Posts written by buteralaw

The “Good” Divorce

In divorce matters, we sometimes see conduct that is needlessly destructive to the divorcing spouses and their children. Divorce is an unhappy reality and the number of divorces continues to grow. Couples must try to keep the negative fallout of the process to a minimum… Continue reading

The Truth About Notarization

Many people believe a notarized statement or document is more likely to be true or accurate. Not necessarily.Notarization simply means that a notary public (a state officer) witnessed the named person sign the document or statement. Notarization does not mean that the contents of the… Continue reading

What is Confession of Judgment?

Confession of judgment” is an agreement by a party to a lease or promissory note that in the event of a default, the other party, usually a landlord or lender, may proceed to the county courthouse, declare a default and enter judgment immediately in an… Continue reading

Employee Handbooks

Owners of small to mid-sized businesses often ask whether they should have an employee handbook. The benefits of a well-written handbook are many.While there is no law that says you have to have one, failure to have a handbook leaves an employer open to potential… Continue reading

Consideration of the Living Will?

In 1992 Pennsylvania adopted a law which permits “advance directives” by each of us in the event that we become terminally ill; the somewhat contradictory term that has evolved to describe such a direction is “living will”. Each person can direct that no artificial means… Continue reading

Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997

This past summer, President Clinton signed the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997, which contains substantial changes in income, excise, estate and gift taxation. The name of the Act is more than appropriate, and a few of my partners are lobbying for an annual tax relief… Continue reading

Mom, Apple Pie, and Litigation for Free!

You are sitting in your living room in a placid state when the bell rings; it’s the county sheriff, and he serves you with a complaint from your next-door neighbor, alleging that last summer’s addition to your garage has caused a flood in his basement,… Continue reading

What Every Landowner Should Know About Adverse Possession

Few areas of law retain so many of the quirks from the law the American colonists brought over as the law of real property. Property law can be traced back hundreds of years, and many aspects of the law have changed little over the years.… Continue reading

Expungement of Criminal Records

Like all states, Pennsylvania maintains centralized records of criminal history information. These records contain a broad range of information collected by criminal justice agencies throughout the State arising from brushes with the law, including records of arrest, indictment, other formal criminal charges and the disposition… Continue reading

How to Handle a Traffic Stop

We have handled a fair number of traffic cases, and a common thread we see is that the outcome of a traffic stop can depend heavily on the interaction with the police officer making the stop. Suppose you are stopped after going through a traffic… Continue reading