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When your property gets destroyed or damaged by another person, you may be left wondering what you can do, legally. Under the law, if a person damages your property, whether intentionally or negligently, barring extraordinary circumstances, they will generally be liable for the damages caused. Although it is a rather common problem that people have to deal with, individuals frequently have questions about their legal rights when it comes to property damage claims....

When most of us think “human trafficking,” we think of semi trucks loaded with immigrants, some tragically not surviving the journey. We’re generally not thinking about $700/night Ritz-Carlton hotels in Beaver Creek, Colorado. But human trafficking has many different faces, requiring many different people to be vigilant in the fight against it. Recently, the focus has turned to training employees and managers in restaurants, hotels, and others in the hospitality industry to prevent, spot, and report human trafficking....

If you drive a car, you’ll need car insurance, and you’ve likely been introduced to the world of confusing car insurance terms. Prices for car insurance can range from less than $100 to well above several hundred a month. Some obvious factors affecting car insurance prices are the type of vehicle you drive and your driving history. But even considering these variables, you’ll see a wide range of products and prices available to you....

Victims of domestic violence can often feel trapped in the situation because of the presence of children, a lack of resources, or simply fear of more severe abuse if the victim tries to leave. There are, of course, many self-help resources for victims of domestic violence, such as the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, which recently announced it has partnered with the NFL to promote and fund its domestic violence hotline and other programs....

For most business owners, social media has now become a necessity for interacting with customers. But social media can also quickly become a source of trouble. Some social media mishaps, like the Florida Chili’s restaurant worker who posted pictures of himself posing shirtless in the restaurant’s kitchen, can be more embarrassing than serious. But social media is also increasingly subject to regulatory scrutiny: As you may recall, retailer Nordstrom received a warning from the FTC after a company-sponsored “TweetUp” party ran afoul of FTC disclosure rules....

California meal break laws just got a whole lot easier for employers to swallow. Up until now, an employer’s meal break obligations were unclear. Are employers required to ensure that employees do no work during their meal breaks? Or can employees choose to work during that time? In the just-issued Brinker Restaurant Corp. v. Superior Court of San Diego, the court decided to go with the second option. California meal break laws, specifically Labor Code section 512 and Work Order No....

Being a smoker in California just got a lot harder since the town of San Rafael passed what is one of the strictest anti-smoking laws in the country. Residents of San Rafael are now banned from smoking in any multi-family homes, including duplexes and condominiums. The measure was passed unanimously in the town of about 57,000. The new measure is in addition to other rules against smoking in public and private places....

Restraining orders do what they say, which is restrain the movements of someone who is endangering another. But because you are seeking to restrict someone’s freedom, it’s not easy to get a restraining order and you will have to show evidence that contact is dangerous or threatening before a judge can order someone to stay away, especially your neighbor. When the person who you want to restrain is your neighbor, the proximity of your living spaces certainly complicates matters....

Aisha Siddiqui won a jury verdict of $3 million in her personal injury lawsuit against a mall owner and escalator manufacturer after her right big toe was “crushed and shredded” during a Christmas shopping trip in Arkansas last year. Siddiqui was riding down an escalator at the Park Plaza mall, when her boot got caught and pulled into the moving escalator. Her right big toe was caught in the escalator’s teeth, turning it into “hamburger meat,” according to her attorney, Denise Hoggard....

When we go to a hospital, it’s normally for a medical emergency when we need competent care quickly. We expect to get the medical treatment we need, and we expect to be treated just like any other patient. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. Some hospitals may deny certain treatments or procedures based on religious grounds, and others are struggling with providing adequate medical services to transgender patients. And some doctors are profiling their patients based on race and gender....

A young mother could not have known that by helping the police arrest a teen, she would end up dead. But unfortunately, due to the combined actions of both the Missouri teen and the officers, two young children will be attending the funeral of their 21-year-old mother. And the teen has been charged in her killing. Teen Wanted for Meth-Relate Parole Violations The teen, 19-year-old Mason Ferris, and another woman were riding in a car driven by Savannah Hill....

The victims of evangelist Tony Alamo, who was convicted of taking five underage girls across state lines for sex, showed him no mercy. U.S. District Judge Harry F. Barnes acknowledged their sentiments at the sentencing hearing. On Friday, the judge sentenced the Texas minister to 175 years but said he hoped a greater judge would have mercy on his soul for his sex crimes. One woman who Alamo took as a “child bride” challenged the evangelist on the witness stand Friday....

There’s a new trend emerging in prenups: social media restrictions. After you and your spouse enter blissful matrimony, a social media prenup could potentially be used to prevent embarrassing or “ugly” pictures of you from being posted on Facebook or Instagram. This definitely sounds like a lawyerly solution to a first-world problem. But should you consider a social media prenup? Social Media Prenup Imposes Digital Restrictions Prenuptial agreements are intended to reaffirm each spouse’s property ownership as well as financial responsibilities during (and after) a marriage....

A member of Florida A&M University’s famed marching band is dead, and investigators say a notorious FAMU hazing ritual likely led to his death. Robert Champion, 26, a drum major from Atlanta, was found unresponsive in the band’s bus after a football game in Orlando. Champion had vomited and complained he couldn’t breathe before he died Nov. 19, the Associated Press reports. Before that, investigators say Champion was subjected to a hazing ritual – probably forced to walk through a “gauntlet of fists” on the bus, ABC News reports....

A Florida woman, Chrystina Lynn Mercer, was arrested and charged Thursday for taking part in the abduction of her the 7-month-old daughter. The child’s babysitter, Susan Elizabeth Baker, was also charged in the alleged conspiracy. Mercer was charged today with giving the infant to Baker, a woman who was a suspect in the disappearance of her own son 22 years ago, according to ABC News. The missing baby, Shannon Lea Dedrick was found alive in a large box under Susan Elizabeth Baker’s bed....

As of this week, not only do COBRA benefits subsidies hang in the balance, so do jobless benefits, which are also due to expire soon. According to the Florida Sun Sentinel, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is struggling to find a way to extend unemployment benefits. The current extension expired as of today. Today, Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) will ask Sen. Bunning to drop his filibuster. If he is not successful, the Senate will have to initiate parliamentary actions to work around Bunning, but which will take time and possibly still cause a loss in benefits for those who count on them....

If an employee gets called for jury duty, is time off from work something you need to give? Many employers might wonder whether or not there are any specific jury duty laws in their state. There probably are. And it’s vital that employers familiarize themselves with the relevant statutes. Violating state laws can result in penalties. So what do you need to know? Most state laws require employers to give employees time off....

The Aloha State’s already stringent gun regulations may get even tougher soon, with proposed legislation that would allow state officials to keep tabs on gun owners or applicants via an FBI database. The bill would only affect Hawaii residents who own guns or apply for gun licenses, but it create an alert system to notify the state if such residents are arrested in another state. Here’s how the FBI system works, and how it might affect Hawaii gun owners....

Holidays are a time for family, but if you and your ex share custody of your children, that may be easier said than done. Even if you typically get along with your former spouse, sharing holiday time can bring out the worst in everyone. It’s no secret that this can be a difficult time to manage a custody arrangement. But instead of pretending it won’t be a problem this year, it’s time to deal with the issue ahead of time so that the holiday can be spent in peace....

Icy sidewalks can be wintry hazards this time of year. They can also trip you up in court, if you’re named in a slip and fall lawsuit. States and local jurisdictions handle icy sidewalk accidents differently, but some general legal principles apply. Here are four legal questions that could affect the outcome of icy sidewalk slip-fall suits. Who owns the sidewalk? Slip-fall liability can vary for different types of property owners and occupants....