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An ex-porn star turned science teacher plans to fight her firing, after coworkers exposed some of her pre-school exploits online. Stacie Halas, 32, was placed on paid administrative leave after rumors spread around Haydock Intermediate School in Oxnard, Calif., about her porn video, the Ventura County Star reports. School administrators initially failed to find evidence of Halas’ alleged porn-star past, because the school’s Internet porn filters blocked those sites. But fellow teachers did their homework....

Humans make mistakes. We miss things, get confused, and misremember details. That is why the rules for handling forensic evidence in a criminal case are very strict and dictate how materials pass through police hands. The strict procedure is meant to ensure the quality of convictions, and it allows defendants to challenge admission of evidence that is admitted against them without proof that proper procedure was followed. Now legislators in Illinois are considering a new law that would allow state crime labs to hide mistakes that technicians make, according to defense attorneys....

Rachel Dolezal claims to be African American. Her parents say that she is Caucasian. In the past few days, Rachel Dolezal’s story has exploded into the public arena. For years, Rachel identified herself as African American. When applying for a job she identified herself as white, African American, and Native America. However, according to her parents, Rachel is Caucasian, or more specifically, European and Native American. What’s the big deal? Is it a lie to identify with a certain race not evidenced by your heritage?...

While some of us are about to embark on our spring break adventures, others of us are limping home, a little sunburnt, a lot lighter in the wallet, and perhaps wondering what the heck happened. Spring break can be a perfect time to relax and recharge, or it can be a legal disaster. So whether you are trying to avoid catastrophe or deal with it, here are some spring break legal tips from our archives:...

Following the success of Google, Facebook, Snapchat and other high-tech companies originally started by college entrepreneurs, college campuses continue to churn out innovative and lucrative new businesses. College entrepreneurs are certainly full of game-changing ideas and industry-disrupting business models. However, they may not be quite up to speed on how to legally protect their newfound business interests. This can come back to bite budding businesses big-time in the form of future litigation, such as the lawsuit filed against Snapchat by an ousted co-founder, settled last week for an undisclosed (but likely substantial) sum....

Between customers and employees, there’s a lot to keep an eye on at your business. And given recent advancements in technology, there are more ways than ever to monitor patrons and staff. One would imagine there are a whole lot of laws out there as well, governing how, when, and where you can monitor your employees and customers, and what you can do with that information. But that’s not always the case....

As a small business owner, you know that tax season is here. As a smart business owner, you know it’s always better to have a plan. So what’s your tax plan this year? Or next? Here’s why tax planning is so important for small businesses, and a few items to add to your small business’s tax plan. Needing a Tax Plan Getting a small business off the ground takes a lot of time and planning....

If you know anything about economics, you’ll know that when the real estate market tumbles, the renter’s market skyrockets. Unless your credit score falls closer to 800 than 700, you could have a hard time getting a mortgage. Banks and homebuyers got burned in the 2008 real estate bubble, and they’re trying to avoid that mistake again by only giving out loans to the most qualified. What that means for everyone else is that the rents have surged....

Checking references for a prospective job candidate often isn’t as easy as it sounds. Sure, you’ve already gone through the tedious process of sifting through piles and piles of resumes, and conducting many time-consuming interviews. But even after all that, there’s still one last hurdle before you can ensure that you’ve really hired the right candidate. What is that step, exactly? Checking references. What types of references should you ask for?...

Like most of us, 60-year-old Etelvina Jimenez thought she was doing the healthy thing by hopping on a gym’s treadmill to get some exercise. But when Jimenez fell she joined nearly half a million Americans who are injured by exercise equipment every year. Jimenez’s brain injuries were severe and now she’s suing the gym, claiming it violated safety standards by placing treadmills too close to other equipment. According to the U....

Who’s liable for a joyride – especially one that ends in a crash, causing injury and damage? It’s a question that parents hope they never have to ask, but unfortunate situations do happen. In Phoenix, for example, a 6-year-old girl was killed when her 8-year-old brother took their parents’ car for a joyride and crashed less than a block from their home, Reuters reports. So what happens if your car is taken for a joyride without your consent?...

There are different ways to legally immigrate to the United States and one of them is based on family relations. Citizens and legal permanent residents with family members have the option to sponsor certain relatives for visas under certain conditions in recognition of the importance of family unity. Family-based immigration petitions generally fall into two major categories: immediate relative petitions and family preference petitions. Let’s consider what they are, the differences between them, and who can apply....

Bankruptcy. For those who have only heard the word without more, it can mean many things. Some equate it with poverty. Others think of it as a fresh start. The truth is that many people don’t fully know what bankruptcy is all about. Yet more than 1.2 million Americans filed for bankruptcy in 2012, according to the federal court system. Whether it’s affecting you, a friend, or a loved one, here are three things to know about bankruptcy:...

Whether you are at the early stages of launching a small business, are facing a legal dilemma, or have decided to throw in the towel and close shop, there usually comes a time in every entrepreneur’s tenure when he or she commits to hiring an attorney. If that day is today for you, we congratulate you on taking steps to seek quality legal guidance and offer these tips on how to find the perfect small business attorney....

In a decision that could reverse prosecuting the self-proclaimed mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001 and others in civilian courtrooms, White House advisers may recommend switching to military commissions instead. According to the Washington Post, President Obama’s advisers are coming close to finalizing their recommendations on a plan for Khalid Sheik Mohammed to be tried before a military court, turning back a plan by Attorney General Eric Holder to hold the 9/11 trials in a New York civilian court....

When you sign a petition, can your name be made public? The Supreme Court will answer that question, after having heard the arguments Wednesday in Doe v. Reed. Besides presenting an interesting constitutional question, the case is noteworthy as it is the last case that will be argued before Justice Stevens, who retires at the end of this court term. The case began in Washington state when same-sex marriage opponents petitioned to overturn Washington’s domestic-partnership law....

But now, with April 15 around the corner, that mean-old IRS wants a bite of that cake. It’s tax time and you have to fill out your Form 1040, also known as filing federal income tax returns. So how much cake will you give the IRS? Why the cake analogy? Well, federal income tax law is not the most user-friendly area of the law, not even for tax lawyers. And frankly, income tax calculation can be quite boring to read about....

You’d think this wouldn’t be a thing. Kids learn to wash their hands from a young age. Employees can be required to wash their hands after using the restroom. And, in general, most people are pretty good about it. Despite this, doctors, who really should know best here, are infamously among the worst hand washers out there. So if you’re a patient, can you sue? The Centers for Disease Control estimates that approximately 100,000 hospital patients die each year from hospital-acquired infections....

Small businesses are feeling the effects of the recent credit card antitrust settlement. As of Jan. 27, 2013, most merchants that accept credit cards can add a surcharge when customers pay by credit card, Time magazine reports. This is in accordance with the terms of a $7.4 billion settlement that came about last year, between the card companies and merchants. Going forward, merchants are now allowed to impose up to a 4 percent surcharge on customers’ credit card transactions in the 40 states where such surcharges are legal....

Small businesses regularly struggle with H-1B visa quotas. As The Wall Street Journal explains, in the United States, the early bird not only gets the worm, it gets the coveted H-1B visa, a temporary work permit the U.S. issues to highly skilled foreign workers. If you need to file paperwork for an H-1B visa, make sure to get familiar with the process and submit your paperwork sooner rather than later. The application period begins April 1....