Media Liability Insurance – Do Authors Need It?
Most manuscripts are not contentious enough to land an author in court. Some writers, however, do venture into highly controversial topics (like those found in memoirs or biographies). Or their fiction includes real people or...
Murder, Manslaughter, or Homicide – What is the difference?
A writer last week asked about the difference between homicide, murder, and manslaughter for a manuscript-in-progress. While these three terms are related, they are not interchangeable. Subtle distinctions exist between the terms...
Sex, Lies And Cyber Exploitation — The Revenge Porn Plot
Characters do the darndest things, especially when there is an emotional break-up involved. Which is why Bruce from Northern California had a question about revenge porn. Is it illegal? Just to be clear, that is a character in...
Search and Seizure and Plots – A Few Tips For Writers (Part 2)
Last week, I covered the basics of search and seizure, the warrant requirement, and limitations imposed by the 4th Amendment. Today’s article explores warrantless search and seizures with examples to consider when developing your...
Search and Seizure and Plots – A Few Tips For Writers (Part 1)
Recently I received a question from a writer about police search and seizure. It is a common subject in the headlines. Usually these news stories and commentaries cover an illegal search and seizure by police of a home, business,...