This will be a three part blog series on the requirements for obtaining a variance in Massachusetts. This first post concerns the first (and often most consequential) variance criterion: a showing that the property has unique conditions. Overview of Variances more »
I often get consultation requests from adult children whose parents are facing foreclosure. As if foreclosure is not stressful enough already, the potential foreclosure for one’s parents is particularly difficult. Elderly parents facing foreclosure is a sensitive topic that requires more »
Massachusetts heavily regulates security deposits for residential tenancies. The law covers nearly every aspect of the acceptance, holding, and return of a security deposit. Security deposit violations can occur in many ways. The penalties for not complying with this law more »
Like most states, zoning decisions in Massachusetts are primarily made at the local level through municipal boards. One of the most common types of zoning decisions are requests for variances. While a municipal board (commonly called the zoning board of more »
Being a Massachusetts landlord isn’t easy. Our state has extensive regulations on the landlord-tenant relationship, and many laws in favor of tenants. Here, I want to share three tips for Massachusetts landlords that can help avoid legal problems down the more »
April is going to be a busy month for me. In a rare case of bipartisanship, a group of Republican and Democratic Senators (who have been in Washington D.C. for over twenty years) have hired me to file an adverse more »
Whenever I meet with a potential client, I always ask a critical question: what is your goal for my legal representation? In other words, if I take your case, what do you want to get out it? This question is more »
I recently settled a case involving a fence dispute between two neighbors who weren’t getting along. Fence disputes, believe it or not, are among the most common types of boundary disputes and most often arise when a property owner seeks more »
The Appeals Court issued a decision this week concerning an important topic for Massachusetts foreclosure law: who can foreclose in Massachusetts? The decision, Mitchell v. U.S. Bank National Association, is included below. Background In this case, two homeowners challenged the more »
The First Circuit Court of Appeals issued a noteworthy decision earlier this month about one of the required notices for a Massachusetts foreclosure. The decision, Thompson v. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., is included below. Foreclosure Notice Requirement – “Paragraph 22” more »
