Connie is available to answer questions and address new concerns. She is always ready to help.

6. Peace of mind. You’ll finish the process knowing your loved one is protected, your family’s needs are met, and you have a trusted advisor that you can always turn to-no matter what comes next.

Attorney’s fees for an uncontested guardianship and or conservatorship begin at $3,600.00 plus costs.

Ready to protect your loved one and get peace of mind? Call 804.238.7737 to schedule your personalized guardianship and or conservatorship consultation. You’ll get honest, thorough guidance every step of the way.

CHILD CUSTODY

Have you ended or are you about to end a relationship with a spouse or partner? Are you worried about where your children will live and who will care for them?

Is your contact with your children being limited or denied? Did custody with the other parent seem like a good idea a few years ago, but now things have changed? Maybe you are now settled and in a better position to care for your children or maybe the other parent is no longer providing the children with a stable and nurturing environment.

If you have a custody case pending, think you will have a custody case or are thinking about modifying a custody order, Connie is available to help you go from confusion to clarity.

You don’t have to face this alone. Connie helps parents like you secure enforceable custody orders. Connie wants to help you reach a reasonable agreement with the other parent without dragging your family through a long and expensive court battle.

Here’s how Connie will help you:

1. Listen and assess-the process begins with a confidential consultation to discuss and analyze your unique situation.

2. Create a clear plan-Connie will lay out reasonable steps to get you an initial custody order or modify an existing custody order . Connie focuses on mediation and collaboration so that you obtain the court order that is best for your family. Having lived in Florida for several years, Connie believes that everyone should visit Disney World at least once. Connie would rather have you spend your hard-earned money on a trip to Disney World with your children than on a protracted and expensive custody conflict.

3. Guidance & Support-Connie will do the heavy lifting including drafting legal documents, conferring with the other party’s attorney, researching relevant and new case law, gathering information, finding weaknesses in the other side’s position, and if necessary, preparing your case for trial.

Imagine knowing that your children are appropriately loved and cared for and knowing that their routines are secure so that you can have the time and energy to be the best parent that you can be. With Connie, you have a trusted legal advisor who focuses on clarity over combat.

To schedule your consultation and learn your legal rights, call 804.238.7737.

Attorney’s fees for a custody case begin at $7,500.00 plus costs.

VISITATION

Are you unable to see your children more than a few hours a month? Is the other parent saying the children are “busy” when you ask to see them? Has the other parent refused to agree to a set visitation schedule?

Or are you in a situation where you need to limit the other parent’s contact with your children. Are you concerned about what happens when the children are at the other parent’s home? Are you uncomfortable with how a step parent has disciplined your children?

Your children’s safety is your first priority.

Do you have questions about your legal rights? Do you wonder what you can do about the current situation that has become intolerable?

Connie Clay is the trusted legal advisor that you need. Here is how you will work with Connie:

Consultation

At a consultation, Connie listens carefully to learn what is going on and what you are worried about. She will ask questions to get a better handle on your situation. She will make recommendations based on your unique set of circumstances.

Guidance & Support

Once you hire Connie to represent you, she is easily accessible to you by email, telephone and video conference. She wants to answer your questions and reassure you. She will keep you informed so that you are never wondering what’s happening with your case.

Advocacy

With Connie on your side, you have an experienced attorney who knows the law and the rules of procedure. She will file the legal documents needed to address your legal problem. She will negotiate with the other side, make sure the guardian ad litem knows all the facts, and she will zealously represent you at your hearings.

Relief

When your case is over, you will gain a sense of relief knowing that you took action to protect your children.

Ready to stop worrying and take action? Call 804. 238.7737 to schedule a consultation with Connie.

CHILD SUPPORT

Have you received a notice about child support payments? Are they saying that you are behind on your child support? Are they threatening to ask the judge to put you in jail or to suspend your driver’s license? Are you nervous about going to court by yourself?

If you are facing a child support matter, you need a trusted advisor who will make sure that you have received credit for all payments that you’ve made. You also need someone who will independently calculate child support guidelines to make sure that you are paying the correct amount of child support.

Here’s how you will work with Connie:

1. Judgment Free Consultation-Connie wants to hear your side. Are the calculations from Child Support Enforcement (CSE) or the other side’s attorney inaccurate? Are the children spending more time with you than when the support guidelines were calculated? Are you providing health insurance or paying for daycare or other expenses?

2. Preparation for Court-Connie will investigate the claims made by CSE or the other side and develop a personalized strategy for your case.

3. Representation at all court dates-Connie will tell you in advance what to expect in court, and she will be with you, advocating for you when you go before the judge.

4. Guidance & Support-Between court dates, Connie will be a trusted advisor who will make suggestions and keep you informed.

5. Post Case Follow Up-Connie doesn’t disappear when your case is over. If you have questions or concerns after your case is over, Connie is available to answer your questions and provide guidance with any new issues.

Ready to protect your freedom and stop worrying about child support? Contact Connie and schedule a consultation by calling 804.238.7737.

CHILD WELFARE

DEPENDENCY

TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS

Has CPS (Child Protective Services) contacted you and asked to see your children? Have you been accused of abusing or neglecting a child in your care?

CPS has a tremendous amount of power. They can interview children without their parents’ consent and ask a judge to remove children from their parents’ legal custody.

If you have been contacted by CPS or if you currently have a case with them, you are probably scared, confused and angry.

What you need right now is someone who knows the system from the inside. Someone who knows what to expect from CPS. Someone who can speak up for you. That someone is Connie Clay.

Connie has represented a state agency, parents and relatives in child welfare, dependency and termination of parental rights cases. Connie can represent you at hearings and advise you at meetings with CPS/DSS workers.

When you work with Connie, you get a trusted advisor who has an intimate knowledge of the child welfare system, someone who has represented the agency in court and someone who has represented parents just like you.

When a parent or caregiver is accused of child abuse or neglect, CPS may receive a report and begin an investigation. Based on the results of that investigation, a child could be removed from his or her parents’ home and placed in foster care or another alternative placement.

Parents are entitled to have an attorney represent them in court hearings and at meetings with child welfare staff. An attorney can help parents understand their rights and responsibilities , and an attorney can advocate for parents and caregivers during a trial.

Attorneys’ fees for child welfare, dependency and termination of parental rights cases begin at $4,500.00

If you’re ready to talk to a trusted guide who can help you through your dealings with CPS, call 804.237.7737 to schedule a consultation with Connie.

Appeals from Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court to Circuit Court

Did you represent yourself in Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court? Or did you have an attorney who wasn’t all that helpful? Did it seem like the guardian ad litem and the judge took the other person’s side?

If you feel that you were not heard or adequately represented in Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court, you can appeal your case to the circuit court and have a new hearing.

Attorney’s fees for appeals from Juvenile Court to Circuit Court begin at $4,500.00.

To learn more about your right to appeal a case from Juvenile & Domestic Relations to circuit court, call 804.238.7737 to schedule a consultation.

Uncontested & No Fault Divorce

If your marriage is over, and you and your spouse have agreed on most of the details, you can probably proceed with a simple, “no fault” divorce . If you have been separated for more than one year, an uncontested, no-fault divorce could be an option. If you have a separation agreement and no minor children together, the separation period is reduced from one year to 6 months.

Ready to disentangle yourself and get on with your life? Connie Clay is an experienced family law attorney who can help you.

When you’re read to move forward, call 804.238.7737 to schedule a consultation.

Attorney’s fees for the divorce start at $2500.00 plus costs.