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When most of us buy a pet, we like to think we’re saving it from a horrible life in a pen, or worse. And animal shelters rely on the good intentions of pet owners to place animals in good homes. But in California, those good intentions have become law. Governor Jerry Brown this week announced the signing of Assembly Bill No. 485, requiring pet stores to sell only rescue animals. The law is aimed at ending the practice of so-called “puppy mills,” and makes the Golden State the first to enact such a law....

On the one hand we try to live healthy, avoiding poisonous habits and unhealthy foods. On the other hand, we live with toxins all around us, polluting our air, our hair, our homes, bodies, and lives. That is true of formaldehyde. Formaldehyde in laminate wood flooring from Lumber Liquidators has gotten a lot of attention in the last year or so. But did you know there is formaldehyde in plenty of other products, some of which you may use?...

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized a new rule that will allow the federal agency to oversee and regulate the largest debt collection agencies. Now those who hound you over unpaid debts will be hounded themselves by the feds. The rule is slated to go into effect January 2, 2013 and could benefit a significant portion of the 30 million indebted Americans, reports CNN Money. The new rule will allow examiners from the federal agency to go into the offices of large debt collectors to ensure they follow ethical practices....

“Take the money and run” is not an option in a cashless society, which is why some experts say that increased use of debit cards causes a drop in crime rates. There is evidence to support this, according to a new study discussed in The Washington Post linking a switch from cash welfare payments to debit cards with fewer criminal incidents. But there are also reasons to fear life in a society where all the wealth is held electronically, as the New York Post points out....

General Electric and the CPSC announced a recall of 174,000 GE dishwashers due to reports of a potential fire hazard. GE, which is based in Fairfield, Connecticut, is the largest maker of appliances for new homes in the country. No injuries due to the fire hazard have yet been reported. The fire hazard from the dishwashers occurs when water condensation drips onto an electronic control board, causing it to short-circuit, Bloomberg reports....

Graco announced that it is voluntarily recalling its Classic Wood Highchairs. In yet another recall involving baby products, Graco recalled its highchairs amid reports of children falling from the chairs, reports NBC. Graco has received 58 reports of the highchair seats loosening or detaching from the base. In nine cases, children have fallen from the highchairs as the seat separated from the base of the chair. Most of the children suffered relatively minor injuries like bumps, bruises, and scratches....

How do inmates buy things in jail or prison? Being incarcerated doesn’t mean that you stop being a consumer, and almost every penal institution has a commissary system to allow inmates to buy goods. Whether you’re in jail or prison – and yes there is a difference – an inmate with some outside funding can purchase food, clothing, and even hobby supplies. But getting credit to buy things isn’t always so easy....

Celebrities – they’re just like us! Like us, they have reality TV shows based on being the offspring of one of O.J. Simpson’s attorneys. Like us, their sex tapes get “leaked” to the internet and they have 72-day marriages to NBA players. And just like us, their insurance companies handle fender benders for them. TMZ is reporting that a lawsuit against Kim Kardashian stemming a traffic accident on Sunset Boulevard in 2014 has been settled by Kardashian’s insurance company....

Jamie Foxx is being sued by a woman who claims the actor’s sidewalk is a safety hazard. Catherine Jones claims she attended a party at Foxx’s house last year and as she was leaving, she tripped on a sidewalk and fell “head over heels,” allegedly causing serious injuries, reports TMZ. Jones claims Foxx was negligent in maintaining the sidewalk, though further details of the sidewalk lawsuit were not disclosed. The suit was brought in Los Angeles County Superior Court....

Singer Lauryn Hill is being sued by fashion consulting company Via Davia Vintage. The fashion company was hired to outfit Hill for her 2007 European tour. As part of their services, they provided Hill with an entire wardrobe of high-fashion items. As it turns out, Hill kept the clothes - and didn’t pay up. The lawsuit alleges that Hill reneged on her original promise to pay the company a weekly fee for the four weeks she was loaned the clothes....

