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In a year in which automakers have recalled a record-breaking 45 million vehicles, automaker Ford announced last that it was recalling 850.000 vehicles for an electrical glitch that could prevent air bags from being deployed in an accident, followed by an announcement from Toyota this week that it was recalling 790,000 Tacoma pickups for faulty rear suspension that can damage the vehicle’s gas tank or brake system. The Ford recall includes 745,000 vehicles in the United States, 82,000 in Canada, and another 20,000 in Mexico, reports The Detroit News....

The decisions and actions of Nadya Suleman, the California mother who gave birth to octuplets last week, have raised a firestorm of controversy over the past days. However, the AP reports that the California Medical Board is now investigating Suleman’s fertility doctor. In a statement, the Medical Board said, “We are looking into the matter to see if we can substantiate a violation of the standard of care.” At this point it’s unclear what specific violations may be at issue, but the Whittier Daily News reports that “more than 300 pages of public documents were released that showed Suleman struggled with depression for years until she finally began to realize her childhood dream of having a huge family....

An Oklahoma man has been charged with first-degree murder for allegedly beheading a co-worker from whom he sought revenge. Alton Nolen, 30, was charged with murder in Cleveland County, Oklahoma, on Tuesday in addition to two assault charges. Prosecutors allege that Nolan beheaded his coworker after being suspended from work; the FBI is looking into possible ties between the gruesome act and terrorism. Now that Nolen has been charged with first-degree murder, what’s next for the Oklahoma beheading suspect?...

Court hearings are set to begin today to determine whether John Hinckley Jr., acquitted by reason of insanity in President Reagan’s shooting 30 years ago, will get more unsupervised visits with his mother – and eventually his freedom. Hinckley, now 56, was found not guilty by reason of insanity for attempting to assassinate President Reagan in 1981. Hinckley has lived in a mental hospital in Washington, D.C., ever since. Doctors who’ve worked with Hinckley say he’s ready for greater release privileges....

The Senate voted 73-25 to pass a landmark food safety bill. The bill, which is aimed at increasing the overall food safety process, came in the wake of some very public food-related illnesses stemming from eggs, peanut butter and lettuce. Past approach to the growing problem has been to combat the outbreak after it has occurred. Many of the measures in the current bill (officially titled: Food Safety Modernization Act) are aimed at improving safety and ensuring that outbreaks do not occur in the first place; a reform that is being classified as the biggest change to the food safety system since the 1930’s....

This afternoon, MSNBC writes that reports coming from the Nikkei News Service say that Toyota will begin a recall on the affected Prius cars. However, the U.S. arm of the company can not confirm the report at the time of this post. “We have no information on any decision to recall the Prius,” said John Hanson, a Toyota spokesman at the company’s U.S. sales arm in Torrance, Calif. USA Today writes that according to the NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation, the Administration has received 124 complaints about Prius brakes from consumers, including four reports in which crashes are alleged to have occurred....

Trayvon Martin’s mother told a Senate panel Tuesday that states must clarify their “Stand Your Ground” laws to prevent tragedies like the shooting that claimed her son’s life. “By being unclear in when and how it is applied, ‘Stand Your Ground’ in its current form is far too open to abuse,” Sybrina Fulton said as part of her testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, according to The Associated Press. Fulton’s call for reform echoed similar calls for action after the acquittal of Martin’s killer....

When it comes to advice about restraining orders, most of it focuses on the process of getting one rather than the proof you need. But without the proof, who cares how easy or difficult the process is? Getting a restraining order is similar to most other court processes. It involves filling out and filing some paperwork, going to a hearing, and then waiting for a judge to reach a decision....

Police don’t have to arrest you to get you to talk. Often they simply ask you to come down to the station for questioning. Here’s the funny thing about our legal system: This “request” is considered just as legally binding as an invitation from your neighbor to come gossip about the new house across the street. And correspondingly, police need not read you your Miranda rights, arrest you, or tell you to call a lawyer if you decide to come in and speak with them....

