How To Beat A Speeding Ticket

How to Reduce Or Eliminate Your Estate Tax
I bet you probably didn't know that your heirs might have to liquidate ( sell off ) your home or commercial/residential rental properties immediately after your death. This is unless you create an Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust or ILIT. Most people have the expectation of passing on their wealth to their children or spouse. With the demise of the baby boom generation approaching there will be an enormous transfer of wealth, the government plans to capture some of that wealth with the estate tax. The estate tax is imposed upon death. As of now if your assets net worth is less than $1.5 million dollars your exempt from the Federal estate tax. For married couples, their exempt up to $3 million dollars. Unfortunately, any amount over the exemption will be taxed under the Federal Estate Tax, which is usually around 45%. This tax must be paid within nine months of the day of your death. Since few estates hold enough cash to pay for the estate tax, you will be forced to start selling off assets to raise enough money to pay the estate tax on time. The time restraints can sometimes cause people to rush into unfavorable transactions. Fortunately though, you can use an Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust ( ILIT ) to reduce or eliminate your estate tax cost. ILIT's can be used to generate enormous amounts of cash for your heirs, which you can use to pay the estate tax. When you purchase an ILIT the proceeds are not included in the estate of the insured. The proceeds are strictly for the decedent’s beneficiary, which completely avoids the estate tax. You get 100% of the money estate tax free. Any ordinary life insurance policy is not the same as an Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust. An ILIT is estate tax free; a life insurance policy is taxed. This is because a life insurance policy is under the insured's estate.

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Types of Common Fraudulent Ttransactions
In the previous article, I briefly discussed on how to detect potential frauds. Now, I describe two of the most common fraudulent transactions: "Bank Guarantees" and "Discounted Bank Instruments".

A. Bank Guarantee Scheme

This is a very simple fraud. A businessman or investor requires access to capital for his own purposes. Let us say that the individual wants a line of credit of $50 million or more. That individual or business discovers that to obtain such a line of credit means paying significant fees, commissions and possibly providing huge quantities of security. That the other party will say that all you have got to do is pay a one off sum and you will have a guaranteed bank facility can make the offer seem hard to resist.

The individual will commonly be told that an AAA bank will provide a guarantee for, say, $50 million subject to a payment of $1 million as a fee. Obviously the businessman says he is not going to pay until he has seen the facility from the bank. Arrangements are therefore made for the $1 million dollar fee to be lodged in an escrow account, usually either with a solicitor in London or with a fiduciary in Switzerland . The solicitor or fiduciary has clear instructions that he is not to release the monies until such time as the facility letter is to hand.

In due course a facility letter from a major bank does arrive appropriately signed at the bottom guaranteeing the $50 million facility. The fiduciary releases the money. The investor then calls upon the bank to honour their facility. It is at that stage that the investor discovers that the two people who signed the facility either never existed or if they did exist had no authority to grant the facility and have left the bank, or there is some other fraud involved.

The investor quickly attempts to hold the fiduciary or solicitor to account, whose excuse for his role in the transaction is that he simply followed his client's instruction in releasing the monies on delivery of the facility letter. The investor then attempts to trace the monies and discovers they have moved through various different bank accounts and have ended up either in Lithuania , The Virgin Islands, or another location where it becomes increasingly difficult to either trace the monies further or to recoup them.

B. Discounted Bank Instruments

Many senior lawyers, accountants and businessmen continue to believe that there exists a secret market in bank instruments. Fraudsters play upon this continuing belief by persuading individuals and companies that they should make investments in "prime bank guarantees". The documentation relating to the investment talks about "prime banks", "discount houses" and "cutting houses". The documentation is produced so that at first sight it appears hugely complex and obviously beyond the understanding of anybody who is not actually involved in this very specialised market.

Typically individuals are asked to participate in a block of something like a $100 million investment. It is usually explained that individuals are excluded from this market and the only way they can possibly join is by contributing $100,000 or so to a pot that is being built up by the generous individual who is giving them the opportunity to participate in this secret market.

The lure into this investment is the phenomenal profits that will be generated, sometimes described as being in excess of 100% in one year.

It is worth repeating that there is no such market.
It is never explained to anybody how the profit is generated or why the banks feel that it is necessary to trade in this market.

Usually what happens is that the hugely complex documentation is delivered to the person who is going to make the investment, for typically between $1 million and $10 million. He is required to sign a certificate to say that his money is clean and then sends the money to nominated bank account. From there the monies pass into the hands of the investment manager or his nominee. Shortly after that, the excuses start.

