Title: [Nevada] Friend gives me permission to use his address to get something delivered while I'm on vacation. Now he won't give it to me.

Question:
Alright, fellow brothers I'm at a loss here and I need some help.

A little more than a week ago, I bought an SSD off of /r/hardwareswap, I talked to him and he gave me permission to use his address since I was gonna be out of town for the weekend. The seller provided me with a tracking number so i would know when it was delivered. for reference my name was on the parcel, following my friends address

So the package is delivered and I'm back in town on Monday. He tells me that "he didn't recieve it". I say "Okay maybe the mailbox was full or something" and I wait a day. The next day he tells me it still hasn't been delivered, and at that point I was like "Hmmm something is up". I give it a few days, and ask my *other* friend if the guy who let me deliver the package to his house received it yes and guess what? He said it was delivered.

So I confront him and say "Hey, where is the SSD [other friend] told me it was delivered."

He says, "Okay, but first you have to pay me $40 if you want it" and I'm like "WTF, that wasn't in the deal!!!"

He goes offline right after that, and I tell my other friend to get it from him and give it to me in class.

Here is where I get triggered. This morning, my other friend texts me that "His mom took it this morning and won't give it back to me"

Bullshit, my other friend doesn't know that the guy who let me deliver the package to his house wanted me to pay $40, so I'm 80% sure that he came up with that excuse to tell me other friend to tell me.

So, I don't have $40, I bought the SSD and I have the PayPal receipt, the parcel had my name on it. Now that kid has a sweet new SSD and I can't get it from him.

Have I lost it, or is ther something I can do to get it back, sorry if this was tough to read as I'm not in a good mood right now (I never am, FML)

Any help would be appreciated, thanks :)

Answer:
 Talk to the friend's parents.

Also quit calling him a "friend", as that obviously isn't true.


Title: Failed DOT drug screen for CBD oil

Question:
I recently failed a DOT drug screen for THC,  I don’t smoke marijuana but I do use a Hemp Based CBD Oil. I was in school to get my CDL License (which I paid $3000 out of pocket) but now that is on hold until I complete the SAP program (substance abuse classes, another $1000 out of pocket and ironically the lady who gave me the initial assessment is taking the same exact product). I was assured by the place I bought it that it has no THC and I would pass a drug screen and the product says no THC but am now seeing many articles that Hemp based CBD’s are causing many people to fail drug screens. I spoke to the DOT in Washington DC and they said that using CBD oils is not a valid medical excuse. I also questioned the lab and the SAP coordinator and both said that this is happening more frequently. I am looking to see if I have any legal way to fight this and get it off my record?
It is very frustrating since before this I was being bombarded with job offers and now no one will hire me for at least  3yrs after finishing the SAP program due to the Trucking companies insurance regulations. I am being treated like a criminal by companies who have programs to hire felons who some have actually sold drugs. HELP!
Topic:
Employment Law

Answer: You used a product with thc in violation of DOT regulations (and of course, federal criminal law). You can speak to an attorney to see if there's any way to mitigate the damage, but I wouldn't get my hopes up.


Title: Job Abandonment Question (FL)

Question:
My GF put in her 2 weeks at her job.  During that 2 weeks, she had to call for out 1 day for medical reasons.  Her employer said that because of that call out, that she needs to come into work for an extra day.  She refuses to go to work that extra day because she already has plans.  Her employer is saying that it will be considered job abandonment if she does not show up.  Can they legally do that?

FWIW, she offered to pick up a shift pretty much any other time, except for after her projected end date.

Answer: She could leave today if she wanted, the 2 weeks is just a courtesy. She is quitting so she isn't eligible for unemployment anyway.


Title: [USA, MA]I'm a registered sex offender and just found out I was supposed to notify my state of international travel, I've been traveling outside the country for 4 years without notification, am I in deep sheet?

Question:
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer:
 This is not a question for the internet.

Go to a criminal lawyer in your state.  Bring documents.  Discuss.

Frankly, if you can afford an international trip you can afford a lawyer.  Better to put off your next cruise than to be stuck dealing with consequences of your actions.Answer #2: To where have you travelled? With what frequency?

Are you on a parole program?

Answer #3: I think the routine advice of “consult an attorney” is your best course here. You will have attorney-client privilege, so you can discuss matter without fear.  I would -speculate- that the best course would simply be to notify your state of trips from now on. Answer #4: Are you travelling for business?  It might be worth asking if a letter from your employer that details the frequency of your travel will be a good supplement in case you miss a future reporting.  Not that it's an excuse, but at least could give them a heads-up that your travel is legit.  But if you're not on parole or probation, why do you still need to report when you're out of the country?  I guess I need to learn more about RSO registry.Answer #5: As others have noted, you want a lawyer. But as a general rule, it's better to come clean yourself than have it come out from someone else - but your lawyer can help you manage to whom and how.


Title: [FL] Sold vehicle; buyer crashes car in police chase. Now I am liable because he never transferred title.

Question:
In 2012 I sold my first car on Craigslist paid in full with cash, on 07/04/13 the buyer crashed HIS car during a police chase into another vehicle resulting in some serious injury(death)/damages amounting to $18,100.

Now my headache begins with my first mistake never obtaining a bill of sale. My second mistake was negligence as a law firm tried to contact me about the case but due to bad advice i was told i didn't have to respond(yes i know how ridiculous that sounds). I obtained advice from multiple DMV workers both telling me nothing could be done to prove i sold the car as a bill of sale must be notarized. Listening to the DMV workers i believed it had worked itself out. I didn't receive any more information till i tried to renew my tag and found out it was suspended.

Additional Information: The buyer is now serving life in prison as a result of the car crash which led to a fatal injury.

I am at a loss as to what my next step is to me it is very simple i sold a car and though the only proof i have is the ad from craigslist. Maybe text messages(though i switched providers over a year ago.)

TL/DR: Sold a car, buyer didnt transfer title to his name. Buyer was in a police chase results in fatal car crash. Buyer is sentenced to life in prison. Now i am liable due to little proof that i sold the car.

Help will be appreciated dearly. <3

Answer:
 This is way above /r/legaladvice 's pay grade. You need an actual attorney like yesterday.Answer #2: Generally the person liable would be the *driver* not the car owner.  Why are they coming after you?

And talk to a lawyer ASAP.Answer #3: Next time you sell a car, read this page to cover your bases: http://www.hsmv.state.fl.us/dmv/protect.html

It's important to file the release of liability (in every state) so that you are letting them know you no longer own the car. Whether the new buyer titles it or not won't affect you then.

Can you write up a bill of sale now, with the actual sale date on it? This page only "suggests" that it be notarized but it's not a requirement.


Title: I believe that I wrongfully was towed, at least according to the California Vehicle code.

Question:
I'm on mobile so excuse any typos and bad formatting! Here's some background on what the situation was:

I went to visit a friend of mine in Vista, California (just north of the city of San Diego). Let's call him Joe. Joe lives in an apartment complex obviously being private property. I understood that completely as well as the fact that you need a permit to park in guest spots. Unfortunately for me, the office that hands out the parking permits was closed at the time of arrival. Joe decoded to just have me park at the edge of the lot where parking was not labeled. Now, the complex does have the assigned parking spots as well as office parking properly labeled as such, but at the end of the complex there is a section of 15-25 spots of 'open' parking. I'm assuming which is designated for guests. So I decided that it'd be fine for one night. It's around 1130pm (which I do have proof of) and according to my receipt of the tow, my vehicle was taken at 1159pm.

My problem is that according to California Vehicle code 22953 section a)  "An owner or person in lawful possession of private property that is held open to the public, or a discernible portion thereof, for parking of vehicles at no fee, or an employee or agent thereof, shall not tow or remove, or cause the towing or removal, of a vehicle within one hour of the vehicle being parked."

Do I have anything here that can hold up in small claims court? I called the property manager and she told me to fuck off. Do I call the tow company? I've already filed for a charge back on my credit card used to recover my vehicle. Should I provide any statements to my bank while they investigate this claim for me?

TL;DR Parked car on private property on a parking spot with no label. Vehicle was towed no later than 30 minutes later. According to Vehicle code 22953, I was wrongfully towed.

Answer:
 > My problem is that according to California Vehicle code 22953 section a) "An owner or person in lawful possession of private property that is held open to the public, or a discernible portion thereof, for parking of vehicles at no fee, or an employee or agent thereof, shall not tow or remove, or cause the towing or removal, of a vehicle within one hour of the vehicle being parked."

This doesn't apply here. The "private property" is not "held open to the public" for parking. It's a private apartment complex. Lacking more information, I'd say you were not wrongfully towed.


Title: Falsely accused of being suicidal

Question:
I recently went to purchase a new firearm and I was denied. I have a clean record. So I called the local police to see what the issue is. They responded with saying "on the Attorney General's database I'm listed as suicidal by another towns police department." Next I called that town that has me falsely listed as suicidal ( mentally ill). The lieutenant in that town told me "he will not remove the suicidal listing unless he gets a court order." I then questioned him on how and why he's doing this. He said "it had to do with a case I was involved in durning 2014." That case was a misdemeanor vandalism. I received a one year filing, then the case was expunged. At no point did anything ever come up about being suicidal or mentally ill. I told the lieutenant "how do you have proof that I'm suicidal? No doctor, psychiatrist, or professional in the mental health industry made any of these decisions." He responded with I will not remove it unless I get a court order. At this point I realized he's just gonna keep giving me the same answer.

My constitutional right to bear arms is being revoked from me because of his lie.   Also when this vandalism case happened in 2014 the police took all my firearms and ammunition from me then gave it all back after we were done in court.   If this officer really thought I was suicidal why did he give me back nine firearms and a bunch of ammunition?

