Title: Really strange questions about the legalities of tracking purchases through multiple companies.

Question:
Really weird questions. I'm just looking to see if someone with a legal background can maybe answer some questions o I posted about this in another subreddit, but still haven't gotten satisfactory answers. So anyone willing to let me pick their brain, let me know!

Edit: I'm in the US, NY to be specific.
Edit again: Removed request to be contacted.

Okay so, in another post, I mentioned how I use my SNAP (food stamp card) that is in only my name, to do my grocery shopping at Wal-Mart. I noticed soon after getting it that every specific item I buy is listed on the front page of Wal-Mart's website. Very accurate. Exactly what I buy and it what quantities and sizes. But the Wal-Mart account is listed in my fiance's name, with his debit card on it. That debit card, the bank has his old address on it from when he lived with his parents. From what I can see, there should be no link between my SNAP card, and his Wal-Mart account. My name is no where on the WM account at all.

It just seems like WM might have more information about myself and my fiance than they should. I get targeted adds, I understand how they work, this seems to be different than that.

So my question to you guys is this: Is it possible that they are using illegal means to track what we purchase and to find out personal information about us that links us together?

Answer: You said in the other thread you've used your SNAP card and your husbands debit card at the same time. They likely linked you through your shipping address, and no, that's not illegal.


Title: Roommate issues in Denver, CO. Advice needed

Question: [deleted]

Answer: You should be fine -- you are a month to month tenant and gave him 30 days to move out.  Hopefully you have proof that you gave him notice on March 1.


Title: Nevada: Parent wrote bad checks in my name, there's now 2 arrest warrants out. (Currently live in Florida)

Question:
Long story short, my mother is a not so great person and stole my identity ages ago. She's done this to my father and my sister but neither of those escalated to this level. Right now the issue writing bad checks. She's spent time in jail for this herself.

I live in Florida right now, and I completely removed her from my life. These charges are coming from Nevada and are from 2011.

Basically I was getting a background check done for a job and they told me they couldn't hire me because I have two arrest warrants out in Nevada. I wasn't too shocked, because like I said, my mother has a history of this, but I was pretty damn floored.

Running off of 100% assumptions here, but I'm guessing these physical checks stemmed from a bank account that my mother helped me open after I turned 18 and she just kept the checkbooks.

I completely and 100% did not do this. I've known of her using my identity before because I have bad marks on my credit report from her (from around this time) but I had no knowledge of these checks being written nor did I do it.

Since moving away from Nevada, I went from having nothing more than a GED to my name and now going to an amazing University, living on my own, etc., my life has really changed. This happening has been the lowest blow I've felt in a while.

Now I'm stuck on what to do. These are two separate charges, both misdemeanors, issued within 6 months of each other. I briefly spoke to an attorney in Vegas over the phone and he said something along the lines of "these are not bench warrants, they're actual arrest warrants which are more serious".

I was quoted $7800 to get both of these taken care of. It's twice as much because there are two separate charges.

I have no idea what these checks are for, how much they're for, who they were written out to, anything. I'm kind of afraid to call the courts to find out anything because I don't want to trigger a manhunt or something. Paranoid, I know. I'm really lost in what to do.

Any advice on my next steps? Is $7800 too crazy high for an attorney?

I've gone 6 years without knowing these issues existed... I'm terrified to even drive my car now in the event that I get pulled over, arrested and extradited over this.

Any peace of mind and advice would be greatly appreciated.

For what it's worth, I've spoken to my mother once in the past 6 years and I have no connection with her. I ignored the negative remarks on my credit report because.. it's family. But this, this is too much. I don't have contact with her, don't know where she is, but I have no qualms over saying it was her. I know some people have relationships with their parents that they'd never turn on them, but this is far too much for me to forgive. Like I said, she's been in so much legal trouble for writing checks before. This is her pattern.
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer:
 Report the identity theft to the appropriate authorities.

https://www.identitytheft.gov/Know-Your-RightsAnswer #2: Just to be sure, this is the first time you're hearing about any of this?  You had no knowledge of the checks being written before you heard about this?  Also, about this bank account you opened, was it solely in your name, or was it a joint account?


Title: [Florida] I was rear ended by a taxi at a crosswalk waiting for a pedestrian to cross, was told driver wasn't insured an as such I would receive nothing

Question:
Melbourne FL

I was rear ended at a crosswalk, I was stopped waiting for a pedestrian to cross when I was rear ended at aprx 35 mph. I exited my vehicle and called 911, then tended to the driver of the taxi who's vehicle was so smashed in he couldn't exit by himself. I informed the driver that 911 had already been called and that he should inform his employer. The pedestrian called 911 as well and put in his witness account.

When the cab company owner showed up he was dumb enough to constantly berate his driver telling him he was fired and it was his fault right in front of the officer, which I would believe to be admission of fault. My girlfriend at the time was a passenger and needed paramedic assistance and was taken to the er due to severe concussion.

A couple weeks later I was informed the driver had no insurance and as such I would receive nothing in terms of financial or medical reperations. The accident has given me several bulging disks and scoliosis, and my PIP coverage of 10k is almost out. What can I do? Do I have to suck it up and live with this? I will now have this damage permanently since I can't get the needed surgery before irreparable damage is caused. Should I not have grounds to sue the company for negligence since their driver was uninsured?

On top of all of it, the taxi driver was very obviously physically and mentally disabled. One arm barely worked and he had a heavy limp, he also had a visable mental handicap, should he have even been behind the wheel of a commercial vehicle?

Thank you for any help you can offer.

Answer:
 Have you spoken to your own insurance, yet? That's probably step one.

Otherwise, you can sue the driver and the taxi company, and let the courts sort it out. Their lack of insurance doesn't eliminate their liability. Speak to a personal injury attorney and proceed from there.Answer #2: Who told you the driver didn't have insurance? The taxi company or your insurance?Answer #3: (1) Who informed you?
(2) Don't know about practice in Florida.  But, it's common practice for taxi companies to shield themselves from liability by, for example, making each taxi (or group of 4 taxis) its own corporation, making drivers independent contractors, etc....
(3) You might have an in if this driver had a mental handicap -- the person who decided to allow him to drive might be personally liable.
Answer #4: > I was informed the driver had no insurance and as such I would receive nothing in terms of financial or medical reparations.

Who, exactly, told you that ?

Was this an actual taxi or for-hire company vehicle, or an Uber/Lyft rideshare vehicle ?

In general, taxi drivers are required in Florida to have $125K of bodily injury liability insurance that will cover people in other vehicles (like OP).    If the owner or the driver didn't have that insurance, then they're going to be personally liable for your expenses.

If the taxi company was employing a driver who couldn't qualify for a commercial driver's license, then there might be also a claim against them for negligent supervision/negligent employment.

Call around to personal injury attorneys.   This is the sort of thing they do every day.


Title: Illegal Eviction and Crazy LL: Need IMMEDIATE Help

Question:
Hi Reddit! Throwaway for obvious reasons. Apologies for terrible formatting, LTL and first post.

I need some advice on dealing with a weird tenancy situation \- my GoogleFu usually returns me better information that I've found.

\(Phoenix, AZ\)

So I got a text from my landlord \(LL\) \(who lives in the same home\) this morning telling me I need to be out by the 20th of this month. My lease ends on the 26th, and was an annual lease \(6/26/17\-6/26/18\). Obviously this is an illegal eviction. Last Tuesday we had discussed my going month\-to\-month \(MTM\) until I find another place to live, with the general expectation being I would be moving sometime in August \(I have already made a deposit and signed the lease with the new property.\) We made a standing verbal agreement to allow MTM in perpetuity, and at that time I gave them a check for the full month of June. My understanding is that in Arizona verbal agreements are enforceable for MTM tenancy, and require a 30 day notice of termination. When I asked the LL why they were attempting to nullify our agreement, they responded that they need me to move out in order to begin renovations on the bathroom that is implied in my lease. They have refused to cash my check for the entirety of June, as well as refused to return it to me until I deliver them a check at the requested pro\-rated amount, which is for 26 days even though they want to kick me out in 20. I use the term implied because the lease is written with extraordinary ambiguity; the actual terms of the lease are "the premises at \*\*\*\* address." There is no definition of what those premises are. To that end, I believe the lease could be interpreted in my favor as being a lease on the entire house, not simply the bedroom I live in and the bathroom I have rights to. But i digress.

There are two major issues with the LL's reason for my prompt dismissal:

\- We have another tenant with us who signed a year\-long lease for the 2nd bedroom and moved in two months ago
   who also uses that bathroom.

\- The bathroom renovations are a direct written\-in provision of my lease, and were supposed to be completed within 3
   months of my moving in. The bathroom has black mold \(per a lab test kit I sent in August '17\), and the tub liner is
   destroyed to the point of the metal underneath rusting through. I had to purchase a huge bath mat to keep off of
   this. They have never made an attempt to fix these issues past pouring a large amount of bleach on it to remove the
   rust stains, which promptly returned. These issues existed before I moved in, and are exactingly written out in the
   leasing agreement.

However, it gets stranger. For the last 11 months, they have Airbnb'd the 3rd bedroom, the tenants of which also use \(my\) bathroom. I have never been compensated for this, and in fact, have been directly harmed by this more than once. Twice they have failed to verify their Airbnb tenants, which resulted in my being stolen from \(PS4, laptop, grandfather's watch\) the first time, and having to get the police involved to remove a tenant whom the LL unreasonably kicked out \(LL decided they did not like the guest and texted the guest a 2 hour heads\-up to leave on a Wednesday morning, having cancelled the AirBnB reservation. When he failed to vacate within that time frame \[residential surgeon who was actively in surgery\], she called the police and had them waiting at the house for him to return, under the premise that she "feared for her life." She would not allow him more time to move, and the police actually refused to let her press charges for trespassing when he was finally able to come remove his things.\) To this end the LL still refuses to give me a key to my bedroom door, which I understand to be in direct violation of Arizona Tenancy Statutes.

But wait, there's more! I recently discovered that the LL is not the owner of the property \(their father is\), the LL is not registered with the state to rent properties, the property is not registered as a rental, and that the lease I signed is not a provisional sublet lease \- in fact, it is a standard AZ residential lease designed to adhere to the entirety of the property listed. I actually have the right, per the lease, to sublet rooms myself, which would again indicate that I have rights to the entire property.

The LL also refuses to supply me with a copy of the lease. The only opportunity I have had to access the lease since I moved in was a 24 hour period in which the LL texted me that the lease was on the kitchen table, knowing full well that I was in Chicago for work the entirety of the week. When I returned the lease was gone and the LL again refused to produce it for me, claiming it was held outside of the property in a safe\-deposit box at their bank.

Finally, I'm actually becoming afraid of the LL. I'm not a small person, and I have the means to protect myself at home, but their behavior has become increasingly more erratic and violent:

\- I started noticing the LL trying to pull sketchy things a few months ago; LL "lost" my rent check for April and said
  nothing to me until the 30th, when they delivered me a notice for late fees 1.2x in excess of my actual rent. I can prove
  I delivered it to them on time and in full. I believe this was a cash grab, as the LL has is getting married in August and
  has been unemployed since October of 2017.

\- LL worked into new tenant's lease that he is responsible for all yard and pool maintenance and upkeep, without
  providing a reduction in rent \(he actually pays more than I do.\)

\- LL has always been verbally and emotionally abusive to their fiance \(very low\-key, but obvious to everyone who has
  stayed in that house, AirBnb guests have cancelled early over this\), but over the weekend got upset with their fiance
  for taking a nap instead of mowing the yard and woke them up by breaking their finger.

To complicate things further, I'm leaving Monday morning to work out of Ohio for the remainder of the month, effectively preventing me from moving at all.

What do I do Reddit? I feel like I'm fucked and have no clue what to do from here or what my legal remedies may be. Going to try to speak with a lawyer next week, but seriously, what the hell?!

Answer:
 If you're leaving on Monday and won't be back the rest of your month I can guarantee you that your landlord will get rid of all your stuff even though you've got rights to be there until you've gotten (or given) 30 days notice ending your tenancy.

If you don't want to deal with the headache of replacing everything and suing her later for their current value I would suggest at the very least moving your irreplaceable belongings into storage.Answer #2: >To that end, I believe the lease could be interpreted in my favor as being a lease on the entire house, not simply the bedroom I live in and the bathroom I have rights to. But i digress.

You would be wrong. If she also lives in the house you obviously are not renting exlcusive access to the entier property.

Your landlord needs to give you a 30 day notice to end your tenancy. If they try to lock you out before that you can call the police.

All the drama about other roommates or how much they pay for rent is pretty irrelevant. I don't know what effect you think the repairs would have on this since you don't want to leave.


Title: [WA] Cam girl has been selling recordings of me online

Question:
I created a very specific fetish scenario for a cam girl, wrote a script for her to improvise from and do a Skype call for me. We transacted our business and I was pleased with the result, so I wrote another scenario and we did it again a few weeks later. But then many months later I found out she had uploaded video of our calls to a site where people sell custom videos, usually of a sexual nature. Now, I wasn't stupid enough to turn my own cam on, so thankfully my image isn't being spread all over the internet associated with this, but

a) my voice is very recognizable in the calls, and
b) both of my videos are her top sellers

I can send a takedown notice, but that doesn't fully resolve this for me. I don't know how many people out there have these videos by now. I don't know how many sales her top is, but she has 12,000 followers on twitter, and her twitter is focused strictly on her cam persona which specializes in fetishes similar to this, so all 12k would be likely customers for a video like this. So I have a few questions:

1) I don't know who holds copyright to these videos. As I've looked around, I've seen online advice that for cam girls the performer owns copyright, but this feels like a "work for hire" situation - I wrote a script (which she re-printed almost verbatim as the videos' descriptions), hired her to perform it (albeit in an improvisational capacity), then paid her for services rendered. She didn't perform it on a site - I paid separately and she performed on Skype. It feels to me like I should own the copyright - if not 100%, then certainly a sizable portion. If that's the case, I want her to a) take the videos (and my writing) down, but also b) pay penalties and compensate me for the infringement. Am I understanding the law here, and what recourse do I have?

2) This is a huuuuge violation of privacy. I said some very private, very personal, very embarrassing things in this call. I even used the first names of two different real-life people in the scenarios - so if anyone who recognizes my voice also knows those people, it makes it even that much more likely that they'll be able to identify me. She also used my Skype name in the file name of one of the videos, so that makes me even more personally identifiable (my Skype name isn't my personal name, but I've used that Skype account with other people, so it is associated with me). Washington is an all-party consent state, and the penalty for recording someone without their consent is a year in jail. I don't know if there are other penalties for then going further and selling those recordings. I don't really want to put anyone in jail, but I do want her to face real consequences so she never even thinks of doing this to someone again. What do you advise?

The last thing I'd like to ask is: is there any way to address this without making it even more public? I have a wife (who knows I occasionally dabble in things like this, but certainly doesn't want it to be public knowledge), a family, and a respected place in the community. So if there are ways to deal with this quietly, I'd really like to know.

Oh and also: I'm in Washington state, and she's in D.C. Not sure how that affects any of this.

Thanks so much!

Answer:
 This is the kind of situation the law hasn't even come close to catching up with yet, but you likely have no recourse here. She's the performer and while I suppose an analysis of the facts could find that this would fall under 'work for hire', it's equally (if not more) likely that she retains all rights to her performance absent any contract saying otherwise.

More importantly, if you truly want this to not become "even more public", your best bet is to just let it go and move on.Answer #2: IANAL, but did you consent to recording? Washington is a two party consent state, and that makes it a criminal offense to record you without consent. Googling brought me to Wash. Rev. Code § 9.73.030(1). Someone more knowledgeable than I may be able to better detail what you could do with that.


Title: The writing on the money on the wall.

Question:
In my area, it's pretty common for dive bars to have dollar bills tacked to every available surface. You visit the bar, write something goofy/funny/cute like a dirty rhyme or "scamp's alaska road trip 2021!" on a dollar and stick it up with countless others. I've seen it in other countries too, but this has been a bar debate with my alaska friends for *years.*

If the bar caught fire tomorrow and all that cash went up in smoke, would it be covered by insurance? Do you claim "idk 15 grand stapled to my walls" with your insurance adjuster?

Answer:
 15,000 dollar bills is over 1,666 square feet of cash. Probably you’re looking at a few hundred dollars, *maybe* a grand, likely less than the insurance deductible.

But to answer your question, the business would need to have money/cash/securities coverage in their insurance plan. They may or may not have that, but if they did they would need to show proof of the cash value lost… for cash in the till that could be receipts, for cash stapled to the bar that could be photographs.Answer #2: Depends on the insurance contract. Photos of the interior of the bar priors to the fire would help.Answer #3: Just did some math.  1000sq ft space would yield max (generally) 1300ft wall space. (31.6ft long sides 10 ft high walls).  A bill is like .11sq ft, so that space would accept $11,681 not including the ceiling.  With ceiling it would be 2300sq ft and $20,667.

I’m on a train and had a few beer so forgive any glaring errors.


Title: Texas Divorce, ex wants >50% of monthly income for child support

Question:
Getting a divorce in Texas, 2 children, I make a little under 60K and my wife makes 75K. Wife is getting custody. We were attempting an agreed divorce but she proposed to me today what she wants is approx 60% of my monthly income, which after bills and student loan payments would preclude anything left over to secure housing. I countered that it seems the Texas standard for 2 kids is 25% plus health insurance (source: https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/cs/calculator/). Neither of us have the money to have a contested divorce but this seems absolutely out of the norm. I told her and her attorney (who is orchestrating this agreed divorce) that I would agree to the standard 25% or get my own attorney and fight them but they are persisting.

Am I way off base? This seems outrageous to me but maybe I'm missing something.

Answer:
 Wait, full stop.  Your wife is represented by an attorney and you're not? That's going to change right now.  You doing this as a DIY project because you can't afford an uncontested divorce is going to end up with you being poor. Why are you giving up custody like that?  You should be demanding custody *and alimony* to maintain the lifestyle you're accustomed to living.

I think you're not aware that you're in a contested divorce situation. Answer #2: 1 - Get a Lawyer
2 - Fight for Shared Custody

She makes more than you. If ya'll split custody 50/50 she would have to pay you child support. Answer #3: Why is the wife getting custody and you are not sharing the responsibility?  Having shared custody would surely affect the amount you pay... unless you want nothing to do with the children?Answer #4: BTW OP, asking for something that you're willing to trade away for other concessions is a good rule for negotiation.  Get a lawyer, they are skilled in this art.


Title: Wrongful Dismissal

Question:
I had a post earlier but I was still emotional about the situation so I admit it was horribly written as I was just trying to get the information out there to get advice.

Anyways, this morning I got a traffic infraction, serious enough of and infraction that I had to call my wife to come and pick me up in order to solve the situation.  During that time she had called her work place to tell them that she was not coming in today, the owner said that "That was fine, see you next week".

As we were conducting our business the other Owner called her and fired her for job abandonment and said she was going to "pay her 2 weeks in lieu of notice".

Its a part time job because this town is dead, It is really hard for my wife to get a job it seems (HS education only) once she was without a job for 7 months till this last job came up.

In short we are looking to get as much money as we can out of this BS situation.

Country: Canada
Province: Ontario

Answer: What is wrongful about the dismissal? Is the termination pay not in line with what she should be entitled to?


