Practice Areas
Please choose an area of practice to review:
- Family Law/Divorce and custody cases
- Land Use Zoning and Land Planning
- Criminal Law
- Employment Law
- Estate Law and Probate Administration
- Personal Injury
- Worker’s Compensation
Family Law/Divorce and custody cases
When you need a family law attorney, Hoppock Law Offices is here for you. In the area of family and domestic relations law, Hoppock Law Offices are the experts, compassionately helping clients successfully address the legal issues that affect them most directly—those that involve the loss of an intimate relationship and/or the future of your children and the attendant financial consequences and repercussions.
Family matters can be legally and financially complex and are always deeply personal and often emotionally charged. To make sound decisions about issues that can have life-long ramifications, you need support and understanding, as well as expert counsel, objective and knowledgeable evaluation of your case, aggressive representation, and a firm that understands both the importance of your case as well as the importance of your life after the case.
Competent, Compassionate Representation
At Hoppock Law Offices we offer our clients astute legal advice in a compassionate, caring and professional manner that enables them to resolve difficult issues and move on with their lives. We provide experienced representation in:
- Guardianship/adoption
- Divorce
- Same-sex divorce/Civil union dissolution
- Alimony and spousal support
- Un-wed parenting
- Paternity
- Child custody, visitation and support
- Parental kidnapping
- Legal separation
- Prenuptial agreements
- Domestic violence
- Child abuse and protection
- Restraining orders
- Temporary protective orders
- Post divorce modifications (custody, child support and alimony)
- Judgment enforcement
- Property issues
- Termination of Parental Rights
- Father’s rights
- Co-Habitation Agreements
Often a family legal situation does not end with an agreement or court order. As families grow and change, adjustments or modifications may need to be made to accommodate those changes. For instance, in New Hampshire, child support is reviewable every three years. Therefore, our representation does not end at the negotiating table or in court. We stand beside you throughout the legal process anytime you may need us. We also make sure that your estate planning documents reflect the changes in your domestic relations circumstances by offering basic, post-divorce estate planning documents for your convenience.
A Trusted Advisor
In fact, at Hoppock Law Offices our interest goes beyond the legal issues you may be facing today. Our history of cultivating multi-generational and even life-long relationships with our clients reflects our commitment to earning your trust. You can rely on us to provide wise legal counsel in all family matters over the long term.
Find out how our advocacy can support your life goals – contact us today for an initial consultation.
Land Use Zoning and Land Planning
The State of New Hampshire delegates the authority to regulate land use and development to local towns and municipalities. A Zoning Board of Adjustment is empowered to grant variances or special exceptions from the terms of a local town or municipal zoning ordinance when the literal enforcement of the ordinance causes hardship to the landowner. It is also authorized to hear administrative appeals from interpretations of the zoning ordinance. Planning boards are the other primary local administrative body that addresses land use and development issues. Planning boards deal with subdivision applications, site plan reviews, and excavation approvals, among other things. Planning boards also are responsible for preparing a municipality’s master plan, proposing zoning amendments, and recommending municipal capitol improvements.
If you are a landowner or a developer, before you undertake the task of trying to cut through the regulatory maze of the various state laws and local ordinances involving land use planning or regulation, consult with knowledgeable and experienced counsel who have experience dealing with many local land use boards, whether it is for a variance, special exception or subdivision, we can help.
Criminal Law
If you have been charged with a crime, your reputation and liberties may be at stake. You need to enlist experienced, trustworthy legal counsel who can guide you through the complexities of the law and aggressively advocate for your interests and rights.
A History of Success
Hoppock Law Offices has worked on both sides of the criminal law field—we were contract prosecutors for the Town of Winchester in 2005 and 2006, during which time we cultivated a reputation and important relationships that have helped us successfully defend Cheshire County area clients against charges such as:
- Assault
- Drug Charges
- Drunk Driving
- Fraud and Forgery
- Gun Charges
- Larceny
- Motor Vehicle Offenses
- Probation Violations
- Restraining Order Violations
- Robbery and Theft
If you are facing criminal charges, contact us immediately. Do not speak to the police. The sooner we begin our investigation, the more effectively we can defend your rights and protect your interests, and the more able we are to defend or effectively manage criminal prosecution. Our professional relationships with the police and prosecutors give Hoppock Law Offices a substantial advantage in collecting information and negotiating plea bargains and in defending you against the charges.
Thorough Investigation
When prosecution is unavoidable, you can be confident that we will prepare thoroughly by investigating every aspect of your case. We may recommend retaining trained investigators to uncover and document important evidence.
Keeping You Informed
Client communication and a trusting relationship are crucial to a successful defense. Therefore, from our first meeting and throughout the investigation and any subsequent court actions, you will be informed of every development in your case as it happens. We encourage you to contact us at any time with questions or concerns.
If you have been arrested, don’t wait – we can help. Call today for an initial consultation.
Employment Law
In tough economic times, it is important for you to know your rights if you are terminated from your employment. If your termination was wrongful, you may have a claim against your former employer. While New Hampshire is an “at will” jurisdiction, it pays to know your rights. Several factors need to be considered if you are terminated. Was your termination in retaliation for you doing something? Are you a whistleblower? Were you wrongly accused of committing a crime?
Know your legal rights. Contact the lawyers at Hoppock Law Offices to learn about wrongful discharge law and other employment law questions.
We handle:
- Wrongful discharge litigation
- Unemployment claims
- Wage claims at the Labor Department
Estate Law and Probate Administration
Most people would rather not think about what will happen when they die. However, the ones that do think about it leave much more asset value and far fewer complications for their heirs. Hoppock Law Offices can help you navigate the complex and multi-faceted labyrinth of Estate Law, including estate planning and administration.
