Title: Was I Discriminated Against Due to My Pregnancy?

Question:
In Texas.

I work in multi-family real estate management (apartments). I’ve worked for the same semi-large management company for two years. The company mainly had properties in other states, but owned two in my city.

In June, they switched the property managers. I liked my manager a lot, and was really upset. They said at first it was a temporary switch, lasting 2-3 months.

After the initial time was up and it was apparent we weren’t switching back, the other property had an opening for my same position, and I put in a request to transfer. I was denied. I wasn’t given a reason other than “you wouldn’t like it over there.” This was around August.

I found out I was pregnant in October. I told my manager when I was about 9 or 10 weeks along, in the beginning of November, because severe morning sickness had been effecting me at work.

In November, my original manager calls me to vent that they moved her to that property so that she could get it ready to sell. The property has a buyer by Thanksgiving.

The day after Christmas, on my scheduled day off, my regional calls me to come to work and collect my things. She says they’ve elected not to keep me due to the sell, even though the property I’ve always worked at isn’t the one selling. Out of the 4 agents employed in this area, I have the most experience overall and the most tenure with the company. Two of them have worked for the company less six months. This means that I will not be able to qualify maternity leave, even if the company buying the property decides to hire me.

I can’t help but feel like they’ve decided not to keep me because I am pregnant. Just before the sale and announcing my pregnancy, I received a very positive yearly review. Obviously, no one has told me outright that my lay off is a result of my pregnancy, but the timing makes me very suspicious, especially because I’d asked a few months prior for a transfer and was denied. Is this worth meeting with a lawyer about, or am I overthinking it?
Topic:
Employment Law

Answer: Sounds to me like they are firing the person who makes the most money, but that's just my interpretation.


Title: Trading crypto, being staked by another person

Question:
Let's say I started day trading crypto currencies and am making profit on a very consistent basis.  I live in CA, US.  Now let's say I have a friend who would like to "stake" his funds on my trading abilities.  We have agreed on a few basic guidelines, see below for those.  I'm working on drawing up some sort of contract.

Summary of those guidelines: He gives me XYZ funds, and I use them to day trade.  He assumes the risk that the markets go up and down and I could gain or lose money with his funds, he's willing to take that risk for the potential profit I could make for him.  We've agreed that 50% of the profit his funds generate goes to me as my "fee" and the other 50% of the profit that his funds generates goes to him.  And his funds are his funds, so he can withdraw at any point in the future.

Example: Say I have $10 staked, and friend has $10 staked.  A profit of $4 is made over some time period.  Since 50% of the money staked is mine, $2 of that is mine.  The other $2 was generated by his stake since he has staked the other 50%.  50% of the profit generated by his funds would be my fee, and the other 50% of that is his profit.  So from that $4 profit, he retains $1 and I retain a total of $3 (1 + 2).

The exchanges on which the trading is done are under my name.  I am doing 100% of the trading.  So from a tax perspective, assuming the exchanges are reporting their stuff to the IRS, the IRS is only seeing me trading and they do not see my friend trading.  Do note that my friend would be staking me in crypto and not any fiat currency like USD.  And when my friend withdraws, he would be receiving crytpo back from me and not any fiat currency like USD.

 * How should my contract be structured for legal and tax purposes?

 * Should I create an LLC so that I cannot be personally sued by my friend in the event there's a disagreement or problem?

 * Do you have any suggestions on what information to maintain to make my life easier come tax time?

Note: I know the risks of trading and of crypto currencies, i'm mainly concerned about how to handle this from a legal and tax perspective.  I'm considering talking to a lawyer and will be consulting my tax guy from last year, but i'm curious what you guys think as well.

Answer: NOOOOOO!!!! Don't do this. Taking someone else's money and trading for them could be a HUGE violation of SEC regulations, even though this is just crypto. Unless you're willing to become a registered investment professional, doing this could open you up to insane liability. It's not a good idea to do this for a friend.


Title: Does anybody know how long it should take a funeral home to authorize and perform a cremation in California?

Question: My grandfather died a few months back, and rather than being buried, he specifically requested that he be cremated. It's been almost two months now, and my grandfather's body is still collecting dust in a fridge in the funeral home, and it's getting extremely upsetting to my family. I understand that apparently laws and regulations regarding cremation are quite strict in California, but it's just getting ridiculous. I'm calling the funeral home on a nearly daily basis, just to make sure they're at least doing something, anything productive at all, but all I get are answering machines and generic excuses. At this point I'm considering if there is any legal action I can take, because this is far beyond bad service. Is there anything I can do?

Answer:
 I used to work in the industry in California. Honestly there are some shady FD around. Call another funeral home in your Area. Explain to them what happened. In this industry reputation is everything and that is super not acceptable. Average turn around is under a week. The only time I ever heard of it taking that long was when a super cheap funeral home duped a Hispanic family and was going to send their loved ones back to Mexico. It was so bad the other funeral homes paid to take care of the family once it came out what happened.  In the industry there are multiple facilities in an area where your loved one could be processed. Do not believe that there is only one and that it is backed up.

I hate to be blunt but you can also look up and cite the code for improper body disposal and call the local police to report. Honestly this is going to be a not good situation. Answer #2: I'd call 1-800-952-5210 and ask the people who license funeral directors. If it's not ok? They will be the people to report it to eventually.

I'm sorry your family is dealing with this.


Title: Is the use of sleeping gas on someone in custody legal in VA?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 >3- (Where) Should I go for help?

Have you discussed the situation with your primary care doctor? If you think you were exposed to noxious chemicals while in police custody, then you should get checked out medically to see if there are any lasting conditions you may have or anything he can recommend to help you. Answer #2: Talk to a physician and then talk to a mental health specialist. Discuss what happened with both. Answer #3: What were they holding you for?  I suspect this is going to be relevant.Answer #4: IANAL, but am a chemist.  Not sure what you mean by 'sleeping agent'. Strong solvents/chemicals used for cleaning can make someone pass out if in an enclosed room with no air circulation.  I suspect it is something like this that happened. It is unlikely anything would be detectable by a doctor. Make sure that you keep your clothes in a plastic bag - those are volatile chemicals and will all be gone if just left out in the open.

What exactly did it smell like?


Title: Can employer schedule me past normal business hours without first consulting me?

Question:
Normal business hours for my job is 10-8:30pm. I was scheduled from 3pm-11pm because of a private party that was booked. However my employer never asked me to make sure I was able to work those hours.

I was unable to talk to him because I wasn't scheduled all week until today (Saturday). He says it's too late to change that. Can they schedule me past normal business hours without first consulting me if I'm able to work that late?

In CA if that matters.

Answer: Unless you're in a union or have an employment contract (unlikely): Yes. You can quit. You can refuse. He can fire you.


Title: Company decides to not allow personal coats/jackets in winter time. Instead we have to buy full priced $33 branded jackets

Question:
Dayton Ohio
(Apologies for formatting, I'm on mobile)

HR, Store managers, and owners decided to not let any of the carryouts wear their own personal coats/jackets during the winter months. Instead we have to purchase $33 branded jackets

Background info:
I've been working at this local grocery store for 3 years. For the most part it has been great. I am a carryout(bagger), cashier and I work maintenance shifts.

Carryouts are supposed to help customers by bagging their groceries, talking to them and making sure they leave happier than they walked in. On occasion we help the customers outside. Carryouts are also supposed to get the grocery carts from out side and bring them in. This can take anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour. (Depedning on who does it, and how many are outside.)

I learned today that we will not be allowed to wear personal jackets/coats outside during winter, and we will have to buy branded jackets that cost $33 not including tax. The punishment for not wearing the jackets, is a write-up (store operates on "3 write-ups, you're fired" business practice).

Is there anything that can be done to either: not have to wear the branded jacket, not have to pay full price, or get the jacket for free?

Answer:
 It's legal unless the cost of the jacket drops you below minimum wage in the course of a 7 day week.      It's not all that uncommon to require branded uniforms to be purchased.  Jackets, in particular, are a good way to ensure that OSHA compliance is met for cold weather work and that hygienic standards are met.  Owning your own jacket is, quite frankly, much better than having to share it with co-workers.Answer #2: It's legal provided the cost of the uniform doesn't drop you below min wage for that weekAnswer #3: You're describing a very ordinary deduction from wages for a uniform required by the employer.   As long as the deduction doesn't bring you below minimum wage ($8.55/hr in Ohio) for the pay period (and they can stretch it out between pay periods) then it's permissible under Federal (FLSA [Fact Sheet #16](https://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs16.htm)).

&#x200B;

Some states provide greater protections than the FLSA and do not allow an employer to require an employee to bear the cost of uniform clothing, but Ohio does not.Answer #4: Nothing illegal here.  Also your formatting was top notch, so no worries all around.


Title: Purchased a home and less than 2 months later needed to replace both AC systems

Question:
Edit: I live in NC.

Last week I had to pay $16,600 to fully replace 2 AC systems in the home I purchased less than 2 months ago.

I am a first time home buyer with no HVAC experience. Before I moved in, we had an inspection performed. I don't know how liable they are or what they must inspect. My girlfriend (co-owner of our home) was there with the inspector. He checked out attic where the AC systems are. He did not see the drip pans were not capped, nor did he look at the coils to notice a refrigerant leak. However, he for some reason suggested the refrigerant be refilled (I later find out after talking to HVAC guys that should have been a major red flag because AC systems are closed and do not use up refrigerant like gas in a car. needing to refill it would indicate a leak. my girlfriend also stated he did not use any equipment to check the refrigerant levels which the HVAC guys said really is the only way to know it would need to be refilled).

Since we didn't know any better, and their the inspector, our realtor, or anyone suggested we should have an HVAC guy come inspect the home, we proceeded and the sellers of the home agreed to refill the AC refrigerant.

