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Gwenyth Paltrow’s company, Goop, settled a lawsuit this week brought by 10 California counties for false advertising after numerous medical and consumer protection groups complained that their products didn’t do what they claim they could. According to the lawsuit, plaintiffs contend that “none of these products were scientifically tested to prove what Goop claim they did.” In Goop’s settlement papers, it specifically agrees to no longer make any claims “regarding the efficacy or effects of any of its products without possessing competent and reliable scientific evidence that substantiates the claims....

For small businesses, donations are one way that they can help the community and foster good relations with their customers. Small business owners should know that tax deductions on charitable contributions are available to them as the calendar year ends. Like individual charitable contributions, businesses can also deduct some donations they make. However, business owners should be aware of some key rules so they can maximize their deductions – and not run afoul of IRS regulations....

Former U.S. intelligence contractor and current fugitive Edward Snowden says he’s seeking temporary asylum in Russia until he can arrange “safe passage” to a permanent new home in South or Central America. Snowden has been offered asylum by Venezuela, Bolivia, and Nicaragua, reports Reuters. But it’s not clear how he’ll make it to one of those destinations. If people like Edward Snowden can seek asylum from the United States, how can immigrants from foreign nations apply for asylum or refugee status in America?...

It’s rare, but every now and then we can find ourselves on the other end of a personal injury lawsuit. Someone could be saying that you caused the car accident, or that they slipped on your icy sidewalk. And while their claims may not seem to you to have any merit whatsoever, that doesn’t mean that you can ignore them, or that a court or judge may not agree with you....

A Pennsylvania hunter who was mistaken for a turkey in a shooting has been awarded $4 million by a judge. Michael Hobbins was blinded and suffered aneurysms after the hunting accident in 2010. Hobbins was hunting turkey in Union County, Pennsylvania. So was Leroy Miller. Miller was reportedly stalking a turkey from behind a tree when he heard a noise and took a shot. Unfortunately, the source of the noise was Hobbins and not a turkey, reports Harrisburg’s WHP-TV....

Two-time Harvard graduate and longtime Kennedy aide, Paul Kirk, has been chosen to stand in late Senator Kennedy’s place as Massachusetts Senator. The interim role is thought to help Democrats reach the critical mass of 60 votes– the threshold needed to further the health care reform bill by ending debate on the floor. However, considering the hesitancy of moderate Democrats concerning the current health care reform measures, soon-to-be Senator Kirk’s vote may not be the deciding one....

Red-light cameras can be a major pain for any driver who has received a ticket. But there are some potential ways to fight red-light camera tickets on your own. Aside from the fact that many jurisdictions are now finding that red-light cameras cause more harm than good, to be convicted of a traffic offense without any witness is, generally speaking, ludicrous. Here’s how you may be able to fight your red-light camera ticket and potentially avoid paying a hefty fine:...

We here at FindLaw know that legal jargon can be confusing. We hear people misusing legal words and phrases all the time. So we’ve decided to help you better understand all the legal phrases tossed around on Law & Order. Here is a new educational series we like to call FindLaw’s Legalese 101. Picture it. You’re walking along the street when you come across a hideous sculpture. It’s got high up shelves that only the tallest of the tall can reach....

Nordstrom Rack’s “TweetUp” marketing campaign may have violated FTC rules, but the incident serves as a good legal reminder for business owners. The retail chain opened a new store in Boise, Idaho, last spring. To trump up the event, several local residents who were active on Twitter and other social media were invited to a pre-opening event called a “VIP TweetUp,” reports Boise’s KTVB-TV. Those who attended were given drinks, appetizers, gift cards, and a chance to do some early shopping....

Off roading accidents frequently result in severe injuries and even death. Many off road vehicles, such as ATVs, ROVs, and dirt bikes, provide very little protection for drivers or passengers. When an injury occurs as a result of an off roading accident, liability may be difficult to assess and the injuries can be rather severe. In an off roading accident involving no other vehicles, frequently the driver of the vehicle will be considered to be at fault....

Time and time again, hiring managers and HR professionals cite “culture fit” as the single most important determining factor when making a new hire. It makes sense – we like to work with people like us. But, as Forbes points out, making hiring decisions based on comfort can be bad for the bottom line. And it can also be illegal. And if you’re using “culture” to mask hiring decisions based on race, gender, or national origin, your small business could be in serious trouble....

