Title: Paternity Leave Question

Question:
Hey guys was reaching out to see if anyone could give some insight and help for a dilemma I find myself in.  I am in the state of GA in the USA.

First off wife is pregnant with our first child due in November.  The company I work for does not meet FMLA standards as we only have about 30 employees.  I will obviously want / need to take a decent amount of time off to help the wife with the new baby ect.  I would like to take at least 2 weeks off work but my employer is out right refusing to answer me on how i need to go about this without stepping out of bounds with the company so to speak.  I have even tried speaking to the owner of the company and they are ignoring me about this as well.  I do have approx 1 week of vacation time that I know I can use but I don't think that 1 week will be enough time.

I understand that I will unlikely not be paid for the entire duration of my leave nor do I expect it.  I just dont want to get fired for "excessive" absences and was wondering if there are any legal protections for me here.  Our employee handbook states that we are subject to disciplinary action including up to termination if we exceed any absences other than allotted PTO time.  Which includes sick days, vacation, ect.

Thanks for your time guys I've been searching all around and I can't find any helpful info.

Answer:
 [Your state listed as one of the worst for working dads](https://www.ajc.com/lifestyles/parenting/georgia-named-one-america-worst-states-for-working-dads-new-ranking/yTMFWMoZWTpBRsBvlKjegN/).

It appears your state does not offer paternity leave.  Since you don't qualify for FMLA, all you can do is ask your boss to take leave per your employee manual.  If they say no (which in general is legal), you can either quit, or continue to work.


Title: My girlfriend is being threatened for money.

Question: So her friend (call her D) was arrested last week for marijuana possession and a DUI. My GF was at work while this was happening. D had bought weed while she was at work. Apparently a portion (not all) of the weed was supposed to be hers. D’s parents are now threatening my GF that if she doesn’t give them money they will get the police to arrest my gf as well. Can they do this? She was never in any possession of it as she was at work for 8 hours. From Georgia

Answer: Sounds like D wants to talk herself into an intent to distribute drugs charge


Title: PA truancy laws re:homeschool

Question:
I've been homeschooling my soon to be eighth grader his entire life, but I've never notified the school district.  He's above standards and I do have records showing that he has received the legally required amount of instruction, but in the school's eyes, he doesn't exist.  I have never received anything from the school about him, including kindergarten registration papers, but he'd like to start attending the cyber school run by our home district.

Any suggestions on how to handle the missing info?  I was considering switching legal residence to a state that does not require any parental notification or record keeping, then switching it back after a few weeks and enrolling him with a newly issued PA license, but that seems unnecessarily complicated and potentially expensive if they're just going to pretend he didn't fall through the cracks if I fess up to not filing.  Would this be something handled by district administration or the school board?  Would it be easier to start a statewide cyber school, then transfer him to the home district, thereby saving them money and hopefully making them less likely to push for info I don't have?

Is truancy even retroactive in PA?  The sites I found regarding truancy are either not current or completely devoid of info.   Thanks in advance.
Topic:
School Related Issues

Answer:
 It seems that you've screwed up quite a number of things according to the [PA homeschooling website](http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/overview_of_homeschooling/20312).

You are supposed to file an affidavit every year, he has to take standardized testing in grades 3, 5, and 8, and you're supposed to submit a portfolio to the district at the end of every year to show "attendance" and completion of required curriculum.

I don't have any idea how you fix this now...


Title: Crashed company vehicle, company wanting me to get different license. Indiana

Question:
I'm on a mobile so please forgive errors and poor formatting.

In Oct 15, I was involved in an accident. Thankfully no one was hurt but I was eventually found to be at fault. This occurred while I was on the clock and working.

I haven't lived in Indiana for long so I still have an out of state drivers license. At the time of the accident I was still okay to have the out of state license as I had not lived here long, now it needs to be done but I haven't done it yet. (I know, I know.)

Yesterday I got a call from one of my supervisors asking me if I had an Indiana license yet because their insurance company was asking.

While I should have done the responsible thing and got it done on time I'm afraid that they me be up to something. I'm willing to make everything right when the time comes but I want to make sure I don't get shafted in the process.

Is this an innocent follow up request ot are they up to shenanigans? Something about it is striking me as odd, I can't place my finger on it. Can someone tell me if I'm just being paranoid?

Answer: You're being paranoid.  They're not trying some crazy shenanigans.  They're asking because they won't continue to insure you if your license isn't appropriate and up-to-date.  Go get the new license and you won't have to worry about it.


Title: I am suicidally depressed and in the process of getting help. What should I do about work and what should I tell my employer?

Question:
I live alone in Colorado and I rely on my job for income and health insurance to get professional help. I have already been on leave for three weeks, and I told my employer I have been sick - nothing more specific than that. They are asking for an update on my leave, but I don't know what to tell them.  I get three weeks of paid leave per year, and I have already used one of them for the new year. They do vaguely know that I struggle with mental illness on occasion, but they don't know my current situation, which is being suicidally depressed to the point of wanting to do nothing but focus on my health.

What should I do? I feel like I just need stress-free time off to focus solely on my health.

EDIT: Thanks everybody. I am going to email my employer and ask about FMLA. It sounds like I should be covered based on what I read about its requirements.
Topic:
Disability Issues

Answer:
 You need to speak with someone at the HR department of your employer and see what options you have available to you.
I understand how you may not want to talk about it with them but I think you have to.
More time off may be an option for you if they have some sort of program available or it may simply be a luxury you cannot afford.
Only your HR people know what is available to you, if anything.


Title: [Chicago, IL] How to negotiate buying a house with illegal apartments?

Question:
TL;DR Interested in buying the house my apartment is in (attic/main/basement) but not sure how to go about negotiating price/handling tenants. Property is listed as Single Family, with only 1 bathroom and an unfinished basement, but has an attic and basement apartments (one exit each).

Sorry if the tl;dr isn't clear, hard to encapsulate the whole situation succinctly. Anyway, I really like my landlord - nice lady, her mom lives next door, considerate, etc - but I found out recently (via Cook County Records) that where I live would be "illegal." I live on the main floor which is connected to the front door and also the back stairwell, but both the attic and basement apartments only have access through the back. I also recall from 2 years ago that the basement has a dropped ceiling (which may be too low according to code).

Not only is the house not listed correctly, she has also been taking the homeowners exemption for the past few years and saving herself money.

I like where I live, and despite the house being old as hell (1890) I've been tinkering with the idea of buying it. I have let her know that and she told me to tell her when I was ready to make an offer.

The upstairs neighbor is moving out in a month or so, so it may be a good time to start talking to her about all this to see how it plays into purchasing power. I'm hesitant to talk to her as I'm not sure what repercussions may be in general - though I do have a written and signed lease.

What is the best thing to bring up to her first? Is there a way to negotiate a good deal on the house while avoiding sounding at all like I'm black mailing her with this knowledge?

Answer: Report the illegal apartments to the proper authorities, wait for them to work their magic, then swoop in with a lowball offer.


Title: [AZ] Is it illegal to expose yourself to little kid if you are under 18?

Question:
[removed]
Topic:
Troll Post

Answer: No. "it's a prank" isn't a defense.


Title: Probably cause for facebook secret group.

Question: What would constitute probable cause for the purposes of a search warrant to compel Facebook to reveal the existence of and contents of a secret group.

Answer: you need to talk to your doctor or counselor about this.Answer #2: The totality of the circumstances.


Title: Is applying for disability a bad idea at a young age?

Question: I have severe fibromyalgia and I can't work. I'm 19 and I'm worried that applying for disability may cause problems down the road with loans or a job search. Are my worries justified or am I fretting over nothing.

Answer: Disability means you are unable to work.  And you aren't getting it for fibromyalgia alone.


Title: Company just cut $950 living allowance without warning. Is this legal?

Question:
Hey Reddit I need some legal advice.  My company president just sent out this notice to us:

&nbsp;

" **RE: Austerity Measures**

We continue to be under increasingly significant financial pressures from our clients and within this
industry. It has become clear that we need to take further steps to reduce our costs in order to maintain
our competitiveness and to protect the overall viability of the company. We are therefore introducing
the following measures:

&nbsp;

**Sun Life Health Spending Account ($1,500 per year)**

The Health Spending Account has been suspended, effective March 1, 2015.

&nbsp;

**Living Allowance ($950 per month)**

The full living allowance program will be suspended, effective March 1, 2015. This will apply to all
current employees who receive this allowance. The living allowance has always been designated a
transient (temporary) supplement and subject to changing market conditions.

&nbsp;

**Health and Wellness Allowance ($250 per year)**

The Health and Wellness Allowance has been suspended, effective immediately.

&nbsp;

**Clothing Allowance**

The Clothing Allowance has been suspended, effective immediately. Any purchases made prior to
February 3, 2015 will still be subject to reimbursement.

&nbsp;

**Senior Management Team Salary Reductions**

I have asked all Senior Management Team members to take salary reductions of up to 50%, including my
own, effective immediately."

&nbsp;

I am on a contract ending in April. Most of these don't apply to me, since I'm not full time.

&nbsp;

In my contract it states: " You
will receive an additional $950 per month as a living allowance from the Company, except those who are
being provided company supplied housing or camp accommodations. This is considered to be a transient
supplement. The allowance will be processed with your regular month end payroll."

&nbsp;

So my question is... Can they just do this without any warning and without newly signed contracts?

&nbsp;

Thanks in advance Reddit.

Topic:
Contracts

Answer:
 Are you actually on a contract, or do you just have a time-limited job?  If you're actually on a contract (and most employees are not -- contracts are usually just for high-level employees), then you have to look at the terms of the agreement.

That said, it sounds like they are giving a warning -- it's effective March 1st.