Fast forward to about 2 weeks ago and we notice the ceiling of our second floor is leaking water. We go into the attic and what do you know, the pan is overflowing with water, and because it is not capped the overflow switch was useless. This leak has ruined the drywall on 2 areas of the ceiling and needs to be replaced. Our homeowner's insurance does not cover the replacement of the AC systems, and is a $2500 deductible to fix the ceiling which is more than the repairs for it would cost.

When the HVAC guys arrived they could see the entire evaporator coil was rusted out, there was a rather substantial refrigerant leak, the system was set up with the incorrect drain pipes which exacerbated the overflow, and the pan caps were missing. The house is about 10 years old, and does not appear that the AC systems were ever maintained. The HVAC guys were under the strong impression the previous home owners knew about this and decided to lie about it.

We found out the guys who replaced our AC systems were the same company who came out to refill the refrigerant for the sellers. Unfortunately, the invoice and notes they had on file did not indicate they told the sellers the coil or anything else needed to be replaced and the sellers declined, so we don't have that to stand on.

Is there any legal action I can take here? The sellers stated on their home disclosure that the AC system does not have any problems. This has set us back quite a bit and I have had to go to my family for loans to help with paying this back, and it is quite embarrassing. Do I have any recourse against the sellers and/or home inspector?

Answer:
 Home inspectors are not HVAC experts.

They're not expected to under their standards to do much beyond turn it on and see if it works, and possibly inspect the filters.

And those home inspectors that do look at HVAC systems often disclaim that they do not and can not thoroughly check the HVAC systems, as they don't have the specialized knowledge or experience that a licensed HVAC technician does.

If you can establish that the sellers knew of the problem, then you may have recourse.


Title: I was pulled over doing 75 in a 55. The cop let me go without a ticket but gave me some sort of fine that I have to pay for not having proof of insurance

Question:
I thought I was free of not having to tell my parents. What are my options?
Topic:
Insurance

Answer:
 Cop did you a huge favor.

Tell parents “hey, there is no proof of insurance in my car, can you give me an insurance card”

Since you are worried about parents, I’m assuming they are paying your auto insurance and should have given you a card.

Often you can bring the proof of insurance in and the fine will be rescinded. Or you can pay it.


Title: [WI] How much of a student's performance in class can be announced in front of the class before it's a FERPA violation?

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Non-issue.


Title: I messed up and got caught torrenting. Do I have any options?

Question: So while I was work my parents got an email from my isp giving them a warning. My parents panicked and called the number, and they're giving us two options, either pay a settlement for 2100 or they'll take us to court for 5000. I'm in Colorado and I don't know what I can do.

Answer: The ISP demanded money? That sounds unlikely. Who did your parents actually talk to and have you gotten anything in the mail? Did this email contain something you actually did torrent? Sounds like it could be a scam.


Title: Inheritance: Primary beneficiary is asking to be bought out, in exchange for selling estate to pay other beneficiaries their entitlement.

Question:
Hi r/legaladvice,

Location: Australia

I'm posting this on behalf of my father. His brother recently passed away and his estate (a house) is now being dealt with and turning sour very quickly. The deceased's partner is listed as the executor and an inclusion in the will gave them the right to live in said house for as long as they choose. When he decides to sell it, he will be given a flat portion of the proceeds and the remaining money will be divided between the remaining parties.

The partner is now saying he will live in this house until each of the remaining parties pay him $50,000 to 'buy him out'. If he receives this cash, he has agreed to sell the house and let its proceeds go to the other parties.

Is this legal, and what can we do?

Many thanks in advance.

Answer:
 Have you contacted the estate's lawyer about this?

Has anyone notified the probate court?


Title: (CA)Workplace Harassment - Can I tell him to stop talking to me?

Question:
Guy in the IT department at the small company I work was asked by the owner to be a witness for a contract negotiation with me (in talks to buy business).  During the meeting, he took it upon himself to "stand up for" the owner and take me down a peg with a bunch of inappropriate personal comments/insults.

I responded "ok" each time, with the tone of voice/affect trying to project "that was inappropriate" and went back to ignoring him during the meeting, but now I would like to email him and the owner and tell him that except in cases of emergency, he's never to speak to me verbally, and the only time I want to hear from him in writing (e.g. email) is when it's work-related and he has a good reason to be asking me specifically.  We only have 7 more weeks so it is a short-term thing.  Can I do that?

Answer:
 > Can I do that?

Sure, but you can also be fired.


Title: In the US, can I legally discriminate against protected classes certain cases, such as only considering white men for the role of George Washington in a movie?

Question:
I am in the US state of California, but I want to know about other states as well.

Considering only white men for the role of George Washington would technically be discrimination against a protected class, but is there a legal distinction between _justified_ and _unjustified_ discrimination?

I ask because I recently had a discussion about straight men being thrown out of gay bars simply for being straight, which would technically be discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, which is a protected class in some states.  One of the other persons agreed with me that it may be _morally_ acceptable for a gay bar to throw someone out merely for being straight (for reasons I can explain if you like), but that it would be illegal if anti-discrimination laws covered sexual orientation.  If I did run a gay bar, I would want the gay-to-straight ratio to be about the same as the straight-to-gay ratio in other bars, but that may require throwing straight patrons out, even if they aren't rude.  Would that violate anti-discrimination laws in most states that cover discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, or would the law/courts generally consider that to be _licit_ discrimination against straight people?

Answer:
 Gay bars don't throw out straight patrons. Anyone who thinks they can are an idiot.

Employers can discriminate between employees for bona fide employment reasons. You can pick a black guy to play MLK. You can get a white guy to play MLK. You can't kick all the non-Asian customers out of your sake bar.


Title: [WA] Hit by car walking to work

Question:
I was hit by a car walking to work. Police report has been filed. Went to the ER (no ambulance, someone drove me). They determined I had a fracture, but when I visited the orthopedist said I actually broke a bone. No surgery is needed but I will have permanent damage and have to do PT, likely go to chiropractic visits, massages, etc.

The driver’s insurance company contacted me and said they have the state minimum $10,000 coverage that will pay for my medical expenses. They state that beyond that I must go through my insurance. Is this normal? On top of this they told me I will not get any lost wages since I only plan on being out of work one week (I have no sick time or PTO accrued with my job yet). Many people are telling me to sue and to not agree to any offers.

I’m not sure what is typical in all of this. I called my car insurance and they told me to file a claim with them. Should I be calling my medical insurance as well? Am I entitled to lost wages or compensation for future complications from my injury? Is there any benefit to getting an attorney/attempting to sue?

Any knowledge and advice would be appreciated. Thank you!
Topic:
Personal Injury

Answer: This would be worth discussing this with an attorney, but assuming you have damages in those areas, lost wages, pain and suffering, and future medical care (if necessary) may be recoverable. You might also ask the driver's insurance carrier for a statement of coverage. If you retain an attorney, he or she would do this regardless, but I was under the impression Washington also had the $25,000/$50,000 liability minimums for auto policies (I could be wrong).


Title: What to do if you were stupid, and didn't use a lawyer in your divorce. I have a child and I'm having custody issues.

Question:
I need help, to be pointed in one direction or another, because I'm feeling manipulated and broken down. Just like I did in our relationship.

Yes, it was ridiculously dumb for me to have gotten a divorce without using a lawyer. Hindsight is 20/20 - at the time I wanted out so badly and he had manipulated me into feeling bad for him. He was so scared I'd try to take his money, which I had no intention of doing and he knew that. He used my empathy to coerce me into not using lawyers.

Now I have a fantastic, 6 figure job, but it does require travel. And even though my ex does have my son when I travel, he commands that he "needs his weekends" with him.  So if I have back to back travel weeks, I have to fight to get to spend most of the weekend with him before I leave. And i have to do all of the driving back and forth to his house.

The normal custody is shared parenting, 50/50.  Reasoning with him that a child needs to see his mother doesn't work, because again - total narcissist who is also a control freak. He loves to control other people and if he's not in control it's bad news.

If I get lawyers involved, its the nuclear option. He has much more money than I do, and I'm pretty sure he's not afraid to use it. However, he is such a miser with his money that he may not fight me too hard if I take him back to court.   However, I just don't know with him.

I live in Ohio. And i want more time with my son, ideally I want full custody. And the lawyer I spoke with said that we could modify the shared parenting agreement by filing a motion, but getting full custody would be a tough sell.

Can anyone help me? I feel like I'm negotiating with a terrorist when I speak to my ex. He's got me in a corner. He's rich, extremely smart (law degree), and manipulative.

Answer: You won’t get full custody absent something like drug use or child abuse.


Title: Coincidence? I'd like to think not.

Answer:
 Unfortunately, there are alot of crappy siblings out there.Answer #2: Sources:

[[TX] Dad passed away almost 2 weeks ago. Half sister refused to let me see his belongings and the will. [Update]](https://np.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/7l59p0/tx_dad_passed_away_almost_2_weeks_ago_half_sister/)

[My father passed and my sister is a druggie. She lives in the house with me and will sell everything of value. Can I lock valuables in my Dad's room until the estate is finished in probate? (CA)](https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/7laxku/my_father_passed_and_my_sister_is_a_druggie_she/)

[Baby Jesus has ruined my future.. (Let me explain)](https://np.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/7lf6dw/baby_jesus_has_ruined_my_future_let_me_explain/) I don't think this one's related, but I included it for completeness.


Title: She won't sign parenting plan - Florida

Question:
Got a lawyer 16 months ago to get custody rights sorted. Mother currently has 100% custody. She was served by my lawyer and she contacted me saying she wanted to work out the parenting plan together and avoid court. I made a few concessions to her in regards to the details of the parenting plan because I'm so desperate to establish any custody rights.
She's had the paperwork to sign to return to our lawyer for about 6 months and just keeps putting off signing. I think she is just putting it off to delay the child support adjustment subsequent to the change in custody.
I keep contacting my lawyer for updates but I'm not sure what my options are. Im not opposed to court. How is this normally handled?

