Legal-Ease: Federal and state courts

Our legal system is made up of many different courts, in which different decisions are made and different cases are heard. Each federal district court and circuit court has its own requirements for attorney admission, including fees, tests and references.

Legal-Ease: Mothers-in-law are mothers, too

Legal disputes between in-laws are unfortunate, but can occur – and if the dispute makes it all the way to the courthouse, odds are that there will ultimately be no winners. But making end-of-life care and other important life decisions in writing now can make things smoother later in life.

Legal-Ease: Judge or jury?

Depending on the charges being argued, court cases are either determined in front of a judge or a jury. While people accused of crimes against society are nearly always entitled to a jury trial, not all decisions are made by juries – judges have a lot of leeway in determining what evidence can be admitted, the interpretation of written documents, and other important decisions.

Legal-Ease: Courts won’t decide internal church issues

The legal system has a very limited relationship when it comes to religious organizations, especially when it comes to their internal processes. For “connective” churches, courts will generally not decide disputes regarding local church government, order, discipline, membership or authority.

Legal-Ease: Drone laws are unclear

Drones are becoming much more pervasive in our society, as both the public and private sectors find more and more uses for the aircraft. But legal restrictions on their use are still trying to catch up with drones, and lawmakers and citizens alike are often unclear on the legal (and public safety) ramifications of their use.

Legal-Ease: New manure laws start June 21

A new law will go into affect in a few months that will necessitate that most farmers monitor the weather before spreading manure. While several applications and farming operations are exempt from the ruling, farmers in northwest and west central Ohio will be under more specific requirements when it comes to spreading manure.

Legal-Ease: Considering ‘blue laws’ on Easter

In the earliest days of our country, ‘blue laws’ were those generally designed to promote religion, such as outlawing most work on Sundays. These laws have been debated, changed, struck down and upheld since America’s founding.

Legal-Ease: do I need a survey?

Transferring ownership of land can be time consuming, costly and complicated. While surveying in the early days of our country was done with less precision than today, the various uses of a piece of property might still necessitate that a new survey be conducted.

Legal-Ease: New manure laws imminent

After last year’s toxic algae bloom in Lake Erie brought public attention to the issue of farm runoff, farmers and their practices are under a higher level of scrutiny. Already passed in the Ohio Senate, new proposed legislation could change how farmers in northwest Ohio can apply manure.

Legal-Ease: How long will it take

A number of factors play into how long a client’s legal work will take, and how much it will end up costing them. The attention to detail required in legal documents, the myriad of tasks an attorney must perform, getting approval and submitting filings can all play a factor in how long your case can take.