Title: PS4 System Damaged (HDMI Port) when seized for search. I ended up being innocent when my roomate confessed. Any way to get reimbursed on it? Or am I screwed?

Question:
So what ended up happening was the police at my college ended up getting a search warrant for all my tech stuff I own due to a bomb threat. They seized everything tech related and when they were disconnecting my Ps4, they were kinda rough with the plugs and probably ended up bending the pins in the hdmi port.

Turns out around an hour later my roomate ended up confessing to the crime and they gave all my stuff back which is when I discovered the bent/broken pins in the ps4 rendering it useless.

The repair is expensive and the damage isn't covered by warranty so I wanted to know if I had any chance to get reimbursed if I called the station and explained things. Any advice?

I'm in the U.S, in Erie, Pennsylvania.

Answer: You can try calling the police station and talking to them. They have a system for covering damages. If that doesn't work then your  roommate is on the hook.


Title: [VA] Dance studio is claiming over 30 years of teaching experience when they have only been open for one year

Question:
A new ballroom dance studio is claiming to have over 30 years of teaching dance experience but the owner has only been teaching for 16 months (she is very new to ballroom) and the studio has only been open for one year. This statement is being used in all their advertisement in an effort to bring in more students by making them seem more reputable.

It is dishonest and deceiving. Is this legal?

Answer:
 In your title you say 30 year teaching experience. In your question you say teaching dance experience. You say she is new to ballroom.

What I am saying is, if she and maybe a helper are over age of say 40, I betcha they can fine 30 years experience to cobble together.


Title: Can my parents force me to go to their Church? (MI)

Question:
Just to clarify, I'm using a throwaway account because I'm embarrassed about my situation.

Recently, I've lost interest in my Parent's religion. They're Baptists, and keep trying to make me go to Church. I'm still a minor and I live with them. They have threatened to punish me if I don't speak with the pastor about why I no longer want to go with them.

Can they force me to attend services with them? I'd assume that it's infringing my right to religious freedom, but it's not completely clear to me because of my age.

Thank you for helping me out.

Answer: Force you in what way? No legally a cop cannot send you to juvie. Can they punish you for not going to church? Well technically yes as long as their punishments arent illegal (hitting you, making you sit outside in freezing cold, etc). Parents can punish their children for anything stupid. Doesnt mean it's right but if the punishment isn't illegal than of course they can. Answer #2: They can absolutely force you to go to church. This does not infringe on your religious freedom. The first amendment applies to the state, not your parents. Your parents can tell you that you have to go to church. They can punish you if you refuse. Answer #3: Yes they can punish you for not going while you're still a minor.


Title: Sisters fiancé keeping drugs in my house, how do I turn him in without facing legal consequences for it being in my house?

Question: I'm not sure if this is the appropriate sub to post in, but I need help. I reside in Michigan. My sister is engaged to a bad guy who has been arrested for selling drugs in the past. My sister and I live together, and her fiancé has convinced her to allow him to keep some drugs hidden in our house as he doesn't want them kept in his house (my sister is clearly infatuated with this guy and will do whatever he wants). Anyway, I want this sleazeball locked up, but I don't know how to turn him in without the drugs being found in the duplex I rent, I also don't want my sister to find out I am the one who turned him in. Any advice on how to turn him into the police?

Answer:
 If you give the police your name, then they will have that information in the report and the defendant (and your sister) will be able to see who called.

If you *don't* give your name, the anonymous report will likely not be enough to allow the police to take any significant investigatory steps.Answer #2: Who cares if your sister knows. What's worse, her being mad at you for a while or her marrying a drug dealer?


Title: [MN] computer was seized from a friends house

Question:
so i had some servers at my friends house waiting to be set up as offsite backup for me. he has had no access to log into them at all. they were sitting in a box waiting for us to find time to set them up.

a girl he knew went to the cops to report a rape by some one else. they find pics on her phone that were sent to him. she is under age.

how hard is it going to be to get my computers back? i have two computers with drive enclosures that hold 16 drives. they are all raided, so if they pull the drives the data is lost. about 6Tb.  i would go so far as to set it up for them so they can go through it so i can get my stuff back.

Answer:
 You'll be able to get them back...

When they are done with the analysis of the items. That could take months- just be prepared to wait.

Offering to help may/could speed the process.


Title: Landlord is Harassing by using Parental Blockers on my internet.

Question:
I live in the same house as my Landlord, who has the administrative account to the wifi.  He is using this to set up parental controls that block me from all of my online gaming because he disapproves of me playing them and when I confront him about it no matter where the conversation goes it usually ends with "If you don't like it move in with your father".

I can't find where the actual laws are written so i can see exactly what my rights as a tenant are and if this use of parental blockers and accompanying statements as Harassment for the purpose of eviction.  The only examples I have found include denial of essential services, utilities, lock out, and verbal harassment.

There are a lot of grey areas in my case because I live with my mother and step father,who is my landlord, we have a verbal agreement that I pay rent of $200 per month to my step father who is the official land owner.  He has not legally adopted me, incase it matters.

Do I have any legal rights to get some control in my life back, I'de rather not have to bring this to court but I'm hoping that confronting him with my legal options will be enough to get him to back down, after all my family is involved and i do need to keep living here for a while longer.

Answer:
 Translation: I live with my mom and step dad because I'm incapable of living on my own. my step dad is preventing me from playing my video games. I want to sue him for this. Reddit help me. Answer #2: Are you paying the Internet bill? If not, it's not *your* Internet.Answer #3: Not a lawyer but $200 bucks isn't squat for rent, and your best recourse is to move out if you don't like the restrictions in place. I somehow doubt you have any legal recourse to get the parental controls off your folks' WiFi.Answer #4: Wouldn't a client-based VPN solve your problem? Answer #5: That is one of the more misleading titles I have seen in this subreddit.

There is no grey area here sorry duder.  Your idea of taking it to court sounds pretty funny though so if you do that please update us.Answer #6: He is your step-father. $200 for rent is peanuts. Grow up.


Title: Gilligan's aftermath re: The Millionaire, what would have happened to those millions?

Question:
Assuming the three films never happened and the cast either escaped or where rescued after the final episode. For the sake of simplicity let's say the gang was shipwrecked for the full run of the series (1964-1967)

I would assume they would all have been presumed dead at some point in those three years. What would have happened to the Millionaires fortune during that time and what would have happened when they returned?

Answer:
 It takes at least 7 years to be presumed dead in the US.  And it requires that you not be seen or heard from in that timeframe.  So 3 years isn't enough, and any of the 100 or so guest stars who escaped the island at the end of the episode (including the entire Harlem Globetrotters at the height of their fame) would have to never speak of the island to anyone.  So their assets would be intact, and they could claim them on return just like coming back from a long vacation.

Of course, if nobody was managing their assets, it's possible loans went unpaid and foreclosure proceedings happened in their absence.


Title: Facebook data rights???

Question:
Hey so today I found out that my Facebook page got deemed “ineligible” and they shut it down. My biggest problem with that is I had years and years of memories and photos on there that I now can’t get back. I tired contacting them but I’m not getting any luck. Are they allowed to just do this and not allow me access to my data that I’ve uploaded to their website? This doesn’t seem ok. For bot purposes I’m in Boston, MA but I don’t think that’s relevant to this situation. Any advice would be helpful as I’m absolutely heartbroken. Thanks in advance
Topic:
Intellectual Property

Answer: They are allowed to deny you access to their platform for almost any reason. You have no legal right to the data that is stored on their servers.


Title: Was fired after refusing to train someone who sexually assaulted me at work.

Question:
Thank you for reading this post.

Let's get the facts
I live and work in Texas. I am a male. I was sexually assaulted at work by another male 6 months ago. I did not report is to the police. This guy still works there. I have never been written up for anything at work and have signed a statement about the assault and gave it to my HR department.
Now story time.

Today I was told I would have to cross train someone on my job because when I am out it puts too much stress on my director, and he cannot fill in for me anymore. I said ok and he said I would have to (insert name),the guy who assaulted me. I told him I would not train him because I did not feel safe being with him one on one in my office. He said I "Had no choice" then he left my office and went to lunch. I went to lunch an hour later and when I got back to lunch I went back to work. 2 hours went by and he called me into his office. There was a representative from HR there as well. I sat down and he said they were going to have to let me go. I asked why and he said " for refusing to train someone" I said for refusing to train someone who sexually assaulted me? And he said "yes". So I cleared out my desk and went on home.

Do I have a case for wrongful termination in the state of Texas?
What about the sexual assault in the workplace?

I am not looking to get rich. But I do believe in this great country and the rights I do have.

Semper Fidelis

Answer: Contact an employment attorney. Assuming the facts are as you have presented them, it's certainly worth looking into a wrongful termination suit.


Title: My Roommate Wants to Teach Her Service Animal to Kill Rats

Question:
Arkansas.

To start this off, I feel like this might be silly because I understand that rats are fed to snakes as food, but something about this just feels wrong.

My roommate has a chihuahua approved by our University’s CEA. He’s a wonderful dog and from what I understand he helps her with her asthma. We live in a university apartment and we have an RA although they do not live with us in this apartment.

This morning, my roommate and a friend of hers (who has a service dog as well, but does not live on campus nor does she attend the university) told me they are planning on buying rats for the friends dog to kill and hope that my roommates’s friend’s dog will teach my roommates dog to kill rats.

I felt a little unsettled by this, because dogs don’t a) need to kill rats to survive b) what the fuckety fuck man.

I don’t know if this is illegal, although it sounds cruel. Is it animal cruelty? Should I go to my RA about this? Or should I let it go?

