Title: Company is garnishing SO’s wages but they have the wrong person. Company refuses to speak to SO and fix it. What can we do?

Question:
My SO got a piece of mail from this company stating that he owes them money dating back to 2011 and they will be taking 25% of his income.

The papers have a man by the same name as my SO, HOWEVER the social, and body description is incorrect. This man they are looking for is a 35-45 year old man who is 5”6 and had a different social.

My SO is only 21 and 6”2 with a different social. He calls the company and explains this. And they say there’s nothing they can do.

The document was sent by my SO’s payroll company. So it is legitimate. We still have all the documentation this company sent us and my SO had proof that this is not him. The company refuses to help or acknowledge this. What can we do?
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 There is a short window. Consult with an attorney who works these types of cases (FDCPA) to object to the garnishment in court. Where is the court located, also in Maryland?

>*If it’s mistaken identity and it wasn’t their debt, or identity theft, there’s a limited time period to challenge it once you’ve been put on notice about the judgment. In the end, it’s important to act quickly. Even if you get the claim of exemption granted, you don’t want to ignore the underlying judgment.*Answer #2: I had something similar happen to an employee a few years ago.

First, speak to your HR/Payroll department. They should have confirmed the ss# prior to starting a garnishment on a paycheck. Ask that they stop it immediately because the social does not match. If they do not stop ask for a copy of the garnishment order, it should have the court information on what court ordered the garnishment. Call the court and explain the situation.

When this happened to one of my employees it was a garnishment for student loans and the employee had never gone to college. I never started it but ended up getting another order a few months later. The employee ended up having to get a lawyer to write a cease and desist letter to the collection agency.Answer #3: Call your payroll company! If it's a large firm, they have dealt with this before. They are your first line of defense here. I have experienced this myself, my payroll company stopped it immediately.


Title: Mom has brain cancer and gave me current power of attorney. She is broke-ish but wants us to have an inheritance. Is there any way I can structure this to work? US-WA

Question:
My mom has stage 4 brain cancer. She recently made me her power of attorney.

Now, my mom is BAD with money. She has $13,000 (balance) in credit card debt and she signed for a student LoC and a student loan for my sister for $17,000 (balance). My mom is 20 years older than me but I'm already doing better than her.

The thing is though, she has an IRA with somewhere in the 6 figures (I don't know exactly how much yet) and I believe that she has other investments/savings. She has no real-estate.

Since we live in the US and cancer treatment is expensive and her life insurance will probably be cancelled should I have her gift my sisters and I as much as she can and then just ride off into the sunset? She has told me that she wants to file "medical bankruptcy" so that we can get money from her but I'm pretty sure that doesn't exist.

Is there any way that we can structure it so that she dies broke but my sisters and I get the money and then just tell her credit card companies to kick rocks? Or what are our other options?

(Before people read this and think I'm callous, I have been dealing with her cancer for months and I'm sick of crying. I want to think logically and strategically.)

Answer:
 If she has Medicaid, or is trying to get Medicaid she won't get very far with massive savings, IRAs. And the state will look for any large transfers of money. They will make her spend that money on medical expenses before she will be able to get Medicaid.

If she already has Medicaid by some magic, they will probably be less than pleased to find out that she has an IRA.

BTW, the combination of Medicaid and Medicare should cover cancer treatments and hospice care.


Title: My brother drove drunk and killed someone and that person's family is suing me even though I wasn't even there (California)

Question: My brother is an idiot who drove drunk and killed someone. The family of the person he killed filed a lawsuit against him, but they are also suing me and I wasn't even there when it happened. They are suing him, my mom and my dad because they gave him alcohol and it was their car, and me as well. I haven't spoken with any of them for months and I didn't even know what my brother did until I got served with the papers. At first I was confused and thought maybe I was just being called as a witness but when I called the courthouse they said I was named in the lawsuit. I was living in another town the day it happened and I wasn't even 18 yet. I feel terrible for them but I don't know why I am being sued. I can't afford to pay them anything and I just started college and have no money for a lawyer either. If I write a letter to the judge will it be enough to stop this? I don't see why I have to pay for his mistake.

Answer:
 Writing a letter to the judge won't help. You *must* answer the suit. Your parents lawyer may be able to help, or you may need your own, but you *must* respond or you will lose (and be forever fucked) automatically.Answer #2: Welcome to the shotgun tactic of lawsuits! Sue everybody, and see what sticks.

You need to talk to your parents and their lawyer to figure out whether you need a lawyer yourself.Answer #3: Something that hasn't been said: A lawyer is a LOT cheaper than losing the lawsuit. Get one. Beg, borrow, get a payment plan, whatever's needed. Get a lawyerAnswer #4: Can OP counter-sue for a frivolous lawsuit?Answer #5: This just boggles my mind. Op is being sued because he is related to someone? Never mind that he/she hasn't seen or spoken to the people involved from some time before and after the incident. What could he/she possibly be liable for? Answer #6: If they are in fact suing you, you need a lawyer Answer #7: Your college might be able to provide you with a lawyer for something like this.


Title: [SC] Landlord claims the dryer broke because I turned the knob the wrong way, wants me to pay for repair.

Question:
The dryer in the apartment I rent stopped working a few weeks ago. Landlord owns the dryer. Dryer is 1 year old and is a GE/Hotpoint. The knob would spin but the timer wouldn't engage. Landlord sent a repairman whom I paid $70 out of my own pocket to fix the issue, expecting to deduct this from rent at the end of the month like I've done in the past. Repairman didn't tell me the exact cause. Today my landlord emailed me saying the repairman told her the timer stopped functioning because of excessive wear due to the knob being turned both clockwise and counterclockwise, instead of just clockwise. He claimed "it's designed to only be turned clockwise." Her email stated since this was the issue, she will not be responsible for the repair.

My thought here is that if the dryer is "not designed" to be turned counterclockwise, why would it allow you to do so? There were also no instructions from the manufacturer to only turn it clockwise. I've since researched it and on forums people say it is indeed generally better to only turn the knob clockwise, but of course I did not know this beforehand. And wouldn't that be considered normal expected wear?

Legally am I definitely [not] on the hook for this repair bill? Thanks.

EDIT:  Forgot to add dryer age. It was bought new 1 year ago. [Link to dryer](http://products.geappliances.com/appliance/gea-specs/HTDX100EMWW).

EDIT 2:  Owner's manual "makes zero mention of rotating the knob clockwise or counterclockwise." (thanks /u/theoriginalharbinger !)
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 A lot of the older (and generally beige) Kenmore and Whirlpool driers (and many others) from the era of top-loaders had a ratchet-and-pawl system built into the setting knob; you'd rotate to the preferred position, then either push or pull the button to start the dryer.

If it was spinning freely, it's been damaged, not wear-and-tear. *However,* I'm guessing it's a fairly old machine, and thus was nearing its end of life anyway.

Your ultimate options are either for him to issue you a pay-or-vacate and then try to evict you over it, should you fail to pay within the month, or for you to sue to get it back as part of your lease exit and deposit return. Most judges are not up to speed on the arcane art of appliance repair, and most will be even less inclined to have a hearing over $70.

In short: It's a legal gray area. A reasonable argument could be made for damage, a reasonable argument could be made for wear-and-tear based on age of the machine.

In practice, just offer to go splits with the landlord on it.


Title: Car hit me in crosswalk, how do I get their insurance to pay for my ER visit? [Cincinnati, OH]

Question:
A few days ago I was riding my bike on the sidewalk (which I later found out was actually illegal. I am new to the state so I did not know). As I entered a crosswalk when I had the white crossing light, a car taking a right turn during a red did not stop and ran into me, knocking me onto the ground and injuring me. I took an ambulance ride to the ER where they stitched a laceration and took xrays (nothing was broken), and I was discharged later that evening.

I talked to a lawyer, and the lawyer said that most likely their insurance will pay out, and that I probably don't want his services since he will charge me more than he thinks he can win me extra.

I go to pick up my stuff from the PD today, and along with my bike and accessories, they also give me a traffic citation for $330 for "failing to yield" because I rode my bike through a crosswalk, which is illegal. Normally, I wouldn't mind just paying the money and considering that my warning for not knowing the law, but I fear that this ticket might jeopardize my payout from the insurance company, since an ER visit can be in the thousands, and I'm sure the driver's insurance will try hard to make it out to be my fault. I have no proof that he ran a red light as I didn't have a camera, and cannot say what the witnesses know because the ambulance took me to the hospital before I could talk to anyone.

Answer: Get a copy of the police report and see what it says. If they are at fault, your citation shouldn't matter. The driver's insurance info should be part of the police report, so you can provide that to the hospital and they should be able to open the claim on your behalf.


Title: Discover Financial says I owe them money, I disagree.. Do I have a case?

Question:
I got my Discover card right after I joined college, being my first credit card they gave me a limit of $750. I rarely used it. I went to check my credit a few months ago, and saw that my Discover account was fraudulently used. I called them and asked for them to open an investigation into what's happened but it's now exceeded the 60 days for their findings and I still haven't heard back.  I recorded all of the calls with the reps I spoke to and they state a "balance transfer" was made to the account for $20k-ish but refuse to tell me how it originated. I don't even know what that is, or have anything that would be comparative. When reviewing my account balances, the $20k disappears by the next statement. Next I notice that Discover, without my authorization applied payments and repayments over 100+ times. I called my bank, which was connected to the account and there is not any data that shows Discover even attempted to push the charges against my checking account. I sent a notarized letter from my bank to Discover showing them, those payments never even touched my account. I opened an investigation with the 3 credit reporters- TransUnion removed it from my report; however Experian and Equifax haven't. Which leaves me with a very nice TU score and a terrible Equifax and FICO score as my utilization appears as 469%.