You should know that these cuts mean the company is going down the tubes.  Your leadership won't tell you that, but you need to know it.  Time to start looking for a new gig.


Title: [PA] Attorney contacted me about personal injury matter. wants my home insurance policy#, threatens to sue if I don't comply. Says I'd be ordered to give it up in court anyway?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 If you've been contacted by an attorney about some possible claim against you, you *must* inform your home insurance.  It's in the policy.  If you don't cooperate with your insurance, they might not have to cover you at all.

So tell your insurance what's going on, and what happened.  You can say you don't think you're responsible for the injury, if that's what you think. They'll contact the other party.


Title: Friend of mine sexually harassed, MP's won't help.

Question:
[deleted]
Topic:
Juvenile and Youth Law

Answer: Has she reported it to her CO?


Title: MASS LAW Is it legal for a manager to leave a company for a huge amount of time with nobody to take over?

Question:
I heard from an acquaintance that a Manager for a store nearby was hiring, however upon investigation the rumors go that he is on vacation for a long time, over a month, and is the only one able to hire people. They also say there are rules that a manager cannot be replaced in such a way, nor does a next-in-position have the power to make any changes or hire any person whatsoever

Basically, the employees all pretty much believe the manager did this because he is retiring, and wants to see the company burn, essentially, as he no longer cares or has to care.

Is there anything legally or logically that we can do to (basically) make change in what is occuring here? What can be done? People here, myself included, need jobs and this is literally the most likely place nearby.

Do I have any recourse? Yes every place in like, a 5 mile radius has been sent applications

Answer:
 "Is it illegal for someone to go on vacation?" No.

"Is it illegal for a shop to stop hiring for an extended period?" No.


Title: My brother unlawfully entered my dad's house and accidentally burnt it down

Question:
I live in Bentonville, Arkansas. On December 29, 2015 my older brother, age 24, I'll call him Doug, entered my dad's house without permission while my dad and stepmom were vacationing in Florida. The exact means of Doug's entry are unknown though he claimed to have a key. My dad is guessing that Doug lifted the key off of the fridge during Christmas and then made a copy at Walmart that night. At any rate, he wasn't allowed to be there. While in my dad's house, Doug started a fire in the fireplace, presumably to swoon his new girlfriend. Unbeknownst to him, the gas line connected to the fireplace was broken such that it pumped gas into the house instead of into the fireplace. Also, Doug forgot to open the chimney's flume. Later that night, Doug and his girlfriend proceeded to fall asleep upstairs - without putting the fire out or turning off the gas (alcohol bottles were found by the bed they were sleeping in). Hours later, my house was totaled due to the fire spreading throughout both floors.

My brother has a notable record already (e.g. multiple DWIs, multiple fraudulent uses of credit cards, drug possessions, and some others I'm forgetting) which is why he's no longer allowed in my dad's house - except for Christmas, I guess because Jesus. At this time, my dad isn't pressing charges against Doug, despite our entire family urging him to do so. I think that it's because my dad will feel incredibly guilty if Doug is heavily punished - like multiple years in jail punished.

Basically, I'm wondering what my dad would expect if he were to press charges. What would the minimum/maximum sentencing be? Would the punishment be greater since Doug has a record? Is the fire obsolete since it was an accident and therefore would the unlawful entry be the only thing considered? Is there anyway to have Doug punished by another party (e.g. neighbors that were potentially put at risk) that would absolve my dad of guilt? And, on a side note, is there any sort of "it's-okay-to-punch-your-brother-if-he's-a-complete-fuckface" clause that I should be aware of?

Thanks

Answer:
 Not a lawyer, but it isn't arson because there isn't intent.  This isn't B&E because he didn't steal anything.  Looks like, at most, trespassing, class B misdemeanor.Answer #2: This is pedantic and I wouldn't have brought it up,  but it seems to be a primary question.

You're dad doesn't get to press charges.  That's not really how it works.  As I understand it,  in most jurisdictions you can make a police report.  All this report does is collect information.  The report is typically sent to a detective who investigates.  The detective will work with the local prosecutor to decide if charges will be filled.  It is the prosecutor that ultimately chooses whether or not to pursue a case.


Title: Employer texting and driving

Question:
I work for an Oregon company. I occasionally go on business trips with the owner of the company. He always insists on driving; and constantly texts/emails regardless of traffic conditions. My co-workers and I have repeatedly asked him to refrain, and he refuses. I am fed up to the point where I am willing to consider any combination of texting police while he is engaging in the crime, resigning, or a civil case against the company. What action would you suggest; and would I have a valid unemployment claim if I quit  over the matter?
Topic:
Labor Law

Answer: Unless he gets in a wreck and harms you, you don't have a civil case against him.


Title: GEORGIA; My girlfriend’s dad is planning to press charges against me, what do I do? Is that possible?

Question: Me (17) and my girlfriend(16) have been dating since she was 15, and she’s only turned 16 this May. We’ve been together for a few months now, and neither of her parents were aware of our relationship except for mine. Today, her dad found out through iMessages, because apparently her iCloud was connected to his. Because he found out, he smashed her computer, along with her brother’s and continuously called me and asked me for my address. I was told through a different source that he was planning to press charges against me. We haven’t been involved in any form of sexual contact; the only thing you could consider sexual is our texts— isn’t that normal? Is it possible to press charges against me like this? I’m really nervous and I don’t know what to do. Please give me some legal advice.

Answer: Talk to your parents about this. He sounds like a crazy guy. He cannot have you arrested for dating his daughter.Answer #2: If you haven't met your girlfriend in person, this sounds like a very common online scam.


Title: [michigan] can the court refuse to give me me a public defender

Question: I had a public defender but I fired him for being bad at his job. the second one was no better so I fired him too. I told the judge I wanted to go pro say but I changed my mind and the judge says I cant do that but dont I have a right to a lawyer?

Answer: Yes, if you keep firing them. Answer #2: You fired two public defenders. What makes you think you're more knowledgeable than they are?


Title: California Jr. High student searched for marijuana

Question:
Hello,

Yesterday my 12 year old son was searched at school by the vice principal for marijuana on the basis of another child stating that they smelled marijuana near my son. The vice principal then visually monitored my son for a while and then asked him to come to her office where the search took place.
No drugs were found and no call was made by the school to us letting us know anything about the situation. We found out when our son got home and told us what had happened.

I am certain my son has never smoked, been in the possession, or even knows what marijuana smells like. He's never showed any signs of being even remotely interested in things of that nature and is a very good kid all around. This situation has been very embarrassing for him.

Just wondering if things like this are allowed to take place and if smell in a general area is considered to be cause for searching a student. If I can provide any more details please let me know.

Southern California School District.

Thank you

Edit: for clarity and for adding thanks at the bottom of post

Edit: Thank you all so much for taking the time to respond to this post. Your feedback is greatly appreciated and I cannot thank you enough

Answer:
 Yes, that's perfectly legal.

Also,
>the vice principal for marijuana

How do I get this job?


Title: Returning to work from disability, employer switched from fiscal year to calendar year while I was gone. Being paid at an "adjusted rate," for the remainder of the year, which is less than half regular rate.

Question:
I'll do my best to explain. Throwaway, because I may need to seek legal help in the future. (sorry about formatting)
I'm a teacher, and our district was on a school year fiscal calendar but moved to a calendar year Jan 2015. I believe the change in the fiscal year has resulted in me being paid substantially less, and it is up to me to prove it (and I've tried). My union does not believe me. They are taking payroll's word. Maybe I am just not seeing this correctly, so I need some help. I admit I could be wrong, but it doesn't seem right.
I began work in Sept 2014, but that Oct I had to leave work for medical reasons. I used 48 sick days, and was given 29 additional sick bank days at 70% of my daily rate.
In January 2015, the district switched from fiscal year to calendar year (money was held back Sept to Dec to make the conversion). 1st week of school in January ended the old fiscal half (pay #13).
In total for the 2014-2015 school year, I worked or used sick days for 82 days at my full daily rate, then paid 70% for 29 additional days, then off on disability for the rest of the school year, concluding in June 2015.
This fall, I went back to work full time, and my daily rate had been "adjusted."
I was told by district payroll: "Since the teachers are now on a calendar year contract, we adjusted your pay for the whole calendar year. Basically we are paying you for 82 full days and 29 sick bank days (at 70%) for the whole calendar year of 2015. You will return to your full rate on Jan 1."
So, even though I am working full time right now, I none of the days I am working count? There are 72 days from Sept to Dec 2015 that I am working, shouldn't it be at my full daily rate?
I have asked for help on this from various sources, including my union and not been able to get any help. I just don't understand why my pay would be so low when I am now working, then when I was on sick leave? (My gross pay has gone from 3200 to 1800 for 2 weeks, as an example).

In a nutshell, the formula they created to determine my new rate uses only 82 days I worked or used sick bank, plus 29 days at 70 percent from the previous school year and doesn't take into account any of the 72 days I'm currently working at full pay

Decoding and explaining to me would be MOST appreciated, so I can give up or take further action.
Thank you.
Topic:
School Related Issues

Answer:
 So, when they said they went to calendar year, does that mean they shifted their budget year, or that teachers are now paid 12 months instead of the 10 that they were paid before? I had a friend whose school district switched to a calendar year pay schedule, which meant that she made less per month, but was paid through the summer when she normally wouldn't have been before (they do this for a lot of reasons, including helping teachers balance their budgets, so some unions support it, especially because it can come with a pay bump to ease the transition).

If that's what you mean by calendar year pay, than yes, your pay is going to be less for the remainder of the year than it was last year. Essentially, you were on leave during the extra pay periods, so you didn't get those checks, and now you are being paid your 10 month checks over 12 months.

Talk to you union and the school admins, for clarification.

Also, 82 paid sick days at full pay seems a bit odd, are you sure that there wasn't some sort of loan/prepaid days being used there?


