Title: Ohio School district refusing to allow me to register my son for school

Question:
I’m the father of a soon to be three-year-old living in Ohio. I took my son to our local school district HQ a couple weeks ago to register him for their public preschool.

Upon arrival, the woman handling all the paperwork said I couldn’t sign for anything because his mother and I were unmarried at the time of his birth, citing “ohio code 3109.042” in regards to an unmarried mother having the sole custody. They made me call my wife to send in all her info - new paperwork, utilities, ID, etc - while I waited.

Now, for some backstory - my wife and so were engaged when we found out we were pregnant. Rather than being a “fat” for wedding photos - her words - we pushed the wedding back a year. He came in the winter, we married in the fall. I signed all the paperwork at the hospital and my name is on his birth certificate as the father.

No one from the school district has returned my calls for clarification. The Ohio Dept of Education said it’s the first time they’ve heard of such a requirement, but every district sets their own enrollment guidelines. They suggested I reach out to the school board.

Is this district just following the law - if so is there something I can do to verify my parental rights via the courts?

In the end, it wasn’t a huge deal this time - but it makes me feel like a second class citizen when it comes to parenting and it worries me for other scenarios.

Answer:
 3109.042 Custody rights of unmarried mother.

(A) An unmarried female who gives birth to a child is the sole residential parent and legal custodian of the child until a court of competent jurisdiction issues an order designating another person as the residential parent and legal custodian. A court designating the residential parent and legal custodian of a child described in this section shall treat the mother and father as standing upon an equality when making the designation.

(B) Notwithstanding division (A) of this section, an unmarried female who has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to rape or sexual battery and has been declared under section 3109.501 of the Revised Code to be the parent of a child born as a result of rape or sexual battery shall not be a residential parent and legal custodian of that child.

------

If you haven't had paternity determined in court, it is actually possible the school is correct to defer to the mother. It might be worth taking the time to sit down with a family law attorney: if you are the kid's genetic father, petitioning for paternity is easy, and if you're presently married to the kid's mother there won't be any custody or child support issues to worry about.Answer #2: How does she even know you were unmarried at his time of birth?


Title: Live in US and work in Canada?

Question:
I may have the option take a job posting in Vancouver BC.  Probably won't be until Dec~Feb timeline.  I have my wife and two youngest children at home that would move with me.

My question:  Could I get a house in Blaine, WA and just commute the 45min to VC daily?  What roadblocks, issues, requirements exist (I already have my passport)?

thanks.

**Edit**
Thanks everyone!  I appreciate the advice.

Answer:
 > Could I get a house in Blaine, WA and just commute the 45min to VC daily?

Find out if you can use Nexus+work permit to cross for work purposes.  If not, the commute could be far longer than 45 minutes.


Title: Hospitalized against my will overnight in Arizona, worth suing over?

Question:
Five years ago, I was rocking at a deeply homophobic summer camp in Arizona. I was very sad over a recent break up, and all the other stuff nineteen year olds are  sad about. After I told some counselors that I had called the national suicide hotline, the camp director called an ambulance to the extremely rural camp and told me that was my only option to leave (there were means to get me to airport and I had money to go to my home state, he just didn't want to get involved in it). At the hospital, I made it clear that I did not have suicide means, intention or a plan. The social worker there told me that the issues were a result of my homosexuality and that I should "take the night to pray on it". She then called my parents (???) and asked their permission to hold me overnight. I repeatedly stated that I did not want to be hospitalized, asked to be released and stated a plan to go to a hotel. My parents flew overnight to get me and I was released the next morning. In my record, it does not say that I consented to the hospitalization, or that I signed anything like a release.

My medical record from the hospital diagnose me with "acute depressed mood", and records that I was not a danger to myself. I just found out that I was rejected from the Peace Corps because of this. I'm devastated, and pretty pissed at the shitty, homophobic thing that happened to me when I was just a sad, barely not-kid. Would a lawsuit on these grounds stand any chance? What could I do to aid  any potential lawsuit?

I'm happy to answer any further questions. I'm not well versed in law and may have left out or not explained things well.

Answer:
 What is it you think they did inappropriately?  Your narrative isn't completely clear.

If you were a minor at the time, and they had your parents' consent for you to be there, they would have a duty to you and to your parents to act for your safety in an emergency.

Calling a suicide hotline is frequently seen as an emergency requiring an evaluation.

At face value, it can be inferred that you placed them in a situation where they felt they had no choice but to ship you off to a hospital for a psych eval.

You were held in the hospital's care until your legal guardian could take custody of you, but you were not committed as a 5150/Baker Act/whatever.

I just don't see how you have any damages that could be attributable to either the camp's or the hospital's negligence.


Title: $100,000 Medical Debt. Need a Lawyer.

Question: Help. August of 2015 I got Sepsis - a deadly blood infection. If I didn't go to the hospital I would have died. Had a fever of 106, my body swelled up and my skin started peeling off, my eyes were bleeding, I couldn't walk and I have no recollection of the time I spent in ICU and it was multiple days. I was hospitalized for 7 days. I had Dean insurance but it apparently had a lapse a week before I was admitted. I wasn't aware that my premium went up so I was pay $30 less a month than they wanted and once that unpaid amount turned into a full payment behind they stopped insuring me. Total debt is over $100,000 and around $14,000 is in collections. I am excessively contacted by debt collectors every day and there is close to nothing I can do for these bills. It's not one bill or one debt collector. I can't set up one payment plan. They want a payment plan for each bill and so far I counted 26 bills and that's not all of them. That would be 26 different payment plans and that's not possible. I think my best bet would be filling medical bankruptcy but I have no idea where to start or what to bring. Anyone know of a good place that I can call or any better options than bankruptcy???

Answer: You can get a free consult with a bankruptcy attorney.


Title: [US] Can I sell unofficial “names” for bathroom stalls at a public university?

Question:
For a $20m+ donation, you can put your name on my university's new recreational facility. This got me thinking, could I do the same thing?

As a satirical joke I'm thinking of setting up a website where students can pay to associate their name/a custom message for each of the bathroom stalls in every building on campus. Other students can then "rate their experience" and leave their own reviews for the stalls on the website. This would be an entirely virtual ordeal and there would be no physical modification of the stalls or pretend affiliation with the University (i.e. we would make it crystal clear that "buying" the stall doesn't actually mean anything and is not approved by the University).

Do note that my University is a public institution and not a private one, if that changes anything.

I'd like to believe that this is fully legal, because as far as I'm aware there's no laws around making up fake names for things (as long as you make it obvious that they're fake), but I digress.

Obviously this is a dumb idea, but is it so dumb that I could get sued (and lose) for it?

Answer:
 If multiple stupid companies can "name" stars, you can name shitters - neither is going to be legally binding.

But more importantly, you should be concerned with what your school is going to do to you once they find out.


Title: Walmart lost my rent transfer through money gram; which has caused me to have an eviction case opened from my landlord.

Question: So last month we had to pay $1750 for rent. We payed it at walmarts moneygram instead of a cashier check because it was like $22 dollars cheaper. I paid the bill got the receipt and left. Thought nothing of it. Than I went to pay rent in the office this month and was told I was in eviction process for non payment. I was very confused, I had the receipt from the transaction still so I grabbed it and proceeded to check the reference number at moneygrams website. There was no record of the transaction. I called moneygram same story. I went to Walmart and explained the situation, the manaer went to the back office and they were able to figure out that while walmarts transaction went through and took the money from my account it never made it to the moneygram account. They apologized refunded my money and actually wrote a letter to my property management company explaining the mistake. I just don't know if they are going to stop the eviction process and if they do who should pay the court cost? If for some reason I do get evicted walmart has to be held accountable in some way right? I'm in Illinois.

Answer:
 You didn't give your location, so I can only speak generally, but the best thing to do is probably to speak to your property managers tomorrow morning, and bring payment with you.

In most jurisdictions, the eviction process starts with written notice to pay up or get out ("cure or quit"), with a timeline to do so measured in days. If you pay before that deadline, then that's the end of the matter, although the late payment can often be used to support eviction for persistently late payments if you make a habit of it.

Second, whether you've already run out the clock on that or if you happen to live in one of the few jurisdictions that allows an immediate notice to quit or eviction filing, an eviction is a court proceeding. You have a not-great-but-not-awful defence: you made a sincere effort to pay your rent, and had (and have) the money to pay, and circumstances beyond your control caused your payment not to arrive. That's still, in principle, your problem, but even if your landlord doesn't want to accept rent from you a judge may find in your favor anyways if you can pay up on the spot or within a day or two of the ruling.

Finally, if you are evicted, it's _possible_ you could go after one or the other for your damages. However, since you got a refund, I think you might find that your damages are negligible: I'd be very surprised if a judge found that either Wal*Mart or Moneygram are liable for your eviction, rather than for the payment you attempted to make.


Title: Is this legal?

Question: Ok, so I go to a certain public Florida university. On campus, there was a group of students who were concerned with, what they saw as a lack of care for students by the school administration. They attempted to schedule a meeting with the President and Provost. They were given a possible meeting time, stating that it was the only one available, but that time conflicted with the students' class schedules.Curious, one student

Answer:
 Yes, it is legal. Just because they didn't have other meetings scheduled does not mean they have otherwise open office hours. If all students could not go, surely one was available or could be available on another day. Answer #2: Is your question whether an employee can be terminated for showing their supervisor's schedule?  Sure.Answer #3: For a start, they can have times that aren't on their schedule - but that doesn't mean that they are available for meetings.  Everyone has systems for when they schedule meetings - it isn't just "Any blank spot in the schedule is fine".

And it seems reasonable to have terminated the admin assistant over this.  The admin assistant gave access to information that they were meant to control.  So if the person had put "Take wife to doctor 1pm-2pm" on their calendar it would have been private information that should not have been shared - even though a vetted version (where it was just marked as 'Personal') would have been public information.

