Title: Partner’s father cosigned our home loan 2yrs ago, now he is angry at the family and saying he is selling his “share” of partner and I’s house?

Question:
A few years ago my boyfriend’s stepmom died, resulting in his already wealthy father being paid a bunch of life insurance. He said he had more money than he would ever need already and decided to give boyfriend and his sister each $200,000 to put towards a house. Boyfriend and I found a house, money was transferred to boyfriend’s bank account as a gift from his father. We go to purchase house together and boyfriend had not established enough credit so his father and I were each on the mortgage, and boyfriend, his father, and I are all on the title of the house. It is understood that he is only a cosigner and we make plans to get him off the mortgage in the future. He does not pay anything on the mortgage, upkeep, etc to the house, nor does he live there or claim it on taxes etc. Boyfriend and I live at house and pay all associated costs and mortgage payments.

Fastforward two years, boyfriend’s sister tells his dad she does not like his (insane) girlfriend and boyfriend says he agrees with his sister. Boyfriend’s dad then goes mad with rage and emails out that he will be selling his “share” of boyfriend’s house because of boyfriend’s sister’s “hissyfit” (his email words).

We were hoping he was just being the insane narcisist that he is and trying to scare us, so we ignored his email and hoped things were cooling down if we just let it be. Well now it’s about a month later and he just emailed boyfriend asking for the original mortgage documents and most recent statement for boyfriend and I’s house.

First question; is it really possible to sell a “share” of our house, that he does not live in or pay anything towards? Second question; if that is or is not possible, what should we do legally moving forward to keep our freaking house? His dad has money, we do not, but it seems insane that he could try to sell our house without our consent.

Also do his motives have any legal implications? He sent out multiple rage emails including emails calling his daughter a gold digger, and documenting that he is trying to sell our house because of the argument with his daughter.

Answer:
 He is on the title, so even if he isn't making payments, he is a part owner. He can file what is usually called a petition to.partition to ask that the house be sold and proceeds split. Y'all can always try to buy him out of his share to.keep your house. You should consult an attorney when you get served. Answer #2: > First question; is it really possible to sell a “share” of our house

Yes, because he owns a share of it.  If you, he and your boyfriend are on the deed/title, then you each own 1/3.  His 1/3 is his to do with as he pleases, more or less.

He can either sell his share as-is, or he can try to get a partition by sale - that means he can petition the court to force the house be sold and the sales price divided amongst the owners.

The only thing you can do to prevent him selling his share to someone else is to buy it yourself.
>


Title: (FL) Is it illegal to put a nanny cam in the living room of a shared apartment?

Question:
Situation: I am renting a room in a 3/3 bedroom apartment. I had put up a nanny cam in the living room area so that I could watch my dog while I was away. Of course, I had told my roommates about the camera and they were fine with it. One week ago, one of my roommates and I had an argument about him smoking. The argument heated up and we had to take it to the lease management office. During conversation with the managers, my roommate brought up that I had set up a camera to spy on him without his consent (which is a total lie btw), and the managers told me I had to remove the camera right away because of privacy issue. But since the living room is a public place, don't you assume  no privacy in the first place? Is there law on this matter?

edit:My initial google search: https://www.avvo.com/legal-answers/is-it-legal-for-my-roommate-to-put-a-nanny-cam-in--1602196.html

Answer:
 Does the camera record audio? Even if its in a living room thats considered a public/shared space of the house there is still an expectation of privacy to some degree. Florida is a two party consent state when it comes to audio recording.

https://www.rcfp.org/reporters-recording-guide/state-state-guide/florida


Title: CT - As a bank employee, a customer cashed a check with me, and it bounced. He overdrew his account by over 25k and now I am being held responsible for his Overdraft bill (2,600).

Question:
Its not that I have to pay that back but given its the holiday and bosses are all over vacation, no one will tell me anything until all the bosses that need to be there return.

This guy also did the same thing to a different bank, and said bank took him to court.

I was wondering if there is anything I just be wary or mindful of legally before going into the meeting with all the big bosses.
Topic:
Employment Law

Answer: No, you won't be responsible for the dollar amount. But if you failed to follow policy for clearing large cheques you could be written up or even fired.


Title: [CT] I went for a walk with my dog thru a large field. Got ticketed for my dog being off-leash.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 You can ask for a payment plan or ask for leniency from the court.

Note that not being aware of the rule isn't a defense and that argument isn't likely to get you sympathy.


Title: [OH] Ordered a gift online from a well recognized retailer. A note from an employee was attached calling me a "lucky (expletive)".

Question:
My son's birthday was just last week and we ordered a gift online that was scheduled to show up late. It arrived today, and as we opened it, there was a shipping check list attached to the box of the gift. On the other side of the note it says, "Yer a lucky b*****d. From: an envious (company) employee"
It was actually spelled "Yer".

My wife and I were appalled. Thankfully we got the note before our son noticed and seen what it said. I decided to reach out to the company as I was pretty upset. After speaking with them, I was offered a 10 promotional credit as an apology.

I work for an investment firm, and I could only imagine if someone in the firm called a client a lucky ____ for doing 20% in their portfolio year over year.

I'm not looking to take the company down because of a stupid note, but is there grounds for anything here?

Answer:
 Grounds for what?

You have to have damages to succeed with a lawsuit, and your delicate sensibilities don't have a monetary value.


Title: [California] My wife was terminated due to her standing up to the mistreatment from her boss is there anything she can do?

Question:
My wife's boss has been degrading (cutting her off while in a conversation, thinking that since she's a woman he can take advantage of speaking to her as though she's not an adult) and having her do tasks outside of her job description. She recently spoke to him about it in a professional manner, stating she didn't appreciate him being so demeaning she broke down letting him know that his actions were uncalled for. He never apologized and just said he understood where she was coming from. She also spoke to HR on a separate occasion keeping them in the loop, HR sided with my wife stating her boss shouldn't have done any of those things. Today she arrived home in tears not understanding the reasoning behind her getting fired, she's never been late, she's done the job to the best of her ability. My wife's supervisor has had an issue in the past working with others yet nobody seems to notice the issue is him.

What are some options she has available, if any?

Thank you for reading

Answer:
 > My wife's boss has been degrading (cutting her off while in a conversation, thinking that since she's a woman he can take advantage of speaking to her as though she's not an adult) and having her do tasks outside of her job description.

LOL. None of that is even remotely illegal.

She can file for unemployment and find a new job.Answer #2: There's no illegality in your wife's boss being a shithead, and CA is an at will employment state.

You can consult an attorney for this, but unless dude has a documented history of treating women in a discriminatory manner (not just your wife) I don't think you have a ton of recourse. Answer #3: >  Today she arrived home in tears not understanding the reasoning behind her getting fired

She reported her boss to HR. That's why she got fired.

> yet nobody seems to notice the issue is him.

Yea I'm pretty sure they know.


Title: Update - I either have scared Medicaid, or they are being nice. Estate Recovery - VT

Question:
Good afternoon /r/legaladvice
This post is an update to the last two posts:

https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/7gfiqx/can_violating_a_persons_end_of_life_care/

https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/6f13k1/medicaid_estate_recovery_vermont/

I want to preface this post with sometimes lawyers suck, I have done A LOT of  ground work / calls for my father's estate. I encourage anyone that is in a similar situation as mine to do as I have done.

First off:

Let's address my first post about Estate Recovery:

When I lawyered up - I found that my lawyer seemed very disinterested in actually fighting the Estate Recovery (I believe this to be him wanting to ensure he gets paid with the path of least resistance, it just seemed like he wanted me to settle and not fight it). So after a lot of brain storming, phone calls, this is what I discovered:

* Dad was transferred from UVM Medical Hospital for a UTI to Helen Porter Hospice Care for Rehab Therapy even though he was doing this therapy at home with his caretaker (his best friend of 20 years living with him, and the visiting Nurse)
* My father's Advanced Medical Directive was not followed and he was placed in a nursing home against his will whereby he contracted pneumonia and died. I found this information out from the next door neighbor who was his visiting nurse, as she saw the paperwork. (This really pisses me off. I am considering litigation against the nurse / Helen Porter for making this egregious and terrible decision)
* My father's Will was null and invalid - he did not have a notary and it had factual errors: like me being born in 1886 and deceased.

With these things going on, I decided to call the Community Trust that owns the land that the trailer is on:

* Requested a retroactive change of lease to reflect me being the head of house hold since December of last year when I moved in and to name me as the leaser of the lot.
* Consulted the Lawyer to put in a provision that the trailer would have to be removed from the lot if sold - as I have residency at this specific lot for the last year and I wish to stay in the community. - This devalues the trailer significantly (It's currently appraised for 20k, Lawyer offered that I could pay 15k and keep it.) - I am still waiting for the appraiser to adjust the appraisal of the trailer to reflect that change of circumstance of the trailer.

Upon trying to get answers about Dad's Advanced Medical Directive:

* Stone Walled by the Vermont Ethics Network - they refuse to release the records cause he is dead.
* I called just about everyone with the title of "Director" in VT Medicaid Office. Requesting answers, medical records, billing statements, ETC. No luck so far getting these things sent to me as of yet, however, these folks have been super pleasant and return my calls.
* When speaking to various Directors, I made mention that Dad's Advanced Medical Directive was not followed, and I was investigating his medical history, bank statements, insurance, etc. When talking about this stuff, it seemed to change the tone of the conversations to them showing much more concern for my plea's of information.

