Our Success Stories
Member contacted our office with questions about a landlord/tenant issue. Member lost his job due to COVID-19 and had made payment arrangements with his landlord for his monthly rent. Member said that when he tried to make a partial payment this month, it was declined, and he received an eviction notice. Member contacted our office to discuss his options. The attorney explained that the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act that included a temporary moratorium on efforts to evict tenants of certain rental properties, and the ability to assess late fees and penalties for nonpayment of rent, is no longer in place in Georgia. The attorney advised member that the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has signed a declaration determining that the evictions of tenants could be detrimental to public health control measures to slow the spread of SARS-Cov-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The attorney also reminded member that his rental obligation does not end and provided member with the website for the Declaration Form to provide to his landlord: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/declaration-form.pdf
Member attended an auction and entered into a binding bid for 96 acres of property. Member thought that he had purchased the entire property for the agreed upon price but discovered that the price was actually per acre. Member did not have the financial means to pay the total cost of the acreage and was unsuccessful in his attempt to resolve the matter on his own. Our attorney arranged a telephone conference with the owner of the auction house and argued that, although member’s young age and lack of financial means was not a legal reason to release him from the contract, the opposing party would be no better off if he forced member to pursue bankruptcy in order to discharge the unsecured debt. A settlement was reached between attorney and owner. Savings for member, $200,100.00.
Member contacted our office for assistance regarding a previously owned car that he purchased from a dealership. Member was unable to get the vehicle registered with the Georgia Department of Revenue because the car will not pass an emissions test pursuant to O.C.G.A. §12-9-48. Normally, the “as-is” nature of the agreement prevents recourse; however, our attorney wrote a letter to the dealership stating that certification of emissions is an essential condition of the purchase transaction, and failing to meet that obligation is a clear breach of contract. The attorney demanded that the dealership obtain a current emissions inspection, or refund the total sale price and member will relinquish the vehicle back to them. In response to our letter, the dealership accepted the return of the vehicle. Recovery for member, $4,700.00.
Member contacted our office for assistance after being served with a lawsuit stemming from unpaid rent. Member’s business failed and he was unsuccessful in his attempt to work out a plan to terminate the lease. The attorney reviewed the document and discussed the available options, though member advised that he was not in a position to retain counsel in this matter. Accordingly, the attorney discussed with member the procedures for filing a pro se Answer denying the amount within thirty (30) days to avoid being in default, and then reaching out to the opposing party to make a settlement offer. With the attorney’s advice and guidance, the opposing party agreed to accept the settlement offer and dismiss the lawsuit. Savings for member, $14,000.00.
Member contacted our office for assistance after she failed to receive her inheritance following the death of her mother. According to the will, member was entitled to receive a 5% share of the net proceeds from the sale of her mother’s home. Member’s younger sister was named as Executor and would not provide her with any information or an accounting of the estate. Our attorney arranged a telephone conference with the probate attorney representing the estate. The probate attorney advised that they were preparing an accounting and would be sending notices to the heirs. Shortly thereafter, member received an accounting of the proceeds from the sale of the home and a check. Recovery for member, $9,919.65.