Title: Landlord wants us to vacate within 45 days due to them selling their home.(New Mexico)

Question:
Apologies in advance if this is the wrong sub. My wife and I recently moved into our home in Albuquerque after a job transfer for me from Denver. We signed a 12 month lease that began the 15th of August. In their lease they had a clause that states

"Termenation of lease; Landlord only:the landlord shall desire to terminate the tenancy hereby created on or at any time before the agreed lease duration, thereof the Landlord shall give the Tenant no less than 45 days prior notice in writing of such desire, then immediately upon the expiration of such notice the tenancy hereby created shall cease and be voided. Notwithstanding anything in the Lease to the contrary, the Landlord may terminate the Lease with respect to the entire premises at any time for any or no reason. Upon the effectiveness of the termination of the Lease by Landlord, Tenant shall accrue no further obligations with respect to the portion of the lease term to which the termination applies, except with respect to those provisions of the Lease that, by their express terms, survive the expiration or earlier termination thereof (e.g. damage deposit, water bill, cleanliness, restoring home to the original condition as received, etc.)."

The reason they have given us for this is that they have sold their current home and have nowhere else to go. Where it gets juicier is that after some research through Zillow and other agencies, their home has been listed for well over 150 days. My questions of course are 1) is this clause even legal and 2) did they have any obligation to represent this before we signed the lease.

Anything and everything is appreciated folks. Wife is devastated as we've spent over 10k to get out of our home in Colorado, move and get into this one. Thank you in advance to anyone with any direction or advice.

Answer:
 You might need an actual lawyer because that termination agreement reads like they could terminate it because a psychic said so.

I'd recommend calling legal aid MondayAnswer #2: What may be best for everyone concerned as if they wind up paying you an agreed-upon amount of money to leave prior to the end of your lease.


Title: An Airline just said they had only 4 tickets left at a specific price. I bought 3 of them. I then went back to see if the price changed.

Question:
I looked for 3 additional tickets. The website said again, "only 4 tickets available at this price" even though I just bought 3 of them. How can Airlines get away with false advertisement?

CA, USA

Answer: False advertising would likely only involve the actual cost, not the number of tickets remaining. It's essentially the same as a business saying, "You better get them quick cause they're going to go fast!"Answer #2: That doesn't meet the standard of false advertising. Airline pricing is very complicated. Fares can change and become available or not available with no warning.  Most people don't like it but it's not breaking any laws.  What would be false advertising would be if you were sold a ticket from Chicago to Dallas and then at the last minute they said it was really going from Chicago to New York.


Title: fired from job 2 years ago, will this show up on a background check?

Question:
i was fired from a large retail chain for borrowing a $20 bill from the register. LP had me sign a confession a few days later and I was promptly fired and gave a friend's address for a civil demand letter but never paid it. Will any of this show up on a background check? I want to live a good, honest life but this has been keeping me up at night and giving me a lot of anxiety.

edit: location = IL

Answer:
 You didn't borrow $20.  You stole it.  You didn't have permission to take it.

> I want to live a good, honest life

Then do so by being honest about what happened.

IANAL but I believe the company could have filed a suit against you since you ignored the civil demand letter.  Would they?  There is no way to answer that without you doing some legwork.


Title: Hit trailer on highway, driver didn’t stop. What should I do?

Question:
Was trying to merge, and a truck and trailer flew up and scraped the side of my car, with lots of damage. The truck kept driving. I followed for awhile, but he wouldn’t pull over. Did not get a plate number. What do I do?
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer: Call the police. File a report. File a claim with your insurance. Since you didn’t get the plate that significantly reduces the odds of finding the other driver but if you give them a good enough description there’s a very small but not quite zero chance they may find them.


Title: I think I am being stalked by a lawyer. Please help.

Question:
I have a senior companion business in the state of Maryland. I had a client beginning in September who lived with his adult daughter. She is an attorney for the federal government. From day one, I knew she would be a little eccentric. She talks incessantly and complains constantly and is a very odd person.

Anyways, I was with him about 25 hours a week and I couldn't take it anymore because of the daughter. She was a complete control freak. She would also have random mood swings and she wouldn't pay my full bill and would constantly try to nickel-and-dime me.

I texted her one morning last week and said that I thought her father needed a licensed practical nurse and that I was not the right person for the job. Her father recently at hernia surgery and can barely walk. I do  non medical companion care only.

 She texted me back saying she wish I had given her more notice. I said I understand but you can get a nurse in the home today and I texted her the name of a local health care agency.

A day later, i received a phone call from a number I didn't know and it was the daughter. She left me a voicemail saying she was going to mail me a copy of their long-term care insurance for me to fill out. She also said that she wanted me to come to their house on Saturday to give it to her. I received the forms in the mail and mailed it to her a few days later.

There was absolutely no way I was going back to her house. I feel totally uncomfortable around her and I want to have no contact with her although she will probably mail me income tax forms sometime

 Fast forward to today. I was in my work place of employment sitting in the parking lot and I look up and there is the daughter standing next to my window. She said she wanted me to fill the long term care insurance form out. I was in complete shock that she was at my work. I responded that I completed the form and mailed it to her today. She then asked if I wanted to come back and work for her one day a week. I said I would let her know if I did. I was in total shock that she would show up at my place of employment which is about 10 miles from her house.

What should I do? I don't think I've heard the last from her. This woman is a lawyer for the federal government. I feel like she's stalking me. She has my social security number and all my identification and a copy of my driver's license. Should I file a complaint with the Bar Association?

Please advise. Thank you!

Answer:
 This is nowhere near the legal definition of stalking. You have not even told her to leave you alone. She stopped at your place of employment to get forms she needed, and they were pertinent to the business you operate. You gave her a half-answer regarding future work instead of a "no," which also goes to show you aren't committed to severing the relationship.

If she contacts you again, tell her to not contact you again, and that you will no longer be working with them.

You have absolutely no reason to believe she would use your personal information in nefarious ways, no cause to seek a protection order and no grounds for a bar complaint. We attorneys love our parents as well, and are just as confused and scared and upset when they get sick as anyone else. They have relied on you as a friend and companion to the father and you very suddenly ended this. Give them a bit to catch their breath, offer whatever help you can in coordinating care, and stop thinking so poorly of people.


Title: [Florida] Can I [17/m] call the cops on my older brother [21/m] who is a constant threat to my safety?

Question: My older brother has extreme anger problems and my mother refuses to do anything about it. He constantly threatens me, occasionally charges at me, and sometimes actually hits me. Am I able to call the cops on him? What would he be charged with?

Answer:
 > Am I able to call the cops on him?

If someone harms you, or threatens to harm you, you can certainly call the police.  Whether he gets charged or not is up to the prosecutors.  I would caution you to attempt a more diplomatic solution before jumping right to law enforcement action.

Where are your parents in all of this?


Title: [IL] 14 yo niece was busted with ONE Xanax pill, being charged with "intent to distribute"?

Question:
My 14 yo niece (Let's call her Mandy) was having a panic attack one morning and her mom (my sister) gave her a Xanax. BOTH Mandy and my sister have their own prescriptions for Xanax, same dose and everything. Mandy was out of hers and needed a refill and they couldn't afford the pharmacy fee right then so my sister just gave her a blank bottle (label ripped off) with one pill in it so she could take it while she stayed overnight at a friend's house.

She was riding passenger seat when they got pulled over and the cop "smelled pot" and did a search of the car and her purse. He found the bottle and she could not prove that it was legally hers. She wasn't arrested, but he took her info down and took the pill and the bottle.

Now she's being summonsed to court and her charge is "possession" and "intent to redistribute" as if she were going to sell it. We have already gone to the police station and showed them her prescription bottle with her name on it and explained the situation, but they said there's nothing they can do and we'd have to attend court.

My niece is flipping out crying thinking her future is over and is refusing to take her Xanax to help calm herself down. Is there any chance we can clear her name?

Answer:
 She needs a lawyer.  Full stop. Answer #2: You need a lawyer.

She broke a big law by having a prescribed drug, with no label on the bottle.   That story sounds fishy... because she should have been able to keep the pill in her own bottle, with her label on it...

The cop didn't buy her story, so he wrote her up.   The police do not care what your excuse is, they will not change anything.  Its too late for that.

Now its time to make your case to the judge.  So you need a lawyer.Answer #3: Why were they pulled over? Was the driver issued a ticket?

The good news is they have to prove that she actually had intentions to sell it. Im assuming this is her first offence, couple that in with the whopping 5 bucks she could have made off a single pill, no evidence of a buyer, she has a prescription, also ill assume she didnt have large amounts of cash on her as well. It really doesnt seem like a strong case to me, but its a serious charge so provavly nest to listen to her lawyer on how to proceed and not me.Answer #4: Was it a legit stop? What was his reasoning for pulling them over?


Title: My mom is trashier than we thought

Question:
   I am sorry for how long this is. Tl:;Dr at the end.  My mom left ten years ago,"to take care of her dying mother." She recently moved back and moved in with my older sister. She was asked to leave six months later. My sister is extremely private and never one to openly complain about anything ever. She told me that my mom was coming home drunk about the time she was getting her three girls off to school. Setting a terrible example and paying no bills. I was pretty flabbergasted at that last part. She had a full time job and was living in one of the girls rooms. Still paying no rent. She moved out.
     She moved into my little sisters house!!! Before I even knew what happened my younger sister was already having problems with my mom. We've all had a strained relationship with her as she is the utmost self centered human. I thought that she and my younger sister we're closest. So I waited it out to see what was going to happen.
     Well my sister has become pregnant. She is living in an older trailer with her daughter and both kids dad. They do not have money. They barely make it and they both working six days. My mom was supposed to help with the little one for my sister to pay her car note. She doesn't want to help my sister, so she has been staying with my dad. Who she divorced 8  years ago after cheating on him while needing to her dying mother...My mom still has all her stuff at my sister's house even tho she is now pretty much staying with her ex husband. It's unbelievably trashy.
     My sister has asked her to get her stuff out please because they are having another baby and need the room. My mom flew into a rage and told her if she wasn't preganat she'd have beat her ass. She then went even further to say that my sister would have to legally evict her. The process would take at least one month and at least 440 dollars. They don't have the money to pay this. Are there any other options? I'm open to them all considering how absolutely disgusted I am to even be writing this about my own family. In our state, bet ya can't guess, trash capital of the country, she has to be evicted four times and has seven days to comply each time.  Please help! And thank you for the time to read this. On mobile and my sister just called incredibly upset.

