Title: [Kentucky] I think I'm being scammed by a buyer on ebay. not sure what to do

Question: I sold something on ebay for $900, I have been in contact with the buyer and he is not sending the funds. I have received an email saying that paypal overcharged the buyer twice and I must send the person 900$ via moneygram and then my account will have $1800. The email came from service@paypal.com <onlinesafetytransaction@mail.com> I dont have the money to send this person $900 via moneygram nor do I want to because i think theyre trying to scam me. at the end of the email from paypal it says to only reply to that email and it wont show up on paypals resolution center which seems scammy to me. What do i do?

Answer:
 Yes.... This is a scam.Answer #2: This is a scam. You can make an email appear to be sent by any address. I could send you an email from trump@whitehouse.gov right now and it wouldn’t even be hacking or anything, it would be typing that address into the “from” field when drafting the email.

Contact EBay through the resolution centre, tell them about the scam emails, get them to let you cancel the sale, and move on. Answer #3: Scam. Do not do that and also report the buyer.Answer #4: ☑ @mail.com email address

☑ Wants a Moneygram

☑ Definitely a scam


Title: [West Virginia] A friend of mine has been paying child support for the last couple of years despite taking care of his child almost exclusively. Yesterday his ex-girlfriend filed an emergency order to take his kid and he is trying to figure out what to do.

Question:
There are no custody papers, the mother just didn't want anything to do with her son.  She would take him every now and then on weekends and even then it was mostly her mother (the child's grandmother) that took care of him.  The father has had him exclusively in the past for periods of up to 24 days (his current girlfriend keeps records of when they have him, and helps take care of him).

His mother typically drops him off at school late and will forget to pick him up after school, forcing them to figure out how to get him, and to make emergency arrangements to take care of him.  She collects food stamps, WIC, welfare, and used to collect child support, while he has never received any kind of aid for his child, despite living in poverty.  I understand that at some point he quit paying child support to the mother and owes close to $4,000 right now (in part because he lost his job, but like I said, he was the one taking care of the child most of the time anyway).

I think legally it looks pretty bad for him.  I'm not sure what his options are right now.  The mother filed "emergency paperwork" to take their son, but they're speculating that it's really the grandmother that wants to take care of him, not the actual mother.  He has plenty of character whitnesses and people from the child's school that can testify for the mother's lack of parenting.  People have been telling him for a long time that he should go to court and do something, especially about his child support payments (which are based on his old salary), but I think he might have screwed himself over by waiting for so long.  They're looking for a lawyer but they don't think that they can afford one.

Answer:
 He needs an attorney. Everyone assumes they can't afford an attorney and that's BS. A lot of attorneys will work with you on a payment plan.  It's not an all or nothing kind of deal for some attorneys. He might not be able to afford the "Johnny Cochran" of family law attorneys in his area but there are reasonable, affordable, attorneys that will be surely better than just ignoring the problem. Your friend needs to go get a consultation. He needs to figure out how much money he can put down now and how much he can afford to regularly pay the attorney for continued representation. Answer #2: > I think he might have screwed himself over by waiting for so long

He kinda did, but he doesn't have to continue to be screwed going forward.

He needs to file for custody and child support.

He also needs to have a lawyer to represent him during the emergency order hearing or he could lose his kid.

With the amount of money on the line here, a lawyer will pay for themselves.Answer #3: Is it normal to have child support but no custody arrangement? I guess I always assumed that those things went together.


Title: TX - can students in a public school choose to sit during the morning pledge?

Question: This would be a high school.  I'm a teacher, and I'm looking over our district handbook.  It says that parents can request, in writing, their student be exempt from the pledge, but I'm wondering if the student has any say.  What if their parent does not support their desire to not participate?  Would this fall under Tinker vs. Des Moines?  (I'm thinking of making this part of a persuasive writing unit and want to make sure I have all the info they will need.)

Answer:
 The First Amendment right to free speech is what covers a students right not to stand for the pledge, case law is [West Virginia State Board of Education v Barnette](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Virginia_State_Board_of_Education_v._Barnette)Answer #2: Any student can refuse to participate in the pledge. This includes the act of standing. I believe there's actually a past incident about this...let me find if I can find it. Didn't go to a suit or legal case though. There's also separation of church/state cases that apply.

>What if their parent does not support their desire to not participate?

Whoop dee doo. One does not need a signed paper from their parent to exercise the 1st Amendment.

This doesn't involve Tinker though.


Title: [RI] I paid for my [now] sister in law's wedding dress with the mutual agreement to pay me back and she has not, despite making splurge purchases now that the wedding is over. How do I get the money I'm owed?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 You can take her to small claims court, or you can eat the $1200.

What’s family harmony worth to you?


Title: Airline gate agent rebooked our destination & connection to the wrong city without consent (NJ)

Question:
Sorry if this rambles some. It has been a very long day.

Flying TTN to ATL to SJU today. Then SJU to PHL Monday. With an airline on the Frontier of bad customer service.

Thursday morning our origin flight was delayed 3+hrs, as a result I checked with the gate agent what options we'd have if we didn't make our  connection as a result (maybe not board the origin flight and fly out instead from another nearby airport 15hrs later). That is if the delays continued. Left it at "let me check with my group."

Well the delays didn't continue and we departed to our layover city in time to make our original flight only to be met with at the gate with a rebooked connection **back to*" philly.

So our flight Thursday was now TTN to ATL to PHL...
(I just checked online and apparently our return flight from SJU isn't in their system anymore).

And while they tried to figure it out we watched our correct connection depart.  At this point the only way to SJU on their flights would be from MCO to SJU in 36 hrs oh and we were told that we need to book a flight to MCO on another airline to make that connection (@$177/person). We said no we're not buying flights on another airline. At this point the supervisor changed up and said we could continue the flight (to the wrong city) or call customer service.

I wound up buying tickets on another airline to continue our flight because they wouldn't provide accomodations while stuck in ATL and they're only solution was to buy on another airline anyways.

Day 2: I just checked online and our Return Flight from SJU to PHL isn't in the system. They have us as going from TTN to ATL to MCO to PHL yesterday.

I figure there may be some sort of claim here but don't know if there is? Thoughts?

Answer:
 You are going to have to deal with the specific airline and go thru there complaint process. It's not a legal issue until you have exhausted all your options with them.

Airlines like to add in phrases like, "flight subject to change with no notification" to protect themselves. Once you have exhausted all your options with customer service, then you could potentially sue. But for now, you need to work with them and give them a chance to resolve this (which they'll do everything they can to pay you as little as possible).

I know this sucks. Sorry your Friday isn't going so well. Answer #2: I fly frequently with this airline. Give their customer service a call. I’ve had experiences before with them with delayed flights, etc, and have been refunded in full after making a stink. They also reply fairly quickly to emails- so I’d send one as well.


Title: My nurse stepdaughter looked up her boyfriend's ex wife's medical records so he could use them in a court case against her. How much trouble will she be in?

Question:
New Jersey. Yes I know my stepdaughter was not smart and did a stupid thing. Yes I know she broke the law. I'm not here to argue that. I have a question because I don't know anything about how the law works in this area.

My stepdaughter is a nurse. The man she is dating is going through a bad divorce. He had alleged in court that his ex wife had an abortion behind his back when she said she had a miscarriage. My stepdaughter made a stupid decision and looked up the ex wife's medical record because she was treated at the hospital my stepdaughter works at. I don't know the details and if she was caught at work or during the court case but she has been caught. I know she did a bad thing and I am not happy about it. From what I could find online she can't arrested for violating HIPAA but she could still face charges. How would this work and how much trouble is she in from this?

Edited to clarify 2 things: The wife was not lying about the abortion, and my stepdaughter's actions were her own and not because her boyfriend asked.

Answer:
 Most likely she will lose her job.  She can also be sued.

She can, in fact be arrested, it's not likely but "Finally, offenses committed with the intent to sell, transfer, or use individually identifiable health information for commercial advantage, personal gain or malicious harm permit fines of $250,000, and imprisonment for up to ten years." [Source](http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/physician-resources/solutions-managing-your-practice/coding-billing-insurance/hipaahealth-insurance-portability-accountability-act/hipaa-violations-enforcement.page?) referencing [42 USC § 1320d–6](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/1320d-6)

This is a get a lawyer now kind of situation.  She could be in anywhere from minor to very deep trouble, and this is a place where early help from a good lawyer can push the result away from deep trouble toward the minor trouble end of the spectrum.Answer #2: My wife manages 3 medical clinics and fires someone 2-3 times a year for this.  Answer #3: Not sure about criminal but she will never work in the health field again. She will likely never work in any field with at risk populations. Answer #4: She could and should lose her job. She has totally gone against the ethos that medical treatment is confidential.

Who the heck does she think she is?Answer #5: Unrelated but could he have legally subpoenad the records? Answer #6: Well the facility she works at could probably get fined for a HIPAA violation. I would imagine they won't look too kindly on that


Title: [ID] Grandma wants to sell old glass canned food jars with old food in them.