Usually some other contributor has not paid on time his due contribution to the $100,000 block and therefore it has not been possible to "roll" the money at the first stage. After that, there is an incessant string of excuses ranging from "my wife is having a baby" to "the banks are on holiday" or "difference in time zones make it difficult to communicate with banks" to just straightforward silence.  Sometimes the fraudsters are able to keep the investors at bay for years with excuses.

One has to ask why this fraud persists. The answer quite often is that individuals who make such investments have quite often parted with all of their spare cash and are no longer in a position to finance assistance from lawyers and accountants to recover the monies. Quite often the monies are so well hidden that it is difficult to recover them, even when still available. There is also the embarrassment factor of an otherwise sensible businessman or investor not wanting to admit that he has been the victim of financial fraud.

Ioannis John Neocleous
NCI Law Group
info@ncilawgroup.com
T: +357-22-680670

Author: Ioannis John Neocleous

<a href="http://www.ncilawgroup.com/"><b>John A. Neocleous</b></a> is the founder and Managing Partner of <a href="http://www.ncilawgroup.com/"><b>NCI Law Group </b></a>, <b>Neocleous & Neocleous law firm </b> and <a href="http://www.ncifinance.com/"><b>NCI Finance Group</b></a>. John has over 14 years of professional experience in the areas of international tax, corporate and criminal law, both as an academic and also as a practitioner in over 50 countries worldwide.

Questions To Ask A Personal Injury Lawyer During Your Consultation
Q: Is this consultation given without charge to me?

About Your Rights:

Q: What rights do I have that need to be protected?

Q: Who will pay my medical bills; physical therapy bills; drug bills; transportation expenses; temporary or permanent household help; lost income; property damage; and pain and suffering?

Q: What do I have to do to protect my rights to these claims? What forms and papers do I need to obtain? Where do I get these forms? Will you fill out all the forms for me? If needed, will you help me with my medical claim? If needed, will you help me with my property damage claim?

Q: What claim letters need to be sent; how many insurance companies must be notified? Will you do this for me?

About determining whether you want to hire a specific lawyer?

You may feel nervous when hiring a lawyer, but remember that you are the one doing the hiring. While lawyers who primarily represent people in accidents charge a contingency fee (a fee that is charged at the end of the case and only if you are successful) you will still want to know that you are satisfied with your choice. Even though you pay a fee after you receive a money award, you are the one paying the bill. Serious injuries can result in significant compensation for both you and your lawyer. That makes you an important client!

Q: If I have a question about my case, will I be able to speak with you directly or do I have to speak to a paralegal? Is it okay if I speak with you occasionally when I have a question or to find out the status of my case?

Q: How long have you and your law firm been practicing law?

Q: Do you practice primarily in the field of Personal Injury and accidents?

Q: Do you have professional liability insurance? (Professional liability insurance also protects you, the accident victim, in case an error is made that damages your case.)

Q: When will I be charged? (Personal injury lawyers usually charge a contingency fee. A contingency fee is one that is charged at the end of the case and only if you are successful. This allows anyone who has been hurt in an accident to have easy access to a lawyer.)

Q: How much will I be charged?

Q: Will I be charged a legal fee if you do not recover money for me?

Q: Am I responsible for case expenses if you do not recover money for me?

Q: What are my alternatives to resolve my claim? Do you ever utilize mediation and arbitration?

Q: Have you or your law firm done any trials?

Q: (If married) Is my spouse entitled to any of my settlement or money awarded? What happens if I get divorced?

Q: (If a child is injured) Which parent will bring the claim? Are the parents entitled to any money? Which parent will be entitled to receive the money? What happens to my child's settlement money?

