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An organization of African American firefighters have filed a federal lawsuit against their union for being abusive and harassing them. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the firefighters allege that leaders of the firefighters union were predominantly white and were hell bent on eliminating many practices that were in place to ensure that black firefighters were hired in the first place. In fact, the union had submitted a proposal with the city back in December that requested that hiring quotas be eradicated....

After being charged with being a fugitive, the alleged getaway driver for the man who shot four Washington State police officers pleaded not guilty. Darcus Allen, 38, is accused of helping Maurice Clemmons flee the Parkland coffee after the execution style murder of four Lakewood officers. Prosecutors warned they might charge Allen, who did time with Clemmons in an Arkansas prison, with the more serious offense of being an accomplice to aggravated first-degree murder....

New research has found that taking heartburn drugs could increase your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease or dementia by up to 52 percent. The study looked at drugs like Prevacid, Prilosec, or Nexium, which are known as proton pump inhibitors and are widely available over the counter or with a prescription. Researchers stopped short of saying PPI’s cause dementia, and but concluded that “the avoidance of PPI medication may contribute to the prevention of dementia....

As 3D printers become better and more affordable (there are quite a few models under $500), more and more entrepreneurs become interested in how they can contribute to their small businesses or provide avenues for brand new businesses altogether. Being able to manufacture products without the same staff, machinery, and space requirements opens all new avenues of productivity and profit. But those possibilities don’t come without risk, especially of the legal variety....

Maybe you were hit with disciplinary sanctions as the result of a made-up misconduct allegation against university police, or perhaps a because of a bit of underage alcohol consumption. Worse yet, maybe you were wrongfully punished of something you didn’t even do. Whatever the case may be, being hit with disciplinary sanctions from your college can really put a damper on that thing that happens at college in between sleeping and partying: getting your degree....

Texting drivers in New York will soon feel the gaze of law enforcement more intensely. Or at least from a higher angle, anyway. Officers are using undercover state police cars that are designed to sit higher than normal SUVs, so they can catch you fiddling with your phone. In stealth mode via unmarked cars, officers creep up on unsuspecting texting drivers and then pounce on them to bring their distracted driving to a screeching halt....

President Obama unveiled a new fatherhood program designed raise awareness about responsible fatherhood and to re-engage absent fathers with their families. The program will include several facets, such a proposed “Fathering Re-Entry Court,” to be created by U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder. The Court would assist fathers leaving prison by offering mentors and assistance to secure jobs and services so they can begin the process of paying child support and getting back in touch and connecting with their families....

It’s true that you have a legal duty to ensure workplace health and safety. And it’s true you’ll be cited and penalized by the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) if you don’t. But for a small business, OSHA regulations can be both unwieldy and costly. Between inspections and improvements, business owners often don’t know where to start. Luckily, there are some programs to help – including a free on-site consultation provided by the Administration itself....

The salmonella outbreak of 2009 has finally culminated in an indictment. Maybe culminated is not the word, since an indictment is only the beginning in a criminal lawsuit. Executives from the Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) are facing criminal charges of fraud and conspiracy stemming from the 2009 salmonella outbreak, reports Wired.com. Their actions lead to a massive outbreak that killed nine people. In total, 714 people were infected with salmonella in 46 states....

Potty training is a hard job for any parent but one Utah mom has been publicly scolded for training her twins in a restaurant. This mom was in the Thanksgiving Point Deli with her twins when she took out their potties and helped the girls undress. At the table. Another diner snapped a photo of one of the little girls with her clothes around her ankles sitting on the potty in the middle of a crowded restaurant....

Arizona may be the hotbed of immigration reform, but Texas Tea Party darling Debbie Riddle wants her state to take center stage in the debate. The proposed Texas immigration bill begins like one would expect it to, reports CNN. Anyone who “intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly” hires an unauthorized immigrant can be fined up to $10,000 or placed behind bars for up to two years. But then comes the unique, only in Texas loophole:...

By all accounts, unemployment spiked in September to 9.8%– the highest in over 25 years. Even as the economy is thought to be on the verge of healing, the September reports are a stark reminder that the nation’s economic stability is not in the green yet. The new waves of layoffs have many wondering what to do, where to go for unemployment benefits, and how to cope with the prospect of job loss....

A regional labor court in Sao Paulo, Brazil has done what American courts have either not done or not had the chance to do: ruled that Uber drivers are employees and not independent contractors. As such, the court ordered Uber to pay the driver who brought the case 80,000 reai (approximately $25,000) and provide employee benefits like holiday pay and contributions to a severance fund. So is this case an outlier when it comes to Uber’s employee/contractor distinction, or could it signal an ominous trend for the company?...

A Virginia highway toll evader managed to rack up quite a bill: $202,000. The Virginia Department of Transportation sued Jason Bourcier when his bill ballooned from $440 to more than $200,000 over four years, including late fees and interest. But Bourcier, 33, of Arlington, caught a lucky break when a court shrank the bill to $40,000 (with interest, it’s $96,498). Maybe he made a fountain wish with one of the quarters he failed to fork over?...

After a personal injury lawsuit is filed, what happens at a case management conference? Case management, which refers to the schedule of a case’s proceedings, is a large part of the litigation process. Whether it’s the filing of a complaint, the discovery process, or pre-trial motions, each stage comes with a scheduled timeframe in which it must be completed. A case management conference is a critical component of court procedure that occurs before a trial even begins....

When filing a disability insurance claim, claimants will need to provide proof of their medical conditions. Depending on your disability insurance policy, the required proof can include things like a doctor’s letter and records from the agency that provides the disability benefits. So here’s a rundown of the claim filing process and how to provide proof of disability: The first step towards receiving disability benefits is to file a claim with the insurer....

When parents divorce, often the most contentious issue concerns the right to raise the children. Courts will generally look to what is in the best interest of the child. Usually, a court will not want to exclude one parent from custody unless there are extenuating circumstances, such as allegations of abuse, drug or alcohol abuse, or other factors that create an unfit environment to raise a child. When divorced parents decide to share custody of the children, there are a few different approaches....

Target fell victim to a security data breach involving stolen credit card and debit card information for 40 million of its retail customers. The massive breach is proof that even corporate giants are vulnerable to security threats. The truth is that there is no such thing as 100-percent secure. But businesses can take preventative measures to at least minimize the risk. Here are three simple ways to prevent many breaches:...

Every will requires an executor to administer the wishes recorded by the testator. That’s why choosing an executor is crucial in planning your estate. But as an executor’s role doesn’t kick in until after the will maker’s death, what should executors (and testators) know about their obligations? There are some basic principles that can keep this important role from becoming legally complicated or surprising. Check out these five legal tips that every executor worth his or her salt should know:...

Rape allegations are serious matters for both the accused and the accuser. Even if they are disproven, the reputations of both parties remain at stake, which is why rape accusations and defamation claims seem to go hand in hand. As evidenced by the recent Rolling Stone/University of Virginia case, these defamation lawsuits can be wide-ranging and involve parties that were neither the accused nor the accuser. And even though she’s not party to the University’s lawsuit, the accuser may now have to turn over documents in the case....