Monthly Archives: January 2011

Home Business Opportunities Online – Home Business Opportunities 2010 – Home Business Opportunities for College Students and Free

Fifty million HOME BASED BUSINESES will be in act by 1997, according to Link Resource’s National Work-at Home Survey. All around the terrain, citizens who hunger more control on their lives are preliminary mother country businesses clothed in New Orleans, pull Hart’s mother country based cajun Cargo ships seafood residents broad. Clothed in Palatine, Illinois, Stephaine Heavey workings from mother country scheming and promotion unique patterns in place of fabric dolls. And in Dallas, Lisa McElya in print the Dallas Party & Event Planners Guidebook from the total basic floor of her two-story mother country. These three citizens are living the another American hallucination of owning a organization, but avoiding the prohibitive overhead and start-up overheads of a advertisement location. If the thought of working from mother country is appealing, but you don’t know someplace to arise, at this point is a step-by-step tour guide. STEP #1 DECIDE WHAT PART OF THE HOUSE TO USE Select an area away from dynasty pursuit. The textbook hole is a separate space (or perhaps the garage), but some area will resolve, if it can last all the organization food and equipment, and besides provide an adequate amount toil hole in place of desks, tables, or counters. STEP #2 DETERMINE HOW MUCH TIME YOU CAN SPEND ON THE BUSINESS Many citizens start a mother country organization on a part-time basis while raising children or working outside the mother country. Others start full-time whilst dynasty and finances allow. However you arise, build barred how may well hours apiece week you can offer to the organization Make a weekly chart of your activities, examine it, and determine someplace the organization fits. Don’t affect you maintain schedule and unearth barred soon you don’t. STEP #3 DECIDE ON THE TYPE OF BUSINESS Make a file of things you like to resolve, your toil and volunteer experience, and items you own with the aim of can be used in a organization. Look on this line-up, and using ideas from it, file promising businesses to start. Eliminate some organization with the aim of isn’t appealing or doesn’t fill a need citizens maintain. For ideas on diverse types of businesses, consult the last part of this article. Other ideas can be found in the source material listed by the side of the last part of this article. STEP #4 CHOOSE A LEGAL FORM The three basic permissible forms are sole proprietorship, affiliation, and corporation. The nearly everyone general is the sole proprietorship. While its refer to implies, a sole proprietorship is owned by single human being. It is the oldest form of organization, the easiest to start, and the smallest amount complicated to disperse. Here are selected of the advantages of this organization form: 1. You own all the profits

2. Your organization is stress-free and discounted to organize. You don’t need some government support, although you may well be requisite to cart a city, state or region license. Your solitary other obligation is to notify the Internal revenue Service (IRS) in place of the purposes of sales burden.

3. You’re the boss

4. You get pleasure from some burden savings. You ought to wage regular human being taxes on your takings, property, and payroll, but these are not levied as special taxes, as with a corporation. You will besides maintain to wage sales burden which you maintain traditional from your customers.