For a workable system it is reasonable for them to put items on their calendar app that are not part of the 'public record schedule'.  Even if it turned out that everything on the calendar app was 'public record' - it wasn't the admin assistant's choice to make .. they should have verified how this meshed with all release policies first.

It might be rough for a single mistake to have this result - but it probably was a real issue.  They shouldn't have done it.

Good luck!

-- Mac


Title: (TX) Can the police do a sobriety test on someone who isn't driving?

Question:
I live across from a small, family owned bar. I've never been inside, but they're practically my neighbors, so i see everything that goes on. They draw in a crowd of 20-50 people every night.

Late at night around 12, a few cops tend to show up. Several customers get rounded up in the parking lot and flashlights are shone in their face. They are questioned and sometimes arrested. This happens at least once a week, and it's targeting people who are not even in a vehicle.I once saw a man who was walking home from the bar get stopped by the police, given a sobriety test and then arrested.

So is this legal? Don't the police need probable cause, or is there some loophole which allows them to do it? It seems like they just show up routinely, without anyone calling them to the scene. Why are the police even bothering with this tiny bar, and is there anything the bar-goers can do to avoid getting arrested?

Edit: If I knew so many people would say this is "public intoxication", I would've put the definition in my original post.

"(a) A person commits an offense if the person appears in a public place while intoxicated to the degree that the person may endanger the person or another."

The reason I think that the police have no probable cause is because by definition, these people were not committing public intoxication. It is not LITERALLY being intoxicated in public, they need to be drunk enough to be considered dangerous, and they were not.

Answer:
 "Drunk in public" is a crime in many places.

You can refuse the breathalyzer when on foot-- and you can still be arrested for drunk in public. Answer #2: They're getting arrested for public intoxication.


Title: Stepdaughters biological father problems

Question:
So, the bio father of my stepdaughter(11) does not have primary custody.  He doesn't pay for any extracurricular, or attend most events.  Recently he has been attending softball but every time if i cheer her on or do anything he cusses me out in front of everyone which obviously incredibly upsets her.  Is there anything I can do to legally force him to stay away from me while attending but not stop him from being able to attend?

Edit:  I am in Nashville TN area

Answer:
 Normally leagues have rules against swearing in the stands. In another comment you mentioned that you have video of this. Present it to the league president and ask them to make him stop.

He'll have to stop or he'll get banned from the games.Answer #2: Not legal advice. Is there a safe setting you can be in with him to discuss why he does this?  I have found that sometimes there's issues that can be resolved like that. But, the fact he's doing this in front of others, or at all, is obviously not good.  I don't know what legal course you have, but I'm sure there's something you could do if the matter rises to the level of harassment or you feel endangered. Answer #3: What, if anything, does the mother have to say about the behavior of bio-dad? Has she tried telling him to knock it off?Answer #4: If you're unable to speak with this man directly, I would look into finding out if you can have the coach speak to him. There is a not negligible chance that the screaming and cussing is disturbing the game and that is definitely the coach's business. It depends on the coach and their personality however because some people would be offended at the idea that they might be the one to speak up, and others might think that it focuses the issue on what's best for the kid.


Title: Young friend is sexting a teacher. How do I proceed?

Question:
I posted this in r/relationships and was told to ask it here.

A friend from my church has been bragging about seeing a teacher from school. I'm 18/F and she's 14/F. I wanted to know if it was true so I messaged him pretending to be her. It is so much worse than I thought.... this man is the very definition of a predator.

Now I don't know what to do. I feel so guilty over what I did but at the same time.... this is bad. Can I print off the messages and send it anonymously? Should I confront him? Or talk to her? Do I just forget it since obviously what I did was very wrong?

We live in the United States.

Topic:
School Related Issues

Answer:
 You should report it to police. Answer #2: You have an obligation to report this to both the police, and to the school where this predator is teaching.

Tell the police everything. This will get dramatic, but it will absolutely be better in the long run for everyone involved.Answer #3: Report it to both the police and the school.


Title: My emotional/sexually abusive parents [California] are harrassing and sending threats to my fiance and I [Alberta, Canada] What can we do?

Question:
I cut contact with my parents about 6 months ago because they have been emotionally and sexually abusive to me my entire life. Throughout this no contact, they continue to send harrassing emails.

Today we got one that said they were going to contact the police for a wellness check and potentially fly to our apartment to get me to talk to them. I am terrified. They bring a lot of torment into my life and I am finally starting to get my mental and physical health on track.

I plan on going to the police station and filing a report of some sort. Is there anything else I can do? File a restraining order of some sort? I'm not sure how that works between countries. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Answer:
 If the police show up, you tell them you're fine and that you don't want your parents contacting you.

If they fly to your door, do not let them in, tell them to leave, and if they don't call the police.


Title: [IL] FMLA/Maternity/Medical Leave: Dr wants me off work longer; employer gave ultimatum: return to work or lose position(job).

Question:
To make a long story short I had a traumatic birth experience resulting in an extended Hospital stay for me and my daughter is still in the NICU after 85 days. My psychiatrist wants me off of work longer to do a day program. My employer has issued me an ultimatum: return to work or lose your position with the company. I am still technically on maternity leave/FMLA/STD leave. Is this even legal for the company to do? Threaten my position while I'm on maternity leave because the doctor want me off work longer?
Topic:
Disability Issues

Answer:
 Have you been taking intermittent FMLA leave? The standard is that you get 480 hrs (60 days) per year of FMLA leave if you're calculating in less than week-long blocks. Remember that FMLA will run concurrently with STD/maternity leave/state leave laws when applicable

If you have FMLA leave remaining, you are protected, and they cannot legally fire you.


Title: ex troubles

Question:
Pennsylvania.

My exgirlfriend moved out almost a month ago.  She has not changed her address from mine on her driver's license.  She is now coming into my home (which apparently she has the right to do for the rest of her life) and stealing my stuff.  Should I file a police report, or take her to small claims?  There is of course no evidence that it was her except for the fact that she locked the door behind her and no signs of forced entry.

Thanks!

Answer: This is a moment where you need to exercise some common sense. Just change your locks. Answer #2: Change or rekey the locks.Answer #3: Change the locks and call the cops. Just because her address in on the license doesn't mean that she is just allowed to come in and steal stuffAnswer #4: If the cops do become involved, the girlfriend shows them her license, then she claims she still lives at the apartment, what will happen? Will they tell the OP that it is a civil matter?


Title: (Chicago, Illinois) Situation with 19 year old who is on drugs and is beat by parents.

Question: I don't know this person by the way, but I'd appreciate any advice on the matter. My question really, is what would happen if authorities got involved? Knowing that he does drugs, it sounds like a one way ticket to prison. However, also knowing that his parents are abusive and cause him to have depression and do self harm makes me think maybe getting him away from them and to somewhere better would allow him to heal and get off drugs without a prison sentence. I have no idea though if there's any or enough proof of his parents' abuse. He's also suicidal. Thoughts?

Answer: He should move out of his parents house. That's the simplest solution here, since he's an adult.


Title: Im 17 and need an abortion in Oklahoma

Question: I desperately need an abortion. I have abusive parents and I know I can bring a baby into this toxic environment and I can't make it on my own. I know Oklahoma requires parent consent but they will never agree. I am 5 weeks pregnant if that helps.

Answer:
 If your parents will not consent, you will need to go to court and obtain a judicial bypass. A health center like Planned Parenthood might be able to give you more information on how to go about doing this.

Your other option is to travel to a state where parental consent is not required for an abortion, but I'm not sure how feasible that is for you.Answer #2: I'm so sorry you're going through this. Breathe.

OP, please crosspost to /r/AuntieNetwork this is exactly the kind of situation they can help you with.Answer #3: Your best approach would be to go to a state that doesn’t have those laws. Not sure where in Oklahoma you live, but New Mexico or Illinois are the closest states to you

Could you find a friend and plan a “road trip” or something like that? You’re 17, so you could potentially use college campus visits as a coverAnswer #4: The obvious answer is a road trip to a neighboring state that doesn't require parental consent. Find a couple of friends you can trust and a car to use for a weekend, disguise it as a "fun" roadtrip with your buddies, and get the drugs prescribed for you once you're there.Answer #5: Drive yourself to a different state


Title: Association keeps towing me

Question: My townhome association keeps having my vehicles towed for no reason, we use them on the daily and the rules for parking are no parking on the street, we park in a lot, the lot was full and only my two vehicles were towed and this has happened twice now,  I just want to know if I can do anything about this, it feels like harassment and it's destroying my bank

Answer:
 >the lot was full

>only my two vehicles were towed

Did you park in the street?


Title: Please help !!

Question: I live in TX ..My husband had been having an affair with the leasing manager at our apartment complex I was pregnant at the time I had my daughter 4months ago .. I made a dumb decision and confronted her days after she had came to my home with two of her friends trying to jump me  and making threats about calling cps on me .. one morning she passed by my apartment and I confronted her witch led into a fight  she called the cops on me ... I had took of before they arrived..what could be the worst case ? Yesterday my daughters dad received a call from a detective saying he wants to hear my side of the story .. what can I do ??? Would I have a warrant  ... I'm also not from here if I get arrested could I possibly be deported

Answer:
 Unlikely there is a warrant for your arrest, but under no circumstances should you talk to the detective without your own attorney.

It also sounds like you need to find a place to stay so you and your child are safe while this is playing out.  Finally, you need to talk to a family law attorney about divorce and custody of your child, even if you think you can reconcile with your husband, you should start planning in case he doesn't want to or for some reason you are unable to work it out with him.


