Title: [CA] UPS screwed up, may have ruined my chances of going to college this year, and isn’t taking it seriously

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 I would send digital copies to the school so that they know your materials were ready on time as well as proof of shipping on a date that should have gotten the packages there on time.Answer #2: Damn that sucks.  I hope the college will give you slack.

But no, UPS is probably only liable for the cost of shipping.  The agreement usually limits their liability for delayed mail to that, and for lost mail to the declared value of the package.

Reach out to them via social media.  Those folks tend to be more responsive.


Title: (Ontario) Possibly scammed out of Payroll, did not take SIN Card, should I report?

Question:
So about Mid-September I was working at my college for a sandwich joint and I worked about 45 hours. Everytime I would give them my SIN Card, they tell me they would fill the info out later. (Obvious Red Flag, clearly I'm a dumb ass, excuse the language.)

Following 4 days before pay period as of October 3rd, my employment was terminated. Since that date, I have not received my paycheck and I have personally asked about it's whereabouts and they told me that they were having "payroll problems."

I am extremely frustrated about this predictament and will contact them one more time.

They do not have my SIN Card and I'm pretty sure they don't have my hours recorded either (they wrote my hours with pen on a piece of paper).

However, I have multiple witnesses, photo evidence and they may have my name on a meal tracker sheet (You write your name to make sure that they know what you took for lunch).

I have no idea if that's enough to report them to the Labour Board, but I'd like to try, if I can I was wondering if it's possible to receive compensation. Unlikely, but just curious.

I was also wondering if I should report this to the school as I'm sure they do not want that type of liability under their roof.

I'm not sure about corporate until I'm sure about some stuff though, I have no idea what could happen before hand. I'm just worried.

What's your advice, legal advice? I need your help, motivation and criticisms.

Answer:
 Yes, you should contact the [Labour Board](http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/feedback/).

You mention that you worked "at your college".  Does this mean the sandwich shop is on campus?  In that case I urge you also to look into what office oversees the contracts under which it operates at the school.  See if the school has an ombudsman, or be in touch with student services.  The school is unlikely to be happy if a business operating on campus is violating the rights of students.


Title: Traveling from work outside of normal hours?

Question:
I commute to work by carpooling with my boyfriend. He drops me off since my job is on the way to his work, and he picks me up on our way home. This is only two to three times a week maximum, because the other days I work from home. On average it is probably about once a week. For instance, I haven't been in the office for almost a month, so really it isn't worth it for me to buy my own car just for work when I barely go into the office.

&#x200B;

I've had my license for only one year \[25F\] so my insurance is ridiculously high. I went on my boyfriend's car insurance, effective January 7th, so that I can drive his car to keep practicing my driving while not having to dish out thousands and thousands of dollars this coming year on a car, insurance, repairs, gas, etc. I cannot afford to buy a car at this time, so this set up works for us.

&#x200B;

I am a salaried 9-5 employee. My boss scheduled a meeting for January 7th in the office from 10am-7pm. My boyfriend cannot pick me up at 7pm, so I do not have a ride home. In this case, am I required to pay my own way home since it is still my commute, even though it is after normal hours? Does my job need to reimburse me for my ride home (which would be an Uber because there is no public transportation nearby)? Am I allowed to just say that I am unable to stay until 7pm and need to leave at my normal time due to my transportation?

&#x200B;

My boss also schedules meetings once per month as "team meetings" in various locations (not our office) that are going to be very difficult for me to get to this year. Will I have to pay for this transportation?

&#x200B;

I am in Massachusetts by the way.

&#x200B;

(Please don't tell me to just get a car, which I cannot afford, or stop relying on my boyfriend. If my boyfriend and I broke up, I would have to move out and find an apartment close to work, and in the meantime I could work remote until things are settled).

&#x200B;

&#x200B;
Topic:
Employment Law

Answer: You are responsible for your commute to and from work.  Call an Uber to get home.


Title: I went skateboarding drunk and high and plowed into a little kid. I broke his femur (bone in leg). Will I get in legal trouble? Will I get sued?

Question:
State is California.

&#x200B;

I am 21. I went to a skate park. Had 5 beers and some weed there. Plowed into a 12-year-old. Broke his femur. 911 was called. Police and paramedics arrived on the scene. I was arrested, booked, and released.

&#x200B;

Will I get in legal trouble? Will I get sued by the boy's parents?

Answer:
 > Will I get in legal trouble?

This is up to the police.  Have you been charged with a crime?

> Will I get sued by the boy's parents?

This is up to the parents.  Have you been served with a lawsuit or otherwise been notified that they're going to sue?Answer #2: It is very likely that you are going to be on the hook for those medical bills. Do you have insurance of any kind that might possibly cover this? Seriously dig up your homeowner's/renter's to see what that covers.


Title: Left [KS] teaching job and moved to [GA]. Continued to be paid by KS district to the tune of $40K. Do I really have to repay? Was spending the money theft?

Question:
So I was a teacher for a school district in KS until June of 2018. I resigned and moved to GA to teach there. The KS district didn’t process my resignation, and I continued to receive my previous salary on top of my new one via direct deposit until they found out about a month ago and the payments stopped. The grand total of overpayment is about $40K.

They have contacted me and asked me to repay the money, but I spent it. When they called me, I got worried about my 457 retirement account and tried to withdraw it, but they are refusing to grant my withdraw until I make arrangements with them. Full disclosure, about $100 of each payment they were sending me was sent to that retirement account.

My concern is, is receiving this money and spending it criminal? Do I have to repay the money? Can they sue me from a different state? Can they delay allowing me to cash out that retirement account? It’s been 30 days since they notified me and I requested my money. How long can they refuse to sign my withdrawal form?

Thank you all for any advice.

Answer:
 > Do I have to repay the money?

Yes.

> Can they sue me from a different state?

Of course they can.

You aren't entitled to the overpayments, nor are you entitled to the contributions they made to your 457 account after you resigned.  Your best bet is to work out a payment plan with them.Answer #2: I could see a prosecutor bringing criminal charges if you refuse to cooperate in repaying it. You absolutely owe it back and it would be a slam dunk lawsuit. Don't expect access to any retirement funds while you still owe them money.


Title: Can I get a "restraining order" on a company?

Question:
Over the past ten years, I have had canvassers from the Kirby vacuum distributor repeatedly ignore my No Soliciting sign. There is a municipal code prohibiting knocking at homes with signs, as well as codes requiring payment of fees and displaying a license.  I have contacted the corporate office of Kirby, and in March they sent a letter showing that I was on a "Do Not Knock" list.

Last night, some Kirby Kids came by my house, so I excused myself to dial 911. When I came back to the door, they had moved on to another neighbors home, who also has a do not solicit sign. I asked them why they were knocking on the door. When it had a No Soliciting sign and asked them if they were aware of the muni code.  One representative explained that people move into houses that have the sign, and really didn't mean it.  This is the exact same answer that I have received every time I have asked, which leads me as a reasonable person to believe that is part of their training.

Anyway, police show up, but in the meanwhile the other canvasser is losing her mind screaming in the middle of The street and calling 911 stating that (direct quote) "a huge man is harassing and following me, and I'm a small girl" and apparently that worked, as the cop who showed up went to her first, and apparently got an earful as he had quite the aggressive attitude towards me.

Long story short, it seems that the police have little motivation to enforce this particular misdemeanor.  It seems to me that I need to escalate beyond the point of placing some overworked and underpaid Kirby Kids Kult member under citizens arrest, what can I do to legally keep them off of my property that will really get their attention? Who could I file a complaint with?

Location, Salinas California. USA.

Edit, to all the people hurt because I called 911 after 6 pm instead of waiting until the next morning, I am so sorry to all of your friends and relatives who lost their lives while waiting for the cops to show up. But I came here for LEGAL ADVICE, not etiquette advice. I believe if my actions violated laws that the police would inform me.  So can we please get someone in here who knows something before you pearl clutching grannies downvote my question into obscurity?

Answer:
 And please don't call 911.  That is for emergencies.

Your local police have a non-emergency number.  Trespassing salespeople are a non-emergency.


Title: GameStop just screwed me out of $20, how can I get it back (legally?)

Question:
So I was buying Diablo III on gamestops website. (via paypal) and accidently bought the DLC (Lost souls or w/e its called) AND ITS GAMESTOPS FAULT, because they didn't say it was "DLC" (and it was the only result that came up in the store. I didn't find out about the base game being on the gamestop website until I saw "Consider this game here", and I was like "god damn it" and winded up buying the base game + dlc. (Thing is, I DON'T NEED OR WANT THE DLC) I just wanted to play the base game.

Now how the fuck can I get my $20 back? I just wasted 2 god damn hours waiting in the chat support line (40 people in line) and finally got to the person and she said "can I confirm your order and address?" I said fine. Then she brought up "I can't give you a refund, all digital items are final" even though I explained the situation to them.

How can I legally get my $20 back from these pos? (Fyi never shopping at [gamestop](http://www.rechargegaming.com/images/1213GTA5.jpg) ever again, steam and amazon for me)

Answer:
 Make sure you are buying what you think you are buying before you hit confirm.Answer #2: Which of the following did you buy?

1) http://gamestop.com/Catalog/Product/113384#details

2)http://gamestop.com/catalog/product/76157#details

If you bought #1, it literally says "Expansion Set" on the picture.


Title: Can my future landlord choose not to rent to me for no reason?

Question:
I'm a student attending university, and I applied to some off campus housing a while back. I met with two people where I paid my deposit and filled out the paperwork for a room.

I sent a message to the company's number, which turned out to be the person I met with today asking about when I would get my keys. He told me I had to sign a second form over text, and wanted me to print and bring it. I didn't bring the form to our meeting today, so he got visibly upset and said we'll just have to meet next week. We said our goodbyes, and later in the day I got a text message saying the room was no longer available.  I told him I wasn't picky about the room, and unit would do. He then proceeded to say no single male rooms are available. He told me to meet next week and he will return my deposit.

