Title: Threatened to kill girl who posted my nudes if she didn't take it down. (kansas)

Question:
Basically a girl posted a picture of my dick on facebook and after i asked her to take it down (well, it was more of  begging) i told her i would get my uncles gun and kill her if she didn't take it down. obviously this was a bluff to get her to take it down (and just f.y.i she infact called my bluff and didn't take it down untill after 4hours and over 30people came and bullied me). The next day i was arrested and detained for 3weeks and i'm currently awaiting for my next court date. Also i'm a juvenile with no previous criminal record, and i feel as i'm being discriminated against for nothing more then my gender. EX: imainge a girl sends a guy a picture of her boobs, the guy posts her boobs on facebook and refuses to take it down, she threatens to kill him but he just laughs it off, who is the true victim here?

TL;DR i sent girl dick pic, girl posts dick pic, i ask her to take it down she refuses, i threaten to kill her if she doesn't take it down, i get arrested for criminal threat.
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer:
 Is this gonna be MRA day on the sub? 'Cuz I'm gonna need more coffee. Or whisky.

You do realize this could have been solved in about 30 seconds by clicking the "Report" button, right? Instead you decided to threaten to kill someone, and even communicated how you were gonna do it. Both parties are assholes, but you're the one who *threatened to kill someone.* That's the person who gets to spend the night in jail in this kind of scenario.

In your "gender reversed" scenario, the girl still goes to jail. It's a credible threat.

ETA, because somehow I missed this:

You're both guilty of breaking child porn laws. You broke the laws concerning production (when you took the picture) and distribution (when you sent the picture). She broke the law concerning distribution when she uploaded it to facebook. My money says this whole fiasco is a long, long way from over for either of you.

And another edit: And possession of child porn! How did I forget possession?Answer #2: > i feel as i'm being discriminated against for nothing more then my gender.

You threatened to kill someone. That is not related to gender. Just because some guy wouldn't care if someone threatens him doesn't mean you can threaten people. She took it seriously, as she should. You stated a plan to kill her.

Get an attorney. Stop giving people dick picks. Do not contact this girlAnswer #3: >who is the true victim here?

The person who you threatened to kill.

You say you're a juvenile. Facebook doesn't take kindly to child porn. You should have reported it, it would be gone faster than you could hang up the phone. Answer #4: You committed a crime. One crime does not cancel out another crime.


Title: Fiance came home from work injured, worried about taking her to hospital, please advise asap.

Question:
This is happening as we speak.  My fiance slipped on a wet surface at work.  She has a gaping, nickel sized wound on her elbow that requires stitches.  She also feels she may have broken her arm.  She fell hard, smacked her head off the ground and her back hurts.

Her manager put gauze and tape on the wound (it bled completely through) and had her finish her shift.  We have no insurance, and when she called to tell her employer that she needed medical attention, the manager directed her to 3 hospitals we don't have access to at this hour.  There is a hospital right down the street from us, but the manager told her the last person who was seen out of network "got yelled at pretty bad", and we're afraid she might get in trouble with her employer.  We really need this job, we're in a tight spot finanically and it would kill us to lose the income.  Her boss asked if she would be in for her shift tomorrow morning, and she said yes.  What should we do?

Answer:
 What's more important, getting yelled at/losing your job for going out of network or getting your fiancé the care she needs?

Go to the nearest hospital you can. Health is more important than money.


Title: [California] Safe at home participant jumping through hoops in order to get a new birth certificate. Help

Question:
I'm in Los Angeles, A LONG time ago I applied through safe at home for a new name and everything that came with that. They did a confidential name change, they gave me a new social card with that new name, I was extremely lucky that my bank changed it to that name and I found....after months of searching...an employer that didn't need an ID. Now, with all this and my court paperwork I thought it would have been easy to get my birth certificate.

Los Angeles courts (and safe at home) told me that I need to go to vital records, except vital records now needs a paper that has my original name and my new name on the same paper which none do, because it was a confidential change and it was sealed...even the paperwork was sealed. I told this info to the courts and they told me to get a lawyer, for what? to speak to the judge. I just don't know what kind? The one guy in the confidential name change room at Stanely Mosk is unhelpful but I get it when he says he cannot give me legal advice.

None seem to have even heard of safe at home or confidential name changes. Please I need help, I cannot even get an ID or driver's license, I cannot even get health insurance because they need to verify who I am.  I am literally stuck here.

Answer:
 Are you talking about the CA safe at home program?  Their contact information is available [here](http://www.sos.ca.gov/registries/safe-home/contact-safe-home/).  Have you tried talking to the "safe at home" program that got you a new name?

> told me to get a lawyer, for what?

Because you're asking to unseal a sealed record.

> I just don't know what kind?

The CA bar has a [find a lawyer page](http://www.calbar.ca.gov/Public/Need-Legal-Help).  There are a lot of legal aid resources in LA.  Do a google search for "los angeles legal aid".  UCLA and USC and Pepperdine also have law schools and may have legal clinics.


Title: Was this wrong? We're two adults

Question:
I shouldn't have tried to stick my dick in crazy.

Two adults, both over 25 and in New York.  I had a good reason at the time, I swear.

I didn't want to provide her with my prescription pills that she wanted. As a premium bc I didn't want to go meet her, I told her that I would meet her if she sent me a series of nude selfies.

I understand the premise of an illegal contract being unenforceable... She's now threatening me that if I don't give her the pills, she's going to get me charged with soliciting prostitution.

Would she be correct if she tried to do that?  I'm an idiot and it is in txt.  I have her attempting to extort me in text as well, but if she DOES have the legal ground to accuse me of soliciting prostitution, I don't need her to recognize that I have dirt on her too.

I'm dumb.  Hopefully you aren't

Thank You

Answer: Soliciting prostitution and dealing drugs are illegal.  Did you ask her for sex?  Either way, you can still be arrested for dealing drugs.


Title: Items stolen from my hotel room - Seems like an Inside Job - what are my options?

Question:
This was a major hotel chain.
The items were stolen while I was at a company training session (company was paying for trip and training)
Items were in the lower drawer of a dresser (a phone was also stolen that was charging)

Hotel took a scan of my door lock and said only Housekeeping and “door engineer” used door.  They said the door engineer was responding to me calling about broken door (which I did not do).

Hotel turned me over to their Insurance Company that has not given me any real updates in over a month.

I filed a police report at the time of the incident.

I gave serial numbers of items lost to Police and Hotel’s Insurance company.

What should I do now?

Answer: If you filed a police report a month ago, you could contact them asking for an update. You can also contact the insurance company again. Other than that, there's not much for you to do.


Title: My Mom Is Destroying My Credit

Question: My mom has been using my SSN for cable and electricity bills and other things (rent, phone bill, etc) for years since high school. (I'm 27 and I have moved out) I'm tired of it. I have over $5000 in collections for stuff I never signed up for. I dont want to take her to court (I dont have the money and I'm worried it's going to cause a bigger mess) I'm confronting her on Monday since I found a electricity bill in my name that required a signature that if I hadn't discovered, I know she would have forged my signature. I'm telling her I'm calling the electricity company and shutting off the electricty. Is there anything else I can do? Will freezing my credit help? Will my bank help in anyway? I'm planning on paying the $5000. She wont pay it unless shes forced to and even that I doubt she will. I really need some advice. My fiancee and I want to get a house, but my credit is at 500 because of the collections. So my mom selfish choices are stopping me to move forward in my future. Please help!!!!

Answer:
 The only way to fix your credit is to file a police report and send it to each creditor to contest the account.

This may result in your mother facing charges.

Do not pay anything towards the debt as you would be assuming responsibility of the debt.Answer #2: Your mom is committing identity theft.  You need to make a police report.  There's a good chance she will spend some time in jail.

Unfortunately the fact that you have known about this and allowed it to continue might mean that you will be responsible for some of the debt.


Title: Can a photographer profit from the sale of pictures of street art/graffiti without the consent of the street artist?

Question: Exactly what the title says. And does the legality of the street art have anything to do with it? If the artist can't or won't come forward and publicly claim to be the creator of the street art because said art is legally vandalism.

Answer:
 Ironic that a graffiti artist is concerned about people using his property without permission.Answer #2: there a current case in this iirc, started last year in involving american eagle. generally, it will come down to is this creative and unique, on a fixed medium, and what are the damages (since I'm assuming you don't register that). also filing alone admits to criminal acts. Answer #3: Based on your proposition that the street art is illegal, and not legal, he can.

If a graffiti or piece of street art was authorized by the competent authorities, it falls under the artist's copyright, and cannot definitely be used without the consent of the latter.

If a graffiti is not a piece of authorized street art, it is still subject to copyright as it is a work of art developed by a specific artist, but there's not much legal impact on what can be done.

There's a few cases about this including ads by ~~fiat~~ some major corporations that used street art by some well know artists, and they even sued them.
Since copyright does not specify street art (yet) the to-go conclusion is that if it crosses vandalism and is illegal, it cannot be protected.

You should check [this](http://itsartlaw.com/category/street-art/) out if you want to read more.

The thing is, street art is getting more credibility as a form of art, and less as vandalism, and thus getting more and more protected. It is a matter of time until legislation specifically about it is written.

EDIT: link and checked factsAnswer #4: What about buildings?  Architecture is an art, do they have rights to photos taken of the buildings?


Title: Bank denied loan for house

Question:
My bank denied a loan for a house that me and my family have been trying to get for over three months now we’ve already been pre approved and all that good stuff but we got a paper stating that we will not receive the loan until changes are made to the house such as front porch steps railings on the stairs to the attic and railing on the porch itself can they do this? Or are they over complicating things even more. Just to clarify I live in Eastern Kentucky
Topic:
Real Estate law

Answer: This is the purpose of the inspection and appraisal. Homes have to meet a minimum level of safety and inhabitability in order for them to loan money. I’m surprised your realtor or inspector didn’t explain this process to you


Title: (USA) To hire or not to hire a lawyer?

