| Volume 68 Number 5 |
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The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
Do you have a dispute with your landlord? Whatever you do, don't withhold your rent. If you do, you may lose your legal rights. Instead, follow the appropriate rules under the Texas Property Code. Always send communication by certified mail with return receipt. For more information on landlord / tenant disputes, Click here for more.
Black Friday is Two Weeks Away
The biggest shopping day of the year is only two weeks away. Many consumers like to hit the stores the day after Thanksgiving to take advantage of big savings offered by many retail stores. Want to plan out your Black Friday shopping day before Thanksgiving? This Black Friday website posts some ads early. Want to get a sneak peek at this year's deals? Click here for more.
Foreclosures on the Rise (Again)
For much of the year, paperwork problems held up new foreclosure filings. Now that many banks have ironed out new procedures, foreclosure rates are again on the rise. Foreclosure filings increased by 7% since the end of the September. Filings still remain more than 30% lower than last year. Is the housing market poised for a comeback, or another crash? Click here for more.
Internet Sales Tax Bill Introduced
A bipartisan group of senators have introduced The Marketplace Fairness Act, a bill that would require all but the smallest online merchants to collect sales-tax. Under current law, states can't force online merchants to collect sales-tax unless the company has a physical presence in the state. What does this bill mean for Amazon? What does it mean for eBay sellers? Click here for more.
Your Money
Compare taxable, tax-deferred and tax-free investment growth. Click here for more.
For the Lawyers
Business cannot sue Better Business Bureau over unfavorable rating. The Missouri Court of Appeals held that a business does not have a claim against the BBB based on a “C” rating. The court stated, “Moreover, … the BBB’s ‘C’ rating of Castle Rock is not sufficiently factual to be susceptible of being proved true or false. Although one may disagree with the BBB’s evaluation of the underlying objective facts, the rating itself cannot be proved true or false. Therefore, the rating is protected as opinion under the First Amendment.” Click here for more.