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I am dealing with a situation where my ex-wife has violated our divorce decree. She owes me $6,000 and was supposed to refinance the house to remove my name from the mortgage. If she failed to do so, the house was supposed to be listed for sale. She is now four months late on both the payment and... View More

answered on Jul 11, 2025
You may certainly request that she be compelled to pay your attorney fees. However, whether or not she does is at the sole discretion of the court. You and / or your attorney will need to provide evidence that her failures to abide by the terms of your divorce decree were more than mere negligence... View More
I have a noisy neighbor who stomps excessively day and night, even as early as 6 a.m. Despite bringing this issue to the leasing office four times, nothing has changed. I had an altercation with the neighbor a few weeks ago where words were exchanged, and the stomping worsened afterwards. I have... View More

answered on Jun 19, 2025
This is a very frustrating and unfortunately common complaint of tenants living in multiunit buildings. Unless the other tenant's conduct rises to the level of stalking, harassment, or discrimination, it will be difficult to bring a legal claim against them. You could potentially file for... View More
Back in 2018, the deed to my grandmother's house was transferred into my name to obtain a HELOC for her nursing home expenses. In 2019, my family filed a lawsuit claiming the quitclaim deed transfer was illegal. The judge reversed the transfer and put the deed in my family members' names... View More

answered on Jun 19, 2025
This does not violate any criminal law to my understanding. I am not sure you even have a civil cause of action. If I understood your question, your issue is that your family paid off a debt in your name. At worst, they may have an action against you for unjust enrichment and you have a defense... View More
I am almost 20 years old and living with my grandmother in her home. Although I have a job, my own money, and room, my grandmother often takes my belongings, such as incense, electronics, and makeup, claiming I don't deserve privacy in her home. Recently, she took a $500 electronic item I... View More

answered on May 30, 2025
You have three choices. You could file a criminal complaint for theft. You could file a small claims complaint for conversion which is the civil tort that's similar to theft, where you're asking for a return of an item or its monetary equivalent. Lastly, you could continue to do nothing... View More
I am a property owner, and my neighbor, who is a renter, has chopped down a shared tree line along our property boundary without my permission. This action goes against a city ordinance and is considered a class 4 misdemeanor. However, the city refuses to press charges, stating it's a civil... View More

answered on May 20, 2025
Retain an arborist to assess the value of the trees that were removed, and the cost to replace them. Also ask a real estate agent the amount of any reduction in property value. Use that information to send a letter to the owner of neighboring property asking for compensation. If the owner... View More
I own a house jointly with someone, but I have been the sole occupant and have covered all maintenance and taxes for the past 20 years. Both names are on the property deed. Initially, we had a verbal agreement to share expenses, but this has not been followed. I've attempted to address the... View More

answered on May 14, 2025
Without a written agreement, if you sue the co-owner, it could be difficult to get any reimbursement. You could file a "partition action" asking the court to order the property sold. The court could credit you with the co-owner's unpaid share of the costs in the distribution of... View More
I have a land contract in Ohio that is expiring at the end of the month. The buyer was unable to secure a loan for the final balloon payment, resulting in a default. The contract references compliance with sections 5313.05 and 5313.09 of the Ohio Revised Code for defaults. A lawyer mentioned that I... View More

answered on Apr 28, 2025
Your options to evict or foreclose are determined based upon the time the land install contract has existed and the amount paid towards the purchase price. If the land installment contract has existed for five (5) years or the Buyer has paid more than 20% of the purchase price, then you must... View More
I hired contractors to complete work under a contract, but they did not finish the job and have blocked communication after I confronted them. I've filed complaints with the BBB but haven't received help from an attorney. The case is open, and the contractors are pending receipt of their... View More

answered on Apr 28, 2025
Yes, you should hire an attorney. There are a number of issues that you must consider. For example, did they fail to complete or did you prevent their performance. Did the contract render time is of the essence. Was the delay in completion reasonable under the circumstances. Was the work... View More
My father, who is very ill and under hospice care in Ohio, has expressed his wish to be buried with family in Florida. A woman he has been in a long-term relationship with has taken charge of his medical decisions, claiming they are married, though there are no legal records to support this, and... View More

answered on Apr 28, 2025
I would find out where they were allegedly married and see if there is a marriage licence registered there (with the proof of solemnization of the wedding). If there is no wedding then she would at the very least need POA or be listed as a Health Care Declaration proxy. Your question did not... View More
My father, who is very ill and under hospice care in Ohio, has expressed his wish to be buried with family in Florida. A woman he has been in a long-term relationship with has taken charge of his medical decisions, claiming they are married, though there are no legal records to support this, and... View More

answered on Apr 27, 2025
Here in Ohio there is a specific assignment that can be made to ensure the correct person(s) handle final arrangements, and to memorialize any wishes. See Chapter 2108 of the Ohio Revised Code. (link below)
https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/chapter-2108
An estate planning... View More
I am considering a lawsuit against Ever Driven due to their unprofessional conduct. On two occasions, they failed to provide safe transportation for my four-year-old daughter. The first incident involved a driver allowing an unauthorized man in the car during pickup. The second incident involved my... View More

