Explore our legal content, spanning diverse legal topics, court decisions, legislative changes, and expert analysis, as we bring you the pulse of the legal world in a succinct and informative format.
Sporting Injuries
Injury to a spectator at a professional sporting event is not all that uncommon. For some injuries, the legal doctrine of “assumption of risk” kicks in. For instance, anyone attending a baseball game knows a foul ball entering the stands is a possibility. Your ticket stub, warning signs, and the public address announcer will stress the point as well. So foul balls, wayward hockey pucks, and an occasional basketball player winding up in your lap are situations for which you...Read More
WORKING TOWARD LABOR DAY
In the late 19th century, U.S. industry was booming. Millions left their farms and moved to the cities to work in factories, mills, stockyards, shipping centers, mines, and railroads. However, 80-hour workweeks, low wages, few days off, and dangerous work environments eventually became a pressure cooker. Labor unions formed to improve workers’ lots. Two strains of pushback developed, and Chicago was a flash point. Some were content to fight for worker unionization and improved pay and working conditions. Others advanced...Read More
FLYING DEBRIS – Vehicle
Driving behind a large truck on the highway can be unsettling. Your ability to see what’s ahead is cut off, and the truck driver might not be able to see you if you pass. And when following directly behind or adjacent to a large flatbed tractor-trailer hauling a load, objects sometimes fly off the truck (dump trucks and pickups too), which can be terrifying … and lethal. On the sigh-of-relief side, the object misses everyone and winds up on the...Read More
Boating Injuries – Recreational Fun but Dangerous
Recreational boating enthusiasts rejoice at the opportunity to hit waterways with an open motorboat, cabin motorboat, or personal watercraft. But as with any type of driving, accidents — and negligence — can happen. Some “captains” can have big wallets and little brains. According to U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) statistics, recreational boating fatalities tallied 636 in 2022; over 2,200 nonfatal injuries that required professional medical attention were reported (emphasis on reported). Boating accidents encompass collisions, falling overboard, capsizing, and flooding, and...Read More
PROBATE FRAUD
There are a number of shenanigans that can go on with wills and estates, and the administration thereof. Prior to the death of the testator (the person who made the will), there are instances of undue influence—when someone manipulates, coerces, or intimidates the testator to craft their will a certain way to reap the financial benefits. But fraud can rear its ugly head after the passing of the testator and at the beginning stages of probate—the method by which an...Read More
Reasons Why Most PI Cases Settle
Over 95% of personal injury claims reach settlements rather than go to jury trials. Here are some reasons why…. When both parties exchange information/evidence they might present at trial (“discovery”), unpleasant surprises sometimes arise that could hurt their case. Also, those giving depositions may get flustered and utter something, or say too much, that complicates their situation. Lawsuits are expensive for seemingly straightforward cases, let alone complex ones. Time and expense add up for expert witness fees, investigation, document and...Read More
I BEG YOUR PARDON!
Turkeys have long been linked to Washington, D.C. (ahem, ahem). But the origin of the annual presidential Thanksgiving turkey pardon in the Rose Garden is frequently misrepresented. In the 1870s, Horace Vose, a Rhode Island poultry dealer, began sending Thanksgiving and Christmas turkeys to the first family and reaped tons of publicity. He became the unofficial supplier for the next 40+ years, establishing the Turkey–White House connection. Harry Truman is often erroneously credited with the first turkey pardon. Truman was...Read More
Understanding Parenting Petitions in New Hampshire: Child Support & Asset Division for Unmarried Couples
If a couple is not married and has children together, they can file a Parenting Petition to resolve parenting time and child support issues. However, the Court does not have the authority to make orders regarding the division of assets and debts, personal property or the residence itself. If the parties are married, the Court can make such orders if a Divorce Petition is filed. The issue of the residence of the parties is simply who gets to stay. The...Read More
What is the Double Jeopardy Clause (Fifth Amendment)?
The Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution states that no person shall “be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb…” In other words, the government can’t prosecute or punish someone more than once for the same crime. Sounds simple enough, but there are some caveats to be aware of. Legally speaking, “jeopardy” refers to the risk brought by criminal prosecution. The government must place a person “in jeopardy” for the Fifth Amendment...Read More
Not Just Any Old Cemetery
The 639 scenic, tranquil acres that comprise Arlington National Cemetery were once owned by George Washington Parke Custis, the adopted grandson of our nation’s first president and the father-in-law of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. The Union army seized the property at the outset of the Civil War to defend the capital. Custis’s grandson, George Washington Custis Lee, pursued legal avenues to reclaim the land in 1870, which he argued were confiscated illegally. In 1882, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed...Read More