Title: Left a bad Google review, the owner swiped my ID information and posted it in his response.

Question:
So I went to a bar last night and had an awful time. The whole place was just a big scam overcharging for their products. So I left a bad review because I genuinely had a bad time. None of it was false and I didn’t exaggerate anything, I just told the truth about my experience.
I find out today that the owners response was to comment “(My full name) IS THIS YOU?? (My full address” It comes off as a bit threatening and I don’t want my information on there for obvious reasons. I think he got my address at the beginning when he took my ID to scan. I didn’t realize he scanned it at the time and he must’ve gone in and taken my info. I called him and asked him to remove his response but he said he has to wait until his employee in charge of marketing comes in because he doesn’t know how to.

Is there anything I can/should do?

Answer:
 I handle Google My Business accounts for clients, which is what runs Google reviews. This may be a violation of the TOS for the bar and should be reported.

Read and reply to reviews: https://support.google.com/business/answer/3474050?hl=en

Terms and Policies linked to from that page: https://www.google.com/intl/en/+/policy/content.html?visit_id=1-636624975649235707-2869076765&rd=1

How to report from that previous page:

Personal and Confidential Information
Do not distribute other people’s personal and confidential information, such as credit card numbers, confidential national ID numbers, or account passwords, without their permission. Do not post or distribute images or videos of minors without the necessary consent from their legal representatives. [Report a violation](https://support.google.com/plus/troubleshooter/6080141?hl=en)

Even if it's not a violation, it's obviously such a bad business practice, you could take this two ways - ignore and never visit again, or go "scorched earth" and review this business on every online area available. Tell them not only what happened but that the business then released your personal information after the review. I know everyone makes fun of the BBB, but include them as well. Did you have friends that were with you and can also review? Can you take screenshots of the info they posted that can blur out your info of and repost as proof?

He obviously cares about that Google review. It's going to show up on Google maps every time someone looks the place up. My goal would be to get as many DIFFERENT people from DIFFERENT IP addresses to review the place. It's important that you aren't trying to game the system. He can Flag them so they can't be inappropriate or they will removed.


Title: Vancouver. Canada. Wife has taken son. Wont allow access.

Question:
1. When I finally sell enough of my stuff rp have $300. To pay a lawyer what exactly do I need to say.

2. Shes at her sisters house. She says he will call but doesnt. When he does its all crying for and tears before someone hangs up.

3. She says I can see him but denies me at the door.

4. She says to wait for the ministry to set visitation. I talk to them every day she hasnt even called them.

5. I have seen duty counsel. Filled out request for order forms and she is set to be served today or tomorrow.

6. Im halfway through the parenting course.

7. Is there anything else I can do? Do I really have to wait 30 days for her to maybe respond so I can submit a request a future date to get an order to maybe see my so? If this is true then this so wrong.

8. I will make myself available to anyone at anytime if they think they might help.

9. She wasted all the money before she left. Im literally selling everything I have to try and get $300 for a lawyer.

Please help and thank you

Answer:
 Until you have the visitation order, she has no obligation to let you see your son.

Her withholding access right now though won't look good for her. when it goes before a judge.


Title: Girlfriend being threatened to be taken to court after moving out of a residence where she was offered to stay for free.

Question:
My girlfriend(25) had just gotten kicked out of her parents house and needed somewhere cheap to stay until she could get back on her feet and get an apartment. *in Tennessee.

We found a listing on Craigslist offering a free room if the tenant cleaned the house and helped take care of his dogs while the he was out of town. We meet the homeowner, Guy, and he turns out to not be a creep, but just a seemingly regular around 60yo. who has had some health problems and goes out of town for his business.

My girlfriend moves in within a day or 2 of the initial meeting, he didn't make her sign a contract or lease; all he did was copy her id and have her write 3 references and their phone numbers.

She lived there for a little more than a week when one night, we partied a little too hard and ended up in the drunk tank with no access to our phones. Thus, my girlfriend lost her job for missing her shift and Guy was no longer a nice man. He told her that she could either start paying $300 a month or move out. So, since she had no money, she packed up her stuff and went to a friends house. Guy has now been blowing up our phones and facebook saying how much my girlfriend lied and manipulated him, she owed him $20 for gas, and how she cost him $300 because he cancelled his flight the morning after our drunk tank episode since she wasn't there to feed the dogs.

Her phone has been on the fritz so it's off most of the time, so he called me saying how if she didn't pay the $20 he would go to her parents. Wanting to avoid that, I left a $20 in his mailbox and hoped it was over.
Wrong.
Today he facebooked me and said he was taking my girlfriend to court for the "$300 she cost him."

Can he do that? She didn't do anything wrong in this situation.

Answer:
 He can file a suit for anything he wants but it's unlikely any judge will agree that she owes him $300 because he decided to cancel his flight after she got arrested.

You should both just cease contact with this guy. Don't give him any money and don't respond to his calls.

If he actually takes your GF to small claims court she should show up and explain her side of the story.


Title: Student loan servicing fraud: in your opinion, would a lawyer be willing to help with this case on the basis of a retainer (i.e. versus me paying a fee to the lawyer I can't really afford)? Thank you for any advice.

Question:
Location: DC or Connecticut

Here is the problem (I'm currently waiting on CFPB and the FSA Ombudsman to respond, but in the past, they haven't been very helpful -- they seem to just accept Nelnet's word and blow you off.)

I recently paid the last $0.05 owed to the U.S. Department of Education on all of my undergraduate and graduate loans. After paying, though, I made a complaint to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau about the servicing experience I had with Nelnet. I complained about their appalling customer service, as well as their application of general payments to the lowest-interest loans first (i.e. extending the servicing period, which means more government money for Nelnet). In my complaint, I specifically said I did not want Nelnet to re-apply payments and mess with my account, because they have been a nightmare to deal with in the past.

Lo and behold, I logged on yesterday and saw there was a $677 balance for a loan I paid off in March. Then, last night, I logged on again at 22:30-ish and watched how from about 22:30 to midnight, my account balance went from $677 (already a number that should not appear) to $7,000 to $17,000+ and then back to $1,500 (and at $1,500 with a new "past due" payment of $103) -- THIS ALL HAPPENED OVER THE COURSE OF 90 MINUTES. I was so astonished by watching my "balance" go up by thousands of dollars every few minutes, that I took screenshots of the entire thing.

Today, I contact Nelnet and they say that their system says my account has a "past due" charge of $103 for 295 days, but they admit there was never a past due notice sent at 90 days, and that the past due is probably a mistake. (Yes, it is! Because I paid off $30,000+ of debt many, many years in advance!) The problem is that the "solutions center" people -- who can actually fix the account -- insist that they are just "doing research" and can't provide any answers. They don't care that this looks like fraud or hacking to me -- they don't care that their "system" now is reporting a past due that could damage my credit, completely out of thin air.

To me, this feels like fraud. After struggling to pay off every single cent owed to the U.S. Government, I had finally finished, but when I make a complaint about Nelnet's horrible business practices, they then go in and -- after I told them not to do this in the complaint -- re-apply a bunch of payments and completely screw up my account, re-generating balances out of thin air.

I've sent them screenshots from the National Student Loan Data System -- screenshots of all 14 loans -- that show each and every loan has a $0 balance and "paid in full," but they insist they are "researching" my account now and refuse to acknowledge it is paid in full. It is very difficult to argue with them, because now my "payment history" on their Web site has been entirely changed -- with payments applied to different loans than I originally applied them to.

I have contacted the FSA Ombudsman, and they said they would probably be able to help me, but I've read others having nightmares with Nelnet before, where the government does little to help.

I think watching your account go from ZERO to $17,000+ and back to $1,500 with a fictitious "past due" payment that even their own system has no record of -- all over 90 minutes at 2200 PM on a Friday holiday evening -- looks like hacking or fraud, but Nelnet insists this is all just their "research" into my account.

I feel hopeless. I paid off everything and now I feel like I am being defrauded by this terrible company, because I had the gall to complain about their unethical business practices.

Answer:
 What do you want an attorney to do? In order for an attorney to take a case on "contingency" (which is what I think you mean instead of "retainer"), there must be some reasonable possibility of you recovering significant damages in litigation or a significant settlement.

This is overwhelmingly likely to end up being a clerical or computer error that eventually someone will fix and that will be it.

That said, if you called me (an attorney) and wanted me to wade through the Nelnet bureaucracy on your behalf, I'd charge my hourly rate, but I'd have a decent shot at having the right person on the other end of the phone pretty quickly. So for you, it's a $$$ v. time thing, I think.


Title: (CA) Was intentionally ran over on my motorcycle...

Question:
A couple days ago I was riding my motorbike. In California, it's legal to split lanes. I'm not an aggressive rider and I always ride defensively since people are prone to distractions while driving.

So I approach a red light. There's a handful of cars already stopped and I split through them to the front. After the light turns green, I take off and almost immediately, a bright red car accelerates from behind me and cuts me off very close.

It's not immediately clear whether or not he was doing this on purpose or just not paying attention. The next light is red, and the car stops in line, and I go to the front of it.

After the light turns green I take off again and hear engine commotion from it being revved behind me. I see a the man in the red car flipping out like crazy. Screaming and waving his arms... I hold out my arm in a "what's your deal???" Manner and he loses his cool even further.

He starts getting next to me while screaming, swerving at me, and backing off and getting close to my rear.

I enter evasion mode. I drop a gear and try to escape. I cut through some cars and make a right down a street. He's following fast and closing in on me. I realize he's probably going to hit me. I see a car up ahead and if I can just use the bike lane to close the gap, and cut in front of it, I might be able to use it as a buffer and buy some time.

