Title: Rude company accidentally sent me a much more expensive replacement item by mistake. Now they want it back. I'm keeping the expensive replacement, and I think I'm legally entitled to do so. However, I also additionally want the original item replaced.

Question:
I'm being vague because this is happening now.

An item I ordered from amazon was clearly defective. I called the company that sold it for feedback, because it seemed like a production problem. The company told me my only option was to send it to them and wait a month. I didn't like this as I already paid for something, why do I have to wait a month without it, even though I had very clear photographic evidence that it was defective. They told me tough cookies.

I figured that the product was manufactured improperly, which means that if I just did an amazon replacement likely I would get the same thing. But, faced with a 1 month warranty process, I just took the risk and got the amazon replacement.

Surprise surprise,  the amazon replacement had the same issues. I called the company armed with the information that likely the product batch was defective. The same customer service rep as above told me the same 1 month option. I called back and a different rep told me they would ship a replacement as soon as they got the defective item. I shipped it, saw it was delivered and waited two weeks. No reply, no package, nothing.

I called the company, and they told me they would have it sorted within 3 days. 3 days later I got a package in the mail. Package had my name. Shipping slip had my name. Invoice had my name. I noticed the item was different, but was worth about 10 X the price. Invoice in package had my name and the more expensive item on it.

Obviously, I felt really good, and that the company had just realized their mistake and decided to compensate me for their trouble with a gift replacement. I was OK at this point, even though it wasn't what I wanted, I felt maybe there was a problem with this product, and they decided to gift me a compensatory product for all my trouble.

I called customer service again to thank them, and it turned out they sent my lesser value replacement item to a different customer, who should have gotten the expensive item I received. They sent us the wrong item, and they want mine back.

I just hung up at this point. As far as I can tell, if a company sends you something you didn't buy/ask for, it's yours as a gift. Which is what I assumed it was.

The kicker, is that the same dude who was inflexible to my earlier  troubles, is now demanding I send it back.

As far as I'm concerned, they gifted me a better item by mistake, and I am still entitled to the original item I sent in for warranty.

Does the law I've been commonly seeing about sending item by mistake being a gift apply here? To be fair, I really did think it was a gift. And also, do I void this agreement by requesting also the original item I bought?

Frankly, I'd had been happy to take the more expensive item I received knowing that they sent it to me as compensation for all my troubles. However, since they sent me the wrong thing in error,  I'm inclined to accept it as a gift and still ask for my original item returned.

It doesn't help that all of this conversation about fixing their mistake was with the same person who was so inflexible about helping me in the first place.

Answer:
 > As far as I can tell, if a company sends you something you didn't buy/ask for, it's yours as a gift. Which is what I assumed it was.

You are incorrect.  That only applies to situations where you have no prior relationship with the company and have made absolutely no request for the item, at all, in any way.  It doesn't apply to situations where the company has made a clear and obvious error.

You are not entitled to this item, and you **certainly** aren't entitled to this item **and** another item.  If you keep this item, you pay the difference.  Else, you return this item and request a replacement for the original item you returned.


Title: Some questions about stolen credit cards

Question:
This is a throwaway account

My friend is located in Colorado

My friend (yes, actually my friend and not me) stole a credit card from an unlocked car and bought gas from a gas station and a lot of video games from Walmart. And it was a credit card not a debut card I know for certain.

I lectured him on how he is an idiot and what he did is immoral blah blah blah

But will he get caught? He spent a good $200 dollars on that stolen credit card. Couldn't they look at the gas station cameras and get his plate number? Or even look at the Walmart cameras? Would they even bother going after him?

He is also only age 17 I don't know if that matters.

Thanks for any help

Answer:
 >Couldn't they look at the gas station cameras and get his plate number? Or even look at the Walmart cameras?

They very well could do either.

>Would they even bother going after him?

No one can guess this.  It depends to some extent on how busy the local law enforcement agency is.  And perhaps whether there is a victim making police reports and pressing the matter.


Title: Daughter missing, ex pointing finger at me kidnapping her, im a days drive away, and do t have her, what do i do?

Question: for all i know shes locked in her room, cos hes that kind of crazy, been missing for almost 24 hours, i think he just wants to ruin me again, find where i am, because hes done things similar before, im worried sick. But dont want to sucked in if its just a game to him. Says he knows who has her but doesnt know where, who should i talk to? (title should say "i don't have her") edit: as soon as i made contact she amazingly popped up found well and fine, i know you guys think im wasting your time, im glad she is ok. This sort of thing is why i hid from this guy, and now i have to go hide again. Im sorry you all wasted your time reading this but my life is just a neverending horror movie. He used the police for this "game", another page in my pathetic story.

Answer:
 What did the police say when you immediately contacted them regarding a missing child?Answer #2: Worry less about you and more about your missing kid. Call the cops and see what they have to say, shouldn't be hard to clear your name since you don't have her right? Make sure someone is actually looking for her Answer #3: Have you contacted the police?

What state / country are you in?Answer #4: How old is the girl? What state is she in? Where are you? Is there an Amber Alert with your vehicle listed?

You call the cops in teh location where your daughter lives. Tell them your ex says she is missing for 24 hours.

I assume you have people who have seen you a days drive away.

Answer #5: Call the police


Title: Missed jury duty [FL]

Question: I was supposed to report to jury duty today, I didn’t find out until 3 hours past when I was supposed to be there because my dad is the one who got my summons from the mail and just kept it in his drawer instead of giving it to me. This is my first time ever being summoned and that’s probably why I’m in panic mode, I did try calling the court and it’s just an automated system that doesn’t offer much in terms of talking to an actual person.

Answer:
 Call the courts and tell them you missed the date.  Somehow, you'll get ahold of a person.

Otherwise, you can go to the courts in person and explain due to a mix-up you missed your date, and they'll reschedule you.

Not a big deal if you take the actions to get it corrected.


