| Volume 72 Number 8 |
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The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
Always use a credit card when shopping online or by mail. Federal law allows you to refuse to pay the credit card bill if the goods are never delivered. Click here for more.
Two Debt Collectors Banned from Industry
As a result of FTC action taken against debt collection firm Rumson, Bolling & Associates, two men are barred from the debt collection industry and must pay out over $1 million. The settlement stems from a complaint that alleged the "defendants harassed and abused consumers by threatening physical harm and death to them and their pets, threatening to desecrate the bodies of deceased relatives, and using obscene and profane language." The defendants were also charged with misrepresenting services to, and stealing money from, their clients. To read about the settlement, Click here for more.
TDI Gets “F” on Public Integrity Scorecard
According to the State Integrity Investigation, the Texas Department of Insurance scored an "F" on its corruption scorecard. According to the report, the Texas Department of Insurance is highly susceptible to political interference and is the subject of numerous conflicts of interest. The Texas Department of Insurance regulates all Texas-based insurance companies and insurance companies that conduct business in the State of Texas. To read the report, Click here for more.
Your Money
Home equity loan v. line of credit? Click here for more.
For the Lawyers
At-will employee waived right to jury. The Texas Supreme Court held that an employer could enforce a jury waiver against an at-will employee who signed the agreement under threat of being fired. The court stated, “we agree that a jury waiver agreement that is coerced is invalid, we disagree that Frank Kent’s threat to exercise a legal right amounts to coercion that would invalidate the Jury Trial Waiver, and conditionally grant mandamus relief. We hold that Valdez did not allege coercion in such a way that would invalidate the Jury Trial Waiver since an at-will employer’s threat to exercise its legal right to terminate an employee cannot amount to coercion that invalidates a jury waiver agreement.” Click here for more.