Title: How much force can you use to retrieve a stolen item or stop a theft on your person?

Question:
The question is in the title, but to give examples:

* A pickpocket is grabbing your wallet or has just grabbed it. If you don't do something (a chase) you will never see the wallet or the pickpocket again.

* Someone pushed you over in a public place and grabbed your bag before you could get up.

* Someone is actively mugging you in an alley or empty street.

I also would like to know what you can do if you aren't the victim, but you are either with the person in question (a friend or spouse) or just a concerned citizen.

Some more things to help narrow my question:

* Could I tackle someone (after a chase) who stole my backpack and then ran away? What if it is the only way I can stop him?

* Could I trip someone or push them if they had just stolen my bag so that I stop them?

I understand laws are different in different places, I'm in the USA, AR, but my question applies to anywhere the in US.

EDIT: added some stuff
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer:
 You can use a "reasonable" amount of force.

Chase him down and get your bag back? I'm sure you'll be fine. chase him down and continue to pummel him to teach him a lesson? there is a good chance you will have some legal problems.


Title: [TX] Daughters house in my name is on my property. How do I get it moved off? Eviction?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 [This page](http://texastenant.org/mobile_home_tenant.html) suggests that since you legally own both the mobile home and the property, it is no different from a rental home eviction.  Once you follow the process, she'll be evicted from both the home and the land.

If you want to let her continue to live in the mobile home, but elsewhere, she needs to find a place for it and you'll have it moved.

Disclaimer: IANAL and you should talk to a local lawyer to confirm anything said here.Answer #2: >I want it off my property

I'm confused. Is this a mobile home that can be moved (and you wish to allow her to move it off your land - and would you still want your name on it) ?  Or do you want *her* off your property (if it's a fixed structure) ?


Title: [CT] Bus never showed up

Question:
I recently took a weekend trip to a casino in CT. I contacted the casino to learn about my transportation options and I was told that a Greyhound bus could take me to and from my location. I was able to get to the casino just fine, but it turns out that Greyhound doesn't always make a stop at this casino on the way back to my home. As a result, I was left stranded at the casino all night until I could get a return trip on a different bus line in the morning.

What legal recourse (if any) do I have here? Technically I bought a departure ticket for a separate location and my plan was to hop on the bus when it arrived at the casino (because this is what the casino staff told me to do - I have this in writing). Because of this, I think Greyhound has some ground to defend not making the stop.

Do I have any case against the casino? It doesn't seem right that they can mislead guests about transportation options (this casino does in fact know that Greyhound frequently misses this stop).

Answer:
 First, what are your damages? The cost of an extra room for the night and the price of the return ticket? Have you asked them for reimbursement since no bus showed up?

You know for a fact that they mislead guests? Why do you work there as well? I really doubt the casino is purposely misleading guests. What would that accomplish besides getting people angry?

No you no legal case against them. This is a customer service issue.


Title: How do I protect myself?

Question:
This in Florida

I live in Orlando and my mom owns a home and a rental property in the pan handle.

She has had a tenant living rent free in return for helping her keep up both homes, and helping take care of my mom.

My mom passed away about 7 months ago and we are now starting to deal with the home.

Personally I don't mind if the guy lives out the rest of his days in that home so long as he maintains. However my mom was never one to keep track of legal documents and apparently he's been living in the house rent free with no lease for quite a number of years.

And I'm ok with that, so long as he keeps the house in good condition (which he does)

However I want him to sign a lease, a $0 lease if you will? Basically I want it made clear that I am still his landlord, I still have the ability to evict him if he doesn't meet the terms of the lease (which will be upkeep) etc. Basically I want to legally protect myself and the asset well at the same time not charging him any money to live in the house.

Is that possible? My wife and I have been debating it all night and she says that I can't do $0 leases since no money changes hands. Can I do a $0 lease? Also will that lease afford me the same protections as a land lord would normally get? What would you do?

summary:

Guy has been living rent free in a property my mom used to own which I inherited. I want to legally protect myself through a lease but I don't want to charge him any money.

**Update**

Spoke to a lawyer in the area of were the house is. He says he's seen this before and it is possible and we will be creating a lease that basically gives the tenant free rent (as he's getting) in return he promises to keep the house up (which he has been doing) the tenant is also excited about finally getting a lease. He's lived there for quite a few years and never had a lease.

Answer:
 Having him sign a lease that has him maintain the property in exchange for $0 rent a month is possible.  A contract is enforceable as long as both sides get something out of it.  You get a maintained property, he gets a place to live.

It protects him as well, because lacking a lease, you could terminate his tenancy, hire a property manager to handle the house, and make money off of it every month (hint: this is what I would do instead)


Title: Got a letter saying I was responsible for a slip and fall that apparently happened 6 months ago.

Question:
Like the title says I received a letter in the mail today saying that there was a pizza delivery person that slipped and fell on my property in January. This is from a claims management company. It basically says that this employee fell, was injured, and the company has determined that the fall was my responsibility.
Although I live in Colorado and sometimes have a icy driveway, due diligence in placing snowmelt and shoveling snow is done. I’ve never been sited for not shoveling/salting my driveway and there has never been a situation like this before.  I vaguely remember getting a pizza delivered that week and my credit card statements confirm that I did get one delivered that day. But have never had any person report any injury to me or advise me that they had fallen.
The letter basically asks for my homeowners insurance information so they can “contact them directly”.

Is this letter legit? Or is it just a dragnet to try to get this employee’s costs covered? I have security cameras that would have seen a fall if it happened but the hard drive rewrites every 3 months, so there is no footage of the delivery.
Has it been too long to make such a claim?
Should I pass this on to my insurance company, talk to a lawyer, or just ignore this.

I appreciate any help in advance.

Answer: We can’t guess if the letter is legit - but handling this is what you pay your insurance company to do. Open a claim, give them the letter, and let them handle it.


Title: Can my employer pressure me to submit to a DNA test

Question:
I work in a relatively small office, with gender neutral restrooms.  There was a complaint made about fluids someone left in a bathroom on my floor.  My boss has asked all the males on our floor to do a cheek swab to see if it was one of us.

I objected and they told me that they can't require us to, but refusal to submit a sample will be considered in their investigation, and I'm afraid they might let me go under some other pretext if I don't go along with it as I'm in a right-to-work state (Florida).  What are my options here?

Answer:
 You'll want to become familiar with GINA and speak with an employment attorney in your area to understand your rights: [https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/genetic.cfm](https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/genetic.cfm)Answer #2: It appears that this type of request is prohibited by the [Federal GINA Law](https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/statutes/gina.cfm).  This doesn't look like it is one of the exceptions to the general prohibition on employers requesting genetic information.Answer #3: There was a case very similar (but with poop) to this where an employee successfully sued https://www.reuters.com/article/us-verdict-dna-defecator/georgia-workers-win-2-2-million-in-devious-defecator-case-idUSKBN0P31TP20150623 under the The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/statutes/gina.cfm.

This won't prevent you from being fired, but it will potentially give you an avenue for compensation later.

~~If it were me, I'd give the sample, then sue.~~

edit for strikethrough:  Since you suspect you will end up being the source of the fluids, don't submit to the test, go directly to a lawyer.  You might find one on contingency for this.
Answer #4: If they don’t accept a no just ~~walk out~~. That’s preposterous.

Edit: contact the EEOC and make a bigger stink than the one left in the bathroom.


Title: So I got arrested today

Question:
I was on break at work. Chilling in the parking garage with my car on to run the ac. Eating a salad at the time. I see a cop car pull into the third floor, which I was on, and she rolled around 2-3 times, passing me each time before coming to a stop. I get out and ask her if I should leave. She approaches my car and tells me she smells weed.

She immediately arrests me and searches my car. No rights given to me. Also told me that I could contact my job but failed to let me do so.

Does it matter at all that she searched my car and arrested me without reading my rights, or is that totally moot? Just curious.

I have no priors besides a trespassing charge for which I was given a Michigan HYTA plea, last year. Im a college student starting school in a few weeks so I’m assuming I will probably be given probation for the charges so long as I cooperate and take a plea from the prosecutor

I’m still very bothered by my own arrest though, I was approached for very little reason and I felt completely and utterly violated.

Answer:
 A Miranda warning is generally required before you are questioned in custody. If you're not read your rights, your answers may be inadmissible. In this situation, a Miranda warning is not required for any reason, since you were not questioned in custody.

Rather than placing your future and criminal record in the hands of an assumption, get an attorney. Don't speak to the police any further without your attorney's advice.

The officer can likely articulate reasonable suspicion based on the smell of weed, especially as she actually discovered weed in the search. (That discovery elevated her suspicion to probable cause, and lead to your arrest.) Potheads regularly underestimate how strongly they smell, so if you think you didn't smell of weed, you may well be wrong.Answer #2: I just want to say that I know you're not feeling great at the moment, because this sucks. But regardless of how everything plays out, be very thankful she didn't charge you with a DUI. I hope everything plays out, but a DUI charge would make this whole thing way, way worse.

Best of luck.Answer #3: IANAL, but am a college professor - be advised that weed is still illegal at the federal level in the US, and a drug conviction (even for small amounts of weed) can impact your Federal Financial Aid if you are receiving any for college. When you next fill out the FAFSA, you will have to disclose a drug conviction (if you are convicted, OR if you plea, as that still counts as a conviction) and even a first-time conviction for marijuana possession can result in a one-year suspension of federal financial aid.


Title: (Cleveland) Nicotine test for juvenile diversion program

Question: [deleted]

Answer: The test is actually for the metabolite of nicotine, cotinine. Since you were caught with it, I would assume they would want to test you for it. They will probably be interested in amphetamine testing for the Adderol and THC for the weed. One urine sample is easily enough to run these tests multiple times.Answer #2: Maybe. (Probably)


Title: Can store security detain me?

