Access to state and local government meetings has been a hallmark of American democracy for most of our country’s history. All states have enacted open meetings laws that generally require municipalities and local agencies to provide advance notice to the public of meetings held by commissions, boards, tribunals, and councils. This includes a broad spectrum of entities, such as unemployment commissions, tax tribunals, and school boards. These statutes permit any […]

CMDA has teamed up with Dignity Memorial to present a practical and informative collection of free online seminars. CMDA Estate Planning and Elder Law Attorney Norman E. Richards will be presenting on behalf of CMDA. You will learn about the essential legal documents and strategies you should have in place for smoothing life’s transitions. Also, find out how to protect your loved ones by planning your life celebration in advance. […]

As vacation rental marketplace websites, such as Airbnb and Vrbo, continue to gain popularity, landlords, homeowners, tenants, and municipalities must grapple with various legal issues involving Short-Term Rentals (STR) of residential property. Accordingly, Michigan Courts have had to interpret the legal status and rights of STR occupants under the Summary Proceedings Act (MCL 600.5701 et. seq.) Indeed, some property owners build clauses into their leases that more clearly define the […]

Gale Sayers, one of the most iconic players in NFL history, died today, September 23, 2020, at age 77 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. Gale’s concussion lawsuit against the NFL was successfully handled by Jim Acho, who represented Gale for the better part of a decade. Upon resolution of the case, Gale and Ardie Sayers presented Jim with a signed jersey. Jim has remained close to Ardie and the […]

The Coronavirus Pandemic has unfavorably affected many Michigan businesses over the past several months. The loss of revenue associated with shuttering a business during this ongoing global epidemic is placing a strain on some commercial tenants’ ability to meet payment obligations under the terms of existing commercial leases. As a result, force majeure clauses contained in commercial lease contracts have increasingly come into play these days. The term “force majeure” […]

Please join us in welcoming Agenique N. Smiley to the Firm. She has joined CMDA as an attorney in the Firm’s Livonia office where she focuses her practice on insurance defense matters, including directors and officers, errors and omissions, and legal malpractice. She concentrates on defending Michigan No-Fault, Personal Injury Protection (PIP), and Bodily Injury (BI) claims for multiple auto accident carriers. Ms. Smiley has a demonstrated proficiency in conducting […]

Please join us in welcoming Isa Kasoga to the Firm. He has joined CMDA as an attorney in the Firm’s Livonia office. Mr. Kasoga focuses his practice on insurance defense matters, including first-party auto no-fault, third-party auto negligence, insurance coverage disputes, and insurance fraud. Prior to joining CMDA, he handled insurance defense matters at a large Metro Detroit law firm. His experience also includes work at a personal injury law […]

We are delighted to be celebrating two very remarkable anniversaries at the Firm. Marie Jones and Kathy Ueberroth are both celebrating their 30th anniversary at CMDA. Marie Jones: Thank you for staying with us through the years. Loyal and dedicated employees like you are the foundation to our Firm’s success. You have been such a significant part of our team over the past 30 years, and we couldn’t imagine CMDA […]

A common query posed to collection attorneys by their small business clients is whether, upon the default of a standard contract agreement, the client will receive the “benefit of the bargain” and be made whole as part of the collection process. Many business agreements have not been drafted in a comprehensive manner, nor with the aid of competent legal counsel. As a result, an often-raised question is whether accrued interest […]

Konschuh v. Turkelson, et al. (Lapeer County Circuit Court No. 17-050850-CL(H); Oakland County Circuit Court No. 17-SC0045-SC; Michigan Court of Appeals No. 349041) is a unique and highly-contentious case that involved a circuit court judge who filed suit against Lapeer County and several of its officials. Judge Byron Konschuh – who remains a sitting judge at the Lapeer County Circuit Court – was charged with embezzlement related charges for depositing […]