Title: (Ga) Eviction help after pool argument

Question:
I am hoping to get some advice with my dad's eviction. For some context my parents have been divorced for some time now and my sisters live with my mom and only visit my dad a few times a month. I got a call from my mom because my dad was being told by his leasing office that he has to leave by Monday.

It all started a few days ago when my sisters went to visit him and spend some time at the complex pool. My sisters, 8 and 16, were comfronted by the manager and told to leave since they were not tenants. This led to an argument in which the police were called and my sister (16) asking the manager to fight her.

My dad was not aware of this until after the fact when the manager told him that he has to leave. He has already started applying for a new apartment but the timing is not the best. Is my sister's threat enough to get my dad kicked out so fast? This took place in Georgia and since I live in Florida I have no idea how to go about this. Thank you

Answer:
 Let me restart this.

When your sister asked the manager to fight her, that would be considered Simple Assault in Georgia, a misdemeanor that can lead to up to 1 year in jail, fines reaching $1,000, probation, and restitution.

When your sister was told that they were not a tenant and should leave, and failed to leave, then at that point they were committing criminal trespass, another misdemeanor.

Your father was evicted because his guests committed crimes against the complex and the manager. Your 16 yr old sister is lucky she didn't get the cops called and didn't end up dragged off in cuffs.


Title: [CA] Dad killed by a cop in the late 90s, settled for $1mil against city for a fraction of the initial suit. Is it possible to reopen this issue?

Question:
I'm 24.  Currently trying to improve my career path so I Google myself from time to time.  I just did that and realized that there is now a fucking Wikipedia article on his shooting and death.

A brief summary of what happened.  I was 5 at the time and have found out everything I know from old 90's/00's online articles, I don't wanna ask my mom about any of this.  So my dad was at a bar after work one night celebrating a new job with a buddy.  At one point some racist pieces of shit decided to throw some racial slurs and attacked and stabbed him with a dart.  A fight was about to break out but the barkeep knew my dad, attempted to defuse the situation and sent him home in a cab.  But he was drunk, stabbed with a dart, and was obviously upset and making noise in the street late at night.  Neighbors called the cops, two showed up, the latter shot my dad shortly after arriving on scene, on our driveway.

In court, the cop's justification was that because my dad was Asian, he was acting in a threatening martial arts manner.  He'd never taken martial arts, he worked at a software company as an engineer.  This marked nearly the 10th racially-motivated police shooting in 2 years in that county.  There were several investigations but all concluded there was insufficient evidence to prosecute the cop for wrongdoing (surprise!).  So my mom lost the $50million federal suit and had to settle for $1 million, most of which was gone after lawyer fees and moving expenses.

My mom received a pittance for my dad's death after the lawyers had their cut.  They tried, but either weren't good enough or the 90s legal system was too fucking corrupt, and I wasn't old enough to become an activist and social media hadn't been invented.  The settlement hasn't been enough to put all of us kids through college, I chose not to go so my little brothers could.  It's fucking with my head and my future.  Is there anything I can do to open this matter back up?  If anyone has any advice on how I can go about investigating this, or details I'd have to dig up beyond antiquated articles, please let me know.

(edit: clarity)

edit 2: I'd appreciate any alternate perspectives regarding statute of limitations and possibility of maneuvering outside of the decisions binding my mom, since I was a minor then and had no comprehension of anything up until relatively recently.

edit 3: Anyone know any software-entrepreneur-therapists? /s

Answer:
 > Is there anything I can do to open this matter back up?

Most likely not, the case seems to have been settled out of court and the settlement papers probably (read: certainly) include that you cannot sue any more due to this and that no more money will follow after said settlement.Answer #2: >edit 2: I'd appreciate any alternate perspectives regarding statute of limitations and possibility of maneuvering outside of the decisions binding my mom, since I was a minor then and had no comprehension of anything up until relatively recently.

you were a minor. any decisions she made regarding a settlement were on your behalf. you can't go back 20 years later and ask for more money.Answer #3: >I chose not to go so my little brothers could. It's fucking with my head and my future.

So then pay your own way through college like the majority of everyone else.  If you can't afford it right now, get a job (or second job) while you do a few years at a local community college to get your core classes out of the way.  Answer #4: The settlement almost certainly contains language preventing another lawsuit in this matter.

Even if not, the statue of limitation to appeal has run out.


Title: Can a Pharmacist call your Insurance Company and Ask about Other Medications?

Question: I'm in PA and a friend of mine is having problems with the pharmacy. Can the pharmacy call his insurance company and ask if hes on other medications, how long he's been on them, or anything like that?

Answer: IANAL but off the top of my head I can see why the pharmacist would do that to make sure there are no interactions with any other medications they are taking.


Title: Our HR lady just got phished & sent 75 employee 2015 wages, names & SSN to someone on gmail. WHAT DO I DO?? [US-Indiana] [x-post r/personalfinance]

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Call the IRS. That is the first step.Answer #2: You, and everyone whose information was compromised, need to follow the steps [located at the FTC's identity theft site.](https://www.identitytheft.gov/)  Be proactive about this, because once things are opened in your name, it is very hard to track all of it down.

Send that around your company to make sure they're informed.

Also, you should make sure that HR lady understands internet protocols and gets a good buttload of training about security from your IT guy.


Title: Can people legitimately sue Facebook, and have a chance of winning, because the user’s First Amendment Rights are violated?

Question:
So I’m in a lot of pro-vaccine Facebook groups, and a few groups aimed toward discussion between PV and AV people. In one of those groups a lawyer recently posted how he’s representing a client who caught a few bans on their Facebook accounts due to the content of their posts. This person is now suing Facebook because they claim Facebook is violating their First Amendment rights. I’m just curious how legitimate this is? They were taunting it as proof Facebook is corrupt, because they were able to file a lawsuit.

Just curious, since I’m NAL!

Answer:
 >  I’m just curious how legitimate this is?

Not legitimate at all.  Facebook doesn't have to follow the First Amendment, at all.  They can ban anti-vaxxers, or pro-vaxxers, or any other group they want.

The one exception would be barring people based on membership in a legally protected class.  Barring people based solely on race, religion, gender, et cetera might be a problem.  So long as the bar isn't for one of those(either directly or indirectly) there's no isse.

> They were taunting it as proof Facebook is corrupt, because they were able to file a lawsuit.

Anyone can file a lawsuit for anything.  That doesn't mean the lawsuit has validity.  Answer #2: It's not at all legitimate.

The first amendment limits what the GOVERNMENT can do as a result of your speech.

Facebook is a private company and can limit your speech on their platform as they choose.  And you agree to that in their terms of service when you sign up.

Just like reddit mods and admins can delete your content or ban your account.  The first amendment does not apply directly to actions facebook takes.


Title: Five days after attending my college graduation, my 59 y.o. mom suffered a brain aneurysm and today was pronounced brain-dead. Without a will, how can I become executor of her estate, or at least prevent my unstable sister from having any deciding power?

Question:
Here's the situation: I live in Montana and my mom, and only living parent, suddenly had a brain aneurysm a little over 72 hours ago. Without a will, the authority over her estate falls on myself (23, female) and my sister (26). I just graduated college and my sister has no education past high school. She's extremely emotionally unstable (long story but I don't think she ever really got over our dad's death) and I'm truly worried that she will seriously fuck stuff up if she has the opportunity. I am SO lucky to have inherited my mom's calm-in-the-face-of-adversity badassery, which is why there's no doubt in my mind that I would make the best executor of her estate.

My tipping point was when we were ready to end her treatment once all hope was lost, and we realized last-minute that she's an organ donor - and my sister tried to say no because she didn't want to wait the extra 24-48 hours to complete the process. I understand how hard this whole thing is and I don't hold it against her to want to rip it off quick like a bandaid but I fought to advocate for my mom's wishes and thank god I was here because she would not have gotten to be a donor if I hadn't been.

My mom's estate is nothing huge, but how can I become the sole executor of her wishes? If I can't, how can I make it so that my sister doesn't have any of the authority??
Topic:
Wills Trusts and Estates

Answer:
 This is so dependent on location, assuming your mother doesn't have a will. Is is possible she does and you just don't know?

I am so very sorry for your loss. Very difficult time for you...Answer #2: Find a probate attorney and ask your sister to go with you.  They can help the two of you navigate the issues (hopefully in a way that won't foster sibling animosity).Answer #3: It's probably easier to have an independent party administer the estate, instead of convincing your sister that she is not competent to have a say.

The estate will be equally divided among all the children, in any case.


Title: Refusing forced vaccination at work in Ohio

Question: Well whenever I got hired in 6 years ago no vaccinations were required in the papers I signed, now they are trying to force the Hepatitis A vaccine on me, I don't believe in vaccinations, they go against my believes. I also have Chron's disease which is an auto immune disease, now I have a new doctor and medicine which suppresses my immune system and my previous doctor told me that if I ever get another vaccination that I could die from it, but my new one says I can take it, I'm not taking the chances and have refused to take it. What can I do? They are saying corporate wants everyone to have it by June 31st

Answer:
 Actually, you're more likely to die if you don't get vaccinated simply because you are immune compromised. The recommendation is that you should receive most vaccinations (including Hep A).

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3533208/Answer #2: You're in a tricky spot.

If it is _reasonable_ for your employer to accommodate your medical inability to handle a Hepatitis vaccine, and if your doctor is willing to write a note to the effect that it is unsafe for you to receive the vaccine, they may have an obligation to do so, but if your line of business means that you are at substantially increased risk of contracting or transmitting Hepatitis A, that accommodation may not be reasonable: if it's a bona fide requirement for your role and if no alternative accommodation is possible, or if you can but choose not to receive the vaccine, they can probably let you go because you can't be vaccinated.

