Title: Was I discriminated against if I was told in the interview that they were looking to hire people of color and men if I'm a white female?

Question:
I am in Pennsylvania.

Today I had my first interview with a judge for my first summer job as a law student. My goal was to apply to female judges, white or black, because I would appreciate learning from a female mentor.

The interview with her clerk came first, and she was amazing. She was a white female and we clicked immediately. It didn't even feel like an interview because we were just chatting. I felt super comfortable and almost forgot I had to meet with Judge next.

I had heard from so many people that the judge was very respected but also kind, flexible, and easy-going. I was a little nervous and it showed at first, but as the interview with the judge continued, I warmed up a little. Even if the interview wasn't outstanding, my credentials are great. I am #2 in my class, high GPA, involved in pro bono work and organizations at my school, and have decent work experience.

At the end of the interview, she discussed scheduling, compensation, and some of the duties I would undertake if I got the position. I was recommended by a 2L at my school, a white female, who worked with her last summer, and I suddenly had a feeling that she was going to make an offer, because a lot of times judges make immediate offers.
So then she says, (loosely quoting) "Your qualifications are remarkable, second in the class, writing sample is great. Just understand that I will have to get back to you in about two weeks because I'm trying to hire more people of color. You understand right? And more men. This office really needs some more testosterone."

I don't remember what I said. Probably something like, ok. I didn't really realize what happened until I left, like when you can't think of a comeback for an insult until you walk away. She even followed up with "And it's not like an affirmative action thing, it's just what I want for the office."

Is this what discrimination is? Why the hell would she even say that shit to me? If she offers me a position, do I take it? If she doesn't, what do I do? I feel like I have no recourse because suing a judge would be professional suicide. I guess I just want to know, is this discrimination?

Topic:
Labor Law

Answer:
 I understand that saying she prefers one gender/race is illegal, but please note the irony in that you only want to work for a woman.Answer #2: You mentioned it was for a law position. Maybe she's testing you to see if you'd realize how incredibly against the law that is.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII) prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.Answer #3: >interview with a judge

> she says..."hire more people of color....and more men"

There is about a 50% chance that this was some kind of test.

(Apparently you failed.)

She was probably looking for people that would speak up and say something or just see how they would react. It actually sounds like a good way to get a feel for:

1. An applicants knowledge of discrimination law
2. How they might confront a supervisor doing wrong
3. How they might handle a real world discrimination situation
4. All kinds of other personality factors

She probably told the black male candidates that she was looking for white females or something.

(Although, if I was doing this, I would probably clue you in on what happened before you leave. But you never know.)


Title: [NJ] Bank Account Hit With $2,500 Charge; Bank Would Not Allow Fraud Complaint Until We Reimbursed the Overdraft and Now Little to No Escalation of Complaint Has Occurred

Question:
My wife is the one that handles all the finances in the house; that's her call, as she likes to know what we have at all times and she's really good at balancing the account with when bills are coming in and out, etc. etc. - she likes to be in control of it.

A few months ago, she came to me and told me about the $2,500.00 charge to the account, and how for an amount that big, our bank wanted us to reimburse the overdraft before we could escalate an investigation.

We don't have $2,500.00 just laying around so we had to borrow the money from a family member; they wouldn't miss it and were happy to help, but it's still a shitty thing to have to go and ask for.

I know the topic bothers her, so I don't bring it up very often, but the other day we were talking and it came back up... from what she's told me, each time she's tried to call and speak to someone, she keeps getting the run around, transfers to different people, without anyone giving her a straight answer of what is going on with the fraud complaint. As she put it, she's more or less just bouncing around to different people at the call center and no one is actually stepping up to handle it.

I turn to /r/legaladvice to see if there's ANYTHING we can do up against a big bank (it is a national chain - I won't say which one, but you probably have one in your town somewhere) but as far as it seems to me (on the outside looking in), the bank had $2,500.00 magically disappear from our account and we're up shit creek with no one there willing to help us get it back.

As an aside, and hopefully this isn't against any rules - it is not Wells Fargo, so we were not part of that string of fraudulent accounts or anything of the like.

Edit - I wasn't sure what flair this fit under so forgive me if it's mislabeled.
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer: This is not legal advice, but practical advice: instead of calling, one or both of you should go stand in front of a bank manager and ask these questions. It's much easier to send the voice on the phone to another department. The angry-but-calm person standing in your office demands more attention.Answer #2: What caused the large overdraft?  A deposited check bouncing?  A debit card transaction?  This post is full of details that do not matter and lacking on details of the actual situation.  The bank's responsibilities differ depending on what occurred.


Title: Wife fired after telling employer she has a disability, goes in for final paycheck and is harassed by manager through texts.

Question:
Hey there. My wife has anxiety which she is receiving treatment for, along with some damage to her back, which she is also receiving treatment for. These conditions are chronic and have existed for years, but hasn't gotten treatment until the past few years.

Recently, her employer asked her for a note from her doctor stating her disability. She brought this to them on one of her days off, and immediately after receiving the notice, they terminated her. They told her they are terminating her because of her disability. She went in today, and was supposed to receive her final paycheck on Tuesday. She did not receive it to her direct deposit, so that is why she went in today. The manager in charge of payroll was not there, so she said hi to her friends that work there, and departed. The visit lasted less than five minutes.

Immediately upon leaving, she received angry texts from the manager on duty, telling her not to come back to her building (she doesn't own the business or building) without an appointment again. My wife texted her back stating she was just looking for the payroll manager to figure out what happened to her final paycheck she was supposed to receive on Tuesday and telling the manager not to text her further as she has no business contacting her on her private number. The manager continues to harass her and tell her she is banned from coming to the building further.

Finally, after being told once again not to contact this number, she stopped texting. In Illinois, you must receive a final paycheck on the regularly scheduled pay date. I also know it is illegal to fire someone because of a disability. Why advice on this? Do we have a case? She has anxiety and is very emotionally devastated by this whole ordeal as it was a huge shock to her to be fired, and now she is looking for another job. This whole situation feels unfair for her, and she feels bullied.

Answer:
 How many people worked for her employer?  Can she perform key duties of the job with accommodation?Answer #2: What accommodations did she request? Could the company reasonably accommodate them?

For example if she's a customer service representative and she say 'due to my anxiety I can't interact with customers' The company would be right to terminate her.

If she was a cashier with a bad back and said 'I can't stand at a register for 8 hours' The company could reasonably accommodate her by providing a stool.

The manager can request she not come on the property. They don't have to own the property to have people trespassed. Your wife should not return there.


Title: [MO] One month after the breakup, my ex is claiming I sexually abused her during our relationship. How do I protect myself?

Answer:
 Claiming to whom? The police? Or just your circle of friends?

If the police, decline to say anything to them, and if contacted seek out a criminal defense attorney. It's very difficult for them to make a case without you incriminating yourself. So don't give them that oppurtunity.

In any event, cut off all contact with her. Treat any call or text as if she's sitting with the police and trying to trick you into saying something incriminating. Total embargo.


Title: (AZ) Water Utility saying we are responsible for prior usage?

Question:
Hi All, we recently bought our first home in Arizona (foreclosed home purchased at auction) - it is a manufactured home in a small community on the outskirts of town. The previous owner of our house was delinquent on all their bills (as per the foreclosure). We are meant to get our water through a community well (the well services around 200 properties in the area) and is run by a water board.

When speaking to one of the board members they mentioned that the previous owners had not paid their water bill (possibly upwards of $500 and I'm not sure if this is accruing interest every month) and that because they were in arrears that it is now my responsibility to pay the outstanding bill before they will turn my water on.

I contacted my real estate agent who said she has never heard of that happening in all the transactions she has been through and left it at that. I'm unsure if I should call the title company as I'm gathering they only checked for liens on the property, and I'm guessing outstanding bills are not something that would show up or be resolved prior to closing.

So I'm wondering how legally I can be held responsible for someone else's debt - I didn't agree to use the water, it's not in my name, and how can I be responsible for whatever water someone else used over 2 years ago? How do I even verify that the outstanding debt is even real - or that the figure they quote is real as they could make up anything?

Is this something the water board will have to chase down with the previous owner? Is the title company responsible for this? And if the board is adamant that I pay or that it gets resolved before they will turn my water on - what is my best course of action? We are carting our own water bottles to the house and unable to use the shower/toilets until this is resolved so not very happy at the moment.

Thanks in advance for any help and apologies for mobile formatting!

Answer:
 I don't know the law in Arizona, but I will tell you what the law is here in Ohio, and it may help point you in the right direction.

Many municipalities have it set up that the water bill follows the property and not the person. In that case, they are not going to file a lien, they are just going to send you bills, and if you don't pay, it will get added to your property taxes. You MAY be able to get your title company to pay, as they should have checked payoffs on everything, but many will tell you that they don't check utilities. No lien needs filed.


Title: Can a doctor listed on an approved list of Medicaid providers refuse a Medicaid patient? (Obamacare)

Question:
My friend signed up for Obamacare.  He has no job, so he was funneled into the Medicaid pool in Michigan, Maclaren HMP if I remember right.  He selected a provider and was issued an insurance card with the name of a doctor at that provider.

Weeks later, he received a communication from Maclaren that he needed to do an insurance physical.  He went to the provider to make the appointment, where he was asked, "Is this insurance you *pay for??*" and was told, "We aren't accepting new Medicaid patients."

How was he able to get this far in the process to be denied at this point?  Why is this provider on the list is they aren't providing service?

I have a sneaking suspicion that they are accepting some kind of benefit from the state for being placed on the list of approved providers, but when it comes to actually providing service, they're nowhere to be found.

