Title: Live-in landlord keeps entering bedroom, opening the door while we're sleeping, and disturbing our peace by treating us like children with constant demands. Enough to sue for violation of peaceful enjoyment? (NC)

Question:
North Carolina.

I posted a while ago but this situation has apparently escalated and I've done a bit more research since. Old post below, but most of the information should be in this one.
https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/6tma0a/landlord_revoking_my_right_to_washerdryer_and_all/

So, unfortunately I live with my landlord. I now know this is NOT a good idea, but I'm stuck here for another few weeks.

Here is a list of things he's done:

Landlord is constantly a nuisance with me and my boyfriend for little things like not unplugging small appliances, texting us to put things away if we take a break after cooking, etc. Basically I will get a list of chores for no reason, when I've never made left a mess. We are treated like children. Requests are not questions like "Can you do XX?" but rather demands to do things.

He has threatened to give me my 30 day notice on two occasions if I "have another smart comment" because I said he wasn't handling things civilly or maturely.

He constantly moves my belongings. He has moved my food too many times to count. He also moved every belonging that was not in my room into a spare bedroom as soon as we agreed on a day that I would move out.

Kitchen sinks and countertops were removed for a week without me getting notified (I thought it was going to be weeks away from when it actually happened). I was not allowed to use the bathroom sink or outdoor garden hose to clean my dishes. I also did not have a bathroom sink the week after. I knew about renovations with floors/painting going in, but he did not decide about countertops until after I moved in. I was told to basically suck it up because "it will be worth it with new countertops after".

Dishwasher has not been functional since about a week after moving in. I basically got told to deal with it because I knew about the renovations when moving in. He's had almost two months to fix it but he's too cheap to pay actual contractors for most of his reno work. It only needs to be hooked up to water properly and attached to the counter.

All renovations were and still are incredibly slow because he was paying a guy under the table so little that it was basically slave wages. Guy thankfully got the hell out and moved out of state. I'm still missing a mirror in my bathroom and other small things that I had when I moved in.

He tried to revoke kitchen appliance and w/d use as punishment. Told him this was illegal so it never went through, not sure if I can use this at all.

Immediately after the above disagreement, he told me he's doing an inspection of my room in 24 hours (I am guessing because he knew this would bother me or because he wanted to find something to use against me). He went in and took many pictures of my room and closet. I was not home.

He also immediately said I have to remove my cats in 30 days, which essentially forced me to give my 30 day notice.  He also added other petty rules right after, clearly out of spite since it was within the hour of me saying what he was doing was illegal.

He went in my room again today to look for my litter box scooper (which wasn't even in there but in my bathroom). In the past he has also opened the door when my boyfriend was sleeping to look for his cat. He only knocked once and didn't call or otherwise attempt to get a response further.  Over texting he admits to both of these and claims that both of these reasons were emergencies. One, because he is allergic to cat litter and his daughter had the box open ready to scoop so (clearly) he needed the scooper immediately and the other to take his cat to the vet to get shots (no he was not sick). I think he's opened the door one other time when both of us were there sleeping but I was half asleep and have no proof.

I know NC doesn't have a statute on landlord entry or notice required prior, but is this enough to violate quiet enjoyment of my rental? Or possibly a constructive eviction? I have almost everything over writing (text message).

 I really don't want someone else to go through this again, and getting something back for all my stress would really help some closure and with finances since I am moving out earlier than planned. Would I get back just the amount paid for rent and utilities or possibly more? My rent is fairly cheap and I haven't been here long so it may not be worth pursuing just rent. But at this point it's been affecting my mental health, sleep, and even work performance.

I have emailed a couple of lawyers with no response so I'm thinking there isn't anything for sure I can do, but I haven't added the new information about him going in my room again today and left out the information about the renovations and him moving my belongings.

TL;DR Landlord is constantly being a nuisance and has also entered my room (I believe illegally) for reasons he thinks are emergencies but aren't. I am wondering if there is enough evidence to prove a constructive eviction or violation of my peaceful enjoyment of the rental.

Answer: Get out


Title: Car Towed and Possible Police Misconduct/Targeting?

Question:
Edit 2: Thank you to everyone who constructively replied! I have a general idea of what to do moving forward and I appreciate the advice.

Edit: Bot suggested I put down a location and due to reasons I will only post the county as Ventura County in California.

Currently, I live with my bf who owns 2 vehicles. Unfortunately, our apartment complex only allows one parking spot per person living in the apartment. I have 1 car and my boyfriend has 2 which obviously leaves us one space short. The next part of the story is super important, at the time of move in and multiple times afterwards (via email as well as verbal) the apartment complex I currently live in told us that the street across from our apartment is a public street meaning that we could park our extra vehicle on that street without paying for an additional spot. That was what we thought was the end of that. Additionally, at least 20-30 cars park on this street daily as spill over from our complex.

My boyfriend primarily uses one car over the other; however, both cars have been used throughout the 8 months we have lived here and we have never had issues up until this point.

A little bit of background on a separate incident but related in the sense that the same officer has issued all the tickets to the vehicle in question:

On 12/16/2016 my boyfriend received a parking ticket for being "more than 12 inches away from the curb". Not really thinking to take a picture of the vehicle before moving it, accepted the ticket and paid the appropriate fee.

After running into my neighbors and talking to them about what happened everyone I talked to had similar stories! I figured "I guess this is how the police deal with their time in a sleepy town and while annoying parking tickets are apart of life". I sent an email to my leasing office explaining the situation and the leasing office sent a reply saying their policies are their policies and to their understanding we are legally allowed to park on that street. I still have a copy of this email for my own records.

Back to the current story:

On 06/08/2017 we received a warning stating a "dead" vehicle has been left on public property and to avoid the tow we needed to move the vehicle to a different location (I do have this warning but it is not with me. I can upload this ticket late if need be). So not thinking much of it, my boyfriend moved the vehicle a couple of streets over with additional public parking(which I pass on my way to work everyday and can visually see the windshield and would have noticed any ticket or warning).

On 06/29/2017 on my way to work I noticed that the car was not in it's normal "spot" which I check daily on my way to work. I sincerely make it a point to check everyday as we almost missed the deadline to pay for the first ticket due not seeing the ticket. I frantically call my boyfriend and explain whats going on. At first we thought the car had been stolen but after looking online realized it could have been towed. We contacted the local tow company and sure enough that was the case.

We promptly went to go retrieve the car; however; because the police department was the one who issued the tow, we could not retrieve the car until we have payed the associated fees with the police department. Great. At this point we were livid as we had never received any notification that car was going to be towed.

We go to the police department and to our utter shock there were apparently 2 outstanding parking tickets for "parking without permission on public property" (WTF does that even mean?!?!) and that we had received ANOTHER warning stating a "dead" vehicle has been left on public property and to avoid the tow we needed to move the vehicle to a different location. Outraged we said we were never notified of the tickets or the second warning to move the vehicle (The tickets are bright pink and I visually check the windshield daily and would have noticed these tickets/warning) and would be appealing them but unfortunately we were told we had to pay the additional associated fees if we wanted to retrieve the car from the impound lot. Additionally, we stated we had moved the vehicle after the first "dead" vehicle warning so clearly it was not a dead vehicle. The clerk stated all she could do was give us the tickets and pay the fee but if we wanted to appeal the tickets we would have to submit additional paperwork (we have the paperwork and are currently filling it out).

We then retrieved the car which had NO PARKING TICKETS ON THE WINDSHEILD and after getting home a reviewing the tickets realized ALL THE TICKETS WERE ISSUED BY THE SAME OFFICER!!! Including the first parking tickets we received in December.

I have no clue if what is going on is illegal or not and I am just really looking for advice on how to move forward. This situation does not read right to me and after everything is all said and done (and if we end up having to pay the tickets) we will have sunk 1k into this whole ordeal.

I can't help but to feel we were specifically targeted as about 20-30 people park on the street across from our complex all the time and never get towed. My head is spinning and the idea that a police officer can get away with what has happened sickens me. I'm also having a hard time stomaching a 1k loss without any idea on how to prevent it in the future as my bf was about to go to college and we had to dip into that money to cover this expense.

/r/legaladvice please help. What can I do? Is this legal? Should I file a complaint against the police officer?

Answer: It sounds like your vehicle really was parked inappropriately.  Cities have ordinances about storing unused vehicles in street parking for a reason, and simply moving them from space to space to evade enforcement isn't really conforming to the spirit of the law.  It's likely that this "SAME OFFICER" is simply the person who handles this particular parking beat, has been watching your car sitting there for what I take to be 7+ months now, and is escalating enforcement to get you to comply with the law.


Title: [MN, south metro] Neighbor across the street has Mailbox on my property.

Question: [deleted]

Answer: My understanding, which could be wrong, is that it is often the case that the strip of land along a roadway where the mailboxes are is owned by the government (or at least there's some easement for the government). Usually all the mailboxes for both sides of a street are all located on the same side to facilitate mail delivery.


Title: I was fired without notice today, because I tried to stand up for myself. Unsure of how I should proceed. (B.C. Canada)

Question:
Hi everyone! This is a throwaway.

Please pardon any formatting mistakes, I'm usually just a lurker and I don't post. As I stated in my title, I'm located in B.C. Canada (Vancouver to be precise, though I'm not sure if that's necessary). I've been an apprentice for 3 years, 2 of which I've spent working for this boss; I'll refer to him as Doug. I'm in my 30's and female.

