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Columbus Day has a rich history as a holiday – even though many of us do not enjoy a day off work. Enacted by Congress to celebrate explorer Christopher Columbus’ voyage and accomplishments, this holiday inspires pride in some… and outrage in others. How did this controversial holiday come to be? It is rightly noted by many that while Columbus was one of the first Europeans to arrive in North America – he anchored in the Bahamas – he didn’t actually reach the land mass that makes up the contemporary United States....

Robert Champion’s parents are suing Florida A&M University for their son’s wrongful death after a brutal hazing ritual last fall, the Associated Press reports. Fellow band members from FAMU’s famous “Marching 100” pummeled Champion, 26, a drum major from Decatur, Ga., aboard a charter bus at an away game in November. Champion’s death was ruled a homicide, and 13 people face criminal charges. Champion’s parents have already filed lawsuits against the charter bus company and the bus driver....

A California woman slipped when hiking, falling from Half Dome to her death. This most recent tragic incident seems to be a continuation of a deadly season at Yosemite, with deaths at a recent high. Haley LaFlamme, 26, fell to her death at the national park after slipping on wet granite. She fell 600 feet, and was declared dead on the scene. The park website warns visitors not to try to climb up the cables, which were installed to help climbers ascend the dome, if the rock is wet, according to the park website....

Stephen Morgan, the 29-year-old man accused in the fatal shooting of Wesleyan University student Johanna Justin-Jinich had his bail raised by a judge to a whopping $15 million. Considering bail had previously been set at “only” $10 million, some people might be wondering just how a judge makes these kinds of decisions about bail and if there are any guidelines or limits in general. The Eighth Amendment of the Constitution protects individuals from “excessive bail”, but in practice that means different things for different people, as well as for different offenses....

Internet connected cars were just the next logical step in tech, giving us access to all of our friends, music, and communications from behind the wheel. But that was before the Great Car Hacking Scare of 2015. Ever since a couple hackers showed how easy it was to mess around with the controls and disable a Jeep Cherokee, owners of the latest and greatest in automotive technology have been worried about their own rides getting hijacked by a far-off laptop....

After ousted Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was accused of trying to sell President Barack Obama’s seat, it has led some states to change the ways U.S. Senate vacancies are filled. So far, lawmakers in at least 15 states are advocating to strip governors of their power to replace senators when an incumbent dies or leaves office midterm, turning over that power to the voters, the Associated Press reports. Currently, under the U....

Las Vegas is a popular wedding destination. But despite pop culture depicting Sin City as the place to go for quickie marriages, there are still a few legal requirements that must be met before your Vegas wedding dream becomes a reality. Here’s a general legal overview of how to get married in Las Vegas: Need More Help? At this time, Nevada law only allows a male and female to be married, so same-sex couples seeking domestic partnership should contact Nevada’s Secretary of State’s office for more information....

Big department stores like Nordstrom are using their free in-store WiFi to gather data about “shoppers’ behavior and moods” by tracking their movements inside the store, reports The New York Times. The data is then used to modify in-store layouts and to offer customized coupons, according to the report. Still, there has been a good deal of consumer backlash, and many have been left wondering if it is legal for any business – big or small – to track their customers....

The military is about to begin reviewing the status of thousands of veterans thanks to a court order regarding benefits granted to those veterans discharged with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A class action lawsuit filed by combat veterans led to the order to review the records of recent vets discharged with PTSD to decide whether they were improperly denied benefits. A change in status could result in significant increases in those benefits received by the veterans and their families....

An investigation into Maricopa County’s jail health care system shows serious medical record-keeping problems, patient care safety issues and could open taxpayers up to liability. According to the Arizona Republic, Correctional Health Services treats inmates held in the jails, which are operated by Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Health-care workers and detention officers work together to provide medical care for inmates, but their policies and procedures don’t always line up. The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office is suing for control of the system, now overseen by the Board of Supervisors....

