California has three ways in which a married couple may alter their union: divorce, separation or annulment. Certain requirements apply for each option, and in some cases, very specific points must be proven to a judge. This article provides a basic overview of these options, but California couples who are thinking about divorce should consider contacting an attorney for legal assistance, especially if you are in a domestic partnership. Divorce In California, spouses most frequently end their marriages through divorce. Because California is a "no-fault" ...

In divorce or dissolution of marriage proceedings in Florida in which a request for alimony/spousal support is made, the courts are required to makes a factual determination as to whether either party actually needs alimony and whether either party has the ability to pay alimony. If the court finds the need for and ability to pay alimony exists, it will consider "all relevant factors" to determine the proper type and amount of alimony. Factors relevant to alimony awards in Florida Florida's alimony statute (West's F.S.A. Section 61.08) instructs courts to ...

Until recently, California insurance policies could not be stacked on top of each other to cover damages that occurred over a long period of time. Insured individuals had to pick a specific incident date and could only collect on the policy or policies in place at that time. However, a recent California Supreme Court case, in a unanimous decision, changed all of that, putting insurance companies on the hook for continuing damages to ensure that their policyholders are fully compensated for their losses. In its sweeping decision, the California Supreme Court specifically ...

Among the myriad issues before the U.S. Supreme Court this term is one that could have ripples for employers and workers around the country: who is considered to be a "supervisor" when there are allegations of workplace harassment or discrimination. That terminology has been important in employment law-related claims since 1998, when courts first found that employers can be held liable for certain types of harassment by those in positions of authority that creates a hostile work environment for victims. Why is the Court stepping in? In a word, consistency. ...

On January 8, 2013 the Supreme Court of the U.S. heard oral arguments in a case involving state governments' rights to collect portions of patients' medical malpractice claim recoveries if states have expended Medicare funds on treating the patients. South Carolina and 10 other states are supporting the position that states can recover funds from patients, and the way the Court decides Delia v. E.M.A. could have a huge impact on victims of medical malpractice across the country. Medical malpractice settlement On February 25, 2000 a doctor delivered a baby at Catawba ...

A recent oil refinery fire was another in a long list of accidents that have made headlines in one of the most dangerous industries. The fire broke out in a residual hydrotreater at the Texas City, Texas refinery on October 30. The refinery's fire department was able to extinguish the blaze after an hour and a half with no injuries. Luckily, the recent fire did not injure any workers. Of some concern is that the incident occurred at the same site as the worst U.S. refinery accident, the March 2005 explosion that killed 15 workers and injured 180 others. The workers' ...

In the final hours of 2012, the U.S. Congress passed a bill extending the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007. The Act was due to expire at midnight on December 31, 2012. Currently, the Act, also known as the "Debt Forgiveness Act," is now due to expire on January 1, 2014. If the extension had not been enacted, many struggling homeowners within Minnesota and across the nation would no longer be entitled to substantial tax relief provided by the Act. Debt Forgiveness Act provides tax relief Under the provisions of the Act, homeowners who receive ...

On January 10, 2013 a Bridgeport jury awarded a man injured in a car wreck on Interstate 95 more than Nine Hundred Thousand ($900,000.00) Dollars. With interest, the final judgment will be $1.2 Million Dollars. The plaintiff, Manuel Vasquez, was severely injured on June 3, 2008 when two wheels from the defendants' tractor-trailer came loose, separating from the truck and bouncing over the median into oncoming traffic. Six vehicles were damaged, and both side of the highway were closed by the state police. The case, entitled Manuel Vasquez v. Road Service Network, et ...

Rail crossings are common sites for train accidents. They can occur due to a failure of safety equipment such as crossing gates, warning lights and traffic control devices. The Illinois Commerce Commission is responsible for rail safety in Illinois. The ICC also tracks statistics on Illinois train accidents. ICC responsibilities Illinois has more than 8,400 rail crossings, more than any other state except Texas. This includes 2,700 public bridge crossings and 163 private bridge crossings. Illinois railways also have 485 pedestrian crossings, including 85 bridge ...

If you are in the market for luxury homes in Atlanta, there is a new luxury realty Web site available to you from a name with whom you might be familiar. Sotheby's International Realty has launched a new site featuring luxury homes in Atlanta. Sotheby's International Realty may be more recognizable as an auction house, and indeed, for more than two centuries, Sotheby's International Realty has been the leading name in auctions. In 1976, they expanded their potential by launching a high-end realty company, which includes the Atlanta metropolitan area. Focused on the ...

Custom made plantation shutters are widely accepted as one of the very best window treatment options available. They are a beautiful addition that provides your home with classic elegance and increased curb appeal. These shutters actually increase your home value as well. Plantation shutters are versatile, durable, energy efficient and safer to use around small children. While the benefits of custom window shutters are straightforward, their warranties often are not. Both wood and faux plantation shutters typically come with limited warranties in vague language with ...

Atlanta limousine service, Topper Worldwide, is pleased to announce that it has expanded its fleet to include the new Porsche Panamera. Known throughout the metro area for its high-end Atlanta car services, Topper Worldwide has kept its fleet on the cutting edge of luxury automobiles since its inception. The new Porsche Panamera is the latest in its legacy of acquisition of striking full-sized luxury cars. The Panamera, named after the Carrera Panamericana race, is Porsche's vision of the traditional four-door sedan combined with the convenient hatchback. Porsche enthusiasts ...

