Title: Neighbor's Treehouse hangs over my property

Question: Atlanta, GA - about six months ago a neighbor who's property backs up to mine built a gargantuan treehouse right at the property line.  I'll admit it bothered be a bit but it was sort of fait accompli - it was well underway before I noticed it.  And it wasn't really hurting me so no big deal.  Well, yesterday I was doing yard work by my back fence (which is sort of hidden behind some bushes so I'm not usually back there) and I noticed the tree house hangs at least a foot over my fence.  My fear is that if a kid falls out of that thing onto my property, am I liable?  I really don't want to get in some kind of war with a neighbor, but I don't want to lose everything because of his tree house.  Any ideas?

Answer: As my posting has shown, I can be a dick, but in real life I have mastered the art of living peacefully next to some of the biggest craziest assholes that every bought a house. I know exactly what I would do. I'd go to his house and tell him how cool the treehouse is. And its not a big deal to you but when your insurance agent was over walking around the house he noticed it hanging over the property. The insurance guy made a big deal about it but you told him that you were certainly not going to do anything to your neighbor about the treehouse. So your insurance guy said at least to send a letter to the neigbobor telling him that he has permission to have the house hanging over but that he needs to ensure that he has the property isnruance becasue you and your insurance company wont be liable for any incidents. Hell you could even have your agent write the letter. And assure the neighbor not to worry about it and thats why you came over in person. You didn't want him to think you were a dick by just having a letter show up without the personal discussion. This letter would also have the bonus of removing the ability of the guy to claim adverse permission or an easement since you are giving him a license to be on the property. As an internet stranger I guarantee this approach will ensure good neighborly relations and probably address any liability concerns you have. Of course talking to a local lawyer is the only way to be sure. Good luck!


Title: Gas station attendant's small mistake cost me my beloved car. (OREGON)

Question: Yesterday, I stop at a gas station in my town and ask for my 1983 Mercedes 300D to be filled with diesel. As I always do, my parents pay for my gas so I use my credit card to just fill the tank, so every time I get gas I say the same thing: filla diesel please. I think maybe the old sedan look of my car threw him off and he filled it with unleaded petrol gasoline. I wish I caught this error as it were happening because it would be a much cheaper fix if I hadn't noticed and drove it like I did. I leave the gas station, no problem, drop my friend off and then, when I kill my engine for the first time since getting gas, it won't start at all and makes terrible knocking noises that continue even when I take the keys out of the ignition. I recruited some mechanic friends to come take a look at it and they smelled the gas tank and said that's definitely gas in your car. Upon further research, this will cost me anywhere from $4,000-$17,000, which is way more than I even paid for my car. My parents don't want to pay the price of the gas attendant's small mistake and want to know if they are entitled to a claim or can somehow receive compensation from the gas station. help!! thank you!

Answer:
 Especially since it's illegal to pump your own gas in Oregon, the gas station is liable.  They have insurance.

 Have your parents file a claim.    Your parent's insurance company will go after the gas station.

Answer #2: whoever owns the car should contact the gas station, let them know what happened, and ask for their insurance infoAnswer #3: If you can reasonably establish the station’s liability in fact - that is you asked for diesel and they pumped unleaded by mistake - you may be entitled to see the station pay for your loss. Proving up that case may be very difficult.

Because it seems relevant in this case, that liability is limited at fair market value for the car if that’s less than the repairs.


Title: Seeking custody for unborn child. The mom is a screw up. What is my path?

Question: So, I’m from Texas. I have zero criminal record and have an income, a vehicle and a place. I met a girl and got her knocked up. Things were going great until she changed up on me and decided that I’m not good enough. We broke up. She texted me she’ll settle in court after the birth. Back story on the girl: she has four kids with different fathers, (I have none). Two she gave up for adoption because she couldn’t afford it. One lives with a grandma because CPS was called since the mom was hitting her. The last kid has autism and she constantly beats him and screams curse words. He’s the only one that she has custody over. She refuses to stop smoking cigarettes while pregnant as well. She also smokes weed and live with a trashy mother who seems to kick her and the 2 year old out every 2 weeks. It’s an alcohol fueled environment. They smoke in front of the kids too. I have 7 months to prepare a case. What steps should I be taking and what moves should I make? Thank you in advance.

Answer: You cannot do anything until the child is born. You can start talking to an attorney to be ready to file for custody when the child is born. Get a good attorney, because taking a newborn from a mother is not easy


Title: [MA] Landlord created and maintained dangerous condition, refused to resolve situation. Tenant permanently injured. Any recourse?

Question:
tl;dr - landlord created and maintained a dangerous situation, repeatedly refused to remedy, tenant suffered permanent serious injury. Is there recourse and liability?

I’ll try to keep this as concise as I can but it’s a year long convoluted tale so you may want to grab a beer or a coffee. In Sept 2016, the landlord moved their heroin addict adult child, his drug dealing addict baby mama, and two born addicted sad little kids (1yr and 4yrs old att) into a 150 sq ft office (uninspected non-dwelling unit) in a 4 unit apt house. My apartment, where I have lived for 6 years, is above the office. Landlord said, “They’re moving out in a few weeks. Please be tolerant, understanding, and patient. And they are guests because they aren’t paying rent.”

The only “work” these two addicts did was slinging dope off the porch and stealing anything that wasn’t nailed down. Their addict buddies were regularly creeping around and knocking on doors at 3am. They screamed at each other when the dope ran out (“I’m sick and I gotta get well”, makes my blood boil even to type it) and were verbally abusive and neglectful to the kids calling them “little motherfuckers” daily while they indulged their heroin addiction just feet away. DCF took a report but to my knowledge never followed up.

The office has bathroom with a tub which is below my bedroom and the addicts would run the water continuously for up to 5 hours a night always beginning after midnight. The water pipes for the tub run through my bedroom wall and sounded like a fire hose blasting in the wall. They were made aware of the noise disturbance multiple times by both the landlord and me but couldn’t be bothered to alter their asshole behavior. For 9 months, I never was able to sleep for longer than 3 hours between 11pm and 6am without water noise blasting next to my head so I began to stay away 15-20 days/month just to get some peace and sleep. My apartment was just an expensive storage unit at that point.

I had dozens of conversations with the landlord about ending the situation and “I’m trying” was the standard answer along with “be patient, be understanding.” In mid-May, I totally derailed after being kept awake continuously by the addicts for 3 days and demanded they be removed. I left so I could get some sleep and returned a week later. Of course nothing had changed. At the landlord’s request by text, I stopped by their house to discuss the issue, during which I learned these two drug dealing fools had a home invasion robbery prior to squatting in the office which really set me off, and once again the conversation ended with “I’m trying” and a pissing match between mr and mrs landlord so I left.

It was about 1:30pm so I went to get some lunch, and 20-30 minutes after leaving the landlord’s house, I had a seizure out of nowhere (no prior seizure history), smacked into the concrete floor in the store, fractured my skull, and developed an epidural hematoma. I refused surgery, opting for watchful waiting, and lucked out that the bleed was venous instead of arterial like most EH are. The day I walked out of the hospital, I called the landlord and said if the heroin addicts were not removed within 24hrs, I would be calling the town Board of Health. And that I regretted not doing it in Oct 2016 when their “few weeks” were up. According to neighbors, the junkies and all their trash they had piled on the porch were gone within a couple hours.

So now I have a permanent traumatic brain injury which is causing significant problems and is pretty damn painful. I must take seizure pills and have continuing medical care for the rest of my now shortened life. Prior to this, I took no pills and rarely saw a doctor. I also have driving restrictions which means I need to move (and pay higher rent) so I can access the trains. And I have huge hospital/doctor bills to pay with more coming, even with insurance. Last week docs found an “incidental finding” on MRI, “a small mass in the back of [my] head, likely a meningioma.” It’s not symptomatic, not in an area that causes seizures, and - straight up, I’d rather not know there’s some thing in my head that may or may not cause problems ever and I wouldn’t know if not for idiots.

My health has been seriously compromised and my life has been turned completely upside down because of the landlord’s intentional creation and maintenance of a dangerous criminal condition in a rental property and repeated refusal to rectify the problem until it was too late and even then only under duress.

Is there any legal recourse here?

Thank you for reading this mess.

Answer: I don't see how the landlord caused your seizure.


Title: [PA] My SO is trying to return to work after having our child. Employer isn't working with her.

Question: As the title says, my SO had our baby about 8 weeks ago and she was going to return to work. She wanted to return on a part time basis, but her employer is refusing and saying she has to return full time. I thought I read somewhere that they have to give the option of part time if she was returning from pregnancy leave. Can someone shed some light on this?

Answer: If she's covered by FMLA and still has time remaining in her statutory twelve weeks, she may be eligible for some intermittent FMLA.  Otherwise, no, they are not legally required to give her a part-time position rather than returning her to full-time.


Title: I've worked 60-70 hour weeks while on Salary at a restaurant. Need advice on what kind of overtime i am owed. CANADA-ONTARIO

Question:
Ive worked at this restaurant for 7 months. 2 months ago i was given the title of MANAGER when 3/4 of the staff quit (someone got fired and they all followed her). 1 month ago i was moved from an hourly minimum wage to salary. Immediatly after the change, my hours skyrocketed.

I stayed, working crazy hours to keep the restaurant running, and trained about 15 people in that time, most of which quit in a few days or a week.

a few days ago i emailed the owner saying i was being overworked and was being burned out. I felt like i was being used. 70 hour weeks is not fun, and they wanted to have me at the restaurant even more. In response to this, they switched me back to hourly pay, and lowered it so i am now making less. They said "We don't count hours here", and "We NEVER pay overtime, EVER!".

