Yearly Archives: 2008
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
The Vanishing MSRP?
As car shoppers, we are all familiar with the concept of the Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price, which is how the manufacturer suggests to the dealer the price at which to sell a car. Notably, with the exception of Saturn (where the manufacturer owns the dealership),… Continue reading
Doppio Espresso – And Don’t Hold the Caffeine!
Starbucks has reason to choke on its latte after a California Court awarded $100,000,000 to its baristas as a result of an improper tip-pooling arrangement. (A barista is one of those people in Starbucks cafes who make up your drinks. They are apparently hourly employees… Continue reading
Wait Staff Tips and Minimum Wage Laws
In 2007, Congress and President Bush took action to increase the minimum wage under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”). This was the first increase in close to ten years. As this goes to press, the federal minimum wage remains at $5.85 per hour,… Continue reading
Avoiding Conflicts Between Tenant and Landlord’s Bank
It is a standard provision in nearly every lease that the lease will be “subordinate” to the lien of any mortgage on the leased property. While there are variations on exactly what the lease might say and exactly what problems may arise, a tenant… Continue reading
A Second Look at Title Insurance
In Philadelphia and its adjacent counties, obtaining title insurance upon the purchase of real estate has become routine (not so as you go north or west of the area). This is especially so when there is a bank or other commercial lender involved in the… Continue reading
Auto Insurance Tips
Here are some tips to consider when reviewing your automobile insurance coverage: Make sure you have selected “full tort” coverage and not “limited tort”. Without full tort coverage you may not be compensated for all of your injuries if you have the misfortune to be… Continue reading