Now:

I have a meeting with my Lawyer tomorrow to discuss paperwork Medicaid has sent us for Homestead Exemption as well as review the Estate Inventory I completed, where I discovered my dad's 400+ DVD collection was practically worthless. My Googling is failing me for what that exactly entails, but I feel like this is a very positive turn of events for saving my Dad's trailer. Hopefully this all works out - as I just started a business and the low living expenses of staying here are keeping me in the black and not in the red. I also hope that this this place finds exemption for DJ - my dad's friend and caretaker, as he really went above and beyond the call of duty being dad's best friend, I don't want to see him homeless, especially for the selfless care he provided dad as he opted to not be paid by the state.

My question is - what exactly is homestead exemption? How does this differ from Undue Hardship? We are not applicable to Undue Hardship as I make too much money, and other factors.

Mods:
I'd hope that this thread does not get locked, I'd like to hear what people's thoughts and advice are on this matter going forward.

Kind regards,

CPUjockey

Answer:
 IANAL, but a few things jump out at me.
1) [Hipaa](https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/privacy/guidance/health-information-of-deceased-individuals/index.html) doesn't end because someone dies, it stays in effect until 50 years after date of death. You would have had to had a HIPAA waiver from your father before his death to get any of his medical information. If anyone released that information, they would face huge fines and have a chance of being fired from their job.

2) When your father applied for Medicaid, he agreed to the terms of estate recovery, doing so is part of the application process. Since 1993 federal law requires states to recover Medicaid costs for long-term care from the estates of deceased Medicaid beneficiaries over the age of 55. you are always welcome to get a second opinion from another lawyer, but he is probably trying to get you to sell because he realizes you have no standing to fight the estate recovery.

Your lawyer should be able to tell you about the difference between undue hardship & the homestead exemption. [Here](http://dcf.vermont.gov/sites/dcf/files/pdf/mybenefits/B02-06.pdf) is a link to the State of Vermont website with information on undue hardship. Look at M159.2 through M159.23. I would check with your lawyer to make sure that this policy hasn't been updated. Also, think twice before you take action that devalues the estate as the estate recovery could construe that as fraud.  I hope this information helps.


Title: Just got divorced couple days ago. Ex Mother in law keeps harassing me about divorce decree details.

Question: What is the law regarding harrassment of this nature in mississippi? Is there any way I can prevent her from sticking her nose into business that's not hers even though a divorce decree is a public record?

Answer: The good thing about your divorce is she's not your problem anymore! Just tell her to fuck off, or if you're too polite, that it's none of her business. Just ignore her. If she escalates, keep track of all her communications to you (texts/e-mail/call logs)  and then file a police report for harassment.Answer #2: She's not a party to any of it.  If she wants details, why isn't she asking her son?  In any event, you can tell her to stop contacting you, full stop, and call the police to report harassment if she doesn't knock it off.


Title: Why would MA rmv turn my 60-Day suspension into a Revocation?

Question:
I haven’t driven since my suspension was issued, there are about 7 days left- I checked the online portal just now to see what the reinstatement fee was, and my license is REVOKED. Not just suspended, but REVOKED.

I have no idea why. I was never notified. I haven’t been driving. What do I do?!?

Answer: Suspension and revocation [mean the same thing](http://www.massrmv.com/SuspensionsandHearings/Suspensions.aspx) in MA.


Title: We paid for a house (IN)

Question:
Here are the events in order.
We found a post on Craig's list for a house that had been abandoned in the town we lived in for a while. We saw it was for sale for around 20000 dollars. We could afford the mortgage. So we contacted the number on the ad. Looked at the house and decided we could do it. Windows busted out. Lots of water damage. We called the city and checked what bills were attached to the property. Large water bill but otherwise clear. The number on the ad said they were the admin of the properties that the owner had in indiana. They had the owner call us and we settled on a land contract with a down payment and then 3 monthly on time payments and we would get paperwork started. So we were called by who we thought was the property owner. And they agreed. We met at an Applebees. Signed the paperwork and exchanged money. Moved in and started working on the house. Now some guy showed up today and said they know nothing about it. And that whoever I talked to wasn't the right person. Weve already dumped money into this house. Moved in. I have a 6 month old I'm trying to take care of. And now they are saying we have no right to be here. We are broke at this point. What rights do we have? Can they tell us to leave? Is There any way to get the money back wevw put into it?
Topic:
Real Estate law

Answer: Real estate transactions don't typically happen at Applebee's. Usually there's a title company involved. Did you get a mortgage? Sounds like a scam. If you have any info on the people you could try reporting to law enforcement or going after with a lawsuit. Answer #2: Sounds like you got scammed. Get a lawyer.


Title: (NY) Can the people of the united states push for laws regulating term limits in congress, without it going through congress directly?

Question: Title says it all. I know this isn't legal advice, but I've been scouring google for a good chunk of time now, and am genuinely curious about this. Congress has proven, over the last few decades, that they do not act in the people's best interests, I'm wondering if there's anything we can do to change that, without officially becoming politicians and fighting an uphill battle on their home turf.

Answer:
 Short of a constitutional convention, no, it would have to follow the normal constitutional amendment process outlined in article 5.

Edit: Forgot to include ratification by 38 states' legislatures.


Title: Handling my neighbors from Hell

Question:
I’m a homeowner in Michigan, my home was built in the 60’s by my grandparents, I moved in 6 years ago after my grandmother passed away. Since the home has been in my family for about 55 years, we’ve seen neighbors come and go, and when I moved in, most of my neighbors were nice, quiet senior citizens. Now, it seems like I’m surrounded by renters who have no sense of decency. The worst of my neighbors live to the left, with their five kids and five dogs. They throw trash everywhere (used paper plates, chip bags, cigarettes), they’re loud AF to the point where you can hear every word of their arguments or the music they’re listening to, anywhere in the house. They have a basketball hoop, and most nights go outside to play between 12:30-2a- cussing and hollering at each other while slamming the basketball around. The dogs are all pitts, and they bark 24/7, are allowed to be in the front yard off leash, have charged at me and many others, and are usually left in the backyard for hours/days with no food and sometimes water. The mama pitt is very aggressive, and will charge and snarl/bark if you go anywhere near the fence. Many people who have come to do utility work or lawn care for me have left out of not feeling safe. The dogs have started digging under the fence, so that they can get into my yard, and have chewed through the wooden gate my neighbors made.

Now to be clear, I’m not some crotchety old lady lol, I’m 27 and have gone to talk with them a couple of times, even bought them Christmas baskets and Halloween candy trying to be nice. I’ve called the police on them, and animal control multiple times, but  no relief. Today my lawn man couldn’t finish cutting my back yard because the dogs were coming under the fence and he was afraid for his safety. I love pitts as a breed, but these haven’t been trained or cared for properly.

What can I do about 1) my safety and 2) the damage the dogs have done to the fence 3) ignorant loud annoying neighbors? I have a pistol, but I really don’t want it to come to that when it comes to the life of an innocent animal.

Thanks y’all

Answer:
 Fence:
Better fence. See if you can force them to pay for a portion of it since they are the ones damaging the current one. That may mean going after the property owner and not the renters.

Security:
Get cameras up all over the place

Noise:
Start calling in noise complaints every single time they are being too loud. If you have money to burn, talk to a local lawyer about suing them for nuisance.


Title: [Missouri] Just got screwed over in buying a used car, what can I do?

Question:
I purchased a used car from a private seller. Lets get that out of the way.

I saw an ad on Craigslist that showed the seller kept up with the vehicle's maintenance and necessary repairs, including upgrading it when it didn't need it. So I went to go look at it. Checked it out, the guy selling it is an A&P licensed aircraft mechanic so I had no reason not to trust him on his words when he said it was a sound vehicle that only needed an alignment, it had passed inspection in October (gave me the inspection paperwork, and all the warranty information on the parts he replaced over the past year, let me check the VIN history, ect.). Test drove it, and yeah, it needed an alignment. Everything seemed on the up and up, was a dog person who treated his dogs extremely well which helped to sell that he was trustworthy in my eyes. I purchased the vehicle for $2100 (a lot of money for my family) because I needed a 4 wheel drive vehicle due to our hills and the snow and ice we get, needed an SUV to take my family and two rescued pitties to family for the holidays, and to be able to pull a trailer as we are moving soon. Seemed to be a good deal on the vehicle.

Fast forward to today where we took it to get an alignment and inspection at our trusted local mechanic (10+ years of excellent service). He quickly showed me the damage to the front end, told me that it would not pass inspection until a number of parts were replaced ($1769.18 in parts through them, maybe be able to get them for $1k used). I was floored. So I called the seller and had him talk to the mechanic and then the seller said that he would give me my money back and we could meet 30 minutes away to do this later that evening, which I told the mechanic and my wife everything that was being said as the mechanic was rather worried for us (and has told us since that any car we bring to him he will look at for free to see what is wrong with it if it is a car that we are looking to buy so we are not screwed over again).

Seller then texts me 10 min later saying that he could come by this weekend and do the repairs himself, but I was just worried and said that meeting this evening would work best for me.

Silence. He did not respond for 3 hours (long past our meeting time which I was waiting for him to show up and send numerous texts) when he texts me that he sold it as-is and basically tough shit. I offered to take only some of my money back if he would just take the car back, as I figured some of my money back is better than none, trying to settle this.

Told me that I could take him to court if I wanted, to not text him again or it is harassment, and that he was contacting the police.

Am I fucked? Is my family's christmas ruined? Is there anything that I can do? Would Small Claims court be worth it?

I'm just... I have never had this.. like a panic attack I guess? I don't know, I just... want to weep and hit something and crawl into a hole and die and just scream at the heavens and everything. I fucking fucked up and I am so fucking screwed.
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 > so I had no reason not to trust him on his words

Sure you did. He was selling a used car.

Unless you can prove he offered a warranty it was as is. Sorry.