I know this is false because there are various listings on craigslist and rental websites for people looking for a roommate at that complex. Is there anything I can do? This is the cheapest apartment within walking distance of the university, and I can't afford any of the other nearby ones.

Answer:
 > He told me to meet next week and he will return my deposit.

Without a signed lease in hand, this is more or less the best you're going to get. "No reason" is all the reason a landlord needs, and unless you suspect your landlord is using "no reason" as a blind for some kind of illegal discrimination (for examples in the US: on the basis of race, gender, or national origin), that's the end of the matter.


Title: I backed into a car with very minor damage, the quote from the owner seems excessive. What are my options? (pics included)[Beaverton, OR]

Question:
Pictures: http://imgur.com/a/tOCo1

The damage on the vehicle is about the size and depth of a quarter.  The owner of the vehicle has a quote from an autobody shop for $700.

I am looking for an outside opinion.  What is the correct course of action in this situation?  Am I right in assuming a nearly undetectable ding should be cheep to repair?

Thanks!

Answer: If they have a quote then that is what it costs. Body damage on cars is incredibly expensive to fix.


Title: Landlord won't respond to me, rabid bats in home and broken AC for 5 months [FL]

Question:
**TL;DR:** slumlord wouldn't fix AC 6 months ago so bats and other bugs and stuff chewed through the deteriorated ductwork under the house and ended up with bats flying in my house. Had to move out 2 weeks early to protect my dog. Not sure if I should even pay for my last month (July) considering I had to leave early to protect pup and paid a ridiculous utility bill since our AC was never fixed.

So I already moved out two weeks early because we began getting bats in the house. After some research I find that this typically means they're rabid, and since I have a dog I had to get him out asap because I wouldn't know if he was bitten until it was too late.

Thankfully the landlord of my new place let me move in early, but I also can't get ahold of my old LL to pay July rent which was due on the 1st. In the lease it says he takes checks and other various forms of payment, but verbally he tells us he prefers cash.

On the 1st he said he was out of town and to "leave the cash in the mailbox". I said no way Jose and texted him three days later to see if he was back, he told me he was busy but try asking him around 5pm. No reply. This goes back and forth until about a week ago when I texted asking if I could just wire it to him instead. Still no response.

I now feel like he's going to take it out of my security deposit and then use the rest of the $600 for a cracked window where someone tried to break in (filed a report too) and a citation he got for junk cars of the other tenants being in the driveway (had nothing to do with my car or my roommates as we both have tags but we're the only ones in the house with a signed lease).

Should I pay him at all for this month? Should I have an attorney write him and say that I will not be paying for July as our utilities were $500/month due to having to crank down the AC to 68 for it to be 85 instead of 95? Should I just pay him and risk being out $1800 instead of $1200 if he doesn't give the deposit back?

He doesn't know about the bats but he knew about the termites, sagging ceiling and broken AC and all he did was come and tape a vent back onto the unit every other month and say it should be better now. I have documentation with an attorney of the broken AC for months now, as well as everything else our Landlord has and hasn't done.

I just don't want an eviction on my record or to be out $1200 or $1800 as I'm only 20 and just put a $1650 deposit down on my new 1/1 and a deposit for power, etc. I also haven't done any personal damage to the house other than minor wear and tear so I'm not sure if he can take much from my deposit at all?

Answer:
 You must, immediately, today, get yourself and all of the people who have been in this house a rabies vaccine. Run, do not walk to the ER and say, "there have been bats in my house for months. IDK if they're rabid".

If you have been exposed to rabies, you may be able to prevent yourself from contracting rabies. If you contract rabies, you will die a horrible death. Rabies is 99.98% fatal to humans. A handful of people -ever- have survived, after having basically all of their blood replaced and being put in a coma for months, and those few people have had significant cogantive difficulties.

This is your most important priority right now.


Title: Fired after giving notice in Washington DC

Question:
I worked for my most recent employer for 3.5 years. In January, I told them I wanted to change roles and gave them the green light to start looking for my replacement. I was seeking roles inside and outside the company. In July, I became ill and was in the hospital for 3 days. A few days later I was back at work full time though with a reduced role. While I was in the hospital, my employer hired my replacement and suggested an end date of September 7th, which I agreed to.

On August 13th, I was informed that my end date had been changed to August 17th. I did not agree to this date, I was informed of it. I was cut out of 3 weeks of pay that I was counting on and health insurance, which I sorely needed. When I applied for unemployment benefits, my former employer appealed stating that I'd resigned. The office of Unemployment ruled in favor of my employer, so I appealed.

On Monday (10/15) I received a notification that my hearing is scheduled for next Weds (10/24). I can't afford a lawyer, and haven't been able to find free representation, so I plan to represent myself at my hearing and am looking for all the advice I can get. **I'm especially hoping to get help finding examples of cases similar to mine where the judge ruled in favor of the employee to add to my evidence**. I also started a new job this week, so I have less time to work on this, and **I have to mail my evidence on Friday**.

Any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated.

Answer: You put in your resignation. The notice period is a courtesy and, barring a contract that says otherwise, your employer has no obligation to continue to employ you. It’s unlikely that you will win this case. Why did you not have employment lined up for after your resignation date?Answer #2: The most you can hope for is the time between your last day and the date you gave when you have notice. Minus any waiting period.


Title: (NY) Contrator Using My House on His Facebook Page

Question: Last fall I had a deck put on my house by a contractor. They did a nice job on the deck but we're rushing at the end, working in the dark and did a crappy job on the stairs. After emails and phone calls they finally came out before winter and fixed the stairs but did such a crappy job I waited until spring and just fix them myself. Now I see on their Facebook page they're showing pictures of the deck they did on my house as part of advertising their services. It doesn't give any of my personal information but do they have a right to use a picture of my property as part of their advertising without explicit permission? I looked at our contract and there's nothing in there about it. Thought I would ask and see if it's worth putting up a stink about. Had they done a decent job on the whole thing I wouldn't mind but since I had to do some real work myself I don't want them using my property in their literature.

Answer: If they've taken pictures of their own work, then they can use those pictures however they please. Those pictures are their property.


Title: Please help me! I'm 18 and a male living in California. I'm in a horrible situation about sexting.

Question:
So I'm 18 and I live in California. I just graduated high school, and as a result, the majority of my friends are minors. One of these friends is a girl and she is 16. We started texting a few days after I graduated, and things elevated, and I thought I fell in love. She fell for me, and things snowballed into sexting, but when I realized that it wouldn't work out, she flipped. She wanted to send me to jail and have my life ruined. I didn't want that so I lied to her and said I had feelings so she would calm down and not call the police or anything. It's been going on like this for months now, almost daily her getting mad and threatening me. Her uncle is a police officer and she has already called him to frisk other guys. I'm really scared. I tried to be reasonable and find a middle ground, but she won't settle. She's unstable and is ruining my life. I don't want to go to prison and be a sex offender because of this mistake and an unstable girl. When I try to talk things out to her she won't hear anything I say. Her entire reason for doing this is because I won't date her. Every argument boils down to me trying to make the situation better and avoid conflict, and her getting angry over me not wanting to date. When we were actually emotional together, we exchanged nudes, but when I tried to end it, she continued to send nudes and sexually suggestive pictures, even when I told her I didn't want them anymore. Please help, I'm so scared, I've been sick with anxiety for months now, and I'm so scared of what will happen. Any advice is welcome, and sorry for the bad format, I'm on mobile
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer:
 > Any advice is welcome

Stay away from crazy.

Break it off nicely.  Don't talk to her anymore.  If she reports you to the police, get an attorney and handle it then.Answer #2: See a lawyer, keep the texts of her saying she is doing this so you will date her...and delete every single nude photo she has sent you.


Title: Brother in laws girlfriend is moving halfway across the country and taking their kid with her to live with new BF

Question: BIL and his girlfriend have been togeather for 9 years, live together and have 5 year old.  They're relationship had been rocky for a while and we have suspected that the GF had been cheating for a while. This weekend she came out and said that she wanted to break up and was moving to Chicago with her new BF and is taking their kid with her. BIL is ok with the break up and is being amicable about selling the house and splitting their assets 50:50.  He is not happy about the kid situation, but their kid said that he wanted to go with his mom so he is respecting that. They aren't going to court or anything, he just agreed to pay child support and she said he would be able to be a part of his son's life. However, she is a vindictive person and I am concerned that with no legal protections she will deny him access to his child, or hold the kid over his head for money (she barely works). He is understandably depressed and is not taking action and she is leaving the state is 20 days. I feel that it would be in his best interest to put legal frameworks into place that guarantees he has access to his son so that he does not get exploited or cut out of his son's life.  What steps can he take to ensure this does not happen? Would something like binding mitigation work or would it have to be a court thing? To my knowledge he is not trying to get full custody just make sure he can see his son on holidays and during the summers if possible.  If it helps both of their families are all in the area he is staying in. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Answer: He needs to get his ass to a lawyer and file for joint custody asap.  A judge can stop her from leaving the state with the kid.


Title: Neighbor in suburban area rides around on loud dirtbike, anything I can do?

Question:
I live in a somewhat blue collar area near my campus.  I am often studying and lack central A/C so I like the windows open.  Some white trash, moronic, redneck, waste of life next door owns a loud dirtbike and for some reason enjoys riding it around in circles around his 1/4 acre property.  It's loud, obnoxious, distracts me from studying, and affects my sanity and quality of life.  I don't even understand how riding in a circle for hours is fun, but the male resident who appears to be 35+ apparently is easily amused due to his low intelligence and the effects that drugs and alcohol have had on his brain for years.