Title: [Houston][TX][20]Got caught shoplifting $60 worth of merchandise, got a ticket. What’s the likely fine I’ll have to pay? Will my parents find our?

Question:
To be clear, I know what I did was wrong and I’m only looking for information on what will come next for me.

I’m home in my parents house in Houston for the Holidays. I go to college out of state. I’m 20 years old and I did the insanely stupid impulsive thing of trying to steal things from a big box store.

I was in the store with my brother, who drove me but didn’t know I was stealing. I have my license but I’m not driving, I’m not currently on my parents’ car insurance and haven’t been since I started college.

As I was leaving the store I was grabbed by the security then brought to the back room. I wasn’t violent but they said I was “being mean.” They ran the total of what I was gonna take, $56.45 in small cosmetics/home goods. They took my picture and license then called the police. They said they usually let thieves go if their total is under $100, but they wanted to prosecute me.

The police officer came, handcuffed me, put me in the car, then ran my license. He wrote me a ticket instead of arresting me, then asked who I was with at the store. I said my brother had driven me, so he let me call him to come get me. He said I have to appear in court and pay a fine. Now I’m in the car with my brother, he’s driving me home. I’m banned from the store and will be arrested if I appear there again.

My question is: what is the likely fine I will have to pay? Are there any conditions that could determine it? I read somewhere that if the total of the stolen items was under $100, the fine can be up to $500. I want to know if I have to pay that much, or if there’s a more certain range I will end up being fined.

Secondly, will my parents and/or their insurance company be informed of the ticket? I am no longer on their insurance, and I no longer live in Houston. When the cop was running my license, I saw my parents’ information on the screen. But I’m an adult. When he was done writing me up, he asked if I had any questions, I only asked what the fine would be, he said he didn’t know, I would have to call or go to the court to find out.

Please help. Any information is appreciated. Thank you.

Answer:
 Theft of property worth less than $100 is a class C misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500. Answer #2: > wrote me a ticket

What's the citation on the ticket indicate? Because that'll determine what the potential punishment is.


Title: My mom stole 4,000 dollars in social security money from me, what can I do?

Question:
Edit: I live in Missouri.

Before I graduated high school, my mother was getting a social security check to help me out since the death of my father. It was designated for helping support me financially. When I moved out (at 17) that check should have gone to me.

In February of last year, I asked my mother about the check. I moved out in December, and I was extremely poor. I didn't have money to buy food half the time, I couldn't help pay bills, and I couldn't find a job. My mom told me that they were taking the check away from her month by month because they overpaid her on a previous social security check. So she couldn't help me.

In August, I went to the social security office with my grandmother. When I asked about the check and the fees, they told me that they actually stopped taking money out of the check in February, and they were only taking 80 dollars a month out anyway.

This amounts to nearly 4,000 dollars over the course of December - August that my mother knowingly stole from me, regardless of my horrible financial situation.

I brought this up with her recently. We were in Walmart and I was trying to talk to her very calmly about it so as not to cause a scene. She started off by lying and telling me that she didn't know what I was talking about, then her lies started falling apart so she said that she was cashing the checks. Then she said that she deserves that money for raising me. I said "I didn't ask to be born, mom, I'm pretty sure you don't deserve anything for raising me."

Anyway she started getting angry and raising her voice at me "IM NOT TRYING TO START AN ARGUMENT RIGHT NOW, EX-ELMO, WE DONT NEED TO FIGHT ABOUT THIS IN FRONT OF ALL THESE PEOPLE" to which I responded, quietly, because I have an ounce of maturity, "I'm not trying to start an argument with you, mom, I'm trying to talk calmly about this, and nobody here would know what we were talking about it if you wouldn't be so loud."

Then she resorted to crying and her typical guilt tripping bullshit. So I just left it alone.

TL;DR: my dad is dead and my mother received social security checks for me because of that. When I moved out at 17, she lied and said they were taking it away because they overpaid her on a previous check. They should have gone to me. Before I switched the checks to me in August, she stole 4,000 dollars from me.

My questions are: What can I do about this? Can I talk to SS and get the money from them, while they take the money back from my mother? Should I file in small claims court? Talk to a lawyer? Is there anything I can do?
Topic:
Small Claims Procedure

Answer: When you moved out were you emancipated by a court or just moved out?


Title: Being accused of rape at uni

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 1.  Your description of A and B sounds backwards.

2.  I think you forgot to delete some names in there.

3.  Did you really open a reddit account titled "ifuckedagirloops" to ask about a potential rape charge?

Between the difficulty in deciphering the post and your user name I don't see how this is worth the time to respond.  Answer #2: You forgot to edit out a few first names, but likely very fucked. Your lack of recollection won't help and the story given sounds like pretty textbook sexual assault. There's not much anyone here can advise you on as it's a school matter, but as I'm sure you know this is very serious.

If the police end up being involved in any way, you **need** a criminal defense attorney.


Title: No signed receipt, am I safe?

Question:
Hi everyone,

I was contemplating using my carecredit account for a medical procedure. The office (over the phone) checked my account number and verified it would qualify. I decided not to go through with the procedure, but the dr placed the whole balance on my account. They emailed me a receipt, but it of course was never signed nor did I ever provide them with any forms of ID, all of which are required by carecredit for a transaction. Legally, I'm fairly sure since they have no consent from me the bank should be able to take the charge off - anyone have this experience before?

Answer:
 If you actually booked the procedure and later decided to back out of it, you're likely still on the hook for the cancellation fee, which depending on when you backed out, could be the entire cost of the procedure.

If that's not the case, then try to have the charge reversed.


Title: Refund for negligent practices that lead to my pet's death [TX]

Question:
About a year and a half ago, last January, I took my rabbit to a vet that claimed to care for "exotic" animals to be neutered. Long story short: they kept him overnight for further "monitoring," left for the day, and he died. My fiance has made a couple of posts regarding this that you can refer back to ([post 1](https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/5nhzol/our_vets_advice_on_what_to_do_with_our_rabbit/) and [post 2](https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/5qdxea/pet_rabbit_died_while_getting_simple_neuter/)). We were originally under the impression that the fees for the procedure would be waived but that was a huge misunderstanding. I was still faced with a ~$500 bill that I paid because I got nervous, and I'm not the type to skimp out on a bill (for ethical and moral reasons but also because confrontation makes me panic).

We filed a formal complaint with our State Board of Veterinary Examiners one month later, sent multiple letters and emails back and forth to the Board, actually had to appear in person to make a statement before the Board in March (4 hours away), and just received the final verdict in the mail yesterday afternoon. The vet has to pay a fee and take some additional classes and training, but that's about it. Apparently, this seemingly light sentence is very common in the veterinary world.

Now that the verdict is in, and we know for a fact that the Board found this vet to be negligent on top of 3 other violations of Board Rules, I want my money back. I can't justify the fact that I basically paid for them to kill my house pet. I fully believe that had someone been with him through the night, his death could have been prevented. Sadly, I will never know why he died or the actual circumstances that lead up to his death.

I know I have two options: try to get them to give me a refund, or take them to small claims court. I am trying out option number 1 first, of course, knowing that it would be less of a hassle for everyone involved. I have called and left a message for the office manager, who also happens to be the "nurse" in the office, and I can only hope that she will return my call. In reference to going to court for this, I know that animals are treated as property, but what chance do I have to receive any kind of compensation by having actual proof and documentation that the vet was negligent? Not to mention travel fees to speak before the State Board, loss of wages for having to be absent from work that day, emotional distress (if that's even a thing), etc.

Thanks in advance.

Answer:
 You’re correct, option 1 is your best bet.

Option 2? I think you can get your $500 plus travel expenses reimbursed. Pain and suffering are notoriously difficult to gauge, and courts rarely give those kinds of damages out. Consult a lawyer if you do decide to sue them, but imho, I don’t think you’ll get any extra damages beyond the $500.


Title: [WA,USA] Niece signed contract for used car; didn't qualify for loan... used car salesman won't return her down payment

Question:
My 19-year-old niece signed a contract for a used car, and paid a $2000 deposit on the $5000 vehicle.  She had not secured an auto loan at the time of the signing, and only after she found that she didn't make enough income to qualify for the loan.  She has returned to the dealer to cancel the contract and get her deposit back, but the dealer is refusing to let her out of the contract.  They claim to have another financier who will offer to finance her (which I'm sure is seedy as hell and will jack up her interest).

Is there a legal way out for her at this point?

Thanks for your help!
Topic:
Contracts

Answer:
 Unless she has a very odd car contract, she doesnt get out of it. She needs to figure out how to pay for the car she bought. Answer #2: Did she finance through the dealership or through an independent source like a bank or credit union ?

She needs to read the sales contract very carefully and see what it says about contingencies for approval of financing.

If it's the dealer who is applying for financing on your behalf for getting "pre approval" based on your application and statements about your income, then they should have established the terms of the financing: interest rate, number of months, etc.    If they can't get her financing under those conditions, they have to rescind the sale.

But if she just agreed to buy the car and *then* went to get the auto loan elsewhere... she's got a problem.

Pre-approval and contingent financing deals are everyday occurrences in every state.   But Washington's Attorney General looks very dimly on the scam variation where they promise you one rate, then pressure you into taking a worse one.Answer #3: What does the contract say about this?Answer #4: NAL, but I buy cars often, and I always use my credit union to do it. I always bring in a letter stating I'm approved for the loan, but every contract I sign says that I will bring in the check from the credit union within 10 days or their finance people step in. They usually finance anyone, and your niece will indeed get a rate that's crummy because her credit is crummy.

I've never driven one the lot without signing that their finance company will be secondary if I can't perform on providing the check.


Title: I think what my gym is doing is illegal, do I have any recourse?

Question:
Hello legaladvice, Long time lurker, first time poster.

