Title: [NYC] Parents stole inheritance/Drained Bank Accounts. Sold out contract $$$. Parents bought property with all that money

Question: I turned 18 in February. Week before my 18th birthday my grandfather died and left nearly 200k in cash inside a briefcase and had it listed in his will that the cash inside the briefcase go to me as well as all belongings. Last January he had his will changed that all of his belongings and a contract that he had about his apartment go to me after my dad tried to abuse the POA given to him by my grandparents to euthanize my grandma. Grandma after several months got out of coma disinherited him for that stunt. During the week I was still 17 Dad didnt know where the money was or the combo to briefcase. I ended up taking the briefcase out of its hiding place and put it into a safe that I had gotten. Dad figured out that I moved the money into a safe and somehow got into it after my mom demanded he get the money. Furthermore theres is my bank account. He also had Custody of the account until I was 18. 3 Days after I turn 18 I walk into the bank to ask that they remove him as custodian of the account. They ask for ID of who I am and a bank statement. They say sorry we cant he has to remove himself. I ask then to open a bank account and transfer the funds. They say sure we can open you a new account but we cannot transfer the funds as the custodian must do that or remove himself then you can. I go home and stay for a night at my grandfathers house. Two weeks later I get a statement from the bank showing a balance of zero on the account. Guess what happened? Bank Called Dad after I had left and told him. He told them I wasnt who I claimed to be. Over the course of the next week he goes and drains the account in turning it into cash or transferring it to either his accounts or my moms who continues to spend it. Then there is the contract in regards to the apartment my grandfather owned. A littler over 12 years ago the management for the building was running into deep shit financially and needed money ASAP. Grandpa signed a contract with them that they would pay 80 grand and if he continued to pay rent on time for a decade after the 120th month after the agreement the apartment would be his permanently and for any and all descendants that he wills. He ended up selling the contract out back to the management company (there was a clause) and forging my signature and his. After all this money over the course of the last 3 months combined with my moms mortgage they've now bought two separate apartments to rent out and mix use commercial property. Ive got no fucking clue what to do as my grandpas brother has left the country for a couple of weeks and Ive only got 600 in cash ive got hidden away. Ill probably be evicted by management for staying in my grandpas apartment past June 1st and that would cover maintenance for it even though ive argued with the managers its not my signature to sell it back to them. So what do I do cause im broke or will be broke either by end of June or Early July.

Answer:
 Not legal advice, just general advice...

You've got a better shot at getting replies by not posting a wall of text. It's not the amount of text, but the complete lack of formatting.

Break it up into paragraphs, otherwise potential respondents will just look at the wall you've built, decide it's not worth the effort to struggle through it, and move on to the next question.

This is true of any sub or forum, not just this one.Answer #2: My guess is this is BS. With that said, given the complex legal issues involved, you need to retain counsel ASAP.

-

Find an estate and probate attorney who is able to litigate.

-

> Week before my 18th birthday my grandfather died and left nearly 200k in cash inside a briefcase and had it listed in his will that the cash inside the briefcase go to me as well as all belongings

Now I know where they get the bar exam questions.Answer #3: In addition to a lawyer, the IRS and the FTC might be good to talk to as well. The good news here is that this kind of financial fuckery leaves a very easy to find trail.Answer #4: Who is the executor of your grandfather's estate? Is your grandmother still alive? If your GF passed with the $200 grand plainly bequeathed directly and singularly to you, and you handled it and know of it's existence and last legitimate whereabouts, I think it may be a matter of clear thievery and of interest to the cops.


Title: can you pay cops to guard your house party?

Question:
basically title. there was a high school house party in my town that was super loud, but the cops were standing by the door letting obviously drunk kids in and chatting with the parents and didn't shut it down. People are saying they "hired" the cops to watch their party. is this at all legal??

not a killjoy or anything, just noticed the cops usually shut down similar parties where they were not "invited" (re: paid) beforehand.

Answer:
 Police departments are often willing to work with people organizing events to have an officer on standby, yes. It generally costs money, but it's a public good in as much as a police officer's presence means they can respond faster if things _do_ get out of hand, or if someone experiences a medical emergency.

The police aren't obligated to prevent underage drinking, and might have chosen to forebear enforcement in the interests of public relations, or for any of a variety of legal reasons. Leaping to bribery is a bit of a stretch.Answer #2: Sure, many PDs allow police officers to work private events. Some events even require a police presence.

My city (Raleigh) manages the process for hiring off-duty cops and sets the rates.


Title: Grandmother was divorced without her knowledge [VA/NV]

Question:
My grandmother and grandfather were supposed to get divorced years ago, after my grandmother discovered him cheating on her. But my grandfather was able to trick my grandmother into waiting saying she would lose money. He immediately started selling all their property/possessions and moving all the money out into his own private accounts. My grandmother doesn’t speak English well and is very unfamiliar with U.S. laws/customs, so she didn’t notice any of this happening until my parents started looking into it. We are now trying to correct all this, because my grandfather has never been so selfish and conniving, so we never saw this coming. My grandmother doesn’t care about all the possessions and wants to just leave it behind, but my family wants her to get what she deserves, b/c she is only living on Social Security.

My grandfather is retired military, so I believe she was entitled to half of his retirement, but she got none of it. He got divorced in Nevada last year and told authorities there that he had no way of contacting her. Then they sent out a message in the newspaper telling my grandmother to come to court because of her pending divorce. She never got the message, because my grandmother has never lived in Nevada and he was still making phone calls to her at the time. She was also frequently staying over at my parents’ house where my grandfather knows the location of (they have lived there years). She only found out she was legally divorced, because he left the divorce papers with my aunt.

My family has no idea where to start. We are currently residing in Virginia. Do we have a case or since the divorce has been filed already, is it too late? Do we contact lawyers in Nevada or Virginia? What kind of lawyers should we be contacting? Divorce or something else? We also believe all that she would be entitled to would be half of his retirement, since everything else would be hard to figure out. He is also retired now so he has been receiving retirement for a few years now and he has remarried, so I don’t know what happens with that.

Thank you for the help.

Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer:
 She needs to hire a divorce attorney right away.  Probably one in Nevada would be best.

She would need to seek to have the divorce case reopened, arguing that the plaintiff misled the court, lied to the court, failed to serve your grandmother despite having actual knowledge of her whereabouts and being in actual communication with her, and so on.  If your account of how things happened is correct, the court isn't going to be pleased at being lied to.

Once the case is reopened, she would fight for a fairer division of assets, alimony, and so on.

She's still going to end up divorced.  That won't change.  But she can get a fair piece of the marital assets, if he hasn't managed to hide them all by this point.


Title: [NV, USA] I think my personal injury lawyer is giving me illegal advice, and I'm afraid of retaliation.

Question:
So to start off, I live in Las Vegas NV, I was in a car accident end of February, the other party was at fault, and their insurance has already accepted liability. I have severe whiplash and a spinal injury. I'm in daily pain that lasts hours, and have occasional shooting pains down my left arm that gets worse when I move my neck to look down.

I'm being seen by a chiropractor since the day after my accident, and have yet to be seen by a physician. My attorney told me that if I were to see a physician, to go to someone in my network for my insurance. Due to the pain in my arm, my chiropractor suggested that I see a physician and also get an MRI, then they set up an MRI appointment for me. They didn't tell my attorney that they set the appointment, and neither did the imaging center. I told my attorney, and she basically told me that those 2 are affiliated with each other, and that I would only need an MRI if I had severe constant numbness down both my arms, and that they are not authorizing me to get an MRI.

Apparently my property damage is so low (old car) that they think the at fault insurance is going to try and fight the MRI charge under the guise that since my car wasn't super damaged, that I couldn't have been injured enough to get an MRI. They already accepted liability though, so I'm confused, I didn't think they could pick and choose what they were going to cover regardless of what a medical professional recommends. It almost feels like my attorney just wants to get this over with asap, and he probably thinks he won't get as much out of it since it's a smaller case.

I'm wondering if I should go see a physician and get a second opinion since my brother in law (insurance broker in another state) told me that a chiropractor recommendation doesn't hold up in court like a physician's recommendation does. Then at that point, can my attorney still say that an MRI isn't authorized if it's recommended directly from a physician? Can he retaliate against me if he feels like I'm going behind his back to see a physician? And if I do see a physician, should I tell my attorney before I go? Can he tell me that he's not authorizing me to see a physician?

Answers to any of these questions would be helpful. I'm honestly naive, since this is my first time dealing with this, and I don't want to be taken advantage of. I just want to make sure that I'm getting all the medical attention that I need, and also not get screwed over by a shady attorney.

Answer: I can't fathom why you have what you describe as a severe injury, and you haven't seen a doctor. Neither your attorney nor your chiropractor should be deciding whether you see a doctor or get an MRI. Go see a doctor, and soon.


Title: Is a landlord required to provide hot water?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 If it is a code violation, definitely. https://ago.mo.gov/docs/default-source/publications/landlord-tenantlaw.pdf?sfvrsn=4

Missouri has a repair / deduct (from rent) process too.

> Allow a tenant, under certain circumstances and after giving a landlord 14 days’ notice, to deduct one-half month’s rent or up to $300 (whichever is greater) for repair of code violations when a landlord
neglects property.

So check with the city or county if hot water is required per code, and if so, get an estimate to repair, and send the notice to the land lord.


Title: Work is making me sign a PCOI disclosure form

Question:
Basically, my girlfriend works in the same company as me, I hold a higher title but we work at different locations, I understand the purpose of this conflict of interest form as it states no communication on the clock unless business, may not filter sales between stores blah blah.

