Archive for September, 2010

posted by Law Help on Sep 21

DUI laws are meant to serve the purpose of preventing drunk driving. In Arizona, the DUI laws set the legal limit for blood alcohol levels at .08%. The penalties for breaking Arizona DUI laws not only involve jail time, but will also result in the surrender of your license and most likely alcohol education and screenings. The best advice is don’t drink and drive, but in the event that you are charged with a DUI offense it’s recommend to call a professional Tempe DUI Attorney to review your case.

The DUI Laws in Arizona state that a person is considered to be driving under influence if they are proven to be under the control of alcohol while driving or in physical control of a motor vehicle. An individual may be tested if the arresting police officer had reasonable grounds to believe the individual was driving or in control of the motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

After the arrest the individual must the blood alcohol test, the breath test or the urine test. If they refuse to perform the test, their license or permit may be suspended or denied for twelve months on the first offense and up to two years for the second offense. Under Arizona DUI laws, the probation period between the first offense and the second offense remains in effect for seven years or eighty-four months. Failure to agree to take the test or unsuccessful completion of the test is constituted as refusal.

Arizona DUI laws restrict the blood alcohol content even more when the offender is driving a commercial vehicle. The levels in this case are .08 and .04 or higher. The offender will receive a 90 day suspension of their license. They will also be to complete alcohol and drug screens. An individual who is unconscious, or unable to perform the blood test is not considered to be refusing the test.

If a person refuses the test, this fact will be noted in the officer’s report to the Department of Motor Vehicles. A suspension will be order and will remain in effect for fifteen days. Surrender of their license or permit will take effect immediately. If the individual does not surrender their license, the report to the Department of Motor Vehicles will state the reason for the lack of surrender. The offender will be issued a temporary fifteen day permit until the time of their appearance in court. All the paperwork from the arrest will be forwarded to the Department of Motor Vehicles by the arresting officer. His report is subject to penalties for perjury. He cannot falsify the arrest record.

Arizona DUI laws permit the arresting officer to administer breath tests at the scene of the arrest. This test may be used at the trial. The administering officer must use a device approved by the Department of Motor Vehicles and must have department approval for administering the test. The officer should administer multiple tests. The test results should be within .02% of each other. The officer must follow the approved check list for administering the breath test. They must operate the device properly and see that it is properly maintained.

Arizona DUI laws carry severe penalties. Loss of your license is one of these penalties. Knowing the law can help you avoid additional problems. The best idea is don’t drink and get behind the wheel of a motorized vehicle.



By: Marc Bishop

About the Author:

DUI Laws in Arizona are severe and if you’ve been charged with a DUI or DWI offense, then you need to contact a professional Tempe DUI attorney. We offer free consultations and will fight for your rights no matter what the situation.



posted by Law Help on Sep 20

When you suffer personal injury through negligence, you need to seek the help of an experienced California personal injury lawyer. Some accidents that can be considered in this category include dog bites, motorcycle accidents, burn injury, brain injury claims and construction accidents just to name a few. Nursing home abuse also falls under this sector of the law. Any catastrophic injury is reason to consult a lawyer immediately.

Many people are injured on the job, and workers compensation can sometimes have long delays. Your expenses still go on, and even if you do receive your payments it may still be insufficient. Your attorney will make sure your expenses are covered, through meetings with your employer to make sure you are getting a fair assessment. If not, he will fight for you in court to make sure you are fairly compensated.

Many accidents are traumatic, and cause long term serious physical and psychological effects. Burn injuries can be especially devastating, because of the expanse of time it takes for healing, the scars that remain, and the staggering financial costs.

California personal injury lawyers understand California state laws, and what they can do to get their clients the compensation they deserve. Often, the circumstances behind hiring an attorney are caused by negligence and outright disregard by another person for the safety of the victim. Tragically, some accidents are caused by intentional misconduct.

If you become injured through the negligence of another, consulting a California personal injury lawyer is the first step you should take after seeking medical attention. An experienced attorney will help you decide if you have a claim, and if so help you get diagnostic tests to provide necessary information that could actually strengthen your case.

