Title: I am being targeted and harassed by a band's management and another fan. What can I do legally?

Question:
Hello! I’m hoping to find some legal advice on my current situation. It’s very long and involved but I’m going to try and make it as brief as possible.

I’ve been a fan of and following around a major band for 9 years now. A long while before they reached their level of popularity, I created a fan website for them since there wasn’t one. Unfortunately, I think this brought some attention on myself that I didn’t necessarily want. I spoke with the band’s management often about things on the website, posting updates, and I even started getting photo passes. During every tour I would request one photo pass for one show but always got multiple and I gave them all of the photos to use for free and approve before I posted them to my website.

There was a girl active in the fan community, we’ll call her Mandy, that went to a show in 2015 and became injured. When she had trouble getting her medical bills paid she sued the band. I didn’t know about all of this until well after the fact when another fan explained to me she was suing the band and getting bullied because of it. This one other fan that told me, we’ll call her Kelly, is the only one who told me about the bullying and Mandy suing, etc. I didn’t know Kelly other than in the fan community. She was another popular blog fan account for the band. I had never spoken to Mandy nor have I even heard of her before this.

In 2016 I continued going to shows like I normally do but things were strange. The people who worked at the venue seemed to “know” me. They watched what I was doing and followed me. I thought maybe I was just becoming paranoid or something as I do have major anxiety issues. Then someone on the venue staff in one city said, “we know who you are, we know all about you” and laughed before walking off and not elaborating. In another city when I walked into the venue they knew my name as I went through security and asked me if that’s who I was. I asked how they knew my name and I could see the guy get pulled aside and reprimanded for it. It was also during this year that I was no longer able to get photo passes. When I asked why it was never explained, so I let it go. I just assumed the band was getting too big.

In 2017 another fan saw my picture being passed around by venue staff. She told a bunch of other fans that I was friends with and made up a lie and said it was because I tried to sneak backstage once and got caught. All of those “friends” blocked me, in fear of being associated with someone the band saw in a bad light. One of the people who blocked me finally told me why (which is how I know the above), so I wrote an email to the band’s management and asked what was going on. If this was true or if this girl was spreading rumors about me. I didn’t get a reply but a few weeks later a person from their management pulled me aside in a very upsetting way. She was very rude to me and said that what the girl said was made up, but I was “on a list” and “being watched” because I had been accused of bullying Mandy. It took me a minute to even register who Mandy was but once I did I plead my case as best as I could. I had never even talked to this girl and she kept saying “well, she has proof”.

After this interaction, I wrote management another email trying to explain my innocence and asked what they needed from me in order to do so. It was hard to defend myself without knowing what I was defending myself against. I received an email back saying that they received my emails but it was a legal matter as Mandy was suing her harassers and they were unable to talk about.

I continued to talk with Kelly about this since she seemed to be the only one who knew what was going on. It seemed like things had died down until in 2018 Kelly sent me an article that Mandy wrote about being bullied by the band’s fans and how the band didn’t care. It really painted them in a bad light. It was a screenshot and in another language, (as Mandy is from Belgium though the ‘incident’ happened in the US). Kelly said she sent the article to management and urged me to as well since it had just come out and they should know about it. I tried to find the original article so I could send a link to it, but the newspaper was for paid members only, so I sent the screenshots. I received an immediate response and they asked what questions I had answered about it to this one Instagram account. I was very confused because I had never talked to that account before and it was then I realized I was being set up.

I sent a message to the newspaper with the screenshot and they confirmed to me it was fake. I emailed management back and explained that with the screenshots from the newspaper and they never replied.

I started doing some digging and I found an old account with the same name and realized that Kelly was Mandy all along. When I confronted her about it she claimed innocence and had Mandy message me from her personal account. Mandy said I was never one of her harassers and she had never spoke with me before. When I asked Kelly about the fake article, all of the accounts blocked me (and the account I supposedly answered questions to deleted).

I guess I was hoping this was somehow now resolved but I was wrong. I saw the band recently and they had a meet and greet with fans. When it came my turn to take a picture with the band, I was quickly ushered out by their security guard. I know him since I’ve met him tons of times and he seemed apologetic but couldn’t tell me why I wasn’t allowed to take a picture with them. I was beyond upset and mortified since this happened in front of the band and all of my friends. I sent an email to management and asked what was going on as what happened was upsetting and embarrassing.

When I went to the actual show later on, I was making my way to my seat when I happened to run across a group of venue staff reviewing a piece of paper. I glanced down and saw my picture on it and stopped. I said “hey that’s me”! Because… how are you supposed to act? The staff couldn’t tell me any more other than it said I wasn’t allowed near “exit or entry points”. I didn’t know what that meant. They were very kind and eventually brought in the owner of the building who looked at the paper and said “she can go wherever she wants to”. I had people with me when this happened, too, and I can’t tell you how awful it was.

I wrote a final email to management since they hadn’t responded and told them what happened. I said that I was going to file a lawsuit if this didn’t get straightened out because I was being targeted and harassed for no reason. The next day while I was waiting in line for a small show, management and the band's bodyguard pulled me out of the line in front of everyone to tell me that it’s because Mandy still says I bullied her. Her lawyer sent in pictures of me with the band from the past and complained those pictures meant they condoned the bullying. The first thing out of her mouth was “I don’t appreciate you sending a threat of a lawsuit to my office. You cannot sue us for anything. There is nothing you could file a lawsuit for” before going into the explanation. She said Mandy’s lawyers sent in “proof” and they have “several sources”. Therefore, I am allowed to go to shows but I am not allowed to take photos with the band. I was so flabbergasted by all of this I didn’t get to ask why my photo was being passed around at every venue then.

The venue staff at the remaining shows I went to were keenly aware of my presence. I was looking for one of my friends and venue staff kept following me around and asking me what my name was. It was so uncomfortable and awkward. I had three more shows coming up that I have now cancelled (and lost a ton of money on) as I don’t feel comfortable going and the friend I was going with no longer feels comfortable being seen with me at shows because of this. It’s literally making me a pariah in the only community I have when I’ve done nothing to deserve it. During this time when I was supposedly bullying her I was getting beat up on a nightly basis by my alcoholic ex which I have documentation for.

I have all the screenshots from everything with Kelly and Mandy. I have PDFs of all of the emails with management. I’m at my wit's end and I feel isolated and helpless. What can I do? Do I contact Mandy and ask who her lawyer is? Do I contact management and ask who her lawyer is? Can I file some sort of suit for defamation of character or emotional distress? This has, unfortunately, affected almost every aspect of my life. If I do file something legally, is it toward management? Or toward Mandy (who lives in Belgium)?

Whatever “proof” she has I assume are doctored screenshots like that article she sent me and I’m hoping they can be disproven with records from wherever she claims they’re from. I’ve been given no information since this is a “legal matter” but I’ve never been contacted or sent anything regarding it. With the way the one manager is handling it and her anger about me sending a threat of a lawsuit to the “whole office” makes me wonder if she’s messed up and trying to save face but I don’t know.

tl;dr A girl is setting me up and claiming I bullied her and is trying to ruin everything I’ve worked for and built and alienate me from my friends and community. Management (or at least one of them that works there) of band this is about is placating her for some reason and letting me take the fall. Can I file a lawsuit toward one of the parties involved? I'm in the US, the incident at the show where Mandy was injured was in the US (Washington). Mandy lives in Belgium. Management is located in the UK but also has ties/offices in the US. Thank you.
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 >What can I do?

It's time to walk away from this situation.  You have no practical recourse here, and even if you did, it would not restore your reputation or force anyone to treat you differently.


Title: Bad paychecks from employer?

Question: I live in Iowa, and work for a company that is family owned. Every week, at least one employee has their check bounce, but it seems like every other week, 5+ employees checks bounce. Most banks in our area will not accept his checks, and we have gone to his bank to resolve the issue and get our money, but they always tell us he has insufficient funds. Personally I have had 3 checks bounce and I’ve only been working there two months. Is there something we could do to fix this? Thanks!

Answer: File a wage claim with department of laborAnswer #2: As well as the wage claim, file a Police Report. It is illegal to write a bad check.Answer #3: Sounds like your company is running out money. File a wage claim, police report, and look for another job. The writing is on the wall and your company is not financially stable enough to even make payroll is a HUGE red flag!!! 🚩


Title: [CA] Can a landlord charge only one apartment unit (out of 5) for capital improvements done to entire building?

Question: I live in Oakland, CA. My landlord replaced the windows and painted the exterior of the building. We are the only unit to which he delivered a notice about raising rent for capital improvements and this doesn't seem right to me. Everyone in the building is enjoying the improvements, not sure why we are having to pay for it and no one else is. Is it legal to charge only one unit for capital improvements done to the entire building?

Answer: After a quick googling it looks like rent can only be increased every 12 months in oakland, CA.  The other tenants might still be inside of their 12 month window, so the landlord cannot start charging them for the capital improvements.


Title: [IL] Man blows through red light, hits me, blames it on me, no witnesses. What do I do?

Question:
The title was basically impossible to come up with. Here's what happened. For some information, this was 5 hours ago and I am 18 years old.

I was turning left into a college to go to work. It's difficult to describe, but it's a 2 lane by 2 lane road known as Illinois Route 2. The speed limit is 65 m.p.h.

For left hand turns, the road that is split by a ditch merges into a turn lane, that's fairly common I believe. I was in the turn lane, and once my light turned green I began to drive. The important thing about that light, is whenever that light is green, you can bet the light controlling the oncoming traffic has been red for quite a bit, to ensure everyone is stopped on the higher speed road. I saw my green light, and proceeded.

I immediately hit the brakes once I was slightly in the intersection, as a car did not stop and blew through the intersection, hitting my car and veering right to where he hit the massive poles that hold the traffic lights.

