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A former stylist has accused a hip and exclusive Manhattan salon of racial discrimination in a new lawsuit filed in state court. Zandra Bennett claims her boss and a fellow employee at Orlo Salon in the Meatpacking District made racial comments before she was fired via text message in January 2011. Boss and part owner George Casson allegedly called her hair “nappy,” while receptionist Alfred Malavo is accused of calling her “Blackie Chan” and “Blackquisha....

Last week I blogged about the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy going up for senate debate. I talked about the excitement (from both sides) surrounding the bill that sought to ban the controversial policy that has been in effect since 1993. Now, in a rather anti-climatic update, the possible end to Don’t Ask Don’t Tell stalls in the Senate SFGate.com reports that the military defense bill, spear-headed by Majority Leader Harry Reid, was four votes shy of moving forward, and will likely not be revisited until after the November 2 elections....

Are the courts ahead of public opinion when it comes to gay rights issues such as same sex marriage and don’t ask, don’t tell? And if they are, will the courts lead the way to social change, or create a backlash? These issues are relevant questions, as California’s Proposition 8 heads to arguments before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, Massachusetts courts rule the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional, and the Obama Administration deals with don’t ask don’t tell in both the courts and Congress....

If you are ever injured due to the fault of someone else, one of the first steps you will need to take after seeking medical care is to determine how much your personal injury is worth if you plan to sue. In other words, you will have to determine how much money you can win if you sue the person responsible for your injuries. If the amount is too little, you may spend more in pursuing the lawsuit than you could possibly recover....

A lesbian couple can’t cohabitate, a Texas judge has ruled, citing a clause in a divorce contract that prevents one of the women from having unmarried romantic partners stay overnight. The divorce contract between Carolyn Compton and her ex-husband contained a “morality provision” that bars overnight stays by unmarried love interests when Compton’s kids are at her home, the Dallas Morning News reports. Since gay marriage is still not an option in Texas, Compton claims this order effectively makes her choose between her children and her new partner....

Would you like to live in a billboard? Or have a billboard live with you? If you’re one of 100 lucky homeowners, this could become your reality. Taking advertising to a new level, mobile ad network Adzookie has begun handing homeowners a monthly mortgage payment in exchange for turning their home into a house billboard. Capitalizing on tough economic times, Adzookie is offering to make homeowners’ mortgage payments in exchange for the ability to paint their homes billboard-style....

Climate change uniquely affects children’s health and is an increasing threat, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. The group issued a statement in the journal Pediatrics warning of the dangers of climate change to kids particularly. “Warming of the planet is unequivocal,” the AAP writes, taking those who doubt the environmental shifts exist head on. It began, “There is wide consensus among scientific organizations and climatologists that these broad effects, known as “climate change” are the result of contemporary human activity....

After several cruise ship disasters and dangerous incidents, New York Sen. Charles Schumer is calling for a “Cruise Ship Passenger Bill of Rights.” It would be modeled partially after the airline passenger bill of rights already passed into law. Schumer’s idea, however, would not involve federal legislation. Instead, he is calling on the international cruise line industry to voluntarily adopt his “bill of rights.” His announcement cites recent cruise mishaps, including a fire that wiped out power and left the Carnival Triumph stranded in the Gulf of Mexico last month....

As so often happens in our legal system, issues of law, ethics and procedure are rarely black and white, rarely easily resolved. Another example of this truism was announced yesterday, in the decision “vindicating” embattled Texas Judge Sharon Keller. The report by special master Judge David Berchelmann, who oversaw Keller’s ethics trial, finds that Judge Keller did nothing to warrant removal from the bench or further punishment “beyond the public humiliation she has surely suffered....

Chances are, when you started your small business you couldn’t have known just how many transactions would require contracts. And you certainly didn’t get into business to read fine print all day. Still, certain contracts – and even specific clauses – can make or break your small business, so you need to know what you’re doing. No one can become a contract expert overnight, but there are some red flags to look out for when signing certain business contracts....

The heart-breaking story of a 3-year-old girl with severe facial scars being kicked out of a KFC may be a hoax, according to the restaurant chain. But the girl’s family insists the story is real. But as the Laurel Leader-Call reports, two investigations by KFC failed to confirm the family’s story. Keep calm (publicly) and carry on. While the investigation was being conducted, the company was defusing the situation by acknowledging it, but not disputing it until they had all the facts....

Recycling is a good thing. But people taking advantage of recycling centers to dump things like old furniture, used mattresses, and leftover paint and chemicals can ruin recycling for everyone, as Greensboro, South Carolina is learning. The city already temporarily closed one popular recycling drop-off location due to illegal dumping, and may close more if residents don’t clean up their act, so to speak. Many state statutes and city or county ordinances ban illegal dumping, but how much trouble can you really get in if you break those laws?...

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has the unenviable task of patrolling over 7,500 miles of territory between the United States, Canada, and Mexico. It is responsible for everything from monitoring import and export of goods, to preventing drug smuggling. The agency also has an enormous role in enforcing immigration laws. The Department of Homeland Security estimates more than 500 million people cross American borders every year, each one coming in contact with border patrol in some fashion....

A devastating yacht accident off the cost of San Francisco has left one dead and four missing. After 30 hours, the Coast Guard suspended its search for the missing crewmembers, who are likely to be presumed dead. The group, along with the yacht’s owner and three other crewmembers, were participating in the Full Crew Farallones Race, which is known for its rougher water conditions. Witnesses reported seeing a strong wave sweep some crewmembers from the boat....

Restraining orders are excellent tools to help victims of domestic violence, harassment, or crime stay protected against future harm. However, restraining orders are not appropriate in every scenario they are requested. In most situations, fighting a restraining order will be very difficult if there is good evidence against the person whom restraint is sought against. Below are 3 tips on how to fight a restraining order. Not showing up to court is a surefire way to lose a restraining order petition....

You know that tiny voice in your head that loves your style and is always encouraging you to follow your sartorial instincts? Most of the time, that’s a great voice to listen to. But sometimes you need to listen to that other little voice saying, “We need to be on our best fashion behavior here.” And one of those times is going to court. Whether you’re appearing in court as a juror, witness, plaintiff, or defendant, you will be judged, fairly or not, on your appearance....

Nobody really wants to file for bankruptcy – we’d all rather have the financial means to pay our debts. But for those who’ve suffered unemployment, a medical emergency, or other financial hardship, bankruptcy can keep your debt from spiraling out of control. Bankruptcy is not a Get Out of Debt Free Card, and it’s not exactly a bailout, either. So what is bankruptcy, how does it work, and should you file?...

When will the law consider an employee handbook the company gave out on Day One a contract enforceable against the employer? If an employee handbook, sometimes called an employment handbook, makes promises about employee health benefits, severance pay, or grounds for dismissal, can the employee hold the employer’s feet to the fire on promises made there? State Laws Vary It depends. At least thirty states, including California, will enforce terms stated in an employment handbook or personnel manual, reports the ABA Family Legal Guide....

Airline dress codes are increasingly making the news with stories of people getting kicked off flights for a variety of style choices. This spring, a woman flying from Las Vegas was confronted by an airline employee for showing too much cleavage, reports The Associated Press. Another woman was told to cover up a four-letter word written on her t-shirt. And both of these incidents follow the famous episode last year when a college football player was escorted off a flight for wearing his jeans too low....

The short answer to this question is a resounding: Maybe? Most states allow a party paying or receiving spousal support (or alimony) to ask the court for a modification based upon changed circumstances. Going back to school is certainly a changed circumstance. But whether or not spousal support will be changed is addressed on a case by case basis, with the court relying on whether it would be reasonable to do so....