Title: Can my landlord forbid me from adopting a pit bull?

Question:
My fiance and I moved into an apartment complex in Upstate New York one month ago.  We moved here because they allow tenants to own dogs.  We made it very clear to the landlord that the reason we wanted to move here was because we wanted to adopt a puppy.  She never mentioned anything about pet approval/restrictions.  When we signed the lease there is no mention of landlord approval/restrictions.

Yesterday my fiance went to the city to adopt an eleven week old pit bull.  The adoption agency called our landlord and our landlord became irate.  When I talked to her she insisted that she told us no pit bulls of pit bull mixes.  When I let her know that we would not have moved in if she had told us that she told me she wanted us to move out.

Her husband is a lawyer and told my fiance that if we brought the pit bull home he would sue us and win.

Do we have grounds to stand on?  We are moving out anyways but...WTF?

Answer:
 I am a landlord and we have it in the lease that the tenant may not have a "biting" breed. It has everything to do with my insurance. If you have a biting dog (just saying this generically) *I* can get sued as the homeowner.

It is 100% about insurance.

So could you bring the dog home? yes. If its not in the lease you can do it (to a certain extent). HIS insurance might say no Pits. But YOUR lease does not say it.

You will have a VERY difficult time getting any other apartment with a Pit. I suggest VERY strongly that you think about it before you do it. The shelter checks because they don't want that puppy to be 2 years old and end up BACK in the shelter because you cant get an apartment with a PIT.

Good luck, but IMHO I advise against it because you will not be able to get another apartment with a PIT.


Title: Can my employer legally reduce my pay after the fact if i walk out on the job (Kentucky)

Question:
Hi everyone. My job sucks for many reasons and i’m considering walking out and quitting on the spot if something occurs. My employer verbally said in casual conversation if someone walked off the job, he would change their pay rate to minimum wage. I make significantly more than minimum wage.

We never had to sign any contracts or read employee handbooks that indicated any information about this. It would be significantly damaging to my paycheck if it was reduced to minimum wage.

If i walk out on the job and quit on the spot, can my employer legally change my pay rate from my current pay to minimum wage whenever he gives me the money i’m owed?

Per title, this is kentucky, restaurant business.

Answer: No, reductions in pay must be made moving forward. Cannot be retroactive.


Title: Girl claimed to have an IUD, now claiming to be pregnant and refusing tests.

Question: Hey guys, stupid guy here. Been messing with this girl recently who told me she has an IUD and can’t get pregnant. Recently we had unprotected sex yada yada yada after all is said and done she asked for plan b, which is odd but as a scared male I just went and bought it. She told me two days ago she thinks shes pregnant bc she feels sick (shes had 2 kids already) but now she refusing to discuss the topic or take a test, can I do anything? I don’t want a child. thanks.

Answer:
 Well, the good news is you're not going to have a child.

The bad news is that she might be having a child and you are responsible for it if you're the father.

While the specifics will vary from state to state, in general, you will either have to admit to being the father or have the child's paternity established by testing before any custody or child support issues progress very far in court.

You will want to talk to family practice lawyer pretty soonish, and don't discuss anything about it with anybody who isn't that lawyer for the time being.Answer #2: An IUD can fail for any number of reasons. It's rare, but it can happen. She might not be lying. That said, if she has an IUD, *and* took Plan B, that might have messed with her hormone levels causing her to feel sick. But you can't force her to take a pregnancy test or go to the doctor.


Title: [NYC] My parents want me to endorse a mysterious check that I am the payee of that I don't know about

Question: My parents received checks for themselves, my sister, and me. Apparently, they invested money into a company that went under, and these checks are the result of a lawsuit concerning that. I don't know the details. There is a check for me and my sister because they fraudulently opened accounts with the company under our names with forged signatures. I had no knowledge of this and they were initially very unforthcoming with the origin of the check. They want me to sign the check so that they can cash it. Is this a bad idea? My impression is that if I sign the check, then I'm admitting some kind of liability for whatever business they were involved in when they forged my signature. But they say that the company went under, so I don't think it's that much of an issue? The check is for a significant amount of money. Obviously the fact that they are impersonating me is a big issue and I want to know what else they've been doing under my name, but they are quite volatile and I don't want to rock the boat too much with accusations, etc. until I finish my last semester of college. What should I do?

Answer:
 Tell them no. They will probably forge your signature, anyway.  Pull your credit report. Maybe file a police report.Answer #2: This is a bad idea both because you will never see that money again, and because you are aware that your parents are asking you to participate in their act of fraud. The former is mostly a practical matter, but the latter could well lead to charges if and when this comes to light.

"No" is a complete sentence. In an abundance of caution, you may also want to check your credit history, and consider filing a police report that your parents opened accounts in your name if you can do so without throwing your remaining semester into jeopardy in the process.


Title: Forced buy out? Is this even OKAY?!

Question:
Hey Reddit,
My boyfriend owns a business with his partner who is forcibly trying to buy him out. He's worked hard for the business and he's pretty devastated that it had to come to this point. He doesn't know what to do, his partner was the one to handle most paperwork.

She has served him papers with a proposition and less than a week to decide. The papers say they have to be signed by Friday. I'm worried that if he doesn't sign, he'll lose it all and/or any offers from her.
Obviously I don't want to give out too much information to protect the identity of these people, but I can say that he deserves more than what she's offering.

Any advice at all is helpful. I really don't know much about the laws in business ownership, etc but if you guys have anything, it would help. We also live in Portland, OR.

Answer:
 Before committing to anything he should have a lawyer review the papers.Answer #2: I'm not a lawyer but I have been in a similar situation where a 50/50 LLC deteriorated.

First thing:  Do you have a JV Agreement?  If so, how does it address disagreements between partners?

Second:  If you have no JV, then a partner's only recourse is to sue and enforce a resulting judgement.

A JV is typically done to simplify the court process (and make it cheaper.)

With no JV, one partner has to demonstrate the other partner did something to hurt the business and get a judge to agree with them and give a judgement.

So, if you are both 50/50 shareholders and you disagree and cannot resolve it yourselves, nothing can really happen in terms of ownership of the business without you first getting served with a lawsuit.

So - this sound serious, but if you are actually, legally documented 50/50 shareholders/owners, then unless the papers are a notice of claim, the other partner can't just give a deadline and then "enforce" something unless it is specified in an existing and legally executed JV.

That said, when my business partnership deteriorated, both myself and my partner were saved by our lawyers who independently bitch-slapped us and told us to put on the big boy pants and work it out ourselves, because legal fees for this type of thing get into the six figures real quick...


Title: got my wrist cut open at work, hard to hold things now and cant play guitar anymore, want to take legal action but dont know what to expect

Question:
hello all.

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im typing this because ive never had this kind of situation before and i dont know what to expect.

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what happened:

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i was loading a delivery van at about 6 am and a 4 by 8 foot panel of aluminum slipped out of my hand and dragged across my wrist, lots of blood, i wrapped myself in saran wrap and drove myself to the hospital (there was no one else there) i got 2 stitches and was sent back to work (because no one else was there) i was placed on a 5 lb weight lift limit (which meant i basically did nothing due to the nature of the business). 2 weeks later stitches came out and im given the all clear to keep working (i noted the pain to the doc but she wasnt too concerned, so neither was i) but its been over a month and i still cant squeeze without pain and my guitar skills are just awful compared to what i was capable of.

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my questions:

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 am i right at all for wanting to pursue legal action?

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am i going to be fired if i do? is that legal if they do?

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i apologize for typos, cant type too well anymore either

Answer: Assuming you're in the US, workers comp is almost certainly going to be your exclusive remedy here.


Title: [NY] Got a traffic ticket, but based on the listed infraction, I believe I may be able to fight it.

Question:
So, today at around 1:30 PM, I got pulled over and subsequently given a ticket for "using my phone" at a red light on a public highway. I was not calling or receiving a call, all I was doing was checking to see if I had a text message. I couldn't have been on my phone for more than 3 seconds, and the red light stayed all throughout. The infraction is 1225C2A.

However, when I look at the infraction [here](http://www.safeny.ny.gov/phon-vt.htm), the law I "broke" states:

"Except as otherwise provided in this section, no person shall operate a motor vehicle upon a public highway while **using** a mobile telephone to **engage in a call** while such vehicle is in motion; provided, however, that no person shall operate a commercial motor vehicle while using a mobile telephone to engage in a call on a public highway including while temporarily stationary because of traffic, a traffic control device, or other momentary delays. Provided further, however, that a person shall not be deemed to be operating a commercial motor vehicle while using a mobile telephone to engage in a call on a public highway when such vehicle is stopped at the side of, or off, a public highway in a location where such vehicle is not otherwise prohibited from stopping by law, rule, regulation or any lawful order or direction of a police officer."

I bolded "using" and "engaged in a call", because I believe I don't fall under either of those terms.

For "using":

**"Using" shall mean (i) holding a mobile telephone to, or in the immediate proximity of, the user's ear; and (ii) with respect to a person operating a commercial motor vehicle, holding a mobile telephone to, or in the immediate proximity of, the user's ear, or dialing or answering a mobile telephone by pressing more than a single button, or reaching for a mobile telephone in a manner that requires such person to maneuver so that he or she is no longer in a seated driving position, restrained by a seat belt that is installed in accordance with section 393.93 of title 49 of the code of federal regulations and adjusted in accordance with the vehicle manufacturer's instructions."**

The phone was never even close to my ear, and I was not in a Commercial Motor Vehicle.

Now for "Engaged in a call":

**"Engage in a call" shall mean talking into or listening on a hand-held mobile telephone, but shall not include holding a mobile telephone to activate, deactivate or initiate a function of such telephone."**

I was not calling nor receiving a call, and phone records will show this.

