About Doug Mentes, Esq.

Doug Mentes, Esq. Articles written 124

Douglas Mentes is an alum of Drake University with a degree in journalism, who has covered news in Washington, D.C., Minneapolis and Salt Lake City. He has a law degree from William Mitchell College of Law and ran his own law firm for more than 10 years in St. Paul, Minnesota, earning designation as a Super Lawyers Rising Star. He practiced in the areas of family law, real estate and probate, handling several successful appeals. He currently covers bankruptcy law for Thomson Reuters.

Articles written by Doug Mentes, Esq.

How to Prove Your Car is a Lemon

Indiana vehicle owners must meet strict requirements or risk losing out on relief

Driving a brand new motor vehicle should be enjoyable for any car owner, but some struggle with their new purchase and, instead, find their new car at the mechanic more than on the road. If new vehicle owners continue to experience car trouble after several visits to the mechanic, they may qualify for relief under the state lemon law. Is the Vehicle a Lemon? To be covered, a vehicle must: suffer a significant impairment to value, use or safety have an impairment that is not repairable by the …

How to Save a Pet from an Abusive Household

Minnesota courts and shelters offer protection

There are 78 million dogs and 86 million cats owned in U.S. households, meaning 44 percent of homes have a dog, and 35 percent have a cat. When living in a home that is dealing with domestic abuse, pets can often get stuck in the middle. Correlations Between Animal Abuse and Domestic Abuse Research shows there is a correlation between abuse toward significant others and abuse toward animals. In fact, pet abuse has been identified as a predictor of domestic abuse: 71 percent of female domestic …

Frustrated With a Defective Vehicle Purchase?

Many Illinois car owners aren’t aware they may qualify for relief

Many new vehicle owners in Illinois simply grin and bear it when dealing with vehicle problems. Those car buyers may not understand that any breach of the manufacturer’s warranty by the defective vehicle can be remedied for no cost or risk to themselves. In fact, a vehicle owner’s first step should be to contact an experienced Illinois consumer law attorney like Scott M. Cohen. “The biggest challenge we face is educating the public that we are out there,” he says. “We can help people …

Do I Need an Order of Protection or Harassment Restraining Order?

What victims of domestic violence in Minnesota need to know

If you’re a victim of domestic abuse, harassment, you must understand your legal options to protect yourself and family members. The two forms of protection orders used statewide in Minnesota are the Order for Protection (OFP) and the Harassment Restraining Order (HRO). There are important differences between the two, and to ensure a victim gets the relief they need, they must understand these differences. Are You in an Intimate Relationship? The first difference is that an OFP is meant to …

Do You Need Comp Coverage for Your Employees?

With few exceptions, Florida employers are required to have workers’ compensation insurance

Workers’ compensation coverage is insurance coverage purchased by the employer that provides benefits such as medical care and loss of wages to injured employees for job-related injuries. While some states have lenient requirements, chances are good that employers in the state of Florida must offer workers' compensation benefits. Except for some employers in the construction trade, Florida state law requires employers with four or more employees to carry appropriate workers' compensation …

Should I Get My Custody Agreement Signed By a Judge?

Unmarried parents in Minnesota with non-binding custody agreements put themselves at risk

In an effort to avoid having to obtain a child custody order or potentially rocking the boat, many unmarried parents co-parent their children based on verbal parenting agreements. For most parents, however, it’s not a matter of “if” an issue arises, but “when.” And when a dispute does arise during the child’s youth, many parents—especially fathers—wish they had a child custody agreement signed by a judge. The Child Custody Laws Under Minnesota law, the mother-child relationship …

Can I Sell My House Without a Real Estate Agent?

When to consider selling your house by owner—and how a real estate lawyer can help

Many home sellers hire a real estate agent for their home sale, and it may be the safest and easiest route for some. But selling a home isn’t complicated for all sellers. You can sell your house without a real estate agent by opting for a "For Sale By Owner" (FSBO) approach, taking on tasks like setting the price, marketing, and paperwork yourself. And if it isn’t for you, you can protect yourself by working with a real estate attorney at a cost that is often less than an agent’s …

Who Gets To Choose the Kids’ School if the Parents Are Unmarried?

It's a difficult decision for the court to make with joint custody in Minnesota

School choice is a major decision to resolve for unmarried parents. Many of these parents live in different school districts from each other, or have different ideas regarding their child’s education. If parents share joint legal custody and still disagree, there is no simple solution. What Is the Legal Custody of a Child Designation? If there is a legal custody agreement in place, the analysis begins there. In Minnesota, legal custody means the right to determine the child’s upbringing, …

Make Sure You Trust Your Attorney-in-Fact

Executing a Power of Attorney form is simple in Minnesota, so long as you trust that person

Some of the important decisions can be made through a Power of attorney document. POAs simplify the process of granting legal authority over one person’s financial affairs to a fiduciary that acts on behalf of the principal. Anyone can print off a POA form and sign it in front of a notary; neither an attorney nor the courts need be involved, meaning the form can be completed in minutes. It is, however, this exact simplicity that fools people into not being concerned with what they’re …

Tips to Minimize the Cost of Divorce or Child Custody Matters

Minnesota's ECM and ENE programs can provide quicker resolutions and lower costs for couples

Divorcing spouses fear what lies ahead when they decide to part ways. They are uncertain of the divorce process or cost of the divorce. They are fearful of the other spouse taking advantage of them. They know a Minnesota devorce lawyer could help, but at what cost? Fortunately, district court staff can help divorcing couples understand filing fees and other concerns. They have been innovators in decreasing the amount of time and cost involved in resolving divorce cases, custody …

Find top lawyers with confidence

The Super Lawyers patented selection process is peer influenced and research driven, selecting the top 5% of attorneys to the Super Lawyers lists each year. We know lawyers and make it easy to connect with them.

Find a lawyer near you