5. Greater individual incentive and satisfaction. Since you maintain your investment to lose if your organization is not profitable, you ought to be more willing to locate schedule, thinking, and energy into the organization. And whilst your HOME BUSINESS is profitable, you get pleasure from greatest extent perceive of accomplishment since you know its achievement was dependent leading your decisions not far off from your management capability forlorn. For more in turn not far off from this and other forms of organization, send out in place of the U.S. Miniature Business Administration (SBA) Publication MP25. Selecting the Legal Structure in place of Your BUsiness (50 cents). It outlines the advantages and disadvantages of both permissible type of make up. If similar to sense it you are still uncertain pardon? Form of the organization ought to take, consult an attorney. STEP #5 DETERMINE WHERE THE MONEY WILL COME FROM There are three ways to finance start-up overheads: Wear out your own money, achieve a advance, or unearth investors. If promising, it is better to start small, wear out your savings, and not apprehension not far off from repaying a debt. Besides keep in mind with the aim of since you are a home-based, likelihood of qualifying in place of a advance or pronouncement investors are slim until the achievement of your thought is proven. STEP #6 GATHER INFORMATION Spend a a small number of weeks researching home-based businesses. A annals or bookstore can provide numerous books on organization basics, and on the particular type of organization with the aim of consequence you. Homemade Money by Barbara Brabee (see sources) is an outstanding put your name down for to start with. If you are allowing for a central processing unit organization, contract in contact with the overtone of Electronics; Cottagers, P.O. Box 1738, Davis, CA 95617-1738. To keep informed of pardon? Is event in mother country organization humankind, write to National Home Business tell, P.O. Box 2137, Naperville, IL 60566, in place of subscription in turn; and Mothers Home Business Network, P.O. Box 423, East Meadow, NY 11554 (send SASE in place of uncontrolled information). STEP #7 CHECK ON ZONING RESTRICTIONS Find barred how your property is zoned, the call City Hall and ask pardon? Regulations apply to mother country businesses in with the aim of zone. Also, if you rent or live in a condominium, check the charter or homeowner’s overtone rules to be some a mother country organization is permitted. Generally, if you resolve not annoy your neighbors with glut clamor, odors, and traffic, you will not be deterred from running a organization by the side of mother country. The neighbors may well not even be aware of the organization, but it is basic to know exactly pardon? You can and can’t resolve by you start. This is of great consequence ought to some problems or questions begin soon. STEP #8 PICK A BUSINESS NAME AND REGISTER IT If the organization you go for is diverse form your refer to, box file an assumed (or fictitious) refer to certificate with the region. You are notified if an extra organization already has with the aim of refer to, so you can go for a another single. Do this by investing in expensive stationery and flyers. It overheads solitary a a small number of dollars to box file, and it protects the organization refer to from being used by someone to boot in the region. STEP #9 WRITE A BUSINESS PLAN A high-quality organization diagram clarifies your ideas and establishes a diagram of dogfight. A high-quality organization diagram ought to include a account of pardon? You are promotion, your background and qualifications, who the prospective customers are and someplace they can be found, pardon? Is desired to build the organization, how you diagram to promote, and how much money is need in place of start-up overheads. SBA Publication #M925, The Business Plan in place of Home-Based Business () is supportive. STEP #10 GET AN IDENTIFYING NUMBER If you are the sole administrator of the organization and maintain rebuff employees, you may well either wear out your Social Security quantity or an Employee Identification Number (EIN) as the organization quantity on representative forms. If you maintain employees, or the organization is collection up as a affiliation or corporation, you ought to achieve an EIN. To resolve this, complete IRS Form SS-4 (Application in place of Employer Identification Number) and box file it with the close IRS Center. STEP #11 OBTAIN A SALES TAX PERMIT If the artifact or service you retail is taxable, you need a state sales burden permit. Call the confined burden agency, explain the type of organization you maintain and pardon? You retail, and ask if you need to amass sales burden. If you resolve, they will send out you the basic in turn and forms to complete. You besides wear out this burden quantity whilst your obtain items in place of resale. STEP #12 OBTAIN LICENSES & PERMITS It’s very of great consequence not to overlook some basic license or permit. For instance, selected cities and counties require a broad-spectrum organization license, and nearly everyone maintain special laws regarding the groundwork and selling of food. Call City Hall to unearth barred pardon? Is need in place of your regard organization. Clothed in addition, Chamber of Commerce provide in turn on city, region and state licenses and permits. STEP #13 SELECT BUSINESS CARDS, STATIONERY, BROCHURES