Blog

Why Are Farmers Filing For Bankruptcy?

• July 10
• Kelvin Birk
• Bankruptcy

Chapter 12 farm bankruptcies continue to rise as farmers and ranchers face a prolonged downturn in the U.S. agriculture economy that’s been exacerbated by 2-3 years of poor growing seasons and retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods. So, when you ask “why are farmers filing for bankruptcy?” – the answer is that there are multiple compounding factors. Farmers struggling to meet their debt requirements often feel overwhelmed. Skilled and experienced chapter 12 bankruptcy attorneys can review available options with farmers and ranchers and discuss a way forward that makes the most sense for each individual. These are difficult times in [...]

How long do you have to sue after an accident?

• May 21
• Kelvin Birk
• Personal Injury

Thousands of people are injured in accidents every year in Missouri.  The amount of time you have to sue after an accident depends on what kind of accident it was.  This can be confusing, so it’s important to understand the law and the statutes of limitation.

Injured parties have up to two years to file a lawsuit for some personal injuries – such as work accidents, burns, and slip-and-falls – as well as medical malpractice.  However, they have up to five years to file a civil lawsuit for car and truck accidents resulting in injury and/or property damage.

To complicate matters further, if an accident res [...]

What is an uncontested divorce?

• May 6
• Kelvin Birk
• Family Law

Divorce is never pleasant, but an uncontested divorce can be less stressful than an angry, heated, drawn-out divorce that takes months or years to resolve in court.  “Uncontested” means that neither party is fighting the divorce decree.  Both parties have agreed to divorce, and both are on the same page where child custody, child support, spousal support (if any) and division of property are concerned.

Generally, uncontested divorces take less time, legal fees tend to be lower, and paperwork is streamlined.  Even in an uncontested divorce, though, it’s good to have your own attorney. Skilled and experienced divorce lawyers know how [...]

What Happens if You Die without a Will in Missouri?

• April 10
• Kelvin Birk
• Estate Planning

Creating an estate plan is often one of those things we put off, thinking we’ll get to it tomorrow, or next week, or before the end of the year.  But what happens if you die without a will in Missouri?  None of us wants to think about that, but we should.

Creating an estate plan now means that we are caring for our loved ones by preventing a lot of headaches for them in the future.  An estate plan offers peace of mind.  All too often, people put off writing a will and creating an estate plan until “later,” but later never comes.  Our experienced estate planning attorneys at Birk Law Firm will guide you through each step in the estate planning process.  We’ll help y [...]