Commercial Leases

In Self-Renewing Lease, Tenant Has Burden of Proving Timely Termination

May 8, 2017 / May 8, 2017 by Donald R. Pinto, Jr. | Leave a Comment

In a case of interest to commercial landlords and tenants, the Massachusetts Appeals Court recently ruled that where a commercial lease is self-renewing but can be terminated on six-months’ notice to the other side, the party seeking to terminate – in this case the tenant – has the burden of proving it timely exercised its right. Patriot Power, LLC v. New […]

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Easements

SJC Keeps Bright-Line Test for Overloading of Easements

November 9, 2016 / November 18, 2016 by Donald R. Pinto, Jr. | Leave a Comment

In its recent decision in Taylor v. Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank Commission (pdf), the Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) put the brakes on a trend toward eliminating bright lines in the enforcement of easement rights. The Facts The case involved a nature preserve on Martha’s Vineyard encompassing the famed Gay Head cliffs (pictured).  The Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank Commission (Land Bank), […]

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