#military divorce attorney Florida

[attorneycraigvigodsky]

Common Prenuptial Clauses in Pensacola, FL | (850) 912-8520

Common Prenuptial Clauses in Pensacola, FL

Craig A. Vigodsky, P.A. focuses on helping clients in the Pensacola area who need a divorce lawyer find balanced family law solutions. He assists clients in family legal matters including divorce, child custody and support, paternity, and modifications and relocations.

Craig Vigodsky, P.A. 221 W Cervantes St Pensacola, FL 32501 (850) 912-8520 https://pensacolalawoffice.com/

[brevardcountyduilawyer9]

Three Essential Things To Know About Hiring Legal Representation For Divorce In Cocoa, Florida.

The finish of a marriage can be a distressing and challenging time for the whole family. The more you've been hitched, the more resources you have, or having kids would all be able to make divorce significantly more confounded. Fortunately, there are capable experts prepared to help you through the present circumstance.

Here are three common questions we get from people who are looking into divorce proceedings in Cocoa, Florida.

The Subtle Difference Between A Lawyer And An Attorney

All through the US, the terms lawyer and lawyer are for the most part utilized interchangeably.

There are, nonetheless, some unobtrusive contrasts. Here are some straightforward realities you will need to know when you are Googling "divorce lawyer near me" or " divorce lawyer in Cocoa ."

 Standard Dictionary Definitions For Lawyer And Attorney

The standard word reference definition of a lawyer is "someone who offers legitimate guidance and addresses individuals in lawful issue." Meanwhile, the standard word reference definition of a lawyer is "an expert who has moved on from graduate school and who is authorized to address customers in lawful issue." truth be told, the word lawyer is really shorthand for the full term, "lawyer at law."

 Not All Lawyers Are Attorneys, Here’s Why

Did you realize that not every person who goes to graduate school winds up taking the BAR test or addresses customers in court? There are numerous approaches to utilize your legitimate degree without taking these extra advances. That is the place where the contrast among lawyer and lawyer comes into play. While the facts demonstrate that all lawyers will be lawyers, not all lawyers become lawyers. To become a lawyer, you just should move on from graduate school. To become a lawyer, you need to graduate school, beat the law knowledge review, and afterward you can address customers in court.

 Other Legal Representatives You May Hear About

Knowing the contrast between a lawyer and a lawyer can be fundamental on the off chance that you anticipate that your divorce should raise to court hearings. Not all divorces become messy or convoluted battles. Here are some different terms for lawful portrayal that could assist you with divorce or other lawful issue for the duration of your life. 

• Advocate – Sometimes, this term is just utilized equivalently for a lawyer since it means an individual who can lawfully argue the case for an individual in an official courtroom. Notwithstanding, some promoters have less instruction or testaments than a lawyer and normally serve underserved networks. 

• Counsel – Your advice can allude to at least one lawyers and lawyers that address a single customer or business. It tends to be identified with only one individual or an entire gathering of individuals. 

• Esquire – You may see Esquire, contracted as Esq., after someone's name every now and then. It is an English expression for a man who positions just under a knight, yet somehow it became utilized by those in the US's legitimate calling quite a while in the past. 

You don't see it all the time nowadays however may run into it at some point. 

When getting a divorce, you will likely work with a family law lawyer or attorney.

While family law workplaces handle a wide scope of legitimate issue, divorce is the most well-known. Notwithstanding divorce, family law workplaces can assist with pre and postnuptial agreements, authority issues, appropriation, and the sky is the limit from there. When handling the delicate subject of divorce, you ought to pick portrayal from a confided in firm with numerous long stretches of involvement.

 When Should You Hire A Divorce Attorney?

When you’re thinking of getting a divorce, it helps to know the rules and laws in the state of Florida to let you know when if and when you need to hire an attorney.

Here is a little overview of information about obtaining a divorce in FL.

• Eligibility To File For Divorce In Florida

One individual involved probably lived in Florida for in any event a half year. This specification is postponed for military families in some cases. The divorce should be documented within the area of FL, where at any rate one gathering lives. In the event that you live in Cocoa, Florida, for instance, you will document there.

• Grounds For Divorce In Florida

You don't must have a particular explanation or allegation for divorce in Florida. It is a no-shortcoming state for divorce.

• Florida Divorce Process

The individual requesting divorce will record a structure called the "appeal for the disintegration of marriage." The papers should be served to the next party, called the respondent. They will round out a "waiver of administration" that should be legally approved. It becomes more confounded if the respondent doesn't wish to get divorced, or the gatherings can't concede to the division of resources, or there are youngsters involved.

The means sound basic enough, and with the internet, everybody needs to attempt to go the DIY course when they can. Divorce, nonetheless, is a convoluted lawful matter and is truly best taken care of by a family lawyer with skill.

Assume you envision a care question, a protection from the divorce, or you have in excess of a couple thousand dollars in resources for divvy up. All things considered, you'll need to talk with a Brevard County family law office prior to getting begun. You can get a free lawyer meeting with The Law Office of Gutin and Wolverton.

 Here are a few reasons why it’s a good idea to have your own divorce lawyer or divorce attorney working for you:

You need master counsel from a committed proficient that has experienced this previously. There will be numerous subtleties you may miss all alone; having a specialist close by will ensure nothing gets lost in the noise and offers you someone to get guidance from all through the proceedings.

You could maintain a strategic distance from conceivably expensive slip-ups by hiring lawful portrayal from the beginning. While you are pushed and, grieving isn't the best time to make troublesome, sometimes muddled legitimate choices all alone.

Leave with a reasonable agreement that is binding and precise. The courts may support a divorce agreement you set up yourself, yet it probably won't interpret it the same way you do. You need the capacity to express your arrangement in a manner that sounds good to the court to abstain from agreeing to something you didn't intend.

Finally, hiring lawful assist will with ensuring that the divorce is taken care of as fast and proficiently as could be expected.

n the occasion you have a battle on your hands, having a forceful preliminary or guardianship lawyer in your corner will be useful.

The Cost To Hire Or Retain A Divorce Attorney In Florida

The cost of your legal representation in a divorce will depend on the length and complexity of the case. In Florida, the average hourly range is between $260 – $330. The total cost of an average divorce could be between $11,000 and $14,000. Now, the fees could be considerably smaller if the divorce is quick and uncontested. It could also cost more if there is a lengthy custody battle.

 A firm will determine their hourly rate based on the average in the area and their level of service and expertise. You will pay more for a legal team with many years of experience or one that specializes in difficult or high-profile cases.

 What Is A Divorce Lawyer Retainer Fee?

Requiring a retainer charge is a commonplace practice by many divorce lawyers. Think of it as a downpayment. In Florida, the normal retainer charge for legitimate administrations in divorce proceedings can be somewhere in the range of $1,000 to $5,000. The cash is held in a trust, and assets can be removed depending on the situation for hourly rates, filing charges, and so on Extra assets after the divorce is final might be returned. You will go into a trust agreement that will unmistakably outline how the cash is to be utilized and in the event that it is refundable or not. The retainer expense will likewise ordinarily cover all the immediate counsel your lawyer will give you all through the cycle. This holds you back from having to pay-out an individual expense for consistently or each telephone call.

 Actions You Will Typically Be Charged For

Besides an hourly rate and administrative fees, here are some individual things retainer money could be used for.

• Research • Phone Calls • Drafting petitions and motions • Emails and other correspondence • Court appearances • Travel

 How To Get The Best Legal Representation For Your Money

Try not to settle on any choices, including choosing your legitimate delegate, when you are exceptionally passionate or pushed. It could help for you to take a confided in relative or companion with you to interview law offices you may employ.

Make certain to ask a lot of inside and out inquiries and focus on how they are replied. On the off chance that your conference feels hurried or you are caused to feel insignificant, don't pick that firm. It is your entitlement to pose inquiries prior to hiring a lawyer. You might need to get some information about their schooling, long stretches of involvement, and specialization. You can likewise demand references.

It is significant for you to comprehend in full what sum you will be charged and how payment will be made. A careful gauge may be hard to give at the principal meeting, yet they ought to have an overall thought of the expense and time the divorce will take.

 Choosing To Work With Gutin & Wolverton

Assume you are facing a divorce or paternity activity or have inquiries regarding Florida provision law, youngster backing, or authority issues. All things considered, you should meet with our Family Lawyers to talk about your circumstance. Gutin and Wolverton offers customers talented and exhaustive family law lawful administrations at entirely sensible rates, including payment designs and accepting Visas.

For a free discrete consultation about your family separation or divorce, options contact us today at (312) 633-7337 or stop by our office in Cocoa, Florida most anytime.

[troylegal-blog]

Founded in 2009 by Samuel Troy, the law firm serves clients throughout South Florida for all of their Marital and Family law needs. Dedicated to providing compassionate and aggressive representation, while upholding the highest degree of ethical standards.

The law firm’s main practice areas include dissolution of marriage/divorce, post judgement/modification and enforcement matters related to timesharing, child support and alimony, pre and postnuptial agreements, collaborative law, (QDRO) qualified domestic relations order, issues related to same sex couples, domestic violence and stepparent adoption. Provides real solutions to real problems.

Mr. Troy and Ms. Shane are also available to mediate family cases for clients represented by counsel, as well as those who are unrepresented. For help with divorce, adoption, paternity, and a host of other family law matters in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami Counties, please contact to schedule a consultation.

Troy Legal, P.A.

2500 N. Military Trail, Suite 312

Boca Raton, FL 33431

Phone: (561) 910-4570

Web: https://www.troylegalpa.com

[cathygeha]

REVIEW

Rich Blood by Robert Bailey

Jason Rich #1

 Knowing who the murderer is in the first paragraph means this is not a murder mystery…though there are some mysteries to be solved. Nope, this is more a look into a dysfunctional family that sees the younger brother take on saving his older sister from being found guilty of murder and sent to death row…even though she did not literally pull the trigger that killed her husband, could she be behind his death?

 What I liked:  

* Jason Rich: lawyer focused on civil personal injury cases, third generation with law degree, wealthy, divorced, alcoholic, a man that was difficult to like at first, well-liked by people he works with, someone that developed well through the story and left me wanting to see how he does in the future – catchy advertising billboards he set up, too

* Izzy: Jason’s law partner, aggressive, capable, caring, excellent at her work, has Jason’s best interests in mind, would like to know more about her in the future

* Harry: investigator for Jason’s law firm, ex-military, worked as a bouncer in the past, good at what he does, wants what is best for Jason, intriguing

* Chase: Jason’s childhood neighbor and friend, military veteran, has PTSD, potential love interest

* Nola & Niecy: Jason’s nieces, caught in a family tug of war, essentially lost both parents when their father was murdered, lucky to have Jason step up when he does, want to hear more about them

* The Tonindandels: three brothers that were wild as children, are distinguished military veterans, lethal, protective and there for those that they care about

* The Tyson Cade thread: a perfect bad guy to dislike and one that no doubt will show up again in the future

* The plot, pace, setting, and writing – drew me in and kept me reading from beginning to end

* The unexpected twists and turns and way I felt at the end

 What I didn’t like:

* Who and what I was meant not to like

* Thinking about how people can really mess up their lives…one choice off the path and then another

 Did I enjoy this book? Yes

Would I read more in this series? Yes

 Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC – This is my honest review.

 5 Stars

     BLURB

 From Wall Street Journal bestselling author Robert Bailey comes a compelling legal thriller about a lawyer who takes on his sister’s case—and confronts small-town secrets and family skeletons. Attorney Jason Rich has made a fortune off other people’s bad luck. His billboard slogan—“In an accident? Get Rich!”—accosts motorists on highways from Alabama to Florida. As ambulance chasers go, he’s exceptional. But after a recent divorce and a stint in rehab, Jason has hit a rough patch. And things only get worse when his sister, Jana, is accused of her husband’s murder. Even though Jason has no experience trying criminal cases, Jana begs him to represent her. Jason has mixed feelings about returning to Lake Guntersville, Alabama—and even more reservations about diving back into his sister’s life. Between the drugs, the affairs, and a tendency to gaslight everyone in her inner circle, Jana has plenty of enemies in town. But did Jana hire someone to kill her husband? Jason isn’t so sure. He heads back to his hometown to unravel the truth and face off against opponents old and new.

[matthewcambo]

Matthew Cambó Discusses How a Drug Crime Conviction Can Impact Your Career

Originally published on allpeers.com

Many of us remember learning the DARE song in elementary or middle school that swept the nation in the 1980s and early 1990s, teaching Drug Abuse Resistance Education and how to resist the negative impact of drugs and violence.

“D. I won’t do drugs. A. Won’t have an attitude. R. I will respect myself. E. I will educate me.”

Though the program was a byproduct of Nancy Reagan’s “Just Say No” campaign and America’s “War on Drugs,” a study conducted by the American Psychological Association (APA) found that the DARE program was deemed a failure. What does cease to fail is the realization an adult has after receiving a drug conviction when that adult’s personal freedom and existing career are suddenly at risk.

Matthew Cambó, a Florida family law attorney who Best Lawyers in America 2022 recently applauded for his dedication to serving clients, says that a drug conviction can drastically impact a career path. Such a conviction becomes a never leaving leech on background checks, hindering and generating obstacles with the ability to remain employed or be hired for any job. Cambó provides further insight on how both professional employment and skilled workers are affected by a drug conviction.

How a Drug Crime Conviction Impacts Professional Jobs

First and foremost, no matter the line of work, if someone is convicted of a drug crime and has a valid driver’s license, the Department of Motor Vehicles will most likely send a letter notification of a year-long license suspension. Not being able to legally use a personal vehicle as a means of transportation for a year can drastically impact any individual who commutes to work or lacks access to public transportation.

According to the Florida Statutes section 775.16, a drug crime conviction can prevent employment or license in specific sectors. Suppose a person’s offense falls under the category of a second-degree felony or greater. In that case, that individual is ineligible for a Florida Educator Certification and employment as a school administrator or instructional personnel, as stated by the Florida Department of Education.

For those who have worked their way up in a professional career in industries like health care, a drug crime conviction can result in losing a medical license or being refused admittance to any examination. Other professional jobs where the compulsory license becomes at risk when faced with a drug crime conviction include lawyers, public accountants, pilots, insurance agents, transportation workers, law enforcement officers, stockbrokers, military personnel, and real estate brokers.

How a Drug Crime Conviction Impacts Skilled Workers

The state of Florida does not limit application-stage inquires into criminal history. However, as stated in Florida Statutes section 112.011(1)(a), a person in Florida cannot be denied employment by the state solely based on a prior conviction for a crime. If the crime committed was a first-degree misdemeanor or felony and directly correlated to the job an individual is seeking, the state can deny a person employment. Any law’s protection for skilled workers convicted of drug crimes does not apply to private companies.

About Matthew Cambó

Matthew Cambó is a family law attorney in Florida who has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America 2022 due to his exceptional focus on serving clients in family law matters. For the past six years, he has been working as an associate attorney with Leinoff & Lemos, P.A. His focus areas are marital and family law matters. In addition, Mr. Cambó is devoted to litigation, including divorce, child custody issues, relocation, alimony and child support matters, modification actions, business valuations, and paternity disputes.

[massielandnetwork]

Thriving in an Economic Bubble during Anarchy

3. The Christian Succession – Watching God at Work

When I learned of the new national holiday my initial reaction was a combination of laughter and crying. The good news is that there is one more day each year that we peasants cannot be abused by our government bureaucrat overseers because they will not be working, or water coolering, or whatever they do during normal work hours.

