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In the wake of George Zimmerman’s acquittal for the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, the Black Lives Matter movement was born. What began as a Twitter hashtag coalesced into a national movement, organizing protests of police killings of Michael Brown and Eric Garner, among others, and campaigns against police violence and systematic racism towards black people. These political demonstrations have not always been peaceful, however, and some have resulted in injuries to protesters and police....

As an employer, you may believe that having your employees sign “faith statements” is an efficient way of guaranteeing that your workforce agrees with your religious views. A statement of faith may appear like a simple contractual agreement, asking an employee or applicant to sign off on the religious beliefs of an organization. However, depending on the legal status of your business, it may not be legal to ask or force employees to sign such faith statements....

The changes are significant in light of the stigma associated with the virus and disease. Opening up opportunities for foreigners to travel into the country and expanding work opportunities for those within the country are being hailed as positive steps in broadening understanding of HIV/AIDS and furthering civil rights for persons affected by HIV/AIDS. The DOJ quoted the Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division in stating that “people with HIV or AIDS should not be denied access to their chosen profession because of outdated laws or unfounded stereotypes and fears”....

Three New Jersey mayors, multiple state officials, and even a group of Rabbis have been arrested in a federal political corruption probe. In all, 44 people were arrested in the case which a U.S. attorney says illustrates “the pervasive nature of public corruption” in New Jersey. To see the complaint, along with details about how the investigation went down, take a look at this post in FindLaw’s Courtside. For some insight into what charges can be used to bring down widesweeping corruption, let’s take a look at the crimes and jailtime on the table here....

Chicago-resident Cherese Morris was only two months pregnant when police arrested her so forcefully she claims it caused a miscarriage. Morris says she was talking on her cell phone on the night of the arrest back in 2011. The police treated her roughly during the arrest, ‘violently’ put her face-down in the back of the squad car and tased her until she passed out, according to the complaint. Two weeks later, Morris lost her baby....

The Small Business Administration is offering a new online course on cybersecurity to help small business owners protect themselves against cyberattacks. SBA’s new course, “Cybersecurity for Small Businesses,” provides an overview on how to secure business information, identify security threats and guard against potential hacker attacks. Here’s an overview of the topics the SBA’s course covers, with FindLaw’s own tips to boot: The SBA’s online “Cybersecurity for Small Businesses” course is free, and takes about 30 minutes to complete....

It’s incredibly difficult for smokers to find a rental unit these days, even in large metropolitan areas like New York City. A quick Craigslist search by The New York Times only netted four units in all five boroughs. As a result, many smokers have taken to hiding their habit. Some discretely violate their leases, while others just flat out lie. Should they have to do this? Can landlords discriminate against smokers, or does the smoking public have rights?...

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced this week that it has certified 2000 autoworkers making them eligible to apply for Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA). According to the Department of Labor, Trade Adjustment Assistance is designed to “… assist individuals who have become unemployed as a result of increased imports from, or shifts in production to, foreign countries. The goal of the Trade Act programs is to help trade-affected workers return to suitable employment as quickly as possible....

In a closely divided 5-4 opinion, the Supreme Court announced today that a portion of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) which requires union members to arbitrate their federal age discrimination claims must be enforced. As a result, union members in such circumstances can’t bring a separate age discrimination suit in federal court. The case is noteworthy because it overturns a lower court’s ruling which, relying in part on past Supreme Court cases, found that these kinds of arbitration clauses are not enforceable if they give up workers’ rights to have a court hear their federal age discrimination cases....

Criminal prosecutors are generally assigned by jurisdiction – county, state, and federal. The U.S. Attorney General is the nation’s top prosecutor. But newly-appointed Attorney General Jeff Sessions has found himself in a bit of a political and legal bind. It was revealed this week that Sessions had two meetings with the Russian ambassador last year, but when asked about such contact during his confirmation hearings, Sessions said under oath, “I did not have communications with the Russians....

