Nolo's encyclopedia of everyday law : answers to your most frequently asked legal questions

446 Pages·2008·1.891 MB·English

by  Shae Irving, Nolo (Firm)

7th Edition
Nolo’s Encyclopedia
of Everyday Law
Answers to Your Most Frequently
Asked Legal Questions
by Shae Irving, J.D.
& Nolo editors
Seventh edition january 2008
editor Shae irving
Production SuSan Putney
index thérèSe Shere
Proofreader robert wellS
Printer delta Printing SolutionS, inc.
nolo’s encyclopedia of everyday law : answers to your most frequently asked
legal questions / by Shae irving & nolo editors. -- 7th ed.
p. cm.
includes index.
iSbn 978-1-4133-0560-9 (pbk.)
1. law--united States--Popular works. 2. law--united States--Miscellanea. i.
irving, Shae. ii. nolo (Firm)
KF387.n65 2008
349.73--dc22
2007031791
copyright © 1996, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2005, and 2008 by nolo.
all rightS reServed. Printed in the u.S.a.
no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
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Dedication
For Edward F. Dolan
Acknowledgments Stephen R. Elias, author of numerous nolo
books, including The New Bankruptcy: Will It
Thanks to jake warner for inspiring and
Work for You?, Special Needs Trusts: Protect Your
supporting this project. and thanks to all the
Child’s Financial Future, How to File for Chapter
nolo editors and hardworking production folks
7 Bankruptcy, and Legal Research: How to Find
who keep the book on track. For this edition,
& Understand the Law
we’d particularly like to acknowledge Kathleen
Michon, Susan Putney, and Robert Wells.
Cora Jordan, author of Neighbor Law: Fences,
we’re also grateful to every nolo author whose Trees, Boundaries & Noise and coauthor (with
fine work has shaped these pages. you’ll find denis clifford) of Plan Your Estate
many of these talented individuals listed in the
Mimi E. Lyster, author of Building a Parenting
contributors section on the following page.
Agreement That Works: How to Put Your Kids
but we want to give special thanks to:
First When Your Marriage Doesn’t Last.
Paul Bergman and Sara Berman-Barrett,
authors of Represent Yourself in Court and The Anthony Mancuso, author of Incorporate Your
Criminal Law Handbook Business, How to Form a Nonprofit Corporation
(national and california editions), Form Your
David W. Brown, author of Beat Your Ticket: Go Own Limited Liability Company, The Corporate
to Court and Win! Records Handbook, and LLC or Corporation?
Denis Clifford, author of many nolo titles, Joseph Matthews, author of How to Win Your
including The Quick & Legal Will Book, Nolo’s Personal Injury Claim and Long-Term Care:
Simple Will Book, and Make Your Own Living How to Plan & Pay for It, and coauthor (with
Trust, and coauthor of Plan Your Estate and A dorothy Matthews berman) of Social Security,
Legal Guide for Lesbian & Gay Couples Medicare & Government Pensions
Frederick W. Daily, author of Stand Up to the Fred S. Steingold, author of The Legal Guide for
IRS and Tax Savvy for Small Business. Starting & Running a Small Business and The
Employer’s Legal Handbook.
Contributors
Ilona Bray illona’s legal background includes nolo books, including Nolo’s Essential Guide to
solo practice as well experience in the nonprofit Divorce, Becoming a Mediator, Do Your Own
and corporate worlds. She has written or California Adoption, and How to Change Your
coauthored several nolo titles, including Name in California.
Effective Fundraising for Nonprofits, Becoming
a U.S. Citizen, and Nolo’s Essential Guide to
Diana Fitzpatrick diana worked on
Buying Your First Home.
municipal finance issues at the San Francisco
city attorney’s office before joining nolo.
Catherine Caputo before joining nolo, She also worked at a law firm in new york for
cathy was an attorney in private practice several years before moving to the bay area.
assisting start-up and small business clients diana is a graduate of new york university
with a wide range of legal needs. She edits small School of law and barnard college.
business books and software and also focuses on
issues affecting seniors, such as Social Security
Lisa Guerin during her years as a law student
benefits and retirement. cathy received her law
at boalt hall School of law at the university of
degree, with honors, from the university of San
california at berkeley, lisa worked for nolo as
Francisco School of law.
a research and editorial assistant. after a stint as
a staff attorney at the u.S. court of appeals for
Amy DelPo amy has been an editor at nolo the ninth circuit, lisa has worked primarily
since january 2000. She specializes in workers’ in the field of employment law, in both
rights, sexual harassment law, employment government and private practice. lisa rejoined
law, criminal law, and civil litigation. She nolo in 2000 and is the coauthor of several
brings more than six years of criminal and civil employment titles, including Create Your Own
litigation experience to her work at nolo, having Employee Handbook and Dealing With Problem
litigated cases in all levels of state and federal Employees.
