June 11, 2020 – COVID Relief – Mortgage and Rental Assistance Grant Program
On May 29, 2020, the Pennsylvania Legislature passed the COVID Relief – Mortgage and Rental Assistance Grant Program.
June 5, 2020 – New Guidelines on Payroll Protection Plan (PPP) Loan Forgiveness
On June 5, 2020, the President signed into law important revisions to the Payroll Protection Program, including significant changes to the requirements for PPP Loan forgiveness.
Learn more from Attorney Mary Kay Gaver and the Southern Chester County Chamber of Commerce Webinar here.
May 12, 2020 – Can My Home Be Foreclosed Upon or Can I Be Evicted from my Apartment During The COVID-19 Crisis?
Attorney Michael Louis answers questions regarding home foreclosures and evictions based on Governor Tom Wolf’s Order enacted May 7th that remains in effect until July 10, 2020.
May 12, 2020 – You Received Your PPP Loan, Now How Can You Use It?
The Payroll Protection Program (“PPP”), established under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) is designed to provide cash, in the form of a potentially forgivable loan, to enable small businesses and their employees to survive the economic devastation wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic. While we are still waiting for more definitive guidance from the government on how PPP funds can be used and will be forgiven, the following is some general guidance based on the information that has been provided by the SBA to date. Learn more from Attorney Pete Kratsa.
May 8, 2020 – Pennsylvania Grants Medical Malpractice Immunity to Doctors and Nurses Treating COVID-19 Victims
Find out who is immune and who is not from Attorney Tim Rayne.
May 8, 2020 – Report from the Bunker
Read “Report From The Bunker”, a COVID-19 update penned by Attorney Ron Nagle.
April 30, 2020 – Do the Right Thing
Advice for surviving COVID-19 from Family Law Attorney Lance Nelson.
April 24, 2020 – The Economic Impacts of COVID-19: Notes on Equitable Distribution (Part I)
This is the first in a series of articles exploring the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic crisis on the process of dividing property during a divorce, known as “equitable distribution” from Attorneys Brian Forgue and Lance Nelson.
April 23, 2020 – Governor Allows Construction to Resume May 1; New Law Tolls Time for Action on Land Use Applications
Pennsylvania’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic is constantly developing, and the recent actions below will affect construction and land use/land development applications in the Commonwealth. Click here for updates from MacElree Harvey, Ltd.’s Land Use Department.
April 23, 2020 – Domestic Violence and Protection From Abuse Laws in Delaware
Recently, there has been some discussion in the news regarding a potential uptick in domestic violence. Here are some frequently asked questions concerning domestic violence and Protection from Abuse (“PFA”) Orders. Attorney Patrick Boyer answers some FAQ’s.
April 14, 2020 – CARES Act Increases Tax Deductions for Charitable Contributions
Charitable organizations are facing significant hardships due to the COVID-19 crisis. Fortunately, the newly enacted Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”) provides new tax incentives for charitable giving, encouraging individuals and businesses to support their favorite charities during this time of need. Learn more from Attorney Tara Stark.
April 9, 2020 – How the CARES Act Impacts Your Retirement Accounts
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”) was signed into law by President Trump on March 27, 2020, primarily to assist individuals and businesses with the financial implications of COVID-19. The CARES Act includes several provisions relating to retirement plans that plan participants should be aware of, including the waiver of required minimum distributions (“RMDs”), the extension of time to make 2019 IRA contributions, and changes to the rules for early distributions and plan loans. Learn more from Attorney Tara Stark.
April 8, 2020 – Will I be Held in Contempt if I Disobey the Custody Order During a Crisis?
It depends. Attorney Patrick Boyer explains here.
April 7, 2020 – Constitutional Commotion: Governor Wolf’s COVID-19 Business Mandate
On March 19, 2020, Pennsylvania Governor Thomas Wolf ordered closure of any “place of business in the Commonwealth that is not a life sustaining business regardless of whether the business is open to members of the public.” Click here to read more from Attorney Lindsay Dunn.
April 6, 2020 – COVID-19 FAQs for Southeast PA Liquor Licensees
Attorney Matthew M. McKeon provides information from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (the “LCB”) and the issued Advisory Notice No. 26 prohibiting on-premises alcohol sales by liquor licensees as part of efforts to stem the spread of the novel virus COVID-19. Click here to learn more.
April 4, 2020 – Unemployment Compensation for Pennsylvania Business Owners: The Self-Employment Exception, The CARES Act and Beyond
In the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, Pennsylvania is seeing an unprecedented surge in applications for Unemployment Compensation (“UC”) benefits. UC benefits can provide a much-needed safety net for Pennsylvania employees who lose their income. Notably, there is one segment of this population that faces unique challenges in the current environment: individuals who occupy the roles of both owner and employee of a business. What relief can these “owner-employees” expect under the Pennsylvania UC law if their businesses can no longer afford to pay them a salary? Click here for the answer from Attorney Jeff Burke.
March 25, 2020 – Custody in the Midst of COVID-19
Navigating custody can be difficult even under the best of circumstances. As we continue to address the impact of COVID-19, cooperation between parents is essential to maintain the best interests of their children and the safety and health of the family. Read more from Attorney Ashley Stitzer.
March 25, 2020 – How Are Child and Spousal Support Obligations Affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic?
Whether you are the party paying support or receiving it, the main takeaway of this article is that support obligations remain enforceable. Click here for updates from Attorney Brian Forgue.
