Helpful Articles

How to protect your rights and maximize your settlement after a Florida car accident

Everybody knows that traffic in Florida is a lot to deal with. Rush hours come together with traffic jams and everybody’s nerves are tense. Unfortunately, this often leads to a lot of car crashes. The state of Florida is the fifth most congested urban area nationwide. Just in this state, auto accidents kill nearly 3,000 people and car crash injuries exceed 165,000 a year. Twenty percent of the car accidents that occur in Florida take place in Miami-Dade County. This sort of event can b...

The Power of a Power of Attorney for Property

The power of attorney for property in Illinois is a versatile and powerful document.  There are two main functions it serves for our clients at Lauren Jackson Law.  Not only is it used in all of our Estate Planning packages, but we also use it for our real estate clients who are selling property.    If I am drafting your estate plan, a power of attorney for property is strongly recommended and will be included.  This document lays...

Searching for the Best Personal Injury Lawyer

The majority of San Jose residents do not have a lawyer on retainer. Therefore, when they are involved in a severe accident, they must conduct a search for the best personal injury lawyer. Many will perform a quick Google search or ask their family and friends for recommendations. However, it is important to not solely rely on other people’s opinions when retaining the services of a San Jose personal injury lawyer. Here are several important qualities you should look f...

How to Protect Your Business When Your Partner Files for Bankruptcy?

Partnerships are business enterprises involving more than one party. People usually form partnerships because they know it’s more likely to succeed in a business with a partner than without one. Of course, there are inherent risks in having business partners. In order to avoid unexpected circumstances, make sure to involve an attorney from the outset to draw up a legal agreement. This agreement should include besides each partner’s duties and responsibilities, also a buy-sell agreemen...

What happens to a house when the owner dies and their are no heirs?

Occasionally, I have a case brought to my practice where a homeowner has died and had no known family members to whom the house should transfer.  In this case, there are a few different options for how to handle the future ownership of the house. If the homeowner created a trust before the death, and the house was properly transferred into the trust, then the successor trustee is responsible for making sure the mortgage payments are made out of other trust assets until such a time ...

New Technology For War: The Legality of Drone-Based Targeted Killings Under International Law

http://studentorgs.kentlaw.iit.edu/jicl/new-technology-for-war-the-legality-of-drone-based-targeted-killings-under-international-law/ Chicago-Kent | Journal of International and Comparative Law (Spring, 2016) ...

Do beneficiaries have a right to see a copy of the trust?

Yes, if you are named in a trust as a beneficiary then you are entitled to a copy of the trust and an accounting annually of the entire estate. A lot of people keep their estate plan private for a multitude of reasons.  However, when someone dies and you have been named as a beneficiary you may want to know your rights.  Whether, the trustee of the trust likes it or not they have to comply with the law by providing you with a copy of the trust and an accounting of the estate.  ...

Can a Living Trust Help Avoid Probate in Washington?

Thinking about what will happen to your family after you die is unpleasant. For that reason, many people don’t take the time to evaluate the estate planning tools available to them or plan effectively for the distribution of their assets . Unless you have taken steps to avoid it, your assets will go into probate at the time of your death. The probate court will gather all of your probate assets and distribute them according to the terms of your will. If no will was drafted, the assets will be...

Applying the Chapter 7 Means Test in New York

Chapter 7 bankruptcy can benefit many people who are experiencing financial difficulties. The fundamental idea behind a Chapter 7 bankruptcy is giving a debtor a clean slate by liquidating all of his or her non-exempt assets and using the money to pay off creditors. Most debts that are not paid off are discharged, meaning that the debtor no longer has any legal obligation to pay that debt.Partially due to perceived abuse of the bankruptcy system, Congress passed a law in 2005 making it more ...

Foreclosure in Suffolk: Can I Keep Living In My Foreclosed Home?

The foreclosure process in Suffolk County can take a long period of time. When you begin to miss payments, the mortgage lender must take action and initiate the process of taking your home. This can take several weeks, or even months or years depending upon how many homes the lender is foreclosing on and how high of a priority your house is for the lender to deal with. Because the foreclosure process can last for so long, many people wonder if they can remain in their homes while the lende...

Chapter 7 or Chapter 13?