Question:
I am planning on opening a business that has varying laws regarding to whether or not I can accept users from certain states. I want to hire an attorney but he wants to charge 7500 for just his advice/opinion only.

The thing is is that I know what is required of me to do regarding incorporating, tax obligations, but I just have a few questions such as license required if any and other small questions that doesnt require much work besides him telling me what it is.

So should I pass on an attorney due to the large fee and just put in my time and effort on finding the answers myself? Wouldn't an LLC protect me anyway in the case I were to be sued?

Answer:
 Why do I feel like this involves bitcoin?

If I'm right, you do NOT want to skimp on a lawyer because if you don't do this 100% correctly prison is a real possibility.


Title: [KY] Firearms on company property

Question:
I work pizza delivery for a national chain and our local franchise has in the employee handbook that drivers are not allowed to carry weapons and are only allowed pepper sprays to defend themselves. Even after another driver in the franchise was shot and killed, the policy was not changed.

However, my personal dislike of the policy aside, my store is based in Kentucky and Kentucky law states (specifically KY code 237.106-1) “No person, including but not limited to an employer, who is the owner, lessee, or occupant of real property shall prohibit any person who is legally entitled to possess a firearm from possessing a firearm, part of a firearm, ammunition, or ammunition component in a vehicle on the property.”

So if I were to have a firearm in my vehicle on the property, and be fired or disciplined, would I be able to seek civil damages under this law? Is the policy of denying a driver the right to have a firearm for self defense legal?

Answer:
 The law says that you can leave a gun in your vehicle on their property, and you can - there's nothing they can do about that. Furthermore, that law gives you the right to remove that firearm in the cases of self-defense, defense of another, or defense of property. So, if you were in a shoot-out in their parking lot, you'd be in the clear. However, they are absolutely within their rights to bar you from *carrying* on their property, regardless of whether or not you have a CCDW.

If your place of employment even attempts to bar you from keeping a gun in your car, that law expressly permits you to sue them for civil damages (today, no termination required).


Title: [Hypothetical] At what point does a Christmas gift under the tree become the property of the gift receiver instead of the gift giver?

Question: Let's assume two roommates or something of that nature where you don't have family ownership laws getting in the way. This came up on a recent podcast, but I'm honestly curious about whether or not there's a legal precedent.

Answer: A gift becomes the property of the recipient when delivery and donative intent coincide. If the giver will not be present on the 25th when it will be opened, I would argue that it becomes the recipient’s on Christmas morning. If the giver will be present, they can prevent delivery until opening so I would say on opening. Just some quick thoughts.


Title: [Georgia] It's been almost 2 months with no air conditioning even after my land lord "fixed" the AC. When do I contact a lawyer and start making threats. It's 91 in here.

Answer: After he fixed the AC did you notify him that it was in fact not fixed? Are you on a fixed term lease?


Title: Arrested while Trainhopping (WI)

Question:
Hey,
I was recently trainhopping across the Midwest and (I assume) was spotted at a crossing. The train began to slow down and I, unaware of my detection, believed that we were approaching another station and prepared to jump off. Then I saw a black SUV flash its lights. I assumed it was the railroad police and jumped off, running into the streets. I ran a block, turned a corner, and began to walk. Then a normal squad car pulled up in front of me, and I was arrested.

I complied with the officers, didn't run, let myself be handcuffed without a struggle and identified myself when asked. I refused to answer any further questions, saying only "I respectfully Decline to answer." For this I received two fines, to be settled by municipal court. One for trespassing, which I am guilty of and happy to pay, but the other is for "Resisting or Obstructing an officer" (9.946.41(1)).

Now I already posted bail and am free to go, but my question concerns the second citation. Not only is it a significantly meatier fine, but I believe it is largely unfounded. Do I stand a chance of contesting this?

Answer:
 You ran away from the police when they turned their lights on to stop you.  That seems to be pretty clear cut BOTH resisting AND obstructing the officer.

What would your defense be?  Why do you believe that it is "legally unfounded?"


Title: Homeless with no ID or Social Security Card

Question:
So here's the deal.

If anyone here know any legalities regarding getting official documents such as ID's, birth certificates, and social security cards, I need your help.

My wallet was recently stolen. It had my State-issued ID and my Social Security Card.  I still have my birth certificate on my person.

I had just gone down to the Social Security office and got told what I had already suspected:  Can't get a Social Security card without an ID...but I can't get an ID without a social security card.  Situation gets tired.

I do not have any recent medical records.  I do have a record of an arrest in another state back in 2014.  That's it.    And even back then that record was made with no ID.

I do not have an address as I am homeless.  I do not have any family that can help me at this time.    I also don't have any bills in my name.

When you have essentially nothing proving who you are, how do  you go by proving who you are?

Without an ID, I'm not allowed to work an official job, which is crucial to someone who wants to get off the streets.

I'm not allowed to open a bank account
rent a hotel room
or even buy a bus ticket
along with a lot of things.

Any and all help would be appreciated.  Thank you.

Sincerely,
Natsume21

Answer:
 Need a state.  I believe you can get a state ID/drivers license with only a birth certificate.  Actually, I think you can get your ID replaced because they would be able to match the picture they have on file with your face.

DMV (or whatever they call it in your state) should be your next stop.


Title: Bribing non-public officials, y/n?

Question:
In the United States, is it legal generally speaking to bribe a non-public official?

Like asking the host(ess) at a restaurant in order to get a better seat or bypass the line.

Asking for a friend.

Answer: "I'd like to make a contribution to the fund for the policeman's ball"Answer #2: Wait.  What about the college admissions scandal?Answer #3: It's called "commercial bribery". A majority of states have laws against it, to varying degrees. Though generally these sorts of laws are concerned with bigger things, like kickbacks for commercial contracts. I'm not sure anyone has ever been prosecuted under these laws for bribing wait staff or such.


Title: Evicting roommate

Question:
Hi all,
My roommate situation has become unbearable and I'd like your help in resolving this situation.
\-I am the master tenant, he is a boarder or roommate
\-My roommate has paid late a few times, threatened violence, etc
\-gave him notice to leave by the 1st of next month yesterday verbally
\-can he refuse to leave? if so, what are my options for eviction? how can I expedite?
\-I have saved the texts of him saying he will engage in violence on me

Answer:
 If you allowed them to move in with you and they're not on the lease (or do not have a separate lease with your landlord, or do not have a written, fixed-term lease with you), then they're functionally your tenant, they're considered a month-to-month tenant, you're their landlord, and the proper legal procedure for removing them from their residence is:

\- Serve them advance, *written* notice to vacate

\- File for a formal eviction with the courts if they fail to vacate after that amount of advance notice

How much advance notice you're required by law to give them is going to depend on where you are, and perhaps how long they've lived there.  This is assuming you're somewhere in the USA, but your actual state would be critical as landlord-tenant law varies from place to place.

It goes without saying that if violence occurs, get to a safe place and immediately call the police.

>gave him notice to leave by the 1st of next month yesterday verbally

You're likely required to provide them notice in writing, not verbally.

If you want them out quicker, you can explore a "cash for keys" arrangement where you pay them or otherwise incentivize them to leave of their own accord earlier.Answer #2: What's your location? Does he have a lease with you or your landlord?


Title: Trying to avoid greed issues after mom’s death by buying her house from her now

Question: I’m considering buying my mother’s house from her as a way to supplement her fixed income and also keep the house in the family. I’m the only sibling with the means to keep up on maintenance and taxes (siblings are drug addicts) so the house would likely be sold for almost nothing if it was left to be split up between us. It needs work to say the least. My biggest problem is this. My brother manipulated every dime he can get out of my mother so I need to protect her from him or every dime I pay her toward the house will be intercepted by him. How do I stipulate that she can’t give money to him and even more important, how do I enforce it. She is 77 and he is 35, never worked and currently living off his gf and taking moms limited money because she can’t say no unless she’s completely broke

Answer:
 One thought is to buy the house and have the sale money placed into a trust for your mother's benefit.  You could set it up, with your mother's permission as the seller of the house, to have yourself as the trustee.  That way, you buy the house and give her a life estate (where she pays some small fee to "purchase the life estate"), money goes into an account you control for the benefit of mom  (e.g. you pay her groceries, etc.).  Brother gets nothing.

Be sure that the price you pay is a fair rate, however, as brother could have grounds for claims against you.


Title: Can I write funeral instructions into my will and are they legally binding?

Question: [deleted]

Answer: You can dictate whatever happens to your remains. You cannot tell people they cannot meet to celebrate your life and call a funeral. Answer #2: You can't force others not to have a gathering. People can meet for any lawful purpose they want to. And besides how would you intend to enforce this and what possible penalty do you think there could be?


Title: me (15f) wanting to get emancipated from non reliable mother (oklahoma)

Question: i’m 15, i’ve been wanting to get emancipated. i’ve been working since i was 13 (babysitting cleaning houses etc) and now i have a real reliable job, and have for 7 months. i want to get emancipated because i basically support my mom, i buy her what she needs when she needs & she in unemployed. basically has been my whole life. she always borrows money from me and never pays me back. occasionally she will give me rides to work but when not, i walk. she’d rather sleep than do anything parent related. she also has the biggest gambling problem.

Answer:
 I think your first call should be to CPS to discuss this.  At the age of 15, emancipation would be an uphill battle, but you could speak with a family attorney about it.

&#x200B;Answer #2: Before you move out, if you are not in an abusive situation, make sure you have one month of rent and utilities socked away. Jobs go away. You do not want to be a homeless 15 year old girl.