What do I do to clear my name?  It seems like I have to sue the towns police department.  Also what kind of case do I have here?

Answer:
 Go get the court order, pay everything and save ALL paperwork.

Then sue the city with a personal injury lawyer.


Title: Family refuses to pay taxes so won't hire me as a nanny

Question:
Hi, I am a professional nanny living in California. Recently I found a great family through a nanny agency that essentially offered me the job (I have email proof of this). It came up later, however, that the family will not pay taxes and will not hire me unless I agree to accept cash. This is not an option for me, as it is completely illegal, since it requires me to commit perjury and tax evasion. I have been unemployed since. The agency even reached out to me again today to see if I would reconsider.

My question is: is this grounds for a lawsuit? And if so, would it be better to file a lawsuit against the family or the agency?
The agency mainly deals with under the table jobs, which is illegal and not the norm for professional agencies.

(Obviously I would want to consult a professional lawyer before taking any action, but I want to know if it is even worth consulting a lawyer.)

Answer:
 What do you think you could sue them for? They haven't made you do anything, you haven't lost anything (and no, you didn't "lose" income), and you haven't be implicated in anything illegal.

They can ask you to do anything they want to ask you to do. You either say no, or you say yes. If you say no, you don't get to sue them for asking. That's just silly. Sorry.


Title: Dented edge of roof with rental truck. Didn't look bad so I left.

Question: Was moving out of my apartment with a moving truck. Top side of moving truck bent the edge of the roof of the parking garage. Didn't look bad. People saw me. But I just drove away. Is there something similar to hit and run applicable to this situation or could I get in trouble legally for not reporting?

Answer: You didn't give your state,  but it's a hit and run. A hit and run isn't just when you hit another car. Pedestrians and fixed objects count too.


Title: [Canada, Ontario] Personal delivery service "lost" $2,000 worth of gifts

Question:
This all began last year in October when my wife and I wanted to send a couple of things (Canada goose jackets) to some relatives in China. Prior to this, we've always used this personal delivery service to send out smaller gifts (perfumes, lipsticks, etc) outside of Canada, so we thought that this time would be no different. Boxed the gifts up, paid the delivery fee, signed and received a receipt, and went on our merry way.

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Come November, we asked said relatives about the status of their gifts only to find out absolutely nothing. Confused, we contacted the delivery service wondering what was going on. According to them, there was a delay at customs and everything was being held. Apparently, high end items were and still are being held for whatever reason. We couldn't really get a clear answer but were told to just wait another month, though it sounded like complete bullshit to us. Regardless, we had no choice but to do as told and hope everything would be resolved in due time.

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Obviously nothing was resolved or else I wouldn't be posting this. Every month we kept on contacting them, and every time we were given the same runaround. Only today was a bit different. This time, the delivery service heavily implied that our gifts were "lost", and that they could either reimburse us with an impressive $400 total, or we could continue waiting. This did not make us happy or satisfied to say the least.

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Now since these were gifts, I could just cut my losses and take the $400, but at this point this isn't about the money anymore. Half a year of being played like a fiddle, only to be told this kind of shit from a decently reputable company really pissed us off, my wife especially. Right now my wife wants to strangle every employee there, or at least shout at them for hours at end, as well as calling the police and the media on them. And as hilarious as that sounds, I rather explore my legal options instead.

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So that's pretty much it. Would it be worthwhile to take them to civil court? Talk to a lawyer and sue them? Considering the gifts were only $2,000, I assume both options would not be worth it at all. Not to mention we're not exactly swimming in money at the moment. Is there anything that we can do in this situation without my wife becoming a wanted criminal?

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By the way, if it makes any difference, the company in question is strictly Chinese speaking only, I myself don't speak a lick of it, while my wife does. So all this information is pretty much what I remember off the top of my head from what my wife told me at the time.

Answer: How much did you indicate that the package was worth when you sent it?Answer #2: Did you consider any insurance when shipping the gifts?


Title: No DL and have a red light ticket.

Question: Hey there, so I live in California and around Christmas time I accidentally ran a red light. What happened was my fiance was 9 months pregnant and was having really bad stomach cramps which she thought were contractions so we immidetly jumped in our car and drove to the emergency room. Obviously I was the one who drove us to the emergency room as my fiance was not in a condition to be behind the wheel. So I was only driving with a California learners permit. I was approaching an intersection and had a green light and as I was almost to the light it turned yellow I was only going like 35 mph in a 40 mph zone. I thought I would have enough time to make it though the intersection before the light turned red but unfortunately I did not and I ran the red light. I'm not denying that I ran the light although I do beileve it turned red a tad to fast but I digress. So my issue now is I'm days away from my court date and have to go in on the 30th of April. I'm worried that whatever judge I get will throw the book at me and take away mine and my fiancees licence as she was only 18 with a license and ca law states you must be driving with a licenced driver above the age of 25, again she was only 18 at the time. I'm currently working on writing the judge a letter explaining what happened and why it happened and I sincerely hope he/she understands. It wasn't like I was just being reckless and driving at top speed with no licence I was trying to get my fiancee to the hospital because I thought my son was about to be born. My question does anyone have any idea what may happen to me or do I just have to wait and see? I'm just really nervous that the worst will happen. Neither of us can afford to lose our licence we both have a 2 month old son to raise and jobs to go to every day. Thanks for any feedback.

Answer:
 Bring the hospital documentation from that night to court with you. Explain that you did not intend to run the light, but with an SO in your car you thought was in labor, you were a bit stressed and made a bad judgement call in thinking you could make it.

And then don't say anything about the light changed too fast, etc. It's all automated, and the likelihood that the yellow was short as opposed to your stress level making it *seem* short is unlikely to say the least.


Title: Taylor v. Louisiana

Question: I am learning about the 14th Amendment and this Supreme Court case came up in reference to the evolution of gender discrimination in the courts. Billy J. Taylor was tried and convicted of aggravated kidnapping by a jury of all men. He appealed this conviction because he had the right to a jury consisting of a "fair cross section of the community", which in this case means that the exclusion of women in the jury selection was unconstitutional. Constitutionality aside, why would he even make that appeal. In my opinion women would convict him all the same (he raped and robbed a woman at knife point while she had her daughter and grandson with her), if not quicker. Why would he appeal to have women on the jury? Or was he just trying to get a mistrial or something? Thanks for any advice.

Answer:
 When you get convicted at trial, if you're going to appeal at all, you appeal on every issue you can even begin to make an argument for and hope that something sticks. Sometimes you go "I don't see how this results in us winning, but it doesn't hurt to put it in there and there's always a chance some judge will see something wrong with it."

Good example, one of the cases we use in motions to dismiss disturbing the peace charges in Massachusetts is called Com. v. Feigenbaum. It holds that protesting is a legitimate purpose, and legitimate purpose is a defense to one of the elements of those charges. I know the attorney who argued that appeal. He told me he only put that section in at the last minute because of the "why not" approach I described above. Their actual primary argument had to do with singling out one person for political reasons. That one failed, this one stuck, and as a result we beat disturbing the peace charges with it regularly.


Title: Mo - Owner of my rental property is selling and wants me out.

Question:
I'm an interesting situation where the condo I'm currently renting is going up for sale. The current owner wants me out so my landlord (a property management company) is trying to find me a new rental.

I, for one, don't like people poking around in my living area or trying to force their way in without 24 hours notice. I got a call today letting me know that they were scheduling a viewing on the condo today at 12:30 COMPLETELY out of the blue. I have personal things and unsecured valuables around the property that I don't want out.

I'd like to know what my options are. I've reviewed Missouri Tenant law and it says that the owner can't evict me because their selling the property. The lease must transfer to the new owner. I'm not particularly worried about this since it would take 30 days to evict me and I'm moving out next week.

What I am upset about is that my lease specifically states that I only need to open my house to repair the place...not to mention the selling agent hasn't even been INSIDE the place to judge the condition of it. (Which is pretty crappy as I'm packing up things to move!)

The last thing I want is someone to come poking around my things and assuming that they are staying with the condo. My appliances are coming with me just like my blinds and curtains are...I intend to leave the rental EXACTLY the way I got it, without any of the extras I put on for privacy...

What are my options here? I don't want to get in the way of the sell but there are obviously some conflicts here that need to be resolved and I need to know what legal ground I stand on.
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer: Tell them you need more notice. Don't let them in if they show up. Call the police if they force entry. What any perspective tenant assumes comes with the rental is irrelevant to you. That's between them and the landlord.


Title: Told I have no right to refuse a task a work. (CA)

Question:
I am a cashier at a retailer one of the task that they have the cashiers do ( mind you its not listed at all in the job description) is clean the bathrooms. Which is not really a huge deal ;however, there was recently a incident where the bathroom was completely trashed shit all over the walls,ground and blood everywhere. Seeing as how the area was basically a biohazard I refused to clean it up AND was told I had no right to refuse. ended up getting written up.

Do I really have no right to refuse?

Answer:
 You can refuse to do the task. They can refuse to continue employing you.

I don't blame you and would look for a different job.Answer #2: You have no right to refuse that task at work and keep your job. You always have the ability to quit your job. Answer #3: You do have a right to refuse. In a case like this, where you sincerely believe that your health or safety may be jeopardized by the task, you should definitely refuse to do it.

However, your employer also has a right to discipline you for refusing to do your job. I remember my retail days, and if an employer demanded that I clean up human waste product, I'd probably walk out on the spot. My health is far more valuable than whatever they're paying.

But yeah, you can absolutely get disciplined and/or fired.Answer #4: How old are you?

I remember reading somewhere that minors are not allowed to handle biohazardous waste.Answer #5: California is an at will state. You can refuse and they can fire you.


