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New Laws that You Should Know About

Trademarks are a company’s way of protecting symbols, words and phrases that consumers associate with a certain brand or company. A stack of laws dictates what a company has to do in order to achieve a trademark on specific images, phrases and/or words.

As with any law in the United States’ legal system, these laws can change at the drop of a hat. It is important that you keep up with the latest law changes regarding trademarks. Here’s a look at just some of the latest law changes that affect the trademark process.

No Extension Requests

Under the new trademark laws, a person or company requesting an opposition against a newly registered trademark will only have 180 days to file the opposition. In the past, parties could extend the process by filing for an extension.

Color Protection

Should a company or person wish to trademark an image that contains color, they will be required to file the trademark application with a colored image and request that the colors be trademarked. In the past companies and people requesting trademarks could submit a black and white image and fill in the colors at a later date.

Electronic Filing Size Requirements

The United States Patent and Trade Office now requires any company or person filing for a trademark to make sure that the image’s length and width are between 250 and 944 pixels. Any image not meeting this requirement could face automatic rejection.

Trademark laws, like all types of laws, are ever changing. If you are planning on filing for a trademark or a patent, it is important that you contact an attorney like a California trademark dispute resolution attorney to help you through the trademark process.

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Be Aware of New Laws

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There are always new laws that are coming out and being put into effect. In many cases, they are things that do not mean a lot to the common person, but periodically they will.

What You Should Know

Whenever there is a new law that goes into effect, you are made aware. The thing is that many of us do not really pay attention because we are not concerned with things of this nature. This is especially true when it comes to things like tax laws and things that are primarily not for the regular person.

However, even if you do not know the law it is your responsibility to be aware of it. That is why you need to make sure that if you are told you have broken a law, you need to contact a lawyer immediately. Whether you feel you did something wrong or not you will need their help.

Consider some of the following situations and realize the importance of having a lawyer. You will see what they can do to help you when you are unaware a law changed or was created.

  • The traffic laws changed in a city you rarely visit and you receive a citation
  • You did not calculate your taxes properly and need a tax lawyer to help you interpret the new laws
  • The zoning laws changed in your city and you are cited for fence issues

Consider that you were unaware of any of these and now not only face fines, but court costs as well. This is where it is good to have a lawyer to help you to reduce and eliminate some of these fees from your record.

 

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New Laws in 2011 You Should Know About

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What laws made in 2011 should know about? What laws immediately affect you?

If you don’t have the answers, you may want to ask those around you. Discussion about the laws that affect you will probably be discussed at your next business luncheon. If you can’t wait, legal questions provided by websites often have the answers you need without much of a wait.

What do you need to know?

  • Voting laws are being changed in many states for next year’s election.
  • If you live in New York State, you will no longer be able to throw rechargeable batteries in the trash. Instead, take them to a retailer that accepts batteries for recycling.
  • Residents in New York also need to be aware of changes in the “legal limit” law regarding alcohol consumption, tolerance for minors, and “Leandra’s Law.”
  • Some federal tax laws have been changed including the “payroll tax paid by employees and the self employed” and the “estate tax” law. See 25 other changes that are in place this year.
  • The new credit card law offers the user terms that can be better understood. Your card will cost you more as a user, however. Less credit will be offered to those with low-income or bad credit and users may no longer have a month to make their first payment.
  • What do you need to know when it comes to healthcare benefits? Learn all you can by perusing the Internet for additional information.

Make sure you know all of the new laws for 2011 and how they will directly affect you!

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4 Important Questions to Ask Your Bankruptcy Lawyer

Filing for bankruptcy is not something anyone wants to do. Unfortunately, in this fragile economy, it has become a more common occurrence than anyone would like. The decision to file for bankruptcy is such an important one that you cannot take it lightly. There are many things to consider.

