Title: Parents are divorcing - Mother is somehow taking almost everything from Father; Can I help?

Question:
Quick backstory - Father ran a successful business most of his life in Pennsylvania. Mother is originally from Texas. They are both now 70, and as retirement was coming my mother convinced my father to move back to Texas for warmer weather (a la Florida-style) and to be near her larger family in their golden years. My mother has never worked.

Father's assets included an 80+ acre farm/ranch, his business with owned office building+rental units, 2 different attached rental properties in local towns, and one beach house in Maryland.

Mother convinced him to liquidate EVERYTHING for a large cash influx, and to purchase a luxurious 4000 sqft. house in Houston. The farm/ranch is gone along with all tractors, equipment, etc.. the beach house is being sold at the moment, and most other assets like extra cars/etc were sold. He had close to $2million, and purchased a $600k house. The 2 rental properties are still possessed.

Immediately after all this liquidating and moving to Texas (she convinced him to do it all VERY fast, somehow.. within a few months) he arrives and moves his entire life here, and then goes back to PA to finish his business sell-off.

Mother files for divorce immediately after he leaves, on his birthday is when the papers were delivered while he was out of state closing out other business.

Everything, almost, besides his business and personal vehicle, were in both of their names because why not? They are marital assets.

She is now attempting to take it ALL.

Somehow, I don't understand the laws, she is allowed to tell him he is not able to come back to this brand new house he only spent 2 weeks living in. He had to move in with my sister and lives in her spare bedroom in PA. My mother gets the house all to herself, and he is forced to pay for all the bills and living expenses for her while the divorce "finalizes". Currently my father pays her $3,500 a month for property taxes, utilities, living expenses, etc. When things break, like the AC needed fixing last month, he has to pay for everything. He pays for her car insurance. He pays 100% for everything during this entire process. Somehow, he is not allowed to use any money in their joint account which is where the remainder of the farm sell-off money is. He is not able to take any money and even rent an apartment, and must account for all purchases/and give her the equivalent money. If he uses $20 for dinner, he needs to document it and make sure she is then given the equivalent $20? What?

He asked for money to buy property so he can build a small house and get out from my sister's and asked for $100,000. She received an equivalent $100,000. She had an $80,000 inheritance from a family member who died, but that isn't considered "marital" so she got to withdraw $80,000 as well. There was $10,000 in cash in the safe in the new house that she has taken as well. She is probably sitting on well over $200,000 in cash in her new private bank account, but my father isn't allowed to use any of his money for anything or even find a place to live. She can stay in this house.

She has a $40,000 racing horse that my father paid for and gave to her as a futurity/performance asset who is boarded and ridden by a professional which somehow he needs to pay for as well. He has contacted the people who are in possession of this horse and they have not returned his messages and told him all communications need to go through my mother.

I don't understand how the laws can be so brutal against my father. This has all been premeditated for him to gain maximum amounts of cash and for her to just divorce him and take it all.

She won't let him fix the roof on the one rental property so it cannot be rented, so now instead of generating income it costs $500 per month in taxes/etc as it's vacant and dark. She does not need to pay $250 of that, though? It seems like she is getting all the benefits and he's left with nothing, just because she's the housewife who got bored of him and wants to retire in her hometown and play highschool with her old friends.

She sits around watching TV all day or going to drinks with her friends and my father is on the verge of alcoholic suicide calling the prevention hotline 2-3 times a week and crying himself to sleep in a spare bedroom of a daughter who hasn't heard from her mother in months either. Mother has cut all communication off from the family in PA 100%, didn't mail Christmas gifts or cards or even wish a merry Christmas via text to anyone.

How is all of this possible, and what can be done? I want to help my father so much. He calls me crying and asking what he did to deserve this (nothing, he worked 18 hours a damn day his entire life to give her ANYTHING she ever asked for and more, and basically answered to her beckon call and demands at all times).

I feel so helpless and lost. I am not in a place financially to do anything to help in any manner whatsoever, and it's killing me to see all this happen and none of us understand her motives or her abilities to put this much financial pressure on him. Her lawyer never answers anything, and laughs at all offers to reconcile or finalize the process. My father wants to just meet and split everything 50/50 or even 60/40 in her favor JUST to be DONE with is and so he can move on and heal. He doesn't care about the money at this point, he just wants his freedom and ability to stop being a burden on my sister. This is legitimately killing him. He constantly says he doesn't know how much more he can take.

Is there ANY recourse? I know divorce laws are quite draconian and side with the wife in almost all circumstances but this seems to go beyond the norm, how is it possible? I can't get any information from her and he's so confused and frustrated if I bring it up and try to ask him about his options he breaks down into an emotional mess and we have to physically carry him upstairs and put him in bed while he's snotting and drooling and crying all over himself like a child. He's losing his ability to function. His business has dwindled down to next to nothing as he can barely get out of bed in the morning. We think if he retires 100% and lives off his social security, can that stop the payments to my mother as it's based off his income, and his income would be 100%? But what about the housing and everything else he's forced to somehow pay for her. This is ridiculous.

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As a possible side note; we're finding more and more evidence that my mother had been cheating on him with an old high school boyfriend in Texas. If this was all premeditated and proven, is there any restitution?

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Please, I could use all the advice I can get. I don't know if I can watch my father whither and die this way.

Answer:
 Your parents obviously have substantial assets.  Your father presumably has an attorney in Texas handling this for him.  If he doesn't, for some absurd reason, he needs one.

>I know divorce laws are quite draconian and side with the wife in almost all circumstances

This is completely wrong.  You are hearing one side of the story and I guarantee you it isn't accurate.  Your mother is not going to get everything; that just isn't how divorce works.  Will she get part of the marital property? Yes.  Totally appropriate.  Will she get spousal support?  Probably, because she has never worked and was presumably keeping the home and raising children.  Also totally appropriate.

It's incredibly immature and wrong for your father to be dumping all of this on you.  You have no part in this and need to stay out of it.   If your father attempts to involve you again, tell him politely that this involves both your parents and you don't feel right being involved.

Then stay out of it.Answer #2: You need to back away from this whole situation.  Offer your father emotional support, he needs to get his legal support from his lawyer.  Your father needs to keep pushing the divorce towards resolution.  He may need to push for some preliminary readjustments... but he could be living in a vacation home or rental property right now instead of with his sister.

I will point out that Texas is a community property state, where the laws are pretty straightforward: all marital property is divided 50/50.  That's good for your mother because it guarantees her a certain minimum result, but it's also good for your father.  They have enough together that he should have plenty left for himself.


Title: (oregon) Going to loose my car dealer license.

Question:
first time posting here sorry.

my dealer license is expiring in about 2 weeks, i filled out all the forms except my liability insurance form.

I have tried to get in contact with my insurance agent, but she has made no contact in over a week.  I have talked with the insurance company and they say they don't fill out those forms even though they are supposed to be filled out by a insurance company, and they say only my agent can fill it out, which can't happen.

i have called the dmv licensing unit and they basically just brushed me off saying its your problem we don't care you have 2 weeks.

if i loose my dealership license i loose my main source of income for my family.  is there ANYTHING i can do about this other than hope my agent finally responds to me?

edit: she finally responded.  apparently she decided to go on vacation without telling me.

her excuse was she went somewhere with bad/no cell reception.  i texted her and explained the situation but she hasn't responded since.

edit 2:agent responded and said she has a friend in the company that she had do the paperwork and is going to send it to me.  she was really sorry about what happend, she said she didn't know i was that far into the paper work, and she should have told me she was going on vacation. just waiting on her friend now.

Answer:
 You may get more relevant advice @ /r/Insurance

If your agent isn't doing their duties, I'd generally suggest finding another agent who can meet your needs.


Title: [Australia] Girlfriend's dad is subpoenaing her phone and bank records from the last 5 years. He is doing it out of spite. What action can she take against him to retain her privacy.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Contact a local solicitor to see if you can quash the subpoenas.
Answer #2: There are a variety of bases upon which a court might set aside a subpoena, including that the subpoena is oppressive, that it amounts to a fishing expedition, or that it is an abuse of process. Without knowing the detail of your girlfriend's situation, or even what state you're in, it's impossible for anyone here to say what course of action she should take.

You should contact a local community law centre, preferably one that either specialises in or has a practice in women's legal issues or family law issues.Answer #3: Get your girlfriend to contact he local community legal centre (go to r/Auslaw and check out the sticky post it has heaps of links there).


Title: Doctor's office scheduled me for an appointment without notifying me, now they want a "no show" fee.

Question: I do not have $250 to throw out the window, what are some options I might have. I haven't been to see him in a couple months. I have insurance. I live in the state of California

Answer: Ask them when the appointment was scheduled and tell them you never knew about it and did not schedule it. Ask them to remove the no show charge. Be polite about it.


Title: California: Forced to pay counterfeited money by employer.

Question: I work at a mall and my employer just informed my coworkers and I if we accept a fake $50 or $100 bill its coming out of our pay check. My coworkers and I do our best to catch a fake bill but some are too good to spot. Can our employer do this to us?

Answer:
 A deduction for this reason is without question illegal under CA law. It doesn't matter if you agreed to it, signed a form, whatever, it's not a legal deduction from your wages.

http://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/faq_deductions.htm

I would print the above, highlight #2 and #3, and give it to them in such a way that they don't know it was you. Hopefully, it's just a matter of educating them.

You can be fired for accepting a fake bill, but they cannot deduct it from your wages.

If they implement this policy, and make a deduction from your pay, you should immediately file a complaint with the DLSE.


Title: Apartment maintenance called animal control to take my dog after coming over unannounced when we weren't home. Is this legal?

