Dismissal of Des Moines Waterworks Lawsuit

On March 28, 2017   /   Business Law West Des Moines, Contract Law West Des Moines, Corporate Law West Des Moines, Legal Resources West Des Moines, Real Estate Law West Des Moines  
des moines water works ruling

The lawsuit filed by the Des Moines Waterworks against the drainage districts in three Northwest Iowa Counties has been followed extensively in the press.  The case which deals with the issue of how to deal with the levels of nitrates in the State’s drinking water was filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa.  The Federal District Court Judge certified four questions to the Iowa Supreme Court in order to clarify issues of Iowa law raised in the lawsuit.  The Iowa Supreme Court issued a ruling finding that Iowa law has immunized drainage districts from

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Facts About Organ Donation

On December 22, 2016   /   Estate & Trust Administration, Estate Planning West Des Moines, Will & Trusts West Des Moines  
organ donation, register as organ donor, iowa donor network, beatty & Miller pc

My blog articles for the past two months have dealt with Power of Attorneys for Health Care Decisions and Living Wills.  Both documents contain a paragraph dealing with organ donation.  If you check yes, you are indicating that in the event medical professionals determine that you are an organ donor, you agree to the use of life-sustaining procedures, including a ventilator for the sole purpose and time period required to complete the organ donation.   It is my experience that many clients who come to my office to discuss estate planning have not considered the option of becoming an organ

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Ned P. Miller “Of Counsel” October 1, 2016

On September 26, 2016   /   Business Law West Des Moines, Elder Law West Des Moines, Estate & Trust Administration, Legal Resources West Des Moines, Will & Trusts West Des Moines  
ned miller iowa attorney, of counsel west des moines

On October 1, 2016, Ned P. Miller will change his status from a Shareholder to “Of Counsel”. The “Of Counsel” designation indicates that Ned is on a semi-retirement basis and will continue his practice in fewer or more select areas of the practice of law. He will also be available to the firm for consultation and advice as needed. Our firm will remain in the same location and we will continue to practice in the same areas of the practice of law. James D. Beatty will continue as a Shareholder and will continue to practice full time. In the future,

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More About Mediation

On July 28, 2016   /   Business Law West Des Moines, Contract Law West Des Moines, Legal Resources West Des Moines, Probate Law West Des Moines  
mediation, probate court mediation, mediation services

In last month’s blog, Jim Beatty discussed the mediation program for probate matters in Polk County. This blog will piggyback on that blog. Recently, I have had my first experience facilitating a mediation involving a probate matter. In anticipation of the mediation event, I did some research regarding styles of facilitating a mediation event and the styles of the positions of the disputing parties. Not only is it important to clearly identify a mutual understanding of the disputed issues, but equally important to identify the emotional impact which both have related to the dispute. The fact issue will most often be an economic (business matter)

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Skepticism as a Useful Tool

On May 27, 2016   /   Business Law West Des Moines, Contract Law West Des Moines, Corporate Law West Des Moines, Elder Law West Des Moines, Estate & Trust Administration, Estate Planning West Des Moines, Legal Resources West Des Moines, Non-Probate Administration, Probate Law West Des Moines, Real Estate Law West Des Moines, Taxation Law West Des Moines, Will & Trusts West Des Moines  
legal sceptic evaluation

I am not suggesting that one must be a skeptic but rather that constructive doubt is useful in my profession.  I need to have an understanding of the differences among (1) what I think, (2) what I believe, and (3) what I know. With regard to thinking, it involves the development of a process by which I gather information.  It is being open-minded, being non-judgmental and does not evaluate the information or documentation assembled. With regard to what I believe, it involves looking at the information and the documentation assembled and sorting through the information and documentation to analyze which

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Attention To Detail Is Everything In Estate Planning

On December 22, 2014   /   Elder Law West Des Moines, Estate & Trust Administration, Estate Planning West Des Moines, Will & Trusts West Des Moines  
living will west des moines

By James D. Beatty Many clients we meet with within Des Moines, West Des Moines, Urbandale, Johnston, Ankeny, Altoona, Carlisle and Norwalk, have an incorrect belief that their Will determines who will inherit all of their assets. Many assets do not pass under a person’s Will. For example, life insurance policies and retirement accounts are typically paid on death to the persons named on the various beneficiary designations on file with the companies. Also, accounts titled as “transfer on death” or “payable on death” will also pass on death to the beneficiaries named on the accounts. Finally, assets which are

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