Ill just jump right into it: I am trying to cancel a membership at a local gym. The gym is claiming that they need at least a 30 day notice as well as a hand written and signed letter to cancel my membership. My credit card was charged today for another $100 even though I called to cancel 3 weeks ago.

Luckily, I saved everything that I signed when joining the gym as well as any documentation that was given to me upon joining. NOWHERE in any of this documentation is there anything at all written about a hand written letter OR needing a 30 day notice to cancel. In fact, it states that I can cancel "at any time", and there is nothing else written about a cancellation policy. The ability to "cancel at any time" was also explained to me verbally by the gym owner when I joined the gym, and it was explained exactly like it sounds, that I could simply cancel my gym membership at any time. I explained this to the manager and she basically just (very rudely) stonewalled me and said that they would not alter their 30 day notice and written letter policy.

Now, I understand that this is not a massive sum of money, but if PF has taught me anything, it is that I should not let something like this just go and forfeit $100 for no reason other than the gym being scummy.

So, I was wondering if there is anything that I can do. I am just an early 20's kid that works in IT, so I don't have a ton of resources available to me, but I feel like I must have some power in this situation to prevent myself from being screwed over like this. I plan on going to the gym in person to deliver my letter tomorrow.

Obviously, I think that consulting a local lawyer is a bit too much in this case. Literally the only thing that I can think of to prevent paying this charge is to report it is fraudulent on my credit card, although, for all I know, this may actually be illegal to do on my part......so please help!

Per subreddit rules this gym is located in MA.

Answer: If your contract doesn't specify a means or time requirements for cancellation, and you gave a verbal cancellation, then you should be fine doing the charge back on your credit card. One issue though is how do you prove you gave notice since it was verbal. That's where a written or emailed cancellation notice would be nice.


Title: Dad added a room no permit

Question:
Hi all, located in Los Angeles county California
My dad recently left me his house, and I'm thinking of selling it but I found out one of the rooms is an addition he didn't get a permit for. What are my options?
Topic:
Real Estate law

Answer:
 This happens a lot.  You can get a retroactive permit, though it needs to be inspected (which may require taking off some of the drywall so the inspector can look at wiring)

It might be a good idea to hire a contractor who does that sort of work to help you make it compliant and work with the county office to get the proper permits, as they have a working relationship with the office and it's inspectors and can help make things go a lot smoother.  You can also talk to a realtor and find out what they usually see happens with non-permitted work like that.

But ultimately if the permit or the work is not approved you may be required to tear down the addition in order to sell the house.


Title: [Texas/Federal] Is there a strategy to the affluenza teen's disappearance?

Question:
I was reading an article today in the Washington Post about the 'affluenza' case in Texas, and was confused by this passage:

>Couch was sentenced to drug-and-alcohol-free probation for 10 years as well as time in a rehabilitation center. But the term was tricky. Under Texas law, because Couch was younger than 17 when he committed the crime, his case would remain in juvenile court until his 19th birthday — then, his sentence would disappear, said Sam Jordan, a spokeswoman for the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office.

>The prosecutor’s office filed a motion last month to have the case moved from juvenile court to adult court when Couch turns 19 next year, so he would have to serve out his sentence.

>“We think he should have been in the adult system already,” Jordan said, “so we applied to have the case moved, meaning he would have to serve the remaining eight years of his probation.”

>A judge is expected to rule on the request next year, Jordan said.

>“Unfortunately, it’s not something that can be done in absentia,” she said. “He has to be at the hearing.”

>Terry Grisham, a spokesman for the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office, said that until Couch has been found, the motion to move his case cannot proceed.

>“As long as he is on the run, he will be a juvenile forever,” he said.

>Local authorities started searching for Couch when he failed to show up for a Dec. 10 probation meeting, according to the prosecutor’s office.

>[Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/12/21/amid-manhunt-affluenza-teens-mom-listed-as-missing-person/)

It seems like the implication is that if he can avoid justice until he turns 19, he can return with impunity to his normal life.  Was that ever the case, and would that still be the case given that he's now broken his probation by not reporting?  Any other detail on how this works would be great, not sure if this falls under Texas or federal law at this point either.
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer:
 Actually, as a fugitive 18 year old (which it appears he is) he is likely to get a sentence considerably more severe than a few more years of probation.  Courts tend not to appreciate people who ignore them.

But given family history, my guess is that they moved abroad, and aren't intending to be back for the forseeable future.


Title: My gf's parents are watching *everything* she is doing, can they be reported to DFPS.

Question:
So for context, my girlfriend(GF), has had major issues with mental health, including suicide attempts(which she has already been hospitalized for), not a secret to anyone at this point, hopefully not breaking rules saying that. Because of this, her parents are understandably concerned for her, as am I.

But does that concern give the parent the right to control and monitor nearly every aspect of her life?

GF has her location monitored, all the things she does on her phone, schedules, and most recently, standing outside the door when she is going to the bathroom, and even watching her change.

I understand they are her parents, but GF is 16 years old, close to 17, and her parents still do this.

Is there anything to report here, or is it just something that she needs to deal with?

Answer: The only thing that might even begin to approach being an issue is the watching changing, and given a history of suicide attempts this sort of observation is probably reasonable to make sure there are not signs of further attempts.Answer #2: This is called parenting. What’s the concern?


Title: Possession of Gun in India

Question:
This is specifically related to laws in India.

There was an incident that happened just around half hour ago.

A person pointed a gun towards me (it was an old gun with a long barrel. Can’t really put a number on the size of the barrel).

The person was inside his house and I was outside on the street. We were loudly arguing about my dog pooping across the road from his house. (I was not trespassing)

He pointed his gun towards me and threatened to pull the trigger during the conversation.

I have a video of him admitting to pointing his gun towards me.

Is there any legal action I can take against this man?

Sorry for the broken story. I’m still a little shook from the whole incident.
Topic:
Non-US

Answer:
 There is an India specific sub /r/legalAdviceIndia which might be more helpful. Answer #2: Yes, make a police report. Save a copy of the video somewhere safe, and provide a copy to the police as well. There is at least an offence of criminal intimidation here under the Penal Code. There might also be offences under the Firearms Act.Answer #3: Looking around online, it looks like India has some strict gun laws. Under the Indian Arms Act of 1959, they divide guns into 2 categories, Prohibited Bore (PB) and Non Prohibited Bore (NPB). Legally owned NPB guns are "0.22 sporting rifles, 0.315 sporting rifles, 30-06 sporting rifles and 12 bore shotgun double or single barrel". Based on your description, it could be one of these legally owned firearms. I can't find exact laws covering brandishing of firearms in India, but it looks like it's a crime, based on news articles and reactions to brandishing.

Could you contact your local police on a non emergency line and report it?


Title: My dad is in debt and wants me to buy his house, but I can't get a loan (VA)

Question:
I'm in a tough situation and not entirely sure where to start. My dad is 69 years old, and basically living off of social security. He's technically self-employed, but his business has been hardly profitable for years. His wife (my stepmom) died a few years ago, and before she died they spent all the money they had and then some. Some quick figures:

* House is worth ~$800K (rough estimate, I wouldn't be surprised if it's over $900K).

* He owes $280K in mortgage, and $150K in home equity.

* He purchased it in 1978 for $120K, and has spent $50K in landscaping and $300K in improvements (most of those improvements were a few years ago, hence the large balance on mortgage).

* He gets around $2200 a month in social security. I think his monthly expenses are around $1100 not including his mortgage/home equity payments ($3K or so?)

My figures:

* I'm 27 years old. I had a $60K job as a business analyst last year that I quit because I was miserable (good job, bad employer). I'm currently working as a professional poker player right now (self-employed), and have made about $140K in the past year from that.

* I got married two months ago. My wife has a $65K job working for the federal government. Her next raise isn't for another 1.5 years (she'll be making a little less than $80K then, I think).

* I have $160K in stocks/mutual funds (maybe a 1/3 - 1/2 is unrealized capital gains), $60K in my retirement account, $15K in bank, and $80K or so in cash.

* My wife and I combined have maybe $20K total in debt, that I've decided not to pay off in full because it's all low-interest (I'd rather keep the money in investments).

While my wife's stable job helps, my unstable source of income has been an obstacle to getting a loan from my bank (a local credit union). They seem to want to do everything they can to help, but it's just regulations the regulations that they have to follow that are posing the barrier. It seems self-employed people really don't get much credit until they have >2 years of results.

**When it comes down to it** my dad and I don't have a super strong relationship. I'm mostly in this for me - it would kind of suck if he leaves me with nothing when he passes. That said, I also don't want him to have to leave the house he's lived in for the past 40 years. So, my main question is: if I can't get a bank loan, do we have any other options? Could we do something like: I simply pay off his mortgage/home equity bill every month, and he agrees that I receive the deed to the house if he passes or when the house is paid for in full? Any other ideas?

Answer: If you're going to start paying his mortgage, make sure to get the entire agreement in writing, and receipts for each payment. Is there a Wil if you're concerned about what happens to the property in the event of his passing? Also, I would suggest cross posting this in /r/personalfinance if you haven't already done that.


Title: Remember the college kid who was arrested for his cocaine/sugar "prank"? Update link in thread. (Xpost from /r/news)

Question:
Op:

https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/3j8w23/cracksugar_prank_yielded_positive_drug_test/?

Update from /r/news:

http://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/charges-dropped-in-um-powdered-sugar-prank-after-lab-confirms-no-cocaine-7942136

Answer:
 >This whole affair makes me consider law.