Your employer is not required to accommodate your personal beliefs about vaccines.Answer #3: Get vaccinated


Title: Got in trouble for entering the Arlington national cemetery at the wrong place. Is it going to cause any problems in the future?

Question: I'm a tourist from Canada, and I'm in Washington DC right now. I was going to the cemetery from the Air Force memorial to the south. Google told me I could walk in from an entrance on the south side. When we got there, the gate was closed but there was a very short wall (almost hip height) right next to it. No sign saying not to enter there, no people around to ask. Since I knew I was allowed to be on the other side of the wall, I just stepped over. Next thing I know, some police cars come around the corner with their sirens going, some officers came out, took my ID, searched my person and escorted me out of the premises in a police car. I wasn't arrested, or even convicted of a crime as far as I know, but they said I was trespassing. I didn't ask, but I'm worried this will go on my (completely clean) criminal record. I don't want to have to check a box saying I committed a crime in the US if I ever want to enter the country again. Is there anything to worry about? Thanks for the help, I just want some peace of mind.

Answer: You are fine, nothing will come of this, though your name might be on a list held by the local cops in case you get stopped again.  In the future don’t jump fences and keep in mind that “google told me it was ok” isn’t a valid legal defense.


Title: CO landlord took first and last months rent, no rental agreement, but I feel unsafe. How can I get out?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 **GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT.**

No matter what you end up doing, you need to get out of that house. If he's coming in to your room while you're sleeping, asking you to sleep with him and has loaded guns just laying about, ***you need to get out.***

IANAL but I sure as hell can tell you that these things are not okay. Answer #2: First, you need to get out immediately.  Someone who pulls a gun on a visitor is not safe to live with, even for one more night.

Finally, you need to send him a letter explaining that if he doesn't refund your money, you will report him to the police for sexual harassment and violation of firearm laws.Answer #3: > Second night, since he doesn't allow any visitors ever, my roommates boyfriend dropped her off and came inside and had an argument and gun pulled on him.

I'm getting lost as to which "he" you're referring to. But what was the argument about, and what happened here?Answer #4: Take a look at this site: http://www.coloradolegalservices.org/lawhelp/resource/breaking-a-lease-what-you-need-to-know?ref=5kZBm

It should have the answers you seek, as well as a resource for getting referrals for legal consultations, especially if you have little or no income.

I'm not yet an attorney, am not familiar with Colorado law, and this is not legal advice, but information.


Title: [TN] [LABOR] My boss is making me work off the clock. Please help!

Question:
Boss makes me stay at work off the clock. I am an apprentice at a top salon. I clock in at 8:00AM every day and leave 4:30 PM everyday. However, I am told to clock out by my boss at 12:30 PM every single day since June of this year. I started in February of this year. My boss makes me stand next to a stylist after I clock out, but will not let me leave and threatens to fire me if I do. She has told me multiple times that is "how things work around here." This has happened to a few coworkers of mine and is currently happening to another coworker. Our apprenticeship is a year long.

My doctor has told me that I should take legal action against my boss because he/she has directly caused health issues including heart palpitations, weight loss, hair loss, and severe anxiety. My boss constantly tells me I don't work hard enough and was offended by me taking a second job to help pay my bills. I work 15 hour days. I am at the salon from 8-4 (sometimes 5 if he/she holds me so he/she can criticize me) and I go to my next job from 5-10:30.

I love cutting hair and this is the career I love, but my boss is ruining my life in every aspect. What are my rights and what can I do? Please help.

Answer: [File a wage claim]( http://www.twc.state.tx.us/news/efte/wage_claims_in_texas.html) for the unpaid wages. You have no recourse for the "heart palpitations, weight loss, hair loss, and severe anxiety" though.


Title: Pranked during a Craigslist exchange and then constantly harassed after.

Question:
Sigh. . . I'm posting here in order to see what can be done, if anything at all. This is in New York, Upstate region by the way.

There was a posting for a Wii U on Craigslist and I contacted the OP. He tells us to meet at a Starbucks but then changes the subject and gets us to meet at a dorm (stupid to meet him there, I know...), and after some talk I oblige to meet him there. He seemed like a reasonable person.

So after an hour of searching for "his" dorm (he claimed to be a worker so he told us to walk out back), we (as in my driver and I) give up because it was freezing and we were frustrated as hell. He texts me telling me how desperate he was to get rid of the thing and that he'd give it to me for half off as he left his workplace (really obvious and stupid of us now that I think about it), if we come back again. So we spend another fucking twenty minutes going back to "his" dorm. We spend 5 minutes walking back and forth in the parking lot, looking like a bunch of fucking idiots, just for him to straight out tell me we were pranked and that he was actually some dude in Florida (after some racist remarks, of course).

Turns out, he used his real phone number to prank me. He owns a business in my city, but is also a criminal -- there is literally a facebook page that exposes his poor business practices and the crimes he has done.

Anyways, I threatened (pretty much just bluffing) to report him to the FTC (idk what I was doing to be honest) for fraud as he was impersonating James Murray from Impractical Jokers, and was attempting to get me to send him my address for god knows what. I honestly wasn't going to actually report him because I have no idea how to do that, I was just trying to get him to apologize for wasting like two hours of my life. After that, he said that he followed me to my house and then started to continually call me, claiming that he was going to apologize (after I said that I wanted him to apologize to get me to drop the claim to the FTC) but what he was actually doing was dialing some restaurants when I picked up. These establishments were calling me, as they thought I was the one who called them. He even called the FTC and they were actually calling my number -- but I don't know how he was doing all of this. He called like 10 times, but eventually stops after I ignore him.

But I did more research about his business and decided to ask him why he was pranking and harassing me, and he told me that it was for a fun time and that it was my problem for trusting Craigslist. He is extremely immature and told me to come to his house, and when I replied telling him how illogical that was, he asked if I was "afraid."

Also, did I mention that he was making racist remarks? He referred to me and my ride as "You asians" and even responded to one of my earlier messages (before I knew he was a twat) saying "Yea nig***."

So what I'm trying to ask is what I can do? I'm a junior in high school so I'm very inexperienced with these types of things.

Thank you for any help.

Answer:
 Not sure what, if any, legal actions you can take, but I highly suggest immediately calling your phone provider and 1) asking to have his number blocked, and 2) changing your phone number. If he's only contacted you via phone, this will severely cut off any channels he has for harassing you. If he *is* in Florida, I highly doubt he's followed you home and/or knows your home address, unless you gave it to him inadvertently? Though he may or may not be in that state always, since you mentioned him having a business in your area. But that brings me to my next point....

As with all things, if you think there's a possibility of him carrying out any threats in person, you can always go to or call the police. Be respectful, be truthful (don't exaggerate and don't embellish anything), and be thorough (tell the police everything that happened, just like you did in your post). At the very least, the police can tell if there's anything you or they can do to stop him, and it starts an official paper trail for his harassment. They should also have systems in place to see if he's carried out similar acts of harassment elsewhere (at least, ones that got reported to the police) if they take you seriously, since he's already a criminal and should have records somewhere? (Not entirely sure about that last sentence, though. But the police should still be able to help you, anyway.)


Title: Going crazy with inlaws living below us

Question: We live in Chicago,  IL.  We are living in my inlaws apartment building in the top apartment. My husband's parents live below us and his grandma, who also owns the building, lives in the basement. My husband's relationship has never been good with his dad (long story that I'll spare you from). Anyways, lately it's turned physical and he tried to stab my husband who caught it on tape but my husband did not press charges. Now, any time we vacuum he will blast his music until 10 at night. Again my husband refuses to call the cops (doesn't want to make it worse). Last night was the last straw. I wake up at 2am to the sound of him banging on the walls and doors. He's purposely doing this to annoy us. This went on all night. I work in the morning as a manager and can barely think this morning. Is there anything legal we can do? I do have a Hyatt legal plan through my work so I could use a lawyer for this if needed. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Also, we are currently looking for a house but that's a long process. Thanks!

Answer: Move out


Title: Homeless and need help getting documents

Question:
So I've been homeless for the past couple of years. Very recently my brother who lives in a different state (Georgia) has let me live with him and I wish to get a job and such to better myself.

The problem is the only document I have is a birth certificate, a high school diploma, high school transcripts, and a expired Michigan driver's license (only expired last month).

I have no proof of residency as I just got here and have been homeless for a while.
I haven't had heath insurance for 8 years so no current medical documents.
Tax forms I do have are from 2011.

How do I go about getting my Social Security card and get a new driver's license from a different state? I need a form of identification to get my SS Card and need my SS Card and proof of residency for my driver's license.

Please if someone can help me I would be extremely thankful. Also thank you so much for your time.

Answer:
 You can get a [Georgia state ID](https://dds.georgia.gov/georgia-state-id-card).  The *full* list of acceptable documents [is here](http://online.dds.ga.gov/SecureID/accepteddocs.aspx).  Assuming were born in the US and haven't had a name change, apparently you need:

* proof of primary ID: An original or certified copy of a US Birth Certificate (you have this already (it is original or certified, yes?))
* proof of Social Security Number: you can use the [Social Security Annual Statement](http://ssa.gov/mystatement)
* proof of residence (need 2); the easiest options appear to be two of the following:
    - Any postmarked mail showing your name and delivered by the U.S. Post Office to your current address (send yourself a letter);
    - [Voter Registration Card](http://sos.ga.gov/admin/files/Voter_Registration_Application_8-10.pdf) issued within the last two (2) years (looks like you only need your SSN, not the card itself; may take a little while to arrive);
    - Current, valid rental contract/agreement (download a standard lease from the internet and sign that you're renting a room from your brother).

That gets you at least a state-issued identification card.

