Angelini, Viniar & Freedman, LLP

MUNICIPAL AND GOVERNMENT LAW

Municipal law includes legal counsel, litigation, and representation for government entities. The attorneys at Angelini, Viniar & Freedman, are recognized for their diligence, commitment to client service, and focus on helping government clients resolve their legal matters quickly and within budget.

The attorneys at Angelini, Viniar & Freedman have experience providing municipal law services for government entities throughout the State of New Jersey, including city and county governments, law enforcement, fire departments, and school districts. We represent our government clients on a wide array of issues, including:

Assistance with construction projects
Real and personal property tax issues
Zoning enforcement actions and appeals
Building code enforcement
Eminent domain proceedings
Tax collection and foreclosure proceedings
Advising and defending governing boards
Drafting municipal ordinances
Various litigation matters including defense of civil tort claims
We welcome the opportunity to help you with your Municipal or Government matters.

ZONING AND LAND DEVELOPMENT

In the field of zoning and land development, the often complex maze of local, state and federal laws requires experienced legal counsel. Whether you are a landowner wanting to expand, a developer considering building a shopping center, or any other person or government entity in need of assistance with land use, property development, or zoning matters, Angelini, Viniar & Freedman can help.

Our experienced attorneys represent individuals and municipalities with various land use issues including:

Administrative appeals
Adult business zoning
Annexation issues
Boundary disputes
Building permit ordinances
Church and other zoning
Commercial real estate development
Conditional use permits
Deed restrictions
Flood plain disputes
Mixed-use developments
Residential real estate development
Setbacks
Special-use permits
Transportation and transit disputes
Variances
Zoning and rezoning requests
Zoning enforcement disputes

Our lawyers effectively present cases before planning or other land use boards, and handle administrative appeals and variance issues before the board of appeals or similar body. Contact us today to discuss your zoning and land development needs with a knowledgeable, highly skilled attorney.

CORPORATIONS/ GENERAL BUSINESS

Making the decision to start your own business can further be complicated when faced with the decision of forming a corporation, a limited liability company, a partnership, or a sole proprietorship.

Most people have heard that forming a corporation provides "limited liability" that is, it limits your personal liability for business debts. However, this limited liability does not come about simply by placing the word "corporation" behind your business name. In order to achieve and retain the business's limited liability, a business must follow corporate formalities involving decision making, banking and record keeping.

In order to ensure that your business achieves limiting your personal liability, you must follow routine corporate formalities. These formalities include adequately investing (capitalizing) the corporation, formally issuing stock, regularly holding meetings of the Board of Directors and Shareholders and keeping business records and bank accounts separate from those of the owners.

We can help guide you through the intricacies of forming a new business entity and further provide support and guidance during the operation of your new business.

REAL ESTATE MATTERS

Whether you are buying or selling a principal residence, investment property or commercial property, it is important to retain experienced legal counsel to review all of the documents involved and to protect your interests through the entire transaction.

When you decide to buy a property, you may be making one of the largest investments of your lifetime. It is important to have counsel in this process from the review of the contract prior to signing, to the examination of the title report, to representation at settlement.

In selling your property, it is important to make sure the terms of the contract are sufficient to protect you when taking your property off the market pending settlement. You also want the buyer to make an adequate deposit on the property and to act in an expeditious fashion.

Sometimes the purchase, sale or development of land requires zoning, planning or other government approvals. Experienced land use attorneys can speed up the process and aid you through the governmental requirements.

When you make the decision to buy or sell real estate or to obtain zoning or planning approvals, hire an attorney experienced in real estate matters to guide you through the process and to make sure your interests are protected.

MUNICIPAL COURT

Municipal Court is the place where most individuals get their first taste of the Justice System. Each municipality has a court which has jurisdiction over all motor vehicle and disorderly persons violations that are committed within the municipality. It is important to obtain legal representation so that your rights are protected.

Some of the most common violations heard in municipal courts are:

.. Driving While Intoxicated

.. Driving with Suspended/Revoked Driving Privileges

.. Uninsured Motorist

.. Speeding

.. Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance or Drug Paraphernalia

.. Assault

.. Shoplifting

.. Domestic Violence

.. Disorderly Persons Offenses

There are specific penalties associated with these common violations. The penalties vary with the< violation and with the number of times the violation has been committed. The penalties may include fines, suspension of driving privileges, Division of Motor Vehicle points and sometimes imprisonment.

Effective legal representation may afford you the benefit of reducing the charges against you so that potential suspension of your driving privileges can be lessened, Division of Motor Vehicle points can be reduced, fines can be lowered and jail time can be avoided. Please contact our office to schedule an appointment to have your questions answered.

PERSONAL INJURY

Personal injury refers to injuries sustained as a result of someone else's negligence. The most common form of personal injury matters result from motor vehicle accidents. If you are involved in a motor vehicle accident, you should immediately report the accident to the local police department and exchange insurance and registration information with the other parties involved in the accident. If you are injured in a motor vehicle accident, you should immediately contact an attorney so that you may be made aware of your rights and obligations to ensure that your interests are protected.

The most commonly asked questions about automobile accidents and personal injury are:

WHAT IS NEGLIGENCE? Negligence is the omission to do something which a reasonable man, guided by ordinary considerations which ordinarily regulate human affairs, would do, or the doing of something which a reasonable and prudent man would not do.

WHAT IS VERBAL THRESHOLD? Verbal threshold is the term used by your automobile insurance provider which limits your ability to file a lawsuit unless your injuries meet enumerated categories that are listed in the statute. These include loss of life, loss of limb, disfigurement, and loss of permanent body function.

WHAT ARE DAMAGES? Damages can be awarded to compensate you for actual pecuniary loss or to compensate you for the pain and suffering associated with your injury.

Other examples of personal injury matters which our firm specializes in are injuries received from slip and fall, dog bites, assault and unsafe and defective products.

It is important for you to obtain legal counsel with someone who has an expertise in personal injury matters. If you have been in an automobile accident or involved in some other type of matter in which you were injured, please call our office to schedule an appointment so we can review your situation and recommend a course of action to best protect your rights.

ESTATE PLANNING

The best way of protecting those who depend on us and to know our wishes will be carried out is to develop a comprehensive estate plan comprised of several documents.

The first document should be a will. A will is a legal declaration of a person's wishes regarding the disposition of real property, such as land and personal property, such as bank accounts, stocks, furniture, automobiles, money and jewelry. A will also names your guardian for your minor children. It is important that you obtain the services of an attorney to have your will drafted and to assist in having the will properly executed.

You may also wish to consider the creation of trusts for the benefit of children, grandchildren or others to provide for oversight and management of assets for those too young or not capable of managing their own affairs. Trusts can be created in a will to be effectiveon death or immediately to be effective during your lifetime.

Living wills allow you to choose medical treatment and procedures when you are unable to communicate with your doctors or family. They also allow you to choose a person to be your health care representative.

Durable powers of attorney can be used by an authorized person should you become incapacitated because of illness or because of an accident. They allow the person you designate to carry out certain acts, such as depositing and withdrawing money from bank accounts, signing tax returns and preparing and signing legal documents.

Upon your death, your will must be probated. This is the process that determines the validity of the will. Probate is done by the Surrogate in the county in which you live at the time of your death.

We can help guide you through the intricacies of the law to protect your estate for your beneficiaries.

These documents can be valuable in avoiding problems that arise in preserving and passing on assets and in maintaining dignity. For some clients, a simple will is all that is required.

For others, trusts may be appropriate to provide for special needs. If you do not have a will, or if your will needs to be updated, please call us and schedule an appointment.