Francis Buck - Charlottesville Divorce & Separation Lawyer Reviews & Ratings

A graduate of UVA Law School, he began his career primarily engaged in commercial transactions, securities law, federal taxes, estate matters and real estate development. Due to the needs of the firm’s clients for representation in court, over the years his law practice has concentrated more heavily in trial work. Those early years provided a solid foundation in a variety of substantive areas of law that are very valuable in understanding the often complex issues arising in divorce cases and property and commercial litigation.. He has represented persons who have been injured in automobile and other types of accidents and is a member of the Virginia Trial Lawyers’ Association. For over thirty-five years, he has represented community owner associations in Central Virginia.. DISCLAIMER: CASE RESULTS DEPEND UPON A VARIETY OF FACTORS UNIQUE TO EACH CASE. RESULTS FROM PREVIOUS CASES DO NOT GUARANTEE SUCCESS OR A FAVORABLE RESULT IN FUTURE REPRESENTATION.. In addition to his trial practice, Mr. Buck is experienced in appellate litigation and has made many appearances before the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals of Virginia. He was the successful attorney in the landmark cases of Leake v. Casati, which established the principle that partition suits are unaffected by municipal subdivision ordinances; Lake Monticello Owners’ Association v. Ritter, establishing the principle (later codified) that the common areas of property owners associations should not be taxed separately; LMSC v.SCC, establishing the rule that privately owned utilities should be taxed according to their fair market value, not original cost; and, reversing 20 years of divorce law cases, in Gilliam v. McGrady, regarding presumptions as to debt incurred during the marriage. As a result of the decisions in both Lake Monticello Owners’ Association v. Ritter and Gilliam v. McGrady, the General Assembly later changed the state law. He has argued cases before the appellate courts concerning personal injury claims, equitable distribution, spousal support, will construction, real estate and community owner associations.. Mr. Buck is the past president of the Charlottesville/Albemarle Bar Association, the former mayor of the City of Charlottesville (1980-1988), former president of Charlottesville Housing Improvement Program, Camp Holiday Trails, Horizon Institute for Policy Solutions and Ash Lawn Opera Foundation. He has served on other community boards such as the United Way.. He is a graduate of the School of Law and the College of Arts & Sciences of the University of Virginia, where he played soccer and was captain of the lacrosse team.