It appears that you can also use those same documents to get a [Georgia-issued driver's license](https://dds.georgia.gov/SecureId) (has a link to the same list of acceptable documents as the state ID above), except I'm not sure how your Michigan license being expired complicates things - you might need to complete a driving test, take an eye exam or a written test or something, I don't know.  It might be faster to just get the state ID for now and handle any extended requirements for the driver's license later; or it might be cheaper to just go straight for the driver's license.  That's up to you.

With your Georgia-issued state ID card or driver's license and your birth certificate, you can get a [replacement Social Security card](https://www.ssa.gov/ssnumber/ss5doc.htm).


Title: (NC) Am I responsible for CC debt after my husbands death if bank can't prove I'm joint on account?

Question:
My husband died recently. There is a credit card that was opened in 1989 that has a balance. The bank says they do not have written proof that it's a joint account vs me just being an authorized user because the account is so old. They say because I have a card with my name and that they have been reporting joint to the credit bureaus, it is joint, and therefore I owe the balance, but again, they have no proof. The estate attorney that I hired has just repeated to me what the bank says, that they say it’s joint. I asked if they were required to show proof and I received a written letter from the attorney saying it was out of the scope of the estate and they couldn’t help me. The attorney stated in his opinion it was my responsibility because the bank has “repeatedly asserted it is a joint account.” I just keep thinking that the bank can say whatever they want but that doesn’t make it fact.

I do feel like I was just an authorized user because in the early days of having this card I remember trying to handle payment and such and they wouldn’t speak to me about the account, or they would require calling my husband while I was on the phone to get his approval for them to speak to me. It’s been many many years ago, however, and I realize I could not be remembering correctly.

The balance is over $10k and I have an excellent credit score. I will need to purchase another home in the near future, once this home sells, and I do worry that my score might be negatively impacted by this account. Up to this point payment has continued to be made on the account because my husband had it set up on autopay and I left that alone. So, it’s current at this time. There is not enough money in my husband's estate to pay this in full.

How would you proceed?
Topic:
Wills Trusts and Estates

Answer:
 Well, asking for proof isn't the worst idea.  If they sue, they'd need to prove it was your debt as well.  You're right that they can't just make that claim and will it to be true.

However, they're going to eat up all of his estate assets with this debt, so it may be in your best interest to take over the account and arrange a payment plan to pay it down, rather than losing all of his assets at once. And, if they do have any proof that it's a joint account, you're going to waste a lot of time and money fighting over this just to ultimately lose.


Title: Legal ways to force an anorexic(?) stranger to get medical help?

Question: There is for example a neighbor who is extremely thin, will not disclose her medival condition, but is believed to be anorexic. What is a legal way to intervene and make her get the medical care she needs if she is not getting treated and would not voluntarily seek treatment?

Answer:
 Location still matters in offtopic. In America they have adult protective services you can call to alert to someone who seems to be in distress. It's hard to force someone into treatment for a psychiatric condition if they're not an immediate danger of self harm though. You'd do better to just offer support and help them find treatment when they're ready to reach out.

There are other illnesses that can cause people to lose weight so if you're going to offer support you need to be ready for it to be all sorts of things. Drugs, cancer, aids, salmonella... If you don't know her you aren't in a position to assume much. Answer #2: How do you know she's not getting help already? By barging in and trying to "help" you may do more damage  than help.


Title: NE: Trapped inside apartment complex pool, almost was not able to escape; system set up a safety hazard?

Question:
A couple of friends and I experienced a mildly terrifying event last night. Everything worked out fine thanks to lucky timing and the fact that we're relatively young, but how the situation occurred got us thinking about how if the timing had been less fortunate, we could have had a serious problem, and people not as physically as us could have been in serious danger if they were in our shoes.

&#x200B;

Here's what happened. I live in an apartment complex and there's a swimming pool. Myself and two friends arrived around 7:00 and planned to hang out until closing time, which is 9:00 PM. There are signs posted indicating the closing time. Of the 3 of us, only one carries a cell phone. I know that's abnormal for anyone under 70 or so anymore, but it's not unheard of, and we're some of that population. One of us has a cell phone and set an alarm for 9:00 so that we could hop out and leave before getting yelled at (which we weren't sure would happen or not; I'd never used the pool until last night, but just assumed maintenance or someone would be around at 9:00 to enforce the time restriction). After a time, the friend with the phone hopped out to see if she had a message from her partner. Turns out, her phone would not turn on (it had died of low battery, she discovered later; at the time we didn't know why it was off and wouldn't turn on). We think 1) well that sucks, maybe something is wrong with your phone, hopefully it's not an expensive fix, then 2) Oh shit, are we past the time the alarm would have gone off? Is the pool closed/should we have left a while ago? There had been nobody else at the pool for what I would estimate was at least the last hour, so we had no cue from others packing up and leaving. It being summer, the sun has still been staying high relatively late, so that was not a reliable indicator either. It was not what I would consider dark at all yet. So - we pack up, head to the door to exit. Now, the way this door is set up I consider problematic no matter what time it is - in order to exit, you have to have a fob. \*\*You cannot exit the pool area without a fob.\*\* I may be overreacting, but I feel that's odd; what if you have a medical emergency or heavin forbid an active shooter situation? Trying to remember where you tucked away your keys wastes time; or what if the person who has the fob is the one in crisis and can't quickly direct others to where the fob is so that they can exit/provide entrance to paramedics or something? Also: there are two doors that you \*should\* be able to exit from (one does not function at all; there's a sign on the inside and outside of that door saying you have to use the 'main entrance'), so there's actually only one entrance/exit.

&#x200B;

So. We head to the one working door, and the fob does not unlock it. We try the second non-functioning door, just in case, and of course it doesn't open. It is also important to note the fence around the pool area is 7' and speared (i.e. sharp arrowhead at the top). We're quite stuck, with no phone to call the emergency maintenance line. There is no emergency landline provided inside the pool area (is that required legally for safety reasons? I have no idea). We start to get a little panicky. The sun is going to be down soon, office staff are gone (office is connected to the pool), there's nobody else at the pool, we haven't seen anyone walking around outside the area for a while, and again we don't have a way to make a call for assistance. Very luckily, one friend noticed a girl was working out in the gym, which has windows facing into the pool area. We knock on the window; she has earbuds in, so I'm afraid she isn't going to notice us after we know 4-5 times. Finally she turns so we're in her line of vision, and she comes to the second/non-functioning door to try to let us in. It of course doesn't work. She brings her fob to the main door. That doesn't work, which we could have expected, as after hours it shouldn't allow that door to be opened (entering the pool area). We ask her through the glass door what time it is, she says 9:04. It's literally 4 minutes after close, and the doors have stopped functioning. This makes me wonder, What the heck happens if someone takes too long for whatever reason, even knowing it's approaching 9:00 (which we couldn't in this event, the phone with the alarm having died)? There is no clock on the building in the pool area.  Anyway, the we ask the girl to call emergency maintenance with her cell phone. She does and says they inform her they'll be there in 20-25 minutes.

&#x200B;

If that girl had not been working out in the gym, and had her cell phone with her, there would have been nobody to contact after-hours help for us. And what if there had been some kind of medical emergency/accident? The 20-25 minute wait could have been a major issue. I'm not sure, hence me asking about this here, but I am curious if this could be something I should report as a serious safety hazard? Not just about the immediate 9:00 PM door lock from both inside and outside, \*\*but even during operating hours - what if someone: a child, someone having some kind of crises, everyone in the case of a violent or disaster event, needs immediate access out of the pool area?\*\* I am really struggling to see how an lock system preventing people from leaving is not a violation of some safety standard.

&#x200B;

 If anyone has any insight here, or advice on how I could approach this concern with my property manager and/or the proper government/safety agency, please let me know. Thank you for reading and your input.

Answer: All the things that could maybe of happened but didn't aren't relevant. Just call the management company and talk to them and see if it is even meant to work like that or if something just malfunctioned.Answer #2: I'm confused about the doors, so the one door wont open after 9pm and the second one was like physically locked or something?  There should be an emergency exit door, is there not?


Title: (CA) Help getting child support from my father of my child?

Question:
The title should be Help getting child support from the father of my child?

Me (f39) in the bay area California have been trying to get child support out of the father (m35) of my child for numerous years. We were never married and his name is on the birth certificate and there is no question of paternity. He currently owes me $88000 in back pay child support. He has not seem his child who is now 11 in over 2 years. I have been to court over this but he claims he is unemployed and can't pay.

I know for a fact that he makes money by doing under the table work and possibly selling drugs. I look on his facebook feed and it's clear he has money as he has a new car every month or so & season tickets to basketball.
I attempted to show the judge all this last time I was in court but they said it didn't prove anything as he lied and claimed they weren't his.

Is there anyway of getting the money out of him? It's clear he has money but wants to spend it on anything but his son.

Edit I forgot to mention that he has another kid from a dirrerent mother who he does not pay child support for either.
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer: Are you working with your State's child support agency or trying to do this on your own?


Title: Just passed all my interviews, got a job offer, signed by me and the company. I give my 2 weeks, then I get a call saying they changed their mind. Anything I can do?

Question: This is my dream job, Ive wanted this job since i was in 6th grade. I called my family, gave my two weeks, etc. Then they said they changed their minds.

Answer: Promissory Estoppel/Detrimental reliance is a tricky area when it comes to offers of employment. I would take all your documentation and receipts to an attorney to review. Answer #2: Did you fail a drug test or background check?


Title: What can I use as official photo ID while my driver's license is suspended? [Kansas]

Question:
Hi, everyone.

I got a DUI in September. They took my license that night, and gave me a pink sheet of paper to serve as my license for the next 30 days. After those 30 days, my license was suspended, and will remain so for the next year.