I immediately pull off the road, and run to check on him. His engine was leaking all sorts of fluids, and I was worried so I tried to open his door, but it was jammed shut. Placing my foot on the car, I was able to pull the door open. We got him out of the car, and I think he had a concussion because he could barely stand and didn't seem to know what happened. He is also a very old man.

While me and another lady who came to help were walking him away from the car, he mentioned something about having brain surgery recently. (I later found out this was about 10 months ago)

We sat him down and he asked what happened, I tried to explain that he didn't stop at the light. A lady next to him looked at me and made cutting motions. Later she said "He goes to my church, the less you say, the better. You won't get very far with him."

An ambulance arrived on scene in just a few minutes, and they put a neck brace on him and loaded him into an ambulance to take him to the hospital. Before he left he told the officer and people around that I had pulled out in front of him.

The cop talked to me and I explained the situation with the lights, and the cop said there's no direct witnesses so he can only compare stories.

This guy is very old, and I found out about an hour ago that he was on multiple brain medications, and was barely conscious while driving. He also reportedly had some form of tube sticking from his head, but I can't confirm that  He's currently in the hospital. I'm terrified he won't make it. His eyes were already bloodshot, I saw blotches of red in them when I opened his door.

As of right now there are no witnesses come forward, and this guy is trying to paint this as me pulling out in front of him. I can't exactly describe it but I'm terrified for his life, but I also earnestly don't believe this is my fault. Yes, my light was green, no, I was not texting, no, I was not distracted. I should have check to see if anyone was still coming, but with how fast the road is it's hard to tell what speed people are moving from stationary looking head on. I put too much faith in the light.

Is this my fault? What can I do to not be charged? How can I avoid him blaming me? I'm honestly terrified right now.

Answer:
 The cops should side with you. The guy is old and obviously very heavily dependent on brain medication. He's clearly got a few screws loose. I'm no law expert, but stick to your story and I'm sure you're gonna need a lawyer, but like I said I'm no law expert so hopefully someone with better advice will help you.

Best of luck to you!Answer #2: The cops should have taken note of the estimated paths and speeds travelled by both vehicles.  If, as you say, he careened off your car and into a pole...then that indicates he was the one travelling more quickly.

When people run red lights...they tend to blow through them rather than stop-and-start.  His rate of speed when the collision occurred is consistent with your story of him attempting to run the red light....which I think is the more plausible story given all the facts.    Answer #3: Here's a good lesson to invest in a dash camera. It is inexpensive and would have made this an open & shut case no problem. I would not worry too much yet. This is not your fault. You're unlikely to be charged if you weren't charged on the scene. Immediately inform your insurance company and let them figure out whose fault it is with comparing stories. Hope for the best!


Title: FCC: "Placing telemarketing calls to wireless phones is - and always has been - illegal in most cases." - What are the exceptions?

Answer: I'd imagine that the same exceptions to the normal do not call list may apply. For example, this doesn't stop you from receiving calls from non-profits, election campaigns, or organizations you've done business with in the past.


Title: WA - Drunk, mutual handsiness with old perv friend suddenly got me an email from my college and a meeting with a sexual assault representative.

Question:
Hello,
While I was still in shock earlier I posted to r/care about my situation, [here](http://www.reddit.com/r/care/comments/2yqcju/advice_got_an_email_from_my_college_about_sexual/) . However I've got a bit more wit about me now and I'm looking for real advice for what may be coming. I have no way of being certain it's her for now, but no one saw any contact between myself and anyone else, between me leaving work and leaving this party.
This quick version is, I have a friend who is known to be highly inappropriate, she came to a party drunk, I had been drinking heavily because of my own issues, and we spent the night either flirting, or her groping people while I was black out drunk with other friends. Eventually she started stripping because I stopped my flirting and I had enough wits about me to say that was enough, and walked her home, which ended in some hand play. The next day when she asked what happened, I gave her an honest response of everything I remembered (I've been a heavy drinker for years after a breakup, I am very consciousnesses of what's going on, even though my decisions are still... whiskey). Every time she has been drunk around me for the past couple years, she yells to everyone that I wouldn't take her on a second date, and that I will never love her because (any reason she could find). I'm hurt that she didn't talk to me about how she felt and instead I have a meeting Monday to share my side of what happened with a campus conduct representative. I currently have five people who were there throughout the entirety of the night, most of whom were sober, who interacted with both of us, writing down what they observed and they all assure me that they think she is in the wrong, but this just feels disgusting and horrifying, and I try not to judge friends but this is a huge emotional mess for me, and I'm trying to figure out how guilty I feel for letting anything happen. I've been a heavy drinker even trashed I've turned down partners, one of the witnesses included. I have not talked to her since, and now I don't believe I should after watching my dad deal with the legal system through a divorce.
Reposted: bot didn't like title.

Edit:
Thanks everyone, for your comments, and sorry for not getting back sooner; this is finals week and this situation has already caused problems with my exams. I started looking into getting a lawyer and had a few numbers to call depending on what happened, and set up a recorder app to get the meeting on campus. I met with the counselor and the department head, and walked in with a stack of statements to her/our behavior that night (as well as a few from in the past). I don't know the details of it, but she freaked out and reported it to the college (how and why was vague), even though she didn't think either of us did anything wrong and didn't want any actions taken. The meeting concluded with the counselor making a copy of my statements, telling me he gets to make the final choice as to if anything wrong has happened and said that I shouldn't worry based on what I brought in, and will be getting a confirmation email soon, and that he's going to talk to her again about what happened and discuss a few sections about her behavior while drinking (and sober, thanks to a few friends who have met her before). It sounds like this is the end of it, and I told the counselor that I am willing to talk to her in the somewhat distant future and that I'm not mad, but that our friendship is effectively done with. I have also asked all mutual friends or anyone who was there that night to not push this topic, and not to be confrontational about what's happened (although anything she did to them at the party is none of my business, as a few of those testimonies had some not-alright stuff while we weren't flirting).
Again, thanks everyone.

Answer:
 1) Didn't read your linked post.
2) Bitches be crazy.
3) Lawyer. The line between school discipline and criminal charges is way too thin to screw around with this. You wouldn't be the first guy wrongfully accused in a situation like this. You wouldn't be the last, either. Talk to the school? Lawyer. Talk to the cops? Lawyer. Talk to your roommates? Lawyer.

Clear enough?


Title: (CA) neighbor's dog killed my pet and badly hurt another. Now I can't figure out if my pets are illegal to own and don't know what to do about it if they are.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Call Animal Control.

Regardless of the legality of your chickens they neighbors dog should not be roaming the street attacking people and animals alike.Answer #2: Sounds like you’re trying to be amicable to your neighbors about their dog’s behavior. Are they apologetic at all? They should be falling at your knees in apology if they don’t want any ramifications. If the dog is allowed to run loose and attacking people (your dad) and pets (the cat, and your hens whether they’re legal or not) then they are liable for a lot of damages.

Definitely make sure about your hens, but whether they’re legal or not doesn’t mean your neighbors’ aggressive dog can run around the neighborhood ransacking people, animals, and property.


Title: Dallas police may have left a voicemail

Question:
I currently do not live in the US, and have not lived there in the last one year. I don't have any active US numbers.

At noon on 3/22/2015, I missed a call from the number (214) 741-xxxx on my Google voice number. The caller left a voicemail "This is Dallas police. Police would like for you to meet them at the Best Western. They're at the location now."

I have never lived in Dallas. I have since then deleted my Google voice number. Should I reclaim my number?

True caller lists this number as "City of Dallas", and many forums list this number to be a 311 number. However, some claim that the number is spoofed by telemarketers. How real is this and what should I do?

Edit: details

Answer:
 >"This is Dallas police. Police would like for you to meet them at the Best Western. They're at the location now."

What? No. That's not a voicemail anyone would leave you.

Ignore them. You live outside the US. If someone from the Dallas Police Department would really want to talk to you? They wouldn't ask you to meet them at a hotel on a voicemail that would be sent through a robodialer.

That's ridiculous.


Title: [TX] Hypothetical: Police pulling people over for "doing the right thing." Required to provide license/registration/proof of insurance?

Question:
[A story from my local news](http://www.fox7austin.com/news/local-news/60486759-story) says police in one of the local counties are pulling people over for "doing the right thing" and "rewarding them" with gift cards. I'm curious to know if one is pulled over in such a case, are they legally required to provide their license/registration/proof of insurance?

While it may be nice to get something for free, if they pull someone over who has warrants but wasn't doing anything that would cause them to legally be stopped can they legally refuse to provide their license?

Answer:
 I don't like this one bit. Maybe you're in a hurry. Maybe you're about to poop your pants. Maybe you just don't want to be bothered. Bah Humbug. Give those gift cards to a charity.Answer #2: Yes, you should provide your license, registration and proof of insurance.  You have no way of knowing at the time of the stop whether the stop has legitimate backing, and the officer isn't required to explain his reasoning to you.

You can later challenge the stop, if you were cited or charged.


Title: Segregation in the workplace (NYC)

Question:
My title might be a bit of a stretch but bear with me. For the past few months in my office, we have been going through anti-racism trainings as a group. I’ll note that I’m more than happy to attend these and accept them as mandatory. However, recently there have been talks about “caucusing” during work hours. For those that might not know, caucusing, in terms of anti-racism, means separating into groups based on being white or a person of color to discuss institutional racism and our roles in it.

I have no issue with the caucusing itself. If my company wants to require this during work hours, so be it. Sounds a bit iffy to me legally but I’m not entirely sure.

The issue for me is that they’re now toying with the idea of requiring caucusing for white people but not people who identify as a racial minority.

