| Volume 85 Number 1 |
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The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
If you have been a victim of identity theft there is a way to make sure it never happens again. Texas law allows you to put a "security freeze" on your credit report, preventing an identity thief from using your information. To find out more,
Click here for more.
Student Loan Rates May Double
If Congress doesn't act before July 1, Stafford loans interest rates will increase from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent. The difference would equate to an additional $6.8 billion, with an average jump of $5,000 per student.
Will congress act before student loan rates double?
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Comparing the Top Income Tax Rates
Just how much do those in the top income tax rate pay compared to other countries?
Although most American's likely feel that they pay too much in taxes, many other advanced countries have higher top bracket tax rates.
How do the top tax rates in United States stack up against those in other economies?
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FDA OKs Long Term Nicotine Replacement
Want to quit smoking, but you're not quite sure how?
When you decide to kick the habit, nicotine replacement may be an effective remedy. Previously, it was thought that using nicotine replacement therapy (like gum and patches) for longer than twelve weeks added additional safety concerns. According to a recent release by the FDA, there are no additional significant safety concerns.
The key? You need to stop smoking while using nicotine replacement. If you slip up, don't give up.
Quitting smoking can be difficult. If you have questions about a particular product, speak with your doctor.
To read about the FDA's new ruling,
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Your Money
What is your FPI - Financial Preparedness Index?
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For the Lawyers
Class action plaintiff cannot avoid removal to federal court by stipulating total damages would be less than the $5 million jurisdictional threshold for application of the Class Action Fairness Act. Plaintiff filed a purported class action in Arkansas state court seeking reimbursement from a homeowners’ insurance company for the cost of repairing storm damage. The plaintiff stipulated that recovery would be limited to less than $5 million, the minimum for federal court jurisdiction under the Act. The Supreme Court held that a stipulation as to damages could not overcome a judicial finding that the Act’s jurisdictional threshold had been met. “We do not agree that CAFA forbids the federal court to consider, for purposes of determining the amount in controversy, the very real possibility that a nonbinding, amount-limiting, stipulation may not survive the class certification process. This potential outcome does not result in the creation of a new case not now before the federal court. To hold otherwise would, for CAFA jurisdictional purposes, treat a nonbinding stipulation as if it were binding, exalt form over substance, and run directly counter to CAFA’s primary objective: ensuring ‘Federal court consideration of interstate cases of national importance.”
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