I don't confront neighbors on their disrespectful and inconsiderate activities because frankly, they're trash, probably won't comply, and I will end up having to call police anyways thus identifying myself.  I've looked this address up and the occupants have multiple convictions for drugs, passing bad checks, DUI, and domestic violence so when i say they're worthless trash that's pretty much spot-on.  The female resident is often outside, drunk, slurring her words and yelling out things in typical White Trash American dialect.

I think dirt bike use is not considerate or appropriate in a neighborhood where houses are close together like this.  Plus, he doesn't have a muffler and rides on the street, speeding, on his non-street legal bike.  Dirtbikes are for taking on a trailer to a dirtbike track location unless you have enough acreage to not piss neighbors off.

So, long story short, I now call the cops the very instance this jackass starts revving the bike but it must be a low priority call because I only see a cruiser once he takes a break from riding only to start up again soon after.  The last time I called police they told me he has been warned but for some reason still continues.

What can I do?  Calling the police doesn't seem to work and I'm pretty certain one individual isn't allowed to just ruin everyone's quality of life w/ noise pollution.

EDIT:  Sorry, this is in Ohio.

Answer: Is there an award given for most disparaging stereotypes in one post?


Title: Who's fault in this car accident

Question:
Who's fault

I was comming back home 30min ago, I'm making a left turn from the mall, and another guy is making a left turn at the street facing me to enter the mall, didnt see him, and I hit the corner of the rear bumper with my front bumber. Who's at fault here, is it me not seeing him or him being too close, because the mark on my bumper is from the middle of it untill the end, his mark is only the lower left side of the bumper only.
[Here is a pic of what happend, I'm the blue line](https://i.imgur.com/fYlHAc0.jpg)
There was a stop sign on my side, I stopped looked left and right twice, then proceeded.
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer: Looks like red had the right of way. Blue needs to wait for red to clear the intersection.


Title: I'm being sued after writing One Direction fanfic about a picture I found of Zayn kissing a guy. Please help! (England)

Question:
I found [a photo of Zayn Malik kissing a guy](http://imgur.com/Dwmpsrl) called Micah Reed on a really obscure 1D fansite (photo has been removed now).

I wrote [a fanfic about it](http://www.quotev.com/story/6198202/Zayn-Quit-1D-For-Me/) and then received [a scary email from his lawyers](http://imgur.com/oPtE2t1) saying I'm getting sued for talking about the alleged "affair".

Please help me!

Answer:
 Well you aren't being sued, at least not yet. That letter is a demand letter, where they say "do X or we'll sue you."

It's basically a scare letter, but that doesn't mean they couldn't sue you for it. Would you win? I don't know but it's not worth the hassle I'd imagine. I'd advise you to just do what the letter asks.

And post the rest of the letter so we can see what it says.


Title: Is forging paystubs (to get a lease) a crime?

Question: My best friend has a tenant (in Texas) who lied about her being in the military and forged an army paystub in the documents she submitted with the lease application. She's been exposed and my buddy is weighing his options. Eviction is a no-brainer, but the process can take some time and he'd like to avoid paying mortgage and expenses out of his pocket (tomorrow she'll be two months late with the rent already). If she can get into legal trouble for forging an army paystub, then he can basically make a deal with her, *move out this week, don't mess up the house and I won't press charges, we'll forget this ever happened*. Eviction involves paperwork, JP's, constables, and all that jazz. Is this feasible? Good idea, bad idea?

Answer:
 Yes it is a crime, probably more than one.

Likewise, using that as leverage to extort her is also a crime.

> bad idea?

Very bad idea.


Title: Friend keeps receiving anonymous blackmail letters [US, PA]

Question: I'm in college, but one of my good friends who is still in high school keeps receiving anonymous letters addressed to her parents concerning very private aspects of her life. They started off as somewhat true (she drinks at parties, sent naked pictures to a boyfriend) but have spiraled way out of control. The last letter she received claimed that she posts images to social media of her drinking alcohol in her school uniform, that she posts frequent naked pictures for all of her followers to see, and that she proudly shares all of the details of her sexual experiences at social gatherings. She has received about five letters in total over the past two months. The letters have no return address and are not signed. What can she do? Is this worth contacting the police about?

Answer:
 That's not blackmail.

Blackmail is when the other party wants something in exchange for not revealing embarrassing information.

This could be harassment though.Answer #2: > Is this worth contacting the police about?

If she is doing those things, and its publicly known, no. Theres no crime.

If she is doing those things, and its not publicly known, no. She needs better friends and to change her behavior.

If she isn't doing those things, yes. Someone is trying to cause her harm via lies.


Title: First Amendment vs. Lanham Act

Question:
Parody law seems to be a gray area so I don't know if there's a clear answer here, but I just received a cease and desist letter from a fast food corporation demanding I remove a shirt from my t-shirt store because they claim I have engaged in "unauthorized use of their trademark or a confusingly similar derivative thereof." I don't know if I am allowed to show the companies logo and my parody of it, but I will say the logo is identical except I have changed one letter (P instead of R - so very similar) to make a very literal pun. They claim my use of the trademark "results in a claim for money damages, injunctive relief, and recovery of attorney fees" but I haven't actually sold any of these particular shirts so I'm not sure what money damages they could be referring to. If I sign the cease and desist within 10 days they say it will resolve the matter without further action. I don't really see the point in fighting this and paying my own lawyer fees for a product that has garnered me no profit, but what protection if any do I have based on the first amendment?

&#x200B;

**tl;dr I changed one letter in a fast food company's logo to make a silly pun and they will pursue legal action if I don't remove the shirts from my store citing the Lanham Act**

Answer: Impossible to answer without knowing all the details (which you cannot share here). You can either accept their offer or be prepared to spend money on an attorney.Answer #2: Parody is absolutely protected. However, it will be a long expensive fight and it's not clear if you are actually infringing on their copyright. (It sounds like you probably are though.)


Title: I am being sued for cybersquatting

Question: [deleted]

Answer: So why don't you google cybersquatting and then you can determine if that's what you're doing or not.  Since you haven't provided any information as to what you've been doing with the domain name, how many other domain names you have and what you've been doing with them, and how closely this domain name matches the person who wants it, there's really not anything anyone here can say about it.


Title: Forgot to Return Rental Books, Now Collections Wants $200.

Question:
I failed to return three $8 textbooks that I rented from my university, and I got an email stating that now I owe $200 to a collections agency. I feel like this is an exorbant amount (I would be ok paying a fine...but this seems excessive for $24 worth of books). Should I deal with collections or try to go through the university bookstore?

Thanks.

Edit: The books were between $17-22 each. Totaling around $57. The rental was 1/2 the total price of the book.

Answer: What does the rental agreement that you agreed to say? Answer #2: I don't think I've ever seen a textbook that only cost $8; my guess is that you rented them for $8 each, they actually cost $40+ each, and the university tacks on a $25 fee for the hassle of replacing them.  If you return the books you might only owe a fine, but if you ever want to get a transcript from your university, you'll probably need to pay them whatever they say you owe.


Title: /r/legaladvice enters TOP 1K subreddits

Question:
**/r/legaladvice metrics:**

Total Subscribers: 34,634

Subreddit Rank: 1,000

Subreddit Growth & Milestones: http://redditmetrics.com/r/legaladvice

Answer:
 Oh dear god.Answer #2: What happened on the 7th of April last year? ~1900 subscribers in one day.

Edit: It might be related to this thread: [Is it legal to hire a make out coach?](https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/1bub6y/is_it_legal_to_hire_a_make_out_coach_illinois/)

Edit: [Bestof thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/bestof/comments/1bv0cg/redditor_asks_if_its_legal_to_hire_a_make_out/)

Edit: It goes to show that /r/bestof remains an admin sanctioned brigade.Answer #3: Where did "Legal Advice ~ Ask the reddit legal professionals*" come from?  (from redditmetrics.com/r/legaladvice)  Can we delete that?


Title: Can an employer in Chapter 11 withhold accrued vacation pay if i resign.

Question: So currently I am working for a non profit company in Connecticut. The company recently file for a chapter 11 bankruptcy and about a week ago I gave my notice. I was told that my accrued PTO time (250 hours) to be paid out upon leaving. The CFO just informed me that they don't have to pay out my PTO due to the company filing for bankruptcy. I was wondering if this is true and is there something I can do?

Answer: Well by-the-book no but in the real world yes. If you sue them or file a wage complaint that debt may go to the top of the list but that doesn't mean you will be paid out any faster or it may take a very very long time if it ever happens.


Title: College professor refusing my accommodations for a test.

Question:
I'm looking for input on my school vs disability situation.

I'm registered with my college's disability center, and I was planning to utilize their accommodations for three proctored exams this semester for a math course. The first of which was completed successfully. (I take my tests alone in a room, because of debilitating anxiety in testing rooms and a major panic disorder that I see a psychiatrist and have been hospitalized for multiple times). I digress.

I made an appointment to take my test during the required test window the professor gives. I showed up as expected, prepared. The computer at the Disability center was unfortunately on lockdown with some sort of administrator password no one had access to. An hour of phone calls from the office got no answers. They eventually sent me home and reassured me that they would discuss this with my teacher to extend the test window due to the situation being out of my control.

It's been a week and a half of Hell for me. The director of the Disability center cannot get my teacher to allow me to take this test. She is saying I could have taken it without my accommodations to have met her deadline and she's trying to get me to appeal the class for my tuition back a month from the class' completion!

What are my rights here? Any ideas on who to talk to? How can she go against the law?