My question is about one line here which states "you may not discuss personnel issues not relevant. (Performance issues, pay,. Etc.)"

Is that line legal? Does this mean I am not allowed to speak about pay between my partner? Any answers would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Answer:
 Sorry, I’m meaning that the part in the document they talk about not discussing “personnel issues not relevant” as that you shouldn’t talk about things you know which are related to work without a good reason.

Something you shouldn’t talk about: Steve down the hall got reported for stealing someone’s lunch. Things you can talk about: telling the person who you share expenses with how much you make. Because your partner has a valid reason to know your pay, namely the household budget. Steve’s lunch thievery is not relevant to anything at home.

If you are a supervisor, then I think you are only really being prohibited from talking about other people’s pay. The people under you.


Title: [Md] I was injured at work, have recordings/documented my boss saying he would terminate me due to workman comp, and I was just asked to resign by HR. What are my options?

Question:
Background: I finally started a job (contractual for up to 12 months as long as pay didn't exceed a certain amount) I love back on May 30th of this year,  after appx 3 days of training my direct supervisor/boss left for 2 weeks vacation.
Right before my boss got back I injured myself at work and was immediately put into a splint. I was told at the time I could return with light duty at work. When my boss returned from his vacation he told me because of the injury I suttuned at work and the workers comp he may have to rethink my employment there. That is when I did some research and started documenting everything.

The following day I asked him if I could record our conversations, and he agreed. Later that day I have a recording of him stating the same thing as before. I also began documenting the same things (And any conversation we had) via e-mails, in which he would never respond. The following week I was sent to get an MRI and it was found I tore a ligament and needed to be placed in a cast and was not allowed to return to work. I informed my boss and he made me go to work a week later to train him and another employee how to do my job. 4 weeks later the cast was removed and I was put into a brace with requirements to not return to work for another 4 weeks minimum, and to go to physical therapy.

3 days after I informed my boss I was contacted by HR who told me that they needed me to send them a letter to terminate my contract with them. The time I've been on workers comp I have not gotten paid the 2/3 of my paycheck That they said they would.

Question: What are my options here? I do love the job and would like to return after I'm healed. My boss is on a deadline to get his work done and by the time I return there would only be one week remaining.

Answer:
 DO NOT RESIGN.Answer #2: DO NOT RESIGN!

That's quitting. Never, ever resign, unless you are truly, willfully quitting of your own volition.

your state should have a labor board. Contact them ASAP.Answer #3: In your agreement with the employer were you employeed as a W2 employee or a 1099?Answer #4: contact the work comp office at the state level. you should have gotten some worker's rights under work comp flyers when you filed for work comp, the contact info should be there, or you can do an internet search for it. they have some resources that you can call when the employer won't do their paperwork etc so you can get the pay for being out of work due to injury. there's a form you fill out that they're supposed to sign off on and send in so that you can get paid.

It sure looks like they're trying to terminate you because you filed a work comp claim, by telling you you have to quit, which is not right at all (I'm no lawyer, but even I know they can't tell you that you have to quit!).

save every communication with them. don't delete texts, voicemails, or throw out any notes or letters. And keep recordings too. You might also start looking for a labor law or work comp attorney too. Answer #5: Contact Labor and Industry or the equivalent agency in the state. Look into getting an attorney preferably one that specializes in labor disputes. You have rights especially if you were injured on the job.


Title: My father is being evicted from a Solider On apartment complex, for forgetting his key in his room a total of 3 times. Not sure what to do.(Chicopee, MA)

Question:
So my 61 year old father, who is a Navy Veteran, and suffers from many aliments. Is currently renting an apartment at a Solider On apartment complex. He has been there for going on a year now...

So from time to time he is forgetful, so he mistakenly leaves his keys in his room, twice to my knowledge. Ive confirmed it was 3 time total.

They have NO ONE on site or near by with a master key and the keys he has all have "do not duplicate" on them, so its not like he can make a back up(s) to put in his wallet or something. Ive tried to make a back up for him at a key making machine, but know could do it as of the type of key it is. It took them over 3 hours to come the last time it happened(they had to come from basically across the state).

The "Occupancy Agreement" has been completed and submitted. Point being as seen in the letter served to him below, its because he locked himself out of his apartment.

He also has MS, and one of the major effects of it, is on memory. Apparently they said his reason for forgetting his key is because he is stupid.

Here is the Eviction Notice: http://imgur.com/a/ayqoZ (ive removed person details)

Basically, ill take all the suggestions, help and or constructive criticism i can get. It is welcome.

Thank you, i have no idea what to do in this situation, as the reasoning behind it, is just idiotic. To me it seems like "you inconvenienced us, now you have to leave".

Basically, what should be my/his next move?
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 1) That's not an eviction. That's a notice to vacate. It may sound pedantic, but your father has not been evicted yet. This will not mar his ability to find different housing or cause him to owe anything additional.

2) He can leave or he can try to work things out with the landlord. Most landlords will charge a fee for late-night entry.

Next move is to call the landlord; if that doesn't work out, start looking. You can't 'fight' a 30-day notice to vacate - it sounds like your dad is outside the initial 1-year lease, which is now a month-to-month. So legally they have every right to do this. If he overstays past the 30 days, then he can try to fight the eviction that would surely result - but at that point, finding housing would be very difficult.


Title: Mother diagnosed with CJD, unable to get Power of Attorney. Conservatorship a possibility? (CA)

Question:
My mom was recently diagnosed with [CJD](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creutzfeldt%E2%80%93Jakob_disease), an extremely rare, degenerative, untreatable, 100% fatal brain disease.

She has been unable to sign documents for the past 2 weeks.  She is unable to communicate effectively.  Sometimes she can answer simple questions or say simple phrases.

This happened suddenly and we were unable to secure power of attorney.

She has no living will (to my knowledge... how would I find this if she did?).

Now we are having problems using her CalPers and other benefits to secure care for her.

Is there a way for me to get power of attorney or conservatorship for her?  What is that process?

Is there specific things I should acquire from the doctors?  Like a letter stating her condition?

She was / is a state employee for a State University and is currently on sick leave.

Are there other challenges I should consider?  Disability, Social Security, etc.

She is 61 years old.
Topic:
Disability Issues

Answer:
 I'd speak quickly to a social worker at the hospital that is treating her. They may have access to attorneys who can support you in your push to get guardianship / conservatorship.

You should know that most state universities in CA have disability insurance policies, life insurance policies, and other benefits that are automatic. It may make sense to reach out to her employer's HR department. If she's broke/has no money, applying for MediCal is likely a good move - the social workers can help with that.

Sorry you're going through this.


Title: [Washington State] I have a stalker here on Reddit and he's able to find me on other websites

Question:
[deleted]
Topic:
Computer and Internet

Answer:
 Consider scanning your computer thoroughly for malware, viruses, etc.

Then block and ignore completely.  Do not engage in any way.  If it persists, look into a restraining order.


Title: Can my (former) employer have me arrested?

Question:
Roughly a year and a half ago I started a job where they provided me a laptop so that I could work from wherever. After a year and a half, it's gotten some of my own personal files and sign-ins on it.

Today, my boss came to my house to fire me and collect the laptop. I went inside the house to get it and also to delete my personal files.

While I was deleting **my** (not the company's) files, he was outside texting me threats of having me arrested if I don't bring it to him as-is right away. I tell him I'm just deleting my personal files and I'll be out in a moment.

He ended up driving away without the laptop and is just saying he's going to have me arrested and sued.

Is this a thing?

Edit: apparently I should say that I'm in South Carolina

Answer:
 > He ended up driving away without the laptop and is just saying he's going to have me arrested and sued.

He can't "have you arrested".  He can report your conduct to the police, and they can decide whether they believe you've committed a crime and what to do about it.

He can also sue you for whatever damage you may have caused to the laptop, if any.  Answer #2: Once your personal files are gone, pack it up and don't touch it. Do not use it for any reason. If they police come tell them it's ready for him in a box he just hasn't gotten it yet.


Title: The house that I'm living in has been foreclosed on, the "landlord" continues to collect rent across the country

Question:
So I'll try to make this brief, this is in Connecticut. We'll call the landlord in this situation "George". Now George is friends with the previous owner who had stopped paying the mortgage 7 years ago. This house is really weird. It had been abandoned for about 4 years before George moved in.
I have been living here with other roommates for about 9 months now, paying George about a grand a month for a room. Nobody has made mortgage payments since. George says he has a written lease with this previous owner, and he says he can collect rent because of it.
Now this is a beautiful place to live. It's a huge house in an incredible neighborhood. It's been good for awhile. George has gotten certain things working in the house, and even got the pool running and stuff.
But in the last few months, George started to get a little out of hand.
There's a long list of crazy things he's done.

He conducted a couple of HUGE parties at our house.

He rented out a small bulldozer and tore up the back yard and created a dirt bike track for his obscenely loud dirt bike.

He had the walls in the back of the house spray painted with crazy things.

Several trees in the back yard have been chopped down half way and painted with black light paint, one of the trees even has an umbrella on top of it.

The police have been called several times for noise disturbances.

The bank sent us a "cease and desist" letter outlining everything, and also saying that nobody is authorized to collect rent.

http://imgur.com/R28HG8D

All of the neighbors in the general vicinity hate us, there has been a couple of meetings that they've had to discus how to get rid of us living here.

