Title: landlord wants to raise rent after signing lease

Question:
(ILLINOIS)

Landlord told me that there was a mistake in the originally agreed rent and that it didn't get approved by her supervisor. The rent should have been $15 more. She told me this 2 weeks after we signed the lease and me already moved and settled in.

Also I immediately noticed the new lease she handed me has a much higher prorated rent amount (prorated for 17 days, but the amount looks way higher. Turns out she added 7 mores days; I signed the lease a week prior to the actual start date on the lease, she "mistakenly" factor in those 7 days.)

This is not really about the money, but it all just seem really shady.

What is my best course of action here?

Answer: They are bound by the original lease. They can evict you/terminate the lease if you miss payments, violated the terms, or when the original terms are up, but they can't raise the rent or otherwise change the terms once the lease has been started. Inform them of the fact that you are going to abide by the terms of the original lease (politely).


Title: Can my cop date look up my background and get me in trouble?

Question:
I moved to NYC from Philadelphia two months ago. On Vday I was hanging out with some friends at a bar when a cute guy talked to me and we exchanged numbers and kissed. Later he told me he was cop which I was ok with and we kept texting. Now I have about $300 worth of parking tickets from Philadelphia that I didn't pay because they were unreasonable (parked on a street with no signs saying no parking and a cop gave tickets to everybody).
Now I am worried if I dated this guy he will look me up and find my tickets and arrest me. Can cops do that? I know they can type people's names to their database and see there background etc. so I am worried.

Answer:
 The cop question has been answered.  I would like to add that the best thing you can do right now is to go and pay the tickets.

Here is why:  you ARE going to pay these tickets someday.

The only questions are how much are you going to pay (it will only go up), will you be pulled over and your car impounded (which will cost a ton of money) and will you go to jail.

Paying is not at issue.  You are going to pay.

Best to fix this issue by going down to the courthouse TODAY and paying you.

It's best to do this right away for a number of reasons and not just because you gave a cop your number.  Most likely if he did look


Title: My mom (f71) keeps accidentally running into parked cars and getting away with it. How do I intervene?

Question:
She simply cannot drive anymore and is a danger on the road. She even hit my car in the driveway. Her car is all dented up. She keeps using excuses saying 'oh they were parked all crooked....'

Who do I contact to get her off the road? Also, what steps should I take to get my car repaired?

Answer:
 You could also sit her down in a non-heated moment and have a serious conversation with her. Do you have other siblings who could back you up? It’s probably frowned upon to just take her keys...Answer #2: File a claim with your mom's insurance.Answer #3: Enough claims will be a brute force solution, so report all of her accidents. For your car, call her insurance directly. When she hits someone else, at least leave your contact information so they can file against your mother.

After a certain number of accidents, most insurance company wouldn't even take my atrociously-driving-mother as a customer, and the rest gave insanely expensive rates.Answer #4: Can you call her doctor?


Title: Is it illegal for a 20 year old to cross state lines to have sex with a 17 year old?

Question:
Are there any federal or state laws violated if a 20 year old from Arizona travels across state lines to have sex with a 17 year old from New Hampshire, "the act" only occurring in NH?

I don't believe it was a violation of the Mann act, since no transportation of a minor occurred, unless I'm wrong.

I am not seeking legal advice, only a clear answer since most online sources only deal with state laws and ages of consent.

Answer: Crossing state lines to have sex with a minor is illegal on the federal level under  under 18 USC 2423


Title: [US MI/TX] My biological father who resided in TX passed away and even though I was adopted the TX probate court is trying to decide if I still have inheritance rights. Do I?

Question:
As the title says my biological father recently passed away and I was contacted by a lawyer representing his estate to determine if I still have claim on any assets even though I was adopted and currently reside in MI.  They have sent me a form to unseal my adoption records so they can be reviewed.  Any advice or help is appreciated.  Thanks.

Edit: How would I go about requesting any of the documents regarding my father's estate to see what assets he had?

Answer: I think you still inherit in Texas. Good luck to you.


Title: Legal specialists of Reddit, are there any victimless crimes in which you can be sentenced to death?

Answer: Blasphemy in some places, eg, Pakistan.Answer #2: Sure. Extramarital sex in some Muslim countries. Gay sex as well. Drug trafficking in China and Southeast Asia. Blasphemy in Pakistan. A whole bunch of things in Iran, including political dissidence. Witchcraft in Saudi Arabia. This is not an exhaustive list.


Title: [Kansas] Client didn't pay for video, don't know where he lives but I know where he works, can I serve at his workplace?

Question: I'm planning on suing a client in small claims court who ghosted me after receiving a video I created for him. It was dumb of me to give him the video without having him pay first, but he was a friend of a friend. Anyways the problem is I don't know where the client lives. I do know where he works though; can I have him served at his work place?

Answer: Generally, yes, you can have someone served at their place of employment.


Title: Annulment - Divorce - Is this possible or advised?

Question: I have been married for 7 years. This is in Oklahoma; We are both 48 yo. I JUST found out that he has a felony record for something dealing with child porn. I am horrified. No property together or kids (thankfully) and  we have never lived together. I am very disabled and use his insurance and he gives me money for groceries. If I do an annulment, I get nothing; if I do a divorce, I may get 25-35k and then zero insurance or food help. I am boxed into a corner; my disability is mental and physical and I'm unsure of how much longer I even have to live. I am so confused. Please be logical vs. emotional. Anyway, I did not  know this; had I known this, I would have never married him.

Answer: You've been married for 7 years and never lived together? That's highly unusual.Answer #2: The only ground for an annulment I could see even being applicable here is that marriage was had under fraud. But even then, I'm not sure that it applies to this situation without reading some case law on the matter. Going even further, if it is a viable ground it would be on *you* to pursue it and not him because you would have been the one that was defrauded.


Title: My friend was raped and we're unsure how to proceed

Question:
My friend (male) was raped by an acquaintance  (female) yesterday. We're at the police station and he is being advised to filing criminal and civil charges.

I'm trying to help/being there for him. Do we get a lawyer for the civil stuff? My friend doesn't have much money to put towards that, although I suggested his work may offer something like mine does. Would poking arobund on fb or asking mutual friend about her damage his case if thus proceeds?
I'm sure these are some very basic questions but I haven't had much luck Googling and honestly I'm struggling to hold it together watching him go through this so I'm probably not thinking as clearly.

Location is Ventura County, CA

Answer:
 > Do we get a lawyer for the civil stuff?

Yes. Many civil attorneys have free consultations, so he should interview several and pick one he's most comfortable with. There are also legal aid societies for low income folks that might be able to help. A case like this could be taken on contingency (meaning the lawyer only gets paid a percentae if/when they win).

> Would poking around on fb or asking mutual friend about her damage his case if thus proceeds?

Yes. The victim should avoid any and all contact with the person who raped him. He should avoid speaking/posting with anyone about this (except for law enforcement or medical personnel or his lawyer). He shouldn't even discuss this with you.


Title: (CA) Breaking a lease early in the military legal?

Question:
I am in the military currently stationed in California and have some questions about breaking a lease early.  My current lease ends 01 August, however I would like to break the lease a month early, as I just received PCS orders to report to another duty station in Florida in early July.

I informed my landlord of this about 2 weeks ago when I received my orders; in addition I sent her a copy of the orders.  However, she still insists that I must pay for the month of July or find a sub-letter.  According to this [California site on the topic](http://www.dca.ca.gov/publications/landlordbook/sec-deposit.shtml) it states that:

><Special Rules for Tenants in the Military: A servicemember may terminate (end) a lease any time after entering the military or after the date of the member's military orders. This right applies to a tenant who joins the military after signing a lease, and to a servicemember who signs a lease and then receives orders for a change of permanent station or deployment for at least 90 days.>

I'm fairly new to the military so I haven't faced this before.  I feel that if I don't end up paying the final month of rent she will keep my security deposit (which is comparable to the month of rent). Any advice would be appreciated!

Answer:
 This isn't just a CA law. You are federally protected under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA).

> I feel that if I don't end up paying the final month of rent she will keep my security deposit (which is comparable to the month of rent).

Unless you damaged the property, your deposit has to be returned.

>If you terminate your lease under the SCRA, your lease will end 30 days after the first date on which the next monthly payment of rent is due. For this reason, you may be required to pay one month of rent after providing notice to your landlord. Additionally, your landlord cannot withhold a security deposit as a "penalty" if you have provided timely written notice. A security deposit can only be withheld to pay for property damages beyond ordinary wear and tear caused by the tenant, or to cover back unpaid rent the tenant owes. If your landlord wrongfully withholds your security deposit, you should immediately seek the advice of a legal assistance attorney.

http://www.militaryonesource.mil/pfm?content_id=269402


Title: Gf having issues with school secretary and it could have an impact on child custody

Question:
I hope this is the right place for this.

As of right now she’s in looking into getting a lawyer but funds don’t allow this until later.

Basically, she has more than 70% custody of the her 2 daughters. Father showed no interest in taking them or picking them up from school in the past and is only, recently (maybe a 4 months ago) , trying to get more custody of the girls. She thinks it’s so that the child support payments stop accruing interest and so that he won’t have to pay them anymore. He hasn’t paid for 2-3 years and has been earning cash under the table in order to avoid this.

