Federal Prisons for Federal Inmates

A federal inmate is an individual who is sentenced to spend time in a federal prison. In order for an individual to become a federal inmate, he/she must commit a federal crime, and subsequently be tried and convicted by a federal court. If he/she is tried by a state court, he/she will be required to carry out his/her sentence in a state prison, thereby making him/her a state prison inmate.

The severity of the crime that an individual commits does not determine whether he/she will serve his/her sentence in a state prison or a federal prison. There are many different types of crimes that may be tried in a federal court. For example, fraud, forgery, embezzlement, counterfeiting, extortion, cyber crimes, and insider trading are all considered to be federal crimes. Violent crimes, including murder and arson can be tried by a federal court, though they are usually addressed by state courts.

As a result of the variety of crimes that can be tried by federal courts, federal prison inmates may range a great deal in demeanor and personality. The federal prison system maintains numerous prisons, all of which are considered to have different levels of security.

The most dangerous federal prison inmates are generally contained within maximum security federal prisons. For example, individuals convicted of serial murder or crimes against children may be kept in a maximum security federal facility. Convicts who have not committed violent crimes may remain in minimum security federal prisons.

Venture Capitalist

What is a Venture Capitalist?

A venture capitalist is any individual or privately-run company who provides capital for an early-stage, high-potential, yet high-risk startup company. A venture capitalist, in essence, is an entrepreneur, who is well-funded and eager to maximize the fund’s capital in a start-up company. The ideas behind a venture capitalist firm are fairly simple—they invest in a company (after completing appropriate due-diligence) during the prospect’s infancy stages. By getting in on the ground floor, the venture capitalist has the potential to make an obscene profit; the funds used to finance the prospect’s business will exponentially increase if the startup succeeds. That being said, the majority of start-up companies fail in succeeding long-term, so the role of a venture capitalist is extremely risky.

A venture capitalist fund will make money by owning equity in the companies it finances or invests in; these companies typically possess or create a new form of technology or a business model in high technology industries, such as information technology or software. The typical venture capitalist investment occurs once the seed funding (securities offering) round is satisfied in the interest of generating a return on investment or during the beginning stages of trade sale. It is also important to understand that a venture capitalist is a fundamental form of private equity; however not all private equity is a form of venture capital.

What companies may attract a Venture Capitalist?

In addition to forms of investing, such as seed funding and angel investing, venture capital may be attractive for new companies who possess limited operating histories and are too small to raise capital in the public markets. These companies typically have not reached the point where they are able to secure a bank loan or complete a debt offering. In exchange for the high risk that a venture capitalist assumes by investing in smaller and unproven companies, a venture capitalist firm will typically assume significant control over company decisions, in addition to a considerable portion of the company’s ownership. Obviously, as a result of this control, the venture capitalist assumes a large chunk of the prospect’s future growth and value.

Venture Capitalist Further Defined:

A venture capitalist is an individual or investment firm that makes venture investments; once the investment is made, venture capitalists are expected to bring managerial, as well as technical, expertise to their investment. In essence, once financing is delivered to the prospect, the venture capitalist will assume control over the company’s operating model to maximize their expected return and the growth of the prospect.

A venture capitalist typically refers to an individual or a group of individuals who pool monies together to invest in start-ups. A venture capitalist fund, keeping with this same premise, refers to a polled investment vehicle that primarily invests monies of third-party investors in enterprises that are deemed as too risky for the standard capital markets or bank loans. A venture capital firm will typically be comprised of small, highly-specialized teams (scientists, researchers, finance experts) or those with deep industry experience. A core skill that a venture capitalist usually employs is the ability to identify market trends and novel technologies that have the potential to generate high commercial returns during the early stages of investment. As a result of the riskiness associated it with start-up or immature companies, a venture capitalist must be extremely talented and prudent with his or her finances.

S Corporation Advantages

What is an S Corporation?

