Title: Abusive retraining order against my x who tried to kill me & my unborn child. His lawyer is taking my deposition today 4 the 3rd time. Can't afford a lawyer. single mother. Filed paperwork 4 my address to be confidential/safety/Lawyer's trying 2 get me in contempt 4 not revealing where I live. HELP?

Question:
##

My Ex was physically and sexually abusive. I tried leaving the relationship, he had hacked my phone with a spyware app. found out i was talking to people about the abuse, came home & beat me. Found out i was pregnant, tried to make me have a miscarriage. With the nest egg that I saved, I got a hotel for two weeks till I found a roommate. He has since stalked and harassed me, shown up at my job unannounced, and has tried corrupting friendships. I filed for a restraining order and went to the police finally.

Give you a brief of the person I'm dealing with:

He has found out where i currently live, hacked into the wifi with the IP address.. Was talking to an old friend of mine. A random FB account harasses (friend's) ex and says that me and friend should be together. that we spoke on the phone for 4 hours. I never NEVER told anyone, anyone how many hours i was on the phone with friend.

I started doing research.. Changed all my pass codes, checked my facebook logins for anything suspicious. and Boom. multiple coded and encoded IP addresses were logging into my FaceBook account, as well as my roommates. I got a VPN, but realized, he already knows the IP so it's useless. went to the police. There is an on-going investigation. They recently found information regarding the IP address that accessed my FB and Roommate's. It was at a business here in town. One of the IPs traced back to a family member/a person with his last name..

I have no privacy, and he sees everything i message and knows every person i speak to. I try my best to make money online now that im a single mother but the one thing he can't tamper with is my art. I do commissions for art and it's going very well now that ive given up on freelancing and just focused on that.

He wants me back. He post pictures of my paintings on his fb and constantly post things about me/to me. (without using my name) I know hes talking to me bc he uses my Initials LMJ.

This is the same person who kicked me in the stomach and choked me to the ground dozens of times. made me sleep in my car, took my apartment key from me, raped me..There are worse things and dozens of stories.. it's just very painful to talk about.

Regarding the deposition: I do not have a lawyer. When i filed for the restraining order, title 46 restraining order, I also filed that my address be confidential. Just to make sure, i went to the Clerk of court to see if my address wasnt on file. I look and its there for the whole public to see. I address the matter to the clerk of court himself and he says' " yeah. .. that's not supposed to be there, we will change it now." and they did.

I go to each deposition without a lawyer and refuse to answer questions regarding where i live. ALL THE WHILE, my ex is listening to everything im saying over the phone in the deposition room. He's not in there though. SO im all alone 9 months pregnant, being intimidated and harassed by his lawyer. it lasts 2 hours, I go to court and they serve me in court with contempt of court.

Judge is sympathetic and moves the trial date to 3 months later so i have time to heal after having my child. my ex's attorney objects to the new trial date and the judge overrules it.

between this time period, my ex sends me a friend request. thats a violation of the restraining order so i file a police report and make copies of the violation.

I go to my next deposition a month later, no lawyer, Im broke. barely making it. same thing happens. i answer questions for 5 hours this time and it is continued to the following monday. I answer questions AGAIN about the abuse and rape and torture and i object to answering questions regarding where i live and who my roommate is, how many fucking rooms are in my apartment and how much my rent is, due to confidentiality. total of nearly 12 hours of questioning.

I go to court, representing myself again. They serve me again with contempt, we go to the judge's chambers, me and my ex's attorney and the judge just basically tells my i need a lawyer. I Tell him:

"I have answered all of his questions for a total of 12 hours. I simply refuse to tell him about where I live due to my safety, all the while, my ex listening over the phone. I will continue to protect my safety. I filed with the petition, for restraining order, that my address be confidential. I am fearful of my life, you have proof of the abuse, I just want him to leave me alone. How do i know this isn't going to happen again. "- and Place the original signed, dated, stamped, restraining order Violation in front of the judge. ((wasn't supposed to do that but did it anyways))

Once the judge saw that, he cant un-see it.

immediately afterwards, the attorney tries to make a deal with me:

"Give us a lesser charge , title 9 restraining order and we will settle the whole thing today. I will convince my client to take this deal."

I decline and the judge, again... recommends that i get a lawyer, even to just sit with me during the deposition to coach me through this. I told him, I'm not going to answer question's regarding where i live, I legally do not have to, that is an distribution of my safety and protection.

This will give you an idea of the men im dealing with "SWLA Louisiana"

I tried.. LAWYERS WANT MONEY, i dont have it. I'm trying my best to save. I'm not receiving child support in fear that he will have rights to her. I dont want his money, only for him to leave us alone, He tried to kill her and me multiple times.

Keep in mind also:

I am fighting this hard for the title 46 restraining order, not only to protect myself, but my child also. He will have to turn in his fire arms, and the abuse will be on his record. If he were to fight for custody, this would protect my daughter from abuse/ supervised visitation. All of this is for her. I have already forgiven my ex (took a while) . I am in no way doing this for revenge. I want him to get help, see a therapist. He was abused when he was younger and in a twisted way i still love him.

The 3rd deposition is today and hes going to ask me questions.. for 5 more hours. ill have to bring my baby and breast feed her there again...

I've even used the following objections,. used Irrelevant mostly; Yes, no, I do not recall;but still answered the questions...

* **Irrelevant.** If the question has the potential to uncover a crumb of admissible evidence, it is proper. If the question is too far afield, though, a relevance objection may be warranted. The line is hard to draw here. It boils down to a judgment call on whether the question will ultimately lead to admissible evidence.
* **Hearsay.**
* **Assumes facts not in evidence.**
* **Calls for an opinion. .....ect**

Someone, anyone... please help me. what do i do now. the deposition is today and the trial is January 29th

Answer:
 Have you contacted a domestic violence shelter. They often have a legal advocate on staff who can help you or make a referral for you to get free legal help. Answer #2: There's really nothing we can help you with to prep for a desposition that's happening today. You need a lawyer. The problem here is while courts are supposed to provide **some** leeway to a pro se litigant like you, there is an expectation that you understand all the rules of the court.  The judge is suggesting you get a lawyer for your own good, because you're at risk of getting screwed here.

Contact local DV organizations and [legal aid](https://louisianalawhelp.org/find-legal-help) to see if they can help - you may also be able to find someone that can give you limited scope representation (LSR) on a payment plan. I realize you can't afford a lawyer up front...**but you also can't afford to lose.**

>I'm not receiving child support in fear that he will have rights to her.

Child support is an obligation to the child, and is calculated separately from visitation/parental rights. You are risking losing rights AND child support by not fighting for it.Answer #3: Look for a women's shelter.  They often have resources you can use up to potentially pro bono lawyers that can help you properly deal with this.


Title: what kind of contract/agreement is this? ex-employee to agree to destroy company property after termination

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Are you giving severance in exchange for this promise?

And this doesn't sound like a layoff. It sounds like a termination.


Title: Apartment cluster mailbox was broken in to. Carrier notified management, management did not notify tenants.

Question:
\[TX\] Basically cut and dry as the title. Went to check on a package that said it was delivered Tuesday & no package, so I left  a note for the mail guy to call me & he did. He said that several if not all boxes were evidenced to be broken in to earlier this week and he notified management to tell their residents in case they were expecting packages, important mail etc. They did no such thing, they only offered up when confronted "well we have no control over the mailboxes, they are owned by the government so you need to take up your missing items with USPS and/or the police." While I understand what they are saying and that the USPS does regulate the boxes, they are attached to the apartments property & therefore I thought they had some duty to the residents. They have not issued new keys, and again have not told any residents that this has happened and are avoiding admitting that they were informed of this. Questions are...

1. Who actually owns the mailboxes (they are installed in to the wall of an exterior breezeway of apartment.)
2. Did my community have a legal obligation to notify us of the breach
3. If it's each individual's responsibility to figure it out -how do you know you are missing something you maybe weren't expecting (bills, audit from IRS, $10 off Bed Bath and Beyond coupon..the good stuff)
4. If a break-in \[crime\] occurred, should the postman have notified police? Should management have notified them? If not, then why not? (help me better understand the law on this)
5.  Any advice on how to recover my $70 face cream that was stolen?(haha, but really) It was via Amazon if that helps.

Thanks, y'all

Answer:
 1. The post office.  The issue isn't completely straightforward, but for these purposes the post office is a suitable answer.
2. Probably not.  Even if the did have such an obligation, you didn't suffer a loss because of their failure to notify.
3. Try Informed Delivery.
4. Your carrier likely made a report through their channels which may end up with the USPIS.  It is generally unlikely that much will be made of a routine box theft.  There probably isn't anything in the way of evidence to go on.
5. If you find the perpetrator you can pursue them for that loss, or see it made a restitution order in their criminal prosecution.


Title: [CA] My girlfriend's childhood rapist is attempting to become a US citizen

Question:
My girlfriend needs help.  She recently found out that the man who raped her when she was 7 years old and living in Colombia is now attempting to gain US citizenship.

She is a US citizen living in California, her and her mother immigrated to the US from Colombia when she was 14. When she was raped nothing was done about it and nothing was filed with the Colombian police.  However her mother and a few other members of the family know what happened.

We know he is already in the country and that he is trying to stay in the country through marriage.

What steps can we take to prevent this vile person from becoming a United States citizen?

Thank you.

Answer:
 Part of the naturalization process is certifying the intended immigrant is someone of “[Good Moral Character](https://www.uscis.gov/policymanual/HTML/PolicyManual-Volume12-PartF-Chapter2.html#S-B)”. The statutes specifically state there is a five year lookback period from the time of application where their character is more heavily scrutinized. Conduct outside this period *can* be considered; but there’s a big catch.

