Title: My father was fired after being in the hospital. What can we do?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 >Additional info: It's a pretty small company. May or may not have less than 50 employees.

That's a pretty important distinction, since it's the trigger for FMLA protections. (Although the employees don't all have to be at the same store, as long as they're within 75 miles).

Unless there was a Bona fide occupational requirement for the medical screening, it sounds like inappropriate discrimination due to a condition or disability. Even if he was an at will employee, this is certainly a close enough case to warrant speaking with an employment attorney in your local jurisdiction. Answer #2: Depending on the nature of this medical screening and why they say your father failed you may be able to build a case of age discrimination. Not a sure thing but worth looking into with an attorney. Also he should file for unemployment immediately if he hasn't done so already.Answer #3: In the meantime, he can and should file for unemployment immediately, along with any other benefits that he may be eligible for (including subsidized health insurance). It may well be a pride issue for him not to take it, but he's paid into the system for 20+ years for this very reason. Answer #4: "Additional info: It's a pretty small company. May or may not have less than 50 employees."

This is very important due to FMLA protections kicking in at 50 employees within 75 miles.

This is a case in which an employment attorney should be spoken to. Usually, there is a no cost 30 minute free consultation and they will work on contingency if they believe he has a case.


Title: Quit job months ago, owners continue to e-mail and text requests.

Question:
Hey LA,

First and foremost, this is in British Columbia, Canada.

I quit a job a few months ago due to incompatible management styles between myself and the ownership. I was in a senior management position in the business and was involved in many facets of the operation.

As such, before I left, I wrote up a pretty detailed "how-to" guide on my daily, weekly, monthly, etc tasks that I perform and any other weird things that might pop up in the near future.

Since then, I've been bombarded with texts and e-mails from the owners with various requests for information or questions on how to complete a certain process (...some of which is definitely contained in my write-up).

I've politely told them multiple times that I no longer work for them and the information could be found either in my write-up or another employee in the company could help them out.

They went quiet for a month but now they're back with vengeance trying to locate a missing piece of electronic equipment, which is used as a part of the POS system for a portion of the business. This piece was sent off for warranty repair back in December, but beyond that, I don't have anymore information (tracking/reference/etc number) as it was sent in via our administration assistant at the time.

After receiving this request, I replied with the following:

"Dear Owners,

I have forwarded all information that I have access to in regards to the piece of equipment you are looking for to Employee A and Employee B. If you would like me to come in and help you resolve this or other issues, please let me know and I'll forward information in regards to my contract rate and availability."

Since sending that, they've become borderline inappropriate in their correspondence and have hinted that I must have stolen the piece of equipment since I won't provide any more information without being paid.

On top of that, I'm still friends with other managers and employees at the business and they've said my name has been used as a scapegoat for things going wrong since I've left / that I intentionally screwed some things up to make life hard for them after my departure. I'm a little nonplussed about that part since it was a bit expected, given the owners personalities. However, with the accusations that they've thrown my way after our last interaction, I'm worried about how it could reflect on me, particularly in the industry that we work in.

I didn't steal the piece of equipment like they have insinuated or done anything malicious to make life harder after my departure. As I've said, I still have close friends working there and anything I would do would negatively impact them before it impacted the owners.

I've since blocked the owners from contacting me via text message, phone, and e-mail.

What steps can I take to protect myself from this? Is there anything proactive I can do?

Answer: You could pay a law office for a cease and desist perhaps, or write one yourself. If they are serious about their assumptions of your theft, do not talk to police if they contact you, talk to a lawyer. It sounds like they are more hot air than anything.Answer #2: If they are really spreading the word that you have stolen that piece of equipement and it gets to the point where it affects your reputation you can label it as defamation. But i'd probably talk to a lawyer about it like Acre_ said


Title: [Chicago, IL] my landlord charged me to fix my sink

Question:
I rent an apartment in the city. A few weeks ago, a glass bottle fell out of my medicine cabinet and knocked a hole in the porcelain sink. It didn’t go all the way through the porcelain, but it was a decent sized hole - maybe about 2”. I asked my landlord to fix it, and he replaced it with a new, much larger and more ostentatious sink and faucet. The sink cost $200 and the faucet $100. The sink that had been there previously cost probably around $50 and the faucet probably about $20-30. I had no say whatsoever in the choice of sink or faucet.

Yesterday, he presented me with a bill for $467, total cost of labor and supplies. He included receipts. I asked him where in my lease it showed that I was responsible for these costs, and he referred me to “sections #9 and #16” of the Chicago Landlord Tenant ordinance.

According to him, section #9 says:
“Tenants Maintenance :Tenants shall maintain the Apartment in a clean, presentable and safe conditions at all times in accordance with all health, safety and building code regulations. All fixtures, appliances and personal property of the Lessor shall be in the same condition as they were on the Beginning date move in. ( your tub needs to be clean, very clean).”

Section #16 says:
“#16 Damages: Tenants shall be liable for any damages done to the premises as a result
of Tenants  action of  Negligence or accident (Your glass bottle fell out of the medicine cabinet ?)

I said fine and went ahead and sent the money bc I was already having a shit day and didn’t feel like arguing. But the more I think about it, the more this feels like bullshit. I had no say in the choice of sink - I certainly wouldn’t have chosen to upgrade a sink in an apartment that I don’t own. True, I was responsible for the hole in the other sink, but I don’t think that a cosmetic product falling out of a medicine cabinet rises to the level of negligent behavior on my part, even if the bottle is made of glass. Frankly, I think I may have screwed myself by paying it (electronic transfer with a note that says “sink”), but do I have any remedies here?

- Can I ask for the money back and ask him to take me to court to get it?

- Can i withhold the amount paid for the sink from my rent for this month (due later in the month)?

- Can I request to be reimbursed for the value between the sink I had and the sink he installed?

- I had let my renters insurance lapse and renewed my policy to begin 12/8. The bill presented to me says “due 12/8” with some receipts dated 12/7. Is it worth it trying to make an insurance claim?

- If I’m feeling super petty, can I take the sink with me when I move out?

Answer:
 If you take your landlord to small claims with proof that the new sink was more expensive, and that a more comparable model was available that accommodated the old faucet, you might be able to recover the difference in price for the upgraded sink and the cost of the faucet.

But that relies on a number of facts going in your favor.

In any event, don't follow through on any of your petty ideas, as they will just cost you more money in the end. Answer #2: You are responsible for the damage, so you are responsible for the repair.  You would only be responsible for the cost of a similar sink to the one you damaged.

You can ask for the money back but he has no obligation to give it to you. You can sue him for the difference if you can show that he overcharged you.

Don't take the sink with you when you leave. It isn't yours. Answer #3: No, you cannot take the sink. You could, I suppose, find an identical model to the original sink, but that really seems like cutting of your nose to spite your face.

You should make a claim with your renter's insurance as coverage is determined by the date of loss.


Title: [PA]How to write a will for a separated (but not single) individual, disinheriting the husband

Question:
Hey everyone.  I'm helping my mom draft her will. We live in PA.   We cannot afford a trust and estates attorney, but I do have a friend in law school who has given me the Basic Will for Single Individual and the Basic Will for Married Individual drafts from Westlaw.

Here's the scoop:  My mom was married in 2013 but separated from him in 2017.  There is no legal separation in PA, and she does not have a  "separate maintenance decree" .  My mother does not believe in divorce.  The man lives a town away, and lays no claim to her assets at this time.

She bought a house in the late 90's that she is presently trying to sell.  It is my understanding that because this house was bought well before the marriage and only my mom's name is on the lease it is not considered a marital asset.  She also owns a car that was bought the year before the marriage.  Actually, thinking about it now, would these assets become marital assets if her husband had helped her make payments during their marriage?

Basically, my mom wants to leave everything to people other than her husband.  They're not a part of each other's lives, though they are legally bound and likely always will be.  Does anyone have any experience with a situation like this?  Is there a clause I could put at the "Identification" section of the will explaining that my mother acknowledges that she is married, but that the man has no legal claim to these assets (if that's true), and that he is intentionally left out of my mother's estate?

Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks guys!

Answer: You cannot disinherit your spouse in PA, even if it’s written into the will.     However, there are other things you can do to limit the 1/3 share they would otherwise receive, which is why having an attorney for estate planning would be essential here.


Title: My father hit a pedestrian who had been running across busy lanes without a crosswalk in New York...

Question: He was at the leftmost lane of a three-lane street when this occurred, and due to the cars next to him he could not spot the pedestrian until she suddenly emerged and collided with his car. There were no walk/go traffic lights or a crosswalk; the pedestrian was dodging busy traffic when the accident occurred. She possessed minor bleeding injuries, and my father's car sustained a broken right mirror and dents. Our insurance company determined that he had no fault in the incident, but today we received a letter from a law firm stating its representation of the client for "serious injuries sustained as a result in your negligence." We are quite concerned about this letter, especially because our family has been financially struggling, and my father's health has been declining since the incident. What are the implications of this letter, and what will likely happen after we forward the document to our insurance representative? We would be extremely grateful for any advice. Thank you very much.

Answer: Your insurance company has lawyers who will represent you and handle this.


Title: Are we liable for ER bill of unrelated minor child staying with us? Illinois, USA

Question:
Back story:
We have had a 16 yo minor staying with us since late July at the father's request. The father considers himself a sovereign citizen. The minor was home birthed and does not have a birth certificate or social security nbr. The minor's mother is diseased. We never had legal guardianship of the minor as their father refuses to sign his name on anything.
The minor has a hereditary disease that causes heart problems such as aortic dissection (it is what killed their mother), 2 of their siblings also have this disease and have had heart surgeries to remedy the aorta.

