| Volume 83 Number 8 |
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The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
In today’s economy, more and more people are having trouble keeping up with their bills. This video provides help managing your finances, and explains how knowing the law can give you the flexibility you need to deal with creditors and debt collectors.
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Leaked Immigration Plan Sparks Debate
Politics are tricky. Congressional leaders spend hours debating legislation trying to "get it right" while maintaining their principles and representing the interests of their constituents. Unfortunately, not everyone can get their way. As dramatized in the popular new Netflix series House of Cards, the path to the end result can bend and break in unusual ways.
Over the weekend, a draft immigration bill accidentally leaked out of the White House. Under the proposal, the government would create a path for illegal immigrants to become residents in eight years, create an immigrant visa program, and boost border security with additional funding.
Congress, however, has been working diligently on a bipartisan plan of its own. As a result, republican leaders took swift action to criticize the leaked proposal.
Is comprehensive immigration reform on the way? Will the leak be a setback, or push legislators to work harder on a comprehensive bipartisan solution?
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Fuel Leak to Blame in Carnival Ship Fire
According to the Coast Guard, a fuel leak caused the engine fire that crippled the Carnival cruise ship "Triumph" in the Gulf of Mexico. The aftermath of the fire left thousands stranded at sea for days as passengers battled horrible conditions on board the vessel. A full investigation is expected to take at least six months.
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FBA Warns Consumers of Fake Flu Meds
Flu season is still in full force. As consumers battle fever, upset stomach, and all the other unpleasantness of influenza, many will seek a quick cure or treatment in hopes of recovering quickly. Regrettably, some companies are selling "flu remedies" that aren't actual remedies. In the past few weeks alone, the Food and Drug Administration has sent out ten warnings to companies for deceptive labeling of products as flu remedies. If you're battling the flu, visit your primary care physician. If you're unable to see a doctor, check with your local pharmacist before you take an unfamiliar or generic medication.
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Your Money
Should you pay down debt or invest your monthly surplus? Click here for more.
For the Lawyers
Fraud claim is subject to arbitration provision. The Florida Supreme Court held that an action for fraud was within the scope of an arbitration provision in a contract for the purchase of real property. “We hold that the action here based on fraud is within the scope of the arbitration provision because it has a clear contractual nexus with, and thus a significant relationship to, the contract. This relationship exists because: (1) the fraud claim is inextricably intertwined with both the circumstances that surrounded the transaction from which the contract emanated and the contract itself; and (2) resolution of the fraud claim requires the construction and consideration of duties arising under the contract.” Click here for more.