This brings me to the school secretary, he’s been going to their school and asking them to do things so that he’s notified first. She’s been tardy before in the past and late picking them up but that’s because she’s tired from working graveyard so that she’s able to pick them up and drop them off. She’s remedied the issue by being consistently on time. A couple days ago her alarm didn’t wake her up and the school called the father instead of calling her parents first, which is the way she had set it up in case she didn’t wake up. We, as well as her parents, live 5 minutes from the school. Is there any legal way to get the secretary to stop making adjustments to contacts and other files in favor to her father? It is known that this secretary does not like my gf.

Thank you for any advice.

Answer:
 > Is there any legal way to get the secretary to stop making adjustments to contacts and other files in favor to her father?

There's nothing wrong with what the secretary is doing.  Notifying a parent when there is something amiss with a child is absolutely fine.  The mother is far more in the wrong here by trying to shut him out.

And, to be blunt, "I forgot to pick up my kids on time" **is** bad, regardless of reason.  The proper person to call next is the other parent.  Your girlfriend can't force the school to help her hide her mistakes.Answer #2: What does the current custody agreement say?

In the absence of some specification in the custody agreement the secretary can likely contact either parent at their own discretion. Most schools have some kind of order or priority on the contact card. If the secretary isn’t following that, your gf might address it with school administration.


Title: Vegetarian two-year old ate meat on fault of restaurant

Question:
I don't know if this constitutes being questioned here or not but my daughter was eating Mac n cheese and there was ham in it. The menu option doesn't say any meat is added and they admitted there wasn't supposed to be any. She hasn't eaten meat up until this point. The manager wasn't present and apparently only comes in on Wednesdays. They took our name and number and only deducted the item off as if that was supposed to compensate. Is there anything I can do or should they comp the meal / should I dispute the charge?
The way I see it, there are religions that prevent themselves from eating meat like ham and if it were someone in that category, it would be taken more seriously but the workers didn't understand what to do. No one in leadership was present.

Answer:
 The restaurant admitted the error and refunded the cost of the dish. What more do you expect? Your daughter is not allergic to meat and there were no medical bills/damages to refund. The workers rightly were confused. There's no legal action to take here.

The onus is on you as a parent to check what your daughter eats. You could have sent the dish back to be remade. You have no grounds to dispute the charge if the dish was taken off the bill -- presumably you ate the rest of the food, yeah? No, they should not comp the meal.

Try asking this question at /r/talesfromyourserver and they'll give you a good idea of what happens in most restaurants.


Title: Parents stole my stuff

Question:
(This is a pretty long explaination just a forewarning)

So a couple months ago I moved back in with my parents so I could save money on college. In order to move back in I had to agree to some stuff which at the time thought would stay consistent and fair. Last week I didn't go to the full church meeting cause I had homework and whatnot. Going to the full church meeting was apparently one thing I agreed to, that I don't remember agreeing to. Tuesday morning I woke up and went to my computer (the same one I use to turn in homework and has my assignments on) and it was gone. I asked my dad where my stuff was and he said I broke a rule that I agreed to. At that point I just went to class pissed off and explained to my professors I wasn't able to turn in assignments at the time. Wednesday I agreed to talk with them with the condition that all my stuff get returned after that discussion. It is now Sunday and I am still without my computer tower and laptop. I haven't been able to turn in the assignments on my computer, but had to make do with my crappy phone. Isnt what they are doing against the law in Utah? I've searched when I could and couldn't find anything on this.

Answer:
 You can report the theft to the police, but you'd be wise to have a move out plan before doing so. Answer #2: As your parents had access to your property ordinarily, it's nearly guaranteed that the police will not intervene, and that if you want it back you will have to sue your parents in small claims. You can try filing a police report, but keep your expectations low.

Expect your parents to demand that you move out, and to evict you if you refuse, in response. However, a judge can order them to return your things or to pay you their fair market value (i.e., the used value of your computer).


Title: Previous employer has been telling my recent prospective employers that I never worked a specific job there, and more.

Question:
To protect my identity I will not go into deep details. At my previous place of employment (2012) I worked two different jobs at two different departments yet in the same company. I wrote my resume to reflect this. The work experience at the 2nd job is highly important to me. I recently found out from a business owner who called my previous place of employment, the manager he spoke to (whom I worked under) told him I lied on my resume and never worked that 2nd job. He also said I was terminated for abandoning the workplace (which isn't true in the slightest). I've been having extreme difficulty procuring employment these past few years, and now I believe I see why. During my time working there the manager directly told me that he would say negative things about previous employees, and although illegal there is no way to prove it. He thought it was amusing to screw people out of a potential job to "teach them a lesson" about being appreciative of their past employer. Not making this up in the slightest, these are his words. I've been highly suspect of this for a long time. When you work with someone 60 hours a week you get to know them very well. I also know he wanted a certain employee to be fired because he was black, but that's getting away from the current issue at hand. I brought this up to a few people in the past, but they just treated it like I was being overly paranoid and that he *surely* wouldn't be doing that.

How can I stop this manager from doing this? I know he is the sole cause behind my difficulty gaining employment. I do *not* put his name on my resume, but when a prospective employer calls this workplace then chances are the receptionist will redirect the call to him. I can't leave these two jobs off of my resume, the experience is far too important.

Answer:
 my first call would be to this guy's HR department, and let them know that if he keeps it up, he's opening them to a defamation suit.

if that doesn't light a fire under their ass, you may actually have a defamation suit.


Title: We are small business, got a large order on our website. Can we keep the money?

Question:
We are a small bakery .  A month ago, we got an order for 5000 dollars.  It was done via our website and paid with a credit card.  The funds are in our account.  We tried to contact the customer via the email they provided.  No replies from them.  We did not make the cakes.  It's been about a month since the date they ordered the cake for.

Question: can we keep the money?  Is there a statute of limitations when they can't get a refund?

Bakery is in California.  The order originated in Minnesota.

Answer: Why didn't you bake the cakes?  Why would you think you get to keep the money without doing what they paid you for?Answer #2: Before anything, I'd try to contact the credit card company to follow-up and see if the charge is legitimate before doing anything with the money, saves you a lot of headaches if it comes back as a stolen card. That's an incredibly suspicious transaction, obviously.


Title: I was a customer at a restaurant in New York City and was recorded in a video recording by a protest group which was trespassing in that restaurant. What are my rights?

Question:
Hello!

So I was dining by myself at a restaurant in New York City, when a protest group came into the restaurant and started chanting and yelling.  I was sitting in the middle of the restaurant just eating my food, trying to ignore them, but I was very close to the people protesting. About two or three minutes into the protest I realized that some of the protestors (Two I think) were recording the protest and I believe I would have been shown quite a few times, considering I was very close to them and facing towards the cameras.  This upset me quite a bit.

I asked one of the protestors (Camerawoman 1) during the protest what they will do with the video and Camerawoman 1 said they would post it online.  I told her specifically that I did not want my face in the video and I don't give her permission to use my face in their video. Camerawoman 1 kind of ignored me while the protest kept going. I also told a second woman (Camerawoman 2) who had a gorpo strapped to her chest that I don't give her permission to use video with me in the recording to post anywhere online, to which she rolled her eyes. Afterwards I talked with Camerawoman 1 in the restaurant and told her again that I don't want my face in their video and I don't give them permission to use me in their recording if they post it online, to which she said they wouldn't use video with me in it.

Upon leaving I got the protesting organization's contact information from Camerawoman 2 and told her I don't give them permission to use me in their video and if they do they can expect contact from me, to which she replied "blah, blah, blah."

Now I looked up this organization and they post many of these videos.  Do I have any rights if they post a video with me in it? They are a ".org" website.

Answer:
 >  Do I have any rights if they post a video with me in it?

No, not really. You have no expectation of privacy in a restaurant where anyone can eat.


Title: License plate registration stickers were stolen, and I received a ticket for failure to register/display.

Question:
Hello r/legaladvice,

I went to a cafe and paid to park my car at the meter. When I came out (2 hrs later) I had a ticket for the violation above. I do have my car registered (OH), and applied the stickers to the plates as soon as I received them at the beginning of this year. Is the fact of my registration enough to refute the ticket in court? I believe they were taken while I was in the cafe, but I don't confirm my registration stickers are there on a daily basis, so I can't definitively say when they were missing aside from the fact I got a ticket earlier in the year and they were there.

Genuinely,  (now a) S4LTM0NGER

Answer:
 Mark the "not guilty" box on the ticket and show up for your hearing with:

* Proof that you paid for the stickers when you registered the car
* Proof of that paid ticket from earlier this year (especially if it shows the expiration date)
* A high-resolution photo of your plate showing where the sticker was removed, if it's obvious from the dirt/residue that there was a sticker there.

In traffic/parking court, the judge is the "finder of fact" and will decide if your story is credible, and will then decide whether to dismiss the citation or reduce the fine.

Your story and evidence are consistent with a person who had their  stickers stolen, not somebody who failed to pay or who applied their stickers to a different car, so I like your chances at a dismissal.


Title: Arrested for attempting to help friend (NJ)

Question:
So last night I (28) got a call from a buddy of mine (27). He'd gotten drunk at a party and attempted to walk home, but got lost. He was pretty incoherent, but I got him to describe his surrounding and I had a general idea of where he was.

About fifteen minutes later, I found him lying on the side of the road. My initial attempts to rouse him were unsuccessful, but he eventually responded.  I lifted him up into the car, shut the door, and then as I was walking around to the other side, I saw berries and cherries behind me.

The officer stepped out and asked what I was doing. I explained the my friend had too much to drink, couldn't find his way home and that I was taking him home.  The officer shook his head and told me to take him out of the car and put him back where he was.