Question: If store security says they are placing me under citizen's arrest or otherwise detaining me, do I have to remain in their custody or can I continue on my way?

Answer: Depends on your location.  Most states allow shopkeepers to use reasonable force to detain someone to protect their merchandise


Title: AZ-Teacher and student conflict

Question: My wife is a teacher in a middle school. Yesterday, she sent two boys into the hallway to work because they were disrupting the class. The project they were working on involved using iPads. At the end of the school period, which was also the end of school, she told them to return the iPads to another teacher's room. A few minutes later, she realized neither of the boys returned and went to look for them in the other teacher's classroom. He did not have the iPads and had not seen the boys. At this point, my wife reported to the principal that the iPads were missing and the police were called by the administration. This morning, my wife walked in and the iPads were on her desk when they hadn't been the day before. Now, one of the boys' father's is threatening to sue for the "false accusation" that the boy stole the iPad. Does he have any legal standing for this?

Answer: No. He is just blowing smoke. It's not illegal to accuse anyone of anything.


Title: [IA,US] Give 2 wk notice, walked off property immediately. Now Company won't pay notice period.

Question:
I work in an extremely safety conscious environment that's governed by the NTSB and FRA.  It's a known fact that if you give notice to resign you get walked off the property immediately.  I am non-union and salary exempt.

 The company is refusing to pay out my 2 week notice period.

I'm curious on my next steps, contact unemployment board as they've essentially fired me at that point?  What to say to HR? etc?

Thanks for your time and input

Answer:
 Contact Unemployment.

They are not required to keep you employed when you give notice. They're fully within their rights to let you go right then and there.

The 2 week notice is merely a "courtesy" of letting them know you plan on quitting in 2 weeks. They don't have to keep you employed during it unless you have a contract that states otherwise.

(NAL)Answer #2: So just to be clear, you quit immediately and you want to be paid for not working there.  Is that correct?Answer #3: Do you have some sort of contract that requires two weeks notice?Answer #4: >It's a known fact that if you give notice to resign you get walked off the property immediately.

If you knew this, why on earth would you give notice?Answer #5: Last I checked, Iowa is *not* in Canada, and companies are *not* required to pay or observe a notice period to terminate your employment in the absence of a clause in your contract specifying otherwise.


Title: Can someone explain what having a lawyer on retainer means? (Yes I tried google)

Question:
Google is giving me conflicting answers, does it vary by state and/or lawyer (I know price obviously varies by lawyer)  I live in Massachusetts, USA.

Second question: I know there are (normal?) lawyers and federal lawyers, would either lawyer be able to cover a state and federal case, or would I need a different lawyer depending on the charges?

Any info is appreciated. Thanks.

Answer:
 There are two meanings. Colloquially, it means you have deposited a sum of money with the attorney, that s/he will bill against as you use services.  It can be based on an estimate of the total expected cost of work or like a revolving account.

The original meaning is more of a formal arrangement where it’s understood that you may call at any time on short notice and expect immediate service prioritized ahead of the attorney’s other business.  It’s how a guy like Phil Spector can make a phone call at 3am after the shooting death of his female companion, and have his own forensics team on site before the LAPD’s.  Or polo mogul John Goodman can get one of the premiere defense attorneys in the country to get him bailed out of jail a few hours after the events he was later convicted of murder for (dui vehicular homicide).

They call their retained attorney, and let that person call in whoever is needed.

It’s not limited to the uber rich, but beyond the reach of most of us plebs.


Title: Who owns the cat

Question:
Hi reddit,

This post might be a bit different than you’ve seen here. My crazy old roommate who we kicked out (was forcibly removed by the police after a psychotic breakdown) in October left 2 year old cat who she had for 3 months. During her stay in the psych unit of the hospital, she told roommate #2 that she could keep the cat, because she did not feel she could continue taking care of the cat. Roommate #2 accepted this offer verbally, but has since neglected to take care of said cat beyond buying a few cans of food and litter. Enter roommate #3. Roommate #3 has taken the cat to the vet, spent money on flea treatments, food, litter, gotten the cat on a schedule, and has provided exceptional care and affection for the cat. This cat sleeps in her room every night, spends all his time playing with her, cuddling her, watching bird movies with her, and has essentially chosen her as his human. Roommate #2 still insists the cat is hers, despite the fact that he hisses every time she goes near him and he poops all over her room. Roommate #2 believes that regardless of the bond and care roommate #3 has provided the cat is hers to keep. We are about to move out of our house and go separate ways, and are entering the challenge of who will keep the cat. Roommate #3 wants this cat but doesn’t know if she has legal recourse to keep it. Also the cat is microchipped to roommate #3’s name. We do not know how to go about roommate #3 keeping the cat, as we doubt offering money or asking roommate #2 if roommate #3 can keep him will work. How do we go about this/ does roommate #3 have legal standing to keep the cat?

Massachusetts, USA

Answer:
 Legally, the cat is property, like a couch. This includes in Massachusetts: https://blog.mass.gov/masslawlib/legal-topics/pet-custody/

The question is who can show ownership. RM#1 does not own the cat - they gave up ownership to RM#2.

RM#2 was originally given possession of the cat, but has not paid for upkeep or developed a bond with the cat, essentially displaying no intent to remain in control of the cat or its care.

RM#3 has paid for food and essentials, provided veterinary care, and microchipped the cat in their name. At the moment, RM#3 is really the only one that can produce evidence of ownership and upkeep. Unless RM#2 has some compelling evidence, such as a license or registration in their name, RM#3 has the strongest case.

Another factor to consider is that possession really is 9/10s of the law in animal cases.

RM#3 would not be doing anything illegal to take the cat with them when moving out, under the assumption that they microchipped, fed, and created a relationship with the cat because they regarded it as their's not because they were being charitable to RM#2. They have the strongest current claim to ownership based on these facts.

Background: http://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/pet-custody-establishing-your-ownership-rights


Title: AT&T literally stole money from me and told me to go fuck myself. What can I do?

Question: I bought a new iPhone last month and was offered the 99 cent tablet deal without any information of other fees other than that it would use my data and would be $10 a month once I used it. I just got my monthly bill with $62 billed to a phone number under my name so I called and they told me there was an activation fee for the tablet as well as some other tablet related fees I had no idea existed. I haven't even opened the box. I said I want my money back and don't care about using the tablet and they told me too bad they already have my money and hung up on me. I guess my next step is to either go into a store and get mad or take AT&T to small claims? Any advice? Pretty pissed and I feel scammed.

Answer: What did the contract you signed say?Answer #2: My daughter works for a competitor. These companies don't operate like that as the employees can get into serious trouble for it. It's your responsibility to look at your contract and know what you're signing.


Title: In a car accident Tues 10/14

Question: Minnesota resident & accident was in Minnesota.  Was stopped in stop-and-go-traffic on 10/14.  Was rear-ended (and then that vehicle was rear-ended).  My neck has been in pain ever since.  Notified my auto-insurance company.  Saw a doctor & was diagnosed with whiplash.  Was put on a muscle relaxer (which completely messes me up -- constantly sleepy/everything exhausts me).  Have been in pain w/headaches ever since.  The pains aren't debilitating, but are unrelenting and irritating.  Neck pain/headaches seem so trivial -- is it something I should pursue?  Am I missing any steps?  What else should I be doing?  Thanks in advance!

Answer:
 > Have been in pain w/headaches ever since

You should go back to the doctor.

It's been 10 days. Where is your insurance at with your claim?


Title: Possible Rape Charge

Question: I had somebody I considered my best friend that was a male (I’m a male as well) that was bisexual and I knew was into me but he never made any moves so I was okay with being close friends but not in that way at all. We would get together with friends and party and do bars, blow etc at hotels. A few of the times I realized that I was getting very fucked up after only drinking a few beers / shots (realized he was putting liquid benzodiazepines into the drinks) and awoke to him touching and even giving oral. Of course I freaked out, it scared him and we obviously weren’t friends after that point. (This had happened multiple times in reality) he started spreading rumors back in my home town saying I was gay and were together which has completely ruined my life. There were times that stuff had happened that I couldn’t remember for the life of me and know that it really wasn’t me acting on these. If I took this to court would I have any sort of case at all?

Answer:
 Lawyer here.

There is no way any person on Reddit can properly evaluate this situation.

Contact local law enforcement and file a report.


Title: [Egypt] Immigration

Question:
I'm an Egyptian (incase you haven't noticed from my username) at the age of 16. Getting straight to the point, family have came to the decision that I should immigrate to any European country, unfortunately education here in Egypt doesn't fit me and nor does Egypt even guarantee a proper future for a young man.

Now, my problem is; I'm 16 and no family member can travel along, so if I go, I go on my own. And my family's current financial status isn't the best either.

Question is, can I travel on my own? What's my best choice, in terms of choosing a country that accepts immigrants? (Doesn't have to be a European country, anything but an Arabic country) and do you think immigrating before starting college and/or finishing college increase my chances, or not?

&#x200B;

Do keep in mind that if I do immigrate to a country, I plan to stay there permanently, if possible and give up my Egyptian citizenship if it really comes to that.

Answer:
 You could try reading /r/iwantout; it's designed for people looking to emigrate from their current countries.

However, as a young, unskilled, uneducated individual with no family connections in any other country, you face a significant uphill battle into receiving any kind of immigration benefit. Getting a student visa is often the easiest way, but requires that you be able to afford the tuition charged by your new country (often while not being allowed to work in the new country), so unless your family back home can afford your tuition, it's a moot point. Answer #2: Each country has its own laws but you can't just move to another country because you feel like it. Countries have immigration systems and you need to qualify. Probably at your age the best chance is to get accepted to a university in some other country. That usually does not allow you to stay permanently by it gets you there for a few years and you can work on things from there. Can you afford tuition?