So my question is twofold. 1. Is it legal for my company to mandate caucusing in general and 2. Is it legal for them to say only white people have to attend these meetings?

Answer:
 Bloodbath in these comments...

The short answer is that the NYS Human Rights Law is the controlling authority here. It is illegal to discriminate against an individual on the basis of race (including being white) in compensation, providing training, or in terms of employment.

The more complex question is what harm, if any, does this policy cause that would be the basis of a legal action? This depends a lot on the specifics of your job. For example, if you were paid hourly and not being paid for that time, if you were prevented from attending trainings or other opportunities for advancement because of the time spent in these mandatory activities, or if these activities meant you had less time to complete the same amount of work on those days.

It depends a lot on your duties and how these activities are treated by management.

If you are concerned, you could try speaking with someone at the city's Commission on Human Rights.Answer #2: I am quite confident that if they require white people to caucus but not minorities then that is illegal.


Title: Artwork made at work, off the clock.

Question:
So Im the Forman at a metal art company, and I’ve made a few very high end art pieces at the shop. But off the clock(all after hours or otherwise clocked out). They are all currently being displayed in the showroom at the shop.

Here’s the kicker, the owner is seemingly loosing it. I think the company is on borrowed time, he’s been taking money from people and not starting there jobs etc. basically I can’t trust him anymore. I’m planning on leaving, but I’m freaking out about him not wanting to give me my art.

Question is, the artwork I made is mine correct? He will probably say I can’t have it. At that point what do I do? Can I call the police? What do I say?
Topic:
Intellectual Property

Answer:
 Location might be relevant.

Whose tools and materials did you use to produce this art?

Does any part of your job consist of creating art?


Title: Popular amendment

Question: Just a question that would need advice. Could citizens vote on a national level for an amendment to be added to the Constitution? Similar to how a proposition could be created and added as a law on the state level per voter approval?

Answer: [Here is how the U.S. Constitution can be amended.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitutional_amendment#Federal_constitution)  It was but a two second google search away.


Title: [PA, US] My car was towed from my apt complex parking lot by a different apt complex. Take to small claims?

Question:
I believe my car was wrongfully towed from the apartment complex I live in, as ordered by the adjacent apartment complex. Here is the basic timeline:

Sat 23rd - Snowstorm Jonas.
Sun 24th afternoon - Contractor is plowing our lot, I move my car to the adjacent lot, leave it there until...
Wed 27th - On my way to gym, find a warning slip on my windshield to move my car or be towed, come back from gym and park in my apt's lot.
Sun 31st (today) - I realize my car is missing (I work from home, I don't get out much).

I called my landlord, she said she didn't tow it. I called the towing company listed in the other adjacent complex's lot. They have it, and they towed it on direction from the adjacent complex. I neglected to ask them when they towed it or from which lot. My landlord was supportive, called the towing company to tell them they have no right to tow off of her property, and recommended I call the police. I called the police and told an officer that my car was in the adjacent lot for a couple of days, got a warning slip, and then was moved to the appropriate lot. Officer gave me a little grief because I couldn't remember exactly which parking spot I came back to in our lot. I told him the open spots changes every time you come back to the complex. Officer called the towing company, then called me back. Officer told me that the towing company said that they towed it on Monday in the presence of the owner. Officer also told me that this matter will have to be settled privately between me and the landlord and/or towing company. I hung up and thought wait a minute, that is not possible, because I was at the gym several days after that! I called up my gym, and they indeed have proof of me being there on Wednesday the 27th. The gym is not in walking distance. So I think the towing company is lying. Is it likely that they spotted the illegally parked car on Monday, then towed it four days later on Thursday?

SO... Immediate question. Do I go pick up the car tomorrow ASAP, demand a receipt, and then try to work on bringing this to court to be reimbursed? Or do I need to seek legal advice and/or go to a court to get it released?

Then, followup questions: How do I proceed taking something to small claims? Do I need an attorney? Will I be able to walk away from this breaking even? How much difficulty will I have being successful taking this to court?

Technically my car was in their lot for a few days, and although it's not a decent human being thing to do, they have the right to. But are they allowed to tow it when it was not on their property anymore?

Answer:
 Former PA Tow Driver.

Go pick up your goddamned car. Now. 10 minutes ago. A week ago.

Every day you wait, things get more expensive (our fees were between $50 and $100 a day) and they tick down the clock to being able to auction off your car to pay off the bill.

Go get your car while you may still be able to afford it, and deal with the legal and financial stuff afterwards.


Title: Wife was let go after requesting a medical leave.

Question: Just like the title says, my wife requested a medical leave for mental health treatment. They denied her and told her its in their best interest to let her go. She worked there for approximately 2 months. They asked her to write a letter of resignation. She refused to do that. They told her she declined short term disabilty. Im not sure how any of this goes so we are asking for some guidance on the issue. This is in Ohio if it matters.

Answer: She hadn't worked there long enough to have the right to take time off for that reason. She should file for unemployment and look for a new job.  If she declined STD insurance when she was hired then that wouldn't be available. She should check her pay stub to see if she is having a deduction for that.


Title: Gaurdian of estate

Question: Ok so my parents passed away when i was 14, so my aunt and me went to court and set her as my guardian of estate, someone who i didnt want to dictate my money, i got money from ssi i beleive, every month after my parents passed, but i didnt see any of it, i didnt use any of it, and as far as i know none of it was spent on me, and im 19 now struggling on my own, and that money would benifit my well being and carrer but, i still have not even got 5$ of it. Can someone please tell me if this is right? Or if theres some way i can obtain atleast some of the money, i really dont want to get the law involved on my family but every second alone seems to point me in that direction.

Answer:
 Why do you believe none of the money was spent on you? If you lived with your aunt for four years, presumably she spent money feeding and housing you.

If the money was SSI and she was your representative payee, she would be required to account to the Social Security Administration annually about how it was being used for your benefit. If you are still supposed to be receiving it, but are not living with her any longer, you can contact SSA/OIG fraud hotline and file a complaint about the misuse of your benefits.

http://oig.ssa.gov/what-abuse-fraud-and-waste/misuse-benefits-representative-payee


Title: Got sued, can bankruptcy discharge the amount sued for?

Question:
Hi,

This isn’t actually for me, but for someone close to me, let’s call him John.

I’ll keep it short:

John, a realtor, got sued by a family he sold a house to for “deceiving” the family about damages to the house that was known to him. John lost the lawsuit and has to pay $100k to the family. If John files for bankruptcy, will the $100k be discharged?

Answer:
 > If John files for bankruptcy, will the $100k be discharged?

Maybe. Certain types of fraud are exceptions to discharge. The bankruptcy court determines whether the particular debt is an exception. A second trial might be needed to determine that.


Title: [CA] Are the posts here covered under the law of privilege, or can they be used against the maker?

Question:
[California, USA]

In other words, is this a safe place to discuss your legal issues, or what you say can be used against you?

Answer: Everything you say can be used against you. There's no privileged relationship with random strangers on an anonymous message board.


Title: Can school officials get with police and take my phone from me?

Question: So today at school a teacher told the princible at my highschool that I was acting weird and got pulled out of class they searched me theyfound a concerta pill(ADHD MEDS) and called my mom and she ended up telling them who I got it from because she saw messages on my phone asking about it so she knew who it was now I guess their investigating the friend who gave me the pill and they came to my house and took my school issued IPad in hopes of finding the messages but I signed out/deleted my Facebook app, but when they took it they said they might come and take my phone if they can't find anything on the ipad( in which they own). Can they legally come to my house and take my personal cell phone? I am located in Pennsylvania

Answer:
 For posterity:

> So today at school a teacher told the princible at my highschool that I was acting weird and got pulled out of class they searched me theyfound a concerta pill(ADHD MEDS) and called my mom and she ended up telling them who I got it from because she saw messages on my phone asking about it so she knew who it was now I guess their investigating the friend who gave me the pill and they came to my house and took my school issued IPad in hopes of finding the messages but I signed out/deleted my Facebook app, but when they took it they said they might come and take my phone if they can't find anything on the ipad( in which they own). Can they legally come to my house and take my personal cell phone? I am located in Pennsylvania

Holy Spelling, Batman.  Time to do less drugs and more English homework.

The police can get a warrant for  your cell phone, and if they do, they can come and take it.

But since it is *very* likely that your parents own the phone, they could also take it and give it to the police if they wanted to.

Trust me when I say that it's still possible that all the Facebook messages are still on the iPad.  They can also contact Facebook and try to get the messages from them as well.

Legal advice: Talk to a lawyer, stop buying and possessing illegal drugs, stay in school.


Title: I think my brother-in-law is trying to take my sister's kids away but it's a multinational situation

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Tell your sister to go to the US embassy/ consulate and see if they can offer any help. She'll need a local lawyer and they may be able to help her find one.Answer #2: Bringing the kids to the US without telling him will almost definitely be kidnapping. Given that the kids are slovakian citizens, one of the parents is, and they're in slovakia, this is mostly going to be an issue for slovakia's courts. she may get some help or advice from the US embassy.


Title: Got in small car accident and the guy went completely nuts! Threatened me, suing me, etc.

Question:
[IL]Driving home from downtown yesterday around 11 AM and grabbing my gatorade; and it's a blur but i believe this black car tried merging ove to my lane and we clipped eachother really quick. I stop off highway walk out and try shaking his hand and saying I'm sorry, sir.. Don't know what happened."

I asked him if he would like to exchange insurance information and he proceeded to F Bomb me, call me a idiot, saying I wasn't paying attention or some crap. Said he was going to merge over and I wasn't paying attention.

Then tells me after I ask for insurance information exchange he says.. I swear.. "Nope. You are not going anywhere. Think I'm gonna let you go? Nope! Calling the cops. You are getting arrested and I'm suing you. Go back to your car."

