Title: What do I own?

Question:
I'm 18 and moving out to a shared apartment with friends. (I have a job and am financially capable of supporting myself)

My parents are VERY upset about my decision to leave, but I need to in order to live closer to the college I'm going to attend. They're threatening to not let me take any of my possessions with me because I don't legally own them, since I didn't buy them when I was an adult. (A lot of them were given or bought for me by relatives or my parents.)

I know they have the right to keep my phone, which they paid for, but what about other things? I need my computer for school, and although I bought it myself, it was with money they gave me for doing some work for them. I need my clothes, obviously, but they paid for most of them. There are also several personal items that are very dear to me that they have no use for, but they say they'll keep if I move out. They say if I move away and take my belongings, they can call the police and say I stole them.

So what exactly do I own???

Answer:
 There is not a substantial legal issue here. This is a typical intrafamily argument in which one camp wants to cite legalities - which will never amount to a hill of beans - to gain the upper hand.

Here's the reality: It doesn't matter who is legally right. Neither you nor your parents are going to call the police on the other one, or sue the other one. And if one of you *did* call the police, they would say it's a civil matter and do nothing.

So here's my advice. Make nice with your helicopter parents. Then, when you can do so without creating a scene (e.g., when they're out of the house), pack up your shit and leave.

Source: I'm a non-helicopter dad of teenagers (among other things).


Title: Kuwait bank trying to get money back after 6 years, which is now Statute Barred in the UK

Question:
Hi All,

My first ever Reddit Post. So I was working in Kuwait for one of somebody very high up, over six years ago. The job was a nightmare so after a year I gave the required 3 months notice (labour law). They illegally marched me to the airport two days later. I was left with car bills, lost my flat deposit and all it's new furniture; so I was out of pocket by around 8k. I had no option but to go overdrawn by an equivalent amount from my Kuwait Bank. Anyhow, now a UK creditor has been in touch rather threateningly, sending several letters stating I've 7 days to pay up. After visiting the Citizens Advice I wrote back stating that 'I don't acknowledge the debt', as it's now statute barred. However they replied stating that under Kuwait Law it's ten years before statute barring. So they're going to try and get a CCJ against me. I'd love to hear anybodies opinion on this please? Thank you very much for reading my tale of woe.

Answer: You will need the advice of an attorney experienced in UK debt collection law to tell you if UK courts will honor a foreign judgment obtained outside of the statute of limitations in the UK. It is possible that they will and it is possible they won't.Answer #2: Check /r/legaladviceUK


Title: I got in a dumb accident that wasn't my fault and handled it poorly

Question:
Pennsylvania

This morning I got into an accident involving another driver cutting across several lanes of traffic to take a left turn. Looking back it was entirely her fault. She was foreign with a thick accent. I made to call the cops and she told me not to. Her husband on the phone told me he didn't want to go through insurance and tried twice to convince me I was driving illegally (it's my parents car yes I'm on their insurance, yes I have the updated registration I just handed the wrong one).

I didn't call the cops and I should have because they want me to pay out of pocket for her damage. I was so frazzled. I didn't admit fault but we exchanged numbers. She has my insurance info but all I have is her phone.

I got to work and my friends told me to go straight to the station and file the report and what was wrong with me?? So I did and spoke to 2 cops who chastised me for not calling them but ensured me I was in the right.

She's tried to call me twice to get me to pay. I haven't responded. Can she get me to pay? If wasn't my fault

Answer:
 Don't interact with her or her husband at all anymore. Send your claim and all of her info to your insurance and continue with the police. It is your insurance company's job to work this claim. Relax, you're ok.Answer #2: No. She can't.

File a claim with your insurance and let them handle this for you.


Title: [CA] Dog Attacked my fiancé and puppy, the owner then fled.

Question:
Hello,

While out on a walk my fiancé, puppy, and I ran into another seemingly friendly dog and his owner. After a few seconds of sniffing the dog snapped and deeply bit my dog on the leg and potentially other locations(at the emergency vet right now) as well as deeply biting my fiancé’s hand. The owner had no control of her dog and the dog unattached it’s self from the leash. As we separated them and recovered the lady disappeared. Luckily there was an eye witness who happened to be a vet. She saw where woman went and I’ll be filing a police report. Our eye witness claims that this is not an isolated incident.

Legally speaking what grounds do I have? I would like for the owner to at least be responsible for the vet and medical bills. Any advice is appreciated.

Answer: Not an American lawyer, but generally dog owner should be liable for damage the loss suffered, including medical and vet bills.


Title: Garnishment of paycheck and bank account?

Question: My boyfriend makes probably what's considered poverty level as a single father with two kids.  $120 is taken out of his bank account, levied, because of a HVAC Sears bill that his ex-wife was supposed to pay in the divorce but never did.  Now he finally went through all his paystubs because they're direct deposited so he doesn't really pay attention and he discovered that $80 is being taken out weekly.  That means approximately $450 is being taken out of his income and he only makes about $2,200 after taxes per month.  He is going to ask payroll for the garnishment order but does this seem right/legal/fair in the circumstance of a single father right around poverty level?  He really doesn't have very large bills outstanding, maybe a utility bill here and there and $2,300 hospital bill which really should fall under charity care and once he gets all the information together, that should get fixed.  Any advice would be appreciated.

Answer: He needs to take his wife to court for contempt for not paying the bill the divorce decree said she would.


Title: [NC/WI, USA] Accessing a locked phone of deceased family member

Question:
Hi there,

Recently, a married friend of mine passed away. Her mother, who lived across the country (WI) and who was paying her cellphone bill requested I ship her daughter's phone back to her. I did so, and later learned that the mother had the phone company unlock the phone (although her spouse was next of kin). She then read through everything on my friends phone, including very intimate details of her life and her relationship with her spouse. She has now taken to accusing and blaming her daughter's spouse for not being a good enough partner since she could read all sorts of details regarding their intimate life, which feels like a massive violation of the privacy of both her daughter and her spouse.

I'm  struggling to find information about this online. Was it legal for the phone company to unlock her phone for her mom?

Edit: To clarify, it was a password protected Samsung S7 from AT&T.

Answer:
 Your cell service provider has no ability to "unlock" your phone.Answer #2: OP.

I work in a phone repair shop.

Something smells fishy here.

I've had dozens of people in the situation where they have a deceased/incapacitated family member's device, and they want it unlocked.

Carriers (Verizon, Sprint, etcetera) do not have the power to bypass the password protections on phones. Or, if they do, they haven't told me/my customers about it.

More likely that the crazy MIL guessed the password.


Title: Unsure of what to do after our neighbor’s house exploded [PA]

Question:
There was (likely) a gas explosion that took out a few of our neighbor’s homes. For those of you in the PA area and saw the news, this was the recent Philadelphia explosion. While our house seems to be mostly fine aesthetically, it is located roughly 100 feet away from the blast. My partner was in the house at the time of the blast, and said that is rocked our entire brick house (we live in a row home) to the point he thought a garbage truck hit it.

Our block is closed off and is currently being used for city vehicles and there is ongoing excavation. I can imagine this will be the case for at least a few weeks. My partner, pets, and I have been staying in a hotel (that insurance is paying for until tomorrow) and family for right now. We’ve contacted an adjuster and are looking to have a structural engineer check out the house.

I want to make sure we’re checking all of our boxes. Even if the structural engineer clears the house, I’m concerned about moving back in because of the air quality and possible contaminants in the air. Our utilities are also being shut on and off as needed by the crews working on the scene. The city has also not given us any information about what caused the explosion.

Has anyone been through some similar or know if there are steps that we should take that we’re not? Are there things we should be asking insurance that we’re not? Do we need to think about getting a lawyer? I’ve been told it notoriously hard to sue a city. While that’s not our goal, we do want to know what we’re entitled to should they be liable, whether that’s information, new gas lines, or anything.

Anyway, I hope this is the right place to post this and thank you in advance for ANY guidance you can give us! I’m happy to provide any additional information.

Answer: Just wanted to recommend a Facebook group called Riverwards L&I Coalition. It was initially started after the big house collapse in Fishtown but they are now trying to help people all over the city in situations like this, they just haven't changed the name. Van Whit runs the group and would be a good resource for you, as well as other knowledgeable people in the group.


Title: [Fla.]Broken neck via fall

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 >There is a warning about dizziness in the instructions.

You had a warning that the meds would cause dizziness.


Title: [WA] Landlord entering residence without notice or permission

Question:
My landlord has a history of shady practices since we moved in in May. For example, she promised that renovations would be done before we moved in (they weren’t, so we didn’t have a bathroom sink for 3 days after our move in day), CONSTANTLY doing work on the exterior of our apartment without notice, making appointments to have people work on our place without notice, and the list goes on. My wife and I begrudgingly tolerated this until today.

We were on a camping trip over the long holiday weekend, of which my landlord knew about. We came back today (9/4), and when we finally hit cell service I had a voicemail from her timestamped 7:22 am today, stating that she “assumed we would be back by now” and that she needed to get into our apartment to have an electrician look at a fan switch in our hallway. I never called her back, thus never confirmed receipt of her message or gave permission for her to enter. When we got back to our apartment at around 11:30 am, we found that the light switch had been changed, thus proving that she entered our apartment. We never asked to have the switch changed, in fact it was working perfectly. My wife and I felt like our privacy was violated, so we looked up our lease and Washington state law. Our lease is a generic Washington State rental agreement. It mirrors Washington State law RCW 59.18.150.

