Women Run the Cities 5K
September 26, 2013 | Barna, Guzy & Steffen, Ltd.BGS Attorneys Joan Quade and Jennifer Moreau participated in the Women Run the Cities 5k event on September 21st. The event was sponsored by MNCREW and funds raised went to the Ann Bancroft Foundation.
Read MoreThe Disadvantages of DIY Estate Planning
September 23, 2013 | William F. HuefnerThese days it seems like there are thousands of DIY legal forms on the Internet. To believe some websites you don’t really need a law degree to practice law—you just need the right “template!” But attorneys need special training and licensing for a reason. The law can be a tricky thing, especially when it comes to estate planning. If you do something incorrectly while writing your will then you could end up costing your heirs a great deal of time and money trying to fix your mistakes. Legal language is written in a very precise way. It’s meant to eliminate ambiguity and to address specific issues that you might not think of. Something that seems very clear to you may not make any sense at all to your heirs or the court. Your DIY will could also leave your last wishes vulnerable to a challenge from your relatives. Ultimately, your will could be discounted as invalid, and it would be as if you’d never written one at all. Attorneys also know how to ask you the right questions. This ensures that you address everything that you need to address. It ensures that you don’t miss anything important. There are parts of your estate that you probably don’t think much about on a day…
Read MoreThe Septic System Quagmire: Septic System Regulation in Minnesota
September 16, 2013 | Joan M. QuadeThe rules regarding septic system regulation in Minnesota can be confusing and costly for those buying or selling property. Despite the amount of development and state and local governments’ best efforts to provide city sewer and water for most metropolitan areas, there remains mostly private septic systems in outstate and many areas of the metro. Septic systems are highly regulated by both state and local governments, as a faulty system poses both environmental and health concerns. Septic systems are essentially an on-site wastewater management system in areas with no public sewer system. Due to the widespread use of septic tanks in both residential and commercial areas, understanding the regulation of septic systems in Minnesota is crucial to ensure compliance with the law and to fully protect those who are buying and selling property or those using such a system. [maxbutton id=”1″ url=”https://bgs.com/contact-us/?july” text=”Get Help with Your Case” ] Septic tanks are regulated by Minnesota Rules 7080-7083 and Minnesota Statute § 115.55. However, since all counties in Minnesota are required to adopt and implement SSTS (subsurface sewage treatment system) ordinances, septic systems are largely regulated on a county by county basis in Minnesota. To make it even more confusing, cities also have ordinances related to septic systems. The inspection of a septic system is…
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