Hidden within the legalese of the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution are several well-known laws, most of which play important roles in criminal cases and another which is prominent in civil matters. The text of the Amendment reads: "No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment …
magruder report
Top Tax Tips for 2016
Haven’t filed your taxes yet? Well you are in luck. Here are some tax tips to save money and cut your taxes. Non-Business Energy Property Credit. You can cut your taxes and save on your energy bills with certain home improvements. The Non-Business Energy Property Credit is worth 10 percent of the cost of certain qualifying energy-saving items …
Kansas City Law Firm Explores the Constitutional Right of Privacy
We all know about the constitutional right to privacy, don’t we? Would it be a surprise to you that the U.S. Constitution nowhere mentions the word PRIVACY? In fact, the concept arose from the Supreme Court during the Warren years when Justice Douglas inferred such a right from the first 10 amendments, called the Bill of Rights. Of course those …
Magruder Report: Prairie Village Restrictions Limit Freedoms on Personal Property
Recently, a resident of Prairie Village sent an anonymous letter to a neighbor complaining about a recreational vehicle parked in the neighbor’s driveway. The recipients of the letter did not in fact have a recreational vehicle in their driveway and reported the incident to local media outlets. Photo credit: mazaletel / Foter / CC BY Interestingly, …
Magruder Report: Why Would Anyone Create An Intentionally Defective Or A Crummey Trust?
Perhaps two of the most unfortunate vocabulary choices in the estate planning field lie with the "Crummey Trust" and the “Intentionally Defective Grantor Trust,” or IDGT. There's nothing crummy about a Crummey trust. These trusts, which got their name from Clifford Crummey, a Methodist minister who won a fight with the Internal Revenue Service in …
Magruder Report: Legality of Ticket Scalping
You may have noticed from time to time when you attend an event that there are folks outside the stadium or arena with extra tickets to sell, or sometimes buy. Commonly called ticket scalping, financially you may get a pretty good haircut if you buy tickets from these people on game or performance day. Is it legal for these sellers to make absurd …
