You Can Bet Your BP.

The oil leak in the Gulf is already reached catastrophic and it is gradually dawning on the world that we do not know its potential limits. The pool of oil that is now pluming into the oceans of the world (they are all connected, you know) is incredibly large. Some estimate it is 5,000 barrels per day.

Landlord Tenant Question: Can Landlord Cancel Lease after Fire?

Q: My family lived in a rental house. There was a fire in the kitchen which totally destroyed it (the kitchen). The house is not liveable and we did not have renters insurance. We found temporary shelter, but the landlord is cancelling our lease, keeping our deposit and the payment for Mayâ€™s rent, which I had already sent him. He says he is keeping the payment to help him pay his insurance deductible, or weâ€™d have the pay out the lease for the rest of the term. Is that right or legal even. Need help quick!

Good Show, Whitelocke!

There are a lot of interesting people out there in the world. I just ran into one of them on Twitter. This morning T.B. Whitelocke of Australia, author of the book and blog “Lawmanship, 3d Edition” showed up as a follower of PittsburghLegal.

Goodbye, Old Arbitration Room.

Arbitration in the Allegheny County Court House Arbitration Room, Fifth Floor, is almost a thing of the past — almost. Landlord Tenant cases will be heard for a few days over the Summer months, but then its off to new quarters on the Seventh Floor, City-County Building in September.

Real Estate: Minding Your P’s and Q’s.

Oh, yes, by the way, you’ll be picking up the tab for extra recording fees with no extra pay.

So, as your Dad used to say: “Do it right the first time.”

According to Form

Starting today, May 26, 2010, we will all be filling out a two page cover sheet for Civil Litigation, except in the Family Division. I wish there was something interesting to say, but it is just another form containing mundane information in a format keyed for data collection. But, you can’t get past the Prothonotary […]

JERMAN V. CARLISLE: GETTING IT RIGHT ON THE LAW.

But the real question is: where is this going? Does this rule apply to averments in the Complaint? If so, what kind of averments that turn out to be mistakes of law will bring liability upon a debt collector? Must we disclose defenses? Does failure to do so constitute mischaracterization of the legal status of the debt? For example, what do you do if you know that the statute of limitations has run? Not sue at all?

What to Do on Jury Duty.

I have heard a lot of complaining over the years about how much waiting time jurors and prospective jurors must endure. The following is a suggestion. In addition to being an opportunity to meditate, Jury duty is an excellent opportunity for reading a book. During the course of the first day on jury duty, you […]

Thank You, Martindale Hubbell.

EXCUSE ME, EVERYBODY, BUT A SUSPECT IS STILL JUST A SUSPECT: LIMITING MIRANDA.

I will bet the first person to contact me with a contrary comment, a month of (modestly priced) lunches that any legislation seeking to permit a citizen to be convicted on a confession deliberately obtained without a Miranda warning will not make it past the United States Supreme Court, regardless of the ideological composition of the Court at the time.

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Welcome

CLIFF TUTTLE has been a Pennsylvania lawyer for over 45 years and (inter alia) is a real estate litigator and legal writer. The posts in this blog are intended to provide general information about legal topics of interest to lawyers and consumers with a Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania focus. However, this information does not constitute legal advice and there is no lawyer-client relationship created when you read this blog. You are encouraged to leave comments but be aware that posted comments can be read by others. If you wish to contact me in privacy, please use the Contact Form located immediately below this message. I will reply promptly and in strict confidence.

Pittsburgh Legal Back Talk

Legal topics of interest to lawyers and consumers with a Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania focus.

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