This case is a shot of irony, served straight up. In fact, it would even be funny, if it weren’t quite so awful. On Aug. 21, 2009, a drunk driver hit and seriously injured an elderly couple, 81 year-old Ellen Collier and her husband Edwin Collier, 85. Mr. Edwin Collier is a retired judge, in fact the same judge who had the same driver appear before him in court. At the time, Judge Collier spared that defendant time in jail over a DUI....
It’s Get a Different Name Day! As Juliet famously proclaimed to Romeo, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” But what if you feel otherwise and believe names carry special significance? You certainly wouldn’t be alone. People change their names for a variety of reasons. And the legal process for doing so may be easier than you think. Here are a few reasons why people change their names and how you can change yours:...
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) was passed more than 20 years ago, and it endows more than 100 million American employees with the ability to take extended unpaid leave. With more than two decades of enforcement, it’s imperative that your business be in compliance with federal labor laws on family and medical leave under the FMLA. That means giving employees proper notice. So how should your business craft its FMLA notice policy to be compliant with federal law?...
Search engine giant Google has reached a settlement with 38 states and the District of Columbia to pay more than $7 million over privacy issues linked to the company’s Google Street View cars. The cars were equipped with antennas and software that collected private network identification information, data frames, and payload data from private businesses and residents as they drove by, reports The Wall Street Journal. A company spokesman said that Google works hard “to get privacy right,” but in this case the company did not, admitting to the privacy violations....
Haiti’s devastating earthquake aftermath has opened up the hearts of citizens worldwide. Many of these people want to sincerely help the citizens of Haiti who were affected by this natural disaster. From celebrities to regular citizens, ABC News reports that the power of the internet has spawned millions of dollars in donations for disaster relief in Haiti. Experts say that so much money has never been raised so quickly. ABC News quotes Albe Angel, founder and CEO of Give On the Go as saying, “This is a watershed moment....
The health risks posed by inferior vena cava (IVC) filters are well-documented, well-known, and, in some cases, well-litigated. The filters, designed to prevent a blood clot from blocking blood flow to your lungs can save your life, but if left in too long, they can perforate the vein or detach from the vein and migrate elsewhere, causing unintended blockages or serious damage. IVC filter patients have already filed nearly 1,000 lawsuits regarding filter-related injuries, some of which have been consolidated into class action cases....
After Bernie Madoff received a 150-year sentence for his role in one of the largest fraud schemes in history one might have figured that, in light of the publicity and mass-public outrage that arguably fueled the sentence, it would be a while before we saw something similar. Or, at least, if there wasn’t a serial criminal of some sort involved. Well so much for that notion, the DOJ today announced that a former Memphis cop got nailed with a sentence of life plus 255 years....
If someone gets drunk while cruising around in their boat, runs from the authorities, and kills an innocent boater nearby, you’d expect that genius to get serious jail time. But you might not think of punishing the officers who chased him as well. In a wrongful death case out of Mississippi, two officers have been found reckless for their part in the accident, and the state supreme court just approved it....
Rick Perry’s lawsuit against the state of Virginia has grown in recent days, adding Michele Bachmann, Newt Gingrich, Jon Huntsman and Rick Santorum as plaintiffs. The group of Republican presidential candidates has been left off the state’s primary ballot – a move they say violates the First Amendment. Perry filed suit last week, but the judge refused to halt the printing of the ballots. Instead, he scheduled a hearing for January 13 during which he will consider the larger merits of the case....
The city of Hampton, Georgia has joined the ranks of a handful of municipalities in the state that have taken it upon themselves to enact a saggy pants ban, barring residents from wandering the streets showing off their underwear. Citing complaints from members of the community, local legislators have voted to punish saggers with a graduated fine, starting off at $50 and capping out at $200. Is this legal? Before we discuss the legality of a saggy pants ban, it’s important to understand that Hampton’s law is going to be slightly difficult to enforce....