>Most of the criminal offenses that preclude a finding of GMC require a conviction for the disqualifying offense or arrest. A “conviction” for immigration purposes means a formal judgment of guilt entered by the court.

So you can bring it to USCIS’s attention. But without a conviction (or even arrest) back in Colombia; they’re not going to use it as a factor in denying his naturalization.

You can try reporting it to the police in Colombia and seeing if there’s not a statute of limitations, if they’re willing to open an investigation. But it seems unlikely.


Title: What happens if you are involved in an accident that was not your doing but it killed someone anyway?

Question: Would you still be charged with vehicular man slaughter even though it was purely an accident (like a deer hit your car which caused you to swerve into traffic)? How would prosecutors go about this?

Answer:
 Most crimes require intent.  In some cases, negligence can be substituted for intent, but only if the outcome was likely given the action (or, commonly, inaction).  In your scenario at its face value, if a normal person wouldn't have been able to avoid the accident there was no negligence and therefore no intent and no charges.  However, lets say a deer hit your car and you swerved and collided with oncoming traffic and killed someone while driving wildly over the speed limit and texting your BFF.  Now, it can be argued that your actions where a significant contributing factor in the accident and a normal (the legal definition of normal is "reasonable and prudent") driver might have easily avoided it and you were therefore negligent.  In that case, you could be charged.

Those two examples are somewhat black and white.  But what if, instead of texting and speeding, you were driving in the snow, at or below the posted speed limit, and your phone was at home on the kitchen counter.  This time, our suicidal deer causes you to lose control and you swerve into oncoming traffic and the other driver is killed.  Negligence is now a bit less clear.  Where you being negligent and driving too fast for the conditions (despite being under the legal speed limit), was your car in disrepair or in some other way unsafe (bald tires or an icy windshield), or are you just an inexperienced driver?  It would come down to the specific details and what a "reasonable and prudent" driver would have been doing.  Realistically, most courts have plenty of work to do and aren't going to chase ambiguous cases just because they can.


Title: Physically abusive Ex boyfriend with active warrants is harassing, potentially stalking

Question:
This is my first time posting so I'm sorry if this is the wrong place/format. As the title says I had a nasty breakup with an ex who has hit me multiple times, threatened to rape me, and has admitted over the phone that he has been stalking me. He has made fake phone numbers from texting apps, fake Facebook accounts, IG accounts you name it to contact me. Either to beg my forgiveness or to just be shitty (it alternates) he's stopped for the most part but I have a feeling it's because he's gearing up for the next level of crazy. I also found out towards the tail end of our relationship that he has an active warrant and he is selling drugs. I'm in nyc but we live very close together and frequent the same bars (at least I did, I haven't been out there in months out of fear) I'm terrified of this man plain and simple. He snapped my last phone in half and on it were pictures and screenshots, basically all the evidence I had. What can I do?
-terrified in Brooklyn
Topic:
Douche

Answer: If you are afraid for your safety, call the police.


Title: Son got a DUI

Question:
My son got arrested for a DUI on Friday night in Illinois.  He was issued three tickets.  DUI-1, DUI-2 (I assume because his BAC was .179) and improper lane usage.  I bonded him out Saturday morning.

Full disclosure, he had his DL previously suspended for mulitple moving violations as a teenager.  I believe each violation was minor on it's own, but the cumulation resulted in a short suspension.  That was 2-3 years ago.  Nothing since, until a terrible decision this past weekend.

I feel bad for him, he's a good kid who made a terrible decision.  Not at all trying to minimize the seriousness of what he did.  But he's a senior in college, good grades, etc.  Nothing of which is directly related to his DUI, but just trying to paint the full picture.

Question - is there anything I can or should be doing to help him?
A friend suggested we did not need to retain an attorney, that a public defender would suffice.  Is this simply a case of letting the process run it's course, pay the fines and fees, and comply with the sentence that is coming?  (Suspension of DL, community service, alcohol counseling, etc.)

Thank you.

Answer:
 Today, go to an Al-Anon meeting in your area:

   http://www.al-anon.org/home

Your son got lucky:  your "Good Kid" could easily have killed someone. This wasn't just a bad decision, it could have been deadly.Answer #2: 1.	Do not feel bad for him BAC of .179 (over double the legal limit) is not tipsy or a couple beers that is SUPER DRUNK
2.	He needs to hire an attorney this is a serious event that will follow him for the rest of his life.  If he cannot afford one then sell his car, computer, games whatever to pay for it whatever it takes this can be a life changing event. It would be good lesson for him to lose things to pay for it.
3.	Start [DUI/DWI classes] (https://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=44177) right away! Have them completed before court
4.	Attend daily AA meetings and keep a [log of meetings attended] (http://www.district11-aa.org/uploadedFiles/attendance_sheet.pdf)
5.	Do not coddle him this is a serious situation he is lucky he did not kill someone or himself.  He needs to learn this lesson now rather than later.

Answer #3: > A friend suggested we did not need to retain an attorney, that a public defender would suffice.

Contrary to popular belief, you don't get to pick.  You qualify for a public defender only if you REALLY can't afford an attorney on your own.  If the court thinks you can scrape together enough money for a lawyer, you have to hire one yourself.


Title: Throwing an object from vehicle

Question:
A friend of mine was driving and car on the opposite side of the road passed numerous cars on a double yellow, almost hitting my friend. My friend decided to throw a bottle out of his car and hit the vehicle causing it to break the other vehicles headlight. The other vehicle turned around in the middle of the road and began following my friend. My friend pulled into a neighborhood and the car followed trying to block him in. My friend got away but he’s sure that the other car took his license plate number.

What can happen? Is it my friends word against the other driver? Or what?

This happened in Virginia.

Answer:
 Your friend could be facing criminal charges and should call a lawyer before answering any questions.

> Is it my friends word against the other driver?

How can anyone answer that? Maybe another driver saw this and called the police. Maybe someone had a dash cam. Maybe it's your friend's word vs. theirs.


Title: Wrongful dismissal question, FL

Question:
I'm not sure where else to put this but, I just lost my job because of a conservation my employer had with my girlfriend. Before the weekend they said to call today to so if I still had a job. After being told they didn't want me there I asked why I was being fired and he responded "you're not being fired. we just don't really want you here anymore. I can think of a reason if you want." He summed it up as because I think he disrespects me sometimes he doesn't want me there (he disagrees and thinks he has never once disrespected me.) I was baffled and just told him I'd see him in a few days to pick up my last check. I've worked there for about three and a half years and was fired without warning, it doesn't seem like something that's okay.

I'll answer any questions that are important about the situation. Any help or suggestions is appreciated.
Topic:
Labor Law

Answer: That's perfectly legal and not wrongful termination. Pick up your last paycheck and move on. You should still file for unemployment.


Title: Roommate stole 8k cash from me

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Call police? That is generally step one


Title: My niece was banned from the school bus for being disruptive even though she was groped in front of the driver (Georgia)

Question:
Georgia. My niece is 11. The boy is 14. He squeezed her breasts and made a noise like a car horn. He also snapped her bra strap. The driver saw this happen.

The boy was suspended from school and the cops are investigating. But my sister got a letter saying that my niece is banned from the school bus for being disruptive during the incident. The driver let her take the bus anyway after my sister talked to him but now the driver is in trouble. My sister talking to the principal and the school board but no one will talk to her. Is it legal for them to do this? My niece isn't going to school because it's too far for her to walk on her own and my sister and me don't have cars to take her and my sister works in the morning and there isn't enough time to take her on the city bus.

Answer:
 Not attending school is illegal. So you need to find a solution now.

There are no laws require your niece to be allowed to ride the bus. So it is not illegal to not allow her. It is likely a policy.

So, you guys can keep complaining.  You can hire an attorney to write a strongly worded letter. Maybe a local attorney will be able to change their mind.


Title: (Florida) Thief crashed stolen car into house. Insurance company was sued and paid, now home owner is sueing car owner

Question:
*Update*
Her insurance got back to her and they said the original suit was never actually settled. They informed my sister they were offering a settlement almost a year ago, so she thought it was done. Apparently, they've been going back and forth all this time, with the home owner refusing the settlement. I'm not sure why they had to serve her for a new suit instead of continuing to negotiate. Maybe a new lawyer? Either way, her insurance company has it covered, and what they're asking for in this suit is still under what her plan covers, so my sister is breathing a little easier. Thanks, guys! She was happy to be able to read your responses and calm a bit while she waited to hear from her insurance company.

My sister's car was stolen from her driveway last year. It was reported immediately, and the thief (stranger, teenager) was eventually caught and convicted after he crashed her vehicle into someone's house.

The owner of the house sued my sister, and her insurance company settled for a decent sum (~60K). Today, she was served papers for a civil suit for another 15K. The papers she got stated that the person driving the car had permission to drive her car, therefore my sister is at fault. This blows my mind, because he was clearly a stranger that stole her car in the middle of the night, and has been proven to be guilty in court. What lawyer gymnastics allows that to be filed as "with permission?"

My sister is (also) the victim, here. Her car was stolen and crashed. She is a stay at home mom and is panicking over this sum, not to mention the stress of being sued again.

How can she personally be sued when her car was stolen, and that was proven? This isn't a case of "left my car at the bar and didn't report it stolen until morning," where guilt or a cover up is implied.

Since her insurance policy handle the first suit (and payment), is she on her own with this suit?

