Title: Leaky dorm room

Question: So twice in the past week my ceiling has leaked all over my desk. Both times I've put in maintanance requests and they come by, move some buckets around in the attic, and tell me they've contacted people for roof repairs. They also said this was an issue last year, which makes me question why it wasn't fixed properly in the time since then. Could that be considered some form of negligence? Both times some stuff was destroyed, the biggest thing being a $200 textbook, as well as a couple pairs of earbuds, and a lot of non-monetery stuff, like my notebook and pictures drawn by my girlfriend (also about $3000 worth of computers got wet, luckily still functional though). I guess my question is how do i go about getting reparations for those things. Ideally i'd just be refunded for my time in the dorm, as im planning on moving out ASAP anyway, but i assume thats something i'd have to negotiate with housing. Do i have any legal leverage to make demands like that?

Answer:
 I work in student housing. See if your school has a Risk Management office. If a student's belongings are damaged in one of our dorms, due to a facilities issue, we can submit an itemized list of damaged items to Risk Management for replacement.

It is unlikely that you will receive a refund for the time you already spent in housing but they may allow you to break the contract if you want to go off campus. They may also have an process to change to another room or building.

You should read through the terms of your student housing contract or lease. Student housing tends to operate on different terms than a regular lease.

Answer #2: The exact same thing happened to me, except it was my bed that kept getting soaked. The leak was due to excessive condensation from a pipe in the ceiling. My school basically said “tough luck” and told me to go through my renters insurance (which I didn’t have in college) to replace my bedding. I didn’t even want to replace it- just wanted to reimbursed by the school for having to wash everything multiple times (using school laundry facilities). I don’t know that you can sue them or anything- but I would suggest moving your desk if possible, or at least not keeping anything of value on it. Good luck!


Title: [CA] Person threatened with arrest for responding to a dog attack with knife

Question:
This is simply a question of curiosity, based on a story I was told by a friend. No legal action was taken, but they were threatened with it by a police officer. The location is Los Angeles County.

They were awoken at night by screams for help, and left the house to determine how they could do so. Upon going outside they found a person being severely mauled by a dog and screaming for someone to help them. Based on the amount of blood the victim was losing, their life was in immediate danger.

My friend responded by running back into the house, and attempting to find an appropriate weapon. Thinking better than to bring a gun out of the house, they grabbed a kitchen knife in case it was necessary to kill the dog, but thankfully managed to pull it away from the victim without using a weapon.

When police and paramedics responded, a police officer confronted them about leaving the house with a knife, and threatened to arrest them. The officer also stated that if they had left the house with a gun to provide assistance, they would have been arrested.

This all sounds fairly unbelievable to me, as someone was responding to a genuinely life threatening emergency. For example, I find it unusual that using a firearm to stop a life threatening animal attack is illegal, when using a firearm to kill a human who is attempting to kill another human would be perfectly legal.

Was the police officer in the right to make these threats against a good samaritan, or were they misrepresenting the law?

Answer:
  While they could *technically* still be arrested for using the knife or carrying a gun, they have a strong affirmitive defense. Self defense and/or defense of others is an affirmitive defense. It does not necessarily prevent arrest or prosecution.

Although it was lame. Your friend attempted to use non-lethal force first and it was effective. I wouldn't blame them for being prepared for the possibility that lethal force may become necessary.

I'm also a California peace officer.


Title: Paternity leave for small businesses

Question: I have a coworker that will be fostering a baby next month from a very sad situation and this baby will likely have some health issues. She asked our manager for some leave and my manager said that she can take her sick and vacation PTO (which would get her about 1.5 weeks away from work) but if she doesn’t come back after that she won’t have a job to come back to. We don’t qualify for FMLA or OFLA (we are in Oregon) because we only have 8 employees. She’s not worried about receiving any pay while she’s gone, but she would like to take a few weeks away from work during this transition without risking her job. Does she have any options?? Thanks for your help (:

Answer:
 > We don’t qualify for FMLA or OFLA (we are in Oregon) because we only have 8 employees.

FMLA is what offers job protection for paternity leave. If they don't qualify, there are no other legal protections offered for taking time off for adopting a baby. It's pretty shitty for her bosses to be that way, but it's legal. Your friend can absolutely be fired for not showing up to work when scheduled.


Title: ELI5: How does an attorney convince a judge to let me skip court?

Question:
I recently hired a lawyer to help me with my speeding ticket. It's a little over 100 miles away. He said for an extra $100 he'll *try* to take care of this without me needing to appear.

Barring his use of *try*, how exactly does an attorney accomplish that? When I got the ticket the cop explicitly said *you have to appear in court and talk to a judge*. What does the attorney do that allows him/me to circumvent this?

I just want to know so I don't throw $100 away on something I probably didn't need to.
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer:
 The attorney acts on your behalf. It is not circumventing anything.  A lawyer shows up in your stead and goes from there.  This is not a murder trial.Answer #2: "3asdga appears through his/her attorney Mr. X' is a real thing; it means you were not physically present, but you sent an attorney to appear on your behalf as your representative, so it counts as an appearance by your side. Some judges really really want you to appear in person, so they can personally ream you out (or more charitably ask you questions and make sure you understand what you did wrong); some judges don't care.

Depending on state law and local rules of court, you may need the court's permission to appear via an attorney, so for $100 this guy is going to ask for that permission, via filing a motion, talking to the judge, or some other step.

Is not driving 100 miles to court worth $100?


Title: I was cussed out and threatened by two coworkers and my job seems to be doing nothing about it.

Question: I started a new job and simply wasn't trained for it. I work for a major casino. After work one day, a coworker called me a "punk ass bitch" for not doing the proper job then his friend, another coworker, threatened to fight me. Management heard the coworker cuss me out but didn't hear the threat. I talked with management the next day before work and they seemed genuinely concerned and said "We will handle it". No one has been fired and I get off my weekend tomorrow and go back to work with those two coworkers. I'm not scared of them assaulting me, I'm just worried that they will set me up to lose my job. If something were to happen, what are my legal options? Like if I were assaulted, if I do get fired, etc? I can provide more information if needed, I just won't disclose my company because I feel like that's a no brainer.

Answer: There's nothing you can do about people being mean to you. If you're legitimately threatened or you're assaulted, you can talk to the police. If you get fired, you can find a new job. If they think you're a problem because you make an issue out of it, they can fire you


Title: A cousin of mine was attacked by a nurse while in the ER for stomach pain during her pregnancy in Wisconsin, what to do?

Question:
Im gonna tell it from my cousin's perspective. This just happened a couple days ago. She went to the ER, her husband dropped her off and went home. The receptionist called the nurse with the call button because my cousin was looking pale and having pain.

Nurse came to see her; looking irritated. Asked her why does she keep pressing the call button. My cousin said sorry the receptionist pressed the call button and because she was looking pale.

Then nurse then rolled her eyes and said "well i cant really help you because you're pregnant and you're a chink."

My cousin was like what the heck. If you're just gonna call me a chink, i dont want you to be my nurse. The nurse refused to leave after being told 4 times. She took my cousin's arm and pinched the top of her arm above the elbow and another time on the underside of the arm (top of elbow and then again on underside.)

The nurse said while pinching my cousin, " no i'm not gonna leave, until you do something." So my cousin took her foot and kicked the nurse's hand away from her arm.

The nurse smiled and said now she gets to call security. Security came, said the nurse has to do her blood pressure and put the blood pressure cuff back on her. Then the nurse kept trying to grab her arm while my cousin was yelling for her stop because she wasn't comfortable with the racist nurse and that she was hurting her.

So the security told the nurse to leave. Then before you know it, a female and male police officer showed up with the nurse coming back. With the female officer saying that my cousin allegedly punched the nurse. But my cousin said she kicked her because she was pinching her arm hurting her.

The female officer said that the nurse had the higher authority. And at the end of the day, "who's gonna believe you when you're a minority." My cousin then said "i never punched her, i kicked her for hurting me."

Female officer then says," well the nurse says you punched her so you punched her."

Well, my cousin never got her ultrasound done even though her stomach was hurting because the officer was there. My cousin asked the male officer to talk to their supervisor, the female officer put her finger to her mouth for the male officer for him not to say anything. Then she said that, "my cousin doesn't need to talk to the supervisor because at the end of the day, they arent gonna figure anything out."

The female officer then proceeded to arrest my cousin for felony misdemeanor while punching her in the stomach. Afterwards while being escorted out of the hospital; the nurse said "look, there goes the chink" to the female officer and the officer just smiled at the nurse.

My cousin was released back home today, requested for the officer's dash cam videos ect. Im not sure what else shes planning to do. That female officer got really quiet when she asked for the video. Especially how my cousin said the male officer took over the arrest seeing the female officer punching my pregnant cousin in the stomach.

Answer:
 > Then nurse then rolled her eyes and said "well i cant really help you because you're pregnant and you're a chink."

> The female officer said that the nurse had the higher authority. And at the end of the day, "who's gonna believe you when you're a minority."

> Afterwards while being escorted out of the hospital; the nurse said "look, there goes the chink" to the female officer and the officer just smiled at the nurse.

You realize how difficult it is to believe any of this?


Title: someone recorded me on a phone call without my knowledge, they threatened me on the phone call. does this break any laws... Illinois.

Question:
I know this sounds crazy, but I am just wondering....
I manage a restaraunt. I answered a phone call last week, and it was a guest complaint.
to put it mildly...The woman was insane. She did not get enough pickles on her sandwich, and she proceeded to scream at me for 10 minutes on the phone.

