Securing a loan with collateral might seem like a simple and everyday task, but even the smallest of mistakes in the process can carry severe consequences. Brent Kovach (Mr. Kovach), a shareholder in a few New Orleans French Quarter hotels, experienced the repercussions of a simple oversight when one paragraph…
In litigating claims, parties (particularly the attorneys) must exercise diligence. This means being timely when it comes to gathering evidence, complying with a court order, or filing a pleading, motion, appeal etc. In its Commentary to the Model Rules of Professional Responsibility, the American Bar Association specifically warns that procrastination…
Even if a property is zoned for commercial purposes, a city may discretionarily deny a business from buying and developing that property if the city determines it is against the public interest. The city of Shreveport, Louisiana was challenged when they denied a Dollar General’s site plan to develop a…
In joint real estate ventures, all partners are presumed to be equal unless agreed otherwise. All parties should have equal decision-making power, share equally in gains and losses, and possess equal interests in the subject property. Cooperation among the partners is essential to the success of the venture. Each person…
Louisiana law strongly encourages arbitration as a method of resolving disputes. Arbitration is a form of alternative dispute resolution whereby parties agree to be bound by the decision of neutral third parties. Arbitration promotes efficiency in dispute resolution because it attempts to resolve disputes before court involvement becomes necessary. It…
The State of Louisiana has laws in place to protect whistleblowers with legitimate claims. These laws are critical to protecting workers and promoting healthy corporate self-governance. In Louisiana, La. R.S. 23:967 protects an employee whistleblower from retaliatory actions when in good faith, the employee advised the employer of some unlawful…
Getting a judgment in your favor can often feel like a big win in court. After a judgment has been declared by the court many people believe the losing side simply gets out their checkbook and pays what they owe. While this may happen in some cases, many times after…
In a lawsuit, a client’s claims need to be monitored every step of the way. If an issue is revived in an appeal, an attorney must keep track of it and reinforce it at each new representation. If an attorney doesn’t continue to assert a claim, a court might think…
We enter into contracts all the time without putting the agreement in writing; we form contracts when we buy a cup of coffee, when we shop online, etc. Some types of contracts, however, are required by law to be in writing. Kevin and Monica Schmidt (the Schmidts) learned this the…
Sometimes even the best-planned of deals amongst parties may fall through. Parties often turn to the courts to resolve contractual disputes. When a court is interpreting a contract between two parties, it is often as simple as applying the “four corners” rule. I.e. it will not look at anything outside…