Title: Could being punched once in the face be considered aggravated assault and battery?

Question:
A gay student at my school was apparently called a homophobic slur and punched in the face. Our school announced it as an “aggravated assault and battery”, but unfortunately, they refuse to give any further information on the incident or on the condition of the student.
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer:
 The school doesn't determine what the crime is.

That said, yes, a single punch could meet the definition for aggravated assault. Your location may also have enhancements for assaults that are categorized as hate crimes that automatically places them in this range.


Title: [IA] University Housing changing accommodations last minute and increasing our pricing despite already having billed us.

Question:
Hey /r/legaladvice, I'm a longtime lurker/occasional poster (this is obviously a throwaway) who is finally finding a need for a bit of advice.

Location: Iowa

I'm an out of state student attending an Iowa public land grant university. A representative of our residency department recently informed my roommate group that our dorm is being downgraded from a four person capacity to a three person capacity, and that one of us must find alternate housing. They've offered one of us a different room in the same building, but that room costs almost two grand more per year. Additionally, they will be raising the rates on our current dorm.

They've told us we have two business days to decide who will move. This is basically no notice, and we're only a week away from our move-in date. Because of this absurdly short notice, I do not believe I can schedule a consult with a legal firm in time. We've also already been billed the cost of the dorm.

It is my limited understanding that my university is just as beholden to our legal contract as I am, but not all of the same tenancy laws/protections apply. I'm trying to negotiate a deal where they split us the difference, but given that they seem to be deliberately railroading us, I'm not convinced that will go anywhere.

**Update:** They are now offering our previous housing costs for the first semester, but not the second.

**Update2:** The original housing contract states that by signing the contract we agree to 2017-2018 terms in conditions; however, these terms and conditions were not available online at the time of signing and are apparently "coming soon." Only previous years' terms were available.  From my previous experience on LA a contract's signatories can't be required to preemptively agree to terms that don't even exist at the time of signing, but obviously IANAL and am probably wrong. Could this maybe be relevant? Thanks.

**Misc. Notes**
(these details may or may not be necessary to understand this legal situation)

- Our contract stipulates that the contract is for "space only" and preferences are not guaranteed. That is understandable, but we've been under the impression we'd be living here and paying X amount for many months.
- If we were to cancel our contract this late we'd be paying a lot of penalties.
- I cannot afford any substantial change in cost to my dorm situation.
- All communication has been done via university email. I've already printed off a copy of the bill in case they they try to change it on us.
- We cannot just find non-university housing last minute like this. Unless we take the universities deal one of us is homeless and still stuck paying tuition.
- Student legal services is paid by student government directly through student fees, so they might be able to help despite this being an issue with the university but it's the summer.
- I can provide an MS Paint diagram of the dorm, but it isn't especially relevant.

Answer:
 This isn't legal advice persay, but I worked in university housing for a few years. Typically, if a student/parent is persistent enough, housing will bend to their will. I also recommend speaking with the dean of students if you haven't already - they can usually pull strings in these sorts of situations.

Realistically, you need to consider the possibility of either paying the additional fee or living somewhere else. A strongly worded letter could possibly compel them to cut the cost, but this is a civil matter and you can't come after them for breaching the contract before they've even breached it.


Title: I just received 100 emails from charter regarding DMCA and they want $20 per infringement or I'm facing $150k for EACH file...please help me

Question:
I have no idea what to do, I called charter and told them I didn't download these files and they basically told me they can't do anything and I just have to do what the email says...the email is asking for a settlement of $20 dollars per file or face a fine of $150k for each file which as of now would be $1.5 million...
I live paycheck to paycheck and can barely afford to put gas in my car, I can't afford $2,000 let alone $15 million...what do I do? I'm freaking out here and I feel like throwing up.

Edit: it's up to 15 million not 1.5 and I'm in Southern California
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 Before you do anything, do some googling to see if these people ever follow up and sue. Frankly, 100 songs is small potatoes for a lot of these people.

You also haven't said where you are. That might help.


Title: Can a roommate claim mental illness to break a lease and avoid paying rent?

Question:
I currently live in an apartment with two roommates. I am close friends with Roommate A and we all know each other from living together in college a few years ago. For a few reasons, Roommate A and I suspect that Roommate B is planning to move out without notice and will refuse to pay rent for the remainder of the lease. We also suspect that Roommate B's girlfriend and mother will try to get involved and stop Roommate B from paying us the third of the rent that is owed for the remainder of the lease.

From what I understand, we can take Roommate B to small claims court if the rent isn't paid. Can Roommate B try to claim depression/mental illness as a reason to break the lease or not pay rent? To my knowledge there is no actual diagnosis of this from a professional on record anywhere but Roommate B often cites depression as a reason to avoid obligations. Is there any way that Roommate B's mother can legally interfere with us taking legal action? (Roommate B is 24 years old)
---
Thanks for all assistance and advice!
Edit: Located in Massachusetts

Answer: No, mental illness doesn't absolve her of her contractual obligations. Her mom is irrelevant: you're suing an adult, not her mother.


Title: Is it illegal to talk with a minor in an online chat such as discord or chatroulette?

Question:
This is me being more paranoid than anything. Now I'm not talking about sex or asking photos or any of that creepy stuff. Im talking about going to a strangers chatroom or a discord community and just talking about school, work, games, etc. I just skip them for now but some of my discord servers have minors just talking.
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer: And he deletes his account 35mins later....think that guy was up to something shady.Answer #2: Nope. Unless you're legally prohibited from having contact with minors. Answer #3: No.


Title: Caught speeding in NYS 20mph over 55 speed limit. Plead guilty via mail. Could I go to prison?

Question: I looked up in New York State, and I see there is a fine, and there is a prison sentence of "Not more than 30 days" http://www.safeny.ny.gov/spee-ndx.htm I'm pretty scared about the potentials of this. On the ticket I wrote that I am usually a very safe driver, and going down hill as well as passing a slow maintenance vehicle, and though it is not an excuse, I wanted to explain. I also pleaded for a lesser fine because it would present a financial hardship for me as a student, But now I'm not only afraid of a ticket, but prison time. What do you think. Is this likely? I was only doing 75. I forgot to mention on the ticket that I thought the speed limit was 65 not 55.

Answer:
 Half of New York state would be in prison if one commonly went to jail for doing 20 over.

Unless you have been caught multiple multiple times as a habitual speeder (like top one in the state) or there are other aggravating circumstances, you'll have to pay the fine and get the points on your license. That'll be it.


Title: How can someone be charged for paraphernalia if they have no drugs and buying paraphernalia is legal?

Answer:
 Well, if you go in and buy a glass pipe from a store, then it's legal for them to have and legal for them to sell and legal for you to buy.

It's not "drug paraphernalia" yet.

But if you take it to your car and smoke marijuana out of it (in an illegal state) and then all the marijuana is gone (except for the residue) left on the pipe, NOW it's drug paraphernalia because you've used it for drugs, even if there are no more drugs left.

If you scrub it out so that there's no more detectable marijuana, then they police can't prove it's paraphernalia anymore.


Title: [USA] Is creating an application based on an idea stated by another person who intends to create the same app intellecual theft?

Question:
I do not plan on sharing or stealing an app idea, I am just curious as to whether stealing an app idea has any legal concesquences. In this scenaro there were no documents signed to ensure that the person hearing the idea would not steal the idea. The app idea is shared through emails or conversation.  Thanks

Edit: Added more details

Answer:
 Ideas are not protected.

It could have legal consequences if you had a nondisclosure/noncompete agreement. That would not require a signed document.

Or, if you use actual code that was written by the other party.

Or, if you infringe on a patent they have for a particular method of doing something.

Or, if in the name or logos or characters of your work, you infringe their trademark rights.

Usually, it makes more sense to partner up and work together, from a practical viewpoint.


Title: Multiple car shops messed up my car without my authorization to work on it. Who's at fault? (And more)

Question: [deleted]

Answer: My suggestion would be to reach out to both AA and Jiffy Lube and have them file a claim under their garage keeper policies. I can see this not turning out well for you since both Jiffy Lube and AA screwed up the repairs and most likely they will start pointing the fingers at each other soon when you ask for reimbursement. unfortunately there is no coverage under your own personal auto policy for "mechanical failure" even it was caused by shops that screwed up the repair. Another suggestion i have for you is to reach out to the dealer and inquires about warranty on your transmission, obviously the warranty has been voided on the first and second transmission. Anytime you put fluid that's not OEM into the CVT transmission, it will automatically void the warranty. You will need to talk to the dealership and ask them how does the repair needs to be done or who needs to do the repair in order for the new transmission to be covered under the manufacturer warranty again. Another way to do this is to pay the repair out of pocket and have the dealership replace the transmission then take Jiffy Lube/ AA to a small claim court. Answer #2: If it's <$5000 go to small claims court. Bring as much paperwork as you can get your hands on, including info from the 1st and 2nd mechanics that claim the work was done wrong.


Title: If someone is in a long term coma but they've committed a crime, does the statute of limitations still apply?

Question: For example, if it is discovered someone is a thief and they go into a coma shortly after, what happens if they're comatose for 10 years when you're legally only able to charge them within the next 5?

Answer:
 You can "charge" someone who is in a coma, you just can't "try" them.  I imagine the DA would not pursue the case after a few years, as the evidence would start to become an issue, and the fact that the defendant is getting a fate worse than prison anyway.

Justice would not be served.


Title: [AZ] Is my insurance company breaking the law?

Question:
I just switched from company A to company B. While going through a quote both online and over the phone with company B, having 5 comprehensive claims has increased my 6 month premium. For clarification, 4 of these were for glass, and the 5th was flood damage.