Tl;dr  My mom is a pos and told my sister to evict her after refusing to leave my sisters house to make room for her new baby.

Answer:
 >In our state, bet ya can't guess, trash capital of the country

Can you just explicitly say where you are? This sub isn't for guessing games.Answer #2: She can pay your mom to leave, or she can evict her.


Title: [MD, CA] Protection against false and defamatory statements

Question: I sent two cease and desist letters, what do I do now?

Answer: Here is the context. It looks like OP has been harassing cam girls/porn stars and is tired of being called out on it: https://np.reddit.com/r/disability/comments/4lkbwe/should_we_call_out_ableists/


Title: Is my workplace required to have carbon monoxide detectors?

Question:
Today we had a machine burning oil which smelled terrible.

We work in an enclosed area and after realizing i felt nauseated and also had a headache i started looking for smoke or carbon monoxide detectors only to realize we have none at all.

I spoke to my supervisor and he told me "we dont need one."

I thought they were required in every building but i could be wrong. I live in Florida if that matters.

Answer:
 You can contact the local fire marshal, who is responsible for enforcing fire code restrictions.Answer #2: Not a lawyer
Enclosed places with machines burning fuel is definitely at risk for CO build up without proper ventilation.
Here is some general information about carbon monoxide from the CDC.
https://www.cdc.gov/co/faqs.htm

The laws I have found in Florida all require it to be nearby a “sleeping room.”
http://www.ncsl.org/research/environment-and-natural-resources/carbon-monoxide-detectors-state-statutes.aspx

But OSHA is more relevant and usefully you. OSHA sets a maximum level of CO exposure over certain time periods. At the end of the fact sheet, it says to file a complaint to OSHA if you think your workplace is possibly unsafe. They will then come and inspect the place. (Has information on how to do that too)
https://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_General_Facts/carbonmonoxide-factsheet.pdf

TL;DR
File a complaint with OSHA because you have a legitimate serious risk of high CO levels because
1. Enclosed space
2. Burning of fuel
3. No CO detector


Title: A modern day art heist

Question:
Well, sort of. This is on behalf of a buddy of mine. We'll call him Albus. A while back, Albus bought an oil painting at a garage sale for $50 \(he found a few of the same paintings online valued at around $300\). A couple years ago, Albus and his painting moved into a house with some friends, and they formed a band. We'll call them The Rusty Doorknobs. The Rusty Doorknobs, and especially Albus, became attached to the painting.

About 8 months ago, Albus and the Rusty Doorknobs moved out of the house, and a new set of guys moved in. They also have a band, we'll call them Stretched Elastic. Albus thought moving the painting to his new place would be a hassle \(it's big\) so he left it. He never discussed the painting with Stretched Elastic, and Stretched Elastic never asked who the painting belonged to. It was just there the day they moved in.

This past Friday, Stretched Elastic hosted a show at the house and invited The Rusty Doorknobs to play. The Rusty Doorknobs left a few things in the house after the show — a guitar, a bass, and a couple thousand dollars worth of light equipment — and asked Stretched Elastic if they could pick it up later, which they said was fine.

Albus and another bandmate went back the next day to retrieve the guitar and bass. There was one member of Stretched Elastic in the house. While they were there, Albus explained that the painting actually belonged to him and it meant a lot, and asked if he could take it with them as well. Initially, the Stretched Elastic member declined, saying they liked the painting in the house and wanted to keep it. In the end, Albus said, "I'm just going to take it. I hope that's okay." and the Stretched Elastic guy said, "I mean, I'm not going to manhandle you."

The following day, another member of The Rusty Doorknobs went to retrieve his light equipment \(again, worth several grand\). The same member of Stretched Elastic was sitting on the porch, and wouldn't let him in. He said he couldn't have his equipment until the painting was returned, went inside, and locked the door.

That's where things stand now. Albus says he shouldn't have to return the painting, as he bought it. Stretched Elastic says that if it meant so much to him, then he shouldn't have left it in their house for 8 months. Any advice on how to proceed? Do they have any legal claim to the painting?

TLDR: My friend left a painting in a house. New tenants moved in. After 8 months, my friend went back for his painting. Now, the new tenants are holding thousands of dollars' worth of equipment hostage that belongs to my friend's friend until the painting is returned.

Answer:
  > Stretched Elastic says that if it meant so much to him, then he shouldn't have left it in their house for 8 months

I mean, they have a point. Your friend abandoned a painting for 8 months. Plus, they probably assumed that items left in the house were included in the rent/property of the property owner.  On the other hand holding the equipment hostage, while effective, is of questionable legality.

Albus could try contacting the police (non-emergency of course) and making a report. The police may claim this is a civil issue cause they hate dealing with shit like this. Albus may have trouble proving the painting belongs to him, or proving he didn't abandon it. He might want to look into what laws are for tenants who leave property when they vacate leases.


Title: Utah - My 5 year old crossed our close-knit neighborhood street and now cops are threatening to call Child Protective Services

Question:
Pretty much what's in the title.  Our neighborhood street [looks something like this](http://realtortrina.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Hawthorne_Drive_Heather_Hill_Highlands_Ranch.jpg).  My kid's best friend lives across the street.  They often visit each other after school.  Are these threats backed up by any laws?  Can they really take my child away because of this?

**Edit**

Ok, more detail.  Some of this was incorrect.  This happened to my wife today (I just got home from work) and she's in tears.  She roughly explained it, then I posted this.  Here is the whole story:

This happened in a store parking lot.  She was carrying a baby carrier and getting the older boy in the car, when our 5 year old ran around the back side of the car in to the lot.  A police car was driving through when it happened.  The driver stopped, rolled down the window and asked if that was her child that ran across the lot.  My wife responded with, "yes.  thank you for not hitting her."  They parked the car and got out.  The officer approached my wife, asked for identification and accused her of not taking this seriously enough.  The second officer (passenger) was standing behind the first with his hand on his gun during the whole confrontation.  The first officer said something like "If your not going to take this seriously, why dont we call CPS?"  My wife was just trying to appease them at this point and can't remember what she said or did, but they eventually left.  No citation.

Answer: How did the cops end up involved?


Title: Neighbor paid property tax on my structure due to assessor error and wants his money back.

Question:
Howdy. Oklahoma, here. 12 years ago I bought some land and built a cabin. I have been getting a tax bill every year and have paid it. Last week I get a knock at the door and it is a county field agent. He informs me that due to an error on the counties behalf my neighbor has been paying the tax on my structure and I have been paying taxes on just the land. I informed my neighbor and he wants his money back. The total came to $2,500. The county told us to work it out. Since finding out about the error, I have had the county lower my assessed structure value down considerably and filed for the homestead exemption. My total bill (structure and land) is now less than what I have been paying for just the land.   I offered my neighbor a thousand dollars, but he wants all of it.

My question is, am I legally obligated to pay my neighbor the full amount?

Thank you for your time and interest.

God bless Reddit

Answer:
 Well, yes, you're obligated to pay your neighbor back the taxes he paid for you, more so that they were at a high assessment rate. Pay him back and go to the county for a retroactive rebate.

 Seriously, how would you feel if the situation were reversed and you'd been paying the other guy's taxes all along? Would you just eat it? I seriously doubt it.Answer #2: I would not pay the money directly to your neighbor; you really want something in writing from the county tax office before you pay any additional taxes.  Worst case, the neighbor gets money from you, and then 6 months later the county refunds him and sends you a back tax bill.

Taxes get complicated - if you'd gotten the original bill, you would have filed for the homestead exemption and paid less in taxes.  You also would have been able to list the property taxes on your state and federal income tax returns, which would have increased your tax refund (I'm not a lawyer or a tax expert, but you might be able to deduct any additional payment to the county which you make this year).

It's reasonable to expect your neighbor to review and understand his tax bill, and for him to work this out the official way - your neighbor gets a refund from the county, you get a new tax bill.


Title: "Friend" borrowed money from me, now is ignoring me

Question:
I live in Virginia.

I moved in for college about two months ago and downloaded Tinder while I was here. I met a girl and hung out with her a few times and considered us to be friends. Last weekend, on Sunday at around 1 am, she messaged me begging me to pay for an uber for her. She said she would get paid later this weekend and had no way of getting home. The uber ride cost be $42 but she promised me she would pay me back. I did not want to do it, but did not want to be mean. I paid for the uber back for her. I made sure to screenshot the part of her saying she would pay me back for the money.

I sent her my Venmo the day after, to which she opened, but chose not to reply. Now, she is no longer opening anything at all. I am in no way threatening her or telling her she needs to hurry up. I sent her my Venmo, and the previous message I sent, which was a day ago, was asking her when she would be paying me back. Although she is not responding to me, she is posting videos of her smoking weed with her friends and such on her story. I am a college student who needs to pay for his tuition, rent, etc. $40 would help out a lot and I am very stingy on spending money. Nonetheless, the principle of helping her out for her to do this is upsetting.

I have her name, address, social media, and the screenshot of her saying she would pay be back. Is there any legal thing I can do? Would a police report be justifiable in this situation or would I not have a strong enough report to file?