I responded, "No, I'm taking him home."

The officer said, "Too late for that, take him out of the car and put him back where he was."

I didn't know what was going on at this point, so I hit the button on my keys to lock the door and said that I was leaving with my friend.

Another officer arrived at this point, and they asked me if I'd had anything to drink.  As I'd come from home, I told them that I hadn't had anything to drink and I was sober.

"Well then you don't have a problem with taking a breathalyzer then, correct?" the second officer said, "I mean if you're just helping your friend, you're willing to demonstrate that you're not doing anything wrong."

I took the breathalyzer, and blew 0.00. I did a field sobriety test and had no issues passing it. As I was finishing up, an ambulance pulled up and two EMTS got out.

"Open the car so they can take your friend." the one officer demanded.

"Where are they going to take him?" I responded.

The officer asked if I was family, and I responded that I was not.  He replied that it was none of my business.

I told him that as I was sober, I was leaving.  As I turned to leave, I felt my shoulder get grabbed and I was violently shoved to the ground.  I felt a knee press into my back and I was handcuffed on the street.

My keys were taken from my pocket, my car was opened, and my friend was removed by the EMTs.  I was taken and placed in the back of one of the police cars.

I demanded to know what I'd done wrong and the officer responded, "What did you do wrong? Your friend could have died because you tried to stop help from reaching him.  Obstruction of justice for one, hindering emergency personnel, and disorderly conduct are the least of what you're facing. I'd shut up now if I were you."

I was taken to jail, processed, and released this morning. I was told to expect a summons in the mail.  My car was towed and impounded.  My friend was taken to the mental hospital under what's called ATRA in New Jersey and his mother is picking him up later today.

I spoke with a criminal defense attorney this morning, who responded that he thinks it's very likely that they're going to drop everything quietly within the month, if I even get a summons at all.

Regardless, I want to pursue this civilly. I feel like my rights were violated and the officers were acting completely outside of their authority.  They were hoping to catch me on DUI and when they failed there, they slapped me with contempt of cop because things didn't go their way.

I know that this sub frowns on telling people to go to the media.  To save you the trouble, I haven't ruled that out.  I'm actually leaning towards it, but I'm waiting to talk to my friend because it would bring his name into things, and I don't want to further embarrass him.

Is there anything I should be doing differently or anything I'm not doing that I should be doing?  If you're going to say let it go, then I'll save you the trouble, no.  I'm not going to let this go.

Answer:
 So you prevented a cop from rendering aid to a severely ill person, argued with them and disobeyed an order? Get a lawyer. Answer #2: Cops told you to do something. You refused. Repeatedly. They called EMS for a person who was passed out drunk and were trying to get him medical assistance. You were keeping them from doing their jobs. You're not going to get anywhere with this. Answer #3: >Is there anything I should be doing differently or anything I'm not doing that I should be doing?

Listen to the directions of police in the future. If your friend is passed out drunk, *definitely* listen to the directions of EMTs who're trained medical professionals.

Honestly, I don't know what case you think you have. Cops saw you load an unconscious person into your car and attempt to drive away. In what world do you think you should be allowed to do that?Answer #4: Talk to a lawyer.

There is a second side to this story and without it no one can give you worthwhile advice.

It's very possible that the officers were within their authority to do what they did- you don't get to "opt out" of lawful orders because you don't like them or you disagree with them.Answer #5: In your opinion, your friend needed no medical care.

In the police's opinion, he needed medical care.

How did you think that argument was going to end?

Talk to your lawyer and follow their advice.Answer #6: I'm slightly confused by the timeline.

When you got there, were the police there already?


Title: My friend owns a company 3D printing supplies for a particular niche. A distributor ordered $20,000 of product from him and now refuses to pay.

Question:
State of California

Disclaimer: I am posting for a friend because he does not have Reddit.

My friend owns a company that 3D prints supplies for a particular niche per order. A big customer of his ordered $20,000 worth of products from him and he made them all and was preparing to ship it out. However, the distributor now refuses to pay for the product and wants to cancel. Is there anything that could be done in this situation or is my friend out of thousands of dollars from making these products?

Answer: Your friend can certainly sue him if he produced a product that he can't sell elsewhere.  He may not get the whole amount of the sale, but the material cost should be doable, I'd think.


Title: Deadbeat Dad wants money or else[NV]

Question:
Ill try to keep this short. Before my wife and I met she was with a guy I'll call Don. Don got my wife pregnant. They had a baby boy who unfortunately suffered a birth injury that left him with "moderate" brain damage. When Don was told this by the doctor he decided that it was best to bail. Told my wife   he couldn't handle having a special needs son. Went to their apartment and got his stuff and was gone.

My wife looked for him for an entire year. He left the city/state, blocked her on Facebook, and changed his number.  She got in touch with his family and friends from out of state and found nothing on him.

Where she messed up was not actively pursuing childsupport through the courts.
She assumed that since she had to apply for welfare/WIC and gave them all the information on him and noted he left they would look for him.  She also didnt really want her son to have to know a man who didn't want him. She just let it go rather than deal with it.

Then we met when  her son was a bit over 1 years old. We married by the time he was.

For the past 4 years I've been this boy's father. He is my son and we've made plans to start the adoption process next month. We have not heard from Don in all this time.

Until last week. My wife had told a friend from where she used to live about the adoption, that friend told another friend who told Don. Apparently people only know where he is when no one is looking for him.

Don reaches out to my wife on Facebook, now unblocked, and gives her a number he can be called at and demands we call him immediately.

We call and he says he's heard about what we we are planning and tells us that he's not going to let it happen, he'll take us to court fight for custody, claim my wife is a junkie, and basically give us a ton of greif. *Unless* we give him 5k.

I know if I pay him this, he will just ask for more. So that's a no way in hell. However if I don't pay him, he seems like the type to mess things up until he gets a consolation prize. I have a well paying job but I'm not made out of money. Also this guy has not seen my stepson since he was a newborn, I know legally speaking, we might not have a choice but we really don't want my stepson around this creep.

Plot twist: That moderate brain damage my stepson has, you literally cannot even tell.  The damage hasn't affected him in anyway we can see at this point. I think Don knows this and its making him more confident to pursue us.

What are my options. I really just want the guy to go back to whatever hole he crawled out of.

Answer:
 Have your wife file for child support and then use that as leverage against him.  She really should be going for the support anyway.Answer #2: If he wants to appear out of the ether and fight custody, that should mean you could counter-sue him for retroactive child support as he is actively claiming paternal rights - unless i'm mistaken, the only reason your wife didn't initially try to claim child support is because he vanished, correct?

If its at all possible, have your wife gather any and all proof she still has that he ghosted her as soon as he found about your sons disability.

If you can present the judge with proof that he ghosted as soon as he found out about the disabilities and has only shown up now solely to try screw you over, it'll make him look like a major douche and damage his case.
Answer #3: You have Facebook proof he is trying to con you out if 5 grand, use it!


Title: Reduce child support without courts in CT?

Question:
I'm divorced and have 3 kids, the oldest is turning 18 next month and so my legal obligation to pay for her support ends.

I have a cordial relationship with my ex-wife. After complaining about filing fees and having to have her served and she suggested we just come to an agreement, and leave the courts out of it. Is that legal? What are the risks? This is in Connecticut.

Answer:
 The risk is high, don’t do it. The court and child support agency often doesn’t honor private agreements or credit for payments made outside of their system. She may be offering in good faith now, but this usually ends badly for the payer (you). I get that it’s a headache, but do it to protect yourself Answer #2: If the order ends the support at 18, the order ends and theres no reason to do anything.

You only need to come to an agreement if the order is telling you to do something and you don't want to do taht anymore.

Its insanely dumb on your part (and insanely smart on hers) for you to "agree" to change the terms of the order without going to court as she can play silent and seek to enforce the original order and/or a judge may not agree with your agreement and later enforce the terms of the order.


Title: [NYC] CEO of a startup company abuses majority shareholder status to treat other officers as employees without paying us. Can we sue for wages?

Question:
So, when this company was started, it was created as a Delaware S Corporation (although I'm not entirely sure what that entails).  Because the CEO lent the company the money for its startup costs and had the most connections to the industry, he began with more than 50% of the company.  This is a common scenario when starting a company, and usually what happens is that investors come in and get stock, eventually diluting the founders down, but because the total value of the company is presumably going up, on the whole, everyone gains.

Trouble is, when it came time to raise a round of funding from investors, CEO tells COO that we could only accept investment that preserves his status as majority shareholder.  This is a ridiculous demand.  Investors want voting rights in the company; nobody is going to trust a 30-year-old business-college dropout to run a company they're investing in.  COO knows this, and tries to challenge him, but he uses his majority shareholder status to fire the COO.

CTO (me) isn't really aware of this dispute, seeing as I'm too busy working on code and such.  COO had been in a bad mood for months, barely doing any work, and so it was kind of a breath of fresh air to see him go.  However, as time goes on, and we are clearly not attempting to raise a round of investment, I start pushing for answers.  I get the runaround a lot, but typical answers have to do with me finishing various projects I'm working on first.  Eventually I insist that I'm not going to work for illegally-low wages forever, there would have to be some end to this.  CEO asks me how I can expect a raise when I've hardly been doing any work?  This makes me furious; I'd been working for the dumbass for years for practically nothing, believing myself to be working for our MUTUAL benefit, and he's acting like I owe him now!?  I more or less stop doing work, occasionally fixing emergencies, but typically not coming in until the afternoon, if at all.  He fires me in the most cowardly, spineless way possible.

