Posts

The U.S. government is set to begin easing its long-standing rules restricting travel to Cuba on Friday. The Obama administration announced the changes on Thursday, reports The New York Times. In December, President Obama has previously said that the U.S. and Cuba would resume full diplomatic relations for the first time in more than 50 years, including hosting a U.S. embassy in Havana. What do these new rule changes mean for those interested in traveling to Cuba?...

The SEC has been getting down to business this week, and it could mean a whole new fall wardrobe line for Wall Street. In striving for transparency, the SEC voted to require credit agencies to disclose more ratings history and to require banks to reveal data used to rate financial products to all credit agencies. And the rules promise to affect businesses big and small who either invest in companies or, themselves, are the subjects of investment....

E-signatures, or electronic signatures, are replacing their pen-and-paper cousins as a new form of legally valid marks on agreements. What are the laws governing these e-signatures, and are they always just as good as a written one? An electronic signature, or e-signature, is an electronic marker or token that is attached to an agreement. It indicates your intent to agree or approve the contract to which it is attached, as MakeUseOf explains....

We know – summer is here. Which means you and your family are in the throes of summer vacation. But if you happen to be moving this summer or you have a child about to start kindergarten, you’re probably already looking forward to next school year. And if you haven’t registered your child for public school or applied for private school yet, you may already be too late. Lucky for you, many schools and school districts have late registration periods, so you might be able to get your child in school before the fall rolls around....

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is rich with history and, befitting its revolutionary past, a number of unique state laws. Massachusetts was the state where the Pilgrims set up their first settlement. The state also played host to the Boston Tea Party, the Boston Massacre, and the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which began the Revolutionary War. Fortunately, things have certainly settled down a bit from those days in Massachusetts. But whether you’re traveling through or looking to relocate, it’s a good idea to become familiar with Massachusetts’ laws....

We suffered all winter, made it through spring, and now we can finally get back out to the ballpark. Attending baseball games is one of the purest joys of the summer, and there’s nothing quite like America’s pastime. Unfortunately, going to a game isn’t without its dangers, so here are three (plus one) common injuries to be on the lookout for while at the old ball game. 1. Hit By a Fly or Foul Ball....

Spring Break can be a boon for many small business owners – especially in Spring Break locations like South Padre Island or Daytona Beach – but what happens when rowdy patrons start wreaking havoc? Don’t feel trapped by Spring Breakers, remember these five tips: If you are worried about rowdy teens and 20-somethings invading your business like so many drunk bulls in china shops, take a deep breath. You can refuse service to the loud and obnoxious, and just anyone else who is threatening to ruin the atmosphere of your business – so long as it isn’t illegal discrimination....

A contractor blamed for causing a deadly Philadelphia building collapse last week is being held without bail. One injured victim has already filed a lawsuit, and more are likely. Police say crane operator Sean Benschop, 43, tested positive for marijuana after the collapse that killed six people at a thrift store next to a demolition site. Benschop faces six counts of involuntary manslaughter and 13 counts of recklessly endangering another person, Reuters reports....

The economy is growing, but the job market is remains pretty rough. When you’re applying for a job, having your own website can increase your odds of success. A personal resume website can add a spark of personality to your paper (or PDF) resume and cover letter. Before you know it, you might just have a real foot in the door to a new job. Here are five tips for a successful – and legal – personal resume website:...

Two weeks ago I wrote about the story of 28 year-old Bethany Storro, who was walking down the street in Vancouver, Washington, minding her own business, when an unknown assailant threw acid in her face. The acid attack was an awful incident, leading me ask myself: Why would this happen? What kind of world are we living in? What kind of person would do something like this? She did. Storro has admitted to police detectives that her injuries were self-inflicted....

Rental car companies make renting a car really easy. You walk in, show someone a driver’s license, provide a credit card, sign a couple pieces of paper, and you’re ready to drive. With smartphones and apps, it is becoming even easier. However, rental car companies frequently are doing quite a bit behind the scenes to make sure you are who you say you are, and that you are really licensed....

One of the last blue law holdouts, Connecticut has become the 49th state to allow off-premises Sunday alcohol sales. Liquor stores and grocers can sell beer, wine and spirits seven days a week. Resulting sales are expected to bring about $5.2 million a year into state coffers – money that was instead being collected by neighboring states. For years, consumers fled to Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island in search of Sunday alcohol and cheaper prices, according to Governor Dannel Malloy....

Conrad Black, media mogul and guest of a federal minimum security prison in Florida, may soon be out on bail. After a decision by the Supreme Court cast doubt on one of the charges he was convicted on in his trial for fraud, the 65 year-old Lord Black may be released pending the up-coming decision on that charge by a lower federal court. The Associated Press reports Black was convicted on charges of obstruction of justice and under the “honest services” statute for defrauding the shareholders of media giant Hollinger International out of $6....

Grants.gov is a federal initiative that stores information of over 1,000 grant programs, providing access to a $500 billion pool of annual fund awards, including government grants for small businesses. And if your small business doesn’t know about it, you may be missing out. The site defines a federal grant as “an award of financial assistance from a federal agency to a recipient to carry out a public purpose of support or stimulation authorized by a law of the United States”....

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, as the White House announced last week. To potentially help the millions of Americans who live in daily, silent fear within their own homes. FindLaw’s Law and Daily Life is producing a series of blog posts on this devastating issue as a resource for victims and their loved ones. Yesterday, we discussed the nuts and bolts on how to get a temporary restraining order (TRO)....

A young Dairy Queen manager’s heart of gold is making headlines. Nineteen-year-old Joey Prusak of Hopkins, Minnesota (otherwise known as The Nicest Guy Ever), confronted a customer who sneakily pocketed a $20 bill that a blind man had dropped. When the customer refused to give the money back, Prusak kicked her out and gave the blind man $20 of his own money. News of the sweet deed went viral after an email praising Prusak – written by a customer who witnessed the incident – wound up on Reddit....

The Federal Aviation Administration has released a proposed set of regulations regarding the use of commercial drones that could likely outlaw most drone delivery services. The rules would only apply to non-recreational operations, and the agency is seeking public comment regarding the regulations before they become final. So what could the new rules mean for and your business? If the operator must be able to see the drone at all times, then using a drone for product delivery would be nearly impossible....

The Department of Justice might say that Sheriff Joe Arpaio is about as easy to negotiate as an Arizona cactus. Discussions over evidence in an on-going civil rights probe of the sheriff’s office have been prickly in the past, but now the DOJ must go to court to get the co-operation it wants. The DOJ is suing for access to documents covering the immigration sweeps and jail operations that Sheriff Joe is known for....

If you run a business, particularly one that isn’t operated as a sole proprietorship, you should be rather careful about commingling funds. Using business funds to pay for personal expenses could run afoul of the law, contracts, ethical, and fiduciary duties. Even if you operate a sole proprietorship, you may want to follow the following advice, that way, when the time comes to grow, your business doesn’t have a questionable and difficult to understand financial history....

Serving divorce papers is relatively simple. But you do have to follow specific procedures and the details will depend on where you are getting divorced. There are, however, some general principles that are consistent throughout the land. It will serve you well to familiarize yourself with these whether you have an attorney or are handling your divorce independently. Learning the Terms You are seeking the divorce, so you are the petitioner....