What we need advice about:
Early December the minor was experiencing major chest pains. The minor told us it felt as if they had 'ice shards ripping through their chest for over an hour'. This minor has experienced chest pains most of their life but never pain to this extent so we took the minor to the ER. Hospital got the minor checked in. They asked who we were and we told them the minor was staying with us. When the minor was back in the exam room a lady came in with paperwork, shoved it in front of my husband and said, "You have to sign this." He did. I believe it was for guarantor, I'm not sure, we never got a copy of it. We did tell the lady that we were not the minor's parents and that the minor did not have insurance because the minor did not have a soc sec nbr. We were given a Financial Assistance Application (which we have NOT filled out).

Earlier this month we got a bill from the hospital. I went in to speak with them. I told them the back storyand reiterated that we were NOT the minor's parents. I was told they could not speak to me about this because of HIPAA. The next week the hospital called and told me that we should a) try to get the minor on State Insurance, b) talk to a lawyer about gaining legal custody, or c) fill out financial assistance.

Option A is not an option because the minor does not have a birth certificate and one cannot be obtained except by the father (we've tried even with the assistance of our State Representative). Option B: We're not sure we want to take on the responsibility of a minor (we're both retired semi-retired). Option C: we don't feel responsible for this bill.

Are we liable for this ER bill?

Answer:
 You need to to get a copy of what you signed and see a lawyer. there is an issue of you may broken the law in signing it as a person who has custody and authority to give permission to admit and treat him. the lawyer will also explain your finacial liability for the admit signature.

you should have not signed it and explained you are just delivering him there and have no legal custody. they have protocols for such an event.


Title: i got scammed on amazon and they won’t do anything about it

Question: i’m not really sure if this belongs here if i’m honest but all the computer subs deleted my post so here goes. a little less than a month ago i bought a intel i7 9700k off amazon and it wasn’t through a third party. (this is only relevant because of how long it took) when the item showed delivered i couldn’t find it and i believed that it had been stolen so i went through amazon and they denied my claim because someone (not me) signed for the package. fast forward a few weeks to 2 days ago, i find the package in a foreclosed houses mailbox across the street and i immediately take the cpu and go to complete my computer aaaand it’s the wrong cpu. a dusty core 2 duo that’s around $109. i contact amazon and they tell my they can’t help me because of how long it took me to tell them, even though i didn’t have possession of the package.   it’s a very odd situation and i’m pretty sure i’m sol because i don’t know what else to do. they denied my claim when it was presumed stolen and they denied my claim for the wrong item being in the package. i’m guessing they see it as fraud or something but i’m not sure. anyone got any advice? sorry if it was too long btw i felt like i needed to put the whole story

Answer:
 Aways do a chargeback right away if the company wont refund you for the wrong product, in this case they send it to the wrong address plus it was the wrong product.

So i recommend you to do a charge back, so they can work with amazonAnswer #2: Not really legal advice but I would recommend pushing harder for a refund and speaking to a supervisor to explain the extenuating circumstance. A base level employee probably wont be able to go against policy. Amazon has always been good about that in my experience.


Title: Green card in the USA through marriage

Question:
Hi, my husband and I both live in Spain. I immigrated here from the USA through marriage (we got married there, sorted out paperwork and came here).

  Looking at all of our future options, we would like to have the possibility to get him a green card so he can live in the USA, if necessary. The thing is that even though we got married in the US, we did not get a K1 visa as our plan was not to live in the USA.

  If we were to want to start the process to get him US residency, how on earth can we do that? Since we married in the USA with no K1, I can't seem to find an answer. It isn't urgent by any means, but it would be good info to have in case it becomes necessary.

Answer:
 You can certainly apply for him to get a green card through the local US Embassy in Spain *when you intend to live in the US*.

If he spends too long outside the US with his green card he'll abandon his PRA status anyway.


Title: (OH/VA) Received a subpoena to testify as a witness in Ohio, on behalf of the State, but I live in Virginia and won't have the money on hand to afford to make it there and am actually on the side of the person I'm meant to testify against. Not sure where to start.

Question:
I was subpoenaed to testify as a witness (I'm the alleged victim) on behalf of the State of Ohio (vs my boyfriend), but I live nearly 7 hours away and don't have a car, or a job, and know no one who can help. Even if I did have the means, I really wouldn't feel safe traveling so far alone. This is not a federal court. The subpoena was in my mail box today—it wasn't served by anyone. Everything I've read suggests that it isn't valid because it wasn't "properly served," is this true?

Moreover, what do I do with the fact that the prosecutors are the one calling me to testify for them when I'm not on their side and disagree with this whole thing?

I also wrote a letter of leniency that expressed as much, but it only mailed today, so they haven't received it yet. Will that change things once they get it?

This isn't a domestic abuse case or anything similar.

Answer:
 You got it, didn't you? If you got it you were served. There are more complex means of serving someone that proves that you got it, but the whole point is getting you the document.

You should contact the prosecutor and explain your problem. There are definitely ways that you can testify by phone or by Skype, if the judge is on board with that. You can also contact the defense attorney or public defender your boyfriend has and tell them that you are more than happy to say whatever it is that they need you to say (as long as you tell the truth, lying in court is a very bad idea).


Title: need help. i think an undercover cop sent me underage photos

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Yeah, that wasn't a cop.

Cops don't randomly send underage photos to people online.

The times you need to be worried about it being a cop are when you have been told that the person you're talking to is underage (by them) and then you ask for photos/try to meet to have sex, etc. anyway.


Title: Scammed at strip club, what to do?

Question:
Using a throwaway for privacy issues... I recently went to a strip club in california, and was scammed out of thousands of dollars. I believe I was drugged, and do not remember much of what happened. However when I awoke, my checking account was completely depleted, which had tens of thousands of dollars. I called the bank, however they refused to refund the funds because they claimed I authorized them by phone. However my phone was stolen that night, (most likely by the same people that scammed me). Do I have any recourse? I did file a police report, but they dont seem to be doing much to help me.

Do I have any recourse with a lawyer?  If so, what type should I look for?

Thanks

Answer:
 Tens of thousands of dollars is lawyer time.  But that said...

In terms of the bank, get a copy of your police report and take it to the bank and talk with a bank manager about what happened.  Try to get some more information about how money was taken from your account (post back with the information and you might get better more specific suggestions), and see what they can do about it.

In terms of a criminal case, you should follow up with the police to see what they are doing to investigate this crime.

In terms of a civil case, you can file against "John Doe" and then subpoena the bank to find out where the money went.  Then you can amend your complaint to name the person who owns that bank account.  (Note, you have to do this in a court that allows those things, probably not a small claims court, and it would help to have an attorney.)


Title: Buying New Home. Sellers switched out appliances. (WI)

Question:
I'll try to keep it simple and to keep the relevant not emotional things.

My husband and I put an offer in on a house. The offer included the standard window treatments, fixtures, oven, fridge, etc. But we also added the washer, dryer, chest freezer and dehumidifier to the offer. They had nice things and we were coming with an aggressive offer, we loved the house.  The seller accepted our offer and off to the fun of finance.

Our loan was approved and our closing date was set for Fri Dec 11th. Monday we went to do a final inspection and found the seller removed the washer, dryer, dehumidifier and chest freezer and replaced them with cheaper used versions. We complained thru the realtor and they said they would fix it. Tuesday I get a call asking how much money I want for the appliances. I figured everything the same brand and model and priced it out on home depot it come to $2900 with free shipping/delivery. I return that to my realtor and she calls back stating the seller is going to return the appliances.

So we set up the 2nd final walkthru for thursday 5:00. 5:00 we show up and the appliances still aren't in there. Our realtor calls theirs and we reschedule for 8pm. We go over at 8pm and they locked us out of the house by locking the deadbolt, their realtor shows up and lets us in. 9pm now for our final walkthru the day before we close. Washer and dryer are returned. The dehumidifier and chest freezer are not. The washer and dryer look like they were kicked thru the entry door and down the stairs into the basement. There's also scuffs, scratches and dents on the entry door. We didn't put an offer in on a house with a badly dinged up door, with a washer and dryer that were scuffed and scratched and a completely different dehumidifier and chest freezer. We want our $500 earnest money back and we'd like to get back the $400 inspection and radon test and the upcoming $450 appraisal bill from the mortgage broker.

They tried to defraud us. They robbed us the excitement of our first home purchase. We cancelled the closing for Friday (today) and have to sign a notification to cancel the closing completely and, if I choose to sign, a mutual cancellation agreement but that signs away any additional liabilities, like the inspection and appraisal fees and I'd only get back the earnest money and that's only if they agreed.

If I come up $5 ahead and waste a bunch of time, I'm still in. I'd like any thoughts on where to proceed and if anyone has dealt with anything similar and what kind of expertise and experience would I need for a $1500-2000 case.

Everyone I've talked to were flabbergasted, this type of thing never happens, people that are selling homes usually want to actually sell the home. I have an appointed with a local attorney monday morning for a free consultation. Recommended guy, but I have no experience with him and he's pretty young but he owns his own firm in a real office with a couple employees.

Sorry if this comes out as a wall of text. I'm more of a lurker. Happy Holidays!

Answer:
 You've got a meeting set up with an attorney, that is a good start. Make sure you bring a copy of the contract, along with records of any communication with the sellers, the realtor, and anybody else involved in the transaction. Any pictures you took will probably also be helpful.