So i'm quitting soon. Am i entitled to overtime pay for the hours beyond 44hr/week while i was on salary? The Canada Gov. site wasn't clear and had a lot of "It depends".

From what i've read, if i am doing "Manager duties", than working more than 44 hours is considered part of the job. If that's true, i think it's debatable if i was doing manager duties, even through they called me a manager. I trained new staff (done this at almost every job i've worked at and never been a manager), i didn't hire although i did some interviews, but ultimately the decisions went to my manager (who always referred to herself as the manager and my boss).

Thanks!

Answer:
 You are not entitled to overtime. But if you were in an non-managerial or supervisory position, such as a server or a bartender, then the 44 hours rule applies. So your employer cannot say 'no overtime pay' to them if they do work over 44 hours in a week.

[Here is where you can find more information on overtime in Ontario.](http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/es/pubs/guide/overtime.php)

[How many hours a week do you work?](http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/es/pubs/guide/hours.php)


Title: Got a possession of marijuana ticket at a fake narcotics checkpoint in Louisiana

Question:
Me and my friend were driving back to Georgia and we had weed around .5 in the car. We were driving through Louisiana and we see a sign that says "narcotics checkpoint in half a mile" and we take the nearest exit to get rid of the weed but thats where the cops were actually sitting, waiting on people to get off the highway. We both got a citation for possession of marijuana and we are extremely worried that we will have to go through probation. Does anyone know what our consequences would be?
Edit: We are first time offenders.

Answer:
 > We were driving through Louisiana and we see a sign that says "narcotics checkpoint in half a mile" and we take the nearest exit to get rid of the weed but thats where the cops were actually sitting

As a Louisiana resident I am actually proud. We are never this clever. Answer #2: >We were driving through Louisiana and we see a sign that says "narcotics checkpoint in half a mile" and we take the nearest exit to get rid of the weed but thats where the cops were actually sitting, waiting on people to get off the highway.

I think that's less a "trap" than "to be expected".Answer #3: This is one of the things that catches a number of individuals.~~Possession of marijuana is a class 3 misdemeanor in NC.~~ You'll likely be eligible for a diversion program where you have a period of probation in exchange for avoiding a conviction, you may also have to enroll in a drug/alcohol education class.


Title: [AUS, Victoria] My cousins ex husband doesn't believe her son has Coeliacs disease and keeps feeding him products containing gluten.

Question:
Hi guys, regular poster, first time submitter. I realize this sub isn't for Australian law but /r/auslaw don't give advice because of ethics concerns and they don't seem to like me over there anyway.

So to the story, my cousin has Coeliac's and has had a positive diagnosis for as long as I've known her, eating gluten makes her violently ill. She believes that her six year old son also has the disease because he presents with similar symptoms and has a positive blood test. However she doesn't want to have the diagnosis fully confirmed by the required endoscopy/gastroscopy and biopsy because she was advised by his pediatrician that it would require her son going under full anesthesia, as well as possibly being quite traumatic for him.

The legal issue here is that her ex husband and his parents who he lives with don't believe the diagnosis, even though the young fella has repeatedly thrown up all over their car and house after being fed gluten containing products. The Father only has custody on the weekends and some holidays but by refusing to stick to his diet they could be causing the son long term chronic medical harm (refractory disease).

Also the refusal to stick to the diet is causing other symptoms such as shortness of breath and difficulty breathing after he's been fed gluten, which they then treat with a Ventolin inhaler which he has not been prescribed, this worries the pediatrician quite a bit.

The way I see it my cousin is going to have to bite the bullet, get her son fully diagnosed and have their custody arrangement changed by the courts to include her sons diet and treatment plan. The problem I am having is convincing her of this because A) she doesn't want her son to go through a potentially dangerous/traumatic procedure B) she can't afford a lawyer on her own and C) her ex and his parents are supremely stubborn human beings with a lot of resources to fight her in court.

My question then is do you agree with this assessment? And do you have any further suggestions as to how she could approach this.

Answer:
 A) The test for Coeliacs isn't that bad. It's just a bowel biopsy. A hell of a lot better than a childhood living with it's consequences

B) Call Legal Aid.

C) It doesn't matter how much money someone throws at the Family Court. The have zero choice but to follow the medical evidence Answer #2: Even if the diagnosis isn't fully confirmed, can you get the doctor to write  a letter saying that he should not eat gluten until a test can be done, and show it to them?


Title: [FL] Purchased condo in a foreclosure auction, now getting contacted by collections agency over maintenance for the past 5 years

Question:
As the title says, I purchased a condo in a foreclosure auction (without a lien). Went to management and was given a statement with a small quantity outstanding, which was paid immediately. Now I'm being contacted by a collection agency threatening to place a lien on the property if maintenance from the previous 5 years is not paid (which comes to nearly the value paid for the condo).

Something to note, however, is that the management company/association/someone under the building's name, had been renting that property to people to live in, but these rents are not being credited to the money they claim I need to pay them. Is this common? What's the legal recourse here? Even if I would sell the property to pay these fees, I would lose money from my initial investment.

Thank you very much in advance.

Answer: Was there a title company involved with the purchase? I'd start there.


Title: Roommate moved out without warning and refuses to return the keys without her deposit back. Utah

Question:
So the roommate was a month to month subletter and we just had a verbal contract. She paid a 200 dollar deposit which was passed to the roommate who was originally in the room as this is in the middle of a contract.

 We told her how much rent & utilities were about a week ago and said they'd be due today. She moved out while we were out of the house yesterday. She has the garage door opener and a key and says she refuses to return them until she gets her deposit back.

As far as I know we have up to 30 days in Utah to return a deposit and I'm assuming if her stealing the keys results in us having to change the locks that should come out of her deposit. I also was curious about the definition of moving out. If she's holding the keys hostage intentionally isn't it still her room? She also left a mess that we are now responsible for.

I mean subtracting the money she owes us for last month's utilities alone she's holding our keys hostage for less than 150 bucks. If I have to change all the locks I plan to take her to small claims court for the cost of that but I want to know if she could also be responsible for this month's rent as she still has access to the home she refuses to give up. I mean she is holding on to the room by taking the keys and that is preventing us from getting someone new in the room.

EDIT: and on the subject of deposits does she even have a right to any of it if she gave us no notice (we literally would not have known she left other than she posted a picture of it to snapchat and a mutual friend told us). We have some rights to cover the rent she left us with right?

Thanks

Answer:
 Did the roommate give any formal notice that they were moving out?

I ask because just physically moving out does not always mean you "legally" move out if that makes sense.

If the roommate fails to pay rent, you have to take the proper steps for eviction in Utah.  You cannot change the locks until you go through this process unless you want to get hit with an illegal eviction.

Edit: re-read the post.  You need to go through the eviction process.  You do not have to give back the deposit until tenancy is ended, which it does not seem like it is.

[Utah eviction process](https://www.utcourts.gov/howto/landlord/eviction.html)

>3-day notice to pay or vacate.  This notice is used if the tenant owes rent or other money. This notice tells the tenant s/he has 3 calendar days to pay the money or move out. It must give the tenant the option to pay the money. If the tenant pays the money, then the tenant can remain on the premises. If the tenant does neither within 3 calendar days after notice, the tenant is "unlawfully detaining" the premises.


Title: I have irrefutable proof a contract between me and a small internet company was photo-shopped after I signed it. What can I do?

Question:
To keep a long story brief, I have indisputable proof that a contract I entered was doctored after I signed it, in order for the company to get out of the agreement we made to have a $1000 deposit to be a credit applied to my account after 6 months. The company is adamant I am mistaken, they have sent me the obviously doctored document that very clearly has information changed and taken out.  Would this be worth it to take to court? This is not a big corporation like AT&T, it is a company that is much smaller but still supplies internet all over the country.

I am in Texas.

Answer:
 No such thing as indisputable proof. Cause if you did you would show them, they would go "Well, that can't be disputed, our bad." Instead, betcha they dispute it.

Yea you can sue in small claims...provide you have some damages...you haven't said you do it only seems like you might have some in futur. Answer #2: Take your irrefutable proof to the police/sheriff/district attorneys.  If it's as irrefutable as you believe, the person who created the fake document can be criminally charged with fraud/forgery etc.


Title: New boss is having a power trip and his behavior is starting to feel actionable

Question:
Tl;dr My new supervisor seems to have a particular grudge against me and his actions are clearly out of line. Is this harassment?

So I work weekends at a privately owned manufacturing company. My shifts are 13 hours a piece and I am very fairly compensated and quite glad that I found such a job that works well with my school schedule and keeps me stable. My old supervisor quit and found another job so the company simply promoted his assistant to replace him. Now, I've been working here less than a year and because of the nature of my work we hardly know each other. He is however very familiar with my other co-workers since they've been here much longer. Since he's taken the position, he's followed into the bathroom while I was taking a shit to interrogate me as to why my work station was paused (which I told him was a bit obvious considered my pants were around my ankles), he's waiting for me outside the bathroom to lecture me on how often I actually use the bathroom as well as ask me if I have a medical reason to use it so often (it's a 13 hour shift I mean come on), and just today he forced me to clock out and leave even though I was supposed to stay late to get some other stuff done, claiming I was "holding him up" because he had to submit my timecard.

Now, a couple things to add context:
1. I don't technically work for him; he's just the supervisor for the weekend shift itself. So he knows nothing about my department or my work. I mean literally nothing.
2. I do not need to get his green light to stay late for work, because my actual team lead and head of department already gave me one, and the whole "submit timecard" thing can be done remotely as far as I'm aware (my old supervisor did this all the time)

I'm a bit of a hothead and along with this list of behaviors he also is insanely rude when he speaks to me. I do have decent self control to keep me in check. What I'm wondering is if I should go to HR for something like this (if I even can) or do I need to figure out a way to handle this myself?