I was like huh? So cut off guard by the exchange I said well idk what happened here but.. THen he cuts me off and goes "MY Son in law is the ATTORNEY for this county. Gonna call him." To which I said who my Dad is and he got flustered and said I'll need attorney.

Cop comes, pretty much looks at the damage(a scrape/dent on side of his car and I have light damage); cop kinda just says "uh.. Just exchnage insurance information. And go home." Didn't even bother with the report.

Guy then tells me to give insurance info, cop is lazy and I WAS SMART I would pay with cash so it doesn't get filed to insurance company.

When I calmed down and realized what just happened, I'm deciding not to pay for his chit. He can't prove I was in wrong. And he went f bombing me and threatneed to have me arrested for what?

Thoughts? Should I just fight it? Guy was a total old piece of chit prick and I'm not paying for his scrapes on his car and the way he went after me, it was like he was bullying me into thinking it was my fault.

Answer:
 > Guy then tells me to give insurance info, cop is lazy and I WAS SMART I would pay with cash so it doesn't get filed to insurance company.

I've reread this sentence like 10 times and still have no idea what it says.


Title: Ex-Roommate illegally tried to evict me 4 months ago.

Question:
Title was the situation, basically he had gone and renewed the lease for a year, and did not disclose that piece of information, then, after I had paid rent for the month(we had been living there for a year). He attempted to evict me immediately after he got drunk. Me, understanding the situation, just got the fuck out without trying to fight anything. Now I have $100 invested into the security deposit, and I did not get my full month of rent into the living space, do I have any recourse?

What can I do? Am I past limitations for waiting 4 months?

(I'm in Ohio by the way.)

Answer:
 >  Now I have $100 invested into the security deposit, and I did not get my full month of rent into the living space, do I have any recourse?

No, you voluntarily left when asked to.  You have no recourse to recover rent.

You can ask for refund of your portion of the security deposit.  If he refuses, you may be able to sue him for that.  Probably not worth your time, effort or money.


Title: Request from employer to sign away right to sue.

Question:
IL, USA here.

I received an email from my HR department asking me to sign a document that takes away the right to sue the company over disagreements of federal laws, including title VII the civil rights act of 1964, the civil rights act of 1866, affordable care act, non-discrimination act, and the Americans with disabilities act amongst others.

The document instead dictates that we seek a neutral third party to review and then we both comply with the third party.

As a queer woman should I be worried about signing this document? Or is this a standard employee practice? I have not encountered it before with other employers and feel uncomfortable with it.

Answer:
 Be very, very careful. This is binding and effective (Butcher v. Bally Total Fitness Corp., for one example -- a lawsuit alleging sexual harassment was remanded to arbitration), and is growing in popularity among employers.

Some courts have found that "continued at-will employment" is not sufficient consideration and have struck down these clauses. However, that is FAR from a given. You should assume that if you sign this, it will be bulletproof.

As /u/swalsh411 said, the clause does not prevent a state or federal agency from investigating on your behalf. However, keep in mind that such an investigation will move very, very slowly, and may not result in any compensation for you.

You'll need to consider why your company is asking you to promise never to sue them, even if they break the law. Then you'll need to consider whether or not that's worth finding a new employer over.Answer #2: You don't have to sign it.  If you don't, they may discipline or fire you.  Or they may not care.

Such a thing isn't particularly uncommon, nor is it necessarily a sign that anything is wrong or that they're targetting you.  They're asking you to agree to submit to "binding arbitration", which is becoming increasingly common in the settling of disputes.  There are positives and negatives to such a thing.


Title: Brother is threatening to post a video "exposing" me about my sexual abuse

Question:
I was molested by my grandfather (father's side) when I was a child. I did not post any of this publicly (until now) and only told my mother and her side of the family. Word got around and in 2014, after being told I'm a liar by everyone on my father's side of the family I cut them off. I have not spoken to them.

Recently something happened with my little sister that made her uncomfortable involving my grandfather that was completely unrelated to me. My brother who has always called me a liar along with my dad's side of the family is now harassing my sister and claiming I influenced her and put things in her head. Now he is threatening to post a smear campaign about me regarding my sexual abuse and the incident my sister recently experienced on his youtube. He will use my full name and his most popular video has had over 500k views.

I live in Tennessee. He lives in Oklahoma. Please help me. Is there anything I can do?

Answer: You can go to the police and report your abuse and your concerns about your sister. The statute of limitations may have passed for you, but you should still report it and reach out to a victims’ advocate. Other than that, you can sue your brother for slander or defamation, but the claims have to be untrue.


Title: Hotel saying we must move our wedding date

Question:
My fiance and I have a wedding planned for November, and the hotel we selected for the wedding has an event that was delayed due to Covid-19 and rescheduled to to our weekend. They told us we must move the date or they will cancel the wedding.

We have vendors selected, save the dates already sent out, and plane tickets purchased and really dont want to move the date. I am asking if the hotel is able to force this on us because another event got delayed and rescheduled to our weekend, and if we are entitled to any damages. The rest of this post is the legal stuff.

The contract we signed has two parts that seem important:

Cancellation: In the event of a group cancellation occurring 180 to 269 days prior to arrival, liquidated damages in the amount of 75% of the minimum total revenue will be due, plus applicable taxes.

Impossibility:
The performance of this Agreement is subject to termination without liability upon the occurrence of any circumstance beyond the control of either party - such as acts of God, war, acts of terrorism, government regulations, disaster, strikes, civil disorder, or curtailment of transportation facilities - to the extent that such circumstance makes it illegal or impossible to provide, or for groups general to use, the hotel facilities. The ability to terminate this agreement without liability pursuant to this paragraph is conditioned upon delivery of written notice to the other part setting forth the basis for such termination as soon as reasonably practical - but in no event longer than 10 days - after learning of such basis.

Thank you for any help you provide!

Answer:
 It doesn't seem like they have grounds to terminate the contract, according to the section you posted. Ask them which section of the contract allows this. If they cannot, ask them what kind of financial compensation they offer.

If covid is still active in November and they are forced to stay closed, that would be a different situation.


Title: (UK) My wife is an abused, overworked and underpayed surgeon, are the NHS breaking the law?

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Honestly, you guys should move to Aus or NZ.


Title: Please help me

Question: I am 15 years old and recently my family has been treating me very poorly just because of my sex. I am a female. As i keep getting older they keep trying to take away my rights as a person. You might be thinking “oh, this is just another white girl who thinks the world revolves around her!” No! I am not narcissistic..(not to a certain degree, i am not). Anyways recently my family and i went on a holiday to Malaysia. While i was there i received a lot of negative feedback on the way i dress, act and present myself as a ‘young woman’. I wasn’t really affected by it since i knew there was a difference of culture. But while i was there i was harassed by my own family (great uncle, aunty and mother) just because they thought i was presenting myself very poorly. They hit me with wooden sticks. Tied me up. Locked me inside a storage room. And even threatened to kill me several times. I have mostly healed physically, but I’m not really sure about my mental health. I keep having flash backs to the moment i was getting harassed. There were so many bystanders at the scene and no body thought to contact the police. I felt very depressed for the longest time, although i not its not sever. Anyways i did not keep record of my bruises because my phone was broken by my aunty at the time. I did not know who to contact! My family is very homophobic and sexist towards me till this day. I have thought of running away countless times but i know they will just file me as a missing person. Please help me. I don’t know what to do. Oh and my mother told me not to even try calling the police because she would just murder me if i tried. Please help me. I don’t know what to do.

Answer: Another way is to talk to your school counselor. They may be able to call the police and there may be a protocol in place at the school for this type of situation.Answer #2: start keeping a journal of everything. i mean everything. in a notebook or online, somewhere where you feel safe keeping it. that’s gonna be important. write everything you wrote above but in more vivid detail and if there’s anything that you didn’t say above write in there. not saying your gonna need evidence or anything because i’m no lawyer, but it’ll be really helpful if the time comes where you need it.  and please start taking pictures of the hit marks. i’m so sorry this happened to you. please do everything as safely as you can, but you need to remove yourself from this situation. it’s not safe anymore. Answer #3: What is your home country and state?Answer #4: If there is a deactivated phone around you can still use it to call 911.


Title: I am stateless and I need help understanding how to travel to Canada or the US

Question:
Good day me lads. As ye behold I have been taught English by pirate and me knows not where this is going, arrr.

So let me keep the long story short. I live in Kuwait and I am stateless and the kicker is that kuwait is a non-signatory to the 1954 convention on the reduction of statelessness so there goes that.

I will be done with my studies in 3 years and planing to go to Canada and live there but not sure how to go around the first step. The state issues a not so good passport that I may or may not get that Canada may or may not accept.

That passport aside, is there any legal workaround or am I fucked? The stress has been eating at me and I would really like to know an answer.

Thanks for your time and hopefully I can get some hope filled answers.

Answer:
 How and why are you stateless?

You can contact an embassy and ask them, but it seems likely that you're out of luck and will probably need to pick up citizenship somewhere first.


Title: Fired from current position after an interview (NY)

Question:
I recently had an interview at a new company. At the beginning of the interview, I let the woman conducting the meeting know that my current employer was unaware that I was considering other employment, and to please not contact them. She agreed.

During the interview, the owner of the company, against my knowledge and without my consent, took a photo of me, and sent it to my boss. This led to my termination from the company. It clearly states in the employee handbook that I may hold a second job, as long as it does not conflict with my current schedule and work responsibilities.

I'm wondering if I have legal grounds for a lawsuit against this woman, and possibly my former company for wrongful termination.

Answer:
 No. She had no legal duty to not tell your old company you were looking for a new job.

Your company could fire you for any reason (other than membership in a protected class and a few other things that don't apply here) including seeking other employment.