Research if your state has any benefits for minors to live independently.

Make sure you get at least your high school diploma.

Do not trust everyone you encounter or announce to people you live alone. This will allow predators in to your life.

...moved out at 16.


Title: [SC] Is it possible to practice law in South Carolina after completing law school in California?

Question: I saw an online law school but it's for California. Is there some sort of reciprocity between California and South Carolina in this regard? I know I would need to pass the SC bar.

Answer:
 Online law school sounds like a horrible idea. The most financially fucked person I ever met was someone who went to a for-profit law school, couldn’t pass the bar exam, and had nearly $100k in student loans.

Answer #2: Unless the school is ABA accredited (which no online schools are, to the best of my knowledge), no, you cannot take the bar in South Carolina with a degree from that school.  Nor would you pass if you did.

This isn't a question of reciprocity; that would require you passing the California bar first, which you wouldn't do if you went to that school either.

There aren't really any short cuts to legal education and passing the bar.  It is hard, time consuming, and generally costly.


Title: Mom won't leave house

Question: Hello. I live in Ohio. I've been housing my 88 year old mom for years. She gets disability money from the government around $500. Other than that, I've been housing her for free. She keeps stressing me, cussing me, and refuses to leave. I cannot take it anymore and I do not want to house her. How do I get rid of her? Can I evict her? She refuses to leave? Do I have the police come and escort her to an elderly facility? Please help!

Answer: She has tenant rights so you will have to go through the formal eviction process. Answer #2: She's a tenant, so first you have to give her notice to vacate. If she doesn't leave, you then have to evict her.


Title: My child's mother voluntarily let our daughter live with me, now she wants her back after over a year... [TX]

Question:
When daughter's mother, Clare  and I stopped getting along so well, we had a custody order drawn up. Clare got primary conservator ship in  it.
We lived together at the time, but I got my own place when everything went downhill. After the order, Clare was too busy to take care of her, so she allowed our daughter to move in with me.

I have done everything ever since for our little girl. She lives with me full time, and sees her mom maybe once a week, once every other week.
We recently went back to court for a modification, as I want primary custody now. That is still pending.

Today, I told Clare that we were moving about 30 min away (within the same county) and she kind of lost it. She started screaming that she has the right to designate the primary residence, and I can not move if she says no.

We have a temp. hearing late next month, and I am in the process of retaining an attorney.

I just wanted to get a little insight until then.

She has not exercised a single part of the order. I have her on insurance, pay all of the un-insured costs, despite it being 50/50, pay all child care, everything, plus she has lived with me.

If I move with her, is that something that is going to look bad in court? Can she really fight me on this?  (I mean, i know she can fight me on whatever she wants, but is here really much of a fight?)

Is there anything that could be argued with voluntarily giving up the right, and me having possession of her for over a year now?

Thanks in advance for any advice/help/insight

Answer:
 Until you get a new order, the old order is still in force.

So, her option is to assert her custodial rights.


Title: College dorm kitchen closed

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Talk with reslife about getting it reopened.

I should probably add that an unpaid balance on your account will prevent you from registering for classes or requesting an official transcript.  Leave it long enough and they'll send it to collections.Answer #2: Read through your housing contract and see if you can find any relevant clauses.


Title: (PA) My wife just moved out and left some patients papers...

Question: My wife just moved out and she works as a hopsice nurse. While going through stuff to throw away I came across a treasure trove of patient records for admitting them to hospice (conditions, addresses, date of births, and if they are hospice eligible. No SSN yet). Should I report this to her work or HIPPA as a violation?

Answer: Well, obviously this is a grievous breach in patient confidentiality. I am a nurse but I don’t work in hospice. Technically you can report her but you could easily return them to her to dispose of properly instead of trying to ruin her career and life?


Title: Can CHP/Cops use a siren to get you to pull over just so they can pass you?

Question:
So I was driving 45 in a 45. Some CHP pulls up behind me and starts aggressively tailgating me.  I assume he was trying to egg me on to pull me over so I just ignore him and continue driving legally.

Then suddenly the Sirens pop on and I’m thinking what the hell is this guy going to try and get me on? I was literally just legally driving.

I signal and pull off, he passes me and starts doing like 60-65 as he vanished into the horizon (mind you we’re in a 45mph Zone). I just continue driving assuming he had a call or legitimate reason to be using his sirens and speed off.

Anyway, 10-15 minutes later I come into the small town down the highway and who do I see sipping a coke in a parking lot and laughing with a friend: Mr CHP.

Is that even legal to use your siren for illegitimate reasons like wanting to go faster than the car in front of you (and the speed limit)?

Just curious. Not that I would do or report anything. I know nothing would come of it other than potential harassment/retaliation from the CHP which I wouldn’t want (yay American Judicial System! >_>).

Answer: Emergency vehicles are only supposed to use the emergency lights and siren when responding to an emergency. The PD sometimes turns them off and on when responding to calls unlike Fire/EMS. The officer you saw could have been responding and on the way to the call was told that he was not needed and to go back in service. It’s not unusual for emergency vehicles to head to a call responding with lights/siren and on the way they are told to stop they are not needed and go back in service.


Title: Landlord trying to move me into a different apartment and increase rent after I've singed lease.

Question:
This is in Denver, CO.

Hi,
I'm about to move into a new apartment on the 23rd, and my future landlord just called me and told me that the unit I've signed a lease for isn't going to be ready. They're telling me that they have another unit available on the 23rd, but that the rent will increase by 45 dollars.
They want me to come in and sign a new lease for the other apartment today. I'm fine with moving into another unit, but I just want to pay the same that I signed off on in the lease.

This feels kinda 'bait and switch' to me, but I'm no lawyer.

Update:

I looked at the lease, and they clearly violated it. I just called their manager and told her that if this isn't resolved, then I'm walking away from the whole thing. She agreed to give me the more expensive unit for the same price as the one I signed the original lease for. After work I showed up and signed a new lease showing the new unit number and the price of the original rate.

Thank you all for your advice!

Answer: You can walk if you'd like; this constitutes a material breach by your landlord as you describe it.


Title: [Orlando, FL] Legality of co-worker releasing contents of her celeb pics CD-ROM online?

Question:
A co-worker showed me some photos yesterday on a CD-ROM; pictures of Selena Gomez, Donald Trump, Hayley Williams, Katy Perry, Michelle Williams, Evan Rachel Wood posing in bikinis.

She used to work in Hollywood but is doing some freelance work for us for a few months (marketing, promo, publicity); I work in marketing for a large firm.

The co-worker, Jenny, told us she's going to release these photos to the press in a few weeks and via social media.

Legally... can she do so and would she be sued?

Answer:
 Wait.  Donald Trump in a bikini?

I'm pretty sure she has a duty to release that.


Title: Possible Expulsion From School [California]

Question:
So last week while at school I was accused of being under the influence of weed. They way this was decided was by them doing a eye test and they said my pupils were not normal. They refused my request for me to call my parents twice. They searched me and found nothing. They smelled me and I didn't smell like weed. I have been suspended and I may be expelled I'm not sure what's happening yet. Is pupil dilation even evidence of me being high? They even said I could be high from the day before which is bullshit. The people who handled it at school already dislike me and also I feel they were targeting me because of the Grateful Dead shirt I had on. How could them basing their entire decision on only pupil dilation be legit evidence when they could just say that if they dislike me?
Topic:
School Related Issues

Answer: Get a hold of the school's policies on drugs/suspension/expulsion/etc. You might be able to use some of the info in there to your advantage.


Title: Is it possible to claim cook recipes as intellectual property?

Question:
There is a [thread](http://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3a6nou/did_ancient_civilizations_like_mesopotamia_greece/) over on /r/askhistorians were /u/LargeFriend posted an example of an ancient greek law that
>granted cooks a monopoly of one year over any innovative dish they came up with.

Would that be possible under US law?

Answer:
 /u/LargeFriend here. The answer is no. The only reason I am familiar with the story of the Sybarites is that there's been discussion in some academic circles over the last few years of bringing in an intellectual property right for recipes, and they like to cite the story of the Sybarites as an example that people did once grant IP rights in cuisine. But of course the only reason they are having such a discussion is because nowhere currently does.

Introducing an IP right in recipes would be even more difficult under US law than other jurisdictions. US IP law doesn't allow copyright in 'mere lists' or sets of instructions, which is ultimately what a recipe is. See further *Feist Publications Inc v Rural Telephone Service Co*, where the Supreme Court found a compilation of facts or instruction is not copyrightable.


Title: Girlfriend is a Home Health Care worker, her ex client is claiming she stole from him

Question:
She just quit this previous job and started a new one. The client she was working with is now claiming that she used his credit card to buy herself things when she went out to buy cigarettes/drinks/etc for him. He's informed her old company and they are now doing an investigation. He's claiming that she took $260 from him over time. Of course, she always used her own card to buy herself things. The client says they have bank statements proving it and a backup statement from the gas station employee where she used both cards.
I'm trying to find some free local legal advice, but other than that we have no idea what to do. This is in middle Tennessee by the way.

Answer:
 Tell her not to speak with anyone until she has retained counsel. If she is either served with a suit, or if the police show up - DO not speak with anyone without counsel.

This is troubling. Why would there be a bank statement and a statement from an employee attesting to the fact that she stole?

During the discovery period of a case, your lawyer will get access to those records to work on your own defense.


Title: Could this defendant avoid prison? [Colo]

Question:
I am looking for some educated speculation on the possible sentence/outcome of a felony case, specifically if the defendant is likely to go to prison (and if so, for how long). Apologies if this is not the right forum for this type of question.

