Title: (AL)- Wife went to a Phlebotomy school, passed the class and found out the school was not licensed.

Question:
My wife began school approximately middle of July for a five week Phlebotomy Certification. We paid $1200 for the course. After completion and state board exam (which was passed), The instructor informs us that the turn around time for getting her actual cert is approximately a month. It has now been six weeks. The test was issued through MedCa (testing company) Via the school.

The school was saying that MedCa had some policy change and now it will take longer. We called MedCa and they are saying that they have been calling him for months asking him for his licenses.

Called the Director of MedCa today, as well as the State Education Board. The school was operating without a license for over a year. Their facebook page has pictures of them handing out certifications. MedCa says they can not issue out the license without his certification.

What should we do?

EDIT 1: So just to clarify, from what I've heard from the State Department of Education, the instructor has a license to issue the test, but not to instruct the course. Both are needed by MedCa and the Department of Education for a certification to be assigned.

EDIT 2: On the website or the facebook page, it does not say they are accredited. It does have photos of people receiving their certifications with a state issued certification number. Example pulled from their facebook: http://imgur.com/I0NCtoT

Answer:
 If the school marketed itself as being "accredited" or "licensed" so that it could issue a certification, and it was not, then you could have an arguable case for a refund. I would call your State Education Board. They might give some guidance.Answer #2: Certifications and licensing can be tricky, mainly because a certification can (sometimes) mean absolutely nothing. Example: I'm a chemist and we use a lot of complicated and sensitive analyzers and instruments in my field. There's an "academy" that offers certifications for these instruments. But the certification doesn't *mean* anything and is not required to operate these instruments. Literally all it means is I went through this website's training course and they say I passed. That's it. It's not a license, it doesn't add anything to my resume or any credibility to our company.

That said, she needs to determine if the school was advertising itself as accredited or licensed, and if the certifications they hand out are just saying yay you passed their course, or are posing as actual phlebotomy *licensure*.


Title: (UK) I told a politican to "fuck off scum" what law did I break? The police are giving me a warning.

Answer:
 Assuming you're in England, Section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986.

"The offence is created by section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986. Section 5(1) provides:

"(1) A person is guilty of an offence if he:(a) uses threatening [or abusive] words or behaviour, or disorderly behaviour,....within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress thereby."

Might I suggest you refrain doing that in future.


Title: House I'm renting has no water meter, landlord wants to split water among all houses in property. Florida

Question:
I signed a lease for a house that is in a multi house property. Lease says that tenant must pay all utilities including water.

The house I'm renting has no water meter. Landlord assured me that house at all the hookups separate from the rest of the houses. When I called to transfer the utilities company said that house did not have separate water meter, just electric. Landlord now says that he will split the bill between all the houses in the property. Not sure yet how he plans to do the split.

Can he legally do that? I'm very frugal with my utilities use and I do not want to subsidize my neighbors bills.

Thank you all in advance.

Located in Florida.

Answer:
 You agreed to pay for water. Splitting the water bill is a reasonable (and not illegal) way to do it.

You can suggest he split the bill by total number of occupants, not units. A household with 3 people will use more than one with 1 person.


Title: How is the film Cuties legal?

Question:
This was allegedly on the IMDB page content warning for the movie before it was edited.
[https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EhkRPXmXgAE9DBq?format=jpg&name=900x900](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EhkRPXmXgAE9DBq?format=jpg&name=900x900)

It now says this I guess.
[https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EhkKJOTXgAITbLZ?format=jpg&name=large](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EhkKJOTXgAITbLZ?format=jpg&name=large)

&#x200B;

Warning for gross pedophilic shit described in the images(text) either way.  If true, how does something like this get broadcast without being shut down?  Is it a technicality?  I don't particularly feel like checking sources to see if the alleged content is in it for obvious reasons.

Answer: In the US unless something "lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value" it would be protected by the first amendment. It is very likely this movie has artistic value even if many people find it offensiveAnswer #2: Because it's a deconstruction of the problematic aspects of what it is portraying, not a celebration of it.


Title: Someone used my name while getting arrested and i now have a warrant out.

Question: So i got a call last night from an opp (ontario, canada) officer asking if i was home and trying to confirm my current address, i was freaking out and finally he said i was arrested at a walmart nearby and i missed my court date so he wanted to talk to me about it. I explained this was not possible and someone must have used my id or something, then i remembered my cousin recently got arrested for making fake ids, so i told the officer his name etc. My question how could this person use my name and get sent home after an arrest without some way of checking. We do look somewhat similar and i assume the arresting officer looked up the name given and said ok this could be him. I don't understand how else someone could say they were me. The officer showed me a signed document by "me" the night of and said 2 people were arrested and got taken to that station and sent home. This happened last night, i went into the station and gave a recorded statement as to what i was doing that night and how it couldn't be me, and the officer filed paperwork to that matter. The arresting officer is in tomorrow and i will try speaking with him. Once they realize its not me, will i be able to find out who it was?

Answer: Every time my department arrests someone we take a booking photo for this exact reason.  Even if we release them on a hand summons.  If they were fully booked and bailed there should be fingerprints too, if either of these were taken it should be easy to sort out.


Title: How can these kinds of ads be legal?

Question:
So not really an advice question, but rather a general law question.
How can these ads be legal? I'm not even using OS X and the ad is asking me to scan my OS X for viruses.

No active threats in the link, but it might be misleading to some
http://fixmymacos.com/landings/17pl/

EDIT: Location is United States

EDIT2: For those who don't want to open the link. Here is a screen capture of the ad.
http://imgur.com/uxRCs84
The company is registered in Germany as an IT investment company. All their facebook pages and front site seems super clean.
Topic:
Business Law

Answer: If they're a malware scam then they won't be legal. Good luck stopping them though, the internet is the worlds last remaining (mostly) unpoliced space.


Title: Hoping for a loop hole

Question:
My Wife and I entered into a contract with a personal trainer, aside for it being a bit expensive, all was fine.
About 4-5 months later (now), the gym we were originally contracted to do our training sessions, (Gym A) has now closed and we were relocated to a new gym (Gym B). Our contract specifically states that we were going to carry out our sessions at Gym A . While Gym A & B are the same owner, and the same company, the personal trainers are a separate company that Gym A’s owner allows to use their gym. I haven’t been very satisfied with our service of our trainer, and the whole process has been a chaotic mess. I’m hoping that because we were forced to move gyms, that this is enough of a breach in contract to not be legally obligated to pay the $90 cancellation fee, plus next months bill, and the following months bill. (They require 30 days to process our cancelation).  My final bill, just to stop working with them would be around $700, and I frankly don’t have that kind of money right now. That’s the main reason we want to leave.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!

Answer:
 If the contract specified a location and they can no longer provide the service at that location, it sounds like they are cancelling the contract, not you.

Generally speaking, gyms will do everything they can to keep people paying. You'll have to play some "hard ball" with them. Inform the owner that you agreed to the PT **at a specific location** and if they can't provide you with that, then it's them who are in breach of the contract and therefore you aren't going to pay.

They could sue you. Depending on the wording of the agreement, you may or may not win, but I think you have a pretty good argument that they are breaking the terms of the contract, not you.


Title: College roommate has a camera in our bedroom

Question: I live in an apartment on my college campus and was placed in this apartment with this roommate randomly. He recently put up a camera to monitor his stuff, it records 24/7. I’m uncomfortable with it for many reasons as i’m sure you can understand. I’ve spoken with my RA, and my RC. Neither of them did anything about it and just suggested places for me to move into for next semester. What can I do? This is in NY state.

Answer: Go to your Title IX office and get them involved. I'm a Title IX investigator and this absolutely hits enough of the sexual harassment buttons to be something that I would have to look into. I'm sure that's not your roommates intention, but intent doesn't matter all that much.


Title: Brother-In-Law Under FBI Investigation (NY)

Question:
My sister's husband is a sketchy man. He is wildly wealthy and his publicly stated occupation makes no sense. In interpersonal interactions he is a pathological liar. I know through the family grape vine that he and his brothers were under investigation by the FBI as of 2016 for something to do with receiving moneygrams from a certain tropical country (I am totally naive as to what they were doing, money laundering??).

Anyway, none of it has ever affected me until yesterday. My brother-in-law, whom I have no contact with beyond family functions, sent me a text message telling me to go to walmart and pick up a moneygram that he set up in my name (without my permission or awareness) at Walmart from said tropical country. I of course refused, also in text message, and backed-up the conversation to my computer.

I talked to a trusted older friend who suggested I contact the FBI about what happened. I did and, over the phone, relayed my understanding of the situation, the text messages received and the one I sent, and my brother-in-law's name and phone number as well as my name and address (when asked for it).

I have no idea what will happen next or to what degree the information I provided is of interest to the FBI. My question is, even though I am in no way associated with this man or his business and myself have nothing more serious than a single parking ticket on my record, in any potential legal jeopardy and should I talk to some kind of legal counsel about the possibilities?

Thank you very much for your time, this has been a nightmare turn of events for me and the family.

Answer:
 You certainly *can* talk to an attorney, and have him present with you when you speak to the FBI.

