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caverobin58 · 1 year

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The Best Guide To Brooklyn Family Law Attorney

Enter lawful concern and area Browse Family Law Legal professionals Near You Browse for a Family Law Lawyer by Location Atlanta Austin Baltimore Boston Charlotte Chicago Cleveland Columbus Dallas Denver Detroit Houston Indianapolis Jacksonville Kansas City Las Vegas Los Angeles Miami Milwaukee Minneapolis Nashville New York Oklahoma City Orlando Philadelphia Phoenix Portland Raleigh Saint Louis San Antonio San Diego San Francisco San Jose Seattle Tampa Washington, DC Family Law Lawyers in Top Counties Alameda County, CA Bexar County, TX Broward County, FL Cook County, IL Cuyahoga County, OH Dallas County, TX Harris County, TX King County, WA Masters / Brooklyn County, NY Los Angeles County, CA Maricopa County, AZ Miami-Dade County, FL New York / Manhattan County, NY Orange County, CA Philadelphia County, PA Queens County, NY Riverside County, CA San Bernardino County, CA San Diego County, CA Santa Clara County, CA Suffolk County, NY Tarrant County, TX Wayne County, MI Family Law Lawyers Through State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District Of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Iowa Indiana Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming What Does a Family Law Attorney Do? A household legislation lawyer normally handles concerns that involve the loved ones court device, consisting of family-related concerns and domestic connections. He has exercised rule for many years and has obtained five pat on the head awards for his proficiency along with loved ones regulation. He has offered on several panels for household law, including the Illinois Family Law Board and the National Council of Citizens for Family Law. He also keeps high-level take in in the judicial proceeding edge of the pub.

Some of the common practice areas family members lawyers deal with consist of: Divorce Marital property branch Prenuptial deals Child wardship situations Youngster sustain Adult legal rights Alimony or spousal help Residential physical violence Restraining orders Estate intending Adoption Guardianship Juvenile reliance Adolescent misbehavior Kid abuse Family legal representatives might work in many capabilities, including as a exclusive legal professional in a little family rule organization, a household rule legal professional in a major company, for region or condition authorities organizations, in nonprofit institutions, or as a state attorney. Legal representatives act as supporters for their clients, which might feature embodying the rate of interests of a slight child in little one misuse or juvenile dependency hearings. TLC Law, PLLC might behave as an proponent for family and employment clients under a nondiscrimination plan, or might additionally behave as an advocate for preys of residential brutality, adolescent offense, sex-related assault, or tracking. For additional information concerning submitting a civil meet after being confined, phone call (888) 928-2323. Perform Family Law Attorneys Handle Divorce? Inquire Your Lawyer Lawyers for both divorced and widowed couples are not required to consult with their advice. Having said that, you can talk to for written support on your connection coming from the Family Law Attorney in your place of practice. Your regulation client can also file a joint activity to reject all or some of the activity. Your Attorney Should the Family Law Attorney Request Special Advised Legal Counsel for a Breakup? A sizable part of family law strategy entails divorce. This has to perform along with how family members members are handled before a marital relationship is ended. After an argument emerges over a significant other's benefits under various state territory, an single or separated husband or wife may suggest that she obtained advantages with the married spouse's employer. Nonetheless, this could possibly be an issue for many of the conditions that have made a decision to identify the status of separation. As an choice to the separation device, many states possess identical choices. Breakup can easily be a hard method, particularly when the couple is in dispute over how to deal with the splitting up. It's also complicated for both celebrations to sustain their condition under the regulation. When the couple is split, legal representatives are permitted to file for breakup and public liability. Some situations in which the public legal civil rights of the divorcee have been worn away may be disregarded due to not enough evidence. In many conditions in the legal facility, it is prohibited to give the target of the guardianship move notification. A contested breakup can get complicated when emotions are involved, often involving amount of money problems or unfaithfulness. For example, the breakup procedure additionally involves an aspect of household therapy. You may prefer to look at a separation. Your youngster, when she has been raised and might increase up with this atmosphere, might select this kind of emotional help with your physician's or spiritual counselor. Breakup is a primary life-changing occasion and it can easily be complicated to get through on your very own. We deliver counseling, psychological support, self-help manuals and assistance teams to ensure you are fully committed to giving and not squandering your time trying to think out if there is a better technique to obtain through this challenging time together. Participate in our team or visit our brand new website and sign up to obtain our self-help and parenting information. In overall, a separation legal representative may just stand for one spouse in a divorce. A separation legal representative likewise has actually to embody all the husband or wives in a separation. A breakup legal professional can easily be an lawyer, lawyer instructor (in this instance, your legal professional), lawyer student, or personal aide. Nevertheless, some breakup legal representatives operate straight with a companion in a separation or divorcees. An attorney might be capable to work with all significants other and/or their children in a divorce or annulment after they are separated.

#divorce lawyer #criminal justice attorney #Tyler divorce lawyer #criminal lawyer

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its-marshall-posts · 4 years

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If you are struggling with a divorce or any other family law matter, At Marshall & Taylor PLLC, our dedicated divorce lawyers have the knowledge, the integrity, and the work ethic you need to achieve a satisfactory outcome in your family law case. Call our Raleigh divorce attorneys today at 919-833-1040.

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millsadop8-blog · 4 years

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Mills Adoption Law 4600 Marriott Dr, Ste 200 Raleigh, NC 27612 (919) 306-2899 https://www.millsadoptionlaw.com/

Bobby Mills represents adoptive parents in agency and independent adoptions, in both in-state and interstate adoptions. He also represents birth parents in the adoption process. Mr. Mills also helps with family formation through assisted reproductive technologies (ARTS) and surrogacy, including gestational surrogacy arrangements, donor agreements, and actions to establish parentage. He has been practicing law in Raleigh, North Carolina since 1990 with a practice limited to Family Law and Adoption. He has been a Board Certified Specialist in Family Law since 1998, and a Fellow in the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys since 1995.

