Title: [Michigan] My fiance and I are both disabled. If we get married we won’t be able to sustain ourselves financially because Social Security will cut benefits for one (or both?) of us.

Question:
Hi guys! My fiance and I are both disabled, unable to work, and receiving social security benefits. I think age might be pertinent here, so I’d like to disclose that he is 23 and I am 22. My fiance receives SSI, and it shows on his record that he was disabled before the age of 18 (although this was applied retroactively, once he finally got approved for disability). I am receiving SSDI, classed as an ‘adult disabled child’ of a parent that is also disabled and receiving SSDI. I was disabled before the age of 18, but I don’t know what is shown on my record.

There is literature on the web about what happens to the social security benefits of couples that marry. Two people receiving SSI will see a reduction of benefits, people with SSDI are usually unaffected, unless they are like me, receiving benefits from a parent’s work history. There is an exception in place for two ‘adult disabled child’ beneficiaries so that they remain unaffected if they marry. However, I can’t find anything on the web about what happens to people in our specific situation - one person on SSI and the other an ADC on SSDI.

This has been a heartbreaking revelation, and a scary one too, because there is also a rule in place that says the Social Security Administration can decide that you are ‘holding out’ and deem you to be in a common law marriage, which means even if we don’t marry one of us could arbitrarily lose benefits (and I know that we’ve listed each other as fiance/fiancee on at least a few medical forms). We just barely make ends meet as it is and I don’t know what we would do if this happened to us. Is there a way to petition for our benefits to remain unaffected in the event of our marriage? Is there a way to change his status to an adult disabled child like me even though neither of his parents are dead, disabled, or receiving retirement funds from social security?

We have been trying to contact a lawyer for this issue, but he’s been hard to get a hold of and there don’t seem to be any disability lawyers in our area besides the one. I thought it might be worthwhile to post here and see if we could get any advice or insight. Thanks for reading!

Answer: You should call the social security office and just ask them directly.Answer #2: Unless both of  you want to lose or reduce payments and medical coverage then don't live together or get legally married.


Title: An individual signed papers on behalf of my company.

Question:
Hello Reddit,

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My startup company is currently a Delaware C corporation and deal in the gaming industry - providing a platform for their games. An indie game developer decided he wanted to complete his game and bring it onto our platform, a great add for us.

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However about two months later, I was contacted by a developer who was hired by the indie dev in question; this developer told me he was not getting paid. Confused as to why he wasn't getting paid, I told him I would look into it and also asked why he had contacted me. He then sent me his employee agreement (that the indie dev had sent him to sign) along with his payment invoice for the months work he had completed that was past due.

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To my surprise, the employment contract this developer had signed was with my company - not the indie dev who had sent it to him. What is more, the indie developer had signed on behalf of my company as an officer and a title - to which he had neither. This runs much deeper with the indie developer actually trying to social engineer his way to become an officer of the company so he could legally sign paperwork.....

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The indie developer is in the Netherlands, what he did was complete fraud and is obviously unacceptable in any jurisdiction - not to mention the harm it caused my startup (albeit thankfully limited at this time, but presents a few problems for our future).

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How do I go about pursuing this, what type of lawyer do I need? Where should the lawyer be located, my country or his? I would appreciate some feedback and maybe some more legal advice in the matter. It may not be financially viable to pursue him at this time, what is the statute of limitations surrounding something like this? This is a throwaway account, but I am happy to answer any and all questions. Feel free to ask

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Thanks

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Answer:
 Hmmm... top things that come to mind

1) Police Report

2) Contract/business attorney

3) Cease & Desist Letter

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Title: What will happen if I check the box that says that I am permanently and totally disabled?

Question: [deleted]

Answer: The test is "can't engage in any substantial gainful activity because of a physical or mental condition" and a doctor has determined this is unlikely to ever change. It's tax fraud if you claim this on taxes and do not qualify.


Title: Indiana-can I be compensated for being wrongfully arrested and spending almost 2 months in jail?

Question:
I was arrested because a lady I was with used a stolen credit card and when caught and questioned said that I gave it to her and told her it was ok to use it. There is video of her using the card. I had no idea what she was doing. She tried to tell me I didn't need to talk to the police because "they had it all figured out-just a misunderstanding" I knew that was suspicious so I went to the station and spoke with an officer. I gave him all my info so the investigating officer could contact me and we could talk more. Instead, they showed up a week later and arrested me. I spent nearly 2 months in jail and finally had my bond lowered enough that I could afford to bond out. I did get bond money back (minus administrative fees) because of all this, my children were put in foster care

Edit-thank you all so much for replies and help! I really appreciate it very much! I don't think I'll pursue anything. What would really make me happy was if they prosecuted her. Not sure why they didn't except maybe the prosecutor for the case quit right after it was dropped.

Answer:
 Unfortunately you probably will not be able to receive any compensation. You were arrested because the officers believed that you committed the crime and were charged with it. What was the verdict of the case?  Answer #2: I suppose you might be able to sue the thief for her lies that have caused you so much distress.  If she had any money.

The police seem to have been acting in good faith and you won't be able to sue them.  Just because you are innocent doesn't mean you were wrongfully arrested.Answer #3: That doesn't sound like a wrongful arrest to me. Who were you hoping to pursue for compensation?Answer #4: So you're out on bond and haven't been tried yet? It doesn't sound like wrongful arrest if you still have these charges pending


Title: Need advice regarding car insurance. More specifically, the lack thereof (NJ)

Question:
I got into a car accident yesterday during the storm. No one was hurt and the only damage was to my car. It's pretty bad though. Anyway, I called to make a claim with my insurance company only to be told I am not on my parents policy.

I had bought this car brand new and I thought I was put on my parents policy before I drove it off the lot. I then received my vehicle registration card from the DMV. See the problem?

My insurance company said they needed confirmation from the policy holders before they put me on. They called my parents once at a disconnected phone line and never tried to contact me again. Apparently it's against their policy to send a letter due to solicitation rights. I guess after they got the fax from the dealership and we didn't respond the first time, they assumed I didn't buy the car.

Meanwhile, the DMV is claiming that they did not check if my insurance was valid before approving my registration. They usually take our word for it that our insurance is valid. They said that if I was taken off the policy, their office in Trenton would have contacted me. They did not.

I am at a loss at what to do or as to who is at fault. The insurance company for their lack of effort? The DMV for not doing their job checking for a valid policy before sending out a registration card? My parents for not noticing the lack of an increased premium rate after we bought a car? Or me for driving for four months without realizing I didn't ever get an insurance card.
Topic:
Insurance

Answer:
 >My parents for not noticing the lack of an increased premium rate after we bought a car? Or me for driving for four months without realizing I didn't ever get an insurance card.

Bingo. It is the responsibility of the owner to make sure their vehicle is insured.

What happened in the accident? NJ is a comparative negligent state, meaning you can collect from the other party's insurance as long as you are not more than 50% at fault for the loss.


Title: Employer asking questions about religious beliefs

Question:
I know this sounds ridiculous but other than obscuring a few details, this is real life, in Missouri.

I have two coworkers, Jim and Ed. Jim and Ed have been feuding over petty nonsense for a while, which is mostly irrelevant to this question. I should take a moment to note that Jim is a staunchly conservative Baptist, while Ed's religious beliefs involve some sort of East? African Shamanism or something. This is relevant!

Rumors (probably courtesy of Jim, but who knows) have begun to circulate that Ed placed a voodoo curse on their supervisor, Linda. Coincidentally, several bad things have happened to Linda since the supposed curse took place (just bad luck, along the lines of a burst sewage pipe several floors above Linda's office. Gravity took its toll, and now everything reeks of poo). I have been interviewed by two managers, asked if Ed ever discussed religion with me (no), if he practiced "voodoo" (dunno), and asked whether a voodoo curse was placed (literally no idea). Ed informed me today that he was, in his words, "interrogated" about his religious beliefs by management.

Questions:

Is management allowed to ask Ed pointed questions about his religious beliefs, and if they are, are they allowed to do anything with that information?

If (hypothetically) Ed *had* put a curse on the manager, is that a fireable offense, or is it a religious expression/practice?

Answer:
 So here is probably the most important question. What did Linda do that she deserves a voodoo curse?Answer #2: I think part of the problem may be that Jim believes that Ed put a curse on Linda - with the string of bad luck Linda experienced as "evidence".  Since Jim has been feuding with Ed, Jim is now worried that Ed will put a curse on him.

The biggest problem is that from management's perspective, Jim's faith is mainstream, while Ed's isn't.  They may not think that Ed's interrogation steps on the sacred cow of religious beliefs, because in their minds, non-mainstream = not religious.

Depending on exactly what was said in the interrogation, Ed may have grounds for a harassment suit on religious grounds if anything more comes of this. Answer #3: Years ago a high schooler was disciplined because she put a hex on another student, but the actual charge was "verbally threatening another student". I have a feeling your workplace may be going more for this angle than actually believing that a voodoo curse has power.


Title: Is it legal to ice a street?

Question:
I'm not considering doing this, at all, but I've always been curious as to whether or not you can "accidentally" leave a hose on in cold weather, causing the streets to get icy. (VA, USA)

Edit: I wasn't actually talking about pickup ice hockey, though I like the idea, but more about whether or not students could ice the streets to get cancellations. I always wondered this as a kid.

Answer: Oh, I thought you meant, like, leave a Smirnoff Ice in the middle of it so that the first person to see it had to chug the whole disgusting bottle. But I guess not.


Title: My Employer Wants Me to Settle for Less than Min Wage?

