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Talk about dedication to your pooch. New Yorker Craig Dershowitz has spent more than $60,000 on a dog custody battle, The Washington Post reports. Dershowitz, 34, is embroiled in a legal fight with his ex-girlfriend, Sarah Brega, over Knuckles the dog. Dershowitz views the half pug, half beagle like a son. He claims Brega kidnapped Knuckles following their break-up. But Brega says the dog was a gift. Dershowitz’s money has gone toward his legal fees....

On eBay, ratings equal social currency: They can make or break a seller’s reputation. That’s why Med Express, an eBay seller, sued a buyer who wouldn’t take down her negative review. It was the only piece of negative feedback against the company. Med Express eventually backed down, but the buyer’s lawyer is pursuing a countersuit because of the company’s troubling pattern of suing buyers over bad reviews. But are Med Express’ eBay lawsuits “completely frivolous,” as the eBay buyer’s lawyer claims?...

When one of your workers takes FMLA medical leave, you may be wondering what your rights are as an employer. Do you have to reinstate the employee? The short answer is: yes and no. While employees are generally allowed to take up to a 12-week leave from work to attend to medical or family issues, some employees do not need to be reinstated. You do not have to reinstate “key” employees....

Lottery hopefuls may be elated with the idea of hitting the jackpot, but a trust can really keep those potential winnings from becoming “easy come, easy go.” The Mega Millions jackpot for Friday’s drawing is an estimated $291 million, while the Powerball jackpot is nearing $100 million, reports Philly.com. The lucky winners of either game will need a way to protect their prize money, and for that, a lottery trust is the legal way to go....

Idaho and Nevada’s gay marriage bans were struck down by a federal appellate court Tuesday, making same-sex marriage in five more states that much closer to reality. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that gay marriage bans in both Idaho and Nevada violated same-sex couples’ rights to equal protection under the Fourteenth Amendment, reports The Associated Press. Not only did the laws deny gays and lesbians the right to marry, but they did not meet the higher level of scrutiny applied to laws that discriminate based on sexual orientation, the court found....

Though the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is getting tough on lowering greenhouse gas emissions, small businesses may be reprieved from potential new regulations. The proposed EPA greenhouse gas rule would require large industrial facilities– those emitting 25,000 tons or more of greenhouse gases per year– to reduce 6 greenhouse gases by utilizing new technology and increasing energy efficiency at their facilities. The EPA estimates that such large operations are responsible for 70% of greenhouse gas emissions....

Recent college graduates and even seasoned veterans of the job market are becoming increasingly frustrated with the goal of a stable, well-paying job. For employers, there is an increasing worry that a distressed job candidate or employee will amount their personnel practices to discrimination. Using general discretion as an employer is legal and can be distinguished from outright discrimination, but there are some cases where the distinction is not as clear....

How to get emancipated isn’t just something that rebellious teenagers want to know. Parents and guardians also often have questions about the emancipation of minors and how it affects their legal obligations. That said, many an American teen has probably asked “Is it legal to move out at 17 (or 16 or even 15)?” Here are some general guidelines about how to get emancipated, what it means, and what’s not considered the emancipation of a minor:...

Legal weed has been a boon for states: a recent study said recreational marijuana could provide over $132 billion in tax revenue and 1 million jobs over the next ten years, and Colorado alone raked in almost $250 million last year. It’s also been a benefit to consumers: pot prices have dropped precipitously in legalized states. But that doesn’t mean legalization has been great for cannabiz owners. While it’s all well and good to have illicit business become legit – in the eyes of state law at least – many marijuana entrepreneurs are finding the increased competition, statutory regulation, and decreased profits too much to bear....

It’s no joke: Comedian George Wallace has been awarded $1.3 million in damages after a 2007 fall at the Bellagio resort in Las Vegas. Wallace showed he had a sense of humor while winning the jury trial, announcing when he would be closing his show at the Flamingo, reports the Las Vegas Sun. What kind of damages was Wallace seeking from the casino? Wallace didn’t get the $7.1 million he had originally requested for his injuries, but told reporters he was “happy” with the jury award....