Title: Husband’s baby mama is crazy

Question: I’m seeking advice in what to do against my husband’s baby mama. Shes been accessing his Facebook for at least 10 months without his knowledge or consent. She’s now trying to blackmail us by saying she’ll go to the cops with screenshots of texts between the two of us about smoking weed(totally legal in my state) if he doesn’t sign over custody of his daughter. She’s also threatening to send very private photos I’ve sent him to both of our families. What exactly can I do about all of this?

Answer:
 Save all communications and take them to the police.

Also change passwords on everything. If she has access to Facebook she may have access to other stuff too. Better safe than sorry.


Title: British friend has been collected by ICE due to gold-digging wife.

Question:
My British friend was picked up by ICE because his wife of 6 months wants all he has, even his clothes. He is a great guy who doesn't deserve this.
She pulled his natrulatizaton papers, his visa was expired and she called so it would be easier for her to claim his money and things. He has considerable money.
He is at fault for not renewing his visa but this is coldhearted. Immigration says that  he might be able to bond out.
My question is what can we do to help him protect his property and get him out of detention?
He was detained in northern Mississippi and is currently being held in Louisiana.
Thank you. I can give additional details if needed.

Answer: You can get him an immigration attorney and a divorce lawyer. For a 6 month marriage she is unlikely to get much of anything, with the exception of him getting banned from visiting the US for 10 years.Answer #2: You can get him an immigration attorney


Title: So I followed my guardian today and found out that hes doing some shady shit. When I confronted him about it he threatened to kill me.

Question: Title. I packed all my stuff and left the house. What can I do about this? I am in canada

Answer: Call the police.


Title: Is it mine yet?

Question: I bought an expensive three piece sectional couch. They delivered the wrong combination of pieces. After 10 weeks the replacement pieces arrived. When the new pieces were delivered, they did not take the original pieces back. They have not contacted me about them. Its been 2 weeks. How long until they are mine?

Answer: They are yours as soon as you pay for them.


Title: I wrote a piece of legislation for my NY State Senator and it is likely to be introduced. How do I get credit for writing it?

Question:
I wrote legislation regarding the opioid epidemic in New York State on behalf of my non-profit organization. Although this is meant to be a humanitarian deed, I do see myself in the future being involved with politics so having my name connected to what I've written would be extremely beneficial. Besides my own gain, it would help my NPO help more people suffering with reputation for policy making and advocating.

I'm unsure of how this can be done and couldn't find any legal resources to help, but I'm hoping someone here can. :)
Topic:
Constitution

Answer: You can tell people you drafted it, but legislation doesn't have a by-lineAnswer #2: You can ask the Senator if he could mention you or your group, but legally it is very unlikely you can force him to. Trying to do so may sore him from even introducing it.


Title: Someone took a picture of me in public, made a painting based on that picture, and sold the painting all without my permission. Is this legal?

Question: Located in Wisconsin

Answer: Yes.


Title: Pretty sure I’m inheriting some money soon, but my family is being shady?

Question:
USA/Puerto Rico

So my grandfather passed away, and my mom has also passed.

My moms siblings contacted me saying that they need me to send them my birth cert and write a letter authorizing my grandmother to make decisions on my behalf so that they can move forward and distribute some sort of balance on my grandfathers “account”.  They said I’d be compensated by money order. I asked them for paperwork but they won’t provide any.

Im assuming this has to do with a will that exists regarding my grandfather. It sounds to me like they are being shady but maybe I’m just being paranoid. Regardless I’m an adult and don’t want anyone making decisions on my behalf.

Also I sent a letter to their attorney stating that I’d like to be contacted directly with regard to any matters involving me because I haven’t been able to get the attorney on the phone.

What do you guys think? Is my family being shady or no? And should I keep dodging my family’s calls about the letter of authorization they want until I speak with the attorney?

Topic:
Wills Trusts and Estates

Answer:
 You are likely the subsequent beneficiary to your mother, and likely receive what is coming to her.  I’d continue trying to contact the lawyer for details.  I would not provide a PoA without knowing what for.  Now, it is legitimate that all funds go to your grandmother until she passes and then you and your mothers siblings receive an inheritance Answer #2: Don’t send anything. Wait for the attorney, get a copy of the will. Answer #3: Very shady.  If it's any significant amount of money, get your own attorney.

"Their attorney" is the opposition at this point.  Don't take legal advice from the opposition.  Get your own attorney.

There's not a system for inheritances that watches what people are doing.  The people who end up in control of the estate have a lot of power.  If you think something bad is happening you have to go to court and start asking questions.


Title: How is aspergers in terms of Criminal justice? Is it a valid defence?

Question: People with aspergers ( a form of autism) are increasing in number. How good is this as a defence? I think people who commit minor crimes due to Aspergers  should be let go. They are not cognizant of social mores sometimes and are handicapped. In this regard

Answer:
 In the US there are people with much worse disorders doing lots of prison time.  The standard for not guilty by reason of insanity is pretty low -- essentially did the person know right from wrong.Answer #2: > How good is this as a defen[s]e?

It's terrible.  It may also be unlikely to garner any sympathy in sentencing either.

>They are not cognizant of social mores sometimes

Seem like then they need to do more reading and memorization to protect themselves.  If you travel to a foreign country you should read up on the local laws you are about to run afoul of -- if you cannot read a room you should prepare ahead of time to have a better idea of what you will encounter in any rooms you happen to be in.

Answer #3: It's not a defense.

The closest defense to it is the "insanity" defense, which rarely works and requires the suspect to be unable to tell right from wrong.  People with aspergers are still responsible for their actions.


Title: [MO] I'm buying a house that has had lots of work done since it was built in the 80s. I just found out no permits were filled for any of the work. Is this a legal risk?

Question:
This is in central Missouri, if that matters. The house was built in the early 80s,andthat's the last time any permits were filled. Since then, the basement was finished, a deck was added, an additional breaker box was installed, etc.

I'm worried that I'm going to get hit with some sort of legal fine or something. Is that possible?

I'm not as worried about safety, as I'm having a whole army of inspectors come through.

Answer:
 Chances are you will be ok until you file for a permit. At that time the old work will need to be made compliant and documented. I would suggest checking with code compliance before closing just to see if there is a current violation Answer #2: You need to check with your local city and county building inspectors to find out what your legal obligations might be. Also make sure you are there with the inspectors, and ask any and all questions during the inspection.

I would not close on this house, unless all issues are resolved to your satisfaction with the seller first.Answer #3: See tallcady's response.  I'm in a different state than you but when my mother sold her house she had this issue.  Short version, she bought the house in the late 80's that had a bunch of work done without permits.  It wasn't an issue when she bought it because she didn't bring it up.  However, when she sold the house a few years ago she had to bring all that electrical and plumbing work up to code before the buyers would close.

Hope that's helpful.


Title: Is it a threat to tell someone you know where they live?

Question: Especially if it was someone you didn’t know, and they didn’t ask you beforehand?

Answer:
 The thing is, it could be a threat or not. It could imply extortion or not.

"I know where you live, and I'm going to report you to the police." Without more? Not really a threat (at least, not a threat of unlawful activity). But, is it, "I'm going to report you to the police if you don't [pay me money] [perform sexual favors] [assist in my conspiracy]"? Because then it's extortion--corruptly forcing someone to do something.

Context matters.  Liberalism only goes so far.  "Forgive me father, for I have sinned" is not the same as "Daddy, I'm sorry, I've been a naughty little girl."


Title: People keep coming in sick and spreading disease even though they are well aware they’re ill.

Question:
Hello reddit! (Don’t know if this fits here but I think it should) For starters, I am 17[F] going to school in the greater boston area in MA.

Recently, (as in this year) our school has implemented this this new absence rule, in  it’s gist: if you’re absent more than two times in a class you’ll earn an incomplete.

Now, they’re are a couple of ways to excuse your absence, -going to the doctors and getting a note -going on a family vacation and sending proof of that

Because of this, SO MANY PEOPLE are coming in seriously ill. I mean seriously sick. The flu has spread around multiple times, every morning it’s a parade of feeling foreheads and pooping dayquil. It’s bad.

Now, I pride myself on being a hygienic person, and I haven’t come to school sick. (Luckily my moms a doctor so her word is good enough for the schools apparently).

Is there anything I can do to prevent people from coming in sick? This is getting ridiculous.
Topic:
School Related Issues

Answer: You can speak with the administration or school board about your concerns and ask them to revise the policy.


Title: Child Custody - My sister should not have it

Question:
My sister (18) and her boyfriend (19) share a child here in Michigan.

We'll call her C and him A.

They were dating for several years, but just broke up about 2 weeks ago. She broke up with him, but is still trying to control who he talks to, still logging into his social media to spy on him, etc.

Pre/ during the breakup, she was very unclear with him, and made him think there was still a chance to fix things and be together. So he would call, ask her when she was coming home, drive her to and from work, etc. She is now claiming that he's been harassing/ stalking her even though he has screenshots of their conversations where she has initiated convos to ask for rides, money, etc.

She's now escalated to blackmailing him - she wants his car and money, and she's holding their child as leverage. She said she filed a police report against him for kidnapping her (C) - even though she asked for a ride home from work - and assault. The assault is... dumb. While he was driving down the highway, she said he needed to drop her off right there on the side of the highway. He said, "No, I'm not leaving you in a dangerous place. I'm bringing you to your mom's." She opened the door of a moving car (~70 MPH) and attempted to jump out. He grabbed her arm to pull her back in the car.

Please tell me what's going on here from a legal standpoint. My sister has my mom convinced that A is abusive, which I do not in any way believe to be true. She went and filed for custody today and said, "If I so choose to call the police, you will go to jail."

