Copyright law exists to encourage the creation of works by providing individuals with exclusive rights to their works of authorship. It affects your ability to use someone else’s work, including software code, paintings, photographs, music, or writings, without seeking explicit permission from them. Doing so would be tantamount to copyright infringement, resulting in the copyright owner or federal prosecutors pursuing …
Is Corporate Espionage Illegal?
One of the earliest reported cases of industrial espionage dates back to 1712 in Jingdezhen, China. A French priest, François Xavier d’Entrecolles, learned about the Chinese methods of manufacturing porcelain and took this discovery back to Europe. Fast-forward to the 20th century, and economic espionage cases between the East and the West dominated the world stage. Industrial espionage by the …
How Do I Obtain a Work Visa in the US?
If you are a non-US citizen looking for US-based work or you’ve received a job offer that requires you to relocate to the United States, it is entirely likely that your employer won’t be able to sponsor you for a Green Card – not right away, anyway. You would need to obtain a temporary nonimmigrant visa before you can take …
How to Set Up a Gun Trust
If you’re a gun owner, you’re likely familiar with all the benefits that come with setting up a gun trust. These are special kinds of trusts designed to hold ownership of firearms. They are subject to strict state and federal oversight and can include other types of weapons. To learn more about what a gun trust actually is, you can …
Get Paid for Reporting PPP Loan Fraud
In July 2021, 22 people were arraigned in court on charges of engaging in fraudulent schemes to acquire more than $11 million in loans from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The individuals used the loan proceeds to purchase jewelry, luxury vehicles, and other personal items. According to court documents, the defendants submitted or aided in submitting loan applications on behalf …
Can Your Employer Require a COVID Vaccine?
The coronavirus pandemic has had an undeniable impact on almost every facet of life, both in the country and around the globe. The good news is – things are changing for the better, with the COVID-19 vaccine promising to restore some semblance of normalcy in everyday life. As great as that prospect may be, many people are still skeptical about …
What Is ERCOT – The Texas Power Grid Explained
ERCOT has come under fire in recent months for the mass power outage experienced in several parts of Texas earlier in the year. According to the grid operator, this widespread outage was attributed to a surge in demand for electricity that resulted from the extreme weather conditions witnessed in the weeks leading up to the blackouts. What is ERCOT, and …
Can Gun Manufacturers Be Sued?
Nearly every sector of the American economy could potentially face civil and product liability lawsuits if they’re found culpable. This has been used as a way to keep irresponsible manufacturers and rogue retailers in check. As with all things, however, there is an exception to that all-important rule, and that’s the gun industry. In 2005, Congress enacted the Protection of …
How Long Is a Builder Liable for His Work?
You’ve recently moved into your new home. Your local municipality, city, or town had a building inspector check that everything was built to code before issuing a certificate of occupancy. As far as you were concerned, that meant your new home was safe for occupation at the very minimum. Unfortunately, this may not always be the case. An inspection certificate …
Who Is Liable In a Drilling Rig Accident?
If you make your living working on an offshore oil rig, you know it ranks among one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. The constant exposure to highly combustible materials, alongside the proximity of heavy equipment and slippery decks, means that the risk of serious and often life-threatening accidents is significantly higher compared to other occupations. One of …