| Volume 67 Number 10 |
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The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
The Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act requires full disclosure by sellers. If a seller intentionally withholds material information, he could be responsible for three times the consumer's damages, plus court costs and attorney's fees. Click here for more.
Always Shred Sensitive Documents
Do you own a shredder? If not, its probably time to buy one. If you throw away documents with sensitive information, you may be costing yourself a lot more than the price of a decent shredder. Identity theft affects 11 million people per year at a cost of $54 billion. So how is your information getting out? As strange as it may sound, people actually dig through garbage to steal personal information. Tax returns, credit card offers, bank statements, old ID cards, pay stubs, canceled checks, and canceled credit cards should not be thrown away without being destroyed. With a good cross-cut shredder, you can save yourself a major headache, and possibly a lot of money. Click here for more.
Five Tips for the Appliance Store
The holiday season is fast approaching and many consumers are getting ready to open their walets. Before you go to the appliance store, be aware of some very important tips. Extended warranties generally aren't worth the money, price is always negotiable, and "Energy Star" doesn't mean energy savings. If you aren't sure whether you're getting a good deal, check the internet first. Many small appliances are much less expensive online, and sites looking to generate sales may offer additional savings through free shipping or discount coupons. For five tips to review before your next appliance purchase, Click here for more.
Myth Buster: The Truth About Food
Have you found yourself caught up in nutritional labels? "This has too much cholesterol!" "This has too many carbs!" "This meat has way too much fat!" If this sounds like your inner dialog during a typical grocery run, it may be time to step back and take a broader look at what you're eating. Why? Not all fat will make you "fat." Not all cholesterol is "bad." And, unless you're diabetic, you may be over-thinking the whole "carb" thing. Check out these eight food myths to make sure you're better informed next time you glance at a nutritional label! Click here for more.
Your Money
What are the tax savings generated by your mortgage? Click here for more.
For the Lawyers
Bankruptcy lawyer fined for “unreasonable reliance” on information provided by client. The Third Circuit held that a bankruptcy attorney could be sanctioned for relying on statements by its client. The court explained that “a reasonable attorney would not file a motion for relief from stay for cause without inquiring of the client whether it had any information relevant to the alleged cause, that is, the debtor’s failure to make payments. Had [the lawyer] made even that most minimal of inquiries, [the bank] presumably would have provided her with the information in its files concerning the flood insurance dispute, and [the lawyer] could have included that information in her motion for relief from stay – or, perhaps, advised the client that seeking such a motion would be inappropriate under the circumstances.” Click here for more.