| Volume 81 Number 3 |
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The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
If you buy a new car you have three days to change your mind, right? Wrong! Unless you have were misled, deceived, or otherwise tricked into signing the contract, once you sign you are bound. If you are not sure, don't sign.
For more general information about the law, check out my website. Click here for more.
Cable Bills Set to Increase With New Fee
In 1994, the Federal Communications Commission implemented rules that prohibited cable providers from "scrambling" basic cable channels. Most consumers could simply plug a cable from the wall into their television and receive the basic channels. On Monday (today), a new rule will take effect that will eliminate the limitations on scrambling channels. As a result, more consumers will likely be required to rent cable boxes from their cable company in order to decrypt basic channels. In creating the new rule, the FCC acknowledged a potential negative impact on consumers. For a high definition box, consumers could pay around $10 extra per box, per month for basic coverage. Click here for more.
Consumers Facing Lawsuits Over Reviews
Have you ever visited a site like Yelp, Google, TripAdvisor, to write a review about your purchase and experience of a particular good or service? A Virginia resident recently did just that after she claimed a DC firm completed "shoddy work" on her home. She rated the DC firm a "1" (the lowest rating) and gave a scathing review. The contractor countered by filing a $750,000 Internet defamation lawsuit against the Virginia resident, claiming the statements were false and drove away potential customers.
Could you be sued next time you write a review? Be careful! As long as you tell the truth, you will have the ultimate defense to a defamation lawsuit (which requires a such a statement to be false). Click here for more.
Battle Over Fiscal Cliff Continues
The struggle to avoid the "fiscal cliff" is heating up. For each day that passes without a deal, the nation moves one step closer to financial chaos. As the deadline approaches, republicans and democrats are digging in. With democrats aiming for a tax increase on the wealthiest Americans, republicans are pushing for significant cuts and other changes to numerous entitlement programs. How could the debate over entitlement reform change the tenor of the "fiscal cliff" negotiations? Click here for more.
Your Money
Mortgage points adviser: Which rate/points combination is best for you? Click here for more.
For the Lawyers
Rented condominium fees qualify as “debt” under FDCPA. The Sixth Circuit held that an assessment owed to a condominium association qualifies as a "debt" under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act where the owner bought the property for his personal use and now leases it. Click here for more.