Answer:
 This sounds like a $42 lesson on this person's principles. You can sue in small claims but it's likely going to cost more time than it's worthAnswer #2: You got scammed dog get over it and move on, be more careful next time.Answer #3: If you want to burn the friendship to the ground and take her to small claims court over $42, you can absolutely do that.

It's probably going to cost you ~$100 to file.


Title: Is it illegal to download software which are no longer being sold?

Question:
Like a very old game that isn't being sold anymore, but also isn't being distributed by the producers as freeware.

I'm aware that if I purchased the game long ago, it is legal for me to "pirate" it given I don't have the physical copy any more (but I should be able to prove I purchased it in the first place).

Answer: Just because it's not being actively sold, actively developed, or actively maintained does not mean that the copyright holder(s) have relinquished their copyrights on the software.  Obtaining a copy of the software without a proper license for the software is still a form of copyright infringement.


Title: Kid threatened to bring a gun to school and shoot my niece. Is the school required to take action?

Question:
California.

My niece is in first grade, and on Friday a classmate was angry with her and threatened to bring a gun to school and shoot her. Her mother was informed after school by the teacher, who seemingly had no intention of addressing the issue any further. Only at the insistence of mom did the teacher take it to the Principal.

No action has been taken yet, and it seems that the school staff wants to treat it as *"Oh he didn't really mean it, and he's young."*, which is very concerning. While I don't know whether or not this kid actually has the means and will to do it, it's still a situation that should be handled with the utmost caution and attention.

&#x200B;

Thank you.

Answer:
 Call the police.  The school staff may not be obligated to take action, but the police would likely investigate.Answer #2: Call the police. Seriously. Answer #3: Whether there is or isn't, the school has been shown to have little regard. Take it upon yourself to protect your niece. You need to contact the police so they can investigate and let you know at least if in their estimation the threat is credible or not; and, if the school is required to implement safeguards, that there is some pressure on them from authorities to do so.

The classmate threatened the life of a fellow student.  For a school not to take this seriously is dangerous.  The fact that (s)he is 5, 6 or 7 shouldn't make any difference; at that young age, children do not well understand the consequences of their actions.Answer #4: >Is there any requirement to take any certain action by the school staff or district in a situation like this?

Like are they legally required to punish the kid? No. They are not. You can try bringing it up to the school board if you feel they didn't handle it satisfactory.Answer #5: As others said, call the police.

If this is a public school you can talk to the school board and superintendent as well. It's possible the principal is violating their school safety plan. These plans are required by CA law, and are unique to each school.Answer #6: Call the police first then the school.

&#x200B;

&#x200B;


Title: (Ohio) Incorrectly Installed Gas Fireplace Leading to CO Emissions. Original Retailer Will Not Respond To My Dad

Question:
Dad purchased a new gas log for his fireplace. One week after having it installed by the selling company, we noticed a blackening of the brick on the fireplace face. The company came to inspect it and determined the chimney was not properly exhausting, because when the house was built the chimney wasn't built tall enough to exceed the height of the second story. Because of this, the log my dad purchased should not have been installed. We feel the company, and any service people working with them, should be aware of these issues, and knowledgeable on when a specific log should and should not be installed because the fireplace is now most certainly emitting CO into the house. However, when he brought this issue to the attention of the owner, the owner refused to accept a return for a refund or waive the installation fee for a new log, even though my dad was perfectly willing to purchase a new log for full price once he received a refund. He's now not answering any calls. If he continues to be unresponsive, are there any legal steps to take to get a response/refund?

TL;DR: Gas fireplace emitting CO into home, installation company not returning calls

Answer: Did you Dad just go and buy a log, or did he have them come out, inspect, and then decide what to buy?


Title: Pharmacy never has enough of my script (ADHD meds) advise me to call ahead. Doctor says that's illegal. Could I get in trouble?

Question:
GA

I have been on Concerta for most of my life. I know there are a lot of laws around the drug.

Recently, almost every time I go to the pharmacy, they don't have enough to give me my 90 day script. 30 days ago when I went to get my script they informed me that they only have 30 days and the reason is because someone else is also on the same med and they can only have 1 bottle. I buy through them because it is $300 less than my local pharmacy. I have to drive an hour to get to them. They tell me due to this, I can just call ahead and tell them when I'll be getting my script.

Yesterday when I called, they inform me that I can't call ahead and they need the hard copy of the script before they can make sure they have enough/order. When I finally got ahold of the pharmacist, she told me, "oh yeah I see it in your history." And essentially told me it's cool.

When I saw my doctor today he told me it was illegal to call ahead and they shouldn't be doing that (my pharmacy and doctor are under the same company, but he works at a location closer to me).

Could anything fall back on me? How can I legally go about making sure they have my meds when I need to bring them my script? Or is this just an inconvenience I have to deal with?

Answer:
 I don't know what would be illegal about verifying that they have an appropriate amount of your prescription in stock.

When I was on Adderall, I would call to make sure they had enough sometimes. Nothing illegal about that.

Are you just verifying they have enough, or are you asking other questions/getting other info?Answer #2: I think the doctor might be confused.  They aren't filling the script off of your phone call, they know you have the script validly as they have repeatedly filled it.  For them to fill a substance off a phone call when a paper script is needed is definitely illegal.  However, they are just checking their inventory against your anticipated needs by having you call ahead, not filling it on the phone call.  But that's just my best guess of what is actually happening and your doctor just misinterpreted what you said.  Regardless, if an illegal act is being performed I don't think it's by you, you are just reasonably relying on the advice of the pharmacist.


Title: Mom threw me out with prot order to move in her new bf quicker: Ohio

Question:
My sister calls me wondering why my gf is at a hotel with this known junkie that has a long criminal history and why there are also pictures of him in our house on my gfs Instagram (which she blocked me on). Turns out that's why she's pushing this. My son doesn't sleep alone yet so I know he's sleeping with mom and druggie/stranger.
The court hearing for the CPO was extended but it's going well. What are my options with this criminal being around my boy?

Answer:
 Is this about your girlfriend or your mom?Answer #2: You can take her to court for custody.

Also, if you believe your child is in danger, you should contact CPS.


Title: My buddy got hit by a car, the driver walked.

Question: A few months back a friend of mine was walking home from work and was hit by a large vehicle. It cracked his pelvis, and he was bed ridden for a few months. My buddy had medical insurance through his job, and so that covered the expenses. However, I've learned that the driver was not jailed because my friend told him to "fuck off". That sounds highly suspicious to me. Clearly my friend was hurt and possibly in shock from what just happened. He tried to acquire a lawyer, and after telling her his story she declined his case. What actions, if any, should my friend be taking? He's currently back on his feet and back to work, but it just doesn't seem right how the situation played out.

Answer:
 > However, I've learned that the driver was not jailed because my friend told him to "fuck off". That sounds highly suspicious to me.

99 to 1 odds that you're not getting the real story here from whoever told it to you.

> My buddy had medical insurance through his job, and so that covered the expenses...He tried to acquire a lawyer, and after telling her his story she declined his case.

Did he not file a claim against the other driver's insurance? Who knows why the lawyer declined the case, but having no medical expenses to speak of, and an apparently closed criminal case (I possibly erroneously assume), what was his stated goal/purpose in hiring a lawyer?


Title: Mom is facing serious jail time. I'm looking to obtain custody of my 2 younger brothers.

Question:
My mother is currently in custody undergoing investigation for Armed Robbery (possibly as accessory, hopefully not co-conspirator). She has not yet been officially charged but things aren't looking too good & the possibility of her walking away without time is slim to none. I'm a young male (21) looking to take over as guardian for my two younger brothers (11,15). I make on average about ~$1200-1500 a month as a retail pharmacy technician. I don't believe that's enough to pay all my bills & support them but I'm willing to do what's necessary to take care of them. They do have an employed father who pays child support & could possibly take them, but they would prefer to stay with me. I am the leaseholder of the apartment, and there is sufficient space for them. My vehicle was taken into custody as well for further investigation & I am going to have to pay to get it released. How would I go about setting this into motion? I would like to take guardianship and continue receiving the child support from their father (willingly), and ensure they live normal lives. Any advice or necessary steps you have to assist me in this matter would be greatly appreciated! I will update on any new info. I posted this on on /r/personalfinance for financial information as well.

**TL;DR I would like to obtain custody of my 2 brothers while my mom is in jail.  I'm 21 Male ~$1300 average income/Leasing own apartment. What financial/legal advice can you offer? Thanks!**

Answer:
 NAL

Depending on how reasonable the father is, and how long the mother's period of incarceration will be, it might suit you all better to make a private arrangement that keeps the status quo. So while legally dad takes full custody, the children's living arrangements stay the same.

However you should consult a lawyer, and look into your options including Kinship Care, which will provide benefits such as a foster care stipend.


Title: WI- Father passed, potential will dispute?

Question:
My father (59) died last week, leaving a surprise will behind. After my mom left him a few years ago when his cancer medication and drug use caught up to his mental health, he had a 28 year old girl move in with him. I'm not here to speculate on why a younger woman attaches herself to a man with terminal cancer, but to try and dispute the will so that my mom, brother, and sister actually get something (our house).

It wouldn't be terribly hard to argue undue influence, as this woman he spent a couple years with now owns his estate, knowing he was dead within 3 years tops. Additionally, when he made the will, he had a morphine pump mounted onto his spine for hospice care. Is that potentially grounds for voiding the will due to incompetency?

The whole thing is fishy, and honestly, my mom just wants her house back. Is it worth fighting, or should we cut our losses?

Answer:
 > I'm not here to speculate on why a younger woman attaches herself to a man with terminal cancer

$$$$

>The whole thing is fishy, and honestly, my mom just wants her house back. Is it worth fighting, or should we cut our losses?

