New Jersey has banned so-called gay conversion therapy. Gov. Chris Christie signed a measure into law Monday that prohibits licensed therapists from trying to turn gay and lesbian teens straight. Following a similar effort in California, New Jersey is now the second state to ban gay conversion therapy for people under 18. But also similar to the Golden State, the Garden State may soon face lawsuits challenging the new law....
According to the Obama Administration, it’s a matter of not how, but when. The issue at stake is “don’t ask don’t tell” and the President is committed to its demise. The problem is how exactly this will be accomplished, as there are several legal issues, as well as branches of government, that need to be confronted. First is the unfortunate position the Department of Justice finds itself in of having to appeal a ruling striking down don’t ask....
Even with all the new safety technology available – from motion sensors and backup cameras to self-driving cars – 2018 produced the most pedestrian fatalities since 1990; that’s almost three decades. What accounted for this continued rise in pedestrian deaths, and what can you do if you’re hit by a car? Here’s a look. According to a preliminary report from the Governors Highway Safety Association, 6,227 pedestrians were killed on U....
Derived from the the Greek prefix “poly” for many and the Latin word “amor” for love, polyamory is the unconventional practice of being in and consenting to multiple romantic relationships at a time. Termed “ethical” or “responsible” non-monogamy, the practice has been gaining more attention and more followers in recent years. How does polyamory tie into law and is it a form of polygamy? Polyamory, unlike polygamy, is not defined by marriage....
If you’re heading to New Orleans for Carnival, leave your reptiles at home. The scaly creatures are banned from the city’s parade routes – for 2 hours before, and 1 hour after. Apparently some people once thought live snakes would make great scarves. The Big Easy has seen it all – breast-baring women, public drunkenness and flying objects. As a result, it’s got some pretty great Mardi Gras laws. Mardi Gras is all about celebration – and throwing things at your friends....
Should employers post jobs on LinkedIn? We all know LinkedIn as one of the prime social media sites for networking and job marketing, but it has never really promoted itself as a traditional job board – until now, that is. But not so fast. According to Forbes, LinkedIn’s newest premium membership plans for prospective employees may cross an ethical line. The “Job Seeker Premium” membership is sold to those looking for work, for $29....
For weeks there have been rumors of a coming Small Business Administration emergency loan program. Though its details are not official, here are some indications of what to expect from the program. Much of the small business stimulus funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) involved expanded SBA backing of loans to small businesses. Details of the expansions to 7(a) loans and the attempt to stimulate small business lending were discussed in this blog entry....
The relationship between a stepparent and stepchild can be complicated, both emotionally and legally. Depending on a variety of factors – your legal relationship with the step child’s biological parent(s), whether you’ve legally adopted the stepchild, whether the child’s biological parents are alive or involved in his or her life, and even where you live – your legal rights and responsibilities concerning your stepchild may differ. And, sadly, divorce only complicates matters further....
If you’re a student or recent graduate, are there any tax credits or deductions you should know about? Even for the college-educated set, the maze of IRS tax rules, credits, and deductions can seem way too complicated. Nobody should have to figure it out by themselves. With taxes due in a little over a month for most taxpayers (unless you get an extension), here are two tax credits and one deduction that may pay off for students and/or recent graduates:...
While it comes as no surprise to recent immigrants, the United States has rather strict immigration laws. For undocumented immigrants, also called “illegal immigrants” or “illegal aliens,” the legal system can be scary. Below are five important facts about US immigration laws relating to undocumented immigrants. If an immigrant is seeking asylum from their home country due to persecution for political, religious, or personal beliefs, they may seek permanent residence status by filing for asylum....
As soon as there was an internet, there was sex on the internet and crime on the internet. And while sex crime on the internet might not make intuitive sense at first – Can you actually have any kind of sex on the internet, much less illegal sex? – it turns out there are quite a few sexual activities that take place on the internet that are illegal under state or federal law....
Need some negotiating tips for your business? Every day, small business owners put their negotiation skills to their test. From employee scheduling conflicts to vendor contracts, knowing how to negotiate is crucial when it comes to running a business. You won’t always have your business lawyer around to handle negotiations for you. So here are five lawyerly negotiating tips you may want to keep in mind: Remember, a successful negotiation allows both parties to compromise a little to achieve an outcome that’s agreeable to everyone....
Tax procrastinators take note: The April 15 tax deadline is now just a month away, so now is the time to get cracking on those taxes. Even if you think you still have ample time to fill out your 1040, or plan to use an easy online service, at least take a few minutes to gather all of your W-2s and other tax documents in one place (or even take pictures of them on your smartphone and organize those photos into an album)....
Arizona is on track to join several other states that already have laws on the books making it illegal to text while driving. The recent AZ Senate vote bans texting while driving. According to the Associated Press, the state Senate voted to approve a bill that would ban texting while driving. The bill would impose a fine on drivers distracted by texting. The Senate’s 19-10 vote on the bill now sends it to Arizona’s House....
Someday soon – possibly within the next 3 to 5 years, according to predictions of the California Department of Motor Vehicles’ chief counsel, Brian Soublet – autonomous cars will be a regular feature on the streets. Once the dream of geeks and sci-fi fans, this will be everyone’s reality and lawmakers are preparing for our brave new world. Last month, the Department of Transportation announced that it is working on model legislation for autonomous cars within 6 months, and plans to spend $4 billion on auto-pilot projects....
Starting January 1, 2017, employers in California will now face liability under the Fair Pay Act if they are found to have discriminated in setting wages based on race or ethnicity, as well as gender. When the Fair Pay Act initially went into effect on January 1, 2016, the act only applied to gender-based pay disparities. While prior state and federal laws did protect against this type of injury, the Fair Pay Act provides a more direct cause of action for aggrieved individuals, as well as tighter regulations for employers, in an attempt to eliminate this type of civil rights violation from even occurring in California....
A Delaware court shooting has left three people dead, including the alleged shooter, now identified as Thomas Matusiewicz. Matusiewicz reportedly walked into a courthouse lobby about 8 a.m. Monday and fatally shot two women. Two police officers were wounded and Matusiewicz was killed, though it’s not yet clear how he died, The Huffington Post reports. (Thomas Matusiewicz is the father of David Matusiewicz, who was at the courthouse for a hearing this morning....
The age old practice of boozing and schmoozing may not be as socially acceptable during the workday as it once was, but that doesn’t mean you can’t knock a few back during negotiations, or after-hours. However, when it comes time to sign contracts or agreements, making sure the person signing can keep their pen within the lines on the page is rather important. Whether you are signing up a new client, customer, or business partner, not allowing potential agreements to be executed while intoxicated could save you from a potential legal battle over advantageous terms, or overall contract enforceability....
It is never fun to imagine our loved ones leaving us forever and there is no legal victory that can make up for the pain of a death, especially a wrongful one. That said, if a family loses a member due to food poisoning, a wrongful death claim is available to some members of the clan. Food poisoning is very common, as are injury lawsuits associated with this particular harm. Fortunately, however, fatal food poisoning is much more rare....
Her necklace became tangled with the massager and tightened it around her neck until she lost consciousness and stopped breathing, the Broward County Sheriff’s office told the Sun-Sentinel. The 37-year-old physician lived in suburban Fort Lauderdale. Ferrari-Gegerson’s husband found her unconscious on the bedroom floor in their home around 9 p.m. Dec. 24 and called paramedics, who found her already dead upon arrival. While the circumstances surrounding her death are odd, foul play is not suspected in the neck massager strangle death....