Answer:
 As your dept head and team lead if that guy had the right to clock you out. It may or not be wage theft.

Depending on what they say, include that in an email to HR. They would want to know if anything might lead to a dispute with Dept of Labor.

Plus, keep a date/time/incident notebook off site that details his actions.

It’s not illegal to be an asshole but coworkers also shouldn’t be in your personal space in the bathroom, let alone taking your right to earn wages.


Title: (Pennsylvania) Guy drove into our garage while fleeing the police.

Question: Friday night, a man who was driving his girlfriend's car with no license ran when the police tried to pull him over.  He hit our garage with enough force to completely destroy it.  He then ran from the car and escaped the police yet again.  His girlfriend has car insurance at the state minimum and we are trying to go through them to get satisfaction.  So far, they're dragging their feet.  He is wanted on several warrants including the warrant for this episode.  Now, the police know where he is but they're telling us they can't arrest him because his mother won't let them in. The kicker is, he lives across the street.  And he thinks this is a game.   We don't know where to turn or what to do.  There's massive amounts of debris in our back alley, our car is still in the garage which is structurally unsound.  We're worried about the further collapse of the garage as it is so unsound.  And nobody is being forthcoming in helping us.  Meanwhile, he's enjoying himself. For reasons that are not very sound nor very smart, we do not have home owner's at this time.  We do have car insurance, but that won't cover the garage.  Please, no belittling us for us mistake, we know.  We were dumb. It feels for all the world like nobody wants to help us, yet we have to look at the criminal who did this every day.  What further can we do?  Is there even anything?  I'm worried that the city is going to climb up both sides of our asses about the mess which we can't touch until the claims adjuster gets here. Being fined daily would really add insult to injury at this point.

Answer:
 Your recourse is to sue him in court.

You already know this and I'm not trying to beat a dead horse here, but the people who should be "forthcoming to help you" here is your insurance company, which you don't have.

If you see the guy outside, call the police and have him arrested.


Title: Trans College Student being barred from using bathrooms

Question: [removed]

Answer: Who told him that? First step is probably filing a complaint with the school's Title IX compliance office.


Title: Virginia. The have to pay me right?

Question:
College kid.

I was working for a fireworks company at a stand in a shopping center.

Company notoriously sketchy and treats their employees like shit.

I worked 13 hour days in a converted freight container. Bosses are abusive, short tempered, and contradict each other and then always blame me for doing what the other guy said to do and back and forth. Generally disorganized people.

We get paid $12/hr.

On the 2nd, I had enough. They were screaming and cursing at me so I told them to fuck off and find someone else to run their shitty stand and left.

I had been working since the 22nd of June and was supposed to go until July 9th.

They can't just not pay me because they don't like me right?

They have to pay me for the time I worked right?

Answer: yes, they must pay you for the time you worked. File a wage claim here if they do not pay you on time: http://www.doli.virginia.gov/laborlaw/laborlaw_forms_p1.html


Title: Partner accused of sexual harassment but beyond notifying him he's been accused, company is refusing to share ANY details or allow him to refute/explain

Question:
I'm using a throwaway, obviously, and changing some personal details to protect our privacy, but the details are specific and unaltered.

My partner is currently in Illinois for a seminar with the company he works for. He, with several other employees, have been housed in a local hotel and are being shuttled back and forth to the seminar by the company. The other employees, like him, are from all over the country so he doesn't know any of them and though he's conversational with them after several days in their company, he's not really friendly with any of them. That said, a couple of days ago he was notified that someone in the hotel (not sure if guest or employee) made a complaint against the company, naming my partner and one of the other employees specifically for sexual harassment. Both men have been blindsided by the complaint, and since the company is refusing to give ANY other details (particularly what the behavior was that prompted the complaint), they have zero idea what they've done to offend.

I've been through this myself, so I'm *assuming* they were talking and someone overheard something they thought offensive. In my case, many years ago, I was with a group of coworkers and there was a slightly off color joke and a passing employee overheard us and reported us. But they told us what we were in trouble for, though they didn't reveal who reported us; it was irrelevant anyway and protecting her privacy is of course important. My partner doesn't flirt, he doesn't touch (he doesn't like to BE touched, so he keeps his hands to himself 100% of the time), he doesn't tell jokes or stories that disrespect women or minorities or any other marginalized people. I don't know the other employee, so I can't speak to their conversations over the last few days or his own behavior, but my partner and I have actually talked through everything he remembers over the last week (which is how long he's been there) and even I'm not hearing anything that's even cringe-worthy, much less harassment. Not the point though... I believe my partner, but I also believe that someone felt harassed and my partner understands that, too, so that's not why I'm here. The company has reprimanded both men and stated that they're not being fired, but that it's a one-reprieve policy and that any other complaints will result in termination.

He was going to just keep his head down and finish the last two days of the seminar, but it's become apparent this morning that the instructors are aware of the situation and they're treating him and his coworker differently... as of now, it's not affected the training they're attending, but it has affected the attitude of the instructors and it's becoming stressful and difficult to get through the day, particularly since neither of them have ANY idea what they've done. I want to know if he has any recourse for making the company tell him what prompted the complaint. He doesn't even want or need to know WHO made it, just what he did/said that was offensive so he knows how to modify his own behavior to ensure it doesn't happen again.
Topic:
Employment Law

Answer:
 The company is not a court or educator and he's an at-will employee. They have no need to tell him anything and could absolutely simply dismiss him.

To be blunt, there is no way you can guarantee your partner is telling you everything, and if he can't figure out how to govern himself without pulling a sexual harassment complaint he has bigger issues to deal with.


Title: High School Help?

Question: so basically my parents signed me up for this online class over the summer that I dont want to take. they told me if i dropped it over the summer they would make me retake it the next year, which i also dont want to do. is this right?? can they sign me up for classes and force me to take classes without my consent? someone please help

Answer: Assuming that you are under 18, of course.


Title: CA- Got a cashier's check in the mail made out to me from a stranger

Question:
Someone at a company I applied to skimmed my resume and asked me to be their personal assistant, going around and buying/mailing things for them. I told them I wanted more details.

Shortly after I received an email telling me I was ready to go and that my payment and money for the job was in the mail. I responded, saying I wanted more details before I agreed to anything.

Today I have a cashier's check for just shy of $3000 in my mailbox.

Instructions from the email:

INSTRUCTIONS TO FOLLOW
***********************************
Want you to head right away to ATM or your bank, have the Check deposited and wait for the funds to clear into your account(should clear instantly or day after). After that, deduct your first week pay which is $550, and proceed to the nearest Western Union Outlet and Moneygram Transfer around you to make payment for my paintings. Money will be sent twice, you will send one amount from Western Union Money Transfer and  another from Moneygram Transfer to same SELLER.

USES OF FUNDS
*******************************************************************************************
Deductions from funds -
* $550 (your first week pay).
* Send $1,100 via Western Union Money Transfer to the SELLER*S and Send another *$1,166 via Moneygram Money Transfer to the same SELLER*S (Look for any Western Union Outlet around you to send money ($1,100) to the SELLER*S then after that, you will look for the closest Moneygram Outlet around you to go send money ($1,166) to the SELLER*S.
* Western Union Money Transfer charges : $100
* Moneygram Money Transfer Charges : $80

Is this some sort of scam? I didn't sign anything. Can I just deposit the check and do nothing? An extra $3000 sounds pretty cool.

Answer: Scam. It's a fake check.


Title: [PA] I'm a victim of malpractice. What should I do? What kind of lawyer do I need to contact? Can I speak over the phone or better in person? If I give them info they can't tell anybody right?

Question:
[PA] I don't want to give too much away. But doctors messed up and tried to cover their tracks. I need a lawyer but not sure who to go to. Any help is much appreciated. Thanks.

Also I don't have any money. At all. I'm living paycheck to paycheck. Is there a way to pay the lawyer afterwards instead of upfront?

Answer:
 > What should I do?

Consult with an attorney who practices Medical Malpractice law.

> What kind of lawyer do I need to contact?

An attorney who practices Medical Malpractice.

> Can I speak over the phone or better in person?

Depends on the attorney, but likely in person.

> If I give them info they can't tell anybody right?

Many things that you say to an attorney will be protected by attorney-client privilege.  If you have questions about this privilege or what it encompasses, you should ask the attorney you are consulting with.


Title: [KY] Father enters home without permission, becomes violent and attempts to take children. Temporary Custody Hearing is Tuesday, what should we expect?

Question:
Throwaway. Marshall County KY. This is between my girlfriend [33] and her ex [35]. I am 28. She and I have been seeing each other for just over a year, we do not live together. She and her ex have 3 children, two boys 3 and 4 and a girl 11. They split up ~2 years ago but she continued living with him because of financial reasons for another 6 months. There has never been a formal custody arrangement and they have had an informal setup of her MT him on WTh and switching every other weekend. They have a temporary custody hearing on Tuesday the 6th due to the following event.

This weekend is her weekend with the kids. She was working 8-2 on Saturday (yesterday) and so I stayed Friday night to sit with the kids for that day. She was getting ready for work and everyone else was in bed when he showed up at 6:45am. She had told him she was working on Saturday and if she needed him to watch them she would let him know earlier in the week. I do not know if she texted him that she had found a sitter or not.