Question:
About 5 weeks ago my gf and I called maintenance to come look at our sink faucet which had really low water pressure. They gave us a timeframe of when they would be by that week but never came. It wasnt a big deal and we just forgot about it. 2 nights ago when my gf and I were both out they decided it would be a good time to finally come take a look. When he got there and no one answered the door he decided to let himself in. At this point our dog growled at him. Instead of calling us he decided to call animal control and have the dog taken. This dog is in the apt legally. We pay pet rent. My gf received a call at work from the animal control office saying that they had her dog. The apartment complex nor the maintenance team ever reached out to us. We had to pay to get the dog out and want to know if we can hold the apartment complex responsible? This nearly gave my gf a heart attack and I had never seen her so upset. Was this legal reddit? Can an apt complex maintenance person come in whenever they want? And if so can they legally call animal control to take my dog? Had this been a scheduled thing where we forgot to put him up it would be totally different but we had zero reason to think anyone was coming to our apt.. Especially at 6pm on a Sunday. This happened in FL if it makes any difference...

Follow up:  They have reimbursed us for the animal control fee and even gave back some of our rent we paid this month... The apartment managers were very embarrassed/apologetic and told us this maintenance guy fucked up big time. Thanks for all your your comments! Enjoy the rest of your week :)

Answer:
 >We had to pay to get the dog out and want to know if we can hold the apartment complex responsible?

Your landlord should reimburse you the cost of any fees you had to pay.

>Can an apt complex maintenance person come in whenever they want?

They can come in after you make a maintenance request, yes.

>And if so can they legally call animal control to take my dog?

No, and I would have a very serious conversation with a supervisor at animal control about why they took the dog to begin with. A random maintenance employee should not be able to just request that animal control start pulling animals out of a home.Answer #2: Separate question since it seems like op found a solution.

I see a lot of people saying when you file a maintenance request maintenance has permission to come whenever. Op has made it clear maintenance came at least several days late. Is it true that by filing a maintenance request I’m giving them permission to come whenever they feel like it? They gave op a predetermined date, missed that date, and then entered there home later on (I would argue without permission).

What’s to stop maintenance from entering your home months later because of a maintenance request you filled out that they never completed?


Title: Busted at work for too much personal internet time.

Question:
My bosses just had an outside agency ask me questions about my use of Internet at work. Looks like I've spent up to 7 hours per day on the Internet for personal use. I know that I do some work within that time, but the webpages still run in the background.

I don't know what's going to happen, but this seems like the "nuclear option", I would have stopped ASAP if anyone would have said something. How screwed am I, do you think the union will be of much help? I know that my bosses HATE the union, so I'm scared that if they get involved things could go even worse for me, but if they don't get involved I don't have any support.

I'm in Oregon.
Topic:
Business Law

Answer: Talk to your union rep


Title: Friend is being threatened with lawsuit for a photo posted for two hours

Question:
[Dallas, TX]
A friend of mine is a freelance photographer who is just starting out.  She also just graduated from a cosmetology school, who asked her to take some portfolio shots for their students.
She agreed, charged almost nothing, and took the photos.  She posted a couple of "behind the scenes" shots to get everybody excited about the final products, and was contacted by one of the students.  She was told it's "illegal" to post her makeup work without release or royalties and that she'd be talking with her lawyer about suing her.  My friend immediately took down the photos and told the student that they were for portfolio purposes (the student's, the school's, and my friend's photography portfolio), contracted by the school, and that she should speak to them about it.  Then offered a couple of options, A. she signs a release for her photos specifically, or B. gives permission for the photos to be destroyed.  The student insisted that she is owed royalties for the time the photo was "published" and is "moving ahead with the lawsuit."

This all seems ludicrous to me, as the photos weren't published for profit, but for promotion, so no royalties.  My friend is freaking out, as she has not formed an LLC yet and is worried that she will lose a great deal.  I told her not to worry, that this girl obviously didn't know how things like this worked, and that I doubt an attorney will take her case.  Meanwhile, the school has backed out of the situation, saying they won't back either side.  Is there any advice I can give her?  Thanks!

(My friend has learned a valuable lesson about release forms that she is not going to forget anytime soon).

edit1: At first the student was excited about the photos being finished, then changed her tune when she heard the final photos were going to be used in my friend's and school's portfolios (as well as her own).  My friend wasn't charging the students for the rights to the photos, but was going to offer business card designs with the makeup work on them for the students that did the work.

edit2: Thank you all for the fast responses!  I'm sending all of them to her as they come in, and hoping that she'll be able to relax a bit easier.  You've probably saved a bit of her sanity.

Answer:
 If she is actually sued she should talk to an attorney. Don't worry about threats. People threaten to sue all the time. Answer #2: Your friend can tell this prima donna to go pound sand. Don't talk to her any more. Wait to see if actual paperwork regarding an actual suit is filed.

This person is crazy and won't get anywhere with this crazy crap.


Title: what right does Facebook have to decide a UK law regarding changing identity is not a permissible on a public communications network? (account deleted, all personal contacts and photos lost)

Question:
Under UK law i have been known by the other name for the past 3 years as there is [no legal process required](https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/relationships/birth-certificates-and-changing-your-name/changing-your-name/), i run a community of positive change makers and often engage in public speaking events under the name i adopted. (Andy at Focallocal)

I'm assembling a team of webdevelopers right now to finish the final steps to get our website ready for the big move away from using Facebook as a platform ..so in a few months we'd have been covered - now all thousands of people we've gathered have been lost.

This is terrible timing, i may have to cancel a project to bring local people together an regenerate a horribly neglected area, with gardens, paintings and bee-hives, which is on a common route to school.

Also there is a risk to the health of two troubled young adults i was supporting on a daily basis - my former career was as a counselor, and when i meet people who are really hurting and struggling to deal with life i often try to support them. i wasn't given a chance to contact them and explain, so i worry they will think i have 'given up' on them.

can anyone suggest what i can do?

Answer:
 Facebook is not a "public communications network."

They are a private company and can have any terms of service they want to have, including requiring use of your legally identifying name as given on whatever government documents they specify.


Title: Some Simple Divorce Questions

Question:
I'm in Baltimore, MD, we were married in Nov 2013, we have a 1.5 yr old daughter, not sure if this is needed to answer these questions:

1. does it matter WHO WANTS the divorce?  My wife wants out and I am in a position to have to move out of our house when I've done nothing wrong?  I know life isn't fair but really?  Our house is paid off and I will now have to pay rent etc...

2. She has offered to pay half my rent until she's paid what would be equal to the equity in our house, thoughts on that?

3. We will probably want to do our divorce without involving attorneys, any advice on that?  Are there any good websites with downloadable forms to fill out to accomplish this?

Answer:
 1. No. Almost universally people are entitled to  get out of their marriage without changing equitable distribution.

2.  Talk to your lawyer about this plan and now it may affect your divorce.

3.  See 2. Don’t do a divorce with children without a lawyer ensuring things are setup as they should be.


Title: Buzzfeed stole my friend's material

Question:
My friend lives in Australia and a couple of months ago posted [this picture](http://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/24rn74/go_home_sydney_trains_youre_drunk/) to /r/pics and /r/funny. It received a large number of views in /r/pics. Originally the photo was uploaded to Imgur and then linked to reddit. Both from his accounts.

The other day I found buzzfeed had used the picture in one of their "articles" found [here](http://www.buzzfeed.com/simoncrerar/stopping-at-welcome-aboard#3bvt2zk). Ontop of that the source that buzzfeed did use to cite the source of the picture, didnt even have the picture.

This might be a long shot but does my friend have any legal ground here or is Buzzfeed free to use whatever content without correct sources?

Answer:
 It is widely acknowledged that Buzzfeed is a cesspool of copyright infringement (probably worse than Pinterest).  It claims that adding a caption somehow transforms this infringement into a fair use, but make no mistake, simply adding attribution or placing a photo in a list in no way immunizes it from liability.

Your friend's simplest and most economical option is to [file a DMCA takedown notice](http://www.buzzfeed.com/about/dmca).


Title: Immigration law - are there any ways to block the sponsor process of someone?

Question:
Here is the context:

My dad had an affair while still in marriage with my mom 14 years ago. He found out about the child just last year and wanted to sponsor (already filed paperwork) her to come to U.S (while still being marriage with my mom). Is there anyway to prolong/block that process because he's still being marriage with my mom? Also, he's quite stubborn so we cannot threaten him with a divorce (including the penalty for cheating - fault divorce).

Edit1: The child was confirmed by an ADN test, which is the ground I want to base on if there's a way to block/prolong the process. The paperwork result from the test can be faked easily as anything/any type of paperwork can be faked in that country from driver licenses, certificates, to diplomas. And those things are from the officials too because they are corrupted as ****. If there's a way (or paperwork to file) to cast any doubt to USCIS to prolong the process, is what I am asking.

Edit2: I want to confirm those things are established, as some people answered with morality based advice instead of legality. I just want to let those know I agree with them:

The child is innocent. I have bad impressions about her doesn't mean she is bad.

My mom should choose between divorce or accept the child

I am living with them (and paying for the house - stating this so you don't have to guess why I am involved in the context). And I do pick a side on this matter, obviously.

I am looking for possible ways (branching for options, good or bad)

Answer:
 Why do you use "we" here?

This isn't your marriage.Answer #2: You want to keep your father from sponsoring his 14 year old daughter who wants to immigrate?

...I'm not an immigration expect, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say no.

Not only there, there's a VERY good chance she will be granted full citizenship based on parentage if your dad is.Answer #3: You have no way of blocking this.