What can I use as an official photo ID in the meantime? For example, I need a driver's license (or equivalent ID) to get my student ID card at school. Can I get a non-driver's license ID from the state? How?

Thanks for your help!
Topic:
DUI

Answer:
 > Can I get a non-driver's license ID from the state?

Yes.  The DMV should be able to give you a state issued ID.  They're usually $5 - 10.


Title: Corrupt Cop/Innocent Driver

Question:
I am from NY and here is what happened leading up to my arrest.

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I got a call to pick up a friend and bring him home from a hotel a hefty distance away (160ish miles round trip).

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As we get to the last couple turns until dropping him off, when I notice an SUV behind me with an odd shaped hood. Looked sporty.

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 As I continued to admire the shape of the car behind me, I started recognizing cop equipment. It was an undercover cop.

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Knowing he was behind me, I actually mumbled “I’m going to stop for 3 seconds at the next stop sign, because..” I stopped mumbling because I realized my passenger was asleep.  (I was going to say because there’s a cop behind me)

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The officer followed me down a one way road, and sure enough, about 2 seconds after stopping and counting out 3 Mississippi - his lights turn on. I wake my passenger and tell him we are getting pulled over. The officer immediately goes to passenger side of the car , tapped the window and smiled at my passenger. This was really odd for me. It came off more like a predator than a cop.  Think Jack Nicholson smile in ‘The Shining’.

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He then told me I failed to stop. I knew for a fact I did, and gave him a really weird look like “WTF?”. He then pulled me out of the car, made me sit with 3 officers who had shown up within minutes. The uniformed officer I had to sit with was very nice, and he kept telling me not to worry (For reasons I'd find out later).

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They asked to search- I said no, to just write me the ticket. He get a dog out of his car,lets him in mine then let's the dog out and begans searching.

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I was told at this point they found a crack pipe in my passengers bag.

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The arresting officer then began patting down my passenger, and tossing my car up. He found nothing (Other than the crack pipe) and then he searched me. Found nothing. He stated if I didn't tell him where the drugs were, I'd be charged with each charge my passenger was being charged with. (I told him "I don't know, just do what your going to do to me" - because he was very aggressive, and was treating me like I raped his wife or something, like seriously, there was that amount of anger.)

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He then searched me, and put me in handcuffs. (found nothing)

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The arresting officer searched me, then put me in cuffs behind my back. The uniformed officer took them off and placed them in front of my stomach within seconds of the arresting officer turning around and stated to me "You're being cooperative, I don't see a reason that they need to be behind your back."

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Let me reiterate, the arresting officer was being contradicted by his own men. He was angry, making threats, and it looked like he was going to hit me at one point. I winced, the uniformed officer stepped partially in front of me.

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When we got to the state barracks, they took my passenger in another room for a very long time. They then did so with me.

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They sat down and read me my miranda rights. After this I was asked if I wanted a lawyer. I said I don't know, I don't know what the charges are. The arresting officer reiterated if I wanted a lawyer, then added that I can't change my mind - if I decide to speak with them, then I can't ask for a lawyer later. (I found out later this isn't true, I can ask for a lawyer at any time.)

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Eventually he broke first and told me my charges. Failure to stop, and they found cocaine in the passenger door. I said "I think I need a lawyer.”

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Time passed and I went to court and was put on pretrial release. At that point I met my lawyer (public defender), and told him the situation. He said he'd look into my case.

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I got a call from him later stating the first plea deal was 60 days jail, and 3 years probation, but he immediately after that got a call that offered a deal with the ADA.

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If I state where I was coming from (A hotel),  prison and probation off the table.

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Sounds like a good deal right? But this is bullying, and I won't let them bully me.

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I could be free and clear so simply, but on principle I'm outraged.

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I'm being charged with two crimes I didn't commit, lawyer said the plea deal was specifically to scare me into talking. (I have no record, and only the two charges - failure to stop and possession in 7th)

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HOWEVER, my lawyer seems to shoot down all my ideas to help provide reasonable doubt.

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Option: Getting footage from traffic light if it exists

Purpose:  Shows I knew the cop was behind me. Backing my story further.

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Option: Measuring distance from stop sign to point of stop.

Purpose: Officer stated I "did not even try to stop", and at 30 MPH, it takes longer to break than the distance I traveled after the stop sign.

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Option: Analyzing his previous cases (personally, all I'd need is the information)

Purpose: If he did this to me, then he is a criminal. Criminals follow behavioral patterns. There will be a statistical anomaly. The % of people pulled over for any traffic crime and being found with drugs in relation to total amount of said traffic crime including the cases with drugs, will show concurrency.

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 The anomoly will be with "failed to stop" tickets, because when this officer wishes to pull someone over but doesn't have legal right of way, his goto move - will be claiming they failed to stop. (I'm assuming if he did it to me, he does it to others)

\------------------

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All of these have been shot down by the lawyer. I understand just coming into a courtroom and saying "he's lying" won't work, but all the evidence I've been going way out of my way to collect, or suggest, has been shot down.

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I'm considering defending myself, I’ve accepted that I may lose, and I may serve up to a year in jail for a crime I didn’t commit.  That will suck - it will suck bad. But you know what sucks more? Being one of the future victims of the arresting officer. He’s willing to harm innocents, and if I don’t try, I’m just as responsible as he is, because I knew he was guilty, but didn’t try and stop him. I won’t sit idly by an appease Hitler (metaphor, and slightly unfair, the officer isn’t hitler, just corrupt)

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Answer:
 First thing: unless you know how criminal procedure works, don't represent yourself.

Second thing: tell your PD exactly what you would like to do. They are overworked and underpaid so they often try to make deals. As a legal professional, they may also see/understand something you don't, and perhaps in their opinion going to trial will just be worse for you. It depends

Third thing: if you absolutely don't like your PD, feel free to hire a criminal defense attorney. It's gonna cost some money though


Title: This is petty and stupid, but 25 cents can add up...

Question: US, Wis. So, I'm in a school musical, and our director has recently stated that she will be charging 25 cents per minute that cast members are late to practice. Does she have any legal right to enforce this rule? Most of us are under 18. She is commonly late herself, many of us have become annoyed by her for various things, so it would be really nice if I could just stop this whole "25 cent" deal before it starts. Thanks!

Answer: Not legal advice, but I think relevant nonetheless; As a stage manager who recently graduated college: early is on time, on time is late, and late is fired. You're not entitled to a part and there are plenty of punctual fish in the sea. If she's late, use the time to warm up or run lines. And if theatre is something you're serious about at all, you should read up on the expectations for actors in the AEA rule book. Answer #2: My band instructor did this with band.  I didn’t have to pay but he didn’t have to give me any parts in the song.Answer #3: How much are you paid per hour? Or if not per hour how are you paid?Answer #4: We need some more details. What state are you in? Is this a school production?


Title: Southern California - My company was bought by a company that bought a company, that merged with another company, ad nauseam…Well over 20 years ago I was terminated and “flagged” in their system as “not eligible for rehire.” I have a meeting with HR at the end of the day to discuss this issue.

Question:
 Southern California

When I was in my late teens I worked for “Company A,” and was terminated for something that was not my fault, in hindsight it was trivial (as I know my industry) and the manager who terminated me not only was on a power kick, but subsequently fired a few months later for drinking on the job and theft.

(Apparently “Company A” keeps ALL previous employee records in some kind of master database going back 30+ years.)

After I was terminated, I went to a competitor who hired me immediately, I have stayed in the industry for the past ~20+ years and worked my way up to a regional exec level.

Over the past 20 years the industry has gobbled itself up and there are fewer and fewer competitors.

My previous company is now a “division” of a competitor that we are merging with.  Because of their brand name recognition they act as their own organization, and now there are serious discussions of merging my current company with my old company…something like “Company A-Company B mashup.”  They want to make it all big and official.

HR has worked with IT and have merged old HR management systems.  Apparently they ran a check against existing employees and my 20+ year old “not eligible for rehire, terminated for cause” popped up.  I know this because my boss, our West Coast VP called me and told me about it.

I do not mean to “toot my own horn” here, but I am responsible for an incredible amount of income and cost savings for the company.  I manage a team that is responsible for over 35% of our company’s sales (the largest in the company by an order of magnitude), and through various cost cutting measures I have saved the company ~12% of OpEx YoY for the past 8 years resulting in a total cost savings in the few million dollar amount.  I have been a model employee, I have gone to our “Presidents Club” and have been recognized with outstanding awards for a majority of my time here.

I have no reason to believe that anyone who works for me or that I work for is “out for me”…that being said, the company we are merging with has a stigma of “following rules” to a comically insane level.  I can honestly see them saying "well it says you cannot work here...sooo...bye!"
As you can imagine, my level of paranoia is high at this point in time.

I am aware of “at will” employment, I do not have an employment contract beyond a boiler plate non-compete.

**If I am terminated, can I sue for wrongful termination?**

EDIT - Added "IF" to my final question

Answer:
 No, that is not wrongful termination. They can fire you for that. You can be fired for having green shoe laces or driving a Ford. You can be fired for a computer system note from 20 years ago. Nothing you can sue over if let go. You can file for unemployment and start looking for new jobs.Answer #2: So how did it go?Answer #3: If you're aware of at-will employment, then you are aware of the fact that they can fire you for almost any reason or for no reason at all. It might be shitty, but it isn't illegal, and it isn't wrongful termination.

If fired, file for unemployment. In the meantime, I'd rally some people to your cause for backup.


Title: Glasses prescription

Question: So... I’m trying to get a some new lenses for my glasses with the same prescription, but they say that I have to get another eye exam, they say it’s a state law, but I’m pretty sure they’re full of crap and just trying to sell me more stuff. Is it actually a state law?

