, Consumer Law

Tools and Resources for , Consumers

Inheritance Law & Probate Procedure

• PROBATE COURT FINDER:
  
  • Probate Court for Muskingum County: Key information about your local probate court (Probate Court in ) for Muskingum County.
• How Probate Works in : How to handle the probate of an inheritance at Muskingum County's probate court.
  • Here are links to probate forms from the probate court website.
• Small Estates Procedures in : Learn how to use 's Small Estate procedures that can save you time and money.

  • There is no Affidavit procedure available in Ohio. There is a summary probate procedure available for estates worth $35,000 or less, or where a surviving spouse inherits everything, either under a Will or by law (such as with joint tenancy property) and the value of the estate is less than $100,000.

    Ohio Rev. Code Ann. 2113.03.

• Estate Taxes:

  • , like most states, does not impose an estate or inheritance tax. Only a few states do.

• Avoiding Probate in . Find out what property bypasses probate death and goes directly to beneficiaries. such as:
  • Transfer on Death Deeds (TODDs)

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Wage & Hour Law

• Minimum Wage:  

  • The minimum wage in Ohio is $10.45 an hour. Because this is higher than the federal minimum wage of $7.25, employees in The Buckeye State must be paid at least $10.45 an hour.

  • Learn more about Ohio’s minimum wage at https://www.com.ohio.gov/documents/dico_2021MinimumWageposter.pdf.

• Overtime Pay: Every state has rules about weekly maximum hours and overtime. Learn about the overtime laws in and whether they apply to you.

  • If you work more than 40 hours in a workweek for an employer that grosses over $150,000 per year in revenue, your employer must pay you 1-1/2 times your regular hourly wage for each overtime hour you work, unless you are exempt. To learn more about Ohio's overtime laws, see the Minimum Wage Poster, available at the website of the Ohio Department of Commerce. 

• Wage Claims: If you're being unlawfully underpaid, you need to learn how to file a "Wage Claim" in . 

  • The Ohio Department of Commerce has posted the form and instructions to file a wage claim at its website. 

• Tips : Every state has special pay rates for tipped workers. Find out the rules for tipped workers in .

  • In , your employer may pay you a minimum wage of $5.25 an hour, as long as you earn enough in tips to bring your total hourly pay up to the full minimum wage, $10.45 an hour. If you don’t earn enough in tips to bring your compensation to the full minimum wage, your employer must make up the difference.

• State Labor Board:
  • Learn more about your rights under law from the Ohio Department of Commerce. 614-644-2239

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Unemployment Benefits

• Benefit Amounts in : Learn how unemployment works, how much you'll get, and for how long.
  • In , unemployment benefits range from $157 per week to $561 per week.
  • Formula:

    To calculate your weekly benefit in Ohio, you must first figure out your average weekly wage. This is your total earnings during the base period divided by your qualifying weeks of employment (weeks during which you worked for an employer covered by the unemployment laws during the base period). Your weekly benefit is one-half of your average weekly wage. 

  • Duration:

    In , you can receive unemployment benefits for a maximum of 26 weeks under state law. 

• Eligibility: >Whether you qualify for unemployment.
• How to Apply: How to apply for unemployment in .
• Unemployment Office Near Me? How to find your local unemployment office.

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Bankruptcy & Debt

• Free MEANS TEST CALCULATOR for Muskingum County (applies the state and county income and expense standards into your means test calculation. Updated with the latest median income and expense standards for April 1, 2024)
• Free BANKRUPTCY EXEMPTION FINDER: Search detailed listings of bankruptcy exemptions under law and Federal law, for use in filing out Schedule C, when you file for bankruptcy. 
• BANKRUPTCY COURT ESSENTIAL INFO: Get information about using your local bankruptcy court.
• FREE BANKRUPTCY FORMS:
  We'll tell you which bankruptcy forms you need and where to find them.

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Child Custody & Family Courts in  

• State Standards For Custody Decisions: How Courts make child custody decisions
• Family Court for Muskingum County: Muskingum County Family Court information, including maps, forms and links.
• Enforcement of Custody Orders: Can you enlist local police to help enforce a custody court order?
• Child Custody Lawyers: To help you handle your child custody matters.

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Obamacare

• Sign Up: We have the latest on how to sign up for Obamacare Insurance in !
• Is Health Insurance Mandatory in ? Learn about whether imposes tax penalties for not having health insurance.
• Special Enrollment Periods: How to enroll because of a "special enrollment period."
• Rates & Providers in Your County: Information and rates for providers for Muskingum County if you live in a state served by Healthcare.gov.

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Democracy In , Muskingum County,  

• Elected Representatives: Find out the websites and phone numbers of those representing you at the Federal, State, County, and City levels of government.
• How to Vote: Learn how to register and where and when to vote in , .
• Gerrymandering in : Has your state been gerrymandered? Find out how to end gerrymandering and have voters pick politicians, not vice versa.
• Tracking Issues: Organizations that track legislation you care about 

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Find a Lawyer in ,

• Our Lawyers by Zipcode section allows users to find a local lawyer using the best online resources, including on topics we don't cover.
• DUI, Criminal Defense
• Auto Accidents & Personal Injury
• Immigration

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