Title: Can universities legally demand health records for incoming students? [CT]

Question:
So I'm starting university next school year and I've got to fill out a bunch of health forms. The first part is only asking for the required  proof of immunizations, which is legal and I'm totally fine with that, however the second page is asking for a bunch of doctors signatures and more personal health information (height, weight, medical history, including a required signature from a doctor labeled "Physical Examination Affirmation" ).

I really don't know much about law, but I can't see how any of this can be legally required from a public university. I know it's not a big deal to just get everything filled out, but it really rubs me the wrong way that they want so much information from me, including telling me I need a doctors signature that I'm fit enough to attend.

So my question is, do I *really* need to get all of it filled out? I almost feel like it's something they claim is required, but they won't really hold you to it. On the other hand, I could totally be causing problems for myself over nothing at all.
Topic:
Healthcare Law including HIPAA

Answer:
 >I really don't know much about law, but I can't see how any of this can be legally required from a public university.

Why wouldn't it be? They're asking you to provide information and you can and might end up being a patient of theirs.

>but it really rubs me the wrong way that they want so much information from me, including telling me I need a doctors signature that I'm fit enough to attend.

Then go to a university that doesn't ask you to fill out their forms.

>So my question is, do I really need to get all of it filled out?

No. Pick another school to attend that doesn't require you to fill out their forms. If you want to go there? Yes.

>On the other hand, I could totally be causing problems for myself over nothing at all.

 It's time to be an adult.  Is this really a freaking big deal? What are they POSSIBLY going to do with this information other than file it away in-case you become one of those people who signs up for insurance under their plan and ends up being a patient? Could this POSSIBLY be so someone who needs ADA accommodations has an opportunity to request accomidation? Or are you getting overly sensitive because "there should be a law that says I don't have to do this" and I don't want to be bothered?

Yes. You are blowing this out of proportion.

Either comply or find another school to give your money to.

C


Title: [NJ] Neighbor is threatening to "take legal action" for playing the trumpet during the day.

Question:
My neighbor as informed me that she will look into taking "legal action" against me for playing the trumpet during the day.  I am a professional musician so this is not just a hobby, it is my livelihood.

We live in a house that is divided into 3 apartments, one per floor.  I am on the top floor, she is on the second.

She has informed me that I am not allowed to play past 7pm (I never play past 8pm for this exact reason) and that I can not play between the hours 11am - 4pm because their 4 year old is taking a nap.

In addition to the noise she told me I can not "run a business out of my apartment."  I don't actually run a business, but I do give a few lessons a week from my apartment.  Most of them are online a small number are in my apartment.

Would she actually have any kind of action against me?  I don't think she does but I want to be sure.

I'm willing to work with her and meet her half way, but a 5 hour block in the middle of the day is far too long and I am fairly certain she will not accept anything less than what she asked for.  She has proved to be very unreasonable and I am just concerned with the worst case scenario.

Edit:

Here are the laws in my town about noise violations.  http://ecode360.com/7187000

There are no specifics about volume so I'm not sure how she could make the case im too loud when that is not defined.

Answer:
 >Would she actually have any kind of action against me

She might be able to get a noise complaint filed. Exactly what this would be depends on your locale, but playing the trumpet in an apartment building is comparable to playing a stereo loudly. You both have a right to "quiet enjoyment" of your apartments, so you might actually be behaving unreasonably if you practice in your apartment. Whether or not she has a valid complaint depends on how loudly you're playing -- but given that a trumpet's sounds is pretty distinct and jarring, I'm thinking she probably does. Even with mutes.

Is there a practice space in your town that you can rent?Answer #2: If you can't go to a local university or other place to practice, consider an in home practice room. They're free-standing and can be DIY setup/installed. You should be able to get one for $4K - $10K, depending on size/features.

Example: http://www.whisperroom.com/sound-booth-models

Giving lessons is operating a business.Answer #3: If where you live has a noise ordinance, you likely don't have any leverage here. Your neighbor can keep reporting the noise violation to the point it might cost you a significant amount of money. You need to do your due diligence and figure out what exactly is too loud in your city/town. That's just the cost of doing business for a musician.


Title: Who is responsible for costs of returning stolen item that has been re-sold?

Question:
I bought an item in Ohio that it turns out was stolen in Florida, but have since moved and taken the item with me to Utah.  I bought it 4 months ago, it was stolen 6 months ago.  The police in Utah, who identified it as stolen, said I legally must give it back to the original owner.

Am I responsible for the costs of transporting it to (a) where I bought it or (b) where it was stolen from?  Or can I simply not prevent the owner from *picking it up* from me?

Edit:  to be clear, the guy who sold it from me is nowhere to be found, so we can't just make him pay.

Answer:
 While all attorneys have been exposed to a bona fide holder for value, the cases in casebooks are only an introduction. To know the law, you need to do some study over the issues.

I think it unlikely you have to pay for transportation. Then again, it would depend on the facts of how you acquired the item and to if some mens rea (Of illegality.) could apply. If so, transportation would be a cheap way out of this problem.

That being said, you may have some rights. Depending on the item and value, it might be in your best interest to litigate.

No way to tell without all the facts. Because of potential criminal issues, you only should give the facts to YOUR attorney.


Title: (OHIO) My ex-girlfriend got me arrested and I served jail time for a felony 2 burglary that she set up. I have evidence. Can I sue her or press criminal charges?

Question:
I have a extensive history of records involving these incidents. This post will be relatively brief, I'm going to update soon with more details.