If she loses, what can they do to collect? She has no income to garnish. Her house is in her husband's name. He owns a company in his name, as well. The (old, paid off) car is in her name. Can they go after her husband or his company for money if she isn't shown to have enough liquidity to pay?

Thanks in advance for any help. This is a terrifying situation for her, as her family can not financially take this hit. Plus, what the hell? What a scummy thing to sue the innocent victim of a crime, the same crime that damaged your own property.

Answer:
 > Since her insurance policy handle the first suit (and payment), is she on her own with this suit?

No. She needs to contact her insurance company about the new lawsuit stemming from this.Answer #2: She needs to contact the insurance company immediately.

They should provide her with an attorney to defend against this suit.

Also, there is a very, very high chance that this suit is precluded by the previous settlement. If it isn't, then there is a good chance that your sister has a valid claim against her insurance company.Answer #3: She can't ignore this, but there's no use panicking about it. A lawsuit can be filed for anything, but it sounds very, very unlikely that they will win. Just because they're saying for some reason that she gave the driver permission, that doesn't invalidate in any way all the evidence that she did not give the driver permission. Nobody has looked at the plaintiff's argument and agreed with them that there's any reason to think she gave the driver permission.


Title: My boyfriends Ex may threaten to take their 2 kids away because of me

Question:
I have been with him for over a year. He has had full custody of them for a few years now, her leaving and only coming back randomly from time to time.

Right now, she is keeping them for a week until they start school, and she is saying she doesn't want the kids around me because "Eric puts me ahead of his kids." He doesn't put me first at all.

They have never went to court about custody, and he doesn't really know what to do and is very stressed. He thinks she may make him choose: the kids or me.

She may take them out of state to live with her unless he does exactly what she says, and even then she still might take them now.

What are his options? Can he stop her from leaving the state with no current custody agreement? Can she just take them out of school and leave without him knowing? The kids would suffer is she did end up taking them and then having to deal with a court case, and he doesn't know if that would even grant him custody or grant her custody.

Need some advice on how he should deal with this. Live in Maryland.

Answer:
 Your boyfriend needs to get a custody order STAT.
Until one is in place, she has the right (as does he) to move them anywhere she wants to, and then it becomes a more complicated and costly procedure to deal with custody issues...

If he's had them full time all along, and can prove it, there is no reason the courts would automatically grant the mother full custody.
She will surely get visitation, and she may get partial custody, but your boyfriend has  a good chance of keeping what they've got now...but he has to act FAST. Like find a lawyer Monday or see about filing for a custody hearing ASAP on his own if he absolutely cannot afford legal help.


Title: [MI] A city cop wrote me a parking ticket even though I was speeding. Do I have to pay it?

Question:
Note: I am writing this in first person, but this was NOT actually me. I am asking for a friend.

I was going 47 in a 35 zone. Cop pulled me over, told me I was speeding, took license and registration, and went to his car. He decided to “cut me a break” and give me a ticket for double parking rather than a speeding ticket. This does not add any points to my license and does not show up on my insurance or affect my rates.

Importantly, the officer clearly noted in the written citation that I was, in fact, speeding. He makes it clear that this ticket was intentionally misgiven.

Do I have to pay this double parking ticket? And what are the consequences of taking this to court? I get that he was trying to do a nice thing and I’m really pushing my luck, but I don’t feel obliged to pay for a violation I didn’t commit. For example, if someone robbed a bank on foot and was charged with grand theft auto, they would easily defend against that in court. Similarly, I do not believe I should pay for double parking when I did not double park, regardless of any other infraction and the written explanation.

What should I do? My biggest fear is that not paying this double parking ticket will lead to a retroactive speeding ticket. What does everyone think?
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer:
 The worst possible consequence of you taking this to court is your charge being amended into the one you’re actually guilty of.Answer #2: This is why we can’t have nice things.

The officer will be unable to give testimony that will sustain the parking ticket.

But he can then charge you with the speeding offense, and be far less likely to cut me a break in the future. So you will have to defend yourself against the speeding charge and poison the goodwill wellspring for future encounters.

Perhaps you can find a puppy to kick on the way out of the courtroom... you know, for the hat trick.Answer #3: You got a break on something you did wrong, and you ended up with a better option. Unless you want the points and possibly pay more for the ticket. Just pay the ticket and move on with your life.


Title: [MO] An off duty police officer broke my jaw, what are my next steps

Question: [removed]

Answer:
 You don't get to milk this for as much money as possible.  You filed the report and can sue the person that broke your jaw to recover all damages.  Bonus you know where he works so serving him and garnishing his wages will be a lot easier.

Hire a personal injury lawyer.Answer #2: You can sue the guy for your damages.

At a police officer's salary, you won't be milking him for anything, nor is that an appropriate request.  Lawsuits exist to make you whole, not for vengeance.Answer #3: No way this isn't a troll.

>I dont know if it really matters but I'm black

then

>So the police should allow black giants to kill them? Okay libby


Title: The principle of my school is planning on giving me a 0 on a test I never took, threatening to ruin my GPA and the circumstances are unfair

Question:
I had missed a test on Wednesday of this week, and planned to make it up on Monday of next week. I have done this with my professor before and it has never been an issue. Today, on a half day, I was given a slip for study hall. On a half day out school is let out at 12:00 p.m. and study hall is at 12:30 and the test would probably take an hour. I received the slip at 9:00 a.m. that day.

I could not make proper arrangements in time to stay after school and take the test so I decided to contact my professor to change the study hall date. This was not possible because the professor was not there all day. I missed the study hall and was informed later on in the day that I would have no chance to take the test and I’d receive a 0 on the exam. Tests are weighted the highest at my school and this would plummet my grade with only 29 days left in the school year

Is this allowed? Are they allowed to completely deny me a chance for taking the test when every circumstance made it impossible to take the test on that day?

Answer:
 Absent some kind of IEP or documented disability, this is well within the rights of the school.

You can approach the principal to reconsider, or escalate above him to the superintendent or school board, but realize it would be the school district's prerogative here, not some legal right. You are not legally entitled to additional chances to make up for your lack of planning. You were not entitled to the first retake of the test, either. It was just nice of the teacher to offer it.


Title: (D.C) A coworker came into work suffering from food poisoning and I decided to take him to the hospital. Is the company liable to pay for the hospital services?

Question: The company is situated in Maryland, but the events happened in D.C..

Answer: Did the company give him food poisoning?


Title: [ Kansas ] Employer has not paid me since September.

Question:
I work part time for a small business and have not been paid for work since September. Each week I put together a time sheet and email it to the owner and they send a check which takes some time. They forgot to send a week and I forgot to send a time sheet on time so on the most recent check I received was for a few weeks of work. This check bounced in October and I have still not received that money. I told them I will not do anymore work until I receive my money and we have missed several deadlines. Last month I got an email receipt from Western Union stating the funds would be in my account in 10 days. That deadline passed and the owner says that Western Union is doing an investigation. This was supposed to take 7-10 days but never told me from what date. It has been one excuse after another and I am out of ideas to handle this on my own. I have started looking into small claims court, but we live in different counties and the owner works out of state most of the time.

I have since been hired on at a full time position and am waiting to end the relationship at my part time job. I am hoping this puts me in a position to more easily get paid.

 I am worried that it would be hard to collect and the whole process could be a waste. Any suggestions on how to pressure them into paying me and navigating through the small claims process?

Answer:
 Are you kidding me?

Gather all your info and file a [wage complaint](https://www.dol.ks.gov/Laws/Einfo.aspx). Let the state handle these bozos, and move on to your new job.


Title: My friend's AirBNB in her home was reported. What next? (NYC)

Question:
My friend owns a 4-story brownstone in NYC. She lives in the bottom two floors, she has sold the top floor as a loft, and the third floor she rents out as two AirBNB apartments.

Since this is considered more than a two-family home, AirBNB is not allowed. (Having the rentals there wasn't her decision, but in laws who help her purchase the house, I think they may be co-owners, still.)

Three people with a badge came knocking today (and left with no note), but were from something like "Special Enforcement Unit" (she has a doorbell with a video and mic).   So my friend checked out the Dept of Building's website and saw that her building was reported last year, but the case was closed and she had never heard anything about it, and that is was reported again this year.

She knows it isn't allowed and is willing to shut it down, (she has always been very nervous having it). but she has guests booked for quite a while.

She wants to shut it down right away because it is not allowed, but she also feels bad for her current guests and the ones she has in the near future.

I am wondering what usually happens from here legally?

Do people come with a warrant? Will guests be evicted? What is the timeline?

She is going to contact AirBNB, but I thought this may be a good place to get advice on the best way to accommodate the guests and the agency checking out the listing.

**Edit:**  This is probably the more relevant question:  What should she do when the authorities come back?  (She has pulled the listing and letting the current guests stay their booked time.)

Answer:
 She will need to shut down if what she is doing is illegal, that may cost her money depending on how ariBNB deals with hosts cancelling. Answer #2: > She wants to shut it down right away because it is not allowed, but she also feels bad for her current guests and the ones she has in the near future.

Remind your friend that if she is doing something illegal and has been found by authorities, those guests are probably going to all lose their reservations anyway.  ...So she should probably be worrying about doing the best thing for herself at this point.Answer #3: All short-term rentals are illegal in New York State if there are 3 or more units in the building. It's very easy for them to discover this, they only need to crosscheck the addresses from Airbnb against their own records of how many units a building has. Someone will have complained, as they do not (yet) have all the addresses of people who Airbnb in NYC.

The penalty for violating the law is a fine of up to $5,000 a day. As a general rule, they are much more likely to take strict action against you if you continue to violate the rules after you have been busted than if you shut up shop and just deal with it.