Sometimes, ex-spouses lie in court – especially when it comes to money and assets. According to the National Endowment for Financial Education, nearly three in 10 Americans admit to financial deception with partners. For couples seeking a divorce, such deception can potentially be criminal. That’s because lying during divorce proceedings is illegal, and can lead to penalties for perjury. But what are you supposed to do when a soon-to-be ex lies during your divorce case?...

When you’re a small business owner, pretty much any meal is a tax-deductible business meal, right? Not necessarily. The IRS has very specific rules for what is, and what isn’t, considered a business meal for tax purposes. And unfortunately for many small business owners, eating lunch at your desk will most likely not be considered a tax-deductible business meal. So what are the rules for when a meal can also be a write-off?...

Under a plea deal reached in the Facebook sex scam, Anthony Stancl pleaded no contest to two felonies. According to the Associated Press, Stancl, 19, agreed to the plea deal and in exchange prosecutors dismissed 10 other charges. More than half said the person with whom they communicated threatened to release the images unless they agreed to let the person’s male friend perform sex acts on them. According to court documents, Stancl was accused of a Facebook sex scam, pretending to be a girl when he contacted students through the Facebook social networking site between spring 2007 and November 2008....

America’s Gun Debate has reignited in the aftermath of the Arizona shooting that left 6 dead and 14 wounded, including U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. Details of alleged shooter Jared Loughner mental state, and how he obtained the gun, have critics claiming the newest Arizona gun law is too lenient. Gun owners in Arizona can carry their guns in cars and public places like restaurants. This lax Arizona gun law compelled Pima County Sheriff Clarence W....

Although women have long served in the military and are increasingly in combat roles, there is little awareness of veterans’ benefits for women. Mostly when we think of vets, we think of men. But the Department of Veteran Affairs in Arizona wants to change that. The state’s Department of Veteran Services this spring is holding four conferences targeting women veterans specifically. The department’s director, Colonel Wanda Wright, told NBC News that the specific focus on women veterans is necessary because women who do not serve on combat units often fail to recognize themselves as veterans and miss out on services and benefits available to them....

Having a bad day? It’s just a bump in the road. But what if that bump in the road flips your Harley Davidson on top of you, resulting in life altering injuries? Can you sue the government? That’s one question Dallas Fisher, a South Carolina resident would like to have answered. He is suing the federal government for $1.7 million after nearly dying in a motorcycle accident when he hit a bump on the Blue Ridge Parkway two years ago....

Let’s take a head count, who’s up for a few census jobs? A small bit of help is on the way to employ strapped Americans. The census of the U.S. will take place again in 2010, and Uncle Sam wants you. Census jobs will be especially good news to folks in states like Michigan, where unemployment is still at about 15.3%. U.S. Rep for Michigan, Mike Rogers (R), even put out a special press release to his constituents to make them aware of the employment opportunities coming to a town near them....

The future is now. Why? Because now we can buy coffee at Starbucks and pay with a smartphone. Sure, Japan has had the technology for years, but finally the service was rolled out this week at 6,800 stores as well as 1,000 Starbucks inside of Target stores. For now it is limited to BlackBerrys, iPhones or iPod Touches, so it’s hardly a revolution, but it’s a start. All you have to do is download the Starbucks’ app and hold your phone in front of a scanner when you by a Frapa-whatever at Starbucks....

Attorney General Eric Holder has sent a letter to Congress informing legislators that the Department of Justice will no longer defend the Defense of Marriage Act in court. This is a big step for the Obama Administration, which, according to The New York Times, is being accused by critics of failing to live up to the president’s promise to defend gay rights. The letter explains that Eric Holder and President Obama have concluded that sexual orientation is a suspect class for the purposes of Due Process and Equal Protection law, reports the Times....

Anybody who has gone through the process, or has walked someone through the process, of a divorce knows how challenging it can be. These days, the “standard” concerns and stresses that accompany a divorce in court could very well be magnified for many couples also facing a difficult economy. However, one option that people generally might have heard of, but not know too much about, is that of a collaborative divorce, which may provide a more private, less stressful, and less costly alternative to an adversarial courtroom divorce....