Title: Accidentally sucked up my own engagement ring at a car wash and now they won't give it back

Question:
Before work I went to one of those car wash places that has vacuums outside you can use for $0.50. I always take off my engagement ring before work because I work with heavy machinery. You know where this is going. I accidentally sucked up my ring with the vacuum. Immediately, I went inside and informed them that my engagement ring was inside of the vacuum. The clerk said that they will open it up try to find it for me.

I gave them my number and went to work, they didn't call. After work, I called them and asked if they had found it. I was put on a long hold and the manager said that once it is inside the machine it is their property, "especially since I have already left the property?"

I was pretty pissed and went back to the store to reason with them. The manager walked me over to the vacuum and showed me a sticker that states that anything sucked up inside the machine is their property.

I don't really know what the ring's value is monetarily, but it means a lot to my husband and I in terms of sentiment. Not only is it my engagement ring, it is my husband's great grandmother's engagement ring. It has been in his family for a long time.

Do I have a chance of winning a lawsuit? I don't make a lot of money and don't want to waste our savings on something we won't be able to win. Thank you.

Answer: call the cops


Title: Pros/Cons of marriage before medical treatment

Question:
I am having my second brain surgery at the end of September and immediately starting chemo, but unlike my first I am now out of college and own some things. I am considering the pros and cons of getting married to my fiancé before the surgery, but wanted some insight. Ultimately, my goal would be so that he is able to take care of things if I am unable to for awhile, or worst case don’t make it at some point during my treatment, but I want to make sure the decision makes it easier for him and doesn’t leave him with more burden.

Considerations
-We live together and I am the breadwinner. Without my income, I don’t believe he could afford our home without a roommate or two.
-I purchased a house earlier this year (before I knew the cancer was back) and it is solely in my name. Would marriage make it easier or harder for my partner to take over the house if I passed? If he could not realistically afford the house, would it protect him more for us not to be married?
-We would not add him to my health insurance at this time - that would double my out of pocket expenses and would hit us hard financially. I would add him to dental and vision.
-I own my car outright (my name is the only name on the title) - would marriage default the car to him if I passed?
-I would update my life insurance so he would be the sole beneficiary. As a married couple we would merge bank accounts so he has access to my money (if needed).
-He is going to have my advanced directive and be my healthcare POA regardless
-Beyond what is listed above, my assets are minimal at this time.

Basically, I’m just looking for some insight into preparations before my surgery. Please ask any questions, happy to clarify.

TLDR; is it worth getting married before my surgery and treatment?

Answer:
 Honestly there are few financial benefits if any and no real drawbacks assuming you have got your medical PoA and will set up properly.

It's a great idea to sit down with a financial planner to go over your situation before the surgery.Answer #2: Sorry if this is too morbid, but have you discussed what will happen with your body if you die? If you're married your next of kin is your husband and he'll make the decisions. If you're not, I don't know if you can specify a non-relative to fill that role, or if you would want to. Answer #3: State matters here. In most states, if the worst happened and you passed away, your husband would have no personal liability for your medical bills (although your estate would).

A handful of places, like Illinois, have laws making spouses responsible for each other’s medical debt.Answer #4: If your car or your house only are in your name, after PROBATE Court would your husband get the house/car as your primary next-of-kin. To avoid Probate, adding on a T.O.D. (Transfer on Death) to both the House and Car would be to his benefit (Re-Issuing a Title on a Car might cost $5.00, or it did when I added my sister-in-law to my vehicle's title). My grandfather is super obsessive about this too; every scrap of property/title/account has, at minimum, three joint owners listed, and four T.O.D. beneficiaries, just to prevent anything going to probate when he passes.


Title: [California] Best friend cosigned a car loan for his boyfriend whom left him with said car to Montana and stopped paying last August sending friend into collections for $9k. Where to even start?

Question:
 It's so early in the morning my first option of course is reddit. I've told him we shall call local lawyers in the later hours to get the ball rolling but for now, you are my lifeline.
 Last year my best friend was engaged to a man. Man wanted car. Friend cosigned for car at local, shady dealership where it even had disclosure on it that warned him not to leave the state with the car. Is that a thing? They broke up, man took car acknowledging to my friend he does not intend on paying for the payments and moved home to Montana. There are pages of text with this man along with man's mother telling my friend he can't have the car back in order to sell and pay off the shady, expensive loan. Please, please, please, give me some good news or even bad to relay to him. Do we need to go to Montana to get the car back? Is there a leg to stand on? Thanks in advance.

Answer:
 He cannot get the car. It is jointly owned (assuming both are on the title also).

He can pay for the car then sue the ex. Answer #2: Your best friend is on the hook for the money, the best thing to do is to pay of the debt ASAP before it screws up his credit (No this is not a shady thing from the dealershipt this is exactly what beïng a cosigner means). Then your best friend should take his ex to small claims court and sue him for the 9k. (since it appears that your best friend is not on the title of said car (or at least that doesn't become clear from this post) he cannot simply take the car, that would be considered theft.)


Title: 89/65 wreck less driving ticket in VA. - what was the outcome? My officer just told me to call and pay the fine..but when I called the lady said I was charged with reck less driving (he never told me) I'm from out of state. Would like to know what you OUTCOME was if this happened to you. Not your op

Question: Out of state reck less driving ticket.

Answer:
 Not a lawyer, but 2 things:

- Reckless driving, not wreck less...even if you didn't cause a wreck...
- Reckless driving is generally a pretty severe charge - I'll leave it to the lawyers around here to tell you just how screwed you are, but my guess is it is pretty bad unless you can get to the court appearance and get that charge reduced to just speeding...


Title: [NY USA] Would I know if I’m in trouble after a heroin overdose?

Question:
On 4/30 I had a heroin overdose and got narcan in the ER. On 5/2 I left AMA. Nothing’s happened so far but I’m still freaked out. I’m living on the street right now. Is there any chance I have someone looking for me right now and I’m going to be arrested? Can you walk me the what would happen if that’s a possibility? I did go to juvie in 2013 if that helps.

Thank you
—Freaking out

Answer:
 Looks like NY passed a good Samaritan law that should protected you. You should be okay.

Also seek help with your drug habit.


Title: The police won't do anything about this complete psychopath (FL)

Question:
Okay so, I'm not sure what to do about this situation.

There is this guy (I have never met him in person) who has been sending crazy messages over facebook to my friends and I for about a year or so. By that I mean just about everyone I know, I've posted screenshots of it and TONS of people come in saying "this guy harasses me too, who the hell is he?". Social media is weird. Anyways, at first, he was just one of those people who rambled on about weird things (think r/creepypms style posts) and we all thought it was funny and just ignored it and laughed at the messages. Recently, he's been sending us things that are completely over the top, I've called the police three times as have others and they have done nothing. He's made about 20 fake facebooks to send these harassing messages. Here's a list of things he's done: (Should I add a trigger warning of some sort here? Animal abuse, sexual harassment, self harm, rape, manipulation, etc)

* sent photos of him mutilating animals (one of a snake cut into pieces, one of him stomping on a snake, a snake in a blender, a tarantula with its legs ripped off)
* talked about raping girls and having sex with underage girls
* threatening to kill, torture, rape me/whoever he is messaging at the time
* videos of him having sex, putting needles through girls' skin, masturbating
* photos of his wrists slit/blood all over his body were sent to my roommate. she called the police, he went to a mental hospital for three days, that's all that happened.
* telling people he will do x if they do not do y. for example: he told ANOTHER friend of mine that if she didn't meet up with him for a date he'd kill one of his pets. She didn't do it, he made a fake facebook and sent her photos of the animal dead.

He lives in Florida, I now live in Texas. Just tonight my roommate saw messages from him for the first time in a while telling her he'd kill another one of his snakes then proceeding to send photos of it dead. We called the police department where he lives right after the first message was sent and they told us they'd "get back to us". I'm assuming that again, they will just bakeract him for three days and that will be it. Is there any way I can get them to comply or arrest him? Isn't animal abuse a felony?

Answer:
 If this is facebook, why have you/your friends not blocked this person yet?

If you update your security settings, random accounts cannot add you on fb, and if they send messages, it goes into  random inbox that you are not even aware of.Answer #2: Just going to say: The main problem I have is not the fact that I'm getting harassing messages. It's that someone is torturing their pets and obviously very dangerous and I want to know why nothing has really been done about it.Answer #3: Why haven't you made your Facebook private?Answer #4: Animal cruelty laws often don't apply to animals which aren't livestock or domesticated. Just block this guy and change your facebook settings.

> they will just bakeract him for three days and that will be it.

No they won't do that.


Title: [NY] Airbnb host cancelled my stay. Is she obligated to mitigate my losses?

Question:
I was recently using Airbnb to rent a room for the summer (~10 weeks) in Brooklyn. The host and I got along well enough at first, but she is far more germaphobic and detail-oriented than I. She has a long list of very minor rules (e.g. close the shower curtain when it's not in use), and I failed to comply with a few of them. They were innocent mistakes and no actual damage was done to her property or the apartment, but the Airbnb policy does allow her to cancel the stay if I fail to follow her rules. She's also not obligated to refund me anything less than 30 days after the cancellation. I am not disputing that she is within her contractual rights to do this.

I politely requested she at least put the room back up on Airbnb and refund me the remaining rent if she finds a replacement. She adamantly refused, saying that because she's not in the wrong she doesn't need to do anything like that and can just keep my rent. Is she required to take steps to mitigate my losses here? There were 3 weeks left in the agreement, which comes out to over a thousand dollars in rent. I understand I can't demand an outright refund, but is she required to at least put the room back up for rent and pay me back what she can if she finds a replacement?

Additionally, I believe her landlord does not permit residents to rent out rooms, but I'm not sure if that has any relevance here.

