Andrew Leonatti

Latest Articles

• Legal for an HOA to Restrict Holiday Decorations?

  For many homeowners, November is the time to start putting up Christmas lights both inside and outside their homes. This is also the time where some in the media like to complain about too much "happy holidays" and not enough "merry Christmas." But they miss the biggest perpetrators in the War on Christmas©: homeowners' associations.

• Crypto and Taxes: 7 Important Questions and Answers

  Surprise, surprise, it's tax time again. There's nothing better than having to gather piles of paperwork and getting confused by needlessly complex government forms. Even more exciting: if you make any errors, you may have to pay penalties! And if you are one of the new arrivals on the cryptocurrency scene, there are steps you will need to take to account for 2021's crypto gains and losses. As cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum become more popular, they get more attention from the IRS. Below are some of the most common issues that you will need to think through when completing your 2021 tax return.

• My Boss Told Me Not To Get a COVID-19 Test. What Should I Do?

  It's hard not to notice that a lot of businesses are struggling these days. The highly infectious omicron variant of the coronavirus is sending a lot of workers home, leading to reduced hours, gaps in store shelves, canceled flights, and understaffed hospitals. We've written previously about numerous issues facing businesses, workers, and their customers. But with cases at an all-time high, we are charting new ground (again). With businesses facing a staff-up-or-close crisis, some bosses might think it necessary to take a "don't-ask, don't-tell" posture when it comes to employee health and staying open.

• Can You Sue a Business You Never Went Into for Catching COVID-19?

  The omicron variant of COVID-19 is rampaging across the country. At the same time, it is apparent that Americans have no appetite for more harsh restrictions and mitigations. In short, that means you have a pretty high chance of catching this if you are frequently out around crowds of people. a recent ruling by a California court in a wrongful death case has businesses in the state and across the country nervous about a potential "never-ending" spiral of liability lawsuits. But some states are taking action to cut back on these lawsuits.

• Pro Wrestling May Be Fake, But the Monopoly Is Real

  WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon has time and again choke-slammed attempts by his independent contractors (also known as "wrestlers," "entertainers," or "fake athletes") to unionize and dropped the leg on multiple concussion-related lawsuits. But this time, the WWE is facing a federal lawsuit by MLW Media LLC, a smaller wrestling company known to wrestling geeks as Major League Wrestling. This pinning predicament could be harder to kick out from.

• What New Laws Are on Tap for 2022?

  Happy 2022! We hope that you had a relaxing and reinvigorating holiday season. In the midst of our revelry, thousands of new laws went into effect across the country. Here is a roundup of some of the bigger ones.

• Will You Have To Give Up Your Gas Stove?

  Food is subjective, and everyone has their own ways of making the most common dishes. Every cook, from the humble home chef to a James Beard-winning master of haute cuisine, however, agrees on one immutable fact: there is no substitute for cooking with gas. Electricity doesn't come close. That is why banning natural gas in new construction is shaping up to be, strangely, one of the most divisive battles in the war on climate change.

• Why Was Kyle Rittenhouse Acquitted?

  After several days of jury deliberation, Kyle Rittenhouse was found not guilty last week of murdering two people and injuring another during racial justice protests last summer in Kenosha, Wisconsin. This post attempts to cut through the noise and answer the question of why the jury found Rittenhouse not guilty.

• Is Charging Parents in High School Shooting a New Legal Strategy?

  In Oxford Township, Michigan, 15-year-old Ethan Crumbley allegedly shot 11 at his Oxford High School, killing four students and injuring six students and a teacher. Oakland County prosecutor Karen McDonald is charging Crumbley as an adult. These developments likely come as a shock to no one. What is different about this case is that Crumbley's parents are now joining him in jail in what could be a new legal strategy for trying to curb deadly incidents like this.

• When Is a Landlord Liable for Criminal Activity at Their Property?

  When criminal activity happens at your apartment building or rental home, it's natural to wonder whether anything could have been done to prevent it from happening. While your landlord probably doesn't live in the building and wasn't involved in the crime, it's still their responsibility. A recent lawsuit in the news tragically illustrates the need for landlords to take security at their properties seriously. Sure, your landlord probably doesn't live in the building and wasn't involved in the crime. But it's still his responsibility. Would your landlord be charged with a crime if there was a break in or robbery in your rented home? Probably not, unless your landlord is the robber. But you could file a civil lawsuit.