Title: (MN) Father got a DUI, my car is in his name, and now the plates are impounded. Is there anyway to get my car back?

Question: I am a 19 year old college student, and my car is currently in my fathers name for insurance reasons. He was recently picked up on another DUI offense and as a result, got his license revoked, and all vehicles plates impounded, including mine. My mother and him have been divorced several years now, and when he attempted to transfer the title into her name, it was denied, as the title transfer took place several days after the offense was committed, as well as a law that states that the car can be sold or transfered to ANYONE that the offender has ever known under these circumstances. We have filed a form which requests a review of our case, as reccomended by an attorney, by this was also denied. In short, am I screwed or is there something that can be done?

Answer:
 > and my car is currently in my fathers name for insurance reasons

Then it's not your car.Answer #2: > my car is currently in my fathers name for insurance reasons

What you mean to say is "in my fathers name so I can defraud the insurance company by using his name to pay less insurance". This is one of the many situations/problems that come up when you lie to your insurance agency. To them, that car is your fathers, unless you want to admit to fraud.

The car likely has a mandatory minimum impound time. After that time is done, you should be able to pick up the car and do the name switch.

They won't let you do it now because that would be a really easy way to get an impounded car out before the minimum time.

Sorry, but you tried to "game the system" and you lost.


Title: Friend's artwork was stolen online.

Question:
I have a friend who has made quite the portfolio of digital art. One of her most popular sets is a bunch of Pokemon/Superhero crossovers. She has her own site, store, and has even ran a couple booths at Comic-Con. However lately someone brought to her attention that a instagram user @deadpoolfacts is selling hoodies with her artwork on it. She's contacted the user and the store that they are selling it on but for now it looks like its still on there. What is the next step she should take?

Her original art:
http://zhythm.tumblr.com/post/128653240161/just-finished-mewpools-color-i-even-put-a

@deadpoolfacts store:
https://www.viralstyle.com/deadpoolfacts/mewpool?utm_source=storefront#pid=5&cid=3757567&sid=front

I believe she is in Utah right now but can potentially be moving to Florida for an internship.
Topic:
Intellectual Property

Answer:
 She should file a DMCA notice with the website in question.  Per the terms of service:

>If you believe that your intellectual property rights have been infringed upon by a Viralstyle user, please notify Viralstyle at legal@viralstyle.com. You must include within your notification the following information:
>
>A physical or electronic signature of a person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of the intellectual property that you allege is being infringed.
>
>The URL to the Viralstyle campaign(s) used in connection with the sale of the allegedly infringing merchandise.
>
>Identification of the copyright, trademark, or other rights that allegedly have been infringed, including proof of ownership (such as copies of existing trademark or copyright registrations).
>
>Your full name, address, telephone number(s), and email address(es).
>
>A statement that you have a good-faith belief that use of the material in the URL submitted is unauthorized by the rights owner, or its licensee, and such use amounts to infringement under federal or state law.
>
>A statement, under penalty of perjury, that the information in the notification is complete and accurate and that you are authorized to act on behalf of the owner of the intellectual property or other right that is allegedly infringed.


Title: Need advice on if I am legally sound

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 There may or may not be a criminal violation.

But regardless, if she sues you for the money, she will win.


Title: [Texas] Police found lost laptop, want to go through it

Question:
I lost a laptop a few months ago (it was not stolen) and got a call from a detective that it was found in the possession of a burglar.  He would like me to log in and see if there are any files on it that could be of use to the case.  I agreed to let him watch as I logged in and checked for new files, but am having second thoughts.

There's nothing illegal that I have put on it, but what if there is bad stuff left by whomever found the laptop?  Would they be able to seize the laptop, get a warrant to copy my own data off it, or use it against me in any way?

Answer: If you allow them to search the laptop, anything they retrieve could be used against the other person, or you.  The actual use of that data depends on what it is.  It's up to you whether you consent.


Title: [Ontario, Canada] Do superintendents have a legal responsibility to clean up mold?

Question:
My cousin is living in an apartment building on the top floor (14th) and she has a black mold problem in one of the closets. One month ago the Super came and did an inspection, found mold, and cleaned up some of it. But left a giant hole in her ceiling. A month has passed and she still has mold, and now the ceiling drips constantly into the closet, and she has now placed buckets to catch the water. They fill up quickly.

Does the superintendent have a legal responsibility to either abate the mold himself, and/or hire a specialist to fix the problem?

Answer:
 A landlord is responsible for maintaining a residential complex and the rental units in
a good state of repair and fit for habitation and for complying with health, safety,
housing and maintenance standards.

Fill out Form T6 and file it with the LTB.


Title: I (17) have a summer job with the city and my pay got cut $1.50 an hour without me knowing

Question: This is my second summer working for them (at a day camp for 1st-8th graders), I wasn’t taken off payroll during the school year so technically I’ve worked for them all year I just didn’t get hours. Before working this year I emailed my boss, in April, and asked if I need to re-interview, re-apply, or contact HR or payroll; he responded with no. I just got my first paycheck and my pay per hour has been cut significantly, I feel as though I should have been told about this prior. This is the only job I’ve ever had so I’m really not knowledgeable on this sort of thing, is there anything I can do?

Answer:
 Well, pay can be adjusted upward or downward at any time for any reason.

HOWEVER

You must be notified that your pay rate has changed. In some states it must be in writing, and in some states a verbal notification is ok.  Your state, therefore, is important here.

If you were never removed from payroll, then your employer looks to have failed to notify you. If you were, then your employer must have informed you of the pay rate. In either case, you are owed the previous hours at the rate you were last told you were earning, and for every hour after until you've been notified.

Go to your boss. Confirm your pay rate, in person. If it's the lower rate, file a wage claim with your state labor board. And consider looking for a new job.

NALAnswer #2: Do you have a previous pay-stub to show them and compare? Unfortunately AZ is a state with crappy labor laws, but I’d still approach your boss or HR, especially as this is s city job!


Title: USPS stopped delivering mail because a friend brought a dog over.

Question:
So about a week ago a friend of mine brought a dog over without our knowledge. We have never had a dog before. He kept the dog at our house for about 12 hours and proceeded to leash him in the front yard. The mail man saw the dog and decided, not only to not deliver mail for that day, but also forever until we move the mailbox to the front yard.

We have lived at this property for 3 years and have never owned a dog. This is causing a huge situation because with live in a triplex and the other neighbors are not receiving their mail and have to go to the post office to pick up the mail.

I understand the mailman concerns about his safety but, again, we have never had a dog and our idiot friend brought it over for only half a day and it’s caused a huge conundrum for everyone living here.

What can we do to resolve this situation?

Answer: Have you tried calling the post office to see if there is a process to change the situation?Answer #2: what did the post office tell you when you asked about why your mail isn't being delivered?


Question: In new jersey is there a statue of limitations on how long someone can take money from someone they sued and won against? A friend of mine got sued before from a car accident that he caused when he was drunk and he lost the lawsuit 17 years ago. He hasn't paid any money for it because he was either in jail or getting assistance when he got out but now he has won some money in the lottery. Since it was so long ago he is wondering if the statue of limitations is up and then he can keep the money.

Answer:
 There is, but it's 20 years from the judgement date and can be renewed indefinitely

Also, your friend caused an accident when drunk, and still hasn't paid 17 years later? Cmon. Pay up already, take some responsibility.


Title: (MS) Employer is withholding tips

Question:
First time ever posting, hope I get it all right.  I work at a not so fast food restaurant in MS.  It has a drive through, customers order at the counter, but we bring their food to them.  We make minimum wage ($7.25/hr) plus tips.  We don't make that much in tips and no one relies on them for income, but it is nice to have.  Most people who leave tips are regulars, and would be upset to learn that their servers aren't getting the tips they leave.

We got a new POS system about 2 months ago.  Prior to this new system, all cash tickets were pocketed immediately. Credit/debit tips were entered into the system at the end of the shift and we received them in cash before leaving.  Tips that got left behind were placed in envelopes locked under the register with our names on them.  Since the new system, tips are withheld until the end of the week in our envelopes.  Last week someone broke the charging port for one of our new systems.  No one is sure who did it, but since they're new, the regional manager is furious, and is demanding that our tips be held back until we pay the full price for the broken computer.  I got sent home this morning for talking about it with a coworker and I'm beginning to get frustrated.  I made $25 dollars in tips the other night and won't see any of it.  The POS system has a warranty on it (it's two months old for goodness sake) but the manager insists that he can't use it and won't tell us why.

My questions are, how legal/illegal is this?  Can I report him, and if so who do I report to?

Thanks for your help!

Answer:
 Not legal advice, because you already got it:

> The POS system has a warranty on it (it's two months old for goodness sake) but the manager insists that he can't use it and won't tell us why.

Because he embezzled the money for a real system and bought it under the table (or) without a proper service agreement.


Title: (FL) My niece is incarcerated. She had monthly visitation with her daughter, 10, before her arrest but now a judge said her daughter doesn't have to visit in prison or call after talking to her daughter privately. Any way she fight it?

Answer:
 So the judge talked to the child privately?

Sounds like the daughter does not WANT to visit mother, finds the contact distressing, and the judge agrees that it is NOT in the best interest of the child to force her to attend visits at the prison.

In addition, unless someone is volunteering, it's an undue burden to force someone to bear the time and cost of transporting the child.

Prison isn't supposed to be fun.  You are SUPPOSED to lose privileges as punishment for what you did.  Access to her daughter is a privilege she has lost.

This is about what is best for the CHILD, not your sister.  It sounds like what is best for the child (and what the child wants) is to cut ties and move on with her life.