Philip L. Franckel, Esq., is the founder of <a href="http://www.HURT911.org" target="_blank">http://www.HURT911.org</a> an accident and injury research web site for people hurt in an accident and personal injury lawyers. Mr. Franckel also publishes articles on Lawyer Advertising at <a href="http://www.Lawyer-Advertising-Blog.com" target="_blank">http://www.Lawyer-Advertising-Blog.com</a> and provides advertising for lawyers at <a href="http://www.HURT911.org/getclient.php" target="_blank">http://www.HURT911.org/getclient.php</a>

Take the help of an art lawyer to buy authenticate art pieces
Art speaks a universal language. In fact, art in any form is a pleasure to the eyes and whatever form art might take, the outcome is always beautiful and captivating. Art remains eternal and carries an eternal beauty with it. In fact, whatever form and shape it takes, it manages to mesmerize all and especially the ones who are the ardent art lovers. An art lover can find an entire world in arts and they can spend huge sum of money to buy their favorite art piece and to indulge in their passion for art. However, with the passage of time, it seems that today art has also managed to fall into the grip of fraudulence, deceive and treachery. People actually manage to sell fraudulent art pieces to people at the cost of the real piece. There are art lovers who accidentally buy such fake pieces thinking them to the real creation. In such a case, if anybody has managed to buy a fake piece, wants to seek justice and punish the fake vendor, and then he or she can take the help of an art lawyer. An art lawyer is basically a law professional, who deals with such fraudulent cases and helps the buyer get justice and even get the entire amount refunded from the vendor. There are many art lawyers who fight such cases and if you want to hire somebody, you will definitely have to conduct some research on the case history of the lawyer to see his success ratio. Once you hire an art lawyer to fight your case, you will have to give out all the details so that it becomes easier for him to understand the intricacies of the case and then accordingly, battle out the legal procedures. An art lover has always been known about his or her love indulging in art pieces and the best thing for them is to buy an art piece from an authenticated art dealer, who can promise to provide them with genuine art pieces. However, deceptive art dealers manage to sell fraud art pieces and people generally do not realize that they have bought a fake art piece. In this case, an art lawyer is whom one should approach, as he knows what best needs to be done. One important thing that needs to be remembered is that an art lawyer not only fights a case when a buyer buys a fake art piece but also fights cases for art sellers. This case arises when an art vendor or a dealer is not being able to get the money from a buyer. Many a times, people buy art pieces and later they manage to deceive the dealer from paying the money. In this case, the dealer can also approach an art lawyer to fight his case against the buyer who has cheated him. This shows that an art lawyer can be of help to both a buyer as well as a seller and they can approach him whenever they feel the need to do so. Art is the one form of expression that everybody loves to indulge in. For that reason, if you are a passionate and devoted art lover and want to buy good and authentic art pieces, you need not worry about falsification anymore. In case of counterfeit, you can always take the aid of an art lawyer. However, you should make sure that the art lawyer you hire is well versed with his own work and promise you apt justice.

Damyel Flower is an exprienced divorce lawyer.He has successfully handled many divorce cases.He gives advice to clients who are looking for <a href="http://www.mtllp.com/art_law.html">Art lawyer</a>,Divorce lawyer NYC,celebrity divorce lawyer.To hire services of a lawyer in New York and any legal advice visit <a href="http://www.mtllp.com">www.mtllp.com</a>.

Motorcycle Accidents: Causes and Solutions
Thousands of motorcycles roam around the busy streets of Los Angeles, California. Everywhere you look, it is impossible not to spot even one motorcycle on the road.

Motorcycles have become the most common mode of transportation people use today. It is due to their mobility, capability to swerve in bumper to bumper traffics and to access even the smallest and narrowest alleyways.

What are the causes of Motorcycle Accidents?

• Negligence on the part of the motorist

Because of their need for speed, some motorcyclists seem to get the hang of riding them without due regard to traffic laws, their own safety, that of the pedestrians and that of other motor vehicles. In such a case, the negligent motorist would be liable for the damage done to the victim.

• Negligence on the part of another vehicle

It is also possible for a collision to take place because of another vehicle’s fault. No matter how careful one drives his car or motorcycle; he cannot avoid accidents due to the negligence and law violations of another automobile. Here, it would be the other motorist who would pay him for his injuries.

• Negligence on the part of both the motorcycle and the other vehicle

There are also cases when both parties are at fault or “in pari delicto.” In such cases, the fault of one will mitigate the fault of the other. It is also possible for the court to refuse them to collect from one another as they have both incurred damages.

• Negligence on the part of the pedestrian

Pedestrians are favored by the court when it comes to motorcycle accident instances. However, it is possible for the motorist to prove that he is not negligent and that it is due to the fault of the pedestrian why the accident took place.

• Other external causes

There are some causes which are independent and outside of the will and control of the motorist such as bad weather, poor road condition, defective motor parts, poor street lighting and many more. In such case, the court would determine the appropriate liabilities of the motorists and of their insurance companies.

How can we avoid the hassles of Motorcycle Accidents suits?

