Malcolm Woodhouse-Alexander Killed in Shooting at Bar and Grill in Alton, IL. Security Negligence?

This month marks the anniversary of Alexander Hamilton’s fateful duel with Vice President Aaron Burr. One life cut short and another ruined because two of the leading lawyers of their day decided to settle their differences by violence instead of talking things out.  Why bring this up in a blog about divorce? Because when a relationship breaks down, some people still reach for the 21st-century equivalent of a dueling pistol: a lawyer whose goal is to turn every case into a cage match. But for many high-asset couples in New Mexico—especially business owners and professionals like doctors, dentists, accountants, and lawyers—there’s a better way forward. Mediation and collaborative law offer smart, strategic alternatives to courtroom conflict, and Attorney Bob Matteucci is working with a growing number of Albuquerque area couples who appreciate this.  Mediation: A Neutral Ground for Settlement If litigation is like a duel, mediation is…

Navigating a workers’ compensation claim after a long-term or permanent disability can be overwhelming, especially when recovering physically and financially. In Minnesota, injured workers are entitled to medical coverage, wage replacement, and disability compensation through the state’s workers’ compensation system. The process, however, involves strict deadlines, medical evaluations, and legal steps that can quickly get complicated. This article simplifies managing a workers’ comp claim for serious injuries in Minnesota, helping you understand your rights and pursue the benefits you deserve. Types of Benefits Available Workers’ compensation benefits are designed to help injured employees cover necessary expenses while they are unable to work. These benefits typically include: Medical care: This includes doctor visits, hospital stays, medication, physical therapy, surgeries, and other necessary treatments related to the work-related injury or…

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recently detained and deported crew members from a cruise ship operated by Victory Cruise Lines. I was first contacted three days ago by a cruise passenger who communicated with four crew members who informed him that CBP officers boarded the Victory I cruise ship while it was docked at the Detroit River dock in Detroit. CBP detained nine crew members, accusing some of the ship employees of possessing child pornography. The CBP officers then departed the cruise ship with the crew members with the intent to deport them. All of these crew members held valid C1/D seaman visas permitting them to be employed on cruise ships calling on U.S. ports. The affected crew members were largely employed in the ship’s housekeeping department. None of the detained crew members were provided with access to legal counsel before they were detained and deported. The Facebook page @CrimeInTheD first reported on the incident to mostly readers who…

When Your Ex Tries to Hide Income: A Dallas Divorce Lawyer’s Guide to Child Support Modification Going through a divorce is never easy, and the challenges don’t always end when the decree is finalized. If you’re dealing with an ex-spouse who has stopped paying child support or claims they can’t afford their court-ordered payments, you’re not alone. As an experienced Dallas divorce lawyer with over 25 years of practice, I’ve seen countless cases where parents attempt to manipulate the system to avoid their financial responsibilities to their children. A recent Texas Court of Appeals case, Interest of A.E.C., provides valuable insights into how courts handle situations where a parent voluntarily reduces their income to avoid child support obligations. This case demonstrates the importance of having skilled legal representation when dealing with complex child support modification issues. Understanding the A.E.C. Case: When a Parent Chooses…

In a city as dynamic and diverse as New York, disability accommodations in the workplace are more than a compliance issue—they’re a matter of fairness, inclusion, and legal responsibility. Whether you’re an employee requesting support or an employer unsure how to respond, understanding your rights and obligations is key. This guide breaks down what the law requires, how the process should work, and how a skilled employment lawyer can guide both sides. What the Law Says: ADA vs. NYC Human Rights Law Employees with disabilities are protected under both federal and city law, but NYC takes it a step further. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to employers with 15 or more employees. It prohibits discrimination and requires reasonable accommodations for qualified employees with disabilities, so long as the request doesn’t create an undue hardship for the business. New York City’s Human Rights Law, however, applies to…

[The passing of a legal giant.] Harvard law professor Richard Fallon passed away Sunday. He was an incredibly important and influential scholar and thinker. He was 73. The Harvard Crimson reports: A leading scholar in constitutional law, Fallon was widely regarded for his insightful, prolific academic output and his commitment to thoughtful debate. He has written extensively about the Supreme Court and constitutional interpretation, tackling how the more than 200-year-old document applies to the country today. In 2021, he was nominated to the Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court of the United States, a committee established by then-President Joe Biden to investigate legal questions and possible reforms to the Supreme Court. "HLS can be grateful for the more than forty years in which Professor Fallon wrote, taught, mentored, counseled, and led with extraordinary distinction," Goldberg wrote in the Monday announcement of Fallon's death. "His passing…

