Earl has practiced law in Fort Wayne since 1976, and he has been located in the Stoney Creek Office Park since 1980.    Earl’s principal areas of practice are:

• Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcies from initial advice and information on the benefits and consequences of bankruptcy, through the preparation and the filing of the petition, statements and schedules, and representation at the various meetings and hearings.      If you elect to take advantage of bankruptcy, he has experience with all of the aspects of bankruptcy exemptions, reaffirmation, and avoidance of liens, automatic stay issues and issues of discharge.

• Real estate transactions, including the preparation of disclosures and offers to purchase real estate, with advice and negotiation on the matters leading to closing and representation at closings of the transactions.

• Drafting wills, trusts, living wills and powers of attorney

• Probates of  wills and transfers of property outside of probate when the property can be transferred without probate through trusts or other means.

• Prepare the articles for creation of a corporation or LLC, the minutes, bylaws and contracts of organization, and filing of the registrations and elections required by taxing authorities and other government agencies.  

• Preparation and the filing of petitions for adoptions or guardianships, with advice and guidance of each stage of the process through hearing

Regardless of your needs, you can receive a one-on-one conference to evaluate your situation and the benefits and negatives of your particular situation.   For example,

Chapter 13 might be an option if you need to stop a foreclosure on your real estate or to prevent repossession of a vehicle.    It may be helpful if you have problems with taxing authorities, or if you have filed bankruptcy recently.   There may also be issues with certain kinds of debts that cannot be discharged in a bankruptcy.    Earl has   written hundreds of plans dealing with these issues.

Preparing wills or trusts, considering the aspects of living wills, determining whether   powers of attorney may help to facilitate transactions for the sick or elderly and avoid the expense of a guardianship and improve property management   for elderly clients.  

If you are looking at buying or selling real estate, services starts with the need and value of disclosure, the contract for the purchase and sale of property, and proceeds with taking the steps for the safe and assured   transfer of the title, with the goal of smooth problem free transfer.   However, transactions do not always proceed smoothly, so you can have an experienced lawyer in your court for the issues that arise from offer to purchase through closing.

When you establish or expand a business, you need to understand the benefits and limitations of corporations, limited liability companies and partnerships.    This includes how the business will be taxed and whether personal assets will be protected from creditors of the business entity.    You can get personalized documents for creating and managing the business and contracts managing the relationships between owners and managers of the company and their heirs and creditors.  

Earl prides himself in offering common sense and understandable advice on debt management, transfers of property, risk control and personal and business planning.   His clients appreciate the personal attention they receive from Earl and his staff, and the consistency and economies that come with dealing with one lawyer while their legal needs are being satisfied.   His clients get the knowledge that goes with over twenty-five years of experience, the assurance that goes with being able to meet face to face with their lawyer whenever the need arises, and the proper blend of judgment and aggressiveness to further their needs, without breaking their budget.

Earl is a member of the Bankruptcy, Probate and Family Law sections of the Allen County Bar association and the Bankruptcy and Family Law Section of the Indiana State Bar Association.    Earl is admitted to practice before the courts of Indiana, Federal Courts in the Northern District of Indiana and the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals.

Born in East Chicago, Indiana, Earl received a B.S. in Economics from Ball State University and he graduate cum laude from Indiana University Law School in 1976.

Indiana ’s rules of professional responsibility require the following statements:

“THIS IS AN ADVERTISEMENT”

Also, this web site is designed for general information.    It should not be considered legal advice, nor does it constitute the formation of a lawyer/client relationship.