For years the attorneys in our firm have assisted clients in resolving the issue related to farm and timberland from the Delta to the hills. Our work includes assisting owners in managing their and harvesting timberland, litigation related to unauthorized harvesting and encroachment, partition and valuation of timber and cropland, dissolution of Family Farm Partnerships, and timber and farmland transactions. Examples include:
Division of a Large Family Farm Partnership
Freeland represented one of the two families operated a large family farming operation for over twenty-five years. When his client his partner to add his name to the farm leases, his partner refused. At that point, the parties decided to end the partnership and the other partner attempted to acquire the partnership leaseholds as he could.
Faced with a difficult, and emotional situation, the farmer came to the firm and avoid to “every partner for himself” strategy imposed upon him. The firm filed suit to orderly wind down the partnership and allow both partners to distribute the Family Partnership equipment, income, and other assets in a manner to avoid disrupting harvesting and planting seasons. The dispute was resolved without mediation and before it had to be tried in Court. The Firm’s client is farming still, probably better off, having obtained additional property to farm. He anticipates his son joining the operation in a year or two.
Continuing the Legacy of a Local Dairy Farmer
Assisted a retired dairy farmer in transferring his land to the farmer who the dairy farmer had mentored in becoming a successful dairy farmer. Rather than sell the property toward subdivision development, the retired farmer sought to structure the transaction to maintain an economically viable family farm which he could enjoy the rest of his days as well as provide him sufficient income in which to retire. Both the retiring Farmers family and the young dairy farmers family celebrated the continued legacy.
Recovered a Daughter’s interest in her deceased
father’s Farm
As their client’s Father was dying of cancer, he set up a trust with his Brother as trustee so that his only daughter would receive his interest in the land the Father farmed with his Brother. Rather than protect his niece’s interest, the brother took advantage of his position as his niece’s trustee, sold much of the land, kept the proceeds of the sales for himself as well as the income derived for the farmland owned together with his niece. After protracted litigation in which the uncle attempted to avoid liability for his actions the firm working assisted the daughter in recovering the inheritance her Father intended. graph here.