Services
Our primary service areas are listed below.
Business Law | Natural Resource Law |
City Attorney | Probate and Estate Law |
Civil Litigation | Real Estate Law |
County Adminstrator | Tax Law |
Business Law
Numerous Federal and state laws regulate the formation and operation of a business. Since 1983, Gary Ellis Byrd, LLC has assisted clients with the formation and operation of their business.
The professionals at Gary Ellis Byrd, LLC advise and guide clients in the formation of corporations and limited liability companies (LLC's). This process is individualized for each circumstance and combines knowledge of both business law and theory, filing applications with the Georgia Secretary of State, and registering with the Internal Revenue Service and other governmental agencies.
Our professionals assist with the operation of our clients businesses in a variety of ways. We assist with negotiating and drafting contracts and other specialized legal documents. We conduct real estate closings and mortgage closings related to the financing of business. We represent clients in civil litigation matters in Magistrate and Superior Court.
City Attorney
Since 1986, Gary Ellis Byrd has served as City Attorney for five different cities and towns. He has also worked on special projects for several other county governments and municipalities. He as also served as a court appointed municpal administrator.
The professionals at Gary Ellis Byrd, LLC can assist your local government with its legal matters or assist private individuals with local government issues.
Currently, Mr. Byrd is serving as City Attorney for the City of Woodland, Georgia and the Town of Junction City, Georgia. Mr. Byrd aslo represents individuals with legal matters at the local government level.
Civil Litigation
The professionals at Gary Ellis Byrd, LLC represent both Plaintiffs and Defendants in court cases in Probate, Magistrate and Superior Court. Our civil litigation is focused in the areas of all probate matters, quiet title and all real estate matters, construction law, name change, foreclosure and banking matters. Mr. Byrd also serves as guardian ad litem in Juvenile Court Cases in Harris, Talbot, Taylor, Marion, Muscogee and Chattahoochee Counties.
County Administrator
When a person dies, with assests and no known heirs, the county administrator conducts the aadministration of the estate. Mr. Byrd was appointed by the Harris County Probate Judge as Harris County Administrator in 2006, and still serves in this capacity. Mr. Byrd also serves in this capacity on a limited basis in Talbot County.
Natural Resource Law
Mr. Byrd took Oil and Gas Law elective courses while attending law school. That experience laid the foundation for Gary Ellis Byrd, LLC assisting clients with natural resources law.
We assist clients with issues related to Georgia mining, land use and water resources. Natural resources law is governed by federal, state and local laws and regulations. We draft and advise clients regarding meineral leases. We advise and assist clients with business formation and operation of natural resources related businesses.
We also advise and assist clients with the owenership of oil and gas lease interests in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississipi, and Alabama.
Probate and Estate Law
Estate planning is the attorney-assisted process that examines your needs and assets and helps you realize your goals. There are two major goals in most estate planning: to keep costs down and to make it as efficient as possible. By utilizing wills and trusts our firm prevents unfortunate probate situations and assists in creating a peaceful environment upon the passing of a loved one.
Probate is the judge-supervised process of petitioning the Probate Court to prove the will, paying a decedent's legitimate bills, inventorying and appraising a decedent's assets, and distributing the assets to the decedent's heirs or beneficiaries. Gary Ellis Byrd, LLC takes pride in allowing our clients to address more personal issues by speedily resolving any lingering questions.
Will and Estates
A will tells your family and loved ones how you would like your property
distributed after your death and helps ease the transition for them.
Wills can be simple or complex documents, depending on the individual's
preference and the nature of his or her estate. Usually, the will
describes the estate and identifies the people who will receive
property. A will can also contain special instructions for gifts to
charities, giving property to a minor child or disabled person, and
naming guardians for minor children, among other provisions.
Regardless of the size of your estate, it is important to have a will if
you want to determine its distribution after your death. If you die
without a valid will, the distribution of your estate will be determined
by law, without any input from you.
If you already have a will, be sure to keep it up-to-date. Many life
events may affect your will:
-
You get married
-
You have a new baby
-
You get divorced or your spouse dies
-
The size or value of your estate changes
-
Your beneficiaries change
-
You move to a new state
Even if none of these apply to you, consider reviewing your will at
least every three years.
Depending on the size of your estate, it may be subject to federal
estate taxes, which may create a substantial burden on the estate and
your survivors. However, there are ways to avoid these taxes through
proper estate planning (establishing trusts, re-titling property, making
early gifts to beneficiaries, etc.).
Medical Recovery is a relatively new development in Georgia law that places most of the resources of a Medicaid recipient under a government lien and at risk. The professionals at Garry Ellis Byrd, LLC can explain this new law and associated regulations and assist you in evaluating if you desire to change your estate plan because of this legal change.
Gary Ellis Byrd, LLC's experienced professionals can prepare your will
and work with you to ensure that your estate plan meets your needs.
Living Wills
A living will or advance directive is a document that allows you to provide instructions about medical treatment in the event of a traumatic injury or disease that affects your ability to make decisions for yourself. The attorneys at Gary Ellis Byrd, LLC can answer your questions about living wills and help you prepare one if you so desire. The Georgia Legislature has developed a new document in this area called the Georgia Advance Directive for Health Care. We can advise you regarding this document and prepare the document for you as well.
Probate Law Litigation
Gary Ellis Byrd LLC, represents clients in probate courts relating to all probate matters, including petitioning for administration for estates without wills, petition for proving wills challenged or unchallenged, petition for years support, petition for guardianship of minors and incapacitated adults, and breach of fiduciary duty.
Real Estate Law
Numerous federal, state, and local laws regulate the processes of acquiring, financing, developing, managing, constructing, leasing, and selling commercial and residential real property. Buying and selling real estate is generally more complicated than buying or selling other expensive goods, such as a car or boat: multiple people can have an interest in the same property, taxes are more complicated, and possession is not necessarily indicative of ownership.
The experienced real estate professionals at Gary Ellis Byrd,
LLC can guide you through all aspects of your real estate transaction,
including the following:
- Preparing or reviewing sales contracts
- Reviewing the title and the survey
- Obtaining real estate tax information
- Reviewing mortgage documents
- Obtaining title insurance
- Preparation of all necessary legal documents, including
the deed, mortgage, HUD1, and transfer tax forms as necessary
- Perform the settlement ceremony
- Post Closing matters
We also represent clients in a variety of other real estate matters:
- Quiet Title matters
- Land line disputes
- “Heir Property” matters
- Estate planning real property matters
- Residential and commercial lease agreements
- Landlord-tenant matters
- Zoning
- Lease-purchase agreements
- Deed transfers
- Mortgage foreclosures
Tax Law
Since 1982, Gary Ellis Byrd has filed both personal and business federal and state income tax returns. Mr. Byrd majored in tax law while at law school and wrote his law school thesis on value added tax, which is a political topic today.
The professionals at Gary Ellis Byrd, LLC currently specialize in the filing of Corporation Tax Returns with the Internal Revenue Service and the Georgia Department of Revenue. We also file Estate income tax returns.
Our professionals provide bookkeeping and other support services related to the tax return filings. We assist clients in the removal of federal and state income tax liens and other tax liens. Our firm also advises clients on a variety of tax related issues.