Some backstory: When Doug first offered me a job, he wanted to pay me cash in hand. I wasn't interested in this (for obvious reasons but also because it was less than I had been paid at my last position, although that hadn't been cash in hand) but he relented and said that it would only be for a couple weeks until he could arrange with his accountant to 'do everything by the books', and that I would get a raise. Ok, I thought, I could handle that and I accepted the position. Fast forward a few months and I'm still getting paid cash in hand. Doug and his wife are absolutely thrilled with my job performance though, and talking about how they want to make me supervisor. So I brought this up a few times, referencing our previous agreement, but I was always met with opposition. Then one day Doug and his wife cornered me in the shop with no warning, and told me that I wasn't ''anywhere near as skilled'' as they had hoped I would be when they hired me, and because of that they didn't want to give me a raise. I was shocked and ultimately livid, so I walked out. Eventually they relented and they offered me a (minor) raise and officially put me on the books. That was January 2016.

The following July, after lots of praise and an increase in responsibility (teaching and mentoring junior staff, most of the time while being alone in the shop without him present) I asked for a second raise. I was again met with disapproval and comments about how I'm not worth it, however after a few weeks they agreed to give me another one and they explicitly told me: We'll give you another dollar an hour now, and then this December (2016) when you finish school, we'll give you another raise.

Come January 2017, no raise....so, again, I bring it up. Same old song and dance about how I'm not skilled enough to warrant one, and that I'm basically just a shop helper. (One who supervises his employees for him and does all of his work for him while he stays home, mind you). I walked out at this point and took my lunch break, and then I returned and finished the day's work. Only replying to work related questions, ignoring all of his 'jokey' attempts to banter with me.

His wife came in the next day to speak to me, (Doug was relaxing at home) and she asked me what was wrong. I let loose and I told her exactly what my problem was. And perhaps I shouldn't have, but I launched into a pretty intense monologue about all of the illegal behaviour I see happening around the shop:

* How he doesn't have a spray booth set up (the city has apparently said he's not allowed to have one, maybe because the shop is so tiny?) but he has us spraying in the shop all the time. At some points the cloud is so thick you can't see from one end to the other. We're forced to work all day in this cloud.

* Refusal to buy his employees adequate safety protection. Like the correct filter cartridges for respirators, ear protection etc. When I first started working for him I had to go out and purchase my own respirator because he wouldn't provide one for me.

* Nobody in the shop has first aid, including him.

* He often uses intimidation to coerce people into doing things that are unsafe and dangerous. If an employee expresses fear or reluctance he/she often gets yelled at (though never forced to do the work).

* Constantly leaves unsupervised  junior staff alone in the shop, using equipment they aren't trained to use properly. On top of this I am left isolated in the shop very often, using dangerous equipment, while he takes the other workers to do installs. I'm not sure if there are rules regarding whether an apprentice is allowed to work unsupervised or not but it's worth mentioning.

* I'm fairly certain his business licence has expired, though I'm not sure if that means very much.

So after I've vented my frustration and the ludicrous idea that after putting up with all of this and running their shop for them they would treat me so badly, they offered to start my raise on Feb 20th (because that was exactly 6 months following my last raise) but stipulated that I would need to build them a vanity first. If said vanity was to their liking, then they would give me the raise. I have all of this in writing by the way, as it was via text message between his wife and I.

so, I built the vanity (actually, I built ***3*** vanities) and Feb 20 has come and gone. I brought it up again, this time via text (as I only want to discuss these things in writing with them) and no reply. Today Doug came in and took me outside, and said that because of my ''attitude the past few weeks'' I wouldn't be receiving a raise. I tried to say that any ''attitude'' I had was based on an injustice that I struggled to work through anyways, and he held his hand up in my face and told me "I'm the boss. You don't get a say in this. You can come back to work but you have to accept this'' and he walked inside. I dunno...something inside of me snapped. I followed him inside and I said that I absolutely do not accept this, but that I wouldn't be leaving because I'd done nothing wrong. That I felt cheated and lied to and that I worked too hard for him to be treating me like this. He told me to accept it or get out, so I said ''I'm not quitting, Doug. If you want me to go, you're going to have to tell me to leave''. And so he said: **Fine, you're fired. Pack up your shit and leave right now.**

So I did. But as I was leaving, I handed him a sheet with my hours (dated back until August 2016) that he still hadn't reported to the ITA. Reporting my hours is something he is required to do as my sponsor. They're needed in order for me to be eligible to go to school, and for me to complete my apprenticeship. I said "I will happily leave, but I need you to sign this sheet first and I will just fax it myself" and he flat out refused. Told me to get the hell out of his shop and that he would never sign it.

I don't know what to do now. I am lost. I'm sorry this is so long and wordy...I feel sick to my stomach and I'm really shaken up. I've never been fired before, and I don't know what avenue to take or what to do next. Will I get any severance for this? I received zero warnings about my attitude and zero warnings about my job performance. I had no idea I was going to be fired today and I feel like it wasn't justified. I have no money to hire a lawyer, and I'm afraid that if I were to lose I'd have to pay a lot. Am I eligible for e.i? I feel like I'm probably not because I was fired. Any help or guidance right now would be incredibly appreciated.

Answer:
 Talk to ITA yourself, explain that he verbally refused to sign your hours, and let them deal with him.

File with the Ministry of Labour to recover any notice or pay in lieu you may be eligible for (after two years, you're likely eligible for at least three weeks' notice unless you were terminated for cause, and "asking about a raise" generally isn't "cause," even if you escalate to a verbal argument about it), and for any outstanding wages or unpaid compensated expenses. You can also bring workplace safety issues to their attention, although it's a separate department from wage and hour claims.

Sue him in small claims for any amount he owes you for any side work you did outside of the apprenticeship.

File for EI while you look for your next job.


Title: Child porn

Question: So me and my girlfriend are both 16 and her parents saw my pee pee on her iCloud and are threatening to call the police help please

Answer: What is your location?


Title: Service Animals - Allergies

Question: Hypothetically speaking, if a store owner is allergic to cats and dogs, can the store owner legally prohibit dogs/cats from their store, even if they are service animals? (Michigan, USA)

Answer:
 If they're an active working service dog, seeing eye dog, search and rescue etc....Then no. Emotional support animals are not protected under this and he can ban those types of animals.Answer #2: Service animals? No. They can walk away, take meds, have a different employee deal with it.

I have never seen a cat service animal. Answer #3: Only dogs and miniature horses can be service animals protected by the law you are thinking about.


Title: food allergy-restaurant-settlement

Question:
NJ. No idea what to do. I have a peanut allergy- it is a very common one that is usually highlighted on any commercial food product. On the day of my bachelorette party, I went to get a quick lunch with two gfs before the real festivities began. I ordered a beer. I started to feel ill very soon after I started to drink it. Panic. Look up the brand. It has peanuts in it. Ask Waitstaff if they knew the beer had peanuts (they have no idea) and offer me a new beer instead of medical attention. Manager does the same (act surprised the beer has peanuts and ask if I want a different beer). Go vomit in the bathroom. Random other patron takes pitty on me and gets me water from the bar. Friends ask for food to be packed up so we can go home, and also ream out the manager (edit: while I am still busy in the bathroom). Go home and take benedryl and pass out. Miss 40% of planned events.

Today the restaurant insurance company wants to give me a small settlement. No idea what I should be asking for.

Edit for clarity:
1. I never accepted any new beers. I spent my time vomiting and taking benedryls. My friends took the food.
2. The beer was on tap. No ingredients list. The waitstaff repeatedly said they did not know the beer had peanuts in it. I only discovered this from looking up the name on my phone. Was simply listed by the beer style and ABV.

Answer:
 You have no damages. So what exactly do you want to sue for?

And seriously, you doing check the ingredients before ordering if you have an allergy? Answer #2: > oday the restaurant insurance company wants to give me a small settlement. No idea what I should be asking for.

You should take whatever they're offering, because they don't actually owe you anything and you're very lucky they're offering anything.Answer #3: I just want to be clear...

You have an allergy. You ingested something to trigger that allergy. But rather than seek immediate medical attention yourself, you accepted another three drinks, got a doggie bag for your food, blame the manager (‽) then go home.

I'm surprised that they are offering anything at all since nothing you've described indicates they owe you anything. So, be happy with whatever they are offering and be more careful about what you ingest?Answer #4: You're lucky they're offering anything.

I'm sorry about what happened - and I understand you're upset about it - but how it is the restaurant's fault? If you're seriously allergic to peanuts, you should check the ingredients before you eat or drink. And assuming you're conscious, if you need medical attention, you should get it! If you're old enough to drink, you're old enough to call 911 - or at least *express* your want of medical attention.

They're likely offering you a settlement because it'd be more expensive to fight you off. They don't want the hassle. I'd take whatever they're offering and call it a day.


Title: My parents want me to take adderall but I don’t want to.

Question:
[16 MI]

I failed a math test and it brought my grade down to failing the class. I have “A”s in everything else, but my parents want me to take adderall. They just suggested it, but I’m super scared. I’ve read a lot about how people get addicted to it and can’t function without it. I don’t want to take it. I can retake that test and get my grade up or retake the class, but I don’t want to make permanent changes to my brain and how it functions while it’s still in development. What do I do?
Topic:
School Related Issues

Answer:
 You should tell your doctor that you don't want it. Answer #2: >What do I do?

Nothing.  Your parents would have to take you to a doctor to get adderall where they will discover that doctors don't just hand this drug out like candy.


