Aside from a lawyer...

[mjr]

Where's a good place to get some legal advice?

I am thinking of setting up a website and running a small contest on it. There would be no entry fee at all. The only requirement would be registering with an email address.

Now, I figured I could run it if it were "for entertainment purposes only", and be OK. However, I'm wondering if it changes things if I wanted to give out a trophy to the winner. The trophy wouldn't be very expensive, and I would pay for it out of my own pocket.

I don't wanna run afoul of the law...that's why I'm asking before I even get started on this.

[MoonCat]

Check your state's website in regard to contests, raffles, and the like. There should be some info on there telling you who is and isn't allowed to run things like this, and possibly some info on how you can go about it.

[Pixelated]

I know you said "Aside from a lawyer" there, but I'm wondering if there's any kind of free or low-cost legal clinic around that could help you ... just to ensure you don't miss something in the small print.

[csquared]

My local newspaper has an "Ask an Expert " column. They hav a lawyer for an expert. Check around.

[Kit-Ginevra]

What sort of contest? If all you have to do is supply an email address,then it'd be a lottery. If you had to answer a question(however gormlessly easy) and supply and email address,that would make it a contest of skill and I'm sure different rules would apply.

[mjr]

See, I'm wondering what the law is considering there's no money exchanging hands. That's the main thing.

What I want to do is my own version of a playoff pick-em. But you get points for every correct selection. And at the end, the winner gets a trophy.

[WishfulSpirit]

Try your local library. The reference librarian should be able to help you look up local statutes.