Tragic Lawsuit Alleges Oregon Officers Abandoned Mentally Ill Man to Die in Hot Patrol Car While They Scrolled on TikTok

COOS BAY, Ore. — The family of a man who died in police custody has filed a lawsuit, claiming that officers failed to provide necessary medical care while focusing on personal distractions, including social media. Nathan Bradford Smith, 33, who struggled with mental illness, died of heat stroke exacerbated by methamphetamine use after an arrest in July 2024. According to the lawsuit filed Wednesday, Coos Bay police officers allegedly neglected Smith’s obvious signs of medical distress, instead spending time in a parked patrol car watching TikTok and texting. The complaint accuses the city of Coos … Read more

Navigating Inheritance: New Jersey Attorney Christine Matus Unpacks Children’s Rights When Parents Die Without a Will

TOMS RIVER, N.J. — When a parent dies without a will, the consequences for surviving children can be significant, creating uncertainty about how the deceased’s estate will be managed. In the absence of a will, New Jersey’s intestate succession laws dictate the distribution of assets, a process shaped by the family structure and current relationships of the deceased, according to Christine Matus, a New Jersey probate lawyer. Matus notes that intestate succession laws prioritize family members, but the distribution can vary widely based on factors such as whether the deceased had a spouse or children … Read more