Why is privilege so important in civil cases? First, let’s consider what can happen to you without a privilege applying. Danger of Sharing Information With Anyone When you become involved in a civil lawsuit — or any potential claim — emotions often run high. It’s natural to…
The Need For Expert Evidence. Case Destroyer?
The Challenge of Expert Evidence The need for expert evidence can present an insurmountable obstacle to recovering money for a civil claim for damages in Pennsylvania. In every such claim, you need to show that the defendant’s conduct caused the harm you suffered. In most cases, courts require proof of…
Franchisor Responsibility For Franchisee’s Driver’s Negligence
Domino’s Liable for Franchisee Driver’s Crash Let’s say you’re involved in a car accident, and you expect the other driver at fault to pay. But the driver lacks adequate insurance. What additional parties can be responsible to pay for negligence? Worse, you only have two years to file suit for…
Getting (or Opposing) a Preliminary or Special Injunction
What is a Preliminary or Special Injunction? A preliminary injunction is defined as temporary relief granted by the courts to maintain the current situation prior to a full trial. Typically, this involves requesting a court to prohibit an opposing party from taking specific actions or continuing with their current course…
Using AI (Artificial Intelligence) For Litigation. Smart?!
The Use of AI for Legal Work Product Artificial intelligence (AI) helps us gather, simplify, and understand information about complex subjects, such as the laws and legal system. For example, some rely on Google AI search results to provide excellent summaries of the law, mainly for educational purposes. Others rely…
Surprise! A “Board” Will Decide Your Court Case
Understanding the Board of Claims If you think you can sue the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania — or one of its agencies or universities — in court, for breach of contract, think again. It doesn’t matter if you’re a building contractor, constructing a new building for a state university. Or you’re…
Pittsburgh Lawyer for Local Counsel in Western PA
Finding a Pittsburgh Lawyer as Local Counsel If you need local counsel in Pittsburgh to help you Pennsylvania, you’ve come to the right place. We have over 29 years of experience helping both Plaintiffs and Defendants in civil cases in state and federal courts, as well as in mediation….
Give a “Statement” in PA? | How to Respond (Or Say Nothing)
An insurance company, lawyer, or other party investigating a civil case may ask for your statement as to something you’ve seen or heard. So then you wonder: How do I respond? What are the consequences of giving a statement? You may have heard the expression “anything you say can be…
Contemplating a Change?
Think you might fire your current legal representative and retain a new one? You, the client, have the right to the representative of your choice. And sometimes, after working with a particular attorney, you may develop second thoughts. Below, we provide answers to Frequently Asked Questions: When should I fire…
Judge Orders Builder to Pay $318K (Attorney Fees)
It’s often a long-shot in PA to get the opposing party to pay your attorney fees for civil litigation. Ordinarily, each party pays their own attorney fees in Pennsylvania. Only two exceptions exist. The first: the parties have agreed — via a contract — that one party must pay the…