Get a consultation with a probate attorney as soon as you can. It will save you a lot of headache. If you need a referral, contact the WI state bar association.

http://www.wisbar.org/Pages/default.aspx


Title: Refusing to give a name

Question: Lets say someone in America gets caught red handed for a crime \(Steals something in front of a cop lets say\) and is arrested by the police but when they take him to the station he/she has no ID and refuses to give a name or any identifying details. What would be police's next step, would they just refer and process the person as "John/Jane Doe" like medical people do?

Answer:
 Yes.

And without having an actual identity, it's very likely that the judge will deny bail and they'll sit in jail until they are tried.


Title: [Hypothetical] If 20 people stabbed 1 person would they all be charged with murder?

Question: If about 20 people or just a large number all agreed to take turns stabbing a person, one stab for each person, how would that play out in court would they all be up for murder or would it be the person who did the killing blow or would the person who came up with the idea be charged?

Answer: You could charge all of them with conspiracy to commit murder, which has the same penalties as committing murder.Answer #2: Beware the ides of March!Answer #3: If you all do it on the Orient Express, Poirot will let you off.


Title: (California) Privately purchasing RV -Seller still owes on it and doesn't have title - how do I protect myself?

Question:
I have been saving up and planning for purchasing an rv to live and travel in for a few years now.  I am seriously considering purchasing an RV (it's perfect) from someone who has not yet paid off the title on the RV as they are still paying off the credit union.  I want to know what protects me from the credit union coming in trying to take the RV away if they end up not using the money I pay them to pay it off. I  feel like this transaction is on the up and up but want to make sure I am protected.  We are too far away to physically go into a branch of the credit union together to complete the transfer of money from her to pay off the union and thus transfer the title to me. Is this something that will turn into a beaurocratic nightmare?
edit/update: I wasn't just going to hand her a check willy nilly! OK, so everything I'm getting from here and local attorneys I've talked to is confirmation that I should be making a payment to the credit union or through an escrow service… So it's all on how she responds now. If she has any hesitation to do it this way, that's probably a problem

Answer:
 you are crazy to even think about buying it Answer #2: You protect yourself by not buying this RV. Nothing protects you from the credit union if they don't use the money to pay off the RV. You know the seller doesn't own the title and so you aren't a good faith purchaser for value (which wouldn't necessarily protect you from the credit union anyway). **This is a really bad idea**.

If you're bound and determined to do this, set up some kind of contract that has you paying the credit union the whole cost of what's owed directly in exchange for the title from the seller. And if you do that without an attorney prepare for everything to go to shit and wind up sans money and sans title to the RV.Answer #3: >how do I protect myself

Don't buy it. Let the seller handle his affairs with the bank.


Title: (IL) Filing for Contempt of Court because my ex disobeyed holiday visitation

Question: So I've been trying to prepare myself for filing a Contempt of Court charge on my ex because he has already told me he plans to violate the court agreement come Easter and keep the child during what should be my holiday (we have alternating holidays).  I found the "Order for Rule to Show Cause" and "Notice of Motion" forms I believe, but they both have areas to specify a court date so I am not sure how to fill these areas in.  Some examples would be greatly appreciated.

Answer: Until it happens, you can't file a contempt motion.


Title: Got wingardiuam leviosa’d and busted my knee when a seat broke at the Harry Potter ride at Universal Studios Hollywood.

Question:
TL;DR: I took a trip with 3 friends to Universal Hollywood last night and ended up falling hard on my knee and my friend was cut when a piece of metal snapped off a demo seat in the Harry Potter ride.

Sorry for formating issues, I'm writing this from mobile on a shuttle back up California. I qualify for ADA so we take the ADA entrance into the Harry Potter ride. We tried to get on the ride but our friend is a bigger dude so he couldn’t fit on the first go so our group was escorted out of the general area and taken to a demo chair to see if our friend could fit the ride. Our bigger friend sits in the seat of the demo chair and the guide tries get to 3 clicks on the ride harness. He couldn't do it himself so the he tells me to give it a go and see if he could get to 3 clicks. When I pushed down on the front of the harness, the metal bar snaps off completely. The snapped metal cuts my friend’s arm while my knee falls hard onto the ground. The guide freaks out for a second before taking our bigger friend to the side and sending us to get on the ride. We go through and get off the ride to check on our friend and we see that he’s still bleeding and my knee throbbing so we asked where first aid was. The attendants had trouble finding the nearest station and seemed really unsure of how to handle things. We got shuffled into a sketchy side room and shown to a different attendant. The girl who was supposed to help us could barely point us in the direction of first aid but still rushed us out. On the way out I asked the guide that told me to push down if he wanted to come with us for the report but he said he wasn't allowed to leave the area while in costume(?) We exit the ride into the main Harry Potter area and still unsure of where first aid was. We get rushed into leaving the area because we would’ve been blocking the light show but managed to flag someone who knew where to find First Aid. We head in, they take a report, clean off our friends cut and ice and wrap my knee. As we were about to leave a rep came in and offered us 5 $10 vouchers for food from the park which we didn't even get to use since the park was shutting down by the time we finished everything. I'm currently on a bus ride back up California with my knee still throbbing. I'm also already on workers comp which took a long time to get to and don't want to risk shooting myself in the foot by pursuing anything. I'm really just unsure of how to proceed, we thought about calling one of those injury lawyers you see on billboards but figured I'd ask here first since I've seen this subreddit help a lot of people before.

Answer:
 > I'm also already on workers comp which took a long time to get to and don't want to risk shooting myself in the foot by pursuing anything.

What makes you concerned that going to the doctor or reaching out to Universal would jeopardize your workers comp?  Were you doing something that you have claimed that you are unable to do?Answer #2: If you have any medical bills then look into pursuing it.Answer #3: It’s  Leviosaaa not leviosuhhh


Title: Animal Rescue & the Migratory Bird Treaty Act [TN]

Question:
The defunct swimming pool of our condo community has been claimed as a nesting site by a mated pair of mallard ducks.  The female is actively brooding in her nest, next to the pool.  Workers suddenly showed up Friday, preparing to demolish the pool.  I was able to put them off, but only until Monday.  As I work animal rescue, I figured I’d have to capture and relocate the ducks over the weekend.

I soon discovered the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 prohibits any tampering.  However, the Trump administration recently changed the way the wording of the act is interpreted.  Harvard’s Environmental Law department has an excellent (and very short) explanation at http://environment.law.harvard.edu/2018/03/migratory-bird-treaty-act/ .

1.	Can the landlord still have the pool area demolished Monday, destroying the ducks’ nest and possibly the adult ducks as well?
2.	Am I still prohibited from attempting to capture and relocate the ducks?
3.	As it seems the correct interpretation of the law’s wording is still being debated, do I have the right to threaten legal action to settle this matter (which would stop any construction attempts until the matter is settled, effectively keeping the ducks safe until they migrate away sometime later this year)?

Answer:
 Biologist, not lawyer.  Trump's rule change could protect the workers, but there are generally state laws as well, especially since this is a game species.

From a legal perspective probably these birds are protected.  From a practical perspective no one has the time or resources to care about one nest of mallards.  You won't get to use legal remedies - you call the local game warden or a US Fish and Wildlife Service officer.  You can try to contact your state agency to report [poaching](https://www.tn.gov/twra/contact-us.html).  But everyone's budgets are tight, don't expect much.

Mallards incubation is around 4 weeks.  After they hatch the chicks can meander to somewhere safe.  If the female has been incubating for a while maybe you can get them to work around her (she may be pretty tolerant of people).  If you try to move the nest she will likely abandon the nest, but this may be the best option (i.e., small chance of survival versus certain destruction).  The mother will bail, she won't be killed in the process - males don't do any chick rearing and he is long gone, even before the eggs are laid (in fact mallards are well known as rapists and will even try to copulate with a dead female).  If you work in wildlife rehab you might have an incubator and can incubate the eggs and raise them, but unlike some waterfowl female mallards won't adopt unrelated chicks.Answer #2: You always have the right to threaten legal action. Hell, you have the right to **take** legal action. Whether you will be  successful isn't so certain though. And you will be on the hook for legal costs.


Title: Illegal consumption

Question: I live in Utah and I went to a party the other night. Cops ended up showing up because someone parked in a spot they shouldn't have. I decided to leave the party and casually walked down the street to my friends car. I'm 20 years old and I was minding my own business going to the car.  The cops ended up stopping me and questioning/harassing me. Apparently they smelled alcohol on my breath and they asked if I would take a test to see if I had alcohol in my system. I refused and they still charged me with illegal consumption. I got handcuffed and they told me I was under arrest. They took me back to the police car and put me in there for 15 minutes. They never read me my Miranda Rights and when I asked one of the officers about it he said they don't have to unless they question me. After another 10 minutes they decided on let me off with a citation and told me I was lucky I didn't go to jail. Don't the officers have to read you your Miranda Rights if they say you are under arrest? Also I was wondering if they can still charge me with illegal consumption without no physical proof besides the fact they said they could smell it?

Answer:
 No Miranda reading required. Common myth propagated by TV and movies. Answer #2: > Don't the officers have to read you your Miranda Rights if they say you are under arrest?

No. And their failure to do so has no effect on the initial arrest. It could potentially have an impact on any subsequent crime you may have admitted to.

And there are plenty y of other objective observations they can make besides smell which help support an intoxication charge.


Title: Microsoft virus scam

Question:
Can you guys tell me how much trouble I might be in?