• By driving or traveling safely and cautiously

• By taking into account other external factors which may cause accidents

• By getting an insurance, which answers for the costs and damages obtained by your vehicle or another vehicle or person due to your own negligence

• By hiring the best Los Angeles Motorcycle Accidents lawyer

In defending one’s claim, he must choose the counsel who specializes particularly in that subject and who have handled enough cases relating thereto.

By hiring the best motorcycle accidents lawyer, one can negotiate and discuss the problem with the other party without having to go to court.

Also, with the help of his lawyer, one can understand the terms being laid out by the insurance and the other parties, as well as the legal consequences of his own actions.

Our expert personal injury lawyers in Los Angeles are knowledgeable about processes involving car accident claims and settlements. You can consult with our http://www.mesrianilaw.com/Los-Angeles-Motorcycle-Vehicle-Accident-Lawyers for a free case evaluation.

Adriane Lauren Luna has fascinations for reading and traveling. She has always wanted to go places, learn about their history and culture, and meet different kinds of people. Every book read and every country visited, she considered it as one of her life’s conquests. Now she is at it again. She ventured into writing because she likes to think of it as another world unexplored.

Legal Assistants And Paralegals - A Closer Look
One of the most important tasks legal assistants and paralegals perform is to assist lawyers as they prepare for corporate meetings, closings, trials and hearings. Although the lawyers take ownership for the legal work, they will often delegate many tasks to legal assistants and paralegals. As a result, they continue to take on a growing range of tasks inside the nation's legal offices and perform many of tasks traditional done by lawyers.

On the other hand, they are still strictly prohibited from performing any duty that is considered to be the "practice of law" - such as setting legal fees, giving legal advice, and presenting cases in court. Legal Assistants and paralegals also do much of leg work like verifying and looking into the facts of cases to ensure that all points are thoroughly covered. They also identify appropriate laws, judicial decisions, legal articles and other materials that are relevant to assigned cases.

After they analyze and organize the information, paralegals may prepare written reports that attorneys use in determining how cases should be handled. Should the decision be made to file a lawsuit, a paralegal may then be given the responsibility to help prepare the legal arguments, draft pleadings and motions to be filed with the court, obtain affidavits and assist the attorneys during trial. Paralegals also organize and track files of thee all important case documents and make them available and easily accessible to the attorneys.

In addition to preparatory work, legal assistants and paralegals also perform a number of other vital functions. For example, they help draft contracts, mortgages, separation agreements and instruments of trust. In addition, may assist in preparing tax returns or estate planning. Some may even be given the responsibility to coordinate the activities of other law office employees and maintain financial office records. Of course, additional tasks differ, depending on the employer.

Legal Assistants and paralegals are found in all types of organizations, but most are employed by law firms (about 70%), corporate legal departments and various government offices make up most of the remaining 30%. In these organizations, they can work in many different areas of the law, including litigation, personal injury, corporate law, criminal law, employee benefits, intellectual property, labor law, bankruptcy, immigration, family law, and real estate.

As the law has become more complex, legal assistants and paralegals have responded, like many professions, by becoming more specialized. And within specialties, functions are often broken down even further so that legal assistants and paralegals may deal with a specific area. For example, legal assistants and paralegals specializing in labor law may concentrate exclusively on employee benefits.

The duties of legal assistants and paralegals also differ widely with the type of organization in which they are employed. Those who work for corporations often assist attorneys with employee contracts, shareholder agreements, stock-option plans and employee benefit plans. They may also help prepare and file annual financial reports, maintain corporate minutes' record resolutions and prepare forms to secure loans for the corporation.

Legal Assistants and paralegals often monitor and review government regulations to ensure that the corporation is aware of any new requirements and to ensure they are operating within the law. In addition, an ever increasing number of experienced paralegals are taking on additional supervisory responsibilities like monitoring team projects and serving as a communications link between the team and the corporation.

The duties of legal assistants and paralegals, working in the public sector varies between agencies. However, as a general rule, they analyze legal material for internal use, maintain reference files, conduct research for attorneys and collect and analyze evidence for agency hearings. They may prepare informative or explanatory material on laws, agency regulations, and agency policy for general use by the agency and the public. Legal Assistants and paralegals employed in community legal-service projects help the poor, the aged and those in need of legal assistance by filing forms, conducting research, preparing documents and when authorized by law, representing clients at administrative hearings.

