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So a ground-breaking case (and I use that term loosely here) in North Dakota has just about run its course. Stacey Anvarinia, 26, pleaded guilty to felony child neglect after breast-feeding her baby while drunk, or “extremely drunk” to be more specific. Lest anyone start to worry however, this type of drunk breast-feeding offense is probably not going to be high on prosecutors’ and cops’ radar, particularly considering the circumstances of the case....

Most expecting mothers experience at least some morning sickness. And some of those turn to anti-nausea medication to get some relief. But that can be a problem when the medication has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use by pregnant women. One study linked some birth defects to the use of Zofran (also marketed as Zuplenz or its generic ondansetron) during pregnancy, and a new round of lawsuits accuses the drug’s maker, GlaxoSmithKline, of marketing the drug to pregnant women without FDA approval....

A winner of a live roach eating contest collapsed to his death shortly after winning the South Florida event. Edward Archbold was the winner/victim of the contest at the Ben Siegel Reptile Store. The 32-year-old man downed dozens of live roaches and other bugs to win the contest. He beat out 30 other contestants and took home the grand prize – a python. Investigators are still looking into the cause of death and it’s unsure if eating the live insects caused the man to die....

Almost six months after the tragic death of Robin Williams, the predictable has happened: There’s a squabble over his estate. The battle pits Williams’ three children (from his two previous marriages) against his widow Susan, to whom he was married for three years. Williams left behind a comprehensive estate plan consisting of trusts for his real estate and for his children. Because trusts are a more bulletproof option than distribution through a will when it comes to estate planning, how can you challenge a trust?...

It’s just a little fender bender, right? Doesn’t look like anyone was really hurt, so we can just exchange some insurance information and be on our way, right? Well, maybe not. Depending on the accident, the damage to the vehicles, and any potential injuries, a minor car accident can turn into a major legal battle. So how do you know if you need to hire an attorney after a car accident?...

Employee benefits in the family leave arena are rapidly evolving. Many employers are now offering paternity leave to allow fathers time to bond with their new children, above and beyond what is required at the state and federal level. Sometimes these apply to adoptions, and sometimes they only apply to birthing fathers. Should your company offer additional paternity leave for adoption? Here are some things to consider in answering that question....

As discussed in a prior post, the Attorneys General of 13 states (at last count) have announced plans to file a court action challenging the constitutionality of the healthcare reform law. Now, in a letter addressed to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, the Democratic governors of four of those states are pushing back against their Republican AG’s and saying they believe the action will fail. According to a report by the Associated Press, the Governors of Colorado, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Washington state have all signed the letter stating their opposition the challenge to the new law led in part by the Attorneys General of their states....

The Supreme Court has, in an opinion that can be described as anything but “fleeting”, has temporarily upheld the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) “fleeting expletives” policy. For anyone looking for where to place the blame, feel free to point at celebrities who enjoy using profanity when giving their award acceptance speeches (sorry Bono, Cher). The case had its beginnings after Bono said “‘This is really, really, f***ing brilliant’” during NBC’s broadcast of the Golden Globe Awards....

A New Jersey court has ruled that sending text messages to a driver can potentially make the sender liable for injuries in a crash caused by the text-reading recipient. A Garden State appellate court found that a remote texter like 17-year-old Shannon Colonna “has a duty not to text someone who is driving” if that remote texter knows the recipient “will view the text while driving,” reports the ABA Journal....

In April 2014, self-avowed Neo-Nazi Frazier Glenn Miller Jr. shot and killed three people in an anti-Semitic attack at a Jewish community center and retirement community in Overland Park, Kansas. As a convicted felon, Miller was prohibited from owning or buying firearms, and investigators learned another man, John Mark Reidle, purchased the shotgun used in the shooting for Miller at a Walmart in Republic, Missouri four days prior. Miller was eventually convicted of capital murder, attempted murder, and weapons charges and sentenced to death, while Reidle was sentenced to five years of probation for providing false information on a federal firearms form....