You also need to know that George took a one way flight to California 3 weeks ago. He keeps telling us that he is not coming back. So right before we paid rent, we received a troubling letter from the bank threatening an eviction action . George called us and said to pay his friend our rent so he could put it in George's bank account. He said that these letters don't mean anything and he still has rights to the house. With all of this going on I told him that this would be my final month, and to use my last months rent that I paid him initially. He wasn't happy.
It just isn't sitting right with me Reddit, I'm not sure who to believe. George continues to insist that he has rights to this house, and continues to call it "his" house. I called the lawyer that represents the bank that owns this house, and she said that nobody is authorized to collect rent. He continues to insist otherwise.

George is still having his friend here show the room to new potential roommates, and that doesn't sit right with me. I think they should know the truth.

TLDR: The guy I started paying to initially said he has a lease agreement with the previous owner, not sure if legally binding
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 I'm not a lawyer, but George sounds like a moocher/scammer.

I'm sure he has long ago spent your last month's rent.  Why in the world do you believe him over the lawyer?  Do not give him any more money.  Start looking for a new place.Answer #2: (Obligatory IANAL disclaimer)

Was the letter addressed just to George, or was your name on it as well?

George is full of shit.  Don't pay him, or his friends, another penny.  He wasn't legally allowed to rent to you, and he's not legally allowed to collect rent from you.  The only entity that can collect rent for this property is the bank who owns it.  Your lease, if you even signed one, is probably not valid.

Find another place, and move.


Title: Can your parents claim you owe them money without documentation?

Question: I live in Colorado now, 23, and am completely on my own. I pay for my own housing, expenses, medical, tuition, everything (and I am working on getting my own health insurance, but right now I am on my mom's state mandated plan since she works for the state). My parents live in Texas, and because they don't agree with my lifestyle choices and what I want to do with my life and college, I'm afraid they have some sort of power to demand money back from me. I never signed any loan documents or any official agreement; the only thing I agreed to was to graduate this coming May, which may or may not happen right now. whenever they would give me money, it was under the assumption that I would graduate in may and follow the path my dad set out for me, but I decided to deviate from that path because it is not working with my life goals (my life goals are to become a physicist). My dad had a knack for threatening to take me off the health insurance when I don't agree with him ( I take medication that is $2,000 a month w/o insurance and i have plenty of chronic issues so I need a doctor). I finally took control of that, but now I'm afraid that he will try to take control of me by demanding money back. Is the law on my side? am I protected by texas law or colorado law (I'm a colorado resident).

Answer:
 Your mother can take you off her health insurance. Parents have a right to continue to insure their children on their health plans until age 26. But this is a right, not an obligation.

Your father can sue you for what he thinks you owe him. Given only the facts provided, he is probably unlikely to win such a lawsuit. If you live in Colorado he would likely have to sue you there.


Title: Job wants my fingerprints.

Question: So I work for the government and my fingerprint was not a requirement for my hire and I have been here for 3 years and now they want my prints. Am pretty low in the totem pole but I have access to secure areas,  always have btw but now they want my prints?  My co workers seem cool with and that's good for them, but I didnt commit no crime. Just wondering if I could say no and still have a Job?

Answer: Nope, if you say no you'll be fired 100% legally.


Title: [NJ] Injured on job, company doesnt offer insurance, and is refusing to pay medical bill.

Question: I work at a local retail store, its a franchise of a bigger corporation, but locally owned so hardly any corporate ties. The company deals with repairing and fixing battery packs. While working with a battery it had shorted out and I had severe 3rd degeee burns all over my hand, and had to go to urgent care as the store didn't have a proper first aid kit at all. The owner said they aren't going to pay for the medical expenses, even though I had to go becuase there was no first aid on site, they won't even recoup the hours I lost the day I had to leave early. Is this grounds for any action?

Answer:
 In addition to the workman's comp and OSHA calls, I'd really make an effort to talk to an attorney that deals with workplace injuries. There are pretty specific legal tests out there for how closely connected a business has to be to be responsible for what happens at their local stores and pretty specific rules for how an employee is supposed to be protected.

Not a lawyer myself, just tried hiring what I thought was an independent contractor for a company I worked for, was referred to the legal team to figure out what paperwork I needed, made a wisecrack about how dumb it all was, and got made fun of for half an hour or so for having no idea how much trouble I could get the company in by knowing so little about what an employee actually was and how that differed from a contractor. Turns out all sorts of things mean different from what ordinary guys like us think they do if you let a lawyer mess around with them a bit.

Paperwork wasn't fun either, I ended up having to insure my "contractor" and also make sure he was insuring his "independent contractor" who was probably legally an employee as well, then get him to add the company to his insurance. Imagine if a real estate company hired a guy to paint a list of houses and that's how closely related the two businesses were. Lawyers, bruh (present company excepted, of course).


Title: Can a University buy my apartment from a private company and force me to abide by their housing rules after I already signed a lease?

Question:
State: MA

I signed a lease with a private leasing company for an apartment in April 2019. One month later, the private university down the street from me purchased the building. I was notified via a letter in May 2019, stating they would honor my current lease. I did not sign any additional lease or housing contracts. Today, the university staff entered for an "annual safety inspection" and confiscated a very sentimental candle of mine, and failed me for the inspection. My original lease says nothing about candles not being permitted in the room. I can't seem to find any tenant's right information on this in Massachusetts, as it seems too specific of a case. Are they allowed to purchase the building and all of a sudden make me follow university housing policies?

Answer:
 > I was notified via a letter in May 2019, stating they would honor my current lease.

the only thing that matters is your lease with the first company. you are not subject to whatever policies they want, only those in your lease, unless you and the new owner agreed in writing.


Title: Taxes and being a Sugar Baby? (ON, Canada)

Question:
Hi there. Ive recently began sugaring/sugar daddy dating. I am seeing a slightly older, very rich guy, who spoils the shit out of me. He gives me gifts (like shoes, necklaces, etc etc), but also wants to give me an allowance to help me out.

He and I consider this a gift. Im not sure if the government would consider it to be an income. I already work full time at a store. He would be giving me about 3k a month. It is not prostitution, there is nothing sexual going on. I lucked out haha.

This oney would be transfered to me via paypal. What steps do I need to do to protect myself from being investigated or accused of making this money as income? Is there anythign else I need to know? Im wary of allowing this money to come into my bank account. However, hes in HK right now so its not like he can give me cash.

edit: To the few of you who have actually help me with constructive input, thank you. To those who came here to troll and attempt to insult me, calling me a hooker and prostitute, get a life.

Answer: NAL, but I would ask a tax professional: "if my boyfriend gives me money every month to pay my expenses,  does that count as income that needs to be reported?  Answer #2: In America there is a gift tax over certain yearly amounts. Not sure about Canada


Title: Medical debt accrued by spouse after divorce was filed; am I responsible?

Question: My soon-to-be ex husband is telling me he needs an incredibly expensive surgery, and threatening to have it before we are able to finalize the divorce and stick me with half of the medical debt. I filed for divorce months ago, but he has been doing everything he can to stall, manipulate, and harass me. Would I ever be liable for this debt if he accrues it? He’s trying to ruin me. I’m located in the state of Texas.

Answer: It appears that Texas treats debts incurred after filing for divorce, but before the divorce is granted, as separate debts, non-marital debts.  However, there may be specific requirements for this to occur, and exceptions. If you have not yet consulted with an attorney about this divorce, now would be a good time. Answer #2: In community property states, the standard rule is that post-separation debts are separate property.  But, you definitely need a lawyer, if for nothing other than a consultation on his issue.


Title: MI - little brother fired for asking boss if he was an employee or independent contractor. Who can he talk to?

Question:
My little brother got a lawncare job working part time for $70 an hour. When he told me this I was a little alarmed, and asked him if he was an employee or independent contractor. He didn't know. He said he didn't sign any tax papers to start his job, or any papers besides a medical insurance form. I explained that $70 is a very high wage, and even if he's an independent contractor that it's *still* a very high wage. Assuming he was an independent contractor, I explained he probably needed to be saving half his income for taxes - he didn't want to. So the next day when his boss picked him up for work, he asks his boss if he's an employee or independent contractor. Boss flips out and yells at him saying it's none of his business, fires him, and kicks him out of the truck on the spot. We're both under the impression his boss was just paying him under the table. All his pay was given to him from that same boss in a sealed bank envelope with his pay amount printed on it, which seems dumb if you're trying to secretly pay someone under the table.

Was this some kind of scam? Was he just an independent contractor? Who can he report this or ask questions from?

Answer:
 $70 per hour? For lawncare? That was your brother's wage? Yeah, that's a high wage. That's equivalent to a $140K per year.

This whole thing sounds fishy. Did your brother actually get $70/hour for the hours he worked?


Title: I work for the federal government and I am considering writing a book with content that may be seen as defaming to the agency.

Question: I am wondering if legal issues may arise if I write about personal experiences of myself and others inside the agency which involve many things that are not acceptable behavior and even illegal in some cases. Things from illicit drug use to sexual harassment and anything and everything in between would be included as well. I’m trying to show a real side of the profession in its grit and it’s humor so that the public can get some real insight into a job that’s looked at as “heroic and noble” by the public. What could potentially be some repercussions of writing a book or even something for film?

Answer: If you are planning about writing about your work for the federal government you are going to want to talk to an attorney.  If you publish things that are classified, or even sensitive but unclassified you could find yourself in prison.  As to defamation, if it’s true then it’s not defamation, but that doesn’t mean you couldn’t be sued and have to defend it. You need an attorney, this is beyond the scope of what we can give you solid information on.


