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There are approximately 46,523 divorces filed each week in the United States, but one historic divorce in Florida last week has sparked renewed discussions about civil rights. The reason? It was the first formal divorce granted to a gay couple in Florida history.

The southern state has been locked in a debate over the constitutionality of its same-sex marriage ban since it was written into the constitution in 2008, much to the detriment of Heather Brassner and Megan Lade. Brassner pursued a divorce from her estranged partner for five years before Broward County Curcuit Judge Dale Cohen finally dissolved their civil union last week.

Cohen made waves in August when he ruled that Florida’s gay marriage ban violated the equal protection and due process guaranteed by the Constitution’s Fourth Amendment. He joined several other judges across the state in declaring the ban unconstitutional.

So what does this mean for gay marriage in the state?

There’s still a ways to go before same-sex marriage licenses will be issued in Broward County. Nevertheless, the ruling will have wider ramifications; out-of-state gay marriages will have to be recognized in Florida now, for instance.

“This is a historic day,” Brassner’s attorney Nancy Brodzki told Wink News. “This is the first divorce for a same-sex couple. It will not be the last divorce.”

Brodzki suspects that Attorney General Pam Bondi will appeal the decision, as she has for many that rejected the gay marriage ban. So far Bondi hasn’t responded, likely because her office is fighting detractors of the same-sex marriage ban on several fronts.

U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle declared the same-sex marriage ban unconstitutional as well, but Bondi filed an emergency petition to keep the ban in place until Jan. 5 to give her time to appeal the decision.

Bondi claims that striking down the ban would result in two sets of marriage laws and general confusion between different counties.

An Illinois woman is trying to trademark Eric Garner’s last words — “I can’t breathe” — for use on T-shirts and hoodies.

On July 17, white police officers confronted 43-year-old African-American Eric Garner over the distribution of unlicensed cigarettes. A friend of Garner’s caught the incident on video. Though Garner resisted arrest, he did so non-violently, saying “Every time you see me you want to arrest me, I’m tired of this. This stops today… I didn’t do nothing… I’m minding my business, officer…”

Officer Daniel Pantaleo then placed his left arm around Garner’s neck, and his right arm up below Garner’s right arm, who then fell. As Pantaleo and three other white officers tell Garner to put his hands behind his head, Garner repeatedly tells them “I can’t breathe,” which then became his final words.

On December 3, a grand jury decided not to indict Pantaleo, prompting protesters across the nation to take action. They have been rallying under Garner’s dying words. They put the phrase on signs and t-shirts, which are a great way to unify groups and organizations, and took to the streets to protest.

On December 13, 57-year-old Catherine Crump — who is not in any way related to the late Garner — applied for a legal registration of the phrase that has become a symbolic slogan for the masses protesting racism and police brutality.

According to The Smoking Gun, Crump says she hadn’t consulted with Garner’s before filing her trademark application, but that she isn’t seeking to profit off of the phrase. However, Crump also claims in her trademark application to have been using the phrase commercially since August 18. She also declined to explain what other possible motive she could have for wanting to trademark the rallying cry.

“If she’s not the first person to make these T-shirts, she’s going to be out of luck,” said University of Chicago law professor Jonathan Masur. He explained that if she was not the first person to print “I Can’t Breathe” on a t-shirt or hoodie, then she won’t receive the trademark, even if she was the first person to submit a trademark application for it and regardless of whether or not anyone else files.

If she does win the trademark, others who produce t-shirts or hoodies with “I Can’t Breathe” would have to pay royalties to her. The trademark, according to Masur, could conceivably “be worth a considerable amount of money. They could make a tidy sum.”

Luckily for protesters, the trademark only applies to its use on the clothing identified in the application — t-shirts and hoodies — and wouldn’t prevent them from using it on other material goods, such as protest signs, so it could still be used at demonstrations.

“You don’t get absolute monopoly rights over the words you trademark,” said Loyola University law professor Cynthia Ho, “because that would violate the basic premise of free speech.”

Buying a new home just got a little easier for some people in the U.S., thanks to new offerings from mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The new guidelines do have restrictions, but are aimed at young, first-time home buyers who may not have a large lump sum for a down payment.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac announced the proposals for the new mortgage rates in October, but the plans are slated to go into effect in December 2014 and March 2015, respectively. According to the New York Times, the new rate offers home buyers a chance at a very small down payment — a paltry 3%.

This is good news for a number of potential home owners who have been unable to make larger down payments; however, critics of the 3% mortgage say that it could cause a new housing crisis similar to the one that occurred a few years ago, which was caused by easy lending.