While many Americans consider the ways they will change their habits during the new year, some are considering changing their appearance as well. Haircuts and a change in wardrobe can be nice, but America's Best encourages glasses wearers to remember to change their eyeglass frames when they change the rest of their look. Eyeglasses can easily come to define a person's overall look because they are such a prominent accessory. For this reason, many individuals opt to have two or more pairs of eyeglass frames so that they can change their style with their eyewear. It is ...

The Atlanta wildlife removal experts at Team Pest USA acknowledge the danger and inconvenience of having animals infiltrate your office building. They offer advice on how to handle the situation should you find yourself in this position. The first step you should take is to search around your office and try to find signs that there really is an animal infestation. Several signs to look for -- and areas within the office to check -- include the following: Feces Look around your office for what appears to be animal feces. This comes in various sizes depending on the ...

A quick smooch may seem harmless, but doctors will confirm, a smooch is nice but can have some negative consequences, like contracting mononucleosis. McCart Insurance encourages Georgia individual health insurance consumers to avoid these dreaded kissing diseases. One way to avoid mononucleosis and many other infections is to wash your hands frequently. If you know someone who has been diagnosed with the virus, take thorough precautions. Wash your hands more often and disinfect any areas where that person might have been or touched. Make certain that you have current ...

The Oil & Gas Awards are a platform for the industry to demonstrate and celebrate the advances made in the key areas of the environment, efficiency, innovation, corporate social responsibility, and health & safety. The nominations are a highlight to TEEMCO's achievements over the last few years. The company is a finalist for "Consultancy of the Year Award" and "Environmental Initiative of the Year Award". In just a few years, TEEMCO has grown from a typical "mom and pop" engineering firm into a national company with offices in Pittsburgh, ...

Avantium announced the appointment of Jonathan Wolfson to its Supervisory Board. Jonathan Wolfson is Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Solazyme. Solazyme is a leading industrial biotechnology company producing renewable oil and bioproducts from microalgae for fuels, chemicals, nutrition and personal care products. Solazyme (SZYM) is a US stock listed company at NASDAQ. Mr. Wolfson and Solazyme have received numerous awards for their technology pioneering role in the industrial biotechnology industry. Mr. Wolfson holds J.D. and M.B.A. degrees from the NYU School ...

Put on your thinking cap! Beginning Nov. 30, NASA wants your ideas on how to use the International Space Station as a technology test bed. NASA's Technology Demonstration and National Lab Offices are asking for proposals on advanced and improved exploration technologies for testing and refinement that take advantage of the unique environment aboard the space station. The NASA Research Announcement, or NRA, titled "Soliciting Proposals for Exploration Technology Demonstration and National Lab Utilization Enhancements" was issued on Nov. 14. This opportunity ...

The company that offers the same quality and model as some of the most popular e cigarettes on the market offers more for less when compared to other brands. The company has a long standing record of free shipping on all orders and a free case with every kit order. The e cigarette is a model KR808D-1 that is so highly rated by e cigarette users around the world and is known for its massive vapor and rugged demeanor, making it a top model in the industry. "We are making the deal even sweeter now by adding a global coupon code with an additional 10% off by using ...

Smokers Utopia, considered the most brutal e cigarette reviews site in the world has covered the popular v2 cigs brand. The brand came out in 2009 and has been one of the dominate brands in the e cigarette industry since it came on the scene, but does the facts back up the brand? The V2 Cigs Review on Smokers Utopia claims that buyers must beware and that the company has a few shortcomings that buyers need to be aware of before investing into this popular company. The review points out in detail some of the issues it has with the V2 brand and some interesting information ...

Southwest Media Group, a Dallas-based media and marketing services company, announces a stellar lineup of advertising's leading minds for its fourth-annual experiential digital summit, "Immersion 2013: Explore Your Digital Soul," Feb. 6-7, 2013, at The House of Blues in Dallas. Companies from Microsoft to Shazam will explore the rapidly changing media technology landscape in a series of keynotes, fireside chats, "ignite" mini sessions and "Immersion Rooms" that plunge attendees into the latest innovations and tools in media. Attendees will ...

(Santa Barbara, Calif.) –– A new, noninvasive, and low-cost method for the early detection and monitoring of osteoarthritis (arthritis caused by wear and tear) may be on its way, thanks to research by UC Santa Barbara scientists from the Department of Chemical Engineering and the Department of Materials. By studying patterns of friction between cartilage pads, the researchers discovered a different type of friction that is more likely to cause wear and damage. Their work suggests ways to detect this friction, and points to new research directions for getting to the root ...

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Older adults can improve their decision making and working memory simply by putting on a happy face, a new study suggests. Researchers found that easy mood-boosters -- like giving people a small bag of candy -- helped seniors do significantly better on tests of decision-making and working memory. This is the first study to show the power of positive moods in helping older people with these brain tasks. "There has been lots of research showing that younger adults are more creative and cognitively flexible when they are in a good mood. But because ...

LOS ANGELES (Jan. 30, 2012) – Injecting specialized cardiac stem cells into a patient's heart rebuilds healthy tissue after a heart attack, but where do the new cells come from and how are they transformed into functional muscle? Researchers at the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute, whose clinical trial results in 2012 demonstrated that stem cell therapy reduces scarring and regenerates healthy tissue after a heart attack, now have found that the stem cell technique boosts production of existing adult heart cells (cardiomyocytes) and spurs recruitment of existing stem cells ...

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- One in five adults in the United States lacks the math competency expected of an eighth grader, according to the United States Center for Educational Statistics. University of Missouri researchers identified how a lack of a specific math skill in first grade correlated to lower scores on a seventh grade math test used to determine employability and wages in adults. Intervention programs designed to overcome this early math deficiency could prepare students for later employment, help them make wiser economic choices and improve the future U.S. workforce. "Our ...