Question: Grandma wants to sell old jars for $0.50 with obviously bad food in them (green peaches canned in 1993, etc.). The jars are currently still sealed. She says she's not selling food, she's selling jars and if people want to toss the food or risk eating it, that's their decision.

Answer: She is naive if she thinks she can't get sued.  How many jars are there? Maybe you could just buy them from her and throw them out.


Title: Can no longer pay rent due to having a baby and out of work. Landlord trying to sue.

Question:
[deleted]
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 >What is her options if the land lord takes her to small claims court?

To fight it in court, though I don't see her winning based solely on what you posted.Answer #2: He won't take her to small claims, he'll evict her and sue for unpaid rent and damages.  And if the reason he's doing it is unpaid rent, she doesn't really have a defense based on what you've written


Title: More tree law advice needed, Chester County, PA

Question: I live in a typical modern subdivision neighborhood with 100-200 homes.  The neighborhood includes a large area of open space (~100+ acres) controlled by an HOA, of which a significant portion is forest.  Within these forested areas, a good portion of the trees (maybe 1/3) are Ash.  As many people who live in the Midwest and Northeast might be aware, the Emerald Ash Borer infestation is making its way East.  At the moment my county is one of 2 in PA that has yet to have a detected infestation, however no matter who I ask, they will eventually get here and will kill all of the Ash trees.  I have a few on my property that are large (50+ ft) and I like, so I've paid to have them treated.  The question I have is in regard to the Ash trees on HOA property.  My property is one of many that backs up to a forested area.  In addition, there are several homes that are right up against the forest, seemingly within range of one of these trees if/when it falls.  There are at least 3 Ash trees just off my property, on HOA property.  One is clearly leaning towards my property.  If/when this tree dies where does the liability lie?  If a tree on HOA property is dead and I send notification of a hazard, what is supposed to happen?  Any insight would be much appreciated.

Answer:
 If it's on HOA property and the HOA is officially made aware that a tree is dead/dying and at risk to fall down, and then they do nothing and it falls and damages your property, the HOA is responsible for damages.

Key point, they need to be aware that the tree is dead/dying and that it's at high risk to fall down, and if it falls down it will likely fall on your property and damage it.

Keep an eye on the tree(s) in question and if it's dead or dying, have an arborist officially look at it and write a report. Send that report to the HOA via certified mail with return receipt, and also follow other avenues to make them aware as it will help your case. Then they either do something about it, or it falls, damages your property, and you sue them or settle with them.


Title: KS - I bought my neighbor's kids a ball. Can she sue me?

Question:
A couple of days ago my maintenance man accidentally let my dog out the front door. She ran to a house down the street where kids were playing with a ball. My dog is friendly, but the kids' grandmother didn't know that and ushered her kids inside. I immediately ran after my dog (she was on their property for probably 45-60 seconds before I got her) but she did pounce on and pop a ball (I don't know if it matters, but I found the exact same ball for less than $2). The grandmother was screaming that she was going to call the police, and I said that if she felt she needed to that was fine and that I would wait for them to take a report. She then told me to leave. I took out money and offered her $10 to replace the ball and she refused it so I left.

The neighbor kids play in my yard and in the street in front of my house all the time and they seem like very sweet kids, so I made the (apparently stupid) decision to go to walmart and buy them a replacement ball (same exact ball down to color), another ball so that they could each have one or they could have a backup, some fun outdoor toys, and some sugar-free fruit snacks (I didn't know if they had dietary restrictions so I didn't want to buy candy). I put these in the box with an apology from me to the grandmother and from the dog to the kids for scaring them. I like kids, I like these kids, and I really felt bad because I know me and my dog were in the wrong, so I wanted to do something to apologize. I spent less than $20 for everything, but I thought the kids would like to have their ball back and some new toys for outside.

I decided to walk the box over to them so I could apologize in person. The kids weren't there, but the grandma was on the porch. I walked up and told her that I had bought the kids a new ball and some neat things and that I wanted to tell her how sorry I was that we had scared them all. She started screaming at me that she was going to sue me for ruining her landscaping (we don't have sidewalks and she does not have a walkway so I had to walk on her grass to get to the porch but I didn't step on any plants or anything). She also yelled at me for implying she was too poor to buy things for her grandkids (which is not what I was trying to do at all) and that she was going to sue me for infliction of racial trauma (I am white and she is black).

I took the box back and left; I donated to the church program in our neighborhood. My question for this subreddit is there anything she can really sue me for? I offered to replace the ball and I offered more money than the ball was worth. I walked on her grass but I didn't dig anything up or destroy any plants other than any grass I may have squished. I didn't mean to imply anything by bringing the kids a ball, and I don't know if that would count of IIED?
Secondly, I am worried that she seems a little unstable. Is there anything I can do to protect myself if she decides to retaliate in some way?

Thank you all so much in advance for taking the time to answer my questions. Sorry for my ignorance!

TLDR: My dog popped some kids' ball; I bought a new ball and some other toys to apologize. Can I be sued for anything?

Answer: She's a crazy old lady with no legal claim.  The best course of action is just to avoid interacting with her in the future.


Title: Not disabled but employer won't let mom work

Question:
Hey guys, I was wondering if anyone could point me in the right direction of things I should do and what kind of lawyer I should be looking for.

This is my mom's current situation:

She has had heart palpitations for quite a few years now where things like stress and anxiety could abnormally raise her heart rate to a point where she could become dizzy, light headed, winded, or exhausted. She has been working at her workplace for 14 years now and this started about 4-5 years ago so they're fully aware of her medical condition. After her last episode, her doctor told her that she is fit to work gave her a note that told her employer to lower her workload. To which they said they can't accommodate. She was then told by her manager that they could not let her work under her current conditions and told her to apply for EDD Disability. Her doctor however said that my mom is not disabled, she simply needs to have her workload reduced. When my mom told her manager this, her manager said she doesn't know what else to do for her situation. They put my mom on essentially an indefinite leave of absence. My mom is not able to work at the standard that is set (there is some kind of quota system that she has to meet), but they will not fire/lay her off for not being able to fulfill those duties to the standard. Nor will they accommodate the doctor's orders of reducing her workload.

So she is stuck essentially in limbo. She isn't allowed to return to work, she doesn't apply for disability, her employer refuses to make accommodations for her medical condition, and she isn't being fired/laid off to receive unemployment benefits. It would seem that her employer is trying to make her quit. As her educational background in America was not very high (she graduated from a community college) and her english isn't exactly great, finding a new job should she quit would be rather difficult (and she's in her late 50's if that matters).

Of course, I do want to find a lawyer to discuss her situation with but I'm not sure where to start. What type of lawyer should I look for? If anyone knows any information that could help out with my mom's situation, I would be greatly thankful.

[edit] Thank you everyone for your input, I will be looking into finding an attorney that specializes in disability. I'm also going to try to call in to talk to my mom's manager or whomever to make sure I fully understand the current situation. I'll update/get back to you guys when the situation changes.

Answer:
 >her employer refuses to make accommodations for her medical condition

This falls into the employer's idea of what a "reasonable accommodation" would be.

You need to talk to a disability attorney. If there isn't one in the immediate area? Labor/Employment but.... look for a disability attorney with your city and see where you get. If that has nothing? (Or limited results?) Call the state bar association and ask for advice.Answer #2: She is legally disabled no matter what this doctor says. She should seek a attorney that works with the disabled to get a doctor to certify her disability. She can also file for social security disability. SSD was even originally set up for people with heart conditions and strokes.
http://webapps.dol.gov/dolfaq/go-dol-faq.asp?faqid=67&faqsub=Office+of+Disability+Employment+Policy++%28ODEP%29&faqtop=Agencies+%26+Offices

She can also seek help from state voc rehab to get job training for another job. But at her age it is going to be very hard for her to find employment.


Title: Washington State - Regional VP retaliating against employee after putting in resignation.

Question:
A co-worker of mine put in his two weeks notice yesterday for a position he had already been accepted for (drug screening, paperwork, etc). This morning he received an email from the new company explaining that the regional VP of the current company he works for contacted them, and let them know that if they were to hire my coworker, that he would cut them off as a supplier (current company is an auto body shop, new company deals in parts), so the new company was rescinding their offer.

I understand that without some sort of contract, my co-worker is SOL, but would the actions of the regional VP be considered illegal? As I said before, my coworker has the statement from the new company in an email.

Answer: It's *possible* he could have a civil case against the VP/current employer.  Unless someone responds with something more specific I'm going with "it's worth a free consultation with an attorney".


Title: Should I dump a car that I drive but in another's name?

Question:
Throwaway here. I am not a US citizen and thus could not get a loan to purchase a vehicle without credit history or a SS number. So, I asked a person that I met in WA city if they would finance a vehicle for me. Well, they bought one for me under the agreement that I would make the payments on the loan.

For a year, I drove it and insured it and today owe over $10,000 on it, but turns out it was a massive P.O.S. and virtually disintegrated within that year-to-date. Let's pretend it could be deemed a total loss after a series of major electrical and mechanical problems snowballed into a cracked engine. Nevertheless, the title is clean.

My current situation:  I need to get this off my land owner's property. My name is neither on the loan nor the title, but it is on the insurance.

