If you haven’t done so already, I suggest reviewing the “Livestock & Liability” article by Lauren P. Caggiano (@lcagg on Twitter) on pages 32-34 in this issue of the Feedlot magazine. In this article, I recommend that cattle feedyard operators seek counsel on environmental laws and perhaps hire a Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (“CAFO”) consultant to devise a plan to …
Information for Landlords & Tenants in New Jersey
A few weeks ago, I participated in mediation training in Trenton, New Jersey. While I was there, I came across some excellent pamphlets regarding landlord-tenant law in New Jersey. If you are in a landlord-tenant dispute in New Jersey, I encourage you to pick-up either the “Information for Tenants” or the “Information for Landlords” brochure from the civil courthouse. The …
Evaluating Real Estate Appraisals
Roger F. Tibble, Esq. recently published an excellent article in the ABA GP Solo & Small Firm Division’s Law Trends regarding the value of real estate appraisals. I found this article of particular interest to me because I practice matrimonial law where the Husband and Wife’s appraisals may significantly vary from one another. I don’t envy the job of an …
Will Be Attending the New York State Fair
I will be at the New York State Fair (“NYSF”) in Syracuse from August 29-30 and September 1-2. State Fair time is my favorite time of year. I am a big believer in 4-H and believe that hard work teaches kids how to become good people. I attribute most of my success in life to the fact that I have …
Some Thoughts On Contacting An Attorney for a Consultation
I read this excellent blog post last night from Alison Rowe, an equine lawyer in Texas, titled “How To Cold-Call An Attorney.” She did a great job covering preparation, expectation, listening and timing. I especially liked Alison’s advice on explaining your problem to your attorney in four sentences or less and contacting an attorney well before the court appearance. A …
Already Married? What You Need To Know About Post-Nuptial Agreements
In some states, such a New York, couples are allowed to enter into an agreement after a marriage or civil union called a post-nuptial agreement discussing things such as, but not restricted to, the division of property (real property, personal property such as livestock, cash assets), child support, spousal maintenance, and a restriction on relocation (e.g., spouse cannot relocate out …
What Is The Animal Cruelty Law In Your State?
This weekend I discovered that the National Agriculture Law Center has a helpful state-by-state analysis of animal cruelty laws in the United States. Even though there are several federal statutes that regulate this issue, animal cruelty statutes vary significantly from state-to-state. It is interesting to pull up the statutes in various states and run a comparison. Though the National Agriculture …
Ag Book Club: Farmer Jane
I recently read the book Farmer Jane: Women Changing the Food We Eat. If you have read the book and are interested in having an online discussion, please email me at cari@rinckerlaw.com. I would like to have a video conference via Skype or WebEx sometime in August. It is a fairly short book and an easy read. You can order …
A Few Reasons Why Same-Sexed Couples Should Seek Counsel Before They Say “I Do”
On June 24, 2011, New York enacted the Marriage Equality Act. The Act goes into effect on July 24, 2011. New York is now the sixth state to legalize same-sex marriage. There are a couple reasons why it is important for same same-sexed couples to seek counsel before “tying the knot.” 1. Prenuptial agreements are especially important for same-sexed couples …
New Chair of the ABA GP Solo Agriculture Law Committe
I have been appointed the new chair of the American Bar Association (“ABA”) General Practice, Solo & Small Firm Division‘s Agriculture Law Committee (whew that’s a mouthful- say that three times really fast). The Committee has been fairly inactive over the last few years but I hope to change that. If you are a food/agriculture attorney or law student, please …
Saturday Links
It’s been a busy week. I have been catching up on my blog feed before heading to the gym. This is what I found: This month’s Pennsylvania State Agriculture Law Brief has updates on the G-20 Action Plan, Hydraulic Fracturing, and the White House Rural Council. I excitedly received a Google+ invite this week from a respected family law …