[AZ Rev Stat § 20-263](http://www.azleg.gov/viewDocument/?docName=http://www.azleg.gov/ars/20/00263.htm) indicates that an insurer cannot raise premiums for a not-at-fault claim, which is what comprehensive claims are.

When I asked company B, they were unaware of the AZ stature and couldn't provide me with any real explanation other than "comp claims ***can*** make your rates increase."

Is this simply a matter of "more claims = more $$$" and not necessarily them increasing the $$$ because it's a ***comp*** claim?

Those seem to be the same thing.

One could also state they're not increasing my premiums, merely increasing my ***quote***, so I'm really just looking for clarification.

It's costing me ~$80 every 6mo to have these comp claims on there, so I figured I'd ask!

Answer:
 >  an insurer cannot raise premiums for a not-at-fault claim, which is what comprehensive claims are.

That's incorrect.  A comprehensive claim is one that is not connected to a collision.  You can have a non-collision claim and still be at fault.  For example, if you broke your windshield by dropping a bowling ball on it, you're at fault, but it's a comprehensive claim


Title: Job withholding checks

Question:
I‘m 16 and currently living on my own. I work at a large sandwich franchise.

I am the only woman working at this location. I learned my male coworkers of the same job title and seniority were getting a higher percentage of the tips than I was (I was told it was divided equally.)

I complained to my assistant manager and nothing changed. I complained to my manager who is rarely in store and he reprimanded my assistant manager. Apparently this was the wrong move.

I haven’t gotten my last three paychecks. I want to just quit at this point but I need these three paychecks. I worked for them. I am owed them. And I budgeted for the coming month taking them into account.

How do I get these paychecks?

Posted in another sub and was recommended to post here. Indiana.

Answer:
 The first thing to do is to contact the [Indiana Department of Labor](https://www.in.gov/dol/)
The US Department of Labor has jurisdiction but the shutdown is a problem.

Finally, look for local wage and hour counsel at [NELA](www.nela.org)

What has been done to you is more than wage theft. The laws governing wage & hour complaints provide for an award of attorney’s fees to encourage counsel to take representation of people without the funds to pay an attorney. These laws were written to protect you, and people like you, who have given your Labor only to be shorted your pay. The law is not kind to these employers.

Go get them!Answer #2: The attorney that you consult will tell you what fee, if any, they charge.

I strongly suggest that you concentrate on the question of “what can I recover”as opposed to “if it’s free”. You have $0.00 now. If the attorney recovers $5,000,00 and charges $2,500.00 the net to you is $2,500

Little in life is actually free.


Title: Virginia: Live-in landlord wants to rent dining room on Airbnb

Question:
I live with my landlord and two others in a townhouse and she has started renting out the dining room (with futon) occasionally via Airbnb.  I have asked that we not do this, to which she responded it was a "personal choice" -- i.e. because she owns the place, she believes she has the right to make all decisions about the household unilaterally. My argument that she should consult us and probably does not have this right unfortunately led to a heated argument.

According to my research, I am a "tenant at will" -- i.e. I am paying rent month to month with no formal lease agreement.  The dining room has always been part of the common space similar to the kitchen, living room, etc.

Are there specific laws, in Virginia, that say that "landlords do not have the right to restrict tenants’ access to the living space or common areas" (Tenants Union of Washington State http://www.tenantsunion.org/en/rights/living-with-your-landlord)

EDIT: grammer

Answer:
 It could be considered a material change... but because you are month to month you'd only be able to prevent it for a month (After which you'd be assumed to assent). Which basically means it isn't worth bothering with.

Sorry. Answer #2: Virginia has [some pretty complicated laws](http://wordsofconveyance.com/2014/04/24/short-term-rentals/) that your landlord has to follow in order to legally run a BnB. From what you've said here, it's virtually certain that he's not complying with them, and cities have been recently cracking down on this sort of thing. An anonymous tip to your local police or government office might put a stop to this.

But if your landlord finds out, chances are high that he will refuse to renew your lease, so think carefully before you do anything.

See also [this](http://www.reddit.com/r/Entrepreneur/comments/1usk92/airbnb_my_city_issued_me_and_others_a_citation/) reddit thread from last year. Answer #3: I think your recourse is to move out, and tell her why you are moving out


Title: [Jordan, Middle East] Private psychiatric information leaked to medical school deanship from an ex

Question:
I used to attend a prestigious med school in Ireland and during second year I managed to pick up a nasty drug habit, lead to a significant episode of drug induced paranoia. Lasted a week after abstaining from all drugs, back to normal. During that episode, however, I had a verbal dispute with a friend over a social networking website. He filed a report to student affairs, and I was called in by the vice dean who was very understanding. I was told to be admitted to a rehab center for 2 weeks, just to make sure I was clean off the drugs. I knew how much of a red flag that is for a medical student, but I had to abide given that I was given a chance to commence my studies after a 3 month long leave of absence. Came back September and was told to see a college-assigned psychiatrist on a frequent biweekly basis to treat my bipolar disorder (mood disorder of highs and lows, cognition intact). All was good, I passed the year, onto 3rd year. Still in Ireland.

My father passes away, I revert back into depression and drugs. Retard. Caught in a random urine screen. Put under investigation, withdrew my papers from the university, to which the dean was understanding, again, and actually gave me a letter of recommendation, included info about me being under investigation regarding my "health" to continue on the medical program.

A long year break follows, get my psyche together, apply to a university in Jordan, the country. Got accepted to start 3rd year, after both deans have contacted each other and I guess all the above information was shared. Still, accepted. Made new friends, living a new life, completely drug free. Got a new girlfriend, to whom I was intimate with, shared everything, texted her about my history, my whole psych history, texts had even psych meds I was on and for what condition I had where they prescribed for (bipolar). Also included crap I went through, including the drug-induced psychosis-like episode I had back in Ireland. Other texts were of embarrassing events that happened in my life.

By the start of the second semester of the third year, I catch her sleeping with my best friend, in my own apartment. I vented and told her group of friends whom I was a member of after we started dating. Her friends showed her disdain I guess, and in retaliation, she revealed all my texts to her friends. I knew that because she called me up and told me herself, [finally, here comes the important part] and she also said that the texts were also filed to the deanship office saying that I was a liability, a nut-case student with a drug history who's potentially violent to her and to the class (I did have some verbal exchange with her of a violent tone during our relationship, nothing physical whatsoever).

This was a month ago, I passed my 2nd semester exams 2 weeks ago. But I get the weirdest looks from professors now in my summer course, almost like I'm under observation for weird behavior? I really don't care at this point, as long as I manage to pass (allowed to commence my studies), even with a red flagged degree, I want to dedicate myself to research anyways and not to medical/surgical practice since applying to boards now is a lost cause.

What do I do now? How do I know what she revealed to the vice dean/deanship office? What actions would be normally taken by a dean knowing about all this, and my past history. How do I know if I've dug myself into a deep(er) grave now. Should I contact a lawyer for advice? I don't know what to do. I'm desperate, waking up restless with a heartache for days now.

What is the worst case scenario? What's the most probable  scenario here? Please help me. Please be blunt and realistic, thank you.

Answer:
 You have lots of nations involved here.

But if she only said things that were true, it's unlikely that there is anything you can do.Answer #2: There's little chance of getting advice on Irish or Jordanian law here, but in the US this wouldn't be defamation. That may be different in Ireland at least.

In any case, it sounds like it's time for a new career field. The worst case and most probable scenarios are the same: you're not going to finish school or become a doctor.


Title: Leap Day Birthday - When can I buy alcohol in Philly?

Question:
I'm a leapling, I was born February 29th, 1996. My license says I'm 21 on February 29th, 2017 which isn't a day this year. I've done some searching, and haven't found a conclusive answer except that it varies by location and establishment. I've always celebrated my birthday on the 28th in the past, and consider it truer to my real birthday than the 1st. Can I buy alcohol on the 28th? Or do I have to wait until the 1st?
Edit for location bot and clarification: Philadelphia, PA and the knee-jerk "wait for the 1st" reaction is unhelpful given that it is not specified anywhere which date is used in regular years.

Answer:
 You would be 21 on the 1st.

Think of it this way. If the 28th is the day before your birthday, does it matter if the next day is the 29th or the 1st? They are both are still the day after the day before your birthday (you know, leap year dependent).

It doesn't matter what you consider your true birthday. What matters is what is your actual birthday.


Title: Skate ramp waiver.

Question:
Hi /r/legaladvice,
I just finished building a mini halfpipe in my yard. I really want it to be avaliable to all the kids in the neighborhood; but I own a large piece of property and a nice house. I'm weary of having any lawsuits against me if anyone was to get hurt on it. Would a waiver hold up in court?? If so I know it would have to be signed by the parents, but how would I go about wording it? Also what other steps could I take to ensure my legal safety in the event of a serious injury e.g. No skateboarding signs, or things of that nature. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Answer:
 This is a terrible idea.

People are getting their [homeowners insurance cancelled because of trampolines](http://insurancegoddess.com/homeowners-insurance-and-trampolines/).  I am positive they will not view a half-pipe more favorably than a trampoline.

Answer #2: > I really want it to be avaliable to all the kids in the neighborhood;

Absolute worst idea I've ever heard since "Let's have a sleep over at Michael Jacksons house". Answer #3: You need a lawyer-drafted waiver and a huge increase to your homeowner's liability policy ($1 million per incident would not be out of order) after disclosing the skate ramp to your carrier.

And that still doesn't guarantee anything.  A kid breaks his neck and lifetime medical could well exceed $1 million.


Title: CA: someone claims they "filed charges" against me

Question:
an ex-girlfriend claims she has "filed charges" against me for rape. the thing is: i've never heard one thing from the police about it. the only evidence of her actually having "filed charges" is that she posted on social media about it.

is it still possible that she filed charges even though i never heard from the police? we dated 4 years ago and haven't spoken since (good riddance!)

she even said to me when we were breaking up "i'm gonna spread a rumor about you." turns out that came true! but is it at all possible that she didn't just spread rumors and she actually filed a report? wouldn't law enforcement be required to at least question me if she made a claim?

