Legal Hotline

Q:  A board of supervisors heard testimony on a zoning application, took public comment, and then announced that they would “meet privately to discuss the application and public comment.” After the […]

Q: Can bingo and small games of chance ads include specific prizes and dollar amounts of prizes? A: Pennsylvania’s Bingo Law allows prizes and dollar value of prizes to be awarded in […]

Q: A local borough council member told me they won’t be holding an organizational meeting in January, and they are the only borough in my area not holding one.  Aren’t boroughs […]

Q: Does the Sunshine Act require agencies to provide a general meeting notice at the beginning of the year, and if so, what are the requirements? A: Yes. The Sunshine Act […]

Q: A borough in our coverage area discussed and approved a proposed budget at its last public meeting. They also published public notice of the proposed budget’s approval. When I asked […]

Access to Polling Places, Computation and Records Election practices vary by county, but all counties must adhere to Title 25 of the Pennsylvania Statutes, the Pennsylvania Election Code, which governs […]

Q: Is there a rule in Pennsylvania or federal law that restricts last-minute political ads? A: There is no federal law or regulation that prohibits last-minute political ads in newspapers, […]

Q: We want to review a criminal complaint filed with the county court of common pleas as part of a murder prosecution.  Is this record public under the Right-to-Know Law, […]

Q: What are some of the issues we need to consider when reviewing political advertising? A: Financing, required disclosures, timing, rates and defamation issues arise in the context of  political […]