Title: [FL] Father cashed in UTMA Fund with me listed as beneficiary in January 2012 and I received none of it; now IRS says I owe near $3000 in income tax.

Question:
My parents set up a UTMA (Uniform Transfer to Minor Act) with Janus in February 2000, in PA. We've moved around over the years, parents got a divorce, and now my father lives in PA (He was still in FL when he redeemed the shares two years ago however).

The account was originally created to help fund myself through college (however I have not received any money from this to this day). I first discussed the usage of the UTMA account when I was a junior/senior in High School preparing for college, but as I began my further schooling and started inquiring about the fund(s) again and again, my father told me it never was my money to begin with and is really his money. I am listed as the beneficiary, and he is listed as the custodian. But at that time, I was still considered a minor by Janus; you have to be 21 or older to not be considered one. That being said, I could not inquire about the past history of the account without consent of the custodian, and he refused to allow any documents be released. When I turned 21 last year (June 2013), I requested all possible documents on the account. I found that the money, which was totaled to about $24000, was transferred to my father's personally checking account with TD Bank.

I have been trying to find a solution to this for the past 2 1/2 years, from letters written by lawyers to consulting people who work in finances of all sorts. He still tells me the same thing; it's his money and was never meant for me.

In December 2013, I received a letter from the IRS stating I owe about $3000 in taxes from the year 2012, and lists the UTMA fund my father redeemed that same year. I have responded by saying the $3000 is "misidentified income", and that I was not the one who redeemed the account and have not received any of the money as well. I also included nearly all the documents I could find that could help.
Up to this point, I am not sure what else to do.

Answer:
 UTMA accounts are custodial accounts and transfers into them are irrevocable.  That means that when your parents put money into the account it was *your money* being held in trust until you reached the age of majority.

Custodians have fiduciary duties to beneficiaries.  This is where it gets messy.  Your dad violated those duties when he transferred the money to his own account for personal gain.  You can certainly sue your dad for the value of the account.  In addition, since UTMA accounts are tax-favored vehicles, dad is going to have serious problems with the IRS.


Title: Can I take legal action for patient mistreatment?

Question: So my aunt and grandpa were in a head-on collision, and were airlifted to a hospital nearby. They were both in the trauma unit, and just recently my slightly-less injured aunt was moved to a differant unit. My grandpa is treated OK, but not great. My aunt is not, and she is mistreated constantly. They both have severe concussions, broken ribs, etc. Luckily no brain damage. My aunt is TEASED by the nurses, and when she asked her doctor for more clarification about something he said, he laughed. They are about to make her leave, and it's been less than a week. My entire family is super stressed, and we don't need this. Is there any legal action we can take against the hospital? They're in California.

Answer: file a complaint with hospital administration.


Title: [Illinois] I am planning on quitting a job soon, they take $10 out of my commission for every sale to match on an annual bonus. Can I get my $10 back for every sale I have made?

Question: I work as a car salesmen, and every sale they take $10 out of my pay to match at the end of the year for a bonus, when I quit am I entitled to get that money back? Also if a car sale is finished but not processed and paid by the time I quit, do I still get the money from the sale when it becomes processed? Thank you!

Answer: This will all be determined by company policy. You appeared to have agreed to this $10 deduction when you signed up. How they then managed that money is entirely up to them according to established policies.Answer #2: Legal advice aside, its usually best to quit after bonus payouts if at all possible


Title: How can I make my Youtube video not infringe on their copyright laws?

Question:
I'm posting a cover video of a very popular song, and have had past problems with Youtube's copyright policy. I know that thousands of people post similar videos, so what do I need to do to make my video legal?

Edit: Forgot location. I live in the US.
Topic:
Intellectual Property

Answer:
 Get a license to perform your cover. It's easy.

[Here you go](https://songclearance.com/).


Title: Idaho. Moved into a dueplex and the only source of cool air is a wall mounted AC unit and theres no ventalation systems inside the home.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Its OK to look at the place prior to moving inAnswer #2: > there is no ventalation systems in the house

I have had no "ventilation system" in most places I've lived, and in many places no A/C. Not sure what the concern is here (other than it get hot in hot places and cheap apartments). Why not run the A/C? Get a fan? Open a window?


Title: WA State, My employer is making me complete jobs for free

Question: I am an automotive technician and am paid on the flat rate system which is pay per job completed. Every job I receive has a standard repair time which designates how long the job should take to complete. All variables variables being good I should be able to complete 8 hours worth of jobs in an 8 hour work day. Some days I make 2 hours, sometimes its 15 hours. My employer has recently been giving away free inspections to customers with other services. for example a customer needs a flat tire replaced. I am being compensated for replacing the tire but am also being expected to inspect the vehicle and fill out an inspection sheet as well. Normally an inspection would be half an hour of labor so one can imagine that the time accumulates when free inspections are being written up with many vehicles in a single day. Is it even legal to ask an employee who isn't guaranteed wages to perform work that is beneficial only to the dealership?

Answer:
 The "Free" part of the "free inspections" refers to the customers, not you. You need to be paid for hours/tasked you did.Answer #2: IANAL, but you still must be paid for work performed. While free inspections make a good incentive for the business to attract customers, your employer must acknowledge that the business still needs to cover the associated costs. Your work still has a value that must be paid when you perform it, even if they are not recouping the costs of these inspections from customers. You are absolutely entitled to wages for hours (tasks) worked.Answer #3: As long as you are making minimum wage at the end of the pay period this is 100% a legal business practice. Answer #4: If you are paid per job completed. Then if the job is replacing a tire + an inspection, then you need to be paid for replacing a tire + and inspection. That you boss gives the inspection away for free doesn't matter. You still completed the extra job.Answer #5: Do you have a contract? If so, what does it say?

If not, then you have a pre-communicated wage rate that fluctuates based on completed jobs. As long as your overall wage is above minimum wage, this is no different than a commission job.

You are free to pursue employment at an auto shop that has more employee-friendly payment schemes.


Title: Person got mad he couldn't find my address for a guitar lesson. He seemed way older than me(like in his 50s) he is threatening to "report" me and "sue" because I refuse to go meet him at this mall to give him a lesson. What do I do?

Question: I don't own a car and I told him I refuse to pay the taxi fee to meet him and that if he wants a lesson so badly he needs to get google maps and find the address. The mall he was asking me to meet him at I have been before with friends and the taxi fee to get there(25 miles from me) was $50 and $50 back I told this guy it was a waste and I'm not doing it to which he replied "well looks like I am going to sue you" mind you this was said over a phone call over last Thursday(8pm) when he was supposed to be here at 7:30 for his guitar lesson. I gave him the correct address in a text so he did have it. I waited and he never showed up. So 30 mins after at 8 he started calling me up cussing saying why I was not coming to the door to which I replied no one was out there. He told me I was a "effing stupid fraud" and to which he said he was gonna write my phone number on facebook telling people I'm a sick "demented person who made him sit outside in the cold for 30 minutes" but he was never outside. I did nothing wrong so why is he allowed to sue? Tennessee

Answer:
 >What do I do?

Nothing.  You do nothing.


Title: Boyfriend using suicide to prevent friend from breaking up with him. Mom threatens to sue.

Question: So I have a friend who is in a very toxic relationship and has tried many times to break up with him, but each time he threatens to kill himself. He has even done a few suicide attempts. I've tried telling her to go to the authorities, but she fears that his mom will take her to court for making her son suicidal (we're still teenagers btw). I really want to help her, so advice would be great.

Answer:
 You can't "make someone suicidal" that isn't how it works. If he is suicidal that is completely independent of his relationship with your friend. Your friend should report the suicide threats to 911 and let them handle it.

Your friend should then block this guy on every single platform where he could contact her. He is abusive and manipulative. She needs to completely cut him off all at once. Answer #2: Unless youre friend is telling this guy to kill himself, she is not liable for his actions. Think of it like this: would she be liable if he stole a car because they broke up? Or if he got charged with public intoxication? No, she wouldnt.

Break up. Call the police for a wellness check. Block him on everything. Answer #3: There’s absolutely nothing his mother can do unless you’re bullying him or instigating him to kill himself, which you aren’t. Like someone else said, block him on ever way he can contact you people, and if he finds other ways or starts stalking you (which I think it will unfortunately lead to) you can get a restraining order against him.


Title: Girlfriends Grandpa died, he had a friend living in his house she doesn’t pay bills and has no job how do we get her out???

Answer:
 You handle it like any other tenant. Notice to vacate of 30 or 60 days and then eviction.

Whomever ends up executor is her landlord, and, as landlord, has right to entry and everything else. Answer #2: Who owns the house?  If it is the estate then the estate will need to do an eviction.  This won't be quick but it will work.  How much money is in the estate.  It might be a kindness to offer her money to move.  First and last months rent and deposits.


Title: [NJ] Multi-millionaire and best selling author used my photo without contacting me or compensating me for its use. What are my options?

Question:
I own the photo outright, it was taken at one of this persons speaking events and no contract was ever written up for licensing of the photo and its use. This person has frequently used my photos on their website, which was fine with me but they have crossed the line after publishing my photo on the cover of their book. The photo takes up about 80% of the cover. What are my options or legal actions I can take to be compensated for my work?

Edit: ** What type of claim would I be looking at here, is this a copyright claim is this damages?** Still very new to the law world just like many people who come here.

Answer: Was the "my photo" that you refer to a picture of you that someone else took, or was it a picture of someone or something else that you took? How did the author get the picture?  Did you give it to him?  Did he "steal" it from your web site?Answer #2: Practically, what are you seeking here? I mean, this would typically be a fee paid to a photographer to use the photo. We're talking low hundreds here probably. This seems like something that could be addressed with the author or the author's agent because I don't see hiring a lawyer being cost effective.