The fatal bus crash that occurred in Minnesota last fall claimed the lives of two women because the bus driver Edwin Erickson suffered from an aneurysm bursting in his chest while he was driving. The family of one of the women has filed a lawsuit for wrongful death. The family of Ms. Rhonda Hill is claiming that Bold Lines (which is the bus line operator) was negligent and careless in its hiring, supervising and retention of Mr....

Medical malpractice suits are on the rise, and leading the pack is cardiology. According to a recent insurance study, between 2006 and 2015, the number of cardiology claims against medical malpractice insurance increased 91 percent, and total liability paid grew 142 percent. A host of issues are at play, most notably improper treatment and diagnostic errors, and to a lesser extent miscommunication, safety and monitoring, and equipment malfunction. Cardiologist admit that diagnostic errors aren’t a rarity in their practice....

In June, Planned Parenthood North Carolina met the same fate as many of its affiliates across the country, with legislators slashing funding for its family planning services and preventative health screenings. But on Friday, a federal judge ordered the state to restore hundreds of thousands in funding promised to the organization during the upcoming fiscal year, questioning the legislature’s decision to single out the group and pointing out that Planned Parenthood already can’t spend government funds on abortion....

The federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has announced new mortgage-lending rules that may have as beneficial an impact on banks as they will on consumers. The new rules have the sometimes contradictory aims of both protecting borrowers from predatory and unfair lending practices, as well as encouraging lenders to more freely give out loans. As a result, while the new rules provide many protections to consumers, there is also a giant protection, or “safe harbor,” given to banks and lenders, reports CNN....

The family of an Arizona man who was shot by police while he was holding his baby daughter has filed a lawsuit against the city of Scottsdale. The lawsuit is for $40 million dollars. According to The Examiner, the scuffle between Scottsdale police and Mr. David Hulstedt occurred on November 7, 2008. The police department received a telephone call from a man who identified himself as David Hulstedt. He told the dispatcher who received his call that there was a crisis....

Alaska’s same-sex couples will now be enjoying some additional tax privileges. An Anchorage judge ruled last Friday that same-sex couples will now qualify for tax exemptions traditionally reserved for married spouses. At issue is a property tax exemption that requires local governments to give seniors and disabled veterans a $150,000 exemption on their primary residence. Same-sex couples that qualified for the property tax exemption ran into problems with the law. Married couples get the full amount of the exemption even if only one spouse qualifies and the other owns the home....

Following their release from prison, sex offenders are already required by law to register or notify local law enforcement. In addition, many are required to wear a GPS (Global Positioning System) or an electronic monitoring device which tells law enforcement officials the exact location of the offender 24 hours a day. The length of time sex offenders are assigned to electronic monitoring varies from state to state. It can be months, years and in some cases a lifetime....

In a previous post, we discussed the news that exotic dancer Kristina Hensley was arrested in connection with the death of her last client, Jae Cho. Hensley allegedly hit Cho with her SUV and dragged him under the car about two miles to a local gas station where she had driven to ask for help. Hensley had left Cho’s house in a panic. New charges and further investigation have reavealed more details....

With over 4 million monthly visitors, we here at FindLaw.com know that last minute tax filing is an American tradition. Nay, a rite of passage. Even though the U.S. Government pushed back Tax Day to April 18th, you might still find yourself on the wrong side of procrastination this year. Don’t worry. With a wealth of information on taxes and last minute filing, we here at FindLaw have got your back....

Truck drivers may do work for large transportation companies and haul products or supplies for even larger manufacturing companies – but many of them own their own trucks. And if they’re in an accident that damages their truck, that can mean repair time that the driver isn’t out making money. Drivers can, however, file what is known as a “downtime claim,” and get reimbursed for those losses from the insurance company for whoever was at fault in the accident....