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A Florida judge granted Florida’s first same-sex divorce on Wednesday, simultaneously striking down the state’s refusal to recognize out-of-state gay marriages. Heather Brassner and Megan Lade were joined in a Vermont civil union in 2002, but Brassner has tried unsuccessfully to untie the knot in Florida for the last five years. The Associated Press reports that Circuit Judge Dale Cohen dissolved Brassner and Lade’s union after recognizing their marriage as legal, which required declaring that “out-of-state marriages should be recognized in Florida....

With recreational marijuana becoming decriminalized and even legalized in an increasing number of states and cities, marijuana use may not be the clandestine activity it once was. But what about showing up to work high on pot? A new poll conducted for the website Mashable by SurveyMonkey found that nearly one in 10 American workers have shown up to work stoned at least once. But what should you consider before going to work high?...

Naturalization is the process for a permanent resident to become a U.S. citizen. Generally, every immigrant who enters the United States first entered the country on an immigrant or nonimmigrant visa. After entering the country, many immigrants apply to become a lawful permanent resident for reasons like work or marriage. While permanent residency allows someone to stay in the country permanently, it does not offer certain benefits like the right to vote or to hold public office....

The estate of late billionaire hotelier Leona Helmsley has, at last, begun to be distributed. The New York Times has covered the ongoing dispute over how money in her charitable trust would be spent. According to a “mission statement” created by Helmsley years ago, the money was supposed to be used for the benefit of dogs. In the end however, as had been argued for by her trustees, only a small part of the amount doled out yesterday went to the care of dogs (a paltry $1 million out of the $136 million distributed), while the remainder went to medical centers....

Some celebrities and sports stars may be quakin’ in their boots, err designer-footwear-of-choice, err cleats, today in light of reports that Michelle Braun has made a deal with prosecutors for her full cooperation in her money laundering and Mann Act case. Why the potential star panic over one little woman from Florida, you ask? Well, it turns out that Michelle Braun might not have dealt with run-of-the-mill clients on either side of the prostitution/solicitation fence....

Microsoft recently announced it is requiring partners and suppliers to offer paid parental leave for the birth or adoption of a child to workers that do a substantial amount of their work on Microsoft projects. This applies to both maternal and paternal leave. They must offer 12 weeks at two-thirds salary, up to $1,000 per week. However, this only applies to companies that have more than 50 employees. No, not all Microsoft partners and suppliers have to comply....

For some attorneys, the New York gay marriage law means one thing: an increase in New York gay divorces. It’s not like the state is a stranger to gay divorce. Even before the passage of the new gay marriage law, New York recognizes gay marriages that are legitimately performed in jurisdictions that recognize gay marriage. Though, that doesn’t mean that the numbers of same-sex couples seeking divorce won’t increase after the gay marriage law....

Perhaps the most important rule of criminal defense: don’t incriminate yourself. The vast majority of the time, police obtain incriminating evidence directly from the defendant, either by way of a confession or by giving consent to a search. The U.S. Constitution gives everyone the right to stay quiet and force the police and prosecution to build their own case, without the assistance of the accused. If defendants suddenly started properly asserting their rights, criminal defense attorneys would have a lot less work....

Children may sometimes think they are invincible, but even children can suffer serious injuries in a slip and fall accident. When these accidents occur while a child is at school, a personal injury lawsuit may be brought to recover for the child’s injuries. However, there may be several additional steps required in order to prevail against a government agency such as a public school district. What do you need to know about slip and fall injuries that happen at school?...

So you have been paying into Social Security for years. Unfortunately, you need something from the system because you’re disabled and cannot return to work. But you don’t know much about benefits or how to get them. Here are ten frequently asked questions about Social Security Disability Insurance and how to apply. What is SSDI? Social Security Disability Insurance is a form of government insurance associated with work. It is paid with deductions from your paycheck and serves individuals who have paid into the Social Security system....

For the first time in nearly two decades, the number of illegal immigrants coming into the United States is dropping. In a study based on analysis of 2009 census data, the Pew Hispanic Center Report notes that there has been an 8% drop in the number of illegal immigrants living in the U.S. the past year, according to Business Week. The study credits much of the decline to a sizeable drop in the number of immigrants coming from the Caribbean, South America, and Central America....

People often wonder how much they can get in truck accident damages. Every case is different, so there is no “one size fits all” approach to calculating damages in truck accident cases. To determine your specific damages award, courts will examine a variety of factors. Here are seven factors that can potentially shape the amount you can collect in a truck accident case: An experienced truck accident attorney can help you determine how much your specific case is worth under your local laws, after performing a careful analysis of the case....

It’s been a big month for the Big Easy, between the Superbowl and this year’s Mardi Gras celebrations. But a Mardi Gras shooting in New Orleans on Saturday could lead to some big lawsuits down the line. The city’s famous French Quarter was packed Saturday for the last weekend of parties before Mardi Gras when shots were fired outside a Bourbon Street nightclub. Four people were wounded, and police are currently searching for suspects....

It’s too cold to walk home. My wife and I are trying to get pregnant. I’ll get fired if I don’t get to work. I’m the designated driver. Those are just a few of some ridiculous reasons drunk drivers have offered to just one officer when getting pulled over. Here are five of our favorites that we’ve had the joy to write about over the years. But just remember – while these DUI excuses may be hilarious, driving drunk is anything but....

When a vehicle accident involves a big rig semi-truck or other large commercial truck, the potential for those involved to suffer serious injuries or even death may be increased. One Washington man somehow escaped with not just his life, but also without serious injuries last week when his vehicle was pinned between the trailers of two semi-trucks in a 26-car pileup on Interstate 84 in Oregon. Kaleb Whitby’s entire pickup truck was demolished except the small space surrounding his seat, CNN reports....

Hidden nanny cameras were invented to capture parent nightmares on film, and they work. Last month, a babysitter in California, 20 years old, was caught suffocating a baby, 13 months, who would not stop crying as she tried to put him to bed. The babysitter has since been charged with felony child abuse and ordered to stay away from children, according to KRON 4 local news in Livermore. She got her gig on Care....

It’s all fun and games until someone blows his head off in a ghastly Fourth of July accident. You may not think about fireworks as weapons, but that’s essentially what they are – gunpowder in canisters lit with fuses that blow up. It’s this lax attitude about fireworks and fireworks safety that lead to horrible fireworks injuries. Here we’ll discuss fireworks laws in your state (they’re not legal in every state) as well as fireworks safety tips....

It is tempting in this time when we are all reporting our lives on social media to tweet or post from court if you’re a juror. Your jury service is indeed interesting but it’s also one time when you might not want to express yourself. As a juror, you are part of a legal proceeding; you’re not present as a spectator or a journalist. Disobeying the rules is punishable but it also can lead to a mistrial....

With this oath you promise to uphold the Constitution and laws of this State … except the ones you don’t like. North Carolina is trying to pass a bill that would allow public officials to opt out of having to perform gay marriages. Governor Pat McCrory already vetoed the bill, but the Republican led state Senate overrode McCrory’s veto with a 32-16 vote. The Bill Since October 10, 2014, same-sex marriages have been legal in North Carolina....

Last month, the family of Pace University football player Danroy Henry sued the Village of Pleasantville, NY, and Aaron Hess, the officer who shot Henry, as reported in the Boston Herald. We previously blogged about the grand jury’s failure to indict Hess for the New York police shooting. Now it’s time for Pleasantville and Hess to file written answers to the Henry family’s allegations in the United States District Court proceeding....