In the latest news on a seemingly unending string of corporate-execs-gone-wrong, a jury yesterday apparently did not buy what Charles Conaway, the ex-CEO of Kmart Corporation, was selling to them in his trial for civil securities fraud. According to NPR, the jury found Conaway guilty of making misleading statements to investors prior to the giant retailer’s bankruptcy. Although news headlines seem to almost constantly pour the heat on corporate executives (for reasons ranging from alleged ineptitude to criminal activity), there are actually a number of other players in the securities landscape that can and do face liability for wrongs under securities laws....
Is the government snooping on your Skype, Xbox, Hotmail, or other Microsoft accounts? If so, how often does it happen? After receiving criticism for its lack of transparency, Microsoft has released information regarding government surveillance of its services, reports Slate. Microsoft follows other tech giants like Google and Twitter in making such information public. By the Numbers The report reveals that in 2012, Microsoft and Skype received a total of 75,378 law enforcement requests for user information....
Who would have expected that the culture for philanthropy would have grown in such a ravaged economy? The Wall Street Journal reported that although private giving has fallen 6% in 2008. Nonetheless, the recession seems to have triggered altruism in certain individuals and the urge to help others is stronger than ever. If you’re of those who gave in to their altruistic instincts and started a philanthropic organization, you might have already considered making your organization a tax exempt nonprofit under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code....
There were a lot of cars damaged by Hurricane Sandy. Now these flood damaged cars are starting to hit the used car market. With a little bit of cleaning and cosmetic work, you can make even the most flood-damaged car appear OK. It might even drive fine for a bit, before ultimately succumbing to its damage. As a result, if you are not careful when purchasing a used car, you could look forward to weeks of auto repairs and thousands of dollars in bills....
Many hotel guests want privacy, and giving guests what they want is good for hotels. So as more hotels and casinos announce regular check-in policies for guest rooms, questions are being raised over the wisdom and legality of the universal ‘do not disturb’ placard. The answer might surprise you. Hotels generally give their guests a fair amount of privacy and security in their rooms. Units have locks, including locks that can only be opened from the inside, and most hotels will try and accommodate patrons with special requests, such as changing check-in and check-out times and keeping valuables in a secure location....
For those trick-or-treaters in bigger neighborhoods or looking to cover more ground this Halloween, hopping on a bicycle rather than going door-to-door on foot might be a good plan. But is that plan a possibility if your costume includes a mask? Sure there are some general sartorial rules about what not to wear while cycling, but are there local laws against biking behind a mask? Here’s a look into that questions, as well as some other legal pointers regarding Halloween costumes this year....
The District of Columbia made a monumental move to legalize gay marriage. The Supreme Court declined to interfere with a new Washington D.C. law that allows same-sex couples to tie the knot. The Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Equality Amendment Act came into effect on Wednesday, and expanded the definition of marriage to include same-sex couples. As a result, same-sex couples in D.C. can now apply for a marriage license, after a waiting period of three business days....
Louisiana lawmakers are considering a bill requiring drug offenders to carry special state driver’s licenses. Individuals convicted of two or more felony drug offenses would need to obtain and carry the special driver’s license. The drug offender driver’s license (House Bill 139) won approval by The House Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works. The bill was introduced by Rep. Rickey Hardy, D-Lafayette. The bill requires those convicted of a second or subsequent drug felony after Aug....
As a business owner, it probably goes without saying that you know you can’t base employment decisions on characteristics like someone’s race, sex, or national origin. But did you know there are other factors that could potentially lead to an employment discrimination lawsuit as well like not hiring convicted criminals? That’s right, not hiring a convicted criminal could get you sued. In fact, earlier this year, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced that it would begin cracking down on employers who considered applicant’s criminal backgrounds in their hiring decisions....
Earlier in this blog, we discussed the income tax rules regarding the First Time Homebuyers Tax Credit. Tax credits are a great way to lower your income tax calculation, if you’re entitled to the credits. The First Time Homebuyer Credit can reduce the tax you have to pay, by crediting the tax you owe and refunding you any difference. Here’s an example: Imagine you owe $1000 in tax and you’re entitled to $8,000 from the First Time Homebuyer Credit....
