| Volume 11 Number 9 |
Subscribe to the Newsletter
Forward this news alert to your family and friends
Helpful Links
Texas Consumer Complaint Center
Credit Reports and Identity Theft
Your Guide to Small Claims Court
Contact Us
1-713-743-2168
The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
Are you responsible for damage caused by your children? In most cases a parent is not automatically liable for things done by a child. Generally, for the parent to be responsible, it is necessary to show the parent negligently supervised the child, and that is why the damage occurred. Kids will be kids and when something goes wrong, parents are usually not responsible.
It's Time for Home Repair Scams
While our weather this week has been wacky, the warm days brought about the itch for spring. And spring is when some people start thinking about home-improvement projects. Many consumers are taken by a bad home-improvement contractor. Often, the consumer didn't do any homework on the contractor before paying -- usually in cash. So when the contractor skips out on the job, the consumer is left in a big bind. Doing your homework is imperative to protecting yourself and your money. Click here for more.
Loan Loser: Home-Financing a Car
Would you take out a 30-year car loan? Okay, you're probably thinking that sounds outrageous, so let me take it down a bit. How about a 10-year auto loan? If you're financing the purchase of a car with the equity in your home, that is exactly what you could be doing -- paying for a car over 10 or even 30 years. Click here for more.
The Dangers of Debit Cards
Debit card use is soaring, but a series of recent scams highlights the growing risk of fraud to consumers who use the method of payment. Thieves are always inventing new ways to steal consumers' account information, whether they use debit or credit cards. But debit cards typically put consumers at greater financial risk because they offer less legal protection than credit cards in the event of loss. And because debit cards access funds directly from your bank account, the money is missing while you sort out any theft, which could mean bounced checks, late fees and other problems. Click here for more.
Your Money
How to calculate a property settlement in a divorce? Click here for more.
For the Lawyers
Defendant must establish Class Action Act jurisdiction. The 9th circuit has ruled that an employer has the burden of showing federal jurisdiction under the Class Action Fairness Act where an employee who sued for unpaid wages alleged that class damages did not exceed $5 million. Click here for more.