What are some other steps a good attorney will take? A dedicated lawyer will get involved from the minute you arrive at their office, and contact the insurance company if you need to get your vehicle repaired. They will also start the process for the injury claim, and make sure that you get the proper care to make a full recovery from your injuries to help alleviate future suffering.

When you decide to search for the best injury lawyer, there are a few characteristics that should help you make the right choice. Legal expertise, skill, professionalism and knowledge are a good foundation for choosing an attorney that will win your battle. You should also be provided with past testimonials or case results to ensure you are hiring a lawyer or attorney with expertise in their industry.

Most reputable lawyers will set up a free initial consultation, to make sure that you have a case. With their knowledge of the laws in California, they will use the facts to decide if your case is legitimate. They will also help you decide what a fair compensation would be for your injuries and other losses you have suffered such as vehicle, medical and lost work expenses.

If you have been injured through negligence, contact a California personal injury lawyer who has legal expertise in this field. Doing so will allow you to be compensated fairly for your pain and suffering!



By: Gen Wright

About the Author:

Joel McLaughlin
Learn more about Los Angeles Personal Injury Attorney
Learn more about Los Angeles California Personal Injury



posted by Law Help on Sep 19

riae or amicus curiae (plural amici curiae) is a legal Latin phrase, literally translated as “friend of the court”, that refers to someone, not a party to a case, who volunteers to offer information on a point of law or some other aspect of the case to assist the court in deciding a matter before it. The information may be a legal opinion in the form of a brief, testimony that has not been solicited by any of the parties, or a learned treatise on a matter that bears on the case. The decision whether to admit the information lies with the discretion of the court. The role of an amicus is often confused with that of an intervener. The role of an amicus is as stated by Salmon LJ (as Lord Salmon then was) in Allen v Sir Alfred McAlpine & Sons Ltd [1968] 2 QB 229 where he said:

I had always understood that the role of an amicus curiae was to help the court by expounding the law impartially, or if one of the parties were unrepresented, by advancing the legal arguments on his behalf.

The situation most often noted in the press is when an advocacy group files a brief in a case before an appellate court to which it is not a litigant. Appellate cases are normally limited to the factual record and arguments coming from the lower court case under appeal; attorneys focus on the facts and arguments most favorable to their clients. Where a case may have broader implications, amicus curiae briefs are a way to introduce those concerns, so that the possibly broad legal effects of court decisions will not depend solely on the parties directly involved in the case. In prominent cases, amici curiae are generally organizations with sizable legal budgets. Non-profit legal advocacy organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union, the Electronic Frontier Foundation or the American Center for Law and Justice frequently submit such briefs to advocate for or against a particular legal change or interpretation. If a decision could affect an entire industry, companies other than the litigants may wish to have their concerns heard. In the United States, federal courts often hear cases involving the constitutionality of state laws. In this case, other states may file briefs as amici curiae when their laws are likely to be affected.Amici curiae that do not file briefs often present an academic perspective on the case. For example, if the law gives deference to a history of legislation of a certain topic, a historian may choose to evaluate the claim using their expertise. An economist, statistician, or sociologist may choose to do the same. The court has broad discretion to grant or to deny permission to act as amicus curiae.



By: Rahul Chaurasia

About the Author:

Rahul Chaurasia,Symbiosis Law School,Pune



posted by Law Help on Sep 18

Before selecting a local personal injury attorney directory website you must be assured that the local personal injury attorney directory is unbiased and fiercely independent. Which means that when selecting a personal injury attorney at law, personal injury lawyer your selection from the local injury attorney directory is not influenced or based on financial kickbacks – payments received by the website to refer local injury attorneys to potential clients?  Unfortunately, this biased local injury attorney practice is extremely common on the internet and definitely not needs led based and beneficial to the potential local injury lawyer client.

The three category areas of discussion in this article and is a simplified analysis of the three main category types of local personal injury attorney, local personal injury lawyer directories on the internet – there are more than three types of personal injury attorney, personal injury lawyer directories available, though we will concentrate on the three main types of the local personal injury attorney, personal injury lawyer directories. The three main categories of personal injury attorney, personal injury lawyer directories are local injury attorney referral website, nation wide injury lawyer directory out of state referral system practiced, definitely not an independent directory and not an independent local injury attorney directory which is purely used as a referral system and paid for by local personal injury attorneys and personal injury lawyers’ local law firms, thus paying the local personal injury attorney, lawyer directory website handsomely for potential client leads and intensive local referrals – both types of personal injury attorney, personal injury lawyers’ directories exploit the potential client by depriving the potential client of freedom of choice and thus driven being driven by financial gain.