Answer: Does your school have a student affairs office that you can talk to? This sort of behavior would not fly at any school that I'm familiar with.Answer #2: This isn’t within the professor’s purview to decide what you could have done. You have an accommodation and you’re entitled to use it. You attended the session on time as instructed. It’s time to go to the dean of students or if you don’t have one as you mention a director of student affairs, the vice pres for student affairs.  What the prof is doing is illegal, but sadly fairly common in academia. I once went around and around with an idiot who didn’t understand why his blind student couldn’t look at a map on the projected screen and list the countries in his geography class like every other student. Because he’s blind!Answer #3: Does your school have an Ombudsman?Answer #4: Acknowledging I'm biased as a professor. Your complaint should not be with the professor. It should be with the disability center for failing to be able to provide the testing when it was scheduled/required by the professor. The professor had no control over what the disability center was doing and typically has a time frame to submit the exam materials prior to the testing time. As long as they submitted in this time period, the professor is not at fault; the disability center is. Could the professor possibly be more accommodating....yes...but again I think your grief is with the professionals at the testing center and not the professor.


Title: [Rhode Island] The 2nd floor apartment and my 1st floor apartment have cris-crossed electrical wiring, and my landlord does not want to fix the problem, but is requesting that I send him my last 3 months electrical bills. What's the proper recourse here?

Question:
Recently the guy living in the apartment above mine complained to the landlord saying that his electric bill seemed too high. My landlord had his handyman check the apartment and it turns out every single ceiling and wall light in my apartment, and one wall outlet, is wired to his utilities upstairs, and not mine downstairs. As such, any time I turn the lights on in my apartment (with the exception of a floor lamp in the bedroom), that electricity is coming off the upstairs guy's meter.

My landlord said straight out that going in with the proper contractors and rewiring the house would be too expensive and he doesn't want to pay to have the work done. He asked me to send him my last few electric bills so he can see what I've been paying monthly.

In my lease agreement, it states that utilities are the responsibility of the tenant. When I moved in, the utilities were transferred into my name through National Grid, so the gas and the electric coming into my apartment is paid by me directly.

As it stands right now, my neighbor upstairs has mentioned that my landlord is currently giving him a small discount on his rent because of the issue, but it's cause for growing unease between him (the other renter) and I because any time I leave a light on, he sees it as me costing him more money. He's approached me a couple times when I forgot to turn a light off leaving the house and complained that it was costing him money.

What's the proper fix for this? The way I see it, there's absolutely NO way to reasonably expect to divide up the electricity fairly without re-wiring the house. There's two people living upstairs, and just myself downstairs. I'm pretty much only at home at night, and use barely any electricity as it is. There's no way I would allow the electric bills to be combined and then split 50/50 and there's no way to determine what the actual split would be without fixing the meters. Can my landlord actually request that I give him my electric bills, and is there anything that he's actually allowed to do?

I don't want to screw over the guy upstairs, but at the same time I don't want to be involved at all in something that is essentially my landlord's problems, not mine. If I give him my electric bills it's just going to get more involved than I want to be.
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 This is 100% the landlords responsibility. Landlord must correct the problem. If landlord refuses, you just use the lights as you want and pay for your utility bill. You will not be in violation of the lease. Let your neighbor know to complain to the landlord, not you for any electric use that shows up on his meter. His electric bill is not your problem due to no fault of your own.

Not a lawyer, I am a landlord in NY.


Title: Dog got loose, chased a stranger, and stranger tripped and was injured. What can I expect?

Question:
After taking my dog to the dog park earlier today, we headed home and parked in the driveway like we've done hundreds of times before. My dog usually sits in the back and waits for me to open the door before putting on his leash. This time was different though; I open the door and before I could attach his leash to his collar, he bolts out and starts chasing a girl who tries to run away and ends up tripping. I don't know if my dog bit her \(she didn't say anything about being bitten\), but I definitely know she got some scrapes on her arm and knee and she says she hit her head on the pavement. I offered to bring her to the hospital but she said she's just like to be dropped at her home and have her parents bring her to the hospital. I let her take a picture of my ID and gave her my phone number and asked her to keep me updated.

I've never been sued before and I'm preparing for the worst and have these questions:

1. What will I be liable for?
2. Should I get an attorney?
3. Will my home insurance cover this?

Thank you in advance.

Answer:
 You could be liable for any injuries she has, and you'll have to ask your insurance company if your policy will cover this. She may also call animal control and report that your dog was loose off lease and acting aggressively.

Also pro tip; get a seat belt for the dog.


Title: Kaiser didnt have a therapy appointment available until a month and a half out, violating California law of waiting no longer than 10 days.

Question:
   I am currently diagnosed and get disability for Type 2 bipolar which almost exclusively manifests as depression. In 2013 I attempted to get therapy for depression from my Kaiser insurance. I have had success in biweekly sessions from my last insurance provider. At Kaiser I had two appointments both a month apart and the therapist didnt remember much from last time and I had to repeat a lot of what I had said. It didnt feel right and my depression symptoms were not reducing. I started to look up the laws and saw Kaiser had been fined 4 million dollars for having too long of wait times to see therapists and trying to push them into group therapy which is what happened to me. The law in California states that waiting no longer than 10 days to see a therapist which is in part why they were fined. I told them I needed biweekly appointments of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy which is what they offer there. It is recommended as weekly or biweekly and that is what I wanted as the last time I was in frequent therapy my life dramatically improved. I told them I was aware of their fines and that they were breaking the law and that I would seek legal action if they did not offer me biweekly sessions. They did oblige. My therapy helped get me back into college and I had one of my most successful semesters ever.

&nbsp;

   Fast forward to a couple months ago 4 years after my therapy.  My grades were slipping and I had a drinking problem. I went into an intake appointment and as told I had to wait a month in a half to see a therapist. I at this point had a strong aversion to conflict as I had internalized my last interaction with kaiser that it was my fault and I had made people at this office uncomfortable by talking about pursuing legal action and forcing my way to see someone. It was a traumatic experience for me because I was already sick felt like no one cared, then when I went to get help and there was none it reaffirmed that no one cared and it added to my depression and I had no interest in going through that process again. Since that initial intake appointment where I h ave to wait a month an a half I have steadily declined. As someone who has had this illness since 2007 I am aware of the signs of the decline. I have started going to bed later and later sleeping in longer. The last week has been really bad and have had a persistent sore throat from chain smoking when stressed. I have pain in my body from my depression nearly everyday. Though when I am strong enough it can be mitigated through doing chores, activities, ect. I am frequently suicidal. It escalated late one night I was crying and wanting to commit suicide. I was talking to my friend at 5am about it and he tried to calm me down as was my ex gf who lives with me who called out of work to make sure I was okay. This is embarrassing for me to type and I am sorry for a long post I just dont know what is relevant or not. I feel my state would not be this severe if I had gotten into weekly or biweekly sessions within 10 days of my asking for help.

 &nbsp;

Essentially I am asking if I have a case against Kaiser for needless pain and suffering due to them breaking the law by going over the 10 days to see someone. I am wondering what the extent of power the judge has in small claims court. That if they would have to power to fine kaiser just by proving they broke the law in my case. I want to ask for the full amount as a fine for breaking the law and for pain and suffering, and for not correcting this issue since 2014 when I got care the first time. Since the 2013 four million dollar fine they were fined I think 2.2 million again in 2017 for the same thing. I am wondering if that would give legitimacy to my case. Also this is less provable but due to my interaction with Kaiser I have avoided therapy and avoided getting more help these last years until it got really bad. I am wondering if they could be at fault for causing emotional damage which causing me avoid seeking help in the future. My quality of life has been bad for about a year but I waited until it was really bad to get help as I had a strong aversion to therapy after that as it reaffirmed my depression that it this is a dark uncaring world and thinking about my experience with Kaiser was too painful. I know that I could have switched providers but I wasnt aware if I would lose the continuity of the medication I have to take if I switched. Also I had sworn off mental health help after this interaction. I am wondering if all or any that I have wrote would qualify me for legal recourse. Thank you.

Answer:
 >Essentially I am asking if I have a case against Kaiser for needless pain and suffering due to them breaking the law by going over the 10 days to see someone.

Almost certainly not.

>I am wondering what the extent of power the judge has in small claims court. Or would I have to go through arbitration.

It depends.

>If I can bypass arbitration because its small claims court I wonder if the judge would have the power to fine kaiser just by proving they broke the law in my case.

Not how this works. Not even close.

The fines publicized in the media go to the state, not to any individual.

>I am wondering if they could be at fault for causing emotional damage which causing me avoid seeking help in the future.

No, they will not be liable for you avoiding care.

Answer #2: I'm a bit confused. Are you actively trying to get another appointment or not? If you are, and it's been more than 10 days, report it [through this process](https://www.dmhc.ca.gov/healthcareincalifornia/yourhealthcarerights/timelyaccesstocare.aspx). I really suggest you try to see someone, and that you get urgent care (through a hospital ER if necessary) if you are suicidal. However, I can't find any evidence that you can individually sue Kaiser for any of the things you suggested. You could always consult with a lawyer.


Title: Last night I was involved in a car accident caused by a reckless police officer which heavily damaged my car. What are my options if any? [TEXAS]

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 > I know this is my fault

Yep.  Your fault, and your fault alone.  You rear-ended a guy because you were driving too fast.

> before anyone asks I was quite a ways away from the guy in front of me, definitely a suitable distance

No, it was not.  You can tell by how you didn't stop in time.  By definition, it was not a suitable distance.Answer #2: His driving is irrelevant. You are at fault for the accident. I'm assuming you traded insurance info with the guy you hit? Just stay in contact with your insurance.


Title: (AZ) can my mom legally change my last name without my consent?

Question:
I'm a 28 year old woman just minding my own business and my mom decided she didn't like my last name because it brings bad memories for her.

It's my last name and I've had it all my life. Is this legal?

Answer: No, she can't change your last name. I'd say keep an eye on key accounts/court records to make sure she doesn't try, but I don't even know how she'd attempt to.