When one considers the fact that they enjoy almost perfect job security, excellent pay, phenomenal retirement pensions, and health care insurance superior to anyone in private industry, it becomes obvious that they really needed another national holiday. The Bad news for us peasants, we get another day we cannot go to a bank or get an answer from a bureaucrat.

Have you seen the foreign media’s reports on Biden’s trip to the G7, NATO, and meeting with Putin? No wonder Congressman Ron Jackson, former White House Physician, has asked for Biden to take a cognitive test. The foreign media has already passed judgment without a test. They also picked up on Putin apparently intimidating Biden into reneging on military support of the Ukraine. Was it quid pro quo regarding cybersecurity attacks? No more Russian bombers in US air space? Does Biden even know what he agreed to do? More important, what level of confidence do you have that Mrs. Biden knows what she is doing?

Meanwhile, God was working:

1. The high-level defector from China has been identified as Vice Minister of State Security Dong Jingwei who was in charge of counterintelligence efforts. Reportedly, Mr. Dong brought with him terabytes of files including –

a. Data about the Wuhan Virus and the Chinese projections of the impact on the USA and world. Oops, there goes the pretense of an accident.

b. How the Chinese gained access to CIA files which led to the death of the Chinese working for the CIA in China.

c. Financial records showing US businessmen and public officials who have received money from the Chinese Communist party;

d. Additional details about Hunter Biden’s pornography problems and business dealings with the CCP (and Joe’s) including the sale of American stealth technology to the Chinese via the Henniges Automotive deal and how that deal was approved (first disclosed in the report last fall by Senator Ron Johnson’s Homeland Security report and discounted by the “media”).

e. One-third of the 60,000 Chinese “students” in the USA are actually spies from the Chinese military.

f. AND MUCH MORE

g. Which is why the “intelligence community” and some others here in the USA are reportedly “scared sh**less”.

h. Reportedly the Chinese demanded that Secretary Blinken return Mr. Dong to the Chinese and Blinken replied that we did not have him because the DIA had not shared with the State Department, CIA, and FBI that the DIA had Mr. Dong.

i. It is a shame we do not have a real news media.

2. Governor Abbot declared Texas would finish building the wall on the border of Mexico and requested other governors send police to Texas to help. Governor DeSantis of Florida announced Florida would help Texas. The Governor of Arizona has activated the Arizona National Guard. It is interesting watching Republican Governors address this national crisis while the Demented Marxists (DM) do nothing. Virginia has no adult leadership which is amazingly sad.

3. Buckhead announced it is divorcing itself from Atlanta because crime has surged in response to Atlanta defunding the police. In cities that have defunded their police the serious crime rates have surged. A trend?

4. Moms are organizing and becoming more vocal and organized in their opposition to the Critical Race Theory and the LGYBQ agenda. Too many events to list. An entire generation of children are at risk because school systems are more concerned with chasing the phantom of “social justice” than with actually teaching math, science, and western history.

5. In an amazing demonstration of self-delusion, the Democrats appear to be attacking the Catholic Church on Christian values.

6. As many as 20 states have expressed interest in having an audit done of the election and have sent delegations to Arizona.

7. A great awakening is happening before our eyes. Satan is being exposed and confronted. Hallelujah.

On the economic front, last week confirmation was received that the peak of this real estate cycle was back in January or February, 2021, because The Fed’s Chairman Powell announced that they may begin to increase interest rates in 2023. What received less coverage is that The Fed is expected to announce in September 2021 that they will begin to taper their buying of Treasuries in 2022. By the end of this year that announcement will drive 10-year Treasuries up to at least 2% (from 0.7% at the election) probably higher and mortgage rates will likewise increase up to 3.5% to 4%. The actual tapering of purchases in 2022 will increase interest rates further.

In 2023, The Fed expects to begin to increase the Federal Funds rates thus increasing the interest rates that correlate with the Federal Funds rate such as “Prime”. But the impact on housing from higher mortgage rates is already being felt and the slow down will become more severe this year and next. Some have questioned why the 10 Year Treasury has declined while inflation rises, etc. The answer is that The Fed now owns so many Treasuries they bought to distort the mortgage market moving those interest rates down that The Fed controls the Treasury Market. We will experience the reverse as The Fed exits the market. That will be brutal economically.

Supply chain disruptions are everywhere which is creating havoc as the world is trying to reopen. A variant of the Wuhan Virus is currently running rampant in China and has shut down one of China’s major ports further exacerbating the supply chain distortion. The lack of parts is causing manufacturers to raise prices reflecting demand being greater than supply. Similar events are happening in service industries as needed employees can earn more money by NOT working. Even when supply gets closer to demand, prices will be “sticky” going down.

Watch gasoline prices. The most recent forecast is that oil will hit $100 per barrel by the end of this year. That means $4 per gallon gas. This is a direct result of Biden destroying our energy independence and returning the USA to being energy dependent on OPEC and Russia. I am still looking for the Demented Marxist (DM) that can actually explain why I want my electricity supply to be much more expensive and much less reliable.

I am reading an excellent book on the so called “Climate Crisis”. The title is “Unsettled” and the author is Steven E. Koonin, Former Undersecretary for Science, U. S. Department of Energy in the Obama Administration. Basically, the media and seem politicians have created a pseudo crisis. The problem is the bad decisions that are being made on erroneous information.

In my career I have been through recessions caused by each of the following – (1) increased energy prices, (2) interest rates being raised to combat inflation, and (3) increased taxes. The recession next year will be the result of a combination of all three of those forces. Get prepared.

163 days into the DM’s coup, each day more details emerge regarding the fraudulent election last November. Eventually we will know all of the facts. The patriot attorney in Antrim County, Michigan has called for the Secretary of State to resign or be impeached and the election to be De-Certified. The Arizona Audit is on pace to be finished with their report issued in July. In Georgia, the Secretary of State decided to investigate the chain of custody of some of the mail in ballots, probably CYA. Election audits and Mr. Dong - can you smell the fear of the DMs?

A great piece of land remains The Best investment long term. Capitalism builds wealth, Marxism/Socialism consumes it in self destruction. Pray for a return to honest elections in the USA. God is in control. Men make plans, but God ALWAYS wins.

“But I am not ashamed, for I know the one in whom I have put my trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that day what I have entrusted to him.”

(2 Timothy 1:7) New Revised Standard Version, Oxford University Press)

Stay healthy,

Ned

June 24, 2021

Copyright Massie Land Network. All rights Reserved.

[alex-hamilton-jr]

Yeah, well this 5'6 man sailed to Spain during a period of political conflict, and joined the Duke of Wellington's forces, then fighting against Napoleon's army in Portugal. After acquiring some military and strategic training with the British Army, I then returned to America to serve in the War of 1812, receiving a commission as Captain of the 41st Regiment of Infantry in the United States Army. And then I became an aide-de-camp to Papa's friend General Morgan Lewis. And began practicing law as a member of the 42nd New York State Legislature for a one-year term, as one of eleven representatives to the New York State Assembly from New York City. And in May of 1822, the President James Monroe appointed me as a United States Attorney for East Florida. Then later I was appointed to be one of three Land Commissioners for East Florida, and while there, I received the military rank of Colonel. And returned to New York, where I became successful in real estate transactions, and for many years was one of the leading names in Wall Street!

*inhales dramatically* And last but not least- as a lawyer in the New York Court of Chancery, I got to represent Eliza Jumel against her husband, and Papa's cold blooded killer, Aaron Burr during two years of divorce proceedings, which were finalized in 1836 on the day of scumbag Burr's death.

So. Hah.

Pipsqueaks getting a blow to his ego rn

wait- *takes a tape and measures themselves* 5'9 something, still far taller then both of them!

[morganbelarus]

Rich robbers: why do wealthy people shoplift?