Title: [NC] DWI: Blew a 0.07, then a 0.08

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 I think this is a record for highest percentage of unnecessary detail per necessary detail.

Anyway, you need to get a lawyer.


Title: A local, larger, dealership in my area installs GPS trackers and remote shutdown devices on cars they sell to people with poor credit or shady loans. To the best of my knowledge, unless it's fine print, they do not inform the consumer. I'm not sure if they store location data either, is this legal?

Answer: It's legal and common. It's done so if the car goes up for repossession, the repo men can easily find the car and recover it.


Title: Father is suing me over past education expenses

Question: [removed]

Answer: [OP is a troll.](http://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/3jd62l/father_is_suing_me_over_past_education_expenses/cuoiukr)


Title: I started as a cashier today, didn't get lunch break, and didn't clock out for breaks (AZ)

Question: I started working today, I worked for a little over 8 hours ,and took one 10 minute break, and a 15 minute break. I didn't clock in or out for these either. Is this OK?

Answer:
 Yes, you aren't required to clock out for lunch breaks (in fact, they are required to pay you for short breaks).

Arizona also doesn't require meal breaks.

Everything you say seems to be legal.


Title: I just learned that former Subway spokesman and pedophile Jared Fogel is also a "Sovereign Citizen."

Answer: Might as well shoot the moon on personal shittiness, huh?Answer #2: This again. The article (and the judge) were wrong to characterize the petition as a sovcit thing. The petition’s argument wasn’t “Congress can’t tell me what I can’t do,” it was “the laws passed by Congress don’t *in fact* criminalize what I actually did, so the federal court doesn’t have jurisdiction because there was no federal question.” It’s wrong (the federal court has jurisdiction as long as a violation of federal law is *alleged*, even if there wasn’t actually any violation), but the judge saw a mention of jurisdiction and pounced when the petition wasn’t actually arguing he was immune from the law.


Title: [PA] My mother is being charged for an auto accident she was not involved with.

Question: Some background: This all began about two and a half years ago. My family owned an old Volkswagen. We owned it for years, It was a bit of a beater car that everyone in my family drove. The car was eventually involved in an accident after which it remained parked in our driveway for a few months. One day I was approached by a man who offered to trade an older but running BMW for the Volkswagen in our driveway. All the BMW needed was a windshield and inspection, I told my mother about it and she was all for the idea of having another running car for the family. We were unable to arrange a time to meet with the man to have the titles transferred to each other. The man informed us that we could simply have the title notarized and write his name on it then he well complete the title transfer at a later date. Unaware that there may be a danger involved in this, my mother had the title notarized and the man did the same. This is where the story takes a bad turn. My mother had the title for the BMW transferred into her name but the man never did the same for the Volkswagen's title. He in fact sold the car within a week, gave the new owner the title without ever transferring the title or completing any paperwork. All was well until about a year and a half later when we get a call from a police department in a town about an hour away from us. They told us our car was impounded and we need to come talk to them immediately. Evidently the car had fake registration, fake inspection stickers, a dead license plate, and was involved in a chase with the police, the driver jumped out of the vehicle and took off on foot. The police never found the suspect, and vehicle rolled away and collided with another vehicle parked on the street. After about three back and forth visits to the police department we were able to clear our name from the incident and the title for the vehicle was found in the glove box with my mother's name on it, notarized, with the name of the would-be recipient on the back. We were able to sign the title over to police and the car was scrapped. We thought the problem was solved, fast forward a month, we get a call from State Farm. They want us to pay over $2000 in reparation for the vehicle that was damaged because the suspect was never found and no one else could be held accountable. My mother talked to her insurance agent who told her he's seen this before and it was most likely a bluff from State Farm trying to collect any money they could to recoup their loss. So my mother e-mailed State Farm and explained the whole story, we never heard back from them, we assumed the explanation cleared her name, and we forget about it. Fast forward another year. After not hearing from State Farm about the matter for a year, today my mother recieved a call from a lawyer representing State Farm. He said he was calling to obtain reparation money from the prior year and threatened to take my mother to court over it. We are a low income family, my sister and I help our mother pay the bills and we are not in the financial shape to be able to pay these fines, and can not afford to hire a lawyer to represent us. What can be done to prove my mother's innocence in this incident? Sorry for the lengthy post but we are in dire straights and could really use some good advice.

Answer:
 State Farm has never heard of this before? Bullshit. Ask to speak with a supervisor, and then the supervisor's supervisor.

You can request a vehicle history based on VIN through PennDOT. It's possible that the person who bought the car from your mom's buyer tried to register it. PennDOT will give you all records if you ask, even partials or fake tags/insurance. If you're near HBG, you can walk in and get it. If not, Google is your friend.

Also, go to whatever company insured the vehicle prior to it being sold. They should be able to provide you with a record of your mom taking the car off of her policy. Insurance companies keep immaculate records.


Title: Can an ex seek alimony 3 years after the divorce was finalized in the state of Minnesota?

Question:
I don't know what's relevant here so sorry if I am saying too much:

* We were married for 8 years
* When our marriage ended I was making $45k and she was making $40k
* She moved out (against my wishes) in October 2011.
* In May 2012 she was in an accident and stopped working (currently $0 income since then)
* Our divorce was finalized in November 2012
* In February 2013 my income went up to about $65k
* In November 2013 my income went up to about $90k
* In November 2014 my income went to $102k
* In June 2015 my income went up to $140k
* She told me today that she plans to seek alimony because she can no longer work but can't get disability, and I am now making much more

I've included the numbers on my income in case it's relevant how quickly income changes.  Like if your income goes up the day after your divorce or 3 years.

I know that if anything comes of this I will need to hire a lawyer, but wanted to check if it's a short yes/no answer (like if there exists a statute of limitations, if I understand it correctly).

Thanks for any knowledge you might have!

Answer:
 Well one good bit of news is that if she does get alimony the laws in Minnesota base alimony on the standard of living during the marriage so it was back when you made 45K and not the current 140K.

 What does the divorce agreement say about alimony?  If it says the courts hold the right to issue alimony then yes she can go for it.  It if doesn't say anything then no she can't.

Edit:  There is no statue of limitations as alimony has to be decided during the divorce.  So she either has to prove there was an issue with the divorce proceedings, the divorce agreement has to say the courts reserve the right to issue alimony, or she gets nothing since the divorce agreement is considered the end of the divorce proceedings.


Title: [Indiana] Neighbor built a house on my property.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 You ask them to tear it down and restore the land to its previous condition.

Or you bend them over and offer to sell them the land well above market so they don't have to pay for a tear down, fix, and rebuild on their own property. Answer #2:  We need more info. Why are they building in that particular spot? Did someone sell them the lot? Did they just drive by one day and decide to build a house on someone else's property?

If the home is on your property, your choice is to sell them the land, or make them move the house and return the property to they way it was before they defaced the land.

If they "bought" the house from someone, you'll have to track that down at your deed office and follow up.Answer #3: Here's a similar issue from ~~Missouri~~  [Florida](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/21-Ocean-Ridge-Blvd-S-Palm-Coast-FL-32137/44726490_zpid/). (Owner was from North Carolina, and builder was *from* Missouri)

[Home built on wrong lot](http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/20150902/property-owners-reach-agreement-over-house-built-on-wrong-lot-in-flagler)


Title: My girlfriend got fired right after she submitted FMLA ( family medical leave act) paperwork to her job. help

Question:
So my girlfriend has an autoimmune disorder and once in a while she has to take off work for a medical reason such as not feeling well. She also goes to the doctor but that usually does not interfere with her job. She is a very hard worker and extremely productive at work always getting praises from her managers.

Recently her manager had told her to submit FMLA paperwork because it would protect her job due to her having to take off work once in a while. She goes to the doctor and has the paperwork written up and went to the human resources department of her employer. The next day she was at work and was told that she was fired. The doctor had wrote on the paperwork that on the days she might have  a flare up of her disorder, she couldn't do some of her duties at her job.

So because of what the doctor wrote they decided to let her go. Is this legal? isn't this discrimination? Any advice would be great. Thanks!

Answer:
 > So because of what the doctor wrote they decided to let her go.

That is going to be your stance.  Their stance will be something else.  ~~Maybe they will claim that no reasonable accommodation could be made, though it's unusual that they would just fire the worker.~~

You didn't state where you live.  You should probably talk with a local employment attorney that has done cases like this before.  [Here's one page from Nolo](http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/do-you-have-fmla-claim-against-your-employer.html) that might help.  Separately from a civil action, you can contact the [US department of labor](https://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs77b.htm), which is in charge of enforcing this federally; and you can contact your state department of labor in the event you think this violated your state's laws.


Title: (CA) Housemate Threatening To Sue Me For Trespassing

Question:
Hi all,

I recently gave my 30 day notice to end my half of an apartment lease, because my housemate has become very unpleasant to live with. She will be continuing the lease with another housemate, after the leasing company makes a “roommate addendum”.

I’m currently in the process of moving out. The internet modem and router that I purchased were in my housemates bedroom, I entered her room while she was away to unplug and retrieve my items.

She’s now threatening to sue me for trespassing.

This is in a rental unit in California. I checked our lease, and it doesn’t mention anything about specific rooms being assigned to specific people, it’s just a rental for the entire apartment.

Anyone know if she has a legal leg to stand on here? I didn’t touch any of her stuff, I just entered her unlocked room, retrieved the items that belonged to me, and left.

Any help would be appreciated here. Thanks!

Answer:
 There are some threats for suit you should take seriously.

There are some you can respond to with a dismissive wanking gesture.