I don't mind being screamed at, but she threatened to come up to my work and kick my "motherfucking ass". She repeated this several times. She told me if I did not answer her question she would come up to my work and kick my motherfucking ass (I was not that scared, I was a little like WTF this is over pickles??? but at the same time, it was a legit threat)

the way she was screaming at me, it was serious. It was not a joke. She had me believing she was truly going to come up to my work and kick my ass. It was so weird... she was talking as if I had beat up her sister or something and she was coming to get me for revenge. lol sorry it was just so bizarre I have to get that across.
so... I tell my boss, we kind of laugh about her craziness, that is that.

She calls my boss. she informs my boss she RECORDED OUR PHONE CALL. she emails it to my boss so my boss can "put me in my place" but my boss just tells her "you threatened my employee, what do you expect me to do?"
the whole point of this post is... she recorded our phone call without my knowledge.
I am not some sensitive nancy, but the fact she recorded our convo from start to finish, and talked to me the way she did, I feel as if she was trying to entice me into saying something to her in which she could use it against me.
I feel violated, even tho it is some silly little recording.

I just find it insane I am even in this situation, and that someone would do this BECAUSE THEY DID NOT GET MORE PICKLES ON THEIR SANDWICH
I live in Illinois... is there any laws she has broken? or am I looking too into it
I do not want to press charges or anything, I am just curious if she broke in any laws and if I could do anything about it.

if she were to come back to my store and cause problems I would for sure be looking into doing something, but as of now, I Am just looking at this as some batshit crazy woman who loves pickles and I was lucky enough to not give her enough on her sandwich.

Answer:
 Illinois is a one party consent state.  She can legally record any conversation that she is a part of.

The threat itself would fall under Assault.

>(720 ILCS 5/12-1) (from Ch. 38, par. 12-1)
    Sec. 12-1. Assault.
    (a) A person commits an assault when, without lawful authority, he or she knowingly engages in conduct which places another in reasonable apprehension of receiving a battery.


Title: [MD, USA] Unpaid wages after 6 weeks on the job, not even entered into the payroll system.

Question:
First time posting here, so I can provide more information if necessary. The relevant background is that I am a postdoc at a university.

  I began work April 6th and am supposed to be paid bi-weekly. As of today, 6 weeks after starting work, I have yet to be entered into the payroll system. My hiring process involved 2 offices, one responsible for the actual hiring paperwork, and a second office involved in financial support for the center I work in. I completed all paperwork promptly, including the i9, yet during the second week of work I was informed by the hiring office that I would likely not receive a paycheck until the May 15th pay date. A financial office employee asked the hiring office if they would be willing to do an advance, seeing as how this pay date would be over a month after I began work. The hiring office responded that my paperwork was #50 in line to be entered and until then no advance could be given. Immediately following this email exchange, a contract was sent from the hiring office to myself, the financial office, and my boss which made it seem like I would be paid by the end of April. To me, this appeared highly misleading as well as a CYA move by the hiring office, so I got involved and asked for a timetable. Since that time, there's been a series of very unproductive exchanges between me and the various offices, all the while I have received no timetable and have yet to be entered into the system barring me from any advance. My boss is involved, and has assured me the parties involved are working on it and that when I do get paid my boss wants to meet with the various parties to figure out what went wrong. I am meeting with my boss tomorrow to basically tell her how serious this is. The following is a set of information to help you assess this situation:

* I have kept a constant paper trail by email with the various parties, have remained calm/courteous, and I have admission of blame from both offices that they didn't know what they were doing.

* My boss gave me a check from her personal account to help make ends meet, this amounted to less than 3/4 of my monthly salary.
* I have been treated negatively by the person in charge of the financial office, constantly belittled and bitched out for making inquiries. I have been bitched out for ordering a white board approved by my boss.
* I do believe my boss is on my side and taking this seriously, and I will make sure she understands just how serious this is tomorrow along with trying to assess her power or other resources in the university to effect some concrete, positive change regarding this matter and satisfactory to me.
* I am currently seeking other employment opportunities as a backup plan and am also inquiring with law offices for a consultation on this matter.
* There was mention of a hiring freeze when I inquired by email at the end of April, the actual reason was never explained though suggested to be a statement on the purpose of my postdoc. I was never informed of this and only found out about it after I inquired with the financial office.

My take on the situation is this. I confirmed with my boss I'd take the job in January, and the hiring office stated that April 15th was a likely start date. March 29, I am informed by my boss that she wants me to start April 1. Due to lack of advance notice, I was able to start April 6th, which was confirmed by the hiring office as the "right" date. Fast-forward ahead, the hiring office made a statement that the reason for my lack of pay is that they don't like to "rush" new applicants in as the paperwork may take some time. I view this as them trying to blame my boss for wanting me to start sooner than perhaps I should have, this I would assume is something the hiring office should have known. At the end of the day, their mistakes are preventing me from getting even an advance and I cannot take anything they say seriously. My university is a very difficult place to effect accountability measures, thus I am investigating if litigation will be necessary achieve these goals.

I honestly am very novice at understanding what my rights are, but my rudimentary understanding of both federal and Maryland wage law suggests what is transpiring could be illegal. Let me know if you need more information and thank you in advance for your time.

Answer: Your post states that you are a postdoc. Are you getting paid by the university or are you getting a stipend for your living expenses?


Title: My neighbor nailed plywood up on our shared fence with large nails that stick out 1.5 inches on my side and I believe this was on purpose.

Question: My neighbor and I have been talking about replacing our shared fence as many of the boards have started so come loose.  One of my 2 dogs has been able get over to his yard and every time that happens I have put up plywood on my side as a quick fix until I save up enough to replace the whole thing(we talked about splitting it 50/50). I went out in my yard yesterday and saw about 15 large nails poking through the fence about 2 feet off the ground in a straight line.  Now I also have two kids aged 2 and 4.  I’m pretty agitated and feel like he is threatening my family and I don’t know how to proceed at this point.  We’ve lived next to each other for years so he definitely knows I have kids. Any advise would be helpful

Answer: It might be malicious, it probably is just stupidity.  What is nailed to the fence on his side?  Talk to your neighbor about replacing the nails with short ones.


Title: so, my little brother traded his pokemon card for a fake one with an older kid.

Question:
my little brother came home from school, and as it turns out, he traded 2 of his rarest Pokemon cards, for some fake pokemon card with an image of a pokemon slapped on it.

the person didn't even try to make it look real, it was just printed and glued on a card.

also, the kid is like 3 years older than my brother.

is it legit illegal to create fake Pokemon cards and trade them with younger kids? i mean, i can always buy a new set of cards for him.

but i need to know my rights here people

EDIT: i live in [Europe] in [the Netherlands]
Topic:
Business Law

Answer: Without knowing a thing about the law in the Netherlands I can confidently say that this is illegal. It would fall under whatever version of "theft by false pretense" you have or maybe a counterfeit merchandise statute.  In this case you may want to go to the school before you go to the police.


Title: (KY) My ex's stalker has now apparently set her sights on me, and I'm growing concerned.

Question:
This is complicated, so I'll try to simplify as best I can. Throwaway for hopefully obvious reasons. Sorry, this will be a little long, so I can explain fully.

So to get to it, this chick is insane. Like. Textbook crazypants stalker. To summarize as best I can, the ex and I were together until mid last summer and due to a DV event (in a panic attack he punched me in the face, long story all by itself, but the cops were called and he was arrested), he was not technically legally allowed to speak with me. A few months later, we managed to reconnect randomly on a supposedly anonymous app (Whisper) and due to my life circumstances, while risky, I went to live with him for a time. During the in between period, he slept with someone in his building and she became... obsessive.

They weren't dating, and had only been intimate a handful of times, but she was convinced there was a relationship there between the two of them. (I've seen the messages between them, he made it *very* clear they were not together.) She would call him insessently, going so far as to create several fake numbers because he kept blocking them, called his mother from a blocked number and used a fake name, went to his work, left notes on his door, the whole nine. She even went so far as to follow us to a hotel where we tried to get away from the situation for a night, asked for us at the front desk (referring to him as her bf and me as a slut, real cute...), then sat outside just creeping and waiting for literally hours before we finally said enough and got the front desk to run her off.

Basically, this chick is unstable. To further drive the point home, she broke his window with a rock, resulting in his terminally ill friend to be so upset, she threw up on a comforter which was thrown out, then later retrieved from the dumpster by Crazypants. She also set up a camera by her door to monitor his, which has now been taken down.  She broke his porch trying to climb up the slats to his back door. I can keep going. Basically, even after I left, she has been terrorising him for months with this obsessive and horrifying behavior.

This all leads us to the current situation. He's been trying to keep the peace with her, and therefore friendly, because he's pretty terrified of what she would do otherwise, but due to his circumstances he can't leave. After getting him hammered (he's having a rough time and is an alcoholic, so she pretty easily took advantage of him), he passed out in her presence and either before or after undressing the poor man (seriously she's insane), and she went thru his phone and found my number, which she called from a blocked number, and has now texted me from a fake number since then.

That was about a week ago, she texted me a couple days ago, and on a hunch I went back thru some local Whispers and lo and behold, with the username "you know who" she posed a message with my nickname and my address with a winky face, basically showing hey b*tch I know where you live, which she could have only gotten via his phone.

So here's my question. Under normal circumstances I would just call the cops, report a stalker and threats with the evidence I have and be done with it. However, the added kink that we're not legally allowed to speak to each other due to totally unrelated situations that are between him, me and the courts to sort through means that what she has on me (us talking) is enough to get both of us in trouble, should I try to stop her behavior.

Help. Wtf can I do??

Answer: Honestly what you should do is stop talking to this guy completely and change your phone number. He was weak and hung out with her when he knows she’s unstable? He’s committed DV against you? Sounds like it’s just going to keep building up to something else. Break the cycle.


Title: [IL, USA] I zipped through my neighborhood gate to avoid damaging my car and the gatehouse person is going to call the police on me now?