Title: Advertising company wants to convert paper billboard to LED on property behind my home. (California)

Question:
There's an advertising company that leases property behind my home with a wooden/paper billboard with spotlight.  They are wanting to update the sign to LED signage.  My concern is light pollution and the effect on my property value.

I was wondering what my rights are in this situation and if I could/would be subject to compensation.  The company sent letters to homes in the adjacent area asking if anyone objects to the new signage (guessing for permits?). They have tried planting trees to block the light for the current sign, but many of those have died.  The company said they plan on planting more trees to block out the LED signage, have offered to plant trees in my yard (which I don't want) and a one time cash payment.  Just hoping for some advice so I can make an educated decision regarding the situation.  Thanks for your time.  Contra Costa County, California

Answer:
 Ultimately, it isn't your property and the effect the LED sign has on your property is an unfortunate and uncontrollable outcome, unless your location has special laws outlining LED billboards (which I couldn't quickly find on google).

The fact they're willing to plant trees and pay you is above and beyond what they need to do.


Title: [AL] Filed an uncontested divorce with my ex 6 months ago. Today I'm told we need to resubmit the "answer" or it'll be thrown out.

Question:
**I'm submitting this for a friend who needs help and is unfamiliar with reddit**

I submitted paperwork last November for an uncontested divorce with my ex in Jefferson County, Alabama. We both signed the uncontested divorce document, had it notarized, and paid the court $199. Come March they send me a letter saying he needs to be served or the case will be thrown out in 7 days. I get in touch with him and we get him served asap.

Now on May 2nd I receive a letter that says there is incomplete/incorrect pleadings to the court, and we must rectify this issue, again within 7 days, or the case will be thrown out. On the second page, which is a checkbox list of reasons the paperwork could be incomplete/incorrect, someone wrote in with pen "✓ Answer" and written on the side is "Exhibit A: Answer fails to deny. Submit amended answer".

I have no clue what that means, and when I called the court house to ask, they told me they didn't know either and we could try writing the judge, but that would probably take longer than 7 days for a reply.

Can someone tell me what I need to do here? I have no idea what the "answer" is or what it needs to deny, I just want my divorce over with. I never thought an uncontested divorce with no property/children to separate would be so difficult and take half a year. Any help is highly appreciated!

Answer:
 So I think the judge doesn’t like an answer to a question about what you want to happen or why it needs to happen. [pleadings ](https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/pleading)  being the reason I’m thinking this along with what he checked off.

Make sure all your answers are clear, complete, and concise and would make sense to someone that has no knowledge of the relationship and situation. Make sure all questions are answered in full and nothing is left blank or incomplete.

Like making sure to say “we want a divorce” not “we want to separate” bc those are two different things to the courts. And “we don’t like each other any more” is less explanatory than “we constantly fight and make each other miserable and unhappy and it is ruining our mental health”.

I would start with changes like that and resubmit and see if the judge sends it back again. At that point if might be worth paying the quickie divorce attorney the $200 to do this crap for you.


Title: Homeless Shelter Nuisance (Minnesota)

Question:
Hey guys,

So there's a Christian charity homeless center near my home and it's a hotbed for criminals and drug addicts. The building itself is absolutely packed with homeless people who litter everywhere. Trash is all over the grounds and in the surrounding areas. My girlfriend is constantly harassed and threatened by these people, last night they smashed her car window and stole some things from her car. I've contacted my city council, mayor, congressman, senator, association, and the CEO of the charity, and the police many times. Even as a homeowner though, I don't feel as if my word has much sway. The office assistants largely send back pre-formulated emails without any sustenance and the police can only do so much.

This has become a huge nuisance on our lives and affects our safety. Do I have any legal recourse? Is there any way we can sue to force them to provide security cameras for the surrounding neighborhood? Or something similar? I could probably get my association on board.

Answer:
 You can't force them to put up security cameras. You can put cameras up on your own property.

Other than that, all you can do is call the police every time a crime is committed.  You don't get to choose your neighbors.


Title: [Pennsylvania] Could accepting inheritance money take away my eligibility for my Medicaid?

Question:
I’m a little confused and not really sure where to find my answer (google is all over the place) so I was hoping maybe someone could shed some light.

My mom was just diagnosed with lung cancer and has

about 5 years give or take. She is now putting her will together, and wants to give my brother and I a 50/50 split of the inheritance. But here’s my problem:

I have MS and am on Medicaid. I understand that in order for me to receive Medicaid I need to remain chronically ill (done) and my income needs to stay below a certain gross yearly income. If I were to get this inheritance, will that money cancel me out of my eligibility to continue to receive Medicaid?

I’m afraid that if this is the case, I would burn through all that money in less than a year. My infusion treatment alone is 90K every 6 months, and that’s not counting the MRI’s, neurology appointments, specialists, etc.

I’m already stressed about the fact that I’m going to lose my mom sooner than I’d like, but I don’t want this money to get wasted. I’m curious if it was a good idea for her to name my SO (who is the father of our child and my power of attorney - although we are not legally married) instead of me.

Any and all advice is greatly appreciated. TIA

Answer: Yes. It absolutely can make you ineligible. you and your mom should talk to an estate planning attorney. There are tools available to allow her to leave you money while still making sure you keep your Medicaid eligibility


Title: Florida, Manatee County How can I legally carry my own prescriptions on my person

Question: Both narcotics and benzos. Thank you

Answer: Why would it be illegal to carry your medication when you've got them in the container the pharmacy gives them to you in?


Title: (CA) Landlord dognapped my dog and stole my belongings for exs unpaid rent. Had separate rental agreements.

Question:
My ex stole my car ending him in Jail. He didn't pay his rent so the landlady is coming after me for that rent by withholding my emotional support dog and my other belongings at an unknown location(one of her other two homes she sublets). We neither had a verbal or written agreement stating I would pay his rent. Called police and she lied and they thought so too but there hands are tied. What would the legal process be to get my dog back? Her name is Emma we have been blissfully together for 6 1/2 years. This women is a slumlord renting for 750 a month to share a room with multiple people to one room and only to mentally ill people. I've heard her do similar things to other people. I want to shut her operation down and report her for so much abuse to me and others there. Oh and all my stuff went missing before my lease was over so I am considering this an unlawful eviction.

-Thanks Kindly-
Jasmine

Answer: Sue your landlord in small claims for the return of your property. Expect your landlord to countersue for the outstanding rent; you can argue in court that you never agreed to cover your ex's rent, but if you were both on the lease, you're probably both liable for the rent in full.Answer #2: Wait, are you saying the LL told the cops that they did in fact take your stuff and are holding it hostage somewhere?  Because that's straight up theft.  Call the police again.  If they don't respond, talk to the sergeant.


Title: Can a 50/50 business partner legally force the other partner out?

Question: LLC formed with no operating agreement.  Can one partner force the other out?  I'm located in Oklahoma and are registered with the state

Answer: Given the nothing of your facts, sure. There are ways of forcing a 50/50 partner out.


Title: (KS)Apartments New owners says only one person can live in the apartment my boyfriend and I were planning on moving into?

Question:
Background: My boyfriend and I have been planning on moving into an apartment within the same complex, splitting off from our roommate and moving 2 doors down from the one he lives in now. Now, I didn't live with him during the time he and his roommate were renting out the one they've lived in for the past year, but I did visit for long periods of time. When the time came for them to renew the the lease, my boyfriend and I decided that since I'll be going to college in the area this coming August, in order to save money I'd move in with him at the complex.

Everything was going fine until today, the day before I'm supposed to make the drive with my stuff up to the new apartment. When he went to put me on the lease, the new owners told him that apartment had a one person limit due to size, but I was welcome to visit for 10 day periods of time. This wasn't mentioned when he paid the deposit, but when he told one of the complex managers I would be moving in at a later date some months ago, they didn't say anything about some of the apartments having a person limit outside of the standard " two a room". The apartments 501 square and the only reason they have this limit is "possible property damage".
Is there anything we can do or anything we could try and use to make a case to the new owners?

**Edit: We just got an email from the OLD managers - the one we talked to about this was the new one, and there are two other couples in the compound that share our names/that are pretty similar. Apparently the new one mixed up apt numbers and people, thought my boyfriend was one of the guys who was moving into a basically dorm room style "apartment" while we were moving into a regular apartment. False alarm, panics faded! Thank you for the replies and PMs guys :)

Answer: What does your bf's lease actually say about occupancy?


Title: Can your job legally fire you from missing work due family hospitalization even if you have proof?

Question:
My friends baby came down with a condition that requires hospitalization. He's about 2 years old.
My friend called in to his work to take care of the situation with his baby.
His job threatened to fire him if he don't go in.

Can he be legally fired? Even if he brought in doctors note?

Sorry for english.

Answer:
 Maybe. If your friends employer and your friend qualify for FMLA protection, and your friend goes through the hoops to get FMLA leave, then he's protected.

If FMLA doesn't apply, then he is not protected from termination.

eta: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_and_Medical_Leave_Act_of_1993Answer #2: It depends on the exact situation, but he may be able to apply for FMLA protection.


Title: [WA] Business Partner read my personal text messages on business computer, printed them out, and threw it at me.

Question: I was a 25% member in an LLC. It was just two of us, he owned the other 75%. On Tuesday of this week, after he basically bullied me out of the company, I signed a buyout contract for my shares. Can provide details on this contract if the details matter. I went in to the office yesterday to move out my stuff, and he had a stack of my text messages printed out and threw them at me. Apparently I had signed into my iCloud account on the company iMac a few months earlier when my personal laptop was in for repairs and forgot to log out of that account. He read back through at least 2 months of my private personal text messages between my wife and I, as well as a friend and I. A few of the conversations he printed out were concerning personal private matters between my wife and I, with nothing to do with him. We both feel extremely violated because we have no idea who he is telling this stuff to. I am curious to hear opinions on whether or not we have any legal ground to stand on or if this is just my fault for leaving an account logged into an LLC-Owned computer. Thanks in advance. Let me know if any more details are needed.