Answer:
 The options are to go to court. Answer #2: She said she wants to go outside the courts,  makes you wait 6 months with no sign of signing the papers.   Court is the only other option. Answer #3: She's just stalling. But, in side negotiations like that there's simply no way to compel her to sign. There's no arbitrator or judge to force the issue. So, you are at a dead end with the process.

If you want to press the issue then your only option is to start court proceedings. If she caves and signs then then you win. If you fight your way through the court system and get anything resembling shared custody then you win. The only way to lose is to not play, in this case.Answer #4: Court is the next option, but it will be an expensive option.


Title: I think someone is holding onto a decrepid house for tax evasion purposes. Am I right, or is there something I'm not seeing? How would I report him?

Question:
My family sold an old farmhouse to a guy about 15 years ago. He left the property ten years ago and hasn't been back since.  Being in rural Iowa, it quickly fell into a state of severe disrepair, with windows all gone and animals squatting in the remains.

When my family tried to contact the owner about the state of the house, in an attempt to salvage things inside, he refused to allow them onto the property, and disregarded what they said about it's condition.

He is not using the land for farming  or ranching (it's only an acre or so) and he hasn't been on the land for a decade. Is there any legal benefit to holding onto the property like this? I strongly suspect tax evasion; how would I go about bringing this to the attention of the IRS?

Answer: Leave him alone and tell your family to leave him alone too. He bought the house. It's his to do with as he pleases.Answer #2: How is this even your business? If I sell you my car can I spend the next ten years keeping track of how well you take care of it?


Title: First time Homeowner, TX - Plumbing company is trying to come after us for work done on the house before close (to the tune of $5000)

Question:
Hi /r/legaladvice. I know this question is not as exciting as many posted on here, but here goes:

We recently went through the process of buying a house. We fell in love with a recently renovated house and made an offer. However, after inspection found that the plumbing was completely shot (old cast iron pipes). Through our realtor, we negotiated with the seller to have the plumbing completely replaced before closing (a 19000 cost), and extended the option period for several weeks while the repair was completed. We have this agreement in writing.

Closing day comes, everything looks great, house is beautiful, and plumbing passes inspection. We close and are super stoked about being first time homeowners.

Now, several months later, we are receiving a bill from the plumbers, saying that they are still owed $5,500 for the work done on our home. The bill says that the seller only paid $13,500 of the $19,000, and threatens to put a lien on the home if we don't pay up the remaining balance.

We did not contract these plumbers to do any work, it seems to me that their complaint lies solely with the seller. How can they put a lien on our home for money owed to them by the previous owner?

After purchasing and furnishing our first home our savings are depleted. Paying this bill would mean draining our emergency fund.

Please Help!

Answer:
 contact your realtorAnswer #2: > Now, several months later, we are receiving a bill from the plumbers, saying that they are still owed $5,500 for the work done on our home. The bill says that the seller only paid $13,500 of the $19,000, and threatens to put a lien on the home if we don't pay up the remaining balance.

Texas mechanic's lien law gives them up until the 15th of the month after three months have passed since the work was completed to file a lien. Sounds confusing, but if you closed over four months ago you're probably OK with regard to a lien if none has been filed.

I'd contact your real estate agent and possibly your title insurance company. Plumber's deal was with the seller, seller should pay them. Answer #3: I'm just gonna add in here: DO NOT PAY THEM ANYTHING...

At least not until you've heard back from your realtor and know what's going on. Having had experienced shady companies, (one redid my mother's watering system, then two months later replaced the $400 control box she paid for with a $60, used one, while I watched and foolishly believed their claim that she had okayed it) there is a significant chance that this is a complete and utter scam.

If you give them the money, you'll probably never see it again, even if you do sue them successfully later.Answer #4: Contact your title insurer.  The closing agent will have the policy info if you can't find it in your paperwork.Answer #5: You don't owe the money but the can put a lien on the property which will force you to sue the seller for breaching the home sale contract. It's a headache. It's easily resolved but a headache none the less.


Title: [Labour Laws, BC, CAN] For restaurant workers, can managers have you on a continually changing schedule, or can you legally request a set schedule?

Answer:
 You can ask, but [your employer controls scheduling, nearly without limit](http://www.gov.mb.ca/labour/standards/doc,hours-and-breaks,factsheet.html#q326), so long as they respect provincial laws regarding rest periods and pay overtime appropriately.

If you don't like the schedule, quit. If you're fired for not working a shift outside of your availability, apply for EI - the worst that can happen is getting denied.

If you're a union member, disregard all of this and talk to your union rep.


Title: My ex took my stuff when he moved out and now he blocked me. How can I get my stuff back?

Question:
I have no way to contact him whatsoever. I read many reddit posts similar to my case, but they at least can talk to them.
Ex knows he took the apt key and my belongings because I told him when I met him in person and he admitted that he has them. But I don't have texts or something which can be evidence that he took them.
But he blocked me a few days ago before he gave my stuff back. I don't even know when he's home or what he's been upto thesedays. What now?

Answer: Did you file a police report?


Title: [MA] Roommate's girlfriend staying over too much - violating lease?

Question:
My roommate's girlfriend isn't on the lease but stays over at least 14 days per month. He's also given her a key to the apartment. I've talked to him several times saying that she is around too much and that I don't want her having a key, but he hasn't listened. As such I want to pursue this from a legal perspective.

In my lease there is a clause saying that people not on the lease cannot stay in our apartment for more than eight calendar days within a single month. Does this make my roommate in direct violation of the lease agreement? And if so, what kind of recourse do I have here? If this issue isn't resolved would this give me grounds to break the lease penalty-free?

Overall I'm just trying to understand if this clause in the lease is enough to get my issue resolved with an otherwise uncooperative roommate.

**EDIT** Thanks for the help everyone! It sounds like this clause can help me out, but there is a lot of uncertainty in what the outcome could be. I'm going to confront him one last time and let him know he's violating the lease, and in the meantime look for another place to live.

Answer:
 If you're both on the same lease together with the landlord you could both be evicted.Answer #2: You can't break the lease, that's not how it works. The landlord could evict you and/or your roommate if you reported them to the landlord

You might get lucky and only the roommate gets evicted. You might get lucky and your roommate straightens up when threatened with eviction.
Answer #3: You are in a precarious position.  If you *don't* rat out your roommate and the landlord discovers the violations you could both be evicted.  If you *do* rat out your roommate, the landlord might just evict you both anyway (though I don't believe he has to).  If you rat out your roommate and the landlord doesn't really care about the girlfriend or the smoking then living there will become *very* uncomfortable (assuming the landlord will inform your roommate of your complaint).  If it were me and I was really concerned about my roommate's cavalier attitude to the rental restrictions, I'd begin quietly looking for another place to live...Answer #4: Are you both on the lease?


Title: [MA] My mom wants to put her house in an irrevocable trust. I'm on SSI. Can I be named Trustee and not lose benefits?

Question:
I am current receiving SSI and live with my mother in the home she owns. She wishes to place the home in an irrevocable trust to protect her assets from Medicaid if she were to move into a nursing home in the future.

&#x200B;

If I am made Trustee, would I immediately lose my benefits? I have read the trustee counts as property owner legally. On SSI, I am allowed to own one home, regardless of price. Advice would be greatly appreciated!

Answer:
 >She wishes to place the home in an irrevocable trust to protect her assets from Medicaid if she were to move into a nursing home in the future.

I hope she has a lawyer guiding her through that. Any mistake and the home will be taken by them.


Title: Ohio - Buying home off of parents. They lied on title.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 The IRS would crucify you both in taxes over this. Your father should get a local attorney to try and undo what he has done with as little damage as possible.Answer #2: On the IRS side, the gift would not be taxable, but would be reportable for the tax year in which given.

The other fees, I don't know about, not an attorney.


Title: I think someone tried to sell me?

Question:
This is not a current situation, so delete if not permitted.

In August of 2016 I was working as an independent contractor for a dog walking business in MA. The woman I worked for told me (out of the blue) on a Wed that on the following Mon I would now be working for a different dog walking business. I found out she had sold her client list for 24K (split into 2k/month installments) to the other company. I soon discovered that me and the other subcontractor where somehow included in the sale. Without us the clients would not have gone to the new company as we were the primary walkers of the entire client list for the past couple months (owner was on maternity leave). So when I said no I wasn’t going to the other business their sale and agreement fell through. While I ended up taking the clients when it blew up (I did not sign a noncompete agreement and actively went after them once I realized what was happening) and was satisfied with how it turned out. Would I have been within legal authority to sue her for... including me as an asset in the agreement?

Answer: *You* weren't an asset, but your contact information was, and that's what was sold.  Nothing illegal about selling a company and saying, "Oh, by the way, here's the list of contractors we were using."


Title: [Texas] I was a passenger when my ex hit a bicyclist and now I'm being sued?

Question:
As the title explains, about 2 years ago, my ex got into an accident and hit a bicyclist while she was driving. I was silently reading something on my phone, so I didn't see that she was about to hit someone.

The plaintiff has now listed me as a defendant and is suing me on the basis that I breached the following duties:

1. Negligent conduct or communications which diverted or distracted the driver's attention from the road
2. Negligent failure to keep or maintain lookout in a timely and adequate manner
3. Negligent failure to warn or request the driver to slow down the vehicle to maintain a clear distance from the rear of the bicycle
4. Negligent behavior through engagement of "other acts or omissions" in this cause.

From what I remember from that one law course I took, the plaintiff will write as many remotely reasonable claims in the hope that at least some of them will be upheld. So I'm guessing/hoping that some of these claims were only included for them to cover their bases?

In any case, I was wondering if some of these were even reasonable duties to begin with for a passenger especially (2) and (3). As for (1), there just wasn't any breach of that duty and I think the police record shows that as well.

In general, do I have anything to be worried about?

There are a lot of articles and posts about what you can do as a passenger who was a victim, but I haven't seen much about passengers being sued, so I appreciate any advice. Thanks!