Take a deep breath and relax, you're doing everything right so far.Answer #2: Practical advice: Buying/selling a home is almost never painless.  None of the issues you've mentioned sound like huge $ items.  You can back out of the contract, fight them for $1,500, and go back to the beginning, or you can just fix the door/appliances and enjoy the home you were so excited about.


Title: [Urgent]Can my school force me to talk to police?

Question:
Sorry I took too long to post. They are going to call all of us (the ones that got sent this) in the office tomorrow. I heard from another student who heard from teacher that the police will be there. I was planning on not going tomorrow, but I stupidly sent an email to the AP. She said that if I don't cooperate I will be suspended for an indeterminate amount of time. It's because of some messages the ex boyfriend of a girl sent to a lot of people in our school.

Edited it is a public school in Florida.

Answer: Wut? I feel like I just walked in halfway into a story.


Title: I need to find out who a minor lives with, and I need to do it quickly. (LA)

Question: [deleted]

Answer: As a father, I can't stress this enough.  PLEASE call the police.  If the kids are making up stories, they'll get a stern lecture.  If they're not, you may have saved a kid from being raped and murdered.  There is NO downside to calling the police.Answer #2: Don't take chances with something like this.  Report it to the police.  If the child was making things up, no crime was committed (she didn't report it herself; your daughter reported what she believed to be true) and the police are likely to be understanding.Answer #3: Why haven't you called the police yet? That is an instant police call to at least their non-emergency line. Answer #4: Call the school and the police right now.Answer #5: You don't, you call the school and the police. Let them handle this.


Title: Repeated mystery calls about "personal business"

Question:
I keep getting calls from phone numbers that I don't recognize but are similar to each other (different by the last 4 digits only). It's always a human, and they always start off the call by saying that the call is being recorded and then asking me to confirm my identity. I won't confirm my identity because I have no idea who they are or what they want  All they'll say is that the call is about "personal business" and that they need to confirm that they're talking to me before they can continue. They never leave voicemails or anything, so I have no idea what this is about.

What could these calls be about, and how can I get them to stop? This has been happening for about 4 months, and lately they've been calling about 4 times per week and it's getting really annoying.

Answer:
 This is pretty standard for a collection agency. Do you have outstanding bills?

The standard good advice for collection calls is to ask them to stop calling you and to contact you by mail.


Title: If a confession is revoked, is the original confession enough to arrest someone for the crime.

Question:
I am watching making a murderer and am so interested that Dassey is arrested for his confession, but post his original confession denies it and there seems to be little to no evidence that he actually was part of a crime.

I know that the show is biased, so maybe they left out some facts, but if I were to confess to a murder, then subsequently revoke that, could I get arrested for the crime or just for obstruction? Of course assuming the only evidence is my confession, nothing physical.

Answer:
 Yes.
Plenty of people confess, then retract the confession when they realize the confession was legally unwise, or suspect that the confession is the only proof.

That doesn't mean the confession is voided.
It just adds an additional facet to the investigation.


Title: Statutory Rape/ Rape in CA

Question: Hi, I'm looking for some legal advice. When I was 14, I had sex with a 21 year old. Later he threatened to leave me in a neighborhood away from my home if I didn't give him oral sex. I'm not sure if that qualifies as rape. We dated until I was 16. I'm about to turn 23. Is it too late to press charges? I'm afraid he may hurt someone else.

Answer:
 Yes, that is definitely statutory rape.

But you are well past the statute of limitations for this (3 years according to what I read). You would be fighting an uphill battle for any sort of criminal prosecution to take place.


Title: I looked up my cousin’s home value, and my name was listed as a resident. I barely talk to her and live 2,000 miles away. Should I be concerned?

Answer: Did you ever live there?Answer #2: She didn’t do this. Whitepages just is able to tell who is family with who.


Title: TX - Employer is trying to force us to sign new non compete before we get our final paychecks.

Question:
So for the past two months, everyone at our location has known that we will all be mass terminated. The facility I worked at is switching roles with another facility in ark or michigan or something. Don't know the full details, don't care.

No one at the company would have known about this if it were not for an email that was accidentally sent to one of my coworkers. He was part of a project team and one of the ladies on that team accidentally CCed the email to everyone on the team.

He printed out the email and copied it and by the end of the week everyone knew. Both the contracting company I work for, and the company that owns the building we are at denied this vehemently. But a little digging here and there and eventually everyone knew about it. The management still had to pretend like nothing was wrong even though EVERYONE knew.

Me seeing a sinking ship, I quickly sent out my resume's and started looking for a new job. Did not take long for me and a few friends to find one. Once one of us got their foot in the door at a company and she told the employer what was up. Seeing a chance to scoop up several employees that guy asked for our contact details. Of the six of us on the team we were on, 4 are getting hired. About 40 in total who were let go today. But the direct team we were on mostly got hired. The other 2 guys found something elsewhere.

We all start the training process next Tuesday and our final day was today on Friday. We were all hired at the same pay rate, coincidence not planned, and we all are only missing the 4th since its a company holiday. So we all are thinking we are pretty lucky.

Today about an hour before closing time, our manager gathered everyone around and told us what was happening. She had to pretend like we did not know because here bosses were there. (Even though everyone knows it all. They have to keep up appearances.) We were told that all of us, about 40 workers, would be let go and that today was our final day.

The "good news" was that we were going to be prorated another weeks check, so basically a free paycheck, and 50 dollars for every year that you had worked there. For some this was only 50 dollars. For people like me and my friend, this was 250 dollars.  The bad news was that to get this new check we had to sign a pretty vicious non compete.

Some of us have been there long enough that the old non compete we signed was pretty toothless. 90 day time period and only for direct customer's or competition. The new one is pretty bad. It uses broad language that states that if we work for anything related to our field for 1 year after termination, we would be charged 400 hours worth of our normally hourly rate.

Some people signed the new non compete clause but me and the guys who will be starting at the new company Monday refused. We were told that we would not get our checks unless we signed the new agreement. I threatened to go to TWC about it and my boss's boss's boss chimed in and said that if we did that we would forfeit the severance package and only get paid what we worked.

Personally I do not care, I am literally losing nothing here. In fact this new company I am working for is 20 miles closer to home so I am technically getting a pay raise here. (We are making the same amount an hour at the new job.)

My question is is the regional manager correct here? He knows that he has to pay us the 39ish hours we worked that week. (We were let go an hourish early.) But can he withhold the severance like that? For the four of us, this is pretty serious money. For me its almost 1200. I am ok with losing out on the 700ish that we would have got extra because it guarantees my employment at the new company. But then again if I can get the money, I want it.

EDIT: So I just spent the last two hours on the phone with everyone who is a part of the new team at the new company. We all understand that we are losing out on a lot of money, but we agree that it is ok because in reality we are only losing a day's pay. Signing the non compete would potentially cost us our new jobs. Since we are only losing a holiday pay out of it, we all pretty much said it would be stupid to sign the new paper cause the contracting company has actually gone after people for the non compete's before.

Answer:
 You can be made to sign a non-compete in return for additional pay. That's consideration. You still have to be paid everything you would otherwise be entitled for if you don't sign, which it sounds like they are doing. So decide if it's worth it.

> I threatened to go to TWC

Because why? Because you're not getting a bonus?Answer #2: Severance is free money, they can require a non-compete. Not worth it for such a small severance.

Non-legal: this baffles me. What is the purpose? Who asks for a non-compete at layoff time? And who asks for it from a contractor? What is the logic? ("We were never going to hire you so we want to make sure nobody else can hire you.")


Title: [Denver,CO] My mom is being sued by a woman who tripped and hurt herself on the public sidewalk in front of my mom's house.

Question:
So in June of last year during the middle of the day a woman was walking on my mom's block and she tripped on a crack in the sidewalk. She broke her tooth and split her lip open. She has sued my mom requesting that she pay her medical bills. This would go to my mom's insurance but she's barely making ends meet as it is and can't afford her insurance rates to go up.

The woman slipped on a crack on public property. This is not a sidewalk on my mom's property. It is clearly outside the fenced area of her home that delineates her private property from public property.

My mom has tried to fix the crack many times. She has called over 20 cement companies to try and fix it but they all decline to do it because they need to pull a city permit. It's a 6x6 piece of cement so it's not worth the time and cost for them to do it.
Additionally BEFORE the woman tripped and fell my mom painted bright yellow lines to outline this crack. She has neighbors that witnessed she did this months before this woman fell.

My mom thinks that to the lawyer is being used a scare tactic and that this woman who fell has no legal basis but she is too afraid not to act. How should she handle this situation?
Topic:
Personal Injury

Answer: If your mom is actually being sued, and not just receiving threats of being sued, she should get a lawyer.


Title: High Level of Uranium in Town's Water

Question:
My family was notified today that the Uranium in the water is over the 30.0 micrograms per liter that is permitted by law.  They are saying the specific homes affected by it would be responsible for the costs to install a filter which would be upwards of $1 million.

This doesn't sit well(no pun intended) with me and I would like to know if there are any similar cases and what if any recourse is involved.

Any help would be appreciated.

I would like to mention property taxes in our quaint New York town are very high as is and they are trying to cushion the issue of costs involved by saying the cost over a long term period would allow for the residents to afford the filter if we choose to get one.  My thought is that the $1 million for the filter will be going to a politicians friend.  We also were given information several years ago that the Uranium was high in the water but they followed up then saying it was an incorrect reading.  Several years ago was also closer to the beginning of the recession which may have discouraged the town politicians from asking for a $1 million water filter.  I have a gut feeling something isn't right here.