Title: [upstate NY] Divorce advice for abused non-US citizen married over 30 years to US citizen?

Question:
please help.

my mother is not a US citizen - she has a green card and came over legally. She and my father have been married over 30 years. she has a master's degree but was not "allowed" to work, and has been/still is a housewife despite having grown children. She hasn't worked in 30 years and bc of her age/health idk if she could really get a job

This is not a happy marriage, and has been one fraught with verbal abuse, mental abuse, controlling where she could go, who she could see, who she could talk to on the phone, whether she was allowed to go to the dr, and financial abuse.

this has not been documented, as the police have never been called to our house.

my mother says that if she tried to leave my father, she would lose her health benefits (she qualifies for Medicare soon), her social security (my dad has paid into the system), and everything else. She says in a divorce she and my dad would split some assets (the house) and she'd have nothing. She thinks she'd even lose her right to stay in the country.

She and my father did not have a pre-nup when they married, as they brought little money to the marriage. However, my father has made quite a bit of money over the years at his business.

Is this correct? Is my mother entitled to alimony? Is she entitled to anything? Would she lose her healthcare? Does she have a case for abuse, or should she stick with a regular divorce case? Would she get deported? What are her options? Please help.

Thank you.

Answer:
 She will not get deported, would split all the marital assets, would likely get considerable alimony, and would still be able to file for social security based off your fathers benefits even after the divorce.

She should contact a divorce attorney; because it's highly likely her husband has been reinforcing all of these incorrect ideas as a form of control.

Although if she's been a PRA for so long, why hasn't she filed for citizenship? That would certainly guarantee that she couldn't get deported (not that she'd be able to based on the divorce anyway).


Title: [Hamilton, ON] Father walked out on my family and is trying to force us to sell the house.

Question: Hello, about six months ago my father walked out on my mother and myself, along with my sister. We are both 20 years old. My mother has a full time job while my father basically never worked, aside from an odd job maybe once a month and was paid under the table. He is now with another women who is supporting him, and is trying to get his half of our house along with my mother to pay him support. We cannot afford to give him all of that and we would be forced to sell our house. I don't know how we would survive from then on out as he is trying to get my mother to pay him support and we can barely make ends meet as is. My main question is: How is that fair that he can leave and go  to another women who is now supporting him and get all the money from his half of our house AND support from my hard working mother while he never works and is just leeching off of women throughout his whole life?

Answer:
 First: your father didn't walk out on you and your sister, you two are both adults.

Second: if your dad wasn't working, then what kind of financial support was he contributing? If none, then your mom is better off.

Third: all assets are to be divided between your father and mother, not your father and all three of you. You as children, even though you're 20, don't have a right to anything.

Fourth: You are too involved in a situation that should be only between your parents and lawyers. But, it sounds like you've chosen a side, so there's that.

Are you and your sister, both 20, working? If not, sounds like your mother is the only one carrying all the weight, maybe she should get herself a little apartment and kick the both of you out. Kinda feeling sorry just for her at the moment. Answer #2: In Ontario, the house is considered the matrimonial home. Between your mother and your father. Whether one parent works or both work, it is considered a joint marital asset.

Your father could bring an application to the court for the sale of the matrimonial home, equalization of assets (any bank accounts, investments or property) accumulated during the length of their marriage to separation. He could also seek support.  If your mother opposes the sale of the matrimonial home, she could request that she buy your father's interest out.

If he does, your mother needs to respond to it. At the end of the day, the reality is that he is entitled to a portion of the home and the equalization, just as your mother would be should the situation were reversed.

If he works under the table or is purposely underemployed, your mother can seek to have his income imputed.


Title: Tenants Started a Print Shop. Any Concerns? Oregon

Question:
xpost from /r/renting.

Have great tenants in a single family home I own. Have had no problems with them at all for the two years they have been renting from me. They just started a print type shop business doing custom shirts, cups etc. I have no problem with it and they are becoming fairly successful with it.

Anything I need to be worried about? There is no language about running a small business in the lease which is month to month.

Answer:
 I've worked in printing, including screen printing, for a long time. I would be very concerned about how the vapours from the inks are being handled. Water based inks aren't too bad but solvent based inks can cause fires, explosions, and damage your HVAC system. Waste disposal is another huge issue.

Chances are that your tenants are not handling the inks safely, they are not insured properly, are probably breaking some local ordinances, and are putting your property at great risk of damage. If the city finds out that they're dumping waste down the drain you can expect a large fine and/or bill headed your way.Answer #2: Do your local zoning laws allow them to operate a commercial retail business out of the home? Are you under any HOA covenants?Answer #3: Screen printing generates chemical waste. The better and ethical firms capture most of this and have it hauled away. The rest (I'd bet most of the smaller companies) just toss it into the sewer/drain.

The odds that your tenants are properly disposing of their chemical waste are very low. The odds that they will get caught are very low, also, but you might want to check into any possible liability on your end. If you don't have sewer on your land and they're just dumping chemicals onto your land, more cause for concern.


Title: [ON, CAN] If I lend something rather expensive to a friend, should I draw up some sort of contract?

Question:
I play the trumpet for fun.  And because I have somewhat of a disposable income, I have many trumpets.

One of my friends who has just got into some music program asked me if he could borrow my piccolo trumpet.  I bought this thing used from my *teacher* for $3000CAD.

I have no problem lending him this trumpet, but I kind of want to be "safe" if he disappears, or if it is ever stolen.

Answer:
 I would. At the very least, I'd take a picture of him holding the instrument and a sign that says "I'm borrowing majorkev's piccolo".

If he's under 18 it's possible he could try to flaut the law by claiming he was too young to sign a contract, but I don't think he would wind.

e: speeling


Title: I think my wife is secretly building up a bogus domestic abuse case against me... What should I do..

Question:
OK, I have been married for about 9 years, which saw its ups and downs. Nothing unusual. About an year ago she very sweetly ask me to bring her family over to visit us for a month. I said no problem.
That's when the problem started, after their arrival, her mood and behavior changed dramatically. She started ignoring me. She would hang out with them and leave me out to dry. I felt uncomfortable in my own home. I could tell that she was badmouthing me to her family and they all were acting weired towards me. In hindsight that's when she started building up her case against me to freind and family.
When I finally confronted her, she alongwith her family doubled down and alienated me further.
During regular arguments she'd very casually drop the 'D' word and suggest things are not working out and divorce is a viable option. I was left stunned and devastated as I have kids with this woman and am very concerned about their psycological well being.
I have done my level best to patch things up, which still does not seem to help.
I saw she had googled for domestic violence (sent to her by someone, so she's spreading the word too).
Every small conversation about anything she'd just pick up a word which sometimes I did not even utter and take the whole conversation to that word and equate it to domestic violence. (latest word being 'stupid'). She has taken an appointment to see the doctor for depression(she seems fine) without mentioning it to me. I meanwhile am expected to share everything with her. Meanwhile she is her same normal sweet self when talking to me. We even have sex regularly (70% of the time she initiates). No sign of depression.
I am devastated at the realization that her mind is made up and she is secretly building up a case against me. She does not know that I have some inkling of her plans.
I am losing my shit, I can't focus on anything.
I do not know her motivation.
I end up tring to reason with her, thinking it is all in my head. She has lied to me before on several occasion (big and small things), and she's damn good at it. I sometimes struggle to believe the reality even in the face of overwhelming evidence.
What should I do to protect myself against any impending false domestic abuse/divorce/custody claims that may lie ahead.
What evidence should I gather to protect myself.
Edit: I am in south california in US.

Answer:
 She could very well be suffering from depression or some other mental illness. Short of you being a trained medical professional, your medical opinion is irrelevant.

Besides refraining from being physical  (not saying you are or aren't currently) there isn't much else you can do about that. You can consult with an attorney regarding a potential divorce and everything that is associated with divorce.


Title: Being sued

Question: I rear ended 2 ladies down the street from my house 2 years ago. These ladies were not hurt. They are older ladies. I was in an explorer,  they were in a small towns car of some kind. There was no damage to my car, i mean at all no damage. Their car had. Bumper damage and i think some on the trunk. This was a low speed hit. It was literally on my street. These ladies are fine. They were out of the car, walking around examining everything. They arent hurt. Well, they claimed injury and my insurance went way up. My assumption is that they are pill heads playing it for the pain meds. Now 2 years later, people are going to my house of address trying to serve papers to me. I dont live there at that house anymore and havent changed my address yet.  They cabt find me. What can i possibly do about this? I think what it is what that the insurance was under my parent's and they are pretty well off. I have no money. In fact, im a welfare case. Basically they are playing the system. What are my options.  What can i do? I don't need this shit in my life. I can barely survive as it is. Houston Texas. Incident happened in Katy, Texas

Answer: Just because they were walking and inspecting after the accident doesn't mean they weren't injured. Adrenaline kicks in and you can't feel it. And whiplash can take a while to set in. You're going to need a lawyer. Speak to legal aid. If they can't help they should be able to point you to resources.


Title: [NJ] I was a victim in a sexual assault case a year ago, got a subpoena to appear in court, but I wont live in the country during the court date.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Don't call the detective, call the prosecutor's office.