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curechiari · 5 years

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Pinkney Thomas “Junior” Mitchell, Jr Photo added by MJ Pinkney Thomas “Junior” Mitchell, Jr BIRTH 2 Jun 1949 DEATH 18 Dec 1997 (aged 48) BURIAL Bessemer City Memorial Cemetery Bessemer City, Gaston County, North Carolina, USA MEMORIAL ID 66861237 Justia › US Law › Case Law › North Carolina Case Law › North Carolina Supreme Court Decisions › 1975 › State v. Mitchell Receive free daily summaries of new opinions from the North Carolina Supreme Court. Enter your email. Enter your email. Subscribe State v. Mitchell Annotate this Case 218 S.E.2d 332 (1975) 288 N.C. 360 STATE of North Carolina v. Pinkney Thomas MITCHELL, Jr., and Wallace Charles Lanford, Jr. No. 7. Supreme Court of North Carolina. October 7, 1975. *335 Atty. Gen. Rufus L. Edmisten by Associate Attorney Robert W. Kaylor, Raleigh, for the State. Robert H. Forbes, Gastonia, for Pinkney Thomas Mitchell, Jr. and Robert E. Gaines, Gastonia, for Wallace Charles Lanford, Jr., representing defendant appellants. COPELAND, Justice. Defendants were represented by separate counsel and filed separate appeals. Some of the assignments of error are the same and some relate only to one defendant. Our Court has held that where there are two indictments in which both defendants are charged with the same crimes, then they may be consolidated for trial in the discretion of the court. State v. Combs, 200 N.C. 671, 674, 158 S.E. 252, 254 (1931). "The Court is expressly authorized by statute in this state to order the consolidation for trial of two or more indictments in which the defendant or defendants are charged with crimes of the same class, which are so connected in time or place as that evidence at the trial of one of the indictments will be competent and admissible *336 at the trial of the others. [Citations omitted.]" Id. at 674, 158 S.E. at 254. G.S. 15-152; State v. Dawson, 281 N.C. 645, 190 S.E.2d 196 (1972); State v. White, 256 N.C. 244, 123 S.E.2d 483 (1962). Defendant Mitchell contends the consolidation was prejudicial to him because of the testimony of William Richard Stewart, the brother-in-law of defendant Lanford. A careful examination of the record indicates that Stewart testified as to substantially similar incriminating statements made by each defendant in the presence of one another. In essence, Mitchell adopted Lanford's admissions to Stewart. Defendant Lanford contends that the consolidation was prejudicial against him because defendant Mitchell testified in his own behalf at the trial and attempted to mitigate the killing and reduce it to second-degree murder because of his use of drugs and intoxicants. Lanford contends that this especially hurt his case since he elected not to testify in his own behalf. There is absolutely nothing in the record to indicate that the trial judge in making his ruling on consolidation knew that Mitchell would take the witness stand. In any event, Mitchell had a right to testify if he wished and Lanford could cross-examine him. Moreover, it is difficult to understand how Lanford can contend that he was prejudiced by Mitchell testifying when in fact Mitchell admitted the killing and the burning of the vehicle and attempted by his testimony to exonerate Lanford in every way. It was proper and appropriate for the two defendants to be tried together and there is no merit to this assignment of error. Defendants Lanford and Mitchell next contend that the court should have dismissed the cases against them as of nonsuit and for mistrial for the charges of first-degree murder at the close of the State's evidence and at the close of all the evidence. Lanford makes a similar contention with respect to the charge of felonious burning of personal property. Upon a motion for nonsuit, the trial court must consider the evidence in the light most favorable to the State. The trial court is not concerned with the weight of the testimony, but only with whether the evidence, be it direct or circumstantial, supports sending the case to the jury. State v. McNeil, 280 N.C. 159, 185 S.E.2d 156 (1971); State v. Goines, 273 N.C. 509, 160 S.E.2d 469 (1968). Conflicts and discrepancies in the evidence should be resolved in the State's favor. State v. Cooper, 286 N.C. 549, 213 S.E.2d 305 (1975); State v. McNeil, supra; State v. Cutler, 271 N.C. 379, 156 S.E.2d 679 (1967). In order to convict the defendant of first-degree murder, the State must satisfy the jury beyond a reasonable doubt of all the elements thereof, to wit, an unlawful killing of a human being with malice and with a specific intent to kill and committed after premeditation and deliberation. "Of course, ordinarily, it is not possible to prove premeditation and deliberation by direct evidence. Therefore, these elements of first degree murder must be established by proof of circumstances from which they may be inferred. [Citations omitted.] Among the circumstances to be considered by the jury in determining whether a killing was with premeditation and deliberation are: want of provocation on the part of the deceased; the conduct of the defendant before and after the killing; the use of grossly excessive force; or the dealing of lethal blows after the deceased has been felled. [Citations omitted.]" State v. Buchanan, 287 N.C. 408, 420-21, 215 S.E.2d 80, 87-88 (1975); State v. Van Landingham, 283 N.C. 589, 197 S.E.2d 539 (1973); State v. Hamby and State v. Chandler, 276 N.C. 674, 174 S.E.2d 385 (1970); State v. Sanders, 276 N.C. 598, 174 S.E.2d 487 (1970); State v. Walters, 275 N.C. 615, 170 S.E.2d 484 (1969); State v. Faust, 254 N.C. 101, 118 S.E.2d 769 (1961). An analysis of the facts of the case in relation to these factors reveals a want *337 of provocation by the deceaseda sixteen-year-old girl. The conduct of defendants before and after the killing supported an inference of premeditation and deliberation as well as the other elements of the crimes charged. The State's evidence permits the following reasonable inferences: defendants abducted the victim and had sexual relations with her; defendants told Stewart that they had killed the victim; defendants later departed in the victim's automobile and burned it in order to destroy any evidence; and defendants secured another vehicle in which to leave Gaston County. The use of grossly excessive force was indicated when the deceased was found tied to a tree, gagged, and stabbed numerous times in vital areas of the body. In summation, there was plenary evidence as to both defendants from which to show premeditation and deliberation as well as the other elements of the crimes involved. This assignment of error is without merit and is overruled. Defendant Mitchell contends that the trial court committed error in the charge to the jury. Counsel for Mitchell, with commendable frankness, states that none of the exceptions, in his opinion, would entitle Mitchell to a new trial. Counsel requests the court to review the charge. This has been done and we conclude that there was no error. Defendant Mitchell contends the court erred in permitting the witness Shellnut to change his description of the defendants on voir dire. There was no voir dire of Shellnut and he did not identify defendants. There is no merit in this argument. Defendant Mitchell also contends that it was improper for the court to receive evidence concerning the home life of the deceased, photographs of the area in which she lived and where she was seen with the defendants, and photographs of the deceased, the automobile, and its contents. In connection with these assignments of error, counsel for the defendant concedes that none of these individually would entitle the defendant to a new trial, but should be considered reversible error when considered as a whole. All of this evidence, save that of the home life of the victim, was competent and relevant to establish the identification of the victim, the ownership of the Volkswagen, and the identification of the general area where the crimes had their inception. The photographic evidence was introduced with limiting instructions for the purpose of illustrating the testimony of the witnesses. State v. Atkinson, 275 N.C. 288, 167 S.E.2d 241 (1969). If the evidence pertaining to the home life of the deceased was error, then it was clearly harmless beyond a reasonable doubt. State v. Jones, 280 N.C. 322, 185 S.E.2d 858 (1972); Chapman v. California, 386 U.S. 18, 87 S. Ct. 824, 17 L. Ed. 2d 705 (1967). These assignments of error are overruled. Defendant Mitchell also contends that admission of the testimony of the witness Stewart was prejudicial error. As stated earlier in the discussion on consolidation, there is no merit in this related contention for the reasons there stated. A further contention of Mitchell is that the failure of Lanford to testify caused the jury to have grave doubts concerning Mitchell's defense. This argument has no merit. The record indicates that Mitchell by his own testimony admitted the killing and the burning of the Volkswagen and attempted to excuse himself of murder in the first degree because of the use of drugs and intoxicating beverages. Defendant Mitchell contends that he did not have sufficient mental capacity to form the necessary premeditation and deliberation. In this connection, the trial court properly charged the jury on the law relative to voluntary intoxication and voluntary use of drugs. It was properly left for the jury to determine whether Mitchell's mental condition was so affected by intoxication or drugs that he was rendered incapable of forming a deliberate and premeditated purpose to kill. State v. Propst, *338 274 N.C. 62, 161 S.E.2d 560 (1968). This assignment of error is overruled. Both defendants contend that the court erred by refusing to set the verdict aside as being against the greater weight of the evidence and refusing to declare a mistrial. These motions were addressed to the discretion of the trial court. That discretion was not abused. 3 Strong, N.C. Index 2d, Criminal Law, §§ 128, 132. As a matter of fact, we have fully considered this in the discussion on the motions for nonsuit. These assignments are without merit and are overruled. The defendants have had a fair trial free from prejudicial error. Kathy was sent to her death in a vicious manner by these defendants. The case was ably prepared and presented by the district attorney and carefully and fairly tried by Judge Grist. In the trial we find No error. North Carolina Supreme Court opinions.

Wallace Lanford and Pinkney Mitchell were convicted and received life sentences in Smiley's killing, and both have since died in a state prison.

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kyaranflowers · 5 years

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Personal Injury Lawyer

You intend to avail the personal injury lawyer Atlanta for numerous advantages which can be supplied by the federal government of the immigrated nation such because the council tax benefit, housing advantages, social security benefits, council housing, health providers, and training. A personal injury lawyer is a lawyer who provides legal companies to those who claim to have been injured, bodily or psychologically, on account of the negligence of one other individual, firm, authorities company or any entity. If you are in Raleigh, NC and on the lookout for a workers’ compensation lawyer Raleigh, then it's best to consult with the Regulation Workplace of Ok. Gregory Gunter. Based mostly upon this establishment, the insurance coverage corporations, or the courtroom goes to resolve whether they're going to award any compensation and the amounts that one is going to obtain because of this. Certainly one of the largest errors you can also make is to attend too lengthy after your injury to file your claim.

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your-dietician · 3 years

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She Went on a PR Tour for Her Sick, Adopted African Child. Was It All a Lie?

New Post has been published on https://tattlepress.com/latest/she-went-on-a-pr-tour-for-her-sick-adopted-african-child-was-it-all-a-lie/

She Went on a PR Tour for Her Sick, Adopted African Child. Was It All a Lie?

Photo Illustration by Elizabeth Brockway/The Daily Beast/Screenshot/Youtube

Last summer, Sophie Hartman was fixated on her 6-year-old adopted daughter Carmel possibly showing signs of early puberty.

