James Durbin, who appeared as a contestant on “American Idol’s” season 10, tied the knot with longtime girlfriend Heidi Lowe on New Year’s Eve in the Santa Cruz mountains.  Durbin, who made his mark as the rocker of season 10, and Lowe, married in front of eighty-five guests.  Included on the guest list was Durbin’s Idol fellow contestants Stefano Langone, Haley Reinhart and Casey Abrams.  The couple’s 2-year-old son served as a ring bearer.  Durbin’s debut album, “Memories of a Beautiful Disaster,” was released in November, 2011. Read Full Article

Approximately one in three of all first marriages in the United States end ion divorce, and 50 percent of second or third marriages end in divorce.  A prenuptial agreement is smart financial planning, legal and financial experts say.  In essence, a prenuptial agreement is a contract between two people about to wed that spells out how assets will be distributed in the event of divorce or death.  It is important to consult with an attorney if you wish to draw up a prenuptial agreement. It is vital to consult with an attorney in the event you are given a prenuptial agreement.  Often times, the agreement is filled with legal jargon that is difficult to understand, and the non-initiating spouse may not fully understand what he or she is signing.  Like all contracts, a prenuptial agreement is fully enforceable.  However, the agreement may be declared invalid if signed under duress, coercion, or undue influence.

The attorneys at Leeds, Morelli & Brown, P.C. are experienced in all domestic relations matters, and have represented families in Nassau and Suffolk counties, Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx, and Staten Island.  For any questions concerning domestic relations matters, contact an attorney at the Leeds Morelli & Brown P.C. law firm for a free consultation at 1-800-585-4658.  Leeds Morelli & Brown P.C.’s divorce website is located at www.lbdivorcelaw.com.

An Italian couple are to become the world’s oldest divorcees. The husband, referred to as Antonio C. in the court filing, was rifling through an old chest of drawers when he made the discovery a few days before Christmas that his wife of 77 years, Rosa C., had an affair in the 1940’s. Antonio C. immediately demanded a divorce. Despite the ties they forged over nearly eight decades, including having five children, a dozen grandchildren and one great-grand child, the couple is ready to split. Full article.

Effective March 14, 2011, Nassau County is enforcing a mandatory one-time mediation session, free, for every couple filing for divorce in their jurisdiction. This program comes after the passage of no-fault divorce in New York state, which has created an influx of divorces in the county. The program was developed by the state’s Office of Court Administration and Robert A. Ross, the supervising judge of the matrimonial section of State Supreme Court in Nassau County. The purpose is to encourage less animosity and reach speedy resolutions.

The law firm of Leeds, Morelli & Brown, P.C. has represented clients in Nassau and Suffolk counties, Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx, and Staten Island. If you are facing a divorce proceeding, it is important to hire lawyers that are capable of advocating your needs. For any questions, contact an attorney at the Leeds Morelli & Brown P.C. law firm for a free consultation at 1-888-556-2529 or visit our divorce website at www.lbdivorcelaw.com.

Fantasia, American Idol Season 3 winner, announced she gave birth to her second child on December 27, 2011, in North Carolina. The singer welcomed baby boy Dallas Xavier, who weighed in at 7 lbs., 9 oz. and measured 21 inches long. Baby Dallas joins big sister Zion, 10, who Fantasia has from a previous relationship. Fantasia has not revealed the identity of the father of baby Dallas, although she has been romantically linked to Antwaun Cook since summer 2010. Full article.

It is vital for single parents to have their affairs in order. They must plan for their children. It is advisable for single parents to have a Last Will and Testament, with provisions of who will care for their children should they pass. A Last Will and Testament is a legal declaration by which a person, the testator, names one or more persons to manage his/her estate and provides for the transfer of his/her property at death. Included in the Will is provision of Guardianship. A parent may nominate who will look after their child should they pass without another parent alive. Also, a single parent can arrange to provide for their children’s health, education, maintenance, and support in a trust. The trust will hold the money for the child until he/she turns a certain age. Distributions may be staggered, so that the child receives 1/3 of the estate at age 25, 1/3 at age 30, and 1/3 at age 35. It is important to consult with an attorney about your affairs. No estate is too small to be excluded from estate planning.

For questions regarding estate planning, please contact an attorney at the Leeds Morelli & Brown P.C. law firm for a free consultation at 1-888-556-2529 or visit the firm’s website at www.lbestatelaw.com.

It has been reported that Kobe Bryant’s wife, Vanessa, filed for divorce based on irreconcilable differences, ending their 10 year marriage. The couple is divorcing despite having stayed together after experiencing allegations that Kobe Bryant sexually assaulted a Colorado woman in 2008 and after the basketball star admitted he was unfaithful to his wife. Vanessa Bryant is seeking joint legal and physical custody of their two daughters as well as spousal support. Kobe Bryant has an estimated worth of around $200 million which he accumulated during his 15 year career with the Lakers. There is no indication that the couple signed a prenuptial agreement. As a result, the basketball star may have to forfeit half of his assets in the divorce proceeding. Read Full Article.

Under New York Domestic Relations Law, in order to be able to seek a divorce decree from the NY courts, the petitioner must satisfy a residency requirement in order for the NY court to have jurisdiction over the marriage. Under New York law, a petitioner would need to prove a spouse had some kind of permanency in NY. The petitioner or respondent must plead and prove to be a NY domicile before he or she is able to plead a prima facie matrimonial cause of action, as well as avoid a civil practice, CPLR 3211(a)(7), motion to dismiss the case for failure to state a cause of action. There are 3 ways to satisfy the NY residency requirement:

1. Allege that either spouse has been a NY resident for a continuous two year period, immediately before commencement of the action

2. Where both spouses are NY domiciliaries when the action is commenced, and the matrimonial cause of action arose in NY? In this case, there is no minimum residency requirement.

3. Petitioner can simply allege that either party has been a NY resident for one continuous year before the commencement of the matrimonial action and both parties were married in NY, or the matrimonial cause of action arose in NY, or both parties resided in NY as husband and wife.

Note that domicile and residency are used synonymously in this statute (See Domestic Relations Law Section 230).

Leeds, Morelli & Brown, P.C. seeks to obtain divorce judgments which will be most favorable to their clients. Our attorneys have represented clients in Nassau and Suffolk counties, Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx, and Staten Island. For any questions, contact an attorney at the Leeds Morelli & Brown P.C. law firm for a free consultation at 1-888-585-4658. Leeds Morelli & Brown P.C.’s divorce website is located at www.lbdivorcelaw.com.

The state of New York has sued rapper, Jay-Z, for failing to pay $18,000 in workers’ compensation insurance, for a three month period in 2009, for people who are employed to work for him. A Jay-Z source blamed the lapse on a clerical error. Court documents reflect that he eventually got the correct insurance to cover these employees which include cooks, maids and drivers. Read Full Article

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, children and forced laborers produce 130 kinds of goods in 71 countries, and over 12 million people are victims of forced labor. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is administered by the Wage and Hour Division (WHD) which contains the standards for minimum wages, overtime pay, recordkeeping, and child labor. Every employer covered by the FLSA must keep certain records for each worker. The records should be kept at the place of employment or in a central records office. Additionally, an employer must maintain records of information such as the employee’s full name, address, including zip code, birth date (if younger than 19), sex and occupation, time and day of week when employee’s workweek begins, hours worked each day and total hours worked each workweek, the basis on which employee’s wages are paid (e.g., “$9 per hour”, “$440 a week”, “piecework”, and the regular hourly pay rate to name a few. Employers are required to preserve payroll records for at least 3 years, collective bargaining agreements, and sales and purchase records. Records of wage computations should be retained for two years (such as time cards and piecework tickets, wage rate tables, work and time schedules, and records of additions to or deductions from wages). For a full listing of the types of records an employer must maintain, see the Wage and Hour Division Fact Sheet #21: Recordkeeping Requirements Under the FLSA.

If you or someone you know is not being fully compensated for all the time you work, or your employer has improperly calculated your hours worked, you may be entitled to overtime and additional compensation. Our office focuses on disputes dealing with overtime claims and wage and hour law violations, including violations resulting from improper wage and overtime calculations. For a consultation, contact Leeds Morelli & Brown, PC at 1-800-585-4658.

In Oklahoma City, Sysco Oklahoma LLC, a food distribution company that distributes food to restaurants, health care and educational facilities, and businesses throughout the Oklahoma region is settling a lawsuit for $82,000 after a disabled employee was fired for parking in a handicap parking space, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The EEOC brought the lawsuit alleging that the former employer subjected disabled employee, Amanda Thompson, to unlawful medical inquiries, demands and then, termination because of her disability despite having a valid handicap permit and was a good employee. The lawsuit also sought declaratory relief which included back pay, compensatory and punitive damages and reinstatement for the former employee, as well as and injunctive relief which consisted of training of managers on disability discrimination, posting notification to employees, implementing anti-discrimination policies, and training on disability anti-discrimination law. Read Full Article

According to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 under the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, it is illegal to diminish a person’s right to fully participate in all aspects of society based on physical or mental disabilities. However, many people with physical or mental disabilities have been precluded participating in all aspects of society because of discrimination. As such, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 makes it illegal to discriminate against someone on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex.  Learn More

Leeds Morelli & Brown, PC is a law firm that has had considerable success in handling matters such as these throughout Long Island and the New York City area. For more information, contact Leeds, Morelli and Brown, PC at 1-800-585-4658 for a free consultation.

