Posts by John Tarley:
- Before the hearing, the Board
- did not attempt to settle reasonably;
- did not explain variance procedure; or
- did not properly send notice of violation or opportunity to cure.
- During the hearing,
- The Board was disorganized;
- A Board member was rude;
- The Board was not prepared for the hearing;
- The Board did not give owner time to gather/present case; or
- The Board did not view property/alleged violation.
- After the hearing,
- The Board did not give valid reasons for decision; or
- The penalty was unreasonable.
Update for Limited Liability Companies: What happens to Membership Interest when a Member Dies?
October 30th, 2014We blogged about the Virginia Supreme Court case of Ott v. Monroe. In that case, the Court ruled that when a father, in his will, assigned his majority interest in a limited liability company to his daughter, he only assigned a profit interest, not a control interest. Consequently, his daughter did not have the authority to “run” the company, absent the consent of the remaining LLC members.
In its 2013 session, the General Assembly modified the relevant LLC statutes in an attempt to overturn the Virginia Supreme Court’s decision. This blog post examines the new statute, and how it may impact your limited liability company.
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What are Condominium Instruments?
October 30th, 2014In our last blog we discussed Governing Documents for homeowners associations. Condominium communities also have governing documents. However, the terminology we use to refer to these documents is “Condominium Instruments. “
What comprises the Condominium Instruments?
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Another Thanks to Construction Law Musings – HOAs and Construction Defects
October 30th, 2014Richmond Construction Law attorney Chris Hill, my friend and colleague, permitted me another opportunity to blog at his award-winning blog Construction Law Musings. Chris is an outstanding Virginia attorney, and his blog is a great source of information on construction law, including the intricacies of mechanic’s liens. You can also follow him on Twitter, @ConstructionLaw.
Chris has a regular feature called “Guest Post Friday” in which he invites other bloggers to contribute to his Musings. For this blog, we wrote a post exploring the statutory warranties, provided in Va. Code § 55-79.79 of the Condominium Act, that require the Declarant to warrant “all of the common elements for two years.”
Here’s a brief excerpt of the post:
When either a commercial or residential condominium development nears the time of automatic transition, the developer and the owners face many challenges. The developer, or “Declarant,” must transfer responsibility for management, enforcement of the Condominium Instruments, and finances, amongst other responsibilities, to the new owner-controlled Board of Directors. With the pending departure of the Declarant, owners can become concerned about possible construction defects with the common elements. This blog post discusses the process and responsibilities under the statutory warranties provided by the Virginia Condominium Act.
Read the complete blog at Construction Law Musings, as well as many other informative posts on Chris’ outstanding blog. Thanks again, Chris!
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Pesticides, Fungicides, and Herbicides: Why do Virginia HOAs need to know the difference?
October 30th, 2014There are many issues that confront your common interest community as its board of directors and management company work hard to maintain the HOA. One issue that has recently come up is the need to be knowledgeable about the chemicals an HOA applies to its common areas.
The Property Owners’ Association Act in Virginia Code § 55-510.3 and the Condominium Act in Virginia Code § 55-79.80:01 both require that an association post notice of all applications of pesticide in or upon the common areas/elements. This notice must be provided by conspicuous signs placed in or upon the area where the pesticide will be applied, at least 48 hours prior to application. This blog post analyzes one particular question that an association should consider when applying chemicals to its common areas: What is a pesticide?
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Simple Tips for Effective HOA Due Process Hearings
October 30th, 2014This blog post focuses on addressing one major source of discontent in community associations: due process hearings for alleged violations of the community’s governing documents or condominium instruments.
Homeowners want fairness
Complaints about HOA due process hearings can be split into at least three different categories:
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In litigation, you can’t always get what you want (especially if you don’t ask)
October 30th, 2014It’s a fundamental rule in Virginia that the Plaintiff (the person filing a lawsuit) can only recover the relief requested in the Complaint. In a recent unpublished decision, the Virginia Supreme Court reaffirmed the requirement that a party can only get relief if they ask for it.
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Neighbor Law: Tips for Avoiding Boundary Line Disputes
October 30th, 2014Few real estate topics cause more disputes between owners than those involving activities at a common boundary. We have reviewed boundary line disputes involving trees that straddle property lines and fences that encroach upon boundary lines.
A recent Portsmouth case highlights another issue relating to boundary lines.
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What Should You Expect From Your Attorney?
October 30th, 2014I read a recent article in the ABA Journal that differentiated between the teaching of “issue spotting” versus “problem solving” in law schools. This article strikes at the core of the services we provide as attorneys. We believe firmly that although it is our responsibility to help identify potential issues that you may face, our legal advice is fully realized when we help you solve your problems.
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Real Estate Listing Agreements are Contracts – Do you know your rights and obligations?
October 30th, 2014No sooner had we posted our blog article on the enforceability of listing agreements even when they are not in writing, another recent case came to our attention. This case is from the New Kent County Circuit Court. This case is another example of the increasing acrimony between sellers and brokers in a tight real estate market.
Listing Agreements
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Builders and Owners: Have your residential construction contract reviewed before you sign it
October 30th, 2014
Construction litigation has become a time-consuming and expensive area of legal practice. Even in residential construction, attorney and expert fees, and other costs of the lawsuits can rise high into five figures. Unfortunately, in many instances, better planning and attorney review at the beginning may have prevented the bitter litigation that ensued.
Construction Contracts
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