Evidence suggests the rich actually do steal more than the poor and shoplifting is only the first layer of the onion

On 6 April 2019, a man was arrested at the Kmart in Key West, Florida, after returning purchases for refunds. There was just one problem: the packaging he returned didnt contain the original products.

According to the police report, his bait-and-switch scam included two coffee makers a Keurig ($153.99) and a Hamilton Beach ($54.99). But inside the returned Keurig box was a deflated basketball, and a heavily used coffee machine was stuffed into the other box.

Reached by phone, the man denied the charge he was booked on first-degree petit larceny, a misdemeanor that covers a theft of property valued between $100 and $300. In a rambling, vague explanation, he stated: Theres an attorney, and I believe that hes found some other people, relating to the store, who are involved. Thats all I can say right now. The case is pending.

interactive

Theres nothing unusual about this type of shoplifting. A 2018 National Retail Federation study pegged the cost of return fraud at a staggering $18.4bn. What is unusual is that this shoplifting suspect, Andrew Francis Lippi III, is rich. A week before his Kmart arrest, he paid $8m for an island in the Florida Keys.

Kabinet Bangoura, the Kmart loss prevention manager who scanned hours of surveillance video to build the case, is blunt about Lippis motivation: Millionaires think theyre above the law and can get away with anything.

While its impossible to profile shoplifters the crime transcends gender, age and all socio-demographic strata, and about one in 11 people commit it evidence suggests the rich actually do steal more than the poor. The paper cited most often to support this theory, Prevalence and Correlates of Shoplifting in the United States (American Journal of Psychology,2008), states that people with incomes of $70,000 shoplift 30% more than those earning $20,000 a year.

A federal lawyer proved that point last year when she was caught swiping $257.99 worth of cosmetics from a military base store in Quantico, Virginia. This unnamed FBI employee later confessed to that theft and several previous shoplifting sprees in the area. More recently, in September, Sgt Eva Pena of the New York police department was suspended from her job after she was allegedly caught stealing clothing valued at $359 from a Macys store. This wasnt a crime of poverty. Pena, whose 2018 salary was $107,809, drove to court in a white Mercedes to enter her not guilty plea.

So why do otherwise law-abiding (and well-off) citizens ignore their better angels and go full Winona Ryder? The answer depends on which expert you consult. Every psychiatrist, substance abuse counselor and social scientist has a theory to explain this counterintuitive behavior.

Stealing is just the first layer of the onion, explains Terrence Shulman, the founder of the Shulman Center for Compulsive Theft, Spending and Hoarding. Beneath that are all the unresolved losses, traumas, abuses and repressed memories. He emphasizes that these psychic scars arent always rooted in the past. Tragic events like a recent divorce, a bankruptcy or death in the family could trigger a shoplifting episode. These people are self-medicating. Theft becomes their drug of choice, he says.

Psychologists have a label for this maladaptive behavior: nonsensical shoplifting, or shoplifting not apparently motivated by need or desire. Depression and trauma, stressors and triggers are often brought up when a celebrity shoplifting bust hits the newsfeeds. Not everyone, however, believes that nonsensical shoplifting is a layer of an onion or a coping mechanism.

Psychologist Stanton E Samenow, the author of The Myth of the Out of Character Crime, is convinced wealthy people shoplift because, as he puts it: Why buy it if you can steal it? He disparages all the exculpatory data: Theres always an attempt to ascribe criminality to circumstances outside the individual or some psychological disability. Its the unconscious cry for help or the person is seeking psychological punishment. These theories are old and shopworn.

Samenow recounts a case study, a patient that he treated several years ago: He had more than enough money to buy the item. He took it for the thrill of it, to outsmart the establishment. He enjoyed every aspect of shoplifting: scanning the aisles for the objects, looking for the exits, trying to outsmart the surveillance and store personnel, the theft and the getaway. This was all about excitement and building up ones self-worth.

Psychiatrist Jon Grant, a University of Chicago professor, agrees that shoplifting may often elicit a sense of euphoria. But hes quick to add that once the adrenaline rush subsides, a darker side of this compulsion manifests itself. I see shoplifting as an addiction, he says. The people I treat really hate the fact that they steal. They enjoy the thrill but then almost instantly beat themselves up for the behavior. They have lots of guilt and frequently think about and attempt suicide because of their behavior.

Social hierarchies is an established field of psychology that focuses on the effects of wealth, power and privilege. The study results in this area are remarkably consistent: the rich tend to be unethical, and are more likely to cheat and steal than the poor are. In one experiment, the drivers of luxury cars were less likely to obey the right-of-way laws at a busy four-way intersection than the drivers of cheaper or older model cars. Then theres the grim and troubling candy experiment, where researchers observed wealthy people remove twice as much candy from a jar that had been earmarked for children than people of more modest means did. Experiments have also shown that wealthy people are more likely to cheat on their taxes and their romantic partners.

One theory to explain this contrast in behavior is that low-income people are less likely to cheat and steal because they are more invested in their communities and fear being publicly humiliated. Conversely, the rich harbor feelings of entitlement and self-interest, which destabilizes their moral compass. Heres another factor that may apply: the poor have a heightened fear of authority figures, and the rich do not. Theres a Kmart security guy in Florida who could have told you that.

Original Article : HERE ;

Rich robbers: why do wealthy people shoplift? was originally posted by MetNews

[jtlawoffice-blog]

Divorcing A Military Spouse In Florida The process of getting a divorce in Florida is never an easy one and it often requires excellent representation from a knowledgeable attorney. http://bit.ly/2Walu2x

[duaneodavila]

What About A De Minimis Cost Exception To Unauthorized Practice Of Law?

For a long time, I’ve wanted to come up with the definitive blog post on what constitutes unauthorized practice of law. I figured that if I could develop a clear set of principles, then I could create an online tool to help solos and smalls evaluate if a particular scenario constituted practice of law and thus, help keep them out of trouble. But after dozens of false starts and a bunch of research, I’m back to where I started – without any clear, comprehensive way to define the practice of law.

Before I offer up an alternative approach, here’s an example of a common definition of “practice of law” this one from People ex Rel. Chi. Bar Asso. v. Barasch, 406 Ill. 253 (Ill. 1950):

“The “practice of law” has been defined as “`the giving of advice or rendition of any sort of service by any person, firm or corporation when the giving of such advice or rendition of such service requires the use of any degree of legal knowledge or skill.”

Here’s the problem. Essentially, the Barasch case says that an activity is the practice of law when it requires the use of legal knowledge.  So, then what kinds of activity requires legal knowledge? The practice of law. In other words, the court’s definition is completely circular.

Other cases are more activity specific – and focus on characterizing one activity or another as the practice of law. Under this approach, courts have found UPL when a non-attorney engages in refinancing an existing mortgage without attorney supervision (Doe v. McMaster, 355 S.C. 306 (S.C. 2003)), preparing a deed for another (In the Matter of Easler, 275 S.C. 400 (S.C. 1980)) or doing anything more than simply typing a bankruptcy petition. In re Guttierez, 248 B.R. 287 (Bankr. W.D. Tex. 2000).  

Maybe someday an AI-powered robot will comb through all the cases dealing with unauthorized practice and develop an algorithm to assess whether a particular activity is UPL.  But I’m not hopeful. I’ve always thought that AI tools depend upon an underlying system of logic and rules in order to build an algorithm ��� but which are features that are utterly lacking from most regulatory decisions. Thus, it may be years before  rulings like these  will become comprehensible to machines. And so, as we wait for tech to catch up to help us figure out what constitutes the practice of law, I thought I’d propose my own concept which is this:

Any matter that involves courts, contracts, wills, advice on rights or obligations that has a value of less than $10,000 is not the practice of law.  Admission to the bar is not required to represent clients in this category of matters.

