What is a Severance Agreement? A severance agreement is a contract between an employer and an employee that outlines the terms under which an employee will leave a company, typically tied to a severance package. The goal of a severance agreement is for the employer to part ways with an employee on good terms, often making their financial departure easier and soothing hard feelings. Although your severance agreement may not be in the format of…
What is a Mediation Agreement? Mediation is a voluntary process by which two (or more) disputing parties attempt to resolve their dispute with the assistance of a neutral third party. This neutral third party is educated in the law of the subject matter – and is often a lawyer within the particular field at issue. In Florida, however, mediators are not required to be lawyers. Rather, a mediator is a person who is in the…
Basics of a Federal Plea Agreement The federal plea agreement is the product of negotiations between the government and the defendant to resolve a case without going to trial. The agreement generally includes the defendant’s acknowledgment of guilt and a statement of what charges will be dismissed or what agreement has been reached in exchange for the defendant’s plea. The agreement is also usually made pursuant to Federal Criminal Rule of Procedure 11, which outlines…
The 350 Legend: A Closer Look The .350 Legend is a centerfire rifle cartridge developed by Winchester Ammunition for the use in modern sporting rifles. The cartridge is based on the .223 Remington, and is a rimless bottleneck cartridge. The inherent parts of the .350 Legend are somewhat of a mixture of traditional and experimental for different calibers. Winchester seems to have developed this cartridge with the intention of utilizing the long and fragmented history…
A Primer on Virginia’s Independent Contractor Laws The independent contractor laws of Virginia exist to regulate the rights and responsibilities of workers and employers in a landscape where freelance work continues to grow. These laws lay the foundation for the duties that both parties have to each other, then spell out the consequences for failing to meet these obligations. Some examples: parties can establish deadlines for deliveries, call for designated methods for complaint resolution, set…
Knife Size and What is Legal in Virginia The ownership and use of knives for self-defense are perfectly legal in Virginia. Naturally, Virginia has restrictions regarding the types of knives that people can carry in public. In Virginia, people can carry many common knives in public, provided that they don’t have a spring-operated, switchblade, or belt buckle knife. Virginia law also prohibits people from carrying knives of certain sizes. Virginia law defines "weapon," by size…
Virginia LLCs Explained An LLC, or Limited Liability Company, is a form of business organization that plays an important role in Virginia’s legal landscape. This hybrid type of entity combines characteristics from both corporations and partnerships. LLCs are governed by Virginia state law, as codified in the Code of Virginia § 13.1-1000 et seq. While they provide the limited liability protection of a corporation, LLCs often have simpler management and tax structures similar to partnerships.…
Summary of Iowa Drug Testing Laws Iowa drug testing laws are, for the most part, in line with federal law, but the two are not identical. The principal source of law governing drug testing in Iowa comes from the Code of Iowa. Section 730.7 provides an employer the right to conduct drug testing to detect the unlawful or unauthorized controlled substances of its employees. The specific provisions of the Iowa drug testing law are set…
Decoding International Business Law International business law refers to the numerous laws and regulations that govern the marketplace across international waters. Such laws begin with the World Trade Organization, an international organization whose primary purpose is to manage and oversee trade rules between nations. According to its website, the WTO provides "a common institutional framework [that] administers, institutions, and agreements" to ensure fair and efficient trade of goods, services, and intellectual property between trades and…
What Is a Custodian? A Broad Explanation In a general legal context, a custodian is a trustee or a person’s next of kin. It’s a basic legal term also used in some more specific ways. For example, some businesses may refer to themselves with this word as part of an overall business name, or as a descriptive term (i.e., "we are a data custodian"). A custodian is basically a person or organization that is charged…