Title: My manager deducted overtime hours to show that I never worked them. What do I do?

Question:
Throwaway because my coworkers know my main account and I'd rather keep this under wraps for now.

I work a minimum wage job for a franchised restaurant in California that's ran by an LLC.

We clock in and out via the POS computer, and a receipt prints out verifying the hours worked that day. I worked 11 hours a few days ago, so it showed I had worked 3 hours of overtime for the week and a total of 25 hours for the week. I worked 6 hours the next day, and when I clocked out it showed I had worked 1 hour of overtime for the week and 29 hours for the week.

How do I bring this up? Do I wait to find another job and see if they do this again or bring this up right away? I know they have been under a lot of pressure to decrease labor, so I'm not sure if there have been past instances of them shedding my hours without me realizing.

Can I ask them to print out the history of all the hours I've worked since I began working there? Before we get our checks, they make us sign a document that says we've been paid for all hours worked and didn't obtain any injuries. Do I have to sign this to receive my check? And if I've signed it in the past does that stop me from collecting money from past paychecks that they've altered the hours for?
Thank you so much for any advice you can give me, I really appreciate it.

Topic:
Employment Law

Answer:
 > Before we get our checks, they make us sign a document that says we've been paid for all hours worked and didn't obtain any injuries.

Don't sign something that isn't accurate.

> Do I have to sign this to receive my check?

No, if you're not paid, file an unpaid wage complaint.

> And if I've signed it in the past does that stop me from collecting money from past paychecks that they've altered the hours for?

Not necessarily, although if there is literally zero evidence of an underpayment it will be difficult.


Title: Hypothetical question about inadvertent overhearing of a privileged conversation.

Question:
This would be for the United States, since it's a Constitutional question, but let's assume it happened in California.

So let's say Fred is under investigation for murder. He is represented by his attorney, Sally, as he is being interrogated by David, a police Detective. The interview is being videotaped by the police, with a camera on a tripod in plain view in the interrogation room

At one point, Sally calls a halt to the interview and asks for a few moments with her client to discuss his answer to the next question.

David leaves the interrogation room. He forgets -- legitimately forgets -- to turn the video camera off.

The ensuing privilaged discussion is recorded on the video camera.

Later, while reviewing the tape, the police discover the conversation was recorded. Since this was not an intentional act, can the police use the tape as evidence?

Answer: That evidence is 100% inadmissible. Cannot be used as the parties took all reasonable actions to ensure their privileged conversation was private.


Title: (California) Concerned relatives are trying to take my inheritance.

Question:
Hello /r/legaladvice

A relative of mine died several months ago. I am concerned my relatives are trying to steal my inheritance. The executor of the will claimed to have sent the will in the mail over a week ago, but I have not received the will. I am currently aware of an IRA and am receiving that for certain. My primary causes for concern are that I know with confidence my relative payed for a Gerber life insurance/college fund for me but the executor claims to know nothing about it and they seem to be in no hurry to sell my deceased relatives car, house, or any other belongings. The state my relative died in is Oregon, if that matters.

Answer: Ask the executor if they sent the will via registered mail or something else. This isn't DIY territory. If the executor hasn't performed their duties, you need to talk about the estate with a probate lawyer.


Title: Rapist’s family paid off my lawyer to get custody of the child conceived.

Question:
I made a post a while ago about the situation. I got some great advice from everyone here, and am working on terminating his rights to my son as a parent.

My lawyer was less than ideal, and after I found someone who would take my case pro bono I was able to get a better lawyer who is helping with terminating his rights.

After terminating my lawyer, I found out that his (child’s father/rapist) family was paying my lawyer to work for them more and give me bad advice/make me think the case was hopeless so I would hopefully let him take custody.

Obviously, I am enraged and using this against him in regards to terminating his rights. However I would like to know if/what can be done about the lawyer, who willing took a large amount of money (to the tune of 100K) to work against his client and tell rapists family what I was planning to do/what I was thinking about the situation. Isn’t there some sort of client/attorney privilege that prevents this?

I’m located in Michigan.

Answer:
 Do you have proof of this? If so he would minimally lose his license to practice law.Answer #2: If you have evidence of this file a request for investigation with the attorney grievance commission for the state of Michigan.

[http://www.agcmi.org/investigation/how\_to\_file\_a\_request\_for\_investigation.php#.W52WWPZFy00](http://www.agcmi.org/investigation/how_to_file_a_request_for_investigation.php#.W52WWPZFy00)Answer #3: What evidence do you have to support this claim?Answer #4: This sounds like a paranoid delusion. If it isn’t, make a complaint to your state bar association.

Answer #5: If you can prove this you basically get your lawyer for malpractice.  So it’s a huge deal if you can prove it.


Title: $500 ebay purchase, USPS gave to wrong house, no insurance

Question:
Hello everyone. I am in California, but the seller is in another state.

I recently made a $500 ebay purchase. The seller shipped the item to the correct address, but USPS dropped the package off at the wrong house (this was on Wednesday). My normal mail carrier wasn't working that day; a new stand-in person was delivering.
On Friday I realized that the package was marked as 'Delivered' on the tracking website. I talked to USPS, they sent the stand-in carrier from that day out to my house to talk to me. She said that the GPS data shows that she delivered the package to the house 2 doors down from mine, and she vaguely remembers leaving the package there.

The people at the house, however, say that they never got a package. I also talked to most of my other neighbors, and nobody reports getting my package - although ALL of them mentioned that they have, in recent times, gotten mail/packages for other people inaccurately delivered to their houses.

There was no insurance on the package. I did not realize that there wouldn't be insurance on it, or I would definitely have requested that and a signature required for such an expensive item :(

Am I just out $500 here? I plan to talk to USPS again on Monday to see if they were able to find it. If they cant, then I'll get a police report and file a claim with ebay for item not received. I read online that ebay will likely deny my claim since the package is listed as 'Delivered' in the tracking history, even though it never came to my house. If ebay does deny, then I'll file a claim with my credit card company.

Is there anything else that I can do? I've been monitoring Craigslist and ebay to see if the item becomes listed since it isn't a common one.

Answer:
 This is error on behalf of USPS and under Consumer Rights Act, when you buy goods from an online retailer, they're responsible for the goods until you receive them and for putting things right, not the courier. So i'd suggest contacting the retailer and asking what they can do.Answer #2: Just file an INR. Its the seller's responsibility to have insurance and signature confirmation if the purchase is over $250.Answer #3: NAL, but I was an Ebay Powerseller for a few years. Insurance is actually for seller protection, not buyer protection. In a strange backwards sense, it actually makes things a little better for you that there was no insurance on the package.

File INR and get any statements from the carrier and tracking backing up what you've posted here. Odds are quite good that the seller will work with you, and/or ebay will settle the claim in your favor. If for some reason that doesn't happen, then file a claim with your cc.

The big thing is not to jump to filing a cc claim first. Ebay hates that. It's better for you to follow their TOS and file with them first, and keep the cc claim only as a back up plan.Answer #4: One of two things happened here:
1. the neighbor stole it.
2.  the usps worker scanned it two houses down and stole the package.

But,  file a claim against the buyer on ebay.    The buyer failed to deliver to you.


Title: Our business name sounds exactly the same as another business but is spelled differently... Can we get sued?

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Since the whole point of your name is apparently to create confusion among the public, then absolutely you can be sued for trademark infringement.


Title: (California) Can I Take Legal Action Against My Rental Management Company For Posting This To My Door? (Medical Marijuana)

Question:
&#x200B;

&#x200B;

They letter goes as follows:

"Please be advised that there have been complaints of marijuana scent on the property.

Upon moving to said apartments, each resident signed a Drug Free Lease Addendum.  This includes a promise to not consume illegal drugs within premises.

The apartments are federally funded and marijuana is strictly prohibited.

Sincerely,

Management Company"

&#x200B;

This is illegal, right?  How can they post this, and what can be done?  I don't want to be bothered about consuming medicine in my apartment buildings.

Answer:
 > This is illegal, right?

No. You cannot use marijuana in that apartment.


Title: How do Age-of-Consent discrepancies across states affect our options here?

Question: My friend (Michigan, 14 at the time) was in an LDR with Ex (Illinois, 16 at the time) a couple years ago. Ex was very manipulative and convinced them to engage in sexual activities over the internet during their relationship. While examining our options, we were confused about the differences between the ages of consent in these two states, as it seems Ex was of age in Friend’s state and underage in his own. Is it still a crime for him to have bullied my friend into those activities because of his age? How does the interstate discrepancy change how we can pursue action against him? If we take this to court, we want to be as sure as we can be about what, if anything, we can hope for him to be punished with.

Answer:
 If by sexual activities you mean the exchange of child pornography, then potentially both parties are guilty of crimes.

If by sexual activities you mean some kind of sexually oriented chat then there’s probably nothing illegal here.Answer #2: There is no age of consent for child porn.Answer #3: What do you mean by "engage in sexual activities over the internet"?


Title: I sold my car to my mother two years ago in California before moving out of state. She told me should would register the vehicle and take care of all of the paper work. I found out two days ago that she has not put the car in her name and is currently driving without insurance. What do I do?

Question: She would*

Answer:
 If your intent is to force her to complete the registration of the car, tomorrow morning you should file a [Notice of Transfer and Release of Liability](https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/online/nrl/welcome) (REG 138 form).

That will help protect you from civil liability and from parking/registration fines.

