Law Firm Overview

Ken Piper has been licensed to practice law in Ohio since 1975 and in that period of time has continuously practiced in Geneva, Ohio.  As a sole practitioner, he developed a tough-minded independence and integrity valued by clients in a small town litigation practice.  Ken has represented several local building supply businesses in collections cases, having developed his own system which has earned him a reputation for being proficient and efficient in collections.  As a real estate title agent, Ken=s practice has a strong basis in real estate including drafting deeds, leases, mortgages, and contracts as well as litigating real estate issues for his own clients and referrals from other local attorneys.

While probate law is normally relatively routine, involving completion of Supreme Court approved forms and guiding executors and administrators in the process of estate administration, occasionally litigation among family members becomes necessary to assure a fair outcome to all family members.  Ken has handled much contested litigation in probate court.  That litigation can involve one family member taking advantage of an elderly parent to divert assets; disinheriting a common law spouse; hiding assets from other heirs; and will contests.  While Ken encourages family members to avoid litigation conflicts within the family, he is a strong advocate for victimized family members.

With an increase in substance abuse in our society and the passage of a maze of laws to regulate substance abuse, DWI arrests are on the rise in our state.  Ken litigates DWI cases from investigation, to discovery and motions to suppress evidence, through trial.  A defendant in DWI cases is often the victim of an over-exuberant law enforcement officer and his employer who fail to follow proper arrest procedures and testing procedures, such as th well-known breathalyzer.  Ken is thoroughly familiar with those procedures, having enjoyed a modicum of success in suppressing evidence and putting the police and prosecution to the test.  While a DWI case is difficult and at times impossible to Abeat,@ a DWI defendant has a strong advocate in Ken Piper who evens the mismatch between the prosecution and the DWI victim.

Ken=s favorite type of cases involve zoning and government litigation.  Ken represents property owners sin zoning cases from hearings in the Board of Zoning Appeals through appeals to the common pleas court and the court of Appeals.  All too often a property owner attempts to handle a zoning case himself before the board of zoning appeals, mistakenly thinking that is a friendly meeting among neighbors.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Such Ameetings@ have a significant impact on property rights and require representation by an attorney who forces the board to comply with formal evidence procedures.  Such representation lays the groundwork for appeals in the common pleas court and eventually the court of appeals.

Government at all levels has become large, oppressive , and in some cases tyrannical, involving an abuse of power.  Government regulations and tyrannical bureaucrats act to deprive an individual of his property for which he should be compensated.  Most people believe that such actions occur only at the federal and state level.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Officials at the county, city, and township levels are equally abusive of their power.  When a property owner finds himself in such a position, there are few local attorneys with more experience holding local officials responsible for their actions than Ken Piper.

Areas of Practice

• Contracts
• Debtor/Creditor
• Business Organizations
• Collections
• Eminent Domain
• Construction Law
• Criminal Law
• DUI/DWI
• Traffic Violations
• Employment Law -- Employee
• Estate Planning
• Elder Law
• Wills
• Child Support
• Custody & Visitation
• Divorce
• Nursing Home
• Litigation & Appeals
• Personal Injury -- Plaintiff
• Motor Vehicle Accidents -- Plaintiff
• Probate & Estate Administration
• Real Estate Law
• Land Use & Zoning
• Landlord/Tenant
• State, Local & Municipal Law
• Tax Increment Financing

West Practice Categories

Contracts, Debtor/Creditor, Business Organizations, Collections, Eminent Domain, Construction Law, Criminal Law, DUI/DWI, Traffic Violations, Employment Law -- Employee, Estate Planning, Elder Law, Wills, Child Support, Custody & Visitation, Divorce, Nursing Home, Litigation & Appeals, Personal Injury -- Plaintiff, Motor Vehicle Accidents -- Plaintiff, Probate & Estate Administration, Real Estate Law, Land Use & Zoning, Landlord/Tenant, State, Local & Municipal Law, Tax Increment Financing