Answer:
 Wow.

So I think you've already gotten solid advice about defending yourself from this in the other comments.  I just wanted to add that if a law firm or lawyer actually originated this lawsuit, you should consider complaining to the state bar association that this lawyer is engaging in unethical frivolous lawsuits (in violation of the Texas Bar's rules of professional conduct, specifically, rule 3.01, "Meritorious Claims and Contentions").  If the lawyer is an associate of a law firm, complain to the management of the firm as well.

Answer #2: Really they are probably trying any plausible claim in order to get your insurance company involved.  You should definitely notify your homeowners and auto insurer and see if they intend to defend you.  If you don't have insurance I suspect the plaintiffs will drop you (but who knows for sure).


Title: [AZ] Recycling old email addresses for personal use.

Question: [deleted]

Answer: It is no different then if you move into a home and a credit card comes to your address to the previous resident. You can't just take the credit card then start spending on it without committing a crime.


Title: [PA, USA] Car towed with no infraction

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 You should get the car out ASAP as to mitigate damages.

But then you go back and tell them to pay up or get readdy for court because they just breached the contract you had with them and that you will hold them responsible for the damages that are a result of their incompetence.


Title: Dad is Vietnam Vet, being denied healthcare benefits by the VA, told he was never actually in Vietnam, has proof he was - Please help! US-NM

Question:
Hi /r/legaladvice,

Bear with me, this might be kind of long:

My adoptive dad (my grandfather, actually) served in the Air Force during the Vietnam War. He opted to enlist rather than be drafted. He was a Load Master for C-130 planes, and held the rank of Sergeant (I'm pretty sure). During his time in the military he was at many military bases in the pacific, including the Philippines, Japan, and Thailand.

He flew various missions into Vietnam, including to pick up bodies of dead soldiers; some being friends. He undeniably suffers from severe PTSD, which we are currently in the progress of having diagnosed. For instance, he never wakes up normally, instead he always startles awake, panicking. He has recollections of several very serious instances where he legitimately feared for his life. For example, he recalls a mission where they were to pick up AVRN troops for transport. A similar mission was run by a different crew the day before, however the AVRN troops were actually North Vietnamese imposters, and they murdered the entire air crew. My father explains that when his crew ran that mission that they completely disarmed the AVRN troops and kept loaded weapons pointed to them for the entire flight.

Another example comes from something so simple: getting a haircut. When getting a haircut he, and other soldiers, had to have a friend hold a loaded gun to the head of the barber. This was because so many would slit the throat of US and ally soldiers.

There are more examples, but I feel those are sufficient enough to get the point across. Now, for the real meat of the problem. My dad also suffers from type 2 Diabetes (diagnosed, takes insulin, etc). This is a quote from the VA's website: *"Veterans who develop type 2 diabetes mellitus and were exposed to Agent Orange or other herbicides during military service do not have to prove a connection between their diabetes and service to be eligible to receive VA health care and disability compensation."* The trouble is, the VA states that he was never in Vietnam.

I feel like I don't need to explain why that is frustrating. But even more so, they say they don't have records of his time in Vietnam. However, my father does. He has pay stubs, and photographs. Because of the VA's denial, he has be refused healthcare that aligns with his military service. My father and mother originally pursued this through some group called *Lawyers for Warriors*. That turned out to be a scam and had some shady business. My folks then have attempted, twice, to pursue through the DAV, Disabled American Veterans. However, they keep trying to pursue the case on the basis that he has PTSD, not on the additional basis that he was exposed to Agent Orange. He transported Agent Orange on his crew's aircraft.

My fear is that my father will die before a bureaucratic committee can actually do anything for him. Do we even have a case here? Can I get a lawyer? I just want my father to receive the benefits that he's earned through his military service to the USA.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Answer: There are many veterans organizations out there that will be happy to help your grandfather free of charge (or at least at a discount). When I was younger I did a little work with a veteran's legal services program (superficial so I don't have any real information that I can recall). It was a national organization so you can probably find them via google et al. if they are still around.


Title: Old job screwing me on taxes to cover for illegal immigrants employees?

Question:
Hi,

I used to work as a server at a Mexican restaurant that employed illegal immigrants. They were very careful about concealing this, and I recently received my W2 and it's way off.

I never made more cash tips than credit card, but every week it's showing I made 1000+ on C tips which isn't true. It also shows on my last paystub that I somehow made $900 in cash tips in nine hours, which clearly isn't true either.

It says I made 30K in eight months which is way off.

Should I bite the bullet and be overtaxed to hell? Or what can I do?

Answer:
 You should never, ever submit something to the US Government that you KNOW to be factually incorrect.  Even if the error is not yours, when you sign your taxes, you are swearing that the information contained is correct as far as you know.  You are aware the W-2 is wrong.  You are aware your employer may be trying to defraud the IRS.  If you knowingly help them do so, you may be considered part of their crime or committing a crime yourself.

Make sure your tax returns are correct.  Whatever else you do is up to you, but make sure your tax returns are true and correct as far as your knowledge allows.  Don't be a part of their shady games.

As for what you can do: step one is notifying your employer that your W-2 is incorrect and request a corrected one.  If they cannot provide that, immediately contact a *licensed* CPA or tax attorney to help you address the situation and separate yourself from this mess.

And, of course, find a new job ASAP.  This restaurant is likely about to get hit hard, and they'll probably find a reason to terminate you when they realize you aren't going to cover for them.Answer #2: Do you have pay stubs showing how much you were actually paid? If so, bring them in and tell your boss that they need to correct your W2 ASAP (tax day is tomorrow, so you should request an extension from the IRS today)

If you don't have pay stubs, you may be out of luck.

I would also say you shouldn't presume malice (hiding illegal's wages on your W2) when good old fashioned incompetence could be to blame.


Title: Professor is asking for an exam grade from a course completely outside of his purview. Does this violate my FERPA rights?

Question:
This happened in Indiana. I missed an exam due to a trip to the ER. The professor tried to get me to schedule to take the exam the next day (outside the universities Disability Resource Center (DRC) where I could receive all my accommodations the university provides me based on my needs) but I refused as I was barely able to take the 1 exam that day I was actually scheduled to take and ended doing poorly on that exam as well as I could barely think due to the cardiac and damage that caused events that put me in the ER . Since then I went to my specialist that confirmed that the cardiac damage would impact my cognitive function. The professor asks for that doctors note, the DRC specifically informs him that doing that violates my HIPAA rights and that I had provided to the DRC, the doctors note. The professor then asks for the doctors note again which I flatly refuse and tell him that I know for a fact the DRC told him hes not allowed to ask for that note so I will not be providing it to him. The professor then asks me to have my calculus professor to give (a basic business accounting professor that is not in the Math department) him my exam score from the exam that I did take that day.

I feel like this is violating my FERPA rights as I have provided an explanation as to why I was only able to take 1 exam that day and even then ended performing quite poorly on that exam, and I have provided to the DRC my doctors notes confirming the possible cognitive impact caused by cardiac damage/strain of the events that put me in the ER. Is he violating my FERPA rights by asking for an exam score for a class he does not teach, that is not in his department, and is not within his professional school at the university?

Answer:
 FERPA doesn't apply to a professor at the same university here. When I taught college I had access to all my student's transcripts, for example.

A professor asking for a doctor's note is not a HIPAA violation. HIPAA does not apply to your professor since he is not a covered entity. HIPAA only applies to the medical provider you went to (which is most likely a covered entity). He's allowed to ask, you're allowed to say no. Whether that affects your grade depends on school policy.

This sounds like an issue for your DRC to handle, really. I would imagine they have experience discussing these issues with professors.


Title: Can I live on a raft?

Question: I live in Florida, where housing isn't getting any cheaper, and we have lots of water. Would it be legal to build a small non-motorized raft, pitch a tent on it, and live on it - floating amongst the mangrove tunnels? I understand that the land could be private property, but most waters are public, I believe.

Answer:
 Seems highly unlikely that it could be done legally. You'd want to look at FL state regulations for Vessels.

[Vessel safety and marine sanitation regulations probably couldn't be met](https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2011/Chapter327)

Additionally, each local jurisdiction will have different rules for houseboats.

Legally, the scenario you presented is essentially the same as pitching a tent in a public park, but with slightly different regulations saying you can't do that.Answer #2: Generally no. Most places in Florida have "anti-homeless" ordinances that prohibit you from occupying public spaces for longer than 2 weeks.

Having an uncontrollable raft in a body of water would be a very, very bad idea. There's a reason most "rafts" on bodies of water are anchored to the bottom.


Title: My father's will directs any of my inheritance to my asshole brother....

Question:
Hey all,

I live in Illinois, My father passed in 2012, since then I've never gotten a straight answer from family regarding inheritances... I was never invited to the reading of the will either.

I got suspicious about this whole thing, firstly because of how they'd dodge the question, and secondly how many of my siblings started making major purchases shortly after he died (cars, remodeling kitchens, etc).

I had to argue and pester my mother and brother about seeing the will for around 6 months before they allowed me to see it.  Around 1/3 of the language is dedicated to specifying me and my older sister as "special persons" and makes the claim that I'm unable to handle my own finances, and thus any inheritance would therefore go into a trust fund in my name, which would be maintained by my brother.

Now, I know why this was done... I'm on SSDI, and my parents have never understood this about SSDI... I can inherit up to $100,000 without loosing disability benefits, as it's primarily "earned" income which can disqualify you.

My older sister has a psychiatric disorder, and I believe she's been on SSI (supplemental, not disability) which would be cut if she inherited a large sum of money, but I was never able to convince my parents that this is not the same with SSDI.

Either way, the will also states that my brother doesn't even have to disclose how much money is in the trust, or even if the trust exists, that's all his perogative as per the will.

So, I don't know if there's a trust fund in my name, but I suspect there is, and the will prohibits me from even knowing by asking my brother.