I would strongly suggest that your friend cancel all remaining bookings.


Title: UPDATE: Involved in a bar fight and assault is being claimed...(Alabama, US)

Question:
[Original Post](http://redd.it/241oh6)

Yesterday and today this guy has been calling, texting, facebook messaging, calling my friends, my WORK, and everything else to get in touch with me.  I have no spoken to him once.  I blocked his number on cell phone, screen my calls at work, and gave instructions to all my friends not to speak to him.

He sent a message via facebook to a friend that stated "all i want is an apology and $300 for the hospital bill" Is this binding? In other words, if give him $300 can he still press charges?  I am not willing to do this unless a judge orders me to.  What should i do about this?

Also, another question I have is how long does he have to proceed with this?  The cops that responded to the scene did not take me to jail so I'm questioning how serious this can actually be, i would figure that if they had proof of any criminal activity then they would have taken me in right then and there. Thoughts?

Answer:
 DO NOT MAKE THAT DEAL WITHOUT CONSULTING A LAWYER FIRST.

Tampering with a witness or victim is a serious crime- much more serious than the original assault in many cases.  Agreeing to pay money to them in exchange for the victim dropping the charges could be seen in a very poor light.

Answer #2: You would need a contract with him that the $300 clears you from all further responsibility in this matter. This would not make you immune to criminal prosecution however.


Title: Blackmailed to Buy a Car for my son (CA)

Question:
In June of 2019, I signed a contract to lease a brand new vehicle for my son. The only thing is, him and I weren’t on good terms. But he reconciled with me (looking back now) only to get something out of it. A car. I felt forced to sign only to keep contact with him. He had previously threatened to avoid all interaction with me and even kept my grandsons from seeing me at times. His name isn’t on the contract since he didn’t have the standard credit score for it. He never made a single payment toward the vehicle, so I had the car taken from him. Now I’m left with a $558 monthly lease payment and no one to talk to. I cannot afford to keep the vehicle nor can I afford to pay the early termination fee. Someone I know said that my contract may be voidable because I signed under duress. Is this true? If so, how do I go about this.
CALIFORNIA
Topic:
Contracts

Answer: That’s not legally duress. Duress is a gun to your head or a gun to someone else’s head. Your son has no legal obligation to talk to you or to let you see his children.


Title: Police Interaction with vehicle.

Question: I had my vehicle parked and a police car rolled by and parked in front of it, I was across the street and went over to ask if everything was okay, because they specifically stopped by my motorcycle. The officer said my registration has expired (unaware which was my fault, I let it lapse by 11 days) so she wrote me a ticket for $75. I proceeded to go online and renew the registration, It just slipped my mind with work and finals currently going on. A second officer then told me that i was getting my vehicle towed, and told me "you know you can register your bike online." to which I explained that I already had done so. Never the less, the tow truck comes, takes the bike anyway as they watch. I take an uber to the place 10 minutes away, pay $200 and they release the bike to me on the spot. I am not disputing the ticket, I deserve it, even though I was obviously targeted because the vehicle was a motorcycle and not because they were checking every vehicle on the road. Is there any way I can dispute or recoup the towing fee because the vehicle was legally parked at the time that the tow truck arrived?

Answer: Unfortunately, you cannot have a vehicle parked on a public street if it is un-tagged. Dick move of the cop, tbh, but likely legal.


Title: My dad is being sued for wrongful death (Illinois)

Question:
Hello,

So about four years ago, my dad hit a pedestrian with his car. He was not intoxicated and it all happened so fast. He was fully aware as a driver. The man ended up getting stitches in his head and went to work the next day. He talked to my dad and he said he was fine, my dad asked him if we can settle everything via insurance. He said yes and he would call my dad. My dad didn't want to bother him so he let him lead. A couple years go by and he's taking my dad to court for more than the medical care he received. Most of his claims end up being bogus and my dads insurance does not settle. A year later he ends up committing suicide. No note or anything, 6 months after his family is suing my dad for wrongful death. I know wrongful death is hard to prove and I do not think the suicide has anything to do the accident but My dad losing his mind.

Any advice? We are from Illinois.

Thank you

Answer: Why did you delete the other thread?  And is the an umbrella insurance policy in effect?


Title: Motorcycle pain and suffering settlement (CA)

Question:
My husband was recently in an accident on his motorcycle and needs advice. He was side swiped on the highway and the other parties insurance has met with him and said they have found thier insured at fault. He was injured in the accident. His lower back and shoulder specifically. He is currently in physical therapy for both. They are covering his medical bills already. They also stated he will be getting his deductible back and price of gear. The only part I don't understand is that they will be soon offering him a pain and suffering settlement. I've read about how this is calculated online and still don't really know what to expect. If you go off of the "multiplier method" the hospital bills from the day of are $40,000 alone plus the follow up visits and physical therapy. It says online it can be between 1.5-3 times the amount because he has soft tissue damage. If you go off of "per diem method" he makes roughly $100 a day, and so since the accident happened 45 days ago, plus the next at least 6 weeks of physical therapy he would get around $9,000. How does it work? How do they decide which is the way to go? Does this sound right?

Should we get an injury lawyer? Does anyone have any experience with this? Any advice would be greatly aprreciated.

Answer:
 First of all I want to say I'm glad your husband survived the accident (fucking California drivers change lanes without checking their blind spots constantly) I have almost bi-weekly close calls with these asshole drivers in this state.

Second of all, yes, you should have lawyered up before you even talked to the other drivers insurance company. It's probably too late now. But I'd at least consult with an attorney anyway and see what they say. I'm sure the other drivers insurance company has recorded your conversations.

Your husband is probably going to be feeling the affects from this accident for years down the road, possible for the rest of his life. How do you put a price on that? Professional sports players, NFL specifically get paid a shit ton of money because guess what, from age 40 on up they are going to be in constant pain.

So your husband deserves to get what he needs to cover the on going medical bills and prescription medicine cost, compound inflation over the next 30-40 years, plus his loss of quality of life, loss of quality of sleep, the constant pain and aches, and all because some jackass driver couldn't be bothered to turn their head 90 degrees to check their blind spot.


Title: [TX] Tenant unfairly treating my friend!

Question:
hello folks,

My friend is in a bit of pickle here, and was just wondering if we could get some recourse.

My friend has been been paying rent on time at his store for 20 years now. His next door neighbor has not been paying rent for over 2 years now, and is behind well over $50K in debt to the landlord. My friend is trying to haggle for a better deal, but the landlord isn't budging. He's paying his rent on time every month but in increments rather than full because business has slowed down.

Is there a fair claim for discrimination here, or is he SOL?

Thanks for your help.

Answer: Your friend want to claim discrimination because his neighbor is apparently getting a better deal? Uh no - that's not illegal discrimination.


Title: [TX] Soon to start probation for pos < 2oz marijuana (class b misdemeanor ) and I have a question about my phone.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Buy your own phone and phone plan. Move out ya house. Stop maintaining physical records of your illegal activities. Answer #2: The phone may or may not be your property, legally.

If it's legally yours he's technically stealing.

You should consult with a lawyer


Title: Ignored my own mental health by self medicating with alcohol. Now I have Simple Battery charge and a DCF case.

Question: [deleted]

Answer: I'm not going to read all that. Get an attorney and quit drinking


Title: Roommates BF enters the house when she isn't home, what are my options?

Question:
So I live in a house in Orange County, California. There is one roommate who is a complete piece of work and, needless to say, her and I don't get along.

Recently she started dating a guy who stays over all the time. When she was fired from her job, he was literally staying over everyday for weeks at a time. Well, she got a new job and he only stays over on the weekends now. Although it bothered me and the other roommates, I never said anything because I understand people can have guests, it's part of life. However, recently, her boyfriend has been coming into the house on Fridays before she comes home from work. He basically hangs out at our house until she gets home. She leaves a key for him, and he sneaks in up to her room. It's actually quite unnerving to suddenly realize that a random person who you don't really know is in your house without you knowing or anyone telling you.  Yesterday it happened again while I washing dishes in the kitchen. The dog was sitting near my feet, we both heard a weird noise, he started growling and slowly crawling towards the other side of the house where the front door is. To be honest, it scared the shit out of me. I had never heard the dog growl like that, and I started panicking. I followed behind the dog, and when we came around the corner, we saw my roommates boyfriend quietly closing the door and starting to run up the stairs. I shouted at him, "hey! What are you doing?!? What are you doing here?!? Roommate isn't here!" And he begins to say that he's roommate's boyfriend, she left the key for him, he can be here. I said no, she wasn't here and didn't tell anyone he was coming and that he needs to leave. He then starts yelling at me that I have no legal right to kick him out, roommate is allowed to have guests, I'm just an argumentative person and want to start trouble. At this point I'm in shock that he's even arguing with me. I tell him that he's not on the lease, and that he's making me comfortable and needs to leave. He tells me no, that I can go ahead and call the cops (which is weird, because I never said anything about the cops. Lol), or call the landlord because he knows all the laws and what he's doing is totally legal. We go back and forth for another few minutes where I just keep telling him to please leave. At the end of it, he doesn't leave and goes into her room. I had so much adrenaline running, I didn't know what to do and shocked. I really didn't want to go as far as calling the cops, or bothering the landlord with squabbles like this that may not actually apply to him(?) so I run to my room and text all the roommates outlining what just happened. My biggest issue is the roommate not giving us a heads up about someone coming into the house when she's not home. Obviously she didn't take it well and told me that she absolutely had no obligation to tell anyone about guests staying over and he'll continue to have open access  to the house when she's not there. The other roommates feel the same way I do, but they are over even trying to have a conversation with her because she's young and acts entitled, basically is disrespectful to everyone living in our house.