Answer #2: Not really.  She can appeal, but I have a hard time imagining a scenario where a judge *orders* a 10 year old to visit someone in prison when they don't want to.


Title: I'm a seller on PayPal and one of my customers committed credit card fraud. PayPal refuses to pay me back

Question: [Colorado]About a month ago I sold a sweater via a site that is covered by seller protection from PayPal.  A week later I'm hit with a chargeback from PayPal and a $20 fee for an unauthorized transaction. My customer had already received his sweater. I'm now out of $150 because PayPal claims unauthorized transactions are not covered by seller protections. After some luck I was able to obtain the personal information of the lady whose credit card was used to purchase my item. I sent her the name and address of the dude who bought my sweater and she agreed to file a police report for credit card fraud. My question is there anyway I can obtain my money back?  PayPal has been refusing to help much. Also how can I make sure this guy gets some sort of consequence? I want to also file a police report, but not sure if I can do that. Or have PayPal deal with him?

Answer:
 You could file a small claims suit against the buyer or deduct it as a business expense on your tax return.Answer #2: Did you send the sweater with tracking that can be viewed on-line (ie. USPS 1st Class Package, USPS Priority Mail, UPS, FedEx) to the mailing address shown in PayPal?

Furthermore, on the transaction page is payment shown as Eligible for seller protection?

If yes to both, simply reply back to the case (don't start a new one) with the tracking number (even though PayPal likely already has the number) showing it was delivered. Unless PayPal has changed dramatically lately, typically such claims are covered and you should then be refunded.

Also, smallish amounts, which $150 is to PayPal, are often covered with little fuss assuming one follows the procedure. Keep in mind with PayPal, it's basically a computer that's deciding what to do next. There's near zero human intervention in many cases. Right now, it's likely waiting for you to reply with a valid tracking number showing delivery.Answer #3: Paypal won't deal with him - go through their process so you have proof that you tried, but don't expect them to do anything for you. In my experience, they take the customer-is-always-right view and will refuse to discuss anything further once they've decided the "case". Answer #4: Paypal is just a processor, they haven't done anything wrong here and aren't going to care.  Unfortunately, this is part of the risk you take when you do business.  You can try to track down the thief, or get the police to do so, and sue him. Or you can just write it off as a loss and move on.


Title: Can I face legal trouble if someone buys pizza for me while streaming using someone else's credit card?(WA)

Question:
As the title states, I stream video games. I live in an a high rise that has a front desk that is staffed and they can handle deliveries and contact me when food arrives. Because I can have the food delivered to the desk instead of giving my apartment number, I allow people watching the stream to order my food.

Recently I was contacted by a pizza company and told that 2 of the orders recently placed to my name/phone(google number) were charged back and fraudulent. They wanted to know what the deal was and I explained I let people order food for me over the Internet, they told me of it continued to happen they wouldn't deliver to my name/address and I totally get that.

My questions are, can they come after me? I obviously don't want them getting stiffed but I wouldn't condone someone using a stolen credit card or using their parents card etc.

Could I face legal trouble for letting strangers order my pizza/takeout?

Would they be able to ask me for payment if an order is put in and the card is later declined?

I'm considering using a 3rd party service like treatstream to keep my information private, but would this protect me legally?

Answer:
 Knowingly receiving stolen property is a crime. Key word "knowingly."

They'll probably just stop delivering pizza to your apartment and blacklist your address.Answer #2: This is a bizarre problem to have.


Title: Is it illegal for me to mediate between two parties who have had a domestic dispute?

Question: Two friends of mine got into an extremely loud argument that led to the police being called. The guy (let's call him Zack) is an extremely laid back and passive guy. He frequently says some offensive stuff, but on the whole he is an OK dude. His girlfriend (let's call her Miri) is a diagnosed bipolar and can be extremely aggressive (especially since Zack cheated on her). During the altercation, Miri hit Zack repeatedly, while Zack claims he did not fight back. When the police arrived, Miri told them that Zack had been beating her and had him arrested (despite no physical evidence of abuse).  Zack was taken away to jail, during which time Miri stole 2 of his licensed firearms (which is a max 5 year penalty on each count). Miri is doing all she can to make out Zack as a monster to the prosecution and pushing for maximum charges. Is there anything Zack can do to overcome the inherent bias associated with male/female domestic violence cases? I am also a friend of Miri - is it legal for me to talk to her independently and try to get her to calm down? (WA)

Answer:
 > I am also a friend of Miri - is it legal for me to talk to her independently and try to get her to calm down?

Don't do this.  Don't insert yourself into this situation.  At best, you'll make Zack look worse.  At worst, you'll be committing a crime yourself.

If you want to help Zack, contact him or his attorney and offer your assistance.  Do what they ask you to and nothing else.


Title: My apartment complex shared my medical information

Question: So as the title states, my apartment shared medical information with my neighbors. It was a letter requesting reasonable accommodation for my psychiatric service animal, but my doctor had put much more info that required, including my diagnosis and symptoms. I had some issues with one of my neighbors (we will call them the Jones for clarity) that are really totally unrelated to my service dog. I found this out because the Jones told pretty much all my neighbors. The front desk lady admits she showed the Jones the letter from my doctor, but says that it was public information and she had every right to. Is there anything I can do? I just can't believe this is legal. I have pretty serious mental health issues, but I really hide it from people due to the stigma that comes with that. I live in California

Answer: Your apartment complex isn't bound by HIPAA. It's unprofessional, but not illegal.Answer #2: Not illegal.


Title: [US]: can someone be prosecuted for using an online platform like reddit to obtain money by making up stories about rape, needing an abortion, child abuse, or being abused by a SO that doesn't exist?

Question:
What the title says.

I'm asking for a *friend* who may or may not have used dozens of usernames to do this exact thing.

Hypothetically speaking, is this a state or federal crime if people from all over the world contributed money (thousands of dollars) to such a person?

Should my *friend* also worry about the IRS? Or is tax evasion the least of this individual's worries if they are found out?

Answer: That's fraud.


Title: Noisy neighbor / lots of dogs

Question:
Neighbor blasts music 24/7 also they have lots of chiuawas around 9 and just by looking at them they are not living the best life. I want to report them to animal control but I don't know how to he also breeds them I'm in Tucson what can I do?
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer: Google the number for animal control, and then call.


Title: Iowa: I was bullied into quitting after discussing pay with employee.

Question:
Hello r/legaladvice,

I'm from Iowa and I work at Chick-fil-A. I was hired on from a different store and was told I'd be making $13 an hour, which I did get.

I was talking with my fellow employees about what we got paid and I told them what I made. Since I made more than them by about $3, they were very upset and went to management to complain.

I was called into the office the next day and had a meeting with our store operator and general manager. They told me what I did was wrong and against their handbook and that I would be punished. That was the end of the meeting and I was sent home, not getting to work that day.

A couple weeks later I noticed on my paycheck that I was now making $11, $2 less than what I was making before I had the meeting with my boss. I went in and talked to him about it and he just kind of gave a bs excuse like, "Well, you're not a manager and that's what managers make here so we thought it was unfair to them so we dropped your pay."

I was furious and didn't know what to do, so I just grinded it out because I needed the job. As time went on, they kept asking me to do more and more for the company like working outside of work hours and coming in on Sundays to deep clean the machines. I got fed up and just quit.

I know it was most likely not in my best interest to quit because that gave them an easy out and will not be reliable for anything.

I guess what I'm asking is did they break any rules and regulations? And what should I have done differently?

Sorry if this post isn't exactly what you guys deal with! I'm just looking for some answers.

Answer:
 You're entitled to be paid your agreed upon rate until notified that the rate is changing.  So you likely can ask for or file a wage claim over those $2 an hour from the time they began the reduction until the time your manager told you you'd be getting paid $11.

If your manager believes you were told of the rate change in the first meeting  you could have a somewhat difficult argument.

Disciplining you for talking about your wages probably isn't kosher either.  Though it's up to you to decide if you want to make an issue of that over part of one shift of pay.

Edit: omitted important wordAnswer #2: They should not have disciplined you (sending you home) for discussing wages. They also cannot retroactively reduce your rate of pay. You could file a wage claim for those issues.


Title: Do I still have my gun rights(male,RI,19)

Question: I have been to a mental hospital voluntarily a few times when I was younger. I want to buy a gun for hunting but was not sure if Im alllowed to. I Dont have a mental illness. I was also one time held in a hospital until I saw a psychiatrist whuch was a couple hours, then I was released after being evaluated. Do I still have my gun rights?

Answer: This isn't legal advice but since you're soon going to be in control of a weapon, what makes you so sure you don't have a mental illness? You're 19 and state that when you 'were younger' you have been to a mental hospital 'a few times'. You're only 19, if you have already been to a mental hospital numerous times that does not tell me that you are mentally well. If you came to my a&e and told me that it would set my alarm bells ringing to be honest as it has done here. I'm not judging, I just want you to be safe. I don't mean to piss you off it's just concerning that you're brushing over numerous mental health breaks.


Title: Is it legal to call a Judge "fancy hammer person"?

Answer: Its not illegal, but it *is* disrespectful, and if you are appearing before the judge likely to antagonize him or her. Answer #2: It's not illegal to flip off a cop either, but you probably shouldn't piss off the cop that was about to let you go with a warning.


Title: Being charged too much for water at a small business

Question: I thought I'd ask the Reddit family about your thoughts or for some advice. Thanks in advance for any input. My family runs a small business in NJ manufacturing pickles in once storefront of a strip mall. Our landlord is a larger supermarket on the strip mall who runs aquariums and tanks for live fish and tofu manufacturing and other water uses. They are charging us 50% of the monthly water bill without showing us the bill every month. We feel that it's an arbitrary number that they are making us pay without showing us our actual usage. Is this even legal? What can we do to pay the right amount for water that we are using?