Title: Should I report? (Tw: grooming/slight sexual abuse involving minor)

Question:
Realistically, can you provide me with your opinions of if this should be reported or not and what would be asked of me? A 17 year old who was a month shy of being 18 started communicating with me via internet and text. I was 12f at the time that the relationship started and we went to a private school together. The relationship between he and I lasted up until I was 15 and he was 20 (this was off and on). Below is the history if it makes any difference to your opinion and the process of reporting if I should go that route. I am 22 now and have not been in contact with this person for 8 years.

12f and 18m - relationship started, texting, calling, I believe the only physical things happening were kissing and touching of breast
13f and 18m - same as above, I sent photos of myself (I know this is illegal now, would I get in trouble), touching of privates began, sex was attempted but did not happen.
14f and 19f - Intercourse happened

He had sex with three other minors that I know of when he was 19,20 and they were 15,16. Is this something I can and should actually report? It’s been so long but I hadn’t processed it all until recently.

Evidence: I don’t have much. I have three messages of him trying to get in touch with my mom and the only other evidence I can think of, is medical report of having an STD but if they cannot prove it was from him then that seems pointless.

His record: he’s been arrested (not at trail yet) for physical abuse to a minor. Apparently at the age of 23, and 26, he has accusations of flirting/messaging two other 15 year olds. Idk if this is true of not, so please do not let it effect your thoughts to the post.

Answer:
 Report it. Absolutely report it.

Maybe it comes to nothing, but it's intelligence about a predator


Title: Uncle might be planning to leave out of country with all the money from grandfather’s will

Question:
My family is in suspicion of one of my uncle’s actions (call him Phil) after my grandfather’s passing (call him Jim). In short, Grandpa Jim had left a will which initially split up all of the estate among all of the siblings.

The catch; Phil had convinced Grandpa Jim to make him co-trustee sometime ago in the past. We now have strong reason to believe that Phil might be planning things behind closed doors e.g. taking all of the money from Grandpa Jim’s account and moving out of country. This side of the family is also originally from Thailand, so we assume that’s where Jim would go.

Would there be any litigiously preventative measures the family could take to ensure this doesn’t happen?

Answer:
 Retain an estate litigation attorney. TOMORROW.  Inform them of the situation.

http://members.calbar.ca.gov/fal/LicenseeSearch/AdvancedSearch?LastNameOption=b&LastName=&FirstNameOption=b&FirstName=&MiddleNameOption=b&MiddleName=&FirmNameOption=b&FirmName=&CityOption=b&City=&State=&Zip=&District=&County=&LegalSpecialty=06&LanguageSpoken=

NAL


Title: Ex GF's unstable mother (who is a lawyer) is threatening to take me to small claims court.

Question:
[NC] I recently broke up with my girlfriend after about almost a year of being together. It wasn't super amicable, but it wasn't awful either.

Here's the issue: I had this laptop (a older MacBook Air) that my GF had arranged to give to me because I had a really crappy one. As I understand it, this Laptop was originally bought by her mother a few years ago, but something went wrong with it and my GF paid several hundred dollars to get it repaired, effectively making it hers. However, GF's mom convinced her to give it back to her at some point.

Anyway, this laptop somehow found its way into my
possession, I was never super comfortable taking it, because her mom is incredibly unstable (she has undiagnosed borderline personality disorder), on top of that she is a attorney, as I stated earlier. This woman is dangerous & volatile.

After I broke up with GF the other day, I'm told by her that I need to give the laptop back. For the record, I was under the impression that this was a gift to me. I figured I had to get my profile off, so I did a factory reset of the computer and gave it back

Yesterday I got an email from crazy bitch mom in which she threatened to sue me and take me to small claims court because she had important files and documents on there, which were lost since I did the factory reset. She wants me to pay 95$ to pay to restore the hard drive, if I don't she says she'll sue. The fact that there were important things on there was not made clear to me

I responded by saying that this was not my problem and asked her to not contact me again.

It seems to me that there is no way the court would even accept this. Is this most likely an empty threat? Is there anything I should do?

Answer:
 She can sue you in small claims and there is nothing you can do to stop her. If she sues you, you need to go to court and tell the court what happened.

And your statements are incosistent here:
>  this laptop somehow found its way into my possession...

vs .

> I was under the impression that this was a gift to me.

Was it a gift or did you just acquire it without any clear statement that it was being gifted to you? You need to be sure of these kinds of facts if and when you go to court.


Title: My sister[29F] is really mentally unstable and lives with my parents, she has been creeping me out lately. What can I do to protect myself?

Question:
As the title says, my sister is a 29 YO F who is severely mentally unstable. She is on SSI and does not take care of herself. She lives in my parents home. She does not take any medication.
My parents... Are very kind people but useless. They are too old to care to do anything and never will get her the help she needs unfortunately.
Normally I just distance myself but tonight I've decided something needs to be done. My sister sent me a message asking me if I wanted to "go away with a friend of hers to be kept safe"
She says "hes a very nice man he wants to get to know you better, future husband"

I'm legitimately scared. She talks to random people on the internet because she has no friends in real life. I'm worried she might have given my info to someone or who knows what else.
Those messages were just really alarming. Im a 22 YO F for reference.

She needs help. My parents wont do anything, she an adult so I don't know what my options are. If nothing else I'm concerned about my own safety. (Though dont have any "proof" that I'm in any sort of danger.) Any suggestions would be amazing.

Answer:
 Move out. Don't give her your phone number or address. Answer #2: IANAL but something very similar happened when my SMI brother lived with my parents. It escalated to him becoming convinced our mom had “injected him with AIDS” while he was sleeping and saying a bug bite is the injection site. Unfortunately for people who are legal adults, it’s really hard to get them involuntary help. My brother was committed for a 72 hour psych hold after he presented that he was a danger to himself (talked about suicide).
My advice as someone who has been through it is to think about moving when you can. Make sure there are no internet records of your address, and document everything that makes you fearful or uncomfortable. Things are unfortunately likely to get worse before they get better.


Title: [DC] Is it illegal to drive around jaywalkers?

Question: If people are jaywalking in the middle of a quiet 2 lane road, can you drive around them slowly or do you have to wait? I was recently driving down a small road and 2 kids walked out into the street. I saw them as I was approaching and slowed down to about 10 mph and went around them before they finished crossing. One kid stopped in the middle of the street and threw his hands up like I did something egregiously wrong. Did I?

Answer:
 The kids being in the street did not give you the legal right to drive outside of your lane - you probably broke that law..

Sounds like the kids broke the law by jaywalking as well - their infraction does not make yours 'legal'.  Not familiar with DC road laws, but I'd imagine there are exemptions for emergency situations.  Sounds like your situation would fall outside of any exemptions.

If you had hit one of the kids as a result of the maneuver, you would likely be found liable for their medical expenses and maybe get charged with reckless driving or vehicular assault, depending on facts.Answer #2: You generally must wait to proceed until pedestrians have fully cleared the intersection.


Title: Company accused employees of stealing and claim to have hidden cameras everywhere in the store.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 1. Shop owners having hidden camera are not illegal

2. Your friend shouldn't have admitted to theft

While he can be fired and criminally charged with the theft he admitted to, the company cannot take money from his paychecks or 401K without a court order. They may request your friend pay back the amount now in lieu of pursuing criminal action. This is voluntary though, and your friend could decline and instead be suited in civil court for the amount he stole plus court fees.


Title: Own a small photography business and Having some issues with a photography contact - Need some advice

Question:
I've recently accepted a 3 month contract with a company to produce images for them. Both parties are based in Utah. Part of the deal states that they will be providing lighting equipment (this is written into the contract). The lights were supposed to be delivered at the end of last week, and now I'm being told that they will be ready by the end of this month, all in all, removing three weeks from the time I have to complete the project. The schedule was already really tight, and with losing the three weeks, Im not sure it will be possible to complete the task on time. With this in mind, i contacts the CEO and told him the project was going to cost more money and need to be extended due to the delays. His response was not, "it isn't going to cost more and you have to be flexible." I'm really not sure where to go from here. Any ideas?

Edit: Location added

Answer: "Fast, cheap or good: Pick two."Answer #2: They broke the contract. I would write them (via certified mail) that due to them breaking the contract you won't uphold your part. But first look into the contract about specific clauses for breaking the contract.


Title: My teacher shattered my phone

Question: I was in school and during second period my teacher told everyone to give her our phones, I complied and I gave her my phone. She then instead of lightly putting it on the desk she drops it from 5-6 inches up. At first I wasn’t sure if it was ok but I shrugged it off as if it was ok since I had dropped it before. When class ends I get my phone and put it in my pocket since I don’t use it much in class. As I’m walking out I take out my phone and it was completely shattered. I tried looking for her but I couldn’t find her. My parents don’t have the money to pay for the fix and neither do I is there any kind of charge i can press for destroying my phone. I really like my phone the way it was

Answer:
 No, you can’t press charges.

You can have your parent call the school and complain and ask that they pay to replace the screen.


Title: TX - Own a car. Don't have license. Cant get insurance without license and can't get license without insurance

Question:
Hello. I have a car titled in my name. I'm 24 and and just never got around to getting my license (I know, let's move on).

My problem is that in order to take my driving test, I need an insured car listing me as an insured driver, which means I need a license. My GF tried listing me on her insurance and they said no

If I wanted to take the test in my car, again need insurance with me on policy which means I need a license.

to get insurance, i need license, to get insurance, to get license, to get insurance, to get license.....

Any help?

Edit: Did it in GF's car, no problem. Thanks everyone

Answer:
 >My problem is that in order to take my driving test, I need an insured car listing me as an insured driver, which means I need a license.

Are you 100% sure of this?