An S Corporation, based on the United States’ Federal Tax Law, is any corporation that makes a valid election to be taxed specifically under Sub chapter S of Chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code. Because of this filing, the S corporation does not pay any federal income taxes; instead, the corporation’s net profits or losses are divided among and passed down to the company’s shareholders. Following this process, the shareholders must then report the income or losses on their own individual income tax returns; this concept is regarded as single taxation. The S corporation therefore possesses a unique taxation model; the majority of these corporations are fairly small with relatively few shareholders. If the corporation is taxed as a regular corporation it would incur double taxation, where both the corporation’s profits and the shareholder’s dividends will be taxed.

S Corporation Advantages:

Forming an S Corporation will yield significant benefits in terms of taxation, organization and protection from liability. The S Corporation status offers a number of the same benefits of a partnership formation, particularly in regards to taxation. That being said, while offering such tax benefits, S corporation advantages extend to liability protection—the owners benefit from limited liability protection from creditors. S Corporation advantages also extend to corporate losses, which are typically passed through to the organization’s shareholders. Furthermore, as the owner of an S corporation, the individual has the ability to place losses against income that appears on his or her personal returns.

Clay County Jail

The Clay County jail in Moorhead, Minnesota is a facility dedicated to the protection of the citizens of Clay County. It is a facility that was built with the goal of protecting the citizens and providing the inmates with resources in order to help them re-channel their energy and refocus their lives, in order to be able to go back out into society and find work and stability.

An underlying desire for these individuals is the hope that the resources and information they acquire in the jail can deter them from going back to a life of criminal activity.

The Clay county jail is staffed by a team of 26 full time correctional officers, 2 half time officers, 8 roster correctional officers, 3 administrators, and 3 clerical office associates, who work with processing and paperwork matters. These individuals are the ones who help run the Clay county jail and keep the facility functioning in an organized fashion.

The facility of the Clay County jail is broken up into the jail and the annex. The actual Clay County jail is a facility that can hold up to 66 adult detainees at one time; these individuals can be either male or female. However, in the annex, this can be used for 30 males maximum.

Out of the various types of jails throughout the nation, the Clay County jail is one of the smaller establishments. This jail provides the basic amenities for living, like shelter, food, and hygiene facilities. It also boasts several different programs for individuals to give back to the community.

The work release program is one for those who are already productive members of society; it allows the individual to be released from jail in order to go to work and continue doing their job.

Work detail is a program for those who are not considered a threat to society; it is a program that allows individuals to do community service like projects, in order to gain skills and give back to the community. And a Sentence to Service program is an option for those who are not allowed to do work release; it is an endeavor for the inmates to work under the supervision of state employees, in the department of natural resources.

Ramsey County Jail

The Ramsey county jail in Minnesota is a rather small facility that is equipped for the care and holding of detainees who are awaiting sentencing and those who are were sentenced to shorter durations of jail time.

This facility is one in which men and woman are housed and provided for until they their sentences are over, or until they are moved to another facility, if they have jail sentences that are a year or more.

Ramsey county jail provides basic meals as a form of nourishment for the individuals who are detained within the facility. The also provide the option of phone calls; phone cards can be purchased for use of calling out of the facility; however, there is also the option of calling collect to family members.

During leisure time, individuals are allowed to play supervised games or watch television; this occurs within the designated time frames and can be for brief durations.

Within the Ramsey county jail there are different sections in which inmates are placed, including those who have a history in which there are disturbed issues or they require more supervision, there is a section in which these inmates can be detained, which is less crowded and provides the ability for observation and overall supervision.

Hennepin County Jail

The Hennepin county jail is considered to be the largest and busiest jail, or adult detention center that resides in Minnesota. The Hennepin county jail is a nationally accredited jail by the American Correctional Association, and is dedicated to the protection of the citizen of greater Minnesota. Furthermore, this facility has been praised on this care of the inmates and the maintenance of the overall building. It has also been given high praise for it’s by the book followings of standard and practices, as stated the Department of Corrections.

When it comes to following the rules by the book, the Hennepin county jail has very specific protocols for bail and various other issues related to inmate care and release. If a bail is to be paid on behalf of the inmate, it must be paid in the exact amount, in cash. In regards to visiting an inmate at Hennepin county jail, there are strict guidelines regarding age, what can be brought into the facility and who is considered a visitor.