You will need help to sort through the law, which can change regularly. There are many lawyers for bankruptcy whose services are a necessity when filing for bankruptcy. Once you take contact a lawyer, make sure you ask the following questions:

  1. What type of bankruptcy should I file? There are different types of bankruptcy, and filing for the one that is right for you is something you should discuss with an attorney who knows the ever-changing laws.
  2. Will I be able to keep my home? While most bankruptcy filings allow you to keep your primary residence, do not overlook this when filing. Make sure you will be able to keep your home, if that is what you want.
  3. How long before I am able to have any type of credit? Bankruptcy can follow a person for a long time, and knowing what to expect can help you plan for that time when a credit line may not be available to you.
  4. What will I have to liquidate? Depending on what type of bankruptcy you file for, you may have to liquidate money that you have been saving for a rainy day.

When you ask the right questions, you can make an informed decision for your future

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Popular Law Degrees in 2011

The year 2011 was a popular year for college students  pursuing some type of law degree. Colleges all over the United States have reported more students studying in their schools of law than ever before.

With such a high interest in law school it makes many people wonder what the most popular law degrees were for 2011. Here’s a look at the popular law degrees awarded to students who spent hours sitting through classroom lectures and online classes in order to obtain that law degree.

Entertainment Law

Everyone wants a piece of Hollywood and college students are no exception. Entertainment law was extremely popular in 2011. Entertainment law handles copyright infringement, contracts for movies, TV shows, Broadway musicals and sometimes lawyers represent actors and actresses during contract negotiations.

Criminal Law

Criminal law is one of the sections of law that will never go away. No matter how low crime rates go, there will always be some level of crime and those criminals will require an attorney to represent them. This high demand for criminal attorneys made criminal law a highly sought after law degree in 2011.

Environmental Law

Going green is a popular movement and it has spread to law schools. In 2011, a large amount of students were studying and getting law degrees in various sectors of environmental law. Environmental law includes local and state tax laws, and helping companies observe and uphold the various environmental laws.

The popular law degrees for 2011 reflect what is popular that year. Criminal, environmental, and entertainment law degrees are what the law students are pursuing this year.

 

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Legal Understanding for Homeschoolers

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At one time in America, the bulk of a child’s schooling came from their parents. Some might have the luxury of a formal education, but that was rare, even in cities. Over the centuries, as the colonies joined together, became a nation and matured, home schooling was traded for public schools.

Today, as America’s public schools struggle to compete with children across the globe, parents are increasingly returning to the home school model that gave us people like Thomas Edison, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.

But, as parents explore the home school world, they will find a wide variation in state laws and requirements. While homeschooling is legal in all fifty states, the U.S. territories and District of Columbia, the rules are very different in each.

The Home School Legal Defense Association says that a handful of states have very strict requirements, a few more have very few requirements, and the rest fall somewhere in between. These requirements can range from zero notification and minimal record keeping to government oversight and extensive records and testing.

Legal wording of a given state’s laws must be closely inspected and adhered to in order to keep the child’s education within legal bounds. It might be beneficial to seek an attorney’s opinion, especially if you are moving to a new state, or have a circumstance that puts you on the fringe of the law.

Knowing the law and the exact limits is very important for parents. Some states have vague or suggestive wording, while others are more exact in what they expect. Again, if there are questions, seek the advice of an attorney familiar with the law.

 

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Online Forex Trading Legalese

Legalese is a term used to describe legal jargon which is used in legal documents. If you want to trade forex online it is a good idea to know some of the trading legalese you will come across.

Limitation of Liability

This is a major part of many contracts. It is a clause that does not hold the company liable for any losses including incidental, consequential, or indirect damages. This means that if any sort of losses occur, such as money or loss of business, then the trading company will not be held responsible when you trade forex online. Basically, you will not be able to sue them.

Indemnification

This appears under the clause “Limitation of Liability”. It means that the forex site you are trading with will not be liable for any losses, expenses or damages that occur as a direct result from violating the agreement. In layman’s terms it means that if you break the agreement and then incur losses because of that, you will not be able to recoup your losses from the trading company.

