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Parental child abduction is unfortunately not uncommon, and can have unintended devastating effects – on the abduction parent’s rights and the child’s well-being. It occurs when a family member, usually a parent, kidnaps or conceals a child for any length of time. Not all states require force or fear of force when it comes to parental kidnapping; the unlawful retention generally suffices. This crime often happens during divorce proceedings, but also can occur at other emotionally heated times throughout child-rearing years....

A “music industry peace treaty;” a “rare moment of bipartisan and trans-industry harmony;” a “significant step forward for music consumers and fans.” The Music Modernization Act has been called a lot of things. But, now that the Senate has finally passed the copyright bill, what will it actually mean in real world terms for songwriters and musicians? Here’s what you need to know. Until now, music copyright laws have been a convoluted mixture of state and federal laws, and the amount of protection you could receive for your work could depend on what state you were in and whether the work was published before or after 1972....

Everyone has a mom, and every small business owner needs to know the laws that protect and provide for their new mom employees. Employers should strive to be vigilant and current in their understanding of the federal and state laws relating to motherhood and the workplace. Here are five laws that can be particularly important for business owners: Passed in 1978, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act amended federal law to prohibit pregnancy discrimination under Title VII....

A separation or divorce can get emotionally and legally complex – especially when shared children are involved. Determining visitation rights can be even more challenging when a child is a newborn. Normally, child custody and visitation matters are determined without favor to either parent and with the child’s best interests in mind. But making these determinations before or right after birth can be more difficult. Ideally, parents should figure out visitation before the child is born, which can be difficult, since a father’s rights to custody and visitation hinge on him establishing paternity....

When we go out to eat or shop or play, we don’t expect to pay with a personal injury. But in fact that happens more often than we might care to consider. There are many ways that people get hurt when they are out and about. If you happen to get hurt on the premises of a business, you can sue for your injury and will succeed if you can show negligence....

A conflict over Starbucks shift supervisors sharing tips with baristas is back in federal court, after a ruling by New York’s highest court on Monday clarified the state law’s take on tips. Under New York’s state wage laws, “shift supervisors” at Starbucks are entitled to a share of the overall tips, because they perform many of the same customer-service tasks as the dedicated baristas, reports Thomson Reuters. The case now heads back to the 2nd U....

The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear the student free-speech case about a school’s ban on “I Heart Boobies” cancer awareness bracelets, Reuters reports. That means the August 2013 decision by the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which sided with the students who wanted to don the bracelets, remains intact. It’s a major victory for the students in the Easton Area School District in Pennsylvania. Upon receiving the school district’s petition for certiorari, the U....

The 14-year-old accused of molesting and killing a 4 year old and stuffing him in a dryer plead not guilty today Fresno County Superior Court. As discussed in a previous FindLaw Blotter post, Raul Renato Castro is being charged as an adult in the October 30 killing. A court affidavit in support of his arrest warrant says Castro told police he enticed the boy into his house across the street and sodomized him....

Next month, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will allow small knives on planes. For the first time since September 11, 2001, travelers will be able to bring small pocket knives aboard airplanes, reports Reuters. This rule change will take effect April 25 and will allow pocket knives with blades measuring 6 centimeters (2.36 inches) or less. The rule change has outraged many flight attendants who fear the decision will endanger passengers and crew....

If your business uses Gmail, don’t expect privacy. In a recent court filing, Google’s lawyers made it clear that Gmail users have no “legitimate expectation of privacy” in email they send or receive via Gmail. Most disconcerting of all, the news comes on the heels of two secure, subscription email services shutting down due to “outside pressures,” reports Gizmodo. Here’s what this means for businesses and what you can do about your Gmail privacy:...

A unanimous U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday decided in Hana Financial, Inc. v. Hana Bank that the issue of “trademark tacking” was a question for a jury, not a judge. We all know (hopefully) what a trademark is, but what is “trademark tacking”? Trademarks protect a unique design, whether it’s a logo or a made-up word. Trademarks are useful only as far as they allow consumers to identify products associated with the trademark; for example, the Nike “swoosh” identifies a particular product as being associated with Nike....

Figuring out child custody arrangements is hardly a walk in the park, but during the holidays emotions are already running high. There are ways to stop disputes before they start, but part of it is also being prepared for when things will be most difficult. The holiday season can be complicated and there are certain issues that are more likely to come up in the next few weeks. Keep in mind that the goal is for your kids to have a good holiday, and that might mean you don’t get to spend every second with them....

You have a studio apartment in a university town that would just be perfect for your niece – she’s starting college next semester. Her mother, your sister in law, has been talking to you about letting her stay there. You do want to help but you are not sure how to handle this so it does not turn into a financial loss or a family feud. Here are some do’s and don’ts for renting a room or apartment to family members....

Miracle Hands Inc., a HIV/AIDS service provider in the D.C. area, is accused of using $330,000 worth of federal funds to start a strip club. Coincidentally, Miracle Hands owner Cornell Jones is a former D.C. drug kingpin. Miracle Hands was going to turn a warehouse into a job training center for residents with HIV/AIDS. Instead, they turned the warehouse into the “Stadium Club,” which is a gentleman’s club, prosecutors allege....

If a baseball player is hit in the face while playing the game, what are the legal implications? Does the injured baseball player have a cause of action? An appeals court in New York ruled on this exact issue last week in a batting cage lawsuit involving Clarkson University. The court held that participants in sporting and amusement activities assume the foreseeable risks when engaging in the activity. That said, organizers of the activities are still on the hook for concealed or enhanced dangers....

Bikes have been steadily moving up the ranks of modes of transportation as commuters become more health conscious. That means more bicycles on the roads and more accidents between cyclists and everyone else. If you are very seriously injured in a bicycle accident, you should consult with a personal injury attorney and have your claim assessed. A negligence suit may be the right route for your recovery. But if you are only relatively mildly injured, say in a small fender bender or routine accident, you may still be able to recover expenses through a variety of insurance policies....

The son of a former C.I.A. double agent who spied for Russia has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to act an an agent of a foreign government and conspiracy to launder money. As reported by the AP, Nathaniel Nicholson, son of former C.I.A. agent Jim Nicholson, pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges relating to participation in his father’s continued espionage activities. In 1997, the father became the highest ranking C.I.A. officer ever convicted of spying....

How attached are you to your car? After a car accident, you call your insurance company. Most of the time, the insurance company will pay to fix your car. However, if the cost of repair is too high, it might declare your car a total loss. Can you keep a car that has been totaled? When most people hear that a car is totaled, they think of a smashed and mangled piece of metal....

A new cafe in New York City is challenging the idea of the complimentary glass of water by charging customers $2.50 plus tax per glass. The majority of what they sell is water. Molecule Water Cafe serves New York City tap water that’s put through a rigorous series of filtering mechanisms including ultraviolet rays and ozone treatments. The end result is still water but customers can add roots, herbs, pH, or electrolyte infusions to their glass....

Ex-New York banker Charles Antonucci is the first person accused of trying to steal government bailout funds from the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). According to the Associated Press, Charles Antonucci, the former president of a community bank in Manhattan was charged with self-dealing, bank bribery, embezzlement and fraud while trying to submit the bank’s application for $11.2 million in TARP funds. Antonucci is accused of lying to banking authorities by claiming he invested $6....