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You post it all. You are one of those people who feel compelled to share – every thought in your head, meal you eat, movie you see, and article you read is documented online. In fact, you announce your activities with such regularity that it never occurs to you to keep some things to yourself at certain times. But you should if you are involved in a personal injury lawsuit. Your status updates and other posts can be used against you in court....

As we wrote about previously on Common Law, there was a Storkcraft crib recall announced last week. The partner of the Bell Law Firm is telling press outlets that the Comsumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) decision to recall the cribs stemmed from a lawsuit that the law firm filed on behalf of the Pack family in West Virginia. The lawyer, Mr. Harry F. Bell, Jr. was quoted by the West Virginia Record as saying, “It has taken private lawsuits and private attorneys like us contacting the CPSC and their folks investigating to bring this action about....

Using unpaid interns at your business this summer could land you in court, after a reminder by a federal judge that unpaid internships are not the same as free work. U.S. District Court Judge William Pauley ruled Tuesday that Fox Searchlight Pictures violated state and federal minimum wage laws by not paying the interns who worked on the film “Black Swan.” Make sure that your business avoids being sued by knowing the proper way to handle unpaid interns....

You have a great idea for a business. You may even have found a great location. Everything’s going great until your local, state, or even federal government passes a law making your business illegal. Although the last thing that small business owners need is something new to worry about, changes in the law can have an effect on your business. This is especially true in new or emerging areas of commerce, as those looking to capitalize on Washington State’s new marijuana legalization laws are finding out the hard way....

Maybe you just fell behind on your rent payments. Or, maybe you broke multiple rules handed down to you by your landlord. For tenants, the eviction process is daunting. Not only are you about to lose the place that you call home, but the whole process can be confusing. This is especially true when you throw in legal terms like “unlawful detainer.” If you’re facing eviction, there are several things you should know:...

It’s unfortunate, but racial discrimination can occur anywhere, including at schools. In fact, you don’t even have to be a student to experience racial discrimination at a school. Just ask four Native American parents who have sued a Montana school district for racial discrimination. In their lawsuit, the parents claim that they were not allowed into a basketball game because they weren’t white. More specifically, they allege that a school official told them, “We don’t have any workers yet so we are only letting in white people....

The state’s highest court deemed the controversial Wisconsin union law legal yesterday despite widespread protests from Democrats and union activists across the country. In upholding the law, which severely curtails the collective bargaining rights of public employees, the Wisconsin Supreme Court blasted the lower court for “usurping” legislative power. Indeed, the entire decision came down to the court’s interpretation of the age-old doctrine of “separation of powers.” Whether we’re talking about federal or state government, separation of powers is part of the checks and balances system, which in turns prevents an abuse of power by any one branch of government....

Aunt Millie died and she left all this debt – a mortgage, credit card bills and a loan or two. Unfortunately, she also left very little money in the bank and had few assets to speak of. As her closest relative, you’re now waiting for the debt collectors to call. What do you do? Are you legally responsible for a dead relative’s debt? Probably not. When Aunt Millie dies – with or without a will – her estate is responsible for paying her debts....

It’s not often that a judge visits property that is at the center of a dispute, but legendary Brooklyn federal Judge Jack Weinstein did just that this week after becoming curious about the strip of land that caused one squabbling neighbor to file a $1 million lawsuit. The land, located between two homes, is about 3 feet in width, and has sparked an ownership battle that, at times, has bordered on the bizarre....

Washington is the only state to be named after a U.S. president, and its legal legacy hardly stops there. The Evergreen State is chock full of unique laws and rules, and whether you’re passing through or planning to put down roots, you should be aware of them. Whether you’re acting out your “Frasier” fantasy in Seattle or scaling Mount Rainier, you should really know these 10 laws: DUI threshold. Drinking and driving is illegal in Washington state....

With Twitter transforming into a cornerstone of engagement for businesses, maintaining a strong Twitter reputation is key. But beware: A number of practices could be devastating to your Twitter reputation – and to your business, according to Forbes. Even Twitter itself isn’t immune from committing a Twitter faux-pas. Just last week, the company “deeply apologized” for a mockup graphic that attributed fake tweets to some of its real users. As many companies have learned the hard way, actions that are damaging to your Twitter reputation can go viral....

Passengers on Asiana Airlines Flight 214 became victims of a fiery aviation accident Saturday when their jetliner crash-landed at San Francisco International Airport. Two passengers were killed, and others were seriously hurt. Although the crash is still under investigation, a possible cause of the deadly accident was pilot error, as the man piloting Flight 214 at the time was still in training with the newer Boeing 777 jet, reports Reuters....

Should you allow your employees to take a nip (or three) of egg nog during work hours this year? The boozehounds over at The Huffington Post seem to think so, declaring that a little bit of drinking at work could go a long way. As Hemingway might have said, getting a little buzzed at the office might actually help your staff get their creative mojos working. But legally speaking, is it a smart idea to allow drinking at work?...

Legal trouble is brewing between San Francisco-based Anchor Brewing and Boston Beer, maker of Sam Adams. Boston Beer is accusing Anchor Brewing of hiring one of their former employees in an effort to gain trade secrets. The employee in question, Judd Hausner, was an executive at Boston Beer. He was hired by the brewer in 2006, and signed a non-compete clause valid for one year after leaving the company. The clause expressly prohibited him from working in the same market as Boston Beer....

Mandatory equipment that would limit the speed of big rigs and other commercial trucks has the backing of many in the trucking industry, and the cause may soon get taken up by federal safety regulators or lawmakers, the Los Angeles Times is reporting today. The use of speed-inhibiting devices on big rigs is being urged by a father whose son was killed when his car was rear-ended by a large truck, and the idea is being supported by the American Trucking Associations, according to the Times....

Bounce houses may be incredible fun, but they can also be dangerous for your kids. Just in the last month, two bounce-house injury and accident stories have made national news; in both incidents, an inflatable playpen being used by kids was picked up and carried away by an unexpected gust of wind. Before you order up that bounce house for your child’s next birthday, consider these five tips for parents:...

The California Mortgage Foreclosure Prevention Act went into effect today. For lenders deemed to have less than comprehensive loan modification programs, the new law places a 90 day delay on some foreclosures. Though many lenders already have federal incentives to offer loan modifications, the new law will delay foreclosure on some owner occupied residences and will hopefully give California lenders further incentive to renegotiate mortgages instead of foreclosing. Under the new law, unless they wish to wait an additional 90 days longer than normally required, lenders must apply for an exemption in order to foreclose on certain mortgages....

H1B visas are known as ‘The Holy Grail of Visas’ both for the opportunity of everlasting citizenship and the seemingly impossible task of securing one. H1Bs are notoriously difficult to secure, in large part because of the requirements on both the prospective employee and the employer. These requirements can be especially difficult for startups that are looking to expand with international talent. While a startup can sponsor an H1B visa, here are some specific challenges:...

Ohio death row inmate Darryl Durr has filed a lawsuit against the state, claiming its new single shot lethal injection method violates federal prescription drug laws. Durr is arguing the use of the drugs violates the federal Controlled Substances and Food & Drug acts, according to the Columbus Dispatch. His lawsuit claims that drugs to be administered under the single shot protocol in his execution are illegal. As previously discussed, Ohio became the first to adopt a new single drug lethal injection protocol....

The CARD act provides protection for personal credit cards but it may be having an unexpected effect on small business. The Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act, passed in 2010, put significant limits on banks’ ability to raise interest rates and charge fees. But the Act only applied to personal credit cards. Consumer credit cards don’t fall within the same protections. That has led to some small businesses using personal credit cards to take advantage of the CARD Act....