What happened here?  Were any laws broken?  Were anyone's civil rights violated?  Is this a case that should go to court?
Topic:
Healthcare Law including HIPAA

Answer:
 The doctor can refuse to accept new medicaid patients. Doctors will usually only allow so many Medicaid patients because it is a money loser for them. He can inform the insurer and they may be able to point him to a doctor that can. Many free clinics accept Medicaid patients if they can't obtain service elsewhere. Answer #2: >What happened here?

The practice was full and they were not accepting new patients.  That's a common thing.

>Were any laws broken?

Not that I know of.

> Were anyone's civil rights violated?

Absolutely not.

>Is this a case that should go to court?

You can of course try to find a claim for something and act on it.  But there is no chance of actually winning anything.

>How was he able to get this far in the process to be denied at this point?

He was only denied by this one provider that wasn't accepting new patients.  He can call around to other approved providers to see if they are accepting new patients.  Nothing is preventing that.

>Why is this provider on the list is they aren't providing service?

They are, just not to your friend.


Title: [PL to NY] I'm concerned a person I have a restraining order against will try to follow me to NY

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 If he has a criminal record, I don't see him being allowed into the country. Maybe a tip to some federal agency with proof is in order, just to make sure they have a heads up, but I honestly don't know enough about the material to say.

Your best approach is probably to vanish. Don't post about being in New York. Just leave your social media. Do not like anything. Do not post anything. Make sure anyone who knows also knows not to tell anyone else. He's in jail, which limits his access to information. If he doesn't know you went to New York, he's not going to find you in a hurry.


Title: [NC] Got hit at a car wash. Who's at fault?

Question:
Was going to the local Bubbles before i went grocery shopping to get a car wash as its weirdly warm and the snow has melted. There are 2 lanes at this car wash for the automatic wash. I am in the right lane with a large van in front of me and a vehicle in front of the van in the wash. In the left lane there is a car in the wash and a Lexus waiting behind it. The van ahead of me begins to pull forward and then realizes it cant make the clearance of the wash room. He gets my attention and starts reversing, as do I or he would hit me. He backs out and I go to get back where I was and the Lexus in the left lane decides to merge over into the right lane since its freed up and hits me as I am getting back in line. It is merely cosmetic damage (some scratches and a dent on my driver side passenger door). Her front right bumper that hit me is dented and scratched. We move to an empty part of the parking lot, exchange information and take pictures of the damage. This is my first accident with legitimate damage so I went and called the non-emergency line and got an officer dispatched. When he got there he got the story and our information and gave us slips with each other's information on them for our insurance and went on his way. Now the Lexus lady is telling me she didn't see me and that I should have seen her moving into the right lane when I was coming back to my spot and that she moved because she thought her lane was not working. Now she hit me because she wanted to change lanes and didn't look before moving but shes telling me we will just both pay for our own damage because its nobody's fault. Is this true? She hit me in the lane I was originally in but maybe I am being biased and not seeing the situation clearly.

Any help?

Thanks for anything!

Answer:
 Who cares who the internet says is at fault.

What did your insurance company say when you call them?Answer #2: She merged into your lane, same as if it had happened on a highway. Rule of thumb, fault is usually with whomever is doing the more dangerous/unpredictable action. Wait for your insurance, but don't worry too much in the meantime.


Title: My best friend got a DUI after two drinks..?

Question: So, I learned my best friend of 4 years got a DUI last night. She claims that she had 2 drinks after her shift at the bar and grill she works at in Orange County, CA. She said she waited almost 2 hours before driving with a co-worker who had the same. (Which I am inclined to believe since I've gone out with her on numerous weekdays and never seen her have more than that.) She was pulled over for speeding at 86 mph. (This surprises me, but is within the realm of possibility. She usually hits about 80.) Apparently, the officer had her do the sobriety tests and said she passed. He then did a breathalyzer test on her and it came up .14. The passeger came up .11. Assuming she's being truthful and the bar wasn't pouring huge amounts of booze in each drink, this doesnt make sense to me. She's about 120 lbs, and going off those BAC charts, the numbers don't add up. Is this something she should fight? Would it be worth it? Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

Answer:
 2 whats?  12 oz beers? Cocktails? 6 oz wine?  What were the drinks?  You can get pretty blitzed on two cocktails depending on how they are made.Answer #2: You know who "only had two drinks" when they got their DWI?

Everyone.

The roadside breath tests may not be accurate, but the one at the station was.

And cops don't give breath tests to people who do well on the field sobriety tests.


Title: Is it illegal for a business to plow snow onto your property? (NY)

Question: For context, I live across the street from a bank and we recently got hit with a snowstorm. The next morning I woke up to shovel and saw that the bank had hired a snowplow. The driver was plowing the snow onto my front lawn creating a snowbank. I reached out to the town since this has been somewhat of an ongoing issue year after year but I've never pursued legal acting, because, frankly I'm not sure if there is any. The town advised me to take pictures/video which I've done. Is there anything else I can/should do?

Answer:
 Nal. You could get a quote for removing the snow+ laying new sod ( if its killing your grass) and take it to the branch manager. Let him know you will be pursuing damages if the company they contracted with pulls this shit again.

I have noticed it often kills the grass as it takes way longer to thaw and the ice and weight of compacted snow tends to shred what grass there is.

Chances are, a word to the person who cuts the checks will fix this. Banks certainly don't want video evidence of them condoning asshole behavior.

Talk to a lawyer,  you could go for a cease-and-desist letter instead of a pleasant neighborly request. It just depends how agressive you feel you need to be to get results. A lawyer will often give a free consultation, so its best to start with that then use the advice they give to decide how you want to handle this. Answer #2: The legality of it will usually come down to municipal laws.

If they were to damage your lawn somehow, they could be civilly liable.


Title: Question about scareware viruses from Porn websites

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Theres like hundreds and thousands of reputable porn peddlers on the internet. Where the hell where you scrounging around to get people who would do that?

Learn to porn better. Pornhub. Brazzers. Hell, theres thousands of reddit subs.

Install Ad Blocker Pro.

BE BETTER SIR OR MADAM

That said, don't worry. Likely was not a real kid or a real animal. Even dirty smut peddlers don't want that noise.

But for the love of god be better.


Title: So on the 17th in Vegas, my wife and I got pressured into a timeshare purchase. We want out but missed the mark by a day in Nevada.

Question:
We looked up recision laws and we missed the 5 day window to cancel our contract. We're in it for 17k and are at a loss on what to do. Does anyone have any experience on getting out of this contract? Please help, we feel bent over and fucked for this. We're unfortunately still on vacation until Saturday but not in Vegas anymore. Stress levels are high. Thanks for your help

Changed scam to contract.

Answer: How do you figure it's a scam? Did you have a gun to your head when you signed? Has the other party breached?


Title: Just got a letter from Taskrabbit, a service I signed up for and then immediately closed, saying my SS# was stolen. Can I sue them? (AZ)

Question: They're trying to offer me a  free year of identity theft protection. They said this all happened a month ago and I just got the letter today.

Answer:
 You'd have to have damages to be able to sue; at this point, at least, you probably don't. Can you point to any particular monetary or other loss you've suffered that you can tie back to them?Answer #2: >They're trying to offer me a free year of identity theft protection.

Take it. You have nothing to sue over.


Title: Backing out on vehicle purchase

Question:
I feel like an idiot for this, but I looked at a used car yesterday. I had been searching for AWD or 4WD vehicles online, so I was under the impression that the car I test drove was AWD. It is my fault for not reading the ad more closely. The car is a Ford and I bought it at a Mercedes dealership,  so I didnt expect the sales person to know much about the vehicle...

 I signed the paperwork for the car, but im pating cash and I told the dealer i would need a few days to transfer money into a local bank account. I also didnt have the title for my tradein with me, so ecen though we signed all the papers, I havent exchange any money and I havent taken the vehicle off of the lot.

I was showing the car online to a friend later in the day and realized it is front wheel drive.  Is there any way I can back out of this deal? We signed the paperwork yesterday on Saturday and the dealership is closed today.

Answer: Utah doesn't have a cooling off period for used car purchases. Unless the contract specifies such a period or the dealer agrees to cancel it, you have little to no recourse.


Title: Employer has secret microphones, no consent given

Question:
I live in North Carolina, a one-party consent state, and recently a hidden microphone was found in the bar area. A guest initially saw it, and asked the bartender what it was, she didn't know. Then when she was away from the bar the guest reached up and pulled it out of the ceiling and lo and behold it was a tiny microphone. I don't think that one was replaced, but I don't know where or how many there may be. No employee ever gave consent and guests definitely haven't given consent.

So I guess I'm wondering what steps do I take from here? I've talked to the bartender about it a little bit, but there isn't any telling whether they actually put it back or how many there are.

Answer:
 The only areas in your workplace you have a reasonable expectation of privacy are the bathrooms and areas where you may be changing clothes, etc.

Everywhere else in the workplace is generally fair game for recording audio and video.


Title: Can a minor be charged as a sex offender? ( Colorado)

Question:
Hi, if you are still technically a minor, can you be charged and labled a sex offender?  On a side note, say a 17 yr old kid is tickling his 5 yr old niece,if he put his hands down her shorts at any point could the parents make anything of it or is that legal?
Topic:
Juvenile and Youth Law

Answer:
 >if you are still technically a minor, can you be charged and labled a sex offender

Yes.

>say a 17 yr old kid is tickling his 5 yr old niece,if he put his hands down her shorts at any point could the parents make anything

Yes

>is that legal

While I have to say that depends on the circumstances, the answer is almost certainly "no, that's illegal, and it's also the sign you're a sick fuck who needs therapy now."


Title: Nebraska: Roommate not on lease won’t move out.

Question:
We been having issues with our third roommate the last 6 months. He never cleans up after himself, leaves the bathroom filthy everytime after use. Hangs her dirty underwear on our bath towels etc.