I received a call from one of the scam companies that claim they have detected viruses on my computer. I quickly spun up a VM on my mac and installed Windows. After letting him remote in and show me all the "viruses" (not actual viruses) on my machine, I figured I would tell him to F off and hang up. Instead, when we get to the part where he takes my payment info, he logs into a merchant account. When I realized what he had done, I decided to  see if I could save some of their other victims. I killed the remote session, so he was no longer in control. With the merchant account open, I proceeded to void all ~30 transactions totaling about $10k. After changing the email to a burner email and resetting the password, I left the account alone....

How much trouble could I get in?

Answer: [Time for this talk again](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wXkI4t7nuc) (watch it, it's informative and entertaining and should paint you a picture of how much trouble you can get in if you don't know what you're doing when you interact with a LEA). In this case do not approach any law enforcement agency unless you really, really think you need to and then in 100% of cases talk to a lawyer first. If you're approached **don't say anything before you have talked to a lawyer**. Your normal understanding of how things work does not apply to the legal process, you can wake up in a nightmare if you just go talk about it and incriminate yourself in ways you don't even know exist. Answer #2: So wait. He was remote connected to YOUR box, then opened his merchant account on YOUR box to take your info? Sweet jesus.


Title: Crashed into building due to car malfunction, can I be sued?

Question: Hello, i’m writing this because this morning at about 1:20 am i was driving my friends home and i was going up a steep hill when all of a sudden when i slowed the car at almost the top my engine shut off out of nowhere. The brakes locked up and my acceleration wasn’t working. I started to roll down the hill really fast and I tried everything including the e brake and putting the car in park when it was rolling ( ultimately ruining my transmission). I managed to avoid cars parked on the sidewalk but i hit the windows and wall of a nearby business. I am 18 but I am under my parents insurance policy. We called the police ( my friends were with me in the car) and they came and said there was no need to file a criminal case. My insurance policy only covers up to $10k in property damage and this is worth way more than $10k in damage. I am an absolutely broke college student and my parents refuse to get involved. What’s my next step and best and worst case scenario. I believe the car won’t be deemed a total loss so i’ll be stuck with a car with a busted engine and transmission and no money to fix it or get a new one.

Answer: Yes you can be sued. Hopefully you have enough coverage for whatever damage was caused.


Title: NDA Negotiation

Question:
Hi guys, okay so I need some help. I just graduated from college in May and I recently was offered a job in the food packaging industry to work for their marketing department. I have everything squared away with the job offer except the NDA. So basically the NDA states:

"Unique competitive advantage" includes company knowledge of status, name, standing, reputation, and position in the relevant market place which company has accrued over time as a result of its trade secrets, confidential information, and business goodwill.

"Customer" includes any present client, purchaser, vendor, dealer, supplier or any other person, which currently or has had a previous business relationships with company at any time during the (12) months prior to the date of Worker's termination and for whom worker performed services, had a business relationship, and/or made professional contacts with on behalf of company.

"Competitor" or "Restricted business or activity" includes businesses or related activities which are in competition with company in the relevant market, meaning that the business or activity derives more than 10% of its gross revenues, in the aggregate, from food packaging, including but not limited to containers, packets, shakers, and other portion control packaging. Restricted period of time is 18 months immediately following workers termination or employment.

"Restricted geographical area" means the United States of America.

My questions is essentially, would I be able to work for marketing agencies that have clients in the food business after I leave this job? I plan on sticking around at this job for at least a couple of years but don't want to get myself into any legal bind that would hinder my future career opportunities considering I am fresh out of college. Any advice would be WONDERFUL.

Answer:
 NDA is non disclosure agreement no? That just means you cant disclose specific information.

Non-compete would be what limits your future work opportunities and generally states a specific timeline such as one year.

Which is it?Answer #2: NDA are notoriously difficult to enforce. Given that the "geographical area" is the entire USA, I'm betting this one wouldn't be enforceable. **BUT**.... it might be. Given that there is specific terminology within the NDA, the best advice would be to go to an employment lawyer and ask them. Since I don't have the NDA, I can't say for sure, but a lawyer will be able to give you an answer pretty quickly (and cheaply)


Title: Is it possible to get a passport as a minor without both parents consent.

Question: My school is going on a trip to Madagascar soon. I haven't talked to my dad in over 2 years and it's impossible to reach him. I live in the U.S.

Answer:
 Are you under 16?

If you are under 16:http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/under-16.html (look under parental consent for the paperwork needed). If your mom has full legal custody of you, you dont need your fathers consent. If not, all your dad has to do is fill out a notarized Form DS-3053: statement of consent.

If you are 16 and 17: http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/16-and-17.html
You only need your mom to come with you, regardless of the legality of your custodial status, to show parental awareness. You dont need your parent consent to get a passport but parental awareness will make it go smoother.

For the 16 and 17:

> a passport generally will not be issued to a minor if a parent or legal guardian who has custodial rights over a minor has notified the Department in writing that he or she objects to issuance of the passport.

From what you said I highly doubt you will experience this.


Title: Long time friend and coworker is pregnant, how best to protect our jobs?

Question: My long time friend (now obviously a bit more) and coworker just got pregnant. We work in a municipality in North Carolina US. We know we can't continue to work together in a relationship as neither of us have the personality where we could maintain that. However, we need to keep our jobs until the baby is here so we have our benifits. The policy states interdepartmental dating is discouraged, but not prohibited. The upper management is going to be very angry about this. My boss and I are friends and as soon as he knows she is pregnant he will know it's mine. I believe if we don't disclose it's mine and she never states she is pregnant she is covered by HIPAA privacy laws. What is the best way to handle this?

Answer: HIPAA has absolutely nothing to do with people noticing that she is pregnant.


Title: [TX] Victim of an Auto-Accident. Jeep VS Motorcycle. I have damage on my motorcycle/bodily injuries and defendant gave false insurance information. I have defendant's info but no insurance coverage.

Question:
In Texas I was driving down a heavily congested street when I stopped an intersection (despite having green) to allow traffic to clear. Woman in Jeep behind claimed she did not see me and hit me. Several witnesses were there including one who stuck around for the police. The woman leaves the scene of the crime but not before giving me identification and an "email" claiming to have insurance. I asked her not to leave but to wait for the police. She does not. Police arrive and give me case number and leave.

Next day, I call police department and get the policy number for the Jeep. Geico says that Jeep is covered but the driver is not the one listed and will not provide coverage for me, my injuries, or motorcycle.

QUESTION: I have a copy of the Woman's Texas ID and email but not her insurance information. What can I do to make sure she pays my damages?

**UPDATE: I called my insurance, they're hesitant but they'll get an adjuster. Also I have a lawyer who is consulting me at the moment. They are looking to try and "serve" the person who hit me, as I have her home address and her work address (thanks facebook). Also I have have liability for my motorcycle... sorry its so cheap, like $12/month.

((I did a search on this board for hit-and-run incidents, nothing came up similar to mine, that's why I'm posting))
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer: You can sue her. If she has insurance they will cover, if not she will have to cover the amount personally.


Title: Am i facing jail time?

Question: I'm in Arkansas, and I got arrested for public intox (05-71-212(a)), first offence. The night before my court date I drank a bunch (because I'm an idiot), then had some hair of the dog the next morning to help my hangover (because I'm a really big idiot). When I went into the court, the bailiff/clerk who checked me in said I smelled like alcohol and breathalyzed me. I blew a .14 and was issued a contempt citation (16-10-108). I never saw the judge and was given a new court date. I'm just wondering how likely I am to face jail time, and if so, how much?

Answer:
 Looks like a class C misdemeanor, punishable by up to 30 days in jail, so yes, you likely could be facing jail time,  especially since you showed up to the hearing drunk.  I'm not sure if that will result in an additional charge or not, but it's sure not gonna make the judge look at you all friendly like.

I hope you can recognize these as signs that you probably have a drinking problem and can seek help.Answer #2: This is an excellent question for your attorney. Who you should have. Because your habit of showing up for things completely shitfaced is not going to help you in court.


Title: Neighbor Blocking Full Access to my Garage

Question:
**Location: Minnesota**

&nbsp;

My neighbor parks his truck in his driveway which prevents me from parking a 2nd vehicle into my 2 stall garage. To further worsen the matter, he has 4 garbage cans that sit outside behind the truck that jut out into the alley - this makes backing out even more difficult. Our garages happen to open towards a shared area, please see the drawing i've included.

He does not drive the truck (it doesn't even run) and cannot park the truck his garage because it is filled with trash. I have reached out to him twice asking him nicely to move it but he has not responded. I've even offered to help him clean his garage so his truck can be moved inside. All communication so far has been on FB messenger and he has "seen" everything.

&nbsp;

http://imgur.com/3HiuV74

**Image explanation**
&nbsp;

Green Rectangle - where my 1st vehicle sits in the garage. You can see how it's a pretty tight maneuver to get inside my garage.

Red Rectangle - where I'd like to park my 2nd vehicle. If his truck is parked out there, there's just not enough space to drive my 2nd vehicle inside without clipping a corner on my garage or his truck

Blue Rectangle - where his truck is parked

Pink Lines - mark our property lines

Brown Squares - garage locations

Orange lines inside of the Brown Squares - Garage doors location

Blue Squares - his garbage/recycling

&nbsp;

With all this out of the way and hopefully explained well enough for everyone to understand, my question is: Do I have any legal recourse? Can I force him to move his truck even though it is on his property?

&nbsp;

**UPDATE** I think I may have found something that will help me out

&nbsp;

§ 72.05  GENERAL PARKING RESTRICTIONS. SUBSECTION E
 (E) Parked or stored motor vehicles. The outside parking and storage on residentially-zoned property of large numbers of vehicles and vehicles, materials, supplies or equipment not customarily used for residential purposes in violation of the requirements set forth below is declared to be a public nuisance because it: obstructs views on streets and private property; creates cluttered and otherwise unsightly areas; prevents the full use of residential streets for residential parking; introduces commercial advertising signs into areas where commercial advertising signs are otherwise prohibited; ***decreases adjoining landowners’ and occupants’ enjoyment of their property and neighborhood;*** and otherwise adversely affects property values and neighborhood patterns.

