Atlanta Public Schools Cheating Scandal – Civil Liability Next?
4/2/15
By: Wayne S. Melnick
On Wednesday, April 1, 2015, a Fulton County Superior Court jury handed down guilty verdicts to 11 of the 12 defendants charged in the notorious Atlanta Public Schools (“APS”) cheating scandal in which educators and administrators …
Roller Skating Accidents: How Roller Rink Operators Can Defend Against Fall Down Claims
3/31/15
By: Barry S. Brownstein
Roller skating is a family-friendly-activity that combines fun and exercise. Skaters can burn calories and improve their cardiovascular health while looping, turning, spinning and backward skating across the rink floor. However, accidents at roller skating rinks …
Supreme Court Considers Whether the ADA Requires Officers to Provide Accommodations to Violent and Mentally Ill Suspects
3/30/15
By: Kevin Stone and Brian Dempsey
Earlier this week, the Supreme Court heard oral argument in Sheehan v. City and County of San Francisco and grappled with an important issue facing every law enforcement officer across the nation: Whether Title …
FMLA Rights for Same-Sex and Common-Law Spouses Expanded
3/23/15
By: Amy Combs Bender
This week, on March 27, 2015, a Final Rule issued by the Department of Labor will take effect expanding the Family and Medical Leave Act’s protections provided to same-sex and common-law marriages. As background, the FMLA …
Bart Gary's Construction Law Handbook 2015 Edition is Now Available
12/5/14
Freeman Mathis & Gary is pleased to announce that Bart Gary’s Georgia Construction Law Handbook, 2015 edition is now available. This is the third annual edition and is expanded to include new topics and recent developments. The 428-page book is …
Court Hears Oral Argument in Closely-Watched Yelp Defamation Case
11/14/14
By Matt N. Foree
Business owners and free speech advocates are anxiously awaiting a Virginia Supreme Court ruling in the Yelp, Inc., v. Hadeed Carpet Cleaning defamation case. In this matter, the owner of a carpet cleaning company …
Playing Offense in Defense of Disability Discrimination
11/10/14
By: Lisa Gorman
One of the biggest challenges facing California employers today is the underperforming employee with a disability. Under the Fair Employment and Housing Act (“FEHA”), a “disability” is any physical or mental impairment that limits a major …
Is it Legal to Involuntarily Quarantine People Exposed to Ebola?
10/30/14
By: Kevin R. Stone
Recently, a nurse who was exposed to Ebola in West Africa was involuntarily quarantined in a New Jersey hospital. She was then released back to her home in Maine. Although she tested negative for Ebola …
Municipal Liability: Failing to Provide Inmates with Adequate Medical Attention
7/9/14
By: A. Ali Sabzevari
The Georgia Supreme Court is set to hear oral argument this September and will hopefully address and bring clarity to what the proper analysis is for determining whether a municipality is entitled to sovereign immunity for …
Georgia Power Company Received the Highest ROE of Any Electric Utility in 2013
5/16/14
By: Bobby Baker
SNL Financial recently reported that Georgia Power Company received the highest authorized return on equity (ROE) of any electric utility in 2013. The Company originally asked for an 11.50% ROE in its rate case filing, but was …
House Bill 874 Introduced to Allow Third-Party Financing of Solar Power
2/21/14
By: Bobby Baker
Representative Mike Dudgeon (R-Johns Creek) introduced HB 874, the Solar Power Free-Market Financing and Property Rights Act of 2014, which will eliminate the legislative barrier to business and residential consumers using third-party financing to install solar power. …
The Catastrophic Snow Flurries of 2014: Lessons Learned
2/5/14
By: Kamy Molavi
On January 28, 2014, Atlanta came to a screeching halt after receiving about 2.5 inches of snow. What lessons can be gleaned from this excellent adventure? Aside from the obvious takeaways, such as the need for politicians …