He got mad when the other roommate approached him last week and asked if he would clean the bathroom. He said if we were going to be demanding maybe he should move out, which I happily said yes! Move out!

He of course quickly backtracked on what he said and said he wasn’t leaving and if he wanted to talk to him we would need to get a lawyer? Which doesn’t make sense to me.

So I talked with the landlord who owned the building, she said since he isn’t actually on the lease, they unfortunately couldn’t help us with a notice. So we drafted a 30-day notice and gave it to him this morning. He immediately freaked out and again said he isn’t moving and we need to get a lawyer.

I’m really about to go to the police for trespassing. Can I ?

Answer:
 > I’m really about to go to the police for trespassing. Can I ?

He's not trespassing.  You gave him 30 day notice, which is what I assume is required in your jurisdiction to terminate an implied month to month lease.

If he does not vacate after that 30 days, you need to go through the courts to get him evicted.  Then, you can go to the police to have him removed with those orders.

His advice for you to get an attorney is not bad.  It may cost you some money, but you will make sure everything is being done correctly, and you do not have to communicate with him directly about the proceedings.


Title: Oxford comma and phrasing

Question:
In the following clause:

> "Buyer agrees to pay Contractor a cancellation fee equal to 15% of the Agreement’s purchase price to offset Contractor’s incurred labor, administrative and material costs."

Does the 15% cover the entirety of labor AND administrative AND material costs?

OR

Is the 15% for labor ONLY with both administrative costs and material costs being extra?

This is from a contract in North Carolina.

Answer: If you didn't write it, its which ever one you want it to be.


Title: Groped by customer at work. Boss laughed it off. [FL]

Question:
This post is for a friend of mine who came to me seeking advice. So my friend immigrated to the US from  a year and a half ago. She is currently working illegally in a hotel (very large multi-national chain) as she awaits her work permit (supposed to be here soon). All of the cleaners technically don't work for Marriott itself, but rather a labor staffing company. She was never asked to provide any documentation and she assumed they just entered a fake ssn to process her payroll.

&#x200B;

Incident occurred while she was vacuuming the hallway. A roughly 55-60 year old man walked out of a meeting room (National American Legion Convention) and she politely greeted him as she does anyone else that passes. He stopped and "gave her creepy eyes" and said "I see you over there". She just attempted to laugh it off and continue working. He came closer to her and started rubbing her back while making creepy comments. He then moved down and squeezed her butt. She froze for a second and then quickly walked away without saying anything.

&#x200B;

When she told her supervisor what happened and she was uncomfortable with it he laughed it off and said, "Oh you made an old veteran happy!" I told her to text a different supervisor what happened to see if that person will help her report or at least get their lack of response documented. No reply in 18 hours. She's nervous that if she reports it to a manager who works directly for the hotel (not staffing company) that she'll be fired or worse reported. She doesn't have papers so she really needs this job.

&#x200B;

Any advice for her options? She really just wants a safe work environment. Also we both agree that something should be done to this guy because she probably isn't the first or last girl to be assaulted by this pervert. Being a vet myself, I'm also pissed for disgracefully representing vets. She said the Legion Post was on the meeting room door so she's going to give me that today. I'm going to try to contact the leaders of that post and see if they'll work with me to identify. She's worried that bringing police into this could get her in trouble with ICE or hurt her chances of finally getting her work permit. Are those real concerns? Is it best (sadly) to just drop this?

Answer:
 It is not surprising that a staffing contractor who hires people without valid work permits would be reluctant to report something like this.

Your friend can report it directly to the hotel management, they might follow up with their customer, but it is likely that your friend could easily identify the groper?    And after reporting it to the hotel management, it would not be unusual for the labor contractor to lose their contract since they are employing people without work permits.


Title: [Confession][Help] I pursued my fiancé so he would buy me a dog

Question:
[removed]
Topic:
Troll Post

Answer:
 > what should my game plan be here?

A great first step would be finding a therapist and trying to deal with your major personality issues.


Title: 17 y/o brother broke into a furniture store for fun, set off an alarm, and was arrested for burglary.

Question:
Will keep this brief :)!

&#x200B;

My brother greatly enjoys climbing buildings in the spirit of *parkour* and has been climbing random things for years now. The other night, at 2AM, he climbed a two story furniture store near our home and made it to the roof. He was with a friend who he usually climbs with.

&#x200B;

At this point, they usually go home since most of the fun for them is just in getting to the top. But, this time they saw an open hatch + ladder that led directly to the store. So, they went down. Not the *most* intelligent move LOL.

&#x200B;

At this point, they take their shirts off and cover their faces - since they didn't want to get caught by a random camera in the store. My brother was wearing a GoPro and *starts* recording when they get in the store. The GoPro is held by the police right now on account of it being evidence, but the recording shows him and his friend just walking around - and then leaving.

&#x200B;

As they leave, the friend trips off an alarm. So, they hurry our through the hatch and back down the roof. As their coming down, police arrive. The friends makes a dash and escapes. My brother gets caught.

&#x200B;

My brother cooperates, lets police know who his friend was, and is officially arrested.

&#x200B;

Upon picking him up, the officers tell us that he has been charged with two felonies - burglary and possession of burglary tools. The **furniture store** is also pressing charges. He'll need to go to court and fight the case. Note: The burglary tools in this case was a a backpack with a some screwdrivers and swiss army knife that they often use to unlock ladders to get the roofs of some buildings.

&#x200B;

So basically, now we need to hire an attorney and fight this thing to show that he was just being a dumb kid and had no malicious intent - else these are felonies that will stay on his record.

&#x200B;

\- What is the best course of action now? Any basic tips here would be awesome as I don't even know the first thing about hiring a good attorney :).

\- Is there any hope to get this thing removed from his record completely, or is it done-zo?

\- What implications are there now that the furniture store is involved in prosecuting him? Does it make it worse or the same as it would have been?

&#x200B;

Thanks all <3!!
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer:
 He needs a criminal defense attorney. He should not talk to the police any further. The furniture store's decision to cooperate with the police and request that your brother be prosecuted doesn't help your brother. However, no one from your family should make contact with them and try and convince them otherwise.

You can call the Florida Bar association for a recommendation for an attorney.Answer #2: > At this point, he takes of his shirt off and cover his face and his friend had an actual mask - since they didn't want to get caught by a random camera in the store.

The fact that the friend brought a mask suggests their entry into a store was planned.Answer #3: \-Brother should not talk to you or anyone else about this, and definitely not the police.  Brother talks to lawyer only.

\-No, that is not going to happen.  Your brother is facing some very serious criminal charges.  He broke into a store.  He may be able to plead to less serious charges, but a boys-will-be-boys everything goes away result is not happening.

\-The furniture stores is not prosecuting him, the state is prosecuting him.  The decision to charge him with a crime belongs to the state, not the furniture store.  All things being equal, it would be better if the furniture store was not interested in participating, but it probably doesn't really matter since your brother captured his crimes on camera.Answer #4: You just described burglary. Breaking and entering is pretty interchangeable with burglary here. He needs an attorney and your whole family needs to do what the attorney suggests.

They don't really need the furniture store to cooperate, that have his own recording and admission as evidence.


Title: [CA] Charged for ER after specifically requesting Urgent Care. Not informed of price of diagnostic tests before administration.

Question:
So I went into a local hospital several weeks ago with a persistent 102º F fever, difficulty breathing, and severe body aches. I had spent several days with these symptoms so over the counter meds were not working. I then went to the hospital to go to the urgent care center. After specifically asking for the urgent care center I was directed to a room that turns out was actually the emergency room which is right next door to the urgent care center.

To rub salt in the wound I was told I would need diagnostic tests as the doctor could not pin down what the problem was. She then proceeded to administer a cheek swab and a nasal swab. Thinking this was urgent care I was not overly concerned about the price.

I received my bill the following week after absolutely no help from the hospital and was charged a $823 dollar facility fee, $249 strep screen, and $335 for an influenza screen.

I can only assume the $823 dollar facility fee was due to them making me sit in a room without the doctor for an hour. But between forcing me to stay in a room without a medical professional present, sending me to the wrong location while in a vulnerable psychological state, and not providing me with the amount charged when it was obviously very high, is there any type of recourse I have here?

My insurance is refusing to pay more than $314, but I feel that with my set of symptoms I should still qualify for full coverage as I meet prudent layperson standards, as I had reason to think that my life would potentially be in danger if I were to let my condition persist, especially since I live alone and am new to the area.

Sorry if my frustration is leaking through, but I really need some help. My medical bill was $1000 and like I said I just moved to the area so I don't have any emergency funds to pay for something like this. I'm not really sure who to ask, so any advice or direction would be a godsend.

Answer: You can negotiate with the hospital and your insurance company to try to lower the out of pocket fees.


Title: Jail Withholding my Brothers Medications. BP Currently 170/105 [CA]

Question:
So here is the most concise explanation of the specifics:

My brother has an old DUI from a couple years back. He went to court and they put him on a work release program. He was complying up until about a month and a half ago when he was hospitalized.

Some context on his health, when he was about 14 years old he got a VERY rare tumor on his adrenal gland that was causing him high BP and a slew of other problems. He had the tumor removed but this last month he was re-hospitalized for high BP. They have been working on tests to find out a diagnosis but the symptoms he is presenting are similar with those from when he had his tumor.

The fact that he was hospitalized caused him to miss his work release and a warrant was issued. As soon as he was well enough to take care of this problem he went to court to try and sort everything out and explain to the judge why he missed work release but she wouldn't listen or look at any of his medical documents, she arrested him on the spot on Thursday.