Spend schedule on the color, design and paper in place of these items. They kind a definite impression-good or bad- on the citizens who receive them. If you are not some pardon? Is nearly everyone as it should be and successful, consult a graphics designer or a creative laser copier whose toil you like. STEP #14 OPEN A BUSINESS CHECKING ACCOUNT Call several banks to unearth barred pardon? Services they offer, and pardon? Most minuscule balance, if some, ought to be maintained to circumvent paying a service charge. Also ask not far off from belief tag if you diagram to offer this convenience to your customers. Bank fees can be large, so superstore around in place of the superlative deal. If your individual scrutiny tally is with a belief union, find out if it can besides provide a separate organization tally. Whilst you release your tally, you may well need to reveal the assumed refer to certificate and organization license. Finally, investigate obtaining a belief tag in the business’s refer to. If this is not promising, collection aside a individual belief tag to wear out in place of organization expenses. STEP #15 SET UP RECORD-KEEPING SYSTEMS Put mutually a regular and successful office organization with an 8 1/2 x 11″ three-ring binder, columnar pad sheets and twelve short dividers from the company supply put in storage. For both month, collection up columnar sheets in place of takings and expenses. Use a short separator in place of both month’s take, stack statement, deposit tickets, and canceled checks. Clothed in addition, an automobile log in place of organization mileage, and filing organization in place of correspondence, invoices, supplier catalogs, client records, et cetera. Are two other informative tools. For more in turn on record-keeping, find out IRS pamphlet #583, Information in place of Business taxpayers. STEP #16 CHECK IRS REQUIREMENTS If you comply with basic IRS guidelines, you can remove a percentage of regular household expenses (mortgage, consequence, taxes, insurance, utilities, repairs, et cetera.) as a organization expense. Find out the box accompanying this article and, in place of more detailed in turn, IRS pamphlet #587, Business Use of the Home. Also happen to familiar with these IRS forms: Schedule SE (compensation of Social Security Self-Employment Tax) and Schedule 1040 ES (estimated Tax in place of Individuals). Depending on circumstances, you may well maintain to box file them. STEP #17 OUTFIT THE BUSINESS Make a file of everything desired to start the organization, but by you good buy no matter which, look around the board in place of things you already own with the aim of are usable. When you are raring to go to start purchasing, check the classified ads and garage sales. Both are high-quality, inexpensive sources in place of company furniture, typewriters, computers, answering tackle, et cetera. But solitary pardon? Is categorically basic in place of start-up, and stay until the organization is inedible the ground to contract the extras. STEP #18 DECIDE ON TELEPHONE REQUIREMENTS Call the call up company to unearth barred the cost of a organization phone in your area. If you cannot afford a separate organization line, investigate the call up company’s regulations on using your individual phone in a organization. It may well be promising to resolve this if you be an enthusiast of some guidelines. Keep a pick up of long distance organization calls as they are a deductible expense. Finally, consider the remuneration of an answering system to catch calls whilst you are barred. STEP #19 CHECK OUT THE POST OFFICE & UPS Using a stake company box as the organization dispatch down theater the verity you are home-based. It besides prevents customers from dropping in by the side of all hours. While looking into box rental, ask in place of in turn on the various postal tax, particularly bulk rate, if you diagram to resolve generously proportioned or specialized mailings. If you mail many correspondence, check barred United Parcel Service (UPS), as it is a smaller amount expensive than the Post Office. STEP #20 PURCHASE THE NECESSARY INSURANCE Check with your homeowners insurance agent not far off from a rider in place of your existing document or the need in place of a separate organization document. Also kind really you maintain acceptable individual and artifact liability coverage. Shop around, as both company has diverse rules regarding mother country businesses To save money on therapeutic insurance, join an overtone and participate in their set diagram. One such body is The National overtone in place of the Self-Employed: They can be reached by the side of 800-527-5504. STEP #21 ORGANIZE THE HOUSE & YOURSELF To maintain more schedule in place of organization, organize and simplify household routines. Start by holding a garage selling to contract clear of needless assets. Next, maintain a dynasty seminar and divide household duties, making really both person does his or her part. The, collection up a planning notebook to keep track of appointments, things to resolve, calls to kind, errands to run, shopping, et cetera. Finally, collection up a toil schedule so you won’t contract unfocused by television, neighbor’s visits, snacking, and call up calls. Creating and operating a mother country organization is a wonderful and rewarding challenge. The satisfaction is not solitary in the money earned, but in liability pardon? Makes you jovial.

