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Questions Answered by Thomas. R. Morris
1 Answer | Asked in Contracts, Construction Law, Libel & Slander and Small Claims for Michigan on
Q: We are a GC trying to collect most of final payment. Homeowner refuses to let us back for punch list- owes 6375

The contract amount is 20,875. This guy is a lawyer and a bully. He refuses to pay or allow us to finish minor details. What can we do? He also left a nasty google review full of lies

Thomas. R. Morris
Thomas. R. Morris
answered on Mar 10, 2023

I see three remedies:

1. A construction lien. I am not going to write up all of the steps because it is somewhat complicated and we don't have enough facts to determine whether the remedy is available.

2. A lawsuit against your customer to collect the balance.

3. A...
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2 Answers | Asked in Contracts and Family Law for Michigan on
Q: Are text messages contractural in a personal relationship?

I was involved with a man who was in the process of divorcing his wife (Have Court Docket). We've known each over 20 years and became personally involved for about a year. Within 20-25 days of receiving a handwritten note of love and devotion, he abruptly returned to his marriage... Read more »

Thomas. R. Morris
Thomas. R. Morris
answered on Feb 21, 2023

The first problem is that the state of Michigan abolished the cause of action for breach of promise to marry. The second problem is that the other contracting party is married. I expect that the court would find that his contract to marry someone when he was already married is against public... Read more »

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1 Answer | Asked in Bankruptcy, Consumer Law and Foreclosure for Michigan on
Q: I owed SBA disaster loan of $24,000 and then in 2019 I did a chapter 7 due to financial problems, .

The sba loan was discharged, the problems is, everytime I try to refinance my house, they still block the refinance and demand the $24000 , and banks back away.

Is this legal what they are doing or illegal?

What can I do for them cease-and-desist?

Thomas. R. Morris
Thomas. R. Morris
answered on Feb 13, 2023

The bankruptcy discharge prohibits a creditor from demanding payment of a discharged debt. However, it does not require a prospective lender to lend to you. Therefore, it is illegal for the creditor holding a discharged debt to try to enforce it against you, but legal for a bank to deny you a... Read more »

1 Answer | Asked in Contracts, Estate Planning and Probate for Michigan on
Q: As the beneficiary of

As the beneficiary of a deceased insured, do I have the legal right to give the insurance company authorization to

Disclose the deceased, personal medical information? I am the deceased’s wife. They want me to sign a paper and give them that right. Is that legal for me to do? I did have... Read more »

Thomas. R. Morris
Thomas. R. Morris
answered on Jan 25, 2023

The Michigan statutes on decisions to be made regarding the body of a dead person use the term "next of kin" to refer to the class of persons who can make such decisions. As the widow, you would be the "next of kin". Therefore, you would be a person with authority to make... Read more »

2 Answers | Asked in Contracts, Real Estate Law and Landlord - Tenant for Michigan on
Q: So I'm being sued from an apartment from 4 years ago. I paid my month to month and notified them of my leave.

It was agreed I pay month to month after March as I was in the process of looking and buying a home, which I found in April and was moved in by May 2018. I moved out at the end of May notified the complex like agreed and left the keys, four years later I'm being sued for June and July rent,... Read more »

Thomas. R. Morris
Thomas. R. Morris
answered on Jan 5, 2023

Did you sign a lease that obligated you to pay rent for a period of time that extended past the date on which you moved out? I suspect that there was a lease, and it went through July 2018. If so, the fact that you notified the landlord of your intention to move probably makes no difference.

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2 Answers | Asked in Real Estate Law for Michigan on
Q: Is saying that an easement or an amendment to an easement "is appurtenant to the (dominant name) parcels" sufficient to

ensure it runs to successors. (ie "runs with the land") in a recorded document.

Thomas. R. Morris
Thomas. R. Morris
answered on Dec 30, 2022

One cannot determine in the abstract whether that’s sufficient. I would want to look at the whole document and entire transaction. One example of a phrase that would clarify that it runs with the land is “the easement runs with the land”.

