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For individual debtors, there are two types of relief available. Under Chapter 7, often referred to as a straight bankruptcy, the debtor engages in a liquidation of his or her debts. All the debtor’s non-exempt assets are converted to cash and distributed to creditors under a statutory scheme. At the end of the proceeding, the debtor receives a discharge, which absolved him or her from the financial responsibility to pay most of the debt.

The second type of relief available to individual debtors is Chapter 13, which involves a reorganization of the debtor’s financial affairs. In a Chapter 13 case, the debtor proposes a payment plan that can be for a period of time up until sixty months. Chapter 13 offers an alternative to a complete liquidation and is often used when the debtor owns assets they wish to keep.

Seacoast Law & Title provides legal representation for individuals in the United States Bankruptcy Court in Portland and Bangor from the in initial consultation through the debtor’s discharge.

● Real Estate Law
Seacoast Law & Title is one of the few law firms in New England to offer comprehensive real estate services to both individuals and small businesses by combining its real estate expertise with its own in-house abstracting and settlement company.

At Seacoast Law & Title, our real estate practice encompasses forcible entry and detainer issues, purchases and sales of both residential and commercial properties, land use regulations, land trusts, land corporations, construction contracts, foreclosures, and deed preparation.

Seacoast Law & Title also provides abstracting, title insurance, loan document preparation, and settlement services to individuals, professional realtors, and financial lenders in both commercial and residential matters.

Recognizing the importance of comprehensive support to our clients, our firm also provides a variety of collateral referrals to some of the best resources in the industry including, but not limited to, mortgage financing, land development, residential builders, credit counseling and repair as well as tax advisement

● Corporate & Business Organization Law
There are numerous benefits to incorporating including tax relief and liability protection. In accordance with the corporate laws of the state of Maine, Seacoast Law & Title provides legal representation to small businesses on the selection of the appropriate corporate entity and structure, corporate governance, employment law, real estate transactions, purchases and sales of business entities, and insurance compliance. The firm serves as corporate counsel, assuming the role of corporate clerk and provides necessary corporate documents in statutory compliance.

The law firm serves out of state clients as corporate clerks offering in-state business expansion. The law firm also specializes in non-profit entities and their statutory compliance. Seacoast Law & Title offers collateral resources to further enhance and protect our business clients with a focus on their individual and corporate success.

● Equine Law
Seacoast Law & Title is one of the few law firms in New England that offers comprehensive counsel in the area of equine law. The firm provides contracts in compliance with both Maine and New Hampshire Equine Liability Statutes covering such areas as boarding, breeding, classes and camps as well as transportation. The firm represents individuals and businesses involved in the horse industry with a focus on minimizing liability through incorporations and risk assessments, the effective and necessary use of contracts, and business marketing to enhance client development.

Mary-Anne Martell, Esq. offers this exclusive service to individuals and entities that desire to establish and develop an equine facility or related business. Appointed to the Maine Harness Racing Commission by Governor Baldacci in May of 2007, Attorney Martell has a long history of involvement in the Maine horse community and brings that expertise to her equine clients. Over the past several years, the horse industry has significantly evolved. It is absolutely necessary to structure your business with the intent of protecting your non-business assets.

● Family Law
Most people associate family law with divorce. Divorce is only one aspect of family law; whether you are in need of representation because you wish to end a relationship, or because your spouse has made that decision, Seacoast Law & Title can help.

However, divorce isn’t all of family law. Family law also encompasses establishing parental rights and responsibilities, modifying child custody and child support agreements, guardian ad litem services, and domestic partnership agreements. That means that if you have been divorced and the terms of that agreement no longer work for you, or if you have children but were never married and you need help with the terms of your arrangement with your co-parent, or perhaps a traditional marriage isn’t the best situation for you, there is something you can do about it and Seacoast Law & Title is here to help you do it.

● Estate Planning
Estate planning isn’t something just for the very wealthy. Everyone should have, at the very least, a will, an advanced healthcare directive (also known as a living will), and a financial power of attorney. Having these tools in place will ensure that during difficult times in your life, or after you have past, that your wishes are honored. You should be able to dictate what happens to your body, your money, your assets, after all you spent a lifetime building them why should anyone else decide what to do with them?

But estate planning is more than simply having a will. Most people simply do not have the time to understand the tax code, or what will happen to their assets once they’re gone. If they did they would be shocked to learn how much the government can take from their hard earned money in taxes when they die. With a coordinated estate plan the attorneys at Seacoast Law & Title can help reduce, if not eliminate, your tax liability and help you preserve more of your life’s work for your family and loved ones.

● Personal Injury
Automobile accidents and other injuries can play havoc with people’s lives. Not being able to work, not having a vehicle to drive, and mounting medical bills continue to add stress to an already overburdened situation.

Often, insurance companies will blame the person who is injured for the current state of affairs. Adding injury to insult, the insurance companies will try to pressure the person in taking less money than they deserve.

Seacoast Law and Title offers representation and referral to plaintiffs in a variety of personal injury and medical malpractice claims. Personal injury claims may also include injury from defective products, drug-toxic chemicals, personal injury, libel and slander, malpractice law, property damage, and structured settlements. No accident is too small! Do you want to protect your legal rights by randomly searching the yellow pages? Do you want to be represented by a personal injury factory with no personal service?

● Alternative Dispute Resolution
Alternative dispute resolution includes dispute resolution processes and techniques that occur outside of the governmental judicial process. The rising popularity of alternative dispute resolution can be attributed to the increasing caseload of traditional courts, the imposition of less cost than litigation, a preference for confidentiality, and the desire of the parties to have more control in deciding the outcome of their dispute. Seacoast Law offers alternative dispute resolution in negotiation, mediation, and arbitration.