Federal Law Lawyers in the USA

On September 19, President Barack Obama announced that Diane J. Humetewa was a nominee for the US District Court for Arizona. The nomination was made in response to widespread requests for representation on the federal bench of Native American interests.

When consumers see or hear an advertisement on the Internet, radio, in print, on a billboard, on television, or anywhere else, federal law says that the ad must be truthful, not misleading, and, when appropriate, backed by scientific evidence.

Lavabit, a company that offers encrypted email services to its customers, has formally appealed the secret surveillance order that led it to close its business last month, but the case was immediately placed under seal in the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals.

In September, 2013, a man from Missouri was charged with child sex trafficking in the case of a developmentally delayed girl from Massachusetts who disappeared a few days before week and was later found safe in Rhode Island. Cases such as these raise a number of questions, including which state has jurisdiction, which laws apply, and what can be done.

Gun laws are largely a matter of state law. Although certain federal laws regulate some guns, like automatic weapons, states are generally able to control the issuance of concealed weapons permits.

We often discuss jurisdiction, or hear it used in TV crime shows, but what does “jurisdiction” mean? For that matter, when is something a federal, state, or local matter and who can enforce which laws? How is this determined?

Last week, the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act was reintroduced by the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, a Democrat, and Sen. Michael Crapo, a Republican. This act continues and expands upon the 1994 landmark law, the Violence Against Women Act, which combatted domestic violence, sexual abuse, and stalking by authorizing services such as shelters and legal assistance for victims and survivors of abuse.

In general, the answer is “no.” If you want to make a deposit for post-1956 military service such that credit for your military service will be reflected in your retirement annuity, you must complete OPM Form 1515: “Military Service Deposit Election” and submit this form with your retirement application to OPM. You will NOT be allowed to make any such deposits once your retirement benefits are approved.

Why light duty might not always be a reasonable accommodation for federal disability purposes.

Why the Accommodations Issue is Unlikely to Pose a Problem If You Are Filing for Federal Disability Retirement Benefits