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. Neighbor renter chopped down shared tree line; city's ordinance classifies as misdemeanor, but city won't press charges.
- A: Retain an arborist to assess the value of the trees that were removed, and the cost to replace them. Also ask a real estate agent the amount of any reduction in property value. Use that information to send a letter to the owner of neighboring property asking for compensation. If the owner refuses, file a civil complaint for compensation. Use the Find a Lawyer tab to retain a local litigation attorney who can advise you.
- Q. Can I recover costs from co-owner for unpaid house upkeep in Ohio?
- A: Without a written agreement, if you sue the co-owner, it could be difficult to get any reimbursement. You could file a "partition action" asking the court to order the property sold. The court could credit you with the co-owner's unpaid share of the costs in the distribution of sale proceeds. Or you could offer to buy out the co-owner, with the court crediting you with the unpaid costs. Use the Find a Lawyer tab to consult a local real estate litigation attorney who can advise you of your options.
- Q. Can I ask my girlfriend to leave our home if the deed is only in my name?
- A: You can ask her, but if she refuses, you would have to proceed with the proper eviction process. She could then sue you to recover her contribution to the down payment and mortgage, and perhaps some of the appreciation in the home value claiming a partnership and other legal claims, and you could counter-claim for rent. These sorts of issues are resolved by the domestic relations court in a divorce for a married couple in that same situation, but that is not available for an unmarried couple. Use the Find a Lawyer tab to consult a local real estate attorney who handles evictions and litigation.