The TX driving test requirements are listed [here](http://www.dps.texas.gov/DriverLicense/ScheduleTest.aspx) and it doesn't say you need to be an insured driver. It doesn't make sense for that to be the case either, as you need a license to become an insured driver.

When my daughter took her driving test (in NH, not TX), she used my vehicle and she wasn't an insured driver on my policy. She just borrowed the vehicle for the test.

The only requirement was that my SUV was registered, inspected and insured.


Title: Coworker giving me a hard time about taking my intermittent FMLA leave

Question:
I work in a school and the other teacher assistant in the room with me texted me after I most recently used some of my FMLA time. I use my FMLA for mental health issues and she went on a rant about how everyone had problems and that I need to stop letting mine affect the people around me by calling out of work. She gave me all her life details and problems she is dealing with. On one of the days I was out, I posted a picture on facebook of a butter dish I bought and she replied “you bought a butter dish?!?!?!?!” I have since unfriended and blocked her on Facebook. I am unsure of how to proceed at work because we work so closely together. It is a little difficult for me to think clearly because this situation is exacerbating some of my health issues, so any advice on how to proceed would be greatly appreciated. Does this violate my FMLA protections in any way?
Topic:
Disability Issues

Answer:
 Let her know that her comments are unwelcome and that you expect her to keep them to herself. Let your supervisor know she made intrusive and rude remarks about your medical leave, and that you've spoken to her about it to ask that she stop.

If it continues, kick it up the chain and let your boss or HR deal with it. When communicating with your employer, stay factual and reasonable - state what happened, state what you want to have happen, and then close out the email. BCC all email communication to an address your employer doesn't control, just in case.


Title: Landlord took out a washroom.

Question:
So my landlord decided to take down a washroom (he told me it was illegally built) so now there’s 5 people and 1 washroom.

Is this a fair reason to just claim my deposit and gtfo?
(I live in Canada in the city of Peterborough, Ontario)

Answer:
 Do you have a joint lease for the entire property, or do you rent a single room with access to communal facilities such as the kitchen and washrooms?

Is this a fixed term lease, or month to month?

I'm not familiar enough with Canadian law to tell you what you can do, but answering those questions may help the next commenter be able to give you better guidance.


Title: Grandparent soon to die, is asking me for help on how to handle passing inheritance to grandchildren safely.

Question:
She is a cautious woman and doesn’t want the money passed on until she has passed.

I’m unsure of what to tell her, I’d like some advice.
Setting a system of passing inheritance once she passes as well as an age limit to grand children so they couldn’t touch money once certain age.

Thank you.

Multiple grandchildren.
In California.

Answer: You should tell her to schedule an appointment with a probate attorney.


Title: Went to hospital, charged with hit and run

Question:
An individual known to me hydroplaned their vehicle and ended in a ditch. As far as I know, the incident did not involve any other vehicles or property. The individual contacted their S.O to take them to the hospital emergency room for treatment.(apparently non life threatening so emergency services was not contacted). The individual then instructed their father and S.O to retrieve the vehicle (if capable) only to discover it had been towed and subsequently impounded. The individual as been contacted that they need to "turn themselves in" as apparently a warrant has been issued for leaving the scene of an accident.
The individual is terrified and I dont see how they justify this charge.

Edit
McMinn county Tennessee

Answer: She had an accident and likely damaged property in some way. Someone owns that land that she crashed on. So yeah, she didn't report the accident. She needs to hire an attorney


Title: Lawsuit for wasting time?

Question:
I work as a freelance writer. There was a client I was potentially going to write for, but unfortunately things did not work out. After speaking to him on the phone for about an hour (most of which was just him bragging about himself/going on an irrelevant political rant), he said he might be interested in hiring me and asked if I could write a sample article (pro bono) to which I verbally agreed. A few days later, he emails me asking when I planned to send him the "three" free articles. I told him I would try to send one article sometime next week. He then starts emailing me constantly about them and I begin to realize this client is one that would be impossible to work with. I apologize and tell him he should use someone else who could better fit his needs. No contract was ever signed and I also did not receive a single dollar from him in any way.

Now, he is threatening to sue me for "wasting his time" using the rate he uses as a financial consultant of over $1,000 per hour. Is this something he can legally do? If he sends me an invoice, can I just ignore it?

Edit: posted from United States. I live in Chicago, he lives in Seattle.

Answer:
 If he sends you an invoice, ignore it.

If he sends you a summons, respond to it.

But he won't.   "Wasting my time" isn't a cause of action in this circumstance.    You are under no obligation to send him free work product.

If he shows up on the 4th floor of the King County building to file a Small Claims suit and says that the defendant lives in Chicago and this isn't a landlord or auto collision, they'll politely decline to accept his filing.   A King County court has no personal jurisdiction over a Cook County resident for this sort of dispute.Answer #2: I started to get pretty mad while reading your post thinking you were the one that was thinking about filing suit. Glad that turned around.

Just cut contact and don't respond to anything that isn't official.Answer #3: > he is threatening to sue me for "wasting his time"

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

> Is this something he can legally do?

No.

> If he sends me an invoice, can I just ignore it?

Yes.Answer #4: Apart from laughing at his stupidity you don't need to do anything. Just respond to any court summons if he's dumb enough to file a suit (though I doubt he will, seems more like an intimidation tactic, an amateur "kid" would probably crack and give him a free article.

tl;dr tell him to pound sand, unless summoned, if summoned then respond so the judge will tell him the same


Title: Landlord will not give me my deposit back. He keeps saying he will but it's been 6 months.

Question:
I lived in the suburbs of Chicago and moved out in September 2016.  My landlord and I were supposed to do a walkthrough but he cancelled last minute.  I ended up mailing him the keys, and asked for my deposit to be sent and receipts for anything that he spent.

We've been texting back and forth and he keeps saying he is going to send it but nothing.  I'll follow up and he'll say he forgot, over and over again.  He's gone silent now and hasn't responded to my my past few texts.

He was a pretty cool landlord, thought we had a good relationship and I wanted to keep this as cordial as possible, but I feel past that point now.

Answer:
 According to [this](https://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/dcd/supp_info/security_depositinterestrates.html) your landlord was supposed to return the deposit (or a bill) within 45 days. I don't know about Chicago, but in my jurisdiction failure to do so is an automatic penalty where the LL now owes 2x the security deposit to the former tenant. Take him to [court](http://www.cookcountyclerkofcourt.org/?section=PROSEPage&PROSEPage=Housing).Answer #2: send him a final demand then sue him in small claims court.Answer #3: word proper demand letter for Chicago deposit return here:
https://lawhelpinteractive.org/Interview/GenerateInterview/2538/engine


Title: Company got sold. New boss fired me. Can I collect unemployment?

Question:
The sale happened on February 20th. We got officially fired then immediate rehired by new owners.

I have been with this company for 1 year (and 3 years in college. Was rehired).
Since the new ownership 5 of the original employees have left. They have either felt the need to quit due to hostility with the new supervisor or were fired by her.

I was the last one standing and I’m fired now too for not completing tasks that I did complete. If you get two write ups in a month you are terminated. After my first write up I went above and beyond. I loved my job so I tried to keep it but I was still written up again for reasons that aren’t retrieved.

Now it’s not illegal but it is weird that the only employees there at this point are the supervisor and her friend, her daughter, and boyfriend. Her boyfriend is actually the new manager.

So basically she is hiring her friends and family.

It sucks but my question is can I collect unemployment even though I’ve only technically been hired since February 20th?

Located in WA.

Thank you.

Answer: Assuming you meet other requirements, yes. Unemployment insurance is based on having worked the required number of hours in any covered employment during the qualifying base period, not just hours worked for this employer.


Title: Just got a speeding ticket last night. Can't afford an attorney. Need to know my rights and what to do.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 >What can I do? What are my rights?

Pay the ticket or dispute it.  It doesn't sound like you have a defense.  None of that extra detail you added is relevant.

Now, in many locations simply showing up to court to dispute the ticket will result in them offering a plea, so you might want to go that route.Answer #2: Nearly none of what you wrote makes any difference regarding the citation.

For example, it doesn't matter who was with you, or what questions the officer asked you.  He does not have to show you the radar.

If you feel the officer's driving was dangerous, you can file a complaint with the department. But that will have no bearing on your charge at all.

And if the officer was unable to safely fit his vehicle between the two cars, one car was following too closely.


Title: [BC, Canada] An unusual realtor/real estate issue.

Question:
I'm writing this for my parents, who aren't on Reddit.

My parents have been trying to sell their house for about a year.

A short time ago they fired their realtor because they weren't getting results, and they intended to sign with a bigger realty team. Their realtor signed paperwork to that effect (freeing them from their realtor).

A few days later they were contacted by a couple who were interested in purchasing the house. This couple did not have a realtor either. They made an offer, which was accepted.

Here's the sticky bit:

It turns out that the couple who made the offer had seen the house last August, when they had a realtor, and when my parents had a realtor, but they hadn't purchased then because they couldn't afford it. They have now made this offer with no realtors involved, even though they initially saw it with realtors involved.

The buyers' (former) realtor now wants a cut of the commission, as they had initially seen the house with him. My parents' realtor doesn't expect a commission (as they are officially freed from her) but she doesn't know that the buyers first saw the house while she was representing my parents.

As the sellers, my parents would usually be responsible for paying a commission, but they accepted this offer in good faith and even lowered the price to account for the lack of commission. Is there any way this could bite them in the ass? Might they owe a commission just because the other couple first saw the house while realtors were involved?

Answer:
 The buyer's contract with her former agent has nothing to do with your parent's contract with *their* former agent.

The buyer could well owe her agent a commission if that was the term of the agreement the buyer had. But that's her problem, not yours.