If your mother doesn't want this to occur, she needs to actually file for a divorce (instead of threatening to).

As her sponsor, your father will be financially responsible for the girl.  As your father's spouse, your mother's finances could also be impacted.Answer #4: If YOUR MOM does not want to be involved with sponsoring this person or does not want her assets to be involved sponsoring this person, she should file for divorce and walk away.

If she is not willing to file for divorce, then she needs to come to terms with the situation.

There is no way to stop an adult from doing something they can legally choose to do just because you don't like it.


Title: Violated a no contact order because I had no choice and got charged for felony burglary in WA state. Please help.

Question:
This is going to be a lengthy one. This all started back in July of last year. My boyfriend and I were drunk and arguing one night and one thing lead to another and the cops were called. They arrested me a charged me with domestic violence in the 4th degree and put in place a no contact order between my boyfriend and I. To complicate matters more we were living with each other at the time so in effect I became homeless after the incident.           Luckily I had some friends that could take me in for a short time. During that time I tried to avoid contact with my boyfriend as much as possible even though he would repeatedly tell our friends he didn't want the order and wanted to stay together. Meanwhile, my parents were supporting me financially in order to get me through until I found a job. Most of the interviews I got didn't lead to anything after they did background checks, it seems like every place around here does. So essentially I was in a pretty bad spot as far as money goes.
          After my friends lease was up I had to find a new place to go, that was in October. I found a place and was able to stay there until December. The living situation went south because it was a "party house" and there were people coming and going being drunk CONSTANTLY and loud. This prevented me from sleeping/staying on a normal schedule/feeling safe. I had to get out. I felt desperate and out I options so I turned to my boyfriend for help, like an idiot. We were living in a house that his mother owns and she would pop in frequently and unexpectedly sometimes, being aware of that I begged him to assure me I would be safe there and I wouldn't get caught. He said that she had been better about calling before showing up and that it should be fine. He was wrong, she saw me there before I saw her, snuck away and called the cops. They picked me up, charged me with felony burglary and violation of a no contact order. I was floored. If I had any idea it was a felony to even be there I wouldn't have gone near the house or my boyfriend. My court date is on Feb. 10th. What can I expect at this hearing? If I can't afford a lawyer will they throw the book at me and actually convict me of a felony? If my boyfriend can somehow manage to get the no contact order dropped by my court date will that help? Please help Reddit, I feel so stupid, alone, and scared. I want to do everything I can to stay out of jail.

Answer:
 You had other choices. You made the choice to violate a court order.

Hire an attorney and make smarter choices. Contact the public defenders office and ask for one if you cannot afford one.

Your boyfriend getting the order dropped (which is unlikely since he didn't place it) will not effect the fact that you violated the order in place at the time.


Title: Damage to an AirBnB flat (Germany, UK)

Question:
I live in the UK. I rented a place in Germany for a three days holiday and during my stay, I accidentally damaged the kitchen counter by placing a hot pan on it. The damage is small: a tiny plastic piece of diameter 2 cm came off.

I told the owner about it and she became very upset, she said that the flat had been graded a 5-star holiday house (certainly by some stupid agency - there is no hoven, the internet is unstable...), that the damage is very bad and she will call a professional to handle it and might have to change the whole counter. The damage is something that someone in his house would fix by glueing the piece back in - it would not be perfect but it would be just a minor imperfection
- stuff like this happens w.

I am afraid she is going to say she wants her property to be as it was before we came in and send us a 200€ quote for changing the whole counter. Would we have to pay that?

Answer: While we're not experts on German law, most likely yes. She would need to be made whole again. Would you like your counter half-assed repaired if someone broke it? Come on.


Title: Live-in Niece Snuck Guys Over. We Had ~$2k Worth of Stuff Stolen. Niece lied to police and tried to cover everything up.

Question:
My wife and I live in Florida and were out of town for the weekend (Friday and Saturday night). We have very noticeable cameras setup around the house and everyone who comes over notices them and/or is made aware. My niece (who is 15 and was living with us at the time) had permission to have a friend spend the night on the first night (Friday night). My sister-in-law (niece's aunt) also spent the night to look after the girls. My niece spent the second night (Saturday night) at the house alone. We have confirmed this on the camera recordings. During that time no one went over towards our bedroom and the girls stayed on the couch watching TV before going to bed and then the friend left very early in the morning.

When my wife and I came home on Sunday, we noticed some stuff shuffled around a bit in our room but thought that maybe my sister-in-law or niece were looking for something. It wasn't until a week or so later that we noticed that jewelry and valuable stuff was missing.

We immediately called the police who came over and asked questions including asking my niece if anyone else was over that weekend to which she responded "no". As a result, the next day the police went over to the friends house who stayed the night and asked her parents for permission to search the house for the missing items. Her parents consented and the police found nothing and were very convinced that the friend wasn't involved in the theft.

The friend did, however, tell the police that 2 guys came over on Sunday before my wife and I were back in town. The police came back over to the house and questioned my niece about the guys. She told the police all they did was watch TV and then the guys left. She also stated that she didn't know their names (just their nicknames) and that she didn't have their phone number. We took her phone and the police were able to find the guys names from her Facebook account since she was friends with them on Facebook and their names were in their Facebook profile.

A day or two later we reviewed the video footage and found that my niece and one of the guys basically spent the entire time in her bedroom leaving the other guy to walk through the house and go into our bedroom seemingly taking the stuff that is missing. We also took a deeper look through her phone (which she didn't have access to anymore since the whole sneaking guys over thing) and found that she had deleted all of the communication that she had back and forth between the two guys. There was one remaining Facebook message that the bedroom guy sent her after we took her phone, but all other messages (kik, Facebook, text, etc) were gone. I was, however, able to recover an additional Facebook message from the thief by looking through my niece's Gmail trash. The message said "I did.", however the conversation was lost since she deleted everything. I also looked through her call history and found 3 numbers with a lot of activity around the time before the guys came over and generally over the previous few days. The numbers were not a part of any contact in her phone (she deleted the two guys contact information from her phone), but I was able to confirm one of the numbers as belonging to the thief because he actually mentions it in the audio from one of the recordings. My niece has continued to lie and try to cover up everything that happened that weekend. She has been completely uncooperative.

My wife and I (along with my niece's father and mother) believe that she should be charged with something along the lines of material false statement and/or obstruction of justice. We mentioned this to the police officer who has been working with us (and who has been amazing), but he seemed to shrug it off and told us to keep working with her. Are we out of line in thinking that these charges would stick?

TLDR: Niece snuck people over who stole stuff then deleted everything related to them out of her phone and lied to the police. Can she be charged with anything?

Answer:
 > Can she be charged with anything?

Technically, yes, she could.  However you do not get to make this decision.  You cannot force the police to submit the issue to the prosecutor/district attorney, nor can you force the prosecutor/DA to file charges even if the police push it to them.


Title: Isn't this wrong?

Question: So I am currently attending a Christian private school in Florida and a kid was called to the office due to sexting allegations. The administrator speaking to him asked to see the pictures he was sent by a girl student. I don't think that he should've asked to see the pictures? Can he get in trouble for doing so?

Answer: School officials can conduct an investigation to determine whether a violation was committed.  Otherwise they are just taking the word of someone else.


Title: Any laws on how early an employer has to provide a schedule?

Question:
My girlfriends employer doesn't use a set schedule and often doesn't release the schedule until about half a week before the first date on the schedule. Which is pretty frustrating for making plans.

This week he still hasn't released the schedule for TOMORROW and she's asked several times for it and he hasn't given it to her. Is there anything she can do about this? Other than quit (she is actively looking for a new job).

This is in Maryland by the way

Answer: Legally, he can set the schedule a week after it happens, and fire your girlfriend for not showing up at the right time.


Title: [UK] Friend borrowed camera equipment, lied about it getting stolen

Question:
10 months ago a friend at the time borrowed my video camera equipment of about £2000 for 2 days. He offered to pay for the rental of it and I agreed. When i asked for it back he said that there was a problem on the set and a bunch of equipment got stolen including mine.

He said he filed a police report and that there would be an insurance payout. Months later he said there was a problem with the insurance and that he would pay me himself.

He hasn't.. and other things have come to light about this individual so I have good reason to believe he lied about it all and just kept everything.

There was no contract or anything, the only proof of this is our message logs.

I asked the polic for proof of the report but they cant tell me anything due to the data protection act.

Its either I make a accusation to the police or sue him.

Any advice?
Topic:
Douche

Answer:
 Sorry -- what's wrong with both making an accusation to the police and also suing him?

He stole something of substantial value from you, then lied about it.  Months have gone by; this isn't a simple misunderstanding.  I don't see that you owe him any consideration of any kind.


Title: If I uploaded a video to youtube, from another video, and that video contained an unreleased track, do I have grounds to counter it?

Question:
Okay, so this has probably been answered a billion times over. I heard a piece of music from Halo 4 (Mantis), and at the time it still hadn't been released. The song was on one of the behind-the-scenes videos, so I ripped it, and slapped it on a video for other people to hear. Volume 2 came out several months later, and a few months after that, my video was taken down by Warner Music.

I wouldn't be to bothered about this, because my youtube channel isn't super popular, but that song actually got me some views.

Located in CA.

Answer: It's not your content and you don't have a license to distribute it. That's all there is to it.


Title: My younger brother is truant

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 You are no party in this case.

Your mom and your brother are.

Also: location matters, sadly you didn't provide one.


Title: I think my landlord is trying to overcharge me for damages. I know I'm liable for some of it. But the amount seems excessive.

