Monthly Archives: June 2008

Securing Promises to Pay or Perform

  Whether you are selling goods or services, loaning money, or entering into other contracts requiring payment or performance by the other party, there is always a risk that you will be left “holding the bag” if the other party does not pay or perform… Continue reading

For the Elderly: A Reverse Mortgage?

As you approach retirement, the realization that your estate’s assets have limitations set in.  Many retirees are living in homes they own with little or no debt, and the question is: is there a means of living in the residence through the golden years while… Continue reading

Executing Against and Garnishing Assets

After a judgment is obtained against a debtor, the creditor is sometimes left with the more difficult task of collecting on that judgment.  The creditor’s major weapon is the ability to execute on a judgment, which is the basic and familiar process of officially instructing… Continue reading

Five Tips to Avoid Bad Debts

As a business person, what would you rather do: sell goods from the shelf and not get paid for them, or not sell them at all?  In theory the answer is easy, but in practice the issue becomes more complicated.  You rarely know in advance… Continue reading

Judgment without a Trial: The risks and rewards of Confession of Judgment

A “Confession of judgment” is an agreement in which one party agrees to let another party enter judgment against him or her in the event of a default.  Confession of judgment can only occur in certain transactions and usually is found in commercial leases and commercial… Continue reading

Steps to Insure Against Vendor/Supplier Failures

  Vendor (seller) defaults and failures can be as serious a problem in economic downturns as customer defaults and failures.  As in managing customer relations, there are a number of steps that can be taken to prevent your vendors’ financial problems from becoming your problem.… Continue reading

A Fair Bet!

We have read so much about the casinos coming to Philadelphia over the past decade that our eyes tend to glaze over with each new story.  Here’s one you can take to the bank: there will be gambling on the river in the City, and… Continue reading

Pennsylvania’s Implied Warranty of Habitability

The implied warranty of habitability is probably the most used defense to payment of rent in the residential setting.  In Pennsylvania the warranty dates back to 1979, when it was legislated into existence by the  Pennsylvania Supreme Court in the case of Pugh v. Holmes. … Continue reading

Traffic Stops: Keep Your Cool!

We have handled countless traffic cases over the years and often the outcome of a traffic stop can turn upon the interaction with the police officer making the stop.  Suppose you are stopped after going through a traffic signal changing from yellow to red.  Most… Continue reading

Queen’s English

For most singular nouns the possessive is found simply by adding an apostrophe and an “s”: cat’s dinner; student’s books; the Johnson’s apartment.  Where a plural noun ends in “s” to make it possessive we add an apostrophe after the “s” and nothing more: cats’… Continue reading