&#x200B;

Attached are some records of the activity. I'm not quite sure how else to proceed. Kindly appreciated.

&#x200B;

[Scribd PDF Transactions List](https://www.scribd.com/document/391158780/Discover-Transactions-1)

&#x200B;

[Scribd PDF Account Balances](https://www.scribd.com/document/391158779/Discover-Account-Monthly-Balance-1)

&#x200B;

[Scribd PDF Notice to Discover](https://www.scribd.com/document/391159091/Notice)

&#x200B;
Topic:
Credit Debt Bankruptcy

Answer:
 I am not sure what your exact question is, even the title. You ask if you have a case, but for what, exactly? Suing someone is how to recover money you lose because of either a breach of contract or duty of care. You are out hypothetical $20,000 but until they successfully sue you and seize your bank account balance, you are not actually out anything. Your FICO score may be borked, but this is not quantifiable to sue for.

I suspect your issue is not yet a legal problem and more a customer service problem. I know it is frustrating, but continuing to lean on them is the most likely way to resolve this.


Title: Birth certificate.

Question: Teen mom here, typical baby's dad is a want to be "gangster". You know the type. Anyway, I didn't include him on the birth certificate because of his lifestyle and I'm afraid him- or someone in his family- would try to gain custody. I can't handle the thought of my baby being around that. I'm finishing high school and going to college for RN, so I'm building us a life.. but the baby's dad wants to go on the birth certificate. What can I do? Oh, he is also looking at hefty jail time. 6+ years.

Answer: You can do nothing. You made the choice to have a baby with him. He is the father and has all the rights associated with that. All he has to do is file for paternity and custody.


Title: I fell out of a broken seat in public transit. What do I do next?

Question:
Today I was on the Metra, which is the train from the suburbs to downtown Chicago. At the end of the ride I turned slightly to view the skyline and the whole seat tore out from under me and I landed with it on the floor.
I found a conductor once we arrived and filed an incident report but refused medical care.
An employee mentioned to me they fall out all the time due to their old age.
Are there any steps I should follow?

Answer: Do you have an injury?


Title: Given a zero on an exam because I had to miss school to swear in to the Marine Corps (CA)

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Not a legal problem. You were informed via the syllabus that missing a test requires prior notice, which you failed to give, and as a result were given a zero.

Sucks, but it's a learning lesson: not all professors have the same rules.

You can ask the professor to let you make it up given the circumstances, but she is not legally required to.Answer #2: Not a legal issue.  You can go talk to your professor, explain your misunderstanding and see if she'll make an exception.Answer #3: Did you tell your teacher that you had somewhere else you had to be? Have you talked to the teacher at all?

There is no legal recourse here.


Title: [Texas] Someone on here forged two messages of mine and posted them and now I'm being held responsible for it

Question:
Long story short someone made a post about a mod election some pro pedophilia sub and said how I agreed to be the election fraud commissioner or some shit.

I told the user no I didn't and he messaged me asking if I did. I once again tell him "No"

He then takes my message and takes a screenshot of it or something, edits over the text where I said "No" and practically put a "Yes" and then they posted it on their pro pedophilia subreddit saying how I agreed and how they have message proof.

Another user is following me saying how I'm held responsible for the election now and I need to do my part.

What do I do? I reported them to the admins a lot and they just ignore my reports now...

I don't know where else to post this either.

I'm sorry if it's the wrong sub.

Answer: You care way, way too much about internet strangers, I suspect. Answer #2: Ignore it? Move on? Get a different username?


Title: Property management company said they would give my gf and her roommate two months free rent after almost killing them. Now the lease is up and the company wants them to pay for those two months and denies ever giving them that offer.

Question:
submitted an hour ago by os-406
My Girlfriend moved into a new place with her friend in January. One night the heater quit working somthey called the energy company over to take a look at it. When the guy came to check it out he used his carbon monoxide detector as standard protocol and it was off the charts. He turned everything off and had them exit the house immediately, until it was safe to go back in. The property management companies carbon monoxide detector was not only in the wrong part of the house but it didn't work at all. They offered to pay for January and Febuary to make up for it, and now are gong back on it saying they need to pay for January and Febuary and never offered that to them. There's no physical evidence that the company made this agreement, is there any case here?

Answer: Unlikely. You should have gotten it in writing.


Title: Child support advice

Question: So I just had a baby in April. Not married and not together with the father of my child. I didn’t tell him until a couple weeks ago it was his child. I want to file child support but he wants nothing to do with the baby and his family is trying to find anyway to fight against it. Can he legally terminate all rights if confirmed he’s the father and still leave me with no child support at all? Also any other tips or advice on child support will be helpful!

Answer:
 No.  even if he chooses not to try to gain custody or visitation, he cannot terminate his duties as a parent.

I do recommend at least consulting with a lawyer, since it sounds like he's going to be a problem.


Title: I lied about being pregnant as revenge. Can I get in legal trouble for this? [Georgia, USA]

Question:
I know this was extremely immature but once the lie got rolling, I couldn't stop and I feel terrible about it. My ex at the time, wanted to try to have a baby with me. We were trying for months, and thankfully, I didn't get pregnant because I then learned he had been having sex with several women and passed on a couple of STDs to me.

I was just SO angry about it that I lied about getting pregnant and how he should feel awful that he potentially exposed our "baby" to harm. I just wanted him to feel bad and regret his decision but then the lie continued for weeks and when I finally told him I wasn't pregnant, he got all emotional about fatherhood. Which I feel terrible for but now he's spiraling out of control saying he wants to die. I've called the police on him several times and I realize I totally fucked up. His mother found out and now his parents are telling him to press charges on me. For lying I guess, Im not really sure. What sort of trouble can I get into for doing this really terrible immature thing I did?

Answer:
 It's doubtful that you could be criminally charged. You could be sued by your ex. There's a non-zero chance that he would prevail, depending on what damages he may have incurred as a result of your lie.Answer #2: Op you should cut off contact with him and his parents.

Block them, respond to nothing, if attempts are made to circumvent the block or otherwise contact you- make a record of it (a notebook can be useful for this) respond to nothing except to say "stop contacting me"


Title: Construction crew started a fire that caused significant damage to a house that I rent. What are my options?

Question:
So a construction crew was working this morning on a new house about 15 feet in front of mine. I currently rent my house from my landlord, along with 3 other roommates.

It seems that, while working, the construction crew hit a power line, and the basement of my house caught on fire. After firefighters came and put out the fire, the exterior of the house is fine, but the inside is very damaged. Obviously a lot of my personal possessions lost.

I do not have renter's insurance. What are my options? Should I immediately sue the building company that hired the construction crew?

Edit: New York State

Answer:
 >I do not have renter's insurance.

Come on.  You do realize renters insurance is only like a couple bucks a month right?

>Should I immediately sue the building company that hired the construction crew?

Why the building company and not the actual company of the crew that was there?  Anyway, you'll have to prove that they were negligent.  You can try in small claims, but if the value of all that you lost is above the small claims limit you'd be better suited in speaking with an attorney first. Answer #2: Assuming that you're right about how the fire started, you should get the insurance information of the construction company, specifically their General Liability carrier.  Hopefully they have already reported the claim to that carrier, and the adjuster will be expecting your call.  See what they have to say and what they will offer.  If you're not happy or think that you're being taken advantage of, that's when you go see a lawyer.

Most likely your landlord is also going to be pursuing a claim as well, but that will be separate from yours and your roommates' claims.  That matters because there is a distinct chance that if the contractor has a deductible that it will apply per claimant, which could cause you some headaches.

Start there and see how things go.  If you decide you need a lawyer, go see one.


Title: HELP! I have court sentencing, in less than 11 hrs! But we just recived over 12" on snow and the court is over 3 hrs away. (MI)

Question: So like the title says I have court sentencing tomorrow at 9am (for a possesion charge) the lower half of MI(where i live) just recived over 12" of snow and it's still falling. Court opens at 8:30am and im suppouse to be there at 9am. Im not trying to get out of court (i have everything i need) i just want to make sure 1.) the court will be open. and 2.) if i can possible rechdule due to snow emergency. The court is the 82th court of roscommon. I just really dont want to have to drive 2 1/2hr up north (in good conidtion) probably 4 1/2( with snow) only to find out its closed. they dont seem to post anywhere if court is open or closed and i cant email or call anyone intime. What should i do?

Answer:
 Try calling the Roscommon County government in order to get ahold of someone and ask if the court will be in session tomorrow. I'd start with the Department of Emergency Management: http://www.roscommoncounty.net/county-departments/emergency-management

If you can't get in touch with anyone there, try calling the Roscommon County Sheriff's Office: http://rosco.homestead.com

Good luck!Answer #2: Well... this is a hail mary, but if there's a local TV station that serves the area, maybe call up their news desk.  They might have information on whether county offices are open or closed tomorrow.Answer #3: So... how did it go?


Title: Citizenship & Missing Documents Help!

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 If you're missing all your immigration papers the only real option is to file a foia request with USCIS to get your records.

The process your parents had to follow depends on what year you were adopted and how your adoption was processed.

Before 2001 you would have came as a lawful permanent resident and your parents needed to apply for your citizenship. After 2001 if they followed the requirements of the Hague convention you would be a citizen from the time you resided in the u.s.


Title: Help fighting for custody of my newborn.