At first glance, my approach seems arbitrary, but here’s my thinking. One of the reasons that parties are often unrepresented in certain matters is because lawyers turn down cases that don’t make sense from a financial perspective.  Most lawyers won’t litigate a $500 breach of contract action because from an economic perspective, it doesn’t make sense to bill a client 3 hours of time at $300/hour to recover $500 in damage.  Given that most lawyers won’t take these cases on, are they property characterized as legal matters at all? (yup, I can do circular logic just as well as any regulator!).

The same is true for traffic tickets. Many consumers don’t bother fighting minor speeding tickets – even if they believe they have grounds to do so. Even if a lawyer were to accept the case for free, it’s not worth it for most consumers to have to take an hour out of their day to meet with an attorney, and then a morning off from work to show up at the courthouse – all to avoid a $100 fine. And most lawyers who might accept this kind of case would need to charge a few hundred dollars to make it even remotely economically viable. To be sure, traffic tickets have characteristics of a traditional legal matter – they involve parties rights and require an appearance before the court. But if lawyers aren’t willing to take the lower value traffic ticket cases, why bother to characterize them as legal issues?

Sure there are exceptions – situations where points apply or a license could be suspended – which ups the value of the matter. But as a general rule of thumb, why do we even glorify penny-ante matters that lawyers don’t want to handle by suggesting that they’re the practice of law?

Think I’m crazy?  There’s at least some data to back up my hunch. Take a look at the  Learned Hands, an online game developed by the Suffolk Lit Lab and Stanford Law’s Legal Design Lab  that asks users to determine whether a particular question (which are aggregated from Reddit) involves a legal issue, and if so, in what practice area. I played a couple of hours worth of Learned Hands and found that my knee-jerk reaction to most of the questions was “well, maybe there’s a contract issue here or a tort issue there, but what lawyers is going to take a case that involves a $200 dry cleaning bill?). 

What would be the effect of simply exempting matters smaller than $10k from the definition of the practice of law? For starters, we’d encourage development of more sophisticated AI-powered tools to handle these matters without having the chilling effect of a UPL claim hanging over these companies and investors. Here’s a real world example out of Florida which for the past two years has been battling TIKD, a sophisticated app that handles ticket defense for clients in one fell swoop. Clients pay TIKD the citation amount and the company then hires a lawyer to challenge the ticket. If TIKD wins and the ticket is dismissed and points aren’t assessed, it keeps the fee. If points are assessed, the consumer receives a refund. Because of data that TIKD aggregates and analyzes on the ticketing process, it pretty much knows in advance how many tickets will be dismissed or how many fines will be reduced, so it can make the numbers work in the way that an individual law firm can’t.

In January 2019, a report by a Florida bar referee concluded that TIKD’s services did not constitute the practice of law because TIKD did not represent parties in court. But the Florida regulators have challenged the referee report, arguing on brief that TIKD essentially offers legal services – i.e., ticket defense to consumers and therefore is engaged in UPL. And the regulators’ brief mentions one case where a consumer’s license was at risk of suspension because TIKD did not pay a fine. These kinds of outliers are often used to ban an entire business. By contrast, under my proposed approach, TIKD would continue to be allowed to handle low value cases while more serious cases with economic consequences – such as a license suspension for a consumer who relies on his license a job – would still need to be handled by a lawyer.

The second benefit to exempting low value cases from the definition of the practice of law is that it would open the door for lawyers to handle these cases. As I mentioned earlier, most lawyers can’t make a $500 case economically viable. But there may be ways to do it if lawyers could handle these small matters not only in their local jurisdiction but on a national basis. In addition, there are many lawyers such as military wives or retired lawyers traveling the country who find themselves temporarily in a new jurisdiction where they are not licensed and may even have to take another bar exam to gain admission. Currently, lawyers in this category can take work on a contract basis for as little as $40 or $50/hour. But financially, these lawyers would be just was well off, if not more so, if they could handle a couple of small fry FKA legal matters for two or three hundred dollars a case.

Lawyers have been trying to define what constitutes the practice of law for a century or more – and have never gotten much further than the Potter Stewart-esque “I’ll know it when I see it” test. But what we do know – or can easily figure out – is the types of cases lawyers take and decline for economic reasons. And since we know that many lawyers won’t accept certain matters – like traffic tickets or tiny contract disputes or even uncontested divorces with minimal property or small estates – then why bother to call it the practice of law at all?

Image courtesy of Shutterstock

Related

What About A De Minimis Cost Exception To Unauthorized Practice Of Law? republished via Above the Law

[attorneycraigvigodsky]

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[quantum-displacement]

Trumps Cabinet

Secretary of State

Rex Tillerson (Oil Tycoon)

He broke the law by illegally doing deals with State Sponsors of Terrorism.

He broke the law by illegally doing $50 million dollars worth of deals with Iran and selling their military "chemicals" while they were under sanctions.

He bragged about being a personal friend of Putin and estimates put that he has spent more time with Putin then any other American citizen.

He lied under oath to Congress when asked about him lobbying against Russian Sanctions.

He was sued for anti-gay discrimination.

He was Director of a Russian Oil Firm in the Bahamas that helped companies use offshore tax haven loopholes to avoid paying taxes.

When the threat of rising sea levels due to climate change were brought up his response was, "We'll adapt to that."

He is being sued for ignoring environmental regulations.

He was fined after he ignored safety regulations and that resulted in 2 people being killed and another 13 injured.

He refused to agree that Saudi Arabia violates human rights or Putin has committed war crimes.

He has been investigated for fraud.

He was personally mentioned in court documents where at least 14 different witnesses have testified private military security forces employed by Exxon Mobil working in Indonesia had engaged in serious human rights abuses, including murder, torture, sexual violence, kidnapping, battery, assault, rape, arbitrary arrest, detention and false imprisonment. Instead of denying these things occurred his lawyers have argued he shouldn't be held responsible for the actions of employees even though he directly was involved in the management.

Secretary of the Treasury:

Steven Mnuchin (Worked for Goldman Sachs)

He has been accused of racism by enacting company policies to refuse to give loans to minorities and giving Latinos higher mortgage rates than whites.

If you were a Latino who didn't pay your morgue to Steven Mnuchin's bank you are 20% more likely to be foreclosed on than if you are white and in the same situation.

The bank he headed broke the law numerous times with unethical and illegal foreclosure practices. Such as trying to evict an elderly couple who had already paid them $525,000 in mortgages for a house that was only worth $200,000.

He has been sued dozens of times and settled or was found guilty in multi-million dollar lawsuits on several separate occasions.

He has been forced to testify and received subpoenas from the Department of Housing and Urban Development multiple times during government investigations against him.

He tried to take a 90 year old woman's house because a clerical error made it seem like her payment was 27 cents short.

Secretary of Defense:

James Mattis (Former General)

He says it's fun to shoot people.

He's been implicated in committing war crimes.

After his own soldiers were hit by friendly fire he refused to send rescue and left them to die.

He is on the board of executives of a medical company currently going through bankruptcy after they committed fraud and misrepresented their products.

Attorney General:

Jeff Sessions (Alabama Senator)

He said he supported The K.K.K until he learned they smoked pot.

He admitting to making racist jokes during the investigation of two Klansman whom had kidnapped, beaten, tortured, slit the throat and murdered a young black man in 1981 before hanging his body in a tree at a local park in Mobile, Alabama.

He called an attorney a "race traitor" for defending a black client in a voting rights case.

He was considered by the Reagan administration to racist to be a Judge 30 years ago.

He called the ACLU and the NAACP "un-american" and "communist" for forcing civil rights down Americas throat.

He used racial slurs to address black co-workers. And told one Black Attorney, "You best be careful how you talk to white folks, boy."

He referred to the only black commissioner in Mobile Alabama as "the n*gger"

Dozens of former co-workers allege he is a racist and when asked about racist comments he has refused to give a straight answer.

Q: "Did you refer to him as the N-Word? Yes or no?"