In Argentina, Fox Latin America, has issued an apology for a poll it posted on Facebook. The poll was centered on whether Jews killed Jesus Christ in an effort to promote the National Geographic Channel’s Christmas special. Specifically, the poll asked readers to vote on who they thought was responsible for the death of Christ, Pontius Pilate, The Jewish People or the High Priests. Guadalupe Lucero was the Fox Spokesperson who apologized on behalf of National Geographic. Fox also stated that the poll was removed immediately and measures were taken to prevent it from happening again. Read Full Article

Many laws and government agencies seek to protect against discrimination. Such laws and agencies include: The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Equal Pay Act (EPA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Specifically, they are intended to protect people from being treated differently by employers on the basis of their age, race, gender, religion, disability, national origin, sexual orientation and other factors. These important laws do not always stop discrimination from occurring, but offer aggrieved members of protected classes of people a method to obtain justice. Under the EEOC, for example, it is unlawful to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of his/her race or color in regard to hiring, termination, promotion, compensation, job training, or any other term, condition, or privilege of employment. Please visit the EEOC’s website for more information.

The attorneys at Leeds Morelli & Brown, P.C., dedicate a large amount of their practice to discrimination claims. For any questions, contact an attorneys at the Leeds Morelli & Brown P.C. law firm for a free consultation at 1-800-585-4658. Leeds Morelli & Brown P.C.’s website is located at www.lmblaw.com.

In Ohio, landlord Jamie Hein was found to have violated the Ohio Civil Rights Act for discriminating against a black girl when she put up a sign stating “White Only” at a public swimming pool. As a result, parents of the girl filed a discrimination charge with the Civil Rights commission and then moved out of the apartment complex in order to avoid future embarrassing treatment. Several people reported that the landlord did in fact post the sign. The landlord was also reported to have posted the sign because the hair chemicals in the girl’s hair would make the pool “cloudy”. As a result, the landlord could face penalties such as a cease and desist order as well as punitive damages. Read Full Article

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 makes it illegal to discriminate against someone on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex. The law forbids discrimination when it comes to any aspect of employment, including hiring, firing, pay, job assignments, promotions, layoff, training, fringe benefits, and any other term or condition of employment. This law is enforced by the Civil Rights Center.

The lawyers at Leeds Morelli & Brown, PC, located in Nassau County, New York, have been successful in litigating against discrimination claims. If you have been a victim of discrimination because of your age, gender, race, or sexual orientation, please contact Leeds Morelli & Brown, PC at 1-888-585-4658, One Old Country Road, Suite 347, Carle Place, NY, 11514-1851.

In Ohio, a former employee of the Child Support Enforcement Agency named Shari Hutchinson has been fired based on her sexual orientation. The former employee brought a lawsuit on behalf of herself, as well as lesbian, gay and transgender communities. Hutchinson had worked at the agency since 2003 and asserts in her lawsuit that she kept getting rejected for a promotion until she realized it was due to her sexual orientation. Ultimately, Hutchinson reached a settlement with Cuyahoga County, but since there is no legal protection for sexual orientation Hutchinson’s case has the potential to set a precedent on this issue. Read Full Article

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 makes it illegal to discriminate against someone on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex. It is unlawful to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of his/her race or color in regard to hiring, termination, promotion, compensation, job training, or any other term, condition, or privilege of employment. Please visit the EEOC’s website for more information.  According to the Supreme Court, the anti-retaliation provision in Title VII is “worded broadly”.

Leeds Morelli & Brown, PC handles many cases dealing with discrimination law throughout Long Island and the New York City area. For more information, contact Leeds, Morelli and Brown, PC at 1-800-585-4658 for a free consultation.

In San Francisco, CA, nine Chuck E. Cheese Restaurants have been fined for a total of $28,000 by the U.S. Department of Labor. The fines were charged to the restaurant chain for violating federal child labor laws. It was found that the chain put sixteen (16) young workers at risk by allowing them to load and operate on-site trash compactors, and run a dough mixing machine. As a result, the company has agreed to pay the fines and comply with federal regulations by removing keys from trash compactors, directing employees under 18 years old not to operate them, and putting warning signs on equipment. Read Full Article

The Department of Labor is the sole federal agency that monitors child labor and enforces child labor laws. The broadest federal law that restricts the employment and abuse of child workers is the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). This law restricts underage employees in nonagricultural occupations from engaging in hazardous activities such as scrap paper balers, paper box compactors and mixers for dough, batter and other foods. FLSA also restricts the hours that youth under 16 years of age can work and lists hazardous occupations too dangerous for young workers to perform. Enforcement of the FLSA’s child labor provisions is handled by the Department’s Wage and Hour Division. Covered nonexempt workers are entitled to a minimum wage of not less than $7.25 per hour effective July 24, 2009. Overtime pay at a rate not less than one and one-half times the regular rate of pay is required after 40 hours of work in a workweek. There is no limit on the number of hours employees 16 years or older may work in any workweek. Learn More

In addition, depending on the job, employers are given specific guidelines designed to protect the educational opportunities of minors and prohibit their employment in jobs and under conditions detrimental to their health and safety. Learn More

If you or someone you know has been affected by a violation of child labor laws or underage employment, the lawyers at Leeds Morelli & Brown, PC, have extensive experience in handling all matters of labor disputes regarding wage and hour law, child labor law, and workers compensation lawsuits. Victims of such offenses may be entitled to compensation. For more information or a consultation, contact Leeds Morelli & Brown, PC at 1-800-585-4658.