5 Thanksgiving Foods and Gifts You Can’t Travel With

By Brett Snider, Esq.

Thanksgiving travel means air travel for many Americans, and air travel means abiding by the somewhat opaque rules set up by the TSA.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) still requires that many items must either be shipped or placed in checked baggage in order to make it to your final holiday destination. This leaves many Turkey Day travelers wondering: Can I bring my special pie/gravy/sauce/turkey in my carry on?

Your experience may vary, but here are five Thanksgiving foods and gifts the TSA may not let you on board with:

1. Cranberry Sauce

As Americans, we live in a post-9/11 world. And part of living in that world means scrutinizing carry-on items to determine if they comply with the TSA’s rules on liquids and gels. Cranberry sauce can take on a variety of consistencies, from a loose, chutney-type condiment to a cylindrical gelatinous side dish (bonus sadness points if you cut it with the can lid).

Here, the TSA has taken the guess-work out of the equation. Cranberry sauce is explicitly not allowed in your carry-on bag unless it’s in a ziplock bag and …read more

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Legalese From A to Z: 5 Legal Terms Beginning With ‘S’

By Daniel Taylor, Esq.

Say what? That may have been your reaction the first time you tried to decipher a legal document, state code section, or correspondence making use of legalese, the specialized language used by lawyers, judges, lawmakers, and others in the legal field.

Each week, our series Legalese From A to Z takes on some of the more important bits of legalese, one letter of the alphabet at a time. This week, we take on five legal terms that start with the letter “S”:

• S corporation. For a small business with a limited number of shareholders, forming as an S Corporation may offer significant tax advantanges. S corporations provide the protection of the corporate form while allowing shareholders to avoid the double taxation of other corporate forms.

• Section 1983. Section 1983 refers to the section of title 42 of the U.S. Code that makes an individual liable for depriving another individual of constitutional rights “under color of any statute, …read more

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10 Laws You Should Know If You’re in New Jersey

By Daniel Taylor, Esq.

Though the fourth smallest state by size, New Jersey is the most densely populated state, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. This is due in no small part to the state’s proximity to New York City, Philadelphia, and several other major U.S. metropolitan areas.

But whether you count yourself as a lifelong New Jerseyan, are just visiting, or are passing through from one of New Jersey’s neighboring states, you should familiarize yourself with the nuances of New Jersey state law.

Here are 10 laws that you should know if you’re in New Jersey:

1. Driving while intoxicated. What may be called DUI in other states is called DWI in New Jersey. There are two ways to be arrested for DWI: Have a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent or higher, or have an officer make a determination that you are under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
2. Cigarette tax. New Jersey has one of the highest cigarette tax rates in the nation, at $2.70 per pack of 20.
3. Death by auto. In New Jersey, causing …read more

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Obama’s Executive Order on Immigration: 5 Things You Should Know

By Brett Snider, Esq.

President Obama has announced that he will take executive action to shield millions of undocumented immigrants from deportation.

This executive order, announced in the president’s speech to the nation Thursday night, will not grant amnesty or any sort of permanent legal status to those illegal immigrants covered by the action. But as NPR reports, it may prevent up to 5 million immigrants from being deported.

Here are five things that immigrants and their families should know about President Obama’s executive immigration order:

1. It Removes the Age Cap for ‘Dreamers.’

Those covered by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), the group informally known as “Dreamers,” will be expanded under President Obama’s executive order. DACA previously allowed those who entered the United States illegally as children under the age of 16 to avoid deportation and receive work permits. But eligibility was limited to only those born after June 15, 1981. This birthdate limitation has been lifted, and even undocumented immigrants who are in …read more

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5 Potential Ways to Keep Divorce Costs Down

By Brett Snider, Esq.

Divorce can be stressful enough without worrying about mounting legal costs.

But as Susan Steinbrecher wrote for Inc., you might be able to complete your divorce by paying less than $100. Cooperating with your spouse and choosing non-adversarial legal options, among other tactics, can potentially keep your divorce costs minimal.

Here are five ways you may be able to lower the costs of your divorce:

1. File for an Uncontested Divorce.

While this isn’t always the case, if you and your spouse agree on the major issues that face most divorcing couples (custody, property, spousal support, etc.), you can file for an uncontested divorce. In many states, an uncontested divorce involves a stipulation by the non-filing spouse to agree to the terms worked out in a divorce agreement or the terms submitted by the filing spouse. You’ll still have to abide by the waiting periods for divorce in your state, but you won’t have to shell out much to attorneys.

2. Don’t Have Kids.

This isn’t a suggestion, just an observation. If you don’t have kids, you won’t have to worry about big …read more

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Can You Bring Alcohol on a Plane?

By Daniel Taylor, Esq.

As millions of Americans prepare to travel by air during the upcoming holiday season, long lines and delayed flights are poised to grate on travelers’ nerves.

