BACKGROUND

I have lived and worked in Fort Lauderdale since 1964 and am a legacy member of the Coral Ridge Yacht Club.

Since 1987, I have been a sole practitioner and have served both local and out of state residents on matters involving Probate, Family, Criminal, Civil and Immigration Law in Florida.

EDUCATION

Bar Admissions
Florida, 1987
Washington DC 1989

Nova Southeastern University
JD, 1983

Florida State University
BA, 1976, Sociology with a minor in Criminology

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Probate

• Determining Heirs
• Validity of Wills
• Spousal Death during active Divorce Proceedings
• Beneficiary currently in Bankruptcy
• Decedent died out of state with real estate in Florida
• Business owned by decedent
• Establishing Guardianship for minor beneficiary
• Locating heirs internationally
• Contested Will
• Financial exploitation of the elderly
• Undue influence of the testator

Family

• Evaluation of survivor benefits in a divorce
• Pension evaluation and entitlement in a divorce
• Child custody and child visitation issues
• Determination of equitable vs inequitable distribution of marital assets

Civil

• Issues involving By-Laws, voting rights, and election laws of 501(c)(3) corporations.
• Issues involving non-compete clauses, restrictive covenants, Rule 50(b). Represented Defendant, Plaintiff was denied $10 million

Criminal

• Search and seizure issues referencing train stop, bus stop, profile issues, scope of consent, entry into a home without a warrant
• Prepared pre-trail motions regarding Franks motions, issues involving search warrant, false information given by a police officer, issue of Judge’s wife’s Facebook friends with State Attorney and Law Enforcement Witnesses in case, and issues involving confidential informant balanced with attorney-client privilege.
• Minimum mandatory sentencing to allow for downward departure for possession of narcotics within 1000 feet of a school
• Entrapment and telephone consent issues and conspiracy
• Trial issues involving the defense by a same-sex partner of battered spouse/partner syndrome, issues involving attempted 1st degree murder vs. attempted 2nd degree, issued involving jury instructions, issues involving the admittance of text messages
• Federal sentencing guideline issues of prior withheld adjudication of conviction in state case
• Excluding testimony as a result of the use of hypnosis

AFFILIATIONS AND WORKING EXPERIENCE

• Board of Directors of the BACDL from 1988 to 1995, current member
• National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers 1988 – 1995
• Admitted to the Southern and Middle District of Florida 1987
• Taught Paralegal classes at Sharon Williams 1987 – 1988
• Broward County Lawyers Care Program – Pro Bono 1988 – present
• Law Office of Edward Kay 1985 – 1986
• Law Office of Peter Weinstein and Zimmerman – 1983 – 1985
• Taught Street Law Project 1983
• Broward County Public Defender’s Office, Intern – 1982 – 1983

PERSONAL INTERESTS

Travel, Fencing, Yoga, Opera, Golf, Tango, and Texas Hold’Em Poker Events

PRO BONO / CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES

• General Counsel – Palm Beach Museum of Natural History
• General Counsel – Gold Coast Archeology Society
• Support and Contributor to Bryant Peney Scholarship Foundation – Annual Texas Hold’Em Poker Event
• Support and contributor to Peter Westbrook Fencing Foundation

LANGUAGES

• English
• Spanish

Contact Norliza Batts, Esq.