Kenneth V Zichi

Helping Livingston County residents navigate the legal system for 30 years. I focus on Wills, Trusts, Estate Planning and Probate, with a significant portion of my practice also concerning Real Estate and general civil litigation. If you have questions or issues with your home, a cabin up north, or want to insure your family is cared for after you are gone, I'd be happy to meet with you, perhaps bust some myths, and certainly insure YOUR and your family's needs are met. Call for an appointment today!

• Free Consultation
  Telephone [(810) 299-5222] or office conferences, 20 minutes or less. Longer conferences may incur a minimal fee.
• Contingent Fees

Michigan

Since 1986

Owner

Kenneth V . Zichi J.D.

1991 - Current

Mayor

City of Williamston (Michigan)

2000 - 2010

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

J.D.

1983 - 1986

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

A.B. | History / Communications

1977 - 1981

Honors: LS&A Honors College 1977-1979

State Bar of Michigan

Member

1986 - Current

estate and probate section Michigan bar

member

1986 - Current

Law and Media committee - State Bar of Michigan

member

2010 - 2015

Newsroom Seminar, WNEM TV/AM - Saginaw MI

March 15, 2013

State Bar of Michigan - Law & Media committee

An hour-long seminar addressing some of the common practical and substantive difficulties journalists encounter in covering the legal system in Michigan.

Q. As the seller, can I renege on the Purchase Agreement?

December 12, 2024

A: Not being able to find new housing, unless that was a contingency in the offer you accepted, is not a reason to stop the sale.

A costly addendum YOU AGREED TO (did you agree?) also is not a reason to stop the sale.

What did your attorney say when reviewing the offer? What contingencies ARE in the agreement.

You’ve presumably entered into a binding agreement. The fact you no longer like the terms doesn’t mean you can back out without consequences.

You need to consult with a licensed local real estate lawyer before you do anything more. You SHOULD have consulted with an attorney before accepting the offer. Don’t make it worse now by failing to do so at this juncture.

Q. What should the purchase price be on a new deed for a house that I inherited?

December 6, 2024

A: Michigan has very specific rules about taxable values in inherited properties that are not something out of state lawyers (or most lay people!) will understand or know about.

Have a MICHIGAN attorney, preferably in the county where the property is located, draft the deed for you, and proceed with his advice about how to both minimize tax now and upon eventual sale (capital gains) to insure this gets done right.

There is no 'one size fits all' situation here. Get real advice from an attorney representing you.

Q. Hi, question regarding false claims on property size.

December 5, 2024

A: First of all, given the facts you state, that is 639 square feet less than 'advertised'.

BUT even with that said, there are two things 'working against you'.

Did the sellers 'hide' that 'defect' from you in some way? No -- you had the opportunity to look at and if you wanted measure the property for yourself didn't you? How were you 'deceived' before closing the sale about the size of the interior of the space you were buying? How did you 'rely' upon that mistake (if indeed it is one -- see below) and what are your damages? What are comparable houses selling for in that market? In short, how were you damaged? The math you did -- besides using the wrong numbers -- doesn't actually answer that question.

Secondly, who measured the place to tell you it was only 1900 square feet? Are they perhaps mistaken? Even if they are right and the seller was wrong, why the discrepancy? Was there some INTENT to defraud you? How can you prove that intent? That isn't always as easy as a lay person thinks.

This is a far more complicated question than it appears at first. You should consult with a local real estate attorney (the one who reviewed your closing package perhaps? -- What, you DIDN'T have an attorney review the paperwork? Why not!?) and go over all the facts and the paperwork to see if you didn't perhaps miss something else that actually is critical and was 'hidden' from you during the sale. ... Read More