I've been able to piece together a history from court records. Defendant originally charged with "Controlled Sub-poss Sch 1/2/fl/kt/ct (DF4)" and pleads guity to "Controlled Substance-poss Sch 3/4/5 (DM1)". Goes to Drug Court and is sentenced to 2 years probation plus community service and fines.

6 weeks later, arrested for "Assault 2-peace Officer (F4)". Goes back to Drug Court. Pleads guilty to "Assault 2-drugging Victim-heat Passion (F6)" and gets a deferred sentence of 2 years. Also pleads guilty to "Assault 3-know/reckless Cause Injury (M1)" and is sentenced to 2 years probation. The probation for the original possession plea deal is revoked and reinstated at this time.

3 months later, she's arrested again. This time for "Robbery/agg-intent Kill/maim/woun W/weap (F3)" and "Assault 2-cause Injury W/ Deadly Weapon (F4)". I know she had an arraignment for these charges on 7/10 and made a plea bargain, but I don't know the details: there is no sentencing information like I see with the other cases. She was released from county jail to "Home Confinement" at this time. On 7/19 a Drug Court hearing for the 1st 2 cases determined that she had failed out of Drug Court, and the cases were reassigned to the District Court judge presiding over the most recent case. The next hearing she has on the docket is next week, and it shows as a "Status Conference" for the newest case and "Hearing on Advisement" for the cases moved from Drug Court.

I have heard through the grapevine that the defendant expects to not serve any further time in jail/prison. Could that be possible? Given the severity of the most recent charges, I wouldn't have thought so, but then again, I was surprised she was released to House Arrest. I don't know if it makes a difference, but she expressed this expectation before her Drug Court cases were moved to District Court. I'd appreciate any help you guys can give to figure out what's likely to happen with these cases going forward.

Answer:
 >looking for some educated speculation on the possible sentence/outcome of a felony case

That's not legal advice.  That's fortune telling.

It sounds as though this defendant faces considerable jail time if convicted on all the charges they face.  What outcome they may actually see depends on all kinds of factors we can't know.


Title: Possible to erase medical records?

Question:
Hello

I'm wondering if it's possible to erase some medical records? A friend of mine is wanting to go to pilot school but has sought some help for depression in the past and I know if you have that on your medical history it's next to impossible to get in because they fear that you could be depressed in the future and become a defective pilot. Is it possible to do this sort of thing some how?

Thanks you

Answer: You have no right to require a medical professional to destroy records and indeed it would likely be malpractice for them to do so.  Additionally, lying about your medical history is a far bigger red flag than the history itself.  Someone who is willing to lie about their medical history to get in the cockpit isn’t someone I want flying my plane and if the FAA finds out his license would be revoked and depending on the language of the application it could be criminal.


Title: (PA) my sisters dog lives with me and broke his chain and bit my neighbor

Question:
My sister pawned her dog on me, since about Thanksgiving the dog has been living with me. My sister is 19 and very attached to her dog. She's living with her grandparents and her dog doesn't get along with their dog so he can't stay there. The dog is a dachshund. He now lives with me.

The dog in general is friendly however there has been a series of events that seem to escalate each time which has led me to ask her repeatedly to find a new home for the dog. She is extremely attached the dog and each time it causes an argument because she doesn't have anywhere else for him to go. It turns into a guilt trip on me.

Anyway so the dog is still here and today he broke off his chain outside and chased after a couple who were walking their dog.

I live in a not so good neighborhood and there are dozens of stray cats that constantly torment my dogs and there are always people walking around on the streets at all hours. The dog barks constantly at them.

But today he actually got off his chain and bit the woman on the leg and drew blood. The man knocked on my door and asked if he had his shots update which he does. They left without saying anything else but I know that doesn't mean they won't press charges.

As the homeowner am I responsible? I have to have aSerious talk with my sister because if she loves her dog she will find someplace for him that is safer for everyone otherwise she could be forced to put him down. I mean even if these people decide to press changes he could be put down.

I guess my question is, what happens now? What am I responsible for and what is my sister responsible for if they decide to press Charges? I do have homeowners insurance

Edit to also add that the dog moved in with me when my dad moved in with me. He lived with my dad for years before my dad decided to put his house up for rent any live with me.

Answer: You are responsible for the dog. If the person he bit has medical bills you're responsible for those bills. Your sister isn't responsible for anything, because she wasn't the one who was in charge of the dog.


Title: Can you win a defamation case against a newspaper?

Question:
So I was arrested a couple of weeks ago in a prostitution sting. It turns out, that sting was part of a much larger human trafficking sting. There were 75 people arrested, and the article that was published picked 6 mugshots, mine being one, and posted them on the front article.

“Human trafficking, prostitution sting nets 75 arrests.”

I have since had countless people call and ask if I have been trafficking humans, have been banned from my children’s daycare because I was “arrested for human trafficking” and lost my job because of the publicity surrounding all of this.

The title of the article mentions prostitution, (i was soliciting prostitution) and list many of the mugshots of the other 74 people as well as the charge they face, however my name is not mentioned anywhere.

I’m just trying to figure out if I have any leg to stand on here. Can somebody help me?

Answer:
 You can win defamations cases against newspapers, but not in this case. They said you arrested as part of a Human tracking, prostitution sting and that's true. If they said you were arrested for human trafficking specifically you might have a case.Answer #2: There's not a defamation case to be had here. "I was only trying to have sex with trafficked victims by paying the people enslaving them, not enticing them into sex slavery personally" may be a valid point of clarification, but it's not going to improve matters at all to have the newspaper print that about you. Unless your mugshot was printed with a caption that specifically identifies you as committing a crime you were not engaged in, there's not much to be done.Answer #3: You can contact them. I am sure they would be happy to print a retraction that states you were *just* soliciting prostitution.

However, its not defamation because the prostitution sting did net 75 arrests. Answer #4: You really don’t have much of a case here. But what you can do is contact the paper and ask them to print a correction to clarify your charges. You can also ask that your picture be removed from any online articles and explain the consequences the publicity has had for you. Tell them you don’t want your kids to know until they’re old enough for you to explain. They don’t have to say yes, but it doesn’t hurt to ask. And they probably will say yes when you explain why.


Title: Planet Fitness forged my signature on a membership transfer

Question:
I recently went to cancel my Planet Fitness membership after holding the Black Card for over a year. The Black Card came with a requirement to hold the membership for at least a year. I have held mine for about 14 months.

However after about 6 months into my membership I transferred membership to a new PF location. They emailed me the contract but I never actually signed anything. I sent a certified letter to terminate membership, but Now that I'm trying to cancel, they are saying that the contract says I am locked in for a new 12 month commitment (which I can terminate sometime in January).

I looked at the contract they emailed me after transfer that unfortunately I never bothered to read assuming it was the same terms (no one told me any differently).  On my signature line is a squiggle that I have never seen before. I am a lawyer (out of the profession though) and have never signed a document this way before. I suspect they forged it instead of giving me a new contract to sign in order to lock me into another year.

I already sent a certified letter to terminate and they simply sent me another copy of the alleged contract.  I asked to speak to their manager via phone today but he did not call me back. Now I am wondering what I should do - on principle I do not want to pay the $60 termination fee, and I don't mind fighting this, as I am incredibly upset that they forged a document! My bank will block their charges for $30. Should I do that? What rights do I have under the law? I'm not actively practicing law anymore but I do not mind going to small claims to handle this, as long as I am prepared. Thanks in advance. I am in New York City if it matters.

Edits: for spelling

Answer:
 one detail about PF you should be aware of: they're franchises. so while PF corporate handles the billing and paperwork, the person who forged your signature probably works for a franchisee. this means the franchisee is also responsible for what's going on. hint: second defendant.

here's one tactic that might get their attention: next time you call, ask for a sup, not the front line call center flunkie. when you're talking to a sup, ask for the name and address of their registered agent. if they have higher intelligence than non-, that might get some motion. the only people who ask for registered agents are about to sue. do the same for the individual store.

asking for the registered agent is worth a phone call for two reasons. first, it might give you the name and address of their registered agent, which will save you chasing it down with the secretary of state, so you can serve process once you file. second, it might actually get them to look at your problem with an eye toward avoiding process service.


Title: [MO] Ex-wife got the home, both names on mortgage and she can't refi and is now behind. Options?

Question:
We stupidly purchased a mobile home 1997 and started raising two kids there before I graduated university and we all moved to Kansas City in 2004.  In late 2005, I caught her in an affair, she got knocked up and from 2006-late 2008 we were in court for the divorce - all for custody of the kids (ended joint, but they live with me 10 months or so out of the year).  All of the credit card debt went to me, the car went to me (no liens), and the mobile home went to her since she was already back living there.  The divorce decree simply states "she gets the home" with no mention of refinancing.

Unfortunately, she's never really been in a position to refi the home because she so rarely works and lives off of others.  Currently one brother is living in the mobile home while her and her son live with another brother in the same town.  So skimming over /legaladvice search results this appears to be a "common thing".  She's not working, not paying child support, and most importantly, the mortgage company has been calling me all summer to get updates about her situation because my name is still on the mortgage with hers, yet they can't reach her.  They are at the point of repossessing the mobile home, which I honestly don't care anymore.  I moved out of there September of 2004 and buying a home isn't in my future for the next 5 years at least.

There's been no quit claim paperwork, no paperwork at all, and I've received no mail from the mortgage company, just phone calls.  They aren't pressuring me in any way yet but the last payment made was in May.  My credit is already in shambles but if there's *any* way I can get my name off of the title, I might just take it.

To top it off, I'm currently on disability and about $700 a month short for my own bills (COBRA being the one making life difficult) and so paying the $255/mo mortgage bill is not an option in any way.  I have a GoFundMe going just to try and get ahead of the medical bills but so far have barely kept the lights on - a bone marrow transplant is not cheap, and I've even taken several of these phone calls while in the hospital this summer.