&nbsp;

**Common Code Violations (from my city's codebook)**
All vehicles in a driveway must be operable (including having current tabs).
All vehicles must be parked on concrete or asphalt surfaces.
No more than 4 vehicles may be parked in a driveway.
The city may tow inoperable vehicles if compliance is not met.

Answer: so you share a common driveway, and neighbor is parking within his property line?  you just got a shitty floorplan.


Title: Can food or drink recipes be copyrighted?

Question:
Hypothetically, if I were to put a video on YouTube on how to make Mountain Dew at home, could PepsiCo. sue me or would it be protected by the 1st amendment?

edit: I'm from America.

Answer:
 Soda recipes are trade secrets, so there's no copyright involved.  As long as you came up with the imitation recipe yourself instead of procuring it by improper means, and you're not misusing the Mountain Dew trademark to make it look like you're sponsored by Pepsi, then there really aren't any legal issues.Answer #2: I think your getting your intellectual property law mixed up. Copyright is for works for art and I don't think a drink recipe would qualify. I'm guessing those recipes would be considered trade secrets and if you got your hands on them, my guess is that those companies would sue you. Now if you're guessing what the recipes are, that would be a different thing and that could be fine.

Also, I don't see how the First Amendment applies to this. The First Amendment doesn't exactly protect this type of speech.Answer #3: You specifically cannot copyright a recipe.  [Link.](http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl122.html)


Title: Foreign honey seller using my original logo

Question:
Note: Asking for a friend of mine. This is the info I've been provided and to the best of my knowledge will provide more for anyone asking for info.

&#x200B;

Looking for advice...I got a voicemail from a man saying the following:
1. He owns a honey business in Nicaragua.
2. He saw my logo a few years ago online, and has been using it on his honey labels ever since.
3. He is now going to be selling in the US, so thought he should tell me.
4. He’d be happy to give me some honey or put my studio’s info on his website.
I don’t know what my rights are for this matter. There are many images similar to my logo, but if he is using my logo, it is an original piece of art that I painted. I’m upset he has been using it without my permission up to this point, and if I ever do anything again that requires a logo, that will be my logo.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to handle this?

Or

Would I possibly have a legal stance against this?

Answer:
 So what do you want to do?
1. Just say no, tell him he cannot use it and to stop using your logo/picture.
2. Accept his offer and get honey. Maybe get a deal for lifetime supply.
3. Sell it or license it to him. You need to negotiate it.
4. Let him use it but give you credit for the artwork. Either directly in the package, website, etc.

In reality, you haven’t mention what you want to do...
I assume you want the first option, in this case the message or letter you write to him should serve as a cease and desist.

Since you mentioned that your work is very similar or nearly identical to other people’s...I would recommend the third or fourth option. Since he can technically recreate something similar.

Just letting you know that suing can be very expensive and you probably won’t be able to collect...however, since the other person is telling you about it, it shows that they are not fully evil and maybe just didn’t know that he cannot use your image. Just directly tell him yes or no and let him resolve it.

PS. Save the bees


Title: [AR]Reckless Driving

Question:
I got stopped today in Menifee, Arkansas for reckless driving. I was going too fast and I feel the speeding ticket is deserved. However, I was ticketed at 66 in a 45. We were right past the 55 sign and on a straight stretch of two way traffic highway. There were no oncoming vehicles.

I have every intention of lawyering up on Monday but I’m curious if this community feels I have a chance of getting this dropped down to simple speeding.

I appreciate any and all replies and thank you for reading.

Answer:
 > However, I was ticketed at 66 in a 45. We were right past the 55 sign and on a straight stretch of two way traffic highway

Were you going 66 in a 45 before he pulled you over? If he caught you going 66 in a 45 it does not really matter if when he finally pulled you over it was in an area with a speed limit of 55.


Title: Can a parent be sued personally if their adult child, driving a car on their insurance policy, negligently hits another driver? New York

Question: In New York, if an adult child (20+) drives a car that is on their parents insurance policy, but the child is registered as the driver on the policy- if that adult child negligently hits and injures another driver, can the Parents of the adult child be sued?  E.g. if there is a settlement and it is in excess of the policy amount, can the parents be sued personally for the difference?

Answer:
 "Every owner of a vehicle used or operated in this  state  shall  be liable  and  responsible  for  death  or  injuries to person or property resulting from negligence in the use or operation of  such  vehicle, in the  business  of  such  owner  or  otherwise,  by  any  person using or operating the same with the permission,  express  or  implied,  of  such owner."
http://codes.lp.findlaw.com/nycode/VAT/III/11/388


Title: Roommate just moved out. Now threatening to bring me to small claims court

Question:
My roommate just moved out after an 11 month lease, where we got along fairly well and without any hiccups. The day after he moved out he contacted me telling me that I owe him money for the utilities for the past entire 11 months. The utilities were entirely in his name, and I had the cable/internet bill in mine. I paid the cable and internet bill every month, and he paid the utilities every month without telling me how much it was. He knew exactly how much the cable and internet bill was each month, as it was constant, but he never once told me that his bills were higher, and I needed to split the difference with him. Now that he is moved out he wants me to pay him for the difference from all of the bills in the last 11 months.

Now, I think this is absurd to be just telling me this now. I also brought up the fact that I am going to have to pay someone to come out and clean my carpets and my furniture to get the smell of his marijuana smoke out of it (he smoked everyday, which is something I never agreed that he should be allowed to do), and I consider us even. He also did no cleanup of his room or his messes throughout the apartment when he moved out.

He returned by saying he is willing to take me to small claims court if I do not agree to pay him in the next 24 hours. Does he have any legal basis for claiming any of this? I should note that we never formally agreed on any kind of split, and frankly since I never heard from him I thought we were both happy with the terms.

This is the in the state of Texas by the way.

Answer:
 I would call his bluff and refuse. That's not to say there wasn't some kind of contract, contracts do not need to be in writing to be enforceable. Gather all the documentation of how much you paid for the cable bills, the cost to clean the carpets, and whatever else for his smoking.

Tell him to him file in small claims but make sure to point out how you'll tell the court all about the expenses for fumigating after his habitual marijuana use. If he actually does file make sure to show up giving all your proof of expenses and the fact you had to pay extra to clean up after him for all his marijuana smoking and failure to clean his room. Make sure to point that out, I doubt a judge in Texas will appreciate the weed side. Unless you partook yourself.


Title: [IL] Bank Refuses to Honor CD

Question: I got a CD from a small bank.  The bank was now bought out by Bank of America and they are refusing to honor it.  What sort of legal action can I bring?

Answer: Reading between the lines, is it the interest rate on the CD that is an issue?


Title: [Utah] A new bill in Utah has modified the definitions of who is a sex offender and I feel I no longer meet them

Question:
I have a legal question that could either be very complicated or very easy. Let me set up the important information:

I am a registered sex offender in the state of Utah. I was convicted of a third degree felony Unlawful Sexual Activity with a Minor (law is below, as is a PDF of changes between the original and new law) 5 years ago. I was 19 when my crime occured. Further information about my crime can be found in post history if anyone is interested.

Recently, Utah put [HB 75](https://le.utah.gov/~2019/bills/hbillint/HB0075S01_ComparedWith_HB0075.pdf) into effect which added an additional clause to Unlawful Sexual Activity with a Minor [76-5-401](https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title77/Chapter40/77-40-S105.html?v=C77-40-S105_2019051420200501) as well as changed the definitions of who must register as a sex offender with the state of Utah found under [77-41-102(17)(iii)](https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title77/Chapter41/77-41-S102.html?v=C77-41-S102_2019051420190514). Under the new law those convicted of Unlawful Sexual Activity with a Minor who were under the age of 21 at the time of the offense are not registered on the sex offender registry and the crime is reduced to a misdemeanor. This bill did not contain any mention of retroactivity. Therefore, I don’t hold any hope of reducing my felony.

However, section 77 is criminal procedure. This is really where my questions come in. If the definition of who must register has been changed to reference the new law, hasn’t the state basically created a new “litmus test”? Shouldn’t we need to reference the new law in order to establish who is required to register and who isn’t? I mean, in the past, when they add additional registry requirements to 77-41 those requirements are applied to you regardless of date of conviction. A new law which benefitted sex offenders just this year was added and took effect right away. But I cannot think of or find any information on how you apply civil law when it's definition is defined by criminal law that has no retroactive effects.

I am not a law expert, so I am not so sure when retroactivity can be applied to criminal procedure. I understand that it is expressly forbidden in the criminal code of Utah, but it is not forbidden in criminal procedure. In fact, given Appellate Court decisions surrounding Chapter 77 it would seem that the law is interpreted “as is”. (See Doe v. Shurtleff, 628 F.3d 1217 (10th Cir. 2010)) I’ve been told that this isn’t exactly an accurate statement. If someone could clear this up for me it would be a good start. It's either so simple I've overlooked it, or so advanced I don't understand it.

Supposing that I interpreted the applicability of the current statute of 77-41-102(17)(iii) correctly, does the wording under 76-5-401(3)(c) require only that the defendant meet the mitigating circumstance of being under 21? Or would it actually require having been sentenced under a Misdemeanor A? I can’t imagine that level of conviction is important given that it is worded as an effect of meeting the mitigating circumstances.

    So my argument follows as such: while there is no retroactivity of 76-5-401(3)(c), 77-41-102(17)(iii) applies in its current state and we must follow the new “litmus test” which references the new law. I contend that 76-5-401(3)(c) applies because the only requirement needed to meet this mitigation is that the defendant be under the age of 21 when the crime occured. Therefore, following my armchair lawyer analysis, I no longer would meet the definition of a registerable sex offender in Utah.

