What Is a Family Reunification Visa? Family reunification is a mechanism offered by the U.S. government through the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to help some people be reunited with their family members who are already in the U.S. This is the most common method for people to immigrate to the U.S. legally There are specific requirements and restrictions for this plan, which it’s vital to be aware of before beginning the application process. Different types of immigration applications may have restrictions on how many applicants will be accepted into the U.S. each year. The ..read more

How Does an Immigrant Go About Applying for Permanent Residency? Trying to immigrate to the U.S. and apply for permanent residency (known as receiving a green card) can be daunting, as there are complex requirements and steps that need to be taken. According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), once someone has applied for and received an approved immigrant petition and an immigrant visa number, there are two ways to move forward with achieving permanent resident status: Going through consular processing or adjustment of status. The primary difference between the two is wh ..read more

What Is a Green Card? A green card is a legal document that proves an immigrant has been approved to live and work permanently in the U.S. It’s also the beginning of the process for an immigrant to become a naturalized U.S. citizen. A green card holder is entitled to many benefits that an immigrant without a green card isn’t eligible for, including: Deportation is unlikely. The green card provides permanent residency even if laws are subsequently changed. A green card holder usually doesn’t have to worry about being deported to their country of origin unless they commit a crime or break the la ..read more

If I Applied But Haven’t Yet Been Approved for a Green Card, Can I Still Get a Job in the U.S.? The process for an immigrant to be approved for a green card in the U.S. often takes considerable time. It’s not unusual to take several weeks, if not months. Not surprisingly, the immigrant would like to work while waiting to earn a living and afford the basic necessities. However, before an immigrant can start working while waiting for a green card, they must file for a special permit that, once approved, allows them to be employed during the wait. This permit is known as the Form I-765: Applicati ..read more

Is There a Difference Between Rape and Statutory Rape and if So, What Is It? There is a significant difference between rape charges and statutory rape charges. With rape charges, the person charged is accused of forcing a sexual encounter on someone 16 years or older without their permission. Statutory rape doesn’t focus on permission or consent because it involves someone having sex with a person under the age of 16. In Massachusetts, anyone under the age of 16 is considered legally unable to give consent for sex. For example, that means if someone has sex with a 14-year-old and the 14-year-o ..read more

Why Would Someone Make False Accusations of Sex Crimes? It’s unfortunate but true that the majority of sex crime accusations are fact-based; many are not. The reasons someone would do this vary but often include: An ex is angry that the other partner has moved on and is seeing someone else. One parent is trying to gain an advantage in divorce court for child custody or support. Someone is trying to cover up an extramarital affair. Someone had consensual sex, then later regretted it, or the communication broke down between the partners so that one thought consent was given while the other didn ..read more

What Does Massachusetts Law Say About Carrying a Gun in a Car? Gun owners who want to transport guns via their car have some rights in Massachusetts, but they also have several requirements to do so legally. One of the first things to know is a person who wants to carry guns in their car must have a specific license to do so. In Massachusetts, there are two types of firearm licenses, both of which can be applied for through the local police department. Firearms Identification Card (FID). The FID allows the holder (who must be at least age 18 or ages 14-17 with parental consent) to buy, posses ..read more

Pimping and pandering sound similar enough that someone could get them confused. But legally, they’re different terms, although both are related to prostitution. Both can lead to significant consequences, including stiff fines and jail time. Here’s what you need to know. What Is Pimping? Within the realm of prostitution, pimping happens when someone earns money for assisting in someone else’s acts of prostitution. They may procure customers for the prostitute or other connections. One thing that’s not valid is if someone drives a prostitute to an appointment with a client, then picks them up a ..read more

Immigration can involve a complex set of regulations and paperwork at any age, which also applies to minors. Because the requirements are stringent and the process complicated, it’s best to work with an experienced immigration attorney. Here are some of the factors involved. What Is a Green Card? A green card (also known as a permanent resident card) is a piece of identification that indicates the holder is a legal resident of the U.S. and can live, travel, and work anywhere within the country. A green card holder is protected by U.S. laws, just as a natural-born citizen is. Essentially, a gre ..read more

Being in a situation where you believe your life is in danger is terrifying and traumatic. If you act to protect yourself, you could still find yourself in trouble with the law. Here’s what you need to know about what can happen if you kill someone in self-defense. Could Someone Be Charged with Murder in Massachusetts if They Killed in Self-Defense? The short answer is yes, it’s possible to be charged with murder in Massachusetts if someone killed someone else in self-defense. However, the laws around self-defense are complex, with several aspects that must be considered when planning to use a ..read more