Is reality TV just another breeding ground for lawsuits and brawls? The new Basketball Wives lawsuit centers on stars Tami Roman and Meeka Claxton. According to Claxton, Roman beat her up when they were at some nightclub in Italy, according to TMZ. Claxton is so upset about the alleged beat-down that she has filed a lawsuit New York, asking for damages - including punitive damages. According to the filed complaint, Roman “assaulted, battered, beat, threatened, menaced, attacked jumped on, pushed to the ground, thrashed, punched and shoved” Claxton on May 15, 2011....

Nobody wants to end up on “Cops,” but those who appear on the long-running reality TV show do have some legal rights. “Cops” will soon begin a 10-week filming stretch in San Jose, California, for the first time in the show’s 26-year history, reports the San Jose Mercury News. The “Cops” crew will hit the streets alongside San Jose’s finest to provide a window into what these men and women do in America’s 10th largest city....

This blogger is going to admit that, while she has never seen an actual episode of Jersey Shore, Ronnie Ortiz-Magro’s recent stint in a New Jersey courtroom proves that the show has a purpose beyond instructionals on how to gym, tan, laundry. Its cast is constantly providing a barrage of legal lessons. Ronnie spent part of Valentine’s Day in court, where he pled not guilty to a charge of aggravated assault stemming from a fight that occurred outside a nightclub during the show’s first season....

Everyone’s got opinions but few express them as eloquently in writing as US Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia did, so it’s no wonder he opined for a living. Scalia passed away this weekend of natural causes at age 79. But it could never be said that he went gently into that good night. In fact, some of Scalia’s recent words, at a Supreme Court hearing of oral arguments last December, drew gasps of shock from the audience....

It’s a well known fact that Apple’s AppStore features a selection of free gaming apps geared towards children. But, as it turns out, the apps aren’t exactly free. Children have been racking up bills totaling hundreds of dollars from in-app purchases made without parental consent. A recipient of one of those bills has now filed a class action lawsuit against the company alleging that Apple is preying on children who don’t understand that nothing in life is free....

When it rains it pours. Ford recently issued four recalls at once for several issues affecting more than 591,000 vehicles. Here is what you need to know about these four recalls. Recall No. 1: Park Lamps Ford is recalling over 22K 2015 Lincoln MKZ for head lamps that are brighter than regulations allow. The headlights may make driving conditions unsafe for oncoming drivers. Ford dealers will adjust body control module software to lower the intensity of the headlights....

The tension surrounding health care reform since its inception has virtually guaranteed the law’s eventual presence in the Supreme Court. With federal lawsuits popping up across the country, the time might be closer than once thought. Since the bill came into law, judges in Lynchberg, Virginia and Detroit have ruled that health care reform law is constitutional. In more recent months, two courts have found differently. While the decision in Virginia only struck down the most controversial part of the law–the portion requiring citizens to purchase health insurance or be penalized–Judge Roger Vinson felt that the Constitution required further action....

Have you ever wondered how to make a citizen’s arrest? In certain situations, ordinary folks are allowed to legally detain criminals until sworn law-enforcement agents arrive. Think of it as a “do-it-yourself” arrest. But before you go all vigilante on your sketchy neighbors, remember that there are certain legal hoops you must jump through before you can make a citizen’s arrest. Here’s what you have to do to make a lawful citizen’s arrest:...

Ezell Ford, a 25-year-old African-American man diagnosed with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, was shot and killed by a Los Angeles Police Department officer in August, 2014. A subsequent review found that, although the shooting itself was justifiable as Ford attempted to wrestle the officer’s gun away, both officers involved violated department policy prior to the shooting. Ford’s killing was one of many police shootings to spark outrage and protests, and now it will cost the city $1....

An argument about texting during movie previews at a Florida theater led to a double shooting Monday afternoon, police say. One of the victims was killed. Two moviegoers, a man and a woman, were shot by another man seated behind them during a screening of “Lone Survivor” at a theater in Wesley Chapel, near Tampa. Before the movie even began, the gunman quarreled with the two about texting and talking during the previews....

One of the most frequently enforced criminal laws against minors is underage drinking. On college campuses across the country, police departments are ready to surprise party-goers under the legal drinking age with arrests for being underage and under the influence. While college students are usually all over 18 years old, the legal drinking age is still 21, and as such, anyone under 21 who is caught drinking or possessing alcohol can be arrested for a minor in possession (MIP)....