Taylor Legal has been handling real estate matters since 2004.

Below are just a few of the matters in which we  successfully represented our clients.

 

Homeowner Protections

Trespass

• Counseled homeowners on rights and recourse related to property trespass, including physical trespass by people, placement of structures over property lines (fences, buildings, foliage, etc), water and stormwater runoff traveling from one property to another, and noise/light/odor pollution.
• Drafted numerous Cease and Desist letters demanding neighbors/trespassers remedy violations.
• Advocated to County Departments/Offices for findings of trespass and other regulator violations.
• Litigated (plaintiff/petitioner and defense/opposition) administrative hearings and civil court cases related to trespass and damages.

Easements

• Counseled homeowners subject (servient) to and controlling of (dominant) easements, explaining and defending easement rights and responsibilities.
• Negotiated and drafted easement declarations (creation) and terminations, and contracts/agreements to create easements in exchange for financial and other compensation.
• Identified and formalized historic easements and easements by necessity.

Declarations of Covenant/HOA & COA Bylaws

• Counseled homeowners and home and condominium associations in understanding rights and responsibilities under community governance documents including Declarations of Covenants and HOA/COA Bylaws, including (Howard County) Columbia Association Village governance.
• Drafted and updated covenants and bylaws.
• Litigated covenant enforcement and interpretation.

Adverse Possession

• Counseled numerous homeowners regarding rights to make adverse possession claims or defend against them, including general legal guidance on the elements of adverse possession and the steps to making a claim.
• Coordinated survey reconciliation and resolution of survey disputes.
• Litigated adverse possession claims, including claims over ownership and easement rights, in Circuit Court.

Neighbor Disputes

• Counseled on a wide variety of neighbor disputes. Focus on legal rights, available options, cost/benefit analysis, mediation and maintaining cordial neighborly relations.

Trees/Foliage

• Counseled numerous homeowners on rights and responsibilities related to foliage that abuts or crosses over property lines or causes damage, from self-help to litigation.

Land Use Protections

Conditional or Special Exception Uses/Variances/Non-Conforming
Uses/Waivers/Zoning Regulation Amendments/Zoning Violation Appeals

• Counseled numerous clients -- citizen, organization, commercial -- in a variety of counties on petitioning or opposing petitions regarding a variety of zoning actions, from providing general information and strategy, meeting with Planning and Zoning officials, negotiating settlements, and litigating administrative hearings and Circuit Court appeals.

[Note: Taylor Legal can no longer represent Howard County residents in Zoning cases
due to Katherine Taylor's position as a Hearing Examiner for the County.]