Can I fight this ticket and get off?

Thanks for any and all help!

Answer: If you are planning to go to court to defend against this ticket, you should also take a close look at 1225-d, since that actually seems to be the law that should have been cited.  The fact that the officer mistakenly cited the wrong statute will not get you off the hook, since they can just amend their complaint, so you should be prepared to show how you did not violate either section.


Title: I Can't Trust HR (California law)

Question: This all started when the HR manager at the grocery store I work at was replaced as she transferred out. I have always had a restroom issue. Already sensitive bowels, gluten intolerance, and I take medication that doesn't help with that issue, but it works for everything I do take it for. I try not to take my time in there, using my 10 min breaks and sometimes lunch to take care of it. I hate the restroom because its used by everyone who comes in but I have to otherwise Id have a problem. The old HR manager brought it up once, and I politely told her it was a medical thing, and she never brought it up again. This new HR manager has been cornering me in the warehouse, in the aisle, and brought me up to his office to "talk" about it. Concerned it could get in the way of work productivity. He asked me if I could get a doctor's note, and I obliged by talking to my doctor. He informed me that it was illegal what he was asking for right up there with asking if someone is pregnant. He suggested I ask for a note from him or some kind of official documentation. Now, he said he wanted the note from my doctor by the end of the week or there would be issues with corporate before I brought my doctor's message to him. He said "I'll talk to corporate and see what I can do." Two and a half weeks went by. When he talked to me next, it was cornering me in the busy warehouse by my department storage for product to inform me "I talked to corporate and they said we don't do notes. Can I get anything from you?" I politely said beyond my hints at bowel issues, that I couldn't. This cycle would repeat on and off for the next few months. To my credit I have been attempting to circumvent my trips (after being told they don't care how many times I go just the length) by timing myself, eating less, taking care of business before and saving it for the end of my shifts or during breaks. Today I was talked at again, not being able to record him today, (although I have recorded a mostly one sided conversation with my phone in my pocket) and he said there was going to be trouble and that he was doing what he could to help. I politely but firmly told him I wasn't trying to stonewall him, but my doctor needed some official documentation for that information. This was a legal issue. I don't want to cause problems. But I can't do anything for him. He didn't say anything except for "alright." And I told him Id bring the doctor's number if that would help. In one of the many other conversations he's had with me, he's asked for the medication or medical documentation for my issues. He said side effects weren't good enough. Today he asked if he could have the side effects and I reminded him he said that wasn't enough. He just nodded and smiled not making eye contact. I'm angry, tired, and frankly scared for myself here. I feel like Im being attacked and the hostility is increasing from him. I can't talk to anyone else because HE IS HR. What can I do to protect myself? Is there any sort of legal action I can take with this information alone? Thank you for any help you can provide.

Answer:
 > (although I have recorded a mostly one sided conversation with my phone in my pocket

Did you have his permission? Because you broke the law if you didn't.

> but my doctor needed some official documentation for that information.

Your doctor does not need anything from your employer to describe the accommodation that you need.  If you need more frequent bathroom breaks his note just has to say that. It doesn't need to go into WHY you need more frequent bathroom breaks.

If you're taking more breaks than you should be and you don't provide medical documentation of a need for accommodation then you aren't doing your part and can be legally terminated for taking too many breaks.


Title: Disable veteran getting divorced

Question:
So this is a weird story. I got married when I was in the military and have been married for 4 years. However my wife wanted to keep our marriage a secret from her parents so we never told them nor lived together even after i got out. I have been filing taxes married filing separately while they have been claiming her and paying for her college. As of up to this point she has not had a job and started working maybe a few months ago.

 When it comes down to how we've lived together we have lived together at most 2 months out of those 4 years when i was getting out of the military.  She wanted the marriage under that wraps (no this was not a contract marriage she was my high school sweet heart) due to her parents cutting off her college. So just recently my wife decided since she has a job now, has new friends (never had any before) that she now wants to smoke weed and drink with them and has detached herself from the marriage and doesn't to try and work things out anymore.

When it comes down to assets all i have is my Service Dog, Bengal cat, and money that I earned. The question I have is can she take my service dog or bengal (who I let stay with her at her parents but I bought) and touch my money even though I live off of it and am on 80% disability soon to be put at 100%.

Was married in CA

If you need more details please let me know
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer:
 >Can she take my service dog

No.  A bona fide service animal isn't a pet and isn't subject to division, just like a wheelchair or other necessary medical device wouldn't be either.

>bengal

Maybe.  If you purchased it during the marriage, then there is a chance she gets it if you are unable to work it out.

>touch my money even though I live off of it and am on 80% disability soon to be put at 100%.

 Yes and No. Federal law – in particular, the Uniformed Services Former Spouses’ Protection Act, found at 10 U.S.C.
1408 – exempts VA disability payments from division upon divorce. It is not an asset which can be divided at divorce as marital or community property.

I'm assuming you don't have children, but if you did, however, it could be counted as income for the purpose of child support.  Also, if you are ordered to pay spousal support, that can be counted as well.
But given the short length of your marriage and her parent's support of her, the likelihood and amount you'd have to pay are low.  But yes, its a possibility.

Hope that helps.


Title: Speeding ticket question.

Question:
I was tagged going 80 in a 65 in New York state on the I-90 by a State Trooper.  I *was* traveling at the speed I was clocked at, but as an 18 year old who purchased his own car, pays his own insurance, and pays the bills and rent for his own apartment--I want to avoid the insurance bump and four points on my license.

However; immediately after I entered back onto the interstate I began traveling down the left lane at 65 miles per hour.  The State Trooper began traveling behind me, and began tailgating me.  I bumped my speed up to 70, and the officer continued.  At 75, he flashed his headlights at me so I said f*** it and when I saw an opportunity, merged back into the right lane.

Now, I understand that officers often have to respond to incidents without lights/sirens--but I see no reason for a State Trooper to.  Clearly, he was just driving back to his checkpoint.

My question: When I plead not guilty (I understand that I am guilty and fully deserve the ticket, but I want to make an appearance just to have the chance to have the charges reduced).  Is it legally defensible to say that I was just keeping up with the flow of traffic around 75-80 mph, when immediately after the stop the officer began tailgating me at speeds up to 75mph.  If he deems it a safe speed, could I not argue that those speeds where what traffic conditions warranted?

Any advice here is greatly appreciated.  To be honest, I speed quite often but rarely in excess of 15-20 miles per hour.  After seeing the fines, and the tentative rate increase, I really, really, learned my lesson.  Especially being on such a tight budget.  Thanks!

Answer:
 For future reference, what you do if you are going the speed limit in the left lane and cop accelerates up to you, you stick to the speed limit and indicate that you are intending to pull to the right. Most people will let you in and you aren't, and this is important, breaking the speeding laws.Answer #2: >Is it legally defensible to say that I was just keeping up with the flow of traffic around 75-80 mph, when immediately after the stop the officer began tailgating me at speeds up to 75mph.

Nope.  The limit is the limit.


Title: [MD] Help with Landlord-Tenant dispute

Question:
So I received a letter from the sheriff yesterday that was a notice of a court case in the district court that my apartment building filed against me for lack of payment.  I am moving out at the end of this month anyway.  There's a long story behind the other tenant in the apartment (my partner) who attempted suicide but the important part is that he was in charge of the Pepco bill as per the terms of our lease of things being set up in our name.  He has been in the hospital away but in contact since it happened consistently.  We discovered that someone (neither of us) initiated a move-out on our Pepco account In mid-September and from Oct-April, the building had been paying our electric.  As the account was not in my name and in my partner's, I was unaware of this and my partner has been in hospital since September. This is not the first time this has happened, multiple apartments were not receiving their water bills for many months as well and the building was just paying it then charged us the back fees.  In that case, I got them to drop the late fees and paid the water bill.

When I received a bill to my resident account through the building for electric reimbursement they did not respond to my request to see the bill to understand where the $555 was coming from on May 16th.  They did not respond.  When they sent me another payment request on May 21, I emailed them again and received the answer of why the amount was $555 ($345 bill and $210 administration fee).

I went to see them to pay them on May 22nd and signed a check for the required amount.  I then received a notice from the sheriff dated May 22nd that I was due in court in June and the building wanted rent not paid (which I did pay and have records of paying and them accepting) as well as the $555.  I went down to the leasing office and spoke with an agent and the assistant property manager who I had spoken with before called him from her office in the back and told me the case was dismissed because I had paid the day before.  He relayed that information to me.  I emailed the property manager and assistant property manager to get that fact in writing and they have not responded to me.

Will I receive a notice in the mail that the case has been dismissed?  Are they just saying this and hoping I won't respond and lose the case automatically?  Do I get a lawyer to help me navigate this I have never had to appear in court before nor have I lived in an apartment building managed by a company before, only landlords.

TL;DR: Missing electric bill not in my name due, paid it after receiving information, but got a court notice anyway.  The leasing agent and assistant property manager told me verbally because I paid it's been dismissed but I have no written record of this.  Do I get notification if it's been dismissed or do I need to respond that I will defend and go to court?  Also, do I get a lawyer because I'm young and have never been to court in my life?

Answer:
 > Do I get notification if it's been dismissed or do I need to respond that I will defend and go to court?

You don't take the property staff's word that the case has been dismissed. You contact the court clerk and ask them if they still show the case as pending/active. If they do, you show up bringing proof you paid the bill.


Title: Cop sexually assaulted me?

Question: Is it legal for a cop to go bare handed into your underwear and grab your testicles during a traffic stop for a hat on rear view mirror he did find a half ounce of weed under my testicles this happened in hornell,new York

Answer:
 If I were a betting woman I’d say he patted you down over your clothes first, felt something that clearly wasn’t a set of nuts, hated both you and his job with every fiber of his being and then went in and retrieved the item in your underwear that you openly admit wasn’t a set of nuts. That’s not assault, that’s his job.

