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Are California’s planning laws “waging war” on single family homes? Zoning laws in the Golden State might be making it more difficult for homeowners to buy detached single-family housing in the future. About 70% of Californians prefer single family housing, according to a survey by the Public Policy Institute of California. But, new policies that push for “urban containment” or “smart growth” instead advocate for creation of more dense housing, such as apartments or condominiums, reports New Geography....

Do you know how to file for workers’ compensation? If you’re injured on the job, workers’ comp can potentially help take care of your medical expenses and wages while you’re recovering. These benefits aren’t automatic, however. There is a process for filing a workers’ compensation claim; if you fail to follow the steps in a timely manner, you may have to pay for your injury on your own. That’s why it’s important to get familiar with the workers’ compensation process....

Josue Portillo, 17, a member of the notorious MS-13 gang, pleaded guilty in a Long Island courtroom to four counts of racketeer murder and one count of conspiracy to commit racketeer murder. Portillo and his fellow gang members have been in custody for over a year, awaiting trial. Nine have been charged, but Portilla was the first to enter a guilty plea. In what has been described as a “horrific frenzy of violence,” the MS-13 gang used two female members to lure five male teenagers they believed to be members of the rival 18th Street gang....

Did your boss ever promise you a raise, but then fail to follow through on it? If so, you will want to find out whether that promise was enforceable. Depending on the circumstances of your situation, your employer’s promise may actually be an enforceable term of your employment contract. Employment contracts take many different forms, but are most commonly enforced as written or verbal agreements. In general, anything in writing that describes any terms, benefits or conditions of employment can be enforced....

As discussed in FindLaw’s Law and Daily Life, a transgender teen is filing an employment discrimination complaint against McDonald’s because she claims that they refused to hire her because she is transgender. The story brings up the important issue of workplace rights for transgender employment. As of April 3, 2008, 98 cities and counties reportedly prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of gender identity in employment ordinances that govern public and private employers in those jurisdictions....

Weird question, right? Predictably, the world’s biggest tech company is pretty concerned with leakage – a one word descriptor for the many ways consumer goods exit a store without being paid for. Given the prices of its goods and their strict release dates, Apple might be more concerned with leakage than most companies. So, predictably, Apple subjects employees at its retail stores to security checks; searching their backpacks, purses, and other belongings to make sure they’re not “leaking” any products....

Tesla Motors, the maker of cutting edge all-electric cars, announced last week that it is recalling most vehicles in its “Roadster” model line because of a defect that could cause suspension problems. The recall affects all 345 of the all-electric Roadster model vehicles manufactured prior to April 22 by Tesla Motors, based in San Carlos, California. The company’s other all-electric vehicle, the “Model S,” is still in the prototype development phase and is not impacted by the recall....

Speeding is always a safety risk, but especially on turns going nearly 100 miles per hour over the speed limit. The family of an 18-year-old boy killed in a Tesla car accident is suing the car manufacturer for what the attorney calls an “unreasonably dangerous” car. Edgar Monserratt’s 18-year-old son, Edgar Monserratt Martinez, was in the passenger seat of a Tesla Model S car driven by his friend Barrett Riley in Fort Lauderdale, Florida....

Dunkin’ Donuts cannot be pleased about a recent complaint with shades of the famous McDonald’s lawsuit. Surely everyone remembers the 1994 case against McDonald’s, Liebeck v. McDonald’s Restaurants. Woman spills coffee. Coffee is hot. Woman suffers 3rd degree burns and is awarded $2.86 million in court. The original case was much derided, but is now part of our popular culture; remember Kramer’s suit on Seinfeld, and how about the reference in Toby Keith’s new tune American Ride?...

Think your small business experiences more problems than most? Or that luck just isn’t on your side with new laws, regulations, and other complications? Well, you may take comfort in knowing that most small business owners are probably going through the same pains as you. In a survey by the National Federation of Independent Businesses, small business owners ranked the most serious problems they face. The NFIB asked business owners to assess 75 different types of problems; here were the Top 10:...

By the time you’re a grandparent, the hard work should be over. Your kids are (hopefully) grown and self-sufficient, and you’re either enjoying retirement or looking forward to doing so. But the life of a grandparents isn’t entirely carefree – there are still some legal issues that can arise and are particular to grandparents. Here are five of the most important: 1. Do Grandparents Get Holiday Visitation Rights? The best part about being a grandparent?...

A California woman is suing a vet’s office for $1 million claiming that they threatened to report her for animal cruelty for declining a $10,000 dog surgery that she was unable to afford. Karen Kelly took her dog Mojo to a veterinary clinic in Tustin after Mojo was hit by a car in 2011. Kelly was told that necessary surgery would cost $10,000, reports ABC News. Kelly’s suit for civil extortion alleges that she tried to get the money but couldn’t....

American Airlines made waves this week when the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The company said the move was spurred by high labor costs and the downturn in the economy. The airline hasn’t been the only one hit with high costs and financial instability from its high pension cost. Carriers like American have also had a difficult time competing against discount airlines. However, many individuals are not particularly familiar with Chapter 11....

The 7,000 acre fire that has devastated Colorado in recent days has created a chaotic scene in the mile-high state, as close to 100 structures have been completely destroyed by the fires. As is the case with all damaging fires, emotions run wild over concerns for personal and property safety, and the aftermath of the blaze can be felt for years. Homes built in a dry, brushy landscape can be a breeding ground for wildfires, especially during the hot summer months....

When a person is injured in an auto accident, they may be entitled to recover monetary damages for their injuries. In some circumstances, an injury victim can be entitled to recover after suffering an emotional, or mental health, injury, such as post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as a result of a car accident. Unless the mental health injury rendered a person incapacitated, they will need to file a lawsuit within the normal time period allowed by their state to file....

Despite hard times and shrinking profits, Americans still shop at locally-owned, independent retailers. A new small business survey from American Express polled 1,000 consumers aged 18 and older. Ninety-three percent of respondents believe that it’s important to support local small businesses. And on average, they spend about one third of their monthly discretionary income at these stores. How can you capitalize on this information? Survey respondents primarily shop at small businesses because of friendly employees and product knowledge....

Fall has just begun, but holiday hiring plans are already in full swing. The Orlando Sentinel reports Walmart will hire roughly 55,000 seasonal employees for the holidays this year; Target plans to hire about 70,000 employees this holiday season, down from the 80,000 it hired last year, according to the Star Tribune. As you get your holiday hiring plans in order, ’tis the season to keep these legal reminders in mind about hiring seasonal employees:...

The American public has been so inundated with house-flipping television entertainment that you almost feel silly if you’re not currently in the market for a cheap home to quickly renovate and put back up for sale. But, like all get-rich-quick schemes, flipping a house comes with quite a few legal risks. Here are the top three you should be concerned about. The Federal Housing Administration provides mortgage insurance on loans made approved lenders, the largest such insurer of mortgages in the world....

Everyone knows that guns are dangerous. But a bullet without a gun? Apparently that’s dangerous too. An unidentified woman shopping at Lowe’s was injured when a bullet in her purse exploded unexpectedly. The bullet casing made a hole in her purse and caused minor injuries to her leg. She was later checked out at the hospital. Generally with bullet wounds there’s some idea of where blame lies. But in this case the real culprit wasn’t even present when this woman was injured....

We all know that generally it’s illegal to discriminate in hiring based on a variety of characteristics. We also are all familiar with jobs that seem only to be filled by one gender or another. When is it legal to hire only women or only men? Title VII prohibits employers from discriminating in employment decisions based on gender, race, national origin, religion or age. Many states make it illegal to discriminate based on sexual orientation or transgender status....