The incident took place on a Friday. I had texted her (I'll call her Amanda) most of the day. At approximately 3pm I told her that I was free that day and I could come over later that evening if she wanted me to. Her immediate response to that text message was: "My Dad will be here to pick up \[my daughter\] at around 4-5. If you do come over we can go to that open house I was telling you about". Around 7pm I texted her and asked her what she was doing and she said she was on her way home from work. I was out with friends and decided to head her way around 10pm. Most nights I will come over late and stay the night with her, this was a common practice. I started driving to her place and texted her to let her know I was on my way. I received no response until I was about 10 minutes to her house. She said "I'm not home." and then "My grandpas 95th birthday is tomorrow." This seemed very cryptic and weird and I was a bit upset because she wouldn't respond. I told her I was almost there and I would just wait until she got home. I entered her home through the back door and waited to hear more from her. I sent a picture to her from inside the home to let her know I was seriously there (sometimes I flake and don't come over when I say I'm going to come over because it's an hour drive from my house to hers. I know sending a picture inside a house is a dumb idea but you have to understand that everything was an argument with this woman and I would have to prove to her with pictures anything that she suspected I might be lying about). She always leaves the backdoor unlocked and I commonly enter the home this way when she is not home. I actually have text messages from her where she says "I'm not home the back door is unlocked". I sat in the house for about 20 minutes. I got a glass of water and took a pee. I got upset she wouldn't answer my calls or texts showing her I was there and I left and drove home.

On the way home I received a phone call from Amanda. She was frantic and said she called the police because I broke into her house. I was in disbelief and laughed. She hung up on me and then wouldn't answer any more calls the rest of the evening. My speculation is that she went out with another man (another common practice) and when she realized I was at her house she decided to call the police. I speculate this because her car was at the home but she was not. I went home upset and went to sleep. The next morning when I woke up I had 3 missed calls from her local police department and a voicemail. The voicemail from the police simply asked me to call them back. I panicked and did not call them back. I realize this was a mistake but I have always heard to never talk to the police when you're accused of something without an attorney.

3 days later I was served a warrant and arrested. I spent 72 hours in county jail (first time I've ever been to jail and for those of you that have not been there I want you to know that it is the most dehumanizing, traumatizing, torturous hell on earth. I was in tears most of the time I was there. The other prisoners saw my weakness and exploited it. I was a traumatizing experience I won't soon get over ) I was bailed out by my father. Bail was $5000. When I went to trial the case went to the grand jury and was thrown out. Amanda tried to pursue the full charges and testified against me in the preliminary hearing. If I would have been found guilty I would have face 2-10 years in prison.

Amanda has falsely accused me of crimes in the past and I have kept the records for each incident. She's called the police on me over 10 times for crimes I did not commit. On one particular instance, I had refused to come to her house one night and she called my local police and told them I had child pornography and a marijuana growing operation in my house. My house was searched and everyone went home. Another time her lips were bruised because of botox injections and she called the police and said I punched her in the face and caused bruising. Luckily, she had sent me text messages earlier that day complaining of the bruising from the botox. After I showed the police those the texts everyone went home.

I was involved in this abusive relationship for 2 years. I understand that I could have walked away from this at anytime but I'm learning in therapy that I had no self worth and in a way I was under her control. She frequently threatened that she would tell the police I had molested her 10 year old daughter and she would say she would get her daughter to testify against me. For the record, I never touched her daughter and her daughter would actually confide in me about her crazy mother. I lived in fear of this woman for a long time. It wasn't until I went to jail that I finally had the courage to get a protection order against her and commit to staying away from her forever. I always knew she was crazy but I didn't think she would ever send me to jail. I was wrong.

Is there anything I can legally do to get her in trouble for what she's done? I've read about possibly a civil lawsuit for damages but it's not money I seek, I just want justice and I want her to be exposed for the things she's done to me. Any help or advice would be very much appreciated. Thank you.

\*I'm not sure if this is relevant but after some investigating I found that she has had 23 previous charges filed against her in the past. She's had 5 OVI's, and 4 protection orders placed against her. None of these things happened while I was with her.

Answer: Block all communication with this toxic person and move on with your life. Why didn't you do this several previous incidents ago?


Title: My 21 year old girlfriend was taken against her will by her parents.

Question:
CALIFORNIA

She moved out of her parents home three weeks ago to live with her aunt and cousin. Her parents are crazy conservatives and very restrictive of her. Problems at home were becoming to much for her to handle, this is why she left. In addition, her parents have been telling her, "if you aren't happy here, you should move out."
Last night her parents showed up at her aunts house and took her.
I want to file a a police report, but i am unsure if I am on the grounds to. Can anyone please give me advise?

Answer:
 Took her?  Like grabbed her, tied her up, threatened her, forced her?  Or what?

You can make a police report, if you believe she's actually being held against her will.  If she says she's not, though, there's nothing you can do.Answer #2: If her parents came and talked her into coming back home with them, then they are well within their rights. In fact, if they also persuade her to cut off all contact with you that's perfectly fine also -- she is 21 and (unless there are special exceptions like serious mental illness) presumed capable of making such decisions.

If her parents came and dragged her into the car and currently have her locked in her room, then they are guilty of kidnapping. When she was 17, they had the legal right to do that; at age 21 they cannot. If she is willing to testify, they might (in the extreme case; this isn't all that likely) be charged with kidnapping and be sent to jail.

90% of the time, when people post something like you did, it's actually the first case, not the second -- but you are the person on the scene, and only you can evaluate which situation it is. If it really is the second case, report it to the police. And if it is somewhere in between, then in the end it is all going to come down to what SHE chooses to do.


Title: [U.S.] I found a small amount of wiring in a tin of Kroger brand coffee grounds. Am I entitled to any sort of compensation?

Question:
Well, I was making coffee this morning as I always do, when I noticed what I thought was some hair in the grounds so I went to pull it out. What it actually was, was 7-8 strands of some kind of metal wiring (possibly copper) that was attached to a hard clump of what I assume is either cardboard or possibly some kind of plant matter.

I’m not trying to sue or anything like that, just wondering what kind of compensation if any would be available to me ... Maybe just a replacement tin? :)

Answer: It doesn't seem like you have any real damages. You could contact the manufacturer and see if you could get a replacement.  Answer #2: You should report it to the store.  I am sure they will give you a coupon.


Title: [CA] Falsely accused of hit and run, police looking to talk to me down at the station....

Question:
I'll keep the details brief.

