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Local governments—generally counties—impose property taxes on real estate pursuant to state law. Sometimes called ad valorem taxes, these property taxes are set based on the assessed value of the property. When a landowner does not pay their property tax, the law allows the county to foreclose on the property and sell it to another person. The purpose of this sale is to make the county whole for the tax debt. In most states, if the property sells [...]

HOW TO AVOID UNNECESSARY DENIALS OF A BUILDERS RISK CLAIM Key Takeaways: There is an increased frequency of denial of coverage for builders risk claims based on failed subjectivities and the more onerous nature of the subjectivities. To avoid this issue, those in the construction industry should: (1) confirm that all policy subjectivities can be complied with; (2) confirm each subjectivity is clear and readily understood; (3) develop procedures to confirm compliance with each subjectivity [...]

1. Is your jurisdiction a common law or civil law jurisdiction? The United States is a common law jurisdiction. The common law in the United States is comprised of both state specific rulings as well as federal jurisprudence. The federal courts are comprised of the United States district courts, courts of appeal and the U.S. Supreme Court. Each state has its own unique judicial system typically with courts of common jurisdiction, appellate courts and a [...]