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3 Answers | Asked in Real Estate Law for Michigan on
Q: Do attorneys in a city tend to avoid taking preexisting cases where an attorney has been let ago even if it has been win

winning in the courts. Our attorney filed a motion to enforce a mediation agreement without our permission and has other small missteps because he appears to want to be done yet we don't know if another attorney will take us. Our case is good.

Thomas. R. Morris
Thomas. R. Morris
answered on Nov 28, 2022

I don't have enough information to answer your question, but here are some observations:

1. If both sides accepted case evaluation, then the attorney should not need your permission to proceed to obtain a judgment.

2. If you agreed in mediation to a settlement, then it may...
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1 Answer | Asked in Real Estate Law for Michigan on
Q: Can you leave your half of a house in a will or trust with joint ownership? Two people on mortgage and deed?

Can my boyfriend will or trust his half of our joint ownership house to someone? Put his half in a will?

Thomas. R. Morris
Thomas. R. Morris
answered on Nov 20, 2022

No, joint ownership includes survivorship, meaning that the survivor of the joint tenants takes title. A tenant in common could devise or place in trust his interest as a tenant in common.

1 Answer | Asked in Real Estate Law for Michigan on
Q: We own our own home and land. We are in our 80's. What I want to know is what do we have to do to put our daughters name

didn't let me finish to put our daughters name on the place.

Thomas. R. Morris
Thomas. R. Morris
answered on Nov 17, 2022

The simplest way is to execute a quit-claim deed to your daughter as grantee. However, you should consult with an attorney to explore the options available. Do you intend that she own the property outright, immediately? Do you intend to co-own it with her until your death so that she takes title... Read more »

2 Answers | Asked in Real Estate Law for Michigan on
Q: Hello Does a Land contract Forfeiture have to be filed in the city in which the property is located?

Home is located in Burton Michigan Forfeiture was filed in Davison Michigan

Thomas. R. Morris
Thomas. R. Morris
answered on Oct 18, 2022

This is from the website of the state district court in Davison: "Davison Court serves Davison Township, Forest Township, Richfield Township, Atlas Township, City of Davison, Village of Goodrich and Village of Otisville." The 67th District Court also has a location in Burton. I would... Read more »

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2 Answers | Asked in Car Accidents and Civil Litigation for Michigan on
Q: The neighbors dead tree fell on my daughters car completely destroying her sunroof and back window. Not from a storm

There was no storm, the tree was dying and neglected by the neighbor, causing it to snap and fall on my daughters car, completely destroying her sunroof and back window. Can we sue the neighbor for the damages in small claims court? We have lots of pictures and videos.

Thomas. R. Morris
Thomas. R. Morris
answered on Sep 6, 2022

The neighbor's potential liability is for negligence, and if he or she should have been aware of the issue, that strengthens the claim. Did you inform the neighbor, prior to the tree fall, that the tree was a hazard?

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1 Answer | Asked in Contracts for Michigan on
Q: If an attorney signs a contract without clients knowledge, where attorney had no power of attorney is that contract lega

Is that contract voidable

Never ever once did he allow his client to view the contract he he signed and approved not once and he had no authority, nor did he a power of attorney to do anything on his client's behalf without clients knowledge

Thomas. R. Morris
Thomas. R. Morris
answered on Aug 11, 2022

This is a question of "apparent authority" on the part of the attorney, as an agent of the client. Under that doctrine, the contract might be enforceable. Whether it is enforceable will depend upon the specific facts. It is possible that it is enforceable. That does not, however,... Read more »

3 Answers | Asked in Contracts for Michigan on
Q: Is my mentally ill adult daughter liable for an apt lease she signed?

My adult daughter, who is presently already under an apt lease (since Dec 2021) in her hometown in Michigan, signed a one year lease for an apartment in Chicago while on medications (still is) to treat a mental illness.

She went thru a broker who keeps the first month's rent... Read more »

Thomas. R. Morris
Thomas. R. Morris
answered on Aug 1, 2022

The issue under Michigan law is whether she had the ability to understand what she was signing. I agree that the diagnosis does not answer the question. Were she to be sued, she would have to convince the court of her defense, which might require expert testimony. Further, the landlord would... Read more »

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3 Answers | Asked in Divorce, Estate Planning and Real Estate Law for Michigan on
Q: What happens to a revocable land trust when is terminates/expires?