Can I pay to have it towed to ~~the Home Depot parking lot~~ *his house* and just forget about it? My opinion is that this guy used me to improve his credit history, but it seems like a dogshit excuse to throw him under the bus this way. On the other hand, I'm really fucked with this payment situation and I don't believe there is any recourse by involving my insurance agency. Please advise.

Edit: That whole Home Depot idea.

TL;DR:  Acquaintance financed a car for me to drive. Car's a lemon and now inoperable after normal driving; title and loan are in his name. Could I just give it back to him and say, "Your problem now," and legally walk away?
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 Let's be clear about what you're asking here. You want to know if you should dump a vehicle that has your friend's name on the title, subject that friend to any number of ordinance violations that could go on his driving record (or at the very least subject to him to excessive fines), and then purposefully default on the loan.

I can't believe I have to say this: you will, without question, be fucking over your friend on so many levels, it's mind-boggling. Do not dump that vehicle. It is illegal.


Title: My extremely abusive mom has life policy on me....legally speaking can I cancel this?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 If your mom is the beneficiary of your life insurance policy, and she is the one making the payments, no, you cannot cancel it.

> She's threatened my daughter even.

Call the police.Answer #2: When you're mother contacts you again tell her"I have told many people in writting if I am ever found dead my mental ill abisuve mother whom I have a restraining order against should be a suspect. She even told me to kill myself so she could collect on a life insurance policy. All my friends know to inform the police you murdered me even if it looks like a suicide.  you can not collect life insurance if you murdered the person."

Tell the police she violated your restraining order and threatened your child.


Title: NV - Debt Collector Spoofed Call Through Facebook Messenger

Question:
This sounds crazy but I know it's highly illegal and I need to know how to proceed. We have a debt with a collector. They call anywhere between 5AM-9AM everyday. I've told them I'm selling my house and will be paying off debt when that happens but they call everyday without fail. (Yes I know it's their job).

My husband is deployed and we talk over Facebook messenger voice chat. I was just woken up by a call from him on FB messenger so I answered it. It was the debt collector. I took a screen shot real quick and text him and asked what happened. I thought he was playing a joke with me. The company is portfolio recovery. I'm livid that they have the ability to spoof a call from my husband through Facebook messenger.

I called the number back and they don't even have record of me having an account there. I'm freaking out now. It's literally become harassment.
Topic:
Credit Debt Bankruptcy

Answer: If your husband is military look at the info in this link and consult with military lawyers.   https://www.military.com/benefits/military-legal-matters/scra/servicemembers-civil-relief-act-overview.html


Title: Lady will not give me my cat back

Question:
Hey guys.
I’ll keep this short and sweet. I live in Los Angeles, CA. My cat wandered off about a month and a half ago, and he didn’t come back for a while, i looked and looked online and at the shelter; nothing. He came back for a week and he seemed healthy and groomed and well taken care of so i figures okay, he had to be in someone’s home but he would never go far. He left again and i kept looking and looking without luck, until i went on the Nextdoor app, and i scrolled until i found a post about my cat. A lady found him. She lived four houses down. We went to her house to tell her and get him back, and she said she rehomed him....and said that she will get a hold of the people after dinner that night...she didn’t. We texted her picture evidence that the cat was mine. It’s been almost 4 days and she’s stopped responding to my texts, we’ve gone to the house where she lives, we’ve asked her for the number of the people she gave him to...nothing?

What can i do?? He wasn’t microchipped (my mom lied and said he was but he wasnt) and i think California laws are different with cats than dogs. I’ve had him since he was a kitten (he’s 12 now)
Can the cops help me? A lawyer? 😨

EDIT
The lady finally texted me back a novel saying extremely rude things and then i called her and argued with her and she said why didn’t i bother looking for him sooner (i did, looked everywhere) and “why now?!” And “where were you?!” “I fell in love with him”
She also stated “as far as the law goes, i went above and beyond trying to find you”
We’re going to consult a lawyer and the cops are on their way.

Answer:
 Yeah go in person to your local police station and file an official written police report.Answer #2: Keep your pet cats inside your houses, people.

The cat is property.  You can likely sue to recover its value in small claims court.

If you love something, don’t let it wander free.

Best of luck.  I really hope they give it back to you.


Title: (Georgia) Does my employer have to give me time between shifts?

Question: I work at McDonald's and my boss has been having me close. I normally get out of there between 1:30-2 in the morning and she has had me come back in as early as 9. Is there any law against this or can she just do as she pleases?

Answer: Nope. Sorry. Welcome to the big bad world. As long as you are getting paid at least minimum wage (and following any local overtime laws) and you are getting the appropriate breaks, that is perfectly legal. There are some jobs that require X hours between shifts or X hours per 24 hours, but food service is not one of them.


Title: [RI] At what point does crappy healthcare become malpractice?

Question:
This is all about my university's on campus healthcare services. What frequently happens is a student will go in with an ailment and the doctors will basically write it off as "You have a cold." or "You're hung over." when that is clearly not the case. If you don't have existing health insurance, it costs more than $2,000 a semester to have access to these services. Here are some gems:

I went in to see if I had a fever. My temperature was 101F. I was told I did not have a fever.

Someone had a strange rash. The nurse did not put on gloves and touched the rash with her bare hands.

Someone else had to have 4 separate appointments to get diagnosed with Strep, even though they clearly had white spots on their throat from the first appointment.

Someone else was not diagnosed with Strep and it got to the point where it spread to their kidneys and they had to be hospitalized. This is after the doctors had said that there was nothing wrong.

If you're female and you go in for anything, even a broken bone, they grill you for an uncomfortable amount of time about how you're probably pregnant.

When people go to "make sure they're clean," the doctors will spend over an hour questioning why they want to be tested. The doctors will alternate between "Why are you being tested if you have no symptoms?" and "These common illnesses often present no symptoms."

People have been refused their own medical records if items on their record are deemed "unsavory." People will also get incomplete records back.

At what point does it help to know a malpractice lawyer? Are there people who we, the students, can complain to first?

Answer:
 Medical malpractice is very fact specific and it is unfortunately beyond the scope of this subreddit. It is highly recommended to speak with a medical malpractice attorney; your state's bar may be able to refer you to one. They typically work on contingency, meaning there is little up front cost to you. Similarly, consultations are typically free. It wouldn't hurt to meet with one, have them look over your info, and go from there.

*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/legaladvice) if you have any questions or concerns.*Answer #2: Medical malpractice usually involves malice from the doctor's end. Usually treatment or non-treatment of anything is up to the medical providers expertise and discretion. If you are unhappy with your services, you are welcome to find a new medical provider.


Title: My 20 year old cousin robbed my house. I want to take him to small claims court.

Question:
I apologize for the length of this post. TLDR at the end.

In March 2015 I was out of the house when I got a call from my cousin. I hadn't heard from him in a while but was happy to hear from him. My cousin and his mom are well off and own a few properties. He casually asked where I was, where my parents were, and where my brother was. I told him that My parents and I would be out late working and my brother was home. He asks for my brothers number so he can talk to him. After I give my cousin the number he calls my brother and asks what he's doing. My brother says he is heading out to the gym so my cousin says he will meet him there. Unfortunately, my brother left the door unlocked so there were no signs of forced entry. After waiting for over 30 minutes at the gym my cousin finally shows up at the gym wearing regular clothing, does almost no workout, and then leaves. When everyone got home that night we realized we were robbed. I had $2000 cash that I was using for downpayments for my wedding, and a safe containing my passport, SS card, and jewelry stolen. My brother had his XBox One and some games stolen. We called the police and gave them a report and I said I wanted to press charges. We tried talking to my cousin but he played it cool and didn't admit anything. He even said we should call the police and cried on the phone saying he couldn't believe we would accuse him.

A few months later during the summer I get a call from the detective on my case. He said that they had proof that the XBox was at his house a couple hours after I said it was stolen. I told him I want to try to confront my cousin and try to solve this peacefully because he has priors, is currently on probation, and it was a federal offense since he stole my government IDs.  I called his phone with my uncle sitting next to me and his mom with him. After talking for a little bit he cried and admitted in front of his mom that he robbed us. my cousins mom thanked me for not getting the police involved and that she would take care of everything.

I (stupidly) waited almost 2 months before calling his mom to ask about my money because she was getting married and I didn't want to ruin her wedding or honeymoon. She seemed to think everything was solved but I told her that her son said he sold all my things and burned my passport/SS card and I wanted money since I couldn't get my things back. She agreed and said to text her a list of what was stolen and how much money I needed. I sent her a list and again she said she would take care of it.

Another month or so later I called her and she didn't answer. I texted the next day and she didn't answer. Finally I said that if she didn't want to work things out by talking to me I was going to have to just go to the police. She texted back immediately freaking out saying she felt blackmailed. I told her all I wanted was some sort of time line so I wasn't waiting for nothing since I needed the money within the next year for my wedding. She said she already told me she would take care of it by the end of the year (She didn't say that but fine). I'm now waiting until January to see if she actually is telling the truth. If not I want to take them to small claims court to get my money back.