A: "I am not the Jeff Sessions my detractors have tried to create."

He tried to fight against the passage of the violence against women act and fought against laws to make spousal rape a crime.

He said if a person is gay it should automatically disqualify them from getting a job as a judge.

He attempted to pass laws that would defund any school that allowed gay student groups or clubs such as the Gay-Straight Alliances. "An organization that professes to be comprised of homosexuals and/or lesbians must not receive state funding or use state-supported facilities to foster or promote those illegal, and sexually deviate activities that break the sodomy and sexual misconduct laws."

He voted in favor of laws that would make it legal for the U.S military to perform torture.

He supports seizing peoples homes without due process.

He has received a 0% rating from The Human Rights Campaign.

Secretary of Interior

Ryan Zinke (Former Congressman)

When he was in the military he was caught in a pattern of fraud.

He used techniques thought up by Stephen Colbert as a joke as part of a campaign money scheme to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations.

He repeatedly voted in support of logging, drilling, and mining on federally protected land.

He tried to make it legal for hunters to be able to hunt endangered species.

He fought to give federal park land to a coal company who donated $160,000 to his campaign.

Secretary of Agriculture

Sonny Perdue (Former Georgia Governor)

His solution to a drought was to organize a group to go outside the capital building and pray for rain.

He cheated on his property taxes by avoiding to include any mention of his vacation homes to the IRS.

He appointed people to government position in exchange for them selling him land for a cheaper price on at least two separate occasions.

He snuck a bizarre measure into a state law bill about State Safety Regulations that said people don't have to pay property taxes if they buy properties in other states. This saved him $100,000 in property taxes.

He moved all of his money to Florida so he wouldn't have to pay state taxes in Georgia.

He diverted $4.3 million dollars that was supposed to go into building a reservoir into buying massive amounts of land for himself.

Even far right websites managed to create a 22 incident long, 3 year timeline just of scandals involving Perdue either unethically buying or stealing land. Or Perdue trying to use his political power to find bizarre ways to not pay taxes.

Secretary of Commerce

Wilbur Ross (Billionaire coal mine owner, his nickname is "the king of bankruptcy")

He was fined $2.3 million dollars by the SEC for swindling over 10 million in unnecessary fees out of investors.

He killed a dozen miners by knowing violating safety regulations that he was warned would lead to deaths.

He once bailed Trump out of bankruptcy.

Secretary of Labor:

Andrew Puzder (CEO of Carl’s Jr)

He had been accused of beating his wife, medical records prove it was long term and the police were called on atleast two separate occasions.

When asked about the domestic violence charges in court while his wife was trying to get a restraining order he gave bizarrely worded excuses.

Instead of saying:

"Yes I shoved her to the ground so she couldn't call 911."

He said:

"I didn't shove her, I grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her back I don't know if her foot caught or what happened.”

A year before this incident when he was in court again and asked to describe what happen when he was driving drunk, crashed his car and then punched his wife.

Instead of saying:

"I don't remember what happen that night, I did have a minor accident but it wasn't because of my wife it was because I was driving drunk."

He said:

"I recall no such incident. I do recall going up on a curb but it had nothing to do with my reaction to Lisa. I think it had to do with the liquid refreshment we had with our dinner more than anything else."

At the time of these Domestic Violence allegations he was chair of an anti-abortion task force created by the Governor of Missouri.

When asked if he would resign he said:

"This is a personal matter and has nothing to do with issues I'm speaking out on. The fact that I was appointed to the task force, I don't think is relevant to these issues. This is what normally happens in a divorce case. You're blowing it way out of proportion."

He later was forced to resign from the state run Anti-Abortion task force...

Neighbors called the police on another occasion when he started breaking furniture and plates.

The U.S. Department of Labor found that more than half of his restaurants were committing wage violations.

He was sued and found guilty for discriminating against the physically disabled.

He was sued and found guilty for refusing to pay employees overtime.

He was sued and found guilty for refusing to pay employees overtime again. This time he was forced to pay $9 million dollar.

He was sued and found guilty for refusing to follow safety regulations.

He was sued and found guilty in a class action lawsuit for refusing to compensate employees for work expenses.

He was sued and found guilty for allowing sexual harassment to continue.

He has been accused of racial discrimination.

His company is one of the highest ranked in the country in terms of employees reporting gender discrimination or harassment.

He hired Illegal Immigrants and paid them below minimum wage.

He is against there being a minimum wage.

He argues overtime pay shouldn't exist.

He blames poor people for being in poverty while he earns more money every day than employees at his fast food restaurant earn in an entire year.

He wants to replace employees with machines.

Secretary of Homeland Security:

John F. Kelly (Former General)

He doesn't believe women should be allowed be in the military.

He argues Guantanamo Bay, "Isn't as bad as it seems."

He supports Trump building a wall because Terrorists might sneak in through the Mexican boarder, aided by illegal immigrants.

He lied and said Narcoterrorism have killed 500,000 Americans since 9/11.

Secretary of Energy:

Rick Perry (Former Texas Governor)

He was indicted on Felony Abuse of Power charges.

He promised to abolish the Department of Energy before being picked to lead it.

He allowed the execution of a man later proven to be innocent and stalled the investigation to clear the mans name until after he was executed. Then fired all the people who warned him the man was innocent from the start.

He carries a semi-automatic handgun while jogging, “because he is afraid of snakes.” and for the past several years has bragged during interviews he used it to kill a coyote with a single shot. Though everytime he retold the story there were more inconsistencies.

He has told blacks that racism doesn't exist anymore while at the same time having owned for 33 years a hunting camp named simply, N*ggerhead.

He made sexist comments against the former Governor and then argued against a woman who said she was insulted by them by arguing she wasn't really offended.

He said income inequality isn't a problem because there are poor people in the bible.

He proposed a plan to lower taxes on the rich and raise taxes on the poor to compensate, when a New York Time reporter brought up how this would create massive levels of income inequality his response was, "I don’t care about that."

He gave a lengthy speech about how Atheists deserve hell and will go there when they die, and how they have to much power in society.

A whistle blower discovered that state juvenile detention facilities had employed sex offenders and had been covering up complaints of abuse in what may of been the largest child sex abuse ring in U.S history, the whistle blower contacted Governor Perry and spoke to him numerous times but Perry refused to do anything about it. Three years later in 2007 the FBI determined that at least 750 girls age 10-17 had been sexually abused by guards and several high ranking administrators who either covered up the abuse or participated in it were arrested. Many of these administrators were personally appointed by Perry himself.

He said the BP Oil spill had nothing to do with poor safety regulations and was actually caused by god.

In college he got a D in a class titled, "Meats."

He vetoed a bill saying the state can't execute the mentally ill.

He has threatened that Texas can secede from the United States more than once.

He said drugs were the cause of the Charleston Church shooting not racism.

He compares being gay to alcoholism.

He suggested Immigrants trying to cross the boarder should be drone striked to keep them from getting in.

He signed an executive order making it so all girls over the age of 12 had to receive a vaccination against sexually transmitted diseases. Then it was revealed his chief of staff was an executive for the company that made the vaccine.

He threatened the Chairman of the Federal Reserve and accused him of treason.

Secretary of Education:

Betsy DeVos (Billionaire private education advocate )

She wants creationism taught in public schools.

Her family made their fortune through a literal pyramid scheme.

She wants to get rid of Child Labor Laws.

She owes millions of dollars in government fines for election fraud.

She lied during Senate Hearings.

She illegally omitted anti-union donations on disclosure forum.

She wants to use American Schools to "Build Gods Kingdom."

She hired a Felon to run her school lobbying group.

She thinks schools should be armed in order to protect themselves against bears.

White House chief strategist:

Steve Bannon (CEO of Breitbart News)

He was arrested for three counts of domestic violence in the 90s.

The charges were dropped after him and his attorney threatened his ex-wife into fleeing the state.