The third and final category type of local personal injury attorney, lawyer directory – complete attorney index, and entirely independent of outside interference, should be similar in structure to your local yellow pages directory whereby a potential client searching for an independent personal injury attorney, personal injury lawyer will be directed by individual choice options to firstly their State of residence, their local area – city, town or rural area, and finally an independent and complete attorney index of the personal injury attorney, personal injury lawyers’ contact details, personal injury attorneys – firms name, address of law firms office, and contact telephone number and fax. At this stage the independent complete attorney index directory is concluded and will not assist in the potential clients’ choice, neither directly or indirectly. The potential client will be expected to contact their independent personal injury attorney, local injury lawyer by their own means how and when they so desire, or just jot down the local personal injury attorney, personal injury lawyers’ contact details for future contact, the contact details available on the complete attorney index comprises of all local personal injury attorneys personal injury lawyers contact details as available at the time of searching.

Unfortunately, the third option is not a financially viable business option as the daily running costs of an independent choice personal injury attorney, personal injury lawyer directory – especially one which benefits from regular updated local personal injury database, can be quite a financial burden when providing an independent and unbiased directory which allow the potential personal injury client a needs led and recommendations free local personal injury attorney directory. On the independent complete attorney index website the only access to beneficial financing is the unobtrusive display of click on advertisements which will not necessarily divert the potential client from an independent personal injury attorney, personal injury lawyer search, as the click on advertisements will not display keyword related  – injury attorney, injury lawyer adverts, again the keyword related adverts – google adsense, would destroy the independence while selecting an impartial and unbiased local personal injury attorney, local injury lawyer.

You are the person best suited to understand the legal services you need and you must insist that you have an independent right of free choice which must be based on freedom to choose and freedom to select the most appropriate and relevant local personal injury attorney, personal injury lawyer based on your needs, not based on the most lucrative profits from referral law firms to biased legal directory directories.

Complete Attorney Index is a free independent and regularly updated, US directory of thousands of highly experienced local personal injury attorneys and local personal injury lawyers who regularly consult people like you with personal injury issues, often free of charge. Free Nation Wide Search…

Excellent resource, completely free, unbiased and intensely independent search directory. Without doubt the most freely available local personal injury attorney, local personal injury lawyer directory on the internet today. Complete attorney index US local injury attorney, local lawyer directory is regularly updated with local personal injury attorneys, local personal injury lawyers. I have created and own a wide ranging variety of websites with the absolute priority of providing a free, unbiased, efficient, and effective and needs led freedom of choice service. I honestly believe complete attorney index website have definitely accomplished my lifelong goal in providing an independent and unbiased legal directory. Your Freedom of Choice is your protected right – Complete Attorney Index website if intensely independent and intensely unbiased. You search and contact with no introductions whatsoever – exercise you freedom to choose Search Now! Find local personal injury attorney free. Find local personal injury lawyer free.

Offer you an unbiased local personal injury attorney local personal injury lawyer search directory.



By: Desmo Boss

About the Author:

I am a mature family orientated male living a traditional family lifestyle. I have worked in various employment positions and the current position is in a Youth Offending Team as Project Manager of an extremely busy City Youth Offending Team, thus providing needs based supportive packages – education, leisure, befriending and support.
http://wwwcompleteattorneyindex.com
Free independent and unbiased local injury attorney Search facility



posted by Law Help on Sep 17

A criminal defense lawyer is a legal professional who formulates a case in order to represent a client who has been accused of a crime. In case you live in Sydney and you are in the hunt for a good criminal defense lawyer, it would be wise to look for one who has the expertise in matters ranging from fraud, murder, assault, robbery drink driving, drug matters, sexual assault, bail applications, license appeals, coronial inquests, and representation in professional regulatory tribunals.

The job of a Sydney criminal lawyer defense is to educate, negotiate and litigate. Your lawyer will start by educating you about legal arguments in a language you can understand. In the event that you have been accused of a crime, you have to be aware of the elements of the crime. Likewise, you need to understand the evidence that the prosecution has to support those elements.