Edit: checked post history. That’s literally exactly what happened. Answer #2: From your post history, you seem confused about a few things.

1.	When you’re on probation, keep your nose clean.
2.	Your testicles serve a biological purpose; they’re not for [storing contraband](https://reddit.com/r/trees/comments/8cm9ib/_/dxg256f/?context=1).
3.	The cop already knew you from previous encounters. By any chance has he found things under your testicles before?Answer #3: You weren't "sexually assaulted" because of a hat. You were searched because the cop had probable cause.Answer #4: Just.. wow.

You were not sexually assaulted. The police officer found the weed you were hiding under your testicles, because you continue to make supremely bad choices.

By the way, the legal system doesn’t look too kindly on individuals making false statements about be sexually assaulted by police officers.

Stop doing illegal drugs. You may be off probation, but using weed to try to combat withdrawal from opiates isn’t going to help you in the long run. Stop using illegal drugs. Check yourself in to rehab.


Title: [NY] Is there a way to search members of my state's Bar?

Question:
I have a situation going on such that I am power of attorney and health care proxy for my grandmother, who is now in a nursing home after breaking her hip.  She has dementia and now doesn't even realize she's not at home most of the time.  She can't walk and would never be able to care for herself without 24 hour care.  My piece of shit uncle, her son, is trying to arrange for her to stay at home, mainly so the house doesn't get sold and the money doesn't go to "the fucking government" instead of him.  He met with my father to discuss things and brought a "lawyer" with him.  My dad told me what this man was saying, some of it I know to be just plain wrong, and I'm wondering if this man 1. is who he said he is or 2. is impersonating that person.  Either way, is there a way to find out if this person is indeed a lawyer with legal standing to practice?  Google turns up nothing except a linked in profile with no picture and very general information.

Edit: follow up - this man is not registered and never was. Let's say he did graduate law school but never passed the bar.  What can he actually do in terms of legal activity/representing another person in a law suit or other legal representation?

Answer:
 >Let's say he did graduate law school but never passed the bar. What can he actually do in terms of legal activity/representing another person in a law suit or other legal representation?

Absolutely nothing and unauthorized practice of law is a crime.


Title: Xbox 360 Arcade Table Legality

Question:
Hello

I built an arcade table which contains an xbox 360, a timer and a coin mechanism. Paying money into the table powers on the controllers for a period of play time.

What are reddits views on the legality of this? From my investigations, Microsoft would argue this machine is illegal due to stipulations in the EULA regarding use of the machine for commercial purposes. I am, however, located in Europe and therefore (as far as I know) not bound by any of those terms.

If you feel that expressly charging for the use of an xbox is illegal, I would appreciate your explanation as to why. I am also interested in the implications, for example, if I were to supply the table to a venue without a game, would you feel that would affect it's legality?

Your insight is appreciated.

Answer: Not an expert, but I do think the EULA does apply to you. Being based in Europe does not exclude your agreement to the terms in the the EULA


Title: I was wrongfully terminated after an assistant manager (58F) working for me (33M) lied about a conversation we had. I believed I had recorded the conversation, but could not locate the recording at the time to prove my innocence. I just now found it, one week later. What are my options legally?

Question:
Throwaway for obvious reasons.

This woman and I have known each other for 5 years.  We worked together in the past at the same company, then I left, and recently I returned as her supervisor.  I suspect that she resented me for this, believing herself to be better suited for my position.  She's fought me on many things, mostly behind my back.  During my first month there, she went to my superiors with a petty claim that they totally ignored.  A couple of weeks ago, I learned she again went to my superiors, this time with an even weaker claim that was also ignored.  The worst part is when I started, my bosses recommended she be fired, but I defended her thinking that she was a good person inside and could be an effective manager if she got on-board with my leadership.

I didn't approach her about the first time she went to my bosses, but I did about the second.  I waited to cool off, and then I sat down with her and told her that I was done defending her.  I said I believed she would do anything to antagonize my leadership in a subversive way, and any affability between us was dissolved. I also said I would be giving her strict initiatives that, if she didn't follow, would lead to disciplinary action and possible termination.

Two days later my superior sat me down and told me that she had reported me for the conversation.  She claimed that I was lewd, called her a "fucking bitch", and was inappropriate/threatening in my demeanor/actions.  Shortly after that, I was terminated due to those allegations.

But I recorded it.  I record many professional conversations in case they are misrepresented in situations like this, and I'd recommend it to anyone living in a one party consent state. But when push came to shove, I couldn't find the damn file *anywhere*.  I never mentioned the recording to anyone since I thought it might look like a flimsy excuse.  And I had zero proof. Until tonight.

It's been hard to keep my mind off of this, and I've looked for it several times since.  I ended up finding it in an obscure sub-folder that it was stored in because I think I accidentally flipped the settings on the microphones it utilizes, which changes the directory the file is saved in.  The conversation is audible, clear, and proves I did none of the things she accused me of.

I'm in a little over my head here, so I thought I would ask before I do anything.  My first instinct is to turn it over to my company, but will this guarantee me my job back?  Do I even want it back?  I don't blame the company; I live in Iowa, so we're at-will and she's a protected class due to her age. But even when I'm cleared I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable working there again. Is this a case where I could sue for wrongful termination, false pretenses, etc..? Honestly I don't know if I want that either.

I don't know what I *want* to do yet, but I at least want to find out what I *can* do, which is where I'm hoping you folks will come in.  Any information you have is appreciated.

Answer:
 This is not wrongful termination. You don't have legal recourse. File for unemployment and look for a new job.

To be clear, as well

>she's a protected class due to her age.

Everyone is a part of multiple protected classes.


Title: Question about other people using your email address as a 'throwaway'

Question:
Fictional person has a very common name, ala John Smith.  As luck would have it, John was one of the very first people to register for gmail, and ended up with john.smith@gmail\.

Over time, John receives emails addressed to his account, but clearly not meant for him.  Confirmations about registering for such and such a service, or credentials for school website portals, or practice schedules for youth sports.  On more than one occasion received nudes from randoms.  Often times, the customer name doesn't even match the email address (Dear Steve, thank you for registering your john.smith@gmail email address with us).  John's address has also been used as the recovery address on several other gmail accounts.  It is clearly not just one person using his address as a throwaway as the emails come in from several geographical regions.

Sometimes, John accesses these sites, and has mentioned in the past changing passwords or what have you, forcing the other person to go through the reset PW process and realize how they messed up when told they need to click an email link.  In one instance, John cancelled a reservation during a no-refund window. In this instance the cancellation required no credentials to be entered, just clicking a link in the email and hitting OK to confirm.

Is what John is doing illegal?  Could the people who use his address as a throwaway run afoul of any identity theft laws?

Answer:
 > Is what John is doing illegal?

Yes, very.

> Could the people who use his address as a throwaway run afoul of any identity theft laws?

No, almost assuredly not.


Title: My job is trying to force me to take a 6-12 hour training class for no pay only a paid lunch,my coworker says this is legal because the class is required by Georgia law,is this illegal to do?

Question:
Its worth noting that my boss is the one teaching this class and they have trained alot of other employees for this class but none of them were paid for the class,when I asked them why they didnt complain most of them said "eh its a free lunch" or "its whatever" I'm not the smartest cookie but I think my coworkers are not the sharpest knives in the drawer

(edit) It is also worth noting that they have changed my schedule several times after the schedule has been posted and approved making me miss the start of shifts and them getting angry with me even though I knew for sure I wasn't working on said days,so yeah pretty shady job

Edit-have confirmed with a lawyer that this is not exactly illegal but its not legal its a...difficult thing to fight,because Ga is a right to work state,I took the class it was about 16 hours long because of all the distractions and issues,if its a right to work state they can basically find any old reason to fire you,I'm working 2 jobs now and it wasn't as bad as I imagined it to be,thankyou everyone for the advice even the people that were calling me lazy lol

Answer:
 So the class is required by the state for you to maintain qualification to do your job?  Answer #2: IANAL but I am a licensed mortgage loan originator. To keep an active license I must have so many hours of continuing education every year. The company I work for has paid for this continuing education in the past but it has not paid wages for the hours I was in said classes.

I imagine yours might be a similar situation where individuals within your industry are expected to be licensed and that your company is offering you a way to fufill licensing requirements


Title: [Wisconsin] Put in two weeks - Got fired immediately?

Question:
I was working for a agent of a retail wireless company for 4 years and am currently enrolled in school.  I am going to be studying abroad in New Zealand for 6 months.  I wrote an email to my management/boss stating that I would be quitting and that my last day would be June 26th. My employer responded by saying that I am no longer employeed and she accepts my resignation immediately...

Do I have any sort of case for unemployment or wrongful termination? I'm upset because I gave her more than a months notice because I actually give a shit, and this is how I'm treated in return.

Any ideas?

Answer:
 > Do I have any sort of case for unemployment or wrongful termination?

Unemployment yes.  You said you gave a month's notice, and were involuntarily let go on the spot.Answer #2: Despite her claim of "accepting your resignation immediately", she didn't.  You didn't offer to resign then.  You were fired and are eligible for unemployment.

Nothing about it sounds wrongful, though.Answer #3: And now all your cw's know this is how they will be treated when they want to quit - so the company will be lucky to receive any notice at all from employees in the future.Answer #4: This is why many employees no longer do their employers the favor of two weeks notice.  They often turn around and pull this.


Title: What the hell am I suppossed to do?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 >Okay, so let's say that he is telling the truth and it was supposed to be filed then

At the very least he knew that they had not been filed. He absolutely would have known that the divorce had not been finalized.

