Florida A&M University was sued by the family of the late Robert Champion for their part in the death of the 26-year-old drum major. But in a motion to dismiss filed Monday the school is claiming that Champion’s death is his own fault. The motion alleges that as an adult Champion knew that participating in the hazing was against school policy and state law. As a result the school should not be liable for his actions, reports USA Today....
Today marks Good Samaritan Day, a day that celebrates compassion and kindness. But before you pay it forward, make sure you’re in the legal clear. As odd as it may sound, there are certain situations in which lending a helping hand can potentially land you in legal trouble. Here are five legal tips all do-gooders should keep in mind: To learn more about this topic, check out our Learn About the Law page on Good Samaritan Laws and specific legal duties....
There’s nothing like free press to drive a boost in sales. That holds true for just about any good or service, apparently including Glock sales. Sales of handguns, specifically Glock handguns, are up across Arizona and a number of states in the aftermath of the Arizona shooting. The Glock handgun used in the Tucson, Arizona shooting goes for $499 and is apparently selling like the proverbial hotcakes. While it is too early to determine whether the jump in Glock sales and handguns will be sustained, the scale of the increase after the Arizona shooting is surprising....
Can you sue for being injured in a fight? No matter how hard you may try to avoid it, there’s always the chance that you may, at some point, be involved in a fight. And any time fists begin to fly, the odds that someone will be injured increase rapidly. From black eyes to serious brain injuries, fights can lead to a whole host of injuries. But legally speaking, what can you do if you’ve suffered an injury from a physical confrontation?...
When the chaos of a riot turns to looting, business owners often want to ensure that their livelihoods are not literally carried away by opportunistic criminals. So how can you legally defend your business from looters? Some business owners in Ferguson, Missouri, are still reeling from the effects of a protest-turned-riot on Sunday. At least nine people were arrested for allegedly looting local businesses during the melee, reports St. Louis’ KSDK-TV....
Is there anything more annoying than a telemarketer calling your cell phone? There is a way to avoid this: put your cell phone number on the national Do Not Call Registry. After all, no one wants to answer a phone call only to hear an automated advertisement. Especially when it comes to cell phones. Most Americans have cell phone plans that only allot a certain number of minutes that can be used for outbound and inbound calls....
When purchases don’t go as planned, disputing the charge on your credit card can be an effective way of winning the consumer v. merchant battle. Sometimes, though, the fault lies not with the merchant but with your credit card company, which may have billed you twice for a product or service. In either case, there is a legal and simple way to dispute credit card charges: You first want to identify the offending charge, whether it’s a(n):...
Like a needle in a haystack, you’ve stumbled upon an amazing bottle of wine at a great price. Delighted to share this discovery with your friend, you decide to buy an extra bottle and ship it. But wait! Not so fast! Shipping alcohol is easier said than done. Let’s review available choices. The United States Postal Service strictly prohibits shipping alcohol. Next! FedEx and UPS only allow shipment if you carry a proper license to manufacture, sell, distribute, or otherwise import alcohol....
If you watch “Judge Judy,” then you’ll know that these days, a smoking gun often comes in the form of a smokin’ text message. After all, 91 percent of American adults own cell phones, and of those, 81 percent send or receive text messages, according to a 2013 study by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project. But how do you use text messages as evidence in court – small claims or otherwise?...
Lawyers love to use a whole world of weird and wondrously whimsical words to describe certain facets of the law. And as you might have guessed, a good deal of them may begin with the letter “W.” Don’t be caught without your wits. Learn more about these five legal terms beginning with “W”: Wanton. No, this isn’t another way to spell the Asian dumpling. In fact, the word describes very unsavory action or indifference on the part of a person, typically resulting in serious harm or death....
And another one bites the dust. (And another one takes its place.) A federal judge has ruled that file sharing service LimeWire must disable its main file sharing functions. LimeWire has been involved in lawsuits with U.S. record companies for over four years. The Recording Industry Association of America has accused the site of infringing on copyright. On October 26, Judge Kimba M. Wood of Manhattan’s Federal District Court ruled that the main file sharing functions of the peer-to-peer (“P2P”) site must be terminated....
A tourist’s fingertips were severed after an accident on Walt Disney World’s Pirates of the Caribbean ride Thursday, with many legal questions yet to be answered. The injured man, a UK resident whose name has not been released, lost the tips of his ring and pinky fingers on his right hand. According to the Orlando Sentinel, the injury occurred after the victim was holding on to the outside of the boat during the ride....
A Marine sergeant’s Facebook posts about President Obama have led to his discharge from the military, in a dispute over free-speech rights in the workplace. Marine Sgt. Gary Stein, 27, a meteorologist at Camp Pendleton near San Diego, posted comments and images on Facebook that allegedly disparaged President Obama, The Press-Enterprise reports. “Screw Obama and I will not follow all orders from him,” one of Stein’s posts said. Stein also created a Facebook “fan page” – but not because he was a fan of his commander-in-chief....
The National Federation of Independent Business has unveiled a new business credit card – but is it a good deal? The NFIB Business Edition MasterCard, offered by the First National Bank of Omaha, promotes itself as a “business rewards card built for NFIB members by an NFIB member.” Though the NFIB-branded card boasts a number of perks – namely, attractive rewards points and no interest for the first nine business cycles – the card lacks basic borrower protections offered to personal cardholders under the CARD Act, according to Bloomberg Businessweek....
What can happen if you drive without car insurance? It may feel like a victimless crime. After all, car insurance is usually purchased to protect the driver. So if you, as the driver, opt out of purchasing insurance, you’re making your own choice not to have that extra back-up layer of protection in case you’re in a car accident or dispute. Right? Wrong. So what can happen if you don’t have any form of car insurance?...
But what about drones in the workplace? Is it legal for your small business to be using drones? Drone Laws Federal regulations for drones remain in their infancy: although the FAA and Department of Transportation recently announced that all unmanned aircraft would need to be registered, but officials are still hashing out how the registration process will look. And earlier this year, the FAA was still seeking public comments on proposed flight regulations for commercials drones....
A federal judge struck down Oregon’s gay marriage ban Monday, stating it was unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Michael McShane issued a four-page order striking down Oregon’s prohibition on gay marriage, which took effect immediately after it was filed. The Associated Press reports that couples lined up at the Multnomah County Building in Portland in anticipation of the ruling, waiting to officially tie the knot. Does this mean gay Oregonians are free to marry?...
The impact of Hurricane Matthew in Florida wasn’t as severe as expected, but that’s not to say everyone escaped unscathed, and there might be more to come as the storm circles back in the Atlantic. And small businesses can feel a double impact of the storm – initial property damage coupled with a downturn in business afterwards. If you’re a Florida small business, here’s some guidance on handling property insurance claims and a loss of business following Hurricane Matthew....
Students do have constitutional rights but they are limited. Public school students have an expectation of privacy for their property but can be searched when authorities have a reasonable suspicion of illegality. Student rights balance the demands of the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution with public school authorities’ need to maintain school order and discipline. The Fourth Amendment prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures. Still, students – and particularly in private schools – can be searched, and more easily than adults....
Supporters of gay marriage have much to celebrate after Wednesday’s Supreme Court rulings in Perry and Windsor, which effectively clear the way for gay couples to marry in California and for married same-sex partners to receive federal benefits nationwide. In Hollingsworth v. Perry, the Court voted 5-4 to uphold a lower court’s ruling that halted California’s Proposition 8 – a voter-approved measure that barred same-sex marriages in California in 2008....