Three months ago I pulled into a parking lot to get some breakfast in a coworker's vehicle. While backing into a spot that had conveniently opened up behind me, a man is shouting and grabbing my attention 20 feet in front of me. I am crawling at less than 1MPH, I continue to back into my spot, and another man immediately runs and stands into the space and begins pushing his hands into my rear windshield. He then begins yelling that I hit him loudly attempting to grab the attention of the handful of people in the parking lot. He then proceeds to open my door and yell at me. I shrug it off and decide to not say anything as to not provoke him any further, nor incriminate myself. I close the door and let him make a fool of himself for his failed attempt of serious injury.

He then begins dialing the police and everyone that has seen it is just laughing or shaking their head and going about their business. He is clearly not injured, never fell down, and the running around the parking lot asking people and yelling loudly isn't helping his case. I completely ignore it and go about my day ordering breakfast. Two people came up and said it was complete bullshit, and proceeded to give me their phone numbers as a witness. I have thankfully been in contact with at least one.

Now three months later and the owner of the vehicle has been contacted by a detective. He wants him to come down to the station. I don't have much of the details, but he did reveal that he had "pictures" that he wanted to show him.

Do I give him a clearcut statement and the phone number to the witness, or stroke the giant middle finger of the 5th amendment and lawyer up if they want to charge me? Obviously no warrant out for my arrest, nor for my friend. And clearly the phone-call-a-day until the owner of the vehicle gave him 5 minutes shows that this could be low priority. Video could of easily been acquired within 48 hours if it was that important, and a license plate and camera picture would be a big deal. At the same time, it could be the scammer accosting the detective to go forward and attempt to catch the "suspect" so he could start a civil case. It is not a paranoid thought considering the massive accident fraud that occurs in my area.

I am also not exactly well funded to deal with this situation if it does require a lawyer. I have recently dumped much money into vocational training. Suggestions of ways to deal with this in case they actually want to arrest me or charge me would be helpful. :(

Answer: You have the contact information of witnesses, why not provide that to the police? The police are less likely to submit an arrest warrant application if they have exculpatory information. Also, if the other complainant was stupid enough to lie in a written sworn statement he could wind up being arrested. Answer #2: IANAL but the answer is pretty much always don't speak to the cops AT ALL on this matter and hire a criminal defense attorney immediately if charged with anything or arrested.Answer #3: You don't have to talk to the cops and the only way they can make you or your friend appear at the station is to arrest you. If it was me I would forward on the witness' contact information to the detective and tell them that there is nothing further to say on the matter.


Title: [GA] Company withholding 2018 healthcare pricing after repeated requests and alerts of national open enrollment period closing soon

Question:
I currently have health insurance through my company for my wife, my daughter, and myself. Our current provider is Aetna. We have been struggling this year financially after our insurance pricing increased dramatically. My annual salary is right below $45k/yr and our insurance for the three of us is ~24% of my annual salary (~$950 a month).

I have been looking into other options, such as plans on healthcare.gov. However, I'd like to be able to compare what our pricing and options will be with Aetna through my company for 2018.

So once open enrollment started for the country, I asked our COO and HR rep if we had the pricing yet.

* My first email was sent on 10/31/17. They said open enrollment (nationally) would open soon and we'd receive pricing from Aetna
* Next email was sent on 11/8/17 asking for an update. They said they had not received pricing yet but will contact the rep that day
* Verbally asked our COO for update in weekly meeting on 11/13/17. No pricing yet.
*Emailed COO and HR again on 11/27/17, mentioning again that open enrollment is only open until 12/15/17. No reply at all.

This is not the first shady thing that my company has done. They don't value employees and have been laying off 15-20 out of 30 people over the past year.

My question is, are they doing anything illegal or borderline illegal? Or are they just being dicks and not giving us employees the information we deserve to make a decision? If it means saving my family a substantial amount of money, I would switch to one of the plans on healthcare.gov. However, without being able to compare plans, I may not be able to make that decision.

**TLDR: Company seems to be avoiding giving out 2018 health-insurance costs. Need cost information to compare to healthcare.gov and other options to see if it saves my family a substantial amount of money. Already struggling financially as is and don't want to be stuck with an increased premium.**

Answer:
 I'm in a similar situation, and due to the fact that our HR person is relatively new and wasn't around when the company originally got all the documentation for the benefits, was unable to locate the pricing information.

I just went straight to the provider and requested the information and enrollment forms from them, and they sent them over the next day.


Title: (TX) My brother and SIL might get their own TV show but my niece says if it happens she won't co-operate

Question:
Hello r/legaladvice. Looking for some advice to point them in the proper direction.

My brother and SIL might be getting to be on a reality show. I don't want to out them here by saying the network or the name of the show but it would be similar to the Real Housewives where they would be part of a cast of other families. My niece is 16 and she says she won't be on TV or co-operate with the crew if they film her and she'll leave. Where does this leave my brother and SIL? Can she be compelled to appear if she is a minor still under their care or can she refuse legally and not get herself or her parents into trouble?

Thanks for any help!

Answer:
 The production company is not going to try to film a non-cooperative teenager, for a whole host of reasons. This is barely even a legal issue, honestly: it's not likely to get to that stage before the production company either decides it's not worth the hassle and backs out entirely, or decides to shoot without your niece.Answer #2: Frankly I think she is right on the money here and I don't blame her at all.Answer #3: Can I just say: your brother et al have a child who it totally not on board with this from what you have said. So why would they even consider that this was a good idea? Money? They would put their relationship with their child in danger over money? And you do know: these sort of reality shows aren't interested in families who manage themselves appropriately, go about their business in a well reasoned way? So this is about the drama in the family - why would they wish to do this unless it it was about the money? And we're back to: is this a fair place to put their teenage daughter?

Honestly, I'm disgusted. In my view, it's akin to pimping for the tv show. Answer #4: Honestly, I agree with her. I do not know of any law that would require her to be on the show.