Now he is in jail and he is having high BP. He is currently at 170/105 (normal is 120/80). We gave the jail a list of his medications but as of today they are still not giving them to him. He was taken to Arrowhead Regional last night because he was feeling so sick from his high BP but they berated him and scolded him for trying to somehow make his BP go up just so he could get admitted to the hospital. They gave him some medication and sent him back to jail this afternoon.

There is no bail set for him so we can't get him out even if we tried. He's scheduled to be in until thanksgiving day and without his medications his health could deteriorate really quickly. We just need someone in medical to listen to us and take him seriously. They are even testing his eyes with a light and his pupils are dilated so they think he's on meth but he is telling them to do a blood or urine test. He's not on drugs, his adrenal gland is so compromised that it is causing his adrenaline to course which is what is causing the pupils and BP to be out of whack (according to my wife who is an RN)

Thanks for listening! Sorry it's a lot to take in but I wanted to make sure you had all the details
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer:
 He needs that medication NOW!  I worked in a physical rehab hospital and we had CVA (stroke) patients that would tell us they decided to stop taking their meds and within a few days they had a stroke.  They were considered the "lucky" ones because they survived their experiment.  This is really dangerous he is at increased risk of stroke or heart attack.

Get the names of the physicians that treated him at Arrowhead and report them to the state board.  They should know better!  Reporting them to the state board puts their license at risk, you could sue but most doctors are more worried about being able to continue their career.  Can't do that if the board yanks your license.  Even if they don't being disciplined by the board is a matter of record, malpractice cases can be sealed.  Call his doctor and tell him what is going on.  Maybe a call from his physician will make the jail understand they are playing with fire and facing a potential lawsuit if something happens to your brother.Answer #2: Who was his attorney when the work release program was figured out? Did he ever have a public defender? If so you should contact that person ASAP.

Is this in san bernadino county?

Try to pull together as much medical documentation as possible (if he can sign a HIPAA for his usual doctor so they can talk to jail medical that'd be ideal).

In addition to keeping in contact with jail medical, he should ask who does jail legal services/works in the law library. He should ask that person for help as well.


Title: [SC] Father passed away 6 years ago; executor refuses to close estate.

Question:
Hey all.

My father passed away 6 years ago when I was 16. He made 500k a year. The estate is split evenly to myself, my sister, and his fiancé at the time (yes.. this bitch was added into the will a few months before he passed as they were going to get married). I'd love to find a way to cut her out as she is a golddigger; but that doesn't seem possible.

Anyway. My Aunt, who is herself an Ivy League law graduate, became the executor of the estate. After the estate sold basic assets we are left with a 200k condo, 600k apartment, and around 400k liquid. The condo is rented and pays for itself. We are waiting to sell the house "until the market turns" but myself and my sister are tired of waiting. The house is has been rented on the past 3 years on short term leases (1 year per).We have not been in contact with the girlfriend since his death and are unsure of her opinion on the situation.

We are ready to move on with our lives and sell the house and condo so we can finally divide the cash. Is that how this works? No money divided out until the estate is closed?

Do we have any right (2/3 of the equal share benefactors) to either force her to sell or "impeach" her as executor?

Also, do we have any right to any money before the estate is closed? We both have student loans we are having trouble paying and even 10k from the estate would make a big difference for us.

3. If the three of us were to agree to a deal where I take the house, my sister took the condo, and the three of us split the money.. Would the executor be able to deny that?

Answer:
 This is your Aunt.  I suggest you email her and ask that $300,000. of the cash be disbursed now, evenly divided between the three of you.  Note your student loan obligations.

She will then either agree or explain if there is some reason this cannot be done.  At that point, if she refuses, you can consult an attorney.  Maintaining your eligibility for low interest student loans, while earning a higher return on the funds in escrow, was actually good financial planning on her part.  Don't assume that she has not been acting in your interest.

>If the three of us were to agree to a deal where I take the house, my sister took the condo, and the three of us split the money.. Would the executor be able to deny that?

The executor must follow the terms of the will which is an even split between the three of you.  Convincing the executor to instead give you around 730K in cash and property, your sister around 330K in cash and property, and the girlfriend around 130K in cash is not going to happen.  It is also very naive to think the girlfriend would ever agree to this, and it's a lousy deal for your sister also.  I strongly suggest you forget this completely.


Title: Can my girlfriend’s landlord prevent me from visiting? (Queens, NY)

Question: My girlfriend is moving into a new “apartment” tomorrow in Queens, NY. The landlord just told her that she is not allowed to have male guests, that she can have female guests but that they can not spend the night. Is this legal? The landlord’s daughter lives in the house while she is finishing college, so that is why he has these limitations. I said “apartment” because it is a house that will be shared by my girlfriend, he friend, and the landlord’s daughter. She lives 1.5 hours away so this would really put a damper on our ability to spend time together. Thank you for the advice!

Answer:
 Brick Underground is a pretty popular & reliable source of NYC housing rules. According to them, landlords cannot restrict overnight guests so long as it less than 30 nights.

https://www.brickunderground.com/blog/2014/04/got_guests_here_are_the_rules


Title: Legality of suggesting others ignore their debts

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Ignoring debt is a terrible idea, and terrible advice almost all of the time.

If you are subject to collection for a debt that is not yours, then *disputing* the debt is what you want to do.


Title: My brother is a slob. Can I kick him out? [Florida]

Question:
In 2010 our father passed away leaving no will declaring who gets what. My brother and I decided to split ownership of the house 50/50. Since my father's passing our house has gone from a "frat house" to a "boarding home" to a "charity homeless shelter". Over those years it has had very little TLC and has become somewhat of a miniature landfill. Now that I am moving beyond young adulthood I find it increasingly more imperative that I correct this behavior and start acting like a responsible adult. My brother on the other hand is content with living in a dumpster. I am beginning to worry about possible health risks for both of us but mainly myself since (again) he doesn't seem to care. I make futile attempts to clean the house and restore it to the glory days of when a family lived in it but to no avail, I am only giving him a clean place to put more trash. I have reached my limit and decided to pursue any means necessary to get out of this landfill. This includes suing him and evicting him if possible.

TL;DR:
My brother owns half the house. Can I sue him for ownership and evict him?

EDIT:
It feels like it would be more cost effective to just move my self out.
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 So you both own the house 50/50? Then no, you can't even legally evict him unless I'm missing something.

You could buy him out.


Title: Why is there no lawyer version of AAA for traffic stops?

Question:
So I live in a fairly liberal city and while most interactions with police have not been unjust, being a PoC with eyes I have seen how quickly a police interaction can go wrong. I am planning on road-tripping to other parts of the country including rural areas #vanlife, but besides multiple cameras I wanted to have a service that I can call to provide legal advice to prevent police overreach or outright abuse of power. Nothing. There is nothing out there where I can get legal advice quickly without retaining a criminal attorney(no idea how that even works but probably won't spend the insanely high cost for that).

Why is there not a AAA type service for anyone who is pulled over by police? It could be paid in a variety of ways whether yearly with a per instance fee, or tiers where you also could have facetime support, support in the court room etc. It just seems so many bad interactions with police revolve around the power they have when pulling drivers over. I work with drivers and their records and many people are routinely stopped over and over by the police and targeted. I'm sure they would rather pay a lower the $125 fee than to the court.

Answer: Legal insurance programs become a market for lemons. There is a lot of information asymmetry. And in traffic court there are not attorneys fees provided if you prevail


Title: Would selling bricks be illegal?

Question: Yeah I wanna do basically what the title says. I don't support the riots, I just wanna sell bricks with my friends sort of as a gag. We would have a sign with a disclaimer saying any customer that purchases bricks are not to use them for any violent purposes, only meant to be used in building and creating structures. I also don't wanna get charged with anything such as inciting a riot. Is there any way for me to do this to avoid legal backlash? I know people will hate my idea but I won't do it if I could receive a charge. Cincinnati Ohio. $1 for one brick. (bricks are 48¢ at Lowe's)

Answer: This is a good way to get charged with aiding in the commission of a crime. Your sign is meaningless.


Title: What are my rights as a minor in a mental hospital

Question: I'm currently in a mental hospital for threatening to take my own life. I am locked In a room and I'm not supposed to have my phone. I don't want to be here and I am being held against my will. Unfortunately I am a minor and I don't know how to use my rights if u have any. I don't want to run away even though it would be pretty easy to but I just hate being here locked in a cell with a stretcher as a bed and no blankets and a camera watching me 24/7. There's a woman beside my room who is trying to escape and I'm considering joining in with her

Answer:
 If they feel you are a danger to yourself or someone else they can hold you for treatment and evaluation even without your consent.

The "escape" will not work and will make things worse for you in the long run.  Let the doctors help you.


Title: [NYC] Legality of punching a street harasser?

Question:
The other day, a man followed me on the street, making sexual comments. I loudly told him to leave me the fuck alone several times. I came very close to punching him. Would cops/courts consider that self defense?

Street harassment happens to me almost daily, so I want to make sure I know my rights in case I do ever lose my cool.

Answer: Do you know the man? Call the police,  every single time.


Title: Being let go from my restaurant job with no reason. What are my rights?

Question: My manager just decided that I am now considered an "on-call" employee, but stated that she will not need me. They are refusing to fire me, but will not give me any shifts. Is this legal? What are my options? Thanks for your time. I am in California by the way.

Answer: Apply for unemployment. You can get it based on reduced work hours... you don't have to be fired.


Title: [19,F] Need advice. Mother "stole" money from savings account, how to get it back?

Question:
Hello thank you for reading and helping me! Basically I am a 19 year old girl who is currently living at home in NY, USA. My parents (mostly mother) had set up one of those guardian savings accounts for under 18 year olds. She was the guardian but I was primary. (I believe that is how it works)

Thoughout my life I have been depositing into this account with the impression that it truly was my money, and my parents have assured me periodically that the money is mine and belongs to me. Oneday I can use it to buy a house or a car, etc.

