Yearly Archives: 2006
Pennsylvania Realty Transfer Tax and New Construction
One of the costs associated with the purchase of a home in Pennsylvania is the imposition of the realty transfer tax. In most cities, townships and boroughs within the Commonwealth, the realty transfer tax is imposed at the rate of 2% of the actual… Continue reading
Jury Duty
The dreaded summons arrives in the mail. You have never been busier at work or home and have been directed to appear at the local county courthouse for jury duty! You are told to fill out a form giving private information, and you shuffle off… Continue reading
Kevin Palmer Addresses PBI Seminars
Kevin Palmer was a featured lecturer last month in separate seminars for attorneys sponsored by the Pennsylvania Bar Institute, speaking on Pennsylvania real estate law in both Philadelphia and Mechanicsburg. The seminars, entitled “A Family of Laws for the Family Lawyer”, brought together specialized… Continue reading
Dramshop Concept Stretched
A dramshop is a bar. The name has evolved from the Middle Ages in England when drinks were sold by the dram which is one-eighth of an ounce. Under the Liquor Code in Pennsylvania (and similar statutes in most states) it is illegal to serve… Continue reading
Queen’s English — Those Pesky Capitals (and even Peskier Relatives!)
If you have ever been uncertain regarding the capitalization of titles, the following rules may assist: (a) Do not capitalize doctor, madam (or madame), sir, or similar names unless they occur before a proper name. We say, “the doctor will be unable to see you”;… Continue reading
The State of Eminent Domain in the State
Last year the Supreme Court of the United States agreed to hear the eminent domain case Kelo v. City of New London. Eminent domain is the power of a governmental entity to take private real estate for public use, with or without the permission of… Continue reading
The Queen’s English — Parenthetically Speaking
The parenthesis is often used to enclose incidental explanatory matters in a sentence. Normally the sentence is complete without the information in parenthesis which is inserted to add color or explanation but contains information not vital to the meaning of the sentence. Have you ever… Continue reading
Business Valuation
Before purchasing or selling a business, it is essential to determine the value of the targeted business. Without knowing the value of a business, a purchaser will not be in a position to make an informed offer. He or she will either overpay for the… Continue reading
New Resident Obtaining Driver’s License and Registration
Moving presents all sorts of annoyances and hassles. This is especially the case when one moves to a new state. As our society becomes more mobile, individuals are more apt to move to another state than their parents. Because each state has different laws regarding… Continue reading
The Limits of At-Will Employment
Pennsylvania is an at-will employment state, which means that an employer can terminate the employment of an employee for any or no reason, so long as it is not an illegal reason. The at-will employment doctrine allows either the employer or the employee to terminate… Continue reading