If you want to keep things private, do not put it on Facebook. Vito LaPinta, 13, learned this the hard way after he was paid a visit by agents from the Secret Service. A Facebook post spurred the Secret Service into action, and landed LaPinta in a police interview at his school in Washington. The post in question simply stated that President Obama should be careful about possible retaliation against him after the killing of Osama Bin Laden....
For any business owner there comes a time when you need to consider selling your office. It’s important to know the legal implications when you do. Maybe it’s because you’re retiring and handing the business over to someone new. Maybe it’s because your business is growing and needs a bigger home. Regardless of the reason, you still need to know how to protect your legal interests. An experienced attorney will be able to handle all the details but you still want to know what to look out for in the process....
The U.S. Supreme Court has turned down appeals by online retailers to be exempted from New York’s sales tax law, despite the companies having no physical presence in the Empire State. What does this development mean for your small business’ online sales? Until that happens, online retailers are left to deal with a patchwork of state laws, which in New York means that most online retailers must collect New York sales tax from customers in the state....
Tennessee lawmakers are trying to figure out how best to protect youth from sexual abuse at a state juvenile center. Their action is in response to a federal report released naming Woodland Hills Youth Development Center in Nashville as having one of the highest rates of sexual abuse in the country. As previously discussed, a major report by the Department of Justice revealed that three in 25 juveniles in detention centers are sexually abused....
As domestic violence becomes less an issue to be “kept in the family” and more one of “keeping victims safe,” more of those victims are wondering about their legal rights and protections. How does domestic abuse affect divorce proceedings? What laws address allegations of domestic abuse? Where can I turn for legal protection from an abuser? Here are five of the most common questions regarding domestic violence and the law, and where you can turn for answers....
Recent stories from Cincinnati, Ohio, Somerset County, New Jersey and Mayfield, Ohio, all have one thing in common: a crackdown on deadbeat parents. Authorities in these areas are enforcing support payments in tough ways, with some even using major law enforcement sweeps to round up those behind in payments. In Mayfield, authorities announced in late May, that 12 defendants had been indicted for failure to pay child support. One named by the Sun News was Clarence Mixon who owed $10,056....
Porn actress Devon James has filed a paternity suit against Tiger Woods in Manatee County, Florida. James is one of hundreds of alleged mistresses of Tiger Woods and has asked a judge to determine the paternity of Austin Brinling, her 9 year old son. The handwritten lawsuit was filed under James’ legal name, Melinda Jannette. TMZ obtained the petition and several documents attached to it. The petition states that it is an action for paternity and to determine parental responsibility, time-sharing and/or child support....
Whether your aunt doesn’t know what size sweater you wear or has no idea that you wouldn’t be caught dead in that sweater, your holiday gifts this year might not have been perfect. But a lack of perfection shouldn’t be a problem – you can always return or exchange the gift, right? Not so fast, my unfulfilled friends. Absent a clear warranty or exchange policy, returning gifts to a store may not be as easy as you think....
Google has unsuccessfully been trying to trademark the word “Glass” for its hip tech toy Google Glass, but the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has denied all attempts. The product’s name, “Google Glass,” has already been successfully trademarked by Google, but the tech company is struggling with the slightly more succinct “Glass,” reports The Huffington Post. Why is “Glass” difficult for Google to trademark? Google isn’t the only one trying to trademark a generic name....
If you know someone who is being held in immigration detention but you don’t know where, you can search for them using an online tool. The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement division has an Online Detainee Locator System (ODLS) that you can use to find someone with only a minimal amount of information. You can find someone by their A-number (short for alien registration number) and country of birth. This, according to ICE, is the best way to search....
Even when you’re not planning any trips abroad, keeping your passport current can be worth the effort for a variety of legal purposes. According to the U.S. Department of State, a passport can be renewed if it is undamaged and can be submitted with a renewal application, was issued when you were 16 or older, was issued within the last 15 years, and was issued with your current name (unless you can provide an original or certified copy of legal documentation of your name change such as a marriage certificate)....
Airport screening is a necessary and mostly accepted part of air travel these days. After 9/11, many airports increased the nature of the inspection. For the most part, travelers put their luggage through the x-ray machine and go on their way. For those individuals singled out for a pat down, they may find the encounter to be a little friendlier than before. Specifically, TSA officials are now using their palms (instead of the back of their hands) to inspect the traveler....
While recently testifying that her father had raped and impregnated her, a 15-year-old girl from New York was accompanied by Rosie, the state’s first judicially-approved courtroom dog. Trained to sense emotional distress, the Golden Retriever nudged the girl and gave her comfort as she spoke about the abuse, helping her through testimony that she might not have otherwise been able to give. Now her father’s attorneys are appealing the conviction, saying that Rosie and other courtroom dogs unfairly sway jurors....
These days, it seems podcasts are making a sure and steady comeback. But, with the resurrection comes the legal issues coupled with it. Despite the fact that podcasts were a fad long before social media hit the scene, they’re now a market force once again, reports Time. Why is that? Podcasts are a versatile medium that fit perfectly into the social media boom. Large and small businesses alike can make podcasts that listeners can download onto their smartphones, or through iTunes or to play on Facebook or Twitter....
Stuart Chaifetz is mad. He’s so mad, he took his story to YouTube. Confused as to why his “sweet and gentle” autistic son Akian, 10, was suddenly kicking school employees and throwing chairs, Chaifetz decided to wire the boy. He stuck a digital recorder in his son’s pocket and was able to tape 6.5 hours of class time. What he heard was shocking. The teacher and aide were yelling at Akian and calling him names....
Arizona family Sergio and Maria Guerra mistakenly received some tragic news as a result of fatal crash mix-up. They were told that their daughter, Abby Guerra, 20, had died in a car accident. Except, in reality, Guerra had survived the crash - her friend, Marlena Cantu, was the one who died. Officers had mistakenly identified Guerra as the crash victim, reports USA Today. Guerra was in the hospital in critical condition....
Hundreds of bars and restaurants across the country are being sued for violating music copyrights with their background music. Just about every retail establishment plays Top 40 hits and other music as a way to appeal to customers. After all, it would be kind of strange to eat a meal without any music in the background – you’d be forced to listen to the chatter of other patrons. But did you know that establishments have to pay to play these songs?...
Since the King of Pop passed, many have wondered what ever became of his beloved pet chimp, Bubbles. In fact, the fate of Bubbles illustrates what should happen with many exotic pets. When Bubbles became too strong to safely live as a pet, he went to a wild animal preserve where he lives now. While the recent saga of Travis the Chimp illustrated what can go wrong with keeping a wild animal as a pet, Michael & Bubbles show us how the relationship can end well....
School shootings can leave communities devastated. They can also leave aching parents looking for a place to lay the blame. As such, school shooting lawsuits have become a common part of mourning, popping up almost immediately after one of these horrifying events. Many of these suits focus on the school. Victims feel educators and administrators should have done more. While these feelings are valid, do they form the basis of a good lawsuit?...
Child custody decisions, in every state, look to what is in the best interests of a child. This requires looking at more than just what a parent can financially provide. The type of attention and upbringing a parent can provide will often be regarded as more important than the financial ability to provide. After all, a parent does not have to have physical custody to be legally required to financially provide for their children....