Title: Roommate smashed car window with a brick and denies it

Question:
On Monday May 27th around 1AM, I was at my apartment unloading some things from my car. My roommate asked me what I was doing, and asked to come with me to park my car. I remember smelling alcohol on his breath, but I figured he was just trying to keep me company and so we parked my car, and walked back to my apartment. I went to bed. The next morning, at about 8:15 in the morning, I walked out to my car for work only to find my rear passenger window smashed to pieces. The brick was laying on my car floor, and there was glass everywhere. Some of my things were stolen, and I immediately filed a police report. I had suspected my roommate, however, I am all for people being "innocent until proven guilty" so I did not accuse him.

After filing a police report and fixing my window, i reached out to the house that I parked in front of and found out that they had a surveillance camera that showed the front end of my car, just missing my rear window. There was no footage of anyone actually committing the act of smashing my window with the brick, however there is footage of one person passing by my car within that 7 hour time-window. Around 3:45 a figure walked back and forth from my car to the street next to it, loitering around for about 10 minutes. Upon zooming in the picture, it was clear that this was my roommate. I asked my other roommate and many of my friends for clarification, and they all agreed that it looked like him.

One thing to keep in mind is that this kid also slashed my other friend's tires, after getting into an argument with him.

I gave him a chance to confess several times, but he kept denying it. He kept acting erratically and very suspicious. When I told him that I had footage of the crime, and still denied it, and freaked out, demanding to see the evidence. He acted out in rage and had a mini bipolar episode.

The video only shows the front end of my car, and does not actually capture the act of breaking my window, however there was nobody else that passed my car during that 7 hour time frame. I was wondering what the best legal option would be for me at this point. Will a video of the only person walking near my car around the time that my window was smashed be enough evidence to incriminate him?

Thanks reddit, I want to deal with this in a mature way, and would really appreciate any advice right now.

This happened in West Philadelphia

Answer:
 Sounds like you should take your evidence to the police and follow up on your police report.

And figure out how to get out of this roommate situation, obviously.

You could also sue in small claims court for the value of the items stolen and cost of the glass repairs (minus any insurance payout you receive).  You don't have to prove your case absolutely and beyond a shadow of a doubt in order to win.

Answer #2: A question is have the police seen the video evidence? If so do they feel there is enough evidence to make an arrest?

Often times video cameras especially at night arent the highest of quality. So the person could look like your roommate but that doesnt mean it is your roommate.

Provide the video to the police if they make an arrest and your roommate is charged then sue him for the cost to replace the window. In the meantime call your insurance company and file a claim, they will want the police report. If you do not have comprehensive coverage, then pay for the window to be repaired. Keep the receipt and sue for the cost.


Title: [MI] Going to fly out-of-state soon. Bench Warrant. Problem?

Question:
Hi folks, I've a client with a weird issue, and wonder if anyone has any input?
Child support arrears, bench warrant issued for failure to appear in 2010. He wants to put this behind him, and take care of bench warrant. I've already called the court to arrange for hearing to remove bench warrant. Problem: He's traveling tomorrow. He doesn't want to go to jail and miss his flight.
Does anyone know if he'll be caught up at the airport?

Answer: Our magic eight ball is broken. He should ask his attorney. Because I hope to hell you are not his attorney


Title: NJ DMV wouldn't issue me a license

Question:
Although this may not be entirely appropriate thread for this sub I am willing to sacrifice a few internet points to find an answer.

So I am an international student from Kansas City, Missouri. I moved to Jersey City, New Jersey in my last semester as I wanted to find a job in New york when I graduate. And my last semester I didn't really need to be in KC except only for my tests. Officially I will be graduating this week. However, it takes 2-3 months to get Employment Authorization Card to get delivered in New Jersey.

In the meantime, I purchased a scooter and went to 2 dmv close to me and they both denied my license application stating that in their database I am a student from Missouri so they cannot issue a license or title for my scooter in New Jersey. I have my i20, bank statements in NJ, passport with student visa, i94, all the documents you need. I am 100% legally authorized to stay in United States.

Now, my question is how can DMV straight up deny my license application because I am moving from a different state. I can prove my residency by showing my bank statements, utility bills, etc. I can show my identity requirements by showing my passport, visa and other documentation. I am not undocumented so I am not sure what the issue is here. What can I do to get in touch with someone higher in command to get their attention to this issue. I can get my EAD in 2-3 months and that should be enough to get my license and I am not impatient, this is more of a "I worked hard to stay in this country legally, I am a productive resident, and you are denying my application against your own legislature because you don't know how it works?"

Answer:
 > passport with student visa

If you're here on a student visa to go to school in Missouri; I could understand why the NJ DMV doesn't believe that you would live there.


Title: Do I have a discrimination case?

Question:
Hi, here's my story.

