
James Clifton
The Clifton Law Firm, LLC
James Clifton is the founding member of The Clifton Law Firm, LLC and oversees the firm's multi-state practice. During the course of his career, James has focused primarily on real property, bankruptcy, wills, trusts, and estates. Additionally, he possesses vast experience in suits to quiet title, real property and commercial lending transactions, comprehensive contract formation, title insurance claims, will drafting, estate planning, and probate litigation.
On the weekends, James enjoys donating his time to the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation's Saturday Lawyer Program where he represents indigent clients on a pro bono basis. In addition, he represented Fayette County in the Georgia Attorney General’s state wide food drive, The Legal Food Frenzy. In the past, he has served as an elected member of the Executive Council of the State Bar of Georgia Young Lawyers Division and is a graduate of the prestigious Young Lawyer Leadership Academy. James is also a past president of the Fayette County Bar Association.
James is a member of the American Bar Association and its Real Property, Trust, and Estate Section. He is also an active member in good standing with the State Bar of Georgia and its Real Property Law Section, Bankruptcy Section, and Creditor's Rights Section; the Florida Bar and its Real Property, Probate, and Trust Law Section; the State Bar of California and its Real Property Law Section; the State Bar of Texas and its Real Property, Probate, and Trust Law Section; and the District of Columbia Bar and its Real Property Law Section.
In addition to the state licensures, James is licensed to practice in the U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Middle Districts of Georgia, the U.S. Bankruptcy Courts for the Northern and Middle Districts of Georgia, and the United States Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit. On May 14, 2012, James was sworn into the Bar of the Supreme Court of the United States.
- Bankruptcy
- Chapter 13 Bankruptcy, Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, Debt Relief
- Probate
- Probate Administration, Probate Litigation, Will Contests
- Foreclosure Defense
- Real Estate Law
- Commercial Real Estate, Condominiums, Easements, Eminent Domain, Homeowners Association, Land Use & Zoning, Mortgages, Neighbor Disputes, Residential Real Estate, Water Law
- Landlord Tenant
- Evictions, Housing Discrimination, Landlord Rights, Rent Control, Tenants' Rights
- Estate Planning
- Guardianship & Conservatorship Estate Administration, Health Care Directives, Trusts, Wills
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Free Consultation
All consultations are free. - Credit Cards Accepted
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Contingent Fees
For any accident or personal injury cases, we only get paid if you get paid. -
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- California
- State Bar of California
- ID Number: 270535
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- District of Columbia
- District of Columbia Bar
- ID Number: 1004023
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- Florida
- The Florida Bar
- ID Number: 0064755
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- Georgia
- State Bar of Georgia
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- Texas
- State Bar of Texas
- ID Number: 24074043
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- 11th Circuit
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- U.S. Supreme Court
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- United States District Courts for the Northern & Middle Districts of Georgia
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- English: Spoken, Written
- Spanish: Spoken, Written
- Managing Attorney
- The Clifton Law Firm, LLC
- - Current
- Candidate for Georgia House of Representatives
- Georgia House of Representatives
- Candidate for Georgia State Senate
- Georgia State Senate
- Partner
- Consumer Attorney Services
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- Managing Attorney - Georgia Operations
- Albertelli Law
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- Law Clerk 2008
- Florida Coastal School of Law
- J.D. (2008) | Law
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- Honors: Graduated 17th in the class with cum laude honors; Governors Merit Scholarship Recipient
- Activities: Real Property, Trust, and Estates Law Society, Sports Law Society
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- University System of Georgia - University of Georgia
- B.S. (2003) | Psychology
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- Honors: Psi Chi National Psychology Honor Society
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- University System of Georgia - University of Georgia
- B.A. (2003) | Political Science
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- Honors: Hope Scholarship Recipient
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- Good Rating
- Avvo
- Peer Reviewed (5/5)
- Martindale-Hubbell Lawyer Services
- Executive Council of the State Bar of Georgia Young Lawyers Division
- Elected Member
- Current
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- District of Columbia Bar  # 1004023
- Member
- - Current
- Activities: Real Property Law Section
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- Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation
- Volunteer Attorney
- - Current
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- State Bar of Texas  # 24074043
- Member
- - Current
- Activities: Real Property, Probate, and Trust Law Section
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- State Bar of California  # 270535
- Member
- - Current
- Activities: Real Property Law Section
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- A Comprehensive Review of Zoning Regulations in Georgia
- Real Estate Law and the Economy, Fayetteville, GA
- Fayette County Bar Association
- A presentation about updates in real estate law and the economy. The presentation covered the effects of high interest rates, rising property taxes, and increased insurance premiums on real estate prices and foreclosure prevalence. Other topics included changes to foreclosure laws, restrictions on investment property purchases, and regulatory restrictions on insurance premiums and property taxes.
- Notary Public
- Fayette County Clerk of Court
- Q. Lender denied loan modification, claiming residential property as commercial in Alameda County. What should I do?
- A: You should continue communicating with your lender. Even if your lender has previously denied you, there are many alternatives to foreclosure that a lawyer may help you achieve including a repayment plan, modification, or forbearance.
As a last resort, you can explore bankruptcy, sale of the property, or deed in lieu of foreclosure. If none of those options work out and the foreclosure does go forward, there may be money you are owed after the auction which is known as surplus funds.
If you cannot resolve the issue, schedule a free consultation to try and figure out which foreclosure alternatives may work best for you.
- Q. Does owning a property in Georgia take precedence over an unrecorded will dividing property I own among sisters?
- A: Yes, your ownership of the real estate is not affected by the will of your father. The will can only distribute real estate and other assets actually owned by your father. Also, because you own the property individually, you cannot ask your siblings to contribute to the cost of upkeep, maintenance, repairs, taxes, insurance, or other expenses. One issue arises thought, the business you mention may have belonged to your father. If so, it is subject to division among your siblings in probate. If there is a written operating agreement or bylaws for the business, those would provide insight regarding what happens to the business after your father's death. Schedule a free consultation if you ... Read More
- Q. How can I sell my Georgia home quickly after my husband's passing?
- A: If probate has been filed in Florida, you can file for ancillary probate in Georgia. If there are no probate assets in Florida and probate hasn't been filed, you can file probate directly in Georgia. If your husband had a will, a petition to probate the will in solemn form will need to be filed in the county where the property is located. If he did not have a will, you will need to file for letters of administration or potentially no administration necessary, depending on the circumstances. There are a handful of probate attorneys that practice probate law and are licensed to practice in Georgia and Florida. Schedule a free consultation to ensure the estate is probated correctly.