Articles for category: Law

JasonWashington

Law
patent infringement explained

Patent Infringement Explained: How Claims and Defenses Work

Owning a U.S. patent does not automatically stop competitors from entering the same market. The practical value of a patent depends on its claims, because those claims define the legal boundaries of the protected invention. Patent infringement disputes therefore begin with a deceptively simple question: does the accused product, process, sale, offer for sale, use, ...

JasonWashington

Law
estate inventory for probate

Estate Inventory for Probate: What Executors Must List

Preparing an estate inventory for probate is one of the first practical jobs an executor or personal representative may face. The goal is more than making a list of belongings. A useful inventory identifies property that belongs to the probate estate, describes each asset clearly, records how the decedent owned it, and assigns the value ...

JasonWashington

Law
beneficiary designation estate planning

Beneficiary Designations in Estate Planning: What to Review

A will is only one part of an estate plan. Some of the most valuable assets a person owns can pass under beneficiary forms instead of under the instructions in a will, which is why beneficiary designation estate planning deserves its own review. Retirement accounts, life insurance policies, and certain transfer-on-death or payable-on-death accounts may ...

JasonWashington

Law
when to update your will

When to Update Your Will: Key Life Events to Review

A will records your wishes at a particular point in your life, so it can become outdated when your family, finances, residence, or relationships change. The right time to update a will is usually after a major life event, but even a quiet period can justify a routine estate plan review. Because wills are governed ...

JasonWashington

Law
independent contractor vs employee

Independent Contractor vs Employee: Key Legal Differences

Calling someone an independent contractor does not make them one. Neither does issuing a Form 1099 instead of a W-2. In the United States, worker classification depends on the real working relationship and on the particular law being applied. That is why the independent contractor vs employee question can produce different answers for tax, wage-and-hour, ...

JasonWashington

Law
pregnancy discrimination at work

Pregnancy Discrimination at Work: Rights and Protections

Pregnancy discrimination at work can be obvious, such as being denied a promotion after announcing a pregnancy, but it can also be subtle. A schedule may change, a supervisor may question commitment, or a worker may be pushed onto leave when a simple adjustment would allow them to keep working. Federal law provides overlapping protections ...

JasonWashington

Law
how child support is calculated

How Child Support Is Calculated: Formulas and Factors by State

Child support is not calculated with one national formula. Each state sets its own child support guidelines, and the result usually depends on parental income, the number of children, parenting time, health-care costs, child-care expenses, and certain adjustments allowed by state law. That is why two families with similar incomes can receive different support figures ...

JasonWashington

Law
military divorce rules

Military Divorce: Rules, Benefits, and What Spouses Should Know

Military divorce is handled through state courts, but federal law can change how retirement pay, health coverage, jurisdiction, and procedural protections work. That makes military divorce rules more complicated than an ordinary civilian case. A spouse may face deployment, competing filing states, future pension rights, and benefits that can end when the divorce becomes final. ...

JasonWashington

Law
b1 b2 tourist visa denial reasons

Top Reasons B-1/B2 Visitor Visas Get Denied

A B-1/B-2 visitor visa refusal can feel abrupt, especially when the interview lasted only a few minutes and the refusal sheet gives limited detail. But a denial usually comes down to a legal eligibility problem, missing information, or the consular officer not being satisfied that the trip is genuinely temporary. Understanding which issue affected your ...

JasonWashington

Law
us citizenship test questions 2026

2026 US Citizenship Test: 100 Civics Questions and Answers

If your naturalization interview is in 2026, first check which civics test applies to you. USCIS now uses the 2025 Naturalization Civics Test for applicants who filed Form N-400 on or after October 20, 2025; that version has 128 study questions. The 100-question list below is the 2008 civics test, which still applies if you ...