Questions tagged [pennsylvania]

Questions concerning the laws, criminal justice system, civil court procedures and related topics specific to the state of Pennsylvania.

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Can my landlord charge me a fee not stated in the lease? But told in text/verbally?

This is in Pennsylvania. My landlord told me, before I signed the lease, that there is a 45 dollar laundry fee every month. Ok, fine. I go to sighn the lease, and no where in the lease does it state ...
Kwy's user avatar
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9 votes
5 answers
3k views

Can a shock collar be a substitute for a leash in Pennsylvania?

In Pennsylvania, there are state laws for handling of dogs. My dog wears a shock collar, and I know that my dog will not run and will listen to me. Do I still have to have them on a leash?
Addison Nye's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
3k views

To sell a house in Pennsylvania, does everybody on the title have to agree?

In the state of Pennsylvania (USA), does every person listed as the owner on the title of a house have to agree in order for one of the owners to be able to sell the house? I've read that the law ...
Jason C's user avatar
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5 votes
1 answer
441 views

What was the basis/reasoning for Pennsylvania's Supreme Court decision to declare the state old-age assistance program unconstitutional in the 1920s?

I read that From 1918 to 1927 [Abe] Epstein served as research director of the Pennyslvania Commission on Old Age Pensions. In that capacity, he was instrumental in having the State adopt an old-age ...
Fizz's user avatar
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-3 votes
1 answer
112 views

Call from detective [closed]

say hypothetically someone committed a the crime of stealing a public sign and being publicly intoxicated under the age of 21.. The next day a detective calls asking to talk in person and says they &...
user55665484375's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
2k views

If involved in an accident, while uninsured, for which the other driver is insured, can the other insurance company turn them in?

A friend of a friend recently had this situation come up. They were driving uninsured as a result of one of their housemates having tossed the bills as they came in. They learned they were uninsured ...
SCD's user avatar
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8 votes
3 answers
1k views

What does "sign it voluntarily as my own free act" mean?

At the very end of a company's severance agreement (for laid-off employees), just before the signature box, the agreement reads (emphasis mine): I HAVE CAREFULLY READ THE FOREGOING RELEASE, FULLY ...
Jason C's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
61 views

Home repair contractor invoicing separately for costs not listed as separate in their proposal

I am located in Pennsylvania, USA and have hired a home improvement contractor to make some repairs, which they are currently in the middle of. In their proposal, which I signed and accepted, there ...
Dan C's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
78 views

How are damages calculated if replacement requires purchase of unnecessary parts?

I own a sports car and was recently rear-ended by someone who has accepted full liability. My insurance is trying to price out the repair cost of my car and assures me I will not be out of pocket ...
Nicholas's user avatar
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10 votes
2 answers
3k views

Does the death of a party involved in the execution of a will mean that they do not inherit?

A friend of mine is engaged in a lengthy probate process over her inheritance from her parents with her brother as the executor. Without getting into details of why it's been so protracted, it's been ...
SCD's user avatar
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7 votes
2 answers
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Am I eligible for unemployment benefits while waiting for a final job offer?

I was laid off for 'lack of work' earlier this week. About a day or so later I ended up accepting an employment offer from a large corporation. However, the issue is, I cannot start this job for six ...
J S's user avatar
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2 votes
2 answers
206 views

How many people must be on the board of directors of a U.S. nonprofit organization?

Non-legally-savvy individual in Pennsylvania (PA) in the U.S. here. I've been learning a little about nonprofit corporations recently, and have had trouble finding a definitive answer to the question: ...
It'sRecreational's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
215 views

How to unhire a lawyer (US)

As suggested by previous commenters here and on money.se, I hired a lawyer to help with issues with my late brother's estate, so that I could sell property we co-owned (joint with right of ...
Dev1's user avatar
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2 votes
2 answers
270 views

Taxes question and fake address

Suppose that a non US woman W is married to a US Citizen husband H. W has a green card. W and H live together in Pennsylvania. Suppose that W's parents in law (L) moved to a nearby state. Suppose ...
Liberty's user avatar
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0 votes
0 answers
662 views

How to find court records for Pennsylvania child support orders

I have been getting emails sent by the state of Pennsylvania about missed mandatory court ordered child support payments that my estranged father is apparently supposed to be making. I am trying to ...
Alan's user avatar
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19 votes
5 answers
12k views

If a person punches my wife and I am right there, do I have a right to punch that person, or use a singular subduing technique in response?

Background The other day my wife and I were ordering takeout from a restaurant. As we were leaving there was a really narrow doorway of people coming in and out. My wife, probably out of a mix of ...
isakbob's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
184 views

Can a company I've never been a customer of send me to collections?