Question: We’re a private owned business and my boss says that we’re struggling during these times with the virus and what not but i only see increased sales since there’s less competitors open. Anyways my hours were cut 60%. The other day he told me and my coworkers that he would be taking us off the payroll so that we can apply for government employment insurance benefits BUT continue to give us shifts at $3 LESS an hour and pay us in cash. I initially agreed but now thay i think about it, it seems like we are being taken advantage of and he should be reported. What do you guys think? Should i just quit or report this unethical practice all together

Answer:
 Sounds like he’s asking you to commit unemployment fraud.

Morally and ethically it’s a no go.

Legally I believe there are some pretty hefty consequences for defrauding the government.

Ultimately it’s your choice to make. With the numbers of people applying for unemployment you may think there’s a good chance there’s safety in numbers and not enough investigators to be checking up on things.

On the other hand, I would think if you’re caught there’s a good chance you’ll get the book thrown at you. I don’t imagine many people would be sympathetic to someone committing fraud against an already stressed system during a national emergency/global pandemic. Especially if they’re committing fraud and double dipping (collecting a paycheck and earning a paycheck).

Also, I think the IRS would want a piece of you if you’re found out. Unreported income (cash under the table).

Tldr:
Wouldn’t touch it with a ten foot pole. Possible consequences with tax evasion and defrauding the government. Serious consequences. I’d just collect unemployment and seriously consider finding a new job when the dust settles.

Source:  not a lawyer


Title: What if a minor girl's parents refuse consent (or to pay for?) an abortion in a state that requires it?

Question: Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum

Answer:
 She can place the child for adoption.

But if that is the state law then that is the state law. You have not given a state or cited the law so no one can guess.Answer #2: She continues the pregnancy until she either has a baby or a natural miscarriage.  Simple as that.

Such laws are in place because of interests that are either pro-parents rights (which require parental consent for most medical procedures) or pro-life.  The pro-life position is to make abortion as difficult to obtain as is legally possible.

The states that do not require parental consent usually have a specific law that provides that since most medical procedures (if not ALL other medical procedures) require parental consent.  These laws were promoted by interests that are pro-rights whose interest is making abortion a viable alternative to as many women as possible.


Title: [USA-MO] Employer asking for money back after over paying me

Question: Recently I got over paid because I forgot to clock out one day after a shift. I notified my boss the day before it got deposited when I checked my paystub I was emailed. I explained to him what Happened and showed him a picture of my time card for that day explaining when I should have clocked out that night, he said he will notify accounting. Fast foreword to today and I quit my job because if a lot of drama in the work place. After I tell him I quit  I am notified from the accounting department that i owe them the money for the difference($237.19) . Question is  am I required to pay him back?

Answer: Of course you are.


Title: I had to poop, boss said no, pooped my pants, had to go home, boss told people I pooped my pants. Advice?

Question:
I'll try to keep this as short as possible.

Someone was using the dirty bathroom, so I asked my boss if I could use the clean bathroom. He told me to use the dirty bathroom, I told him Chris is using it. He got mad that Chris was in the bathroom and stood up from his chair to go yell at Chris for having bowels. As he walked away I asked "So can I use the bathroom?". He told me quote, "You're going to have to wait".

This annoyed me but I reluctantly went outside and hopped on a forklift and rode all the way to the far warehouse bathroom. It was being occupied. As I rode back to the office, I couldn't hold it anymore and pooped my pants. I went into the Port-O-Potty and cleaned myself up.

Afterward I went to the office because people told me the boss was looking for me. He asked me why I was angry and told me I should have waited like he said. I told him it's total crap that he wouldn't let me just use the clean bathroom (reserved for him and his favorite people only, apparently) and that as a result I pooped my pants. He was very confrontational about this and would not concede that he was in the wrong (That's putting it lightly but I digress).

I had no choice but to go home because my britches were dirty and I didn't come back because the day was almost over anyway. The next day I go into work and realize that everyone knows I pooped my pants. Several coworkers asked me on separate occasions why I left early the day before with wide grins and one laughing. A coworker that I'm good friends with told me that he overheard the tail end of a conversation between the boss and the office people about something to do with me and the bathroom, and his tone sounded like he was making fun of me. Finally, Chris, the person who was using the dirty bathroom at the beginning of my story: He told me at the end of the day that the boss said to him "Why did you go and make that boy shit his pants?".

This is insane because I said nothing to anyone except the boss only because I had no choice but to go home. Obviously he told some people and now everyone knows. I'm not at all embarrassed, I couldn't care less what people think. But I am pissed that the boss would just go and tell people something like that.

Is this even legal? I could contact corporate HR but I just feel like nothing would happen except the boss getting mad and taking it out on me by making me do the jobs nobody wants to do. I tried looking at information from OSHA but had a hard time with this. At this point I don't want to work there anymore and my finances are in well enough shape that I could just quit tomorrow and find another job pretty quickly. I just think he should have to pay a consequence for that because it's not cool, and it's not the only story I have like this about him but I'm trying to avoid making this post extremely long. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Harris County, Texas

Answer:
 According to OSHA, the employer may not impose *unreasonable* restrictions on employee use of the facilities. Not letting you use a certain "favorite" bathroom sounds pretty unreasonable. You can report this to OSHA if you wish to.

As far as him telling people, there's probably nothing illegal about that. Don't poop your pants.Answer #2: I'm confused. You said you were able to go into a Port-O-Potty to clean yourself up. Why weren't you able to use the Port-O-Potty to poop in?Answer #3: /r/poop

You pooped. It happens. It's not illegal to tell people. Don't quit. Answer #4: You went to the porta-potty to clean up? Why didn't you go there to poop? Answer #5: Yeah, this didn't happen.


Title: [TN] Ex does not want to allow me into our mutually owned home.

Question:
My ex and I were together for four years and bought a house together.

His name is on the mortgage but both of our names are on the deed.

I do have an attorney lined up and will be suing him, hopefully soon. Until then though, i have things i need to get from the house. He's decided to put my belongings on the front porch and has refused to let me go inside to double check all of my things are out. He's also called the police twice now because I've had a hard time getting my things that hes set out (had surgery not long ago, been out of work and also moved into a new place, i want my stuff, ive just been financially unable to get it up until now).

So my question is: I'm going to pick up what i can tomorrow but if he refuses to let me in the house could I just go in when hes a work? Is it breaking and entering if im doing so at my own legal residence?

Answer:
 Loan doesn’t matter. If you’re both on title it’s your house as much as his and he can’t legally keep you out or from recovering your property.

Best answer: you have a lawyer. Listen to your lawyer. Answer #2: You're both on the deed? Then you both own the home. I don't see how he can exclude you without a court order. Even if he could, he can't just put you out with no notice. That is not a proper eviction.

All that said, talk to the police before you go. Inform them that you are a co owner of the house and you're simply entering to take an inventory. You can ask for a police escort. Which they may or may not accommodate. Bringing a copy of the deed would be helpful. If the police won't help you, think about waiting until Monday when you can talk to your lawyer. If you do go in the house, film everything.

Edit to add I assume you mean ex boyfriend or girlfriend and not ex spouse.


Title: Being sued for an infant death police called accidental [VA]

Question:
(first and foremost my apologies for any lacking details, I'm trying to help a friend as much as I can as she is mostly dealing with finding a lawyer on her own)

A friend of mine is the daughter of a women who used to run an at home daycare.

While under her mothers supervision, one of the infants passed away from what I can tell was a tightly wrapped blanket, or perhaps the string from a blanket that was hand-knitted.

>I was told the infant was left alone for no more than 15 minutes.

My friend got home from school when her mother checked on the baby to find it had the string of the blanket wrapped around his neck and the police were called. The mother performed CPR and the baby was breathing but eventually died in the hospital. Police declared it accidental.

Now, roughly a year later, my friend has received some papers left on her doorstep. They seem to have some legal jargon about how her mother should be held responsible due to her negligence of leaving a blanket in the crib and not checking in on the baby (a common thing to know, I admit.)

My friend is at this point very worried, she only sent a couple pages of the papers left for her but she says they want to sue her (my friend) and her mother for an incredibly large amount of money. She is currently seeking a lawyer

**TL;DR** : Friends mother had an infant die under her supervision due to the string on a blanket. Infant was taken to the hospital but passed away in the end. Parents of infant now seem to be suing my friend and her mother for a large amount of money.

Any help or information is appreciated but I have a few specific questions.

1: Is my friend being sued? She hasn't had any calls from lawyers, just the papers left to her.

2: Can she be sued for this if the police declared the death accidental?

Thanks in advance, hopefully I can relay any information back to her and help her find a lawyer.

**EDIT** Thanks to everyone who's been responding. If nothing else at least my friend has a better idea as to what to expect from all of this.

Answer:
 > Is my friend being sued? She hasn't had any calls from lawyers, just the papers left to her.

If the papers are a legal claim, then yes, she is.

>  Can she be sued for this if the police declared the death accidental?

Yes.  An act might not be criminal but still represent a civil tort against another person.  For instance:

http://www.nytimes.com/1997/02/11/us/jury-decides-simpson-must-pay-25-million-in-punitive-award.html

If she had any sort of business insurance or liability insurance for this daycare she should contact them.Answer #2: > 1: Is my friend being sued?

It sounds like it.

> 2: Can she be sued for this if the police declared the death accidental?

Hell yes, and she probably should given your description of the cause of death.


Title: Benefits of a wife & husband having separate attorneys when the husband is accused of sexual assault?

