| Volume 142 Number 63 |
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The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
Dishonest companies set up websites that look like legitimate places to get information on finding a job, joining the military, or getting government benefits. But they might not help you with any of those things. Instead, they’ll take your personal information and sell it to other companies. Click here for more.
Verizon activates free spam filtering for select Android phones
Verizon has announced that it will turn on spam call filtering by default, starting with eligible Android phones. Previously, only consumers who had opted in to the feature would get spam filtering. Now, customers with select Android smartphones will be automatically enrolled to receive free spam protection. Verizon says the technology works on several levels: Click here for more.
Your Money
Whether you’re a new investor with a $5,000 windfall, a steady saver or a seasoned financial pro, there are many ways to invest. Several ways to invest $5,000 are tried and true, while others, like bitcoin are only for the aggressive speculators. But, there’s no perfect answer when asking, “What are good ways to invest?” The best way to invest $5,000 depends upon your age, risk tolerance, financial situation and time horizon for the investment. Here are seven ideas to deploy your next four-figure sum. Click here for more.
For the Lawyers
Practice of jailing indigent debtors for non-payment of court debts violates 14th Amendment. The Fifth Circuit recently affirmed a grant of summary judgment to a class of plaintiffs alleging that Louisiana's Judicial Expense Fund, which essentially allows judges to jail indigent debtors for the non-payment of court debts, violates the 14th Amendment. The district court granted summary judgment, certified a class, and issued a declaratory judgment. A panel of the Fifth Circuit affirmed. The District Court summarized the Plaintiff's claim as follows: Defendants' policy of jailing indigent debtors for nonpayment of court debts without any inquiry into their ability to pay is unconstitutional under the Due Process clause and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, and the Judge's authority over both fines and fees revenue and ability-to-pay determinations violates the Due Process Clause. Click here for more.