Choosing and hiring a Sydney criminal defense lawyer early on in your legal battle should be your top priority since it is the best way to boost your chances of success in any criminal trial. If you hire a good lawyer early on, there may be no need for a trial at all since you have given your lawyer ample time to organize your case well. In so doing, you give yourself the opportunity to dodge the bullet on time.

To make sure that you have one of the best criminal defense lawyers in Sydney, there are certain basic guidelines that you need to follow. First, do a background check on the lawyer you intend to hire. Does he have specialization in criminal defense? Try to determine whether he belongs to any legal organizations. If the lawyer is a member of a reputable organization, then you’re most likely in good hands.

Next, look at his credentials and track record. Scrutinize his past case performance to gauge whether he is suited to represent you fully in your case. It would be best if he has experience in handling cases similar to yours, and that he was able to execute well. Make sure that the lawyer is not burdened with so many clients so he could handle your case well and provide you with a good defense.

Once you have selected a lawyer based on the research you conducted, the next step would be to schedule for an interview. The moment you meet the lawyer and have spoken to him, you can obtain more information and somehow gauge whether he is the right Sydney criminal defense lawyer to represent you in court.  Finally, never hesitate to ask questions. Feel free to ask about legal fees and payment details, if he will be the one to personally handle your case, scope of the case, and other pertinent details. It would be to your advantage if everything is clear and transparent.

It would be good to bear in mind these guidelines when choosing a criminal defense lawyer in Sydney. After all, it is your head that is on the line.

PR: wait… I: wait… L: wait… LD: wait… I: wait… wait… Rank: wait… Traffic: wait… Price: wait… C: wait…

By: Benard Worseley

About the Author:

I am 23 year old student on my last year of study at the University of Sydney (Sydney), majoring in Information technology.Visit The Defenders for Criminal Defense Lawyer



posted by Law Help on Sep 17

Celebrities are chased everywhere from the altar to their deathbed. For them, the privacy is always a missing factor and even a minor detail of their lives is highlighted beyond imagination. And when the celebrity couples are undergoing one of the most painful phases of divorce, their world turns upside down for them. The pain increases to manifold proportions when every detail is done to death by the public and the media alike. These are the situations when a celebrity divorce lawyer comes into picture and handles the private and public aspects of a divorce quite well. Their capabilities come forth especially while handling the prying eyes of media and which is why, the celebrity couples opt for their services. Hiring a high profile lawyer in this case, helps in imparting a winning edge to the complexities involved and thereby in securing a favored judgment by the couple.

In America, a divorce rate of about 49% proves aptly that the country scores quite low on in the family links department. It is a known fact that the fee accrued on the services of a high end celebrity divorce lawyer is exceptionally high. However, going by their expertise, it is a known fact that one will get quite a fair deal by any means and then the price factor won’t seem such a major constraint. For this, a meticulous background research proves to be handy and one is able to hire a lawyer who can deal with the legalities of the case very well. Yellow pages and the internet are right sources of information as far as hiring the services of a competent lawyer are concerned. Thus, a celebrity divorce lawyer assists the couples in readying them for the emotional as well as legal tangles as the case proceeds towards its finality.

Since the divorce rate in United States is very high, a celebrity divorce lawyer has always his hands full. It would be better to check with them beforehand to get an appointment since this saves anybody from avoidable problems. Handle your lawyer complete information about the details regarding your case so that it results in its through understanding. Since the laws differ from state to state, the divorce cases become complicated in nature and this requires a sensitive handling of all the aspects therein. For instance, favoring one partner over another involves a certain set of rules which have a bearing on the final decision of the case. A divorce lawyer while handling the cases ensures that a proper consultation is done in tandem with the couples so that the actual position of the case is known.

In United States, a number of divorce lawyers work for the firms dealing with the divorce cases. Their acumen and brilliance in handling the high profile cases is well known and hence any celebrity couple can opt for their services. A celebrity divorce lawyer has it in him to handle the aggressive media questioning as well as other sensitive issues which require a thorough understanding. Hiring the services of a divorce lawyer is also an advantageous option from the perspective of cost factor. Though the fee is hefty, it always works towards the benefit of the client, with all the unpleasantness associated with the proceedings being duly taken care of by him.