Question:
My 18 year old daughter was sexually assaulted by my 50+ year old neighbor in my house. He was arrested today after law enforcement received the proper warrants. Both he & his wife have hired separate attorneys.

I’m just confused, because his wife is not being accused of anything. What are the benefits of two, separate attorneys or why would she want to have a separate lawyer?

Edit:
Location: Arizona

Thank you again for the replies and information

Answer: Any number of reasons.  Helping her to decide whether to invoke spousal privilege.  Civil liability issues.  Divorce.Answer #2: Hopefully one is a divorce lawyer.


Title: Landlord cut power for 36-48 hours with 1-2 hours' notice. Is there reasonable precedent for asking for a certain amount off my rent this month? [TX]

Question:
Location: Houston, Texas

My landlord texted me two days ago, asking me to call the power company for a "temporary disconnect" while they replaced the breaker boxes on the building. To my understanding, this was elective work--there was certainly no preexisting outage. The work was supposed to be completed that evening. Now, two days later, power is slowly starting to come back on, but I didn't get to charge my laptop or my phone (both essential for school) at home the last two nights.

I pay $850 a month in rent, which comes out to $28.33 per day. Is there anything in the legal realm that would justify me not paying for the two days in which I didn't have power, that is, reducing my rent by $56.67 for this month?

I'm not looking to go to court, but I'm certainly peeved and I'd love to have something to back me up if I decide to talk to my landlord. Thanks in advance!

Answer:
 You can ask if you want...

Do you pay an electricity bill?


Title: Being sued for routed Torrent traffic.

Question: Hello, a few months ago I downloaded some VPN software onto my computer and after not using it I left it on and it would start up every time I opened my computer. Then months later I received a bunch of Copyright Infringement Notification. Long story short I did some investigating and I discovered that the VPN software I had installed was routing illegal Torrent traffic through me to another destination. I've received emails informing me that a company is filing claims against me. Am I still liable for this, even though the completed files never existed on my computer? What actions should I take? I am in the US, NY.

Answer:
 Have they filed an actual lawsuit against you, or are these just infringement strikes/warnings?

It's very common to receive warnings from your ISP without any actual action being taken until you hit (I think) nine strikes. Just uninstall the software and don't torrent things in a way that is identifiable as you.

If they are actually *suing* you, you will want to get an attorney because this can be very, very, very expensive for you.


Title: Maintenance entered apartment without an appointment or notice

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Go talk to the manager and get an apology for the miscommunication regarding your maintenance request and how they ignored the option for an appointment. That's about all you're entitled to, really.

Obviously they did right by you in the first instance because they fired that person.

Neither of these two things over the course of 7-8 months is going to be enough to break your lease early or get you a rental credit or anything, if that's what you're wondering.


Title: [Florida] can a handicap spot be reserved on private property?

Answer: As in a handicap parking spot reserved for a manager at a company or something?


Title: medical kidnap? sc

Question:
OK, so I went in to a mental health facility (voluntarily) to discuss with a doctor about counseling with me and my boyfriend. I had just reconciled with him after staying at a shelter for a few months because of abuse.
The doctor told me that I wasn't "allowed" to a go back to him-that I had to get my own place. I told her the apartment we share is 50% mine as well. She told me it didn't matter and that I was to go to a hotel and refrain from contacting my boyfriend.
I told her who I live with was none of her business and tried to leave but she quickly responded with "it seems to me you are severely mentally I'll. You need medicine and you aren't leaving until you take some. You just can't stop cursing me under your breath"
Now i was afraid. This doctor is blantenly lying and refusing to let me leave.
I asked her what"mental illness" and she said schizophrenia and I had poor judgement living with a man I wasn't married to and was rebellious. I told her I  wanted to leave. She instead left the room and returned about 10 minutes later demanding I follow her to a hallway where she scuttled away, leaving me by myself.
I find out she filed for an involuntary commitment deeming me unstable and dangerous.
So I asked where the fuck she went and they told me to go pick up her son.
Then the police had me transported to the emergency room and held there all because she didn't like I live with my boyfriend. T
he doctor at the emergency room released me stating he didn't see any signs of danger or mental illness.
 I tried calling the police to file charges against her but the officer just said "it sounds like she was just trying to keep you safe"
But now the witch is calling me repeatedly, ordering me to come back for more visits or she will call my work and tell them I am a danger to the public.
Every attorney I have contacted has rejected me and i am in fear of my safety. This woman is a nutjob and she is threatening me and no one will stop her. I don't how to press charges and make her leave me alone.

Answer:
 Honestly if you have talked to attorneys who are unwilling to take the case I would suggest you need to take a long hard look in the mirror and consider that there may be something going on here.  Your story doesn’t really add up.

Finally, you cannot “press charges” that decision rests with the local prosecutor and you cannot force the prosecutor or the police to take any action.Answer #2: While you probably have a healthy fear of doctors at this point, one solution would be to seek out another mental health professional for a second evaluation. If the second mental health professional finds no issues (no the ER doc doesn’t count) then see if they are willing to send your records to the first doctor, verifying that you are seeking assistance albeit not from her.Answer #3: Your story doesn’t add up, and the attorneys you have contacted can see that.  If you want an attorney to possibly represent you you’ll have to be very honest with them and quite possibly pay them a large sum of money.Answer #4: were you previously staying at a shelter for people who are abused? they might have people there who could hear your story and offer guidance on your next steps. even if it wasn't an abuse shelter, there still should be some sort of social worker, etc. that could offer you guidance. is there anyone who worked at the shelter that you could reach out to?

was there a restraining/protective order between you and your boyfriend? maybe that's why she said you 'couldn't' go back to him?


Title: Landlord turned heating on when we were away- gas bill tripled. Do we have any rights?

Question:
I'm renting a house with 3 other females in the UK, we're all within the 20-23yr range and this is the first house we have rented so are pretty lost on what to do!

We moved into the property in March 2015, our rent does not cover the gas, Internet or electric bills (we pay for them ourselves directly to the utility companies).

Since moving in we have always had problems with the boiler- the hot water is very intermittent and the heating just does not work. We have contacted the agency and landlord about this, yet the boiler was not fixed and they refused to replace it.

In December, all four of us left the property to visit our families for 3 weeks over Christmas. The agency informed us they would be visiting to flush our radiators to see if that would help the heating problem whilst we were away. We took pictures of our gas/electric meters before we left, and turned the boiler off (there was no point keeping it on if it was broken).

When we came back from visiting our families we found that the landlord/agency had left the heating on at full power and the gas meter had almost tripled. We took pictures of this when we arrived back. A few weeks later, our boiler broke again and has not been fixed since.

80% of our gas bill this period was caused by the agency/landlord leaving our heating on when we were not there. The bill is much larger than the last 2 we have received, showing that the heating they left on didn't even come close to our usual usage? We have tried speaking to them about this, but they are refusing to compensate any money towards this, is there anything we can do? Or do we just have to suck it up and pay the extremely large bill?

Answer: Idk how cold it gets in the UK but in the us turning the heat off in winter is negligent due to busted pipes.Answer #2: /r/legaladviceuk might be more helpful.


Title: New Neighboring business has Alarm that goes off every morning between 3:00am and 5:30am, what can I do?

Question:
A business moved in recently, brand new building about 100 yards from my house (too bad because I didnt have any neighbors before). They have a large outdoor area they store product behind locked fence that I assume has a motion detection alarm system. Every morning between 3:00am and 5:30am the alarm goes off, sometimes for longer than an hour making it impossible to sleep even with windows closed etc. Ive had to call the police (not 911) to come and get it turned off but they say they cant do anything about it going off every morning.

The manager claims they can't do anything about it because the alarm is a necessity, he's just a general store manager though so I'm not sure this is really his area of expertise.

If they can't do anything about the alarm is there a financial path I can take for loss of property value caused? I'm completely naive to situations like this.

Any thoughts on what I can do about this?

Thanks!

Answer:
 Research your city’s noise ordinance. Call the police each and every time it goes off in violation of the ordinance. You need to be as annoying to them as the alarm is to you. Answer #2: Call 911. An alarm is going off. That business may be getting robbed at that very moment.

After a couple of those, the cops will be speaking with the owner.Answer #3: Call 911 each time and report a burglar alarm going off at the location. Many localities and police departments will start to charge the business financially for each false alarm they have to respond to.Answer #4: You might suggest they reset the parameters from squirrel to at least small human.


Title: Motorcycle dropped by truck driver

Question:
The driver from a trucking company attempted to move my motorcycle while it was parked in front of my condo. It was parked legally on street parking. A witness saw the driver physically put his hands on my bike and attempt to move it.
He didn't see the driver actually drop the bike.
The trucking company has denied my claim with them, but admitted the driver moved my motorcycle. There is ~1500 worth of damage to my bike now. My insurance is telling me there is not enough information for the subrogation process.
I have the truck license plate and truck number in a photo provided by my neighbor.

Do I have a case against the trucking company?

They dropped my brand new triumph. It was stopped literally less than a week after I purchased it...

Answer: If your insurance is telling you they don’t have enough information you can try small claims court. There’s less burden of proof there so maybe they’ll accept the attempting to move it. Will the witness testify to that?


Title: Escrow scam robbed my mother, a Camp fire victim, of the entirety of her insurance money (408k) to replace her home.

