It has been fifty years since the District of Columbia (“DC”) enacted laws governing debt collection, and lawmakers felt it was time for a change. A big change, in fact. From the original title of DC Law 28-3814, which was simply, “Debt Collection,” emerged a compassionately named enactment called the “Protecting Consumers From Unjust Debt Collection Practices Amendment Act of 2022.” Yes, that’s quite a mouthful, and reducing it to an acronym doesn’t help: PCFUDCPAA. Nevertheless, this reformation of the…
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Happy Holidays! Setliff Law is proud to help our clients solve unique problems nationwide. Sometimes, though, we see issues that pop up with some regularity, especially around the holidays. With that in mind, and in the spirit of giving, here are some common questions from clients that we’ve had the pleasure of answering during Christmases past. “Last year, one of our guests – my grandmother, actually – had her fill of eggnog at our family holiday party. She tried walking…
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Well, it has finally happened. After being the very last state in the nation not to allow an appeal of right in civil cases, Former Governor Ralph Northam signed Senate Bill 1261 (“S.B. 1261”) into law. Under S.B. 1261, as of January 1, 2022, civil litigants now have the right to appeal final judgments from the Circuit Court to the Virginia Court of Appeals. Formerly, if a civil litigant was unhappy with the ruling of a Circuit Court which was…
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For the average American, which most likely means you, the largest asset and most consistent form of wealth generation is your home. However, when it comes time to make home repairs, most people do not take the necessary, and simple steps to protect it. So, how do you hire the right contractor and if you didn’t hire the right contractor, what do you do next? In Virginia all contractors must possess a license issued by the Board of Contractors. This…
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Are you a manufacturer that wants to sell a new motor vehicle or trailer that you manufactured? Generally, in Virginia, you must sell through a dealer licensed by the Virginia Motor Vehicle Dealer Board. However, when a manufacturer wants to sell a new vehicle or trailer directly to consumers in Virginia, being both the manufacturer and the dealer, the task is a little more complicated. Virginia law makes it unlawful for any manufacturer of motor vehicles, motorcycles, trailers, or recreational…
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Most commuters like me don’t particularly like paying tolls, even if we know the important role that the tolls serve in funding road construction and maintenance. Every morning when it is time for me to leave for work, I pull a traffic map up on my phone and look at my options. Do I pay a toll to use a road that shaves up to 10 minutes off my drive, or do I take a longer route and pocket the…
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Setliff Law is pleased to announce it has again received national and regional recognition by U.S. News - Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” in 2023. The firm is ranked nationally in two tiers and regionally (Richmond metropolitan area) in a total of five categories: National Tier 2 Railroad Law National Tier 3 Mass Tort Litigation/Class Action - Defendants Metropolitan Tier 1 Mass Tort Litigation/Class Action – Defendants Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants Railroad Law Metropolitan Tier 2 Transportation Law Metropolitan…
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Assignments for the Benefit of Creditors (“ABCs”) are state law alternatives to bankruptcy that trace their roots back to English common law. ABCs are used frequently in some states, such as California, Florida, and Illinois, and infrequently or rarely in other states, including Virginia. While similar to Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings, ABCs must be approached with care due to the lack of formality that governs the administration of the assignor’s assets. What is an ABC? In concept, a corporate ABC…
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Possession and use of marijuana has been legal in Virginia for the last year, and yet, the status is still subject to strange standards and potentially striking penalties. As many may recall, back in 2021, the possession of marijuana was largely decriminalized; making it legal to possess a small amount for personal use, and even making it legal to give to other adults and grow your own plants. However, around the same time as all of these laws coming into…
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The need to have your vehicle towed is rarely a pleasant experience and always an expensive one. Even an honest towing company’s invoice can be an inconvenient and sometimes distressing expense. Towing fees, and the laws that govern the towing industry, typically are not conversational topics at social events or around the dinner table, and in fact, such subjects may not ever cross one’s mind until faced with a towing need, followed by an unwelcome invoice. Yet, a 2018 survey…
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