With the recent announcement of the 2024 Oscars nominees, showings and re-showings of the movies that received a nod from the Academy will be prevalent in the coming months. But it is important to remember that public movie showings are strictly controlled by the U.S. Copyright Act, which grants the exclusive right to authorize public showings of copyrighted works to their owners. Read this overview of how copyright applies to "public" movie showings.
Firearm ownership is at the center of many legal discussions and debates in the US, including how individuals can legally procure guns. Gun trusts are one way of legally and more easily transferring firearm ownership between individuals. Here's an overview of what gun trusts are, their benefits, and some of the key insights to know about drafting a binding gun trust.
Kotz Sangster is proud to announce that Hon. John E. Dewane (Ret.) has been awarded the 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award by the Berrien County Bar Association. One of the most exceptional jurists to ever serve Southwest Michigan, the recently-retired jurist leads Kotz Sangster’s office in St. Joseph, Michigan.
The Lifetime Achievement Award was created by the Berrien County Bar Association to recognize an outstanding lawyer or judge who has earned the respect of his or her peers and demonstrated the highest standards of integrity, professionalism and excellence over the course of a long legal career in the community.
Born and raised in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Dewane graduated from Menominee High School. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan (B.S., 1966 and J.D., 1969) and also served in the United States Army. In 1970, he and his family moved to Southwest Michigan, where he joined the law firm which, over time, became Butzbaugh & Dewane. In private practice, litigation has been his primary focus, but with a substantial segment of his practice representing municipalities. He has been rated AV-Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell for decades. In 2008, he accepted an appointment to the 2nd Judicial Circuit and served as presiding judge in the Civil Division until his retirement in 2014.
During his career, Dewane served as President of the Berrien County Bar Association and represented Berrien County on the State Bar of Michigan Representative Assembly. He also served on the Michigan Attorney Discipline Board Hearing Panel.
Throughout his career, in both private practice and on the bench, Dewane has been committed to fairly, efficiently, timely and ethically dealing with legal issues presented to him. And throughout the legal community, he is renowned for his ability to reduce complicated issues to their core.
In addition to his work as an attorney and jurist, Dewane has been active throughout the Berrien County community, serving on the board of directors for: