News
Perry Craft Wins First Amendment Parent’s Free Speech Case against School Officials
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution expressly gives citizens and parents fundamental rights: free speech, freedom of religion, freedom the press, freedom to peaceably assemble and to petition government for redress. Sometimes, however, schools try to silence or limit a parent’s free speech rights. Trouble arises when, typically, a parent voices his or…
Read MoreThe New and Improved Military Lending Act
Congress and the Department of Defense (DOD) have enacted laws and regulations, particularly the Military Lending Act (MLA), that protect military personnel and their families from unscrupulous lenders and individuals who provide credit to them. While soldiers, sailors, and marines are trained for combat and military operations, relatively few have been schooled in dealing with…
Read MoreSummer Heat: Cruel and Unusual Punishment for Louisiana Death Row Inmates
The United States Constitution gives rights to U.S. citizens and residents. For example, the Second Amendment guarantees Americans the right to bear arms, the Fourth Amendment provides protection against unreasonable searches and seizures, and the Eighth Amendment prohibits cruel and unusual punishment. Even prisoners on death row are afforded the Constitutional protection against cruel and…
Read MoreConfederate Symbols: Good or Bad?
The Confederate flag, the stars and bars, and other Confederate symbols, stir up controversy. For many Americans, the Confederate flag symbolizes slavery, racism, oppression, hatred, and treason. For others, particularly those in the South, the Confederate flag is associated with regional pride and conjures a romanticized view of the “Lost Cause” when the South defied…
Read MoreHelp for Bonnaroo Travelers Facing Charges After an Interdiction Stop
When law enforcement officials believe a person is smuggling weapons, illegal drugs and/or other kinds of contraband in the car, those officers have the right to conduct an interdiction stop. This stop allows officers to pull over a “suspicious” looking car; then, the officer will likely look for anything out-of-place within the car, such as…
Read MorePreparing for Your Child’s IEP Meeting
Children with disabilities are entitled to a free and appropriate public education; however, to succeed in school, these children often require additional assistance and support. A federal law, the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), compels schools and school districts to provide significant assistance and support for these children. Before Congress passed the IDEA, schools were…
Read MoreFair Labor Standards Act: The Rights of Workers and Duties of Employers
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) into law in June 1938. This federal law affects American businesses and workers, providing for a minimum wage, limiting the hours and jobs for which children can work, and requiring employers to keep records of employees’ hours. The Fair Labor Standards Act set a…
Read MoreSuicides, Lawsuits, and Petitions: The Results of Bullying in Schools
Bullying is not a thing of the past; it is real and continues today. Just ask the parents and friends of four youths who were bullied and when they could no longer tolerate it, the youths committed suicide. Bullying occurs in cities, towns, and rural areas across the nation. The Las Vegas Review Journal reported…
Read MoreDHS to Extend Eligibility for Employment Authorization for Some H-4 Dependent Spouses
On February 25, 2015, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that its newly amended regulations will extend, starting in May of this year, “eligibility for employment authorization to certain H-4 dependent spouses of H-1B nonimmigrants who are seeking employment-based lawful permanent resident (LPR) status.” The amendment is part of President Obama’s executive orders, and…
Read MoreWhat Immigrants Should Know about the Latest Standoff between the President and Congress
For many immigrants, adapting to American culture is difficult – especially if you move to an area where you don’t know many people or where there are only a few people who share your native culture. It can be especially difficult to reconcile how our political system is supposed to act with how our legislators…
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