But based on your statement, I'd put your risk of legal problems as "extremely low" absent other significant factors unstated here.Answer #2: I agree that your risk of legal trouble is low.  Given that you have inserted yourself into a potential federal investigation by contacting the FBI, your most significant risk maybe 18 U.S.C. § 1001 which makes it a crime to give a false statement to a federal investigator.  See here for more information about how this statute is applied in practice.  https://www.justice.gov/usam/criminal-resource-manual-916-false-statements-federal-investigator.  Note:  I am not suggesting that you have given a false statement, just something to be mindful of.  If you feel like you might implicate yourself in a crime in any way by giving full and accurate statements to the FBI, you should consult with a criminal defense attorney before having any further communications with the FBI.Answer #3: I'd be more worried about retaliation from BIL or his 'associates' than problems with the FBI. That said, even if you're totally innocent and you only tell the truth, things you say to the police can be used against you.


Title: WV Employee- Definitely wrongful termination.

Question: Needing help on what exactly to do. My boss got in my face, taunting and antagonizing me, then assaulted me with a pair of tongs (leaving no mark, but caught on camera), and then proceeded to fire me. What legal grounds can I peruse?? I've never been written up for a single thing throughout my year and a half employment with this LLC restaurant.

Answer:
 >Definitely wrongful termination

When people say this, it's how I know it wasn't wrongful termination.Answer #2: > What legal grounds can I peruse??

You can call the police to report the battery, and you can look for a new job. That's about it.

> Definitely wrongful termination.

It's definitely *not* wrongful termination.


Title: [Theory] If I was in an accident that killed a kidnapping victim, what would my responsibility be?

Question:
*Edit - Let's assume this in the US, New York State

In a recent movie, a person is kidnapped and then shoved into a trunk eventually being in a wreck. In theory, if I was a driver of a vehicle (non kidnapper car) that then rear-ended the kidnapper car, killing the victim - would I be charged with anything assuming that the accident was just that, an accident? Would there be any standing for a civil suit for suffering (or something similar) since a minor rear-ending a car is not expected to end in the death of another person?

What would happen if I was drunk or otherwise impaired? Would we both be charged with the death of the kidnap victim?

What other consequences would I face as a (non-impaired) driver whose minor accident caused the death of someone in a trunk?

Answer: I liked Deadpool too.


Title: [uk] Just got a speeding ticket from a car that was supposed to be written off 6 months ago

Question: I was in a car accident about 6 months ago that wasn't my fault. My insurance said the damage was so severe that it wasn't worth fixing the car so it got written off and my insurance gave me the money for it. Tonight I got home to have a letter from my local police saying the car has a speeding ticket but they don't have any information on the new driver so it falls to me. It also says that they don't usually prosecute the last registered owner. I was under the impression that my insurance was scrapping the car and that it wouldn't be sold so I'm just confused about the situation.

Answer: If your insurance company paid for the scrap car, it’s not yours anymore. It hasn’t been for 6 months. Refer the police to your insurance company.


Title: [IN] My dad's boss has declared bankruptcy and hasn't paid him in a month

Question: My dad was manager of a company and he was paid biweekly. He made about $2,500 a month and his boss has declared bankruptcy and the company went under. He hasn't paid him in a month. This is in Indiana. Is there anything that can be done about this?

Answer:
 Your father can file a wage claim with the state, and can look into suing the company.

Unfortunately, if they're actually bankrupt, there's little that can be done.  No money means no money.


Title: Foreign student being denied payment for hours worked.

Question:
My girlfriend is a foreign student and began working at a retailer. While she was still getting the paperwork finished she was told by the International student commission at her school that she can start working. She did start working, but didn't have a clock in number yet so she was just reporting to the manager and her time in/out was being written down. Apparently this paper was either thrown away or lost because...

Come time for the paycheck, she had only 6 hours on the check (the one day in the pay period she used the official clock in). Her management is completely ignoring her requests for amending the issue and won't even reply to her emails. As a foreigner she feels completely helpless and she's on the other side of the country so I'm having having a hard time doing much to help either.

What is her resource she can go to? Can any business just decide to do this to a person with no recourse?

Answer:
 She can contact the Department of Labor in her state, which should be able to investigate, get her paid, and possibly fine the employer.

She should anticipate the possibility that she will then be fired on some pretext, unfortunately, the first time she makes any mistake.

She should also verify she's got a visa allowing her to work in this country, by the way.  If she doesn't trust the USCIS then she could contact her country's consulate or embassy to ask for their help.


Title: Help please someone is blackmailing my sister and I fear on her life

Question:
Hi a small background  we're American from Florida born here but originally from the middles east my family is religious but Im not so lately I've been noticing my sister always zoned out she's 35 years old I'm 32
And in past 2 days she looked like a dead person anymore and I couldn't take it anymore so I had to get the truth out of her , she told me that she used to talk to a guy and he had pictures and conversation of her in a sexual way and he want to send them to my family in the Middle East which is a guaranteed death to her but she's also afraid she's going to lose everyone over this he made her send money and even her brand new iPhone and he threaten her that if she erase anything on the iPhone he will tell everyone so she did send it the way it is and now he's asking for 10000 dollars I don't have that and she don't have anything
I don't know what to do or how can I help her
The guy is from Jordan and I thought about selling everything I have and go to Jordan as my last option
Please any advice would be helpful or anything I'm losing my mind and can't take it anymore I can't see her like this please help me

Answer:
 Your sister needs to stop communicating with this guy, period.  She cannot stop him from giving away whatever he has, no matter how much she pays him.

Giving a blackmailer what they ask for just feeds them, and they keep asking for more.

If the blackmailer is actually in Jordan, there's nothing you can do against him.  If your sister fears for her safety if this is released, she can choose not to go to the Middle East.Answer #2: This sounds like a scam. Post it on /r/scams

How do you know the guy really has pictures?
Answer #3: https://www.theahafoundation.org/get-help/Answer #4: One: worry about your sister. Make sure she does not send any money or harm herself, if she is desperate. Do you think she is at risk of suicide?

As this guy is in Jordan, there isn't much you can do against him directly. Block him on social media, change her phone number, don't give him what he wants. Wipe the pictures, delete accounts, change all her passwords.


Title: Is it legal to put a GPS tracker in a "delivered package"?

Question:
I suspect a neighbor in my apartment building is stealing my packages from the foyer where UPS and USPS leaves them. Would it be illegal in any way if I put a GPS tracker in a fake package addressed to me and waited to see where it went? If my neighbor took it inside his apartment, could I get in trouble for reporting him? What kind of trouble would he be in?

EDIT: I live in Portland, Oregon
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer:
 Visit a spy gear store/website.  You could get a mini camera (like a nanny camera) which, when the package was opened, would show the thief's face, streamed to your pc.

You could also ask your apartment complex to put up cameras in the halls.Answer #2: No, it wouldn't be illegal. (At least not in any US jurisdiction I'm aware of.)

However, you may have trouble finding a GPS transmitter with enough accuracy to conclusively demonstrate that it is your neighbor stealing your packages.Answer #3: A GPS tracker is the wrong choice of technology, GPS relies on satellites and is only accurate when the sky is visible. You want a camera with a mic in the hallway and a rape alarm in a box.


Title: [VA] Should I blow a breathalyzer if there is a high chance of a false positive?

Question:
I’d like to start this out by saying I don’t drink alcohol at all— I genuinely don’t like the taste.

I am prediabetic, and a friend of mine who has full diabetes was telling me that if you ever get pulled over by the cops, you shouldn’t blow on a breathalyzer because letting your blood sugar get too low (hypoglycemia/ketosis) can give a false positive on the reading.  My understanding was that if you refuse the breathalyzer they can immediately arrest you.

Again, I don’t drink at all, but I do drive several hours each weekend to see my boyfriend.  I have a pretty good traffic history, one moving violation about 5 years ago for running a red (which I paid the ticket for) but that’s it.  I don’t EXPECT to get pulled over since I generally drive well, but if I do it sounds like there is a chance I could get arrested either way.

TLDR: if pulled over by a cop and asked to blow a breathalyzer, what can happen if you refuse vs if you blow a false positive?

Answer:
 If your BG are so low you are blowing a positive you’re too low to be driving (confused, sweaty, sick, and at risk of diabetic ketoacidosis). But yes it’s possible in diabetics to get a false positive in that situation. But with prediabetes managed with metformin or lifestyle, there’s very low risk of ever going that low. Keeping some protein/carb snacks in the car is a good rule of thumb though. Answer #2: Yes you should blow. The machine won't give a false positive, it will actually give an error message. The error message, combined with you telling the officer your medical issues should solve any issues. Answer #3: When you got your drivers license you agreed to submit to a breathalyzer when driving.  If you refuse you will almost certainly be immediately arrested and taken to the police station where a warrant will be obtained for a blood draw.  Your license will also be administratively suspended and if you keep driving and are stopped again you will have even bigger issues of driving with a suspended license.  Assuming the blood sugar thing is actuate and I have no idea if it is, you should properly monitor your blood sugar so this isn’t an issue.

If you haven’t been drinking there is no upside to refusing.  You will just be screwing yourself.  If it really was a false positive you could argue that in court.  But by refusing you are creating additional issues.


Title: I was dismissed from my job after submitting a work excuse and schedule for cardiac rehabilitation after a heart attack in June and a subsequent diagnosis of congestive heart failure.

Question: As the title states and the firing caused a second but smaller heart attack. Would this be considered discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act? I did find a new job thee days later.

Answer: What was the reason given to you for your dismissal?Answer #2: Did you need time off, and were you eligible for FMLA?Answer #3: Did your work excuse limit your available work hours or activities, and if so could your former employer reasonably have accommodated those restrictions and still be able to put you to work?


Title: Can my dad get my records?

