Mississippi Divorce, Family Law, and Criminal Defense Attorney

Legal issues may dramatically affect your future, as well as the future of your family. Whether you are divorcing or seeking custody of your children, dealing with the aftermath of a devastating accident, or facing DUI or other criminal charges, it is important to retain a Mississippi attorney who can aggressively advocate for your rights to the limits of the law. Serving Jackson, Ridgeland, Madison, Brandon, Clinton, Pearl and surrounding areas, divorce attorney M. Devin Whitt has over 20 years of experience in matters related to divorce and family law, personal injury, criminal defense, and DUI. He is an AV Preeminent-rated and highly reviewed attorney who has tried cases throughout the state of Mississippi and who is committed to providing compassionate, aggressive representation to individuals in need of assistance. M. Devin Whitt also is available to people who need an experienced Madison, Rankin or Hinds County divorce lawyer to provide caring and compassionate quality representation during a divorce, criminal or family law proceeding.

Divorce may be a stressful process. In many situations, spouses getting a divorce do not agree on one or more issues related to child custody, child support, or property division. In Mississippi, you may file for an irreconcilable difference or agreed divorce or a contested or fault based divorce. These types of matters are filed in chancery court, typically in the county where the parties reside. No-fault divorces may be granted if both parties agree that they have irreconcilable differences. Additionally, the parties must either agree on all issues related to child custody and visitation, property division, spousal support, and child support, or otherwise they must enter a consent decree and have the court adjudicate any issues about which they still disagree. A settlement is always in the best interest of the parties and a divorce lawyer in Ridgeland or the surrounding areas will always attempt to negotiate a settlement if this is possible. However, there are some cases in which a settlement cannot be reached, and in those cases, it may be appropriate to have the court decide.

You may file for a fault divorce if any of 12 fault grounds apply. The most commonly used grounds include adultery, habitual alcoholism, habitual drug use, desertion, habitual cruel and inhuman treatment, a prison sentence, impotence, desertion, and incurable insanity. In most cases, you will need to prove a fault ground by clear and convincing evidence with corroborating evidence.

When parents do not agree about the custodial arrangement for their children, a Mississippi court will examine the best interests of the children in determining custody. Custody has two parts: legal and physical. Legal custody is the right to make critical decisions on behalf of a child, while physical custody is the right to have a child live with you. In many cases, both legal and physical custody can be shared between the parents, but Jackson divorce lawyer M. Devin Whitt understands that each family is different.

Many of our clients also come from the area around Ridgeland or elsewhere in Madison County. Since our office is located there, we are familiar with the family court system and can advise you on how to navigate the process. As a Ridgeland divorce attorney, M. Devin Whitt understands the challenges that you may be facing and can carefully explain your options so that you can make informed decisions.

Our firm handles personal injury lawsuits arising out of car wrecks and accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle crashes, dog bites, slip and falls, and swimming pool accidents, among other harmful events. Car wrecks are a leading cause of personal injury in the State of Mississippi. In most personal injury lawsuits, you will need to establish the defendant's negligence. This usually involves proving that they owed you a duty of care, breached that duty, and caused your injuries and damages.

For example, in a car accident case, you may need to establish that the other driver was distracted and ran a stop sign, striking your car and resulting in broken bones and soft tissue injuries. You may be able to receive compensation not only for your medical bills, lost wages, and property damage but also for the pain and suffering that you endured.

M. Devin Whitt can defend you against all types of criminal charges, including assault, burglary, shoplifting, stalking, domestic violence, theft, larceny, drug possession, traffic violations, juvenile crimes, and white collar crimes. What the prosecution must prove varies based on the charges brought, as will your criminal defense attorney’s strategy. The prosecution must prove all of the elements of the charge beyond a reasonable doubt to secure a conviction. Defendants also may be able to raise procedural grounds on which to attack a charge, such as violations of search and seizure rules, Miranda warnings, or the double jeopardy principle. It is important not to talk to the police before retaining an attorney so that you can avoid making admissions that could hurt your defense.

Mississippi residents should take a drunk driving charge seriously. The penalties associated with a DUI conviction include possible jail time, fines, and community service. You can be charged for a DUI in Mississippi for driving under the influence of alcohol, or any other intoxicating substance, commonly known as a DUI “other”. If you are convicted of one or more DUIs, you will also have a criminal record that may make it difficult to get a job, find housing, or secure a professional license. However, a conviction is not inevitable. Our firm can evaluate the facts and determine whether any of your constitutional rights were violated. Moreover, with the new DUI laws in the State of Mississippi, nonadjudication has become a viable option in certain DUI matters. Our firm can firm evaluate your DUI case and determine whether non-adjudication may be possible to avoid a conviction altogether, and if so, guide you through this process.

For example, the police must have a "reasonable suspicion" under the Fourth Amendment to pull you over for a suspected DUI. If the police officer cannot articulate specific reasons why they believed that you might be intoxicated, it may be possible to get evidence gathered during the traffic stop suppressed. This may demolish the prosecution's case or at least make the prosecution more open to negotiating a plea deal that minimizes the consequences for you.

If your future is at stake, you should not hesitate to consult a Jackson divorce attorney or seek assistance with a criminal or personal injury matter. M. Devin Whitt takes cases from all over the state of Mississippi. He primarily represents clients throughout the tri-county area of Madison, Hinds, and Rankin Counties, as well as in Yazoo, Forrest, Lauderdale, Simpson, Copiah, and Lincoln Counties. He also represents individuals who need a divorce attorney in the Ridgeland area or representation in the cities of Madison, Pearl, Brandon, Byram, Canton, Clinton, Terry, and Mendenhall. Call us at 601-607-5055 or use our online form to set up a free in office consultation* with an agreed and contested divorce and family law, criminal defense, DUI, or personal injury attorney.