Lahaina Araneta, JD
Attorney at Law
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Co-authored Articles (19)
How to
Fill Out a Car Title Transfer
If you are buying or selling a vehicle, you will need to pass ownership of the vehicle by filling out the title transfer. The rules vary from state to state, so it's important to find out the specific paperwork and regul...
How to
Apply for Section 8 Housing in California
Section 8 is a federal program that helps people pay their rent. If approved, you receive a voucher that the state’s housing authority pays directly to your landlord. You then pay the difference in the rent. To apply, ...
How to
Spot a Fake I.D.
As licenses are becoming ever easier to forge, fake I.D.s are growing more common and more accurate. If you're in a position where you must verify someone's age or identity—whether a bouncer at a club or a teller at a ...
How to
Clean Your Driving Record
Wouldn’t you like to go back in time to when you had a clean driving record? No speeding tickets. Lower car insurance rates. Fortunately, you might be able to. Some states let you expunge violations from your driving r...
How to
Write a Motor Vehicle Accident Report
A complete guide to writing a DMV accident reportTypically when you're in an accident on the road, the police will complete a police report describing the accident. However, in some cases you may need to submit your own ...
How to
Get an Illinois State ID
If you live in Illinois, you may decide to get a state identification card to prove your residency and your age. You can also use the card to complete government documents and to access state services. To get an Illinois...
How to
Split Your Estate Fairly Between Your Beneficiaries
Few issues cause as much disagreement between family members as inheritances. Although you might want to divide your estate equally, this might not be the best solution in all situations. Begin by identifying your estate...
How to
Fight a Cell Phone Ticket in California
California law prohibits drivers from making telephone calls or sending text messages on a handheld cell phone while traveling. Drivers under 18 cannot even make hands-free calls. If you receive a ticket, you have some o...
How to
Claim Land
In the U.S. there are a few circumstances where you can file a claim on abandoned, unclaimed, and currently owned land. Keep in mind that land that may have been physically abandoned is still legally owned in most cases....
How to
Check the Points on Your Driver's License
You may need to check the points on your driving record due to a recent traffic citation, or for insurance purposes. Because the points on your driving record are like demerits, the less points you have the better! Visit...
How to
Apply for a Homestead Exemption in Florida
The homestead exemption in Florida can save you hundreds of dollars in property taxes if you are a permanent Florida resident. If you qualify, you can reduce the assessed value of your homestead up to $50,000. There is a...
How to
Subpoena Phone Records
You need evidence to win a lawsuit, and you can use a subpoena to get it. A subpoena is a legal command to turn over documents. To issue a subpoena, you must first have started a lawsuit. You can then fill out a subpoena...
How to
Bid on Government Contracts
Each year, the U.S. federal government spends hundreds of billions of dollars purchasing products and services. Of that amount, small businesses receive almost a hundred billion dollars in contracts. With the right prepa...
How to
Attribute a Creative Commons Licensed Work
Creative Commons (CC) is a global nonprofit organization that allows creators to legally share their work and allow it to be reused by others. Millions of works around the world are protected by Creative Commons licenses...
How to
Know when to Reopen an Estate
An estate refers to someone’s plan for the distribution of their property, belongings, and money after they are deceased. Once an estate has been fully administered and closed, it generally stays that way. However, the...
How to
Become a Legal Permanent Resident of the United States
Becoming a legal permanent resident of the United States is a lengthy bureaucratic process. Once you determine your eligibility, you will need to find someone who can sponsor your application. Then, you and your sponsor ...
How to
Get out of a Nondisclosure Agreement
A nondisclosure agreement (NDA) is a contract between two parties where one, or both, agree to keep some specific information confidential. As with any contract, a nondisclosure agreement can be legally broken or ended. ...
How to
Deem a House Unlivable
Every home for rent must be safe to live in (“habitable”). A home isn’t habitable when it has serious problems that make staying in the home dangerous to an ordinary person. To check whether your home is livable, w...
How to
Defend Against Lease Violation Claims
When a landlord believes that you have violated a lease, they should notify you of the violation by serving a notice on you. You can defend against the lease violation claim by documenting that you didn’t violate the l...