In my view, that's easier than attempting to unwind the sales agreement.   You would owe her a refund and would have to get the vehicle privately repossessed.Answer #2: Get an insurance policy started with her as a authorized driver and go get your car back.  You are at serious risk every time she drives because you could be sued if she causes an accident..


Title: Employer is making me pay half of an employees driving ticket. Is this legal?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 No, your employer cannot make you pay half this ticket.

Since you're in an at-will employment state he can fire you for riding in the back of a pickup. Or for just about any other reason. Answer #2: If your employer has half a brain he would terminate the driver for driving a company vehicle without a license. The ticket has nothing to do with you.


Title: Conflict over easement/right of way [Nova Scotia, Canada]

Question:
I recently bought an end unit row house in Nova Scotia, Canada. It is my primary residence.

While I was researching the property, I discovered that there was a easement on the survey geometry, for use by several middle units.

I asked my real estate agent and real estate lawyer about the purpose of the easement, my specific concern being that with an easement present, I would not be able to control access to my own property. This is important to me because I have a toddler that will be using the yard, and I have concerns about my level of liability and responsibility if others have a "right of use".

Both my real estate agent and real estate lawyer told me that the easement was not a right of way, the other units did not have a right to use my property as a "shortcut" to their back yards, and that the easement existed to allow access to the back of the middle units to municipal workers, contractors, etc.

My real estate lawyer specifically said it was an easement, and not a right of way; I could control access. We had a drawn out conversation about this where I listed my concerns, and went through scenarios as to what I may be liable for. I was very specific in that I would not be interested in purchasing this property if I could not control access/thoroughfare. Again, my lawyer told me I could control access.

We move in, and were immediately challenged (during our move-in) by one of the middle units and their guests. The owner of the unit told me he actually has a right of way, and that he, his children, and their guests (including minors, adults, etc.) use my property as their shortcut to his back yard.

I sent an email to my real estate lawyer requesting clarification. He responded that the other owners and their guests do have a right of way, and I cannot prevent their use of my property, and that I won't be liable for personal injury as long as there are no "hidden dangers".

What the hell do I do now?

Answer:
 I would also straight up ask your lawyer why they lied to you. Because based on your statement, that's what happened. They said you would have access control, and only changed their tune after the transaction went thru. If they actually did lie to you - especially if that lie was a means to induce you do enter a contract/deal - that's a significant ethical violation. Answer #2: A diagram done in MS paint might help us understand the situation better.Answer #3: The easement is most likely defined as a specific area, with dimensions, and **permitted use**.      What does it specify in detail?

Answer #4: Coincidentally, I just purchased a middle unit townhouse in Nova Scotia. The only right-of-way I was informed of by both my lawyer and realtor was that there is a 1m right of way on either side of my property lines to facilitate work along those property lines.

Also, all my neighbours have fences separating the backyards, albeit with gates in the fence to facilitate municipal workers/contractors as you mentioned above.

Perhaps a nice fence is in order? I also agree with the poster about reading up on what the easement covers.Answer #5: Did you get title insurance?


Title: Stepdad trying to kick my mother and I out, he owns the house but they are married. I am a juvenile and my mom and I couldn't afford housing if we we kicked out.

Question: As the title states. We are in the state of North Carolina. My stepdad who is an alcoholic and pothead, he is trying to make us leave (We want to go, but can't) without any sort of financial help. Can he do this? The house we live in is in his name but they are married and have been for 10 years. Can he just kick us out without any sort of help? There's no way we could afford it and he has a lot of money. Hopefully I have provided enough info. I'm worried and we need to know. Sorry for the frantic typing and such. Thank you.

Answer:
 No, he can't kick you out immediately.  It is your home, too, and under the law he has to follow an eviction process, even if it's his house and you don't pay rent.  [Here's one article on this.](http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/tenant-defenses-eviction-notices-north-carolina.html) If he changes the locks or otherwise bars you from entering, that's an illegal eviction; call the sheriff.  (I'm not advocating you attempt to keep living there.  This is just so you can leave in an orderly way and have a new place to actually move to.)

Your mother should contact a divorce attorney.  Many offer a free initial consultation.  It is possible for a judge to issue an emergency, temporary spousal support order to your stepdad, depending on the circumstances.

Your mother probably owns roughly half of whatever money or property that she and he earned during the marriage.  See [here](http://www.divorcenet.com/resources/divorce/marital-property-division/north-carolina-divorce-dividin#b), and ask that attorney.
Answer #2: Please ask to speak to a counselor at your high school and don't be shy because it could help you out more than you know. Your stepdad can't just throw you out of your house. You need support and you may be surprised how much you will get if you reach out to your school. Good luck.Answer #3: Your mother needs to go see a divorce attorney like tomorrow. If he has a lot of money and she doesn't it's possible he can be made to pay for her legal fees.  He can't legally just throw you out either. if that happens call the police.  If he's violent it may not be safe. Do you have anybody you two could stay with?


Title: Got a call from someone I don't know saying that, if I don't stop calling them, they will hunt me down and kill me. I don't have any recorded outgoing calls from my call log.

Question:
I'm in NC, USA.

It's extremely likely that it was a prank call. Although, the man's tone of voice was very serious. The number had my local area code and it also shared the middle three digits with my own personal cell number (I don't know if this holds any significance?). And as I said, I have never called this number.

While I don't think there is anything serious going on here, I still don't think it's okay to threaten to kill someone (even if it could be veiled as a prank call). Even if it's probable that my life isn't in danger, what could be done to stop this caller from calling other people and freaking them out? I don't know much about law concerning anonymous death threator or what could be in this scenario.

Answer:
 I would file a police report.

The fact you never called them hints at the possibility that your number was spoofed by spammers or other fraudsters, but that does not justify death threats.

Relevant statute:

http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/enactedlegislation/statutes/html/bysection/chapter_14/gs_14-277.1.html


Title: Can Facebook be sued/sue for the recent downtime?

Question:
So as everyone is aware of at this point, Facebook and it's services (WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, etc) have been down for a number of hours without any major updates about what's going on.

I basically have two questions in regards to this:- Can Facebook sue its employee(s) for what has happened? Like the current situation is looking like someone deleted data that has stopped Facebook from working and possibly irreversible damage ([source](https://twitter.com/BenjaminEnfield/status/1445104389014835213)). Is this a suable offense and do you think Facebook would take this route?

\- On the other side of things, can customers sue Facebook? Perhaps a business that relies on Facebook for revenue and has lost said revenue due to this. Would this be suable too?

&#x200B;

I'd also like to make a little pointing out that according to Bloomberg, Zuckerburg has lost over $6 billion so far from this. Hence why I had the theory of him/Facebook suing for lost revenue. [Source](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-10-04/zuckerberg-loses-7-billion-in-hours-as-facebook-plunges)

Answer:
 Facebook's customers - the ones with contracts - can sue for breach of that contract, based on either actual damages, or on liquidated damages included in the contract, sure. Odds are good it'll never reach that point: for the vanishingly small number of organizations that have such an agreement, Facebook is likely to provide a reasonable remedy without needing a lawsuit.

You, however, aren't Facebook's customer. You're the product.

Facebook might be able to sue an at-fault employee if this was the result of deliberate malfeasance or, _potentially_, gross negligence. However, if this was an ordinary technical fuck-up, then no.


Title: Office closed from XMAS to New Year’s Day— Boss making me take unpaid time off

Question:
I work in an office that is closed every year from Christmas to New Years Day. I found out that employees who have been there for at least a year get this time as holiday pay. Unfortunately, I have only been there a few months so I would have to take vacation time or go unpaid. I just recently passed my probation period so I have just started accruing vacation time. Because of this, I would have to take that week unpaid. I’m wondering if they can legally force me to take the week unpaid.

Can they close the office and not pay me for holiday time?

We are allowed to work from home sometimes, so I was considering telling them that I will work from home during that week so my pay is not effected.

I just want to know what options I have before I talk to my boss. Thank you!

FYI: I’m in Los Angeles, CA
Topic:
Employment Law

Answer: Of course they are allowed to not pay you for days that you don’t work. You don’t expect to get paid for weekends when you don’t work do you? If the company is closed and you don’t work you don’t get paid. Nor is there anything illegal about treating employees differently based on how long they have worked there.


Title: Interrupted father hitting his child in a.... non-constructive way. Am I in trouble?

Question:
Okay, quick backstory; I am the most non-violent and white-collar person you could imagine. I have a large frame and I guess I’m somewhat strong despite my non-physical job. I have 0 temper and I think I belong to one of those weird people that doesn’t really get aggression. Okay, enough about that.

Today I had my 5-year old daughter come to the library with me. We were chilling in the kids section where she likes to just browse books. I was picking a few out for bedtime stories when this small, angry man entered the section with his son (best guess is 4-5 years old). He was super angry and yelling at the kid who was visibly sad. After the kid started crying the father slapped him and not just a little peck on the cheek but a slap that sang through the corridors. That’s when it happened; something in my head just snapped and I only remember parts but what I do remember very vividly is that I grab him by the collar, lift him up and slam him into the wall. I don’t yell but I tell him very firmly that I don’t condone. This is where I come to again and realize what I’ve done. I let him go and he slump to his knees. I grab my daughter (who didn’t really realize what was going on) and we leave. He left even quicker and didn’t say a word.