Question:
I just left my apartment and I left some burn marks on some hardwood floors. I knew those would have to be replaced but there was only maybe 8-10 that needed to be replaced. After I moved my landlord told me 14 needed replaced. That's fine maybe a couple from around the burns needs replacing too. Then they sent me a quote for ~3k. Seemed a bit much. Then I called a flooring company and sent em pictures of the floor I had. They gave me a 1500 quote. I told my landlord but they insisted I'm wrong and it would need additional sanding and detailing while the flooring guy I called says it doesn't.
Then fast forward some days and I'm sent a quote for ~5.5 k and the quote says removal and change of LVT in the living and hallway when I'm certain the marks were only in the living. Also I looked it up and LVT is supposed to be cheaper than hardwood so I don't know why the quote would go up that much because initially my landlord thought it was hardwood too?
I know I'm liable for the burnt floors and am willing to pay but am I overthinking?

Also sorry if this is the wrong place to post if someone can point me to a better place that'd be great!

Answer: Ask for an itemized list from both the landlord and then ask directly from the company he used, again in writing. Compare them. Ask the flooring company what items particularly pertained to the burn marks in the living room (and any other damages you have pictures of).


Title: My landlord left me a couple voicemails, an email and a written notice ONLY about possible rent increases after my lease expires. Today when I called to find out about rent, he told me that he's already rented out my home when my lease expires BEFORE I got to renew. What can I do?

Question:
I'm in NC. My lease ends on the last day of July.

My lease terms clearly state that

- I'm required to give 60 days notice if I don't want to renew my lease.

My lease expires in Aug. This gives me time till end of May to notify them if I want to move.

- Communications from my landlord must be in writing.

I received NO communication from my landlord regarding my apartment being leased out to somebody else in August BEFORE the notice period kicked in.

Some guy at the office tried to claim that they "tried to get in touch" with me and emailed me and called me and sent me "notices". BUT those were all ONLY about the rent increase and said NOTHING about losing my right to renewal.

EDIT: I also spoke with someone at the office a month ago who told me I needed to let them know by end May if I would be moving out.

The guy says they have already rented out my apartment to somebody else for them to move in during August.

This forces me to leave this apartment.

What can I do here? My apartment complex's parent company is in another state, just FYI.

What can I negotiate with them IF I decide to get out of this complex entirely?

Answer:
 > What can I do here?

You need to find a new place to live. If they've already rented it, that's the end of it. You can't stay there after the lease is up.


Title: [MI] Landlord told me they're conducting a canine walk-through of my apartment tomorrow

Question:
I live in Michigan, and I just received a call telling me that the office will be conducting a canine walk-through of my apartment and neighboring apartments. They say this is because of complaints of bug bites or bed bugs or something.

It's a 4 bedroom apartment that I share with one roommate. Is it legal to go through my room like this? Is this reasonable notice?

Answer:
 TIL.  Canines can be used to find bed bugs.  http://bedbugcentral.com/bedbugs101/canine-scent-detection

As long as they give notice, they can do the walk through.


Title: Cops took dad at 1 AM

Question: [deleted]

Answer: So he's been charged with the crime that he didn't commit. What do I do now?


Title: My city is about to change the noise ordinance, is this legal? [Texas]

Question: My city currently has a ordinance that only allows construction only during week days between certain hours. Companies already regularly break that and the city acknowledges that. Yet they want to amend the current ordinance to allow construction during daylight hours all 7 days of the week (with the exception of not before 9am on the weekend). I find this unreasonable an potentially an infringement to the rights of property owners to the peaceful enjoyment of their dwelling. Is there any way I can fight this? The council passed it already and next month it goes to the final vote. I live in an area with a TON of construction and our town is really growing, but 7 days a week? The local construction businesses are very vocal on this at meetings and not many residents are privy to this amendment (who really pays attention to council shit anyway). What can I do? What can I argue that might give me more of a leg to stand on?

Answer:
 > Is there any way I can fight this?

Yes.  Go to city council meetings, talk to the planning boards, generally exercise your rights as a citizen.


Title: In Texas, am I legally required to give my ID to a police officer who requests it while I'm walking down the street?

Question:
The police chief at the local school (school has a personal police department) I was working at has pulled me aside multiple times to run my ID while I was employed there.

It started on the day I came in for an interview. I told him so when asked. He called me a liar several times, refused to ask my new employer in the office right there about it, and demanded my ID, my Uber driver's ID, and ran his plates too.

We hadn't committed any crime, I wasn't loitering, I just wanted to go home so I gave it to him and it took 20 minutes to finish up, because he initially gave the wrong numbers to the person on the other end. I was mad (inside not outside) and had to pay a big tip out of politeness to my driver but whatever right it's fine. The school needs security you know.

I thought that was the end of it. I swear though, this guy was so bored he just waited for me sometimes and stopped me every time he saw me. I had been stopped 5 times in a period of a few months. I had a school ID, a work uniform, I had permission to be there as much as I want, I didn't need an excuse to be standing on the property, but for the record I didn't loiter I waited inside on a bench until the car arrived because I'm not some nonce. I kept giving him my ID and just smiling politely and being positive or whatever, but I honestly really just hate this fellow now. Like what's wrong with him. He's chief of police in that department and he does this.

Other policemen have stopped and demanded my ID menacingly on the street while I'm just strolling around or going to get some ice cream from CVS, and I also give it to them because really fuck getting on the police's bad side or possibly being detained.

Do I have to give it to them though? Can I just say "No, have a nice day" and walk away with no risk of being detained or being followed or anything? I'm so tired of this shit, the cops in this new city I moved to need to have some fucking chill. It's taken hours out of my life collectively and I'm so done. I can't even report them either because it's usually some figurehead of the PD who does it.

Answer:
 Just to let you know I've been arrested for not giving my ID in Texas(when I went to court they couldn't find any charges or anything). They will also try and intimate you and lie to you saying there is a new law.

If you read the statue it says you are required to ID only if you're arrested. That means you have to tell them your name. Doesn't say you have to give them the ID.

Just say "Sorry I do no consent" "Officer at this point I am fully cooeratin with you but I do not consent to providing you with my ID." "Officer am I being detained...?"

They are going to try and convince/initimate you into giving them your ID. They will call for back up surround you. They will get within 2 inches of you face and bark at you for their ID. You can't do anythign to them except tell them No.


Title: Let my people poop

Question: I work at a car wash that is connected to a Mobil station. The two business share a pair of gendered bathrooms that are located in the Mobil station. Recently I had an employee of the gas station tell me I was not allowed to defecate on the premises. At times the car wash demands 13 hour shifts of employees. I know that this violates OSHA regulations. I’m asking for advice on how to resolve the situation.

Answer: I'm curious on how this employee plans on enforcing this policy?Answer #2: Ask your boss where you're supposed to use the bathroom and follow their instructions, not a random employee from another business. If you are actually prevented from using the bathrooms you're told to use, ask your boss to get you bathroom access. If you actually don't have restrooms you're allowed to use, and your employer doesn't resolve the situation quickly, you can file an OSHA report.


Title: [AZ] The stairs and walkway to my apartment have been under-construction for 3 months.

Question:
So three months ago the stairs closest to my apartment were blocked off and the concrete was ripped up. This wasn't a major issue as I just needed to walk down and around to the stairs at the other end of the building (roughly 100 meters)
After about a month the contractors just stopped showing up, and left the stairway half done but boarded off.
After a month of the contractors not showing up one of the other tenants took the boards down, and laid them across the landing so they could cross-over to the partly assembled staircase and get down.

My friend who works construction looked at it, and noticed the workers cut lots of corners. Including using incorrect concrete for the foundations  of the pillars. Which you could already see fractures forming on. Also the small section of the landing they completed had cracked and would rock back and forth.

I spoke with management who said the contractors stopped answering their calls. And they were going to hire other contractors to complete the job.
The new contractors confirmed what my friend pointed out, the work that the others did before leaving wasn't safe and it needed to be torn down and started over.
The complex disagreed and wanted them to just pick-up where the others left off. The new contractors refused (I'm assuming because of either liability or morals) this happened with a few other contractors until the complex managed to get a hold of the original contractors again.

So now it's been almost 3 months and the original contractors came back. But instead of working on the stairs they never finished they start working on a section of the walkway. The section that I have to use to get to the other set of stairs.
So they tore up that walk way, and left. It's been two weeks now and I haven't seen the contractors or any progress on the stairs or the now torn up walkway.

I spoke to management again because now I either have to cross under caution tape and walk across plywood to go down a case of rickety stairs. Or I have to cross under caution tape and walk across a pathway with broken down hand-rails, rusty metal and planks of wood with nails sticking out.
They advised I just use the rickety stairs for now
(The stairs are not secured to the walkway or the side if the building at all. The whole section will sway back and forth as you descend them)

When I asked when they would be fixed they just said "we are working on it"
And that the original contractors are back and going to finish it. I brought up how not only are they unreliable but how the work they have done thus far is unsafe. They then essentially told me they already paid them a percentage of the total for the job, and their budget won't allow them to hire anyone else.

On top of being poor or unfit living conditions for my girlfriend and I, as well as the three other apartments that are trapped by both construction sites. Is there some sort of safety, fire code or building code this violates? If so who can I report it to?

Answer:
 There was a post a few months back where the landlord had removed the only access to a house (a stairway) and the family were having to use a ladder to enter or leave the property.

The sage advice of this sub was to also call the local Fire Marshall.


Title: Doctor charged me for things he never did! Please help!

Question:
Hello everyone,

I was looking for some advice from you guys and on what I should do next.

