In September 2016, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder signed three Medical Marijuana laws (Acts 281, 282, and 283), providing for lawful operation and licensing of medical marijuana facilities in Michigan. The permitted facilities will be licensed and highly regulated by the State (governed by Acts 281 and 283) under the purview of the State’s Licensing and…
Author: George E. Powell Michigan, on the heels of economic hardship, recently amended the 2008 Medical Marihuana Act. The legislature sought to establish a framework for a responsible medical marihuana marketplace—as well as to expand tax revenue opportunity and promote job growth. Estimates have shown that that the state could generate between $44.3 million to…
What Are Dower Rights? Dating back centuries, dower rights existed to give women (who couldn’t own property when the rights were first employed) the right to one-third of their deceased husband’s real estate. The original intent behind dower rights was to ensure married women had the means to support themselves and any children after the…
Effective January 1, 2017, the Michigan minimum wage increased from $8.50 to $8.90 per hour. This change is the third of four scheduled increases that are part of the 2014 legislation to raise the state’s wage floor for most adults working in hourly positions (excluding tipped positions) in places with two or more employees age…
Michigan has just taken a big step toward modernizing its trust laws. With the recent passage of the Qualified Dispositions in Trusts Act, Michigan is now one of a small group of states that allows individuals to create what is known as a “domestic asset protection trust” (DAPT), which is a flexible tool for transferring and…
Buyers and sellers of real estate have the option of using a unique financing mechanism that can, in certain situations, provide a superior means of structuring a property sale. This mechanism, known as a land contract, is a popular form of seller financing used in real estate transactions (often residential) that serves an alternative to…
Author: George E. Powell Election season is upon us, and consequently, the heavily debated Proposal 3 will finally be up for vote. Unless you have missed the litany of yard-signage and continuous local media coverage, you would surely know that there is a contentious battle being waged over an amendment to Traverse City’s Charter. The amendment…
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Many people have or will lend money to other people in their lifetimes. Parents and grandparents frequently make loans to family members to enable them to buy a home, start a business, or enjoy some of the comforts of life. Sometimes friends lend money to friends. There are many contexts in which one person loans…
Continuing the upward trend, charitable giving in the United States increased to $373.25 billion in 2015 (2.1% of GDP). Over the past two years alone, total giving to charitable organizations has increased over 10%. This increase and the overall size of charitable contributions is a testament to the integral role charities play in our society, a role which…