The 31-year-old single mom from Renton, Washington, scheduled an appointment at Seattle Children’s Hospital with a pediatric endocrinologist, a doctor specializing in glands and the hormones they produce, according to a Renton Police probable-cause affidavit.

Hartman, a white, Jesus-loving former missionary, strapped Carmel—a little Black girl born in Zambia—into a wheelchair and rolled her into a medical room, where they met with the endocrinologist. Carmel was “a very handicapped child” who was showing “cyclical symptoms” such as a “discharge” in her underwear, Hartman told the doctor. The symptoms were occurring for four straight days around the same time every month, she added.

Carmel went through a battery of medical exams, including blood work and X-ray imaging. The doctor found “modest clinical findings of early puberty,” but not enough to confirm Carmel was indeed accelerating into womanhood.

During a follow-up appointment at Seattle Children’s in October, another endocrinologist ran more tests on Carmel. The doctor found no signs of active puberty in the child, but informed Hartman about two treatments used to suppress pubescence. One involved giving Carmel injections; the other option was more drastic, requiring “surgically lacerating” Carmel’s skin with a scalpel to insert an implant used to suppress early puberty.

The doctor warned Hartman that the implant would be difficult to remove after it was inserted into the skin. Yet she was “emphatic” about getting the implant for Carmel even though it wasn’t medically necessary, the physician later told Renton Police Detective Adele O’Rourke.

On March 17, O’Rourke met with Hartman in her home. During a recorded interview, police say, Hartman admitted she wanted the surgery for Carmel. “Even though doing an implant is more invasive, it really isn’t that big of a deal,” Hartman told O’Rourke, according to the probable-cause affidavit. “I think that would be better.”

Story continues

After doctors ruled out ovarian cysts as the cause for her daughter’s alleged symptoms, Hartman said she wanted to proceed with the implant. “I was like great,” Hartman allegedly said to the detective, recalling her last conversation with the endocrinologist. “Let’s get this on the schedule.”

Authorities didn’t give Hartman the chance.

The same day, Washington’s Department of Child, Youth, and Families placed Carmel and her older sister, Miah, whom Hartman also adopted, into protective custody. Hartman’s quest to stifle Carmel’s alleged early puberty is just one of several bizarre episodes documented in a probable-cause affidavit that led King County prosecutors to charge Hartman last month with two second-degree felony counts: assault on a child and attempted assault on a child.

According to the charging documents, Hartman subjected Carmel to “unnecessary surgical interventions and restraints” and also attempted to “substantially escalate” her daughter’s medical treatment by requesting “increasingly invasive and unnecessary medical procedures.”

The charges, which Hartman denies and to which she has pleaded not guilty, landed with a thud in the sometimes tight-knit world of white, American Evangelicals who adopt children from abroad. But the case also brought attention to the obscure crime of medical child abuse, in which a primary caregiver forces a child to undergo unnecessary treatment.

“What I am reading in the arrest report doesn’t sound at all like my friend,” Shannon Dingle, a single mom from Raleigh, North Carolina, who also has adopted African children and met Hartman in 2016 at an adoption conference in Seattle, told The Daily Beast.

Dingle said she and Hartman became friends and have remained in constant contact via text messaging and online chatting the past five years, as well as meeting in person during Hartman’s trips to Raleigh.

She still believes in Hartman’s innocence.

“How we got to the point that Sophie is being blamed for being abusive by having medical procedures that medical teams had to approve is something I don’t understand,” Dingle said. “It feels like a lot of responsibility is being put on Sophie that were team decisions.”

In addition to Dingle, Hartman has at least one well-renowned medical child abuse expert in her corner. Dr. Eli Newberger, a former Harvard medical school pediatrics professor who founded the child protection program at Boston Children’s Hospital, wrote to prosecutors on May 17 in an attempt to discourage them from filing charges against Hartman. However, legal experts believe there’s a strong case against the Washington mother.

Lawrence Gostin, a Georgetown University national health-law professor, told The Daily Beast that he reviewed the allegations in Hartman’s case and found authorities acted appropriately in removing her daughters from her care and investigating her for medical child abuse.

“The first thing you have to do in a case like this is ensure the safety and the well-being of the child,” Gostin told The Daily Beast. “Putting children under medical procedures that are unnecessary is just as harmful, and maybe more so, than physically abusing a child.”

Efforts to reach Hartman for this story were unsuccessful. Her attorneys Robert Flennaugh II, Jessica Goldman, and Adam Shapiro did not respond to phone messages and emails containing detailed questions. But in a previous joint statement released when she was charged, Hartman’s lawyers insisted prosecutors did not have a case against their client.

“These charges are based on false statements and misrepresentations of the medical record by a doctor at Seattle Children’s Hospital who has never seen the child or spoken with Ms. Hartman,” the statement said. “Ms. Hartman is innocent of these charges.”

Dr. Rebecca Wiester, medical director of Seattle Children’s Protection Program, is the doctor Hartman’s lawyers referenced in their statement. She penned a Feb. 21 letter to Washington child protection services that was co-signed by Carmel’s primary physicians. The three-page memo outlined their concerns about the danger Hartman was putting her daughter in. “It is not necessary to know the motivation of the caregiver, only the outcome of the behavior,” Wiester wrote. “The risk to [Carmel] is profound in this situation.”

Wiester declined an interview through Seattle Children’s spokeswoman Kathryn Mueller, who noted Washington health-care providers are required by law to report suspected cases of child abuse. “The health and safety of our patients is Seattle Children’s highest priority,” Mueller said. “Out of respect for privacy, we will not comment about specific cases.”

Based on a referral from child-welfare investigators, Detective O’Rourke led a four-month criminal investigation into Hartman. That included poring over hundreds of pages of medical records and interviewing dozens of medical professionals, physical therapists, and teachers who interacted with Hartman and Carmel on a regular basis, according to the 21-page probable-cause affidavit.

Renton Police Department Investigations Commander David Leibman and King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office spokesman Casey McNerthney declined comment for this story. “We’re going to let the court documents speak for themselves,” McNerthney said.

But their findings painted a disturbing picture of a woman who constantly sought medical treatment for her daughter even as she burnished her public profile.

Between 2017 and 2018, they concluded, Hartman convinced physicians at two hospitals, including Seattle Children’s, to surgically insert tubes into Carmel’s digestive organs to help nourish her and expel bowel movements. This, they say, was solely based on the mom’s account that her daughter had trouble swallowing, had chronic vomiting episodes, had excessive diarrhea, and had debilitating bouts of constipation.

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Since being removed from Hartman’s care, they added, Carmel—who is identified by her initials in the affidavit and charging document since she is a minor—was eating food like a normal person, and the tubes were set to be removed.

Hartman also forced Carmel to wear orthotics, gait trainers, and ankle and leg braces since she was 2 years old, police say, adding that the mother also regularly strapped the girl to a wheelchair for long periods. The mom ignored directives that Carmel needed normal activities to develop appropriate muscle strength and physical development, according to doctors who were interviewed by investigators.

Meanwhile, teachers told detectives that Carmel had no problem walking, running, and performing normal childhood activities at school when she wasn’t under Hartman’s supervision.

Finally, Hartman claimed Carmel was diagnosed with alternating hemiplegia of childhood, or AHC, a rare neurological disease that causes repeated, prolonged episodes of paralysis, by leading neurologists at the Duke University Institute for Brain Sciences. In a recorded statement, Dr. Mohamed Mikati, Duke’s chief of pediatric neurology, told O’Rourke that Carmel does not have the genetic mutation that causes AHC and that he relied on Hartman’s descriptions of Carmel’s symptoms to make his diagnosis. Spokespeople for Mikati and Duke Health did not respond to emails requesting comment.

If there were any doubt behind the scenes about the nature or extent of Carmel’s illnesses, her mother’s public posture suggested otherwise.

Throughout Carmel’s ordeal, Hartman invited donations and routinely garnered publicity, the probable-cause affidavit states. She wrote a book about her experience traveling to Zambia for missionary work and returning with her two girls, and was a featured author at a Barnes and Noble meet and greet in 2016. Local media outlets published and produced human interest stories about Carmel, as Hartman promoted a social media presence for her daughter by creating an Instagram account and a private Facebook group so people could follow the little girl’s daily activities, according to the probable-cause affidavit.

