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Joseph Lafayette Gufford III - Stuart, FL

101 SE Ocean Blvd.Suite 201 Stuart, FL 34994

Updated: 02/18/2024

Stuart Family Law Lawyer

Overview

Possessing an extensive history in law and business, attorney Joseph Gufford III currently serves clients from The Gufford Law Firm in Martin County, Florida. The former Chairman of the Martin County Bar Association's Family Law Committee, Gufford concentrates on family law and its subsections including divorce, child custody, guardianship law, visitation rights, paternity, prenuptial agreements, child support enforcement actions and spousal support. Family Law practice is very document intensive and requires a close examination of each party's assets and income. Joe Gufford has an extensive staff of experienced paralegals that give him the ability to maximize his efforts on behalf of each and every client. In many cases, the opposing party will intentionally hide assets or attempt to reduce their income to lessen their exposure to child support, alimony and equitable distribution. Thus, having an experienced staff to sift through bank statements, Financial Affidavits and Tax Returns is essential. Additionally, in some cases, it is necessary to have the right experts to consult with in order to achieve the client's goals. Whether it is a custody evaluator, a forensic accountant or a vocational assessment, knowing the right experts to call upon if often the key to success in complicated matters.

Other areas Joe Gufford, III practices in range from civil litigation, probate, landlord/tenant disputes, business organizations and estate and probate law.

Before starting his professional life as a lawyer, Joseph Gufford attended the University of Florida and majored in Political Science and History. During this period, Gufford acquired a commission as a Second Lieutenant after graduating from the U.S. Army Airborne School. Subsequently, he enrolled at Stetson University College of Law and commenced his career as a Clerk with Justin C. Johnston and Associates PA. In his first trial, he was successful at assisting his client in obtaining a multi-million dollar judgment against a manufacturer of a defective heater.

Following the receipt of his Juris Doctor, Joe Gufford became an Associate Litigation Attorney with O'Brien & Hooper, PA. At the personal injury firm, he litigated against Cellular One in one of the nation's first AIDS discrimination suits. Joe's vast experience has enabled him to represent clients in civil suits, family law, and business litigation.

The holder of a “Superb” rating from Avvo.com, Gufford has written and presented on legal issues, such as changes to Florida statutes that affect custody and equitable distribution. Covered by the Martin County Bar Association (MCBA) for his pro bono work, Gufford has also obtained Pro Bono Service Awards from MCBA and Florida Rural Legal Services on multiple occasions. Pro Bono work is important to Joe Gufford and he does as much of it as possible. All Pro Bono cases that Mr. Gufford handles are referred to him through Florida Rural Legal Services.

About Joseph Lafayette Gufford III

Practice Areas

  • Family Law
  • Divorce
  • Child Custody
  • Domestic Violence
  • Guardianship

Litigation

  • 75%

Current Employment Position(s)

  • Managing Partner

Languages

  • English
  • Spanish

Qualifications

Bar Admissions

  • Florida, 1991

Other Affiliations

  • Martin County Bar Association, - 2008 (Chairman, Family Law Committee)
  • Chairman of the Martin County Bar Association Family Law Committee, 2008 - 2009 (Chairman)

Education

  • Stetson University College of Law, Gulfport/St. Petersburg, Florida, 1990
    J.D.
  • University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
    Major: Political Science

Fraternities and Sororities

  • Kappa Alpha Order

Past Positions

  • O'Brien & Hooper, PA, Associate Litigation Attorney
  • Barber & Gufford; Gufford & Lawrence, Attorneys at Law
  • Grazi & Gianino, Attorneys at Law
  • Brandt & Gufford, Attorneys at Law

Pro Bono Activities

  • 2012 Pro Bono Service Award 19th Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Coordinator/ Martin County Bar Association
  • 2010 Board of Directors Florida Rural Legal Services
  • 2010 Board of Directors Florida Equal Justice Center
  • 2008-2009 Martin County Bar Martin County Bar Association
  • 2008 Outstanding Pro Bono Service award Florida Rural Legal Services
  • 2008 Martin County Bar Association Family Law Committee Chairman Martin County Bar Association
  • 1987 Airborne Wings US Army Airborne School

Classes and Seminars

  • The Changes to Chapter 61 of The Florida Statutes , Martin County Bar Association Family Law Committee, May 1, 2008

Achievements

Honors

  • “Superb” rating from Avvo.com
  • Pro Bono Service Awards from MCBA and Florida Rural Legal Services

Photo

Office Information

Address

101 SE Ocean Blvd.Suite 201 Stuart, FL 34994

Fax

  • 772-221-1990

Accepts Credit Cards

Yes

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By Anonymous on Oct. 20, 2019
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5.0 out of 5 stars

I highly recommend any one with a complicated divorce to speak to Mr. Gufford. I had 31 year marriage. Unfortunately, I was in a car accident in 2008 which left me with severe physical infirmities. Fortunately, I had the foresight to have a private disability policy and UM coverage so that if anything happened to me I could support my family. Unfortunately, I used my settlement proceeds to invest in several pieces of property that I jointly titled in my Wife's name in case I died. The settlement proceeds were to supposed to support me for the rest of my life. I never thought that my wife would ever divorce me. The other lawyer that I consulted with told me that I was basically screwed on the properties and would have to pay alimony to her. Joe and his assistant Donna Milano thought otherwise. They did their best to settle the case without going to a trial. But, all offers were refused and we went to trial for 2 days in St. Lucie County. During the trial, my wife claimed that she couldn't work due to physical problems that she never disclosed prior to the trial. She also pretended to not speak English, which she speaks and understands fluently to get sympathy from the Judge. She also did not work "on the books" for most of the marriage. Mr. Gufford did an excellent cross- examination of my Wife and proved my case up to the very last detail. At the end of the day, I received the vast majority of the assets and was not ordered to pay any alimony. Mr. Gufford imputed income to my Wife based upon her earning capacity. After the trial was over, both lawyers had to submit proposed Final Judgments to the Court. The Judge largely used the proposed Final Judgment prepared by Mr. Gufford rather than the simplistic one sent by the other side. The Final Judgment was 36 pages long. Thanks to Joe and Donna for their excellent work. Without them at my side, I would have been in a very poor position.

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By Chadwick L. on Jul. 04, 2022

5.0 out of 5 stars

Mr. Gufford is a well respected and extremely intelligent attorney. He's been practicing family law for over 25 years. Joe hates to lose. His knowledge of the intricacies of family law is superior. I highly recommend Joseph Gufford.

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By Anonymous on Nov. 11, 2019

5.0 out of 5 stars

Mr. Gufford has represented me for well over a decade. In the civil cases, Mr. Gufford was instrumental in achieving victory after victory against some of biggest firms in Martin County. His knowledge of the law is extraordinary and his staff always follows up on phone calls and emails in a timely manner. In one of the family law matters, one case involved an undisclosed professional sports pension that my previous counsel failed to discover. Once again, Mr. Gufford rose to the occasion and filed a motion to set aside the final judgment based upon the non-disclosure of this very significant asset. If you know anything about this issue, it is extremely difficult to set aside a Final Judgment. Mr. Gufford was ultimately victorious in this task and I am forever grateful to him and his awesome staff. He also made sure that all QDRO's (Qualified Domestic Relations Orders) were properly worded. Professional sports pensions are extremely complicated

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Call us at 866-603-9936

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Firm Address

Fax:
772-221-1990
Google Map
101 SE Ocean Blvd.Suite 201 Stuart, FL 34994

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