Answer:
 What does your lease say about paying for water? Did y'all agree to pay 50% of the whole store's bill, or did you agree to only pay for your usage?

How would you know what your actual usage was? Do you have a separate water meter or any way to tell you only used X while they used Y?


Title: [Ontario, Canada] Bell sent me an email saying that they know Ive illegally downloaded Game of Thrones and that I need to respont. What actions should I take / what can I do?

Question:
So I recieved an email today. I am absolutely terrified right now. They didnt say they would take legal action, but they are requesting a responsse and I just dont know what to do. Please, I desperately need the help.

tl;dr Bell said they recieved notice from HBO. HBO said they know I illegally downloaded stuff, they "request my prompt response"

What do I do?

Original Email

> The Government of Canada requires by law that all Internet Service Providers (ISPs) let their clients know when content owners contact them about possible unauthorized use of the content owner's material such as illegal downloading of music, movies, TV shows, videos or games. As a result, we must let you know that we have received the below notification related to your account.
>
> Please note that receipt of a content owner's notice may not mean there has been any legal action against you. Seek legal advice if you are unsure whether or not the penalties or fines that may be contained in the attached are enforceable. The simplest way to prevent further alleged infringements is to make sure no one is using your account to illegally download material.
>
> For more information on why you received this notice, please visit: http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/oca-bc.nsf/eng/ca02920.html or contact the content owner directly. Please do not contact Bell as we do not have any further information to share with you.
>
> Thank you for your cooperation.
> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
> Hash: SHA1
>
> Dear Sir/Madam and/or Sir/Madam Subscriber,
>
> We are writing this message on behalf of HOME BOX OFFICE, INC. ("HBO"), with physical offices located at 1100 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10036, United States (Attention:  Director of Anti-Piracy).
>
> We have received information leading us to believe that an individual has utilized the IP address <ip> at the noted date and time below to host and/or facilitate the downloading and/or streaming of content (listed below) in which HBO is the copyright owner of such content (the "HBO Properties").  No one is authorized to exhibit, reproduce, transmit, or otherwise distribute HBO Properties without the express written permission of HBO, and the unauthorized distribution of HBO Properties constitutes copyright infringement.  This conduct may also violate other laws, international law, and/or treaty obligations.
> The title in question is: Game of Thrones
>
> As the owner of and/or subscriber using the IP address, HBO requests that you immediately take steps to prevent further downloading or uploading of HBO content without authorization.
>
> We have a good faith belief that use of the copyrighted materials described above is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law, and we are authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.
>
> This letter is not a complete statement of HBO's rights in connection with this matter, and nothing contained herein constitutes an express or implied wavier of any rights or remedies of HBO in connection with this matter, all of which are expressly reserved.
>
> We appreciate your assistance and thank you for your cooperation in this matter.  Your prompt response is requested.
>
> Any further enquiries can be directed to copyright@ip-echelon.com.  Please include this message with your enquiry to ensure a quick response.

If I reply, apologize, delete the content and stop torrenting, would the admission of guilt make it more or less likely that they will take legal action?

Answer: You ignore it, until you're actually served with a lawsuitAnswer #2: What does the exact email say? I'm pretty sure this is just a scare tactic.


Title: My friend is trapped in an abusive household and doesn’t know how to get out.

Question:
This is in New York. My best friend has been living in an abusive household for the majority of her life. Recently, things have been escalating pretty badly, and she needs to get out for her own safety and well-being. She recently turned eighteen, but her parents are keeping all of her legal documents such as ID, passport, social security card, etc, behind a locked door where it is impossible for her to get them. She has no money, and therefore has no way of simply leaving. They won’t let her get a job, and she can’t go to college or get a job unless she gets her documentation from them. Is there any way she can either get her legal documentation, or somehow get out of the household using legal services? She has no money for a lawyer.
Topic:
CPS and Dependency Law

Answer: She's a grown up. She doesn't need anyone's permission to move out. She can apply for new ID, passport, social security card, etc.


Title: [FL] House contains ungrounded wires

Question:
I'm currently renting a house in Florida. The garage was renovated to be an additional room by the owner before I moved in. All the outlets had three prong connectors like any other place and I didn't think much of it. Today I noticed everytime I touch my computer case I would get a "shock / tingle" feeling (not a standard static shock). I purchased an outlet tester and found that every single outlet in the renovated room was not grounded despite having a three prong outlet. I opened the attic and looked at the wiring and noticed how poorly wired everything else is. This led me to believe that the owner didn't he wiring job himself because there's no way an electrician could've done such a botched installation. Is there anything I could do to make my landlord change the wiring? I heard having ungrounded outlets is extremely dangerous especially in a renovated room and poor wiring.

I made sure to turn off everything in that room and unplug it. I also turned off the electricity from the breaker.

The house was built after 1962 (the year where all houses required grounded plugs)

Answer: The place sounds dangerous and could be a firetrap. You should get out of there. However, if you want to stay, your house is actually non-habitable and the landlord has a duty to supply you with a habitable house. Your landlord should be reasonable about fixing it promptly, because he doesn’t want code enforcement red lining his property. You are in the drivers seat if the landlord wants to be a prick you can just sic the code  dogs on him.


Title: CA - Help! BoA keeps not taking payments or sending bills and is ruining my credit.

Question:
I opened a BoA CC at Bass Pro Shop in November and bought like $80 worth of stuff on it. Skip ahead to March when my first BoA bill shows up and was $210 worth of late fees on it.

I thought it was strange that I didn't get any statements at all, but realized it was my mistake not paying immediately and I called up and payed the bill, then asked that they close the account to avoid future mishaps.

Skip ahead to end of June, I get a bill statement saying that I now owe $370 to them out of nowhere. I call back and find out that they apparently rejected my payment due to a closed account. (I honestly don't know)

I said, whatever, I'll just pay the original $210 that I owe since everything is just late fees and you've only sent me 2 billing statements in 7+ months.

Apparently, she can't waive anything or make changes to the account because it's been under 6 months of stress and she sent just sent the last 7 months worth of bills to our address

I'm not lying, I would've paid these bills off as soon as I used the credit card usually within 24 hours. This is a huge mistake for me so I don't really know where to begin. Tomorrow I will call BoA and ask for someone higher up that can help me out. Is what I'm asking for possible/feasible? I'd really rather just pay the $210 and be done with it since the extra $170 feeds me for about a month  and a half right now.

Answer: IANAL but if you have any credit card statements or recordings of the calls that show that they did take the $210 out of your account then I would personally take that to them and prove that it went through. Honestly other than proof I think you are stuck paying up the $380 then. Post this on the r/personalfinance and see if they have anything more to say on the topic.


Title: Can I legally have sex with my boyfriend if I'm 17 and he's 18.

Question:
[deleted]
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer: The answer is no in California. Your boyfriend could potentially be charged with a misdemeanor for having sex with you if the police get involved.


Title: Discrimination at work?

Question:
Hi everyone, thank you for all of this in advance. I'm not sure where to begin honestly. I live in Texas and about 3 months ago, I began a new job at a public university in the admissions center. I've worked at this university for four years previous so I wasn't 'new' to the environment per se, I just switched departments. The first 'incident' happened literally my first week. My mom was diagnosed with endometrial cancer the month before I started my new position and she was having a hysterectomy the day after I was supposed to officially begin. Now I could have taken FMLA time or even used the abundance of sick time I have to take off and be with her, but I decided to just let my new boss and supervisor know I'd be missing ONE DAY to ensure she got to my grandmother's house safely after her surgery.

That Monday, my second or third day officially at the new position, I go to thank her for being so understanding and I'm met with "oh, me and the office manager thought you were faking what you said about your mom." They thought I was faking my mother having cancer to get out of work. Out of everything that's happened, I think that still cuts me the deepest. She knows my character and who I am because she works closely still with my previous boss who LOVED me, so I'm not sure where any of this is coming from. I also divulged to her something I hadn't planned on as it doesn't hinder me from performing my job--I have multiple sclerosis and, as a result, I have a lot of doctor appointments during certain parts of the year (in the beginning around February-March and at the end to see how far my MS has progressed over the 12 months). She said she got all this, but apparently she didn't.

Since then, things have only gotten worse. I feel as if I'm nitpicked for EVERY single thing I do, especially when I request to take off to  take my mom to chemo which is once a week every Monday. I haven't even gone the last couple of weeks for fear of my job being treated even worse by management here. Meanwhile, I hear my coworkers chatting casually about taking off to take their dog to the vet (the WHOLE DAY) or take their kids to do their driving tests. I even started to bring back doctor notes from both mine and my mom's visits to which she responded with literally "I have no idea what to do with these" and just gave them to the office manager to probably toss.

The incident that leads me to making this post occurred yesterday. We have two shifts to choose from where I work: 7:30 to 4:30 or the typical 8-5. I was previously on the 8-5 shift but noticed that there wasn't anyone on my team there early in the mornings to deal with incoming students, so I requested to change to remedy that. Mind you, we run on an appointment-based system, so I had to wait until I had no appointments after 4:30 before officially being able to make the shift. I let my team lead AND our big supervisor (the one who said I faked my mom's cancer) know and it was okayed by them, but as I was leaving yesterday, I got bombarded with suspicious questions from the office manager asking if I'd let everyone know I was switching (I had), had it been approved (it had), etc., to the point of me being stunned when I walked out.

