The “law” half of this blog has been fairly quiet recently. My apologies; I’m not as good at splitting myself in two (or more) personalities as I ought to be! I’ve come across a couple of articles recently that I thought worth sharing, even without a full blog post on the topics.
What happens when a person dies alone, without close friends or relatives, and not under a doctor’s care? This NY Times story, The Lonely Death of George Bell, describes the detailed process undertaken by the NYC Public Administrator and its agents and investigators. Other cities and counties follow a similar process, though not always so thorough.
I’ve written before about houses where crimes occurred, and the obligations of a seller or real estate broker to disclose murders on the premises — “When Crime Taints a House,” and “Ghostly Tenants and the Duty to Disclose.” Now, there’s an app for that. (Hat tip to Seattle Mystery Bookshop.) “Died In House” tracks confirmed deaths by residential address, using obits, news accounts, and other searches. Many buyers want to know, and not just because they’re afraid of ghosts or because stigma can lower the price or make resale tricky. State laws on disclosure vary, and enforcement is difficult, so where there’s a gap, there’s an app.
I’ve also written about girls in the justice system. The Washington State Bar blog presents an in-the-courts-and-trenches view about girl-focused reform.