I later confronted her about it, which she defended her position by stating that she did give us notice with the phone call. I pointed out that this was not 2 days notice which is what our lease clearly states, to which she defended by stating that the repair “needed to be made”, to which I replied that it was not agreed upon by my wife and I (citing the RCW). She then appeared to become more defensive and went on about how I am “bullying” her, that she hasn’t trusted us from the start, and that we should just “give our notice”. As I saw the conversation going down a road I did not intend it to, I apologized for what she perceived as “bullying,” and stated that I merely wanted our legal 2 days notice or at least our permission before entering. She then changed her tune and apologized, told about how great we are as tenants and would be sad if we left, and that she would give us advance notice before entering our place in the future…

So my question to you all is what can I do to protect myself from this happening in the future? Her history of promising one thing but doing another gives me little faith that she will actually keep her word. Is this even worth pursuing? What law did she violate, and what would her “crime” be called (if it even is). We are on a month-to-month lease (thank God), so we are now beginning to look for another place, but that takes time. Help! Feel free to ask more questions, and thanks!
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 >I never called her back, thus never confirmed receipt of her message or gave permission for her to enter.

She doesn't have to confirm notice was received, nor does she require permission once notice has been given.

Yes, she fucked up by doing it late, doing it over text, and generally being a bitch, but neither of those points are something the law calls foul on.


Title: (MI) My neighbors parking is blocking our shared driveway

Question: I rent a home in a college town and my neighbors have been parking in a manner that prevents me from reaching the parking spots intended for the residents of my house. The two homes share a big U shaped lot that goes around and behind their home. Both of the homes are managed by the same rental company. The U has 3 parking spots on the end that opens by their side, 2 that opens on the end by my side, and 5 in the back. The neighbors are parking so that we cannot reach any of the spots in the back. I have pictures and have emailed my landlords three times in the past month about the parking situation because if I leave my car in the street it may be ticketed. Whenever I ask the neighbors to move their cars, I have been getting a generic response that they are at the bars and cannot move them. In my lease it states that the ingress and egress routes cannot be blocked by items. What can I do to make sure that I am able to get a parking spot? If I called a tow truck for one of their cars, would I be liable for the cost of it? Are there any legal actions I can take with the landlord if they do not fix the situation?

Answer: What did your landlord say when you told them?


Title: Someone I don’t know sent me Child Pornography on KIK

Question:
I’m so worried about the girl in the images, she looks really young. I want this person arrested. I feel like throwing up and I cried. My boyfriend said I should post here.
I tought of reporting it to KIK but I dont think that will be any help and it has no “this person is being indecent” option or something, it’s basically “I don’t want to talk to this person” so I could just block him, but I’m sure there must be internacional autorities to take care of cases like this. Especially because there’s an onion link on the vid, I clicked because I didn’t know what it was nor payed attention to it, big regret...I feel traumatized.
I’m not in the US, how do I report this person to  international CP autorities?
(btw sorry about my English I’m freaking out)

Answer:
 \> To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt,  or production of child pornography, file a report on the National Center  for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC)'s website at [www.cybertipline.com (link is external)](http://www.cybertipline.com/), or call **1-800-843-5678**. Your report will be forwarded to a law enforcement agency for investigation and action.

That comes directly from a US Department of Justice website.  You can report it there, and they'll send it to the appropriate agency.  Law enforcement has the ability to get extra info from KIK to try to identify the person who sent this to you.

And on a totally personal note, thank you for doing the right thing.


Title: Received a speeding ticket, all of the info is wrong

Question: I live in Michigan if that matters, and was given a ticket this morning which has someone else’s name, license number, plates, wrong car and wrong address. All of it is wrong. But I don’t know if I even have to go to court at all, what should I do in this case? If I end up going to court for it it will surely be dismissed right?

Answer:
 IANAL but it seems your best course of action is most likely to call the station you got the ticket from and they will handle it.

I don’t think showing up to “x” person’s court date is a good ideaAnswer #2: Contact the court to ask them for their policy. This isn't for you, it's clearly someone else. They'll tell you what you need to do. Answer #3: Call the station, and ask if any tickets were issued in your name. I wouldn't tell them what happened or they might switch it over to your name. The reason I say call the station is there is a chance he wrote you a ticket, but didn't hand you the right one. So you don't want to ignore a ticket if there is one in the system.Answer #4: Definitely contact the department. For what it's worth, I once had a similar situation \(except instead of my ticket being wrong, multiple other tickets were written against me that were meant for other people\) and the department ended up canceling the ticket, refunding me the fine amount, and the officer wrote me an apology letter.Answer #5: Didn't you sign the ticket in the presence of the officer?  Did you not point out that everything was wrong?

Answer #6: Did he return your license to you, your registration and insurance card (if you gave it to him)? Just make sure you have your ID and not the other person's.


Title: Roommate owes 6 months rent. How do I sue him?

Question:
I live in Texas. My roommate bounced 6 months ago and I've been paying the full share of rent since then. His name is on the lease. I have saved text and FB messages between us showing:

* Me explaining to him he is still responsible for half the rent.
* Him acknowledging he is still responsible for half the rent.
* Him saying he refuses to pay rent from September onward.

The other day, I sent him another message with a final bill of just south of $3,000. He then informed me that he understands the law is on my side, but he has no intention of paying, and won't show to court if summoned. He has since moved to Colorado and I'm not certain of his exact location.

I'm also deploying in about a week. So my questions are:

* How do I begin the process of taking him to small claims court?
* What do I do about him leaving the state?
* Since I am deploying, I will be gone for the next 90-120+ days. Am I going to hit some kind of statute of limitations if I can't do anything until my return?

Thank you guys for any pointers you have to offer to get me started with this process.

Answer: Did you at least try to find a new sublessee?  Would your LL allow that? I believe in order to prevail fully in a lawsuit against him you would have to show a good faith effort to mitigate your damages by finding a new tenant.


Title: Should I make a signed document for this?

Question:
EDIT: California, USA. Because I can't read posting terms >.<

My wife frequents a 7-Eleven close to her work during her lunch break. Recently, one of the young male cashiers has been particularly friendly to her. It started out relatively harmless, maybe just a smile and some innocent conversation while she checks out, but definitely more attention than he gives other customers.

However today, he came out from behind the counter and approached her while she was getting coffee. He asked for her name and if he could add her on Facebook.

This crosses the line for me, so I want to approach his manager or franchise owner and let him know what happened and that my wife feels uncomfortable. I think it would make sense to have the above experience documented, and have him sign something saying we had this conversation, so if (God forbid) something actually bad happens down the line, they can’t claim ignorance and I can point to this piece of paper that says they clearly knew.

Thoughts?

Answer:
 You want the manager at the 711 to sign a document saying that you informed him that an employee asked if he could add her on Facebook?

I cannot imagine why he would want to sign something like that.


Title: Question about a legal issue that arose in the HBO show Silicon Valley

Question:
If you’re not familiar with the show, at one point the creator of a valuable piece of software is sued by his former company, saying that since he used company resources/company time to make it, it legally belonged to them.

The character spent no company time working on his software, but borrowed a company laptop for a few days to work on it while his own laptop was being repaired.

The arbitrator decided that because of this, the software did in fact belong to his former company.

Does this have a basis in reality? If someone were to use a company resource for less than 1% of the work they’ve done on a project, does the company then have the right to sole ownership of the project’s IP?

This was in California, if it matters.

Answer: Assuming that there was no contract to the contrary, probably not; Hooli would not own that software. [Here's a brief overview of relevant law.](https://asp-software.org/www/misv_resources/business-articles/who-owns-the-code/) (Mis)using company resources is not the same as writing code within the scope of your employment. If the company allowed Richard to use the laptop for personal use, then Richard is likely completely fine. If Hooli prohibited that, then they may have a claim against Richard for that policy violation.


Title: How can the Senate Intelligence Committee subpoena Trump's lawyer?

Question: Why doesn't it fall under atty/client privilege?

Answer:
 A subpoena is just an order to appear in front of, in this case, the Congressional committee.

Depending on the question, he can refuse to answer them due to attorney/client privilege, but they probably have a batch of other questions for him that wouldn't be covered by that.


Title: HOW DO I GET RID OF MY EGG

Answer: whaaaaaaaa????


Title: Grandmother left everything in her will to my father, not my mother (her daughter).

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Go at least get a consult from a probate attorney. Not wanting to get lawyers involved on legal issues makes about as much sense as not wanting a doctor involved with your health. Answer #2: Your dad needs to go through probate if he wants to be able to control the estate.  The probate court will give him the paperwork he needs to access accounts.

Since this is personal to your mother, perhaps as a tip your dad might want to suggest that he will promise to put all of the money in account for college.  That way your mom might back down a bit.


Title: Is it legal to fire an employee for vomiting?

Question: I am 4 months pregnant and I have hyperemesis gravidarum which means I throw up 20 times a day.   I work in a cubicle so it is semi private to vomit in a bag at my desk.  I understand why it is upsetting.   God knows I am tired of it, but I am terrified that I am going to lose my health insurance if fired.  My employer is allowing me to take my week of sick leave and if I am still vomiting then I am not allowed back.  Is this legal?  I am not behind on any of my work and I have tried medicine and a feeding tube.

Answer:
 First, you'd need to request an accommodation under the ADA, presuming your employer is bound by it.