Question: I’m a 24 year old male and my ex is 19. We had our daughter in March and split up last month. We had been working out how to do custody and be civil together. Then her family got involved and she moved out while I was working out of town. I came home to nothing . Thankfully I have some great people in  My life who got me the basics I would need to get by however I’m still without so much.she wouldn’t tell me where she took my daughter and she has refused to let me see her. Her reasoning for all this was because her mother and my mother got into an argument. It had nothing to do with me as a father. I have evidence of her being an unfit parent through screenshots regarding her being mentally unstable and relapsing on drugs as well as drinking with her family under age and a hit and run on a vehicle  she did  and going to stripclubs under age. I go see a lawyer Friday to try and get temporary custody using the screenshots. I tried everything I could to work things out with her and to take care of her and us to remain friends. I haven’t seen my daughter in a week now and it’s killing me. I just want to be a father to my child. I’ve always paid for everything for them and did all I could to support our family before we split. Can someone tell me what it will take for a father to get custody in Alabama? I’m afraid they’ll side with the mother despite everything. I can post the screen shots if need be . Any advice helps thank you so much.

Answer: While frustrating, you have a meeting with your lawyer on Friday.  They're going to give you the advice you need to be successful.  Listen to what they tell you to do, then do it.


Title: My friend was sprinkling diet pills into his girlfriend's food. She went to the hospital

Question: [removed]

Answer:
 The lethality of DNP is extremely well-known.  It is not a "diet pill", it is an illegal supplement that has been ruled by the FDA as "extremely dangerous and not fit for human consumption" since 1938.

I am not a lawyer, so I don't know what the potential legal implications of that are, but I imagine that they are more extensive than if it were a diet pill that was FDA approved and legally available.Answer #2: Nobody knows the change of him getting caught poisonning his girlfriend, honostly she probably should break up with this psycho and if I where you I might reconsider him being your friend due to his lack of brain capacity. (edit: sorry for the insult towards the people who lack brain capacity it wasn't my intention to put you on the same level as that douche.)Answer #3: DNP is the sort of extreme diet pill that is known to cause heart attacks and even when taken by well-informed body builders can lead to extremely bad side effects. I wouldn't be surprised if they end up doing more extensive blood work and finding out. Your friend is an idiot for this. Answer #4: Here is something else you need to consider.  If you don't report him and it is discovered after her death that he was doing this, and it's also discovered that you were aware of this you could be charged as an accessory to the crime.  Since this involves death you could get up to 15 years.  Do the right thing and report this at a minimum to her.


Title: Thinking about moving to Canada to escape student loans

Question:
I'm looking for a fresh start after accruing over $100k in student loans. I haven't been able to land a job in my field for over 4 years now after graduation so my degree is essentially useless. I don't see a point in working for $12-15/hour for the next 25 years to pay off something that is useless.

Is it a viable option to move to Canada and renounce my US citizenship? Can my debt follow me even after I've given up citizenship and moved away? Will my debt prevent Canada from accepting me as a viable candidate for citizenship?

Answer:
 That is not a workable plan, I'm sorry to say. For one thing, you can't just move to Canada and renounce your citizenship and stay. Canada has its own immigration system and will send you home.

Second, even if you got there, your debt is not contingent on your presence in the United States or your citizenship. It would add a hassle to anyone trying to collect, but they could still get a judgment and enforce it in Canada. Answer #2: Adding to the other commenter’s input: Canada wants immigrants (outside of refugees, etc.) with useful job training/experience and good financial standing. They will check on this.Answer #3: There are no biochemistry entry level jobs in the entire US?

If you are willing to move, you should be able to find work.

As far as the loan, they have the ability to have the pay back adjusted based on your income so it should help make things easier.

Just don’t let it default or they will take your tax refund.Answer #4: 1) Your debt can absolutely follow you to Canada.

2) Immigrating to Canada is difficult and takes time, what makes you think you are eligible?


Title: [KS] Questions Concerning (forced) Adult Protect Services for Relative

Question:
Hello all!

I have an elderly relative that is currently on disability, unable to work because of poor health, suffering mental illness, and currently living in a condemnable house (their only possession) with an unknown large amount of dogs. Possibly anywhere between 10-20.

I have many questions about the legal process. I have been in contact with my states Adult Protective Services but they however want me to file a report before I can talk to an agent which I am very reluctant to do because I don't know what is going to happen and they were not very helpful [albeit they looked a little stressed]; a la "Just file a report"

What is going to happen if I file a report?

How are they going to get the help that they need?

They are not financially solvent and I am unable to offer them a place to live or any financial assistance. I also have a job that is not very flexible (no vacation/sick days that I can take) so I need to know in advance what I need to do so I can get shifts covered and well just be prepared. I am totally ignorant and I do not want to file a report if it forces them out of their house and leaves them to fend for themselves. We live in Kansas but they reside in a very rural, broke, and indifferent county.
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer: Not a complete solution, but if you ultimately decide not to contact Adult Protection Services or similar, at least consider contacting animal control. They are almost certainly over the legal limit for dogs, and the dogs are being kept in neglectful conditions.  The dogs will likely be taken to a shelter, given the medical care they almost certainly need, then adopted it to better homes.  At the same time, they'll quit depositing waste in your relative's home, making it marginally more livable. Answer #2: Be prepared for them to be homeless if you do make a report. If they condemn the house and this relative refuses services, do they have anywhere else to go?


Title: What rights do you have if a cop suspects underage drinking?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 > What are my rights as an underage individual to keep from getting a citation (besides staying sober).

Even sober you could get cited for an MIP if you were at a party with kids and booze, under the theory of "constructive possession."


Title: Won't take a doctor's note

Question: [deleted]

Answer: I am not sure what you are asking. You are wanting to take absences but be counted as present? Why would a company do that?


Title: My ex-husband had an accident on the day before our divorce was finalized. Could this at all effect my $1 million umbrella policy?

Question:
Our divorce was finalized months ago. He has a wreck that resulted in the serious but not critical injury of someone. It happened the day before a judge signed off on our divorce papers- we had already submitted them via our lawyers and signed them ourselves. He has minimum insurance but I have a $1 million umbrella insurance policy. We never shared insurance while married and had been separated (living apart and completely separate finances) for 2 years. I got a letter from someone representing the injured party requesting information regarding my auto policy. My husband also mentioned they had been asking him about insurance (he forwarded it on to his insurance company) but he stupidly mentioned when speaking to the injured person's attorney( what?) that he might have still been married at the time and that I had insurance.

Now, I've contacted my insurance and forwarded this to my agent asking if this even applies to me. And I am not thinking I'll hear back today so I am just curious, is this even at all my problem? We were divorced that next day, we've been separated for ages, and he isn't on my policy at all. I know you might not be able to give me an answer and that is fine. I was just curious if anyone happened to know. Thank you!

( My ex is and was uninjured)

My thinking is that I just kick this back to him and his insurance since my policy wouldn't have covered him and I was not involved.
But I know divorce is tricky and do I even need to bother my divorce attorney about this?

This is in Arkansas, Pulaski county.

Answer:
 I would let your insurance company know. Their lawyers will know best if they are or are not liable for your ex's accident. If they are, they will take care of it. If they aren't they will make sure the injured party knows that too. Answer #2: Were you on the title as an owner of the vehicle?
If there was a loan on the car, were you on the loan?
Was the vehicle listed on your auto policy?
Was your ex a Named Insured on your auto or umbrella policy?
Were you providing your ex with any money that helped support him before the divorce was final?

Your ex was not an insured under your policy by definition because he wasn't a resident relative, so if the answer to all the other answers is also no, then I don't see how your policy could provide coverage.  Report this to your auto and umbrella carriers (umbrella will insist you report it to auto insurer) and let them deny the claim.


Title: [Florida] My dad needs to be approved for long term social security disability. He has congestive heart failure, diabetes, and hypertrophic cradiomyopathy. How can we expedite the process as quickly as possible.

Question:
As the the title says, my father is in serious need of social security disability.  His doctors have agreed to do whatever they can to help him. His concerns are that when he applies for his short term disability (and subsequently long term) he will have no income and no way to pay bills since he cannot work while waiting to be approved.  What is he supposed to do?  Even when he does get approved for short term, he will only receive 66% of his former paychecks which isn't going to cut it for his bills.  Is there any way to get supplemental income from the government? Food stamps?  This situation seems like a catch 22.

 I understand that 60-70% of first time applicants are turned down but that means that 30-40% are accepted.  How can we ensure that he is among those 30-40%?  Our plan is to get him on short term and immediately apply for long term the first day of his short term (which is 13 weeks).  During this 13 weeks we wish to have him approved for long term otherwise he must return to work following the end of his short term disability.  Is there any way we can ensure he is approved during this time?  He can barely walk and can only work for a limited time before he is completely drained and has to leave early.  He's been hospitalized 3 times in the past year.  He lives with my 2 brothers and supports my sister who lives with her mom (they are still married but separated).  Any info is appreciated.

Answer:
 > I understand that 60-70% of first time applicants are turned down but that means that 30-40% are accepted.  How can we ensure that he is among those 30-40%?

Hire a lawyer who specializes in SSD cases. That's the best answer to maximize your chances.

However, I am confused. You say your father would have to stop work to wait for approval. Is he working now? SSD is for people who cannot, so if he is working now I don't see why you'd apply.


Title: [US-IN] Landlord wouldn't respond to emails for weeks until laws cited, now wants to keep entire security deposit. I believe he has forfeited by waiting.

Question:
TLDR at the bottom

First, the relevant laws:

http://iga.in.gov/legislative/laws/2016/ic/titles/032/articles/031/chapters/009/

Particularly 32-31-3 Sections 9, 12, and 15.

Okay, so here's the situation.
Landlord lives in Florida, I live in Indiana. Over my 3 year tenancy there's really been barely any communication between us, as he wanted us to be independent and so did I. The only times we've really bothered him are to fix the water softener and replace the washing machine. We've taken care of all other issues.

In fact the first time I met him was on move-out day. He visited once with little notice, and we had had a trip planned so we told him he could help himself, with the caveat that it was pretty messy (think visiting a college dorm without announcing yourself). We were out of state. At that point there were two hollow-core doors with holes in them, which the landlord obviously wanted fixed. I fixed them.

other than that, the only other communication / friction has been that I have been spotty about paying on time, but he never reminds me and I always deposit the money into his bank account anyway. So no harm no foul.