Answer: What's your state? Prescriptions do expire


Title: My injured niece's father is withdrawing money from her beneficiary account for personal use. Can anything be done?

Question:
I'm going to try to make this brief. I am a bank teller in the US (Pennsylvania) and while I understand some of this situation, I do not understand all of it. My niece lost both her legs and there was a substantial amount of money raised to help with her medical bills. Her parents (my cousin and her husband) thought they should open an account to deposit the fundraising money into. Only her husband was put on the PUTMA account with my niece as the beneficiary.

He has been coming in for several weeks now to withdraw money. I understand that since he is the custodian, he is the only one who can legally withdraw the funds, and since it is only cash withdrawals, there is nothing I can dispute or really do. Today, my cousin came in and said she suspects he is withdrawing the money for his own use. Because she is not on the account and due to a possible conflict of interest, I simply told her that perhaps a lawyer would be the best person to consult. She believes he has withdrawn approximately 16k for his use.

I don't know what can be done. I understand since he only pulled out cash, he could easily turn around and say he used the cash for bills. Is that it, then? Can anything be done?

Thanks for reading and I apologize if this is posted incorrectly.

Answer:
 Talking to an attorney is the correct answer.

Money from such an account can only be used for the benefit of the minor.

If the niece is 14 or older, she may ask for records.  Otherwise, the parent (your cousin) may ask for an accounting.

>A custodian must keep records of all transactions, including information necessary for the preparation of the minor's tax returns. The custodian's records must be made available for inspection at reasonable intervals by a parent or legal representative of the minor or by the minor if the minor has attained the age of 14 years.


Title: [Indiana] We purchased a home and the seller's committed fraud. Can we sue?

Question: We bought a home in August. The seller did not disclose that the roof leaked. On the Real Estate Sales Disclosure they stated there were no known roof defects. Shortly after moving in, the ceiling collapsed in our daughter's room. Our agent contacted the seller's agent. They sent a contractor to the home. He stated that the roof needed replaced. He returned the next day and patched the spot that had collapsed. A few weeks later, the roof began to leak in the master bedroom. Our agent again contacted the seller's agent. She asked for the name of the roofing contractor they hired per the Home Inspection Request. (Our home inspector stated a roofing contractor was needed to evaluate the roof. The seller agreed to this request.) They provided a name of a contractor. When we contacted him, he stated he had not been to the home following any home inspection. He said he had been called months ago by the seller regarding a roof leak and was asked to patch it. He also states that he informed the seller that the shingles on the home were recalled following a class action lawsuit against the manufacturer. He states that he told them the roof was defective and needed replaced. They claim they have no knowledge of this. Our agent filed an ethics complaint against the seller's agent. She was the mother-in-law of the seller listed and failed to disclose. The seller is also a licensed real estate agent. On the listing, it states that the seller is NOT a realtor. The agent was brought before the review board and found in violation of the code of ethics. They initially refused to replace the roof. They then asked for quotes. We provided 3. They again stated they refused. After I sent a certified letter, they offered $2,000. We declined. They then offered $4,000. Now they wont respond.

Answer:
 Yes.  You can sue.Answer #2: You have a reasonable cause of action. You can sue them in Small Claims Court yourself (if your damages are less than the maximum) or get a real estate attorney.Answer #3: Yes, you absolutely can sue.

Unfortunately, it sounds like the entire roof needs work, and possibly the entire roof needs to be replaced.

Replacing a roof is easily $10k+.  You will need a lawyer for this, as it exceeds the amount allowable in small claims in every jurisdiction I'm aware of.  The good news is that you've done the leg work to have what amounts to an open-and-shut case.  The seller has basically no defense. See if anyone you know can recommend a real estate attorney.  If you can't get a personal recommendation, your local bar can likely provide a list of real-estate attorneys in the area.  I think in about 5 minutes of talking to an attorney they're gonna take the case, because it's so damned lopsided in your favor.Answer #4: I'm not a lawyer.   In regards to "The seller is also a licensed real estate agent. On the listing, it states that the seller is NOT a realtor" there is a distinction between the two.     A real estate agent and a realtor are BOTH licensted to buy/sell/act as brokers/agents in real estate transactions, but only Realtors are realtors:      http://www.inman.com/2016/04/04/difference-real-estate-agent-realtor-explained/

Just mine clarification.  So she may be accuract in saying that she's NOT a realtor but still is a real estate agent.


Title: Does a governor have the ability to force federal law enforcement out of the state?

Question: [removed]

Answer: Short answer, no. Longer answer, there are things a governor could do to limit their power and make life administratively difficult for them.


Title: Cops stopped by for nonexistent "911 hangup." Not sure what to think of it.

Question:
Location:  KY, USA

My wife and I left the house around 1 today to take her ailing grandfather to visit his late wife's grave one last time.  Around 2:30pm, our security cameras show that a single state police officer came by and knocked on the door,  then left.

My neighbor was home and said according to the officer, a 911 call was placed from our house and the caller hung up. However,  our phone shows no call was made, and of course we weren't home for that matter. Neither of our cell phones have an emergency call dialed either.

We called the state police tonight around 9, and they noted that the officer who was on duty in our area had gone for the night.  Normally I would chalk the issue up to a problem with the 911 service or something similar. However, my wife's grandfather's extended family has been coming out of the wood works with various attempts to lay claim to his quite tiny (thousands of dollars) estate, so my wife seems a bit afraid that the officer may be responding to some invalid claim of elder abuse/theft/whatever (her grandfather is in the best nursing home within 100 miles, we visit him 5+ times a week, etc. so any claims are clearly unfounded).  Her fear is that the officer received some nonsense report, and since we were not home the officer made up a 911 hangup story to avoid tipping us off, and will return later to harass or arrest her on some clearly false accusation.

Are her fears warranted?  Maybe citicop or another officer could weigh in whether this would be something to worry about. I hate having to deal with such drama and fear over something so simple, but a couple of her family members have recently showed that they will go to almost any end to take advantage of a man who has an estimated 2-3 weeks to live.

Answer:
 Cop here.

The amount of 911 hangups we get in a day is bonkers.  We have to respond to each one.  Usually someone dialed it by accident and we're good to go.
When a mobile phone dials the number and hangs up, we usually only get a general area. Maybe the call was from the area?

He could be lying about the 911 call to the neighbors but it's an unknown factor.   Has the officer been back to your house recently?  Was a business card left to contact him at?  You can always go by the station to talk to a supervisor to allay your concerns.

But based on the facts in your story, seems like a normal 911 hang up call.

If it was me, I really wouldn't worry about this.


Title: Management Group towed my car from MY garage, is this ok??

Question:
Location: Minneapolis, MN

I live in a condo and it has a underground garage. This morning my roommate told me that all the car (including mine) parking in the garage was towed, and I was surprised because it’s my private property and there is NO notice in the building of when/why are we supposed to move the car.

I then checked my email and I did see two emails saying there will be a cleaning of drain line in the garage, but I did not see it beforehand.

Is that OK to do so????Just tow my car from my owned spot without carefully notifying to me???There is NO posters or other kinds of notice at all in the building! Just two emails which even automatically been archived to “updates” thanks to Gmail.

Sorry for being emotional right now. Please give me some advice, can I ask the towing fee back from the management group?
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer:
 It depends on how the ownership of the garage (and individual parking spaces, as is the case in a property near mine) is structured. Odds are that yes, it's legal for them to tow your car under certain circumstances. "Impeding maintenance" is almost certainly one of them.

Did their notices say anything about having to move your car?


Title: Applying for a debit card with a fake address

Question:
Hi guys.

I have been checking out an online banking company, which is a debit card service where people can deposit crypto-currencies to their account and convert it to real currencies.

They offer debit cards from Visa where they can access the money in their account from ATMs and use for shopping. However, Visa doesn't ship these cards to every country, and the United States is an example of a country where the cards are not available.

The problem I see is that if you are in the United States, Uquid encourages you to provide a fake address from another country in order to get a virtual card, where the card details are sent through email. Visa does not manually verify the address with documents and so as long as the address entered is valid, you can fake being from another country to bypass the restrictions of your country.

I was wondering what the legality of this is. I appreciate any help.

Answer:
 > I was wondering what the legality of this is

Fraud is still illegal.


Title: SD exposed to mom's boyfriend's naked body

Question: Wisconsin. Just learned my 9yo stepdaughter has seen her biomom's boyfriend sleeping naked twice because they all (biomom, biomom's bf, SD, and SD's sister) share a room in biomom's parents' basement. Husband and I would like to file a police report but SD says she would be shy talking to the police. How should we handle this?

Answer:
 Time to get a court appointment to amend the child custody agreement and to file a CPS complaint. Stop talking to your kid about this now.Answer #2: Are we talking about him sleeping naked and the sheets slipping off or being thrown off in someone's sleep, or are we talking abut him deliberately flashing your stepdaughter, with the full intent that she see him?

The former is mostly a custody issue. Your partner can go back to court to amend custody to address this, if he likes; appropriate changes are hard to envision, as people are generally allowed to be naked in their own homes, but he can talk to a lawyer about possibilities. Requiring clothed sleeping arrangements might be an option.

The later could easily be a crime, and your partner should talk to a lawyer and then to the police.


Title: My workplace recently installed video,audio recording devices in company vehicles..

Question:
Recently my employer installed audio and video recording devices in the company vehicles.

I understand the video portion but I feel like the audio is encroaching on my personal rights slightly.

I’ve heard rumors about others being “coached” about the volume of their radios.

Anyhow just wanting to get some thoughts on this.

