If you need legal advice and are searching for “attorneys near me,” Ruesch & Reeve is the firm for you. The attorneys at Ruesch and Reeve assist both businesses and individuals.

Ruesch and Reeve is a law firm located in southern Utah that offers help with the following areas of law:

The attorneys with Ruesch and Reeve are Ben Ruesch, Nathan Reeve, Tony Jones, Anthony Warrett, Debra Stillman, Jeannette Barney, and Travis Dunsmoor.

attorneys near me
attorneys near me

Business and Corporate Law 

Ruesch and Reeve’s attorneys are eager to provide individuals help with their legal needs surrounding their businesses. This may include resolving disputes between business partners or simply helping with their business planning – the process of analyzing a client’s business and determining the property entity. Ruesch and Reeve can also assist their clients in creating business contracts, which is vital in case any issues arise within the partnership.

Valid contracts not only need to be clear and specific, but they need to meet specific criteria to be enforceable. For those looking to draw up business contracts in Southern Utah, carefully read all the requirements and recommendations of a written business contract and search for “attorneys near me” to consult with regarding your contract.

Bankruptcy 

If you are a southern Utah resident looking for attorneys near me who specialize in  bankruptcy, Ruesch & Reeve can help. Financial hardships can be difficult on you and your family, whether it be a loss of a business or a job, a divorce, a disability, or just a lack of proper financial management.

Instead of living with the stress of extensive debt and dealing with creditors, it’s best to get help as soon as possible from Tony Jones, a bankruptcy attorney at Ruesch & Reeve. He has years of bankruptcy case experience in Utah that allows him to provide his clients with practical insight, explain the basics they need to know and protect their rights through the entire process.

Estate Planning 

It is vital that you ensure you have your estate in order, especially if you own more than one property.

Ruesch & Reeve recommends a 12-step process for setting up your estate, which goes as follows:

  1. Create a will that states who you want to inherit your properties. This is when you will also name guardians to take care of your children if something happens to you. 
  1. Create a Trust so your survivors can avoid the probate process. 
  1. Create a health care directive, which will outline your health care wishes if you can no longer make those decisions for yourself and name someone who will make those decisions on your behalf.
  1. Create a financial power of attorney to designate someone who will be responsible for handling your finances and property if you no longer can.
  1. Ensure the protection of your children’s property by choosing a guardian to manage the property and finances your minor children may inherit from you.
  1. Name a beneficiary on bank accounts and retirement plans so they become “payable upon death” to that person to avoid the probate process.
  1. Consider purchasing life insurance if you have young children, own a house, have debts, or owe estate taxes.
  1. Determine if you owe federal estate taxes. For deaths in 2022, the federal government will only impose estate tax at your death if your taxable estate is worth more than $12.06 million. Married couples can transfer twice the exempt amount tax free, and if the assets are transferred to a surviving spouse who is also a U.S. citizen, the transferred assets are tax free. 
  1. Save ahead for your funeral costs by creating a “payable-on-death” account at your bank and depositing regular small payments.
  1. Outline your end-of-life wishes for anyone who needs to know if you wish to be a donor and how you would like to be buried or cremated. This should not be outlined in only a will because it may not be seen until long after arrangements need to be made. Consider writing a letter to a loved one where they know it will be upon your death.
  1. Make plans for your business, whether it is a succession plan if you’re the sole owner, or a buyout agreement if you are a co-owner.
  1. Ensure that either your attorney or executor has access to the following documents they will need after your death: 
    1. Will
    2. Trusts
    3. Insurance policies
    4. Real estate deeds
    5. Stocks, bonds, and annuities certificates
    6. Bank accounts, mutual funds, and safe deposit boxes information
    7. Retirement plans, 401K accounts, or IRAs information
    8. Debt information including credit cards, mortgages and loans, utilities, and unpaid taxes

Information for funeral costs and any final instructions for arrangements upon death

Another aspect of estate planning that attorneys at Ruesch and Reeve talk with their clients about is transfer on death (DOD) deeds.

The firm recently added death deeds to its list of services because Utah was previously a state that did not allow a TOD deed.

A death deed, also known as a beneficiary deed, is used to transfer property following the death of an individual. By signing a beneficiary deed, an owner can determine who they wish to transfer their property to once they pass. The wishes in the beneficiary deed do not take effect until the death of the owner, to which the designated grantee named in the death deed is transferred automatically.

An individual can name more than one beneficiary in their deed if they wish to. The individual should indicate how they take the title, either “as joint tenants with rights of survivorship” or “as tenants in common.” They may also designate alternative beneficiaries in case the original one dies.

attorneys near me
attorneys near me

Litigation

Litigation is settling a dispute by bringing a case to court. The legal process consists of parties (who are referred to as litigants) arguing their cases against each other in the court system.

If you are in a situation where you need to file a lawsuit, you will probably need legal help to figure out where to start and walk through the process with you. Ruesch & Reeve has a team of skilled civil litigation attorneys in southern Utah to help when filing a lawsuit. Even the basic decision of where to sue isn’t as simple as it seems, but the attorney will be there to guide you.

Water Law

Are you a resident of southern Utah who is concerned about their water rights? Do you own underground or surface water rights in the Virgin River drainage area? If you answered yes to either of these questions, reach out to a lawyer at Ruesch and Reeve to ensure that your water rights are being protected.

Ruesch and Reeve provides “water rights consultations, representation in water rights disputes, assistance with adjudications, preparation of change applications and other permits, preparation of non-use applications, assistance with water rights purchase transaction, and assistance with water quality issues.”

For more information about water rights, visit The Division of Water Right’s website.

Mining Law

Companies that explore, mine, process, and sell base and precious metals, coal, industrial minerals and aggregates, and cement in the southern Utah region can reach out to lawyers at Ruesch and Reeve for representation. Mining industry leaders need to remain vigilant about compliance and violation management. 

The attorneys at Ruesch and Reeve have experience in drafting and negotiating mining joint ventures, operating agreements, land and mineral leases, and due diligence services for those desiring to purchase mining claims.

If you need “attorneys near me,” to represent your mining needs and inquiries, Ruesch and Reeve can provide their services related to financing and developing projects involving the exploration, extraction, process, transportation, and sale of non-ferrous and precious metals, coal, and other minerals.

Adoption/Family Law

Ruesch and Reeve can help you with various aspects of family law including adoption, divorce, child custody, child support, parent-time issues, spousal support, mediation, domestic law situations, debt division, separation, and prenuptial or postnuptial agreements. Our attorneys represent clients in family court proceedings or negotiations and can draft legal documents such as court petitions or property agreements. They also regularly negotiate and prepare prenuptial arrangements to secure business interests, inheritances, and other assets in case of divorce or the death of a spouse.

Immigration Law

If you are looking for assistance regarding your immigration status, Ruesch and Reeve law firm has experienced lawyers who can help with your citizenship. The attorneys can offer help obtaining work visas, tourist visas, U.S. passports, or legal name changes.

Due to the complexity of immigration law, it is important that you meet with an attorney to assess your situation and goals who can then guide you through the process of obtaining what you are seeking.

Construction/Land Use and Zoning

Ruesch and Reeve represents all aspects of construction litigation and disputes including individuals, property owners, businesses, general contractors, and subcontractors. Its lawyers can help with construction defect claims, mechanics’ liens, delay claims, the scope of work disputes, warranty claims, and breach of contract claims.

They also assist in land use and zoning law, which is the regulation of the use and development of public and private real estate. Examples include easements, trespassing, and eminent domain.

When searching for “attorneys near me,” Ruesch and Reeve is the best option for you considering the wide variety of services they provide to their clients.