Lawyer Monthly - October 2021 Edition

You have mentioned that few attorneys seem to be aware of the Act. Why do you think this is? It is curious. When I mention the Marchman Act to other attorneys, many have no idea what I am talking about and are surprised. I think that addiction is stigmatised as a sign of weakness, but this could not be further from the truth. The majority of those that overdose are regular people that were prescribed a very addicting medication. I began my journey into this area of the law out of necessity – I have a family member that suffers from addiction. As a family we tried everything from religion to geographical cures to equine therapy. At no point did anyone advise us about the Marchman Act. Even when I would call a treatment centre and express my desire to send my loved one and explained his unwillingness, no one suggested I had an option through the courts. Even after I became aware of the Marchman Act as an attorney, I feared exposing my loved one to the court system. Out of desperation and a very real fear of losing him, I finally filed my first petition. The statute has been a Godsend. While it is not a magic bullet, every day that a person is clean and sober is an opportunity for them to heal – and I believe everyone has the ability to heal. WWW.LAWYER-MONTHLY.COM | OCT 2021 62 THOUGHT LEADER - KELLY D FEIG Under what circumstances would you recommend that a Marchman Act petition be filed? Florida has personal jurisdiction over anyone within the borders of the state. The beauty of this act is that as long as someone steps foot in the State of Florida we can attempt to obtain jurisdiction for the purposes of getting them help through the Marchman Act. I suggest that anyone anywhere that fears their loved one has lost control over drugs and alcohol reach out to our firm to discuss their options and whether the Marchman Act is the answer for their family. When I mention the Marchman Act to other attorneys, many have no idea what I am talking about. About Kelly D Feig ‘My name is Kelly Daniela Feig and I am a solo practitioner working in South Florida. I graduated from the University of Miami School of Law with honours in 2007 and have transitioned my practice to focus in the areas of probate (administration and litigation), guardianship, and mental health (specifically Marchman Acts). I do not regret leaving the big firms as my practice allows me to give zealous but personal and compassionate representation to my clients without worrying about billable hour requirements and firm politics. While the probate area of my practice deals with lives lost, the Marchman Act area of my practice affords me a role in saving lives; every day I get to help families and friends save the life of someone they care for and love and that is priceless. ‘