A Prenuptial Agreement is viewed with great suspicion by some who see them as a bad omen for one’s upcoming nuptials. But, few areas of the law allow one to be proactive, as opposed to reactive.  Prenuptial agreements allow a proactive approach to the choice that we hope will never be necessary.

Almost anyone who has been through the termination of their marriage can state with sincerity that it is a stressful and emotional process with long-lasting financial ramifications.  The advantage to the drafting and execution of a Prenuptial Agreement is to solidify the financial issues, to protect assets, work in hand with existing Estate Planning, and provide for the term and amount of support. The disadvantage is that it cannot control the custody and support of any minor children born as an issue of the marriage and one’s prospective spouse may have hurt feelings that one is planning for failure. Marriage is more than the exchanging of vows related to honor, respect and commitment; it is a merger of your financial health with your spouse’s.

A Prenuptial Agreement is a contract, in writing, which is executed voluntarily before marriage with full disclosure by both parties of the assets and obligations and their plan for disposition in the unfortunate circumstance of termination of that marriage. It may include provisions as to the devising of separate assets which will retain their separate nature in the event of divorce or death, even if they grow during the term of the marriage. It may provide support provisions for a spouse who commits their efforts to the marriage partnership in less financially tangible ways, setting the term and amount of support following termination of the marriage. It cannot provide for custody or support of the minor children as the State’s interest in the best interests of the children has priority over the parent’s interests.

A Prenuptial Agreement should be discussed sometime before the wedding, as nothing will take the romance away like seeing one’s legal counsel in the days immediately prior to the special day. Both parties must have time to consider fully the terms of the Agreement and discuss them with their separate counsel.

Ben Franklin noted that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Proactive planning for an unfortunate contingency need not be hurtful, but an opportunity to communicate the financial expectations of each person, prior to the marriage, as opposed to a Court determination when people are generally at their worst. 

With today’s economy and healthcare system, people from all backgrounds and walks of life can end up deeply in debt. Perhaps you lost your job or were hospitalized unexpectedly. Whatever your situation, you have options. We handle all aspects of bankruptcy work and litigation. We have substantial experience on the creditor side on motions for relief from stay, dismissal, cash collateral, and plan confirmation matters. We have been involved in many asset sales and claim sales and have represented both debtors and creditors in single-asset real estate cases.

Our team members have the experience and knowledge to advise clients from a strategic stance, both out-of-court and in-court, in all types of financial situations. We will take the time to understand your situation and effectively diagnose problems, develop strategies, and recommend solutions to suit each client’s needs. Our vast experience enables us to help clients with reorganizations, and bankruptcy proceedings and provide comprehensive legal counsel to our clients. Even though our individual attorneys focus specifically on your matter, we work together as a team to give you the combined strength and knowledge of over twenty attorneys including a full team of Business, Tax, and Real Estate attorneys and Employment law attorneys.

We also understand cost-effective service is a priority. Our goal is to resolve your situation in the most economically sensible fashion, whether it be through negotiation, mediation, arbitration, litigation, or bankruptcy filing. The lawyers at PSE will strive to resolve your financial issues quickly and efficiently.

• Pre-bankruptcy counseling and out-of-court solutions
• Exemption planning and asset protection
• Bankruptcy Court representation
• Bankruptcy litigation
• Filing under Chapters 7, 11, and 13
• Defending preference and fraudulent conveyance actions
• Foreclosure and receivership
• Collections
• Assisting secured and unsecured creditors 

PSE’s Family Law group has extensive knowledge and experience counseling clients on the sensitive and complex issues which families encounter on an everyday basis. We understand that this can be a very difficult time and sometimes tough decisions must be made. Finding the right solution for your unique situation can be difficult.

When considering a Family Law attorney, consider the amount of experience the attorney has, if you feel comfortable with them, and trust that they will give you frank sound legal advice rather than what they think you want to hear. Our client-centered, quality-conscious service can ease the stress that accompanies difficult family situations. On a regular basis, we counsel clients on divorce, dissolution, annulment, child custody, alimony property settlement, and other situations.

We will work with you to understand your unique situation and provide you with solid legal advice.  We can try to settle your matter out of court, however, if all parties cannot agree, we have no problem going to court. If this is the case, we will skillfully and cost-effectively represent the needs of our individual clients. We have an unwavering commitment to our clients and we work diligently to achieve favorable outcomes on their behalf. Our Family Law team only focuses on matters surrounding families. However, we work as a team giving you the combined strength and knowledge of over twenty attorneys.

• Divorce
• Dissolution
• Legal separation
• Adoption
• Child custody
• Paternity
• Prenuptial matters
• Juvenile
• Child custody/visitation
• Child and spousal support
• Guardianships
• Grandparent rights 

PSE’s Personal Injury Litigation team has many years of experience representing injured persons, their families, and the estates of deceased persons who have been injured or killed due to negligence.

The team understands that this can be a very emotional time for the victim of an accident and their family.  They will take the time to understand each unique situation and work with you to develop a personal strategy.  The attorneys and staff are members of National and State legal organizations that assist them in working together for the benefit of each client.

Pickrel, Schaeffer & Ebeling’s Personal Injury Litigation team vigorously represents their clients to make certain that the responsible individuals and companies are held accountable. Our clients receive timely communication, and professional service, and are treated with compassion in their time of need. PS&E’s unwavering commitment to our clients allows our firm to produce consistent and impressive results.  In most cases, we will provide our clients with a free consultation.  We have represented clients in the following types of matters:

• Wrongful death
• Automobile accidents
• Construction accidents
• Defective product liability
• Uninsured/Underinsured motorist’s claims
• Dog bites
• Motorcycle accidents
• Employer intentional torts 

Abraham Lincoln once said “Persuade your neighbors to compromise whenever you can.” However, when neighbors refuse to compromise, the Pickrel, Schaeffer and Ebeling  Litigation team is experienced and prepared to vigorously and zealously pursue and protect our client’s rights. The PSE Commercial Business Litigation team represents businesses, large and small, municipalities, trade organizations and individuals in an extensive collection of litigation matters including:

• Construction

• Real estate

• Anti-trust

• Covenants not to compete

• Confidentiality agreements

• Trade secrets

• Intentional torts

• Product liability

• Officers’ and Directors’ liability

• Securities

• Mold litigation

• Insurance defense and coverage claims

Our Business Litigation attorneys routinely appear in State and Federal Courts throughout Ohio and Kentucky. When clients become embroiled in litigation, the PSE Commercial Business Litigation team provides skilled, dedicated, vigorous and cost-effective representation.

At PSE we will work to understand your issue and help you achieve your goals.  Even though you will work with a specific Litigation attorney, we work together as a team giving you the combined strength and knowledge of over twenty attorneys.  In addition, we have a Business Law team that will assist you with business creation and organization through to business succession planning.

PSE’s Media Law team has engaged in the representation of local media for over 20 years. Our Media Law attorneys have substantial experience representing the local media in issues involving:

• Claim prevention
• First Amendment
• Defamation
• Access to court
• Public record issues
• News gathering and reporting
• Litigation