What an interesting time to be alive.
Yesterday the Michigan Supreme Court issued an Order of emergency measures to deal with the CoronaVirus. The Order is effective through April 3rd.
I have already seen the effects.
On Friday I was in court for a landlord and the Courts were delaying entering the judgments against a tenant if a tenant failed to appear.
Today I received a call from a court clerk informing me that jury selections on another case were being suspended without issuing a future hearing date.
The 61st District Court has issued a Media Release holding on landlord/tenant hearings in abeyance until after May 1. Thank you to the Kent County RPOA for informing me of this.
All over the country courts are placing a moratorium on evictions. I read today that New York is placing a moratorium on evictions indefinitely.
Nothing like a pandemic to highlight the tension between property owners trying to keep their properties from going in the red v.s. keeping tenants from becoming homeless.
Nothing like a pandemic to stir in others to do good – treat others how they would want to be treated.
Case in point, I had a client reach out to me to discuss creative resolutions for those tenants experiencing temporary financial hardships due to the coronavirus.
I think this client is on to something.
This client is treating others the way they themselves would want to be treated.
It makes me ask the question, during this difficult time, how are we working to build a better community?
Segway into a Recent Interesting Landlord/Tenant Bill
Check out HB 5599 introduced on March 5, 2020.
Here’s the scenario –
Your good friend who you haven’t seen in years is falling on hard times. You invite friend to move in to your place, just until he gets his feet underneath him.
He decides he likes your place and he isn’t willing to leave.
What do you do?
Call the police?
This Bill would treat your friend as a “trespasser” – if he’s present for less than 30 days. This would allow you to simply call the police and have him removed, as opposed to serving him with a notice to terminate tenancy and evict him through the court system.
Questions? Comments
E-mail: Jeshua@dwlawpc.com
Twitter: @JeshuaTLauka
Purpose Driven General Counsel 