In Business Privilege Tax Case, Court Confirms Phoebe Services Not Liable
In a case regarding business privilege tax, the Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas found in favor of Fitzpatrick Lentz & Bubba (FLB) client Phoebe Services, Inc. and established on appeal that Phoebe Services, Inc. is not liable to the City of Allentown (the City) for the tax. In late 2019, FLB Shareholder and Chair […]
Pennsylvania’s Judicial Emergency to Cease as of June 1
On May 21, 2020, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court issued an Order declaring that the previously established judicial emergency in Pennsylvania will cease after June 1, 2020. However, the Court also ordered that previously entered judicial orders in the intermediate appellate courts and local courts shall remain in full force and effect until they expire by […]
Webinar – Reopening Your PA Physician Practice: Challenges and Opportunities
These are incredibly challenging times. Soon, practices across the state of Pennsylvania will be expanding their services and facing a “New Normal”. How do you “reopen” for your patients? Your staff? Your families? Yourselves? Maraleen Shields, Shareholder in Fitzpatrick Lentz & Bubba’s Litigation & Healthcare Groups will join Tonyehn Verkitus, Executive Director of the Lackawanna […]
PA Governor Signs Order Providing Protections Against Foreclosures & Evictions
On May 7, 2020, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf signed an executive order to create and extend protections to property owners and tenants throughout the Commonwealth from the latent economic impacts of the state-wide lockdown in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the executive order builds on a Pennsylvania Supreme Court order that closed court eviction […]
Update on PA Courts & Closures
On Tuesday April 28, 2020, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court updated its previous Orders, directing that the previously declared judicial emergency is extended through June 1, 2020. However, the Court also ordered that, beginning on May 4, 2020, the Courts shall be open to conduct business. At the same time, the Order directs that in-person access […]
Construction Sites to Reopen on May 1 – Guidance for the Construction Industry
Under new guidelines issued by the Wolf Administration in Pennsylvania, construction projects can reopen this Friday, May 1, 2020, as long as they observe social distancing rules. Previously, the Governor had ordered most construction projects to temporarily close down unless they were supporting life-sustaining businesses or were granted an exemption from the general “stay at […]
Pennsylvania Supreme Court Closes Courts to the Public Statewide (April 1)
On Wednesday, April 1, 2020, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court updated its order directing the closure of all state Courts, beginning at the end of the day, Thursday, March 19, 2020 and is now “extended through April 30, 2020.” This closure includes not only stays of all trials, but also all in-person pretrial conferences, hearings, and […]
Court Dismisses Claims Against City Arising from Fatal Traffic Accident
On March 24, 2020, the Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas granted summary judgment in favor of the City of Allentown, and dismissed plaintiff’s claims alleging the existence of a dangerous intersection. The case arose out of a tragic accident in 2015 in which the plaintiff’s car was struck by another vehicle driven by an […]
COVID-19 Guidance for Commercial Landlords
The impact of COVID-19 continues to be felt throughout the economy, with a collapse of demand in basically every consumer-facing industry, including restaurants, hotels, airlines, gas stations, and non-grocery retail stores. These problems flow through the economic food chain, with storefronts unable to pay landlords, who in turn have trouble paying their lenders. They may […]
Third United States Judicial Circuit Courts are Open and Operational (March 20)
The Third Circuit Court of Appeals has reported that all courts within the Third United States Judicial Circuit are open and operational, despite a curtailment of certain court functions and the closure of several court facilities. The Third Circuit encompasses Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and the Virgin Islands, and includes the federal district and bankruptcy […]