A bill aiming to limit conversion therapy (or “Sexual Orientation Change Efforts”), the practice of trying to change an individual’s sexual orientation, passed the California Assembly on April 19, 2018. Citing reports from the American Psychological Association, the American Medical Association, and various other medical organizations on the limited effectiveness... Read More »
Governor Cuomo wants to eliminate cash bail for misdemeanors and non-violent feloniesIs it right that the poor should languish in jail while awaiting trial simply because they can't afford bail? Governor Cuomo doesn't think so. His State of the State address earlier this year announced his desire to eliminate cash... Read More »
The Labor Day fire on board a chartered diving boat off the coast of Santa Barbara is considered to be the worst maritime disaster in the history of the State of California. The survivors of the accident and the victims’ family members who choose to seek damages through litigation could... Read More »
A Miami-Dade corrections officer is under arrest and charged with the kidnapping and rape of a woman under his supervision. The man in custody, Yulian Gonzalez, is an 11-year veteran of the Department. He was last reported as being held without bail.According to multiple news media sources, Gonzalez, 36, is... Read More »
In the morning hours of Friday, September 20th, a pedestrian was struck and killed by a dump truck near the intersection of Northwest 10th Avenue and 15th Street in Miami. The victim was transported in critical condition to the Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital, which was located about... Read More »
Immigration policy under the current federal administration has met with mixed results both in terms of public opinion and the courts. Under President Trump, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has faced criticism for its draconian treatment of migrants in border detention facilities. Likewise, recent changes in policy and procedure at... Read More »
Auto, health, home, property, life. We buy insurance to protect the people and things most important to us. When you buy insurance, you are paying for more than just security and peace of mind. You have entered into a contract, and you expect to get the benefit of what you... Read More »
On October 8, 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on a pair of issues from three cases that have the potential to change the landscape of federal anti-discrimination law. The cases, titled Altitude Express, Inc. v Zarda, Bostock v Clayton County, Georgia and R.G. & G.R. Harris... Read More »
Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Tyler Skaggs died on July 1, 2019, in a room at the Southlake, Texas, Hilton. Investigations have now been initiated by local authorities, Skaggs’ family, and the MLB. His death, caused by the cocktail of powerful drugs found in his system by an autopsy, has... Read More »
Raising the Standard of Living for Workers While Minding the Means of Smaller BusinessesIn 2018, California’s minimum wage increased to $11 per hour for businesses with 26 employees or more and $10.50 per hour for businesses with 25 employees or less. The minimum wage increase is part of California’s plan... Read More »
Residents of Illinois can rest a bit easier after a recent federal appellate court decision, knowing that their spouses will not benefit financially from causing their untimely deaths. In Miscevic v. Estate of M.M., the Seventh Circuit addressed whether a woman who killed her husband would still be entitled to... Read More »
At issue in the case of Carpenter v. United States is the government’s warrantless collection of cellphone records to use as evidence of an individual’s location and movements in a criminal prosecution. The individual in this case, Timothy Carpenter, was sentenced to 116 years in prison for a string of... Read More »
Federal law requires decedents to pay an estate and gift tax for property passed to individuals or trusts after a decedent’s death. The tax, however, does not kick in unless and until the total value of the estate exceeds a certain threshold dollar value, valued at the death of the... Read More »
Non-Disparagement Clauses Conflict with Public Policy in the Digital AgeIn August 2017, Illinois passed SB 1898, amending the state’s Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act to prohibit the use of non-disparagement clauses in contracts for consumer goods and services. The law “provides that a contract or proposed contract for... Read More »
A recent opinion issued by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals serves as a reminder of a particular quirk of Texas criminal law: For sexual assault offenses, married defendants are subject to more severe criminal penalties than those who are unmarried. In Estes v. Texas, the defendant, a married adult,... Read More »