In 2018, the Make-A-Wish Foundation arranged for Carmel, her mom, and her sister to travel to a ranch in Oregon to ride horses, per the affidavit. Police allege the trip was paid from donations to the nonprofit. Hartman also gave a speech about Carmel at a Make-A-Wish fundraiser. A friend and Hartman’s congregation at Pursuit NW Church in Snohomish, Washington, raised $15,661 and $30,583, respectively, so that Carmel’s mom could purchase a handicapped accessible SUV.

Inside DJ Bassnectar’s Disturbing Sex Trafficking, Child Porn, and Sex Abuse Allegations

Press accounts burnished an image of Hartman as a single mom struggling to care for a severely sick kid. But police say her own words suggested she may be someone who is prone to making things up.

As a result of a search warrant for her house, Renton Police investigators took Hartman’s personal journals and found pages in which she described lying in the past about injuries and illnesses she sustained as a teen, the probable-cause affidavit states. In one passage about her freshman year of high school, Hartman wrote that she “used a pen to bruise my hand and faked a broken hand,” as well as not telling the truth that she had “mono and meningitis.” On another page, Hartman allegedly indicated that she was “angry” and “abusive” with her children.

“Oh Lord, what have I become,” she wrote in the journal, according to the affidavit. “Who is this bad soul? It’s me.” She also allegedly wrote on a loose piece of paper: “When it comes to suffering, I am a compulsive liar/exaggerator.”

As law-enforcement authorities built their case against Hartman between March and May, her lawyers brought in Newberger, the Boston-based child-abuse expert, to bolster her defense—and debunk the findings of Wiester and the other Seattle Children’s pediatricians.

Newberger claimed he reviewed the medical records and witness statements mentioned in the probable-cause affidavit, according to a May 17 letter he wrote to King County deputy prosecuting attorney Celia Lee.

“Duke medical staff, third party witnesses, and videos of Carmel corroborate significant symptoms that were documented with assiduous care and accuracy by Ms. Hartman,” Newberger wrote. “The medical records show that Ms. Hartman did not simply invent symptoms.”

In a brief phone call, Newberger told The Daily Beast he could not comment about his findings because he expected to be called as a defense witness. He said he was referred to Hartman’s lawyers by a prominent legal scholar who has written about medical child abuse. “I reviewed the information and made an informed decision within my ethical threshold,” Newberger said.

Legal experts, on the other hand, argue King County prosecutors have documented enough evidence of medical child abuse to present a strong case against Hartman.

“The criminal procedure against the mom is drastic,” Gostin, the Georgetown professor, said. “But if the facts are as alleged, it is a legitimate prosecution.” Taking Hartman’s daughters into protective custody was also justified, he added.

Despite having her kids taken away and being criminally charged for child abuse, Hartman hasn’t spent a day in jail. She participated in her June 3 arraignment hearing via Zoom from her home; King County Judge Tanya Thorp set her bail at $100,000.

On June 10, Hartman was administratively booked after posting her bond, a process that allows a person to show up to the King County jail to be fingerprinted and photographed and be immediately released upon payment of bail. In addition, she was allowed to have supervised visits with her daughters in April and May, and Thorp granted her continued visitations while her case is pending. According to the probable-cause affidavit, doctors kept Carmel under observation for 16 days after removing her from Hartman; during that time, the girl walked and ate food normally without any medical issues.

Meanwhile, fellow Evangelicals, neighbors, and friends are either distancing themselves from Hartman or else refusing to believe that she could be so cruel to her adopted daughter.

Russell Johnson, Pursuit NW Church’s head pastor, told The Daily Beast that he and other church leaders have not seen or heard from her in the last year. “As were so many others, the leadership of the Pursuit NW was horrified to read the charges against Sophie Hartman,” he said in an email statement. “The Pursuit NW has a zero-tolerance policy for child abuse. We pray for these precious children and that justice be done.”

Matt Dimeo, who lives in the house next-door to Hartman, was more equivocal. He described her as a “good gal” and a “very nice person,” ultimately declining to opine on the accusations against her.

“Whether I am surprised or not, it doesn’t make a difference,” Dimeo said. “We are going to trust the system, and hopefully it is a positive situation for the children.”

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thill21ahsgov · 4 years

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BLOG POST #2: MEDIA ASSESSMENT OF ISSUE

1. Conservative: https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/march-for-life-why-pro-life-and-pro-woman-go-hand-in-hand

Liberal: http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/the-more-abortion-rights-are-threatened-the-more-americans-support-them

Objective: https://time.com/5809556/texas-ohio-abortion-coronavirus/

2. Conservative:

SUBJECT The main point of this article is to make people aware that not only does the baby in the womb die but so does the connection that baby has with the mother. This source is trying to convey that abortion is not pro-woman at all. The central message of the document is that all children deserve the right to live and women shouldn’t be robbed of the connection that they have with the child in the womb. AUTHOR Jeanne Mancini is the president of the March for Life Education and Defense Fund and directs the organization’s commitment to restoring a culture of life in the United States, most notably through the annual March for Life event in Washington, D.C. She worked with the Family Research Council (FRC), where she focused on issues related to the inherent dignity of the human person, and for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in the Office of the Secretary. CONTEXT This article was published in 2016 right before the 43rd March for Life in Washinton D.C. which has an impact on this article because it could possibly be written in hopes to persuade people and try and get them to join the pro-life side for a larger turn out at the March for Life; which, in turn, leads to more backing of the cause. AUDIENCE This source was created for people going to the March for Life and people who are on the fence about abortion. It is targeted toward people who believe that being pro-life disregards the mother and her feelings. Thus, it could be trying to persuade people in to believing that abortion is also killing the mother-child bond. PERSPECTIVE This article is one sided and it is making people aware that not only does the baby in the womb die but so does the connection that baby has with the mother. I agree with this statement because I believe that the bond between mother and child is unbreakable and it should never be broken. I also believe that abortion is killing an innocent life and taking opportunities away from the child.

SIGNIFICANCE The facts of this article are that a woman and her child are “unity of 2 persons” and over 57 million lives have aborted and taken since the start of Roe v. Wade. They also explain that human rights are indivisible, including unborn.

Liberal:

SUBJECT The point of this article is to persuade people into believing that if you deny people the right to abort their children, the more Americans will support abortion. The message of this article is that the right to abort children is a human right and should never be taken away because that would be unconstitutional. AUTHOR Steve Benen is an American political writer and blogger, an MSNBC contributor, and an Emmy award-winning producer for The Rachel Maddow Show. He is very liberal and believes that Republicans quit governing and seized American politics which affects the way he rights about controversial issues. This affects his writing in this article because he makes this topic very politically controversial and he basically states that Republicans are taking away human rights. CONTEXT This article was published in 2019 after a reporter asked Trump whether woman should be concerned about the future of Roe v. Wade. This is a bias question assuming that all woman should be concerned with that taking away the right to abortion will cause issues. This question influenced this article and was the reason the article was written. AUDIENCE This source was written with the intent of having woman as the audience and trying to make woman become worried about the right to abortion being taken away. The authors views and his audience create bias and he is using the fear method of propaganda. PERSPECTIVE This article is one sided because it only addresses the fact that taking away the right to abort will cause problems. I disagree with this article because I don’t believe that taking away the right to abort is taking away women’s right and I believe that abortion is killing an innocent life and breaking the bond with the mother and her child.

SIGNIFICANCE The evidence used in this document states that “support for legal abortion stands at its highest level in more than two decades according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll, even as numerous states adopt restrictions that challenge the breadth of rights established by the Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade decision” and that the results from the Washington Post/ABC News poll are roughly in line with an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll released last month, which also found a growing majority of Americans concluding that abortion should be legal or legal most of the time

Objective:

SUBJECT The main point of this article is to explain that states have ordered abortions to be delayed due to the Coronavirus outbreak and explains what several of the states did in response to abortions during Corona. It explains that some states deemed abortion as an unessential surgery while other states claim that it is essential to healthcare. AUTHOR Katie Reilly is a reporter for TIME magazine in New York City, where she covers national news and education issues. She previously covered general news for Reuters, state politics for the Raleigh News & Observer and social trends for Pew Research Center. She is in favor of abortions and believes that being denied an abortion can lead to financial turmoil. Her views on this topic cause her writing to be somewhat bias, but, regardless, it is still factually based and mostly objective. CONTEXT This article was written in March 2020 during the beginning of the outbreak of COVID-19 which affected the article because it was new and their were many changes going on during that time, including changes with abortion. AUDIENCE This source was published for everyone curious about abortions during COVID-19 and how the virus affected abortions. The audience does not affect the reliability of the source because it is simply stating the facts about having an abortion during COVID-19. PERSPECTIVE This article is objective and the two competing sides on this article include deeming abortion an unnecessary surgery during COVID-19 or deeming it to be necessary because it is a right that people have. I believe that it is a surgery that should never even happen in the first place and I believe that saving the lives of COVID-19 patients is far more important than taking the life of an innocent child.

