Substance use disorder is a devastating mental health condition that affects many people in the St Petersburg community, as it does millions more across the country. If your loved one is struggling with substance abuse and you don’t know where to turn, don’t despair: Florida’s Marchman Act provides you with an effective legal tool to ensure that your loved one gets the care and treatment they need to enter recovery.

The experienced Marchman Act attorneys at Astor Simovitch Law have helped countless families in St Petersburg and across Florida to navigate the Marchman Act’s complex provisions and facilitate a life-saving legal intervention for their loved ones. Our specialist guardianship attorneys can help you obtain guardianship over your loved one while they undergo treatment, so that you can be sure their personal affairs are taken care of while they focus on recovery. Don’t face this challenging period alone – our compassionate team of mental health and addiction lawyers is here to help your family walk the path to healing.

Marchman Act Legal Services St Petersburg

Trying to understand the Marchman Act’s complicated processes and requirements can be difficult, especially when you are preoccupied with supporting your loved one through their addiction. The experienced Marchman Act attorneys at Astor Simovitch Law are here to take care of all aspects of the legal process, so that you can use the Marchman Act to get your loved one into treatment as soon as possible.

What is the Marchman Act?

Substance use disorders are complex conditions that require a multi-faceted treatment approach and round-the-clock care from experienced addiction support professionals in a dedicated treatment facility. The Marchman Act is a Florida statute that allows a family member or concerned individual to petition the court to place their loved one in such a facility when they are refusing to enter treatment themselves. For the petition to be granted, the following criteria must be met:

1. The person who is the subject of the petition must be experiencing mental impairment as a result of their substance use, and because of this impairment, they have lost the power of self-control concerning their substance use; and
2. As a result of this impairment; they are either unable to determine whether they require treatment for a substance use disorder, or have refused treatment entirely; or
3. There is a real and present risk that, without treatment, they will inflict serious harm on themselves or others.

The court will only grant the petition if it is accompanied by sufficient relevant evidence, such as witness statements testifying to your loved one’s substance use or medical records.

How can our Marchman Act attorneys help you?

Making the decision to have your loved one compelled into treatment by a court can be very difficult. Our compassionate Marchman Act attorneys will advise you on your legal options and help you decide if a Marchman Act intervention is appropriate in your loved one’s case. We will meticulously draft your petition, collate the necessary evidence, and argue your petition in court. Through our years of working in the addiction law space, we have built connections with numerous highly qualified and compassionate addiction treatment professionals, who we will put you in touch with. Whether your loved one is suffering from alcoholism, is abusing drugs, or has become addicted to prescription medication, our dedicated team of mental health and addiction lawyers will do everything they can to help you give them a genuine chance at recovery.

Guardianship Law Services St Petersburg

While your loved one is receiving treatment for their addiction in a rehabilitation facility, they may have difficulty managing their personal and financial affairs. Florida guardianship law provides families with a legal mechanism for stepping in to take care of their loved one’s affairs while they recover from a substance use disorder. The guardianship attorneys at Astor Simovitch Law have helped many St Petersburg families to obtain guardianship orders so that they can ensure their loved one’s best interests are protected.

What is guardianship?

When a person has become mentally incapacitated and is no longer able to look after themselves or make decisions in their own best interests, a family member can petition the court to be appointed as their guardian. Guardianship is a special legal relationship that allows the person who is appointed as guardian to manage the personal, financial, and medical affairs of an incapacitated loved one (called their ‘ward’). There are many different types of guardianship, as each guardianship arrangement can be customized to the particular needs of the ward. For example, a person who has lost capacity due to a degenerative condition such as Alzheimer’s may need a permanent guardian who is empowered to make any and all decisions on their behalf (plenary guardianship); whereas a person recovering from a substance use disorder may only need a guardian to manage their financial affairs temporarily while they are undergoing treatment (temporary limited guardianship).

How can our guardianship attorneys help you?

Pursuing a guardianship appointment is both a legally and emotionally complex decision. With years of experience behind them, our guardianship attorneys are well-equipped to advise you whether guardianship is appropriate for your loved one. After an in-depth evaluation of your loved one’s circumstances, we will structure a suitable guardianship arrangement that accommodates their unique needs. We will prepare your petition, ensuring that all procedural and substantive requirements have been met, and will present argument in court motivating for your appointment as guardian. Our team can also help prepare you for the responsibilities of guardianship by explaining your rights and obligations as guardian in detail, and will assist you in complying with any reporting requirements imposed by the court. We’ll be on standby to help you navigate any difficult decisions that need to be made on behalf of your ward, so that you can rest assured that your loved one’s best interests are always protected.

The Benefits Of Hiring A Mental Health And Addiction Lawyer

Supporting a loved one who is battling a substance use disorder can take a heavy toll on family members. Helping someone who is resisting treatment, or who has lost the capacity to make good decisions in their own interests, can be extremely difficult. At Astor Simovitch Law, we have dedicated our professional lives to helping families throughout Florida navigate these challenging circumstances. We understand that your first priority is to provide emotional support to your loved one, and we will take care of all the legal, administrative, and logistical aspects of your loved one’s entry into treatment, so that you can focus on giving them the love and care they need. We will serve as an invaluable sounding board as you make decisions concerning your loved one’s treatment and care, using our unique blend of legal skill, practical insight, and compassion to help deliver an addiction intervention that gives your loved one the best possible chance at recovery.