Posts written by buteralaw
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
Restaurant Reviews in the New Age of Social Media
Once upon a time consumers would turn to reviews written by profes sional critics when making deci sions about things such as patronizing res taurants or attending a movie or show. Re viewers were professionals who usually had some expertise in the subject being critiqued and a professional reputation… Continue reading
Condominium Living-Rule Breakers Take Heed
Condominium living isn’t for everyone. A unit owner in a condominium or planned community is governed by a number of rules contained in the declaration and bylaws, and the homeowners association runs the show, often with an iron hand. In my practice, I represent associations… Continue reading
The Fragility of Liens in Bankruptcy
In a past article we discussed how a mortgage does not “go away” in bankruptcy, and that is generally true of all liens-they pass through bankruptcy unaffected or, alternatively, the lien creditor may obtain relief from the stay and foreclose or otherwise proceed against the… Continue reading
What is a Unitrust and Why is it Used?
The typical trust arrangement provides for a beneficiary who receives all the income, usually in the form of interest and dividend during a set period (often his or her life). Thereafter the assets in the trust are paid over to a “remainderman.” As a fairly generic… Continue reading
Know Your Customer
We handle a fair number of commercial collection cases for our business clients, and for many of them we offer suggestions to minimize the risk of nonpayment for goods and services. Some of these suggestions include: requiring personal guarantees from the principals of the business;… Continue reading
Who’s on Top? Tenants, Subordination and Foreclosure
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, this seemingly boiler-plate… Continue reading
NOUS SOMMES TOUS “CHARLIE HEBDO”
Back in 1996 we began writing and publishing the BBCB “Law Update” and this is our 115th issue. We started on a shoestring (and remain on one!) but always seek to produce thoughtful, original and sometimes mildly provocative reading. That is what journalism is about… Continue reading