I would suggest this is the latter.

If you're sued you will need to respond. She has no actionable damages. Answer #2: Lots of people threaten to sue.  Few actually do.

Not sure what ex-roomie thinks she's going to sue you for (money?), but if she does, you should respond to the suit.Answer #3: If the lease is for the whole apartment, you have access to the whole apartment.  Whose bedrooms are off limits to who else is merely a courtesy worked out between roommates.

Besides, I’m not sure what damages she could claim. Answer #4: She's threatening a civil suit where she's incurred no damages, nor documented anything, for something that's a criminal act. She doesn't know what she's talking about.

Ignore her.


Title: Do i have to pay a bill from my internet company if its not for services i ordered?

Question:
So to clarify the question there is a long story to go with it. I singed up for frontier last month for a internet plan for 64.99 + tax. No other charges other then a 80$ install fee for the router. I had to agree to this as it is a contract price over the phone after giving my social and other info. They did the install incorrectly, and we were without until the next week as that was the next date. During this time i learned i was signed up for the wrong plan as well by the service tech. This is all still within the first week of this month. After learning I had the wrong plan I contacted their customer support to have it changed. They ended up telling me the modem was the wrong type and they had to have the tech come out again to change it. (They never changed the modem just how it was connected). I was told over the phone my new price after all the different credits would go through for the different issues. The bill never changed from the original mistake nor were any credits applied. I just got off the phone and their response was that they are still pending and I have to pay the current bill for a plan I never signed up for along with bonus charges for bundles that i never ordered or they will cut my service. So for the lawyers of reddit what is my best course of action? Thank you for any help.

Location : Denton TX
TLDR; Internet company is demanding I pay a bill for services I did not order instead of my normal plan.

Answer:
 Escalate the shit out of this.  Be unbelievably polite but extremely firm.  First line CS for cable companies is among the worst in the world.  But, eventually you will get someone competent.

The last time this happened to me, the competent person I eventually got took one look at the mess that had been made and credited all owed funds, legit or not, because she didn't want to spend two hours sorting it out.


Title: Paid to watch two people have sex....

Question:
Occasionally I respond the casual encounter ads on Craigslist.  Recently, I was propositioned to watch a couple have sex, then they would pay me.  Is it legal for me to accept money for that sort of "service"? Michigan.

Edit.. wow I'm speechless - apparently they aren't a couple... They are mother and son.

Answer:
 That sounds like a great way to be murdered. Answer #2: Need a state....but my guy says yes.Answer #3: Hahahahahaha

Don't do it. Answer #4: *Your post has been removed for the following reason(s):*

**Troll Post**

* Your post here has been reported as a potential troll or falsified post.

*If you feel this was in error, message the [moderators.](http://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FLegalAdvice)*


Title: Friend can’t get paid at his job until I find a way to help him fix this.

Question:
This may seem like a simple question, and the flair may not match up (I just didn’t know what to put) butI’m having serious trouble finding an answer. If I’m in the wrong sub Reddit, please point me to one that can help. I live in Virginia and I have a good family friend, he’s 20 years old. Never had a job, no ID, dropped out in 6th grade. Has never been on a lease, never had a bill in his name his family’s abandoned him and disappeared. I’m not the smartest either. I got him a job at this restaurant I work at but they can’t pay him until he gets two forms of ID, one being a picture ID. We’ve been to dmv and they need proof of address, can’t get him on the lease because he has 0 credit and my credit isn’t the best either. He does have a birth certificate and social security card so you would think it’d be simple enough. How can we get him proof of address so he can get his ID and get payed. Getting signed up for any official bills in his name require an ID or him being on a lease. How can we get around this? It’s been three weeks and he hasn’t gotten paid yet.  Does anyone know a work around ? Please help.
Topic:
Employment Law

Answer: DMV will accept mail as proof of address. Bring that, his birth certificate, and social security card to the DMV. They’ll issue a photo ID.


Title: Ticket for going 62 in a 45

Question:
I drive a bike, and no im not some crazy kid that speeds and whips in and out of traffic... I ride for fun and for the good views. I'm a super safe driver with having completed a MSF course aswell...
I pulled out of a parking lot after getting lost and and traffic was all going atleast 55, and bikes dont go slow when they pick up speed they pick up quick... So is there a way i can fight this 4 point 105$ ticket, the officer was not having what i was saying...

Answer:
 Your best bet would be to get an attorney who specializes in traffic tickets.

Your worst bet would be to use the phrase "and bikes dont go slow" outloud.


Title: Isn’t atheism technically a protected class because it fall under religion, somewhat?

Question: Like, you couldn’t fire somebody for being Atheist?

Answer:
 Relevant EEOC info, though footnote 10 very directly addresses your question.

https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/section-12-religious-discriminationAnswer #2: A smart employer wouldn't give a reason for firing someone if possible. Firing someone because of their religion (or lack thereof) could easily be seen as discrimination.


Title: Dash cam recorded service technicians talking shit about me

Question: [removed]

Answer:
 At this point, you have no real losses. You can talk to their bosses and show them the video.

If they do try to scam you on the thermostat, then that is another issue. Answer #2: Did they actually do the work? A sit down with the manager may make more sense, along with independent verification that work was completed.Answer #3: IANAL, only way to deal with the name calling is talking with the manager, maybe send an email with a clip. Or publicly shaming them, weather it's Facebook, yelp or some local TV station consumer show.

As for the thermostat, it depends what the paper work said. Did they "fix" it or did they say they replaced the part. I would think a lot of companies first step would be to clear the code and see if it comes back. If they said they replaced it and you know for a fact they didn't, even if it was under warrenty I think you might have a case for fraud if it went that far.


Title: Strange offer from a potential housemate. [Update]

Question:
>Original thread [here.](https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/3lgs0i/strange_offer_from_a_potential_housemate/)

>TL;DR A girl I met getting a coffee offered me services both sexual and of a chore doing nature in exchange for me letting her live with me, eat my food etc without paying any money. This is half a year later now.

You guys know how everyone was saying I was making a mistake and that it wasn't going to end well for me? Well you guys were pretty much right and now I'm in a worrying position. Basically it was great for a long time, everything was smooth, she'd do all the chores and wash my clothes and the sex was great. Her classes would keep her busy enough that I didn't have to deal with her more than I wanted to. Well she ended up staying longer than the semester like we agreed on. She started getting me to buy her things (I bought her a new phone with a new number when she lost hers), she's slacking with her chores and we only have sex like twice a week now. Whats worse than that is she's been very passive aggressive about me seeing other girls and on top of all that I'm tired of her in general, we've just ran our course and its time for me to get out. My 6 month lease ended here and I was able to opt for a month to month lease with 30 days notice. I've given notice and march is my last month. Best way legally handle this that puts me at the least amount of risk or liability? I'm considering just moving out one day while she is out and just being gone (I'll appliances as I've found a fully furnished condo), maybe leave her a note or something. From the hardcore back end I think I'm covered, my main concerns were accusations of rape and coercion. I have lots of texts of her messaging me, saying she loves me etc and I have texts of her (drunkenly) saying how she'd tell people I raped her if I left her. Now those two last bits were all you guys, thats where I got the idea in the first place to have some documentation. If anyone were to read those texts it would appear entirely just that we were a regular couple. Now her phone went missing, no idea what happened to it but believe me its gone, along with her text messages and data so I'm the only one with that information still readily available and intact. Now there is another way I can handle this and I'm willing to do it. This might not be legal or even wise but is there a way I could have her sign a contract or a statement prepared by my attorney to the effect that there was no rape, coercion, something that absolves me from wrong doing etc? I'd be willing to pay for that. I'm sitting here drinking, watching the new season of House of Cards, s04e10. I'll probably answer questions tomorrow as I'm pretty drunk and sleep deprived, this thing has been bothering me. Thanks guys.

>edit

Guys thanks for your help I got some important last minute pointers and I appreciate that. I feel like I am relatively safe in my plan now, I'm aiming for march 11th to go total ghost and move out. All thats left is to get her to sign a lease and then I'm gone, I already have a place set up to move to. Thanks again guys, I couldn't have been successful in this endeavor without you. See you, space cowboys.

Answer:
 It seems to me that if you wanted to make someone bitter and vindictive, disappearing with only a note and leaving them homeless with zero notice would be a great way to go about it.Answer #2: just a reminder OP also said this

>If she wants to do that she can and I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. You just saved me from that potential situation, when I get home tonight I'll ninja her phone at some point and text myself a bunch of crazy messages about "if I ever leave her she'll go to the police and say I raped her" etc. Good thinking.


Title: Store lied about return policy, can I sue?

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Before you look to the courts for a solution, did you ever speak to someone more senior than an ordinary employee at the returns desk (or wherever they take returns in the store)?  I find that if you are not successful after arguing with the regular employee (and sometimes you really have to be very firm with them if they are not reasonable), asking for the supervisor or manager *may* bring some results.


Title: WA State: A friend of mine is going through divorce, stay at home mom, STBXH is telling her she has to pay own expenses and get full time job while going through divorce

Question:
So, as the title says, a friend of mine is going through a divorce with the decision made in the last few days. She is a stay at home mom who occasionally watches kids during the day while her child is in school. I know Washington is a community property state. Her STBXH is threatening her that she needs to get a full time job as he's not paying any of her expenses while they go through the divorce (not sure what this means for mortgage). They are currently still living together. She doesn't yet have a lawyer (hopefully she will fix this very quickly). She's understandably terrified of being completely cut of financially while the divorce plays out.

My question is: legally is the husband (who is the sole income earner) allowed to financially cut of the wife while going through the divorce process in Washington state?

Thanks reddit legal eagles!

