Posts

The 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland has been the site of countless protests and counter-protests by both demonstrators and delegates inside and outside the convention. And if you’re wondering about the legality of these protests, we’ve got you covered. (If you’re wondering about the legality of plagiarizing a speech, or using a band’s song without permission, we’ve also got you covered, here and here.) To make sure you don’t violate the laws while making your voice heard, check out these five things you need to know about legally protesting, at conventions and elsewhere:...

The scam works like this: a person calls you up claiming to be from the state or county or court or whatever government entity, and says that you missed jury duty, which is a serious offense. Then, they tell you to pay some amount now over the phone, or else you’ll face some sort of penalty, like public humiliation or being arrested or larger fines. The amounts vary with reports indicating some scammers demanding as little as a hundred dollars, while others demand over a thousand....

Three missing women who were tied up in a house for more than 10 years have been reunited with relatives and appear to be in good health, according to authorities. The women were found alive in a Cleveland home after one of the captives, Amanda Berry, made a brazen escape Monday night, followed by a frantic 911 call. Police arrested the homeowner, Ariel Castro, 52, and his two brothers, Pedro, 54, and Onil, 50....

Summer often means a return to nature. Leaving our 9-to-5 routine behind, even for a few days, can be healthy and invigorating, but it’s worth remembering that an escape from the city doesn’t necessarily mean escaping criminal laws and the consequences for breaking them. So as you’re packing up your tents and trail shoes, here are five of the most common camping crimes and how to avoid spoiling your summer vacation:...

Megan Fox and Brian Green are set to split after a five-year marriage. Now Green, the ex-husband-to-be, is seeking spousal support. Fox reportedly filed for divorce in August, citing “irreconcilable differences.” There was no response from Green until this week. They reportedly continue to live under one roof while caring for their two kids and the split seems as amicable as these things can be. Green is also seeking joint custody....

Last month, the New York City Council passed a new law requiring Airbnb and similar lodging platforms to share data on their users, including the names and addresses of all its hosts, the rental listing URL, the number of days the unit is rented, and how much the platform collects in fees. Naturally, Airbnb was a bit resistant to this request, and this week filed a federal lawsuit in New York, claiming the law violates constitutional free speech and search and seizure protections....

Is raw milk safe? The federal government doesn’t think so, which is why the Food and Drug Administration spent the last two years investigating Amish farmer Daniel Allgyer. Allgyer runs Rainbow Acres Farm in Lancaster, Pa. and sells unpasteurized, or raw, milk. Though Pennsylvania permits intrastate sales of raw milk, federal law prohibits interstate sales. Allgyer delivers raw milk to customers in Maryland. Or better put, he did. A federal judge has ordered Daniel Allgyer to stop selling raw milk across state lines, reports the Washington Times....

The 2nd Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals upheld the $450 million settlement in a case charging Apple with fixing prices on e-books. The settlement had been challenged by one e-books purchaser, who questioned the fairness, reasonableness, and adequacy of the class action settlement. If the Price Ain’t Broke… In July 2013, U.S. District Judge Denise Cote ruled that Apple and five e-book publishers agreed to cease competing over retail prices, keep e-book prices artificially high, and gave Apple a 30 percent kickback on eBook sales....

The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear Delaware’s appeal to revive what critics called “secret courts” for business litigants. The case came from the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled that a Delaware law allowing state judges to conduct secret arbitration programs for business disputes valued at more than $1 million was unconstitutional, reports The News Journal. Why are Delaware’s so-called “secret courts” no good? Delaware was asking the High Court to review a law it amended in 2009, allowing the Delaware Court of Chancery to conduct non-public arbitrations in high-value business cases....

As swimming pool season gets underway, a new report finds drowning is the No. 1 accidental cause of death for children 4 years and younger. But there are some simple steps you can take to help prevent children from drowning, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 3,880 people die from accidental drowning each year, with death rates highest for children 4 years and younger, the CDC reports....

