New law makes it easier to bring someone to court

March 16, 2024

One big problem within the Costa Rican legal system has been notifying the parties in a criminal or civil court action. Fortunately, this difficulty has been solved with the revamping of the Judicial Notification Law. They even simplified its name. Expats involved in court actions can now expedite their cases by getting people summoned without […]

Read the full article →

Theatrical setup puts expat out on street

March 2, 2024

Increasing deliberate abuse of Costa Rica’s domestic-violence laws is affecting many, even senior expats. A 72-year-old man — who is blind in one eye — was thrown out of a home last week in a theatrical production put by his stepdaughter. Now his wife wants the house they once shared for herself. The so-called domestic […]

Read the full article →

Here’s one option for the itinerant expat loverboy

February 16, 2024

The liberal sexual atmosphere in Costa Rica can have negative consequences when sex tourists and expats inadvertently procreate and then turn their backs on the situation or leave without knowing what they have done. One way to avoid this is undergoing a vasectomy, but many men fear this procedure. They believe it will do something […]

Read the full article →

How to see your property without leaving your chair

February 2, 2024

Here is a great tip for expats to see their property online: Google Earth finds it using the catastro (plat map) of the parcel provided by the real estate agent. Google Earth has come a long way since it started. Back in 2005, there was very little high-definition photography available for Costa Rica, but today […]

Read the full article →

A positive report on seeking a U.S. visitor’s visa

January 19, 2024

A long-time friend asked for a recommendation letter last week so she could apply for her U. S. visa. Reluctantly, this author agreed to provide the letter. She picked it up and nervously went off to her appointment that she scheduled months ago. Expats complain all the time about not being able to take their […]

Read the full article →

Lawyers love making simple things complicated

January 5, 2024

Meeting with a Costa Rican lawyer can be similar to taking a physics lesson. Sometimes lawyers tend to make any discussions about law or legal matters more complex than they actually are. They also love writing out lengthy descriptions of legal procedures on white or blackboards. There are times when making things complex is important. […]

Read the full article →

Positive and negative changes to report

December 22, 2023

This past year has been very interesting and full of changes for Costa Rica. Most notably, it looks like property fraud and crime are on the increase. The government has attempted to make some changes to the corresponding legislation, but crime is noticeably worse than last year and the year before. Sometime around mid-year, while […]

Read the full article →
Page 8 of 26
1
...
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
...
26