I believe he should have full custody of their daughter. The daughter already lives with him full-time anyway.

Answer:
 > While he was driving down the highway, she said he needed to drop her off right there on the side of the highway. He said, "No, I'm not leaving you in a dangerous place. I'm bringing you to your mom's." She opened the door of a moving car (~70 MPH) and attempted to jump out. He grabbed her arm to pull her back in the car.

Whats this story from her POV? Cause if true, you need to get your sister committed cause she was attempting suicide. Methinks you are missing some facts. Honestly...nm, whats her side of this story.


Title: Landlords going through divorce, tons of issues now happening (FL)

Question:
Hey guys! Just a heads up, this is for my parents, not myself. They're currently living in Central Florida.

My parent moved into their current house 4.5 months ago after renting at the same place for 18 years (crazy). Their current landlord is a longtime friend of my dad and had an awesome deal on a house he rents out. My parents moved into the house in late December 2016. 2 months into the lease, the landlord and his wife starting the divorce process. They co-own the house together. The wife wants the house my parents own, to move into after the divorce process is completed. That's been a known fact and my parents were ok with moving after the lease is up in December 2017. Last Wednesday, my mom is taking the trash out and comes back to the front door open and the landlords wife inside the house rummaging through things. My mother confronted her and the landlord left, only to come back 3-4 hours later with 3 police officers. The officers knocked on the door and told my parents they have been called out due to squatters trying to occupy the landlords house. My parents show the police their lease and the cops tell the landlord they have a legally binding lease and if she doesn't like it she can take them to court.  The very next day (Thursday) my parents wake up to no power. It's Florida and power tends to go in and out sometimes so they waited a little while and realized when all their neighbors had power, they contacted the power company FPL. FPL says the account has been closed by the owner of the house as she said the current occupiers had left. They explain everything to FPL and FPL has them bring their lease to the office and has their power turned back on. They have my parents a report saying what the landlord did was illegal and gave them everything they could, assuming this would end up in court. The very next day (Friday) my parents get a certified letter in the mail from the landlords wife's lawyer saying they have 7 days to vacate the premise due to a stipulation in the lease. Attached to the letter was a copy of the lease. The landlord had altered the original lease, as well as added an entire new page to it with some stuff stating that the renters could be asked to vacate at any time at the discretion of the landlord with no reason given.

To add to this, the lease was originally done just through the husband and the wife is not on the lease whatsoever.

Basically I'm just wondering how screwed my parents are, or if the landlords wife is going to look nuts in court. My parents are older and disabled, live basically on social security and are stressed beyond belief.

UPDATE :
I was guiding my parents through everything you guys were telling me, and today, the worst possible thing I could think of happened; the landlord committed suicide. We just learned of it about 2 hours ago. Now I'm really not sure where to go of from here.
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 Your parents should cease any communication with their landlord's ex-wife, and should notify the landlord of the trespassing, electricity shut-off, and letter they recieved in the mail.

As you note, the landlord's ex-wife isn't anywhere on the lease, and her wishes/desires have no bearing on your parent's agreement with the landlord. If the ex-wife comes back to the property, you should instruct your parents to call the police to ask an officer come out as there's a trespasser on their rental property.

They also might ask the landlord to re-key the locks as well.Answer #2: Cutting off utilities is illegal, especially when the goal is to force an illegal eviction. Report this to the police. File a complaint for trespass.

> To add to this, the lease was originally done just through the husband and the wife is not on the lease whatsoever.

Your parents should not have signed the lease with just one owner's signature. Regardless the wife has to seek relief in court for the husband illegally entering into a lease. She should have sought that relief as soon as she was aware the husband brought in a tenant. Until the court says otherwise, your parents have a lease and are entitled to live there.

> The very next day (Friday) my parents get a certified letter in the mail from the landlords wife's lawyer saying they have 7 days to vacate the premise due to a stipulation in the lease.

Respond to the lawyer that the lease he has is forged, and provide a copy of the actual lease.


Title: Foster child's biological mother claims child (17) is liable for car loan and other debts. I, legal guardian of said child, am trying to understand the situation better.

Question:
Hello all -

### The situation:
I am the guardian with full powers (Wisconsin Stats. §48.023) of a teenage girl (17, birthday is in fall, let's call her "**H**"). This agreement was granted in the fall of 2013. She was placed with me after she reported her brother was sexually abusing her. He was convicted of this abuse in February, 3 felony charges. Her parents chose to support the brother and were emotionally and verbally abusive to H, so a CHIPS case was created and later closed with a "no contest" plea (in exchange for the chapter 48 guardianship agreement).

1. Prior to coming to live with me, her parents took out an auto loan and purchased a used car for about $8,000. There was a verbal agreement that **H** would pay the car payment every month in exchange for use of the car. When the car was paid off, or she was 18 and could switch the car into her own name (or something like this).

2. When I became legal guardian, an arrangement was made during the appointment of guardianship. A court order states the following:

> H shall pay $200 per month by the end of each month to her parents for use of their vehicle. In turn, Mr. and Mrs. H shall allow her to use the vehicle and maintain insurance on the vehicle. If insurance premiums increase due to H's actions, H shall be responsible for the difference.

3. H has so far paid $200 per month during the entire time she's live with me, totaling $2400. It is a struggle for H to pay this amount of money per month as a teenager. The relationship between H and her biological parents is strained at best, and quickly devolving.

4. The car loan is in her parents name. H did not co-sign on the loan. There are no written agreements regarding H's commitment to this car or the loan with the exception of the order on the Letters of Guardianship (see above). The actual car loan is $154.04 a month according to the statement I have, so the extra $45.96 was supposedly going towards paying off those other debts (but I don't see this recorded anywhere).

5. According to H and some messy spreadsheets sent by H's parents, H also owes her parents money for other items. It looks as though the debt is for about $900 and is for things like gas and car accessories, and a missed payment or two from a period of time BEFORE she came to live with me.

6. I e-mailed H's parents and asked for clarification on the spreadsheets so that I could work with H to pay back these debts. H's mother refuses to explain them to me, so I have no way of knowing whether these are legitimate debts, what the debts are for exactly, and what has been paid on the debts and where the money over and above the car payment has gone.

7. *We want to return the car to her parents and be done with the debt and the connection to her parents.* Her mother is angry. She claims that H will be liable for the shortfall between the car's worth and the loaned amount when the car is returned to the dealer. She also wants H to pay the other debts she owes before H turns 18, or in full when H turns 18.

### My dilemma:

+ I want to do the best thing for H. She is 17, struggling with recovering from sexual abuse and from the abandonment of her parents. She's also struggling to maintain a job or find a job that pays well enough to afford a $200/mo car loan payment.

+ I think she needs to get rid of this debt and the ties to her abusive biological family. Is she legally responsible for the loan, or the shortfall between the car's value and the loan? We'd like to give the car back to her parents and call it a day.

+ Regarding the other debts, I think H should pay them off because that's the responsible and ethical thing to do. That said, I have no idea if these debts are legitimate, and at this point, H's biological parents are using them as a way to hurt H and intimidate me.

## I want to know what H is **actually responsible for** and what I, as her legal guardian, am **actually responsible for**. Also, can she/will she sue me or my foster daughter over this? Should I prepare for legal trouble? Are there other options regarding this car?

**TL;DR** Foster daughter's parents have a car loan on a car that my foster daughter is using. Foster daughter pays $200/mo for the privileged to drive this car. Foster daughter and I want to return the car because she cannot afford to pay that much, and no longer wants to be in contact with her abusive parents. Is she liable for the loan? For the difference between the car's value and the loan amount? For other misc. debts that are poorly documented?

> ---
**_Side Notes:_**
Her mother is angry for various reasons. She wanted to claim H on her taxes, but I had already done this (IRS law gives me that right, she's lived with me for nearly the whole year and I am her guardian). Second, H no longer wants to be contacted by her mother or her husband. In her response to my e-mail seeking clarification about the debt, she said something along the lines of:
> "Since H no longer wants anything to do with me, she's now responsible for the entire balance of the debt in full on her 18th birthday."

> ---

Thank you.
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer: You can try returning to court to have the court order amended to say that she will return the vehicle and will not longer be responsible for the payments.


Title: I lost my wallet with my drivers license and my SSN inside of it. How can I change them?

Question:
I recently went on vacation to Houston TX and somewhere down the road I lost my wallet, which had my Drivers license and Social Security in it. (I'm only 18 and I had no idea where to put my social)
I looked everywhere and called multiple places only for it to not turn up. So it looks like I'm gonna have to get a new license and most importantly, a new social security number. Only problem is, how do I do that? Not even my parents know. I currently live in Dallas TX.

Answer:
 You will not be issued a new SSN for this.

Replace the license and the card, and you can put a credit freeze or fraud alert on your accounts if you want.Answer #2: You’re likely not getting a new SSN, a new card yes but not a new number.

You have to go to a social security office to get a replacement.


Title: [TX] My employer (a gym) plans to reopen on the 18th. I live in a city with rising Covid cases. If we don't work we will be forced to resign. What protections do we have? Would a peaceful and virtual protest with my coworkers be allowed?

Question:
Topic:
Employment Law

Answer:
 It is lawful for the gym to open up.  It is lawful for the employer to fire you.  You can apply for unemployment.

>Would a peaceful and virtual protest with my coworkers be allowed?

Assuming you follow all local laws, this is legal.


Title: I live in the Apt. complex in San Diego,Ca where there was the mass shooting. What are my options?

Question:
Hello All,

I live in the apartment complex where there was a mass shooting yesterday with 7 injured and 1 dead.(https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/01/us/san-diego-police-shooting-peter-selis.html).

