Each and every individual in our society is granted specific protections under the constitution, but not everyone is necessarily aware of their rights. In the event of an emergency, it is always helpful to know how to protect yourself and your loved ones, and the extent to which existing laws can or cannot be used to preserve your rights and ensure your protection. Depending on your situation, there are specific ways you can ensure that you are legally protected, regardless of what comes your way. Below are 7 of the most effective ways to stay legally protected.
1. The Rules of Self Defense
There is always a confusion regarding the extent to which people can protect themselves without hurting others. Generally speaking, the law recognizes the right of an individual to protect themselves in certain circumstances, but especially if they find themselves under duress or facing someone with criminal intent. However, you still need to utilize a justifiable level of force, and not be cavalier and let things get out of hand. Furthermore, in order for the legality of self-defense to apply, the threat of harm has to be immediate in nature – if the opposing force threatens violence at some point in the future, this does not justify the use of self-defense. In order to show local law enforcement that the rule of self-defense applies to you, you need to show that you displayed a proportional response to the valid threat you were facing.
2. Protect Your Business
If you are the owner of a small business, then you are probably keen to find ways to protect it, especially from the threat of senseless litigation or trouble with the IRS, for example. There are two prime ways to do this. First, by hiring an attorney familiar with local laws and customs that pertain to the specific area in which your business operates. It will be especially helpful to hire a tax lawyer if you are anticipating legal challenges from the IRS or the state department of taxation.
Another way to protect your business is to obtain liability insurance, which will come in handy in the event that a customer harms themselves on the premises by, say, slipping and falling. Meanwhile, an insurance agent will help you by making sure that you would be protected in case a client or customer accuses you, the owner, of being responsible for some kind of wrongdoing. In that case, the agent would advocate on your behalf, and make sure you are legally protected from frivolous lawsuits.
3. Stopped by Police
There are many reasons why you might be stopped by the police, whether you did, in fact, do something wrong, or if it was an error. In either case, you have rights, and you should ensure your protection by hiring a lawyer immediately. As the experts at https://www.garfinkelcriminallaw.com/ strongly advise, do not talk to the police or any authorities without an attorney present. Officers may try to compel you to make admissions, no matter how strong of will you may think you are. In such cases, it is imperative that you remain silent, and invoke your right to do so, till your legal representative arrives on the scene.
4. Protect Your Home
If you are a homeowner, you are probably worried about falling victim to crime. You can avoid this by being mindful of what you share on social media so that potential thieves cannot track down your property so easily. You can also install a security system, whilst enlisting the help of trustworthy neighbors to keep an eye on your property. The latter is fine in the eyes of the law, so long as you instruct your neighbors to call the authorities if they see something suspicious, as opposed to taking matters into their own hands.
Finally, you may be curious as to how to protect your home from being repossessed, among other possible legal challenges. The most important step to take is to establish asset protection through an attorney. This entails putting your assets into a trust that can effectively tie the hands of your legal opponent – thereby, protecting your home.
5. Harassment
Most individuals will experience harassment of some kind at some point throughout their lives, whether it is sexual harassment, verbal harassment, or other kinds of discrimination. The important thing to keep in mind is that you should first calmly collect any evidence you can find, speak to your human resources department if this is an infraction you faced at work – or file a police report if it isn’t – and seek legal counsel immediately. The paper trail in these cases, if it exists, is vital to maintain so that you can readily protect your rights.
6. Safeguard Your E-Commerce Venture
If you are the owner of an online shop, you may be facing unique challenges regarding copyright infringement and the like. First things first, make sure that your business’ name and the attendant online domain are secured, and that they have not been taken and registered by someone else. Second, make sure your business has a legal entity separate from yourself in order to protect your respective assets. Finally, utilize contracts whenever possible and document all your interactions on paper. This is good practice and is a display of excellent bookkeeping.
7. Protect Your Original Work
Intellectual property rights exist to protect your original work, whether it is a screenplay, a product patent, or any other idea you may have that is ready for public consumption. Get it trademarked and work with a legal representative to form a standardized, legally recognized patent to protect your original work from theft and plagiarism.
Regardless of the specific issues you face, it would behoove you to become more familiar with the law, especially the rules and regulations that pertain to the issues that are important to you. And, if you are unable to grasp the complexities of the laws, or are unclear about the best way to proceed, seeking legal counsel from an experienced attorney is crucial. In fact, it might make a world of difference for you.