    Am I even in the ballpark on this one? Or does retroactivity pretty much screw me no matter what?

As a final note I should add that I am not planning to ignore registration requirements until me and an attorney have petitioned the DA's office and filed my request for a look into this with the court. I just want a sanity check because I'm afraid my own biases are stopping me from realizing some idiocy I'm overlooking. I don't want to walk into my lawyer's office and act like I've solved the case when I really have no clue what I'm talking bout. (Which I mean, I technically don't, but since when has that stopped an armchair lawyer?)

Thanks in advance for any help you can give!
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer: I think this one might be a bit beyond Reddit advice. Consult with an attorney, this feels like something that might go to court and become a test case.Answer #2: I agree that you should speak to an attorney, but the really important question is what the process for getting off the registry is. It looks like the law you cited changed who is required to register, but that obviously doesn't apply directly to you. You're already registered.


Title: [WA] Can a 27 year old Stage 4 Pancreatic cancer survivor marry and protect his wife from potential debt?

Question:
As stated in my title, I'm a 27 year old Stage IV pancreatic cancer survivor (22 months in remission!) would like to legally marry my partner for a variety of reasons one of which is her kicking insurance plan. I am however at a very high risk for recurrence, and with Washington being a "community property" state, I worry that by marrying her I put her at an enormous risk to inherit any medical debt I may incur if I have a recurrence.

So, is there a way that I can legally marry my partner while sheltering her from future medical debt I may incur as a chronically ill/potentially recurrent patient?

Please let me know if there's any further information I can add.

Answer:
 Holy hell congratulations on the remission with pancreatic cancer!!!! That's amazing!Answer #2: As a practical matter, look at the insurance plan's benefits in detail. You should look for "out-of-pocket maximum". This is the maximum amount you can be charged per year (minus any applicable deductible), after which point the insurance covers 100% of the remaining amount (e.g. no coinsurance or co-pays). If the insurance plan is truly "kicking", the out-of-pocket maximum may be quite low. I have a very good insurance plan and mine is a mere $400.

Check also for any yearly or lifetime maximum payout from the insurance plan. There can no longer be such limits for essential services, but it's possible chemo won't be considered "essential" under the very specific list of essential services covered by the ACA.

If you have a low out-of-pocket maximum and a very high (or nonexistent) yearly/lifetime maximum payout, you will not need to worry about excessive debt. If I were to become incredibly sick and die within a year, even if I were hospitalized the entire time and had numerous costly procedures, my family would be stuck with, at most, $475 in bills - my deductible plus out-of-pocket max for the year.Answer #3: WA is one of nine community property states. I would suggest going to a free consultation with an attorney to have a discussion.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_property
http://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=26.16
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jayadkisson/2012/05/20/community-property-and-creditor-debtor-law-explained/2/#42dfc104118bAnswer #4: You should talk to a bankruptcy lawyer or a maybe a consumer protection in your state - in some states (like Ohio and WV for example) spouses can be liable for spouse's medical debt. A bankruptcy lawyer would probably know the rules in your state.


Title: My father died and i am "next of kin", he left me his personal belongings that he said would be mine if he ever passed away. But there is one big problem

Question: On October 18th, 2018 my father passed away at his job/workplace. His death is still a mystery as it involved a 12000 lbs forklift that he was operating that carrying nothing landing on top of him when he got ejected while making a right turn.  But they way he got ejected doesn't make sense. My father left behind 3 children my little brother (12 years old), little sister (6 years old) and me (18) and a girlfriend. I digress, I am next of kin due to my father and mother having been divorced thus leaves me to being the next heir to my father.  Since I am 18 years old, all his assets and personal belongings are mine. But I can't retrieve my personal belongings that have so much sentimental value to me because the girlfriend keeps delaying the meet up and denying me from going to my dads last living place.  I've waited over a month already and I'm afraid that my fathers collection will be given away to people of no significance. How do I stop this girlfriend and make her give back father's stuff to me? Please any advice will be much appreciated.

Answer:
 That’s not how “inheritance” works. Any child of an individual has equal legal standing when it comes to distributing an estate. You do not automatically inherit his possessions just because you are the oldest.

Unless you have a *written* (not verbal) will stating that you, exclusively, are left the entirety of his estate (possessions, bank accounts solely in his name, etc) his estate would be equally split among his children.

Many of his physical possessions (clothes, furniture, etc) could have been paid for partially by her, and therefore she would be entitled to keep them. You may be entitled to money from bank accounts, properties he owned (ie a home or land), automobiles titled under his name, etc. BUT as I said your siblings would be just as entitled to their share of these assets. You need a lawyer to explore what your father’s estate actually contains.
Answer #2: You are only entitled to one third of the estate, as your father had three children. His girlfriend can keep things in her home that were both of theirs. This needs to go through probate. Answer #3: The USA never had primogeniture laws affecting inheritance. His will would control. Canada repealed those laws in 1851. If he was intestate, the estate would be split up according to state law (and you would not get all of it; at most you'd get an equal share along with your siblings.


Title: Can a city limit when political yard signs may be put out?

Question:
I recently got a sign from a candidate I support and put that sign out in my front yard. I was told by the neighbor to my right that the sign is prohibited under City ordinance, which prohibits political yard signs being set out prior to 60 days before an election. Fair enough, I thought.

&#x200B;

Then, the neighbor on my left informed me that local governments cannot restrict or police political yard signs under the First Amendment. He sent me this article as proof: [https://buffalonews.com/2017/08/28/political-sign-restrictions-may-be-dead-as-soon-as-they-are-challenged/](https://buffalonews.com/2017/08/28/political-sign-restrictions-may-be-dead-as-soon-as-they-are-challenged/)

&#x200B;

I am wondering if my town is able to restrict political yard signs like this - there is no ordinance limiting commercial yard signs (for lawn mowing companies, roofing companies, etc). Am I in the clear to keep my sign up?

&#x200B;

Thanks!

Answer:
 In 2015, the US Supreme Court ruled that a municipality cannot regulate signs based on content, that is, a campaign sign can’t be treated differ than a yard sale sign. [Reed v. Town of Gilbert](https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/14pdf/13-502_9olb.pdf)

The result has been that municipalities have been scrambling to review sign ordinances. Some have revised them; some have not. Here is an overview of what ordinances should say, from the Signage Foundation. [Drafing and Enforcing Sign Codes](http://www.rowepsc.com/images/client-portal/Reed_Guidance_Weinstein.pdf)

HOAs, not bring government agencies, can regulate political lawn signs, unless local law says otherwise. Indiana Code 32-21-13 allows HOAs to restrict size and number of sins, and allows HOAs to restrict signs to 30 days before and 5 days after an election.Answer #2: The Supreme Court decision basically states that signs cannot be regulated based on content.

The City can regulate the number of signs, they can also regulate the surface area of signs, and the total surface area of all signs on the property.

They can prevent you from placing signs in the right of way.

There is still uncertainty regarding if Cities can prevent you from placing signs advertising a business in a residential area.

Chances are both of your neighbors are correct, the City probably hasn’t updated their code, but even so they cannot regulate your signs based on their content.


Title: If my girlfriend and I bought a house together in NH, and I was paying the entire down payment, could we just have a notary present where we agree that if we split, I would pay her whatever she put into the house?

Question: I know that the default advice here is never to buy a house with a girlfriend, but let's just say I'm going to do it regardless.  Would having this in writing with a notary make things move more smoothly, or would we need to see an attorney ahead of time to draft something up, or if that's a complete waste of time, is there anything else I could do other than just buy the house in my name and charge her "rent" ?

Answer:
 This is  a complete waste of time. If you are paying the entirety of the down payment, how are you buying a house together? Is she the only one making rent payments?

Best to do if you do not have joint finances is for you to own it only and for her to be your tenant. Answer #2: I'm a Notary.

All we can do for a case like this is provide a record of who signed a particular document and when. We have no way of making that document enforceable, but you'll have a lot better luck with it than a verbal agreement.


Title: Want to buy father a car. Don't want mother to have any sort of ownership.

Question:
Louisiana

I want to buy my farther the sports car he's wanted all of his adult life. Him and my mother are still married legally but they have been separated more than 15 years now.

If my farther where to pass away I don't want my mother to be able to take ownership of it because she'd sell the car and spend the money on completely useless stuff, she does not know how to handle money.

Is the a way for me to protect against this?
Topic:
Wills Trusts and Estates

Answer:
 Buy yourself a car.  Let your father use it.

Alternatively, make sure your father has a will, and specifically calls out the sports car as going to you.

The later is easier to challenge.


Title: Sued attorney girlfriend in civil court and won, she only paid some and went no-contact. What next?

Question:
This is in Chicago, Illinois.

I broke up with my ex, Alex, who is an attorney, last year. Alex kept using my credit card and even though I should have canceled sooner, I didn't because I thought we might get back together and I didn't want to risk it. Stupid, I know. Anyway, we had an agreement on what they could and could not use the card for. Turns out, Alex used it on purchases that were not part of that agreement to the tune of nearly $5,000.

I took my Alex to small claims court, won, and the case was dismissed after resolution by agreement. Alex had until last Friday to pay. On Friday, Alex paid about 50%. On Monday, three days after the deadline had passed, Alex paid another 25%, so almost exactly 75% has been paid. There has been no further contact.

Alex's final email to me was very clear regarding no contact with Alex or family from that day on. I provided my banking info because Alex had specified the payment would come as a wire transfer, from either Alex or Alex's parents. Instead, the payments had come via Chase Pay.

With anyone else, I'd assume that they didn't finalize payment accidentally, and I'd email them.  Because Alex is a lawyer and very clear about the noncontact after providing my banking info, I am not wary of sending a reminder, even if it was an accident.