Question:
My mothers escrow company security was breached and her the wire transfer instructions were intercepted and the account number was changed so $408,000 were wired to a fraudulent account. Wells Fargo, the escrow company, the realtor, the police department, and now the FBI IC3 unit are all involved and nobody can say much beyond “it happens”...please help.
Also from my twitter posting other Camp Fire victims are saying this has happened to them—possible FEMA data leak?
My mom has nothing left to even pay legal fees.

[twitter thread ](https://twitter.com/craftycake27/status/1131738848986161152?s=21)What can be done?

Answer: I don't to assume what happened but what typically happens is that the victim receives an email with different wire instructions from the scammer pretending to be somebody else and then the victim follows those instructions and then the money goes to the scammer. Is that what happened?


Title: NC- I want my "father" to not be my father...?

Question: If I was a minor I would have more knowledge on this subject, but since I am 20 I am pretty lost. I know that I cannot remove him from my birth certicate, but I also dont want him legally to be my father. My main concerns being, me having to make decisions regarding his funeral or vice versa, along with other reasons. My question is, could he be removed as a "guardian" even though I am not a minor.

Answer:
 Actually, Filial responsibility laws are a real thing and a real concern.

You didn't mention your state but here's the WIKI

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filial_responsibility_laws


Title: Facebook page slandering rape victim - recourse?

Question:
Hey all, a close relative of mine was the victim of a serial rapist.  His sister has now setup a page on Facebook to "prove he is innocent", but it chiefly involves slandering my relative.  To be fair, she did engage in some risky behavior, but that does not justify either rape or slander.

Myself and several friends have reported the page to Facebook, but I just got a "we reviewed the page and it does not violate community standards" reply.

Is there anything else we can do? Someone suggested we might be able to get a restraining order against the sister doing this, does that make sense?

Here is an example slanderous (imho) post, with names redacted: http://i.imgur.com/Lo6IJen.png

EDIT 1: this post is one of two on the page that are factually incorrect

EDIT 2: location is WA state (US)

EDIT 3: the rapist has already been convicted for this and his appeal was denied already

Answer:
 Is that post **factually** incorrect?

Answer #2: Slander requireds falsehoods. Is anything on the page false?


Title: [CA] Elementary school issue.

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Get a lawyer. If served, don't ignore it. Normally, it would just be a schoolyard brawl. But if her hitting him harmed him because of his surgery/medical condition, and the "some issues" are damages, being sued is a possibility.


Title: Company pays all other employees more.

Question:
[AZ]

I was curious if there is actually anything that can be done about this, legally speaking.

My husband started with a company two years ago. He started off at $12.50 an hour with the chance to increase his pay by around $1 for each job he trained to do (there are multiple jobs in this one company and you can work in different departments if one section is understaffed that day, for example).

He completed one new training module after a year at the company, which bumped his pay to $13.40, but then the company was unexpectedly bought out.

Now, in the time between my husband being hired and the company being bought a few other people were hired, but they were since fired, so at the time of the company being bought he was the newest employee.

My husband works 12+ hours a day and is the go-to guy for *everything*, he has seriously excelled in the company, but was the least paid (everyone in the company makes at least $16 an hour, except for him because he was the newest employee). After the company was bought the minimum pay went to around $16 and any pay raises are only a couple of cents. Any new person they hire immediately starts off at $16, everyone who is already hired keeps the pay rate they already had. Since my husband already worked there before the company was bought, his pay is still $13.40. He works almost double the amount the other employees work, and often has to come in during his free time because he *is* the go-to guy, yet he is stuck with the shitty end of the stick while people who do nothing but cause problems he has to come and fix (before inevitably being fired) get paid more than he does.

Is there anything that can be done about that? It seems somewhat unfair that he gets paid less than new employees yet works far more. Even if he only worked 8 hour days and wasn't the go-to guy for everyone it would still seem unfair that the minimum pay is $16 for everyone else but he has to keep his $13.40. It's been a year since this company was bought out, and he earns the least despite working the most. It's also worth adding that this is a multi-billion dollar company who made some serious profit this year, so it's not a case of them having to scrimp..

Answer: The company is not obligated to pay him more unless they agreed to do so (or for things like overtime pay). Your husband can ask for a raise, and quit if he doesn't get one, or he can stay on and hope things improve for him in the future.


Title: Seeking Advice, road rage “victim”

Question:
A couple weeks ago I was driving with my son and a car was following very close behind me.  I looked in my rear view mirror and saw the driver flailing his arms in disapproval of me driving the speed limit.  On a 2 lane road, this Einstein decides to pass us, but an oncoming truck made that move impossible so the driver ended up side swiping us.

After trying to flea, a Good Samaritan prevented the guy leaving and we got the police involved.  I have the police report, it’s pretty bad for the other driver; citations and text describing the accident and his attitude to me, the cops and the Good Samaritan.

The car is pretty banged up, but I talked with his insurance company and they took full responsibility.

Neither myself or my son were physically injured.  All my idiot friends are telling me to hire a lawyer.  We didn’t get hurt and I don’t think I’m ethically entitled to anything more than the repairs to the car.  Any thought or advice?

edit : location is USA

Answer: What's your legal question? All you are owed is the cost of repairs or the market value of the car.


Title: Wife divorced without my knowledge(US)

Question:
I'll keep it simple and sweet.  We were married very young and it was kind of a necessity for benefits.  Nobody really knew about it but it was the best move, financially for us. Things didn't work out. Shocking, I know.
-We've lived separately for several years with no contact.
-I contacted her a few months back and turns out she filed and finalized a divorce without my knowledge. I've done research and most of the things I can find online suggest she submitted all of this fraudulently.

My question is: What can I do providing this was done fraudulently? I am 100% okay with a divorce, I'm glad I didn't have to spend the money and time to do it.  I am, however, not okay if my name was signed illegally or the court documents have tarnished me for not being somewhere I didn't know I should be.

Answer:
 It's possible she could have gotten the divorce without your signature. In certain circumstances, if attempts to locate and serve a party with court papers are unsuccessful, notice can be made by publication. Once the notice has been issued and no one steps forward, the divorce is finalized in absentia. There isn't anything necessarily fraudulent about that.

If you are not disputing it, there's nothing to do. Reasons you might dispute it include unfair distribution of assets. You may need to re-examine your taxes. If you have been filing as married, you might need to go back and adjust to filing as single for any tax periods post divorce.Answer #2: Are you certain that she got a divorce?  I'd check that out first.  I would assume that there would be lawyers involved or both parties showing up in person.    Answer #3: You should also consult a CPA about amending your recent tax returns to indicate single. Answer #4: >it was kind of a necessity for benefits

Were these military benefits? Answer #5: You should probably get a consult with a divorce attorney.


Title: [Iowa] Can I get in trouble for being involved with a married woman? Her husband is trying to go down a route to sue me for emotional distress.

Question:
I am a single guy and me and my coworker have gotten involved, she also go pregnant (assuming by me, conception days are accurate to be mine) and have decided she's going to get an abortion. Now we were never going to speak to each other again, since we do not need to say anything to at work since we go to know each other on breaks. It's a big mess, I know I will learn from this mistake.

I was never going to talk to either of them again since they are going to work on their marriage. He's now threatening to sue me with emotional distress as the cause, does he have a case? I apologized and agreed to cease contact with his wife. Apparently I heard this will hold up in some states, thank you.

Answer:
 Iowa is not a state where alienation of affection is a valid cause of action.  Typically, emotional distress is when you inflict an amount of mental anguish and pain on someone so great that society would not tolerate it.

In society we tolerate cheating spouses pretty well and it's very common.  The case is very weak.  It's not impossible to be sued for silly reasons, and you should lawyer up if action is brought, but him prevailing is a pretty remote possibility.


Title: So, like a dummy I got an MIC in KS and feel like I got the screws put to me. First offense, wondering if it is worth fighting due to certain circumstances.

Question: So we were having a party on one of my friends property. It was in an enclosed metal shed on a farm yard, away from the road 50 yards or so. This is important. We were not extremely loud, we were playing music with a Bluetooth speaker and there was maybe 10 people there. Not everyone was drinking. Having a good time. All of a sudden, one of my friends (not the property owner) walked outside and said "Uh, guys, the cops are here." Nobody tries to run, we all just stop what were doing. A sheriff walks in the shed and says "We got a report of an underage party... I see beer so I need to see some ID's." Everyone is freaking out, but I keep my cool and man up and give him my ID, tell him I'm 19, and laddy dah they sort out the drinkers from the non drinkers. Oh, I should also mention that they have 2 sheriff's and a game warden, and it is one of the sheriff's to enter the building. They're sorting people when I pipe up "Do you guys have a warrant or permission from he land owner to be on the property?"(They didn't have permission from land owner) and no one answers. I ask again, this time to the game warden to which he replies "You know, I guess we don't." Then the sheriff says to me "I suggest you quit talking or you'll be spending the night in the county jail." I replied "I'm sorry, I just want to know my rights." They continue doing their thing, which I ask "Can you guys be here legally without permission from the land owner or without a warrant?" This set the main sheriff off, and veerrry pissed off says to me "It is in your best interest to stop talking. All of these other people are just going to get misdemeanors, but you're going to the county jail." (Didn't get arrested or go to jail) I say again "I'm sorry, I just want to know what my rights are." I can't remember how it goes, but I then more or less explain to him that yes, we have a land owner family member here, and he (the sheriff) writes down his information. I finally shut up, because that was all I wanted. They continue doing their thing, and finish up. Parents got called, and sober people drove. They (The po-po) managed to be dicks and tear up the farm yard by driving on the grass and leaving ruts when it was muddy. Saw that this morning when I went to clean up. But I know they were just trying to scare us straight, and the main sheriff cooled down a bit with me (finally), I was just completely honest with him the entire time and did my best to do as they asked when they asked. I think I mostly pissed him off because he was trying to scare us straight and I wouldn't back down and show any fear. So, my question is, is there anything there, or should I just take it on the chin and pay the piper? Feel like I kinda got screwed over a bit. And I would just pay the piper and be done but I also want to see if theirs anything worth pursuing out of anger at the way the one sheriff treated me. The other two were cool as cucumbers, but I did not appreciate the other one's attitude, especially since I was very compliant.