Trademarks

Products, publications or any sort of content which is available on the trading site you have signed up to will usually not be available for use by you. Many trading companies develop their own software, publications and content and do not want it being used or displayed anywhere on the Internet other than on their website.

If you are unsure of anything in an agreement, have it looked at by a professional

 

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Legal Tips for Refinancing After Bankruptcy

You filed bankruptcy. The worst is over. Now, it is time to find ways to improve your financial future. For some, this may mean looking at your current loans to ensure they offer you the best financial start possible.

Refinancing After Bankruptcy

Legally, once your bankruptcy discharge occurs, you are no longer required to repay any loan part of the bankruptcy estate. However, vehicles and mortgage loans can continue after the bankruptcy, if you choose to allow that to happen. Keeping that in mind, consider the following things:

  • Getting a new loan after bankruptcy can be challenging. Most lenders will not finance a loan to you for a range of 18 months to two years after filing. However, there is no law that states how long lenders must wait. Rather, it is up to the lender to determine when you are a good risk again.
  • Some lenders will consider refinancing loans before agreeing to a new loan for a bankruptcy filer. You may be able to get a car refinance, for example, to take advantage of a lower interest rate or lower monthly payments. This may also apply to your mortgage.

The longer you wait to refinance, the better your credit score will be. Making good financial decisions over time will ensure that your credit score improves. The higher your credit score is at the time of refinancing, the lower the interest on the loan will be.

In addition to these things, remember that every lender is different. Keep working to pay down your debt and to rebuild your credit so you can qualify for loans with better terms.

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Where do Your Neighbor’s Rights End?

It has often been stated that the practice of law, and even the invocation of law primarily concerns where your rights end and where your neighbor’s rights begin. In some cases, this means the people who live right next door to you. In other cases, however, “neighbor” is more of a relative term that refers to anyone with whom you share a society. The rights of one person must interlap and dovetail with the rights of other people in a society.

So where do your neighbor’s rights end? In a case such as if a neighbor’s tree overlaps your property, you may be facing a slippery legal slope. In this kind of situation, you would be wise to contact your neighbor first, in the friendliest manner possible, and the police second if that ends up failing. While you could be held legally liable if your neighbor’s tree or one of its component branches falls on and damages your house, you probably do not have carte blanche to go hacking down foliage that doesn’t belong to you.

On the other hand, what happens when someone from who knows where dumps garbage on your property? In cases like that, technically the owner of the property from whence the trash originated is legally responsible, but good luck finding out who that is. The general de facto rule is, unless you actually catch someone dumping garbage on your property, there isn’t much you can do besides have it properly hauled away- or you could just hire someone with a truck to take it down the street and continue the cycle on some other anonymous person’s property the same way.

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Check Fraud is More Severe Than You Might Think

It seems like just about every transaction is subject to fraud these days. People tell us to be careful about our online transactions, to watch our credit-card receipts and to be conscious of gathering the mail every day to avoid letting people gain access to our personal information.

One of the most common forms of theft still revolves around the ever-present threat of someone getting their hands on your checks. Blank checks often are left in a closet or drawer somewhere and thieves have easy access to free money while never thinking about check fraud punishment.

There are new laws across the country, with some variance from state to state, that convict people who are caught abusing checks. Most of those laws center around whether a person committing embezzlement, forgery or check kiting is caught for the first time, or whether the incident is a repeat offense. In many cases, even a first offense necessitates some jail time, while a second offense can warrant some serious time in a federal penal institution.

If you have recently been convicted of check fraud, the first and best thing you can do is consult a lawyer. A qualified lawyer can ascertain if there is any kind of defense to mount against your possible conviction. A felony conviction means this incident is going to be known by all future employers and could make it much more difficult for you to get a home or a new car.

Check fraud is a serious crime and the punishment for offenses related to check fraud is becoming more severe as states take action to prevent this criminal activity.

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