One day my mother decided to withdraw all of the money from the account, close that savings account, and deposit it into a separate new account that I have no access to.

Does the money really belong to my mother or can it be considered mine since the account was really for me and they gave me the illusion of "owning" the money?

TL:DR; I was wondering if there is any way to get the money back considering that it was "mine?" Or that my parents gave me the impression that it was "mine."

Answer:
 joint accounts/guardian accounts seem to have this issue a lot.

if you can prove the money is yours, you can sue her for it.


Title: 17 years old, was I served improperly?

Question:
I currently live in Chicago, Illinois. I was awoken by my aunt telling me that someone was at the door jiggling the door knob. With me being the sole male in the house I was sent to the door out of fear for safety. Upon reaching the door I saw a man walking down the stairs of my gated apartment, and once he heard the door open he came back upstairs. I saw a plastic bag on the door and I was asked who my parents were. Upon answering he told me it was simply a package which seemed suspicious to me as it was 10-11pm on a Monday. He then gave me a list of names and when I said I knew no one from that list he said to just take the package. In it was a loose bundle of papers, folded in 3 ways. Out of curiosity I opened it to read it was an eviction notice and the court date is scheduled for this Friday. The complaint was filed some time in April and I'm unsure about why we're getting it on such short notice. Is this even remotely legal?
(Please mind formatting I am on mobile)
Edit: If I need to clear anything up please let me know, I really do need help.

Answer: Who is listed as the defendant?  You?  Your family?  Is the eviction for your unit?  How long have you lived there?


Title: Documenting evidence - handwritten or typed up?

Question: Lets just say you're witnessing some legally questionable circumstances, which would be a preferable - handwriting day to day accounts or typing it up in a word document? Would they hold up in court? What about accusations of forgery?

Answer:
 > Would they hold up in court?

They would almost assuredly be inadmissible.  They can be used for your purposes, to document your memories and to refresh your recollection later.  But you'd need to testify, and the documents(regardless of format) would likely be inadmissible.


Title: Inattentive driving...should I fight it?

Question:
I recently was pulled over by an officer in Wisconsin. He was very agitated and said I was the 4th or 5th person he's pulled over in a row that was looking down as though they were texting. Wisconsin state law defines inattentive driving as "No person while driving a motor vehicle may be engaged or occupied with an activity, other than driving the vehicle, that interferes or reasonably appears to interfere with the person's ability to drive the vehicle safely."

My issue with the citation is that I was using my iPod to control my radio. It was plugged into the dash, it was in my hand, and I was changing stations. I was not driving erratically, speeding, swerving, or anything else--I was in a 25 mph zone and I was simply changing tracks. Feel free to tell me if I'm an asshole; I just don't see it as being any different than changing stations on the radio. I have a clean driving record, and I have never fought a ticket, so I don't know what to expect if I plead not guilty. Thoughts welcome.

Answer: Yes, even changing the radio station on your car radio can be inattentive driving.


Title: Legal Advice; Alberta, Canada. Was in a MacDonalds a few months ago, restaurant filled with smoke. It was due to a ventalation machine motor they were replacing.

Question:
I notified the management and staff that there was a fire in the ceiling, and they asked me what they should do.  I said evacuate the restaurant and call 911.  They called the owner instead, and he said don't.  There was a mechanical contractor on the ceiling replacing the motors on the HVAC system, after talking with him, he told me that it was simply "hydraulic fluid" that was in the motor burning off.  Nothing to worry about, and it would be gone soon.  Soon enough it was gone, however, the entire incident took about 20 minutes, and during that time, the restaurant slowly filled with smoke, in the area myself and others were sitting and it was extremely hard to notice until the air was thick.  The moment I stepped outside and breathed some fresh air, I started coughing and hacked up a bunch of phlegm.  When I told the mgmt and employee, they walked into the back room to see, and began coughing uncontrolably.  I have been to see my doctor twice, and told him that my upper lungs feel congested and am still coughing up phlegm.  He listened to them and said they should be fine.  They are not fine, and feel as though they are coated in phlegm and heavy all the time.  Breathing is more constricted and it feels as though I have a constant chest cold.

Funny thing is, I was not thinking lawsuit or anything like that, but I started filming, on phone, the smoke when I noticed it, and just kept it rolling as I went and talked to the mgmt/staff, then as I left the restaurant and went over and talked to the HVAC mechanic and he explained what happened.

TL;DR  Smoke from Hydraulic Oil, not cooking oil,  filled the restaurant, mgmt notified, nothing was done, 6 months later, I am still coughing up phlegm and feel like I have had a chest cold ever since.  I have no chest cold.

Answer: Have you asked for a free kiddie cone? I sure would.


Title: I need legal clarity on a possible religious discrimination situation... [New Jersey, United States]

Question: Say a Muslim desires to study to become a Baptist minister, but has no desire to convert to the Baptist faith. He applies for a spot as a student minister and gets an interview where he then says he has no desire to change religions but still believes he can be an effective minister. The seminary refuses to admit him because he is not a follower of their religion. Can the Muslim sue for religious discrimination?

Answer: No. Discrimination is okay if the issue in question is necessary for the job. For example, it's considered justifiable to not hire a man to model women's underwear. In this case, it's justifiable to say that a Baptist minister must be a Baptist.


Title: Can police seize your cash you are on your way to gamble with?

Question: If you decide to road trip it to Vegas and for whatever reason decide to bring all cash with you rather than get some in town.  You get pulled over en route in a jurisdiction where gambling is illegal and asked to explain the cash and you tell them you're going to Vegas to gamble. Can they seize those assets as you've admitted they're going to be used in an activity that the jurisdiction the cash is in views as a crime? Sorry this randomly popped into my head and it's actually bothering me.

Answer:
 Look up "asset forfeiture abuse" and you'll see that it happens on a regular basis.

You avoid this by not having a large amount of cash on you, and by refusing their request to search the car.


Title: Had an endoscopy done, biopsies were done without me being informed prior now im stuck with the bill

Question:
I had a regular endoscopy back in February. I got a call the day before to inform me what to expect in terms of billing. I was quoted for the facility fee, doctor fee for the procedure, and a $100 down deposit for the anesthesia. They never mentioned that a biopsy would be done or that it would be a possible charge. I never consented to a biopsy. Immediately after the procedure my nurses gave me the good news that everything was normal aside from a very small hernia (2cm) there was no tumor, there was no inflammation. It seems redundant to do a biopsy of anything at that point. It was never even mentioned afterwards that a biopsy would be done. But they did and billed my insurance close to 2k for it and now I'm stuck with a bill of $457.

&#x200B;

Are they allowed to do this? Do I have any grounds to challenge my bill?

Answer:
 >  It seems redundant to do a biopsy of anything at that point.

Did a doctor tell you that or is that just your opinion? A biopsy of anything abnormal is common when they look up your rear. Pay the bill and be grateful you don't have cancer.Answer #2: What do you think an endoscopy for? Just looking.   If they see something they are going to sample and make sure it’s not cancer..   pay the bill and say thank you to the DR or next time they will wake you up from the procedure and reschedule you so they can check the funny looking object for cancer...  this is not a battle worth having.


Title: Is it illegal to take semi-nude photos without consent?

Question:
I'm in the UK. About 6 months ago my boyfriend had close up pictures of my behind while I was lying down on the bed. I had underwear on but I found them when I snooped on his phone and it made me feel really sick and violated. I hadn't sent naked photos to him (he hadn't asked for any and maybe thought I would say no or didnt want to ask) so I think he tried to take these in compensation without my permission and tried to hide them from me.

Is this illegal? I'm not looking to take action I'm just curious as he said it's only illegal if you share them

Answer: Not a lawyer, but I'm pretty sure the law on this is going to be location-dependent. Try r/legaladviceuk.


Title: (Brooklyn, NY) At what point to a contact the police/a lawyer about the mystery sack found buried under my back yard.

Question:
This is not a joke. I have pics to show the mods, if they so desire.

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2 years ago, my partner and I bought a townhouse in Brooklyn. We ignored the back yard the first summer - too much going on inside. This summer, we have started trying to clear it out, which is a real challenge. My home was previously a 3/4 way home (between a half way home and full independence for substance abusers) and the back yard was/is littered with needles, broken pipes, other drug paraphernalia, marbles (no idea), and a shitton of broken glass, mostly beer and liquor bottles. I spend a few hours each weekend day carefully eliminating the weeds, then digging into the ground for a few inches with a spade and a hand rake, carefully sifting through the soil, picking out broken glass and the larger rocks. We have previously found random chunks of concrete, as well as broken bricks, unbroken bricks and cored concrete blocks.

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Today I was digging and found a rock that felt fairly big, so I dug under it a bit with my spade, then got my shovel out, so I could level the rock upwards and see if I could lift it myself or leave it for my husband. It ended up being about a 1'x1'x4" slab of what I would guess is ripped up vintage hexogonal bathroom tile, set on a concrete matrix. An interesting find, but also irritating - we have so much rando construction garbage in our yard to get rid of.

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Underneath, I discovered some more tiles that are potentially vintage - a seaform green and some other small chunks that just look old. Mixed with the tiles in the soil I found 3 alcohol bottles, empty, open, intact. 2 beer, 1 that looks to be liquor. Also mixed in were big enough chunks of broken glass that I currently estimate there were 2-3 other bottles mixed in.

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After digging up that, I hit some weird rock. It broke easily, was uneven in thickness, but overall, quite thing. At the thickest, it's maybe 3/4". at the thinnest, 1/4". It breaks easily, I dig it out.

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I am now about a foot below the surface, wondering how far I need to dig to get to the bottom of this refuse.