A few weeks ago I went to a heart doctor to get checked out and looked over. Nothing unusual. This was a new heart doctor and my first ever visit. He did some very basic tests like take my blood pressure, heart rate, etc. He then offered me to take a stress test, heart test, and everything. My wife was with me at the visit, I thought about it but declined to take these test as I did not really like this doctor....something about him seemed a bit off for me. It sounded like he was trying to get me to do all these tests like it was a sales pitch. I backed away immediately and we left. Literally nothing was done at this visit besides the regular "check-up" every doctor visit takes.

Cut to a few weeks later and I receive a bill for all the shit this doctor wanted me to do as if I did it! I was shocked and angry! I called my health insurance company immediately and told them that this doctor is charging for things that were never done. He listed like 12 things that I supposedly "did" at that visit I had with him a few weeks ago. I told the insurance company exactly what happened and they noted this on my account I guess. Cut to a few days ago and I now receive the bill because the insurance company refused to pay it. Now I am the one who has to pay for something that was never done?!!! I am this close to going over to that doctor's office and breaking his face in for these bullshit, fraudulent charges. This is not ok to do!

I haven't had the chance to call the doctor yet as this arrived just this Friday and I just spent the weekend looking over it. Like this is some absolute bullshit! If these fucks refuse to get rid of this bill after I call them tomorrow. What kind of legal action can I take? No way is this shit legal! Maybe they made a mistake but this still infuriates me! How can you charge for a list of a dozen things that I have never done! Not a single one! So please Reddit, let me know what I can do. I know I can prove these are bullshit charges by just saying that the tests supposedly "done" would have test results, results these guys cant produce. Unless they fabricate them or some shit! Please let me know what I should do. I don't want to misstep by not knowing the law or something.

I live in the state of Georgia and went to an in-network doctor with Ambetter as my insurance.

Thank you, everyone!

Answer:
 I think you should call the provider first chances are they will clear these almost immediately. They will look at your record and find no stress test realize they fucked up redo their billing at which point you'll have to wait a few days or weeks to see what your new bill will be .

Mistakes happen no matter how you are paid , if they refuse to drop them look into a health advocate. Normally included with your insurance. But please don't tell at the poor office staff taking your call it's not their fault the doctor wrote the wrong icd10


Title: Verbal Contract Violation - YouTube

Question:
I am a 14-year-old boy who knows quite a bit about law. I started a YouTube channel, which was rather successful, and a jealous classmate started making offensive videos about me (diss tracks and the ilk) which, as well as being defamating and sending hate to my channel, infringed my copyright as he used my footage. I have flagged every video, but he's started abusing the system; twisting facts to legally confused YouTube administrators, as well as making videos that don't use my footage. He recently made a 44 minute video explaining the situation, in which he admits to violation a verbal contract not to make videos about me anymore. The only reason he admitted it was because he thought it wasn't enforceable, but it was his admission that made it enforceable. I want to use my legal leverage to strong-arm him into a settlement before even considering suing him (removal of all the videos and a public apology). Here is the email I wish to send, but I want to know if the strategy is wise or if I could get in any trouble. Anticipate his moves.

Michael,

Over the past three months or so, you have dragged my channel name through the mud with your various diss tracks, defamation, copyright violation, and your insistence on setting your fans on me so as to ruin my chance at a YouTube career. Since you're so prone to kicking the proverbial dog, it's time the roles were reversed. You see, I thought I'd taken this matter as far as I could legally. I never made a single video regarding you, and I waved you a white flag because I was sick of this drama.

I can't believe I was so naive as to think you meant it when you agreed.

Less than a week later, another video which infringed my copyright was released, and you act like I'm the bad guy for doing something I was well within my legal rights to do.

This was where things started going wrong. My subscriber growth halted. My dislikes were at an all-time high. EjTheRogue hate was at its apex, and I thought my channel would never recover.

But this is where you made your blunder. Not that I'm surprised; it was bound to happen given your incompetence as a YouTuber, rival and human being in general. You see, you were right when you said our contract wasn't enforceable as it was a verbal agreement. I had no way of proving such an agreement existed.

Until you led me right to it.

In the attached audio file, you admit to the existence of such a contract, and give all the details of when and how it took place. Thanks to this video, I can prove the contract existed, and I have an admission right here that you violated it.

I have consulted legal advisors, and it has come to my attention that I have reason enough to seek damages from you. It would be a taxing battle for you, and I guarantee the consequences would be much more severe than having your channel taken down.

But I'm not going to do that right away. I'm going to give you the mercy you never deigned to give me. Hit me up, and I'm sure we can come to an agreement.

With all due respect (of which there is none), Ethan

Answer:
 > I have consulted legal advisors, and it has come to my attention that I have reason enough to seek damages from you.

No, you don't.  You don't have damages.  If you do have a legitimate verbal contract(which I doubt strongly) you can't sue for retroactive damages from before the contract was laid.  In other words, your only option would be damage from the violation *itself*, which is minimal or non-existent.


Title: Can I or my mom get in trouble if I don't visit my dad?

Question: I am 16 and live in Texas. My parents got divorced when I was four and last year he went to court to fight for more time and won. I haven seen my dad in about nine months because April of 2015 my dad got drunk and choked my until I almost died. After the incident I still visited him because I was trying to ignore it, but the more I ignored the worse my anxiety, depression, and occasional PTSD got. My dad and grandparents text me all the time. I blocked my grandparents number, and then they changed it. My grandparents send letters to my house trying to manipulate me, even using my religion to say I need to see my father. With it being the holiday season I know its going to get worse, and I fear he will try to take legal action. My question is will I or my mother get I trouble if I don't visit my narcissistic alcoholic "drug addict recovered" father?

Answer:
 Practical advice - Talk to your counselor at school.  They may not be able to do anything, but it will at least add to the paper trail if the trail is needed.

You could also try calling legal aid and getting an attorney of your own.  The choking thing is incredibly frightening.  Perhaps a women's domestic violence group would help you with the legalities, whether you are a male or female.Answer #2: Did you file a police report?  Did you try to get a restraining order?Answer #3: > the more I ignored the worse my anxiety, depression, and occasional PTSD got

Do you have a Dr. that can attest to this?  Basically, your mother needs to go back to court.  With you being a year older, they might be able to bring you to court as well, though I'm not familiar with Texas law.  Is your father also in Texas?Answer #4: Your mother is required to make sure that the order is followed. Therefore, if your dad has visitation in the court order, your mother can be held in contempt of court for failing to make sure that you go to visitation.  Punishment can be fines and jail. She should consult with an attorney.Answer #5: You are at the age where if you spoke to a judge, you can request to not see him for fear of your safety or at least request supervised visits. Keep the letters and archive them to use in court, if you can text your grandparents or father, mention the incident and get them to talk about it. Take screenshots you can use to make your case with the corresponding police report.


Title: (Ontario) I was pulled over and got a ticket for texting and driving but I wasn't texting. (Ontario)

Question:
The cop saw me with my phone in my hand but didn't care when I tried to explain that I was wasn't texting. If I bring a copy of my phone records to show the judge to prove I wasn't texting at the time do the records have to be notarized or signed by someone from my provider to prove that they are legit, or will they take my word for it? Or would it be better if I subpoenaed my provider so they send someone to testify that I wasn't under oath. I just want to make sure that I have all my bases covered before my trial date. Thanks!

(Also is there any way that I can complain about the cop because I wasn't breaking the law but I was still pulled over and ticketed and had my time wasted?)

Answer:
 >The cop saw me with my phone in my hand

That's the ticketable offence there buddy. You are charged with holding or using your phone while driving.

>(Also is there any way that I can complain about the cop because I wasn't breaking the law but I was still pulled over and ticketed and had my time wasted?)

Only if I can complain to the MTO about your blissful ignorance of the Highway Traffic Act.


Title: Weird Shoplifting Situation

Question:
So heres the situation, I worked for a local DA. I am being accused of shoplifting. DA insists on having the court case under their jurisidcition. 17y/o national/state/regional champion in academic circles. Lots of scholarships, college opportunities.

Can I defend myself to the jury I guess by saying that the court case can not be imposed by the DA because I worked for them, and also wont offer any type of plea deals.

As well as, can I defend myself by saying that the potential punishment would destroy any future that I would have? Therefore the punishment is cruel/unusual because it destroys my ability to go to college, because without those scholarships = no college.

And also I never left the building that I was supposedly shoplifting from, but I was 'in the act of leaving.' and forced into a small room, by large men, told that I had to sign away my rights or I would go to jail, and then obviously did so do to me being scared shitless.

&#x200B;

Is there also anything else I can defend myself with?

Answer:
 > As well as, can I defend myself by saying that the potential punishment would destroy any future that I would have?

Lol who are you Brock Turner? No, this is not a defense against punishment. Also consequences to having a record dont have any application to what is considered cruel and unusual. Since you aren't denying it here on reddit, sounds like you were caught in the act and you don't actually have a real defense since you're trying some weird logical gymnastics to get out of it. so.... Get a LawyerAnswer #2: A DA's office can prosecute its own employees.

The negative consequences of having a criminal record because of a crime you committed are not "cruel and unusual."

What rights do you think you signed away?

Get a lawyer.


Title: She cancelled my debt owed to her and the sued me for it! (UK, Kent)

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Why would *you* pay *her* to finish *her* garden?

I'm genuinely curious as to the setup here, but you might have better legal advice on /r/legaladviceUK.Answer #2: So this isn't actually you, right? Because you posted essentially this same thing as a hypothetical over on /r/LLB as well, saying it was for a class assignment.