Legal Assistants and paralegals in small to medium-sized law firms usually perform a variety of duties that require a general knowledge of the law. For example, they may research judicial decisions on improper police arrests or help prepare a mortgage contract. On the other hand, those employed by larger law firms, government agencies or corporations are more likely to specialize in one aspect of the law.

Being computer literate has also become an essential skill of legal Assistants and paralegals. Using the internet to search legal literature and extracting vital information stored in computer databases and on CD-ROM is also an important skill set. In litigation involving many supporting documents, paralegals usually use computer databases to retrieve, organize and index various materials. Imaging software allows paralegals to scan documents directly into a database, while billing programs help them track hours billed to clients. Various software packages are also used to perform tax computations and explore different scenarios of various tax strategies for clients.

As you can see becoming a Legal Assistants and paralegals profession is an exciting and ever-demanding field that requires a wide range of skills and knowledge. If you're looking for a career, not just a job and you have the willingness to push yourself then this field is ripe for the picking.

This article may be reproduced only in its entirety.

Kevin Erickson is an entrepreneur and writer. For other articles he's written visit: <a href="http://www.totalparalegal.com">Legal Assistant</a> | <a href="http://www.eyeonnursing.com">Travel Nursing</a> | <a href="http://www.total-transcription.com">Medical Transcription</a>

Understanding Lemon Law
A lemon law is a type of law that protects consumers from getting bad products, in this case, vehicles. In the United States, each of the states has its own form of lemon law. Each state regulates how much is to be provided as well as what standards each vehicle must be sold under. In basic terms, if the manufacturer says that the vehicle runs well and it doesn?t, then they are in violation of the lemon law of that state depending on the state's specific standards. In most cases, anyone selling a bad car must replace it or refund the money for the car.

But, remember that each state is different. Each state has its own requirement for how much should be provided by the previous owner to the current owner. Also, in most cases, any defaults in the vehicle should be presented to the new owner prior to the purchase. If you find that a new car has actually been used, for example, you can have the dealership repurchase it from you or provide you with the new car.

It is important, though, that you check out your state?s exact wording on the lemon law. What should you do if you think someone has violated the lemon law on your purchase?

? Contact your attorney and ask them if they feel that you may have been violated. Many will provide free counseling to provide you with an understanding if you do have a case or not.

? Make sure to keep your paperwork. It is very important for you to have any and all documentation of the car, its history and its current condition in your hand.

? The attorney will tell you about the lemon law of the state and you will decide what the next step is from there.

? You should contact your attorney prior to trying to deal with the company yourself as to avoid more problems.

For more information please see <a href="http://www.lemon-law-help.co.uk" target="_blank">http://www.lemon-law-help.co.uk</a>

Advantages of the Cyprus Economic Zone for Russian Companies
Nicosia, 27 June 2008 - Cyprus is one of the most advantageous places of residency for Russian and Ukrainian companies. It offers a high level of banking, auditing, accounting and legal services, as well as its real estates, which developed Cyprus into a successful international business and financial centre.
Some of the main factors and advantages which secure Cyprus ' attractiveness to international businesses and investments are the following:

1. 10% corporate tax rate for business profits;
2. No withholding taxes imposed on dividends, interest and royalties for non-residents (whether a company or an individual);
3. Income from dividends is exempt from income or corporation tax;
4. The attractive platform and tax regime that Cyprus provides for a holding company (i.e. subject to certain conditions full exemption from local taxation in respect of dividends received by a holding company from its local and foreign subsidiaries);
5. The attractive platform and tax regime that Cyprus provides for international trusts;
6. The network of favorable double taxation treaties that Cyprus maintains with more than 40 countries including Russia and most of the ex Soviet Union Republics;
7. Tax advantages available to non-residents including non - E.U. residents;
8. Cypriot tax regime permits losses to be carried forward indefinitely;
9. The geographic location of Cyprus, located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa;

One of the mentioned above factors is a double taxation treaty between Russia and Cyprus, which provides to Russians many tax advantages. Agreement was signed between Russia and Cyprus for the avoidance of double taxation with respect to taxes on income and capital, back on 17 August 1999. The treaty provides for either the exemption of income in the source country or the provision of tax credit in respect of the foreign tax paid by the country of tax residence.

