Blog

October 6, 2018

Contract Tips for Avoiding Litigation

Generally, it is in everyone’s best interest to avoid litigation.  Litigation is expensive and time consuming for all parties.  One way to avoid litigation is to draft a contract with the possibility of future litigation in mind.  Even if you think your contract will never be the basis of a […]
September 27, 2018

When is a Warrant Required to Search Your Home?

“When it comes to the Fourth Amendment, the home is first among equals.”  Your right to privacy without unreasonable government intrusion is at its strongest in your home.  Police officers almost always need a warrant to search a home.  There are few exceptions to this requirement, like consent or emergency, […]
September 25, 2018

What You Should Know About Judgments from Litigation Settlements

What is a settlement? A litigation settlement is a decision between the parties to end a dispute before trial.  A settlement may be reached after only a few conversations between attorneys, or it may happen a few hours before trial ends.  Oftentimes, a settlement is a preferable outcome to litigation […]
September 19, 2018

Choosing a Business Name in North Dakota

Selecting a name for your business is an important part of business formation.  There are some rules about naming your business in North Dakota, depending on the type of business structure you are planning.  Generally, a business name cannot include any words that indicate it is involved in anything other […]
September 13, 2018

Mediation and Arbitration – What’s the Difference?

There are several different ways to resolve a case before proceeding with extended litigation.  In general, this is referred to as alternative dispute resolution. Both mediation and arbitration may be used to resolve a dispute without going through extensive litigation or trial.  Arbitration tends to refer to a legally-binding process, […]
September 5, 2018

What is a Disclosure Statement?

A disclosure statement in a real estate sale is a document completed prior the closing which requires the seller to disclose known material defects of the home.  The disclosure statement is an opportunity for the buyer to learn about all potential defects of a home.  The disclosure statement is also […]
September 3, 2018

Drug Possession Versus Intent to Distribute

If you are found with drugs, there are several crimes with which you may be charged.  The crimes of drug possession and intent to distribute are two different crimes with different levels of punishment.  Depending on the drug, the level of offense and punishment can vary significantly.  Generally, the crime […]
August 13, 2018

All About Buy-Sell Agreements for Businesses

When the ownership of a business changes hands, it can be a dream come true for both the buyer and the seller. Founding and cultivating a business to the point where someone wants to buy it is a mark of successful entrepreneurship. After the sale, the sellers can establish a […]
August 9, 2018

The Importance of Writing Corporate Minutes

Operating a business successfully always requires a certain amount of record keeping, even if it is a small business run by someone with a very good memory. At the very least, you need to keep accounting records to show to your tax accountant. If your business is large enough to […]
August 7, 2018

Contract Tips to Avoid Litigation

Contracts protect you in the event of a lawsuit, since they are the best evidence of the terms to which two parties agreed before getting into a dispute. A lesser-known but equally important advantage of contracts is that they can stop lawsuits from happening in the first place. It is […]
August 2, 2018

North Dakota “At Will” Employment and Wrongful Termination

The phrase “gig economy” sounds thrilling, unless you have actual financial responsibilities.  What is not to love about turning your talents and determination into financial gain and not having to answer to a boss?  Of course, making your living through freelance gigs means no job stability and no employer-sponsored retirement […]
July 27, 2018

How to Handle Probation Violations

When a court finds you guilty of criminal charges, it is often a relief to hear that your sentence includes only probation instead of jail time. People who have been sentenced to probation are often unpleasantly surprised, however, when they realize how many restrictions they must actually endure. Of course, […]
July 25, 2018

Drunk Driving and Personal Injury Cases

Many clients who visit a personal injury attorney do so after being injured in a car crash, and drunk driving is a major cause of car crashes. From the perspective of personal injury law, plaintiffs injured by drunk drivers have a strong case because drunk driving is an obvious instance […]
July 5, 2018

When to Call a Lawyer to Protect Your Rights as a Creditor or Debtor

Consumer debt is so prevalent in American society that most people just accept it as a fact of life. You make monthly payments on home mortgages, student loans, car loans, and credit card debt and look forward to the day when you can finally pay off one of the debts. […]
June 28, 2018

Evidence for Personal Injury Cases

If you are old enough to have watched the O.J. Simpson trial on television in 1995, you probably remember the discussion about several pieces of evidence that influenced the jury’s decision, such as a glove found at the crime scene and DNA obtained from blood stains. While physical evidence is […]
June 26, 2018

Duty of Care and Negligence in Personal Injury Cases

One factor that determines whether an accident was simply the result of bad luck or whether it is grounds for a personal injury lawsuit is if there is evidence of negligence on the part of someone other than the injured party that caused the accident. Duty of care means that […]
June 22, 2018

Have a Personal Injury? You Don’t Have to Suffer Alone.

Unfortunately, many individuals experience personal injuries that require a lot of time to heal and require multiple doctor visits, surgeries, and – our least favorite part – a lot of money to pay for. Read on and consider the following scenario regarding someone whose quality of life was dwindling because […]
June 20, 2018

Compensation for Pain and Suffering in Personal Injury Cases

The worst thing about serious injuries is not what happens in the first days and weeks after they happen. It is the way the injury changes your life after you have finished treatment for the acute injury. It may be the frequent headaches or unpredictable anxiety attacks. It is no […]
June 13, 2018

Protect Your Business with Sound Contracts

People have always told you that you have a great mind for business, but what do they mean by that? Do they mean that you carefully weigh risks and opportunity costs before you decide to commit money for a project? Do they mean that you are unusually observant about people’s […]
June 5, 2018

Using Standard Form Contracts May Hurt Your Business

As a small business owner, you have probably developed a number of time-saving strategies.  Using standard forms of documents, such as invoice templates and form letters, has probably allowed your business to accomplish a lot in a limited amount of time. Contracts, however, are too important to assign to a […]