I make it to the car, lock it up and get ready to maneuver. The red car driver catches me and hits me at about 40 mph. I was thrown into the intersection and watched my bike sail on two wheels about 100 feet.

As I'm laying there (broken tibia and severe sprained ankle) he gets out of his car and charges me. I get up and throw him to the ground and he hits his head. He's bleeding a bit but he stays there, conscious.

I walk away and wait for the police. The man appears to be in his mid 70's. No idea if age is a factor in this nonsensical rage.

I give my statement. He went from saying it was an accident to he didn't hit me at all. In front of the cops, he tried to get up and fight me again. They had to push him back to the ground.

I was asked if I'd like to press charges. I said yes. But he left in an ambulance and wasn't arrested.

This was last Wednesday. Today the police called to ask about my injuries and inform me that he came into the station yesterday to claim his car. He flipped out about hating motorcycles and I wasn't given too many details but his intent of "assault with a deadly weapon" was apparent, per the officer, and he was arrested.

My questions. Is there an enhancement in civil proceedings that makes this worse for him as this was done on purpose?

2: I know using your vehicle in the commission of a crime sometimes provides a way for insurance companies to deny coverage. Like robbing a bank and damaging property or something to that effect.

I have a lawyer and realize that the criminal component is separate from civil, I'm just wondering if this case may favor me more being that this wasn't a regular traffic collision.

Forgive me if I sound greedy for that. I'm in a lot of pain, I can't sleep well and I'm missing a couple of huge vacations I had planned.

Thanks for your time.

Answer:
 > I have a lawyer and realize that the criminal component is separate from civil, I'm just wondering if this case may favor me more being that this wasn't a regular traffic collision.

Yes, yes it will. Keep a detailed logbook of all the pain, missed work, medical expenses, and any other expenses as a result of this.


Title: Phone company failing to hold their branded third party store accountable for stealing my phone they took for a trade in.

Question:
I traded my phone in to upgrade to another. I was promised the old balance would be wiped out and I would start fresh on the new.

I found out later I did my trade in at a store that was third party branded. The sales rep stole my phone and never turned it in. My account shows they did the upgrade as designed but they never shipped in my phone to the warehouse.

The major phone company is holding me responsible for the device balance despite it showing I did a trade-in upgrade in-store.

What do I do here. They have given me the run around for three months and charged me hundreds in late fees they promised they wouldn't while they try to find it in their warehouse. Now my account is showing I picked "purchase option" for this device I traded in and no longer have!

I used to work for the main company years ago. I know how this is supposed to work. This is a MASSIVE hole in responsibility in the company which mainly just allows any third party store to steal phones while the major phone company charges their customers because they don't hold their branded third parties responsible. What's the best way to cause a stink and get this fixed? To me, this is liable for some serious repercussions for the company.

edit: USA

Answer: Do you have a receipt showing that you traded the phone in?


Title: [Mt] Mother of my kids has been homeless for almost three months...

Question:
Mother of my kids had been homeless or staying where there isn't any room for our kids for going on three months, What can I do to fit the course to grant me custody and allow me to relocate closer to home?

I have had them since they became homeless, and my options are starting to run out here. Their mom come and visit s on occasion, but the assistance is next to none. Right now my best chance of surviving is to go back home to Seattle where I will have more job opportunities and stable housing. I don't want to leave them here where they would be homeless, and I feel that Seattle welp allow them to get a better education than what is happening here. I just want to know what I can do legally to keep my kids safe and with me on this journey. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Answer: Is mom okay with you moving?Answer #2: Do you have an existing custody agreement?


Title: Homeowners insurance dropping me due to my agents mistake on the breed of my dog

Question:
My homeowners insurance company is dropping me because they were not aware of the type of breed my dog is (I told them a Lab mixed with Pit Bull), Location: CT

When I purchased the dog I emailed my insurance agent to add the dog to my plan and he said he would.

Long story short a year later a claim was filed against me involving my dogs lease tripping my neighbor and causing an injury to her arm. Not too long after I received a letter in the mail that my insurance company will not longer cover me because they were not aware my dog was part pit bull.

The infuriating part is I am having a hard time finding a new insurance company because I have an open claim. The companies that will cover me are over double the price of what I had. I am worried that my rating is terrible due to my agents mistake to inform the underwriting department of my insurance company of my dogs breed.

Also the dog I adopted most likely is not even a pit bull but some type of lab/terrier.

Is there anything I can do to help improve my situation?

Answer: It might be worthwhile to get a dog DNA test, if you really think it's unlikely your dog is part pit. We got one on Amazon for $70. You might ask an agent when getting a quote if they'll accept that as proof the dog isn't part pit, or take it to your current insurance as proof. Answer #2: It's always the lab/pit bull mix...ffs, get original


Title: What’s the legal charges be of going to McDonald’s and getting a free water cup but putting soda in it

Answer: Theft


Title: What course of action, if any can i do for a high school that has health concerns but doesnt aim to fix them. Ohio

Question:
So I dont want to act like a ignorant teenager so I came here before i even plan to do anything so bear with me if im just that.

**The run down**

This high school is basically falling apart, there is a possibility of black mold on the dry wall, the windows are in poor condition to the point were they constantly leak and because of yesterday's (as in Oct 28th) rainstorm, we got to the point where ground floor rooms had 7 buckets to keep the water from getting everywhere.

**Why Do I care?**
Well, I never was really that interested in following up on this issue until the school started to get people to vote for the school to get a Grant to finish a weight room and the district being more interested in getting Ipads for 6th graders.

**What do I want to know?**
well this might not be the best for this sub since im not here entirely for a "legal" matter but if there is anything that could be done to try to get the school to focus on taking care of  these issues instead of being total focused on a single sport team. I was planning to send images of the damage and situation to the Health and Safety, but i dont know if that is the best path for me.

TL:DR: school has mold, poor cooling/heating, and the ceiling in leaking along with the windows but the school is more interested in Ipads for 6ths graders and sports equipment. Is sending images of said issues to Health and Safety the best bet if any?

Thanks everyone in advance.

Answer:
 You can start by getting your parents to attend school board meetings (if public) to lobby for more or different allocation of funds for the school budget (more maintenance, less sports equipment). You can also encourage them to vote for local and state government candidates that will work to improve education funding at the appropriate levels.
I went through something like this when I was in high school, when my district was closing down facilities that offered advanced placement curriculum as part of larger budget cuts.
I don't want to sugar coat things for you, your school is not alone. Education budgets nationwide are being slashed to the bone and there just isn't the money there to keep up with necessary repairs and maintenance. The backlog of repairs -deferred maintenance- of an average school district could swallow several years of the entire budget; if you are in one that is already struggling...

*edit for punctuation and clarity


Title: [California] My dispensary just sent out a mass email to clients showing everyone's name/e-mail.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 *HIPAA

Is the dispensary considered a health clinic [as defined by the federal government](https://www.healthit.gov/patients-families/faqs/who-must-follow-hipaa)?Answer #2: No laws broken.  HIPAA only applies to covered entities, and a dispensary is not a covered entity  It was a stupid thing to do, for sure, and if you can show that this disclosure has harmed you, you may be able to make a case in civil court that they were negligent, but that is dependent on you being able to show actual damages.


Title: Case thrown out because of waiver?

Question:
I have heard that signing a waiver almost never gives good legal reason in a case, so why did the judge summarily judge based on that?

It was a waiver in a stack of papers that they told me to fill out. i was playing football and thrown into a bad, dumb drill with no trainers. They told us hey were trainers, but were actually failed students. I have really been wronged and don't understand.

lackawanna county pa

Answer:
 It's very likely that the judge explained exactly why he was granting summary judgment, either in a written opinion or verbally in court. People speculating here probably couldn't add much to what the judge himself said after reading about all the facts and researching the law.

If you and your lawyer disagree with the judge's reasoning and think he was wrong, you can appeal it to a higher court.


Title: Can I sue Fannie Mae for failing to maintain a foreclosed property that threatens the safety of my own?

Question:
[deleted]
Topic:
Real Estate law

Answer:
 You may not be able to sue Fannie Mae at this time but you have brought up a serious issue - banks that foreclose on properties and then don't maintain the properties they own. I think your best bet is to contact your city's code enforcement. They will be able to determine if the condo's owner is in violation of any codes. Answer #2: Anyway, you ought to offer to buy it.  You can probably get it for a good price.Answer #3: You can't forcibly "repair" something that isn't broken.  And unless you have an agreement with Fannie Mae you can't forcibly "repair" it at all.

You say this is a condo building.  What sort of agreement is there between the two units for repair and sharing of bills?  Do you have an HOA/condo board/something similar?

> If the pipes do burst, what can I sue them for?

Whatever damage you can prove they caused through action or negligence.  That would not include "Emotional stress".

Also, if you're truly worried, leave a small trickle of water running when you leave the house.


Title: How accurate does notice of entry need to be?

Question: Alabama. Management sent an email about a month ago, stating they may enter anywhere from July 13th to august 16th, any time between 8am and 9pm on any day. It wasn't until the 30th that I had painters in messing with all my stuff.

Answer: That doesn't sound like reasonable notice at all.


Title: Unauthorized people living in a rental house I own. Neither the tenants nor I want them there. Can the police get them out or do I have to file an eviction?

Question:
I'm in Tennessee.

An unauthorized couple is living in my house and both my tenants and I want them gone. I gave them time to find a new place but they said they aren't leaving. I guess they got violent with my tenants last night and the police were called.

