Latest Legal Insights

Over the last two articles, I have discussed what agritourism is , what some of the rules surrounding it are, and how it can benefit you . In this article, I will explore the legal and tax protections that agritourism offers. Keeping and Expanding Your Tax Benefits Ben Franklin once said that death and taxes are the only two unavoidable aspects of life, and he was not wrong. While agritourism will not prevent your farm from having to pay taxes, it allows your business to qual

As discussed in  Part One , agritourism is a rapidly spreading form of agricultural entrepreneurship, allowing farmers and ranchers to expand their income while creating opportunities for the public to learn and gain first-hand experience. While you may have a picture of what you expect from agritourism , probably a Christmas tree farm or a pick-your-own orchard, there are hundreds of possible paths for your specific business and many ways to benefit you; this article will di

Driving through the hills of Licking County, you will encounter numerous agritourism businesses. From an Orchard in Utica to a Tree Farm in Alexandria to a Fruit Farm in Pataskala, your neighbors have discovered the advantage of catering to tourists from Columbus and transforming their property into pick-your-own orchards, corn mazes, and wedding venues. What is Agritourism? Agritourism is a rapidly spreading form of agricultural business ownership. Instead of using your fa

In honor of National Small Business Week, our Marketing Manager asked if I could write an article about helping a new business start. With so many business basics available in articles, Google, or the latest version of Chat GPT, I wanted to write about more than just a step-by-step legal guide to starting a business. With that idea in mind, I am providing a few of the primary aspects of starting a business while also reviewing some of the skills I believe are important for en

“I don’t know.”   How often do you hear an attorney utter those words? When you see attorneys on TV and in movies, you rarely hear it. Yet, the reality is, knowing what we know, and knowing what we don’t know, is one of the most important parts of advising our client. Without knowing what we don’t know, an attorney will walk their client into disaster.   Over my career, I’ve encountered many times when I don’t know something. Sometimes, I need to do some research or ask f

Known as “HOAs,” homeowners associations (as well as condominium associations) are organizations created for the common benefit of their membership. Governed by a group of volunteers, each HOA (or condo) is elected by the membership into vital (sometimes thankless) roles on the Board of Directors. But the Board aren’t all-powerful despots. Like the rest of the members, they must abide by their association’s governing documents. WHAT ARE THE GOVERNING DOCUMENTS? If you’re in

Association boards and owners alike become frustrated when others don’t pay their fair share. How do we properly combat owners who don’t pay? The best practices for the payment of condo and HOA fees often start with administration. Here are a few best practices that our HOA team recommends: Ensure that your manager or Board, if self-managed, sends the attorney a monthly delinquency report.  We don’t charge for the review and a monthly report ensures we can make good recommen

Recently, our office received several questions about whether condominium owners  must  carry liability insurance on their respective units. These questions generally arise when a catastrophic event occurs, such as a fire or flood. The answer depends upon several factors.  First, a condominium association does not have to require owners to carry liability insurance on their own. An association is under no statutory obligation to require owners to purchase insurance coverage f

As a volunteer board member, you have many responsibilities toward your association. As a group, it is imperative to run the association safely and smoothly for all owners, including yourself.   If and when it comes down to a collection or association matter requiring a board vote, your management company or legal representation will reach out to all board members to get a unanimous vote. This vote is conducted by email or at a board meeting and recorded in the minutes. Eve

As Attorneys, we often meet with people when they are not at their best and are facing some trauma that has led them to call our office for legal assistance.  Trauma comes in all different forms and impacts individuals, families, and communities. The United States Department of Health and Human Services defines trauma as an event or circumstance resulting in harm that is: Physical; Emotional; and/or, Life-threatening  In addition, the event or circumstance that has caused the

Long-time followers of EQUES (back when we were still White Law Office) know that we were, and continue to be, advocates for landowner and mineral owner rights regarding oil, gas, and mineral plays. While the oil and gas boom in Eastern Ohio has slowed over the years, we have it on solid authority that there will be a new development.   Six years ago, Dale Arnold, from the Ohio Farm Bureau, and I were sharing a coffee. We traveled a lot together in those days, educating and

Many parents that separate, or have never been married to each other, often want to solve custody issues outside of court. Reasons vary, but most people seeking solutions that don’t involve an official court process agree on how they want to divide their parental responsibilities and do not think a court needs to sign off on how they choose to raise their children. While parenting and raising children is a fundamental right (most famously discussed in the Supreme Court case

As volunteers for your community Association, or not-for-profit organization, the Board members devote countless hours of their free to handling Association issues and ensure the Association runs properly.  Not only are board members charged with choosing vendors and ensuring that the common elements are maintained, but they are required to keep proper corporate records, which include meeting minutes for any board meeting or association meeting.   Some common questions we r

“Can I adopt my spouse’s child?”   “Can I adopt my domestic partner’s child?”   “What is the process for a stepparent adoption?”   These are common questions at EQUES Law Group and I wanted to provide a brief overview of the topic.   First, to be eligible for a "stepparent adoption" in Ohio, the individual seeking the adoption (the Petitioner) must have been married to the minor's parent for at least one year before submitting the adoption certificate. Often, partners

Did you know there are different types of deeds?  And the type of deed you grant to someone affects your obligations to him in the future?  And the type of deed you receive as a grantee dictates what you actually receive in the deed?  Depending on the type of deed you hold for your property, the prior owner may or may not have made you promises regarding the title to your property – including whether he actually even owned it when he deeded it to you.  If you have an issue wi

When it comes to the law, there is not a single area where the ability to craft language, play with prose, or  narrate stories, is not essential.  Reading the following two passages , which convey the same legal information, which  one  is more compelling to you? “Defendant, an elderly gentleman, was confused by the legal  requirements, but now has counsel.  Defendant  requests that  this honorable Court, pursuant to  Civ.R . 15(A), grant leave  to file an amended answer.” “D

At White Law Office, Co., it is our mission to help educate our clients and help answer some of the most difficult questions they may have. Included herein is a list of common family law questions that we often help answer for our clients.   What is the difference between a divorce and a legal separation?             A divorce in Ohio is a contested termination of a marriage by judgement of a court. It may only be granted upon a finding of a fault-based ground which includes:

One of the most frequent questions I get when meeting people is, "Do you do..." fill in the blank. And often, I get the pleasure of saying, "yes, we do." So if you have ever wondered if the attorneys at White Law Office do "that," then let me tell answer that for you. White Law Office, Co. is a proper general practice firm. What does that mean? In short, it means that we don't just do one thing. White Law Office has six global practice areas and thirty-six specific practice a

When I was growing up, I remember an instance where Elder Financial Abuse happened to my Grandmother.  My Grandmother was one of the sweetest souls that God created, and I never remember her saying a bad word about anyone.  She constantly smiled and talked to everyone and had a way of making people feel safe in her presence.  It probably helped that she was a small person, all of 5 feet tall with heels and a perm adding to that total. Unfortunately, this same magnetism also m