The Internal Revenue Service (“IRS’) is updating the mortality tables used for defined benefit plans and determining minimum present values for annuity distributions. Notice 2025-40 specifies updated static mortality tables to be used for defined benefit pension plans under § 430(h)(3)(A) of the Code and section 303(h)(3)(A) of ERISA. This notice also specifies a mortality table for use in determining minimum present value under § 417(e)(3) of the Code and section 205(g)(3) of ERISA for distributions with annuity starting dates that occur during stability periods beginning in the 2026 calendar year. The Notice is scheduled for publication in IRB: 2025-31, dated July 28, 2025. For More Information Or Help We hope this update is helpful. For more information about these or other health or other employee benefits, human resources, or health care developments, please contact the author, Cynthia Marcotte Stamer, via e-mail or…

Ran Hirschl (University of Toronto) has posted Comparative Constitutional Inquiry: The North American Angle on SSRN. Here is the abstract: In this article, I reflect on the state of comparative constitutional inquiry from a North American perspective. I begin by addressing the global expansion of constitutions and constitutional jurisprudence, and the corresponding rise of comparative constitutional studies-a distinctly cross-disciplinary area of inquiry that transcends the traditional disciplinary divide between the legal and social scientific study of constitutionalism across time and place. I then proceed to evaluate the increasingly diverging trends in the United States' and Canada's constitutional paths over the last few decades and the possible lessons that these differing patterns may offer for comparative constitutional theory. To that end, I examine from a comparative perspective (i) patterns of democratic backsliding and constitutional retrogression in…

The Supreme Court on Monday allowed the Trump administration to proceed with mass layoffs at the Education Department while legal challenges continue. The court granted the administration’s request to lift a lower court injunction that had blocked the firing of more than 2,000 department employees—roughly half the agency’s workforce. Education Secretary Linda McMahon ordered the cuts in March as part of what has been branded the department’s “final mission.” In the order’s immediate aftermath, 20 states, the District of Columbia, and a group of school districts and unions had sued, arguing the layoffs violated constitutional separation of powers by effectively dismantling a department that only Congress can abolish. In May, the US District Court for Massachusetts granted a preliminary injunction, ordering the department to reinstate the fired employees and halt implementation of the reduction-in-force. Judge Joun found that the…

Buying or selling a business is a major transaction that requires careful planning, clear communication, and proper legal documentation. While most people focus on the final Share Purchase Agreement (SPA) or Asset Purchase Agreement (APA), an often overlooked but critical first step is the Letter of Intent (LOI), which lays the groundwork before the SPA or APA is prepared. The LOI acts as a roadmap for the transaction. It sets out the key terms that the buyer and seller have agreed to in principle and creates a structured path for due diligence, negotiation, and ultimately, the drafting of the definitive purchase agreement. Though usually non-binding, the LOI is instrumental in laying the foundation for a smooth and efficient deal process. Why the LOI Matters A well-crafted LOI does more than just outline a handshake deal. It brings structure, reduces uncertainty, and helps both parties assess whether moving forward is worth the time and cost. Here are the key…

Security Failure? Derrick Maye Shooting Goldsboro. We have over 25 years of experience representing victims of security failures across the United States, and we have recovered nearly $250 million dollars for our Clients.  Read Our Legal Take below to find out what legal options are available to the family of Derrick Maye. Derrick Maye Killed in Goldsboro, NC Restaurant Parking Lot Shooting. (Stock Photo: MurrayLegal.com) Goldsboro, NC – Gunfire rang out at a restaurant parking lot early Sunday morning, July 13, 2025, claiming the life of one man. As reported by WRAL.com, “[a]round 3:15 a.m., officers with the Goldsboro Police Department responded to a shooting in the parking lot of Summer Nights, a Dominican-style restaurant at 2205-B E. Ash St.” WITN.com is reporting, “[w]hen they arrived, officers found 39-year-old Derrick Maye suffering from gunshot wounds. Police say Maye was transported by EMS to UNC Health Wayne, where he [was…

On June 30, 2025, Governor Newsom signed AB 130 and SB 131 into immediately effective law as budget trailer bills, marking a historic effort to accelerate housing production and to reform the CEQA review process that has been stifling housing and other essential projects across California. These landmark laws effect substantial changes intended to streamline the approval process for infill housing and essential infrastructure projects by establishing clearer timelines, reducing procedural hurdles, and expanding CEQA exemptions tailored to support sustainable development. While AB 130 largely focuses on improving and clarifying the entitlement process for housing projects, SB 131 adds CEQA exemptions and streamlining for a diverse set of projects and actions. A brief analysis of some key aspects of these important new laws follows below: Assembly Bill 130 New Statutory Exemption for Infill Housing Development Projects up to 20 Acres AB 130 enacts a new CEQA…