At this point you need to avoid combining any additional assets, and not try to move any money around to avoid future divorce issues, and then immediately find a lawyer who can sort through this. You're past the internet advice stage.


Title: Is it legal for my apartment complex to put a barrier between tenants and the actual landowners?

Question:
This virus and quarantine have done a serious number on my living situation, so naturally I’ve been finding myself locked in conversation with the apartment office. The thing is, nobody whose number I’m allowed access to actually makes decisions on the apartment. In other words, I can talk to the managers who *represent* my landlord and their policies, but I cannot talk to the *actual* landlord(s)/property owner/person who makes the rules. The manager I spoke to told me plainly that he is not allowed to give out information on the organization or it’s heads to tenants of the apartments.

Why is this a problem? Well I’m about to be evicted. The virus hit and my two roommates and  I instantly lost our jobs. Having just moved in in March, and having no money saved up, (we’re 20) we’ve basically been piling debt to the complex over the course of quarantine, doing everything we can to pay as much as we can.

And the worst part is that I can’t even negotiate with anyone. The managers, conveniently, hold the power of their higher ups, but none of the responsibility of an actual landlord. This means that I and anyone else in my shoes is essentially screwed because we’re entirely barred from talking to anyone who actually decides how things go.

Is there anything I can do? Is it even legal for them to separate the landlord from tenants like this?
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 Landlords contract with property managers because they don't want to have to deal with you themselves. There's nothing illegal about that.Answer #2: I guess location could matter.

I know of no US location where it wouldn't be common and routine for the actual owner of a property to be obfuscated from the tenants.  They owe you a contact for fulfilling the obligations of a landlord.  That contact can be a property manager and often is.  They don't owe you a line to the owner.


Title: COA suddenly enforcing no pet rule

Question:
My family and I are living in a condo in Houston, Texas. The new condo board decided to enforce the "no pet rule" that has never been enforced in the past. They sent out a notice saying that there will be a $100 fine each time they catch us with a dog. However they said that it will be the city fining us, not the COA itself. They said there was a vote and the group supporting "no dogs" won.

My mom does not have her copy of the CC&R and I've requested one from the office but they said they don't know where it is. They are waiting for the head of the COA to come and get it, but that won't be until Monday / Tuesday, after the new rule is enforced.

I've had my dog for 3 years and I love her dearly. I keep her in the condo and she poops in the little yard we have. I admit that she tends to bark a lot, but that's the only problem she causes. I know that I should not have had a dog in the first place, but I've lived in this condo for 15 years and about 30% of the people living there have had dogs. The previous COA knew and never cared so I decided to take my dog in when I found her.

My mom and I have spoken to some members on the COA and they are pretty adamant about enforcing the new rule. They said there have been complaints about the poop and that dog bites are a big liability. We tried to argue but they would not hear of it.

Is there anything I can do?

Answer:
 If the condo rules allow them to fine you then they can fine you. The fact that they never enforced it before doesn't mean that they can't now. Answer #2: Yep, the rules apply.  But on a separate note, and I'm not trying to bash you, you should be living somewhere where that dog does not interfere with the lives of others.  Living with a barking close by just creeps into every pleasant moment at home and ruins each one of them.  I have dogs - I understand that they bark.  But if you're saying it 'tends to bark a lot', it is probably driving many nearby neighbors bat-shit crazy!  It is also probably one of the reasons why the new board opted to enforce the rule (not just your dog).Answer #3: > Is there anything I can do?

If 30% of the people there have had dogs, then there should be plenty of support for getting this rule changed.  Find out the procedure to modify the association's rules.  If that requires creating a slate of people to run for the board, do it.


Title: 60MPH in a 25MPH school zone. What are my options?

Question: I got pulled over going 60 in what usually is a 40, but I didn't realize that the school zone lights were flashing. I live in New York State, and I got my junior license two months ago. Will I get my license suspended? What are the possible penalties? Does it make a difference that I get my senior license before I submit my plea?

Answer:
 Get some comfortable walking shoes.Answer #2: That's an 8 point violation. You will be losing your license for a minimum of 60 days.  Even 60 in a 40 is 4 points which is losing your license. Slow the fuck down.Answer #3: Possible penalties:
8 Points

Fine of $360-$1,200

Surcharge of $80-$85

Up to 30 Days in Jail

Your license will also likely be revoked for 60 days which won't matter because your insurance is going to go so high that you won't be able to afford to drive.

I would get a traffic lawyer immediately.Answer #4: >but I didn't realize that the school zone lights were flashing.

Probably because you were going too fast to notice them.

>Will I get my license suspended?

Maybe.

>What are the possible penalties?

Doing 35mph over the limit puts eight points on your license. In NY when your license reaches six points you get charged a Driver Responsibility Assessment (DRA) fee, which is $100 each year for three years. For each point above six you get charged an additional $25/year. For the base fine alone you're looking at $600 plus a $93 court surcharge.

>Does it make a difference that I get my senior license before I submit my plea?

No. You committed the offense while you had your junior license.

Get a traffic lawyer and learn to drive responsibly.

http://newyorkspeedingfines.com/

http://newyorkspeedingfines.com/speeding-junior-license-restricted-license-york/

Answer #5: In a school zone? What if you would have hit a kid? Your life as you know it would be OVER.

You can go to court, but neither the prosecutor nor the judge is going to be very lenient. May still be worth a shot.

Take your punishment and slow down.


Title: Signed apt lease contract notes that internet is included in the rent, but landlord says nay

Question:
(I originally posted this in /r/personalfinance, but it was deemed inappropriate because it was a legal question, which I did not realize. So I decided to post here instead!)

&#x200B;

\[excerpt of lease\]([https://imgur.com/OSpI143](https://imgur.com/OSpI143))

&#x200B;

It looks like the lease contract clearly says that Internet is included in the rent, as seen by the check mark. The lease was already signed by both me and the landlord. I texted the landlord about how I can access Internet, but they replied back saying that “There is no Wi-Fi Internet in the building. It should not be a part of your lease. You need to contact an Internet company to start service.”

&#x200B;

Not sure how to approach this without being too pushy or mean, but I feel like we both signed the contract that clearly says internet is included in the rent. I feel like I could I ask for a discount on my monthly rent equal to internet cost. Or should I seek a local attorney before trying to bring this up with the landlord again?

Answer: Depending on the cost of internet in your area, it may be worth it to speak with a local attorney then, because clearly it is included in the lease, even if it “should not” be included. If you go that route, make sure you take not only the lease agreement, but any other communication you’ve had with him including texts or email related to this issue.Answer #2: NAL but in lawyer speak the word “shall” means “must”, so yeah, landlord must include internet as part of the lease.  When you spoke to him before, did you mention that it shows in the contract that Internet is included? If he still won’t budge, you might be out of luck unless you have a lawyer friend that can write him a letter with the firm’s letterhead and try to get him to lower the rent by the cost of what you’ll pay for internet. Often, a letter of this type is enough to scare them into doing the right thing.Answer #3: Just keep in mind if you do decide to take your landlord to court to recoup your internet costs, it is likely your landlord ask you to vacate at the end of the lease.


Title: Drinking on the job - Canada

Question:
This is the right subreddit, I'm sure of it
Anyway I work for a furniture store on the sales team in Canada, Alberta.
We have one older coworker who is a raging alcoholic (also a shitty person, but that's not part of the story). So this lady, let's call her Mary, is constantly late, leaves early and worst of all, drinks on the job, sometimes she drinks mouthwash!
So we've brought this up to the owner of the company, and he chooses to ignore this because she sells lots, shes a closer, sober and drunk. When brought up it boils down to us being told to mind our business.
And if she wasn't driving to and from work drunk I might.
Can we get some advice here?

Answer:
 If you believe she's driving drunk, you can report it to the police. You don't need your boss' permission. If you're terminated for making a good-faith police report, speak to an attorney.

You're not owed sober coworkers, though - the only obvious legal issue for you here is that she's driving drunk.


Title: Friend [34f] lost her job for being American, boss wants Canadians only [Ontario]

Question:
I live in Hamilton, near Ontario. Recently a friend of mine was fired for being American, she said "the boss fired me, said 'I don't fucking want American-Canadians with their yankee doodle dandy', Canucks only here.".

As for the job she was fired from, it was an office job, in the city.

She's American-born, but to a Quebecois mother, American father, from Minnesota, identifies as American, rather than Canadian, was born in Minnesota. She has dual U.S-Canada citzenship.

I'm Canadian, from the area mentioned at the top of this post.

Does she have grounds to actually sue over dismissal? Is racism a reason enough to sue?

Need advice on this as we're not sure what to do.

Jane Doe

edit: I paraphrased the word Canuck, didn't quote exactly what the boss said (btw. my friend was drunk when she told me this)
Topic:
Business Law

Answer:
 She should contact the [Ontario Human Right Tribunal](http://www.sjto.gov.on.ca/hrto/). There are 15 protected classes in Ontario including:

>citizenship

>race

>place of origin

>ethnic origin

>colour

>ancestry

>disability

>age

>creed

>sex / pregnancy

>gender identity

>gender expression

>family status

>marital status

>sexual orientation

>receipt of public assistance

>record of offence
Answer #2: >  Is racism a reason enough to sue?

Racism *is* reason enough to ~~sue~~ file an application with the HRTO.  But this certainly isn't racism.  How you could even consider Americans (a nation of immigrants) to be their own race separate from Canadians (another nation of immigrants) is beyond my comprehension.

As others have said, this will fall under one of the protected grounds of the HRTO, namely place of origin. *(edit: or also citizenship)*   Answer #3: > I live in Hamilton, near Ontario

I'll assume you're upset at your friend losing her job, because you probably know that Hamilton is *in* Ontario, not near. You could say it's near to St. Catharines or even Toronto.