I have:

- phone/text records of my cousin asking where my family was.

- the fact that we haven't heard from him in months and then got robbed the same day.

- my brothers testimony explaining the situation at the gym where my cousin had a guaranteed 30 minutes to rob our house when he knew nobody was home.

- Police records showing that the Xbox was at his house just a few hours after it was stolen.

- My uncles testimony that my cousin admitted to the robbery in front of his mom who is also a witness to his confession.

I would like some advice. Does it look like I have a case? Should I go to small claims court like I want or just continue to press charges which could land my cousin in serious trouble and cost a lot of money?

TLDR: Cousin robbed my house while nobody was home. Didn't want to get anyone in trouble so I tried working it out as a family. Cousin and mom seem to be trying to avoid paying so I want to go to small claims court. Total amount stolen ~$3-4000 which includes money and things he stole and then sold.

Answer:
 If my cousin stole $2000+ dollars from me, i'd have no trouble with whatever consequence came to him.

Personally, I would do both.

I might offer my cousin one last chance to make remittances before escalating.

By the way, don't say, "pay me my money or else i'm calling the cops and also going to take you to court". Just say "pay me my money", and if he fails to do so, then you escalate. No need for threats that can go badly for you.


Title: [AL] Can a landlord refuse a rent payment via check because of what was written in the memo line?

Question:
I live in Alabama.

I had a 12 month lease on a duplex and I decided not to renew it because the landlord was impossible to deal with. He entered my apartment without notice on multiple occasions, did not fix the heat when it broke, and was just a generally unpleasant person to deal with. The straw that broke the camel's back is when he allowed a potential renter to enter my apartment (without notice) when I was showering.

After I notified the landlord that I was not renewing the lease, I wrote a check for the last month's rent and wrote in the memo line: "Rent check for the worst landlord in existence." I know that's not the most mature thing for me to have done, but it's not like he did a spectacular job at being a landlord.

He has sent me multiple text messages demanding that I write him a new check, otherwise he will sue me. I responded back once to say that the check is valid and that it is the only payment I will make.

Does he have any right to refuse the check?

Answer:
 he can refuse it and make any demands he wants. but he won't prevail in a nonpayment suit.

be aware that if/when he does sue you, he's not gonna claim that the check is invalid, but rather that there was no check (he'll have conveniently lost it). so keep the texts indicating that he did receive **some** check. Answer #2: Transferring the negotiable instrument (check) suspends any debt paid to the landlord. (See UCC Article 3). He doesn't have a leg to stand on asking for a new one. That being said, he can simply say he "lost" it, and you'd need to write him a new one.

Why'd you bother writing that in the memo line anyways? Didn't have time to collect $1,000 of pennies to pay him with?


Title: Trying to wrap my mind around tax cuts for businesses.

Question:
So the company I work for is owned by Mr. Tony.
Mr. Tony also owns a tugboat. He leases the tugboat to his company and gets tax breaks for fuel and maintenance.

So what's stopping me from owning my home through a "company" and getting tax breaks on maintence and renovations? Seems like free money to me, especially since he is the sole proprietor to the company.

Edit: This is in Louisiana, but I reside in Mississippi.

Answer:
 The "tax breaks" are merely allowing you to take legitimate business expenses into account when calculating business profit.

Profit = income - expenses

Businesses pay tax on profit, not on income, because different businesses have different levels of profitability as a percentage of income.


Title: [NJ] Employees from next door keep coming to smoke in front of our front door

Question:
My wife own's a commercial property and runs a business in a largely commercial zone.  The company next door's employees come 3-4x a day to smoke by her front entrance because it has a nice porch to sit on and offers shade from the sun and leave their cigarettes around her entrance and smoke fumes come all into her building.  She's tried to amicably solve the situation but basically after it gets better for a little while, this crowd of employees ends up coming back again.  This has been going on for years and she's getting stressed out and I'm getting pissed off.

&#x200B;

Does this count as trespassing/littering?

My wife says she called the health dept but apparently smoking near a building at a certain distance isn't illegal in NJ anymore.

Should we place a sign that says No Smoking or loitering?

Is the only solution to just continually call the cops when they're on the property until they stop?

&#x200B;

Any advice would be appreciated.

Answer:
 A few cameras to document the trespass will make things easier and might net some citations when you do call the police.
Answer #2: >Does this count as trespassing/littering?

If the owner of the property asks someone to leave and they do not it's trespassing, doesn't need a reason why. I'd get someone who represents the owner, or the owner themselves to ask them to stop. If they continue call the police every time and report trespassing.

If they're not actually on her property it gets harder and based on the call you mentioned sounds like impossible.


Title: [WHY]My aunt just confessed to me I was involved in shoplifting

Question:
Guys I need your help here to calm me down because I'm freaking out. My aunt was with us today and while she was drinking she started to tell me a story about how we stole a clock when I was at a shopping center with her.

It was before my cousins were born so I must've been 8yrs old or less, and I didn't remember any of that. She apparently "dared" me to get the clock for her and took it when I brought it out of the store. She showed me it now, it is an expensive clock and must have a serial number.

I'm afraid that if by some reason they find out about this and come after her, she'll confess and tell them I was involved and I'd get in trouble too. Also she revealed to us she is addicted to clonazepam, what if, say, she tries to pawn the clock to buy pills and they find out?

What can I do to prevent this mistake I made when I was a child to come back to haunt me?  I'm 19 now, I've never commited a crime never been in trouble at school.

It's Wyoming.

Answer:
 Umm you won't get in trouble... First off you were a minor, second off an adult made you do it. There isn't a statute of limitations in Wyoming for theft though, so if someone were to tell the police and there is a way to track that clock, your aunt can still be charged.  Answer #2: Unfortunately for you, Wyoming does not have statute of limitations for theft.

Fortunately for you, you were 8 years old when this occurred.  You have a hell of a defense that your adult aunt coerced you into committing the crime and/or she forced you to commit the crime.

tl;dr I would not worry about it.  If for some reason hell freezes over, pigs fly and the police come knocking, refuse to talk to them without a lawyer.


Title: Abandoned car on property, looking for advice.

Question:
I have a sticky situation. I live in Alberta canada, my friend was living in a downstairs room for around a year and a half. Not as a renter but as just a friend who happened to be paying me each month to stay there. Around a year and a bit ago he moved out and left a lot of stuff behind. Most of it we were able to pack up for him and drop it off with his parents, but he had also left a fairly beat up car on our property.

We have been trying to get a hold of him since he moved to come remove it, but he has taken to the age old tactic of completely ignoring us. We have sent emails, Facebook messages, texts etc etc. So the question I have is at what point can we claim the vehicle he refuses to take away and sell it? basically to just get it off my property. Or what other options can I exercise, I don't even need to make money off it, I just want it gone.

Answer:
 Call a towing company and get it impounded. They'll charge massive storage fees, file a lien, and ultimately own the car.

That's assuming Alberta works like the US. At least give one a call and ask.

I'm not a lawyer but since my advice is to call a towing company....Answer #2: Call your local police non-emergency hotline.

It will be removed within 3 days if no one touches it.

Alternatively, exercise your rights as a property owner and call a towing company like someone else said. It will be free, since it's the car's owner that will pay for it.Answer #3: In the us anyone who is "living with you and just so happens to pay you" counts as a renter.  I'm going to bet its the same up north


Title: Landlord trying to evict for payment 5 days late - Santa Monica, CA

Question:
Hey all,

I've been living in my apartment in Santa Monica, CA for 2.5 years, and our landlord has been difficult to work with the entire time, he's sporadic, sometimes responding to issues quickly and sometimes not at all.  Right now, he's going through the process of flipping all the units in the building and listing them for crazy high rent.

This past month, we were served a 3-day notice to pay or quit on 5/2.  He posted it on the door, and then mailed a copy that arrived on Friday, 5/5.  Checks were delivered to his PO box on Monday, 5/8.

We got word he was going to attempt to evict us through one of the people who works in the management group.  We sent an appeal email to him explaining that we had just gotten a new roommate and there was confusion about his paperwork driven by the landlord's requests for more information, that we've never not paid, that we're prepared to offer post dated checks and do everything to remedy the timeliness of payment.

In his response be included the statement "...but, the owners want the apartment back".  And indicated that he was ready to move forward with the eviction process.

On the one hand, we were served a notice which was not adhered to - if we're considering the posting on the door the official date.  On the other, it was 1 week late.

Where do we stand?

Answer:
 IANAL...

[Posting on the door is legitimate service for a 3-day pay-or-quit in California.](https://www.landlordguidance.com/eviction-notice-forms/california-eviction)

The clock doesn't reset when you get one in the mail, so if you got it on 5/2, you had to pay by 5/5.  You didn't.

He's not required to "work with you" in any way. You have a history of late payments, and failed to meet the "pay-or-quit" deadline. It seems to be a pretty open-and-shut case that you're going to be evicted, if that's what he wants to do. His motivations are irrelevant, if you're actually in breach.


Title: HOA doesn't want tenant operating small business to have a vehicle wrap. There are no bylaws specific to this, but they said the board had a meeting and decided against it. They threaten fines if he does it.

