Miscellaneous

• Real Estate Fraud: Pyramid Scheme in Atlanta

  Matt Buckmiller | July 12, 2007 5:20 PM | 0 CommentsWilmington, NC

  Gene A. O'Neal an Atlanta, Georgia real estate promoter pled guilty on Tuesday to two counts of mail and wire fraud. O'Neal stole tens of millions of dollars from investors through a pyramid scheme. A civil complaint filed by the SEC last October is pending against O'Neal and his company, Pinnacle Development Partners LLC. Some of O'Neal's more reprehensible actions included allegedly using...

• Beware Unifund CCR Partners

  Gary Shipman | July 11, 2007 6:38 PM | 0 CommentsWilmington, NC

  Having you been harassed, threatened or sued by Unifund CCR for a credit card debt that is more than 3 years old? Unifund is a "buyer of distressed debt" from lenders and credit card companies. Not only are those debts, in many instances, "distressed", but legally uncollectible.There is state and federal legislation that prohibits anyone from engaging in "unfair" debt collection practices. ...

• Drunk Boating Accident Kills Two

  Matt Buckmiller | July 10, 2007 4:43 PM | 0 CommentsWilmington, NC

  Two people traveling on a family boat at Skaneateles Lake in New York were tragically killed when they were hit head-on by another boat driven by someone allegedly under the influence of alcohol. At first it was believed that Brian Cordes, 25, was driving the boat. But, Onondaga County Sheriff's deputies found that Cordes was covering for his brother, Craig Cordes, who was allegedly drunk...

• Health insurance companies - Who's the real "Sicko"

  Gary Shipman | July 06, 2007 6:56 PM | 0 CommentsWilmington, NC

  You and/or your employer pay valuable money for the premiums on your health insurance. You've been told what your coverage includes and doesn't include. You have a "basic" understanding of what your contribution may be (i.e. co-pay). You therefore gain a piece of mind (albeit a false one) that when you or your family needs medical treatment, "cost" is no longer an issue. How wrong we are.Michael...

• Health insurance companies - Who's the real Sicko?

  Gary Shipman | July 06, 2007 9:15 AM | 0 CommentsWilmington, NC

  You and/or your employer pay valuable money for the premiums on your health insurance. You've been told what your coverage includes and doesn't include. You have a "basic" understanding of what your contribution may be (i.e. co-pay). You therefore gain a piece of mind (albeit a false one) that when you or your family needs medical treatment, "cost" is no longer an issue. How wrong we...

• Double Dipping and the Erosion of the Duty of Loyalty: The common practice of dual agency by Real Estate Brokers

  Matt Buckmiller | June 19, 2007 5:32 PM | 0 CommentsWilmington, NC

  In the hopes of obtaining more listings, greater commissions, and overall greater profits, real estate brokerage firms in North Carolina commonly engage in the practice of dual agency whereby they act as both the seller's agent and the buyer's agent in the sale of a particular piece of real estate. one form of dual agency, one broker from a real estate firm will act as both buyer's and...

• Double Dipping and the Erosion of the Duty of Loyalty: The common practice of dual agency by Real Estate Brokers

  Matt Buckmiller | June 19, 2007 3:12 PM | 1 CommentWilmington, NC

  In the hopes of obtaining more listings, greater commissions, and overall greater profits, real estate brokerage firms in North Carolina commonly engage in the practice of dual agency whereby they act as both the seller's agent and the buyer's agent in the sale of a particular piece of real estate. In one form of dual agency, one broker from a real estate firm will act as both buyer's and...

• 2007 Hurricane Season: Do you have your Hurricane Kits ready?

  William Wright | June 12, 2007 4:38 PM | 0 CommentsWilmington, NC

  With the new Hurricane activity forecast out from the good Dr. Gray, http://tropical.atmos.colostate.edu/Forecasts/2007/june2007/ it is time for eastern North Carolinians to prepare for hurricane season. Most people know or should know the necessity of preparing a hurricane kit complete with essentials (candles, water, can goods, fuel, first aid kit, weather radio, cash, etc...) to keep a...

• Hurricane season -- Do you have your Hurricane Kits ready?

  William Wright | June 12, 2007 12:10 PM | 0 CommentsWilmington, NC

  With the new Hurricane activity forecast out from the good Dr. Gray, http://tropical.atmos.colostate.edu/Forecasts/2007/june2007/ it is time for eastern North Carolinians to prepare for hurricane season. Most people know or should know the necessity of preparing a hurricane kit complete with essentials (candles, water, can goods, fuel, first aid kit, weather radio, cash, etc...) to keep a...

• Gary K. Shipman, Attorney at Law

  Staff Writer | April 07, 2007 3:13 PM | 0 CommentsWilmington, NC

  Gary grew up in Wake County, North Carolina, and attended the Wake County public schools. There, he began honing his advocacy skills as the member of his high school debate team, and continued as a debater while attending college at UNC-Wilmington. Because of its commitment to training trial lawyers, Gary attended law school at Campbell University School of Law, where he was named its top...