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Trademark infringement can get ugly but Jack Daniel’s actually used it to their advantage. And they still managed to enforce their trademark. The company sent a cease and desist letter to author Patrick Wensink whose new book’s cover looked an awful lot like the iconic whiskey label. The letter wasn’t mean and it didn’t make any unnecessary demands on Wensink or his publisher. It didn’t even have a whole lot of legal terms besides those needed go get the point across....

For one reason or another, you may wish to take your child out of the public school system. Perhaps you’re dissatisfied with the curriculum, the school’s treatment of your child, or just the institution of government-funded education. In any case, you’ll need to legally withdraw your child from public school before you can physically remove him or her from classes. To help ease your child’s educational transition, here are a few steps you may need to follow in order to legally withdraw your child from public school:...

Former California gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman has agreed to pay $5,500 to settle with her former housekeeper, Nicky Diaz Santillan. Diaz Santillan came forth with charges that she was owed expenses and back pay for work performed for Whitman and her husband, Dr. Griffith Harsh IV. According to claims made by Diaz Santillan and her attorney Gloria Allred, she was owed payment for hours worked and money for gas and additional expenses incurred during her work....

This change, like so many others, has been a long time coming. After a decade of work by anti-smoking advocates, on December 10th, Michigan sent a bill banning smoking in most workplaces to Governor Jennifer Granholm for her signature. Following in the timeworn footsteps of states like California, which placed a statewide ban on smoking in enclosed workplaces in 1995, Michigan becomes the 38th state to ban smoking in public places and workplaces....

The family of Carlos Salgado, 26, a Calumet Township official, has filed a wrongful death suit against Park District President Fred Bilotto and the Village of Blue Island. Salgado died in a public pool drowning at a pool party on June 26. Criminal charges are not being filed. The Southtown Star obtained a police report indicating that investigators found that there was drinking and nudity at the party but no indications of foul play....

You know a school is tough when the teachers complain about bullying and are terrified of the students. Kathy Perez said that is how it was in two Queens schools where she worked. Now she has settled a claim with the New York City Law Department for $125,000. The claims against the state’s Department of Education stem from incidents with her students, both of which landed Perez in the hospital with injuries....

It seems that the New York subway’s rat problem is on the rise. So, news that a rat bit a woman on a subway platform in downtown New York last Monday is probably not too surprising. The unsuspecting victim was waiting at the Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall station at around 9:30 a.m. when the rat snuck up her and bit her on the foot, UPI reports. She was treated at New York Downtown Hospital and released....

Betty Dukes, the lead plaintiff in the Dukes v. Walmart class action case filed back in 2001, died this month at the age of 67. While the cause has not been announced, Ms. Dukes will be remembered as a fighter. As a result of her devotion to fighting for equal rights, she became known more than just locally, where she lived in Antioch, California. In fact, class action lawyers likely won’t forget her name for years to come....

Parents try very hard to protect their children. But, this need to protect children must also be balanced with letting go of your children, such as letting them go to school. The hope is that the people that care for your children when you’re not around will be responsible and ensure that your child stays safe. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. For example, Arlana Haynes, a 6-year-old girl in first grade died as a result of injuries she sustained in a school bus crash, and her parents say it was because the bus driver was negligent and reckless....

If your current health insurance plan is being canceled because of Obamacare, you aren’t alone. At least 2 million people, and perhaps as many as 7 million, will not be able to renew their current insurance policies. Multiple media outlets are characterizing the news as a major political blunder, but industry experts are clarifying the situation and explaining the real reason behind the massive coverage cancellations. The Affordable Care Act requires insurance plans to meet the law’s 10 minimum standards, such as maternity care, emergency visits, and mental health treatment, reports The Christian Science Monitor....

Alimony Pendente Lite, or APL, is temporary spousal support that includes an allowance to pay for prosecution of the divorce itself. Family law is mostly regulated by the states, so the specifics do vary and you will have to inform yourself of local law. Here are some Alimony Pendente Lite basics to help you understand what you read. Five Basic Questions Answered Why call it Alimony Pendente Lite? The pendente in APL indicates the temporary nature of this form of support....

Having a small business is great because it lets you be the boss. But being the boss means having more responsibility and there are a lot of things you must decide when you are in charge. One of the most important is a method for financial management. As much as your business may feel like your whole life, you do need to separate your personal finances from those of the business and keep the boundaries strict....

Before you dig your toes into the sand and sip a cool beverage, don’t forget to pack a few summer beach books. From humor to legal history to a children’s book about bullying, there’s something for everyone. Here’s our list of the Top 10 legal (and not-so-legal) summer beach reads: Related Resources: Top 5 Summer Beach Reads for Lawyers (FindLaw’s Greedy Associates) A First Time for Everything: Supreme Court Summer Reading List (FindLaw’s U....

Teaching your kids to drive is one of those time honored traditions that has worked its way into American culture. After all, how are your kids going to move out when they turn 18? However, letting your kid just hop behind the wheel and get on the road may not just be a bad idea, it could also be illegal. Even if you are in an empty parking lot when you decide to give that first lesson, you could still be violating your state’s laws....

Working in a restaurant carries a lot of safety concerns, both to your customers and your staff. Restaurant staff know that working in a restaurant kitchen can be dangerous. They can take a more active role letting you know when dangerous situations occur. Customers, meanwhile, may not be as aware or know when to notify staff of a potential danger. Instead of waiting for them to come to you, be proactive about preventing accidents and keeping customers safe in your restaurant....

Settlement conferences for scores of Toyota lawsuits alleging sudden acceleration defects are set to begin in February. Hundreds of plaintiffs have filed lawsuits against Toyota over alleged mechanical defects in their vehicles that caused them to accelerate suddenly and crash, according to the Los Angeles Times. Toyota’s settlement talks are advantageous for both the company and the plaintiffs. The settlement conferences for Toyota’s mounting lawsuits come at an appropriate time. Between 2009 and 2011, Toyota recalled more than 8 million vehicles after consumer complaints of sudden acceleration defects....

The study results are in. And things are not looking good for the estimated 46 million people who find themselves uninsured in America. The study conducted by Harvard researchers found that the uninsured have a 40% higher risk of death than those who have private health insurance. This is significant increase from the 25% risk of death for the uninsured, determined in a similar study done 16 years ago in 1993....

There are broad legal protections for nursing home residents. Federal and state laws prevent nursing homes from arbitrarily evicting patients, a process called ‘involuntary discharge.’ Yet complaints about wrongful nursing home evictions are rising. It’s a problem that wraps up the care needs of resident patients with the difficult realities of running a nursing home. Federal law protects against abusive nursing home practices, including unjustly evicting sick patients. Often complaints center on homes making room for more desirable (paying) patients, which is prohibited under law but affects a home’s bottom line....

Have you ever sustained an office injury, or noticed some sort of hazard at your workplace? As an employee, do you know that OSHA regulations often mandate that employers maintain workplace premises up to a certain standard? OSHA, short for the Occupational Safety and Health Act, was passed in order to ensure that every American has safe working conditions at their place of employment. All businesses that “affect commerce” are regulated under OSHA, so practically every business falls under OSHA regulation....

Can the Occupy Oakland veteran-turned-protestor Scott Olsen sue the police? The 24-year-old veteran suffered serious injuries after getting hit in the head by a projectile during a protest last Tuesday night. His skull was fractured and doctors are optimistic that he will recover. But he has been experiencing increased brain pressure on the lobe that controls a person’s ability to speak. Last Friday, he wasn’t able to speak, but he could understand words said to him and could write....