Question:
[deleted]
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer:
 > I'm just wondering if there is any jurisdiction for me to get ticketed for zipping through for a second to protect my car?

There's lots of jurisdiction for ticketing you for driving like an asshat.  You were going *way* too fast if you couldn't stop in time to avoid hitting the gate.


Title: Possible religious discrimination (Virginia)(r/legal X-post)

Question:
I originally posted this in r/legal, but have had no helpful responses, so trying it here too

About September 25th, I made a request to have October 31 off from work, and specified the reason for the request being a religious holiday.
My request was denied stating "No one has off Halloween", with a sign appearing in the office stating "NO ONE HAS OFF HALLOWEEN SO DON'T EVEN TRY!!!"
This is a very important holiday for me, and regardless of schedule, I do not plan on coming in to work that day, and intend to inform my boss so (non-aggressively of course).
Should I lose my job over it, would I have any kind of legal recourse? Or would it be non discriminatory since it applies to everyone, even though I am the only employee who has any religious affiliation with that day?

(Just want to prevent making a colossal ass of myself, with court talk if there wouldn't be a case, Thanks in advance!)

Not sure if importnant, but my religion is Asatru, a belief that follows the old deities of Germany and much of Scandinavia.

Answer:
 Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 says that a secular employer has to provide reasonable accommodations to sincerely held religious beliefs. We'll get to "sincerely held" later. First, you have to reasonably work with your employer. The rule is not "every religion gets two holidays off." You have to tell your employer what your beliefs obligate you to do or not do, and your employer can make counterproposals, or even flatly refuse if any and all accommodation is actually unreasonable. Maybe you can practice some ceremony at lunch in the back room, or just have a slight shift in your hours.

The beliefs in question *do* have to be sincerely held, and you really ought to be be prepared to provide evidence of  your sincerity beyond just risking your job over it.

However, courts (unlike some redditors) are not automatically going to reject your claim because you're a weirdo. If you really *are* sincere about this, and you can't reach a compromise with your employer, you can file a Title VII religious discrimination claim with the EEOC.


Title: Is it legal to fire someone from a religious organisation because of their religious believes?

Answer: It depends on the job. It could be a bona fide job requirement to be an active member and play an active part of the faith. You must able to preach the faith & have participated in the sacraments in some positions. For example a deacon is going to need to be a member of the religion because he's preaching. A receptionist or groundskeeper would not.


Title: (Ontario, Canada) How does trespassing work in a scenario with roommates?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Realistically, your roommate is entitled to have guests when he is there. When he's not, his girlfriend doesn't have any right to be there. Do with that what you like.

On a non-legal side of things, have you brought up your concerns with your roommate?


Title: CALIFORNIA - My car was towed to a car lot after an accident my son had, and they're asking for $600. Any way to get out of this considering I don't want the car anymore?

Question: [deleted]

Answer: You can ask the towing company if they'll take the title in lue of payment.


Title: Possibility that one of my friend's bags containing two Marijuana pipes was found and looked through at a public school, advice needed.

Question:
Hey all, I've recently been faced with quite a serious conundrum that, while is not directly related to me, is about two of my close friends [Females, 15 years old, whereas I am a 16 year old male].
I go to a boarding school that is, however, still a state-funded public school. Two of my friends smoke weed up here occasionally and keep their pipes in one of their bags at all time. I was called into a meeting by one of the RLCs (Basically a college RA, but an adult that supervises us, more or less.) He told me to be careful who I spend time and associate myself with, as, in the vaguest way possible, he let me know that he has been "picking up on things" that lead him to believe that the two of them are smoking. He made a passing statement about "seeing some evidence", and when I pressed further about what exactly he saw in terms of evidence, he backtracked by saying that he didn't necessarily see anything, just as I stated before that he has a hunch. I was relieved to hear this, until the friend that owns said purse let me know that she had left it somewhere in the school and could not find it. She went to the front desk to ask if anyone had brought it there, and one of the RLCs told her that X-RLC (the one I talked to) was seen carrying it earlier. She asked around more, and was dismayed when they described the exact purse in question, and how X was definitely seen carrying it.

   During the meeting, he stated "I'm not sure if what they did was legal" which leads me to believe that he is covering his own tracks in case he did decide to take a peek inside and discover the pipes.

I need some insight as to how to proceed, as if this was an unnecessary search, I will do what I can to make sure that no actions are taken and that this information does not come out. I am aware of New Jersey v. T.L.O, but I wonder if that applies to a completely random, unwarranted search of a handbag.

Thank you in advance for any and all advice.

Edit: In the end, my friend was suspended for a total of three days, one of the best possible outcomes. Thanks all for the help.

Answer:
 > I need some insight as to how to proceed

You can do nothing.  You have no standing.

If the school takes internal discipline only, there's very likely nothing that can be done.

If charges are filed, the person charged can try to challenge the search, if they want.  Given that the property was lost, it's likely the search would be seen as reasonable.


Title: [SC] Is use of corporal punishment on 18+ children considered an assault?

Question:
Is use of corporal punishment on 18+ children considered an assault?
Is threatening and intimidating to "hit" "slap" or "knock out" a crime?

Answer: Sure, if your parents are threatening to assault you, you can call the police. Of course you will then need to find your own place to live and pay your own bills though.Answer #2: Yes, it can be considered assault. However, because the parents are the ones hurting their child, that complicates things.


Title: Problem w/ Upstairs Apartment Neighbors - DFW, TX

Question:
A wee bit of Bill Burr...O Geeezuuss.  Submitting this for my wife.  Disclosure, wife is black, two daughters are mix.  Ok here we go... Apartment in Sachse, TX, satellite city of DFW.  We're on the ground floor, they're right above us.  We have had many issues with the noise from them above. Management has even recently stated we could move without lease penalty out of the complex or within the complex.  We asked them if they would pay for moving to another unit in the complex on their dime.  They said, no, but we could move to another unit or completely move out without paying a fee.  They're smart and don't put anything in writing, just verbal. We've been there for four months and the upstairs people are out of control with their noise.  We've become a bit fatalistic and just take it as apartment life.

Yesterday things get escalated, the seven year old from upstairs narcotic police knocks on the door and leaves this letter on the ground... https://flic.kr/p/znmDxf

Wife goes upstairs and tell the grandparents to tell the grandchild to simmer down.  All is right as rain...

Daughter then goes outside and sees this gem written right outside our door.  https://flic.kr/p/yGWTWL  No evidence they, upstairs, wrote this, but we think the grandchild did it by direction from the adults.  We read it as, 'Black people ruin the world'. Or it could be read as, 'Black people rule the world'.  First time my ten year old daughters have seen racism.  We're not too happy.

Can I get a multi-million dollar settlement out of this?   Just joking, can I get the management to pay for a moving company to move to an equivalent apartment in the same compound?

Answer: The management of your apartment building has given you a VERY gracious offer to let you out of your lease or let you move to a different apartment.  They don't owe you that, and they certainly don't owe you moving expenses.  You can ask them again, but I think you already got their answer.  They are not legally obligated to pay for you to move just because you have a shitty racist neighbor.


Title: Sorority is sending me bill three years later.

Question:
So I joined a sorority fall of 2013. Had a lot of health issues during winter quarter and ended up withdrawing for the quarter and I let the sorority know of my health issues and that I would not be attending any events or meetings. I didn’t know they would still continue billing me regardless of being absent from all events. Anyways I ended up resigning towards the end of the quarter due to my medical issues and they let me know I owed about a grand for the quarter. I didn’t pay because I didn’t have the funds and didn’t care at the time. One year later (2015) they send me an email that they had an oversight and never sent me a letter confirming my owing money to the chapter. I asked them what forms I signed agreeing that I had a legal obligation to the pay the dues. (I don’t remember signing anything before starting the sorority). They sent me a pdf of the contract and said it was “electronically signed” although there was no electronic signature or any proof that I received the forms. Anyway I left it on the back burner and didn’t end up paying. 3 years later they’re sending me the bill again via email (received it yesterday).  I honestly thought it would end up in collections by now but I guess I’m lucky that they haven’t done that yet.

But do I have a case here? Do I need to pay? Is there a statue of limitations (In California)? Can I fight it since there’s no proof of me signing any of the forms?

Answer:
 Quick googling says Cali has 4 year SOL on breach of contract, so possibly if you don't pay they will initiate legal proceedings.

You say theres no proof you signed the forms, but did you? Answer #2: > They sent me a pdf of the contract and said it was “electronically signed” although there was no electronic signature or any proof that I received the forms... I honestly thought it would end up in collections

If it does go to collections, ask the debt collector to validate the debt. If they can't provide a debt validation letter, tell them to pound sand.Answer #3: Could you clarify whether you withdrew from classes in the winter quarter or withdrew from the sorority?

Your eligibility status changes if you weren't taking classes vs just not attending the events.


Title: Leasing office wants to fine us for our dog's tiny bladder.

Question:
We have a blue heeler puppy who we let out several time a day. Because he has a small bladder, sometimes he can't wait until he gets off the cement of the breezeway and into the nearby grass to pee.

When these accidents happen either me or my fiancé will pour water on the area and take him to the grass to do the rest of his business.

Recently, one of our neighbors has complained about this to the leasing office. Because the office promised anyone that saw and reported a pet violation would get $25 off the next month's rent.

We got a phone call saying that if that were to happen again that they would have a lease violation on us and evict us. And that if we want to continue living here we'll have to pay to get DNA testing done on our dog and whenever the office finds pet feces or urine outside they will have it tested (at our expense) to see if it matches our dog's DNA.

Is this legal? If not, what can I do about it?

Answer:
 What is the distance from the grass to the place where he is peeing?

If you waited an additional 30 seconds to open the door, would the dog just pee inside, or could he hold it until you get the door open?