Answer:
 How did you get screwed over? You were drinking at 19. Done in one.

You don't have to like his attitude, just as your attitude can land you in more trouble, when you are already guilty of the offenses.


Title: CVS gave mixed in Metformin with my Seroque. What can I do?

Question:
Basically, I get an RX for Seroquel once every month. This month I have noticed that they mixed in 5 Metformin pills in to my prescription.

Obviously I'm going to call in the morning, but is there anything I can do from a legal stand point?

Answer:
 Are you getting brand name or generic? Because if the latter you may be mistaken. You could  possibly have got 2 versions of generic seroquel. What did the pills look like and what were the codes on them?

You should definitely contact CVS but be prepared to look misguided if they show you that the pills are functional the same.Answer #2: You haven't been damaged in any way, so there's no legal claim here.  Your recourse is to notify the pharmacy of the error, have the errant pills replaced, and to closely check your refills in the future for any additional mistakes.


Title: what happens if my lawyer told me I no longer need to attend pre trial?

Question:
 I was involved in a petty crime and got 3 misdemeanors. 2x 1st degree and 1x 3rd degree. I'm 19 and live in Philadelphia. I'm currently attending college.

My lawyer told me he will try and dismiss all the charges and remove it from my record by speaking to the DA or whoever gives the charges. I was suppose to attend pre-trial this month but told by my lawyer that I no longer need to attend. Not because it was postponed. But next month I have to go to trial. Does anyone know what would occur on the upcoming court date?

1st court date I was told what my charges were.

2nd court date I was told my lawyer that I no longer need to go.

What happens on the 3rd one?

Answer: Can't you ask your lawyer?


Title: Sexual Harrassment? Help?

Question:
I'm 13 years old, and I was sexually harassed by someone the same age... he touched me sexually and tried to finger me, no matter how many times I asked him not to.. I've told my school about it who, in which case, have done NOTHING about it, not a referral, or even a suspension. I've wanted to take legal for a while, but I haven't figured out if this a real reason I could take legal action on him...

Btw, I'm just borrowing a friends account. Please do not target my friend because of what I have posted.

Thank you,
Bye.

Answer:
 That’s not harassment. It’s sexual assault. Call the police.  Answer #2: You need to call the police and report the sexual assault you experienced.  The school would probably try and minimize its liability:  they are not necessarily looking out for your best interests here.  Please make the call.  That boy could do this to someone else.

Take care.


Title: (WA) The Subletter we have won't leave

Question:
This is a bit of a nightmare situation.

We rented a 4 bedroom house with a lease that ends September 30th, 2017. One of the roommates was a less than stellar roommate and left the lease early - and we were tasked with finding a subletter to finish out the lease. We are all in our early 20s.

The girl we picked has proven to be a nightmare. While she was great during the interview, immediately after moving in it was clear that this living situation would not work out due to the fact that she is absolutely a psycho. Within the first 10 days she had 5 neighbor complaints (on top of our many complaints). On May 10th we informed her verbally and via text that this living situation was not viable and she will have to find alternative housing for June (which gives her a 20 day notice).

As you can imagine she did not react well to this and has only amped up her antics. This sent us all over the edge and myself and the two other roommates have decided to break our lease and find alternative housing for June (this was something we all wanted to do anyways for various reasons).

The subletter is still refusing to leave. We never had her sign any legal paperwork (once again idiots in our early 20s). Property management is aware of the situation and said that even if we break our lease (and they will keep our deposit which is equal to one month rent) - if she continues to refuse to leave she would have to formally evict us all to get her out of the house.

What are our options? The subletter is demanding blackmail money from us to move - should we just pay it and not risk eviction? Do we have any other options with property management? It's a large company that really only cares about money and so is happy with whatever we chose as long as they get paid.

Answer:
 You are her landlord. You should have given her [written](http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/washington-notice-requirements-terminate-month-month-tenancy.html) notice to vacate (written on paper) and then you would take her to court if she wasn't out in 20 days.

You can do a few things here. One, try to legally evict her if she's not gone by June 1 and hope the judge accepts the text as written. Two, give her notice (written on paper) now and then if she's not gone in 20 days start eviction proceedings then. Less of a risk.

But honestly, you are in a pickle. You have to pay full rent. You want her gone. If you evict her that process could take until the end of your lease so what's the point? This is NOT the management company's problem at all. So if it were me, I'd probably consider cash for keys. (Cash for keys is not blackmail.) Once she is gone whatever back rent she owes you can sue her for.


Title: What is the legal status of having an endangered parrot species as a pet in IL, US?

Question:
We adopted a well socialized, adult Umbrella Cocaktoo (*Cacatua alba* or White Cockatoo) from our local avian rescue. She was found outside in the Chicago area in the spring of 2016. She has an open leg band with no other known history. We do not have any documentation to support that she was captive bred or legally imported.

It has come to my attention that C. Alba was federally listed as a threatened species in the United States in the year 2014. Furthermore, at a Bird Expo in my area, I met a representative of the Aviculture Federation of America who brought to my attention that it may be illegal to possess and transport endangered/threatened species in my state. Considering that our bird has no known history, prior owners/breeders, or other documenation, are we as her current pet owners at risk for having her confiscated, rehomed or put down? The reason why I am asking is because I am concerned for her long term welfare. At a minimum, we need to be able to take her outside in a harness for enrichment and transport her to the vet for medical care.

Please advise what permits would be required in order to secure her status as our pet in this state; or if there are any state or federal laws that would apply to our case offering protection or exemption from the applicable laws.

**Illinois Status:**
 (520 ILCS 10/3) (from Ch. 8, par. 333)
    Sec. 3. It is unlawful for any person:
        (1) **to possess, take, transport, sell, offer for sale, give or otherwise dispose of any animal or the product thereof of any animal species which occurs on the Illinois List**;
        (2) to deliver, receive, carry, transport or ship in interstate or foreign commerce plants listed as endangered by the federal government without a permit therefor issued by the Department as provided in Section 4 of this Act;
        (3) to take plants on the Illinois List without the express written permission of the landowner; or
        (4) to sell or offer for sale plants or plant products of endangered species on the Illinois List.
(Source: P.A. 91-357, eff. 7-29-99.)

**Illinois List: **
(520 ILCS 10/7) (from Ch. 8, par. 337)
    **Sec. 7. Any species or subspecies of animal or plant designated as endangered or threatened by the Secretary of the Interior of the United States pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973, P.L. 93-205, as amended, shall be automatically listed as an endangered or threatened species under this Act and thereby placed on the Illinois List by the Board without notice or public hearing.** The Board may list, as endangered or threatened, species of animals or plants which have reproduced in or otherwise significantly used, as in migration or overwintering, the area which is now the State of Illinois, if there is scientific evidence that the species qualify as endangered or threatened as these terms are defined in this Act. The Board may delist any non-federally-listed species for which it finds satisfactory scientific evidence that its wild or natural populations are no longer endangered or threatened. Listing, delisting or change of listing status shall be made only after a public hearing.

**Federal ruling to list 4 parrot species under the ESA:**
Docket ID: FWS-R9-ES-2010-0099Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)Parent Agency: Department of the Interior (DOI)
Summary:
We made a final determination to list the Philippine cockatoo (Cacatua haematuropygia) and the yellow-crested cockatoo (Cacatua sulphurea) as endangered, **and the white cockatoo as threatened, under the ESA. We also finalized a special rule for the white cockatoo.** The Philippine cockatoo is endemic to the Philippines, whereas the yellow-crested and white cockatoos are endemic to Indonesia. We determined in our earlier status review that the crimson shining parrot (Prosopeia splendens), endemic to Fiji, did not warrant listing under the ESA.

**Pet Birds**
Docket ID: FWS-R9-ES-2010-0099Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)Parent Agency: Department of the Interior (DOI)
A “Pre”-ESA (or “Pre-Act”) specimen of a species is one that was made or obtained prior to the species being listed under the ESA and has not been involved in a commercial transaction since that time. Specimens of species held in captivity or in a controlled environment on (a) December 28, 1973, or (b) the date of publication in the Federal Register for a final species listing, whichever is later, are exempt from prohibitions of the ESA, provided such holding or any subsequent holding or use of the specimen was not in the course of a commercial activity (any activity that is intended for profit or gain). An affidavit and supporting material documenting pre-ESA status must accompany the shipment of any listed species. A pre-ESA exemption does not apply to wildlife, including parts and products, offered for sale. In order to export a pet bird, an owner would need to provide information that the specimen was acquired or held in a controlled environment on or before (a) December 28, 1973, or the date when the species was listed, and (b) has not entered into commerce (e.g., been bought, sold, or offered for sale by you or anyone else) since December 28, 1973, or the date when listed. Any specimens of an endangered or threatened species born in captivity from pre-ESA parents are fully protected and are not considered pre-ESA. See http://www.fws.gov/forms/3-200-23.pdf for additional information.
Section 7(a) of the Act, as amended, and as implemented by regulations at 50 CFR part 402, requires Federal agencies to evaluate their actions within the United States or on the high seas with respect to any species that is proposed or listed as endangered or threatened and with respect to its critical habitat, if any is being designated. However, given that these species are not native to the United States, we are not designating critical habitat for these species under section 4 of the Act.
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 This is most likely too complicated a question for anyone on here to answer. If you're worried about your bird being taken away or put down, I would suggest contacting a herpetology society in Illinois such as [this one](http://www.chicagoherp.org/index.php?link=contactlist)- lizard keepers are usually knowledgeable and sympathetic to owners of endangered species. At the very least, one of them may be able to point you to a lawyer experienced in these matters.