Worse, there's a chance some of this money has already been spent, and not on me... In 2012, the year my father died, I lost my job a few months later, and we wound up in some pretty bad financial shape because SSA used 1 month of income to justify discontinuing my benefits, despite it needing to be a yearly average, they cherry-picked the one month's paycheck, my last paycheck, which I told them was my last, they cherry-picked it because it would get me off the system, and they have incentives to do that.

Anyway, to "help us out" my mother arranged a house to be bought, which we are currently renting from her... But the mortgage is handled by my brother... I'm deeply suspicious I'm living in a house, paying rent to it, and that this house was bought using my own money.

Of course, I can't prove any of this...  They have neither confirmed nor outright denied any of this...  But I don't have a vested interest in this house, which may have been bought with my money.

Speaking of which... this would not be the 1st time my brother has bent the law to his favor... My brother strong-armed us into signing a legal document for taxes on this house, declaring that I had a vested interest in this property, when I don't... I protested, outright refused... knowing it was fraudulent, but they strong-armed us by threatening to evict us if we didn't sign that we did.

Any thoughts?

Answer: You need a trusts and estates/probate lawyer. If there is a trust in your name, and your brother is the trust manager, he has a fiduciary duty to act in your best interests. This would make suing him for conversion pretty easy. But you need a lawyer.


Title: (Florida) Restaurant shuts down, owes employees money. What's the best way for employees to claim what they've rightfully earned?

Question:
A few months ago, I, and my fellow employees, showed up for work but the restaurant was closed.  The owner hadn't paid the distributor, the utilities, or the employees.  When I talked to him over the phone, he said that he felt bad, was sorry, but didn't have any money to pay us.

What is our best course of action?

If we go through small claims court, I THINK we'd all have to file separately, right?  And there's no guarantee we would ever see that money , anyway.  Is there another (better) option?

Thanks

Answer:
 >What is our best course of action?

If he won't pay, sue him. Make sure you can prove you're owed that money, though.

>And there's no guarantee we would ever see that money , anyway.

There is always that risk. What you can do, however, are a couple things. You can go to the court and ask for a garnishment order against the defendant, or you can go to the court and ask for a writ of execution to be approved. In the latter scenario, an approved writ of execution means the police will start taking the defendant's stuff and selling it at auction until your judgment is paid.


Title: [CA]Landlord asked to be able to show apartment since I'm moving out, then something surprising happened.

Question:
Hey there. I'm moving out of my apartment and I was asked by my landlord to be able to show the house the next day to one couple. I said I had to work, but I'd try to clean up and make it look decent. By the time I was about to leave for work, there were about 30 people waiting outside to see my house, with an older lady leading the 'open house' that I was not told about.
I had to leave for work and couldn't wait to argue, but I told them that I was unhappy with this and that this was not the arrangement we had made. I wasn't sure if they entered the domicile or not because I am at work but I am pretty pissed about this. I was told they would be showing the house to two people, not the whole city.
All of my things are inside and I'm worried with that many people walking around my apartment unattended something might go missing. I feel violated. Can I do anything about this?

Answer:
 [CA tenants rights](http://www.dca.ca.gov/publications/landlordbook/introduction.shtml)

[Free tenants rights hotline](http://www.hrc-la.org/doc.asp?id=16)


Title: Bought a dog on Facebook and she wants to sue

Question: I purchased a dog from a woman on Facebook for $450 Friday afternoon. We have messages back and forth agreeing to the amount of money owed. I went to the ATM, got exactly $450, and met with her at a safe location to make the exchange. She informed me she was rehoming him because she was sick and unable to take care of him (along with her going on a vacation.) She gave me a copy of the breeding contract when she purchased him from the breeders along with his shot records. He is 4.5 months old. I gave her the $450 in a plastic bag and we went our separate ways. It is now Sunday afternoon and she is informing me that I gave her $100 short of what was agreed upon, when I assured her the money was intact. I took exactly $450 from my account, counted it 3 times, and had someone double check the amount before putting it into the plastic bag. She told me that she went to put it into her account yesterday (Saturday) and noticed it was short. She waited 24 hours before informing me of this. I have the bank statements to prove that I took out the amount of money and it has been two days since it was given to her. She could've done anything with that money. She is threatening a police report against me. Should I be worried?

Answer:
 The police are going to say it’s a civil matter. She could’ve counted the money in front of you or notified you at anytime. Once the money changed hands the transaction was over. No crime was committed. Period.Answer #2: No. That said, you should have gotten a receipt and/or had her count the money before leaving. But for any legal action to occur, she has to prove that she was only handed $350, which is pretty much impossible for her to prove.Answer #3: If your withdrawal from the account was $450 and you have a bank statement that reflects it, it is likely to be enough evidence to win a civil case.  She will have to have some kind of superior documentation showing otherwise.   I know it's not \*proof\*, but  proof to a logical certainty isn't what drives civil trials.  Evidence does, and in small claims, it's usually down to thin evidence like this and a judge's assessment of who seems to be telling the truth vs being deceptive.

If you get sued, take it seriously.  Otherwise just enjoy your puppy!Answer #4: Sad Trombone for her. She would need to sue you and prove that you shorted her. I assume you have an ATM receipt for $450 which would be all you need.Answer #5: Block her on everything. Document everything. She can pound sand


Title: Proper age for avoiding child pornography charges?

Question:
I'm aware that federal child pornography laws are "anyone under 18", but I live in the state of Alabama. Here, one isn't considered a fully legal adult until 19 years, like you can't legally smoke until then and stuff. Does that apply to child pornography as well? Are there any direct sources that you could point me to?

I have a friend who's girlfriend is cheating on him, and I want to get direct proof (sexting screenshots and a recording), but I *really* don't want to get in trouble for child pornography.

Answer:
 http://codes.lp.findlaw.com/alcode/13A/12/4/4/13A-12-192

But honestly if this guy is a good enough friend for you to want to let him know, then he should be good enough where you don't need a smoking gun.

Being a good bro is fine.  Trying to be a good bro by possessing nude pics of his GF is... not being a good bro.  No conversation between friends ever needs to begin with "So I've got some naked pictures of your girlfriend..."


Title: Car dealer broke his end of the contract, refuses to pay and will no longer contact me. What kind of attorney/claim should I pursue

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Refer to the answer that  /u/pinkshimmer gave you. That's your remedy.


Title: Friend (Lube Mechanic) pulled a customers car out of the bay, hit another vehicle [Texas]

Question: Like the title says friend hit another vehicle on the job and now his employer is stating their insurance only covers 1k est damages came out to 10k now they saying he has to pay back the 9k. Is this legal? I was under the impression that Mechanic shops had to have some type of insurance to cover this.

Answer:
 If he is an employee, generally no, they can't make him pay damages back unless he agrees.

But they can fire him on the spot.Answer #2: He was working within the scope of his employment when the accident happened, the shop is liable. The shop undoubtedly has insurance for this exact issue. At least they should.

He can be fired over it, but he's not liable to the cars owner unless there's some local statute that allows an employer to pass on damages. But I doubt it.


Title: If a neighborhood Cop is unlawfully detaining my friends, who can I write a report to? [LA County]

Question:
The past few monthes in my neighborhood have seen the arrival of this creep-of -a -cop --officer, Martinez--

He has detained a few of the kids I know from my local High-School when they're walking home from school,

just asking them random questions:

--Where are you going?--

--Do you have a criminal record?--

--Do you have your ID on you?--

He detains them for 5-10 minutes and then says "You're free to go"

Now...I know those kids. They're not bad kids. They just dress like Punkers and kind-of Grunge-y...

A few of them are very creative and they're "Straight-Edge"(they're Vegan and don't drink or do drugs)

I think this Martinez-guy is practicing Unlawful detainment which is Unconstitutional and could get himself in  lot of trouble if he is out in the streets trying to use Scare-tactics on 16-17 yrs old kids (or anyone for that matter)

QUERIES:

*1. WHO IS THE PROPER SENIOR POSITION THAT I WRITE A REPORT TO?

*2. IF THERE IS NO RESPONSE BY MY LOCAL POLICE CHAPTER --CAN I TAKE THIS MATTER TO A "NATIONAL WATCHDOG" POLICE ORGANIZATION WHO WILL INVESTIGATE THE LOCAL DEPARTMENT?

TLDR: if there's a possibly corrupt cop slinking around my neighborhood, picking on teenage boys and unlawfully detaining them, who can I write to, to get this guy investigated by his local bureau?

Answer:
 Why does this sound like unlawful detainment to you?  Just sounds like he is asking questions.

>1. WHO IS THE PROPER SENIOR POSITION THAT I WRITE A REPORT TO?

You can call the non-emergency police number and try to find his supervisor.  Is this officer a Resource officer at the school? or just some neighborhood officer.  That may matter.

>2. IF THERE IS NO RESPONSE BY MY LOCAL POLICE CHAPTER --CAN I TAKE THIS MATTER TO A "NATIONAL WATCHDOG" POLICE ORGANIZATION WHO WILL INVESTIGATE THE LOCAL DEPARTMENT?

If you want, you can try.  But doubt they'll pay any attention to this.  They actually try to investigate civil rights violations, rather than student inconveniences.


Title: My estranged and crazy father is using us as his next of kin and moving down the road? How can I get him away from me?

Question:
I haven’t seen my father in 10 years. Growing up he was an alcoholic that i saw a bit rarely sober but offered no money to my mum or parenting to me. He moved to Asia when I was 17 and started to take endless drugs. He had some sort of psychotic break and the next thing we know he has been deported and is back in the UK. He turned up on my doorstep and was threatening to my brother, he called me up and was threatening (not in words, but demeanour) to me. He got sectioned. Now the doctors are saying I am his next of kin and trying to house him near us (my mums house) because that’s what he wants. We have told him and then we want nothing to do with him but they aren’t listening. I don’t know what to do, I don’t want this man in my life and I am scared that he won’t leave me alone if he lives near us. I have already had to shut down my work website because he found it and started sending crazy messages through the contact form. We can’t afford to move.

