News & Resources

            The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the financial health of millions of Iowans.  Unfortunately, the struggling economy resulted in monumental job layoffs, terminations, and furloughs.  A historical number of Iowans have filed for unemployment benefits.  The collateral effect of the depressed economy is that debtors and borrowers may experience difficulty making regular loan payments on their mortgage, car, and other monthly expenses.            In order to combat this anticipated issue, Governor Reynolds […]

The question has come up in recent weeks, “If I am behind on my child support will I get my stimulus check?”  The answer is clear that, depending on the amount you owe in back child support, you may either receive a reduced stimulus check or potentially no check at all.  The CARES Act, which authorized the payment of the stimulus checks, did not suspend collection of delinquent child support payments as it did with […]

Under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, most Americans are eligible for a one-time stimulus check (also called Economic Impact Payment) of up to $1,200, with married couples getting up to $2,400. Families will get an additional $500 per child.  We previously discussed the individual payments in Part 1 of our Series.  So what about the child’s portion of the stimulus payment? How does your divorce affect that payment?  The new law […]

Part 1:  Covid-19, Your Divorce & Your Individual Stimulus Payment  The Federal Government has now started sending Stimulus payments to help taxpayers during these unprecedented times.  How this may affect your divorce may depend on where you are currently in your divorce proceeding.  Three areas that couples should be aware of are: (1) couples who are now divorced and filed individual returns, (2) couples who have completed their divorce proceeding but a ruling has not […]

Online Mandatory Parenting Classes Offered during COVID-19 A new Supervisory Order was entered April 2, 2020, allowing the District Courts of the State of Iowa to approve attendance at online parenting courses in compliance with the Iowa laws mandating completion of a parenting course for cases involving child custody or visitation. Several District Court Chief Judges have issued Orders permitting parties to utilize online parenting classes in order to comply with the statutory requirement. These […]

CHILD CUSTODY, CARE OR VISITATION DURING COVID-19 Many people have asked questions regarding how to handle the child related provisions of their previously filed Court Order regarding custody, care and visitation during the current COVID-19 situation. On Saturday, March 28, 2020, the Iowa Supreme Court issued a Supervisory Order regarding this matter. The Iowa Supreme Court has stated that prior orders regarding custody, visitation or care schedules that are related to school/summer schedules shall be […]

On behalf of our Team at Simpson Legal Group, LLC, our hearts go out to all of those impacted by COVID-19.  Our Team focus, as always, is on the health and safety of our employees and clientele, while providing excellent legal services.   We recognize that the situation is changing rapidly, and, in an effort to do our part in slowing the spread of the virus, we have decided to take on a different approach […]

Generally, landlords have the authority to prohibit tenants from bringing a pet onto the rental premises.  Conversely, landlords may utilize a lease provision which requires a tenant to pay a pet security deposit as well as a monthly fee to keep the pet in the rental unit. However, a situation may arise where a tenant requests to live with a companion animal as part of a treatment plan for a mental or emotional disability. The Fair […]

Common public perception is that no legally binding contract exists between two or more parties who engage in a “handshake” deal absent a written agreement.  However, a court may rule that oral contracts are enforceable.  The party seeking to enforce the contract must establish three basic elements:  an offer, consideration, and acceptance of the offer.  Consideration is either a benefit given or to be given to the person who makes the promise [or some other […]

Dealing with the aftermath of an automobile accident can be an exhausting endeavor. Besides making arrangements to repair or replace your vehicle, you must deal with both the at-fault driver’s insurance company and your insurance company, schedule and attend medical appointments to assess potential injuries, and possibly consult with an attorney to protect your legal interests. Complications inevitably arise when an automobile accident victim has zero to minimum health insurance coverage.  Specifically, the victim most […]