http://www.exhibitanews.com Exhibit A - The Law in Plain English en-us Copyright 2008, Exhibit A. http://www.exhibitanews.com/article.htm/2008/07/01/Whipped-to-the-finish-and-dead-on-the-track Romance. Grace. Sport.   Horse racing has a rich tradition in our country. As we watch this “Sport of Kings” on television, we are treated to images of women in extravagant hats and garb, men in splendid tailored suits and children lovingly coiffed and attired. Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:00:00 MDT http://www.exhibitanews.com/article.htm/2008/07/01/California-our-samestate-partner On May 17, 2004, the first same-sex couple to be married legally in the United States obtained their marriage license in Massachusetts, thanks to the 2003 Supreme Judicial Court decision in Goodridge v. Dept. of Public Health.   Four years later to the week, on May 15, 2008, the California Supreme Court rejected that state’s ban on same-sex marriage. Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:00:00 MDT http://www.exhibitanews.com/article.htm/2008/07/01/The-law-of-Personal-Injury-Sponsored-by-Crowe--Mulvey-LLP How does the court go about putting a price tag on damages in wrongful-death cases? Is a case involving the death of a child worth more than a case involving an adult? Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:00:00 MDT http://www.exhibitanews.com/article.htm/2008/07/01/Case-of-tellall-press-secretary-speaks-of-possible-legal-limits Amid the furor behind the specific allegations of President Bush’s ex-White House press secretary Scott McClellan, and the ensuing fallout with his former friends and with Bush, lies an important question: Should there be a legal limit on what a communications official or press secretary can say about his former boss? Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:00:00 MDT http://www.exhibitanews.com/article.htm/2008/07/01/Lean-on-professional-advice-avoid-a-lien-on-your-property If you are hiring a contractor, you should know that he will have some unusual rights against you if something goes awry with the project. Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:00:00 MDT http://www.exhibitanews.com/article.htm/2008/07/01/No-diplomatic-immunity-for-wife-of-ambassador-of-soul The “Extra-Terrestrial Exposure Law” has nothing to do with pervs from outer space. Rather, it authorizes a quarantine for astronauts who come within the “atmospheric envelope of any other celestial body.” Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:00:00 MDT http://www.exhibitanews.com/article.htm/2008/07/01/Blast-from-the-past Lining the walls of Jack and Josephine Wallace’s garage in Milton are more than 40 boxes full of paper they have cried over. Documents fill folders in their bedroom and next to their dining room table where Jack, weakened by skin cancer, can easily reach them. Consulting them regularly, he spends his days making calls and writing memos on behalf of his stepson, Alfred W. Trenkler, who was convicted of building a bomb that killed a police officer and maimed another in Roslindale almost two decades ago. Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:00:00 MDT http://www.exhibitanews.com/article.htm/2008/07/01/Attorney-for-arsonist-had-legal-problems-of-his-own During the pre-dawn hours of July 4, 1984, a deadly fire engulfed the Elliot Chambers Rooming House in Beverly, leaving 15 dead in its wake. Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:00:00 MDT http://www.exhibitanews.com/article.htm/2008/07/01/Prescription-for-disaster-doctor-ails-to-warn-patient-of-drugs-side-effects If someone in your family is hurt or killed in a car accident, you may be able to sue the at-fault driver’s doctor — if that physician failed to warn the driver of the hazards of taking certain prescription drugs before getting behind the wheel. Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:00:00 MDT http://www.exhibitanews.com/article.htm/2008/07/01/Bias-victim-gets-45M-jury-award A woman who once worked as director of Cambridge’s police review board has been awarded $4.5 million by a jury that found the city retaliated against her after she filed a discrimination complaint in 1998. Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:00:00 MDT http://www.exhibitanews.com/article.htm/2008/07/01/Woman-hurt-by-drunk-doctor-awarded-6M A Springfield woman who claimed her doctor permanently injured her after he fell on her during a drunken stumble has been awarded $6 million. Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:00:00 MDT http://www.exhibitanews.com/article.htm/2008/07/01/Facebook-AGs-agree-on-steps-to-protect-kids Facebook will restrict the ability of users to change their listed ages, more aggressively remove inappropriate content and provide “safety messaging” where there is a risk of a user under 18 revealing personal information to an unknown adult, according to an agreement the popular online networking site reached with 50 state attorneys general. Massachusetts AG Martha Coakley was among that group. Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:00:00 MDT http://www.exhibitanews.com/article.htm/2008/07/01/Jury-snuffs-out-case-of-propot-proponents Despite defense arguments that marijuana should be legal in Massachusetts, an editor from a leading pro-cannabis magazine and a lawyer from Washington, D.C., have learned firsthand that some in Boston feel otherwise. Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:00:00 MDT http://www.exhibitanews.com/article.htm/2008/07/01/Aside-from-service-dogs-should-pets-be-allowed-in-restaurants “No — for health reasons. People might be allergic. Unless it’s an outdoor restaurant — that’s OK; but not indoors.” Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:00:00 MDT http://www.exhibitanews.com/article.htm/2008/07/01/Buy-now-and-worry-less-later-may-be-best-life-insurance-policy In the legal jungle of insurance policies, life insurance is its own, mysterious animal. Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:00:00 MDT http://www.exhibitanews.com/article.htm/2008/07/01/Court-officials-weigh-in-on-impact-of-everexpanding-wouldbe-jurors-Seating-a-jury-problematic-in-mor Despite their attention to accessibility, the designers of the new Moakley courthouse’s interior spaces, however, apparently did not factor into their plans Americans’ widening waistlines. These cramped quarters are evident when a court staffer turns to the reporters near the door to Courtroom 22 and explains that getting the 100 potential jurors seated comfortably in the wooden rows of benches used for jury selection will not be easy. Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:00:00 MDT http://www.exhibitanews.com/article.htm/2008/07/01/Tips-for-getting-the-best-deal-in-car-insurance There’s a new law that allows insurance companies to compete for your business. Sounds like good news, right? Well, we found some drivers will indeed pay less, but some will actually pay more! How can you make sure you’re getting the best deal possible? Let us help steer you in the right direction. Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:00:00 MDT http://www.exhibitanews.com/article.htm/2008/07/01/From-Big-Dig-to-shoe-bomber-decades-top-cases-leave-lasting-impression-on-Bay-State Massachusetts has had its fair share of court cases that have made headlines. But which are the ones that have truly affected the citizens of the commonwealth? Exhibit A has compiled a list of the five cases from the last decade that have  had the biggest impact on the community. Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:00:00 MDT http://www.exhibitanews.com/article.htm/2008/07/01/When-lawyers-lose-their-sense-of-perspective Most lawyers are not conniving backstabbers. Forget what you may have heard. Sure, the profession (like any) has its bad eggs. Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:00:00 MDT http://www.exhibitanews.com/article.htm/2008/07/01/Florida-Senate-votes-to-ban-bull-testicles-on-pickup-trucks The Florida Senate has voted to make it illegal to attach fake bull testicles to trailer hitches on pickup trucks. Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:00:00 MDT http://www.exhibitanews.com/article.htm/2008/07/01/Man-accused-of-trying-to-cash-360-billion-check A 21-year-old man was arrested after he walked into a bank in Fort Worth, Texas, and tried to cash a check for $360 billion. Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:00:00 MDT http://www.exhibitanews.com/article.htm/2008/07/01/Film-crew-arrested-for-shooting-porn-movie-in-McDonalds An entire film crew — producer, actors, cameramen, etc. — was arrested while shooting a porn film in a Japanese McDonald’s at 3 in the afternoon on a Wednesday. Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:00:00 MDT http://www.exhibitanews.com/article.htm/2008/07/01/Court-male-stripper-who-dresses-as-cop-can-carry-billy-club A male stripper who dresses as a cop can use a billy club in his act, a British court has ruled. Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:00:00 MDT http://www.exhibitanews.com/article.htm/2008/06/01/Cops-nab-serial-kittylitter-litterer A 63-year-old man was arrested for allegedly tossing “hundreds upon hundreds of grocery bags full of dirty cat litter” along the streets of various towns in northeast Pennsylvania. Sun, 01 Jun 2008 22:00:00 MDT http://www.exhibitanews.com/article.htm/2008/06/01/Attorney-alleges-she-was-drugged A former first-year associate at a Boston law firm is alleging that she was drugged at the firm’s holiday party in a complaint filed with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Sun, 01 Jun 2008 22:00:00 MDT http://www.exhibitanews.com/article.htm/2008/06/01/Battered-woman-finds-shelter-in-a-ruling-by-states-highest-court A physically abused wife or domestic partner can receive help from Massachusetts courts even if her mate lives out of state, one woman learned to her great relief recently when the state’s Supreme Judicial Court ruled in her favor in the case of Caplan v. Donovan. Sun, 01 Jun 2008 22:00:00 MDT http://www.exhibitanews.com/article.htm/2008/06/01/The-Rockets-righteous-glare-the-perils-of-fighting-back Almost every person or company publicly accused of misconduct, whether by a government investigation or lawsuit or otherwise portrayed in public as a person of less-than-pristine ethics, has the same initial reaction — let’s fight back! Sun, 01 Jun 2008 22:00:00 MDT http://www.exhibitanews.com/article.htm/2008/06/01/Police-reports-and-privacy The news broke quickly: Randi Goldklank, a Boston TV news producer, had been apprehended for resisting arrest after a bizarre scene at Logan International Airport where she allegedly struck a police officer in a drunken tirade. Sun, 01 Jun 2008 22:00:00 MDT http://www.exhibitanews.com/article.htm/2008/06/01/The-law-of-Personal-Injury-Sponsored-by-Crowe--Mulvey-LLP I got into an accident caused by a man who had just left a restaurant. He had a blood alcohol level of .21, well above the legal limit of .08. Can I sue the restaurant? Sun, 01 Jun 2008 22:00:00 MDT http://www.exhibitanews.com/article.htm/2008/06/01/The-law-of-the-Fifth-Amendment I witnessed a stabbing outside a bar. I told a police officer what happened, but I said I was afraid to get further involved and didn’t want to testify. However, I just got served with a summons requiring me to testify. Can I get out of it? Can I “take the Fifth” like people do all the time on television? Sun, 01 Jun 2008 22:00:00 MDT http://www.exhibitanews.com/article.htm/2008/06/01/Planning-for-the-future-of-your-business Business owners may work for years, if not a lifetime, to establish a successful business. But many business owners fail to plan for what will happen if one owner suddenly dies or retires. And this can have disastrous consequences for the other owners. Sun, 01 Jun 2008 22:00:00 MDT http://www.exhibitanews.com/article.htm/2008/06/01/Start-talking-with-your-family-about-estate-planning While it can be awkward and difficult, it is very important to discuss estate planning — planning for how one’s assets will be sorted out after death — with your parents and other members of your family while they are all mentally healthy. If families wait to make arrangements until one parent is incapacitated in some way, it limits their choices. Sun, 01 Jun 2008 22:00:00 MDT http://www.exhibitanews.com/article.htm/2008/06/01/Buzzed-beekeeper-prevails-in-bear-of-a-case A bear was recently convicted of theft and criminal damage. The charges were brought by an exasperated beekeeper in Macedonia who tried everything — even blasting “Serbian turbo-folk” music — to keep the honey-hungry animal from raiding his hives. Sun, 01 Jun 2008 22:00:00 MDT http://www.exhibitanews.com/article.htm/2008/06/01/Bigamy-Lies-Stolen-Virginity-In-Fall-River-a-tale-of-Unholy-Matrimony On a Friday morning in October 2003, Harshini Weerasinghe stood outside her husband’s house in Berkley, an under-populated, rural town in Bristol County that she was visiting for the very first time. Sun, 01 Jun 2008 22:00:00 MDT http://www.exhibitanews.com/article.htm/2008/06/01/Ethics-panel-cries-foul-over-Sox-tix The State Ethics Commission is charging a Central Artery contractor with violating conflict of interest laws by giving Boston Red Sox tickets to a state plumbing and gasfitter inspector who was inspecting the contractor’s work. Sun, 01 Jun 2008 22:00:00 MDT