We were present during the shooting and are disturbed by the events that unfolded. My rent is a lot and we no longer feel comfortable continuing to live here after the incident. We signed a lease till the end of the year and have been here since late last year. Could anyone share some advice on what our options are moving forward? Could we try to get our rent lowered? Do we have legal grounds to terminate our lease?

Thanks to all that comment

Answer:
 No, you don't have legal grounds to terminate your lease or demand anything.  This has nothing to do with the crime rate, the complex itself, or the landlord.  It was a crazy guy.

You can try to negotiate something with the landlord -- that's about it, unless you're prepared to continue pay your rent, or do whatever the lease says about termination.Answer #2: Was the landlord the one doing the shooting?


Title: [WA] Am I breaking the law? I manage a vendor and seller account on Amazon

Question:
Hi,

For the last 6 months I've worked at a company and recently moved into a online merchandising role. In this role I manage our vendor account on Amazon.

I also manage a third party seller account that as far as Amazon is concerned are not connected. What we use it for is if Amazon raises the price of of our products on vendor we go into the third party seller account and lower there prices so Amazon's algorithm will then lower there price back down to what we want.

I was told by my manager it's legal because the third parties are in someone elses name not with the company and that they gave us written permission to manage there inventory.

tl:dr: using a seller account to manipulate Amazon vendor prices
Topic:
Consumer Law

Answer: Not illegal, but against Amazon's terms of service.  If Amazon finds out, they can close all of the accounts with no recourse.


Title: (New York) Trash pick up company threatening to send paid debt to collections after 4 years

Question:
My wife and i purchased a home approximately 4 years ago and decided to sign up for trash pick up rather than going to the city dump. We signed a contract and paid with cash (i no longer have the receipt, otherwise i wouldnt be posting here). our trash wasnt picked up on thursday as specified in the contract so we contacted the company, they insisted they would send a truck the following day. this continued for a month at which point we called and cancelled the agreement. we didnt sign anything but were given back 80% of what we paid the company, the other 20% was a cancellation fee (not noted in the contract but we wanted to be done). after that i continued to use the city dump and have ever since (i do have paperwork from the city dump regarding my payment to use the service).

Now, after 4 years, the company is calling my wife insisted she pay the whole amount (under $300) and if it isn't made very soon they'll be sending the debt to collections. this is their first attempt at contacting us which i find odd and the woman on the phone is the same one who worked there when we signed our contract. we tried reminding her what happened but she didnt want to hear it and insisted we never paid.

Is it possible she will put such a small amount of debt to collection and if so, will it be difficult to remove from our credit report? I'd hate to have it sit there for 7 years. the amount isnt beyond paying i'd just rather not pay it twice. would my receipt from the city dump be enough to imply that i didnt use their pick up service if i had to argue it with the credit bureaus?

Answer:
 Sue them for the remaining 20% in small claims (sue them for the court fees too). Bring the contract without the cancellation fee. You are suing them on the grounds of payment for services not rendered. Also ask the judge to have their claim of $300 totally dismissed. This will probably end up costing more than it's worth but it will very likely bring an end to the issue, and you get your $60 back.

If they send the debt to collections demand they validate the debt, if they cannot then you can ignore them.

Not a lawyer.


Title: Can I (16m) change my signature when I finally get my drivers license? So far I've only used my signature on my client card for rbc and my learners permit card, but it kinda sucka and it's easy to replicate.

Question: Basically title. My signature sucks, and I'm just wondering if it's possible to change it once I get my drivers license. Then I will also use the new signature to sign my debit or credit card(once I finally get it)

Answer: There is no legal requirement to sign your name in a certain way. You can sign it completely different every time, if you want.


Title: [Please Help] Freight Company Has Lost/Stolen My Freight Shipment- They will not cover the value/invoice of my shipment - USA

Question: A freight company has lost my shipment, which has an invoice of $3,300 dollars, but according to the claims manager they cannot cover anything if the item is a collectible or used. They said they could only cover .10 cents for every pound- which comes up to $150. This loss will basically put me out of business and set me back in my personal finances. Imagine you worked for a month and then your monthly salary/check was lost and would not be reissued- That's a massive set back for me- Is there anything I can do? This is a one month old transaction. Freight company's headquarters is in Atlanta. I'm in CA. Please Help

Answer: Check your contract with the fright company. Most likely you agreed to the $.10 / pound value by declining additional insurance on the shipment.


Title: What if a business had a contest where there was a 'chance' to win a four wheeler and they never intended to giveaway a four wheeler? They only used the promotion to get people into their business. Is that illegal?

Answer: Most states Attorney Generals look into this sort of thing.


Title: My step daughter’s bio mom used meth around my daughter. Court is in 5 days, please help me.

Question:
I apologize if this is the wrong place to post this, I’m just freaking out and didn’t know where else to post.
Long story short, my step daughter is 5, and we had suspicions so we follicle tested her. She tested positive for 653mg of Meth. We called DSS/CPS, got a protective order, and we’re working on getting a good lawyer but it’s taking longer than expected. I just need help figuring out how to better our options as far as getting full custody of the child. What should I be expecting? What kinds of obstacles should I be prepared for? What kind of lawyer would be best for this case? I’ve been told countless times that it’s hard to get a child taken from their bio mom, but the mom has admitted to doing meth since 2016 so we don’t have high hopes of her getting clean and stepping up as a parent. Any and all advice is 100% welcomed. Thank you.

Answer: You'll be fine. That drug test alone is enough that she's going to lose her daughter, rightfully so. Be prepared to get drug tested yourself.Answer #2: Not advice but I’m sorry that your family is going through this. Best of luck in the future.


Title: GF had dental work done last year in FL, now in IL and is being told it was done incorrectly.

Question:
Hi all,

My girlfriend had some dental work done in Florida between 2015 and 2016. Several fillings, some crown work, etc.

We have since moved to Illinois. She was told by her new dentist here that the work was done incorrectly, and needs to be done again. Gaps between fillings and teeth, improper bonding on the crown, all of which could lead to more cavities or infection.

Her cost after insurance for the work in Florida was around $1k, and now she's looking at a similar cost for the work to be redone.

We may seek a second opinion to make sure, but what, if any, recourse is there in this situation? Do we approach the insurance company? The former dentist?

Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks so much!

Answer:
 Contact insurance and let them know about the work the previous doctor did, the new doctor's assessment, and see what they'll cover.  They might ask for a third dentist to assess the work before making a decision, because at this point you cannot tell if either the work was done correctly and this second dentist is wrong, or if the work was done incorrectly and the second dentist is correct.

If the work was done incorrectly, your insurance will likely handle the work of dealing with the first dentist.


Title: Can I use Calvin & Hobbes comics in an commercial newspaper/book?

Question:
Title basically says it all. I am the chief editor of a newly started student (!) newspaper/magazine. I’ve read a lot of Calvin & Hobbes in my days, and many of the comics would fit like hand in glove with some of my articles as well as others. I am also writing a book, which will be sold commercially, in which I am hoping to incorporate one comic.

I know that the Calvin & Hobbes comics are not licensed, and quite famously so. I believe it is because Bill Watterson did not want them to be merchandised. Does this mean that I can use his comics in a newspaper article, commenting on them and showcasing my point, without having to buy the copyright/the right to publish?

Do the same rules apply to the book?

If not, is there another way that I can access the comics, by paying a fee or something similar?

I live in Belgium, but I have a Swedish citizenship, so I assume EU copyright law applies?

I am over 18, yet most of my colleagues are under 18, should that be relevant.

Thank you
Topic:
Intellectual Property

Answer:
 If the original author of a copyrighted work refuses to license that work publishers are not given free reign to publish the works without permission.

Publishing someone else’s copyrighted works without a license is copyright infringement.


Title: Failure to yield to an emergency vehicle (OH)

Question: I pulled into the left lane of an 5 lane intersection with medians to turn left. Across the intersection was a police vehicle with their lights on blocking traffic, they moved to the curb lane of their lane/right of way. The light turned green to turn left and I went. I got pulled over a received a ticket for failure to yield to an emergency vehicle. I only went because I thought he was blocking traffic on his side of the intersection but apparently he was blocking the entire intersection, he wasn't pulled out into the middle or really did not signal that in anyway other than having his lights on. I'm not sure if this is worth fighting or if I would even have a chance as I have no pictures or any proof other than my own words.

Answer: You can definitely fight this ticket, honest mistake. The prosecutor will understand and give you a plead deal. You'll get a lesser charge and pay a smaller fine. Answer #2: Sounds like he was setting up to direct traffic. What'd the cop say when he pulled you over?


Title: ASD legal help

Question:
My nephew (adult) has been falsely accused of some bad things. He was arrested and charged.

Court is coming, grand jury. He is completely innocent, but due to the nature of the false accusation they don't have to have any evidence, just the alleged victim's statement.

He is HFASD. Only recently diagnosed and it explains his reactions to LE. How do we proceed? Is there a legal attorney or studies that can help?

Thanks

Answer: Your nephew needs a criminal defense attorney, preferably one with experience with special needs clients.  He should say nothing else to LE or to anyone about his case without his attorney present.


Title: Jailed for cake?

Question:
A new employee told a customer it was okay to put their Life Touch picture on their cake. I wasn't able to get the customer to do an alternative so I went ahead and made it anyway.

This wasn't the first time something like this happened either. A few months ago, someone told an old woman that she could have her grand kids school pictures (Jostens, I think) on a cake, there was no arguing with her so we did it anyway. We never heard about it since.

How do they found out? When they do, how fast do they respond? I work in a well known grocery store.

I'm really worried about this time, though. Should I start preparing for a life in jail and a loss of all my family, friends, and money? Would I get someone else jailed?

Answer:
 A copyright violation of this magnitude would be a civil, not a criminal matter. It would probably be your employer who is on the hook for it. You'd probably get fired, though.