Proponents of the 3% mortgage say that it is offering more first-time home ownership to people who would otherwise be unable to buy a house. The Fannie Mae guidelines stipulate that the borrower cannot have owned a home in the last three years, and that the home must be a single unit with a fixed-rate term. Freddie Mac requires potential home owners to go through a homebuying education program. There are also, of course, minimum credit scores for eligibility.

Another part of these programs that alleviates the financial burden of home ownership is that under the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac 3% programs, home owners are able to cancel their private mortgage insurance premiums when the mortgage drops below 80% of the value of the home.

This is in addition to the savings that homeowners should also look into the reduce the amount they’re paying for homeowner’s insurance. Installing sprinkler systems, smoke alarms, and deadbolt locks can save a home owner up to 20%. There are a number of other different measures to take, but these typically depend on the state the homeowner lives in and the deductibles that the insurer offers.

International furniture giant IKEA announced that it has resumed selling kitchen appliances and furniture in Russia. Sales were suspended on Thursday, after increased demand proved too much for the company to meet.

On its website, IKEA announced that “Sales of kitchen furniture and appliances are now resumed in all IKEA Russia stores. Prices on the site are currently being updated, therefore they may differ from prices in stores.”

IKEA, along with several other companies, announced price increases in Russia after the ruble fell sharply in value. Apple also suspended sales in the country to keep up with the decreasing currency value, and several car companies, including Jaguar, Audi, Land Rover and General Motors have suspended their shipments as well.

Furniture manufacturing generates about $20 billion a year for the U.S., making it a booming market. But in Russia, where the value of the ruble has plummeted by over 40% in the past year due to falling oil prices and the Ukraine conflict, furniture sellers like IKEA are struggling to adjust prices to reflect the economic conditions.

The impending price hikes have caused a spending panic in Russia, as citizens scramble to pick up valuable goods at lower prices while they’re still available. The sudden dramatic increase in demand forced IKEA to halt kitchen furniture and appliance sales to keep up with orders.

CNN Money points to IKEA’s popular Billy bookshelf as a prime example. The product costs 1,900 rubles on the IKEA website, equivalent to about $30. It cost the equivalent of $62 before the ruble value plummeted, and the same shelf costs $59.99 in the U.S.

Many Russians looking for a deal like this may already be too late, since many retailers have already adjusted their prices. IKEA plans to change prices gradually as it restarts sales starting on Dec. 20. Inflation is expected to push prices even higher, especially for food. McDonald’s prices have already been raised.

So far none of the businesses have pulled out of Russia.

With the holiday season underway in the United States, many Americans are looking to help the less fortunate by donating to local and national charity organizations. But experts are warning donors to be cautious with their resources this year, in order to make sure that their donations have the maximum positive impact.

Some Americans may choose a charity simply for the tax deduction their contribution will provide at the end of the year. But this kind of quick thinking and lack of research is exactly what some less reputable charities benefit from.

Dr. Ronald Pitcock teaches an honors course on the nature of giving at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. He warns that a “bad” charity will quite literally bank on the sympathy of others. “They know many donors will almost immediately give from trusting hearts before ever checking the organization,” he says.

Pitcock and other experts say that putting a bit of time into researching an organization can help put an end to abusive, not charitable, practices and redirect donations to more responsible organizations.

Jim Hegarty, president and CEO of Nebraska’s Better Business Bureau, explains that the organization also rates charities on its affiliate site, Give.org, to help donors with that research.

Hegarty says the process is fairly straightforward in the BBB’s ratings. The BBB applies 20 standards for charity accountability in the areas of governance, finance, effectiveness, fundraising, and transparent information.

In order to qualify for a BBB accreditation, Hegarty says organizations need to meet those 20 standards. Additionally, “Sixty-five percent of all the money [they] take in needs to go to the actual services the charity is supporting,” Hegarty says, without using too much of those funds on solicitors or for fundraising efforts.

Anna Helhoski, a writer for blog NerdWallet, suggests choosing a charity that uses approximately 80% of their funding for programs, as all groups need to pay for administrative costs and fundraising efforts. Helhoski cautions donors to stay away from organizations that use vague language, like saying only that “a portion of your donation” will be used.

Whether or not the organization reports to the BBB, donors should look for transparency when researching charities. Many organizations display their tax return information online to give the public an idea of how their funds are used.

Donors should also look to give to a cause that means something to them personally. There are over 1.4 million charity organizations in the United States, according to the National Center for Charitable Statistics, so there should be something for everyone.

Many organizations are looking for monetary donations in order to help others get through the winter. Michael Smith, the president and CEO of Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania, says that his organization receives more donations during the winter months than other times of the year, even though they accept donations year-round.

Those who don’t have extra cash to spare can consider other ways to donate, such as giving clothing, household goods, food, and toys for children.