 



By: damey

About the Author:

Damyel Flower is an experienced divorce lawyer.He has successfully handled many divorce cases.He gives advice to clients who are looking for Art lawyer, Divorce lawyer NYC, Celebrity divorce lawyer and Divorce Lawyer New York.To hire services of a lawyer in New York and any legal advice visit www.mtllp.com.



posted by Law Help on Sep 15

If you are looking for a tax lawyer you need to know how to find the best one possible. There are literally hundreds of sites alleging to have the best tax lawyer available and it may seem that they are all pretty much the same. However, as with all types of lawyers, there are good tax lawyers as well as bad ones and it is important to find the right one for you.

http://urslaw.com

There are a number of questions that you need to ask any tax lawyer before you decide which company to hire. Obviously, experience is a key factor in narrowing down your list of potential candidates to a reasonably small number. If the tax lawyer you are considering has no recent experience with court cases then you should avoid using their services. This is because the tax laws are constantly changing and it is vital that your chosen tax lawyer is completely up to date with current legislation.

The track record of any tax lawyer is also important. If you ask any tax lawyer how many cases they have won, and lost, this will give you an idea of how effective they are at pleading your case. However, your individual circumstances should be taken into account and you need to ask the lawyer if they have had specific experience with a similar case and what the outcome was.

The best tax lawyer is one that specialises in more difficult cases and is more likely to be able to help you in whatever situation you find yourself.

The methods used by a lawyer in preparing your case should also be a consideration. Usually, a tax lawyer will be extremely thorough in investigating the circumstances surrounding your case and you should look for the most comprehensive service possible. A thorough tax lawyer will look into all of your financial records and gather evidence, of course, but will also look into any other mitigating circumstances to help with your plea.

Of course, any tax lawyer would like to claim that they can have any case against you dismissed but the reality is that this is often unlikely. You should discuss with the lawyers on your shortlist what penalties they anticipate you being given and how they plan to negotiate for lower ones. Obviously, you want to have a tax lawyer who can obtain the most lenient fines possible, even if the case against you is very clear.

Finally and probably most importantly, is the rapport that you feel when you are talking to the individual tax lawyer. It is essential that you are able to discuss everything freely and openly with whichever tax lawyer you finally decide to hire. If you do not feel comfortable talking with a particular lawyer then simply cross them off your list and move on to the next one.

About the author:

Find more information and tips about tax lawyer by visiting http://www.ursads.com



By: bilal

About the Author:

About the author:
Find more information and tips about tax lawyer by visiting http://www.ursads.com



posted by Law Help on Sep 14

The most serious case in this area was handed down by the New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal in R. v Ida Ronen, Nitzen Roden and Izhar Ronen on the 19th April 2006. The message which the courts delivered in this case is that they will treat all cases of serial tax evasion as extremely serious leading to long periods of imprisonment irrespective of the taxpayer’s individual circumstances even where taxpayers have paid their penalty tax in full. Details of the Ronen case have largely been extrapolated below from judgement of the New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal. Additional comments have been added as appropriate. The Ronen case is a poignant example of what will happen to serial tax evaders who engage in serious tax evasion when they are detected. Serious tax evasion means evasion of $100,000 or more in tax for which taxpayers are routinely gaoled for 2-3 years for taxation offences even where they are first offenders and of good character. This does not necessarily have to be the case where you obtain competent, professional advice which will assist you to deal not only with the Australian Taxation Office but with the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions following referral. Should anyone wish to explore this opportunity please do not hesitate to contact us, but in the meantime we recommend you read what follows.

The Case

This is one of the most important cases on tax evasion and the types of penalties to be applied. The matter went on appeal to the NSW Court of Criminal. The Ronens were convicted of two offences contrary to the Commonwealth Crimes Act arising from a conspiracy between them to defraud the Commonwealth of taxation revenue for which they were sentenced to terms of imprisonment. Interestingly the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions appealed against what he asserted to be the inadequacies of the sentences imposed and the Ronens sought leave to appeal against the sentences as being harsh as the amount of penalty tax was not properly taken into account.

