Latest posts
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Finding Free or Lower-Cost Legal Help: Eligibility, Intake, and Referral Questions
Free or lower-cost legal help generally comes from four separate sources: legal aid, court self-help centers, bar referral programs, and pro bono attorneys. They are not interchangeable, and confusing them wastes time you may not have. Here is what each one actually is, before you pick up the phone. Legal aid is a nonprofit organization,…
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Statute, Regulation, Rule, or Guidance? A Legal Source Map for Consumers
Statute, regulation, rule, or guidance: how do you tell them apart? A statute, a regulation, a rule, and agency guidance are four different types of legal authority, and they carry different weight: a statute is passed by Congress, a regulation and a final rule are binding text an agency writes to carry out that statute,…
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Small Business Legal Essentials: Entity Types, Contract Basics and Common Legal Mistakes
What This Guide Covers Starting a small business means making a series of legal decisions before you ever open your doors: which entity type to register, what should be in your contracts, and which mistakes most often trip up new owners. This guide walks through all three in plain language, points you to official sources…
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Bankruptcy Basics: Chapter 7 vs Chapter 13, Eligibility Requirements and What to Expect
Chapter 7 vs. Chapter 13: The Short Answer Chapter 7 bankruptcy erases most unsecured debt in a few months by selling non-exempt property, while Chapter 13 lets you keep your property and repay debt through a court-approved plan over three to five years. Which one you qualify for depends mainly on your income, and which…
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Child Custody and Visitation: Legal Standards, Modification and How Courts Decide
How Do Courts Decide Child Custody? Courts decide child custody using a standard called the “best interest of the child.” This means the judge looks at what arrangement will keep the child safest, healthiest, and most stable — not what is easiest or fairest for either parent. Custody law is set by each state, so…
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Wills and Estate Planning Basics: What Happens Without a Will and How to Start
What Happens If You Die Without a Will If you die without a will, state law decides who gets your property. This is called “intestate succession.” A court-appointed administrator, not you, chooses how your money and belongings are split among relatives based on a fixed legal formula. This guide explains how intestacy works, what a…