Question:
(Throwaway account) I have a friend that has been renting a condo from me for about 3 years. He lives there full time with a roommate and boards dogs as part of his business; the other part is on-site training, feeding, and so on. It's his full-time job, but he doesn't have any walk-up business or anyone coming by; it's just dogs staying there. He cleans up well and I haven't had any notices regarding the business from either the board or the property manager.

Recently he discussed with me getting a car wrap to advertise his business. I didn't see anything immediate in the bylaws, so I asked the HOA board president about it. He told me that as they don't allow commercial vehicles, that they probably wouldn't allow it but that he would check with the rest of the board. He got back to me and said that he spoke with the property manager/board/etc and said that it would count as a commercial vehicle, so no it would not be allowed.

I checked the bylaws and here are the only two relevant sections (slightly paraphrased):
1. No campers, RV's, boats, buses, commercial vehicles, or similar vehicles (**except that motorized commercial vehicles with no more than 4 wheels and which are used on a daily basis are permitted**) are to be parked in the condo area.
2. The Board of Managers reserves the right to make other rules or regulations as deemed necessary for the safety, care, cleanliness, comfort, and convenience of the condos/residents. These rules or regulations shall be considered a part of the by-laws.

Regarding number 1, it seems a bit iffy that his vehicle is a commercial one in the first place (it's his personal vehicle and is just an SUV), but even arguing that it *is* a commercial vehicle it seems to precisely fit the definition of the exception in the bylaws.

I mentioned that to the HOA president, and he basically responded that "the board discussed it and has decided to not allow additional promoting of his business with an advertised wrapped vehicle being parked on the premises. We have already been lax in letting them have the current signs on the vehicles." (there is a magnetic door sign with the business logo on it on his and his roommate's car). He also heavily implied that he didn't like the business that my tenant is running, though again he didn't point out any specific bylaws/city laws/etc that my tenant is breaking regarding the business.

It seems to me that, despite there not being any explicit bylaws preventing it, that they're invoking the "we're the HOA we do what we want" rule (number 2 above) and decided (outside of an official meeting or anything) that he cannot have the vehicle wrap. Is this something they can do? The bylaws as-written don't include an explicit bylaw creation protocol other than what I wrote above.

Can they legally do that? It seems to me that they're technically within the rules of the bylaws, but a bylaw that says "We can do whatever we want without co-owner approval/meetings/etc" seems like an overreach.

Answer:
 A vehicle with a commercial sign painted on it seems like a commercial vehicle to me.Answer #2: This isn't legal advice, but it's practical advice. I'd really look up local zoning laws regarding pets and animal-related businesses before you decide to get in a battle with the HOA. Do you and/or your tenant have a kennel license for your property? You might not need one, depending on how may dogs he has on the property at any given time (it can be as low as 2-4 before you need additional licensing), but some municipalities require a kennel license for any commercial boarding or in-house training operation in addition to a standard business license.

Now, maybe your condo is in a lax area where this doesn't matter, but look into it. Animal-related businesses are subjected to additional restrictions in most areas and picking a fight with your HOA over a car wrap runs the risk of you guys facing more severe sanctions from your local government if everything isn't aboveboard.


Title: Should I trust someone asking for an etransfer of money before we move in?

Question:
[TORONTO, CANADA]

The situation is that my room mate and I want to move into an apartment and the owner has handed us a contract.

It says we get the keys and everything on Sept 1st, at 4pm.
However, on the contract it says that we must provide first and last month rent along with a security deposit (totaling $3100 each, a shit ton of money for us).

Since this is on the contract, she won't budge on when we give it, the money must be handed before we move in. This seems a bit sketchy to me and I don't want to lose such a large sum of money to some sort of fraud or something.

My friend has checked out the place, and spoken to the current tenant, but we haven't actually met the owner.

What should we do? Will the contract guarantee we don't get fucked over? We also don't want to lose the place since it is getting late and we need to move in for September. Not sure if this question is even for this subreddit (if not please let me know where I can get an answer lol).

Thanks!

Answer:
 How do you know this person is even the owner?  Don't give them any money until you have met them, at the unit.  Not at a coffee shop or somewhere else.

It's normal to have to pay first and last before getting the keys.  It's illegal to collect a security deposit on top of that.  And sending money to someone you haven't even met is just plain asking to be scammed.

Offer to meet them in person, at the unit, and to pay first and last at that time.  No security deposit.


Title: Can a city ban parking on a public Street by students but allow it for everyone else?

Question: There are signs that read "no parking by students this block". The signs are along about a three-block stretch on a city public Street that has the local high school on it. I'm guessing they want to allow parking for the residential neighborhood there, but what happens is the faculty and school administration end up parking there on the street anyway, because it's just a little bit closer than their designated parking on school grounds. I'm not even a student just a local resident wondering if they can legally define a person by student/occupation and ticket them for parking on that section of public street?

Answer:
 Almost certainly legal. "Is currently enrolled in Secondary Educattion" is not a protected class under federal or any state's laws.

The only potential barrier could be whether or not the specific government body which made the rule has the authority to make such a rule, and if so, whether or not proper procedure was followed.

Some states allow local ordinances all willy-nilly, others have specific requirements such as posting a local ordinance code cite on the signs that, if not present, make the signs unenforceable. Answer #2: yes they can, and they likely only enforce it during school hours to make sure it generally only targets kids. Answer #3: Sounds like it is legal, so now I'll ask, why is it legal and where is the line? Could they say no nurses can park on that street or no police officers? Or worse, determine by race who can park there? This just seems wrong to me and I'm trying to understand why this is allowable? Thanks!


Title: [WI] As a mandated reporter, am I obligated to co operate with CPS

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Contact an attorney to handle this. Cooperation does not mean living at CPS' beck and call.

What do you work for (job, not actual business)?Wisconsin requires specific organizations to cooperate with investigations above and beyond mandatory reporting requirements, but not all.


Title: Did I do anything wrong here?

Question:
I had my laptop in my room with my roommate in the room while I was in class. I remote controlled my laptop and turned my webcam on and then made my computer say "Hello ___" and his name. It was a simple prank. I took a picture of the room in it's current state, and sent it to him. So did I do anything wrong by using my own laptop, my own camera, and my own speakers in my room? Is that grounds for suing me? He then shut my laptop, blocking my access from it. So I felt violated for the simple fact that he touched my personal items. I was using the camera to make sure that there was nothing going on with my own personal items.

I'm in PA

Answer:
 > So I felt violated for the simple fact that he touched my personal items.

You feel violated because he stopped you from taking photographs of him when he was alone?  Seriously, get over it.

As is, you may have violated Pennsylvania's two-party consent recording law.  It's unlikely you'd be charged with this.  You may also have civil liability for this, but that's also unlikely.


Title: Two years later and 'Veet' hair removal cream permanently bleached the color of my left leg from mid thigh and up leaving severe discoloration.

Question:
Canada, BC.

It has been around two years since I [24/f] used Veet hair removal cream (**not the bleach version**) on my legs. I followed instructions first wiped some on my arm for 10 minutes to see if I would have a bad reaction. Everything was normal so i went ahead a day later and put it on my legs for the recommended time. Right away I noticed my left leg was signifactly lighter than the rest of my body. At first I thought it just took my tan away and would return back to normal as time went on but that is not the case. I've tried everything. Nothing is working.

Well of a year later and it looks like I am wearing a thigh high sock 24/7. Its blotchy and even more noticeable when the rest of my body tans. It no longer tans, no matter how long I stay in the sun it it bright white. I have searched forms of people with the same problem and all of theirs went away after a couple weeks or longer. This has caused me great distress and people ask me about it all the time asking me if its a birth defect or giant birth mark.

How do I proceed? Do I even have a case?

Answer:
 You really do need to see a dermatologist: Because 1) if it did bleach your skin, why one leg and not the other? and 2) even it did bleach the skin, two years later your skin would have recovered. So there is something else going on there.

I mean I suppose it's possible it has  somehow affected your melanin production, but you need to see a dermatologist to see why.Answer #2: Have you gone to a dermatologist?Answer #3: I would reccomend seeing a dermatologist.

While it isnt completely impossible the Veet is related, the fact that it did nothing to your arm or other leg is rather bizarre.  It might be something else that just happened to be at the same time.  Maybe vitiligo which usually appears in the twenties?

Regardless,  visiting a dermatologist amd figuring exactly what the sotuation is will help you know exact damages going forward if Veet is indeed responsible, and will help you know the situation if it is unrelated.  Win/win.  Good luck


Title: I was the victim of a hit and run and the auto insurance company, AAA, says I don't get anything back because I didn't get the license plate of the guilty party.

Question:
I have liability, but thought it might be covered under the uninsured motorist portion.

They claim there is nothing they can do without a license plate number.

Am I screwed with no car or proper insurance, or is there something else I can do?

I'm in California and this happened on 11/27/16 around 3am on SB 280, just after Meridian.

