Family Law

• Divorce
  When dissolution is unable to be resolved due to disagreements, the divorce becomes a contested divorce. This is the point where the process does become more complicated and you will need the help of your attorney.
• Child Support
  By law, both parents are obligated to make a financial contribution to the care of their child(ren). The parent with physical custody of the child is going to financially provide, so the non-custodial parent will contribute through child support payments to the custodial parent.
• Child Custody and Visitation
  Sadly, domestic violence and abuse remains prevalent in today’s society. However, there are legal solutions to the issue, but the issue is a very serious one that affects family matters. It can affect child custody, visitation with children, and a person’s overall relationship with their family.
• Paternity
  Interestingly, parties to a paternity suit or trial have the right to have the matter resolved by a jury.  However, most parties agree to have a trial only with the judge because most paternity matters are resolved through the collection of DNA samples.
• Premarital Agreement
  When you get married, the intention is for it to last for the rest of your life. It is an event that dramatically changes your legal status and it is one that will affect the money that you earn and your assets. That is why it is good to have a prenuptial agreement in place before the wedding. It is not a sign that you don’t think the marriage will last, but it is one that will safeguard your interests just in case something does happen.
• Guardianship
  One of the biggest benefits to a power of attorney is that it helps a principal to avoid guardianship and conservator ship proceedings because the principal has already selected a trusted confidant person to manage his or her affairs in the event of incapacity. Guardianship and conservator ships can become extremely expensive and quickly diminish the principals assets.
• Spousal Support
  When a marriage comes to an end, one of the parties may need to receive continued financial support in order to live. This is frequently referred to as spousal maintenance, spousal support, or alimony.
• Legal Separation
  If you wish to become legally separated, a Northern Minnesota and Wisconsin divorce attorney at our office can help you. The legal separation process can mimic a divorce in a number of ways and it does come with a cost, but it has its benefits as well. We will evaluate your unique situation and present you with the advice that you need to make decisions that are right for you.
• Annulment
  When a couple gets an annulment, they end their marriage. However, there is something quite different in an annulment when compared to other types of dissolution’s and that is the fact that an annulment makes it seem as if the marriage never existed. This also means that the rights of each party are limited.
• Child Abuse
  Deciding to divorce may be one of the most complex decisions you’ll ever make, but also the most beneficial. While most marriages have peaks and valleys, specific issues are insurmountable. The following are situations where divorce may be the best—or only—option.   Spousal and child abuse This includes emotional, physical, and verbal attacks and sabotage. Deciding…

Criminal Law

• Criminal Defense
• Restraining Order
  When someone is constantly interfering with your life and affairs you need to have that person shut out.  A harassment or restraining order may be the best way to stop a person from contacting you. However, a court will only grant a harassment restraining order where it can be shown that the actions of the actor are intended to have an adverse effect on the victim’s safety or privacy.  Without an order controlling the actor’s behavior the conduct may continue negatively impacting the victim’s life.

Business and Corporate Law

• Mergers and Acquisitions
  A popular term in the media for buy sell agreements is mergers and acquisitions. We aren’t in a position to help with national franchises or business but we can help with the small local businesses that are the fabric of our states and country.  We can help you transfer your business or assets from one person to another.
• Business Formation
  Minnesota and Wisconsin each have various options for starting a business, running a business and winding it up once the business has concluded its necessary legal purposes and goals.  The business formation that is chosen by the organizers will also have a direct impact on how and how much taxes will be paid.  Once the business is up and running it will then require a solid grasp of all laws concerning the survival of the business and how it governs its affairs. A business that is not maintaining the appropriate meetings and records will find itself in a courtroom eventually with unhappy business owners, investors or employees.
• Business Disputes

Property Law

• Real Estate Litigation
• Real Estate Transactions
  Real estate transactions are an important part of life.  More often than not real estate defines what is home to a person, family or business.  Real estate transactions can include residential, commercial or recreational property. Real estate transactions are also an important part of death; how a parcel of land is titled at the death of its owner can have significant implications on how it is conveyed to others.
• Easement

Health Law

• Medical Malpractice
  Kirsten has over 25+ years of paralegal experience.  She began her career in the Twin Cities area working for a corporation who owned several restaurant franchises followed by working for a large law firm handling legal and medical malpractice cases.  After getting married, Kirsten and her husband decided to move to Northern Minnesota and Wisconsin to start a family.  They built a home up the shore and have been living in Northern Minnesota and Wisconsin now for 23 years with their two sons who are now nineteen and seventeen years old.  Since her time in Northern Minnesota and Wisconsin, she continued working as a paralegal for local law firms handling insurance defense litigation cases.

Trusts and Estates

• Estate Planning
  Trusts are very important because you can protect your assets from probate through a trust. The probate process can be lengthy and a trust can protect your family from this process or as much of it as possible. You and your Northern Minnesota and Wisconsin estate planning lawyer can evaluate your assets and determine whether or not probate might be an issue.
• Wills
  Health care directives are frequently referred to as “Advanced health Care Directives.” They may also be called Living Wills, Personal Directives, health Care proxies, Advance Decisions, or Advance Directives.
• Trusts
  Wills and trusts are very valuable tools to protect assets and to make your wishes known at the time of your passing. If you do not have a will or trust or you need to update an existing will or trust, the Benjamin Kaasa Law Office can help you. To find out about your options, call us at 218-464-3397 for a consultation.
• Power of Attorney
  The function of a power of attorney is to allow another individual to make legal decisions for the person that grants the power of attorney to the third party.  The person creating or granting a power of attorney is called the principal while the person acting on the principal’s behalf using the Power of Attorney is called an Agent or Attorney in Fact.
• Probate

Finance Law

• Bankruptcy
  If you are in a place where you cannot pay your bills because your income is not high enough to meet your financial obligations, Chapter 7 bankruptcy may be the option for you. This particular option is called “liquidation bankruptcy” because assets that fall outside of the state or federal exemptions can be used to pay back debt. If a person doesn’t have assets that fall outside of the exempt dollar amounts, then they can have their debts discharged without losing any assets.
• Foreclosure
  With the right guidance by our experienced bankruptcy lawyer, you can wipe the slate clean and move to a healthier financial future, relieving yourself of the stress that comes from potential foreclosure, wage garnishment, and the repeated collections calls due to an uncontrollable change in your personal circumstance.