Category: Litigation / Personal Injury
In Passing: Judges are Only Human
In Arkansas a Supreme Court Judge, Sam Pope, has been suspended for 30 days for getting himself into a fistfight. In a Walmart’s no less! Seems that Judge Pope’s wife was involved in extramarital behavior with a man whose name is Bill Murray (not that… Continue reading
Statutes of Limitations
Different types of lawsuits are subject to different statutes of limitation. For example, in Pennsylvania a case for libel or slander, sometimes called “defamation”, must be brought within one year following the defamatory conduct. This is a relatively short statute of limitation. Most personal injury… Continue reading
Premises Liability: Fall-Down Cases Involving Invitees
Property owners have a legal duty to make their premises safe for customers and other visitors. It does not take much of a hazard to cause significant injuries to an unsuspecting visitor. Hazards like slippery floors, ice and snow, uneven or deteriorated walking surfaces, poor… Continue reading
Legislative Update
From time to time we comment on pending legislation. Some of those proposals have become law, as follows: (a) Joint and Several Liability. In Pennsylvania, in litigation alleging negligence against more than one defendant (such as in an auto accident) the law has been that… Continue reading
Luzerne County’s “Justice” Runs Amok: A Follow-Up
In February, the ex-judge, from Luzerne County, Mark A. Ciavarella, Jr., 61, was found guilty on twelve counts of racketeering, conspiracy, fraud and filing false tax returns in connection with his part in the “Cash for Kids” scheme that shocked Pennsylvania’s legal community. On August… Continue reading
Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Municipal Official’s Appeal from Bribery Conviction
In a case of interest and importance to municipal officials in Pennsylvania (Commonwealth v. Moran), the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal from a township official’s bribery conviction in connection with a sale of township-owned real estate. According to the trial judge,… Continue reading
Medical Malpractice Cases Decline Steeply
Lawyers have been accustomed to being blamed for many of our culture’s ills, and we’ve all heard the endless series of lawyers’ jokes. In fairness, often the damage has been self-inflicted. In one area in particular over the past decade the criticism has been… Continue reading
Another Legal Shibboleth to Bite the Dust?
In a lawsuit involving a tort (which is a civil wrong such as negligence in an automobile accident) where there is more than one defendant (such as in a multi-vehicle accident), there is a doctrine which imposes joint and several liability in Pennsylvania. In many… Continue reading
Noble Principle, Unpopular In Its Application
The English Judge, Robert Rolfe, is credited with the often quoted legal maxim “Hard cases make bad law”. A classic illustration of the maxim’s application is found in a recent US Supreme Court decision in Snyder v. Phelps. The Court ruled, 8 to 1, that… Continue reading
Slip and Fall Injuries
The winter of 2010-2011 will probably go down as one of our worst, especially for injuries caused by falls on the ice. Falls can occur on sidewalks, driveways, parking lots – all of the public places where we walk. Injuries from these falls can range… Continue reading