Legal Insights

What Is a Civil Union or Domestic Partnership and How Does It Differ from Marriage?

Civil unions and domestic partnerships are legal relationships between two people who are not married, but they are not recognized in all states. In most cases, civil unions or domestic partnerships became legally recognized largely for same-sex couples who were unable to legally marry. Over time, many states evolved from recognizing same-sex civil unions or domestic partnerships to permitting same-sex couples to marry.  Same-sex marriage became legal throughout the United States in 201...

Marketing Your Law Firm: Planning Your Content

When it comes to drawing in new clients, few things have shown as much promise for attorneys as content marketing—a practice in which you provide helpful content for potential clients through blogging, visual content, video, social media and more. Unfortunately, many attorneys miss the point of content marketing, creating “content for the sake of content.” Unfortunately, this lack of direction fails to deliver the traffic, leads, or clients that an attorney expects, resulting in dead...

How Notice Requirements Affect Your Slip and Fall Case

If you get injured in a slip and fall accident on someone else’s property, one of the issues that will likely come into play in any lawsuit or settlement negotiation is the issue of notice. What Does it Mean to Have Notice in a Slip and Fall Case? To get compensated for your injuries in a slip and fall case, you usually have to prove that the property owner was negligent. That can mean that the property owner negligently created the condition that caused you to fall, the property owner ...

Long Form Content: The Value of Whitepapers in Law Firm Marketing

The content marketing movement is based in lead generation and offers an economical approach to helping potential clients understand why they need your services, the reason they need help, and the reason you’re better at providing these solutions than someone else. However, with so many tactics and strategies for making content marketing work, what’s best?  Following our last attorney marketing blog on the power of long-form content in your legal marketing and our earlier blog on ...

Employee Use of Social Media: What Can Employers Control?

As a business owner, your business reputation is important to you. As a result, it may be tempting to try to place limitations on what your employees can and cannot say on social media about your business in order to preserve that reputation. But while having a social media policy can be a smart business move, employers must keep in mind that the law does not allow employers to completely control what their employees do online. Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act (the Act) guarante...

Penalties for Not Paying Your Taxes

Failing to pay your taxes can be a serious offense which can result in stiff monetary penalties or even jail time if the IRS files criminal charges against you for tax fraud or tax evasion. You can be charged with tax evasion if you deliberately misrepresent the amount of taxes you owe to the IRS, such as not reporting taxable income, overstating expenses or deductions, or not filing a tax return when you know your income is taxable to try to hide that income from the government or to avoid ...

How A Long-Distance Move Can Affect Child Custody Arrangements

Child custody arrangements can be difficult to make work under any circumstances, but when one parent decides to move – especially if the move is long-distance or out of state – it can be even more difficult. Whether the relocation is the result of a job change, a new relationship, an educational opportunity, a desire to be closer to family, or just to make a new start, a long-distance move could have a significant effect on the custody agreement or order and might impact your ability to...

Accused of Academic Misconduct: Do I Need a Lawyer?

If you have been accused of academic misconduct, you may think that you don’t need a lawyer, and you may have been told that you don’t really need an attorney because, unlike the criminal justice system, academia’s purpose isn’t to determine if you’ve committed a crime and punish you but rather to determine if you violated the school’s code of conduct, and to instruct, or to teach you.  Your school or institution may not even allow an attorney to be present during the disci...

Adding Digital Assets to Your Estate Plan

The vast majority of adults in the U.S. have some sort of digital presence on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and/or one of the many other social media outlets or online communities that exist today. But what happens to all of these accounts and the digital assets contained within them - including photos, videos, text posts, friend or contact lists, events, and more – when you die? That depends on you. You have a number of options, depending on which social media services and onlin...

Defending A Domestic Violence Charge: What You Need to Know

Sometimes our relationships with those closest to us end up in court. If you have been accused of domestic violence, you may feel angry, confused or betrayed. You may also be scared about what will happen next. This is understandable. Not only do domestic violence charges have legal consequences, but they jeopardize your social and professional life.Domestic violence is a serious matter. It is estimated that nearly 20 people are physically abused by a sexual partner every minute in the United St...