Do i have to file an eviction notice even though they aren't on the lease? Or is there a faster and easier way to get them out? Especially because they were (apparently) violent with my actual tenants last night.

Thank you
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 Personally, I would evict everyone in the unit. If your tenants invited someone in and are now making getting rid of them your problem, I'd get rid of the whole problem. Answer #2: If there was violence and police involved why isn't there an order or protection/no contact?

That would get them out now and a formal eviction would keep them from returning.Answer #3: How long have they lived there?


Title: South Carolina : Does my SO possibly have a law suit?

Question:
Back on December 26th 2016, while working my girlfriend sliced her wrist open because a wine glass shattered, the stem also punctured her arm. From that injury she had 10 stitches, and almost 3 months without work. Applebee's is the company she was working for, when she cut her wrist she was asked to go take a drug test it's company policy that she takes one within 6 hours of the injury to see if she's eligible for workers compensation. She took the drug test, just to have Applebee's call her the next day and say she has to take it again because there systems were out of date and they sent the doctors the wrong paperwork. Is that even allowed considering she already took it? Also she has her unemployment denied because Applebee's said she refused to take the drug test even though she has proof from the doctors office that she took it. Now Applebee's must be in the wrong some how because they did pay her medical bills, along with paying for physical therapy. Her long weeks of physical therapy just ended, the doctor released her from his care because Applebee's won't pay from any more visits. On her medical sheet she got from the doctor he rated her hand a 5. When speaking with someone at Applebee's corporate they said the doctor rated her hand as a 8 and it is fine. After calling to try and set something up Applebee's finally gave in a said they will pay for 1 more doctor's visit and to go to urgent care(we have the voicemails) we get to the doctors and the refuse to see her because Applebee's sent over no paperwork to set anything up. She decided to go to the ER, which now means she's paying out of pocket for this. The doctor at the ER said her hand is not okay, it should be much better but its not, it is still swollen and hard for her to use so he appointed her another hand specialist who she refuses to go to because the out of pocket expenses. After trying to reason with Applebee's she ended up in tears because of how rude the guy was saying its her fault she hurt her hand and all this other stuff which they have phone recordings for. The attorney she spoke to says theres nothing he can do, my SO also has trouble explaining stories in full detail without over exaggerating things. Up until now I have kept out of it, but now it is interfering with my life personally and becoming a burden on me. Please reddit help me if I can be with any and all advice you have. Thank you so much.
Sorry for the shit grammar definitely not my strong suit.

Answer: This is a workmans comp claim, not a lawsuit.


Title: [GA] Optometrist and tech screwed up difficult prescription twice, won't repair after next revision

Question:
Let me begin by saying that my eyesight is extremely poor, I'm a 28 year old, I have VSP as my vision insurance, and my optometrist's store does not take returns. In essence, my optometrist or the technicians that work at his store have made several mistakes and had to correct my lenses. They have agreed to remake my glasses a third time, but rather aggressively stated they will not remake a third time. I'm afraid I have no recourse if the new lenses are also unsatisfactory.

As more information, my glasses have a very large amount of prism. Without getting into details, my old lenses had 11 diopters. I also have high astigmatism, and require bifocals, which is accomplished using progressive lenses. These lenses have blurry zones due to how they are cut, but it does not usually interfere with eyesight because it lines up well with the pupil.

My first pair I received was unusable due to the blurry area falling over my pupil, meaning I couldn't see straight ahead. I later learned the first technician measured my PD (distance between pupils) incorrectly, but, on top of that, I had too little prism (therefore both the doctor and technician erred). The technician unilaterally decided to artificially increase the PD to reduce the prism (which she is apparently not wrong for doing) but forgot that my progressive is unusable if she does so. The second lenses, therefore, were also unusable.

The third correction, which is pending, involved me getting rechecked by the doctor. Even though he was quite upset with me, he did end up having to change how much prism I had. In addition, I was privy to his conversations with his technicians, which involved him not knowing they changed the prescription. Additionally, the conversation I had with the technician following the checkup revealed the progressive method and lens material on my invoice was also not the one I received.

I am worried that, due to their inability to meet my very difficult requirements initially, the miscommunication between the techs and the lens cutting lab, their no return policy, and their frustration with me will leave me with unusable glasses and no recourse. These glasses cost me $370 and $700 of coverage from VSP that I cannot use until next year again. My current glasses are extremely out of date and I desperately need new ones, do I have any options if they refuse to cooperate?

Answer:
 I am in no way a legal expert of any sort. However, I would call the insurance company and describe what happened if the next pair of glasses comes back incorrect and they do not do anything about it. This is clearly their error, not yours.

I know that at the very least you can file a complaint with your insurance company which reduces the doctor's compensation in the future.Answer #2: I had a similar issue with a different insurer, where the doctor insisted the prescription was correct but my 3 weeks of migraines and aching eyes insisted he was wrong. All I had to do was call the insurer and inform them that the prescription was still incorrect and the doctor was refusing to see me again. I don't know what they did, but within a few days they authorized me to see a different doctor (who confirmed the prescription was far, far too strong, cut it way back, and got it right the first time).


Title: Sneaky bookkeeper

Question:
 So the bookkeeper HR person basically harasses me and has created an awful environment to work in. I was asked to go to school by the owners of the company I work for because they wanted me to obtain an accounting degree. I agreed and have been working my behind off in what little spare time i have for the past 2 years. By my 2nd semester of school the bookkeeper began treating me differently, withholding work from me, obstructing my efficiency, just being a nasty person in general to me. She "forgot" to send in my tuition once, etc. In January of this year I came to find out that the schooling information I have been turning into her for accounting purposes (tuition bills, book invoices, etc) she has been using to sign up at the same school and take the exact same classes i am taking. I feel like she is using my personal information improperly. I put 2 and 2 together that this is the reason she treats me horribly. I'm more concerned that she is using my personal information for her own personal gain. This person is someone that is about 10 years from retirement, so going to school isn't something that she had intended to do, before she saw that i was doing it. I don't feel i can trust this person with my information anymore, it's a very unsettling feeling. What can i do?
Also, i've talked to the owners 3 times now about how inappropriate, nasty, and hostile my work environment is because of this person. If she wasn't mishandling the information i give her, there would be no issue, however I feel like i'm being discriminated against because of her personal issues with what i'm doing that is really none of her business. NOW, the owners are saying that the position they intended on giving me, they are now not going to... so i've been misled completely and promised a position they aren't going to give me after i've worked my behind off for 2 years. I'm set to graduate in 6 months. I have talked to a lawyer locally that says i can do something about this. Is it worth it? I would really just like to be rid of this woman, what can i do?

Answer: Graduate enjoy the free education and find somewhere to work that you'll be happy.


Title: Ohio - woke up to an eviction notice - rent was paid

Question:
This morning, I found a notice that eviction had been filed on my door. I immediately went to my apartment office with the letter and showed her my bank statement where the rent was paid. She immediately determined that this was in error, contacted the law firm that files evictions for them and will have them dismiss the case. I am relatively comfortable that this will be done. She seemed panicked that it happened.

My questions is, should I be looking for something other than a dismissal? At this point I feel like having an eviction filed then dismissed could be an issue for future background checks. Also, I would assume it appears as if I failed to pay rent, then paid it as a result of the eviction.

Am I being too passive by allowing them to dismiss it? Should I be looking for a different resolution?

Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 If you feel the need to be for sure for sure, keep a copy of the eviction notice, which should be dated, as well as a copy of whatever means by which you paid the rent, which should also be dated.  If push ever comes to shove you will have proof that you paid on time and that the eviction notice was dated long after you paid.  A letter from the management would also be helpful, as has been previously noted.  As has already been noted, someone filing to evict you isn't the same as you being evicted.  There should NOT be an eviction on your record simply because someone filed.Answer #2: I'm not familiar with Ohio but wouldn't there have needed to be a "pay or vacate" notice posted before nonpayment could proceed to eviction?Answer #3: Once they fix the error, I would get it in writing that you have been up to date on your rent and that the eviction being filed was an error.Answer #4: You could go over to r/Landlord and ask how much this action might hurt you for the next several years for future rentals - - for many, just seeing that it was filed would be enough to *nope* your application on the spot. I would be furious, myself, if this happened to me.

Ohio has many lawyers who can do a consultation with you (at low cost or even free) to try to figure out the best way to go forward. There might not be anything you can do but at least then you will know that...


Title: I'm probably losing my job because of secret merger negotiations

Question:
I have been employed by a small nonprofit organization for the past 9 years.   Money has been very tight all the years I've worked here.  We managed to keep going with the help of many small donations from the community who loved our organization, but it was a hard struggle.

Last year we received several very large donations and I thought our years of hard work had paid off.  We were set for a long while, and didn't have to worry so much about paying bills and payroll.  What a relief.

But then a week ago, a few of us found out that our director is secretly negotiating a merger with a much larger organization, to be completed by the end of the year.  In exchange for giving them our now sizeable assets, the director and her assistant will be given lucrative positions with the larger organization.  The rest of us will be on our own.

I feel angry and betrayed, and very sorry for my co-workers and volunteers who have worked their hearts out to keep our little nonprofit going during rough times.  But I can see that there's nothing we can do.

If the larger organization doesn't choose to keep us on as employees (especially likely in my case because they already have a full department that does what I do), would it be normal for them to offer severance packages?  Is there anything we can do to maximize any severance they may offer?

Answer:
 Unless you have an employment contract that says otherwise, they have no obligation to offer you a severance package. That is, of course, assuming you are in the U.S.Answer #2: They might offer a severance, but they're under no obligation to do so. The only really bargaining power you have is to ask for a severance in exchange for sticking around to help with the transition. That's all I can think of, at least.

