Title: FL license and registration got suspended, and I live in MD. Can't get a new MD license while FL license is suspended, and can't get FL insurance with a suspended license. What do I do?

Question:
I live in Montgomery County, Maryland but have a Florida license and registration. Both were suspended because I have Maryland insurance instead of Florida insurance. To clear the suspension, I not only have to submit a $150 reinstatement fee, but I also need to either get valid Florida insurance (which I can't legally do because I don't live there anymore, and you can't get insurance with a suspended license). OR, I need to register my license and registration with Maryland, and provide proof. However, I looked it up on the Maryland website and you can't get a license if your out-of-state one is suspended.

So I'm a little confused as to what I'm supposed to do here. To make matters worse, I got pulled over in my boyfriend's car last night for a broken headlight, they took my suspended license, and cited me for:
• Person Driving Motor Vehicle on Suspended Out-of-State License
• Driving Motor Vehicle on Highway without Required License and Authorization
• Driving While License Suspended Under 16-203, 16-206A fail to attend dip, 17-106, 26-204/206, 27-103.

I don't know what any of those numbers mean, either. Can anyone please help? Thank you in advance!

TL;DR: Confusing laws make it unclear how to get a new license in Maryland with a suspended Florida license.

Answer:
 Have you called the Maryland and Florida DMVs, told them your conundrum, and asked what the proper procedure would be?

You should probably stop driving for the time being.

All those codes seem to involve driving without a license, failure to take a DIP course, court appearances, and failure to pay fines.

You might want to consider retaining the services of a traffic attorney.


Title: MI, legality of making money off an animal you no longer own [hypothetical]

Question: [removed]

Answer: Your friend owns the copyright to the photos they took and the old owner needs permission to use them.


Title: [MD] Friend was pulled over and suspected of using marijuana, cops then searched his car and his testicles under 18.

Question:
First off my friend was 16 years old and had been using marijuana in a parked car and someone in a near by house called the cops in suspicion of a parked car. The cops then came and luckily he had used it all before they came. The two officers asked what he had been doing and then the one cop asked the other if he smelled marijuana in the car the other cop said yes in a snarky tone and asked my friend to get out of the car.

This is where it gets strange the one cop kept an eye on my friend and the other searched his car. They found nothing that was illegal in the car. They then proceeded to search my friend and asked him if he had any weapons on him he said he had a small pocket knife on him and they took that. They patted him down and found nothing else on him. After they found nothing illegal in his car and on him they still wanted to press this further. The two police officers then wanted my friend to drop his pants and they wanted to have a search of his nether regions. He was only 16 years old and he was scared so he did. They searched under his testicles and in his intergluteal cleft. They found nothing and called his father in suspicion that his was using illegal drugs.

My question for my fellow redditors is what these two officers of the law did legal, that they strip searched a minor for illegal drugs after finding no other signs of use or possession other than a smell and the suspicion of a near by resident.

And before you say "oh really this was your friend huh?" it really was my friend and not me.

Answer:
 That behavior is incredibly unacceptable from a police officer. If this happened in public, and not as part of jail intake, you certainly have grounds for a complaint. Your friend and his parents should meet with a lawyer. The lawyer can advise your friend on how to best proceed, be it with a complaint and/or a lawsuit.Answer #2: Take all the advice in this thread, but don't ever mention the fact that he was smoking weed.  Don't lie about it, just dont bring it up in emails to anyone or when speaking to anyone.

Mght wanna delete this thread in 24 hours too.


Title: Sueing a radio station for slander, but family member was on the radio.

Question:
If a family member was on a radio station and slandered me, made up shit that isn't true, could I sue the station and not the family member?

In a very bad situation, was slandered in a way that could affect my job and career future in my local area.

Answer:
 Why would the radio station be liable for something your family member said?Answer #2: Probably not the radio station, unless they had some knowledge of the falsity of the statements beforehand, or the person speaking was an employee.  Answer #3: Short answer: no

Long answer: no... unless the radio station knew and approved of the comments beforehand


Title: My son was mauled by bosses dog

Question: I went to my new employer's house to fill out paperwork and took my son as he's been there many times with my mom while she was housesitting. We spent a few minutes in the backroom that leads to outside looking at the iguana and my 8yr old son peered out the back door as it was a glass type screen door, he was looking for the goats he feeds when there, then my employer and I stepped into the next room to do the paperwork. We heard the back door open and close, my employer said was that the door and I said yes. she said and I quote we have a viscous dog out there (apparently this dog is so bad the take it when they travel because no one else can care for it) I ran to the door to see my son in the ground and this huge pitt/lab/etc tearing into my 8yr olds thigh shaking him like a rag doll and my kid screaming. I run and kick the dog and scoop my son up to rush him inside to look him over. (please note the dogs other owner was outside with them but on the other side of the yard and was running my way) seeing the severity of the bites on his back I looked at his leg and speed when I saw a chunk of thigh missing, I then rushed him to the hospital, (was pulled over for speeding on the way but let go when officer was notified what had happened) at the hospital he received stiches in six different areas. now at this point I've been told by my boss that they are putting the dog down. my son's Medicaid covered the hospital stay but I've spent a fortune in bandages etc to keep the wounds safe and clean but have received no compensation. I found out shortly after this dog bit someone else not to long ago and then I find out today that they lied to me and aren't putting the dog down. I don't know what to do if I pursue this I'll probably lose my job and I'm a single mother but I can't let this stand, my son was in horrible pain for days and he's now even scared of my roommates little dog which he loved before. We both have nightmares where and I still picture my son on the ground with that dog hurting him. but the owners don't care as a matter of fact they called me the next morning wanting me to leave my son to work overtime. then to tell me you don't have to put down the dog that tried very hard to kill my child and on top of that knowing what I've spent so far on supplies only to be given $80 to hold me till I get paid and can afford to buy more of what he needs.... I'm so angry and just need some advice

Answer:
 Well, first off, you're probably gonna lose that job.  But they sound like shifty people to work for.

But basically, you're going to find a real personal injury lawyer, who will be your lawyer, and will guide you through the process.  Civilly, you can recover your medical costs from the dogs owners by suing, and you can also report the dog bite to the police/animal control, which will start the process of declaring in vicious and/or having it put down.  Depends on if bites from the dog have been reported before, and what your state/local laws look like.

You can check with your local bar association if you don't know how to find a lawyer.  If you can't afford it, you might actually find someone willing to take it pro bono, though PI might not be their field of expertise.  Single mom whose son is mauled by a dog is a pretty sympathetic case to list for pro bono.

Also, file for unemployment when you lose your job.  Make them fire you.  Fight it if they argue.  "Is suing the boss for unrelated matter" is legal to fire you for, but it's not a reason that'll disqualify you from unemployment.


Title: Employer is telling me I have to borrow future vacation time to cover shutdown.

Question:
Hello ladies and gentlemen of /r/legaladvice!!  I'm hoping you guys can help me out here with a situation that is currently happening to me where I work.

I work at a salaried position in Florida and the company I work for has a shutdown for four days covering the 28th-31st of December.  In order to get paid, you have to use vacation time.  While I don't agree totally (I think it's unfair to shut the company down for a time and then make people use vacation time to get paid but hey, that's for another time.), it's policy so I understand it.  However, it my current situation, I only have enough time to cover two days off.  No biggie.  I figured I'd just take the financial hit and not get paid on the other two days.  Or so I thought.

Today, I receive an email from my HR person stating that they would be "borrowing" into the time I would earn in January to cover the difference.  I don't have a choice in this.  It's being done.  I was told that the company could get in trouble for time I had "on the books" if we got audited for such a thing.  This makes zero sense to me as I don't see how a company can get in trouble for time an employee hasn't even earned yet.

Is this common practice in the workplace?  Is it even legal?  I've never run into this before and this is actually my first salaried job so I'm not sure how different the rules might be versus being an hourly employee.  I'd appreciate the insight.

Thanks!!

Answer: It's perfectly legal, and functionally irrelevant. Either you take two days lost time now, or in the future.  Both have the same effect.Answer #2: This is commonplace enough that it has been the policy at every company I have worked for (defense/aerospace industry).  Personally I don't mind because I want those days off anyway.


Title: What happens after loss of citizenship after engaging in insurrection?

Question:
Apparently, those who participated in the capitol riot are in jeopardy of losing their citizenship.

>8 U.S. Code § 1481 - Loss of nationality by native-born or naturalized citizens.

>a)A person who is a national of the United States whether by birth or naturalization, shall lose his nationality by voluntarily performing any of the following acts with the intention of relinquishing United States nationality—

>(7)committing any act of treason against, or attempting by force to overthrow, or bearing arms against, the United States, violating or conspiring to violate any of the provisions of section 2383 of title 18, or willfully performing any act in violation of section 2385 of title 18, or violating section 2384 of title 18 by engaging in a conspiracy to overthrow, put down, or to destroy by force the Government of the United States, or to levy war against them, if and when he is convicted thereof by a court martial or by a court of competent jurisdiction.

Once that happens, then what? They just go anywhere that will take them? What if no one will? I mean, after they get out of jail.

Answer:
 So far as I can tell, no participant yet in the Capitol riot are yet charged with an act of treason against, or attempting by force to overthrow, or bearing arms against, the United States.

But let's imagine some new event in which Congress declares war on a foreign nation-state, and then a US citizen adheres to that nation-state, giving it aid and comfort, thus unambiguously meeting the legal requirements for treason.