March 25, 2020 – Department of Labor Guidance provides an update for the Families First Coronavirus Response Act: Employer Paid Leave Requirements
March 25, 2020 – Unemployment Compensation for Pennsylvania Workers facing Reduced Hours during the COVID-19 Crisis
Pennsylvania workers who have their hours reduced by their employers due to the COVID-19 crisis may be able to collect Unemployment Compensation (“UC”) benefits. Similarly, workers who lose their jobs due to the crisis and pick up part-time work elsewhere may also be eligible for UC benefits. Whether these workers can collect UC benefits depends on how much they earn from that part time work based on something known as the Partial Benefit Credit. Click here to learn more.
March 24, 2020 – What To Do During COVID-19: Your Estate Planning
Now more than ever, it is important to review your estate plan and confirm it still meets your present intentions. Although circumstances have changed, we are still working diligently to ensure our clients can get the critical estate planning documents they need, and we have invoked the use of phone and video conferencing to meet, review, and assist clients with executing documents. Attorney’s Tara Stark and Stephen Porter outline the signing requirements for what we refer to as the critical estate documents.
March 23, 2020 – Navigating Key Contractual Provisions In The Wake of COVID-19
As a result of the economic uncertainty and instability brought about by the current pandemic, companies of all sizes have been forced to grapple with the tangible reality that they may be unable to comply with existing contractual obligations. Generally speaking, the failure to perform under a contract exposes the non-performing party to liability under the doctrines of contract law. Nevertheless, exigent circumstances, such as those currently brought about by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) may present certain exceptions that may excuse or suspend a party’s obligation to perform under a contract. Because of various disruptions to supply chains and business operations, companies have considered invoking the force majeure clauses contained in their contracts because it may not be possible for these companies to perform under their respective contracts for reasons beyond their control. Read more.
March 23, 2020 – COVID-19 Business Interruption Insurance
Business interruption insurance, also known as business income insurance, is a type of insurance that covers the loss of income that a business may suffer after a disaster. Although some business insurance policies do include this coverage, it is usually not automatically contained in every policy and the coverage provided varies widely from policy to policy. Click here to learn more from our COVID Response Team.
March 23, 2020 – A Primer on Using Forbearance Agreements During the COVID-19 Pandemic
As a result of the current economic situation caused by COVID-19, the federal government is encouraging lenders to enter into forbearance agreements with their borrowers. Many lenders and other creditors are expressing their willingness to do so. There are a number of important legal considerations that borrowers and lenders must take into account and all forbearance arrangements should be documented in a legally binding agreement. Learn more from Attorney Andrew Silverman.
March 22, 2020 – Essential vs. Non-Essential Businesses
Click here for Pennsylvania’s list of essential and non-essential businesses in response to waiver requests as of March 21, 2020.
Click here for Delaware’s list of essential and non-essential businesses as of March 22, 2020.
March 21, 2020 – Income Tax Filing Deadline Extended in PA
The Department of Revenue announced the deadline for taxpayers to file their 2019 Pennsylvania personal income tax returns is extended to July 15, 2020. This means taxpayers will have an additional 90 days to file from the original deadline of April 15. Click here for further updates.
March 20, 2020 – SBA Emergency Loan Update
We have been in touch with elected officials and local SBA lenders and wanted to provide our clients with some more detailed information about the SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, including who qualifies, loan terms and application requirements.
March 19, 2020 – Office Operations for PA Register of Wills / Orphans’ Court
Click here for continuous updates.
March 18, 2020 – Pennsylvania Judiciary Court Updates
The Pennsylvania Judiciary has provided detailed updates regarding county-by-county court operations and proceedings, click here to learn more.
March 18, 2020 – COVID-19 Emergency Families First Coronavirus Response Act
On March 18, 2020, the President signed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, an economic stimulus plan aimed at addressing the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on Americans and introducing paid sick leave and an expanded family and medical leave act to the nation’s employers. Read on to learn answers to anticipated questions regarding the legislation.
March 17, 2020 – Delaware Superior Court Suspends Jury Trials, Chancery Court Postpones In-Person Hearings
As the coronavirus threat continues, the Delaware Superior Court has suspended all criminal and civil trials through April 15 and the Chancery Court has ordered that all hearings and trials either be conducted electronically or be continued for the next 30 days. Click here for continuous updates from the Delaware Courts.
March 16, 2020 – Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Declares General Statewide Judicial Emergency
The Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania released the following information today. We encourage you to contact your attorney with any questions you may have:
“Amid COVID-19 mitigation efforts, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court today declared a statewide judicial emergency effective until April 14, 2020.
With the emergency declaration in place, county president judges are authorized to declare individual county judicial emergencies through April 14, 2020, should they deem it appropriate to protect the health and safety of staff, court users and the community.
Specifically, counties operating under local judicial emergencies shall have the authority to:
- Suspend time calculations for the purposes of time computation relevant to court cases or other judicial business, as well as time deadlines, subject to constitutional restrictions;
- Authorize additional uses of advanced communications technology to conduct court proceedings, subject to constitutional restrictions; and
- Take any action permitted pursuant to Rule of Judicial Administration 1952(B)(2), including restrictions or temporary closures of court facilities.
The emergency declaration specifically authorizes president judges to suspend the operation of Rule of Criminal Procedure 600 within a judicial district, for the length of the judicial emergency. The Supreme Court Order, however, does not affect a criminal defendant’s right to a speedy trial under the United States and Pennsylvania Constitutions.
Judicial Districts operating under the emergency declaration will arrange for the provision of essential judicial services, including arraignments and bail establishment hearings and protection from abuse act proceedings.
Additional information about the impact of COVID-19 on court operations is available online, at @pennsylvaniacourts and @PACourts.”
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