Author Archives: Christopher P. Finney

Tonight, the Centers for Disease Control issued this proposed Order  that will prohibit most residential evictions nationwide. The Order is scheduled to take effect on September 4, 2020, this Friday, and last through the end of the year. 

Previous rulings by the federal government limiting evictions were limited to projects financed with special HUD loans, which were few and very large projects. In contrast, this ruling applies to almost all residential tenants in all States and US Territories (except American Samoa) with the following exceptions:

The Order also will not apply to residents who earn more than $99,000 individually or $198,000 if filing jointly.

In order to qualify for the protection, the resident must sign a CDC-prescribed form that says:

• The individual has used best efforts to obtain government assistance for the payment of rent.
• The individual falls below the above-income thresholds.
• The individual can’t pay rent due to loss of income or medical expenses.
• The individual is using best efforts to pay the rent or as much of it as he can.
• Eviction would render the individual homeless.

The Finney Law Firm sees this as a significant shift in the balance between landlords and tenants in fulfilling leasehold obligations through year’s end. It will cause economic hardship for many landlords, and could force many projects into default.

Contact Chris Finney (513-943-6655) for more details and to learn how we can help.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stephen E. Imm – recognized since 2010 in Commercial Litigation, since 2011 in Litigation and 2012 for Employment Law

Kevin J. Hopper – recognized since 2009 in Environmental Law and Water Law

About The Best Lawyers in America©

Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.

Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.

ABOUT FINNEY LAW FIRM

In 2014, led by Christopher P. Finney, seven bright, hard-working attorneys and a dedicated and talented staff, came together to form Finney Law Firm. Our team is committed to a unique practice of law that makes a positive difference for our clients by focusing on defining and then arriving at the best outcome for them. Finney Law Firm’s practice has extensive experience in the broad range of legal services that individuals and businesses may need:

• Business formation and development
• Residential and Commercial Real estate
• Estate planning and administration
• Commercial dispute resolution
• Public interest law
• Labor and employment law
• Small Business Solutions Group
• Bankruptcy
• Personal Injury and Wrongful Death
• Water Law
• Affiliated Title Company – Ivy Pointe Title, LLC

We work relentlessly to add value for our clients by applying cutting edge legal strategies and utilizing highly productive technology. This approach allows us to keep pace with the changing demands of our clients’ own challenging personal and business environments. ~ Christopher P. Finney

Visit us at finneylawfirm.com

It’s really incredible, but today interest rates on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage fell below 3.0% and 15-year amortization mortgages fell to 2.75% or less.

Read more here and here.

Back in February, I wrote on the Ohio Dog Bite Statute (R.C. 955.28) and debunked many of the myths surrounding liability for such claims. You can read that entry here.  Recently, our litigation team was able to achieve a settlement for our client, through a dog owner’s/homeowners’ insurance policy, of more than 12 times our client’s economic damages.*

Under Ohio law, dog owners/keepers/harborers are strictly liable when their dog injures another person (with very few, limited exceptions), even if it is the dog’s first incident – i.e., there is no “one free bite.” However, in instances where the dog has demonstrated aggressive tendencies previously, a victim may also be entitled to additional, punitive damages under common law. As responsible pet owners (and as the owner/lover of two extremely sweet, but large German Shepherds myself), it is our obligation to make sure that we understand and acknowledge our dogs’ temperaments and propensities, both for the safety of others and for our own economic interests.

The consequences of a dog attack can be severe and long-lasting for the victim, both from a physical and financial perspective, as well as mentally, and even for those victims who love dogs or may even have a dog of their own.

If you have been injured by a dog and would like to discuss your options, please feel free to contact me at (513) 943-5673 or [email protected], and I would be happy to discuss the matter with you at no charge. I am also offering remote consultations to during this time to honor COVID-19 health concerns.

 

*Case values are dependent upon the unique circumstances surrounding each case and do not necessarily predict the value of any other case.

Last night, Finney Law Firm amended their Complaint against Dr. Amy Acton and Lance Himes to add the Bucyrus Bratwurst Festival as an additional Plaintiff in the action.

The Amended Complaint is here and below.

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I am especially proud of the drafting, mostly by Curt Hartman, in today’s Reply Brief on the Motion for Preliminary Injunction in our case to open Ohio Music Festivals: Bellwether Music Festival, LLC, et al, v. Dr. Amy Acton, et al. Even for non-attorneys, it is a great explanation of our constitutional rights to Free Speech and Equal Protection under the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution.

Read the brief here and below.

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