In West Virginia, if you want a divorce, need a paternity determination, are having problems with a child custody or support issue, or are dealing with domestic violence, a family court is where you need to go. The judges also hear cases involving grandparent visitation and can even perform weddings. Family Court and Mediation In an effort to reduce some of the ill effects of divorce cases, the family courts now often send parents involved in a divorce proceeding to an individual pre-mediation screening to determine if mediation would help produce a viable parenting ...

Our civil court system has long provided a means for those injured through the negligence of another to seek fair compensation for their injuries. In the event that a doctor's mistake deprives a baby of oxygen and results in a lifetime injury, a family can hold the doctor and possibly clinic responsible through the civil system. At trial, a jury decides if the physician made a mistake, and if so whether the patient should be compensated. But what happens when the jury's power is taken away? Missouri was one of many states that put damage caps on medical liability suits. ...

Boating is an enjoyable activity for many in Georgia. It can be even better with some precautions to help ensure the experience is not marred by a tragic boating accident, like the recent hit-and-run collision on Lake Lanier that killed two children. Last year Georgia boaters were involved in 121 accidents that left 77 people injured and 15 dead, according to Department of Natural Resources statistics. Excessive Alcohol and Boating Don't Mix Well In the Lake Lanier incident, an intoxicated 44 year old man crashed his fishing boat into a pontoon boat, killing the ...

If you have been convicted in Georgia of an alcohol or drug related driving or boating offense, and had your license revoked, you must complete a DUI, Alcohol or Drug Use Risk Reduction (DRR) course before you can have your license reinstated. The program is regulated by the Georgia Department of Driver Services, but the courses are administered by independent, state-certified "DUI schools." DRR Convictions The DRR programs are required for those convicted of: - Driving Under the Influence (DUI) - Possession of illegal drugs - Underage possession of ...

A motorcycle driver was recently injured in an accident on Interstate 95 in Stamford. The accident occurred when the motorcyclist crashed into the back of a car. He was rushed to Stamford Hospital to be treated for his injuries, which included lacerations to his face and arms. His motorcycle did not stop until it crashed into a metal guardrail. Motorcycle Accidents and Guardrails Motorcycle accidents are almost always quite serious due to the fact that motorcycle drivers lack the protection afforded to car occupants. When a motorcyclist hits a guardrail, the injuries ...

In 2007, when James Kent, an assistant professor of public administration at Marist College, found that his work computer was not working like it should, he had a member of the technology department take a look at it. What that technician found landed Kent in prison and led the New York Court of Appeals to rule that just viewing images of child pornography on a computer is not enough to convict a person for possession. While running a virus scan on Kent's computer, the Marist technology department found several photos and videos of nude girls, most of whom, according ...

Although most healthy adults do not plan for a disability, research shows that the average 20-year-old worker has a 33 percent chance of becoming disabled before retirement. Those that find themselves in this difficult position often have not prepared financially. Thankfully, various state and federal programs are available to offer aid. One of the largest federal programs to help the injured is the Social Security Disability program. When an individual becomes disabled, programs like Social Security Disability can help lessen the financial blow. Although the program ...

Most people assume that once a divorce decree -- called in California the "Final Judgment of the Dissolution of Marriage" -- has been filed, the terms of their divorce are set in stone. Generally, that is true, but it isn't always the case. It may be possible for one party to seek a modification of some or all of the terms of a divorce settlement agreement. There are two distinct ways in which a divorce judgment can be changed: - Appealing the judgment to a California District Court of Appeals - Filing a motion to modify the terms of the decree with the ...

"Technology-Assisted Discovery" -- better known as "E-Discovery" -- is the cornerstone for the next generation of legal practice. More and more courtrooms are turning to the most up-to-date available to make legal decisions easier and faster while remaining impartial, keeping the proceedings balanced and doing a little something to save the earth. There are several high-profile federal cases presently ongoing -- the best well-known probably being De Silva Moore v. Publicis Groupe before Magistrate Judge Andrew Peck in the Southern District of New ...

When one or both spouses reach the point at which they know that divorce is inevitable, they may not agree on the details or motives. Accusations of infidelity, suspicions about hidden assets or allegations of domestic abuse can lead to protracted divorce litigation in which one or both spouses must aggressively protect his or her interests. Michigan media outlets recently reported on a Rochester Hills couple's attempts to read each other's private emails and text messages. After Oakland County prosecutors investigated allegations that the husband had accessed his wife's ...

The IRS's efforts to increase its collection of taxes on the foreign bank accounts of U.S. taxpayers still have some ways to go before they can claim an unqualified success. While they have collected $5 billion since 2009, the IRS estimates the yearly shortfall caused by this method of tax evasion is closer to $385 billion. The Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program The offshore voluntary disclosure program was designed to allow taxpayers to voluntarily disclose any offshore banking assets and pay lesser penalties and interest, while avoiding criminal prosecution for ...

In June, Connecticut Governor Dan Malloy signed a bill into law that will allow firefighters with Post-Traumatic Street Disorder, or PTSD, to collect workers' compensation benefits to treat the disorder. Connecticut Firefighters Now Eligible for Benefits The new law passed with unanimous support in both the state House of Representatives and the state Senate. It allows firefighters to collect workers' compensation for treatment of PTSD caused by the death of a coworker. Police in the state already enjoy similar protections. This new law does not grant firefighters ...

In the midst of the recession, bankruptcy filings rose steadily across the country, evidencing the struggle many Americans were facing as a result of the economic downturn. As the effects of the recession have waned, there has been a corresponding drop in the number of bankruptcy filings nationwide. The drop was most noticeable during the first quarter of 2012, when bankruptcy filings fell between 8 and 10 percent from the year prior. As the American Bankruptcy Institute reported to The Honolulu Star, one of the reasons for the decline is the low interest rates across ...