Long-Form Content: Establishing the Pillars of Your Legal Content Marketing

Content marketing has taken the world by storm over the past decade, and every industry has embraced some form of it as law firms look for new ways to reach consumers and/or clients by developing helpful, informative, and entertaining blogs, videos, podcasts, or webinars. For attorneys, the story is the same—reach consumers by writing content that answers their questions, delivered to them when they search for it.  Avoiding “Content for the Sake of Content” However, too many at...

That Tree is a Nuisance – What Can I Do?

Trees can be beautiful, but sometimes trees near your property can create problems or interfere with the enjoyment of your home and yard. Below is a discussion of frequent issues with neighboring trees and your avenues of recourse. Common Situations Situation 1: If a neighbor’s tree branches or roots are causing damage to your property, such as lifting a sidewalk, damaging a retaining wall, or harming a structure on your property and the neighbor refuses to take action to remedy the si...

When is an Employer Liable for the Acts of an Employee?

When an employee causes harm or damage to a third party, sometimes the employer can be held liable for that harm or damage, regardless of whether the employer intended to cause harm, was directly involved in the action of the employee, or even was aware of it. Acts Done in the Scope or Course of Employment An employer is liable for the acts of their employees as long as the employee’s act is done in the “scope or course of employment.” In legal circles, this concept is referred to ...

The Naturalization Process

Naturalization is the legal process through which a foreign citizen or national can become a United States citizen. In order to be naturalized, an applicant must first be eligible to apply for citizenship; the applicant must complete a written application; attend an interview; and pass English and a civics test. If an applicant is able to successfully complete these steps they then take an oath of loyalty, and become a citizen. Who Is Eligible For Naturalization? According to U.S. Citizens...

Understanding Child/Parent Emancipation

The parent child bond is one of the strongest ones there is. For most people, it’s a sacred relationship and one that lasts a lifetime. But for some young adults who can’t wait for the moment they’re free from their parent’s control, emancipation is a real consideration. Legally, parents are responsible for their children until their 18th birthday. When a child under the age of 18 petitions for emancipation, parents lose custody and all legal rights to their child. But it’s not as ...

Sealing or Expunging Juvenile Criminal Records

Many states distinguish between crimes and offenses committed by adults and those committed by minors. Crimes and offenses committed by juveniles are often prosecuted in separate, juvenile courts, or in family court, rather than in criminal court. Some rules that apply to juvenile crimes, and the records associated with them, are different than those that apply when an adult is accused of a crime.  Criminal records, including arrest and conviction information can prevent a juvenile offe...

Choosing a Legal Guardian for Your Child

If you die or suffer from a significant disability that renders you unable to continue to care for your children, what will happen to them? Establishing a legal guardian for your minor children is an important part of your estate planning that should be done as soon as possible after your child is born. If your child has special needs, you will want to name a legal guardian for them in your will even if they are not minors, since it is likely that these children will require care for the rem...

Beyond the Basics – Other Coverage to Add to Your Auto Insurance Policy

In a previous post, Understanding Your Car Insurance Policy, we covered the nuts and bolts of your car insurance policy: your policy limits and deductible, and basic coverages, including liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage. But there are other coverage options (and in some states, requirements) that may be included in your auto insurance policy. No Fault Coverage or Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Some states have “no fault” laws, which provide that, regardless of who i...

What to Do if You Can’t Pay Your Taxes, Part 2

In Part 1 of this series, we covered why failing to file a tax return is not your best option if you cannot pay your taxes, and introduced the first two of four possible alternatives: requesting a temporary delay of collection and arranging an installment payment plan. This post will cover two additional options: obtaining an Offer in Compromise and making an Innocent Spouse claim. Offer in Compromise An Offer in Compromise is just what it sounds like – it allows you to negotiate a lowe...

What to Do If You Can’t Pay Your Taxes

The first thing you should know if you cannot pay your taxes is that you absolutely should not ignore the problem or fail to file your tax return. Although not paying taxes is a violation of the law, failing to file a tax return is considered a more serious offense than not paying – and can carry much heavier penalties. Failing to File a Tax Return Failing to file a tax return can not only result in the accumulation of interest on top of the amount you already owe in taxes, but can also...