Answer:
 Are they asking for a tax increase to do this, or a water rate increase, or what? They're not just going to send each house with a filter a $1 million bill.

If you tell me the Town I will look for some news stories for more information. What you're saying doesn't make sense.


Title: Possible Construction Scam?

Question: A week ago my college roommate (we're both freshmen in CA) received an email in his yahoo account from some construction company located in New Orleans asking him to deposit a two thousand dollar check into their bank account, saying he could keep three hundred dollars of it. He replied, and said he would do it. It turns out they weren't joking, and two days ago he got the check, and deposited into his bank account. Now they want to meet him so they can transfer the money into their own account. I don't know if I'm being overly cautious or not, and please let me know if I made any errors in this post, as it's my first time posting on this thread, but I was hoping that someone here could shed light on the legality of this situation, as it just seems really suspicious to me, or let me know why a company located in New Orleans would want some random freshman to deposit money for them. Thank you

Answer:
 DO NOT MEET THEM

I **GUARANTEE** that check is fake and will come back in a week or two as such and roommate will be out the money.


Title: Can we legally stop my mentally ill sister (28) from traveling solo internationally? (WI)

Question:
My sister has been diagnosed with schizophrenia by a doctor, but refuses all treatment. She is in the middle of a break with reality and is convinced her soul mate is waiting for her somewhere in South Korea. She has purchased a 1-way ticket, cancelled all her credit cards, closed bank accounts, etc. and is preparing to pack a single backpack and to get on a plane to go to South Korea.

Some answers to the questions you probably have at this point:

1. No - she is not medicated and has never had a prescription for this illness

2. She lives with my parents currently

3. She does have a passport

4. She does not speak korean, only English

5. No, she doesn't know anyone in South Korea. This is a "feeling" she has that she will magically meet her soul mate after getting off the plane.

After speaking with the county health officials, they claim that because she is not a physical danger to herself or others that there is nothing they can do. Short of calling law enforcement and lying to say she is suicidal (which we understand is not a good plan) we seem to be at the end of all solutions. We did already speak with a lawyer at the county regarding involuntary commitment, but that person didn't feel we had a strong enough case and wouldn't bring us in front of a judge to testify.

Is there really nothing more to be done? We have tried convincing her, begging her to stay, pleading with her to reconsider. Nothing. I am honestly scared that if she does get on the plane we will never see her again. She will not tell us when she is leaving (just early September), and won't discuss plans or anything like that. She doesn't even have any money to use once she gets there.

Answer:
 If she doesn't have a return ticket and can't articulate her plans to return to the United States, there's a very good chance border control officials will refuse her entry into South Korea, and she'll be back a lot sooner than you fear. Otherwise, she can only legally remain in the country for 90 days as a tourist or business visitor; if she overstays, South Korean law enforcement may deport her.

Other than that, unless she's involuntarily committed or placed under conservatorship, she can go where she pleases. You've already looked into commitment; conservatorship would similarly be a long shot.Answer #2: Unless she is a danger to herself or someone else, there is nothing you can do.


Title: (NY) termination over health, reason clearly in writing, is this illegal termination?

Question:
Hey all- sorry for possible wall of text, on mobile. Please help-
TLDR- fired while in ICU, employer states in writing termination is due to health "liability"

So my partner (27m) has worked full time as an at-will employee at company for more than 6 months, less than a year. His job requires multiple facets including manual labor, sales, and service. He was in the process of being moved to a more sales/service end and less labor intensive load and also recently certified in his field. Just wanted to clarify that his job in question is not just manual labor.

 On Monday April 22 he was found passed out on the job and also vomiting, and his partner brought him home to go to ER. He was moved to ICU same night with suspected diabetes and other issues. His boss texted him that evening asking what happened as obviously word spread regarding what happened at work earlier. Basically over the course of the next few days (April 22-26) he was in ICU and then diabetic floor as he was eventually diagnosed with type 1.

His boss the next morning states in text that he is now fired bc he is a liability to the company (based on his health) and that he had terminated a previous employee due to same reasoning, health.

Basically the question is, this cannot be legal can it? In NY can an employer fire someone because they have newly diagnosed health issues, that are manageable?

Any help is appreciated, stuck between a rock and hard place at what the next steps are. We will be going to labor department bc he will have to collect unemployment in the interim.

Thanks all!

Answer:
 Very illegal, Type 1 Diabetes does not inhibit his ability to do anything job related and a repeat of this scenario is unlikely with proper treatment.Answer #2: At will employment means that you can be fired at any time for any reason or no reason at all provided that it is not one of the reasons prohibited by law. The ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) prohibits firing someone with a disability that can be reasonably accommodated. Consult an employment attorney in your area.  Most have free consultations it’s worth the time to get a definitive answer.Answer #3: IANAL, but you might try reaching out to the American Diabetes Association. They have been helpful to me in the past (I am also type 1 but I had a different issue).

Hope you get it all figured out!


Title: Accused of Hit and Run - There was NO contact at all - Help

Question:
Hello,

I definitely could use some help with this predicament. I'm going to be specific for the sake of making the event clear.

On November 30th, I was driving down a local street in my city (I live in Georgia) and noticed how this car was severely tailing me. Then this car turned into the left lane (I was in the right), to try to pass me, but there was a car in the left lane in front of the tailing car, preventing the tailing car from passing me. This tailing driver (unsure of gender) was really bothering me, and then of course, he/she begins to turn into the right lane and I can tell he/she is going to hit me unless I honk, so I blare on the horn. I blared on it for like 3 seconds probably because this person was on my last nerve.

As soon as I honked, I turned right because I was heading to a kroger gas station. But right after I turned, I realized that this person managed to have time to get in the right lane and follow me into the parking lot of the kroger gas station. This person was erratic. As soon as I noticed them following me, I kept driving slowly through the kroger parking lot because this person was tailing me and honking repeatedly at me. I was shocked and just tried to remain calm because I didn't know what this person could do.

But I ended up just slowly driving in front of the kroger and then around to the side of building to see how long they were going to follow me / if they were going to stop. Eventually, they just kinda stopped in the middle of the parking lot with their headlights on. I kept driving and made sure I was a safe enough distance away from them and that they couldn't see me. I watched their car for a minute or two, trying to decide what they were doing and if I was safe.

I figured that maybe they were calling the police.They had plenty of time to look at my plates. But what were they going to say about me?? "My feelings are hurt!! This person HONKED at me!!". I was livid with this person at this point just thinking about whatever the hell they were doing. I drove away and went back to the gas station to get gas.

I drove home. Within 20 minutes of being home, I noticed a police officer outside my house (I live close to the kroger gas station). He was searching the premises and looked at my car for a while. He camped outside my house for 30 mins, then left. I figured he just had to check on whatever this crybaby of a driver called in, realized nothing happened, and then left.

So I forgot about it. But a couple days later, my dad got a call saying that my car had been reported to be in a hit and run (it's registered in his name). I explained the story to my dad. Soon after, I had to report to a local police station to explain my story.
I told the officer what happened and he reluctantly said that he's in an awkward position ("I have to do my job", kinda deal) and has to charge me for a Hit and Run in violation of code 40-6-270. He said that the police officer that searched my car that night found "some scratches" very minor, but scratches", on my front headlight. Also said the other car had "some small scratches", I believe.

I am 99% sure that there was NO collision at all when HE/SHE was turning into my lane to hit MY car. I would have felt it. There is a TINY scratch (1/2 inch) on my front left headlight but that literally could have been caused by a rock on the highway. Anything. This driver is just out to fucking get me, or they are completely delusional and fabricated a collision in their head.

I have a mandatory arraignment in February. I can plea not gulty, or guilty.

If I plead Guilty, I face $354 in damage. This I know. But I could POSSIBLY face other things that I am not sure of...(~4 points on license, maybe suspended license, maybe jail time, maybe having this on my record for life?) I don't know the consequences for this specific event, which is why I'm here. The municipal court said they can't tell me precisely what the consequences are besides paying the obvous fine, until I show up.

If I plead Not Guilty at arraignment, I have to have a bench trial on another date. The police officer has to be present and I have the option to hire a private attorney or represent myself. Hiring an attorney would be expensive I'm sure. If the issue isn't settled at this bench trial, it can lead to a jury trial at a bigger court.

This is absolutely ridiculous. This whole thing. If someone can help me understand what the best option is, I would love to hear it so that I can move on from this
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer:
 > I am 99% sure that there was NO collision at all when HE/SHE was turning into my lane to hit MY car.

That's great. They are 100% sure they did hit you apparently.

> I would have felt it.

Unless it was that 1% you would not feel.

> There is a TINY scratch (1/2 inch) on my front left headlight but that literally could have been caused by a rock on the highway.

Or the other driver hitting you.

You're learning a scary lesson here. You should have parked at Kroger and called 911 if they approached your car.

Contact a traffic lawyer in your area and a criminal defense attorney. Hopefully the lack of damage on your car and some security camera footage can be found to show that you did not get hit and, thus, did not run.


Title: [Michigan] [Canada] Underage Friend was asked nudes by a somewhat famous person from Canada. What should she do?

Question:
Throwaway

Hello r/legaladvice.  A friend of mine from Michigan who is a minor was asked to send nudes by a semi-famous person from Canada.  She was telling me about this, so I told her I would ask here as I have no idea what to do as this is between the US and Canada.  What can she do?  From my understanding I told her to screenshot and save everything.  Thank you.

Edit 1: some extra info. He's semi famous viner.  She says he asked for nudes after she still told him she's a minor.  I'm gonna hand her this account soon because I don't want to get fully involved.