Chapter 7 Bankruptcy For those who qualify, Chapter 7 Bankruptcy is available to aid individuals and families struggling with credit card debt, payday loans, medical bills, and other types of unsecured debt. Chapter 7 Bankruptcy is commonly known as a “liquidation.” Once a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy case is filed, a Trustee is assigned to determine whether there are any assets in the debtor’s estate to “liquidate (sell)” and partially satisfy the debts owed to creditors. Many assets are p...

Beware of the Bankruptcy Petition Preparer

You’re telling me that I can file for Bankruptcy for less than $200?! Sweet! Sign me up. But wait..what’s the catch? For “less than $200,” there is ALWAYS a catch. It’s true that hiring a Bankruptcy attorney to represent you in your Bankruptcy case is not a requirement under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. You have every right to file without an attorney and represent yourself (pro se). You can even hire a non-attorney Bankruptcy petition preparer to help you. But is it worth it? Not to b...

Solo Practitioner Bankruptcy Attorney vs. Large Firm or Bankruptcy Mill

So, you’re considering getting help filing a Bankruptcy petition, but you don’t know where to turn. You’ve probably seen the large billboard ads that are lined along the highway promising $0 down to file. You may have also seen the craigslist postings or radio advertisements guaranteeing a total fee of $499 or less. If it sounds too good to be true, I’m sorry to break it to you, but it probably is too good to be true. Believe me, I get it. You’re already struggling financially. You w...

Is Probate Necessary in Washington State?

A common term that you might hear after someone passes away is “probate”. Probate is the process of administering an estate by collecting assets, settling debts, and making distributions to family members. This process is often overseen by a judge who can ensure that the estate is properly administered and can resolve any disputes. If your loved one dies, you may wonder whether probate is necessary for your situation. In Washington State, some estates must go through the probate process ...

How Contractor’s Registration affects Construction Liens on Real Property Development

Construction liens are an important part of Seattle real estate law and other high-growth areas of Western Washington. The lien, also called a “mechanic’s lien,” represents a pre-judicial claim against title, and the owner of the land on whom the lien is recorded cannot sell the property or obtain a loan thereon until the lien is satisfied, removed, or otherwise accommodated. The Effect of a Construction Lien. Under RCW 60.04.021, “any person furnishing labor, professi...

Types of Injuries in Austin Personal Injury Cases

Everyone is at risk of sustaining an injury in an accident—whether it’s a car crash, slip and fall, or something else. Minor injuries don’t require medical attention and usually don’t force you to miss any work. However, when injuries are serious or catastrophic, they can affect a person’s life on multiple levels. In addition to physical pain and stress, injury victims often amass thousands of dollars in medical expenses, and they may need to miss months of work. If you have incu...

Choosing the Right Personal Injury Attorney

After an accident causes you injuries, you likely have a lot on your mind. Your injuries suddenly disrupted your life and you may face financial losses as a result. If you suspect that someone else’s negligence caused your accident, you may feel like seeking justice and compensation from that party.  However, you may not know just how to go about doing so. Everywhere you turn, you may hear and see ads for personal injury attorneys. A quick Google search returns thou...

What Effect Does Filing An Amended Return Have on the IRS's Time to Audit?

Section 6501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code provides the general rule: Except as otherwise provided in this section, the amount of any tax imposed by this title shall be assessed within 3 years after the return was filed (whether or not such return was filed on or after the date prescribed) or, if the tax is payable by stamp, at any time after such tax became due and before the expiration of 3 years after the date on which any part of such tax was paid, and no proceeding in court without a...

Michigan Lemon Law: Calculating the Repurchase

So, you have a defective vehicle that qualifies as a “Lemon.”  What is your remedy? How much money do you get? What happens to the finance contract? Under Michigan’s Lemon Law the answers to these questions depend on how much you paid, whether you have additional “out of pocket” damages, and how many miles are on the odometer, among other things. 1. Return of Your Purchase Price or Lease Price Michigan’s Lemon Law at MCL 257.1403(1)(a), perm...

6 Ways Divorce Lawyers Can Help Their Clients

One word that will probably never be associated with contested divorce cases is 'easy.' After all, divorce is a complex process and what makes it even more convoluted is the fact that these laws vary from state to state.  Hiring a local attorney who is conversant with the state-based divorce laws is helpful. This is why a client from Geneva, Illinois will always consider Geneva divorce attorneys for himself/herself. While splitting spouses may be on an emotional rollercoaster, they n...