Now, the CEO has a favorite tactic of running up billable hours for anyone trying to sue him.  Seeing as we're a corporation, there are all these very complicated laws that apply to us, and we're in no position to afford a corporate lawyer.  However, employment law may be within our reach, seeing as it assumes that there's a discrepancy between the resources of the employee and the employer.  Granted, we were officers of a corporation, but that only meant anything on paper; he treated us as employees, and fired both of us solely on his own whim, without there needing to be a vote or anything.  Seeing as employment law tends to focus on how things operated in practice, rather than what legal designations were given to things, this would seem to be the way to go.

Please don't just respond back "talk to a lawyer" though.  I'm currently waiting to hear back from three of them.
Topic:
Employment Law

Answer:
 This boils down to whether or not you are an employee. If you are an employee, you are owed at least minimum wage for your time worked (unless you are salary exempt).

You haven't said anything that makes me believe that you are *aren't* an employee, but it is a very fact specific determination, and we don't know most of the facts.

>Please don't just respond back "talk to a lawyer" though. I'm currently waiting to hear back from three of them.

Well, that's the answer. You are doing the right thing by reaching out to attorneys.


Title: Company in Japan not helping after an incident involving a student. Possibly leading to not being supported in court?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 You have no ability to make the demand that your employer cancel the students other lessons.  That's not gonna happen.

Japan handles things a lot differently than the US.  The police don't take things to court hastily.  They reserve court for very solid cases. You haven't mentioned any damages, like medical bills or anything.

Speaking of police, have you made a police report?  Your company doesn't want to lose face, but the police wouldn't look twice about talking to the kid and his parents about the incident.

Since your contract with the company is up, I don't know why you wouldn't want to speak with the parents.  A child causing a scene like this loses a lot of face for the family, and more traditional families can punish the child more severely than the school can.

I'd make it a priority to reach out to the international center to have someone explain to you what the best course of action is.


Title: How would I waive the right to my lunch break?

Question:
in NYC

My workplace is being audited for employee lunch breaks so now all workers are required to take a lunch. My workplace is a desk job, is pretty easy, I get to eat at my desk, and I don't personally ever need a break.

I was reading up on this and found some info.

>\- Your employer can require you to take a lunch break. If you refuse, you may be terminated.

and

>\- Under Section 162 of the New York State Labor Law Code, employees are entitled to at least a 30-minute lunch break without exception unless the employee voluntarily waives his or her right to lunch.
>
>Section 162 can be elaborated on with [The Court of Appeals decision, ABC Broadcasting v. Roberts, can be found at 61 N.Y.2d 244 (1984)](https://law.justia.com/cases/new-york/court-of-appeals/1984/61-n-y-2d-244-0.html).

I also found some information on [labor.ny.gov](https://labor.ny.gov) that had this to say about it:

>The New York State Court of Appeals, New York's highest court, held that, in a situation where there was a collective bargaining agreement that provided for a waiver of statutory meal periods in exchange for additional breaks and meal periods scheduled at other times, employees may waive their rights under the Labor Law. Such waivers must include the following:
>
>\- The operational needs of the industry make strict compliance with the meal period provisions impractical
>
>\- The waiver was obtained openly and knowingly, absent of duress or coercion, through good faith negotiations
>
>\- The employees received a desired benefit through the negotiations in return for such a waiver

&#x200B;

My impression of this information is that you can waive your lunch break if your employer lets you, but if your employer doesn't allow you to do that then you are forced to take your lunch break and if you don't you can be terminated.

I don't need a lunch break, I don't want a lunch break, I'm not doing bad work by working through it, I'm not hurting anyone or endangering lives by not taking one. It seems silly and stupid to take a lunch break in my position because my job is not the least bit intensive.

So, all that being said, I'm wondering what my options are to officially waive my lunch break? Can I do that myself? If so, how?

There are also coworkers feeling the same as me now that they're also required to take breaks they don't need/want and I would love to help them and myself out.

Answer: You can *ask* your employer if you can voluntarily elect to waive your lunch break. They are not required to let you do so.


Title: [Missouri] My ex threatened to kill our daughter and I'm not really sure where to go from here

Question:
Obviously throwaway, and I apologize for the poor formatting, but a few days ago my ex threatened our young daughter directly to her.

Some background, my ex and I are still legally married though we've been separated for the past 2 years.  My ex has a history of mental illness, but has been on very strong anti-psychotic medications for a while.  Apparently she stopped taking them a month or so ago.

This past week, she threatened to kill her own mom, our daughter's grandmother, and when my daughter tried to stop her she threatened to kill her too.  I was not present for this event, my ex and I had been on relatively good terms until this event, and the children were in her care at this point.

After this, their grandmother brought her and her younger sibling straight to me and they've been with me for the past few days.  During this time, their mother has alternately sent me berating texts, including one where she said she did not love our daughter she threatened.  I have no direct evidence of her threatening to kill our daughter outside of my daughter's own testimony, which I wholeheartedly believe.

My question is, should I try and file an ex-parte to get emergency custody of the kids in this situation?  As we don't have a custody agreement since we're still legally married, I have no legal recourse at this point to keep the children from their mother if she wants them back. Should I let things go back to normal if the mother starts her medications back?  I'm feeling very lost at this point and not sure where to start.

Answer:
 If you even remotely suspect that your ex may be sincere, do whatever you need to do to keep your child safe. If that means violating a custody order, well, at least your kid will still be around to have custody disputes about afterwards. It's not often that violating a custody order is the right choice, but if the custodial parent is an immediate danger to the kid, then this is one of those times.

However, you should speak to a lawyer immediately (like, start making phone calls first thing in the morning, if you don't have a lawyer you can call right this minute) about mitigating your legal risks and about how to keep your child safe in the longer term. If you don't, you run the risk of being jailed for custodial interference or contempt of court, and the risk of your child being returned to an unmedicated parent who has made death threats.


Title: Mississippi single mother of newborn being sent to jail for unpaid tickets (URGENT)

Question: My friend is in Mississippi court for stacked up ticket fines and the court says if she doesn't pay the $477 in full tonight then they're putting her in jail. She just had her baby girl a few days ago and she's a single mother so there is no other parent to watch over the baby. Does anybody know Mississippi law who could help her?

Answer:
 Loan her $477. Problem solved. Answer #2: There are a wide variety of lawyers in MS that could help her.

But she's well beyond the "reddit help" stage.Answer #3: They don't do that in Mississippi. They don't have court at night. Also, the courts will not send the police to get someone at 9pm at night for Under $500 in unpaid tickets. It's probably a meth head.


Title: Shared Custody of Dog After Breakup

Question:
Hey all,

So about a year and a half ago my (now ex) gf and I got a dog together. We split the cost of the dog, split vet bills, but I paid for his food. Here we are, being broken up for about a year now, and the dog is becoming a problem.

When she found a new place to live with her new roommate, they rented a place that does not allow dogs. The dog lives with me 99% of the time. I feed him. I take care of him. This is his home. He has spent maybe a total of 10 overnights with her over the last year. I'm the one who adjusts my schedule for him. I'm the one who has all the responsibility on my shoulders. I've now paid for his last haircut, vaccinations, food for over 10 months and haven't seen a penny from her.

I don't "want" to take the dog away from her, but I simply don't want to be in contact with her at all. I don't want her to text me. I don't want to see her. I don't want her in my house. I don't want to have to adjust my schedule to accommodate when she wants to see him at her convenience. I have asked her repeatedly to make a schedule, but she refuses, always citing that she's not allowed dogs by her landlord. I can't keep dealing with these sporadic requests.

Can I just tell her she can't see him until she comes up with a schedule? Can I just block her number and stop letting her dictate when and how she gets him? She's already bailed on the last 2 times she said she was going to take him the morning of. She's supposed to be taking him for a few hours on Monday, but I don't want to wait around for her to possibly bail again. I'm tired of it.

We live in Vancouver, BC btw.

Answer:
 You can do whatever you want.

There is no such thing as "custody" of a dog. Dogs are property. This dog is *your* property. She has exactly as much right to see your dog as she does to see your washing machine (none at all).

If you don't want her around tell her to stop coming around.


Title: My little brother (13yo) just tried to commit suicide due to being bullied at his school. Can I (19) or my parents push charges on the parents of the bullies in question?

Question:
I live in Canada. Quebec to be exact. The bullies are around the age of my small brother. I don’t know the exact story as it happened a hour ago.
If I can push charges, how can I do it? What would happen?
If I can’t, is there a way for me or my parents to so something?
If you have questions I’ll answer in the comments.
Thanks.

Answer:
 You should report any bullying to the school.

You can file a police report if you want, they will determine if they will press charges.


Title: (Georgia) My mother is holding my ID papers, is refusing to return them and may have destroyed them

Question:
Its exactly as it sounds. My mother took my ID papers and is either currently holding them in a bank safety deposit box or has destroyed everything completely.

My documents include the following: SSN card, birth certificate, form N-560 which is a certificate of citizenship and my passport.

I have contacted the police about this but they said they could do nothing about it, even though I've gotten several lawyer consultations who say this is identity theft.