SIGNIFICANCE Some evidence used to support this claim is that Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost also ordered clinics to stop performing abortions, defining non-essential abortions as “those that can be delayed without undue risk to the current or future health of a patient” and that the leaders of Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio and Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio Region have pushed back, calling abortion an “essential, time-sensitive medical procedure.”

3. What are the similarities and differences between these three accounts of your issue?

The similarities between these articles are that they all address the right to abort whether it is against it, for it or just stating the facts. They also all focus on woman and how abortions affect the mothers of the aborted children. The differences between these articles are that the liberal article stands in favor of aborting children and believes that taking away the right to abort will lead to more abortions, while the conservative article, explains that the unborn don’t deserve to have their life taken and their mothers don’t deserve to loose the bond they have with their child in the woman. The objective article states the facts about what is going on regarding abortions during COVID-19 and explains that states are delaying abortions during this rough time.

4. Finally, which source do identify with most and why?

I identify with the conservative article because I believe that a woman and her child in the womb have a unbreakable bond that no one should ever be able to break. I believe that aborting a child is taking a life and taking the opportunities away from an innocent human being that does not yet have a voice. I believe that being pro-life not only means that you are fighting for the life of the unborn child but that you are fighting for the mother and the intense bond that she has with the human being flourishing inside of her. I don’t believe that it is fair to rob the child of the opportunities and beauty of life; no one deserves to have their life ended early, not even the unborn.

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colorfulcandypainter-blog · 7 years

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How to Choose Affordably Lawyer To Stand in Your Case

Expenses of criminal attorneys consisting of that of a criminal trial lawyer are as formidable as the illegal cases for which their services are compulsory. People who would reveal you success may lead you to monetary distress if you are unclear about their charges prior to hiring them. Apart from representing you in the courtroom, your legal representative has to provide you with other necessary and associated services in order to establish your innocence in the courtroom or to lower penalties. For that reason, lawyer charges are calculated taking into account all kinds of services and the total time period spent in the event. You can choose Raleigh Criminal Lawyer and let them handle your case.

Elements That Determine Costs Of Criminal Attorneys

There are numerous elements that are counted while the cost structure of any criminal trial attorney is made. Besides the hours invested in court in your case, a trial legal representative performs various other tasks that are thought about as a part of the procedure of representing customers. Those other tasks might consist of performing research for gathering realities, examining criminal charges, filing data and motions which entirely increase the costs produced for trial proceedings.

The rates in the billing vary as per the prominence, experiences, and skills of the lawyers. This is the 2nd most important element associated with adding digits to the charge structure of any criminal trial legal representative. Fees charged by a highly effective legal agent operating from a large city are significantly higher than the costs charged by a recently finished criminal attorney from a law institution. If instead of a specific expert, you have opted for a law firm, you might need to be paid not just the fees of the selected attorney of their firm, however also for the supporting services provided by paralegals and graduate students associated with your case and even junior partners of the company and other associates, if any. You might likewise be liable to spend for products utilized in your case like copies of all paperwork, charges approximated for expert witnesses, telephone expenses and so on

. Typical Billing Methods Adopted By Attorneys

Usually, two approaches are used by most of the firms and people, which are hourly and case rates. Hourly billing shows a fixed wage charged based on the hours spent in the case. Case-wise billing is a fixed rate which is charged as per the nature of the case, for instance, $1,200 for the driving while intoxicated cases. To know additional about the private costs structure of lawyer firms and individuals, have a look at their online criminal attorney sites on the internet. You can compare amongst several law firms on the basis of fees charged to hire the most appropriate attorney service for your criminal case.

#lawyer #criminal

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millsadop8-blog · 4 years

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Mills Adoption Law 4600 Marriott Dr, Ste 200 Raleigh, NC 27612 (919) 306-2899 https://www.millsadoptionlaw.com/

#adoption lawyers #adoption lawyers near me #private adoption #independent adoption #open adoption #international adoption #adoption attorney #stepparent adoption #adult adoption #adoption attorney near me #how to adopt a baby

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buynsellsolar-blog · 5 years

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July solar policy snapshots A guide to recent legislation and research throughout the country.

New Post published on http://roofnrays.com/july-solar-policy-snapshots-a-guide-to-recent-legislation-and-research-throughout-the-country/

July solar policy snapshots A guide to recent legislation and research throughout the country.

Salt Lake City became an even worthier site for Solar Power International 2019 after the city sped up its timeline to reach 100% renewable energy.

Commercial solar projects now allowed on Michigan farmland Lansing, Michigan

Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer and the state’s agriculture director decided to allow land currently enrolled in the Farmland and Open Space Preservation Program to be used for commercial solar array purposes. Developers previously had trouble siting solar on farmland that was preserved for agricultural use only, so this move opens up more greenfield solar opportunities.

Maine governor signs three renewable energy bills Augusta, Maine

Governor Janet Mills signed three bills that will spur renewable energy development in Maine, according to WMTW. The bills create a goal to reduce the state’s greenhouse gas emissions, double the RPS and create new solar incentive programs. “Codifying these goals sends a strong signal that the nascent solar market in Maine is about to take off, bringing clean energy, jobs and new investments along with it,” said Sean Gallagher, VP of state affairs at SEIA, in a statement.

@GovJanetMills signs LD1711 landmark solar bill for solar energy in Maine. Lots of work left to do but this is truly a great step forward for the State! Congratulations to all who worked so hard to make this happen. pic.twitter.com/MIwmU8EUEx

— fortunat mueller (@4_2_knot) June 26, 2019

New Hampshire governor vetoes net-metering expansion for second time Concord, New Hampshire

New Hampshire governor Chris Sununu has again vetoed a bill that would have raised the size of projects that would qualify for net metering. This bill would have raised the qualifying project size from 1 MW up to 5 MW. Sununu said in his veto message that he made the decision because the bill was “a regressive cost burden on citizens that benefits large-scale solar developers while hurting all ratepayers,” but NHPR reported that utilities say net metering is only a minor driver of rate increases. There’s still a chance for the legislature to override Sununu’s veto.

Oregon’s climate bill is dead Salem, Oregon

A plan in Oregon that would have established a cap-and-trade policy to cap carbon emissions and make polluting entities pay for greenhouse gas production has died after Republican senators fled the state, according to NPR. The GOP exodus prevented a quorum on the Senate floor, so the Democratic majority couldn’t vote on the bill. Senate President Peter Courtney announced that the Senate didn’t have the votes to pass the bill on June 25, in what NPR describes as an apparent attempt to bring Republicans back to the statehouse.

Salt Lake City moves faster toward 100% RPS Salt Lake City, Utah

The 2019 site of Solar Power International became even more worthy after the city moved up its goal to reach 100% renewable energy by two years, according to Fox 13. Salt Lake City now aims to be carbon-free by 2030 instead of 2032. The mayor said all city buildings will already be powered by 100% renewable energy by 2020.

North Carolina solar decommissioning bill is relaxed Raleigh, North Carolina

A North Carolina senator adjusted his original bill that set a September 2019 deadline for setting decommissioning and cleanup rules for solar projects after getting pushback from solar lobbyists, according to the Carolina Journal. His new proposed bill gives regulators until 2022 to study environmental impacts involved with solar decommissioning and adopt rules for dismantling and disposing of utility-scale solar facilities and batteries.

Survey finds 70% of Americans support nationwide solar mandate on new homes Washington, D.C.

A new study by a research group on behalf of Vivint Solar found 70% of Americans would support a nationwide mandate requiring solar panels to be installed on all newly built homes. The survey of 2,000 U.S. adults age 25 and up also found that significant others and environmental experts are the most influential when deciding to install residential solar for the good of the environment, while politicians are the least influential.