In 1967's *Afroyim v Rusk*, the Supreme Court considered whether Congress had the power of involuntarily removing citizenship. They said:

&#x200B;

>\[A\]ny doubt as to whether prior to the passage of the Fourteenth Amendment Congress had the power to deprive a person against his will of citizenship once obtained should have been removed by the unequivocal terms of the Amendment itself. It provides its own constitutional rule in language calculated completely to control the status of citizenship: "All persons born or naturalized in the United States . . . are citizens of the United States . . . ." **There is no indication in these words of a fleeting citizenship, good at the moment it is acquired but subject to destruction by the Government at any time.** Rather the Amendment can most reasonably be read as defining a citizenship which a citizen keeps unless he voluntarily relinquishes it. **Once acquired, this Fourteenth Amendment citizenship was not to be shifted, canceled, or diluted at the will of the Federal Government, the States, or any other governmental unit.**

For whatever it's worth, this limitation is consistent with international law, and the UN's1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness, which recognizes and gives effect to article 15 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights:   “everyone has the right to a nationality.”


Title: Childhood friend is in an abusive situation and wants to get out. CPS and Police have failed to do anything on the matter. Texas

Question: Police have been called, CPS has been called, and school counselors have been talked to. Since he isn't being beaten to an inch of his life, they all shrugged and went "Well, he's a strict parent, w/ever". Can he, as a 16 year old, in any way, gain independence? He could always live with me or someone within our friend group. He just wants out, but he couldn't support himself on his own.

Answer:
 How bad is it? If it's bad enough to be worth a huge disruption to his life, there are runaway shelters he could try to get to.

Declaring independence as a teenager tends to require either being married or having a substantial source of income. These aren't goals that are easy to pursue.

He can ask his parents if he can stay elsewhere, some parents are okay with their teen getting out of their hair. But otherwise, if he's not in serious danger, he may be better off staying put.

You can't take him in and hide him from his parents without putting yourself at risk of legal charges.


Title: MN - Dropped a class, now being charged for it. Any options or do I have to pay?

Question:
I was in a graduate program last summer. I was really unimpressed with the college. Each class was only 8 classes a semester, and right off of the bat my professor decides every other class will be online, and then cancels the first class since she can't make it. $2,500/class and I'm only getting three 3 hour long classes. I was unimpressed, frankly. Over lunch one day with a friend I met in the class (we both sat outside the door on the first day of class, not realizing it had been canceled) and he tells me this school has been stringing him along, making him retake classes that they had initially waived in his admission and then charging him for it. Just really shady stuff. I looked online to check the drop class schedule, saw that I was *before* the deadline that said I could drop the class with no transcript penalty and 100% reimbursement on the cost. I dropped it, emailed the school saying I was no longer interested in the program, and thought that was that. Got an email back from the admissions office wishing me luck, and I went on my way.

Well, I just got a bill for $2,500 today (many months later) saying I owe money for that class and it's sitting in their collections dept. I emailed them and they're telling me I'm responsible for the amount of that class. I wrote back to them asking about the drop policy, which specifically stated I could drop with no transcript "W" and 100% reimbursement, and I haven't heard back yet.

I could understand if my signing up for the classes had prohibited them from signing someone else, but we had a few empty spots in the class that were never filled, so that really wasn't an issue. Outside of that, I'm not sure why they should be entitled to $2,500 when I dropped the class before their stated deadline. Had I lost them $2,500 for taking a spot, I would feel differently. Now I feel like they're just trying to make a quick buck off of me. I did sign a paper admitting myself to the program, but I don't recall it anywhere stating I owed money for any classes I signed up for. I still have a copy of their calendar showing the drop dates, and I still have the email from them verifying the day I dropped it. Am I out $2,500 for changing my mind?!

Answer:
 Before you too wound up give them a chance to respond.  It could be a clerical error.

Hang on to that drop date schedule and your email though.


Title: Is my girlfriend going to jail?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Very doubtful she will go to jail.

Is there any actual ticket or court summons stating court is on the 17th?Answer #2: Your girlfriends now needs an attorney specifically she needs an immigration attorney.  The president elect has stated that deporting unlawful immigrants with certain criminal backgrounds will be a priority for him and theft was one of the crimes he mentioned.  Your gf really needs to understand how serious this is and how badly she has fucked up.


Title: Strangers dumping construction waste into my dumpster

Question:
Los Angeles, CA

Yesterday I noticed 2 strangers unloading broken concrete chunks and other construction waste into my dumpster, which services my commercial property of a few offices on one lot. I thought they were the workers of the contractor who has an office in the building so I didn't really pay attention. Today I got a call from the trash company saying they couldn't collect it because it was way too heavy and couldn't be moved; so I asked the contractor if he had his workers dump anything and he said no. I don't think I have any recourse but I'm wondering what I could do if they continued to do this in the future, besides catching them in the act and telling them to leave.

Answer: You could report the illegal dumping to the police and set up security cameras in case it ever happens again.Answer #2: Put up signs stating that the dumpster is under video surveillance and no unauthorized dumping, violators will be prosecuted, etc.  The signs will do more to deter this than the cameras.Answer #3: Take pictures of the people and their license plate while they are dumping and call the police. Maybe set up a security camera.


Title: [US] Who is at fault for a death by Autonomous Car?

Question:
Assume the algorithm in an autonomous car makes a mistake (though the algorithm as a whole is 10 times safer than a human driver).

Who's at fault? The driver-passenger? The owner? The manufacturer? Or is it just treated like an accidental death with no fault?

Answer:
 That's an unsettled piece of law.  There are many theories, but the courts would end up making that decision.

Keep in mind, too, that there would be a situational analysis, as well.  The manufacturer, the owner, and the on-board driver/passengers could all have liability, depending.


Title: 905$mo child support modification.Im Lost...

Question:
 My current order is for 426$ a month. I pay that every month. Now i just got a modification order for an increase to 905$ a month plus child care and health insurance. Itll be close to 1200 a month which isnt much less than what i make right now.
I work seasonal as  a dump truck driver. I have no idea how they came to this number.  i make around 800 a week gross and around 500 after deductions. My rents 1000 a month and i have a roommate. Im 10k in debt with medical bills  and 1600 in debt with irs. I live in indianapolis but my case is out of california. Every lawyer in california wants more than 3 grand to get started. I dont have it. Typically i have to save around 4 grand to make it through the winter because we get laid off. I have no money, I just got done paying off my past do support. I really feel like i going to be homeless. I dont know how to  fill out these court papers. Everytime i submit them they send them back saying i filled them out wrong.  I cant afford the plan ticket to show up in court. Everytime i submit then"appear by phone" document they send it back saying i filled it out incorrectly. If i lose this this case, Im seriously considering doing something drastic like leaving the country or going off the grid. Im not smart enough to fight this.. What should I do..?

Answer:
 It sounds like you cannot afford to NOT have a lawyer.  You need to call around to any and every lawyer you can find who might take payments.  Get a part time job or take out a loan if you have to.

Leaving the country or going off the grid will not help--this will follow you around for the rest of your life.  You need to fight this.Answer #2: It sounds like the modification was made under the assumption that you make more money than you do.  Take out a small loan or something and get a lawyer, it's the best shot you have of clearing things up and proving what you can actually afford. Answer #3: Nobody in Indianapolis will represent me because my case is out of California the cheapest lawyer in California is 3 Grand up front. My court date is on 1017 2016 there is literally no way for me to come up with 3 Grand in less than a month unless I stop paying all my bills. Which means I lose my car my apartment my cell phone. And 3 crowd doesn't even guarantee me a lawyer will represent me in court. That's just the retainer. I'm thinking my best option is to quit my job moved to California in the next couple weeks. Become a local resident. And seek legal aid that way through the state. Or start a go fund me and hope that people will help me with my lawyerAnswer #4: Not a lawyer, but in NY when I had to go to Family Court I was appointed legal aid due to low income. Maybe they have a similar program over in California?


Title: My Girlfriend Wants to Break up (with good reason); but is Seven Months Pregnant. What is the Likely Outcome?

Question:
Firstly, I want to lead with: I am a piece of shit.  Honestly.

I was away for a month for training, and I cheated on my *pregnant* girlfriend.  Every day I wake up that is the first thought that pops into my head.  I don't know why I did it, and I'm sure no one here cares.  My girlfriend has been the only person I've ever slept with and I guess I just had to know if the grass was truly greener on the other side.

Long story short, she apparently has all of my emails and texts forwarded to her.  After this, she won't even touch me.  I don't blame her.

She want's to break up, and it truly hurts and I feel like I've made a huge *fucking* mistake; but I'm entertaining the idea.  a) I don't feel it would be fair to stay with someone who can't trust you or ever truly love you again and b) the girl I cheated on her with, I am truly infatuated with.  We went on three dates.  She is beautiful, and actually makes me laugh.  I think for the first time in my life, I actually loved someone.  I miss her smile, her laugh, her opinions.. her everything.  I know, I know, it's probably just infatuation; but if my girlfriend wants to break up, I think I owe her that much.  My job is in that city, as well.

However; we are having a son in November.  I'd say he means the world to me, but apparently I don't know myself well enough to say that, because I cheated on my girlfriend.  But he truly does.

If my girlfriend and I do end up separating, what can I expect the outcome to be, assuming I put my name on the birth certificate?   (I will regardless).  What rights do I have as a father, and how often can I expect to see him?  If we do break up, I don't want to put any undue stress on her, if we come to an arrangement, is court even necessary?  This is uncharted territory for me, and I'd really appreciate any help.

Yours truly,

A piece of shit.

Answer: Any agreement you and her come to casually is largely irrelevant until there's a court order in place. Any court proceedings may take such an agreement into consideration, but they also may ignore it completely.


Title: Landlord wants more money for security deposit - but I've already signed a lease, got keys, established occupancy. Can I just say no?

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Always refers to black and white when there are dispute.Answer #2: You signed a document saying 2/3. The time to dispute it was before signing. Unless the 2/3 is greater than laws in your area allow, it appears that's what you're stuck with.