I bought a house in PA that has a propane tank on the premises that is rented from a propane company. I got quotes from this propane company and decided not to go with them. I received a contract with ...
Sara Fuerst's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
121 views

Can a landlord ask tenants if s/he can stop paying for an unused, not in lease, security system?

Not sure if this is more of an etiquette or a legal question but... Suppose that a landlord advertised a rental property in 2020 and mentioned in the ads that it was secured by an ADT security system. ...
Runeaway3's user avatar
  • 267
1 vote
1 answer
230 views

Must bystanders do anything if they witness an ongoing rape in the Pennsylvania, United States?

I read on https://www.cbsnews.com/news/philadephia-septa-train-rain-bystanders-shouldve-intervented-police-say/: A woman was allegedly raped on a suburban Philadelphia train last week while police ...
Franck Dernoncourt's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
73 views

Finding transcripts and associated documents for late 19th century Pennsylvania Orphans Court and Supreme Court decisions

Elisabetha Dietsche was my great-great-great-great-grandmother. She lived in Elzach, Baden (now part of Germany) from 1798 to 1844. Under the law in Baden at the time, she and her partner needed ...
BrianFreud's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
43 views

Can I deduct a repair/replacement cost from my rent if the landlord endlessly stalls on fixing it?

I have been living in a townhome in Philadelphia, PA for a little over 2 months. There have been endless repairs needed on the home (all due to previous tenants/times) which the landlord has gotten to ...
Runeaway3's user avatar
  • 267
1 vote
1 answer
51 views

Can a delayed-formation of a condo association enable required back-pay of fees?

John owns a condo unit in Philadelphia, PA. This unit is part of a single building, which houses 3 total units. John owns A, Janet owns B, and Chris owns C. John and Janet both bought their units from ...
Runeaway3's user avatar
  • 267
1 vote
1 answer
62 views

Can a couple place mortgages in separate names while sharing funds?

A couple is going to get married next year. They are currently engaged and share funds between each other. The soon-to-be-husband has a mortgage in his name. Can they qualify for special programs for ...
Runeaway3's user avatar
  • 267
54 votes
3 answers
10k views

Landlord penalty for law enforcement calls

The town where we own a rental property had a meeting for landlords (by which I mean owners of rental property) recently. Those who attended reported learning that there are some new laws regarding ...
Dev1's user avatar
  • 561
3 votes
1 answer
218 views

Can I sell a rhino horn carving?

Suppose that a son inherits a rhino horn carving from his father. Assuming that the father acquired the horn without violating any laws that were in force at the time it was acquired. Can the son ...
user760783's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
127 views

Is Bill Cosby entitled to compensation under Pennsylvania law over his imprisonment?

Bill Cosby has just been released from prison after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned his conviction. As Mr Cosby spent two years in prison on the basis of an incorrect conviction, is he ...
guestpostcontroversial's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
85 views

Can I inspect my rental property in between lease terms?

I have tenants in a rental property (in Philadlephia, PA) who are going to be renewing their yearly lease. Am I allowed to request/dictate a visual inspection of the property as a conditional ...
Runeaway3's user avatar
  • 267
3 votes
1 answer
159 views

When I move to Pennsylvania, will the State Jury selection system keep track of when I was called to serve in my previous state?

Background I recently moved to Pennsylvania from Massachusetts. Three years ago in MA I was called for state jury duty. I remember the officer there explained to me that being called for state jury ...
isakbob's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
227 views

Is Barb entitled to the full calendar month of her rental apartment despite an out-of-sync 60 day notice?

In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Barb has been living in an apartment complex in which her lease is month-to-month. The rent is not prorated based on the number of days in the month; each month, ...
Runeaway3's user avatar
  • 267
1 vote
2 answers
95 views

Findings on a home inspection: No wording in agreement that I have to pay for findings. Do I need to?

We had a home inspection done, but a week before closing our buyers want an inspection and “all findings coming off of the sale price”. We have a paragraph in our Agreement of Sale that gives our ...
D D's user avatar
  • 11
2 votes
1 answer
77 views

Property held as joint tenancy with right of survivorship still needs probate?

I bought a house with my brother. The deed says joint tenancy with right of survivorship. My brother died, and I want to sell the house. The underwriter for the title company says my brother's estate ...
Dev1's user avatar
  • 561
1 vote
1 answer
175 views

What is the threshold for probable cause to run a drug-sniffing dog around a car in Pennsylvania?

What is the threshold for probable cause to run a drug-sniffing dog around a car in Pennsylvania? My husband was pulled over in Pennsylvania. There was nothing in arms reach out in plain sight to ...
Wendy Dennison's user avatar
25 votes
3 answers
6k views

Could New Jersey Really Ban Pennsylvania Drivers?

