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According to federal investigators, Massey Energy’s safety records were purposefully doctored. In fact, Massey Energy had fake records - two sets of records, to be exact, an internal set of books and an external that was given to officials. This dual accounting system meant that safety problems were only jotted down in one set of records. Keeping two sets of records is fine, but keeping hazardous conditions out of the official set of records is not, reports The New York Times....

On Thursday, March 25, Secretary of the Defense Robert Gates told a press conference the United States Military will adopt a “common sense,” “common decency” approach to the enforcement of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” law governing gay men and women serving in the armed forces. According to Secretary Gates, such new rules of enforcement are an important first step while the armed forces considers the effect a repeal of the law would have on the military as a whole....

An intentionally disabled safety device likely led to a woman’s gruesome death in a New York City elevator shaft, investigators say. The finding will affect lawsuits seeking damages from the incident. Crews from Transel Elevator Inc. were repairing the elevator in a Midtown Manhattan office tower Dec. 14, and purposely overrode the safety system to gain access to the elevator car, The New York Times reports. The override allowed the elevator to move with its doors open....

According to CNN, President Obama announced that he would like to drum up a small business stimulus package. He did so in a speech that he gave last Tuesday at the Brookings Institution. He said such small business stimulus package would include new tax breaks to small businesses for new hires and for buying new equipment. CNN quotes President Obama as saying, “Even though we have reduced the deluge of job losses to a relative trickle, we are not yet creating jobs at a pace to help all those families who have been swept up in the flood....

Some 20,000 convicted DUI drivers may be raising their glasses today to Sgt. Marc Dennis. The officer was found guilty of not calibrating breath testing devices correctly back in 2016. These devices were used in five New Jersey counties, including Middlesex, Monmouth, Union, Ocean, and Somerset. As a result, all convictions based on breath tested by Dennis can now be challenged. In the unanimous ruling by the New Jersey Supreme Court, the court overruled the DUI conviction of one woman whose case centered on an improperly calibrated “Dennis Breath Test....

Whomever said that ’there’s no such thing as bad publicity’ probably never had naked photographs of themselves posted on the internet. Sure, some celebrities built careers off purportedly leaked sex tapes, but the same cannot be said about the vast majority of women who have their before and after breast augmentation photos posted online by their plastic surgeon. Breast augmentation can often be controversial. Some people have no problem sharing their experience with the procedure (though might prefer faceless and nameless photos), while others want their cosmetic surgery to remain private....

Points are a great way to keep score in an athletic contest. Law enforcement also likes to use them to track traffic offenses on your driver’s license. But issuing points for work absences, especially those due to illness or medical emergency? Not so great, and possibly illegal. Walmart has an extensive and infamous point system tied to employee attendance, and a new report from a workers’ advocacy group says the company is unlawfully using the system to punish workers for medical absences....

There’s not a business out there, big or small, that doesn’t have intellectual property issues. Patents, trademarks, and copyrights touch every aspect of business, not just the latest tech startup. So if don’t have a plan to assert and protect your small business intellectual property rights, you don’t really have a business plan at all. From the idea to the Patent and Trademark Office to the courtroom, here’s what your small business or startup needs to know about intellectual property:...

Whiskey maker Templeton Rye is officially going to have to ward off a consumer fraud lawsuit after the complaint was approved by Iowa’s attorney general. The lawsuit alleges that Templeton misled consumers by claiming that its rye whiskey is created using a Prohibition-era recipe handed down through the founder’s family on a scrap of paper. The recipe was attributed to famous Iowan Alphonse Kerkhoff in Templeton’s marketing materials, but angry consumers claim that the whiskey is actually just a “stock” whiskey brewed in Indiana....

When President Trump released his first executive order on immigration and refugees from Muslim-majority countries, we noted the “response – from protestors and civil rights attorneys – was immediate.” That immediate response included a stay from federal judges and, ultimately, an enforcement ban from the Ninth Circuit. Trump has dropped his appeal to that ban and issued a revised executive order on the issue, and the response to the new travel ban has been pretty much the same as to the old travel ban....