Pretty certain the answer is that I'm hosed since the decree doesn't even give me an option to get her for not refinancing and eventually contempt.  Thoughts?  Options?  Clever ideas are welcome.

And ironically, the balance on the mortgage is almost equal to the balance on my 2007 Kia.  Around $9,000.

Answer:
 NAL.

IIRC you would need to go back to court to get an order to force your ex to either refinance or sell the home. A bit late for that now and the home is likely to get repossessed and leave you with bad credit.

You stayed on the mortgage so it is still your legal responsibility.


Title: (Illinois) I was drugged at a party according to a blood test, I'm alive and although mentally hazy not entirely messed up, I think I know who did it but I only had one friend at said party and whatever I did while drugged made her unfriend me, would pursuing a case even be worth it or possible.

Answer: How about you tell us what happened in a few more sentences?  And also ask a legal question.


Title: CPS home visit today

Question:
The whole story is in my post history if you're interested, but basically our crazy ex-babysitter reported us to CPS. We're not sure exactly what she told them but they're coming for a visit today. We have a lawyer and he's helping but I have absolutely no experience with CPS and no idea what to expect. Any insight would be much, much appreciated.
Topic:
CPS and Dependency Law

Answer: Is your lawyer going to be there? Make sure your cordial  and never get defensive. Might be worth it to record the interaction to have a document of what went on.


Title: (Wisconsin) Stalker ex but shared custody. Very serious!

Question:
My cousin is being stalked by her ex boyfriend. The were together for a very long time, had a child together and have since separated.
For years, before they had their child they were involved heavily in drug use. Once She learned she was pregnant my cousin quit and got herself into rehab. Its going on four years now and she's completely sober. She gave a ton of  lectures to nursing students, giving them advice on dealing with addicts and spotting signs of addiction while she was in college and she now has a career, already in these four short years. For awhile her boyfriend stayed sober too, until he wasn't. After a short time she kicked him out, wanting nothing to do with that lifestyle anymore especially with a child in the house.

The problem now is that he will not leave her alone. He hides in the basement of her apartment, high out of his mind and just listens to everything she does. He's even popped up in the child's bedroom window to talk to the kid while my cousin was in the living room watching TV.

Today I learned... And this is hard for me because I love this girl so much. Today she told me he has been threatening to kill her. Well, kidnap her, hold her hostage for however long. Rape her. S.l.o.w.l.y. kill her...and then have his way with her corpse before rigamortis sets in- he is extremely graphic in details. he sits around while he's high out of his mind for days on end planning this thoroughly and he's said he either would kill himself afterwards but he's not worried about going to prison for it either. He  constantly brings it up to her, in great detail.

Its scary because she's grow so use to his behavior she doesn't fully realize the weight of the situation. Her and I are both big True Crime followers and indulge on the I.D. Channel, which to me makes it unreal how she cannot see the true horror of this mans actions.

I want to help her gain full custody of their child and help her find a home, at leaste an hour away from where she lives currently- so he won't be able to find her and break into her home.  I want to know what she has to do in order to have solid evidence against this guy, in order gain full custody from a judge in the state of Wisconsin, and a restraining order, although her and I both agree he wouldn't let a piece of paper stop him from stalking her, but at leaste its a little something. She is still currently on probation from her history, will that make a difference?

Answer:
 Report it to the police.  Like yesterday.  Get him arrested ASAP & out of her life.

Get her an alarm system, so he can't get into the basement/bedroom.  Consider getting a dog too.  Consider moving, too.


Title: Took responsibility for my Grandfather's pure bred dog with a breed history of expensive health problems, am I entitled to anything from the estate for dog care?

Question:
(CT, US) My grandfather passed and left everything to his four grandchildren. I opted to take his Shar-Pei puppy not fully knowing the extensive list of possible health problems Shar-Peis commonly have. He is already showing some of these issues and I can see the vet bills piling up. There is nothing in the will indicating any pet trust or instructions so I'm just wondering if there is anything I can do.
Topic:
Wills Trusts and Estates

Answer: You didn't *have* to take the dog.Answer #2: Non legal advice: Nationwide does a pretty good pet insurance program. It can really help if you have expected bills. I use it for my dogs and it's saved me thousands of dollars.


Title: (Feral?) cat in neighborhood

Question:
Hey everyone, so I was hoping I could get some advice on a situation in my neighborhood. We have this cat that has become a nuisance to the community for the last 8 years and in that time has caused thousands of dollars in damages. The people who own the cat claim that they do not own the cat as he is an outdoor cat yet they do admit to feeding it and having it neutered. The cat has recently destroyed the outdoor furniture of a neighbor who is seeking restitution for damages in the amount of $1000, and the "owners" are claiming they are not responsible because it is not their cat. Instead they are asking for the neighborhood to fundraise and cover the cost as it is a community cat, however the community hates the cat and would like to see it relocated. My question is if they have provided medical expenses for the cat and feed it, is it legally their cat? And if not, then can the community have the cat removed without any issue on ownership. Thanks in advance and thanks for reading.
Edit: we are located in Georgia if that helps

Answer:
 Why would let a feral cat run rampant through the neighborhood for 8 years before calling animal control or capturing it?Answer #2: Call animal control.

Whether the cat is owned by the neighbors in question or not is irrelevant.


Title: [Michigan] Can I have process served on the defendant when he's at work?

Question: I'm trying to sue an ex-tenant for rent owed and property damages, and he did not give his forwarding address and won't answer my attempts to communicate (phone/text/e-mail). He owns his own business and has a standing contract with the company my brother works for, so I know when he'll be there. Can I have process served on him while he's on the job? I asked the court clerk and they said no, but I don't know how else I would go about finding his address, short of stalking him home after work.

Answer: [Rule 2.105 of Michigan Rules of Civil Procedure](http://courts.mi.gov/Courts/MichiganSupremeCourt/rules/Documents/CHAPTER%202.%20CIVIL%20PROCEDURE%20%28entire%20chapter%29.pdf) would govern here if it's in civil court. You can't MAIL the notice or suit to the defendant at your brother's work place, but you can have him personally served there (according to that rule).


Title: [North Carolina] Can I buy alcohol at a restaraunt for someone of legal drinking age if I am not of legal drinking age?

Question: I've got a date with a girl to go to a Mexican restaurant. Knowing her, she will probably want one drink with the meal. She is 21 or 22, I'm not suicidal enough to ask a woman her age. My concern is, I'm 20. I have no interest in drinking, and I wouldn't be buying it for myself. Is it legal for me to pay if that is on the bill, or will she have to pay for her drink herself?

Answer:
 Having worked in a number of restaurants and attended many alcohol trainings for some very risk-adverse companies, none have ever mentioned this. They only cared about the ordering and consuming part, not the payment. I wouldn't give it much thought unless I heard the minor talking about ordering the drink, and only then it would be to watch for the minor sneaking drinks.

Sounds like it could be illegal though. If they don't accept your payment, she'll just have to pick up her own drink and it shouldn't be a big deal to either the restaurant or your date.Answer #2: From here ... http://reports.abc.nc.gov/uploads/resources/43e805f02a254abd85cbc23135b17e97.pdf

Alcohol may not be SOLD or served to people less than 21 years old.

So, the answer is definitely and unequivocally NO.


Title: [CA] Is it legal for a doctor to cancel my appointment and refuse to see me as a patient?

Question:
I am a 26 year old woman living in California who (as the title says) was just called and informed that my doctor canceled my appointment for this morning and refuses to treat me moving forward.

A few days ago while camping in Colorado, I became ill (nothing serious, I suspect it’s just a sinus infection). Yesterday I called my mom at 4am and asked her to call the doctor’s office on my behalf because my fiancé and myself were driving through the mountains and I wasn’t sure what cell reception would look like for the rest of the day. When we finally got home last night, my mom informed me that I had an appointment for the following day (today) at 11 am.

Fast forward to this morning: I get a call from the office manager informing me that the doctor has a policy that patients must be seen once a year to continue to be seen and the last time I was seen was three years ago. “Okay, I understand. So I’m going to need to pay as a new patient,” I said expecting that to be the end of it. I was told “no, he is not willing to see you.” I call my mom once again and tell her what I was just told on the phone and she was livid and told me to come over and when I got there I found her on the phone with the doctor’s office.

For some context, I have quite serious health issues that stem from having spinal meningitis as a baby which require me to see specialist for the bulk of my medical needs. The doctor that I had the appointment  with has told me that my case was beyond the scope of his practice so I have used him exclusively for moments like now: the flu, sinus infections, and anything else that would require a round of antibiotics before clearing up.

My entire family has seen this doctor for years and what we suspect is that this is fallout from this doctor misdiagnosing my dad and letting him walk out of the office while in reality he had sepsis which landed him in the ICU for sixteen days. At no point in time has anyone in my family threaten with legal ramifications or even so much as uttered the words “malpractice.”

My mom and I are both on speaker with the office manager who is profusely apologizing, keeps saying she doesn’t agree with his choice, and that she has never seen/heard of this policy until this morning when the doctor told her she needed to call and tell me I wasn’t welcome at his practice. I was never informed of this “rule”, never called/asked to come in for a physical to keep my account open at the practice. I was given no warning that this would/could happen and even offered to pay the “new patient fee.” I don’t want to editorialize this story by adding things that I do not know as fact but what it *sounded* like on our end of the phone was the doctor ripping the phone out of the woman’s hand, he said “tell your daughter to go see her specialists,” then he hung up the phone.

While I think we could probably all agree that at a minimum this doctor sounds like a real piece of work and at this point I’d rather light money on fire than give it to him. However, I am not sure if he is legally/ethically allowed to do this? I tried to google/do some research to see if there was something that could offer some illumination on the situation but I either didn’t dig hard enough or the information I’m looking for isn’t one of the first five pages on google.

