Nashville Criminal, Civil Litigation & Family Lawyers

Mark and Joseph built our firm with an emphasis on developing strong personal relationships with clients. Our philosophy is simple: “We have to get to know our clients if we are to help them.” If you want personalized attention and relentless commitment to protecting your legal rights, Freeman & Fuson is your best choice for legal representation in civil or criminal matters. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and your attorney will personally handle your case and answer your questions.

Personal Injury

Catastrophic injuries can happen in many types of accidents. We handle personal injury and wrongful death litigation based on car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, slip and falls, boating accidents, dog bites, and other events. Often, this litigation is pursued under a theory of negligence. A plaintiff will need to prove certain elements by a preponderance of the evidence. These include showing that the defendant had a duty of care, the defendant breached the duty, and the breach caused the accident.

Car Accidents

Our attorneys have more than 25 years of combined experience pursuing compensation for accident victims from negligent drivers and their insurers. In most car accident cases, we would need to show that a negligent driver’s conduct fell below the standard of care owed to an accident victim and that damages were incurred. These may include medical bills, property damage, the costs of future care, lost income, and pain and suffering. Sometimes car accidents result in the death of one or more victims. Under Tennessee law, a surviving spouse or close family member may be able to bring a wrongful death lawsuit to recover compensation such as funeral and burial costs, medical expenses, loss of companionship, and the decedent’s conscious suffering prior to death.

Criminal Defense

We represent clients charged with offenses such as DUI, drug crimes, assault, white collar crimes, sex crimes, and traffic violations. A criminal conviction can result in harsh penalties in Tennessee. What must be proven depends on the specific crime charged. Each element of a criminal charge needs to be established beyond a reasonable doubt. The elements of a crime often involve both the acts allegedly committed by the defendant and the state of mind of the defendant when committing them. In some cases, there is a substantive defense, while in others, a criminal attorney in Nashville can challenge evidence that was obtained in violation of a defendant’s constitutional rights.

DUI

It is illegal to drive under the influence under Tennessee Code Annotated section 55-10-401. The penalties if you are convicted may include incarceration, community service, the loss of your license, fines, and the mandatory installation of an ignition interlock device under certain circumstances. Tennessee has mandatory jail time for a first offense DUI conviction. In order to secure a conviction, a prosecutor needs to establish beyond a reasonable doubt that you physically controlled a car or other motor vehicle on a public road or any premises frequented by the public, and you were under the influence of drugs, narcotics, or intoxicants. Alternatively, the prosecutor will need to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that your blood alcohol concentration was .08% or greater.

Drug Crimes

You can be convicted of a range of activities related to controlled substances if you are caught with them. The controlled substances are classified by schedules based on how dangerous and addictive they are. Usually, the greater the potential for addiction, the more dangerous the drug is considered and the more serious the penalties may be. It is illegal to knowingly possess or trade a controlled substance, possess or trade a controlled substance with the intent to sell it, sell a controlled substance, deliver a controlled substance, or make a controlled substance. If you are charged with a felony drug crime, such as manufacturing a controlled substance, the penalties are especially severe. You should immediately retain a Nashville criminal attorney if you are facing this type of charge.

Family Law

Family law matters often turn heated and require careful handling. Decisions made in a family law matter can affect all of the members of a family far into the future. Our firm handles matters such as divorce, child custody, child support, post-divorce enforcement and modifications, grandparents’ rights, and orders of protection. In some cases, the spouses can reach an agreement on how to resolve key issues related to their divorce, such as property division. However, if they cannot reach an agreement, a court will need to distribute their marital property equitably.

Divorce

Grounds for divorce under Tenn. Code Ann. 36-4-101 include adultery, bigamy, impotence, willful desertion, habitual drunkenness, narcotic drug abuse, and certain criminal convictions. Alternatively, you may be able to obtain an uncontested divorce on the basis of irreconcilable differences if you are able to agree with your spouse on the terms of divorce and child custody. This is the least expensive way to get a divorce. However, one or more issues may need to be determined in a trial. The divorce complaint needs to be on file for 60 days prior to being heard if the parties have no unmarried children under age 18. If the parents have a minor child together, the divorce petition needs to be on file for 90 days before the hearing.

Child Custody

Our partners are parents, as well as trial attorneys, and we take child custody matters very seriously. We understand the expectations that parents have, and we can develop a strategy to accomplish your objectives. A court makes child custody determinations by evaluating the child’s best interest. Factors that go into this analysis include the emotional ties between a parent and the child, a parent’s capacity to give the child necessary care, the stability of the family, the physical and mental health of the parents, the importance of continuity in a child’s life, and the child’s record in the community, school, and home. The court will consider a child’s reasonable preference if the child is at least 12 years old.

Civil Litigation

In addition to serving Nashville residents as criminal lawyers, we handle a wide range of civil litigation, including lawsuits arising out of fraud, contract disputes, business and insurance disputes, real estate and landlord-tenant disputes, construction disputes, probate disputes, and more. We also handle lawsuits arising out of the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act, the Tennessee Vulnerable Persons Abuse Registry, and the Tennessee Government and Administrative Law. To prove a claim of fraudulent misrepresentation, for example, we would need to show that the defendant made a false representation of a past or existing fact, the fact was material, the false representation was made recklessly, knowingly, or without believing that it was true, and the plaintiff suffered harm from reasonably relying on the misrepresentation. Under the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act, for another example, we can bring a private cause of action if you sustained an ascertainable loss due to an act or practice that was unfair or deceptive.

Contract Disputes

Our firm handles all types of contract disputes. Both oral and written contracts may be enforceable in Tennessee, except under certain circumstances in which only written contracts are enforceable due to the Statute of Frauds. For example, a real estate contract can be invalidated if it is not sufficiently memorialized in writing and signed. If a party to a contract does not perform their obligations under the contract, it may be possible to recover damages. Our firm also defends clients that have been wrongly accused of breaching a contract.

Consult a Nashville Trial Attorney

Whether you are facing criminal charges or involved in civil litigation, it is important to hire a skillful trial attorney. Our firm aims to help in a way that shows our compassion for those in need. If you have an overwhelming burden that you cannot carry by yourself, you should consult Freeman & Fuson. We represent people in Davidson and Williamson Counties who need a Nashville criminal lawyer or assistance in a personal injury case, a divorce proceeding, or another civil matter. Contact us at 615.298.7272 or via our online form.