Well, he gave us 30 days notice not on the renewal date, so I asked for the remaining amount to be pro-rated, and this was his response:

>Tenant,

>Thanks for the follow-up.

>MAILING ADDRESS
>Sure - I'll agree to the 3 days to be reimbursed.  Please email me the MAILING ADDRESS to send to.

>TV MOUNT
>I think I recall a discussion about this previously - but go ahead and leave the mount.  Thanks
I had a flatscreen mount up, and I offered to leave it attached ($60) instead of repair the wall. It was nicely installed etc etc

>WEAR & TEAR - INSPECTION
>We will be inspecting the space - we do have photos of the unit - but like any rental agreement, we do have the final say regarding the Damage Deposit.  Again - it's been nearly 18 months since I last saw the unit, so we will be reviewing the condition of the unit after we are provided the keys - make the assessment - and depending on what we see, return the Damage Deposit.  Hard to say until we see the unit in daylight and check everything.  But - please email me a mailing address.

>See you tomorrow at 6pm - thanks!

January 12th comes around, and we're not out / clean by 6pm. We text him to ask if he can come later and he's pissed but says okay. I am glad cuz I actually WANT to leave the place spotless. We do, and are out that night. I email him the address the same night, on **January 12th**

**February 17th** I send a reminder email asking about the check / damage deductions.

**March 6th**
>Hello Landlord,

>Please confirm you have mailed a check to the address I provided to you via email on January 12th, for an amount totaling $1,037.09.

>$500 returned rental security deposit
>$450 returned rent overpayment
>$87.09 returned pro-rated rent for 3 days.

>Thank you,
>Tenant

Now, **March 14th** I email him again:

>Hello Landlord,

>Following up on my email to you on March the 6th, pursuant to IC 32-31-3, Sections 9 and 12, please immediately remit the full amount contractually due of $1,037.09 at the address provided to you in writing on January 12th.

>Absent any further communication from you this week I will be forced to file suit in accordance with IC 32-31-3 Sections 12(b) and 15 to recover this amount in addition to reasonable attorney's fees.

>Thank you,

>Tenant

And finally, his response:

>Ryan,

>Good morning!  Hope you're doing well....thanks for all your research.

lol, sarcasm.

>RENTAL SECURITY DEPOSIT
>The unit was NOT found in satisfactory condition upon inspection.  Your $500 security deposit will not be returned as a result.  I'm not certain how this could be a surprise based on previous inspections, damages found and noted,

[there has only been one "previous inspection" and I fixed the issues he cited, with photographic evidence. New doors purchased, painted, and installed.]

>and the final inspection that we did when we arrived in January.  In addition - completely separate item unrelated to the security deposit - but all items were not moved out in the agreed to time and we were not presented with all the keys at the time of move-out as required.

[Irrelevant, yes?]

>Additionally - I was still onsite 3 days after your move-out-date - I didn't see the keys there while I was still rearranging the storage closet.

[I told him I would look for them, then told him I found them and left them there, but that was after the 3 days he's talking about]

>A check was already written out for $ 537.09 -  I'll check and see if it had been sent out yet.  If not - you should expect to receive it within the next week via USPS mail at the address you had provided.

#**TLDR**
We move out 1-12-17, notify him of new address same day **by email**. nearly 60 days later he replies saying he's keeping the full $500 deposit, when according to the law he forfeits damages if he doesn't provide an itemized list within 45 days.

Do I have any reason to worry? I am meeting with an attorney next Monday -- if there's any chance I'll lose I don't want to be on the hook for fees, (I can swallow $500) but if it's as airtight as it seems I will want one because the landlord will have to pay for it and it will help that much more.

It's my understanding that the precedent for email as "notification in writing" is not set, however I have emails of my landlord saying that all email communication is binding as far as he is concerned and that he prefers everything happen over email. That's really the only hangup.

Answer: This would be a small claims amount, so you don't need a lawyer, but you can ask the lawyer if he will help you write a demand letter for the return of your deposit. Send it via certified mail. If he contacts you to say he won't return it, file in small claims court in Indiana.


Title: Coworker threatened me at work and manager might fire me for it- help needed

Question:
Yesterday at work, a coworker of mine (big coffee chain in California) threatened me at work. She didnt like my tone of voice when she asked me a question (i was busy and she was asking me to do her job for her, so I said to hold on a sec), and reacted by getting in my face (with extremely aggressive body language) and saying “Don’t you dare speak to me like that again or else”. I resppnded “Speak like what?” since I was confused, and she said “You know what you did” before storming off. Being half her size and anxiety disorder, I had a panic attack and my manager (who was off that day) had me switch to another store for the duration of my shift.

My manager today didnt let me explain the situation fully, apparently biased by how annoyed my coworkers were with how I didnt want to sit in the back and “talk it out” with someone who was acting so aggressive toward me. After she had me and the coworker sit down together with her, our stories matched for the most part, except she lied and said she only told me to not disrespect her, in passing, and that her stopping and the rest of that interaction didnt happen. She then spent the rest of the meeting insulting me, calling me a child (im older than her) and a liar, and saying that I’m lazy and dont ever want to work, and that everyone we work with hates me and thinks im an asshole.

The supervisor said she’d talk to everyone and see what they think, then talk to the district manager about what to do. I dont work with her for the next two weeks, so I dont think thatll be an issue. But it seems like my coworker is trying to get me fired. And that may happen because they keep stressing that I need to “work as a team”, even if one of those team members was threatening me and getting aggressive to the point it made me cry.

Is that... legal? To be fired for reporting abuse? Should I contact HR tomorrow? I heard the district manager doesnt relocate people over disputes like this, but I dont feel safe working there. I’m also poverty level and this job is the only way I have insurance for my expensive medical condition (that isnt coverred by most insurances), so I cant quit.

What should I do?

Answer:
 CA is an At-Will state, so it's legal for them to fire you for anything but a very limited list of protected reasons, including no reason at all, which is the most likely 'official' reason they'll give.
Gather all your documentation and prepare to deal with HR, but remember that HR exists to protect the company, not to help you. That could be a side effect, especially if there's evidence of her getting in your face, but you need to make sure there's evidence backing up your side.
EDIT: To be clear, Not A Lawyer.Answer #2: I wouldn't worry too much.  I'd just make sure HR hears your side of the story because you deserve every chance, but I would start looking for another job for the sole reason of this sounding like a terrible place to work.

It is always easier to get a job while you currently have a job.  If you wait, it will only become more difficult.Answer #3: I would contact corporate HR if there is one, your side of the story should be heard.


Title: University trying to collect on wrongfully issued parking permit

Question:
hello /r/legaladvice,

On the morning of May 5th, I came out from work to my car to find a parking citation and a boot on my tire. The citation cited I was in violation of possessing a lost/unauthorized permit.

I disputed the citation with the university and it came to show the university issued me a parking permit under another employee with the same name as mine almost three years ago when I first started working.

Parking is not free and $65 is automatically deducted from our paycheck each month. Unknowingly to me, I have not been paying for parking for the past three years because I was issued another person's permit. I don't bother to check my paycheck or question the automatic deductions that come with it.

Now the university is trying to collect back-payment on the parking I have not been paying for. They think they're providing me a courtesy by only collecting six months worth of back-payment. I should be grateful that I essentially had free parking for almost three years and that they are only going as far back as six months. But the principal here is that their mistake shouldn't be my burden.

Am I being unfair? Should the university eat the cost for their mistake? Or should I swallow it and pay up? Any advice you guys can give would be much appreciated.

Answer:
 >  Or should I swallow it and pay up?

Yes. The university is being more than fair. You agreed to this payment and you owe it. That they're settling 36 months of payments for the cost of 6 is a huge benefit to you.


Title: Nocturnal streaming in a basement apartment: at what point do i give up on pleasing my neighbor?

Question:
Background:
I am a new renter in a 6-unit home in Denver, Colorado, in a basement unit. One of my hobbies and small sources of income is streaming on twitch, which (in case somehow someone on Reddit doesn't know) involves being on my computer (wearing headphones) and playing video games with people across the globe while others watch our gameplay. This results in me talking at all hours of the night.

&#x200B;

Recognizing that noise can carry through thin walls and floors, i have installed soundproofing foam as well as dedicated myself to never using speakers at all. I speak at what I'd consider a regular, conversational volume (50 to 70 dBa is most certainly an overestimate, but accounts for, say, receiving a $1000 donation or getting scared by some chainsaw-wielding monster in a horror game, just in case. A sound meter in the room next to me read a consistent 50-63 dBa).

 However, my landlord has already received complaints (presumably from the unit directly above me) that I am being a "nuisance." The last thing I want to be is a noisy neighbor, but it also seems to me that not being allowed to talk in anything but a whisper in order to appease my neighbors would be an unreasonable accommodation to be asked to make. I'm confused, because my floormates, who all share a common kitchen and bathroom with me in our 3-bedroom unit claim that while they can tell i exist, it certainly isn't bothersome and the person who sleeps directly on the other side of the wall from my streaming set-up (practically at my feet were there no wall) says he can't even make out what I am saying without putting his ear to the wall.

The notice I was given quotes my lease, which states:

15. Tenant shall not disturb, annoy, endanger or interfere with neighbors, nor

make any excessive noise, nor use the premises for any unlawful purposes, nor

violate any law or ordinance, nor commit waste or nuisance upon or about the

premises.

\~\~\~

Is there a common-sense provision regarding how quiet a landlord may require a person to be in order to provide other tenants their right to quiet enjoyment of their respective units? Does my right to use my apartment protect my ability to have 4 am conversations with people in other time zones? To what extent am I responsible to accommodate my neighbor, and to what extent are they required to "deal with it?" Is there any point at which the landlord would be encouraged to assist in soundproofing the property?