Disclamer: this info is from her.  I don't know if it's 100 percent true but it is I want to stop this guy from doing this to others.
Topic:
Juvenile and Youth Law

Answer:
 If someone in Canada solicited nudes from a minor, you could make a report to cybertip.ca .

How does your friend know that this person really is the famous person they claim to be, or really is in Canada?


Title: Brother ruined my travel bag. Florida, 15

Question:
So my brother who is 17 took my bag without asking me and ended up ruining the leather. It is about 60 dollars right now, the leather is torn, scratched and the inside filled with hair, dirty napkins and broken deodorant. Also water damage on it. I told him to pay for a new one, he is refusing to pay because it is not his bag. Any way I could force him to pay? The bag was 60 brand new and I demanded him to pay full price for a new one. I am 15 and in Florida. The bag is a good size enough for over night bag and a side pocket with room for tooth brush, a shaving kit and other stuff.

Edit: Not a new bag but the money to pay for a bag.

Answer:
 tell your parents and ask them to make him payAnswer #2: Talk to your parents about it.  Other than that, chalk it up to a life lesson to either not let your brother use your stuff, or ask him for a security deposit when you do lend him things.

Side note: in the actual legal world, you're not entitled to a brand new bag.  You're entitled to the cash value of the bag in the condition it was in before your brother damaged it.


Title: Landlord made a "Mistake" when giving us the cost of rent this year NO LEASE SIGNED (CA)

Question:
Hello Everyone,

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We got an email from our landlord in June stating our rent will be $1700/ month this year. This is $100 less than the previous 2 years. We were in a lease our first year but after that was up we have been month to month for about 2 years now. She contacted us today, 2 months after she told us it was $1700 stating she messed up in her email and we are supposed to pay $1800. She is now asking for us to back pay the amount and now continue with $1800/ month.

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The problem is, we did not sign anything stating it was a reduced cost, but we do have her original emails. Can she ask us to back pay the 2 months due to her mistake?

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Either way we are making her send us paper work stating the amount because it's getting really fishy with her.

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Thanks!

Answer:
 She can't backdate a rent increase, but she can increase the rent from today onward.Answer #2: > Can she ask us to back pay the 2 months due to her mistake?

She can ask but you do not have to pay. In CA, rent increases less than 10% require 30 days notice under the law. So if she gave you notice last week, the 1800 would go into effect for October's rent. If she gave you notice this month (after September 1st) the 1800 would go into effect for November's rent.

The more strategic issue you have is that she can also just give you 60 days (required by CA law since you've been there more than a year) notice to vacate, ending your month to month tenancy. Presuming it's not an RSO property. So, she could tell you that you need to be out by November 4th.

If it were me I'd assert my rights. Ultimately, however, if it were me and I suspected she was going to end my tenancy over this dispute, I might pay the back rent just because $200-$300 is often not worth the hassle and expense of having to find a new place to live.


Title: High school denial of credit

Question: I am currently a senior in high school on my last week of school, I'll admit what I said was not the best way to react to the situation but unfortunately I can't change that and It was in the heat of the moment. Basically a teacher talked to me in a rude tone that was unprovoked and unprofessional and I snapped and called her a "bitch". I know this wasn't the beat way to respond but I can't change that now. I've never had behavior problems and you can clearly see that on my record. They are talking about trying to deny my credit which I really need to graduate because I've been behind on credits. My question is if there is anything I can do to fight this? It's the last week, people have done way worse at this school and never were denied credit, I'm usually a good kid and I have a clear record.

Answer: You can apologize...


Title: Selling my car to a private party who wants to pay in installments. How should I proceed?

Question:
I'm trying to sell my car to someone locally, and they want to pay in installments. I'm not necessarily against it, but I want to make sure that I actually get paid the full amount in a timely manner, and that they don't run off with my car after only making the first payment. What can I do to protect myself and still make a legal sale?

I'm in Idaho (Ada County) and own the car outright, it has a clean title.

Answer: Just say no and sell the car to someone with cash. Or have the buyer get a loan from a bank rather than from you.Answer #2: They're going to run off with your car after making the first payment.Answer #3: Do not do this under any circumstances. No matter what their story, no matter what they say. Recipe for regret.


Title: Asked to alter my time sheet by my employer to avoid overtime. Advice wanted. Illinois

Question:
I work in Illinois for a contractor in the I.T field who is based out of California. I cant mention the company's name out of fears of repercussions(obviously). This past year or so we have gotten very busy due to the company's growth. On an average week i will have on average 8 hours overtime. These guys do not pay overtime, so we are told to mark down what we worked, but take some time off. Well, i cant always take off, say, the next day or even days in the same week because the work has to get finished(we are horribly understaffed).
Lately there have been weeks where i work Monday-Friday, with overtime (and no chance of taking off), then have to come in to work on the weekend... I'm told to not put any hours down for the weekend but instead take the following Monday off while writing in i actually worked 8 hours that day.
I've got a funny feeling I'm being screwed here.
Is this legal? If not, what can i do?
I cant loose my job.. I live in a rather rural area and honestly, this is the best it gets unless i want to tack on an extra 40 miles to my daily commute.

Answer:
 And people say unions serve no purpose.

This is called wage theft and it is a crime.

Now, whether there is any practical way for you to deal with it, I don't know.Answer #2: You should start tracking your own time and compiling work dates and times. That way if and when you file a wage complaint, you have a basis for what you should be paid.Answer #3: Save the emails ordering you to alter your time.Answer #4: >Is this legal?

No. You could make a DOL complaint and have good odds of being ordered backpay. But this is the problem:

>I cant loose my job.. I live in a rather rural area and honestly, this is the best it gets unless i want to tack on an extra 40 miles to my daily commute.

It's technically illegal for your employer to retaliate for a DOL complaint, but we live in the real world where there are lots of ways to lay someone off for suddenly costing the company more money. I know how hard it is to find a white-collar job in some rural areas, and how hard an extra 40 mile commute can hit a budget.

/u/Malachi23 and /u/Bagellord are giving you great advice if you want to go legal. Good luck!


Title: Can my mom take money from my bank account?

Question: I’m 18 but have a checking account through her company. I didn’t attend a meeting she scheduled because she did not consult me before scheduling. Now I didn’t go and she wants to take money from my account. She is listed as the primary cardholder and the family therapist agreed she can come alone. Is this legal?

Answer: If you're both on the account, either one of you has access to the money. Where you're 18 you should open up a new account of your own, probably though a different bank, as only you would have access to that money.


Title: Landlord Is A Bully

Question:
I rented a house in March and signed a 1 yr lease. By June they sold the house. New owners refuse to honor our existing lease, and completely ignored the signed estoppel agreement.

They are bullying us into signing a new contract, or they'll evict us. They refuse to acknowledge existing contract because they feel like we are "getting too good" of a deal, and they want more money.

Is this legal, and should my existing contract with the sellers protect me?
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer: Of course not legal, tell them to buzz offAnswer #2: They don’t have to option to not honor the lease. Tell them to pound sand.


Title: May a trillionaire pay off the US debt in exchange for amendments?

Question:
Is the US allowed to sign a contract with a trillionaire, where he gets the debt to zero in exchange for some pro free market amendments, and a 0% tax rate amendment?

He'd be making the minimalist government of Adam Smith. In this situation he has US citizenship, but lives in Liechtenstein for the tax rate. He negotiated with the monarch to not be taxed in exchange for a trillion dollar payment when his penny stock jumps.

Answer:
 1. There is only one person close to being a trillionaire and that is Jeff Bezos.

2. The US debt is 28 trillion and counting, 1 almost trillionaire wouldn't make even close to a dent in the debt.

3. We don't want Jeff Bezos running the US.


Title: Statutory rape laws in New York?

Question: Is it legal for an 18 year old to have sex with a 14 year old? From what I have read online I have seen some sources saying that it is not statutory rape if the person is within 4 years of the 18 year old. Therefore 14 years old should be fine right? Long story short there is a girl thats interested in me but im not about to go to jail for her. It would obviously be consentual but im not gonna mess with it unless I know its legal.

Answer:
 We usually recommend against having sex with a child regardless of what the law allows.

Find a sex partner your own age, dude.Answer #2: The age of consent in NY is 17 but there are several exceptions. Of relevance to you is:
A person age 18 or older cannot have sex with a person under 13 years old under any circumstance. However, if the child is at least 13 and younger than 15, and if the adult is less than four years older than the child at the time of the sexual conduct, then that would release the adult defendant of criminal responsibility. [SOURCE](https://www.avvo.com/legal-guides/ugc/New-York-Age-Consent)

But please don't go there! - from a mother of a girl who will be 14 in two weeks (and whose husband would be happy to earn assault charges to keep you away)


Title: How do you find a lawyer willing to take your case on pro-bono?

Question: Would my state's bar association hook me up?  I'm facing pretty serious charges and I don't want a public defender whose juggling 50 other cases aside from mine.  But if I did go with a public defender: would waiving my right to a speedy trial encourage him to devote more time to my own case?

Answer:
 People need to earn money to live. Lawyers like buying food too. While pro Bono exists it’s not for any case and it’d be rare for something if you have legal representation available to you through a pd. It’s much more likely for something where a vulnerable group has no access to legal representation.Answer #2: >and I don't want a public defender

Do you not get that PDs are often some of the most experienced criminal attorneys practicing?