Answer: Because they are in a community property state, marital funds are shared, and he may not withhold them. Answer #2: Well, short of a court order that's true. However she should get a divorce lawyer, and that divorce lawyer can then apply to the court for orders that the guy pay her legal fees and a reasonable amount for maintenance during the divorce process. Answer #3: IANAL, but never take legal advice from your STBX. She needs a lawyer yesterday, and to stop talking to him until she's been properly advised.


Title: I was fired from my bartending job in Virginia, and my previous employer is trying to prevent me from collecting unemployment by fabricating details

Question:
About two months ago I was fired from my bartending job after my boss received a complaint about my service. When I was told I was fired, my boss was not able to provide specific details about the incident. This was the first complaint the restaurant received about me in the five months I worked there - I was an excellent employee that took pride in my work and enjoyed my job. Furthermore, during my employment I never received any warning about my behavior, conduct, or performance.

I've since switched careers, but in six or so weeks between jobs I collected almost $1,600 in unemployment. As is typical in Virginia, when I filed my claim for unemployment, the Virginia Employment Commission conducted a fact-finding investigation over the phone to determine if I was discharged due to misconduct. I spoke with the deputy and answered his questions truthfully and as accurately as I could. Well when it came time for the VEC deputy to call my boss, he didn't answer the phone! So the deputy ruled in my favor, and I started collecting my unemployment benefit.

However this past week I received a notice in the mail saying that my boss had filed an appeal and that my case would be heard by an appeals examiner on Tuesday June 23rd, less than two weeks. Along with the notice of appeal, I was given a copy of the separation documentation that my employer filed and discovered that they are fabricating details of the incident that they are citing as the reason for my firing.

$1,600 is on the line. It's not a lot of money to them, but it's not something I can afford to pay back. Do I hire a lawyer to represent me during this hearing and potentially spend more than what I received in unemployment? I don't qualify for pro-bono representation as qualification is based on total household income.
Topic:
Labor Law

Answer: Well then go and tell your side of the story and the employer will do the same. The hearing examiner will decide who is fabricating things.


Title: If my landlord just emails me saying “got the rent check, thanks” each month, does that “count” as a receipt? And would be a good record of my payments?

Question:
Title basically covers it. Landlord only wants cash or check payments. Annoying, but whatever...as long as I get confirmation from him so there’s no possibility of claims I didn’t pay rent.

I could use a “normal” check where I have my own receipt, and where he would cash it so there’s be a bank record that he cashed it.

But then I have to wait for him to cash the check and he takes forever to do so.

So I’d love to leave cash or a bank check. But I just want to know that if I text or email him asking if he got the payment that this “counts” as a receipt
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 It's not a receipt, but it is an acknowledgement that you've paid him. I would imagine that's pretty similar in principle.Answer #2: I'd be fine with that. I never got Jack response from my landlord other than the notification from the bank of the deposited check. If your checkbook doesn't have the carbon copies behind each check you might want to get them for your records.

Do not pay rent in cash, period.Answer #3: Check far better than cash because there is a verifiable record of payment instead of absolutely no record.

> But then I have to wait for him to cash the check and he takes forever to do so.

So what? This does not inconvenience you in any way, and if you have an interest- paying checking account you earn a pittance each day he delays.


Title: Going through a divorce. Wife started dating and bringing another guy around our kids after two weeks of separation

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Who/when she dates is none of your business. Her parents medical and marital history are none of your business.

Please talk to a lawyer. You don't seem to have a good sense of appropriate behaviour during a divorce application and a family lawyer will keep you from saying/doing something to hurt you or your children's best interests. Answer #2: Please do try to use her medical history and parent's personal lives against her in court. Then a reasonable judge will realize what a shitbag you are and take it into account in the custody ruling.


Title: I'm 18, got into a fight with a 17 year old at school so I I have to go to court. Got charged with disorderly conduct. What's my consequence?

Question:
I got into a fight at school with this girl. We had an argument and on that day, she posted on Facebook that she's was going to fight me the next day. Someone screenshot it and send it to me. Well the next day, at lunch, she was putting her hair up in a ponytail when she saw me. When the bell rung, I was walking my friend to her class when I saw her looking at me. She made it seem like she was just walking past me but I saw her friend watching and I knew she was going to throw the first punch. I was ready and she came at me. Well the police was going to charge me with an assault until I told him the whole story and showed him the screenshot of her threatening me. So I have a court day and it says crime/Traff misdemeanor. Never fought in high school. I think she was 17. No major injuries on both of us. I didn't get charged with an assault, got charged with disorderly conduct.
I live in Minnesota

Answer: State is going to be very important here.  In most jurisdictions disorderly conduct is a criminal offense.  This means you're being charged with a crime.  You need to speak with an attorney before that court date and listen to what they have to say.  The general advice for finding an attorney is to call your local bar association.  You are looking for a criminal defense attorney.  This is also something you should discuss with your parents.


Title: Banned from bar because friend called police on peeping tom employee over a month ago

Question:
Over a month ago I went to a bar I had been to numerous times with two friends. When my friend and I went to the bathroom, one of the stalls was closed and my friend knocked on the door to see if anyone was in there and no one answered. Then, she went to the bathroom in the other stall and one of the employees there, a male busser, was hiding in one of the stalls and standing on the toilet, looking over the edge of the stall and watching her go to the bathroom. She went to the bartender and told him what happened, and the bartender came in and knocked on the door and asked him what he was doing. The guy in the stall started dramatically pretending to vomit and said he was sick. My friend's boyfriend called the police and told them there was an employee at this bar obviously trying to peep on women in the bathroom. When the cops came, they questioned us, and we told them the whole story. They questioned him, and apparently the guy told them he was "cleaning" the bathroom, despite not having any cleaning materials whatsoever with him, and he said he told us he was in there when we knocked, which he certainly did not. The cops left and nothing happened.

Fast forward one month and I went to this bar again. I had been back to this bar between these times 3 times, and nothing happened. But this time, as I was sitting at a table with two other friends who were not involved in the original situation, a bartender I had never seen before approached me and immediately started yelling and swearing at me, saying "you need to leave, you're not welcome here, leave now. You're trespassing. Get the fuck out." I asked her why and she wouldn't give me an answer, so I said I wasn't leaving and I was going to drink my beer. She called the cops, they came and told me I had to leave because they wanted me to and didn't need any reason. And if I came back I would go to jail. So I left and went to another bar. Do I have any recourse for being banned from a bar for no reason other than my friend calling the cops on a peeper who worked there?

Also we looked up the peeper and apparently he has a long string of prior convictions including domestic violence, breaking and entering, and has two restraining orders against him. since he was 18 and is currently on parole. But nothing happened to him and he still works there, and they're actively protecting this predator at the expense of their patrons. What can I do about this?

Answer:
 Why the hell would you want to keep going back to a place that harbors and defends peepers.  Find a new place.Answer #2: >Do I have any recourse for being banned from a bar for no reason other than my friend calling the cops on a peeper who worked there?

Nope.  Assuming this is occurring in the U.S., a business is generally free to refuse service to anyone for any non-discriminatory reason, or no reason at all.

>What can I do about this?

Find a new watering hole?


Title: Would I win if i sued for medical malpractice or pain and suffering due to eye surgery that went wrong?

Question:
In December of 2012, I had PRK done to both eyes. About 6 months after surgery, I started having severe pain in my eyes while I'm sleeping. It's been going on since then. I'm recovering from an episode right now as I type this. It feels like a burning sensation like something has lit my eyes on fire. It wakes me up and takes about 30 to 45 minutes to go away. I've lost many hours of sleep. It happens a few days a week. It's fairly random though. Some weeks, I'll experience nothing and other weeks I'll experience it 2 to 3 times a night. I could go on but I was wondering, do I have a chance of winning anything from this?

Edit: The surgery happened in VA but I now live in NC.
Topic:
Healthcare Law including HIPAA

Answer:
 How any times were you reminded to put a location?

Your chance of recovery is practically nil unless you have documented this problem. Have you been back to the surgeon or doctor?

The statute of limitations is likely up. Answer #2: Chronic dry eye is a chance you take with PRK or Lasik. I was told it could be up to a year that dry eye could develop after I had Lasik.  It sounds like your eyes are drying out while you sleep. Talk to an eye doctor and they might be able to prescribe you extra thick eye drops that might keep your eyes hydrated while sleeping. Answer #3: The answer is a solid maybe. Med malpractice is too fact specific for anyone to give you good advice without reviewing your case in person. You should talk to an attorney about a possible case. I will say that the statute of limitations is very often 2 years and if that's the case you're past it. I will also say that malpractice isn't something bad happened. It's that the doctor did something outside the standard of care. If this issue is a known side complication and the doctor did things by the book you are unlikely to have a case.


Title: Who's responsible if tree limb over neighbor's yard falls

Question:
In Florida,  I have a tree in my yard. Some branches go over my neighbors property. If a branch falls and damages my neighbor's fence, who's fault is it?

It also goes over their roof too.

Thx in advance.

Answer:
 Is it a dead branch?  (ie.  No leaves or greenery)... If so, you are liable.  If alive and a gust of wind brought it down and injuring your neighbor's property and the like, it would be an Act of God....  At least that is what my tree service company told me as a rule of thumb when I had him cut some trees on a new property just purchased.  (This is in Tn).

Having said that though, it is always practical and ethical to maintain your living greenery so as to not to encroach on your neighbors, just common sense to maintain good neighborly relationships.


Title: Friend got into some trouble at work regarding his boss's Email in Ontario

Question:
My friend heard that his office was doing some layoffs, knowing his boss's email password he logged into his email and forwarded an email containing the names of people to be laid off, to a throwaway gmail account he made.
Long story short, his boss has matched his IP from an earlier email, to the IP of the throwaway gmail email.
Boss is saying he's giving the information to the police.
Friend hasn't admitted anything, is worried what will happen next, any thoughts?
Edit: Grammar

Answer: Your friend has pretty clearly committed a crime. He needs to seek legal counsel immediately.


