A recent newspaper article warned homeowners of an inspector who had been fined more than $80,000 by Oregon's Construction Contractors Board (or "CCB") for performing illegitimate inspections and using the license number of an inspector who had the same first and last name. It is a reminder that licensure comes with important consumer protections, including insurance and bond requirements and other reporting obligations intended to put owners on notice of a history of problems. read more

Are we dealing with part of a unit, the common elements or a limited common element? This is often the first question when analyzing maintenance, repair and replacement responsibilities in a condominium. That question also often relates to: Who pays? read more

I recently read an article stemming from NASA's discovery of seven exoplanets, three of which may support life. The article discussed an insurance company called Budget Insurance that is now issuing policies protecting policyholders against alien invasion. After doing some digging, I also discovered that another insurer is selling alien abduction insurance. The latter company has already sold more than 30,000 policies (I was unable to verify whether any of the policies have paid out). read more

Regardless of your political persuasion or tolerance for political activism, it is evident that protests are becoming a routine experience around the country. Portland alone has had seven separate organized protests since January 19th. This number does not include spontaneous demonstrations or protests. The thing about protests is that the protestors rarely stop to ask whether your home, business, or auto agree with their particular cause. I hope that those reading this will avoid personal injury or property damage resulting from any protests. For those less fortunate, it might be reassuring to know whether your insurance will provide coverage. read more