I am 18 years old, soon to be 19. I immigrated here from Indonesia but I am a legal US Citizen. I am a college student with no job.
My phone has been stolen so I have no form of contact other than the internet. I am also currently living with my mother and would not be able to leave without her knowing. I have tried once but ended up having to return, though not entirely by choice.

I want to leave and I know I can but without my papers I know I can't do much. I'm not sure what to do at this point but I feel like my mother shouldn't be able to get away with this. I'd appreciate any sort of advice I can get for this situation.

Answer:
 Contact the police again. Speak directly with someone who deals with identity fraud. Contact multiple police agencies if you need to. If your local cops aren't up to it maybe the Sheriff's Office or the State Police can help.

Start trying to get new ID. Find whatever you can and figure out where you can start. Your immigration paperwork would be a good starting point.

Request as much new ID documentation as you can get, and have it sent to a PO box or somewhere else safe from your nutty mom.


Title: (IL) My friend dressed up like a clown because he wanted to scare another friend as a joke. But he accidentally scared his neighbor instead and even though she assaulted him he was the one who got arrested

Question: I know it was dumb thing to do but it was just a joke and he didn't mean to hurt anyone. He was waiting in the bushes for our other friend to get home from work. Our friend's driveway has bushes between his driveway and his neighbor's driveway. He didn't know that she works at the hospital and was also coming home from work. He thought she was in her house asleep because all the lights were off and it was late. She saw him after she got out of her car and freaked out and when he went to her to explain she hit him in the face. He had no intention of hurting her and wasn't trying to scare her but the cops arrested him. He has charges for having a knife and for uttering threats and attempting to harm, mug and assault the neighbor. He hasn't been to court yet but we all just want to explain his side, including the friend he wanted to scare in the first place. What should he do here? The cops think he actually wanted to hurt her and he doesn't even know her. What could happen to him? Could he really go to jail for this? He has been arrested once before because the cops caught him with half an ounce of weed. That charge is still in the court process. But he's never been violent to anyone before and would never try to hurt or mug anyone.

Answer:
 >freaked out and when he went to her to explain she hit him in the face

Someone lying in wait pops out of a bush and approaches me is liable to be attacked.  I'm not under an obligation to take the first hit, stab, or bullet and neither is the woman he terrified.  He's lucky she just punched him.

>and wasn't trying to scare her but the cops arrested him.

He was trying to scare *someone*, so intent follows the action.  The victim doesn't matter.

>He has charges for having a knife and for uttering threats and attempting to harm, mug and assault the neighbor.

Where'd the knife come from?

>What should he do here?

He needs an attorney ASAP.  Stop "explaining his side".  Yes, he could go to jail *especially* if he was brandishing a knife to scare someone.Answer #2: So he committed assault with a deadly weapon?  Your friend needs an attorney.Answer #3: Your friend must be a real dumbass doing that with all of the stories in the news recently.

Anyway, your friend should plead not guilty and hire an attorney.  If he cannot afford an attorney, he should make a request for a public defender at the same time he enters his not guilty plea.

He should not speak about any of this to any one except his attorney.  The same goes for the rest of you.

These are serious criminal offenses and need to be dealt with accordingly.


Title: Would I have had a case?

Question:
This doesn't seem like it's fit for the main sub since it happened a few years ago. Alabama.

I got a job in a factory a while ago, and they were known for high turn over. i figured out pretty quick they liked setting people up for failure. once a month they'd start looking for excuses to write people up.

Well, one day i come into work and all but one of the clock in machines are busted. people are in line waiting for 7:00 to clock in. turns out the line was to slow to get everyone in before 7:01 so they started writing people up for tardiness.

illegal? scummy? weird? i dunno. i quit after that.

Answer: They can write people up. They can fire people. Only when they start discounting that value from your wages it becomes a legal problem.


Title: Passenger was having epileptic seizure while I was driving; ran a blinking red light, received a ticket. Should I plead not guilty?

Question:
Passenger was a new coworker very well and he'd just had one before we got in the car. His medicine was wearing off as it was around midnight and he was very tired. He has a form of epilepsy where he doesn't drop to the ground and seize up, he just begins repeating the same motion, makes noises (he was yelling and singing), and bangs on things. All very disturbing and very frightening, especially for someone who had never experienced it before.

My court date is on the 9th. This is in Texas. I've taken Defensive Driving twice and would rather not take it again or pay the ticket.

Should I plea not guilty and schedule a court date, or will it be more trouble than it's worth?

Answer: Were you running the red light to take him to a hospital?


Title: Guy I rented room from for a year will not give my $200 security deposit back... small claims court worth the trouble?

Question:
My Girlfriend and I rented from a guy for 15 months in a house with other rooms he also rented out. When we decided his was a good place to live we agreed upon first months rent and a $200 security deposit... (december 2014)

We decided it was time to get an apartment and gave him notice and he found new renters for the room for the first of the month after our last day (March 31 this year).

He claims we didnt clean the room up appropriately (literally all that was left was maybe some pennies and scraps etc but the room was cleared completely and there was zero damage which he even admitted to.)

So basically he doesnt want to give my deposit back becuase of this. My girlfriend and I even left the room a night early to give him time to look over the room and let the new tenants move in a little smoother, so I asked him why he didnt just call if it was a profblem rather than charge me fucking $200 (its obvious why)

My question is basically: Is this worth taking to small claims court? I live in Orange County Florida and the filing fee alone is $80. Another issue is we only made a verbal contract so its basically my word against his...

Any advice would be really helpful... also this is my first post to legaladvice so I hope I am not being out of board etiquette in any way

Answer: You can probably recover your filing costs if you win.  But you may have to know where he banks in order to collect the judgment of $280 that you would likely be awarded.  It can be a lot of work to sue, serve, and collect if you've never done it before.  If you don't want to view it as an interesting learning experience, then it's probably not worth the gamble.  Just my opinion of course.


Title: California. I told the management about flies in my apartment. She says there's nothing they can do because of the heat. What can I do?

Question:
I can't cook in my kitchen, I can't open my windows, there are maggots under my bed, I've gotten flies in my clothing and I'm about to break down crying because I can't move because we can't afford it. I've killed 20 flies in an hour and that is NOT an exaggeration. I can't open the doors or windows because the flies get in and my AC isn't powerful enough to leave them closed. The screens are bent and the windows aren't flush in their frames.

What are my options here?

Answer:
 If you have maggots then you have something organic that's rotting.  We had maggots once and were told it's all about organic rotting meat (or poop).  Also, if you have maggots then the windows don't matter, because those maggots hatch into flies.

If I were you, I would remove everything food (meaning stow in fridge or oven, leave absolutely nothing out) and scrub everything down with vinegar and bleach.  That will eliminate food sources.  Then take some tape or sealant and tape all the iffy screens/windows. Then put a lot of fly strips just outside your door (the one place they could still come in.)  You should be rid of all flies within 2 weeks.

And now for actual *legal* advice:

Whether the landlord is liable depends on whether the fly infestation is your fault or not.  If you have maggots, odds are you are harboring something gross in the house, and may well be liable for the problem.


Title: My child was kidnapped

Question: My 2 children  were abducted and now the police department  where I live is not taking any action. The sergeant  told me it did not meet the criteria for kidnapping because he brought my children back. I told them repeatedly it absolutely was kidnapping. They tried to tell me that because he returned them and has been around them before it wasn't kidnapping. They never came to my house or anything. They contacted him and told him to bring my kids back by 6pm. I have a serious issue here. They should have traced his phone and arrested him immediately. Today I went up to the police station and explained this to the 5th or 6th officer I was in contact with because I called so many times losing my mind with worry. He told me he was hiding with my children when I called him. I told him to return them immediately then I called my child's phone and she sounded very strange and when I asked her where she was at she just said "a house", my child never lies to me. I asked her to put him on the phone and he hung up the phone on me. I called the police. a few minutes later he sent my husband a picture of just my youngest child but he refused to answer my calls after that and my child's phone went straight  to voice mail after that. I was so terrified I couldn't do anything for about 2 hours until he brought my kids back. I explained all of this to the police. I really feel  they  are trying to sweep this under the rug. Who should I  speak with? We cannot have people out in society like this and they still haven't arrested him. Any advice is appreciated!

Answer:
 I'm spitballing here, but I'm guessing that the person who had the children is their biological father, and you don't have a court-ordered parenting plan in place...

How am I doing?Answer #2: Who took your kids in the first place?Answer #3: Who had your child? Why did they have your child?Answer #4: Who is this "him" you reference, and what is his relationship to you and the children?


Title: What is considered free speech? [WA]

Question: [removed]

Answer:
 I co-worker calling you that would NOT fall under any type of 1st amendment protection.Answer #2: Free speech only relates to you and the government...

The word he’s looking for is harassment...


Title: Given only 90 minutes to complete a drug screen

Question:
Hi everyone. I am in Milwaukee Wisconsin.

I work a university job that has the summer off. I applied, interviewed, and was given a job offer for a local summer job. All I had to do was pass a drug screen. This was no issue for me and I went and completed the test. I since then declined all other offers of positions and stopped looking.

I got a call about 7 minutes ago (8:28 am) by my soon-to-be supervisor. My test came back dilute. I did not know that was an option. I drink nearly a gallon of water a day due to my labor intensive job and my severe propensity for kidney stones (over 50 in the past 4 years).

He informed me I had to get another drug screen before 10 am, only an hour and a half from the phone call. I have a final and was in the shower preparing to go do it. I told him that this was impossible for me and he told me that I had lost the job.