Question:
I'm 16 and I've been going to a therapist for about three years now, my parents have joint custody but I live with my mom.  My dad is trying to get my mental health records released but I want them to stay private, is there anything I can do? I'm in Kentucky if that changes anything. I've tried looking through HIPAA laws but I'm kind of confused so any help is appreciated.
Topic:
Healthcare Law including HIPAA

Answer:
 I believe the law in Kentucky looks like this: you have an explicit right to consent to mental health services without ANY parental involvement at age 16 and up; and by law, the provider MAY (not must) notify parents about the treatment if the provider believes it is in the patient's best interest.

So.  The default would be that you are a fully independent patient, entitled to all the protections of that, except that Kentucky does carve out an allowance for the provider to tell your parents about your care, if the provider wishes.

I believe you should talk to the provider and say explicitly, in writing, that you do not wish the provider to release any of your records to anyone, or discuss your care with anyone.  Ask the provider flat out if they will comply with your wishes.  You are also free to drop that provider if they don't want to cooperate with your wishes, and find another one that will cooperate.


Title: Friend is not the biological father, but signed the birth certificate.

Question: IL, USA. My friend's girlfriend just had her baby a couple days ago, and apparently she suggested to him to sign the birth certificate. He said he went ahead and did it, because he wants to raise the child, and didn't want drama with the baby daddy later on. I feel like that's a bad idea. What happens if there are medical issues related to the father? What if the baby wants to know her real father? What if he gets booked for fraud? Should he rescind the Voluntary Acknowledgement of Paternity within the 60 days to avoid any further complications? Will he face any negative repercussions if he does so within 60 days?

Answer:
 It is not fraud that would get him arrested. Stupid but not criminal to the point that the legal system cares

He is legally the father at this point and if she is on any type of gov assistance then he is going to be on the hook to pay support now. IF they break up then he is on the hook for support later.

And it doesnt stop the baby daddy from filing a paternity suit if he wants to get custody of his kid. Answer #2: > and didn't want drama with the baby daddy later on

I am at a complete loss to understand the logic behind this statement.


Title: [California] Is it illegal to quit my job because my boss and coworkers are members of a protected class and my reason for quitting is because they are part of that class?

Answer: No.  You can quit your job for any reason you like.  Answer #2: Just quit and provide no justification... Don't make it about the class they are a part ofAnswer #3: One should note that expressing that reason in public could be a major career-limiting move. You don't want to be known to future employers as someone who can't play well with others.


Title: Is it legal to share an uber driver account? (MD,DC)

Question: A couple of my friends have started to share one of their Uber accounts (as drivers). I'm assuming this is against all sorts of Uber's rules, and I'm not really sure what benefit they are getting by doing it this way instead of getting an account each. My real concern though is if they could get into some legal trouble. Are they at risk of anything other than simply having their account deleted/banned/suspended by Uber?

Answer: No. When uber finds out they'll deactivate everybody. It can seriously run afoul of insurance and taxi license regs. And it won't stay hidden for long: a passenger will complain the pic didn't match the driver, and they will zap the account without so much as an email explanation.


Title: Can you successfully sue your employer from banning a group of employees from eating in a conference room?

Question:
I work with one of those types that likes to argue about everything, just to give you an idea.

Anyway, our company sometimes has vendors in to do "lunch and learns". Our department had one last week in our brand new conference room. Someone spilled sauce on the nice new carpet, so they said our department can't eat in there anymore. Other people (the higher ups in the company) have since eaten in there.

Now aforementioned argumentative guy is claiming we should technically be able to sue the company for...discrimination? We're all telling him that is both stupid and ridiculous and he'd never find a lawyer and even if he did, it would get laughed out of court. It's not like they're banning handicapped minorities. He thinks just the fact that different members of the company are being treated differently is enough, and that "it would get expensive for the company and force a settlement." Note, he's not actually trying to make this happen, he's just arguing that he totally could if he so chose.

Can anyone please back me up that this guy is being ridiculous?

Edit: Location is Texas to appease Location bot.

Answer:
 he is stupid, this is no legal issue at all. tell him to look up protected classes and come back with an argument. Answer #2: "Adults who spill food" is not a protected class so he would have no luck. If he would like to campaign to protect us, let him know I join him in his noble crusade. We clumsy people have been treated unfairly and it needs to stop! ITS NOT OUR FAULT WE HAVEN'T MASTERED GRAVITY!!Answer #3: > It's not like they're banning handicapped minorities.

Correct. [Here's the basic list.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protected_class) Your state may have additional ones.

> just the fact that different members of the company are being treated differently is enough

This actually *might* be the case in some instances but not for something as insignificant as lunch. For example, a class of employees can be defined pretty liberally by an employer. It could be truck drivers (as one class) and warehouse workers (as another). It could be full time versus part time employees. It could be employees with more than 2 years at the company versus those with less. Once an employer establishes these classes, THEN the employer cannot discriminate WITHIN a class when it comes to certain benefits like pensions and healthcare. If, hypothetically, your department was the only department of its kind (no other department did the same work) the boss could still discriminate against you in regards to things like pensions, and certainly lunch.


Title: Former "potential" landlord is refusing to return security deposit for unspecified reasons.

Question:
I live in Ohio, for reference.

In June, I was shown an apartment by a private landlord. We made a verbal agreement to move in and on June 13, 2015 I wrote her a check for the deposit. I was emailed a blank lease (no names, address, money amounts, etc listed) and although I did fill it out, she never signed it to my knowledge or provided me with a copy of it after the fact. There was no further communication from her. Initially, we agreed verbally that I was to move in August 1, 2015.

Circumstances arose that did not allow me to move. I contacted her immediately via email on June 25, 2015. She agreed to release me from any lease obligations in writing, but was very vague regarding the return of the $1200 security deposit. I emailed her asking for clarification of its return, but I did not receive a response. I contacted her via email again on July 27, 2015 inquiring about the return of my security deposit and she contacted me via phone rather than email on July 30, 2015.

She was very aggressive over the phone. She repeatedly called me disrespectful, told me that I had "screwed her over" and "hosed her" over this, and told me that she had reviewed this with her lawyer and would be subtracting a daily rate from my security deposit due to the inconvenience I had made for her and would only release the remaining money once she had secured a new lease for that apartment. She continued to berate me personally (her voice was raised) and at that point, I hung up on her. My question is, is there any way this is legal? I intend to consult with a lawyer.

* My understanding is that in the state of Ohio, a landlord must release a security deposit within 30 days with included documentation detailing any amounts that were subtracted from the original amount. Otherwise, I can take her to small claims court.

* We were not technically in a binding contract. There was no actual walk-through of the apartment (as it was inhabited when I originally viewed it by the lease holders at the time) and I never had a signed dated copy of the lease with both of our signatures on it.

* I contacted her before the other leaseholders lease was technically complete.

* She stated in writing that she was not holding me to the lease.

I have maintained the bulk of my correspondence with her via email, so that is very fortunate. She is in her sixties and seems to push for mostly phone conversations to sort things, but I have no intention of communicating with her outside of email/letters/etc going forward.
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer: yeah dont sign a blank lease with blank spots in it. Now your landlord has a lease with blanks, with your signature, that she can fill in however she wants. Then its up to you to argue the legitimacy of that contract which will be next to impossible for you since you have no proof/AKA copy of the lease.


Title: What if the President shot the Chief Justice?

Question:
If the President of the USA murdered the Chief Justice, and refused to nominate a new one, would it be impossible to impeach them, since the Chief Justice must preside over impeachment trials, and only the President can nominate a new Chief Justice?

Article 1, Section 4 (6):

\> The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation. When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two thirds of the Members present.

Article 1, Section 2 (2):

\> ...he shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint... Judges of the supreme Court

Answer:
 > Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.

Amendment 25. It's likely that an arrest for homocide would convince the requisite people that the President is no longer able to discharge their powers and duties.Answer #2: If there was no chief justice, the senior associate justice would preside:

>Whenever the Chief Justice is unable to perform the duties of his office or the office is vacant, his powers and duties shall devolve upon the associate justice next in precedence who is able to act, until such disability is removed or another Chief Justice is appointed and duly qualified.

28 USC 3.


Title: Missed Work Because of Landlord

Question:
My husband and I woke up one morning to find both of our cars were towed. I called the towing company, who said the management company requested it because my landlord was delinquent on his HOA fees. My husband and I both missed work that morning, needed to take Uber's to the bank and towing place, and paid the fees to get our cars back.

Fast forward to now, we asked the landlord to deduct all those fees from our next month's rent (including the time we needed to take off work to handle this ordeal). He said he'll pay for the towing fees and the Uber's but not for the PTO we had to take to deal with this headache.

Legally, is my landlord obligated to pay for the time we missed since he is responsible for the HOA fees and his negligence caused us to miss work? Would appreciate any legal advice here - thanks!

Answer: No, he’s not obligated to pay for your PTO or lost wages.


Title: Medical Malpractice of Cruise ship for misdiagnosis and refusal to pay for medical treatment

Question:
Throw away account!

I worked for a cruise ship company as a bartender, registered in bermuda, home offices in England, regularly visiting the states.  I live in Romania.  Confusing legality provence.

I was injured while lifting, doing something I'd done in that job every day.  Like, we're talking 10k boxes 200 times at least once a day plus beer kegs.  Immediately reported to medical, said I injured during lifting on the job, said I felt incredible pain in my lower back radiating down my leg.  She said it's a pulled muscle, gave medication, no clearance for missing work so I have to go back to work.

