My Civil Advocate

Fact is, most people don't even know their rights if they're pulled over! Here's a quick list of the most important rights you need to know and how the conversation may go if you are pulled over: "Do you know why I pulled you over?" It's typically the first thing you'll hear. It's also deliberately designed to get you to admit to certain behavior. Be polite and simply ask, "Why do you ask?" and then wait for a response. Do not comment. That phrase "anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law" is truer than you'll ever know, trust us. "Have you had anything to drink tonight? " If you truthfully have had nothing to drink that night, say, "No." If you've had something to drink, you don't have to share that information! Telling the officer that you've been drinking will be evidence used against you. Instead, say, "I have no statement to make." While it may seem u

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commision (CPSC) had issued an important alert urging consumers to immediately stop using the LayZ Board self-balancing scooters (known as hoverboards). The CPSC has evidence that the LayZ Board was the hoverboard involved in the tragic fire on March 10, 2017, in Harrisburg, PA, which took the lives of two young girls. Numerous other fires have occurred in recent years as a result of the lithium-ion batteries in hoverboards, although this is the first fire that is believed to have directly led to fatalities. The LayZ Board hoverboards were manufactured in Shenzhen, China, and more than 3,000 units were imported into the United States. Due to the fire hazard posed to consumers of all ages by these hoverboards, the CPSC is urging the public to stop charging and stop using their LayZ Board. Consumers who choose to dispose of their hoverboards should take them to a local recycling center for safe handling of the lithium-ion battery. The CPSC is also

Familiar symptoms of Alzheimer's disease and dementia include memory loss; inability to follow or continue with a conversation; a decline in exercising good judgment; confusion as to what day, month, season, or year it is; and social withdrawal. But a recent study points to a warning sign that precedes all these symptoms, to the surprise of many. According to research published in the journal of Alzheimer's disease, navigational issues may crop up before memory loss, and well before a clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's is made. Participants in the study were asked to navigate a virtual maze on a computer, using various patterns and landmarks to find their way around. The study consisted of a control group of healthy subjects and a group who had preclinical alzheimer's - they had a few markers but weren't clinically diagnosed. The preclinical Alzheimer's test subject had far greater difficulty assessing, mapping, and navigating their virtual environment th

Overbooking is standard practice across the airline industry. Airlines want planes as full as allowable upon takeoff. They also know there will likely be no-shows, therefore they overbook. Unsurprisingly, overbooking sometimes leads to would-be passengers getting bumped from flights. It may also happen if a plane is too heavy, or to make room for an air marshal or relocate staff (reminiscent of the infamous United Airlines incident). The Department of Transportation requires that airlines first ask for volunteers to switch flights. Airlines will generally offer incentives such as a travel voucher or a future flight or a gift card. If you feel the offer is worth the inconvenience, go for it. Once an offer is accepted, however, you can't come back later and ask for more. If there are no volunteers, the airline will choose who gets the heave-ho according to their own "bumping" policies - but federal rules kick in at that point. Exceptions are frequently those with disabi

A job opportunity, education, military duty, marriage, and a change of scenery are among the reasons why people relocate. However, when children from a previous relationship are involved, it's not a simple matter. A move can have a significant impact on the child as well as the visitation rights of the noncustodial parent. A custodial parent needs to be familiar with possible travel restrictions in their divorce or child-custody agreement, and with state law, before contemplating a relocation. Although laws differ form state to state, frequently, the custodial parent must notify the noncustodial parent of their intention to move. It is incumbent upon the noncustodial parent to file an objection with the court if they are not on board with the relocation. They may also seek a change in the custody agreement. It's a very serious matter when a custodial parent does not abide by the agreements stipulated in the divorce/child-custody decree or state law concerning a move. They r

We figured it might be helpful to produce a short article that summarizes the key differences among different types of custody. Full custody: this means that one parent is granted the majority of custody time and legal rights for the child. Joint custody: in this situation, the parents can split the physical custody of the child, and then have just one of the parents handle the legal custody (and, as a result, make any major decisions on behalf of the child). More common is to have parents share legal custody and then have one parent awarded physical custody. True joint custody arrangements, in which parents share both physical and legal custody equally, tend to be rare because of the logistical and personal issues involved (scheduling, added stress, disruption of the child's routine, costs, etc.) Sole custody: this means that one parent is awarded full legal and physical custody. These arrangements are rare, and are typically only set up if one parent is deemed unfit or wh