Wills, Trusts and Elder Law
Specialist in Estate Planning,
Trust and Probate Law by the
Ohio State Bar Association.
Full estate planning services
including preparation of Revocable and Irrevocable Trusts, Family Limited
Partnership Agreements, Wills, Powers of Attorney, Living Wills and Durable
Health Care Powers of Attorney are available. Attorney
Joseph Balmer has been certified as a Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law by the Ohio State Bar Association. (See
article for more information).
Advice is also provided on Medicaid eligibility, long-term care insurance and other elder law topics. We have a licensed social worker available to make visits to our clients living in retirement communities, nursing homes, and hospitals.
Power of Attorney and Guardianship
We serve as financial Power of Attorney or Guardian for many of our clients in the area. We provide all necessary service including bill paying, emotional support, counseling and patient advocacy.
Example of multi-disciplinary approach:
Mary is 88 years old and lives in Best Nursing Home, Inc. Mary knows that her memory is slipping a bit and has only one daughter in New Jersey. Mary and her daughter hire Holzfaster, Cecil, McKnight & Mues to handle Mary's financial affairs and pay her bills. Mary has become friends with Terry, a social worker/counselor affiliated with our law firm, who visits at least twice a month to be sure all her needs are being met.
Probate and Estate Administration
A staff of three probate paralegals work in conjunction with our attorneys to efficiently probate estates throughout all of Ohio. Attorney
Joseph Balmer has been certified as a Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law by the Ohio State Bar Association. (See
article for more information). Our firm also has developed contacts with various attorneys in other states to assist when ancillary administrations are required.
For more information about Probate and Estate Administration issues,
click here to see our responses to
frequently asked questions (FAQ's) on the subject.
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Family Law
Complete family law services are
provided in the areas of divorce, dissolution, custody, visitation, support, shared parenting, domestic violence, adoption proceedings, interstate custody and interstate divorce matters. Services are also available in juvenile court matters including paternity, dependency and delinquency matters.
For the client who is experiencing a divorce, we offer the option of bringing in accountants, mental health professionals, financial planners, or other professionals to take a team approach to make sure the client's overall objectives are being met.
Example of multi-disciplinary approach:
Sally and Jim have been married for 12 years. Sally has just learned that Jim wants a divorce. The firm represents Sally who is very distraught at this news. She has not worked during the marriage and has never managed the finances. With our affiliated professionals, Sally can be connected with a therapist to help her work through any divorce transition issues. An accountant can help work with Sally in setting up a budget and help her devise a short and long-term financial plan, taking into consideration a three-year spousal support term. A vocational counselor can also assist in evaluating Sally's job aptitudes. All professionals, if requested, can work together to help Sally through this very difficult divorce.
Personal Injury, Wrongful Death, Auto Accidents
We assist individuals and families who have suffered personal injuries or death due to the negligence or fault of others. These matters are often handled on a contingent fee basis with attorney fees dependent upon successful recovery of damages for our client(s).
For more information about wrongful death, auto accidents and personal injury issues,
click here to see our responses to
frequently asked questions (FAQ's) on the subject.
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Corporations, Business Law, Contracts
We assist in business formation, incorporations, dissolutions, sales of businesses and contract preparation and review, also individualized legal services for small and large companies.
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Real Estate
At Holzfaster, Cecil, McKnight & Mues we offer the services of drafting real estate contracts, conducting real estate closings, preparing deeds and leases, handling landlord/tenant and other real estate matters including litigation.
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Traffic and OVI Cases
Aggressive representation is available for all types of traffic, alcohol and drug-related violations and license suspension cases through the local courts in the Miami Valley area.
Example of multi-disciplinary approach:
Steve has lost his job and has been depressed lately. He was arrested last night and charged with OVI. At Holzfaster, Cecil, McKnight & Mues, we can arrange for Steve's bond and release from jail. Counseling is available for him by an affiliate to deal with his job loss and depression issues. An affiliate can also administer appropriate chemical dependency tests to determine if Steve has a dependency problem. Depending upon the results of the evaluation, Steve can follow up voluntarily with any recommendations. We also would have a copy of the evaluation results to show the prosecutor our efforts to seek a dismissal or reduction of the OVI charge in court.
Appellate Matters
We offer experienced representation in handling criminal and civil appeals in both the State and Federal Court systems, including all State of Ohio Appellate Courts through the Ohio Supreme Court, as well as the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
For more information about Appellate issues,
click here to see our responses to
frequently asked questions (FAQ's) on the subject.
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General Practice
We offer solutions for miscellaneous legal problems such as debt and collection issues, contract preparation and review, and other sundry civil litigation and appeal matters.
For more information about general practice issues,
click here to see our responses to
frequently asked questions (FAQ's) on the subject.
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Medical and Psychological Malpractice
We offer representation of individuals and families who have suffered injuries or death due to the negligence of doctors, hospitals, therapists, and psychologists. We will handle your case as a team. Attorney Anne Shale was a practicing nurse before entering law school. Anne's understanding of health, medical and psychological issues can be invaluable in processing your malpractice case.
For more information about Medical and Psychological Malpractice issues,
click here to see our responses to
frequently asked questions (FAQ's) on the subject.
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