He forced his way in and started arguing with her which is when I woke up and started getting dressed. She told him she had a sitter but he said, "Wouldn't they be better with their father?" and grabbed one of the boys and took him to his car. His demeanor was not calm, he was very aggressive and he ignored all requests to leave the house and speak outside away from the children. He had started to get the other one when I walked in and asked what was going on. She came back in with the first child (all children are in the house now) and we started arguing. She asked him repeatedly to leave and when I tried to move him towards the door he pushed me and and I fell. I tried once more and got between him and the couch where the kids were and tried to make him go towards the door and he grabbed my wrists and push me over the couch onto the kids.

At this point I am steaming mad, half asleep and still in a haze from being woken up and called the police. He left ~5 minutes later having asked the kids several times if they wanted to go with him to which they said no. All three were understandably upset and crying. The police showed up just after he left and took statements and advised my girlfriend go down and file for an EPO. The judge denied the EPO on the grounds he was violent towards me and not towards her or the children and now they have a hearing on the 6th.

She told me he has a record of violence and drinking which is why they split and she moved out though I don't know exactly what his records entail. He may have been drinking that morning but I didn't smell any alcohol at the time. I am wondering what the hearing is going to entail and what she and/or I can do to help prepare for it. I had only met him once before last fall when she moved into a new place and he showed up again unannounced because she wasn't answering his texts so he claimed. The children were not present then but he was still a hot head and very aggressive towards her at that time. I'm appalled he would act like he did in front of the kids and it took a lot of self control to not lose my own temper.

I apologize for the wall of text. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated and if any further information is needed I'll make sure to edit it in.

Answer:
 Why did you delete the first post?

At any rate,  if she wants a favorable outcome she needs to get a lawyer.  The court will likely establish a temporary order for the interim until something permanent is hashed out.

And your involvement shouldn't be anything more than "find a lawyer" and "here's so money to pay for a lawyer."


Title: Super Market No Tip Policy. Is it legal?

Question:
Forewarning my grammar is not the best :3

"I'm the customer and it's my money. I insist on tipping you."

Employee in the above example is then terminated due to a "no tipping" policy. If the customer is voicing his/her appreciation of your service and decides to tip you is that not protected under his/her First Amendment rights?

Can a private company force an employee to in essence deny a customer free speech by being forced to not accept a tip or by taking said tip and then being terminated?

After all isn't that the entire basis for the Citizens United decision? That a company is considered an individual and has a First Amendment right to donate sums of money to political campaigns.

Just a random thought I had due to a friend working for a regional chain with said policy.

Answer: Wh...wha......what?


Title: Is my potential employer being shady by not offering healthcare? (In CA, not SF or LA)

Question:
Hello! I have been approached by an acquaintance to help her open a second restaurant. She has created a second LLC to open the new restaurant, in part so that she can avoid having to offer healthcare to her employees. Currently, she employs under 50 FTEs. (I think! I'll need to check the numbers)

Calrest.org says the following:

> In addition, some companies separately incorporate their  restaurants and hotel properties for a variety of corporate and  liability purposes. For purposes of the health care act in counting employees, IRS and ERISA controlled-group principles apply. Parent, brother and sister companies are counted as one. So, if two restaurants with 25 FTEs are separately incorporated but owned by the same company, person or other “controlled group,” those properties meet the 50-FTE employee threshold. Companies must carefully count the number of actual employees to see if the 50-FTE employee threshold is met.

Does this apply to her?^

I believe she should offer healthcare, and that she is being short-sighted by going about things this way. Is it also illegal?

(If there's a more appropriate sub in which to post, please let me know.)

Thank you!
Topic:
Insurance

Answer:
 Yes, that section would apply to her.  If she employees a total of over 50 FTE-employees, she is supposed to provide healthcare.  However, it isn't "illegal" for her not to.  It simply subjects her to tax penalties if she fails to do so, to the tune of $2,000 per FTE that is uninsured, per year.

Also keep in mind that FTE means "full-time equivalent".  If she employees a number of part time employees (as many restaurants do), her FTE count will be lower than her total headcount.  She should talk to a benefits broker that specializes in small businesses, they could provide her with some realistic guidance on her options.


Title: What would the crime be for hiding the body of someone killed in self defence.

Question:
Im not looking for legal advice for myself dont worry i havent killed anyone yet.

I am writing a story set in the US(nevada specifically) , and the conclusion of the mystery is basically the victim/person broke into someones home, there was a struggle, the home invader was killed in self defence and in a panic about getting in legal trouble they buried the body in the woods.

Kind of silly i know but what would be the legal definition of what the homeowner did?

Answer:
 That 'yet' is a bit worryingAnswer #2: Depending on the jurisdiction, it could range from obstruction of justice or evidence tampering to not being illegal at all.

Of course, trying to conceal a homicide in such a fashion dramatically increases the odds that the authorities will conclude it was *not* justified.

Edit: Your scenario does not appear to be a crime in Nevada.


Title: Gave 90-days notice to landlord. Lease extends past 90-days and landlord says I have to pay rent for those months.

Question: I am in a lease through June of 2018. I’ve rented this home in NC for 4-years. I’ve given the landlord 90-days notice to vacate as I have purchased a new construction home. The plan is to be out of the rental by mid-March, leaving three months on the signed lease agreement. The landlord believes I am required to pay for the three additional months, but the lease states only 30-days notice is required. Am I correct that I am not required to pay rent for April-June? Thanks for any advice!

Answer: If you’re in a lease you are required to pay, or you can find out how much your landlord would charge you to break the lease. Just giving notice doesn’t terminate the agreement you signed. Whether you live there or not you’re required to pay rent for the duration of your lease.


Title: ME Is it possible to ask for a drug test before paying child support?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 OP, that kid is entitled to support, whether or not your ex smokes pot.

On the other hand, if you're *really* concerned about the impact your ex's pot smoking habits have on your child's health and wellbeing, you could always seek custody yourself.


Title: I am a prospective juror...

Question:
**EDIT:** Califiornia criminal court.

I want to be honest about my biases, but I do not want any personal information about me, my opinions, or any aspect of my personality to be available in public record.  I'm not a weirdo or anything, but I do have biases/experiences which would likely disqualify me from the case and which I don't want public.

The defense attorney for the trial has been repeatedly asking other prospective jurors if they understand and agree that the defendant has a right to not be required to testify (fifth amendment).

Do I have the same fifth amendment right?  When asked questions about myself do I have the right to explain that, if the defendant has a fifth amendment right not to incriminate himself, why should I as a citizen who is accused of no crime be treated any differently in the court room?

Will I likely be held in contempt for this?  If so, on what grounds?

Answer:
 The Fifth Amendment protects you from incriminating yourself, not from being asked embarrassing questions.

Edit: Actually trying to explain the above to a judge will make you sound like a crazy person. Which would solve your problem when they dismiss you for being a nut.


Title: What's most likely to result from Erdogan's bodyguards assaulting peaceful Americans protesting last week?

Answer: Probably nothing. Even if they didn't have diplomatic immunity there is no appetite on the part of American authorities to charge them with anything. They haven't even been declared persona non grata (that's how countries expel people with diplomatic immunity).


Title: Can a store charge me for something more than a month later after the point of sale?

Question:
Hey everyone so I was at staples baught a laptop opened up their credit card and put it on there financed it for 6 months a month later i check my statement on that credit card and the laptop didnt show up on it, about 2 weeks later rep from staples calls me and said an error happened in the transaction and that they need me to come in the store with the credit card to charge me. My question is are they allowed to do that? am I legally obliged to go in and have them charge or cause they missed the transaction at the point of sale means i get the laptop for free because i think that if they cant charge it to me automatically then that means they are basically just taking a shot to see if i am gullible enough to come into the store and have them charge me cause they dont have the right to charge me now. also this is in Canada Ontario.
Topic:
Canada

Answer: Think about it like this: if they had double charged you, but you didn't notice until a month and a half later, do you think this business would be able to keep your money?  It works the same in both directions here.


Title: Non-ADA compliant condo

Question: My friend just got surgery in both ankles and can’t walk up three flights of stairs at her condo. The condo association is arguing that they don’t have to make accommodations for her regarding getting into their room. I’m pretty sure that is illegal but does anyone have an idea if this is allowed?

Answer:
 This is complicated.

Generally, the ADA does not apply to condominiums because they are privately owned dwellings and are not “public accommodations,” though things can get tricky in terms of access to common areas like the pool.

Even if condominiums were public accommodations, second floor or higher units are not required to be accessible if the building doesn’t have an elevator.

Even if your friend were entitled to an accommodation/modification  under the ADA or FHA, that accommodation/modification must be reasonable, which means that it cannot impose an undue financial or administrative hardship on the housing provider or a fundamental alteration of the program.

Your friend may be able to request a permit to make her own modification at her own expense, but such a modification must also be reasonable. It’s dicey whether installation of ramps or an elevator for what amounts to a temporary disability would be considered “reasonable,” and they’re likely to be prohibitively expensive for your friend.

New Jersey has its own Law Against Discrimination which likely applies, but leading to a similar conclusion- https://www.state.nj.us/dca/divisions/codes/publications/pdf_lti/guidance_%20disability_condos.pdf


Title: With talk of fraud and foreign interference, is it actually possible for a presidential election to be overturned?

Question:
It seems like a lot of people are investigating various forms of fraud and interference which might have altered the result of the US election, and some people are arguing that the result of this election should be annulled, and a new election held.

What I'm wondering is if that is at all possible. As far as I know, (presidential) elections in the US are strictly once every 4 years. So is there any legal or constitutional basis for effectively declaring a do-over? What would happen then?

Or what legal/constitutional options actually exist for dealing with an election if it is found to be invalid?

