In the United States, bad behavior in workplace safety and corporate management have long been themes in movies, books, and cautionary tales. In 1970, Congress created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to help create and enforce labor standards around the country. OSHA's st...
If you run a business, whether you're the sole employee or the leader of a growing corporation, you need to register your business with the government. This ensures that all of your business dealings are legal and properly filed for tax purposes, payroll, insurance, and other legal considerations...
For many service members, finding or returning to civilian employment after military service can be daunting. These difficulties may arise for a number of reasons — like civilians not understanding how military skills or experience translate to civilian jobs, lack of access to jobs at appropriate...
Drug Possession Charges: What's the Difference? Use or possession of illegal drugs, or illegal use of legal drugs, constitutes a serious charge. At Patriots Law Group, we understand that good people can make mistakes and we fight hard to ensure a single mistake doesn't end a person's career an...
The Fourth of July is right around the corner and as we celebrate America's independence, it's important to make sure your festivities don't lead to trouble with the law. While sparklers and poppers are generally legal everywhere, in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, many types of firewor...
For many of our clients who live on base or in privatized military housing, issues with maintenance requests and other tenant-to-landlord concerns have historically caused major headaches. Although there are established rights for both tenants and landlords, such as the rights put in place in Mar...
On April 15, 2019, the United States Army announced its intentions to refresh the centralized promotion board system for the first time in fifty years, shifting from a time-based model to a merit-based model. The ultimate goal of the new system is to increase the number of promotions based on a s...
Military Spouse Appreciation Day, held every year on the Friday before Mother's Day, is a day to honor the contributions and sacrifices made by military spouses. Recognized on May 10th this year, the day honors the silent heroes who act as the backbone of military families while servicemembers ar...
When someone is accused of a crime, they are charged based on the severity of the crime committed. The two most common categories of crimes are felonies and misdemeanors, and they carry different weights in courts of law. For people who are unfamiliar with the criminal justice system in the state...
So you've got a great idea for a small business – now what? Whether you're still in the R&D phase, you're meeting your first clients, or you've been running a successful small business “under the table” for a while now, at some point you're going to need to form a business entity to operate le...
Traffic citations are never fun. Whether you've accidentally run a red light or weren't paying enough attention to your speedometer, a law enforcement officer may give you a ticket that requires you to pay a fine, or write you a citation, requiring a court appearance. Most traffic tickets are the...
If you're applying for a job with the United States government or military, you may be required to apply for security clearance as well. If you already hold security clearance, it must be renewed after a certain amount of time. What is security clearance? Security clearance determines a Uni...
A Last Will and Testament, or will, conveys how a person wants to distribute his or her assets after death. Most military families are familiar with wills because service members often execute a will before they deploy. People who have a lot of assets whether its investments, property, or money i...
Losing a job, or firing an employee, is rarely an easy experience. Often, a terminated employee may feel like they were fired unfairly, or for no reason. However, under certain circumstances, it is illegal to fire someone if the termination was based on protected criteria. This is known as “wrong...
April Fool's Day may be the day for pranks and jokes, but the laws below are actual regulations in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. (Spoiler alert: Virginia REALLY cares about birds!) Washington, D.C. It's illegal to throw a cantaloupe in the Potomac River. Yes, really! Accor...
March weather is said to come in like a lion and out like a lamb, and it can produce some precarious situations to navigate. Even when the weather isn't complicating matters, slip and fall cases in Virginia can be difficult to settle. No matter who is at fault, if you find yourself in the midst o...
In some child custody cases, the judge may decide that the child needs to have their own representation, separate from the parents. The judge can appoint a lawyer for the child if he decides it's necessary. There are three types of lawyers that the judge can appoint: a child privilege attorney, a...
With the St. Patrick's Day festivities well underway, it's important to drink responsibly, but also to be aware of your conduct and the conduct of those around you. There are several potential charges that can come about from a night out gone wrong, from DUIs to public drunkenness. Know the laws ...
Today, families no longer stay in the same town as they grew up in or got married in. For both military members and civilians, your work might require you to change locations frequently. If you have to move across the country, it may not be possible to continue appearing in another state for chil...
As soon as October 2019, the Army will begin rolling out its new Army Combat Fitness Test, used to determine soldiers' readiness for service. Although the new test won't be the official Army physical test until 2020, the Army has provided solid resources for those preparing to take the test. W...
Whether you pay rent to live in your landlord's home, or rent out your own home to tenants, regulations exist to protect both the landlord and the tenant in the state of Maryland. When the lease is signed, the property owner and the renter enter into an agreement that can be as complicated as it...
The Supreme Court recently denied a writ of certiorari in Larrabee v. United States. In denying to hear this appeal, the Supreme Court effectively upheld the lower courts decision. The case made the news because it involved a retired Marine who was tried by a military court after his retirement. ...
Are you a federal employee? Have you received an adverse action from your agency? You may have the right to appeal and fight against adverse employment actions that impact your federal employment through the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB). If you have been removed, suspended for more than ...
Making contracts, whether orally or in writing, can be confusing. Whether you're accepting a job or signing a lease, insuring a service or buying a car — if there's a promise to be made that involves the exchange of goods and services, a legally binding contract likely comes with it. What is a...
Going through a divorce, for most people, can be a difficult time. It is emotionally draining and can also be a financial burden. The length of the marriage, the amount of shared property and assets, the reasons for the divorce, and whether there are children adds to the complexity of the matter....
