Hummel, Lewis & Smith, LLP

It is Friday. Here is a lawyer joke to lighten the mood. Have a nice weekend everyone. A lawyer dies and goes to Heaven. There must be some mistake, the lawyer says. I’m too young to die. I’m only 50. Fifty? says Saint Peter. According to our calculations, you’re 85. How’d you get that? the lawyer responds. St. Peter replies: We added up your time sheets.

A friendly PSA from our firm: Many drivers find themselves in situations where they wave another vehicle or a pedestrian to cross an intersection or proceed through a line of traffic. The person who waves the other driver or pedestrian, essentially signaling it is clear to proceed, faces potential civil liability if an accident occurs as the other vehicle, or pedestrian, crosses the intersection or line of traffic. To protect yourself from personal liability, it is best not to wave other drivers; rather, allow the other drivers to independently make their own judgment whether to proceed.

From the PSAT news bulletin: Yesterday, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled against the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission and Pennsylvania’s local government associations by deciding that distributed antenna system (DAS) network providers such as Crown Castle and ExteNet, which provide telecommunications transport services to wireless service providers are considered public utilities under the Public Utility Code and are permitted to obtain certificates of public convenience from the PUC, access the right of way, be exempt from local zoning and exercise eminent domain. This decision does not apply to wireless service providers( AT&T Wireless, Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile, etc.) who remain not utilities.

Thank you to all of our heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our great nation. We are forever grateful.

Going through divorce rarely is as simple as dividing every asset in half. We help guide our clients, so they can get the best resolution.

We would like to wish everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous new year!

Merry Christmas everyone! We hope you all have a wonderful day with family and friends.

Happy Thanksgiving from your friends at Hummel, Lewis & Smith!!

If you are buying or selling a home, our firm has an office dedicated solely to real estate. Liz and Heather at Exact Abstract, 26 East Main Street, Bloomsburg (570-387-9359) will walk you through the process of buying, selling, or refinancing your real estate. Our staff will work to provide you with a smooth and stress free experience. If you have any questions, feel free to call Liz or Heather at Exact, or Barry or Mike at either of our law offices. You can also email us at... the addresses below. As always, thank you to all of you who have given your trust to our firm for your legal needs. Liz [email protected] Heather [email protected] Barry [email protected] Mike [email protected]

Thank you to all of veterans for your brave sacrifice and dedication to our great country. We appreciate you each and every day.

Here is a friendly PSA from Hummel, Lewis & Smith, LLP: Many sidewalks in our area have water shut-off valves that were installed by the local water company. If the shut-off valve on your sidewalk is raised, you may be held responsible, and sued, if someone trips over it and is injured. The water company that installed the valve will likely have a little known requirement (which is supposed to be shared with the homeowner) requiring the homeowner to notify the water company ...of any problems with the valve. If you fail to notify the water company that your valve is raised and therefore poses a danger to the public, the water company will attempt to pass responsibility onto you in the event of an injury. If you have a raised or otherwise dangerous water shut-off valve on your property, notify the water company, in writing, immediately. It is the water company's duty to fix the valve. Keep a copy of your notice to the water company. This will put you in a better position to avoid responsibility in the event of a trip and fall in front of your home.

We would like to congratulate our newest attorney, Rebeka Buczeskie, on passing the Pennsylvania Bar Exam. Rebeka was sworn in yesterday by the Honorable Thomas A. James at the Columbia County Courthouse, with Attorney Barry A. Lewis by her side. Rebeka will be handling a variety of legal matters for our firm, including domestic, criminal, and general civil issues. Please join us in congratulating Rebeka on her accomplishment!