The Matrimonial 'Dating Game'
A review of equitable distribution decisions in any given year can leave one reeling, if not from the novelty of the holdings, then certainly from the frequency with which certain fundamental issues are re-litigated with the predictability of the perennials of springtime.
Features
Responsible Mediation and Domestic Violence
March 31 of this year marked the start of a potentially interesting dialogue. Family and divorce mediators had a joint, all-day conference at the Association of the Bar of the City of New York with an impressive array of professionals who have regularly worked and advocated for domestic-violence victims for decades. Since the inception of family and divorce mediation, mediators have struggled with the issue of whether cases involving domestic violence ' any kind of domestic violence ' should preclude mediation from occurring.
Thinking About Settlements
Discounting retirement plans for taxes is a tricky business and can sometimes lead to problematic or inequitable settlements. Although methodologies exist for valuing such plans, these methodologies do not involve tax impacting ' and for good reason.
Features
Decisions of Interest
Recent decisions of importance to your practice.
Features
EEOC Recovers $20,000 for Sabbath Observer
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission settled for $20,000 and affirmative relief a religious discrimination claim by a job applicant who alleged that she was denied a position because she was a Sabbath observer.
Features
Constructive Discharge: Third, Second Circuit Split
The Third Circuit ruled, contrary to the position taken by the Second Circuit, that a constructive discharge is a 'tangible employment action' precluding the assertion of an affirmative defense to liability under established federal law.
A Word to the Wise
The workplace. Where is it and what are its boundaries? Of course, it is a location, the place where an employee reports to work and performs services. It also clearly includes a place away from the work site where the employee is assigned to or where the employee performs services. Further, for the telecommuter, a home, or at least certain places in the home, may be considered a work site for purposes of employer liability.
Features
Responding to SARS
But for the war in Iraq, the outbreak of SARS would undoubtedly have been the lead news story for the first half of 2003. Thousands of people have been infected to date, and there have been a number of fatalities from this new illness. It is apparently highly contagious (under at least some circumstances) and potentially deadly.
John Gaal's Ethics Corner
Your ethics questions answered by the expert.
FMLA Ruled Applicable to State Workers
In a somewhat surprising 6-3 decision written by Chief Justice Rehnquist, the United States Supreme Court ruled that Congress had abrogated the states' Eleventh Amendment immunity when it enacted the Family Medical Leave Act and that therefore, state workers are entitled to the protection of that statute. In so ruling, the Court characterized Congress' goals in enacting the FMLA as protecting against gender-based discrimination in the workplace and eliminating stereotypes related to child-rearing and family care issues. As such, the Court concluded that challenges to the constitutionality of the FMLA warranted heightened scrutiny.
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- The 'Sophisticated Insured' DefenseA majority of courts consider the <i>contra proferentem</i> doctrine to be a pillar of insurance law. The doctrine requires ambiguous terms in an insurance policy to be construed against the insurer and in favor of coverage for the insured. A prominent rationale behind the doctrine is that insurance policies are usually standard-form contracts drafted entirely by insurers.Read More ›
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- Abandoned and Unused Cables: A Hidden Liability Under the 2002 National Electric CodeIn an effort to minimize the release of toxic gasses from cables in the event of fire, the 2002 version of the National Electric Code ("NEC"), promulgated by the National Fire Protection Association, sets forth new guidelines requiring that abandoned cables must be removed from buildings unless they are located in metal raceways or tagged "For Future Use." While the NEC is not, in itself, binding law, most jurisdictions in the United States adopt the NEC by reference in their state or local building and fire codes. Thus, noncompliance with the recent NEC guidelines will likely mean that a building is in violation of a building or fire code. If so, the building owner may also be in breach of agreements with tenants and lenders and may be jeopardizing its fire insurance coverage. Even in jurisdictions where the 2002 NEC has not been adopted, it may be argued that the guidelines represent the standard of reasonable care and could result in tort liability for the landlord if toxic gasses from abandoned cables are emitted in a fire. With these potential liabilities in mind, this article discusses: 1) how to address the abandoned wires and cables currently located within the risers, ceilings and other areas of properties, and 2) additional considerations in the placement and removal of telecommunications cables going forward.Read More ›
- Guidance on Distributions As 'Disbursements' and U.S. Trustee FeesIn a recent case from the Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, In re Paragon Offshore PLC, the bankruptcy court provided guidance on whether a post-plan effective date litigation trust's distributions constituted disbursements subject to the U.S. Trustee fee "tax."Read More ›