My [truck](http://m.imgur.com/ju0OLGg?r)

Answer:
 Your insurance carrier is correct. This is what comprehensive or collision cover.Answer #2: It's not that your uninsured motorist policy (UM) will not kick in without a license plate number. It's that your UM policy does not cover damage to the car - it only covers bodily injury (damage to YOU, or other occupants of the car).

The type of coverage to handle this loss is comprehensive or collision (different carriers call it different things). Because you don't have it, your carrier is likely asking about the license plate so they can track down the at-fault driver in your case. Without the at-fault driver and without your own collision coverage, recovery is unlikely.

This is absolutely not meant to be condescending in any way, but many people don't buy collision coverage because it saves on the overall premium. You should only do this if you can financially absorb the total loss of a vehicle. If you have multiple cars or enough cash on hand to just go buy another, it might be a good idea.  If you're driving around in a $1,500 Honda, not having collision coverage may make a lot of sense. Otherwise, you should look into getting collision coverage. Answer #3: If you can't afford to replace your car out of pocket, then you can't afford to have only liability insurance, situations like this is why.

Though, how does someone hit your car, and total it, and still be able to drive off?


Title: [UT] Help me fill in the blanks for a letter to my former terrible restaurant job.

Question:
Last year, I worked at a pizza shop with a good local reputation, but which turned out to be rather sleazy on the back-end. I've reported them multiple times to the local health code office, etc., but I don't know how to address issues like them not giving me breaks and so on (I'm not motivated enough to sue, and I didn't keep good enough records to have a case).

I've decided to write a sternly-worded letter to upper management and then wash my hands of the place. I would love to cite laws, regulations, etc., but I don't even know where to begin.

Can anyone help me fill in the blanks, and/or show me a place to start looking? Link below:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/19bcxsJVhogMAu7kO5vlIKDIzMZwkY3_fbcoJspm366I/edit?usp=sharing

Thanks!!

Answer: They probably won't even read your letter.


Title: Pregnancy discrimination.

Question:
I live in NW Ohio. I am 31 weeks pregnant.

This may take a minute to explain, I believe all details are needed to understand. And please forgive me I am on mobile.

I work at a salon of 80 people. There is no HR. Management goes: Owner, control manager/GM and customer service advisor (my immediate boss). We will call her Laura.

I work the front desk. So I deal with handling money and tips for the technicians. All tips are dropped and labeled into a safe throughout the day. We have a three strike policy for any kind of drawer discrepancies $5 over or under. There is a three strike policy. You get written up for the first two discrepancies, the third write up is cause for termination. After your second write up you have ninety days to redeem yourself and the write ups will be taken out of your file.

Eighty-eight days ago, my drawer was was -$5.03. This would be my second write up. I called down to the office to have my manager (Laura) help me find who I over tipped. The ¢.03, was from an error on the credit card machine. I wasn't going to call someone to charge them ¢.03. Laura told me that she was busy, didn't have the time to help me and to just "take the loss." so I did, since I cannot go through any tips that have been dropped without my manager present.

Today I got called down to the office with the control manager and Laura. When I got down there my third write up paper was on a clip board along with termination papers. I asked what happened and Laura told me my drawer was -$65. I asked to see the paper work since I did  not recall being short any days. She got angry with me, stomped away and got the paper work. I showed her that it was from a client (the ONLY client) who is allowed to pay with a check. His hair cuts are $65. All checks from any persons or businesses get deposited at the end of the day. The deposit slip was attached to my end if the day report. The bank deposit slip was attached to the folder the next day after it was deposited. I pointed out her error and she got extremely angry. Tell me that it was grounds for termination. When I explained to her that it wasn't because there was proof of where the check went she got really upset. The control manager at this time stepped in and said that he was going to look into the situation. That he sees where the error was on THEIR part. He told Laura to tear up the paper work and that he would take care of the rest.

He told me I could go back to work. My manager was visibly livid.

As I was walking away she said to me that my pants were not to code because they have an elastic band (like all maternity pants) I told her that these were approved by the owner to wear and that I cannot find maternity pants without an elastic band on them. She then told me my shoes (close toes slip on, similar to Tom's) were not appropriate and I could not wear tennis shoes. So I told her if that was the case the other girls I was working with needed to not wear leggings and cannot wear their Chucks or Van's to work either. She said she "hasn't seen that" and "isn't going upstairs to look either."

I feel as if I am being targeted personally. Multiple other documented issues have happened. She cannot to not target me. Is there anything I can do to take action against her? I only have 8 weeks left until my maternity leave and I need these paychecks for the baby. I really need some advice. Maybe this isn't the right place to post but I'm not sure what else to do.

Answer:
 It does sound like you are targeted personally.  She does not seem to like you very much and is out to get you.

However, being pregnant does not protect you from being targeted.  She can't fire you or discriminate against you BECAUSE you are pregnant.


Title: Feel like I am getting scammed through my apartment complex. (Renting) Didn’t get to see my apartment before signing lease even on the day of signing the lease

Question:
Hello Reddit. Kentucky. I posted this in r/apartments to see if I could get help and they told me to come here. I moved into an apartment earlier in 2017 (August). I was shown a two bedroom apartment that was one story. I was moving into an apartment with two stories three bedroom. When I walked into my apartment I was instantly triggered. The trim wasn’t nailed to the walls correctly, the toilet was running massively, the sink was hell of leaking, the hardwood in my apartment literally wasn’t completely laid to the wall, there are spots where the drywall is coming off, our stove top and oven smokes perfusually, and the windows leak MASSIVE amounts of freezing air. My first water bill was $1700. Now my electric bill is $500 for this month because of windows leaking air. I’m young so I know nothing of legal terms of service of an apartment please give me some options as I feel as though I couldn’t have been more fucked.
I talked to the apartment about helping me with my bills and they gave me huge attitudes and told me that it was my fault. (Literally)
I live in Kentucky and this is my first time renting.

Answer: You made the mistake of signing an agreement for an apartment you hadn't viewed. Unfortunately, nothing you've listed makes the unit uninhabitable.


Title: Police Tow Vehicle from Parking Lot (OH)

Question:
A friend was parked in a shopping center parking lot. He received  a call from the city police informing him that his car was being towed because he owed money to the BMV due to a partially-paid drivers license reinstatement.

The tag on the car was NOT expired.

Were the police within their rights to tow his car? In either case, how does he go about getting it back?

Answer:
 > Were the police within their rights to tow his car?

If they had a valid reason, yes probably.

> In either case, how does he go about getting it back?

By rectifying whatever issue caused it to be towed in the first place, then paying the impound and tow fees.


Title: Sold my old car, new owner wont register it and has gotten a ticket?

Question:
I sold my Volkswagen Touareg in May of 2017 to a nice man who was buying it for his fiance. We never heard from them again. But in November of 2017, I got a notice that I had gotten a parking ticket in that vehicle back in September, long after it was no longer in my possession. I went to the DMV, who verified that they had received the Bill of Sale I brought in the day after it was sold, but the couple had never registered it in my name. I filled out the declaration of non-ownership on the back and hand-turned-in the late ticket notice to the municipal court. Over this last weekend, I received another notice for the same ticket. I took it in again, and the woman in the office told me that because I don't have the womans address or phone number, there is nothing I can do but keep filling out the back of the ticket and continuously turn it in.

So I contacted the woman who bought it (I'll call her B) on Facebook, and B told me that four days after they bought the car from me, it broke down, and it's been sitting in their carport ever since. I explained where and what the ticket was given for, and explained that there were details on the car that couldn't have been mistaken (the vehicle is a unique color, ticket has the full license plate, etc.). She viewed my message, but hasn't responded in several hours, and I have a gut feeling that she won't because she was called out for lying.

Any ideas on how I can get this vehicle out of my name, or alternate routes I can go? I really dont want to have to keep going to this town (I dont live in the county the ticket was issued in) to fill out this stupid ticket that I didnt even get, and if I dont do it, I can get in trouble.

Answer:
 These sound like kind of people who wouldn't bother with auto insurance either. Potentially, further risk to you if they eventually drive — without registering in their name and with no insurance — and a nasty accident occurs.

Incentive to register in their name lessens with each passing month, since late penalties began accruing after 30-days. Probably substantial now, a year later.

>*the woman in the office told me that* ***because I don't have the woman's  address or phone number***\*, there is nothing I can do but keep filling out  the back of the ticket and continuously turn it in.\*

Didn't you keep a copy of the Bill of Sale before you gave to DMV right after sale? Doesn't it have the buyer's name on it (the guy who you say you sold it to, not his flaky fiancé)?

Your comment (quote, *above*) suggests that if you had a name, address, or phone number, something could be done. Surely, armed with the guy's name (who's the person you really want, if he, as you imply, was the buyer), you could do some digging and come up with an address and/or job.

And I'm curious. If you had no info on her, how is it you were able to find her on Facebook? Surely there's identifying info there, that would lead to location and/or boyfriend's name, or a job. Do her FB friends offer a clue? Is he listed as a friend?


Title: Sue the government for charging me when I was found mentally insane?

Question:
I accidentally started a fire with a cigarette. I also happened to be having a mental illness episode at the time. So when the fire fighters showed up, I was saying things like my parents are not my parents. I also said a candle started the fire (I didn't want my parents to know I smoked). The fire fighters found no evidence of this.