There was argument over whether the maximum penalty for each offence was relevantly imprisonment for 10 or 20 years following legislative change. It is worthy of note that Mrs Ronen pleaded guilty at the commencement of her sentencing proceedings to an offence under section 31 of the Financial Transactions Reports Act 1988 (Cth) concerning 11 cash transactions each less than $10,000 in value which were structured to avoid reporting the requirements under the Act, the maximum penalty being five years.

The Sentences

Mrs Ronen was sentenced to imprisonment for eight years and six months with a non-parole period of four years and six months. Each of her sons was sentenced to eight years and six months with non-parole periods of five years and six months each. There was also an issue as to whether the sentences should be served concurrently rather than cumulatively.

The Circumstances

Basically the offences arose during the course of the operation of a clothing business and involved a number of companies trading in the retail and wholesale clothing industry through a number of factory outlets selling clothing manufactured by the companies to the public at discount prices under the name of Dolina Fashions. The facts were that the applicants had agreed to defraud the Commonwealth of income tax by concealing a substantial proportion of the cash income generated by these shops. It was apparent that they had concealed somewhere between $15M and $17M with none of the cash taken by them being declared as income in either their personal or company tax returns. By various devices they concealed the greater part of their income with no more than 10% of the cash takings being banked.

What really put the torch under this case was that Mrs Ronen’s former male friend informed on the family’s tax non-compliance. By means of a phone tap further details of the conspiracy came to light and the conversations alerted the authorities as to how much money the applicants were sending overseas which led to a search warrant being executed with the applicants being arrested the same day, 7th February 2001.

Following conviction but before sentence the applicants settled with the Commissioner of Taxation with one of them raising in their grounds of appeal that insufficient weight had been given to the fact that the applicants had paid a considerable amount of penalty tax to the Commissioner.

The Ronens

The background to the matter is important. Mrs Ronen was aged 72 at the date of sentencing and was not in good physical health. She suffered from osteoporosis; lower back pain; osteoarthritis of both knees; conjunctivitis and bilateral cataracts; high blood pressure and was depressed. She was a successful businesswoman who had worked hard to establish her business and was a good mother to her sons. The judge accepted that Mrs Ronen would find prison extremely difficult particularly in view of her health. She presented a large number of references and testimonials attesting to her qualities as a mother, grandmother and friend; her charitable work and her contrition and the responsibility which she felt she owed her two sons.

Nitzen Ronen was 47 years of age, married with four children between the ages of 1 and 6½ years. He pleaded guilty, regretted his conduct and the effect on his children. He presented a number of references to the court outlining his philanthropy, being depicted a hard and industrious man with considerable skill and experience of the clothing industry. As for Izhar Ronen, he was 46 years of age, married with two children aged 17 and 16; he was shamed by the whole experience and he likewise produced testimonials as to his generosity and hard work.

The Trial Judge’s Findings

The judge said that their situation was tragic and each offender was a person of previous unblemished good character who each worked very hard to establish and maintain a highly successful business with each being well-respected in the community and who practise philanthropy at a high level. They were regarded as outstanding family members who were well regarded by friends and acquaintances with each being imprisoned awaiting sentence for the most serious of crimes. Although the judge was aware of the impact of a sentence of imprisonment on the families of her sons he could find nothing exceptional that would permit him to impose a lesser sentence on that account despite the obvious contrition and remorse demonstrated by them including the settlement of the civil actions with the Commissioner.

Grounds of Appeal

The four grounds of appeal relied upon by the applicants were:

1 The sentencing judge erred in finding that the maximum penalty for the offences was 20 years imprisonment.

2 He had failed to have proper regard to

a) the imposition of penalty tax;

b) the general and specific deterrents attaching thereto; and

c) the level of punishment inherent in the imposition of penalty tax.

3 The judge was in error in partially accumulating the sentences.

4 The sentences were excessive.

5 Under section 135.4 of the Criminal Code Amendment (Theft, Fraud, Bribery and Related Offences) Act 1999 the maximum penalty for offences falling within this section is imprisonment for 10 years.