If any of you could offer some insight, I would be very appreciative because as it stands I’m just very confused.

Answer:
 The doctor is under no obligation to continue to have you as patient. Answer #2: >However, I am not sure if he is legally/ethically allowed to do this?

Yes.  Go to urgent care for your infection, and find a new primary care doctor.Answer #3: 1.) My father is a doctor- yes this is legal. Arguments for ethics could go either way.
2.) Why would you want to go back to a doctor who misdiagnosed sepsis?


Title: Kid won't give me back my phone?

Question: Basically he said on facebook has my phone and I'm not getting it back for whatever reason. Can I report this and get this kid fucked or nah?

Answer: There used to be a certain agency or organization that investigated thefts and arrested people for stealing, but I can't remember their name at the moment. I'm sure they are still around. You might want to look into it.


Title: [MD] Making a birthday roster for employees.

Question:
My boss wants me to put together a list of  everyone's birthdays so we can do punch and cupcakes week of. I feel like a jackass because I gave a guy a call that went balls deep into the evening on his birthday and I want to avoid doing that again.

Is it legal to ask other employees for their date of birth? I don't want to run afoul of any anti discrimination policies/laws.

Answer:
 >	I feel like a jackass because I gave a guy a call that went balls deep into the evening on his birthday and I want to avoid doing that again.

I have no idea what this means.

But beyond that there is nothing illegal about asking for birthdays.  Indeed HR likely has everyone’s birthday in their hiring info.Answer #2: It’s not illegal to ask employees their birthdays.

In fact, you should already have them on file somewhere from when they submitted their I-9 documentation.Answer #3: Just ask for the month and day of birth and not the year.Answer #4: Can you please explain your “balls deep” comment.

Myself and like 5 people are really hoping to find out soon.Answer #5: >Is it legal to ask other employees for their date of birth?

Why would it be illegal?Answer #6: Someone in HR should have all of those, why ask them?

And no, asking is of course not illegal. Some might not want to disclose their year of birth, some don't want to tell you at all, but simply *asking* is not illegal. But you can't force them to tell you.


Title: (WI) I don't own my driveway. Help!

Question:
I have owned my home in Wisconsin for six years. I never had a professional survey done of the property. I just relied on the previous owner's description.

Through a series of events, I discovered that I don't actually own my driveway. It is an alley. However, this alley goes to one place: my garage. It doesn't provide access to any other homes, businesses, or properties. From the street, it just looks like a driveway.

My husband and I have done all the maintenance on the driveway (replacing gravel and filling in holes), and we take care of all the snow removal in the winter.

I am worried about someday losing the use of my driveway. My lot is very narrow on the street. There is no other place to put in a driveway. I would lose access to my garage and be unable to park on my property.

I have tried contacting the village to see if I can purchase the alley from them. They tell me that they aren't sure what to do. None of them realized that the driveway was an alley. It's been maintained by the owner of my property for decades (the house was in the previous owner's family for 30 years). Then they tell me they'll get back to me and never do.

So, where do I go from here?
Topic:
Real Estate law

Answer: I would start by checking your title, or speaking to the title company that handled your purchase, to see if there is an easement for the driveway (there should be).Answer #2: I’m wondering if adverse possession (I think that’s the correct term for it) would apply hereAnswer #3: When you say you "don't actually own {your} driveway. It is an alley."  ... Sounds like your driveway is not included on the parcel of land you do own, right? So ... whose parcel of land is the driveway on? Then you can go down to the county and check the titles to see if there's an easement. An easement is an enforceable type of property right, that goes along with the property it is connected to. And even if there is not a registered easement, there's a couple different methods by which an easement could be implied. For example, a single original owner split one big lot into two and stuck a driveway/alley from one across the other. Because it is physically already there, and it's been there presumably for a long time, it makes it hard for the other land owner to say, "I had no idea you were using that as your driveway!" I'm guessing you do own it as an easement.


Title: How can we legally collect the laptops we loaned our students?

Question: We have a handful of students who have not turned in laptops we loaned to them for the school year.  Our procedure has been to collect laptops on the last day of school, then reach out a week later via phone for any students who have not handed theirs in, and past that, sending an invoice for the cost of the device.  If they don't pay the invoice, what options do we have for collecting our devices?  Are we allowed to file a police report?

Answer: send it to collections.  police report won't work as it's a civil matter.


Title: Written up and disciplined for calling in sick on a day I had off?

Question: Okay so I'm not sure if this is the correct place to post this, but I'm just wondering if this is reasonable or whatever I guess. I have a bit of a bad allergy issue where, while infrequent, certain things can occasionally cause my face to swell up quite badly. This happened a while back on a day I thought I was scheduled to work at my job. Georgia job, full time retail. I called in several hours before I believed my shift was to start, and was told by one of the managers that the schedule had actually been altered over the weekend and I had the day off anyways, so I shouldn't worry about it. I was relieved at first, only to have the store owner (different person), angrily call me into her office to scold me for it and wrote me up for it. Is this something that's typical in jobs or is she just being a bitch?

Answer: It is typical in retail and fast food for some managers and owners to be assholes.  It is not illegal.Answer #2: What were you wrote up for, exactly?


Title: (MA) Possible copyright troll letter? How Serious?

Question:
My friend runs a little web blog that has some personal musings but is mostly an aggregate of stories from other nerdy places on the web.

Last night he was in a panic because he got a letter from a law firm stating that he had posted copyrighted photographs. And that it was not good enough that he just remove them-- they want him to remove them and then contact them for a "retroactive license" to the photographs .

What he did was basically link to a video on you tube with a cute animal that had been being passed all over the place (facebook, buzzfeed, etc) and then wrote an article with his feelings on the video and included an accompanying picture reiterating his point (the same picture that had being passed around facebook, etc.)

He's concerned because he registered the website in his own name (which they spelled wrong in this demand letter) and he doesn't want to lose his house or something serious over this shit. But I feel like it is a total shakedown. In fact, googling said lawfirm it seems like they send out thousands of these letters every month and people have posted that they "pay them 500 dollars just to make them go away."

He's taken down the pictures, the article, the link, the everything.  What should he do now? It isn't a famous animal (not, like, grumpycat) and he actually had some positive interactions over facebook with the family that owned the animal at the time it was going viral (they shared the link to his page and article because they thought it was clever.)

My friend hasn't used the image for anything that would make him money-- he hasn't made tshirts, claimed to own it,  or anything like that. It was totally a "look at this cool thing" article.

I say he just ignore it. He has anxiety and is worried and I'd like to put him at ease.

**TL;DR Lawyers contact friend about an image on his webpage and want $ for a retroactive license. Are they trolls or should he get a lawyer?**
Topic:
Computer and Internet

Answer:
 FINALLY A TRUE SCENARIO FOR FAIR USE!!!!

Where is u/King_posner for this post?

I think your friend has a good case for fair use.  Although, it does not hurt to be prepared to engage a lawyer if the adverse law firm takes the case any further.

Fair use is governed by the U.S. Copyright Act.   Under the copyright law fair use (including parody) is determined by four factors - the purpose or character of use (are you trying to make money out of it), nature of the copyrighted work, how much of the copyrighted work was appropriated, and effect of the copyrighted work on the market.

The fair use defense is enacted to protect people who are using copyrighted content for the purpose of editorial and educational purposes.  As a matter of public policy and free speech, copyrights cannot be used to stop the furtherance of the first amendment (to criticize) and promoting the sciences (to educate).  As long as your friend used the copyrighted content for editorial and educational purpose and  did not make any money from the distribution of the copyrighted content, it should be considered fair u se.  Answer #2: It's too bad you're not in MD. I would happily write a response letter for free.

This does sound like a copyright troll. There's a very strong argument that this is fair use (without seeing the alleged copyright), but I don't want to make that argument without seeing it in context.

If it were me, I would try to contact nonprofits that are adverse to copyright trolls (such as EFF) to see if they could give your friend a referral. I'm sure there's somebody out there who would be happy to consult with your friend for free.


Title: Can I get sued?

Question:
I'm starting up a clothing company that pokes fun at all things political. The question I have is, can I get in any sort of trouble by making parody shirts that mimic other trademarks? For example, if I take the CNN logo and make a different version changing one of the letters but it is the same font and style? It is obvious what I'm parodying (as it should be) but it is different.

How does that all work?

Answer: Yes, you can be sued. The question is will any damages be awarded against you? This is where you would want to consult an IP lawyer. This issue is very gray and murky.


Title: [MA] Will my small claims lawsuit be considered frivolous if the amount is too small and the real reason for the case is revenge?

Question:
I am considering suing an ex girlfriend. During our relationship I consistently lent her a winter hat when it was cold as a sign of care and affection for her. One day, she ghosted me in a way which hurt me greatly, and did not return the hat. I repeatedly politely asked her to return the hat to me, and she said she would (that it was in storage). She draw this out for a long time but then stopped responding. I was never threatening or anything, but perfectly polite, and never texted her with a frequency of more than once every two weeks or something.

The hat's value is $30. I admit freely that a large amount of my motivation to take her to small claims' court is based on revenge. The way she ghosted me was awful and hideous and hypocritical as she had lamented the way a previous boyfriend of hers had broken up with her over text.

It would likely be obvious that my intention is to punish and inconvenience her. This is more important than recovering the hat, although the hat has a large amount of sentimental value to me and I do not want her keeping it.

Would a judge consider such clear motivation to constitute a frivolous suit?

I am aware that I am fixating on this, and don't need psychological advice (I have my issues and am taking measures), just legal advice. Edit: not dating advice either.