Next, you'd need to make the argument that permitting you to throw up at your desk is a reasonable accommodation. There's a strong argument that it isn't.


Title: [US-PA] My mom wants to put her car in my name because she doesn't have a license and is afraid cops are going to randomly scan her plates, see it's registered to her, and pull her over because she doesn't have a license.

Question:
So my mom's license was taken away from her. She still needs to go places and there is no public transportation in my area.

She is afraid of police officers being behind her, scanning her plates, and pulling her over once they see the car is registered to someone without a license and a history of DUIs.

She thinks that if we put the car in my name, it will eliminate the possibility of being pulled over due to a random plate scan since it will be registered to someone with a valid license and no criminal history.

Is her logic correct? And would there be any legal ramification for me doing this?

The car would be registered to me, but would reside at her house, in the same state, and she would be the one driving it.

I told her I didn't want to do it, but now I'm curious if there would be actual consequences for it for me.

Answer:
 You’ll be liable for all of the impound fees, storage fees, auction fees, toll fees, parking tickets, etc when your mom gets pulled over and the car impounded or has other troubles with the car.

Answer #2: I doubt that her logic is correct, but even if it is, you would be a moron to allow her to do this.  You have NOTHING to gain and much to lose.  There is a REASON that she lost her license and that she should not be driving.  You should not enable her bad behavior.  She made her bed, let her sleep in it...


Title: How to get daughters social.

Question: Wasn’t on my daughters birth certificate when I was born. Took me about 6 months to go through court process and get joint custody since I needed DNA test. In the agreement from court me and the mother alternate tax deduction every other year. This year it was my turn since she got her the first and she refused to give me her social security number so I couldn’t get to claim her by the tax deadline. I am trying to set up life insurance and college money for my daughter as well as have her social for next years taxes but she refuses to give it to me. How do I go about getting my daughters social?

Answer:
 Follow the instructions already given and/or take her back to court for contempt.Answer #2: The instructions for obtaining a replacement social security card for a child are [here](https://www.ssa.gov/ssnumber/ss5doc.htm).

Edit: fixed the linkAnswer #3: You have a choice between contacting SSA or going to the court to have her held in contempt for frustrating the court order. If your daughter's mother has a reasonable sense of self-preservation, the threat of contempt should make her give it up. Answer #4: Cheapest and easiest way is to request her birth certificate from the state, usually costs less them $20, then take your ID and her B.C. and get a free replacement card from a social security office.  No need to bring up all the court drama. You are on the B.C. now, yes?


Title: Why aren't Neo-Nazis in the US prosecuted under the UN Nuremberg Principles?

Question:
Do 1st amendment constitutional law override international UN treaties? It seems like the US can prosecute war crimes freely in other countries(e.g. chemical weapons in Syria, fighting ISIS as a political entity) whereas if the US violates these laws(use of Mace/tear gas pepper spray in local policing, or allowing self-proclaimed Neo-Nazis to form formal groups in the US) they are able to do so with indemnity.

What is the legal authority that makes this the paradigm?

Answer:
 They will, as soon as they throw anyone in a gas chamber.Answer #2: The US did not ratify joining the International Criminal Court so the UN can't do anything to the US. And since the US has veto power they couldn't sanction us either.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_and_the_International_Criminal_CourtAnswer #3: International treaties are subordinate to the Constitution. The Constitution gives ratified treaties the force of law in the United States.

>This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any state to the Contrary notwithstanding.Answer #4: The Nureinburg principles were only intended for members of the Nazi Party actually implicit in the holocaust or mass murders as a way to avoid the "my country made me do it" excuse.

Seeing as the Nazis in America have yet to commit organized mass murder or start up a concentration camp, they are currently safe from prosecution.Answer #5: What international law have these “people” broken?


Title: There's a crazy chick that is a danger to us all

Question:
Hello, I'm a male in Colorado. I met a girl on tinder, 24 years old, who seemed relatively chill and relaxed. Not at all crazy from a glance. I casually dated her for around a month. Well, just say she's "girl A", or just "A" for simplicities sake. After my shift at work she asked if I wanted to go to the club with her and her friend. I said sure and drove over to her friends house. The friend is 22 years old I think, well call her "B". When I arrived, they had both already began drinking so I picked up 2 fairly inebriated people and drove them to the club. "A" pulled out a pistol from her purse and started to show it around. "B" is sitting in the back seat and we both voiced our concern that "A" had even brought such a dangerous thing with her. Although I was concerned momentarily, I was under the assumption that if she had the gun at all in the first place, she was probably trained and licensed. She was not and I didn't learn that information until way later in the night. I also learned later that she was borrowing it from someone whom she was house sitting for at the time. "A" put the gun away temporarily in her bag but brought it out again when we arrived in the parking lot of the club. Both "B" and I told her she can't just keep bring that out and she certainly cant take it into the club. I tell her to leave it in the glove box. "B" is raising her voice in the back, telling her to hurry and put that away because it's making her feel unsafe. Reminder that "A" was heavily intoxicated while this happened. "A" waved the gun around and even cocked it in front of us both saying "whatever, it's fine, dont be a bitch, the safety is on". I felt incredibly uncomfortable so I decided It was time to exit the car and enter the club hoping she would hastily put the gun away. The moment I turned away, "A" shot the gun where my head would've been had I not moved. The bullet went through the rearview mirror, directly up into the windshield. My ears were ringing and numb and I could faintly hear screaming from "B". By the time I could start hearing again, a security guard on patrol in the lot had seen/heard what had just occurred and he approached the passenger window and knocked on the window all the while both of these girls are telling me "hurry, drive away, I have a felony, I cant be arrested!". Keep in mind "A" was still in possession of the gun so I feared if I didn't do as she said, she may fire the weapon at me. I had lost all trust in her in that very moment and didn't want to antagonize drunk with a weapon in any way. I was so scared, my heart was beating so fast, and my ears were ringing. All new situations I'd never encountered, nor prepared for. So I just drove. We stopped at a gas station and had to explain to "A" why what she did was wrong and she didn't feel accountable in the slightest making arguments like "well, in Texas..." or "it already happened let's move on" plus a few other incoherent drunken nonsense. "A" said she had felt so embarrassed that she might as well kill herself. This immediately triggered further concern for both "B" and I. We felt like we had to talk her down from doing anything else to harm herself or others. So I drove back to "B's" house and while "B" was helping "A" out of the car, I took the pistol and locked it in the trunk with the clip removed so that it would no longer be in "A's" possession. We laid "A" on a couch where she then passed out near immediately. I asked "B" what do I do? "B" said "you cant bring that gun into my house, I have way too much going on to have that in my house" and I told her that I wouldnt just go home because there's a gun that's not mine in the car, I dont want to get pulled over and asked about the windshield and run the risk of my car being searched. So we both agreed that I'd take her to the house that she was watching for the week (owned by the same guy that borrowed her the gun) in the morning and stall "A" from leaving anywhere until her mom arrived so that she could be taken into a mental care facility or something. Before her mother arrived, "A" called the guy she borrowed the gun from, explained the situation, and was told to not say anything to any cops that might come by and to do nothing. Two white males, possibly mid 20s, arrived and took the pistol as well as a shotgun that was stored in the house and then left with both weapons. When her mother arrived, I learned from the mother that "A" was a habitual liar and thief on top of being a convicted felon via DUI on top of being incredibly reckless. I also learned I wasnt the first guy who "A" had put in a terrible situation such as this one. The mother even suggested I press charges for a moment. Anyway, the mother took "A" but, didn't even take her to seek help, she just had her grab all of her stuff and go back to the house she was watching. I felt so scared that I had to call "A" a couple days later to say "I dont feel safe around you, i dont feel like I'm being cared for or considered right now, we need to stop seeing each other until you find mental help". Her responses were entirely unapologetic and apathetic saying "i have more important things to worry about right now like getting a job/apartment". I told her goodbye and went into my shift at work feeling used and and terrified still. She later showed up at the bar nextdoor to where I work almost exactly at the same time I clocked off at 11pm or so. I saw her snapchat story and one of them was time stamped awfully close to when I clocked off. She also was posing with some new guy friends. I knew this was designed to antagonize and scare me. Though indirect, I still feel harassed. She knows where I work and where I live and I'm still scared.

I want to take legal action on her because she truly is a threat to me and my family as well as many others involved in her life. I feel like my life may bein danger and I can't tolerate that.

Here's what I have so far. The shell, remnants of the bullet, photographic proof of her possession of the firearm in question, proof of indirect harassment through social media, my broken mirror, my broken windshield with bullet hole intact, a witness who will definitely testify on my behalf if need be, her mother whom also seems to believe "A" belongs in jail. I'm going to call the club later today to see if the security guard who worked that shift saw anything. I also have a recording of a call I made to "B" earlier today, confirming her side of the story, just in case she decided she didn't want to side with me after all to protect "A".

Thoughts?

Answer:
 Probably start with a police report.  Maybe consult an attorney for civil damages as well.Answer #2: You win the 'Worst Tinder Date Ever' prize.

Consult a criminal defense attorney, as you may have been complicit in a crime, and then take their advice. Oh, and delete Tinder for awhile.


Title: What is this company hiding?? - Understanding why this company wants to destroy their product and should I be worried.