Another feature of the jailing system that is regarded as a help to the community is the Hennepin county jail roster. The Hennepin county jail roster is a list that is updated hourly with the information of individuals who have been booked by the county jail. The information stated in the roster pertains to the entirety of the week, up until the most recent. For those who are in the process of being booked, the information might not yet be in the Hennepin county jail roster, but within several hours should be processed and included.

Minnesota County Jail

Hennepin County Jail

In Minnesota, Hennepin county jail is the largest and busiest of the Adult Detention Centers. Because it is such a large facility, there is very strict protocol regarding items, money, bail, and release of the inmates. The strict protocol is in place, in order to keep the facility functioning in an organized and streamlined fashion. For the general knowledge of the community, there is a roster that is updated throughout the day with all of the booking information, and release information of inmates of the prison.

Ramsey County Jail

Ramsey county jail is one of the smaller jailing facilities to be found in Minnesota. Here, inmates are broken up into different housing categories, putting those at a higher risk of violence or mental disturbance in a higher surveillance area, and allowing those who are not considered threats to be placed in minimum security. Inmates are allowed the basic amenities of food, water, showers, shelter, and beds.

Clay County Jail

Clay county jail is a jail centered on the individual inmates. Inmates who are deemed non-threatening can qualify for work-release or work-detail programs, in which they are allowed out of the jail to either go to work, or to do community services endeavors. A sentence to service program is offered to those who cannot do work release, this is another volunteer program. And for the rest of the inmates there are social and educational courses available.

Stearns County Jail

Stearns county jail is another jailing facility of Minnesota. This one has the capacity to detain 108 individuals; like other facilities, these cells are broken up into different housing units and are under the specifications given by the jail. There is also a separate facility and cells for individuals who require medical attention.

Nobles County Jail

Nobles county jail is run around the same basic principles as many other jails. It is a location in which inmates are detained, to keep the public safe. Within the jail, inmates are given three meals a day, have showering facilities, are allotted leisure time, and provide with beds, and the various other necessities. There are also account and phone options given to the inmates and family members, allowing them to stay in contact with one another.

Anoka County Jail

Anoka county jail is a small jailing facility in Anoka County. It is meant to hold individuals for smaller durations of time; these are individuals who are waiting to be transferred to a larger, detention facility, those who are awaiting their trial date, and individuals who have been sentenced to less than a year in prison. Anoka County runs under the same standards as all other jails in Minnesota, providing the essentials for inmates, while holding them for the safety of the public.

Crow Wing County Jail

Crow Wing County jail is a jail based on the goal of changing the lives of inmates through various programs. There are parenting programs, substance abuse programs, and spiritual programs, geared towards the support and enrichment of the lives of inmates. This is a common type of management used to dissuade inmates from repeating criminal acts and ending up in jail again.

If you need legal advice and assistance, contact Minnesota lawyers.

Former Massey Executive Charged in Mine Safety Conspiracy

On November 28, 2012, the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia announced that David Hughart of Crab Orchard, West Virginia was charged with two federal crimes. Hughart was the executive for Massey Energy Company, and the US Attorney’s Office reported he is charged with “conspiring to impede the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) and conspiring to violate mine health and safety laws.”

Hughart was the former president of Massey’s Green Valley Resource Group, and he is the highest-ranking official charged in the continuing investigation into Massey so far.

According to the US Attorney’s Office, Hughart and other employees for Massey willingly tried to violate health and safety laws and then tried to hide the violations by warning mine operators before MSHA inspectors came for inspection. The criminal activity continued from 2000 to March 2010 at Green Valley group and other Massey mines as well.

Coals mines are subject to large numbers of federal health and safety standards in order to prevent collapses, explosions, fires and more. MSHA inspections are unannounced and performed frequently to make sure companies are complying with federal standards. If MSHA inspectors record violations, mine owners can receive monetary penalties and the mine may even be shutdown until the violations are fixed.

U.S. Attorney Goodwin stated: “Miners deserve a safe place to earn a living. Some mine officials, unfortunately, seem to believe health and safety laws are optional. That attitude has no place in the mining industry or any industry. Today’s charges reinforce that urgent message.”