Please...please no. Answer #2: I can almost understand why they'd arrest someone for a false positive when it's set up to look like drugs as a prank (assuming no one decides to taste test the coke), but there's obviously a problem if they're arresting people for having candy and breath mints that test positive as crack or meth, or sage that tests positive as marijuana.  It's hard to understand how they even get to the point of guessing your Tic Tacs are crack cocaine, and, unlike with the lines of powdered sugar, it's pretty damn unlikely that anyone is bothering to transport personal use quantities in a way that disguises the drugs so well.  And the sage testing as marijuana just makes me think of Michael on the Office trying to frame Toby with Caprese salad, with mozzarella still in it. (unlike with the powdered sugar that you're probably not going to lick or snort, marijuana is pungent enough that it would simply be absurd for any cop to seriously believe sage is likely to be marijuana)


Title: If I die can the police use my finger to access my phone?

Answer:
 Idk about the legality of it, but I’m a nurse and I’ve personally unlocked two phones with an unconscious patients finger and the finger of a patient who passed away. The first was a John Doe who had a massive heart attack on the street with no ID, just his phone. I was able to pull his contacts and call his wife in the 2 minutes between being wheeled in and taken to cath lab. Very important because he was severely allergic to the contrast dye used in cath lab to remove the clot that caused his heart attack.

The second was similar. We had a patient who came in coding and had no contact info whatsoever. He was from out of state and had never been to our hospital before, so we had to get ahold of next of kin to ask what we should do (continue CPR, make him comfortable and let him pass peacefully).


Title: employer hair requirements for men and not women

Question:
I'm a guy with long hair, probably about 12 inches+. i keep it neat and wear it up when needed to be professional. the company that just offered me a job has "appearance guidelines" for men and women. women can't have hair covering their eyes and men can't have anything over years or touching their shirt collar.

i'm fairly sure that's illegal, am I correct? the hiring agency didn't tell me about that before I accepted the position.

they also require me to only have a mustache, no beard. is that still something an employer can require?

Answer:
 Why would you think that’s illegal? Employers can declare employee standards for for dress and appearance. They just can’t discriminate on that basis - like they can’t decide not to hire you because you have a beard - but if they tell you what their employment standards are and you take the job then you agree to their standard.Answer #2: Yes, an employer can require that.

An employer cannot mandate specific gendered behavior/action without running afoul of federal regulation. This dress code requirement is not that.


Title: Drug Testing (Maryland, USA)

Question: This is probably a simple answer and I'll keep this short. I have acquired a new job and will start soon. None of the contracts or signatory documents I was required to sign mention anything about drug testing. As a resident of Maryland, is it legal to drug test employees without notification or without mentioning the possibility of drug testing/random testing? This is a small, private company.

Answer: Of course. Why wouldn't it be?


Title: Anonymous witness testimony.

Question: So, I live in the state of PA. A friend from high school is going through a custody battle with his ex over their 4 year old daughter. I have a lot of information against the ex on the lines of child neglect/ endangerment. However, this ex is completely psycho, childish, and petty that I would love to make a testimony, but want to remain anonymous. Is this possible in anyway so she wouldn’t find out who? (This girl has caused a lot of shit for a lot of people in the past and it’s just something I don’t want to deal with if I don’t absolutely have to, but the child’s best interest is my main concern)

Answer:
 No.

Testimony in court is public.


Title: I was robbed.

Question:
Very long story ahead.. be warned. We moved to Cross Lanes, West Virginia last year.
Here's where it starts:
She begins dating this guy, and she moves out out of nowhere. She posts on Facebook about how depressed she is, how she's trying to save the new found relationship. She messaged me, asked how I was. I was depressed about school, and she told me about how great of a person I am, etc.. Never heard from her since. A week later, she calls her mom, Carrie, saying how she wants to come home. She came home, acting funny. I hung out with her, but I sudden got a migraine and went into my room. about 20 minutes later, she's "cleaning the house." I came out and grabbed my bookbag and earbuds, but I couldn't find my earbuds. I asked her about it, she said dad took them, which is funny.. dad is a DJ, he doesn't need the earbuds. I nodded and said something like "well, I'm going back to bed, love ya girl" and went into my bedroom. 2 minutes later, I hear the door shut, and I fall asleep. I wake up, come out into the livingroom around 3 am, found out that she took my Xbox One, my Acer laptop that isn't even mine, my anti-depressants, my earbuds I was looking for. She stole every game, 3 controllers and charger packs/charger chords. She posted to Meetme about selling these items, blocked her mom and my dad, wouldn't answer phone calls.. but I have her social security, her ID, who she's with, her dating profiles, her Facebook, her phone number. I went as far as calling the police and I have an investigator, but they won't accept phone calls until 6 pm. WE had to do the police work, NOT the cops (bless his heart though, he is the only one who will not hang up on us) but I feel so helpless. We worked so hard, together. Dad and I are very poor. He only works Friday's and Saturday's for little pay, I work sometimes as a specialized babysitter for autistic, young and older (sometimes as old a 30) children.
we contacted the police, we have proof, I FOUND proof, I knew her location.. I feel so helpless.

PS, I put the Xbox as NCIC, but not the laptop since I don't have the information on it (it's my dad's girlfriend's computer)

When I get her ass in court, what can I get her with? I want my stuff back and a little more, since fighting is illegal.

Answer:
 All of that backstory is entirely irrelevant and unnecessary and it makes it harder to help you. Please cut it down or add a summary of the potentially legally relevant facts.

It sounds like you've reported this to the police already and they're working on it.

What exactly is your question?


Title: What Kind of Lawyer do I need for a strip club dispute involving money?

Question:
&#x200B;

I was blackout drunk from my holiday Christmas party, and we ended up going to a strip club afterwards at around 11pm.

I got some private dances from two strippers and bought a lot of drinks that totaled $1,500. During this time, the strippers gave me cocaine for the first time in my life and I got even more fucked up. I was convinced to "party at my place" so i settled my tab, and was given the machine again and charged another $7,500 on my credit card.

We took a cab back to mine, stopped at an atm and withdrew $500 more which one of the strippers immediately took from the machine and put in her purse, and then we arrived at my apartment and they dropped me off in bed and then left. The time was 12:30am.

I was not soliciting them for sex or sexual activities at any point. I was just intoxicated and amenable to their suggestions for having a good time at my place

I reached out to a few lawyers but I am contacting the wrong types because they say they cannot help me. What kind of law does this fall into? My credit card company would not reverse the charges.

&#x200B;

Answer:
 > I reached out to a few lawyers but I am contacting the wrong types because they say they cannot help me.

They can't help you because you don't have a case. Sorry.

(BTW, you weren't blackout drunk.)Answer #2: > I reached out to a few lawyers but I am contacting the wrong types because they say they cannot help me.

That's a pretty good sign you do not have a good case. You committed at least one crime (cocaine) and may have committed more.

&#x200B;Answer #3: I worked as a legal assistant for a while, and when I told someone that it wasn't our area of practice, we're unable to help them, and did not provide a referral to the appropriate attorney, that meant that you have no case and that an attorney is not the remedy you're looking for.  That's your situation here.Answer #4: >I was not soliciting them for sex or sexual activities at any point. I was just intoxicated and amenable to their suggestions for having a good time at my place

And it is the club's fault that you got wasted and blew a bunch of cash?

I assume you spent the 7500 on something? That wasn't just a random number the club gave you right?Answer #5: > I was just intoxicated and **amenable to their suggestions** for having a good time at my place

I think that's the part that makes your case not viable, unfortunately.  Amenable to their suggestions means that you weren't forced into anything, and having buyer's remorse doesn't give you any legal toehold.

I'm sorry that happened to you.


Title: Speeding 35+ in Illinois, Yikes

Question:
Picture this:

I, a 20 y/o security guard is finally getting off work after a week of overtime.

It's 11pm, on a cool, clear Saturday night.

There's nobody else on the road, and I'm eager to get home. After all, it's almost midnight, and I've got a girlfriend waiting for me.

I hit the gas, get pulled over. 85 *exactly* is what the Officer clocked me at, in a 50.

Gives me a court date for next month.

Today I get home and I have a bunch of letters from lawyers saying I'm going to jail for a year, losing my license, and paying out almost 3k? My Google searches are yielding outdated results.

What should I do? I thought I was just gonna have to go in and explain the situation, maybe shell out a couple hundred bucks.
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer: NAL: Picture this, in your state alone they have had over 10 fatalities of police officers this year alone due to people not abiding by basic traffic laws. It being late isn't going to matter. Your overtime schedule isn't going to matter. Your girlfriend waiting for you isn't going to matter. What is going to matter is how fast you were going. You are looking at potential jail time and a hefty fine, plus the points on your license. At this point you should be looking for an attorney, or at court, asking what you can do to reduce the fine and points. The state of Illinois in its entirety, are cracking down on the basics. On top of the fine and potential jail time, you may be looking at license suspension on top of everything. Seriously dude, slow down and do the speed limit.


Title: Is it really illegal for companies in the USA to fire employees for discussing their compensation amongst themselves?

Question:
I see this argued quite a bit on other subreddits when discussing how to go about getting a raise, especially if you know you are underpaid compared to your coworkers. No one suggests using this directly as a point for getting a raise of course, just good information to know how much leverage you may have for a salary negotiation.

I know the owner of my company has outright stated sharing wage information would lead to immediate termination, so I wonder how legitimate this threat is, out of curiosity.
(15 person company, Colorado, but again this is a general question for any employment circumstance).
Thanks!

Answer: I'll have to disagree with the previous posters.  Discussing wages is protected under the National Labor Relations Act.  If you are terminated for discussing wages, contact the National Labor Relations Board.


Title: [KY] Fired for sexual harassment help please

Question:
I know this situation is messed up and should of been easily avoided but hindsight is 20/20.

 I am in KY. I did not have a contract.

I was employed as the safety coordinator with primary duties fitting of the title. 5 weeks ago we hired a new hr lady we will call her "Beth".