 I always hate to jump to discrimination because, as a young, black, educated female it's just something I expect to run into, especially the higher I climb in my career. I have two degrees, accolades from the dean of the college, I'm heavily awarded, and I have a VERY positive reputation on this campus, so I personally know my worth and that was all that mattered and still matters to me. I'd dealt with microaggressions for years at my previous position (comments on my natural hair, my body, my 'style', etc.) but this is the first time I've felt openly discriminated against. Coupled with this, since I began, there has been a mass exodus of all the minorities in the department. When I started, there were two other black women aside from myself and they've both since either left inexplicably or been driven out by management refusing to work with her and her personal issues similarly to how things are going with me. Now that they're gone, all that's left in a department of 30+ people are me, an Asian woman, and a Hispanic man who is already actively looking for another position and plans to leave the second he gets hired. Mind you, it's only been THREE MONTHS. I've also openly heard the office manager mocking an upset Asian man by mimicking his accent after he left before she caught herself. This entire environment just feels so toxic, the opposite of how it SHOULD feel as our main purpose here is to service the students paying our salaries.

Is this a legal issue? What should I do? I have no idea how to proceed as, and it's sad I feel a little lucky to say this, I've never been in a position like this before.

Answer:
 I have no idea how you made the giant leap of: i take a fair amount of time off for my family member without FMLA and my boss is not super supportive about it to RACISM!!

Nothing you have said supports that anyone is doing anything due to race. You took time off after three days in your new position. No one is going to be super thrilled about that. Doubly so in a position that works on appointments that then have to get moved or handled because you miss work. Then wanting every monday off, in your new position. It doesnt look good. No matter what race you are


Title: boyfriend is getting drugs in mail nh

Question: how can I anonymously report him without him knowing if he finds out he would kill me even with a restraining order. (I know this is a bad relationship and need to get out and I have tried )

Answer: Contact a local women's shelter or other organization for victims of domestic abuse. They can help you get safe, and report your BF's crimes to the police.Answer #2: Notify the US postal inspector. Submit a tip online.


Title: (CA) My dad was arrested for a federal warrant. I pick up my 9 year old sister Saturday. What do I need to do?

Question:
Location is California.

I am the oldest of a bunch of kids. Honestly I don't know how many, thanks to dad.
I am 30. I have full sisters that are 28, 26 and 24. I have a half sister that is 8, almost 9.

My dad remarried to a younger woman (my age) around 12 years ago. About 9ish years ago my half sister was born.

Not long after, they separated. Dad got full custody.
He has since moved to another country. He is a lawyer, sold his home, lives on a yacht with my half sister. She was born in the US and has a US passport. May have a dual citizenship Russia/US/Antigua. I am not sure.

My sister was on an island with him and is very attached to him. I have seen her maybe 50 times since she was born.

Dad decided with this child he would finally take care of his kid. Like I said, he has full custody. Mom lives in the US, engaged or maybe recently married and doesn't care to see the kid. She sees her two weeks a year when my dad dropped her off so he could handle some business. She lives about 6 hours from me.

My dad was arrested on a federal warrant at an airport for conspiracy to commit securities fraud. My sister was at home with either a nanny or dads girlfriend. Dads secretary of 25 years flew out and is bringing her here to the US. There is no money that is available/not frozen/too early too tell. I know there will be no funds available now for her care.
I have decided to take her in. I have a spare bedroom, funds to support her, I live .5 mile from the school she would attend.

I have basically been waiting for this day. I knew one day he would be arrested, I knew someday I would care for her.

My questions. What do I need to do? Do I need guardianship? The mother wants nothing to do with her but has not given up parentage. My sister said she does not want to be with her mother. How do I enroll her in school? I contacted the school district, and I need a POA, but I'm unsure I can get that from the federal corrections center.
I work, and my spouse works, but my younger full sister lives with me for free and works part time to pay her way through community college (1-2 semesters from transferring to a 4 year).

They lived in a different country so she has no health insurance. She was also home schooled.

I am obviously trying to make her life as comfortable as possible. I am buying a bed and dresser for my extra bedroom. I have money to buy her food, etc, and the time to take care of her. Will I suddenly qualify for food stamps?

Basically, any information you can give me I would really appreciate. My sister is very close to my dad, and this is going to be very hard on her. Obviously once health insurance is in place, therapy will begin. At this point he may be incarcerated for 2 months or 5+ years.

Thanks in advance. I pick her up Saturday morning when she arrives in the US.

Answer:
 You are good people.

The easiest way to handle this is to ask your father to sign a Power of Attorney for a Minor.  This is an alternative to getting full custody.  [Lots more info here](http://lawhelpca.org/issues/families-and-kids/guardianship), and these guys may be able to help you, so do call.  And you might want to check in with Lambda Legal as well, as they often provide custody answers.

Answer #2: To add, I am not married. My same sex partner and I have been engaged about 3.5 years.


Title: My Father Passed Without an Official Will - Worried About His Controlling Girlfriend

Question:
Hello,

&#x200B;

My father recently passed and only had an unofficial will addressed to myself.  He requested his entire estate be given to myself and brothers.  However, I do not have a good relationship with his girlfriend, and am worried she has access to his banking and may steal money or close accounts.  She would be able to do so if I gave her my father's cellphone as she has already requested.

&#x200B;

My father specifically requested that I access his account and transfer savings to my account.  I wouldn't feel rushed to do so as I haven't yet declared myself as executor and done the paperwork etc.  But, with this pressing issue, I'm worried.  Is it illegal to transfer money out of his account at this stage (before I am officially executor)?  What should I do about his bank accounts so she doesn't have access?

Answer:
 Your father's girlfriend is entitled to nothing.  You don't have to give her his cell phone.  You need to file with the court and they may accept the "unofficial will" as his official will.

If the bank account isn't a joint account between your dad and his girlfriend then she has no legal right to access it.  I would call the bank and inform them of your father's death and explain to them your concerns that the girlfriend will try and get access to the account.  The bank will have its own procedures that you will have to follow when it comes to closing those accounts.


Title: Does anyone else remember a commenter who was a lawyer and would absolutely rip into posts he thought were stupid or dishonest?

Question: I can't remember this guy's username. His post history was a hilarious read, though.

Answer:
 Do you mean /u/zapopa?

There was some rumor that this is/was a blanket user for some/all of the Starred Users for when they wanted to post something rude or funny to a particularly ridiculous thread/post. I have no idea if this was true or not.


Title: (Oregon) My sister's friend stole a 1,700$ puppy

Question:
My sister was out with her friends yesterday when they went to a local pet shop. She walked in with her friends and one of them came out with a Yorkshire Terrier puppy worth 1,700$. They were photographed by the security cameras and the photos were posted on Facebook by the store owners. She had told them not to do it beforehand and has begged them to return the puppy. There was a similar case in Missouri where the lady was charged 10,000$ and I was wondering what she could do to lessen or remove the potential consequences.
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer:
 Your sister's friend should consult a criminal defense attorney.

Your sister should distance herself from friends who turn out to be criminals.Answer #2: They all need criminal attorneys, if they were all caught on camera with her. Whether they would all be charged can't be determined at this point. Answer #3: Your sister needs to get *real life* legal advice immediately.  What she absolutely doesn't want to do is to sit on this for a few days wondering what to do and end up having done nothing at all by the time the police contact her.

You don't say if she is a minor or not.  I'm going to assume she is, in which case she needs to tell your parents *right now*, and if she doesn't then you need to do that regardless of what she says so that they can start getting this dealt with.

Just to reiterate, the absolute worst thing that your sister can do is to sit on this because she's scared to tell your parents or is waiting to see what Reddit tells you.  She needs to tell them, get an attorney, and follow his advice.

Answer #4: IANAL

She may be charged with aiding and abetting a crime. $1700 of stolen property is a felony too. I would reccommend having her report it to the police and record the phone call for evidence in case its needed.

Lawyers have also used peer pressure as a defense in juvenile cases.


Title: Im an idiot, im being sued for a debt I owe, and I dont know what to do.

Question: Im being sued for a credit card debt I owe. I have no savings, and im not even sure what to ask.

Answer:
 > im not even sure what to ask.

Then we aren't really sure what to answer. You owe your debt. You can reach out to the credit card company to work on a payment plan or you can usually settle it for a small bulk sum payment. But for the record, it's not going to go away. Show them that you are making some effort to pay it off.


Title: (Florida & California) I have a blog, a former reader is threatening to sue me for "misrepresentation of my lifestyle" and to report me for tax evasion?

Question:
I live in Florida, the woman threatening to sue me lives in California and thinks that I do too. How on earth she could mistake northern Florida for south California I don't know.

My blogs just a normal "mommy blog". Cooking,baking,clean schedules, budgeting. Nothing out of the ordinary,we don't exactly live lavish lives but we're comfortable.

I don't know this woman she's never even commented on my blog before. She sent an email(I keep a separate email for people to ask questions) saying how I'm misrepresenting my lifestyle, how she's gone into debt in an attempt to emulate me(she lives in Los Angeles and thinks I do too) and that's she's going report me to the IRS for tax evasion. I didn't respond to her email.

My husband and I have never lied on our taxes, ever.

If she sues do I have to California or can I call the court and explain? Will the IRS audit us? We don't have anything to hide but it seems like a pain in the ass.

Answer:
 Unfortunately, anybody who has any modicum of a public presence will eventually have to deal with the unhinged troll portion of the population. This woman isn't going to sue you. No lawyer would touch this case. Just ignore her and move on. Don't engage - that's what she wants.Answer #2: Threatening to sue is to suing what intending to lose weight is to losing weight--only the few and really determined break out from the crowd and actually do it. I doubt that she's going to do it. Nobody can say if the IRS will audit you--they may audit you whether she contacts them or not.