Answer:
 Well for one, regular civilians cannot file charges.  They could file a police report, but that is it.

Anyways, if she did file a report, make sure you do not speak to the police without your lawyer present.Answer #2: They aren't required to investigate.

It's possible she filed a complaint and they found it baseless so they didn't investigate. It's possible an investigation is ongoing and they haven't interviewed you yet. It's possible she never made a report and is claiming she did.

Block her. Don't talk to the police without a lawyer.Answer #3: If the police come knocking, do not talk them without a lawyer presentAnswer #4: > she even said to me when we were breaking up "i'm gonna spread a rumor about you."

Did she do that via text/email? If so, save that thing to the cloud and keep it always handy.


Title: CA divorce and alimony

Question: I was married for 26 years and was a stay at home mom for 98% of that time.  This has affected my earning ability and while I intend to work to improve my situation, I am where I am at the moment. In hammering out a settlement, my ex has stated that if I were to cohabitate with anyone, my support would be revoked. I am confused as to what this means. What if I were to have a roommate? At the moment my two adult son's live with me. Can that be construed as cohabitation? I'm looking for clarification on how the courts would determine this. Thank you so much.

Answer:
 It should be defined in your agreement, but generally it means living with someone in a romantic relationship.

Do you have a lawyer?  You should look for one before signing anything.  Your ex may be required to pay some or all of the cost, especially if he has a lawyer.


Title: Could i be sued if i tell friends parents that she is pregnant?

Question: Sorry for any mistakes, english is not first language. She is adult but living with her parents. Parents will not be happy, but she needs consequences. Could she sue me/charge me with something if I tell them?

Answer:
 No, but i mean it’s the respectful thing not to tell them until she’s ready.Answer #2: Yes she can sue you, winning wil be a different story.

But you'll at least lose a friend by doing so. She is a legal adult and it's up to her to decide if and when she tells it to her parents.


Title: Some guy is claiming to file a Libel suit against me, I think he's just bullshitting

Question: So in this facebook group man X was outed for messaging a group member islamaphobic slurs.  The group member posted a screenshot of what man X said, and the post became a hit.  Some group members found mans X place of work through his LinkedIn profile through google searches and posted them in the group.  I messaged man X with a screenshot of his LinkedIn and asked him how it felt that he'd be losing his livelihood due to this exposure.  Now he's claiming that he used to practice law and that he's going to file a Libel case against me.  Did I do anything that could fall under the criteria for Libel, what are those criteria, is he just bullshitting?  He's told other people the same thing.

Answer: Well if he actually used to practice law, I know why he doesn't anymore. An important element of libel is that a false statement is made. If it's a screenshot of his own words, it obviously isn't false (unless the image is doctored).


Title: What consequences can someone expect from marrying a felon? (North Carolina)

Question: My best friend is considering marrying his girlfriend, who is currently in prison for five years for killing a man while driving drunk. I warned him that there could be some serious consequences in store for him if he goes through with it.  What happens if he's married and she's sued for wrongful death? What if she declares bankruptcy as a result?

Answer:
 >What happens if he's married and she's sued for wrongful death? What if she declares bankruptcy as a result?

Assuming she has a potential lawsuit on her hands, they should definitely speak with an attorney.

It is going to be important that they take steps to ensure any asset accumulation is kept in accounts protected from past/current lawsuits until they are sure they are beyond collection. He does not want a joint account filled with his earnings levied to satisfy a suit.

Aside from that, there are several other important consequences. It will mean she will likely have lifelong trouble earning income, and beyond that he should never possess a firearm. He may need to support her for the entirety of her life beyond a very low level of income.

In addition, if she has not changed substantially since the crime, he will have married someone with poor judgement who is selfish enough to prioritize her desire to commute by car over other people's right to not be killed on the road. That is the biggest concern I would have. If she is still the same sort of person she was when she committed this crime, he is going to ruin his life regardless of the felony by marrying her.


Title: Can someone's character and past come to play in a current court case?

Answer:
 Yup

-Edit-

Especially someone allegedly involved in [fraudulent activities](https://np.reddit.com/r/fakeid/comments/6ihw0j/bro_did_the_ids_come_in_yet/).


Title: Aunt and cousins buy me a car, years later they want money.

Question:
When I was pregnant about 5 years ago, I was using my ex-boyfriend's car for most of my travel. Towards the end of my pregnancy, my Aunt decided to press me into accepting a car she would be buying for me. I did not really want this car, but I saw no other option.

At first, she didn't ask for any money. A few months after, she typed up a word document saying I would pay her monthly for the car and convinced me to sign this. This document said that the collateral for not paying would be the car.

I payed for her for about a year and then just was not able to afford it and stopped. Did not hear anything from her until a week or 2 ago where she is now threatening legal action to get paid for the car.

The car has always had issues and does not even turn on at this point. The cost to repair it exceeds what it is worth.

Does she have a legal leg to stand on, or am i safe telling her to just take the car back?

(New Jersey)

Answer:
 Correct me if I'm wrong... (1) You signed an agreement that you would pay her back for the car. (2) You made payments based on that agreement for a year. (3) You then stopped paying.

That the car is no longer working is irrelevant to the issue. You likely owe her some money. Whether or not she can just take the car on which you have the title is another issue, but she likely has more than enough to take you to (small claims) court in an attempt to get a judgment against you to repay her.

Yes, you can tell her to take the car back, but that won't release you from repaying the balance of the loan (minus the current value of the car, if you sign it over to her).

Though, this is only general advice. If you had included your location -- *as the sub requires at multiple points during the posting process* -- then more specific advice could be offered.


Title: My ex-husband and I have 3 year old twins and we share custody 50/50. His parents are suing me for visitation rights (Michigan)

Question:
I'm really not sure what is going on. I know I can't ignore this and I need a lawyer but my appointment with the lawyer isn't until tomorrow so I just wanted to ask my question here in the meantime.

The divorce became final a month before I gave birth. The twins turned 3 last month. The divorce wasn't a bad one and we only went to court so our parenting plan was on paper. Since birth we've shared 50/50 custody (though with his agreement I had them more the first 3 months just because I was breastfeeding). We exchange them on either Sunday or Monday night. We have to agree on things like religion, education and medical care (unless it's an emergency) or the court will decide but we have never had a problem with this once. We have both lived in the same state/city our entire lives and both have all our family here and even though the agreement says neither of us can move more than 50 miles away it's doubtful that will ever happen. We can both travel with them. Neither of us pay child support to the other. I get them mother's day, he gets them father's day and we alternate years on their birthdays and holidays with the parent who doesn't have them getting a phone call now that they can talk. There has never been an issue between us once.

But now I have been served with papers because his parents are suing me for visitation rights. They say they want to see the twins more than twice a month. I haven't seen or spoken to them since the divorce. My ex-husband says he doesn't know what's going on either and that no one mentioned it to him (he is not estranged from them or anything). I already dropped the papers I got at my lawyer's office and I'm seeing him tomorrow. I believe that my husband is telling the truth because he is not someone who would lie about this and because he said he'll loan me money for it if the cost is too much. He said he'll talk to them. I'm just posting here to ask if in general grandparent right apply in cases of 50/50 custody? My ex-husband has our kids just as much as me, so wouldn't it be up to him to take them to visit his own parents? Could I really lose time with my kids or be forced myself to take them to see people I haven't seen in years? I have no objection to them seeing the twins but I question their judgement and why they are suing me and I know I shouldn't but I'm losing sleep over this.

Answer:
 I don't see them having a snowball's chance in hell of getting what they want (which is what?  Every weekend?), and I haven't even looked up grandparent rights in your state because even the most grandparent rights friendly states won't entertain them.

I don't even know why an attorney would take this case on their behalf.

ETA:  if I were your ex, i would light my parents up.  They have absolutely broken some serious boundaries here.Answer #2: my parents sued the mother of my nieces for visitation. they grew up living with my parents till they were 6 and 4 respectively (the mother and my brother also living at my parents) until my bother and the mother had a falling out and she would not allow my parents to see the children and my brother had moved out.

the lawyer told my parents that they should purchase a new car and offer it to the mother with the contingency that they allow them visitation of the children because it will be be cheaper and easier than winning grandparent visitation even though my parents had a large hand in raising them till that point... it turned out to be correct as well. they did end up getting visitation, it cost 50k, over a year in court, and they have to go back constantly when the mother refuses to comply with the court order. the lawyer told them that the only reason they were successful was the fact that they had been a significant part of the children's life up until that point and that the mother chose to represent herself in court.

IANAL, but it seems that if what the lawyer told my parents is true, you have nothing to worry about.


Title: Bank sent my student loans to collections due to cosigner death

Question:
(WA, US) I, like many others, have pulled out private student loans to pay for college. I spoke with several people at Navient and they stated nothing would change and continue to pay my loans on time. I'm not in default and have never been in default. My mom died in August and she was my cosigner on my private loans, except I've been the one solely making payments since my loans went into repayment.

Yesterday, I received 3 letters in my Navient inbox that stated they sent my loans to a recovery service due to my cosigner's death and my loans are now in default. Do I have any legal recourse here, or am I at the mercy of Navient, or their recovery company trying to drain my mom's estate to collect the full amount of the loan? The quote offered by Navient lists my promissory note as the deciding factor and that I can add a credit-worthy cosigner to stop this..  I can't express how rage-inducing this is that they can try to collect on an estate and pursue the executor for collection(likely just barely holding to FDCPA).