Answer: I am a service dog handler. I'm not sure about how the rat killing thing factors in legally, but a service dog cannot be trained in personal protection or in any task or trick that involves aggression towards another person. It may just be something weird your room mate does at home, but if the service dog shows any aggression towards a person or other animals in public your friend is in trouble. There is a reason service dogs aren't involved in hunting sports. They have to be 100% under the handlers control at all times. This is unethical at best.Answer #2: This probably isn't illegal but if they are bringing rats onto school property you can report that. The RA probably won't be impressed by someone bringing random rodents into the dorms.


Title: I was tricked into searching for illegal porn

Question: Someone on the internet told me to search for pthc on a porn site, so i did it and it turned out to be an anacronym for child pornography, what do i do? I live in Denmark

Answer: Don't do anything. Nothing will happen. Stop searching for random shit on scummy websites and don't listen to people on the internet. If the police knock on your door, just say you had a sudden interest for the field of percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography.


Title: My sister in law was kicked to the curb last night by her landlord/BF. Need some advice on getting her stuff.

Question:
My SIL moved from Arkansas to Texas to live with her BF. Last night he kicked her out. He admitted that they had verbal agreement for her to pay rent. Together they made some furniture purchases and he is refusing to give them to her or pay half. What's the best way to get her stuff? Can he kick her out without 30 days notice?

Update: The BF is letting my SIL get her stuff without issue. I'm going to pick up the furniture in a couple of weeks when she moves into an apartment. Thanks for the advice guys.

Answer:
 He's not supposed to kick her out with 30 days notice, but does she really want to be there?

Her recourse for the furniature is to sue in small claims for her half.

If there's stuff that's 100% hers (like clothes or whatever) she can very likely call the non-emergency line and ask for an officer escourt to pick up *her* stuff.

Stuff that's owned jointly needs to either be figured out between them  (sold and split or someone pays the other person out) or she needs to sue and have a judge decide. Answer #2: she's still a tenant but since they live together it's slightly more complex, but some notice is required. best way is to set up a date he agrees to get the stuff and have her go with supporters - don't joke around or mess with him but get the stuff and get out.


Title: Manager makes waiters pay for dine and dash (Hawaii)

Question: I was talking to a co worker today when she mentioned that she had been made to foot the bill for a table that had dined and dashed. I was wondering if this was legal? What are her options if someone dimes and dashes? Can she be fired for refusing to pay?

Answer: No it is not legal for the manager to make her pay. She should collect proof and make a tip to Hawaii's board of labor. They will come in and slap the manager with a hefty fine.


Title: Is it legal to start a brothel in Florida if patrons temporarily marry their 'partners' first?

Question:
Florida Title XLVI 796.07 (1)(a) says:
"Prostitution" means the giving or receiving of the body for sexual activity for hire but excludes sexual activity between spouses

If one were to buy a property next to a county office that handles marriage certificates, would it be legal to start a business where patrons pay to choose someone to marry, get a marriage certificate, and then divorce each other after the marriage has been "consummated"?

Can the office refuse to issue marriage certificates to such customers?

What are the potential complications if patrons refuse to divorce before leaving (don't want polygamy laws to effectively render that employee useless if someone marries them and just leaves). Is it possible to write an expiry date into a marriage contract?

Would it be possible to sue and/or seek financial compensation if the state government ruined a legal business operating this way by amending this law to remove the loophole?

Does anyone know why that exception was added in the first place? It seems quite strange but must have been intentional.

Answer:
 I'm gonna need you to put down the blunt.Answer #2: If you wrote this sober, it's time to reevaluate your life.Answer #3: First problem is that there's a waiting period to get married in Florida.

Second, you couldn't force people to divorce.

Overall, dumb idea.Answer #4: The ironic thing is that you'd be making them bigamists instead of prostitutes, which is actually a more serious offense. [Source](http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0800-0899/0826/0826.html).Answer #5: There are absolutely no circumstances under which this would work.Answer #6: As the great American jurist Ludacris once stated, "you can't turn a ho into a housewife," forever establishing the precedent that marrying a prostitute is a bad idea.Answer #7: Are you stoned right now?


Title: I think my ex boyfriend is stalking me and is harassing me and my friends (Illinois)

Question:
Hi, I hope this is the right sub for this. My parents are no help and I don’t know what to do.

So a week ago, I dumped my emotionally abusive Ex boyfriend.
I tried being friends with him but he kept sending me extremely long love letters through facebook and would continuously say that we would get back together. They were creepy.
He said he was going to visit me everyday and send me letters and I told him clearly, Do not come near me and he said he would fight for me.
I called the police and they called him and told him not to contact me.

His friends guilted me into talking to him again because apparently he’s sick (Theres this ongoing thing where he’s been lying about having terminal brain cancer but I won’t get into that.) So I agreed to possibly meet up with him and hear him out. (I know, stupid. I was getting messed with)

I finally blocked him on everything when the cops came to my house the day before we were going to meet because they wanted to check up on me. They said he had been driving around in my neighborhood for hours and people got concerned and called the police. The police woman told me he’s obviously mentally disturbed, told him not to bother me and I need to just block him on everything, so I did.

After I blocked him he messaged me through his friends phone, which I blocked.
And he’s been posting about me on his social media using my name “Everyone please tell Mildache that I miss her and that I love her” There are a lot of posts.

And now, he’s messaging my friends. He’s
Messaged 3 of them multiple extremely long messages begging to talk to me. I have screenshots of them all.

I have blocked him on everything and have set all social media accounts to private.

Should I report this to police? What can I do? or is this something I just need to ignore?

Answer:
 Everyone on this sub will recommend you read Gavin De Becker's book, The Gift Of Fear.

Read Gavin De Becker's book The Gift Of Fear, ASAP.

It is the single best source on how to recognize and protect yourself from obsessive behavior.

One immediate piece of advice, however. Do NOT respond to any message from this person. It will only cause them to redouble their efforts.


Title: Weird Real Estate Tangle [PA]

Question:
I’m posting on behalf of a friend who is trying to figure out the first steps in the aftermath of her dad’s death.

Grandparents owned a house. While still alive they transferred the deed of the house to their children (my friend’s dad and my friend’s aunt). They passed away several years ago and dad and aunt start to fix the house up to sell.

Aunt unexpectedly passed less than a year ago. No surviving relatives other than her brother who is on the deed of this house with her. Dad starts the process of putting the deed solely in his name, but is a procrastinator.

While in this process, Dad dies suddenly. Has a wife and two kids.

How does the wife go about fixing the deed to this house to reflect that both owners have died?

Any advice is helpful. I’ve tried to get friend to call state bar association, but no luck. Friend’s mother has asked me to look into this.

TL;DR: Dad inherits a house with sister. Sister dies and dad procrastinated. Before he gets deed transferred entirely into his name, he also dies.
Topic:
Real Estate law

Answer: You need to convince your friend to hire an attorney. Specifically an attorney who handles wills and estates. There are going to be a lot of different variables, such as how the deed was written, whether or not the dad and aunt had wills/heirs, etc.


Title: [Canada - Ontario] How can I legally keep someone off my mother's property?

Question:
My mother has had this on and off boyfriend (currently off) for 2 years and she doesn't have the heart/motivation to deal with him anymore. He uses, sells and trades meth and holds a lot of computer/electronic stuff in his basement. He also is bipolar and ~~takes~~ has to be reminded to take many meds daily. As well he is alcoholic dependant and goes maniacal if there is no alcohol in the house. He does have criminal charges on his record and has been in jail 2 times. He just finished his parole/ going to jail on the weekends 3 weeks ago.
My mother is getting students from other countries to stay with her to make money at the end of June and all people living in the house have to hand in a police check. I would believe my mother that he is going to leave by then (as she has tried to kick him out of the house, but claims he has no where to go), but I cannot give her the benefit of the doubt anymore.
So my question is, what legal ways can I use to get him out of the house and keep him away?

Answer: Does he live there? If yes, she needs to give him notice to leave and if that fails start and eviction, just like any other tenant.


Title: [US, AL] Divorce & pets?

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Consult a divorce attorney as soon as possible.


Title: Teacher fails everyone in the class

Question:
My school implemented a pass/fail rule where if you had a 60 percent or above as of March 13 you automatically pass the semester. I had a 98 percent in my class at the time, however, I am dual enrolled in Spanish in a community college and the community college stated that if you have above a 70 percent by May 10, you can either submit a pass/fail form or else your percent grade gets entered.

My teacher gave our entire class a zero on a very important presentation that we all did, dropping everyone's grade to below 60 percent. We have tried contacting him through email, google classroom, loopmail (our grade system), and remind (his method of communication with us), and he has not responded. As the deadline is tomorrow, if he doesn't update grades, everyone in the class will have an f/ fail on our college transcript. Is there anything we can do if he does not update grades?

Thanks in advance. I live in the Bay Area, CA.
Topic:
School Related Issues

Answer: You should report this to someone higher up, the the principal/dean whatever.Answer #2: I had a teacher who would put a placeholder 0 on assignments in the portal while grading. He just did it to freak the students out and that could be the case. Your teacher does not want everyone to fail. Think about how bad that would look towards their career if they failed an entire class. A failing class doesn't mean all the students failed it means the teacher did.


Title: HTC want to charge us for repairs on a device that is not fit for purpose.

Question:
(UK) A few weeks ago my wife's phone died, and when sent off for repairs came back as "moisture damaged". This was a shock to both of us as it's never used in a wet environment, and hasn't ever been splashed or submerged with any fluids.
The only cause HTC can give us is that condensation may have formed when moving from a hot environment to a cold one. This isn't really good enough as far as I'm concerned, and we haven't really experienced any extreme changes other than a northern English winter.
All HTC customer service can tell me every time I speak to them is they will repair it at our own cost, which they won't even give me a quote for without a £27 fee.
Anything I can do here short of actually getting a solicitor involved?
Thanks for reading, guys.