Is there something I can do?

I am in the United Kingdom

Answer: r/legaladviceukAnswer #2: Maybe try filing for a restraining order Answer #3: Please go to the UK legal advice subreddit.  I wish you the best of luck in fighting this.


Title: Date with a judge? - Orange County, FL

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 This does not address your important questions at all, but I wanted to note: All judges reading this subreddit were excited to read this headline, and were then disappointed.
Answer #2: A lot of your questions you can answer by looking yourself up on the criminal docket search for Orange County (you'll see your next hearing date). Did you do arraignment already? Did you actually qualify for a PD? If one wasn't assigned you aren't going to hear from the PD's office.

Whether you can travel depends on the conditions on your bond which you would have gotten when you bonded out. A conviction is likely to affect your job prospects.


Title: Can't pay Colorado medical bill; US citizen living in EU

Question:
[deleted]
Topic:
Healthcare Law including HIPAA

Answer: Call the hospital billing office. Believe me, they are very used to dealing with people who cannot pay.  You can usually set up an income based repayment plan with very low or no interest.


Title: [TEXAS] Got arrested with Xanax. Yesterday I got a percription for xanax...

Question: What does this mean for me legally? Since I got the script after the arrest? What should I do? I also got a criminal treaspassing charged when I was all fucked up. It was also in cstat so looking for lawyers for brazos county. Thx reddit

Answer: The retroactive prescription does nothing for you. It doesn't change the fact that you illegally possessed the Xanax. If you're lucky, it gets you some sympathy from the prosecutor or judge, but probably not. Answer #2: Did you have a prescription when you were arrested?


Title: Friend borrowed our car, car got totaled. Will our insurance be responsible?

Question:
I live in Oregon (a no blame insurance state). A friend of mine from Ohio came to Oregon for a week of hiking/exploring, and made an arrangement where he’d borrow my gf’s car for the week, and pay us $200 so he could avoid the hassle of renting a car.

His first night with the car, there was a traffic stop on the highway due to construction, and once he was stopped, the pickup truck behind him wasn’t paying attention and plowed into my friend going 40-50 mph, totaling my gf’s car, and pushing the car into the car in front of it.  My friend is ok, but had to spend a night in the hospital.

I’m wondering if my gf’s insurance will need to get involved since it was her car, or if it will primarily be my visiting friend, since he was the one driving? If hers has to be involved, will her rates go up even though she wasn’t driving the car, and it was another driver’s fault?

Thanks for whatever advice you can give.

Answer: If your friend wasn't at fault, it should have no effect on your GF's insurance or who is paying. "No blame" is in reference to personal injuries, not property damage. The trucks insurance will cover this. Answer #2: There is no such thing as a "no blame insurance state". What you're referring to is "no fault" which except for Michigan refers only to injuries not property damage. Claim should be filed with the Insurance  of the driver who hit them. If there is a problem with them delaying or not having enough coverage, then generally it would be the girlfriends insurance that would then come into play and she could file under her collision coverage if she carries it


Title: Friend had a car crash and police officer gave ticket for unable to control speed. Can she get out of it?

Question:
So a little background: my friend drives a Jetta. Not sure if they are known for this problem but there is a problem with the brakes. (For any Mechanical savy ppl, a spacer sometimes is misaligned located near the master cylinder, causing you to pump the brakes in order to actually apply pressure). She had it checked and fixed but the problem arose again.

Incident: she was coming to an intersection and rear ended someone because the brakes did not apply correctly. She was ok and the other driver too. Both had insurance so no issues there. However the officer at the scene wrote a ticket to my friend that read "failure to control speed" for about 280 bucks. Court date is set for June 18. This happened in Texas.

My question is can she get out of it since it really wasn't in her control? I've been in an accident where it was clearly my fault (I t-boned a car because I started braking too late in the rain and got issued no ticket). Should she lawyer up for that? (she has no legal experience). Thanks Reddit!

Answer: Absolutely was in her control. If there was a brake issue, she should have stopped driving and had it fixed.


Title: (PA) School booster club board sent a letter to a parent volunteer, letting him know that he can no longer volunteer with students due to his behavior (screaming, yelling, and threatening).

Question:
This situation is ugly. Over the past two years, this parent has chaperoned events and we have received many complaints. He is verbally abusive to the students (who have never been a problem) he is supposed to protect. The volunteers are not to discipline students in any way.

The latest incident happened three months ago. He went on his public Facebook page and claimed that a student bullied his child. After looking into the incident, there is no way any bullying took place. His child asked a student in a leadership role if they could demonstrate something for the new students, and the leader told them, "No." Before saying no, the two students were friends. Basically, the student pulled rank and it hurt his child's feelings.

The board then met, and after consulting with the school district's activities director, decided to remove this person from volunteering directly with children. It was the straw that broke the proverbial camel's back.

Then the parent approached the president of the booster club, and demanded a meeting to find out who filed complaints and what the specific complaints were. The president told him that they cannot give them names, as some were minors, but they were welcome to have a meeting.

The board wrote a letter to the parent, explaining the need to keep the complaints confidential and gave a brief overview of the complaints themselves.

The parent contacted the school and superintendent, and claimed that the booster board denied their request for a meeting. The board never denied their request. The parent's wife told the president that they no longer wanted a meeting.

The parent is now asking people to recommend a lawyer. Do they have any kind of case? I don't know if they are going to sue the club, the school, or even the parents of the so-called "bully," since one parent serves on the board.

Answer: The parent has no case. A booster club is allowed to deny someone the right to volunteer, the parent has no complaint. The board is right that they do not need to inform the parent of who complained against them. Answer #2: Can they sue? Sure. They have no case and no actual damages.


Title: [California] Dress code discrimination at my job (male)

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 a) Different dress standards for differing genders have long been upheld as legal, and not gender discrimination.

b) I own zanerobes.  I wear them with regularity.  They are not remotely appropriate for work.  They're basically sweat pants with a drop-crotch.


Title: Phone companies/Mobile Apps listening through the phone's microhpone?(Pennsylvania)

Question:
First off, I know this is tin-foil-hat as fuck. I'm asking this because my dad and step-mom want to sue over this, and are gathering evidence but they aren't that good at using computers beyond the basic stuff or specific programs, so they asked me for assistance. It sounds like some stupid conspiracy, but hear me out.

Thanks in advance if you can help me!

The basis of the case is that someone, be it Apple or Verizon or Facebook, someone is listening to my family members phones. I know, I know, sounds stupid and conspiracy theory-esque. However, they've been testing it for a week and it actually seems plausible. The first tested it by talking about ball sacks, as in mesh bags that hold sports equipment/balls in them. They've been choosing funny things, so bare with that. They never searched it once, never typed it in, never talked about it on the phone with someone. They've been purely speaking to eachother about
"Sacks that hold Balls" and low and be hold, the next day they get an ad on facebook for a [ball bag](https://www.walmart.com/ip/48-x-24-Mesh-Ball-Bag-Green/33456156?wmlspartner=wmtlabs&adid=22222222222022324698&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=e&wl1=o&wl2=c&wl3=10363738138&wl4=kwd-1103056689044&wl12=33456156_0&wl14=walmart%20ball%20bag&veh=sem)

I've always believed that things like this don't exist, but as my dad keeps testing it I'm coming to accept that someone or something has tapped my dad or step-mom's phone(They made sure when testing to remove the batteries from their laptops so that doesn't interfere).

Legally, I'm not sure what they can do. Were they to try a law suit, who would they target? What can they do about this? How would one determine who is at fault here, and what can they do beyond that to protect themselves?

A side note, a lot of her facebook friends are reporting similar things happening but I don't exactly trust them as many of them can barely work a computer to begin with.
Topic:
Computer and Internet

Answer:
 INAL but work in IT. Odds are, one or both of them have installed an app that was given permission to do this. Have they gone through and checked all the apps installed on their phones to see what permissions they've been given? They can try disabling apps till it stops to determine which one is doing it. That might require rooting the phones since many apps are installed by the carrier and are not normally removable.

Since they would have agreed to the ToS for the app, I'm not sure if they'd have any sort of case against the app developer.Answer #2: I am not a lawyer but yes, your phone listens. I have had the same thing happen to me many times.


Title: [IL] Neighbor creeping on my sister late at night

Question:
I've never posted here before and I'm on mobile so apologies for any formatting issues!

My family lives in a rural area surrounded by corn fields and woods. Our closest neighbor's house is at least 50 yards away from our house, we share a property line.

Over the past 3-4 years, my sister has complained that she hears someone outside her window (15 feet off the ground), sometimes talking or whispering but more often she hears a metal sound, like a ladder banging against the house. It's always late at night, around 1-3 am.

I have also come into my room at night and gone to shut my window and heard metal jingling as someone runs away from the window.

Another odd occurrence is that my dad has found multiple ladders hidden in the trees on our property over the years, always just on our side of the property line. It wasn't until the last year or so that we connected the dots.

Any time we have called the county cops, by the time they show up, whoever was there has already run away and they won't take our word for it, suggesting we are just hearing house settling noises.

Since the weather has gotten warmer we are hearing this creeper outside the house more frequently and it's making my sister and I more irritated the longer it continues. We have used a trail camera in the past to try to catch him but the photos came out white. And we leave outdoor lights on but it doesn't stop him.

I guess I'm not looking for legal aid but some advice on how to deter the creeper (most likely it is our neighbor) or any other sort of help. Let me know if I should have posted this to r/advice instead.

EDIT: Thanks to you guys, we're talking about getting a floodlight cam! The Ring Floodlight Cam in particular, it came out recently I guess which is why I can't find many reviews. If you have good experience with a similar camera, I'd appreciate anything you can tell me!