So at this point I'm trying to figure out what my options are. Are there laws that even govern this? Am I completely fucked and stuck with this situation happening every Friday until the lease is up in August? Should I talk to the cops? I don't know what to do, but her total disregard for the feelings of her roommates is really starting to piss me off, and it's come to a point where I'm sick of dealing with her bullshit and don't want to roll over on this one. Any advice on my legal standing would be helpful. Thank you! (Sorry if any weird formatting, on mobile)

Update: found a copy of the lease I emailed to myself. No specific text regarding guests. However, there was a section specific to rules and regulations. It reads as follows:

Section 15: RULES/REGULATIONS:
A. Tenant agrees to comply with all Landlord rules and regulations that are  at  any  time  posted  on  the  Premises  or  delivered  to Tenant. Tenant shall not, and shall  ensure  that  guests  and  licensees  of  Tenant  shall  not,  disturb,  annoy,  endanger  or  interfere with other tenants of the building or neighbors, or  use  the  Premises  for  any  unlawful  purposes,  including,  but  not  limited  to, using, manufacturing, selling, storing or transporting illicit drugs or other  contraband,  or  violate  any  law  or  ordinance,  or  commit  a waste or nuisance on or about the Premises.
B.  (if applicable, check one)
1.   Landlord shall provide Tenant with a copy of the rules and regulations within _______days or ____; OR
2.   Tenant has been provided with, and acknowledges receipt of, a copy of the rules and regulations.

As a note, the landlord didn't give us any written rules.

Answer:
 Unless your lease says otherwise she should have free reign to have guest over. I don't think her actually being there factors in. Unless there's something specific to your state or county I'm missing I don't think you have any legal recourse. I think talking to the roommate and or boyfriend about having him knock or something when he gets there is the best you can do. Answer #2: > So at this point I'm trying to figure out what my options are.

Have a conversation like an adult.

She has every right to invite whoever she likes over whether she's there or not. Answer #3: What does your lease say about overnight guests?


Title: Corrupt School NJ

Question:
My wife works in an elementary school who's name I will not disclose in fear of repercussions. I've heard several stories about the abuse and misleading of parents this school practices.
This is a generally low income neighborhood, so many parents are not educated about their rights and options. There is a large amount of special needs children that aren't getting the types of services they deserve. There have been many occasions where the child study team has been told to avoid giving additional children special services because there is "no money in the budget". In fact, parents have been blatantly LIED to about their rights. One parent who doesn't understand English well was actually TRICKED into signing a form waiving their right to put their son in a special program. When she found out after the fact, she was LIVID. Also, instead of splitting up a classroom of 30+ children (many with special needs children) they have decided to fill it past capacity breaking fire codes. They don't care.
Meanwhile of course, the superintendent of this district makes a 6 figure salary. Mind you, there are 3 schools in this district....THREE. She makes the same salary as a superintendent in a district with 10+ schools. How is this legal?
These parents don't know their rights, and the people in charge are lieing to them straight to their faces just to save a buck. What can be done? Who can we blow the whistle to?

Answer: You do know that this is very common, for superintendents and upper management to make way more then is logical? It is in many many schools. It is a systemic problem IMO. Complain to your local gov


Title: Am I going to jail for felony harassment/stalking?

Question:
For the past couple years, I've used an app to call this girl I used to know from high school. I always used the caller ID to say that it was
coming from a mutual friend of ours. I never spoke on the phone. Just ghost calls. I'd say it happened once or twice a month. I don't know why I did it and I wish I'd stopped. It became a sort of obsession. Again, I never threatened or did anything besides the ghost calls. Now she's getting a subpoena for my phone records from the app service and says she's getting a TPO and going after me for felony stalking. I'm terrified. I haven't eaten in two days. Please help. I'm considering breaking my smart phone and getting a dumb phone, going back to my university state and getting away from this. I didn't mean for it to get this far.

This is in Nevada btw

Answer:
 > I'm considering breaking my smart phone and getting a dumb phone, going back to my university state and getting away from this.

Destruction of evidence isn't a great idea, they'll still find everything they need. Caller ID spoofing is not some foolproof method.

Nobody here can say whether or not you're going to jail. Get a lawyerAnswer #2: Well I'd sure hope so. Get an attorney and a therapist.Answer #3: 1.  Stop calling her.  No good will come of it.

2.  Stop falsifying your identity with caller ID.  No good can come of it.

3.  You have nothing to worry about until you are served a subpoena.

4.  If you are served with a subpoena, do not attempt to destroy evidence, or it'll be an additional obstruction of justice charge, plus you'll look guilty as hell.

5.  This doesn't sound like felony stalking, but if I were the judge I'd give her the restraining order.  However, I am not a judge.
Answer #4: Breaking your phone and moving will not solve your problem. You purposefully harassed someone.

You need to contact an attorney tomorrow.

Edit word


Title: I OD on cocaine last night and had to call 911--will this be on my police records?

Question: No charges were pressed (afaik) and I wasn't arrested.  I asked my doc what might happen and he said he doesn't know, but I might or might not get a court summons.  I have anxiety and this is making me anxious and depressed.  Now I have to deal with the costs involved and possibly having something on my record.

Answer:
 Calling 911 doesn’t end up on  your “record;” it’s just another phone call. Answer #2: It may be listed as a police report stating that this event occurred, but not something that would show up on a background check.

No one will ever know unless you tell them. Cops don’t much care to spend time gossiping about every OD and everyone else involved is bound by HIPAA.

Take a deep breath and appreciate being alive today. The bills will be there tomorrow to worry about. First things first, get yourself to rehab and take care of yourself.

I’m glad you’re alive.


Title: Property and fencing rights pertaining to lakes in Florida.

Question:
My question involves who is allowed to access a lake when the coastline of the lake is owned by two parties. We’ll call one party “A” and the other “B”. Now A owns approximately 99% of the coastline and in fact, when the water is low, 100% of the coastline. A has a fence along the property line and across the lake which as far as I know is legal because A has livestock. Now B has a small access to the lake with a dock that is over water when the water level is up which is most of the time. Are the people who have access to B’s land allowed to board a boat from their dock and cross A’s fence as long as they stay on the water? This is in Florida if that makes a difference. The lake is about 15-20 acres in size.

[shitty drawing](https://imgur.com/a/vICPu)

Answer:
 Oh goodie, my water law class may actually come in handy.

Is the lake a natural lake or manmade?

How do the deeds describe the property lines? To the fence in the middle or to the edge of the water? If the edge of the water moves, the property lines might too.

A shitty ms paint drawing might be helpful....


Title: Grandma leaves will but granddad separated 20 years claims all as his own?

Question:
Maryland -

My grandmother died recently and left a will leaving everything she has divided equally amongst her 3 children.

She had an abusive husband she left well over 40 years ago, but they never legally separated. During their separation there has been documented proof that he's been with other women and living separately from her.

After her death all recipients of the will received an email from my grandpa's girlfriend saying something along the lines of, "you all get nothing because you never showed you loved him. Hahahaha. They never got divorced you idiots."

I'm not sure this is worth going to a lawyer over and just wanted some advice if you think my dad and his brothers have a case or not.
They both have documented proof they haven't been living together in the same state, but I'm not sure how they filed their taxes or if that even means they're legally separated.

Thanks in advance!

Answer: Time for a real lawyer.


Title: Does an internal leadership group with an age limit break ADEA laws (NC)

Question:
I have been discussing starting a leadership group in my company to bring together "future leaders" so they can get to know eachother before they are in major decision making rolls. To get the right level of employee in the company I wanted to put an age limit on group membership (40, but only lightly enforced, more like a guideline). My company is really excited about the idea but our HR head said she is worried about the age limit and age discrimination laws. Would this cause any problems as just an internal group? Not a rule for gaining actual employment?

TLDR: does age discrimination apply to groups within a company that are more social role than job role

Answer:
 Does there really need to be an age limit on this? If it's for "future leaders" it may be more appropriate to base your membership on the roles held in the company \- rather than age \(e.g. entry level positions with a career progression pathway into leadership roles\)

You could potentially get into trouble if you encounter a 50 year old worker who wants to one day be a "future leader" but feels excluded from your company group. But practically how many people over 40 are actually going to want to join your group, and is there going to be any real harm done if you do allow somebody a bit older to join?

You could probably argue that the ADEA doesn't apply, but I could see a "leadership group" even if not directly being linked to gaining employment having enough of a tenous link to promotion prospects to gain some traction if somebody did decide to take issue with it. Besides \- getting rid of the age limit would make it easier to get it through HR without needing to get a qualified legal opinion to cover their arses beforehand.


Title: Want to settle a theft of services case with a cab driver out of court (AZ)

Question:
Quick Rundown: Back in October a cab driver and I got into a disagreement about a fare and it came to fisticuffs which resulted in him having broken glasses and myself being charged with assault, theft of services, and criminal damage. In the pre-trial conference I was offered a deal of pleading guilty to 1 count of criminal damage (misdemeanor) which carries a $300 fee for the initial charge, $800 court fee, plus $190 restitution to the victim.

Today: The cab driver and I have met and talked it out. He told me that he never was out for blood and he didn't even want to press charges the night it happened. He also stated that he has no intentions of going to court and does not want to grind me into the dirt any further. He just wants money for the glasses and cab ride. He also told me he did the same thing a couple weeks ago (got into a drunken fight) and understands where I am coming from. I too am a pedicab driver so I fully understand where he is coming from. The conversation was very positive and he seems like an honest person.