EDIT: thanks for the replies, guys. Seems I've just been sailed up the river. No more HTC phones in this household

Answer: Cost of an attorney would outweigh cost of the phone.


Title: Coworker sabotaging tenure process (California)

Question:
I am in year two of a four-year tenure process at a small community college in California. Tenure-track faculty are evaluated fall semesters of their first year (I got good and satisfactory for everything) and offered second year contract. We are then evaluated in our second year and if we pass, we get a two-year contract. I am in the middle of my evaluations.

Last year, early in spring semester, I pissed off a fellow faculty member. I'll come back to that.

In late spring semester, I received an email form the Dean's assistant that the dean and department chair wanted to speak with me about some issues. (They would not tell me the context and gave me 2-1/2 weeks notice). Apparently there were numerous complaints about my teaching and interactions with students.  Things like my  cancelling of office hours without notice (not true) and not going over everything in our lab manual (this is an academic freedom issue and I am legally allowed to teach what I wish so long as it falls under the course outline of record.).

One other issue brought up was that my tests were not "rigorous enough". Since I had submitted exams last fall during my evaluation process, I thought it strange they hadn't mentioned the exams then.

I brought along the union grievance officer who told them that A) they were cruel for scheduling a vague meetin gliek that 2+ weeks in advance and B) most of the issues they were discussing were not relevant and didn't follow the actual student complaint process. (Apparently my college has a specific process that students can complain about faculty/staff to an admin official...this wasn't followed). The grievance officer also informed the dean and department chair that nothing from that meeting could be used in my evaluation this semester.

Jump forward to this semester. My department chair requested my exams from the class she observed (the one where my exams were supposedly not rigorous enough). I have two colleagues in the same cohort and neither were asked for their exams.

So, back to the colleague I pissed off. She is not on my tenure committee. She teaches a class that is after mine in a series. So, she gets many of my former students.  Well, it turns out she requested that one of them bring in my old exams and she brought it to the department chair.

Second, multiple students have informed me that she has openly disparaged my teaching and abilities in front of the class. I heard about this last year during the spring semester.

Last week, I had a student come up to me who had taken her class out of sequence and said, "it's awful what some people have said about you." Apparently this woman has told students that, "we don't want TD to get tenure". Another student was also approached in the hall and told to go to the department chair to make complaints about me.

I'm not sure what legal recourse I have and lawyers in my area are $300+/hour.  I have everything documented and the union is informed. At this point I don't know if I will be offered another contract and my dean pushed my evaluation meeting out past Christmas.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Answer: You should go consult with an attorney. It's less expensive than not getting tenure.


Title: Doubt from a foreigner about CP vivtimhood

Question:
A few days ago I read a post about a case in which some highschoolers shared some nudes from a same age girl who had shared them with one of them. According with the post, the cops who atended the case advised against filling a complaint because that would mean that the girl who had the nudes shared would herself also be charged with child pornography as she was the first one to share them.

I studied law in my country, although I don't practice It, and I know for sure that this wouldn't be the case here as one can't commit a crime against themselves and, in my country's law, she would be the victim. That's a hard principle and why, for example, I can't rob myself if I take my money out of my wallet or be consifered a murderer if I killed myself.

Any way, is those cops advise actually true? If so, what kind of fucked up mental excuse one uses to justify such excremental legal argument? I'm just curious and couldn't stop thinking about it. Thank you.

Answer:
 Yes, you can be charged in the US with child pornography, even if it's of yourself.

It's very very very rare, however.


Title: Have been told that my managers are looking at the cameras to see what my coworkers and I get up to, is they allowed to do that?

Question:
So I work in a retail store and I’ve been hearing from a couple people that one of the managers and a 2IC have been looking at the cameras to see what we’re doing, and possibly to see what I’m doing wrong. My co workers say they’re not meant to do that only the security guard can because they’re for security purposes.

It’s possible that I’ll be in trouble if they see certain things on the cameras (nothing serious just being on my phone, chewing gum, taking too long on break) and I’m just wondering if I get in trouble for anything are they in the wrong for looking at the cameras and are they even allowed to in the first place

I’m in New Zealand by the way not sure how different the laws are.
Topic:
Employment Law

Answer: They’re definitely allowed to look. They own the store, they own the cameras, and when you’re working there you’re their employee. They can justify it in about a hundred ways legally. And if you’re in a public space, not a break room, you’re not expected to have privacy, and laws regarding whether you can be filmed go away.Answer #2: Of course they can. Why WOULDNT they be allowed to? What do you think the cameras are there for?


Title: How far back can child support go in CALIFORNIA?

Question:
My father says a 38yo from California contacted him claiming to be his daughter.  My father knew of the child, but according to math it wasn't his unless it was born at 6-7 months.  The mother only told him once, which he responded the math was off, she never contacted him again, so he figured she was lying.
She says she wants nothing, just a dna test proving he is the father.
If my father IS the father of this woman, will he have to pay child support back pay. She is from California. Her mother died 2012.

Answer:
 According to this no nothing could be awarded.

http://www.legalmatch.com/law-library/article/california-retroactive-child-support.html

If your father ever had sex with the mother I think he owes her a paternity test if for no reason other than so she can know if there are any pre-existing conditions.


Title: [Fl.] Can my employer take a dine and dash bill out of my tips?

Question:
I'm a server at a chain restaurant in Florida. I make 5.05 hourly and tips. Tonight a table walked out on their check and theres nothing I could do to stop them. It was $60. My manager told me I'd be getting in trouble with the GM for it and in return I told her I will not be paying for it.

At the end of my shift I ran my check out (with credit card info, how much cash I owe the restouraunt, info like that) and it said I owed too much money and I'd be taking home less then half the tips I earned. Turns out my manager took the money out of my tips. The way it happened, in the computer somebody entered $60 cash and the changedl was like 12 cents. I did not do this and my manager was the person who closed the check. She denies doing it, but I know she tried to save her ass (because she'll also get in trouble for the dine and dash). I cought her in a lie and there is no possible way another server did it because it has to have mine or a managers password. I got my money back after hassling with her but tomorrow I have to face the store manager. She may or may not try to make me pay for it, but I'm going to refuse completely. I've yet to decide if I should tell the GM my manager lied about trying to take it from me,

Is it legal for them to make me pay? I don't think it is but I want to be sure before I go in tomorrow. Any advice would be great.

Answer:
 Your tips belong to you from the moment the customer gives them to you, unless there's a tip pooling arrangement in place, in which case they belong to the pool participants proportionately (including you). Your manager cannot participate in a tip pool while acting as a manager, and your manager can't take money that doesn't belong to her or to the company. You can _give_ your tips to her (it is, after all, your money; you can dispose of it any way you like), but you can't be obliged to and in theory your manager can't take them unilaterally.

Florida has few protections for wage deductions, but deductions from your wages cannot bring you below minimum wage. Since you're already paid less than minimum wage (with the difference made up via tips), your employer cannot deduct from your wages at all.

Having said that… normally these sorts of problems are handled via a wage complaint to the state Department of Labor. Florida doesn't have one: you have to go through the federal DOL, instead, which can take a while. Here's hoping your store manager understands employment laws in your state well enough not to make you deal with it.Answer #2: They can't make you pay for a walk-out without your prior consent. They can fire you for allowing a walk-out


Title: Friend made an anonymous report, cop told the arrested man who turned him in.

Question:
Is it legal for the arresting officer to identify the person who filed a tip anonymously to the person they are arresting?

Someone I know stopped at the police station on their way to work to give a tip that someone with outstanding warrants would be at their restaurant that day.  It turns out the arresting officer was a regular at that restaurant, and when he arrested the man, he told him and the manager of the restaurant the identity of the tipper.

This *feels* shady, but is it illegal in Maryland?  What are the consequences if the manager takes action against the employee because of the altercation?

Answer:
 How do you know that the cop told him?Answer #2: Every department and state is different, but generally speaking there are policies in place to protect the privacy of reporting parties in applicable situations. It's not always possible to keep reporting parties a secret - I mean, how the hell are my officers supposed to deal with a harassment case if we can't tell Sally *who* she needs to quit harassing?

But those are, to my understanding, just policies. Not 100% unbreakable, but the sergeant will probably tear your head off if you do without good reason.

That being said, sometimes even if my officers don't divulge the identity of the reporting party it's still pretty obvious. I mean, if this wanted subject was an idiot and told your friend that he was wanted, and he gets arrested an hour later... logically, who do you think turned him in?


Title: Roommate (m 24) threatening to cut power on other tenants

Question:
So we (m/f 20's) have a problem roommate (m 24) who is moving out early. He has already paid rent and this is the last month, however, he is declaring that since the power bill is in his name, he is going to shut it off whenever he feels like it because he won't be here the entire last month. Obviously this is an issue because there will still be people living in the house and paying rent. He is also refusing to respond to us when pressed about we he will do this or if we can just be civil and switch the utilities.

So, can we do anything about this? He is being incredibly passive aggressive and basically taking his anger out on us due to personal issues in his life. But do we have any rights in keeping our power on if he decides something?

In GA

Answer: Just report to utilities that you are switching them into your name and give them the date of when you will be taking over. It is the same process of when someone is moving into a new home.


Title: [MN] Can I invoice my landlord for my time?

Question:
My landlord refuses to make repairs necessary for living. For example , at one point, our garage door was damaged in a storm and he refused to fix it. I fixed it. It cost about $50 in materials and 4 hours of my time.

