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For many children, walking to school is a daily activity. For many American children, the exercise may be a welcome excursion. But for parents who let their child walk to school, are they actually violating child endangerment laws? How old should kids be before they are allowed to walk to school without parental supervision? And, are parents liable for what happens to their kids on these walks? Federally, there is no law that specifically mandates that children be a certain age before they can walk to school alone....

A current Colorado civil wrongful death case involving extra potent marijuana candy has been attracting national attention since 2014. The incident involved a Colorado man who had eaten a physically small amount of very potent marijuana candy, started hallucinating, then shot and killed his wife. In the criminal case, the defense attempted to claim temporary insanity caused by the pot candy. However, the defendant was sentenced to 30 years for the murder....

When you’re walking along and you see a fruiting tree, are you legally allowed to take your pick? Even if it’s on private property? A group of New Mexico preschoolers were dismayed earlier this month to find that their pumpkin patch had been raided over the weekend. While fruit shouldn’t be left to rot on the vine (or branch, or bush), growers shouldn’t have to let the fruits of their labors be picked bare either....

Small businesses may be very successful raising funds through Kickstarter, but those who receive those funds shouldn’t forget the potential tax implications of crowdfunding. For its part, Kickstarter (with the caveat that they are not tax attorneys) claims that in general, “funds raised on Kickstarter are considered income.” However, the crowdfunding platform also claims that Kickstarters may be able to classify certain funds as “nontaxable gifts” instead. So which is it?...

Last week, a federal court judge in Pennsylvania awarded a massive $42 million verdict to the parents of a child severely injured during birth in 2012. The multi-million dollar verdict is meant to provide for the child who suffers permanent injuries that will require a lifetime of specialized medical care. Additionally, the award, which is being described as the largest ever medical malpractice verdict out of that judicial district, will be paid out by the federal government as the injury occurred at a federally funded facility....

Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer is making Mother’s Day a little more special for her maternal employees, with a new extended maternity leave policy. Mayer, a working mom herself, got a fair share of backlash when she issued a ban on telecommuting two months ago. But she seems to be making amends with Yahoo’s new offer of longer paid leave for new moms – and dads. Should your company follow suit and offer extended maternity (and paternity) leave too?...

With more than 5 million cribs, bassinets, and play yards recalled since January 2007, parents and child care providers have a new online resource for crib safety tips and up-to-date crib recall information: the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s new Crib Information Center. This new online portal features news on safety standards for cribs and other sleeping environments for infants, crib safety publications from CPSC, detailed information on recent recalls, and a sign-up page for users to receive free crib safety alerts and recalls via email....

The Better Business Bureau is a non-profit organization that makes hundreds of millions of dollars annually. Many people perceive it as a quasi-governmental agency. Some say it is a total scam. Earlier this month, CNN Money reported that it reviewed the tax filings of 102 BBBs nationally and concluded that most of the $200 million annual revenue comes from the businesses it oversees. The report suggests that the BBB motto (“Start With Trust”) is deceptive, selling accreditation to businesses and giving consumers the impression that it protects them when it does not....

As discussed in a previous post, the state of California squeezed in a late application to win one of the President’s Race to the Top education grants. The finalists were announced late last week and unfortunately, they did not include the Golden State. The finalists, drawn from a pool of 41 contenders, were: Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Tennessee....

In a shocking turn of events for the subject of the Serial podcast, and now an HBO mini-series, Adnan Syed won’t be getting that retrial he won on appeal, at least, unless Maryland’s, or the United States’, Highest Court steps in. The Maryland Court of Appeals recently reversed the prior appellate court holding that the conviction of Adnan Syed be reversed and he be granted a new trial. Complicating the case for Syed is the fact that his defense attorney at trial, whom he had argued provided ineffective assistance in violation of his Sixth Amendment right, had died, which meant she couldn’t be questioned about her conduct....

To mark his 90th birthday, former President (and former World War II fighter pilot) George H.W. Bush parachuted from a helicopter this morning with former members of the U.S. Army’s Golden Knights parachute team. And while we don’t know if the former president had to sign a liability waiver before making his most recent jump, you in all likelihood will, should you ever choose to go skydiving. But what do the various clauses in a typical skydiving liability waiver actually mean?...

Remember when you could start a business by making a pitcher of lemonade, setting a table up on the sidewalk, and designing a pretty sign? Today, starting a business means paperwork, paperwork, and more paperwork. Big brother (the government) wants to be able to track your business for tax purposes and to protect the public. So, to start a business you’ll likely need a permit or license. Where can you find permit and licensing requirements to start a business?...

It’s common during a presidential campaign season to hear a lot about small businesses and their importance to the national economy. The small business occupies a funny place in the American heart - both beloved underdog and the symbol of infinite individual potential - and this month, the statistics prove that both are true. In January 2016 small business with 1-49 employees created 79,000 new jobs, according to Small Business Trends....

When it comes to bitcoin, you either follow the virtual currency religiously, or your eyes gloss over at the mere mention of it. And if you’ve invested in it, you may be dizzy with all the ups and downs it’s had in terms of value. Now, some researchers say they discovered links to child pornography in bitcoin’s blockchain, and that anyone who downloads a blockchain could be legally responsible for the illegal images contained in it....

The federal government and 10 banks agreed to an $8.5 billion foreclosure settlement on Monday. The agreement puts to rest allegations that the banks didn’t follow proper foreclosure procedures. Following the financial crisis that began in 2008, millions of Americans lost their homes through foreclosure. Many of those people were actually current on their mortgage payments. Regulators initially tried to introduce a system to review foreclosure files for defects, but this settlement will replace it....

Not only does booze saturate everything from pop culture to our weekend plans, drinking and working have long been intertwined. From hoppy ales shipped across the world to aid troops because it was safer to drink than water and lightly fermented beers designed to refresh farmhands without getting them too tipsy to till the fields, to porters and stouts sustaining dock workers in the middle of their shifts and cocktails carts in midtown agency offices, a shot while on the clock has been as common as punching a timecard....

Think your smart phone is off limits during a divorce? Think again. That baby is a treasure trove of potentially damning evidence, and your soon-to-be ex may be entitled to see it. The use of smart phones during divorce and custody proceedings is becoming more and more common, according to a new survey by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Ninety-two percent of respondents report seeing an increase in the use of such evidence in the past 3 years....

The battle over immigration wages on. You’ve probably heard some mention of President Trump and the courts struggling over what to do about the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. In the latest chapter of the saga, the Arizona Supreme Court has ruled that DACA students – also called Dreamers – cannot receive in-state tuition rates to attend Arizona schools, making higher education significantly more expensive for this subset of the population....

For the growing number of people opting or needing to start up a new business venture, one of the first things required is an Employer Identification Number (EIN). Before getting too far, new businesses should know that they likely need an EIN and how to get one. As discussed here and here, sour economic times appear to have sparked new business ventures. These new businesses will likely need EINs. EINs are, like Social Security Numbers, a type of Taxpayer Identification Number....

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently investigated the possibility of CT Radiation overdose and discovered that radiation overdose is more common than it expected to find. As a result of these findings, the FDA has released a press release with instructions on how to prevent CT radiation overdose. The press release by the FDA reveals that there have been 206 patients that have had radiation overdose in Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles over an 18-month period....