During my practice, a party may occasionally express a desire to cohabitate with a future partner rather than pursue marriage. Frequently, the justification focuses on the desire to keep finances separated should the relationship end. Yet, a recent decision from the...
When is an agreement to settle a binding settlement agreement?
Divorce is a volatile, difficult, and emotionally charged process. In some cases, a party’s desire to finalize their case can overcome their better judgment. This blog summarizes basic concepts in Minnesota when it comes to determining whether an agreement is final...
Get to Know Andrew Hunstad
At Lommen Abdo, we are committed to welcoming attorneys who bring unique perspectives and a dedication to serving their clients with integrity. We are thrilled to introduce Andrew Hunstad, whose compassionate approach and practical advice make him an invaluable...
Special Considerations in Family Law Appeals
Family law appeals have several unique characteristics that are important for parties to understand before pursuing an appeal. This blog summarizes some of the most noteworthy features of family law appeals. Appellate Mediation Program Most family law cases in...
Minnesota Supreme Court – in Conflicting Opinions – Issues Further Guidance to Practitioners on the Filing Requirements of Rule 5.04(a)
The 2013 amendments to the Minnesota Rules of Civil Procedure enacted substantial changes to Rule 5.04(a), which now plays a crucial role in determining the timeliness of filing a case. It brought about significant change to the long-standing practice of so-called...
Mastering Summary Judgment: Strategies to Seal Your Case With Precision
In the legal realm, summary judgment is a crucial procedural tool that allows parties to seek a prompt resolution of a case without going through a full trial. Prevailing on summary judgment is much less costly than proceeding through trial. To succeed in obtaining a...
Minnesota Supreme Court Adopts the Common Interest Doctrine
Attorney-client privilege is the bedrock of the American legal system. It allows clients to speak openly and honestly with their counselors in a way that guarantees the free flow of information and ideas necessary for effective representation. But when numerous...
Minnesota’s Rule on Corporate Designee Depositions Now Requires the Noticing Party to “Confer” With the Entity to Be Deposed
Rule 30.02(f) of the Minnesota Rules of Civil Procedure governs depositions of corporations or organizations. It provides for a notice of deposition to an “entity” rather than an individual. An entity can include a corporation, partnership, association or...
The Rare Remedy of Writs
The appellate rules specifically list the types of trial court decisions that can be appealed. Usually this requires a final judgment, which occurs at the very end of the litigation in the trial court. But on rare occasions, a trial court may make a decision that is...
How to Proceed When Dying Doesn’t Kill Your Case
One of the important but often overlooked Federal Rules of Civil Procedure is Rule 25, which allows for substitution when a party has died. This Rule was recently addressed by the Eighth Circuit in Benacquisto v. Am. Express Fin. Corp., 2022 WL 3133437 (8th Cir. Aug....
Family Law is Complicated, But Also Beautiful
Make sure to read part one of my blog series to catch up on this complicated family law case from Minnesota. My client showed up for every supervised visit, getting to know his now three-year-old daughter and becoming a familiar adult in her life. At this point, he...
Standing Up for a Father and His Daughter
For the past year and a half, I have spent hundreds of hours working with a refugee father on a complicated child custody and family law case in Minnesota. I agreed to work on the case on a pro bono basis, meaning my client did not have to pay for my hourly legal...
Is a Prenuptial Agreement Right for You?
Prenuptial agreements (antenuptial contracts in Minnesota) are an extremely useful tool when planning for your future as a couple. They might get a bad reputation, making it more difficult to broach the subject with your significant other, but in my experience there...
Josh Feneis Named Shareholder at Lommen Abdo
"We are proud to welcome Josh as a shareholder at Lommen Abdo. He has proven his dedication and legal acumen as part of the family law and business law teams, bringing both experience and empathy to his clients." – Marc Johannsen, President, Lommen Abdo. Abraham...
A Closer Look at Our New Website!
Lommen Abdo recently launched a new website, www.lommen.com, complete with easier to access practice area pages, updated attorney biographies and a fresh new look. We sat down with Lommen Abdo President, Marc Johannsen, to ask him a few questions about the new site....
Recognizing Our 2021 Minnesota Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
Lommen Abdo attorneys are recognized by their peers in the 2021 Minnesota Super Lawyer lists. Congratulations to Bob Abdo, Creig Andreasen, Keith Broady, John Crawford, Kay Nord Hunt, Marc Johannsen, Cameron Kelly, Reid Lindquist, Kathleen Loucks, Mike Moline, and...
Appellate Arguments by Zoom
Nearly every attorney has now been affected in some way by the challenges brought on by COVID-19. Appellate attorneys have largely been lucky compared to their trial-level colleagues because most appellate work is uniquely well-suited for a remote environment. After...
Beware the Unintended Consequences of COVID-19 Legislation
Recently I represented a client seeking to uphold a default divorce judgment she obtained after her ex-husband failed to respond to the summons and petition in Minnesota. Both parties completed extensive briefing on the ex-husband’s motion to vacate the judgment, but...
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