Can I demand compensation for my time

Answer:
 Warning: Vague, unfalsifiable, half-remembered anecdote ahead

While in college a professor mentioned hearing about someone who, when their landlord refused to repair their broken dishwasher, meticulously documented all the time they spent washing dishes. It went to small claims and the judge ordered the landlord to compensate them for their time.

I'm going to do some research now, so take that with the massive grain of salt it deserves.

[NINJA EDIT](http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/free-books/renters-rights-book/chapter7-6.html)

> If you can reasonably argue that you aren’t getting what you paid for, you might decide to sue in small claims court. But before you do, write a demand letter stating what you want and that you intend to sue if necessary. Write a second letter if you don’t get results.

If the second letter doesn’t do the trick, it’s time to head for the small claims court clerk’s office. We know of one tenant who successfully sued her landlord for failing to repair a dishwasher that was functioning when she moved in. In her lawsuit, she calculated how much time she spent hand-washing the dishes each day, multiplied that figure times the number of days she had been without the dishwasher, and multiplied that figure by her state’s minimum wage. She won.

No source or citation provided. I'll keep digging.


Title: [California] any chance of fighting this DUI?

Question:
So, there's no question as to whether or not I was drunk, I blew twice the legal limit and I own up to being drunk and making a huge mistake.

Here's what happened:
I blacked out after 1 drink, which never happens, then I kept drinking, and I left my friend's party without saying anything, which never happens. At first I thought I had been drugged at the party, but my friend swears up and down that nobody at that party would have done anything like that (I didn't know anyone else besides my friend).  Then I realized that I had recently started a new psych medication and I figure that's what caused me to black out so fast. I'm on 3 different psych meds for Bipolar Disorder and they all say not to drink alcohol with them, but I never had a problem before. I know that's stupid to drink anyway. Also, I was having a manic episode at the time of the DUI. So I'm wondering if any of these things could help me fight it- I was on a new med which didn't mix with the alcohol; I am bipolar and I was having a manic episode which affects self-control and decision making; there still is a chance I was drugged but my friend won't back me up. They didn't drug test me when I was arrested, they just did a breath test.

Also, I crashed my car into a bush but nobody else was involved.

I figure it's probably a really slim chance of fighting it, since they'll probably just look at my breath test and be done with it. I just want to know if it's worth hiring a lawyer.

I also read somewhere that if you fight it you can sometimes get a harsher sentence than if you just took the plea bargain. So I wanted to get thoughts on that.

Please don't tell me how stupid I am for all of this, I already feel horrible.

Thanks in advance for your advice.
Topic:
DUI

Answer:
 You drank alcohol while taking medication that doesn't mix with alcohol. No, your plethora of medical problems is in no way a defense for voluntarily becoming intoxicated and then driving.

It may be worth getting a lawyer to aid you through the process, however, and to ensure that there is no other defense available (4th Amendment violations, etc). Good luck. Answer #2: Based off of your description you have almost zero chance of fighting this DWI. Take this as a lesson learned and make better decisions in the future.


Title: Fined for a violation no one can prove I did & isn't covered in the lease. Do I have to pay?

Question:
I am in Washington, DC and renting a unit in a townhouse that has multiple tenants/units--so we share the same front door. Last week (October 4), my management company (who I rent through, the property is a condo) charged me with a $100 fine on the renter's portal without notice or explanation. When I asked why, they said I had violated a trash policy 6 weeks ago. When I pressed for more information, all I was told was that a site manager found a trash bag outside our front door on a Sunday in August (our trash pick up is MWF) and that if I wanted more information I needed to contact our condo association directly. So I did. I asked them how they knew the trash was mine and not the other tenants who share the same building/front door with me, and the exact time the trash was found because, according to the condo's website, it is acceptable to leave trash outside the front door from 8PM the day before. However, the condo association said they could not give me more information and told me to contact my management company! So I'm in a bit of a pickle.

I don't feel comfortable paying this fine until someone gives me evidence to suggest it was in fact my trash and not my downstairs neighbors, which they refuse to do. And I hate that I was never informed of any trash policy by the management company in the first place. Am I legally obligated to pay this fine? Or more specifically, **are they within their rights to punish me for not paying the fine** until I am provided more information? I've read my lease and lease addendum multiple times--neither document make any reference to a trash policy or penalty. In fact, our lease says the opposite: that we are provided a dumpster for trash disposal. However, no such dumpster exists. All of my row-neighbors and building neighbors leave their trash by the front door, which I have mirrored since moving in. I only knew of the specifics regarding the condo association's policy after I was smacked with this fine because it demanded that I do some investigating to see what I may have done wrong.  I don't want to argue ignorance as my defense but I have an issue with being misinformed by my management company, copying what all of my neighbors have done with their trash, and then having to pay a potentially undue fine for it. At the same time I don't want to put myself at risk for harsher repercussions for sitting still on this matter since it's only $100. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Edit: I would just like to clarify that I do not believe I am the perp. I have a routine with trash. It's always the last thing I do right before my nightly shower which is right before bed. I usually tuck in around 11PM every night because I have a schedule. This isn't to say it's impossible for me to have mindlessly taken the trash out at, say, 6 PM on that day, but since they didn't inform me until 6 weeks later it's impossible for me to know for certain if I did.

Answer:
 There is likely some part of your lease that requires you to follow the condo association's rules. If that is the case they are within their rights to punish you for not paying the fine.

> I've read my lease and lease addendum multiple times and can say with certainty that neither document make any reference to a trash policy or penalty. In fact, our lease says the opposite: that we are provided a dumpster for trash disposal. However, no such dumpster exists.

However if they are actually breaking a portion of the lease then you may be able to negotiate with them. Something like "Hey I get I did this thing wrong but according you are breaking this portion of the lease. How about we forget the fine and I will agree to amend the lease so you are not breaking it."


Title: Nephews broke into neighbors pool. One of them drowned and the other 2 were convicted of the breaking in. Help with the next steps.

Question:
This happened in North Carolina for the location.

The situation is: my 3 nephews broke into their neighbors pool. The pool had a structure around it. There was an accident and my youngest nephew drowned. His elder brothers were only 17 and 16 but because of how screwed up the court system is they were charged as adults with a felony for the breaking and entering. They were both convicted and have lost their appeals now too. The are in custody. Their parents sued the home owner but it was dismissed and there is a court order for them to pay her lawyer.

My family has been through hell with this. None of us can afford a lawyer to deal with the fallout or appealing the charges or lawsuit dismissal. If anyone could offer advice or tips as to what our next steps should be that would be great. I am fully aware that my nephews were trespassing but the death of my nephew, the charges and lawsuit have ruined our lives and my nephew's too.

Answer:
 On what grounds did she think she had a case for suing the homeowner when they broke into the home?? I'm very sorry for your loss. Answer #2: > Their parents sued the home owner but it was dismissed and there is a court order for them to pay her lawyer.

 For what, though?Answer #3: That's unfortunate. What's your legal question?Answer #4: Well that is a very difficult situation all around, you have my sympathies. As if losing the kid in the accident wasn't bad enough.

It sounds as if you have exhausted your appeals and options for liability. FYI this scenario is practically an exam question, and the correct answer in all of those court actions seems to have been what happened. I see no point dwelling on the matter of fault, now.

Your family has been through hell. You've blown a ton of money on lawyers and still got beat at every turn. One nephew dead, two in jail, all three loved and missed. This is an incredibly stressful series of events. And it seems popularly overlooked at just how incredibly hard on a person stress can be. It literally kills people, mainly via heart attack or stroke. It might make sense for you all to take proactive measures to confirm your basic health, physical, mental, emotional, spiritual.

As far as looking forward to the future goes, it might make sense to try to consider how to help the brothers to get back onto their feet when they get out. As convicted criminals, they will face additional obstacles. In particular, jobs will be more difficult to secure.

Some areas have non profit programs designed for helping released convicts, particularly with the basics of stability like work and housing. Might be worth looking into.


Title: Apartment complex evicted our service dog, now we must break the lease. What would help negotiate breaking a lease that ends in four months in this situation?

Question: Our service dog bit someone. We received a notice to remove our dog and have done so at great cost. Now we are attempting to negotiate down from 2x our monthly. They are backing out of appointments and dodging emails, but should have their legal eagles zeroed in by next week. What can we do to help our stance and lower the settlement amount?

Answer: They aren't required to negotiate with you. You owe whatever your lease says you owe.


Title: Hostile work environment/ union grievance going nowhere

Question:
Hello everyone- I’m hoping for some advice about the work situation I am in.
To give a little background, I work in Massachusetts, I was hired about a year and a half ago, and this issue has been going on since around March 2017.

I was hired into a position shortly after my supervisor was hired. We both went through the on-boarding and learning process together, and got along great for the first 8 months or so. In March 2017 my supervisor called me into a meeting with another employee (higher level than me, but not my supervisor) to discuss my various job duties. It was a very hostile meeting where my supervisor and the other employee told me they wanted to remove some of my job duties and make changes to my position. I held my ground with them but left the meeting very bothered. The next work day, I sat down with my supervisor and told her the previous meeting made me very uncomfortable and asked if there were any performance issues I should know about that would explain the attempt to change my job description. She stated not at all, all of my work exceeds expectations and now that she’s comfortable in her position she’s learning about other positions duties.

At first after that meeting everything was fine, but very quickly the work environment became hostile. My supervisor began to act in a very demeaning manner, tried to change my job duties, assign other employees to my tasks, minimize my role, etc. I made sure to document each instance and stood my ground where I could. All my performance reviews stated I exceed expectations and all of my work product was acceptable. After about a year, I couldn’t deal with it anymore and met with my union representative to describe what had been going on, and presented all of my documentation to them.

The union agreed that my supervisor had violated the mutual respect article of my contract and advised me to file a grievance. I worked with my union representative to compile the grievance and it was submitted almost two months ago.

