Lawyers love disclaimers, but so does the U.S. Trademark office, but not for the reasons you'd think. This blog explains disclaimers in this narrow context and why these disclaimers give rights to the public, rather than taking them away.Disclaiming WordsA trademark...
Minnesota Legal Blog
Minnesota Legal Blog
Minnesota Evictions: Plain and Simple, Sort of . . .
Very few people are confused about what it means to be "evicted" from property. If you are like me, you envision an "eviction" involving an angry sheriff's deputy who presides over your physical extraction from the property, together with all of your belongings, which...
Wondering About Legal “Fireworks” in Minnesota? We Thought So.
Right around this time each year, Minnesotans head to temporary tent stores around the state (um, and some border states) to buy fireworks. Celebrating the Fourth of July without fireworks almost seems unpatriotic, or, at a minimum, un-fun. What could be more American...
Estate Planning: Do I Need to Update My Will?
A well drafted estate plan is intended to last many, many years. It is my hope that my clients ride off into the sunset with their estate plans and do not need any updates. However, life is anything but constant, so sometimes changes are necessary. It is important to...
Written Agreements 101: “Parol” Officer
An oral contract is, in most circumstances, just as enforceable as a written contract. Of course, the law always prefers written agreements because it is easier to define each party's rights and obligations by looking at a document. So if you have an oral...
Five Things You Need to Know about Conciliation or “Small Claims” Court
We all know that in our very human and imperfect world, things don't always turn out the way they should. Sometimes people don't keep their promises. Sometimes they fail to provide a product or service. Sometimes unscrupulous people just try to pull a fast...
While your college kids are home for the holidays…
While your college kids are home for the holidays it's a great time to encourage them to put some just-in-case legal documents in place. When children turn 18 and become adults, their parents are unable to legally act on their behalf without court intervention or the...
Minnesota Contracts: The Elements
On February 4, 2018, Minnesota will play host to the largest televised event of that year: Super Bowl LII. Minnesota and U.S. Bank Stadium will be on display. But behind the scenes, a complex framework of contracts for goods and services will allow millions of dollars...
Federal Judge Stays Overtime Rules
As you may know, the federal Department of Labor ("DOL"), adopted new regulations for overtime pay that were to be effective December 1, 2016. Those regulations included a significant increase in salary for any employees whose duties qualified them for an exemption...
Hiding Marital Property is More Common Than You Think
While wealthy people can be accused of hiding assets during a divorce, it is not uncommon among other couples as well. People in Apple Valley may not give much thought to the idea that their spouse could be hiding marital property, but they should. Despite how...