Posts

Another case of a student suicide, apparently caused by bullying, has resulted in a wrongful death suit seeking $10 million in damages. Alise Williams, the mother of a high school freshman in York County, Virginia, is suing school officials and one sheriff’s deputy for failing to enforce the anti-bullying policies she believes would have saved her son. The suit claims the defendants were aware of the actions of the student who harassed her son, but did not act....

Security plans for the upcoming 9/11 trials in New York City will top $75 million. According to the Associated Press, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly says the security plans for the 9/11 trials cost more than the the initial estimate of $75 million. Although he didn’t say the exact amount, he told the media holding the 9/11 trials has soared “way beyond” the estimated cost. As previously discussed, United States Attorney General Eric Holder Jr....

As stories hit of newly-released sex offenders finding new victims, cities and states across the country are legislating the movement of sex offenders to keep them away from vulnerable children. In the latest of these ordinances, Orange County sex offenders will no longer be permitted in public parks, beaches, harbors and zoos without prior approval. If they fail to obey the new ordinance after May 5th, they will face a $500 fine or six months in jail....

The FDA proposed new regulations for e-cigarettes last week, but more than a dozen states have already passed laws to regulate them. In fact, at least 20 states have already included e-cigs in their smoking bans and regulations for public areas, workplaces, and schools, according to the online legal research service WestlawNext (which, like FindLaw, is owned by Thomson Reuters). How do these states regulate e-cigarettes? Will they lead the way for accepting the new FDA rules?...

If the government legally collects data on foreigners under a National Security Agency program, then uses the information to entrap an American, has the American’s constitutional right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure been violated? The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Portland is now considering a case that asks this and it is believed by some to have implications for all of us. The issue arises from the 2013 conviction of Mohamed Mohamud, also known as the Christmas tree bomber....

Its creators call it a ’life skills’ program that contributes to ‘restorative justice.’ A California judge called it extortion. And a new lawsuit against the anti-shoplifting course’s creators and the retail stores that use it, including Walmart, minced no words: Corrective Education Company has been accused of railroading shoplifting suspects into admitting guilt and paying up to $500 to avoid store security contacting law enforcement, and the lawsuit even refers to Walmart as a “co-conspirator” in the extortion scheme....

If you’ve ever hired a lawyer, you may have been staggered by the costs involved. Why do lawyers cost so much? Attorneys can easily demand thousands of dollars and charge $200 or $300 per hour to take your case. Some charge upto 40% off the top of any settlement or verdict you get. So if you are injured in an accident, your lawyer may get almost half of everything you are entitled to....

Every five years the government does an economic census to gauge the American economy and measure businesses. Yes, it’s that time again. The next economic census year is 2012 which means business owners, including those who run franchises, could receive a census form sometime before the end of the year. That paperwork is due in February 2013 The census asks business owners to provide a range of data for their companies....

Women-owned small businesses are becoming more common, but they’re still playing catch-up when it comes to getting start-up funds, generating revenue, and staffing their companies, experts say. October is National Women in Small Business Month, set aside by the U.S. Small Business Administration to focus on key challenges facing female job-creators, Reuters reports. Companies owned by women grew at a rate of 44% between 1997 and 2007, according to the latest government data....

More than one in four car crashes involves cell phone use, according to a new report by the National Safety Council. Perhaps even more surprising, only 5 percent of crashes involve texting, while 21 percent involve drivers talking on handheld or hands-free cell phones, according to the report. The findings serve as a grim reminder than talking on a cell phone while behind the wheel – even on a hands-free device – can be incredibly dangerous....

Tennessee’s two largest cities, Nashville and Memphis, also happen to be two of the most important cities in America’s musical history, launching the careers of countless American blues, country, and rock ’n’ roll artists. But Tennessee’s history includes much more than just music. It was the 16th state to join the Union, and the first Confederate state to be readmitted to the Union following the Civil War. Whether you’re visiting the Volunteer State to take in its scenic beauty or moving to Nashville to make a career in the music business, what do you need to know about Tennessee’s laws?...

A Bulgarian immigrant in Florida has become the first gay spouse to be approved for a green card. It’s an immigration milestone that comes after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a federal law that limited marriage rights to opposite-sex couples. The notice of approval of a permanent resident visa, known as a green card, was issued by e-mail late Friday to Traian Popov, 41, who lives with his American spouse, Julian Marsh, 55, in Fort Lauderdale, reports The New York Times....

Guest post by Jennifer K. Halford, Esq. The legal quandary about employers, employees, and Facebook continues. Maryland’s legislature recently passed a bill prohibiting employers from requesting employees’ user names and passwords to Facebook and other social networks. However, federal legislation banning such requests did not pass the House of Representatives. For now it seems that states are left to decide if employers can demand passwords. And so this quandary remains to be solved for some employers....

When you own and operate a business, you are sure to incur plenty of business costs. Perhaps the most annoying costs are those that don’t really provide your customers an obvious benefit like legal costs. Fortunately, there are many tips for a business to save on legal costs. While companies like Apple and Samsung can throw hundreds of millions of dollars to resolve their legal issues and disputes, the reality is that you probably can’t....

Every small business needs to know how to protect its intellectual property. From product patents to trademarking logos to copywritten written materials, making sure other businesses don’t steal your ideas is essential setting your products and services apart and ensuring your value. These efforts can be especially important, and complicated, when it comes to online businesses, where everything you make, sell, and say is immediately available worldwide. So if you’re running an online business, here are five tips to protecting your intellectual property....

June 14 is Flag Day, the holiday designated by President Woodrow Wilson in 1916 to honor the adoption of the American Flag on June 14, 1777. This makes it a great day to fly an American flag at your business (though some businesses even choose to fly an American flag every day; Woodrow Wilson would approve). However, what some business owners may not know is that there are exact rules for how and when the American flag can be flown....

It’s that time of year again, when retailers go all out to attract holiday shoppers. What can your small business do to prepare for holiday sales? On average, shoppers are expected to spend 3.7 percent to 3.9 percent more this holiday season, according to two reports (by Wells Fargo and the National Retail Federation) recently mentioned in the Charlotte Business Journal. How can your business get a cut of this?...

Everybody gripes about their job at some point. But bear in mind that if you do so over the web, you face the risk of being on the receiving end of a social media firing. We’ve all heard stories about people getting fired over Facebook. Many tend to forget that their Facebook and Twitter feeds often aren’t as “private” as you would think. So what are some ways your career can meet an early demise due to a social media misstep?...

Abalone are prized for their beautiful iridescent shells and clam-like meat, but divers who hunt these mollusks may be biting off more than they can chew. This weekend proved fatal for three divers hoping to get a jump on the legal diving season for abalone in California, and state park authorities hope that more divers avoid the dangerous rip currents, reports The Press Democrat. Divers who are unaware of the state’s fishing regulations may also find themselves in murky legal waters....

A class action lawsuit filed in Maricopa County, Arizona claims a surgeon in Tijuana, Mexico used “high-pressure sales tactics” and at least one U.S.-based recruiter to lure clients south of the border, and the surgeon was negligent in performing weight loss procedures. The lawsuit, filed by Jessica Ballandby against Dr. Mario Almanza and his alleged recruiter, Sandy Brimhall, claims Brimhall promised “a quick in and out,” and “surgeries would be done by doctors who are qualified and competent....