Answer:
 You need to find the loan documents from when you originally took out the loan. There will most likely be a clause in there regarding the death of a cosigner. In most cases, when a cosigner dies things proceed as normal with you paying off the loan over time. In other instances, the balance is due upon the death of the cosigner or it automatically defaults. Figure out what you agreed to and go from there. Answer #2: It is possible that by putting them into collections they have lost the protections commonly available to student loan providers - namely bankruptcy invulnerability. You might now be able to bankrupt out of the loans. Check with r/personalfinance. Answer #3: Very common with private loans i'm afraid.  I'm sure it's in your promissory note.

if you are current on those loans and have a decent track record, try writing them a letter asking them to reconsider this status.  If they won't, refinance the loans away from them then ask for them to remove the status from your credit report


Title: What happens if someone freezes their sperm and stores it in a locked freezer. Then someone else breaks into that freezer and impregnates them-self with that sperm

Question:
So I was binge watching Archer and there was an episode where this scenario happens and I was wondering if the guy would have to pay child support etc and if he would have any rights to visitation.
Especially considering she broke into the freezer to steal the sperm.
Thanks!

Answer:
 Generally the dude would have a child and all rights and responsibilities that come with one, e.g. custody (none to full), child support (either pay or receive), visitation, etc. The woman might be criminally liable for the theft, which might weigh in the dude's favor if he wanted custody.

Now if the guy gave sperm at a sperm bank, IVF clinic, or other facility he might not be responsible. It would depend on the state and and particular facts.


Title: Someone is distributing naked pictures of me without my authorization.

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Consult with an attorney.  This likely falls under revenge porn laws.


Title: [TX] $31 dental bill sent to collection agency. Now owe $295?? Who do I speak to?

Question:
This is something that happened in 2014.
I had just moved and was looking for a new dentist. I called a dentist's office, gave them my insurance info and asked them to check if my routine check ups, examinations and cleanings were covered with them. If they were, I would go to their office. They called, told me everything was covered 100% (as it said all my check ups, examinations and cleaning would be in my insurance benefits booklet) so I started going there. After my second visit I received a $31 bill for the "examination". I called my insurance who put me on hold and called the dentist's office. They then got back to me and said "The dentist office says that is a mistake and they will fix it." I continued to receive the bill so I went into the office and spoke to the manager. He sat down with me in an office and I explained everything and took a copy of my benefits booklet. He circled where my benefits said examinations were covered, said he'd fix the problem and would call me back the next day. He never called. I called him and he said he'd call back. Didn't. I called again, multiple times, and left messages, nothing. The bills stopped though so I assumed he'd sorted the issue. Fast forward 18 months and I get a phone call from a debt collector saying I owe this dentist office $295. I ask what for and he says "a procedure you had done in 2014". I said I never had a procedure done in 2014 apart from my wisdom teeth removing at a completely separate, private facility, for which I paid $1.3k for. I asked for more info but he refused, saying it was a medical procedure so there were "privacy issues" when giving out that information. I said it was wrong but he said "Well you need to pay it, otherwise it's going to be going to your credit really soon and will mess up your credit." I told him again that it was incorrect and he said I could figure out a payment plan. I told him I'd just call my dentist's office instead.

 I called the dentist office and asked them about it and was told I'd get a call back within the hour. I didn't get a call back. I called again and spoke to the *new* manager two day later who said she would resend the bill to my insurance, but the problem is that they billed my insurance incorrectly in the first place, which is why I got the bill for $31, and I'm not even with that insurance anymore.

Why would my bill go from $31 to $295? Why would this guy not be able to give me information about my own procedure yet have no problem taking money from me? What happens if this goes on my credit as an unpaid $295 bill even though it was only a $31 bill to begin with? I'm only in my early 20s, I don't even have any credit. Do I need to call the collection agency back or just keep following up with the dentist office? Should I call my insurance? How should I prepare myself if the collection agency continues to call me and try to get me to pay for this bill I've never received? I have all copies of the $31 bill they sent to me (first, second, third and fourth notice) and nowhere does it mention $295.

Answer: Did the debt collector send you a physical bill?Answer #2: Check r/personalfinance. They have a whole wiki section on the appropriate way to work with debt collectors, your rights, collectors' obligations, template letters, and more.


Title: Need help convincing jury that 16 y/o friend lives in an abusive home.

Question:
An online friend of mine recently ran away from home to live with an acquaintance for awhile, to escape from his abusive household. His father is a police officer, so he wasn't there for long, to say the least. He just got back a few days ago and is currently staying with his grandparents, waiting for a court date. In the meantime, he was told to write a letter to the ~~jury~~ court, detailing the trauma his parents put him through and explaining that living with his grandparents would be a better option. He doesn't know how to write it all out, and is afraid that his father may take advantage of the system since he's an officer.

So my question is this: how can my friend write to the ~~jury~~ court to prove that he is be abused?

Also, let me know if I've given this the correct flair or not. Thank you in advance!
Topic:
CPS and Dependency Law

Answer: Just curious, who told him to write a letter to the jury? The police or a lawyer or someone else? Your friend should only be speaking to a lawyer about this. If a lawyer is telling him a letter would be a good idea, then perhaps the lawyer can help him draft one up. A lawyer is also better equipped to help convince a jury as well. Your friend should do whatever his lawyer tells him to, and if he does not have one, then he should get one ASAP.


Title: My cousin was caught with a weed plant, 125g of hash, a scale and a screen. Our family is in ID but he's in college in AR. 19M, no record, no evidence of dealing found because it was for personal, medical use. Advice for what we should do?

Answer: You need a scale for personal use? I thought most people just smoked till they got high?


Title: My college is trying to hold me hostage!

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Being held to the terms of a contract you signed is not even remotely close to being held hostage. Answer #2: You're not being held hostage anywhere. You're free to stop attending that University. If you want to attend, you have to follow their rules.


Title: Help!! Car accident with no insurance (detroit, mi) Intially 985$... now $8673?! THANK YOU!!

Question: I was in an accident where I did not have insurance. I rear ended someone. At the time, the other driver was initially fine, but a collection agency for allstate contacted me about a statement that was initially 985$ for car damages now 8695$ because allstate had to pay medical bills. As I stated, she was fine at the time of the accident, and even joked that it was ok and that I was going fast because I was young.  But never complained of anything.  I don't know what to do?  Should I seek legal consul? and how?  THANK YOUUU

Answer:
 Injuries from an accident often pop up days or weeks later.

Allstate is currently making you a settlement offer.  You can accept it, reject it, negotiate it or ignore it.  Up to you.  If you don't give them what they want, they may end up suing you.  You would definitely need an attorney then.Answer #2: >  As I stated, she was fine at the time of the accident,

Unless you are doctor who has examined this woman, your opinion of her medical condition is completely irrelevant. You are unqualified to make any type of statement as to her injuries or lack thereof.


Title: I did a really stupid thing. Needing some advice.

Question:
In 1987 my father died in a boating accident along with 3 other people.  One person survived to tell the story. I was 19 and devastated. I was also away at college and out of the loop on a lot of things. My father was the boat owner. Collectively all families sued the boat company due to negligence.  There was a settlement and checks were written to me, my sibling and mother. My mom insisted that we sign our checks over to her.  We were 22 and 20 and did what we were told. Of course now we know we were stupid. Since then even more information has been revealed about the defects and explain so much of why the accident was fatal.

How do I get a copy of the settlement? A copy of anything we signed? Do we have any recourse?

In case you are wondering....my mom has spent every dime of the money, ours and hers.

Answer:
 > Do we have any recourse?

You gave the money to your mother. There's nothing you can do to get it back.Answer #2: In all likelihood it's impossible for you to get any more money from accident. It's almost certain that any settlement was given in exchange for an agreement to waive any right to sue. Additionally, even if the settlement wasn't that comprehensive, the statute of limitations on any claim you could raise is likely long expired by now since the accident occurred 30 years ago.


Title: I got a huge rash all over my body from using a deodorant that was branded at "Hypo Allergenic" should I seek legal action?

Question: Used a deodorant this weekend that I have never used before and I broke out in a huge rash. Wasn't sure what caused it at first but this evening I had friends over for diner and they suggested I put a little bit of the deodorant on my wrist to see how I reacted to it. A few hours later I had the same mild rash down that arm. At first I thought it was quite funny & ironic that it said "hypo-allergenic" then I started to wonder if its false advertising or something like that. Was curious to hear the opinion of this sub on the matter.

Answer:
 Hypoallergenic does not guarantee someone won't have a reaction. Unfortunately, there is something in the deodorant that your body doesn't like.

Your only recourse is to stop using the product.


Title: Cashless Tolling (IL)

Question: My girlfriend is from Minnesota, and when she was in Chicago she unknowing passed through a cashless toll and failed to pay it. Today, the fine showed up in the mail and we are simply planning to pay the fine, so we don’t need any practical advice. My question though is more for my own curiosity, what makes cashless tolling legal and not a form of entrapment? They don’t send you any notification that you have outstanding fees to pay until it becomes a legal issue and you have a fine on your record. Hanging around on this form I’ve come to the general conclusion that almost everything requires some sort of notice before it becomes a legal issue (you can’t even kick out your own children without a 30 day eviction notice for example) and I’m curious why there isn’t the same standard held here?

Answer:
 > My question though is more for my own curiosity, what makes cashless tolling legal and not a form of entrapment?

First, that's not what entrapment is.

Second, you're warned several times before entering the tollway.

Third, you're warned before you pass through the toll of options to pay it.

Fourth, you're warned at the toll that you're passing through the toll and you must pay it.

Fifth, you're told after the toll how to pay it, without penalty, for several days afterwards.