Answer:
 Yes, it's a silly lawsuit and a waste of everyone's time.   You aren't entitled to the value of the hat when you bought it, you're entitled to the depreciated value of that hat used, which is probably $10 or less.

You sound obsessed and should seek some counseling.Answer #2: You mean will a judge be amused that you're using the court system to be petty over a hat worth $30 when the filing fee is $40?

No. No they will not.


Title: [GA/NC] Wife is moving for school, employer doesn't want to deal with me in another state.

Question:
Edit: Tried to create the post on mobile and failed miserably.

My wife has to move to NC for school. I mostly work from home and up until recently my company was OK with me moving with her but have since decided that they do not want to deal with filing tax information about me in another state. Hearing the explanation was a bit circumspect, but it makes sense all things being equal.

Here is my question and the reason for the post: my employer has said that they do not mind me continuing to work for them from NC under the condition I maintain a GA address. I own the house we live in currently and am thinking about renting it out to a couple friends. Would it be wrong of me to keep my current address on file with my employer given that I probably will end up spending some/a lot/most of my time in NC (I am willing to spend most of my time here if need be, there is plenty of room)?

Answer: I guess you will have to find a new job.


Title: Neighbors Noisy Dog (Orlando, FL)

Question:
Using an Alt account.

I live just outside Orlando FL, in Sanford FL. My neighbor has two German Shepard's he keeps in a 5x5 pen in his fenced in back yard. They bark non stop, and I do mean non stop most the day and almost all night. He does feed them and clean the pen but that's it as far as his interaction with the dogs. This is FL suburbs so houses are close but we all have fenced in back yards. When those dogs are barking it reverbs off all our houses and right into my master bedroom and my kids rooms down the side of the house. The neighbor to the right of him has complained several times as well as us. No HOA.

What we have tried/done:

1. We have politely talked to the neighbors on 4 separate occasions. They say they will take care of it, bring the dogs inside for a day or 2 then put them right back in the pen. We have documented the dates and times and description of these conversations.
2. We have bought a white noise machine and tried ear plugs. These did not shut out the barking.
3. We bought an anti barking device and installed in our backyard. This emits an unpleasant but not harmful sound that only dogs can hear when they bark. It worked for a few days but then the dogs decided the discomfort was worth barking for.
4. I have been documenting when the barking starts/stops by dates and times. I have been making various recordings both video and audio. Last week we installed cameras around the outside of the house to capture it on a regular bases.
5. I called animal control. They took a sound reading from inside my FRONT living room it was 78 decibels. Outside in front the front yard they were picking up 84. The way the houses are funnels the sound all around like a concert hall. They talked to the neighbor, he put the dogs up for a few days then they went right back outside. I called them again and they brought out affidavits to be filled out. The thing is, they want 3 of us neighbors to sign off and have it notarized (to stop sensitive people from complaining non stop). The neighbor on the right side of the dog ( I am on the left) is at wits end and will sign off but others don't want to take it that far "in fear of retaliation". The form does make it very clear that this will be public record and they could have to go to court. Once they read that they back out.  Second to this, they will only take the complaint for ONE incident on ONE day, not the entire record we have been keeping.
6. Last night after 2 hrs of barking starting around 240am I called the police non emergency line. They said dog barking was low priority. After waiting around I went back to bed because I have to work early in the mornings. No officer came by after checking my cameras.

What is the next step here? Do I hire a lawyer for a cease and desist? Do I continue to try the police? Court somehow? These neighbors don't seem to care about the dog bothering everyone. When neighbors and I complain they act like its serious and put the dogs away but only for a day or two.

TL:DR Neighbor has two German shepherds that bark non stop at night and we cant sleep. Have tried talking to them, deterrents, and animal control but it has done nothing. Have documented over a month of it going on.
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 Over 70 decibels is considered loud. Fun fact German Shepherds have one of the loudest barks. Looks like in OPs city Ordinance 3350 specifically says anything over 55 decibels past 10pm is prohibited. Constant dog barking and interrupted sleep can cause anxiety and irritability. Dogs also bark for a reason and my guess would be that these two German Shepherds want to play and want attention. These bigger breeds need to stay active.
I would press animal control again and take your audio and video with you to them and show them. If not them I would go to the police station with the recordings and file a complaint at the station.


Title: A mom and dad are framed for a crime and the son is in the foster care system and gets adopted by a wealthy family. When the parents get out can they get the kid back?

Question: The son was 1 years old when his parents went to prison and is officially adopted by a extremely wealthy family and they raise him from birth for 10 or 11 years. His biological parents are free from prison and everyone knows that they are innocent. How can they get their kid back? Can they?

Answer:
 Courts don't typically strip parenting rights unless the original crime was abusive to the child. So the couple either did something to the kid or voluntarily agreed to an adoption while incarcerated.

They should have the ability to request their child be returned after their release. CPS will probably want to see certain criteria to ensure the child is being released into a safe environment.Answer #2: When you say “everyone knows,” they’re innocent do you mean every one of their friends? Everyone in the neighborhood? Jake the bodega owner and Avram the tailor agree that they got a bum deal?

Or do you mean their convictions were reversed and they received some sort of judicial finding of actual, factual innocence?


Title: [TN/TX] Got an emergency room bill from Honduras 4 months after visiting it

Question:
**Backstory**
My wife and I went to visit a friend in Roatan, Honduras in April.  I had to be taken to the emergency room for food poisoning.  While I was getting my stomach pumped, my wife was dealing with the paperwork.  They initially told her it would be $250.  After they saw that we had insurance it got bumped to a $500 "deposit",  and as we were ready to head out it turned into an $800 "deposit". At that point we were starting to get angry and told them to just charge us whatever the costs were.  We weren't just going to leave them money without seeing an invoice of the charges.  They refused to provide one.

The dude had copies on his desk of my Driver's License and Insurance card.  So I grabbed them while he went and talked to his "manager".  When he came back we told him that we didn't want to use insurance and just charge us whatever the costs were.  My wife, being the great fighter that she is, got the "deposit" down to $500, cuz they kept on saying that they didn't know how much.  So we paid the "deposit" and I left them a copy of my driver's license and my email address.

I don't want to scam these people, they might have saved my life, but I just wanted them to charge me for the services rendered.

**Now**
Yesterday, almost 90 days out, I receive an email with the invoice of $5,000.  We spoke to our friend in Honduras and he says these charges are outrageous.  The invoice came from an American company.

My question for a lawyer would be, is there a "statute of limitations" on this sort of thing?  Is there anything they can do to me legally?  All they have is my driver's license with an out of date address.

Thanks in advance.
Topic:
Credit Debt Bankruptcy

Answer:
 I'm not a lawyer. However, getting a hospital bill 4 months later isn't that unusual. I recently got one that was for something over a year ago. If you don't come to an agreement with them it's likely that they will send your bill to collections, or that they already have and that's who is sending you things now. This won't just go away on its own.

I'm not sure if you would be able to get reimbursed by your health insurance in any way.


Title: How do law degrees transfer between countries?

Question:
Hello
I've been considering getting a law degree in the distant future and have always wondered, how to law degrees transfer between countries?

Like If I, for example, get a law degree from say Harvard, how transferable would that be to say Singapore?

What about other universities such as ones in UK or Australia?

How does one specialise in the various sub-fields of law such as maritime or trade law? are these country localized or standardized internationly ?

Answer:
 They don't, generally speaking.

Having a law degree doesn't let you do anything besides say you have a law degree.

Even within the US, you have to pass the bar before you can practice.  And that doesn't usually even transfer between *states* in the US.


Title: I got assaulted by an employee that was off work at his job. Can I sue the employer?

Question:
This incident happened two nights ago at Lone Star Bar in Tomball, TX. It was caught on camera by one of my friends and my attacker was shortly arrested by the police. He has been formally charged by Harris County with a class A misdemeanor for Assault with bodily injury (he punched me in the face). The assailant, who is one of the bartenders that works there, was not on the clock and this was in their parking lot as I was trying to leave. Now the employer does not want to fire this employee so I was wondering if I could possibly sue the bar civilly. In the video I clearly have my hands down by my sides and was standing flat footed. I don't ever wish to go back but would like to send a message to the employer and employee that this type of behavior is unacceptable. How can go about this?

Edit: Thank you everyone for the help and direction. I've decide to not waste my time and energy on what looks to be a large uphill battle for little return.

Answer:
 No, the business isn't responsible for the behavior of employees off the clock unless you can prove they somehow condoned or encouraged it.Answer #2: Even if the bar was somehow liable, what would you sue for? Do you have medical expenses or damages of any kind?Answer #3: >would like to send a message to the employer and employee that this type of behavior is unacceptable.

Him being charged with a crime is not enough?

As far as suing, you can sue **him** to cover any damages you may have.


Title: Can you be punished for pleading the fifth for a reason other than self-incrimination?

Question:
Here is a scenario: Your friend confessed to you that he committed some horrible crime (to which you have absolutely no connection to). This is  completely hypothetical. And then you get questioned to his trial about  what he told you. You take the fifth on all the questions, including the  one that would expose him. You then get immunity, you testify, and they  find out that you took the fifth for a reason other than  self-incrimination. Can you be punished, considering the fact that they  found out after you testified under immunity? And is there any way you  can be held liable for taking the fifth falsely?

This is purely hypothetical, so please don't say "Get a lawyer right now!!!"

Answer:
 The fifth amendment protects only oneself against **compelled** incrimination.

The fifth amendment does not protect a defendant that chooses to testify in his or her own defence because a defendant can only testify voluntarily, nor does it protect any witnesses from being compelled to answer a question unless the answer would incriminate that witness personally.

No one would be granted immunity from a crime of which they had knowledge but no involvement. Any witness refusing to answer such a question risks being held in contempt of court.Answer #2: “Taking the fifth” is to avoid SELF incrimination. Unless you are in jeopardy of incriminating yourself by testimony, you cannot “plead the fifth”.


