Understanding the Law
Explaining court cases, statutes, and executive actions across the country, providing valuable analysis of the facts and legal impact on the public.
It happens all the time. Defense counsel in a criminal case works hard to avoid opening the door to her client’s character. The facts of the case may be bad enough, but when the prosecutor gets to ladle a generous helping of bad character evidence on top, things go from bad to worse. But
...[Continue Reading]
On October 17, 2012, the Supreme Court of North Carolina heard oral argument in two cases concerning the legality of sweepstakes cafés – Hest Technologies, Inc. v. State ex rel. Perdue and Sandhill Amusements v. State. These two cases challenge the constitutionality of North Carolina
...[Continue Reading]
The November 2012 Election will be remembered for many reasons. One of the most memorable and toughly fought presidential campaigns ended in a decisive win for President Barack Obama. The balance of power in the United States Congress remained unchanged, but this 113th Congress will begin its
...[Continue Reading]
“Working like a dog.” This is a phrase I have never quite understood. My dog has never worked a day in his life, and until there is a high demand for butt-sniffing, then I doubt he ever will. However, not all dogs are lazy bums. Indeed, canine units have been integrated into nearly
...[Continue Reading]
Getting one’s name removed from the sex offender registry list can be a daunting and tedious process in some states. While some believe the process should be made more difficult, others find that the longer a sex offender stays on the list, the less likely they are to reintegrate into society
...[Continue Reading]
Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act aims to prevent employers from discriminating against an employee based on his or her race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, but not sexual orientation. While the legislative history of Title VII does not clearly indicate that sexual orientation was
...[Continue Reading]
Anyone who follows the news, and likely some who do not, is aware that on September 6, 2012, Drew Peterson was found guilty of the first-degree murder of his third wife, Kathleen Savio. Furthermore, you are likely aware of the immense controversy surrounding the trial. If you take a moment to
...[Continue Reading]
The Supreme Court of the United States has wrestled with the reach of the Equal Protection clause since the adoption of the Fourteenth Amendment in 1868. Courts across the country have considered the application of the clause to instances of age, sex, and race discrimination, and circumstances
...[Continue Reading]
On June 28, 2012, the United States Supreme Court sent a shock wave through the nation with its opinion in National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius, upholding critical parts of President Obama’s major health care reform, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
...[Continue Reading]
The Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution provides: “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” In District of Columbia v. Heller (2008), the U.S. Supreme Court, in striking
...[Continue Reading]
The headlines are almost weekly: car wrecks, injured passengers, one or more dead. The most cited culprit? Distracted driving. The increased use of cell phones has invaded nearly every sphere of life, including the confines of four-door sedans or family mini-vans. To many drivers, that long
...[Continue Reading]
Meet Emily Herx – an English teacher at a parochial school. Emily is a happily married, ambitious young woman who wants nothing more than to start a family. Emily suffers from a diagnosed medical condition that causes infertility. Last June she began in vitro fertilization (IVF)
...[Continue Reading]
“Do it yourself” became a common phrase in the English language around the 1950’s, and originally referred to home improvement projects individuals could complete without hiring a professional. Today, a multitude of magazines, websites and even television networks are devoted to “DIY”
...[Continue Reading]
It is the public policy of this state to provide for workers who can no longer work due to permanent partial or total disability. The question of how this State effectuates that policy has recently come into question and there have been increasing calls for employers who fail to pay their
...[Continue Reading]
As lawyers (or aspiring lawyers) we pride ourselves on our ability to interpret language or the intended meaning behind various assertions. Let’s put this skill to a little test. Consider the following two text messages from John: 1) “I don’t know if Bubba will be able to make it to the a
...[Continue Reading]
«
1
…
9
10
11
12
»