Answer: Make a police report, that's a crime for him to log in and access your iCloud account.  Like 10 years in Federal Prison


Title: Is it legal to “out” your rapist? IE, talk about it on Facebook using their real name and such?

Answer: Generally yes, but there's a real risk of getting sued if they weren't convicted.Answer #2: You could absolutely be sued and then the burden of proof would fall to you to show it happened. Many jurisdictions have "defamation per se" which means the plaintiff doesn't even need to show damages.Answer #3: In the US, it's easy to file a suit. If you didn't report the rape when it occurred, there is a pretty good chance that the jury will side with the rapist in a defamation suit. It may not be worth the risk. OTOH, if either have really good insurance or you're broke enough to be judgement proof the possibility of a loss is much less of a risk, and just bringing suit will draw more attention to the perpetrator.Answer #4: Where? In the US, this is legal, i.e. not a criminal offense, unless it goes against a gag order imposed by a court in an ongoing case. But if someone says something that is factually false, they can be successfully sued for defamation.Answer #5: Convicted or accused? If convicted, a minor? Sealed record?


Title: Appearently ive been selling copyrighted items illegally.

Question:
Hey /r/legaladvice!
Im running a small clothing store, where i also sell tshirts and hoodies that have characters on it from certain popular series.
Now i know its not within the fair use to sell this kind of merchandise, so i contacted my supplier if hes selling legally these copyrighted characters. They said its all legal and i should not be worried. I believed their word back then, but now im starting to think that i shouldve asked them for some kind of proof about it.

A few days ago the company that owns these characters have contacted me about it, thats why im here for help, because im a bit confused.

Should i be worried if they happen to sue me? Does it help at all that i was told by my supplier that its legal?

Also, i contacted the supplier about it yesterday, they are yet to answer my email.

Answer:
 You should absolutely be worried. Companies must protect their property via lawsuit or they lose their claim to it. That means they WILL sue you, 100%, and they will also win. I pray God for your sake that this is not Disney or a subsidiary. You didn't do your due diligence, just saying "hey, this is cool right?" isnt going to protect you from getting sued for this. If you're served, you need an attorney asap.Answer #2: Yes should need to be worried if they sue you.
No it doesn’t matter if someone else said it’s ok.
You need a written license to use the copyrighted work.
Unless you’re supplier provided you with proof of permission, than it’s on you.


Title: Motorbike damaged and offender is too young to prosecute. What can be done?

Question:
I'm speaking on behalf of a friend who's bike was stolen and damaged (now in custody) a week ago. This happened in Liverpool, UK. The bike has been moderately damaged and so has the garage it has been stored in that makes it offroad so it is uninsured.
One offender has been caught and is under the legal age for prosecution. It is suspected that there are more involved.

My friend is in no condition to fully replace his bike at the minute (Suzuki SV650) and so far may not be receiving compensation because of ineligibility of prosecution.

What can be done?

Answer:
 Your friend should contact an attorney to go over his options. I am not very familiar with UK laws, but it appears that England allows you to file for compensation from the parents when the actions of a minor that is below the age of prosecution are deliberate and would be considered a criminal offense if the child was old enough. The type of claim you would making is called a Parental Compensation Order, if you or your friend want to do some research on it.

Whether that is the only route or the best route to take, I have no idea. Hopefully someone else more knowledgable and/or more familiar with UK law can give you some information on that front.


Title: [LA] Will I get in trouble for getting the water from my workplace tested?

Question:
My employer provides us with clean drinking water from a professional water jug delivery service, but the water we use in the bathroom to wash our hands is well water. Most of the time it has a slight weird smell, and other times it will smell like sewage.

Can i collect some water from the bathroom faucet and send it off to be tested? Is that illegal in Louisiana, USA?

If i do find the water is contaminated, what can I do to avoid being sued? (sure, I could find another job but I would worry for the health of my coworkers too)

Answer:
 That smell is probably sulfur

But no it’s not illegal but you can be fired Answer #2: Not illegal, but management can respond however they choose, especially in "at-will employment" states. Some might ignore or avoid a problem and eliminate people who rock the boat. Others might be concerned and be open to the testing without a problem.

Edit: correction


Title: Speeding ticket for a school zone help

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 >How was I supposed to know the speed limit was 25 MPH and not 35 MPH like the one in the town over or even when I'm supposed to go 25 MPH instead of 40 MPH.

You are responsible to know school zone limits. This info was likely on your driving test, or at least in the manual.

If you cannot afford it you can go to court and try to defend yourself, although you should know that ignorance of the law is not a defence. You may also be able to work out a payment plan with the court.


Title: Getting disciplined for accepting fake id [Oregon]

Question: My google skills are getting me nowhere, so I thought I would turn here. Someone I know accepted a fake id at work for alcohol and is now getting fired. I live in an at-will state so probably there isn't action they can take, but I was wondering what the law was. If you are duped by a fake ID, can the liquor control commission come down on you? Some IDs look very genuine, so how is the employee protected by a convincing fake?

Answer:
 Every bar has a little book that people checking IDs are supposed to know. That being said it doesn't really matter, he could get fired for having his shoe untied, the bar doesn't have to justify it.

The fines for a bar serving alcohol to a minor can be devastating to a bar on even the first offense. The bar is just protecting itself.


Title: Tenant Refusing Access to Unit Unless she is present (WA)

Question:
One of my tenants has work that needs to be done inside her unit, but she refuses to let anyone in unless she or her husband are present because they have pets. This would be fine if her only window of time to have work done wasn't just two hours out of a weekday. We ensure to properly give at least 48 hours notice, but there's only so much can be done in two hours. We have tried to be flexible by complying with this request, but then we will receive complaints that repairs aren't completed.

Her requests for repairs for reasonable, but it's not reasonable when a single job has to be broken up over 3-4 days to be completed.

Is there something that we can refer to so that we can access her unit and finish the repairs and let her know that we can do so even without presence of her and/or her husband?

Answer:
 [http://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=59.18.150](http://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=59.18.150)

Nowhere in those statutes does the tenant gain the absolute right to refuse entry for repairs unless the tenant is present.

>The tenant shall not unreasonably withhold consent to the landlord to  enter into the dwelling unit in order to inspect the premises, make  necessary or agreed repairs, alterations, or improvements, supply  necessary or agreed services, or exhibit the dwelling unit to  prospective or actual purchasers, mortgagees, tenants, workers, or  contractors.

Giving you a mere two hour window each weekday to complete repairs would probably be seen as "unreasonable" and therefore in violation of the law.Answer #2: It's a Notice of Entry, not a Request for Entry. Tell her you're sending the personnel to complete the repairs at this time and date with the proper amount of notice and she can make arrangements to be there if she wants to.Answer #3: Tell her to get kennels for her pets, hire a pet sitter, or leave them somewhere else for the day because you're coming in no matter what. You're allowed to enter after giving her proper notice whether she wants to be there or not.Answer #4: [Here's the relevant state law on the subject](http://apps.leg.wa.gov/Rcw/default.aspx?cite=59.18.150).  The first line is very clear: The tenant SHALL NOT unreasonably withhold consent.  Refusing to allow access for more than 2 hours at a time under any circumstance is almost assuredly unreasonable.  You'd be within your rights at this point to provide proper written notice and then enter the premises regardless of their response.


Title: Was this online prank illegal? [MD]

Question:
I did something really immature and something I’m very ashamed of. I tricked a few people on Facebook to send me money for an item that I didn’t actually have VIA PayPal. I returned their money very soon after. I’m now getting messages saying that I’m being tracked and I’m facing a felony, tampering, device access and fraud. What do you think? The person pursuing this was not one of the people i tricked. Is it possible they can reach my local authorities and something will happen to me even though they got their money back?

To add, the dollar amount was below $500.

Thank you

Answer:
 That's not a prank, that's fraud. Fraud is a crime. If it was across state lines, that makes it a federal crime.

"It was just a prank brah" is not a valid legal defense.Answer #2: > I committed federal wire fraud and have confessed to it on social media. Is that bad?

Yes. Yes it is.


Title: Age to buy a lighter?

Question: Maybe this is the wrong sub, but I recently went to the store and tried to buy a lighter. The lady asked for my id and I gave it to her, knowing I’m 21 and there should be no problem. She hands it back and said “I can’t sell you this, you have to be 30 to buy a lighter”. I asked her when they changed that, and she said it was always that way. I tried looking up online but couldn’t find a single thing that said you have to be 30 to buy a lighter. Is this some sort of new law or something? Living in United States

Answer: As a cashier, I hate to advise this course of action, but go try and buy another lighter. If you get denied, ask to talk to their supervisor. It's not illegal for the store to deny sales of lighters to anyone under 30, but it sounds kinda like the cashier misunderstood her ID training.Answer #2: She just didn't want to sell to you. Go to a different store. Answer #3: Lighters are used for other things than smoking. What if you needed to light a grill? Or start a campfire? Or burn down the store? Answer #4: She was incorrect. The store policy is most likely "Ask for ID for anyone who doesn't look over 30" so they can make sure that they aren't selling to anyone under 21. The employee either didn't listen to or understand this policy, or it was poorly explained to her. Answer #5: I had a Craftsman screwdriver,  the tip broke  off.  I went to Sears to get a free replacement. The cashier lady said that she could not replace a Craftsman screwdriver because the tip of the screwdriver was not considered a part of the screwdriver. I asked for her manager. I told the manager I'm here to get a replacement for my Craftsman screwdriver because there is Lifetime replacement. And the cashier said that she could not replace it because the tip of the screwdriver is not part of that screwdriver. The manager looks at the cashier and shakes his head and precedes to get me a new craftsman screwdriver.Answer #6: There is no federal law regarding buying a lighter. There might be some states that set a minimum age, but I am confident none of them set that age at 30.