Answer: Might I suggest black out curtains?Answer #2: Have you tried motion sensor lights outside the house? Or maybe a dog that lives outside.. That's creepy as hell and sorry you have to deal with that! Keep the blinds closedAnswer #3: Forgot to add, my mom wants to plant a sticker bush directly under the window. lmao. Answer #4: This is so unsettling, I have a bad feeling that one day this man will escalate and enter the premises, if you guys don't have an alarm system I'd look into getting one right about now.


Title: MIP on Bourbon street

Question:
My younger brother was pulled aside by a police officer on Bourbon street in New Orleans last night and asked to see his ID because he was holding an empty hand grenade cup, one of the iconic long green ones. Before he took his ID out I asked the officer, on what grounds did he have to ask to see his ID, and he said he saw him drinking earlier on that night, on a Saturday, in new orleans... If we lived in the state, I would have fought that, but he told the cop that he was 18 and had nothing to drink.

The cop then lectured him on underage drinking and started writing him a citation. I asked what kind of ticket he was getting and I was told it was an MIP. When I followed up with, how exactly does that work since he wasn't under the influence or in possession of alcohol, he just reiterated that he saw him drinking earlier that night.

He has to get back to finish high school. We have a court date on monday morning and I'm wondering if this is going to be like a speeding ticket where we show up and either plead guilty and pay some fines, or plead not guilty and then fight it at a later date? I can't afford to keep him in Louisiana, but I'm pretty positive I can get him out of this.

How can an MIP be issued with no visible signs of alcohol, no sobriety test, and no breathalyzer? All he signed was a citation saying he was accused of being in possession of alcohol and has to appear in court on monday.

Answer:
 >  When I followed up with, how exactly does that work since he wasn't under the influence or in possession of alcohol, he just reiterated that he saw him drinking earlier that night.

He's not being charged with being under the influence, he's being charged with being in possession of alcohol.  A minor is not allowed to possess alcohol, at all, regardless of their state of intoxication.

The officer also doesn't have to catch him in the act, or ticket him immediately upon the offense.  The officer has at least a year to issue a ticket, so a couple of hours isn't a problem.

> How can an MIP be issued with no visible signs of alcohol, no sobriety test, and no breathalyzer?

Neither the sobriety test, nor the breathalyzer, are required.  Again, he's being charged with being **in possession** of alcohol, not being drunk on it.  The officer only has to prove that he had some in his possession.

In this case, holding a grenade cup may be enough.  An observation by the officer that he was drinking may also be enough.  Also, are you claiming that your brother was on Bourbon Street holding a cup for booze and **wasn't** drinking?  That's far-fetched, at best.


Title: What laws allow for Youth Transportation Services to exist and are such abductions actually legal?

Question: Watching Dr. Phil and a lot of times when they deal with troubled teens, the parents usually ask for assistance from these people who send them to group homes. Is this even legal? What prior court cases over lawsuits of these organizations made it legal? And why don't they just get the police involved instead of these wannabe bounty hunter types? I'm in Washington State so curious what the RCW would be that would make these services perfectly constitutional and legal.

Answer:
 In short this is legal because of the principle, loco parentis, the camp staff or wannabe bounty hunters are doing this with the parents permission, and acting as the parent.

>And why don't they just get the police involved instead of these wannabe bounty hunter types?

The police won't transport your children to summer camp

Also just because it can be legal doesn't mean it always is. Use of force, or restraining someone could be child abuse or battery/assault.Answer #2: > And why don't they just get the police involved

This exact mentality is why people are saying social workers are more appropriate in some situations than police and you need to stop thinking of them as the go-to solution for any problem you have involving another person.


Title: [Texas] Possible to sue valve for loss of virtual items?

Question:
tl;dr phone got stolen, guy used my phone to trade my items away. Seeing if it's possible to sue Valve in small claims court.

While on vacation I was mugged and had my wallet, phone, and watch taken. The last thing I was concerned about was my Steam Account.

I tried to login a few days ago and had an issue, my old phone had my 2FA and I had no way to access my account. I emailed steam support and eventually got my new phone set up with steam guard. When I was browsing through my inventory I noticed all my CSGO stuff and a lot of my DOTA stuff was gone. The items I had were worth about $4,000 - $6,000 USD. I emailed steam support and got the following message.

>I’m sorry to hear that your items were removed without your permission. Unfortunately, Steam Support does not restore scammed, lost, or stolen items for any reason.

>Since Steam Support does not remove items from accounts, we'd have to duplicate an item to restore it. Duplication lowers the value of all items by reducing their scarcity and inflating the economy, which affects everyone involved in trading and the Market. To maintain the value of everyone’s inventory, we do not restore items. For more information, please see the Steam Item Restoration Policy.

>To make sure that a scammer is reported, please report them through the Steam Community. Reporting a scammer through the Steam Community is the best way to prevent them from committing future scams.

>To learn how to avoid scams or hijackings, please see our Trade Scam article.
>
>Full Steam ahead!
>Kaycee

The only reason I activated steamguard years ago  was because they stated that they would not restore stolen items from accounts hijacked without steam guard. I have police reports as well as emails documenting that my phone was stolen and I was mugged.

I know Valve is based out of Washington, and I'm currently near Houston, Texas. I'm wondering if it would be possible or even feasible to sue Valve in small claims court. I recently lost my job and any extra money would help while I look for another job.

Answer: Your recourse for the lost value is against the person who sold the items, not Valve.


Title: Previous employer attempting to get me fired from new job

Question:
Title sort of says what's important. I was fired last week from a restaurant and they called my new restaurant job telling them some pretty slanderous and exaggerated/untrue things. They called numerous times and spoke to various managers. Is this legal? Someone told me it was possibly defamation of character. Located in Washington DC and Maryland.

edit: also, what can I do about it?

Answer:
 > pretty slanderous and exaggerated/untrue thing

What exactly were you told they say about you?


Title: My grandparents [75&73 y/o] want to make a will but don't know what they need.

Question: After everyone telling them that it is beyond time to have done this, my grandparents have finally agreed to go to make a will or living trust. They wanted me to find out what all do they need to bring to their lawyer documents wise to get it drafted fully? They have a house, two cars, and their insurance policies and pension and social security, and I'm not sure about any investments. What documents do they need to bring? All of the people they want to be beneficiaries or executors or whatever it is are their kids who are 45 & 50 y/o, and I guess the only minors left in the family are my cousin and I, who they would wanna leave some of their things to. Do they need all of their deeds on things and titles and policies or what? I don't know where to start with helping them gather all of their documents. (Sorry for the formatting, I'm new to trying to make posts like this.)

Answer: You are approaching this backwards. Find an estate planning attorney. They will tell you what you need. They may also have a questionnaire to fill out.


Title: Police handcuffed me without any suspicion or evidence.

Question:
Today, while my car was in the shop, I was waiting in the park across the street. Was video chatting my girlfriend and look up and there is a helicopter circling above me. Then like 10 cop cars are in the streets. I see a cop car posted up by the street in the park so I walk up and asked what's going on.  He said "I'm trying to figure it out".So I just wait by his car for a minute to see if he has any update. Then out of no where he pulls out his gun and points it at this latino guy walking on the street like 15 feet away. The guy did nothing wrong, nor did he look suspicious. He then tells him to get on ground and cuffs him. Didn't really know what to do. So i start walking down the side walk because I felt it was getting dangerous. I am casually walking on the street, video chatting my girlfriend (on instagram video). There is no way I could of looked suspicious. I was holding my phone up in the sky clearly talking to her. About 45 seconds later, cop car going 40 slams on his breaks, gets out of car and puts me in handcuffs.

The cop didn't ask my any questions, just said put hands up and cuffed me. Before I know it there are 10 cops 1 ft from my face. None are wearing mask.

Funny thing is, I haven't left my house in nearly two months because I get sick easy and was quarantining. First day out, this happens.

Anyways, Luckily the mechanic came running over and told them I was a customer and the took the handcuffs off.

In my mind, there is no way the police handled this correctly. What type of lawyer should i talk to about this/do I have a case for anything?

Thank you.

&#x200B;

Edit \*\* Location is in San diego county California.
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer:
 The Latino male may not have looked suspicious to you, but it's possible the officer had reason to stop him that you didn't know about. In the process, the officer may have thought you were connected to the other man in some way. They're allowed to detain while they're figuring out who's who and what's what.

I doubt you have any damages. You could talk to the local precinct commander to try to learn more, but it sounds like the officer was professional about the interaction, based on what yo've said here.


Title: landlord asking tenants to sign revised agreement, includes no TV usage after 6pm? (Los Angeles)

Question:
My landlord sent out a revised "rules and regulations" of our building that we are required to sign and return in the next 5 days, otherwise they will issue a "3 day notice to perform or quit." The terms are mostly standard requirements you see in a lease, no storage outside your unit, no renovations without their consent, etc. But one of the rules states that TV's can only be used from 9am-6pm and during those hours must be at a modest level. Is that legal? Modest level, absolutely I can respect. But no TV after 6pm? I don't even get home from work until at least 8pm on a good night, and TV is my relaxation after a long day. A few weeks ago the landlord called me around 9pm to pick something up from their unit (in the same building) and when I went to the front door the whole family was sitting on the couch watching TV. I have no problem keeping the TV at a low level, but whose to say it may not bleed through the walls a little? Also, my roommate is partially deaf and listens to everything slightly louder than the average person.

Is this legal? Currently on month to month in Los Angeles county (our year long lease ended a few months ago and have not seen or signed any other document). Also, my apologies if something similar to this has been posted, I did a search but did not see anything that might apply given the specifics.

Answer:
 Your landlord can't make you sign the new agreement, no. Even if the lease gives the landlord some general power to make rules, they have to be reasonable, and this is not a reasonable rule. But you're a month-to-month tenant, so if you don't agree to it, they could have you out of there with a month's notice.Answer #2: > TV's can only be used from 9am-6pm

Haha - no, I don't think so. "Reasonable volume" sure. But you've got a right to quiet enjoyment of your rental property, and unless you're breaking the law or violating some reasonable stipulation of your lease (such as "no pets"), you've got the right to watch TV in there.