If your parents want to know if they might have an obligation to their own former realtor, they need to read the terms of the agreement and the release.


Title: [serious] what are PA's laws on carrying/owning a full tang Japanese katana?

Question: I live in Philadelphia and recently came to own a really awesome sword. Can I take it for a walk?

Answer:
 Unfortunately (?), you seem to be out of luck based on Philadelphia ordinances related to "cutting weapons in public places" http://www.phila.gov/philacode/html/_data/title10/CHAPTER_10_800_SAFETY/10_820_Cutting_Weapons_in_Publ.html

edit: also generally just a bad idea imo


Title: 48 hour eviction

Question:
Edit: Im in Massachusetts

Im sorry if I'm not doing this correctly, this is my first post.
 Im a tenant in a 3 family that has been foreclosed on. My landlord is still living in the home going through the eviction process. I live on the second floor. My roommate accepted a summons for me ahs never told me so i missed a court date. So judgement went to the bank. I got a 48 hour eviction notice, they are coming on Monday to take the apartment and anything left in it. I had an emergency hearing and the judge did not care the I didn't receive the summons because someone living in the apartment got it. Ive been told filing bankruptcy will stay the eviction but the bank already won the judgement first my apartment. Is bankruptcy a good idea? Is there anything i can do to delay? I have a 16 yr old child and I'm on disability, I have nowhere to go. I'm not sure if that matters.
Topic:
Credit Debt Bankruptcy

Answer:
 >Is bankruptcy a good idea?

Do NOT file bankruptcy for the sole purpose of delaying an eviction. That's going to mess up your credit and finances for a long, long time.

We need to know what state you're in. The service may have been improper, or there may be laws specifically addressing the fact that you have a minor and a disability.Answer #2: Don't file for bankruptcy without speaking to an attorney. That's digging a hole to hide in because your are too far underground.
What state and county do you live in? What exactly is the order? Even if that order is an order of possession there are usually more steps to be taken before a sheriff comes and makes you leave under penalty of arrest if you refuse.


Title: Current Employer Forcing Us to Sign Noncompete Clause

Question: The company I work for (a cellphone repair business in Louisiana) is demanding that all employees sign a Noncompete Clause stating that in the event of quitting or being fired, we will not work for any electronics business in the state of Louisiana for two years. This was not part of the original hiring paperwork. The change in policy is likely the result of several store managers leaving the company to go work for themselves or competitors after a change in leadership in the company left many feeling disenfranchised. Can they force us to sign after working for them? If so, can we be fired if we refuse?

Answer:
 You're not being forced to do anything.  You can choose to sign and continue working there.  Or choose to not sign and find other work.  Your choice.

Many non-compete agreements like this are totally unenforceable.  I'm not familiar Louisana law, but in general, the more broad the non-compete, the harder it is to enforce.

At broad-brush, this agreement sounds awfully broad.  You currently work in cell phone repair, but the restriction is that you can't work for *ANY* electronics business at all in the entire state for two years.   Gut says that's not enforceable, but would need to research to be sure.  Just sounds way too broad to be able to apply to a general cell phone repair guy.

Edit:  What I would speculate they are trying to do, is protect themselves from teaching you all about cell phone repair, and then having you go off and start your own shop down the street, or work for the guy down the street.  Too bad their non-compete doesn't limit you to that, because then it a much more narrow restriction.Answer #2: Stall as long as you can while you look for another job. If they fire you for not signing it you will probably get unemployment as long as you are otherwise eligible.

Rule of Thumb: Never sign a contract on the assumption that it is not enforceable.


Title: Moving in with squatting tennants.

Question:
We live in Tennessee.

 My wife's uncle rents out properties.  He said if you have renters that you're having trouble evicting,  you can move in to the house with them because it is still legally your house.

I guess the idea is to be generally annoying so they move out.  This doesn't sound legal but I can't think of any reason why not.

Answer: Assuming they signed a lease, it probably grants them exclusive use of the house. That also excludes the owner, possibly with specifically listed exceptions such as emergencies and maintenance.


Title: Roommate Death Threats

Question: I live in the dorms at Washington state university. My roommate his be descriptively threatening to kill me. I am a male but still fear for my safety. he made multiple scary threats tonight and previous times about disembowling me in my sleep among other things. My 2 other suite mates heard but are fairly good friends with him. If I file a police report will they do anything? Will it depend on whether my suite mates tell the truth or not? I could record him next time he threatens me which will probably be in about an hour as usual. Thanks a lot for your support.

Answer:
 That's illegal in your state

http://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=9a.46.020

Call the police, give the case number to the director of your dorm and campus security (if they aren't police, if they are they will make the report) and request immediate emergency roommate or room change.

Your school should have a procedure and policy set forth for this.

Source: I'm a cop, not in your state


Title: [Utah] Legal Advice for abusive Parents, seeking course of action

Question:
I'm currently 17 years old and living in the state of Utah. I have no legal history and a clean record even no speeding tickets. My parents are emotionally abusive. I know the term is thrown around pretty unjustly at times but both of my parents have driven me to the point of self hatred and guilt that I have attempted suicide as a means to escape. I have discussed this with my school resource officer, as well as my psychotherapist, as well as having mediated discussion with multiple counselors, however nothing has changed since and it has been months. Their behavior continues to drive me to the point of suicide attempts and deep emotional breakdowns. Besides home life I am happy but for my own safety I simply cannot stay here. I turn 18 in october however I believe i'm required to live at home while still attending my senior year at school.

I looked up some attorneys and laws in Utah over emancipation however I personally cannot find out what course of action is best for me to get out of this house. How should I proceed? I currently don't have a lot of money however I can get some if need be. Should I be legally removed from this house I know of several places where I would possibly be able to live with close friends or loved ones or maybe possible CPS assistance. I need a lot of advice and I can provide as much more information as needed without disclosing my identity.

EDIT: I have a source of income

Answer:
 You won't be able to get emancipated unless you can show you have a source of income and a place to live independently. You can't just find someone else to become dependent on.

If you are worried about your safety or welfare, call CPS.


Title: Being sued in small claims for discrimination, emotional distress and legal fees

Question:
I live in Chicago, IL and on December 9, 2017, in the evening, I was in a minor car accident that was not my fault.  We immediately pulled to the side and the individual that hit me got out of his car and started screaming at me that I caused the accident.  Feeling attacked, I started yelling at him that it was a double turn lane and it was in fact him that caused the accident.  I started pointing to where we were both turning from to show that it was a double turn lane.  At this point, he grabbed my wrist.  I yanked it away and yelled loudly for him not to touch me.  I got into my car and called the police.  \(note: I had gotten into a car accident before and the police will not come out for an accident without injuries. So, once he put his hands on me, I then had a reason to call.\)  When the police got there and after they had spoken to both him and me, the police asked if I wanted to have him arrested.  I debated for a bit and then decided yes.  I am not going to allow someone to put their hands on me.  We were issued a court date.

We then had to go to court.  I was advised that he was likely going to be found not guilty because there were no marks nor witnesses.  The guy that put his hands on me was offered a plea deal and he rejected.  We then went to trial and he was found not guilty.  The judge said that she believed the incident happened but couldn't find him guilty \(due to evidence\).  She also told him to keep his hands to himself.  I am not sure if this was documented.

Yesterday, I received notice in the mail that I am being sued in small claims for $4,207.

A few things to know before I list his complaint:

I am a white female

He is an African male

I live on the south side of Chicago in an all black neighborhood

I have been in a relationship with a black male for six years and have purchased a home together

His complaint \(with his spelling and grammar\):

"we was in car accident.  After the accident happen she claimed that I hit her and I told her no that was her fault. We have a verbal argument and she later claims that I grabbed her risk and then threat to have me arrested.  She told me I will have you arrested be sure.  And when police came to the scene she claimed that I touch her in aggressive manner.  I was then charge with battery.  All this happen on 12/10/2017 and we went to court on 23rd January 2018.  I was found not guilty of the charge by the judge.  I'm suing for emotional stress, discrimination on me and loss of earning and the attorney fee."

At this point, I'm not sure what to do.  I need some advice on how to proceed.  I also googled him before and saw he had a battery charge on him before, but I am not sure of the outcome.

Thanks for your help in advance.

Answer:
 The lawsuit is baseless but you will need to respond and show up to court. Answer #2: Now would be a great time to invest in dash cams.

Call legal aid and get yourself a lawyer. Answer #3: > I'm suing for emotional stress, discrimination on me and loss of earning and the attorney fee."

Well, you have three options:

1\) Don't show up. In all likelihood he obtains a default judgment \(though this may vary\). Then he still has to collect, which is an issue unto itself for him. Nonetheless, you need to ensure you show up to court and respond to his complaint.

2\) Hire an attorney. Easiest thing to do is pull the docket for your court date and find a lawyer that's going to be there anyway.

3\) Defend yourself. Cook County's web site is not user\-friendly, but you can hunt down the statutes if you wish to. Small claims is often 'direct damages' only, meaning that you can ask the judge to toss out his claims of discrimination \(which in this instance has no quantifiable damage associated\) and emotional stress \(same\). You could similarly argue that his grievance for having to defend himself on the battery charge is with Chicago PD \(which charged him\), not you. Etc.


Title: Can a company owning a game legally ban a streaming platform from broadcasting their product?

Question:
To expand further I am referring to the user-level and if there would be any legal way for a company to stop someone from streaming a game on a specific platform (Such as Twitch.tv)

I already asked this question over on /r/answers but was advised I would be better asking here. (Obvious reasons, I guess)

Answer:
 Studios and publishers have tried to do that before. However it usually fell flat, generated bad emotional responses from their players and they reversed course. The vitriol generated from a fan turned enemy is pretty rough.

