Author: Tracy Collins Ortlieb

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Tracy Collins Ortlieb is a digital marketing writer and editor and former daily news journalist who loves the art of crafting a compelling story. She lives in Chicago with her family, two cats and an exhausted library card. You can find her blogging at http://houseofclams.com/ and tweeting at @tracyortlieb.

Can a couple create a contract to guarantee sex?

For anyone with assets, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements are the legal standard. But the newest twist in these agreements is the lifestyle clause: like weight or fitness requirements between partners — as well as guidelines about the frequency of sex.

Is legal pot really in trouble under Trump?

In a press conference, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said that marijuana remains illegal under federal law and that the nation faces an opioid addiction crisis. As a result, he said, there would be “greater enforcement” in states that legalized recreational marijuana.

Can you sue over a ski accident?

Most states with thriving ski industries have passed laws that prevent a skier or snowboarder from suing the resort when an accident arises out of the inherent risks of the sport. While each state’s law is different, most define the risks of skiing as the “integral” or the “reasonably obvious, expected, and necessary” aspects of skiing or snowboarding. Nonetheless, resorts can find themselves in court.

Hollywood actors want their ages kept legally secret

Curious about your favorite celebrity’s date of birth? Do your research ASAP: a new law signed in September by California Governor Jerry Brown gives actors the power to demand that entertainment websites like the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) remove information about their ages. The law is intended to protect against age discrimination in Hollywood. But free-speech advocates are up in arms.

5 of the most surprising jury verdicts ever

In October 2016, a jury stunned observers by acquitting armed antigovernment protesters, led by Ammon and Ryan Bundy, of federal conspiracy and weapons charges stemming from last winter’s takeover of the federally-owned Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. But this certainly isn’t the only example of an apparent slam-dunk case ending in a surprise jury verdict.

People are watching you change—and it’s legal

As a theft prevention measure, many retail stores use surveillance cameras to monitor dressing rooms. The practice is on the rise, owing to improving technology, particularly the availability of smaller, less expensive cameras. Ever keen to catch a shopper swapping tags or even bagging an item, retailers are going to greater privacy-compromising lengths to protect their bottom line.