Oregon residents visiting emergency departments may notice that they are busier than they have been in the past. That is because every year more patients are going to emergency rooms. The medical problems the patients are bringing in are also more severe, sometimes caused by a lack of health insurance; some patients will wait until they absolutely must be seen by a physician, allowing their illness to worsen in the meantime. This means diagnosis and treatment take longer. The result is overcrowding in many emergency departments, harming patients who must wait too long ...

Divorcing parties may want to get out of a marriage with the property they feel they deserve, but they really want to avoid being stuck with their ex's debt. Stories abound about feuding spouses taking a "scorched earth" approach to failing marriages and running up credit card debt to punish the financially vulnerable spouse. In other situations, the split is amicable and the parties simply agree to divide the entire debt in half and pay their respective share. Regardless of the situation, there is a common misperception that agreements included in a court ...

One of the "collateral consequences" or extra-judicial results of a DWI charge is vehicle forfeiture. Specifically, when an Minnesota driver is charged with a 2nd Degree DWI or 1st Degree DWI, the vehicle used by the offender in the offense (i.e., the car, boat, snowmobile, or ATV being used while supposedly driving drunk or over .08) is subject to forfeiture. Forfeiture means the government seizes the vehicle. Permanently. Fortunately, a Minnesota DWI Vehicle Forfeiture can be challenged. An offender has 30 days to challenge the forfeiture. For an offender ...

Significant changes were made to "Melanie's Law" during this past legislative session in Massachusetts. "Melanie's Law" is, of course, the law prohibiting operating under the influence of liquor (OUI/DUI/"drunk driving"). General Laws Chapter 90, section 24 (together with its related subsections) spells out the details. Melanie's Law, which originally passed in October, 2005, was named for a 13-year-old Marshfield girl who was struck and killed by a car driven by a repeat OUI offender. The law allows prior convictions to be introduced in ...

Aer Lingus, proud sponsors of Ireland's Olympic Team, has welcomed Team Ireland on board its special homecoming flight. Flight number EI 159, an airbus A321, carrying 200 passengers, including Team Ireland, departed London Heathrow at 12.05 and arrived in Dublin at 1.25pm. As a memento of the official homecoming flight, each passenger received a gift of a retro sports bag, designed in the vintage Aer Lingus 'Irish Airlines' colours. The aircraft was met by Dublin Airport fire service and escorted to its parking stand at T2. The Athletes including medal winners Katie ...

Etihad Airways has signed a new multi-million dollar agreement to extend to 2019 its naming and marketing rights for Melbourne's Etihad Stadium, the city's premier sports and entertainment venue. The five-year extension was announced in Melbourne by James Hogan, President and Chief Executive of Etihad Airways, and Ian Collins AM, Chief Executive of the Melbourne Stadiums Limited, the company that operates Etihad Stadium. Mr Hogan said: "Placing the Etihad name on this world class sports and entertainment stadium, as well as activating our marketing and hospitality ...

The much anticipated annual online Belli Birthday Bash is bigger than ever with a star studded line up that is sure to be a show stopper! Beginning August 20th, and running through September 2nd, Belli Skincare, a line of luxurious physician formulated products which consider the specific skin care needs of pregnant women, new moms and babies, will be hosting an online party to celebrate the brand's birthday. To kick-off the party, Belli and its partner sponsors will have a drawing for a prize each day during the two week promotion. Then on September 2nd, one lucky grand ...

SkinMD Natural, a breakthrough dry skin treatment is a new product that binds with the outer layer of the skin to form a protective layer, contains 93% natural ingredients. The other 7% are on the FDA's most safe list. As consumers become more aware of the dangers of toxic chemicals, dry skin care manufacturers across the nation have jumped on the natural dry skin remedy bandwagon. But many of these products contain so many potentially toxic chemicals, the term "natural" is actually misleading. Recent FDA investigation into this area has shown that SkinMD Natural's ...

Relief may be your first reaction after a small house fire. The home was saved and no one was hurt. It doesn't take long, however, for other emotions to come into play. Is the structure of the home safe? Can belongings be salvaged from fire damage? Will home insurance cover the expense of repairs? After a fire, it's critical to take proper precautionary steps to ensure your family's safety and to return your life to normalcy as quickly as possible. These six tips can help. 1. Call the Fire Department Even a small fire in your home or garage can pose hazards after ...

On the 9th of August the Head of Development Department Denis Strakh announced new Gurtam product Wialon Kit on the first practical conference for partners in Perm hosted by Standard, the local leader of vehicle tracking market. Wialon Kit is a set of developers' tools for LBS providers and solution integrators of GPS and GLONASS technologies that provides them with the opportunity to build their own software solutions based on the telematics data from Wialon Data Center. This new product can be used as a platform that can be integrated into ERPs and other systems and ...

Not only did the London Olympics unify Great Britain, bringing communities together, giving us a national pride and a feel-good factor, but it highlighted that often overlooked yet invaluable activity - volunteerism. With some 70,000 Games Makers - volunteers with "enormous smiles and infectious enthusiasm" who staffed the Olympic venues - and over 100,000 people pledging at least an hour of their time under the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Hour initiative - community spirit is enjoying dizzy new heights. National newspaper The Telegraph* reports that the Government ...

It Works! Global, rated one of the nation's fastest growing companies in its category on the Inc. 500/5000 list, has seen explosive growth creating over $100 million in sales in the first seven months of 2012. It Works! hit this anticipated annual sales target five months earlier than expected and has seen a booming 400% growth rate in 2012. The company is currently writing checks to over 29,000 Independent Distributors and was also featured in the April 2012 Edition of Success From Home Magazine. They are a leading force in the industry with their first-to-market ...