Legal? Maybe.

Good idea? Probably not.


Title: [California] Want to evict my soon-to-be ex

Question:
I'm filing for divorce on Monday due to my wife's continued narcotics use (she's an addict). As noted in the title, I'm in California. Her name is also on the lease.

We have a 6 year old daughter I'm going to try for full custody of.

We live in an apartment with a month to month lease, and I'm the only one who pays rent.

So, is there a way I can evict her and get her off the lease?
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer: You can talk to your landlord and see if they'd be willing to terminate your tenancy then re-rent to you alone.


Title: I want to piggyback off someone else's name to help their user base, am I stealing or infringing?

Question:
In Washington state.

I'm attempting to make an app/plugin/spreadsheet to build a calculator to help users on a very popular website.  I've got people interested in it and want to make the trusted source available for download on my own website, but how can I get the domain I need without getting in hot water?

popularwebsitecalculator.com or websitecalc.com is what I'm after, but if I did a pepsicalculator.com or microsoftcalculator.com I'd probably get a C&D and told to shut down.  This calculator is only built for that one specific website, I'm handing it out for free with the ability to receive a donation... But I want to avoid legal trouble from the start.  Is it okay to do this?

If I am infringing, how can I rename it so I'm not?

**EDIT:**  /u/pottersquash made a good point and solved this case already... The value is there without the direct name - I will use softdrinkcalculator.com instead of pepsicalculator.com that way I don't infringe on Pepsi and could potentially host and build future soft drink calculators for the overall industry.  THANKS!

Answer:
 Not legal advice:

Presume your customer base is smart enough to see the value you give without the name. Answer #2: Copyright, trademark, patent, etc laws are very fact-specific, so it's tough to get a completely correct answer.

The main issue at hand would be your intent. You are intending to use someone elses brand (and hardwork) to benefit yourself, without compensating the original owner. If that's what you intend to do, then yeah, that's not going to fly.

And keep in mind, that companies like Pepsi or Microsoft do not take this stuff lightly. They will bury you.

In fact-specific situations like this, you really need to speak with a lawyer before proceeding.  Answer #3: Why don't you start by contacting the website and see what they would be comfortable with. After all if you get their permission, you can use their exact name. And if you want your relationship with them to be good, its best to start with their knowledge rather than blindside them one day with a site trying to use their name that they didn't know about.

If they start pushing back then you can investigate the legal limits of what you can do.


Title: Can I "make" him *not* go through his lawyer?

Question:
Edit: North Carolina

I'm divorced. That's a good thing. It's all done, settled, over.

My lawyer's office just called. My ex's attorney called them because my ex wants a copy of a document. I'm happy enough to give it to him, but now I have to pay my attorney's office to respond to his attorney's office. This isn't the first time he's gone through the lawyers for something so banal.

I've always responded quickly when he's asked for copies of things or made similar requests. I've forwarded all his mail, even though the forwarding order has long since expired and some of these are things I have to put in an envelope and pay postage on. I've transcribed and forwarded voicemail messages left at this house for him. When he's been late/short with child support or expense reimbursement, I've contacted him directly and courteously. I'm not patting myself on the back; I'm explaining that he has no reason to think I would require a legal kick in the butt and the subsequent bill to be a decent human being.

Is there any way that I can make him contact me first before having his lawyer call my lawyer? Or make him responsible for those lawyer fees? Our divorce agreement states that we must go to arbitration before litigation, but that doesn't seem to quite fit here (and I don't really want to pay an arbitrator any more than I want to pay a lawyer).
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer:
 You can't force him to speak with you or force him to leave his lawyer out of it.  You can ask nicely, but there's no legal method to force someone to give up the right to have an attorney represent them.  You can also ask your attorney to forward basic requests to you instead of doing the work and billing you.  Answer #2: He pays his lawyer.  You pay yours.

If you don't want to pay your lawyer then you can work directly with his.  You don't have to go through your lawyer.


Title: Colorado - HOA has restriction on number of dogs.

Question: I am in contract to purchase a condo in Denver in a <20 unit building. I am moving with my girlfriend, although everything will be in my name. We received the HOA documentation yesterday. The original documentation allows for 2 dogs, but they need to be small, and mentioned a few breeds which would be acceptable. They revised the rule nearly 2 years ago, and it nows says that 2 pets are allowed, but only 1 can be a dog, however it no longer mentions breed or size. We have 2 medium size dogs (35lbs and 25lbs). Do we have any options? I've read that its possible to claim that I need an emotional support dog, and am able to get a letter from a doctor backing this up, however this seems to be a legal grey area. I'm leaning towards 'better to ask forgiveness than permission', and just moving in and seeing what happens. My biggest worry is that the fact that they addressed the issue as recently as 2 years ago means that some issue must have occurred, although I'm not sure how to look at it...i.e. there were two many dogs, so they wanted to restrict the number (negative view), or that someone wanted to have a large dog, so they allowed it but restricted the numer (positive view)....anyway, that's my story. Anyone have any advice?

Answer:
 no sorry, HOA can do this.  you can live there in violation and risk being fined and/or forced to give up the dogs and/or even forced to sell.  no one knows what the hoa will do, but all those things i mentioned are probably within their power depending on your bylaws. Answer #2: > I'm leaning towards 'better to ask forgiveness than permission', and just moving in and seeing what happens.

Not a good idea with HOAs. They can pretty much do whatever they want (within the dictates of the HOA bylaws, which you've agreed to upon moving in). This sub is filled with the trials and tribulations of people trying to fight HOAs and often they are told the same thing: that there is nothing to be done unless/until the HOA changes its bylaws or elected board members.


Title: My wife was injured at a spa prior a week before our wedding. Should we pursue for damages? (PA)

Question:
A few days before our wedding, my wife went to a nail salon and spa. During this trip, she was getting a Brazilian wax. During the process of the waxing, the employee ripped her skin open in a VERY sensitive area. It was a deep gash and required a trip to the ER.

Right after the injury, she was cornered by the owner and employees, trying to make her stay, physically blocking her car and trying to hold her car door open. She was able to leave and wasn't detained by them at all, just inhibited. It was all very shady.

This obviously put a damper on the wedding and the honeymoon as there was no way for us to be physical.

My question here is, is this worth pursuing for damages or would be be wasting time and money?

Answer: Do you have monetary damages? Not being able to bonk for a few days is not damages.


Title: FL: is it legal for me to record someone standing on a public sidewalk?

Question: I am currently at a local women's clinic on private property. I went to go move my car so I could park closer to the building and there was a woman standing on the public sidewalk next to my car. She attempted to talk to me but I didn't respond. Is it legal for me to record her if she is standing on public property while I walk to my car that is on private property? I don't plan on responding to her, I would just like to record her for my own safety. Thanks in advance!

Answer:
 Public or private property isn't relevant. The question is whether she has a reasonable expectation of privacy.*

She pretty clearly doesn't here.

*Example, you can record someone standing in their open field (private, no expectation of privacy) but not in a public bathroom (public, expectation of privacy).Answer #2: Yes.


Title: Caught Shoplifting; Court Appearance Tomorrow

Question:
I was caught shoplifting a $40 item yesterday in Montana and have been issued a citation to appear before the municipal court tomorrow. Police were called, but I was not arrested. I confessed guilty to LP and the officer issuing my citation.

I have not contacted an attorney and will not be able to because all the law offices in my town are closed during the weekend. This is my first offense.

I am wondering what I should expect tomorrow when I go into court. Is there anyway to ask for this to be expunged from my recorded or suspended?
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer: There's no reason to expect this will just be forgotten about and dropped. You were caught breaking the law and there will be punishment. Statistically speaking you have likely done this many times before and this is just your first time getting caught. Typically for a first time offense you can expect at least a fine and maybe probation. There may be a first time offender program you are eligible for which would keep it off your record. You should plead not guilty and ask for a public defender.


Title: Heating for entire apartment building is controlled by a thermostat in one unit of the building

Question:
I'm in Illinois.  My LL just informed me that the heat in this building is controlled by a single thermostat in another unit.

Is this normal?  I wasn't expecting to have to coordinate with my neighbors for a reasonable temperature.

I'm not looking for a way out of my lease or anything like that.  Although I am wondering if this kind of thing is legal/normal.

The building was obviously a large house at one point and has since been made into about 5 apartment units.

I'm not in Chicago, I'm in bumfuck western Illinois.

Answer:
 If heating is included in your rent, then it's fine and normal. Many apartments with heat included simply set a certain temperature which is legal and don't allow thermostats at all.

You should buy an indoor thermometer to ensure it's heating to a legally accepted heat. If it's too warm, open a window or two. If it's too cold, legally, complain until it's fixed or come back here.

If the heat's NOT included in your rent, then disregard all I've said as you oughtn't be paying for someone else's temperature preferences and would *probably* need your own thermostat.Answer #2: I lived in a basement apartment where the heat was controlled from the main house upstairs so I can tell you while it isn't normal it is also not unique.

Utilities were included in my rent so I didn't complain. Answer #3: It's not common, but you do see it occasionally in older buildings, or in buildings that were not designed to be apartments.

There is no law requiring you to have your own thermostat. There are laws requiring your place to be maintained at an appropriate temperature.


Title: Employee of apartment said we could get a dog, calls 48 hours after getting dog saying we were on dog free floor (IL)

Question:
Wall of text incoming.

TLDR: Apartment complex employee tells me fiancee and I can get dog, get call after getting dog that we live on dog free floor and need to get the dog out. Worth fighting?