If you lose your job, file for unemployment.Answer #3: Sadly, this seems common in non profit culture.


Title: Fired from my serving job and replaced by a young lady

Question:
So while I wasn't the only Mexican or ethnic person In the restaurant I was the only one working front of house as a server and one of only two at the times male servers. So what happens is I had been stuck being the only person who hosted for them for some reason even though everyone used to have to do it depending on who's turn it was. And also was promised better hours during the summer and instead got the two hosting shifts for Friday and Saturday(which are the best days to make tips) and serving sundays and mondays and almost always being called off of my shift because the place wasn't busy. Needless to say I wasn't making a livable wage being stuck with those shifts. And then I requested a day off for my best friends wedding and was told " yeah you can do that but when you come in next we're going to have to have a chat about sticking to your schedule since you're asking for more hours" which really confused me since my other coworkers would take whole weeks off and never reprimanded for it. So I went in the next pay day since I was off work and said I was ready for the talk which he proceeded to say he wasn't ready for the rest of the week. When I came into work for my next check before I even go to far past the front door he rushed me and asked me to follow him where he said "I think it's best we go our separate ways." And handed me a
Check for 24 dollars. And a few points I'd like to add is that I never got a single bad review which I was proud of seeing as I'd never been a server before this place. And I was secret shopped more than people who had been working there since the brewery opened and would score 100% every time and win growlers. Apparently my last
One I got which was also the week before I got fired wasn't just good and 100% according to him it was "glowing" and I received a 50 dollar bonus for doing so. And I should also mention the man I'm talking about was the places director of operations since his general manager had quit. Not only did he fail at his job as a director of operations  skill set needed(expert communicator, expert of delegating work) he was even worse at being the general manager. So I guess what I'm asking for advice on would whether or not I should go speak to a lawyer about this or if I'd even have a case. And Itd be for laws in Oregon. I'd appreciate anything and everything you guys could help me know what
To go do and tell the lawyer I'd go to if I possibly had a case

Answer: Nothing you've said is illegal.


Title: (Florida) My fiancé called cps about our neighbor but she isn't a teenager, she's an adult. Now the cops want him to come in for an interview.

Question:
My fiancé and me moved into a new complex this summer. Our pre-teen neighbor was always alone without an adults and we saw her drinking beer on her balcony. She was also home during school hours once school started and would stay out half the night. I wanted him to stay out of it because it didn't look like she was being abused or in danger but my fiancé insisted on calling cps.

He phoned them with complaints about 20 times and she eventually threatened to sue him because it was none of his business and she told him to stop. Cps didn't do anything and told him to stop calling so he complained to the cops and he complained also to our government house representative. Now a cop came to the house and my fiancé wasn't home and he wasn't there to talk about the neighbor, he wants my husband to come in for an interview about the false reports he filed! The cops told me our neighbor is in her 20s and is a paramedic and that cps had to do several interviews with her and waste their time and make her lose work hours because of my husband's complaints. The cops want to talk to him about filing reports even after she and cps told him to stop. I'm freaking out. Is my husband going to go to jail? Please help.

Oh and also the cop said that if he doesn't show up for the interview or runs that he will get arrested.

Answer:
 1.  He should not talk to the police or go in for an interview.

2.  He needs to hire a criminal defense lawyer if he is arrested.

3.  He should figure out what his weird obsession with this girl was. You were right he should have stayed out of it, but so he called CPS once?  no big deal.  20 times?  He's got some weird issue.Answer #2: Damn. That was really dumb of him. One call would be fine. But 20 calls to CPS. He was told multiple times by multiple people to stop but he really just had to keep complaining about something that had no effect on him?

He needs a lawyer and a psych eval. Answer #3: So you moved into a new complex and immediately started making trouble for someone who already lived there. Why did you both assume she was underage?


Title: [US] Can Andrew Lloyd Webber sue "Katdashians: Break The Musical" for parody?

Question:
There's a show on off-Broadway called "Katdashians: Break The Musical" that's a show about the Kardashian family if they were cats that contains both original music and parodies of songs from the Broadway musical "CATS".

Andrew Lloyd Webber threatened to take action against them for parodying his music and that “It is clear that the production is not a parody of ‘Cats’ . . . Our client’s property is being extensively misappropriated . . . to parody another subject matter entirely.” To elaborate, the show does not follow the same show structure as "CATS", however "CATS" doesn't have a true plot to begin with anyway.

Due to this, the show had to re-write all the songs so there were no parodies of the songs from "CATS" and is now all original music.

Does ALW have a case? From my basic knowledge of parody law, it seems like the show is free to perform the parodied songs (much in the same way "Weird" Al is free to perform parodies of music on tour and on albums), but maybe there's a specific clause I'm not aware of.

Here's an article about it: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/andrew-lloyd-webber-gets-catty-over-parody-songs-in-katdashian-musical_us_5772ab4be4b0f168323b1489

Answer:
 > Can Andrew Lloyd Webber sue "Katdashians: Break The Musical" for parody?

Sure, so can you.

>  the show had to re-write all the songs so there were no parodies of the songs from "CATS" and is now all original music.

So they probably got a C&D and C'd & D'd.

> much in the same way "Weird" Al is free to perform parodies of music on tour and on albums

A common misconception. Most of his songs are not parodies in the legal sense (I'd argue that "Fat" and "White and Nerdy" are arguably parodies, but "The Saga Begins" and most of his other songs are clearly not parodies). Plus he gets permission.


Title: Under the Solomon Amendment, is an Army recruiter allowed to send text messages to my mobile phone number that he got from my university?

Question:
Last week I got this text from an unknown number:

"Hello, my name is Sergeant *** and I'm an Army recruiter for the *** area. My reason for contacting you is to see if you'd like any information on the Army"

I just ignored and deleted the text, but I was slightly annoyed. Then today, I got the exact same text again. This time, replied asking how he got my number and this was his reply:

"The Solomon Amendment requires schools to release student information to us."

As I understand it, the Solomon Amendment basically allows the Army to hold federal funding hostage if a school or university doesn't allow recruiters ***on campus***, but does this extend to my personal phone number, too? If so, by extension, could the recruiters get my address from my school and come to my house, too?

Something about this doesn't seem right.

Thanks in advance for any advice. If there's a better place to post this, let me know.

(May or may not be relevant: I'm 30 years old and attend a public university in Michigan, US.)
Topic:
School Related Issues

Answer: Schools can disclose directory information without written consent under FERPA.  Tell the recruiter that you're not interested or block the number.


Title: Crazy man accusing me of “sending sexual content” to his daughter.

Question:
Okay, let’s start out by saying I live in North Carolina. I found this 16 year old girl that I started talking to on this social media site. Somehow her dad found out, accused me of sending nudes to his daughter, of which I have never taken a single one in my entire life. I’m 18 by the way. He also said he paid over $1,200 to deactivate her phone, whatever that entails, and said that if I didn’t reimburse him that $1,200 that he would press charges and send the police after me. Now this girl that I was talking to, I have never even met before. Never sent her anything, she never sent me anything. Okay? He says that I was sending those pictures and talking about sex to her and that he’ll file “Internet crime against children” against me. I don’t know really what the is exactly, but I know that the age of consent is 16 in NC. The only thing she said that was sexual was that she was horny, and that was a completely random text. Like “hru”, “horny”, like why? And now he wants to send the police after me based on that little piece of “evidence. Obviously he has no grounds on me and I’m not going to jail for this because I have done nothing wrong. But what if he lies to the police and they come after me, obviously he’d go to jail for that, but what would happen to me exactly. I don’t know what’s going on here, but it’s really weird and confusing and need some advice.
Thanks.

Answer:
 Scam.

There is no girl, there is no dad. There is just some dude in Nigeria ([Or in prison in SC](https://www.thestate.com/news/local/crime/article220929735.html))Answer #2: Common scam. Block and ignore. Answer #3: If you didn't do anything wrong, you don't have anything to worry about.  Don't let him extort you either.


Title: [Virginia]Wasn't paid restitution by offender, what now?

Question:
Recently i was attacked by a neighbor's dog. Due to the dog not being vaccinated, i ended up going through the rabies vaccinations - that sucked.

The case went to court and the neighbor was found guilty of possessing a dangerous dog, having an unvaccinated dog and having no dog license.

The judge ordered them to pay me the copay for my medical treatments within 30 days - and she hasn't.

What now?  I'd like to drag them back in to court so that they can explain to a judge why they ignored his orders, and i believe they may be in probation at this time for other offenses.

They have cell phones and a bunch of cars, so money doesn't seem to be an issue.

Thanks for any help and advice you give  :)

Answer:
 You have to file a motion with the court to compel the payment. The judge can order a seizure or a garnishment, at some point. Answer #2: This website gives an overview on how to get the judgment collection process rolling in Virginia:
http://research.lawyers.com/virginia/va-collecting-the-judgment.htmlAnswer #3: this is a criminal restitution order, right? you can certainly pursue civil collection remedies, but I would talk to the DA first.

Often restitution is a condition of probation or other concessions on sentencing.  If the DA threatens revocation of probation, contempt, etc. it could force defendant to pay you without having to pay a civil attorney to enforce the judgment for you.

It's not clear to me that you as a victim can appear in the criminal matter - that's a question for a VA atty.  It's quite possible you'd need to do whatever you need to turn the restitution order into an enforceable judgment, and then enforce that judgment as you would any other, which in other jurisdictions would require you open up a new civil case.