Next morning I report again and said I couldn't sleep due to the pain, now it's affecting my ability to pee, and I felt numbness in my legs.  Dr gives me two days off and more medication, she said don't worry it's still just a pulled muscle.  She sends me back to work after two days, and I'm in agony and tell her so.  Ask her to do an x-ray or send me on shore for an MRI or SOMEthing to tell me I really have a pulled muscle or not.  I report I can't do my duties but still scheduled to work.  Finally, I visit HR before I finish my contract two weeks after initial injury.  I tell him Medical isn't fixing the issue, they weren't taking me seriously, refusing me diagnostic tests, and not listening when I tell them I can't work.  He says go home and get a test, if it shows a problem email him and he'll cover me.

I went home, got an MRI on my own dime, shows a double disk herniation.  I'm still in shit load of pain.  Dr at home says I should not be lifting or working till I get it treated.  I shoot all this back to Mr. HR, and wait an agonizing 10 days to hear back.

What does he say?

Sorry man, you're shit out of luck.  Dr doesn't remember you saying you injured yourself at work, and you refilled your pain meds so that means we did everything right on our end.  good luck!

And now I need treatment, maybe surgery or physical therapy at the least and I have no money and no recourse with the company.  Per my contract, if i'm injured onboard they pay me salary and medical treatment until I'm better.  but because this Dr. says I had a pulled muscle I get the shit stick sandwich.

My question is, what can I do about it?  Do I have a case to sue them to get them to pay for my treatment?  Should I communicate further with the company?

tl;dr I broke my back at work, company dr says I didn't, laws of obvious reasoning says I did.  Can I get the company to pay for it anyway?

edit: retroactive spell check

Answer:
 This is actually not medical malpractice, it's worker's compensation.

I would contact the local employment bureau at whatever your home port is (most ships have one, and it's usually US or Europe.)

I suspect you could sue to enforce your contract.  And the Doctor "doesn't remember" isn't going to cut it there.


Title: [NC] Felon as executor and sole beneficiary of estate

Question: I have been appointed as executor and have a felony from which my rights have not been restored. I am sole beneficiary also.  I am disqualified, what happens now?

Answer:
 The court will appoint a replacement executor if the will does not name one.  It will be a professional, and you'll have to pay them.

It will not impact your status as beneficiary.


Title: International travel with minor with joint legal custody

Question:
My ex and I share joint legal custody, I have primary physical custody, and ex has visitation. In the past, ex refused to sign a passport application so I had to get a court order allowing me to get a passport for our kid without ex's signature or consent. Now we (child and I) have the opportunity to travel during a school break and I'm drawing a blank. Is there a state or federal law or code requiring *consent* vs just notification of both parents before a minor travels internationally with a parent? I do not see it in the custody order and actual travel is not addressed in the followup passport order. I've googled and all I can find is "Well just don't sign the passport application!" types of answers, which is a moot point in my case since I already have child's passport. Many thanks!

State: California
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer:
 Your custody order does not address travel at all?

If you try to cross the border without a consent letter you may be turned away. Your ex may also be able to flag your child's passport so that they cannot exit the country.Answer #2: You'll need a written letter from your ex that says he gives permission for your son to travel out of country with you.Answer #3: I am not a lawyer.  In Canada we have a form that can be filled out that is called a Consent Letter.  This letter is basically the parent who is traveling authorizing the other parent to be able to travel with the child.  I have a similar custody arrangement with my ex husband.  A custody agreement is not enough according to our laws to guarantee they don't stop you at the border.


Title: Family is stealing the insurance check for my car after an accident.

Question:
My friend was recently in a car accident (T-boned by a speeding car) in his new Camero.  His family is extremely manipulative and was able to get the car title under his step-fathers name after the accident happened.  They screen his calls and texts as his phone is on their plan and his computer has evidence of remote access from an unknown party, but nothing concrete.

He was wondering if there is anything at all that can be done as he hasn't gotten the insurance payout even though the check was sent over a month ago and his family has dropped hints at them keeping the money.

They also monitor his internet history so I am making this post for him so they wont know about it.

Answer:
 > His family is extremely manipulative and was able to get the car title under his step-fathers name after the accident happened.

How did they do that? How old is your friend?


Title: I'm a minor who has incriminating texts with a friend who was just swat raided. What should I expect and what should I do about it?

Question:
We also have a large order of fake IDs being ordered to his house. He's not a minor, but sold weed. A lot. He's the main guy around our school. I can't believe there was a swat raid though, they easily could've just sent a cop.

Anyway I have a lot of text with him talking about planning the order for the IDs as well as other incriminating things. They're likely to be delivered this week, some have already shipped. I'm sure they'll be going through his mail. Is the government allowed to in this kind of situation? Am I and all these kids in trouble? What do we do about it?

How much access do they have into his personal devices?

Should I get a lawyer?

Answer:
 > sold weed. A lot.

>  I can't believe there was a swat raid though, they easily could've just sent a cop.

If he was selling "a lot of weed" then it is safest to send the tac team in.

If they don't already have a warrant to cover his electronic devices, they'll have one very soon, I'm sure.  Once that happens, they'll be able to get the data from the device.

You need a lawyer and much better decision making.


Title: My dog got shot by neighbor

Question:
This may be a long post so sorry if it gets boring.
My 7 month old pit bull got shot by a high powered pellet gun in the heart by a 15 year old neighbor who lives 2 houses down. I wasn’t present at the time, I was at work. My 14 year old daughter was giving my dog a bath and took him outside to dry off in the sun. She went inside to get a towel, and when she came out, he was standing on the porch covered in blood. That’s when she calls me at work and tells me. Luckily we have close neighbors that live across the street, and they came to help when they saw what happened. My little sister went over to his house and knocked on his door. She asked him if he shot our dog and his response was, “ damn right I did” and he shut the door in her face.

I arrived home from work at this time and the boy’s friend was at my house explaining what happened. He said that my dog was at the edge of his friends’ yard/driveway and he said he was going to get his gun. When he came back out, his friend was standing in front of my dog and said “don’t shoot him, you know he’s not mean, I’ll take him home”. The boy then said “move the f*** out of the way”. His friend was crying telling me this and he said he got scared so he stepped aside and that’s when he saw him shoot my dog. He was apologizing and saying he tried to stop him.

I rushed my dog to the vet here in town, they were 30 minutes from closing.  he was losing a lot of blood and bleeding internally. The vet said he was critical and I had to transfer him to a round the clock center 30 minutes away. He stayed there overnight and pulled through 🙏🏻  he  was able to come home the next day. $500 in vet bills later.

Some background on this kid that shot him— he’s 15, his parents weren’t home, he knows my dog. He has seen me (21f) walking my dog multiple times and has always called my dog by name and said hi to both of us. My dog has gotten in his yard before and when I went to get him and the kid was friendly; however, this is not something that I let reoccur. My dog is an inside dog and only goes outside to potty or play when we are outside. He is well behaved and not aggressive what so ever. I work during the day but my 14 year old is always here to supervise him.

My question is, could I file a police report and press charges for the vet bills? Do I have to take him to civil court? Or does it not matter since he may have been in the kids’ yard? I’m in Oklahoma if that helps.

Answer: You may consider calling Child Protective Services or whatever they're called in Oklahoma. No, you won't be getting the kid taken away or anything like that, unless there's some M. Night Shyamalan level bullshit going on in his house that nobody would guess is going on here. This kid committed animal cruelty, which, as others stated, is a crime, but can also be a warning sign that without intervention, he'll be having some serious issues as an adult. It isn't normal to want to maim or kill domestic animals that aren't about to kill or maim you. What CPS could do is have a chat with him/his parents, tell them to cut the shit, and probably get them in touch with resources to work on his issues. It may seem like teenage dumbassery, but many culprits of violent acts to people started with animals. This could very well be a kid who needs help.Answer #2: In Ohio animal abuse is a felony. Might be something similar for Oklahoma.  Answer #3: Is this small town Oklahoma? So common in rural communities. People think they can shoot dogs for any reason at all.


Title: Setting up a fake modelling agency website to obtain measurements/photos of girls - Creepy? Yes. Legal? I hope you can tell me!

Question:
I was thinking about setting up a Facebook page and website for a made-up modelling agency, and then buying advertising here and there asking for hopeful models to fill out a brief form and possibly submit example photos.

The form would specifically ask that they not disclose their full name, address, or things like that (obviously I have no intention of actually hiring any of these girls or doing real photography work at all).

What it *would* ask is that they enter their age, measurements (complete with a measurement guide to help them estimate), experience, and a checkoff list of what they would be willing to do. For example, it would ask "Topless Nudity: []Very Willing []Reluctant, but possible under the right circumstances []Definitely Unwilling" and they'd check a box.

The trickiest part, I would think, is that I would like there to be an option that encourages them to submit photos of them in self-shot modelling poses, hopefully in swimwear or underwear or even nude. I think if any part of this operation were to be illegal, it would be this. Even if I put a disclaimer that gives me full rights to the image, is it still illegal to trick people into giving up their pictures like this?

So, I turn to you, Reddit! Is this a known trick that's definitely illegal? Is it totally legal and done a lot? Or is it a sufficiently grey area that I should get real, paid legal advice before attempting it?

Thank you in advance! And in return for your assistance, if the operation goes well, I will share the pictures with people who PM me (obviously I will only share legal pictures of adult women... I'm familiar enough with those laws to know what constitutes a legal or illegal picture and don't deal in that grey area stuff)

Answer:
 We generally call this fraud. Let's assume you're in the US, and we'll assume that you get females in multiple states. The Feds enjoy prosecuting these things.