Answer:
 None. We would be in potentially untested waters. There would be lawsuits, which would take years to reaolve. Nobody would be happy with the outcome, and 50% of the voting public (about 25% of American voters) would be immediately disenfranchised. Some would argue there are no constitutional protections in place for such a situation, the deadlines for recount have passed.

It would be far better to suck it up for four years than to continue with the "our candidate didnt win so lets take our ball and go home" style of politics we haven't seen since right before the Civil War. Donald Trump is no Abraham Lincoln.


Title: [Canada] rejected from university because of age

Question: hi! i live in Quebec, and i recently applied to university. i have an AEC, which apparently is not at all equivalent to a DEC, and after a month after applying i received an email from the university saying that the AEC is not good enough, and that they cant accept me as a mature student because of my age. i am currently 20, and on September 21st 2017, i will turn 21. i have never missed a year of school because of my age (started kindergarten at 4, graduated HS at 16, and started college a few months after i graduated). i checked the calendar for the university, and classes start on September 5th (basically i will be 21 after 2 weeks of classes starting). i have been accepted to both my programs, and **i'm wondering if there is a way that i can fight this?** if not, i have to wait another year to re-apply (the art programs are only in fall). if theres anything i can do, please let me know! i would really like to start my studies as soon as possible. thanks!

Answer:
 A DEC (or the equivalent from another province or country) is required for entrance into a University in Quebec. AEC and DEC are not equivalent.  Exemptions are made for mature students.

Mature Students: Undergraduate students who do not meet regular academic admission requirements and have been admitted on the basis of their age, experience, and potential.

They are saying you currently do not meet the criteria set out for the category Mature Students so you do not qualify for entrance without a DEC. Your options are to obtain a DEC or wait until you qualify for entrance without one.

ETA: definition of Mature Student taken from webpage of Concordia University, Montreal, same on LaSalle.


Title: [NJ] Lady at drive-thru threw my beverage at me while I was in the car.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 You know, try writing this **not** as a creative writing exercise

>I was extremely dissapointed to a higher degree, but maintained composure

sheesh.Answer #2: After reading that story, I want to throw a drink at you too.  Or at least buy one for Liz.

$100 to clean up a spilled drink would be enough for me.   Just go to another location.Answer #3: What a bizarre story.  First step is to contact corporate.  I think your damages you are claiming is a bit excessive, for example "waste of time" and "distress."


Title: My junk car has been impounded, do I have to pick it up?

Question:
My car has been impounded because I parked too long in the HOA’s guest parking. I live in a place that’s an hour and a half to the closest junk yard and my car wouldn’t make it there if I tried. What would happen if I just refused to pick up my car? I’ve already paid the towing fees.

Edit. This is in Jackson Wyoming

Answer:
 Where is it being stored? You will owe storage fees every day the car sits an hour and a half away from home.

The best way to negotiate these fees away (and get rid of the car) is to show up and say "I'll sign the title over to you in exchange for waiving all fees related to this towing/storage".Answer #2: If you don't settle this one way or another you will get a giant bill with storage fees. The storage lot loves customers like you.


Title: [NE] Got bitten by a dog at the dog park, broke my finger

Question: The lady who's dog it was will not cooperate and give me her insurance information. I've heard that I should make claim in small claims court for loss of work and for the medical bills. Is this the best option?

Answer: Yep. You probably can report the dog to local authorites as wellAnswer #2: Did you call animal control and make a report?


Title: Legal advice, who is responsible

Question:
I left my 12 year old son in the care of a close friend. Without my permission or knowledge she left him at her neighbor's home. The homeowner was not there. There were 2 nannies there watching the children. The children were taking turns driving the homeowner's golf cart. My son wrecked the golf cart.
The homeowner and my friend both apologized to me. Each one blamed them self for the accident. Fast forward a month later. The homeowner had the golf cart repaired and asked my friend to pay the bill. So now my friend wants me to pay the bill bc my son wrecked it.
I am also equally frustrated by the fact that the homeowner did not get more than 1 estimate. And, had it repaired at a golf cart showroom. So the bill is 3 times what other local golf cart repair places charge.... it's an $1800 bill!
My friend won't speak to me, I suggested splitting the bill in thirds. Please, am I responsible for the full amount. Should I have had a say in the repair?
Thanks for your consideration.

Answer:
 Your child, your responsibility.

I did a similar thing as an unemployed child. My parents had to foot the bill and any money that came through my hands as I grew up and got a job until it was paid off.

I actually turned out fairly responsible. It was a good lesson.

(I've also seen some parents only have their kids pay them back at 50% of their allowance/gifts/income until it's paid off). Answer #2: Basically, if you genuinely feel that the situation is unreasonable you could simply refuse and offer them to come to terms with you. Arguing that while yes your son did cause the damage they did create the entire situation by having him somewhere without your knowledge and permission and even further leaving him unsupervised. They're recourse would be to take it to court which will no doubt destroy any friendship that's left but atleast you'd have an impartial party with the power to sever some liability here as it seems you're just wanting to pay a share of the damages that the situation caused.


Title: [Update] [il] friends brother robbed gas station

Question:
Right before I was about to go to the police, they arrested him on obstruction.  Two detectives showed up at my house to speak with me. I went willingly to the police station to give my statement.  They already knew he did it as he told his sister everything through facebook. They also talked to my mother, his mother and my uncle.

He told them he was with me and I informed them that I had been at my boyfriends house during the times he stated that he was at my house. I told them everything he had told me aswell as the people he hangs out with, where he says he hangs out at, and where he possibly hid the gun (he hides everything in the same place).

They asked how I knew him. I told them I am best friends with his older sister and have a child with his older brother. I told them iv known him for 10+ years and he considers me his older sister.

They thanked me for the information and took me back home. I will not have to testify against him in court and they are not going to tell him that I said anything. (I informed them that I was nervous about his friends coming after me as they are dangerous and know where I live) they are going to have a cop patrol the area a little more as the person who possibly did it with him lives close to me

Answer:
 No advice. But you are a good person. The type of person who makes the world a better place. Thank you.Answer #2: As a police officer, thank you. Many dangerous criminals manage to escape justice, reoffend, and create more victims, simply because no one is willing to come forward and report them.

Your actions now will likely help prevent more people from being victimized.Answer #3: You did the right thing. I hope they keep their promise to you to not tell him what you said. Answer #4: Original post: https://np.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/3y4mjb/il_friends_brother_robbed_2_gas_stations/


Title: Creep found my girlfriends address.. please help

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Funny, you calling this other guy a creep. Sounds uber creepy to give out photos of your gf without her knowing. Answer #2: > What course of action do i need to take her to ensure her safety?

You first tell her what you've done.  She can't be safe without knowing the danger you've put her in.

Then, you support her in whatever action she wants to take - including by giving her every detail of your interaction with this person.  Answer #3: Who leaves the geotags on racy photos? That's just asking for trouble.

Until he does something with the information; drive bys, visiting the address, masturbating outside her window, or stalking her to her workplace; there's not a whole lot you can legally do. You can't get a restraining order because "someone I don't know has my address".

You absolutely need to tell your girlfriend though, so she can keep an eye out for him - even if it means she breaks up with you. Her safety is more important than you not looking bad.


Title: Feeling humiliated in my (high school) Spanish class and no one in the school cares. Is what my teacher does legal? [CT]

Question:
I'm 14 years old - I hope it's OK to post here. My parents are super uninvolved and wouldn't care about this. I spoke to the principal and he told me to just study harder so it won't be a problem.  Right, the problem:

My Spanish teacher uses assigned seating and these assignments change every single Monday. On Mondays, the seating list is posted by the door and we all find our seats. The seating arrangement is like this - the students who got the highest grade on last week's vocabulary quiz and homework and test if there was one sit in back, and those who did the worst sit in front. It's all ordered exactly by rank, so everyone in the class knows how anyone else did.

You can probably guess where I always have to sit, because I probably wouldn't be posting it I didn't always have to sit in the front row, most of the time in the right corner, even. I'm a smart person. I was in the "gifted" program (for seven years, but it ends before high school). I'm in all honors classes, except for Spanish, and I get good grades. I'm a regular B student, although I often feel like I understand the material better than my classmates. This is because I have a very hard time doing any work outside of school (alcoholic mother, absent or abusive father, young siblings) and often get 0's on my homework and 95+ on my tests and presentations. I do very badly on any kind of take-home project, too, like collecting leaves from different trees (no one will drive me) or making posters (no one will buy me supplies).

I struggle very hard with Spanish because I do not study or do my homework. In other classes, if I hear something once I understand it, and once I understand something, I know it. I'm in calculus now, as a sophomore, so next year I'll be taking college classes because that's as high as my school goes. With Spanish, you need to memorize vocabulary and this takes time. I'm trying hard to work on this outside of school, but in the meantime, every Spanish class gives me huge anxiety and so now even the thought of studying it gives me an adrenaline rush.

All of my friends sit in the back and all of the people in the front LOVE that I sit further to the right of them. They make jokes to me in class and in the hallways. I've never been too social or elitist in anyway, but somehow it still pleases them.

I'm seriously getting bullied over this and it's making school hard for me, where before school was my safe place. I don't know what to do, but I do think that the teacher encouraging this might be illegal. Is it? Thanks.

Answer:
 The teacher's actions are almost assuredly not illegal.

You should speak to the teacher, or a school counselor, about your struggles and your ability to improve.  You're running into the same problem many, many people run into - at some point in your career, you find a subject that isn't easy for you, and you need to figure out how to work it.  It's a valuable skill.Answer #2: I don't think there's anything illegal here, because it's the actual score that's protected, not the rank, but that doesn't mean it's ok. In teaching courses we were specifically advised against doing this sort of thing for the exact reasons you describe.

