FindLaw Blog: News-Based Post

Tone/Voice:

• 3rd person – “he, she, it, or they”
• Use active voice instead of passive voice

Keywords:

• These are listed in the “Request Information” tab in the portal. These can be used for topic ideas when searching for news posts, but they do not need to be used in the blog itself.

Links:

• Each blog needs 2 links. One link to the source article and one to a relevant page on the attorney’s site.

Format:

• Has to be at least 250 words
• Must have a title
• Include the client’s GEO in the first paragraph
• Introduction paragraph – introduce the subject of the blog and transition to the news story
• Middle Section – this is the retelling of the news story. This should be completely original and should not follow the exact same order as the source story.
• Conclusion paragraph – connect back to the attorney’s practice area – can end with a suggestion to contact an attorney.
• Must include 2 links
• No lists
• If you use sub-headers, there must be at least 2 paragraphs before the first sub-header.
  • Sub-headers must be bolded rather than using H1 or H2 header formatting.
• Don’t reference the source in the content – i.e. “according to Forbes…”
• End the post with a source line
• No Contractions or Oxford Commas – ie “can’t should be can not”
• UPDATE: Do NOT write about/recommend products (such as software, apps, etc.) for the reader/clients to use for their cases. Blogs should be informational and professional.

Section Help

Title:

• Title can be no longer than 65 characters and should describe what the blog post is about (don’t copy the title from the original news post) – Also don’t capitalize more than the first word in a title. Numbers in titles are numeric – ie “3 people injured in new york crane accident” 
• If the news story takes place in the attorney’s state, be sure to mention it in the title.

Introduction Paragraph:

• 2-3 sentences in length
• mention the attorney’s state
• Introduce the topic of the blog – i.e. crane safety, protecting intellectual property, drunk driving, penalties, etc.
• statistics can be included – i.e. “According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over a million brain injuries are treated each year in U.S. hospitals.”

Rewriting the Story:

• Change the order from the original story
• for larger news stories, pick out a couple of important points
• summarize the news story for an original feel
• make sure facts are accurate, don’t make assumptions!
• omit details like time, date, and make of car
• point out what isn’t in the article – ie “The condition of the victim is unknown.”
• omit names
• eliminate derogatory terms such as convict, prisoner, suspect, rapist, etc.
• use the word “alleged” unless there is clear proof a person committed a crime
• do not use the word “police” – instead use “authorities” or “law enforcement”

Conclusion paragraph:

• should be 2-3 sentences
• Transition to suggest to contact an attorney 
• Don’t offer advice on what the victim in the news story can do – use general language only
• Call to action – if you use a call to action they should be “soft” – i.e “…might find it helpful to talk with an attorney” vs “….should talk to an attorney”

What to do first:

• Look at the attorney’s website to understand the types of cases they do.
• Check the attorney’s blog to avoid using the same stories.

How to find a story:

• Stories should be no older than 2 weeks from the date the order is posted
• Google News and Google are the easiest way to do this
• Search one of the attorney’s practice areas with a geographical area, state, neighboring states, or national. For example, “drunk driving accident Arizona” or “truck accident Arizona”
• If you can’t find a good story within a few minutes of searching, move back regionally. For example city>state>neighboring states>national
• If you still can’t find a good story quickly, move to another practice area the attorney offers.

Good Sources:

• Online newspapers
• Newspaper blogs
• Government agency press releases
• Legal journals (with exception of the Las Vegas Journal)
• Industry magazines
• Traditional magazines
• NOTE – if unsure about source, check first before using it.

Rewriting Tips:

• Use ‘who’ in relation to a person and ‘that’ in relation to an organization or business
• Don’t try to connect the dots when rewriting a story – just state what the story does and doesn’t say – NO ASSUMPTIONS
• avoid repetitive phrasing
• Come at the news story with a new angle, don’t follow the same order the information is presented in the source story.

Rules to know:

• use ‘undocumented immigrants’ instead of ‘illegal aliens’
• ages are numeric – i.e. 5-year-old, 60-year-old
• FBI and CIA are ok as is
• Washington, D.C.,
• Titles are capitalized if followed with a name – i.e. “FBI Director, Herbert Hoover”
• Abbreviate military and political titles – Lt., Gen., Sen., Gov., Sgt.
• Use acronyms AFTER introducing an agency – i.e. “According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration the warning was issued after several reports were received. The FDA also stated…”

 

Federal appeals court rules on sex offender program

Defendants facing sex crime charges in Minnesota have good reason to want to understand how the state’s sex offender registry program works. If convicted of a sex crime, a person may need to participate in this program and that participation may have long-lasting effects on a person’s life.

One of those effects is what some say is an overly long stay in prison. KARE11.com reports that an effort has been underway to make changes that would help more sex crime defendants get out of prison and out of the sex offender program and move forward with their lives in positive ways. In 2015, a court actually declared the program unconstitutional because of the length of time that it kept some people incarcerated. The ruling came as part of a lawsuit initiated on the part of 700 defendants.

More recently, however, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals has handed down a blow to that decision, saying that that program is indeed constitutional. The case now goes back to a lower court for further review. Reports indicate that the matter may be far from over as additional appeals to this latest ruling are planned and are an important part of protecting the rights of defendants.

Upon being arrested for and charged with a sex crime in Minnesota, people might want to talk with an attorney. This can provide insight into the changing set of rules and penalties that a person may face if convicted of some type of sex crime in Minnesota.

Man suffers back injury in slip and fall accident

Pennsylvania consumers should be able to feel safe when shopping in stores without worry of being injured. However, many business owners, managers or employees are not always responsible and may allow situations to develop that put shoppers in harm’s way. When this happens, it is reasonable for people to seek compensation.

Per the Penn Record, one man today is doing just this. According to reports, he was shopping at a Dollar Tree Store on New Year’s Eve two years ago. As he went through the store, he fell after coming to a portion of the floor that was slippery. His back was injured in the fall. It was discovered that some laundry soap or detergent was the substance on the floor that led to the dangerous conditions.

The man is now seeking more than $75,000 in compensation from Dollar Tree Stores, Inc. and other defendants. Two other companies are included in the lawsuit for their roles in manufacturing, packaging and sellling the product to the store. The lawsuit seeks damages for loss of consortium, liability and negligence on the part of the three named defendants.

When stores fail to keep the interior or exterior of their places of business safe for shoppers, it is only fair that compensation be pursued. People who have been injured in a slip-and-fall accident in a store, on a walkway or in a parking lot may wish to talk with an attorney to understand how they may be able to be compensated.

Man killed by driver who fails to yield right of way

Motor vehicle accidents may well be a reality of life but that does not take away the trauma that Colorado residents may experience after a collision occurs. Even without a serious physical injury, emotional upset can last and cause issues for people. The challenges and long-term effects can certainly escalate quickly when there is bodily injury or death that results. The individuals directly involved and their family members, friends and colleagues can all face difficulties in the wake of these tragic events.

Such is the case today for those who knew a 46-year-old Calhan man, according to KKTV.com. He was killed in a senseless car accident when the driver of another vehicle failed to yield the right of way at an intersection. The crash occured on a weekday morning not far from Schriever Air Force Base. The man was declared dead at the scene of the accident. The at-fault driver was injured but survived.

Reports indicate that investigators believe that alcohol could have contributed to the crash although no other details about that have been released. With or without the presence of alcohol, one man’s life was taken unnecessarily by another.

People who must mourn the loss of their loved ones in accidents like the above deserve help. Having a consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney after a crash may be a good way for people to learn about their options for compensation or other forms of help available to them.