I was first sent to a mental institution and found insane. Then after I was released I was arrested and charged.

I took a plea deal because my lawyer/public defender (who said "I think there's something wrong with you" upon first seeing me/meeting me) told me there was a 50% chance I go to jail if I go to trial. So I am charged with "malicious" destruction of property (even though it was an accident *and* I put out the small fire myself).

I told a friend about how this can't be expunged in my state. She said I can sue the government because it's a contradiction that I was found insane and charged.

What do you think?

I'd rather everyone understand that this was an accident but if my having a mental illness clears my record, then I'd like to go that route. But how do I start?

Answer:
 I think your friend is not a lawyer, and should learn to swim in her lane.Answer #2: \>  I told a friend about how this can't be expunged in my state. She said I can sue the government because it's a contradiction that I was found insane and charged.

No, the time to make an argument about your mental condition was at the time you were charged.  Needing to receive mental care and being incompetent such that you couldn't be criminally responsible for a crime are two different things.  Presumably your attorney knew you had been in a mental facility and could have raised the defense then.  The time to challenge any of this is passed, what you should do now is continue to seek mental health care as needed and try to move on with your life.  You cannot sue the government for charging you with a crime and prosecuting you for it.


Title: I visited an illegal website on the dark web..

Question:
This sounds so childish but please hear me out.
16 y.o living in British Columbia, Canada.
Watched a video on the dark web and Tor, and there was a link to the hidden wiki, which had all sorts of links, both legal/illegal.
I went on there, and found myself on the Drugs section. And curious me to see if was real, as the site mentioned some were fake, I CLICKED ON IT. If you want me to be more specific, i visited BitPharma, which sells hard drugs.
So I knew this subreddit was good with helping people so I wanted to ask. Will the RCMP come to my door for visiting, but not buying/being involved with such a site. I was on there for less then 10 seconds, tops.

I want to apologize for such a stupid post but the internet didn't have much to say, sorry if this is childish.

Answer:
 No one can say what WILL happen.

But I can tell you that it's unlikely if you didn't order drugs.

Also, stuff on the darkweb is hard to track.

Unlike posting stuff on Reddit.Answer #2: It's unlikely RCMP will be knocking on your door because you used Tor to visit an illegal online drug pharmacy for 10 seconds.

For future reference though, you should avoid those sites. Not only are they rife with scams and con-artists, but they are crawling with LEO. If you really did only go there out of curiosity, consider your curiosity fulfilled and stay away from the dark web.


Title: In the US, can you refuse to reveal classified information when you're giving testimony in court under oath?

Question:
I don't think this is really a state specific question, but we'll say New York to satisfy autobot.

Suppose I'm testifying in court for some reason, and suppose I'm a person who regularly works with classified information.

If, in the course of my testimony, I'm asked to reveal some classified item that is somehow relevant to the proceedings, can I legally refuse to answer without being held in contempt of court?

I don't think the fifth amendment would apply unless the information is actually incriminating, and I don't know any other way in which a person can just outright refuse to testify.
Topic:
Constitution

Answer:
 > If, in the course of my testimony, I'm asked to reveal some classified item that is somehow relevant to the proceedings, can I legally refuse to answer without being held in contempt of court?

First, the judge can hold you in contempt for nearly anything.  Even if it's totally figured out before, he could still find you in contempt.  It'd likely not be upheld, but he could do it.

Second, in trials where classified material is at play, this is all puzzled out beforehand.  The scope of questioning and the communicability of the material is all hammered out in advance.  No one would be startled by this.

If such a question were to come up, the opposing side would object, and a discussion would be had as to the proper way to handle.


Title: Ex landlord is asking for some of my deposit back.

Question: I really need some legal help! My ex landlord sent me my deposit through cash app after he claims that his cousin did the walk through. A week later he sends me some pictures saying that he needs to charge me for some "damages" and if i don't pay then he's threatening to go to court. Is it legal for him to charge me after i moved out, walkthrough was done and I already received my deposit?

Answer:
 Location matters.

In general yes. If damages are found later that were caused by you, you owe to repair themAnswer #2: You can tell him no, and have him sue you in small claims.

Your defense would be that his cousin did the walkthrough and did not note any damages, then the landlord gave you your full deposit back.

It looks pretty bad that the landlord noticed damages much later.

Although, if you did damages, and you know it can be proven, you may bite the bullet and offer to pay him what you think you owe.


Title: I think my brother committed fraud?

Question:
So 14yrs ago my grandmother got my brother and me cell phones, as well as herself. The AT&T account has always been in her name but when we turned 18 my brother and I took over the bill for her by splitting it in half. We have been paying the bill for the last ten yrs.

HOWEVER, my grandmother passed away FIVE YEARS AGO and I thought my brother just moved the account to his name. But I have recently discovered that he never did. He never told AT&T that she died!Now that I’m getting married we both want to close the account and walk away with our own phone bills, AT&T said closing the account is no problem but that the account holder (my dead grandmother) needs to come in and sign the papers.

As you can see, she can not do this 🤦🏼♀🤦🏼♀🤦🏼♀ and he is scared that if we tell them the truth that he will be arrested for fraud seeing as his debit card is the one that’s been paying the bill ( I give him cash and he pays it on the app )

Will he go to jail? He’s been lying to them for five years!

Topic:
Credit Debt Bankruptcy

Answer:
 Doubtful you’ll have issues. Did you know if you go to another carrier and port your number over, that will automatically cause your current account to close?  Pay the closing bill and you’re fine. Answer #2: NAL, but I think you are overthinking this. Tell AT&T the original account holder is deceased. You may need to provide a death certificate.

It's not as though you kept it in her name for financial gain or fraudulent reasons.


Title: [IN] Firearm detonated in my face during training, launching shrapnel into my face, nearly taking out my eye - what are my options?

Question:
[Indiana] So as far as the facts go - about a month ago my handgun, a for now unnamed .45 caliber handgun, exploded in the middle of a shooting range day. The weapon and ammunition were issued to me by my police department, and the weapon was less than 2 years old, and had maybe ~1500 rounds through it (not really a lot for firearm standards). Was cleaned and maintained regularly.

When the weapon exploded, it caused burns and blood blisters (fortunately no other damage short of numbness) and launched an 8mm x 2mm jagged piece of metal under my eye, missing the globe of my eye by about 3mm. The ammunition was a widely used brand of just hole punching rounds, and has been used by my department for a long time.

After the initial observations and two hospital trips, I was sent to a surgeon and finally, almost 3 weeks later, had it removed. Two weeks later I still have some pain in my eye, but have made a good recovery otherwise.

I'm not really sure what my options are, but everyone at the PD is telling me I should file suit, but I'm not really sure if I have grounds for that?

(All medical was compensated by the police department, fortunately.)
Topic:
Personal Injury

Answer: The only remaining claim would seem to hinge on proving some manufacturing default which would be costly and pointless given all your damages have been satisfied.


Title: [Texas] Ex is forcing me to sell my home, even though I have always paid the mortgage.

Question:
My ex is a lawyer (I actually helped to put him through law school). He didn't work during our ten years of marriage, and he convinced me to use my retirement fund to pay off his car right before the divorce. He was abusive during the marriage and I just wanted out. (Nothing I can do about that now)

I have agreed to list the house within two weeks as I am still remodeling it. He refuses, and says if it's not listed in one week, he will take half of whatever the house sells for over the mortgage.

He also said that I'm denying him his right to have a tenant live in the house. I don't quite understand that one, as I am paying the mortgage on the house.

Is it likely that I will have to give him half of the gain on the house?

Topic:
Real Estate law

Answer:
 PLEASE get yourself a lawyer. Your ex may be using his experience as a lawyer to manipulate you into agreeing to worse terms than you deserve during this divorce - he has his own interests at heart and everything he tells you will reflect this. You need someone who knows when what he says is true and when it's not so that you can approach this split as equals. Answer #2: Is he on the mortgage? If yes, then he owes the bank just as equally as you do.

Is he on the deed? If yes, then he owns half the house.


Title: I'm being brought to small claims court by a credit union for ~$3,000. It was a car loan I didn't finish paying off because I got laid off, lost the house, and went to jail. Today I don't even have a bank account. Is there anything I can do?

Question:
I should add that I don't even have a hundred dollars to my name, if the title didn't imply it.

Edit: This was in New Hampshire; I now live in Mass, which is where they're suing me.

Answer:
 Just because you can't pay your creditor doesn't mean that your creditor doesn't want a judgment against you.  They have a statute of limitations to consider and it will probably be worth their time to get a judgment against you before that runs out.  Then they will have some 10-30 years to try and collect the judgment.  They are betting that you will get back on your feet and have assets they can collect at some point in time.

You can try to arrange a payment plan - in exchange for them putting a hold on the litigation.  But they may not be interested.


Title: Is doxing legal?

Question:
If I were paid by someone to retrieve information on another person, such as: address, phone, DOB, photos, etc. - and I only gave that information to the buyer of services, would it be legal?

