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If your business has an online store, then you may think that you’re ready to enter the world of international sales. Chances are you’re not. Whether you’re working with importers or individual customers, selling overseas is a whole new beast. Not only are there tax implications, but you’ll have to navigate the world of export law. That means customs and tariffs. The entire process involves a lot of work. For one, before you even calculate tariffs, you’ll have to learn the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System....

While we recommend that you have an attorney help you with legal filings, we do recognize that there are times when you may be able to complete some legal forms yourself. For most motions, complaints, and pleadings, you no longer have to write it out on pleading papers. Most courts have created forms that are easy to fill out. The hard part is finding where to get those forms and making sure that they’re the most current forms available....

While the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) waives the sovereign immunity of the federal government under certain circumstances, but those circumstances don’t include injury claims by members of the armed forces and their families for injuries arising out of or in the course of activity related to military service. That might make sense for combat injuries sustained on the field of battle – after all, can you imagine if the government got sued every time a soldier was injured or killed?...

Media giant Viacom has reached a settlement in a class action lawsuit brought by former unpaid interns of the company. The terms of the settlement have not yet been disclosed, according to The Hollywood Reporter. But Viacom – whose holdings include MTV, Paramount Pictures and Comedy Central – is just the latest media company to have an internship policy come back to bite them in the form of a class action lawsuit....

The last thing you want to malfunction is your gun. Imagine that hunk of metal exploding in your hands at about eye level, blasting shrapnel and bullets near your hands, arms, and face. Guns can malfunction in many ways. Often, the malfunction is a simple misfire. The trigger is pulled and nothing happens. Other times, the malfunction could be catastrophic. Here are three common dangerous gun malfunctions to watch out for:...

You might not want to broadcast everything that is going on in your divorce via social media. All too often, disgruntled spouses take to sites like Facebook and Twitter to express their frustration with their ex-partners. But if you hit “post” too hastily, you could be digging an even deeper hole for yourself – and you may have to explain yourself in court. Here are five social media rules to keep in mind as you go through your divorce:...

There’s probably no worse position as a parent than being called a “deadbeat dad.” If you have children who are not living with you, you may have an order requiring paying child support. To ensure that you avoid that “deadbeat dad” moniker, here are five things that you should know: Moving out of state does not get you off the hook. The custodial parent of the child can request a court to impose enforcement of child support on you even if you move out of state....

The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of three Filipino immigrants against a couple and their various Oklahoma business enterprises, claiming the entities breached employment contracts, violated federal wage and immigrations laws, and participated in what amounts to human trafficking. The suit claims that Walter and Carolyn Schumacher, along with a company that recruited workers, enticed Filipino nationals with promises of good pay and free housing, then exploited those workers for cheap labor, and used ties with law enforcement to intimidate workers....

New information has come to light about Ohio serial killing suspect Anthony Sowell. A woman who claimed she was attacked and raped by Sowell in his house last year says the police did not take her seriously. Sowell, a registered sex offender was arrested soon after, but then released, and no charges were filed against him regarding the allegedly attacked woman. Detectives investigating the incident told Wade that since she had a pending assault case it was her word against his....

An officer involved in the fatal 2006 shooting of Sean Bell is suing his estate. Officer Michael Carey’s suit claims he was hit in the leg by Bell’s car right before Carey and other police officers fired into it multiple times, killing Bell on the morning of his wedding. Bell’s fiancee has brought a wrongful death suit against Carey and the other police officers involved. According to AoL News, an unarmed Bell and a group of friends were leaving his bachelor party on Nov....

Even if you’re sure you want a divorce, you may be putting it off because you’re worried about the cost of hiring a divorce lawyer. Or, you may try navigating the legal problems yourself because you think an attorney will be too expensive. But trying to save money by not hiring a divorce lawyer could end up costing you in the long run. If you’re considering a divorce, or considering representing yourself, here are a few of the most common questions about attorney fee arrangements, and how much it might cost to hire a divorce lawyer....

The DOJ is investigating General Motors for allegedly failing to address dangerous safety problems for years before issuing a recall. Federal prosecutors have been joined by members of Congress, who are beginning their own investigation and will conduct hearings on GM’s culpability in allegedly waiting a decade to recall 1.6 million vehicles, reports The New York Times. With so much federal scrutiny, this may be a rough year for GM....

A Greyhound bus crash in Ohio over the weekend led to dozens of passenger injuries. The crash occurred just before 4 a.m. Saturday, when the bus veered off Interstate 75 north of Cincinnati and flipped onto its side into a cornfield. At least 34 people, including the driver, were injured, but fortunately there have been no serious injuries or fatalities reported, according to USA Today . The cause of the crash is still unknown, and authorities are currently undergoing an investigation to determine what happened....

When you’re putting together your business plan, or when you’re putting that plan into action, one of the forgotten costs is legal risk and liability. After all, we don’t feel very optimistic adding a line for lawsuits into our budget, and although business litigation is common, it’s not inevitable. One way to avoid a lawsuit, and the subsequent drain on your capital and corporate culture, is to plan ahead. By protecting your company, your employees, and your customers, you can reduce your small business’s legal risk and liability....

For bosses and employers, every spring and summer and holiday season, it’s the same old thing. Employees either have children in school, or don’t want to let go of their school years. It’s that time of year when all your employees are vying for the same vacation time. Unfortunately, there are going to be times when an employer is going to have to deny a vacation request. This can often be difficult as employees can truly be upset when they are denied the ability to use their accrued vacation time....

In Danville, Illinois, a woman tripped and fell while walking on an uneven sidewalk. The lower court dismissed the case, claiming the city was immune from such cases. However, the Illinois Supreme Court overturned the lower court ruling, and decided that the common law duty for a city to keep its sidewalks in safe working order outweighed the sovereign immunity normally granted to municipalities in negligence cases. People tripping and falling due to cracks in the sidewalk are not uncommon....

Child support is not a simple matter, and international child support can get even more complicated. If you had a child with a partner who is living outside of the United States, can you enforce a U.S. child support order against him or her? International child support is a relatively recent and evolving area of law, so enforcement may be a bit tricky. However, it is possible in many cases....

The IRS has formally agreed to stop collecting penalties against some small businesses for participating in forbidden transactions. These penalties, designed to punish abusers of tax shelters, have erroneously placed enormous fines on some small businesses – many of whom had no intention to skirt taxes and gained little if any benefit. Here is a rundown of the problems listed transaction penalties have become for some small businesses. As discussed, the heavy so-called Section 6707A penalties seek to punish businesses and individuals who participate in forbidden tax shelters....

After a year of back and forth negotiations, countless doctor’s visits, and lots of pain and suffering, your lawyer got you a settlement award for your personal injury claim. Congratulations! You now get to pocket that money and go on your merry way. But, wait just a second. The tax man would like to speak with you real quick. Part of that settlement you got might belong to him. So, is your personal injury settlement award really taxable?...

A federal court of appeals has ruled that a police department’s refusal to allow a female Muslim police officer to wear a headscarf while on duty did not add up to religious or sexual discrimination. Kimberlie Webb, a practicing Muslim, got hired as a Philadelphia police officer in 1995, but the circumstances leading to her case happened in 2003. This was when she asked her supervisor if it would be okay if she wore a headscarf while on duty and in uniform....