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Under the weird rock, there's a bit more soil, then I see something pink and soft. I brush it off. Imagine an ikea bag, but sturdier. That kind of plastic woven and sealed together. But pink. There's some kind of sack below this large slab and all the other things I find. I don't know how big it is, I've only uncovered about a 4" square part of the top. I have no idea where the sides are, or how deep it goes. It seems to be fully and totally sealed still and I think would require a good knife to slice open.

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At this point, on a hunch, I go back to the weird "rock". I break some, and find that what I was beginning to suspect is true. This isn't rock. It's hardened tar.

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So buried in my yard is a pink sack (maybe once red and faded to pink) of unknown size, covered in soil, then covered in tar, then covered in soil mixed with empty booze bottles, then topped with a large slab of concrete flooring, then covered with several more inches of top soil.

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My husband is working until 1:30am today, and once I realized that someone covered this sack with tar, I got freaked out enough to stop digging. I have no idea what is in that bag. I could be some previous family trolling us and making a weird time capsule. It could be someone's beloved deceased pet, I guess. Lastly, given this was a 3/4 way house that was run illegally and the man running it is now in jail, it could be all kinds of fucked up shit that I don't want to know about.

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So, my questions:

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1) Should we keep digging and open this sack on our own?

2) If now, lawyer first? or Police first?

3) If lawyer (not or later) what kind?

4) What should I be aware of in dealing with the police? Is it safe to explain the circumstances at all, without a lawyer present?

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I took photos every step of the way, from the moment the medium-sized rock I thought I was digging out of the yard turned out to be a slab of what looks to be antique tile flooring. I shared these photos and the surprise with friends online, as it started out as a "look at this kinda cool, but annoy shit I found in my yard today!" thing, before it went into creepy wtf territory.

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Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Answer:
 A couple of things I suggest

1. Try to dig the perimeter of the bag to get a size estimate.
2. if you decide to open, buy a good mask to cover nose and mouth.
3. Record it.Answer #2: Fellow new Yorker here, Do not call the cops or call a lawyer. It could be something  innocuous or it could be a $100,000 in drug money.  Use rubber gloves and see what's in it. If it is something valuable and the cops are involved it is gone. You lose they win. If it is the carcass of a dead dog then you need to bag it and get it out of there. Only if it is human remains do you need to call the police.Answer #3: So I'm not far from you, I'm on the island, and it was pretty common back in the day to bury the debris from construction. I found an old bathroom and carpet rolled up in my backyard. Yes had the thought, could be a body... I would call the city dept that deals with zoning/permits to find out about construction that was done on the lot?Answer #4: I can’t take the suspense. Hurry with the update ! Lol


Title: (TX) Came home to my apartment looking like it was broken into, I enter to see a dehumidifier and a blower lifting my bedroom carpet drying it out. Absolutely no notification.

Question:
So I've had multiple issues with this apartment in Texas for the past year. Starting with an apartment clerk falsely obtaining an additional $300 security deposit and stealing the money order, I've also had a broken A/C for the first eight months of living here. Just recently they returned the $300 to my rent account and installed a new A/C. For the past two months I've been dealing with a bug infestation including bed bugs; when I first brought this to the clerks attention she accused me of bringing them in and said it was impossible to come from another apartment. Since then they've had pest control come in twice and they're scheduled to come again in a few weeks.
All that aside, what has me really upset is this most recent episode of breaking into my apartment without notifying me that there was an emergency. Like it says in the title I originally thought someone had broken in and I'm questioning whether or not the damage they did makes it easier for someone to do so. There is multiple water damage to my furniture and e lm electronics, and the baseboards have bowed from the damage as well. I have to question whether or not there is mold damage from this.
So my question is, what are my rights in this case? I plan on talking to them tomorrow as calmly as I can and recording the conversation. Are there specific questions I should ask? I have photographic evidence of the damage and a video. Do I need to lawyer up against them for the physical damages, do I have a case for emotional distress? I am current on my rent and have never broken a lease.
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 You file a claim on your renters insurance for your belongings. What happened to cause all the water damage? Because how the water got into your apartment will determine who is on the hook for their replacement. For example, if your upstairs neighbor had a blocked toilet and notified maintenance immediately, but they never fixed it, sure, your apartment complex might be liable. If your upstairs neighbor left the water running or broke their huge ass fish tank, it's on them.

Yes, they should have notified you. They didn't break in, they were mitigating more damage and in case if emergency like a water leak they're allowed to access the unit.

No you can't get anything for emotional distress. This is part of the risk of living anywhere - sudden inexplicable damage.


Title: [WA] Can I become emancipated without my own income?

Question:
Hi, I'm 17 years old, birthday in May. My mother kicked me out of the house at 16 and I've been living with my boyfriend's parents ever since.

If I want to become emancipated, I noticed the wording for Washington state's paperwork was "has the ability to manage his or her financial affairs" - does that specifically mean I need a job? I saw when researching that other states required a job for at least 6 months (I've been babysitting once a week for over that time, but I don't make enough money from that to sustain myself and it's not really an 'official' job, and I'm looking for a job now, but if that's true for Washington state, by the time I have a job for 6 months, and I try to file for emancipation, it'll take 4-6 months anyhow, and I'll be 18 by then).
My boyfriend's parents are willing to financially support me (and they have been), so would that count or no?

For the other aspects of emancipation, I think I will be okay - I can get my mother's consent I believe and if needed I can get my father's (they're divorced), and I believe for the "ability to manage his or her personal, social, educational, and nonfinancial
affairs" I'll be fine as well, I'm not sure how to show 'personal, social, and nonfinancial' part, besides the fact I've been fine since moving out in March, but I'm a part of Running Start and am currently on track to graduate with an AA and high school degree. I have a 3.97 at my high school and a 4.0 at my college currently.

Thanks for any responses, my therapist suggested I become emancipated, but I'm not sure if I can without a job.

If needed, I can state what county I live in, but I'm just wary of my parents or family members finding this post and identifying me as I haven't talked to anyone about this possibility besides one of my boyfriend's parents.

Answer:
 Being "emancipated" as a minor means "this kid is capable of living on his own as an adult and doesn't need anyone to help him or care for him anymore."

If you don't have a job by which you can support yourself, I fail to see how you'd qualify.

How can you get by on your own with no one to care for you if you don't have a job?


Title: Some "tenants" of my mom's house had her removed from the house with a restraining order. What to do?

Question:
Hey /r/legaladvice,

Got a bit of a stressful one. For the last two years or so, we've had a friend watching over my parents' house in the Bay Area, CA. We later found out that this friend has been up to no good, including selling property out of the house that wasn't hers, and having someone over who was actively stealing mine (and my parents) identities. (The police found him with our Social Security cards in his possession.)

This arrangement was never put to paper, the only (verbal) agreement was that this friend could stay here for the price of utilities. Given that we've had some issues with this person (inviting people who have committed identity theft against us AND was convicted of doing so, not to mention selling property she had no rights to), we were going to evict her and give her the standard 60 days. (She had not been served at this point.)

That's when my stepdad and the dude who had our SS cards had a verbal fistfight outside the house, with the guy threatening my stepdad with physical violence. The police showed up, took care of everything, and given the nature of these people, we were told by CA law, we are allowed to serve them with 3 day eviction notice. So we did. We expected retaliation due to how these people are, and the cops told us to beware because these people apparently have a history with the law.

A day after getting served with the eviction papers, the police showed up (tonight) with a restraining order intended for my parents. We pleaded and told them that this was our house, and that they own the property, but the police forced them to leave, saying their only recourse was to fight it in court the next morning.

I'm not sure the details of the restraining order, but I'm concerned. I legally live here as well, and I'm worried that these tenants are going to try and have us all removed, one by one. For what reason, I don't know, but I'm worried. My mom is already going to contact a lawyer to try and fight this.

I'm more or less afraid of physical retaliation. I have some friends here to help me hold down the fort, but it is still a concern.

Is there anything you guys would suggest we do to protect ourselves outside of what has already been done?
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer: What city is this in? The first step would be starting the actual eviction process immediately and going to court and fighting the restraining order.


Title: Urgent Care Placed Leads Of EKG On Incorrectly Causing Me To End Up In ER...

Question: Hello, my name is Matthew. I suffer from generalized anxiety disorder severely and OCD, depression and am disabled because of them. I went to a urgent care and they gave me an EKG. They said there was problems with it, and I should go to the ER so I left worrying scared and drove myself, they didn't even offer an ambulance or call for help. I then spent a day or two in the hospitals getting transferred and was told it was inverted T waves, which could have been a heart attack! I had multiple testing done, only to find out from 2 cardiologist that they placed the EKG leads on incorrectly weeks later, do I have a case to sue?  It caused me lots of mental anguish for weeks to come.  I had several follow ups with Cardiologists, both telling me the leads were placed incorrectly!  This happened in NEW JERSEY, Near zip code 08084.

Answer:
 You can always sue, but you will not win a case for Intentional infliction of emotional distress based on these facts. The elements you must prove are: Urgent Care acted intentionally or recklessly, Urgent Care's conduct must be extreme and outrageous, the conduct must be the cause of distress and the distress must be severe.  Like psychiatrist and medication severe.

You have no damages. The case we read about in law school for this tort was related to a nurse bringing the mother her dead baby soaking in a jar of formaldehyde. Now THAT, is intentional infliction of emotional distress.


Title: Company hacked My Private email. Cops will not investigate.

Question:
I worked for a small company.

The company steals user names and passwords from employees.

The company hacks private emails, and steals nude photos.

The company is family to local law enforcement.

I have concrete evidence the company hacked my accounts and stole data from me.

The cops say that isn't probable cause to investigate for the other crimes I witnessed.