courts, including the california Supreme court
and the united States Supreme court. amy
Shae Irving Shae graduated from boalt hall
received her law degree, with honors, from the
School of law at the university of california at
university of north carolina at chapel hill.
berkeley in 1993 and began working for nolo
in 1994. She has written extensively on durable
Emily Doskow emily is a nolo author and powers of attorney, health care directives,
editor, and a mediator and attorney in private and other estate planning issues. She is the
practice in berkeley, california, specializing managing editor for Nolo’s Quicken WillMaker
in adoption and family law, especially for Plus software.
same-sex couples. She is the coauthor of several
Bethany K. Laurence beth graduated from Betsy Simmons-Hannibal betsy is a nolo
hastings college of the law at the university editor specializing in estate planning books
of california in 1993. She spent several years and software. She graduated with honors from
working for a corporate legal publisher before golden gate university School of law where
coming to nolo. She joined nolo’s editorial she was research editor of the law review. Prior
staff in 1997 and has never been happier. to joining nolo, she trained at two private
beth is the coauthor of nolo’s Business Buyout law firms as well as the San Francisco Superior
Agreements and the editor of many of nolo’s court and the Federal district court of
small business books. northern california. when she’s not working,
you might find her playing soccer, traveling
with her husband, or doting on her curious dog.
Janet Portman janet received undergraduate
and graduate degrees from Stanford university
and a law degree from the university of Santa Marcia Stewart Marcia is an expert on
clara. She was a public defender before coming landlord-tenant law, buying and selling houses,
to nolo. janet is nolo’s managing editor, the and other issues of interest to consumers. She
author of Every Landlord’s Guide to Finding is the coauthor of nolo’s Every Landlord’s Legal
Great Tenants, and the coauthor of many nolo Guide, Every Tenant’s Legal Guide, Renters’ Rights,
titles, including Every Landlord’s Legal Guide, and Leases & Rental Agreements, and editor of
Every Tenant’s Legal Guide, Renters’ Rights, and nolo’s LeaseWriter software for landlords.
Negotiating the Best Lease for Your Business.
Richard Stim rich graduated from the
Mary Randolph Mary has been editing and university of San Francisco law School and
writing nolo books and software for more worked in private practice for 16 years until
than a decade. She earned her law degree from joining nolo as an editor in 2000. he is
boalt hall School of law at the university of the author of Profit From Your Idea, Getting
california at berkeley, and her undergraduate Permission, and Music Law, and is the coauthor
degree at the university of illinois. She is the of Patent Pending in 24 Hours.
author of Deeds for California Real Estate, The
Executor’s Guide, and other nolo materials. Ralph Warner ralph is a cofounder of nolo.
he is the author (or coauthor) of a number of
Alayna Schroeder alayna graduated from nolo books, including Every Landlord’s
the university of california, hastings college Legal Guide, Everybody’s Guide to Small Claims
of the law, and worked as an employment Court, Form a Partnership, and Get a Life: You
attorney before joining nolo’s staff in 2005. in Don’t Need a Million to Retire Well. ralph is
addition to editing employment and real estate a lawyer who became fed up with the legal
titles, she is coauthor of Nolo’s Essential Guide to system and dedicated his professional life to
Buying Your First Home. making law more accessible and affordable to
all americans. ●
Table of Contents
I About This Book ......................................................................................................1
1 Houses ...................................................................................................................................3
Buying a House .......................................................................................................................4
Selling Your House .............................................................................................................11
Deeds .........................................................................................................................................16
2 neighbors .......................................................................................................................19
Boundaries ..............................................................................................................................20
Fences ........................................................................................................................................21
Trees ...........................................................................................................................................23
Views ..........................................................................................................................................24
Noise ..........................................................................................................................................26
3 Landlords and Tenants .................................................................................31
Leases and Rental Agreements ....................................................................................32
Tenant Selection ..................................................................................................................34
Housing Discrimination ..................................................................................................35
Rent and Security Deposits ...........................................................................................36
Tenants’ Privacy Rights ....................................................................................................37
Cable Access and Satellite Dishes ..............................................................................38
Repairs and Maintenance ...............................................................................................40
Landlord Liability for Criminal Acts and Activities ..........................................42
Landlord Liability for Lead Poisoning ......................................................................44
Landlord’s Liability for Exposure to Asbestos and Mold ...............................45
Insurance .................................................................................................................................46
Resolving Disputes .............................................................................................................47
4 Workplace Rights .................................................................................................51
Fair Pay and Time Off .......................................................................................................53
Workplace Health and Safety .......................................................................................61
Workers’ Compensation .................................................................................................63
Discrimination ......................................................................................................................68
Harassment ............................................................................................................................78
Workplace Privacy ..............................................................................................................81
Losing Your Job ....................................................................................................................84
5 Small Businesses ....................................................................................................89
Before You Start ...................................................................................................................90
Legal Structures for Small Businesses .......................................................................96
Nonprofit Corporations ...............................................................................................102
Small Business Taxes .......................................................................................................104
Home-Based Businesses ...............................................................................................109
Employers’ Rights & Responsibilities.....................................................................113
6 Patents .............................................................................................................................129
Qualifying for a Patent ..................................................................................................130
Obtaining a Patent ..........................................................................................................135
Enforcing a Patent ...........................................................................................................137
Putting a Patent to Work .............................................................................................140
How Patents Differ From Copyrights and Trademarks ...............................141
7 Copyrights ..................................................................................................................143
Copyright Basics ...............................................................................................................144