Question:
Location: United States
Background:

I have been using the same product for the last 12-15 years (personal hygiene product) and this past month I noticed they did a complete over haul of this specific line - changing their looks, smells, and ingredients. Being the loyal customer that I have been, I wrote to this company asking why they changed the product, will the original product ever be coming back, etc etc. I also mentioned that I had my own small stock of the originals so I wasn't too worried but would most likely change products when my stock runs out.

Well the company emailed back and sadly reported that they would not be bringing the original product back because of various reasons and stated they take safety in their product and safe use of their product very seriously. This section of the email alarmed me:

>"it’s important to know we thoroughly evaluate our products to be safe when used as directed, and we maintain an ongoing monitoring program for quality and safety. Please save any remaining unused product and packaging in the event we need to retrieve them."

Yesterday, I received a letter with a voucher for one free product and an additional letter this time more elevated in concern. Link: to email  image [Imgur](http://i.imgur.com/oBaZfC6.jpg?1)

Did I miss something? I do not understand why they are so concerned.  All I asked was a simple question: why did you change the product smell?, will it ever come back?, and if not I will be ok because I still have X amount of the original left but will sadly stop using your product after that.

So the question is: After using this product for such a long time, 10+ years now, should I be concerned with my overall well being?  Is the company hiding something from its consumers?

tl&dr: company changed my favorite product line (used 10+years), wants any surplus of the originals I may have to destroy them, cause for concern?

Thanks!

edit: location

Answer:
 > Did I miss something? I do not understand why they are so concerned.

I think they misunderstood your letter.  They believe that you are complaining about the new product, and that you have an issue with the smell/taste/whatever.  In short, they believe you're saying "Your new product is dangerous or bad".


Title: [WA] car accident - need advice on how to proceed

Question:
Hello all,

So I got into an accident today. Let me explain how it went down.
I was on a one-way street and was in the right lane, taking a left turn through the intersection onto another street. Thing is - I didn't know it was a one-way and my windows were foggy so I didn't notice there was a car on my left. So I go ahead and switch lanes and the car behind me to my left didn't slow down and our cars touch. The other car has very minor dents on the bumper on the front-right side and on the front-right fender in front of the wheel well. My car has a very minor dent on the front-left fender behind the wheel and in front of the door, and just paint scratches on the driver-side door.

I do not have insurance and am in the process of obtaining it. I let my insurance broker know which plan I wanted and gave him my bank account information for direct deposit on Friday, 6th of January but the insurance didn't go through yet. He suspects it will be processed and I will have it tomorrow, Monday, the 9th of January. We exchanged information and she was telling me her insurance company is going to go after me for the repair costs, out of pocket since my insurance hasn't gone through yet. I took some pictures of the damage and they support the points of impact provided above, supporting my claim that she hit me with the front of her car on the front half of mine. Also - a police officer came and inspected the damage and said it would be a waste of time to file a police report for such minor damage and that since we exchanged information and decided since we would handle it ourselves, he would just leave and not bother filling out a report.

1) do you think I would have a better case if I fought the repair charges and rental costs with a lawyer OR

2) do I just pay for this out of pocket and hope she doesn't involve the insurance company OR

3) do I just ignore her from here on out, hoping to fight this later on in court with the evidence that she hit me from behind while I was merging into the left lane,  and the fact that there is no police report anyway?

Also to consider - I had a passenger in the car and we said we were trying to take a left turn from the right lane on a two-lane one-way street. So other driver has this to use against me and my passenger would likely say this as well.

Answer:
 I'm confused why you think you should fight the repair charges. You admit you're 100% at fault. It sounds like she wants to go through her insurance company (which is smart of her, btw) so just let her. She's right that they will come after you for it though.

Also, go back to driver's ed. Jesus Christ. Oh and stop driving without insurance!Answer #2: >and our cars touch

This bit is my favorite part of your post. As if downplaying the impact is going to convince any of us that you weren't wholly at fault.

Are you taking responsibility for this accident or not? I'm not asking if you think you were at fault, because that is not debatable. I'm asking if you are planning on fucking this woman over. Because if you are, you might as well go ahead and tee up a lawyer to represent you for when you are sued.


Title: landlord is selling my house

Question: So I recently signed a 6 month extension on my lease renting out a room in a house my landlord owns. Today, my landlord tells me that they are selling the house and want me out in a month. Do I have to be out according to her wishes so she can sell the house or does my lease give me the right to stay until it runs full term? What happens if they sell the house while I still live here? I still have 5 1/2 months left and am not thrilled to be told that I have to get out in a month.

Answer:
 Your lease is still valid, barring language in the lease that states otherwise.

If the house is sold, the new owners inherit the previous owner's Liabilities, namely to you regarding tenancy.

If the Landlord *really* wants you gone early, I would discuss a Cash-for-Keys arrangement. I would ask - at minimum, for your Landlord to pay all of your moving costs, as well as the difference in price for you to rent an equivalent room for the remainder of your lease.Answer #2: You almost certainly have the right to stay for the rest of the lease.  The new owners will just become your new landlords if the house does sell.  You can make an offer of cash for keys (if you want me out in X days, pay me Y amount of money) to your current landlord or the new one (if one does show up; it’s likely that your current landlord simply lied to the buyers about there being a tenant and thinks they will back out if they find out the truth).

Definitely scan copies of your lease and extension and email them to yourself, and store the hard copies somewhere safe.  If your current landlord texted or emailed the “get out, I’m selling” save that, too.


Title: Roommate told the post office I don't live at my apartment and had my mail stopped being delivered.

Question:
Hey all,

A few months ago my roommate and I had a falling out over some petty problems. I just found out that apparently he left a note at the post office saying I no longer lived at my apartment and wouldn't be receiving mail there any more. This has caused me huge problems. I STILL haven't gotten my tax return for example. I was wondering if I should try and bring charges against him? I'm not sure that's even possible. My location is Eastern KY.

Answer:
 Report this to the postal inspectors. Your roommate is potentially in some very serious trouble. 18 USC §1001 makes is a crime to knowingly make a false representation related to any matter under the jurisdiction of the Federal government. He's looking at up to 5 years in Federal prison.Answer #2: Contact the local post office, and make an appointment with the local postmaster to straighten this out. Roommate may not like the result.Answer #3: I suggest getting a PO Box and making ***damn*** sure roomie doesn't get the extra key. Also talk to your landlord.

As much as you may want to do the same thing to him, ***don't***.Answer #4: This is not going to end well for your roommate.

PLEASE update us on this in the future.


Title: 18 need help asap please

Question:
First off I'm 18, I snuck out of my parents house to have sex with another 18 year old..... I got caught by her dad and like all dads they got mad... like killer mad.... so I was able to escape and run to my car and leave and as I was leaving the dad ran out the house with a bat and struck my window( no serious damage according to the cops) I drove to my house and ran inside. This girl knows where I lived... so parents arrive outside in their cars.. nothing happens they just drive and park and drive again... I call cops cause I'm scared shit less... parents leave before cops arrive.... I tell them what happened that I snuck out to have sex with an ex girl of mine who is 18 and that I got caught and ran to my car and the dad hit the window on the passenger side and they came to my address and everything.  They told me since there is no evidence of serious damage they can't charge them but if they do come back to let them know by calling 911 and record what is happening when the dad arrives. This all happened about midnight... it's 2:12 am as I write this I'm scared cause I know the cars they drive since it was an ex and I keep seeing them drive by.... I'm scared I don't know what to do any help is appreciated.... anything. For background I'm 18 I'm still a high school student.... she's 18 still in highschool... we're ex's and parents just saw us have sex for the first time. I'm in Texas if that helps.

Edit: Daughter is trying to contact me, do I reply? Also I forgot to mention I got this message from her dad. http://imgur.com/bP3CznB

Answer:
 I would suggest not replying to the daughter.

Unless her parents try to get in your house, you are fine.  Unless they are threatening you, there's nothing to stop them from using the public roads near your house.

Talk to your parents about this.  They will likely want to talk to the other parents about repairing the window.

Calm down, go to sleep, and deal with this in the morning.


Title: My doctor was sharing audio from our session without my consent.

Question:
I went into an appointment with the specialist in charge of treating my shoulder. I had a representative from workers comp with me which seemed to make the Dr. nervous. She was just there to check up on how things were going.

During the session I noticed that the Dr. had his phone on the table but kind of off to the side and the screen was lit. I looked closer and saw that he had me on speaker phone to someone else without my consent. The little red hang up symbol was visible and there was a contact name.

He noticed me moving to get a closer look and turned off the screen but did not terminate the call.

He did not ask me if it was ok to record or share our session and when he noticed me looking he tried to hide it.

What are my options if my Dr has been sharing my medical information with someone else without my consent and making recordings without my consent?

Answer: You can file a HIPAA complaint.Answer #2: If he is recording, California is a two part consent state, meaning recording you is illegal. Someone can you what the doc wins for doing that.


Title: Current landlord refuses to cooperate with application process for new apartment

Question: Hi, I am currently in the process of applying for an apartment. To complete the application the new apartment management needs to obtain a tenant history-a report on if I am a decent tenant/what kind of tenant I am I assume. It seems standard. My current landlord refuses to provide any info beyond my rental ledger and lease. They are citing it as company policy. If it's not provided my application is dropped for a non cooperative landlord. I spoke with the company my landlord works for as well as my landlord and they both simply claim company policy. The Seattle housing union was at a loss of what to do as well. How am I supposed to move if my landlord won't provide a reference? I'm not sure what i can do to provide that info to complete the application without my landlord. Any help at all is appreciated

Answer:
 > How am I supposed to move if my landlord won't provide a reference?

