Local municipal laws govern many aspects of our day to day lives that we may not even be aware of. For example, zoning laws and setback requirements govern where we can build structures on our own property, building codes govern how those structures need to be built and maintained, and local shade tree [...]
The parties to a lawsuit often engage in discovery, which is a process that allows a party to obtain important information from the other party in order to assess the strengths or weaknesses of their case and also to get information from the other party. Examples of discovery are Interrogatories, Requests for Production [...]
A Bill introduced by Senator Don White regarding who has legal standing in a custody action was signed into law on May 4, 2018 (Act 21 of 2018) and becomes effective July 4, 2018. “Standing” is the legal requirement that determines which parties can be in the courtroom pursuing custody of a child. [...]
Anthony Vella was injured in a car accident caused by Carol Hopkins. Both Vella and Hopkins were insured by State Farm. Vella asserted claims against Hopkins for causing the accident and also filed a claim under his own Underinsured Motorist (“UIM”) policy with State Farm. A Pennsylvania driver can buy UIM coverage to [...]
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court recently held that a consumer who lived outside Pennsylvania was entitled to the protections of the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law (“UTPCPL”). The plaintiff in Danganan v. Guardian Protection Services lived in Washington, D.C. and purchased a security system for his home from a Pennsylvania-based company. After [...]
In the recent Pennsylvania case of Kelter v. Flanagan (286 Civil 2017), a Judge ruled that the plaintiff in a personal injury lawsuit was required to provide the defendant with her log-in information to her Instagram account. The defendant claimed that the plaintiff had posted photographs of herself engaged in vigorous physical activities, [...]
The United States Department of Labor, which administers the Federal Black Lung Benefits program, recently announced a 1.4% increase to the monthly benefits paid to disabled coal miners. For 2018, the monthly benefits are as follows: *Single miner or widow, with no dependent children: $660.10 *Married miner with no dependent children, or widow [...]
The PA Superior Court recently found in favor of tenants in an action brought against the landlord to recover of their security deposit. In E.S. Management v. Xue, four international students attending Carnegie Mellon University paid 3-months rent ($5,785) to a landlord prior to signing a lease. The students were told that this [...]
In the recent case of Erie Insurance v. Moore, the Pennsylvania Superior Court held that an insurance company had a duty to defend and pay damages following a fight involving a gun at Terry McCutcheon’s home. In this case, Terry McCutcheon had left the home of her boyfriend, Richard Carly, and returned to [...]
With the onset of winter weather, it is important to know your responsibilities for snow and ice removal on your property. Pennsylvania follows the “Hills and Ridges” doctrine, which is designed to protect property owners. Under this rule, a property owner is not liable simply because snow and ice have accumulated on a [...]
