Posts
Recreational and commuter biking have increased in recent years, making road safety more important than ever. Since 2007, bike commuting has almost doubled in the largest 50 of America’s cities largely due to the addition and/or improvement of bike lane and pathway infrastructure. Despite some motorists disdain for bicycles on the road, cycling to work benefits everyone.…
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Most people don’t like reading contracts and it’s no surprise why. They are usually boring, wordy, and full of legalese that can be difficult to understand. Reading them requires an attention span longer than most of us have and it’s easier to just sign on the dotted line rather than slog through each of the…
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While driving through the residential neighborhoods of Charlotte, North Carolina in the hot summer months, it’s not hard to find kids selling lemonade. I’ve seen three in the last three weeks. Harnessing their budding entrepreneurial skills (and perhaps at the suggestion of a parent tired of their kids watching television), setting up a lemonade stand…
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With increasing frequency, dog owners are claiming their pets are service animals, even when they are not. Unlike the United Kingdom, the United States does not have a requirement that service dogs be certified, but they do have to meet certain criteria under the Americans with Disabilities Act (the ADA) and an increasing number of…
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What’s the best way for attorneys to show appreciation for jurors during the North Carolina Judicial Branch’s Jury Appreciation month? Lavishing them with gifts is prohibited, but one way attorneys can show some appreciation is by drafting jury instructions that make the lives of jurors easier by streamlining the deliberation…
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The movie “The Social Network” used the depositions of Eduardo Saverin and the Winklevoss twins, who sued Mark Zuckerberg over the creation of Facebook, to tell its story. Depositions in real life are also used to hear one party’s side of the story so the attorneys know what to expect at trial. Most people have never had their deposition taken and,…
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1) You may be entitled to money held by the state. Have you ever received a letter from a law firm or private investigator informing you of unclaimed property or cash and offering help? Last year, I got such a letter from Californian private investigator. Sensing a scam and having never heard of such…
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“Eliminate Access to Civil Justice Funds” – that is the ominous title of a provision in the North Carolina’s House of Representatives Appropriations Committee’s proposed 2017 Budget. Not cut, eliminate. If passed, this provision would be devastating to legal services available to low-income North Carolinians who cannot otherwise hire an attorney, but are in desperate…
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While it is legally permissible to represent yourself in Business Court, it probably is not a good idea as one plaintiff learned the hard way. In a recent decision from the North Carolina Business Court, a plaintiff, James Gillespie, attempted to be a pro se litigant and wound up with his case dismissed and responsible…
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Social media can have a profound impact on a lawsuit and can even make or break one’s case. Take, for example, a person who is claiming they are unable to work due to a workplace injury, but a quick perusal of their social media accounts reveals their ability to waterski simultaneous to the claim. An…
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