Title: Legal Document - Plagiarism

Question:
Location: Fairfield, Connecticut

Hi,

I'm being sued by a former employer for breach of contract. I did some research and I found that this former employer copied this contract, word for word, off of another contract belonging to another company. They obtained the contract by doing a Google search and downloading the first PDF in the results list. They then substituted their name in place of the original author's name and used it as their own.

My question is obviously, is this legal? Will a judge allow this, after hearing that the contract in question was blatantly copied, word for word, from another company? Will the company's lawyer be able to move forward with the lawsuit, knowing that they are supporting contract plagiarism, which is against the law? Do legal ethics play a role here?

Any help is appreciated! Thanks in advance!

Answer: That is not in the lease bit relevant to your case. The only party that may have standing against your former employer would be whomever held the copyright to that document if it even was copyrighted.


Title: California - My mom is holding Social Security Death Benefits from my father who passed away when I was 12. Do I have any legal access to these funds?

Question:
Hello everyone.

My father passed away when I was 12 years old, and from then until now, I’ve been receiving money every month from Social Security. This is money that my father had put away for me. My mother has been saving a portion of it every month for about 7 years. I am now 18 years old, and would like to request access to the saved money to put into my own account for savings. She currently has it in an account under her name, that receives $0 interest. I belong to a credit union that has high interest rates for savings accounts. Do I have any control over the money, and if I do, and she refuses, can I go to court over it?
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 > I’ve been receiving money every month from Social Security. This is money that my father had put away for me

Survivor's benefits are meant to provide for you/repay her for the costs of raising you. Whatever she's saved from that is her money


Title: First time arrested they are charging me w conspiracy need help. Nj

Answer:
 There is not nearly enough detail in this post for anyone to help you. Conspiracy for what?

If you are being criminally charged you should retain a criminal attorneyAnswer #2: get a criminal defense attorney ASAP


Title: My ex went through my phone and read my texts without permission and now causing drama. Legal ramifications of unauthorized access to my phone?

Question:
Okay, long story short: My ex and I split up back in January, had a baby in June. She prevented me from being there when my daughter was born but after a bit of time, she and I made amends and told me that I could come see her any time as long as I called. Well, her babysitter couldn't watch the baby and her three sons on one of my days off and she asked if I would watch them for her so she could have Friday off instead of having to switch shifts. I accepted, since she had been kind about the whole situation and figured it'd give me the day with my daughter nonetheless.

I left my phone when I headed home, realized this, and sent her a message on Facebook to turn off my phone. I thought this wouldn't be an issue but apparently she went through texts I had from after we split up, me talking to her sister in law about the situation and doing my fair amount of crap talking. Well, now she's gotten her brother (who split with his wife before we had split up) saying I'm trying to date her and started crap with the brother and his ex.

I confronted her about being on my phone (found out from her sister in law about specific dates which tipped me off, and then her sister confirmed to me that she told her she went through my phone) via text, she refused to answer the question and kept referencing the crap I had said months ago before she let me come visit my newborn daughter.

Either way, is this illegal (in the state of Texas btw) and would it be worth pursuing to press charges since she's been using this against me from seeing my daughter now and having to deal with threatening texts from her brother as well?

Answer: call the cops if you feel threatened, everything else is just relationship woes.


Title: I was fired for theft, can my former employer invalidate my last paycheck?

Question:
I'm going to be completely honest here and say what I did. I stole my boss' laptop and was caught on camera. I was called that very same day by the owner and managers and given an out. I was told to return it immediately and no charges would be pressed but of course I'd be terminated on the spot. They also told me to forget about my final paycheck, but i don't know if theft on my part justifies theft on theirs. Can anyone explain if this is ok? Do I have any right to that last paycheck?

Additional details

* I worked there for two years

* It was a dunkin donuts

* This happened in Illinois

Answer:
 > Do I have any right to that last paycheck?

You do, yes.  They should be paying you.

They may also decide to report your conduct to the police if you pursue that check.  It's up to you whether you want to roll that dice.Answer #2: >Can anyone explain if this is ok? Do I have any right to that last paycheck?

Yes.

However, you need to think hard about this. You likely committed a felony, and one which would make it hard even to be employed at minimum wage in the future(depending upon the value of the laptop). This is especially true given that you stole from your employer.

They can file a police report at any time. So, you might not want to poke a sleeping bear that you just betrayed in a felonious manner by asserting your legal right to be paid.

You can do it, but it may be the most short sighted financial/legal mistake you ever make if that motivates them to report you for theft(most short sighted after stealing the laptop).

So, think hard about this.Answer #3: This is a high stakes game of chicken. Yes, they owe you the money. Yes, they can report your theft to police if you push the issue. And, what's been overlooked by other posters... Their leveraging you committing a crime could be construed as criminal extortion.

Again... High stakes game of chicken.


Title: [TN] I was caught with marijuana, haven't been charged yet. Would this "case" help anything?

Question: I was caught by a game warden who searched my car and found ~8 grams. He said that he would fill out a report that went to a juvenile "petition" (I'm 16) and that the court would call my house in a few days. Well, I am also a type 1 diabetic. I started smoking everyday roughly a year ago. Since then, my a1c (average blood sugar) has been amazing for a teenager. I'm honestly afraid that if I do stop smoking, it will affect this in a negative way. If I said this in court, would it help me any? In TN high cbd strains are legal, but only for people with epilepsy and a few other select diseases that usually involve seizures. Would saying that I smoked to help with blood sugar help me in court at all? I can get the records proving that my a1c has been very good the last year, and anything else that might be needed if this will help anything. Thanks!

Answer:
 no, that will not work, even in locations with medical marijuana. you need a prescription, and you don't have one, so it won't work. think of it as a person with a heart condition taking unprescribed (but normally for this) pills, still illegal.

you want an attorney and you want to fight/plea this to a much different charge. admitting it with no defense is a horrible idea. Answer #2: Almost certainly not.  I'm not familiar with TN, but almost every state requires a doctor's advance permission for medical marijuana, and they can't "prescribe" it for reasons other than the specified.  "I was self-medicating" is not an accepted defense.

If you want to try something to get out of it, you're gonna need a real lawyer, not Internet help.  Otherwise, it's juvenile court.  You're probably looking at fines and community service.


Title: (SC) My husband filed for divorce on December 1. He is disputing the paternity of almost 3 month old son even though he signed the birth certificate. Can I block him from disputing or getting a test?

Answer:
 Are you afraid the test will show that he is not the father?

And no, you cannot stop him from requesting a test.Answer #2: If he's the biological father, you've got nothing to worry about.

If he's NOT the father, he has a right to know. You made your bed, now sleep in it.Answer #3: Lots of people remarking about why OP wants to block the test. The obvious assumption is that OP thinks or knows that the husband is not the father and that would leave him off the hook for any child support. If that is true then OP shouldn't be trying to trick people into paying for a child that is not their responsibility. Find the real father and pursue child support from them.Answer #4: I would really like to see you argue this in court. 'He has no proof he's not the father, and I don't want him to actually have proof'.

I'm guessing you're unemployed, right, not on maternity leave, but long term unemployed? Answer #5: Do you know who the father actually is? If so, you can petition to get a child support order from that guy. Answer #6: Simple question. Did you cheat on him around the time you got pregnant?Answer #7: Why would you not want him to have a paternity test?


Title: I was committed to a mental institution in Germany in 2012. Will I ever be able to own a firearm in Connecticut? (100% cured of my mental illness)

Question:
There's a related post on this sub - no you're not reading the same thing twice! I had NO idea gun laws were restricted in this way until reading that post. My situation is a little different, as I explain below.

The reason why I'm asking is that I've known for a long time that a half dozen guns are to be left to me in a will. The owner is currently alive and healthy, so obviously this isn't urgent at all. I'd like to have them, however, if possible, as they hold sentimental value. If there's no way I'll ever legally be allowed them, I'd like to know in order to give the owner time to consider a new recipient.

I've read up on the law, but it's still unclear to me. The part that's confusing is that it says I may posses one if I was committed by a Federal entity AND my illness has been determined to be cured.

I've got the 'cured' down, but what about the Federal entity part? I was put there by the German police and, after about a week of being there, hired someone who I thought was a lawyer but ended up actually being the one to determine that I was to be held there (against my will) for another four weeks. I don't recall her title.

I never saw a judge or courtroom. I left the facility within five minutes of legally being allowed to do so, but continued out patient treatment, complied with all medications/visits/therapies until they determined it was no longer necessary.

My illness was not long-term or permanent and I was never a danger to myself or others. It was an acute psychosis, if anyone cares.
So does that count as Federal? I'm a US citizen.

Thanks in advance!

Answer:
 This is the kind of thing you want to get an attorney to research IRL, because gun laws are a massive clusterfuck, especially when it comes to what constitutes having been "adjudicated mentally defective" for purposes of prohibited ownership. And NE states tend to enforce their gun laws with an iron fist.

You've got state, federal, and foreign laws in the mix here, and possibly local as well depending where you live. And the penalty for being wrong is significant. A couple hours of fees for legal research would be well worth the investment.


Title: [NY] Can someone please recommend an entrepreneurial partnership agreement better than one I can find on Google?

Answer: Yes! The one an attorney to whom you've given all the details of your situation draws up for you.


Title: [TX] Not-At-Fault Car Accident, Can I Keep the Money and Not Get The Cosmetic Damage on My Car Fixed?

Question:
I apologize if this is a dumb question, but I've been searching online and I can't find an answer online. I called their insurance and mine and they haven't called me or answered the past two days so I'm trying to figure out what my rights are.

&#x200B;

I was hit by a lady who pulled out to make a right turn on red while I had the right away. She didn't pull out very far so she mostly just scraped the entire side of my vehicle. There might be some damage to my wheel, but mostly it is just some cosmetic damage.

