Welcome to the D&B Blog

Is Reaffirming a Debt in Bankruptcy Court Ever a Good Idea?

25 Jan 2020

As you navigate bankruptcy, you will learn that there are many ways to decide how to manage debt. If you have a secured debt, or a loan in which you have pledged some assets as collateral, you will be required...

Talking to Children About Estate Planning

25 Jan 2020

After creating an estate plan, parents may be filled with many concerns. While it is common to worry whether a child will make wise decisions when spending an inheritance, some parents also worry that children will be upset after learning...

Key Issues When Dealing With Ohio Workers’ Comp Doctors

20 Jan 2020

Many people in Ohio have seen the same general practitioner for most of their lives. You likely place a lot of trust in this physician and are hesitant to receive medical care from anyone else. If you have been injured...

Four Reasons Why Workers’ Compensation Claims are Denied

30 Dec 2019

There are many reasons why insurance companies deny a workers’ compensation claim. If your claim has been denied, it is critical that you retain the assistance of an experienced workers’ compensation attorney. Statistics suggest that there was an increase in...

Retirement Accounts and Bankruptcy

19 Dec 2019

If you are filing for bankruptcy, one of the many questions you likely have is what your future holds. If you contributed to a retirement account for years, it is common to be concerned about what exactly will happen to...

Last Will and Testament vs. Revocable Living Trust

19 Dec 2019

Many people believe the estate planning process simply involves having an attorney draft a last will and testament. The reality is estate planning can consist of a host of financial options that your estate planning attorney will review with you....

Workers’ Compensation in Ohio

31 Oct 2019

Ohio workers’ compensation laws are designed to help injured workers with medical expenses and lost wages when the injury occurred during the performance of the job. There are several benefits one may receive under workers’ compensation law, and Dworken &...

Your Life After Bankruptcy

31 Oct 2019

If you are considering filing for bankruptcy, you may be wondering what your life will look like after, and how you will be able to regain your financial health. Depending on the type of bankruptcy you file, you may have...

Ohio Living Trusts

23 Oct 2019

Will I Lose Control of My Property if I Create an Ohio Living Trust? A living trust offers many benefits for those seeking a more efficient and more private way to pass property upon death. However, many people who have...

5 Things You Should Know About Cars, Asset Protection and Bankruptcy

22 Oct 2019

Five Key Facts About Cars, Asset Protection and Bankruptcy We hear a lot of questions about cars, asset protection and bankruptcy, and that’s no surprise. A car can be a significant asset, which may or may not be exempt in...

Residential Landlord 101: Issues All Ohio Landlords Should Consider

26 Sep 2019

By Erik L Walter – Partner Ohio Residential Landlord Key Facts to Know When renting to a residential tenant, the property owner must know certain key facts. Accordingly, every residential landlord should have a written lease that contains all important...

Bankruptcy and Foreclosure in Ohio

26 Aug 2019

Understanding the Intersection of Bankruptcy and Foreclosure Understanding how bankruptcy and foreclosure intersect in the State of Ohio may be the key to saving your home. In this article, we explore more about when and how bankruptcy may stop a...

Reporting Work Injuries in Ohio

21 Aug 2019

Reporting work injuries is a critical first step on the path to receiving workers’ compensation benefits or pursuing third party liability for work-related injuries. Although Ohio doesn’t have a specific deadline for reporting work injuries to your employer, prompt reporting...

Appearing in Bankruptcy Court

19 Aug 2019

In most consumer bankruptcy cases, the petitioner never has to appear in bankruptcy court. For most, the closest thing to a court appearance in the bankruptcy process is the 341 hearing, also known as a meeting of creditors. That meeting...

Revoking a Will in Ohio

12 Aug 2019

Life circumstances change. That means the carefully-crafted terms of your will may become outdated, and you may want to make a change. The most common and effective way to revoke a will when circumstances change is to draft a new...

Immigrant Workers in Ohio & Workers’ Compensation

09 Aug 2019

New Ohio Workers’ Comp Bill Would Put Immigrant Workers on the Spot The two-year, $645 million workers’ compensation budget passed by the Ohio House of Representatives in early June included a last-minute amendment: a provision that would require applicants for...

