Downriver Lawyer is a full-service law firm located in Brownstown, Michigan where they believe the success they bring to their clients’ determines their own success.  Our attorneys handle each matter with the belief that they can bring a positive, good-faith result to their clients’ outcome.  The reputation of Downriver Lawyer as Brownstown Michigan’s #1 law firm continues year after year

Downriver Lawyer serves Brownstown as well as the neighboring Downriver, Michigan communities.  Our attorneys are all publicly listed and registered with the Michigan Bar Association http://www.michbar.org.  We are confident our team of attorneys can handle any and all of your legal matters.  At Downriver Lawyer, we believe that quality, comprehensive legal solutions should be affordable as well.  Some of the areas of law we provide are:

Contract Law

Contract law can be anything from buying or selling a house, car, a business to legal paperwork of a divorce settlement, child custody terms and provisions, estate and trust documents are also important areas of contract law.

Divorce

Some areas of law are of a very personal nature such as a divorce.  Our team of attorneys are experienced and knowledgeable of divorce law in the State of Michigan, and are sensitive to the issues that arise and need to be addressed during a divorce such as alimony, property distribution and child support.

Family and Elder Law

At Downriver Lawyer, we are ready to assist with legal issues that arise of a child custody nature, paternity, domestic violence as well as issues of law that affect maturing family members known as Elder Law.  Elder law includes matters of long-term care of an aging family member, nursing home care issues as well as trust and estate matters.

Criminal Law and Civil Litigation

Our attorneys are experienced and knowledgeable about drunk driving defense, traffic violations, fraud, retail theft and assault and battery type matters to name but a few of the legal areas of a criminal and civil nature.

These are but a few of the many areas of law attorneys at Downriver Lawyer consult in on a regular basis.  Our focus is on providing quality legal services to our clients in a wide range of practice areas.  Downriver Lawyer is Brownstown Michigan’s premier law firm for all legal matters.  Review our website for further detail and to locate the area of expertise you require at https://www.downriverlawyer.com.

A consultation with an expert at Downriver Lawyer is only a phone call away 734-619-1237.  We pride ourselves in having a successful, winning team of attorneys who react in a timely, efficient manner at an affordable price.   Let us put your mind at ease.  Contact our office in Brownstown, Michigan today!

DOWNRIVER, MICHIGAN

Downriver Lawyer is conveniently located in Taylor, Michigan where it can conveniently service the commercial and residential real estate contract law needs of Wayne and Monroe counties.  Our attorneys and staff are dedicated and experienced at providing clients with specialized and expert advice in a timely, efficient and professional manner all at an affordable price.  The success of our clients is a priority.  This is why Downriver Lawyer has come to be Downriver, Michigan’s premier law firm with an upstanding reputation.

Whether you are purchasing or selling commercial or residential real estate through an agent or on your own, Downriver Lawyer will enact proper safeguards to protect your investment.  From simple residential to complex commercial real estate transactions, our team of attorneys handle every aspect of the closing, including preparing and reviewing contracts, reviewing title searches and negotiating inspection obligations.  We also handle real estate contract law as it relates to the following:

–          Deeds

–          For-Sale-By-Owner Contract

–          Loan Modifications

–          Refinancing

–          Reverse Mortgages

–          Title Problems

–          Short Sales

–          Construction Draws

–          Foreclosures

This is only a few of the many real estate contract law matters we handle with our vast knowledge and experience at Downriver Lawyer.  In addition, we know that dealing with the government on the City, State and Federal level can be daunting when your property rights are in question.  At Downriver Lawyer, we relieve you of this burden.  Real estate contract law attorneys understand property owners’ rights.

At Downriver Lawyer, we receive frequent questions:

Why should I use an attorney?

.  Attorneys will protect your legal rights and are ready and able to deal with unexpected legal issues that

What could delay my closing?

.  Downriver Lawyer attorneys specializing in real estate contract law are familiar and simply experienced in

working with banks both locally and out of state.  As closing attorneys in your real estate transaction, we

facilitate and minimize delays in the closing process.

What are some real estate terms I may encounter?

.  Deed, Deed of Trust, Joint Tenancy, Tenants in Common, Title Search …. and the list goes on.  Our real

estate lawyers will make sure you understand and are knowledgeable about everything that affects your

Please contact Downriver Lawyer today at 734-619-1237 or contact us through our website at https://www.downriverlawyer.com when you need legal advice relative to your upcoming or current real estate contract or closing.  Our geographic reach in Downriver, Michigan is broad, covering all of Wayne and Monroe counties.  No real estate issue is too simple or complex.  Contact Downriver Lawyer today!!

Most of us worry about our current financial situations and paying off our debts. If we’re married, we also worry about the well being of our mate and with those with children, there is also concern about our children and the expenses related to their education and future. Also as part of our short-term outlook, some of us plan for our retirement to ensure that all of our hard work pays off when we are riding off in the sunset in our golden years.

But very few of us actually worry about what will become of our surviving spouse, children and other family members that we have spent so many years carrying for, once we die. For the few that think long-term and have had discussions about their family’s future upon their own passing, the thinking simply focuses on the creation of a Will to protect their loved ones’ future.

Very few people actually explore the option of the Living Trust, and specifically, the Revocable Living Trust. That is where our experienced Michigan attorneys at Downriver Lawyer come into play. Our team of attorneys provides information about the less common-thought-of option when it comes to discussions about distribution of your assets and protection of your family upon death.

So you are asking yourself, “What exactly is a Revocable Living Trust?” Well, a “trust” is an instrument that infers an equitable right or title in land or other property held for a beneficiary who will become its legal title-holder or owner. “Living” is just that. A trust that is created while the creator, or grantor, is still living. And finally, “revocable” means the ability to revoke or make changes. Putting it all together, a Revocable Living Trust becomes a legal instrument drawn up by a grantor, during his/her living years, that leaves title to land or property for a beneficiary which can be revoked or changed during the lifetime of the grantor. Easy enough, right?