That's your problem.  Your landlord doesn't owe you a reference.  Or any other documentation.


Title: Worked 6 months in exchange for free tuition at a school. Was told I'm not allowed in, did I just waste 6 months of my life? [California]

Question:
**Because this is long, I'll at a tl;dr at the beginning:**

To earn a scholarship to an academic program, all you have to do is to live and work for the school for 6 months prior, there is no other criteria. If they then decide to not accept you to the program, are you entitled to any financial compensation for the work you did?

**Full Story:**

This is going to be a hard one to explain...

So there's a religious school I attended for several years. Half the year, it's a retreat center / resort and the other half it was entirely focused on religious study. You could either pay the tuition for the study period or you can work during the resort season and earn a scholarship. There is no criteria you have to meet in order to earn the scholarship, you just have to complete the 6 months.

99% of the people are accepted into the religious study portion of the year, but every once in awhile some applicants are rejected. Last year I was injured while working the guest season. I was very upset because I was told if I leave in order to heal up, I would not get my scholarship. So I grudgingly continued, and proceeded to make the injury worse. I was pretty upset with the leadership and the teachers, and we had some intense conversations, but they were nothing more than arguments.

When I turned in my application for the religious study portion of the year, I was denied. They told me my injury and my attitude with the leadership made them not want me here anymore. They said the school was no longer "a good fit" for me, and that when the guest season ended, I had to leave.

So not only am I being forced to leave where I've lived for years, but I worked 6 long and difficult months in order to earn that scholarship.

Compensation for the guest season is the tuition. I made no money for the last 6-months AND I'm about to homeless. Am I entitled to any of the money I earned? The tuition for the program is $9000.

Answer:
 IANAL but this seems like an easy promissory estoppel / unjust enrichment case?Answer #2: It likely all depends on your contract. Such a strange and specific program should definitely have had all of this in writing. See what your contract says and if it's unclear, have a lawyer look over it.Answer #3: Religious organizations are not exempt from wage and hour laws in California. So, your best (and cheapest) bet may be to file a claim with the labor board. Since they rejected you from the school, they received months of free labor. By failing to pay you, they're likely now in violation of the minimum wage laws.

Contact the labor board and see if they can help
https://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/howtoreportviolationtobofe.htmAnswer #4: Just checking, but did they also pay you?


Title: Coworker/Friend’s STB ex-husband has vandalized my parents home

Question:
[Arizona] My brother and I work at the same business and a coworker and friend of ours has recently filed for divorce from her husband. This husband has decided that my brother and I are the cause of the divorce and did some googling to find our contact information. My brother and I have both never changed our associated addresses and so it shows us still living with our parents. This friend warned me yesterday that the husband had done this and she just wanted us to know and that she was very sorry, etc.

Last night this husband spray painted our parent’s home, popped all 8 tires of their two cars, smashed the windows, and left a rock in one of their cars that reads “for my brother and my name”. The police have already been called, the friend has given the husband’s name and contact information to the police as well as evidence of his planning this. Our parents are keeping the receipts for the damages and following police directions.

What can we all do from here?
Topic:
Douche

Answer:
 I’d file for a protection from stalking order immediately and list your parents house on there.

It’s just a piece of paper that won’t protect you but makes it so much easier for law enforcement to enforce violations and keeps him from being able to legally contact you in any way.


Title: My lawyer is constantly sending emails to my ex directly and not through his lawyer, is it appropriate?

Question:
I went through a divorce and I used a lawyer. From the get go, I felt like she wasn't on my side but she was a free lawyer, so I didn't have much say in it.

She started contacting my ex, about court dates and to confirm details. At this point, my ex had, his own lawyer.

Since my lawyer started contacting my ex, my ex dropped his lawyer and started representing himself.

I was uncomfortable with my lawyer contacting my ex but it seemed trivial as it was for bits of missing information or to confirm some details. The frequency of the communication has increased to the point that I now hear about new information or changes from my ex rather than through my lawyer

Is this appropriate or am I overthinking it?

Answer:
 Girl, get yourself a new lawyer. Also I'd consider reporting this and file a complaint with your state's lawyer discipline agency. This is 100% no ok or normal in the least.Answer #2: At this point you need to find a new lawyer regardless. It's vital that you trust your attorney in a family law case, and if your trust has deteriorated this much it's time to walk.

*Edited for misspelling*Answer #3: In nearly every state, it’s against ethical rules for a lawyer to directly contact someone they know are represented by a lawyer. Did they at least cc the lawyer?  If not, when combined with the dropping of her lawyer, it’s a little strange.Answer #4: Why is this lawyer free? Who is paying for their time? It sounds like the lawyer is representing your ex instead of you. I suggest getting a new lawyer and reporting this one.Answer #5: If the person is unrepresented, no. It is normal. Your ex may have been on the cusp of firing their attorney when your attorney got involved.


Title: Mom charged debt in my name, need help with bankruptcy

Question:
hi. Burner account due to privacy and on mobile so sorry for formatting.

TLDR version: mom took out $50K in credit card debt in my name. I agreed to just file BANKRUPTCY if she paid for it and handled the court docs (she is a paralegal) to save the family peace. This was over 3 years ago and the bankruptcy still has not been completed. I am not allowed to handle it myself but I want to but I don't know next steps at all.

Long version: my mom took out 50k in credit cards in my name. She was paying them off for a while but got in a car wreck which caused a brain injury resulting in memory loss. She stopped making payments because she didn't remember the debt. By the time she remembered it none of us could pay the amount the debt collectors wanted per month. I contemplated pressing charges but if she got jail time (at the time) myself, my grandfather, my sister, and my infant niece would have ended up homeless as mom is breadwinner.

Eventually we agreed that my best option would be bankruptcy because I was in my early 20's. She is a licensed (?Idk if that's the right term) paralegal so she agreed to pay the attorney fees and handle everything in  terms of the documents as I was a fulltime student, with a job and was watching my infant niece every night. It took over a year to get her to file it. But it got dismissed (attorneys team missed something that they filled out wrong on their end)

And I have been waiting ever since to get it filed again. (3 years) I now live with my grandfather and my fiance in my grandfather's house. It is falling apart. Literally we haven't had running water for over a month due to pipes freezing and we can't afford to get them fixed yet.

I want to move on with my life. Live in a house that has working plumbing, and get married to my fiance. But everything is at a standstill.

I am giving my mom another week to file it again but if she doesn't I am going to look into getting done myself.

But I have literally no idea what to do. She kept me in the dark this whole time so I don't know the first steps.

Any advice would be appreciated. Sorry it was long
Topic:
Credit Debt Bankruptcy

Answer:
 > I agreed to just file BANKRUPTCY if she paid for it and handled the court docs (she is a paralegal) to save the family peace.

That NEVER works out - you trusted a identity thief to handle your bankruptcy.

If the fact the thief was your mother mattered, she would not have stolen your identity in the first place.

>if she got jail time (at the time) myself, my grandfather, my sister, and my infant niece would have ended up homeless as mom is breadwinner.

but...

>I was in my early 20's.

You do not HAVE to be financially dependent of anyone in your early 20's - it's a choice.

>Any advice would be appreciated.

Talk to a lawyer to untangle this mess.

This is way beyond internet stranger advice territory.

>I am giving my mom another week to file it again but if she doesn't I am going to look into getting done myself.

And then another week, then a month, then a year... because you want to

>save the family peace.Answer #2: She's never going to do what she said because she's a thief who doesn't care about you. The fact that she's manipulating you to believe that the consequences of her actions are your fault says all you need to know.

Contact your local bar association, ask for referrals to bankruptcy attorneys, and go from there. Do you have any money? Do you have a salary?Answer #3: FWIW, even if you file bankruptcy, you could have a tax liability to the tune of thousands of dollars becuase that might be counted as income. If your mom has any assets in her name, you may try suing her personally, too.

Can your fiancee support you, if your mother were to be imprisoned?


Title: Did general Milley commit treason against the United States for protecting Nuclear codes from trump and reassuring China there won’t be a war?

Answer:
 No, treason under 18 USC says;

2381. Treason
Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere, is guilty of treason and shall suffer death, or shall be imprisoned not less than five years and fined under this title but not less than $10,000; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States.
(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 807; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, §330016(2)(J), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2148

I don’t think either of those actions would meet the definition.Answer #2: >No matter what you are told, you do the procedure. You do the process. And I'm part of that procedure," Milley told the officers, according to the book

Is the general normally part of the approval procedure? If so he didn't do anything wrong.Answer #3: The Constitution says: "Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort." So, no.Answer #4: If Trump hasn’t been charged with treason, what’s the likelihood this guy will be?


Title: How can I find a Visa merchant?

Question:
My Visa credit card was charged by a merchant that I don't recognize.  For legal reasons I need to find out who the merchant really was (like their real name, address, and what bank holds their merchant account or what entity does their Visa merchant processing).  Despite sending a subpoena to the bank that issued me my credit card and to Visa itself, they both say that they don't know this information.  How can the money flow from my credit card account to the merchant's bank account, but nobody knows where it went?  How can I obtain this information?
It doesn't really matter WRT my questions, but I am in the United States (Florida).

Answer:
 I'm not sure why you need this information; didn't you dispute the charge with your credit card company?  Did they not reimburse you the money?