Title: Property sold to new owner and rent is going up for everyone but I'm still on a lease is this legal?

Question: A few days ago I had a letter at my door say that my rent was going up $110 dollars. The reason being the property got sold to a new owner and I assume they already want a return on their investment. The property management company who I signed the lease with stayed the same after the transaction. My issue with this, is that I just moved in like 1 month ago not knowing that they were trying to sell the property and I had signed a 1 year lease for a monthly rate that was fair for the place I was going to stay at but now the new owner has given us 60 days before our rent goes up to figure out how to pay for the new rate. It was my assumption that the lease stays honored even when the property got sold so I would still pay the same monthly amount till my lease and then the owner can do this. This is in California. Can the new owner legally do this to me or can I be protected by the law?

Answer:
 Unless the lease specifically has a clause that permits this (and the CA form lease does not) then you are locked into your rent for the duration of your lease, and you can tell them you will be honoring your lease and expect them to do the same.

They will then, probably, be looking for any legal reason to get rid of you, so you need to scrupulously abide by all rules and be an exemplary tenant.


Title: My neighbor's tree overhangs onto my driveway and causing damage to my vehicles, how do I handle this?

Question:
So, my neighbor has a Bradford Pear tree that hasn't been trimmed since she purchased the house over two years ago. The tree is starting to hang directly over my driveway and is causing damage to my vehicles. I'd like to ask her to trim the tree to her property line, and would seriously appreciate some advice on how to do so and what my options are if she says "no." For those not in the know, Bradford Pear trees have sticky little berries in the fall which corrode the paint on vehicles, and I've just this week spent $100 having a mechanic remove "organic debris" from the air conditioning motor on my vehicle as a result of parking in my own driveway, beneath her tree. Being 100% honest, I do not think  highly of my neighbors' concern for others and worry about approaching her to broach the subject. Simply, I do not trust her at all, and have witnessed her complete lack of consideration on numerous occasions.

I'd feel more comfortable if I had a security camera, but I also really don't want to have to invest in a security camera just to ask my neighbor to trim a tree.

Can I take this up with my city, without personally approaching my neighbor? Would a politely worded registered letter be a better starting point than speaking with her in person?

TL;DR: Need neighbor to trim their tree, tree hangs over onto my property, tree causing damage to vehicles, neighbor is an inconsiderate twat. Advice?

Answer:
 Why not cut it yourself?  You didn't include a state but generally you are able to trim and cut any branches of a tree that overhang your property.  Check your state and local ordinances to verify specifically, but it is definitely true most places.

Common rules are you can't trim over the property line, can't go onto their property, and cannot destroy the tree.Answer #2: **Option 1:**  Don't ask her. Tell her you're going to trim the tree.  As in "Hey, I'm going to trim the part of that Bradford Pear that overhangs my driveway, so don't be too alarmed if you see branches on the ground. I'll drag them away."  If she objects, tell her to put it in writing so she'll be obligated to pay you for future repairs to your ac, etc.  Or just trim it anyway.

**Option 2:** Turn her in to the city for a zoning violation.  Assuming it is one.

**Option 3:** Put up a carport

Answer #3: Why can't you just ask her? That seems like a sensible place to start, rather than a registered letter or installing security cameras. Do you have any reason to think she'll say no?Answer #4: Looks like Kentuck follows the [Massachusetts Rule](http://ftthomas.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/PROPERTY-LINE-INFO.pdf) and you can trim back to the property line yourself. So, ask her to do it. And, if she says know, let her know that you will be hiring an arborist to trim the branches to the property line. When in doubt, check in with a local real property attorney.


Title: [US, NJ] My crazy ex keeps trying to file restraining orders against me even though we don't speak. I'm not sure what to do.

Question:
He broke up with me back in October after cheating on me the entire relationship. After losing it on me and stalking my location via my cell phone and verbally threatening me in December I filed a police report against him.

While filing I was told by my local department that he had tried to file a temporary restraining order against me but it was denied. Of course it was since he was the one coming after me and I was just asking to be left alone.

I had to take him to small claims court for a few things in january and while at court was told by the county sheriff that we needed to be separated due to a restraining order. I stated that was strange because it was denied. The sheriff said it was probably a mistake. (I live in NJ by the way). I called the local and county offices to follow up on this claim after court was resolved (I won) and was told by both parties that there was nothing listed under either of our names. His father works for the local police in the town he lives in as an FYI.

Fast forward to last Wednesday. He starts harassing me via text from a phone number that is a land line when I googled it so most likely he is texting me through some service. Then later in the evening I get a call from a girl pal of his making accusations that I am bad mouthing her in a place that I haven't visited in well over 6 months. She continues to threaten me with suing me and I just dismiss it because everything she says is lies and go on my trip to visit a friend.

I came home on Sunday to a business card from a patrolman in my town stuck in my door requesting I call him. I have and I left a message and have not heard back. Today I came home to another card from another patrolman in my door. I've been told by friends this might be due to him trying to serve me with papers for a restraining order. Could this be the case? If so on what grounds? We haven't spoken in months. Also what recourse do I have? I work for the government and this could definitely affect my job. I'm afraid I'm being painted as this crazy person even though I'm just trying to get away from him and live my life and hope that he leaves me alone. It doesn't look like that is going to happen though.

I am honestly scared for my life and sleep with a knife near my bed because I have no idea what he is going to do next.

Answer:
 Have _you_ filed for a restraining order yet? It sounds like you have pretty good grounds for one: repeated unwanted contact, harassment, threats, prior police reports…

Having said that, if he's trying to get a restraining order against you, your best recourse is to show up at the hearing with your own lawyer, and repeat the relevant bits of the story you just told us about his past attempts to get an order and that he's recently been in contact with you of his own volition as well as through friends of his.

A _temporary_ restraining order can be obtained [relatively easily](https://www.judiciary.state.nj.us/rules/r5-7a.htm). They're short-lived for a reason (days to weeks): they restrict your freedoms without giving you due process, so they usually only last long enough to schedule a hearing as to whether a restraining order can be granted at all:

> (c) Temporary Restraining Order. In court proceedings instituted under the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act of 1990, the judge shall issue a temporary restraining order when the applicant appears to be in danger of domestic violence. The order may be issued ex parte when necessary to protect the life, health, or well-being of a victim on whose behalf the relief is sought.

The "ex parte" bit is important, here: it means that a TRO can be granted when the judge has only heard the applicant's side of the story. If there's no grounds for the order, it'll be overturned at the hearing for the final restraining order. The judge will not be amused if your ex's testimony in favour of a TRO turns out to have been mostly lies.

Edit: u/RalesBlasband has a great handle on it, too.


Title: Is this for real?

Question:
For the record I am in Canada. I do not, not have I ever drank and drove. But I am curious to see if this is the real deal or not and what /r/legaladvice thinks of it.

Thanks for your replies.

Answer: Clearly you drink and reddit though.


Title: Need Legal help About my Wife...soon to be ex

Question:
I am posting this to update all you wonderful folks on my situation because I still receive many messages asking me how things turned out. And today I needed to rant.
Tl;dr Wife/Ex is killing me after she tried killing my pc.
This past year has kept me in a state of semi controlled anxiety. I need more or less of something that I know little to nothing of. Coffee and cigarettes have been my go to crutch, but I still wobble. Started to divorce my wife in Jan for her uncontrollable alchole abuse and driving drunk with my boys. When she became aware of me divorvcing her, she distroyed my pc. I posted a pic here back in Jan. Look at my profile for said post. http://i.imgur.com/oqelxkj.jpg .. so I took her back in April and fired my lawyer after months of her begging and claiming to do rehab. She never made it to rehabilitation, instead she chose to lead me to open my heart back up just so she can crush it again . Two months after I took her back to save my family, she cheated on me with a coworker. She has even had him call me from her phone to inform me that he is avout to fuck my wife and i hear her drunkenly laughing in the background. My son's are all I care about now but they cause a unbearable fear in me that I'll let them down. I know money doesn't buy happiness but I will be a fucking liar if I said it wouldn't buy just a little more peace of mind. I find myself in debt up to my head and not enough coming in to keep the bill collectors at bay. I can not even afford to eat anywhere close to healthy and have to skip meals just to make sure my kids have what they need. I can't find a solution and this thing called life is becoming harder to desire. Sorry all for the mind vomiting but like vomiting helps the stomach, mind vomiting helps my mind.

Answer:
 Get a new lawyer ASAP. The family courts would LOVE to hear about your drunk soon-to-be ex. Also, ask your lawyer about getting your money back for the PC. Answer #2: Hey, I'm here from the sub where you originally posted, Thanks for taking our advice and posting here.

I would strongly recommend you edit your post with all the details the Location Bot has asked you too add.

Please, also, head over to /r/personalfinance

The sub is a saviour, honestly, they have AMAZING advice and I'm sure someone can help you out with your current financial issues as well.

Answer #3: Texas right?

http://cordellcordell.com/resources/texas/texas-divorce-questions/

Prove some of those and you will likely be able to split assets in your favor. The first one is "no-fault" and will be 50-50 split.Answer #4: > I took her back to save my family

FYI this doesn't do the good you think it does.

Leave her.Answer #5: Ill go ahead and note that in the previous thread, he said he lives in Mcallen txAnswer #6: OP, I'm sorry to hear your marriage is not going well.

This sub is here to help people navigate the legal system when they are unfamiliar with how it works.  I'm sorry to be frank, but we are not here to give you sympathy, buy you a new PC, or help with your financial problems.

It sounds like you already know a lawyer who is already familiar with the case.  The obvious and best advice is to get back in contact with that lawyer and resume divorce proceedings.  Other than that, do you need help understanding a specific law or interacting with some part of the legal system?