answered on Apr 24, 2025
First, I think you should find another method of transportation for your child. If they aren't taking your daughter's safety seriously, that's a huge red flag. Second, if you signed a contract with them that promises they will not do these specific things, they've breached that... View More
My daughter's ex in Ohio, Jefferson County, is violating the terms of their divorce decree by not paying her $3,000 from his work bonus, which he received on March 31, 2025, as stipulated in the decree. He claims there is no specific time frame for payment and promised to pay by the end of... View More

answered on Apr 9, 2025
Thirty days from receipt of payment is pretty standard. Is he in violation of the decree? Probably. Should you take legal action until after April? Probably not. Once that timeline has passed if he still hasn't paid then your daughter should consider filing a motion to show cause.
I believe there may have been undue influence on my mother's will. My mother, who had initially promised to leave me some money and paintings, was diagnosed with dementia. After her passing, I discovered her will left me nothing. My brother, who was her caregiver during her illness, provided a... View More

answered on Apr 8, 2025
Will contests are very difficult cases. You will need to consult with an experience probate attorney who can talk you through the elements and your likelihood of success. If she executed a will after her diagnoses of dementia, and gave her assets to her caretaker, that can be prima facie evidence... View More
In my dissolution, my ex-husband was required to refinance the mortgage to remove my name within two years. He has not done this, and although he attempted to refinance in September 2024, he was laid off again and the mortgage remains in my name. There was a 'late' payment reported to my... View More

answered on Mar 26, 2025
Yes, but you may not need to do that. So long as you are satisfied with receiving your percentage of equity from the sale from the title company, then all is well.
If you really want to force the refinance, you can always file a motion to show cause. But, if he's not making enough to... View More
I live in a town that recently installed new water meters without resident input. After the installation, my underground water line cracked, resulting in a continuous leak of 2-3 gallons of water every hour, and the estimated repair cost is $4,000. A plumber suggested the crack was due to excessive... View More

answered on Mar 13, 2025
The issue is one of sovereign immunity. Ohio Revised Code 2744.02 says that political subdivisions are liable for negligence of their employees in caring out governmental proprietary functions. The political subdivision is immune from liability in caring out its governmental functions. I would... View More
I am aware of a situation where the daughter of church pastors made allegations of sexual assault against her brother, and this has led to over 10 other women revealing similar under-aged sexual assault allegations. The cases are under investigation. Three whistleblowers went to social media to... View More

answered on Mar 4, 2025
Ohio recently passed an anti-SLAPP statute, R.C. 2747.01, et seq, which can provide protection and a counterclaim for allegations of slander or defamation when the speech was protected speech.
The statute, R.C. 2747.01, et seq., “applies to a cause of action asserted in a civil action... View More
In 2019, my ex-partner and I rented a townhouse apartment together, but only I signed the lease. She left after we broke up, and I was left to cover the bills. A roommate I found took the money meant for the last month's rent, leading to an eviction on the record. My ex is now demanding that I... View More

answered on Feb 28, 2025
If she had already vacated then there shouldn't have been an eviction against her. She could file a motion to overturn or seal it. It is unlikely that she would have a case against you.
If the landlord sought money damages against her, then she at least was on a month to month lease... View More
I purchased a home in Ohio in 2020, and no major disclosures were made at the time. After purchasing, I hired a roofer to replace shingles, who informed me that the roof is likely not up to code. Similarly, a plumber mentioned that the plumbing doesn't appear to be to code, although more... View More

answered on Feb 27, 2025
The seller is only required to disclose items that the seller is aware of. The seller may not have known about the code violations. You should read the contract for the home inspection. There are most likely limitations on the extent of the inspection. The contract for the home inspection will... View More
I live in a condo and share a wall with a neighbor who is harassing me with unpleasant odors and noise. The odors are foul smells, seemingly from his bathroom, that wake me up in the morning. The noise consists of a loud, intermittent boom occurring every morning until I can no longer sleep. This... View More

answered on Feb 27, 2025
To make certain that the Board does not get involved you should review the Condominium Owners Associations bylaws, rules and regulations, and the Declarations for the Planned united Development that established the condominium development. Once you have assured yourself that those do not apply you... View More
I am facing a situation involving potential death certificate fraud. After my husband passed away, I was not contacted by the hospital because his children informed them there was no living spouse. I suspect there may be two death certificates, as he was already at the funeral home before I was... View More

answered on Feb 18, 2025
The idea of two (2) death certificates should be resolved fairly easily by requesting a certified copy of his death certificate from Vital Statistics.
As the surviving spouse you have rights to receive certain assets from the Estate. Any claim the children have should be addressed through... View More
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