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Today the Supreme Court heard arguments in a case over whether a federal law criminalizing videos that depict animal cruelty violates the First Amendment. For background on the case at hand (US v. Stevens), see this write-up in the Christian Science Monitor. To summarize, a Virginia man was convicted of selling dog fighting videos from Japan, where dog fighting is legal. An appeals court struck down the law as an unconstitutional violation of the First Amendment....

When it comes to legal representation, finding a lawyer isn’t a problem. Choosing a lawyer, however, is. With a glut of attorneys out there, it’s difficult to determine who you should interview, as well as which criteria to even apply when narrowing down your choices. Though there are dozens of reasons to hire a specific attorney, we consider the following five things essential when choosing a lawyer. Reputation. If the legal community doesn’t respect your attorney, it’s going to impact your case....

Howard O. Kieffer, 54, appeared in a slew of federal courts representing clients ranging from a former NHL hockey player to a child porn defendant. The only problem is that he wasn’t a licensed attorney, reports the AP. To be more accurate, he actually was licensed to practice in federal courts, but those licenses were obtained via fraud, considering that he didn’t go to law school and wasn’t licensed to practice in any state....

The late New York heiress Huguette Clark’s last will is a fraud, her relatives claim in a legal challenge. More than $400 million are at stake. Clark, who was 104 when she died last year, was heiress to her family’s copper-mining fortune. Her last will from 2005 gave more than $30 million to her longtime nurse, and $500,000 each to her attorney and her accountant, MSNBC reports. Her family was entirely cut out....

Gay marriage “outlaw” Kim Davis got a supporting nod of sorts from the Pope last weekend. When asked about a government official’s duties to their office and their personal conscience, the pontiff responded: “I can say that conscientious objection is a right that is a part of every human right. It is a right. And if a person does not allow others to be a conscientious objector, he denies a right....

Dealing with lost or damaged luggage during the holidays can be a major hassle. Fortunately, there’s a system for working directly with the airline for compensation without filing a lawsuit. Here are some general guidelines about how to deal with lost or damaged luggage: If your suitcase or belongings arrive smashed or torn, the airline will usually cover the cost of repairs. If it can’t be fixed, they will probably negotiate a settlement to pay you the depreciated value of your items, according to the Department of Transportation’s Aviation, Consumer Protection and Enforcement division....

Medical records may be the foundation of your injury claim or the linchpin of your defense. But getting medical records for your lawsuit can be difficult. The following steps will help you obtain those sensitive medical documents in order to win your case and get some peace of mind. Often in the case of a serious injury, the medical records are kept electronically by a hospital or surgical clinic. They are generally protected from disclosure by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)....

The National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB) released today its Small Business Economic Trends for March. It is not a mood lifter. In terms of small businesses optimism, the prospect of continued layoffs, and reduction of capital spending, the report hovered near record bad numbers. With small businesses perhaps needing to continue layoffs in months ahead, and more newly unemployed individuals looking to compete, it’s good to keep in mind exactly what departing employees may and may not do in regards to customers....

The residents of the United States speak dozens of languages. With a large immigrant population, many of them speak little to no English. Are manufacturers required to place bilingual warnings on their products? Lilybet Farias, a Spanish-speaking citizen, purchased two propane heaters from a Miami, Florida Home Depot. Speaking virtually no English, she was only able to read the word “caution” on the included warning labels and in the instruction manuals....

If you are a plaintiff in an injury suit and are awarded damages, you can sell the money owed to you in a structured settlement. In exchange, you get an upfront payment rather than incremental payments over the years. For many plaintiffs, this can solve financial problems that piled on during the pendency of the lawsuit, and that is important. But these deals can only be done with a judge’s approval when in the plaintiff’s best interest....

Throughout the United States, women, on average, earn only about 77 percent of what men earn for the same work. In some states, the pay gap is even wider, with women as much as 34 percent less than men. So, it should make sense that women should pay less than men for the same products. Some businesses, in protest of the gender pay gap, are charging women less than men....

Small business owner salaries are down. According to the Fall 2013 American Express OPEN Small Business Monitor, the average entrepreneur’s salary is about $68,300, a 5 percent drop from $72,000 the year before. But despite the slight decrease, entrepreneurs and small business owners are still adamantly making strides in the race to success. How so? Here’s what the new survey reveals: Salaries are down, but that’s not the only downside to running a small business....

Social media training is essential for any employer who wants his or her staff to help a business’ online presence to thrive. But there’s more to this training than just making sure your employees know how to log on to Facebook and Twitter – there are a few legal points you’ll want to cover as well. If you’re unsure where to start, try these five legal topics on social media to cover with your staff:...

For the second time in four months, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court’s injunction on an executive order banning entry into the United States of individuals from several Muslim-majority countries. And the Ninth was the second federal appeals court in as many months to affirm orders blocking Trump’s revised travel ban – the Fourth Circuit issued their opinion three weeks ago, a decision the U.S. Department of Justice has appealed to the Supreme Court....

Settling student loan debt isn’t as easy as a hospital bill or car loan payment that has gone to collections. Nationwide, many graduates are learning that their student loan debts are hard to shake. Part of the reason, according to Reuters, is that settling student loans may only be possible when students offer large lump-sum payments, averaging “between 30 percent and 80 percent” of the entire loan amount. With the average student loan debt at $27,000, that means debtors need to shell out thousands of dollars in order to avoid collections....

Ashley Zauflik was awarded $14 million by a jury in Bucks County, Penn. She sued the local school district after she and other students were hit by a school bus in 2007. The jury awarded approximately $3 million for past and future medical expenses, and another $11.1 million for pain and suffering. Ashley lost her leg, fractured a number of bones, and suffered from a crushed abdomen. But under Pennsylvania’s statutory damage cap, she’s only entitled to $500,000....

Veterinarians are reporting that “stoner dog” cases are way up. If you’re wondering what a stoner dog is, it’s exactly what it sounds like, dogs who get high off their owner’s marijuana. While a stoner dog may sound funny (there are actually quite a few stoner dog YouTube clips), the reality is that cannabis and your canine may be a bad mix. Marijuana can be extremely toxic for dogs, reports CBS....

We live in an increasingly DIY society. With easy access to information, a strong work ethic, and a healthy dose of optimism, we think we can solve any problem ourselves. But part of knowledge is knowing what we don’t know, and which situations we can’t handle on our own. While some legal issues, like traffic tickets, are easy enough to handle without legal assistance, others are just too complex or important to go it alone....

With Mother’s Day right around the corner, moms who don’t always have their kids at home might be wondering about Mother’s Day child custody and visitation arrangements. Though every family has their own way of doing things, there are certain steps you can take to make sure your Mother’s Day is a fun, flower-filled holiday for everyone. Here are five child custody and visitation tips to keep in mind this Mother’s Day:...

This week, Alaska Airlines announced that it would purchase Virgin America for $2.6 billion, which has you thinking: Is this a good way to grow a business? You’d like to expand your operation and are considering an acquisition but you’re not sure how to approach it … or even if that is such a good idea. So, let’s consider buying an existing business in light of the big deal announced this week....