Property Law and Real Estate Commons^™

Can Distraint Stand Up As A Landlord’S Remedy?, Gerald Korngold

Articles & Chapters

Though a landlord's right of seizure is well established in the common law and provided for by the laws of many states, some federal courts have found distraint procedures to be incompatible with Fourteenth Amendment due process requirements. This article examines the constitutionality and validity of the present Pennsylvania distraint statute, surveys the cases dealing with the issue, and reviews some recent decisions concerning due process which are relevant to the determination of the statute's constitutionality. The Pennsylvania experience can serve as an example for practitioners in other jurisdictions since, most of them have had few, if any, cases concerning …