&#x200B;

Her insurance estimated the damage at about $2,000. Am I allowed to just request them to send me a check for that amount and I'll fix the damage myself? I have a friend who can do some body work and it definitely won't look new, but it will look good enough and he's willing to do it for a couple hundred and I'd rather have the extra money than a perfect looking car.

&#x200B;

Is it within my rights to do that, or is getting it repaired my only option?

Answer: You can use the money for whatever you want- you're not required to fix the car and they won't care what you do with it.Answer #2: You are not required by law to use the money to fix your car.  However, if the vehicle is financed, the terms of that contract likely require you to do so.


Title: If I borrow my car to someone covered under insurance and he runs over a bunch of school children and they die, do I get in trouble too?

Question: AMERICA

Answer: The correct term is "lend".


Title: I got a subpoena in the mail today

Question:
I was sexually assaulted by an Indian man while at work a few weeks ago. I called the police and he was apprehended ahen he came back next week. The cop that talked to me said on camera it looked like it was consentual because I didn't freak out on him and it looked like I invited him to do it. What the hell do I do? I'm not exactly in spectacular enough financial shape for a lawyer.

I live in Jefferson City Missouri if that helps.

Answer:
 I'm assuming that you were subpoenaed to testify in the criminal case pending against this man?  If so, you do not need a lawyer.  The state of Missouri is representing your interests in this proceeding.  All you have to do is show up at the place and time listed on the subpoena and answer the questions about what happened truthfully.Answer #2: Looks like you're in Cole County. [Here is the webpage for the Victim Services department at the prosecutor's office.](http://www.colecopa.com/victims.htm). Call them during business hours (573.634.9180) and ask to speak to someone in victim services. Explain your situation, and see if they can help explain the court proceedings and such.Answer #3: I would call the prosecutor. It really doesn't matter what the cop thinks he saw, the prosecutor likely saw something different and believes there is a case. Maybe they found out the man has priors, so now they are taking things more seriously- it's really hard to say. Regardless, don't freak out. You are not the one in trouble. Just be calm and honest.Answer #4: I dont see why its important that its an Indian man.

Anyway, its on tape, you can rest assured the defense will try to discredit you and make it seem consensual, if the video suggests it all the more. You dont need to worry about this case, however only case is that the defendant may pursue damages incase he is able to prove these were false allegations.

good luck.


Title: Patient rights regarding med student observation in psychiatric hospitals

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Typically, when you enter any medical facility, you sign a document that allows the hospital to treat you, that you agree to pay any uninsured balance and a bunch of other legal issues. It also explains your rights.

At a teaching hospital, this document typically gives your permission or otherwise acknowledges that you may be seen and treated by appropriately supervised Medical students and residents.

As has been pointed out by another commenter, these students are bound by HIPAA and other privacy regulations. Absent any breach of those regulations, I doubt you have any recourse.

In a psychiatric setting there may be other issues related to whether you were competent to sign the above document or if someone signed on your behalf or if you were committed against your will, etc.

In general,  medical students are very aware of these issues and there should be no concern on your part (absent evidence to the contrary).


Title: Is it possible to, if she agrees, get a pre-nup so that my fiancee would get literally nothing in a divorce, no matter what, if she doesn't work or even raise kids or do just about anything?

Question:
I'm not rich, but I can easily support us both (and a few more). So I do. She doesn't have to work.

If we get married, and some day (dog forbid) ever get a divorce, is there any way to prevent her from getting a single fucking dime? Or like... two dimes?

Serious question, because if there is not, then the result will be that I will not marry her (or indeed, anyone); ever.

EDIT: Oregon

Answer: Don't get married.  No joke.  If your attitude toward this woman is that you don't want her to get a single fucking dime, you need to not get married.  Marriage requires a willingness to share your life & and trust with another person.  You don't.


Title: Etsy and Disney

Question:
If I'm reading things correctly, if an item is hand painted, it is considered an interpretation of a character and is OK for sale on Etsy, correct?

We recently went to Disney and got a TON of compliments by both cast members and other visitors on some autograph canvasses I had made. On one I had painted an outline of Mickey and Walt Disney with a quote from Walt Disney under it, on the other was Christopher Robin and Pooh with a quote from Christopher Robin under.

We are considering selling these since we got such a high response and I have 3 people who want them made; advice would be helpful. We're new to the Etsy world and while there's a TON of Disney stuff on there, I know it's not all legal. We're in NC.

Answer:
 Don't mess with The MouseAnswer #2: >if an item is hand painted, it is considered an interpretation of a character and is OK for sale on Etsy, correct?

Definitely not.


Title: [DC] HR is offering less parent leave than originally promised after my child's birth

Question: In March, I met with my HR manager to discuss my parental leave policy. She explained that I had 16 weeks to use and I simply needed to let her know when I wanted to use it. She was recently fired. When my son was born, I notified HR that I would be taking the leave. They responded by saying that since I'm the father, I'm not the primary caregiver and only qualify for 6 weeks. I have a friend at work that is a father using the 16 weeks because he went on parental leave while the old HR manager was employed. We have not signed any new employee handbook policies.  I wasn't planning on putting my child in daycare until my 16 weeks were used. I am on several day care wait lists for later in the year. I'm now not sure if my child will be able to get in on time. What can I do?

Answer: Do you have it in writing?


Title: Coparent has completely shut down most communication. (TX)

Question:
So, we aren't officially divorced yet. I've a lawyer (currently out of town or I'd ask her this question), the coparent is going pro se.

We don't have any court custody order things yet but we do have a sort of typical schedule. I'm asking for primary custody due to communication issues and other things so the coparent is, understandably upset. I get it. It can be frustrating and you have two people on very different schedules and with different personalities, and communication types. It has gotten to the point where I can't get a lot of important parenting stuff done because of the coparents refusal to communicate.

An example would be making a dentist appointment. " Can you take him next week?" No response for days so I delay the appointment until another week because I'd rather not take time off if he happens to have a day off ( He has days off during the weekdays, I don't without taking PTO time). Ask again in another week. " Hey, what about this week or next?" Nothing.

If I need to change a drop off date because of a work thing or if I am going to be late or if I want to take a vacation or if there is a special event I want to take him to, etc.

If he is late, he doesn't call or text. I'm just left waiting. Sometimes I have to call his mother because he won't respond.

I'm not getting no's. I am getting silence. I've tried emailing so we can address all the issues with coparenting in one email a week but still silence.

I can't talk about school issues, or bad days, or trouble with transitions.

I can't coparent and I can't parent because I can't make all the decisions without the coparent  ( and I shouldn't).

I check in with the coparent during their time with our child and I usually get a one word response like " good" if I ask how he is. If I ask about a certain thing though it is just silence. " Did you talk to his teacher about that incident" is met silence.

It is getting worse.

I know you can't force someone to coparent and there is no way to compel someone to communicate but it is starting to have an impact on our son and his time with both of us. Not to mention I am having to take days off for appointments and when the school is closed because I can't get any answer from his coparent if he is able to step in that day.

Would this have any weight in court?

I'd love for him to coparent. I'd love to joint custody. But I can't if we don't communicate. Nothing would get done. Drop offs are already chaotic because I can't get him to choose a time. I have to choose it and remind them constantly or else they are hour or so late or I have to drive out to his moms because he forget or didn't respond.

My legal question is: Would this be a thing that would influence custody? Do they typically take communication and willingness to communicate among coparents as a thing of importance?

Also, he is vehemently anti-vaccination and anti-wifi radiation, whatever that is so when he actually does communicate it is mostly about how I shouldn't have gotten him that vaccine ( I go by doctor recommendation) or how I should move the wifi router or turn it off because the radiation is dangerous and the government won't tell us. He is claiming that because I vaccinate and have the wifi router above our son's room that I am putting him in danger. Is that a thing I'm going to have to worry about in court? Like explaining why I vaccinate and have a router where it is on the ground floor?

Texas

Answer:
 Getting your kid vaccinated is going to be an asset in court, not a liability. Having him claim to a judge that the location of your wifi router is endangering your child would be a gift to you, because he'll appear crazy.

It sounds like you're doing most of the heavy lifting in this parenting arrangement (dr appts, school communication, etc). The best thing you can do is carefully document all of this, along with his lack of responsiveness to your attempts to communicate about necessary childcare issues. It is likely to have some impact if you're seeking primary custody.


Title: Shall I take 800k now or the double (maybe the triple) amount in 7-10 years?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 >What would you do if you were me?

I’d talk to a lawyer.

The rational answer here is math.  How much is the hotel worth.  How much of that might I win?  How strong is my case (how likely am I to prevail)? How collectable is it if I do win? And how much might I spend on litigation to win?  And how does that compare to the offer on the table now?


Title: I was selling unlicensed products online, Stripe has told me MasterCard is assessing a fine due to copyright violation

Question:
I had a web shop online for quite a while now, using Stripe to handle credit card payments & PayPal.

Last week I received a message from Stripe my account has been suspended due to copyright violation according to MasterCard. Now they told me MasterCard is doing further investigations but is going to assess a fine of which I will be responsible for. More information was not given.

I immediately shut down my website after receiving this message.

My business is pretty small and I am very concerned I simply won't be able to afford the fine. Obviously they got all my personal info and my company is private.

Now my question is, what is going to happen if I can't pay for it? Is there anything I should, or should not do?=

Ps. I am located in Europe.

Answer: Not selling any more unlicensed products is a good first step. Other than that, there's not a lot you can do until they actually take legal action. At which point you'll need an attorney.Answer #2: Were you knowingly selling unlicensed items, and was that much of what you sold?