So, here’s my question; am I in trouble? It is illegal to hit kids in my country but it sure is illegal to pick people up and slam them into walls. Should I contact the library and try to report him? Should I contact authorities? This is very new to me in my very suburban, boring family-life.
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer:
 I'd personally shake your hand but if the police come don't answer questions.Answer #2: 50/50 you're going to be okay here, because unless there is video evidence it is going to be a he said/he said situation.  I would bet dollars to donuts that guy REALLY doesn't want to be anywhere near cops, because it probably isn't the first incident.

If contacted by police, get an attorney before speaking to them.  If this guy is known to them, they may do something for battery because they HAVE to, but guys like you doing stuff like that tend to get off light if you can prove it one way or another.  Sometimes, particularly first offense.


Title: I played a messy game. Scared about what happens next.

Question:
I’ll be completely forthright and say that wise decisions were not made here. I understand that I’ve gotten myself into trouble, I’d just like to get some sense of what comes next.

TLDR; “Sugar daddy” from online dating (never actually met) tries to use me to launder money. I cut off contact and stupidly thing I can keep it if I don’t do anything “illegal”. I spend a little bit. Now two bank accounts are restricting my accounts for suspicious activity. What did I just do? What happens next?

Basically, I met an older man on a dating app (Grindr, for those gays watching at home) who was one posing as a sugar daddy looking for a sugar baby. There’s a bit of a subculture for that there, so, in theory, not wildly out of the ordinary. We talked but never met. Not so ordinary. He talked about all the things he wanted to do for me and spoil me. He offered to pay off my credit card and give me an “allowance”. He actually gives me an account and routing number to pay off the card. At this point, I’m just stupidly curious about where this can go. So I use it and, sure enough, it actually posts to my account the next day.

This is where things start to get dumb.

To transfer my “allowance”, he tells me that he needs my account login information to deposit it. I know that that’s not actually true and there are other ways to transfer money. So I resist. We go back and forth for a little bit, him insisting that I can trust him. I know this is dumb.. but I have a another bank account that I stopped using a while ago with essentially no money on if. For some reason I thought, how much damage could you really do? So I gave that to him.

Yup, it’s happening.

He makes 3 mobile deposits in my account. $1600. $750. $750. Expect, since they were so large, they show up as $0 until the payment goes through. My “allowance” was supposed to be $400. I text him that his gift was ridiculously generous and he says that he’ll tell me where to send the remaining money and I can keep my allowance.

If there were any doubt before, now I *know* something is wrong.

I change my password. I also pretended to get busy so I could stop responding to him for the rest of the day. Is this money really going to just appear in my account? Is this real? When I wake up, it’s there. Surreal.  I’m getting ready for work and he starts texting me. How am I? Did the money make it? Do I have a paypal? He asks me to send $2000 to his business partner’s Paypal.

Yup, this is off

“So is this when you tell me what’s going on here?”

“Ask questions, babe”

“Like, am I washing your money?”

“Washing my money?? Babe I don’t get you”

We go back and forth, he keeps giving me run around answers and vague responses. I stop responding. He checks in a few times and then asks me to stop by a Walmart to pick up some gift cards. A couple $100 iTunes gift cards  and some more for Steam Wallet of the same value.

Clearly whatever was going on was illegal.

I never say another word to him again. He texts and calls me from that and another number over and over again. Babe what’s going on? Babe why are you doing this to me? Says I’m scaring him. Keeps asking for his money back.  Messages me in Kik, never open them. Never contact him again.

At this point in the story, my credit card IS paid off. And there really is over $3k in my old bank account. It’s now apparent that he was trying to money launder or do something equally as illegal. I wanted to believe that if I just didn’t do whatever he wanted me to do with it, send it wherever he said, that I wouldn’t be implicated in any crimes.

A day later, I try logging into the account and my access is restricted. The message says that I need to call the bank immediately.

Fuck.

I don’t make any moves for a day. I think it’s worth noting that that night, I misplaced my other two forms of payment and needed to buy gas. I have a little bit of cash and I’m still curious/naive about how deep this is probably about to go. So I decide to test out the tainted, restricted access debit card. It works. Shit. I was surprised.

I don’t make a move for another day. The weekend hits and I decide to call. Maybe this has a simple resolution. I verify activity. The rep says there’s a note on my account. “Do not serve or give any information to this person over the phone or internet. They must go in to a branch”.

Damnit. I know this can’t be good. But just maybe there’s still a chance this can be simple. I come in and prove my identity. It’s Saturday so the only ones open are the ones inside of a grocery store. I go to the counter and tell her what I was told on the phone. She pulls up my account.

“Yeah made a series of mobile deposits?”

I lie - “Yes”

“Did you try making any large purchases after that?”

“Nope, just gas”

My account has been restricted, so i really haven’t seen anything that may have been going on. She tells me that there were a series of 8 payments that were denied. I’m guessing they were too large or something. Caught off guard, I say those weren’t me. But the mobile deposits were? Well, someone did it for me. It comes out that I let someone make a deposit on my half, but that’s a I didn’t approve of those payments. I figured I could go down a “my ex boyfriend was going to pay me back/help me out and he convinced me to give him me account. I know, I know, stupid”. I don’t get that far.  Her face contorts. She knows this is weird. “Well you’re going to have to call and file a claim and explain that to them then”

Maybe I can still walk this down? That story isn’t altogether untrue. There was a man who I did give access to my account to and, until 10 minutes prior, I genuinely didn’t know of these payments. I changed my password maybe 10 minutes after he made the mobile deposits. He must’ve gotten the numbers necessary to set up a payment after the fact. I never got to see them post to my account.

I call. Again, we can’t tell you anything over the phone. You have to go in. At this point, I’m ready to just tell the truth. I know I spent $40 on gas, which doesn’t look good, but I don’t need the money. Y’all can have it.  I was legit planning on coming clean but something about having to do it out in the open at the walk up counter to a grocery store bank branch felt really odd. I’ll wait until Monday. Legit tell them what I knew, screen shots and all.

But then I get stupid. And greedy.

I’m just slightly curious, the card worked once after being restricted, maybe it’ll work again? Maybe it’s just the online login. I know it’s dumb, but that greedy part in my was curious if there were still some chance I could keep the money just, well, never login in again. I try it at another grocery store.

It doesn’t work. Well damn. That was a risky bet. Cuz now there’s a record of you trying to use that card again which, if anything, certainly won’t help your case. So now I’m embarrassed. First I bought gas and then tried for something else. It doesn’t look good. So I get nervous about going I.  Maybe I just.. give up that bank account. I don’t make any moves.

A few days later, the payment on my credit card is returned. Fuck. Maybe he filed a fraudulent claim. But it’s gone and the balance is in the red.

Now here’s the stupidest part!!

One last ditch effort. I’m still confused why that gas purchase went through. What if there’s a chance I could set up a payment with account info. I make a payment to my credit card, the amount of the full balance from the tainted bank account.

It goes through. The next day, it posted. Holy shit. Wasn’t expecting that. I used it a few more times on some smaller purchases over the next few days until tonight..

I get an email from my credit card bank.

“ We need to talk about your account immediately. Call us whenever you are available”

 This is where I’m at now. I know this is bad. My first bank must have alerted them that strange activity was happening on my account and they are denying the payment. This is escalating. I shouldn’t have spent the money. Now I’m worried that this will either turn into an IRS-tax evasion whole ordeal because I was an idiot and spent/tried to spend even some of the money or was even involved in some money laundering scheme to begin with.

I’m willing to tell the truth. Screens shots. Pay a penalty. But I would love to not serve time. Is that a possibility on the table here? I know wherewver this goes won’t be fun, but it’d like to have some idea of what to expect. Is there any reason to not lay it all out? Is there anything I would be better off not disclosing?

Would love to hear your thoughts and unmitigated judgments!

Answer:
 This is 80 year old grandma levels of falling for a scam. Answer #2: You fell for a scam. He was trying to get those iTunes and Steam cards off of you.

It wasn't money laundering, it was fake transfers. You're going to have to pay the bank back.


Title: Who is at fault in this situation?

Answer:
 Hard to say, not being familiar with traffic laws in whatever SE Asian country this is.

By North American standards, it's still hard to say. White SUV crossed a solid white line and came to nearly a complete stop in a live lane. But dashcammer clearly had a decent amount of warning from the white SUVs right signal and brake lights.

It was a shitty lane change, but if dashcammer was driving a regular passenger vehicle it was almost certainly avoidable. If dashcammer was driving a big truck with a longer braking distance, then that would be a consideration too. I would expect that insurance/a court would split the fault between the two, with the proportion determined by the facts of the case.


Title: Got finger caught in fan at school, resulted in partial amputation. Can/should I sue? (WA)

Question:
6 months ago (June 5 2018) I was in a robotics meeting at my high school. I was in the small machine shop we had and tried to pick up a running fan without a front or back on it. My right ring finger was caught in it and it ended up having to be amputated after the first joint.

The fan AFAIK is not school property, people bring in random stuff to the shop all the time and I remember people talking about how they took the front and back off the fan because it didn't circulate air well with them on. However, the machine shop is definitely "school grounds".

After it happened, some people I knew were pressuring me to sue the school. I didn't choose to do that at the time because I felt that the reason I got injured wasn't the school's fault (it was an accident- no, I was not deliberately sticking my finger in the fan). However, I'm still curious about what my options could have been if I did decide to take legal action.

I was 16 when the injury happened, and it happened in a public high school in Seattle, WA.
Topic:
Personal Injury

Answer: So your negligence caused the amputation. I don't see how you could sue them.