They will very likely reschedule for you.Answer #2: If the detective doesn't/won't answer you, get in touch with the prosecutor. A subpoena is not enforceable in Canada; the usual process would be for the U.S. court to issue letters rogatory (letters of request) to a Canadian court for a matching Canadian order. *Probably* you would be allowed to testify via video-link, but different states have different rules, and the prosecutor may want to reschedule instead (if that is even possible on the particular case).Answer #3: Call the prosecutor. It's not uncommon to make travel arrangements for witnesses in a case.

Keep in mind, that if you're not there, then that case probably can't go forward and the guy will go free. At trial they can't just present the statements you made to the police or to the prosecutor, there's a constitutional right to confront witnesses.


Title: [MA] My girlfriend signed up for a credit card over the phone and the Customer Service Rep later friend requested her on Facebook

Question:
My girlfriend recently signed up for a new credit card by calling the companies customer service line. The customer service rep on the other side gave his name and was nice and polite and the card is all signed up for no problem. But about an hour or so after the call ended she received a friend request from the guy on Facebook, he stated in the message he looked her up with the info from the call. This is misuse of information right?

She reported the incident to the credit card company giving the reps name, and we put a credit freeze in with all three credit bureaus just incase, but I was wondering is there any regulatory agency she should be reporting this to as well?

Thank you.

Answer:
 Reporting the contact to his employer seems appropriate.

Check out this link and the Other Resources at the bottom: https://www.fdic.gov/regulations/examinations/financialprivacy/handbook/index.html


Title: Do I have the right to refuse additional shipping charges/order cancellation?

Question:
I have paid for items at a value of 85 dollars.
I have paid for shipping for said items at 38 dollars.

The US-based company has contacted me and told me the shipping fee for my order is actually 58 dollars, due to a miscalculation in their automatic system.

They have asked if it'd be okay for them to refund my order OR to send me a 20 dollar bill to make up for the difference in shipping.

My question is: Aren't I allowed to refuse either of these changes and demand they send my order the way it was?

Answer: No. Price or cost listing errors allow the seller to add or subtract costs.  You can cancel the order to get a refund or return the item.


Title: I worked at Kroger for a month and haven't got a single paycheck yet, what should I do?

Answer: Ask your boss about it. Answer #2: Have you asked when you'll be paid? If you just started paperwork might be delaying payments but that shouldn't be the case. Ask your manager right away


Title: Signed a contract that has my first and last names reversed. Does this give me any leverage in renegotiating?

Question: Hi all, looking for some info on this weird situation I've found myself in. Yesterday I was in the final stages of shopping around for a new (to me) car and I settled on a 2015 model with some minor body damage (scratches in the paint on several places) for a decent enough price ($12K) that I was happy with it. Went through the rounds of paperwork and ended up signing for a couple of add-ons that I am now regretting. I financed with them after they were able to match my credit union's auto loan rate. The dealership is closed today so I won't be hearing back from the finance guy I worked with until Monday, but I just noticed on the paperwork that he wrote up that my last name is listed as my first and vice versa. Does this put the ball more into my court if they try to push back on my having signed? This was in New Hampshire so according to the contract it is up to the seller to decide if they want to void it. Any insights would be a huge help while I'm getting my ducks in a row for my phonecall with them tomorrow!

Answer: No a small clerical error in order of name is not going to be enough to invalidate a contractAnswer #2: None whatsoever. You still signed it.


Title: [MN] My sister is on maternity leave but still receiving paychecks passed her limit

Question:
She works for a local school district and has checked online that she has 0 hours of paid maternity leave left, but has gotten paid still. She had 6 weeks of paid leave, 4 weeks “unpaid”, and plans to go back in two more.

She wants to put it away and not touch it for 1-2 years, to be safe. Would there be any consequences for not telling her employer, if they notice?

Answer: she should contact payroll immediately, it could be that they are just doing it, there is no law against allowing longer maternity leave. but, if it is a mistake, she is going to look great by reporting it and giving it back immediately when they ask. To do otherwise would be considered fraud.


Title: 17 year old had sex with a 25 year old

Question:
I just found out a 25 year old dude has been having sex with my younger sister, who is 17. We live in Mississippi, and I know the age of consent is 16...But I feel like he's taking advantage of her.

She's still in high school and not fully developed in maturity, so I'm afraid for her life

Is there anything I can do to put an end to this to keep her safe?

Answer:
 If 16 is the age of consent where you both live, no crime has been committed. You can't really do anything unless he actually breaks the law, or threatens her in some way. Answer #2: > Is there anything I can do to put an end to this to keep her safe?

You can talk to her about not having sex until she is ready, or using protection, or being on birth control, or any of the above, but no laws are being broken here as the age of consent is 16.


Title: Buying a house, seller wants to back out of the contract.

Question: [removed]

Answer:
 You should consult with a lawyer on options.

PMs are not permitted here.


Title: My (f)cousin is accusing my (m)cousin(her step brother) of molesting her and is threatening to tell police if he doesn't stop visiting us. She was very specific of the date and time that he did it... except he was with me all day the day and time he supposedly did it. What do I do?

Answer:
 Tell him (or his lawyer, if and when he gets one) that you would be willing to testify as to his whereabouts, if it would be useful. Let his lawyer decide how to defend the charges, if he is eventually charged.Answer #2: Do not tell your female cousin about this, otherwise she'll just tell the police a different time.Answer #3: Texas! Sorry. I live in texas.Answer #4: Witnesses are often wrong about dates and times. It's possible he did molest her but she just has her dates/times mixed up. Keep that in mind.Answer #5: Did she say this date and time in writing, like a text or Facebook? If so, lock that down so you can use it as evidence if she decides to change her story. Answer #6: What are the ages of the parties involved? Answer #7: Who is "us"? Your extended family? Or just your household where presumably female cousin doesn't reside?

Sounds extortion-y to me, but probably doesn't met the legal standard in Texas.


Title: Paycheck bounced in florida

Question: I was recently hired by an electrician on Craigslist, I worked for him for two weeks before leaving for a better job offer.  This week I cashed my first paycheck from him and it bounced.  Today I was supposed to get my last paycheck from him and he is not answering any of my calls or texts.  If he does not get back to me soon I'm not sure what course of action to take. I started working for him on July 9th and my last day of work was July 20th.   I have a copy of my hours sheet and screenshots of texts between him and I showing that I was his employee.

Answer:
 Have you tried emailing or mailing your employer? Make sure to be firm and clear in your communication.

If he still fails to respond or pay you after about a month, consider filing a legal claim.


Title: I found out I'm not an actual tenant.

Question:
   Hello /r/legaladvice. I live in Florida, US, and I've come in to a different situation than most tenant cases. My friend and I decided to get a place together about a year ago. After not having too much luck, his dad found us an opening in one of the places next to him that was also owned by his landlord. They are town home style condos, 7 of which our owned by our landlord, the others are owned by the neighbors. Before moving in to the place, the landlord had us sign a lease agreement, which she gave to (let's call his dad) Jim.

   On the lease, we had three names signed. My roomates, mine, and Jims as a Co-signer to help us get past the security deposit. I didn't like the idea of him Co-signing, because he's an alcoholic, loud mouth that barely can form understandable sentences most of the time, and had always been intrusive and never knew when to leave. Things played out exactly like that over the year living in the apartment. He had the tendency of walking in unannounced, drunk, and causing trouble. Even tried to fight me on multiple occasions because I told him to leave. He claimed it was his house and he could kick me out whenever he wants. I thought he was just referring to the fact that he co-signed, and was the main lease holder.

   So after living here for a year now, with thing cooling down between his father and I, settling in and considering the place home, becoming close with the neighbors etc., I received a letter in the mail from my landlord. The letter stated that (my name) had 3 days to evacuate the premise, with the reason stating that I was "Not a tenant!". This came as a shock to me, because I always thought when I signed my name, it meant I was at least included, if not the main lease holder. When I asked Jim about this, he said that he got rid of the original lease "just in case", and only put him and his sons name down. Like I said, we're on good terms, so it wasn't him trying to get me out of the place. She came by and talked to my roommate earlier today while I was at work and basically she wants me, and his girlfriend who unofficially lives with us, out by Friday or she's taking legal actions. When asked if there was anything we could do to make things work she said no they just need to leave. The only reasons she gave was a noise complaint the first month we were there, my car that broke down and sat in the parking lot, which I sold to my neighbor and he let it sit there for another two months (which I was still getting complaints about apparently, and she thought that we had a dog living there without paying the pet fee, which is my girlfriends dog that she brings over occasionally (which was cleared up today). She lives in England and only vacations down here seasonally, so I've only introduced myself once when we were a few months in. She wants me and his girlfriend out, but says it's ok for him to stay, even though he has no clue how he's supposed to pay the rent in a few days.

   I work 6 days a week, and can't take of with a days notice to move all my stuff out, and on top of that I have absolutely no idea where I'm going to stay on such short notice. I basically want to know what kind of rights I have for being there with her knowledge for over a year now, if any. Could I fight the fact that I signed a lease, and it was thrown out without my consent, and it's being used against me now? Could I get arrested for trespassing for not leaving by Friday? Any help would be beyond appreciated. If there's any more information about the situation you need let me know. Thank you!
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 Your landlord is full of shit.

Whether or not there is a signed lease you HAVE established tenancy and you must be given the legal minimum notice, which in Florida is [15 days for a tenancy without a lease.](http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/florida-notice-requirements-terminate-month-month-tenancy.html)


Title: [Ontario] Landlord evicted me because his father "needed a place", one month later and the unit is listed for rent.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 This information isn't going to help now but you can only be evicted that way after your one year contract is up. After that you go month-to-month and they can do an eviction for this reason but they can't break a contract even if it's to move them selves or a family member in.