Thank you.

Edit: Just to further clarify, I have been in contact with Airbnb about this and they are completely taking her side. As far as the Airbnb agreement is concerned, she is 100% within her rights to remove me without any refund. I'm specifically looking for any recourse I have under NY law that could trump that agreement.

UPDATE 7/12/17: After talking with Airbnb some more, they are now of the opinion that this was more of a personality conflict (she was very hostile to me towards the end) than deliberate violation of house rules, so they are issuing me a full refund for the nights I didn't stay there. Thanks everyone for your advice!

Answer:
 She broke several laws, likely. If you want to pursue this, there are options.

You were a tenant with a lease. You had a right to the property and the right to enjoy it. She cannot evict you for non material violations. You were not a guest, you were a tenant. Even if you did commit a material violation, you were owed a notice to cure with 10 days to cure. THEN you were required to receive a notice of termination with time.

Airbnb's contract, whatever it might say, cannot override local landlord tenant law. You can't sign away certain rights as a tenant. Answer #2: Have you been there over a month? She may need to serve you eviction papers. And have you contacted airbnb yet?Answer #3: Just for shits, check to see if her building is rent stabilized (the city has a list on its website & it's really not that uncommon, even in new buildings). If it is, and if she overcharged you based on the rent stabilization laws, she could be in for a treble-damages style world of hurt (read: you'd have significant leverage). Answer #4: I would try and document her rules and get into contact with AirBnB about her. The company should want to dissociate itself from inhospitable people using their service.Answer #5: sounds like a pretty good scam, collect $$$ from a tenant, later kick them out for not following arcane and excessive rules, and keep the money


Title: Tenants from hell changed the locks on me

Question: Ontario Canada with the most low life tenants imaginable. As title says they changed the locks now I need in for a home inspection (selling it to get away from the scumbags). What am I legally allowed to do?

Answer:
 You've got a couple of options.

The _Residential Tenancies Act_ holds that tenants [may not interfere](https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/06r17#BK42) with the landlord's rights, including [their right to access their property](https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/06r17#BK31). In particular, the Act [specifically proscribes](https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/06r17#BK41) changing the locks in this fashion.

You can either change them back - give your tenant 24 hours' notice and show up with a locksmith - or [begin the eviction process](http://www.sjto.gov.on.ca/documents/ltb/Notices%20of%20Termination%20&%20Instructions/N5.pdf). If you give them an N5 notice, then they have seven days to restore the locks or provide you with a key; after that, [you can file with the Landlord & Tenant Board](http://www.sjto.gov.on.ca/documents/ltb/Landlord%20Applications%20&%20Instructions/L2.pdf) for an order evicting them and that they pay you the cost of regaining access.


Title: [AL] Abusive children refusing to leave MIL's house

Question:
Hello r/legaladvice, first time posting apologies for any mistakes.

&#x200B;

My MIL has two of her three daughters living with, and they have been for several years after they "moved out." Both of these are horribly abusive people. Both are big druggies, constantly bringing fights to the house, even getting it shot up at one point.

She's at the end of her rope, and she has no idea how to get them out. She's been told by police that they have to be legally evicted because they have clothes on the property, and that proves they live there. They don't pay any rent, they don't contribute anything to the house at all.

Is legal eviction the only option for her? Google-Fu only gets me dated and contradictory information.

&#x200B;

Thank you.

Answer:
 It's not exactly correct that they must be evicted, but they have established tenancy at your MIL's house, so they can't be forced out instantly or on a whim.

Your MIL should serve them 30-day notices to vacate.  She can post them on the doors and mail them to her daughters at her own house.

They'll be required to move out in 30 days.  If they do, great, no eviction necessary.

Otherwise, after 30 days your MIL can file for an official eviction.  The form she would need to file with the court is [here](http://eforms.alacourt.gov/Civil%20Forms/Statement%20of%20Claim%20Eviction,%20Unlawful%20Detainer.pdf).  Eventually that process would lead to her being allowed to turn them out onto the street with their stuff and change the locks.  Answer #2: The form could be different depending where one lives. Getting advice from an attorney in your area is always the best way to start as a rule. And yes, if MIL’s daughters have been receiving mail at her residence, they’ve definitely established that they live there.

Sometimes if you can’t afford an attorney, you can go into your state bar association, you’d look up eviction, attorneys in your area, and hopefully get some free advice and guidance.

I would strongly go the legal route immediately. Giving them a paper noting eviction or posting something up without anything to back it up will only waste your time, and make things more tense in your household.

Good luck. You’ll get them out.


Title: (US) Military lease termination - An unusual situation

Question:
UPDATE:  So the company got the letter from the AF lawyer and wrote me an e-mail back that sounded something like "We are complying with the law and you don't owe anything please please please don't contact any other agencies or any other lawyers."  So I guess we are good to go.  Thanks for the advice guys.

Hey /r/Legaladvice, I have a strange situation I need some help with.  This is in Arizona if that matters.

I got off active duty about 6 months ago and immediately switched to the National Guard.  The unit I was hired into has 2 duty locations, about 80 miles apart.  My wife and I rented a house in between the two locations because I was going to need to be able to drive to both of them.  We signed a 1 year lease.

Since then I have changed jobs within the unit.  I have a completely new set of orders that change me to full time, and no longer require me to go to the alternate duty location.  The new orders specifically say that a “PCS is authorized”

So now we are moving to a better part of town and are breaking our lease early.  The penalty per the lease agreement is 3 months rent, but since I have orders that are dated after our initial move-in, and they authorize a PCS, the way that I read the SCRA I should be able to leave without penalty.

So far I have provided the rental company with my orders and a letter from my commander (which is a legal substitute for orders if needed) but they wont budge and insist that we owe the penalty since we will be living in the same town and don't have a report no later than date.  But neither of these things are mentioned or required in the wording of the law, the only requirement is PCS orders (which I have).

I have actually talked to an Air Force lawyer, who can't represent me, but can give me advice.  He told me that I am technically right and even though it is an unusual situation the law is the law and I shouldn't have to pay any penalty.  He is going to write a letter for me which will hopefully get them to back down, but if it comes to it and they sue me he says that I should be able to defend myself with the evidence I have.

My question is, do the lawyers here agree with him?  Would I win if we got sued?  What if they just send us to collections, would I have to make the case with them that I don't owe the money?  I  have heard that situation can get nasty sometimes.  And what if all this fighting gets reported on our credit?  I know that credit stuff can follow people for years, and the agencies couldn't care less about getting it right.

They do have our security deposit, which if they keep to cover some of the penalty I was advised to visit the local DOJ office and see if they will sue on my behalf to get back.  I suppose I could threaten them with that and see if they back down.  At some point they will figure out that they are going to waste a lot of time and risk a lot of bad publicity if they try to charge us, I am reasonably confident that we would win I just don't want to get harmed in some collateral way like credit ratings.

Of course the worse thing would be to end up oweing $5k trying to stop from paying $3.5k

Any thoughts are appreciated.

Answer:
 Arizona's Service Members' Civil Relief Act says issuance of a Permanent Change of Station order is a valid cause to break a lease with no repercussions. So I'd agree that you would likely be successful if your landlord brings a suit against you for breach.

>Military Orders and Lease Provisions

>Under the Service Members’ Civil Relief Act, a military member can break his lease upon receipt of Permanent Change of Station orders or upon receipt of orders deploying him for at least 90 days. 50 App. U.S.C.A. § 535(a). If one of those events occurs, then the landlord cannot refuse to allow the military tenant to leave. This provision of federal law also applies to any of the military member’s family members who may have responsibility under the lease. 50 App. U.S.C.A. § 535(a)(2). A military tenant who is either moving or being deployed is still responsible for any reasonable repair costs to the residence beyond normal wear and tear.

>To terminate a lease under this law, the military member must provide the landlord with written notice and a copy of the orders. 50 App. U.S.C.A. § 535(c)(1)(A). The military member can either deliver this notice in person or mail it certified mail, return receipt requested, to his landlord. 50 App. U.S.C.A. § 535(c)(2).

>As a general rule, the only defense to an allegation of nonpayment of rent is that the rent was actually paid, in the manner and in the amount provided in the lease.

http://www.azlawhelp.org/articles_info.cfm?sc=24&amp;mc=3&amp;articleid=25


Title: Dog Poop DNA Program at My Condo - *it's Hitting the Fan. Help!

Question:
*This is a shortened synopsis from my deleted post (thanks, bornconfuzed for the breakdown)*

I'm a compulsive neat freak renting a condo with a crazy disorganized HOA. I'm super anal about picking up after my dog.

HOA implemented a dog poop DNA testing program last summer to punish people who don't clean up after their dogs.

Despite being adamant that I religiously clean up after my dog, I've received seven violations totaling $1200.

I contested these violations immediately and vociferously.

I'm not convinced of the accuracy of the science, the original sample collection, or the poop collections that led to the violations.

Prior HOA management agreed that it couldn't be me leaving the poop and all would be resolved at a rules committee meeting.

Rules committee meeting was cancelled without notice or explanation 1 week before it as due to take place.

Myself everyone else thought the program was just cancelled because of management's admissions that the program was a shit show.

New management is now trying to collect money for those old violations.

I really don't want to move b/c it would make my kid move schools just after my divorce.

I'm so paranoid about this now it's affecting my daily life. This is also negatively affecting his relationship with his LL.

What can I do to resolve this? Thank you!

Wilton Manors, FL
__________________________________________________
*Original Full Text Rant - Long Read*

My high-end condo complex implemented a dog DNA program last summer. Loved the idea when I heard about it, as I'm a neat freak that borders on compulsive about keeping things clean. I regularly pick up other dog's poop when I see it. For context, I've even picked up my own dog's poop with my bare hand a few times, in bagless moments of sheer despair. I'm that guy.