He choked his ex-wife and smashed her phone so she couldn't call 911.

He was accused of sexual harassment by female co-workers. “Saftey Regulations? I’m going to ram those Safety Regulations down her fucking throat,”

“There are some unintended consequences of the women’s liberation movement, the women that should lead this country would be pro-family, they would have husbands, they would love their children. They wouldn’t be a bunch of dykes that came from the Seven Sisters schools up in New England.” ― Bannon during interview when asked about women in government

He was outraged when he found out that Jews were allowed at his daughters school and complained to them over it.

He helped promote the white supremacist novel The Camp of the Saints which depicts non-white immigrants as barbaric invaders whoes goals for moving to Europe and America is to bring forth the downfall of civilization.

He was a member of a Facebook group that produced racist rants and death threats against President Obama.

He complained about there being to many Asian CEOs.

National Security Adviser:

Michael Flynn (Disgraced former General)

He says Islam is Cancer and it's irrational for people not to be afraid of Muslims.

He ordered female Defense Intelligence Agency employees to "dress sexy" and wear short skirts and makeup.

He was fired from the Military for trying to demand too much power and authority. Though he says the reason was, "political correctness."

Leaked Bush Administration emails show he show he had extreme anger issues, refused to follow orders, went against policy and became, "physcially abusive with staff."

He wants to bring back torture.

He retweeted anti-semetic Tweets.

He is a Board Member for what The Southern Poverty Law Center considers the largest Anti-Muslim Hate Group in America.

His son and top adviser is famous for posting online Conspiracy Theories and racist memes.

Leaked 2010 memo reveals he shared Top Secret Information without permission.

He facilitated the murder of civilians in Afghanistan.

Domestic Policy Adviser

Ken Blackwell (Former Ohio Secretary of State)

He says, "Gays can be reformed, just like arsonists."

He works for an anti-gay hate group who wants gays deported.

He advised Trump to change the laws so youth Homeless shelters could legally refuse to help gay and transgender youth.

He believes mass shooting are caused by America's lack of morality which stems from the country allowing gays to exist.

He wrote an article saying Mosques don't have a right to exist in New York City.

He was accused of rigging the 2004 election in Ohio for George Bush. After he was called to testify in legal hearings by Congress he just refused to show up.

During his term he had 18 major lawsuits.

He accidentally published a list of 1.2 million Social Security numbers of Ohio citizens.

He fought tooth and nail to move too electronic touch screen voting machines instead of paper ballots, after it was discovered the machines had a backdoor software "glitch" it was revealed that Blackwell owned the company that made the voting machines.

A group of 31 pastors contacted the IRS alleging that a number of Churches in the state had been secretly funding Blackwell which violates laws prohibiting charity groups involvement in political campaigns

Blackwell sent an email claiming he had never heard of any of the churches that he was accused of getting illegal donations from. But after media outlets traced the I.P address of the email it was revealed he sent the email inside of the church that he was claiming he had never heard of in the email he was sending from their building...

Click here to vote who you think is the worst pick.

[saleintothe90s]

269. 96 Things About 1996 part 9

(part 8)

81. Beck Weathers 

Dr. Beck Weathers was stuck on Mount Everest during a blizzard in May of 1996, 8 people wound up dying from exposure from the blizzard.  When found after descending to a camp on the mountain, fellow hikers  believed that he was so frostbitten and ill from exposure that he would die that night. The group tried to make Weathers comfortable in his last hours. However, he beat the odds and survived. He was guided to a helocopter and was flown to a hospital. Weathers nose, fingers on both hands, his right arm, and parts of his feet were all lost to frostbite. 

He still worked as a pathologist, in a 2003 interview:

You adjust to doing things differently. God bless Velcro and elastics. But anything that requires fingers, I can’t do. I have a gal Friday who is a master’s-level physician’s assistant, specifically trained in the area of pathology, and what she offers is almost exactly what I can’t do. I hate to say that we have a hand-and-glove relationship, but that’s essentially how it works.

82. Mommy gets a new haircut (May 23)

After 36 years with the same frumpy bob, Mommy finally has a new 'do.

Today, comics readers get their first look at the make-over of the character in the popular comic strip "Family Circus." The author of the strip, Bil Keane of Paradise Valley, Ariz., apparently decided to update her hair after a reader complained that the pointy chin-length cut Mommy has had since the feature's debut in 1960 was old-fashioned. 1

Here’s a story from the person who suggested to Bil Keane that Mommy needed a new haircut. Did you know what Mommy’s name is Thelma? Did you know that Family Circus takes place in Scottsdale, Arizona?

83. Steve Forbes runs for President (and hosts Saturday Night Live)

Businessman, and Forbes magazine founder, Steve Forbes tried to run for president as a Republican with a “flat tax” campaign. He won Arizona and Delaware! 

He also, bizarrely hosted Saturday Night Live in April of 1996. Here he is with Molly Shannon and some giant Florida Bugs. 

(I cannot find the original source for this image) 

84. The “Boulder” WalMart 

No no no, not in Boulder, Colorado. This was a WalMart in Dickson City, Pennsylvania that shut down suddenly due to safety precautions -- because a boulder rolled into it in December of 1996.

DICKSON CITY -- The company that warns customers to "watch out for falling prices" had to close a store Tuesday because of falling boulders.    The Wal-Mart store on Route 6 in Dickson City closed on the recommendation of an engineering firm hired to investigate a continuing problem with boulders rolling from the adjacent Bell Mountain.    A Wal-Mart spokeswoman at the corporate headquarters in Bentonville, Ark., said Wednesday that store officials are looking for another location and hope to reopen by the weekend, the last of the Christmas shopping season.    One of the boulders at the back of the store was taller than the building.  2

The property stayed abandoned for 20 years until the Wegmans grocery store nearby bought the property so the eyesore could be removed.  It was torn down just in November.

85. Motorola StarTac Phone (January 3)

(aka, the “Frasier Phone” ... ok, only I called it that. Frasier & Niles Crane were early adopters of the phone)

(source)

Arriving right at the beginning of 1996, the StarTac was the first “gotta have it” phone.

86. Apple is not up for sale (1/24)

87. “Apple Doesn’t Fall” closes after one performance (4/16)

“The Apple Doesn't Fall . . .," a comedy by Trish Vradenburg, closed on Sunday after one performance at the Lyceum Theater, 149 West 45th Street. Directed by Leonard Nimoy and starring Margaret Whitton and Florence Stanley, it had 19 previews. 3

88. Jeff Foxworthy & Sinbad hosted the American Music Awards (January)

(source)

89. Martin has a mental breakdown (5/8)

With a pistol in his pocket, comedian Martin Lawrence ran into traffic on busy Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks on Tuesday, cursing and screaming at oncoming cars until he was taken away by police and hospitalized, authorities and witnesses said.

Lawrence, star of the television sitcom "Martin" and the films "Bad Boys" and "A Thin Line Between Love & Hate," was found in the middle of Ventura Boulevard at Tyrone Avenue about 12:30 p.m., said Sgt. Bert Mora of the Los Angeles Police Department.

After police restrained Lawrence, he was taken to Sherman Oaks Hospital and Health Center and later released to his personal physician, Dr. William Young of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Mora said.

A witness--who declined to be identified but who said he was an acquaintance of Lawrence--said the actor was cursing, waving his hands and yelling, "Fight the establishment!" He said Lawrence ran out of the street when police arrived and tried to fight them off when they attempted to restrain him. 4

90. Woody gets arrested for planting seeds (6/1) 

91. HoTMaiL Launches (7/4)

In June the product was ready to launch, at that time they had 15 employees working for them. They launched it on July 4, 1996 - Independence Day - as Sabeer and jack thought free email was a great Independent idea and populist tool. Every body who owned a computer had their own email accounts, but with webmail, they could log on from anywhere in the world. The first users found it all by themselves and then it spread like a forest fire. there were 100 in first hour, 200 in second hour and 250 in third hour. the idea was so intuitively powerful that 80% of those who signed up for Hotmail; learned about it from a friend. 5

92. Jackie Stern 

Florida man wears medal without honor

Stern December 4, 1996 Web posted at: 8:20 a.m. EST From Correspondent Robert Vito

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida (CNN) -- Wherever 67-year-old Jackie Stern went in this south Florida community, he brought along his Medal of Honor, awarded by Congress to military personnel who have risked life in combat beyond the call of duty.

