http://marconews.com/news/business/itsthelaw/marconews.com Stories: It's the Lawen-usbusiness/itsthelawhttp://marconews.com/news/2008/jul/02/its-law-contract-language-can-require-interpreter/Q: I have a contract with a builder. The certificate of occupancy has been issued and the builder claims I now must pay everything due under the contract. The problem is there are defects in construction, some of them major, that I want fixed before I make final payment. Who wins this argument? Wed, 02 Jul 2008 04:00:00 -0000http://marconews.com/news/2008/jul/02/its-law-contract-language-can-require-interpreter/business/itsthelawhttp://marconews.com/news/2008/jun/23/its-law-avoid-tax-problems-after-short-sale/ Q: I have a property that has gone down in value. It is now worth less than the mortgage. I have a buyer who will pay the appraised value, but that is less than the mortgage payoff. My Realtor has convinced the lender to accept less than full payoff and we are proceeding to closing. I think this might affect my credit, but will it affect my income tax return. Mon, 23 Jun 2008 23:29:00 -0000http://marconews.com/news/2008/jun/23/its-law-avoid-tax-problems-after-short-sale/business/itsthelawhttp://marconews.com/news/2008/jun/16/its-law-how-can-i-challenge-my-mothers-will/Q: My mother just died. In the weeks before she died, my brother was with her a lot. I just found out she changed her will a few days before she died from leaving her estate equally to all of her children to leaving her estate entirely to my brother. I am not too happy and wonder if there is any way to challenge her will? Mon, 16 Jun 2008 20:59:00 -0000http://marconews.com/news/2008/jun/16/its-law-how-can-i-challenge-my-mothers-will/business/itsthelawhttp://marconews.com/news/2008/jun/02/its-law-florida-condominium-act-gets-revisions-par/Q: Did the 2008 Legislature make any changes to the Condominium Act? Mon, 02 Jun 2008 21:11:00 -0000http://marconews.com/news/2008/jun/02/its-law-florida-condominium-act-gets-revisions-par/business/itsthelawhttp://marconews.com/news/2008/may/25/its-law-florida-condominium-act-gets-revisions-par/ Q: Did the 2008 Legislature make any changes to the Condominium Act? Mon, 26 May 2008 03:02:00 -0000http://marconews.com/news/2008/may/25/its-law-florida-condominium-act-gets-revisions-par/business/itsthelawhttp://marconews.com/news/2008/may/19/its-law-florida-condominium-gets-revisions/Q: Did the 2008 Legislature make any changes to the Condominium Act? Tue, 20 May 2008 02:22:00 -0000http://marconews.com/news/2008/may/19/its-law-florida-condominium-gets-revisions/business/itsthelawhttp://marconews.com/news/2008/may/11/its-law-health-club-liability-may-be-limited/Q: I heard about someone who had a heart attack on the treadmill at my gym. Supposedly, the person died. Does the gym have liability for his death? Mon, 12 May 2008 02:22:00 -0000http://marconews.com/news/2008/may/11/its-law-health-club-liability-may-be-limited/business/itsthelawhttp://marconews.com/news/2008/may/05/its-law-spouse-house-may-have-pay-rent-during-divo/Q: I am getting divorced. My wife is currently living in our house and I am renting an apartment. It does not seem fair that she gets to live rent free. Shouldn’t she have to pay me rent, at least for my half of the house? Tue, 06 May 2008 02:00:00 -0000http://marconews.com/news/2008/may/05/its-law-spouse-house-may-have-pay-rent-during-divo/business/itsthelawhttp://marconews.com/news/2008/apr/28/its-law-patients-have-right-know-about-doctor-malp/ Q: There seems to be a lot of secrecy in the medical community. I think I should at least be able to find out if a doctor is guilty of malpractice as part of my decision about medical treatment. Is there a way to get malpractice records? Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:25:00 -0000http://marconews.com/news/2008/apr/28/its-law-patients-have-right-know-about-doctor-malp/business/itsthelawhttp://marconews.com/news/2008/apr/21/its-law-employer-owns-invention-created-company-ti/ Q: I work for a large recreational vehicle dealership. Part of my job involves creating new or custom parts which are sold by our company. I recently invented a new mirror system, which makes backing and parking a lot easier. My employer claims ownership and that I have no rights to the invention. Since I invented it, isn’t it mine? Mon, 21 Apr 2008 20:26:00 -0000http://marconews.com/news/2008/apr/21/its-law-employer-owns-invention-created-company-ti/business/itsthelawhttp://marconews.com/news/2008/apr/13/its-law-separate-property-can-become-marital-if-co/Q: A friend of mine is getting divorced. He inherited some money last year and deposited it in a joint savings account with his wife. My friend claims the money is his, since he inherited it. His wife claims the entire account is a marital asset and she wants half of it. Who is right? Mon, 14 Apr 2008 02:55:00 -0000http://marconews.com/news/2008/apr/13/its-law-separate-property-can-become-marital-if-co/business/itsthelawhttp://marconews.com/news/2008/apr/06/its-law-suits-against-government-possible/Q: I was injured when I slipped and fell at a City park. The walkway was very slippery and wet. My medical bills were over $30,000 Can I sue the city to recover for my injuries? Mon, 07 Apr 2008 01:48:00 -0000http://marconews.com/news/2008/apr/06/its-law-suits-against-government-possible/business/itsthelawhttp://marconews.com/news/2008/mar/30/its-law-implied-partnership-can-be-difficult-prove/Q: I have been working in a business for years. I was paid minimum wage, with the understanding that I would be an owner of the business and help it grow. Mon, 31 Mar 2008 01:23:00 -0000http://marconews.com/news/2008/mar/30/its-law-implied-partnership-can-be-difficult-prove/business/itsthelawhttp://marconews.com/news/2008/mar/18/its-law-medical-care-decisions-if-incapacitated-do/Q: I am a widow and I am concerned that no one is authorized to make quick medical care decisions if I am incapacitated. How can I be sure someone can make decisions for me? Tue, 18 Mar 2008 15:01:00 -0000http://marconews.com/news/2008/mar/18/its-law-medical-care-decisions-if-incapacitated-do/business/itsthelawhttp://marconews.com/news/2008/mar/09/its-law-how-can-i-qualify-kind-exchange/ Q: We own a condominium that we rent seasonally. My wife and I visit the property to check up on it and take mini vacations three or four times a year. We want to sell the property as part of a like kind exchange. Will our personal use disqualify the property for like kind exchange purposes? Sun, 09 Mar 2008 23:04:00 -0000http://marconews.com/news/2008/mar/09/its-law-how-can-i-qualify-kind-exchange/business/itsthelawhttp://marconews.com/news/2008/mar/03/its-law-even-irrevocable-trusts-can-be-fixed-if-ne/Q: I got some bad advice from a financial adviser and created an irrevocable trust to benefit charity. After I created the trust, I found that the tax benefits and operations of the trust were not as advised. Is there anything I can do to dissolve the trust and take back the assets? Mon, 03 Mar 2008 18:44:00 -0000http://marconews.com/news/2008/mar/03/its-law-even-irrevocable-trusts-can-be-fixed-if-ne/business/itsthelawhttp://marconews.com/news/2008/feb/25/its-law-transfers-defraud-creditors-can-be-undone/Q: I may have to sue my partner for breach of contract. I heard through the grapevine that he has transferred all of his assets and bank accounts to family members and he brags that I will never collect a dime if I get a judgment. Can he do that? Mon, 25 Feb 2008 19:29:00 -0000http://marconews.com/news/2008/feb/25/its-law-transfers-defraud-creditors-can-be-undone/business/itsthelawhttp://marconews.com/news/2008/feb/18/its-law-theft-losses-can-be-tax-deductions/ Q: I contracted for construction of a home. The builder did a terrible job, although he did make a few repairs. I sued the builder, but the company was out of business and I was out of luck. It cost me over $100,000 to repair the house. Can I claim a theft loss on my tax return? Mon, 18 Feb 2008 18:25:00 -0000http://marconews.com/news/2008/feb/18/its-law-theft-losses-can-be-tax-deductions/business/itsthelawhttp://marconews.com/news/2008/feb/11/its-law-condo-assessments-must-be-paid/ Q: I recently bought a condominium. A few months after I took title, I got a bill from the association for past due assessments, including what was termed a special assessment for repairs to the building that had been completed prior to my purchase. There was also a charge for interest and late fees. Do I have to pay these charges and assessments? Tue, 12 Feb 2008 00:46:00 -0000http://marconews.com/news/2008/feb/11/its-law-condo-assessments-must-be-paid/business/itsthelawhttp://marconews.com/news/2008/feb/06/its-law-pre-marital-bliss-agreements-need-be-check/ Q: I heard that Florida adopted a new law concerning pre-marital agreements last year. Is that correct? Wed, 06 Feb 2008 23:33:00 -0000http://marconews.com/news/2008/feb/06/its-law-pre-marital-bliss-agreements-need-be-check/business/itsthelaw