Pay Attention to the Fine Print – Chattels
Have you heard of horror stories that upon purchase of a new home, a couple may encounter that there are no appliances. Not just a microwave or toaster oven, but the fridge, range, washer and dryer, all gone?
It happens all the time.
You have to declare in the sale what items are included with the purchase, they are called chattels. Read the rest of this entry »
Pulling the Plug When Family and Health Care Providers Disagree on Care
Some are curious what the law has to say when it comes to making a decision about the care of someone who’s incapacitated. When it comes to the critically ill, when family members and health care providers disagree on the plan of the care, what is the appropriate role of the courts to intervene? Some thoughts.
You could: a) Do what the families say.
- This would mean removal of life support measures without consent constitutes battery. (However, any interference with the body without consent is battery.)
- the law is also obsessed with the autonomy of the individual. The needs of the family is largely irrelevant within the legal model.
Another scenario b) Do what the doctors say.
General vs. Specific Practices
There’s a lot to be said about specific law practices. In fact, there are few ‘general’ practices. Unlike the trades, lawyers typically aren’t ‘Jack of all Trades’. One guy doesn’t specialize in all forms of law. Certainly, there is a general knowledge of other areas, but specialization is very real and something you should pay attention to when selecting an attorney. just going with someone’s cousin Guido doesn’t mean you’re a shoe in for success.
7 Ways Lawyers and Other Professional Services Are Branding Themselves Online
Branding a service company is critical for success in a competitive marketplace. The purpose of branding is to establish an identity for a company so that it is immediately recognizable and stands out when compared to competitors. The Internet offers law firms and other professional service organizations an excellent opportunity to promote their company through blogs, a website, social media, a digital community, press releases, email, video and other creative channels. For companies that provide a service, customers or clients will respond to online branding that elevates the image of the company to one of first-class service. Read the rest of this entry »
How to Select the Right Lawyer for the Job
Common sense.
I should just publish now….OK, here are a few additional tips.
First off the best way to at least get acquainted with the right attorney is to operate on recommendation. Read the rest of this entry »
California Bankruptcies Up and Down Halfway Through 2011
One way to check the health of the American economy is to take a look at all the people in trouble. You can look at housing starts, foreclosure data, and bankruptcy data. Although bankruptcy data tells you who’s lost (thus those who are already doing really bad and no about to), it’s still an indicator whether or not the economy is picking up. If we pick the largest state in the US we can get a general feel for the broader economy.
The results? There’s good news for bankruptcy lawyers, there’s still plenty of work to be had. The bad news which is also laced with good news, bankruptcy numbers are still very high, but some filings show signs of slowing down.
The following stats and graphs were compiled by San Diego Bankruptcy Attorney CC Legal.
Introduction to the Tort of Negligence
Here are some introductory points on the tort of negligence.
The Elements of a Negligence Action -the plaintiff usually has the burden of proving the first five, while the defendant has the burden of proving the sixth.
1. Duty of Care (limiting step) – there are policy considerations that can lead to the finding and non finding of a duty of care; this duty of care exists when it is reasonably foreseeable that your actions will have an effect on another person.
On the Hook for Debts of an Estate?
When someone leaves you some cash, land, a turtle, behind in their will, who is on the hook for any outstanding debts?
It goes without saying, nowadays there are fewer and fewer people retiring with a mound of cash. Some of our elderly folks need to work well into their seventies, and even then they’ll end up racking up debt to stay afloat.
In a will a Executor is appointed over the estate to divvy everything up. But what happens when you have more debts than assets? Read the rest of this entry »
How Much Should You Pay for an Injury Attorney?
Most injury lawyers will work on an agreement that they’ll be paid out of the settlement you receive. That means they’ll work for free. Kind of. Sometimes payments, especially those that go on for a long period of time, will amount to 40-50% of your settlement. The total value is dependent on how complex and long your case is.
It can amount to a lot of cash tomorrow, but generally this is the only way one can afford representation.
Dime a Dozen for Attorneys – Do Your Research
There’s an old saying that attorneys are a, “dime a dozen”. With the advent of social media the tools to select the right attorney for the right job, and compare all at the same time, is at your fingertips.
That means the following concern should happen less in our digital age.
My attorney for 2 years has done nothing that I understand. I drive 80 miles one way for a meeting and we discuss options/strategies then I leave (after she charges 400.00) and she does not follow thru. Read the rest of this entry »