Well, what happens, if the grantor is married? How does marital bliss come into play? Great question! If the grantor is married and opts to caveat his revocable living trust by choosing what is commonly known as a “Sweetheart Trust”, a Trust that allows the grantor’s surviving spouse/partner to retain the highest level of discretion and control over the trust so long as he/she lives. The Trust only then become final, once the surviving spouse has deceased.

So now you’re asking, what is the benefit of having a Revocable Trust? Why not just draft a Will. To the common eye, there is no difference. But sitting down with a knowledgeable lawyer, like our team of lawyers at Downriver Lawyer, we can point out the minor differences in your options that are not so minor after all, but rather quite major.

The biggest difference is that a Will becomes public record and requires probate proceedings, while a Living Trust is confidential and will not require probate proceedings for distribution of its property.

The importance? The public nature of a Will allows for your creditors to obtain information on the assets and inheritance you have bestowed on your surviving family members and this will easily allow them to request fulfillment of the debt that you have left behind through these such assets and inheritance. On the other hand, a Living Trust will become public only if a party, such as the trustee or the beneficiary, demands a court order of approval of the accounts or due to conflict. That is the only instance in which the contents of your Living Trust will undergo probate proceedings.

So what are the things you should be considering right now? The first thing you should be thinking, is talking with a lawyer about your options. We at Downriver Lawyer, have a few general suggestions for do’s and don’ts in thinking about your “Revocable Living Trust”. We have been serving the Downriver, Michigan area in advising and providing legal guidance on asset and inheritance protection and distribution. We know you spend a lifetime accruing your assets and want to ensure the protection of your family if and when you become unable to make such decisions on your own, or upon your passing.

Our knowledgeable attorneys at Downriver Lawyer have years of experience in probate law as well as estate planning and can determine what approach best suits the needs of each individual client. No two cases are similar. We understand each family dynamic is unique in its own, and each individual’s desires vary. While we all want to see our family well protected, we also want to ensure that the inheritance left to them will be distributed to our wishes and in such a way that the beneficiary’s future is solid.

While many individuals opt for the use of templates in the drafting of their Will or Living Trust, it is a mistake to make such decisions in a hasty manner and without complete comprehension of the consequences of your many options. For those individuals who wish to have the option to manage flexible control over their Living Trusts, let us sit down with you and provide you with insight on a Revocable Living Trust.

Together, we at Downriver Lawyer will help guide you and provide you with the tools you need in making this very important decision. To learn more about estate planning and other asset control options, visit our blog at: https://downriverlawyer.com/?s=trust . You can contact us directly at 734.619.1237 to set an appointment for a consultation, or you can email us at: info@downriverlawyer.com. We are here to help and to provide you with a peace of mind in setting your long-term goals.

The City and it Characteristics

The City of Gibraltar (hereinafter “Gibraltar”) has been called the “Venice of Michigan” with its many canals bisecting the city and its four islands, Hall, Edmund, Main and Horse, with residences.  The mainland portion of Gibraltar is a mix of commercial space and residential units, including senior housing and apartment complexes.

Gibraltar has a significant number of natural resources, including a network of more than 5 miles of canals, wetlands and streams.  The city itself sits between the Detroit River and Lake Erie. The most recent land use tabulation identifies approximately 33% of total land area as residential, 29% industrial, 15.5% parks, recreation and open space, 6% commercial, 11% transportation, communication and utility, 4% institutional and 1.5% water (such as rivers, lakes, drains and ponds).

Gibraltar is the smallest of the downriver communities in southeast Michigan, with a population of approximately 4656 from the latest census (2010).  Gibraltar is expected to grow to about 4840 by the year 2040, as estimated by the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG).  With its components of population change indicating there are fewer births, thus fewer children, since the 2000 census, the majority of the population in Gibraltar is between 0-24 and 44 on up with the median age being 41.4 years old.

With the population statistics being as they are and land use being as stated, Gibraltar could be considered a mature community, however, less than half of the land area of the city is built upon.

Gibraltar has a longstanding reputation and takes pride in the conservation of easements protecting certain vacant property, large tract ownership by single owners, and numerous limitations due to Gibraltar’s close proximity to the Detroit River and Lake Erie.

Real Estate Law

Gibraltar Michigan is a small city with the potential for unique legal issues.  With the city’s current land usage being mostly a combination of residential, commercial and industrial development in what is known as a downtown area, and the northeast and southeast sections of the city as mostly vacant, and protected by a series of conservation easements not controlled by Gibraltar itself, the city will have to maintain some type of involvement and participation in the future decision making and development of the city.  This may be for the benefit or to the detriment of the residential, commercial and/or industrial consumer.

Legal assistance may be necessary.  With Gibraltar, as a municipality, being involved with other government agencies at the State level in Michigan as well as perhaps the Federal level in the case of conservation and other natural resource matters, it should be comforting to know, legal experts are close by at Downriver Lawyer https://downriverlawyer.com. It may be necessary someday for you to protect your home, your property, your children, your business or your employees.  The list of possibilities is endless.

Downriver Lawyer is an established well experienced group of attorneys in many areas of law.  It may be necessary to seek the advice of a lawyer with expertise in very specific areas of real estate law which can include but not be limited to property and its effects and defects, environmental matters, land usage and zoning law matters.  These are but a few of the many issues that could come to affect homeowners as well as business owners in Gibraltar Michigan.  Lawyers with expertise in real estate matters are easily contacted at https://downriverlawyer.com/services/real-estate/ and ready to resolve any and all your legal needs.