Because this sounds like less of a bladder issue than a training issue.Answer #2: no clue about the legal stuff, but from a dog training perspective, i'd probably just carry the puppy to the grass until he's old enough to make it. if he doesn't seem to be getting any better at it as he gets older, the suggestion that it might be a training issue (he now thinks the cement is the proper pee place) rather than a bladder one is more likelyAnswer #3: pretty sure it has nothing to do with the size of your dog's bladder, and more to do with the fact that your dog is peeing on their stuffAnswer #4: What does your lease say?Answer #5: What does your lease say?


Title: 18F/ Cali. Was I exploited or just used

Question: 18/F, California   A while back, I was trying to get into adult films.  I answered a few craigslist and back page ads looking for actresses. I've seen 2 of my auditions show up on porn sites but the one that really bugs was the gang bang audition.  I didn't sign a photo release, so, can it still be shown or can I do anything about it?

Answer:
 Did you sign anything at all? If so, what? It's against federal law to produce or distribute sexually explicit content without proper 2257-compliant age verification documentation.

Also, just for future reference, real porn producers don't have "auditions". It's always best to work with respected and properly licensed talent agencies to find work for you, that way you know you will be paid properly and be working for someone your agency has vetted.


Title: Going on a cross-country solo road trip. How to avoid wrongful civil forfeiture?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 You are more likely to be killed on this trip in an automobile accident than you are to be an innocent victim of civil forfeiture.

You can deny the police consent to search.  You can refuse to answer questions if you so choose.  Do not physically resist and follow the orders you are given by the officer.  You can have a recording device operating if you so choose but you may be told to put it down and not hold it.  The officer can legally order you to stay in or get out of the car.

Is there a reason you feel you need to carry a large amount of cash on this trip?


Title: [IL] Less than two weeks into owning my condo, I think the sellers defrauded me

Question:
So, I just closed on a new condo here in Chicago. Things looked great until the first big snow storm we had yesterday. We noticed that the ceiling some water damage near the chimney.

Upstairs neighbor came down and said they had the same issues upstairs *and* that previous owners of my place had had water issues for a while. That was red flag #1 we never heard anything about this. It might've happened > 1 year ago, so I know it might not be required disclosure.

We kept talking. She and her husband are Pres. and Secretary of the HOA (only 3 units in the building). I asked about a *separate* leak in the garage  (doesn't look active but it's very moldy) and she said they'd asked previous owners to fix it and they said it was, but never had been.

This was red flag #2. HOA disclosure documents said that HOA had deemed it not an issue that needed to be fixed. So I went back to look at the documents and realized that the signer of all the HOA disclosures was the previous seller in her role as treasurer. (It's hard to make out her name in the signature and she just wrote treasurer, not her name).

Obviously, I know the nest best step is to talk to a lawyer, but I don't know how to proceed. Here's what I specifically want advice in:

* My initial hunch is right that if all that is true, this was fraud, right?
* Do I involve my mortgage company?
* Do I involve my closing lawyer? Part of me thinks it was his duty to catch that the owner was signing for the HOA, but I'm not sure. I should've caught that as well.

Thanks in advance!

Answer:
 Contact your real estate agent first, it sounds like they may have failed to properly disclose a number of issues which may have civil repercussions for them.

Also, just curious...was a licensed inspection done of the property that missed these issues as well? If not, I would recommend having one done to discover any similar issues before they can cause additional damage.Answer #2: You should start with your closing lawyer. If he/she is not experienced handling these types of matters you might get referred to another lawyer.

What's going to happen is you're going to request arbitration with the sellers and try to come to an agreement as to how much compensation you get. The agreement will be legally binding, moderated by a third party (usually a retired judge or something.)

If they refuse arbitration you have to sue them.


Title: I coach 1st & 2nd grade football in Indpls. (public school run league) I made some highlight videos for my team and the league just informed me that now, no one is allowed to film or photo the games w/o first obtaining everyone's consent. I want to make sure I didn't talk out my ass in my response

Question:
Long story short, I made a couple highlight videos for the kids, mainly so they could witness their individual and team success first hand. [HERE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVRQtgFLyvM) is the one that someone complained about.

Surprisingly, the league addressed this complaint by issuing an email stating the coaches and parents could no longer photograph or video record the games (held at a public school in a wide open field adjacent to the main football field, next to a major road) and post them to youtube, without first obtaining everyone that is in attendance consent to do so.

The email ended with the league president saying this was a sad time in youth sports, but it was a privacy issue and if anyone had any other suggestions or ideas on how to deal with this, to please feel free to respond.

I responded when she said I had to remove my videos from youtube, and I would like to make sure I wasn't talking out my ass when I did. A little asstalking is acceptable, but I would prefer to correct myself now if I have an incorrect understanding of "right to privacy" laws. ( my response is copied and pasted below)

Sally,

I want to start by saying thanks for dealing with this side of youth athletics, because it can't be fun, and I agree with you...this is sad.

Since you asked for possible options, I'd like to suggest that instead of trying to appease them, instead try explaining to the complainants that- although you empathize with them- this falls well outside of the leagues jurisdiction.

I'm sure you know, but maybe they need to be made aware, that the public has every right to photograph and record these type of events. Explain to the complainant that when they attend an event such as this, they have "no reasonable expectation of privacy", and therefor no consent is required for them to be photographed or recorded.  Also explain that even if the league felt there was an issue or violation of some sort, the league has no legal authority to enforce any sort of social media content ban because the photographs and videos posted are the private property of the individuals that post it.  Taking pictures or videos is not illegal in this country, except in a few rare instances (military installations for example, but I don't believe youth football falls under these "national security" reasons).

I think if you make it clear that the leagues hands are tied because it has no legal grounds, desire, or even the resources to implement a ban on the use of phones, video cameras, and photography equipment from these sporting events (nor would you even want to, I hope). That they just might see how petty and unrealistic their complaint is.

However, If the complainant still feels like they might be the victim of someone posting voyeuristic or otherwise inappropriate type videos that might constitute a breach of their privacy, they should immediately contact law enforcement.  Reiterate that this isn't a league issue because the league is not in the business imposing restrictions on the public's right to photograph or record events, and possess even less legal authority to try and impose restrictions on what people do with personal property. This is a legal issue, so if someone posts pictures or videos to youtube, facebook, or even pornhub for that matter, it is well outside of the leagues jurisdiction, and if someone feels violated then they should immediately file a complaint with the social media site in question, and/or notify the proper law enforcement agency.

Thanks again for all the work you put in

------------------------------------------------------------
thanks.....and this is so asinine it embarrasses me. (I have no intention of removing the videos btw, and I am pretty sure I will be fired from my volunteer coaching position any day now).

Answer:
 1.  You are correct that legally anyone is permitted to film something in public.

2.  The league is correct that they can set any rules they wish for participants, including coaches, players, and parents.

The league is perfectly within its rights to require participants & associated folks not to do this.  Given the lack of interest by the general public in such leagues, the odds of it being filmed are pretty darn low.

If they ask you to take it down, do.


Title: [CA] Witnessed a coworker's injury? Kind of curious about what she should do?

Question:
I work at [Undisclosed Fast Food Restaurant] in California. It's in an old, tiny building with bad tilework.

A co-worker and I, let's call her Alice, were on break in the cramped crew room. I get up to go back  to work, so she decides to scoot her chair over. It's a heavy metal chair, you may be familiar with the scraping noise it makes in many of our stores. The chair caught on the tile and her foot got caught between it. So her foot was crushed by the chair and her own body weight.

She was in so much pain she immediately began to cry. I asked if she was going to be OK (obviously no) then left because I had to get back to work (and because I'm bad at comforting others).

Later I saw her at the front counter. She was limping and trying to hold back tears. She told me her foot was swollen and bleeding.

But, our manager wasn't going to allow Alice to go home unless Alice could get someone to cover the rest of her shift. So Alice was forced to work the cash register for 2 hours until her shift ended. The entire time she limped and spoke in a choked voice, in a lot of very obvious pain that our customers could see.

So I'm curious, no incident report was filed. Our store has a history of taking away hours from anyone who gets injured on the job (basically forcing them to quit due to zero hour weeks), so Alice definitely isn't going to report it.

But if she did, what are her rights? Would the manager be punished for making Alice work?

TL;DR: Saw coworker get hurt, coworker was forced to work shift while injured, how illegal is that?

Answer:
 Alice needs to call corp HR and ignore the manager. There should also be a poster (in the breakroom or near the bathrooms are common places) that tell you how to report an injury.

Look at the poster that no one reads and call the number listed


Title: My boyfriends ex-wife broke into our house, when I was home alone.

Question:
I am in Phoenix,Arizona. This happened yesterday. My boyfriends ex-wife of eight years had a key to our house so she could pick up their son certain mornings. This was fine by me, up until recently. She began to just let herself in when I was home alone and would stay for 15 minutes or more, walk around our house, and try and play with our dogs who are afraid of her. She did not have their son with her at those times.

My boyfriend and I decided to ask for the key back. He was at work when he texted her he would be picking up the key when he picked up their son that night. She didn't text him back, instead she came over and started banging on the door. I just thought it was one of my friends messing around so I went up to the door. That's when she let herself in and started screaming at me saying I was a dirty whore and then she threw the key at me, it didn't hit me.

She chased me into our bedroom where I locked the door and called 911. For around ten minutes she banged on the bedroom door saying that my boyfriend only uses me for sex, that their son doesn't really love me, that I'm a dirty ugly whore, and that she's going to beat me up. She left and about five minutes later the cops came. I described to them what happened, and basically they said it was a gray area since we gave her the key and I can't do anything about it. The only thing they said I could do is get an injunction of harassment. This doesn't seem right to me.