Title: Ex boyfriend cheated and lied for months and I’m being petty and want to inflict mostly harmless revenge. Is it illegal to sign him up for telemarketers?

Question:
Throwaway for obvious reasons...

I recently discovered that my ex of many years has been cheating and lying for months. I’m destroyed and he seems to be taking no responsibility for his actions.

I completely realize that I’m being ridiculous petty and it would be in my best interest to just walk away and never think about him or engage him in communication ever again....However, I’m hurting really badly and I’d like to mess with him just slightly. It might not make me feel better but will at least be amusing?

I want to put his number on LendingTree and other sites so telemarketers will call non stop for days. How illegal is this? If I use a VPN will I be tracked and charged for harassment?

Again, I know I’m being ridiculous and apologize in advance. Just here for the legal advice.

Answer:
 This is not r/pettyrevenge

If he pushes the police enough, this would absolutely qualify as harassment.

My legal advice: Don't do this. Move on with your life. Answer #2: If he has good reason to suspect it's you, then you could find yourself in legal trouble whether or not there's any hard proof.

&#x200B;

And no, it very likely won't make you feel better. If you need revenge as a motivator, then let it motivate you to become the kind of awesome person he'll feel like a moron for cheating on.


Title: Mom recently passed away about 6 weeks ago, step dad is being shady about her will...not sure what to do.

Question:
(Colorado) My mom passed away suddenly at the end of August. My former step-dad, whom I've never had any kind of relationship with, has been very unclear about what's in her will. We're obviously all grieving, and he's mentioned my brother and I are both in her will, and I'm unsure of what I'm allowed/should be doing since he's the executor and extremely slow moving through this process. He's definitively said my name is in the will--what should I be doing?
Topic:
Wills Trusts and Estates

Answer:
 Do you know roughly how many assets your mother had? The answer to that, and your location, will together determine what kind of Probate process must be followed. Probate records are generally public, so you'd be able to follow the case through your local courts and keep an eye on things.

If you're unfamiliar with that process, the easiest thing to do would be to consult an estate attorney.


Title: Lied about felony and now I got fired. Do I have any legal standing?

Question:
Reddit, I fucked up. I got a shot at a decent job at a residential care facility in OR as a cook that required a background check. About 8 years ago I was convicted of a non-violent drug felony. I lied on the application and thought I made it through because I was offered the job. 4 months later and I haven't been paid. The general manager and the HR person who hired me have been fired because of things I haven't been privy to.

I have contacted the main office of the company and they explained that my paperwork was never processed and I basically had to go through the hiring process again. I also filed a wage claim with the state department of labor.

Today I had a meeting scheduled with an HR representative from the head office. She informed me that they found my felony conviction and that I was to leave immediately. I was very embarrassed and left with my head down.

I know I made the original mistake that has lead to all of this. But I still haven't been paid. I'm thinking of hiring a lawyer but I'm worried about the results of the background check and me lying on the application affecting my case. I really appreciate your responses and I hope you're all having a fantastic day.

TLDR: I lied on an application about a past felony. Job hasn't paid me. Fired me when they found out about felony. Will this hurt my wage case?

Answer:
 Lying on your application is reason to fire you.

They still have to pay you.  Pursue your wage claim.Answer #2: They can fire you for that for sure.

But they have to pay you for the hours you worked.Answer #3: If i read this correctly, you worked or 4 months without pay?Answer #4: File a claim with department of laborAnswer #5: They still have to pay you


Title: Just received an eviction notice but I paid my rent. Urgent!

Question:
I'm in Wisconsin.

I have rented from this guy for a little over a year. When our lease was up... 2 months ago, we didn't renew the lease because we weren't sure if we would want to move or not. We confirmed with our LL that we would now be month to month. This afternoon, I found an eviction notice on the door stating that we had not paid the rent. This is curious to say the least because we have always, always paid full rent on the first of the month. My roommate even had a conversation with both the secretary and the LL when he paid rent on that day, when he dropped it off at the office.

Also, the notice says we have 5 days to vacate. This doesn't seem legal. Don't evictions require 30 days notice?

LL hasn't responded to any form of communication yet, but it's still early. What is the proper course of action for me here if he maintains that we didn't pay? Thank you.

Edit- I am almost positive this isn't the case, but if it turned out that the check did bounce, then would they have had any obligation to let me know about that before issuing this?

Answer:
 Well, if you paid then you should have proof that you paid and you can show that to the landlord. Answer #2: What you got was a fix or quit letter. Basically, it is saying to remedy the situation (in this case missing rent) or move out in five days, or they will start the eviction process. They don't have to give 30 day notice if you didn't pay rent (I know you say you did, but they disagree), but they can't force you out after five days, and will still need to go to court.

The first thing to do is to contact the landlord/secretary and clear this up. It's completely possible that this is an honest mistake. You also need to make sure that rent didn't increase when you went month-to-month, and that you didn't underpay.

Call the landlord/office. If they are closed at this point, wait until Monday.


Title: Compensation for hit and run that happened to my parked vehicle. My dad says I should threaten to take the other party to court and sue for $20,000 instead of receiving the default compensation from the other party's insurance. Can I get your guys' advice?

Question:
**Location**: Southern California, USA. In between LA and OC

**Background**

So my parked vehicle was hit by a driver who fled the scene. The damages: Rear bumper was completely pulled off; left tail light cracked; and dent in back of car that resulted in the paint being scratched. My car is a 2004 Nissan Sentra. Nothing fancy.

I wasn't personally there to witness the incident, but a good samaritan saw the hit and took photos of the driver's vehicle (right next to my vehicle seconds after the crash) and license plate.

I went to the police station, filed a report, and the police managed to match the license number to the vehicle that hit my car. Now I am waiting on the witness to provide the police with a description of the driver who hit my car. Once the description has been provided, the police will contact me about what is going to take place.

**What to do?**

So let's get hypothetical here. Let's say that the driver is identified, and I'm able to get contact information of the driver. Should I let my insurance talk to the driver's insurance and settle everything for me, or should I threaten to sue because this was a hit and run? I'm afraid that the settlement will not be enough to cover the costs of completely restoring my car. As the title says, my dad said to threaten to sue the person or his insurance for $20,000 (this sounds absolutely nuts!) and the other parties will give me an appropriate settlement due to the incident being a hit and run, and the distress caused by the whole situation. How should I approach this situation.?

Answer:
 Just on the basis of your title your father has no clue. $20K for a 2004 nissan? Lets get real. You get what your car was worth a second before the impact, no more, no less.

I've read the rest of your post: I still say your father has no idea. Threats (I mean really?) have no impact at all on insurance companies (you don't think they have heard all this before?) and if it's a question of suing the driver then the court will expect you to provide evidence of your loss.

I'd stop taking legal advice from your father. He means well, I'm sure, but sheesh.Answer #2: If the insurance tries to offer you less than the estimate, that is when you start talking about a lawsuit. Let them try to make it right first.

The cops are going to handle the criminal hit and run issue.

Consider this though: Sometimes people hit and run because they are drunk. Other times they hit and run because they don't have insurance.


Title: [MN] Person who sexually assaulted my SO and has been harassing her is threatening me with assault charges for getting in his way and yelling at him.

Question: [deleted]

Answer: It's possible for either of you to call the police should this happen in the future. It's possible for him to file a police report claiming that you assaulted him. Obviously you did not and there is no proof otherwise, so I'm not sure what you're worried about.


Title: [EU-BEL] Webshop cancels order

Question:
I recently ordered a ps4 pro on a webshop. The webshop now has sent an e-mail in wich they state that they were scammed by the supplier and they cancel all orders.

The problem is I already paid and they are only offering to pay back 80% right now instead of the full price. Do you have any idea if this is a legal practice? They say they will pay back the rest after legal proceedings against the supplier.

Advice on how to handle the situation would be appreciated.

I tried googling the situation but only seem to find the rules for cancelling an order as a consumer.

Answer:
 no, this is in no way legal.

they can cancel your order but must refund you the whole amount you paid.

how did you pay? if per credit card, demand a chargeback from your credit card company. make sure to state that the shop won't fulfill your order and only won't give you a full refund.

the reasons why the shop can't fulfill your order don't matter for you. it's the shop's problem. but most likely is that they don't have the money to refund all their customers because they used the money to pay their supplier and got "scammed". but again, this is not your problem.

the shop owes you either your ordered product or a full refund (including all processing fees)Answer #2: No, it's not legal, they have to give you full refund. Sounds like a scam.

Edit. Well it's legal for them to ask if you'd like to agree to that kind of arrangement, if you don't they need to refund fully.


Title: [WA] On probation for Neg driving 1st degree, probably gonna fail UA.

Question:
Neg 1st was reduced from a DUI.

As a part of my plea agreement, I am to conform with the directives of a drug abuse program I was put into.  I am to stay off drugs and alchohol.

I have weekly meetings.  Two weeks ago, I told my councilor I was probably gonna fail my UA because I had smoked some resin out of a marijuana pipe.  She told my Probation Officer.  The test came back negative, and nothing came of it "because of my honesty."

I went out of town for a week, and during that week, I smoked three times.  I stopped that wednesday.  I starved myself since then in an attempt to flush my system.

On Monday (the week after the smoking) I started counseling at school because I've been having suicidal thoughts.  On that Wednesday, I was given a UA.  I did not tell the (drug abuse) councilor about my having smoked this time.

Should I tell my councilor?  I don't wanna go back to jail.

Answer: If you don't want to go back to jail start following you plea agreement and stop smoking weed. It does not matter that it is legal in the state, it is illegal for you to smoke, so STOP SMOKING WEED.


