Joseph Jaap
Legal services for families, businesses, and entrepreneurs.
Practicing law for over 29 years, Joseph Jaap assists clients with a wide range of legal issues, whether personal, family law, real estate, estate planning, or business, to develop and implement legal strategies that achieve client goals and that avoid or resolve disputes.
Joe advises clients about their family legal matters, including wills, trusts, powers of attorney, probate, estate planning, divorce, child custody and support, guardianship, and other family issues.
His real estate practice includes both commercial and residential real estate, representing and counseling clients regarding purchases, sales, leasing, condominium development and conversions, condominium management and homeowner associations, construction contracting and construction project management, construction dispute resolution, and mechanic's liens.
Joe also provides general business representation to entrepreneurs and businesses advising clients about business formation, incorporation and joint ventures, contract negotiations, and asset purchases and sales.
He also helps clients resolve issues related to trademarks, copyrights, and other intellectual property, including clearance and registration of state and federal trademarks, copyright registrations, trademark and copyright infringement claim resolution, intellectual property asset transfers and licensing, trade secret protection, confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements, and electronic commerce including Internet and domain name issues.
A Cincinnati native, after graduating from Purdue with B.S. and M.S. degrees in engineering, Joe served on active duty as a Navy officer and nuclear power plant engineer on Navy nuclear-powered ships, and served aboard a submarine, cruiser, and aircraft carrier, and remains active with local Navy veterans on the board of the Cincinnati Navy League. After the Navy, Joe worked for several years as an engineer and was licensed as a professional engineer before obtaining his law degree.
- Real Estate Law
- Commercial Real Estate, Condominiums, Easements, Eminent Domain, Homeowners Association, Land Use & Zoning, Mortgages, Neighbor Disputes, Residential Real Estate, Water Law
- Probate
- Probate Administration, Probate Litigation, Will Contests
- Estate Planning
- Guardianship & Conservatorship Estate Administration, Health Care Directives, Trusts, Wills
- Trademarks
- Trademark Litigation, Trademark Registration
- Construction Law
- Construction Contracts, Construction Defects, Construction Liens, Construction Litigation
- Divorce
- Collaborative Law, Contested Divorce, Military Divorce, Property Division, Same Sex Divorce, Spousal Support & Alimony, Uncontested Divorce
- Family Law
- Adoption, Child Custody, Child Support, Father's Rights, Guardianship & Conservatorship, Paternity, Prenups & Marital Agreements, Restraining Orders, Same Sex Family Law
- Landlord Tenant
- Evictions, Housing Discrimination, Landlord Rights, Rent Control, Tenants' Rights
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Free Consultation
Call for a free telephone consultation. - Credit Cards Accepted
- Ohio
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- English
- University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
- J.D. (1989) | Law
- Honors: Order of the Coif Academic Honor Society
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- Purdue University - Purdue University
- M.S. (1974) | Engineering
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- Cincinnati Bar Association
- - Current
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- Professional Engineer 1986-2002
- State of Ohio
- Senior Reactor Operator 1982-1984
- US Nuclear Regulatory Commission
- Surface Warfare Officer/Nuclear Power Plant Engineer
- United States Navy
- Q. Contract dispute over house square footage that was misrepresented.
- A: Most house listings have a disclaimer stating that the information is not guaranteed to be accurate, and buyer should verify it. Most purchase contracts also state that any statements by agents are not to be relied on by buyer. Most purchase contacts also advise buyers to get whatever inspections they choose to confirm information about the house. If you breach the contract by refusing to close, the seller can sue you. The purchase of a home is a major financial decision, and it is advisable to have an attorney involved in the process, along with obtaining a comprehensive home inspection, a boundary survey, title examination, etc. Use the Find a Lawyer tab to retain a local real estate attorney ... Read More
- Q. Should all siblings STILL split the money from parents house that died if one sibling bought it???
- A: If your mother does not agree, she should use the Find a Lawyer tab to consult a local attorney who handles probate matters to review the circumstances of the house sale and advise your mother of her options. Many attorneys offer free consultations so she can find one to work with.
- Q. How should I proceed if a surveyor put in a new property pin approximately 4.5 feet from a previous?
- A: Talk to the surveyor who set the new pin and compare to the plat or legal description of your parcel. You might have to hire your own surveyor to confirm your boundaries and determine if the carport encroaches. Even if there is no encroachment, it might not meet the zoning setback requirements. If your carport encroaches onto the neighbor's parcel, your neighbor might agree to an easement or an adjustment of the boundary. Use the Find a Lawyer tab to consult a real estate attorney who can review the situation and advise your options.