A year ago my sister got me an interview with a security company, I went in for a full time position but there was someone else who was better qualified so I ended up just getting hired in as per diem. The reason I haven't gotten another job is because I suffer from severe anxiety this job is actually something I am able to do, I have also never showed signs or let my anxiety interfere with my job. As per diem I pick up every shift they need me for, I do doubles and overnights, I will literally work any shift and I have been extremely reliable. I have been waiting for the last year for something to open up full time or part time with guaranteed hours and was always told "don't worry, it's coming".
Fast forward to end of April/May a position was opening up at a fancier side of the building and my boss told me I'd be able to pick up shifts there if interested, he also said there was a certain "look" needed for that side of the building which I thought he meant I'd have to wear a uniform which I'm fine with. A month goes by I'm still extremely interested and bring it up to him whenever I can and he would always say "I'll keep you in mind". I ended up talking to my supervisor who is right below him and he straight up told me it was a "beauty contest" and they really wanted my sister to go work on that side because she was the best looking one out of the three women security guards. I couldn't believe he said that and it made me feel horrible but glad he was being honest. I'm overweight but it has never stopped me from doing my job. After that comment I became extremely depressed and started losing weight, down 25lbs now. Well my sister told him several times that she didn't want the job and she was waiting to start an amazing state job. I always expressed interest in the position after that and he actually told me he'd need me to cover there so I got excited because that meant I was getting a chance. He then gave me a start date of June 22 so I figured I got the job but he then said he was still looking for someone for the full time position and I was a fill in. I suggested my girlfriend for an interview because she's amazing and had everything they were looking for (I also had everything that was posted on the job posting, and all the qualifications) because I knew I wasn't getting this job. Throughout this time the supervisor kept telling me it was a beauty contest and all about looks, he said this several times. After my girlfriend got the full time position my boss was still looking for a part timer to work Friday's and weekends, I told him I still wanted it and he said he'd let me know. A couple weeks ago I told the supervisor it was discrimination that I wasn't getting that job and he verbatim said "it is what it is, you'd never be able to prove it was discrimination, you'd never win anything in court because they would just say you didn't have the experience". When my boss got in that morning he went into his office and the supervisor went in after him and closed the door. My boss later on called me in and said I could give him my resume and he'd talk to the other people about giving me an interview and it wasn't discrimination it was just a certain look they were looking for. Now I've been filling in on that side and doing amazing, I know how to do everything that's going on. I went for my interview on 7/28 and it went great. They stressed how important availability and flexibility was and they were happy I was so open. Well on 7/31 I asked my supervisor if he heard anything from them and he said "they really liked you, I think it went great" so I asked why haven't I heard anything back yet "oh um don't read into it too much, don't worry". Well I later find out a girl is coming in to interview with my boss... It's 10am and she walks in, super skinny and blonde, as soon as she comes in my boss sends me to deliver his mail and go unlock a closet, stuff that wasn't necessary. She's in there with him for almost two hours and I can hear the fake laughs through the door, also conveniently another boss that was supposed to interview her had his 10:30 am meeting canceled so he was able to interview her that same day. On Friday after she left I asked my boss when I'd find out if I got the job or not, he said she needed to come in for an interview so now she's coming in for an interview with two higher ups on Monday 8/10 and we will see what happens. I also found out on 8/5 that she has absolutely no availability, she has school all week so she wouldn't be able to work any days but Friday to Sunday. The full timer has school on Mondays and Wednesday and this part time person was so supposed to cover but now my boss is saying I could probably be per diem there and cover the days the part timer can't... Also I saw a text on my supervisors phone by accident from someone else that said "SHES SKINNY HIRE HER NOW!!" I feel like I've been treated extremely unfair and discriminated against. Also there have been comments on my sexuality that have been in inappropriate

I'm sorry it's long but there was just so much to say, this isn't even all the dirt. People here pay cash to cover shifts and work under the table then switch days with each other so they won't lose full time. Shady stuff.

I pretty much just wanted to ask do I have a case here? What are my chances? What do you guys think?

Also forgot to mention I'm located in Massachusetts. Boss has also said he doesn't want people who are "too old, too young or males" they haven't even pulled applications from any men because they only want women. Supervisor also tried saying I didn't get the job because of my anxiety because they didn't want it to be too much for me.. Like I said earlier I have never let my anxiety stop me from doing my job and I've only mentioned my anxiety once and that was when he asked me why didn't I get another job and I told him I this job worked with my anxiety.
Topic:
Labor Law

Answer:
 That's a huge wall of text.  It's both difficult to read, due to formatting, and due to the writing style.

What discrimination are you alleging?  Answer #2: Are you male or female? Sorry if I missed that point in the wall of text.

> Boss has also said he doesn't want people who are "too old, too young or males" they haven't even pulled applications from any men because they only want women.

A company can discriminate in its hiring based on skinny. It cannot discriminate based on age (in your state 40 or over) or gender. Proving that they are doing this is difficult, and if you are female, there wouldn't be a point since picking one woman over another wouldn't be illegal.

In general a business can discriminate against employee (or prospective employees) based on criteria that isn't a [protected class status](http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/massachusetts-employment-discrimination-31772.html).

In the event that you are male, what sort of documentation do you have that they didn't hire you because of your gender?


Title: Ex-husband makes ex-wife homeless then refuses to let her see their children. (Virginia)

Question:
I have a cousin (let's call her Gina) who won custody of her three severely autistic children after a very nasty divorce.

Gina could only afford a tiny apartment, while her ex-husband remarried a wealthy woman and had a nice full-sized home.  Gina could not work, because taking care of three severely mentally-challenged kids is a full-time job.  She lives off of Hubby's $500 a month, food stamps, and whatever pittance the government can provide.  Fast forward 12 years.

Gina gets into some legal trouble, taking the rap for her oldest child who "shoplifted" (he put a lot of expensive jewelry in her purse as a "pretty surprise" for her, mentally, he sincerely did not understand what he was doing).  She was put on probation.

Hubby saw his chance, and filed for custody because he was "tired of paying child support".  The judge awarded full custody to Hubby, because of "fiduciary concerns" and because of Gina's record for shoplifting.  Hubby immediately puts the children in boarding school.  Gina is not allowed visitation, because Hubby is technically footing the bills and has told the staff to ban her.

What's worse:  When the judge awarded full custody to Hubby, he ordered Gina to pay $500 a month in child support to Hubby, because it was "only fair".  Gina has no job, has not had one in 12 years, and now has a record.  No one will hire her.  She could not pay her rent and also pay the child support, and is now living at a friend's house.  Hubby constantly calls her cell phone, drunk and abusive, and threatens that if she does not start paying, he will have her put in jail.

Is there any way she can avoid paying the child support?  Or at least see her children?
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer:
 Firstly, there has to be more to the story. The court would never give full custody of children over to another parent solely based on 'fiduciary concerns' or a non-violent shoplifting charge. A shift that big would be caused by abuse or neglect of some sort.

She cannot avoid paying child support. Because she hasn't had a job they are probably basing the amount off of her ability to obtain, at minimum, a minimum wage job. She will be able to see the children based on the court order, and if he is not letting her, then he is in violation of the court order and she can bring a contempt motion. Although if she has not been paying child support, he could bring a contempt motion on her as well.

Answer #2: She cannot avoid paying child support.

She can see the children as laid out in her custody order.


Title: Is my record clean?