My first day was supposed to be next Tuesday, 8 days from now. I was banking on the first pay check and now am unsure if I will be able to pay my rent. I have no backup plans as my soon-to-be boss said verbatim “you have the job if you want it and pass the drug test, of course.”

I am hoping there is some legal discourse about the fact that 90 minutes is not enough time to tell me I need to have a drug test. I was banking on this income. I am confused and not sure what to do next.

Thank you.

Answer:
 Unfortunately, you don't have any recourse here.  They can set drug screening as a condition of employment including any follow-up matters or future tests.

You were offered the job contingent upon a drug test.  You did not successfully pass a drug trust.Answer #2: It is legal for them to advise you that you have 90 minutes. It appeared that you were trying to get a false pass on the drug test so they are trying to catch you off guard.

A gallon of water a day is what you should be drinking, so that isn't what caused the issue on the test.


Title: (FL) Can I pay myself a "salary" from my 77 year old dad's assets and SS income while I'm taking care of him? Will this be an issue later for probate?

Question:
My dad is 77 and I believe he has dementia and a serious heart problem and COPD (I don't have contact with his doctors to be sure). I decided to quit my job and move in with him after several incidents where neighbors found him in their garages asking for food and drinks.

My dad doesn't have a will or POA paperwork and he's not in condition to sign now. I am looking to get appointed legal guardian over him but I don't have the money to hire a lawyer to help me.

My question is can I use my dad's Social Security income and bank accounts to pay myself a salary? I have no other source of income. My dad has two kids from a previous marriage who don't talk to him or me for the most part. I'm basically putting my life on hold to take care of him because he can't be left alone for long periods of time. It wouldn't be fair that when he dies without a will that the court splits in 1/3 evenly considering they're not doing anything to help.

If I can do this, how do I determine what is a fair rate to pay myself? Do I have to keep records or receipts in case my step siblings challenge something after he dies and this goes to probate?

Answer:
 If you can do anything to have a consultation with a lawyer, I would, because you can bet that as soon as the successors smell money they'll come out for their share, and you don't want them coming after you for the money.

It'll be an issue if they raise it, and you should count on them raising it. You should see a lawyer.Answer #2: Try contacting Adult Protective Services, or Council for Elder Care, something along those lines that should be present in your city or county.  They should be able to provide you with information and resources - public or low-cost legal aide and such.

This site looks like a good place to start: [http://www.elderaffairs.state.fl.us/doea/programs.php](http://www.elderaffairs.state.fl.us/doea/programs.php)

Looks like there are legal services for your father, as well as support for family caregivers (which is the role you are assuming).


Title: (CA) Can your employer force you to resign?

Question:
My sister has a part time job that she hasn’t gone to (about a month) due to her doctor’s (therapist) recommendation. Her work sent her a letter saying she had to resign by tomorrow.

Is that a thing? Can an employer force you to resign?

Answer:
 No. They cannot force her to do anything.

They can fire her (assuming she isnt on FMLA since she is part time).


Title: My boss asked me to do something illegal, I want out but need this job and the paycheck.

Question: I am a dental hygienist in Pennsylvania. My boss is obviously a dentist. He asked me to fill a prescription he wrote in my name and give him the pills( generic Ambien for sleeping). He has a bad temper and is a micromanager and I am terrified he will make work a living hell for me if I don't do it. He swears it's not illegal (first red flag, if it's not illegal why are you trying so hard to convince me it's not?) I want out of this toxic workplace but there are no jobs in my field. I cannot afford a pay cut and I'm not sure I can collect unemployment if I left because I've only been here 5 months. Is there legal action that needs to be taken here? I don't know what to do?

Answer: It will be much worse for you in the long run to capitulate with illegal demands than it will be to be fired for not doing illegal shit.Answer #2: don't fill the prescription, find a new job ASAP, and [file a complaint with the Dentistry board](https://www.dos.pa.gov/Pages/File-a-Complaint.aspx)


Title: Idaho - mother of our baby has Medicaid which is covering hospital bills

Question: The time is coming close to give birth and we're still together, on birth the baby will need to be hospitalized for up to 3 months, and her mom raised a point that's pretty concerning, apparently if I sign the birth certificate I'm on the hook for 50% of the bill, we obviously don't want this and certainly can't afford it, what would be our best route in this situation, it's extremely concerning to me that I might not be able to have my name on my child's birth certificate

Answer:
 The absence of your name on the birth certificate is not going to prevent the state of Idaho from attempting to pursue you for medical bills AND child support. If she is receiving benefits (which includes programs such as food stamps, WIC, housing, child care, and TANF) she is going to be required to cooperate in establishing paternity. She can either lie and say she has no idea (which also means you would have no legal right even to see your own child) or she can give your name.

Let me ask you this: why do you NOT want to support your own child? If the problem is that you can't afford months of hospital bills, that's a different problem than a blanket refusal to pay anything at all.Answer #2: Medicaid will likely require her to disclose the father regardless of if you sign so that they can come after you for money. They will also figure out you are the father when you request custody or she requests child support.Answer #3: If she attempts to conceal the known father of her child in order to collect state benefits, she will commit fraud.  The state will figure it out, and if they are nice, all they will do is send you an invoice for the full amount of benefits fraudulently received.

If they feel like making an example out of you to discourage other mothers from doing this, they could press charges.

It sucks and you have my sympathy, but attempting to collect benefits you are not due will make this worse, not better.  Look into other options such as payment plans or even bankruptcy.


Title: Neighbors noise complaint about their own dogs

Question:
I live in a standard subdivision in Texas with separate houses, fenced backyards, no HOA.

This situation, I start work at 6 am everyday so at around 5:15 I take my dog into the backyard and pay fetch with him to give him some quick exercise. This is pretty much completely silent, other than him rustling the grass, he doesn't bark or growl at all. However, the people behind me keep their boxer outside at all times and it angers him so he starts barking, this then alerts my neighbor's dog who comes out to join in the barking.

My neighbors have complained to me, and apparently have called the police about it, though I haven't been contacted by them yet.

Am I violating any sort of noise ordinance? I am not personally making any noise it is the other dogs who are causing a ruckus though it is in reaction to me playing fetch.
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer: It's their problem not yours.  The same thing could happen if a wild animal ran accross the yard or a truck drove by.   If they want their dogs to be quiet they have to keep them inside and/or use bark control devices on their dogs.Answer #2: Solution: You start calling noise complaints on them, as soon as their dogs start barking. I would also recommend starting a video diary of your morning routine with your dog.


Title: Employee took a bad cc. Can employer take $$?

Question: A co-worker of mine just got in trouble for taking a stolen/cloned CC.  The boss has said numerous times that he \_will\_ take the value of the stolen goods out of his employee's paycheck.  Is this at all legal?

Answer: Not without consent and some states make even that illegal.  That said they can fire him if he doesn’t pay for it.  That’s at will employment, any reason or no reason at all so long as the reason isn’t membership in a protected class.  Employees who accidentally accept stolen credit cards is not a protected class.


Title: How can I remove my identity from my ex-employer's website?

Question:
I was laid off about 9 months ago. My photo/name/identity were removed from the "employee" section of their desktop website, but not their mobile website (which gets about 50% of their traffic). At first I thought it was an oversight, but after politely requesting they remove it, I've heard nothing.

This sucks for two reasons: 1) I'm good at what I do. I have good qualifications, good recommendations and a good reputation. My new employer wants to be the first result when my name is Googled. Clients are confused/displeased when they Google me and think I'm not who I claim to be.

2) I had one of the most important positions at this past company, and since I left, they haven't been able to replace me. They're essentially using my identity to give clients the impression they have a top notch team working for them (in reality they're operating with talentless skeleton crew). I was one of their most qualified and recommended employees. They're profiting off of my identity without compensating me in any way, and they're cluttering my professional identity/ limiting potential opportunity for me. What can I do? Thank you!

EDIT: NEW YORK

Answer:
 I am not a lawyer, but you'd be surprised by how people suddenly decide to do the right thing when they receive a letter from someone's attorney.

Find an attorney to write a letter telling them to cut it out or else and have them send it over.

You and/or your new employer may want to look through http://static.googleusercontent.com/media/www.google.com/en/us/webmasters/docs/search-engine-optimization-starter-guide.pdf and see if anything could be used to bring them to the top when someone searches you.Answer #2: [cough, cough, cough](http://public.leginfo.state.ny.us/LAWSSEAF.cgi?QUERYTYPE=LAWS+&QUERYDATA=$$CVR51$$@TXCVR051+&LIST=LAW+&BROWSER=BROWSER+&TOKEN=54832326+&TARGET=VIEW)

(Be advised, this is a very expensive lawsuit to pursue though.  But it might be sufficient leverage to threaten them with anyway).


Title: I was fired after being involved in a car accident, wondering if I can pursue lost wages

Question:
This is in California, I am employed at will. I was driving a rental car that was rented on my behalf by my company. I had been flown in for training and the rental car was provisioned for getting to and from work, and getting meals.
On my way to dinner the side of my car was struck by a car running a stop sign. Within 24 hours the other parties insurance admitted 100% liability, because it's pretty clear cut.

However, I was still fired from my job for being involved in the collision. In the letter they sent me, they said I was specifically not being fired for getting in an accident where I "might not be at fault," but I was getting fired for conduct such as not filling out an accident report fast enough, not immediately calling my supervisor (whose cell number I did not have), and not "expressing remorse".
I understand that because I am employed at-will they can fire for whatever they want, it's bad luck for me but I've made peace with it. My question is if I can pursue the other parties insurance (the car that hit me) for lost wages - wages I would have made if I remained at my job, which I surely would have had he not hit me.

