Filing taxes is something most people do only once a year, but even small mistakes can have significant consequences. Whether you're an individual taxpayer or a small business owner, errors in filing, reporting, or calculating your taxes can result ... [Read more...]
What Is a Revocable Trust?
How Does a Revocable Trust Work? What Are the Benefits? What Are the Limitations? When you’re setting up your estate plan, your attorney may recommend a revocable trust as a way to protect assets and ensure the orderly distribution of your estate. ... [Read more...]
Legal Must-Dos When Starting a Small Business
Though starting a small business can be filled with opportunities, it also comes with important legal responsibilities. Whether you're launching a solo venture or building a startup with partners, overlooking key legal steps can lead to costly ... [Read more...]
The Exclusionary Rule: Definition, Examples, and Impact
What Is the Exclusionary Rule? What Are Common Situations Where It Applies? Are There Exceptions? How Has It Changed Criminal Law? One of the hallmarks of American democracy is the right of citizens to be free from unreasonable search or seizure, as ... [Read more...]
False Imprisonment: Protecting Yourself Against Wrongful Detention
What Is False Imprisonment? What Are the Potential Remedies? Are There Exceptions to the Rule? As humans, one of our most cherished freedoms is the freedom of movement, to be able to go to the places we are legally allowed to go. Accordingly, when ... [Read more...]
Lying Under Oath: The True Penalty for Perjury
What Is Perjury? What Must the Prosecutor Prove? What Are the Penalties? In the legal system, oral and written testimony plays a critical role in the outcome of a criminal or civil matter. The effectiveness of the American legal system depends, to a ... [Read more...]
Protective Order vs. Restraining Order
What Is a Protective Order? What Is a Restraining Order? When Are They Commonly Used? You've been a victim of domestic violence or someone has been stalking you, showing up at your home, workplace, or other places you frequent. You know that you can ... [Read more...]
Lawsuit Loans: Help or Hidden Financial Trap
What Is a Lawsuit Loan? How Do They Work? What Are the Risks Involved? If you've been hurt because of someone else's wrongful act and are unable to work, the compensation you can potentially receive in a personal injury settlement or verdict can be ... [Read more...]
What Is Second-Degree Murder?
How Does It Differ From Other Forms of Murder? What Are the Potential Penalties? The intentional killing of another person—commonly referred to as murder—is generally prosecuted under state law, though there are limited situations where murder can ... [Read more...]
The Current Status of the Death Penalty in America
Do Most States Have a Death Penalty? What Are the Differences Among States That Allow Capital Punishment? Capital punishment has been legally sanctioned in some form or other for approximately 4,000 years, from the Code of Hammurabi to the Hittite ... [Read more...]