A little backstory. This all occurred a little over a month ago. Late May my then girlfriend, now fiancee, and I were talking about getting a dog. This has always been our plan, and because she is a teacher now on summer break it was the perfect timing for someone to be home all day with the puppy. On May 27 we found a breeder with puppies that were available that Wednesday, May 29th. A bit soon, but worked fine for us so I went down to the front desk of the building and spoke with the front desk representative on the 28th. I knew that we needed written permission from the building to get a dog, as according to the lease the only dogs allowed in the building are dogs approved by the building. After telling the front desk worker my name, floor number, and plan to get a dog she said it wouldn't be an issue. I asked if we would need an alteration to the contract, and she stated that we would have one either that night or the next day. I also knew that there was a $500 extra deposit for a pet, and was told by the employee that we could simply add it to the rent check on the first.

Fast forward 72 hours to the 30th. We've had the puppy for 2 days with no issues. We hadn't received any paperwork, but seeing as how the conversation had gone so well I wasn't worried. I received a phone call from the same front desk worker, and she had some bad news. According to her, she had a chat with the manager and was informed that we were living on a pet free floor. This is news to me, as we were never told that we were living on a pet free floor, and it's not mentioned anywhere in the lease. Also, in the pet section of the lease, we had the leasing agent write "None at this time" for pets because we had plans to get one at a future date. When I asked her why she had told me that we could get the puppy, her response was that she was newly hired employee, and didn't know. She said that if we wanted to keep the dog we would need to break the lease (which meant paying 2 months rent, as well as paying back the free month we received as a concession) and then make a new lease and move to a different floor. Otherwise we were told in no uncertain terms that we could not have the dog on that floor. I immediately asked to speak to the manager, and was told she was busy. I then said she could call me as soon as she was available.

Fast forward another 48 hours. I haven't heard anything from either the front desk employee or the manager. I go downstairs and ask to speak to the manager directly, and am told that she is unavailable, but is tracking the situation. I get her email address and go back up to the apartment and draft an email detailing exactly what happened because I was pretty confident she didn't know the full story. A few hours after sending the email I get a phone call from the manager, and explain all of the events. She was unaware of the conversation I had had with the frond desk employee, and was unaware that we had the dog. She thought we were asking to get a dog the day she got the message, which I guess she didn't receive for a couple days. She said she would clarify with the front desk employee and get back to me.

Fast forward another 48 hours of no contact and I went down to the lobby as soon as the office opened and asked to see the manager. I was told she was busy, so I said I would sit there studying until she was available. Surprisingly she was available 5 minutes later. We sat down and talked, and she said the front desk employee adamantly denied promising us the paperwork. I said whether she promised the paperwork or not, she gave us verbal permission and we acted under the assumption that we could have a dog from an employee. Again I was told the front desk worker was a new hire, and didn't know better, at which point I responded that I had no reason to not trust the word of an employee, and if she didn't know or wasn't the approval authority she should have said so. The conclusion of this conversation was that we either had to move to a dog free floor without any fees, or get out of the apartment by 13 July. I asked for 60 days as that's what they would require for breaking a lease early, and we would be out. She reiterated 13 July move out or we would be charged breaking fees and concessions returned.

This whole meeting and situation put my fiancee and my plans of buying a house into high gear, and we are under contract on a house scheduled to close July 22nd, able to move the 23rd. If the apartment is adamant about the move out date of July 13th, which it seems they are, is it worth getting an attorney? Paying an attorney would probably cost as much as just paying the fees and getting out.

If you made it this far thanks for reading, and for any help.

Answer: The apartment complex is giving you the opportunity to either break your lease or move to another comparable apartment with no fees or penalties after you failed to get approval as required in your lease to have a pet in your unit.  While it is not the greatest result for you legally the complex is going above and beyond what is required.  They are waiving the fees as compensation for you leaving on July 13.  You can stay past that date if you want to pay the fees.  You can hire an attorney but in my opinion there is no actionable case.


Title: My mother in law refuses to give my dog back.

Question:
(MO) Long story short, my mother in law has my dog so she could take him to see my ex boyfriend. Ex boyfriend wants my dog to go stay with his dad, but I want my dog to stay with me (obviously). MIL says, no, you're not getting your dog back. I paid for the dog, but I do not have papers. He's very, very special to me and I'm a huge wreck without him. He sleeps with me every night and is a huge comfort to me (I've been dealing with depression for years now). She won't tell me where she has my dog or anything. Please help me get my dog back.

UPDATE: My BearBear is back in my arms! After the vet faxed me his information from his last visit I proved my ownership to the police. I called ex's mother and let her know I was getting the police involved and she told me where she was hiding him. He was at ex boyfriend's dad's house locked in a shed. Ex bf's dad was told by ex bf's mom that I was abusing my dog and keeping him locked in a crate all day and that he needed to be hid from me until I gave up. He apologized to be a million times for believing his ex wife and gave me my pup back. Thank you so much everyone! I'm still crying, but it's tears of happiness!

Unfortunately, I don't think ex bf's mother is going to give up that easily.. Guess we'll wait and see.. :/

Answer:
 do they have papers on him? you will need to sue and prove he belongs to you. Answer #2: Get your vet paperwork and any pictures you have together.

IANAL but have you tried calling the police non emergency line and seeing if they will at least take a report?  If you c an get them to visit her it would be even more helpful.

You're probably going to have to take her to small claims court of she won't cooperate.


Title: A customer is seeking compensation, claiming improper and negligence when applying her eyelash extensions

Question:
So last week I did eyelash extensions for a customer that went smoothly. But a few days later she gets what I assume is an allergic reaction to the glue. She goes and removes one of the lashes on her own and then comes in to my salon so I can remove the other one. Just a few days ago, I receive a letter in the mail from her attorney claiming that she sustained "injuries and damages as a result of improperly and negligently applying eye lashes." The paper also says to forward the letter to my insurance company. I've been doing eyelash extensions for over 15 years now so I would say I have a LOT of experience applying and removing eyelash extensions so I don't think I improperly applied them or was negligent at all when I applied them. I haven't done anything yet about the letter. Should I call their attorney and ask for some evidence? Should I call my insurance? Please, any help is appreciated!
Topic:
Personal Injury

Answer: You should pass this to your insurance company and let them handle it.  It's why you have them.Answer #2: IANAL but I would double-check to see if an actual lawyer's office sent that or if it's just a scam. Have read numerous stories on here where fake letters have been sent. Make sure it's real and if it is then go through your insurance, otherwise if it's fake ignore it.


Title: Financial Exploitation of a Disabled Couple

Question:
My daughter and son-in-law are both disabled due to mental illness.  A few years ago, they moved to a small town in Northwest Kansas where her father and step-mother live.  Two years ago, they were in an automobile accident, and my daughter sustained serious injuries.  She was life-flighted to a level one trauma center in Denver.

Her father drove to Denver (a three hour drive) and spent a couple of days with her, and when she finally got out of ICU, her drove her husband and daughter out there to see her.  While she was in the hospital there, he would look in on her husband, and then call her and yell at her about all the things he thought her husband should be doing and wasn't.  After a couple of weeks in Denver, she was transferred to the hospital in the small town where they lived, and she spent about a month recovering there.

After she was released and able to go home, her father and step-mother sent them an invoice and a bunch of receipts to be reimbursed for their "expenses" while she was hospitalized.  Some of these items include:

- gas, mileage, time, hotel, and food while her father was in Denver.

- gas, mileage, food and time for bringing her family to see her

- an expensive cooler and $70 worth of Italian food he bought to take home to put in his freezer.

- $1000 for checking in on her husband after work for about 5 minutes each day while daughter was in hospital in Denver

-  some bedding that her step-mother bought for my daughter that she never asked for, and some assorted food items the step-mother purchased for herself

- books from a book sale and ice cream the step-mother bought for their daughter and some neighbor kids that my daughter had no knowledge of

All of this added up to about $10,000.  They are already barely making it on their disability as it is.

Her step-mother grew up in this town and is well known.  My daughter is afraid that if they fight back against this that the step-mother will poison the town against them.  All of this is causing my daughter a lot of stress to the point it is aggravating her mental illness, affecting her sleep, and making her physically ill.

I have never heard of anyone treating family this way.  It would never occur to me to send my child a bill for taking care of her after and accident, it's just what families are supposed to do.

It's obvious that her father and step-mother are taking advantage of them for their own financial gain.  Is there anything they can do to fight this?

Answer:
 They can just refuse to pay. The father and stepmother would almost assuredly not be able to prevail in a lawsuit if they were to sue for the money they are billing.

This is not extortion, though. I'm not sure why the other poster suggested it might be. It isn't a crime at this point, but if the father/stepmother have financial POA or guardianship and pay themselves with the couple's money, it can be. APs is unlikely to get involved unless the couple is incompetent to manage their affairs, which does not appear to be the case.Answer #2: Don't pay it! Let them try to sue, this would be laughed out of court.

Maybe speak to the police about whether this could be deemed extortion.Answer #3: No chance that with a mental illness and in critical condition any judge is going to say your daughter asked for that and is therefore not required to pay. What they did was on them. Tell her not to pay anything and not to worry


Title: Roommate won't pay rent, not on lease

Question:
Currently have an apartment in California with a lease under my name, and we have a couple of subletters who are unwilling to pay rent for the next month. They've been living here for roughly 60 days, and claim that even if they don't pay next month, they have a right to stay for 30 days because they've stayed here for at least 30 days.

This sounds like bullshit to me (a la, accept agreement to pay rent, pay for a month, then stay for a free month). If I wanted to get him evicted, do I have that choice?

Answer: They know their rights very well and scammed you. They are right. You now have to legally evict them. It may take months to get a court date and judgment. I'm sure these people know the law very well, so do absolutely everything by the book or you'll never get them out. Sorry.


