Yearly Archives: 2015
Queen’s English – Each Is
Using the noun each properly can be a challenge. Because it is often followed by a prepositional phrase referring to a plural noun, the temptation is to use a plural verb with it. “Each of the team members has his own helmet.” There is a… Continue reading
Beer Distributors Can Now Sell 12-Packs
On March 6, 2015, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board’s Office of Chief Counsel issued a legal advisory informing brewers that they may sell “original containers” to distributors as long as the container contains at least 128 fluid ounces. Those original containers may then be sold… Continue reading
What is Interpleader? (Stuck in the Middle Again…
Interpleader is a legal remedy designed to protect a stakeholder caught between two competing claimants who have sued or threatened to sue the stakeholder to recover money or other property. Easy to say but not always easy to comprehend. Perhaps the best way to understand… Continue reading
Anatomy of the Health Care Directive
At various times in this newsletter, we have advised individuals to obtain an advanced health care directive and health care power of attorney. Understandably, most people want their wishes to be known regarding end of life decisions and would not want these decisions placed in… Continue reading
Employment Law Update: Employees Having Direct Contact with Children
Prior to December 31, 2014, prospective employees of child-care service providers, day cares and the like were required to complete a three-part criminal background investigation and thereafter, based on those reports, be cleared by the employer before beginning employment. Beginning December 31, 2014 however, the… Continue reading
8 Ways to Reduce Your Insurance Bill
The cost of property insurance and automobile insurance seems to go up every year. However, there are a few ways that you can fight back. Here is a list of 8 suggestions for containing your insurance costs: ♦ Review the coverage amount of… Continue reading
Statutes of Limitation
A statute of limitation is a law or rule that requires specific types of claims to be brought in court within a certain time frame, or be forever barred. Some limitation periods are short; others can be longer. Here is a chart showing the applicable… Continue reading
Queen’s English…I Said It (and said it, and said it)
I remember well the first time I heard the word “redundancy” in high school. For me it was something of a revelation; conservation has always appealed to me, and Mr. Schaffer, our English teacher, was showing us how to conserve words! As a lawyer I… Continue reading
Sidewalk Trip-and-Fall — Who’s Liable?
Although the public has a right-of-way to use a sidewalk adjacent to a homeowner’s residence, the homeowner has an obligation to maintain the sidewalk so that pedestrians using it will not be at risk. This includes removing ice or snow within a reasonable period after… Continue reading
Pennsylvania Taxes in Comparison
The Tax Foundation, which describes itself as a “non-partisan research think tank, based in Washington, D.C.”, has recently published its annual survey of state taxes, which allows the reader to compare taxes of the various states and the relative tax burdens that fall on the… Continue reading