Ultimately, are my streaming nights over? Am I infringing on my neighbors right to quiet enjoyment by talking above a whisper after 10 pm? If so, is there any way I can exit from my lease without paying penalties? If not, how do you recommend I address my (assumed) right to talk at night?
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 > Does my right to use my apartment protect my ability to have 4 am conversations with people in other time zones?

Really, no.  There is no amount of sound bleeding into other people's bedrooms at 4 am that is reasonable.  And no landlord is required to "soundproof" to accommodate your unusual lifestyle.

If that's the lifestyle you have, shared housing isn't for you.  You need your own place, preferably with no common walls with any other unit in the room you use for gaming.Answer #2: If you're disturbing or annoying your neighbors, any complaints are justified. That's that.


Title: Rented a condo through a broker, 2 months later a flyer is taped to my door by a reality company saying they own the property

Question:
This is in Suffolk county New York

So I called and spoke with the reality company they say the property is in foreclosure and they own it and offered myself and my roommates cash for keys or to set up a month to month lease with the bank

I called and spoke to my landlord whom I have a lease contract with and he said he bought the property back in December has all his paperwork and it's an error and he would take care of it.

About a week after that I received another call from the reality company who say my landlord never gave them any proof of ownership or anything and offered my $2k to be out by June 5th. I asked for some proof of ownership from them or to be able to contact the bank directly to which I was told they only deal with them by email and that I would need to email my lease paperwork to them and the bank would email me back.

I spoke to my landlord again and he said what they are doing is illegal. He says he spoke to his lawyers and has all his paperwork in order and once again to not worry about it,  and that they wouldn't be bothering me again.

So, I don't really know who's right or wrong. Or what I can or should do to protect myself.

Answer: Go to your city hall office and look up whose name is on the deed. That is public information.


Title: Tenant has junked up property and is breaking city ordinance. What can I do?

Question:
I have a rental property where the tenant has moved in a sizeable amount of junk around the property (mostly scrap metal). This is a violation of the city "unsightly" ordinance where the house is located and I am afraid that I will receive a citation for non-compliance. To make matters worse, he is now almost a month late on rent so I am going to have to start the eviction process. What are my rights in this situation? Do I have the right to remove the tenant's property to avoid the city fees? What is my course of action? Thanks for the help!

Edit: calling out from the Dallas, Texas area

Answer:
 > Do I have the right to remove the tenant's property

Almost assuredly not.  If his lease gives him the whole property, then you can't unilaterally walk in and move/destroy/trash his property.  N more than you could walk in the front door and throw out his couch.

If your lease or local laws allow for it, you could likely evict him for this issue.  You first need to serve him proper notice to fix the issue or vacate; then if he doesn't fix, or vacate, you file an eviction suit.


Title: Canada - Police officer waited for me to get in my car, hid, then pulled me over for not having front license plate.

Question:
Happened yesterday in Vancouver, Canada. I had my car parked in a very quiet residential neighbourhood. I do not have a front license plate on the car which you must have here in British Columbia. As I was getting in my car after being away from it for 2 hours I notice there is a police car parked up the cross street at the corner of the next intersection. (My car was facing north towards intersection. His car was facing East)
Just as I notice him, I see him reverse his vehicle behind some large hedges so I could not see him at all. I found this very strange as it seemed like he was waiting for me. I was curious to see what would happened to I drove in that direction through the intersection. Sure enough, he pulls up behind me and pulls me over.
The guy comes up, and it’s very odd because he seems like an extremely timid police officer. Most of them around here are quiet aggressive but this guy seemed almost like he was afraid of me or something. Anyways, he does the usual, asks for my license, what my name and address are, then goes back to his car. He does say that he’s pulling me over for not having a front plate.
After a long time he comes back and hands me a ticket. What again was strange is he didn’t ask me to sign it! Or tell me what signing it means which the police always do here. They have you sign 2 tickets on carbon copy paper.

Is this considered entrapment? And is the ticket valid if he didn’t ask me to sign it?

Thank you.

Answer:
 No this isn't entrapment at all.

Entrapment is when you're minding your own business doing nothing illegal when the cops pressure you to do an illegal act.Answer #2: This isn't entrapment. You weren't pressured into breaking the law. I'm not sure if not signing the ticket invalidates it but I wouldn't count on it.Answer #3: IANAL. The ticket is valid. You drive without a front license plate when you were legally required to have one. A police officer knowing that someone will likely do something illegal and waiting to catch them doing it is not entrapment. If he had induced you to drive without a front plate when you would not have done so but for his behavior, that would be entrapment.


Title: [MA] I hit a car attempting to take a right right into the left lane, who is at fault?

Question:
I was stopped in the middle lane of a 3 lane (4 if you include the parking lane) split road and a car began to take a right turn off a side street into the main road which I was on. I was in a large truck and this person was sticking over into my lane and when the traffic began to move I hit their left quarter panel with my right bumper. Apparently they were over the white line separating my lane from the right lane. I am not sure if they were attempting to cut in front of me but they definitely did not have their left turn signal on to indicate that they were coming into my lane. Am I at fault? I know that I have the right of way when traffic is moving, but this person was sticking out into the road across the right lane stopped traffic. I did not realize that they were attempting to cut in front of me or that they were sticking out in front of me in the first place.
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer:
 Fault is not 100%. Sounds like you are both at fault to some extent assuming that the other car was stopped.

Let your insurance figure it all out. Answer #2: INAL but typically when making a right turn you are required to turn into the right most lane of the road that you are turning on to.

Was the other care stationary or trying to turn into the second lane?


Title: Question about possible legal action regarding Hurricane Sandy.

Question:
My wife and I were renting an apartment on the south shore of Long Island when Sandy hit. Our first floor apartment flooded with 18-24 inches of water. We lost a lot of furniture and are currently displaced. Our renters insurance provider told us that they will not cover flooding. Our landlord told us that they have flood insurance and not to worry about anything. They are now changing their tune and telling us they don't know what, if anything will be covered.

Let me also be clear, we're not looking to make money or anything like that, all we want is our stuff replaced. My question is, if my landlord and their insurance company screw us over, is there any legal action we can take against either the landlord or their insurance company?

Answer:
 Your landlord is not responsible for the loss of your items in the flooding. Your landlord was not negligent and did not cause the damage. If his insurance policy covers the loss of the belongings of his tenants, then his insurance company is who you want to talk to. Not all insurance policies do that. It's quite possible (and frankly, likely) your landlord's insurance covers damage to the property only.

You need to talk to FEMA about it. They have grants and assistance for people in your situation. And I'm sorry. I really am. You fill out some forms, they come take a look sometimes, and you get a check in about 3 weeks. I grew up on the Outer Banks of NC, and I've lived through your situation. There really are no words.


Title: We own our house. We're looking to sell. Seems like the appraiser screwed us. Help!

Question: I own my house. Bought in July 2015 for 75k. It was appraised for 85k so I thought I was getting a good deal. We're now looking to sell it and several realtors have given us a maximum value of about 70k, but probably closer to 65k, despite the market getting better over the past 2 years in our area. If I had known that it wasn't worth what I even paid I wouldn't have bought it. Can I pursue legal action against the appraiser or am I just effed?

Answer:
 IANAL, am a homeowner. You misunderstood what an appraiser does. He estimates a value based on comparable lots and sales at the time. That number, after a year and a half, could go up, down, or stay the same depending on the economy, improvements you or neighbors make, or problems with your house.

Also, the appraiser isn't there to tell you what your house is worth. He's there to tell your lender whether the house is appropriate collateral against your mortgage. The $75k has nothing to do with the appraiser, it's what you decided the house was worth.

Legal action sounds like a waste of time and money. Find a trustworthy realtor and work with them to find out what improvements would bring up the value. Shit, for all we know your furnace and roof are done and weren't when you bought. If that's the case your value went down for normal wear and tear, not because of your appraiser.


Title: Police officers are going to be doing random bag checks on the streets in the Wrigleyville neighborhood in Chicago for the World Series. How is this constitutional when stop and frisk is not? Can I refuse to be searched?

Answer:
 There is a public safety exception to the 4th amendment (it's why DUI checkpoints are legal).  Does this qualify? Not sure. That's up to the courts to decide if someone challenges it.
Answer #2: You can likely refuse to be searched, but then you will most likely be asked to leave the area.Answer #3: Well, I'll point out that "stop and frisk" in New York city was being practiced as far back as 2008 and continued without a final court finding that they were unconstitutional until 2014[1]. So there are a few million New Yorkers who might be wondering the same thing.

There are certain kinds of abuses that the legal system is not particularly quick or effective at reducing.

[1] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stop-and-frisk_in_New_York_City
Answer #4: This is not like DUI checkpoints where police stop everyone, indiscriminately. My initial impression is that "random" searches are never truly random. Even stop and frisk needed a "reasonable suspicion" to stop. I really can't see how stopping people, without any basis of suspicion, could be legal under the fourth amendment.

Edit: I am basing this under the assumption that Wrigleyville is around the stadium? I'f it's part of the stadium, and therefore a privately owned establishment, it may very well be legal. Answer #5: Source?


Title: DUI of .11 -- what to do at the arraignment? how to plead?

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Trying really hard to think of a nice way to say this (and honestly, kinda failing), but if you are in your third year of law school, you are on the verge of taking the bar and becoming an actual attorney, making you more qualified than probably 99% of the people whose advice you are asking here. You really should know that in this situation, "hire an attorney" is the only good advice possible.


Title: Could someone be legally fired for not sitting down for long periods of time?