Title: Possible child molester brother inlaw?Maricopa AZ

Question:
Hey guys I have no idea who to turn to for this but I just found out last night that my brother inlaw, we will call him pete, is getting a divorce from my sister inlaw because my sister inlaw found out he was touching teenagers boobs while giving them a back massage. Pete is in his 30's and when his wife confronted him he said it was an accident but then after some investigation my sister inlaw found out that he had done the same thing to 2 of her sisters, my wife and my other sister in law. My wife was 17 when it happened and my other sister in law was 14 when it happened. As you can suspect I'm trying to help my wife and two sister in laws through this but I also can't help but think about the legal ramifications associated with this. Going to court would just make everything resurface and probably ruin my 15 yo sister in law's life shes very dramatic, but I want him to be accountable for what he did. Also it was only groping, no penetration nothing of the sort, does that still hold weight in the AZ court of law? I can't talk to anybody cause it's not my place and as you can tell I've made a throw away to ask this but guys I don't know what the consequences to such actions are, please help.

*edit: autocorrect changes

Answer:
 > it was only groping, no penetration nothing of the sort, does that still hold weight in the AZ court of law?

Absolutely.  That is still a criminal offense.

>I can't talk to anybody cause it's not my place

The State of Arizona [suggests](https://dcs.az.gov/services/suspect-abuse-report-it-now) you should report what you know.  You can review the "Who Must Report" section to identify whether you are a mandatory reporter (likely not).

Beyond that, your place is to offer support to the victims, and ideally to get them to seek counseling who can help them come to terms with their experience and help them with what comes next.


Title: Advice please on a delicate situation (TN)

Question:
Hello Reddit,
This is my first Reddit post so please excuse me if something in my post is not formatted properly.  I have lurked on Reddit for quite some time but signed up specifically to ask my question, so here goes..

My husband passed away recently during the night. It was a Monday morning around 7:30am when I discovered him next to me.  (some content is graphic, sorry).  They estimated he had died 4-6 hours earlier.  He was visibally fine, aside from a trickle of blood from his nose.  The coronor removed him, and I would estimate that he would arrived at the medical examiner somewhere between 11-12 as it is about an hours drive.

Here is my issue and the general questions I have, that I am asking for direction with.  He was released to the funeral home on Wed at 2:20 (the autopsy was done on Tuesday but they didn't call the funeral home until Wed).  So he had been in the care of the medical examiner for just over 48 hours.  The first thing the funeral home and mortuary affairs noticed was how badly decomposed.  They immediatly contacted them, and the ME's office told them he arrived like that. First off, that cannot possibly be true seeing that I am the one who found him, and he was not in that condition.  Now, when I say badly decomposed, I mean serious decomp.  He appeard as somebody that had been deceased at least 5 days and left in the elements.  Right away the fumeral director and mortuary affairs knew it was no possible.

I was told right away that we would not be able to have an open casket, and that he would not even be able to be dressed in his uniform (he was active duty military with 26 years in).  That in and of itself was devistating, and our kids were heartbroken.  His mother who was in from out of town was so upset she didn't even attend the funeral.

I went to JAG and the attorney drafted a letter on my behalf, requesting ALL information they had such as and especially his movement within the facility as it is all automated.  We have pretty much concluded that he was either not kept in the cooler, or possibly left in the vehicle overnight (in the middle of July).
I immediatly received an email response saying that if I wanted any information other than the autopsy report and death certificate I would have to get an attorney.

Right now, I just want truthful answers of what happened because nobody deserves that kind of treatment.  I want to make sure nobody else has to go through that, and I wonder how many other families this has happened to.  Whatever is discovered in the files will dictate wether or not we persue any legal recourse.
There are also some question as to the autopsy and how thorough they were due to the fact that his organs were still in his cavity, and not in a biohazard bag. (I should mention that I worked at this funeral home so I understand the process).

My questions being:
1) what type of attorney should I be looking for, as I don't think medical malpractice applies here.
2) where do I go about finding one that would take this on?
3) would I look for one in my area, or in the county the ME.s is located?
4) If after we have gone over everything and it is determined that they were somehow negligent, do I have grounds for a lawsuit, and what type of suit would it be.  Has anybody here ever dealt with a situation like this?

As I said, I really just want honest answers as to what happened while he was in their care.  He served his country faithfully for more than half his life and he deserved to be buried in his uniform, not have it draped over him.

Thank you for indulging me.  I would really appreciate any advice you may have.

Topic:
Medicine and Malpractice

Answer:
 > 1) what type of attorney should I be looking for

You're looking for a personal injury lawyer.  No, this is not medical malpractice.

> 2) where do I go about finding one that would take this on?

The best way to find an attorney is to ask people you know if they've used one.  If they had a good experience, they'll be happy to share.  Ask everyone in the area - friends, family, co-workers - if they've needed to use an attorney.  Don't assume that, just because they didn't tell you, that they haven't needed one.  Obviously, if you know any attorneys, whatever kind of law they practice, ask them for recommendations.

If that doesn't work, you may have to just cold-call attorneys. See [here for some pointers on how to do that.](http://popehat.com/2011/05/27/how-to-cold-call-a-lawyer-a-potential-clients-guide/)

> 3) would I look for one in my area, or in the county the ME.s is located?

Just so long as they're licensed to practice in your state, and close enough to be convenient, that is sufficient.

> do I have grounds for a lawsuit

Sorry, no one here can possibly answer that competently.  You need to talk to your lawyer about that.  Most lawyers will do a free consult to tell you at least whether it's worth hiring them.  Answer #2: No advice, just wanted to say sorry you are going through this.Answer #3: Call the [Tennessee Bar Association](http://www.tba.org/info/find-an-attorney) for a legal referral in your area. There seem to be several numbers there depending on where in the state you are located. Your attorney (and many have free consultations) should be able to advise you on whether/how to proceed and answer your other questions.


Title: What happens if an employee keeps working after being fired?

Question:
Would that situation possibly create some sort of potential claim on the part of the employee?

Curious because this happened where I worked (retail in NY).  A fired employee showed up and worked for several days without clocking in before management noticed him and banned him from the premises.

Answer:
 Ah, the George Costanza approach to getting your old job back.  Has this ever worked?Answer #2: Well that's ballsy.Answer #3: Depending on the exact circumstances, it's possible that he might have a case that, by permitting him to work, the employer is obligated to pay him. Certainly a court might hold that they should have been able to figure this out before "several days" had passed.

http://webapps.dol.gov/elaws/whd/flsa/hoursworked/sufferpermit.aspAnswer #4: Beware the red stapler. Answer #5: If an employee is permitted or suffered to work they have to get paid. If he is allowed to continue working that is unfiring him. Answer #6: ["I would prefer not to"](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartleby,_the_Scrivener)

What next, a post by Moby Dick or Hamlet?

I think we had the Jarndyce and Jarndyce one recently, thank you Charles Dickens.


Title: Wife is fighting for severance/maternity leave

Question: So to break it down my wife was fired from her job at a large bank a few months ago. She has been with this bank for approximately 8+ years.  About two or three business days prior to her being let go she made HR aware of the fact that she was pregnant. The following monday ahe was fire. During the meeting with HR the individual running the meeting explained a program that relocates fired workers to new positions in other areas of the company. To this my wife responded "are you hiring 3 months pregnant women?" To which he responded "yea i dont know about that... I understand your concern". So negotiations are currently happening over her severance of which she is requesting the maternity leave that she will no longer benefit from in addition to her severance. They have denied the request to pay the maternaty leave and denied to pay the cost of legal fees. It is pretty clear that the firing was planned prior to her telling the bank she was pregnant so i dont believe there is any discrimination. And the whole "yea i dont know about that" is hearsay. So my question now is do we continue down the road and go to litigation over this?

Answer: Your location is important for the answer.  But, in most places in the US you have no right to severance, and if you agree they were going to fire her before they knew she was pregnant I don't see a wrongful termination suit.  And why would they pay your legal fees?


Title: [ON, CDN] Landlord wants to replace flooring in a section of apartment. Is it appropriate to ask for a rent deduction for the month?

Question:
Back in the fall my basement apartment was flooded and it caused some damage to our flooring (laminate flooring) in our hallways and parts of my bedroom and my roommate's. None of our property was damaged.

The landlord got back to us to say he wants to replace the flooring that was damaged. Construction will take approximately a week. Because of its location, we will not be able to access our bedrooms and therefore we will need to stay with family during this period.

We are ok with leaving for the week and the construction itself, but are wondering if it would be appropriate to request a reduction in rent for the month of March? We will have our stuff in there but won't be able to stay. I also have tenant insurance which is another avenue we can go through if required.

Thanks.

Answer:
 > Construction will take approximately a week. Because of its location, we will not be able to access our bedrooms and therefore we will need to stay with family during this period.

Your landlord can either abate your rent for the period you are unable to use your unit, or provide alternate accommodations, or postpone non-critical repairs until such time as the unit is unoccupied. "Collect full rent for an unusable rental unit" is not one of the options. It is completely appropriate to ask, and I would start there. If your landlord won't cooperate or negotiate, you can [apply to the landlord-tenant board](http://www.sjto.gov.on.ca/documents/ltb/Tenant%20Applications%20&%20Instructions/T2.pdf) for a rent abatement order.

You might as well talk to your insurance agent, as well. They may cover this for you or deal with the landlord on your behalf, and save you the trouble.


Title: [OH] Am I entitled to privacy at a private school?

