In these modern times where newspapers don’t use paper, the internet and computer technology has opened up a whole new world of potential crimes you may not even be aware are crimes. Even though the internet is still a wild wild west of sorts, there are many laws that allow law enforcement to arrest people for acting out online, and sometimes just for doing what is considered normal online activity....
In a somewhat surprising decision, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the entire Affordable Care Act, often called Obamacare, by a 5-4 vote. This landmark decision affirms one of the signature laws passed under President Obama, and the success of his presidency could be viewed in light of this law. The decision was surprising as there were many controversial parts of the law. Had the Court struck down just one of these parts, the entire law would likely have been struck down....
The one thing about the Internet is that it is relatively anonymous. So 12-year-old girls can pretend to be Chuck Norris online, and 12-year-old boys can pretend to be the Queen of England. But with many people coming up with fake online personas, California has taken a stand by cracking down on fake celebrity Twitter accounts. The California law, in effect since 2011, prohibits impersonating another individual online for the purposes of “harming, intimidating, threatening, or defrauding a person,” reports Entertainment Weekly....
Despite all the public backlash against Minnesota dentists travelling to Zimbabwe to shoot celebrity lions and countries auctioning off the right to hunt species whose numbers are already threatened by poaching, there are still people that want to travel to exotic places, see beautiful animals, and kill them dead. And there are still nations that will allow people to riddle endangered species with bullets. But there might not be a way for folks to get their big game trophies home anymore....
You probably know about burner phones from televisions shows – they are cheap, untraceable, disposable cell phones, and they may soon be a thing of the past if California Congresswoman Jackie Speier has her way. She has proposed a bill that would require everyone buying a phone in the US to register with a personal identification. The proposed bill is meant to minimize crime and terrorist activities, eliminating opportunities for exchange between criminal elements....
Turning and shifting. Basic functions for any vehicle, large or small. General Motors has announced a recall of 154,112 Chevrolet Cruz automobiles to inspect for two different defects, reports the Associated Press. The first recall involves steering. Last month, GM recalled 2,100 Cruzes to inspect for an improperly-fastened for problems steering column. Now, GM has discovered a steering column defect on all Cruz compacts manufactured from last summer until April 21st in GM’s Lordstown, Ohio factory....
As previously discussed, Lindsay Lohan’s father has been tied up in the TLC lawsuit against Jon Gosselin, but he now faces legal troubles of his own. Michael Lohan was arrested and charged with criminal contempt, for allegedly violating an order of protection, the Associated Press reports. In June, a judge said Michael Lohan would avoid prosecution on another misdemeanor charge of aggravated harassment if he stayed out of trouble for a year....
A New Jersey father has been ordered to pay half the cost of his daughter’s law school education at Cornell Law School, with his portion to be about $112,500, a New Jersey appeals court has ruled. James Livingston must pay half the law school tab thanks to the terms in his divorce settlement agreement, according to the attached decision by the New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division. Livingston, a history professor at Rutgers University, must give his daughter the $112,500 so she can pay the $225,000 tab to attend Cornell Law School....
George Clooney and Julia Roberts have reunited to sue the pants off of two electronics companies. Sorry fans, no “Ocean’s Thirteen” sequel here. Just two Hollywood stars looking to protect their intellectual property rights. Clooney and Roberts (suing under her real name, Julia Moder) filed suit against Beyond Audio, Inc. and Digital Projection, Inc. Apparently, both companies got the idea to use the stars’ names and images to promote their high-end projectors and entertainment systems, according to the complaint....
A campground dispute led to gunfire and the arrest of two angry campers last weekend. Not surprisingly, the incident involved booze; surprisingly, both men turned out to be off-duty Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies. During a drunken argument about loud music at a campground in Chino, east of Los Angeles, two men drew guns and fired into the air. Shockingly, no tumbleweeds rolled by. Soon after, deputies Dejay Barber, 44, and Matthew Rincon, 24, were each arrested on suspicion of negligent discharge of a firearm....