Hope it works out for you.


Title: (NYC) I am being charged random amounts of money for rent every month

Question:
Hi Reddit. I wish I didn't have to post this but I am in desperate need of advice.

I currently rent a 2 bedroom apartment in Queens. I used to rent with my brother, who was in charge of paying the rent through a third party website (this is what we're all told to pay through by the leasing office). In May he left the lease and I picked up the responsibility while my new roommates pays me his share in cash.

I have noticed no bill we receive is ever the same as what is listed on the lease. Every month it's $20-100 more than my rent, once it was even $200 more. I have been on the phone with the rental office countless times with them about it, and I've been getting the run around. I've been told these are 'building improvement/maintenance fees' that I simply have to pay. Not only that, but when I pay through he website, I ALWAYS have a balance the next month. I was told this was an error on the site's part and that they 'couldn't' do anything about, because sometimes the fees are processed late (????)' and that to simply make sure I pay what is listed on my physical bill and/or call them.

So, I am incredibly done with this. Last month I made 1000% sure I had a 0 balance (0 balance on the third party site, and I called them directly to confirm the 0 balance). Then I paid through the site the EXACT rent charge I was billed in the mail, regardless of the number on the third party site, JUST like they told me. Then, this month, I'm told I have a $50 balance somehow! It won't say WHAT. it is. No one can seem to tell me what it is exactly.

None of these fees are itemized, and often times they are literally hidden in a single 'rent' charge that is an inflated number of what I agreed to on my lease. Is this illegal? How am I responsible for building improvements when I'm just a renter and have no stake in the building? help!!

Edit: I am not at home right now so I can't re-read my lease just now, I will as soon as I get home. I am scared there's something in the fine print I missed that will basically mean I'm screwed. Even if there is a clause telling me to pay all these fees, wouldn't that be an illegal clause? They charge tenants for maintenance/improvements, then get tax deductions on said maintenance/improvements, aren't they essentially making a profit?

even if you don't have in depth advice, please someone tell me if I'm right in being suspicious here or if I'm overreacting/don't have a case. I'm on the edge of my seat here...

Answer: NAL but was previously a leasing specialist at an apt complex in NY. For a basic apartment (not a condo), I've never heard of "miscellaneous maintenance fees" unless its to repair damage caused by the resident. Rather than calling on the phone, I'd recommend going directly to the office and asking for the itemization of every additional fee you've been charged. If it's to fix damage in your apartment, they likely need to have documented proof of it to show you. Unless it states otherwise in your lease, you can likely also pay by check or money order directly at the leasing office.


Title: Daughter hit a car in a golf cart and the quotes are outrageous (Oklahoma)

Question:
About a month ago my 16yo daughter was babysitting and driving their golf cart around the neighborhood and hit a parked car. She's has a normal drivers license and insurance, but as she was not driving a car I'm being told her car insurance won't cover the accident.

The lady who's car was hit reached out to us today with a $5,000 quote to repair her car. This seems way too high considering the damage and the car. Honestly I'm not even sure replacing the entire car would cost $5,000. It was a 10 year old van and the damage to the bumper and taillight was minimal. Even if we replaced all of the parts it might cost $500.

I'm not sure what my options are here. Can I force her to use a mechanic I trust? Am I missing something with insurance? What are my legal obligations to cover her damages? I can't imagine that I just have to pay whatever amount she wants even if it's unreasonable.

Answer:
 >Even if we replaced all of the parts it might cost $500.

Lol, no. A new bumper cover and matching paint is likely $1k by itself.

You have no obligation to pay directly. You can wait to be sued by herself or her insurance. I'd take some pictures and show them to a couple bodyshops to get a ballpark estimate.


Title: What type of lawyer do I need to resolve/sue my ex-wife regarding a mortgage she was supposed to take my name off of? See text for bulletpoint details:

Question:
- Illinois resident

- took out a mortgage on a house together in 2009

- divorced a year later

- divorce decree and property settlement said she got the house, but she would refinance it in her name and remove my name from the mortgage.

- she didn't

- she's now fallen way behind on the payments and my credit is ruined

- need to speak with an attorney regarding this problem

- what type of lawyer do I contact?

- thank you in advance

Answer: If possible, contact the lawyer you used during the divorce. If not, I think another divorce lawyer will probably suffice.Answer #2: You need to talk to a divorce lawyer, and take her back to court for breach of the divorce decree.  Just know that because she is now behind on the payments, the chances of her refinancing it are almost none.  You might need to have the court force the sale of the house at this point to avoid a foreclosure because the bank will come after both of you.  As for your credit, you can try to dispute it, but it might not work  Divorce decrees do not absolve you of the debt nor can it just take you off


Title: [Canada, ON] Moving from provinces hired Movers that quoted me 1500-2500lbs now want to charge me for 5500 lbs.

Question:
I Hired movers to move my things between provinces, I was given an estimation between **1500 to 2500** lbs and I just got the notice that it is actually **5500 lbs** and I need to pay before they deliver it sometime this week and it's a complete different company from the one called. They more than doubled the estimation and I simply can't afford the amount they're giving me. They're willing to re-weight things for an fee of $400 plus taxes. If I knew it was going to be that much in weight I would never agreed, to it. The 2500 that was quoted to me when they picked up the things I'm ok with it.

The first company never told me they would be hiring a 3rd party to actually transport my things, from the initial contact until I got a random e-mail in my junkmail I thought I was dealing with the Initial company.

Is there anything I can do?

Answer:
 Are either of these companies legit? Can you find listings of them, or is it a company you have never heard of? They could be extorting you. Your stuff could weigh 5500. They could also have already made off with your stuff, and are just trying to get more out of it. There could just be a clerical error somewhere. I would look into these companies, to see if anyone else reported similar thingsAnswer #2: When they loaded the truck, they should have shown you the before load and after load weight, displaying the unexpected difference, before actually following up with the move. I recently did a cross country move and validating the load weight is a typical part of the process with most large, legit Canadian companies. If you can, I would heavily review all the paperwork you have signed along the way (deposit, load paperwork, etc) it should dictate how and when they weight everything. This was my biggest fear as well :/ In particular, check their requirements or rules for using a third party. Answer #3: Apparently not unheard of here in Canada. I remember CBC's marketplace did an episode, but I can't remember the conclusion. I do believe they got one of the companies to back down but I don't remember the particulars.

I'd link it but rules. It's the first result if you google 'CBC marketplace movers'


Title: Divorcing in Florida while pregnant

Question:
I'm hoping someone here might know something about divorcing in Florida when the woman is pregnant.

To keep this short, I am pregnant, I do not live in Florida anymore, husband lives in Florida and is **not** the father of the baby.

Florida has two types of divorce as far as I can tell; regular and simplified. He has gone to the county courthouse and bought a self help packet for divorce. The form he sent me says nothing about being pregnant, only that there are no children. However I don't know what his form says. Mine has "Form K" on it and requires me to go to a notary before I send it back.

I called the clerk's office and they were.... eh. He said he "believes" you can get divorced while pregnant, and a judge will grant it. (Very reassuring)

Everywhere online says that you cannot get a simplified divorce while pregnant, but I'm not sure what this form is, is it simplified or regular?

I did see online that the pregnancy needs to be mentioned in the petition, does that mean a simplified divorce can be carried out if he tells them I'm pregnant??

Thanks for your help!

Answer:
 You have several layers of issues here.

First, yes, you can get divorced while pregnant. It is required to be disclosed.

Second, I don't have knowledge of FL procedure to tell you which kind of divorce can used, but in my state you have to through the same procedure as you do with children, since custody, placement and support of the unborn child has to be addressed.

Which brings us to the third and most significant point.  You say your husband isn't the father. This greatly complicates things, as there is likely a martial presumption that your husband is the father. And the baby will have to be born first before any judge will order a DNA test.

Unfortunately, this is a situation that is not going to be simple, and for which you really do need to consult with an attorney.


Title: [MA] Landlord is selling my apartment, possibly to someone who would want to occupy it in place of us.

Question:
As stated in the title, my landlord is selling my apartment, most likely to someone who would want to occupy the space in which we are currently living. My situation is as follows:

1. My wife and I make very little money. I live on a scholarship stipend totaling about 12$ an hour. My wife makes more, but is paying 800$ a month in student loan payments at the moment.

2. My wife is currently pregnant, which means living in an apartment with roommates is probably not an option because there will be a lot of crying to deal with in a few months

3. We live in the greater Boston area which means an average 1BR will cost 1800-2000$ a month. This means that we need to have around 8000$, 2000$ of which would just be thrown in the trash as realtor's fees, plus moving expenses.

Obviously our lease will transfer over to any new owner but after that is over with they have no obligation to renew it. I am in school for two more years, and was planning on staying here until graduation after which time finances will be much, much easier.

 What are our options (if any) for fighting this? We really cannot afford to move and it feels like we are basically being thrown out of our home for the past 4 years.

