Bucks Writs - Fall 2019 - 29

"We're looking for volunteer lawyers to sign up for at least one of the hearing dates," Pierce
said. "Based on the court's past experience and some educated guesses, we expect a dozen
or so cases with unrepresented tenants on each of the hearing dates. We don't want anyone
to be unrepresented."
The pilot has been in the planning stages for the past
two years, Smolow said. It will cover six landlord-tenant
hearing dates in Magisterial District Judge Jan Vislosky's
Courtroom, 07-1-10, 7th District. Located at 9187 New
Falls Road, Fallsington, PA 19054, this Court has one of
the highest numbers of eviction hearings (900 - 1,000 per
year) in Bucks County, with the vast majority of those facing
eviction unrepresented.

signup is under way for upcoming court dates for the pilot.
Additional contacts are Ron Smolow who can be reached
at 215-579-1111 or ron@smolow.com, and Robert Kim,
LASP Staff Attorney based in Bristol, who regularly provides
representation to LASP clients in landlord-tenant cases
and plans to be available during the pilot project hearings
scheduled above to answer pro bono attorneys' questions.
He can be reached at 215-481-1111 or rkim@lasp.org.

Explained Jennifer Pierce, Esq., Pro Bono Chair for BCBA
and Managing Attorney of LASP's Doylestown office "Our
goal is to organize BCBA's volunteer resources in order to
provide free one-day representation for tenants without
counsel... By providing temporary legal representation, we
hope to enable tenants to avoid eviction while they find the
necessary financial or other means to deal with temporary
circumstances."

The BCBA gratefully acknowledges the contribution of the
Montgomery Bar Association and the Eviction Prevention &
Intervention Coalition in the preparation of CLE materials
introducing the new Bucks County pilot. 

With 26 years in the courtroom, Judge Vislosky observed
that earlier in her tenure, landlords would wait three to
four months before filing an eviction notice, giving time for
tenants to come up with back rent. But rental prices are
significantly higher these days. "Landlords no longer wait
that long," she said. Accidental illness, loss of job and loss
of hours are some reasons tenants fall behind on the rent.
"We're looking for volunteer lawyers to sign up for at
least one of the hearing dates," Pierce said. "Based on the
court's past experience and some educated guesses, we
expect a dozen or so cases with unrepresented tenants on
each of the hearing dates. We don't want anyone to be
unrepresented."
The landlord-tenant hearings are scheduled for 1 p.m. on:
Thursdays, Nov. 7 and Nov. 21; Thursdays, Dec. 5 and Dec.
19; and Thursdays, Jan. 9 and Jan 23.
For more information on the BCBA eviction prevention
program and/or to volunteer, please contact Jennifer
Pierce at 215-340-1818, ext. 205, or jpierce@lasp.org. A

FALL 2019

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Bucks Writs - Fall 2019

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