New York sets goal for enough solar to power 1 million homes Albany, New York

After two years of work, the Million Solar Strong coalition finally succeeded in its mission: The Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act passed the legislature and is expected to be signed by the governor. The law sets a goal for New York to procure 6 GW of solar power, enough solar to power 1 million homes, by 2025. The bill also requires at least 70% of New York’s electric generation to come from renewables by 2030.

EPA officially replaces Clean Power Plan Washington, D.C.

The Trump administration took a big step to protect the coal industry by replacing the Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan with one that would keep coal plants open longer and leave carbon regulations to the states, according to The New York Times. Multiple state attorneys general have already said they plan to sue and block the new regulation called the Affordable Clean Energy rule.

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kennethherrerablog · 5 years

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Expecting? Prepare With These Money Tips From Parents Who’ve Been There

For many, raising a child is an invaluable experience, one they wouldn’t trade.

But there is a price tag — a hefty one — that comes with being responsible for caring for a tiny human.

Whether you’re single or married, birthing or adopting, planning years ahead or flying by the seat of your pants, it’s important to know how to prepare for a baby financially before taking on the role of parent.

9 Smart Money Moves to Make Before Having a Baby

Hold on to your baby bonnets. The cost to raise a child may make your head spin.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture predicts a middle-class, married-couple family with a baby born in 2015 will spend about $233,610 raising a child from birth to age 17. A low-income family is expected to spend $174,690, and a high-income family is expected to spend $372,210 to accomplish that same feat.

And those figures don’t even include pregnancy-related costs or the colossal expense of getting your kids through college!

Go into parenthood prepared with this checklist of financial considerations you’ll want to make when preparing for a baby.

1. Ramp Up Your Savings

Plain and simple: You’re going to need money, so you should start saving as soon as possible.

Leslie Tayne, the head debt-resolution attorney and managing director at Tayne Law Group, has more than a decade of experience helping individuals, families and businesses get out of debt. She recommends that expecting parents strike up an emergency fund if they haven’t already.

Take a look at your budget and see what you can spare each month. Dump that into a separate, hands-off-unless-there’s-an-emergency account.

After discovering they were expecting their first child, Nora and Shane Martin of Palm Harbor, Florida, focused on saving money to cover their upcoming costs. They created a spreadsheet of what they’d need for the baby, added up the expected costs and divided the total by six to develop a monthly goal of how much they wanted to save over a six-month time period.

If you’re not sure how much you can afford to save at this point, try a savings app called Digit.

Digit automates the savings process for you and even determines the amount of money you can afford to save (without causing you to overdraft!) in an FDIC-insured savings account.

You’ll connect the app to your checking account, and then Digit will take a look at your income and spending. Its algorithms will do the rest.

2. Budget for Baby

Your budget is going to need a bit of an overhaul with your new addition.

Nora Martin said she and her husband thought they were a fairly frugal couple, but that was before they began tracking their spending prior to having their son. They realized they could bank some savings by cutting back on entertainment and meals out and by not spoiling their dogs so much.

To get on the right track financially, the Martins created a zero-based budget, accounting for every dollar that came in. They made room in that budget to pay down credit card debt so they didn’t have to worry about making payments once the baby arrived.

When you’ve got an infant on the way, you’ll need to plan for large expenses upfront — like birthing or adoption costs, a crib and a car seat — and you’ll need to adjust to the many recurring costs you’ll face each month — diapers, formula and child care, to name a few.

Our guide to budgeting for baby lays out an idea of what you’ll need to add to your budget once your baby gets here and approximately how much it will cost. Score freebies for your little one and find ways to save money on baby gear in order to lower the financial burden.

Keep in mind that if you or your partner plans to take extended time off work or become a stay-at-home parent, you should base your budget on what your expected income will be once the baby arrives. Practice living off one income in the months prior to the baby arriving and pocket the extra money as savings.

3. Prepare for Parental Leave

Babies come into the world needing tons of attention and care. Childbirth is also a significant medical event for a woman, requiring several weeks of recovery — whether it’s a Caesarian section or vaginal birth.

Having time off work to bond with your new baby, heal your body and adjust to the changes in your family is crucial.

Though the United States does not offer universal paid parental leave for new parents, the Family and Medical Leave Act allows for eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid time off following the birth of a baby.

Your employer might offer a certain amount of paid time off, or you might be able to get a portion of your wages paid through short-term disability insurance. Some parents-to-be also save up paid vacation or sick days to use once the baby arrives.

Meet with your boss or your company’s human resources department to develop a plan for taking parental leave. If there are any lapses in your income during this time, try to save enough money during the pregnancy to hold you over.

4. Make a Decision About Child Care

Of all the new post-baby expenses, many working parents find child care to be the most expensive.

In a July 2018 Penny Hoarder survey of over 1,200 parents with children under the age of 6, 82% said they spent $500 or more each month on child care. Over half said they spent at least $750 a month. The majority of parents surveyed said child care was their biggest child-rearing cost, and most felt surprised and overwhelmed about the expense.

If you’re returning to work or school after having a baby, start researching affordable child care options early and look into child care assistance, if applicable.

Other parents make the decision to significantly reduce their hours or pause their careers and become stay-at-home parents.

When Scott and Jennifer Perry of Raleigh, North Carolina, had their son Isaiah, Jennifer scaled back her hours from full time to part time to help cut day care costs.

“We were no longer earning what we had been, and now these huge costs were coming our way,” Scott Perry said. “It was all a bit overwhelming — especially combined with our lack of sleep the first six months.”

Whether you’re staying home due to preference or out of necessity, you need to consider the effect on your household income and make sure your budget reflects the change in income.

5. Acknowledge Your Debt

Chances are, you have some form of debt — maybe a car loan, a mortgage or lingering student loans.

“That’s OK!” Tayne said. “As long as it’s manageable, it’s OK to have kids and debt.”

She warns, however, that you’ll want to make sure you can keep up with payments even with a child in the picture. If you can’t, those scary spirals of high interest rates and late fees can stack up against you.

The first step is to get a good big-picture view of your different debts.

If you’re not sure how to do this, try using the free credit-monitoring service Credit Sesame.

With Credit Sesame, you’ll be able to get a clear picture of which debts are lingering. Chances are, you can’t pay those off immediately. Again, that’s OK. Just draw these payments into your budget to make sure you don’t fall behind.

To find out what you owe where, create a free Credit Sesame account. On the dashboard, click “View Details” under “My Debt Analysis.” There, you’ll have access to your credit card debt, home loans, auto loans and student loans, among others.

Another good tip for parents-to-be: Make sure your finances are protected. Credit Sesame offers free identity theft protection, too. This includes $50,000 in identity theft insurance.

6. Address the Insurance Question(s)

Bringing a baby into the family means someone’s dependent on you — and that can be kind of terrifying.

Within a month of their son’s birth, the Perrys started thinking about life insurance.

“I decided it was time once we brought a little guy into this world,” Scott Perry said. “Now, if one of us died, the other would be responsible for raising and providing all the care for the child, saving for his college, etc. It was the weight of responsibility that you feel once you have a kid.”

He admits researching life insurance was overwhelming.

“It took a lot of time and energy to figure this out and to make a choice based on what would be best for us and our situation,” he said.

A company like PolicyGenius offers you an easy way to compare and buy life insurance. Unlike traditional providers, this online-only platform provides an easy way to apply, and it offers instant quotes from top carriers online to help you make a quicker decision.

In addition to life insurance, there are other types of insurance to consider, too: health, auto, homeowners and disability — just to name a few.

For all other types of insurance, we put together a guide to 12 types of insurance — and how to determine whether they’re worth the cost.

Each situation will be different, so carefully consider your needs.

7. Write Your Will

This is something we hear from a lot of parents about wills: “Yeah, I know I should have one, it’s just…”

Writing up a will might seem like a daunting task, but it’s an essential one if you’ve got kids in the picture.

A will is a legal document that spells out who will receive your assets and who will be your child’s legal guardian if you die. It may be dismal to think about, but like life insurance, it’s important to prepare for this worst-case scenario.

Our guide on how to write a will can help you figure out how to tackle this process. It outlines everything you need to know, including the differences between a will and a trust, the cost of a will (yes, they cost money!) and how to write one if you’re running low on funds.