Law of Attraction & the Role of Meditation

Meditation is an important ingredient in actively using the Law of Attraction in your life to achieve your goals. While many Law of Attraction books and films focus on the importance of visualizing, saying affirmations, and making vision boards, often meditation is over-looked. However, meditation is extremely transformative and powerful.

In the book Conversations With God, it says, “If you don’t go within, you go without.” This is so true, especially when considering the Law of Attraction. As you probably know, the Law of Attraction simply means that the Universe brings you more of what you already are and have. In our fast-paced, stressful world, we need a touchstone to anchor us back to that ideal person we hope to be every day. It is easy to be swayed by commercials and advertisements. It is easy to be influenced by the fast food drive-thru, sedentary lifestyle promoted all around us. Clearly, this is not the energy we want to project out into the world. As the quote from Conversations With God says, if we focus our energies on all of the exterior influence from the world spinning too quickly around us, we suffer.

Meditation has scientifically been proven to improve our brains and health in a number of ways. One study showed that meditating 4 times a week for 20 minutes each time dramatically improved cognitive abilities. Another study showed that meditation makes the brain thicker in the sensory, cognitive, and emotional processing areas. Yet another study concluded that meditation can make people more compassionate. Another showed that regular, long-term meditation reduced the pain one experienced physically. The fact that these changes are long-lasting and/or permanent, again, means that we will be bringing higher, better energies to us with even less effort. As you can see, meditation is a key ingredient in actively using the Law of Attraction in your life.

Another reason why meditation is so important is because the benefits it brings make the other things on our Law of Attraction agendas more do-able. What does this mean? Let’s take visualization for example. If you visualize while in a meditative state, you are more likely to resonate emotionally with the visualization. Also, visualizing while meditating helps you to stay focused and concentrate on thoroughly moving through your visualization sequence. Even if you were to meditate then do some visualizations shortly thereafter, many of these benefits would still carry over. Looking at affirmations, much like visualizations, meditating can also help you stay focused on your words and their intent and purpose. Looking at gratitude exercises, another popular Law of Attraction tool, meditation can also contribute to feeling and expressing more gratitude. When we clean the clutter out of our mental fields, all that is left is the joy of being and that infinite and special connection we feel to all that is—all of this we no doubt feel thankful for. In fact, it’s arguably impossible to feel these things without being grateful.
Meditation is an important component of any concerted Law of Attraction plan for success as taught in our Law of Attraction Workshop. For a great free video series on Law of attraction click here http://www.i-grasshopper.com/free-videos.php

5 Questions to Ask Before Purchasing a Book Online

What is it you want to order?

Have a clear idea of what you want to order. Do you want to browse through a category, or do you want to read a particular author or do you know the name of the book itself.

Most online bookstores let you to browse through them by any of the above topics. When you are searching through a category, type in the most relevant subject related to the book you want. For example, if you want to search for books on “Holiday spots in Java, Indonesia”, just typing in a query for “JAVA” might give you so many irrelevant search results on the Java Programming language, Java coffee, etc. A better search query would be “Holiday in Java Indonesia”

–> Are you Getting the most Upto-Date Version?

Make sure you are buying the most recent version of the book. Sometimes, some contents are edited when a second version of the book is printed. Though this does not happen all the time, and though most of the online stores update such information promptly, it is always better to make sure about buying the latest version, right? So, when you make an online search, don’t get satisfied just because the title name and author match. Go through all the other entries against the author or see if any other version of the same book is available.

–> Are you Purchasing at the Cheapest Price?

Thanks to the spiraling competition amongst the various online bookstores, many popular books are often available at discounted prices. Unfortunately, however, this piece of information cannot be simply obtained from Google. This is because, search engines use web-spiders to index the sites and most often the information that is stored in the Cache is a few weeks old. So the only way to know about the various discount offers is to manually check through the various bookstores.

–> Are you purchasing a Pirated version?

Always, make sure that you are purchasing the original unprinted version of the book. Most countries have tough laws against piracy, and it is in keeping with these rules that you should consciously avoid purchasing the pirated copies even when they are available cheaper than the market price.

–> Is your Credit Card Information safe?

This is one of the most important things to remember when purchasing anything, not just books online. Make sure that the website where you make the purchase is an authentic one, and not a phishing site (sites that dupe you into revealing your confidential details). These details should always be transacted through a secure form. And also remember that none of these authentic sites would ask you to give your password or other confidential information through email. Anything confidential is done purely on the main site.

Where to Get the Proper Legal Multilevel Marketing Advice

Legal Multilevel Marketing is certainly a goal to shoot for when you are running a MLM business. Seriously, though, there are a few things that can get sticky within the legal structures of any network marketing concern, even if your business is known to have a spotless reputation. There are several reasons any company may find themselves needing legal advice.

One of the largest industry groups of the Internet today are MLM businesses. There are thousands of these companies online doing business. Within these many concerns, there are MLM scams the prey on MLM distributors and will eventually need Legal Multilevel Marketing advice. They use every scheme imaginable.