Robert “Joe” Halderman, the CBS Corp. television producer accused of trying to blackmail David Letterman had his bid to get his attempted grand larceny case dismissed rejected by a New York state judge. According to the Associated Press, Manhattan state Supreme Court Justice Charles Solomon wrote that determining whether Halderman’s conduct was blackmail or business “is a classic example of an issue that is best left for the jury to decide....

When you’re meeting someone online, it’s important to play it safe offline. We’re always quick to remind children about stranger danger. Yet for some reason, we adults sometimes assume we’re immune to it. From notorious “Craigslist Killers” to rape suspects on ChristianMingle.com, the person behind the innocuous smiley may not necessarily be who you think he is. These cautionary tales should give you pause to remember: safety first. Here are seven tips for meeting people you encounter online:...

Northwestern University football players on scholarship are university employees and may unionize, a National Labor Relations Board hearing officer ruled on Wednesday. The first-round legal victory by Northwestern players has the potential to shake up the world of big-time college sports. But the fight has just begun, as this is likely just the start of a long, arduous legal battle. Still, the Northwestern football union ruling (attached below) is groundbreaking and could prove revolutionary....

Pennsylvania state judge Ross Cioppa is facing charges of bribery, indecent assault and official oppression. Judge Cioppa is accused of demanding sexual favors from female defendants in exchange for favorable treatment. The seasoned judicial veteran, age 70, was implicated after an investigation following complaints over Judge Cioppa’s conduct. In two separate incidents, he is accused of approaching female defendants in landlord-tenant disputes. Each time, he asked them for sexual favors. He told them he would be more favorable to their case if they complied....

The U.S. Senate voted Wednesday to pass a revised version of the $700 billion financial bailout proposal that stalled in the House earlier this week. The latest financial rescue plan contains “sweeteners” like tax breaks and increased limits on federal bank deposit insurance. The House is expected to take up a second vote on the bailout in the next few days. In a 74-25 vote on Wednesday evening, the Senate agreed on a plan that incorporates terms of the Bush administration’s $700 billion bailout, but “added $110 billion in tax breaks for businesses and the middle class, plus a provision to raise the cap on federal deposit insurance from $100,000 to $250,000,” according to the Chicago Sun-Times....

Norwegian company, Stokke AS, is voluntarily recalling 400 Trailz Strollers due to a possible fall hazard. Here’s what you need to know: Faulty Handle Stokke is recalling the Trailz strollers because the handle can break while in use, possibly causing an infant to fall out of the stroller. There has been one report of a broken handle in the United States, and eight reports of handle issues from other countries. However, no injuries have been reported....

While it may seem like a good or clever idea in the heat of the moment, lying to a police officer can land you in some real serious trouble. While the Fifth Amendment provides individuals with the right to be free from self-incrimination, otherwise known as the right to remain silent, there is no constitutional right that provides the freedom to lie to cops. Not even the First Amendment’s freedom of speech will protect a person if they are caught lying to police....

Disney has made a killing by dipping generously into various cultural pools: “Mulan,” “Brave,” “Lilo and Stitch,” “Pocohontas,” and “The Princess and the Frog,” to name a few. But why would the children’s entertainment powerhouse try to trademark Dia de los Muertos? Trademarks can be useful legal tools when creating a company or marketing a product, but as Disney may have learned, it can be less than magical trying to trademark an existing cultural holiday....

In a shocking twist, the Utah woman who accidentally killed her husband in a car crash, then sued herself as the representative of her husband’s estate as a result of the car crash, won before the Utah Supreme Court last month. The ruling, which seems so absurd, confirms that the legal “absurdity doctrine” did not apply to the situation. Although the Utah woman was at fault for the accident, her role as the executor of her husband’s estate essentially makes her a third party acting on behalf of her husband’s estate....

The LAPD has gotten the green light to launch an experimental mediation program that would bring officers face-to-face with people who have accused them of racial profiling. Signaling a desire (and pressure) for change, LA’s Police Commission unanimously approved the Los Angeles Police Department’s three-year pilot program. The goal, according to the LAPD, is to have officers and their accusers “stand in each other’s shoes” – but will it work?...