Question:
I'm seventeen and a high school senior. I recently began attending an alternative high school. Before my first day, my parents and I signed a contract agreeing to follow the school's rules-and I'm quoting directly here-"as they are laid out in the student handbook." The student handbook entitles all students to take "brief breaks with or without staff supervision" and goes on to specify that it's up to the student to decide whether or not they want supervision unless they pose a threat to themselves or another person or are being disruptive.

I have never been allowed to take an unsupervised break. Whenever I've tried, I've been told it's against school policy to leave students unsupervised. I've dug out the appropriate page and talked to the school's administration about it, but no dice.

My question is: do I have a right to unsupervised breaks, or will I need to deal with the constant monitoring?
Topic:
School Related Issues

Answer: No, you have a right to do what they tell you to. They decide if they are supervised or not. Just because they mention unsupervised ones does not mean you are guaranteed one.


Title: A minor wanted to go on a date with me, 19, and she crashed the car, now her father wants me to pay for half of the damages

Question: Also worth noting that I live in Indiana where the age of consent is 16. Also, in the texts that this girl and I exchanged we had a discussion about sex and I had asked if she would have sex with me after our date. No nudes were sent at any point. Do I need to pay for anything? Did I do anything wrong?

Answer: Let me make a wild guess here: you've never met this girl, have you? You met her online?Answer #2: Do you mean you were just messaging with her and now she is demanding money? That is a scam.


Title: Question about security cameras.

Question: I live in Nyc with my Husband and we pay  $150 dollars a month for my husband to park his motorcycle  in an open lot that has tall fencing and a locked gate. Within the last few days someone snuck into the lot and keyed up the front fender of his bike. There is a security camera right above where the bike is parked. I decided to go into the management office today and asked them to review the tapes to see who had done the damage.( This is a big complex with attached apartments so there is supposed to be security guards aswell) They had promptly told me I need to pay $300 to review the camera footage. Are they legally allowed to charge me money to view the footage so I can go and file a police report?

Answer: They have no obligation to give the footage to anyone without a court order telling them to.  File the report and let the police get the footage.


Title: Can I get sued for lying about being HIV positive at prostitute in Japan ?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Are you likely to be sued?  No.

Are you a dumbass?  Yes.

Is there potential liability?  Yes.  Deliberately failing to disclose HIV positive status is a crime in many countries.  Deliberately trying to terrify someone by telling them they have been exposed to a very nasty STD is also potentially claimable.

Are you going to get sued?  Almost certainly not.

Could the Japanese police charge you with a crime?  Two, probably.  Coitus in prostitution is not legal in Japan.


Title: [CO] My work asked me for a doctor's note which I gave them, then they let me go because of what it said. Is that ok?

Question: It basically said I have a hernia and can't lift more than ten pounds. I work at a liquor store and could do countless other things than pick up stuff and stock.

Answer: Well, that would depend an awful lot on what it said.


Title: Filed a workers comp claim in Tennessee. Same day claim was denied my employer also terminated me via the adjuster and then confirmed by it by text message

Question:
So I got hurt on 7/23/18 cleaning an apartment for a move in. I work as a leasing consultant not a housekeeper but was asked to do so by the assistant property manager as she is 8 months pregnant and couldn't physically bend over to clean this bathtub .  That being said this bathtub was filthy it took me an hour and a half to make it presentable all while on my knees bent over scrubbing.

I reported the injury the next day as I thought I was just a little sore at first. The next morning (my bday what a great present) I texted my supervisor and said hey I think I pulled a muscle in my back when I was cleaning that bathtub yesterday. What do I need to do? Didn't get a response until 8 hours later telling me if I needed medical attention to go see my primary care doctor and if they determine it's work related then we will go forward with the paperwork all the while trying to encourage me to say that it was just sore due to not doing physical labor and trying to make it out like I hurt myself similarly to overworking at the gym.

7/25/18 I go to my doctor. Based on physical exam she says I have a lumbar and thoracic strain and is 100% because of work. Takes me out of work for 3 days. On 7/30/18 I finally get a panel of doctors to choose from and make an appointment.

8/1/18  I see the workers comp doctor. He immediately orders X-rays and takes me out of work until x ray results are in. Notated there was numbness and tingling in my left foot, loss of muscle function in left leg and shooting pain down left leg. Get x rays done 8/3/18 and see doctor again on 8/7/18 where he orders an MRI and takes me out of work completely until MRI results are back. Again same numbness, tingling, loss of muscle function and shooting pain down left leg. Says he thinks I herniated a disc and need an MRI and quite possibly a neurosurgeon.

Fast forward to this morning adjuster denied my claim. She also told me that I would no longer be going back to work for them. (My company) I text my supervisor and I get a generic I can't discuss this matter with you. Finally I said you can't discuss my employment status with me? She then sent back a text saying they will no longer have any work for me from this point forward. Ok so terminated it is. I've been with this company almost a year and never had a write up or any form of disciplinary action. I've had positive reviews about my work performance as well. It seems really funny that once I get hurt I'm fired.

Filed a petition for benefits determination with the State of Tennessee today to appeal the denial.  Besides that what other steps can I do? Thanks
Topic:
Employment Law

Answer: You're going to need a workers' compensation attorney. You should start looking for one right away.   They specialize in this area and work on contingency, so only get paid if you do. Your employer may have already violated the law by terminating you and  seems to be taking an adversarial position. You'll need professionals on your side. Answer #2: Make sure your attorney is aware that you want to make a wrongful termination claim.  That is separate from your workers compensation claim.


Title: Someone stole over $250,000 from a relative's house.

Question: This is in NJ. My very old relative never trusted banks and kept ALL of her money in her house. She's been in the hospital for a week and asked another relative to go get the money to keep it safe. It is gone. There is only one other person with access to the house. They think that calling the police is pointless because they can't prove anything. I'm thinking about calling the police myself, but what are the chances of getting it back or having this person held accountable?

Answer: I don't know how you expect us to know the chances of recovery. But call the police


Title: Police in custody of my brother's long gun. Months later, he died and police still have the gun. How do I get it back? (Pennsylvania)

Question: My brother had his rifle taken by police after a medication related incident. They deemed it unfit for him to have around. That was in November, 2014 and he never bothered with getting it back. He died last month, and I would like to have his rifle. The police don't seem to know exactly what I need for them to release it. They asked if I was the executor of his estate. This has not been legally established. Our father is still alive - is he next of kin and therefore executor? What do I need to legally provide them to release the rifle to me?

Answer:
 Next of kin is not immediately authorized to act as administrator/executor. You need an estate opened first. What the police likely need is a letter of authority, which is issued by the probate court and shows that the administrator is legally entitled to act on behalf of the estate.

If your brother did not have a ton of probate assets, it may be possible to do summary administration, which is just a quicker and easier alternative to a full-blown estate. PA apparently sets that threshold at $25,000. Your father can get authority to act on behalf of the estate that way, too.

You should get a probate/estate lawyer... this is not a DIY thing and badly-handled estates get very ugly very quickly.


Title: Neighbors Tampering with Mail

Question: I live in an apartment complex with my girlfriend in PA.  Over the weekend, I found a torn USPS box that was addressed to us in the parking lot next to our building.  When my girlfriend told me that she ordered prints for a friends birthday, I realized that earlier when I was walking our dog, I saw our neighbors' daughters playing with them.  When I asked the first floor tenants, they gave us back one of the prints, but it was obviously damaged.  It had rips, creases, etc.  They also told us that the second floor neighbor had the other one.  I tried knocking on the door two different times and no one answered.  I called the landlord and he said he did want to get involved.   I left a note on their door and in the morning, I found the other poster outside in the rain.  Any thoughts about how to handle this situation?

Answer: Go to your local post office and file a complaint. Tampering with mail is a federal offense. Answer #2: You can file a complaint with the postal inspector. https://postalinspectors.uspis.govAnswer #3: Call the police non emergency number and report them for theft.


Title: Missed appointment fee

Question:
I’ve been seeing my therapist since February once a week. Never missed an appointment, never late, etc.
Last week she changed our appointment time which I agreed to, but forgot to update in my calendar. Needless to say I missed my appointment. She said the fee was $250. I looked at the agreement for a missed appointment from my intake paperwork and it says one 50-minute session is $160.
I’m afraid to ask why she’s charging me $250 and don’t want to make things uncomfortable. I told her in my appointment before last that I didn’t feel I was getting what I needed and didn’t think I would be coming back. She talks a lot during my sessions; she talks about herself mostly, her training, experience, and other clients (no names, just their stories.) It’s my first time seeing a therapist like her (DBT) and didn’t know if it was common. I didn’t feel it was helping me so I wanted to try a different therapist (I already found another therapist and am making good strides in just my first 2 sessions.) But, she was adamant I continue treatment as it was “in my best interest.” Not wanting to cause a fuss, I agreed.
I know it was my fault I missed my appointment, but I feel like $250 is an exorbitant amount. I am not working and am insured through a relative and don’t have the money to pay. I asked if I could skype or face time and she said there was no way to make up the missed appointment.
Is there anything I can do? It’s giving me extremely bad anxiety and I’m feeling overwhelmed and panicked.

Answer:
 If the paperwork says $160 for a missed appointment, then you owe $160. Perhaps your new therapist can help you prepare a letter to send her explaining why you believe you owe less than $250, AND why you will not be returning to her practice, as trying to pressure you to continue appointments with her when you stated you wanted to try somebody else is very unprofessional (as is spending the appointment time talking about her). I find writing it down (in a letter or email) is much less nerve-wracking than speaking.

You are well rid of her; your therapist isn't supposed to be making you feel even more overwhelmed and panicky.