Anyway, about two weeks after it kicked in, I received two notices for violations for $160 each. I could either pay them or go to a "rules committee" meeting at some arbitrary later date to contest them. I chose to contest them, as I wasn't going to pay for dog poop violations I certainly didn't commit. I kind of went insane - not only was I not leaving my dog's poop on the ground, I didn't have any course of action for proving that it just wasn't possible. No means to correct the nonexistent issue. No one to speak to about the science or getting the initial sample collection reviewed or validated.

Were the "poo collectors" grabbing remnants of poop from the vine-covered landscaping instead of formed piles and finding my dog's DNA that way? Was an angry resident that hated the program grabbing my poop bags from the trash and dumping them around to make a mess of the program and get the plug pulled? A raccoon emptying a trash bin somewhere? I had no idea, but begged for an investigation. Management told me they were also taking pictures of the "piles", so I felt slightly redeemed - when these pictures emerged, they certainly wouldn't reveal images of my dog's poop on the ground! Low and behold, two weeks later I was "updated" that no pictures were being taken. There went that one strand of supporting evidence in my favor.

5 letters to the board and management office later, and still no progress. The property manager told me "look - this program is a mess and is obviously not working. Sit tight and we'll sort it all out when the rules committee meets". I begged to have my dogs DNA retested, as during the initial sample collection my dog pooped all over the management office and the sample collectors just picked it up with their rubber gloves and went on to test a line of dogs. This stuck out as a likely explanation for the "violations", which continued to pour in. Again, no one would do anything. They agreed they "all knew" I wasn't leaving it on the ground and assured me I'd ultimately be cleared, as so many people were getting violations and coming in complaining, just like me. They declined retesting my dog and pointed at the rules committee again.

After about 2 more months, I had SEVEN of these (false) violations - all for $160 each. Yikes. Not only was I worried about having to pay $1200, I was worried about losing my home! I live in a very small (2 mile) zone that I'm locked to in order to keep my 8 year old son (whose parents just got divorced) in the school he loves. This community is notorious for having a nightmare HOA and screwing people over. The fear of upending our living situation downright freaks me out after all that my mangled family has been through, and this was maddening. I was being treated like a criminal, no one would listen to me, and my blood pressure literally went through the roof.

Fast forward to November of 2015, and a date for this elusive "rules committee" meeting was finally set. I was armed with pages of notes, email exchanges, and even quotes from forum threads explaining all the possible ways they could be incorrectly connecting my dog's DNA to poop that definitely didn't exit his anus. One week before the meeting, they cancelled it. No explanation. From there, I heard nothing until now. I assumed - like the many other residents I spoke to - that management had finally realize the program was somehow a botched mess and decided to just use it as a deterrent. Finally, this was over - I thought.

Fast forward again to this week, and I just got seven new letters from the HOA in my mailbox for the same old 7 "violations". So did the owner I rent from. It says there's now a new "rules committee" meeting set for next week on 6/9. He sends me a frustrated email telling me to "take care of this". You see, even though he's well aware that I'm a compulsive neat freak and thoroughly believes my hideous tale, he's still frustrated with the stream of threatening letters hitting his box. It just points at "problems", regardless of my innocence. Not only has this situation driven me absolutely nuts, it's even made my renter / owner relationship a bit shaky. For no reason at all other than the additional stress caused by an allegedly scientifically-reliable poop-sniffing program repeatedly pointing its broken finger straight at me.

So now I'm headed to a frightening hearing next week with no idea what to expect, other than angry board members waving scientific evidence in my face while I try to plead my innocence. "The case of allegedly infallible science vs. me", I like to call it.

I'm submitting this here for two reasons. First, to alert anyone that thinks Pooprints or any dog poop DNA program is a "good idea" that it simply is NOT. In theory, you have nothing to lose if you're complying. In reality, this science is sketchy as hell and the implementation relies on a joke of a management office to collect initial samples and piles of offending poo. Again, I too liked the idea when I heard about it. In theory, what would I have to lose as a diligent pooper scooper? Nothing, I thought. I was very wrong.

Next, I'm looking for additional ideas on how to better prepare myself for this spooky committee meeting. I can't imagine how I'm going to react if they tell me they expect to collect $1200 for dog poop I would never not clean up. My residency there simply won't be sustainable anymore, at least in theory. BTW - I literally HATE living here now. I'm constantly walking around like a poo detective, terrified of ever even leaving any trace of my dog's fecal matter smeared on a leaf. I grunt to myself while walking my dog about how "I can't be living like this" and can't believe how much money I pay a month to feel like I'm the victim of an old rich man's hack of a science project. It's all really sickening.

I ALWAYS clean up after my dog. Certainly didn't take a DNA program to inspire me, either. Did I mention that yet? Because it's REALLY RELEVANT HERE.

BTW, oddly, after the initial 7 violations last year, they just stopped coming in when the first rules committee meeting was cancelled. Haven't heard a peep since. Now with new management in place, they're apparently just going to try to collect money to pay for the program from people like me almost a year after the fact. To boot, all my prior exchanges with management and the board about trying to get to the bottom of why I was being "false positive" matched are up in smoke. I'm starting from scratch.

I'm going to conclude this out of sheer typing fatigue. Anyone have any ideas?

Answer:
 The scientist in me wants you to get all your positive samples (and controls) and pay to have them re-tested at a competitor's dog poop DNA place.

DNA testing is the gold standard, and it would be hard to mess up the interpretation of properly tested results, but I suspect most of these places do not have the scientific and procedural rigor to avoid cross-contamination. Further I doubt that any dog poop testing facility is ISO Standard 17025 accredited, or even has their ISO 9001 Quality Management System certification.

And if a place was super shady, they could literally give you any answer they wanted, as could your HOA management.


Title: [UK] Dog bit the Postman

Question:
4 years ago, my mother opened the door to the mail man, and the family dog bit him in the leg.  the bite was not serious, but did tear skin and draw a small amount of blood.  The postman sued my mother via his workers union, and a law firm has been sending letters ever since.

I do not know the full details of the case because my mother gets agitated and starts reeling off excuses about why it happened, and how it was the postmans fault.  I have tried to convince her that these make no difference at all.
Anyway, today she discovered (4 years too late), that the household insurance does not cover for public liability, which is what would of covered this claim.
I do not know the exact amount, but the law firm is sueing for around £4000-£5000. My mother cannot afford to pay this ,nor can she afford a solicitor or lawyer.

I am unfamiliar with this sort of thing, but if it was me in this scenario, I would contact the law firm and explain that due to current circumstances, I cannot afford to pay this amount, and offer a payment plan of something I could afford, for example, £100 a month until it is cleared.
Can anybody offer any advice which I could pass onto my mother with regards to this situation? Any questions anybody had I shall put them too her and reply with the response.

Thanks in advance.

Answer: Not from the UK, but did the lawsuit go through and finish? 4 years ago seems like a long time for the lawsuit to be sitting around still. Was she found at fault? I am guessing you don't know all the answer. A payment plan may work. Does your mother own property or cars? In the US, the courts can order liens against that property.


Title: California - my BIL got arrested for assaulting a teenager

Question: The allegation is that he broke her cheek. He is charged with felony battery and felony uttering threats. She's like 14 or 15 and he's in his 30s. He hit her because a relative of hers stole an urn or container that had his baby's ashes in it during a break in by an acquaintance. When she heard she brought the urn to the cops but he blamed her and went to where she lives. There are a ton of witnesses and he got arrested there. Personally I hope he faces consequences but my wife is worried sick about her brother and so is my SIL. He is in jail until his first day in court. He's never been arrested before. Just so I can tell my wife, what's going to happen next? Like I said I don't condone it at all but I would like to tell my wife what's going on.

Answer:
 I believe the legal term is "megafucked," he needs a lawyer. Answer #2: so... Let me get this strait. Someone broke into your BIL's house, stole his baby's ashes (likely by accident as those aren't worth anything). The girl then took the shit to the cops because that's ostensibly the right thing to do, and his response was to break her face?

Yeah, a good criminal defense attorney might at least keep him out of jail, assuming he has the cash for one. If public defender, he's probably going away for awhile.


Title: [IL] If my neighbor's dog jumps the fence into my yard and my dog attacks their dog, who's at fault and what are the repercussions?

Question: My title probably sucks, but I'm in Illinois and curious if my neighbor's dog jumped his fence into my yard and my dog attacked the their dog while in my own yard, who would end up being at fault and what would happen?

Answer:
 Dog Law specialist here.

Generally the trespassing dog is at fault in this situation.


Title: [FL] Doctors missed large clot in wife's brain.

Question: We just found out that doctors at a world renowned medical center missed a large clot in my wife's brain on an MRV 10 years ago. The neurologist she saw the other day that correctly read the images thinks this clot lead to the large number of miscarriages we have had over the last 10 years along with several subchorionic hemorrhages that almost cost my wife her life.  She also may have been misdiagnosed with a rare brain condition that she was being treated for and had to take dangerous medications.   She has since had surgery to resolve the brain condition.  I know there is a statute of limitations for these types of things.  Does it start from the time of the initial procedure or when we found out about the major screw up?

Answer: Medical malpractice is too complicated and fact specific for the internet to help; you will have to speak to a lawyer


Title: Deny a roomate based on political affiliation?

Question:
There's a post in my uber liberal city that says you cannot be a republican and be their roomate at the same time. Does this violate any housing preference laws?

&#x200B;

Here is a link for clarification : [https://newjersey.craigslist.org/roo/6706711997.html](https://newjersey.craigslist.org/roo/6706711997.html)

Answer: No. You can consider or not consider a roommate for any reason you want. No laws apply to roommate consideration.Answer #2: MAGA is not a protected class.