The relevance of Penalty Tax

What is of haunting significance here is the role to be played by the payment of penalty tax to the Commissioner before the sentencing proceedings have commenced. The judge had evidence before him that the Commissioner imposed penalties under section 226J of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 (Cth) of $7,180,508. That section deals with penalty tax where the shortfall results from intentional disregard of the law and the taxpayer is therefore liable to pay by way of penalty an additional amount of tax equivalent to 75% of the shortfall amount or part thereof. The question is – what effect should be given to the fact that the applicants had paid a considerable amount of penalty tax. The judge quoted from a number of authorities but the one which is of most importance is DPP v Hamman (NSW CCA, Unreported, 1 December 1998). Sheller J.A. stated

“General deterrence is a predominant consideration when sentencing for offences of defrauding the revenue.

Appeal courts have discussed and emphasised the seriousness of frauds committed to the detriment of the public revenue …

While undoubtedly it is a matter to be taken into account, it is, in my opinion, of small account that when caught out the offender pays the amount due and additional tax by way of penalty for which the offender is liable to a greater or lesser extent, according to the Commissioner’s discretion, whatever the reason for non-disclosure. Past integrity and good character, devotion of family and work and contributions to the community, impeccable though they have been, carry little weight … when the respondent was caught out.”

knowing that he had understated his income by very large amounts for his own benefit or advantage.

Apart from penalty tax the applicants were also liable for GIC under section 204(3) of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 as it relates to the post-assessment period.

Essentially where applicants wish the court to take into account the full impact of penalty tax as a matter of mitigation of sentence they have an onus of demonstrating the impact of the penalty upon them. Unfortunately the Ronens failed to do this.

Accumulation of Sentences

Generally it is a matter for the sentencing judge as to whether to make sentences concurrent or cumulative. One circumstance is where the discretion must be exercised in favour of cumulative sentences is where the appropriate sentence for one offence cannot comprehend or reflect the criminality involved in all the offences. Obviously in this case this was the approach taken as there was not one offence encompassing the whole of the criminality involved in the conspiracy.

Were the Sentences Excessive?

The applicants’ criminality fitted within the worst category given the length of time over which the conspiracy operated, the amount of money defrauded from the Commonwealth and the manner in which the fraud was carried out. There is little mitigation to the subjective features of the applicants having regard to the period of the offence and its systematic nature.

The most important aspect of punishment in relation to frauds on the Commonwealth revenue is general deterrence. Although the payment of penalty tax has some deterrent effect, it is not usually of the same magnitude as imprisonment even though the person is of good character and well respected in the community. It was particularly important in this case to denounce a decade of persistent, fraudulent conduct and the contempt of the taxation laws motivated by pure greed. The payment of penalty tax could not sufficiently achieve that purpose. The court was not persuaded that any lesser sentences were warranted because of the serious nature of the offences committed by the applicants.

Comments

What is particularly sobering is that the Crown was of the view that the total sentence of 8½ years was manifestly inadequate as against the statutory maximum of 20 years under the earlier legislation on which the crown sought to rely. Obviously it is open to the Crown in appropriate cases to seek to have tax evaders incarcerated for periods of up to 20 years where money laundering is involved. Tax evasions can be a very serious lesson in tax non-compliance. Should you be tax non-compliant call LAC Lawyers to obtain competent, professional legal advice.



By: Frank Egan – LAC Lawyers

About the Author:
Frank Egan is the Chief Executive Officer of LAC Taxation Lawyers Sydney and has over 27 years of experience as a lawyer.



posted by Law Help on Sep 14

The U.S. processing of immigration applications has political aspects that must be taken into account when establishing how much will be needed in the way of legal services to achieve citizenship. The procedure is streamlined in Canada by the fact that the motivation of the government is economic rather than political, rather like a job interview where your skills are needed and you’re being recruited to start a business to help the country thrive. USA work visas are issued grudgingly, only after it’s shown that a U.S. citizen cannot perform the same job.

American citizenship has always come with the understanding that new arrivals should strive to become American in culture and learn the language sufficiently to pass a test. People have to be familiar with the country and understand political notions regarding security and patriotism. This was done in a “howdy neighbor, welcome to our shores but let’s check the exclusion list first” fashion since several laws were enacted to halt a flood of Asian immigrants and in 1952 an exclusion list began on possible communists.