Since you're using a computer, there will be a second charge or a sentencing upward departure for that.

Sharing the pictures raises it to conspiracy, so we'll add a third charge.

You're the ring leader, and there will be a sentencing upward departure for that, too.

Oh, buying advertising? Paying with a credit card or a debit card or via ACH? That'll be a fourth charge for wire fraud.


Title: Wrongful eviction (Texas)

Question:
My mom called a service that assist with getting her a public attorney. She was served papers for an eviction from a family member.

The story is... My cousin lived with us during college. Then she got a job and bought a house. The house was broken into while being built. My cousin asked my mom to live there to keep an eye on the place. My mom agreed and has been living there for years. No formal renters agreement was signed. My mom has been paying most of the bills during this entire time. Recently my cousin fell in love and had a baby with an ex-convict/old high school boyfriend.  The ex-convict didn't like my mom from the start.

Recently, they all got in an argument and my mom went to stay with her sister for a bit to let things cool down. During this time she was served an eviction lawsuit. Claiming no damages or money. Just to move.

My mom is okay with moving but not okay with being notified prior to the suit to move. (I want her to move. It doesnt seem like a health enviornment.) I think an eviction case hurts my moms future renting possibilities. I read online about databases that archive people's name that rental companies use to blacklist potential tenants.

My mom has a medical retirement. In the claim my cousin based it on mental problem stating my mom doesn't have the "ability to take care of her self." My mom is a recluse. She has doctors and counselors that help her with anxiety and depression. My mom gets easily physically exhausted by stress and all this is tough for her to deal with.

She called a sevice to help her get a state appointed lawyer. She qualifies for  the service. The problem is they have delayed getting in contact with her. Right befor the weekend they contacted her and said a lawyer probaly wouldn't be able to help her because it's not a big enough case. They said this after promises were made that a lawyer would assist her.

My prepaid legal only covers my liabilty or ramifications concering me. So they aren't any help.  So Youtube, Reddit, and Google have been my friend.

I think my mom needs to respond to the lawsuit by sending a response about not getting notice to move prior to being served and also I think that there are discrimination laws that protect her for being evicted due to medical conditions. By the way my mom is fine. Things are tough for her, but she is sharp. She got her masters degree in sociology. My cousin asked her to babysit from time to time.

The ex-convict helps my mom get her medicines from the pharmacy. Recently he has lost the precriptions he was supposed to deliver to the pharmacy--  preventing my mom for getting the anxiety medicine she needs. There is no proof but her doctor, my mom, and I suspects fowl play.

It's three days untill the hearing and I feel like the state appointed lawyer isn't going to help. I probably am going to loan my mom money (she's not asking) to pay for legal help.

I don't know what type of lawyer I should call and I don't know if three days is enough time to put a solid case together.

I would like my mom to counter sue for the cost of the laywer but really I just want to put it all beind us so we can focus on getting her stuff out and moved to a new place. Any advice on a lawyer who could help on short notice?

Update: My mom talked to a lawyer this morning. They said she is going to win the case. She is still going to move soon, but at least we have submitted an answer to the court instead of not doing anything and being lost. Thanks everyone for all the help!

Answer:
 What makes you think this is wrongful eviction? That's when someone locks their tenants out of the house and chucks their stuff into the street. What you're describing is a landlord following the proper process for removing a tenant with no lease.

Also in Texas landlords aren't allowed to file an eviction suit without giving notice and giving them the option to leave. So for things to have gotten this far your mum would have had to have refused to leave already.


Title: DUI Massachusetts, repost

Question:
TL;DR 20 y.o. Family member in car accident while drunk. Other vehicle fled the scene before cops came. He admitted to cops to being drunk when asked. No ticket received on site and police sent him to hospital. What should he do next?

Family member was in a car accident recently. He left a party and to go home and as he was pulling out of the driveway he claims he saw a really bright light and the next thing you know he wakes up with a concussion to the airbags going off. No other car in sight. This happened really late at night and the other vehicle that hit him was gone (he has no idea if it was a truck or a car).

He's 20 years old and when the police came to the site of the incident (no idea who had called them) they asked if he had been drinking to which he responded yes. They call an ambulance for him and send him to the hospital where he gets an IV for the night and is discharged in the morning (thankfully he wasn't harmed - especially since car is pretty banged up). Hospital diagnostic report says "acute alcohol intoxication; Cocaine abuse; motor vehicle accident, driver"

We Don't know what the next step is - the police didn't give any kind of a ticket or any info as to what to do next. He pretty much admitted he had been drinking, so should we assume that he will receive a court summons in the mail? Does he need to go straight to the police before that even happens to get the official police report? Should he go to a lawyer first? As bad as it was what he was doing, the other vehicle essentially pulled a hit and run (who knows, maybe the other driver was also under the influence since this was late at night)

Car is in the tow impound - and he hasn't contacted his insurance yet either. We have no idea how to proceed. Any help would be appreciated.

Answer:
 Get a copy of the police report, contact your insurance, and get the car out of impound, ASAP to all three.

I'd recommend at least consulting with lawyers, so when the police come a-knocking, he'll know what, if anything, he can safely say without making his situation even worse.


Title: Can I be banned from a neighborhood for driving too fast.

Question:
The manager at my ex's neighborhood (an income based neighborhood where they can set rules such as no smoking etc.) told my ex that I was banned because she thought I was driving too fast. No legal charges were filed. My ex said that the manager sent me a letter notifying me of my ban, but I never received it.

This happened in MD

I was dropping off my kids the other day, and my ex informed me that the manager said I would be arrested if i came in the neighborhood again.

Can she do this?

Answer:
 If the street is private property (eg. owned by a HOA as common property or something of that nature) then yes, they can ban you from it unless you have some legal entitlement, such as ownership of one of the properties served by that street.

If it's a public street, then they have no authority to decide who can and can't drive on it.Answer #2: Sounds like your Ex is jerking you around.Answer #3: If the property is private then yes, they are free to ban you from it.

If it is a public street that the apartment just connects to, then no, they cannot ban you from it.


Title: Grandmother Put in Hospice against, will forced to not receive medical treatment.

Question:
So I am trying to help a friend, but here is the jist of the situation.

Michigan, (US)
Grandmother has dementia, but she still have congnitive ability, knows that she is sick and she wants to go to the hospital. Is suffering from a High Fever, as well as her usual Demetia. She is mobile, goes to the bathroom by herself.  Etc.

She was bombarded by an Aunt few years prior, to sign a Power of Attorney, at this point what kind I do not know, but she is making medical decisions for herself.

I've been doing research, and it seems for the most part they cannot override, a persons wish to see a doctor, when they understand their decision and consequence.

Unfortunatly for my friends grandma, she got a fever, and the Aunt put her in hospice care, not letting them give her any medications or go to a hospital, when she herself has asked to go. Won't give her a damn tylonol. Is this legal? It seems like abuse, the Aunt says shes too old, she needs to 'go be with jesus' by making someone die from a non-terminal illness? Yes shes old, but its a fever, not a inoperable cancer. I feel like theres a breach of ethics here, and I am looking for help for my friend and her family.
Topic:
Wills Trusts and Estates

Answer:
 What terminal condition does she have that has allowed her to be enrolled in a hospice program? What kind of hospice program is she in? Does she live in a long term care facility? By herself with hospice workers coming to her home?

Your friend has a misunderstanding of what's happening, I believe. Hospice care doesn't mean someone doesn't get any medication or any kind of medical treatment. There's something else going on.


Title: [Vancouver B.C] just got my licence and need help knowing the differences between a red light camera and speeding camera.

Question:
So I know it’s kind of a dumb question but I’m kind of panicking right now because what I did I thought was legal but I’m being told by other forums that I might be getting 2 points on my license, and a 1000 dollar fine. I believe I was going about 5 or 10 km over the speed limit as I crossed an amber light that turned red as I was in the middle of the intersection. I saw a few white flashing lights over my head and my first thought that it was a camera taking pictures of my car and myself. I’m not here to be shamed for speeding or that I deserve this, I would like some advice if I’m going to be getting a letter in the mail, and if so how to disprove it. Thanks.

Note: super tight on money thanks to school and rent. That’s why I can’t afford any kind of ticket right now.

Answer:
 A red light camera will take a photo if you enter the intersection after the light turns red.  A speeding camera will take a photo if you travel through the intersection at a speed higher than the speed limit (usually plus a margin of error).

[In B.C., you are required to stop for an amber light - Article 128(1)](http://www.bclaws.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/96318_05#section128)

To avoid a ticket for entering the intersection on an amber light, you will need to prove that the stop could not have been made safely.  Given that you were also speeding, that's unlikely.

It's entirely possible that you'll get tickets for both offenses. Please slow down and be careful - it's safer.  And cheaper.


Title: Fired in NY

Question:
My husband was just fired and we are wondering if there is anything we could do legally?
We are located in New York state (not city)

My husband was an assistant manager at a chain restaurant. He worked the closing shift. After the night he would put that night's deposit into the safe.

Like 2 weeksish+ ago his deposit was missing. No other money from the safe was missing. Nothing was done at that time, he didn't get in any trouble. The safe combination wasn't even changed. I am pretty sure everyone just figured it was an accident and the money had been not put in the safe like it was supposed to and it was just lost.

Then two days later the deposit went missing again after his shift. My husband was then suspended while they investigated. The police were called to report it as a robbery. The locks were changed and the combination changed. They suspended my husband that day but before they did - they showed him the new combination and even had him open the safe using it and gave him the new keys (but he had to give them back when he was suspended). But that surely makes it seem like at no time did they suspect him.