Title: [UPDATE] Ex threatened to sue me because he attempted suicide also more questions about gifts and returning them with no contact

Question:
This is all in Illinois as in my [previous post](https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/7b0h7z/someone_attempted_suicide_because_of_me/). Made a new throw away account. Post is also unlocked thanks to the lovely mods here.

Update: I went to my university's counseling service and got some emergency help and regular sessions until I leave the univeristy. My family also was very supportive and is doing what they can to help me. I'm trying to not to be constantly scared but it's hard. Since the guy is an alum of the university the school can't really do anything. I'm moving and not telling anyone where i'll be except family and a handful of friends who are not in contact with my ex. I've also changed my number and got rid of every bit of social media I could. I still have one to look for a subleaser for my apartment.

Onto the next issue that I need advice for. He gave me some stuff as a birthday gift and I tried to give it back before but he wouldn't take it. He also gave me some other stuff and I offered to pay for it at market value multiple times but he refused saying you'll appreciate it unlike other people. Honestly most collectors would appreciate the items if he tried to sell it anywhere. I even told him he could make a decent chunk of change for the items.

When I cut contact originally he said he wanted all the stuff he gave me back. In a panic i told him fine i'll send it back and that i'd need his address (I still have it written down to send the items back). It's also in a text that I said I would send them back. So I assume that is kind of a contract between us? I have his address but I don't think he has mine. I'd also like to avoid giving him my address in any way. And he said he was cutting contact with me after the last post and didn't want me to contact him (I wouldn't anyways and never did after I cut contact originally).

Would sending it back be breaking no contact? And could he take me to court for even sending that back and making contact via sending him the stuff?

Answer:
 If he was threatening you and you agreed under duress, I don't believe that would count as a contract, no.Answer #2: He told you to stop contacting him. That was his latest request. So don't. Don't reach out to him for clarification on what to do with the stuff. Just keep the gifts he gave you. If he writes you again about returning these gifts, worry about it then. Take every opportunity you can not to talk to or even think about this guy.

Answer #3: Don't let him keep that hold over you. If you don't want the stuff give it away.


Title: (Indiana) I'm renting a property for the past 11 years. I got married and moved my wife in without telling my landlord. (Didn't know I needed to) Now they want her to fill out an application to live there. Could they deny her and try to make her move out?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Assuming you do not have a lease, they can give you a notice to vacate for not complying.

If you do have a lease after 11 years, there may be a provision that says any person who says X days out of the year must fill out an application and be added to a lease.Answer #2: Yeah that's pretty standard.  They could in theory deny her but unless she has a criminal history or really, really bad credit there shouldn't be any reason why they would.  If you don't follow their procedure to add her to the lease they could very well evict you.Answer #3: In this case, you're renting only the land, not the dwelling, but trailer parks kinda of operate as quasi-HOA as well.

It would depend greatly on why the denied her - criminal history, for example, would almost certainly be an acceptable reason to deny her.


Title: I've gotten a handshake agreement to be a cofounder of a startup company with a former colleague -- what sort of document do I need have drafted and signed to ensure it is legally binding?

Question:
I'm a product designer who has been working with a former colleague (who is, I'll say, the business manager) on a startup project.

I've gotten a handshake agreement that we will be co-founders in this startup venture, and each owning a percentage of the business and being paid accordingly when it ultimately goes to market and begins generating revenue.

This is the first startup I've ever been a cofounder on, and a totally new space for me.

I want to either ensure that the product design work I'm doing is owned by me and/or, if it's owned by the business, that I am legally considered a cofounder with X% ownership, per our handshake agreement.

It's not that I don't trust this guy -- but I would like some legal assurance that I'm not just doing a bunch of free work without compensation on the terms we agreed on.

I appreciate any/all help and advice.

Answer:
 The kind of document you'd negotiate when working as a co-founder, especially if you expect to hold a significant stake in the company (shares, not promises), is an operating agreement setting out things like revenue splits, working expectations, and what happens to your respective shares if either of you decide to terminate the partnership. Intellectual property rights are also a common subject.

Any small business attorney can help you draft something, once you and your prospective partner have reached an agreement. No document will be binding unless your partner is also willing to sign it - and since a properly-written operating agreement protects both of you, I would be very skeptical of working with them if they refuse rather than negotiating.


Title: Legality of ONLY hiring veterans? [U.S.]

Question:
Hello,

This question pertains to U.S. State and Federal law.

I'm preparing a business plan for a small non-profit organization. My primary question concerns the general legality of recruiting, hiring, and staffing this organization with military veterans only? I would appreciate any references to laws and ordinances in your jurisdiction, including federal laws.

A secondary question is whether you, as an individual, would be influenced in your purchasing goods and services by nature of an organization's employment structure / mission?

Thank you for your time and insights. This post will be cross-posted to /r/humanresources, /r/human_resources, and /r/askreddit.

Answer:
 It's legal to discriminate against people for any reason except for the few legally-protected reasons.  Being a non-veteran does not seem to be one of the legally protected reasons, and therefore you can discriminate against that group of people.

Note that the opposite (discriminating against veterans in favor of non-veterans) is prohibited:

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/38/4311


Title: I can't afford my semester long lease

Question:
Long story short, I'm a US Uni student, my lease costs $3700 a semester, I live with 4 other girls. We have a joint lease.

Basically my dad got injured and, as an independent contractor, can not work or collect workers comp. So I can not afford my rent for spring semester.

I've begged and pleaded with my company to let me out of it, they just keep saying if I don't pay my roommates will have to make it up and they'll sue me.

I looked through the lease and the only violation I can find that the company made is that they were supposed to get a parent guarantee from both of my parents and they only got one from my mum, not my dad.

Is there any way of getting out of this?

Answer:
 Work with your landlord or property manager and see if you can find someone to take over your portion of the lease.

Otherwise, they're correct. Your roommates will be on the hook for your portion of the rent, they can sue you, and they will win.Answer #2: Most leases in the US make all tenants joint and severally liable for rent. This means if you don't pay your share, the other tenants need to pay the difference. They can then sue you for what they paid on your behalf. The only way out is getting all parties (the roommates, you, *and* the landlord/management) to agree to sign you off the lease, or allowing you to find a replacement roommate.


Title: Utah- new apartment was not ready at move-in, and reeks of dog urine. I’m as pissed as the carpet.

Question:
Hi Redditors,
My partner and I moved into an apartment closer to work. The place looks nice and the office employees have been amazing during the whole process.
We moved in on a Friday afternoon and discovered that the carpet had not been cleaned, which the lease states is standard in every unit upon move out. The previous tenants locked their dog in the master bedroom closet, which was full of hair, absolutely reeked of urine, and even had a feces stain on the carpet. As soon as we walked in, we walked right back to the office to let them know about this. They had an emergency carpet cleaner at the apartment a few hours later. The carpet is now completely dry, but still smells. I emailed the office to update them of the condition of the odor and informed them that we expect our next month’s rent to be credited for each day the apartment was not move-in ready. I haven’t heard back from them yet, as it has only been a couple of hours and I’m sure they’re busy. I could talk to the office in person, but I would prefer that all of the communication about this is written.

I’m so upset about this. We had to spend our first night sleeping in the living room and cannot move our furniture onto the carpeted area. I’m posting because I looked into Utah landlord-tenant law and could not find anything that refers to this specific situation. I think that the carpet needs to be replaced, and this should have been taken care of before the agreed-upon move-in date. Is it too soon to contact a lawyer? What should my next steps be? Should I talk to them in person and record the conversation?

Answer:
 I think you're heading for the legal action thinking a bit too early. You told them about the issue and they brought in emergency cleaning to address the issue, the fact that they did this I think says they do care about making things right for you. Being how the smell still remains though, I'd wait to hear back from them on how they will address it.  You said it's the master bedroom closet where the issue is, so they may end up cutting out that carpet and replacing it who knows. I just don't see them making the initial effort and then telling you to "piss" off. Answer #2: They'll probably have to replace the entire carpet in that area and possibly the underlayment. But there's no real way to tell how bad it is until they try the first most reasonable step which is a deep clean.

They've deep cleaned it. It's dried and now it's obviously still a problem, they'll need to get someone out to take up the carpet and do some repairs. Unfortunately, that can take some time. I don't think it's unreasonable to ask for some compensation but I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that they don't care at all just yet.


Title: Can I record threats of violence being made against me?

Question: I live in a state (FL) where it's illegal to record someone without their consent. I'm in a living situation where I'm getting threats of violence against me from my mother. I finally spoke up and said I would call the cops on her if she hit me. She then threatened to lie to the cops and say I beat my daughter if I ever called her in. Is there anything I can do legally to protect myself from her and false accusations?

Answer:
 Are these confrontations ever in a place where someone could reasonably overhear? Florida makes an exception to the statute when the conversation occurs in a place where there isn't the reasonable expectation of privacy.

Edit: The relevant Florida statute here is Title XLVII, Ch. 934 ([§ 934.01, Fla. Stat. (2014)](http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0900-0999/0934/0934.html))


Title: [NE/US] Careless driving ticket after approaching gang unit in response to call

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 I don't believe you, and your story's not even internally consistent. Regardless, in your own diagram you admit to parking in the middle of an intersection.

If you want to fight the ticket, you should probably look for a traffic attorney. Otherwise, it'll be the officers' testimony against yours, and you're not very good at telling your side of the story.


Title: [Upstate Ny] Family wants me out of house after a death

Question: I lived with my aunt for 3 years taking care of her. We had a vernal agreement with each other. She passed last week and family is giving me 2 weeks to get out. Do I have tenants rights? I'm in the will which includes division of assets including the house in which I live.

