Hiring a contractor or a nightmare?

November 23, 2013 • By Dennis Beaver If you are about to hire a contractor, then today’s story should be of special interest, and we are confident it will minimize the chances of banging your head against a wall while screaming, “Why did we hire this guy?” Helen, who...

What you need to know about mediation

September 2, 2006 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver Mr. Beaver, we are weeks away from being involved in a potentially expensive lawsuit over a business that I sold to friends last year. The personalities involved are all very strong, and it has become almost...

Gift or contract?

October 27, 2006 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver In November, I was one of the organizers of a 40th high school reunion from an all girls school I attended when my family lived in Hong Kong. About 30 of us — now in our late 50’s or early...

Christmas vacation surprise

November 22, 2006 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver When our son Chad drives home from college over school breaks, within minutes of his arrival my wife and I go to work sorting and then washing what seems like an entire trunk load of soiled clothing. It is...

Invitation to burglary

November 9, 2006 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver We live in an older, very pretty part of town, with lots of mature trees — trees that need trimming fairly often. Both local and out of town tree service companies know this, and on what seems to be a...

When you are at fault

May 31, 2006 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver We have all seen the television commercials for Allstate, Progressive, Geico and others. “We are here to protect you,” is their basic message, especially the extremely well done Allstate series of TV...

Brotherly love

May 26, 2008 (Original publish date) • By Dennis Beaver We are constantly told of the importance in having a will and estate plan, and yet, so often, little thought goes into fine-tuning — the careful drafting — of these documents which have the power to...