Then there are also the network marketing businesses that do not have the background knowledge when setting up their new MLM businesses. They usually had the best of intentions, yet found themselves mired in compensation plans that were illegal in the structuring of their business.

The MLM WatchDog is a business that is dedicated serving the public and it’s members about legal multilevel marketing. Their website has access to their online information as well as the company’s newsletters, blog and magazine concerning the MLM business.

Rod Cook is the Writer and Editor of MLM WatchDog, along with the assistance of more than six hundred freelance reporters. The MLM WatchDog was first published in 1985. Today, this company is considered a true pioneer, overseeing the network marketing community.

The MLM WatchDog is now more popular than ever before. This publication concerning legal multilevel marketing continues to publish their editorials in website link and Ezine format, because of popular demand.

This website publication’s philosophy is based around the belief that the MLM industry is the only industry that affords the “little guy” a chance to make it big. The Editor maintains that all network marketing businesses should be upfront about disclosing inside deals and company short comings.

The MLM WatchDog works to stop pyramid scams, MLM scams, bad companies and schemes within these companies. Rod Cook, editor and founder does not belong to any MLM companies and has over 40 years of experience with this industry.

Legal Multilevel Marketing reports about good companies, as well as the scams can be found at MLM WatchDog’s website. You can also get on the publication’s mailing list, receiving their free newsletter. For more perks and greater detailed information, you can also pay a small yearly subscription fee for the “Executive”.

The MLM WatchDog offers the opportunity to become an MLM Detective. Signing up for free gets you access to the company’s MLM University. It’s not often a company offers you a chance to become a detective with free training provided.

MLM WatchDog offers the good, the bad and the ugly. The legal multilevel marketing companies as well as the scams are available and archived at the company’s website.

This publication’s website also provides one of the largest MLM company directories available online. Learn where to get MLM freebies, the company complaints, myths and lies and much more.

The MLM WatchDog Learning Library is loaded with MLM scam examples to learn from. This resource is filled with invaluable information that will teach you about the scams, the schemes and everything in between. This is a great resource for anyone who is not yet involved with becoming an independent network distributor but considering it.

There is a lot more about this niche publication worth noting. It’s good to know that someone out there is watching your back where legal multilevel marketing is the concern.

The Intersection of Family Law and Criminal Law In Rhode Island – Untangling the Web!

<b>The intersection between family law, criminal  law  and divorce in RI</b>

<b>Overview</b>

A Rhode Island criminal domestic misdemeanor or felony case is often intertwined with complex issues concerning family law, child custody, child support, visitation, restraining orders and divorce. A Rhode Island Family law case is often intertwined with criminal law issues. In some cases there are three cases or more proceeding at the same time: a criminal case, a complaint protection from abuse and a divorce.  There also may be a dcyf, child support case, paternity  proceeding or juvenile proceeding pending. This article applies to misdemeanor criminal charges.

A misdemeanor is considered domestic if it involves certain family member, a spouse, girlfriend or boyfriend.  An assault, disorderly conduct, larceny and other criminal charges can all be charged as domestic offenses. Therefore, if there is a domestic violence component to an assault case, the case will be charged as a domestic assault rather than just an assault.

In the event that a person is charged with a domestic offense, a no contact order will issue. The No Contact order will preclude the accused from having any contact with the victim, his or her spouse or significant other.

A no contact order often reeks havok upon the family unit especially when the parties are married or have children. The police will remove the accused from his or her residence. This removal creates a whole new set of challenges for the family. In many instances, the accused is the sole support for the family. Also, there are often visitation issues that arise immediately. The accused often wants to visit his or her children.

The victim usually has her own opinions which may or may not include the desire for the accused to visit with the children. Furthermore, the accused often has the need and desire to obtain his or her personal belongings such as clothes, toiletries, tools, work items etc.Also, the victim may seek another restraining order from the family Court or District Court and may seek child support.

<i>This article addresses the above mentioned complex  issues and answers the following questions:</i>

<b>Should I get a  Rhode Island Criminal  lawyer  or Divorce lawyer to represent me in a criminal law or divorce case in Rhode Island?</b>

An attorney is needed but not required. The old adage is that a person who acts as their own attorney has a fool for a client. Lawyers / attorneys are familiar with the legal process, the law , the judges and the legal system. In a criminal case you have a right to a free criminal lawyer from the Public Defender if you meet the income and eligibility requirements.