My husband was suspended for like a week and a half and today he was fired. They gave the reason of bad handling of money- though he didn't do anything bad with it. He counted it correctly, made the paperwork for it correctly and placed it in the safe.

There are no cameras. There needs to be a key to the main store door (unless it was being done during opening hours), a key for the office door. And a safe combination. 6 people counting my husband had the two sets of keys and the combination - including a manager that used to work at the store, had been moved to another store and very recently fired for sexual harassment. They didn't change any of the locks or combination.

Any of them could have went there at night after close and taken the money.
Or the opening manager could have taken it or the opening manager wasn't careful and it could have been taken by a random employee. During the day while open the office door was often left open and the safe was left to a setting where all you had to do was turn the dial back and it would open. And just two days ago the closing manager there never locked the front door and the wind blew it open at night. And they were never even using the store alarm. So everyone pretty much sucked.

idk if there is anything that can be done. Everyone keeps telling us to contact a lawyer. It is surely unfair. Im so upset right now that someone did this and wonder if they even have understand how it affects our life and I just wonder if they have remorse. There is probably no way to find out who took it. I don't think it is fair when the morning people should be just as much to blame.

Answer:
 He lost two days worth of deposits. I am shocked he wasnt fired after the first one. He can try to file for UE but he may be denied.

It isnt unfair. Nor illegal. He lost money that was 100% his responsibility.

Also, they dont have to be right. They suspect him. That is enough reason to fire him


Title: (MA) Landlady keeps coming into my house without notice. Can I put up a chain?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 How is this without notice?Answer #2: look at your lease. chances are really good it's not illegal for her to enter when you're not home, given sufficient notice. most leases require as little as 24 hours' notice. you got a fucking week.Answer #3: To build on the other comments, it's absolutely legal for her to do so, and if you put up a chain you'll likely be in violation of your lease.

Text your landlady and apologize for being rude, let her know you were mistaken and it won't happen again.  Pissed-off landlords who don't like you are not fun to deal with.  Answer #4: The most common rule is something to the effect of landlords are allowed to enter your premises if they provide you notice (often 24 hours) and if it is for maintenance purposes, or insurance/legal purposes, or to show/sell the property.

They are also usually allowed to enter without notice if it is an emergency (pipes burst, something like that).

A week's notice plus insurance sounds legitimate to me.  They're allowed to enter.  They have a duty not to steal your stuff and to lock up again when they leave.

You've already gotten some citations of MA law.


Title: Felony Charges Dismissed In Texas. What Now?

Question:
I was indicted by a grand jury on a second degree aggravated assault with a deadly weapon felony charge in Dallas County. This was my first ever arrest/charge.

I was summoned to appear in court multiple times for the announcement phase of the trial. My lawyer got me pass slips for most, if not all of the summons, due to my work schedule. The trial never went past the announcement phase since the prosecution kept passing it to a future date.

Last week, I got a call from my lawyer saying that the charges were dropped by the prosecution. The dismissal form from the county clerk's office that was signed by the presiding district court judge and district attorney said that the prosecution is requesting that the charges be dropped due to the fact that the prosecution cannot make their prima facie case.

My lawyer's working on expungement now.

What are the chances that my record can be expunged? Is there anything else that I should watch out for? Is there any advice that someone in my situation should get that I wouldn't normally get from my lawyer? Pretty much as the title says: what now?
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer:
 >What are the chances that my record can be expunged?

This is a question for your attorney.  There is zero possibility that anyone here will know better than him/her.

>what now?

Continue to listen to your attorney.

>Is there any advice that someone in my situation should get that I wouldn't normally get from my lawyer?

...eat your vegetables...

*Congrats on the dismissal, btw.  It's just that your attorney is clearly serving you well and no one here could possibly offer advice on your situation that would be better than the person that has handled it thus far.  Cheers!


Title: California: I think our landlord sprayed our house with exterior-use pesticides and lied about it

Question:
Hello,

I live in a house (duplex) with 2 others (two of us are in graduate school and have already contact our university's legal services, but haven't heard back yet). In February 2015 we contacted the landlord with suspicions that our house might be infested with termites. In March, he hired an exterminator to come and do spot treatments for termites in 2 of the bedrooms. He had also at this point pulled up several of the floor boards to check the damage. In April, the exterminator did a spot treatment with pesticides where he drilled holes into the floor and applied pesticide. He also asked us to air out the rooms before sleeping in them and to avoid letting the dog in that night. A few months later the exterminator came to fill in the holes he had drilled in the floor. For months the floors remained untouched, with the floor boards still pulled up.

This past week, the landlord said he was coming to fix the floor. The landlord brought a friend to help put the floorboards back in place. That evening after he had finished working for the day (July 17th) the house was filled with a putrid smell. We tried our best to ventilate the area, but it has lingered for over a week. The landlord returned twice since then to continue working on the floors. Today (July 21st), I was worried about the smell and asked to see what he had put on the floors. He told me that he had used wood glue, which he handed me at the time, but also that he had put "medicine" in the floor to keep termites from coming back. I asked him what type of medicine he had put on the floor and if I could see the bottle. He said he didn't have it with him, but that it might be in his car. I asked him how he applied it, and he said that he had sprayed the floors before putting the floorboards back in place. At this point, I went to check the spots in the first bedroom, and found black film surrounding one of the spot-treated locations. When I touched the film, it was greasy and made my hand black. It also smelled similar to the smell that had filled the house the last week. I washed my hands in the sink and asked the landlord to check his car for the "medicine". He said it wasn't in there and that it might be at the neighbors'. So, I asked him to check the neighbors' and asked if I could accompany him. We went over to the neighbors', and in a bag was a can of "Copper-Green Brown Wood Preservative" (active ingredient Copper Naphthenate), which is used to treat wood to protect it from termites. The instructions on the can clearly stated that it was for "exterior use only" and should not be sprayed without proper protection (including ventilation masks). It also said that it was intended to be "applied prior to use in construction" and "do not install treated articles until thoroughly dry". The can smelled similar to the smell that had been lingering in the house and when I sprayed it into the sink it appeared black and greasy. At this point, the neighbor was asking the landlord not to apply it to her floors without following the instructions. He said that he wouldn't use it and that on "her floor" he would use only wood glue. I took several pictures of the can with the neighbor's help. He then said that he hadn't used the product at all, and that it was the exterminator who used it. He then said that he only used wood glue on our floors. This differed from before when he told me that he had put "medicine" on the floors before reapplying the floorboards. So, I asked him directly "did you ever spray this can on our floors" and he said "no". I said "ok" and left the neighbors' house. The neighbor then came over and helped me write up exactly what had happened. We also called a medical advice number on the can and the person on the receiving line worked for INFOTRAC Emergency Response Hotline and said that the product was "for exterior use only", that we should "ventilate the area", that we "should not sleep in the room", that "there is no way to neutralize the smell", and the only way to get rid of the smell is to "remove and replace the treated articles".

It's also worth mentioning that we have a dog and for the past week she's acted more lethargic than usual and she was vomiting the morning after the landlord had been there to fix the floorboards when the smell first appeared.

I believe our landlord did spray our floors with the product without following proper instructions and in doing so has put everyone in the household at risk of being poisoned. I also think he lied to me when he said that he hadn't applied the product. Since the landlord left, the can is no longer at the neighbors', but we took plenty of pictures of the can as well as documented the events right after they happened.

I'm wondering what the best legal recourse might be. We'd like to take the dog to the vet and get checked out by doctors ourselves, but we're worried about incurring significant financial burdens by doing so. We would also like for our landlord to remove and replace the treated sections of the floor in order to get rid of the smell. We would appreciate any advice about how to proceed.

Answer:
 Please take your dog to the vet.Answer #2: IANAL.  Call pest control regulators for your state.  They may be able to give you advice on this off-label application of a pesticide.Answer #3: It's against federal law to use a pesticide against label. r/fabulously is right. Call your state pesticide application agency to report. If you can't find that agency, call your land grant University. horticulture agent. That office will have the right number to refer you to. If you don't know how to find your land grant university, look up Master Gardeners in your state. The hort agent in in their office.Answer #4: Don't forget to call poison control. This number works nationally (800) 222-1222

Poison control has an amazing database, and they will be able to tell you the potential consequences of being exposed to this pesticide.


Title: [Jacksonville, FL] I owe over $10000 to a guy. He's threatening to kill my son. I went to COPS and filed report. Police investigated. But, they say he didn't threatened and it was just strong wording of demand. How can I record his threat next time without getting into consent troubles?

Question:
So, few months ago I took some urgent money from a loan shark due to medical emergency. I had thought of paying him back in few months time from my paycheck. However, I lost my job. Now currently I don't have required amount to give him.

He has become pretty aggressive over phone. Once he threatened to kill If I don't pay him back. His exact words were, " I know where you live and I know where your son goes to school. If you don't pay me back, I will pick up your son from his school and chop him into fine pieces."

I got scared and rushed to police station. I filed a report. It took around a weak for detective to investigate. They talked with me and him. Arrested him and released him next day stating insufficient evidence. They say he merely gave me a strongly worded demand to pay back, not a threat to kill. Obviously I had no documentary proof at that time.

Now, this guy is made in anger. He has given me deadline of 1 week and demanded extra money as punitive for going to cops. If I don't pay him, he threatened me he will abduct my son and kill him. He is calling me daily.

Please, I just want to record his call and shove it in face of Police to force them to take action. How can I do this with this damn all party consent thing. Help me.

