What are the proper steps to evicting a problem tenant?  How would you know if you are in violation of landlord-tenancy laws?

Landlords often find themselves in the difficult position of having a delinquent tenant, a tenant who has violated the terms of their lease and is causing problems, who is damaging the rental unit, or whose conduct is detrimental to the property or other tenants. In these cases it unwise to continue the landlord-tenant relationship. State and local laws governing eviction can vary significantly.

Landlords who have any significant number of housing units will benefit from forming a relationship with a lawyer, who can advise them on eviction issues and handle any legal actions for them. Often, when such a relationship is established in advance, the lawyer will agree to perform certain legal tasks on a flat fee basis. Hiring a lawyer on a case-by-case basis may result in significantly higher legal fees for landlord-tenant issues.

It is also very important to note that landlord-tenant laws can vary significantly between jurisdictions.  The steps to eviction must be properly followed or a judge can dismiss the case and you can find yourself in a situation where you have to start the court process over from the beginning.