Since filing the grievance, I was told by a coworker that my supervisor admitted to another supervisor that the reason she does not like me is because she doesn’t think I am qualified enough. I produce excellent work, I have had no performance issues. Other departments often request I assist on projects because I produce good work. There is also a very difficult application & interview process, and I was the selected candidate, which should indicate I hold the necessary qualifications. This seems be something my supervisor has arbitrarily decided and has been using this stance to demean and minimize my role for the past year.

I have not heard anything about the status of my grievance since. I followed up with my union rep a few weeks ago and they indicated they would reach out on the status of the grievance, but I never heard back. Last week I left him a voicemail & I sent a follow up email this morning. The work environment has continued to deteriorate since my filing.

Basically, I’m feeling very discouraged. This grievance was a last ditch effort to try to resolve these problems before trying to find a new job. I love the work I do, and the people I work with. Do I have any options that I can pursue besides the union grievance? I believe my employer was required to respond in writing within 21 days & I am trying to follow up with my union rep on that, but have not heard back from them yet. I am not sure if my supervisor deciding to change my job description based on her opinion of my qualifications gives me any ground to stand on. I am not a protected class so I don’t have any grounds there. I am a 26 year old white female. She is a middle aged white female.

In the meantime, I have started looking at job postings, but I work in a fairly specialized field so finding a new position is unlikely and could take months.

I am sorry about how long this is, I appreciate any advice you may have. I’m feeling very discouraged and very stuck.
Topic:
Labor Law (Unions)

Answer: Like the bot said, hostile work environment has nothing to do with hostility in the colloquial sense. Your only recourse is to deal with your union.


Title: [PA, US] psychiatrist rec'd medical leave from work, boss says FMLA doesn't apply to him. made me choose between job & health & I was fired for choosing health. is that legal?

Question: [deleted]

Answer: That is legal.


Title: Victim of hit and run (property damage), just found out the other party has no insurance and I'm not covered for collision. What can I do?

Question:
My vehicle was struck the other night outside of my house. I ran outside when I heard the crash and saw the fleeing car along with half my neighborhood already outside. A passenger in the back seat gave my family the bird as they drove away. Multiple witnesses got the license plate and description of the passengers inside. I have filed a police report and claim with my insurance. My insurance wont pay for my vehicle considering I only pay for liability (was selling the car) Today I found out the other party was without insurance during the time of the accident. I looked up the name of the other car's registered owner and found an address less than a mile from my house. When I went to go check it out, the vehicle that fled was parked right out front. Should I pursue legal consultation to compensate for the damages to my vehicle (totaled) or am I up shits creek?

Update:
-the vehicle damaged is only worth around 5000 or less.
-Did some research on the registered owner, belongs to a mother of a local young gang member

Answer:
 If you're only looking for $5000, depending on your location, you may be able to sue in small claims court. You wouldn't need a lawyer then.

If the other party has no insurance, chances are they don't have much money. That doesn't mean you can't sue them, but it does mean you might not be able to collect any money if you do.Answer #2: Some people that don't have Collision have uninsured motorist coverage. Check if your policy does. Answer #3: Did you also not have uninsured motorist coverage?


Title: My public defender and the opposing prosecutor have taken way too long to sign the papers that would waive a fine I no longer have to pay. Is there any way I can call on somebody who will make them get it done?

Question: I live in Ohio and long story short, I beat a DUI case against me and no longer have to pay the fine to get my license reinstated. But in order to get that fine waived I am supposed to get a paper signed by the opposing prosecutor and submitted by my public defender. They have both taken way too long and I have been without a license for almost two months after beating the DUI and I am getting very sick of dealing with either of them. Is there someone higher up I can call on to try to force them to sign the papers immediately? Is there anything I can do to force these shitheads to sign the papers and send them to the capital so I can drive again?

Answer: Not legal advice, but advice learned from working in a law office: start calling the PD twice a day EVERY DAY. Every single day, you're on their phones twice a day or more. Demand to speak to your actual PD, yes you'll wait, you'll call back however many times it takes. The old adage that the squeaky wheel gets the grease is true, he'll do the consent order just to get you to quit calling him.


Title: Narcissistic mother constantly harassing over email. She refuses to stop when asked.

Question: Pretty much what it says in the title. My unmedicated bipolar mother won’t stop harassing me, my sister, and sometimes our dad. It’s crazy how many emails she sends out. My dad literally has over a gig of text files. Is it possible to get a no contact or harassing order? I’m in Missouri and she lives in texts, I think.

Answer: So block her?


Title: My cat, murdered

Question: I have multiple witnesses that saw a man beat my kitten to death with a baseball bat. The cops won’t do anything but I want justice. If there’s anyone who can help, please...

Answer:
 OP, if someone around you is willing to kill a kitten so brutally, in front of an audience no less, please, PLEASE, be cautious with your personal safety. Especially if this is a family member, family "friend", or nearby neighbor.

Stay safe.Answer #2: If by police you mean the uniform officer who responded out to the initial call, then escalate and speak to a supervisor or call and ask to be put in touch with the animal control officer/detective who investigates animal cruelty.

The initial uniform officer may not have any experience or training on handling an animal cruelty case but a detective or animal control officer will.


Title: Threatening Neighbor

Question: I live in an apt. and hung out with this guy a handful of times. After a few times realized he was trouble. I'm a guy so it was a drinking buddies thing. Last month his gf came knocking at my door crying saying he hit her and had a past of this. I let her in and she made a call and was out in 5 minutes. He was arrested soon after but released 2 days later. He found out she was here and was pounding on the door. I opened and he rushed in with what seemed to be a knife. He threatened and swung at me. His gf came in and said drop the knife but he said it was a bottle opener. I then got him out. The worse thing is he smokes often and lives by the entrance so I have to see him. I didn't stop by and chat like usual for 2 days. My friend picked me up on may 5th to go out and the neighbor got in my face and threatening again because I ignore him. The day before I text and said it's best we don't hang out anymore. Things cooled down until recently. He's back on the patio almost every time and wants to be all buddy and go out and I say no. It's getting heated again. I bought a surveillance camera inside my place because of this. So...it's my word and a friend who saw him harass me word. What are my options other than tell police who I imagine can't do much other than piss him off.

Answer:
 On the moon neighbor disagreements are settled via Thunderdome. I suggest going for the chainsaw.

If you're not on the moon your location matters because assault and harassment law tends to be state specific.

You can be more direct and say "You have threatened me, broken into my home, and attempted to assault me. I no longer want to hang out with you. Do not contact me again." Give that to him in writing.

If he persists in contacting you, you can begin documenting this unconsented contact and start pursuing a TRO, escalating, etc.

That may indeed piss him off. How to keep your nutty neighbor happy is more of a r/relationships thing. Answer #2: Have you informed the property manager that your domestically violent, knife wielding neighbor rushed your apartment and swung a bottle opener/knife at you? Because there's some chance they'll be interested in this. They may kick him out. They may not, they may not feel it's enough, but if you inform them and continue to inform them of any other occurrences they may eventually decide that they have enough to terminate his lease. Personally, I'd have made a police report, but I do understand the appeal of hoping this will all go away.


Title: [California]Girlfriend working here through DACA, filed income tax returns for previous years with fake SSN.

Question:
My girlfriend is originally from Mexico. She is currently legally employed using her SSN she was issued when she qualified for DACA. Prior to DACA, she worked for a different employer under a fake SSN. She filed her income taxes this year for her current employer and decided to file her income taxes from previous years where she was working using a fake SSN. She received a notification from the IRS regarding the discrepancy between her SSN on her current income taxes and her past income taxes. Her information is the same on all of the forms and paperwork between her jobs, except for her SSN. We're worried that she's created a connection between her fake SSN and her real SSN.

&nbsp;

What should she do? If she acknowledges using a fake SSN, can that hinder her future chances at immigration? (as far as I know, on her I-9 at her previous job, she checked the box stating that she was a U.S. Citizen.) Will she be deported? Can she amend her tax return to use her legitimate SSN?

&nbsp;

We plan on talking to an immigration attorney, but I wanted to get Reddit's opinion and see if we've put ourselves in a situation where her legal status will prevent her from immigrating in the future. Thanks for reading, we appreciate any and all insight on the matter.
Topic:
Immigration

Answer: I am not an attorney but honestly she has put herself between a rock and a hard place legally speaking. The way I see it your girlfriend has potential problems with the IRS for filing a return with a fake SSN and possibly immigration as well.  You should contact an attorney ASAP! Just my two cents.


Title: Friend got caught distributing my malware in local cafes and I helped him start it up. How bad of a position am I in?

Question:
Throwaway for obvious reasons. We are from New York, both 17 years old.

I taught my friends how to distribute ransomware with a jailbroken iPhone and some software I rigged up. The basic scenario is I handle the back end, he goes into buildings with unsecured networks and installs the software onto people's computers. I guess he was being careless over the time we've done this because he was just taken into custody by police/FBI and I haven't heard from him since, which was about a day ago.

I've told him to always ask for a lawyer in case this ever occurred, but it was mostly to cover my ass. Idk if he'd be the one to snitch or say anything, but is it possible that some of the consequences could be pinned on me. To be honest, I don't even know if they can prove it was us. I had vpns installed onto all of the phones we used and I have some overwriting software I've already turned on the phones in case anything like this were to occur just so they couldn't use the phones as viable evidence.

I'm sort of freaking out here because I, nor my family, could afford me going to jail. And just to get this out of the way, I know this isn't the most ethical way to make money, but my friend and I, as well as our families, are in bad financial situations and I'm trying to do what's best for us.

Thanks for all who are willing to help.

