Paley Rothman shares this library of resources with clients and friends of the firm to help them stay ahead of legal and business developments and trends. Here, you will find helpful tips and tools written by our attorneys. The information in the blogs and articles is not a substitute for legal advice and should not be relied on as such. Should you have any questions or want legal advice, please contact the attorney who wrote the blog or article.
During a Special Session held May 14-16 of this year, the Maryland General Assembly passed the State and Local Revenue and Financing Act of 2012 (Senate Bill 1302), which limits application of the Maryland IDOT Exemption (Tax Property, §12-105) to Indemnity Deeds of Trust (referred to in the Bill as Indemnity Mortgages) securing less than $1,000,000.
Read More
In late April of 2012, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia ruled on a case involving claims of retaliation brought by two former deputies against the Sheriff of the City of Hampton, Va. (the Bland v. Roberts opinion can be found here). The deputies alleged that their First Amendment rights were violated and they were unlawfully retaliated against when they were terminated for supporting the Sheriff’s opponent in a recent election. Each former deputy claimed to have made protected “statements” on the opponent’s Facebook page.
Read More
On April 25, 2012, the EEOC issued updated Enforcement Guidance on employers’ use of criminal background checks to screen applicants. Citing statistics showing that blanket prohibitions on hiring those with criminal records have a disproportionate impact on minorities, the EEOC expanded the circumstances where a criminal background check policy or practice may run afoul of Title VII – creating greater risk of liability for employers.
Read More
Act fast if you are a Virginia resident planning to refinance with your existing lender. An amendment to Section 58.1-803 of the Virginia Code, which takes effect July 1, 2012, will remove a Recordation Tax exemption that currently limits the application of Virginia’s Recordation Tax to the amount of new money borrowed in a refinance with an existing lender.
Read More
The bottom line on title insurance is: “Get it or else.” Whether you are buying a house or commercial property in Maryland, the District of Columbia or Virginia, you will be asked to buy title insurance. If you are taking a loan to buy the property, the lender will require that you purchase title insurance, not to protect you, but to protect the lender. For an additional premium, you can also get your own policy from the same title insurer. If you currently own your own house or commercial property, you most likely already have title insurance, but will need to renew it if and when you refinance the property.
Read More