Speak to your school counselor about this, about your home life, about the bullying. The bullying angle is probaby your best bet for actual help. Education is your ticket out of your current situation, and you're reaching a point where you need somebody in your corner. Work very hard to find that someone. Another teacher you like who is willing to let you study your Spanish in their room after school. A counselor, psychologist, or social worker at school. A friend's parents. Find somebody to be in your corner.Answer #3: More likely than not, the teacher is placing the students who need more help up front to better aid them. Talk to your teacher on how to improve your grade, stop blaming others for your problems and learn how to walk to trees (even if you are in an urban area like Hartford there are always plenty of trees around).


Title: [CA] My landlord had a conservator take over his property, I am getting kicked out now, what can I do?

Question:
So the short version is my landlord is very old, and he has been renting out his rooms in his home for awhile now, but there has been a battle in the courts between his ex-wife and his nephew for control of his estate.  They ended up getting a conservator take over the estate, and the conservator gave me 3 days to leave the property.

My questions are as follows:

1.  Can the conservator kick me out of my house with little warning.
2. Can she break the lease I signed (1 year) without notice and without any issues on my end
3.  What should I do or who should I talk to regarding help?  Should I get a lawyer too?

Answer:
 3 days is a no way. unless you owe tons of rent.

breaking the lease is a maybe if there's some illegality to it (like not zoned for it, or w/e). but then LL owes you damages (if you have any...like moving costs) for breaking his part of the lease (promising to provide you a room).

tell the lady you have a lease and you'll consider a buyout. if she stonewalls you or counteroffers something terrible, spend a few $100 to have a lawyer review the situation.


Title: revenge porn?

Question:
My husband sent my naked pics to my friends from my phone.

It is revenge and it is porn and I did not concent to him seeing or using the pictures.

Can I do anything or nah?

Answer:
 Covered under California Penal Code 647(j)(4), punishable by $1000 and  or 6 months for a first offense. Nonconsensual pornography, invasion of privacy, online bullying, it's all covered.

Barring unintentional distribution, unidentifiable subject, no distress on the part of the victim, or no understanding of privacy, this is an offense in CA.

Get thee to a lawyer.


Title: Got into a car accident (my fault) pulling out of a 7/11 in California

Question:
This is a very long, descriptive story with a very atrocious twist in the midst of it all.

Please be open minded with this story and tell me where I fucked up & how I can learn from my mistakes. Also, please note what you believe will happen to my family and me in this whole process.

I am a 16 year old male. I have my learner’s permit, but no driver’s license. I was driving a used 2003 Acura TL that was purchased for me for my birthday, and it is under my father’s name.

I decided to go to a 711 (a convenient store/gas station) down the street with two of my friends in the car with me (both younger than me).
I purchased a Mountain Dew for my friend and I got back in my car. I turned the car on, we put our seatbelts on, I put the car in reverse, pulled out perfectly fine, but as soon as I put the car in drive and started turning my car left to exit the parking lot, a man with a red Ford truck started backing out as I was pulling forward (he was in the next spot to the left of me).
My right headlight shattered as we bumped into each other, but no noticeable damage was done was done to his car.

At this point, my friends had bounced back to their house, not wanting to get into any trouble either.

I was panicking.

I let this man know that I was driving with a permit and no license, and I asked him if there was anything that I could do to get out of the situation and call it a day. He seemed fine with the idea, since no noticeable damage was done to his car whatsoever, but I kept begging anyway as he got back into his car with a picture of my license plate on his phone. He asked for my phone number and I gave him my correct phone number.

This is where shit hit the fan.

I asked him, again, if he was going to notify law enforcement or insurance about the slight accident and he said, “Come here.” I got closer to him as he was sitting in the driver’s side car seat, and he said, “You don’t have to worry,” as he grabbed my fucking genitals.

I am not kidding you at all.
I am still terrified typing this.
This was an intentional grope and he knows he fucking did it.

I said, “What the fuck?” loud enough for others to hear, and when he noticed other people were looking, he told me to get my insurance out for him or he would call the police. I, panicking and scared for my fucking life, showed him my insurance and he took a picture of it and left.

I had not a single piece of his information except for the phone number he called me with.

I am scared for my life as my dad will probably beat the shit out of me when he finds out. I have already notified my mom about the situation and she was very disappointed.

She asked me to describe the man and his vehicle. For anyone interested, he was a mexican man, about 5’7 or 5’8, he drove a red Ford pickup truck, and he appeared to be working in either gardening or construction.

I completely understand my mistakes and that driving illegally is dangerous for not only myself, but every other driver around me. And although what I did was wrong, this does not justify this man taking advantage of and sexually assaulting me as an underage boy. I am still fucking disgusted and have been fearing for my life as he has a picture of my home address, which was on the insurance paper.

I’m not sure what else to say. Please let me know if you have any questions at all.

After reading all of this, please notify me what you believe will happen on my part and his part as well. Thank you.

Answer: You can report this to the police or not, your call. They can issue you a ticket for driving without a license.


Title: [Nevada] Burglars attempted to rob taco restaurant. Security cam footage used for commercial showing their faces. Do they have any cause of action for being in a commercial without their permission?

Question:
[This video](https://youtu.be/kzdv4FUHqP8) was made by the owners of a taqueria in Las Vegas after they were broken into and robbed by a couple of idiot burglars. The owners decided to make it into a very humorous commercial with the audio only security footage and edited with background music and funny captions. [The commercial has totally blown up and gone viral.](http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/23/us/taco-robbery-ad/index.html)

If/when the newly famous burglars are caught and prosecuted and they no longer have a reason to hide their identities, do they have a civil cause of action against the restaurant for using their images in a commercial without their express permission?

Boy, I surely hope not.

EDIT: grammar

Answer:
 > do they have a civil cause of action against the restaurant for using their images in a commercial without their express permission?

No.

I mean, they can go ahead and sue, but they won't win anything. Answer #2: Not even close.  Even in a world where they'd have some sort of cause of action (the normal privacy torts don't apply because their privacy wasn't invaded, they invaded someone else's), there's an equitable doctrine called "unclean hands" that can be used as a defense.  Which basically boils down to "You don't deserve any money because you're the bad guy in this situation".Answer #3: That was amazing. If I am ever in Vegas I know where I'll be getting tacos.


Title: [FL] If someone says they were hurt in a car accident but then they run a marathon would also hurt the lawsuit against them?

Question: My cousin caused a car accident where someone lost their leg. He was convicted in court and is also being sued by that person. But she was on the news because she ran a marathon, and she is back working too. Obviously she has moved on with her life. I'm asking because I don't have a legal background our anything like that: Would all of this help him win the lawsuit against him and help with his appeal for his court case? Thanks!

Answer: you think her running a marathon and going back to work negates the fact that she **lost a body part** and probably has hundreds of thousands in medical debt?


Title: was just released from a workhouse where I was starving because they wouldn't give me a vegetarian alternative.

Question: What are my legal options for receiving compensation in Minnesota

Answer: If a "workhouse" a euphemism for some level of incarceration, then you have no recourse. You choose to eat what they provide, or choose not to eat. Up to you. It's not supposed to be a vacation where you get to choose your meals.Answer #2: What is a "workhouse"? Were you an employee? An inmate? More context is needed.


Title: (TX) Just got a call from a collection agency requesting $5000+ dollars.

Question:
In 2010, I was diagnosed with a torn rotator cuff and needed surgery, and following that, physical therapy.  So I looked around near me and found a physical therapist close by and called to see if they took my insurance.

The lady I spoke with told me that they were not in network with any insurance companies, but that they would accept whatever payment our insurance company paid them.

I had the surgery, and started the physical therapy.  3 appointments per week.  I really liked this PT and her methods, so I recommended to my wife that she get evaluated (my wife has a whole list of health issues).  My wife goes in, gets evaluated, and starts receiving treatment as well.

We were never once asked to pay a copay, nor any other amount of money.  We went for treatment, they billed the insurance, end of story.

Fast forward to the beginning of 2015.  My wife has been an ongoing patient for over 4 years.  I was there for a couple years myself, but stopped going in late 2013.  the second week of February 2015, my wife goes in for her weekly massage therapy appointment, and the new girl at the front desk asks her for a $75.00 co-pay and $1000.00 past due amount.

This came as quite a surprise to us, and we explained that we had never once been asked for money in all the years we had been patients there.  Nor had they asked for any monies above and beyond what the insurance company paid them.

The girl at the front desk said that going forward they couldn't help us unless we paid up front.  We told them since they were changing the term of the arrangement, we would seek care elsewhere.

Today I received a call from a collection agency, stating that we owed this provider a large chunk of money.  Not once have we received any communications from the provider over this debt.  This was the first I had heard of them since we stopped being patients.

No, I don't have anything in writing from the provider stating what I was told about insurance.  All I can do is point to over 4 years of history and say "look, they never once collected any money from us before".

What are my options?

Answer:
 > We were never once asked to pay a copay, nor any other amount of money. We went for treatment, they billed the insurance, end of story.

On your insurance statements, did it show that you owed anything? It will usually give you the billed price, insurance discount, insurance payment, and what you owe (patient portion).

> The girl at the front desk said that going forward they couldn't help us unless we paid up front. We told them since they were changing the term of the arrangement, we would seek care elsewhere.

They didn't change the terms of the arrangement. You probably always owed the co-pay and just didn't pay it. It could have been that they were sending bills to the wrong address.

> Not once have we received any communications from the provider over this debt.

You didn't ask for an itemized bill after they told you that you owed $1,000? I don't know how this ballooned into $5,000, but you *were* informed that you had a debt. You should ask for details from the collection agency (but don't agree to make payments). You could also probably still get details from the original provider.