Answer:
 You're in a very bad position. He'll turn on you, they always do. Delete this post and go get a lawyer.

And on a personal note, as someone you may have tried to victimize, I hope the Feds put you and your friend in prison for a decade. Answer #2: >How bad of a position am I in?

 What did the software do once installed? Was it successful?


Title: Would like to use my driving record in traffic court, but it has a speeding ticket on it from 9 years ago

Question:
I am contesting a speeding ticket (Massachusetts), and I was thinking of using my driving record as an example of how I am not someone who drives in a reckless manner.  I got the record in the mail today, and it still shows a ticket from 2005 on it.  The record goes back to 2002, and that is the only mark on it (other entries were indications of a driving record being pulled for various purposes - rental agencies, insurance, etc).

My question is whether presenting the record would do more harm than good.  Obviously a record with no items on it is ideal, but I'd think that one ticket from 9 years ago is still able to demonstrate what I'm looking to demonstrate.

EDIT: location
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer: A judge won't care about your record if it's good, only if it's bad. If you present a record with a prior speeding ticket on it..... obviously you haven't learned anything from the previous incident. Generally a judge cares if you were speeding or not. Your priority should be evidence that shows you weren't speeding the day of ticket rather than trying show the judge that you weren't speeding on the 8 years and 364 days before the date on the ticket.


Title: If I'm already married, can I get married again, to the same person, without any repercussions?

Question: My wife and I are going to Vegas next week. We wish would of gotten eloped and always joke about it, so going to do it is something I wanted to surprise her with for fun. We are married in California, can we get married in Nevada?

Answer:
 You can have marriage ceremonies with anyone you want.  Your wife, a midget you met on the strip, a goat, the lamp in your hotel room, etc.

No limits at all.

You can't file paperwork to get married again, if that's what you want to do.Answer #2: As long as you don't file a license, you can do whatever you want.  Tell the chapel you want to renew your vows.  They'll do all the Vegas pomp you want without the license.


Title: Stop paying mortgage while house is for sale

Question:
I currently own a house in DFW area (Texas) and it has been vacant and on the market for two months.  I am staying with family in Michigan.  The market where my house is located is not good and it's not looking like it will sell anytime soon.

I want to see what legal ramifications there are if I stop paying my mortgage while it is on the market.  The reason being is that I cant afford to pay all my bills while my house isn't selling. I'm able to cut my mortgage in half and be ok financially. All my research of help for mortgages and avoiding foreclosure starts with already being behind on payments.

Any advice?

Answer: If you stop paying, they will foreclose on you. Just because you have it on the market doesn't mean you don't owe your loan.


Title: (IA) Is it some variety of assault to give someone laxatives against their will?

Question:
My nephew is 17 and babysits my 4yo and 2yo. They've been over there several times and had explosive diarrhea all of the sudden. OK, that's odd... After talking to them, it seemes like he was deliberately directing them to eat foods that act as natural laxatives. After a few times of this, I was told that he mixed something in the youngest one's drink that made it taste funny, and then he had diarrhes shortly after.

I am wondering if this is some kind of assault and if I should get police involved.

Answer: I'd imagine he could be charged as if he poisoned them, since he essentially poisoned them, even if there was little long-lasting damage.  He would also surely be responsible if they became seriously ill or died from dehydration.


Title: Sister being accused of theft by friends, no proof. What actions should she take when they call the cops?

Question: More info: 19 yr old sister being accused by two groups of friends for theft of money. the first is a friends little brother for the amount of $125 and the second is from a friend for the amount of $1000 - 2000. No one witnessed the theft or have any evidence. They came to my moms house and said they would call the cops in 48 hours. What should my sister do / be prepared for when the cops are called. location (MA USA)

Answer: Call an attorney tomorrow. Don't talk to police. Stop stealing.


Title: Got into an accident while driving for Lyft. Fled Scene.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Call an attorney, preferably one who has dealt with Uber/Lyft accidents before.  You did a lot of things wrong, not reporting it, fleeing the scene, ESPECIALLY with a passenger.

Do what your lawyer tells you to.


Title: Friend caught crashing into cars, on drugs, with illegal firearms.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 There are a handful of different charges that prosecutors could bring against your friend.

Let's presume he doesn't have a concealed carry permit for the pistols, as Pennsylvania limits those to residents over age 21.   The .44 under the seat is considered concealed carry because it's in his automobile.  So that's two 3rd degree felonies.

Controlled Substance DUI is punished similar to "High Impairment" DUI;  it's a misdemeanor with a 3-180 day jail sentence, a fine of between $1000 and $5000, and a 1 year license suspension.

Ordinary controlled substance possession and drug paraphernalia charges for the vial of drugs and the syringe, so there are two more misdemeanors.

Intentionally driving into other vehicles is going to probably be charged as criminal mischief.   If the value is more than $5000 it will be a third degree felony.

So we're looking at three felonies and three misdemeanors, but all first offenses.

Negotiating pleas an arguing mitigating factors at sentencing are what a criminal defense attorney can do for him.   Sentencing is a widely variable science, and even a skilled Internet lawyer won't be able to predict the outcome with accuracy.

It's safe to say that he should try to un-enroll for next semester.


Title: Neighbors dog getting into my yard. Afraid my dog will hurt it.

Question:
I live in Arizona, in a apartment with a very small backyard that is fenced and shared with neighbors. I have a GSD and the new neighbor has a pug. The pug digs and tries to get into our yard. My dog isn't typically violent, but she is very territorial and believe she might seriously injure the pug if it came over without me or my husband introducing them first.

My husband tried talking to the woman who lives there when they both so happened to be in the yard, but she blatantly ignored him.

So, my question is, if the neighbor's dog digs its way into our yard and my dog injures or kills it, are we going to be legally held responsible?

Answer: 1) get renters make sure they know and cover said dog; 2) generally they will be if their dog enters your yard unless their dog has a right to be there.


Title: Is a $0 bill of sale legal for transfer of ownership?

Question:
I am curious whether a bill of sale for $0 can be considered legally binding. This is specifically for selling ownership of a piece of software from an individual to a company. The company works out of New York and is based in Delaware.
Topic:
Contracts

Answer:
 Typically for a contract to be binding there has to be something exchanged by both parties; thus why 1 dollar leases are common.

That being said there's nothing stopping you from just giving it to the other party but that would mean no strings attached I believe.

(Caution: IANAL just took some contract classes as part of my engineering degree).Answer #2: There must be an exchange of value.  If you are getting something of value other than money, that's fine and it can be binding.  It doesn't have to be a huge amount of value (the legal phrase you'll hear in this context is "even a peppercorn" - meaning it can be a tiny almost valueless object but not nothing at all).  If you want to be sure the contract sticks, make it for $1 or $0.01.  A penny is value, not much, but enough.


Title: Store Jewelry Display Box Broken By Customer. Customer Refuses To Pay.

Question:
My friend owns a small store, and had this happen while she was out of the store. A sales associate on staff took down the customer's information. The associate didn't know the cost of the box at the time of incident, so she couldn't charge while customer was in the store. Customer agreed to pay at the time it was broken. It is a wood and glass box, roughly 16"x30". Customer rested his hand on top and cracked the glass on top.

Friend has been contacting, back and forth with the customer, but customer insists on replacing the glass piece that was broken. It was a custom display, and the glass piece can't be replaced. A whole new display must be ordered. After a few emails, no more responses.

What course of action can my friend take? It would cost about $250 to replace the case, would it be worth it to escalate to small claims? Any other options?

EDIT: Maybe It was clear but, It is not a display case you see in jewelry stores, its just a display box. Something like this, but larger.

http://ab.weimgs.com/weimgs/ab/images/wcm/products/201639/0063/glass-shadow-boxes-c.jpg

Answer:
 How was the customer negligent?  It may have been a flaw in the glass.  Answer #2: This is why the store has insurance.

If the customer didn't intentionally break the counter (you say they just *rested* their hand on top???) how was he negligent? And now you want him to pay to replace the entire thing? Answer #3: This sounds like a cost of doing business.


Title: [yamhill county, Oregon] drove my dirtbike on the road to turn around, I fell off and broke both my legs, now the state of Oregon is suspending my license for a year.

Question: Is there anything I can do to not have my license suspended for a year?

Answer:
 Breaking both legs just turning around? Nah, what else were you doing.Answer #2: No, your license is a privilege and can be suspended at any time.Answer #3: Kind of missing some information there.

Anything happen in between the dirt bike accident and getting your license suspended?


Title: An Afghan woman gave birth aboard a USAF C-17 before landing on Ramstein AFB. Is that grounds for citizenship for her or her child?

Answer:
 Birth on a US flagged ship or airliner outside US territory isn’t grounds for citizenship.

They probably have a good argument for asylum though.Answer #2: The child is probably not a US citizen. According to the [Department of State Foreign Affairs Manual](https://fam.state.gov/FAM/08FAM/08FAM030101.html):

* “A U.S.-registered aircraft outside U.S. airspace is not considered to be part of U.S. territory.  A child born on such an aircraft outside U.S. airspace does not acquire U.S. citizenship by reason of the place of birth.” (They note that the UN Convention on Reduction of Statelessness has an article that would change this rule, but the US is not a party to it.)

* “Despite widespread popular belief, U.S. military installations abroad […] are not part of the United States within the meaning of the 14th Amendment.  A child born on the premises of such a facility is not born in the United States and does not acquire U.S. citizenship by reason of birth.”

That probably undermines any claim that the child is a natural-born US citizen. And if the kid isn’t a US citizen, that of course can’t make the mother one (not that it would anyway).