<b>What is the difference between a domestic offense and a non domestic offense?</b>

Any offense which is charged as a domestic offense is more serious than the same charge charged as a non domestic offense. Under Rhode Island (RI) law, a person who is found guilty of a domestic offense or who takes a nolo contendere plea with a  sentence of filing, probation or suspended sentence must take batterers intervention classes. If found guilty of a domestic offense or if there is a plea bargain then a no contact order will enter automatically unless the victim is able to drop the no contact order.

A second conviction for a domestic offense in Rhode Island may lead to a minimum ten days at the aci! A third conviction for a domestic offense may be charged as a felony. Keep in mind that not all plea agreements constitute a criminal conviction. In RI any sentence with a suspended sentence,  guilty finding, plea of guilty, fine or period of incarceration constitutes a criminal conviction. A nolo contendere plea  with probation or filing with court costs does not constitute a conviction in Rhode island! A domestic conviction also will looks worse then a non domestic conviction on the accused’s record when seeking employment opportunities.

Also, sentencing is usually more harsh for domestic cases then a non domestic offense. Furthermore, in domestic cases a one year filing cannot be expunged at the end of the year. There is an additional two year waiting period to expunge a domestic filing. Please see my other article concerning Rhode Island misdemeanors for a comprehensive explanation of a one year filing in Rhode Island.

Upon entering a plea or being found guilty of a crime with domestic implications then the defendant will be ordered to complete a batterer’s intervention program which involves attending classes. The defendant can also be ordered to pay restitution to the victim if applicable and obtain substance abuse or mental health counseling. Failure to attend the Batterers classes, failure to pay restitution or failure to attend counseling could be considered a violation of probation, suspended sentence or a filing.

<b>What is a no contact order? </b>

In Rhode Island, A “no contact order” means that the defendant is precluded from having any contact and or communication with the victim or the person under the protection of the no contact order. This includes but is not limited to letters, emails, text messages or messages delivered through a third party.

In other words if a person is under a no contact order and sees the victim in public they must leave the area immediately and not acknowledge the victims existence. A person cannot even say “hi” if they walk by the victim by chance on the street.

A person can be arrested under Rhode Island law for violating a no contact order even if the victim initiates the contact and calls the defendant. A person can be charged with breaking a no contact order even if invited by his wife to come back to the marital home.

<b>Dropping / dismissing the no contact order</b>

The police cannot drop a no contact order. Only a judge can drop a no contact order. The victim can attempt to drop the no contact order at the arraignment. Prior to approaching the judge at the arraignment, the victim must speak with the domestic violence counselor at Court. The judge may dismiss the no contact order at the arraignment.

However, in the event that the alleged abuse is severe or there is a documented history of abuse then the judge may refuse to drop the no contact order. The no contact order may not be dropped by the judge if the victim states that she is still afraid of the accused.  It is much easier to drop the no contact order  at the pretrial hearing then it is to drop it at the arraignment. Some judges are hesitant to drop the no contact order at the arraignment. The judge will typically ask the police who are present at the arraignment whether they have any objections to the no contact order being dropped

<b>Can the victim dismiss the no contact order after the arraignment but before the pretrial conference?</b>

In the event that the victim wants to drop the no contact order after the arraignment but before the pretrial the victim can go to the clerk and ask that the file be brought in front of the judge. After conferring with the domestic advocate the judge will rule on whether the no contact order will be dropped.

<b>Can the no contact order be dropped at the pretrial conference?</b>

The victim who wants to cancel the no contact order will have another opporunity at the pretrial conference. The pretrial conference is typically scheduled a couple of weeks after the arraignment. At the pretrial conference, the victim can approach the judge and again seek to have the no contact order dropped

<b>Will the criminal judge in District Court resolve visitation or custody issues? </b>

No.

The criminal Court will not get involved in any family related issues such as child custody, child support, alimony ,paternity, relocation out of state, equitable division of marital property, visitation, payment of marital bills, payment of mortgage, payment of credit cards, disposition of the marital real estate, etc.  Those issues are the province of the Rhode Island Family Court not the District court !The District Court is where criminal  misdemeanor cases are heard.