Title: Website won't allow me to withdraw funds

Question:
I'm a 17-year-old Dutch male living in Belgium.
I signed up for an account on a marketplace for digital currency where they use Dogecoin, this website is called Stuffcoins.com
I saw multiple complaints about people being unable to withdraw money.
The amount of money is not that big, but since the constantly fluctuating price of Dogecoin, I am indeed making a loss because if this inconvenience.
Because just like real life currencies the value goes up and down making me lose money because I can't exchange it.
What should I do?

Answer: This is the part where you learn a bitter life lesson about trusting your monopoly money to some random online website that poses as a bank without having to follow any banking regulations.


Title: Stripper scammed me (I’m a dumbass)

Question: Okay so long story short I’m pissed. I got drunk last night and went out to a strip club to get constantly upselled by some girl. We keep going to different levels if I give her more money and finally she says she will give me a private dance at home for 300 more. So I have given this girl 900 dollars and she gave me a dance for maybe 30 seconds. I waited around for her to get out of there but she didn’t and then waited after it closed and she ran off. I have texts of her telling me to wait outside also and all this. I understand that im a dumbass and deserve it but I really want that money back. Do I have any legal grounds?

Answer:
 >finally she says she will give me a private dance at home for 300 more.

Hello! Yes, I would like to report a crime. I was at a strip club and I tried to solicit prostitution from one of the dancers and I wanted to see if you could help me get my money ba... *click* hello? Officer?

Write it off as a dumbass tax


Title: Church grump gets physical

Question: Alright ladies and gents, I need a little basic legal advice on what I can do here. Basically, we were in a short worship service put on by the curators of VBS at a church which I attend. While we were singing the worship songs, this old man which I have never met in my life turned around and asked my friends to stop talking during the singing. Hadn't asked me yet. I continued to cut up in a mostly unobtrusive manner but he turned around probably 5 minutes later and asked me to stop. I thought the guy was joking with me and I started laughing and grinning as I thought he was being friendly. Turns out he was not, next thing I know he's grabbing my arm, ripping me out of the seat and telling me we need to go outside and have a talk. Took me a good 4 or 5 seconds to realize he was not joking. After that, we returned to our seats. When the service ended I asked for his name and explained that he needn't grab me ever again since it was highly inappropriate, and informed him he would be receiving a phone call from my dad. Basically, my dad supports him and has provided him validation so I fear that he may do something else. The guy was like 65 or 70 but since he lashed out like that I fear he has an underlying mental problem, and that he might actually try and hurt me since my dad supported him. What should I do? Get an incident report from the police? This was 4 days ago now.

Answer: Sure, you can report this to the police. There's about a 99% chance nothing comes of it though.


Title: South Carolina - Going for Preliminary DUI (For Prescription Medicine) Meeting Tomorrow. What Should I Expect?

Question:
In South Carolina.  Here are the basics of the DUI:

* Car pulled out in front of me from her driveway, I swerved to miss her, ended up going through a ditch
* Other driver literally looked at me as I came to a stop and drove off.  (No I didn't get her license plate. Just general description but did no good)
* Didn't really mess up my car, minor damage, but cops were called
* I was being checked out by EMS, cop looking for my insurance info, found my prescription medicine bottle, fully labeled, my name, accuate count.
* Asked me if I had taken said medicine today, (Valium) I answered about 30 min ago as I was prescribed 1 tablet 4 times daily.
* EMS insisted on taking me to hospital.  Did routine stuff, xray, blah blah. Cop comes in asks about medicine.   I was honest.  Told him I did take it as I had for years
* He said he counted pills, did math, saw that the accurate count was there.
* Said he was charging me w/ DUI and going to run a blood test, (this was about 3 hours after accident)
* Said not to worry though, that he was going to charge me but not take me to jail, only write me a ticket. That when my court date came, to plead not guilty and everything would work out. ( whatever that means)
* So he writes me a ticket for DUI and literally leaves.

So I get my letter that I have a preliminary "discussion" to work out a plea tomorrow but if I still insist on a jury trial that it could be up to 18 months later as the courts are "OVERWHELMED WITH SC TRAFFIC COURT CASES AT THIS TIME."

So I don't know what to do.  Is this in my favor?  I would be willing to plead to something but nothing like DUI or Reckless driving.  Should I wait out the jury trial thing?  Help
Topic:
DUI

Answer:
 Does the medicine dose you took impair you while driving?

It's not enough for the officer to come to court and say "See- he had Valium in his system!"

The officer also has to show that you were impaired by the drugs.

So is there evidence of that?  Did you give confused answers at the scene?  Was your balance poor?  Slurred speech?  Problems with coordination?

Do you have a lawyer?  You probably need one here.


Title: Please Help Me Get My Daughter Back.

Question:
Hey reddit.

It's been some years now since I've last been on. I miss it honestly, but I find that just randomly popping in time to time to read has been my preferred forte.

Now down to my topic..

Guys. Last Friday, me and my babies mother has a bad argument. Normal couples argue, but keep in mind that she is extremely bipolar. So much so that she's been lock in a mental help facility 4 times during our relationship. She hadn't been on her medication for months because "she didn't need it" despite her being required to take it. So this argument was blown to extreme proportions very quickly and for less than no reason.

Well she moves out. Which is fine. I loved her at this current moment but I was just tired of the constant fighting. So yeah, I was ok with this.

Next day rolls around, she wants to talk and go on a date. A-typical. We do this almost every single week. Hell almost everyday. Ok why not. But sadly after almost 2 full years of this attitude, my family and myself no longer wish for her to stay there. She can visit, spend the night if she asks, but no more just staying there.

It's both our days off so we get a hotel room, go to the casino, have a ball. Argue a bit but overall have a good time. Head back to our room, have an even better time, and sleep until we have to leave in the morning.

Next day after work, she wants to see our daughter and spend the night. No problem. Just ask the family first (I do live with my grandparents) if you can stay and we'll go from there.

Spends the night, No issue.

Next night same question, same answer, same outcome.

Well yesterday rolls around. I have college and work to go to (college in Dallas, work in Sherman. If you're familiar with Texas thats an hour and a half drive) so I kiss her and my daughter goodbye for the day, tell her I'll be back to pick her up to take her to work.

I go to school, pass my tests and everything, well get out early so I'll just go home and spend the rest of the time with my family.

I have numerous missed calls and texts saying "text me asap" from my grandmother, aunt, mother, everyone in my family. So I immediately call to see whats going on, before I can even ask if everything is ok, my grandmother tells me

"She took Lucy. We don't know where they are."

I pray that no one ever has to hear that. I instantly wanted to die. I couldn't help but get off the road and cry. I freak out wondering where they could be while remembering where she moved to. So I go there (it's her bosses house. Where she works at a head shop) and am greeted by the husband of the home. He then informs me that my baby's mother and his wife were at the sheriffs department placing charges on me.

Ok. So this is all brand new.

My grandmother and myself run up to the sheriffs office to actually see that they were still at the PD. At that time I try asking "What on earth is going on?!"

Apparently I spit on her. Have been beating her. Have been controlling her. Have been holding her hostage.

What. The Actual. Fuck.

I had to call in to work. I had to break down. I had to deal with losing my daughter. For literally no reason.

I've already done everything that I've been advised to do that I can afford. Right now I have a gofundme going, I'm about to sell my entire video game collection, I'm about to take on 2 more jobs.

I come to you a broken man reddit. A man that has been cheated, beaten, lied too, stolen from, and every wrong by this woman and now this.

I need my daughter back, and if anyone can help. Please I am so lost right now. I've never had to do any of this.

I understand this might violate some rules. As I said it's been some years. But if this does break rules, please tell me where I may post something like this.

She's 5 months old, 6 months on the 12th.

http://imgur.com/a/lcd4O

Answer:
 You need to hire an attorney and file for custody. Actually, you need to hire an attorney and follow his advice to the letter. He'll have other things he'll want you to do that are jurisdiction specific.

You need to contact the PD for where you live, and file a police report. If there is no custody agreement, but your daughter lives with you full-time, you'll need to tell them that.

You need to start gathering affidavits from friends and family describing your living situation, your daughter's living situation, and your daughter's mother's living situation.

You need to be prepared to hear a lot of terrible things said about you in court.

You also need to take a good look at yourself and start preparing yourself for what will likely be a horrible legal battle. One where neither party will emerge unscathed.


Title: Workplace Accommodations for Mental Illness

Question:
I had recently requested some workplace accommodations to help me work more effectively with OCD. I went through all the necessary channels, talking to HR, having them contact my healthcare provider, etc. They came back and denied most of my original requests.

My requests were:

Modified hours, but still 40 hour weeks. Including a few hours of at-home work each week, two days of extended lunch period for appointments, and making up those missed hours by extending my schedule past 5PM for the rest of the week.

Hanging blinds in my office to cover the windows that open up to other work areas to decrease distractions.

Providing a recording device to use for meetings and spoken instructions, as I have a difficult time retaining spoken info and it is hard to take notes.

I also opened it up to my employer to suggest ideas.

**As of today, the accommodations they accepted are: one day with extended work hours to make up for one day of extended lunch hour for appointments. They will be hanging blinds on a few of my windows, but not all.**

I am pretty disappointed in the accommodations right now and believe that my employer did not adequately assess all of the possibilities. When the HR person met with me about this, they made it sound like they were denying my requests because it would be an inconvenience for them, not because it posed unreasonable or undue hardship. Their reasoning for disapproving my modified schedule was because they need me here full time during their standard hours to answer employee questions (I am IT support). But, employee support is only one aspect of a large job. It is one measly line in my job description of over 20 requirements. I rarely have employee issues and the majority of my job consists of networking, cybersecurity, and auditing/policy procedures.

