Andy Taylor’s seven-year-old son, Opie, discovers the fireworks that his father had purchased for Independence Day. He begins shooting them in a field behind their house. But Opie fails to extinguish one of the matches, which sets fire to the arid grass. Opie attempts to stomp it out but is unsuccessful. Terrified, he flees. The blaze continues to grow, spreading across the field to a nearby lumber yard. The fire consumes—and destroys—the lumber yard. Its owner looks to hold someone responsible, but is keenly aware that little boys lack the assets necessary to satisfy any judgment rendered against them. So the lumber yard’s owner considers suing Andy instead. Is Andy liable for his son’s negligence?
Continue Reading Blame the Parents: Liability for Children’s Torts
Sports & The Outdoors
Poaching Santa’s Reindeer – What’s the Penalty for Poaching Your Neighbor’s Red Stag?
Releasing an image of a pickup truck closely resembling I.M. Steelin’s, Texas Parks and Wildlife investigators believe a red stag deer was shot by I.M. Steelin over the Thanksgiving weekend. The exotic, tame, breeding, red deer bull “Rudolph” was found decapitated on Bragg Schtag’s sprawling Red Bull Ranch – a large hunting ranch with a high-fence on a remote road in northwest Burnet County. Facing a string of charges, including a potential third-degree felony for poaching, can I.M. Steelin really be jailed for poaching from a county road? Can Schtag sue Steelin for damages?
Continue Reading Poaching Santa’s Reindeer – What’s the Penalty for Poaching Your Neighbor’s Red Stag?
Super Bowl Office Betting – Does it Cross the Line?
Riding her beloved Packers late-game win against the Dallas Cowboys, Allfer Funn, owner of Con Genial, is polishing her cheese head hat and dusting off her Super Bowl Squares Pool from last year in anticipation of the Big Game in a couple of weeks. Electing not to “Reinvigorate [Her] Super Bowl Office Betting Pool…
Wanna Bet? Betting About Baseball Returns to the News
In 2011, Milwaukee Brewers star Ryan Braun became the first MLB player to successfully challenge, and evade, a 50-game suspension for suspected use of performance enhancing drugs (PEDs). Coincidentally, that same year, Braun went on to win the National League MVP award. Although many thought that Braun escaped on a technicality, Braun was not without…
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: HB 700 Seeks to Allow Handguns to be Carried Openly
Will this Legislative Session impact business owners? With the assistance of our own LRM Freshman State Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Plano, Tilting the Scales will periodically post updates on bills that might affect your business, along with an occasional humorous twist.
As an example and keeping in the tone of this month’s postings on gun…
Glock on Board: Can you Keep a Handgun in Your Car if you Don’t have a Concealed Handgun License?
Sam Colt lives in Dallas and is a gun enthusiast. As a result of a rash of car jackings in his neighborhood, Colt regularly carries a Glock 9mm in his vehicle for self-protection, although he does not have a concealed handgun license. Driving to his local bank last week, Colt tosses his gun into the …
IRS Going For The Gold: Do Olympic Medal Winners Have to Pay Taxes on Their Winnings?
Justin Thyme is a member of the U.S. Olympic swim team and is returning from London with a gold medal in the 400 meter individual medley. After 10 years of dedicated training, Thyme secured first place when he edged out the next closest finisher by a mere .0007 seconds. After the medal ceremony, Thyme is…
Collision Course – Are Football Players Also Employees?
Conner “Big Hit” Carter retired from professional football 10 years ago after a highly acclaimed career. Big Hit’s punishing tackles earned him numerous pro bowl appearances as well as a hefty pay check and several head injuries. Recently, Big Hit has experienced Alzheimer’s-like symptoms including memory loss, depression and severe mood swings causing him to…
Bounty Hunters on the Football Field
Reports surfaced last week that several NFL teams were linked to a “bounty” scandal in which defensive players and coaches pooled cash together to pay players for big hits, which resulted in “knockouts” or “cart-offs.”
As the NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell, fashions an appropriate punishment, the scandal could have both civil and criminal implications. …
Texas Concealed Handgun Laws
Paige Turner works at a small bookstore in El Paso, Texas directly on the U.S./Mexico border. As a result of a string of armed robberies in the same shopping center, Paige wants to carry a handgun while at work. After weeks of research, Paige finally settles on a Glock 9 mm, attends a concealed handgun…