As is, the person you want is the credit card processor.  They're the one that actually gives the terminals to the merchants and processes charges for them.


Title: [NY] A person from Grindr is threatening to come to my house

Question: I’m kinda worried because of Grindr’s issues with privacy on where you live. This guy is threatening to come to my house and “find me”. I don’t know what to do. So far, I’ve reported him, got screen shots, and blocked him. Is there anything else? Thanks.

Answer: If you believe the threat is credible, call the police and report it.


Title: I want to kick out my roommate, both of us are not in lease but on an informal pay rent every month. Am I covered legally?

Question:
Roommate has been stealing food, leaving dishes for weeks, etc. If we both agree on her leaving the apartment, am I covered legally. What if she refuses to move out.

Edit: Live in US, California.

Edit2: There was a lease prior that expired. Now I just pay monthly with no written agreement. Payed to the same person.

Answer:
 No, you're not covered legally. You're a tenant. You do not have the right to kick other tenants out, not even if 2 tenants agree that 1 should go. It is not your place, you're just renting it.

What you can do is try to negotiate a mutually satisfactory arrangement where you voluntarily part ways. In the meantime, lock your food down and move the unwashed dishes to her room.


Title: Do I have to right to refuse, if not properly accomidated?

Question:
I live in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. I have several permanent disabilities and have gone through all legally standard tests and assessments to prove all my disabilities.

I provided all documentation to my university of which they refuse to accommodate. The accommodations requested do not fall under the definition of undue hardship as they cost no money nor bring any exposure.

 They have put me through the ringer, and frankly I'm so emotionally exhausted and frustrated they would put someone through this. They've asked for additional notes, letters, they've even called my physician and still don't want to accommodate. They apparently take issue with the wording, which isn't within my control.

Recently someone committed suicide over the lack of resources in place for disabled persons. Two weeks ago my best friend dropped out over their refusal to accommodate. Their seems to be a pattern here, as they cherry pick which accommodation they want to accommodate and those they don't. If you have an uncommon accommodation they say "this has never been requested before" (of which my Learning Strategiest confirmed last week is a lie) and try to guilt trip you with long stories essentially explaining why we should feel bad for making such a request.

After fighting for two years to have accommodations put in place I've decided to take matters into my own hands and am considering filing a civil suit on the bases of discrimination seeking an Order of Compliance.

However, due to their refusal to accommodate, I have been doing poorly and has caused me severe depression, self harm, and suicidal tendencies out of frustration and the sense of injustice.

I was wondering if I have the right of refusal to say write an exam under non-accommidated environments? I recently had a panic attack due to my environment which required a hospital visit.

I genuinely feel like this has stopped my possible recovery and has inflicted serious and permanent damage to my mental health.

I've been building my own case and can't seem to find legislation about the limits of enforcing medical documentation.

Thanks in advance!
Topic:
Disability Issues

Answer:
 What accommodations are you seeking?  Mind you, I’m not asking why, or what for...but what are you seeking?Answer #2: You can refuse. They can fail you and expel you for academic failure.

Contact the school ombudsman.

Accommodations are not based on whether it costs the school or not. If the requested accommodations change the academic standards, then they can be refused. Some requests, such as, extensions, absences, etc may not seem unreasonable, but fundamentally change the requirements and demands of a course.


Title: Prostitute Blackmail recap, he's in possession of texts that show me agreeing to meet and pay a prostitute, and pics of us in the act.

Question: I have a story that may be stupid and not require legal advice, but here goes. I met a prostitute a few times for sexual encounters. With me being the idiot I am, we discussed these encounters beforehand, so there are texts showing me agreeing to pay for these encounters (ie 60 for BJ). A couple days after the last encounter I got a text from the prostitute. Apparently her brother had pics of us in the act and screenshots of our texts, and was blackmailing her for money. Sounded like a scam but she sent pics showing her getting into my car and us doing the act (it was done in the car). She asked for money to help pay him off but I declined. In the event that he goes to the cops (which I doubt) am I done for? There are pics and texts detailing the encounter, but nothing that explicitly shows that I paid her, other than me saying I would, Would he get in trouble for taking the pics? I do recognize that its possible that they're both in on it (although I doubt that as well) but in the worst case scenario that police are involved, would they pursue the case? I have no prior arrests. I certainly learned my lesson, but this is bothering me now. Any advice is welcomed. To recap, he has texts that show me agreeing to pay the prostitute, and pics of us in the act.

Answer:
 You didn't say where this happened, so I'm going to assume it's Dubai.

Extramarital sex is punishable by up to six years in prison, so this is indeed something to be concerned about.Answer #2: He doesn't exist she is trying to scam you.


Title: Can you smoke cigarettes in a leased car? If not what can happen? [MN] USA

Question:
So my grandparents leased this 2016 Mitsubishi. It's pretty and all but these people smoke non stop. They're always smoking in their house (that they want to sell) and they are also smoking cigarettes in their new leased car like they're heading for the electric chair. These people don't have a lot of money and they definitely don't want to keep the car forever but honestly- as someone who used to smoke you can't even sit in it the smell is so awful. Are there usually clauses in their contact that prohibit smoking? Would this be mentioned by the rep at the dealership/financial office? What could happen if they returned it and it still smells like a bar from the 60's?
Topic:
Contracts

Answer:
 Smoke remediation is hugely expensive. I'd expect a mid-3-figure to 4-figure bill for the car, and for their house, I'd expect mid-4-figures depending on size and HVAC system.

Smoking can also require physical replacement of some parts (commonly the headliner, as well as the center console if not all the ash went into the ash tray), which can add up.Answer #2: That's gunna be laid out in the leasing contract. If it is, it will also have whatever penalty if you broke it. Most likely, a hefty cleaning fee. Answer #3: They will get wrecked with fees for damaging the car when they turn it in. Answer #4: >  they definitely don't want to keep the car forever

Well buying might be a better option than paying what the dealership will want to fix the smoke issues. I'd be very surprised to hear about a car lease that doesn't have specific language regarding smoking


Title: [TN]My son was abused at daycare. The daycare will report the person to the authorities. Do I need to get a lawyer even though the state handles pressing charges?

Answer:
 I would not wait for the daycare to report this to the authorities. They may try to paint themselves as innocent when they in fact are not innocent.Answer #2: You should absolutely get a lawyer. The Prosecution is ultimately acting in the interest of the state and the public at large - not your interests, or those of your son.

Your lawyer can help you understand the criminal process, and can help you with a potential civil case against the daycare to recover damage.  It can also be very reassuring to have someone who knows what's going on in your corner, and who can offer advice in trust and confidence.Answer #3: Get an attorney yesterday. The daycare cares about their reputation, not the welfare of your child. Best of luck!


Title: [Utah] Serious Car Accident - Driver in Critical Condition and No Insurance

Question:
I was involved in a serious car accident this week.  In my opinion, and based on the accident report, the other driver is at fault and it is pretty clear.  But, with Utah being a no fault state, I am worried.  I am OK and have no injuries, however the other driver it in critical condition and is doing poorly. After the accident the other driver was brought to the hospital and could not find any information on insurance.  Police looked up the insurance information that was provided to the lender of the car and apparently it was cancelled due to non payment.  The police cannot find anything in their insurance database.

If the driver gives a statement saying I am at fault, is it that enough to start a legal action against me?

Should I be contacting a lawyer just in case?  Is there anything I should be doing to build a case to ensure that I am not at fault.

Answer: You should contact your insurance. Any paper work or calls regarding the accident need to be handled by your insurance. This is what you pay them for.


Title: How is it legal for a job post to require the applicant to be "free from mental illness" when such disabilities are protected under the EEOC?

Question:
I'm currently job searching and just stumbled upon what looked like a good opportunity. It's for a child care center. I do understand that there is a "good fit for the job" and people need to be able to perform the tasks of the job without necessary supervision or assistance.

I spent an hour waiting on the phone to talk to someone from the EEOC, and when my call was finally answered I was told to go into my local office and file a complaint. When I told him it was just a website they needed to look at, he transferred me to his supervisor who *laughed* at me when I explained the situation. He said it was probably necessary for the job. He also said that they are not allowed to charge anything until someone with a mental illness applies and is denied simply because they have the mental illness. His exact words were, "that's what Congress wants us to do."

How is this legal? Why does there have to be a victim before it's considered discrimination? Companies can give a million excuses as to why someone isn't a "good fit" for the job without nodding at the person's disabilities. I'm also fairly certain that nobody is stupid enough to say "you're not considered for this job because you have (mental illness)" which is what I now assume the EEOC needs to do their job. I have bipolar disorder that is well-managed but still considered a disability under the EEOC.

Edit requested: I live in Florida

TL;DR: Job search for a child care center. I'm bipolar. EEOC supervisor laughed at me, said nothing can be done unless someone applies and is denied for their mental illness.

Answer:
 > How is this legal? Why does there have to be a victim before it's considered discrimination?

Because until someone is actually discriminated against, there isn't any discrimination.  You can't charge someone with a crime because someone is attempting to illegally discriminate.


Title: Got a gift of a lot of legally questionable cash

Question:
[San Francisco, California]

Longtime lurker using a throwaway for reasons that will become obvious.

I live in the Bay Area. My family ran a small business where most transactions were in cash (think laundromat). Several years ago they filed for bankruptcy, but I always suspected they'd hidden some money. And, sure enough, before they moved back to Sri Lanka in November they gave me an envelope with $84,000 in cash to hold onto for them.

