Poor Richard on Courts

In my Travels I once saw a Sign call’d The Two Men at Law. One of them was painted on one Side, in a melancholy posture, all in Rags, with this Scroll, I have lost my Cause. The other was drawn capering for Joy, on the other Side, with these Words, I have gained my Suit; but he was stark naked.”

Window on a World of Law: Pitt Law School’s Jurist.

University of Pittsburgh Law School, under the direction of Professor Bernard Hibbitts, publishes this continuously updating web site that covers world-wide legal news. This ambitious project is manned by an army of student editors who follow legal developments around the world, around the clock. Of course, courts are only open in any given jurisdiction for maybe 40 hours in a week, but legal news is happening somewhere in the world every hour of every day. If you decide to check out Jurist, be prepared to learn how large and complicated the world really is.

Back Talk Requested:The Bot Salesman Makes a Sales Call.

Here’s some free advice: If you are starting up a blog and the first comment reads something like: “I was searching the web for excellent prices on v**gr* and somehow I came upon your site. Great stuff!” — SPAM IT!

Criminal Law: Is NYC handgun registration law unconstitutional?

Expect to hear more about constitutional attacks in court on gun control laws of various kinds in the future.

Criminal Law: Keeping Guns Off the Street — Guest Post by Philadelphia Lawyer and Blogger Brad V. Shuttleworth

The proposed Stop and Frisk Program, was, for the most part, a political response to the high homicide rate in Philadelphia over the past few years, with more than a homicide a day. It proposed emergency zones in the city, areas with very high levels of violent crime. In those emergency zones, it was proposed that police could stop and frisk people in those high-crime neighborhoods without articulable reasonable suspicion.

Criminal Law: New Statute Facilitates Expungement of Criminal History for Summary Offenses

Posted by Cliff Tuttle Word is that House Bill No. 1543 was signed by the Governor, amending the Crimes Code to authorize expungement of the criminal history of summary offenses, subject to conditions, exceptions, etc. There are three basic ways to qualify: 1. Turn 70 and be free from arrest or prosecution for ten years […]

Recession Comes to Biglaw. But What about Littlelaw?

National Law Blogs, called blawgs by some, have been reporting layoffs at big law firms for some time. There was one about Reed Smith not too long ago and another about Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, too. Actually, if you look around the net, you can find a report of layoffs at a large law firm just about any day of the week. Firms employ a variety of strategies and the youngest associates have not always proven to be the most vulnerable. I could spread a few links here or here, but frankly, layoff stories are pretty much the same and are starting to become very boring.

Real Estate: A Tale of Two Citadels; the fall of Guaranty Title and Trust and the Shoring up of Commonwealth and Lawyers Title.

So, Citadel GTT has fallen. Citadel LandAmerica is holding. However, if the purchase by FNF does not happen, there is speculation that Nebraska may take further action. The fact that LandAmerica lost $599.6 million in the third quarter cannot have escaped the attention of the Nebraska Insurance Commission. What happens in Nebraska could have a massive impact in Pennsylvania where there are millions of Commonwealth and Lawyers policies in force.

BACK TALK REQUESTED: THE CHUTZPAH OF SOME PEOPLE’S ZOMBIE BOTS!

Dear Comment Poster:

I am seriously thinking about suing you.

Real Estate: LandAmerica Bankruptcy — No, Not Over Claims or Market Decline; Its All About Like Kind Exchanges under IRS Code Section 1031!

But Chapter 11 offered a way out. The bankruptcy trustee would declare the obligations to the 1031 creditors (both current ones and those transacted in the past 90 days) to be “preferences” under the Bankruptcy Act and “avoid” them. With the 1031 creditors reduced to the level of the other general creditors of the 1031 company, the trustee can pay them off at the same rate on the dollar as he/she pays everybody else. Meanwhile, FNF purchases LandAm’s title insurance subsidiaries and LandAm emerges as a healthy company with other healthy subdiaries. Everyone makes out pretty well, except the poor customers who trusted LandAm 1031.

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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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