Lawyer News

What is Title Insurance?

Title insurance is one form of insurance that is used in regards to the titles of property. There are two forms when it comes to real property and these include the owner’s policy and the lender’s policy. When a home or property is transferred over the years from being sold and bought by different owners, sometimes mistakes can occur or items can slip through the cracks. An error made at some other point in the history of the property can come back to harm the current owner. They may have been unaware of the fault and though they had taken all necessary precaution can still face a financially harmful situation.

Title insurance doesn’t necessarily always need to be bought, but then again do you only buy insurance because it’s required? Insurance provides a form of coverage and protection in the event of the unforeseen or worst case scenario. Title insurance can guard against liens, encumbrances, title defect and other factors. For those that are purchasing property title insurance can be beneficial to help the process go as smooth as possible. Coverage will begin on the effective date and will also include defects that occurred before an owner gained the property. It can be obtained by an owner and some lenders will require it as a stipulation for a loan.

Unfortunately as with many forms of insurance, the provider can often be less than willing to offer financial compensation when a valid title defect occurs. Insurance providers can attempt to avoid paying all together or may only offer less than what is deserved. This is a common problem that for some individuals will require further legal steps to be taken. To learn more about title insurance litigation and for qualified representation when dealing with an incompliant provider, contact the Law Offices of Bonnie Stokes Soria, PC for a free consultation. 

Pregnancy Leave and Discrimination

When a woman becomes pregnant, keeping up with the demands of a job can become challenging. In addition, many women need a rest after actually giving birth. Employers have not always been understanding of this, necessitating the need for legal action. Under the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), pregnant mothers have the ability to take up to four months off surrounding the time of the birth of their child. It can be before or after, whenever the pregnancy causes a woman to be unable to work. Some women choose to take their time off after giving birth so that they have the opportunity to spend the time with their child, bonding and caring for them. If an employer chooses to extend the time a mother is allowed for other disabilities, this extension will also need to be granted to other expecting mothers. Leave is outlined under the government code and pregnant mothers are covered under Government Code §12945 for disability leave.

Maternity leave is paid time off and mothers are able to leave their job legally without an employer firing them for doing so. Some employers choose to ignore this rule or try to find ways around it, believing they are at a loss for paying a pregnant mother that is not actually working during those four months or may not work at her optimal level before or after that time. This is illegal and can be grounds for a lawsuit. This issue is also further covered in The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978. Discrimination in the workplace should not be tolerated and a person cannot be let go for prejudices that an employer may have.  If you are the victim of this type of treatment and believe you were let go due to pregnancy, speak to an attorney from the Employment Lawyer’s Group to find out if you have grounds for a case or visit their website. 

Iowa Women Receive Settlement for Workplace Sexual Harassment

In Iowa City, two female workers were awarded a settlement after claiming that their supervisor had been sexually harassing them. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission had been investigating the allegations surrounding the egg farm. Quality Egg, LLC was already notorious for being linked with a salmonella outbreak in 2010. When the conditions of Quality Egg’s plant were examined, they discovered that the conditions in which the hens were living were deplorable and led to the outbreak of the disease. This discovery led to many lawsuits from the thousands of victims who had been affected.

Now, less than two years later, another lawsuit has been brought the company. The women in question have stated that many female employees were subjected to advances and comments of a sexual nature as well as groping. They also stated that the company did not do enough to stop the sexual harassment once they had reported the manager. Now that a settlement has been reached, the women feel like they are able to get their life back on track. Not only did they receive monetary compensation for the pain and suffering and lost wages that they went through, but they also ensured that steps were taken to avoid the same treatment being given to any other employee.

There are many different type of behavior that could be considered sexual harassment. It can affect victims in many ways and the guilty party needs to be held responsible for what they have done. If your rights were violated in this way, you should contact a federal employment lawyer from the Federal Practice Group. This law firm is able to help people across the country and around the world and could help fight to protect your rights. Contact their office today to learn more! 

Understanding the Probate Process in Colorado

When a person passes away, their estates must be handled and administered in a lawful and delicate fashion. If this is a family’s first time handling this type of situation, it is likely that they are unsure of what to do or the proper legal steps to follow. In the state of Colorado, probate truly has been made a much simpler process than many other states throughout the country. A person’s estate will be subject to probate if he or she passes away with titled personal property valued at $60,000 or more, or if the person has real estate of any value. A property that will be exempt includes one that is held in joint tenancy or one that may be in a Trust. The probate process will take a minimum of one year and will typically cost approximately two to five percent of the total probate assets. While this process is viewed as much simpler than in other areas, it is still somewhat time consuming.

With the help of an attorney, a person may be able to avoid the probate process by creating an effective estate plan that allows for the beneficiaries to avoid probate. The probate process can be easily navigated with the assistance of a Denver probate lawyer from the James A. Littlepage Law Offices. If you or someone you know has not yet created an unambiguous and legally binding plan for your future, do not hesitate to call this law firm. It is very important to begin your estate plan sooner rather than later, especially because making end-of-life decisions can be one of the more difficult aspects of this area of the law. For more information and to obtain a consultation of your case, please do not hesitate to contact Denver estate planning attorney James A. Littlepage today.

Civil Rights and the Workplace

Many people do not realize the important role that civil rights play in the workplace. Examples of civil rights violations include discrimination, harassment, invasion of privacy, racial profiling, failure to accommodate, and more. The federal government has been many laws and acts in place to protect employees from these types of violations from affecting them. However, even though years have passed since they have been in force, these offenses are still occurring across the country.