Canada and Australia are traditionally the most popular destinations for people re-locating for the purpose of finding a better life. The low population of these countries makes for less competition for jobs and housing; however in a recent survey involving 17,000 young people in 16 countries, India’s number one choice was the U.S.A. at 38% of the respondents. This may be a reflection of the U.S. economic collapse of jobs in the manufacturing and industrial sectors: one mirror may be that coincidental figure of 38% – the exact percentage of the American labor force now working in the service sector according to figures released by The Venus Project, an economic and scientific think-tank. The majority of young people in India are already working in service sector jobs – IT, web design, telemarketing, customer service, and so on. Many of the jobs have been outsourced from North America and the English language is common there.

Given the multiple layers of American bureaucracy and defensive security this would be improbable, but it’s almost as if there was some conscious recruiting going on by the U.S. for economic purposes to get the largely entrepreneurial East Indians to open up shop to spur the economy like other countries might. Since the twin towers fell, the only concern has been keeping people out of the country and the U.S. Immigration Service has become intertwined with the Office of Homeland Security. Immigration to the United States is predictably concerned with your history and background to the point where extra legal advice should be planned for to avoid delays just in case additional problems come up in the process of becoming a permanent resident. Those qualified for Immigration to Canada will encounter fewer roadblocks but should ensure that they obtain the services of an immigration lawyer for the timely issues of work permits and visas. Mistakes can cause people to repeat the process from the beginning.

The encouraging attitude of the government makes immigration easy out of financial necessity in a low-population country like Canada. There’s no concern for assimilation; a person can live and die in Canada without ever speaking either of the official languages. It’s extremely attractive to couples with new children for they can avail themselves of universal free health care and social benefits not present in American society.

The enormous paramilitary reaction to 9/11 caused proclamations by the government that the nation was under attack permanently by terrorists and the public should join in a frenzy of patriotic indignation and fear, justifying the creation of a whole new type of security sector. The laws are largely interpreted by the agency involved and so the applicant should expect an investigative atmosphere. If you can put up with stringent security confrontations in paperwork or in person then you are both well-served by your lawyer and well-equipped to face the challenges in your new home.



By: Pat Boardman

About the Author:

Toronto writer Pat Boardman presents these personal observations in respect to legal firms such as Immigration Lawyers Niren and Associates who provide advice and representation for those applying for permanent residence as skilled workers or visas to reside in the U.S. or Immigration to Canada forms.



posted by Law Help on Sep 14

Your immigration lawyer advises you on all important issues related to your immigration application. He also represents your case in the court of law. When you take a decision to immigrate to another country, you first have to see if you fit in the environment of that country or not. You also have to see if you have the requisite qualification to become a citizen of that country. Your online attorney assists you in handling all these issues and more and takes you step by step through all the lengthy and time consuming process of immigration. Besides migration issues your representative also informs you of your rights, duties and obligations which you must follow during you stay at your new residence.

Less Work Less Fee

You can also appoint an online immigration lawyer to give you only advice. The fee taken by the lawyer in such cases is much lower. In such cases, the attorney does not represent you in the court of law. You have to appoint a different person if you want to present your case in court. You can also use the services of the same lawyer by paying some extra fees. If your visa application gets rejected due to some technical glitch, you can reapply to the American embassy for immigration, after consulting an immigration lawyer and removing the reason for refusal.

Your representative will help you in filing migration documents according to your visa category. In America you can file many kinds of visas like a H1B visa, which is a work visa; investor visa, if you want to invest money in US; family residency visa, for migration of family; and tourist visa, to travel or to visit someone living in America. You can also file for permanent residence visa if you have employment in America. Immigration lawyers also handle complex cases of deportation, fee waiver, and religious visas as well.

You must make sure that your attorney is a member of at least one immigration lawyers association. It would be even better if he holds some office in the organization. People who are members or heads of associations usually move around in trading circles and meet important people of their trade. This way they are more versatile in their approach to a problem and can easily work their way out of difficult situations relating to your migration applications. Make sure you take services of a legal representative who is a well known member of important bar associations.



By: Apurva Shree

About the Author:

Your immigration lawyer should be a member of the immigration lawyers association. Your online immigration lawyer could well be your best immigration lawyer if you like his work.



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