Title: [Aus, NSW] My friend from Germany got on a masters program which allowed an extended visa. They are now saying he did not graduate, and did not complete the required credits.

Question:
A friend from Germany came to australia as an exchange student and completed his bachelor here, he had gone through his graduation, and received his documents stating his graduation. He decided to apply for a masters course, this would also allow him to apply for an extension to his visa.

He had been accepted into this masters course, and also applied for a scholarship, which included another review of his previously completed course. He was again accepted for this scholarship.

His visa was then accepted on the premise that he was continuing his studies.

As a result of this he extended his lease, and registration on his car. And was also able to maintain his job at a company working in a position related to his university education.

Upon attempting to enroll in his courses the system apparently threw up an error that he had not completed his degree and was still short by 2 credits.

He has now brought this up to student services and was initially told that they did not even know which ones he had not completed. Later after a review, they told him that 2 courses in which he had apparently previously received credit due to previous learning, were now not being accepted.

What can be done about this? And if they don't allow him to go ahead, is compensation for what he has paid and what he expected to get legal required for him?

Answer:
 You could post on r/auslegal or look at DIMMI.

Ultimately it’d be best to go to a licensed migration agent to discuss. Or a lawyer with immigration experience. Answer #2: If he acted in reliance on their earlier advice that he would receive credit for those units, he should make sure he explicitly states this.


Title: What can I do about landlords that don't fix anything. We need a new hot water heater and the sub flooring is rotted. What can we do because we have tried gbla and the local news stations and have gotten no where.

Answer:
 What's your location?  Because, you know, despite being asked multiple times you ignored to post that information.

Most states have a repair and deduct procedure you can follow.


Title: I think my neighbor is a pimp.

Question:
Due to the heat here in Arizona, I am very much a night owl and am usually out on my front porch smoking cigarettes until the early hours of the morning. My next door neighbors have always minded their own business and I haven't paid them much mind. That is until about two months ago. I began noticing odd patterns and behavior which led me to pay a bit more attention. Initially I thought they were dealing drugs, however with time and closer attention it looks much more like they are dealing sex. I don't want to reveal too many details because I have in no way been hidden in my observations of this and I'm sure given that I've noticed them they've  probably noticed me.

Given my prior experiences with the justice system I have not yet contacted police. I fear either authorities will in the best case not take me seriously and in the worst look into the issue and in the process divulge my identity. In the meantime I have made a point of documenting dates of significant occurrences such as a woman's screams from that general direction, a suspicious car that hung around until a police cruiser showed up, and other similar abnormalities.

My question is what is the best way to handle this situation? How much evidence can/ should I gather? Like I mentioned I've been making note of the dates of seemingly significant events, but have been thinking it may be beneficial to park on an adjacent street in a rental car with my telephoto lens in order to capture license plates and the girls coming and going from cars.  I understand most of the information I obtain probably won't be admissible in court aside from witness testimony but it seems more often than not police want most of the work done for them before they will actually open and pursue a case.

Edit: add location

Answer:
 Call the police and report it.  Call when you hear women screaming and report it.  If you are concerned they are also trafficking the women, you can consider using this resource:  https://traffickingresourcecenter.org/

Do not start stalking your neighbors or people coming and going from it.  This is shady business and not your job.


Title: (KY) I got fired from my part time job for exposing the racism of my managers.

Question:
I'm a college student working 30 hours a week while in school full time. Recently at my job, we hired a new assistant manager that is very unprofessional. Together, her and my manager mock our foreign customers by trying to talk in their accents, make sexist comments, like calling our clients sluts and whores behind their backs if they are running late, and making mildly to fully racist jokes to each other in their office. I had conversations about this with my coworkers and many agreed. Yesterday, I posted a tweet (during company time, this was my mistake) about the "ethnocentrism in this clinic." I never named names, I never posted the store name, I kept it pretty vague. The manager and store owner called me into the office and fired me this morning because of this tweet. The store owner comes into the store maybe 2-3 times a week, and is not really sure how things run on a day to day basis, and he is certainly not aware of how the manager and assistant manager act when they are together and he is not there. I tried to explain this to him in our meeting today, but he took her side. Do I have any recourse here? Do I go to corporate and report them? I'm just so upset that they will be able to continue with their racist and sexist practices, probably even more so, now that I am gone.

Thanks so much!

Answer:
 You put work drama on social media? Don't ever ever do that again. While I don't think you will get denied unemployment for a single tweet, you can expect them to fight you.

Any just as an FYI you didn't "expose" anything. You made an vague accusation on social media. Answer #2: File for unemployment. Feel free to call corporate, but don't get your hopes up.Answer #3: By going public with this, you put yourself in a position where your termination is completely justified.

You should have gone to the higher ups in your organization.


Title: Drinking and Driving Work Around

Question:
So I heard a story from a friend (which is always a great start), that his frat buddy got away with a drunk driving incident doing this.

As soon as the cop pulled him over, he turned off his car and dropped his keys on the floor of the car, got out of the car, and chugged a bottle of booze. Apparently, they can't prove you were drunk before then.

Could this actually work? I live in College Station, Texas by the way.
Topic:
Alcohol Related Other than DUI

Answer:
 No.Answer #2: > Could this actually work

No.  In order for this to work, every single person involved, from the police to the prosecutors to the judge, would have to be "Idiocracy" levels of dumb.

The simplest way to eliminate that argument - no one who was **sober** would ever do this.  If you were absolutely not drinking, why would you give them reason to think you were?  There are lots of other reasons why this wouldn't work, but that's the easiest one.Answer #3: DWI Enforcement Instructor here.

No, it won't work.

Alcohol isn't instantly absorbed into your system. So all the evidence of intoxication that I see on the scene (with the possible exception of odor of alcohol) is due to what you drank EARLIER in the night because the new stuff hasn't hit you yet.

So that will give me enough to arrest you.

Then we get to the station and do the breath test. This will be affected by the new stuff you drank, so you'll be more impaired than when you were stopped.

Not a problem. We take a sample, wait a half hour or so, and take a SECOND sample. That will give us the exact rate you are absorbing or eliminating the alcohol. Once we have that we can mathematically compute the amount of alcohol in your blood at the time you were stopped before you drank the whiskey.

You still get convicted.


Title: PA student in final year and was arrested for a DWI in NY

Question:
Hello everyone.

I am in some desperate need of advice. I am in my final year of grad school to be a Physician assistant and graduate in May. I made a horrible mistake one I will live with for the rest of my life 2 days ago. I was arrested for a DWI. I have no criminal past and this is my first offense. I blew a 0.17 BAC and am scheduled for court on Dec 27. I did sign an agreement with my school when I started the program stating I would notify my program director immediately if I am charged with something that will be brought against me in court. And then another stating I have not been found guilty after trial, or pleading guilty, no contest, or nolo contendere to a crime (felony or misdemeanor) in any court. I am petrified this means I am going to be kicked out of the program once I tell them and I will never become a PA after working so hard for this. I am in the process of obtaining a private attorney currently. Is there any advice out there? Someone who went through something similar that can shed some light?

Answer: You do have to inform your program and they likely *can* kick you out, but it's not necessarily going to be their first way to address the issue. They may require you to get treatment (which you should do anyway) or be otherwise penalized.


Title: I appear to have been misclassified with my previous employer.

Question: Hello, around tax time this year and I noticed that I had a W-2 and a 1099 form. I talked to my at the time current boss and he claimed that he switched me to 1099 due to expenses, midway through the year. I like a naive employee accepted it, and ended up paying 500 usd in taxes. I've recently left that employer over that due to the tax amount and I've looked more into it. The job was pool service, he gave me a set of pools to work on with the flexibility to pick my schedule. He provided materials and chemicals. My question is does this qualify as a misclassification and since this is a previous employer, should I file a DOL complaint.

Answer: What the hell? You don't get to switch your employees from w-2 to 1099 for any reason, much less "for expenses." File an SS-8 with the IRS and talk to your state's labor board as well. He is dodging taxes at the very least.


Title: Do I still have a right to private property while in a private high school.

Question: So, I know of a private high school and I have a question about the extent to which this allows them to control a students and their possessions. I am bringing this up because a student was recently reported for having made an innapropriate joke and the administration took his phone or maybe asked for it I'm not sure. They looked through it and found the joke as well as some other stuff (drinking). He has since been expelled and many don't feel it is justified. Did the school have the right to take his phone and look through it? If they are looking for one thing and find other incriminating evidence are they also allowed to use that or just what they were looking for?

Answer:
 > I have a question about the extent to which this allows them to control a students and their possessions.

The bottom line to all questions of this form is that you can be expelled if you refuse to comply voluntarily with the school's rules. You don't have to allow a search, but you can be suspended or kicked out entirely for refusing if the school wants to take a hard line on it.

A private school has no special obligation to avoid unreasonable searches. If you feel that you cannot tolerate the school's rules, withdraw and enrol in a public school.


Title: Someone crashed my car (no collision damage coverage), but the other driver is at fault. They are not responding to my messages and their insurance representative would not answer my calls.

Question:
I was driving in a parking lot on a lane that has no stop sign. While I was in the middle of an intersection another car who was behind a stop sign move forward and crashed the left side of my car. My car do not have collision damage coverage, so I assume I would have to deal with the other driver's insurance myself.

The driver gave me her insurance card information and I called them to report the incident. It has been two days since the report. I have been assigned a claims representative from them; I tried calling them twice everyday and have sent 3 emails, but with no response. I have contacted the manager of the representative and received no response as well. I am not sure what else I can do at this point. I am studying in college right now, and I am barely surviving with the amount of finance I have. I cannot afford to fix the car with my own money. Any kind of help would greatly be appreciated...