I am not injured and it wasnt my car, so there are no other factors to make me whole after this collision, even though I am now without a job as a result of the other party running a stop sign and hitting my car, which surely counts as some sort of tangible damages.

Answer:
 You can try, but you would likely not be successful.

While it is the other driver's fault that you were involved in an accident, it is not their fault that you did not "fill out an accident report fast enough" or "call your supervisor" or "express remorse". Basically, it's not their fault your boss is an asshole (you honestly have my sympathies, because he/she certainly seems to be). You can file for unemployment. If it gets denied (it often does on first application), appeal.


Title: FL vacation rental, what are the laws when a guest stays longer than 30 days?

Question: Owner of vacation rental management company.    Guests on vacation stay at homes in which the owners live out of state or out of the country. Most guests on vacation stay for a maximum of 2 weeks.  I’ve been told that if a guest books a home for longer than 30  days, the home is no longer considered a vacation rental.  The issue here being that if said guest then continues to stay past their departure date, the process involved to get them to leave means evicting the guest/tenant, which could take another 30 days.   This means future bookings have to be cancelled.   Are there any laws in Florida that spell this out?

Answer:
 Yes, [Statute 509](http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0500-0599/0509/0509.html) covers short term rentals.

30 days may not be the hard line for a vacation rental, and you may have the right to lock them out. But I would absolutely get a consultation with a landlord/tenant lawyer before doing anything here.


Title: If I snipe someone across state lines, which state am I charged for murder in?

Question: This is all hypothetical by the way

Answer: They can be charged in both states as well as federally.  Answer #2: What if the bullet crosses a third state on the way, "Massacre at Four Corners" style?


Title: [KS] Mother of my child, after 5 years, seeks legal action. Short/not so short story inside..

Question:
My son was born in July 2013, the mother and i split up after a year due to me putting my kid first and her putting herself first. We both lived in a small south eastern town so driving a few blocks to exchange him wasn't all that hard.

At first we had an "every other day" he stays with you, then me, then you ectect. That worked out fine for us, but was a hassle for him i would assume. Constant change of environment and what not. Then when the time came for preschool, it was "he stays with you tuesday and thursday and me every other day of the week, then we flip flip days the next week (2 days/5 days alternating). We happily made that work.

now a short bio about her and myself. I'm a registered pharmacy tech working at the same pharmacy for the past 5 years, same community he's grown up in all his (and my) life. My mother owned a daycare so it was exceptionally nice for him to be around familiarity every day. I've never smoked and the only drink i have is once a year when the New Orleans Saints lose a playoff game. Went from the breakup to living with my mother for about a year with my son, to renting my own house for the past 3 years.

His mother on the other hand... She has been in and out of jobs for years now, due to failed drug tests or just plain getting let go, currently working a food chain. (rib crib for a month or 2 i believe) In and out of homes between her mothers, sisters, whatever current boyfriend of the month she has. Current home residence is with a sister who still lives in the same county as myself. About 60% of HER days to have my son, i end up having him because shes out partying, "too busy", forgets to pick him up from my house, ectect. The other times on her days she just pawns him off on some friend or family member so she can go out. (she likes to post on many social media platforms when she goes to bars and such)

Today out of the blue she hits me with, "i'm seeking legal action, i want our son on weekdays and you can have him on weekends. He will be going to school 30 minutes away (insert town) [from his home, school, and friends] due to it being easier for me to see him. i want child support. get an attorney."

phew..

i'm curious as to how all this will play out. what you guys' think. Should i have any concern? Besides getting an attorney, what other steps i should take? If the judge asked me what custody arrangements i would prefer, id tell him 7 days a week with me, every other weekend with her, that way i'd only have to worry a few days every 2 weeks if he was being taken care of or not. (trust me, he comes to my house not bathed, always hungry, sometimes not even clothed..just wrapped in a blanket, always has some form of new cut/bruise/gash somewhere on him)

All i want is what's best for my son, to be happy with his friends and family all here in his hometown. To follow in his fathers footsteps and make all-state striker in soccer one day. To live a happy and fulfilled life with the person who cares about him most and has been there for him every day of his life.

Not to mention kindergarten enrollment (same school he was at for preschool) is also next week, should i go ahead and enroll him?

Answer:
 You should be documenting everything. Is the current agreement through the court? If so the court will not look kindly to her lack of obedience to the order. Get a lawyer asap and follow everything they say to a t. Ask them if it's OK to enroll him in the kindergarten near you. Answer #2: Your son has most recently been primarily in your care?  For how long?  Find everything you can to prove this, as well as anything you have in his mom not taking him for her days.  Both will be useful in court.

Register him for kindergarten at his current school and proceed as if you're going to continue with the status quo, because hopefully you will be.

Answer #3: Lawyer.  Lawyer NOW.  Do not pass Go.  Do not collect $200.  Take the day off and find a reputable attorney with experience in Family Law in your area.

Do you have documentation on the existing status quo, as well as her asking you to take him on "her" days?

Has the existing arrangement 2/5 rotating been in place for more than 6 months?  (> 6 months is status quo, and judges have a hard on for status quo...it makes their job STUPID easy).

TECHNICALLY...you should have been paying her offset child support by the letter of the existing arrangement.  In REALITY if you have had the kid more than 60% of the time...she should be paying YOU.

Hopefully you have documentation on this. (email chains/text messages/etc).  But beg, borrow, or sell things to get the very best lawyer you can afford.

You do not want to dive into the steaming pile of shit that is family court on your own.  It's definitely not do it yourself territory.


Title: (CO) My Mother is being catfished and has already lost ~$50,000, still talking to the scammer.

Question:
Back in 2012 my mom had a major stroke on the left side of her brain (where the logic is). Some time after she came home she started going on dating apps and met a guy on Zoosk. At this point my mom wired him a few thousand dollars. I thought i got through to her about the dangers of this whole thing but apparently not.

Jumping to late 2016, She was offered a $100,000 buyout from her last employers insurance company and took it, weeks after that i find a Western Union wire receipt for $42,000 sent to this same guy. We argued more than i care to admit but i kept trying to make her understand what really was going on and some simple things we could do to verify this guy, but nothing stuck. More time passed and she said to me that he was planning on coming back to the US (his story was that he was working in London at the time). Obviously that never happened.

Current time, she just got done telling me that an "associate" will be sending her $150,000 but needs to send $50,000 of it back. I thought we were done with this since he never showed up in the US but for some reason shes still talking to him, i don't know what to do, we're already financially ruined from this living on Social Security alone and i feel if anything else happens it's over.

Answer:
 Double what derspiny said.

It is ABUNDANTLY clear that your mother will squander EVERY lat asset that the scammers can take from her.  They often get victims to take out second mortgages on their homes, etcetera.  They often play multiple scams on the same victim.  In other words, if the victim falls for a romance scam, then they will see if they can sucker the same victim with an advance fee lottery scam, or any number of other scams.

The ONLY way that you can save her from herself is to get her to agree to put you in control of her bank accounts, retirement accounts, credit reports, etcetera, or get a court order to that effect against her wishes.  You should also make sure that your finances are separate from hers.  If you have any joint bank accounts with her, then you could move the money to your own separate personal account.
Answer #2: If someone could help explain the scope of this scam to me that would be appreciated, this is kind of a lot to me and maybe some talking points i didn't think of would help persuade her. I also just thought of blocking his number in her phone (there's not PIN/pattern on it) since I've only ever seen them talk via text.

Just asked her when this is happening, later this week, by mailed check. If i just camp the mailbox and throw it away i can that'll help right? I assume this check will not be good in the first place, but what do they stand to gain from sending a bad check?


Title: [CA] Subleaser tricked me into thinking I was signing for a bedroom, there's no room for me, can I get out?

Question:
I subleased summer housing at student housing near my summer internship for around $400 a month. Upon arriving I signed a contract and was shown the place and found out that there are 4 people living there but only one bedroom. They removed the sliding closet door from the bedroom and installed it down the middle of the living room and claimed that half of the living room was my bedroom.

I've been living there for 2 weeks looking for alternative arrangements and finally have. I moved out today and they noticed and are messaging me saying I have to pay for the whole summer, but I really don't want to unless I have to. I haven't paid anything at all yet. I would rather pay nothing, but I'd also be willing to pay a prorated rent for the 2 weeks I was there (around $200), or worst comes to worst, the first month's total rent.

Is there any way I can get out of this situation? I signed a contract which I do not have access to that basically said I was staying from june-august but I'm wondering if it's void since there's not actually a bedroom. Moreover it's student housing so I'm not sure they even have the legal right to put me in a contract like this. Thoughts?

Topic:
Real Estate law

Answer:
 You absolutely need to get your hands on that contract. Is there an ad up saying anything about the room?

Find whoever they are leasing from and ask em if they are supposed to be subleasing.

That sounds like a horrible situation.

Answer #2: >Upon arriving I signed a contract and was shown the place

You definitely did this in the wrong order.

You're in contact with them.  Ask them to send you a copy of the contract.  Then see what it said.Answer #3: Did the contract say you get a bedroom?


Title: Father was shot at age 22. Is age 65 now. Government won't give him medicare. Help!