Speeches to Gulf War veterans, war stories at police stations and appearances at public occasions were all ripe moments for Stern to share his heroic past.

The only problem with Stern's highly visible patriotism is that he was living a lie. He had not earned the Medal of Honor -- he had bought it.

"He marched around in parades. He came around reviewing ROTC troops, even coming in here to get photographed wearing the medal," said Sgt. Dan Ciacciarelli of the Broward County Sheriff's Department. "He's pretty brazen."

For nearly 10 years, Stern bragged he had won the medal for bravery in the Korean War. He even went so far as to include a prisoner of war tag on the front of his car and a license plate on the back bearing a purple heart.

But in real military life, 'Captain' Jack Stern never made it past private.

Eventually Stern's public displays provoked suspicion among some in the community. His tall tale unraveled when police learned he had never even set foot on a continent where the U.S. was involved in a conflict.

Faced with the truth, Stern pleaded guilty to federal charges involving the unearned medal of honor.

In a federal courtroom, the former bread truck driver and polygraph operator apologized to veterans. He said his actions had been stupid and pitiful.

His son blamed his father's behavior on a massive stroke in 1985 that left him partially paralyzed.

Stern said he bought the medal at a military show for $800. The medal turned out to be authentic but not officially issued.

Stern could have been sentenced to six months in jail; instead, the judge placed him on one year's probation and ordered him to write letters of apology to the 171 surviving recipients of the Medal of Honor. 6

Here’s more info on other guys who have posed as Medal of Honor winners. 

93. Charlie Sheen’s Home Run Night (4/21)

According to the Los Angeles Times, actor Charlie Sheen paid $5,000 for a chance at Anaheim Stadium. He bought all the seats behind the left-field fence for a recent game between the California Angels and Detroit Tigers in hopes of catching a ball.

Sheen sat with three friends on an aisle about 20 rows up, pounding a glove in anticipation of a home run that never came.

"Anybody can catch a foul ball. I want to catch a fair ball," Sheen said.

He chose to set himself apart from the crowd because "I didn't want to crawl over the paying public. I wanted to avoid the violence." 7

94. Febreze is test marketed

Procter & Gamble Co. will begin test marketing Febreze Fabric Refresher May 20. P&G said Febreze, which can be used on clothing or upholstery, uses a proprietary technology to trap odor molecules from such sources as cigarette smoke, pets or cooking. TV and print ads by Grey Advertising, highlighting situations where Febreze can be used, will run in the Phoenix; Boise, Idaho; and Salt Lake City test markets. 8

95. Keith Luecke

She's a kid. Sitting in Judge William Walker's courtroom last week, Alecia Campbell watched the room fill with television cameras. She watched as the man accused of corrupting her minced into the room, hobbled by an ankle chain. Her blunt features were shiny, no makeup, not even lipstick. Maybe she's not allowed. Her mother was there, looking grim. Alecia chewed gum.

Is she a troubled child? Is she incorrigible? I don't know. But I know she is 14 years old. And she looks and acts her age.

He is a 34-year-old man who left his wife and seven children to live with an eighth-grade girl in a sleazy motor lodge.

[...]

The court will see whether he is guilty of breaking the law. Here's what I saw. He repeatedly winked and smiled at the young girl sitting across the courtroom from him. He mouthed the words, ''I love you'' twice, ''I miss you'' once.

He avoided the eyes of Chris Luecke, his wife of 12 years. She sat quietly, resting one freckled arm along the back of the pew-like seat about 6 inches from Alecia's face. Her eyes, blue almost violet, missed nothing.

Leaving the courtroom, Mrs. Luecke walked directly across the street to her attorney's office to file for divorce. 9

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BATAVIA, OHIO BATAVIA, Ohio (AP) _ A former church youth director who once taught a program called ``True Love Waits'' was sentenced Wednesday to at least 12 years in prison for having an affair with a 13-year-old girl.

Keith Luecke, 33, pleaded guilty to child stealing and corrupting a minor.

He met Alecia Campbell, now 15, when she began dating Luecke's son, and they disappeared together for 78 days after he was to have appeared in court on charges related to their relationship in April.

They were found by authorities on June 28 at a motel in Hanahan, S.C.

``I pray that God brings peace to you and your family,'' Luecke said to the girl's family. ``To Alecia, I never meant to harm you or cause you pain, because I do love you.'' 10

96. This comic. 

cuz people used to joke that Bob Dole was too old. He’s still alive 21 years later! 

So I’m finally done with this series. It took way longer than I had anticipated. I didn’t think it would be this hard to come up with 96 minor things about 1996! 

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 

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Sources: 

1. Baum, Geraldine, “Mommy Finally Makes the Cut,” Los Angeles Times, May 23, 1996. http://articles.latimes.com/1996-05-23/news/ls-7412_1_cutting-edge

2. Turfa, Palmela C. “PRICES AREN'T ALL THAT FALL AT WAL-MART BOULDERS TUMBLING FROM NEARBY MOUNTAIN LEAD TO CLOSING OF STORE IN SCRANTON AREA,” Times Leader, December 19, 1996. http://archives.timesleader.com/1996/1996_21/1996_12_19_PRICES_AREN_T_ALL_THAT_FALL_AT_WAL_MART_BOULDERS_TUMBLING_FROM_N.html 3. “The Apple’ Closes,” New York Times, April 16, 1996.  http://www.nytimes.com/1996/04/16/theater/the-apple-closes.html

4. Ramirez, Margaret, “Comedian Martin Lawrence Runs Into Street, Yells at Cars,” Los Angeles Times, May 8, 1996.  http://articles.latimes.com/1996-05-08/local/me-1744_1_comedian-martin-lawrence

5. “Sabeer Bhatiya, Los Angeles, Large Indian Company, Scott Mc Nealy MBA'80, Steve Wozniak and Marc Andreesen, Sabeer Bhatiya : The founder of "Hotmail.com": Is He Great or Is He Lucky..., Sabeer Bhatiya, Los Angeles, Large Indian Company, Scott Mc Nealy MBA'80, Steve Wozniak and Marc Andreesen, Apple Computers, Jack Smith, American Online account, web - HOTMAIL, Microsoft's financial muscles.” Accessed January 28, 2016. http://classic-web.archive.org/web/20070210043942/http://4to40.com/legends/print.asp?id=131

6. Vito, Robert. Florida man wears medal without honor,” CNN.com, December 4, 1996, accessed January 28, 2017, http://www.cnn.com/US/9612/04/medal.without.honor/. 

7. “Money Can't Buy Home-Run Ball,” Seattle Times, April 23, 1996. http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19960423&slug=2325536

8. “P&G tests Febreze,” Advertising Age,  May 9, 1996. http://adage.com/article/news/p-g-tests-febreze/18446/

9. Pulfer, Laura, “The twisted journey of Keith Luecke,” Cincinnati Enquirer, July 14, 1996. http://enquirer.com/columns/pulfer/1996/07/071496_lp.html

10. “AT CHILD-STEALING SENTENCING, MAN PROFESSES LOVE FOR TEEN-AGE GIRL,” Associated Press, November 20, 1996. http://www.apnewsarchive.com/1996/At-Child-Stealing-Sentencing-Man-Professes-Love-for-Teen-Age-Girl/id-d61b3fbcdf39586a009d4a9dc4f582e1