SJJ Law Attorneys Named as Super Lawyers & Rising Stars
We are pleased to announce that eight of our attorneys have been selected for the 2024 Colorado & Minnesota Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists. Super Lawyers selects candidates annually ...
RECENT ARTICLES
Board Duties: Concentrating on Obligations Ensures Consistency
Association boards of directors are responsible for operating their communities consistent with the community’s governing documents (the Articles of Incorporation, ...
D&O Insurance Coverage in Your Community Association
These days, inflation is noticeable in everything we do, and community associations are not immune to the pressures that higher ...
Holding Insurance Companies Accountable: SJJ Fights for Policyholder Rights After Unreasonable Delays
Smith Jadin Johnson attorneys Alex Jadin and Ross Hussey recently won a motion to amend a complaint, adding a cause ...
HO-6 Insurance: An Update for Owners and Associations
Having the right insurance coverage can give homeowners peace of mind in otherwise stressful circumstances. When it comes to Homeowner ...
Minnesota Tax Elections: LLCs & S-Corp
At Smith Jadin Johnson, a discussion point that often arises when meeting with new business clients is whether to make ...
MCIOA: Member Records and Requests for Community Associations
One of the primary functions of a community association is to operate and maintain the property. In doing so, the ...
Insurance companies may turn against policyholders
A fire can have a devastating impact on a person’s life. In its aftermath, an individual may be left without a home or business, and the fire may have destroyed many prized possessions stored within the property itself. Those who have fire insurance may be able to get help rebuilding their homes and their lives after such an event. However,…
Hail Storm Hits Southern Suburbs
Severe weather season in the Land of 10,000 Lakes is officially off and running. On June 4, 2019, a severe wind and hailstorm pummeled numerous areas throughout the state. High winds, torrential rain, and hail affected the Twin Cities metro area. Golf ball sized hail was reported in the southern metro, including Burnsville, Eagan, Elko/New Market, Farmington, Lakeville, Monticello, Prior…
Wildfire insurance claims continue to rise
Many people around the country are likely aware of some of the deadly fires that claimed lives and property in California in 2017 and 2018. This has caused insurance costs to soar for some homeowners. Insurance claims related to wildfires that swept through the state in November 2018 are the costliest in state history at more than $12 billion. Prior…
New U.S. Court of Appeals Case Strikes Blow to Matching Claims
In 2014, SJJ won a landmark case before the Minnesota Supreme Court that required American Family Mutual Insurance Company (“American Family”) to pay to repair property damage with reasonably matching building products. That case, Cedar Bluff Townhome Condominium Ass’n, Inc. v. American Family Mut. Ins. Co., 857 N.W.2d 290 (Minn. 2014), has been under constant attack by American Family and…
HOW LONG DO YOU HAVE TO FILE AN INSURANCE CLAIM IN MINNESOTA?
One of the primary timing limitations found in a property insurance policy is the time limit for suit. Most residential property insurance policies in Minnesota have a time limit of only two (2) years from the date of loss. The 2-year time limit is both statutory and contract based. If a claim isn’t settled and a policyholder fails to file…
Signs of Serious Roof Damage
Worried about roof damage after a major storm? Maybe your building got lashed with wind-driven rain for hours on end. Maybe hail tore into the shingles and then it started raining on top of everything else. Maybe it was the wind alone, ripping off shingles and causing damage that gives water a way to get in. The importance of a…
How Does Minnesota Law Affect you When you Buy Property in a Common-Interest Community?
A “common-interest community” is one in which you buy an individual unit but have access to shared facilities. They include condominiums, townhomes, coops, and other housing developments comprised of individually owned units, in addition to shared facilities and common areas. In a common-interest community, you pay an annual assessment to cover the upkeep of the shared facilities and common areas.…
CONCILIATION COURT AND HOA’S – A WIN-WIN FOR ALL PARTIES
Enforcing covenants and conditions can be the biggest nightmare for an HOA board, especially once the break-even point has been reached and the developer is no longer involved. The HOA then has to make a series of decisions about when and why to enforce covenants-CC&R’s-and sometimes when not to. Everyone has read horror stories on the Internet about HOAs enforcing…
THE ROLE OF A TREASURER IN A MINNESOTA HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION
If you’ve been elected the treasurer of your homeowner association, then you need to be aware of all of the responsibilities that fall on that position. In this post, we’ll discuss what the role of homeowner association treasurer requires of you and provide some tips on how to do the job effectively. ASSOCIATION REQUIREMENTS The first thing you should do…
SJJ SCORES SUPREME COURT VICTORY FOR INSURANCE POLICYHOLDERS
SJJ notched a victory at the Minnesota Supreme Court in Cedar Bluff Townhome Condominium Association, Inc. v. American Family Mutual Insurance Company, a landmark insurance coverage case concerning an insurance policyholder’s right to have their property repaired with matching building products. Attorneys Curt Roeder and Anthony T. Smith represented Cedar Bluff Townhome Condominium Association, a 20-building townhome association that made…