Title: Am I allowed to openly accuse someone of being the devil or the devils concubine on facebook or does that open me up to a defamation case?

Question: im not spreading this information around but a few people may have seen the page and shared the link to other people so if it goes viral somehow, can she sue me?

Answer: That would probably be considered vulgar abuse rather than a literal accusation, so you are probably safe from defamation.


Title: [MS] Found out that my girlfriend is pregnant. She wants to keep it. I support her and will be there for my child. I just want to know, is there anything I can do/should know to “protect” myself?

Question:
Okay so. My girlfriend is pregnant. Let me go on and get this part out of the way: I fully plan on being there for her and taking care of my kid. I’m not running away from that in any way. When she decided to keep it, we both agreed to make this work as best we could. My family loves her, I love her, but I just have some questions. I’m a planner and want to know as much as I can going into it. Without disclosing too much, we are both in our 20’s with a few years in between us.

Now as far as the legal questions go, I’ve got a few.

1.	 I do believe the kid is mine. I do not believe she’s been unfaithful at all, but friends and family have asked and some have gone so far as saying to not sign the birth certificate until we have a test done. We’ve been thinking about doing one of the noninvasive paternity tests just to prove to friends and family that the kid is mine. Say on the EXTREME off  chance it comes back negative and I am not the father, am I on the hook or liable for anything? Or does that kind of absolve me from the situation?
2.	As we are not married and do not have any intention of getting married any time soon, will that decision effect either of our abilities to care for the child in a legal sense (doctor visits, insurance, life choices, etc.)?
3.	We plan on hyphenating the last name. I don’t really have anyone in my life that has a hyphenated last name. Can that cause any issues down the line?
4.	As far as Medicaid and the like goes, does she have to claim me on it once we move in together? She’s done a fair amount of research on it and claims she does not have to since we wouldn’t be married. A family friend of mine says that she has to and if she doesn’t that we can be held financially responsible and have to pay it back.
5.	And just as a more blanket statement question/answer seeker: Apart from a custody situation, is there anything in a legal sense I need to look into or be aware of right now or in the future regarding the child? We fully plan on getting married in the future if it all works out. She’s not a crazy anti-vaxer or anything.

Answer:
 Do not sign anything (recognition of paternity) until there is a DNA test and you physically see the results yourself.

Until there is a DNA test you have zero obligations (assuming you don't sign anything)


Title: Throwing a charity event on the river.. Am I liable?

Question:
I have been throwing a charity for the last few years.  Live music, raffle, and we sell tshirts/sunglasses (to make money to donate). We put the band on an island.  People arrive in their own boats.  Bring their own booze.  And never set foot on the island.  What are my liabilities.  Help reddit!

Edit: I am location in northern Illinois

Answer:
 What you need is event insurance.Answer #2: > What are my liabilities.

Who is suing you and why?

There are plenty of ways you can be sued for being the organizer without the right waivers or insurance.

Did someone drown on the way to the island? Did someone get over-served? Did someone catch a t-shirt to the face?


Title: Can my ex-wife overturn our divorce because she wasn't formally served?

Question:
Divorced on Nov. 30, 2017. I took full custody of two children. I paid her alimony in full, and she didn't pay child support. I told her she needed to start paying child support, but instead she hired an out-of-school attorney would has submitted a motion to reverse the judgement. He is claiming the court does not have jurisdiction over my ex because she didn't get a proper summons and that she "didn't acknowledge, agree to or was notified of the divorce." He's citing a case [Bonner v. Booner](https://caselaw.findlaw.com/ga-supreme-court/1341523.html), which doesn't seem applicable to my situation.

The divorce was uncontested. We agree to all our terms. All of this is in writing via email or Facebook messenger. She came to my attorney's office and signed a separation agreement and parenting plan. She did not retain representation. She took the parenting class. I even asked her the day before the divorce was final if we were making a mistake, and tried to stop it. She refused.

My attorney says it's smokescreen, and he is going to file a contempt of court for the back child support. But I'm still nervous. Can we end up back at square one and in a custody battle? She's living a dump now and has visitation rights, but it's only every other weekend (the kids come back with flea bites, or marks from "falls" - you can understand why I am concerned).

What can I do to protect the agreement?

Answer: You already have a lawyer, no one here is going to give you better advice than they will. Good luck, I hope things work out well for you and your family.


Title: My parents applied for a green card to the US and got rejected and blacklisted

Question:
One of the requirements is a high school degree from my mom but she dropped out of school
That’s the reason they rejected the green card but they also put both my parents on a blacklist.

Will this blacklist ever get removed ? Or is it permanent?

Answer:
 You’re not getting the full story from your parents.

There is no green card immigration requirement that is satisfied by having a high school degree, and the failure to have one does not result in getting put onto a blacklist. The only reason I can think of for needing it would be if an unmarried US citizen mother was applying for a CRBA for a child born outside the US, and needed to provide proof of residing in the US after age 16, which the school record could prove. Obviously that doesn’t result in any kind of blacklist besides denial of the CRBA. And if you’re old enough to type this, it’s higly unlikely this is DACA related; although if they had you while very young it’s technically possible. DACA did require proof of finishing high school; but DACA didn’t provide legal status or a path towards a green card, it was deferred action, meaning they wouldn’t be placed into removal proceedings and were allowed two year work permits. It also requires meeting a lot of other factors, such as age and criminal background checks.

It’s certainly possible your parents have a ban for other reasons though. Where are they located now (outside the US?), do they have any periods of unlawful status (visa overstays, entering without inspection), and what was the basis for their original petition (employment, family based, of DV lotto?).


Title: Dad claimed kids as dependent on taxes but they are not. Now their tax returns are denied. How to protect the kids??

Question:
Texas, USA Divorced over ten years,  the kids are in college and in NO WAY qualify as dependent.

Spoke to their dad who said he would not claim them for 2015 then he did.

Oldest child filed as non-dependent and his return is now 'denied'. So, what needs to be done to protect the kids????

Answer:
 You can't control what other people do on their tax returns.  One thousand people could file with your SSN claiming you as a dependent.

They can just file a paper return, properly, claiming the exemption for themselves or whatever is correct.

Eventually the IRS will send letters to everyone noting that the same person has been claimed in multiple places.  The IRS may also audit these returns, asking both sides to back up their claim.  Since your return will be correct, you'll be fine.  The father with the incorrect return may be penalized.Answer #2: Denied as in you tried to e-file and were unable to do so?

If so, you need to paper file. Eventually the IRS will reach out to your kids and their father asking them all to reaffirm their status.  This will be your Ex's first and best chance to fix his boo-boo.  As with everything when it comes to the IRS, just be honest.

After that, if there is still a discrepancy they will investigate further.  Since your children are not his dependents, they have nothing to worry about.Answer #3: Who pays for college? That is the key on this.Answer #4: Who pays got college? It is possible they are still a dependent in college.

Regardless, a paper return must be filed by the kid. Both will get audited and have to prove their claim.


Title: Roommate (27-28M) assaulted me and another (28M) threatened to have my life ruined by his powerful, politically-involved father. Not sure what to do.

Question:
Forgot to add location - In Utah.

I'm currently living with 3 roommates. I've known all of them for at least 1 year and been friends with 2 of them (one of who was not involved). The one who assaulted me is a friend of my roommate who has his girlfriend living here, not on the lease. One roommate was not involved, as he was at work. I had been friends with the roommate (28M) who has his girlfriend here, but after how he has treated me and has backed up the shitty behavior of (27-28M) I no longer desire to be friends. I had posted in the badroommates subreddit and will copy-paste the text:

I'm still flowing with adrenaline, and part of the sequence of events is hard to recall. I was involved in a verbal argument with 2 of my 3 roommates. I called one a liar, and he attacked me, then quickly backed down when I got him in a hold. The other roommate and his GF did nothing to stop this.

At one point (not sure if it occurred before or after) the other roommate threatened to have his dad, who is a well-connected political figure, ruin my life. I haven't done anything illegal, both my roommates, however, have illicit substances in possession and engage in use, so I feel that his threat is on shaky ground. Nonetheless, I have issues with anxiety and paranoid thoughts; I'm very stressed about them possibly planting drugs in my room or something to frame me of a crime and get me evicted and have me go to prison. I don't like either of these individuals, but I never would had threatened to ruin their lives over something like this. I'm not sure what to do. The roommate who attacked me later on also threw his still-full beer can at me twice. I tried to get new locks for my bedroom door, but the doorhandles have no screws on them to swap for new doorhandles. I'm wondering how to proceed. After being attacked, I feel these individuals cannot be reasoned with. I'm worried about work and being away from home, as these guys have no real jobs in which they are away from the house all day.

Some other details I should include: I was not planning to call the police, as I have no evidence, and I think the other roommate and his girlfriend may lie to protect their friend. I'm not even upset about the attack, but extremely bothered by an affluenza-like individual using a powerful family member to destroy my life. I'm not sure if moving out is feasible due to breaking my lease and the financial implications.

TL;DR: Attacked and threatened by 2 roommates, not sure what to do.

Answer: You can report all this to the police. You don't have to have evidence to present to them.


Title: Fl- I got a letter in the mail that said a car we sold 7 years ago was in a tow yard.

Question: The letter was addressed to my husband as the sole owner. So it leads me to believe that the new owner never had the car titled in their name. The fees are minimal compared to the cars value. Is it realistic to believe that if we paid the fees that we could keep the car? Also, what about our liability for the past 7 years? Would we have any legal repercussions against either the dealership where we traded it or the person that bought the car and never titled it?