Question: I'm currently talking with one of my friends who said she was almost fired for not being able to sit down for a long period of time. To clarify, she works for a credit repair company in Arizona, which would require her to have to sit for the majority of the time in order to take calls (she works for 8 hours every day she's in). My friend is unable to sit down for long due to discomfort (not as a result of a medical condition, but rather she just wants to take some time to stretch). One of her bosses took notice, told my friend she was "antsy", and gave her a fidget spinner and a puzzle to keep her from having to stand up. Just today, she was told that, and I'm paraphrasing: "termination was an option but we're going a different route with you". Is this a valid reason to fire someone?

Answer:
 Sure, why not? Why take an office job if this is something they can’t do?

Hell, they could fire her for wearing a blue shirt on Thursday If they wanted.


Title: Ex threatened to sue me for what he owes IRS - Possible?

Question: I am in Washington State. My ex threatened to sue me for everything he owes the IRS if I don't give him my daughter's SSN to file for taxes. He is not on the birth certificate and I planned on giving it to him anyway, but he is still threatening me. Is that possible?

Answer:
 Was the debt to the IRS in both of your names?
In your child custody agreement, does he have the right to claim child on taxes or do you alternate? If it's his debt, you are not responsible. DO NOT give him the # unless court ordered! Answer #2: Not a lawyer but a tax professional.

Unless there is a court order that says he gets to claim the child then he'll lose the lawsuit.  As long as the child lived with you (more than half the nights of 2017 spent in your care) and you provided 50% or more of the cost of your child's care then the IRS would deem your child to be your dependent.

The peace of mind that comes with using a tax professional (CPA firm usually) is invaluable. Find one that specializes in individual tax. Avoid chain "tax professionals" in strip malls and Walmart. I worked with a guy we had hired one year who managed one of those places for twelve years and he struggled with determining the right filing status on the regular. Answer #3: Which of you provided more than 50% of your daughter’s financial support?Answer #4: Based on your responses, seems like you were together for all or most of last year and he provided the majority of financial care.  He is entitled to claim your daughter as a dependent.  He can sue you for the number, or you can just give it to him.

On another, more serious note, he can't evict you with simply 11 days notice.  He needs to give you 30 days.  This is important.


Title: I'm 16 and I don't know what to do

Question: Recently my dad has been taken to the hospital after pulling out a gun and saying he'd shoot himself. They took him to the closest hospital and they did a mental evaluation and said he was fine but my mom insisted on him being reevaluated. So a professional evaluated him and he stayed at another hospital for a couple days. Today both my mom and dad went to court and all I know is that they discharged him from the hospital instead of what we expected (for him to stay in the hospital and get treatment.) The big problem that I haven't mentioned yet is that he is also abusive, mostly verbally but occasionally physically. Somewhere in between him pulling out the gun and today, CPS was called. I talked to a social worker from CPS at school yesterday and told her everything from my childhood up until now and I got her number. Now today my mom has been texting and calling me and she told me that my dad is coming home. The catch here is that the social worker from CPS told me that even though my dad is discharged from the hospital, he isn't allowed to come home today. But he is. Right now. My mom told me over the phone to stop talking to the social worker and that everything she says is just threats. My mom told me that she talked to her lawyer and he said my dad can come home. I don't know what to do. I'm sorry that there's a ton of holes in this story because there's so much but I wrote in a hurry because my dad is coming home at this very moment and I'm scared. I'm scared if I talk to the CPS woman that they will just take my sisters and I away. I'm also scared of my dad, and his continuous verbal abuse towards especially me and my sisters. Also, I live in Washington state near Seattle.

Answer:
 It is completely up to you what you so. If you do not feel safe going home then call the social worker right now and tell her. If she doesn't answer ask for a supervisor. Answer #2: Are all the guns out of the house? Does he have access to other weapons? I would insist on that that (for his safety and yours)

I would concentrate on your OWN safety. If you see anything strange or scary you need to get out, no matter what time it is.

A friend will take you in, or a teacher may as well. It would be good to make a plan BEFORE hand.  Pack a bag now.

Have you spoken to a trusted adult at school?

Good luck.


Title: Wrongfully accused by a neighbor in apartment complex. If accused again may be evicted (Davenport Iowa)

Question:
Lately there has been a huge problem with people in my complex not pick up after their dogs. My wife and I have 2 dogs and we always pick up after them. A few months ago we received a letter from the property manager stating that they are cracking down on this issue, within a few days we received another letter from the manager.

This letter stated that they are not responsible for keeping bags supplied at their refuse stations and that it is our responsibility to have bags. We both had no idea as to why we got another letter, and it was worded like a response to us (we didn't complain or defend ourselves after the original letter). So obviously the property manager mistook us for another tenant.

About a month ago we received another letter stating that they will be putting up cameras to monitor/catch those no picking up. Once again my wife and I are not concerned since we pick up after our dogs. The property management has yet to put up cameras and I highly doubt that they will put any up.

Now here is the reason why I'm writing this. Yesterday when I was at the gym the property manager came to our apartment and handed my wife another letter. This letter is a final warning letter. In another building 2 tenants have spotted me specifically not picking up after my dogs, and that they have recently evicted two other people because they where not picking up after their dogs. So I'm shocked and my wife is stressed out because of this. My wife talked to the property manager to ask what this is all about because we do pick up, we even buy our own bags (she even showed the manager our bags). The manager was being very patronizing to her, we thinks it because we are both young (we are both 25) and don't know how to take care of our dogs.

I know exactly which tenant it is. They live on the ground floor. Its two old women with a cat. I think they are either trying to stir up trouble, or they just don't like me.

My wife and I have no idea what to do. I have downloaded a GPS tracker app on my phone, and I am no longer going to walk by that one building. But other than that we don't know what to do. We don't think we can talk to the manager about this since she seems to like the two old ladies and think we are two dumb kids.

I need some advice. Maybe even some legal advice if this issue progresses and we get wrongfully evicted.

We are both Canadians living in the us so I can go to chiropractic school. We don't have much money and are not able to work as per our visas. That is why I'm asking for advice here rather than a lawyer.

Thank you in advance.
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer: A highly doubt an eviction would succeed with no evidence like a video.  They still have to make their case in court if they want to try to actually evict you.


Title: Toronto - Eviction Notice

Question:
The building I live in was just bought.  There are 6 residential units, and 3 businesses.  3 of us have been given eviction notices.  Myself, who has lived here for 13 years, my immediate neighbor who has been here for nearly 30 years, and another unit who has been here about 20 years.  Due to our time here we are paying the least amount of rent in the building (about 25% below current value).

The new landlords say that they need the units for family.

It is my understanding that family must be immediate family or caregiver.

I call BS of course, nobody that buys a $8 Million Dollar property really wants to move their immediate family in to 3 old apartments.

I don't have a lease (I'm told).  It should have renewed in May but I wasn't offered one.  I was simply told that I'm month to month.

My neighbor doesn't want to move.  I actually do, but I don't want to do it 60 days from now.

Thanks.

Answer:
 I'm here to second u/sonalogy's advice.  It is correct.

Comments that suggest you have to move because you have no lease are incorrect because tenants can only be evicted for cause in **Ontario**.

Moving in family *is* one of the only reasons a landlord can evict at will, but you have a right to challenge your l.l.'s claim through the [Landlord Tenant Board](http://www.sjto.gov.on.ca/ltb/).

I have friends who have used this exception sincerely, to move back into their own homes, but I think the Tribunal would easily see through this tactic.  Landlord's trying to bamboozle tenants who don't know their rights.

Sonalogy's also right; if you want out you can negotiate a pay-out to leave without fuss.  Perhaps ask a lawyer to help for a percentage of whatever she can get you.

Good luck, and be sure to pass on the contact info for the LTB to your neighbours; they shouldn't have to move if they don't want to.


Title: Is it legal for a college to prevent me from leaving campus until I get parental consent if I am 19

Question: I live in India and my college security gate will prevent me from leaving unless I make a phone call to my parents and get them to consent to me leaving. I am 19 years old, so would this not count as being held against my will?

Answer: This is unfortunately likely beyond the scope of this subreddit unless an Indian legal expert materializes.


Title: I'm being harassed that my field of work is more stressful than a purposely stressful activity

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 You're an adult. You're allowed to say no to things.

What's your question here? Is this event a required workplace issue?

Does the place have health reqs you don't qualify for?


Title: If mom and dad can't agree on a name for their newborn, how is the name decided?

Question:
Say mom Anne Perkins and dad John Jones broke up after she got pregnant. Baby is born and mom wants to name her Sue Perkins but dad wants to name her May Jones.

Is this a legal issue? How is this decided?

Answer:
 Mom would decide.

If the parents aren't married, the father in the US would typically have no rights at all until its gone to court.


Title: Can I get in trouble for parking in the "reserved for law enforcement" places at Walmart?

Question: Walmart has these signs that say 'reserved for our law enforcement officers.'  on some parking spots. Is there any way to actually enforce that?

Answer: It's a private parking lot- they (walmart) can tow you if you park in any spot reserved for someone else.


Title: Entire building has not had running water for 4 weeks (Florida)

Question: On September 17th something broke and left my entire building without water. 4 weeks have passed and it still has not been fixed. We can't shower, do dishes or flush the toilet. The owners put porta pottys and a hose on the front lawn but that's all they have done. I feel unsafe going outside to use the bathroom in the middle of the night when it's pitch black. They keep telling us it will be fixed soon. Including me there are 36 people living in this building. We called the police but they said there is nothing they can do. Is there anything we can do about this? It has to be against the law to deny people water for almost a month.

Answer:
 You let this go for 4 weeks? Most people wouldn't let this go for four hours. Answer #2: That's illegal. Call the city building inspector, code enforcement, department of health or whichever local department deals with this issue. If you tell us your city, we might be able to narrow down a contact.

Edit to add: Also contact a lawyer; they'll eat this up.