Title: [NYC] Rent was reduced to $2100 instead of raised to $3100

Question:
My roommate and I got the renewal contract for our lease in NYC. Our rent this year was $3000 but the contract they sent us was for $2100. Some may argue that they meant to increase the rent to $3100 (but we didn't talk to them about this, they just sent us the letter as our lease is up soon), but the letter has $2100 written there (a $900/mo discount).

We'd of course LOVE to renew for $2100/mo and we're going to assume for now that it isn't a mistake and give them a check for $2100 once the new lease started. But since this is likely a mistake or a typo, they'll probably notice the mistake after they get the first check. Will be have to pay them $3100 once they find out about this, or are they bound by the contract that \*they\* sent us and \*they\* signed?

Can we claim that a $900/mo reduction is as likely as a $100/mo increase, and we couldn't have known it was a mistake? To be fair, we don't really know it was a mistake yet, we're just guessing.

Answer:
 Here's a link to a decision from earlier this year.

https://law.justia.com/cases/new-york/appellate-term-first-department/2018/2018-ny-slip-op-50175-u.html

Relevant quote: "The evidence submitted on renewal, to support landlord's contention that the renewal lease was tendered and executed by mistake, does not warrant a contrary result. As indicated, the renewal lease was binding and this binding lease may not be invalidated on the basis of landlord's unilateral mistake, where the mistake arose from landlord's own negligence ...."Answer #2: Even if you win your day in court and you get a $900/month discount in rent, you’ll have a mortal enemy of a landlord that will do everything in their power to evict you for the littlest mundane violations. That’s not something you want to live with for 12 monthsAnswer #3: There's a fairly simple solution to this; sign the lease at $2100, pay $2100. If the landlord comes back and claims it was a mistake so be it. If not, great your rent dropped $900. It's not worth trying to play dumb and take it to court.

EDIT: reworded to make it more clearAnswer #4: Is the rent amount of 2100 written more than once on the lease? One could argue if in multiple spots it says 2100 than it wasn't negligence. Also, what is market rate for your area? Are there comparable homes worth a recent amount around 2100? Could also argue is in line with other homes in that area if so


Title: I moved out of my ex and I's apartment six months before the lease was up, but kept paying half of the rent. He ruined the carpets.

Question:
Hello. I'm posting from a throwaway and I'm posting from South Carolina. This is my first post here in /r/legaladvice and my first time on the sub. Please let me know if I need to update anything.

In mid-2014, my (at the time) boyfriend and I signed a 15 month lease on an apartment. A few months later, we broke up pretty amicably (there was no fighting, yelling, screaming, or arguing). We agreed to continue living together for the rest of the lease. I started seeing someone new almost immediately and at the beginning of 2015, I moved out of the apartment. My ex and I discussed breaking the lease, but my ex couldn't find another place to live.
Since we were amicable, I agreed to keep paying half of the rent on the apartment and he could stay there throughout the end of the lease. He paid all of the other bills and the other half of the rent. I did not get anything in writing, because we were amicable at the time. No fighting or arguing ever. He never trashed my things.
About a month before the lease was up, *four* people moved in with my ex, along with two dogs and possibly a chinchilla. My ex and I had a dog at the apartment, and I had paid all deposits for the apartment, including the one for the dog. I was not made aware of these four people living there until I dropped off rent one day and found some random guy laying on a mattress in the floor and two dogs on my porch. My ex said the woman in the office knew and was ok with this. I'm pretty sure that according to my lease, they weren't allowed to stay more than 2 weeks without having to be added to the lease, but they remained there until my ex moved out. This is also a one bedroom apartment and had a max occupancy of 2 people. There were 5 people living there.

Today, I got a bill at my forwarding address saying that the carpet was irreparably stained and they were charging me over $500 to fix it. My ex hung up on me when I tried to contact him about it. The apartment complex told me the carpet was stained horribly and that they would send me pictures in the morning... and that the apartment also smelled badly of dog. I tried to discuss this with my ex, but he refused to talk about it. All of these stains came after I left.

This entire time, my name has been on a shared bank account with my ex. I have asked him a couple of times (even very recently) if he had removed my name, but he has not. He puts all of his money in there. My name is 100% on the account. **Can I take money out of this account to pay most of this bill?**

Also, is there any way I can use the occupancy thing to my advantage? The office was supposedly made aware (I will be confirming this tomorrow) that there were four more people living there for a month, and I was never told about it, nor were they signed to the lease like my lease states has to be done.

Answer: Your name on the lease? You're responsible for damage to the apartment. Your name on the joint checking account? You have legal ownership of that money. Do with that information as you will.


Title: University of Phoenix set up my friend to fail

Question:
Not sure if this is the right sub for this. A friend of mine got into a University of Phoenix program, and they helped her fill out the loan paperwork and put her on a plan to get a degree. She's been going fine for a couple years, good grades, but with 5 classes left suddenly Phoenix tells her she's used up all the federal money she can get from the government, and she's going to have to pay for the rest of the degree herself. She has poor credit and can't get a loan to finish the degree, and has to start paying down the loan in a month now.

I think they screwed her over. They knew she couldn't finish the degree base on the program they set her on, and how much money she could get from the government. Or at least they should have. I think she had loans previously at some point, which is why federal aid ran out, but I'm not sure.

So my question is if she has any legal recourse against University of Phoenix? I'm thinking because they were deceptive and didn't tell her her money would run out until it was too late, and she could never finish her degree, they are at least partly at fault. She's basically screwed because she can't finish the degree to get the money to pay back the loan. And she can't save up money to pay for the rest of the degree because she's paying down the loan.

Edit: not sure if this helps, but she signed up via an outbound sales call from UofP, and they assured her everything was going to be fine as they signed her up.

Edit 2: thanks for the advice. Still not happy they have their money and told her she would finish her degree with federal loans.

Edit 3: Downvoting my comments? Sure makes me feel welcome. I'm just trying to find all options for a friend in a bind.

Answer: Did they lie about the amount of money she was receiving from the loans?  Did they lie about the cost of courses or how much she was spending along the way?


Title: (CA) Child in danger after mother prematurely released from hospital. Please Advise!

Question:
Details changed to protect all parties.

&#x200B;

A week ago, my mother was told by her coworker, Ruth, that Ruth had started having...a mental issues.  Situation was monitored especially closely considering Ruth has a 7 year old son, Quentin (Father is deceased).  Yesterday, my mother met with her coworker and discovered that Ruth was having full blown schizophrenic episodes.  Voices from the car, voices from the bed, etc.  Mom immediately tried to bring Ruth to the hospital and make sure that Quentin was safe.

&#x200B;

After much debate, Ruth agreed to go with Mom and get admitted to the E.R. for "her headaches."  Quentin accompanied them.  My aunt (who personally knows both Ruth and Quentin very well) and her husband went to make sure Quentin had a place to stay if anything was wrong.  Around 2 in the morning, Aunt and Uncle took Quentin to Aunt and Uncle's house to sleep.  Upon hugging his mother goodbye, Ruth told Quentin that he was being mind controlled by the gov't and to be careful).  Obviously, this made everyone very uneasy.

&#x200B;

This is being told to me by my Mother, so I cannot vouch for the accuracy of what happens next.  Please bear with me.  Ruth was evaluated by doctors/nurses who were ready to start a 72 hour hold.  Again, I have no idea how any of this works and am simply relaying what I have been told.  They called a social worker to evaluate Ruth and decide what to do.  Social Worker interviewed Ruth in private without consulting Mom or Doctors.  Ruth told Social Worker that she doesn't hear voices.  Social Worker made the decision (above doctors/psychiatrists) that Ruth was not to be held and was free to go and Ruth was free to take Quentin back into Ruth's care.  Mom is distressed.

Ruth wanted to immediately at 4 A.M. go and get her child, but Mom talked her out of it and Quentin had a normal night/morning and was sent to school this morning.  Ruth is now ready to pick her child up and continue life as normal.

&#x200B;

My concern is that CPS has already been called on Ruth for poor living conditions (cleanliness) and an episode of violence.     Ruth has a CPS case worker who Mom will be calling ASAP this morning.

&#x200B;

None of us know what to do, and none of us feel safe having Ruth take Quentin....alone.  Especially given past physical history and comment about Quentin being gov't mind controlled.

&#x200B;

We desperately and urgently would like to know what we can do, or who we could contact to ensure Quentin's safety.  Thank you all.

Answer:
 There is no way a social worker, who is not an MD, decided if someone is going to be subject to a psych hold.  Only doctors can make that decision.

If CPS already has a case open and Ruth is not willing to seek treatment or accept help voluntarily, there is not much you can do.


Question:
[WI] My employers beat me, forced me to go into a storage container hard box, threatened my life, and have permanently ruined my life. What are my options?

I'll try to describe the situation without making this too long.

Back in June of 2015, I was working for a cellphone company that sold non contract phones and non contract cellphone service. At ones point in time I became homeless and I couldn't turn to my family for help. So I spent the nights at my workplace. I was also struggling with money so I "borrowed" money from the cash register at work. I always returned what I had taken I only took enough to eat until the end of the week. I'm not saying what I did was right but how my employers reacted to it was definitely not ok.

So one day my boss calls me and asks me to come in to help him put up a shelf. Little did I know that it was just a ploy to get me to the store so that he could confront me about me spending the nights at the store and the money I borrowed.

He sits me down and he asks me to write down everything I had took and all that I did wrong. Then he set his gun on the stool/chair in front of me. When he looked over it he must've not been satisfied with what I confessed to because he started choking me with his both hands. Keep in mind that another one of the owners is there with him. So the possibility of escape at this point is zero.