Location: Orange, California

Answer:
 These things usually take quite a while to resolve, especially if you have to go against someone else's insurance. The other driver may not be cooperating, but in any case two days isn't that long at all. It could easily take months. If they drag on long enough you can force the issue by suing them, but that isn't going to result in quick resolution.

Is your car drivable at all?


Title: Friends ex boyfriend is threatening to get her fired from job

Question: So one of my friends ex is threatening I get her fired from her job. She works in the public school district and apparently you have to be living within the area if you want to live there. He helped her acquire the job through a friend but now that they broke up he's threatening her   That he's gonna tell his friend to fire her mostly because she's not in district she was previously planning to move in with her ex because he is in district which is what she told the principal when they hired her but now she is still living with her parents and afraid of getting canned because she's not in district any suggestions on what she should do? She's a bus monitor currently

Answer: There is nothing illegal about telling the truth. If she doesn't meet the requirements of the job then that is on her. She should talk to her employer about it.


Title: [US-GA-Fulton] Is an apartment lease agreement typically copyrighted information and, if so, is it a crime to include it in the filed court documents?

Question:
I recently sued my old apartment management company for not refunding my security deposit. I recently learned that all the documents that I originally filed are public records. I was able to access the filed documents with plain/generic metadata.

I included the lease agreement written by the management company in the filing.

Is this a crime and, if so, is there a way to mitigate the expected fallout?

EDIT: thanks for the answers.
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer: Civil litigation would be impossible if all you couldn't submit copyrighted documents as evidence.


Title: Breaking an apartment lease in Georgia due to security not being upheld by management-

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 > I have to find the copy of our lease, but it does state in the lease that if the management does not provide a safe environment, we can break our lease without consequence.

No, it doesn't. Please read your lease and reply with what it does say.


Title: [NY] My father is sick and I'm his caregiver. This week I've missed a lot of half days of school staying home when the symptoms of his illness are worst. Vocational school asking for documentation and I don't have any.

Question: [deleted]

Answer: You can ask the doctor to provide a note stating that your father must have assistance on days when he is particularly ill.  That is likely the best you can do.


Title: PA: got served with a PFA, Can I get it thrown out?

Question:
Ex girlfriend filed a PFA , saying that I slammed the door and knocked stuff off the table, that I get in their kids faces(which I didn’t do) and ripped stuff out of their hands(again, I never did this), and that I slapped her daughter(I did do this, 2 years ago)

Sent her a text saying her kids were gonna die because they were being loud and woke me up(context), she also put in the PFA that I called her fat

She has been posting on my moms Facebook, after the PFA was filed

What is my recourse?

Answer:
 > Sent her a text saying her kids were gonna die because they were being loud and woke me up

You actually sent that in a text? Do you have a lawyer?


Title: Illegal lunches at the children's art program I work for

Question: I teach at an art and nature program for preschoolers in San Francisco, Ca.  It's 100% outdoors and recently my director has been including lunches with the registration fee. It's starting to become pretty clear how illegal many parts of this business are, but the one I have a question is selling lunches that are clearly in violation of health codes. The lunches (slices or turkey, baby carrots, cheese stick, crackers, and a granola bar) are made by teachers in our office, none whom have a food handlers license, and the fridge is a small mini fridge kept in the closet. We have all brought up the health code violations to her, but she is relentless on selling these lunches at a pretty overpriced fee. What can I do?

Answer: You could call the health department.


Title: (Texas) can I lose my legal homestead for delinquent property taxes?

Question:
[deleted]
Topic:
Real Estate law

Answer: Tax foreclosures are a thing in Texas, [sort of](https://www.biggerpockets.com/blogs/1123/8011-the-basics-of-buying-tax-liens-in-texas). The only difference between Texas and other states is that homesteads have a two year redemption period instead of just one year which is standard in many other states. Answer #2: What do you mean by homestead. Are you referring to land that was deeded to you by the Federal government as part of the homestead act?


Title: Rape case being thrown out

Question:
Hi all, so throwaway but usual avid reader of this sub.

To set context, this is the UK. Bit of background - My sister was raped last year by a taxi driver. She was on a night out with friends and was drunk. She thinks her drink may have been spiked but no proof of that. Anyway, she remembers next to nothing about the night other than she got in the taxi at midnight and somehow was at her friend's house (and not her own) at 2am. Her friend said she looked horrific. In the morning another friend realised she had a very long voicemail from my sister crying for help as the rape was happening. She phoned my sister and both friends urged her to go to a rape crisis centre to report it which she did and they took swabs etc. My sister also took the morning after pill to make sure. At the time she was about 5 weeks pregnant but didn't know - luckily baby came out perfectly fine.

Fast forward to this year. It went to court just before the summer. The guys defence was that sister knew she was pregnant and wanted to hang the kid on someone. Bad defence because a) she was in a longterm relationship with dad of baby and B) rapist is a different ethnicity. Another defence was she couldnt pay in money for the taxi so she paid in sex.

Anyway it ended in a hung jury. My sister decided to take it to appeal (I hope I have the terms right here). Court was recently. It ran for 6 days and the day before the gentleman who raped her was due to give his defence (after my sister and friends gave their evidence) the judge decided to scrap the court because basically "the gentleman couldn't have raped her if she has no memory of it. She doesn't know if she said no." But the voicemail says otherwise.

Now, is the judge right here to scrap court before the gentleman is due to give evidence? Especially as nothing has changed since the original court hearing, surely the judge would have known before hearing the case that my sister has no memory of it. Shouldn't it be up to the jury to decide?

Apologies, as much as I'm an avid reader here I am definitely not a lawyer.


Title: [Florida] I'm taking the SAT in January, do I have to display ID?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 the College Board is a private entity. they could make you submit a stool sample if they wanted. they could make you wear a hitler mustache. Answer #2: No, you do not have to show ID.

And they do not have to let you take the test.

So it's your choice.Answer #3: >I know a police officer cannot make you display ID unless they have reasonable suspicion that a crime has been done, so can the people proctoring the SAT force me to give up my constitutional right?

Why do you think that this constitutional right applies in this instance?

To directly answer your question, yes, you have to show ID.  If you don't show your ID, you won't be taking the SAT...I guarantee it. Answer #4: It sounds like you're trying to have someone else take the test on your behalf. Terrible plan. Just study up and you'll do fine.


Title: Seller lied and Ripped me off

Question:
Excuse the poorly written rant. But I need advice on proceeding with a small claim. I recently bought a 98 Honda Civic for $1600. Beforehand I spoke to him on Facebook through the marketplace and asked all the normal questions. “Is there any issues, how’s the trans and engine, clutch, etc”.  He was very vague on describing the car and that should’ve threw a red flag in my head but being anxious and wanting to get a car as quick as I could, I took his word that everything was fine and dandy.
When I got there the car was already running, and warmed up. There was nothing wrong that stood out to me, drove fine, no smells, no sounds. Before I got there, the seller did tell me the cluster had been removed and replaced due to faulty gauges. I asked if there was any other issues or anything at all the i should know about. He lied and said that’s it.
I picked it up the next Monday, and while driving it home it became very clear I was just screwed.
The engine missed, sputtered, and burned oil like a bitch. 2 days later. The check engine light popped on, after directly asking if there was any codes or lights, he said no. The seller cleared the codes before I got there so I would not see the check engine light until they popped up after driving a certain amount.
These are not the only issues but he never mentioned any of them, and made it out to be a great car.
The seller works at a repair shop and I bought it at the shop, so would it be possible to claim a Mechanics lien to insure these problems be fixed by the seller? Someone suggested that too me. Thank you any advice would help. This took place in New York, U.S.

Edit: Since you guys assume I just bought the car on a whim and didn’t check anything. I will explain, the seller lied about all the issues. Most of the issues presently showing were not at the time. He purposely had the car running before hand so the Engine would be running at the correct temperature, and idling fine. I checked the engine for any signs of leaks, damage, or sounds. And too my surprise there was none showing. Until, I picked it up 2 days later, while it was cold, it cranked over for about 10 seconds, the valves tapped, and smelled of oil. While on the highway, and traveling up to 60 mph, the car sputtered and missed. NONE OF THESE SIGNS WERE SHOWING WHEN I WAS THERE AND HE DID NOT MENTION ANY OF THESE PROBLEMS.

Edit: I’m screwed, an idiot, and a very poor mechanic.
Topic:
Small Claims Procedure

Answer:
 No 20 year old $1600 car is a "great car". Why didn't you have the vehicle inspected by an independent mechanic before buying it?

I suppose if you can show evidence that he outright lied and mislead you, you may be able to sue him, but it's probably not worth the effort. Answer #2: Did you complete your personal inspection before or after "coming off a couple bong rips."

Perhaps you missed something, doesn't mean the seller knew, or even lied about it.

And if you test drove it day of, if the "codes were reset to turn on after driving" why didn't they turn on again while you were test driving it?


Title: He is demanding that she sign over her half of the house to him so he can burn it down.

Question:
They have a young child and are living together. He is on anti-depressants and says she is evil. He has no job. She fears for her safety. What should she do?

edit:full story and location withheld for security reasons - location United States

Answer:
 A full story is helpful.

Is she feels he is a danger to her or others then she calls the police. Anything else, call an attorney. Answer #2: http://www.womenslaw.org/laws_state_type.php?id=557&state_code=NJ

Go to this link.  On the left side of the page put in her State.  This will tell you how to get a restraining order.


Title: (FL) Motorcycle dealership refuses to pickup bike.

Question:
I sold my old bike to a dealership. They payed me(in cash) and I gave them the title and all the necessary paperwork.