In an unexpected, if not unprecedented, criminal trial, the former CEO of Massey Energy Company Don Blankenship was sentenced to a year in prison on conspiracy charges for violating federal mine safety laws. As Senator Joe Manchin III, who was the governor of West Virginia when an explosion in a Massey Energy-owned Upper Big Branch mine killed 29 miners in 2010, told The New York Times, “I never heard of anyone thinking that that could happen or would happen, because it had never happened before....

The Supreme Court heard arguments today in a case about the extent to which police can seize property connected to drug crimes without offering any procedure for owners to contest the seizure. The scenario of concern in the case happens across the U.S. Police, while investigating or making arrests in a drug case, seize property that may be connected to the case, like cars. What happens next depends on state law, but in many places, property owners go months or even years without their property, even when no charges are filed against them....

Today’s the first day of spring! Those of you on the East Coast may not be so delighted, though – after the winter you had, it’s understandable you’d be waiting for the other shoe to drop. But while you enjoy precious sunshine, consider spring cleaning not only your house, but also your email inbox. Do you have thousands of messages in there? Do you use it as a dumping ground for all your email?...

The Obama administration is reportedly thinking about opening up some of the $700 billion in TARP funds to small businesses. With TARP money already having been given to automakers and insurance companies in addition to banks, many small businesses ask: why not us? Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) funds were originally intended to help mend financial institutions. Small business owners and workers watching the goverment use TARP funds to bail out automakers and insurers have since been wondering: where is the bailout for small businesses?...

It’s no secret that there are best and worst legal climates for a business to start based on state law. Unless you thought it was a coincidence that credit cards all come from Delaware in which case don’t let us interrupt your daydreams. But for those who are looking for the best and worst places to launch a business, the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform has some answers. Their survey of business attorneys and business leaders, published Monday, gives some insight into the legal climates of various states....

Divorce is one of the hardest legal events anyone will ever face. When you divorce, you face losses that are not just emotional, but financial and legal as well. This blog series will help answer some basic questions you might have about divorce. After the child custody and support issues are sorted out, one of the biggest questions divorcing couples need to answer is who gets what after the split. Some things, like the family car, you might love to keep; other things, like your spouse’s debt, you want no part of....

A Pennsylvania man lost both his job and opportunity at receiving unemployment benefits when he wrote a series of nasty messages against his co-workers on Twitter. Stephen Burns was the comptroller at AO North America and tweeted that his work environment was “toxic” and that his co-workers were “morons,” “dysfunctional,” “psychotic,” and “schizophrenic, reports Business Insider. After finding out about the tweets, Burns was fired from his position. To add insult to injury, when Burns applied for unemployment benefits, he found that his nasty tweets made him ineligible for these benefits as well....

It’s an election year, so the topic of voter fraud will be all over the news from the primaries to the presidency. And the debate doesn’t just center on what kind of voter fraud laws to pass, but whether the relative risk of voter fraud is high enough to justify such statutes. With politics being politics, and so much on the line in the next presidential election, it’s worth examining how prevalent voter fraud really is, what laws are in place to prevent it, and whether those laws are effective....

For those without the space or money for a full hot tub experience, a walk-in whirlpool bathtubs can be the perfect way to relax. After all, it only takes up the same space as you standard shower and tub setup, and can provide the same recuperative effects as a giant outdoor hot tub. But how safe are they? One woman’s family is claiming her walk-in whirlpool bathtub was “unreasonably dangerous and potentially deadly,” after she became trapped for two days and died....

When a chiropractor’s medical treatment causes a patient injury, that patient may be able to sue. While chiropractors are not medical doctors, they can still be liable for malpractice or professional negligence. State laws differ on what the action might be called, but each cause of action generally considers the same elements to prove a claim against a doctor or a chiropractor. Injures alleged against chiropractors can be serious. For example, it was discovered that a famous model, Katy May, died at the age of 34 allegedly as a result of chiropractic treatment....