As soon as he lets go of my throat he starts throwing punches at me. Some of them land some don't. I remember putting my arms up and begging him to please stop. When he finally lets they asked me to empty a storage box container where we lock up all of the phones. Then they force me to go inside. I was in that box for a good 4 hours. All the while they're telling me what they're going to do to me. That they're going to kill me, take me out to some field and leave me there naked. At one point in time the other guy slapped me twice. At another they let me use the bathroom after I begged them. So he held me from my hair like a dog on a leash so that I wouldn't try to escape. I know he has a gun so any attempt at an escape would leave me with a few bullet holes in my body. I genuinely believed that.

Keep in mind that during this whole time I'm begging them to turn me in. To call the police so that I could escape this living nightmare that no human should ever have to go thru. They're response to that was "The police aren't going to help you now.  You're not getting off that easy"

So at around hour 4 or 5 of this ordeal I notice that I can't really hear the both of them that well. My assumption is that they are in the front part of the store. (This all happened in the back room.) so I peek up from the box and sweet Jesus they forgot to lock it this time! So when I peek and notice that they aren't around I climb out as quietly as I can. And then ran out the back door as fast as I have ever run before. I make it to nearby home and call the police from there.

Now I fear for my life everyday. I live with depression, I fear that one day some way some how they are going to find me and they're going to end up killing me. I l live with that fear every. Single. Day. There hasn't been a day that I haven't been able to think about what happened to me. And I always end up asking myself. "What would have happened to me if I didn't escape?" I believe that I would not be here today if I hadn't escaped when I did. I finally mustered up the courage and energy to start doing something about it.

I'm currently filing the workers comp claim I'm now.

So what are my options here?

Answer: Seek counseling.


Title: Taking Pizza Hut to small claims court – worth it?

Question:
I had a pizza delivered to my house a couple months ago. As the delivery driver was backing out of my driveway, he veered off onto my front yard and into an electrical box, then he drove off like nothing happened. The sheet metal covering came off and is all mangled now.

Someone who witnessed the incident came to my house, almost immediately, and told me exactly what had just happened. I then called the Pizza Hut store and spoke with an employee who told me he would find out what happened and get back to me that night... That didn't happen, so the next day I physically went into the store and spoke with a manager and showed her pictures of the damage. She told me she would escalate this to the district manager... About a week later, I find out that never happened either after I filed a complaint with Pizza Hut corporate.  After some back and forth with the District Manager and waiting several weeks for a resolution, I received the following email...

'Good afternoon, we have completed our investigation for the allegations based on the information available to us. This email is to inform you that the claim has been denied.

We recommend that you contact your insurance company to determine any applicable policy benefits under your policy.'

I have no idea what their "investigation" consisted of...  I'm assuming they simply asked the delivery driver that damaged my property and fled the scene whether or not he did this...

I'm pretty pissed off and more inclined to call a lawyer than my insurance company. A legitimate investigation and an eyewitness account of the incident would prove my claim is valid.

I've never taken anyone to court before, but this seems like the kind of situation where one might want to. Any tips and/or guidance would be much appreciated.

Answer: Talk to your insurance company. They can handle this. All this running around after people and court stuff is literally something you pay them to do. Answer #2: If you have homeowner's insurance, make a claim with them and they will pursue Pizza Hut.     They generally require you to notify them when there is any damage for which a claim \*could\* be made.


Title: [GA] can I breed rabbits for dog food

Question: I live in Georgia in a fairly urban area. I have several dogs and cats and feeding them is pretty expensive. I was looking into alternatives and found rabbits mentioned. Is it okay for me to purchase and breed rabbits with the intent of feeding them to my pets

Answer:
 You realize you have to feed the rabbits too right?Answer #2: Bags of dog food are surely the more cost-, time-, and energy-efficient route to keeping your dogs alive and fed.

Rabbits need food, enclosures, care, and maintenance.  Not to mention the time and effort required to prep them to be fed to the dogs.

But yeah, so long as you comply with all local laws and ordinances regarding the keeping of rabbits and the human slaughter of them, there's nothing that says you can't feed them to your dogs.Answer #3: I cannot imagine this being financially worth it on a small scale.Answer #4: It will eventually kill your dogs. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Protein_poisoning  Dogs need more fat than they do protein. Cats might be ok, they require more protein than dogs.Answer #5: As long as you aren't planning to feed the rabbits to your dogs while live, I don't see why you couldn't. Plenty of people still breeed rabbits for human consumption, fur, and probably pet food.

You may want to check out your local ordinances about breeding and owning small stock animals, not all areaa will allow you to do so within city limits.


Title: I just learned my children (8 and 10) are going to be left my family farm, plus a house. I am divorced. What do I need to do to protect my children's inheritance?

Question: [removed]

Answer:
 We don't do PMs here, and a location is important due to varying laws regarding matters like this.

Without at least a location, all I can recommend is to contact a probate attorney or have the grandfather speak to his about how to ensure they're mother can't get her hands on it.


Title: Tricked into being in a porno...

Question:
I have a friend who I'm trying to help come forward and get help.  She is a former sex worker(escort/bodyrubs) who responded to an ad earlier this year for an off-camera job in the sex industry.  She showed up at the 'interview', paid them a fee, and performed several sex acts which she believed were part of the interview process.  Some time later, a random person informed her that her video was being distributed on a paid content porn website.

She contacted the producer via text message and requested the videos be taken down.  The producer refused.  She never signed a consent form or release forms and did not authorize the distribution of the video.

I reached out the Cyber Civil Rights Legal Project and they recommended we contact police immediately and file a report.  She is concerned that, being a former sex worker, she may get in trouble for her past.

We are in San Diego.  I would like help finding an attorney who could advise us further.  I don't have any experience with attorneys, so I'm not sure what to look for.  I would like to explore both criminal and civil approaches for removing the video, punishing the producer for exploiting a young woman, and compensating my friend for the damage done to her.

Thanks!

Answer:
 > responded to an ad earlier this year for an off-camera job in the sex industry. She showed up at the 'interview', paid them a fee, and performed several sex acts which she believed were part of the interview process

what was this job if it wasn't for porn?  Answer #2: If they don't have a model release, she can sue them.  It's obviously for commercial use, so they should have it, given that she's personally identifiable.

There may be criminal codes involved, it may be covered under the revenge porn statues as it's sexually explicit materials that she did not authorize for distribution, though I believe in CA it's only a misdemeanor.


Title: [US](x-post from /r/asklaw) My wife is being hassled by the financial aid office at her school because they think she is only going to school for the money, even though she is almost finished.

Question:
 Here's the deal, my wife is going to school for administrative assisting. She had been out of school for almost 2 years until she went back to school in the spring of '15 (trade school C). She stopped going to community college in spring '12 because we couldn't afford it anymore even with financial aid. Then in the fall of '12 she attended a semester at Trade school A for Medical Assisting. The following semester Trade school A was shut down and absorbed by Trade School B. Trade School A no longer exists. My wife stopped going to trade school B because the drive was too far and she was no longer interested.

Now my wife is 1 1/2 months away from completing her all of the requirements for her certifications at Trade School C. She was planning on interning at Trade school C after she got her certs. The only way we can afford for her to be in school is through financial aid. I'm the only one working and I make (roughly) $33,000/year. Last spring my wife got a letter that we have saying that she has Pell grant award that is to be disbursed on October 31st. My wife will not recieve her certifications unless the school is paid.

2 weeks ago my wife came back to school from summer break and now the financial aid office is singing a different tune. The financial aid office of Trade School C are now requiring transcripts from Community College, Trade School A(that no longer exists), and Trade School B. They told my wife that they needed to assess whether or not she was just in it for the money because she has attended so many schools in such a short amount of time. If they determine that she is just in it for the money then they will deem her ineligible for financial aid and she won't get hey certs even after she has competed the course by the end of next month.

Community College has sent it's transcript in but Trade School B said they would get back with us and haven't called yet.

How are we supposed to prove that she is in it for the education and not for the money? Especially considering that Trade school A doesn't exist any more, would trade school B be responsible for trade school A's transcript? Why wouldn't Trade school C ask for this information earlier rather that wait until she is so close to being done? Is this even a legal issue? I can't afford a lawyer.

Edit: we live in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
Topic:
School Related Issues

Answer:
 >How are we supposed to prove that she is in it for the education and not for the money?

Supply them with any information they ask for.   Other than that, there's really not much you can do.Answer #2: If B absorbed A, one would expect B to have the records, I would think.Answer #3: So, I think I can help here a bit. This is likely not the school saying "is she just in it for the money", but rather limits mandated by the federal government.

For a certificate program, she's likely limited to 48 total credits, or 150% of the normal amount of credits required to finish the program. Even if they aren't counting the CC time, if she has time at two other schools before this one, and she started the current program from scratch, there's a good chance that she's exhausted federal financial aid. Google SAP/Satisfactory Academic Progress rules, which will clarify this, but I'm guessing that is what actually happened here.

Now, the good news is that she can appeal for an extension of one semester (or more). If she is close to graduating, and her academics are in order, it's likely she can request, essentially, probation, and get another semester worth of aid to finish the program.

These rules are put in place to stop "lifetime" educations for people who aren't pursuing any sort of degree.


Title: Canada QC. Father is handicapped and is forced to pay driver's permit

Question:
My father is now handicapped, before it happened he got a speeding ticket, having a lot on his plate (he cannot work anymore) and just overall being the kind of guy to ignore thing until it's too late, his driver permit was frozen until he does community service to pay it back. He receive the standard 630$ social help money a month + a 100$ so money is very tight for him (and me, since i have taken him in) I tell him to park the car for good, but he says he can't do it until the issue with the fine are done.