What citizenship the child *does* have probably depends on the citizenship laws of Afghanistan, any other countries the parents might be citizens of, the country whose airspace the plane was in when the child was born, and perhaps Germany (where the plane landed). But most Old World countries base citizenship on the parents’ citizenship, not the territory of birth, so I would guess that the baby is only a citizen of Afghanistan.


Title: Air duct cleaners broke into my house to clean it against my will.

Question:
So I was going to get my air ducts cleaned yesterday at 2pm. At 11am, the company's technician calls me at work and asks me via voicemail if he can come clean now - no, my wife isn't home yet and I don't let people in my house when we're not there. I tried to call him back, and his voicemail box is full, so I call the owner. This slimy sounding mafia dude tells me his technician "really needs to pick up his kid" and tells me if I don't like it, I should cancel. I've learned that dealing with folks that don't want the job is a bad idea, so I told him to cancel. My wife stays down in the city at the old house, since the appointment is canceled.

We get up there later that evening, and immediately notice things are off. There are small items on the floor (a piece of thread, a nightlight) that look like they were pulled up from the duct system. Mouse poison blocks had been laid, even though we don't use poison. I found some safety glasses on our deck, and then I found one of our window screens had been broken. This window doesn't lock closed (we're working on that, it's our first week in the house), and we finally work out that the duct tech has been in the house and climbed in through the window, breaking the screen. We also noticed some of my wife's medical marijuana missing. (Colorado, so y'know).

Incensed, I call the owner and he explains that his techs don't have cellphone service in my area and that "no one does" (the fact that I'm calling him from the house notwithstanding). He then sighs, and, very magnanimous sounding, says he will give me a $100 discount. For an appointment I canceled, and after his techs broke my window screen. My wife rips the phone out of my hand and starts reading this fuckhole the riot act in the nicest way possible, explaining that we're not going to pay for a service we didn't ask for. He then said his techs were justified because "the house looks vacant" (no, we're moving in, there's a $800 clothes washer still in its packaging inside) and because "there was drug paraphernalia" that "made it look like squatters were looking there" (this being a glass bong my wife uses, and once again, we're in fucking Colorado - bongs and weed are legal, period, for everybody).

My wife finally, after about 20 minutes, gets him to relent and he "feels fine not getting paid for the work we've done". The work was shit, by the way - I had initially requested a furnace cleaning and it was filthy.

Both of us have just felt like shit after this - even though very little is gone, we literally had our house broken into in the first week we were here, and they tried to bill us for it. Now I'm afraid this scummy sounding owner or his tech are going to retaliate somehow, and I don't know if I should file a police report.

Just for clarity, no signatures/paperwork/invoices have ever been exchanged - just a voice agreement to clean the place, and then cancel. I found the guy on Yelp with 4.5 stars and 20+ reviews (fuck Yelp).

Answer:
 Call the police and report a break in. Tell them everything you told us. They're not going to get any money from you. Answer #2: >For an appointment I canceled,

IANAL.  Technically, it sounds like he cancelled.  You had a 2pm appointment and they couldn't make it.  You declined to move the appointment to 11am.  That's on them - not you.  This could make a difference if he tries to hold you financially responsible for "the service" they provided.

>Yelp with 4.5 stars and 20+ reviews

A good chance they are fake reviews.  I don't know anyone who gets excited enough to go review duct cleaning companies.  Answer #3: Don't give them any money. Call the police, report a break-in just like you would any other time. Tell them the story.

You want a record of this in case the cleaners try anything.Answer #4: Call the police and report a break in. Then sue the company in small claims court for the damages. Answer #5: Report them to DORA.  I imagine they are licensed in some type of manner and I'm sure DORA would be all over this.   Answer #6: I had a somewhat similar situation with a contractor when we were putting up our fence.

The full story:
http://reddit.com/r/HomeImprovement/comments/3iivt5/how_to_deal_with_a_pushy_contractor_who_did_work/cuh2ebp

The short version is that a contractor "ordered materials" without an actual contract then demanded payment for it. He showed up at the house a few times to scream at us and sent several nasty letters. A neighbor caught him near our new fence with a can of spray paint, the cops got involved, and we haven't heard anything since.

Call the cops, ask your neighbors to keep their eyes open, and keep anything valuable off site.


Title: [Florida]Can I amend a lease without the landlord's knowledge?

Question: I'm about to sign a lease for a student housing community. If I were to print the lease and change some things (like the rent owed for the first month), would it be binding if the landlord signed it?

Answer:
 Of course not.

I mean you can, but it wouldn't be worth the paper it is written on.


Title: My friend was arrested. Cops basically just stole the money out of his wallet. (Kentucky)

Question:
My friend was arrested last weekend. He was the victim of a hit-an-run while his car was parked on the street. When he called the police, and they arrived on the scene, they discovered that my friend had a warrant out for his arrest due to unpaid registration on his vehicle, and failure to appear in court/unpaid court fees. They cuff him, throw him in the police car, and haul him off to jail. Before being put in the jail cell, they confiscate his possessions (keys, wallet, phone, etc). After he is bailed out, they return them. Upon inspection, he discovers that the $90 he had in his wallet is gone. When he questions the officers about it, they explain that they took it, and it was to cover "various fees" such as "snacks and drink" and other things while he was in the cell. Mind you, he never received any snacks or drinks, and he was probably only in the cell for roughly 45 minutes before being bailed out. They even printed him up a receipt and gave it to him for the $90.

Whenever he was telling me this story, this sent up several red flags for me. If there were really such "fees" my friend needed to pay for being held in the cell, why would they not send him a bill, rather than just take whatever they found in his wallet? Also, it's a little far-fetched to believe that the "fees" happen to be the exact amount that my friend had in his wallet. Did my friend essentially get robbed by the police? And if so, is there anything he can do about it?

Answer:
 What exactly does the receipt say it's for?Answer #2: This seems legitimate. He probably has an account with the local jail commissary for $90 now, which he could have used to buy snacks and pencils and toothbrushes and such while in jail. He just has to make a request to the appropriate department to get them to issue a check for the $90.

Seems annoying to your friend if he got out fast, but it's a very nice feature for people who get stuck in jail with no one on the outside to deposit money for them.


Title: Mailman wants us to move mailbox into driveway

Question:
I have a short gravel driveway that will fit 3 cars accross. When we purchased the house 2 years ago the last owner had a mailbox in the middle of the 3rd spot close to the street for the mailman. We ended up moving the mailbox out of the way as we have 3 cars and 1 trailer and could use the extra space.

Not long after we got a note on our moved mailbox stating we need to put the mailbox back where it was before or we will no longer recevie mail.  Now I know our sidewalks our pretty wide and I get the mail carrier needs to get out to reach the box. I am willing to move it but I would like to keep my 3 space driveway.

I called the postmaster about this and the answer I pretty much got was why can't we just put it back (after explaining the driveway) and that he is in an office all day and has to trust his mail carriers.

He is going to give it another day to go over it but I don't want to lose my driveway just so I can receive my mail. I am willing to work with ideas but the only idea they seem to have is to block my driveway.

Washington State

Answer:
 I believe you need to get approval from them before moving the mailbox, technically...So you put yourself in a bad position right from the start here.

Your options as far as the mailbox are to put it back where it was and try to go through the formal process of finding a spot you can move it that they will approve of (in the meantime, you lose your driveway) - or to not move it and stop getting mail delivered to your house (at which point you can remove it entirely if you want - unless you like it aesthetically or something).

If you go with option 2, you could get a PO box and just pick up your mail there...Answer #2: This is why you consult them before making changes. Now you've gone and pissed them off.

Ask the mail carrier what they would like. There has to be a reason they don't like the new spot.

Postal regulations can be complex. Ultimately the postmaster has final say, so a legal fight with them is usually a losing battle.

If all else fails you could consider a PO box.


Title: $5,000 and two years later and our wedding videographer lost all our footage. Help!

Question: Almost two years ago my wife and I hired a videographer for our wedding and they informed us that they manage to corrupt the SD card containing ours and 7 other couples weddings. They’ve sent the card into a data recovery specialist who had been working on recovering our video for the last year but hasn’t made any progress. What are our options?

Answer: Have they delivered anything at all that was promised to you? If not, they owe you a full refund.


Title: I played a “prank” on my Doctor and now I think I’m in big trouble.

Question:
Minnesota

It wasn’t supposed to be a prank but that’s kinda how it played out. It’s hard to explain so let me back up a bit.

I’ve been seeing the same Dermatologist office for about 6 years now. Since I turned 18 I’ve been every 6 months as my family has a extensive history of skin cancer. My previous Dermatologist retired 2 years ago and I’ve been seeing a new one the past 2 years. She’s right out of med school and my age and I’ve had a huge crush on her since day one. It doesn’t help that she’s been very flirty with me (or so I thought)

So 2 days ago I go in and we do the typical pre screening chat. She’s being flirty in my opinion, putting her hand on my arm while we’re talking asking my plans for the weekend, then something she’s never asked me was if I’m sexually active with I swear to god a smile. I told her not at the moment, we finish up, she tells me to change in my gown as she leaves.

She comes back 10 minutes later and we start the screening. She’s still very flirty, touching my arm once again, and this time she almost purposely has her breast pressed on my face as she’s inspecting my scalp.

I truly believed she was interested and making sexual advances toward me.

As we were wrapping up I told her there was one thing I forgot to mention. I told her I noticed an usual spot on my penis area. I pull down my underwear and truthfully I’m half erect and she says oh wow and I apologize.

She examines my downstairs and she doesn’t find anything. She has a deeper and more serious tone in her voice and says “has this area been exposed to sunlight or have you been sexually active because I don’t see anything.”  I kinda shrug and say “right there don’t you see it?” Now she gives me this angry look and says “I don’t see anything, show it to me.” I give a unenthusiastic “uhhhhh got ya” and at this point she’s pissed and says she’s going to call the cops and leaves. I get dressed quickly and leave without checking out or anything.