If she does file suit, you can't just call the court and explain; if you're actually served, you should contact a lawyer.  Generally you'd want a lawyer in the jurisdiction where the suit is being heard.  But I really don't think this is going to happen.Answer #3: She is nuts. Ignore her. Of course If you are ever served with a lawsuit you need to hire an attorney and respond.


Title: Can a Washington high school legally hold your diploma if you have unpaid fees/fines?

Question:
I owe a $ 20 'senior' fee, I have talked to the grade level counselors and they say it covers the cost of a field trip and breakfast, and they wont wave the fine. My parents connected the school principal and agreed that he would wave it, but still has not gotten it waved.

Edit: "Students must be 18 years old and have a high school diploma or GED." Exact wording on the college program I am looking to take after I'm done with high school. So I do need the diploma. So is there a legal way to settle this without paying the stupid fee/fine. I'm not even going to be doing the field trip nor breakfast. and I don't see why I should pay this fine.
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer: This is time for a life lesson...   Learn to pick your battles.  If policy says pay the fees or don't get your diploma, it's easier to pay the fees.Answer #2: The diploma is simply a piece of paper, they can hold it for not paying your fees. They cannot withhold your actual transcript for unpaid feesAnswer #3: Is saving $20 really worth this much trouble?


Title: Landlord is now demanding I don't let my dogs in backyard (MN)

Question:
I moved into my house 6 months ago after signing a one year lease. ($1200/mo plus $20 pet rent.)

I chose this house mainly due to it having a large fenced back yard in the city. Ideal for my two dogs.

My landlord came by today after I called the Energy company last night because I smelled gas. When they came to inspect they found that the "repairs" done to the furnace was done incorrectly and there was a small gas leak. It was turned off and tagged but I was able to go back in my house after hanging out in my car with the dogs for a few hours.

I think this pissed off my landlord and today when he went to try and fix it he came to me and told me that I cannot have my dogs in the backyard anymore. That I need to walk them to poop/pee.

Keep in mind I never have the dogs out without me being out with them and that I am very diligent with cleaning any dog turds. The dogs don't dig or otherwise cause damage to the yard.   When I asked "why" he stumbled with his words and told me that he is trying to grow the grass. (It's winter)

Do I have any obligation to comply with his demands to no longer use my back yard? The dogs are on the lease with me having paid a pet deposit as well as "pet-rent". There is nothing in the lease about not having the dogs in the fenced back yard.

Answer: Since there is nothing in the lease against it, and you state to pay for the fact that you have pets on/in the arrea your lease describes your landlord seems to have no grounds to make the statement he made.Answer #2: You have full rights to the house & yard, since you are leasing the entire thing.  No, he doesn't get to prohibit certain uses of the backyard, unless they are not safe.Answer #3: What does your lease say about pets? We need the exact language. Answer #4: As everyone else is saying, the landlord has no legal leg to stand on here. However, be prepared for the landlord to not renew your lease next year. I wouldn't be confrontational, just say that his request has been noted and ignore it.


Title: [TN] Are you allowed to bring up the fact that the defense's attorney was censured?

Question:
So, to make a long story short, I filed in small claims court against someone on the grounds of promissory estoppel, unjust enrichment, and breach of contract. They hired a lawyer, I won anyways based on sheer evidence, they appealed. Round two is finally coming up, and I feel pretty good despite representing pro se, but I have a weird question - am I allowed to invoke the fact that the defense attorney was publicly censured for abandoning multiple clients? And if I am, is this a wise thing to do, in say, a closing statement?

I ask because he seemed content to contest motivation for the suit rather than the actual facts, and based on the evidence he's disclosed - the exact same evidence he introduced the first time - I expect a similar approach to this one. Perhaps hoping for a reduction in damages under a different judge?
Topic:
Small Claims Procedure

Answer:
 > I won anyways based on sheer evidence,

Pssssst. Everyone always wins on sheer evidence. Literally how this all works. Even if you win on legal techinality, thats only cause evidence/facts shows us which law to apply.

> am I allowed to invoke the fact that the defense attorney was publicly censured for abandoning multiple clients? And if I am, is this a wise thing to do, in say, a closing statement?

How is it relevant? You can only introduce relevant evidence. How is that an attorney abandons past clients any bearing on your case?

> Perhaps hoping for a reduction in damages under a different judge?

or a win. Answer #2: using your closing to personally insult the opposing lawyer is the stupidest idea ive heard this week.  No.Answer #3: > am I allowed to invoke the fact that the defense attorney was publicly censured for abandoning multiple clients?

No, it has nothing to do with the facts of your case and doing so would serve no reason other than to prejudice the finder of fact.  If its a bench trial the judge would likely tell you to stop talking about it and move on, if it's a jury trial the judge might very well declare a mistrial.  Throwing mud at counsel for the other side only makes you seem petty and makes you less credible.  Don't do it.


Title: Was denied food and drink at work for 8 hours, after I was promised free meals.

Question: I recently worked at a Mcdonalds restaurant in Australia. Part of their holidays gift to the crew workers was a free meal and drinks from management from the 22nd of December through to the 6th of January. I signed a contract when I started work that stated I had to wear a piece of clothing that covered my uniform on break, but unfortunately I forgot this when I went to work on the 26th of December. As a result I was denied food during my shift, and I'm kind of poor so I went to work without eating and the intention of having my free meal there. This meant I was very very hungry by the end of the shift. I asked if I could be served without the discount and as a customer but that was also refused. I was so fuming that I quit without giving two weeks notice. My boss has said he will withhold my final paycheck because of it, but labour laws where I live say the worst he can do is deduct my day in leui's. Is there anything I can do to prevent others going through this and getting my final paycheck without leaving a bad relationship with management in case I need a reference later on?

Answer:
 You have no enforceable right to get food from work.

File a wage claim for the unpaid wages.Answer #2: I know McDs management can be really  shady, but I really can't imagine that there wasn't another way that you could have gotten around this? Surely there was someone else sitting in the crew-room when you were on your break that could have helped you? When I worked at McDs there always seemed to be someone sitting in there, either before their shift, after finishing, on lunch etc...Borrow a shirt, give someone cash or your card to get you something?


Title: Neighborhood Child Decapitating Animals And Stealing

Answer: report it to CPS, report it to the animal cruelty line, and report it to the cops each time you witness an incident. also keep notes of the "rumors" you hear, but you can't report those.


Title: [California] College dorm broken into, latchbolt lock destroyed, what can I do?

Question:
Long story short, I went home for the break and took most of my valuables with me back home. My roommate, being an international exchange student, did not. She found out that yesterday, someone broke the lock on our door to get in and stole her valuables. There were also other dorms targeted and stolen from, too.

I get the university has a clause in their housing contract saying they aren't responsible for stuff that's stolen, but could I get them to be partially responsible? I'm asking because the lock on my door was a latchbolt lock built into the doorknob, which is less secure than a top lock, or deadbolt lock. Most of the dorms in my university have a deadbolt lock, but mine had a latchbolt one. Could I claim that the university was slacking on their security, and that by leaving the lock on my door as a latchbolt one, made my dorm appear as a "better target" to thieves? Therefore, they were partially responsible?

And, if I ask them to replace the broken lock with a deadbolt one, am I entitled to that, even if the latchbolt one is more convenient for them to replace? To be honest, I'm a little worried about my safety if someone can just break in like that, locks be damned.

Thanks!

Answer: No I don’t think so also, the university is not going to budge and create a precedent . I don’t think a lawyer would take your case on either at most I am assuming you and your roommate lost a couple of thousand worth of stuff. Get renters insurance or as your parents to throw a claim in theirs since their policy might cover you.


Title: African soft fur rat mangled leg from hamster wheel

Question: So my female African soft fur rat must have got her foot stuck or something on her kaytee (7.12 x 11.5 x 12.75 inches) large metal wheel. After googling I found that these kind of wheels are extremely dangerous and it was just a matter of time before something happened. She's suffering and probably will bleed to death. I can not afford a vet. I'm hoping it will heal on its own. Is there anything legally I can do? Why would these wheels still be on sale when they're so dangerous

Answer:
 Call every vet and animal rescue in your area and ask if any of them will do free or low cost euthanasia. It's extremely inhumane to let your pet bleed to death. Some vets will take Care Credit, which is a credit card for vet/med stuff. You could check if you qualify for that. Answer #2: I’m sorry your rat is injured. Please call your local ASPCA and / or ring around a number of vets in order to get humane assistance. Their welfare is paramount to any legal action.

Pets are generally seen as property, so it’s unlikely you’d find a lawyer willing to thanks your case. There was a recent AMA on Reddit with an attorney who specialises in animals. Perhaps try them.


Title: i am a guy and was perscribed a ssri as a teen and have developed Gynecomastia (boobs) should i call a lawyer?

Question: Been in and out of Forster care my whole life, when I was 14 was admitted into a mental rehabilitation fasility were I was prescribed Zoloft, I was never made aware that this could be a side affect and continued to take the medicine for close to 4 years, I started noticing the brest growth when I was 15 and my foster parents (not the same as the ones I was with) didn't really believe me when I said they were bigger, apparently to some people man boobs are normal. When I was 15 other ppl started to notice too I'm sure you can imagine for yourselves the horror of a 15 y/o boy in the inner citty public school system without me going into detail the mental and physical abuse landed me a couple more stays in mental rehabilitation fasilities over the years, now I'm aged out of the foster care service I have no idea who should have been in charge of me at the time or if it was my fault not really sure what to do any advice other than to go KMS is appreciated

Answer:
 You can contact a med mal lawyer.

You should continue seeking mental help.


Title: MA. Does a renter have to replace a fridge?

