Types of Child Custody

If a marriage with children is legally ended by divorce, access, time and legal responsibility for the children – ‘custody’ – must be decided. Custody arrangements include physical custody, parental visitation rights, and legal custody. ....

What is a Limited Liability Corporation?

In US law, corporations are organizations authorized to act as a legal entity. US law also recognizes another legal status for a company, called a ‘limited liability corporation’, or LLC for short. LLCs are not separate legal entities like regular...

Intellectual Property Basics

These comparisons to board games might help you understand patents, trademarks and copyright – the main forms of intellectual property. Imagine a game rule that says, you can make up a new rule. If the banker allows the rule, you get exclusive use it for 20...

What is an S Corporation?

In US law, corporations are organizations authorized to act as a legal entity. US and state tax laws allow a special ‘S Corporation’ tax status that changes how corporate taxes are handled. The government taxes regular ‘C’ corporations directly...

Understanding Tenant Rights

Renting home or business space from an owner comes with legal rights and responsibilities. The landlord can’t do ‘anything they want’, and neither can the tenant. Federal, state and local laws all apply. Under the Federal Fair Housing Act, tenant...

Landlord Rights & Responsibilities

A landlord owns property that is rented or leased to someone else – the ‘tenant’ or ‘lessee.’ Both responsibilities and rights for landlords are defined by law – usually state and local codes in the US. Responsibilities for...

Eviction Rights and Rules

The conditions and steps involved in a landlord forcing a tenant to leave a rented property – ‘eviction’ – are defined by state and local laws. As both landlord and tenants have legal rights, eviction requires methodical and documented steps....

Rental Application Rights

A landlord renting a property has rights in selecting a tenant. Tenants also have rights about the factors that can be considered in selection. While most landlord-tenant issues are governed by states and localities, Federal fair housing laws apply to tenant...

What is Litigation?

In US law, one party can bring a lawsuit against another party in court. In civil cases, the party bringing the suit — called the plaintiff — generally claims to have incurred loss through actions of the other party – the defendant. In criminal...

Rent-To-Own Agreements

Picture this agreement between two players in a board game: ‘If you land on my property 10 times, pay $5 more each time, and then you can buy it for $200.’ The first player still owns the property for those 10 turns, but the second player has secured a set...