The good thing about this kind of thing is that the evidence is eventually eaten.Answer #2: You're not going to jail. Nothing is going to happen


Title: Exwife Wants to Enter the House without My Approval

Question: I live in Minnesota and have been divorced for two months. We just sold the house and are closing in early April. My exwife, who moved out of the house almost four months ago is telling me when she wants to enter the house. I have suggested a time that would work for me; yet, she is telling me she will come by when she pleases. Is this considered trespassing, even though she she legally owns the home? Any advice would help.

Answer: No. That's not trespassing. If you both own the home why do you think you have more say than her?


Title: Bought a civic si, turns out to be civic ex.

Question:
OK everyone I don't know how to handle this or if there is any thing I can do about this predicament.

I live in Nova Scotia, Canada!

My gf bought a 05 civic si 5 years ago and has just paid it off.
This SI modle of car has rear drum brakes, but si's don't come with rear drum brakes, so I found that odd, but i said what ever its a decent car. ( don't sweat the small stuff )
I was trying to order brake parts for the car and came up blank, they don't list drum brakes for her si.
So I got my buddie to run the vin and it turns out that the car is a civic ex, a modle down from the si modle.
Now the issue I have here is that am si modle is more expensive then a ex modle. So when she purchased the car in the first place, they charged her more money for a car she didn't get.
False advertising and what not.
I don't really know how to go about this, or if there is anything that can even be done. If anyone has any ideas that would be great.

Thanks.

Answer:
 She didn't do her homework. That year the si was a completely different car than other civics sold in the US. It was a hatchback with a different engine and interior.

> This SI modle of car has rear drum breaks

Not according to edmunds.

> but si's don't come with rear breaks

of course it has rear brakes.

Neither of you two sound like you know much about cars. Next time you go buy a car you should do your homework or bring somebody along. In the meantime, she has a 10 year old civic she owns free and clear. If you take care of it you should get many more years out of it. Let the ex/si thing go it's not worth it to pursue.
Answer #2: The law has an equitable doctrine called laches which means if you have an issue you deal with it in a manner. Five years after a used car purchase is not timely to discover you didn't buy the user car you thought. Second, common sense tells us that an ordinary ding a ling who didn't know what they are buying in a used car purchase needs to take responsibility for that. I can't imagine that even in a place like Canada, where they bend over backwards to take care of their feebs, that there would be any legal basis for you to do anything for an eleven year old car that you bought used five years ago. Use it as a learning experience the next time you are trying to execute a complex transaction like buying white bread instead of wheat.


Title: [IN] GF has kidney stones, the hospital she works at is forcing her to use her PTO instead of sick days. She says her employer doesn't give any sick days. Is this legal?

Answer: Yes. Many employers do not have a concept of "sick days". They offer PTO that can be used on days where you are sick, on vacation, or whatever.Answer #2: Only the states of CT, CA, MA, OR, VT, AZ and WA have sick leave requirements, and only after certain requirements are met. Indiana does not. And no state requires that employers provide PTO. Answer #3: Pretty common. It's what many companies are move toward. Paid Time Off...use it however you want.


Title: Need to sell house of deceased relative but uncle won't leave (Ontario, Canada)

Question:
My grandfather passed away a few months ago. Before he died he made my father the executor of his estate.

The estate includes a house (which my grandfather owned in full) and the will stipulates that the house be sold and proceeds be divided among the will's beneficiaries. It might be worth noting that my uncle is one of the beneficiaries.

Prior to my grandfather passing away, my uncle acted as his caretaker and lived with him in the house. After my grandfather died, my uncle continued to live in the house to "look after it". There was never a lease or explicit tenancy agreement for my uncle...he just lived here with the permission of my grandfather.

My uncle knows the house is to be sold and is fine with that...but my uncle thinks he can live there until the closing date. However, my father wants him out before the *listing* date, so that the house can always be clean for showings, etc. To put that in perspective, the house is being listed next Friday but my uncle is hoping it won't close for another few months. So basically my father wants my uncle out a couple months earlier than my uncle wants to leave.

Some questions I have:

* without a lease or written agreement, what kinds of tenants rights does my uncle have?

* as the executor of the estate, is my father essentially the acting landlord for my uncle?

* is my father required to give some kind of written notice to my uncle to evict him? Or can he just tell him to leave whenever? Is verbal notice ok? How much notice must be given?

* do potential buyers need to be informed that my uncle is residing there, if he doesn't leave before the listing date? What if my uncle refuses to leave at all? Is he then considered a tenant for the new owners? I'm trying to anticipate ways that this situation could screw up the sale of the house...

My father has (verbally) told my uncle to leave by next Friday, but my uncle is not really taking the request seriously. What kind of legal push-back could my uncle be justified to give my father, if any?

Thanks!

Answer:
 Whether a tenancy falls under the Residential Tenancy Act or not is determined by the nature of the tenancy at the start of the contract.  It sounds like your uncle was had to share a bathroom or kitchen with the owner of the unit (your grandfather).  This would exempt it from the Act.

Your uncle would then have common law protections.  He would have to be given *reasonable* notice to vacate, which usually is around a month's time.

If you want to go that route, then in writing, give him clear notice that he is expected to vacate on or before March 31st.  Video record yourself giving it to him, putting it in his mail, etc.  Keep a copy for yourself.

You may also want to apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board to see if the Act applies (that will cost $50 to file).  That entails a hearing, so it may backfire.

There is no legal way to get your uncle out by next Friday, unless he starts doing something like damaging the property.  Honestly, if your father is saying next Friday, and your uncle is saying a few months, then a written settlement of end of March sounds like a reachable compromise anyways.


Title: Husband is being sued for "taking" customers.

Question:
My husband Brian has worked as Operations Manager of a small machine shops for several years. He was the main point of contact for customers and therefore built strong personal relationships with them.

About 6 months ago Brian was given an opportunity to start his own machine shop. So he has spent 6 months moving equipment, and completing paperwork to get his business up and running. About a month ago Brian's employer, Matthew, caught wind of Brian's new business and fires him. No biggie, he was planning to quit this month anyway.

Upon leaving his former workplace Brian contacted some of Matthew's customers and explained that he no longer works for Matthew, and that he now has his own shop. Brian has gotten work from all 3 of Matthew's largest customers. Today, Brian was notified that he is being sued by Matthew for "stealing" his customers. Brian never signed a non-compete contract. Has he done anything wrong? What is the best course of action?

Edit: located in Ohio

Edit: Brian did not slander Matthew's shop to the customers. In fact, Brian's shop has very limited capabilities so he encouraged them to go to Matthew for much of their work.

Answer:
 Depends on your state. If it has a trade secrets law, he may very well have broken it if his knowledge of his former employer's clients was due to him working there. Even without signing a non-compete document. He should talk to a lawyer.

Edit: I noticed that you added the location as Ohio. I would definitely suggest talking to a lawyer. [Here](http://www.frostbrowntodd.com/resources-news_ca_protectingtradesecretinformation.html) is an article about a similar case in Ohio. Answer #2: define notified, as in there is a court case and he is to appear? in that case get a lawyer asap.


Title: Sold my car but the guy never sent in paperwork and I didn't get a copy. Now he's getting parking tickets and accidents in my name. What can I do?

Question:
I only have his phone number and reverse lookups don't seem very reliable. Feeling very stuck:/

Location is Los Angeles, CA (US)

Answer:
 I'll never understand how people are so careless with selling vehicles. You only have the phone number of a woman who paid you thousands of dollars for a car?

You have to find her otherwise you have 0 recourse.


Title: (UK) Invoice notice from FedEx.

Question:
I bought a product from the US and had it delivered to the UK, the item was valued at $4.99 and $29.99 postage and handling, I signed for the item when it arrived and thought nothing more of it, there was an invoice with the product but I didn't look at it at the time.

Today I received an invoice from FedEx saying I owed them £54.97, I rang them and queried this, FedEx stated the item was valued at over $300 and UK customs placed a VAT on them for the above amount, FedEx payed the VAT and are seeking reimbursement from me. I told them I was not going to pay that and they threatened legal action. I looked for the original invoice that came with the item, it was addressed to a resident in china, not to myself. The item I bought was valued $300, the company that sent it to me made a mistake with the invoice.

What are my options? I refuse to pay the VAT as I never authorised FedEx to pay it on my behalf and I certainly am not paying for someone else's mistake.
Topic:
Tax Law

Answer: You can use form C285PI to apply for repayment of import duty as a private individual from HMRC. You'll need to send a copy of the paperwork that shows the actual cost of the goods imported.


Title: I need help exacting sweet legal justice

Question:
OK, long story short
I am a 16 year old boy
my girlfriend is 17
this piece of garbage is a 17 year old boy
we all live in Ohio

One day, when Mr. trash and my girlfriend were hanging out (before she knew he was trash), he took her phone, went into the bathroom, took naked pictures of her off of it and sent them to his own phone.

This is obviously disgusting and awful, how can I ruin this scumbag's life? I want to see what options I have with the law before just pummeling him.

Thanks reddit, and sorry for all the anger!

Answer:
 YOU have no options under the law.  Your girlfriend may have quite a few.  If you "pummel him" you may be subject to both criminal and civil liability for assault.

The law exists to protect people and remedy those who are harmed, not to provide you with revenge.Answer #2: [Ohio Code 2907.323](http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/2907.323) makes it a crime to possess or transfer material showing a minor in any state of nudity.  So I guess you or she could call the police to notify them that Mr. Trash is in possession of such material.

But before doing that, you or your girlfriend should probably consult with an attorney, first to make sure that she also wouldn't get in trouble for taking and possessing those photographs of herself, and second to fully understand if and how those images could be used or displayed publicly as evidence if this were to somehow to go trial.