I got the locks to our house changed, but still somehow don't feel safe in my own home. She also texted my boyfriend saying she's going to go to my workplace and call me an ugly whore and get me fired. She also threatened to take their son away from them and turn him in for being a drug dealer (which he is not). I have those text messages saved.

What is my next course of action?

Answer:
 > The only thing they said I could do is get an injunction of harassment.

Otherwise known as a restraining order. If she violated it, and you reported it to the police, she could face charges.Answer #2: I would listen to what the police said and see if you can get an injunction.Answer #3: You could try to get the DA to lay assault charges (what happened here was most likely assault). But getting a restraining order is the right thing to do.  Also changing the locks.


Title: Dine n dash mississippi

Question: Tonight part of my table walked on a 54 dollar bill. Employers are trying to force me to pay. Is this legal? Can you post legal links for me to have as back up.

Answer: Mississippi has no laws making a payroll deduction for that reason impermissible. It may not however reduce your pay below minimum wage; that is a Federal law. They can also fire you for refusing to repay however if they do this you can file for unemployment.


Title: Boss Threatened My Relationship

Question: I have put my two weeks in at my current employment and my last day was supposed to be July 1st. Last night, I lost my cool and walked off the job mid-shift. I’m not proud of going out that way, but it happened. About an hour after I left, my boss sent me a text message threatening to tell everyone at work that I am dating the manager of another team unless I came back to finish the shift. (Not my direct manager, and according to company rule, totally permissible.) We has asked for it to stay quiet because we work with juvenile offenders and it’s a lot of added stress when they get ahold of personal information like that. I called him to ask why he is involving my girlfriend in this situation, who has nothing to do with my quitting. He stated something to the effect of “you better believe I’m gonna talk about it. And I’m going to tell your girlfriend that she shouldn’t be dating a low-life piece of shit like you with zero morals, character, or integrity. I’m going to tell her she has no standards and horrible judgement if she’s with you.” We both found it asinine that he thinks he could damage our relationship but we are wondering if that qualifies as blackmail or extortion. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!

Answer:
 that deffinately sounds like blackmail.

SAVE. THOSE. MESSAGES.


Title: [AZ] BF laughed about how he's knowingly exposed me to HIV since we've been together [US]

Question:
Throwaway and I'm a broke CS major.

Beyond PTSD therapy, can anyone help me with a legal sounding letter demanding him to pay for my STD tests? I feel so angry and lost (and infected??) right now.

Sad day for Planned Parenthood in Texas as well but this is an exact situation where people seek help from them.

fml

Answer:
 Don't waste time mucking around with your asshole of a boyfriend.  Your priority needs to be getting tested.

[Here](http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/2015/06/26/guide-free-hiv-std-testing-metro-phoenix/29371701/) is a list of several places in the Phoenix area where you can get tested for free.

Best of luck!Answer #2: Once you've gotten tested, report his ass to the cops - this is highly illegal. [Here](http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/policies/law/states/exposure.html) is the CDC page with some very basic info, and [here](http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/policies/law/states/index.html) are some specifics by state. Arizona doesn't appear to have any HIV-specific legislation, but there are links to more general statutes which may apply (but that's not something you personally will be dealing with).


Title: [CA] property siezed

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 If by "stuff" you mean your drugs, you're not getting them back.
If you mean your phone and laptop, they are being used in a police investigation.
I would be way more concerned with my grandmother losing her HOUSE over your shit (which you don't seem concerned about), but that's just me.


Title: [CA, USA] Women denied entry to club because not wearing heels. I'm wondering if this is legal to do to women who cannot wear heels due to disabilities?

Question:
Hello. I went to a club with friends in Hollywood, CA and we were denied entry because we were not wearing heels. I asked the bouncer what they would do if someone cannot wear heals because of a disability and the bouncer said (some probably bullshit answer) that they review this on a case by case basis.

My question is it legal for this club to deny entry to women not wearing heels? If this is legal, what about women with disabilities who cannot wearing heels?

Also, if they really do review this by a "case by case basis," is this also illegal? I thought people did not have to disclose their disabilities if they did not want to.

Thanks!

Answer: Accommodation for disability has to be requested.Answer #2: Hypotheticals go to legaladviceofftopic.


Title: Can my employer withhold my paycheck as a form of punishment? (Ohio)

Question: For context:  I am an exempt employee with a consulting firm.  We provide our clients with services and we bill them by the hour for the work. I and all the other consultants, are required to turn in our billable time for each client at the end of each week.  Then, each month an invoice is generated to be sent to the client that aggregates all of the billable time on each clients file.  Before that invoice is sent out to the client, it is given to each of the consultants who billed time for that particular client for them to review and proof before releasing the invoice to the client.  Recently, my manager has instituted a policy whereby, for each invoice, if the invoice is not returned by all the consultants who performed work on the file within a certain amount of time, then the paychecks of ALL the consultants who are timekeepers on that file will be withheld.  Is that legal under the Fair Labor Standards Act or Ohio Law?  I know we are exempt and salaried employees, but it seems like there should be some protection at least for the employees who turn their billing in on time.  Thanks in advance!

Answer: That's been illegal since 1865 I believe.


Title: [PA] I feel like a custody dispute is coming

Question:
Background:  The mother and I weren't together for most of the pregnancy, and we were okay for a while after my child was born, but as time goes on it's becoming more and more clear that we're two completely different people who just aren't compatible.  I spoke with a lawyer, and I got the feeling that she either wasn't exactly on my side (not that I can prove anything, just the way she worded things made me suspicious, and it's a small town so my options are kind of limited).  Courts in PA are, as I understand it, still incredibly biased towards women regardless of the situation the parents are in (she's only got a high school diploma, while I'm working towards a degree in medicine, her house has a ton animals while mine is clean, etc).

I feel like a custody dispute is inevitable, and a lawyer is only limited help.  The only advice the lawyer gave me was "screen shot social media and save text messages", but I feel like there's a lot of nuance that the advice doesn't exactly cover; I didn't need to pay $90 to have someone tell me that.  Can anyone give me any other things to do in order to have a strong case?

Answer:
 By "working toward a degree in medicine" do you mean that are in medical school or on track to start medical school to become a doctor?  Because you are very unlikely to get primary custody if that's the case unless the mom is around even less or is actually abusive.  That's not a bias against men or saying that it's better to have only a high school diploma, that's just recognition that medical students and then interns have no freaking time at all and are almost certainly not providing the bulk of the childcare.  The courts don't care about which parent has more education/earning potential, they care about keeping the child as stable and healthy as reasonably possible.

If you didn't feel like this attorney would work well for you, get another.  In the meantime, take every opportunity you have to spend time with your child and document it.  Do your best to find a predictable schedule and stick to it (easier said than done, I know) and make sure you know all the important things about your kids life -- daycare teachers, schedule, doctor, etc -- and do your best to be involved.


Title: Roommate trying to foot me with the damage/cleaning bill before I even move out [GA]

Question:
Hey guys:

I've had a pretty aggressive room (short-tempered) who's threatened to bring in a "company" in two weeks to clean and repair any damages to our condo, and then invoice me (I don't move out for two months -- is this legal?). This isn't the first time he's done this. He made a similar threat in January, saying that he wanted me out and to clean and repair the place, or it would go to collections. He's not the owner of the condo and we're both tenants on the lease.

As far as my very limited legal understanding goes, I'm not obligated to pay him anything if he brings in a cleaning/repair service -- only the landlords as they're the property owners. The landlords are his friends, and they're currently out of country. They do seem like some very nice and fair people, though, and I have a feeling he's been dishonest with them about the current affairs of the apartment.

He's sent me these "threats" via text message, so I have them recorded. When I contacted the landlords the first time regarding the "threats" a few months back, they did mention a property manager who could maybe assess the damage and send me a bill if I planned on moving out early, so I'm planning on maybe going that route.

The damage is some scruffing on the door, a little furrowing of the carpet to my room entrance (which might just be normal wear and tear), and bent blinds, so it's not as if we're dealing with holes in the walls or anything like that. I don't mind paying the bill, but to be invoiced for damages by the non-property owner while I'm still living here seems really unlawful.

What options should I consider? Would it even be worth speaking to an attorney?

Answer:
 Although you are jointly and severally liable to the landlord, you are definitely liable to each other for damage you do, as well. For example, let's say your security deposit is $1000. You cause $500 worth of damage, so your landlord only pays out to $250 to each of you. Your roommate can claim from you the $250 he lost due to your actions.

Your roommate's threats are empty at this point, but it's worth sorting out. If you do leave early, it's a good to get the inspection you were offered and make sure that you are only held responsible for your own actions.


Title: Roommate goes to Florida and never comes back (OH)

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Are you saying that you both signed the lease?

Yes.  He is responsible for fulfilling the lease he signed.  But it's important to note that if you both signed the lease, and assuming it was a typical lease, the landlord will hold you both jointly and severally liable, meaning the landlord will likely come after you for the entire rent because you're the one who is easy to reach.  Some leases, especially in college environments, may not include joint and several liability, so you'd need to check.

You can sue your roommate for the portion of the rent he had agreed to pay if you are obligated to pay the entire rent to the landlord.


Title: My SO got served a restraining order by a woman at his work, and he got fired as a result. I found this out by going through his phone, and took pictures of the texts. He has apparently been stalking her. Are the pictures I took admissable in the court, or could they get me in trouble?

Question:
Located in New Hampshire, USA.