 I'm not a lawyer but I live in Ontario and was recently kicked out of my rental condo so the owner can move back in. Answer #2: I don't think the [Landlord Tenant Board](http://www.sjto.gov.on.ca/ltb/) is going to buy that story any more than I do; it seems obvious you landlord was abusing the rules.

You need to get in touch with the LTB right now to start the process.  I'm not a lawyer, but I had a friend go through something similar, and it's my understanding that you have a limited window in which to file for compensation.

I think you are entitled to the difference you're paying in rent after the move.


Title: [US/PA] Mom Injured at Mega Store

Question:
My mother sustained an injury while at a local mega store. She was in the checkout lane and a customer behind her in a scooter bumped into her causing her to fall to the ground and re-injure her back. She was taken via ambulance to a local emergency room and stayed two nights in the hospital. She was released from the hospital but is still in quite a lot of pain. Last summer she fractured multiple vertebrae in an earlier fall and that is the area that is causing her pain now.

I’m just wondering if this is something worth contacting a lawyer about. My aunt was with my mother at the time of the injury. The store had her fill out a form briefly describing the nature of the event. Since the incident a representative of the store attempted to contact my aunt but she let it go to voice mail.  I’m really hesitant to directly contact the store representative until the full extent of her injuries is determined and even then I’m wondering if a lawyer would be a smart decision.

I’d really appreciate any advice you can offer.

Answer: A lawyer would be a very smart decision. Really, the injury was caused by the customer and not the store. Responsibility is with the person in the scooter. The store may be willing to help though.


Title: Got speeding ticket on OLL license, also cited for driving while suspended, but was on my way to school.

Question:
Location: Abington, Pennsylvania

I am currently on a Occupational Limited License which I use only for school and work. Today on the way to school I was pulled over for speeding 47 in a 25. I traveled a new route due to road work on my normal route and was not aware of the speed limit. When the officer pulled up my license information it was also indicated that my license was suspended. Although it is suspended it is not for school, which is where I was traveling. I was nervous because this was the first time I ever got pulled over and forgot to show the officer my DL-15A form. He also did not ask for it. In the end I received a citation for speeding and driving while suspended.

My question is:

Should I state not guilty for both citations?

I'm more so worried about the drivers suspension. If I go into the preliminary hearing with my DL-15A, and school schedule will that be enough to prove me not guilty?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Answer:
 Not being aware of the speed limit is not a defense, I wouldn't bother presenting that as a defense, judges often find it irritating. Be prepared to explain how you were going to school, noting the time and the construction and how your route was taking you to school. If what you say is accurate, you will probably be able to get the driving while suspended charge dismissed. Which is a good thing, that can really start an avalanche of trouble for people.

In the future, if you see houses around you, drive slowly.


Title: In Michigan, which parent has the last say on the name when a baby was born?

Question:
I just asked this in a different thread but they referred me, and cross posting wasn’t working, so I just retyped it.
Is most of this up to the mother or do they ask for both parents input? For example, if a couple were married but the mom kept her maiden name, would she be able to decide that the baby got that last name or is it up to the father? Same thing with first names. If the parents can’t decide, whose decision is it ultimately?

Answer:
 I don't know Michigan, but when my newest grandchild was born in Indiana, it was all up to the mother.

That makes sense, because they pretty much know who the mother is.  The guy standing there could be related or not.


Title: Custody of newborn when divorcing?

Question: [deleted]

Answer: That's something to ask the family lawyer you'll be hiring tomorrow. Not a joke, those are your plans for tomorrow.


Title: Employer withheld $115 worth of tips from me because I accidentally deleted a payment

Question:
Hello everyone.

So I work at a restaurant and the other day a table requested to split the bill, upon doing so and running their cards, I accidentally deleted one of the split payments on the check. The tab in total was about $230 so the split payment I deleted was worth $115. I let management know and they said they’d deal with it at the end of the night when I’m closing with them.

Come the end of the night, none of the managers could figure it out. They couldn’t find a way to retrieve the card info through the system to run it again, which meant I couldn’t close the table and that means I can’t clock out. At this point it was getting late and they decided to just close the table as a cash transaction so we could go home.

However, closing it as cash means that I know owe them $115 cash, so they withheld it from the total tips I received that night in order to pay for the other half of the bill.

My coworkers said that this probably isn’t legal, so I figured I’d get some opinions elsewhere. I’m in Santa Clara County, California if that matters at all.

Tl;dr: Accidentally deleted a card payment of $115, employer is now withholding $115 from my received tips that night.

Answer: It's not legal for them to take money out of your tips. However it is completely legal for them to fire you unless you pay them the $115. So it kinda depends on how much you want this job.


Title: If you are granted immunity, and then go and destroy evidence, do you still have immunity?

Question:
Asking for a friend. If you are granted immunity from an investigation and you turn and use said immunity to destroy evidence related to said investigation are you still immune from it, or can you only be charged on destruction of evidence?
Thanks ahead of time.

Answer: In nearly all cases, immunity is for past offenses, not new ones.  The destruction of evidence would be a new offense.


Title: Shift manager accidentally texted employee that she’d like to assault said employee

Question:
[Seattle, WA] I work for an institution that is notorious for violating employment laws and employees’ rights. They target people who speak up about unsafe working conditions, management practices that are against the law or the contract, or make management’s lives harder by bringing accountability into the picture. My colleague was previously in a management position and told our administrators a few years back about some legitimate law violations so they could rectify them. Ever since they have been harassing her and trying to get her fired. She brought this to HR once before who declared this to be a hostile work environment but did not remove any of the key players from leadership. The key players include our shift manager, a highly skilled contractor, our manager, and their boss who is a company executive. Last week my colleague was talking to a per diem employee about what he wanted to do for work when his military service ended next year. The two most toxic leaders (shift manager and contractor) overheard this and were concerned that the conversation might sway him from taking a full time position at our company. The shift manager texted the contractor (but accidentally in a group chat that included the employee), “I want to smack *employee*,” “Why is she convincing him to go to *other company*,” “And she acts like she knows that place so well.” When she realized that she was texting the employee as well she immediately back pedaled and texted that she didn’t mean it, etc. The employee reported this to HR but I’m not convinced that HR is looking out for employees here. Are there any specific laws that were violated? Any other recourse if they do nothing as usual?
Topic:
Employment Law

Answer:
 HR isn't looking out for you because that isn't HR's job.

If you honestly feel that a threat was made, call the police.


Title: Our Apartment Seems Like They Are Trying To Fuck Us

Question:
My friend and I live in an apartment in Chandler, AZ and our lease ends on April 23, 2019.

In our contract, we are required to give a 60-day notice of intent to leave the lease. This was our mistake, we were not aware of the 60 day required notice; we just assumed that when the lease was over that was it. We also live across the hall from one of the Apartment Office Managers who I would say is pretty friendly towards us and she didn’t bring it up at any point until the 25th of March. Fair enough, this was our fault for missing the 60-day notice, but now the story gets interesting….

She tells me that there is a notice fee and we have to pay a month’s rent for May, at a month-to-month rate of $2921 as opposed to our regular rate of $1526. I do not want to agree to anything until my friend and I have discussed the proposed charges and read over the contracts.

The next day, we go into the office and give our written notice to leave and fill out the official documentation. While there, this woman (let’s call her Karen, because that’s the type you should picture) tells us that we have to pay a fee and two month’s rent. We are not dumb, we came prepared and I pull up the contract where it says, “If the notice does not comply with the time requirements of the Lease Terms paragraph, even if you move by the last date in the lease term, you will be responsible for an additional month’s rent.”

Based on that excerpt, we assume at MOST it will be one month’s, but their addition of a fee that is NOT mentioned in ANY of the leasing documents is pretty bullshit. We challenge Karen on her claim of 2 months and a fee, she lawyers up after looking over the contracts for 2 minutes.

FFW to yesterday, April 1st, we go to pay rent and we see upcoming charges totaling $682 on our online portal. We were given a prorated rate of $1220 for the 1st-23rd of April and then they tacked on the $682 as a rate for the 24th-30th of this month. I send an email questioning the management about the $682 and ask for an update on the 60-day notice situation. We receive an email that states:

“Since your lease expires on April 23rd, you were charged a prorated amount of $1,170 for April 1st through April 23rd and then a prorated amount of $682 (this represents the month to month rate) for April 24th through April 30th.  As per our conversation, please remember that you are responsible for the rent through May 26th, as that would be your full 60 day notice. Additionally, as per my discussion with our attorney, you will also be responsible for one month’s rent of $1,526.00.”

**So to recap they are asking for $682 (prorate for end of April) + $1526 (fee of one month’s rent) + $2921 (Month to month rate for May) = $5129 for essentially missing a notice period. So ~3.5x our rent rate.**

We did not pay the extra $682 on our online rent portal in the morning when we saw the charge and after receiving the above email. We check online to find the $682 was negated with a *move out credit* of the same amount and there were no “upcoming charges.” I can attach relevant leasing documents, with all identifying information wiped.

Also, we combed through our emails and 60 days prior to our last day, **Feb 20th at 4pm**, we received an email with this in the fine print, “*If you are unable to renew your lease, a 60 Day Notice is Required.” This was their lone warning about the 60-day notice, which would have required we leave work early after seeing the email and tried to rush home to sign the documentation that night before the office closed.