Tomorrow: I have to go to court and talk to the prosecutor. How do I go about telling them that we would like to settle out of court? I contacted a lawyer and he said it doesn't matter if the victim wants to drop it, that the city can proceed with trying to prosecute me. I would gladly pay this man double the restitution amount to not have to argue in the court with him and he said he never had any intention of trying to screw me over in the first place. It seems like such BS how the court can still try and charge me against the wishes of the victim and they get triple the money out of it than the actual victim.

In conclusion, I don't really know what to do. I don't want to tell the prosecutor that I contacted the victim (they never told me I couldn't, also gave me his name in the police report) But I also want to let them know that the victim doesnt want to press charges against me. The lawyer said that they can subpoena him and make him testify against me? This is the most un-american situation I've ever been in. Its really sad how two men can't settle their differences with a handshake and leave the government out of it.
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer:
 Meeting with the other guy was a *terrible* idea.

He is the victim of the crime and you are the suspect.  Tampering with a victim (by trying to convince them not to press charges) is probably a much more serious offense then anything you currently stand accused of.

Don't tell the prosecutor anything. If the other guy (on his own) wants to come in and ask for charges to be dropped let him.

Do NOT contact him again.


Title: [NYC] Got headbutted during a soccer game last night. Teammates saying I should press charges and I'm not sure what this entails.

Question: I'm an English expat and the whole idea of pressing charges is alien to me.

Answer:
 If you feel someone committed a crime you report it to the police. They decide if charges should/could be pressed.

You will need to prove intent or negligence  and not just something that happens when you play contact sportsAnswer #2: You don't press charges. You can file a police report and the proper authorities will decide whether or not to press criminal charges on the person who headbutted you.

If you have medical bills, you could attempt to sue this person.Answer #3: As a fellow NYC soccer player I would definitely file a report.  Granted some leagues are really competitive, its for fun in the end and I hope that player gets banned from the league.Answer #4: Did anyone witness this?  If so, have their details ready for the police.  If not, the chance of the police following through on your report are pretty small.

But you **absolutely** should file a report.  The USA has horrifically expensive healthcare, and if anything is wrong with you -- a police report would be required for you to pursue compensation against this person for medical costs (that would be a civil matter, so they wouldn't need to be arrested, though that helps).

There are a handful of free and low-cost "sliding scale" clinics and "community health centers" in NYC. You'll be able to see a doctor for free to around $20.


Title: Won $5000 in a songwriting contest. Received $2000. Guy in charge of contest won't respond to any of my emails. What's the best way to proceed to get the rest of my winnings?

Question: In late 2014, I won a songwriting contest with one of the prizes being $5000. The contest head and I agreed on $1000 every 3 months. Beginning of 2015 I received my first 2 payments(of $1000/each) and then the head of the contest lets me know that he didn't bring in enough money from the contest and that he has to delay the next payment 3 months. I emailed him 3 months later but its his secretary that responds and she tells me they were "in the red" for the contest and won't be able to pay me this quarter either. I emailed them a month later and I get the same response. I just emailed them again 6 months later and got no response this time. Twice. I'm located in Oklahoma and on his website(He manages artists as well) it shows an address in Arkansas. Any advice on the best way to get the rest of my winnings? Can I take him to small claims court? Does it matter we're in different states? If I won the case, do they garnish his wages or something else?

Answer: What state you file in depends on who made the initial contact with who and where that took place.  It sounds like you would have to file suit where this company is located (if for instance you went to their web site and submitted an application to their contest).  There might be a statute of limitations issue, but I don't know.  You would need to know the name of the company or individual that you entered into the contract with (ie. the company or individual that was sponsoring the contest).  You can't get blood from a stone.  Collection procedures vary depending on the defendant (corporate or individual) and on the state.Answer #2: One other question. What qualifies as a "contract"? Text messages agreeing on payout time structure? Email advertisements listing the $5000 prize for the winner?Answer #3: In the contest, did you cede any copyright to the song?  Was the song used in promotional materials of any sort?  Also, is the person asking you to fill out any tax paperwork? If the contest were legit you would probably only see 60% after withholding.Answer #4: Isn't breach of contract subject to trebel damages?


Title: Should I fight this hospital charge?

Question:
Recently, I was taken to the ER for alcohol intoxication. After insurance the bill was ~2,800 because of an CT scan costing ~1,800.  I talked to their patient advocate expressing my belief that the CT scan had been an unnecessary procedure, since my girlfriend had taken me in and given a reliable patient history including the statement that I hadn't fallen, she couldn't wake me up after I passed out in bed and thus took me to the hospital.  After a board at the hospital reviewed my case, the patient advocate informed me they believed the CT scan was justified and that that statement was not in my medical records, so it couldn't be used as part of the argument, it was a "he said, she said situation".

I requested my records from my ER visit.  They state my head as "Normocephalic", my neurological status as "Alert & oriented with slurred speech", and my psychological state as "normal judgement".  The differential Diagnosis is Alcohol intoxication, but then the rational includes labs/CT.  Why would the rational include a CT scan when I had no signs of head injury or neurological issues past normal slurred speech for an intoxicated person?

Is this something I can/should fight, or is it a normal part of our medical system? And if I can fight it, what steps should I be taking?

Answer:
 Unless you have a degree from a medical school, you can't second-guess their judgement at this point. And if you were intoxicated, you were in no condition to refuse treatment at that point.

You can negotiate the amount with them, but you owe the money.Answer #2: Sounds pretty justified.

Most hospitals will give discounts for cash payers, or if you can pull your bill in full. All you have to do is ask.


Title: School still expecting payment while refusing to provide an invoice or list of charges

Question:
So, my fiancée is going to an art school that's coming under fire for allegedly overcharging students, even forging signatures to take out larger student loans in the student's name. After these accusations came to light, we attempted to get an itemized list of charges and payments, to try to reconcile with our own records and make sure everything's legit, but they won't provide us with them. They pointed us to the federal student loan website, but since we've been paying out of pocket in addition to the loans for at least a year now, that's a lot of costs unaccounted for. Additionally, while they can tell us the total *tuition* for the classes taken in the past three years, they don't have any records of the course fees associated with them to tell us how much we were charged in total.

What can we do about this? Is this something that would require legal action? Can we stop paying monthly payments if they refuse to tell us how much we actually owe?

EDIT: This is in Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States.

Answer:
 Ok - this was bugging me so I did some digging.  Print out pages 2-103 and 2-104 of this reference and bring it to the school http://ifap.ed.gov/fsahandbook/attachments/1415FSAHandbookCompleteActiveIndex.pdf

This is the handbook that the Department of Education publishes that discusses all the federal financial aid rules that schools that participate in the federal aid programs are required to follow.  They told you that regulations don't require them to provide you a list of charges?  Well guess what, regulations actually require them to do so.  Bring these pages to the bursar first - if that doesn't work the director of financial aid.  If that still doesn't work (it will) PM me which school it is and your email address and I'll get you in touch with their local department of education auditor.


Title: [Illinois] Should I consult a lawyer over workplace harassment?

Question:
I am a janitor.  My company is contracted by factories/stores/hospitals with mainly union workers (this becomes important).  One of the techs has been harassing my supervisor and I since we began working at our current site 18 months ago, but every time we file a complaint nothing is done to fix the problem.  Examples that were documented:

-She (the tech) found out I was bisexual from a coworker, then called me a faggot the next day.  Nothing was done, I was told to avoid her (impossible, my job was cleaning her lab).  She denied it and the union took her side.

-Chased me out of the lab screaming obscenities whilst slamming a 14" steel rod against tables, walls, and doors.  She denied it, two witnesses proved she lied, union still took her side.

-Cornered my supervisor (female) while she was alone in the women's restroom with the same steel rod.  She did not vocally threaten her but did block her from leaving while reeling back as if to hit her with it several times.  She, of course, denied it.  Union took her side.

-Caught her throwing trash directly onto the floor next to the garbage can in the cafeteria.  Reported, union did nothing.

-Caught her throwing used toilet paper onto the floor in the bathroom.  Reported, union did nothing.

-She followed me around on two different occasions taking pictures with her phone.  The second time was after she was told that this was not allowed.  Union did nothing.

-She has "shoulder-checked" me several times in the hallways whilst I was sweeping/mopping.  This also happened in the stair well twice, once while I was carrying a box with 40+lbs of cleaning chemicals.  Union did nothing.

-She kicks or walks through my piles of dirt/dust/debris while I am sweeping, causing me to re-sweep entire areas of the lab.  Union did nothing.

-She kicked a pile of dust directly into my face while I was bent down brushing it into a dustpan.  Instead of punishing her behavior, my supervisor and I were told to trade sweeping/vacuuming duties.

-She used compressed air to blow corn flour into my supervisor's face/eyes.  Union was forced to reprimand her due to a meeting they were having when it happened.  She was given a verbal warning.

After the last incident (compressed air) we were told that we were no longer authorized to clean the lab.  Our hours were cut from 30-35 to 29 or less, leaving us ineligible for the meager health insurance our employer provides.  This also took away approximately 12-15% of our income.

All of this is documented between her union and our cleaning company, yet our boss (the owner) refuses to fight for us because she believes she will lose the contract.

It has gotten to the point where we are afraid to file complaints out of fear of losing our jobs.  Even walking into the building has been making me feel sick lately.  I was diagnosed with depression and agoraphobia several years ago and this makes going to work very difficult for me.  It is the first job that I have been able to hold onto for over a year since I got out of the military, and I cannot afford to lose it.

