Latest Legal Insights

Title and Closing Paralegal Mary Stone As of March 1, 2026, FinCEN reporting requirements are back in effect. The announcement has caused some confusion in the real estate community, but the reality is that most everyday real estate transactions are not affected. The reporting requirement targets a very specific type of transaction designed to help combat money laundering through real estate. If you are buying or selling property in a typical transaction with a mortgage lende

Listen in as Attorney Tom Schmitt and Paralegal Mary Stone talk title and closings. If you have questions about your property Contact Us !

Attorney Tom Schmitt and Attorney Christopher White talk common real estate questions and answers. Do you have any questions about your real estate deal? Contact us to get them answered.

(as of Feb. 27, 2026) Executive takeaways The Supreme Court held that IEEPA does not  authorize the President to impose tariffs.  Venue matters: the Court agreed the Court of International Trade (CIT) has exclusive jurisdiction over these tariff disputes, and it vacated the D.C. district court case for lack of jurisdiction while affirming the Federal Circuit/CIT track. Collection has ended for new entries: CBP guidance says IEEPA duties stopped being collected for goods enter

By: Austin Warehime Love and Money February tends to focus on relationships. It is the month of Valentine’s Day! Cards, dinners, and thoughtful gestures get attention this time of year. What rarely gets attention are the practical conversations that matter just as much over the long term — conversations about money, property, and legal expectations. This column is going to give you a “quick hits” of legal issues to think about in your relationships. In my experience, most leg

With Hunter Legeza Family Law Myths w/ Attorney Hunter Legesza

By Lindsey Wrubel Many condominiums and homeowners associations were created prior to changes in the law to the Condominium Act (Ohio Revised Code 5311) in 2004, and the creation of the Planned Community Act (Ohio Revised Code 5312) in 2010.    We can help your community to ensure that your Declaration and Bylaws/Code of Regulations are current with the most up to date laws.  While many changes to these documents require a vote of the membership, some changes or restatements

By Lindsey Wrubel The purchase of a new home is always an exciting time.  Many questions about the condo/HOA may be answered by a sales person, rather than a representative of the condo/HOA authority.    We can help your community to ensure that the transition of control from the developer to the owners is as seamless as possible.    When Should the Board Transition from the Developer to the Owners?   Most Associations have a timeframe for developer transitions specified with

By Lindsey Wrubel As a Board Member, you are put in the difficult position of forcing compliance with the covenants and restrictions of your Association.  It is not always easy to enforce rules against your neighbors, and Ohio law requires each Association to strictly comply with enforcement procedures according to statute.  Our legal team will ensure that your Association and management don’t have to worry about whether all the necessary protocols have been followed.  Let us

Here’s the weekly Eastern & Southern Ohio Oil & Gas Activity Pulse for the most recent reporting period (Week of Jan. 19 – Jan. 26, 2026), using the standard permit/rigs/M&A/regulatory/market format: 1) Executive Snapshot Permits:  Ohio’s shale drilling permit count remained steady, with roughly 4 new permits issued for Ohio in the Jan. 19–25 reporting window. Regional totals for the Marcellus/Utica across PA‑OH‑WV were about 10 permits, a notable drop compared with prior wee

Recorded 1.29.2026 Tune in to hear from the EQUES Estate Planning Team as they talk about estate planning basics. Speaker: Tom Schmitt , Zac Colopy , Sarah Powell , Max Bedell

By Thomas D. White, Sr. Partner In commercial conflict, “winning” in court can still mean losing money. While litigation drags on, deals stall, teams divert attention, and uncertainty complicates planning. Mediation protects business value by reducing downtime and restoring predictability. Mediation works particularly well in business settings because many disputes aren’t purely legal. They often stem from unmet expectations, communication breakdowns, shifting market conditio

Family law matters are emotional by nature. But many of the stress points people experience during a case don’t come from the law itself, they come from late preparation, unclear expectations, and avoidable surprises . Preparation won’t make a difficult situation easy. It will  make it more manageable, more predictable, and often less expensive. Preparation Preparation Is Not Just Paperwork When people hear “preparation,” they often think of forms and documents. Those matter—

Adoption is one of the most meaningful ways to build or strengthen a family. It is also a court-supervised legal process  with specific requirements, timelines, and documentation. Families often come into adoption focused, understandably, on the emotional side of the journey. What many wish they had earlier is a clear picture of the process , so expectations stay realistic and momentum isn’t lost along the way. Adoption Adoption Is Personal—and Procedural Every adoption invol

For unmarried parents, one of the most common, and costly, misunderstandings is this: Being a biological parent is not the same as being a legal parent. In Ohio, paternity must be legally established before a father can enforce custody or parenting time rights, and before a court can issue child support orders. Addressing paternity early creates clarity, stability, and fewer disputes later. Paternity Test What Paternity Means (Legally) Paternity is the legal recognition of a

If you are dealing with threats, violence, stalking, or fear of harm, the most important thing to know is this: Your safety comes first. Ohio law provides tools to help protect people facing domestic violence or serious threats, including Civil Protection Orders (CPOs) . Understanding what these orders are, and how the process works, can help you act quickly and thoughtfully during a difficult moment. Civil Protection Order What Is a Civil Protection Order? A Domestic Violenc

Spousal support, sometimes called alimony , is one of the most misunderstood parts of divorce and legal separation. Many people assume it is automatic, guaranteed, or based on a simple formula. In Ohio, none of those assumptions are true. Spousal support is fact-specific , and understanding how courts approach it can help you plan realistically from the start. Spousal Support Spousal Support Is Not Automatic In Ohio, spousal support is never guaranteed . Courts decide whether

Few areas of family law generate as much frustration, and misinformation, as child support. People often come into the process with strong assumptions about how support should  work, only to be surprised by how it actually does. Clearing up common myths early can help parents plan realistically and avoid costly mistakes. Child Support Myth #1: “Child support is based only on the paying parent’s income.” Reality: In Ohio, child support is generally calculated by looking at bot

If you are involved in a custody or parenting time dispute, you will hear one phrase over and over again: “The best interests of the child.” It can sound vague, or even frustrating, especially when emotions are high. But in Ohio, this standard is not a slogan. It is the legal framework courts use to make custody and parenting time decisions. Understanding what it really means can help you make better choices throughout your case. Custody Custody Is Not About Winning One of th

When people talk about ending a marriage, they often use the word divorce  as a catch-all. In Ohio, that can be misleading. There are different legal paths  to ending a marriage, and choosing the wrong one can cost you time, money, and emotional energy. Understanding the difference early helps you make decisions that fit your reality, not just your hopes. Separation The Three Common Paths in Ohio In Ohio, marriages typically end through one of three processes: 1. Contested Di