The Court has the power to order restitution to the victim for any actual damages suffered by the victim as a result of the crime such as destruction of property, medical bills, stolen funds etc.

The District Court in a criminal case cannot be involved in setting visitation or dealing with issues concerning divorce or custody of the minor children. The Rhode Island Family Court is the proper Forum for dealing with issues related to divorce and child custody such as: child support, visitation, financial restraining orders and issues concerning marital property, marital real estate and debt.

<b> Obtaining personal belongings (property) when there is a no contact order. </b>

There are several proper ways for an accused to obtain his / her personal belongings when there is a no contact order in effect. Personal belongings usually consists of personal property such as clothes, sneakers, uniforms, personal effects etc.  The accused can contact the police department where the victim resides and seek to make arrangements to pick up personal belongings. The police will often escort the person to the home. The downside of this arrangement is that the police often are in a rush and enforce a severe draconian time limit.

If the accused has a private attorney, he can contact the victims attorney who can contact the victim to make arrangements . This can have its pitfalls because  the victim may be hostile  or  the victim may have no interest in negotiating

The accused can attempt to arrange to get his belongings through a third party. The accused must be careful not to violate the no contact order.

<b>When does a no contact order in Rhode Island (RI) expire? </b>

A no contact order expires when the sentence period is finished. A no contact order also expires if the case is dismissed or the defendant is found not guilty. The no contact order expires if the judge terminates the no contact order at the request of the victim.

Be careful because there may also be another restraining order issued as a result of a divorce or Family Court matter or a District Court restraining order!

<b>What happens if a person on bail, probation, filing or suspended sentence violates a no contact order?</b>

A person who is on probation, bail or a probation attached to a suspended sentence must be even more vigilante in order to not violate the no contact order.

A violation of a no contact order is a crime in itself which is also a violation of the conditions of probation, filing or bail . A person on probation or bail can be held at the ACI if they are accused of violating a no-contact order. For example, if a person is on probation or bail, a single phone call made by the defendant to a victim under the protection of a no contact order probably means a minimum of ten 10 days in jail at the ACI.

A probationary period  or filing period is a time of great risk for a defendant and a defendant must be careful to stay out of trouble! A person must be even more vigilant if there is a no contact order, order protection from Abuse from The Rhode Island Family Court or restraining order in effect. A violation of a no contact order or a Family Court restraining order is a violation of probation.

A person with a suspended or stayed sentence faces the most potential risk regarding violation of probation in RI.  As a result of a probation violation of violating a no contact order,  a person with a suspended sentence could be ordered to serve the remainder of the suspended sentence at the adult correctional institution (ACI)

For Example, a person with probation may get themselves deeper into trouble when they resume communications or contact with their wife or girlfriend despite the fact that a no contact order is in effect. If there is an argument or allegations of domestic assault or abuse, the police may arrest the person and hold him/her at the aci as a probation violator as well as new charges for domestic assault and violation of a no contact order or restraining order.

<b>Rhode Island Family Court restraining orders: (1) Complaints Protection from Abuse and (2) ‘Civil restraining orders’ and how they relate to criminal law</b>

 A defendant must Be careful! There may be a separate order protection from abuse restraining order that issued from Rhode Island Family Court as a result of a complaint protection from abuse. The Family Court has jurisdiction to issue  an  order protection from abuse restraining orders for up to three (3) years. The Family Court can issue restraining orders for persons who are married, are divorced, are family members or who have children in common as well as other jurisdiction set forth in the statute. There may also be a restraining order issued by a Court of another state or another Court

A protection from abuse case is not a criminal case. Violation of Family Court Complaint protection from Abuse restraining order is a crime in itself and also may constitute a violation of probation, bail and violation of conditions of a filing.

There are two types of Family Court restraining orders, “Complaint Protection from Abuse” and a civil restraining order. Both of these types of Restraining orders can be in addition to divorce proceedings.

<b>Is Violating a Family Court restraining order which is not an order protection from abuse a crime? </b>

No. A violation of a  Family Court restraining order which is not a Complaint Protection from Abuse is  not a crime. Violation of this type of order is punishable by contempt. However, If the restraining order contains language that violation of the order is a crime then there might be criminal implications.

Civil restraining orders are not nearly as effective as Complaint Protection from Abuse restraining orders. Civil Restraining orders are typically part of a divorce.