I have been looking for another job for almost a year, but there are not many options available in my area besides fast food and retail, even with the help from local the VA.

I do not want to lose my job or any more of my income due to another person's terribly unprofessional and possibly criminal behavior.  Right now I am bordering on homelessness again due to my inability to pay my bills on this reduced income, and even eating has become more difficult due to that same lack of funds.  My mental health has been degrading lately, and I am finding myself shaking with rage before, during, and after work hours.  I have become much more aggressively angry over the last couple of months and I feel that it is mainly due to how messed up this situation is.

Is there anything I can do legally to fix this situation?

EDIT:  All complaints have gone to my boss first with the exception of the compressed air incident, which was brought to her employer the moment it occurred (happened to be during a union meeting, my mistake, bad writing).  Also, I confused "Union" with "Employer."  Her employer hasn't disciplined her.
Topic:
Labor Law

Answer: The union does not discipline anyone or run the show. They can certainly choose to support support their member if their member is accused of wrongdoing. They have nothing to do with you. If you have a complaint file it with the employer of the lab tech or more appropriately, your employer.


Title: Custody Issue: Friend lost primary custody of his daughter over, what seems to me, a contrived plot by his ex-wife's grandparents.

Question:
I'm asking this question for a friend, who've I've known since 8th grade, but he's not really computer savvy to research this issue himelf.  I moved away a long time ago and haven't really spoken to him in 10 years, but this guy has always been a kind, fun-loving person, so I know his character and I believe what he's telling me is true.  Obviously, this is only one side of the story,  but please suspend disbelief for a moment and tell me how you would handle this, if this is all in fact true.  Thanks.

*Background timeline*

-Friend had child with wife 10 years ago.
-Wife became addicted to hard drugs and left friend 2 years ago.  While she doesn't have any criminal charges for her drug use, she has been imprisoned for forgery and other things associated with her addiction.  **Friend got primary custody as a result**.
- The wife didn't seem to care too much but her grandparents weren't happy with the custody agreement, in that they could only see their grandchild every other weekend.
-Grandparents begin trying to commit character assassination against friend.  First, they try to get him fired from his job several times.  Next, they call a custody hearing because granddaughter bumped her head on a table while being chaperoned by friend.

The most salient and recent event occurred last week.  When the daughter was meant to be returned to friend, the grandparents said she can't because she's sick.  The grandparents took granddaughter to the doctor.  On the doctors not it says "stomach viral symptoms" and then a strange note that says something along the lines of "daughter does not want to return home with her father because he yells at her sometimes."  This, to me, sounds very contrived and coerced, but moving on.  So, last Thursday, the grandparents file a PFA against my friend for what I'm guessing is being construed as "child endangerment" because of the doctor's note.  The sheriff delivered the PFA and now my friend lost his visitation/custody of his child...according to what he told me.

Now this all does not sound legal to me.  Unfortunately, he doesn't have a lot of many to pay for a lawyer, but he's trying to get free/cheap legal help through the Bar Association.  So he's doing what I think he needs to, but is this really legal?  Can someone just file a b/s PFA against somebody to make them lose custody of their child right away?  What are the immediate legal grounds that can be pursued to invalidate this?  The courts gave my friend primary custody of the granddaughter 2 years ago for some good reason (usually they side with wife).  So how can a simple PFA stand in the way of these court orders?

P.S. I'm not doing this just to help out a friend.  But I've heard some pretty bad stories about the vindictiveness of these grandparents over the years and they do not sound like people I'd want my child to be around.

Answer:
 I am not passing any sort of judgment on your friend because I don't know them or their situation, but it does not sound like you're getting the full story here. Also, we need your location in order to be able to advise you.Answer #2: In PA, the courts don't usually side with the mother.  It's gender neutral.  Source: I deal with custody in the courts in PA.

But they can file a PFA against father, but that would only include his child if the child was included.

My biggest question is why do the grandparents even have any custodial time, and why do they have power to take the child to the doctor.  There is something going on here that needs more information.

We'd need to see the custody agreement for anything to make sense.

But really, he just needs to get a lawyer, refuse to let the grandparents have medical powers, and not let them refuse to return his child to him when he has a legal right to have the child.

A lawyer will usually work with someone to pay and there are resources, you jsut need to find them.


Title: Fined for littering because the garbage had my name on it.

Question:
USA. Georgia. Savannah.

I was fined 100 dollars by my landlord because a piece of garbage with my name on it (specifically an empty box that was shipped to me) was found in the common area of my apartment building. The fine is outlined in the lease, so they're within their rights to levy it, but do they have the right to assume it was me just because my name is on the box?

Is the fact that my name is on a piece of litter significant proof to accuse me of leaving it there? Isn't it assumption on their part to claim that just because the piece of trash belonged to me at one point, that I left it there and turned it into litter?

Answer: *Did* you leave it there?


Title: false-positive drug test

Question: hello, i am a 20 year old guy living in indiana and I've just been accused by my probation officer of testing positive for opiates in a urine sample. One thing is for sure, i do not use hard drugs, i tried reasoning with her but as most would expect, she didnt believe the guy with the OWI and two previous underage consumption charges when he said the test was wrong. after about a minute or two of me telling the ACTUAL truth a.k.a. the test is wrong,  she threatened me with prosecution and possible jail time if i was to take another test and fail that one as well, at this point i was breaking out in sweat, panicking, my mind was racing, and when i heard that i cracked and did something purely out of fear that i probably shouldn't have done, i admitted guilt to a crime that i absolutely did not commit. i said i had taken some pill, i dont even remember the name it was just a pill that she used as an example of an opiate so i rolled with it, after that she went on to tell me she was going to have the sample examined again to find out exactly what was in my system and that if i was still lying i would indeed be facing prosecution. im terrified, I've been constantly down and out over this entire situation, and now something like this is getting thrown at me. any helpfull input to difuse this situation would be very very appreciated because i really do think im beginning to lose my sanity

Answer: You admitted drug use and failed a drug test. Not a very good place to start. So what kind of advice are you looking for? You're not very good at talking your way out of situations so I would stop trying to do that for starters.  And don't use any drugs at all.


Title: If someone from the future traveled back to today, committed a crime, then traveled forwards in time to beyond the statute of limitations....

Question: If someone from the future traveled back to today, committed a crime, then traveled forwards in time to beyond the statute of limitations, but accidentally left behind their time machine, and today's law enforcement used it to travel forward in time, arrest them, and bring them back to today to face trial, would they have a defense that the arrest was unwarranted because the statute of limitations had passed?

Answer:
 Our current system of laws makes no accounting for time travel, so that one would probably go down to some kind of high court ruling, thus establishing precident on time travel related criminal matters.

Personally I think they'd argue that in the criminal's personal timeline, the statute of limitations had no expired and the same for the criminal's contemporary police, who were the ones arresting him. Had the future police tried and arrested him then the statute of limitations may have applied. Of course, perhaps some sort of extradition process could be set up whereby future police can arrest our time travelling fugitive and send him back to his own time to be tried and charged. Ooo maybe they can even conscript the fugitive's future self to tell them when and where he was captured, in return for release after serving 30+ years for his crime.

OK brb I need to go write this movie.


Title: (OH) Went home from university for the holidays and got 5 TICKETS for "parking in front of the driveway"...

Question:
Here's a picture: https://imgur.com/a/YMdJF (the grey car on the street)

It seems very clear that the driveway was accessible and not obstructed whatsoever by my parking. I am outraged that I got 5 tickets for this, but have no idea what action to take if there is any I can take at all. Any advice?????  Thank you

Answer:
 First you'll need to look up the laws about what constitutes "blocking the driveway." In my city, for example, you have to leave 6 inches of room before the 'curb cut' (where the curb starts to dip down).

Then you should figure out the appeal process. It's possible they'll have mercy and maybe reduce it to 1-2 tickets, but if you were in violation of the letter of the law then mercy is what you'll have to hope for.

While I agree that 5 tickets seems unnecessarily vindictive of someone, in snowy conditions I can kind of see why people would be more sensitive. For one thing, your car _does_ appear close enough to make snow removal more difficult.


Title: New Property Manager Ruling with an Iron Fist

Question:
Hello,

Im looking for help or if anyone can refer me to resources to find the appropriate help I need.

&#x200B;

I live in the Bay Area, CA in a low-income town-house housing property. We've never had any issues with management but the last property manager retired a few months ago and this new one is causing an uproar throughout the neighborhood.

My question is in regard to what she can and cannot do. For example:

\- She has been doing inspections in the units and has been opening tenants closets and looking through their clothes to verify that the people on the lease are actually the ones living in the unit. Several times this has resulted in shouting arguments between her and several of my neighbors as they see this as crossing the line in terms of respecting their privacy.

\- Each unit has a small, roughly 8x16 patio. She is now telling everyone that we are not allowed to have any bicycles in that outdoor patio.

\- She has also been telling some neighbors that they are not allowed to have a mini fridge in the unit (some people have additional mini fridges in the kitchen).

\- Neighbors are constantly complaining that she enters the unit without any type of notice beforehand and simply goes in to the units to "inspect" them at her discretion.

\- This last one may just be me knit-picking but we have a serious parking issue in our neighborhood and are all entitled to one assigned parking spot and one guest spot (guest spots are first-come, first-serve). She has repainted 2 guest spots to give herself a total of 3 assigned spots to herself.

\- She has made comments to the neighbors that she "doesn't care who she kicks out", and is constantly getting in arguments throughout the complex.

