Citizens of this country have fought hard to ensure that all residents are treated equally – regardless of race, religious belief or sexual orientation. As such, many laws have been established to back up these developments and organizations created to enforce these laws. As such, a lawsuit was brought against the operators of the Geneva Terrace Apartments in LaCrosse, Wisconsin for discriminating tenants based on race, which has been settled in court, according to the Department of Justice.

The manager and owner of the apartment complex will pay $57,500 in a settlement. The lawsuit alleged that Nicolai Quinn, the manager of the property, told African-American residents that were seeking housing that there weren't any vacancies when there were. Additionally, Quinn told white residents at the same time that there were rooms available.

The African-American couple that wanted to rent a room in the complex filed their complaint with the Metropolitan Milwaukee Fair Housing Council, resulting in an investigation and the discrimination charge.

"Nobody should be denied housing in this country because of their race," Thomas Perez, assistant attorney general for the civil rights, said in a press release. "The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, and we will continue to vigorously enforce the law to ensure access to housing regardless of the race of an applicant."

In many cases, most of the available information may come from depositions, testimonies or hearings rather than hard evidence. In such a situation, it becomes even more critical for lawyers to partner with a realtime court reporter that can provide accurate transcripts of these meetings. Milwaukee court reporters that offer video deposition services can be of increasing value in these cases as well.

In Butler County, Ohio, the Common Pleas court reporters program is going to be eliminated to reduce operational budgets. While the county may be planning on implementing recording devices to help provide the information needed to create deposition transcripts, many attorneys in the area are outwardly opposed to the new plans and show heavy support for the reinstatement of court reporters, according to the Middletown Journal, a local newspaper.

"It is always better to have a court reporter transcribe testimony in real time," Tamara Sack, a defense attorney in the county, told the source. "Especially if there is a need to have testimony read back during trial or provide attorneys with transcripts during trial without any delay."

Another lawyer, Jack Grove, stated that many recording devices experience problems with abrupt noises. Sirens, coughing and other extraneous sounds that occur on a daily basis can disrupt some portions of a taping, which can make it challenging for lawyers and judges to obtain accurate transcripts.

With so many attorneys from Butler County expressing support for court reporters, and even becoming concerned about how functional the court system may be in its appearance, it seems that court reporters are still in high-demand despite any advancements in voice recording software.

For attorneys in the Midwest, partnering with Wisconsin court reporters can be a way to not only ensure they're able to acquire accurate deposition transcripts when necessary, but also to provide lawyers with access to video deposition services and videoconferencing systems.

There's a reason why law books are as thick as door stops and prospective lawyers must go through years of school and paralegal work before they can begin practicing. Oftentimes, legal proceedings, regardless of how simple the allegations are, can be long and complicated ordeals, full of depositions, hearings, trials and transcripts. A recent case in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin is an example of how a simple allegation can become confounded.

Dennis Petrie has pleaded no contest to four out of 42 criminal counts he's facing, reports the Sheboygan Press. These charges are alleging that Petrie has, for the past several months, used obituaries and estate sale listings to burglarize homes of recently deceased Wisconsin residents.

Petrie was arrested back in March when he was caught allegedly robbing the home of a man that was vacationing out of state at the time, reports the source. After this, authorities found multiple items on his property that were reported stolen by the families of deceased individuals.

Petrie's party is currently claiming that authorities illegally seized the allegedly stolen items from Petrie's house without a search warrant. But, Judge Timothy Van Akkeren is denying that motion, citing that Petrie's wife gave officers permission to search the property without coercion.

While Petrie may have pleaded guilty to a few counts, there are still 38 left for lawyers to quarrel over. In addition, many of the professionals close to the case do not believe it is anywhere near over. By partnering with experienced realtime court reporters, lawyers and judges can access the most accurate transcripts of trials and hearings, allowing for a more efficient trial.

Benz Oil's website states that it is committed to "environmental stewardship" as an oil recycling plant. But, the business has recently fallen under some tricky times as it has been fined $140,000 by Wisconsin's Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

The Butler, Wisconsin-based facility is being fined due to a violation of 11 hazardous waste laws.

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported that the state requires that oil storage tanks are placed on concrete surfaces to prevent spillage, but an inspection of the Benz Oil company's facilities in 2009 showed the company placing the drums on gravel and day surface.