The texts make it pretty clear that he's been stalking her a lot. Apparently, he also has had 4 previous sexual assault charges against him (which I also just found out about through his texts). I am worried not only for my safety, and the safety of my kids, but also the safety of this girl that he's been stalking. Would the pictures I took be admissable in any way, and could they get me in trouble, if I were to bring them to the police as grounds for his removal from my house? He is very unstable, drinks a 12-pack of beer every night, and I saw in his texts that he has also been buying drugs. Because of all this, I am two months behind on my mortgage, and my electricity has been shut off (his part of the bills, I paid everything else). What do I do? Show his texts to the police? I just don't know.
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 Go to a domestic abuse shelter or a women's shelter. Safety first.Answer #2: After you follow /u/derspiny 's advice, here is some information to help answer your question.

(IANAL) "[In general, whatever a private citizen—rather than a police officer—uncovers through an  illegal search  is admissible in court](http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/searches-private-citizens.html)" as long as the person was not acting on behalf of police. Since you took the pictures on your own accord without being asked by the police, ~~they should be admissible~~. *(EDIT: This relates solely to the search you conducted, and not to other issues /u/repugnantcow raised. You will not have to worry about that, though; that's something for the prosecutor to deal with if it gets that far.)* More importantly, you should be able to use them to get a protective order.

If you're concerned about facing criminal charges for reading the text messages, then you should consult with a criminal defense attorney first. You should file a police report about anything he's done to you or your kids, though.

Edit: grammarAnswer #3: Here is a list of numbers that can provide you with immediate assistance and advice in New Hampshire: http://www.nhcadsv.org/crisis_centers.cfm

Please take care of yourself.Answer #4: Please call your local domestic violence hotline.  You need a plan to stay safe.Answer #5: Be careful - get your electricity turned back on or that could be reason to remove your kids.Answer #6: Not sure how close you are to Nashua but we have a place called Bridges that's supposed to be pretty solid. I've never heard a bad thing about it.Answer #7: I can't give legal advice but definitely to a women's shelter. I'm sorry you're going through this,  best wishes.


Title: Federal harassment need help

Question: [deleted]

Answer: You need to speak to a mental health professional. It's time to get professional help.


Title: What do I do if I have found a substantial quantity of money in a storage bin?

Question:
Where do I start?

I was at a storage auction on Tuesday and I bought a bin for absolute pennies (it appeared to be full of junk). I've just moved all of the items out of the bin earlier today. In one of the boxes, there is a significant amount of money, all in £50 notes. I don't know how much there is yet, but it's at least a few hundred thousand pounds - enough to buy my first house.

My question is: what do I do from here? Can I keep it? I haven't told anybody about it yet. I went to a local restaurant whom I know have a money scanner to check for counterfeits, so I went to buy a hamburger and Coke with a £50 note and... the note's real.

Thanks so much for any advice you can give.

Answer:
 I am assuming this was an abandoned unit that was sold on auction? Read the terms you agreed to, if the terms say that you own everything in the unit, then congrats on the windfall. I'm assuming that when you won the auction you bought everything that was in the unit.

Typically, whoever owned the unit before you would have signed an agreement with the storage facility, and they would likely have terms for abandonment that allow them to possess the storage units after non-payment, etc. Once they possess them, they auction off the contents so they can get that space back and rent it out.


Title: What would happen if a relative of mine gave me 200,000$ to help me pay for my house. Me and my husband pay another 200,000$ plus fees and our family now lives in said House. We then renovate it with 50,000$ Relative suicides with 500,000$ in debt. Can the bank go after our house?

Answer:
 Sometimes.

Courts can and often do reverse financial transactions that were undertaken to hide assets from creditors. If done to frustrate a bankruptcy, this is called *insolvent trading*Answer #2: Is the relative on the mortgage?


Title: How can I obtain security tapes that prove my supervisor sabotaged me, and attempted to get me terminated.

Question: Sorry if this is the wrong sub but the story goes that she, intentionally gave me wrong data and then reported my wrong product to the boss. I told him she sabotaged me and he said he'll keep an eye out. I'am afraid she may again try something again as she's been harassing me for the last 2 weeks. Having those security tapes would provide a defence if she tries something similar again. Or should I report her to human resources?

Answer: Define "sabotage".  And location is not optional.


Title: Failed Breathalyzer Ignition Interlock. What to expect? [NY]

Question:
Coworker's sister just got off probation 4 weeks ago for her 2nd DUI. She *allegedly* tried to start the car the next day after a night of drinking and the interlock recorded a violation and shut down. Apparently when there is a positive you are supposed to re-test 15 minutes later, she did not do the 2nd test.

  She called her attorney and lied about it being a false positive. Her attorney said that she will likely have to appear at a hearing. I'm just kind of curious on what she can expect. She definitely has a drinking problem if you ask me. Like I said, this was installed due to her *2nd* DUI which was going to be a Felony but was reduced to some kind of misdemeanor. Thanks in advance.

Answer: You are asking the wrong question. Driving, at this point, is a sideshow question. This woman is either drinking Way too much and needs to get into treatment/rehab or her judgment is so impaired that she shouldn't be around any heavy machinery at all. Two DUIs and a failed interlock is a cry for help.


Title: Paying deceased MIL utility bills?

Question:
[NJ, USA]

My fiancé and I recently moved into my MIL’s house to help take care of her after diagnosed with a terminal illness. She recently passed and although I’ve already moved the house utilities into my name, the “last bill” has come in on gas electric etc. should I pay these bills? Will I be assuming any other debt my doing so? (She has some outstanding balances on some cc’s, etc)

Answer:
 Notify the utility company she is deceased - when her estate is probated the estate will pay any outstanding bills but paying one bill does not mean you agree to pay all her debts.

&#x200B;

Also note is your husband the sole beneficiary of her estate or is he also named as a survivor on the house deed? Because you don't have any right  to just be living in the house otherwise and unless her other assets are enough to cover her credit card debts the house may need to be sold- if there are multiple beneficiaries you may end up being charged rent for any time you live there after her death


Title: Month to month lease; requires 60 day notice to vacate

Question:
I have been in the process of looking for a home for a while so I decided to go month to month on renting my apartment.

I found a house I would like to buy and the closing date is May 11th. I gave notice to vacate 17 April, 2018 but since they require 60 day notice I'm being told I need to pay rent for the month of May AND June.

When I went month to month I did not sign any papers, they simply stated "they will be using the previous rental agreement" which has EXPIRED and there is no clause in there that says the previous lease agreement will be honored in the case of going month to month.

I went in to the leasing office and argued with the staff who seem to have no real power, so I wrote a letter to the GM. If that doesn't work, what is my course of action?

I am in Prince William County in Virginia.

Any advice is well appreciated.

Answer:
 This isn't actually a bad thing for you, in addition to all of the legal advice given already, here's some practical advice.

You're closing in the middle of May, that means that you won't pay a mortgage payment until July, which means you won't be paying for two places to live and it means you can take your time moving and won't be rushed.


Title: [CA&GA] Daughter put a down payment on a dog from a breeder in GA, finds out breeder is over selling dogs, keeps deposit.

Question:
My adult daughter (20s) in CA wanted to buy a great dane for her son. She did a facebook search and found a breeder in GA. Some messages were exchanged, and an agreement was made out, in facebook messenger for a deposit of $400 and a balance of $800. There was a single facebook message claiming deposits were non refundable.

The dog was 6 weeks old, and they immediately asked her to pick the dog up in the next week otherwise it will be too big to take in a carrier on a plane. As she was making arrangements, she received a message from someone that saw her post on their facebook, and warned her that the breeder oversells dogs, and a good portion of the dogs they sell are sick or do not have good genetics.

I am unclear (still waiting on her response to my questions) to how she tried to ask them or stop the transaction, but basically the deal was off, and my daughter is out $400.

She is at work now, and will be answering my questions soon, but **I wanted to see if she could file a small claims case locally to someone in GA?**

As soon as she started telling me the story, I already knew that she made a deal that went bad. I want her to chalk this up as a learning experience, but at the same time, I also want her to know that it is OK to stand your ground too, when the outcome can be in your favor.
Topic:
Consumer Law

Answer:
 She changed her mind, so she's out $400. I don't see anything here that the other side didn't uphold their part of the agreement. They still have a dog available for her, no?

She should consider $400 here the cost of a lesson to research breeders in the future and not support shady backyard breeders.Answer #2: When it comes to animal breeders you really need to do your homework. And then when you think it's done you should do it two more times. I also would not work with any breeder for whom you haven't gotten several solid references.

Dogs can be money pits of you get one with bad genetics. If you're going to spend the money on a purebred, make sure you do it right and do your diligence.


Title: Parents divorced almost 15 years ago. Dad is a lawyer/judge and is trying to steal my moms inheritance money. 250k

Question:
Hey there. I'm looking to get some legal advice here. Long story short, parents divorced over 10 years ago and my dad is still trying to squeeze money out of my mother. When given her inheritance, he tried to get it off the power of attorney of the estate (my uncle) by demanding the monies be paid to the sheriff / courts. This didn't work. Now that my grandparents house has sold, my dad has since found out and is trying another switch move... this is how I found out in the proceeding email.

"Mr X, I am aware that the real estate deal for the sale of Y's home closed at the end of November. I am also advise that no monies have been paid to the Sheriff. Please advise forthwith when, and how much will be paid to the Sheriff, failing which I will be serving you with a notice of a Garnishment Hearing under Rule 29(17)(b)

NOTICE OF GARNISHMENT HEARING

(17) The clerk shall, on request, issue a notice of garnishment hearing (Form 29H)

the other lawyer replied

"MR Y,

The paperwork for the major distribution of the estate funds is out for signature. The actual distribution should be done within a couple of weeks. Any payement to which Miss.M is entitled will be paid into Court in accordance with the legislation. you will receive notice of this. The initial payment is expected to be about 250k".

What can I do to stop my dad from fucking my mom over? Is there ANYTHING i can do to protect my mothers inheritance?