Answer:
 Go to the police again and tell them what he has said.  You're correct in saying that you don't want to record him without his permission.  But go to the police and try to file for a restraining order.  Contact your son's school and tell them that under no circumstances are they to allow anyone but YOU (or a person you approve AT THE TIME) contact your son or pick him up.  I would also suggest putting an extra lock on your door (if your lease allows if you're renting), installing cameras outside your house (if you're allowed), carrying pepper spray or a taser, and telling your neighbors to be wary of any strange activity around your house and to contact you or the police if they suspect someone dangerous is around your house.  I would even go so far as to ask the police if they could staff an officer in your immediate area for the next few weeks to keep watch and give you peace of mind.  This sounds incredibly scary and I'm so sorry you're dealing with this.

*edit- Depending on the age of your son, I think this is a good time to have another serious conversation with him about his safety.  Remind him that he doesn't need to talk to strangers, NO matter what they're offering or promising him.  Remind him about 911 and how to use the phone properly, make sure he knows his address and your name, and how to recognize when there's an emergency.Answer #2: Florida is two party consent. So you'd have to tell him you're recording the call. He'd either hang up or maybe be dumb enough to keep talking. Worth a shot.


Title: 1st offense class a misdemeanor possession of controlled substance

Question: I was recently charged with a class a misdemeanor. I currently live in NY, this is my first offense, i'm 17, and i never got in trouble at all prior to this. I was caught with 27 klonopin's that i took from my house, a tab of 25i-nbome (synthetic acid), and about a gram of weed. I was in the car with 3 friends and i was not the driver. i was the only one arrested and i spent 7 hours in a holding cell till released. I had my first court date which we plead not guilty and the judge recommended me to a drug program that 16-17yr olds can take to clear criminal record. now this was the first time i have ever had klonopins on me and the first time i had a tab of 25i-nbome on me. i have never done either drug and honestly had no intentions what i was going to do with them. what i was thinking of saying is i was going to trade them for a video game or something. i have never done any drug besides smoking weed which i do occasionally and drink alcohol barely. the only drug that would be in my system is weed. next thursday i have a meeting with some person from a drug program and what i say the judge can use against me i was just curious what the best way to go about this would be. i feel so bad because its not like i ever done these drugs besides the weed that i was in possession of and i REALLY do not want to be in a drug program when i don't even do anything besides smoke weed like once a week and i don't even smoke a lot of it. what would be my other options besides going to a drug program? also the program that i;m talking about is called ADP (adolescence diversion program). you go once a week to it and get tested and you go for 3 months. i'd rather have anything else that clears my record than go to that shit.

Answer: You are literally being handed a get out of jail free card AND a clean record. Suck it up, do the drug program, don't smoke weed for three whole months. That or fight it, have a conviction on your record, and enjoy explaining that to potential employers down the road when they run background checks.Answer #2: Fyi -- Trading drugs for a video game = drug trafficking


Title: My girlfriend's old college is suing her?!

Question: Myself and my girlfriend live in Minnesota. The other day she was served papers for 4 grand in an unpaid bill from her college she went to a few years ago. She has 20 days to respond and is very very lost and scared. She dropped out that semester and never took out loans to pay it. Along with the 75k in unpaid student loans she took out she is financially destitute only making $1800 a month. I have no legal background and just want to help. Is it worth getting a lawyer? Can she represent herself? Do we try and settle out of court? Due to her situation already being so bad does she declare bankruptcy? I'm at a lost and everyday that goes by from the 20 she gets more and more anxious. Any advice would help!

Answer:
 You say she dropped out? Does that mean she didn't pay her course fees, because that's what it sounds like. If so, she owes the money. There's really no legal defense here. Your gf can contact whoever sent the letter and negotiate some form of payment terms. Trust me, they don't want to go to court anymore than you do. That costs them money; they'd rather just get paid back.

I don't think it's really worth a lawyer at this point (and I rarely say that). She needs to speak with the collection agency, establish the validity of the debt and find a way to pay it back.

The ability to pay back a debt isn't really a legal issue. Try r/personalfinance.Answer #2: >she is financially destitute only making $1800 a month.

This is not the definition of financially destitute.

She can afford to pay 4k in debt, so no bankruptcy court wil let her erase that debt.Answer #3: Getting a bankruptcy court to dismiss student loans is difficult.    She does need some financial consultation on how to repay this debt, it does appear that it is legally owed.   The word destitute  infers  that she is without the necessities of life, i.e. homeless.


Title: Golf Course Owner and Their Gun Loving Family

Question:
Location: Pennsylvania.

I know someone who owns a golf course with her two brothers. They built it together over 10 years ago from what was a dairy farm handed down to them.

One of the brothers has a 21 year old son that LOVES his 2nd amendment and goes out onto the course when golfers have left and shoots his guns at geese and targets with his friends. This past 4th of July he and his buddies went out at night a fired 1,000 rounds of into the side of a mound and than posted it on social media for the public to see (this is a public course by the way).

One of the three owners cannot stand this behavior but can't really tell her brother to stop, and we're not sure if there's any legal reasons to make them stop since it's technically private property, but also a golf course open to the public.

What would you do in this situation?

Answer:
 Canada geese (if that's what they are) are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and cannot be hunted outside of designated hunting seasons.

I don't know what your hunting seasons are, or if they allow for Canada geese in the first place, but it can't hurt to contact the US Fish and Wildlife Service as they have the authority to enforce the treaty.


Title: [Texas] During an argument my wife took my prescription ADHD medication and dumped it in the toilet while I was showering. Is there anyway she can be held accountable for this?

Question:
As I said, my wife took my meds and flushed them. She has a tendency to have wild mood swings and can become very angry at me for the most minor things. She has a habit of saying and doing very rash things when she gets like this. I've tried for a very long time to just deal with it because we have kids but she has broken many of my things in the past and now this and for me it's the last straw.

I started recording audio on my phone when I got home and so I have proof that she did this as well as her generally being an emotionally abusive and spiteful person in the presence of our kids.

My question is do I have any way to hold her accountable for this (is it illegal to take your spouse's prescription and throw it away) and will the audio recordings be useful to me? She of course does not know I was recording or I would have never been able to get her to admit what she did or to capture her behavior around our children.

Thank you in advance,
Young_Laredo

Answer:
 Yeah, she stole from you. Call the police and report this. It is abusive.

Texas is a one party consent for recording, she didn't need to know. Answer #2: Dude, I wouldn't call the police in this case, not during the heat of battle, it could go the wrong way and make things much worse--*you* could end up in jail, the kids could end up in custody--all in the blink of an eye.

Get her calmed downed and back to "normal". Stop fighting with her, stop engaging.

Get a lawyer, get your ducks in a row, and file for divorce.


Title: If you got a woman pregnant and she chooses to keep it, but you don't have a romantic relationship anymore, what rights or legal obligations do you have as a father in the state of California?

Question: [deleted]

Answer: The same as any father: the obligation to pay child support and the right to seek custody or visitation.


Title: (PA, US) Sexually harassed at work and I feel it wasn’t handled properly (x-post r/askHR)

Question:
Some context: I (30F) have been an employee at my company for 3 years. The first instances of harassment took place approximately 6 months into my employment. The later instances have happened over the last 3 months. The incidents are not related to each other and no serious action has been taken against either of my male coworkers.

The first:

I work in a small art room in the back of a grocery store. I have a male coworker who is essentially the head of the art department. When I first started the job, he was very nice to me and we had a good rapport. We became friends. (1) One day, I was seated with my head down at a desk. This coworker came into the room and said “it’s a bit chilly in here” and pinched my nipple. It honestly shocked me and even typing it out now I cannot believe that it happened. I was completely frozen in shock and did not react or say anything.

I don’t remember the exact order of the following events, but they all took place in the 2-3 weeks following this first incident:

(2) The same coworker insisted on spotting me on a ladder with his hand directly underneath my butt, he commented that “the view is great from down here”. (3) He once stood behind me while I was bending over and pretended to hump me. (4) I was seated in a chair. I commented that perfume had spilled in my purse (which was in my lap) and he knelt down and took three deep, slow inhales of the purse. His head was in my crotch. He said, “yum, just had to get a whiff of that”. (5) He repeatedly asked if he could draw me naked. (6) He made a comment about grabbing my breasts.

I never said anything to my coworker in the moment. I was truly at a loss for words and felt unable to react every single time. All of these things deeply upset me.

While all of this was going on, I was confiding every single thing to a manager who is also my friend. We were mostly talking outside of work, “as friends”. I still felt like a brand new employee and was worried I’d become a pariah if I came forward about these things. My friend knew that. I asked for his advice and he told me that if I were to say something, I should just know that “the entire store will find out about it”.

I decided to say nothing for 4 months.

When I finally came forward, I was asked to write a statement detailing all of the above. I did that. The head manager of my store spoke to my art-room coworker and they decided that he and I should work different schedules. That’s it. I should add that there were 3 other female coworkers who had also been made to feel uncomfortable by this person. I suppose no one ever followed up with them even though I gave their names?

I should also add that, at the time, I was relieved that my coworker wasn’t getting fired. I didn’t want to be “responsible” for that. I don’t really feel the same way anymore…… The whole thing feels really wrong to me now, and a year and a half later, I regret not escalating the situation….

Alright, so. Fast forward to the recent stuff. Different male coworker.