In addition, the state alleged that waste oil may have leaked from the tanks while placed on gravel and other natural surfaces. This could potentially contaminate the site. The DNR told the AP that used oil breaks down very slowly when it gets released into soil or groundwater. This can contaminate the surrounding resident's water supply and soil. Furthermore, the company's failure to investigate whether there were any oil leaks is another violation of hazardous waste laws.

According to Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen, Benz Oil is now compliant with state laws.

As this case stems from violations occurring three years ago, it's easy to see the importance of maintaining accurate and comprehensive deposition transcripts. By partnering with Milwaukee court reporters that also offer video deposition services, lawyers involved in lengthy, business cases such as this one can ensure their clients that they will get the best protection available.

Detroit, Michigan, the once-booming industrial metropolis, has experienced some adversity since the recent recessions. With bankruptcy on the verge and political corruption still being resolved, lawyers are surely busy dissecting deposition transcripts and preparing for hearings. But, a recent deposition may add more to the already complex state of legal affairs in the city.

Donald Watkins, an Alabama businessman, was approached by a fraternity brother of former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick named Jeffrey Beasley at a casino. Beasley attempted to "shake him down" for $100,000 in cash, saying that he could use the money to help support Kilpatrick's defense fund.

Beasley is also the former Detroit Treasurer under Kilpatrick's administration. He is currently facing criminal charges due to his involvement with a pension fraud scheme that resulted in $84 million in losses from the city in 2008.

"I shut it down," Watkins said in his deposition transcripts, reported by the Detroit Free Press. "I had fought off all of the other requests for pay for play, but this one took it to a level that I just found to be offensive."

In addition, Watkins said in his deposition that the dialogue occurred at an MGM Grand in Detroit in 2008. Watkins, during this time, was also working toward gaining a $15 million loan from the city's pension funds, which Beasley also stated he could help him with considering he was the board for pension funds.

Watkins' deposition surely increases the complexity of Beasley's ongoing charges. The former treasurer currently faces charges that accuse him of taking bribes and kickbacks during his pension fraud scheme. These bribes, according to the source, have come in a number of different forms besides cash.

As these cases can take years to resolve and often involve lengthy depositions and hearings, lawyers in the Midwest may want to partner with Madison court reporters that offer video deposition services to ensure they get the most accurate deposition transcripts.

A 73-year-old man is now on trial for the murder and sexual assault of a 9-year-old girl in 1970, just outside of Milwaukee. It's not often that cold cases are able to get reopened, let alone go to trial, but the family of Donna Willing, the girl that was murdered more than 40 years ago, has been able to get a second chance on closure, according to the Associated Press.

In 2007, the Willing Family began working with a cold case team on Donna's case. Authorities focused on a man named Robert Hill, who was already serving a 10-year sentence for sexually abusing children between 1995 and 2002.

According to the AP, Hill confessed to sexually assaulting Willing in the early transcripts of his trials. In one deposition transcript, he even stated that murder was not his first encounter with Willing in a sexually abusive way. He later recanted all these statements. Then biological evidence associated with Willing's case was lost in the 1990s.

But, Hill was ordered on November 20 to stand trial for the crime, via videoconferencing technology in the Milwaukee court system. Prosecutors are arguing that he should be kept in a mental institution indefinitely as his original sentence is nearly up and he is likely to abuse again.

In this case, it may help litigators to partner with Milwaukee court reporters that offer video conference services. This is especially true as Hill has fallen under bad health and does not travel well, which may require him to stay in the institution. By partnering with realtime court reporters that offer videoconferencing services, litigators can effectively communicate with Hill without needing to use a courtroom or an insecure platform.

As reported by this blog, technology has increasingly affected the way many industries operate. One of these technological advancements has been that of videoconferencing, which has allowed professionals to conduct meetings without traveling across the country, doctors to see patients in rural parts of their state and lawyers to meet with clients that may be in penitentiaries far away from the courts they're being tried in.

And, according to the Winnipeg Sun, the Manitoba Justice Department is planning on installing videoconference technologies to allow defense lawyers to stay in touch with clients who are waiting to hear back on cases and hearings.

The technology was officially implemented in the court system last week, when the Justice Department began inviting lawyers to use the videoconferencing system to connect with inmates located in the Pas Correctional Center and the Agassiz Youth Center.

Lawyers with a Law Society of Manitoba email address will be able to log onto a videoconferencing application that allows them to connect to the justice centers and communicate with their clients, regardless of where they are. Litigators can use any device with an internet connection to do this.

