Your Rights When You File a Whistleblower Claim on Your Company

The federal government enacted the False Claims Act (FCA) during the Civil War. The law encourages citizens to step forward and disclose fraud involving government contracts. Originally, the FCA just applied to contracts with the US Department of Defense. Now, whistleblowers can also disclose fraud involving Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE (the medical insurance agency for retired…

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What Drivers Should Know about DUI Field Sobriety Tests

Before police officers give anyone they suspect of driving under the influence a breath test, most often they first give the suspect several field sobriety tests. The tests are not random. The tests must be done according to specific rules. If the police don’t give the tests in the correct way, that failure can be…

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How Is the Value of a Business Determined?

How much a business is worth is critical for several reasons. Anyone wishing to buy or sell a business needs to understand its value. The value of business is instrumental not just when buying or selling it, or a part of it, but also in obtaining loans, expanding the business, merging the business with another…

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The Continuous Residence Requirement for Becoming a Naturalized Citizen

Applicants for citizenship must meet several including residency requirements. Applicants usually must live in the US for five continuous years before they can apply for citizenship. Qualified spouses must live in the US for at least three continuous years. Continuous residence means that the applicant stayed in the country. Applicants who leave the country during…

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How Can I Recover Stolen or Seized Personal Property?

Your personal property is not always safe or secure; it can be stolen or seized. Fortunately, in the state of Tennessee and elsewhere in the United States, the law allows you to reclaim or recover your personal property. Under the law, personal property is physical, transferable, tangible items, such as vehicles, shirts, computers, and toys.…

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Perjury

You always should and must tell the truth when you appear in a courtroom. Otherwise, our system of justice does not work, and a lie you tell may be considered perjury. When you take the witness stand and give testimony in a courtroom, you take an oath and swear to tell the truth – nothing,…

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Jury Trials

Unlike in some countries, you cannot be declared guilty, imprisoned, or executed without a trial. In the State of Tennessee and elsewhere in the United States, you have the right to due process and the right to a jury trial. Also known as trials by jury, jury trials are trials or judicial proceedings presented before…

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Answering Interrogatories

In the United States, parties in civil lawsuits are entitled to learn the facts and to review the documents in a dispute.  One method by which relevant information is learned is answers to interrogatories. Interrogatories are written questions posed to you by the opposing side. You generally receive them through your own attorney.  You cannot…

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The Charges in the Celebrity College Admissions Cheating Scandal

Many people believe that attending the right college is the most important decision for a child’s future. But parents can step over legal lines. The recent indictments of actresses Laurie Loughlin and Felicity Huffman prove this point. Huffman, who has starred in shows such as Desperate Housewives and Sports Night, has pled guilty to federal…

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Preparing to Testify in Court

Cases often are won or lost based on the testimony of the parties involved or their witnesses.  Though no one can change the facts, a party or a witness is more persuasive when he or she understands the questions, answers them truthfully, speaks clearly, maintains self-control, does not get rattled, and acts respectfully. To prepare…

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