I recently discussed in this space how technology has aided attorneys in their representation of the deaf. Since that time, I have received some feedback that I think is worthwhile to share. When it comes to language, while the deaf and hearing use the same written form of English, when “spoken,” American Sign Language employs very different forms of syntax, expression, word order and grammatical structure as compared to spoken English. As a result, sometimes, especially with deaf people younger than the so-called Generation X, the norms of spoken American Sign Language become intermingled with a deaf person’s written English, often ...
Being caught sleeping on the job is almost always grounds to be fired from one’s job and, as a result, being denied Unemployment Compensation; however the recent case Philadelphia Parking Authority v. Unemployment Compensation Board of Review would seem to indicate otherwise in certain circumstances. The unemployment compensation claimant in the matter-at-issue, Charlene L. Henney (hereinafter “Claimant”) worked the 3:30pm to midnight shift for the Philadelphia Parking Authority (hereinafter “Employer”). Due to the late hours, and the lack of work for her to do, she would occasionally become drowsy. In order to combat her drowsiness, she often requested additional work from ...
The civil legal system has become very costly for the average person, or the 99%ers, as I will refer to them. The Occupy movement lobbies for financial relief and assistance for 99% of Americans, as compared to the wealthiest 1% of Americans. Although small claims courts exist which have inexpensive filing fees, and do not require legal representation (although I recommend hiring a lawyer because they are still courts and involve the legal process), either party, whether victorious or not, can appeal from those decisions. The court one would appeal to is far more expensive to litigate in due to ...
The recent matter of Marcus v. PQ Corporation has seen the latest development in the application of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (“ADEA”) since the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Gross v. FBL Financial Services, Inc., 129 S.Ct. 2343 (2009). Marcus v. PQ Corp., Nos. 11-2009, 11-2006 slip op. (3rd Cir. Jan. 19, 2012), dealt with a handful of Plaintiffs who were all terminated from their employment with PQ Corporation (“PQ”) not long after PQ purchased their previous employer back in 2005. All of the Plaintiffs were over fifty-five years old at the time of their termination and, as discovery ...
This morning as I was driving by a fire station, there was a handsome young firefighter speaking to a group of small children, who were dressed neatly in white, beige and blue uniforms. They were listening to him with rapt attention and the scene was touching because it conveyed all of the joy, innocence, and enthusiasm of youth. I compared that scene to the scene in Philadelphia’s Family Court, where I spent a good part of the prior day. Hundreds of people, usually low income and minorities, spend hours and hours waiting in a large room until their cases are called. ...
In 2005, Philadelphia started its participation in the red-light camera program. Per this program, cameras have been set up at high-risk intersections in the city in order to effectively catch motorists running red lights. So far, the cameras have been set up around the city, including the intersections around City Hall and at a few intersections along Roosevelt Blvd. Presently, a debate is ongoing in Harrisburg as to whether to continue and/or extend the red-light program in Philadelphia and into about a dozen other Pennsylvania cities. There is no doubt that the red-light program has brought millions of dollars to Philadelphia ...
There is little or nothing about the law which is feely-touchy. The law is defined by rules, procedures, and a history of decisions established on a case-by case basis. There are strict deadlines set by statute and sometimes previous legal precedent, which must be met by parties who wish to initiate a lawsuit or take some other type of legal action using the court system. These deadlines are called statutes of limitation and they are usually interpreted strictly by the courts. The law isn’t concerned with whether someone knows about these deadlines, as the burden of knowing about them is ...
Recently the state legislature passed amendments (hereinafter “Amendments”) to Pennsylvania’s adoption statutes, found in 23 Pa.C.S. Section 2731 et seq, regarding post-adoption contact agreements. Understanding these amendments is crucial for any practitioner who handles adoption matters, however it should be noted that each local jurisdiction has procedural idiosyncrasies that must be accounted for when so doing. The Amendments certainly apply to adoptions to be filed going forward, but it is unclear if the Amendments apply to adoptions filed prior to the passage of the Amendments. The Amendments are designed to provide a statutory basis to create, facilitate the enforcement ...
I currently represent, and I have historically represented, many employees who work for various local and state agencies and government entities, as well as employees of Federal agencies, in employment, civil rights and pension matters. The majority of the matters involve assisting employees who are in the process of being reprimanded or removed, or alleging they have been discriminated against in some form. At any given time I have many cases of this type in progress, and within the last few years I have opposed the U.S. Postal Service, the U.S. Mint, the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of the ...
I have been a volunteer attorney for the Christian Legal Clinics of Philadelphia (CLCP) since April 2007. The CLCP states that its volunteers are “Christian legal professionals and law students called by the Word of God to do justice among the poor ... [by] provid[ing] services to low-income clients in the name of Christ." The CLCP currently has three clinic locations, each of which meets twice per month. The clinics are located at the Salvation Army facility in West Philadelphia, Sweet Union Baptist Church in West Philadelphia and Spirit and Truth Reformed Church in North Philadelphia. At each clinic, clients ...