Question:
My father turned 65 in January. He applied for medicare in November. It is now February 16th and he still does not have medicare. The social security office says this is because he was on medicare in his 20s (because he was shot), and that they, "Need more time to process him."

He needs to see doctors but cannot because he has no insurance. They will not give him anyone to talk to who can push this forward.

What can he do or what kind of lawyer should he consult?

Edit: New Jersey, United States

Answer:
 Medicare suggests applying 90 days before turning 65 due to the time it takes to process applicants. It is no ones fault that your father did not do this.

He is going to be waiting until it is done. Nothing else can be done.Answer #2: Try /r/insurance also


Title: Can a landlord just send a worker into your apartment without supervision? (Massachusetts)

Question: I just got a notice that my landlord is sending an exterminator into our apartment in the middle of the afternoon. She's giving us more than 24-hour notice (as is required by law I believe) but she said if we can't make arrangements to be there, he'll be coming into the apartment unsupervised. As in, she's handing over the keys and he'll just come in and do his thing without the landlord or any one of us there. Is that legal?

Answer: Yes. They l as landlord can permit any number of agents to access the property.Answer #2: Not only is it legal, it's standard.


Title: [CANADA] Friend is evading taxes while working abroad

Question:
A friend of mine is teaching overseas and has avoided paying Canadian taxes the last 3 years.

**Background:**

-I believe she would be considered a factual resident of Canada but she has no property/leases in her name (will stay with parents when she visits for the holidays).

-Her employers do not have her SIN number and have not reported her income to the Canadian government.

-She has received work VISA's each year she has been employed.

-She has not filed taxes at all the last 3 years in Canada or the country she is working in.

-She does not want to claim income/pay taxes.

-She has a family friend who is a financial officer for a major bank that has set her up with a savings account that receives monthly deposits. The family friend has advised my friend that Canada Revenue Agency will not pick up on the deposits (and that my friend does not need to worry about paying taxes) because the deposits are low enough.

I'm worried my friend is going to eventually be audited as she does not file taxes and this could lead to trouble. We've talked about it and my friend believes there's a good chance Canada Revenue Agency would not be able to prove she's received income overseas and will have to accept that she has been volunteering. My friend's contact at her bank seems to agree with this so I'm inclined to believe my friend will be okay but am unsure.

**Questions:**

-Will Canada Revenue Agency be accepting of my friend's excuse of volunteering abroad?

-Won't Canada Revenue Agency be able to see her work VISA's and bank account deposits if they choose to investigate her?

-Is there anything I'm missing?

Answer:
 > Will Canada Revenue Agency be accepting of my friend's excuse of volunteering abroad?

Maybe.

> Won't Canada Revenue Agency be able to see her work VISA's and bank account deposits if they choose to investigate her?

Maybe

> -Is there anything I'm missing?

That this is absolutely none of your business.


Title: Is it legal to remove time from playtime in higschool?

Question:
Hi, i'm a teenager from Argentina, i want to know if this is legal.
Topic:
School Related Issues

Answer:
 1. It is unlikely that anyone here is familiar with Argentinian law.
2. ¿Qué quieres decir con "tiempo de juego", hijo? Estás en la escuela secundaria. ¿Con qué estás jugando?


Title: Failed a tobacco and alcohol sting at work today, need advice on my next step.

Question:
This happened today a few hours ago. I work at a convenience store in Colorado. The store is really busy 24/7 and I’ve been super stressed and tired lately due to short staff. Plus, I had an audit yesterday which didn’t help with my stress. It’s our busiest time of the day and I’m trying to balance the new promotions with helping co workers get shift duties done. First female comes up and asks for Juul pods, she looked to be in her late 20s early 30s. I didn’t card her she took her change and left. Second female comes up with beer, I card her right away because of policy. Misread the birthday in a rush and the cop came right up and busted me. She gave me a citation for mandatory court hearing in about a month with my two charges listed. Never been in this kind of legal situation before, any advice would be extremely helpful. Thank you.
Topic:
Alcohol Related Other than DUI

Answer: Hire a criminal defense attorney.


Title: Speeding ticket for going 54 in a 45, but in the "comments pertaining to offense" section, the officer stated I was going "60 in 45 and 68 in 55" is there a possibility I could get this dismissed and what should I do first? This is in St Johns County, FL

Answer: Yep, he clocked you at two different speeds, but decided to give you a break. He noted the two speeds so that when someone decides to go court after getting said break, he can amend his citation and the break goes away. Do this all the time, and always surprised how many people throw their break away


Title: [KS] GF's boss shared her personal health information with other coworkers. Demands to know why she is going to the doctor. Wants to see proof of why she is sick sometimes.

Question:
To preface this.
Money is not the outcome we are looking for, more so if there is a way to let her boss know that her behavior is not okay for the workplace, and if this is legal behavior. It is more of a “we want to learn what can and cannot be said or done in the workplace”. I am 100% aware Kansas is an at-will state.

My girlfriend works for a nursing home in Kansas (it specializes in dementia and Alzheimer’s). She suffers from migraines that cause nausea and often times her to throw up. She also has been seeking help from a physiatrist for her mental health. I am going to lay out a few events to explain it a bit.

Sometimes, and not often, she gets migraines at work where she ends up throwing up. She has had MRI’s and all that jazz to find out what may cause them. She has prescription pills for this. Sometimes and I mean rarely, she asks to leave around an hour early when her work is done so she can go rest in a dark quiet place to help her head. I get it, migraines suck and so does someone leaving work early. Her boss asked “Why does this seem to happen towards the end of the day”. My girlfriend has made it clear many times that they hit her earlier in the day but doesn’t want to leave until her work is done. Her boss didn’t want to believe her until she was willing to show proof of her medicine. This was a “I could take action against you because you are leaving work early” kind of situation.

When letting her boss know that she was going to leave a little early to make it to a doctor’s appointment, her boss was not going to let her do it (without disciplinary action) unless she told her what exactly she was going to the doctor for. Needless to say my girlfriend told her why because she really didn’t want to drag it on at the time. So her boss now knew she was having some mental health issues. Later on a nurse comes up to her and says “I hear you are having some mental issues”, which absolutely embarrassed her.

She recently scheduled a dentist appointment and was told she needed to schedule it towards the end of her shift. Again, I understand why her boss may ask this, but she also acted like this was totally unacceptable to ask to leave work to make it to a dentist. My GF eventually put in PTO just to go to the dentist which upset her boss even more.

She is in the process of moving to a new job due to how her boss has acted. I know that she has no obligation to keep working there. She went into work today and asked her boss why she is telling other nurses her personal issues/information and her boss didn’t say much, so she really just got fed up and left.  Is there some sort of action that can be taken? I feel like the most we can do is report to corporate HR, but I wanted to ask here in-case there is more that I am unaware of.

Answer:
 > Migraines at work situation

She should request an ADA accommodation for her disability. This should qualify.

> Boss sharing medical info

This isn't illegal unless her workplace is treating her illness. People are allowed to gossip. She should have said it was a doctors appointment and refused any further information.

> Dentist appointment

A super reasonable request.

She could definitely report it to HR, but the boss didn't do anything legally wrong.Answer #2: The boss isn't required to keep that information secret.

Your boss could also fire her for leaving early. If she requests an accommodation for her disability (debilitating migraines) and it is deemed reasonable then she can't be fired for it.

But it sounds like she's just asking for time off with no real accommodation in place.


Title: (SC) I heard that state voter ID laws are illegal under federal law. My state is telling me that I must have a photo ID to vote. Is there anything I can do?

Question:
[deleted]
Topic:
Constitution

Answer: To my knowledge SC's voter ID laws have not been invalidated by any court, nor is there a federal law that would prevent them from being enforced.


Title: help, i dont feel sae in my home.

Question:
Hello Reddit community,

I am a 31 year old property manager for the 3'bedroom house I live in Santa Cruz, CA. We have month to month agreement with not written lease. (The landlords are writing one up as I write this)
I have a problem housemate that is bringing homeless drug addicts into my home. Her new "girlfriend" is a young woman who lives in her car and is covered with open sores on her face and arms. She has been sleeping at my house almost every night for the past week and a half. I'm at the point where I don't feel safe in my own home.
I know she has the right to have guests and we don't have a current lease that sets boundaries for guests.
What are my rights to feel safe in my home? Is there anyway I can set boundaries on the types of people allowed to stay in my home?

Thank you for your time, Reddit. :o)

Answer: If you're the property manager, why don't you talk with the landlord about having this person evicted?


Title: Slipped and fell down the stairs at work and dislocated at my shoulder, will be faced with a hospital bill that I can't afford. How do I go about getting workers comp?

Question:
I'm in New York city btw. I keep reading various things saying that I need to consult a lawyer about this but I sure as shit can't afford one.

Basically, somebody was mopping the steps during the shift, there was no wet floor sign, I slipped going down the stairs and dislocated my shoulder. My boss brought me to the ER, they reset it and confirmed it was dislocated. X-Rays came back normal after they put it back in place. That was on Sunday and I haven't been back to work since.

Everything I've read about worker's comp says that I need to go to a physician after I fill out paperwork to prove that I've been disabled or partially disabled, which I am clearly not anymore, just suffered an injury that made me miss work. My shoulder has healed and I can use it again.

Am I entitled to try to get them to comp my hospital bill? Am I entitled to be compensated for the shifts I had to miss?
Topic:
Personal Injury

Answer: If you missed work due to a work injury that is what workers comp is for. You don't need to be permanently or even seriously injured to get money for lost wages.