Title: My abusive parents are threatening to take away my college fund when I say I’m gonna move out 18F

Question: So like the tile my parents are very emotionally absuive and used to be physically absusive when I was younger (like not feeding me when I was in trouble or hitting me in the face) and this stopped when I got older bc they realized my brothers and I could fight back. However there is no physical evidence corroborating this, and the only evidence is “memories of this happening” if that makes sense. However the emotional abuse has gotten worse lately, and I’m not sure if I can handle it any more. There only stronghold over me is my 150k+ college fund that was set up for me. From the way it works with my older brother, only funds in this account can be used for college—nothing else the bank won’t allow it. Anytime I threaten to leave or misbehave my parents always argue they won’t pay for my college, but I was wondering if this was allowed considering the name is in my account and can only be used for my college education. I know this may seem entitled for some, like if the situation is that bad just leave and pay for college on your own, but considering I have the name on the account I would like to know that my future education is safely secured. Also I have about 6k in the bank from my summer jobs but my parents won’t let me take money out of it bc it is in their name... how can I make it into my name so they don’t have control over it anymore ??

Answer:
 Depends on what type of college-fund account it is.

> Also I have about 6k in the bank from my summer jobs but my parents  won’t let me take money out of it bc it is in their name... how can I  make it into my name so they don’t have control over it anymore ??

If your name is on it as well, you can go withdraw the money.  If your name is not on it, then you can't do anything.


Title: Used needles found at Best Western

Question: This past weekend my friends and I went to a comedy show in Abbotsford, BC, Canada. After a night out we returned to the hotel(Best western bakerview). We went to use the pullout bed and we found several used needles. This left us feeling extremely uneasy(and disgusted) and we felt we had 0 options at 3 am to rectify this situation. I slept on a personal camping cott and my friend used a cott from front desk. At checkout we were expected to pay for our stay. We expected to not pay due to the insane health risk we were exposed to. They have since charged us full rate (even after staff told us about a discount due to prior room damage during our check-in). The way I see it is Best Western was severly negligent and exposed us to a highly dangerous health risk that could have had life altering results. Is there anything here worth pursuing?

Answer: You might get something as a customer service gesture, but since you suffered no harm, no, legally, there is nothing to pursue.


Title: Statutory Rape/Blackmail

Question:
Last year I began talking with a girl who said she was 17 turning 18 in a few months and I was 21 at the time. After two months passed and we were in a relationship she revealed that she was actually 16 turning 17 in several more months. I know it was wrong but I continued the relationship after she told the lie because I was so deep in it. Technically because she was 16 she couldn’t consent but I did not abuse her. We broke up after 7 months earlier this year and a few days ago she contacted me asking for money for her silence about the relationship. She has videos and texts of us in sexual situations and proof of me knowing her age and she wants money to not go to the police. She is blackmailing me and saying she will delete the videos when I give her money but I know this is just for money it’s not because she feels traumatized by the relationship because I honestly never did anything to her.

I know she has a case against me but do I have one against her for extortion? Will her case hold up in court if I have proof of her blackmailing me?

Thank you for your help. I realize what I did was completely disgusting and I apologized as much as I could to her. I realize my mistakes.

Answer:
 Yes she is committing a crime, yes you have also committed one.  When you are being blackmailed you have three options.

1) call the police and let them investigate as blackmail is illegal.  The blackmailer may release the blackmail information

2) block and ignore the person.  The blackmailer may release the blackmail information

3) do what the person is blackmailing you to do and become their bitch for life.  Once you comply with blackmail you have told them that they have something valuable on them.  Silence cannot be purchased, only rented, they will come back at some later point in time.

Normally I say “I don’t know what option I would pick if I were in your spot but I know which one I wouldn’t.”

You have an additional wrinkle in that if you go to the cops you probably have to admit to a crime yourself.  You are in a shitty spot, but it’s of your own making to some extent.  You still have to pick your poison.  Your legal options are above.


Title: NJ - My mom's boyfriend, who has the house in his name, regularly searches my room and goes through my stuff. Is this legal?

Question: I am 18 years old and I've lived in that house for almost a year. My mom has been with him for years and he's never been kind to me.  He has gone through my belongings multiple times and has even gotten onto my computer and searched that. He did those things before I turned 18 but he continues to do so.  I hid a matchbox on my shelf in an old wallet (bait) and sure enough, it was not there when I checked on it.  I want to know if this is legal or not.

Answer: Legally speaking you have an expectation of privacy, especially now that you're an adult. This is one of those situations where you determine how much having a free or mostly free place to live is worth to you. You can call the police to report the violation of your belongings; he can evict you in retaliation.


Title: My ex kept most of my belongings when I broke up with her and threatens a restraining order if I ask her for them.

Question: Title says most of the story. I broke up with my ex and moved out, when I went to get my stuff she gave me half of my clothes and my computer, and refuses to give me anything we bought together and even things I’ve had since before we met. I messaged her recently and she threatened to call the cops if I ask her about it again. It’s not valuable things but I would like my winter clothes and old gaming systems back. Is there any way to solve this without a long and costly battle? I am in graduate school, and don’t have an excess of time or money.

Answer: It's not long or costly to sue in small claims for the value of the items. Total up what she has, gather any evidence you have of ownership, pictures receipts, details you remember about the purchases. File out a small claims form in the local court house and serve her the corresponding form through whatever legal method your state allows. Certified mail is often sufficient. Serving legal documentation is not harrassment. Then both of you will go before magistrate or judge and explain why you are there. They'll issue a ruling.Answer #2: Sure, a small claim civil suit. It will cost you about $75.Answer #3: Call the cops to escort you to get your stuff out.


Title: Could I get away with buying out a parking lot and renting spaces to homeless people for living space at $20 a month. Basically, can I run a tent city?

Answer: It's probably not gonna be zoned or permitted for habitation/overnight sleepingAnswer #2: Not by a log shot. You'll run into everything from anti slum lord to zoning law.


Title: Is it illegal to post someone else’s social media post to social media without their permission?

Question:
So when I was 14 I met this boy. It was at church so it was really generic.

We never talked again but I always thought he was sooooo cute, until I stopped going to that church at 15 and forgot about him.

Last night I remembered his existence and searched for his Instagram. I eventually found it and looked through his posts only to find out that he has a twin brother.

So I screenshotted one of his posts of him and his twin bro together, edited out the username and caption so that just the picture was visible, and posted it to my Snapchat story joking “Wow I just found out a boy I used to love had a twin brother so I could have had TWO boyfriends smh”.

I didn’t think anyone who would have seen it knows him but apparently someone did and told him.

He messaged me on Snapchat saying he didn’t even remember me and that if I didn’t take the story down he would call the police. I didn’t take it down and just a couple minutes ago he messaged me saying he reported me to the police.

Will I be in any legal trouble???

Answer:
 There's nothing even slightly illegal about this.

Block this person and move on with life.


Title: Patent Lawyers of reddit, Can you please explain this situation ?

Question:
The following is a acquisition of a Pharma company by a big fish. The reason for the acquisition is a "patent expiration" can you please explain whats the relation of the patent expiration and the acquisition ?

>The world's largest drug company, Pfizer, has broken through Wall Street's credit freeze to borrow billions of dollars for a $68bn takeover of rival Wyeth in the first US corporate deal of its scale since the economic crisis began.

>The takeover is the biggest tie-up in the pharmaceuticals industry since Glaxo Wellcome's merger with SmithKline Beecham in 2000. It is intended to bolster Pfizer's product pipeline in preparation for the expiry of patent protection on its blockbuster anti-cholesterol medicine Lipitor.

>"Investors have rightly been concerned about the clarity of what happens when Lipitor goes off patent," Pfizer's chief executive, Jeffrey Kindler, told a press conference in New York. "Today's announcement definitively addresses that question."

>Between them, the two companies will have nearly 130,000 employees although large-scale job cuts are likely as they pool resources in areas such as research and development, marketing and administration.

>Pfizer is borrowing $22bn to help pay for Wyeth. Five banks are each lending $4.5bn - Barclays, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, Citigroup and Bank of America.

>The four US banks involved have all received substantial bail-out funds from the treasury, and Pfizer acknowledged that taxpayers were effectively financing part of the transaction.

>"It's really good for America to support a healthy, strong biopharmaceutical organisation," said Kindler, who suggested that few industries created more "intellectual capital" than pharmaceuticals. "It's good to see banks doing what banks are supposed to be doing - lending money to advance the American economy and moving companies forward."

>Approved by board meetings of both companies yesterday, the takeover is widely expected to spur further deals in the drugs industry as more multinationals cope with lucrative products losing patent protection.

>Wyeth investors will get $33 in cash and 0.985 of a Pfizer share for each Wyeth share - an initial valuation of $50.19 – although Pfizer's stock slumped by 9% during early trading on the New York stock exchange, sharply depressing the price of the deal.

>Wyeth's top drugs include an antidepressant, Effexor, and a paediatric vaccine, Prevnar. The company owns over-the-counter brands such as ChapStick lip balm and Robitussin cough mixture. The firm employs 1,500 staff in Britain at four sites, including its European headquarters campus in Maidenhead.

>Wyeth's chief executive, Bernard Poussot, said his firm concluded there was a "remarkable" fit: "Everybody in the industry realised that Pfizer would take something of magnitude at some point."

>A newly disclosed slump in earnings underlined Pfizer's need for a tonic. Its fourth-quarter profit collapsed by 90% to $266m, partly blamed on a $2.3bn settlement with US prosecutors over the mislabelling of several painkillers. But its underlying sales were weak, with pharmaceuticals revenue down 4% to $11.2bn.