Folk wisdom says, don’t buy a little red Porsche, you are just be begging for a ticket. But on the list of the most ticketed cars for this year, that little red Porsche was nowhere to be found. So what takes the cake, or more specifically the ticket? Number one on the list of most ticketed cars, reports Forbes is a Mercedes. The report was compiled by San Francisco-based Quality Planning, based on its review on the average of violation count per 100,000 miles driven....

We have covered interesting instances of trademark infringement including scenarios involving In-N-Out, Gucci, and Fender guitars, but this is something intriguing even for our team. The phrase “Life Guard” – trademark protected or not? When Polo Ralph Lauren printed a series of T-shirts with that very phrase the company likely did so in the vein of so many other popular shirts with snappy, suggestive, or quirky phrases. Besides occupation-related tees sporting “Firefighter”, “Undercover Cop”, “M....

Missouri police arrested a 12-year-old boy who allegedly shot and killed his stepfather and mother on Monday. Police had been called to the Palace Lane Estates mobile home park in Kaiser, Missouri after the boy dialed 911. Miller Country Sheriff’s Department took the boy into custody; he has been charged in juvenile court with first-degree murder. A hearing will be held to determine whether he will be charged as an adult or juvenile....

Easter is only a few days away! Are you ready? Easter is a religious holiday for some people. For the rest of us, Easter means fluffy bunnies and chicks, candy, pretty decorated boiled eggs, and the vicious Easter egg hunt. Although, the Easter festivities aren’t all fun and games. They can be fraught with hazards. Here are three Easter injuries to avoid: 1. Food Poisoning What’s the point of making all those boiled and prettily dyed eggs, if you can’t eat them?...

Despite it being an election year, the economy remains in limbo. That means home foreclosures will continue to occur at an alarming rate. This does not need to be the case. There are a number of legal and non-fraudulent ways that you can stop foreclosure. No loan modification companies or forensic audit scams necessary. Everyone’s situation is different, so you’ll need to do a bit of research and consult with experts....

If you pay attention to legal issues small businesses face, you’ve probably seen a lot of headlines recently about startups getting sued. Is this just a function of more startup business in the market? Or are startups especially susceptible to litigation? Here’s a look at five startups that have been sued recently, and the lessons you can take from the lawsuits. 1. The Department of Labor v. Peter Thiel The Suit: News broke yesterday that the U....

Employee reference checks are invaluable to employers, as you get to learn something about potential candidates from the people who’ve actually worked with them. However, as many employers have already discovered, employee reference checks can also be a source of liability. So even though online information has become more accessible than ever, it pays to be careful about where you look for information and which questions you ask. Here are five tips for conducting employee reference checks and keeping them legal:...

With so many businesses to choose from, many consumers want to spend their money at a business that is socially responsible. But while your business may behave in the most socially responsible manner, how do you get the word out to potential customers? Consumers often can’t simply look at a product or a business and tell that it is socially responsible, as a Forbes contributor points out. So business owners have to be proactive in marketing themselves as socially or environmentally friendly, while making sure those marketing efforts are legal....

A statement released today by the American Small Business League criticizes the President’s first year policies for small business. The statement details how Obama made key promises for small business, but failed to live up to those promises. The statement does bring up valid points that every small business owner should be aware of. Here are the key needs listed in the League’s press release: Restore the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Budget and Staffing Despite promising to bolster the agency, the Obama Administration has failed to refill key positions, or restore the agency’s budget....

The folks at the head office of the Pennsylvania Lower Merion School District must think karma is a, well, you know. The latest hit in the long parade of such, since Blake Robbins and family sued the school for allegedly spying on the high school sophomore with the webcam on his school issued computer, is that their insurance company is – out. The Graphic Arts Insurance company claims it has no duty to pay for damages arising from or provide a defense in the Robbins v....