Answer:
 They own the vehicles. It's a little overboard in any case but they can do what they want with their own vehicles. You have been notified that you're being recorded. Answer #2: My thoughts are that people were screwing up in their company vehicles enough for them to justify surveillance on their property.

Good news is, since you're not one of them, you have nothing to worry about. If it makes you uncomfortable you can quit.


Title: Got my first speeding ticket, how accurate is a radar if the cop is in front of me driving towards me?

Question: He said he clocked me in at 85mph in a 55mph zone. But honestly don’t think I was going that fast and the person behind me was speeding as well and got pulled over with me too

Answer:
 On the back of the ticket, there are instructions on how to dispute the ticket. You can submit your argument that the speed gun wasn't working properly and the officer will almost certainly testify that regular calibration was done to standards at the time of the ticket.

The fact that the other drivers were speeding has nothing to do with the fact that you were. This isn't a good argument.


Title: Wife has been sexually harassed for months by a modestly renown university professor, but without hard proof.

Question:
Location: CA

Will try to keep this as brief as possible.

Yesterday, my wife revealed that her boss, a senior university professor with some national recognition in their field, has been sexually harassing her for the last 3 months.  Harassment has involved inappropriate hugs, groping, and forced kissing.  Multiple times, despite her strong protests.  It finally stopped a week ago after a particularly strenuous and physical refusal on her part.  She has mostly been able to avoid him since then, but when they do interact, he is still creating a hostile work environment from things he says to her.

Unfortunately, he was savvy enough to do this all behind closed doors, and there is no electronic trail (e.g. no emails, no texts).

We spoke to a lawyer today about options, but in the absence of hard evidence or witnesses, they weren't very reassuring.  My wife isn't sure how to proceed from here.  She isn't interested in a big monetary settlement or anything, but would primarily like to get hard evidence that this was going on to take to HR and hopefully get this jerk fired (or into a forced early retirement if everyone wants to save face).  She thinks she can trick him into admitting all of his awful behavior, but secretly recording conversations is illegal in our state.

So here is our question:

What would be the possible consequences in the event that she chose to record this conversation anyway?  It obviously wouldn't be admissible in court in the event she later decided to sue him (or their employer).  But could this guy actually sue her for recording their conversation and handing it over to their HR department and/or Title IX coordinator?  Would any prosecutor ever bring a criminal case against her?  Could the university decide to paradoxically fire her for committing a crime on campus?

For what it's worth, the perpetrator is in an authority position over junior scientists and grad students, and it seems highly probable he has been doing this to other women for years.  And if this guy can't be removed, my wife is considering leaving academia altogether, which would be a tragedy because she is well respected among her peers and is altogether amazing at what she does.  (Moving to a different institution would be difficult because of local family obligations, her lab is already set up where she's at, and because she assumes the guy will badmouth her to any other potential employers).

Answer:
 Sexual harassment cases are very often a credibility contest. It’s uncommon to have hard proof, and you don’t need it to come forward. There are other ways to corroborate claims without a recording. She should report it and let HR do its job. Answer #2: California is a 2\-party consent state. 2\-party really means "all party " and you have to have every one you record's permission to record audio.  She could be charged with a crime as well as be sued for recording audio of him without permission. SO the answer's to your questions  are Yes\-he could sue, Yes, they could bring a case, and yes, the university could fire her.

Regardless of 'evidence' she should approach HR about it anyway. She may not get any justice for herself, but if in the future another person reports him as well, her report is corroboration that he has a history of this behavior.  Either way the school could investigate her claims. Also, if she makes a report, and moves positions, she could have a case for retaliation if he badmouths her to potential employers.


Title: Apartment caught on fire, property management company is trying to charge rent for the days I wasn't able to live in the property and resided in a hotel.

Question:
Charlotte, NC

Long story short,

Apartment walls were ripped open by firemen chasing a fire and we were forced to stay in a hotel for a week until the complex could relocate us to a new apartment. Now they are trying to charge us rent for the 7 days we were not in the apartment "because we left our stuff in the apartment."

A building inspector did come by and left a note on our apt and the neighbors, declaring them unfit for habitability. I can't find the NC statues covering this, but wouldn't tenants rights allow me to not pay rent for time I can't live in the apartment, regardless of what I left in it? Can someone point me to the laws?

Answer: If they're paying for the hotel, they can charge rent. If your renters insurance is paying for the hotel, or you are, they cannot.


Title: Speeding ticket for going 434mph in NYC

Question:
Seems simple but I am confused! I got a speeding ticket in NYC. I was going 34mph, 9mph over the limit. I don't deny this and I am more than willing to pay my fine and take my points. This is also what the cop told me when I got pulled over.

This afternoon I got around to getting ready to pay the fine and I looked at the ticket, though, and it says 434mph. I'm assuming that the cop just had a momentary lapse in concentration. The speed zone is correct (25) but not my speed, which says 434 instead of 34.

What do I do? Is there any way to correct this without appealing and going through all that trouble?

Answer: Call the clerk, they might be able to correct it without appearing.  You certainly don't want to plead guilty to that typo.


Title: Employment termination - want me to sign release and NEW no compete.

Question:
This is a throwaway for obvious reasons but I'd like to start here to plan my next steps with the help of r/legaladvice.

I'll do my best to paint the picture without getting too personal.

I worked for a small local IT company for more than 4 years in both sales & service. Recently I've been trying to build my portfolio of expoerience and have previously owned my own business in the same space. There were many things I brought to the table to help improve profits, efficiency, and more beyond simply my ability to deal very well with clients in both critical technical aspects as well as large sales aspects.

You could call me a network engineer or enterprise IT consultant although there were no titles per se at this company.

Recently I independently came up with a support ticketing system that used an open source platform however I highly customized it to the point where it served our purposes and clients purposes extremely well. I used my own resources to prove my concept and eventually ended up pitching it to one of our largest clients to gauge interest. They thought it was incredible and that was enough for me to take the idea back to the company I work for in a sort of "hey look what I made and this company definitely wants it" kind of pitch. I ended up asking for a cut of profits from this project and was denied.

Weeks later they asked a partner in the company to do some research into the idea of this support system and he ended up choosing the exact same platform. They asked my oppinion on this and was definitely surprised when I saw exactly what I was working so hard on. Last night I sent an email stating my concern and the lack of voice with the company in a senior roll.

This morning I was called to the office and Terminated without prejudice. They handed me the following documents to sign and here I am asking the implementations. The company I worked for does small business with many other businesses in my small city. I have developed many relationships with multiple key decision makers in these companies, some who have expressed interest in hiring me as their IT department or IT Director. If I sign this document, it specifically barres me from working with any of these companies for at least 1 year.

DOCUMENTS: http://imgur.com/a/eXLcU

Where I live, its difficult to enforce a no competition clause, however a no solicitation clause is different. From what I've read they must be very specific.

I now have no job with a ton of opportunity which I cant take advantage of if I sign this.

What are my options? I'm leaning towards not signing however it appears they're holding at least 2 weeks of pay as hostage.

I've been on the payroll since 2011, is it even possible to deny severance?

So many questions but not sure where to start so if you need more information I'll do my very best to provide.

**TL;DR:** I've worked for company since 2011 / fired today without cause / two documents they want me to sign which would barre me from working with any company they do business with for at least 1 year ( http://imgur.com/a/eXLcU ) / located in Canada.

Answer: You're already fired so don't sign anything if they try to not pay you make a wage claim


Title: Can I open mail sent to my house if I have no clue who the person its addressed to is?

Question:
It's a very common name and we're kind of close with our neighbors, so we know it's not any of them.

Edit: New York

Answer: No. It is a federal crime to open mail that is not addressed to you. Best for you to just write "Return to Sender" on the envelope and leave it in your mailbox.


Title: Edina, Minnesota DWI

Question:
I received a 4th degree DWI in early May, first time offender. I was pulled over for speeding and had a BAC of .16. I am a graduate student that believes I am too poor for an attorney, but I'm not quite sure if I'm poor enough for a public defender. I was wondering what your opinion and advice would be if I went into court alone with a request for a plea bargain to get the charge to be reduced to a non-DWI moving violation or reduced to a .15.
Thank you for your time and help.
Topic:
DUI

Answer: Do you have experience with negotiating plea deals? If so, go for it. If not, get an attorney. Call the public defenders office and see if you qualify. If not, borrow money from friends and family.


Title: Can I politely request that they do not discuss their pay rates so long as I do not make it an order or punish them if they do? Because Janet.

Question:
I am going to give raises to 2 of 3 employees and if the 3rd one (Janet) finds out then Janet is going to cause me a ton of trouble.

Fully realizing that prohibiting or punishing employees from discussing their pay is forbidden by federal law **can I still say to them "please don't tell Janet you're getting raises"?** I am not *ordering* them not to, I would not punish them if they did, but I am requesting that they do not tell Janet. She is probably going to be laid off anyway in a couple of months, and if she creates a stink, laying her off might look sketchy.

As an aside, I get that pay discussions are protected for the purposes of unionizing. Our shop is non-union and employees have tried to unionize three times and all three times the local basically said "your shop is too small time for our Big Union" and that was that. This is New York.

Answer:
 Normally, I'd say you could potentially get away with asking nicely if you're VERY clear that you aren't attempting to discourage anything.  But this:

> employees have tried to unionize three times

is too big a risk for you.  If they've tried to unionize, someone there is familiar enough with NLRB rules to cause you problems.  It's not worth the risk.

On a non-legal note:  Own your management decisions.  If Janet doesn't deserve a raise, it's your job to tell her that and deal with her being upset.  If you can't have that sort of conversation with your team, you aren't managing.  And if she's THAT big a problem, then it's time to start managing her out the door.