One all-too-common type of discrimination is based on race and color. It does not matter where you were born or what color you are, racial discrimination can affect anyone. If you feel as though you were denied a job or passed over for a promotion based on your race, you could have the right to file a lawsuit against the offending party. This extends outside of work duties and includes social interactions as well. Derogatory remarks or slurs that are directed at humiliating the individual because of their race are in direct violation of civil rights law.

Civil rights and employment law also intersect when it comes to gender. In the past, it was not uncommon for a woman to be paid less based on the fact that she was not a man. This did not have anything to do with skill or job performance, but was based on the false fact that men deserved to earn more. Although the Equal Pay Act has outlawed this behavior since 1963, it does not mean that it has stopped. If you are being given an unfair salary and you believe it is due to sex discrimination, the offending party should be held accountable for their blatant disregard for the law and the rights of others. If you have more questions, please contact a Los Angeles employment law attorney from the team at Moody & Warner, P.C. 

Social Security Disability: The Right Time to Apply for Benefits

Applying for Social Security disability benefits is something that is a fearful but necessary process. Without these benefits, many families fail to obtain the financial support they need after the person who provides the primary source of income becomes devastatingly injured or ill. Unfortunately, many Social Security disability applications are filed at the wrong time and are denied as a result. If you have considered utilizing this fund to assist you and your family in the financial support that you truly need, it is in your best interests to talk with a lawyer before moving your case along any further.

While you may be tempted to apply for benefits instantaneously after becoming injured or ill, you are advised to speak with an attorney first. Many applications for Social Security disability, or SSD, benefits are denied the first time because the applicant failed to prove that the disability or medical condition has kept him or her from working for at least 12 months. Some cases will be permitted in which a condition is projected to keep an individual out of work for at least 12 months as well. One of the main reasons that many applications are denied before a year has passed since the date of disability is because the Social Security Administration may believe that the condition could heal.

Applying for these benefits as soon as possible may be a good strategy, but it truly depends on your unique case. By working with a skilled Oklahoma City Social Security disability lawyer, you can understand more about your specific situation and how it will affect the outcome of your case. Even if you have been denied benefits, you still may be able to file an appeal or pursue SSI benefits. At the Law Offices of Stipe & Belote, the legal team works with families who are in need of immediate financial relief due to a disability. The firm has extensive experience and an AV rating by Martindale-Hubbell. Call an attorney at this office today for more information about filing your claim for benefits.

Prenuptial Agreements

Are you considering becoming married? Even though you may not think you need a prenuptial agreement, it may be a wise step to take. Many people think that the mere word “prenup” is only asking for trouble later in the marriage, however, it may be able to bring clarity and transparency to a relationship. If the marriage does end due to death or divorce, it can greatly decrease conflict and confusion for everyone involved. Also, it is not only advisable for the rich and the famous. Although it is definitely recommended when one or both parties have a high net worth, it is also recommended for anyone who wants to protect their personal assets.

In New York, there are several different things that can be protected by a prenuptial agreement. The first and most obvious is assets such as bank accounts, homes, property, and stocks. If one of the individuals owns a business or part of a business, it can also help protect how it will be divided should the marriage end. An inheritance or personal injury settlement could also be deemed separate or non-martial property rather than marital property. It cannot stipulate child custody issues, unless there were already children from a previous marriage. How loved ones (such as elderly parents or grandparents) will be cared for could also be included.

Life is unexpected. Even if you feel as though you know what your future will bring, it is advisable to prepare for any eventuality. With approximately 50% of marriages ending in divorce, you may want to create an agreement which will protect you and your spouse. It could be made to support your estate plan and other financial issues as well. A New York litigation attorney from the Law Office of Steven R. Sutton understands this and will do everything in their power to help you. With over 75 years of combined experience, you can have peace of mind knowing that they are on your side. 

Favorable Verdict in California Lemon Law Case

A case involving a defective vehicle in Southern California was recently won after coming to a jury verdict in favor of the plaintiffs. The decision awarded the consumers with the payments they had made towards their faulty 2007 Toyota Tundra, which had sporadic and harsh shifting issues with the transmission. According to the reports, the pickup truck would roughly change gears violently at “unpredictable” moments while driving. The Toyota dealership that the vehicle was brought to for maintenance and diagnostics was unable to duplicate the shifting in the vehicle in their alleged short test drives.

The owners of the vehicle gave Toyota a reasonable amount of time and opportunities to address the issue at hand with no success. They then were forced to take legal action and find an attorney to represent their claim. Upon hiring an attorney, the truck owners notified Toyota of the lemon law claim and stopped making payments on their vehicle. The case was then brought to court in California and it was determined by the jury that Toyota was in violation of the lemon laws in the state and that the plaintiffs were entitled to a full recovery of the payments they made.

If you or someone you know has purchased a lemon, or a vehicle that is faulty beyond repair, and a dealership is denying you the ability to have the vehicle fixed, you may have a claim. While lemon laws vary from state to state, all 50 states have enacted these laws in some form to protect consumers. Whether you have suffered a financial loss trying to repair the vehicle or you are continuously making payments on a vehicle that is fundamentally damaged, you need the help of a lemon law attorney. At the National Lemon Law Center, the legal team assists individuals and families nationwide who have purchased a lemon and wish to pursue financial compensation. Call the firm today for a free review of your potential lemon law case.