We think we are getting screwed for a variety of reasons, the changing numbers online/in person, the inability to give valid reasons to really back up the numbers with writing from the contracts, as well as an inherently predatory notice of our renewal.

We are both recently unemployed engineers and don’t know any property lawyers, please help r/legaladvice

Answer:
 What date did you finally give notice?

>Also, we combed through our emails and 60 days prior to our last day, Feb 20th at 4pm, we received an email with this in the fine print, “*If you are unable to renew your lease, a 60 Day Notice is Required.” This was their lone warning about the 60-day notice

No it wasn't; it was also in the lease. They're not required to give you any warnings, you are responsible for the terms of the contract you signed.Answer #2: >“If the notice does not comply with the time requirements of the Lease Terms paragraph, even if you move by the last date in the lease term, you will be responsible for an additional month’s rent.” >>Based on that excerpt, we assume at MOST it will be one month’s, but their addition of a fee that is NOT mentioned in ANY of the leasing documents is pretty bullshit.

 The lease *does* say what they claim it says. It *does* state that you must give 60 days notice and will be charged another months' rent on top of it if said notice is not given in time to move out on the date the lease ends.


Title: My wife has stage four cancer and JP Morgan Chase repossessed her car.

Question:
I believe they did so wrongfully.

Here are the facts:

1. My wife set up automatic payments for her car from her account and for two years ignored the “thank you for your payment” letter.
2. JP Morgan Chase deleted her “digital profile” and to our knowledge did not inform her. The automatic payments suddenly stopped.
3. Chase sent what my wife thought were thank you letters but were actually bills.
4. Chase FedEx-ed a final demand for payment.
5. I called to say my wife was very ill from cancer and that I'd pay.
6. They refused to accept my payment because (after my giving a bank routing and acct#, my wife’s full name and address, and car make, model, year, and VIN) they said I needed the full chase acct number. I had only the last four digits they put on the demand letter.
7. I got very angry and demanded a new bill with the full needed information be sent to my wife.
8. I calmed down and sent a check from my wife. I still didn't have the full acct# but I trusted they could figure it out.
9. Six days after I sent it, and two days after they say they received it, they repossessed the car from a private driveway, trespassing on my neighbor’s property in the process.
10. They then demanded additional payments, including $400+ “recovery” fees.
11. They cashed the check.

I know we can’t take on a $350 billion corporation that could bring the economy to its knees with a loud sneeze, and my wife lacks the strength or time for a protracted legal battle anyway. But they made my wife cry and she has stage 4 cancer, so I want to create a ripple of regret somewhere at Chase. Are there any legal options?

[I've started bugging @ChaseSupport with a few tweets.](https://twitter.com/Brendan10737014/with_replies), asking them to address this issue in a concrete way. (If anyone wants to follow that, and put a few more eyes on the case, as it were, I promise to raise my game to the level of mildly interesting). Is there a reasonable way to legally escalate this complaint short of filing a lawsuit?

&#x200B;

Answer:
 Doesn't seem like they did much of anything wrong. They were sending you letters. You failed to read them. They probably put the repo order in before you even sent it. You can get a lawyer to help you reduce what you owe.

Trying to get in some weird one-sided twitter banter isn't going to do much. It sucks that your wife has cancer, but that doesn't eliminate responsibilities or get you some kind of Get-out-of-being-late pass.Answer #2: I realize you're pissed about this, and you're in a highly emotional state; but is this really where you want to be focusing your energies? Personally, I'd be more focused on my wife than trying to extract any petty revenge.

Ultimately, you didn't make a payment and your car got repoed. It happens. Even if they had the check delivered to them, without the account number associated with it, it would take time to verify which account it's supposed to be associated with. It's your responsibility to make your agreed to payments and to keep track of your account information.

It doesn't seem like they did anything illegal or not authorized by their contract with you. Poor customer service? Sure - although that's par for the course with Chase. Just chalk it up to a bad customer experience and move on. If you really want to stick it to them, close all your accounts, refinance the car with another bank, and never use them again.


Title: I am a foreign national studying in the US on a student visa, and I lost my passport and certifying documents. Will I be deported?

Question: Title says it all. I am in NY.

Answer: Contact your embassy or consulate about getting replacements.  Checking in with international student services isn't a bad idea.Answer #2: No.  IF your visa is still valid, you can get a replacement copy, as well as a replacement passport.  Contact your embassy.


Title: My grandma fell at hospital after spinal surgery.

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Medical malpractice is very fact specific and it is unfortunately beyond the scope of this subreddit. It is highly recommended to speak with a medical malpractice attorney; your state's bar may be able to refer you to one. They typically work on contingency, meaning there is little up front cost to you. Similarly, consultations are typically free. It wouldn't hurt to meet with one, have them look over your info, and go from there.Answer #2: This is not med mal. This is negligence by the hospital and hospital staff, the burden is not near as hire on these cases as med mal.


Title: Elderly Neighbor Living in Squalor

Question:
I have an elderly neighbor, late 60s, that was once a normal, functioning part of society. Lately, he's become a hermit. For the last 4-5 months, he's locked himself, and his dog, away in his small camper, and drinks almost a handle of rum a day. His camper is horrid. Theres dog feces and urine everywhere, and his toilet hasn't worked in a long time due to issues with his pipes, but he still defecates inside, and doesn't depose of it. His Australian Sheppard never gets to go outside, and when it does, he let's it run all over the neighborhood. He never comes out, and the last time I saw him, he came to borrow my phone. I let him in to sit down, because he could barely stand, and I could barely stand near him without vomiting from the smell... I feel a lot of sympathy for him, because he's alone, and he has no transportation, but I feel like there's nothing I can do to help. I especially feel for his dog, but I hate to call Animal Control and have his only friend taken from him. I am at a loss as far as what I should legally do. Please give me your advice!

Thanks in advance friends.

Answer:
 Search for your state's adult protective services agency.Answer #2: Definitely call Adult Protective Services. They handle abuse situations, but also situations of self neglect.

Search for “name of city” or “name of county” and Adult Protective Services. Most will allow you to be anonymous.Answer #3: You could call social services to do a "Well Check" and they will decide what action needs to be taken to assist him.


Title: Legal advice. So angry

Question: Hi, I just had an incident at the grocery store. I purchased few items (milk and cheese) and when I got home, realized was given the wrong bag by clerk. Somehow was given bag with open bleach which spilled all over my leather upholstey in vehicle. Also stained all my clothes and nice sweater. Went back to store to get correct items, manager said can’t do anyhing now but will contact the district office tomorrow. Is there any legal action I can take here? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Answer: You put the bag into your car.....you spilled the container in your car.....that grocery store is not liable for you damaging something with items that you took from their store....it doesn't matter if you bought them or they were accidentally handed to you....I would venture to guess any legal action would fall short.


Title: Raped by ex twice, detective assigned to my case says it wasn't rape.

Question: I want to try and keep this short because there is way too much to say. For some background, I had been in a two year long abusive relationship with someone and had recently gotten out of that relationship. With no intentions of going back, tired of letting things slide, and wanting to keep him far from me, my counselor offered it was a possibility to press charges against him for rape. This relationship was emotionally, mentally, and sexually abusive. So there were two very particular incidences I had reported on to our university's campus police, to the city police, and finally to the detective assigned to my case as my formal statement. The first incident in December 2017, I had at first begrudgingly consented (I was very depressed at the time due to the way he was treating me with little to no sex drive and he kept pressing me for sex every single day), yet when it started hurting really badly, I clearly told him to stop and that it hurt. His response was a clear indicator that he knew I wanted him to stop but he was going to do it anyway. He said "I'm sorry but it just feels too good" and held me in place as he kept going harder and faster. I brought it up with him and he tried guilt tripping me out of dwelling on it for too long saying he felt bad he raped me. The second incident was recent, this last November. Again, I had consented but at that point had created *clear* boundaries on being careful and going slow since I had been hurting ever since the first incident. I reminded him again this time. Yet his only response was to hold me down and ram it in without any warning. AGAIN, I clearly said "stop" and "it hurts" yet he held me tighter. After he finished, I confronted him about it and hurting me physically (I was also bleeding) and his response? "Don't you care about me enjoying myself for once? It's the only way I can feel anything." I told all of this to the detective and he seemed to believe me, even asking what I wanted to happen to him. As long as he faced any sort of responsibility for his actions was my answer. But after leaving and returning with a picture of my ex to identify him, he somehow changed his mind and said he doesn't know if that counts as rape. He seemed stuck to the fact that I had consented at first, so it couldn't be rape that's it. Yet when I clearly outlined ***again*** that he held me in place by force and clearly heard me say stop yet kept going, it fit within his criteria of what is considered "rape." Somehow he had close to nothing to say. No matter how much I tried explaining to him that I had clearly revoked my consent and he kept going, he was firm on the fact that I consented in the first place. I had also asked for at least a restraining order (for many reasons other than the sexual abuse) yet he couldn't do it and it would all depend on someone else telling me whether I needed it or not. I left the building with only a pamphlet for the rape crisis center and multiple "Sorry I can't help you"s. This happened yesterday and I still can't fathom what just happened. I have no money for any sort of lawyer and have nowhere to turn to. Not one officer or person I had relayed this information to had discounted me until now.  The people who do want to help me have little power in doing so and the only person who could, didn't.

Answer:
 To start, this sucks and I’m sorry you’re going through it. And I can’t imagine how it feels, but I know even posting this had to be difficult.