Title: How to kick out a now ex-boyfriend? (Wisconsin)

Question:
Ok so a friend has an ex boyfriend who has been living with her for the last few years. She wants to kick him put but he will not leave. We have been told by police that he has established residence and so she needs to serve him eviction notice. He does not have any mail going to the house nor an ID saying that he lives at that address. Does she still need to serve an eviction notice or can this fall under trespassing and saying he is no longer welcome there?
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer: He's not trespassing he lives there. She needs to follow the procedure to remove a tenant with no lease which starts by giving written notice to vacate. Either that or see if he will take money to leave sooner.


Title: FL - Being charged for honor violation and a grade of 0 on an assignment at my college. Appealing the grade.

Question: On a programming assignment, me and a student in my class whom I never met were accused of collaborating for having a 80% match, where the closest next match was 15%. My teacher gave us both a grade of 0. My classmate accepted the penalty, but I decided to appeal the grade, believing it's unfair. We share similarities in the code because we both used an online tutor. However, I am the author of my code and all I did was ask this tutor how to fix a certain error that prevented my program from running. My program does not exist anywhere on the internet and can not be googled. I only needed a 30/100 to pass the class and I have a 95 on an exam that has corresponding material, but my teacher is determined to give me a 0 because the 80% match is clear plagiarism to him. I need to write a letter to the dean explaining why the grade is unfair. What should I say?

Answer:
 Look in your student handbook and see what it says about academic dishonesty, and plead your case as to why what you did was not what your school defines it as.  This isn't a legal issue at all.

Also, I find it hilarious that you are accused of not doing your own work, and here you are asking people again to do your work for you to help you prove that you didn't NOT do your own work the first time around.


Title: [California] Not sure where to put this, but if I know someone has racist/white nationalist ideologies and is training to be a cop, should I/how can I report it? There's gotta be an anonymous hotline or something for this, right?

Question:
Should I talk to them first and ask them to tell the academy first? Would that open myself up to issues because they'd know it's probably me if they refuse and I decide to?

What kind of trouble could they get into? Legal? Would they have to have lied about being racist at this point?

(Throwaway account)

Answer:
 Well, it's not inherrently illegal to be a white nationalist and a cop. That said, I share your concern, it does speak to fitness. If you have any online postings or other material lending credence to your claims, you could create an anonymous email and send it to his department. There's no guarantee that they respond or take it into consideration. Answer #2: He wouldn't get into any legal trouble as hate speech is considered free speech in America. He may be dismissed from the force, though.

its possible if you are wrong (or don't have any hard proof) he could sue you for defamation.


Title: [FL] sexual harassment blackmail??

Question:
I have a manager at the restaurant i currently work in, he stupidly back in December attempted to ask one of his underlings our on a date. She refused, claiming him being management made her want to avoid it. He respected her wishes.

She was a problem employee from the start, constantly starting fights with other employees threatening to fight them off the clock, lacking in customer engagement, had received several complaints about her by name. She was reprimanded for most of them leaving a pretty significant paper trail.

The manager approached her in December of 2017, and now I’m may of 2018 she has been fired from yet another job for verbally fighting with a manager, she has contacted our management staff and informed us that if we do not give her her job back, she will file a sexual harassment claim against the manager.

Is there anyway we as a company can jump ahead of this since it seems she is fine not filing the claim so long as she gets her job back. I get that our manager was in the wrong, but she should also be in the wrong correct, is this not some sort of blackmail?

Answer:
 > Is there anyway we as a company can jump ahead of this since it seems she is fine not filing the claim so long as she gets her job back. I get that our manager was in the wrong, but she should also be in the wrong correct, is this not some sort of blackmail?

What you described the manager doing was not sexual harassment.  I wouldn't give this lady a thing but a strongly worded letter from your legal department informing her on the penalties of blackmail.


Title: (NC) I let my wife stay in our house when we separated; only my name is on the mortgage but both ours are listed on the title; could I move back in?

Question:
2 years ago my wife and I mutually agreed to separate. We never signed a legal separation agreement, and we haven't gotten legally divorced, yet. 5 years ago we bought a house together, but because of her credit, the loan was only in my name. Both of us are listed as owners of the property.

If I were to, hypothetically, want to move back in, what rights would I have? Would she be able to stop me? What if I wanted to sell the house, would I have to get her permission? If the mortgage went unpaid and it was foreclosed upon, would that only reflect upon me, the loan holder, or both of us, as property owners?
Topic:
Real Estate law

Answer:
 You cannot sell the house without her permission. If she is on the title, then she will have to sign the deed as well.

You should file for divorce and get these issues resolved, including who gets to live in the house and whether it should be sold and divided.


Title: My friend was drunk and punched a school guard in the face (NJ)

Question:
Ok, so, my friend was drinking the fuck out of his beer bottles in a party at school some days ago and punched the poor school guard guy in the face.
Yeah, we are sorry, this was a mistake, but my buddy was waaaay drunk and some folks got him to the nearest hospital after this. He can't even remember the action, but still have his medical records proving he was loaded on that occasion.
So, the thing is: How bad is this for my buddy legally speaking and what we should do to prevent him from getting to trail or something like that?

EDIT: Sorry, my buddy was not telling me the whole history.
So, he's going to court next week and cannot afford a lawyer, he's going to wait for a public defender. Any tips? Is there something he SHOULD DEFINITELY DO or SHOULDN'T SAY?
Btw the school guy was not hurt at all.

Answer:
 Being drunk makes thing worse, not better, for him.

What do you by "getting to trail"? Do you mean trial? What can you do? All you can do is help him pay for an attorney.


Title: [TX] My (25/f) stepdaughter (17/f) wants to move out of her mom's house (30s/f) and in with me and her dad (35/m). Her mom is threatening to shove pills down her throat to keep her there. What legal recourse do we have?

Question:
My stepdaughter has tried everything to move out, but she becomes terrified every time she needs to stand up to her mom. The time before last, when she told her mom, her mom threatened to shove pills down her throat Deedee Blanchard style. It cooled down a bit, so she was allowed out of the house again to come stay with us. While over with us, my stepdaughter again tried to talk to her mom, only this time via text so her mom couldn't interrupt her.

&#x200B;

Baby mama is now freaking out. From what I understand, she has the legal right to make the choice to move in with us. (If possible, could someone show me where it says that in Texas Law, so I can show my stepdaughter. She wants proof because she doesn't believe it.)

&#x200B;

I want to be prepared, because both my stepdaughter and my husband are terrified of what they believe she is capable of. (They both believe my stepdaughter may be in harm's way.)

&#x200B;

Additional information: My stepdaughter is forced to live with her stepdad. When she was 8, he violated her. She was removed from the house for a bit, but then her mom forced her to move back in by lying to CPS. My stepdaughter lives with her stepbrother and half brother. The stepbrother is beaten, choked out, hit, punched, and pushed almost daily. CPS has been called five times to that house, but no one has been removed. CPS only checked up on them once. There is proof. There is bruising. I'm not sure why nothing has been done.

&#x200B;

Baby Mama admits that her husband has touched my stepdaughter, which is why she bought cameras to put all over the house and bought a lock for my stepdaughter's door.

&#x200B;

Both my husband and stepdaughter are terrified of her. They don't believe the law is on our side because Baby Mama has always told them it's not true. I'm not sure the best way to handle if she shows up at my job, my husband's job, our house, etc.

&#x200B;

Can you show me where it says she is not forced to stay with her? I'm sorry if this seems sporadic. I'm trying to remain calm.

Answer:
 If you believe *anyone* is at direct risk of harm, call 911 immediately.

If there is no immediate danger, you should be looking up a family law attorney **today**.  If you are in the wrong in this, you might be locked up in addition to losing access to the daughter.  Seek no-kidding professional advice!  You should be able to get an hour or two worth of time from a local lawyer for not too much $, and you definitely should be doing it IMO.


Title: (Missouri/Arkansas) Car Hauling Semi-Trailer Reposession with Rightfully Owned Vehicles Being Held in Lieu of Storage Fees

Question:
I work at a salvage yard in St Louis. I am posting this on behalf of my company so we can get a resolution to the matter as quickly as possible. We buy vehicles from auctions all across the country. We post the vehicles on a website called centraldispatch.com in which car transporters bid on our pickups and then we accept a contract with them. When they deliver the vehicles we give them a check and everything works out for the most part. Recently we had a bad deal where 3 of 6 Vehicles were delivered safely and we paid out half of the contract price and the transporter said that the remaining three cars would be delivered soon after. A month-and-a-half later we are wondering where the cars are so we contact centraldispatch.com because the transporter is no longer answering our phone calls or emails. After contacting centraldispatch.com, we find out that the transporter has left the vehicles somewhere in Arkansas due to a repossession of their semi trailer. We found out the name of the towing and recovery lot that they are at. After contacting the towing and recovery yard they are requesting a payment of $3,600 storage fees to release the three vehicles that are on the semi trailer. We do not have any involvement in the semi trailer repossession,  it just so happened that our cars were on them when it got repossessed. The towing and recovery yard is in Clarksville Arkansas and our salvage yard is located in St.Louis Missouri.

Does this Towing and Recovery lot have any legal ground to stand on to charge us storage fees for vehicles that we did not bring to their lot on our own accord? If they are required to release the vehicles to as legally since we own them and can prove so who do we need to contact to force them to do this? Thanks in advance for any help.

Answer:
 I will disagree with others here.

First off, the towing company's position is illogical.  They are, presumably, being paid by the company who had them tow the car hauler.  There's no basis for adding a fee for things that are contained within the car hauler.  Even if there were, the fee would be due by the company who had it towed.  They have no basis to collect it from OP.

Second, the towing company may have a claim to vehicles being towed on seized trailers.  However, that right comes with an obligation to notify owners of those vehicles.  If they don't, then they can't charge storage costs.

