A real life food fight resulted in a lawsuit that awarded the plaintiff (Constance Koulmey) over $100,000 in Connecticut. Yup, a man threw a bowl of pasta in a restaurant and the woman who was hit by accident was awarded just over $100,000 by a jury. How? There were several factors that played into this … More Koulmey v. Sweeney – Pasta throwing leads to a $100K jury verdict
North Carolina recently changed the statutes the involved regarding Power of Attorney, repealing the forms and replacing them with new ones. What does this mean for people who already have a Power of Attorney paperwork completed and notarized? First, you should always consult a lawyer to know specifics for you situation. Most times the state … More What happens when the law about my will or power of attorney changes?
The New York Times has an article on the importance of having a will. I think this article makes some very valid points, and is worth reading. As a lawyer who focuses on estate planning, when I mention that people should have wills, durable power of attorneys, and healthcare power of attorneys they assume my … More NY Times Article on Why you need a Will
Please do not put your wishes for your funeral plans in your will. Wills are often read after plans are made for funerals or in some cases after the funeral has happened. If you have special wishes for your funeral, please keep them in a safe place and make sure people know you have made … More Funeral Plans
With so much of our lives happening online it is important to remember digital assets need to be included in estate planning. North Carolina has included a section for that in their Durable Power of Attorney statute. Digital Assets & Social Media accounts can include, but are not limited to: online banking, Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, … More Digital Assets & Social Media
Recently, a group of Florida teens videoed a man who drowned. CNN has a great timeline of the situation here. The teens were heard laughing and teasing the man on the video, and none of them rendered help once the man started to struggle in the water. I have been asked why the teens are … More Moral vs. Legal obligations
Wills and Estate plans are not a document that should be done once and never looked at again. When a major life event happens you should review your will and estate plan to make sure it is still what you want. For example, if you had a will created and then you get married and … More Major Life Events
The North Carolina General Statues Chapter 32A states how to legally create a Durable Power of Attorney Below is a slideshow presentation I have created to help explain part of the North Carolina General Statutes that explains what is a Durable Power of Attorney. It is important to have on record who you want making … More NC – Durable Power of Attorney
Commonwealth v. Carter case commentary June 2017 … More Guilty of Involuntary Manslaughter for texting that ends in suicide
The North Carolina General Statues Chapter 32A and Chapter 90 state how to legally create a Healthcare Power of Attorney and Living Will. Below is a slideshow presentation I have created to help explain part of the North Carolina General Statutes that explain what each are. It is important to have on record who you … More NC – Healthcare Power of Attorney
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