Beth and I hit it off well, she was VERY flirtatious, and she even made the first physical contact, in my office, by rubbing my neck, shoulders and commenting how "strong" I was. This continued over the last week and a half, up until yesterday when while in my office she came around by my chair and leaned down, and her breast was all but in my hand, I apologized, she said oh no that was fine, and place it BACK on her breast and I sat there and played with her tit through her blouse, completely mutual, no one else saw.

This morning we start the day off normal, she drops by, flirts a little, asks if she can swing by for lunch, that she is feeling very "giving" with a wink. I say sure and am not sure what to expect at this point.

The rest of this happened around an hour ago. She came in my office, closed the door and latched it, like we had been doing, we flirted a bit, she asked if I had liked our little session yesterday, to which I replied yes, and that maybe she  could come over this evening and we could explore some other possibilities.....here is where it got  weirder...she said why wait, and came around my desk, started to undo my belt buckle, I did undo the rest, and undid my pants as she knelt in front of me smiling...but...when I pulled out the goods she stood up, grabbed her notebook, and left my office, leaving the door open.

I hurriedly redid my pants, and about 15 minutes later the hr lady and the operations manager came to my office and asked me to please pack my things, that I was being terminated for sexual harassment immediately, Beth wouldnt look me in the eye.

I feel completely set up here, I text her but of course did not get an answer. Do I have any recourse or is this simply a matter of he said she said? There is nothing in writing, text, or email to incriminate either of us, do I deny any wrong doing? Thanks for any help....this is not how I saw my day going...

Answer:
 Don't dip your pen in company ink. Answer #2: You can file for unemployment and appeal it when it gets denied.

Aside from that, based on the version of events here, you're probably SOL. I don't know of any workplace (ok, maybe one or two....) where undoing your pants in the presence of a coworker with the intent to engage in sexual activities *isn't* grounds for termination with cause. Answer #3: It's not really a matter of he said, she said. Your employer could believe your side 100% and still decide to terminate you.


Title: Got called down to the police station after a party

Question: I'm an 18 year old senior in high school. I was at a party on Saturday that got busted and the cops showed up. Me and my three friends were in the backyard when everyone ran. We stayed because I had to look for my phone and the cops approached us. We had nothing on us but they just asked us some questions. I gave them my full name and information and they told us we weren't in trouble. Today I got a call saying I had to go down to the station and made an appointment for later this week. I'm going to assume they want me to name people who were there or something like that. What are my rights in this situation? What can happen if I don't cooperate and avoid ratting out my other friends?

Answer:
 You don't have to speak to the police, and should never do so without an attorney present.  Nothing good ever comes from voluntarily going to the police and giving them information or answering their questions unless you're the one making the report.

You're free to call and cancel the appointment, saying you're not interested in speaking with them.


Title: Dorm room searched, found marijuana, 25C, oxycotten, alcohol, and paraphernalia.

Question:
My ability to smell marijuana is not as strong as most, and while I had incense burning and was using a vaporizer, the smell somehow made it into the hallway and the RA from another floor called the police. They came to the door and stood beside the peep hole (so we couldn't see him) , knocked and said, "hey it's Kyle, let me in." My looked through the peep hole, was a little confused and opened the door to see what this kyle kid needed. But instead of it being a student named kyle, it was a campus police officer. They asked him if we had been smoking in the room and if we had any marijuana in the room. We said no to both questions and said that he could smell weed and asked us to wait outside the room with his partner while he went and got a search warrant. Once he got back, he searched the room, finding all of our marijuana, all of our pipes and grinders, a single pill of oxycotten in my roommate's drawer, and a tab of a designer drug called 25C equivalent to LSD, and some beers in my fridge. This got me two charges of possession of illegal substances (weed and 25C), one of drug paraphernalia, and a minor in possession of alcohol. My roommate got the same thing only with weed and oxycotten, but no minor in possession of alcohol. We were arrested and I applied for an appointed attorney. I live in Iowa. I'm 18. This is my first offense. Staying sober is no problem for me.

Right now I plan to just plead guilty, and kiss ass in court. I have a promising future, and plenty of achievements in the past show that I'm not a complete fuck up.

Even after community service, probation, etc, how much chance do I have of ever cleaning my record?

What else can I do other than staying completely sober for the foreseeable future?

If I get kicked out of school (haven't spoken to anyone from the University yet) what are my options to continue an education?

Is there anything about this situation that I can use to help myself?

Any advice?
Topic:
Drug Possession

Answer:
 It is very likely that one of the possession charges is a felony.

I would *strongly* advise against a straight guilty plea to a felony charge.


Title: Solar company wants to build a 10 acre solar farm next to my home. What questions should I be asking?

Question:
So long story short the solar farm will be catty corner to my property. The acreage that it is being built on doesn't share a border with my property but the solar farm itself will be quite obvious from my backyard.

I am not in opposition to the idea, but I am a new home owner and am unsure of what questions I should be asking when it is discussed in the City Council? What should I be doing to protect myself as well as the value of my property? etc.

I live in NY state.

Edit: They requested a variance that will be discussed in the town council, and my property is one of those impacted.

Answer: This is sort of tangential to the legal advice already given, but you should do some rough math to see how the panels will be oriented relative to your house, and inquire about the types of the panels. There may be glare issues, which while probably not enough to stop the installation by itself, could entitle you to compensation.Answer #2: Try r/engineering as well. They may have some good info on what to expect being near a Solar Farm, and what questions you should ask.


Title: I [F28] am a gestational surrogate in IL. My surrogacy payments don’t seem to be income (no 1099) but my ex husband is making me pay child support based on the “income”

Question:
Hello smart minds of LA. To start, I have called 2 local family law attorneys who seem to offer family/surrogacy services but I have not heard back yet.

I was divorced in 2016 and my ex-husband and I have 50/50 custody of our 1 child, neither of us is specifically the custodial parent. Throughout the marriage he was verbally abusive to me and extremely manipulative, gave me little access to money and no access to bank accounts. He is extremely obsessed with money and talks about it constantly. He is also very jealous.

He has a much higher earning potential than me; at the time of divorce he was making $80k and I was making $35k annually. Due to this, our divorce/custody agreement says:
CHILD SUPPORT
“Based on the equal amount of parenting time, the Husband shall pay the Wife the sum of $[omitted] per month as and for child support. Said sum represents the different between twenty percent (20%) of Husband’s current net income and twenty percent (20%) of Wife’s net income.”

Basically, my attorney was able to get me 20% of the difference of our two incomes as child support, even though I am not the custodial parent. Since the agreement took affect, there have been changes to our income. I now make about $50k and he makes over $100k, but will not tell me the exact amount or guarantee all income has been disclosed.

This year, I also became a gestational surrogate. In total after the baby is born, I will have received about $48k total from the agency.

I have always been honest with my ex as he often threatens me, because he could “outlast me in a legal fight because he has way more money than me.” I notified him as soon as I got my raise and as soon as I started receiving surrogacy money, because I thought it was income. He then re-calculated the monthly obligations on a spreadsheet and we adjusted the monthly child support payments accordingly. At this stage, according to him, we basically don’t owe each other support and payments have ceased. However, when my surrogacy check are large I have also sent him money because I made more than him that month.

However, I am now getting some information ready for taxes, and it looks like the surrogacy income is NOT taxable, it is considered “pre-birth child support” and I will not be receiving a 1099.

Questions
1. Is he allowed to recalculate child support obligations on the fly or does this have to be done annually through the court or some other way? How can I guarantee he is disclosing all income?

2. If the surrogacy payments are not “income” does he owe me child support that he has not paid, and which was court ordered?

3. He often says he “can’t wait for me to get married again” so that he doesn’t have to pay child support. But, when my mom got remarried, her child support from my dad didn’t change. Is this because my mom was the custodial parent? If my ex or I get married, would we just have to recalculate the obligation in some official way?

Thank you!

Tl;dr: Ex-husband recalculates child support payments on the fly and threatens me if I don’t comply. Says that my surrogacy payments are “income” even though it looks like child support with no 1099. What do?
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer:
 If the court set child support, he can't modify on his own. He'd need to go to court to mod the order, and I doubt they'd modify the order for what is basically temporary/one-time income.

And yeah, child support is independent of your marital status.


Title: Creepy House Solicitor at elderly mom's

Question:
Hello,

I am reaching out to get advice on something that has me really spooked and worried for my mother's safety.  A neighbor from down the street has confronted my mom while gardening and knocked on the door asking some very odd questions.

First, my mom said he walked by and just said to her "dont shoot me, just don't shoot me" and walked off.  Then he came by asking for her, and my mom noticed somebody had been tampering with the front driveway light.

This has me fucking creeped out and a little defensive over my mother's wellbeing.  What are my best options to make sure my mother is safe?

Personal handgun safety course?  Restraining order?  Enhanced home security?

Thanks to anyone wanting to spend the time to read and help out.

Edit: Location is central texas.  Last time I went to talk to the guy he was throwing knives at a tree in his front yard.  I'd like to avoid any confrontations that might exacerbate the situation but if that is the best course I will consider it.

I do believe mental illness is associated and I do empathize.  I am not knowledged or experienced enough to know how best to handle the situation, which is why i am reaching out.

Thanks again..

Answer:
 > What are my best options to make sure my mother is safe?

Go talk to the guy and see what's up.

Go talk to the police and tell them what happened.


Title: would covering a sign be considered vandalism?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 They have every right to put a political message on their sign, its illegal to tamper with peoples property and you would be liable for any damage, civilly and criminally. It also doesn't matter whose property it's on, it's his sign, you cant touch it.

You say you approached him like an adult, I highly doubt that, act like an adult and explain to your kid that everyone is allowed to have their own beliefs and he will see one's he (moreso you) doesn't agree with. You never know, he may grow up to have the same beliefs because he's being raised by someone who thinks its ok to suppress someones opinion.


