In the personal injury world, most of the cases settle prior to getting all the way to a jury trial. The reasoning for an injured to settle their case prior to taking it to trial can be a multitude of reasons. Some of these reasons include: avoiding the risk and uncertainty of trial and taking a sum certain to avoid…
I often field many phone calls regarding collecting on a money judgment someone has received in a court action. In these incidents, the holder of the money judgment is called a creditor. When I field these types of calls, it’s clear the person is frustrated. They have pursued a court action against another person or entity; have prevailed in court,…
In this article, I want to highlight two organizations that are central to promoting economic development in our local communities and region. The Cass County Economic Development Corporation (Cass Co EDC) supports businesses throughout Cass County, and I’m proud to serve on its Board of Directors. The mission of Cass Co EDC is to attract and retain businesses in Cass…
Associations are a common way to own land in Lakes Country for a couple different reasons. Probably the most common example is to address senior living arrangements where owners want to still own their own home but avoid lawn maintenance and other headaches of single family home ownership. The other common example is shared ownership along lakeshore as it is…
As the U.S. faced the growing public health and economic crisis brought on by COVID-19, Congress passed the CARES Act in March 2020. The goal of the $2 trillion relief package was to deliver economic assistance directly to families and businesses and as quickly as possible. We have all heard in the news about the direct Economic Impact Payments in…
You know the Benjamin Franklin quote “there are only two things certain in life: death and taxes.” All of my estate planning appointments have some consideration of taxes. We are faced with sales tax, income tax, estate tax, capital gains tax, gift tax and property tax to name a few. Even smaller estates still have tax considerations. With the 2020…
I typically get a lot of clients who are confused when it comes to workers’ compensation claims and what it means if the claim is accepted or if it’s denied. This may sound like an easy distinction, but in the world of workers’ compensation, it is not always abundantly clear. This article will help try to clear up any confusion.…
In prior articles I’ve shared with you some information about the importance of estate planning for “non-traditional families”. This article is specifically covering the impact of owning real estate with another person who is not your spouse and the importance of addressing those ownership interests in your estate plans. I see the scenario quite often where two people are not…
In many of our law firm’s articles, we try to impress upon our readers the importance of completing an estate plan. We describe potential problems, conflicts and expenses that a well-drafted estate plan can help prevent and address, if necessary. For a small business owner, completing an estate plan is particularly important because running a business involves more complexity than…
I represent a lot of landlords around the area and while some are very familiar with the eviction process, others are not. Today’s article will focus on the eviction process and how it’s current status in Minnesota due to COVID-19. Back in March, Governor Walz issued an Executive Order placing a moratorium on all eviction proceedings. This decision brought about…