Answer:
 > and it feels like we are basically being thrown out of our home for the past 4 years.

And? You rent. That's just the reality of it.


Title: (Hyderabad, India) We're afraid of my dad, but I don't know what I can do about it

Question:
My dad has become highly abusive over the last years, after my sister (18 years old) became schizophrenic, and I (21) became depressed.

My dad hasn't physically attacked us, but threatens it, and more importantly, we don't have enough money that we could survive without him. He's transferred several of his debts to my mother, years ago, which she still pays.

He's threatened to force my mother to withhold my sister's schizophrenia medicines. His side of the family has been full of schizophrenics, including his now-dead mother, and he doesn't want to acknowledge that he "passed it on" to my sister. He believes that we should listen to everything he says as he's the "head of the house".

I was depressed for nearly a decade, almost commited suicide, due to his shit.. I still feel furious enough to break his head open whenever I see him, but I can tolerate it now. His behavior's still making my mother more and more depressed, and she's admitted to considering suicide herself. And my sister has psychosis and mania, and his behavior doesn't help.

I'm trying to find a way out of this. Is there a way for us to get rid of him? Will my sister be protected, given her illnesses? Can we get enough child support and money to not lose everything? What can we do about possible legal fees? Is it possible to transfer the debts he foisted onto my mother back to him? And, this would just be a bonus, would it be possible to "disown" him? Make him legally not our father anymore?

Answer: Try posting this on /r/india. You might find a lurking lawyer on that sub.


Title: Ex-friend is paranoid that I am making fun of her on my private Instagram account and is now telling me to delete the account.

Question:
We got into a fight, and is now demanding that I delete my private instagram account that she does not follow because she believes that I am slandering her. I have not, nor have I ever made posts about her. Can she report me to the authorities? Can the authorities even search through the account? Do I have to delete it?

She is 24, I am 19. We are from Connecticut.

Answer:
 Ignore the person.  They have no ability to compel you to delete the account absent a court order, and a court won't order you to do so unless you're wantonly breaking the law.Answer #2: 1.  She can report you, but the "authorities" would tell her to take a chill pill.

2.  IF she alleged something actionable (say that you were posting child porn) then yes the authorities can almost certainly get permission from Instagram to search through your posts.  Slander is a civil action, and the police will not get involved in that.

3.  No you do not have to delete your account.

4.  It is possible that she reports you to Instagram, though again slander is not something they'll take action on.  But if she claimed for example that you ripped off copyrighted materials and posted it, Instagram may close/delete your account.  So DO save anything you feel attached to off the account, just in case.  Because while they'd likely restore it, you may end up losing content.Answer #3: She can report you to the authorities.  Just like she can try selling combs to bald men.Answer #4: The authorities will tell her it's a civil matter. A lawyer won't take her case without at least some sort of proof.

Of course, if you want to tweak her, just tell her it's not slander if it's the truth. Let her mind do the rest.


Title: Accidentally viewed illegal porn am I going to get in trouble

Question: I was viewing porn on a website on my phone fuq.com and came across a video accidentally on the site of illegal porn. And reported it to the website Manger and to the missing kids website I found. it was a upskirt shot but no genitalia was shown or sexual act was performed on. i am just freaking out. Will I still get in trouble. The website manger has contacted me since and said they have removed the video and thanked me for notifying them on the video. Ny

Answer: You'll be fine. Authorities look for patterns, an accidental happenstance isn't going to catch anyone's attention.


Title: Hurt on the job. Think I'm getting jerked around. Trying to make it short. Advice insanely appreciated

Question:
25 year old male

So I was at work the other day and slipped and fell while stepping off of a pallet. I lunged forward to catch myself with my leg and twised it and HEARD a loud pop
 and felt a shift. Needless to say I couldnt move on my own and was limping to the front desk of the warehouse with my arms around two of the shift leads.

I went to the ER that night and was told nothing was broken or dislocated but I needed to see an orthapedic immediately.

Met with workmens comp today and they were pushy on which clinic to go to ( of the doctors for their company you can choose from) and it happened to be the closest one to me so I selected it.   Upon going there the Doctor who finally saw me ( who WM comp coordinator refered to by name in the meeting)   pretty much said he wasnt going to take xray ( since they did at the ER the previous night )   and when i suggested an MRI he said he wanted to try 1 week of PT first.   ( I literally cannot bend of lift my knee...never have I heard of someone trying PT before pinpointing what it is.  ( btw I was drug tested and know I'm 100% clean)

Doctor said i can return to work on the 23rd ( 4 days after the incident) after stressed I couldn't even get in a car without going in the back seat back first and pulling myself in because i cannot twist or move my leg.

PT is scheduled for the 31st.   EIGHT days after I'm supposedly able to return to light/desk work

I then called workmens comp to tell them what was said. They even said they would try calling and getting PT moved to tomorrow morning.  ( I'm 100% I cannot move my knee/leg without pain.)     When I brought up the MRI the workmens comp person said " yea MRIS are expensive we want to rulle out PT first.   He also said " if your leg is better could you return to light work on Wednesday ( december 26th)

I think hes trying to throw me back in work. ( he said they have 7 days before having to dish out payments) to avoid giving workmens comp. I also think they are avoiding MRI to save money.  I'm very irritated and plan on seeing a separate Ortho to get the full 9 yards and if they find something serious like a Meniscus tear ( even the refered doctor said it could be)   is there anything I could do about it? They want to bend and contort my leg/knee before giving me a proper MRI when I cant even walk or go upstairs/ get in the bath. They also only prescribed Ibuprpfen for the pain

Answer:
 It's tough to get good advice for workers comp claims.  Everybody's trying to save money.   That said, the doctor is giving you good advice.  The worst thing right now would be to get hooked on opioids.  They don't work for this kind of pain.  You also don't want to become immobile.   Do what you can to get into physical therapy as soon as possible.  The claim representative seems to be doing their job in that regard.
To be honest, I hope you get back to work as soon as possible.  It will be a long hard slog otherwise.


Title: [California] My mom is being sued because a woman tripped in her store. Please help.

Question:
UPDATE:
Turns out that the claims person she was emailing is from her insurance company, and that she does indeed have permits from when the uneven floor was created years ago. She has since then called her insurance company and will be speaking to someone who actually speaks her language so there is no confusion. Thanks for the help everyone! She can be a bit clueless sometimes.

Years ago, my mom extended her store by absorbing the one next to her, which ultimately caused a small slope at one area because of the uneven height between them. Some lady fell and is now suing my mom. She is nervous because they are telling her to give her a copy of the contract between her and the construction company, but she hasn't worked with actual companies, just paid people she knew for a lower price.

Here are the emails between them:
http://imgur.com/a/NJPsK

I am personally confused when the claims person provides that picture as proof as construction being done. What does she mean? Putting tape on the floor was something they did to warn customers. I also do not know what she means when she says "This was also something your office advised us of repeatedly".

Please help. I have no idea how to help her at this point.

Answer: Oh lawd she needs to STOP communicating with them!  Contact her insurance company and an attorney NOW.Answer #2: She needs to call her insurance company.Answer #3: Doesn't she have insurance for exactly this kind of thing?  She needs to stop talking to the other party and talk only to her attorney. She is helping them build a case against her.Answer #4: Your mom should have some type of business insurance. If not, she may be in for a good bill.


Title: What's the legality of spending money you found on the ground?

Question:
This isn't related to me at all. I was reading [this article](http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/california-bartender-wins-1-million-after-buying-lotto-ticket-found-n418961) about a guy who found $20 on the ground (locationbot: in California), immediately spent it on two lottery tickets, and ended up winning a million dollars from it.

I have sort of an esoteric question about this.
If by some miracle the owner of that $20 came forward and was able to prove that it was his money, would the lottery winner simply have to pay him $20 for spending their money? Are there legal issues with him spending the money, even if he was willing to repay the original owner? And in a technical sense, is the $20 considered "stolen," and if so, does buying something (especially lottery tickets) with stolen money make any difference (is that illegal in and of itself, does it void the transaction at all, etc)?

Last question: if instead of a normal $20, the person had dropped some rare bill. Something not obviously special to most people, but collectors would recognize it as being worth more than face value. Would the lottery winner be on the hook for the straight value of the currency, or the collectors' value?
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 The traditional rule is that a person who finds lost property has a valid claim on that property except to the original owner. Usually you don't have to return the property unless the true owner is known to you.

California has a statute that requires any property to be turned over to the police if its value is $100+. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=civ&group=02001-03000&file=2080-2080.10

You can claim it after a certain amount of time if the true owner isn't found.

My opinion is that even if the true owner of the $20 came out of the woodworks he wouldn't have a claim to the $20 nor the money won.
Your question regarding to what would happen if the money was considered stolen is a little more complicated and I don't want to put in the effort to answer it.Answer #2: > If by some miracle the owner of that $20 came forward and was able to prove that it was his money, would the lottery winner simply have to pay him $20 for spending their money? Are there legal issues with him spending the money, even if he was willing to repay the original owner?

Money is fungible, which means roughly "interchangeable for legal purposes".

If you find $20 in the street, all that means is that you now have $20 more than you did before. If someone shows up and proves that it was their $20, then you might owe them $20, but you don't owe them that specific $20 note.

If you then buy something, it doesn't really make any difference to things whether you use that $20 note, or another $20 note, or any other means of payment. You just spend $20.