Question: Hi im 18 and live in Chesapeake Virginia. When I was 16, me and a few friends were dumb and shoplifted at Walmart. In the end we were all charged together and it ended up being a felony. The case was dismissed in the end. Recently I have been trying to get a job but all the employeers keep turning me down without telling me why. I feel like this case is still visible on my record even though it was a juvinille case. Is there some way I could check and possibly have it removed if its still there.

Answer: You can run a background check on yourself, they aren't that expensive. Did you do any community service, classes, probation, fines, etc?


Title: Private preschool requiring me to find a therapist to shadow my son at all times

Question:
FL - My eldest son, 5, has had a so-so year in K-4. Half good days, half "he was antsy" or "he didn't listen well in the last hour"; stuff like that. But we were told just a few weeks ago that he has improved over the year and is ready for kindergarten. He is extremely bright and is the best reader in his class. He got perfect scores in the standardized tests. We re-enrolled him for next year and have been looking forward to his graduation in two weeks.

Over the past week, he has had several extremely bad days at school, just out of the blue. The first time, he refused to participate in the final lesson of the day and sat under the teacher's desk, refusing to come out. The second day, he got upset that another kid was pulling plants from the ground during recess and tried to intervene and save the plants. The teachers told him not to get involved, and he became very upset. I don't know what went on exactly, but it somehow ended with several teachers grabbing him and restraining him and taking him to principal's office. (He is massive for his age and extremely muscular and strong.) He seemed very nervous and anxious when I picked him up but calmed down as soon as we left.

He then had several great days in a row after I talked to him and implemented a new discipline system at home using colors and rewards... A few days later, I got a call again to go pick him up early. When I got there, he was acting very strangely, just laughing and throwing mulch at the teachers, who were standing around and not doing anything. Again, he was back to his typical self as soon as we started leaving. I'm genuinely bewildered at these events. I don't know if it has to do with how he is being treated at school, but he just doesn't act that way with us. We use time-outs and withhold privileges, and it works. His teachers said we'll see how it goes next week, but the preschool director doesn't want him to come back. Graduation is just around the corner, and I just want him to finish at this point and be done with it. She is convinced he has a disorder of some sort and needs an intervention. That's not even been hinted at before. We are at the end of the year; this is all *very* sudden and I think it's too soon to go that route, especially since I would imagine such disorders cannot be turned on and off. I'm not sure why he's struggling there recently, but he's a very sensitive child. (He cries at seeing a tree that's been cut down!)

Yesterday, the preschool director emailed me that he can't come back unless I find a behavioral therapist to sit with him all day, because the school 'doesn't have the staffing to accommodate his needs'. He's never even seen a therapist or been tested or diagnosed with anything. I would have to pay this mystery person, too. There's nothing in the school handbook about such a scenario. Regarding expulsion, the rules state that a student may be dismissed after three incidents of biting. The entire section on discipline is brief and vague, but I imagine since it's a private school, that doesn't really matter.

I've asked if I can "shadow" him myself for the next few weeks until school is out; I have not received a response. I wouldn't be the only parent volunteering as a teacher assistant. But what if the director doesn't agree? Can they really condition his attendance on having a full-time therapist sitting with him, a plan seemingly pulled out of thin air? Can they unilaterally determine something like that?

Answer:
 You don't have a legal issue. You have a medical issue with your child that needs diagnosis.

Extreme mood shifts and aggressive behavior are not normal.

Regarding attendance, it's a private school. They have extremely broad authority to remove a student or set conditions on said student's return.Answer #2: I think it’s worthwhile running his behavior by his pediatrician.


Title: Making an employer to promise to hire me at the end of an unpaid internship period (Illinois)

Question:
Hello Legaladvice!
I am graduating soon with a Master's Degree in Architecture, and will be looking for a long-term job soon.  Unpaid internships are pretty common in this field.  I am ready to accept an unpaid internship only if an employer is willing to promise me a specific salary and long-term employment at the end of a pre-specified length of time.
Is there any means by which I can make an employer commit to hire me after an unpaid period?

Answer:
 It would be an employment contract.  I doubt any employer will 100% commit to your terms, because - what if you're terrible?  Employers who utilize internships as a recruiting pool, meaning most of them, do want to evaluate you during your internship.
Answer #2: Employment contract is the only thing I can think of. If it is a competitive field they are unlikely to do so but you are welcome to ask.


Title: (WI) Is it illegal to take prescription drugs that were prescribed over 6 months ago?

Question: Last year I was prescribed Adderral. After 7 months on it, I decided to stop taking it and try using natural alternatives. My last script was filled 6 months ago and I only used a few days' worth. After 6 months of going natural, I am deciding that it just isn't working and that I should go back to trying Adderral. I have NOT used it yet. I work at a company that does random drug testing, so I wanted to check here first to see if it would be illegal to use the pills from my prescription over 6 months ago. Is there a deadline for when I have to use it from the date I get it filled?

Answer: Ok so we see this a lot in the military because guys get painkillers for a procedure and save some of them.  Then 6 months down the line they pop for some oxy or some shit and try to claim it was prescription but that has since been expired.  Do you have the original prescription on file with work?  If not then I wouldn't want the headache/worry of popping and then showing them an old one.  Go back to the doc and get the new scrip just to avoid the stress.  Better to get ahead of it then fight an uphill battle after the fact


Title: I have provided primary care for my 92 year old grandmother for 5 years. My cousin flew out this week and immediately started accusing me of various crimes to try to get my grandmother to give her power of attorney.

Question:
This is in California.

My cousin flew out from Colorado.  She comes out about once a year for 2-3 days to see my grandmother, who lives in a retirement community here.  I live a few miles away.

I got a call from my grandmother's visiting nurse saying she couldn't find some of my grandmother's medication.  My grandmother has a habit of hiding medication for some reason, so I said I'd come by and help look for it.

By the time I arrived, the nurse had left and my cousin was waiting there.  I looked for the medication, and while doing so my cousin ambushed me and claimed that I or my father were stealing the medication.  She repeated the accusation several times, and while I was denying them my grandmother found the medication.
My cousin then accused me of planting the medication for her to find now that I'd been "caught."

