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In a surprising turn of events on September 29, the former housekeeper of California gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman held a news conference to make allegations of abuse and that Whitman knew of and ignored her immigration status. Former housekeeper Nicky Santillan is claiming she is owed wages and other compensation by Whitman. She further claims Whitman was aware of the fact she was undocumented, but did not fire her for it until she began her campaign for governor....

In an ideal world, child support is the money a custodial parent receives every month from the other parent. It arrives on time, it’s for the right amount, and you never have to argue over the amount or the delivery. The world is far from ideal. For many exes with children the reality of child support is much messier. But while you’re waiting for the check to arrive there are still clothes to purchase, food to buy, and bills to pay....

The special prosecutor assigned to investigate possible criminal charges in connection with the Bush Administration firings of nine U.S. attorneys said today there was not enough evidence to bring charges. Nora Dannehy, an assistant prosecutor from Connecticut, said Wednesday, July 21 that the firing of U.S. Attorney David Iglesias may have been a violation of DOJ principles, but it was not a crime. Why in this case would firing an employee be a crime?...

It’s official: Starbucks’ outdoor smoking ban is in full effect, as of Saturday at all company-owned stores. It is already common knowledge that smoking is generally not allowed indoors at any Starbucks. But this smoking ban now also applies outdoors as well. Those who are fans of the classic coffee-and-cigarette combination will not be allowed to smoke in any company-owned Starbucks patio, or in their outdoor seating areas, or anywhere within 25 feet of the store....

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Fifty-six years after the Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education that segregated, “separate but equal” schools were a violation of the Constitution, the courts are still ordering schools in the state of Mississippi to desegregate. On April 13, U.S. District Judge Tom Lee ordered a school district to stop a program allowing students to transfer to schools outside their residential area leaving district schools and even classes effectively segregated by race....

KFC has agreed to pay $30,000 to the family of a girl with facial scars who was asked to leave one of its Mississippi restaurants because her injuries “disturbed other patrons.” Victoria Wilcher, 3, was attacked by pit bulls in April, and her recovery has left her with an eyepatch and numerous scars across her face. After the Wilchers shared their story on social media – of being kicked out of a KFC in Jackson, Mississippi, last week – KFC responded by donating $30,000 to “assist with her medical bills....

Everybody and their mom has a podcast these days – how hard can it be? You record yourself (and maybe some friends), throw it up on the internet, and wait for that sweet, sweet ad revenue to come flowing in. But like anything that sounds too good to be true, there’s always a hitch, legally speaking. Although it may seem like it, podcasting is not the Wild, Wild West, and there are a few legal considerations any prospective podcaster should take to heart before hitting record....

Recently, lawsuits have been brought against the chemotherapy drug Taxotere, generically known as docetaxel. The manufacturer is being sued by cancer survivors for permanent hair loss. While the manufacturer has now updated the listed, known side effects, for all too many survivors, the update came too late. What makes these cases so compelling is that Sanofi-Aventis was aware of the risk of permanent hair loss, yet did not warn potential users of this risk....

Even those who follow the advice of the Bible to “love thy neighbor” may not necessarily share the same warm feelings for their neighbor’s trees. It turns out that disputes between neighbors regarding trees are fairly common. And being that Sunday is the annual “National Good Neighbor Day,” what better time to explore some different branches of the classic neighbor-tree dispute? Here are five common sticking points when it comes to neighbors and trees:...

The makers of two popular prescription topical testosterone gels will be required to include a boxed warning on their products’ labeling that warns of potential harm to children who come into contact with the gels, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced today. The new boxed warnings will be required for AndroGel, marketed by Solvay Pharmaceuticals, and Testim, made by Auxilium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. These two prescription medications are commonly used as part of hormone replacement therapy for a number of medical conditions that cause a testosterone deficiency....

Some of us are counting down the days to retirement. Others are counting our pennies and wondering if we’ll ever get to retire. And whether retirement sounds like a dream to you or a nightmare, you still have to prepare for it. Here are some legal considerations as you near retirement, from our archives: This is what we all want to know. While you can start receiving Social Security benefits as early as 62, the longer you wait, the more your payments will be....

Yesterday the White House announced new rules expanding overtime pay protections for millions of salaried employees. Starting December 1, salaried employees making $47,476 or less will be entitled to time-and-a-half pay if they work over 40 hours per week. The new rule is expected to impact some 4.2 million workers and scores of small businesses as well. Here’s what small business owners and employers need to know about overtime rules, from the FindLaw archives....

If Michael Wolff’sTrump tell-all book, Fire and Fury, reminds you of Shakespeare, it’s probably the bard’s take on life from Macbeth: “it is a tale / Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, / Signifying nothing.” The same might be true of the bluster around the book, with Trump’s lawyers (as usual) sending a threatening cease and desist letter, and publishers responding in kind. Trump clearly didn’t want the book to be published (or maybe he has a stake in the book and is boosting sales by tweeting about it), but does the president or the courts have the power to ban a book before it comes out?...

When an individual is under the care of a hospital or nursing home and ends up with a bedsore, also known as a pressure sore, that usually means something is amiss. If the individual is not conscious, or immobile, or otherwise unable to appreciate the gravity of their confined-to-a-bed situation, a hospital or nursing home could very well be liable for bedsores. Bedsores can vary in severity, but are generally caused by the prolonged application of the pressure of the weight of the body on the skin and tissue....

When will lawyers answer questions for free? The lawyerly answer is, “It depends.” But aside from FindLaw, how can you get free answers to your pressing legal inquiries? Here are several instances you can get licensed legal minds to answer your questions, without paying a dime: Free Consultations As you probably know from law firm advertisements, many attorneys offer free consultations to prospective clients to answer basic questions about whether they need a lawyer....

Smoking medical marijuana can help cut down on your pain - especially if you have a terminal disease, or an illness that has painful side effects. State medical marijuana laws vary on how much a person can legally possess to how many plants you are allowed to cultivate. Currently, there are 16 states (plus Washington, D.C.) that have now legalized medical marijuana. These states include: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington....

A deadly attack on a 47 year-old father of four has left a town in New Jersey shaken. The town of Summit, N.J., reportedly considered itself a diverse, upscale city which welcomes immigrants. The vicious beating death of Salvadoran immigrant, Abelino Mazaniego, by three teenagers has turned that view on its head. The young attackers, Khayri Williams-Clark, Nigel Dumas and one unidentified minor, had the attack filmed on a cell phone video camera by what is believed to be a fourth accomplice and allegedly circulated the video among their peers....

Getting ready for retirement involves more than just saving money, although saving is a big part of it. Retirement planning requires careful consideration of both the financial and the legal issues that will come up once you decide to stop working. While seeking out a financial retirement advisor at least a few decades before you plan to retire, you should consider seeking out legal advice early as well. An estate planning, bankruptcy, or tax attorney can help you get ready for the eventual legal or tax issues you may face in retirement....

When the holidays roll around, many companies that aren’t in retail or consumer services face a major slowdown in business. For companies that are not overrun with holiday shoppers, the holidays are a great time to consider doing some marketing. One popular marketing tool is the customer a gift. While businesses may be loathe to spend money on gifts for customers, doing so can actually serve an additional purpose besides just marketing....

For many couples, unfortunately, bankruptcy and divorce go hand in hand. The statistics are quite discouraging and telling. Nearly 50 percent of marriages end in divorce. Of those, 22 percent of divorces are caused by money issues or disagreements about how to spend money. If you and your spouse are contemplating bankruptcy and divorce, should you file for one before the other? Does it matter? People file for bankruptcy because they can’t pay their debts....