Location: US
Topic:
Computer and Internet

Answer: How would you get the information?Answer #2: If that buyer of services uses it to commit a crime, you could well be an accomplice or guilty of conspiracy of that crime.


Title: Crazy neighbors and CPS

Question:
A few months ago, our new neighbor moved in. He bragged about turning people in for drug related charges. Now, we've learned he contacted cps about my family. We live in a very safe neighborhood. He reported my parents for child abuse and neglect, because of my siblings [4] and [7] for walking around the neighborhood and riding their bikes. They have reported me, [17] for drug related charges. I am special needs, and I need to know my rights. I smoke, although I know it is illegal, but when I do I'm no where near my siblings. If I get charged with anything, it will be my first offense. My neighbor has been watching me, and when I catch him, he slams his door shut. And honestly, I'm terrified.  I honestly have no idea what to do at this point.

Indiana, US.
Topic:
CPS and Dependency Law

Answer: First, stop doing illegal things (smoking).  Your rights are the same as everyone else, special needs or no.


Title: (IL) Can a parent legally move a minor to the non-custodial parent's house?

Question: The non-custodial parent wants it, the minor doesn't, and the parent with all of the custody doesn't care for the well-being of the child; and she is aware the child will be abused at the non-custodial parent's house because it's happened there before. What can the minor do in this situation?

Answer: Report any actual abuse that happens to CPS. Express their discontent with the situation, and propose alternative living situations if possible. Was there a custody lawyer or court appointed guardian ever involved in custody stuff?


Title: Wrongful termination

Question: So I recently got fired from a healthcare job involving prosthetics and orthotics. I’m fairly new. I recently finished an 18 month residency. I moved to Oregon for this job. I made it clear to them before I got hired that I still have a lot to improve since I don’t feel like my residency was sufficient enough to survive. I was fired due to a patient complaint of my attitude/incompetence. I can honestly say I’ve never been blamed if that until now. And I was not notified of this until they fired me. The referring doctor told my boss he doesn’t want me treating any of his patients. This company has a million dollar contract with this doctor referral and they fired me out of fear of losing it. I feel like confronting that doctor through email and explaining what happened. Should I do it? I feel like I’ve been whiplashed and didn’t get a chance to make it right.

Answer: This is not wrongful termination, good luck on the job hunt


Title: [NY] Gym moved locations without informing any members

Question:
I go to a gym in NY (not a chain), this gym has switched ownership within the last 9-12 months or so and the new owner is horrible — never upgraded anything and actually downgraded the gym as a whole became a mess

Regardless my membership is until june 2018 which I signed at the original location

Now out of no where that location is closed, and ai must drive about 25 minutes out to this new location that no one even knew about

I do not want to be part of this gym how can I go about getting my money back legally

The membership contract 100% doesn’t include any contingency as he is not the sharpest tool, although i dont have my receipt i should be in the conputer

Answer:
 > I do not want to be part of this gym how can I go about getting my money back legally

It is unclear from your post who you paid money to, the current or former owner?  Was this a monthly fee?  Was there a *new* contract?  What form of payment did you use?

> my membership is until june 2018

Is that a typo?  If not, please explain, as this date is well in the past.

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Title: NH: Dog bit a neighbor's kid who entered the house; now the landlord says we need to get rid of all of our dogs by July 1 or be out of the house.

Question:
I'm posting this on behalf of a friend.

She rents a home and owns 3 dogs. A neighborhood child walked into the house and was immediately bit by one of the dogs. The landlord sent a letter stating if they don't get rid of all of their dogs by July 1, they'll be evicted.

She's looking for another place to live, but there's no way they can be moved by the 1st. I know I've read on here that evictions can't just happen in a day....but is that state-by-state? Or is there a different situation when it's a scenario like this one?

Answer:
 Does your friend have a lease? If she does, the terms of the lease control the situation.

In NH a landlord can legally evict a tenant only by sending a written notice to the tenant. This written notice must be in the form of a "written notice to quit or leave" which is a legal document. Eviction for not paying rent, damages to the property or danger to the health or safety of others require seven days' notice. All other grounds for eviction require 30 days' notice.

If your friend is keeping a dangerous dog on the property her landlord may be able to remove her with a written 7-day notice.


Title: Do good samaritan laws protect against charges brought by attempting to save an animal's life?

Question: I know they protect against charges when attempting to save a human's life (to oversimplify things), but let's say my dog had an emergency, and I needed to get her to a vet hospital ASAP. Would I be protected against charges for excess speeding in an attempt to get her to the vet hospital in time to save her life?

Answer:
 "Good Samaritan" laws protect you from getting sued if you try to help and it goes badly.

They don't give you immunity from criminal laws/allow you to speed, etc.


Title: Lost half a million dollars back in 2008, haven't been able to get on my feet since, still unsure on whether or not I'll get the money back.

Question:
Using a throwaway/alt account since my friends know my reddit and this is information I'm not comfortable sharing with them. This was in Dubai. We currently live in another country.

Anyway, firstly this happened to my father, not me. Back in 2007/8 he invested nearly half a million dollars in several hotels in Dubai, he made nearly $100,000 within a month. Hence, at the time it didn't seem like a terrible idea. He only had another $200,000 as back up. When the market crashed, the organizations funding the developers stopped funding them, so construction came to a halt. He invested in 3 hotels, two of the hotels have responded so far. However the one he has invested the most in, (nearly $300,000) the Cube, in Sports City Dubai, hasn't responded yet. They've closed their office, nor are they available online. My father has no idea what to do from a legal standpoint. We can't even contact them. I really want to help my father out. Any advice on how he can get these funds back or even contact them would help a lot. Thank you a lot in advance!

Answer: Tell him to hire a lawyer. Not sure how you expect reddit to help recover a $300,000 investment in a foreign country. If he has that kind of money for an overseas investment, he should probably have a lawyer already.


Title: Need help with getting threatening messages

Question: So last night I was in vegas drunk and I hit up some girl on WhatsApp on back pages looking for an escort. I asked about prices but then my better judgement kicked in and I said fuck it and just passed out. Now today I get some messages saying about how her boss is going to kill me me if i dont send him money. He then proceed to send me pics of my house my family and more photos i assumed he got through my facebook somehow. He then proceeded to lower the amount of money he wanted from me. I called the police and they basically treated me like a piece of shit when I'm worried about my life they said dont respond and its most likely a scam. Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Answer: Don't respond, it's most likely a scam.


Title: [Newark, NJ] A guy in my building is filming the shared yard to make sure people are picking up after their dogs and threatening to call the police if we don't.

Question:
I recently adopted a puppy. The first day I had her, I brought her to the communal fenced in back yard to play, she wasn't even house trained at this point and still had no idea to even *go* outside. We were outside for about an hour, just running and playing, when a guy ran up to me (who I later learned lives on the first floor of my building, and is not an employee of the complex) and started yelling that he's recording my every move in the yard, and I'd better pick up after my dog or there would be consequences.

After speaking to someone else in the building with a dog, they pointed out his apartment and sure enough, his rig is a perpetually plugged in iPhone hooked up to a laptop. Every now and then if my dog is anywhere near his window, he'll turn the lights on and watch.

My question is, is this legal? Is he allowed to record the actions of everyone in the communal back yard? It's not his private property, it's a huge apartment complex with a shared yard.

For the record, I do pick up after her and always have. Most of the time I'm out with her, I'm wearing my work uniform, which is a shirt emblazoned with a very well known animal organization's logo, and my job would be very much in jeopardy if I did ever get caught doing something of that nature.

Answer:
 You don't have a reasonable expectation of privacy in a shared yard with everyone's windows looking at you.  He can absolutely record video/take photos there.

If you're picking up after the dog, sounds like everything is on the up and up.Answer #2: In public you do not have reasonable expectation of privacy, so he can tape you at will.

Ultimately, as long as your dog doesn't mind being taped while pooping, you should be fine.


Title: Two men trespassed on my property to steal wood - What should I do?

Question:
(Ohio)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6sKeH_SXhs

This video above is mine. It is from one of my security cameras from December 22. Two men drove up, stole one big trunk of wood, wanted to steal another one, but decided to leave.

My friend recently gave me part of the trunk (not sure what kind of wood it is), and encouraged me to make a small tea table out of it. I was leaving it out to dry it a little before working on it. Little did I know a few days later some guys just rolled up to my house to steal it. I am over getting mad about it, and it's just a good piece of trunk worth only about <$10.

However, I feel like something has to be done. You cannot steal my stuff and not receive a consequence... My family and I feel somewhat unsafe in our own home knowing someone could just walk right up to our house and do whatever. What would you do in my situation? I feel like there was not enough value in it to contact the police, and I doubt they would bother to search for the people as it wasn't a serious crime. Is there anything I can do?

EDIT: Thank you guys for your replies. I will contact my local police department when I get home and inform them about what happened.
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer: I don't understand why people who are victims of crimes don't call the police.Answer #2: What you do is call the police. Its not up to you to decide if they will investigate it or not. They may indeed decide to "bother".Answer #3: The value doesn't matter. Let the police decide if it's worth pursuing. For all you know, you're the 10th person to report these guys in the past week.