8. Don’t Forget About Your Retirement Plan

Having a little one to tend to doesn’t mean you should forget about your own future.

You’ll want to make sure your retirement fund is on the right track.

“Before having kids, it’s important you have a good start on your retirement fund and that you make a plan to continue to make contributions,” Tayne said.

If you’re having trouble getting money into your retirement account, build it into your budget. Tayne encourages you to consider it the same way you’d consider rent: essential.

“Pay it at the beginning of every month so you’re not tempted to spend it elsewhere,” she said.

If you have a retirement plan through your employer, see whether you can set up direct deposit so a portion of your paycheck is automatically siphoned out before you can get your hands on it.

You should also keep tabs on your account to make sure it has your best interests in mind (you know, the whole stocks versus bonds thing and fees).

If you take a look at your account and can’t figure out what the heck is going on, consider using Blooom.

Blooom is a robo-adviser for retirement accounts. It offers a free 401(k) checkup so you can check your account’s pulse. If you don’t like what you see, you can opt to pay $10 a month to have Blooom monitor your account and automatically make adjustments that are in your best interest.

9. Plan for Your Kid’s Future

Although your child’s college education isn’t something you need to prioritize immediately, it is worth considering.

But if you’re struggling in other areas, this is something that’s OK to put off.

“It’s important you don’t sacrifice your retirement or emergency fund to pay for college, so if this is not something you can start saving for right away, make a plan to start incorporating college fund contributions down the road,” Tayne said.

If you want to start a college savings account for your kid, you can look into a 529 plan.

A 529 plan is similar to a 401(k). Basically, it’s an investment account with tax benefits. This helps you save more money toward the goal: college.

The Perrys and the Martins both started 529 savings plans to prepare financially for their children’s futures.

For a breakdown of the pros and cons of a 529 plan — and other avenues to funding your child’s college education — see our guide on saving for college.

Carson Kohler ([email protected]) is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. Senior writer Nicole Dow contributed to this article.

This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.

Expecting? Prepare With These Money Tips From Parents Who’ve Been There published first on https://justinbetreviews.tumblr.com/

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marymosley · 5 years

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Should Prosecutors Change the Way They Work?

Advocates of criminal justice reform have called for numerous policy changes in recent years, including raising the age of juvenile jurisdiction, eliminating or reducing reliance on money bail, decreasing monetary penalties for poor defendants, ending license revocations as a sanction for failing to appear for court or pay monies owed, and abandoning mandatory minimum sentencing. Many have also advocated for a re-examination of the role of the prosecutor, suggesting that prosecutors could better channel their power and discretion to lessen racial disparities, reduce recidivism, rehabilitate offenders and cut rates of incarceration. Two reports published last December focus on this re-envisioned prosecutorial function. The first, 21 Principles for the 21st Century Prosecutor, suggests practical steps that prosecutors can take to reduce incarceration and increase fairness. The second, Prosecutorial Attitudes, Perspectives, and Priorities: Insights from the Inside, explores what prosecutors in four prosecutorial districts think about definitions of success, office priorities, community engagement, and racial disparities.

21 Principles. This report was issued by Fair and Just Prosecution, with support from the Brennan Center for Justice and The Justice Collaborative. All of these groups are, broadly speaking, advocates for criminal justice reform. The report’s recommendations are divided into two parts. The first ten recommendations are strategies designed to reduce incarceration. The next eleven are aimed at increasing fairness. Each recommendation is stated in broad terms, such as “Make Diversion the Rule,” followed by more specific examples such as “Don’t require defendants to admit guilt to participate if an admission isn’t needed to promote the goals of the program.” 21 Principles at 4. For every recommendation, an example of implementation is cited. In the diversion example, Washington, D.C.’s diversion program for teenagers who commit offenses like vandalism and shoplifting is cited along with information about its success: In the program’s first two years, more than 90 percent of its participants were not rearrested.

Many of the recommendations echo those made by other advocates for reform: “Move Toward Ending Cash Bail,” “Treat Kids Like Kids,” and “Shrink Probation and Parole.” Some of the ideas are, however, more prosecutor-specific and less often repeated.

Charge with restraint. Among the strategies to reduce incarceration is a suggestion that prosecutors “Charge with Restraint and Plea Bargain Fairly.” Id. at 5. The authors discourage the practice of filing the maximum possible charge as a matter of course (a practice discussed in some detail in Episode 5 of Serial Season Three, a podcast that chronicles several criminal prosecutions in Cleveland, Ohio). The report also recommends that prosecutors consider collateral consequences in plea discussions, such as the impacts on a defendant’s immigration status. Jeff Welty polled blog readers about that issue in 2017. An overwhelming majority of respondents in that (admittedly unscientific) poll said that prosecutors should consider such consequences when making decisions about charging and dispositions. The 21 Principles report cites policies adopted by lead prosecutors in Seattle and Philadelphia as example implementations of the recommended approach.

Treat mental illness. Another recommendation is to “Encourage the Treatment (Not Criminalization) of Mental Illness.” Id. at 7. The report characterizes jails and prisons, rather than hospitals, as “America’s largest psychiatric facilities.” Id. Among the specific recommendations is support for crisis-intervention training for law enforcement officers. The idea is that properly trained officers can de-escalate situations involving people with mental illnesses, reducing the likelihood that force will be used or a mentally ill person will be arrested. Another recommendation is screening cases before charging to identify people in need of mental health services and support. An officer training program in Miami-Dade County is cited as an example. Officers are trained to respond to people in crisis and have the authority to divert people to treatment instead of jail. When people are arrested and jailed, they are screened for signs of mental illness. If they need acute care and are charged with misdemeanors or low-level felonies, they are transferred to a community-based crisis stabilization unit within 48 hours. If they complete the treatment for which they are eligible, the charges against them may be dismissed or modified.

Promote restorative justice. Restorative justice is an alternative resolution process designed to heal the harm inflicted by the defendant. Campbell Law School in Raleigh, NC has a Restorative Justice Clinic. Last year, a criminal case involving an accidental shooting that injured an eleven-year-old girl was resolved in Durham County Superior Court with application of restorative justice principles. The 21 Principles report recommends that prosecutors establish restorative justice programs, refer cases to them, and treat the outcome as the resolution of the charge.

Change office culture. On the increase fairness front, the report recommends, among other strategies, that prosecutors “Change Office Culture and Practice.” Id. at 14. Prosecutors can do that, the authors state, by “[c]onducting mandatory trainings on issues like implicit bias, debunked forensic methods, false confessions, and witness identification.” Id. The report also suggests that prosecutors hire “a diverse staff across all levels of seniority and report on staff diversity.” Id. It further recommends that lead prosecutors encourage their staff to engage in community outreach, which might include coaching sports teams, speaking at schools, mentoring at-risk youth, or setting up local storefronts.

Address racial disparity. The report cites research by UNC Professor Frank Baumgartner on traffic stops in North Carolina as support for its assertion that “racial disparity exists as every stage of the justice system.” Id. at 15. The authors recommend that prosecutors track and release race and gender data for their actions, including transfers of juvenile cases, charging decisions and plea bargains. They encourage prosecutors to work to reduce racial disparities resulting from law enforcement practices. The reports cites the approach Milwaukee District Attorney John Chisholm took after discovering a higher rate of prosecution for black defendants charged with possession of drug paraphernalia: “[C]hisholm stopped prosecuting most paraphernalia cases, instead referring people to treatment programs. The rate of prosecution for the remaining cases equalized for black and white defendants.” Id. at 16.

The Prosecutorial Attitudes report. The Prosecutorial Attitudes report was written by professors and researchers at Florida International University and Loyola University Chicago, and is the first in a series. This initial report expresses themes gleaned from interviews of prosecutors in four offices—Jacksonville, Florida; Chicago, Illinois; Tampa, Florida; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin—regarding their thoughts on definitions of success, office priorities, community engagement, and racial disparities. Subsequent reports will focus on racial and ethnic disparities and prosecutorial performance indicators. When I read this report in connection with 21 Principles, a few of the identified themes stood out.

First, some prosecutors are skeptical about community involvement. The authors summarized the sentiments of prosecutors in Jacksonville, Florida this way:

There is little acknowledgement that community prosecution strategies for identifying and addressing crime problems could be a valuable form of community engagement. Instead, prosecutors view community engagement as a tool for improving more traditional, reactionary functions of the office, such as achieving case convictions. Community members are seen more as potential victims and witnesses than as potential problem-solving partners.