So I guess my question is how screwed am I? Am I going to end up on a sex offender list over a prank even though I was convinced she was coming on to me. Will doctor patient confidentiality protect me?

Like I said this was 2 days ago but I’ve not been contacted by anyone. Should I apologize or just leave it alone. Obviously I will never go back to that doctor again. But I really do feel bad that I upset her.

Thanks.

Answer: Yeah, that’s not a prank, it’s sexual assault. You committed a crime. Don’t contact the doctor again. If the police come, don’t talk to them without a lawyer.


Title: [GA] Abduction of a father by his child

Question:
This happened a while ago and I was a witness. I'm writing here to get advice from others how to handle the situation.

I was driving by myself from Florida to North Carolina using Interstate 95 and stopped at the Georgia welcome station for a short break. When I was in the common area of the welcome station I noticed an elderly man (I am guessing 95+ years old) asking strangers for help. I stopped to listen as the elderly man was begging people to help him. He explained in a frail but rational voice that he was being taken against his will, that he was being kidnapped by one of his sons, and that he wanted someone to protect him as he did not want to be taken away from his home.

I didn't do anything, but I stayed in the common area listening and watching. After a minute had passed, what I assume was his middle aged son came and tried to explain to people that his father was confused and apologized. I didn't stick around for the matter to be resolved, but later I couldn't decide what I should have done. Should I have called the police, or was the son actually trying to care for his father who may have had diminishing mental capacity?

I can't imagine what it would be like either way. That is being abducted by your child or trying to care for a parent that is prone to strange behavioral episodes. My judgement was that there were plenty of people already there listening to the elderly man, and that I didn't want to get involved so I left and drove away. Was I wrong? What should I have done?

Answer:
 There's no right answer to this.

It's impossible to tell, as an outside observer with a grand total of a few minutes' experience with either of them, whether the elderly man was truly being kidnapped by his son (possible, as awful as that is to contemplate) or whether the son was dealing with a parent suffering from early-stage dementia or Alzheimer's (also possible, and also awful, albeit from a different direction).

Had you called the police, they have the ability to investigate, but they're not perfect. There's a good chance they would have been gone by the time police showed up, and a small chance that involving the police could have made the situation go badly in some way. The same goes for calling adult protective services.

There's a [large body of research](http://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Fa0023304) out there showing that the bystander effect is [real](http://www.wadsworth.com/psychology_d/templates/student_resources/0155060678_rathus/ps/ps19.html), and that, in groups, people tend to under-act. The fact that neither you nor any of the other bystanders made an attempt to intervene is unsurprising, and I certainly can't fault you for looking on and doing nothing: the situation was both unusual and unclear. Maybe you made the wrong choice, maybe you made the right choice, but you'll likely never know for sure.Answer #2: I would have called the police but hindsight is 20/20. It was a perplexing and unexpected situation you happened upon.Answer #3: We can't tell you what the truth of the situation was. If you think there was a crime being committed, you should have called the police. If you didn't, then you did just fine.


Title: [TX] Yesterday, my sister called me and told me my brother in law beat her up. I went over with 3 of my buddies and checked her out, she had 2 black eyes and cuts. We the beat the shit out of him and he is in the hospital. What do I do?

Question:
I never been to jail before and I don't know what will happen next. I have no money for a lawyer. Did I commit a felony? The cops haven't charged me with anything.
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer:
 Don't talk to the police, and request a public defender. If this somehow isn't obvious to you, you committed a serious crime.

There's basically no other advice to give.


Title: [ON, Canada] I was the POA of my grandfather for 5 years. Now that he has passed, the executor of his estate is demanding a full account of every transaction I made on his behalf...

Question:
My grandfather made me his continuing power of attorney of property 5 years ago, after some health issues prevented him from going to the bank and such. From that point on, I made sure all of his affairs were in order. I used his accounts to make small purchases he asked for, made sure his rent and medical bills were paid, etc. I never acted outside of my duties as his POA.

A couple months ago he passed away. His executor is a different person, whom he was estranged from during the time I was POA (while he was alive I tried pushing him to change his executor due to the estrangement, but he always said it would be too much hassle, and he wouldn't care once he was dead anyways, so it never happened).

Now, his executor has written me demanding a full account of every transaction I made through his bank accounts during the 5 years I was POA...presumably because he's not happy with how much money is left over (he's also a beneficiary of my grandfather's will).

Do I have a legal obligation to provide such details to this person? Can they question what happened to my grandfather's money while he was alive? If the probate lawyer or whatever writes me with similar demands, do I have a legal obligation to provide such accounts to them either? Thanks in advance.

Answer:
 Yes, you should provide a full accounting to the probate lawyer. It is his job to try to recover in the event of fraud. POA is to be used for the benefit of the person in question, and if anything wasn't then you might be on the hook to make the estate whole.

Basically, your choices are to do it willingly or be compelled to do so by court order.Answer #2: IANAL. I am a CPA. One of our clients was an estate attorney who would outsource accounting of estates to us. Basically, we’d get the will, all of the bank/investment accounts and create an accounting of how money was spent or distributed.

In my experience, the executor would gather the info and provide it to us. They usually collected a hefty fee for their services, which would include meetings with the lawyer, selling any real estate, liquidating stocks, turning off utilities, etc.

However, it sounds like you as POA handled your grandfather’s finances before he passed, so I’m not sure how much authority the executor has, until your grandpa actually passed away.

I’m not sure why you wouldn’t want to provide whatever you have to the executor regardless if it was all above board. Understandable if you don’t have any records, just not sure why you wouldn’t if you did.
Answer #3: >Do I have a legal obligation to provide such details to this person?

Yes, you had an obligation to keep and provide accounts to every beneficiary under his Will.

>Can they question what happened to my grandfather's money while he was alive?

Yes.


Title: (Texas)Emergency room mistakenly sewed my tendons to my nerves

Question:
So i had an accident at home, fell threw my glass coffee table and cut 2 tendons and my nerve a few inches down from my wrist. The local emergency room apparently sewed my tendons to my nerves. I found this out months later after going threw a lot of pain and problems and everyone thought i was full of shit because i shouldn't be feeling any pain past the disconnected nerve. It was the worst time of my life. So after losing my job and wife (now i know her true colors) and life over this and blah blah, my dad gets me hooked up with DARS in Texas and they send me to Texas tech medical for surgery, they think they are doing a simple surgery for reconnecting my tendons or something, I dont know exactly what they thought they were gonna do to help, and find out that my tendons are connected to my nerve and its been like that for months. The surgery turned out to take 6 hours when it was planned to be for 1-2 because they had to open my arm up more and find everything and get it all back in the right place. So now i only have half a working hand that will never recover as it could have.  Two of my fingers are locked up completely past the first nuckle, and i go threw weird pains that are similar to hitting your funny bone. Also at one point before my surgery at texas tech medical i went back to ER because of so much pain and because the area of my hand that was part the disconnected nerve was so cold all the time and they nothing but tell me that's how its gonna be and told me that its impossible for me to feel any pain past the disconnected nerve and brushed me off as a junkie looking for pain pills. So can i do anything about this?
Topic:
Personal Injury

Answer:
 You can talk to a medical malpractice lawyer.

It's simply not possible to provide useful advice to you without more information than you can share on a public forum.


Title: Getting a ESA letter online/thru Certapets

Question:
First off, I'd like to intro this by saying that I'm not one for "abusing the system", as I have been diagnosed with multiple things over the years, including PTSD, major depressive, anxiety, insomnia, depression, etc. And my dog, i have known him since he was 6 weeks, and had him since he was 10weeks (he is now coming on 3 years) he has realistically saved my life more then any mental health professional ive been involved with.

I am moving across the country in a few months, and with breed restrictions on apartments where I plan on going, a lot of places won't take a 80lb German Shepherd unless he's a service animal or emotional support animal. I've talked about this with my therapist in the past, but it never went anywhere because my living situation never needed this.

So the question is, does an online company like this, provide actual, adequate legal notation for a ESA to provide to a possible landlord? If not, I'm sure I could have my doctors do one too, but online seems like way less of a hassle if it will legally work.
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 > does an online company like this, provide actual, adequate legal notation for a ESA to provide to a possible landlord?

Not one that would hold up, no.  You get a proper ESA letter from an actual, licensed therapist who's done actual, proper medical work on you.  Fly-by-night "therapists" won't hold up to a challenge.Answer #2: > So the question is, does an online company like this, provide actual, adequate legal notation for a ESA

It does not. Speak to an actual mental health professional in personAnswer #3: Those online ESA mills are useless. Get one from a real mental health professional.

Also, keep in mind, if a breed restriction is due to insurance requirements, your ESA still won't be allowed.


Title: My mom promised me I get her house when she passes away, but she is married and says that the title will legally go to my step-dad first and then he will pass the title on to me. Can I avoid this method of getting the house?

Question:
My mom bought a house (worth about $400k) and said she plans on giving it to me when she dies. However, she says this isn't possible if she dies before my step-dad because legally the house will go into my step-dad's name, and then he is expected to give the house to me.

I really don't want to get into family drama if my step dad doesn't want to give me the house, and it's already happened before with my dad who sold my mom's other house.

Are there any contracts that I can get written up through a lawyer which states my step dad has to give me the title if my mom passes away before he does?

We are in Washington State, US
Topic:
Wills Trusts and Estates

Answer: Yeah.  She needs a will.Answer #2: I'm inclined to think your mom will set things up properly if she really wants to make sure you get her share of the house. You can point her in the right direction if she needs help in doing so, but otherwise you really shouldn't count your chicks before they hatch.