That seems like a problem.

Answer: OP, have you ever sat down with a mental health professional?  Answer #2: How are they stealing your passwords? Did they install a keylogger on their computer you were using?Answer #3: What is the concrete evidence you have that shows they hacked you?Answer #4: Change your passwords.


Title: Breastfeeding mom and a new job [GA]

Question:
My LO is 4 months old and we are exclusively breastfeeding. I was recently offered a teller position at a large retail banking and investments company.

So a few questions:
• If I was not employed before the birth of my child, do they still have to provide reasonable accommodations? Does the federal law still apply to me?
• How do I go about asking for these accommodations? Should I speak with HR or the manager?
• Federal law states they must provide reasonable accommodations, but GA state law states they MAY provide reasonable accommodations. Does federal law trump state law in this case?

TIA!

Answer: There no time of service restriction on the breastfeeding law. And Federal law trumps State law. Put in a formal request with HR for time off to pump and ask where you should pump.


Title: [IP Law] Would the Live Action Remakes of Disney Movies Essentially Extend the Copyright of the Original Animated films?

Question:
You may be aware that Disney has been churning out live action remakes of some of their beloved animated films. But could the rationale behind this really be (at least in part) just extending the copyright protection on the originals? I know that with music, composition and performance are protected separately. Wouldn't that same delineation apply to films too? Or is this a way for a company like Disney to effectively extend IP protections indefinitely if they want?

&#x200B;

(lets limit this to US law for now to simplify)

Answer:
 No. The new films have a new copyright. The old films still have the old copyright. The old copyright is not extended.Answer #2: The live action Aladdin (for example) is a derivative work of the cartoon Aladdin, which was a derivative work of the old Aladdin story.  Any elements of the new Aladdin that came from the old Aladdin story are in the public domain, because the copyright has long since expired (or it would have expired if it had ever existed).  Any elements of the new Aladdin that came from the cartoon are still subject to the copyright on the cartoon, and the expiration date for that copyright won't change just because a new film was released.  Only the elements that are completely new would be protected by the new copyright.

Suppose someone were to make an Aladdin knockoff in 2100, when the cartoon will be in the public domain but the live action film will still be protected (assuming the term hasn't been extended by Congress, assuming Congress still exists, assuming that humanity still exists).  Disney's lawyers could sue, and in their suit they'd list all of the elements if the knockoff that are similar to the live action film.  The producers of the knockoff would argue that many of those elements were also in the cartoon Aladdin and/or the traditional Aladdin, so those elements should be removed from the list.  Disney's would only win the case if they can prove that the remaining elements--the ones that were created just for the live action film--are significant enough to constitute infringement.Answer #3: Unlike patents, once granted copyrights cannot be extended.


Title: [Austin TX] Employer is forcing us to work first 15 minutes of shift off the clock. I know its not legal, but management threatens to fire anyone who complains/brings it up. How to approach? (REPOST MODS REMOVED OLD ONE)

Question:
*Ok so the old one got removed because the mods did not like I had the company name in the title.*

*I am just going to copy paste my old post below this line (Censored parts in []):*

Throwaway for obvious reasons.

Hi I work at [Big Name Retail Store] in Austin, Texas (will not give away store [number] because I fear repercussion).

Paste this link into your browser and read it: [ https://imgur.com/tDenFFL ]

[The blacked out part of the image is the companys slang job name for a Store Assistant Manager]

They are demanding that we work the first 15 minutes of our shift FOR FREE (not on the clock), then have us clock in after 15 minutes. This has got to be so illegal. I do not make enough money to hire a lawyer so I would like if you could help me and my team out with this issue. They are forcing all team members ([retail company] slang for employee) at my store to work the first 15 minutes of our shifts off the clock. It says "asks" on the paper they taped to the timeclock but I clocked in on time today and my [manager] came up to me and told me to quote "read the message on the timeclock."

This feels so fucked up I don't even know where to begin with this.

Please help!

Answer:
 Yes, it's illegal to make you work off the clock. Are they actually telling you to work off the clock, or are they just telling you to start a little later than scheduled?

If you complain to the department of labor, and you are fired in retaliation, you would have grounds for a wrongful termination lawsuit. Answer #2: The note is ambiguous. It could be read to mean that if the schedule says to come in at 10:00, come in at 10:15 instead. It might be easier to just have everyone come in 15 minutes late than it is to adjust all the schedules.

So, if you're scheduled to start at 10:00 and you show up at 10:14 and clock in at 10:15, is that a problem?

Or do you actually mean that they expect you to start working at 10:00 and not clock in until 10:15?

Have you (and other employees) actually worked before clocking in with the knowledge of your management? If so, have you received a paycheck since this new policy was implemented, and was your pay affected by this policy? (Making sure that the manager didn't correct the time cards.)Answer #3: Working while not clocked in could be big problems for them and their insurance company. Answer #4: This is a perfect case for your local Dept. of Labor.Answer #5: Tell then that Walmart had a lawsuit where they got in trouble for making employees wait off the clock for all the other employees so they could leave as a group (doors were locked). This is much worse. Answer #6: Send this to the labor board..


Title: [BC] A man in a park near my house regularly threatens people

Question: [deleted]

Answer: call the police


Title: Need some info on child safety inspection in Oregon

Question:
I am not sure if this is the right place to post to but i will give it a try. I live in Oregon and My Husband and I have two children together. We also have a roommate.  She is trying to become a foster parent to her two grandchildren that recently are in custody of the state. The house we live in is large enough for two more children, that is not my concern. What my concern is when they come and do the saftey inspection before they turn the kids over to their grandmother. If they deem the house unsafe for the foster children, can my children be taken from me? If the house doesn't pass the saftey inspection? Thank you for any advice.

EDIT: Thanks for all the advice!  Question is solved.

Answer:
 Yes and no. If your house is just unsafe for the foster kids based on the small requirements then no. If your house is unsafe for kids in general then yes.

To elaborate: They need to make sure that there are working smoke detectors, a fenced pool, and such. If those are missing, no one will take your children.

They also need to make sure there is no dog that eats fingers, no exposed wiring, no drugs laying around, loaded guns on the floor. If they find these things, then yeah, they will likely take your kids because your house is crazy unsafe.

So if you are normal people you are fine. If you are crazy unsafe people, not so good.


Title: Copied my schedule 2 prescription (Florida)

Question:
I went to the doctor, while I was there I got s sick note for missing work. I forgot to bring it in but I did bring it in later. I told my manager that I really did go, that I'm walking to drop off my script now since we have s pharmacy in my store. She then said she needed to make a copy since I forgot my doctors note. It was my Adderall prescription.she also was arrested for drug use about 10yrs ago.

 Hippa violation? What should I do? This is in Florida by the way and j work for an employer that has thousands and thousands of employees if that matters

Thanks

Answer:
 It's only a HIPPA violation if someone with no authority gives it out or gives it out under the wrong circumstances.  You have the authority to tell anyone you want about your medical details.

If you're concerned about your manager using the copy of the prescription to get drugs, I seriously doubt that any pharmacist would accept a copied script, or at the very least would call the doctor to verify it.  To reduce the risk, when you copy it use bits of post-it note to blank out the drug name, then take a magic marker and write "VOID" across the copy and draw cross marks through the signature -- you should still be able to see the signature, but it'll be obvious that it's been X'd out.  Then make a copy of *that* and shred the first copy.

This would provide proof that you saw a doctor (date the script was written would still be legible) while protecting your privacy (the drug itself is not legible) and prevent any chance of misuse.

I suggest making the first copy with a sticky note covering the drug name because the copy machine's memory could retain the original scan for a long, long time, and you don't want any accidents.


Title: I got slandered out of school and alleged of rape over text with evidence. I'm only fourteen is there anything I can do?

Question:
Over the case of two years I have been bullied out of school. I went to a private school at the time. Along with a bunch of other issues going on in life and at school caused me to get this kind of "vibe" that people picked up.  Cutting out of lot of details, someone who I trusted back stabbed me(not the first time) and made fun of my depression and suicidal mental issues. I had gotten used to things like his and had denied bothered to report any of this. This person then lied about things I apparently had said. This caused a massive issue where summed up I was expelled. While I didn't speak up about this while it was going on because I hated the school it still bugs me most days. I wanted to see if there was anything I could do.

Topic:
School Related Issues

Answer: You are so vague and all over the place that it's going to be hard to give you any real advice.


Title: "In God We Trust" on local police cars. Any standing?

Question:
I live in Indiana. City police cars here have "In God We Trust" added to the bumpers recently, either as a sticker or detailing (have not examined up close.)

I am aware that it is the nation's motto, and on our money (I don't necessarily agree with these) but, is there any legal standing to complain about a religious message on government funded property (the police cars) as well as the message it sends? If a police car here drove around with 'Allahu Akbar' (God is Great) on the back, I am sure there would be an uproar.

Answer:
 You are not being discriminated against; the city government is not respecting a particular establishment of religion; what law do you think they are breaking that the federal government isn't breaking by printing the same generic phrase on money? Answer #2: Vague or ambiguous religious messages generally don't violate the Establishment Clause, unless those messages are biased for or against a particular and specific religion.

Having said that, this is something that has been argued in courts with some level of frequency so there's no blanket "yes" or "no" answer at the moment.  For now, it seems to be legal.


Title: Stopped by an officer today.

Question: Hey sorry this may not be the right place to post this but today my friend and I were parked up hanging out by my car (actually my dad's). A cop stopped by and asked what we were doing. He asked for my license and if it was my car. I said it was my dad's. He wrote down my license number and told us to go. What will he do with that information?

Answer:
 > What will he do with that information?

Probably nothing.

We have a form called a "field interview report" that we fill out when we stop and talk to someone like that, just to document the contact.

