On May 30, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court issued its long-awaited opinion in Pottstown School District v. Montgomery County Board of Assessment Appeals. In a 5-2 decision, the court held that Pottstown Hospital in Montgomery...more
It has been a long-standing cardinal rule in Pennsylvania that municipal authorities were beyond the regulatory reach of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (“PUC”). ...more
In a June 13, 2025 decision, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court held that a municipality impermissibly granted conditional use approval to an oil and gas well pad and interconnect facility on tax lots that were already...more
It’s an everyday dilemma for many cyclists: Should you leave the roadway when faster-moving traffic approaches? According to a recent decision from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court (and as with many legal issues), it depends. ...more
Being a foster parent is difficult. It takes a special person to step up and step in to care for a child in need. And the process of caring for the child can be even more complicated as time progresses and court hearings...more
For a long time, psychological expenses under the Pennsylvania Support Guidelines were treated differently than other medical expenses. While “routine” or “traditional” medical expenses such as surgical, dental, optical, and...more
In a significant victory for property owners in Pignetti v. Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania has relaxed the standard for establishing that two noncontiguous parcels of...more
Key Points: Effective April 1, 2025, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania has amended Pa.R.C.P. 220.3, pertaining to voir dire of jurors....more
In a much anticipated decision, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has now defined parentage to include intent-based parentage in the landmark case Glover v Junior. Historically Pennsylvania recognizes parentage of a biological...more
In October 2024, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court adopted a series of amendments to the Rules of Professional Conduct for legal services communications. The new rule changes, which went into effect on November 14, 2024, are...more
Not everything stamped “privileged” is safe from prying eyes. The Pennsylvania Superior Court recently ruled that interview notes compiled by a sorority’s leadership after a tragic incident were not shielded by...more
In Erie Insurance Exchange v. Hannah Baluch, ___ A.3d ___, 2025 WL 22562 (Pa. Super. Ct., Jan. 3, 2025), the Pennsylvania Superior Court addressed whether an insured with her own automobile insurance policy is entitled to...more
Did you fall for the clickbait headline? No, this post does not take a shot at Pennsylvania’s highest court. Instead, here we consider the court’s practice of ordering some cases “dismissed as improvidently granted” or...more
Let’s assume you inherited a 150 acre farm in Lycoming County that has been owned by your family since 1909. In 2020, you are approached by ABC Drilling about a new oil and gas lease for the farm. You retain counsel and...more
As of December 18, 2024, The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has approved new guardianship rules, effective immediately. These changes include revisions to procedural requirements, updates to forms and new rules for guardianship...more
Released yearly in December, the American Tort Reform (ATR) Foundation publishes its annual “Judicial Hellhole” rankings for the upcoming year. The Hellholes represent the worst of the worst jurisdictions to defend tort...more
On October 24, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania issued a pivotal ruling regarding the public release of investigatory grand jury reports and the due process rights of individuals named in such reports but not charged with...more
Peer review litigation in Pennsylvania has been quiet since the Pennsylvania Supreme Court handed down the Leadbitter decision in 2021....more
In the November 2024 In-Compliance Round-Up, we cover the following: William J. McGinley, Partner at Holtzman Vogel, to Serve as Next White House Counsel - Jessica Furst Johnson: Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey wants to...more
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court recently rendered its eagerly awaited decision in Ungarean v. CNA et al., declaring that losses resulting from Covid-related governmental closure orders were not covered by business interruption...more
N.W.M. through J.M. v. Langenbach, --- A.3d --- (Pa. 2024), 2024 WL 2788173 (Pa. May 31, 2024) - The Pennsylvania Supreme Court held that a guardian ad litem (GAL), an attorney appointed to represent the legal interests and...more
Seeking to find some relief from business losses experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses turned to their property insurers for coverage for their lost income. A clear national trend emerged among courts...more
On September 26, 2024, Pennsylvania joined the majority of jurisdictions nationwide in holding that commercial property insurance policies do not cover losses caused by the government shutdown orders issued in response to the...more
Dwyer v. Ameriprise Financial, No. 2 WAP 2023 (Pa. April 25, 2024) (Op. by Wecht, J.) (Brobson, J., Concurring and Dissenting) - Following a jury trial, the plaintiffs were awarded punitive damages against their life...more
Key Points: Pennsylvania Supreme Court recently evaluated the no felony conviction recovery rule. No felony conviction recovery rule bars medical malpractice and indemnification claims brought against murderer’s medical...more