"We're trying to make it as flexible as possible over a fairly wide number of hours," Irene Hamilton, an administrator in the system, told the source.

As this technology begins to be implemented worldwide, attorneys in the Midwest may benefit from partnering with Milwaukee court reporters that not only offer realtime court reporting, but also video deposition services. These professionals will be able to provide a private space for lawyers to videoconference with clients, as well as deposition transcripts should they need it.

The separation of church and state has always been a major factor in the American legal system since this country was founded. As the pilgrims fled England to escape religious persecution, it was embedded in the DNA of American politics that religious organizations should remain separate from political issues and campaigns. But, recently, a lawsuit brought up in Wisconsin alleges the lines are still blurred.

According to the Associated Press, the Wisconsin-based Freedom from Religion Foundation (FRF) has filed a federal lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), stating that the government agency is violating the separation of church and state by allowing tax-exempt churches and religious organizations to get involved in political campaigns.

FRF's argument is that the IRS is not enforcing a federal tax code which prohibits these religious organizations from "electioneering," according to the source. The FRF argues that this is a violation of the First Amendment and equal protection rights because other tax-exempt organizations are not allowed to electioneer their preferred candidates. The atheist and agnostic group is asking that the court orders IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman to enforce the restrictions, as well as requiring the IRS to take legal action against any violators.

In similar lawsuits, which bring up complicated issues that date back to the Constitution, litigators will benefit from having the most accurate deposition transcripts available. By partnering with Madison court reporters, lawyers can ensure that they not only have comprehensive transcripts, but also use video deposition services to their advantage.

On Friday November 16, an oil and gas rig 25 miles of the coast of Louisiana exploded and caught fire, injuring 11 workers and leaving two missing, according to the Wall Street Journal. The United States Coast Guard has told the source that a two mile oil sheen surrounds the site, created by about 16 barrels of leaked oil, and that the two missing workers may have gone overboard.

While the fire has been put out, the oil rig's explosion, owned by Black Elk energy, comes during the same day that British Petroleum (BP) has been charged for numerous criminal actions regarding the oil spill that took place on April 20, 2010 in the Gulf of Mexico, as well.

According to the Associated Press, BP has agreed to pay the largest criminal penalty in United States history – $4.5 billion. In addition, an-off-the-record source told the AP that two BP employees face manslaughter charges over the deaths of 11 people due to the explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig, which caused the spill.

As reported by this blog, deposition transcripts can, oftentimes, reveal deeper levels of complications in criminal cases. This was shown by Marcia McNutt's, head of the United States Geological Survey, deposition on the Deepwater Horizon spill, where she claimed a lack of cooperation between the United States government and BP.

As such, it's critical for litigators and judges involved in investigations as extensive as the BP oil spill to be equipped with the most accurate hearing and deposition transcripts. By partnering with Madison court reporters, these professionals can ensure that they will provide their best support with help from realtime court reporters.

The 2010 British Petroleum (BP) oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, known as the Deepwater Horizon disaster, was reportedly the largest that has ever happened in American waters. The broken – and subsequently destroyed – oil rig leaked petroleum into warm Atlantic Ocean for nearly three months, with almost 5 million barrels reaching the shores of Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida. According to Reuters, two BP employees will soon face criminal indictments for their parts in the spill.

But, the Houston Chronicle uncovered the deposition transcripts for Marcia McNutt, head of the United States Geological Survey, where she alleges that BP and the United States government were on less than friendly terms during the recovery phase, potentially hindering efforts and exploiting the disaster.

"I didn't feel a partnership, you know, 'Let's figure out how we're going to solve the flow rate problem. Let's sit down and put the best minds from BP and the best of government and work this out'," McNutt testified, according to her deposition transcripts. "There was this tenseness. It was almost kind of a chill in the room when flow rate issues came up."

In addition, an internal email from BP sent on May 27, 2010, instructs BP employees "not to share data from the top kill operation 'outside the circle of trust." When McNutt was confronted about this during her deposition, she remarked that "it does not appear there was anyone from the [U.S.] government in the circle of trust."

It's clear that having accurate deposition transcripts can be critical to the outcome of investigations, as these are usually heavily relied upon by litigators and judges for key information and points of view.

By partnering with Milwaukee court reporters, lawyers in the Midwest will not only get accurate transcripts, but also comprehensive video deposition services that ensure a full understanding of the information presented.