&#x200B;

Who should I try to file a complaint with, and how much (if anything) of what she is doing out of line with the law? Is there anywhere I can find guidelines to what boundaries she has? Is there a department that enforces the housing rules to whom we can appeal?

&#x200B;

Thank you for your time.

Answer: What city?  Some are very protective of tenants


Title: Is it true that I only own the license to use video games not the actual game itself? (internet|MI)

Question: As seen in the comments section of [this](http://www.reddit.com/r/Steam/comments/2z9582/steam_subscriber_agreement_has_been_updated/) post. People are claiming that you only own a right to use the content on the disc and you don't actually own the disc itself. This seems a little silly to me. Just peruse through some of the top comments and you'll see what's going on.

Answer:
 You own the disc itself, but not the software that is on it.  You have  a license to use the software.

If you delete the software from it, then you own the disc and you can do what you want with it.Answer #2: Of course you don't own the source code and copyrights and other IP assets to a game when you download it from Steam - that would be absurd and unworkable.

When you purchase a physical disc, you own the disc and have a non-exclusive license to use the software on it.

When you download a game from steam, you own nothing, you just have a license to use the game that they can revoke at any time. You could spend $10,000 on Hearthstone cards, but you don't own anything. Blizzard could shut down the servers tomorrow and you are left with nothing and no legal recourse to recover your $10,000.


Title: So, I'm 17 and my nudes got around the school. The local police department seized my phone and I'm being told that they won't return it to me unless I give them my password.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 You created and distributed child pornography. Your sexy time pals have received and probably now retain child pornography on their computers. At this point, the loss of a phone is the least of your worries. Get your parents updated and get a lawyer yesterday.

:OF COURSE ASSUMING YOU ARE IN THE USA.Answer #2: Username checks out.

You're being investigated for the production and distribution of child pornography. In many jurisdictions, the fact that it's of yourself isn't relevant. This is no longer a DIY project: you need a criminal defence lawyer to advise you.

The police are allowed to lie to you to try to obtain evidence, up to a point. They only _implied_ that you could get your phone back if you turned over the password. The reality is that your phone is evidence in a criminal investigation: you're not getting it back until the investigation and prosecution wrap up, which may be years if this goes to court and through the appeals process. If there's child porn on the phone, you may never get it back.

You can be reasonably confident that if Skype or Kik have come up during the investigation, the police will be looking to obtain warrants to force those providers to turn over records. Keeping your password away from the cops will slow them down almost none if your Skype conversations contain evidence of a crime.Answer #3: Do not talk to the police or do anything.  Talk to your parents because you are going to need a lawyer. Yes it is a possibility you can be charged with child porn as you are a minor still.Answer #4: Such an ironic username


Title: (ON, Canada) How to deal with aging Grandfather who is danger to himself but will not cooperate

Question:
My grandfather is 96 years old and has lived alone for 10 years. His primary caregiver has always been my Mother. His only other offspring, my Aunt, has been largely estranged from the family for decades and has never been actively involved in providing care.

Over the past decade my Grandfather’s mental/physical faculties have slowly declined as one would expect. Being a highly independent person he has struggled with this decline.

1. About 5 years ago he had his driver’s license revoked after a series of accidents, including mistaking a snowmobile trail for a road and driving the car into a shallow stream.

2. He is able to maintain a basic lifestyle free of intervention. He can prep simple meals, handle bathing (mostly), and can putter around without much difficulty. However, lights are left on, food is burned, calls are not returned or the phone is lost entirely. This type of absentmindedness is getting noticeably worse.

3. He has suffered a number of small strokes which have compromised his balance. He can still walk, insisting on doing so without any support, but has fallen on at least 2 occasions both resulting in cuts and scrapes.
While he may remember a specific date and detail from something that happened in 1934, he has difficulty recalling something that happened a few hours earlier.

Our cottage - maintenance, visitation and so on - has become a key challenge. The property is on rocky terrain and doesn’t have clear, level paths to walk on. It requires a lot of upkeep. He has not been able to handle this workload for a decade, relying on myself and my mother to maintain the basics (grass cut, cottage winterized and so on, which we all gladly help with). Major projects that impact the safety and value of the property have been neglected as he refuses to allow us to make these decisions and is incapable of doing so himself.

In 2015 a decision was made that we would no longer leave him alone at the cottage as he was a clear danger to himself (mostly slip and fall issues, absentmindedly leaving the stove on etc). Until that point he would stay up for a few weeks at a time, with my mother visiting at least once per week and neighbours helping him with shopping and so on. To be honest this was 2 or 3 years too late. My mother tried and tried but he refused to accept that he couldn’t go up. He even went behind her back and arranged for a neighbour to pick him up after taking a Greyhound Bus to the nearest city. “A” for effort I guess.

Recently he refused to leave the cottage altogether. He deviated from an established plan to return to his primary residence and simply refused to get in the car. While at the cottage he insisted on cutting down trees, burning certain materials and drilling holes in solid rock for unknown reasons. He genuinely believes that he is helping to maintain the property but:

1. He’s a danger to himself while performing even basic housekeeping tasks, let alone handling power tools, a chainsaw etc.

2. His solutions are very often flawed, non-compliant with local bylaws and unsafe

3. His solutions often negatively impact the value of the property

4. He often enlists neighbours to help. They are wonderful people but have expressed a concern for his well being. They also feel obligated and inconvenienced. It’s very embarrassing for us and difficult to maintain good ties under these conditions.

My grandfather is an incredible person. I feel fortunate having been able to build such a strong relationship with him well into adulthood. But at this point he has become a serious risk to himself and to the estate. Taking care of him has become massively stressful and time consuming for us. My mom regularly drives hours on end to get him to and from the cottage, doctors appointments and so on. He is oblivious to how costly, stressful and time consuming this is.

His decision making ability is quickly declining and he is not acting logically. He has started to deviate from plans that we’ve held for many years. What’s worse is he tends to raise these issues when at an impasse with my mother over travel plans or how to fix “X” issue at the cottage. Given that these issues usually involve materially significant components of the estate, it’s hard not to view them as threats.

Most recently he decided that he wants to “split half of my account with your sister” meaning his second daughter, my estranged Aunt. This is an entirely new position for him that is at odds with decades of estate planning. He was always very clear that since my aunt took hundreds of thousands of dollars from him in “living expenses”, and in general has been a terrible human, that she would not be a primary beneficiary of his estate.

As an aside, my Aunt is a fucking lunatic. The last time I saw her (15 years ago) she begged my mother to “donate” a rare and valuable musical instrument so her daughter, my cousin, could learn to play. When my mom kindly and very awkwardly declined, shit hit the fan. I’ve witnessed her blackmailing my grandfather, using his granddaughter as leverage to have him forward funds. She’s a certified fucking low life. Hence she’s never been part of the estate planning process. My grandfather and Mother have sought legal advice on this matter, going as far as to preempt her by adding my mother to the cottage deed and making her a co-signer on his bank accounts/investments. For this reason it’s bizarre, uncharacteristic and very disappointing to see him use this as leverage against my Mom.

OK, so my questions:

1. What are our options to limit my grandfather’s access to his own property? Specifically, if he refuses to leave a situation in which he is a clear and present danger to himself, how do we/can we force the issue?

2. Can anyone recommend tactics for managing or limiting the impact of material changes to property that we feel are unsafe, unlawful or negatively impact property value?

3. Both legal advice (what legal tools) and interpersonal tactics can we apply to ensure that, with declining mental faculties, he does not sabotage his estate.

4. In general how on earth can I deal with this? I love my grandfather to bits but it has been such a struggle to watch my beloved cottage fall into complete disrepute. I can’t stand seeing my mom shoulder this burden only to be threatened by the very person she’s trying to protect.

***ELI5: grandfather is increasingly incapable of taking care of property and himself, but is making it impossible for his primary giver to do so on his behalf. What tools are in place to help primary care giver manage situation while respecting grandfather’s dignity and ensuring his safety.***

Answer:
 If your grandfather is no longer able to manage his own affairs, anyone in the family can request an assessment from the [office of the public guardian](https://www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/family/pgt/incapacity/capacity_assessment.php). That may lead to him being found legally incompetent; he will likely need [a guardian of property](https://www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/family/pgt/incapacity/guardian_process.php#replacing), or a [statutory guardian](https://www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/family/pgt/pgtsda.pdf), to make decisions regarding his assets for him.

A statutory guardian or a guardian of the person can also make healthcare and living decisions for him.

This is not something to undertake lightly. Guardianship seriously infringes on your grandfather's personal freedoms and right to control his own affairs, and it's not something the courts will grant without a compelling reason. Get the whole family on board, and talk to the OPGT folks about what to expect before you file anything. Consider consulting an Ontario family or estate attorney, as well.


Title: Landlady came in without warning and did an "inspection." Is that legal?

Question:
So I'm in kind of a weird situation. One of my housemates is the landlady's daughter and came to visit for a few days. When she got here she noticed that the kitchen was dirty and got really angry. So angry, that upon meeting me she shouted at me for ~15 mins. During her tirade she called me juvenile, a child and disrespectful; but she also told me that if they were to do any maintenance to the kitchen I would be fiscally responsible.

I understand keeping the kitchen clean is a no brainer, and I took responsibility for my share of the mess and cleaned it. What I am concerned about is whether or not it is legal for her to enter and perform an impromptu inspection without warning to me or my third housemate. I want to know just in case anything becomes of this.

I live in Tempe, AZ if that helps.

Thanks!

Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer: If your landlady came in to visit her daughter, or invited by her daughter, it's perfectly legal.