Trade

Trade laws are enacted to ensure industry competitiveness in the United States. The U.S. Congress, by virtue of its constitutional prerogative of regulating interstate and foreign commerce, enacted several bills, including the Tariff Act of 1930 and the Trade Act of 1974, to govern trade. The American Constitution ensures that the country is a free market. American trade law do not just govern interstate trade, but also trade between the United States and foreign countries, to ensure the existence of free trade and prohibit the occurrence of anti-competitive business practices. Trade law has evolved through the years, in reaction of the constantly changing face of trade, both internally and internationally.

Trade law is a complicated area of the legal practice as it touches upon numerous other areas of the law, such as business laws, employment laws, tax laws, and antitrust laws. There are numerous issues accompanying trade and commerce, and each issue often require the assistance of attorneys who are expert in specific niche in law. With respect to intrastate commerce, state law applies. Resolving trade disputes arising from intrastate commerce relationship may not be as difficult as resolving trade disputes arising from interstate commerce relationship as only one set of law governs. Nevertheless, it is imperative for traders and business owners to seek the advice of expert trade law attorney as there are still nuances in state trade law that may not seem very obvious to even the most sophisticated of traders. Disputes arising from interstate commerce becomes increasingly more difficult as state trade law varies and may have little commonalities, except in the promotion of free trade.

Workers, being one of the most crucial element in trade and commerce, are protected by numerous trade laws, especially against job loss or reduced wages. Workers' rights are enshrined by different set of laws that interlink with trade laws. In addition, specific trade laws protect consumers from abusive and conspiratorial business practices. It is the Federal Trade Commission's main job to ensure that consumers are protected from fraudulent and deceptive business practices. While trade laws are in place to ensure a free economy, it cannot be helped that some industries form mergers. The FTC ensures that these mergers do not restrict competition, which harm consumers.

Trade law, when applied to international commerce, becomes even more complicated as international law, in general, or specific treatises, govern. The U.S. has trade agreements with almost all nations in the world, but each trade agreement is different depending on the industry. The U.S. also regularly limits the import and export of certain products with a specific country as a matter of foreign policy. Unprecedented events in the international arena also gives rise to amendment of American trade policy in order to protect the business interest of the United States. In the area of trade law, it is imperative to employ the services of an expert trade law attorney who can examine the law of its legislative intent as this is crucial for the interpretation and adjudication of the law.


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Civil Rights Law - Legal Information and Resources

Civil Rights

Civilrights, which include the right to vote, right to equality, freedom from involuntary servitude, and freedom of speech, press, assembly,is an enforceable right. Only when it is trampled upon that a person may seek redress. Civil rights law protects and preserves the liberties enjoyed by all citizens in the United States. Civil rights law also protects individuals from government conduct, which are arbitrary and which deprive individuals of their lives or property without due process of law.

The Bill of Rights in the U.S. Constitution is the primary source of civil rights law. The most important expansions of civil rights inthe United States are embodied in the Thirteenth Amendment, which abolished slavery throughout the nation, and the Fourteenth Amendment, which constitutionalizes due process of law and equalprotection of the law. The decades that followed the enactment of theThirteenth Amendment and Fourteenth Amendment saw the creation of numerous civil rights statues, most of which are still in place in the United States.

Congress passed into law the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination in public establishments connected to interstate commerce or are supported by the state. The Act defined public establishments to include places of public accommodations, restaurants, gas stations, bars, and places of entertainment. Subsequent legislation prohibited discrimination in public schools and colleges, and in federally funded problems. The Act further expanded to prohibiting discrimination in the workplace.

The Supreme Court's decisions in civil rights cases have resoundingeffects as to how civil rights are recognized throughout the nation.Supreme Court decisions also has a huge influence on how Congressenact civil rights laws and how states protect these rights.

One of main issues arising from civil rights violations is discriminationin workplace, especially with regards to gender, are common. Women,increasingly members of the LGBT community, are susceptible to sexualharassment and suffers undue disadvantage in career promotionsbecause of gender.

Another common issue is the improper conduct by law enforcement resulting toexcessive force or brutality, illegal searches and seizures, falsearrests, and unjustified police shootings. Power play often figures in lawsuits arising from police brutality, as the police or the federal government would typically argue that their act was on behalfof their duty to maintain peace and order. These lawsuits are also often emotional as surviving members of the victim's family try to seek justice for individuals killed by the police. Most often, these lawsuits are also politically charged especially in cases where race or ethnicity play a role in the police conduct.

In addition, another main issue arising from civil rights violation is malicious prosecution. As new technology are developed to probe evidence, many individuals across the nation are filing lawsuits seeking redress of their wrongful conviction. These cases involve large settlements and jury awards and would need skillful litigating tactics of a civil rights attorney. Another common abuse to civilrights is prison brutality. In recent years, inmates have gained stronger voices in telling courts of inhumane and cruel practices incorrectional facilities. Inmates, however, cannot keep a steady voice without a civil rights attorney who is ready to fight against the government.

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