Are there anything a poor handicapped(not fit for work, as told by a doctor) can do to get the government to overturn the decision that he cannot stop paying car insurance+licence?

This feel like kind of a weird reason, he has been against selling his car even if he can't afford food so maybe he is lying to me to get me to drop the subject.

TL;dr father did not pay speeding ticket like 15 month ago, became handicapped shortly after(unfit for work) and now his permit was suspended and he tells me he cannot stop paying insurance and licence plate for his car.

Answer:
 Total bullcrap from your father. He can cancel insurance and registration and then worry about the ticket.  I have seen them refuse to issue a new license until you pay a ticket though.

The government doesn't force you to keep a car registered because you didn't pay a ticket. If he wants to avoid paying the ticket, there are "fine options" programs: http://www.benevolatlaval.qc.ca/en/support-and-services/organizations/fine-option-program/

Even if he is disabled, they will work for him that accommodates his disability.  You could be a quadriplegic and they'd find something for you.


Title: Emotional Support Animal and Scumbag Landlord

Question: [deleted]

Answer: You have no right to a renewal lease.  You are quickly learning that when you want/need things from people, it's best to not threaten them every step of the way if they don't do what you want when you say you want it done.  Answer #2: Oh.  So its going to be one of *those* types of days, eh /r/legaladvice?Answer #3: you may have a right to have the service animal, assuming everything is in order. you have no right at all to continue leasing after the experation of your current lease, unless it gives you the option, so that's not retaliation. frankly Id do the same thing, even if I were willing to accommodate, since you kept threatening headaches for them.


Title: [TX] Just found out husband has another wife AND a kid, in a third world country. What are my options?

Question:
Just got some terrible news that my husband, whom I have 3 kids with, has a wife in a third world country and has a kid from her.

He left us all without anything, anything at all.

I know divorce is the definite route, but what other legal options do I have to deal with this situation. I live in TX if that helps.

TIA!

Answer:
 Get a lawyer. Get his name off of everything you can and freeze the ones you can't. In Texas, if your spouse is absent for a year or longer that is grounds for divorce under marriage abandonment, which I would guess would give you better automatic terms than irreconcilable differences, but IANAL so ask yours.

Don't be afraid to cry, don't be afraid to lean on family, don't be afraid to fight for and take what is yours.

Lastly, try not to badmouth him in front of your children. He deserves it, but letting them figure out how much of a scumbag he is on their own rather than having it shoved down their throat will pay dividends for you later.

That is not to say you cannot be honest with them about what he did, just keep it factual.

Good luck, he has surely left you with a shitshow to deal with.

Get a lawyer yesterday. Can't stress that enough.


Title: [CA] Can a judge order media not to take photographs outside the courtroom?

Question:
This is as California question. I judge has made an order barring media from taking photos in a courtroom.

The Judge has also ordered media not to take pictures of the defendant as he is being transported across the street (Defendant has to walk across a public street from where the holding area is to the courtroom) and from taking pictures in the hallway outside the courtroom.

Is this legal? Can those orders (the ones dealing with pictures outside the courtroom) be enforced? Would I face legal consequences if I snapped some photos of the defendant walking on the street or walking through the hallway in front of the courtroom?

Answer:
 The order inside the courthouse is perfectly fine.

The other order is shakier.  The judge has strong powers to make temporary orders in the interest of justice.  In short, if he can articulate that the loss due to the rule is *less* than the loss due to taking pictures, then he'll win that one.

Judges orders are no joke.  Either fight it or follow it, don't violate it and expect it to go well for you.


Title: I have 10 weeks back pay, and my last 2 paychecks have bounced. What are my options?

Question: I work as a Restaurant Manager in Louisiana, technically as a contract employee (1099). I am ready to quit my job, but I have 5 checks for a total of $8500 that I can't deposit bc they will bounce. This is 10 weeks of no pay. My boss is notorious for being sketchy with money, and I know I'll probably get it eventually, but I don't want to wait. So I want to know what I should do from here? Is it worth it to take him to court? How much more could I get by taking him to court? Thanks for any help.

Answer: File a [wage and hour claim](http://www.workplacefairness.org/wage-hour-claim-LA).  Deposit the checks, let them bounce so you have proof that you aren't being paid.


Title: [Ohio, USA] I work at Gamestop and just got offered a job at Best Buy. Do I need to quit Gamestop?

Question: During my interview they said staying at Gamestop would be a conflict of interest. Do I need to quit/would I be taking a risk if I stayed? I really like working at Gamestop but it unfortunately doesn't offer me enough labor time, so I needed to pick up a second job. Ideally I'd rather work part time at both.

Answer: You're fine, nobody cares. Good luck with the new job. There is no risk other than getting fired which they could do anytime anyway.


Title: How long after soliciting a minor can you get charged?

Question:
Okay hi! I'm 20 years old, female. When I was maybe 15 (if you guys encourage me to go ahead with this I'll get my exact age from friends who shall be revealed as the story progresses) I met a counselor we'll call Ryan at a Christian summer camp. My friends and I swooned over him and after camp I friended him on Facebook. He was over the age of 18, he was probably 19 or 20. We started talking on Facebook and as conversations are wont to do they turned sexual. We also turned to Snapchat. He started sending me dick pics, and this was the first time I had ever seen a dick. I do not have these messages anymore, I thought about screenshotting but honestly I was afraid of my parents seeing them and I wasn't thinking about my safety. I also don't have the Facebook messages, because I unfriended him (be patient.) He went to the same college my older sister graduated from, both were attending at the time. He knew I was coming to visit and offered me 300 to suck his dick. I remember this clearly, he asked over Snapchat. I said no. I was very afraid of seeing him when I came to visit, but I didn't see him at the school. I can't remember exactly when the fallout occurred but I ended up confiding in a friend and she encouraged me to cut off contact, which I did. About a year later He sent me a game request on Words With Friends, playing his first word as "rape" (no seriously). We talked and he apologized for being a dick and I probably yelled at him for it. We talked for a little while and it got super sexual again and I stopped talking to him. I messaged him on Facebook to ream him out for it (I do still have this message) and I refriended him to make sure he saw it. He left me alone for probably another year until he messaged me asking how things were going. I did not answer. Just today he sent me a dick pic again, but after I said "what the fuck" he said "meant that for another abby". I told him to "fuck off" and he said "you got it". What should I do? He also follows me on Instagram and likes a lot of my posts. Do I have legal action here? Honestly I'm not worried about me. I'm worried about the precedent it sets for other impressionable 15 year olds who could be taken advantage of by predators like this. 300 is a lot of money to a young girl. Can I at least get a restraining order? Thanks for reading.

I'm in Pennsylvania.

He's in Ohio, as far as I know.
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer:
 Go to the police and make a report.

This guy is a predator.Answer #2: Also, tell the camp!


Title: How to be a homeowner without a mortgage?

Question:
In florida. Wondering if there is a way to be considered part owner of a home without being placed on the mortgage?

Can you and the person with the mortgage draw up a contract? Would that be legally binding in court? Does mortgage contract prevent that?

Thx

Answer: You could be added to the title. It's fantastically stupid for the person who holds the mortgage, but...


Title: Issues with a completely unforeseen lien on my property

Question:
Hi. First time home buyer here. Last Friday the 9th I received a letter advising that I have had a lien levied on my property. I have had absolutely 0 notification about any past due payments of any kind but the complaint asks for over 17k in past due fees to the property management company that owns the condo complex. Before you ask the lien is 100% real and per the letter I have 10 days to come up with this money. Upon receiving the letter last Friday I immediately called and left a voice message at the legal firm it came from as well as sending an email to the property management company regarding these charges. I have yet to receive any information or response from either.

I am completely freaking out about losing my home and have no idea how to deal with this. The sum of money is huge for the dollar amount of my condo, about 90k. I do not know what to do about this or what my options are. I absolutely had no prior notice about this and I believe it has to do with a similar address on the street next to me. I have received ample correspondence from my property managers, and absolutely nothing about this. Please help me.

Answer:
 Lots of missing information here:

* When did you buy the property?

* What are the alleged unpaid fees for? Are they regular homeowners association dues or something else? (I'll assume the former for now.)

* To the best of your knowledge, have you been paying all of the property dues ever since you bought the property, and doing so in a timely fashion?

* How far back in time are the dues for the property alleged to have not been paid?

* Is part or all of the alleged non-payment from a period of time before you owned the condo?

* Was anything disclosed to you at the time of purchase about the dues being in arrears?

* Did any of your neighbors receive a similar notice?

* What makes you think the notice was intended for a different address?


Title: Arrested for taking my gf's phone

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 You know what your post is lacking?

A question.

If you're charged, get a lawyer.


Title: A customer hit a pot hole on my property and blew out his tires and damaged his rims...

Question:
As the title states, a customer drove through my parking lot and says he hit a pot hole in my parking lot and blew out 2 tires and damaged both rims.  He said he didn't realize it until he got home and now wants me to pay him  back 100% for his damages.  I want to know where I stand and if I am really liable to pay him back.  I am going to call my insurance agent tomorrow to see what they say but the guy says he will sue me for damages to his vehicle if I don't pay him back.

How can he prove it was my parking lot and not a hole on a road to/from my business?  I filled the hole in with gravel for now since its winter and snow/ice won't allow a proper hot patch.

Thanks in advance!

Answer:
 One question to ask.... is how does someone not realise that they are driving around on 2 blown out tyres?

Ask the other person for proof that it occured on yiur property. It would seem that this person is threatening a lawsuit in the hope you will settle quickly, for something that in all likelihood you are not liable for in the first place.