Municipal meetings are where Vermont's local democracy does its most important work: adopting budgets, setting policy, hiring key staff, and responding to residents' day-to-day needs. Vermont's Open Meeting Law (1 V.S.A. §§ 310–314) exists to ensure those decisions are made transparently—so the public can observe, understand, and hold officials accountable.
A recent Vermont Supreme Court decision, Kirshon v. Abodeely-Mills, shows just how strict Vermont courts are when deciding whether a deed created a joint tenancy with right of survivorship or a tenancy in common.
Whenever someone is presented with a potential boundary dispute the first thing that should occur before doing anything is to ascertain if there is title insurance. As boundary disputes are very time intensive, boundary disputes are very expensive both in attorneys' fees and expert fees. Many title policies are enhanced policies which may cover encroachments and boundary disputes including adverse possession. Even if an owner's title policy was not purchased, ascertain if there are any mortgages on the property and if so, whether the mortgage company required a lender's title policy. Most lender's title policies have survey exceptions meaning that boundaries are insured for purposes of the lender. The mortgage company may be willing to make a claim against the title company for the boundary dispute if the value of the property may be jeopardized.
Most divorce cases involve difficult decisions about finances, homes, and children. One Vermont case reached the state’s highest court over a different question entirely: who would keep the family dog. In Hament v. Baker, a divorcing couple had resolved every other issue in their case. The only matter left for the court to decide was the future of Belle, their eleven-year-old German wirehaired pointer.
The partners at Facey Goss & McPhee P.C. are happy to announce the appointment of Heather Z. Cooper, Esq. as the new bankruptcy judge in the District of Vermont.
Many lawyers, including shareholders and associates, have joined FG&M laterally from other firms. We like to think the movement is not lateral but is upward. If you are interested in joining FG&M please send a letter of application and resume in complete confidence.
Four Facey Goss & McPhee Attorneys Named to 2022 Best Lawyers List
We've recently received the happy news that we are the Rutland Herald's Best of the Best Reader's Choice Award 2021 Winner for law firms.
In theory, Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganizations preserve businesses and jobs while maximizing creditor recoveries. In practice, this often is not the case for small and medium-sized businesses. Smaller sized businesses often file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy not to save their businesses, but rather to bring about an orderly termination. Thus, the Bankruptcy Code widely has been viewed as broken and unworkable for these types of businesses.
The linked article within this page was originally published in the Rutland Herald on August 11, 2020. It features Facey Goss & McPhee.P.C. managing partner Heather Cooper as she proudly introduces four of our firm's newest associates.
Facey Goss & McPhee P.C., a mid-sized Rutland, VT, law firm, is seeking a real estate paralegal to support our real estate group and business transactions practice areas.
Three Facey Goss & McPhee Attorneys Named to 2020 SuperLawyers List
Continuing Our Best Lawyers and Best Law Firms Tradition
Renewable Energy Vermont (REV) is now an official SEIA Affiliate
Rutland Herald's Best of the Best Reader's Choice Award 2019
Green Lantern Development and Sugarbush Resort--another great partnership by a great client.
FG&M Environmental Litigation Team Obtains Dismissal of Activists' Lawsuit Against Mosquito Control District