The Supreme Court’s recent decision in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton did not end the legal debate over age-verification mandates for websites. Instead, it’s a limited decision: the court’s legal reasoning only applies to age restrictions on sexual materials that minors do not have a legal right to access. Although the ruling reverses decades of First Amendment protections for adults to access lawful speech online, the decision does not allow states or the federal government to impose broader age-verification mandates on social media, general audience websites, or app stores. At EFF, we continue to fight age-verification mandates in the many other contexts in which we see them throughout the country and the world. These “age gates” remain a threat to the free speech and privacy rights of both adults and minors. Importantly, the Supreme Court’s decision does not approve of age gates when they are imposed on speech that is legal for minors and…

When a crash happens, everything moves fast. You might be scared, hurt, or unsure what to do next. First, make sure everyone is safe. Call 911 to report the accident and ask for help. Even if you feel okay, let the medics check you. Some injuries take time to show. If you’re safe and can move around, take photos of the crash. Get pictures of the cars, the road, and anything that might help tell the story. This proof could be key later. Try to get names and numbers of any witnesses. Their stories might back yours up when it counts. Watch What You Say After a crash, it’s normal to say things like “I’m sorry.” But in legal cases, those words can be twisted to sound like you’re admitting fault. Instead, stick to the facts when talking to the other driver, police, or insurance companies. Share what happened without guessing or blaming. Let the truth speak for itself. And never agree to take blame or sign anything from an insurance company without…

A new study from LexisNexis confirms what many have suspected: in-house counsel are increasingly relying on GenAI tools and large language models (LLMs). And that use?  It’s probably the lowest it will ever be. That’s something outside counsel need to be thinking long and hard about. The study, titled The Total Economic Impact™ of Lexis+ AI for Corporate Legal Departments, was conducted for LexisNexis by Forrester Consulting. Forrester interviewed four decision-makers who had used LexisNexis GenAI tools and then constructed a composite organization to illustrate the potential savings in-house legal teams might achieve with the tools, which I guess it did. What Caught My Eye But that’s not what caught my eye. Here is what did: ·      Organizations are still struggling to identify GenAI solutions that meet both their business objectives and security/governance requirements. …

Robert “Bob” C. Josefsberg, a revered trial attorney, mentor, and pillar of the South Florida legal community, passed away in Coral Gables, Florida, while doing what he loved. He was a devoted and loving husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Bob lived a life grounded in purpose, compassion, and justice. He was described as a “true litigation hero” by his peers. “Bob was my very close friend for over 60 years. I practiced law with him for 40 years. He was loved by everybody, he was a great friend, and he can never be replaced,” said Aaron Podhurst, Founding Partner of Podhurst Orseck. A proud graduate of Dartmouth College and Yale Law School, he went on to shape the legal landscape of South Florida and beyond. He was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1962 and to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1970. Bob devoted more than four decades of his life to Podhurst Orseck, where he served as a senior partner and…

Since we first wrote about the emergence of generative artificial intelligence (“AI”) tools back in February 2023, their capabilities have increased in leaps and bounds. A report from KPMG indicates that generative AI reached the point of “mass adoption” in Canadian workplaces by November 2024. At that time, KPMG found nearly half (46%) of all workers were using AI tools as part of their jobs. These adoption rates have surely only increased in 2025.Lawyers, paralegals, courts, and tribunals have been somewhat late adopters when it comes to generative AI. Part of this is simply reflective of the conservative and risk-adverse nature of the legal industry. But very real concerns with respect to data protection, intellectual property rights, client confidentiality, and the reliability of AI tools have also warranted a valid degree of caution. The Risks of Using Generative AI for Legal WorkI have made a practice of periodically exploring different AI tools…

The Court of Appeals rarely vacates a federal criminal conviction. Many of the judges worked for the U.S. Attorney's Office before ascending to the bench, and they know the feds are meticulous and rarely lose their cases. This prosecution is different, and the Court vacates the conviction, which said the defendant had conspired to prevent people from voting in the 2016 election by tweeting false advice to Hillary Clinton voters about voting by text message, a tactic intended to suppress voter turnout so the defendant's preferring candidate, Donald Trump, could win the election.The case is United States v. Mackey, issued on July 9. You know that you can't vote by text message, right? Some people don't know that. The decision illustrates defendant's tactics, portraying this guy, a 24-year-old whose avatar draws from Charlie Sheen's character in the movie Major League, as a self-described Internet troll and "shitposter" who tweeted hundreds…