Law Office of Timothy Swanson

There is nothing new about colleges requiring vaccinations. From smallpox to meningitis, colleges are, unfortunately, perfect spreading grounds for disease. So, get your vaccines, keep yourself and others safe.

Non-disclosure Agreements, used as originally intended, make sense: companies have a right to protect their trade secrets. But they increasingly are being used by powerful corporations to keep individuals from exposing workplace problems - including illegal behavior. I hope California passes this bill, and clarifies what is an actual "trade secret" - and what is whistle-blowing.

Philosophers give lawyers gray hairs.

So far in 2021, no video court appearances as a cat.

With Disney's stranglehold on copyright law slipping away, lawsuits like this are setting the stage for 2024, when Mickey Mouse finally becomes public domain. It is still absurd that corporations "own" ideas for 95 years, but gradually, the less lucrative works of art with authors long dead are returning to the public domain. In this case, the heirs (who, remember did NOTHING to create the character) essentially argued that any "character developments" later in the series wer...e off limits to the public. The defendants made a better argument, which appears to be the basis for the dismissal: Even if the Emotion Trait and Respect Trait were original to copyright protected works, which they are not, they are unprotectable ideas. Copyright law does not allow the ownership of generic concepts like warmth, kindness, empathy, or respect, even as expressed by a public domain character which, of course, belongs to the public, not plaintiff.

We will be closed for Christmas Eve, Christmas, and New Years Day. Between Christmas and New Years, we will continue to be by appointment only. Please leave a message or email if you need anything. Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!

This is a move in the right direction.

With Covid-19 cases surging locally again, we will be limiting in-person appointments to emergency situations until our medical professionals have some breathing room. If your case is time sensitive, we will work to accommodate your needs. Masks will, as usual, be mandatory, and in person contact must be by appointment only. Let's work together to keep people safe for a few more months when vaccines should be more widely available. Telephone appointments will continue to be available, and e-mail and fax always work. Thank you for your work in keeping our community safe.

This case is a spy-level escape story, but also, it appears, an example of the right to have one's attorney present during interrogation. https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com//un-panel-decides-japan/

Fact: California is the most voter-friendly state in the union, and has been for several decades. There are many ways to vote, and disability, vulnerability to Covid, problematic work schedule, or lack of reliable transportation need not be an obstacle to participation in our democracy. The Secretary of State website has all the information you need, from dropoff locations to ballot tracking, which is really nifty. Vote!

We are having technical issues with our phone lines right now, so if you are getting a dial tone, please get in touch with us via e-mail [email protected] or send us a message below until we get this fixed. AT&T estimates that it will be out of service until September 14. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Phones are back! E-mail and messages still work as well, so take your pick and set up an appointment.

Because of rolling blackouts and power shortages due to the heat wave, we will be shutting the office at 3:00 each day this week. If you leave a message or send an e-mail at that time, we will respond the following day as time allows. Stay safe, stay cool.

Dr. Quentin Lee, educator and humorist, put this together. It reflects the mask, sanitizing, and distance rules in place at The Law Office of Timothy Swanson. :)

With non-essential offices again shut down, our office will be handling matters as follows: (1) Essential matters, such as Medi-Cal and ongoing court cases will be handled as much as possible by telephone and e-mail. In-person appointments will be by appointment only and everyone must wear masks. (2) Ordinary non-emergency matters will be by telephone appointment only. For estate plans, unless there is a medical necessity for emergency action, clients will have to obtain the services of a notary themselves, as the office will not be doing in-person appointments until the orders are lifted. (3) Please consider using e-mail as much as possible.

Just a reminder: the office IS open for telephonic appointments AND in-person appointments. All in-person contact requires the use of masks, per state regulations. We will also be taking precautions to clean between appointments and otherwise work to prevent Covid-19 transmission. Because of the need to space out clients for cleaning, we ask that you make an appointment by e-mail or phone rather than walking in. Thank you for doing your part to keep everyone safe.

We appreciate our clients, who have cooperated by wearing masks to reduce the chances of Covid-19 transmission. We are all in this together, and every little bit helps.

Starting Monday, we will be fully open for business, pursuant to guidance from our local health department and the California Department of Public Health. Our priority is to keep clients safe and healthy, so we will be limiting access to one group of clients at a time, and requiring face masks covering nose and mouth. See our local court website for specifics. We will continue to offer telephone appointments for those who prefer them as well. Please do not come if you are ill, particularly with symptoms consistent with Covid-19 - we are happy to reschedule for when you are feeling better. Call or e-mail to set up an appointment.

Our local courts are expected to open back up in a limited manner on Monday. This is good news for those waiting for services. Our office remains closed for in-person appointments in compliance with statewide Shelter-in-Place orders. We are open for telephonic appointments, and can assist clients with a number of matters. Please leave a message or e-mail if you need legal assistance.

While all Supreme Court cases are interesting to lawyers, this one is the one that I found most fascinating so far this term - because of the generational split. When I was in law school, I did most of my research using hard copies at the local library (until our school eventually got an affordable version of Lexus). But these days, most of us younger folk do research online. As the younger justices note, making the annotations and other important information regarding statutory law available only behind a paywall limits who can fully access the laws that govern us all.

While most court hearings are temporarily postponed during Covid-19, there are still legal needs to be met. The Law Office of Timothy Swanson is still open for telephonic consultations regarding estate plans, Medi-Cal, and Long Term Care issues. If you or a loved one is in need of these services, please call or email the office to set up an appointment.

The Kern County Superior Court has announced significant temporary changes to address Covid-19. We expect that by next week, the civil divisions of the court will be hearing only emergency matters, and that routine hearings will be continued to a later date. The Law Office of Timothy Swanson will be focusing on telephone appointments to the extent possible over the next few weeks, particularly with clients who are at risk. Stay safe, everyone, look out for the vulnerable people you know, and read a book or six.

Just a reminder during this coronavirus season - and every flu season: In case of illness, we will cancel and reschedule appointments to avoid spreading germs. We request that clients do the same, particularly since the Law Office of Timothy Swanson serves many clients who are in vulnerable categories such as elderly or disabled. Thank you for your understanding.

California has a number of programs which can benefit those who have income at risk from the Coronavirus. For example, there is paid disability leave if you get sick - or if you are quarantined. Likewise, workers who are laid off or furloughed can get unemployment benefits. Caregivers may also have programs available to them. Here is the official California resource: