Even the most reasonable landlords and the most responsible tenants have the occasional dispute. Fortunately, the vast majority of these disputes never need to see the inside of a courtroom. For a minority of these cases, however, you may need to sue a property management company in order to enforce your rights as a tenant. So here are a few things to keep in mind if and when you do:...
Renee Rayton, a former sheriff’s deputy and marijuana regulation compliance officer from Pitkin County, in Colorado, was recently indicted in an extensive interstate marijuana trafficking ring. Rayton’s indictment, along with three others, issued June 7, raised the number of individuals charged in connection with the operation to 20. Rayton was hired by Scott Pack to provide legal compliance consulting for his marijuana businesses. While there wouldn’t seem to be a problem with a marijuana entrepreneur seeking legal compliance consulting, Rayton was subject to a law that requires industry regulators to wait six months between leaving a regulatory position for a job in the industry they were regulating....
Before you buy property with your unmarried partner, it’s important to consider how you want to own it. Many unmarried couples fail to consider how the property will be divided if the relationship doesn’t work out. That’s a mistake, because the law will treat an unmarried couple as if they are separate legal entities, which differs from when a couple is married. By contrast, with tenants-in-common, each owner has a separate share in the property, which the parties are free to determine, typically proportionally....
A former high school student injured by a band saw in shop class has filed a lawsuit – five years after the injury. Ryan Hughes claims that in 2008, the saw snagged his clothes and then pulled him into the blade, the South Jersey Times reports. Hughes claims that there was neither a guard on the blade nor floor markings to indicate a safety zone. He now is left with limited elbow movement, nerve damage, and permanent scarring....
A multi-millionaire from Nebraska has sued the Harrah’s casinos because he claims that Harrah’s knowingly took advantage of his gambling addiction, to the tune of over $100 million. CNBC reports that Terrance “Terry” Watanabe has filed a lawsuit which accuses Harrah’s of supplying him with luxurious suites, alcohol, and prescription drugs in order to take prey upon the weaknesses of the gambling addict. He claims that Harrah’s efforts succeeded in costing him over $100 million....
An Indiana appellate court declared no-go on a state law that required Indiana residents to show photo identification in order to vote. The state court ruled that the voter ID law violated Indiana’s constitution by failing to treat voters on an impartial basis, even though though the U.S. Supreme Court last year found the law to be in line with the Constitution. The Indiana voter ID law was passed in 2005, challenged in federal court, and then found constitutional by the U....
With unemployment at a 26 year high at 10.2%, its no wonder that DC movers and shakers are starting to focus more attention on small business owners. Statistics supplied by ADP (and reported by CNN) show that small businesses (businesses with less than 50 employees) cut 68,000 jobs this past November. A huge portion of the total 5.3 million jobs lost this year alone was due to the 2 million jobs lost in small business....
In Concord, California, a two year-old boy was killed on July 29, a victim of an attack by three of his step-grandfather’s pit bulls. Jacob Bisbee was rushed to the hospital, but died in the ambulance. The dogs have been put down by county authorities and felony charges have been brought against the pit bull owner. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, during a visit to his grandfather’s house, the toddler wandered into the garage where the dogs were kept....
Just in case there isn’t enough alarm about finances and the state of the American health care system, here’s a little bit more bad news to pile on. According to the AP, a study shows that medical bills are behind over 60 percent of personal bankruptcy filings. Even more alarming, this is despite the fact that over 75 percent of those bankruptcy families had health insurance! In the words of one Harvard researcher, “[u]nless you’re Warren Buffett, your family is just one serious illness away from bankruptcy”....
In another step to repair its reputation after a major data breach, Target has agreed to settle a class action lawsuit for $10M. Eligible claimants could claim up to $10,000. Target previously tried to dismiss the class action suit arguing consumers did not have standing to sue. This means that consumers couldn’t prove an injury arising from the data breach. However, the judge rejected Target’s assertions, noting that the 114 named plaintiffs could show unlawful charges, blocked access to bank accounts, and inability to pay other bills....
The whole concept of free online reviews is great in theory. It could be a way for your small business to build a customer base without expending too much money on marketing. However, it can also lead to unwanted legal problems. Inc. recently wrote about the dangers of the Yelp reviewer. Small business owners can open up a legal can of worms if they try to fight negative online reviews. Here are some of the current legal issues facing small business owners with Yelp and other free online reviews of small businesses....
Are you driving one of the top 10 most stolen cars? The National Insurance Crime Bureau just published its annual Hot Wheels vehicle theft report. The report includes a very through look about which cars are stolen and how often. Without further ado, here is the top 10 list of most stolen vehicles: The Highway Loss Data Institute, which uses different data to calculate its format, came up with a different list of cars for their top five....
Yelp and other online review sites have become the bane of some small businesses, with many struggling to navigate sticky social media situations and asking some tough questions. Yes, you probably can ban a customer for a bad Yelp review, but the bigger question is whether you should. But banning isn’t your only option. Here are a few legal pointers when it comes to responding (or not) to Yelp reviews....
Publishing a professional ebook can be a great marketing step and with the variety of tools to self-publish it’s never been easier for a new author. An ebook can also be a marketing tool since it shows the author’s expertise and can bring in new business. The benefits of self-publishing are numerous but there are also pitfalls that are best avoided. Knowing your topic is one thing but knowing how best to get it into the hands of interested readers is a whole other issue....
A new FindLaw.com survey has shown that about 1 in 4 Americans have challenged their property tax. And the result? Often, a property tax reduction. The survey found that around 24% of the homeowners asked had challenged their property assessments at some point of their home ownership. And, around 75% of those who challenged their assessment found their property tax reduced as a result. The net reduction in the property tax was between 1 and 4%....
For those sponsoring an immigrant to become a citizen, you will likely need to sign a Form I-864, otherwise known as an Affidavit of Support. According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), this document is required “for most family-based immigrants and some employment-based immigrants” to show the federal government that they will have a means of support when they arrive. If you are petitioning for a relative or spouse to come to the United States, you will probably be required to sign this affidavit....
When it comes to divorce, there are two basic kinds: contested and uncontested. In the former, the parties seeking to dissolve their union fight out their issues over who gets what in court. In an uncontested divorce, the parties still have to go to court, but there is no fighting involved. Rather, in an uncontested divorce, the parties simply ask the court to approve the divorce agreement they have come to on their own....
Paid tax preparers beware. You may think you’re ready to start working on your clients’ 2012 tax returns – but are you ready for the new IRS rules? New IRS rules for paid tax preparers take effect Jan. 1. They include education requirements, background checks, and competency exams, depending on what kind of tax preparer you are. The biggest change affects all paid tax preparers, including attorneys and certified accountants. Anyone who is paid to prepare a tax return must now apply for a Preparer Tax Identification Number, or PTIN....
A California law allowing terminally ill adults with less than six months to live to receive a prescription for a lethal dose of “aid-in-dying” drugs went into effect today. The California End of Life Option Act makes the Golden State just the fifth state to allow physician-assisted suicide and was hotly debated but ultimately unopposed by the California Medical Association. Now that the law is in effect, who can ask for aid in dying and how will physician-assisted suicide be regulated?...
If you are involved in a personal injury case, you always have the option of representing yourself. But just because you can, doesn’t necessarily mean you should in all cases. There are many different stages of a typical personal injury lawsuit, and depending on the type of claim and the facts of the case, you can very easily get in over your head if you’re not careful. So, can you handle an injury case on your own?...