If your girlfriend missed **all** of those signs, she needs to be removed from the road for her safety and the safety of others.Answer #2: Your notice is the signs along the highway that say "TOLL." If they did not have any signs at all, then you might have an argument. Also, you're confusing civil and criminal procedure. Criminal procedure generally doesn't require a demand letter before charging you with a violation.


Title: Apartment management is asking for my minor children's SSNs and I am uncomfortable with that. Can I refuse without losing the apartment? (KY)

Question: We applied and got approved for an apartment, all deposits and first months rent is paid and have done everything else they required such as turning on the power and submitting our renters insurance. We are about to go pick up the keys in a few hours. The manager lady just called and is now asking for our children's (age 9 and 11) Social Security numbers. This is not for credit or background checks, she claimed it was for identity purposes. I am NOT comfortable with that. I just don't want to, I see no legitimate reason to, but I can't lose the apartment either. Can they require this of children? Can I refuse without consequence?

Answer: Verify why, exactly, they need the SSNs and offer to give only the last four digits of each. If it's truly an identification issue, they can easily identify with only the last four.


Title: Would you get arrested for taking something off the shelf and returning it?

Question:
I’m not sure if this is the right subreddit for the post. Let me know and I’ll delete it.

The other day I went to BestBuy to return a pair of Bose Headphones, which I no longer had the receipt for. Before they gave me a store credit, they went to check to make sure all the headphones they had in stock were on the shelf. The guy said that many times they have people come in, take something off the shelf, bring it to the return counter, and try to return it, without a receipt for store credit. Is this considered shoplifting and the police would arrest. Or is this some other crime, and BestBuy would need to sue, which I doubt they would, over a $300 item.

Edit: I noticed I’m getting down voted. Just to be clear, I wasn’t trying to rob Best Buy. I actually returned something that I bought. The guy at Best Buy told me this stuff happens, and out of curiosity I’m asking about the legal ramifications.
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer:
 That would absolutely be shoplifting. You would definitely get arrested. They store would also be quite likely to sue you for the cost of the headphones. You would also be likely to be banned from all of their stores for life. Answer #2: What you're describing is return fraud. You could be charged with theft and fraud for returning a stolen item. Depending on your location and the items value/circumstances it can range from misdemeanor/petty theft all the way up to felony charges.
Answer #3: I think I'd just say "Go watch the videotape of me walking in the front door and coming here directly."  I don't think I'd want to be arrested just because somebody walking around the store has an "in-stock" set of headphones in their shopping cart.Answer #4: Shoplifting. The word you're looking for is shoplifting.


Title: Neighbor Hired Landscaper Whose Cutting Activities Destroy My Garden

Question:
Looking for legal advice on the below situation. I'm based in Brooklyn, NY.

My neighbor had a tree (about 50 ft tall) in their property that was adjacent to my garden and separated by a fence. Today they hired a landscape who cut all the branches of the tree while i was at work. A large number of the branches fell into my garden, destroying a good part of my garden and leaving a large amount of debris in my garden.

What recourse do i have available?  Am i entitled to compensation? Who would be responsible for this, my neighbor or the landscaper?

Thanks.

Answer:
 I'd take photos/document the damages. Then (politely) knock on your neighbor's door and let them know what happened.

Estimate what it will cost to replace the damaged garden, and ask the neighbor for that amount.Answer #2: Note that you are entitled to have the garden restored to its state when it was damaged, i.e. with plants, not seeds or seedlings. Answer #3: The landscaper caused the damage. That's who you want to contact for reimbursement. They'll likely be able to provide the service to fix for less than it would cost monetarily.Answer #4: The landscaper should have his own liability insurance which will cover claims relating to damage of third party (you) property. I would see if you can claim under your own home insurance and have your insurer chase the landscaper for reimbursement. If your home policy doesn't cover garden damage/plants etc then you should pursue the landscaper through small claims. You'll need to quantify your loss (would get a quotation from a third party gardener and provide photos etc).


Title: [US, MO] Ex wife is going after my FSA checks.

Question:
Hey Guys,

My ex and I divorced amicably with the agreement that I would continue to pay for the childrens health care premiums (pretax through work) and then we would split the out of pocket costs.  My FSA detects what out of pocket costs will be each time a kid visits the doctor, and automagically moves money from my FSA to my bank account.

Here's where stuff get's icky: she is looking for my FSA checks because when I pay for something - medications, dr. visits, etc - I receive all of my money back from the FSA.  However, when she pays one of those things, I still get reimbursed through my FSA.

I am not paying less than 50% of the medical costs, but I am actually gaining some of my FSA funds back when it's her turn to pay.  Am I obligated to give her my FSA funds in these situations?

TL;DR - Have FSA that sends me money for out of pocket medical costs, ex wife wants half of them because I'm reimbursed even when she pays.

Answer: She's not entitled to it.  But.... neither are you.  You may end up getting in trouble for keeping money that's *supposed* to be reimbursement for money you paid out of pocket that you didn't actually pay out of pocket.  It's pretty easy to determine who paid for things, and an audit might end with you in hot water.


Title: (Tennessee)A town over from me is having a city function to raise money and are having a semi-famous musician play.[question]

Question:
The musician happens to be a registered sex offender. Is this okay?

E- just to clarify, this is /r/legaladvice.  I was asking to be advised if it was legally okay because there is a big stink going on around it.  I wanted to be able to explain to people why it was or was not legal.  That's all.

Answer:
 Sure, why not? There is no law that prevents registered sex offenders from performing at concerts. However, the performer should be sure he does not break the restrictions of Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-39-211(d)(1):

> No  sexual  offender ... shall  knowingly:

>  Be upon or remain on the premises of any building or grounds of any public school, private or parochial school,
licensed  day  care  center,  other  child  care  facility,  public  park,  playground,  recreation  center  or  public  athletic  field available for use by the general public in this state when the offender has reason to believe children under eighteen (18)
years of age are present[.]


Title: [NY] Can my boss replace me just because I show interest in another job?

Question:
I sat down with my direct supervisor a few days ago and informed them that I had an interview for a potential "dream job" which would require me leaving my current position. The interview was two, almost three, weeks away and I just wanted to keep them updated on a potential departure. I've been given two options since then, with 24 hours to decide. First option is to quit pursuing the "dream job" and stay in my current position, the second is to continue pursuing, go through with the interview, and in the meantime my employer will be looking for a person to replace me, potentially hiring someone for my current position before I even interview. Is this legal for my employer to do?

*EDIT - Thanks everyone! This is what I figured the case would be, just thought I would ask anyway

Answer:
 Yes. It is legal.

Life advice, never tell an employer you are looking to leave.


Title: [VA] Can my father, a co-signer, evict me from my sister's house?

Question: My sister currently lives in a house in Virginia. She is 23 and has rented the house for over a year now. She pays the rent but my father is co-signed on the house for another year. I am 21 and am currently taking a semester off of school to get a job and gain independence. My father has decided that he is unhappy with my plans and does not want me to live with my sister, even though she has approved of me staying here for the next couple of months. Does he have the legal authority to override my sister's authority over who stays and goes?

Answer: As long as you have permission from your sister and the landlord doesn't care your good.


Title: Builder installed old ac unit on brand new house

Question:
Our home was build brand new in 2015.  The builder installed a 2005 AC unit on the home.  The 2005 unit sat in a warehouse for years prior to being installed on our home.  We were unaware the unit was not brand new.

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Sine we moved in April 2016 we have had constant issues with the AC unit.  Most recently in the past 10 months, the builder had to come out 6 times to replace parts on the unit.  Most recently discovering the coils are busted requiring a new unit.

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Our warranty states 5 years for parts and 1 year for labor.  The builder is refusing to pay for the entire replacement of the unit.  Please note we are fine paying the labor portion.

I would also like to point out the builder has done this (installed old units) in about 30+ homes in our neighborhood. With various homeowners having issues or having to replace the units, with the builder replacing some units and covering labor for free.

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Some other facts on this particular AC unit.   The unit that was installed in our house in 2015 is a 2005 (10 year old) model. It is a HVAC unit that uses R-22 (FREON) refrigerant that was banned by the EPA in all HVAC units after 2010. These units were knowingly installed in new houses, the units are outside of industry standards by 5 years, even after the refrigerant ban in 2010. This refrigerant be completely unavailable in 2020.

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Do we have a case?  Does this imply negligence?

Answer:
 > Our warranty states 5 years for parts and 1 year for labor.

Please post the exact verbiage of the warranty coverage and exclusions. Make sure you omit any personally identifying information.


Title: Unlawful Firearm Possession. Am I screwed for life?

Question:
I live in Tennessee in the USA. I got stuck with an Unlawful Possession of a Firearm charge by giving a guy a ride from my apartment complex. Here's what happened:

I lived in a bad area of Nashville. It was 2012 or so. I broke my leg and couldn't work, but I had a car  and most people in this area did not have one, so I became a taxi service. It ruined my life.

 It's the first of the month and everyone is getting their government checks, so it was a busy day for me. 2 guys offer me twenty bucks to give them a ride to walmart 2 minutes away to cash their checks.

 Evidently the idiot that sat up front had a gun with him, and sat it by the arm rest in the middle of my front seat. I sit right outside the entrance and they go in. A Walmart employee comes to my passenger window and tells me I need to find a parking spot. I guess he saw the gun sitting by the armrest and called the police.

So my two "clients" come back out, get in. I start to drive off, and I am surrounded by 5 cop cars and they draw guns on me and yank us all out of the car. "WHERES THE GUN!? WHERES THE FUCKING GUN!?" I have no idea what theyre talking about.

 So this idiot that I gave the ride to won't claim that it is his gun, so you guessed it, I get stuck with it.

I did 14 days in jail and had a ton of fines etc. Just recently lost my license because of it.