I looked up the sexual assault statute in TX. From a strict reading of the statute without further case law research, I cannot tell if continued penetration after revoking consent is criminal. I’m certain it is in other jurisdictions, but the detective may be playing this too safely. I would support the other comment(s) recommending contacting RAINN.

You may also want to consider seeking a protection order if you’re concerned about future abuse. In my state, those are applied for and issued at the county courthouses.

Best of luck.Answer #2: You need to call RAINN. I'm really sorry this happened to you. This group will provide you with some resources and educate you on what your next steps could be. They will even know about the laws for your area.

https://www.rainn.org/about-national-sexual-assault-telephone-hotline


Title: Sent someone glitter, they got it in their eye, they now apparently have a serious eye infection. Am I liable in any way? [aus]

Question: The person I sent it to is my old boss. It was just an envelope full of glitter, like those online sites where you send glitter to your enemies. I have no clue how she got it in her eye. It was just meant to be a prank. I couldn't have known that she would get it in her face, I mean come on, kids play with glitter. I found out through facebook she has a serious infection and is on drugs for it.

Answer:
 I don't know about the legal part but just an FYI OP there's a poster on /r/makeupaddiction who had to get her eye removed because of glitter.  I hope the infection clears up soon. Did you sign a card or was this an anonymous site? Answer #2: Don't think 'the person' is in real trouble. Sending glitter != sending someone an envelope full of razors. Glitter isn't meant to do someone harm. It would be the same if the person would have gotten a papercut + infection from the envelope.

However, if the receiver finds out who send it and sues for damages make sure you get a lawyer and don't ignore it.Answer #3: Now they know to look for a previous employee, if they see this. Be super careful about what details you post online.Answer #4: Generally "it's just a prank, bro" isn't a valid defense.


Title: [OH] Can I sue for lost wages after being lied to and convincer to stay in a failing company?

Question:
I felt like I was being underpaid and my company was financially in trouble so I applied for jobs and got a great offer from a Fortune 500 company with a increase in salary and like Cadillac health benefits.

I told my boss, the owner of my company who begged me to stay and begged me to let him match the offer. He said he couldn't match the benefits but matched the salary and vacation time. He said the business was his life's work and my impressions were totally wrong and some big things were brewing and the company was solid and secure. He told me them going out of business was impossible because they had a $10 million line of credit from the bank.

Well that was four weeks ago. I formally passed on the other job offer. You guessed it, they laid off 90% of the company today.

Can I use my owner/CEO? His statements about the financial security of the company were obviously false. And he lured me to stay on his sinking ship in bad faith under false pretenses.

Answer: This is like job hunting 101. Never take the counter offer. It's nearly always a trap to stay until they don't need you anymore.Answer #2: I would say you have a weak or non-existant case. I encourage you to speak with an employment lawyer if you feel like you have a case.


Title: ex-gf told me kid was 100% mine, now saying it isn't. (TN)

Question: So in January I found out a girl I was sleeping with was pregnant.  She told me she wasn't sleeping with anyone else and it was 100% mine.  Yesterday I told her I was planning on getting a DNA test because I was told that in Tennessee you have no parental rights when it comes to the courts if you don't have a DNA test.  She flipped out, said I was trying to take her kid and broke up with me.  Now she is saying she was actually sleeping with someone else and it isn't mine.  She is also saying she will not let me take a DNA test.  How should I handle this?

Answer: Once the child is born you can have a court mandate a DNA testAnswer #2: Petition for paternity. No point in dealing with crazy. Deal with reality. If you're the dad, expect child support unless you take custody of the kid.


Title: Unordered big ticket item delivered, Credit card charged -- can I keep the item?

Answer:
 Your disputing the charge; which means at the end of the day you are not going to be PAYING for that item...how could you expect to keep it?
Arrange to have it returned, try calling customer service for the company the item was ordered from and explain what has happened.

If you want to keep the item your probably going to need to pay for it.


Title: Can my boss legally deny someone's Medicaid services if they don't have their Medicaid card on their person but are clearly eligible?

Question:
TL;DR, My boss will not let us opticians accept Medicaid unless the user has their card on them. This does not stand with all insurance users, only Medicaid. Is that legal? Is their anything I can say or do to make them stop?

This has been eating me alive for some time now. I don't really ever post to anything but I've tried looking into it and can't find anything.

My manager doesn't like that some people are eligible for free shitty quality glasses(the available Medicaid glasses are the cheapest and lowest quality we have). They say, "These people are getting these for free might as well make them "work for it". They get all these free services the least THEY can do is actually bring their card". I get that if the claim gets denied or kicked back that's loss of revenue. BUT THEY DOESN'T HOLD THAT ATTITUDE TO EVERYONE.
If a United Healthcare member forgot their card, it's fine! Just look them up by name and birthday and it's all peachy keen.
This pisses me off in ways I can't even put into words because I am the one who has to look these people in the face, who are clearly in need, and tell them they HAVE to show me their card or we can't service them, period. Even if I look them up on the website and see their eligiblity!  It just feels so wrong but is there no legal implications?? Do the laws that protect Medicaid users not apply here?
Oh and I can't just ignore them either if we accept the sale without a copy of the Medicaid card we get chewed out, harshly.

It just...feels like discrimination against poor people, who can't drop $270 or more on fucking glasses. It's not fair man.
Topic:
Insurance

Answer:
 Generally speaking, possession of the printed Medicaid card is not a requirement for treatment. I would recommend contacting your state's HHS department to get a definitive answer (didn't see location in your post)

I assume you're verifying benefits electronically?


Title: My girlfriend got yelled at by nurses for not being able to tell whether she is pregnant.

Question:
So, apparently, this happened about an hour ago - my girlfriend (19) went to a doctor becse of a swollen knee and she was sent to make an x-ray.

There, one of the two nurses, asked her whether she is pregnant, and, when she answered, that she is unsure (we haven't had sex, but we have been playing around so she couldn't be 100% sure, and before you start any conspiracy theories, I am absolutely sure that she didn't have sex with anyone else either), the nurse told her to sign the paper that states that she is not pregnant, so my girlfriend followed, and the nurse went away.

A short time later said nurse came back with another nurse and both started shouting/screaming at her with an intensity that she couldn't even decipher what all of that was about, up to a point where she has just left because she couldn't handlr it anymore and just went out.

Later the doctor called her and, after confirming that there has been screaming (one of the nurses called him) simply told her to get herself a test and come back later.

She cust called me in tears being so down that it took me a while to get any information out of her in between the sobs.

Now I'm very certain that this kind of behavior from medical staff towads a patient is not allowed and I'm very determined to make sure that this doesn't happen again, not only because of my girlfriend, but also because certanly she is by far not the only insecure patient, who is too shy to do anything against that.

I'm only not sure what exactly I/we can do in this situation, as there is no concrete evidence like an audio recording or such.

TL;DR: My girlfriend whi lives in Germany/Saxony was has been yelled at by nurses so bad that she had to cry and leave. Her doctor seems to at least partly know about that, but that's the closest thing to direct evidence I can see. What can we do so that those nurses don't do it again / see consequences for this kind of behavior?

Answer: This sub primarily advises on US/CAN law, but I doubt a nurse being a jerk is unlawful in your country. Depending on what kind of practice this was you may be able to complain to some sort of patient advocate, she can try going to a different provider in the future.


Title: Ex boyfriend is telling people I fuck my dog, also is trying to get my dog taken away/put down. What can be done here?

Question: [removed]

Answer:
 Telling people you are engaging in a crime of moral turpitude would be defamation per se. This is still a crime in some former British colonies and I believe it's a crime in Australia, as well. I may be wrong, though. You could call your local police station and ask. You also need a lawyer to bring forth a civil suit against this individual.

Good luck !Answer #2: It's a good idea to speak to a solicitor who specializes in defamation/slander cases. The Queensland Law Society has an online referral service here:

https://services.qls.com.au/Web/FindLegalServices/OnlineReferral.aspxAnswer #3: You may wish to consult r/auslegalAnswer #4: In addition to the defamation, he is harming your reputation and trying to steal/damage your property (your dog).Answer #5: Have you saved the communications (if not verbal) that indicate that he is doing this deliberately to cause trouble? Because there's your evidence.

I'd get ahead of this, and speak to the police and a lawyer. Harassment and defamation are actionable.Answer #6: > My ex lovingly confirmed he reported me because he wants to get 'The dog shot'.

Can you get him to repeat that in a text message or email?

&#x200B;Answer #7: 1.  Cease and desist letter from your solicitor.
2.  PPO or DVO if he keeps up harassment.
3. Get the dog chipped.
4. Consider moving, turning off all social media and changing phone numbers.
Answer #8: Does the ex think that getting rid of your dog is going to make you crawl back to him? Mention to anyone that he was being abusive and controlling and your dog never pounced or growled at him.


Title: Ex step dad sold mu car that was in my mother's name. My mom is deceased, how can I get my car/money back? [GA]

Question:
I was living with my ex stepdad (my mom divored him before she passed) and we went to jail over a fight. I live with someone else now, but we drove past my old house and my car was gone. The ar was in my mom's name. She passed in 2013 if that matters.

Im not allowed to have contact with him, but the person I am living with is, and asked about my car. He said that he got rid of it. How do I get my car back? Im 17, will be 18 within the month.

Answer: It wasn't your car it was your moms. Who did your moms estate go to? Couldn't be step dad if she divorced before she died. Answer #2: Did your mother leave the car to you in a will?  If her name was on it, the car was never technically yours.