Now they are refusing to come pick up the bike. What the hell do I do?

Answer:
 >They payed me(in cash) and I gave them the title and all the necessary paperwork.
Now they are refusing to come pick up the bike. What the hell do I do?

You sold it to them and they won't pick it up? Send them a letter and tell them what your storage fees will be and how and when they can pick it up.Answer #2: Find average storage fees at impound lots, start charging based on that per day. Make sure to send a certified letter stating they owe said fees now and so much per day you have it.


Title: How do I deal with divorce papers and child custody?

Question:
live in Riverside county in California. My wife and I have split up. Today she let me pick up my son to stay the night with me and served me with divorce papers. The court has ordered that I get to have my son from Saturday 7:30am to Sunday 2pm. That's only 30.5 hours a week. Please understand that my son is the single most important person in my life and I deserve to see him more that 30.5 hours a week.

What can I do? The divorce papers were completely unexpected and i am lost as to what my rights as a father are and what options I have. From a heartbroken father/husband, please help!

Answer: This is just the initial petition, no?  Hire a lawyer and fight for 50/50


Title: [Hypothetical, British Columbia] Is it considered unlawful confinement if a burglar can't figure out how to leave my home?

Question:
So, all my life I've wanted a part of my home with a "Myst-like" sense of design. Y'know, you can't get out unless you turn a statue pointing north or you have to collect shit to place in certain spots to open a door, etc. I'm saving and saving until I can get my stupid puzzle house.

So let's say someone breaks into my home while I'm away and gets trapped in the piano room because they can't figure out that they had to grab the ivory key two rooms back so that they can play the melody that opens the door to get out, am I legally liable?

Answer: Your house will definitely be condemned by the fire marshal for failing to adhere to fire code. Answer #2: You're dealing with someone who has the tools and demonstrated willingness to break into a house, unless the entire interior is built like a vault he's just going to smash stuff until he gets out.Answer #3: in your hypothetical, did you strike a deal with your homeowners insurance to cover accidental entrapment?


Title: [AR] I adopted a dog and yesterday was his Adoptionversary... His previous owner messaged me on FB.

Question:
I'm on mobile so I apologize in advance, but I adopted the sweetest GSD (his name is Chevy) a year ago yesterday and he's been great and I love him to death and so does my husky.

Last night, I got a message from someone I graduated high school with that I never really talked but we hung out with mutual friends, asking where I got Chevy and I told him the local shelter where I got him from and he told me "I'm pretty sure you have my dog." I looked through his photos and sure enough, he had gotten Chevy as a puppy and raised him till he was stolen roughly a year ago. Now when I adopted him he was severely underweight and wasn't fixed. This guy does not seem like he should have a dog based on the posts I see on FB, but that's not my place to judge.

I know in my state the law is that after 7 days of not being claimed in the shelter, they become available for adoption and all ownership rights are forfeited. Should I be worried about him taking legal action to get his dog back? What if he filed a police report when his dog was stolen?

**EDIT: Someone made a valid point that we don't know if it was actually STOLEN. The only thing I know is what he told me which was him telling me he was "stolen" because one day he "left and came back and he was gone". That's the extent of the information provided regarding that. If there's a police report, then I'd be more inclined to believe the stolen portion of his story. He also has already adopted another puppy so I'm pretty sure he's not Hella torn up about Chevy.
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 Since a few comments have been bringing up the fact that the dog was stolen...

I'd like to remind everyone that the OP only has the previous owner's word on that, as do we by extension, unless he's provided some sort of actual proof (like a police report) that the dog was, in fact, stolen that we don't see here.

Was the dog actually stolen? Did he claim it was "stolen", when in reality maybe animal control officers seized the dog due to abuse and/or neglect? The dog may have gotten out of the yard and disappeared, or he could have abandoned it somewhere, too.  He could be claiming it to be stolen to make a bigger impact in hopes that OP will just give the dog to him, or that the police will be more likely to listen to him if he does try to get the law involved for any reason.

Just because the former owner *claims* the dog was stolen from him, doesn't mean it really was.


Title: PLEASE HELP! I need to take my PayPal and eBay situation further. They are illegally withholding my funds.

Question:
**Solved: Tyvm for the help everyone. I submitted an application with FOS Australia (Financial Ombudsman) and even although I couldn't find eBay listed as a company within Australia (Hm.. I'm not sure why, as it should be registered here too) I managed to link the application with PayPal. Attached all my screenshots, emails etc. They pretty much took it from there. Two weeks later I receive my first ever correspondence from PayPal saying that they fixed the issue and that my funds are now available and that they have incl a courtesy $50 for my trouble. Pah. Still amidst getting the rest of my money back, as the glitch eat up some of my other eBay earnings due to being in the negative. But at least my initial problem is solved. Thanks again!**

I've been having a consistent problem with PayPal/eBay since the 27th of May. A man purchased a watch from me, opened the case for a refund, decided he didn't want the refund anymore so closed the case. During this time PayPal held my funds in preparation for the mans refund, however, open closure of the refund case they should have released the funds again.  PayPal insist that the case is still open yet eBay irrefutably deny this, saying it is 100% closed. I need legal advice as I have exhausted every avenue with this situation, I live in Australia so I don't know whether I would file a case with somewhere in CA or here? A lawyer is unlikely to take this on due to the funds not being enough and I don't have the money to do so anyway. In the end I don't really care about the money, its more the concept of them withholding money I'm entitled to and their unprofessionalism. Is this enough to take further though?

I spent 8 hours on the phone between the both companies, written 5 letters, twenty emails and spoken to 10 representatives, 3 supervisors and 2 managers in total. I've also had 3 conference calls between two representatives/managers from each company bartering over my situation. The situation remains the same: eBay insist that the case is closed and therefore the funds should be released on PayPal, however, PayPal insist that they haven't received a 'closed' status and still see the case as open on their screens, therefore cannot release the funds until this glitch is solved.

Both parties have admitted to some system error or glitch specifically on my account. Even although eBay have forward this dilemma to the technical team, re-opening and closing the case did not work nor did deleting it. They have been rather consistent with their updates and such, trying their best to solve any technical fault on their side whilst insisting that PayPal can indeed release the funds manually and that they are trying to work with them to achieve this.

It's illegal to withhold money entitled to a person and that is exactly what is happening. I could contact a small claims court, but I have no idea on how that'd work given that I am situated in Australia. I also have no idea on how I can effectively pass my letter onto higher management, I can only send this via 'contact us' forms and such where the average representative will reply with the same liners and rhetoric. It never gets passed above to people who could actually change my situation.

**TL;DR: I want legal advice as I have exhausted every route w/ eBay/PayPal. Sold an item on eBay. Customer opened a case as he wanted a refund, then decided he didn't want one anymore so closed the case. Money is still held on PayPal as they say eBay haven't closed the case. However eBay state the case is closed and PayPal should be able to release funds. Both have acknowledged system glitch & I cannot get my money back until this has been resolved. It has now been a month and a half, nothing is being done.**

Update: I live in Australia, QLD.
Topic:
Non-US

Answer: Unfortunately this kind of crap happens to people on a daily basis.... one of the risks of using PayPal (and eBay). There's not much you can do.... people get screwed out of their money all the time with situations like this.


Title: My husband, that I’m separated from and in the process of divorcing, forged my signature electronically when filing for taxes.

Question:
(GA)

We have been separated since January 2019.

I did not work during the tax year of 2018.

I have had to wait to contact a lawyer and start the divorce proceedings until I got a job due to not having the money to hire one. I will now be able to hire one this month.

He admitted to doing this/not telling me he was filing jointly in our counseling sessions.

He owes $7,000 in taxes.

What should I expect from the IRS/legal system during this process?

Do I even have a case?
Topic:
Tax Law

Answer: Report it to the Internal Revenue Service. If indeed he forged your signature on a tax return, it’s a federal offense.


Title: If a company claims to have recorded my phone conversation, do I have a right to a copy?

Question:
I am currently in a dispute with a small hotel in Ohio that offered me a perk over the phone, only to insist they never did so. They even "checked the phone recording" and insist they never did. I want a copy of the recording to hear my entire phone call for myself.

How can I get a copy? The business says their lawyer won't let them release it. This seems illogical to me unless it has "incriminating evidence".

Answer:
 No, they aren't required to give you a copy.  If you get involved in a lawsuit you could request the recording during discovery.

The lawyer's position on this seems to be "don't release it unless you have to."  That's a good standard policy when it comes to potentially discoverable documents.


Title: Rental Car company trying to charge me extra for tolls I didn't even go to

Question:
I rented a car for 4 days through Dollar rental a couple weeks ago. I had a wonderful vacation in Wisconsin. I drove from Milwaukee to Green bay, stayed in Green Bay, and then drove back down to Milwaukee.

However, I just received a bill in the mail (about $30), saying that I passed over two toll highways, even though I explicitly made sure not to. However I looked up the name and location of these toll highways, and they're located in Illinois, and on the date I was charged I know for a fact I never left Green Bay. on top of this, it said I had opened the device attached to the windshield to pay for these tolls, when I made sure to never touch the device because of the big warning sticker saying I'd get charged for it.

I have receipts of restaurants (well, Mcdonalds and taco bell) I visited in the time frame that I was tolled, so there's no way I could've driven that far in that time.

I already submitted a text dispute to them through their dispute site, although I doubt I'll hear anything. Tomorrow I'm going to try calling them. I'm pretty poor, the fact that they charged me triple for the fact that I'm under 25 already slammed my wallet for my vacation, and only getting to see my girlfriend once a year for the last 3 years has been horrible, since we're both college students just trying to make it by with what little we have. I'm just extremely fortunate my family pooled together money for Christmas to have this happen, and I'm still in the process of paying back all of them, so this extra charge really isn't helping.

