Philadelphia Criminal Defense Law Blog

Addressing a neighbor who creates a nuisance in Pennsylvania

On behalf of Kenneth L. Baritz & Associates, P.C. on Saturday, July 20, 2019.

There's a famous old saying that Robert Frost once used as the basis for a narrative poem that good fences make good neighbors. In Frost's poem, he implies that fences don't necessarily impact a neighborly relationship, but it doesn't take a social scientist to understand why boundaries and barriers benefit people who live in close proximity to one another.

Whether you live in a condo that shares a wall with someone else or you have a stand-alone home, the people who live close to you can directly impact both the property value of your home and the quality of your life. When your neighbor becomes a nuisance, it may be time to sit down with a Pennsylvania real estate attorney to talk about your rights as a homeowner.

Your estate plan should address health issues, not just death

On behalf of Kenneth L. Baritz & Associates, P.C. on Thursday, July 18, 2019.

Estate planning is an important decision-making process that many people delay. Even those who have taken the time to create a last will may not have spent adequate time attending to other potential future needs. Creating a comprehensive estate plan beyond just a last will offers you the most protection and peace of mind.

For example, creating a trust can help you structure an inheritance for an heir whom you know doesn't make good financial decisions. You can also create a special needs trust for a child with a severe physical or mental disability. However, we shouldn't just think of other people when you plan for the future.

Reduce the impact of a DUI on your business

On behalf of Kenneth L. Baritz & Associates, P.C. on Thursday, June 20, 2019.

You run a successful business in your area, but you made the mistake of driving while intoxicated and got caught. Now, you're not only worried about the fines and penalties that come with a DUI, but also the potential for customers to avoid your business.

Socially, a DUI is extremely damaging, because it makes you look like you don't care about the safety of those around you. It shows recklessness and may even draw questions about your relationship with alcohol.

A breath test can be wrong: Here's how

On behalf of Kenneth L. Baritz & Associates, P.C. on Tuesday, May 21, 2019.

You left a party in Philadelphia and decided to drive home. You didn't have much to drink, so you decided it was safe to go back yourself without hiring a taxi or asking someone else to take you home.

On your way, you had to swerve to avoid something on the road. Moments later, you saw the red and blue lights of the police. You pulled over, and, as expected, they believed you had too much to drink.

Could an incentive trust give your more peace of mind?

On behalf of Kenneth L. Baritz & Associates, P.C. on Sunday, April 21, 2019.

The people we love can go through very difficult times. Sometimes, the kinds of support they think they need aren't actually what will benefit them the most. It can be difficult as a parent or grandparent to watch the children you love struggling with issues like a destructive marriage or a damaging addiction.

You want to offer support, but you don't want to enable dangerous and unhealthy behaviors. You will likely take steps every day to protect your loved ones from themselves. If you intend to include a struggling loved one in your estate plan, you may worry about what an inheritance could do to them. A lump sum could be dangerous in the hands of someone with an addiction or gambling problem.

Why work with an attorney to evict your problem tenant?

On behalf of Kenneth L. Baritz & Associates, P.C. on Friday, April 19, 2019.

The rental market can be fiercely competitive, even when it seems like there is a housing shortage. When you manage to place a tenant in your property, you likely hope that they will stay there a long time. Landlords incur substantial expenses attempting to attract the best applicants for vacant units.

Unfortunately, people aren't always the way they appear on paper. Also, circumstances can change, leaving a tenant unable to pay or behaving in an undesirable way. The need to have stable income from tenants can inspire some landlords to overlook questionable behavior, such as damaging the property or not paying rent on time.

Commercial litigation: Disputes are sure to arise in business

On behalf of Kenneth L. Baritz & Associates, P.C. on Wednesday, March 20, 2019.

Commercial litigation is a broad term that refers to any kind of dispute that comes up in business. That means that you could need help with commercial litigation if you work with an employee who violates their contract, a third party who doesn't hold up their end of agreements or others.

Whether you have partnership disputes, shareholder problems or a breach of contract to deal with, you will likely need to work with an attorney to resolve the issues that have come up.

Your business could be impacted by your DUI

On behalf of Kenneth L. Baritz & Associates, P.C. on Thursday, February 21, 2019.

As someone who runs a business, your biggest question is if a DUI will affect your business or not. You didn't expect to get a DUI, but you were pulled over after a night out with friends, and you were slightly over the limit.

While you still have a chance to defend yourself, the biggest question on your mind is if this DUI will affect your business moving forward. The answer is: possibly.

It’s easy to make these estate planning mistakes

On behalf of Kenneth L. Baritz & Associates, P.C. on Wednesday, January 23, 2019.

Many people go into the process of estate planning with the idea that they simply want to get it out of the way. They don't care to learn more about the difference between wills and trusts. They don't care to think about what will happen to them in the event of incapacitation.

While it's okay that you don't want to spend too much time on the estate planning process, you can't put it on the backburner and hope for the best. Doing so can result in a variety of mistakes that cause trouble for you and your family now and in the future.

You have a right to fight any DUI charges you face

On behalf of Kenneth L. Baritz & Associates, P.C. on Tuesday, January 22, 2019.

As a business professional, the last thing you want to have staining your name is a DUI. Unfortunately, you did make a mistake and drove home from a party while slightly intoxicated. You don't believe that the officer who pulled you over had an accurate Breathalyzer, though. The first reading was .08, but the second was only .05.

Your concern is that you are going to end up with a DUI despite faulty equipment and the knowledge that you didn't drive recklessly. You were stopped for a tail light burning out, not for being reckless. Today, you're concerned that you're going to lose clients and have a damaged reputation because of a series of misunderstandings.

Diligent. Dedicated. Prepared.