I didn't think it would effect me that bad because it was a non violent misdemeanor. I lost my job shortly after due to a yearly background check. Couldn't find another job for a long time, and of course the one I do find is minimum wage. I've lost out of many jobs I am qualified for, but it gets to the "Okay drug and background check and we'll get you started!" and never hear back from them.

TL;DR: Gave a guy a ride to walmart, he left a gun in my car and I got stuck with the charge because he wouldn't claim his weapon.

Can this ever be removed from my record? Should I get comfy flipping burgers forever? I'm educated, intelligent and qualified for jobs where I can make $60k+ a year but I can't pass a background check because of this.

Edit: Someone asked about a plea. Instead of waiting another 30-45 days in jail, the DA or whatever it is offered me a plea to be released, not receive the gun back (which i didn't give a shit about that anyway) and pay a fine. So I took the plea. I wanted out of jail. Nobody was going to pay my bail and I couldn't sit in that place anymore.

Answer: You left out something important. What happened in your case? Did you take a plea?


Title: Wife moved out early last rent month and gave the keys - our final electric bill is nearly 10x anything previously

Question:
Hello,

A bit of clarification. My wife lived in a 375 sq ft studio and moved out July 14th, giving back the keys to the property. Her final electric bill included all of July, and in the last two weeks enough electric was used to be over $200 when her bills were normally about $30. I don't know what the landlord was doing in the property (even running AC full-time wouldn't make it this high), but it feels pretty unjust...If the landlord doesn't reimburse her, are there any legal rights we have?

Answer:
 It's probably that the electric company didn't do a read on the meter itself and was basing your bill off the average usage for that particular meter during that month.  When you ended the service, they would do a read on the meter and charge (or refund) you the difference between the estimate and the actual usage.

This would have been noted on your bill.Answer #2: Why didn't she disconnect service after she moved out?Answer #3: If the electric bill is in your wife's name, she should IMMEDIATELY call and make sure the service is shut off, so she doesn't continue getting bills for electricity use in the apartment.

She can try to figure out who used the electricity and ask them to pay.  She could sue in small claims if they don't pay.  But it's going to be a hassle.

If the electric bill is in her landlord's name and she is supposed to reimburse, she can just refuse on the grounds that this is way higher than her normal usage.  The landlord/s might try to sue her or withhold the amount from a security deposit if they don't agree and she may have to sue to get the security deposit back if she doesn't think that's fair.


Title: After aneurysm surgery, grandmother was left alone in hospital room, had a fall after a nurse moved her to a chair and was left by herself, now is in a coma with 60% brain damage

Question:
Location: New York, NY.

My grandmother was taken to the hospital because she needed surgery due to bleeding on the brain caused by aneuryms.

The surgeon clipped the aneuryms.Yes more than one.

She was recovering and her mind was not fully there, meaning she seemed to have memory problems.

After one week in ICU she was moved to another room.

My mother had asked the nurses to help my grandmother move to a chair because my grandmother can not move on her own very well. They took over 30 minutes to do it.

When my mother then left the room to go eat, a nurse had moved my grandmother to a chair and left her there by herself.

According to the nurses/doctors, my grandmother tried to get up, got a pulmonary embolism, lost consciousness, fell and hit her head, causing her to bleed in hear head again.

They had to operate on her head again.

Now my grandmother is in a coma (not induced), with 60% brain damage and part of her skull taken out to relieve pressure.

The doctors are asking my family to pick three options of what they want to do,

(I don't fully understand it)

1.Try to revive her if she flatlines.

2.Do not resuscitate if she flatlines.

3.Remove breathing tube and let my grandmother try to see if she could support herself, but they say she will probably last a few hours. (something about her comfort)

My family and I don't want to pick an option because we are more than upset for the hospital letting my grandmother fall after she was recovering.

I honestly don't know what to.

Please help.

Answer:
 >According to the nurses/doctors, my grandmother tried to get up, got a pulmonary embolism, lost consciousness, fell and hit her head, causing her to bleed in hear head again.

You can attempt to consult a medical malpractice attorney, but this was an unfortunate tragic accident.


Title: Just signed a lease on a property where part of it is in bankruptcy. What can happen to me and my family?

Question:
[California] Long story short, just signed a year lease for a house on 4 acres. After, a neighbor came over and explained that about 20% of the property is in bankruptcy, as one of the owners has declared bankruptcy. Called and confirmed with the part owner that we have worked with to move in and such. He confirmed, but said "don't worry about it, they can't take the land"

However, they have come and put a large for sale sign in front of the property. Our concerned neighbor called, and the agent said they should not have rented the house out, as the property is in escrow.

What can happen to me and my family? If they sell the property, what are our options? If we are. Told we need to leave, what are our options?

Answer:
 The new owner of the house will be required to comply with your lease. They can choose to not renew it at the lease's end.

The above is true if the house is simply being sold. If the house/property is sold as part of a foreclosure, thing change somewhat.


Title: [Texas] Moving out at end of lease, apartment trying to charge a release fee.

Question:
I currently live in a two bedroom apartment with both my name and my roommates name on the lease.  Our lease expires on 8/31 and I will be moving out on 8/31 but he is staying. He's found someone who will be moving into my room, and they will be renewing the lease under their names with a 9/1 start date(this has not been done yet).

I just received a "Roommate Release" document absolving me of all responsibilities including damages, utilities, etc. after 8/31.  However, at the bottom it states "The Departing Roommate(s) agrees to pay a fee of $350 for the privilege of being released from his/her obligations under the Lease."

Can they do this? It seems crazy to me that I need to pay a $350 fee just because my roommate is keeping the apartment and someone else is moving in after my lease ends. I've asked my roommate not to sign the release until I sort this out.

Answer:
 You're not being released from the lease. Your lease is over. It doesn't apply in this situation. It would be if you wanted out in the middle of the lease. You don't have to pay it.Answer #2: This sounds like a misunderstanding on their part. Talk to them, mention that your lease is over.

You don't have to pay or even sign this. Actually, you probably shouldn't sign it at all.


Title: is this a scam?

Question:
Hi Guys,
  I've been trying to find a short-term rental in San Clemente. the details of why aren't really important.  Eventually, on craigslist, I saw something that looked very promissing.  $1400 for a furnished apartment 700sq near the beach.  I'm not from the area, so i am not sure whether that price is way too low.  Its definately cheap IMO.

Eventually I had the following from the realtor who I have only conversed with on the phone:

Unfortunately, I'm in Nashville presently, presenting a unit to a family that just flew in from Australia as it is there first time here in the state and i'm here helping them settle.Just to let you know, you have the right address and information of the unit and you can go ahead to view the property.

Currently, there is someone right in the home now and you won't be able to view it until she checks out on the 21st December and we do not allow viewing as at this time due to privacy and security reason(s) but you can come see the vicinity and neighbourhood prior to having the form except if you want me to send the forms ahead.

Hence, the earliest move-in date is the 22nd/23rd of December . May i know if this is okay with you?

Once the current occupant vacate the unit will be thoroughly cleaned and made ready for next occupant within 12 hours.
Form of payment is bank deposit to the private owner and once the payment is confirmed i can issue you a copy of the rental receipt/invoice which you will use to pick up the keys on site on your arrival day and i can officially finalise and reserve the unit for your chosen date.

I will look forward to hearing back from you if you still want to move ahead with renting the unit and i would advice you book ahead of time as there are numerous suitors checking in on its availability.
There is a garage and storage room available separately with no extra/additional price and charge to be paid.

Best,
XXXXX

I followed up with, how can I reserve the apartment when can I enter the contract?  He followed up asking for my name and address (why he needs the address is a bit unclear).  He then sent over the lease.  The lease looks fairly standard except:

A) my signature portion is on the second to last page (with some statements of the lease on the page).  On the other hand, his signature portion and the 'landlords' signature portion is on the final page without any discernable attachment to the preceding 3 pages.  It seems like there could be an angle there.

B)  He asks for me to deposit money into the landlords bank account with account # and name.  That seems very strange to me since i've done numerous real estate rentals in the past, and, always by check, and, usually something about a credit check first.

So... is this a scam?  I'm 50/50 that it is, except for the fact that some of his emails had needless details slowing down the transaction.  (Like no move in until Dec 23).  Do i need to freeze my credit since I already gave him my address?

TIA

Answer: It's a scam.


Title: How are cases where a police officer wrongly/accidentally shoots and kills a person not at the very least manslaughter?

Question:
A [mistrial](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2016/12/05/mistrial-declared-in-case-of-south-carolina-officer-who-shot-walter-scott-after-traffic-stop/?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_pn-scott-mistrial-350pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory) was recently declared in the case of the shooting of Walter Scott.

In the case the judge decided to allow the jurors to consider manslaughter charges even though he was charged with murder.

Personally I am horrified that he wasn't charged with murder as I think the evidence is overwhelming that he killed a fleeing man and then lied to investigators by planting the taser on his dead body, all of which heavily implies malice to me.

But he tried to argue that he was truly concerned for his life. But if we assume that the officers story is true than how is it not manslaughter? The officer clearly wrongfully killed a man and has admitted that he was wrong to do so, even though he thought that he was in danger at the time. His story is one of killing an innocent man without malice, which I thought was manslaughter?

Answer:
 > His story is one of killing an innocent man

No, it's not.  **His** story is one of killing a man who took his Taser from him and pointed it at him.  Your story(and maybe the prosecution's, I don't know) is of him killing an innocent man and covering it up.

The entire point of a trial is for both sides to present their sides and for a jury to decide.  Your question basically boils down to "Why did we even let the defendant provide a defense", to which the answer is "Because he has the right to".

More, I'll caution you(as I always do in cases where the jury is called into question) that you've seen a tiny fraction of the entirety of the case, and the jurors have seen it all.  Saying that you're going to substitute your judgment for the judgment of people who've reviewed the **entire** case for days on end is a bit arrogant.