Title: New York - evicting a live in caregiver with signed documentation

Question:
I am a service coordinator for people with developmental disabilities. I have a married couple who hired a live in caregiver and have fired him (he had drugs in the house - by the time the cops arrived, he cleared everything out and there was no proof).  It's a concerning situation, but because he hasn't threatened them physically and there was no proof of illegal activity, the police are unable to intervene.  We have fired him, effective immediately, however because he lives in the house, it gets a little tricky with him moving out, which he is refusing to do.  He has until 10am on Sunday to leave the house, but we are concerned that he will not.  We have the following documentation:

1. Contract signed by both the couple and the caregiver, which states that he can be terminated at any time during his initial 90 day probation period, with 72 hours to remove all belongings from the house and hand over the keys.
2. A lease for the apartment, which the caregiver is not on.
3. A termination notice from myself on behalf of the agency, stating  the date of termination and outline the details of the termination.
4. A written statement written from me, detailing everything over this 48 hour debacle, including names and exact times of phone conversations, which, if they need, I can go to the office and pull the phone logs.  I also emailed the statement to myself so that it is dated and timestamped.
5. A letter from our HR director detailing the termination, signed and on our agency letterhead.

If the caregiver refuses to leave on Sunday at 10, as detailed in all of the above documentation, will that be enough for police to intervene?

Answer:
 >will that be enough for police to intervene?

No.  It is a civil matter.  Contact an attorney asap and evict him.

How long has he lived there?


Title: Stbx is threatening me with getting sent to prison because I made a mistake on the taxes and may have stupidly/inadvertendly committed a crime. Florida

Question:
Everytime I talk about leaving he things such as "he will crush every aspect of my life" or he will make sure "I cant be happy" he then will text a bunch of "can we stop fighting" texts later in the day. I feel insane so sorry if this is jumbled.

In February we got our w2s and saw we were going to owe the irs money(first time in my life!) He then flips out says he will file for a Divorce because why is he going to pay to be married to me(he's a peach) . We ended up not filing right away since why should the IRS get our money sooner than necessary.

Fast forward to the height of the pandemic. I work in a grocery store. My brain is fucking fried between people being ....terrible and this man blowing up my phone with his insane accusations everyday of me having an affair because were in a pandemic and my hours are longer as a grocery store employee.  I go home look at taxes again on the online program we use and it now says we are getting a refund. I pick married filing jointly not thinking about it sign the electronic signatures(as he has in years past when he filed our taxes while i was at work) I also decide to set up a bank account in my name only for it to be deposited into as this man has 20k in a bank account that I didn't know about until after I signed a post nuptial and I have 0 in savings. He had also gotten a 50k settlement from a car accident which he put 100% down on a new , 2nd car for himself )  I just wanted this money for me, and i know it was shitty.

Fast forward, he logs into the tax software sees im getting a refund and flips when he sees that the money is going into a bank account he didnt know about. I offer to give him half once the money comes in to be fair. I thought I filed correctly but turns out , his income was missing. So I immediately correct the irs form and send the money back to the irs.

Stbx is telling me know i committed tax fraud as he "has me on recording" through our home monitoring system that i offered to split the money with him attempting to make him an accessory. I offered to split the money with him before i realized I made a mistake filing.  He also tells me i committed identity theft by signing his electronic signature(he has signed mine before when he files our taxes)and theft from trying to steal his tax money.

I dont know what to do as he now lords the recording over my head and tells me he doesnt want our son to see me thrown in prison. He is using it as one of his many threats to force me to stay and work on the relationship instead of "abandoning my family"

Sorry if this is jumbled im really tired. Fire away!
Topic:
Tax Law

Answer:
 Nobody's going to jail over a minor filing error. You can relax.

You should stop communicating with him and start talking to divorce attorneys. Any issues with assets and tax refunds will be dealt with by the divorce settlement.


Title: Utah Department of Health vital records gave our names, address, and the fact that we have a child younger than 7 months to a local university without, as far as we can tell, our consent.

Question:
We just received a letter in the mail from a local university inviting us to participate in a study because we have a child under the age of 7 months. The letter states that they received our information through "a special researcher agreement" with the Utah Department of Health.

We believe the trigger for this was getting the birth certificate for our child. But as far as we can tell, we never signed any paperwork giving consent for them to distribute our address and recent birth information.

Aside from the fact that my wife and I are angry at this breech of privacy, this also seems like a potential danger to our child considering the fact that the hospital gave us a number of documents indicating that we should, in short, keep the fact that we have a newborn on the down-low. because child abductions at this age are a concern.

Is there some reason we have missed why this would be totally legal? and would it be worth our time to pursue this with a lawyer?

Answer: I'm nearly certain that is public information. Sort of like how if you get arrested for DUI every DUI lawyer within 100 miles will know about it.Answer #2: I'm pretty sure that birth and death records are public records open to anyone who requests it.Answer #3: Birth certificates are public records and no one wants to kidnap your baby. It would be a huge waste of time to do anything, but throw the offending letter in the garbage and try to move on with your life.


Title: Son pushed at school and jaw fractured; took our hospital 2 1/2 weeks to diagnose (x-post from r/parenting)(CA)

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 >how would you handle this?

I'd ignore the school and file a police report directly alleging assault of my son.  I'd do this to create a preserved record so that if there are long term damages, I could pursue the boys / school / etc.  I'd ignore the "breakdown in communication".  That's not actionable.  I would proceed forward and find out *exactly* what can be done to improve the health situation of my kid.  If this is just a wait-for-it-to-heal type deal, you may really not have much of an avenue to pursue against the hospital.

The **school** had better have pursued fairly serious disciplinary actions against the kids who assaulted your kid, though.


Title: If you are a passenger in a car that is pulled over, do you have to show ID if the cop asks? (Iowa)

Question: If the driver is pulled over for whatever reason, DUI, speeding, etc, do the passengers have to show ID if asked? Or can they refuse?

Answer:
 > etc, do the passengers have to show ID if asked? Or can they refuse?

If asked, you can refuse.  If ordered, produce and fight it later.

The police can demand identification in certain circumstances.  We can't opine on whether those circumstances would exist in your case.Answer #2: I've learned that being legally right and being smart don't always go hand in hand.

While a cop can ask for ID, you can refuse. You've become argumentative to the cop, (even politely). So what could have been a quick "ok, no problem" LOOKS like a "he's hiding something" or "we got a smart ass over here"

It's not right. You can be legally correct. But your experience can be that much more miserable. Pick your battles.

Answer #3: No. In Iowa, there is no stop and identify law. They'd have to have reasonable suspicion that you were up to something. However, it's often the easiest way to make the traffic stop painless. I know, it sucks. But sometimes exercising your rights can cause headaches.


Title: [Nevada] My wife was rear ended with our infant son (everyone is fine) and the damage is fairly significant. Is it reasonable for her to ask for replacement car seats for both of our boys?

Question:
She's kind of a nut case when it comes to car seat efficiency and she's worried that the accident could have altered the functionality of both seats.

Additionally, it's been raining for a week here but the insurance company scheduled an estimate appointment ten days after the accident. Our trunk is damaged and water has been able to get into the open space. Is it reasonable to ask for replacements of the contents of the trunk? We cannot open the trunk to take the items out and are worried about water damage.

Edit: we have lawyered up, but want to know what we can ask of our lawyer.

Edit edit: thanks for the quick responses, everyone!

Answer:
 It is recommended that child restraint seats be replaced after moderate to severe collisions, so yes.

It is not reasonable to claim property in your trunk as damaged because you and/or your mechanic failed to properly protect it.


Title: [CA] Am I legally allowed to move a neighbor's trash can to park my car?

Question:
Long story short, couple of my neighbors like to leave their trash cans in front of their curb in order to prevent people from parking there.  Am I legally allowed to move their trash can so that I can park my car in front of their curb?

Not a gated community or private street.

Answer:
 Yes.

You can also call the police and let them know people are leaving obstacles in the road. Don't expect high priority or for them to respond with anything greater than being annoyed.

You have a legal right to park there. That doesn't mean they won't retaliate. If you do park there I'd invest in a security camera.Answer #2: If it's a public street, then yes.  You can't get rid of the trash can, but there are no "dibs".

If you do this, I suggest front and rear mounted dashcams that are motion-activated.  Just in case.Answer #3: I'm 99% sure you can, it's not their space I'm presuming. If you wanted to you could check local ordinances, many places state you can only have your trash cans at the curb at certain times, like started 10pm the day before trash day and must be gone by the end of trash day. You might be able to get the in trouble for that too.

If I were you I wouldn't park there after moving it. Then they know it was you. I'd move it and let someone else park their maybe? Keep a camera out if you can, or a motion activated dash cam and prepare for retaliation.


Title: Roommate effectively kicked me out by filing for a personal protection order. What are my options?

Question:
[Metro Detroit]Got a call from the court last night, and got served a PPO by my roommate. Had to vacate the premises immediately. Had enough time to only pack a bag and grab sentimentals. I have .22 cents in my bank account.

I don’t really care about getting kicked out. Especially by her. But I did have to leave a lot of my stuff behind. School books, bed, TV, desk and that’s about it. I will very happily leave but I just need a few hour window.

I’m also still on the lease, I’m sure. I’ll have to relieve myself of that. How will I go about that?

Let me know if you need more info

Answer:
 You can attempt to borrow money and hire a lawyer. You can show up at the hearing and demonstrate why the OOP is unneeded.

But based on your post history in this sub I'm not sure why you don't have a plan yet. You were told this was likely.

Edit: AFAIK you don't have any recourse to be let out of the lease at this time. You can negotiate with the LL.


Title: Bad, potentially dangerous, home situation. What are the options?