Title: Received package addressed to me but didn't order anything? (USA, CA)

Question:
Hello,

I'm usually a lurker in this sub, and it has gotten me to question anything legality wise.

I recently received 2 packages at work addressed under my name from a major chain store. The thing is I never even shop at this chain store, nor would I order anything to my work or have ever ordered anything to my work office. I have e-mailed their customer service department but have yet to receive a response. I also double checked all my cards and statements and I see no charges even related to this. I still have the packages at my office unopened as I am a bit paranoid legality wise.

What are my legal obligations? Am I still able to open these packages that are addressed to me when I clearly didn't order them?

Update

I ended up opening both packages... lol curiousity got me on the other package.
Inside both of them were personalized cards saying congratulations X&Y. I'm assuming X&Y just got married (X=my first name). As for the content.. lets just say it was a pretty pricey wine rack and a kitchen set. The price tags were still on them and it looks to be about ~$800.
I'm trying to hunt down the people who sent them so I can get it to the actual people that it was meant for. It's just still strange to me as it does seem like its a wedding gift but I don't know why my name and work address was on the receiving end. If this is the case, then I might be expecting more unexpected packages...
Funny thing is that the 2 packages were from DIFFERENT senders...

Answer: Sounds like a gift registry, and there's a typo in the address.  I would call the company, and ask them to contact the people who started the registry.


Title: Landlord tried to evict me over ESA letter

Question:
I have depression/severe anxiety, my psych nurse practitioner suggested I get a cat to try and help mitigate my daily symptoms. She wrote me a note on a piece of prescription paper to give to my landlord and I paired it with a letter I wrote to explain the type of animal im looking at (cat), and how it would not interfere with the cleanliness of the apartment (declawed, neutered, good temperment). I submitted both the note and letter with a copy of the FHA document on ESAs on the 8th of this month and hoped for the best. On Monday the 11th I received a notice to vacate the premises within 30 days due to much needed "updates" and construction that must be done to my apartment with no mention of the ESA. My SO went to talk to her and she said that it's easier/cheaper to kick us out than pursue legal action and/or clean the apartment after we leave as well as once I get one, all the other tenets will want one as well.

I was heartbroken to see that notice, but at least my SO smoothed things over and we still have a place to live. Unfortunately, our apartment is very cheap and we can't find another place to live that will fit into our budget and I know it'll be risky/expensive to take it to a lawyer. Is there anything else I can do or is this the end? I'm in Ohio if that matters.

Answer: Don't be a dick and declaw a cat. If you expect that cat to help you with your health, then you need to look after the cats health and not cut off part of its paw.


Title: I was a witness to an accident and am being sued by the person who crashed. Not sure whether to fight or settle. (FLORIDA)

Question:
I turned into the left lane. Old lady and her son swerve completely out of control and crash into a tree. It was bad. I stayed for the police to come. I explained the situation. The police report describes me as a witness. My insurance company says they will provide me the tools and the attorney to fight the suite that was brought against me as a result of this. I'm not sure which direction I should take, but for them to make money off me like this is insane.

Thanks for any help.

I'm in Florida.

Answer:
 Just let your insurance handle it. They may choose to settle if they think it will be cheaper than going to court.Answer #2: There are some facts missing from your description of the event.  You don't get sued for witnessing an accident.  You are getting sued for being the cause of the accident.Answer #3: > My insurance company says they will provide me the tools and the attorney

Then use them.

If the other party can prove that your maneuver contributed in their accident (even a little bit), then they could conceivable get money from you.  Answer #4: Can you describe more fully what happened?  The lady and her son were.....where exactly?  How did the accident happen and what was your involvement in it?


Title: Neighbor's kids damaged my car. What should I do?

Question:
I live in California and the kids in my neighborhood are always playing in front of or around my house. It gets pretty annoying. I've had to come out at 11:30pm to tell them not to play soccer or scream in front of my house when people are trying to sleep or studying for a huge exam.

Just an hour ago, I woke up to two kids (brothers) kicking their soccer ball in front of my house. They do this probably every few days. I get it, they're kids but they're way too close to everyone's property, including mine. I live in a townhouse community so they were in between my house and other houses and then some cars parked (including my car). I was watching and they kept hitting other neighbor's roofs, my roof, garages, gutters, and the bumpers of cars. Then one kid kicked the ball really high and hit the roof of my car and bounce off, possibly hit something else. I saw them just laugh. I came out to tell them to play somewhere else and as I come out, their parents tell them to get in the car and they leave.
I went to check on the car and I see this: http://imgur.com/5ctesv8

How do I go about approaching this? I'm not too good with legal stuff. We're also sort of new in this neighborhood and don't really talk to the neighbors. Basically, all our neighbors are shits and we don't really wanna cause tension because we had to tell the neighbors to turn the music down at 2am and they told us to "stfu" lol.
I have video proof of the kids playing soccer and hitting people's roofs and garages but not video proof of them doing the damage to my car.

Update: My parents talked to the kids' parents and they apologized and said they would pay for the damages. My dad got the conversation on recording in case they decide to back out. We'll see how everything goes. If anything else happens (which I hope not), I'll probably be back.
Thanks everyone for your input and help!

Update #2: They're still playing soccer in front of my house and the cars and still kicking the ball at my garage and my other car. I'm 100% done with this shit.

Answer:
 Well, you can talk to their parents and should do that.  Then sue them if in small claims court if they don't pay up, but the more evidence you have the better (evidence = your testimony, the testimony of witnesses who actually saw them damage your car, photos, or video).

The other thing you can do is file a claim with your insurance if you have comprehensive insurance coverage on your car.  There will typically be a deductible ($500 for most policies).  You can choose to let the insurance company know that you know the identities of the kids doing it, or you can choose to just report that you think it was caused by some kids bouncing balls off of cars but are unsure if that was the case or not.  If you report their identities to the insurance company then it will be up to the insurance company as to whether they want to go after the kids/parents or not.  But if they do they'll recover your deductible as well as their out of pocket cost and refund it to you.Answer #2: You can sue him and his parents in small claims court. Answer #3: I talked to my mom and she said she'll file a complaint to HOA about them damaging everyone's property which I'm not sure if they will fix the issue about the car damage. Just wanted to know if that will do anything or if there's something else we can do.


Title: Reality show is going to film at my work. Can I ask for anything in the contract? NYC

Question:
I am using a throwaway account obviously. My boss is in the process of getting a reality tv show. The idea is to film the business and some parts of her personal life, but mostly the business. The show will essentially be the two of us since I am her only employee however, she is the "star". I do not necessarily want to do this show. What type of things should I be looking for in the contract? Can I ask for anything? More specifically, can I get any money out of this? She will be making money off of it, be it the business growing from it or money directly from the show. This is my first time posting here so if you need any more info please let me know.
Topic:
Business Law

Answer:
 You realize, I hope, that if your boss wants to do this, and you don't, or you make it difficult, you may lose your job.Answer #2: you can ask for anything you want. I don't think there's any television agents who regularly post here, so that's the best I can do.

your boss can also demand that you go along with this on any terms he wants and he can fire you if you don't (absent a pre-existing employment contract).

just assess your negotiating position and ask for what you want.


Title: [VA] After an Incident Forced to have Babysitter Watch Over Me.

Question:
So this happened two days ago. I was helping a client the incident is that I laughed at the comments her friend said to me and she thought I was laughing at her.  For context I have thirty years of practice working and high marks from my past employers, I have been here a few years already.  So I was told that I have to have a someone watch my work and make sure I am doing a good job, I didn't need a babysitter before and till this one coworker started targeting me it seemed I was respected and welcomed to work here. On top of this now I'm also not suppose to talk or try not talking while doing services. Which someone is going to complain eventually.

 I don't know what to do nor of what what my options or rights are, please help.

Answer:
 Your options are to have a babysitter watch over you until they decide they don't want a babysitter watching over you any more, or you can quit and find a new job.

Your employer is generally free to modify your working conditions like that.


Title: [Ohio] Neighbor mows his lawn every night

Question: Our neighbor in the back mows his lawn, or rides around on his mower, nearly every night, minimum 5 times a week. He usually does this between 6 and 8 pm, which is incredibly disturbing to our family trying to enjoy dinner on our patio or a relaxing swim in our pool. It almost seems like he waits for us to step out and then goes and fires up his mower for an hour or so. He is an older retired man, so its not as if he cant do it during the day, he rarely leaves his house. Noise curfew allows mowing until 9 pm, and we would have no problem if it were just one night a week or something reasonable, but it is nearly every single night. Do we have any course of action to deter him?

Answer:
 >* He usually does this between 6 and 8 pm

>* Noise curfew allows mowing until 9 pm

Well there's your answer.


Title: Lease at forclosed property (Virginia)

Question: Title pretty much says it all. I'm currently renting a house on a property that was foreclosed. Met the new owner and he obviously wants me to leave so I purpose a cash for keys situation. He calls me today and says very politely that he has been informed by the closing attorney that he does not in fact have to honor my lease as all foreclosed properties immediately become a month to month lease. This doesn't sound correct to me and i'm clearly not gonna take his attorney's word for it. Can anyone shed light on this for me? Does a lease on a foreclosed property automatically become month to month in Virginia?

Answer:
 Looks like his attorney is telling the truth:

>As of July 1, 2017, leases automatically terminate at the time of foreclosure. This new, big change to the law means that many renters will be facing eviction (in Virginia, “unlawful detainer”) even if they have paid their rent every month and on time.
>
>Under the new law, tenants can stay in the property month-to-month until the foreclosure purchaser (usually the bank) terminates the leas(e). The original lease rate determines the amount of rent. After 30 days’ written notice post-foreclosure, however, the tenant may be evicted. Landlords can now simply terminate any existing lease with 30 days’ notice, regardless of the length of the lease term.