Answer:
 You are a tenant. They need to give you notice as if you are a month to month tenant (probably 30 days, but can vary by location). If you fail to vacate, they can file to evict. Ending a vacancy is *not* the same thing as being evicted; you need cause to evict where in general you can end a vacancy without cause.

Two weeks is one day less than Florida requires, which is crazy short in my opinion, so no, you have longer than that.

Edit: I just saw you are to inherit the house, or part? It may not be this simple as I stated. It's very fact specific and you may wish to consult with an attorney who represents only your interests, not the one who is handling the estate as a whole. There is a possibility you might not have to vacate, but you really need to speak with an estate attorney who can speak to the facts and details of your situation. This is too complex of a situation for us to give you a simple answer.


Title: [Alberta, CA] Can you get sole custody because your husband doesn't want to vaccinate your child?

Question: My husband does not want to vaccinate our son. If I leave him, can I sucessfully seek sole custody on this basis and then vaccinate our son?

Answer:
 You can take him to the doctor and get him vaccinated today if you want to.Answer #2: I doubt you could get sole custody strictly based on that. But, when the child is physically in your custody, there is nothing (barring a court order) that would prevent you from getting your child vaccinated appropriately.

Your husband is a loon, BTW.


Title: Being kicked out of step moms house...illegally?

Question:
So just a brief backstory:
* Dad moved in with girlfriend selling old house
*I followed as I had lived with him, and was given my own apartment in he house and living rent free/lease free
*Graduated college this May and moved back into the house again for the summer, I work 60 hours a week and am leaving in October to go to the Navy so I was just there temporarily
*Do not get along with her, so my dad tells me last Saturday to pack up my thing and be out by this Saturday coming up
*Leave house today for work and got in an argument and end up going back upstairs to my apartment and going to work late
*Leave for work again today and notice the garage code and the house alarm code has changed, essentially locking me out when I come back from work
*All my stuff is in my apartment upstairs and she wants me out early because of the argument

So i have a couple of questions for you guys to answer who have either been through this situation or have knowledge on what I should do.

*Do I need to leave the house before the “7 day notice” just because she wants me to leave? (I don’t have a lease but have been living there for about 6 months)

*What should I do if she locks me out or set off the alarm and can’t turn it off?

*What happens when I get back from work and find all of my stuff thrown outside? I’m worried about stuff like my desktop and monitors getting destroyed/stolen

I’m more than happy to leave this toxic environment, and have a place to go whenever I need to. But I want to stay at least until Friday because I have some items coming to the house that I’m going to need. (new phone because I’m on their data plan and want to break off and get my own).

I plan on recording and taking pictures of everything before I leave so they can’t say I damaged the apartment. And I’m more than willing to sue if I need to.

Any help please /r/legaladvice?

Answer: *Based on states. I thinks its illegal to kick someone out in a week if they have their personal belongings there and have been staying there more than 30 days.  . She has to give you a proper eviction notice which is a 30 day eviction notice. But try to research on it. Good luck.


Title: (Florida) County ordinances and HOA ordinances for fence height contradict each other. County says maximum 6 feet and HOA says minimum 7.5 feet.

Question: The HOA is taking steps to put a lien on my house and fining me for not following the regulations. The county is hassling me and taking me to court. I've torn down and rebuilt the damn fence three times but it's never good enough for one side. Several of my neighbors have the same issue and no one will listen.

Answer:
 You and your neighbors *are* the HOA.  Have you tried going to a meeting, pointing out the discrepancy, and asking the association to do something about it?

HOAs are often run by neighborhood busybodies who have time to insert themselves into the goings on of the neighborhood - but their power comes from the association of members (of which you are one).  The fastest way to resolve problems in them is to gather like minded homeowners and vote for change.Answer #2: I am a lawyer, not yours.  The county will win this one. There are a few ways to deal with a ridiculous HOA - you can call for a vote to amend the bylaws, file suit in superior court for a declaratory judgment that the HOA rule is unenforceable, or because there is a lien on your house from the HOA file for a show cause hearing why the lien shouldn't be stricken and then at that hearing show the relevant county ordinance.  Answer #3: County building laws trump HOA bylaws.

It's a mess to get an HOA to back down but that's what you'll have to do.  I would build to the county's ordinance and then when the HOA fines you/takes you to court you go ahead and bring the fact that the bylaws are in violation of your local ordinance to the judge/arbitrator.


Title: I [25 F] was married to my high school teacher [33 M] for 2 years. Was I groomed and could the marriage be annulled on these grounds? [Victoria, Australia]

Question:
Thanks in advance to those that read to the end. Any advice or input is appreciated. I do plan to engage with a lawyer in my area, but thought I could use a sounding board first.

I live in Australia. We met when I was 16 and he was 24. Let's call him Percy. He was my teacher for 2 years until I graduated high school.

During this time I was sexually assaulted by my best friend's dad - I had known them for over 10 years - and I fell into a deep depression.

My grades dropped and all my teachers & even my principal noticed. After a particularly difficult day, I broke down in class and confided in Percy about why I was struggling so much. The school was really supportive in helping me through.

Nothing happened during school because I was not interested in him. Although now in hindsight, I think it was quite unusual for students to communicate with Percy by MSN messenger instead of through proper channels.

My cousin is 2 years older than me and also attended the same school. Percy tried to engage with her a lot and once she graduated, he would try to get in contact with her through me when she did not reply to his messages.

I went to University but still really struggled with depression and was quite vulnerable. I felt like a broken person that no one wanted. He became more aggressive in his pursuit of me. I don't know if I could say that I was of sound mind when I agreed to marry him. He was my first relationship and we went from dating to married in under 9 months. It was Fast. I had to leave everyone and everything for him. He didn't have to sacrifice a thing.

During the marriage, other relatives of mine noticed that he had a large number of young females that he kept in contact with. Many times I saw messages of chats he had with former female students, but I didn't question him - even when he planned to meet up with some of these girls.

The relationship was abusive and unbalanced. I never felt like an equal. If I ever did anything wrong I was punished by him like a child. The domestic violence escalated to the point where I feared for my own life.

When I was working, all of my pay went into his bank accounts. He controlled all the money. I only received a few dollars a week despite earning almost 2 thousand a fortnight. If I ran out, I couldn't eat. When he built a house, he had 99% share and I only had 1%. He got angry when he discovered I tried to save some money on the side from what little I had. That night involved him shoving his whole body weight against the door while I tried to hide in a room.

Through counselling, the psychologists brought up the issue that I may have been groomed by Percy from when I was still in school. The only time that I heard something that really bothered me was when I found out that he had said he wants to "find a wife just exactly like /u/corgis-on-stilts" when I was still in high school.
I left our home towards the end of last year because I could not stand being so afraid for my life anymore.

With this information, could I get the marriage annulled because of his actions and my vulnerable state of duress?

---

tl;dr: I believe I was groomed by high school teacher who turned out to be abusive. Can the marriage be annulled, rather than divorce?

Answer:
 Based on the information provided in your post, I do not really see the definition of grooming in a normal sense. Grooming is normally defined as "befriending and establishing an emotional connection with a child, and sometimes the family, **to lower the child's inhibitions with the object of sexual abuse**".

It seems as if you are wanting to file for annulment based on "consent that was obtained by duress or fraud, or because one party was mistaken as to the identity of the person that they were marrying or did not realise that they were being married or where one party was mentally incapable of understanding the nature and the effect of the marriage ceremony".

From what I am understanding, you met 'Percy' at age 16 but did not marry him until age 23, a full 7 years later - which doesn't really fall into the "grooming" category as described above.

While I sympathize with your situation, I would suggest that you obtain the services of a family/divorce attorney before proceeding any farther.


Title: Can a company skip a oral warning, and first written warning, and go straight to second written warning? ( US )

Question: never been written up before, or reprimanded. but my supervisor fucked up and threw me under the bus. Now i have 24 hrs to sign write up that says 2nd written warning. I refused to sign it so far, and feel that it is their way to end up firing me. Help  ( Ohio )

Answer: They aren't required to give you any warning.


Title: Woman in non emergency vehicle sideswiped my vehicle with her hazard lights on. Hit and run? (SC)

Question:
I'm sitting in traffic moving along at a very slow pace. I see my exit and begin to get off the freeway when I see a woman in my rearview come flying by me. She has her hazard lights and she clips the rear side of my car and keeps going. I pull over and watch her promptly swerve some other cars, barely hitting them and run a read light. I dial the police as I follow her because I didn't get her plate number. I find the car just a little bit away. You can tell by the damage that it is the car that hit me. My paint is on her car. Has the same color, everything.

I inform the police I am there and wait. They come and take my statement and then go into the hospital to get hers.

Her husband, the passenger, comes out and tells the story about how their doctor called (their daughter is in the hospital) and their told them to get to the hospital ASAP. I didn't hear the reason. I feel bad for them, he was shaking the whole time. The officers seems sympathetic. They told me the child isn't dying but they thought she was or something and said I could leave. I told the guy I hoped his daughter was okay. My own son was in the back seat. I know what that kind of panic is and I feel bad.

Apparently, they hit another car before mine and kept going too.

 I was given their insurance information but no report is available yet so I don't know what will happen.

I was curious if they officers would have to cite her for something? Like would they have to write her a ticket for the hit and run? For two cars?

I am going to file the claim with insurance tomorrow ( I feel bad but there is damage) but could their insurance reject it because I didn't move over for a nonemergency vehicle when they had their hazard lights on?

Do you have to move over for nonemergency vehicles with hazard lights on in South Carolina?

Thanks!

Answer:
 Hazard lights don't mean "get out of my way everyone, if I hit you it's your own fault". It's a rough situation they're in, but it's not your fault and you have no reason to feel guilty. You did the right thing. Answer #2: Attempt to contact other driver? Check.
Call police to report? Check.
Wait for police and make a full report? Check.
Have sympathy for the other driver for having a damn good reason for their actions? Check.

