Legal-Ease: Flags and Independence Day

We’re right in the middle of the time of year when flags are often prominently displayed on homes throughout Ohio. While many people feel a surge of patriotism surrounding July 4 and other summer holidays, in the 1980s and 1990s flag burning and flag desecration became an issue that was frequently brought in front of the courts.

Legal-Ease: Misperceptions of attorney attitudes

Lawyers are often given a bad reputation from portrayals on television or in movies. Lawyer jokes frequently fly in social situations, and this week Lee would like to help dispel the bad rap that attorneys often get.

Law is structured to be a very personal practice, which is why many law firms are named after attorneys who started the practice. Clients should know which attorneys are working for them, and law firms in Ohio are required to use at least one of the attorneys’ names in the name of the law firm.

Legal-Ease: Structuring your farmland lease

Farming is increasingly a risky venture, but farmland leases can provide great opportunity for both farmers and landlords. Traditionally farmers have the option of cash rent or crop-share when it comes to farmland lease arrangements. Hybrid leases have become more popular in northwest Ohio in the past few years as well. Plenty of choices exist in structuring farmland leases today, and it’s important to choose the right option for your situation.

Legal-Ease: Who pays what closing costs

Spring is often the busiest times for home sales and closings. As you go into your home sale, it’s good to know what is customary regarding the closing costs.

Federal law requires that the buyer of the home receive an estimate on closing costs (if they’re borrowing money for the purchase of the home) several days in advance of the closing.

Legal-Ease: How do I buy a new-to-me house?

Interested in buying a new home but not sure where to begin? Lee recommends that you start by talking to local banks and credit unions. Once you have an idea of your budget, consider more seriously looking into local real estate. Or you can consider hiring a real estate agent if you don’t want to investigate local homes on your own.

Legal-Ease: Mothers make good executors

The job of an executor is to transfer ownership of property of a deceased person, and often the good work ethic and leadership that comes from motherhood makes mothers excellent executors of wills. Executors are tasked with identifying property at time of death, interpret the will to decide who will get what property, transfer the ownership of property and confirm that they’ve done the transfer of property to the best of their ability.

Legal-Ease: Good Judges are smart, impartial, pragmatic and patient in analysis

Judges aren’t only in charge of making important decisions, they also play a role in helping people and their attorneys navigate their ways through the judicial system. Attorney Lee R. Schroeder thinks that the most important characteristic of a great judge is intelligence, but also important in choosing a great judge are impartiality, patience and more.

Legal-Ease: Small business needs team of advisers

Every entrepreneur should consider working with five crucial partners: an attorney, an accountant, an insurance agent, a lender and a financial adviser. Good attorneys will work with small business owners to help them minimize liability, and some attorneys limit their practices to this area of the law. Entrepreneurs should find members of their advisory team that are smart, passionate, focused, willing and qualified to serve their respective roles.