The official NJ governor account posted a tweet saying that PA drivers were banned from NJ. The tweet was an April Fools joke, but that made me wonder, could NJ really pass a law banning PA drivers? I ...
SegNerd's user avatar
  • 4,407
7 votes
3 answers
1k views

Quiet Title Action. Is this normal?

I am in the process of purchasing a home for the first time. The title has a cloud because the house was sold at a tax sale in 2018 (the owner was deceased). The guy who bought it sold it to another ...
nonremovable's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
63 views

What is the emancipation process?

I am looking into emancipation and was wondering what the process looks like. I live in PA. Any information will help.
Sarah Smith's user avatar
7 votes
3 answers
2k views

Can an estate be a beneficiary?

My uncle was one of 4 beneficiaries of a large insurance annuity held by my recently deceased grandfather. My uncle passed away unexpectedly and tragically before Christmas leaving behind his wife ...
maple_shaft's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
63 views

Can I become a resident without changing my car registration? Co-lessee and lease are in Texas; the car and I moved to Pennsylvania

Recently I moved to PA after graduating from WV. I, my car, and my car's lease (from a credit union) are from Texas. When I leased, my dad got on it with me so I could go through his credit union. He'...
Feliks Pyron's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
134 views

What does this sentence about Trump's lawsuits in Pennsylvania mean?

Source A turning point for the Trump campaign’s legal efforts came on Nov. 13, when its core team of professional lawyers saw the writing on the wall. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit in ...
Allure's user avatar
  • 2,407
1 vote
2 answers
1k views

Is it illegal to possess jiggler keys?

A friend of mine gave me his keys to his vehicle so I could clear off the front seat. My friend was not with me at the vehicle at this time, but I was taking a book bag from the front seat, moving it ...
Gavin M's user avatar
  • 21
0 votes
0 answers
115 views

Car left in storage unit

Assume that Bob owns a car that is not up to code. Because he can't fix it, he stores it in a Pennsylvanian storage location without insurance. Because Bob didn't pay that, it defaulted and the ...
GiGi's user avatar
  • 11
2 votes
1 answer
419 views

Does an HOA have a legal duty to treat all members equally?

Suppose several members of a community put up landscaping lighting along their driveway. Some time later a member files a request to place similar lighting along their own driveway, but is denied ...
Nicholas's user avatar
  • 249
5 votes
1 answer
414 views

Does an executor who is a child of the deceased have a legal right to begin processing of a property before the will is probated?

My understanding from a brief exploration of the question on the web is that the named executor of a will can't start processing the property until the will is in probate. To fill out the petition ...
SCD's user avatar
  • 848
-1 votes
2 answers
284 views

Forced arbitration with opt-out only by physical mail, can they do this?

I have an account with TruMark Credit Union. Today I received a letter telling me that unless I send them a physical letter opting-out that my right to a jury trial would be lost... can they do this? ...
user avatar
2 votes
3 answers
207 views

Would Multiple Coupons Stack or Apply Sequentially?

There is an episode of The Office where Michael gives a business five "10% off" coupons and forgets to write "Coupons cannot be combined." In the episode, the business claims they can use the coupons ...
Anon's user avatar
  • 21
1 vote
2 answers
544 views

Tow truck company claim they towed my tractor trailer but I have a video of them getting into truck and driving it, what are my options?

Background story, After making my last delivery on friday night I parked my truck with trailer on a plaza lot where my friend has a decent size restaurant, I was parked right behind his unit. On ...
Markov's user avatar
  • 23
-1 votes
3 answers
95 views

Do I have a case against my employer? [closed]

In March 2018, the financial advisor I worked with, trapped me in my cubicle and asked me if a lump in his groin area made his pants fit tighter. While pressing his pants down to show me the lump, he ...
Jennifer's user avatar
2 votes
3 answers
506 views

Landlord required to divulge tenant identity

A new law requires landlords to provide the following information about their tenants: Name Who is "head of household" Phone number Age (approximate) Then the tenant is required to go to the town ...
reserve's user avatar
  • 123
0 votes
1 answer
114 views

PA Learners Permit - Nightime Driving with Parents

I am a teen driver (still sixteen) with a Pennsylvania learners permits, and my parents and I are unsure of something. I am required so many nighttime driving hours, however, if I understand correctly,...
Ethan Manzi's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
246 views

Questions about PA Dangerous Dog Laws

I am the owner of a fear reactive/aggressive dog. I live in PA. Background I take responsibility for all that my dog does, and I'm embarrassed and mortified beyond belief when he bites other dogs. I'...
anongoodnurse's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
142 views

What can a city do for parking tickets

I have read the question and answer here: Are parking tickets enforcable But I would like to know that if a person got a parking ticket in Pennsylvania for a street sweeper violation and didn't know ...
mark b's user avatar
  • 780