The Law Offices of Sue Berkel

Overview of Practice Areas

A will expresses the desires of a deceased person and can be used to protect one's family in the event of a tragedy. When a will is properly drafted, it can spare family members costly, drawn-out court procedures during an already difficult time of their lives. Experienced wills lawyers in Texas can ensure that a will is correctly drafted and free of errors so that it will be legally valid.

Family law covers topics relating to marriage and divorce, disputes over children, and legal matters of families such as grandparent rights, wills, and probate of estates. Investigations by Child Protective Services is also considered family law when it doesn't involve a criminal investigation. A family law lawyer is one who defends the rights of one party in a family law dispute or helps draft legally-binding family agreements.

Criminal law concerns crimes that threaten the welfare of society at large. It differs from family law, which deals with disputes between family members or intimate partners. Examples of criminal offenses include assault, fraud or theft of property, drug charges, and violations of the requirements for driving on public roads. A criminal defense lawyer is someone who defends the rights of the accused in the judicial process—for instance by representing them in a criminal trial. This trial will determine whether the defendant is convicted of, or determined to have committed, the crime.

Administrative law is the area of law covering the actions of government regulatory agencies. Both state and federal agencies seek to enact various regulatory agendas. An administrative law attorney is one who represents a client in an administrative dispute, perhaps in a dedicated administrative court such as the State Office of Administrative Hearings in Austin, Texas.