Title: My HR rep fell for phishing scam in late March, now company wants us to sign a type of NDA. What should I do?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Read it carefully. It sounds like maybe what they're doing is  forcing all employees to acknowledge that there is a confidentiality issue and everybody needs to be proactive. Make sure that there's nothing in the document that would release the company from liability for The data breach.

As long as they're not trying to get out of responsibility for what already happened and it is just a forward-looking document I don't think there's any reason to worry.


Title: Adult Probation Violation/DUI - Texas

Question:
I've had the interlock in my car for 14 months and on probation for 9 months. I recently blew hot after a dinner out where I thought I'd be safe with 1 beer. My PO caught the two violations I blew and the one that started my car about an hour after, which was passed curfew. He says he'll have a court hearing ready by the time our appointment comes up.

My question is when or if I should involve my lawyer? Should I be honest with my PO about drinking or should I keep quiet until I get my lawyer's advice? I understand the brevity of the situation, but I also feel like my PO is being a hard ass and not on my side. It's my first probation violation, I have kept myself out of trouble for longer than I've been on probation and he's taking me to court for my first mistake. But I also don't want to hassle the lawyer that helped get such a reduced sentencing if I don't have to - I feel like he helped me out a lot already... But I'm anxiety ridden knowing that I have to go to court where no one will be on my side.

Answer:
 Your PO is not on your side, and was never meant to be on your side. He's on the court's side. His job is to ensure you abide by the conditions of your probation. You agreed to abide by those conditions, and knowingly and willfully did not and you think he's in the wrong?

Yes get your lawyer involved. Either way, be prepared that the judge may very well revoke your probation. You're on probation for DUI, and tried to do the SAME THING that got you in trouble in the first place. You attempted to drink and drive. The court is not going to have much of a sense of humor about that.


Title: My sister had an car accident and she is being sued for 100k

Question: My sister got into a car accident on December 15, 2015. Our insurance company sent us a letter saying that they recieved a demand letter by the attorney representing the party that was hit by my sister. They gave us a list of medical bills.  Also this is for one car, that had two passengers. First person has 6k in medical bills. Second person has 15k. On top of that first person also demanded 30k. The second person demanded 60k for compensation. I dont remember what exactly happend because my memory is not good. My sister was driving on the high way and she didnt see traffic coming for some reason I dont know, I think thats what happened. She was going about 50 or 60 miles and she hit this truck in front of her. Her car was so bad in shape in the front that it could longer be driven, and had to buy a same type of car again. She had a 05 Nissan Altima, the car she hit was a truck, not sure what kind of truck it was or how old or new it was. I dont know the exact details of everything. She had full coverage as well. I just believe that they are asking for far too much and I dont know how my family can handle this. We dont know what to do. We are an low income family too. We are from California.

Answer:
 The insurance company will provide a lawyer.  They will also provide money for damages up to her policy limits, which you didn't mention, but are hopefully among the legal minimum.

Most cases do settle for policy limits, especially if there aren't a lot of other assets to go after.  Your sister should do what the insurance company tells her to do.


Title: Can I help my sisters?

Question:
After hearing complaints of my mother acting strangely, I logged on to her Facebook (I know, I know. Sooo wrong of me) I found lots of messages between her and an old family friend that clearly showed  she had been buying meth from him for the past month, was buying for my elder brother who's on probation, and had my little sisters with her while doing so. I freaked out and told my older sister who confronted her. My mother first tried to shift the blame and then claimed she wasn't using, she was dealing. When I came to town to visit, all the signs of drug use were very evident. She was shaky, paranoid, and had lost so much weight that she was basically half of her former self (whom I had seen only a month before) and when I went to see my sisters, the youngest who has always had so much to say, was almost entirely silent. I had to basically force her to speak and she would barely acknowledge anyone's presence in the room and my other sister just seemed so incredibly sad. It was heartbreaking. They weren't the date girls I used to know.
By talking to my younger brother and his girlfriend, who live in the same town as them, it was made aware that my sisters have not been showering,  they hardly ever eat, they never have clean clothes, and my younger sister (age 12) has been suddenly having accidents. They don't have power or water and are currently being evicted because my mother dedicates all of her money (and their child support) toward drugs. I don't want them to continue to live this way and my sister or I would both happily take care of them if they could come live with one of us. We just don't know how to make this happen. The youngest (12) has a father who has skin cancer, is blind in one eye is also an addict. He's addicted to pain pills ( he's prescribed to many but buys extra on the side) and also bipolor. He's completely irrational and I couldn't even began to list all of the fucked up, crazy ass experiences he's put us through. He's definitely unfit. The older one will be 17 in October so she can get out of this situation much sooner. She's completely set on leaving the day she turns seventeen. It's the youngest that I'm so worried about. I don't want her to have to suffer like this. She deserves to be loved and cared for. Is there anything I can do?

-I live in Vinncenes Indiana, and they live in Joplin Missouri
Topic:
Juvenile and Youth Law

Answer:
 CPS.

Are you in a position to serve as a guardian,? Or is there another close (proximity) family member who can?Answer #2: Ask the mom if you can take care of them.

Contact child protective services.  If you want to take care of them then let CPS know, though CPS doesn't have to do anything about that request.


Title: [California] I did three unpaid "working interviews" and wondered how to pursue legal action

Question:
Over the past month, I was asked to come in for three "working interviews" at a veterinary business in Los Angleles, California. I was interviewing for an entry level, Kennel Attendant position.

Each of these "working interviews" were scheduled (via e-mail) from 10am-4pm (although they kept me until 7pm the first time), and had me performing the following tasks:

- Washing/drying/folding Laundry
- Sweeping/mopping
- Cleaning kennels, bathroom, and back of house areas
- Animal restraint
- Dog walking
- Cleaning litter boxes and food dishes
- Feeding/watering animals

Of these three "working interviews," I only took a lunch break for the first, and for all three I was on my feet doing something from the above list of tasks for about 90% of the time.

Considering these factors, do I have cause for legal recourse? I have been researching the wage claim process on the California State Division of Labor Standards Enforcement site, but it appears to be for current or previous employees only; is there a different venue someone in my situation (i.e. non-employee who has performed free labor as part of a "working interview" and is seeking compensation)?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Topic:
Labor Law

Answer: Wow, what a deal for the vet.  Yes, I'd complain first to the department of labor.


Title: USPS is refusing to deliver mail to my building due to bedbugs; management won't arrange for mail to be held

Question:
I live in a housing complex in New York City \(7 bldgs, 1 management company\). For the past 3\-4 days \(accounts differ\), no mail has been delivered in my building. I went to the post office to ask about the situation and was told that the mail carrier refuses to deliver here because she believes the mail room is infested by bedbugs. No mail is being held, so we have no way of getting to our mail unless the management company requests that the post office hold the mail. The mail goes out for delivery every day and simply isn't dropped off because the carriers won't enter the building. When I went to the management office, I was told that the mail carrier "was just here, and is distributing the mail now." That was well over an hour ago and there's clearly no mail being delivered and no sign of a carrier on premises.

Do we have any legal recourse here? Is the management company violating any laws by failing to arrange for mail delivery? I've never heard of anything like this and frankly have no idea what to do.
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 I think you should contact the Postmaster. The mail carrier’s belief that there are bedbugs doesn’t seem like a good reason to stop getting mail.Answer #2: You can request the Postal Service to [hold your mail](https://holdmail.usps.com/holdmail/) for up to 30 days, without needing to pay for a P.O. Box. Hopefully that will be enough time to resolve the delivery issue.Answer #3: I find it hard to comprehend that mail isn't being held for the entire building. Returning an entire buildings worth of mail to sender every day is insane. I think it is more likely that they are informally holding the mail for the entire building until this is resolved. However, no one is going go delve through that to get your individual mail.

I think you should pay them to hold your mail until this is resolved. Answer #4: You're right that management would have to request that mail be held for the entire building. But you can have USPS hold the mail for your unit only.


Title: Doctor got charts mixed up, and told friend they had cancer, does she have a malpractice case?

Question:
Edit: Our location is Arizona

I'm asking for a friend, but my gut says no.

My friend had a tumor in her uterus, that she needed to get removed. However, there was another patient with the same name who also had a tumor in her uterus, that happened to be cancerous.

The doctor or whoever mixed up the charts, and told my friend she had cancer, which did cause her some emotional stress, but the mistake was fixed within a week, and she had not followed through with any of the cancer treatment at this time.

My friend is very poor and believes that she just won the lottery with a lawsuit, but the surgery she did have was one she needed anyway, and the doctor decided not to charge her for the surgery after the mistake.

Does she have a case?

Answer:
 Honest mistakes happen and usually don't amount to winning the lottery, especially if no lasting damage was done, but as the bot said, medical malpractice is extremely fact-specific so she should consult with a medical malpractice attorney for the best answer.Answer #2: IANAL. Your friend will get nothing. The only person with a chance to sue for real is the person who *did* have cancer, if their treatment was delayed by this error.Answer #3: She might, but this is not the lotto by any means. Your friend has to have damages. With the surgery being necessary no matter the cancer results and the doctor waiving the fee your friend is not going to have much in the way of damages. Emotional pain and suffering for a week is not going to cut it, especially since it's already so difficult to prove it.

Your friend can find a medical malpractice attorney and do a consult to see what they think. A malpractice attorney will typically do free consults or ones for a small fee. Have her meet with one and see what they say.


Title: My partner was misprescribed medication at x10 the dose [US].