Usually, Russian companies would pay 35 percent tax on profits, plus a 20 percent VAT tax, and a 40 percent tax for social security and employee benefits, in Russia. However, when Russian business is structured in a way that a Cyprus company owns it (which does not require any physical presence in Russia), all its profits will be legally transferred to Cyprus and is liable for only a 4.5 percent tax on profits and a 15 percent VAT tax. Russian business escapes the 40 percent tax for social services, accordingly. This tax advantage makes it possible to channel profits in the form of dividends at a reduced rate.

As for example, a Cyprus Holding company can be used for international investment purposes. Basically, it is use of the tax incentives and the treaties for the avoidance of double taxation. The most important advantage of a Cyprus Holding Company is that the dividends received by the foreign company can flow totally tax free in Cyprus through the Holding Company, avoiding in this way the payment of any tax on dividends. Furthermore, payments made to non-Cyprus Resident Shareholders there is zero (0) withholding tax, so the Shareholder receives the dividends absolutely tax free.

Payment of interest on loans is another advantageous method for Russian businesses. Under the Cyprus Law, Russian Company partly owned by Cypriot Company and paying its interest on loans to the Cypriot company, effectively minimizing its taxation. However, the interest payments are not necessarily will be paid to the Cyprus Company. It is the most effective method which allows Russian company to avoid almost all its tax payments.

Russian businesses which structured into a Cypriot companies for maintaining its business activities within territory of Russia, are able to transfer there revenue earned in Russia abroad in the form of dividends and interest, at considerable tax savings. Companies registered in Cyprus jurisdiction pay lower taxes than those paid in Russian jurisdictions.

All the above mentioned structures are based on "Cyprus economic zone" of reduced taxation and perfectly legal, furthermore its tax advantage may be enhanced even more when, under certain circumstances, is combined with other jurisdictions in appropriate legal structures.

In the last 30 years, Cyprus Law Firm has developed into a reputable international business and financial centre due to the very favorable tax regime that the island offers. The admission of Cyprus to the European Union as full member in May 2004, established Cyprus as a prestigious, stable and attractive jurisdiction.

Though the offshore company status was abolished as from January 1, 2003 the favorable tax regime for the international investor has been maintained. In addition, the liberalization of investments coming from non-EU countries and the abolition of maximum and minimum participation percentages in investments in all the sectors of the economy in October 2004 (unless it is otherwise provided by the Law), has transformed Cyprus into a major destination for the location of international, holding companies and worldwide investments.

Contact:
Ioannis John Neocleous, NCI Law Group
info@ncilawgroup.com
T: +357-22-680670

Author: Ioannis John Neocleous

NCI Law Group is an international law firm founded by <a href="http://www.ncilawgroup.com/"><b>Ioannis John Neocleous</b></a> that serves the needs of businesses, governments, non-profit organizations and individual clients around the world. <a href="http://www.kratosworldwide.com/"><b>Ioannis John Neocleous</b></a> leaders in Cyprus Law, Cyprus Company Registration, Cyprus Lawyers etc. Contact <a href="http://www.ncicapitalgroup.com/"><b>Ioannis John Neocleous</b></a> for any query regarding Legal Services.