I am lost as to what to do next. Should I keep fighting my employer for better accommodations or should I seek legal counsel? Am I asking too much and does my employer actually have legal grounds to deny my requests? I went into this knowing I wouldn't get everything I requested, but I feel very disheartened by my employer's response and how they handled the situation. If it is true that I am asking too much and that my employer was within their legal rights to deny my requests I will drop it and try to find another job more suitable for my needs.

Thanks!

Answer:
 The recording device I would forget about. That will make a lot of people very uncomfortable and they have to be considered as well.

As far as telework, do other people in similar jobs get to telework?


Title: I just got 4 tickets after getting pulled over because my license plates were apparently suspended.. please help

Question:
So I was pulled over (not doing anything illegal) because my plates were flagged in the system. I was issued 4 tickets.

Uninspected motor vehicle.
Operation without insurance.
Operating vehicle while registration susp/revoked.
FL/DSURR/LIC/REG PLATES/REV-ART7

Okay so starting from the top here. The uninspected motor vehicle ticket was rightfully given. I have since gotten my car inspected.

The insurance card I gave the police officer was expired, but I had a temporary certificate on my e-mail that I offered to show the officer. He said that it was fine, but ended up ticketing me for driving without insurance which is just simply not true - which I have proof for.

This is where it gets tricky. The cop said that my registration is suspended for an unpaid parking ticket but I don't have any record of a parking ticket. The car is technically under my dad's name, and he has 3 parking tickets outstanding in NYC so I think that may be why I was pulled over. Not sure what to do about this.

The last ticket I have no idea about. I'm going to the DMV first thing tomorrow but I was wondering if anyone had some advice on the matter.. The court date is set for late september but I am moving across the state in a few weeks so I won't be able to appear in court.

UPDATE

So I think what happened was that the suspended registration was for the unpaid parking ticket. The failure to surrender plates came from the operating without insurance ticket. So if I clear up the insurance ticket, that one should get dropped too. Thanks everyone for your help, I wasn't expecting to get so many responses. It's really appreciated.

Answer:
 I can only comment on the insurance card part...

Progressive has an app that allows you to show them your insurance card. My app says, and this is a direct quote, "Please note: Louisiana accepts electronic ID Cards as valid proof of insurance. Other states may or may not accept electronic ID Cards as valid proof." Does New York accept electronic ID cards? If so, dispute. I'm not sure the legal stipulations on the app vs email.


Title: My ex-boyfriend gave my dog to someone, the catch is the dog is not registered to anyone- there are only vet bills in my name

Question: M ex-boyfriend and I were living together. We broke up and I was kicked out of the house. I had plans to move in with my brother in May, so my ex and I discussed what to do with the dog. We agreed I should take Django when I move in with my brother, and also agreed that my ex would keep him until I was able to move. We discussed that if he could not financially support Django I would take him to my parents' house. Just yesterday my ex (without telling me) gives the dog to a family friend and has not been willing to give me any information on his whereabouts. I found the man's phone number online and called him. My ex has this man convinced that I abandoned the dog and am not financially stable or responsible enough to care for him. The man will not give me the dog either regardless of the fact that I have been continuously making monthly payments on his vet bills. When I first brought Django to the vet 6 months ago no one told me how to license a dog, I honestly thought that just by registering Django through the vet's office he was legally under my name. I cannot register Django now because he is not in my possession. I want to file a civil lawsuit first thing in the morning but I need to know, if this man were to register Django under his own name, would I be all out of luck or would my bank statements and vet bills hold up in court?

Answer: Those vet bills are your proof of ownership. You can file a police report that your ex stole your dog and that you have the information of who has him. They may or may  not help but your bills are the proof that you owned the dog.


Title: Usage rules of iTunes

Question: This relates to a third party app in the App Store. If a user violates the usage rules of the iTunes terms and conditions agreement(e.g. hacking, etc.), and this causes a loss of playability within the third party app, what options do those users have to recover funds spent in the app?

Answer: If you violate the TOC why would you think you get your money back?


Title: Does a picture I found in a customers home count as illega child pornography?

Question: I'm a maid, I'm cleaning a customers home and I found a large picture hanging on the wall. It's in black and white matted and framed as if it's art. It features approximately 12 small children ( most likely younger than ten) standing fully naked in a lake. The water covers up to approximately their ankles and their genitals are fully exposed. It says birthday party and what I presume to be an artists name on the matte. Is this even legal!?!?

Answer:
 In order for a work to be considered child pornography, it needs to generally do one of two things:

1.) Feature the child AND sexual activity

or

2.) Feature a "lewd and lascivious" exhibition of the child's genitals.

Generally a nudism type picture will not qualify for either one.


Title: Pulled over and cop used unrelated law to give me a bigger ticket US CO

Question:
I was pulled over for changing lanes from the right-hand lane to the left hand lane in an intersection in directly in front of a cop. The cop wrote me up for two charges one that didn’t signal and the second that I changed lanes in an intersection.  While my signal was very brief, the light had just changed, I got written up for was 1005(2)(b), which is very different it’s about driving left of center, which makes it even more challenging to do since it was a divided highway with concrete in between the two sides. It feels like the cop was annoyed that I went in front of him and slapped me with a couple of charges.  What can I do?  Does he have to have proof of his charges?
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer:
 > Does he have to have proof

His testimony and report are evidence, just as your testimony is. Keep in mind that he also almost assuredly had a dash cam recording in his vehicle.


Title: Work place harassment

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 The investigation is ongoing.  They can't be reasonably expected to figure out how to stop something if they don't even know what's happening yet.  Anonymous notes aren't exactly easy to track unless you've got surveillance cameras watching your desk.

As an aside, for a Trump supporter who regularly makes posts about enjoying people crying & insulting them for doing it, you sure seem like a delicate little flower if all it takes is few anonymous notes to scare you and make you want to file a lawsuit.  Answer #2: Funny.  I thought the election of Trump would result in the depussification of America.  Then you roll in with your username and frequent posts on T_D and it turns out that you can't handle a wittle itty bitty note?


Title: Parked by a fire hydrant but left before I received a ticket. Still got a fine in the mail. Is there any way to fight this? (California)

Question: [removed]

Answer:
 >I was parked in front of the DMV, in front of a fire hydrant. I was only going to be gone for 5 minutes and there wasn't any parking anywhere else.

There isn't a "I was only parked for 5 minutes" excuse.

>I have no idea how he was still able to issue me a ticket. He didn't even get a chance to look at my license plate.

But clearly he did since you got a ticket.

>a) If the vehicle is attended by a licensed driver who is seated in the front seat and who can immediately move such vehicle in case of necessity.

And you weren't "in the front seat".

Pay the fine.


Title: Do airlines need to warn you about documentation requirements?

Question:
I was not allowed to board a flight from Brazil to Costa Rica today since I didn’t have physical proof of a yellow fever vaccine. I re-read all of the ticket details for the flight and this was never mentioned- though it was the first thing they asked when we got to the airport today to drop bags.  Should the airline or the booking agency have warned us about the he requirement? Is there anything we can do legally to get help with a new booking back home (to the US)?
Topic:
Computer and Internet

Answer:
 No, all a contract of carriage provides is transportation from A to B. It doesn't entitle you to entry into B. Is the airline supposed to check your criminal background in B, for example, to see if you have outstanding warrants?

The airline asks you at the counter because if they *do* fly you to B without proper documentation and B refuses you entry, the airline has to fly you back to A (or some other country you're freely eligible to enter) at its expense.


Title: Directly asked at work about harassment from my supervisor, answered truthfully now they want the documentation - do I send it?

Question:
Update: Location is California
Throwaway because this is embarrassing. Long story short, I started a new job earlier this year. My first week my direct supervisor (and only supervisor) asked me to download Kik, hit on me and then asked me on a date. I was uncomfortable and nervous about losing my job at this point, so I tried to play it off and then ultimately just started ignoring his Kik messages. After this happened, things started to get very uncomfortable at work. Every request I had was denied. Meetings cancelled without warning. Paperwork I submitted went missing...you get the drift. Basically the tension was noticed by a higher up and he point blank asked me if something happened. Between a rock and a hard place, I answered, he told me not to worry about my job but asked me to speak to HR. I spoke to HR and my conversation with them went a little strangely ("Well, after you stopped answering him, he stopped hitting on you so that's basically the best case scenario, right?") and then she asked me if I would be open to mediation with my direct supervisor. I was kind of appalled. He's made my life a living hell. The last thing in the entire world I want is for him to know that I said something to a higher up about it. HR followed up and asked me to provide documentation, as some of the conversations took place via email and Kik. Should I submit it to them? Is this standard procedure? Should I look into a lawyer?

Answer:
 Tell the higher up how HR isn't taking it seriously. The supervisor is a liability to the company.Answer #2: There's no point to looking into a lawyer until you know what their response is.

You don't have to help if you don't want to.  But if you don't, your ability to later complain about their response is severely lessened.


Title: [KY] - Employer retroactively changed my pay rate and withheld my final paycheck after I left the job.

Question:
I worked for a security company making 13.25 an hour. During this time, the owner of the company has unpredictably hired people and changed my schedule randomly. During my time there, I had been seeking other employment on the side because I was never comfortable with the job security I had. On 11/16 I was called and told that I had made a mistake with the schedule, (I swapped some hours with someone to go to an event) causing another employee to get 2 hours of overtime. As ''discipline'', they would be taking yet another one of my days away leaving me with only 24 hours of scheduled hours from that point on. I protested this, but it was already done behind my back before I was informed. That day, I decided to move on. I called them and informed them I would be coming in at my schedule time and would be turning in my gear and uniform and no longer working for the company. They did not protest that or anything, so I turned in my stuff and went on my way - expecting them to honor the hours and rate I had worked that week and the previous week during that pay period. I mean, that's what you DO right?

Instead, today I wake up and find that my final paycheck has not been deposited into my account. My online paycheck stub has been altered. I went ahead and downloaded all of them for proof in case I have to prove anything later on and get locked out of the system.