Question: [deleted]

Answer: They should reach out to any/all social services they can for assistance. There is a chance there is some undiagnosed mental or psychology issue. Contact the school and ask for help.


Title: My sisters got my mom to sign a quitclaim document and kicked her out of her home. [New Jersey]

Question:
My parents bought a home in Edison, NJ in 2001 and we all grew up there. It was just in my mom's name because Dad had shitty credit at the time.

My parents are not easy to get along with so all of us kids fall out with them for about six months then we reconnect like assholes.

Anyway, in May of this year two of my sisters moved in with my parents along with their husbands and kids.

My mom had talked about giving the house to her daughters in the past and it seems they got her to follow through in July (I wasn't told about it by anyone and neither was my dad.) They took her to a lawyer friend and got her to sign the deed quitclaim documents under the pretext that they were just getting their names added to the deed.

My parents had another falling out with my sisters about a week ago and were kicked out a couple of days ago. My sisters claimed that it's their house now and our parents can't live there anymore. That's when I heard about it and went to the county records site to see what's filed. Turns out that they're right. My sisters now each own 50 percent of the house and my mom is completely out.

The thing is that the form says that there's no mortgage on the house, but I know for a fact that my parents still owe about $85k.

I spoke to my sisters and brother in law last night and they said the house is theirs now and my parents will be arrested for trespassing if they go back.

Is there any way to get the quitclaim nullified?

I don't think the bank is aware of the quitclaim, so what role would they play?

How can I get my parents their house back?

I don't particularly care about anyone in this situation but I know my parents will show up at my door in the next few days.

Answer: They need a real estate attorney. Their mortgage lender is not going to be happy about them giving away a portion of the interest in their house. Answer #2: Call adult protective services and see an IRL attorney.Answer #3: See an attorney. For one thing, if your parents ever need Medicaid, there will be a look back period  (5 years, I think) and this transfer could get in the way of them getting any medical assistance from the state if they need it. This is elder law and financial abuse territory.


Title: Our landlord may be going to jail.

Question:
We are renting from a guy and just saw that he may be going to jail for embezzlement. If he gets convicted what would happen? Does the house go to the bank and we pay to them or what? Just curious.
Oklahoma
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 According to page 2 on the Monopoly rulebook, you still have to pay him rent. Eventually he'll roll doubles and get out. Answer #2: He can still be your landlord while in prison.

If ownership of the house changes your lease remains in effect and payments will instead go to the new owner.

If you are unsure of where to send a check set up a seperate account and deposit the money each month to that account until the rightful owner is clear. Answer #3: How do you pay rent currently?


Title: Checks that are not endorsed.

Question: Los Angeles, California. I was renewing my passport earlier today, and when writing a check to the Department of State I forgot to sign the check. The check and passport renewal application have already been sent. Am I in any legal trouble here? Or will the DoS contact me or my bank and just ask for a signed check? Thanks.

Answer:
 You're not in any legal trouble. Check processing is mostly automated. There's a very good chance that no one will notice and the check will go through without a problem. If the missing signature is caught your application will either be sent back to you as incomplete or held for you to supply a replacement check.

Back in the day a friend paid his GTE phone bills every month made out to "World's Worst Telephone Company". Every single one cleared without any question over a period of several years.


Title: [Los Angeles, CA] Can i sue for making 50 cents less than male coworker who has been working at this company half the time i have?

Question:
I am a woman in my 40's and was making 11.50/hour when the minimum was 10.50/hour and have been working there almost 2 years. i Am now making $12/hour and minimum wage is 11:50/hour.

Male co-worker makes 50 more cents than i do and has been there half the time i have and we do the exact same thing and my work output is objectively better they keep track of all the numbers.

I talked to my supervisor about it and he said theres nothing he can do.

can i sue or should i just move on

Answer: Can you prove you are receiving less compensation because you are a member of a protected class?


Title: My friend [18] is trying to move out but her parents won’t let her withdraw money out of her bank account, which is shared with her mother. Her parents are also threatening to call the police in order for her to return her car, which she payed for.

Question: She has about 5k in savings, but it’s a joint account she opened with her mom when she was 15 or 16. She tried contacting the bank but they said she would need her mother’s permission to withdraw from the savings account. All of the money has come from the jobs she’s worked in the past 2-3 years. The car was also purchased with her money, but is under her parents name. Is she basically just fucked or is there anyway she would be able to get ahold of the money in the account and keep her car?

Answer:
 > but is under her parents name.

Then it's legally not her property. She does not want to be charged with possession of a stolen car.

I find it hard to believe she cannot access funds in an account in her name. She can sue her parents for the money. Answer #2: >She has about 5k in savings, but it’s a joint account she opened with her mom when she was 15 or 16. She tried contacting the bank but they said she would need her mother’s permission to withdraw from the savings account.

This part makes zero sense.

Is the bank aware that your friend is now an adult? She should be able to withdraw ANY amount from an account her name is on.

And the car belongs to her parents unless the parents are willing to sign the car to your friend. Theoretically legal action could be taken to try taking ownership of the car, but there is no practical way to get that done without spending more on legal fees than the car is worth.


Title: Woman is threatening to file police report against me for fraud...does she have a case? [California]

Question:
I met this woman online.  I told her I was a very rich investment banker and I make well over $200,000/year.  We went out and eventually we had sex.

Somehow she did some detective work and found out I am not even employed after having sex with her multiple times.  She text me on my google voice number threatening to file a report with the police saying that I committed fraud to have sex with her.  She does not know that I gave her a fake name nor does she know that the number she is texting is a google voice number.

1.) Can she file a report?  Is this a criminal issue?

2.) Can she go after me civilly and win?

Answer: How did she find out you weren't employed if she doesn't know your name?Answer #2: I would be concerned how she found out that you're not even employed. Maybe that detective work lands you in trouble.Answer #3: If you gave her a fake name and phone number, and you say she does not know that, how did she find out you are unemployed?


Title: Guy I know is apparently planning on selling drugs by a school.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Call the cops from a pay phone and say you were at X address the other day, tell them you saw someone there handling a large amount of illegal narcotics and talking about selling it to the kids at the school. Give your name or don't give your name, it's up to you. They'll look into it and if these guys go into "business" it won't last long.Answer #2: The less specifics and identifying information you give, the less the police can do with your tip.  The more specific info and identifying information you provide the more likely they are able to act.Answer #3: Many places jack up the punishments for selling at or within a certain distance from a school.

Not sure how truly anonymous crime stoppers is.


Title: My dog bit somebody who reached over my fence.

Question:
This happened in New York State where we currently live with my fiancee's mother and four dogs who have no history of aggression. We were shopping around for new home owners insurance and the agent who came out walked up the driveway and quickly approached the fence where I had just let my dogs outside to go to the bathroom.

The dogs were barking at the man being that he was a stranger. The man stuck his hand over the fence without asking any questions and was bitten by my yellow lab. We asked if he was okay, to which he replied "Yeah, he got me pretty good". I saw a little blood, but it didn't seem serious. The man finished his inspection and left.

Before I could advise her not to, my fiancee's mother called the insurance agency and tried to contact the man. She told them what had happened and they asked questions about the type of dog that had bitten the man.

We are now calling our current home owners insurance to let them know about the situation. My question to you all is what else should we do/expect? We had never dealt with this before.

Answer:
 I'm not a lawyer but if the guy that got bit doesn't do anything about it then you have nothing else you need to do.

Also, your fiance's mother should mind her own business. Just a heads up, she may have forced an issue with the insurance guy's employer. The insurance guy might have just brushed this off but now he may be forced to report this and get their hand checked out now.Answer #2: Your homeowner's insurance will open a claim, determine liability (if any) and settle any potential claims.
You'll want to cooperate with your insurance for its investigation.
It sounds like the agent was expected at the property, so it's unlikely he will be considered a trespasser.  Regardless, that's something your homeowners insurance can determine.


Title: Love

Question: At my school there is a couple, who do the usual stuff of hugging holding hands, they are mid-teens but the school doesn't like them doing this- are they allowed to stop people from doing that (so long as it isn't in a sexual manner) (I'm in Devon, England)

Answer:
 Yes, the school can enforce rules like that. Of course they can. School rules aren't laws; they are rules.

They can't stop you from caring about another, or what you do outside of school - your parents make the calls there. But if the rules say no physical contact with the other gender, then it's a big "don't do that here."

School is for learning, and they have a lot of leeway in what they can do to keep that focus. It's also where school aged children meet most people, so high school romance is very common. But school isn't the place for romance, nor is your wedding reception the time you decide to conquor linear algebra.


Title: [NM] My siblings and I were bequeathed a house. They want to cash out. I would like to keep it as a rental. I am also the estate's executor.

Question:
How can I accomplish this while keeping everything above board? I imagine that somehow I could purchase the property from the estate? I also recognize the inherent conflict of interest in that scenario, which is why I've come here. I have read a little about an overbid process that may be required for selling a house in probate although I am not sure yet if that's required in New Mexico.
Topic:
Wills Trusts and Estates

Answer: INAL. This is a very common scenario which has happened in my immediate family twice. You will need a probate attorney, who will likely advise you to get the house appraised and buy out your siblings of their share of that value.


Title: [Alabama] Homeless and racist flyer is posted where I work.

Question:
I am currently a homeless college student for about 2 years now and have been hopping around from different campus buildings since. One of the places that I sleep in during the night is my work place. My vagrancy is mostly a worst kept secret at where I work, all of my coworkers and supervisors choose to be blind to the fact some nights I sleep there. Today when I go into work my supervisor pulls me aside and asks me if I made a flyer that said "Get rid of the chink, he does not belong here". Now I am Asian and I take jokes lightly and when I told my boss it was not me, he laughs and says maybe the person who made it was just being playful.