Answer:
 If the tow yard can't get in touch with the registered owner they do a title history search, which returns the past few owners, then they send them all mail.

The tow yard wants to be paid, and they don't care who pays them, even if the person paying doesn't owe anything.

Ignore the letter. The car has been someone else's problem for the better part of a decade, and the tow yard knows it.


Title: I had my bike stolen, and I found out who did it. He lives in my building. The police aren't able to help. What is the right thing to do?

Question:
A few days ago I had my bike stolen out of our building's parking lot. There were cameras all around, and I was able to get access to the footage from the building manager. I found out exactly who it is. I know exactly what unit he lives in and what car he drives. I called the cops and they aren't able to do anything without physical evidence in sight (the bike). The building management isn't willing to do anything. I believe he still has the bike because he took it upstairs, but every day I waste is another day for him to dump it. I plan on confronting him, but I'm unsure what to do.

What is the right step for me to take?

I'm in San Diego, California.

Answer:
 Did you bring the video footage to the police that proves he stole it? Confronting him is a very bad idea; let the police handle this.

You can sue for the value of the bike if they refuse to do anything.


Title: My grandmother and I made a small nature area on her property by transplanting many flowers and other plants and letting it grow. The neighbor decided he didn't like that and mowed it all down when she wasn't home, is there anything we can do about this?

Answer:
 Your grandmother has damages, and the neighbor should be responsible for those damages.

You should get value for not only the flowers themselves, but the labor involved as well.

Find a reputable landscaping company and get them to give an estimate for how much it would cost to recreate things as they were.

Once you have that quote, now you have something for a demand letter and can decide whether small claims would work or a traditional civil suit.

Can also file a police report for the destruction of property.Answer #2: This is also destruction of property.  In some states it is malicious mischief.  Call the police.  It’s a crime.  The neighbor trespassed onto your grandmother’s property and destroyed her plants.  I have seen people prosecuted for destroying $50 worth of daffodils.  At least make a report because the neighbor sounds like a jerk who does what he wants.


Title: Need advice! SunTrust bought our house??

Question:
I might be missing some details here, but basically my mum got an equity loan out a few years back and waited until recently to start paying it back. She was going to refinance the house and add the equity loan into the existing mortgage, raising the monthly payment most likely, but we could afford to pay it back.

Our mortgage company is Fidelity and I was checking when our next monthly mortgage payment was due and it says on the 7th of June, our balance was paid off. 167,000 dollars (rounded).

We've found out that it was SunTrust because we haven't paid back the equity loan. My mum had proof she was in the process of refinancing to take care of that, but it's too late now to do so, or is it?

We've been told to get a lawyer. I don't completely understand what's happening as far as who owns our house now, are we in foreclosure, will we be evicted? We haven't had ANY letters, this is the biggest shock. My mum has ignored "business calls" which we're thinking/realizing were the debt collectors, but no indication they were with our bank.

Does anyone know what's happening here? I'm at work right now but will be constantly checking this to see if anyone is able to help. I'm completely open to sharing details that will help!

Answer:
 >basically my mum got an equity loan out a few years back and waited until recently to start paying it back.

She agreed to terms to pay it back when she signed the paperwork. Loans are not expected to wait on the borrowers terms on repayment.

Please look for a foreclosure specialist ASAP.


Title: [MN] Landlord says I'm still responsible for my lease after kicking out the tenant I found to take it over because they never signed a new lease.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 > my question was, am I really still on the hook for the lease?

Quite possibly.  In situations like the one you describe, the common technique is **subleasing**.  That's where you re-lease your apartment to someone else.  You are still responsible to your landlord, and you act as a landlord for the new guy.

Do you have a signed release from **your** lease?  What paperwork do you have with the guy who moved in after you?


Title: Dad got accused of stealing two guns at work.

Question:
California.
So my dad works as a flooring installer for the home depot and installs carpet/tiles. At a job he got accused of stealing two guns, he just called me crying saying the police want to search our house. Do i let them? Never encountered anything like this before.

Answer:
 Unless they have a warrant, **do not** let the police search your house. Also, make sure your dad does not answer any more questions without a lawyer present.Answer #2: If they show up with a warrant then you need to let them.  If they do not have a warrant I wouldn't let them search the house before speaking with an attorney.

Do you think your father did it? Answer #3: Do not let the police in without a warrant. Sounds like you didn't, already, but be clear and concise to the police. They will try to walk all over you but unless they have probable cause, they can't enter. Do not ever speak to the police without a lawyer present. Make sure your father understands this. It is very easy to accidentally incriminate yourself, even if you're telling the truth.

*Lawyer the fuck up. Fight the cops in the courtroom, not the street.*

Edit: the core concept here is the state has to prove he stole the guns. You don't have to do anything. Do not help. Do not hinder. Simply refuse to provide information unless ordered to do something by your lawyer. *Don't do their work for them by trying to 'smooth everything over.'*


Title: My sister is calling the cops over a longboard

Question: So I found this old long board in my garage a few months back, and I’ve been riding it every now and then. Yesterday, I went riding with my friend who also happens to be friends with my sister. Well, when I was riding downhill, I ran into a snowbank and the front truck broke. Earlier this morning, my sister messaged me saying that if I don’t return it by 3:30 then she’s calling the cops so I drove to her dropped it off right away. When I got home, she told me that because I broke it, she’s going to give me one week to replace it or she’s going to call the cops and she knows I don’t have a job and I’ve looking everywhere. Can I get charged with petty theft? Btw, I’m in NH Incase anyone knows the laws in this state

Answer:
 The police won't charge you for this - you didn't steal it (you gave it back). The fact that it was damaged doesn't make it theft; I'd wager that the police will say "this is a civil case" and tell you to sort it out like adults.

Your sister can sue you in small claims court for the cost of repairing the damage.Answer #2: NAL but its likely a civil matter that she would have to sue you for.


Title: HELP the bank messed up, what is a reasonable compensation and how do I outline what I believe I should get from them? Details below

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 You have not told us a) how the bank messed up and b) why you lost the money.

My guess is your dad was trying to hide martial assets and got caught.Answer #2: Hahaha. The bank isn't giving you thousands of dollars. Answer #3: IANAL.

I don't think the bank owes you anything. I don't know why you think the bank owes you anything. If your mother took this money, you should sue your mother.


Title: [Ca] They put my grandma in a home!

Question:
My step-grandfather and his son (technically my step-uncle) - basically have betrayed my grandmother. She has been bedridden for some time now, and they put her in a home.

This is a very low rated care facility that, is very neglectful of its patients. The reason they were able to do this is because my step-grandfather, and his son, supposedly have power of attorney for my grandmother.

She does not want to be there. They basically kicked her out of her own home. All of the children on my grandmother side, my mom and 3 uncles, basically we're unaware that step grandfather and his son had some kind of legal standing to be able to do this.

My uncles and Mom now want to do something about it when it seems like it's already too late. They feel that the next step is to get power of attorney for my grandmother, meaning they have to get a lawyer.

I'm just curious what legal standing my mother and my uncles have and doing this, do we have the right to be able to take my grandmother in any one of our care? I overheard that attempting to bring her home can be classified as kidnapping but I'm not sure what the legal standing is in this case and would appreciate some info. Thank you

Answer: From your description it sounds like your grandma needs care.  Maybe not in a nursing facility but with home health.  If she's bedridden she might need more care than your step-grandfather can provide.  Your family can challenge the POA but they may have an uphill battle if she needs 24hr care.  You could look into getting her transferred to another facility.  Home healthcare has a lot of limits placed on it by insurance which is why I'm saying you may need to look at a transfer.  This is probably not what you want to hear but it is something to think about.


Title: [Michigan] Sick time canceling overtime?

Question:
My wife was asked to put in some overtime recently. However, it's cold/flu season, and apparently, her work says that if you take any paid sick time, then it cancels out your accumulated overtime.

For example, according to her employer, if she works 2 hours of overtime each day Monday through Thursday, but then gets a cold and takes Friday off, then she does not get the overtime pay, and she still loses the 8 hours of spent sick time.

This policy seems bonkers to me; is it legal?

Answer: Overtime applies to hours **worked** over 40 per week. Sick time hours aren’t hours worked.


Title: Is 'Pet Rent' legally able to be charged to a tenant in the State of oregon? Also, can they charge more than agreed to in the lease?

Question:
I live in Beaverton, OR. Just recently moved into a new condo, owned by my landlord, but managed by her Real Estate company.

I signed a lease that states I have a pet deposit of $250 dollars, and then pet rent of $25 a month.

Which I am totally okay with, but the Real Estate management group just texted me and said, "I'm sorry, but *landlord* isn't allowing any breeds of dog unless the pet rent is changed to $50 a month"

Can they do that? I thought contracts were put in place and signed for a reason. Also, I keep finding that "Pet fees" were gone away with, as of January 1st, 2010... but I'm not sure what that entails...

Help!! D:

Topic:
Real Estate law

Answer: The lease is the boss. This is between the property owner and the management company. Pay what's in your lease. If they try to evict you for this reason, they will fail. Then can increase it when the lease is up or choose not to renew with you.


Title: [CA] Can I opt out of welfare checks done by the police?

Question:
Sorry if this is the wrong sub to post this question in. If it is, could I please be directed to one that's more suitable?