Title: [CT] Phone held as evidence destroyed

Question:
Long story short, over a year ago I was arrested and had a few items seized as evidence by the police department; including an iphone that had personal data on it.  Ultimately the charges were dismissed, however, when I stopped by the records department for the arresting agency they stated that all evidence as part of the investigation had been destroyed including my phone per court order.  They said it wasn't typical and had no idea why it had occurred (they originally thought it was a mistake and had to check evidence twice).

Upon calling the court I was told that the judge had issued the order and since the police complied with it, there is nothing I can do.  Is it typical for a judge to order the destruction of a phone?  I would understand illegal substances or other materials, but my phone?  Is it possible for me to find a copy of this judge's order to at least learn why this occurred?

Answer:
 Have you tried calling (or going to) the courthouse to request those records?Answer #2: It's unfathomable to me that this practice, however common it might be, is in compliance with the 5th Amendment.

Edit:Left out a wordAnswer #3: It depends what was on the phone. If there was something on the phone that would be illegal to own, then yes, the court may order the destruction of the device.Answer #4: Were you represented by a lawyer?

Did the police have your correct mailing address?

Either you or your lawyer should have been mailed copies of pleadings in your case, including the motion for the order to permit the destruction of evidence.


Title: Settle an argument.

Question: I just threw a squishy small tennis-sized ball softly at my housemates head. She said 'What if I died?' She thinks that I would be arrested. Is this true even if there's no reasonable way I would expect it to even hurt her.

Answer:
 Of course you would. There would likely be manslaughter changes brought against you at the very least. Voluntary or not, you did kill herAnswer #2: “Take the plaintiff as you find him.”

You assume the risk of whatever weird shit is wrong with someone once you engage with that person. If it turns out their skull is as thin as an egg shell and cracks, you’re liable. Answer #3: This would depend on local law, but I think you [lose this bet.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eggshell_skull)


Title: Issued to be a witness in court

Question: Hi so I worked for a company in November 2015 and I got a call from my boss a week ago with two lawyers asking me if I had key to the van on the day before thanksgiving. The guy that is the defendant isn't supposed to be driving. I was also working with him at the time. The lawyers ask me a few more questions before asking if I can show up to court. I really don't want to go so I try making an excuse before finally giving in and saying yeah. So in the mail today they sent me a subpoena I don't want to show up to court and miss work for this guy that got me laid off from my old company. Is there a way around this? This is in Massachusetts by the way

Answer: Subpoenas are court orders, not requests.  Unless you have grounds to quash the subpoena(which it sounds like you don't) you show up as ordered.


Title: Doctor’s office won’t accept Medicaid OR private pay?

Question: I live in New York State and I need to see an endocrinologist. There are only a few in my area, and many work for the same medical conglomerate. I called one (who’s part of this group) and spoke to a receptionist. She asked what my insurance was. I have Medicaid, and she said the group does not accept new patients with Medicaid. So I told her fine, I will pay out of pocket (I have the resources to do this as my mother is kindly helping with medical cost). She said they don’t accept private pay either. Just wondering how (if?) this is legal. The doctor is accepting new patients, and is even in-network for my insurance, but won’t accept NEW patients with Medicaid or out of pocket payments. Is there any way I can fight this? I’ve been sick for so long and it’s difficult to find a good doctor. Thanks so much..

Answer:
 If you have Medicaid, they can't accept cash from you. To the best of my knowledge, Medicaid benificiaries in the state of NY cannot be billed. There are exceptions but it means they can never bill medicaid for anything and honestly, they aren't going to deal with that for one special case one time. Especially if you need to constantly see an endo. If it's straight Medicaid, few providers accept this. If you are in NY state, you want to get on an actual Medicaid managed plan because doctors are contracted with them. This can vary from specialist to specialist. You want to do your research with each individual one in New York State but at least in NY, you have a lot of options - MVP, Affinity, UHC, Emblem Health...they all have Medicaid Managed Care Plans. So, go to https://nystateofhealth.ny.gov/ and get on a managed care plan. Do your research. From my experience, MVP is the best. Do it soon...you want it to take effect July 1 so you can start seeing a provider soon. Realize that you will only be able to see providers who accept your managed care plan. Stay away from Fidelis. Almost nobody takes it.

NAL but I am a LCSW who sees clients in a healthcare setting and it goes through insurance. Plenty of experience with this as I see people with Medicaid and help people get onto Medicaid. Hope that helps you.


Title: Mother passed away; Step-father and I both have 50% each to her estate. I was asked to sign something, just making sure I'm not getting screwed over. [Censored Documents Included]

Question:
Long story short: My mother died late last year and left me and my step-father her estate in Arizona (to be split 50/50). He has stated that he will take care of everything, but he's kind of a shady guy at times and I'd like someone to look this over for me before I sign anything. He wants me to sign this to grant him the power to informal probate for the house; he says it will make the process quicker and result in more money in each of our pockets. I'm currently a student and I don't have much legal backing on my side, plus it looks relatively boilerplate. I'm just posting here to see if anything catches someone's more professionally trained eye; I'm not looking to sign my rights to whatever money away -- I have student loans to pay. I typed up the documents and replaced the names, hopefully this is nothing personally identifiable.

[Lawyer's cover letter.](http://i.imgur.com/nOlMfYT.jpg)

[The actual form.](http://i.imgur.com/pEsLOEE.png)

Answer:
 You say that your mom left the estate to you and your stepfather, which seems to imply that she had a will. Yet they are asking you to sign that you are unaware of any unrevoked testamentary instruments (i.e. wills) executed by the decedent. Maybe this is just an honest mistake by the attorney, but I would certainly want that cleared up.

Beyond that, if you don't trust your stepfather, I would be very wary about waiving the bond. The bond is like an insurance policy that protects the beneficiaries from misconduct by the personal representative.. e.g. if he runs off to Mexico with all the money, the bond would theoretically cover the losses. Typical bond costs are in the ballpark of 2% of face value, so if the value of the estate is, say, $200,000, then you might be looking at $4,000 for a bond. Not an amount to sneeze at, but certainly not the end of the world.  So I would definitely consider this decision carefully and consult with an estate attorney.


Title: Work won't take midwife note (ON, Canada)

Question:
Hello legaladvice!
I am pregnant and I recently was told by my midwife that she was concerned that I was at a risk of preterm labour (I'm 34 weeks) and she wanted to pull me out of work. To be brief, I am having Braxton-Hicks contractions non-stop, all the time. Because I work a desk job that is currently mostly working on the computer and sort of setting the stage for a lager future project that will really take off when I'm in leave, I asked if she thought I would be okay to work from home instead. She said it was a good compromise, that being at home in case anything happens is safest, and if I go into labour now, they won't stop it and I'll be having my baby. She wrote me a note saying my workplace should consider amending my work schedule.

The problem is, my workplace won't take notes from midwives, only those registered with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario. I wouldn't be able to get into my family doctor for  two weeks at the very least, it will cost me to get a note, and most of all, I haven't seen her at all. My midwives have been my primary care provider, they've seen me each time, not my doctor. Going to midwife is highly incentivized in Ontario because of our massive shortage of family doctors. There's no cost, the wait times going to appointments is nonexistent, and you get specialized care with someone who has extensive training in pre and post natal care.

I spoke to my manager about what the midwife said and he is supportive of me working from home but I guess now with upper management, they're trying to decide if my midwives note is "good enough". Part of me is prepared to soldier more time getting to and from the office and working there out, but the contractions make it difficult. Most of all, I *am* worried about going into preterm labour, my little guy would more than likely be fine, but would also more than likely have to spend some time in NICU after birth since his little lungs aren't fully ready to go yet.

Is there anything about this situation I can do to force my employers hand? At what point legally do I say that it's negligent for me not to do what I'm told by a primary care provider, especially if worst case scenario, I wind up going into labour while at the office? Do I ask the, to accommodate the midwife request until I am able to provide a note from my doctor? I don't know if it's worth noting but I haven't needed any extra sick time, I don't have anything on my record at work, and I've done well for myself and the large organization as a whole. Ironically, I work for a mental health organization and they're causing me the most mental unwellness of all!

E: I'll also add that the contractions were regular, but not constant until I had to travel for work mid-February. I had to attend a conference out of town and the contractions became constant the first day I arrived.

TL;DR: I'm knocked up, midwife worried I might go into preterm labour, work is telling me her note isn't adequate

Answer:
 Not legal advice, but advice on how to navigate the Ontario medical system:  call your family doctor again and do not take no for an answer.  Tell them you are at risk for pre-term labour and require an immediate appointment or you will have to go to a walk-in clinic.  An appointment will likely miraculously open up within a day or so, as family doctors get "fined" when patients under their care use walk-ins.Answer #2: >The problem is, my workplace won't take notes from midwives, only those registered with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario.

Then they can put their money where their mouth is and give you the $50 to pay for the third-party doctor's note, right?

Give your GP another chance, and if they're still too busy then go to a walk-in clinic. Yeah it might blow back on your family doctor but a) not your problem and; 2) that's how the system learns it's broken.


Title: Stay out of stores?

Question:
I had a court date for theft, judgement was to stay out of all target stores for 1 year. How do they monitor that for probation reasons? How would they know who goes into what store?
Minnesota

Answer:
 Do you really want to try and find out?

Look  probation is mostly about trust: they give you enough rope to hang yourself and trust that you don't do anything stupid (because if you violate your probation you are in for a world of hurt).

I would argue that if you aren't really relieved and grateful that you got probation instead of jail time, then no one should tell you how to avoid getting a probation infraction. Because you just haven't got it.

So I'm going with: they will know. Big brother is watching YOU.