Ryan McKeen

Ryan McKeen is an attorney at McKeen Law, LLC.

In re a Name

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A Connecticut Law blog asks “what’s in a name” as Connecticut’s Supreme Court tackles the issue of gay marriage in light of the California Supreme Court’s ruling in the case of In re Marriage Cases.

Connecticut’s Vinegar Law

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I don’t know what problem the legislature was trying to solve when it passed this law in 1949: No person shall make and sell, or make and offer for sale, any vinegar without conspicuously branding, stenciling or painting, upon the head of the barrel, cask, keg or package containing the same, the name of the … Read more

My First Trial

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I tried my first case as a certified legal intern for the State’s Attorneys’ Office in Meriden. The defendant had no idea what was in store for her. One of the best things about interning for the Connecticut State’s Attorneys’ Office in a G.A. is that they let you do things – like try traffic … Read more

Adverse Possession in Connecticut: Adding 100 Yards Of Fill Is Open And Obvious

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If fences make for good neighbors adverse possesion cases certainly do not. Unless of course the fence is at the heart of an adverse possesion case.

In Brusseau v. Soper, 2008 WL 1914248 (Leuba, JTR.) a party prevailed in an adverse possesion action when he proved that starting in 1988 the defendant added 100 yards of fill to an area that was 66 feet long and 25 feet wide.

Connecticut’s Foreclosure Dockets: Dignity On Trial

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“Banks always win. They have the money. They write the notes and the laws that govern the notes.” -A law school professor. In Connecticut’s foreclosure courts the issue is almost never whether or not the bank will be able to foreclose on the property. The issues usually resolved in court are when and how the … Read more

Connecticut Marriage Ceremony Requirements

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Wedding season is upon us and so I think I’ll take a break from writing about divorce and do an entry about marriage. After all, without marriage there would be no divorce. What are the requirements for a valid marriage ceremony in Connecticut? 1. The physical presence of the parties before an official licensed to perform … Read more

Starting A Business? Think SCORE

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“I understand small business growth. I was one.” – President George W. Bush Small businesses are the backbone of Connecticut’s communities. They provide our communities with jobs, services, charitable involvement and tax revenue.   Starting and running your own business is no small task. If you are thinking of starting your own business, I think you should think SCORE. … Read more

Connecticut’s State Tartan

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In case you’ve ever wondered or cared, Connecticut has a State Tartan: The following-described tartan shall be the official tartan of the state: A plaid, with large blue stripes representing Long Island Sound, large green stripes representing forest, medium gray stripes representing granite, red and yellow pin stripes representing autumn leaves and white pin stripes representing … Read more

Shining A Light On Connecticut’s Probate Courts

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Rick Green is at it again, as he should be: I think we need to shine a bright, glaring light on the often-obscure world of probate court in Connecticut. We need to ask why life-changing legal decisions are still made in courts where 40 percent of the judges aren’t even lawyers. We need to ask … Read more