I am a co-trustee on a revocable land trust originally designed to generate cash for our children's education. Neither child needed it for that purpose. Our divorce agreement states it will terminate upon our youngest turning 30. It does not specify what happens at termination. I am not aware... Read more »

Thomas. R. Morris
Thomas. R. Morris
answered on Jun 30, 2022

We would need to see the trust agreement to determine whether the property reverts to the grantor(s), or whether title vests in the beneficiaries. If the trust is still revocable (because the grantor(s) are alive, the grantors could revoke the trust and own the property as they choose. There is... Read more »

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1 Answer | Asked in Contracts for Michigan on
Q: Charging more for cutting grass and not letting me know.

I just received a bill for 6 weeks, and the price is $24 more than I usually pay. They did not let me know it would be going up.

Thomas. R. Morris
Thomas. R. Morris
answered on Jun 23, 2022

Unless there’s a written contract that provides for your agreement to a price increase or surcharge, you nave a point. Your agreement in some form to a price increase is required. But if you agreed to a long-term arrangement, you owe at least the lower price. I suggest that this be worked out... Read more »

1 Answer | Asked in Collections, Contracts and Probate for Michigan on
Q: If a car has a clean title with no lean against do I have to pay the payments after my husband died?

When he took out the loan we were told they didn’t process it right an d we had to get the title. This loan person was not nice told us we had to car DMV in Ohio to get it. I refused it was 4 months of driving without plates. She finally got the title and gave it to him we transfered it and now... Read more »

Thomas. R. Morris
Thomas. R. Morris
answered on Jun 21, 2022

If the vehicle is titled in Ohio, I recommend that you hold out for an answer from an attorney in Ohio. I am not, so I am going to give a brief answer based on Michigan law.

I do not see a reason to agree to have a lien evidenced on the title. However, if the vehicle is titled to your...
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2 Answers | Asked in Business Law and Civil Litigation for Michigan on
Q: I am in a partnership dispute. I am a member of a 50/50 partnership. We both agree to dissolve the company.

Are there any case law for me to ask for a non-compete or moratorium for both of us not to be able to use the existing customers of the business for a certain amount of time?

Thomas. R. Morris
Thomas. R. Morris
answered on May 26, 2023

As Mr. Soble said, these are typically the subject of an agreement between the partners. It might be possible to formulate an argument that relief is available from a court based upon concepts of unfair competition, but you have not supplied facts to enable an evaluation of the application of... Read more »

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2 Answers | Asked in Real Estate Law for Michigan on
Q: Would you consider online paralegal certificate program through a community college a good way to become a paralegal?

I'm in Michigan, this is a later in life 2nd career option after selling a business.

Thomas. R. Morris
Thomas. R. Morris
answered on May 26, 2023

Yes. I don't have any familiarity with the online programs, but the paralegal programs at community colleges that I have heard about are credible and can lead to a successful career in the field.

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3 Answers | Asked in Real Estate Law for Michigan on
Q: Seller is unable to proceed with closing due to financial situation. What are my rights, and what action should i take?

I have encountered a situation where the seller of the property I am purchasing is unable to proceed with the closing due to financial circumstances. Sellers had already accepted the offer, I completed the appraisal, and the closing is scheduled for next week. What are my rights in this situation,... Read more »

Thomas. R. Morris
Thomas. R. Morris
answered on May 26, 2023

Your remedies depend in part upon the terms of the sale agreement. I would need to review the agreement to give a more precise answer as to remedies. You may be able to file a lawsuit to compel the seller to close. That's called specific performance. You may also be able to sue for... Read more »

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2 Answers | Asked in Collections for Michigan on
Q: Is there anyway to have a garnishment modified once it’s been started? If so what form do I need to fill out? Michigan
Thomas. R. Morris
Thomas. R. Morris
answered on Apr 24, 2023

It's not clear whether you are the plaintiff or defendant. If you are the plaintiff (creditor) the answer would depend upon what modification you require. If you are the defendant, Mr. Alexander's answer addresses one solution. Another is to file bankruptcy, which would stop the garnishment.

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