Author Archive

“My House Was Sold at an Upset Tax Sale”: What To Do?

access_time Posted on: September 19th, 2024

You are a Pennsylvania property owner and you have just received a notice that your property was sold at an upset tax sale… now what? You are now faced with the reality that you will be stripped of your interest in perhaps the most valuable asset you own – your real property – which was sold to the highest bidder at upset tax sale, likely for a price beneath its fair market value. While these circumstances are no doubt upsetting (upset tax sales are aptly-named) and hard to understand, Attorney John R. Wilson of CGA Law Firm has substantial experience… read more »

Green Acres: Pennsylvania’s ACRE Law and How It Helps Farmers

access_time Posted on: March 26th, 2024

The agriculture industry represents a critical component to a thriving Pennsylvania economy. Currently, Pennsylvania’s Department of Agriculture estimates that farmlands occupy 7.3 million acres of land across the state. This means that farm lands constitutes twenty-five percent of Pennsylvania’s  total land mass!! Agriculture contributes $132.5 billion to the economy each year, and one out of every ten jobs in Pennsylvania belongs within the agriculture industry. The significance of agriculture in Pennsylvania truly cannot be overstated. The significance of agriculture also renders it worthy of protection. The agriculture industry receives protection from all three branches of the Pennsylvania government. The General… read more »

Supreme Court Hears Arguments on Biden Administration’s Student Loan Forgiveness Plan

access_time Posted on: February 28th, 2023

Today in our nation’s capital, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in relation to the Biden administration’s student loan forgiveness plan (hereinafter, the “Plan”). The Court heard arguments in two different cases – Biden v. Nebraska and Department of Education v. Brown – both of which involve similar yet distinct factual backgrounds and issues of law that will impact the very future of this debt cancellation. While the Court will not reach a final decision on these cases for another several months (many experts predict late June of 2023), today’s events provided a “sneak-preview” of where the Court is likely… read more »

Clean and Green Program: Consequences for Changes in Ownership or Use

access_time Posted on: January 23rd, 2023

Generally speaking, Pennsylvania (and York County specifically) is renowned for its rich agricultural history and diligent land preservation. In the last half-century, perhaps the most substantial contributor to this heritage is the “Pennsylvania Farmland and Forest Land Assessment Act of 1 974,” also known as the “Clean and Green” Program. This legislation was passed in response to the economic realities and difficulties confronting Pennsylvania farmers during the 1970s. Difficulties confronting Pennsylvania farmers at this time included low prices for farm output, low yields, high labor costs, and burdensome taxes. The enactment of the Clean and Green Program was designed to… read more »

Can State Medicaid Programs “Recover” a Victim’s Future Medical Expenses?

access_time Posted on: January 10th, 2022

On January 10th, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments on the Gallardo v. Marstiller case. The Court’s decision in this case will impact whether a state Medicaid program can seek reimbursement for past medical expenses from the portion of a tort recovery designated for the beneficiary’s future medical expenses. In 2008, Petitioner Gallardo—a thirteen-year-old student who lived in Florida—was struck by a truck after her school bus dropped her off after school. As a consequence, Petitioner Gallardo suffered debilitating physical injuries and brain damage. To this day, Petitioner Gallardo remains in a vegetative state.  In response, Petitioner Gallardo’s parents brought… read more »

UPDATE: COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan Policy Changes

access_time Posted on: September 17th, 2021

Small Business Owners and COVID-19 The COVID-19 pandemic has affected every one of us—but perhaps none more so than small businesses owners. A May 2020 study, conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management, reported that 42% of small business owners had to close their business as a result of the pandemic and that 62% of small businesses experienced a decrease in revenue. In November 2020, Vice President Harris acknowledged these bleak circumstances by confirming that one in four small businesses in the US have closed due to COVID-19. Over the last year and a half, the federal government has… read more »