The FBI, the Department of Labor Office’s Inspector General, and the IRS’s Criminal Investigation Division were in charge of the investigation. The company that took control of Massey’s operations after is a merger in June 2011, Alpha Natural Resources Inc, is working with the investigation as well.

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation

Husband and Wife Conspired to Steal GM Trade Secrets

On November 30, 2012, the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan announced that a former General Motors engineer and her husband planned to steal trade secrets on hybrid technology from GM. They intended to use the secrets in a joint venture with a competitor in China.

The woman’s name is Shanshan Du, and her husband’s name is Yu Qin. They are from Troy, Michigan, and they were convicted and sentenced for unlawful possession of trade secrets. Qin was also convicted of wire fraud and obstruction.

According to trial evidence, the defendants conspired to steal the trade secrets from December 2003 to May 2006. As Du was employed with GM’s hybrid vehicle technology group, she provided information on hybrid vehicles to her husband. The trade secrets were used for their jointly owned company in China called Millennium Technology International Inc.

Du copied over 16,000 GM files five days after receiving a severance agreement by GM. Within months, Qin provided hybrid vehicle technology to a manufacturer and competitor of GM in China called Chery Automobile.

A search warrant was executed in May 2006, and the FBI recovered large amounts of computer and electric evidence. After the search warrant, the defendants drove to a dumpster behind a grocery store where they discarded bags of shredded documents with GM trade secret information.

The husband and wife both face up to 10 years in prison on each trade secret count. Qin also faces up to 30 years in prison for each wire fraud count and up to 20 years in prison for the obstruction of justice charge. They are scheduled for sentencing in February 2013.

The FBI was in charge of the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cathleen Corkin, Michael Martin, and Linda Aouate were in charge of prosecution.

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation

Reason For A Divorce Mediation

What is divorce mediation?

Divorce mediation is a form of alternate dispute resolution that involves the, soon to be, ex-spouses, their representatives, and a mediator. The purpose of divorce mediation is to avoid in court litigation over divorce matters and attempt to resolve divorce matters quickly and amicably with the help of a neutral party, the mediator.

In mediation the objective is for the couple to meet and attempt to resolve their disagreements concerning divorce matters like the distribution of property and assets, child custody and support, taxes and alimony. The mediator, for the most part, is an observer. The divorce mediator will only step in when disagreements between the couple begin to develop. It is then his/her job to keep the lines of discussion open and assist the couple in making a decision that is, not only fair to the couple, but fair to the rest of the family, especially children, that may be involved.

Why would I want divorce mediation?

First of all, divorce mediation, in comparison to trial, is inexpensive. Divorce mediation, on average, will cost between $3,000 and $4,000 for a three to five day session. This cost is split between the divorcing parties and usually includes all fees such as cost of mediator, preparation, disclosure documents and other fees.

Another reason to choose divorce mediation is that it is much less time consuming. The typical divorce mediation will last three to four sessions, usually lasting no more than two hours. These sessions are spread out over a period of time, usually not exceeding two months. In more complex situations, and situations where the couple refuse to take advantage of the mediation process the divorce mediation can take longer. If a couple cannot come to an amicable agreement then a mediator may recommend that divorce litigation in a court of law would be necessary.

Yet another reason for choosing divorce mediation is the emotional toll that divorce litigation in the courts takes on a couple. The idea behind divorce mediation is to come to an amicable agreement that both parties can be satisfied with. The mediator is essentially there to insure the civility of the matter, rationalize with the parties and keep emotions at bay. A divorce is a very stressful matter and more often than not the parties will have resentment towards each other. Once emotions get involved in a matter such as this it can lead to a stagnant situation where no part will give in and the party’s only objective is to hurt the other. This is something that is rampant in divorce litigation. In the court system a divorce proceeding will, not only be public, but often gets vicious, with dirty laundry being aired. This can be emotionally scarring, especially when there are children involved.

Are agreements reached in divorce mediation enforceable?

Once an agreement is reached and a contract signed between the parties the decision is enforceable. The judgment agreed to is prepared and filed in the court system. Once filed the documents are considered just another form of a divorce judgment and are strictly enforceable.

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