Press Room
Banyon Fette Law Named Top 20 Best Places to Work In Southwestern Michigan
Earning the honor of being the smallest team enterprise to make their way onto the 20 Best Places to Work list for 2020, the crew at Banyon Fette Law Office in Benton Harbor plans to, at least theoretically, celebrate the win with a trip to Hawaii! Keep in mind that while that was the “if money were no object” option from the nomination form, the lobbying has likely begun to get the boss to follow through. Once again, the family feel at Banyon Fette came into play, as nominators argue that the stereotype of a “stuffy” atmosphere expected from a law office is not even remotely true in a place where a “fun and uplifting” environment is at hand every day. When you wrap that conducive atmosphere around the super powers of the ability to read minds of the clients who come in with questions galore, and Superman strength to lift up each client every day, it’s a winning combination that delivers this small but mighty staff to new heights at members of the 20 Best Places to Work in SW Michigan in 2020.
Read full article here
Published April 22, 2020
Local Attorneys Assist in Benton Harbor Expungement Fair
On Saturday, March 5, 2016, an Expungement Fair was held at the Benton Harbor High School. The fair was headed by Dorothy Parker, President of the Benton Harbor-St. Joseph Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, and was co-hosted by the sorority’s Social Action Committee and the Journey Church Outreach Ministry. The targeted audience for the Expungement Fair was women and men in shelters, halfway houses, reentry programs, and those with felony or misdemeanor records. In addition to expungement assistance, there were other community resources available to assist participants, including voter registration.
Pro bono attorneys participating in the Expungement Fair included Elizabeth McCree, Heidi Duncan, Jason Siffert, Kevin Banyon, and Nora Hudson. The participating attorneys are to be congratulated for their diligence and commitment to improving their community. Prior to the Expungement Fair, the attorneys were trained on current expungement law and the expungement process by Kimberley Reed Thompson, JD, of Detroit. At the fair, the pro bono attorneys met with over 200 participants, explained the expungement process, and helped the participants complete the necessary forms for requesting an expungement.
Published March 16, 2016
Parents never married: Biological dad gets custody, parenting time
A trial court properly awarded a biological father parenting time with and joint legal custody of the unmarried parties’ child, the Michigan Court of Appeals has ruled in a 2-1 published decision.
See the newspaper article here.
A new twist on ‘victim restitution’
In recent years, several appellate rulings have affirmed that insurance companies can get restitution where criminal defendants have committed intentional acts. But a June 2014 Michigan Court of Appeals unpublished decision has possibly taken the restitution concept to a new level, and now claims are on the rise.
See the newspaper article here.
Longtime law partners Burch, Banyon set to retire
Burch was born and raised in Traverse City. The road to a law office in Benton Township, where he would team up with Jack Banyon for nearly 30 years, had its twists and turns.
See the newspaper article here.
Assessing intoxication
A preliminary hearing for a Three Oaks man accused of being intoxicated when his vehicle hit and killed a bicyclist will stretch into a third day.
See the newspaper article here.
Three Oaks man will face trial in woman's death
Derek Loraff showed no visible signs of intoxication and should never have been arrested, his lawyer Kevin Banyon said.
See the newspaper article here.
