Sex Discrimination Cases: Examining The Hostile Work EnvironmentRichard A. Cooper SexDiscriminationCases.comSex discrimination complaints arising from a hostile work environment often lead to a contentious battle for credibility between the complainant and the defendant when such matters come before a court or human rights tribunal. In those harassment cases where it is alleged that a person in a position of authority has created a hostile workplace for an employee, and where the contending parties are of different genders, it is not always easy to parse the differences between general psychological bullying and bona fide gender discrimination stemming from sexually harassing conduct. Probating Wills - Avoiding Probate Tax With Property In Separate WillsRichard A. Cooper ProbatingWills.comOnce upon a time in Ontario, what we now know as estate administration taxes were once discreetly termed as probate "fees." A fee, in regular parlance, is oft understood to be a payment in return for services rendered. When your lawyer charges you a solicitor's fee, you expect the amount of the fee to somewhat correlate with the scope of the services on offer. Yet back in 1998, an argument was presented before the Court that the regular probate fees paid to the government, upon the probating of a will, did not at all resemble a "fee" as we normally understood it. The argument was raised that these "fees" were actually covert taxes, and as such, were constitutionally invalid. The Idiot's Guide to Contract DraftingKyle Eskeles ContractDrafters.comAnyone who has ever waded into the brackish waters of contract litigation can tell you how important it is to get it right in the drafting stage. Without the proper safeguards in place, a misplaced comma or confusing turn of phrase can set you up for a whole lot of legal heartache as each contract party scrambles to assert their own interpretation. But don't sweat it. You need not be a Shakespeare or an English major to tell your why's from your wherefores. Armed with the right sample contract, a pinch of common sense, and the following general checklist, we present the Idiot's Guide to Contract Drafting. |
Step-Parents and Child Support PaymentsWhen you've been acting as the step-father to your wife's child, a clean break from the wife does not necessarily mean a clean break from her children. Though the child may no longer require your emotional support, the courts may very well require your financial support.>>>Divorce Motions: The Cost Consequences of Being StubbornHostility and bitterness can play a powerful role in determining the course of a divorce proceeding. If such feelings factor too heavily in the filing of a legal motion, they might also saddle you with paying your spouse's legal fees. >>>Sex Offenders on Parole: The Case of the Non-Offending Sex AddictIn theory, our criminal justice system is supposed to provide for an effective balancing of two competing interests - those of the offender and those of the public. But what of the sex offender who no longer offends while out on parole, yet just can't seem to get his sexual addictions under control?>>>The Idiot's Guide To Affordable Lawsuits and LitigationThinking of launching or defending a lawsuit? Before you go off looking to retain that incredibly costly attorney, take time out and ask yourself, "Do I have a case?" And then consider subscribing to one of those paid case law databases. The answer might surprise you...and the other side. >>> |