Legal Q&A

Please tell me the costs incurred when filing for corporate business bankruptcy and the points to note about bankruptcy.

Hello, I am a business operator who intends to proceed with corporate business bankruptcy. I am wondering roughly how much the costs are when filing for corporate business bankruptcy. I would be grateful if you could let me know any points to be careful about before proceeding with bankruptcy, or anything a corporation should know in advance.

If I am asked for a mobile phone forensic examination during a drug investigation, do I have to comply even without a warrant?

Hello.. After a colleague at work was arrested in a drug case, the police contacted me saying that my mobile phone could also be subject to a forensic examination. I am curious whether, during a drug investigation, I can refuse if there is no search and seizure warrant, how far things are examined if I make a voluntary submission, and what I should do if I am asked to provide my password. Are there points I should be sure to know before appearing?

Please tell me how to respond to a patent dispute…

We are an IT company operating a mobile platform service. We have operated a service that provides customized information based on the user's location, and recently we updated the structure of the main features to improve user convenience. However, after the update, we were subjected to a criminal complaint by a competitor on the ground that we infringed its patented technology. That feature corresponds to a core function of the service, so if it becomes a problem, the situation could greatly affect the suspension of the service or the business as a whole. The competitor is asserting that we implemented the feature in a similar manner despite being aware of its patented technology, and is also raising the claim that it may constitute indirect infringement under the Patent Act. From our standpoint, we have not imitated or referred to any particular patent, and we have developed the feature on our own through an internal planning and improvement process. I would like to know specifically how to respond to a patent dispute, including how to establish a defense strategy without suspending the operation of the service.

I have received a military salary reduction. Is an appeal also possible?

Hello. I am serving as a career soldier. Recently, while performing my duties, I used abusive language in the course of admonishing a soldier, and that became an issue, resulting in a one-month salary reduction measure being imposed within the unit. Although abusive language was mixed in, the content was work-related and intended to instill vigilance… I did not expect it to become such a serious issue. I am at fault to some degree, but since it was in the course of performing my duties, I felt that a military salary reduction was excessive. A one-month salary reduction does not cause great financial loss, but I feel it may create disadvantages for matters such as promotion in ways I may not even notice. Since I will be busy for a while, I am leaving a written inquiry before coming in person for a consultation.

If medical dispute conciliation is established, is a criminal accusation difficult?

Hello, a few years ago I suffered a medical accident and went through medical dispute conciliation, which was established. But no matter how I look at it, I feel it is so unfair that I want to proceed with a criminal accusation, but I found somewhere that once dispute conciliation is established, a criminal accusation is difficult? Is that true...? Can I not file a criminal accusation?...

By what procedure is the Financial Supervisory Service's accounting review conducted?

I received a notice that my company has become subject to the Financial Supervisory Service's accounting review. I am curious about how the examination stage and the review stage differ, in what cases it converts to a review, and to what extent the investigation is conducted at the review stage.

I am being investigated on a charge of drunk driving hit-and-run causing injury; is the likelihood of an actual custodial sentence high?

Hello. I caused an accident by drunk driving and, being too flustered at the time, left the scene as it was....A few days later I received a call from the police and complied with the investigation, and they said I could be criminally punished on a charge of drunk driving hit-and-run causing injury...? As far as I know, the other party was not seriously injured, but is the likelihood of an actual custodial sentence still high? I am also curious about how to respond so as to be less disadvantaged...

What is the procedure for real estate inheritance?

Recently, when my father passed away, one apartment and a piece of land were left as inherited property. Our family consists of my mother and three siblings, but I have no idea at all how the division of the inherited property should be done, when the registration should be filed, or in what order taxes should be handled when inheriting real estate. In particular, my mother currently lives in the apartment, and opinions are divided among the siblings. I would like to know where the real estate inheritance procedure should begin, in what order the transfer of registration, the inheritance tax return, and the division agreement should proceed, and how to respond if a dispute happens to arise.

Can I annul the marriage on the ground of marriage fraud against my husband who hid a large debt?

My husband got married while hiding the fact that he had debt before the marriage. I found out belatedly while looking at my husband's phone, and although half a year has passed since I learned of it, even though I want to forgive him, I feel so wronged and my sense of betrayal will not go away. I would like to know whether, even belatedly, the marriage can be annulled on the ground of marriage fraud, and whether I can file for divorce.