Software Piracy and Internet Pirates Going to Prison
Software piracy gave a sharp awakening to copyright infringement counsels around the world. Software piracy law efforts backed by the SIIA (Software and Information Industry Association), the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America), the Business Software Association (BSA) and of course Microsoft, are running fast and furious to intimidate internet pirates and quash any and all efforts of internet piracy, software piracy and copyright infringement on software, music and film. Efforts at suppressing internet piracy, copyright infringement and software piracy are running full speed ahead. Illegal copyright infringement and software piracy can result in civil or criminal trials. Prior to 1978, copyright infringement could be subject to state or federal laws. However, in 1976, Congress codified Section 17 of the United States Code to limit copyright infringement to the federal courts effective January 1, 1978 — essentially dissolving the power of the states to prosecute cases of copyright infringement — the legal claim for software piracy and internet piracy. Sentencing for federal crimes have been historically more punitive than that for state crimes and have been under legislative and judicial scrutiny for decades. The Sentencing Reform Act of 1984 led to Federal Sentencing Guidelines that were enacted in 1987 — presumably to develop consistency in sentencing. In 2004 the Federal Sentencing Guidelines were struck down by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court decided the federal guidelines were advisory, but not mandatory. Hence, anyone subject to federal sentencing for copyright infringement, software piracy or internet piracy could receive a substantially higher sentence than the federal guidelines suggest — and presumably lower. But apparently "advisory" is still mandated. In the USA vs. Kononchuck software piracy case which involved pirated Microsoft software, the original sentencing judge was lenient and sentenced one of the defendants to only probation and house arrest. The prosecutor appealed the light sentence, and the case was brought back to court for new, harsher, sentencing. These types of decisions surely contribute to the 2.3 million people that are imprisoned today — up from 1.1 million in 1990. Pew Research reports 1 in every 100 adults in America is in prison. The US Sentencing Guidelines Manual (U.S.S.G.) lists the mitigating factors that are taken into consideration for internet piracy, software piracy and copyright infringement in Section 2B5.3. Because copyright infringement is an economic offense, the retail cost of the software pirated and the number of items pirated determine the severity of the crime. The Courts use a "base" crime level, and adjust the sentencing accordingly with the elements of the case. Copyright Infringement starts off at "level 8," and only one count of a value under $2000 could bring a sentence anywhere from 0 to 6 years (as determined in the 2007 Federal Sentencing Guidelines Chapter Five Part A Sentencing Table). With just one or two "marks" against a defendant, the minimum jail times goes up to 4 years. "Uploading" is 2 points — and increases the sentence to 4-10 years. Software piracy, internet piracy and copyright infringement prison terms are still undergoing scrutiny during the appeals process. Despite strict sentencing in copyright infringement, Internet piracy is far from being quashed. MarketingVox has reported a 3% increase in illegal music downloads over the last couple years, even as prison for piracy escalates. Copyright infringement litigation will be tossed and turned in the courts with unexpected prison sentences and damage awards until the district courts develop consistent sentencing precedents based on the motivations of the piracy and severity of the crimes that adhere to the constitutional principals. Until Congress, the Courts and the Constitution speak the same language, Internet pirates are likely to be facing some federal jail time in the years to come.

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6 Possibilities to Solve Client-Lawyer Fee Disputes
The most common dispute between lawyers and clients is that of fees. Somehow money becomes a bone of contention and things do get nasty with both parties refusing to budge an inch. When hiring a lawyer you need to be bold enough to ask for “fee” terms and conditions to be written down in the contract. To prevent being overcharged you need to know how lawyers compute their fees and insist on itemized billing on a weekly/monthly basis. Never wait until the completion of the case. On your part keep a log book in which you record: advances given to lawyer; meetings held along with duration; phone calls made, note down how many minutes; court appearances and so on. The more detailed the record maintained by you the better. Check all bills submitted by the lawyer carefully and do not hesitate to ask about any discrepancies that come to your attention. When you are disturbed by the bill or are convinced there is something amiss you must try and settle the fee dispute by: 1. Ask for a meeting with the lawyer to discuss billing. Take with you a copy of the bill. Highlight amounts that need clarification or verification. Be bold and discuss the matter upfront. More often than not by being candid the dispute may just get solved. Your lawyer will either explain the amounts or agree to verify the bill and correct any discrepancies. 2. Since fee disputes between lawyers and clients is becoming extremely common, in several states Legal Fee Arbitration Boards have been set up. See, http://www.ncsc.dni.us/KMO/Topics/ADR/Resources/attorneyfees.html . The board has been set up to save the time of small claims, district, and superior courts. 3. Consider mediation services set up by Bar Associations. These programs have mediators who will hear both sides of the dispute and try to solve the problem amicably. The agreement reached will be documented in writing with both the lawyer and client signing it. 4. Get another lawyer or lawyer’s office to check the accuracy of the bill. In cases of over billing or billing for unreasonable expenses an outside party, a lawyer who is unrelated to your lawyer would be able to give an opinion. Alternately you could seek the advice of the local Bar Association. 5. File a suit against the lawyer. Hire a lawyer who has experience in dealing with lawyer-client fee disputes. 6. File a complaint against the lawyer with the Bar Association. Find out what the correct procedure for a disciplinary complaint or malpractice action entails. To be fair to the lawyer and yourself, always determine what is considered to be reasonable. There are references to fees chargeable and what a lawyer must and can do all over the World Wide Web. When appointing a lawyer discuss fees with him and ensure that you draw up a contract or agreement that details fee structure.

Aaron Brooks is a freelance writer for http://www.1866attorney.com , the premier website to find Attorney Directory including topics on civil right, litigation, defense, attorney power, legal services, prosecuting all crimes and much more. His article profile can be found at the premier Article Submission Directory http://www.1888articles.com