Title: Restaurants just outside of Philadelphia are charging the Philadelphia Soda Tax. Options?

Question:
I am curious as to what options people have when they find out they have been charged the Philadelphia Soda Tax (1.5c/oz) outside of Philadephia, specifically in neighboring Delaware County, PA.  This tax started at the beginning of 2017.

My wife showed me a receipt (not hers), showing a Ridley Park, PA restaurant charging the tax.  What are your options when you find out you have been charged a tax improperly?  Here is an image of the receipt - https://i.redd.it/8i822jowoeez.jpg

(x-post /r/Delco)

Answer:
 From my quick read on this, the tax is on the distributor.  So if it's a restaurant that buys its supplies in Philadelphia, they're required to pay the tax.  They can choose to pass that on to the consumer, or not.

Your remedy is not to go to places that pass on the tax, or to drink something else.


Title: My wife took our car to a mechanic and they posted pictures of it on Reddit ridiculing her and her lack of automobile knowledge. Is there any legal recourse we can take?

Question:
This is in the US. My wife took her car into the shop because I am currently out of state due to business. I usually handle transactions like this due to my wife’s anxiety but my wife took in her car because she needed it fixed ASAP. While she has received her car back and everything is fine, while browsing reddit she saw a post by someone at the shop she went to basically ridiculing her and calling her an idiot. My wife does not know much about cars but I do not think that warrants posting pics of her car and making fun of her request.

My wife suffers from extreme anxiety and has trouble leaving the house as is, however this whole incident has damaged her even more and caused her to regress to the point that she has called out of work the past few days and refused to leave the house entirely.  I am wondering if there is any legal action we can take against the shop she used. I would like have whoever posted the pics on Reddit to be fired at the very least.
Topic:
Personal Injury

Answer:
 There's nothing illegal about this at all. You can complain to the shop and choose to go elsewhere for your mechanic work in the future.

If your wife needs to call out of work because someone made fun of her on Reddit, she should talk to a therapist.Answer #2: You don't have to know about cars to understand how a blinker lever works.

Nobody knows who she is, so there are no damages.

Perhaps face the issues in your marriage instead of trying to blame some guy in a shop for laughing at her.


Title: Roommate's gf just claimed she pays rent?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Is it a college-ran apartment? There's probably an authority or administration the college has, that you can contact. I can't imagine they'd like a non-student paying rent.Answer #2: If someone in your apartment is being disruptive, complain to your landlord.  No need for you to determine whether they have a lease or pay rent.

If someone in your apartment is dealing illegal drugs, either call the police or complain to your landlord, or both.Answer #3: *update Ive read my contract, she would be considered a tenant then right if she lives here? If thats the case then she is subject to the same terms as me and should pay the same amount? I know they cant afford paying double, neither has a full time job. Sorry for grammar and spelling im more then frustrated right now.


Title: My apartment complex hasn't done a big spray in a year, now I have bedbugs.

Question: Throw away for obvious reasons. So for some background about a year ago I requested some maintenance. They informed me they had lost my key and needed to make a copy, not a problem. I ran up and let their maintenance guy make a copy. Fast forward to 3 weeks ago, I get a call saying they were going to do some more maintenance I had requested but their key doesn't work. At this point in time I was getting a few bites here and there but attributed it to getting warmer out and maybe my dog dragged a few fleas in (He is on a monthly flea treatment) but assumed maybe a couple didn't get through his fur. Last night I woke up to a major bite on my leg, after some quick googling I was met with the horror of what this bug actually was.  According to my contract they do a once a month bug spray and a larger one quarterly. And if I obtain bed bugs it is my sole responsibility for payment to repramend said damages. But if they haven't sprayed in At least a year I don't feel that is right. According to what I've read these things can spread easily to an adjacent apartment. I have had several neighbors over the years. I'm going to my apartment manager Thursday morning but thought I would check here first. I am I'm tulsa Oklahoma if that helps. Also I can redact personal info and upload my lease agreement if that helps. Thank you guys so much in advance.

Answer:
 1. A “bug spray” and a bed bug treatment are two very different things. The concept of spraying for bugs most likely speaks towards roach, ant, and so forth- not bed bugs.

2. Seeing as your lease says verbatim that if you contract bed bugs it’s your responsibility for the remedy it’s going to be very hard to argue for a different remedy UNLESS another apartment had contracted them before you and did not remedy or notify management- this would make them liable for your bed bug problem due to their lack of care. However if this is not the case it sounds like your contract is very straight forward.


Title: Sexual Assault in a Foreign Country (Iceland)

Question:
[Pennsylvania]

My friend recently traveled to a foreign country, Iceland, from the US.  She was raped by another American while on her last day there. She did not seek medical attention until she came back home. Do the same laws that America has apply in this situation or would it be up to the countries that it happened in?

Answer: Iceland's laws would apply.


Title: [NC] 99% sure Verizon is throttling my cell data despite having a contract that carried over from alltel with unlimited everything.

Question:
I have refused their every attempt to get me to change to one of their contracts instead of my current contract which has 0 stipulations for unlimited data usage. I've bought my phones from other sources. They constantly have tried to get me to sign a new contract.

Recently, I have had much slower or unusable connection speeds at seemingly random times of the day. I haven't noticed a definite pattern, but I think it correlates to how much I have used data that month.

Is there a way to prove I am being throttled? Do I have any legal recourse?

Answer: Unlimited data doesn’t promise you speed. It promises you unlimited data. They’re not the same thing.Answer #2: Fyi I'm on a grandfathered unlimited data plan myself and I'm also having trouble... No where near that high of usage. Answer #3: No plan has a guarantee of data speeds. If you live in an area that gets congested or lacks coverage, your experience on the network may vary.


Title: Our dog got out of yard and attacked neighbors dog in Missouri

Question:
My brother and I just went outside to take our dog out. The neighbor was out with his dog, and our dog got through the fence and went after the other dog. I didn't see what happened, but I heard a scuffle and the dogs bark.

My brother was able to get over there fast, and I do not think the other dog was bit, or hurt enough to have to go to the vet, but I am not sure about this.

My brother apologized and asked if the other dog was alright, and they said it was fine. I could not find much on dog on dog attacks, but I just did a quick look up online, and it looks like Missouri has strict liability. From what I read we would be on the hook for any vet bills I think. There is more info on dog bites on humans that I found on google than dog on dog.

He has never attacked another dog before, or ever attacked a human. IDK why, but he just has never liked the neighbor's dog. If they contact animal control does anyone know what would happen? He is usually a big sweet heart. He is a great Pyrenees/ Australian Shep mix, so he's bigger, and his bark is intimidating. My concern is if they contact animal control, could they put him down for this?

Answer:
 Dog Law specialist here.

Your analysis is correct. Fortunately, your dog didn't bite a human, just another dog.


Title: Could I record audio without consent at a job interview? Florida

Question: I know FL has a two-party consent law, but I know sometimes there are exceptions. I want to record my interview because I have a feeling I'll be discriminated against because I don't have a "car". I know they can't ask me that, but they can ask if I have reliable transportation. The job I'm applying for doesn't require driving. I've been discriminated against for not owning a car before by Allied Universal (Security Agency) because I had no car sit in when I'm on break (And they specifically said that I needed a car to sit in and that's why they weren't going to hire me). I don't want to let anyone else get away with discriminating against me because I don't have a car. I've been working for one company almost 3 years and never owned a car and I feel as if discriminating against me for not owning a car is very wrong. If I can't do it without consent, I should I go about asking for consent?

Answer:
 What makes you think that a.) they "can't ask you if you have a car" and b.) that it's illegal for them to not hire you because you don't have a car?

AFAIK, they can both ask you if you have a car and refuse to hire you if you don't.

"Not having a car" is not a protected class.

Recording the interview without permission would be illegal in FL, and wouldn't get you anything anyway.


Title: Buyer not making payments on $500k seller finance deal (business acquisition).

Question:
So I sold my business for $500k and the buyer was to pay this amount via seller notes over a period of 3 years. We had arranged for payments to come in monthly instalments.

The payback wasn't contingent on the business' performance and he entered in to the contract under his holding company.

The business tanked in his hands and suddenly the holding company that supposedly held stock in a bunch of other private businesses is bankrupt as well. Payments are not coming in.

He is personally wealthy.

I'm located in Ontario, Canada and he is located in California.

Is there anything I can do to get paid or am I shit out of luck?
Topic:
Business Law

Answer: You...have multiple hundred thousand dollars at stake and the law of multiple countries at work.  Why haven't you hired a lawyer?


Title: [UPDATE] We were sold an engagement ring with a fake stone

Question: Hi guys. Thank you again for all of your insight and advice for my [previous post](http://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/309jyg/we_were_sold_an_engagement_ring_with_a_fake_stone/). We got our 3rd party appraisal back stating the ring was worth $2000 and that the opal was a doublet worth around $30. We went to the original jeweler with the appraisal and requested a refund. He insisted it was not a doublet and showed us a stone that was a doublet. Our stone and the doublet looked very different. This confused both me and my fiance, but we insisted that we were not satisfied with the stone. He replaced the stone for us with a solid opal, but only offered a white opal, which are cheaper in price (from what I have researched). He admitted that he sold us a solid opal and then used a backing to darken it. We were under the impression it was a black opal, which are more expensive. Ultimately we decided to cut our losses with the replacement stone, because the jeweler was actually going out of business and closing the next day. We felt that it wasn't worth the hassle. Thanks again.