Question:
Sorry about formating, I'm on my phone.
So a friend of mine moved out a couple years. They had bought a new fridge at the previous resident they rented, due to previous fridge stopped working.
Apparently her mother told her she had to leave a fridge when moving, and couldn't just take theirs.
So they left it there.
My question is, I don't think there is such a law in Maryland, could somebody tell me please?

Answer: If you are renting a house furnished with appliances (a refrigerator for instance) and the refrigerator stops working then the landlord should replace it. If you buy your own fridge in lieu of the landlord buying one, then, by all means take *your* refrigerator with you when you move out.


Title: I've been called for jury duty but I'm unsure if I should ask for an accommodation [MN]

Question:
I have a slight red-green color blindness. I've never been to a doctor for it at all because there's nothing they can do, but this is definitely a condition that could affect my ability to examine or understand evidence or anything else that may be presented. It's not severe but often visual data is presented without color blindness in mind and I am completely unable to decipher what I'm seeing.

I've answered the first summons and indicated a condition but I've now received a follow-up postcard about disabilities and accommodations and I'm not sure what I should do about it. I can't really ask for any kind of accommodation, but I don't want to be put into an actual important situation and not be able to see what everyone else is seeing.

Answer: Feel free to disclose your color blindness.  If for some reason that could inhibit you from understanding the facts of the case, the judge can excuse you.


Title: (Québec, but American) The Mother of My Unborn Child Is a Mentally Ill, Unapologetic Horder, and Smokes Like a Chimney.

Question:
Yes, I know I(M37) was foolish to impregnate this woman(42).  I've already spent countless nights staring at the ceiling about this.

She has 4 children from previous relationships.  I have none, but one on the way.  Two of her kids are adults and don't even speak to her anymore.  Or, rather, she doesn't speak to them.  A person becomes dead to her if they ever so much as question her.

She has gone rapidly downhill in her mental stability.  I recently came here from the states to attend a prenatal thing with her.  There is a pile of cat shit under her dining room table that has been there since the morning I was last here in December.

She drives without a license, her youngest boy literally only eats bags of chips and hotdogs that he cooks in a microwave.  The kids hardly ever bathe, and especially don't brush their teeth.  Ever.  I think the 14 year old daughter only takes a shower when she's menstruating.

What can I do about this?  No way in HELL will I leave a child of mine to a disgusting fate like this.  I am self-employed.  I have a support system as well.  Literally not a single person in her extended family will speak to her anymore.

Problem is, I'm an American.  I don't even have residency status.  I only spend half the year here in a rented apartment.  I like it because it's quiet and I don't speak the language very well, so I get left alone and get work done.

I'm afraid of reporting her to the proper authorities because I don't know if she has the ability to deny me seeing my unborn child if I piss her off.  Is there any way to do it anonymously?  I can't find any info on this.

Realistically, my end game would try to get custody.  I for damn sure will do all I can to get the child dual citizenship.

I recently learned two her adult children were taken away from her about 12 years ago, so I'm sure she's probably on some sort of shit list with child protective services.

But to reiterate, when I'm about 1,000 miles away a lot of the time I'm afraid of her knowing I reported her.  That would be the end of my figurative existence.  I'm talking about a woman who burned an entire photo album of her kid's baby pictures in a wood stove because there was a couple pics of her ex in there as well, and he had the audacity to tell her to calm down when speaking to her on the phone.  Volatile to the maximum.  The problem is her kids love her, because she does not parent them.  They are allowed to do whatever they want, so it's not like they are going to be a good character witness if things come to a crux.  It's everyone's word against mine.

Answer:
 This makes a refereshing change from the posts we get on here where men are trying to escape fatherhood. Good on you.

Get your name on the birth certificate/sue for paternity so that you have rights in regards to the child and then get yourself a canadian lawyer to work out what you need to do to gain custody/residency.

Also dropping her in it with CPS might not be a bad idea for the other childs benefit.

General advice: In future please do not put your dick in the bad crazy. As you can see it leads to no where good.


Title: OHIO - what legal precautions do I need to take before starting an online candy business?

Question:
I am looking to sell candy online. From what I can tell, Ohio has Cottage Food Laws that enable a home-based business to sell home-cooked candy with no licensing or anything, as long as I follow some requirements (stating allergy information, making clear it is home-made, etc).

My primary concerns are these:

* What do I need to do to protect myself legally? If I incorporate and get insurance, does this invalidate my ability to be a 'home business'?

* Can I sell nation-wide, or only in Ohio? The Cottage Food Laws look like I can only sell in-state, but this is not ideal.

Thank you for any advice you can provide.

Answer:
 I don't think there are problems with incorporating and insuring yourself.  As long as you are producing foods out of your home you are (should be) within the scope of the cottage food laws.

No, you cannot sell outside of Ohio:

[901:3-20-05 Prohibitions.](http://codes.ohio.gov/oac/901%3A3-20)

> A cottage food operation may not:

> ...

> (F) Be sold outside the state of Ohio.


Title: [California] Friend of mine was arrested and falsely charged with sexual battery, no victim came forward, he had witness to account for him all times he was out.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 There has to be more to this story. The police to not charge people with crimes like sexual battery if nobody is accusing them of that.

He needs a lawyer, the lawyer will figure out whats going on.


Title: Excessive speed bump height damages car needed for job.

Question:
I have a job doing pizza delivery, a personal car is required for this position.  My personal car though, may have very well been totaled by the speed bumps on my apartment complex.  I have taken the time to measure the particular one that has done the damage to my car and it stands at about 5 inches high with an approximate 28 inch travel distance, if I were to describe driving over it it would be like "driving over a curb".

There is no way to safely traverse this particular speed bump and I can *USUALLY* avoid scraping the bottom of my car by coming to complete stop at the beginning and VERY slowly inching my way to its peak then holding the brakes as my front wheels come down on the other side.  This being said, even when I do this the bottom of my car might very possibly impact with the top of the speed bump.

I was wondering if the landlord might be liable for these damages as I will probably lose my job otherwise due to not being able to afford a new car or to repair my current car's engine to the extent that it is damaged.

I will also add that I have been in contact with several previous and current residents and they also agree that a few of the speed bumps in this parking lot are excessive, one of those in particular being the speed bump that I measured.

**EDIT**
To clear a few things up: my car is stock everything except brake plates.  The bumps themselves have an approximate 36% incline grade on average, some are less some are more.  I've also been told it's important to note that these speed bumps are also located on a hill where the road exceeds an 8% incline grade

Answer:
 > I was wondering if the landlord might be liable for these damages

No.  You repeatedly and voluntarily drive your car over the same obstruction, knowing it causes damage to your car.  That's on you.


Title: Need some help about name changes

Question: My uncle is trying to change my name and i dont want it changed, Im 14 and in the state of oklahoma can anyone tell me if this is legal or not? i cant seem to find any laws about it.

Answer:
 He may be your legal guardian, but if the procedure is like it is in my state, you will be a appointed a "guardian ad litem", or a lawyer, which is a person who represents you in front of the court. This person may be a lawyer (depending on your jurisdiction), but might not be - regardless, this person is appointed to listen to you and make a recommendation to the court - and their report is usually highly regarded by most family court judges.

**The court only asks one question: is this name change in the best interest of the minor child?** If you can convince your guardian ad litem to tell the judge "no", and give good and honest reasons why the name change is not in your best interests, and if the judge agrees, then the judge *cannot* permit the name change to go forward. And since you're 14, the family courts in most states will at least listen to what you have to say. Of course, the judge can overrule everyone, and the name change may go through nonetheless, but it becomes harder to do so if you have court-appointed advocates on your side.


Title: My brother's girlfriend moved in with him and brought 20 dogs with her

Question: I live in NC, in the US. My brother recently moved into my grandmother's old house with his girlfriend, and with her came about 20 dogs including puppies. The dogs were first put in 10' x 10' pens in the woods behind my house with 4 dogs to a pen I believe. I haven't really been down there to take a good look but I can hear them barking from my house. Recently though my brother put up a pen right beside where I keep my single dog in a more spacious lot and put four puppies inside with only a doghouse for shelter. We had already had two puppies inside of my house that my mother had to take care of because my brother refused to do so. I was already unhappy of a pen full of dogs being right outside in my backyard but I looked out today and now there were two adult dogs in there with them, and still only a single tiny doghouse as shelter. I threatened to call animal control to my mother and my brother but I was just told to drop it or keep my mouth shut no matter how many times I've brought it up. I am worried there might be some retaliation if I were to report my brother and his girlfriend to animal control, my family is already unhappy over me just complaining about the dogs. What could some of my options be to resolve this?

Answer:
 If the dogs are being mistreated, report them to animal control. That's more important than what your family thinks.Answer #2: Your only option is animal control.

Your family may be mad at you for doing that. If you are over 18, they may evict you for it.Answer #3: What’s your legal question? Are you the landlord?Answer #4: Alert the city or county. That many dogs requires a permit.


Title: how long until people are notified if they are in a will?

Question: My grandpa died last week.  My grandpa had two children and one stepchild.  He made the step child the power of attorney since she was closest.  She is refusing to tell my mom what is in the will.  My uncle told me she was in it but he won't tell her and I guess I'm not supposed to tell her until things are "sorted out".  this is driving my mom crazy because nobody will talk to her about it.  The step child used to work for an attorneys office so my mom is convinced she did something shady.

Answer: You need to go the probate court and see if the will has actually been filed. A lot of times people will sit on a will or won't even have one and act like they're administering the estate, when they're really just pilfering it. Answer #2: If your grandpa had a power of attorney given to his step child while alive, that typically would not survive death. If the step child is named executor in the will then the will should be filed with the court. Otherwise, they are acting without proper authority. Answer #3: Oh this is easy - swing by ye olde probate court and if a will hasn't been filed simply file the death certificate and ask to be appointed executor.