&#x200B;

I'm wondering if there is some way to opt out of welfare checks done by the police. I frequently don't check my phone for long periods of time and do not want to be hassled by the police if a friend / acquaintance wants to check up on me. Thanks!

Answer: No. There is no way to "Opt-Out" of welfare checks.


Title: [Indiana] Can my boss discuss plans to fire me with my coworkers?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 It's dumb, because you now have no reason to do...much of anything for your job beyond exist there, and have a pretty airtight unemployment filing next week.

It's not illegal.

Time to polish the resume.


Title: Who owns this tree?

Question:
I have a neighbor that wants to cut down a large tree that is somewhat blocking the road he uses to get his RV to his house. At first I thought the tree was not on my property, but it looks like it falls within a 25' easement that I believe is on my property. [Here is the county assessors map of the property](http://i.imgur.com/UPri8ol.jpg), including where the tree is.

I want to know, is this my tree?

He has offered to fully pay for it to be cut down by a professional, but I would like to keep the wood for myself. Do I need to do anything special, or just ask him to pay for the tree to be cut down and leave the wood for me?

Edit: this is in Oregon and he can get a car to his property just fine, however he has trouble with a large RV.

Answer:
 That is your tree but depending on the conditions for the easement there's a good chance he could require you to prevent it from blocking his path. In that case, he probably has pay (part of) the cost to do that. If there's a conflict it might be wise to look up the deed in which the easement is created.

That said, it sounds like there isn't really a conflict. It seems you are ok with removing the tree and he's willing to pay for getting it done. I'd say just ask him about the wood and everything is probably going to be fine, without any kind of legal conflict.


Title: I want to take legal actions against an owner of a company known for Countersuing students. What is the safest way to proceed?

Question:
I am one of many people to experience terrible encounters with this business and business owner. The man who owns the company has been known to cyberstalk and sue students after posting negative reviews on yelp and on social media. He harasses people who post bad things about his company on reddit and has 3-4 dozen throwaway accounts on reddit to respond to people. I don't really feel safe posting here but I need help.

I bought two bus tickets for my brother and I. Both were in my name since I purchased them. My brother and I unknowingly printed out the same ticket. Before the bus driver got onto the bus I was called off by the owner of the company. I told my brother to come with me so we could explain that I purchased the tickets so my name was on both. Owner yelled at the bus driver for accepting two of the same tickets and yelled at me like I was trying to rip him off. He showed us the two identical tickets. He said one of us had to get off the bus. I asked if I could show him the email confirmation showing that I actually paid for two tickets. He did not answer me and started walking away. I walked towards him and he started jogging. I kept up with him and said "Sir, let me show you the email confirmation. I have proof that I paid for both tickets." He ignored me again so I repeated my request. He yelled "Don't follow me!" I walked back to the bus. My brother and I were talking with the bus driver by the doorway of the bus. I asked the bus driver if I could show him the confirmation. He said sorry and that owner was in charge. My brother was telling me that he would get off the bus and get a ride to school with his roommate. Owner came back. He threatened to call the police if one of us didn't leave. I asked him one more time to just take a look at the confirmation. Instead of answering me he pushed a button to close the bus doors while my brother and I were standing in the doorway. The door was digging into my back and pinning my brother and I to the bus. Owner yelled at us to get out of the way but the doors kept pressing to close. This was a coach bus. The doors don't stop trying to close until it succeeds or someone makes it stop. Owner yelled at us to move. I cried out saying I can't the door I squishing us! This is hurting me! Owner opened the doors again only after I said I was being hurt. My brother was upset. My body was shaking. I told my brother that we were both not taking the bus. Owner strode off and got into his car without saying anything to us or showing any remorse. This whole encounter with him took less than 5 minutes. 30 minutes later he emailed me retelling his backwards version of what happened. In his version of the story we were argumentative and blocked the door to the bus. We only moved out of the way when he threatened to get police involved. He then went on to say that since both of us voluntarily got off we would not be refunded for the one valid ticket. He ended it with saying that I and my entire househould are permanently banned from the company, including the "angry young man" accompanying me.

I want to share my story on yelp and Facebook pages so that people don't have to ever experience something like this. The man has cyber stalked students before and he has all of my personal information including home address. I am scared to piss him off. Many people agree that he has sociopathic behavior and is very manipulative. What can I do about this? Can I get my money back? Can he get in trouble for squeezing my brother and I with the bus door? Should I post on yelp and Facebook pages anyway? Thank you reddit!

Answer: by any chance, is this in Champaign, Illinois? if it's the bus company that i think this is, /r/uiuc may be able to help as well.


Title: How to avoid incapacitation? - needed help!

Question:
Hello!

I am from Poland. I am addressing you with a serious problem of incapacitation for me. I have got diagnosed high-functioning autism. I'm in the intellectual norm. Therapists, school, and mother want to do it due to aggression, concerns about naivety that I can make debts, loans and I would be fooled according to their opinion, I'm not a stand-alone in their opinion and I never will be according to their statements. As far as I am yet to understand the aggression, the rest is... absurd, because if we everyone incapacitate because of debts then a little people would be left free, but maybe I'm wrong. In any case, I do not feel unable to work, I do not think that I cannot decide for myself and IMO it makes life more difficult for me school, therapists and mother, i.e. they try to silence me when something I say inconvenient about them, for example, by threatening me a psychiatric hospital.

So the questions:

 - Is it possible within the country to avoid incapacitation?
 - Would they still be able to incapacitate me abroad within the EU?
 - Will they be able to incapacitate me abroad outside the EU?

PS. Sorry for bad English :P

Answer:
 Generally speaking, they'd have to demonstrate to a court you lack the ability to make your own decisons. The best way to fight that would be to make sound decisions and ensure you have a lawyer.

I cannot speculate as to whether it would be easier in Poland or elsewhere to have you declared incompetent. In the US it is a fairly hard thing to do.


Title: Temp agency refusing to pay after a fire prevented us from working.

Question:
Hi there /r/legaladvice.

My husband and I both are contractors working for a massive financial institution. Early yesterday morning, the building we both work in caught fire. It was a pretty bad one, and the company has now shut down half the building.

My wing is open now (so I only missed a day), but my husband's wing is closed until further notice. No one is sure when he'll be able to go back to work.

The temp agency, and by proxy the financial institution, we both work for is now refusing to pay people who have missed work because they are literally not allowed to go to work.

They've claimed their only solution is that we can file for unemployment. But as far as I'm aware, our state laws don't grant unemployment insurance to contingents/contractors/temps. I'm not sure on this, though.

This is happening in Polk County, Iowa, USA.

Let me know if I can do anything to prevent us from losing several hundred dollars and the ability to pay our bills.

Thank you!

Answer:
 _Generally_, if you're hourly, you only get paid for time you actually work. If you don't work, you don't get paid, no matter whose fault it is you're not working.

If you're salary, then you need to be paid for the week if you work at all in that week. If you don't work at all in a given week, you don't necessarily need to get paid for that week.

An employment contract guaranteeing work for a specific period can override that, and a union agreement can override that, and in jurisdictions with notice or severance requirements (one state, and many non-US countries), the rules for temporary layoffs and termination are more complex than "sorry, no work for you." Realistically, though, your primary recourse is probably to either ask for a new placement or to go work at a different temp agency.


Title: Is it legal to control someones webcam if they don't have a password on it?

Question:
There is another subreddit called controllablewebcams. The gist of the subreddit is that they post webcams which they find online which are open to anyone to see through or control. Sometimes these webcams look out on a road or a park, sometimes they show someones living room. The users there proudly insist that it is not illegal to assume control or look at other people their webcams, as long as the webcam owner hasn't put on a password.

An important detail (in my non lawyer opinion) is that these webcam feeds aren't posted or listed anywhere, and they are usually discovered by searching online for any instance of the specific software used to control the webcams.

Is this true that this is legal? To me it just seems like it is obvious that a lot of these people don't know or forgot to secure their webcam, and that the lack of a password doesn't imply consent to view the same way lack of a lock doesn't imply you are ok with random strangers crashing on your couch.

Since this is all online and crossing many borders, just assume I am asking how this would be viewed in the US.

Answer:
 Generally speaking, accessing someone else's electronic device without permission is a bad idea. Would you go around seeing who doesn't lock their front doors? It technically wouldn't be breaking and entering, but it would be trespassing.Answer #2: It is illegal to gain unauthorized access to computer systems, protected or not.

If I don't lock the doors of my house is it any less illegal for you to come walking in?


Title: [NSFW] [Georgia, USA] Legality of sexual/physical violence even with consent...

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Look, in this case the law is not a checklist where if these five boxes are ticked they can arrest you, but you can save yourself by checking these three boxes over here. It would be taken on a case by case basis. Answer #2: I would think it's allowed in Georgia and most states, the issue seems to actually be was consent legitimate, which will depend entirely on very specific facts.


Title: LA: Broke lease early on apartment, went through process and paid buyout fee, now apartment complex is trying to charge us for the remainder of our lease! ~$8000

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 It's going to depend on exactly what's in the buyout contract you signed. That being said, you are likely not screwed in this situation. For the meeting tomorrow, I would recommend bringing you check book and offering to cut the buyout check again as a show of good faith.

If your meeting tomorrow goes poorly, they'll have to sue you for the money. If that happens, watch for the summons and go to court with your evidence and the judge will decide.

Finally, if you are still on good terms with any of your old neighbors, contact them and see when someone new moved into your old place. This may help support your arguments.