Title: Parent's divorce and hiding money.[Iowa]

Question:
My mom is reading the writing on the wall, so to speak, and is predicting a divorce from my step-dad. He handles all the money in the relationship (shared accounts) and pays all the bills, but she suspects he's funneling money through his daughter to put some aside in the event of a divorce.

My question is, is this legal? If it is I intend to make an account to do the same. Gotta look after your mom, right? The way we would do this is to direct deposit a small percentage of her pay check into an account that I would be the sole owner of. Still legal?

Thanks in advance.

Answer: No, hiding assets from the court isn't legal.


Title: Parents took my 19 year old sister's phone away, using easeus to grab her deleted texts/pictures, anything we can do?

Question:
Basically I think my parents are being a bit crazy right now, they caught my sister sneaking around with a guy when shes not suppose to, and now took her phone and are using a program named "EaseUs" to grab her deleted texts/images, I'm sure she has private images and I think this is fucked up. Is this even legal?

Location: Western New York.

Answer: Who pays the phone bill? Who paid for the phone?


Title: Roommate surprised me, might be homeless soon.

Question:
I moved into a rented condo with a former coworker nearly 18 months ago after her then roommate moved out. Neither one of us really wanted to be roommates, but i needed a new place and she needed a roommate so it worked out. The condo is under her name only and I have never read the lease agreement. When i first moved in she was under a 1 year lease, but that ended months ago and since then we have been paying month to month. I've been around when our landlord has come by to do maintenance, but I have never formerly been introduced to him. It was a pretty informal arrangement. I just paid her cash for my half of the rent/utilities every month and she would handle the bills.

So this Thursday (May 17th) , she sent me a text saying she and her boyfriend were beginning to look at places and were planning on moving in together. She said she was looking to move within the next couple of months and that she was letting me know now so i could make my own plans to find a new place. Awesome, no problem, I thanked her for letting me know.

However, now it seems she plans to move into a new apartment in mid June and if she does that will be moving out of our current condo at the end of this month (May). Essentially, only give me 2 weeks to find a new place to live and/or new roommate (I can't afford to live on my own). I've been trying to find someplace/someone, but so far it is looking like I wont be able to in time to pay June's rent and will be forced out, leaving me homeless.

I feel like a fool for trusting this person (we had a verbal agreement when I first moved in that we would each give the other as much notice as possible when we decide to move out) and have been blindsided. I know it's doubtful, but is there anything i can do to give myself more time so I can find a new living arrangement before I become homeless? I feel like im just screwed and powerless. The state is Florida btw.

Answer: Has she given notice to the landlord that she intends to leave? She is on the hook for rent for whatever the notice period is (probably 30-60 days).Answer #2: Talk to the landlord. Inform him of the situation, and ask if it is possible that you enter in your own contract with him for a part of the apartment.


Title: Outting a cam model from chaturbate so she gets help to leave that life.

Question: [removed]

Answer:
 Let the girl make her own choices. You may not want that life for her, but it's not up to you.

If it's illegal there you could cause major problems for her now and in the future and there is no guarantee she will stop doing this


Title: Is there a statute of limitations (or something similar) for medical malpractice?

Question:
11 years ago I was involved in a severe accident that left me partially paralyzed.

I recently found out that the doctor who performed surgery on me, did only the absolutely necessary to save my life, but didn’t take any extra steps because I didn’t have insurance. It would have taken him an extra 30-60 minutes to reattach the severed nerves that would have given me a 70%+ chance of making a full recovery, but chose not to because of the lack of insurance.

The question is, Can I still sue? I’m not looking to make any money, I’d just like him to pay for the now hugely costly surgery to repair the nerve damage as well  as the atrophied muscles.

Answer: Location is not optional. Yes there is a SoL on malpractice in most locations but you generally have to show the standard of care was not followed. If this was an emergency situation, then it's likely the standard of care was doing what was needed to save your life, and you are still alive. As malpractice can be extremely complicated you're best discussing this with a lawyer.


Title: Withhold server passwords from employer

Question:
My employer is reneging on his verbal promise of substantial equity. If I refuse to give up server passwords so that I can't be replaced, is there any legal ramification against me?

Also, can I safely use the threat of business collapse in my negotiation? The business heavily relies on me; if I quit immediately, the company will collapse. I would not be actively harming it. It would collapse because I am not actively performing my daily operations.

Answer:
 If the servers belong to the employer, you need to give up the passwords.  It's their property.

If you want to tell them the business will collapse without you, without any statement or even the slightest implication that you will do anything to cause such a collapse, that probably isn't a crime.  It's unlikely to get you anywhere, as most people don't respond to such threats very well, but it isn't illegal.  They could also not take your statement the way you intend and report you to the police for criminal threats or extortion.Answer #2: > My employer is reneging on his verbal promise of substantial equity. If I refuse to give up server passwords so that I can't be replaced, is there any legal ramification against me?

**[YES](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Childs)**


Title: Slander(?) after the death of an infant...

Question:
Location: Ohio. I'll try to make a long story short. A guy I know got involved with a young girl who has a gaggle of kids to several fathers, has a history with CPS, etc. The girl asks him to take and watch her 5 month old over night. He takes the child to his house and checks on the baby at 2am and its unresponsive so he calls 911. The child dies in his care. He was alone with the baby.
In the end the mother is charged with the death even though she was not present when the child died. The medical examiner determined that the child had been abused Friday, Saturday, and Sunday before my friend picked up the child to take it to his house and babysit overnight. The child died 2am Monday morning.
The child's father contacts some dude who is part of Anonymous, Guy Fawkes mask and all. Fawkes takes the info from baby daddy, who is defending the mother, and starts a smear campaign against my friend, posting a lot of stuff contrary to what the medical results showed to be the cause of death. Basically, trying to paint a picture of conspiracy and implicating my friend in the death. From what I can tell, they can't grasp the idea that the child could die from injuries inflicted by the mother hours earlier. If he wasn't in her care she couldn't have killed him, according to them.

My question is, after all is said and done can he take any type of legal action against these people dragging him through the mud online when the facts show he is not guilty of any crime?

Answer:
 Depends on what was exactly said in the comments online. And ofcourse in if he can prove who made those comments.
(But I might proceed in another way, if they posted the comments on a third party website demand that they take those comments down or drag them to court. This might be faster and more effective)


Title: FL Is it legal to be kept from the bathroom?

Question: So this my be a weird question but I wanted to know if it was legal to be locked out of the only functioning restroom in the house for over 15 hours at a time? Thanks

Answer: You need to provide more details.  Is this your house?  Owner or renter?  Why were you locked out?


Title: Reckless driving ticket in VA

Question: Just got pulled over for 83 in a 70 on i-95. I live in New Jersey, I am 18, with one previous speeding ticket in the state of Florida from earlier this year. I have no idea how to proceed forward with this, I’ve done some research and it seems like VA is pretty strict when it comes to speeding violations.

Answer:
 Not only strict, but misdemeanor strict - you'll *need* a lawyer to help mitigate a possible criminal record for this. This is no longer DIY territory.Answer #2: I’m not sure how the ticket can possibly say you don’t have to appear, are you sure you are reading that right?

This is a misdemeanor with the potential for actual jail time.  Now, the odds of that happening are low, but you need an attorney.  Google traffic attorneys in Emporia and hire one.  This is a big deal.  Judge Bloom is likely the judge you will appear before and he is very particular and does not fuck around with this stuff.


Title: [Orange County, CA] I accidentally took the wrong freeway exit, leading solely to a gated parking lot. I was told that I could either back up (straight onto the freeway) or enter and pay the fee. I argued with the gate employee for ten minutes before I finally handed over my credit card.

Question:
The agent had a well-rehearsed script ("I cannot legally advise you to back up onto the freeway, and your only other choice is to pay") and I suspect the parking lot makes a lot of money off drivers who accidentally take that exit.

The exit sign was not clear that it only led to a parking lot.  What recourse do I have?  I got a credit card receipt, so I don't think I can dispute the charge, and it was only a nominal amount anyway.  Mostly I want to prevent this from happening to other drivers.  Is a consumer protection complaint appropriate here?

Answer: What exit of what freeway was this?


Title: Shoplifting at College

Question: I recently got arrested for shoplifting at my schools bookstore. I have to go to the sheriffs office and get a finger print and get a court date+lawyer. My question is, is it possible to deal with this by myself or do I have to involve my parents? I am 18.

Answer: No, you don't have to involve your parents.  But you should involve an attorney


Title: What is the most common motivation of criminals?

Question: What is the most common motivation for criminals?

Answer:
 You realize there are hundreds upon hundreds of different crimes with thousands upon thousands of different motives combining for millions of answers to your question, right? Answer #2: Hold on, let me check my state's criminal statute to see if it says anything about it in the definitions.

Edit: Nope, sorry.Answer #3: Silencing people who post dumb questions to reddit.


Title: Pregnant wife's work threatening her with felonies, but won't say what they are to let her disprove them.

Question:
Throw away account. First time posting, my apologies if I miss any rules. I also apologize if any details I provide are useless, as I have never been in this situation before.

&#x200B;

Nevada, USA resident, working in Nevada, USA. Wife is 23 weeks (almost 6 months) pregnant with our first child. She works in a bank. This bank is having issues with outages from tellers for a while now. However, my wife has not been one with an issue. On Oct. 10th, they "interviewed" her and accused her of stealing the money since she is pregnant, she has reason to want to steal from them. They placed her on administrative leave the next day in the afternoon after having worked near a full day. When she asked why she was being placed on leave, they would not tell her why and that since it was an active investigation, they could not tell her.

