Firm News

What is a “bitcoin?” This question seems to be coming up a lot these days. A bitcoin is likely the most recognized and popular form of cryptocurrency. Cryptocurrency is a type of digital or virtual currency (like the dollar or euro). However, unlike those traditional forms of currency, cryptocurrency is not backed by precious metal…

Purchased property can increase its value. For example, if you bought property in the 1970’s for $100,000.00 and the same property is worth 600,000.00 today, then your property has appreciated, or grown, in value. The Federal government taxes this increase in value through a capital gains tax. Depending on your tax bracket, the capital gains…

Whether you’re the plaintiff or defendant, a lawsuit is a complicated process.  There are many court rules, filing deadlines, and procedural requirements that you should be aware of. As a result, once you realize that you will become involved in a lawsuit it is good practice to immediately consult with an attorney. An attorney’s job…

What is an Advance Health Care Directive? An Advance Health Care Directive is important because it comes into play when you are incapacitated, such as a coma, or any other circumstance where you are unable to make decisions for yourself. Without an Advance Health Care Directive, the treating doctor will have to make medical choices…

Have you been mailed or served with a judgment against you and you did not ever know there was a lawsuit against you?  Chances are whoever sued you took your “default” – meaning you failed to respond to the lawsuit.  But how could you respond if you never knew you were being sued in the…

In a legal case, the more information that can be obtained, the better off the lawyer and client are before going into the courtroom. One tool at every attorneys’ disposal is the deposition. A deposition involves asking a person questions about what they know about a case. This can range from a bystander who witnessed…

Alternative Dispute Resolution (commonly known as ADR) can settle a case before it goes to trial. Around 90% of civil cases settle prior to trial. ADR can be court-ordered or voluntarily. ADR generally means two things: either mediation or Arbitration. Mediation is the informal discussion of a case with a mediator. A mediator is a…

If you’ve been sued and are unfamiliar with the legal system, it is a good practice to immediately consult with an attorney. This is because once a lawsuit begins there are many important dates and deadlines that will impact your rights. When Do You Need to Respond? A lawsuit is initiated when a Plaintiff files…

Why do so many commercials avoid saying the words “Super Bowl?” It is simple – the National Football League has trademarked the term “Super Bowl.” Trademark infringement is “the unauthorized use of a trademark or service mark on or in connection with goods and/or services in a manner that is likely to cause confusion, deception,…

Raymond Carlson was recently interviewed by the Los Angeles Times for an article about the most recent setback to the California bullet train project. Read the article here