I was making 12.75 with a Uniform maintenance bonus of 50 cents per hour. So 13.25 in all, but on my stub it is now 6.75 with the .50 maintenance. (which I believe is minimum wage in Ohio) This has been applied retroactively to all of the hours I worked before I quit during that pay period. On top of that, the direct deposit says 0.00 and that it is non-negotiable. None of those hours were even paid out to me, even at the altered rate.

I need to know the legality of this and what my options will be to secure this final paycheck. I am not hurting for it, but I earned that money and I will not let this guy jerk me around anymore. I have already secured another job and had a nice emergency fund built up. I live in KY and the company was based in Cincinnati, Ohio - I was just working a site in KY. Not sure if that is pertinent info or not.

What should my first steps be? I will be calling them this afternoon to TRY to get it straightened out but with my bosses history, he will probably start shouting and get angry for whatever reason. I will record the conversation just in case.

Answer: Write down all the hours you worked recently, so you don't forget.  File a complaint for unpaid wages with both state labor departments. Most likely, this will result in your owed wages being paid to you without you needing to sue anyone.Answer #2: It is not remotely legal. Tell them that they need to pay you immediately or you will file a wage complaint. And then do it. Be sure you are documenting everything (e.g. dates, times of phone calls, who you talked to, etc.) Kentucky and Ohio are both one party consent states for recording phone calls, by the way.


Title: Nypd broke my car towing it

Question: I have an all time awd car. They towed it with two wheels on the ground and now it’s fucked. How can I make them pay for it?

Answer: File a claim with your insurance and let them handle it, that’s what you pay them for


Title: Other driver's insurance says I need to give in-person statement at their claims office.

Question:
I was involved in a car accident where the other vehicle was clearly at fault. Due to pain I was experiencing as a result of the accident, I took a precautionary visit to the emergency room and got x-rays done. The other driver's insurance has been difficult to contact and I was finally able to talk to a representative yesterday. The representative said that they will not begin to look at paying my medical bills until my passenger and I visit their office and give an in-person statement.

Is this standard procedure? Would it be best to hire a lawyer to handle this?

Answer: I would consider either handling this through your own insurance, if possible, or hiring a lawyer.


Title: (California) Custody 101 question. How far away can I move with my kids? To what extent can my husband stop this from happening?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 > Can my husband stop me from moving? If I stay within the same state, is there some legal limitation to how far away I can go? How does all this work?

He can't physically stop you.  What he *can* do, if you try to move, is to file for custody with the courts.  The courts can(and are likely to) stop you from moving too far from him.  That's to protect his rights to the children.


Title: My dog has been named a co-defendant in foreclosure suit.

Question: Bank believes that my dog is my wife. I am gay and un-married. A few years ago, when we got her, my bf registered her for junkmail and shit, using her name (which is a human name) and my last name because he's weird. Now she (the dog) is getting served with legal papers. Thoughts?

Answer:
 When the bank's attorney sends out service they add everyone that they think might possibly have an interest or be a tenant in the home since failure to serve someone with notice of the foreclosure is considerably worse than serving too many.  Since the dog was signed up for mail it probably shows up at your address on a lexis - nexus search.  If you tell the law firm they will change it.  If you ignore it, it will be amusing but alter nothing of substance.

source: Seeing service for many judicial foreclosures.Answer #2: Let the lawyer handle everything for the dog too, but don't mention that it is in fact a dog.

Show up in court with your dog and watch the reaction.

Record and post to youtube.Answer #3: Marry dog.  Get Life Insurance.  ~~Kill dog~~Tragic accident.  Collect on policy.  1%'in FTW.  Affluenza defense.  Profit.Answer #4: So, under Air Bud rules...Answer #5: This is amazingAnswer #6: I am so sorry that I giggled for so long--I hope things are cleared up soon for you and Mrs. Abby Soviet.

Edit: changed Miroslava to Abby.Answer #7: Reminds me of the police dog who had to give a witness [report.](http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2279789/I-chase-I-bite--crime-report-dog--Police-investigate-completing-witness-statement-written-force-dog.html)


Title: Is this blackmail to get out of child support? (NC)

Question: My husband has been paying child support for close to five years, but constantly changes his job.  He sent me a message that he doesn't have the money to pay child support plus the required insurance on the children.  (He wants to pay me without Child Support Services involved). Then, oh dear, threatened to quit his job . . . again.  What can I do?

Answer:
 No, that's not blackmail.  He's not threatening to expose information about you to get a benefit.

It may, however, be sanctionable (assuming you have a court ordered child support plan), if he does actually quit his job to get out of child support payments.  But merely making an empty threat to do so is meaningless.

If you don't have a court ordered child support plan, then, good grief, go to court to get one.


Title: Mother in law jewelry stolen from her suitcase on a flight: options?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 She can file a police report.

She can contact the airline customer service and see what they say. It's highly unlikely they are legally liable.


Title: Trying to buy a foreclosure, my offer was not accepted but later found out the house sold for less.

Question: My wife and I are trying to buy a foreclosure from a bank. We made an offer that was countered, we made another offer and it was also countered but we felt it was too high. We later found out the house sold for less than what our first offer was. We suspect that individuals working for the bank bought the house, and the bank sold it to individuals working for them. Again, we believe the bank sold it to the employee to give them a much better deal than they would anyone else. Is this illegal or do I have grounds for a lawsuit.  I live in Kentucky.

Answer:
 When we purchased our home (foreclosure) we later found out that we beat out a neighbor who was trying to buy the property.  Our offer was $20k less than theirs, and they were a development company with deep pockets.

When he found out (when sell price was updated on the reality websites) he was livid.  Raged at the bank at us over the fence.

I asked the selling agent about it later.

"Oh, that guy was a raging asshole.  I didn't want to sell to him and was glad when you guys made an offer."

Guy died later - stress induced heart attack.  Son lives there now.  Pretty mellow dude, get on fine with him.

Edit - not to imply that you are an asshole that the selling agent didn't want to deal with.  More that banks may be institutions but the employees are people too.  And with that comes all the capriciousness and foibles and agendas that people are capable of.  So long as they didn't discriminate against you on a protected class level then they have no obligation to sell to you, even if you have the highest offer.

Answer #2: Did you make a cash offer?


Title: [KY, USA] Are there legal penalties to calling a national hotline and joking/hanging up during the automation menu?

Question: A bit of a silly story and maybe I'm worried about absolutely nothing, but better safe than sorry i suppose.  Here's the background: some friends and I were having a bit of fun with an AI Chatbot last night. We were asking it ridiculous questions and telling it ridiculous things - you know, the usual, what else are you supposed to do with those things? Anyway, one friend who recently found out his girlfriend is pregnant tells the bot "I'm going to be a dad".  I guess the response algorithm got a little confused and it responds with something like "if you're serious, get some help and call xxx-xxx-xxxx." Naturally, we call the number thinking we're going to get some sort of crazy parent help hotline, but alas, we were instead greeted with the National Suicide Prevention hotline automated menu.  Out of sheer circumstance and shock, we burst out laughing and start cracking jokes, but hung up before actually speaking to a real person.  Out of disbelief, we called again just to make sure there wasn't some mistake, and again, hung up during the automation.  I guess bottom line, we were not laughing at the purpose of the hotline, as that is a legitmately serious thing, but rather that we were directed to it after telling a Chatbot about becoming a parent.  BUT now that I'm thinking about it further, i can see how our scenario may have been misconstrued as a prank call or something.  Are there potential legal reprocussions for this? Or does any sort of recording even occur during the automated menus? Am I worried about nothing? Or should the friend whose phone was used be expecting some sort of consequential call from an agency sometime soon? Thanks so much in advance!

Answer: Find a new hobby. If there's even a chance that you're trying up the line and somebody who needs help doesn't get it there is nothing funny about this.


Title: College requiring us to include female students in study groups

Question:
First some background.  I study engineering at a public university.  My major this year has about 40 students, of which 12 are female.

I am taking a class with the only female professor in the department.  The first midterm is coming up in 2 weeks.

At the beginning of the semester in January, she told us of a new policy.  If we form a study group to study on campus that has 3 or more people, we are required to have at least one female in it.  She said that this policy is being made because women are often marginalized and discriminated in engineering and they should have equal access to networking.

Please let me say that I am not opposed to this in principle.  I am not a misogynist, and I understand that sometimes affirmative action is needed to correct past discrimination.  But the problem is that it really isn't practical.  There are only 12 girls in the class, so it's often hard to find one that is available.  We end up having to plan our study sessions around the girls' schedules.  And again, I don't mean to be sexist, but sometimes the girls don't really contribute anything, and just sit there and wait for us to give them answers.

A few of us sent an e-mail to the dean asking if this policy was legal.  He told us to contact the assistant dean of academics.  We scheduled a meeting with him, and he initially seemed sympathetic.  He said that the policy was well-intentioned and valid, but he would talk to our professor to see if it could be made a little more flexible.

I don't know if he ever did or not, but when my friend followed up, he was told that the policy would remain in place, and there is nothing illegal about it as long as it only applies on campus.  Most of us live in campus apartments and study in the library or student center, and going off campus to study really isn't practical because it's a small town and the libraries don't have late hours.

Is there anything we can do about this legally?  Can a university regulate who you study with outside of class time, even in private apartments that are on campus?  Any advice would be appreciated.

I am in Texas.

Answer: I'm on OP's side. If all the studying happens in apartments or dorms, then it'd be difficult to get any girl to be the only one in the group. I've been in groups where I was the only girl in a group. There is no way anyone would get me to go meet up with them in an apartment or dorm. To me, that becomes a safety issue. Library or other public space only.Answer #2: paging u/i_work_in_hied