Louisiana REALTORS Red Stick Report
The Louisiana REALTORS Red Stick Report is the association's monthly e-newsletter on legal and legislative topics of interest to members. Click here to view the latest issue online at LAREALTORS.org.

Louisiana REALTORS Legal Hotline
The Louisiana REALTORS Legal Hotline allows brokers to receive answers to questions pertaining to real estate law and compliance issues. Brokers simply submit their questions in writing to the Hotline Fax (225-926-5922). Questions are then referred to the appropriate legal counsel and a response is forwarded to brokers typically within two business days. This valuable member service allows access to legal advice without incurring hourly lawyer fees. Questions received through the Hotline allow Louisiana REALTORS to track issues of concern to its members and develop programs and services to address them.

Legal Hotline Archive
The online Louisiana REALTORS Legal HOTLINE Archive allows members to view past Hotline inquiries and responses categorized by issue topic. We would like to remind you that all responses featured in the archive are time sensitive. They reflect the law, regulations and ethical considerations in effect at the time of the response. Click here to access the Legal Hotline Archive.

Legal Action Fund
The Louisiana REALTORS Legal Action Fund assists members when the state association feels that it will be beneficial to the industry as a whole, to the member boards, and to the individual members of the member boards, either to intervene in litigation as a friend of the court or to assist its member boards or individual members under certain circumstances with legal and/or financial assistance. See pages 335-338 of the Legal Issues Briefing document on this CD for details on the program and application procedures.

Louisiana REALTORS Legal Issues Briefing
Louisiana REALTORS is pleased to provide you with a Legal Issues Toolkit for your quick reference. This important resource contains background history and helpful hints on many real estate related topics and issues of interest. Also included with this toolkit are the 2004 responses from LR's legal hotline and links to other important references.

Louisiana REALTORS Legal Issues Briefing
(version 12/31/07 - 444 pages)

The Legal Issues Briefing is intended to be used for informational purposes, and will give you a guide to follow should these topics present themselves within your firm. Topics included in this downloadable Word document are as follows:

• Agency Relationships - LREC Rules & Regs (pages 13-29)

• Purchase Agreement and Closing Issues (pages 30-46)

• Anti-Trust (pages 47-54)

• Employment/Compliance (pages 55-67)

• Environmental Overview (pages 68-87)

• Alternative Dispute Resolution (pages 88-92)

• Employment/Office Policies (pages 93-156)

• Cell Phone Use and Employer Liability (pages 157-162)

• Non-Compete Agreements (page 163-165)

• RESPA (pages 166-177)

• Property Condition Issues (pages 178-222)

• Property Taxes (pages 223-230)

• Wetlands (pages 231-345)

• Do-Not-Call (pages 247-248)

• Do-Not-Fax (pages 249-252)

• Anti-Spam Regulation (pages 253-255)

• Fair Housing (pages 256-263)

• Eminent Domain (pages 264-267)

• Electronic Filing (pages 268)

• Foreclosure (pages 269)

• Prescriptive Period on Contracts to Purchase and Sell Immovable Property (pages 270)

• Mineral Rights/Use of Surface Rights (pages 271)

• Condominium Association Lien (pages 272-273)

• Trademark (pages 274)

• Legal Action Fund (pages 275-278)

• Legal Hotline & 2005, 2006, 2007 Hotline Summaries (pages 282-424)

• Louisiana Case Law Update (pages 425-444)

We hope that you find the Legal Issues Briefing beneficial as you face these issues in your day-to-day business. It is another way that Louisiana REALTORS is working to be your partner in success.

Responses provided through the Louisiana REALTORS Legal Hotline Service should not be construed as specific legal advice, nor are they designed to cover every aspect of a legal situation or every factual circumstance that may arise. Nor is a Hotline response a substitute for your own attorney. It is merely an opportunity to share what legal issues other REALTORS are facing and, hopefully, to heighten your awareness with respect to specific issues.

All responses featured in the Legal Hotline archive are time sensitive. They reflect the law, regulations and ethical considerations in effect at the time of the response. We consequently caution against reliance on any response without further inquiry.

The Legal Issues Briefing is intended to keep Louisiana REALTOR members abreast of legal issues and other developments affecting real estate brokerage and sales, and to supplement educational programs of the Louisiana REALTORS.

The Legal Issues Briefing is a source of general information for your exclusive use. The association cannot warrant the accuracy of the information contained in this publication.

The Legal Issues Briefing is for information purposes only and the association members are responsible for contacting their own attorneys or other professional advisors for advice regarding legal accounting and tax issues.

The sample policies and forms contained herein are designed to give your company guidance as to the policies and procedures required by state and federal laws, and some suggestions as to policies and procedures used within the industry. These sample policies should be adapted to fit your specific company’s preferences and needs.

These sample policies and forms should not take the place of legal advice. You should tailor these sample policies and forms to your company’s specific needs and then have it reviewed by your legal counsel, accountant or other person with knowledge to insure compliance in your area.

The Louisiana REALTORS specifically DISCLAIM ANY WARRANTIES, PROMISES OR GUARANTEES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, THAT THE LEGAL ISSUES BRIEFING DOCUMENT OR THE SAMPLE POLICIES OR FORMS CONFORMS TO ALL STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS AS MAY BE REQUIRED FOR YOUR COMPANY.