It is possible that this is completely legal money that they kept in cash and gave me because they aren't terribly financially savvy. It is also possible that this money was hidden from the IRS and bankruptcy court. (I didn't ask, and I don't want to know.)

So... what should I do with it? I'd obviously like to avoid drawing the IRS's scrutiny so that they don't get in trouble if the money isn't clean, but it also seems silly to watch it eaten away by inflation. Is there something I can do with the money that is
(a) entirely legal
(b) will not draw attention
and
(c) will lose less of the money over the next ten years than just holding it in cash

About me: my wife and I are both civil servants so our household income is in the mid-$100,000s and we put about $20,000 a year in expenses on credit cards that we could pay in cash instead.

Answer: 84k is enough money to consult a RL, in person lawyer for this. Particularly one who knows finance and tax law and can refer a CPA.


Title: Honest question about a possible crime?Roommate took my phone and sent nudes to himself.(Alaska)

Question:
As the title states I had a roommate that took my phone while I was sleeping and sent photos to himself. I am a young female, he is a male, 10 years older than me. He usually keeps to himself and is polite when we do interact. He had never been a problem until now.

 It was an iPhone with a passcode lock on it, but I had unfortunately given him the code previously when he needed to text/call  his own phone. Never thought anything of it, and I know it was stupid of me.

Last week I had went to bed but left my phone on my computer desk. My door was left ajar because my room gets hot if I shut it completely. I woke up around 1 AM and went to the desk to get my phone, it was missing. I was half asleep so I thought maybe I had brought it to bed or it had fallen between the wall and my bed. I got out my iPad and used the "find my iPhone feature" to play a sound so I could locate where my device was.

The device rang but was very faint and stopped almost immediately(after 2 rings) I was confused and went out to the living room and played the sound again. This time it was much louder, but stops immediately after the first ring. The light turned on in my roommates bathroom. I asked if they had my phone and they quickly said "no, but you left it into bathroom for some reason, I'll give it to you in just a second when I'm done in here"

I'm weirded out because I never use his bathroom. It's a master bathroom but it has 2 doors, one connects to his room and one can be accessed from living room. I have a smaller bathroom that is adjacent to the left of my room. The only time I've used his bathroom is if mine was occupied or broken, I hadn't used his bathroom in weeks.

I stand outside his bathroom until he finishes using it which takes 2-3 minutes.  He hands me my phone and shuts the bathroom door saying goodnight and immediately turns off the light(assumingly to go to bed?)

I check my phone and notice that in the programs the most recently used apps were photos and messages. The photos was left open on some sexually explicit videos/nudes I had taken for my boyfriend months ago. In my messages he was the most recent contact despite the fact that the newest message was from 4 days ago.

At this point I pretty much know he went through my photos and sent them to himself, then deleted the messages in my phone so I wouldn't know. In the morning I confronted him asking why it showed him as my most recent text and questioned why my photos were open. I did ask him if he looked at my nudes and he admitted and apologized, and I broke down crying because it was really upsetting to hear. I didn't get it on recording and it was only verbally said.

Did he commit a crime?

Can I go to the police with the evidence? Would they even do anything considering I don't have any evidence on my phone that he sent them to himself? I would rather not go to the police if it won't be taken seriously, I feel like at this point it would be better to just try to act like nothing happened so I could possibly continue living in my apartment without my roommate hating my guts for calling the police on him. He seems apologetic and seemed very scared after I confronted him about it.

Could I get records from my phone company or apple that photos were sent?

I'm really weirded out by the whole situation and feel unsafe living with him. I've since changed my passcode and have been locking my door at night. I know he hasn't assaulted me or anything but do crimes like this escalate to more serious things?

Tl;dr: roommate took my phone in the middle of the night, searched through my photos, found explicit pictures and videos, sent them to himself, deleted the messages to hide it, admitted the next day that he did do it. I don't know what to do, or if reporting it will do anything. I'm really lost and the more time goes by, the more upset I am by what he did.

Answer:
 You don't need to worry about what crime that was committed. You need to go to the police and explain what happened. It's their job to figure out what crime happened.

Unauthorized access to your phone alone is a crime. Taking sensitive photographs of yourself just makes it worse.
Answer #2: You may be able to get your phone company to help. Call and ask for customer service and records of texts sent. It might not have the pictures but proof of some media being sent from your phone to his with a time stamp.


Title: (Utah) am I allowed to ask an employee to take shorter bathroom breaks?

Question: We have an employee that likes to take 30 minute+ bathroom breaks. Am I allowed to ask him to pinch it off?

Answer: Are these paid bathroom breaks?   Has he presented any sort of medical documentation why he needs this?


Title: Lawsuit Question (NC)

Question: If I file a lawsuit against an individual, and they cannot afford to pay the amount the courts have ordered them to pay, what happens?

Answer:
 What do you mean by 'not afford'?

If they can't afford to pay immediately, they can set up a payment plan.  If they can't or won't do that, the court can order their wages garnished, or their assets seized.


Title: My father is being accused of child molestation, how can I help him?

Question: Hi, I will try to make this brief and I will try to keep my spelling accurate and formatting normal but I am on mobile currently. I am 16 years old and living in Connecticut. A friend from my childhood has recently named my father as the man who touched him, AFAIK his story also says that I was present. This is what I was told by the police. So far no charges have actually been made against my father, but DCF has removed him from my home in order to 'protect me' even though I have only assured them of the fact that he has never sexually abused me. During his absence it has just been my mom and I and she is a little belligerent when it comes to 'the system' so she has yelled at the DCF investigator before and is now refusing to allow them into our house to 'protect our 4th amendment rights. She is being charged with neglect. Primarily I believe it is because she refused to allow the DCF worker to see me once. So, how can I help prove that my mother is not neglecting me and how can I bring my father home as soon as possible to bring some kind of normality back to my life. Thank you for any advice.

Answer: Tell him to hire a lawyer.


Title: Question about "inheritance in advance"

Question:
I did some googling but couldn't quite figure this out, so I'd appreciate your thoughts or links to resources.

Basically: how does "inheritance in advance" work? I ask because my understanding of inheritance was that one "inherits" what remains of the departed person's estate. I've read many articles about how now that the average person is living longer and care costs are so extreme that most people with boomer parents who aren't wealthy should not expect to inherit much at the end of the day.

For context: last year around this time, my partner's parents helped my sister in law purchase a home. At the time we assumed it was via a cash gift for a down payment or signing as guarantors on the loan or some combination. His parents emphasized that this was his sister's "inheritance in advance". We found out earlier this year that in fact they purchased her a home for cash ($150k roughly) and now she pays them some money each month, but the title of the home is in her name.

His parents are/were middle income and spent much of their lives in modest financial circumstances. They are both retired, one of them having been retired for over a decade. They have both had health issues at various points, including cancer. I basically don't understand how they could afford this financial arrangement or how there could possibly be any "inheritance" left over for my partner.

**TL;DR:** if one sibling gets their "inheritance in advance" and the other does not, how could they possibly be of equal value? How does "inheritance in advance" work?

Answer:
 "Inheritance in advance" is not a legal concept.  It's simply a gift.  As long as it isn't done with the intent to defraud Medicaid or something, it's perfectly fine.

No child (or other relative) has the "right" to an inheritance, nor do all inheritances have to be equal.  Parents are free to gift money while they are alive to one child, then remove that child from the will.  Or to gift them money and not remove them from the will.  Or to remove them from the will without giving them anything.

In short -- the money belongs to whomever it belongs to, and nobody should expect or count on an inheritance.  Plan your life as if you will not receive anything.


Title: Company sent me wrong item, wants me to eat shipping costs [CA]

Question:
I purchased an item from a company in CA for around $650, +$150 shipping. This was around the holidays in 2018 and I opened it to discover it wasn’t what I ordered. I contacted them to let them know, they acknowledged their mistake and told me to send it back. I asked for a shipping label and they said they do not return labels.

I was busy with the holidays and some personal items so I set the issue aside for a while. Then about a month I go to a local UPS to ship and they said it would cost almost the value of the item for me to ship it. I contacted the company again and they said while they do not offer a return label, I can pay for one through them for another $150. So I did that, wanting to get the item back to them.

They’ve established that I won’t get a refund but can use store credit towards something else, which I’ve agreed to. The issue is that they are not going to refund any of the shipping which doesn’t seem right to me. My question is, is this a valid issue to contact a lawyer about? Or is this one those things they can’t help with.

Answer: OP- I think you need to escalate the issue higher from a customer service prospective. I don't think what you've described is illegal, but it's terrible customer service.


Title: [California] My new landlord has decided to implement some ridiculous rules and fees that aren’t in the contract.

Question:
Context: I live in one of many complexes owned by a single landlord, and each complex has its own property manager. We had a property manager that recently “retired”, or rather got fired, for reasons unknown. Since then, we have “adopted” a new property manager that is overseeing our complex in addition to a few other complexes owned by the landlord.

On the first week of having this new property manager (we’ll call her Sarah), she has decided to implement a few things that aren’t written in our contract and can’t be found anywhere I can find, including: no door mats, no plants or personal items in the space in front of our doors or windows, no items in our allotted garage space, increased rent despite the amount written in my contract, and now we have to start paying pet rent too.

Sarah claims that these have always been the rules from management, but when I asked to see where those rules are posted or can be found, she skirted around the question and didn’t give me an answer.

