Recent news of an aunt suing her nephew for a large sum of money because an assertive hug at his birthday party resulted in a broken wrist upset many people. But when the woman’s attorneys explained she wasn’t suing her nephew expecting the money, but rather was suing so that his insurance company would pay her medical bills, people became even more confused.
Yearly Archives: 2015
Legal-Ease: Starting and ending marriages
There are a number of laws in place in the state of Ohio in relation to starting and ending a marriage. Ending a marriage is often more complicated than starting a marriage in the state of Ohio.
Legal-Ease: Fairness in family business succession
Many residents in Northwest Ohio are small business owners, and often these small business owners want to pass their businesses on to their children. But passing on a family business to offspring can present a number of challenges.
Legal-Ease: Can I trust my trust?
Trusts must be prepared by attorneys as they’re legal documents. While many trusts are created by local attorneys, others are created by attorneys from outside of our area who offered a “free steak dinner” to discuss the protection of the client’s assets. The generic statements of “safety” and “protection” that were often mentioned in relation to the preparation of trusts for the last several decades are often misunderstood.
Legal-Ease: Class action lawsuits
While class action lawsuits are generally not very common, they get a lot of attention in the media because these lawsuits often affect a large number of people.
For northwest Ohio, the most active class action lawsuit right now is a case that involves farmers filing lawsuits against a company called Syngenta.
For a judge to certify a regular lawsuit as a class action lawsuit, seven very technical requirements must be proven.
Legal-Ease: Speed limits near schools
Ever wonder when a motorist must drive less than 20 mph near schools? It’s murky in the state of Ohio when it comes to school speed limit laws.
Regardless of where the sign is located, if a motorist is within 300 feet of a school, the speed limit is 20 mph during restricted hours. Restricted hours are defined as the time during which “school recess and while children are going to or leaving school during the opening and closing hours.”
Legal-Ease: Lawsuits often involve work after the case is closed
Lawsuits between people or businesses are referred to as “civil” lawsuits. Civil lawsuits normally include two requests from the plaintiff. First, the plaintiff wants the court to determine that the defendant made a mistake. Second, the plaintiff wants the court to define what the defendant owes the plaintiff to fix the harm caused.
Legal-Ease: Non-compete agreements
More often than not, jobs today require specific training that require a large investment from an employer when hiring a new employee. Further, the value of many businesses is in the relationships and reputation of the business. Many businesses that invest heavily in relationship-building or training want to protect their investment, and primarily these investments are protected with non-compete agreements.
Legal-Ease: What is title work?
When you’re in the process of purchasing a home, it’s likely that the lender will “order the title work” before the sale is final. “Title work” refers to the process of reviewing and analyzing public records and other documents to confirm ownership as well as uncover liens and mortgages. There is no required licensing for someone to be able to find and compile all documents recorded that relate to a property. However, only a licensed attorney can give an “opinion” on title.
Legal-Ease: Urban rural livestock battles usually fought on two fronts
As more people move to the country seeking privacy and peaceful living, more people become upset with each other due to livestock smelling or sounding different than what they expected. Often these arguments escalate into legal battles as people try to make amends with some of the realities of country living, such as unpleasant smells and loud animals. This battle is normally fought on two fronts: zoning and nuisance law.