However, I would expect your landlord to fight you on this. Play stupid while you quietly look for a new place to stay. Even if they don't try to evict you, it sounds like you've got a horrible landlord.Answer #3: A perform-or-quit is used to enforce terms of a lease that are already in effect. The proper notice period is 60 days since you have lived there more than a year. Answer #4: Ridiculous but if you want to comply to avoid drama, my husband always watches TV/Movies with wireless headphones (his are Sony's). He thinks it sounds better and we have a baby.Answer #5: Have you tried speaking to the landlord and asking him to remove/amend that clause?  Since you know he also watches tv in the evenings, it seems likely that he made a typo or phrasing error. Answer #6: Can you post a scan of the new rules with identifiable info blacked out.  That doesn't make any sense that he/she would try to outlaw tv viewing.


Title: Confirmed botched surgery, but the clinic won't help.

Question:
Location: Ottawa, Canada

&#x200B;

In 2017 I had some cosmetic surgery done. The original clinic I called directed me to their newer clinic that was closer to me and to my dismay they comforted me that it was a viable option. Long story short they completely botched the surgery. A year later I contact them for repair and not only is the surgeon gone, the entire clinic is gone as well. I contact the head clinic I originally contacted and they admitted to the surgery being completely done wrong. On top of that they said the surgeon was not fit for this, a fraud, hack, etc. The same people who said this are the same who told me to go to this guy. Now here is the problem. They are accepting no responsibility at this point.

&#x200B;

They offer a discount to returning patients to their clinic. I do not get that discount since I went to their clinic under the same name but not being their physical clinic. My clinic doesn’t exist anymore. Did they find a loophole? I feel like at the minimum I should get their discount but at this point I’m so exhausted because I’ve been fighting this for about a year now.

&#x200B;

There has to be some sort of legal ramification for this treatment and breaking of their own contract of a discount, right?

&#x200B;

I’ll be happy to answer any questions. Thank you!

Answer:
 You could sue but medical malpractice is outside the scope of this reddit because it is very fact specific. You would be best consulting an IRL lawyer.

Look for a lawyer who works in medical malpractice preferably. In discussions with this lawyer, you can ask them if the other clinic is vicariously liable. There may be options to have the lawyer take it on a contingency basis which means they take a percentage of what you end up winning but you don’t have to pay the legal fees as the case proceeds.

Doctors are also governed by a licensing authority. Consider making a complaint against both the doctor who operated on you and potentially the clinic who referred you.


Title: Starting a nutritional supplement company... for recreational drug users (Oregon)

Question:
I'm currently trying to start a nutritional supplement business that sells a blend of well-regulated and well-known supplements that pose no harm to human health in their respective doses (antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, etc....).  The product is meant to be taken to lessen the harmful effects of a soft-drug that is currently a Schedule I drug in the US.  Although the contents of the product are entirely legal, its intended use is in a grey area that I'm not familiar with.  The science behind this is well established and I can cite peer-reviewed studies which indicate conclusively the effectiveness of supplementing with certain compounds.  The manufacturing of the product is currently in the hands of a manufacturing facility that meets all federal guidelines etc.

I’d very much like to know…

-	What is the legal limit to the kind of language I can use when marketing the product to describe its intended use?
        (There are tons of alternative words I can use to describe its intended use and would easily be understood by the market I am targeting.)

-	What possible lawsuit situations could come about whilst selling the product?

-	To that end, how can I best prevent lawsuits?

-	What kind of claims can be made about the product without blowing the company’s “legal cover”?

-	To that end, could I make claims about the supplements used themselves or is there a safe way to refer to peer-reviewed studies?
        For example I have a study in front of me that states that “[the study’s] data indicates that [vitamin] deficiency increases susceptibility to [drug]-induced neurotoxicity…”
        (my product would offer this vitamin in its blend).

**Put simply, I'd like to be as explicit as possible with what the product can do, while staying in a legal comfort zone.**

I would greatly appreciate your input and if there is any other information you would need to best answer my questions, please feel free to ask!
Thank you Reddit and r/legaladvice for helping entrepreneurs and common folk to get great advice to help us start making moves in our lives.
- 1x11xx11x1

Answer: The only real answer is "hire a lawyer." This is way too specific for anyone here to help you with and, assuming you want to do this right, you need a lawyer you can work with personally and directly to get your company started off on the right foot.


Title: Can an employer take away unused PTO in CT?

Question: I get a whopping 5 days off a year at my current employer, and i was saving my last one for my birthday next month. i went to ask for it off only to be informed that i can no longer use it. according to my boss, our company was bought at the beginning of this year and the new company isnt ok with our pto system, and decided that nobody can use their pto now. is this legal? i feel like im getting screwed over. thanks for any help!

Answer:
 The question is whether the vacation is accrued or assigned. If it's accrued, meaning you earn .77 hours PTO per week, it can't disappear. You are owed those hours because they are a part of your wages. If that's the case, consider contacting the [Connecticut Dept of Labor](https://www.ctdol.state.ct.us/wgwkstnd/forms/wgfmintr.htm) and file a wage complaint.

If they are assigned PTO hour (eg, you are just handed 40 hours' vacation each year), then they are not earned wages and don't have to be paid out - "use it or lose it" can be legal in that instance.

If enough people in your company are concerned, they can be involved in the wage complaint and you're more likely to get a prompt resolution.


Title: [TX] Sister broke up with boyfriend who she was living with. No signed lease, he kicked her out, he is not allowing her access to retrieve possessions and is holding her dog hostage. Threatening to call the police for trespassing

Question: title says most of it.

Answer:
 She should call the police, tell them she was illegally evicted and that her ex is threatening to call the cops if she goes back to get her stuff, and ask if they can send an officer to keep the peace while she goes back to retrieve her property. She's owed the same notice as any other tenant, and while the police can't make her boyfriend let her back in, a police presence may help keep him from acting out.

Otherwise, if she's unable to get her things back peacefully, she'll need to take him to small claims for the value of her stuff and dog.


Title: [CA] My psycho ex is threatening to report me for theft if I block him

Question:
God damn, where do I begin. I broke up with my ex 6 months ago and moved out of our apt. He's been spam texting me non-stop during this time, including pics of his suicide attempts (just him in the ER). The only reason I didn't block his number is because he has some of my things, but I am so fed up with his desperation that I'm willing to eat my loss and completely block him.

I replied for the first time and told him that I'm going to block his number and to enjoy his life. I probably shouldn't have said anything because now he's threatening to report me for STEALING gifts he gave me for my birthdays (a PS4 and a PS3). He says he has receipts of him buying the consoles and the gifts belong to him because he paid for them.

Do I have anything to worry about? My ex seems set on dragging me down to hell with him and I just want some damn peace in my life. He's a pathological liar (reason why I left) and I know he's going to try to create some kind of fake evidence to screw me over. There is no proof that the gifts were "gifts" except for receipts that show when he bought it.

tl;dr  My ex wants to report me for stealing a PS4 and a PS3 from him that he bought me for my birthdays. Do I have anything to worry about?

edit: thanks for the replies! I kept all the texts and I'm going block him

Answer:
 * The onus is on him to prove that they weren't gifts. That will be tough to prove, especially if he bought them right before your birthday or holidays.
* He might be crazy enough to actually pay for a lawyer to get a few hundred dollars of stuff back, but worst case is he gets this stuff back.
* He can't file criminal charges against you. Only the courts/DA can do this. I doubt he'll convince them to do this.

Go no contact with him. Any contact with him, even civil contact, will just fan the flames. Block him everywhere and write off your stuff in his possession as a loss.

Make your house as secure as possible. You don't want to find him inside when you come home.Answer #2: Block him, as your first instincts told you to. Do not respond to him under any circumstances. Keep all texts and other communication with him - that is proof that not only do those items not belong to him, but also that he is extorting you.


Title: Can a landlord force the renewal of a lease if 1 person want out but the other person wants to renew?

Question:
Any know about tenant laws? (Rock Hill, sc)
My current GF was previously in an abusive relationship with this guy she shared an apartment with (both on the lease). He has not lived there for 10 months now. And he never paid rent. Now the lease is ending, and she gave written 60 day notice that she will not renew the lease (it's  a lease that automatically renews if you don't  give notice). But the apartment complex is telling her that unless he (the ex) also gives notice that he doesn't  want to renew, then it will automatically renew anyways..with both of them still on it. Can they do that?
The ex will not sign off saying he doesn't want to renew, because he wants to continue torturing her any way possible.
What can she do?
Does she need to sign anything further, or is the non-renewal notice enough?

She is going through tuff times btw, she is a multiple organ transplant recipient,  is wheelchair bound as of 3 weeks ago from a bone infection  and currently facing amputation of both feet soon. Your help will be greatly appreciated as this will be atleast one thing she can stop worrying about.

Answer:
 This is actually a pretty interesting question. Standard contract law would dictate that both tenants need to opt out to end the lease, but the logical consequences of that rule are pretty crazy (and could potentially bind someone indefinitely if they can't find a former roommate or something).

Frankly, I'd suggest she give notice on her own behalf regardless, and move out. If the landlord sues her for unpaid rent down the road, she can show the judge the letter provided to the landlord. Hopefully the judge would see that entering judgment against her would not be equitable, and the landlord should sue the ex. And the landlord would have a duty to mitigate damages regardless, so given her notice and the landlord's knowledge of the situation, it would show quite a bit of bad faith if he let it get to this point.

Alternately, she could try to negotiate an agreement with the landlord to end the lease (and probably have to pay an extra month or two to do so).Answer #2: > He has not lived there for 10 months now. And he never paid rent.

She might consider taking him to court to recoup unpaid rent. The suggestion might be enough to convince him to agree to letting the lease go.