Answer:
 >going out of business

Not really a shocker there if this is how they do customer service.Answer #2: Do you know what the name for an opal with a dark backing attached to bring out the colors? That's a doublet.

SOME doublets are a very thin slice of intense opal on a thick black backer (onyx, jet, even slate), while SOME doublets are a solid opal with a paper thin layer of black epoxy on the reverse. Both are doublets none the less.

Not a lawyer, am a lapidarist in my free time.Answer #3: I'm sorry you had such a bad experience.  I'm glad you were able to get some good advice on your last post.  Thank you for the update, and wish you the best!Answer #4: Gee, I wonder why that jeweler is going out of business.


Title: I am a dual citizen and was out of the country for two years. Do I owe Medicare premiums for the time period that I was out of the country?

Question: I am a dual citizen of the US and another country. I have collected SSI and was a Medicare beneficiary in the US. Two years ago I left for another country intending to establish permanent citizenship there--before I left, I informed social security that I was leaving. Recently I decided to come back and reestablish permanent citizenship here in the US. After I went to the social security office to set up my benefits again, I received mail from Medicare asking me to pay several months worth of premiums for the time that I was out of the country. How is it possible that I owe this money when I was not in the country to begin with? I have called various SSI offices to get an explanation but (predictably) they all gave me the runaround. Any advice would be appreciated.

Answer: US citizens (including dual citizens) are required to file a tax return and pay any federal taxes (including Social Security and Medicare) due on income received anywhere in the world, even when living outside the country.  If you had any income while abroad, you need to declare it and pay tax, if any.  SSI isn't going to know how to handle this.  You need to get a tax advisor or contact the IRS.


Question:
 so a co worker left her phone on her desk and the supervisor walked by and saw the phone light up and started reading the text messages.
Question:Question: so a co worker left her phone on her desk and the supervisor walked by and saw the phone light up and started reading the text messages. Turns out the text messages she was ready was about the supervisor. Apparently 2 Co workers were messaging each other about the supervisor and it was not good. Now the supervisor wants to have a meeting next week this situation. Can they get fired?

Answer: Sure they can. Shouldn’t of been so careless.


Title: Being blackmailed with NSFW images

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Call the police.


Title: Is it legal to sell synthetic urine to pass a drug test?

Question:
Okay so this question is mainly just out of curiosity, but potentially could be an interesting business I'd like to explore.

So I need to pass a drug test so went down to the smoke shop and bought a synthetic urine product. The product is adverised as "fetish urine". The somewhat discretely in the description allude to the fact it's "toxin free" and that it could be used for a drug test but it's advertised as fetish urine as opposed to clean urine to pass a test.

This had me curious if it's illegal to market or sell synthetic or real urine with the intent purpose of passing a drug test?

If it is illegal what law is it breaking?

As far as selling clean human urine I could see that being an issue for biohazard reasons, but if it's chemical synthetic urine could this be illegal?

Answer:
 Someone else had answered a similar question. I will post what they said.

>Most states it’s considered a felony to illegally pass a drug test. It can be done with practice and clean urine. The temperature of the urine has to be within a 5 to 7 degree window, when it is poured into the specimen container and of course clean unadulterated urine that preferably isn’t synthetic urine. Drug testing labs are becoming far too advanced and have covered almost all fool proof methods of detecting fake urine. They measure for creatine levels, those that don’t meet certain levels are rejected, PH levels. Normal human urine has a neutral ph, those outside eiether too acidic or alkaline will raise a red flag, this is why it’s pointless to do the baking soda trick that some people claim to use. Injesting large amounts of baking soda will defenatly their your PH off, likely to get rejected. They also check the gravity/density of your urine to make sure it fits the criteria for normal urine. Last but not least they will check for oxidation, which means ways of oxidating your urine to hide drug metabolites, or common household products like bleach or peroxide are often used.

&#x200B;


Title: I just got in a car accident and want to know what to do.

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Wait for your insurance company and don't talk to anyone about the accident. Don't take responsibility for what happened to anyone you talk to. Give a full account of the accident to your insurance company when they call. This is what you pay them for.


Title: High Grass Citation Gone wrong-Help!

Question:
I think I just made a big mistake. It looks like I'm going to jury trial over a High Grass Citation from the City.

I received some notices from the city regarding the grass behind my fence and was threatened with a fine if I didn't get it mowed.  My son was supposed to do the mowing and wasn't getting to it. (Long story I really don't want to talk about). Anyway, fast forward and I get letters from the city billing me for mowing and then later a notice that I failed to pay a citation and there will be a warrant issued if I don't show up in court.  Also they will stop me from renewing my license and keep me from registering my car.

I'm really really confused by all this and the only number I can call to get information is on the bill for mowing.  At the time I didn't even understand they were two separate fines.  They tell me they didn't mow the back, only the front because when they got there, the back was already mowed.  (Son had finally gone out and done it).  I'm still confused because none of the paperwork I received said anything about the front, only the back. (This is being disputed separately but I haven't heard from the City yet)

Also, because I knew it was mowed, I disregarded the citation, thinking it was all taken care of.

So I go to court today thinking I'll be able to explain how confused I was about the conflicting information I received and how it's all been taken care of now, and the only thing I can do is plead Guilty, Not Guilty or No Contest, the first two will require paying the fine, which I'd really like to see if someone would consider reducing since there was so much confusion around it.  (Plus I cant afford it) So with about 30 seconds to make up my mind on a matter for which I have absolutely no knowledge. I say "Not Guilty I guess" and then she has me pick Jury or Judge and I pick Jury.

Is it too late? What the hell have I done?

I'm in Garland Texas by the way. If it matters in this instance.

Answer:
 It was your responsibility to cut the grass, not your kid's. When you got a notice of violation you should have immediately mowed the lawn. It stopped being a parenting issue that very moment.

You didn't screw up by demanding a jury trial but you are now forced to settle or go to a full trial. It is worth a fast consultation to better understand the way forward and you need to appreciate that there is likely going to be a fine associated with this.


Title: Bank didn't notify me when checks I deposited bounced.

Question:
I deposited checks into my credit union account. The credit union never notified me that these checks bounced. When I told the credit union manager, he said the credit union would have to reimburse me if they didn't notify me when checks I deposited into my account bounced. Then the manager changed his mind and said that's not the case. Does the credit union have to reimburse me?
I'm in Los Angeles, CA.
When I contacted the National Credit Union Administration, NCUA.gov, they were NO HELP.

Answer: I can all but guarantee you that your bank sent you a letter to notify you about these checks bouncing.


Title: (Missouri) Can I file for bankruptcy if all qualifying debt is in my name without my spouse's approval?

Question: My wife and I dont live together. Between two cars and credit cards we have about 30k in debt. I've exhausted all other avenues to pay off the debt and still cannot make ends meet. My wife is extremely controlling and won't "allow" me to pull the trigger on anything major that can turn our financial situation around. I was debt free with an 800+ credit score before we got married. So, I would like to file for bankruptcy and clear my debt, take the hit, divorce her ass and start rebuilding my empire the right way. I've already taken a 300+ point hit to my credit after shortsaling a home earlier this year and both credit cards are already charged off waiting for me to either settle or pay in full. Thank you for the advice. Also we have three small children and she doesn't work right now due to medical issues.

Answer: You should speak with a divorce attorney first to see if it makes more sense to file for bankruptcy before or after your divorce given the specifics of your situation


Title: (Colorado) person is threatening to call my lawyer and run up legal fees.

Question: I have hired a lawyer and the person I am filing suit against has threatened to call my Lawyer and run up costs by talking to them. What can I do about this? I have it in writing.

Answer:
 Your lawyer wont talk to someone else and charge you because someone else calls them. That isnt really a thing.

Just let your attorney knowAnswer #2: Hope they like waiting on hold indefinitely


Title: [CA] Was I unlawfully searched?

Question:
A couple weeks ago I was a couple block down from school at night (There was a school dance) and my friends were smoking pot (out a pipe) and drinking Ciroc. I smoked nothing and drank none, however, one of my friends gave me a ziplock with some marijuana and I just pocketed it. We left the smoke spot and headed to school, one of my friends still had the Ciroc and most the weed in his backpack. Anyways when we were about to enter, they asked to check his bag. Naturally, we declined and tried to leave. Except then the learning director stopped us halfway off the campus and forcefully told us to empty or pockets and hand him our bags. Is this a violation of the 4th amendment or not. Keep in mind that we did deny a search and that is the only sort of "Probable cause" they have, but if I'm not mistaken the 4th amendment allows you the right to deny an improbable search, especially at night when we were leaving the school as the only thing that would give him reason is to protect students and their learning environment, but it was a dance late at night. Anyways, sorry if I seem oblivious, I barely researched this now. Thank you!
Topic:
Searches and Seizures

Answer: Your constitutional rights against an unreasonable search are abridged/attenuated in a handful of specific circumstances. School is one of those circumstances. If you had been stopped and searched by a police officer on a public street, it would be a more clear cut violation, but because you were at a school during a dance, it's substantially less clear.


Title: Am I liable for injuries that happen on my front yard tree swing?

Question:
I work from home and about once a week my dogs start wildly barking. I look outside and there will be a parent and kid/s (who I don't even know) playing on our front tree swing. It's one of those disks on a rope, tied to an Ash tree branch.

1. It's fucking rude, no different than deciding to play basketball on the hoop over somebody's garage door.
2. It makes my dogs bark like banshees
3. I am pretty sure I would be liable if somebody was injured, or am I wrong?

I never thought I would be one of those "Get offa my lawn!" people but there ya go.

Edit: I'm in Colorado, US

Answer: This is one of those legal issues a fence solves real quickly, if building a fence on your property isn't a legal hassle. Otherwise, if you don't want the swing, remove it.