[https://lee-legal.com/2017/06/30/change-to-virginia-landlord-and-tenant-law/](https://lee-legal.com/2017/06/30/change-to-virginia-landlord-and-tenant-law/)


Title: Old trash company wants garbage container back

Question:
7 years ago our trash pickup company was company A. We purchased the one container from them for close to 100$.

Few years back they were bought out by a new company, company B we will call them. Company B slapped a sticker over the logo on our current container. Recently we switched to a much cheaper pickup company who is new to our area.

Company B is saying the original trash container belongs to them, and they received no records from company A of us purchasing the container.

Of course I have no receipt from 7 years ago, but they don't have anything saying I didnt purchase it either it seems.

Today they came to collect the container, and I told the guy I owned that trashcan and had purchased it from company A 7 years ago, he said oh ok and left it. That is where I am at currently.

I guess the question is, if they bill me, is this worth the fight, do I have a chance of winning this silly battle, or should I just cut my losses.

Answer:
 Did you really purchase the container, or did you put a deposit down on it?

In my neck of the woods, the containers are owned and provided by the refuse collection company.

I think this is all going to revolve around what that $100 you gave them was for.  If you have paperwork or a receipt that in no unclear terms outlines your ownership of the container, you can tell company B to pound sand.


Title: France's abusive mom forced her way into appointment she wasn't invited to.

Question:
Location is Alabama. I'll try to make this concise. Fiance came from an abusive mother who is an actual nutcase who probably has a personality disorder. She mentally abused my fiance before we moved away. My fiances dog (who is a Rottweiler making things more tricky) has been through the abuse with my fiance and has had a lot of issues and has bitten me in the middle of a fight and me defending my fiance. It was an accident and we should have put him in his crate. All we had to do was keep him at home for 10 days then a check up at the vet to be clear. ( the problem is that the dog still lives with her mom because housing won't take his breed right now) .

We showed up to the appointment today and her mother was there. We were in the lobby and asked her to leave ( she used to force her way into my 22 year old fiances doctors appointments too because she was paying and didn't want them to know how crazy she is) so she turned on the appeal and refused to leave because the dog "is living under her roof" .

We threatened to call the police and told her it is not her place to be in the appointment room or say anything because we are paying his bills ( even though she used to, which is her grounds for being there).

She forced her way into the room anyways. The staff let her and told us they weren't therapist and me and my fiance had to tell them what a witch she is in front of her and we looked like idiots.

My question is, vet appointment or otherwise, is there any legal action we could take in the future if she tries to force her way into something like that where she is not asked or wanted?

I know this is crazy, thanks.

Answer:
 >France's abusive mom

France has an abusive mother?

>so she turned on the appeal and refused to leave because the dog "is living under her roof" .

*Is* the dog living under her roof or *was* the dog living under her roof? Who owns the dog?

Generally speaking, your fiancée is an adult, and may bar her mother from any appointment, any time, any place. Sounds like the vet didn't want to get in the middle of a family argument, which is justified. From here on out, if you think the mother is going to make an unwanted appearance at an appointment, you may want to consider telling the staff at that appointment that she may show up, but she is not welcome.

Your fiancée is welcome to file for a restraining order, as well.


Title: Arkansas - Tenants 12 days late on rent, no vehicles at residence in 5 days, friend said they have bought another house and are going to leave their stuff in mine so i lose a months rent.

Question:
My tenants are 12 days late on the rent.  All of their vehicles have been gone from the house for 5 days.  There is still a substantial amount of their property in and around the house.  Someone close to them informed me that they have purchased a house in another town, and they also implied that the tenants were going to leave some of their stuff in the house for a month so that i would lose that months rent.  I have contacted the tenant several times with a polite inquiry about the situation (never mentioning that ive been told they have bought a house) and i always get a plausible excuse with 'i'll bring it tomorrow around 5' or something, but they never show or call.  That has happened about three times.  The rental agreement only says how much the rent is and when it is due... there is nothing about late fees or notice to leave.  This is in Arkansas.  What options do i have here?  Can i remove their items and change the locks?  My concern is that if i start discussing legal action with them, they will tear the place up inside when they remove their belongings.

Edit:  Really what i am interested in is if there are any sort of abandonment laws i can bring into play, since the rent is so late, and no one currently appears to be living there.  My goal is to secure the house so they cant tear it up inside, if i start talking about legal action.

**Edit2**: To my utter disbelief, the guy showed up an hour ago with the rent, and informed me he would be moving in a few days, and that he would leave the place like he found it. Unexpected happy ending to an unbelievably stressful year with them.  Lots of lessons learned.

Answer:
 You are in the most landlord friendly state in the U.S.  Failure to pay rent is actually a crime in Arkansas.  Give them 5 days' notice and get a court date on the 5th day.

If they damage anything, you can sue them to recoup your costs.Answer #2: > Can i remove their items and change the locks?

Don't do that, at least not right away. Give them a pay or quit notice and then evict them for non payment of rent.

[More info here](http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/eviction-notices-nonpayment-rent-arkansas.html)Answer #3: Not paying rent is actually a crime in Arkansas. Give them their five day notice. Do not lock them out beforehand.


Title: [Florida, U.S.] Possible sexual discrimination at the workplace. Not sure what to make of the situation.

Question:
I can go into more detail if requested to, but here is a condensed version of my situation.

I am a male CNA (nurse assistant) working in a nursing home in Florida. The company that owns my nursing home also owns many others.

In one of the other facilities owned by the company, a male CNA raped a female resident.

There is now a company wide policy that all male CNAs need to have a female CNA present when working with female residents. ANy healthcare provider here will immediately understand how this is pretty much an impossibility.

My question is this - Is this sexual discrimination? I have a clean record and do my job very damn well. I, and any female CNA 'forced' to work with me, are being punished for the crime of a person we've never met or had contact with.

I feel like I am being punished for being a male.

Would this be the same as if black CNAs were told they needed a white CNA when working with white customers?

I think the best possible recourse would be to seek employment with another healthcare facility. What would your advice be?

Answer:
 It is discrimination.  That doesn't automatically make it illegal.  It seems like it's an alternative to banning male CNA's from working with female patients at all.

Further, even if it is illegal, damages must result.  If the rule it isn't impacting your salary, chances for advancement, etc., it would be unclear what your damages are.

This kind of rule costs the employer money.  It seems unlikely they would make it if they (or their insurer) didn't feel they absolutely had to.

>Would this be the same as if black CNAs were told they needed a white CNA when working with white customers?

I really hope you're not honestly making this comparison, but no, it's not the same.


Title: Recently in in car accident. Boss is upset that I need more time off to recover and refusing to accept retro active doctor's notes and threatening to fire me for attendence and dishonesty.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 First, you can send him a picture of your abdomen without violating HIPAA.  But I wouldn't.

Assuming that you worked your 1250 hours in the previous year and that your workplace has at least 50 employees within 75 miles, you're right that FMLA should apply here.  If so, HR likely to be merely flaky on the faxes and is unlikely to want to screw you completely, so I'd just patiently resend.  And pretty much all doctors' notes are retroactive, so asking for one saying that you were in an accident and were out x days for recuperation and require intermittent FMLA leave until whenever is pretty standard.

But your manager is on thin, thin ice if he's trying to deny you FMLA and trying to get a note for every day you're out. [Here](https://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs28g.pdf) is DOL guidance about certification for FMLA; [here](http://www.fmlainsights.com/fmla-faq-can-an-employer-require-a-doctors-note-for-each-intermittent-fmla-absence/) is a page noting that courts have been finding against employers who try to require employees to get certification for every intermittent FMLA absence.

[Here](https://www.dol.gov/whd/forms/wh-380-e.pdf) is the official DOL form requesting FMLA, so you can use that.

[Here](https://www.dol.gov/whd/fmla/employeeguide.htm) is the DOL's helpful guides to FMLA if you want to educate yourself (and your employer) further.

[Here](https://webapps.dol.gov/elaws/whd/fmla/13.aspx) is information about filing an FMLA complaint if your problems don't resolve.

And [here](http://www.photofunblog.com/funny/funny-animals-with-humanized-expression/) are some cute animal photos because you're going through a hard time and I couldn't stop listing. Good luck.


Title: Found a diamond at work (MS)

Question: So I work a part time job at a movie theater in Mississippi, and about two weeks ago I found what I think is a diamond and the setting part a few feet away but not on a ring. I was just doing routine sweep up at the start of a shift. I immediately found my GM and informed him of the finding. We have a policy of keeping lost items in a safe for at least a week, and then whoever found it is good to take the item. My GM put the diamond and setting in the safe in the office and left it there for two weeks. I reclaimed it tonight since no one ever showed up looking for it. Can I take it to an appraiser and possibly try to sell or just keep the diamond? I’ve read in some states you have to turn the clearly lost item into the police or you can face criminal charges, and I absolutely don’t want to risk that. But, if that’s not the case in Mississippi, am I okay to do with it as I please?

Answer:
 Not all do, but many diamonds are engraved with a certification number. If you take it to a jeweler they may be able to ID the owners if it’s of high enough quality to be engraved. Answer #2: I was unable to find specific info on your state but usually its turn it in and if no one claims after 30 days, it's yours.

First what I would do is take it to a jeweler and confirm it's a precious stone of value.  They can also should be able to tell you its weight and grade.  Then you can call in to non emergency and see if you are supposed to surrender the stone for 30 days.

From there,  it really is your choice.  Legally, you should follow the police stations advice from that call.

Non legal advice,  most precious jewelry is insured and the wearer most likely has already filed a claim, I doubt if you do surrender it, that anyone will claim.