Regarding the door and window space, on the floor plan we were given when initially signing our lease, the floor plan included the area in front of our door and windows and was labeled as “balcony”, and I believe it is also included in the square footage of the apartment. When I pointed that out, all she said is “yeah I don’t know who drew our floor plans” and said that the walkway was not our own space and that we had to clear our belongings from it. The contract states that we CAN keep plants and outdoor furniture on our balcony, but when I pointed that out, Sarah just said that regardless of what our floor plan says, we don’t own a balcony and that it is public space. (As opposed to the “real” balconies, which only 3 apartments in our contract apparently have.)

Regarding pet rent, when I first signed for my lease, I was told by the then-property manager that there was no pet rent and all I had to pay was a $200 pet deposit. It was a huge reason I picked this apartment over others. A few months after moving in I got two cats, so I paid my $400 deposit and called it good. I did not receive any pet addendums or notices about having to pay pet rent. Nor does it say in the contract that there is explicitly a pet rent for my complex. However, since Sarah has taken over, she claims that there has always been a pet rent, and she handed me a form that details a $25/mo pet rent and a $250 pet deposit, a form which I have never seen and—she even said—one that she hasn’t seen for our complex either. She says that it’s still a rule for all complexes owned by the landlords company though, and that she needs to make a version of it for our complex, and that she will be sending us a contract addendum for it.

Regarding increased rent: In February, with the last property manager, I signed a lease renewal to continue living in my complex at the same rate. I suppose this was a mistake on his end— it was supposed to be $25 more expensive, and I didn’t catch that either— but I signed it, and sent it back. Now that Sarah is in, she says that the amount I signed was incorrect and that she has to make a new contract addendum for me to sign with the higher rent amount. She says that despite my signing it in February, the landlords haven’t reviewed it or signed off on it yet, so my signatures aren’t valid, which is why she can do that.

I’m no legal expert, I have no idea how many of these things are kosher for her to do or what I can fight back with. Personally, I’m most upset about the pet rent, closely followed by the stupid balcony/walkway rules. Any advice?
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 Door and window space -- probably a reasonable rule that doesn't need to be specified in the lease.

Pet rent -- needs to be in the lease or a signed addendum.

Increased rent -- needs to be in the lease or a signed addendum.

Assume that your lease will not be renewed again if you refuse to go along with her, however.


Title: Unlawful Rental Agreement Termination?

Question:
Writing this up as my shift is ending, so I apologize if I leave out some info.

&nbsp;

I have been in a month to month rental agreement (california)for the last few months, and recently was told I have 30 days to vacate as my agreement was being terminated: Landlord is having his sister move in and she doesn't want to share the shared bath with a guy. This was not hinted to me or the other tennant residing in the house when we signed the agreements initially.

&nbsp;

So After speaking with the other tenant we decided to swap rooms - as it is a girl and she doesn't mind sharing with another girl as well. We go through the song and dance of moving our effects and get all settled in. We talk a bit and figure it couldn't hurt to perhaps ask for a potential reduction in rent. So I fire off a text to the landlord inquiring about this. Other tenant does as well.

&nbsp;

The landlord immediately shuts down and goes on the defensive saying this is too much effort and work and the initial rental agreement stands and he is giving me another 30 day notice. I explained to him that both the tenant and I are fine 'as-is' with current conditions, we simply wanted to inquire. He insists the termination is still in effect. Upon asking if the other tenant will be evicted too he states it is just me. I have saved messages confirming he has acknowledged the  situation and is electing to evict anyway on grounds for asking about my rental agreement.

&nbsp;

Do I have precedence to pursue legal action as stated in: US Code Chapter 45 - Fair Housing - Subchapter 1, Section 3604; https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/3604

Answer: If you are month-to-month and he gives you 30 days notice, he is not evicting you.  Your landlord is within his right to ask you to leave for no reason (He stated no reason for second notice to terminate).  Even if you were discriminated against based on your sex, it probably did not violate the FHA because there is a shared housing exemption.  You probably don't have enough in damages to be worth suing either.  I'd recommend moving on and signing a term lease next time.


Title: Got sent an inappropriate picture from a stranger

Question: I received a picture of a mans penis from a random number, I googled the number and found the person responsible and all his information including his name,and address. He lives in another state - is it possible to take any legal action or file a report ? - I live in NY and he lives in NJ

Answer:
 You can attempt to, sure.

What's your desired outcome here?


Title: Why do people try and steal credit cards?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 1. You assume that most victims are conscientious enough to notice and take action quickly enough.
2. You assume that most perpetrators are not idiots.
3. You assume that routine CC theft/fraud is something that the system jumps on.


Title: [ID] I was evicted last month, now going to be going to Small Claims. I lost my copy of the lease in the move, and landlord won't provide me a copy before we appear

Question: I was evicted last month due to non payment. Upon talking to him tonight and being informed that we were going to small claims, I asked for a copy of the lease agreement so I can review exactly what was agreed upon and being prepared. He told me that I can review it when we appear in court together, and something about that just seems fishy. Is there laws out there that prevent them from doing this?

Answer: Your landlord isn't obligated to provide you with a copy of the lease you signed.


Title: (MI) - is my employer cheating on their taxes?

Question:
Here's my situation.   Every year accounting makes up a list.  This list shows every part they're writing off as show moving inventory.

We then change the inventory tags to "do not inventory"  and leave the parts in the shelf.   When an order that requires the written off parts accounting will move the parts back into inventory and allow us to use them.  The customer still pays full price for the product.

My previous employers have never handled inventory this way,  and I'm wondering if there's a loophole that would allow this to happen or if I'm right and this isn't kosher.

Answer:
 <Taking off my lawyer hat and putting on my CPA hat...>
Okay now... Let's just say that you're interpreting this correctly and they're writing down inventory. That would have a direct effect on the Cost of Goods Sold, so when profit is calculated, the additional profit would offset the write-down of inventory.

I'd say it's more likely that some improper terminology is being used and that these parts are already allocated as part of "work in progress" and now raw inventory.  Therefore, as they're accounted for in the Work in Progress bucket, they're being discluded from the raw inventory count.

No real loophole.  At the end of the day, profit (and tax liability) is determined by revenues - costs.  If costs are reduced in one area, they would end up being larger in another, netting to a zero effect.

Does this make sense?


Title: [Texas] Child endagerment by association.

Question:
A close friend of mine has been arrested and charged with aggrivated assault of a child (his son). He is out on bail but child protective services has stated that he cannot return home. According to CPS he cannot be anywhere or around anyone that may be in contact with his son.

I do not believe he is guilty of the charges or a danger to anyone. I would like to help him by giving him a place to crash but I also have 2 sons. Could there be legal hazards to my family by allowing my friend to stay in our home?

Answer:
 Yes, allowing someone charged with attributed assault on a child around your children can be considered negligent and get you in trouble with CPS.

Your belief in his innocents is fine but until he is found not guilty it is really not a good idea to allow him unsupervised around your children or any children.

Also, unless you are there you have no idea what happened


Title: Attempted murder on the job/court summons

Question: So I work in a form of public safety and on the job I responded to a burglar alarm and found the burglar. He then attempted to murder me after going for my weapon, blood was drawn. When we finished detaining the subject I gave both my report and my recorded statement. I got a court summons that says I’ll possibly be arrested if I don’t arrive. Could I really get arrested even though they have my recorded statement?

Answer: If it’s a trial and you are a mTerial witness yes.  Since people have s confrontation right you’re gonna have to testify st trial


Title: Does Valve have the right to keep my threads online for eternity?

Question:
Dear community,

so I made a thread three years ago on the steamcommunity forums which I really want to get deleted.
I tried writing to Steam Support, I tried contacting several moderators which all ignored my request and just a few days ago I made a thread on the community forums asking for the thread to get deleted. It got locked aswell I am currently unable to even delete the new one.

I am from Germany and I really feel like being treated poorly as a long term customer (14 years). Thanks in advance and keep up the good and selfless work!

Answer:
 Your threads?

All content on that website is owned by/given a license in perpetuity for Valve.

They can do what they want with those threads.

Sadly, the only way to avoid those situations is to not post stuff online... because once you put it on the internet, it never goes away.


Title: [TX] Lost some art in a recent move. We have two active insurance policies and don't want to accidentally commit fraud.

Question:
My wife and I recently moved from California to Texas, and the moving company we hired "lost" a $5,500 piece of art (strange, right?). We didn't get additional insurance through the company because that piece of art was the only valuable thing we owned (it was a gift), so the cost of the additional insurance for the entire move through them (to the tune of $6000) just didn't make sense.

The renter's insurance we had for our apartment in CA has a deductible of $500 and the homeowner's insurance we now have in Texas has a deductible of $2,500. We have filed a claim with both companies to see what they will each settle for. Renter's came back saying they would pay out about $4,200 (total cost of replacement minus our deductible and depreciation). We haven't heard back from the homeowner's yet.

We, of course, don't want to be out of pocket for something that was stolen from us, so having to front the cost of the deductible and depreciation really stings. So my question is, how do we get to "even" from our insurance companies without accidentally committing fraud?

Answer: You cannot collect a settlement from both companies. Answer #2: The key to avoiding fraud is to not make any misrepresentations. That means being up front and truthful about any relevant facts. And, to be safe, correcting the record if it appears that either insurer is operating on an incorrect understanding of the facts.