Copyright Ownership ....................................................................................................146
Copyright Protection .....................................................................................................148
Copyright Registration and Enforcement ...........................................................151
8 Trademarks ...............................................................................................................155
Types of Trademarks ......................................................................................................156
Trademark Protection ...................................................................................................159
Using and Enforcing a Trademark ...........................................................................161
Conducting a Trademark Search .............................................................................163
Registering a Trademark ...............................................................................................166
How Trademarks Differ From Patents and Copyrights ...............................170
9 Your Money ..............................................................................................................173
Purchasing Goods and Services ...............................................................................174
Using Credit and Charge Cards ................................................................................179
Using an ATM or Debit Card .....................................................................................181
Strategies for Repaying Debts ...................................................................................182
Dealing With the IRS ......................................................................................................188
Debt Collections ...............................................................................................................191
Bankruptcy ..........................................................................................................................193
Rebuilding Credit .............................................................................................................196
10 Cars and Driving .................................................................................................201
Buying a New Car .............................................................................................................202
Leasing a Car .......................................................................................................................207
Buying a Used Car ............................................................................................................209
Financing a Vehicle Purchase ....................................................................................211
Insuring Your Car .............................................................................................................212
Your Driver’s License ......................................................................................................215
If You’re Stopped by the Police.................................................................................218
Drunk Driving ....................................................................................................................219
Traffic Accidents ...............................................................................................................221
11 Wills and Estate Planning.......................................................................225
Wills .........................................................................................................................................226
Probate ..................................................................................................................................232
Executors ..............................................................................................................................233
Avoiding Probate .............................................................................................................236
Living Trusts ........................................................................................................................236
Estate and Gift Taxes ......................................................................................................240
Funeral Planning and Other Final Arrangements ..........................................243
Body and Organ Donations .......................................................................................247
12 Health Care Directives and Powers of Attorney .........249
Health Care Directives ..................................................................................................250
Durable Powers of Attorney for Finances...........................................................256
Conservatorships .............................................................................................................259
13 Older Americans ................................................................................................263
Social Security ....................................................................................................................264
Retirement Plans ..............................................................................................................269
Medicare ...............................................................................................................................273
Finding a Caregiver or Residential Care Facility .............................................278
14 Spouses and Partners ..................................................................................283
Living Together—Gay or Straight............................................................................284
Domestic Partnership and Civil Unions ..............................................................288
Premarital Agreements .................................................................................................289
Marriage ................................................................................................................................292
Divorce ...................................................................................................................................296
Domestic Violence ..........................................................................................................304
Changing Your Name.....................................................................................................307
15 Parents and Children ...................................................................................313
Adopting a Child ..............................................................................................................314
Stepparent Adoptions ...................................................................................................325
Adoption Rights: Birth Parents, Grandparents, and Children ................326
Child Custody and Visitation ....................................................................................329
Child Support ....................................................................................................................335
Guardianship of Children ............................................................................................340
16 Courts and Mediation ................................................................................345
Representing Yourself in Court ................................................................................346
Small Claims Court .........................................................................................................355
Mediation .............................................................................................................................361
Finding and Working With a Lawyer ....................................................................365
17 Criminal Law and Procedure .............................................................377
Criminal Law and Procedure: An Overview ......................................................379
If You Are Questioned by the Police .....................................................................383
Searches and Seizures ....................................................................................................385
Arrests and Interrogations ..........................................................................................388
Bail ............................................................................................................................................391
Getting a Lawyer ..............................................................................................................393
G Glossary..........................................................................................................................399
A Appendix: Legal Research ......................................................................417
Learning About a Particular Area of the Law ...................................................418
Finding a Specific Law ...................................................................................................420
Finding Answers to Specific Legal Questions ...................................................425
Finding Legal Forms ........................................................................................................427
Index ...................................................................................................................................431