Annnndddd… scene. Believe it or not, actress Lindsay Lohan is finally headed to jail. After protracted legal wrangling over her probation violations stemming from 2007 DUI charges, La Lohan is finally headed to the big house. Or, make that the medium-sized Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood, California. But Lindsay is not only facing her sentence of 90 days in jail and then an additional 90 days of rehab. She is also, per various sources, fresh out of legal representation....
Eight NY gang members were arraigned on Sunday, October 10, for hate crimes and other charges stemming from brutal attacks on three victims. Those being held are members of a gang called the Latin King Goonies and range in age from 17 to 23. All are being charged as adults. CNN reports the defendants have not yet entered pleas. Steven Carabello, 17, and Dennis Piters, 17, have had their bail set at $100,000 each....
After serving nine years in prison for robbery and kidnapping, O.J. Simpson was granted parole today. “I’ve done my time,” Simpson told the Nevada Board of Parole. “I’ve done it as well and as respectfully as I think anyone can.” The parole board was unanimous in its decision, and is now mulling Simpson’s release date, which could come as early as October. Juice and Bruce Simpson was serving a potentially 33-year sentence after being convicted of first degree kidnapping, armed robbery, and conspiracy to commit a violent crime in 2008....
A proposed DUI law would require ignition interlock devices even for first-time DUI offenders in Pennsylvania, making it the 21st state in the nation to do so. Pennsylvania’s current law only requires ignition interlock devices for second-time (or subsequent) DUI convictions. Supporters of Senate Bill 1036 insist that requiring first-time DUI offenders to get the devices installed in their cars will help save lives, Harrisburg’s WHTM-TV reports. What is an ignition interlock device, and what do others think about the bill?...
The federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act prohibits accessing a protected computer without authorization. That seems clear enough, until you consider the myriad permutations of authorization. Let’s say I have permission to access a computer at work. Can I give authorization, by way of my username and password, to a coworker? What about someone else? Let’s say a former coworker had his access to our computer system revoked, and I let him use my login info – does that make me a hacker?...
Southwest Airlines will be issuing a lot of free drinks – almost 12 million actually – after settling a class action lawsuit over drink coupons. A class of plaintiffs, led by a Chicago lawyer, sued the airline claiming that they were denied use of their drink vouchers that came with their premium Southwest Business Select seats. The airline claims that the vouchers were good only for a single flight, but the passengers believed they were entitled to use any unused vouchers on later flights, as the coupons bore no expiration date....
The federal government recently released new credit card rules that makes it harder for credit card companies to take advantage of American consumers. CNN reports that banks must comply with the credit card rules starting on Feb. 22, 2009. Some of the new credit card rules that protect consumers are: Minimum interest rates will not be set by card issuers No automatic enrollment in over-the-limit programs Banks can no longer increase interest rates based on a consumer’s paying or not paying other bills (no universal default) Consumers will get a 45 day notice on prime rate changes and existing balances generally may not be subject to the changed interest rate No over-the-limit fees from accidental processing on the issuer’s part The American Bankers Association now says consumers will benefit from the new rules....
A federal judge struck down Texas’ gay marriage ban as unconstitutional on Wednesday, although the ban will remain in effect until the decision is appealed. Texas now joins a host of other traditionally conservative states who have had their same-sex marriage prohibitions challenged and invalidated in federal court. U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia, who was appointed by President Bill Clinton, found Texas’ ban to “state-imposed inequality,” reports The Washington Post....
A federal district court in the state of Kentucky ruled last Friday that a lawsuit against President Donald Trump, the Trump campaign, and other individuals, can proceed. The defendants sought to have the lawsuit dismissed, but were only successful in each having one claim dismissed, despite each being sued under multiple claims. The lawsuit stems from a March 2016 campaign rally where three protesters were forcibly removed from the audience after Trump stated: “Get ’em out of here....
Martin Shkreli, the young drug company executive who came under fire for price hikes last year and for calling Congress imbeciles on Twitter last week, just got sued for allowing images on the cover of the Wu-Tang Clan’s album, “Once Upon a Time in Shaolin” to be used by Vice. There is only one copy of the album in existence, and Shkreli owns it. Already reviled nationwide for his drug price hikes, Shkreli found no fans when he announced that he would not listen to the album that cost him $2 million but bought it to keep it from the people....
