Nolo's Encyclopedia of Everyday Law: Answers to Your Most Frequently Asked Legal Questions

Web Resources......Page 0
Table of Contents......Page 11
About This Book......Page 17
1. Houses......Page 19
Buying a House......Page 20
Selling Your House......Page 28
Deeds......Page 33
2. Neighbors......Page 37
Boundaries......Page 38
Fences......Page 39
Trees......Page 41
Views......Page 42
Noise......Page 44
3. Landlords and Tenants......Page 49
Leases and Rental Agreements......Page 50
Housing Discrimination......Page 52
Rent and Security Deposits......Page 54
Tenants’ Privacy Rights......Page 55
Cable Access and Satellite Dishes......Page 56
Repairs and Maintenance......Page 58
Landlord Liability for Criminal Acts and Activities......Page 61
Landlord Liability for Lead Poisoning......Page 63
Landlord’s Liability for Exposure to Asbestos, Mold, and Bedbugs......Page 64
Insurance......Page 65
Resolving Disputes......Page 67
4. Workplace Rights......Page 73
Fair Pay and Time Off......Page 74
Workplace Health and Safety......Page 83
Workers’ Compensation......Page 86
Discrimination......Page 92
Harassment......Page 103
Workplace Privacy......Page 107
Losing Your Job......Page 110
5. Small Businesses......Page 115
Before You Start......Page 116
Legal Structures for Small Businesses......Page 122
Nonprofit Corporations......Page 129
Small Business Taxes......Page 132
Home-Based Businesses......Page 137
Employers’ Rights & Responsibilities......Page 142
6. Patents......Page 159
Qualifying for a Patent......Page 160
Obtaining a Patent......Page 165
Enforcing a Patent......Page 167
Putting a Patent to Work......Page 169
How Patents Differ From Copyrights and Trademarks......Page 172
7. Copyrights......Page 175
Copyright Basics......Page 176
Copyright Ownership......Page 178
Copyright Protection......Page 181
Copyright Registration and Enforcement......Page 184
8. Trademarks......Page 187
Types of Trademarks......Page 188
Trademark Protection......Page 191
Using and Enforcing a Trademark......Page 194
Conducting a Trademark Search......Page 196
Registering a Trademark......Page 199
How Trademarks Differ From Patents and Copyrights......Page 202
9. Your Money......Page 205
Purchasing Goods and Services......Page 206
Using Credit and Charge Cards......Page 211
Using an ATM or Debit Card......Page 214
Strategies for Repaying Debts......Page 216
Dealing With the IRS......Page 222
Debt Collections......Page 226
Bankruptcy......Page 228
Rebuilding Credit......Page 231
10. Cars and Driving......Page 237
Buying a New Car......Page 238
Leasing a Car......Page 243
Buying a Used Car......Page 245
Financing a Vehicle Purchase......Page 248
Insuring Your Car......Page 249
Your Driver’s License......Page 252
If You’re Stopped by the Police......Page 255
Drunk Driving......Page 256
Traffic Accidents......Page 258
11. Wills and Estate Planning......Page 263
Wills......Page 264
Probate......Page 270
Executors......Page 271
Living Trusts......Page 275
Estate and Gift Taxes......Page 279
Funeral Planning and Other Final Arrangements......Page 282
Body and Organ Donations......Page 286
12. Health Care Directives and Powers of Attorney......Page 289
Health Care Directives......Page 290
Durable Powers of Attorney for Finances......Page 296
Conservatorships......Page 300
13. Older Americans......Page 305
Retirement Plans......Page 306
Social Security......Page 310
Medicare......Page 315
Finding a Caregiver or Residential Care Facility......Page 321
14. Spouses and Partners......Page 327
Living Together—Gay or Straight......Page 328
Domestic Partnership and Civil Unions......Page 332
Premarital Agreements......Page 333
Marriage......Page 336
Divorce......Page 340
Domestic Violence......Page 350
Changing Your Name......Page 353
15. Parents and Children......Page 359
Adopting a Child......Page 360
Stepparent Adoptions......Page 371
Adoption Rights: Birth Parents, Grandparents, and Children......Page 373
Child Custody and Visitation......Page 376
Child Support......Page 382
Guardianship of Children......Page 388
16. Courts and Mediation......Page 393
Representing Yourself in Court......Page 394
Small Claims Court......Page 404
Mediation......Page 411
Finding and Working With a Lawyer......Page 416
17. Criminal Law and Procedure......Page 429
Criminal Law and Procedure: An Overview......Page 430
If You Are Questioned by the Police......Page 436
Searches and Seizures......Page 437
Arrests and Interrogations......Page 441
Bail......Page 445
Getting a Lawyer......Page 447
Glossary......Page 453
Appendix. Legal Research......Page 473
Learning About a Particular Area of the Law......Page 474
Finding a Specific Law......Page 476
Finding Answers to Specific Legal Questions......Page 481
Finding Legal Forms......Page 484
Related Products......Page 511