<b> In a complaint protection from abuse case in Rhode Island can the Court get involved in Child custody, visitation and child support. </b>

Yes. In a Complaint Protection from Abuse case, the Family Court can award temporary child support, visitation, and temporary custody of the children. The Court can also award visitation and in some instances may order supervised visitation. The Court can order that the Defendant vacate forthwith and remain out of the household. The Court can also order that a person take batterers classes or drug and alcohol counseling. The Court can order drug and alcohol testing. The Court can also order the Defendant to surrender possession of all firearms / guns to the Police department.

<b>Is a violation of a Rhode Island District Court Restraining order a crime?</b>

Yes.
 
<b> When should a Restraining orders  be filed in District Court? </b>

If the restraining order is against a current boyfriend or girlfriend or an ex boyfriend or girlfriend who you had a substantive dating relationship within the prior year but you have no child with, then Rhode Island District Court is the proper Forum.

If you have a child with your current or ex boyfriend/ girlfriend then the restraining order should be filed in the Family Court.  A restraining order against a current roommate can be filed in District Court.

<b>RI Superior Court Restraining orders: </b>

If you are seeking a restraining order against a prior friend, neighbor, landlord or anyone else then the restraining order must be filed in Superior Court. Violation of a Superior Court restraining order does not constitute a crime. Violation of a Superior Court Restraining Order is punishable by contempt which could potentially lead to a period of incarceration.

<b>What is the difference between a restraining order and a no contact order? </b>

A no Contact order is an order issued as a result of a criminal charge. A no Contact order issues at an arraignment either at the police station or at Court. Violation of a no contact order is a crime in itself and may constitute a violation of Probation or a filing. A no contact order expires when the case is over (dismissal or not guilty finding) and at the end of any probation, filing or suspended sentence.

A Restraining order stays in effect until the date designated on the restraining order. A Restraining order will stay in effect even if the defendant is found not guilty or the criminal case is dismissed.

<b>If there is a no contact order protecting me should I also obtain a restraining order ?</b>

It Depends. A no contact order expires when a case is dismissed; a person is found not guilty or after any sentence expires.

The No Contact order will expire when a probationary period or filing or suspended sentence is over. If you feel you need protection in case the no contact order expires and are in fear of the person then you may consider seeking a restraining order in addition to the no contact order.

If there are issues concerning child support and visitation then you may want to seek a restraining order in addition to a no contact order!

<b>Resolving issues concerning custody and visitation of children as well as divorce and family related matters when a criminal case is pending:</b>

If your spouse or girlfriend or boyfriend is preventing you from visiting or talking to your child as a result of a criminal case or no contact order then you may need to file for divorce or a separate action for custody or visitation in Family Court.

The Family Court can set visitation and child support as part of a Complaint protection from abuse restraining order. In some instances when domestic violence is alleged or there are issues concerning alcohol, drug abuse or mental health then the Family Court may order supervised visitations. These Supervised visitations may occur at the Providence Family Court or may be supervised by a third party.

<b>Can the defendant testify in The Complaint protection from abuse hearing when he or she has a pending criminal charge?</b>
 

This is an important determination for the defendant. The defendant must consult with his / her attorney and weigh the pros and cons of testifying in the hearing. A defendant in a criminal case has the right to take the Fifth Amendment and not testify in the case. A defendant in a complaint protection from abuse case must be careful because any testimony in the abuse case can be used against the person in the criminal case. The defendant can seek to continue the abuse case until the criminal case is resolved.

What County in the Rhode Island Court system will criminal law and divorce cases be heard?

Al the counties in Rhode Island (Providence, Kent, Newport and Washington County) follow the same general rules and procedures.   Providence County includes East Providence, Providence, Cranston, Cumberland, Barrington, Bristol, North Smithfield, woonsocket and other towns and cities. Kent County includes Warwick &  North kingston, East Greenwich as well as other towns. Newport County includes  Newport, Middletown & Portsmouth. Washington County includes South Kingstown, Wakefield etc.

Rhode Island Attorneys legal Notice per  RI Rules of Professional Responsibility:

The Rhode Island Supreme Court licenses all lawyers  in the general practice of law, but does not license or certify any lawyer / attorney as an expert or specialist in any field of practice.