Question:
Hi /r/legaladvice. My 22/F girlfriend (NC, USA) has been prescribed amitriptyline 10 mg from a pharmacy for migraines, which have been working well. Two nights ago she took a pill from a new container which looked different, and she told me about it maybe 1 hour after the fact when she started feeling very loopy, with central chest pain which was described as moderate to severe and feeling very tired.

I grew concerned and, having some background experience with medications (specifically with poisoning), used some software at my workplace to identify the tablet (I was at work when she let me know). I linked her pictures with the 100 mg and the 10 mg tablet and it was a positive match to the 100 mg. The symptoms she was describing also matched those of amitriptyline in overdose.

Some people are prescribed 175 mg for depression so this isn't a dose that is typically considered life threatening, however in my partners' case she was only used to taking 10 mg therapeutically and thus the adverse effect was terrifying for her. She ended up not being able to go to the hospital (as I recommended) because the pill knocked her out, she slept for 16 hours and has ongoing, mild central chest pain as of today.

She has the container - it is 100% labelled 10 mg amitriptyline tablets but the inside tablets are incorrect. Do we have grounds for any legal action/to ask for compensation from the pharmacy? What should be her first steps - to the pharmacy or a lawyer? Thank you for reading.

Answer: NAL, but I am an ER nurse. That medicine is a tricyclic antidepressant, a type of drug class that has a lot of great benefits, but is notorious for really nasty cardiac complications. Should this happen again, please call your Poison Control center and head to the emergency room for an EKG. Answer #2: Without quantifiable damages, there's nothing that a lawyer is going to be able to do for you.


Title: Please help

Question: So I was on Omegle and this girl gave me her kik she said she was 16 and I’m 18 and she asked if I wanted to buy some pics and I was like idek if you’re a girl if I had some confirmation I’d debate on it and she sent me a picture of her bra and I said I’m not interested sorry and then she sent me this link of some meme and I was like sorry if I knew more so what your body looked like maybe but like I’m not asking for you to be naked in it and then she sent me a message with pictures that she has my IP address and she’s reporting it to the police if I dont pay her $500!!! And I’m like terrified right now honestly. Someone please help I’m terrified like will the police actually come or no since I’m 18 and she’s 16. I really don’t know what to do

Answer: SCAM


Title: MA - Joint Tenancy - Do I have to notify other joint tenant before selling?

Question: I inherited a house and property with a relative as joint tenants in Massachusetts and he is financially unreliable - can I sell my half of the interest in the property without getting his approval first?  I have an existing offer and would like to take it.

Answer: yes, you can sell your portion unilaterally. ru sure your buyer knows that it's not a complete property interest?


Title: Is this case of embezzlement usually a crime?

Question:
Sorry if this is a stupid question. I'm learning about embezzlement and looked through different examples. For most examples, it was clear why the embezzlement case was a crime. I'm not sure about the following case:

Bob works at a roofing company, and part of his job is to buy roofing tiles. Bob talks to his friend Charles, who sells roofing tiles, and agrees to let Charles overcharge Bob's company for those tiles. Instead of paying $30,000 dollars for the tiles Bob needs, the company pays $50,000. The extra $20,000 is embezzled from the company and is split between the two. This process is usually repeated until they are caught or give up.

Would this be considered a crime? Rather than directly take the funds, Bob is simply buying something for a higher price. It isn't direct theft as most cases of embezzlement appear.

Any clarification would be greatly appreciated.

Answer:
 How could this not be a crime?

Bob is conspiring with Charles to artificially inflate the price of goods so that they can benefit, at the roofing company's expense.

Bob has a duty to his employer to act in their interests.  His access to the company purse is predicated on him being trustworthy.  By acting against his employer's interests, he's exceeding his authority, which makes this a theft by embezzlement.

Not only is this embezzlement, it could also be a federal crime called "honest services fraud", defined as:

> "fraudulent schemes to deprive another of honest services through bribes or kickbacks supplied by a third party who ha[s] not been deceived"

(You can thank Enron and ~~James~~ Jeff Skilling for this one).


Title: My wife cheated on me with a felon

Question: So here is the story, Me and my wife have been married for 4 1/2 years. She moved out to california about 3 months ago to prepare for me getting out of the military. Things were fine between us. I got out of the military about a month ago and moved out here and the day i moved out she told me she had been cheating on me with someone who just got out of prison. Needless to say i was pissed off. Not only did she cheat on me but she moved him into her mothers how with her. We planned on living at her moms while we saved up money to buy a house. Anyways after about 2 weeks of them being together he moved in and is now around my daughter. I attempted to forgive her and mend my family back together, and things were looking good. She tried to end it with him but when she told him "it wouldnt work" i guess she regretted it. I was waiting to talk to her after she was supposudly going to have the final "talk" With him. I waited in my car for 8 hours before i finally said fuck it and went to the house. I walked up to the door and knocked and instantly regretted it so I took off. Then i get messages from her new felon boyfriend that he wants to "come see me" and wishes i would of stayed so he could beat me up. So my question is this? Can i file a restraining order against him and myself, and also against him and my daughter because i no longer feel safe with a violent criminal around my child. Also if i were to file for full custody what are the odds of me getting it.

Answer:
 Don't talk to her except through e-mail. Try not to make huge withdrawals from joint accounts  Talk to a lawyer, follow their instructions to the letter. Show the lawyer the message from the felon boyfriend and explain the context that could be useful.

Edit: DO NOT INTERACT WITH THE BOYFRIEND. It cannot possibly help you.


Title: My father was misdiagnosed with MS somewhere between 1998 and 2000. He fell in to a depression, gained a lot of weight and lost his job. Does my father have legal recourse with the neurologist? Should I speak with an attorney? Details inside. ON, Canada

Question: [deleted]

Answer: MedMal is an absurdly complex and very fact-specific area of law that we cannot help with on this forum.


Title: [CA] Underreported my boat purchase price. BOE (Board of Equalization) is asking for a copy of purchase agreement, statement from seller or other sales document that I genuinely dont have. Dont know what to do and I dont want to incur more penalties.

Question: I underreported the purchase price for a boat and if i dont have proof, BOE is threatening my with a Notice of Determination. Would gladly pay in full, but not sure how to come clean without getting into trouble...

Answer:
 1) Location.

2) Did you do it on purpose?


Title: Landlord saying he won't accept my rent

Question:
https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/56k4e1/landlord_inspection_is_this_reasonable/ previous post

So I didn't move the furniture for his inspection.  Now he's charging me an extra "carpet" fee because I didn't.  And he's reminding me that he expects all charges to be paid in full by Nov 1, and telling me that he will not accept any money short of the full amount he thinks he's owed, and that if I don't pay I will be evicted.

I'm worried that he's going to not accept my regular rent and then move to evict me for nonpayment.  Per the lease the rent can only be paid in cash or cashier's check.  So far I've been paying cash (I have the receipts).

What do I do if he won't take my rent payment?

In MI

Answer:
 Alright, this is going to be a mess, and a big one.

You have two big choices here. You can:

1) Pay the fee and sue him for the difference when you leave. This will let you get out of the trouble right now, but I would recommend getting a consultation with a local lawyer to make sure that you dot your i's and cross your t's. Your argument here is that the landlord breached your contract by tacking on arbitrary stipulations.

2) Pay as normal, document getting the cash or cashier's check. Document taking the proper amount do the landlord. Document him refusing payment. When it comes in front of a judge he will accuse you of not paying. You will retort that you attempted to pay according to the method and amount stipulated in the lease as demonstrated by exhibits A, B, and C. I would, again, consult with a local attorney to see if there's a form of evidence that the court most strongly prefers. Sometimes they like video, and sometimes they prefer text message conversations. Cover all your bases, and there's very little chance that this will go badly for you.

Your landlord is in for a world of hurt sooner or later on this. But, he's going to make your life unpleasant for a time until that happens. I would line up another place to keep the irreplaceable in the event he decides that the court doesn't know what it's talking about and decides to change locks on you.


Title: Question about employers and raises from yearly reviews

Question:
Hi /r/legaladvice, This is in the US- Texas

I have a question and thought it was too long to put in the title.
Can an employer include the time an employee has been gone for a long while in their decision for a raise during a yearly review?

The time off in question is medical leave. If need to be more specific please let me know.
Topic:
Labor Law (Unions)

Answer:
 Barring a contract or union agreement you're not entitled to a raise, period.

So yes, they can do this.


Title: Is it legal to ask for age and gender preferences when subletting a room that has roommates in Ontario?

Question: Hello, I am subletting my room for the summer and I have 3 female roommates in Ontario. I think they would prefer a female or at least someone our age. Is it legal to ask for a potential subletters age? Is it legal to choose a roommate specifically who is the same gender and age as you?

Answer:
 The Ontario Human Rights Code (which prohibits discrimination on gender / age / etc) does not apply when the tenant shares living space (kitchen / bath) with the landlord: see here:
http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/policy-human-rights-and-rental-housing

Are you and your roommates on the same lease? If so, you and your roommates are all the landlord of a subtenant, and they share space.


Title: I live in a multi-dwelling unit and have discovered bed bugs, landlord refuses to work with me.

Question: If I pay 500$ for an exterminator they will be back within a month because the other Tenants probably have them as well(I'm sure I didn't bring them in the house so they probably got into my unit via another tenant) Landlord refuses to help in any way to resolve the issue and told me to "figure it out myself" I wanna get out of my lease(6 months remain) or find some way to get this resolved , please help, I've hardly slept the past week.

Answer:
 seems like the owner must hire the exterminator. [take a look at this pdf file.](http://bspm.agsci.colostate.edu/files/2013/03/bed-bugs-law.pdf)

you can also call your city's housing code enforcement office and speak to them about the infestation of vermin that makes your apartment unlivable. [read this article.](http://gazette.com/bedbugs-put-bite-on-springs-landlords-renters/article/136887)