You can leave assets to your grandchildren just as you can leave them to your children. But just because it’s legally allowed doesn’t mean the legal process is exactly the same, or that such a transfer is without its legal quirks. Because there is a greater likelihood that your grandchildren will be minors when you create your estate plan, you may have additional concerns as well as additional options when creating trusts and gifts....

Whether you’re traveling to be with, or maybe get away from, friends and family over the holidays, knowing the laws of the state or country you’re traveling to is really important. Ending up on the wrong side of the law abroad can be scary and confusing, doubly so if you’re traveling alone or don’t speak the language. Before traveling abroad, it is always a good idea to do some research about the legal system and various laws of the country you are traveling to....

The Texas fertilizer plant explosion that killed 14 people, injured 200 and destroyed dozens of homes last week has led to two lawsuits. They’re likely the first of many. The plant in West, Texas, near Waco, caught fire April 17, and as first responders arrived on-scene, a huge explosion occurred. As expected, the plant’s owner is now being sued – by a single mom and by several insurance companies. At the center of the explosion, and the lawsuits, is the definition of an inherently dangerous condition....

If you are considering filling for bankruptcy for personal consumer debt, you have likely looked into your options of filing for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy. The primary difference between the two is that Chapter 7 bankruptcy discharges most debts, while Chapter 13 initiates a repayment plan to pay back the debts. And while Chapter 13 is a better option for those who wish to retain any property holdings, strained personal finances may make Chapter 7 discharge the preferred bankruptcy route....

This year, the Affordable Care Act, which has been the center of so much debate, is likely to be repealed and replaced, or changed piecemeal, as a result of the change in political control of the country. How exactly the landmark legislation is going to change, however, is up in the air. While certain provisions of the ACA are being targeted for repeal, such as the mandate that individuals and small business purchase health insurance, the legislature does not want to actually repeal the ACA, or pieces of it, until a new plan has been crafted to replace the act....

“Prison Break” actor Lane Garrison, who is nearing the end of a 40-month prison sentence for vehicular manslaughter, has reached an out-of-court settlement with the parents of a passenger who was killed in the single-vehicle DUI accident, and another passenger who survived with serious injuries. Garrison was intoxicated when he lost control of his SUV and crashed it into a tree in Los Angeles in 2006, killing one of his passengers, 17-year-old high school student Vahagn Setian, and injuring another, Michelle Ohana, who was 15 years old at the time of the accident....

Disability insurance claims can be complex and are frequently denied (at least initially). A lawyer can help guide you through the process and make it less confusing. Because disability can be a very personal matter, it’s important to choose an experienced disability attorney who fits your needs and is experienced in that area of law. Thankfully, many offer free consultations. After you scope out a potential attorney (or two), you’ll want to find out some basic information about the lawyer and about your claim....

Annie Leibovitz has reached superstar status for her work behind a camera lens, but after defaulting on repaying a $24 million loan, she has become the latest subject of bright lights, big headlines, and a lawsuit to boot. Art Capital Group brought a breach of contract claim against her last week to recover the loan amount and associated fees which come due on September 8th. On the line is more than money and reputation– having leveraged her entire life’s work she stands to lose rights to all of her photographs if a judgment is found against her....

Sheriff Joe Arpaio recently lost his authority to enforce federal immigration laws on the streets of Maricopa County, Arizona. However, Arpaio’s 12th publicized raid is happening as this piece is being written. Under what authority is he acting? [Update: After this post on Friday, Arpaio’s sweep reportedly netted 66 arrests, with 30 suspected illegal immigrants reportedly handed off to federal immigration officials.] As per custom, Arpaio announced the location of the raid shortly before it began (so media and protestors (including Al Sharpton) might attend)....

Corporations are legal people. Ecosystems are not. So, a federal court has denied a Pennsylvania community’s legally creative efforts to ban fracking by saying it violates the legal rights of trees and rivers. Grant Township tried to stop fracking – or hydraulic fracturing – with a community bill of rights that created “rights of nature” for trees, rivers, and entire ecosystems and invalidates a corporation’s rights as a legal person if it fracks in the township....