For those who don't know what chink it is similar to saying n***** for Asians. And I am the only Asian heritage employee in the building across all departments.

So I ask my boss to see the flyer and told him I might document and take a picture of the flyer. I am told in maybe the most sarcastic way by my boss that that would not be necessary as it would backfire on me because of the risks they are taking turning a blind eye on me sleeping there. I am then told that I need to fall in place and stop acting as if I am supposed to be privileged

What am I suppose to do when I'm am being discriminated against and I cannot report the incident as it would "hurt me" because I am homeless.

Answer:
 You're are just going to have to accept that if you make a big deal out of the poster, you likely won't be able to sleep there anymore.
Answer #2: You can still document it (keep your own records). It is up to your superiors to handle the matter, and you may not be privvy to what they do about it.  If more flyers show up and your complaints are not addressed, then you might have a case for hostile work environment.

*Someone* doesn't like you, or doesn't like you spending the night at work. Expect that, if you "rock the boat", your superiors may not allow you to sleep at work anymore.Answer #3: At this point it seems you were insulted not discriminated against.  It's your manager's role to address this issue with the staff and emphasize that it's not tolerated.  A single offensive poster that did not result in a direct negative impact to you is hardly going to be considered harassment.  Discrimination assumes that something happened to you as a result, i.e. got fired, didn't get a promotion, etc.


Title: Is it considered obstruction of correspondence if my old landlord is refusing to give me my mail (knowing that there is a specific piece of mail I need and knowing how to contact me) and is marking it as "not at this address?"

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Assuming you've moved: do you have an agreement with your landlord to forward your mail? If not, marking it and returning it to the postal system is a perfectly normal response to mail addressed to someone who doesn't live at the receiving address.

Couple of things you can do, here:

1. Contact the sender and have them re-send the document to your new address.

2. Pay USPS to [forward your mail](https://www.usps.com/manage/forward.htm) from your old address for you.


Title: Abused puppy and an employee--how much of an issue is this?

Question:
Two months ago, an employee (part time cleaning staff) showed up on his day off and said he needed help.  Out in his truck was huddled a puppy in rough shape.  My employee told me that he was at the local park and witnessed a man pull the puppy from a vehicle, kick it several times and drive off.

My employee has been having some huge financial issues due to his wife's cancer treatment, and wanted to provide medical help for the puppy, but couldn't afford it.  I agreed to go with him to the vet and help with any costs.  I'm an animal lover, and couldn't stand to see a dog in that shape.

The vet ended up keeping the puppy for several days.  There was no collar and no microchip.  It was actually about a year old, but seemed smaller and younger due to malnutrition.  It was dehydrated, had to be shorn due to the matted fur, was covered in its own poo, had a slight skin infection, and was riddled with fleas and ticks.  Worst though, one hind leg had a green stem fracture, consistent with being kicked.  The vet actually only charged me a fraction of the "actual" cost, as she felt bad for the poor thing as well.

My employee agreed to take care of the puppy afterwards named it, and it seemed to cheer up him and his wife.  The second the cast came off, he had the dog with him constantly, walking it and taking it around town.  The puppy has flourished and really is quite sweet and friendly.  I've bought few bags of dog food for them, and all seemed well.

Then I got a call from the vet.  She told me that she had pushed for an animal abuse charge to be taken out, but my employee initially resisted helping her.  Of course she reported it, but my employee refused to speak to the animal control or give any more information that could lead to the abuser.  When he brought the puppy back in for shots, she encouraged my employee to reconsider as there may be other animals at risk.  When he told his story though, there were several inconsistencies and they started to investigate further.

I spoke to my employee who then admitted the truth.  He was at a pizza place when he saw a man with the dog.  He did witness the dog being kicked and could see its condition.  The man then tied the puppy to a post to get pizza.  At this point, my employee ran outside and took the dog.  He put it in his truck and drove away, throwing out the collar as he went.

There ended up being a witness at the pizza place to this who was able to identify the abuser and verified the story.  When they investigated him, they removed several other dogs from his home, and there's theories there may be ties to dog fighting.

Because my name was on the veterinary stuff, I've been interviewed by the police.  I run a business and really can't afford to have my name in any way involved in a legal issue.

The abuser has contacted my employee.  He threatened him and said he would sue for the return of his dog.  I've told my employee there's zero chance this will work due to the condition of the puppy when the vet treated him, and that other animals were seized from the home.

But my employee is also afraid that the puppy will be taken from him, as he technically stole the dog and he is on paper not really an ideal dog owner (no yard, spouse is not ambulatory, low income, etc).

My employee has encouraged me to bring in a lawyer (I have someone on retainer for my business, but this is outside her normal business).  He has stressed that this will secure my interests for the case, but that the lawyer also can help him keep his dog and keep from being in trouble for  taking the dog in the first place.  I know the employee cannot afford a lawyer himself, and he is hoping I will step in for himself.

Honestly, I don't know that I really have any liability here that will warrant my paying for the lawyer. I feel like I was tricked into the money I've already spent, and any more involvement will only worsen my potential situation.  I don't want to embroil myself more and have negative public relations because of it.  That said, I do want what is best for both my employee and the dog and would like to see him keep the puppy.

Answer:
 > He has stressed that this will secure my interests for the case

I missed something. What are your interests in this case? An employee stole a dog, you paid for the dog's treatment, bad guy owner wants dog back. I don't see what your interest is?

> I don't know that I really have any liability

Oh good thought I was crazy. Yea, you don't have any.

> I feel like I was tricked into the money I've already spent

Not really, like you said you are an animal lover. No matter what you would have helped and doggie is better now.

>  I don't want to embroil myself more and have negative public relations

I honestly don't see how. People will get mad your employee stole the dog? I mean, yea you hired/employ a thief but whatchagonna do?

> That said, I do want what is best for both my employee and the dog and would like to see him keep the puppy.

Then get him a lawyer if money is no object to you.

Answer #2: It is such a shame that you spent plenty of time and effort to create this wall of text, but failed to include a location.


Title: Europe. My mother signed a deed of gift for half our boat to someone years ago and now we can’t use it and he wants us to buy it back.

Question:
Hello,
So I guess I already know the answers but maybe people can give their opinions and some advices. Here is the story:
- My parents used to own a boat in the 90’s. It’s a custom made 6m boat, with a cabin and an inboard motor. Not fancy but a nice little boat we used every summer during our vacations on the Adriatic coast.
- Long story short, boat got drowned. My parents were able to financially repair the hull but the motor was dead and they couldn’t afford to buy a new motor.
- A family’s friend that lives on that location the entire year offered to install a motor and so we could share the boat, given he provides the motor and we do provide the hull.
- An agreement was signed stating that he provided the motor and we did provide the hull. And that everyone had to take good care of the boat.

Now this happened:
A few summers later, a very dear friend to my mother died. She was very upset. At the same time, our boat “co-owner” came to her with a new agreement. The kind of form you can buy at the newspaper stand, you just have to fill in the blanks and go see the notary to authenticate it. This was a deed of gift agreement. Basically, it said that he would now own 50% of the boat. No more “you provide the hull; I’ll bring the motor”.
With hindsight I think he took advantage of her because she was very distressed about her friend passing away... and I was still too young to see what mistake she was doing.

For a few more years, we had no problems. Our friend used the boat the entire year (we know he did some very long fishing trips with it) and we would use it in the summer. But he started to ask if we could use it only 3 times a week during the holidays because he also wanted to use it during summer and we accepted because we were too kind. Also the motor was in a bad shape. Always had been kind of jerry-rigged and everything was far from perfect but, hey, remember, he provided for a free motor so we were happy. He asked that we spend money for some things for the boat, which we did but found a bit unfair since he had it for himself literally 350 days a year.

And then, one summer he comes and tells us:
“I didn’t have time to take care of the boat. There has been a lot of raining and I didn’t cover it. The motor is dead. Anyway, I really can’t take care of this boat anymore. I can offer you this: buy your 50% share back, at market price.”

So my parents provided a brand new hull, he provided an old, bad motor. He used the boat for work and leisure 350 days a year, we did 15 days. And he wanted thousands of euros because of that stupid mistake my mother did by signing this contract.

After this, we stopped seeing him. The boat stayed at the marina 2 more years and then disappeared.
Last year, we finally decided to take some action. We went to a lawyer and wrote an official letter to the guy. We learnt that the boat was in his garden, unused, but that he wasn’t willing to give us our share back for nothing.

What do you think could be done? What strategies could we adopt to end this stupid issue? I haven’t seen my boat for more than 10 years now but we are all very emotionally attached to it. I was a little kid when parents bought it and it’s named after me :)

Thanks a lot!

Answer:
 Ask for a copy of the contract that was signed, bring it to a contract attourney, and verify it's legality.

If it isn't a legally binding contract then you can repo the boat. If he broke part of the contract (if the contract included the upkeep of the boat) you can sue him for breach of contract.

Both of these require a lawyer.

Tread lightly on this one. I would definitely consult a contract attourney for this, if it's a 6m boat that isn't the kind of money you want to screw around and represent yourself for.

If you contact the guy, run the message by the lawyer first, and make sure you do everything in writing.

I'm not sure how the laws in Europe work but that would be what I would recommend.

I would cross post over in /r/legaladviceuk, they are more familiar with laws over on the other side of the pond than we are here.