Answer:
 As a preliminary matter, this is between your mother, the beneficiary of the estate, and her ex-husband, who you believe may try to claim that he's owed or is entitled to money from the estate. The most you can do is encourage your mother to not roll over -- get a lawyer if necessary and fight.

More specifically -- in what exact way/for what exact reasons is your mother's ex-husband (presumably) going after money that your mother has inherited 15 years after their legal separation. There must be some theory, claim, or whatever by which your father would argue that he's owed money from the death of an in-law 15 years past being an actual in-law. What is it?

If there isn't one at this time and you're just concerned -- sorry, but you'll have to wait until your dad actually takes action to have an idea of how to argue against that action. Answer #2: If he's abusing his judicial authority contact the local Bar Association (you neglected to provide your location or I would have linked to it) and ask about local judicial ethics committees. Then report him.


Title: [WA] Employer said something on a job offer letter was a typo.

Question:
My wife recently got a great job. Good pay, good benefits, good bonus potential.

I was amazed when I saw her offer letter: where it clearly stated 4 weeks paid vacation in a bullet point of things she would get if she accepted the job. This was a huge factor in deciding to accept the job offer. 4 weeks is far above the average since this position doesn't even require a college degree.

Fast forward to now, about 3 months later and we are thinking of taking a vacation, so I check her vacation time for fun. It is at 18hrs... She is accumulating 3.08hrs per pay period paid biweekly, so basically 6hrs per month, on track for 10 days of vacation per year. I check the employee handbook and sure enough, it lists 0-3 years with the company = 10 vacation days.

She nonchalantly brought it up to someone and they basically said "oh that's a typo." And that was the end of it. It is a pretty great job besides that, so don't really want to whine and rock the boat, because we live basically paycheck to paycheck as it is.

So my question is: because there is a job offer letter that is signed, is she entitled to the 4 weeks paid vacation? If so, how do we go about bringing this up without them terminating her because of it?

TL;DR: Wife has a job acceptance letter stating 4 weeks vacation, on pace to get only 10 days per year.

Thanks!

Answer:
 > so don't really want to whine and rock the boat, because we live basically paycheck to paycheck as it is.

Translation: you can't afford to complain too loudly.

She can meet with HR to express her displeasure and see if they are willing to do anything.Answer #2: Unless she has an employment contract (typically different from a job offer letter, though in rare circumstances the same) that guarantees her a certain period of time off as an employee, both she and her employer are free to end the employment relation at any time. For that reason, both the employee and the employer are equally free to change the terms of the employment relationship.

Not knowing whom she brought the issue up with, I would suggest she speaks with her supervisor. The conversation could go something like, "My job offer letter stated I am to receive 4 weeks paid vacation annually but I'm concerned because my latest pay stub reflects around 10 days per year.  The rate of accrual is different than what we had originally agreed upon - how can we solve this?" Non-accusatory or confrontational. If she receives the same "oh that's a typo" nonsense then your only options are to accept the answer and move on or escalate the issue above that person's head and so on. Again, not to be confrontational, but if nothing else to make sure that everyone is on the same page regarding accrued time off.


Title: I let go my "old" domain name, and it got bought by some Disney e-shop, what can I do?

Question:
Hello, first time posting here, so I hope

So, I bought a few years ago the domain "johndoe.fr" for my own use, where I put some websites I developed and whatnot.

&#x200B;

Since I'm planning on moving out of France in a few years, I decided to let this domain go (by not renewing it), and to buy one more "world wide", "johndoe.me". However, after a few weeks, some colleagues came to me to tell me that my website got hacked.

I never told them about my transfer so I went to check what was all about, and I discovered this Disney / Reebok / Whatever it is eshop, selling stuff.

&#x200B;

As you guessed, this domain name contains my first and last name, so having it linked to an eshop on which I have no power... disturbs me. Plus, looking for "John Doe" in any search engine will display both the websites, and it's not ok for me. I tried to reach out for the owner to see if we could come to an agreement, but I got no answer so far.

&#x200B;

Is there anything I can do to make the owner abandon this (unsecured) website?

Thank you in advance

Answer:
 You relinquished ownership, someone else bought it, nothing you can do.

Why let it go if it was important?Answer #2: You can do nothing to *make* them do anything with their rightfully owned property.


Title: I want to run a Sweepstakes to give away my ex's engagement ring and don't want to run into legal issues. Help?

Question:
Last year I was engaged, and now I'm not. I still have [this $4k engagement ring](http://imgur.com/gneUmFd) I bought for my ex, and it's burning a hole in my pocket.

I've considered selling it online, or selling it back to the jeweler, but I haven't been able to bring myself to do it.

Today I had an idea.

I run two very love-themed businesses. One is a date-in-a-box subscription company, and the other is a podcast where I interview couples who are in love with each other. (No links, cause I don't want to shamelessly self-promote to my Reddit family.)

Is there a way to run a sweepstakes and have people pay for an entry to win the ring on this Valentine's Day as a means to recoup my losses?

I know that you have to be really careful how you set up a Sweepstakes to avoid any legal entanglements with the IRS... and I have no idea where to start.

Does you have an idea if it's possible for me to set up and run a sweepstakes that would help me make some money, give away the ring, and maybe grow my audience?

**Edit:** I'm in Utah, but the sweepstakes would probably need to be for anyone in the USA.

Answer:
 [Here are the California rules](http://www.dca.ca.gov/publications/legal_guides/u-3.shtml) for sweepstakes.  You have to look these up for every state in the USA and be sure you are complying with all of them.  Alternatively, you can say that it's not valid and you can't enter if you're in Kentucky or Oregon or whatever.

Just return it.


Title: 51 automated calls cost me a job, can I pursue this legally?

Question:
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 It probably isn't covered, but it might be worth reaching out to an attorney that specializes in the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (there are plenty online if you just Google "attorneys who do telephone consumer protection act claims".  They might be able to get you some compensation (possibly $1500 per claim).  Might be worth a shot reaching out and seeing if there is anything they can do.Answer #2: tl;dr:

OP's local electical provider left voice mails telling him his power would be back on soon, despite it being on the whole time.

OP lost out on jobs because they filled up his voice mail.

Is electrical provider liable for OP's losses?

---

Likely answer: no, of course not.

OP, you're probably signed up for some sort of outage notification system that ran wild, and/or assumed yours was out because some portion of your neighborhood was. You can probably un-sign-up for it.Answer #3: This is difficult to follow. Can you describe:

* Any acronyms you used
* Where you're located
* What you do for work
* How these phone calls cause a loss of wages.
* when you say 'power', is that home or work?
* is the 'Parent company' your employer or your power company?

You mention not being able to use your phone while working but also needing to take calls in order to secure more work. These seem like conflicting ideas. I think this is where your issues stem from.


Title: (Maryland) Arrested for texting

Question:
So my friend got a new number, I wanted to text him "hey it's your sugar daddy" as a joke. However, I got the number wrong and now the person I texted by mistake is threatening me with legal actions.

Can I actually get in trouble for this?

Answer: Haha, No block that number and move on.Answer #2: No.Answer #3: Block number, delete texts, forget about situation, remember in 10 years and laugh with your friends


Title: Friend co-signed on car loan for people who let the car fall into disrepair and get repossessed. She is now paying it off, alone. Options?

Question:
Long story short, I have a wonderful friend who is borderline an idiot when it comes to trusting people. She had a family of six who moved into her 3 bedroom home for nearly a year because they fed her a sob story, and among the many things she provided for them, she co-signed on a car loan.

The family made their payments until they let the engine stop working and rather than get it repaired they just stopped paying. The family moved out (finally) and didn't notify her, and the letters were going to their new address, and then one night they came to repossess the car, which was shortly thereafter sold at auction.

My friend made a deal with the bank to pay off about half of what was still owed on the car, in installments each month. The family continued to pretend they were going to make it right for many months, and even though I'm sure my friend knew it wasn't true, she kept hoping they would come through, but she's finally given up.

So my question is: does she have the right to sue them in any way? As a co-signer, since by law they bear equal responsibility, could she at least compel them legally to pay half of the monthly payments (and repay half of what she's already paid thus far?)

Answer:
 Yes she can sue them. Collecting is not easyAnswer #2: She can sue them. She can try to get them to pay things.

If they have no money/don't care they can still not pay and ruin her credit, and she might not get anything from them.

Your friend had an expensive lesson. Be glad she didn't have to pay for an eviction hearing on top of that.


Title: Does a car dealership have to tell you if your car is a flood car?

Question: My niece bought a car from a dealership nearby (in North Carolina) and within two weeks of buying the rotors messed up. They took it to a mechanic and he fixed the rotors. He also found that they stuffed insulation in holes and spray painted it to cover it up. Went back to the dealership and they won't let me speak to the owner. They say he isn't there but they waited and watched and saw him sneak out the back door. They want to take them to small claims court but they need to know if dealerships are required to tell you if a car is a flood car.

Answer:
 Unfortunately there are common loopholes for "title washing" a vehicle that's been flood damaged, and [North Carolina is a common place](http://wlos.com/news/local/news-13-investigates-75000-nc-car-titles-washed-clean-of-damage) for out\-of\-state vehicles to arrive with a flood\-damage title brand removed.   You might not be able to prove the dealer knew about a branded title in such a case.

Even if the car was flooded inside NC, flood damage is [only considered relevant to the drivetrain or the body](https://www.ncdot.gov/dmv/vehicle/title/salvaged/), not the brakes.   The details of exactly what holes were affected by insulation and spray paint will matter.

Run a vehicle history report \(CarFax, etc\) to find out where the vehicle was last registered.   If it was inside North Carolina, you might have a case because[ any seller in NC is required to disclose](http://www.ncdoj.gov/Consumer/Automobiles/Disclosing-Car-Damage.aspx) flood damage in writing.


Title: (California) Accidentally caught in a prostitution sting.