Dangerous dog laws have become common, which raises an obvious question. What about cats? Felines are basically little vampires who scratch stuff, apart from sucking blood. Why seemingly so little concern for them in the law? Do cat people have connects that make their pets exempt from regulation? We turned to the experts at the Animal Legal and Historical Center of Michigan State University to find out more. Legislative Findings States do have laws about spraying and neutering animals and cats are definitely included....

A newly-filed federal lawsuit accuses prison guard Harry Nicoletti of systematically raping and sexually abusing inmates at State Correctional Institution Pittsburgh. The inmate, known only as John Doe, further alleges that 7 other guards participated in the abuse. The suit also names the prison, the state Department of Corrections, and the prison superintendent as defendants. Officials are being accused of ignoring complaints. Amongst the accusations are: Forced sexual contact between inmates Forced sexual contact between guards and inmates Food contaminated with bodily fluids Harry Nicoletti providing the plaintiff with prescription medication Assault and battery Threats of unfounded misconduct reports Another inmate also filed a complaint earlier this year alleging mistreatment of transgender inmates, reports the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette....

The parents of a deceased 16-year-old high school student in Chicago have sued the police, school, and individually involved personnel, as a result of their son’s suicide. Corey Walgren jumped from the fifth floor of a parking garage after being interrogated by the school’s police liaison and school’s dean regarding an alleged crime. It is alleged that Corey was threatened with possession and distribution of child pornography charges, and told he would have to register on the sex offender registry, while being interrogated at school....

Does your restaurant, cafe, or bar feature cable TV so patrons can watch “Wheel of Fortune” or your favorite international programming? If so, then you’d better make sure you have the proper type of license or commercial account from your cable or satellite provider – otherwise, you could soon face an expensive lawsuit. Nationwide, many small restaurants are being sued, or threatened with lawsuits, for improperly showing cable TV at their businesses....

The Arizona bull run is back after a 10 year hiatus, and it comes with a 7-page waiver. This isn’t Pamplona, after all. Hundreds of runners are expected to descend on Cave Creek next weekend, where they will be chased by 1,500-pound bulls. Despite no reported injuries at his three previous runs, event operator Phil Immordino isn’t taking any chances. He has $2 million in insurance coverage, and participants must sign and initial each part of the waiver....

“I Love Boobies” that are cancer-free, and the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals does too. The court has struck down a Pennsylvania school district’s ban on “I Love Boobies! (Keep a Breast)” bracelets as an unconstitutional restriction on students’ freedom of speech. A major takeaway from the case is that the context of the students’ speech “fleshes out” the First Amendment’s “boobies” boundary. In 2010, Brianna Hawk and Kayla Martinez, then 13- and 12-year-old students at Easton Area Middle School, were suspended for wearing the bracelets, which are designed by a non-profit to raise breast cancer awareness....

The racial, economical, and social makeup of a voting district will often determine which party or candidate will get the most votes from that district. But the boundaries of electoral constituencies are not set in stone, and the party in power will often manipulate those boundaries to its own benefit. Known colloquially as gerrymandering, the altering of electoral districts does have its legal limits, and those limits are currently being testing by North Carolina lawmakers, who, after a trial court ruled the state’s legislative map had been unconstitutionally gerrymandered based on race, challenged that court’s ruling that special elections with new districts were required to fix November’s results....

As individuals and small business owners prepare for tax season, it’s a good time to review some of those weird and wacky deductions that small business owners and professionals have tried to squeak in. From concealed weapons to petting zoos, what can be considered a deductible business expense is rightfully considered a rather large moving target, with some items being easier to hit than others. What an individual or small business owner can deduct will generally depend on the nature of their business, and whether the expense is necessary and ordinary for the business....

On the 50th anniversary of one of the deadliest campus shootings in U.S. history, which incidentally happened at the state’s premier university, a Texas law went into effect allowing students to carry guns into classrooms. Not everyone was pleased with the new legislation, however, least of all professors at the University of Texas. Three of them sued the school and the state, asking for the law to be overturned or to be allowed to ban guns in their classrooms....