&#x200B;

Today (Oct. 16th) she had her second "interview" with 2 more people from the bank that said they knew she was stealing money and that they had "9 felonies" worth of documentation against her and that if they gave that to the authorities, she was going to jail. However, again, they would not tell her what the charges were so that she could explain or disprove them. She even offered to take a polygraph to proof that she has not stolen anything and that she has never taken anything from the bank. However, they said they would not do that since they are not "law enforcement" (I understand that polys are not admissible in court, but shouldn't offering to take one mean something?). They also claim multiple people at the branch she works at have said she has stolen from the bank (we know one of the people in the bank personally from before they were working together and find it hard to believe they would all turn on her, but maybe you just don't know people as well as you thought). They also told her not to talk to any of her coworkers, and the coworkers are not to talk to her either.

&#x200B;

Is this intimidation legal? I suspect that they are trying to get her to quit so that they do not have to pay maternity leave (first 2 weeks, which is a brand new policy starting in 2019). I of course have no proof of this. Though I have heard rumors that they have fired pregnant people before. They have not advised her to get a lawyer, but not sure if they would do that anyways. What legal protections do we have? What recourse? Her being pregnant makes her "protected", does that mean anything here?

&#x200B;

I'm sorry if this is long and painful to read. Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

Answer:
 >  When she asked why she was being placed on leave, they would not tell her why and that since it was an active investigation, they could not tell her.

That *is* why. They told her she was being placed on leave until they completed the investigation.

> However, again, they would not tell her what the charges were so that she could explain or disprove them.

I would guess embezzlement, because that's what she is being investigated for.

> Is this intimidation legal?

What intimidation? The intimidation where they are telling her that they have evidence of theft?

> They have not advised her to get a lawyer, but not sure if they would do that anyways.

Then you definitely should. If you believe that your wife did not steal, then you should consult an employment attorney to review the details of the case.

> Her being pregnant makes her "protected", does that mean anything here?

She can't be fired for being pregnant, she can be fired if they believe she stole. Answer #2: Get a lawyer and don't do any more interviews


Title: 26 year old female with Generalized Anxiety Disorder/Hypochondria/Depressive moods. Need advice with a Request of Reasonable Accommodation form at work.

Question: Hello, I'm hoping this is the right place to ask. I work part time for a great company that has been nothing but good to me. Unfortunately, my anxiety causes me to miss a LOT of work. My supervisor suggested I turn in a Request for Reasonable Accommodation form, it's kind of like a disability form so my disability is on file. Now, my question is, can this in any way hurt me? If I do turn it in, what will it affect? And lastly, what would be a Reasonable Accommodation to ask for? If you need any more info please ask. Thank you.

Answer:
 Here's [the EEOC's guide.](https://www.eeoc.gov/policy/docs/accommodation.html)

Reasonable accommodation is a legal term that lawyers spend careers on.  This usually means something like giving you a chair instead of standing, or not allowing peanuts on your floor.

If you have a reasonable accommodation that would work with your disability, like a bigger computer monitor or something, employers will usually work with you.  You seem to want to show up when you feel like it, so I don't understand what accommodation you are asking for.


Title: I left my ex-boyfriend to pursue work in another state. It's been 4 months and I still don't have my stuff. What do? (Left OH, moved to FL)

Question:
I think I don't have legal recourse at this point without much documentation, but I figured I might as well ask.

I graduated from university with my bachelors n May 14. I left the next day for Miami, FL. My ex-boyfriend and I had lived in the same apartment for 2 and 3/4 years or so, I asked him to take care/ship the rest of my stuff whenever either of us was able to financially. The lease was up to July 31, I had payed the rest of my half of the rent and assumed he would handle the rest of the electric bills after I left.

He soon after enacted limited contact with me. Last we had a full conversation, he said he packed up important stuff and donated the rest, and said it was going to be stored in his mother's basement. Since then he has ignored most attempts at contact, and has responded in scare, uninformative texts. Last he contacted when I suggested that an old friend of mine take the stuff off his hands so they can ship it for me, he said he'd have to talk to his mom.

I have since offered to pay off the rest of the electric he still owes (particularly because it's all under my name and I don't want it going to collections) if he arranges a time for it to be taken off his hands. No response.

At this point I'm starting to fear that my stuff has been thrown away, and if not now, then eventually so. I would ascertain that the value of the stuff that was to be sent to me was about 300$, but I have no documentation backing this up.

If it means anything, after I left I signed a document from our apartment complex that was a letter of assignment stating that I released all rights to the security deposit and all other monies and all potential legal action against the complex, which I don't particularly mind, but I'm including this just in case there's a correlation I'm not realizing.

In short, I'm at my wit's end, what can I do legally, if anything at all?

TL;DR ex-boyfriend still has my stuff in another state, I want it back, it's been 4 months. What can I do?

EDIT:UPDATE Contacted his mom, set up a time for pick up.Turns she didn't detest me as much as I thought, or she was thanking God that someone was going to get the crap out of her basement. Leaving up in case of more shenanigans, but for now crisis deflated. Thanks everyone!

Answer:
 > I have since offered to pay off the rest of the electric he still owes

trying to leverage a bill he never intended to pay in the first place isn't a great negotiating strategy.

As to the stuff, you asked him to send it and he agreed.  But that's not a contract.  that's asking a favor.

Your _legal_ options may relate to an LL or prime tenant's obligation to safely maintain a prior tenant's abandoned property.  But even that isn't worth it for you to pursue.  If there even is any recourse under Ohio law.

You need to get on a Greyhound and get it yourself, get a _trusted_ friend to collect the stuff and mail it to you, or pay someone to get it.

Why not start with his mom?  Call her and ask if there's stuff in your basement and whether she'll help you arrange to have it picked up and shipped?


Title: Florida - If I'm "fired" while my notice is put in, can I collect unemployment?

Question:
So I put my notice in at work. Things are a little tense right now. My plan is to lay low, and just leave quietly on my last day, basically trying to salvage the charred remains of the bridges I had with my bosses.

But hypothetically, if I'm fired for a reason that would normally qualify me for unemployment in this state, is "two weeks notice" something that's legally defined as something that would disqualify me from unemployment?

I'm in Florida.

Answer:
 Two weeks notice is just a courtesy. It neither binds the employer nor the employee.  If the employer fires the employee prior to the employee's scheduled resignation, then that employee is fired, even if he or she intended to voluntarily quit at some point in the near future.Answer #2: Unemployment appeals Representative here.

Many employers make the mistake of firing someone during their quit notice period. This takes the burden of proof from the quitting person and places it on the firing employer.

If the reason for firing is, we don't need you now you put in your notice, this leads to qualified for UI benefits because turning in a notice is not misconduct connected with the work.

The issue is pay. If an employer sends someone home for the remaining duration of the notice, and pays normal wage for the whole duration, it is still a quit. Otherwise, the burden shifts to the employer who typically cannot show misconduct under quit notice circumstances.

Good luck!
Answer #3: *x* weeks notice are in no way binding, (unless otherwise stated) they are just a formal address to your employer of your intention to quit. A courtesy.

You can rescind it at any time usually, and can indeed still be "fired" during that period.


Title: I bought an online order from a US retailer that was mispriced. They sent it to me, and now they want me to pay the difference. Help!

Question:
I recently purchased a fairly large quantity of a special type of screw from an online retailer. There was a pricing glitch, and the screws were listed at $0.00 each. I figured I could use them for a project I was working on, so I thought "hey, why not try ordering it and paying shipping to see if it works". I placed an order for the amount of screws I needed, and it went through. I paid through PayPal, and got an invoice with the quantity and the $0.00 price. Then, two days went by and my card was charged for the $14 shipping and I received a shipping notification with tracking info. Several days later, I received the items and didn't hear anything from the seller.

&#x200B;

It has been 17 days since the order, and this morning I received an email from the retailer. Their representative basically said that they had a glitch and the actual total should be somewhere around $744. Then they sent me a PayPal request for the money. I have already used the items and cannot simply return them, but I also really cannot afford to pay that much for this order. I figured that after they shipped them, the retailer was choosing to honor their price and live with their error. Also, if so much time hadn't passed, I might have been able to return them unused, but now that's not an option.

&#x200B;

What rights do I have as the buyer? Do I have to pay the PayPal request or should I deny it? I have not responded to the email or the request yet, and do not know what is the best thing to do.

Answer:
 A clear pricing error (such as an item being listed at $0) will never go in your favor. You may be able to argue a deep discount if the item was listed for a lower price, but listing an item for free is **clearly** an error.

> What rights do I have as the buyer?

You can either pay for the items or return them.


Title: Was robbed at gun point at work

Question: About a month ago we were robbed at gun point at work(I work at an auto parts store) around 4 pm. I was robbed for 100 dollars, out of my own pocket, along with one other coworker and whatever the register had. The whole time the manager was in the back hiding his wallet and other personal belongings. After the thief left the cops showed up about 1 minute after. After about 1 more minute customers started walking in and my manager, instead of following procedure and locking up the store he proceeds to tell us to start helping customers like if nothing happened. He didn't even offer us to go home for the day. He said we would get reimbursed and after about a month I heard back nothing so I contacted our district manager. He then just said "If you come to my house and someone robs you would you ask me for the money". He still helped me contact or loss prevention guy and he told me that we wouldn't be getting reimbursed because we shouldn't  carry money on us(even though there is nothing that says that in our policies). I then called HR and they told me that I wouldn't get reimbursed either. I've been told to contact a lawyer but I don't even know where to begin.

Answer:
 Your recourse is generally with the individual that robbed you, not your employer.

Does your employer have any kind of insurance (like commercial crime insurance) that might cover this event?Answer #2: Your manager sounds like an idiot, but unless the store was negligent in some way, why would your personal funds be reimbursed? They're not responsible for that.