Hearings During COVID

Because COVID has not been brought under control, the Firm will not take new cases in Courts that don't allow for Zoom hearings.  

At this point, the only court I know that does not allow remote hearings is  Cobb Magistrate Court. However, call or email to confirm that your court allows for it.

The CDC Eviction Moritorium Ends December 31 (A Possible Pay and Stay Solution in Georgia)

The CDC Moritorium ends December 31st. After that date, landlords can file dispossessory actions against their tenants.  

If you want to stay in your home, the safest thing to do is to come to an agreement with your landlord to pay over time and stay. However, that may be an uphill climb to pay back rent and current rent.

A possible solution is to enter into a settlement agreement and promissory note that allows payment of back rent over 3-4 years. It would be separate from the lease and enforceable in court as a regular debt. This way regardless of additional moritoriums, any breach to that agreement could be taken to court based on the debt instrument. This added protection may encourage your landlord to let you stay another year until you get back on your feet.

Landlords are Still Blocked from Evicting Certain Tenants

 The CARES Act passed by Congress and signed on March 27, 2020, placed a moratorium on evictions for certain landlords and renters.  This protection ended July 25, 2020.  Therefore, a detailed analysis of this expired Act is not necessary.  

Approximately 1-1/2 months after the expiration of the CARES Act, the Center for Disease Controlled stepped into the landlord-tenant relationship and issued a temporary halt to certain residential evictions.  This is a broader moratorium than the CARES Act because it covers landlords regardless of whether they have a federal loan or accept VA or Section 8 tenants. Unlike the CARES Act, this moratorium allows the landlord to charge fees, penalities, or interest as a result of the failure to pay rent or other housing payment. The CDC states, it issued its moratorium to prevent the further spread of COVID-19.  Therefore, it covers residential tenants until December 31, 2020.  

The tenants must sign a declaration that states the following: 

(1) The individual has used best efforts to obtain all available government assistance for rent or housing;

(2) The individual either (i) expects to earn no more than $99,000 in annual income for Calendar Year 2020 (or no more than $198,000 if filing a joint tax return),[6] (ii) was not required to report any income in 2019 to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, or (iii) received an Economic Impact Payment (stimulus check) pursuant to Section 2201 of the CARES Act;

(3) the individual is unable to pay the full rent or make a full housing payment due to substantial loss of household income, loss of compensable hours of work or wages, a lay-off, or extraordinary [7] out-of-pocket medical expenses;

(4) the individual is using best efforts to make timely partial payments that are as close to the full payment as the individual's circumstances may permit, taking into account other nondiscretionary expenses; and

(5) eviction would likely render the individual homeless—or force the individual to move into and live in close quarters in a new congregate or shared living setting—because the individual has no other available housing options.

If you are in Cobb, Dekalb, Gwinnett, Cherokee, Clayton or Fulton Counties, and you are a tenant or small landlord, contact me with any questions by e-mail at demandingjustice@gmail.com

Employers Open Themselves Up to Reverse Discrimination Claims in this Woke Era

I've practiced employment discrimination on and off since 1986.  This new woke era is the first time I've seen employers take what appears to be blatantly racist stances.  Seminars that tout white fragility and accuse white people of being evil and unabashedly racist may be seen as racial harassment and discrimination.    

More recently, Goodyear stated masks and shirts stating "Black Lives Matter" were acceptable, while "White Lives Matter", "All Lives Matter" and "Blue Lives Matter" were unacceptable.  They have since backtracked on the "Blue Lives". Black Lives Matters, the organization, is a Marxist organization that wants to dismantle the nuclear family.  Touting a political organization or party may be harmful to the bottom line and may have some election law consequences, but it is very tangential to employment discrimination laws. 

However, the EEOC and courts may have to weigh in on zero-tolerance policies that allow employees to wear Black Lives Matter, but disallow similar attire that touts White Lives Matter or Hispanic Lives Matter or Chinese Lives Matter or All Lives Matter.  Arguably, such a policy is discriminatory or  creates a hostile work environment? If a white employee goes to HR to complain and gets fired, can he successfully file against the employer? All these questions remain open.  

If you are an employee or employer who has questions about the new woke workplace environment,  call or e-mail me. (770)367-1234 or demandingjustice@gmail.com  At the minimum, a covered employee can file a charge with the EEOC.  The charge is not public and the entire matter can be resolved at the EEOC level.

New Closure Date

My new retirement date is March 7, 2022. 

This gives me time to get through COVID delayed cases and take a very small handful of new quick landlord tenant cases.

I am available for an hour consultation, as long as you know I probably won't represent you in your case. However, if you plan to represent yourself, an hour consultation may be invaluable.

It's been great meeting and working with many folks, but of course not all. Before I get too old, I want to go back to school, refresh my business degrees, and go into the corporate nonlegal world. 

I can still be reached at (770)367-1234. My voicemail gets filled quickly. So, email me at demandingjustice@gmail.com. I check my email at least once a day.

Rent Concerns are looking for Those Hit with Job Loses

Rent Concerns Arrive with April 1

Short Lived Break/Semi-Retirement

Thanks to the Corona virus and the uncertainty in the rental market, the Firm is moving to full-time hours again on April 1 to answer your landlord tenant questions, negotiate back rent payments, and represent small landlords and all tenants in eviction matters in Magistrate Court.

For now, the hours are 11-3.

Starting April 1, the hours will be

Mon - 1:00 - 4:00

Tues - Thurs - 10:00 - 4:00 

Fri 10:00 -3:00

Weekends - Closed