2007-03-27 21:06:03 -
PLANTATION, Fla., March 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Steven Miller's message is simple and direct: If you want out of your marriage, his flat-fee, no-frills divorce law practice is the answer. It's a message Florida Bar Association apparently doesn't want Floridians to hear.
Miller, founder of DivorceEZ, a Plantation, Fla., law firm, submitted language for a new 30-second television commercial to the Florida Bar for mandatory review. Within weeks, the answer came back: The ad is a "verbal depiction" whose language promises a particular result -- both of which are banned in
legal services advertising.
Miller disagreed. The ad reveals the realities of many married couples seeking divorce. "If you and your spouse hate each other like poison and want to get out of the hell hole you call a marriage, you've come to the right place," the ad begins. "You and your spouse are reasonable people. You agree on how to divide your property and debts. DivorceEZ can help..."
Florida consumers can view the banned commercial at http://divorceez.com/banned.wmv. "Sure it's a tongue-in-cheek jab at the process, and the bar doesn't like that. But I simply want to inform people about an affordable alternative to greedy, billable-hour lawyers," said Miller, a 22-year veteran Florida and Massachusetts trial lawyer who launched the service in 2006. "The Florida Bar is supporting lawyers who get $300 or more an hour to create and perpetuate an acrimonious situation."
DivorceEZ.com counsels clients and files divorce papers in Florida's 67 counties. Unlike divorce attorneys who bill more the longer a divorce lasts, or self-help centers, paralegals or document preparers who aren't attorneys and legally are not allowed to provide advice or represent clients, DivorceEZ.com's $249 service provides a fast path to an amicable split. In most cases, no court appearance is required. This makes the service ideal for the couples that already have separated or military couples where one spouse is deployed overseas.
Is the wording strong? Absolutely, Miller admitted. Is it accurate? Many divorce attorneys agree that some couples seeking divorce just want to go their separate ways. Some judges and clerks have lauded Miller's service for quickly clearing their backlog of cases, he said. The Florida Bar Association even encourages low-cost legal services; they just want the message presented in a bland, benign ad, Miller said. So, Miller now is awaiting word from the Bar regarding a replacement spot he's already submitted for review. Though the language is softer, he's bracing for a similar outcome.
"Our message is poignant, direct and the honest truth about divorce," he said. "We take the hassle out of divorce and set you free to get on with your life."
About DivorceEZ.com. Founded in 2006 by Steven Miller, Esq., DivorceEZ.com is a Plantation, Florida, law firm that provides fast, reliable and inexpensive divorce representation statewide. To learn more, visit http://www.divorceez.com/.
Source: DivorceEZ.com
