Bulletin: PA2018002

Dear Associates:

This Bulletin is to advise you of a change in how Stewart will underwrite Code Enforcement judgments in the City of Philadelphia going forward based on the position the City is now taking in regards to these judgments. As those of you who work regularly in the City of Philadelphia know, Code Enforcement Judgments are filed in the Municipal Court in Philadelphia and appear in the Municipal Court docket starting with a “CE” prefix. 

Until now, we have evaluated the effect of these judgments on property in Philadelphia based on the type of violation the judgment related to. In some cases we treated the judgments as in rem, which meant they only affected the property at which the code violation occurred. Other judgments were viewed as in personam, which meant that they affected all property owned by the defendant in the City of Philadelphia.

The City of Philadelphia is now taking the position that all “CE” judgments are in personam. Therefore, as of the date of this Bulletin, Stewart will require that all Code Enforcement judgments in Philadelphia be treated as general judgments affecting all real estate owned by the defendant in the City of Philadelphia at the time of the entry of the judgment in the Municipal Court docket.

If you have any questions relating to this or other bulletins, please contact a Stewart Title Guaranty Company underwriter.

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