Title: Accidentally ran from a cop

Question: So I was driving today, a little over the speed limit. I get to a red light and see a cop has his lights on. He is a few cars back so I think nothing of it. I continue on my way and see the cop make the turn on to my road. I am so far ahead that I just kept going at a normal pace. I did not see him after the second turn. I parked in a parking garage and haven't been to my car since it happened about 3 hours ago. So am I going to be in trouble? I don't know what to do. I am not sure if he got my plate number. This happened in Northwest Arkansas. The car belongs to my step father who lives in Houston, Texas. Do you think he will be getting a call? That wouldn't be good for anyone.

Answer:
 Your story about getting far enough ahead of the officer who was "a few cars back" at a red by driving "at a normal" pace isn't credible.

All 50 States have a "move right" law, so if anything you violated that by continuing at a normal pace with an emergency vehicle behind you.   More seriously, you probably fulfilled the elements of the crime of eluding an officer.

The registered owner of the car will be the one getting a call.  Dash cameras are pretty good at reading license plates these days.

There's nothing you can do about it now except keep your mouth shut and slow down.Answer #2: If the cop was after you, I'm pretty sure you would know. They'll get right up on your ass if they want you to pull over. The fact that the cop ended up turning somewhere else makes me think he wasn't after you.Answer #3: We can't guess as to what might happen.  If contacted, you're not required to answer their questions; they can still ticket you for whatever they have cause to believe you did.Answer #4: "Accidently"


Title: Guy owes me money and I've gone through small claims but now I need to enforce payment.

Question:
I live in Ontario Canada.

I lent money to this guy and he gave me an IOU which I presented during our settlement conference. The judge ruled that the guy did indeed owe me the money. However it's been a few months since then and I've been trying to get into contact with the guy but he keeps avoiding me and delaying payment... I asked the court house what to do next and they said I could enforce payment from his bank account, but in order to do that I need to know where he banks... Apparently I need to pay $125 just to check with a bank and if it's the wrong one then I need to pay another $125 to check another one.

Is this really the only way to do this? It feels like the court should be able to request that information or at least do more to enforce the guy to pay me what's owed.

Thanks in advanced... I've been struggling with getting this money back for over a year now.

Update:
So I knew what bank he was with when I lent him the money and my suspicions were correct about him changing his account to a different bank... luckily one of his former friends (he owes her money as well), told me the last place she remembered him banking with, as well as the new address of his small business.

Answer:
 Pretty much your only other option is to follow him until he goes into a bank, or convince him or someone close to him to just tell you where. There are some pretty strict privacy laws at work here, and they do get enforced with a heavy hand. Nobody with a career in finance is going to risk bending the rules for you.Answer #2: How did you lend him money?  Did you write him a cheque?  If so, look for your cheque images online and see if the institution that cleared it stamped the cheque.Answer #3: Do you know where he works? You might be able to get a garnishment order for his wages.

I'm currently suing someone in Ontario small claims so I'm curious as well. I remember seeing a form on the website about getting him declared in default and getting a garnishment order issued.


Title: A big box store installed an oven and left another one that is brand new in our garage for 2 months with no indications of picking it up, we live in Texas. What is the state law on forfeiture of this oven?

Question:
It's taking up space and we need it gone. When they left it in the garage (the installer) he said, "the big box company said to leave it in your garage" and that was it.

I figured there is a law on forfeiture of this product past a certain amount of time.

Thanks in advanced for any advice!

*Edit: Okay so some background on the stoves: We had bought a brand new stove, fridge and dish washer. The stove was not working properly, so we called up the big box company and had them deliver another, they installed the new one (different install company, they outsource this stuff) and the stove they originally installed (the 1st one) was not wired correctly on the ground, so they installed the new one and had no work order to take the stove they were replacing. They left it in the garage and told us exactly as I said, and we have contacted no one since, we figured they would contact us when they wanted to send someone to pick it up.*

Answer: It's best to notify the store and installer in writing and give them a reasonable amount of time - something like 5-10 business days - to retrieve it before you dispose if it.Answer #2: Whose oven did they leave in your garage? Why did they leave it there?Answer #3: So you just let them leave with it there? This isn't really making sense.


Title: (Hypothetical) Warrant for a safe?

Question:
Let's say I have a safe that I know the combination to and there is nothing illegal inside of it.

If the police show up with a warrant that allows them to search the safe and I claim not to know the combo, they will likely take it to a locksmith.

If the locksmith damages the safe and nothing illegal is found, do they have to pay me for the safe?  If so, is there a maximum amount they are liable for?

Follow ups:
Can I just refuse to open the safe instead of lying about the combo?

What if the locksmith is unable to open the safe but triggers a relocker making it permanently unopenable?  Are they still liable even though they couldn't get it to determine guilt or innocence?  Would they be liable for objects contained inside the safe that I can no longer retrieve?

Edit: state of Florida

Answer: No. The police can only be held liable to civil suit when they deny you your constitutional rights. Since they got a warrant, there is no constitutional violation regardless of what was found inside.


Title: Victim of Predatory Towing

Question:
I live in southern CA and this morning at about 5:30am my neighbor woke me up by pounding on my door, telling me my car was being towed. I ran out just as they were pulling out of my apartment complex. My son was sleeping and my SO is in another state on a work trip, so I could't go chasing after it. I call the tow company right then and tell them that I need them to bring my car back, they have absolutely no reason to tow my car. The woman who answered took my info and said she would call me back. I called her back maybe 10 mins later and she handed me off to some guy in the office.
 He says they towed my car because it didn't have the parking sticker for the complex on it. I'm almost 100% sure it did have the sticker but anyways, when I have called the same company to have a car towed that was parked in my spot they said they couldn't just tow a car because it didn't have the sticker and that I would need the paper proving that it was my spot to have them towed. BTW my car was parked in my spot. So, reason number 1 is BS.
 He then said that it looked like it was being stored there because there was a spider web on it....really? I'm pretty sure they can't tow a car because it has a spider web on it...
 He then said that the registration was out of date. The sticker is but we have it temporarily registered as non operational because it needs work done, it runs but not very well.
 He then came up with another reason it was towed, he said it had a flat tire. I'm almost 100% sure it did not. Should note that about 20 mins before he brought up the flat tire, he said that the drivers take pics of all the cars before they tow them. So I asked him if he had a pic of my car, in my spot, with a flat tire and he said "that doesn't matter". I told him legally it does and he said he could take a pic of it there (at the tow yard) with a flat. I told that it had to be in my spot for the pic to be legit and finally after trying to change the subject a few times he said "sure I have a pic of it with a flat in your spot". I don't believe him. He said he can't / won't ( I don't remember) send me the pics. I could get them when I pay for my car or I could take him to court to get them.
 I can't pick up the car, my husband has to and he wont be back until tuesday.
 I'm pretty sure this is predatory towing and I'm not sure what I can do about it. They told me it would be $317 + $40 a day for storage. They told my husband when he called (the first time he called, they told him their computers were down and they couldn't give him any info. He called back a few minutes later and they told him) it was $225 + $40 a day for storage.
 What are my rights? Do I even have any? And how do I go about dealing with this? This seems like total BS!

Edit: I just asked my neighbor if they saw the driver taking pictures of my car. It was still completely dark out at 5.30, so they would have seen the flash easily. They said no, he didn't take any pics at all. So he might not have any proof for why he towed my car (still need to look at my lease). If that is the case though, where do I go from here?

Update - 11:30 am: So I finally spoke to someone in the apartment office. I told her what happened, she said that because the tags were out of date there is nothing she can do. I explained to her that they have a contract with the towing company and can have them drop the charges as not to lose the contract, maybe I should have mentioned that the sheriffs department told me that. Also told her that it was approved by the old manager and that I'm sure the towing company doesn't have proof of a flat tire (like its still claiming). She called the tow company and the old manager and called me back. The tow company will be bringing copies of the photos by today, she is going to make copies for me because I'm not able to meet them in the office. She also said the old manager never gave us approval to register our car as N.O. I explained that it was a verbal approval between her and my husband, and that we wouldn't have registered it like that if we had been told we couldn't. I pointed out how we've been here almost 6 years, we're never late on rent, all that good stuff. We weren't trying to break the rules, we were told it was ok. We will even re-register it now but it shouldn't have been towed. Also, not sure if this will make a difference but the office has proof that it was registered as N.O. from about the time we did it. Doesn't that kind of show that they were ok with it? Having proof and never doing or saying anything about it to us?

Answer:
 Check your lease, most apartment complexes prohibit keeping vehicles with expired tags in the parking spots, even if you're a resident and have paid for the dedicated spot.

The lack of a current sticker, even if the car is properly registered as non operational with the state, is almost certainly sufficient to justify the tow.Answer #2: Not sure if you've already seen this, but maybe you'll find something in [here](https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/?1dmy&urile=wcm:path:/dmv_content_en/dmv/pubs/vctop/vc/d11/c10/a1/22658) that will help you.

Looks like they have to give you a written explanation of the reason for towing, so maybe that could help you pin them down if they keep changing their story. (See (b).)

Also, I think somebody who has an interest in the property has to sign for it, so you might ask who (if anyone) signed. (See (i)(1)(A).)

Also, does your apartment complex have security cameras? If so, maybe the footage could refute their flat tire claim, assuming they decide to stick with that story.

Answer #3: Just make sure you get it back as soon as you can. Storage fee's can add up quite quickly for everyday that you keep it in their lotAnswer #4: If it's registered as non operational,  doesn't it seem fair to conclude that it's being stored?

I wouldn't be surprised if your lease prohibited this exact thing,  and thus justifies the tow.