First of all, although it is possible to get divorced without your partner’s *consent* in Michigan, there is no such thing as a 'secret' divorce. With or without a 'power of attorney'. Divorcing someone is not the kind of thing powers of attorney are used for! After the... View More

‘Contract for deed’ is not a term used in Michigan law. Do you mean ‘land contract’?

A land contract, even if not recorded, creates an obligation between the two parties (and their heirs). It does NOT protect (or warn!) 3rd parties which is why they should be recorded to put others... View More

The question is whether you agreed to pay for your mother's services. If the terms of the "family plan" call for you to be liable, then you are ostensibly liable. If they are billing you for services rendered to another person and they won't discuss her treatment with you,... View More

The fact that the beneficiary was changed after your Grandpa's death certainly raises issues. Your uncle's power of attorney would not have been in effect, if the principal was already deceased because death of the principal would negate the power of attorney. This raises questions of... View More

Fisrt of all, the relevant law in Canada my differ substantially from that in the United States. This author is not licensed to practice law in Canada, but I am providing this answer based on general principals of U.S. common law.

To address your father's business dispute with his... View More

Yes, if the document was correctly prepared and gives you that authority. The purpose of the power of attorney document is to convince whoever you need to convince (such as an impound yard that has possession of the vehicles) to allow you to take the vehicles.

Generally speaking, you can enter into a contract to do anything so long as it is not illegal or against public policy.

So, no, you can't legally enter into a contract to murder someone, but you CAN enter into a contract to search a property with the owner of that property on whatever... View More

If I understand correctly, you verbally 'sublet' part of your mother's rental for $200 a month, but somehow your name is on the lease? How did that work exactly? What does the WRITTEN lease say about your obligations?

Without seeing that document I can't even hazard a... View More

Who are you seeking to hold accountable? This all sounds like an issue to be raised in a post-judgment motion to the divorce proceeding. However, you're going to need to explain to the court why and how you could not have discovered and raised this issue before.

You won't hear... View More

Aaron Israels Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
answered on Mar 29, 2025

In Michigan, contingent fee agreements need to be in writing and will outline how fees are calculated and what 'out of pocket' costs are recoverable by the attorney. My guess is that your case didn't settle for a lot of money and that the costs created the discrepancy that you are... View More

I'm sorry about your frustration with the results of your case. There are a few common things to look at - terms of your retainer, out-of-pocket expenses, etc. You ask about considerations that could result in a reduction. A common one is liens, where a medical office may want money back if... View More

They may not be able to change the beneficiary per se, but the Divorce Court and Probate Court both have 'equitable' powers and can "recover" funds paid legally but contrary to prior court orders.

This situation needs to be reviewed by a local probate / divorce attorney... View More

Emmanuel Coffy Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
answered on Mar 7, 2025

You generally need permission to use social media content in a commercial report. Most social media platforms’ terms of service grant users copyright over their posts, meaning you cannot republish their content for commercial purposes without authorization. Using brand-created images or posts... View More

Who is 'responsible'?

That depends. Is the accounting accurate and did you receive the money refunded?

Then YOU as the property owner are ultimately 'responsible' to pay the taxes.

Unless the company misapplied the funds or didn't actually refund... View More

No, he is not correct. The bank is authorized to honor a withdrawal or check drawn by either account holder. It is possible for the joint account holders to have an agreement between them as to the use of the funds, so your spending might violate an agreement, which one might call... View More

Banking law prevents you from suing the bank for honoring the request by a joint account owner for money from the account. I don't believe that a joint account owner commits a crime by taking money from the account that is legally his money. That leaves two questions: 1. Could you sue... View More

OK -- what a mess. If you "bought" a house with a 'verbal agreement', you didn't really buy the house. A sale of Real Estate REQUIRES a written document. Did you even get a deed?

I concur to the extent there are threats of criminal activity, you need to contact the... View More

If the conveyance was by a warranty deed, the seller breached one or more warranties and you could sue to enforce the warranties. There may be a claim for breach of contract as well.

The criminal matter should be referred to the police. You could sue him based upon the threats of arson... View More

The purchase agreement that requires the rental license to be granted before closing should also already include a clause for notifying the seller of inspection results and of your satisfaction with said results. If serious issues are found, the seller must either fix them or release the buyer from... View More

The contractor may have breached the contract by failing to begin the project as promised, but the issue from the perspective of an attorney is whether enforcement of the contract in the courts is cost-effective. It is probably not cost effective. To threaten litigation might convince the... View More