Unfortunately, business disputes are extremely common in the United States. Regardless of the underlying issue in the dispute, most Plaintiffs are ultimately seeking monetary damages in the lawsuit. If you are contemplating filing a lawsuit against a company, and are planning to ask for monetary damages, you are undoubtedly hoping that the company has sufficient assets to pay the judgment should you be victorious. What happens though if the company does not have sufficient assets? Can you also sue the individual who owns the company? The answer is somewhat complicated.
Read MoreWhether you are planning to purchase land, considering building on land you already own, or are planning to sell land, it is imperative that you are aware of any legal restrictions that may affect your rights to the land. One such restriction is an easement. Most developed land is subject to one or more easements and some undeveloped land may even me subject to an easement. It is important that you understand what an easement is and how it can impact your ability to use the land.
Read MoreDeciding to resign, or quit, a job is usually a decision that is only made after careful contemplation and a weighing of all the factors involved. If you work for an employer that routinely gives bonuses to employees you may include issues related to your bonus in those factors. Specifically, you may be wondering “Can I get my bonus after I quit?” Despite the fact that this is a relatively common question posed by employees, there is not always a clearly defined answer. The Pennsylvania Wage Payment and Collection Law, however, does provide some guidance on the issue.
Read MoreBoth federal law and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act prohibit sex-based employment discrimination. Sex discrimination involves treating someone (an applicant or employee) unfavorably because of that person's sex and applies to all facets of employment, including the hiring process. As such, if an employer made a decision not to hire you based on your answers to the question regarding your childcare arrangements that decision would likely qualify as sex discrimination.
Read MoreWhen the owner of real property fails to pay the tax obligation on the property the tax authority may eventually have the right to foreclose on the property. At the end of the foreclosure process the property will be sold at a tax sale. Whether you are a property owner, a lien holder, or a potential purchaser you may wish to know how tax sales work in Pennsylvania. In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania there are actually two different types of tax sales – the “Upset Tax Sale” and the “Judicial (Free and Clear) Tax Sale” – both of which are conducted like any other auction with the highest bidder “winning” the property.
Read MoreA lien attached to real property can create an issue when the owner of the property wishes to sell the property because liens must be satisfied before, or during, the sale of the property. All liens, however, are not created equally. Liens are paid according to their priority. If you are a creditor who currently has a lien against a property, or who is planning to attach a lien to a property in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania you may need to know the rules that control lien priority in Pennsylvania.
Read MoreWhether you are purchasing a “starter home” or investing in commercial real estate, the amount of money that is involved will be substantial. Additionally, you will likely be making a long-term financial commitment to repay that money. With such a large amount of your hard earned money on the line you clearly do not want to make a mistake – and mistakes can happen during the sale and transfer of real property.
Read MoreOne of the biggest concerns when you purchase real property is that the title conveyed to you is free and clear of liens and other encumbrances. Typically, a buyer purchases title insurance to protect against defects in the title. Be aware, however, that a title insurance policy is not an absolute guarantee that you will receive a clear title because there are limits and exclusions with title insurance.
Read MoreFor most people, purchasing a home will be the single most expensive purchase they will make during their lifetime. Along with being expensive, a home is a long-term commitment in terms of time and energy. With all of that in mind, it only makes sense to make sure everything relating to the purchase of the home goes as smoothly as possible. It also means you should take all of the steps available to protect your investment. Purchasing title insurance is one of those steps. Although you have likely been told you need to purchase title insurance, you probably have very little idea of exactly what is included in your commitment.
Read MoreOwning a home has long been part of the “American Dream.” The home buying process, however, can sometimes seem like a bad dream without the right people helping you and explaining the process along the way. Because few people have the funds to pay for a home purchase outright, the vast majority of buyers obtain a mortgage loan to finance the purchase. Typically, a buyer will start working with a lender weeks, even months, before the actual purchase occurs to ensure that the lender is willing to lend the necessary funds. What happens though is the lender wants to change the terms of the mortgage loan before closing? Can they do that?
Read MoreWorkers in the United States are protected from discriminatory as well as unfair employment practices by numerous state and federal laws. One specific type of workplace practice that workers are protected from is “harassment.” How is workplace harassment defined though? Most people have some idea what the word “harassment” means to them; however, “harassment” in the legal context is not necessary used the same way as it is in everyday conversation.
Read MoreIf you are a small business owner, or own an interest in a larger enterprise, you will likely be involved in litigation at some point. It is very rare for a business owner to remain in business for long without facing some type of legal dispute. The longer you are in business, the better the odds that you will be named as a party to some type of commercial litigation.
Read MoreAlthough many companies have some type of non-fraternization policy that prohibits personal relationships among employees, workplace romances are extremely common. It is easy to understand how you could develop more than a business relationship with someone with whom you work closely day in and day out over a long period of time. Whether or not you are violating a company policy is only one possible problem if you do enter into a personal relationship with someone from work.
Read MoreFor the average person, purchasing a home will be the largest and most important investment they ever make. It can also be a confusing and stressful process given the complexity of the transactions involved and the importance of the outcome. Prospective home buyers are required to navigate a seemingly endless number of steps before they finally become a homeowner. A buyer also typically commits to repaying a sizeable mortgage loan as part of the home buying process. Relying on professionals to assist throughout the home buying process certainly helps; however, as recent scandals have proven, even well-known individuals and institutions in the financial industry are not always above reproach.
Read MoreIn the United States, employees are protected in the workplace by a variety of local, state, and federal laws against discriminatory and fair, and unsafe, employment practices. If you are a Pennsylvania worker you should have at least a basic understanding of the employment law regulations that govern you and your workplace.
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