Answer:
 I don't think there is malicious intent. The transponder might have been moved from one car to another before or after you drove and is associated with the wrong car in their database.

Be polite an persistent. If you paid with a credit card you can attempt a charge back.Answer #2: Frequent Green Bay to Milwaukee commuter here. There are no toll roads there.Answer #3: Dollar are scam artists. They charged me $20 for a gallon of gas despite having a 10 minute old receipt showing I filled it up 5 miles away. They'll never get my business again and I encourage everyone else to NEVER RENT A CAR FROM DOLLAR. Spend a bit more for anyone else.Answer #4: I think this is common with Dollar rental.  Inlaws had the same thing happen in Nevada when renting from them but the toll charge was quite high if I remember correctly.  They managed to get the charges removed.  Answer #5: They charge you a daily fee for using their transponder in addition to the tolls. Even if you don't use the transponder each day, if you use it once time, they charge the fee for each day you rented the car.

Same thing happened to me.

Edit: It's too early for me and I didn't read this too well and for that I apologize. If you're positive you didn't go through a toll, continue your dispute process.


Title: Road rage incident with my kid in the car .

Question:
Was driving from work after picking up my kid from school. Guy in front of me slowed down to a crawl. I put the blinker on and overtook him. He chased my car down. Going up and down almost hitting us. Did shooting hands at the car with mouthing I’ll shoot you. Finally, he overtook is nearly running of the road. Stopped diagonally across the road blocking us going around him. Ran out and started punching the window. Hit it twice. I was on the phone with police. Have them license, but as I was transferred from main dispatch to the other he turned around and left. So, I had to follow him to give them license again. He parked in front of his house. Pulled car in garage. Went to the post box and got his mail. Unzipped his pants and started doing jacking off motion in front of my kid. Went to the car started shouting, “you and me. No cops, no grandma, just you and me”. Finally backed off. Police offers finally arrived at the scene.
They took photos of dust imprint from knuckles on the window. Took my and his statement. Told me he will be charged with misdemeanor: disturbance of peace or something like that.

My kid is ok thankfully. Didn’t cry, wasn’t scared. Just said he felt bad for the sad guy and was proud of me been coolheaded and not getting into the fight. My question is. Is there anything else which can be done, so the guy doesn’t do something similar to another person? The way he acted felt like wasn’t his first rodeo. What should I expect to be outcome with the citation for the guy? If it helps it happen in Ohio.

Answer:
 You reported him to the police.  That is pretty much it.  I would advise against following someone in a road rage incident, seems like that might be poking the bearAnswer #2: It's out of your hands at this point, if the police need to talk to you again they will contact you.

No one can say what will happen to him, it's up to the police and DA what they will charge him with and a Judge and Jury what sentence he would get if convicted. Just statistically speaking he'll likely end up with a plea agreement that may or may not have jail time depending on his if he has priors and various other things.


Title: Would this be considered as blackmail?

Question:
I live in Norway, so the laws may be a little bit different from the US but it can't be *that* different.

So recently there has been a huge influx of web stores in Norway created by semi-celebrities. They're mostly 20-30 year olds that gained their popularity by reality TV shows. They're selling sunglasses and other apparell like that, and also other stuff like the IO hawk with different branding.

I've done some research and I've concluded that every IO-Hawk device comes from the same factory from China. You can buy them for ~$200. The same goes with the sunglasses and other apparell, they're just cheap sunglasses worth between 2-5 USD. Now here's the thing: they sell these sunglasses for $50-$100, and the io hawk for over $1000!

My idea is this: make a facebook/instagram page that expose these web stores, because they're ripping off ignorant customers. Now of course they wont like this, so I could offer to be "bought" by them, i.e stopping, so I can make a quick buck.

Is this illegal? As of my understanding blackmailing would rather be the following: "Give me x amount of cash or I will do this", but since I would have already done it, it's not.

Thanks for replies.

Edit: Not really interested hearing anything from the moral police, this is just a question if it's illegal or not.

Answer: First of all you haven't stumbled upon anything. Nobody will care. Secondly, you are a paragon of moral courage.


Title: I am snapchat friends with an underage kid that frequently post pictures/videos of himself drinking WHILE driving. Is there anything I can do about this?

Question:
[removed]
Topic:
Troll Post

Answer: Unless you have contact information, probably not too much. You can always call the non emergency line if your local police and see if they can give you some guidance. Are you both in the same state?Answer #2: I just want to add that snap chat tells you if you screen shot something. So If you want to gather evidence on him you should film his snaps with a different phone. Answer #3: Save copies of the pictures/videos and pass them on to the police.  If you know where the kid lives, then you can also send copies to his parents.


Title: Dad dies, leaving half a million in his trust fund. Stepmother, and mother of one of my brothers, wants it all.

Question:
I'm 24 years old and living abroad, but this is all taking place back home in the sunny state of Queensland, Australia.

First off, dad left no will behind that we know of.

I have a brother who is 19. My dad and mum split when I was 12, and dad got shacked up with and eventually married another woman, who he had a child with about a year and a half ago.
Dad died unexpectedly, while I was in the country visiting.
His wife has been very unclear with us about the facts, from the actual amount he had left, all the way down to the actual circumstances of our fathers death (he was intoxicated when he died, something she lied to us about).

Since he died, I've spoken to her via email a handful of times, but I haven't mentioned the money yet. Every time we communicate with each other she tells me the same things - how poor she is, how much debt dad left her in to raise her son, etc.
She's in her mid-40's and is in a mid-paying field with enough contacts to be able to find herself a job. She also has an appartment that is now in her name to sell. She's also got dads lawyer working for her, for free. I'm sure that, even without the money, she could survive with her child.

She's mentioned her own financial situation to me, but has carefully left out any details about the money that dad has left. It's all in a trust fund, through his work.
We spoke to a solicitor and he said that basically since she's got a kid and was financially dependant on him at the time of his death, she will probably get everything.
To me, it just doesn't seem right. Before I left, she took me into his room and showed me a box of broken, counterfeit wrist watches that belonged to dad. She told me that my brother and I could choose what we wanted out of the box, since dad would probably want us to have them.
She's sitting on half a million, and her condolensces stop at a box of broken fake wrist watches. He had real watches, too, but she wants to keep those for my youngest brother, her child. She gave my other brother several of his average old colognes, however he also noticed that some of dads more expensive (that we know he owned) colognes weren't mentioned or seen.

I don't know what to do. We're going to get a lawyer, but the solicitors told us that about 90 percent of these cases end with the mother keeping it all. It feels like a knife through the fucking heart. If it were 50 grand, even 100 grand, I'd understand. But she's just seen half a million and gone, "well fuck 'em then". She hasn't made any contact with me in months, and my younger brother says she's stopped talking to him, too. I'm guessing this was the advice of her lawyer.

I don't know what to do. I never thought I'd be in a situation like this. In europe, I'm making 14 thousand euro a year. I want to study abroad over here so that I can start a career in something that actually has a future, but it's hard. I was going to use this money to build a future that would have made him proud, but it's starting to look like all of that might never happen.

Any advice is appreciated, sorry for the boring wall of text but I'm not too good at consolidating my thoughts at the moment.
Topic:
Wills Trusts and Estates

Answer: It could be different in Australia, but in most countries, yes usually in absence of a will, a person's estate is transferred in whole to the surviving spouse, even if it's a second or third spouse. My dad wanted his children to have his inheritance so he had to hire a lawyer and work out some special forms to bypass his second wife. If he'd died without them, she would be legally entitled to everything.


Title: Going to court for attempted possession of Marijuana and I just got written up for possession of Marijuana.

Question:
I'm 26, male and a student.

I pled not guilty to Attempted Possession of Marijuana (misdemeanor) in Quartzite, AZ. Next week I'm going to court again for trial with, I believe, the state judge. Hopefully he puts me on a deferment program and lowers the charge.

Today, I was written up for Possession of Marijuana (felony) in a total different incident in Mesa, Az. Police officer said the charges and court date will come to through the mail.

I don't want to get fucked. I'm about to graduate and this could really interfere with getting hired.

What can I do?
How do I go about this?

Answer:
 You get a lawyer.

To do so you take the money you keep trying to spend on weed and instead use that to retain a criminal defense attorney. Answer #2: Wow you suck at buying pot and should probably stop doing it if you're worried about getting hired somewhere because a drug test will interfere just as much as the jail time you'll probably be doing next.


Title: [New Jersey] Situation with my step son.

Question:
My step son is an adult and lives with my wife and I. Monday night we we have a disagreement over something small, this escalated into him saying that "he will take me outside." He was shouting and threatening me so I called the cops.

The cops told him that he had to leave, this angered my wife so she decided to leave with my step son and go to my step daughters apartment.

The next day they didn't return. I went out to do some errands and when I returned, my wife and step son were changing the locks on the door. My step son then said that I better leave since they filed a restraining order against me. I began to argue with my step son and he hit me on the head with a board of wood.

I had to go to the hospital and to avoid any other confrontations, I decided to stay at my brothers until I sort everything out.

What should I do from here?

Answer:
 Who owns the house? You can't be evicted like that, but it may not be in your best interest to try and return. Are you getting a divorce?  You can report the assault to the police. Answer #2: Call the cops again.  You should also probably get an attorney to stop the probably illegal eviction, or at least make sure you can get your shit and to oppose any restraining order stuff.  I would also consider meeting with a divorce attorney.Answer #3: IANAL

1. Report the assault to the police if not already done.

2. Who owns the house ? In either case this evicition is illegal, get in touch with a landlord tenant lawyer.Answer #4: Lawyer up if they got a DVRO. Don't give them any basis or reason and know that they can make up a completely b.s. reason and still get a DV order to keep you out of your own house, even if you own it. It was smart of you to go elsewhere until this is sorted out. Then you can decide whether a divorce is an option, or not. But don't get sucked into the alternate universe of Domestic Violence without a lawyer!Answer #5: 1.  Do not have contact with your step son or wife without at least one third party present.  (As a witness, and to ensure you are not harmed.)