Prosecutorial Attitudes at 11.

The report makes similar observations about the views of Tampa prosecutors on community involvement. Prosecutors in Chicago and Milwaukee, in contrast, place higher value on community engagement.

Second, the Jacksonville prosecutors view plea offers and sentence recommendations as heavily affected by judges. The report states that prosecutors often avoid rejection by making plea offers and sentence recommendations that are tailored to fit judges’ preferences. This impression counters the notion that prosecutors wield power largely guided by their own discretion.

Finally, the authors note that some prosecutors in all four offices believe that prosecutors do not contribute to racial disparities and there is little they can do to address them. Prosecutors with this view generally think that racial disparities arise before cases reach the prosecutor and that such disparities are not exacerbated by the decisions that prosecutors make. Some of the prosecutors in Milwaukee expressed frustration and fatigue about discussions of racial bias in the criminal justice system. The authors report, however, that half of the Milwaukee prosecutors who were interviewed thought that prosecutors could contribute to racial disparities and could help alleviate them. These prosecutors said they valued discussions about racial bias in the criminal justice system and expressed a desire to address the problem. In addition, some prosecutors in Chicago thought that the office could address racial and ethnic disparities by “hiring prosecutors of color and by encouraging prosecutors to consider and address defendants’ circumstances.” Id. at 39.

Why these reports matter. Not everyone agrees that the role of the prosecutor should change. Nevertheless, it is clear that change is afoot. Several of the recommendations made in the 21 Principles report already have been implemented in North Carolina, including restorative justice programs, graduated responses to probation violations, and open-file discovery. The reports discussed in this post outline the perspective of many advocates for reform and set guideposts that reform-minded prosecutors may follow. Whether one ascribes to these viewpoints or not, it is helpful to be informed about the impetus for change, proposed models for reform and their rates of success, and the perspectives of prosecutors who carry out the important work of “addressing violations of criminal law and promoting public safety.” 21 Principles at 3.

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thoughtsoflawc · 5 years

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What is the Difference Between State & Federal Criminal Law?

Prosecution occurs at both the federal and the state levels and so a federal offense is one which is prosecuted under national criminal law rather than under state criminal law under which most of the offenses committed in the United States are prosecuted. Federal offenses normally involve national government agencies such as the United States DEA, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, Department of Homeland Security, the IRS, Border Patrol, Secret Service, or even possibly the USA Postal Service. There is a group of 12 circuits in the Federal court system, distributed throughout the United States. Each circuit has a headquarters along with a number of smaller district courts located around their area. U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit (Washington, DC) U.S. District Court, D.C.- Washington, DC U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit (Boston, MA) Example: U.S. District Court, District of Maine- Portland, ME U.S. Court of Appeals, 2nd Circuit (New York, New York) Example: U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York- Syracuse, NY U.S. Court of Appeals, 3rd Circuit (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) Example: U.S. District Court, District of the Virgin Islands- Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, VI U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit (Richmond, VA) Example: U.S. District Court, Eastern District of North Carolina- Raleigh, NC U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit (New Orleans, Louisiana) Example: U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas- San Antonio, TX U.S. Court of Appeals, 6th Circuit (Cincinnati, OH) Example: U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio- Columbus, OH U.S. Court of Appeals, 7th Circuit (Chicago, IL) Example: U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin- Milwaukee, WI U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit (St. Louis, Missouri) More Information Example: U.S. District Court, District of South Dakota- Sioux Falls, SD U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit (San Francisco, California) Example: U.S. District Court, District of Idaho- Boise, ID U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit (Denver, CO) Example: U.S. District Court, District of Colorado- Denver, CO U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit (Atlanta, Georgia) Example: U.S. District Court, Northern District of Florida- Tallahassee, FL Usual Federal offenses can contain: Narcotics trafficking Crimes accompanying immigration to the U.S. Crimes that incorporate weapons charges Gang crimes White-collar illegal activity Electronic crime and fraud Why Procure a Federal Criminal Defense Attorney The federal criminal justice process is not intended for people to reflect themselves. When you are detained, you want an attorney to stand up for your rights, fight back against overzealous police officers, and also obtain the best result possible. Get in touch with a criminal attorney for more information. This is one reason for an attorney. You do not wish to wander aimlessly at any stage through the legal system without a manual. Getting lost in a jumble of legislation and questionable conviction is not just frightening but can put the rest of your life in peril. The prospect of your own life shouldn't be a bargaining tool when you are facing time in court. The state court and federal court have been two completely distinct strategies -- with unique courthouses and judges. Federal judges may preside over national criminal cases, while elected state court judges preside over state criminal cases. Assistant U.S. Attorneys litigate federal scenarios, whilst state district attorneys and city attorneys insure country offenses. Criminal defense lawyers are the best investment to make regarding case investigation. Not merely do they know the ins and outs of their legal system, but they can look over your situation using fresh and unbiased eyes. They spend their lives working to shield you and your nearest and dearest from regulations that are unnecessary. It is their passion to keep others from an outcome overly harsh for the crime. A high-quality lawyer is not merely able to assist you with your case, but also uses their trained intellect to discover difficulties with the prosecution. Just because someone was detained on suspicion for a crime doesn't mean that the presumed victims are not responsible in some manner as well. Every case is different, and smaller details can function to sufficiently swerve a court ruling. No one would like to have given more of a prison punishment than they deserve. Typically, discipline is greeted with a personal sense of pity and guilt, rather than having an enthusiastic and greedy mindset. So then, the question would be why do so many people put off finding a criminal defense lawyer? With no lawyer that understands a scenario, how then can anybody keep from unnecessary fees? With a large number of people arrested yearly for an entire slew of criminal crimes, it will become simple to lump them into a single group: guilty. This isn't true a sizable amount of the moment. The media and common society like to consider from the striking, and so it will become difficult to slough off the word when in court. A defense attorney understands the problem society induces and thinks in your innocence. Folks commonly misinterpret the notion that they should employ a lawyer only after they've been arrested or charged with a violation. This, however, is totally a farce. Without an attorney present during police interrogations, then there is not any counselor there to help you from admitting to a crime you didn't commit or from saying anything which could function as a detriment for your defense. No matter what crime you've been charged with, it is crucial to procure legal representation that's experienced and knowledgeable in navigating the criminal justice system. That is of special importance if you've already been charged with a federal offense since the paragraphs for national charges are so stringent. Court Cases Litigated by a Federal Criminal Defense Law Firms might be: Battery Attempted Killing and Conspiracy to Commit Homicide Financial Fraud Bankruptcy Fraud Bribery A Conspiracy Embezzlements Blackmailing Extortionate Extensions and Collections of Credit Federal Bank Stealing Firearms Charges Use or Carrying Guns Relation to a Crime of Violence or Drug Dealing Crime Confiscation Proceedings Forgeries Harboring a Fugitive Health Care Fraud Hobbs Act Extortion, Theft and Public Corruption Kidnapping Loansharking Postal Fraud and Digital Making Fictious Statements Misprision of a Felony Real Estate Fraud Capital Laundering Narcotics Charges Obstruction of Justice Lying Under Oath Public Corruption RICO Financial Fraud Sexual Abuse of Minors Stalking Tax Cheating Theft of Government Property Unlawful Usage of Aliens List of the Punishments for federal offenses? Another major difference between national crimes vs. country crimes is the essential sentence. Federal judges have been guided by the federally adopted sentencing regulations when supplying a conviction penalty. Mandatory minimum prison penalties mean that national sentences are inclined to be considerably more lengthy than nation paragraphs. Even if their crimes are alike, someone being stranded for a national crime will generally face a much more unpleasant punishment than someone who has been convicted of a state offense. There is a large system of federal prisons throughout the United States of America. You may reside at any of them depending on a number of factors. If you have psychological or physical health issues, you will probably go to a Federal Medical Center like MCFP. MCFP is a common name for the U.S. Medical Center for Federal Prisoners. The facilities where paragraphs are completed disagree, as well. Individuals sentenced to take some time for a national offense will be delivered to federal prison, although people who serve time for a state crime is going to probably be mailed to state prison. Federal prisons tend to house more non-violent offenders (for instance, people convicted of white-collar crimes), while local prisons house large populations of individuals convicted of violent crimes.

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