Is there another option, or am I going to have to go back to court to request a bank levy or wage garnishement? Does anything about collection change because the case was a resolution by agreement as opposed to winning the civil case? Is there some lawyerly trick regarding payment that if she pays over a certain amount and I don't contact her soon enough, the debt will be considered paid in full?

I'd like to avoid going back to court, but st the same time, I don't want to get screwed over because Alex is a lawyer and I'm not.

Thanks!

Brief update: thanks for all the great comments. I am going to court on Monday for a writ of execution. I will 100% update this case to the end because justice 👍🏻

Answer: Get an execution of judgement from the court. The judge will be incredibly pissed if she tries to dodge the execution of judgement and he will then put a warrant out for her arrest. If your ex is an attorney  I highly doubt she will continue to dodge payments once the execution of judgement is ordered.


Title: [Virginia, USA] Losing my job without warning because I'm a dual citizen. Need help finding out how to get severance!

Question:
This week, I was told out of the blue that I could no longer work at my job because I am a dual citizen. I've only been here two months, and I've been completely blindsided. I need this job - I just started renting a new apartment and made some major purchases because I had (or thought I had) a steady source of income. My head is reeling, and I'm trying to figure out what to do, but I have no idea where to start.

I was hired by a subcontractor (company X) to work for a major consulting firm (company Y)  that was contracted to work for the government. Complicated, but I guess that's the world of government contracting. I technically am working for my specific company, but I don't interact with them much, I mostly interact with company Y. Company X desperately wanted me to work with them so I could make them look good to company Y. I took a pay cut, but I needed the job so it was alright. They knew that and said I'd get a good bonus, great references, etc. They really tried to sell me on this job.

During the hiring process, like anyone would, I gave all the information they asked for. Proof of US citizenship, address, work history, etc. There were no problems at all - no indication that my dual citizenship was an issue, and of course I made it clear that I was. For goodness' sake, my proof of US citizenship was a "Birth of Citizen Abroad" certificate. All was well, I began working on the contract. During the first week, I went in for fingerprints and to fill out forms to begin the process of getting my security card. I fully disclosed that I was a dual citizen, and they said "oh, okay, well it may take a few more weeks to get the card". Fine - I would wait.

Well, weeks turned into months. I constantly received good feedback regarding my work and got along famously with my coworkers. I worked directly with company Y, and my supervisors began to ask questions as to why it was taking so long to get my security card. From day one, we all surmised it was because I was a dual citizen, but it was still taking a while.

Then, this past Tuesday afternoon, my director from company Y told me that while they were asking around to see why it was taking me so long to get my security card, their internal management group found out I was a dual citizen and I needed to be terminated from the project immediately. Because of my exceptional work on the project, company Y director managed to negotiate so that I have until the end of the week to decided if I renounce my other citizenship, meaning I can stay on, or if I choose to not renounce, I'm out a job.

Renouncing my other citizenship is out of the question. I have strong ties to the country I was born in, and I would have never, ever taken this job if I'd known I would have to renounce my non-US citizenship. I understand that I need to leave this job - I have no choice. However, this will be a huge blow to my savings and financial situation. I cannot be cut off without a severance or some kind of restitution.

Everyone is trying to play the blame game right now so they don't get in serious trouble. Luckily, I am free from blame, but that won't pay the bills. What I need to know is if I deserve a severance due to someone's negligence, and how I can make sure I get it. Company Y was supposed to give Company X all the parameters of what they were looking for in their new employees, and Company X that hired me was supposed to follow it. So either Company X made the mistake by not asking me, or Company Y made the mistake by not making it clear they can't hire dual citizens.

What are my options here? I'm so lost and confused and scared. I've never had ANYTHING like this happen to me before. I want to make sure I'm not taken advantage of and swallowed up into the blame game and left with nothing. I would appreciate any help that any of you can give me.

I'm sorry if this was confusing - I promise I'm just as confused! If you need anything cleared up I'm happy to answer.

Edit - I am not being denied a security card because I'm a dual citizen. That would be more understandable. This has nothing to do with the security card - it's purely a contract-related issue between the government, company X, and company Y. There was something lost in communication and I was never told it was an issue, and I was forthright that I was a dual citizen from the beginning.

Answer:
 Who is issuing this 'security card'?

You are rarely entitled to severance.  You can ask for it, but you almost assuredly can't sue for it.  You *might* have a discrimination argument, but that's highly fact-specific.  You should talk to the EEOC or a local labor attorney on that one.


Title: Things I need to know about paying taxes

Question: So I am soon to have to pay my own taxes (turning 18) and I was wondering what things I need to know to get the largest return possible and what I might be able to do to not have to pay for things like Obamacare (I don't/wont' use it and I am extremely uncomfortable with paying for abortions). Not much of a problem, but questions I thought people here would be able to answer for me.

Answer:
 > what I might be able to do to not have to pay for things like Obamacare (I don't/wont' use it and I am extremely uncomfortable with paying for abortions)

You don't get to choose what the taxes you pay go toward. There are at least 100 things I could list in 5 minutes that I don't want my taxes paying for, but there are no checkboxes on your 1040.

On to your other question:

Ideally, you don't want the largest refund possible. You want to set things up so that you owe practically nothing or get practically zero refund. Getting a large refund means the government kept your money for months when you could have held on to it. But that's more of a discussion for /r/personalfinance or /r/taxes than here. (Also, turning 18 doesn't automatically mean you have to pay taxes--if you have no income--and being *under* 18 doesn't automatically mean that you don't have to pay taxes if you *are* earning money.)


Title: Police surveillance exacerbating mental illness, drug policy concerning electronic dance music parties [US-VA]

Question:
Howdy, y'all!  This is a post looking for discussion on a not-so-pressing matter, but it is something that has been on my mind for some time.

In the scenario, an individual attends an all-night party on private property, consisting of a couple dozen friends-of-friends dancing to live DJs mixing electronic dance music. As far as can be seen on the surface, everyone dances into the wee hours and has a great time. However, some individuals may be in possession of or may be sharing illicit substances, and other individuals in attendance may be informants or plain-clothes LEO. However, no identifiable policing occurs, no arrests, and everyone goes home the next day.

In the following days an individual from the event, who had ingested a psychoactive substance, begins to feel paranoia set in.  Over the coming weeks this person begins having suspicions about other attendees of the party working on behalf of law enforcement.  These suspicions turn into obsessive analyses of the events that took place on the night of the party, the behaviors of particular attendees, and eventually analyses of the events following the party - people in the individual's neighborhood, people who were not at all involved in the party.  These feelings take on a persecutory nature, and the individual begins drawing inward as a classic psychotic episode unfolds.

In the months that follow, everyone and everything is under scrutiny for this paranoid person; everyone around them feels like a threat, they feel as if a team of organized people are surveilling or gang-stalking them.  People standing at the bus stop are plants waiting for intel, anyone seen making gestures or distinct body language are sending coded messages to each other like a coach to a pitcher on the mound, messages and phone calls received have a subliminal undertone that seems to support the feelings of persecution.

The person is extremely paranoid about being under watch, however, they are being watched. They were indeed witnessed consuming or handling drugs at the event, and truly are being surveilled for a potential criminal case.

The police unit following this person attempts to make controlled purchases, encourages the individual to attend or throw parties of a similar nature, sends them messages through informants using text or social media, asking them for drugs or to plan or participate in parties. The police also visit the individual at places of work to monitor interactions with peers, and gather intel. They make contact numerous times hoping for admissions of guilt or any other valuable evidence.  A couple of since-estranged acquaintances are eventually charged for drug-related crimes, and though none of them were participants of the party, this validates the feelings of paranoia. No arrest or charges are ever brought against this person.

This goes on for quite a while, and the contacts made by the police intermingle with the paranoid delusions and become inseparable - rather, they actually seem to legitimatize the delusions and cause further stress to the individual. In turn the person's condition worsens, they turn to alcohol or other drugs as a form of self-medicating, seek help from medical professionals, leave school and/or work due to the increasing stress and confusion, and ultimately attempt suicide.

Are the police overstepping any boundaries?  What laws are in place to protect those who are innocent until proven guilty, but suspected of being involved in drug use?  Even with evidence and documentation, of which the person of interest does not have much, is there any case against the police?  Does the state have any responsibility to the damages potentially caused by aggressive, perhaps reckless interference in this person's life?

Please let me know if there is anything I could clarify or elaborate on. Thanks!

edit to add: I appreciate the helpful answers, however I am disappointed to see downvotes used as personal attacks in what should be a high-minded subreddit. I think this is a fairly interesting, mature conversation to have, albeit about a somewhat outlandish sounding scenario, so it's weird to see the reddit hive-mind kick in and for people to try to take little shits on my comments. Move on if you don't have anything to say, it's weird to waste your time being a brat to a stranger. It's Saturday night, go have fun

Answer:
 The police are not only allowed to investigate things like that, they are supposed to. Your friend has no recourse because the police did nothing wrong. Your friend needs mental health help. Answer #2: > The person is extremely paranoid about being under watch, however, they are being watched. They were indeed witnessed consuming or handling drugs at the event, and truly are being surveilled for a potential criminal case.

Nope.  I don't buy this without evidence.

The police don't begin any sort of meaningful "surveillance" of people who are simply seen consuming drugs.  Surveillance is a time, resource, and manpower intensive method and is not going to be used in that context.


Title: [CA] is it legal for my manager to fire me for having sexual relations with a coworker?

Question: I work at a bar and was fired last week for what appeared to be no reason. Upon further investigation I found out the coworker I was seeing was all seeing the manger. I heard form a reliable source that this was the reason for my termination. Is this legal?

Answer: Sure is!