2.  Talk to the police.

3.  They do not get to kick you out, but they can certainly say that they are afraid of you in some way (especially if you have had physical altercations with either of them before now.)

4.  Find a lawyer, just in case.


Title: Am I allowed to block someone in?

Question:
He's parked regularly in my employer's parking lot to get haircuts. I know it's the same dude because it is a white civic with red accents and a big black spoiler, only one like it in town. It isn't a shared lot, it's the store's alone.
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer: No, but your employer can call the tow company.


Title: Is it legal for a parent to not let their child leave home if the person is 21

Question: Trying to help my girlfriend move out of an abusive household and Google was no help at all

Answer:
 Can they physically restrain get? Of course not.

Can they decline any financial support if she leaves? YesAnswer #2: Do they have a guardianship order that you know of? Even so, the answer would probably be "no," it's just good to get that clear so we know if it's "probably not" or "certainly not."


Title: Would this be considered insider trading?

Question:
I'm interested in investing is a stock/crypto. Was considering it anyways. Read a post on an online forum that said something similar to:

"My friend is a recruitment consultant in the gambling industry and he says there’s a lot of chatter about <CRYPTO> amongst execs. All that’s missing now is one betting site taking the plunge and others should follow. Doubt it will ever go to $10 but $1 is achievable in the short term"

Is knowing that, considered insider trading? Or is it just a general piece of info that can or can not be wise to take (I was somewhat interested already).

Thank you,

Location: North Carolina, USA

Answer: That’s someone attempting a pump and dump.


Title: Brother in law shook his kid in church, CPS got called, huge fiasco (MN hennepin county)

Question:
Sorry for the ensuing wall of text, this is as much /r/offmychest as it is a request for legal advice. Just read the parts in bold if you're not interested in my novella, you probably won't miss much.

**So a few years back, my wife's sister, who we'll call "Helen" marries this guy, who we'll call "Adrian". They're Mormon, so they were married less than a year after meeting one another.** They were both in their 30s, and it's looked down upon in the Mormon community to be unmarried and childless that old. He was going to college to be a music therapist and earning a small income with some kind of work study. They bought a small townhouse and planned to delay having a family until he finished college. **I don't remember much from this period, but I do recall Adrian always being heavily medicated for some mental problems. He would frequently sleep through family functions. Then she got pregnant, and the troubles started.**

His income wasn't enough to justify the cost of child care, so he quit working to focus on school and taking care of his kid. Between that and what insurance didn't cover during the pregnancy, their finances went into the toilet, but Adrian didn't tighten his belt at all. Still bought expensive new stuff instead of old cheap things. **Started racking up huge debts.  Can't be catatonic taking care of an infant, so he also went off medication.**

**Right from the get go, he was rough with his kid.** He never straight up hit the boy as far as I'm aware, but he'd yell at him for not latching during breast feeding or be really rough if he fidgeted during a diaper change. He was really sweet and loving most of the time, though and the boy was really attached to him. Wouldn't have classified him as a bad father at this point, but I wouldn't let him be alone with my son then or now. If school was stressful, he'd make his wife and kids leave for the day so he could do his work, because he was a total dick to be around if he was the tiniest bit stressed. We didn't see him much during these times, but when we did he looked like an ass.

Fast forward a bit. He drops out of school because he can't get into a decent bachelors program half time. He starts working for my father in law some days, cuts down on stress and we don't see him being a jerk to his kids, things are looking up. **Then Helen gets pregnant again. Adrian's dark side returns with the stress of having an infant** So does his lazy side as he completely stops working. Their level of debt shoots up. **Bills start piling up and they have to borrow money from relatives to avoid foreclosure.** Helen plays it off, but she starts showing signs of stress. Hair falling out, weight gain, etc. Adrian barely cares about any of this. Now to the fiasco.

**CPS shows up at their door, claiming that someone saw Adrian shaking the baby at church. He says he was just rocking him to sleep forcibly and thought it was okay because he was supporting the baby's head. He pantomimed it for us, and it looked like shaking to me. When
CPS came to talk to them, he went fucking ballistic. He yelled and swore at fucking child protective services until Helen got control of him and convinced him to go take a nap for a few hours while they grilled her. CPS then determined that he couldn't be alone with his kids. Helen tells us she thinks this will last a month or less.**

Here are my questions:

1) No really, how long should we expect this will be a thing? Is there a minimum period for this?

2) Under what circumstances will this be reversed? What kind of classes will be required of him?

3) How much is this going to cost them?

4) What are the chances we're gonna be involved in any official capacity? If we offer to take their kids for a couple days, are we gonna get visited?

5) If things get worse, who could she call for help paying for a divorce? Are there resources out there?

6) What conclusions can you draw from this that I can't? Is all of that enough for CPS to do what they did? If not, what would be enough? I'm assuming that I didn't hear the whole story, and there might be stuff that they didn't tell us.

7) Where can I read more about this? How might I educate myself on this topic?

Thank you.

Answer:
 [Info on Shaken Baby Syndrome](http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/brain/shaken.html)

[Start here for Minnesota DHS specifics](http://www.dhs.state.mn.us/main/idcplg?IdcService=GET_DYNAMIC_CONVERSION&RevisionSelectionMethod=LatestReleased&dDocName=id_000152), then use your county resources.

Be supportive of your sister and encourage her to seek help if at all possible.  It sounds like she is suffering from depression and is in a bad situation.  She needs to be in a position to best protect herself and her children, and that might require a mental health professional.


Title: My [25m] MIL [42F] has an extreme form of arthritis throughout her entire body and needs a certain injection to live/function, her insurance just cancelled coverage on the injection and paying out of pocket is $2600 a month.

Question:
We live in CA, Central California medical has denied her, medi-cal has denied her, even Obama care has been unable to find a insurance that’s affordable based on her income. She’s running out of options, and relying on donations for the injections currently.

Her current insurance said they are only willing to pay for the off brand equivalent of the medication, but a off brand version literally doesn’t exist.

My wife has instructed her mother to reach out to the pharmaceutical company directly to negotiate something possibly, does anyone else have any options we can look into?
Topic:
Medicine and Malpractice

Answer:
 Call the manufacturer. My insurance didn’t cover Humira when it was first released, but the manufacturer sent it to me for free.Answer #2: Have you gone through the appeals process with the insurance company?

If no generic version of the medication exists, then the insurance company should pay for the brand-name version. It might come at a higher tier (e.g., Tier 3 rather than Tier 1).Answer #3: She should reach out to the company who makes it, absolutely. I’m assuming the drug is Humira — Abbvie (the manufacturer) has a patient assistance program that can provide the Humira for low or no cost if you can’t get coverage.

Also, see if your insurance has a “specialty pharmacy” benefit. These drugs are not really “drugs” per se, they’re monoclonal antibodies, and they are often handled through an entirely separate department. If you have a specialty pharmacy benefit, call them IMMEDIATELY, they will know what to do. Answer #4: Lots of great advice on the Humira, but I want to add that all the biologics have patient assistance programs - enbrel, humira, orencia.

There is also a hierarchy of drugs that can be tried prior to the biologics. First plaquenil, then methotrexate, then sulfasalazine. If your mother failed these all, its pretty routine to approve the biologics. If your mother has switched insurances a lot, and/or doctors, it may not have been made clear that she has tried and failed all the first line treatments.  The patient advocates at the pharma company can be really great about assissting you in getting approval.


Title: [IA] Employer is going to be changing the rules for how we get an incentive to make it based off of how quickly we get paperwork turned in. Can I ask for special accommodations due to my ADHD?

Question:
Background:

I work as an outpatient psychotherapist. In January an incentive program was implemented where for every hour above productivity we bill we get bonus money, which gets tallied at the end of the month.

In the next two months or so there is going to be a change where in order to get your incentive for the day you have to have all documentation completed and signed before the end of the day. If not, then you won't get the incentive money you would have earned for that day.

This seems like an unrealistic standard for many other reasons (such as we see clients back to back all day long), but in particular, I have been diagnosed with ADHD and I am currently medicated. I often have a hard time focusing on completing notes right away and it takes me more time than the average person to concentrate to complete the notes.

Our current policy for completing documentation is that it has to be done within 3 days, however, it only is a problem if it is more than 7 days old (so the 3 day rule doesn't get enforced at all). After 7 days you are basically given a warning to get them done and if it remains a problem they can force you to use your overtime hours to complete documentation during the standard work day (we are salaried). I don't believe this policy will change since that is for late documentation and the change will only be around whether or not you get the bonus incentive pay for the day.

Am I able to ask for special accommodations to get more time than just by the end of the day to get my documentation done and still get my incentive? The 7 day rule has been working fine for me and I don't have any problems with completing all my documentation within that time. If I am able to ask for special accommodations for more time to complete my documentation and still get the incentive for the day what would be the best way of going about requesting them?

Thank you very much!

Answer:
 > Am I able to ask for special accommodations to get more time than just by the end of the day to get my documentation done and still get my incentive?

Yes, you can request special accommodations since ADHD falls under ADA protections. However, that doesn’t mean your company has to accommodate you if the 7 day rule is unreasonable due to business needs.

> If I am able to ask for special accommodations for more time to complete my documentation and still get the incentive for the day what would be the best way of going about requesting them?

I would start with asking your supervisor first, who may rope in HR, who may request a note from your psych to support your request.