Question:
Still can't believe this is happening. Last week I was driving home from work (I'm a DJ at a club in West Hollywood) and spotted a man in combat boots and orange shorts flagging me down in the rain.

I pulled over and he told me his phone died and asked if I could give him a ride home. I said sure (I'm a pretty friendly guy and recently broke up with my boyfriend so I've been a little more willing than usual to meet new people.)

As we were driving and chatting, he asked me if I want to have some fun with him. I assumed he was talking about getting a drink or going dancing so I said sure. He then asked me how much money I had. I thought this was kind of rude but whatever, I told him I had about 60 bucks on me. He said "60 bucks for a little bit of fun?" I said "that's right!"

Next thing I know he sticks a badge in my face and tells me to pull over. He's an undercover cop and arrests me for soliciting prostitution.

I'm still in shock. My court date is later this month. Can I really be charged for this? I would never knowingly pick up a prostitute.

EDIT: Seriously with the downvotes and troll posts? Not surprised to see the homophobic lawyer stereotype being lived up to.

Answer:
 We really need to crack down on both trolling and people who obviously omit the part of their story that makes them guilty.

You're a DJ in WeHo who doesn't know what a prostitute looks like?

It didn't rain in WeHo last week.

There is nowhere in WeHo that is more than maybe 50 feet from a 24 hour storefront, so why would anyone be waiting outside "in the rain"?

Or unable to find a phone charger?  That's like saying your phone died in Midtown Manhattan.

You DJ'd at a club at night but thought this guy was asking about getting a drink?  This guy you found randomly on the side of the road in the middle of a row of bars and clubs which are still open?

This guy who also just asked you to drive him "home"?

You didn't immediately think it's weird that someone asked you to "party" and then asked how much money you had?

The cop actually got into your car and let you drive him around?

Come on.....Answer #2: This story doesn't pass the smell test. Either you are a troll or are leaving something out. But if it is true, hire a criminal defense attorney, go to the court date, plead not guilty.Answer #3: >  Can I really be charged for this?

Absolutely. You should plead not guilty and ask for a public defender if you cannot afford an attorney. Your attorney, after reviewing all the facts, will tell you if you can make the case that since sex was never mentioned you didn't think you were paying for sex.


Title: [Ontario] My cousin Spilled a Starbucks coffee on herself in the car shortly after buying it and suffered severe burns on her abdomen, lower back and crotch area.

Question:
We were wondering if there's anything we can do about this. She was taken to the hospital immeditely and started shaking. She was treated but takes pain medication. This happened yesterday. Can we sue for damages or anything?

edit: jesus this place sucks asshole

Answer:
 Not to be a dick but if she's out already just on pain meds her burns weren't severe. If you want honest answers from lawyers it's probably best not to embellish.

The lady who infamously sued McDonald's for a similar case had extensive life limiting burns, her genitals were melted. She needed two years medical treatment. That was severe.


Title: Consequences for no car insurance in MI???

Question:
This all started when I was in a car accident (got rear ended) and my car got totaled. Since I didn't have collision and my car wasn't worth much anyway (everyone said "then you probably didn't want collision!") all I got was a measly $1000 to buy another car. Thanks no fault Michigan.
But this whole situation raises a question in my mind. My husband also has a car that isn't worth very much. Is it worth it to pay for car insurance if we don't drive long distances and are in my opinion very safe drivers? I understand that in a case where we cause an accident, we can get sued. We are broke, hence the cheap cars and no collision on insurance, so I am wondering what would that situation look like? In the case where someone hits us, would we get in trouble for not having insurance? I am wondering, what are the very real consequences of driving in MI without car insurance?

Answer:
 You can get ticketed and then have to prove that you have insurance in most jurisdictions, not sure about MI.
I do know that your license would get suspended in almost all jurisdictions if you cause an accdient and don't have insurance. Not to mention, you'd have to foot the bill for the other person's damages and medical bills.

Seriously, don't do it. This is about the biggest asshole thing you can do. If you can't afford insurance, take public transportation.


Title: Girlfriend's roommates will not let her out of her lease! Help! [IL]

Question:
So basically, my girlfriend signed a lease with her "friends" 8 months ago under the assumption of it being the most viable option economically speaking.  However, a few months ago my girlfriend and I have decided to get an apartment together as this would halve our living expenses.

The apartment complex says that we have to find a replacement - no big deal.  Recently we found the "perfect" match to take my girlfriend's spot on the lease, however - the roommates are refusing to consider ANY candidate whatsoever for replacing my girlfriend.  They want to close any and all attempts to my girlfriend getting out.  They have this power, according to the leasing consultant, they need to "approve" this new person that is  coming in.  Their reasoning behind denying any replacement is "We don't want to take the chance living with a *stranger*. But the roommates have flat out told my girlfriend that they are not going to let her out.  No if, ands, or buts.

What do /r/legaladvice?

Answer:
 Nothing. They don't have to let her out of her contract -- that's the whole point of contracts. Answer #2: Live out the lease. She signed a contract. They are not obligated to take some stranger. Answer #3: Finish the lease as she agreed or pay the penalty stated in the lease for breaking it. She made an agreement, she doesn't get to change the rules when she decides. Answer #4: - Have her finish off the lease and then move in with her.

- Pay for the apartment yourself for 4 months until the lease is up and then move her in.

- If there is some malicious reason that the other roommates don't want to let her out of the contract, there is not much you can do. Answer #5: Unfortunately, she doesn't have any good options.  She's bound to the lease she signed for the duration unless the landlord agrees to let her out.  Unless there's a clause in the lease that says the roommates can't unreasonably withhold consent or approval of a replacement, there's no legal wiggle room.

I've heard of some states reading a reasonableness requirement into replacement clauses, but it's not a guarantee, and that's something that will take a few months to litigate, at a minimum.  And she'd be responsible for paying rent until that's fully resolved anyway.


Title: My Brother wants to be euthanized because he has terminal cancer. I'n not sure of the legal ramifications or how to go about it legally.

Question:
I honestly barely know how to type this, but i'll do my best. My brother is 29 and has terminal lung cancer. He has 4-6 months at the most. He has declined any and all treatment and has stated that he would rather be euthanized than be in a "living hell" for the next 6 months.

This post isn't about the legality of stopping him. He has been very clear about it and we have all come to terms with it (this was all about 3 weeks ago). He has a wife and 3 kids.

He looked it up and saw that it is legal in Canada and Belgium and wants to fly there to have it done. At this point, I would do anything for my brother while he goes through this and I want to know how this works legally. Does he have to be a citizen of that country to do it? How does this work with his life insurance? Is this a crime at all?

This may not be the right sub, I'm not sure, but we don't understand if this is legal or how it works.

Any advice on convincing him to not do it won't work. We have tried for weeks. He is dead set on it. It is horrible, but he won't change his mind.

I appreciate it guys

Answer: Before you start packing the UHaul to move your brother and his family to a different state, get in touch with hospice. Make an appointment, let your brother explain his wishes and fears. Find out what hospice offers in your own state, in his own home. Your brother might be surprised to learn that some hospice nurses can be pretty generous with the morphine toward the end.


Title: raising rent because of "inspection" [AZ]

Question:
Hello redditors! My wife and I rent a house and recently the landlord informed us they were raising our rent from $1200/month to $1400/month. I asked why, since the average price in our neighborhood is about $1100-$1200, and if we could negotiate.

According to the landlord, when they were in our house to do some repair work a few months ago, they noted that the house was not "within standard", thus the increase. This apparently is because our upstairs carpet is stained and there is some damage to one of the door frames (dog with separation anxiety went berserk on it).

I thought that this is what the security deposit is for. We have lived in this house almost ten years. I am not arguing that there is damage (although actually we planned to pay to have the door frame fixed ourselves, just hadn't had a chance to do it yet), but I do not think it is anything that the security deposit would not cover. We paid not only a standard security deposit, but also a pet deposit when we moved in and a second pet deposit when we got our dog. All told, our security deposit was $4500.

Worth mentioning - we are month-to-month. Our lease expired about three years ago. I asked about getting a new one signed and was always told by the property manager that they would "discuss it with the owner and get back to us" only we never heard. After several attempts, I decided going month-to-month was okay. (We had some family/financial situations at that point which meant we might need to move, so I wasn't eager to lock myself into a lease at that point.)

I am very puzzled by this drastic increase of our rent, especially given that we are long-term tenants (honestly the carpet would be due to be replaced soon anyway, it wasn't new when we moved in ten years ago and it's stopped coming entirely clean when we clean it). We have always paid our rent on time and have never had any complaints except a couple times that the HOA thought we weren't trimming our palm trees fast enough.

The rent increase is due to go into effect on 6/1 so I have a little time to figure out what to do. Do I have any legal recourse? I appreciate any advice you can give me!

Answer:
 If you're month-to-month, your landlord can change your rent as he sees fit (upon proper notice).  Your remedy, if you're unhappy with that change, is to find a new place to rent.

The landlord doesn't need to defend his reasoning for the increase.  Though generally, your taking poorer care of the property than he would hope is directly tied to his costs of renting and makes sense.


Title: Is it legal for an employer to require an employee to report medication that they take? California

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Completely. Legal. They don't want you operating equipment while you're high in medication.Answer #2: Of course. The "impairs" part is pretty important here too. Can't be driving any forklifts on xanax.


Title: Co-worker's fiance wants to change last name

Question: He was adopted and took his adopted father's last name when he was young.  Now, he wants to go back to the last name he was born with.  She wants to take his birth last name as well.  Can they do all that as part of the marriage process, or does he need to change his name prior to getting married?  This is in Texas if that makes a difference.

Answer: if he wants his corrected name to be on the marriage license, he'll need to do it prior to having the license issued. a few hundred bucks at your local district court.