OP, you did everything right here.  Not a lot of folks would.  Good for you.


Title: Can my employer force me to stand for my entire 12 hour shift? (Besides lunch)

Question:
I'm a vendor at a theme park. My actual boss would love to give me a chair but the park requires employees to stand. But the park doesn't have 12 hour shifts either.

Do I have the Colorado law on my side or not? It's been very hard to research.

Answer:
 Many businesses require that their employees stand for long periods, I highly doubt you'll find anything illegal about that. Although frankly if you are a manager and all you do is stand at a till all day then you aren't doing your job right.

That said though if you are only getting one break in a twelve hour period then they are in violation of [Colorado wage and hour law](https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdle/breaks) and you should contact the Colorado division of Labour Standards and Statistics.


Title: Is my boss cheating me on my paychecks?

Question:
I just started working for a mom and pop gas station last month. He pays me in personal checks, tax free. He is going to 1099 me at the end of the year. Its not the best thing, but its whatever. The main issue I want to address is coming short. 2 days last week I have came up short. The thing that kills me is the reason im coming up short is because of small mistakes that make my till seem like it is higher than it is supposed to be. Im not a theif. The mistakes im making are small, but are hard to keeo track of. Even when I print the reciept. Anyway, my boss makes me pay him back if im short. Last week I payed him 95 dollars out of my 160 dollar paycheck.
Is this legal? I worked 20 hours and made 65 dollars. Thats like $3/hour.

I work in south carolina. Also the week when he made me pay him back he wrote a check for 160, but didnt give it to me. He gave me 65 cash.

Thanks!
Topic:
Labor Law

Answer: Nothing about this seems legal. There is no way a clerk in a gas station can properly be classified as an independent contractor. Also you must be paid at least minimum wage. I guess my thought would be how badly you want to keep this job. If you go work for someone who follows the law you will at least get minimum wage. You could also fill a complaint with you State's labor department over the shortage issue and the US dept of labor for the minimum wage issue. Is your boss ignorant or does he think the law just doesn't apply to him?


Title: A friend of mine is salaried at a company she works for and now they are telling her she has to work open to close, 7 days a week. (67 hours)

Question:
So like I said, she was salaried based on a 40 work week. These past few weeks she has been putting in 60 hours a week. She was not allowed to hire people to help for a while and now she is the only person at this branch with a key and is being told she needs to work open to close until someone else gets trained in and is allowed to have a key to open and close. Is there anything she can do to either get compensated for all of this extra work and responsibility or another option? (She does not have a reddit or ever used it so I am helping her out.) Thanks.
Topic:
Employment Law

Answer: She can quit. She can tell her bosses that if she is not compensated for all hours that she will quit (if they say okay get it in writing). But likely she will have to quit.Answer #2: If she's salaried exempt, this is all legal. She isn't entitled to overtime either.


Title: [NY] My university just sent an email seemingly illegally revealing academic and grade status of hundreds of students.

Question: I received and email from my schools financial aid office notifying me that my low GPA from last semester could possibly put my financial aid in jeopardy. This email was sent with a open mailing list of every other student who received poor enough grades to have their financial aid threatened. From my understanding my grades are supposed to be private from other students and this may be a violation of something called FERPA. Should I or can I pursue legal action?

Answer: You can lodge a complaint and the school may get a slap on the wrist from its regulatory body, but there is no private means of pursuing damages for a FERPA violation.


Title: [CA](L.A)(High School) Can I sue my school for not having a regular teacher in class for a week, and I'm not learning anything.

Question: So, my teacher quit his job last year, just after the new years' break, and when we came back, we instead had been notified that weekly subs would be filling in for his absence. Now the first week's sub taught us well and good, but this past week's sub just didn't teach shit, as in, literally nothing; just a basic free period. Usually, I'm not one to argue for free chill time, but I'm starting to get worried that my learning is being impeded by this inconsistent delivery of info. I take my learning really seriously, and I don't want to be left behind in terms of academic furthering. So, can I take legal action, or what?

Answer:
 >So, can I take legal action, or what?

No.Answer #2: Have your parents call and complain, it’ll get you further. If the principal blows them off have them call the superintendent, then the school board.

For what it’s worth, it’s really hard finding acceptable subject specialists on short notice in the middle of the school year. They’re scrambling to keep warm bodies in the room while also trying to find a semester long replacement, and a lot of states won’t let you hire back retirees. They might already be doing everything they reasonably can.


Title: Quit a law firm and, in the three days before I was rehired by the same firm, the paralegal took it upon herself to access my work gmail, remotely wipe my personal phone, and then delete the work gmail. I was rehired on Friday and just discovered this today.

Question:
I am an attorney at a solo firm in California. I am doing my own due diligence on this but, admittedly, I have never been confronted with something like this before. I am posting here to see if anyone has dealt with something similar and found a route that proved effective. At the very least, it looks like a violation of the Computer Fraud & Abuse Act.

Some background: This paralegal has had it out for me from the beginning. She was hired after me and still refused to do work assignments from me. She repeatedly stated she worked for my boss and not me. She frequently talked to herself and stated she would never work for someone so young. Any work she did do for me was a favor and from the kindness of her heart. This was unacceptable and came to a head a couple months ago. My boss essentially told her that she has to accept work from me and not question why I am giving her certain work. After that, I had a feeling she would be gunning for me and stated so to my boss.

Sure enough, office drama ensued last week and resulted in me quitting. I was convinced to come back after the terms of my employment were renegotiated. Paralegal was so angry, I suspect since she orchestrated everything to get me to quit, that she packed up her things and left. We all assumed she quit. Turns out, that was not the case and she is sitting here on Monday. Boss didn't say anything and things carried on as usual.

Between the time that I had quit and been rehired, my phone mysteriously wiped itself. I assumed that it was some automatic update gone wrong. When I went to log back into my work gmail today, I had to recover it. Turns out it was deleted. Strange... When I recover it I find three emails requesting a remote wipe of my personal phone. I was absolutely livid. When my boss came in to check up, I mentioned I had to recover my email account. He stated that he was aware and that someone had taken it upon herself to delete it. I didn't mention the phone wipe since the paralegal was within hearing distance.

I plan on insisting she be fired after she leaves for the day. Then I need to decide how to proceed against her as this absolutely cannot stand.

So lawyers, barred or armchaired, what say you?

Answer:
 You're getting in a pissing contest with a paralegal. You should stop that.

No one is getting federal criminal charges for wiping a work e-mail and work phone after an employee quits. And making demands after your drama show is not going to necessarily go the way you want it.Answer #2: > At the very least, it looks like a violation of the Computer Fraud & Abuse Act.

How so?

When you enrolled your device in the company's mobile device management system, you almost certainly consented - either through a pop-up on the device, or in writing - to remote wipes and other remote administration within the scope of the MDM enrolment. Wiping the whole device is the normal outcome of a separation. Even in the absence of explicit consent to a remote wipe, you're going to have a very hard time convincing a prosecutor to bring federal charges over this.

The rest of this is a matter of company policy regarding document retention. If the paralegal exceeded their authorization, take it up with their boss. Insisting they be fired may come off a bit strong - I would tend to approach this by describing what _happened_ and asking about the company's policies.


Title: A media company on Facebook re-uploaded my video and got 12 million views.

Question:
**EDIT: The creative director contacted me and added credit to the video and a comment that will always stay on top. Thanks for your support and advice here!**

I make YouTube videos often, and I just found that this media company took a video of mine from 2013 and re-uploaded it to their Facebook page this past February without crediting me, getting 12 million views while the real one has 14k views.

The video is a gameplay / walkthrough without commentary and has the default YouTube license that states that if anyone wants to use my work, they'd have to ask for permission, which they didn't.

Do I have any grounds for action? What can I do about it?

Answer:
 >Do I have any grounds for action?

Yes since you did lose money from such an action. 12 million views worth of ads.

>What can I do about it?

Speak with an attorney and have him get more specific details from you and see if this is worth pursuing. If said-company did not make profit from this, I can only see a cease and desist or a DMCA being filed.


Title: (VA) Is my employer allowed to make me do something every day after work hours as an exempt employee?

Question: Our work day is 9-5. My employer is asking me to do a regular task every day at 6 p.m. Even if not illegal, is this something HR would care about?

Answer:
 As long as you're properly classified as exempt, then yes it's legal.

> Our work day is 9-5.

When you're salary, you're work schedule is "until the work is done."


Title: Coat Check lost my jacket and have me nothing in return, is there anything I can do?

Question:
The coat is valued at 120$, [here]( http://imgur.com/YPZm80T) is a picture of my ticket. I waited 3 hours to talk to the manager, he ended up just taking my contact info and telling me he would "see what he can do". Am I liable for a refund for the cost of the coat?

Minneapolis, MN

Answer: They owe you whatever the value of the coat and is. If they refuse to pay you, then you can sue them for that amount.


Title: [California] Hey guys, I am in the process of starting my own business (deals with nudity) and it was recommended to me to form my LLC in Nevada for privacy reasons. What issues will I run into with this?

Question:
I am gonna be working on this over the next week and step 1 for me is to form an LLC and get a taxID before I open a business bank account.

I was just going to form my LLC in California but someone told me that Nevada is better as far as privacy goes. Can anyone explain why?

What information is made available about my LLC if I were to form in California?

What benefits would I get from forming in Nevada?

I am pretty new to all of this and I have been learning a lot as I go on. But I am a little stumped when trying to find info on this matter.

Thank you so much!

Answer: As you're not incredibly familiar with the process, I'd highly suggest you consult a business attorney to help you with this. If this business is pornography related, you DEFINITELY need an attorney that's comfortable working with the adult industry.