I would call them back, make those two arguments and see what they say.

If that doesn't work, the next issue here is that the lien holder only has rights to the trailer and not any to property within the trailer.  OP's vehicles don't magically become theirs because they were on the trailer when it was seized.  They will have to do things before ownership passes to them and the OP can easily contest it.  It's in their interest to return OP's property so they can sell the trailer.

OP should see if he can find out who had the trailer seized.  Ultimately, the towing company works for them and they will be much more reasonable.  I'd call them.

If none of that works, here is the Arkansas towing board where you can call for help or file a complaint:

http://www.artowing.org/complaints.html


Title: Police keep coming to my door.

Question: Someone was shot very close to where I live. He died. The police keep asking for my husband. He wasn't home that night. My guess is they think he knows something but it's scary for them to keep asking for him. Do I have to answer where he is? He just cleared a misdemneanor warrant so they can't arrest him.

Answer:
 No, you don't have to tell them anything and likely you shouldn't. Answer #2: Two things to point out:

1) It's very likely that eventually the police are going to have a conversation with your husband one way or another.

2) It's very bad for you to outright lie to the police.  You can refuse to answer, but you really shouldn't lie.Answer #3: Don't tell the cops anything, if they want to talk to your husband let them track him down. You are not obligated to tell them anything. Do not lie just tell them you refuse to talk to them.Answer #4: You're under no obligation to tell them where he is. But they're also probably going to keep coming by until they find him.


Title: [NY] Academic dishonesty. Sending solution to a friend

Question:
hi, I'm a college student
I sent my hw to my friend, and professor caught it. Yet, he doesn't know to whom I sent it to. He asks me who did I send it to (in a threatening tone.)
Do I have to tell him? Or is it okay to say I can't tell you and go to Official of Judiciary or something?

Thanks!

Answer: This isn't a legal question, it deals with university policy.


Title: Legality of underage girlfriend

Question: I’ve been talking to a girl that is 2 years younger than me for a long time but lives across the country. I was wondering about the legality of her moving over to my state from California once she’s 18, if her parents find out we’ve been hiding the relationship for the past year or so (and she isn’t 18 for a couple months) and then I come pick her up when she is able to move out, if they can pursue me for anything. I understand if I were to have sex with her before 18 it is illegal under California law, but I’m just curious about coming to get her once she is 18.

Answer: If you haven't had sex with her, there is nothing illegal. Once she hits 18, her parents have pretty much no say in where she lives or who she dates.


Title: Would I be breaking the law by lying and say I'm the person collections is asking for?

Question:
(Ontario, Canada)

&#x200B;

For a few years now I've been getting so many calls regarding collections for some guy I don't know. ?He must have put a wrong phone number in since I've had this number for ages.

&#x200B;

I keep being added or requesting to be added to their "Do Not Call" list and it doesn't make a difference. I get more calls from the same companies about this dude. Specifically one company that's called now over 20 times over the past few months and I keep telling them to put a note not to call, or to take me out of their automated system because I am 100% not this guy.

&#x200B;

Can I just say "Yes I am this person" to see what company they're calling about so I can try and address it at the source? Sure I'm lying but would that be illegal, and if so, how much trouble could I get in?

&#x200B;

I'm not changing my number, way too much hassle. Any other suggestions would be helpful.

Answer: So... you think you'll be LESS likely to get calls if you tell them they have the right number?


Title: Found out I was the father to a baby boy. After being sued for child support, the mother and I have a spoken agreement for childcare but I am still paying her full support payments. Can I get these reduced?

Question: (Pennsylvania) After I found out I was the father, I immediately began to help take care of this child. She allows me to see him every other to every weekend. I have since been the only other sole financial provider for him as well as making payments. I was told by someone to make the custody official, and that my payments might be lowered. But they are already low (according to her). Not that I begrudge paying support that goes to him, but at the same time I'm buying food, diapers, clothes, toys, furniture etc and as a single Dad it's been difficult. Any advice out here?

Answer:
 Get a lawyer, and get your support and custody agreements turned into court orders. Informal agreements will be overruled by the courts if the situation ever goes before a judge, if the judge believes it's in the child's interest to do so. You may well end up paying more in support, but you should have _your lawyer_, not your co-parent, advise you on that front.

You can almost certainly count things purchased for the child into your final support arrangement, or alternately have the support order denominated in dollars only and let your co-parent buy the things you're presently buying.


Title: Brother is being sued by tenant for them falling off back deck

Question:
**Location**: Anchorage, Alaska

My brother is being sued by his tenant who also happens to be our uncle. My brother rented out his condo to our uncle, they signed a lease agreement. After my uncle was late on mortgage payments, citing financial problems my brother lowered his rent-twice. After living there for close to a year my uncle texts my brother out of the blue and tells him that he and his wife will be moving out of the condo *the following week*. My brother responds, telling him he needs more notice and that he will still owe him a months rent. My uncle moved out, and owed my brother (I believe) just under a thousand dollars. My brother texts him asking when he can get paid, uncle responds in text by calling him a list of expletives, and his wife begins texting him a bunch of expletives. My uncle then responds by telling my brother that he fell off his back deck and hurt his back, and if my brother doesn't let the money slide he could go to a lawyer.

My brother told him that's fine if he wants to get a lawyer. He was then contacted with a letter from a lawyer requesting insurance information that my brother didn't feel he had any legal obligation to provide just because a lawyer asked. A few weeks go by and the money was deposited into my brothers account, he finally thought it was over until today. He got a letter from a lawyer representing my uncle stating that he is being sued for the deck not being built by a licensed contractor.

**The Deck:** The deck is less than knee-high, with no handrailing. My brother and I looked up codes for the city and it was like 5 or 6 inches under the limit of a handrail requirement. When my uncle moved into the house he asked who built it, and told my brother he did a great job doing it himself. (That's how he knows it wasn't built by a contractor.)

**Uncle/Tenant:** He has worked construction since he was old enough to drink, and has a really bad rap sheet of scamming people, but never direct family like this. He recently moved back up to Alaska and couldn't find affordable housing so my brother being the trusting person that he is let him rent from him. After lowering his rent several times when my uncle had trouble paying him, my brother noticed that my uncle bought a new mercedes and had a bunch of work done to it. This, coupled with the history of my uncle leads us to believe that this is completely frivolous and a means of getting back at my brother, especially since he never mentioned this until my brother asked about the money owed.

About a year ago my wife ran into my uncle and aunt at a local grocery store. My aunt was getting back surgery and my uncle was complaining about his back stating that he might need surgery too. My wife has prepared a statement about this, but apparently she needs to get it notarized[?].

I feel like this is completely frivolous but my brother is really concerned. If it's in code can he still be held liable for this? Will my wife's statement hold up in court?

My brother has contacted a lawyer, but told me he doesn't have one on lockdown to represent him, and that he might have a lawyer with his homeowners insurance represent him. It's frustrating because he's the hardest working person I know and to see someone (especially family) try and take advantage of him is terrible. It's also worth mentioning my brother and his wife own 3 or 4 rentals and haven't had any problems with tenants until this particular incident.

Any advice you guys have would be great, especially if it's what to expect about how this will go down, and what type of lawyer my brother should look for, and what happens if this is found to be frivolous.

Also if anyone knows the legal precedent of suing for building something that isn't built by a contractor, that would be great.

**Edit: The amount he's being sued for is $100,000.00, not sure if that's relevant or not. I should also mention that according to the information my brother has, my uncle has not missed a day of work due to his back problems, which further leads us to believe this is completely frivolous.**
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer: A deck doesn't have to be built by a licensed contractor. If your brother built it to code, that is a good start. Did he need to pull permits to build?


Title: Crashed my car 5 months ago and just got a bill in the mail for 1300$

Question:
I crashed my car into a guard rail during a snow storm 5 months ago. I got billed 1100 for contractor costs and 100 for administrative costs for them putting the guard rail back up. I got this invoice from Claims management resources. I’m only a 20 year old college student who just recently saved up 1500 for a beater of a car. There is no way I will be able to pay this... what can I do? What happens if I don’t pay this?
Topic:
Insurance

Answer:
 Call the insurance you had at the time

Or ask for a payment plan


Title: Question about "oven proof" bowls that shattered and cut my hand

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 It sounds like you used the bowl incorrectly. The oven/dish/microwave safe stuff means it's okay to put and use in those items. Pouring hot soup into a a cool/cold bowl will cause the stress needed to break it.

You can visit /r/askscience if you want details on how/why the bowl broke on you.


Title: Former apartment took money out of my security deposit for "damages", but refuse to give me any proof of what they are and after I asked, they put a stop payment on the check with the amount left of the deposit. They now refuse to answer emails and haven't returned the money. What are my options.

Question:
Florida.

My former apartment sent me my security deposit check within the 15 days, but claimed that a certain amount
Would be taken out for damages. When I asked what the damages were, they just sent me a bill for the amount but that had no information. I asked for photographic and specific proof and they have not answered. When I tried to cash the security deposit  check with the amount left they had sent me, it went through on my banks end but a few days later their bank rejected it and I got a bad check fee. I emailed them saying they needed to send me the check with the fee on top of it, as well as proof of damages and they have refused to answer. I then made a complaint with the consumer affairs department in my state and they still refuse to answer. Do I have any other options besides suing them in small claims court and what is my SOL?

Thanks
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 Send them a certified letter demanding your money. This is simply to make the judge happy when you sue them in small claims court. Sue in the county where the apartment is located.Answer #2: > Do I have any other options besides suing them in small claims court

Not that I see. Take them to small claims and let the judge sort it outAnswer #3: [Relevant Florida law](http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0000-0099/0083/Sections/0083.49.html)

Unfortunately, you do have to go to court and you don't get treble damages.