The Law Offices of Jennifer Messick Announces New Office Location

In order to better serve the Valley and Anchorage, Jenn will be opening a new office in Wasilla starting June 1, 2018.

 

Jenn will still be available to meet with Anchorage clients on an as-needed basis. Drop off/pick up will be at Alaska Law, in the same building as my old office but across the hall (240 E Tudor Rd. Ste 230).

 

The Wasilla office will be located at: 
167 E Park Ave., Suite 2,
Wasilla, Alaska 99654

 

You can still reach Jenn at (907) 355-8706, but the old office number, (907) 562-5529, will no longer be in service.

 

Driving Directions: If you are driving from Anchorage on the Parks Highway, turn Left at Knik-Goose Bay Rd (KGB), Park Ave is the third street on the right. The VFW post is on the corner and it is across from Batteries Plus. Follow Park Ave until it comes to a T, the office is on the right-hand corner (a beautiful park on Lake Lucille is straight ahead).

 

Anchorage, Alaska ”Graze to Raise” Walk

Graze to Raise Walk | Anchorage, AK | Law Office of Jennifer Messick LawIf you like taking walks, eating food, and spending time with family, friends, and community, then there is an event in Anchorage just for you.

The Alaska Visitor Industry Charity Walk, also known as the “Graze to Raise,” is a fundraising event that raises money for local non-profit organizations and celebrates the community’s commitment to tourism.

As you walk a 5K course with your family and friends, you will have the opportunity to sample specialty foods from local restaurants and businesses — it’s call the “Graze to Raise” for a reason! [Read more…]

Estate Planning Essentials

Estate Planning Essentials|Anchorage AK|Law Office of Jennifer Messick LawAn estate plan protects your family and your finances after you pass away, and your first step to getting that protection is to write a comprehensive will that moves smoothly through the probate process.

Put simply, probate is the method by which your estate is legally transferred when you aren’t around to transfer it yourself.  LearnVest provides some great tips to keep in mind when planning your estate and writing your will, to help the probate process run smoothly: [Read more…]

Annulment vs. Divorce

Divorce vs. Annulment|Anchorage, AK|Law Office of Jennifer Messick LawUnlike a divorce, which recognizes that a marriage had an official beginning and end, an annulment declares the marriage to be null and void – as if the marriage never existed in the first place.

In an annulment, the courts do their best to return the individuals’ lives to what they were like before the marriage.  This means that you walk away with everything you walked in to the marriage with, and anything that was gained during the marriage as a joint venture is split equitably. [Read more…]

Anchorage NYO Games

NYO Games|Anchorge, AK|Law Office of Jennifer Messick LawRarely is a sports crowd rendered silent, but the record attempt at the NYO Games is known for making the crowd as quiet as a mouse.

Previously known as the Native Youth Olympics, the NYO Games include 10 events based on past generations of Alaska Native people played as a way to test their hunting and survival skills and increase strength.  [Read more…]

Untangling Your Credit After A Divorce

Untangling Credit After Divorce|Anchorage, AK|Law Office of Jennifer Messick LawWhen a couple gets married, that often means that their finances are married, too.  Married couples join accounts and handle the debts hand-in-hand.  But, what happens to the joint finances if the couple decides to divorce?  Joint finances that once signified marriage are now just a tangled mess.

When the papers are signed and the divorce is final, the two parties may be relieved it’s all over. Unfortunately, many divorced couples have months of work ahead to clean up the financial debris of marriage. [Read more…]

Religion and Divorce

Religion and Divorce | Ancorgae, AK | MV Alaska LawA recent study uncovered some interesting statistics about divorce: separation is higher among religiously conservative Protestants.  Even living around religiously conservative people drives up the rate for divorce. [Read more…]

How To Talk About a Pre-Nuptial Agreement

Pre Nuptial Agreement | Anchorage, AK | MV Alaska LawPre-nuptial agreements offer a buffer against the possible prospect of a divorce, which is why they are helpful — but how do you begin talking about the possibility of ending your marriage before it has even properly begun?

It’s not easy.  The agreement forces you and your spouse to talk about matters of separation when you aren’t even separating.  Luckily, there are some ways to make the process go relatively smoothly. [Read more…]

Mat-Su Youth Court

Mat Su Youth Court | Wassila, AK | MV Alaska LawThe Mat-Su Youth Court is a non-profit organization that has been serving community youths since 1996.  This diversion program caters to first-time juvenile offenders and promotes accountability, restorative justice, and education at an early age. [Read more…]

Suspicious Business Between Banks and Payday Lenders

Banks and Payday Lenders | Anchorage, AK | MV Alaska LawSome American banks are failing to meet their obligation to act as gatekeepers to the U.S. financial system.  The Justice Department is weighing civil and criminal actions against banks that do business with predatory lenders.

These predatory lenders and untrustworthy online merchant have access to Americans’ bank accounts.  Banks have allowed these businesses, for a fee paid to the bank, to illegally take billions of dollars from consumer checking account. [Read more…]