>Wyeth, which is based in New Jersey, has insisted on a $4.5bn break fee in the event that Pfizer's deals with banks fall through and the takeover collapses. But irrespective of financing challenges, analysts predict more such pharmaceutical tie-ups.

>"This will not be the last deal," said Barbara Ryan, drug analyst at Deutsche Bank in New York. "While Pfizer has specific issues with regard to Lipitor, these issues are systemic and throughout the entire industry. The industry will continue to consolidate to eliminate excess spending."

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2009/jan/26/pfizer-pharmaceuticals

Answer:
 Not a lawyer but this isn't hard to explain. Pfizer makes billions from Lipitor. It controls the patent which gives it exclusive rights to sell Lipitor -- for a time. That time is soon expiring which means other companies will make generic versions of Lipitor cheaply, cutting deeply into Pfizer's bottom line.

All drug companies have a pipeline of drugs in development -- their hope is that as they lose their exclusive patent protection on some drugs they'll have other new ones that will have just passed testing hitting the market.

But Pfizer clearly feels its upcoming drugs in the pipeline are inadequate to shore up the loss of Lipitor so it's making an acquisition in order to gain access to the acquiree's pipeline in the hopes there's something there that will end up worth mucho $$.


Title: (Florida) Ex is threatening to take me to court over son's passport. Am I in the wrong?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 You don't need to teach her a lesson or try to make her comply with the custody arrangement, that's the court's job. File a motion of contempt, the court will determine if she's in contempt.

Withholding anything that would be a benefit to your child, due to how her noncompliance largely affects you, is a bone headed move.


Title: Roommate who lives at my apartment rent - free (not on lease) refuses to leave.

Question:
I live in Florida. I have a roommate that I've had for about 4 months now. I took her in to help her get away from an abusive home situation and to try and help her get over her cigarette, pharmaceutical med addiction and alcohol problems. She was supposed to pay electric but no rent but she doesn't pay anything. My condition to her was that she cut out all of that shit and she agreed. She's been selling her own prescription drugs (not directly out of my apartment but to our neighbors) as well as smoking and drinking regularly. She's becoming increasingly hostile. I told her she needs to get the fuck out (after many many warnings). What are my legal rights here? I want to call the cops on her but someone in her family is a lawyer and she said she would sue me but I don't know if she's got real grounds for it or if she's just trying to scare me. She has someone she could stay with until she finds a place btw so I'm not like 100% heartless but she's making my life a living hell.

I'd really appreciate the help.
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 She's a tenant and is entitled to 15 days notice. Give her 15 days notice to vacate in writing then you can go to court to evict if she doesn't leave.

http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/florida-notice-requirements-terminate-month-month-tenancy.html

> I want to call the cops on her

For the drugs? Sure. To illegally evict her? No they won't help with that.


Title: What is the best bachelor degree for a paternity lawyer

Question:
Hello all,

So this has been a question on my mind for the past few weeks. Initially, I put off college because I needed to look after my 4 younger siblings. Times have changed and now I can go back into education. I know exactly what I want to do, I want to be a paternity lawyer fighting for the rights of fathers against deadbeat and abusive mothers like mine. I'm aware this will be a 7+ year journey and I want to put my best foot forward. So I'm asking all of you, with all your legal experience what bachelor degree to help prep for my specification?

Answer:
 Something that you enjoy and that will get you a job if you don't become a lawyer.  Undergrad degrees are fairly irrelevant to practice as a lawyer, with the exception of patent law. Answer #2: That's a seriously small slice of law to want to hang your entire career on. It's just family law, it's just custody and support issues within family law, and it's just on the dad's side. A lot of firms don't just practice family law and that's CPS cases, divorces, adoptions, custody issues, and juvenile delinquency law. My firm does that on top of criminal defense, probate, real estate, and workers compensation.

The point I'm making is that this may be your passion but a private lawyer's success is only as good as his clients. If you can't get enough of that one small client list, you're going to have to branch out.

If that's ALL you want to, then I'd probably find a non-profit that deal exclusively with fathers. In my state, there's [South Carolina Center for Father's and Families](http://scfathersandfamilies.com/). Find an organization like that in your state and volunteer first. Maybe find a job there.

As for the degree, I'm with the other poster that suggested a solid background career. If you want it in kind of the same field, maybe social work would be something to get into. And if you really want to become a lawyer, go intern or clerk at a firm first. Being a lawyer isn't all it's cracked up to be on tv. And you're wanting to go into one of the most depressing and stressful types of law as well. It's going to be  a challenge.


Title: Woke up this morning to a smashed car mirror. Worth a police report or should I just suck up the loss? (Indiana)

Question:
Hi guys.

This morning I noticed that someone had smashed out the driver's side mirror on my car. I'd say it could be a hit and run since I was parked on the side of the street but there is no other damage to the car which makes me think it was someone intentionally breaking my mirror.

I don't think my apartment complex has cameras facing outside or at least not where my car was parked, but I'll ask after work. I was just wondering if it would be worth a police report or I should just suck it up and take the loss.

Thanks.

Answer:
 I am going to disagree with the other user.

I think you should file a police report.  It won't take long to do so, and may help establish a pattern if the person who did it is found or does it again.


Title: (US) If you got sentenced to life in prison and were declared legally deceased by a doctor but eventually got resuscitated, would that count as your life sentence?

Question:
I know this is an extremely rare circumstance that probably won't happen but it's just a fun hypothetical.

Say you had a heart attack in prison and your body shuts down. A doctor pronounces you legally deceased but your heart somehow restarts, maybe from CPR or whatever. Would you be let out of prison or at least have a good case in court that you served your life sentence?

Answer:
 They don't declare you dead until they've exhausted ways to revive you.  They don't take your pulse, declare you dead, and then yell "Start CPR ASAP!"

Also, no you wouldn't have a good argument.  There's no legal standard for having more than one "life".  You're in prison for as long as you remain alive.  Still alive?  Still in jail.  You don't get out if your heart stops for 20 seconds because of sleep apnea either


Title: Splitting up with wife - being asked to sign papers

Question:
Hi,

My wife and are in the process of separating, we have a 15 month old son. Our son will be staying with her basically all the time. They are very arrached. I am moving into my own place this weekend. I have verbally agreed to pay her rent ($975), I also pay her car insurance since she's on my plan anyway.

She is a stay at home, she babysits one kid but doesn't claim the money from that (I know not good, but it's only about $400 a month). She wants to apply for assistance. As a requirement she is claiming she needs a signed and dated paper stating I pay her rent + $400 in child support.

I do pay her rent but not the child support piece. I know this all may seem a bit dishonest, we are just trying to figure out how she can stay home and live off just my income.

We do not hate each other, we fight some but she's not a vindictive person or anything like that. I just have concerns about giving her this paper. If we do decide to get a divorce I'm not sure what this could mean if we went to court. And if I write this letter, am I somehow agreeing to legally pay this much to her monthly?

I just want to make sure I'm not screwing myself in any way for the future if we do decide to get a divorce. I don't want this coming up in court and being used against me.

Is this a bad idea? Or would it be OK for me to go ahead and give her the letter? Any help would be really appreciated! I just don't have the money to see a lawyer. I'm trying my best to help her and my son but not do anything stupid in the process.

Answer:
 > Is this a bad idea?

You mean lying in order to obtain or help someone obtain government benefits?  Yeah, that's a bad idea.Answer #2: >If we do decide to get a divorce I'm not sure what this could mean if we went to court.

It means you'll have put your foot in your mouth financially speaking. Don't sign anything. Talk to a family law attorney about what to do.


Title: Lady milking it after a car accident. WHAT DO I DO?!

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Notify your insurance company immediately. Just because no damage was visible doesn't mean there wasn't any, or that the person he hit was not injured. Answer #2: You should contact your insurance company and notify them of this claim. They will take care of this for you. This is what you pay them for.


Title: Looking for a court case: discriminating against black locksmiths

Question:
I work for a web-site that gives recommendations for professional services in the United States.  _Not_ locksmiths, but something similar in that (a) trust and reliability are acute concerns and (b) most of the businesses are single-proprietorships or small partnerships.

Some genius in Product has decided a great feature would be to allow the user to filter by ethnicity.  Only want white guys?  Want to exclude Asians?

I tried to point out how racist this all was, but the Product idiots are like "What about *good* racism?  You know, when users only look for black people?"  (I am paraphrasing loosely, but that was the gist.)

If we were talking about employees (or customers), this would be black-letter illegal, but since these people typically own their own business, I cannot find any specific law that makes it illegal or actionable.

Personally, I find this plan odious and distasteful beyond saying, but what I am looking for from you fine people is an actual _case_, where a company did something like that and was sued and lost.  Failing that, a Federal statute that makes obviously illegal, or at least a state law somewhere.  If I can locate something like that, I can get the company lawyer to shut this bullshit down.

Answer:
 it's fine to be a racist referral service. maybe if you accepted sponsorship from listed businesses and you then only promoted one race's businesses, you'd run afoul of the law.

but I don't really believe that this is real. this would immediately be vilified if it went live.

are you trying to make a clumsy hypothetical about how dating websites allow you to filter by race?

or are you reasoning that a filter by languages spoken is the same as a race filter?


Title: Family Medical Leave Act

Question: I am applying for FMLA through my company and was notified that it is an unpaid leave.  Is this true?  Would I need to apply for disability? I don't see how something out of my control occurs and I am supposed to survive without any money coming in. Based in Southern California.

Answer: Yes, fmla is unpaid leave. It's purpose isn't to make sure you're paid when you're out, but rather to make sure you have a job to go back to.