Estate Planning
At the end of your life, your assets will be distributed and possibly taxed. Where they are distributed and how much they are taxed depends on having a well-thought out estate plan. Hoppock Law Offices will help you put a plan in place that will protect your financial assets by translating your wishes into legal directives, with minimal tax impact.
The first step in estate planning is to decide how you want your assets distributed. Whether you are married or single, with or without a family, it is important to avoid the lengthy, cumbersome and expensive probate process by ensuring that your assets are properly held and their disposition clearly spelled out in binding legal documents.
Because inheritance can be subject to a variety of federal and state taxes, you need competent advice to preserve the value of your assets. Depending on your circumstances and wishes, this may involve gifts, trusts, powers of attorney and wills.
Finally, your estate plan needs to be a flexible document, something you can adapt as tax laws, investment opportunities and your own personal circumstances change.
Estate Administration
When a family is faced with the death of a loved one, the last thing they want is to deal with legal details. Hoppock Law Offices offers our clients estate administration, guiding families through the process and relieving them of the worry and confusion it can cause. This may include handling estate and gift tax matters, obtaining asset valuations, managing probate court filings and proceedings and other related activities.
Caring and Discrete Advisors
Estate Law involves more than just legalities and tax matters; it concerns people’s most personal issues, often when they are emotionally overwhelmed. At Hoppock Law Offices we realize how sensitive these matters are and provide caring, confidential counsel for clients and their families.
Hoppock Law Offices provides legal guidance in:
- Estate Planning
- Trust and Wills
- Probate
- Asset Protection
- Charitable Trusts
- Appreciated Assets
Protect your family’s future security – call today to schedule an initial consultation.
Personal Injury
If you or a loved one has suffered injuries caused by another, our justice system provides methods for seeking redress. Although legal remedies cannot heal your injuries, they can provide monetary compensation for your medical expenses, loss of earnings and earning capacity, pain and suffering and other non-economic losses.
Experienced In Personal Injury Law
At Hoppock Law Offices, our attorneys have successfully represented accident victims in New Hampshire since 1988. Our comprehensive knowledge of state and federal laws governing vehicles, insurance and liability has enabled us to win full and fair compensation for our clients in cases that range from the most complex paralysis and wrongful death cases to back and neck strain cases. Unlike other personal injury firms, we won’t make excuses not to take your case, simply because your anticipated recovery does not make your case worth while—we always remember that your recovery is far more important than our share. Our clients include victims of:
- Automobile, motorcycle and truck accidents
- Boating accidents
- Burns, fires, and chemical explosions
- Construction accidents
- Defective products
- Dog bites
- Hazardous waste
- Intentional acts
- Negligence
- Slip and fall injuries
- Toxic torts
- Workplace accidents and injuries
- Wrongful death
Prepared for Trial
While many personal injury cases are resolved through direct negotiations with an insurance company, sometimes a matter cannot be satisfactorily settled without going to court. If your case can be settled through alternative dispute resolution or negotiation between counsel, our contingency fee is less. But should your case require a trial, Hoppock Law Offices will recommend a variety of experts in medicine, forensics, engineering or other fields to fairly present the facts of your case to the Judge or jury so as to protect your legal interests in the courtroom, ensuring you receive the compensation you deserve.
Preserve Your Rights – Act Now.
Now is the time to contact us if you have suffered an injury. Since personal injury cases are subject to a statute of limitations (3 years from date of injury in most cases) that restricts the time you have to file a claim, it is important that you enlist competent legal counsel as soon as possible following an injury.
Should we proceed with a legal case, you will not be charged a fee unless your case is successful. If you or a loved one has been injured, don’t delay – contact us today for a consultation.
Worker’s Compensation
If you have sustained an accidental injury and/or disease as a result of your employment, you may be eligible for worker’s compensation benefits, including compensation for medical bills, lost wages, permanent impairment and vocational rehabilitation.
Worker’s compensation laws are complex and claims must be filed according to specific procedures and a short statute of limitations (18 months from claim denial) or benefits may be denied. Therefore, it is important that you enlist the services of a firm with worker’s compensation experience. At Hoppock Law Offices we have the breadth and depth of knowledge necessary to successfully prosecute such claims. Attorney Hoppock has been handling workers’ compensation cases since 1988.
The Experience You Need
Hoppock Law Offices has been helping blue collar workers, office employees, professionals and others employed by private industry and government win the compensation they deserve for workplace injuries and illnesses such as:
- Asthma or other pulmonary conditions
- Burns
- Carpal tunnel/repetitive trauma injuries
- Disfigurement
- Eye injuries
- Hearing problems
- Heart attack or stroke
- Loss and Loss of use of limbs
- Neck, back, and joint injuries
- Occupational diseases such as asbestosis and dermatitis
- Psychiatric problems
Hoppock Law Offices has extensive experience with workplace claims resulting from asbestos exposure, chemical explosions, construction site accidents, motor vehicle accidents, industrial accidents, repetitive stress, toxic mold and more. If you or a loved one has suffered injuries or illness resulting from any of these situations, you may eligible for compensation through weekly benefits, payment of medical expenses, vocational rehabilitation, disability awards or death benefits.
In circumstances where a third party caused or contributed to your injury or illness, we will thoroughly investigate to determine liability and then file claims accordingly.
Claim the Benefits You Deserve
If you suspect you may be eligible for worker’s compensation, contact us immediately to schedule an initial consultation. And most cases we pursue are untaken on a contingency basis, so you owe us nothing until your benefits are awarded. Don’t wait – contact us today!