Title: [Chicago, IL] [income tax] I'm technically full-time at Company A but I spend one day a week at Company B so I had to fill out two w-4s.

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Pretty sure your taxes will be based only on your total income regardless of how many W2s you have.


Title: [CA] Can a landlord deny my application because of my ESA?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 You do not "register" an ESA.  ESAs are prescribed by a proper medical authority (e.g mental health physician).

Many landlords are exempt from the Fair Housing Act.  If they are not they can deny an ESA based on breed.  Pitbul is a breed that can be denied because it could cause the landlord's insurance rates to go up.  If you cause undue burden to the landlord, the ESA can be denied.

Answer #2: Has a medical or mental health professional told you to get this dog?Answer #3: Provided your dog is ACTUALLY an ESA (not a registry, it's paperwork from a medical professional that establishes this), you cannot be denied based upon your need for the animal.

However, a prospective LL can deny you for other reasons, no reasons, or choose to go with another tenant.

A good rule of thumb is to stick to apartment complexes that are otherwise dog (and pitbull) friendly.  Smaller landlords may not be covered by the FHA, but larger ones will be.  A dog friendly complex is likely to already have several ESAs in residence, so they will be comfortable and familiar with the process.  With an ESA, you can request pet fees be waived (since the animal is NOT a pet, legally).

It's always BEST to bring it up beforehand because really, you want as much good will between you and the landlord as possible.  Are you legally required to?  No.  However, if you bring it up later, they deny your ESA request, and they prevail, you could be in a bad situation.


Title: [Manitoba, Canada] Is it legal for my neighbour to come on to my property without my permission to move garbage bins?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Legal Answer: As others have said, it's technically trespassing but you're not likely to get a police response about your nosy neighbor moving your trash bins in off the street after they've been emptied.

Nonlegal Answer: Your trash is picked up on Wednesday morning and the bins are still there on Thursday evening?  Presumably after you've driven past them both returning from work Wednesday evening and leaving for work Thursday morning?  You're the reason that HOAs are formed, bring your bins in on Wednesday evening after they've been emptied.


Title: Jury Duty mail sent to old address

Question: Hi, I live in a different county than where my drivers license says my permanent address is (my parents’ house) while I’m in graduate school. They sent jury duty summons to their address. I can’t drive 3 hours away every weekday for however long a trial may take. How should I report this without actually changing my drivers license? Am I legally obligated to go even though I no longer live there? I currently rent an apartment but I don’t plan on renting this place forever, which is why my drivers license has their address. I am however registered to vote at my apartment address. I live in California.

Answer: Call the court and inform them of your situation, preferably before the actual date you're supposed to show up.  Sometimes they will give students that live far from home a pass.


Title: What sort of lies can a company tell you?

Question:
**EDIT:**Forgot to mention my location, I live in Vancouver Canada. :)

Hello, I don't really browse here and this is my first post here to bare with me here.

Anyway I two similar issues about companies lying to my mother. She isn't one to pursue an issue like this but one of them is really hurting her wallet. Anyway here I go.

1. This is the less severe one involving an airline which actually happened a few days ago prompting this post. So my mother is trying to fly my sister to Central America to visit family and my mother wanted to pay to bring extra baggage so bring presents. She phoned the airline to confirm the price about bring two extra bags and they said it would cost $190 dollars flat, my mother asked if that included tax and they claimed it did. This was the official customer support for the airline. When she and my sister went in a few days later to catch the flight they said that the $190 did not include tax and she would have to pay another ~$20, my mother brought up that she even phoned the airline customer service and confirmed the price just a few days ago and they refused to help her or change their price to what they promised.

2. This one is more sever because it includes a contract and is constantly costing my mother more money on the gas bill. This began a few months ago when a different gas provide knocked on our door and promised a cheaper gas bill, so my mother talked with them for around a half an hour and they guaranteed our gas bill would be cheaper, I was even witness to the conversation as I was just in the other room and heard everything and thought it was a great idea. So they got my mom to sign a contract and fast forward a bit to the next few bills and the gas bill has been more expensive by far. My mother contacted the gas company and called them out on their lie but they basically said "Too bad, you should of read the entire contract instead of believing our employees". This seems entirely immoral and I would like to believe illegal as no one should be expected to read pages of a contract especially after you have had a face to face conversation with the sales rep about the details.

Sorry for the long post, but I would really appreciate some advice on what to do as I don't like to see my mother financially struggle and would like to help her out.

Thank you for your time. :)

Answer:
 1. This is not illegal. It sounds like a mistake on customer service's part, not a malicious lie. The contract between her and the airline regarding her luggage didn't begin until she paid the amount in full. Up until then, the airline is free to change the price, and your mother is free to not pay it. It would have caused an inconvenience not to pay and be left without luggage, but to my knowledge, the airline has no responsibility there.

2. She needs to read the contract. It matters not what was said, but what she signed. Not reading a contract is not a valid reason to break it. In the future, you should never, ever, *ever* sign *anything* without first reading it in full.


Title: Baltimore, MD sharing a small office with a smoker

Question:
I have to share an office (about 10x15 ft) with a coworker. She takes frequent smoke breaks and the office reeks of smoke. I can't spend more than about an hour in there now without starting to feel very sick (bad headaches, dizzy). She is unwilling to not smoke during the day. Is there anything I can do? Space is limited so I unfortunately don't have the option of moving to a new office.

Edit: Thanks for the input everyone, I really appreciate it. I was doubtful there was any legal protection but thought I'd ask. I'm going to look into air purifiers and see if the office will pay for it. I don't have any significant medical history, so I doubt I could make much progress that way. I do have a physical coming up, so I'll be sure to ask about it though.

Answer:
 I was the stinky smoker in a very small office once.

My office mate very kindly pulled me aside and explained that due to medication he was taking, he was extremely sensitive to the smell and it was making him ill. We ended up buying a bottle of febreeze and before I returned to our office I would wash my hands, spray some febreeze in the air and walk through it. Sure it's full of chemicals but I just had a cigarette so I can't really complain. My office mate was happy with this and said it made a huge difference.

Answer #2: If you are actually having physical symptoms from the smell of smoke, you should talk with your doctor.

I suffer from Chronic Headache Disorder/Migraines and cigarette smoke (and the smell) is a known trigger for me.  It is actually a very common trigger for headache/migraine sufferers, and honestly your symptoms sound like you may be getting a low-grade migraine from the smell.

Word of caution: this may not be easy street.  Headache disorders are poorly understood, and if you don't have a history of headaches/migraines, you may be in for a battery of tests to rule out other (serious) issues.  Your doctor may be unwilling to diagnose if this is your only symptom and you don't have a family history.

BUT if you do have a legitimate medical condition, you are more than likely entitled to a reasonable accommodation from your employer.Answer #3: She has the right to smell like smoke. You're going to need to tough it out or find a new job.


Title: (WA) Failed property buyer left vehicles, tools, and a structure on my mom's property over a year ago.

Question:
My question today is about the legality of dismantling, removing, and disposing of someone else's property that has been essentially abandoned on my mother's land.

Around 2012 or 2013, she entered into an agreement with a couple where they would buy an undeveloped piece of land from her. They wrote up and notarized a contract which detailed payment terms and amounts; basically a mortgage on the property where my mom was the "bank". In late 2014, these people defaulted on the payments and the property title went back to my mother's name.

By this time, they had been using the property as a dumping ground for a little over a year. The husband is a mechanic so there are about 5 engine blocks, a non-working pickup truck, a non-working motorhome, and a boat without a trailer sitting on the property. There are also various tools and parts, in addition to a house frame that has rooms, a bathroom, sink, some insulation, etc. but no actual walls.  This house frame is completely filled with boxes as well as trash, junk, and rotting construction materials.

The couple unofficially lived on this property in the motorhome for a few months (I don't know which year, but I'm confident it hasn't been for the last 6-12 months) however, they now have a primary property, with a house, where they claim residency and have been receiving mail. The land which now belongs to my mom was just their secondary property/dumping ground. The couple gets most of their things from Craigslist and are really irresponsible with their finances, so they probably couldn't produce a bill of sale or bank records that could prove ownership of anything save maybe the vehicles.

My mother has been in possession of this property for over a year and a half now, and really needs the money from selling it. She's told the couple ever since the title transferred that they need to clean up their mess, but they haven't listened at all, and my brother and I are now going to step in and take care of it for her.

My question to you is:
- Is removing or dismantling structures, vehicles, and belongings on a foreclosed property (or a property in your own name) still grounds for being charged with theft or destruction of property, or is it all considered "abandoned" if it is sitting on the property for a certain period of time?

Other questions: (sorry if these get too specific, mods please comment or PM if you would like me to reword or remove some questions)
- Could the couple be charged with trespassing if they try to come onto the property and confront us about removing their things?
- Could we be charged with anything for keeping guns on our person for self defense if they DO try to charge onto the property? (The husband packs a 9 mm everywhere and is unstable, he has been diagnosed with and has medication for anxiety and depression.)
- Is there any basis to establish claim to any abandoned tools or loose items (i.e. salvage some loose parts or materials to help pay for towing the vehicles) on a property that belongs to you, if there is no proof of other people's ownership?
- What are the limitations of squatter's rights in cases where the "squatter" now has permanent residence elsewhere and has for some time?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Answer:
 Research your state laws about abandoned property and proper notice (usually involves taking out a cheap ad in a paper specific to this purpose and waiting it out). You may also need to send a certified letter to their last-known address. In some states you can charge them for storing things and hold items until paid, varies widely though.

Significant complication: If these people are still visiting the property at all you may have to attack this from a squatter/eviction angle first. Much more involved.