About Judy Malmon, J.D.

Judy Malmon, J.D. Articles written 163

Judy Malmon has blended law and writing throughout her career. She got her J.D. from University of California, Davis and practiced elder and disability law in California and Minnesota. She honed her writing by drafting appellate decisions in a nationwide class action, writing blogs for law firms, and writing for Westlaw. She loves digging into everyday legal questions, deciphering the complexities of law, and telling personal stories.

Articles written by Judy Malmon, J.D.

Getting Out of a Timeshare Can Be Tricky

Legal steps you can take if you're stuck in a Florida timeshare

Resort vacations are a dream for many, and the timeshare industry put it within reach of middle-income Americans. You could buy a single recurring week each year and have your vacation accommodations prepaid forever. Even better, many companies partnered with exchange programs so owners could trade to visit someplace else. The vacation ownership idea took off. But with the increase in timeshare sales also came predatory schemes, including misrepresented benefits and no exit option from …

Passing on the Minnesota Family Cabin

Vacation homes can sow generational harmony or havoc

With the aging baby boomer generation, more families will be facing decisions about what to do with family vacation property. You may have a lake cabin or wilderness retreat that has been the family headquarters for relaxation and family memories dating back to your children’s earliest memories (or possibly even your own). Now, you’re wondering as cabin owners, how you can protect this real estate for future generations, keeping things fair and harmonious passing down to your children and …

Sick of Dealing With Security Deposits?

Surety bonds are the little-known option that could help

As a landlord or tenant, security deposits can present inconvenient hurdles to entering into a written lease agreement. Landlords want to protect their rental unit by ensuring payment for potential future damages, but also a good relationship with their tenants, with little hassle or administrative burden. A tenant also wants this but may find it challenging to come up with three months’ worth of rent at the same time as incurring moving expenses. Particularly in situations where a landlord …

Pay Secrecy Policies: That's a No-No!

Federal and state laws protect your right to compare paychecks

If you’d rather not talk about how much money you make with your coworkers, that is certainly your business. But if your boss or coworkers have told you that discussing pay is prohibited, that’s illegal.  Federal Law Protects Employees’ Right to Discuss Pay Employers would love to make it unseemly or impolite to inquire about the income of others, but such information is relevant for determining if what you’re being paid is fair and equal. The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) …

Can My Boss Make Me Wear That?

The laws for dress and grooming policies in California

Workers in the Mad Men era didn’t have a lot of choice. In the past, it was accepted that employers could maintain strict work dress codes without much latitude for individual expression. Female employees could be required to wear high heels and makeup, or could be prohibited from coming to work in pants. Such rules seem outdated, but employers still can have some standards about how workers dress and groom themselves while on the job.  In California, workplace appearance policies are …

Driving a Hard Bargain at the Car Dealership

Fighting fraud and deception while purchasing a car in Florida

An elderly Haitian gentleman bought a new car from a dealership in South Florida. When he got home, he discovered that the purchase contract had been written to reflect a significantly higher price than what the man had agreed to—the sticker price in the window of the car on the showroom floor. The customer, for whom English was not his native language, was understandably upset and confused over the increase in price of the new vehicle. He returned to the dealer with a close family friend, …

The Tell-Tale Signs and Consequences of Distracted Driving

The laws and penalties for driving while texting and drowsy driving in Arkansas

There are many types of distractions while driving—eating, changing the radio station or navigation system, combing your hair, or using a cell phone. Distracted driving involves anything that takes the driver’s attention from the road. The effects of distracted driving are serious. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were 3,522 car accident fatalities involving distracted drivers in 2021 alone. In an effort to curb these behaviors and increase safe …

I Received a Notice of Foreclosure. Now What?

Foreclosure laws provide several options to defend your home

Embarking on a home purchase, you never imagine it ending in foreclosure. But life happens. The mortgage crisis that began in 2008 wrought upheaval for millions of homeowners and made foreclosure something that could befall anyone. Nationwide, foreclosure numbers have decreased significantly since peaking in 2010, though they remain sizeable. Nationally, the average is around .23 percent. Moreover, there are concerns that a crisis could recur due to banking industry practices such as subprime …

Should I Do a DIY Divorce?

Some questions to ask before going through divorce without a family lawyer

People love to hate lawyers, and to some degree, this is earned rancor. Lawyers can be notorious for putting up hurdles where seemingly none existed, costing clients unnecessary time, expense, and distress. However, dealing with legal intricacies can be complicated, and sometimes, you need to pay for sound legal counsel to get the outcome you want. That said, you don’t have to hire a lawyer to help with a divorce case if you and your ex are amicable and can agree on the issues. Plenty of …

What is Lien Stripping?

The Chapter 13 process might help you save your home from foreclosure in Ohio

It sounds like the latest DIY home improvement project from HGTV, but lien stripping is a little-known strategy for reducing mortgage debt through Chapter 13 bankruptcy. It’s not for everyone, but may suit your particular situation. Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Chapter 13 bankruptcy filings are a process of debt reorganization that allows you to pay down your unsecured debts at a significantly reduced rate over a three- to five-year period. The issue of security is key, as debts that are secured by …

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