Mental Health Workers’ Compensation Claims in Ohio

31 Jul 2019

The recent conflict in the Ohio legislature over workers’ compensation coverage for first responders suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) turns a spotlight on the larger issues of mental health workers’ compensation coverage. While some mental health services are covered...

Understanding Ohio Shoplifting Law

12 Jul 2019

Although the term “shoplifting” is widely used to describe the theft of goods from a retail store, Ohio doesn’t have a separate shoplifting law. Rather, retail theft falls under the state’s general theft statute. That’s important, as many people have...

USERRA -The Uniformed Services Employment and Re-Employment Rights Act of 1994

USERRA – Understanding Job Rights for Service Members

03 Jul 2019

By Kristen M Kraus – Partner As we prepare to celebrate our nation’s Independence Day, I thought it would be appropriate to discuss USERRA – the employment protections afforded to service members. An Overview of USERRA The Uniformed Services Employment...

Rule 37 Sanctions: Sufficient if Evidence is Concealed, but not Destroyed

01 Jul 2019

Rule 37 Sanctions is the Appropriate Remedy for Interference with or Concealment of Evidence, not Spoliation Claim By Jo A Tatarko The Ohio Supreme Court recently ruled that Civil Procedure Rule 37 provides the remedy against attorneys that interfere with...

Criminal History - Housing Discrimination

Using Criminal History to Screen Prospective Tenants

26 Jun 2019

By Grant Keating and Josh Strickland Originally Published in NOAA’s Suites Magazine June 2019 On April 4, 2016, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issued new guidelines on the use of criminal records in evaluating a prospective tenant...

Credit Report Monitoring after Bankruptcy

24 Jun 2019

There are very good reasons for credit report monitoring whether or not you have ever filed for bankruptcy protection. If you watch or read the news, you undoubtedly know that identity theft is on the rise, affecting about 16 million...

Understanding Ohio’s Line Fence Law

21 Jun 2019

Keeping Rural Neighbors and Animals Out By Erik L Walter – Partner On September 30, 2008, the Ohio legislature passed changes to the existing laws relating to line fences in unincorporated areas which created new rules for fences constructed on...

Why Choose Chapter 13 Bankruptcy?

19 Jun 2019

Many people considering filing for bankruptcy protection assume that Chapter 7 is the better option. In fact, many people question why anyone would choose Chapter 13 bankruptcy at all. After all, Chapter 7 bankruptcy wipes out a lot of unsecured...

Who is Eligible for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy?

17 Jun 2019

Chapter 7 bankruptcy can be a powerful tool for those who are overwhelmed by unsecured debt. But, not everyone seeking relief from debt is eligible for Chapter 7, and not everyone who meets Chapter 7 eligibility requirements will benefit from...

The Stepparent Adoption Process in Ohio

14 Jun 2019

Step-parent adoption can be a wonderful way of affirming a relationship, providing a child with a sense of security, and ensuring continuity of a relationship the child may have come to rely on. It is also a legal matter, involving...

4 Workers’ Compensation Mistakes That Can Destroy Your Claim

12 Jun 2019

The Ohio workers’ compensation system was designed to ensure that injured workers had access to necessities such as medical care associated with the injury and replacement income in the wake of an on the job injury or occupational illness. However,...

Ensuring Credit for Ohio Child Support Payments

10 Jun 2019

Most people realize that child support and other domestic support orders such as spouse maintenance awards are legal obligations. Failure to make court-ordered child support payments or maintenance payments can have significant consequences—even jail time. What some may not know...

Ohio’s New Self-Defense Law Explored

07 Jun 2019

In late May, a man approached police officers on the street in Cleveland and told them his passenger had been shot. Though police are still investigating, it appears that the driver—who sought out and self-reported to the police—shot the passenger...

Employment Law: Age Discrimination in Ohio

31 May 2019

Ohio employers and employees alike often struggle to understand the concept of “age discrimination.” They wonder whether it means an employer can never take someone’s age into account in making a hiring decision, or whether you can never consider a...

Visit Our Practice Areas