Welcome to USLegal’s July Newsletter. In June, we introduced an exciting new program: Build USLegal. Having received many responses at our Build USLegal contact link (provided below), we’re reiterating that announcement in this month’s Newsletter. Also out of the pipeline are two Construction Lien Packages, with state-specific forms for your state. Read on for details.
At USLegal, customer satisfaction is our greatest asset and goal. If we’ve made your legal life easier, please tell your friends and family about us. If you have a routine legal need, make us your first stop. And now, our news:
Build USLegal: Host and Manage Your Legal Content with Us
Do YOU want to grow your on-line income, or create income where none exists? USLegal receives millions of page views monthly. If you maintain a legal content website, you can join the USLegal network to vastly increase your traffic and make commissions from Google AdSense ads and (where applicable) our products placed on your pages.
You’ll manage your specific legal content on USLegal, which can include a complete sub-domain of USLegal you control, making money from the revenue generated. We can host your domain, or if it needs to remain on your servers we will point a sub- domain to your server for you to operate. In this case, your site would be redirected on your server to YOURNAME.uslegal.com.
We’re also searching for legal Authors, Subject Matter Specialists, Publishers, CLE Providers, and Legal Forms Databases. If you have written legal subject matter or form books, articles or seminar materials, learn how to leverage the power of USLegal to turn the works into continuing revenue. If you are a specialist in your field, manage content within your area of specialty and earn income on a continuing basis. If you have developed a form database for your firm and would like to sell the database, let us know.
Join USLegal and help us continue to make USLegal the premier destination for legal information, products and services - and make money! To contact us about Build USLegal, and for more information on the program, click here.
Construction Lien VALUE PACKAGES Rolling Out
In previous months, we’ve highlighted our new and improved set of state-specific construction lien forms for both contractors and individuals seeking to avoid, remove or satisfy construction liens. We said value packages were on the way, and the first two have emerged from our development pipeline. These packages — one for individuals and one for corporations/LLCs — both contain forms and instructions for contractors seeking to establish and enforce construction liens. State-specific forms are provided for your state. To review our new packages, click here, then select your state from the pull-down menu.
Featured Product of the Month
* Last Will and Testament *
Protect your Heirs with a valid Will. Last Will and Testaments are essential for everyone. A state-specific Last Will and Testament form from USLegalForms, with instructions for people with children, without children, divorced individuals, married couples, singles, widows, widowers and others - is just a click away. Mutual Wills and Wills with trusts for minor children are also available. Go to our Last Will and Testament page to hear radio host Dave Ramsey’s recommendation.
Legal News In Brief
We track breaking legal news at the USLegal Reporter. Check in regularly to stay updated on top national legal stories. These are some of the items of interest we’ve spotted in the last month:
Rhode Island Passes Law Allowing Growing and Selling of Marijuana
In defiance of federal law, Rhode Island is on track to have marijuana crops legally cultivated and distributed as early as next fall. New Mexico also has a state-sanctioned program for distributing marijuana to medical patients, but has yet to issue any permits since the law’s passage in 2007. California has had legislation governing medical marijuana use for the past 13 years. The Obama administration has taken a more lenient position toward a state’s ability to pass medical marijuana legislation. Attorney General Holder indicated in February that the DEA is no longer going to target and harass state compliant medical cannabis providers in states that adopt medical cannabis laws. Also, the executive branch issued a memorandum, entitled “Pre-emption”, to all federal agency heads, in effect instructing them to no longer oppose states seeking greater autonomy to pass laws that may possibly be in conflict with federal laws, and to only oppose them if there is a positive conflict with federal laws resulting in genuine risks to national security.
Madoff Sentenced to 150 Years
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge Denny Chin gave Bernard Madoff the maximum sentence of 150 years for 11 counts of securities fraud. Madoff has pled guilty to the charges involving a multi-billion dollar Ponzi scheme. In court, Madoff made a statement apologizing to his victims. Chin issued a restraining order on more than $100 million in Madoff’s assets in April to prevent them from going into bankruptcy. A federal bankruptcy judge was also appointed as an interim trustee to manage Madoff’s assets ahead of legal action by victimized investors. In February, Madoff agreed to a partial judgment with the SEC. The SEC had brought civil charges to get a preliminary injunction and asset freeze against him.
U.S. District Court Rules Against NYC Green Taxi Laws
U.S. District Court Judge Paul A. Crotty ruled that New York City’s attempts to force taxicab owners to buy fuel-efficient hybrid taxicabs were preempted by federal law. While the judge praised the city’s efforts, he cautioned against interfering with the exclusive jurisdiction of Congress to legislate mileage and emissions standards. Last October, regulations requiring taxicabs to be fuel- efficient by 2012 were also invalidated due to being pre-empted by federal jurisdiction. The latest attempt by the city would have allowed cab companies to charge higher rental rates to drivers of hybrid cars, while rental rates would decrease over two years for companies with gas-guzzling taxis.
Check out controversial legal issues of all stripes with us at the USLegal Blog. Register and voice your opinion in the comments section. Our new article on the Supreme Court’s recent 5-4 decision in Caperton v. Massey was posted June 26th. Let us know what you think.
Have a Legal Question? Ask a Lawyer
If you want to find out more information about a certain area of law, consider USLegal’s Ask a Lawyer service. The service enables you to submit your question to a lawyer who will provide you with legal information.
The charge for this service is $15.95 per question.
Legal advice is not provided. If your question cannot be answered without providing legal advice, you will not be charged. In the event you desire to retain an attorney, you will be provided with sources for choosing an attorney for you to consider.
Law and Legal Definitions
Home Office Law
A home office is a space within an individual’s personal residence that is used for business purposes. It may be a corner of a spare bedroom equipped with nothing more than a desk. Or, it could be one whole floor of a house filled with the latest in computer and communications devices. Whatever its size and composition, however, the home office is increasingly common in American business today. A majority of the estimated 40 million Americans who work from their homes are self-employed small business owners. In addition, many professionals maintain two offices, and a growing number are equipping their home computers with modems that allow them access to their office computer files. Many large corporations are also expanding experiments in “telecommuting,” which enables employees to work from home, using modem-equipped computers, just as they would in the office.
Establishing a home office involves a number of important considerations. For example, individuals interested in working out of their homes must gather information on local zoning restrictions, find and set aside an appropriate work area, and gain the support of family and neighbors for the home office. Other considerations include whether the home office will offer sufficient privacy, will be convenient for customers and vendors, and will provide room for future expansion and growth. The expense involved in furnishing a home office and purchasing necessary computers, office supplies, and other equipment is another factor to consider.
The use of part of a home as a business office may enable an individual to qualify for tax deductions. The “home office deduction” allows individuals who meet certain criteria to deduct a portion of mortgage interest or rent, depreciation of the space used as an office, utility bills, home insurance costs, and cleaning, repairs, and security costs from their federal income taxes. Although the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has set strict regulations about who qualifies for the deduction, about 1.6 million people claim the deduction each year. According to Gloria Gibbs Marullo in an article for Nation’s Business, the savings can be considerable: a sole proprietor living in a $150,000 home stands to save about $2,500 in actual taxes annually.
For additional information on Tax Deduction, Other Considerations, and a Bibliography of related materials, read our full entry on Home Offices.
For more legal definitions, please visit USLegal’s free online legal dictionary.