Country singer Garth Brooks’ hospital lawsuit has ended with a $1 million award against Integris Canadian Valley Regional Hospital. Brooks gave the Oklahoma hospital $500,000 in 2005. He wanted the hospital to build a woman’s center named after his mother, Colleen Brooks. Brooks’ mother passed away from cancer in 1999. Brooks claimed he made a deal with hospital president James Moore. The country star said Moore initially suggested putting his mother’s name on an intensive care unit....

A law enforcement officer asking the victim of a crime whether he or she wants to “press charges” is familiar to most people from depictions in cop shows or television dramas. While victims have the power to report crimes to law enforcement and provide details of crimes to officers and prosecutors, they do not have the power to mandate that a suspect is charged in a criminal case. Even in the event a criminal is arrested, whether or not that person is ultimately prosecuted for the crimes he or she may have been accused of is typically at the discretion of prosecutors, who may choose to pursue the case or decide against it....

Jodi Arias will be sentenced to life in prison after jurors failed to agree on whether to sentence her to death. A previous jury convicted Arias in 2013 of killing her lover, Travis Alexander. With jurors deadlocked on sentencing and no indication they could reach a consensus, the judge was forced to declare a mistrial and will now decide if Arias should be eligible for parole after 25 years. The Case Against Arias Travis Alexander was killed in June 2008, but Arias’ trial did not commence until January 2013 in Maricopa County, Arizona....

Crazy lawsuit alert. A masseur – that’s a male masseuse – is accusing John Travolta of sexual assault. The $2 million lawsuit details a day at the Beverly Hills Hotel during which the Grease star allegedly made sexual advances. The unnamed victim was apparently so desirable Travolta allegedly refused to take “no” for an answer, gossip website TMZ reports. Travolta pleaded with the masseur, and even offered to perform a sex act in exchange, the lawsuit states....

No joke, comedian Katt Williams has been sentenced to community service after pleading guilty to recklessly evading a police officer. It was a short chase – on a ridiculous three-wheeled Spyder, no less – through downtown Sacramento, California. After barrelling down a pedestrian-only street and nearly hitting five people, Katt Williams was sentenced to 90 days of community service. But what is community service exactly? Katt Williams was originally sentenced to 180 days in jail, reports The Sacaramento Bee....

Advertisers must limit their claims by law. They can’t just say a certain snake oil will cure all ills without any evidence to support it. When they do, the advertiser pays. Lumosity, a company that claims to transform science into games, was advertising the preventative health powers of its gaming products and caught the attention of the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. The company has settled with the agency and will pay consumers $2 million....

Earlier this week, the highest court in Massachusetts struck down life sentences without parole for juveniles as unconstitutional. The court said that scientific research shows that lifelong imprisonment for youths is cruel and unusual because their brains are not fully developed. The court’s decision dovetails with a previous ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court and fits into the goals of our juvenile justice system. In 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that mandatory life sentences without parole for juveniles violate the Eighth Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment....

Last week, Oklahoma’s governor vetoed a bill that would have made it a felony, punishable by three years in prison, for doctors to provide abortions. Republican Governor Mary Fallin said the bill would not survive constitutional challenges, Reuters reports, and abortion rights groups had already promised to fight it hard. The Oklahoma bill would have revoked medical licenses for doctors who performed abortions, but did make allowances for the procedure under certain medical circumstances to save a mother’s life....

Independence Day weekend is upon us, which means aspiring pyrotechnicians will be hunting for the most colorful weapons-grade explosives with which to amaze and deafen their neighbors and children come the Fourth of July. And let’s be honest, not all the sources for those amateur rocket shows are – how should we put it? – legit. So what happens if you get caught with illegal fireworks? Here’s a look at the possible penalties:...

Oscar-winning actress Sandra Bullock has filed divorce papers to permanently split from husband Jesse James. She plans to start a new life as a single mother, after the pair adopted a 3½-month-old baby boy. Bullock filed divorce papers from her husband of five years, Jesse James, following a cheating scandal, the Associated Press reports. James and Bullock adopted a baby boy from New Orleans back in January. The couple planned to keep the news of their adopted son, Louis Bardo Bullock, under wraps until after the Oscars....