This guy is a new hire. He is odd and he puts people off. The following has occurred between us:

(1) He made a joke about tying me up and putting me in the trunk of his car. (2) In our very small break room, we have a table and I was seated in the corner. This guy and another coworker are also seated. I needed to get up and asked if one of them could move so I could get out. Weird guy smirks and says, “Well I’m not getting up but you can climb over me”. (3) I was filling a trash bag with expired food. He came over and said, “Let me help you with that big sack you got there (talking about trash bag). I bet you like big sacks, don’t you”

Okay.

So this person creeps me out and scares me and I didn’t necessarily want to be involved in a claim against him that could easily be traced back to me.

He ends up making a joke about murdering people and two of my coworkers report it to management. Shortly after, a manager comes to me and asks if anyone in the store has made me feel uncomfortable. I immediately know it’s related to this guy. I express my hesitation in making a statement about him, and I also mention my first case….and how nothing really was done about it.

I end up asking the advice of a different manager, a female who I trust. I tell her that I’m still upset our head boss didn’t take firmer action against the first coworker. I tell her I’ve got reservations about coming forward this time. She tells me she’s sorry about what happened before. That this is my chance to make things right. That I should say something.

So I do. I write it all down.

And Nothing Happens.

I go back to the manager I sought advice from. I ask if she can explain what happened. She told me that basically they couldn’t do anything because he denied the claims. And apparently that’s why they couldn’t do anything in the first situation. Both of these guys said, nope, I didn’t do/say that stuff..and that was that. On top of this, she said I waited too long in both cases to say something, and if management had “felt a sense of urgency from me then they would have acted with more urgency”. She also said I could’ve “done more” (I didn’t want my name used when they spoke to weird guy and she said it may have helped if they’d been able to say it was me who he’d made the comments to(?) ). Lastly she suggested that maybe I should see a therapist so that I could feel more confident and then, the next time something like this happens, I’ll be able to stand up for myself...

My questions are all related to that last bit. Is it true that in sexual harassment cases, if the other party denies wrongdoing then a manager’s hands are tied and there is nothing they can do to help you? I basically feel like I am being called a liar. Is there anything that I should do in the aftermath of all this? Is there ever an opportunity to escalate a situation that’s basically been closed and shut for over a year? A few of my coworkers have suggested that I call our company’s HR and speak to them. I am not sure I want to do that. I thought I would come here first. I understand that I have no witnesses in the first case, but in the second one I do and I’m not sure they were all spoken to.

It has also been suggested that I may have legal recourse and should post here.

Answer:
 If your employer's HR is not taking sufficient action to stop harassment, [file a complaint with the EEOC](https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/sexual_harassment.cfm).

Harassment isn't limited to that of a sexual nature, and if you ever feel unsafe, remove yourself from this person's vicinity and file a police report.

To answer your questions:

> Is it true that in sexual harassment cases, if the other party denies wrongdoing then a manager’s hands are tied and there is nothing they can do to help you?

No.  HR can easily do something about it, such as giving both employee's training on sexual harassment, or asking other coworkers to come forward and report.  I'm not an HR person, so I'm not sure of all the options, but if punishment stopped if one person denied the actions, no one would ever be punished.

> Is there anything that I should do in the aftermath of all this?

If your management does nothing, consider finding a new job.  Otherwise, keep reporting it and escalating it.

> Is there ever an opportunity to escalate a situation that’s basically been closed and shut for over a year? A few of my coworkers have suggested that I call our company’s HR and speak to them.

Keep reporting it to your manager and CC HR on the emails, or follow up with them.

HR is the party that stops harassment, not your manager (even though he should have that obligation).


Title: Can I do anything about my competitors stealing my photos?

Question:
So I have an online business where I sell lots of items. I pay good money on photography for all of my products. There's some sellers that sell the same items on Amazon & Ebay that steal all of my photos. I could watermark them but that ruins the whole photo and makes my brand less professional.

I know Amazon & Ebay have Copyright forms and I tried doing it once but it ended up giving the seller all of my info in the form I'm pretty sure and then I suspiciously got phishing emails for the next month.

I'd ideally like to hire a lawyer to write a cease & desist on my behalf and send it to all of the online sellers that are stealing my photos. There's probably around 15-20 people doing this and they're based all around the world.

Would hiring a lawyer to do this be a good idea and would it cost me a fortune? Thanks!

TL;DR - Sellers on Ebay, Amazon, etc. are stealing my photos and using them to sell the same products. Can a lawyer help me make people stop doing this?

Edit: Location - United States
Topic:
Business Law

Answer:
 >There's probably around 15-20 people doing this and they're based all around the world.

If they are international, there is likely zero you can do other than ask Ebay or Amazon to remove the images.


Title: Got taken in ambulance drunk and did not consent to the ride

Question:
I guess I was taken to a hospital because I was too intoxicated in an ambulance. It was clear that I did not want to go and was strapped down.
This just happened so I haven’t received the bill and I am prepared for the copay but I DID NOT consent to an ambulance ride.
I know ambulance rides are very expensive in this country, how can I fight the inevitable bill.

Answer:
 >how can I fight the inevitable bill.

Go back in time and don't get so intoxicated to the point that the authorities thought you could have died and decided to get you medical attention.Answer #2: >it was clear

How the hell was it clear? Because you were so raving drunk so they had to strap you down to transport you? You would have preferred to die on the pavement inhaling your own vomit?

Wait until you get the bill, if there is one that isn’t covered by your insurance, and then try to negotiate it down.

If you get so drunk that you need an ambulance, your ability to consent is moot.Answer #3: You can't. This topic or others similar, unwanted hospitaluzation for mental evaluation, etc. Its just as if you were knocked unconscious in an auto accident so you obviously didn't consent to an ambulance ride and medical treatment. You were deemed in need of medical care. You recieved it and owe for it.Answer #4: You were too drunk to care for yourself. You were incapable of making decisions due to how intoxicated you were. Therefore consent is out the window. Being strapped down to the gurney is perfectly fine if you’re too drunk.

Next time don’t drink so much that you have to go to the hospital.


Title: [PA] My apartment leasing office will not allow me to pick up my own packages

Question:
This is a long shot but I figured someone might have advice.

I've been living in my current apartment for 3 years. I work out of state, so my commute to and from work is earlier/later than my leasing office is open (9-5).

Until recently, they would leave my deliveries in the hallway for me to pick up when I got home. Unfortunately one was recently stolen. The office will now only allow packages to be picked up during the hours they are open.

They have told me that they will return packages to the sender if I can't pick them up myself or reroute them to my office. My employer doesn't allow personal items to be delivered to the office.

Do I have any options? I know this isn't the biggest problem in the world but it's definitely a huge inconvenience. I feel like I should have some sort of right to have mail delivered to me? I have a mailbox but my front door is behind a security door so while envelopes can be delivered to me, I have no way of getting packages unless I leave work early.

Thanks in advance!

Edit: Tried a PO box, same issues with hours and only some services can deliver to PO boxes so unfortunately when i went to the post office they told me that wouldn't work.

Answer: You could get a P.O. Box or you could arrange to pick up your packages at a UPS/FedEx location.


Title: Filing For Office As A 17 Year Old

Question:
Hey. I’m running for county Quorum court aka Justice of The Peace/County Alderman. I am 17, and I reside in Arkansas. I’ll be 18 by the time the election is, and 18 when I take office. I was wondering if I will be legally allowed to file. The affidavit of eligibility for Arkansas reads: “will be eligible to hold the office”. For that reason I believe I will be able too. Any advice is helpful! Thanks!
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer: “Will be eligible when taking office” sounds like it applies to you. You can likely ask someone at the town hall who can check to be sure.


Title: [IN] Neighbor lured and trapped house cats, then dumped them in farmland

Question:
Live in the middle of a smallish Indiana town.  We, like most of our neighbors, let our cats out for a few hours a day and bring them in around mid to late afternoon.  Neighbor, upset with damage to his garden, believes my cats are to blame and notifies everyone except me.

Neighbor lured four of my cats to his property with wet cat food on paper plates and used live trap cages to trap my cats.  Found out because I rescued one from a cage near my fence line.  Neighbor then took the other cats out of town and dumped them.

Neighbor did not tell me of any issues, but told police and neighbors that my cats were to blame.  Also apparently warned my 6 year\-old daughter four days before to keep our cats in the house (she didn't tell me).  Yet, now he claims that he could not tell that my spayed/neutered, collared, and registered cats, that he knows by name, were not feral.

As the code is written, this seems to clearly violate IC 35\-46\-3\-7 Section 7 as Abandonment or Neglect.  Additionally, luring a domesticated animal in order to capture it should be considered theft and/or, at the very least, trespass to chattels.  Am I wrong?

Finally, the police don't seem to be interested in turning the screws on the neighbor to reveal where he dumped or stashed the cats.  What can I do?

Answer:
 Keep your cats indoors. Maybe sue civilly for the value of 3 cats? I doubt it would be worth your time.Answer #2: > Finally, the police don't seem to be interested in turning the screws on the neighbor to reveal where he dumped or stashed the cats.

First question - have the police expressed any interest in charging or investigating this guy?

Second question - what do you want out of this? I'd assume "your cats back," but you may be after something else.

That written, assuming police are taking no action and all you want is your cats back, then you need to incentivize him to disclose their location. You can take a carrot-and-stick approach. For example, draft a demand letter requesting the value of the cats but offering to drop the entire matter in exchange for disclosure of the cats' location. That sort of thing. As far as a civil claim goes, small claims is direct damages only, meaning if you do sue him, you may get the value of your cats (assuming you can meet the burden of proof), but the court cannot require he return the cats to you.