Unless someone matching your description is seen in a crime in that area around the time of the contact, it basically amounts to nothing at all.


Title: [USA-UT] Is there a way to legally beat the shit out of someone?

Question: I (M-18) have been experiencing verbal abuse from a bully for years now and I really want to know if there is any legal loopholes for me to beat the shit out of him. Would it be possible if we both consent to the fight?

Answer:
 This is a very very bad idea for any number of reasons. What if one of you kills the other one, or injures him in such a way as to cause hundreds of thousands in medical bills? Your life will be over before it starts.

I’m not a lawyer so I can’t answer if there’s some weird contract you could hypothetically sign to make a fight ok. (And disclaim all civil liability for what might happen too? Are his family who will be on the hook for a million dollars in medical bills be so agreeable to your weird contract after the fact?).

Figure out some other way to mediate your problems with this person or avoid them. You’re 18 so presumably all this stuff happened in high school? Well high school is over or about to be and you get to choose who you spend time with now. Spend it with people who don’t put you in such a rage that you’re trying to find legal loopholes to assault them.

Seriously. No good can possibly come of this. Do. Not. Do. This.Answer #2: Uh, no, unless the following applies:

- He initiated physical violence (in which case you may take steps that a reasonable person would, including "throw a punch and then run", but probably not "beat the shit out of someone")

- You both consent to a regulated fight (like a boxing match)

Mutual combat is, in fact, illegal in Utah, which former Governor Leavitt's son discovered to [his dismay](https://www.deseretnews.com/article/938108/Leavitts-son-sentenced-on-fight-club-charge.html)


Title: California. Getting a divorce as a stay at home mom.

Question: My husband and I have been married for a year. We have a 1.5 year old. We live in Northern CA. My husband works. I do not. I stay at home with my daughter as I have cancer. My husband has become verbally abusive towards me and I want a divorce. I don't have a dime to my name. My parents live on the east coast. Before asking them for money, is there anything I can do? I can live with them and my husband said he would let me take our child but he wants me to sort it out through the courts. I'd like to know the best way to go about doing this. I don't want to bring it up with my husband again before I have some insight on the process. Thank you.

Answer: You should consult a few local divorce attorneys.  You can use money from joint accounts for a lawyer, or the lawyer can take the case and seek an order from the court requiring your spouse to pay fees as he is the one working.


Title: Is the landscaping company my father hired using child labor?

Question:
I \[21M\] believe I have documented the landscaping company my dad \[60M\] has been with for over a decade using child labor.

&#x200B;

My boomer dad has had the same landscaping company do his lawn for as long as I can remember, with apparently no issues.

&#x200B;

I was leaving a friends house in the early afternoon and arrived at my house. I parked in-front of the house and was looking at my phone. I looked up and saw the landscaping company my dad hires pulling up across the street. 4 men and 2 children come out of the truck and approach my house. I saw two young kids who I've never seen before, one who appeared maybe 10 to 12 years old, younger than a teenager. The older looked to be about 14 or 15, no older than 16.  The men quickly got out the heavy tools and started they quickly went to work.

&#x200B;

To my astonishment, one of the guys a bit older and fatter handed both of them rakes and pointed to the lawn and put them to work as well. I started to take pictures and video of the young boys working on the lawn from my car discreetly. The man kept glancing at my car nervously, but I always hide my phone when he started to look my way. Its the summer and they're out of school, but just seems really wrong that I watched two young boys work the lawn on a hot summer day with these adults. We live in north Texas.

&#x200B;

Should I be concerned? Is this even legal?
Topic:
Employment Law

Answer:
 God forbid some young kids earn some money working with there dad on summer vacation.Answer #2: It is legal for children who are 14 to work in Texas. And they can work extended hours outside of the school year. As long as they're not using powered equipment this is not an issue.

You are, of course, welcome to bring this matter up with the Texas Workforce Commission or CPS, who will investigate the matter as they see fit. But you have no idea how old these minors were. And the dude was probably looking at you nervously as you were sitting in a car taking creepshots of minors.


Title: I recorded a customer service call with my phone carrier that was preceded with an announcement that "calls may be recorded for training or quality service purposes."

Question: Now they're telling me that I don't have the right to document my interaction in the same way, and are threatening to "escalate" the issue. Do I have anything to worry about? I am in NY.

Answer:
 New York is a "one-party" state for recording, so you could record them legally without telling them even if they weren't already recording you. They can "escalate" in the sense of hanging up, getting mad, and refusing to deal with you, but they have no criminal complaint against you.Answer #2: This carrier does not have to do business with you, nor you with them. They can refuse to speak to you if you're recording, and you can refuse their terms.

If this is such a serious issue that you're asking this sub about activating a phone, perhaps it's worth considering not doing business with this carrier?Answer #3: What are they pushing?  I've never had a carrier push software after I've activated an unlocked phone SIM.


Title: [MI] Transgender- post op, multiple years on HRT. Finally getting around to changing legal gender marker- but I have a KS birth certificate. Where do I start?

Question:
I've put off getting my name and legal gender marker changed because 1. it seems like an intimidating process and 2. I'm a student at a college with good LGBT protection policies (recognizes things like preferred names, etc.) and I've never had any problems at my part-time job, so it's never really been a pressing matter.

I've done a fair amount of googling, but I can't figure out what I'm supposed to as a MI resident with a KS birth certificate. If someone could outline the process for me or even just tell me what my first step is, that would be super helpful! Thanks in advance.

Answer:
 This is just a comment as I'm not a lawyer.

Under the Governor Sam Brownback regime,  it appears that Kansas is refusing to change gender markers for Transgender people on their birth certificates . A Transgender activist  named Stephanie Mott sued the state  in February 2016 to  try and force them to change hers. It looks like her case hasn't been resolved yet.

It doesn't matter where you live now since it's a Kansas birth certificate and you can't amend the state you were born in.

ETA: I just focused on your basic document. I don't know about changing other documents.


Title: Wine in a salon

Question: I live in Salt Lake City Utah, and I own a nail and waxing salon. (Mostly nails) I have seen hair salon's in our area serving wine while their clients are getting things done. They don't charge for it, they are just giving it away. If I wanted to do this, do I need to have any sort of special license, or can I give a glass of wine to a client while they get a pedicure for free without worrying about legal repercussions?

Answer:
 Each city, and town is likely to have it's own laws on top of state laws governing the sale, distribution, and serving of alcohol.  Your best bet would be contacting your state alcohol board and going from there.  They are public servants there to help it's citizens with questions.  Don't ever be afraid to pick up the phone and ask questions.  Unless you're doing something illegal, then keep your mouth shut.  Hopefully someone with more knowledge of the laws in your area can chime in.

http://abc.utah.gov/about/index.htmlAnswer #2: Utah has some fucked up laws when it comes to alcohol.  I'm sorry, unless someone here practices in Utah, I doubt anyone is going to be able to give you a straight answer.


Title: Child took something dangerous to school

Question: (Mass.) My child, who is in early elementary, took a paring knife to school, showed it to some friends, and was discovered by my spouse on the way home from school. Are we legally obligated to notify the school? Would we be worse off if the school learned about it first from someone else, such as one of the friends or friend's parents? Is there anything else we should think about?

Answer:
 You shouldn't notify the school as nothing happened which is lucky.

Had it been discovered there could've been a CPS investigation as to why a child in early elementary is bringing a knife to school.

I'd keep your knives a bit more safe next time. Answer #2: IANAL - But I’m married to a teacher... they said never admit to anything. The burden of proof is on the school and if you volunteer information they may expel your child bc of admission of guilt. My wife had a kid that they thought may have brought a knife to school, they confronted the kid and they admitted it. Kid was expelled, if they hadn’t admitted it the kid wouldn’t have had any punishment. Answer #3: Don't self-report.  Explain to your child how important it is to never bring anything like that again.


Title: I was awarded "restitution" of $19k USD. Does this give me any immediate financial leverage?

Question:
Good morning all,

I'm a Florida, USA resident and I was the victim of a large ponzi scheme when I was living in the state of New Mexico. It was perpetrated by a man who the US Government eventually arrested and took to trial for the scheme. He was found guilty and sentenced to 7.5 years incarceration and I was awarded $19,000 USD as "restitution." In theory, I understand this means that the money stolen from me will be paid back over time this way but the statement from the US Department of Justice says "it does not mean the defendant(s) will make restitution payments."

Having that money back would change my life but it appears there is no guarantee that will happen? What happens if they do not pay? And is there a way I can settle the long term restitution amount for a smaller amount now? Say, instead of eventually (possibly) being paid $19,000 taking $5,000 now and be done with it or perhaps getting $5,000 from an institution in exchange for them taking the responsibility of collecting the $19,000?

Basically, I'm hoping that now that I've been "awarded" this money it will actually be of monetary value to me rather than just be a moral victory.

Thank you for any advice or insight you may have,

Answer:
 If he doesn't have any money, you'll probably never see a dime.

Think about it, a ponzi scheme is going to have at least 10-1000s of people, and restitution will need to be spread very thinly across all of the affected people.  So if there is no money now, when he gets out his earning power won't be able to satisfy the judgement either.


Title: Violating a protective order in VA

Question: We have recently taken a protective order out on an ex-boyfriend and literally after being served a 2-year protective order he went and contacted us on Facebook making comments using his brothers login. Obviously we contacted the officer and he said there really isn't much we can do. It's beyond tiring trying to deal with all this, I was wondering if there is really anything we can do.

Answer:
 Really isn't much that he can do? That officer is full of shit.

Violating an order of protection in VA is a Class 1 Misdemeanor with a maximum penalty of 1 year in jail and a $2500 fine. Try to get in contact with the officers supervisor, this is not something where "the police can't do anything".