But travelers who may be hoping to offset their holiday stress by packing a bottle of their favorite libation in their luggage should be aware of the TSA’s rules regarding transporting special items such as alcohol.

Can you bring your own alcohol on a plane?

TSA Alcohol Rules

The good news for those who want to bring their own booze is that the TSA does allow travelers to bring alcohol on planes, both in carry-on luggage and in checked baggage. However, there are specific rules for both.

In carry-on bags, alcohol in bottles three-ounces-or-less in size may be included with other liquids in one quart-sized clear, plastic, zip-top bag. It’s no coincidence that many major alcohol brands sell 50ml “airplane” bottles, which work perfectly for this purpose. Conceivably, you can bring as many of these bottles as you can fit with your other liquids into your single zip-top bag.

Larger bottles can be placed in your checked luggage. …read more

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Is It Legal to ‘Murder Out’ (aka Black-Out) Your Car?

By Daniel Taylor, Esq.

The murdered-out look is certainly nothing new. Car heads have been blacking out their rides for years.

And for just as long, drivers of blacked-out cars have been getting attention from law enforcement. The latest driver to draw the ire of police is “Keeping up With Kardashians” cast member and pseudo-Kardashian sister Kylie Jenner. According to TMZ, Jenner was pulled over by Los Angeles police and cited for the black covers on her murdered-out Range Rover earlier this week.

What do car owners need to know about the legality of blacking-out their cars?

Window Tints

Window tint laws vary from state to state. Generally however, most states have a minimum level of “light transmittance,” “luminous reflectance,” or other terminology quantifying the amount of visibility allowed by the glass in your windows and windshields.

Under federal law, automakers are generally required to make car windows that allow for at least 70 percent light transmittance. However, consumers can acquire aftermarket window tinting that is significantly darker. Although in some states …read more

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5 Things You Can’t Bring on a Plane

By Daniel Taylor, Esq.

2014′s holiday travel season is expected to get off to a big start during the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.

More than 24 million passengers will travel on U.S. airlines during the 12-day Thanksgiving travel period from November 21 through December 2, reports CBS News. Unfortunately, for some of these travelers, their holiday travel plans may be interrupted due to what’s in their luggage. Attempting to bring prohibited items on a plane may result in delayed travel, fines, and in some cases arrest, such as the San Francisco man recently arrested for attempting to bring three pounds of marijuana on his flight.

What are some of the items on the no-fly list? Here are five things you can’t bring on a plane:

1. Sharp objects. Pretty much any kind of sharp implement is prohibited in carry-on luggage. This includes: box cutters, knives, scissors (except those with blades shorter than four inches), and swords. However, these are all allowed in checked baggage.
2. Golf Clubs. Taking a quick flight …read more

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Is It Illegal to Drive Without Snow Tires, Snow Chains?

By Brett Snider, Esq.

Snow is a dangerous reality of many roads and highways across America, and snow tires and snow chains are a good way to avoid a potential accident.

But whether it’s a good idea or not to equip your vehicle with these traction devices, it’s quite another thing to say they’re required by law. And if they’re required, what exactly is the penalty for not using them?

Winter driving laws vary across the states, but here’s a general overview of when it’s illegal to drive without snow chains or snow tires:

Some States Require Snow Tires, Chains

There is no federal law that requires drivers to carry snow chains or drive with special tires regardless of the weather. However, there are laws in some states which do require either snow chains or snow tires. For example:

• Colorado requires noncommercial drivers to use tire chains or “adequate snow tires” on mountain highways during heavy snow conditions. Law enforcement may designate a road or pass as requiring either snow tires or chains, or as requiring chains only (depending on conditions).
• California has a similar three-tiered system for requiring …read more

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Legal How-To: Getting Your Landlord to Fix the Heat

By Brett Snider, Esq.

Nothing ruins a festive holiday season like an ice-cold apartment with no working heater. While there’s not a whole lot that the law requires from your landlord as far as amenities are concerned, adequate heating during cold weather is one of them.

Getting your landlord to fix the heat might be as simple as asking him or her, but just in case, here’s a quick legal guide:

1. Simply Ask Your Landlord to Fix the Heat.

Sometimes the simplest solution is the most successful. Before you start raising legal hell over your freezing abode, you may want to consider a polite appeal to your landlord to fix the heating problem. Use whatever channel of communication is normal for you and your landlord — phone, email, in-person, etc. — and request the heat be fixed.

2. Make a Request in Writing.

Assuming your first polite attempt didn’t work to get the heat turned on, you can make another, more formal request in writing. It doesn’t have to contain any legal language, but make sure that it does include:

• The date,
• A clear description of the condition of your apartment without heat,
• Your exact address,
• Your name, and
• Your landlord’s name.

Keep a copy of …read more

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