All Articles
SCOTUS Provides Pathway to Courts' Challenging Army Corps' Wetlands Calls
Access to courts to resolve disputes early on in a permitting process is critical for land use projects in terms of time- and cost-savings. In Army Corps of Engineers v. Hawkes, issued on May 31, 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court effectively agreed by rul...
Continue Reading >
Supreme Court Puts Clean Power Plan on Hold
Recently the Supreme Court, for the first time, halted the implementation of an EPA rule before review by the Court of Appeals. As reported on this blog, in August the EPA adopted rules under the Clean Air Act to ensure that by 2030, carbon dioxide e...
Continue Reading >
Does Homeownership Still Beat Renting?
Zillow, a real estate listing and analytics company, recently looked at the "break-even" time horizon for owning a house versus renting in a number of markets across the nation. "Breaking even" means the amount of time it will take for the cost of ow...
Continue Reading >
Poorly Drafted Leases Can Cause Headaches for Tenants and Landlords (Part I of II)
These 10 common problem areas can easily be avoided by paying attention to details.
It's a dangerous world out there. We cannot eliminate all risks. But a well-drafted lease can minimize risk, and a poorly drafted lease can unnecessarily create serio...
Continue Reading >
Poorly Drafted Leases Can Cause Headaches for Tenants and Landlords (Part II of II)
Continued from Part I . . .
These 10 common problem areas can easily be avoided by paying attention to details.
6. Outside the Premises
A tenant should think beyond the four walls of the premises and consider whether it needs to use any amenities,...
Continue Reading >
New Property Owners, Beware: Possible Shortened Time to Bring Defective-Construction Claims
The Oregon Supreme Court issued a decision on February 19, 2016, affirming a decision to dismiss a homeowner's claim against a builder for defective construction.
In Shell v. Schollander Companies, Inc., 350 Or 552 (2016), defendant, a builder, began...
Continue Reading >