I then left the house.  My sister called my grandmother, and could hear my cousin in the background telling my grandmother that she was recording the call and that she has permission to talk.

The last time she was out she had gone to my grandmother's neighbors and tried to get them to give her statements that I was abusing my grandmother.  They refused and told me that she had tried to get them to do that.  She had also attempted to get my grandmother to sing a PoA at that time.

I'm not abusing my grandmother, in any capacity.

What should I be doing to protect myself and my grandmother?  My grandmother has diminished mental faculties and is very easily manipulated.  For all I know, she may have already signed a new power of attorney with my cousin.

Answer:
 You may want to consider filing for a conservatorship over your grandmother.  This will override any POA.Answer #2: If your grandmother has diminished mental faculties, she may not be considered competent to sign a new power of attorney. If she has not recently had a mental evaluation from a healthcare person, that might be something to do. It would counter our cousin's efforts and would also be something you'd need if you want to go forward with conservatorship.

Do call the adult protective services hotline in the county where Grandmother lives. It is their job to investigate not just physical abuse, but also mental, emotional and financial abuse. Not only is this a first step in getting Cousin away form Grandmother, it is also a sort of pre-emptive strike should Cousin decide to file a report about *you*.

Your report will be anonymous, although your cousin may assume it is your.Answer #3: You should contact an elder law attorney as well as the [Department of Aging office for your county](http://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/Adult-Protective-Services).


Title: Hypothetical: can a state governor use the pardoning power to get away with murder?

Question:
For state, well it probably varies by the state, and my question isn't specific to any one, but to make the bot happy let's say Texas.

Anyway, what if anything prevents a governor from using the pardon power to get away with heinous crimes? Could a state governor murder someone and then pardon himself for the crime? Maybe he guns someone down, heads straight to the governor's mansion, and fills out the paperwork for a pardon before anyone can pin it on him and arrest him. I don't think there needs to be an actual conviction in order to issue a pardon, because at least on the federal level, one of the most famous pardon's was ~~Johnson's~~Ford's pardoning of Nixon, even though Nixon was never charged or convicted.

What prevents this? Can a governor pardon himself? Obviously this would destroy any politicians political career, but maybe he's fed up with politics anyway and does this on his last day in office. Is this possible in any state?

EDIT: D'OH!

Answer: Jesus Christ kid it was Ford that pardoned Nixon. Get away from COD and crack a book for god sake!Answer #2: In Texas there is the Board of Pardons and Paroles that would have to approve.


Title: Court advice

Question: Hey guys I'm in Washington state. I got caught shoplifting and have court in a months for shoplifting not theft 3. I'm 18 and live with my dad I have managed to go to my first court date without him knowing and he has no idea any of this happened, I want to keep it that way. When applying for a public defender they gave me paperwork saying in order to get a public defender I need my dad to sign a letter saying he isn't financially responsible for me. I really don't want him to find out about this. And advice?

Answer: You can either inform you father of your situation and have him sign the paperwork, or you can hire your own criminal defense attorney. Those are your choices, as we never recommend representing yourself when you've been charged with a crime.


Title: [NSFW] !Blood! Los Angeles, CA; Head Injury and Possible Concussion due to school's failure to properly file metal.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Have you received medical treatment?

Do you have health insurance?

Is your position a paid one?


Title: X-post [CA] Insurance agent signed me up for home insurance without my consent

Question:
So I had purchased auto insurance from this agent then I sold my car so I cancelled the auto insurance. A few months later I see auto-debit from this agent on my debit card. I called the bank and was able to cancel some of the payment but I wasnt sure why he did that. I thought it was a mistake and ignored it. But after coming back to my home(I was away for a few months), I see that he has signed me up for home insurance. I am 100% sure that I didn't discuss anything of this sort with him. Heck I even moved to a new address after I cancelled the auto insurance with him and this home insurance is at this new address.

What legal action can i take against this agent ?

Answer:
 You can [file a complaint](http://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/101-help/) with the CA DOI.  They take this stuff really seriously.Answer #2: What have you lost?  If you successfully canceled the payment, it doesn't sound like you're out anything.  Though you should check to ensure that the policy is canceled and not simply delinquent on payments.

As to action against the agent, you can likely file a complaint with the [California Department of Insurance](http://www.insurance.ca.gov/).  California takes insurance pretty seriously.


Title: (ct) boyfriends car broke down, costs more to fix than what he owes. he stopped payments on it and bank refuses to repo?

Question: He has 2007 chevy equinox that had a blown head gasket and is completely not drivable. Mechanics said it would be a good 3k to repair it which is a little less than what he owes on it. This happened in February of 2017 and he has not made a payment since then (which yes was the wrong decision but he was also going through a really tough time financially and still is and did not want to pay for a car he could not use) The bank is refusing to reposes it since he owes less than 5k on it, he does not have the title and it is not registered or insured, just taking up space in his driveway. He has called them multiple times about options and they wont offer him a deal and like I said, they are refusing to repo it. What are the best options that he has for this ? is he just stuck with it until he pays it off, or is the bank required to repo it? His landlord wants the car off the property so he is trying to get it done quickly...

Answer:
 >  is he just stuck with it until he pays it off

Yes.  Repossession is an option that the lender has, not something you can force on them.

As is, even if repossessed, the balance of the loan is still owed.  The car is worth nearly nothing, so even if they repo it and sell it, he still owes almost what he owes now.


Title: [NY] I think someone took out a loan in my name, not sure what steps I'm supposed to take. Any advice?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 The first thing to do would be to establish whether or not a loan was ever taken out in your name by contacting the bank.

*If* a loan was taken out in your name, then you need to pursue this as possible identity theft.

If a loan was not taken out in your name, you should get the bank to validate that, in writing, then provide that to the credit reporting agency to let them know they are reporting this in error.


Title: Legality of booting cars that park on our property (CO)

Question:
Hey all!

I recently moved into a house very close to campus of pur local university. We have a small driveway in the front that can fit one car and a gravel lot behind our back yard that can fit 3-4 more cars accessed via an alley. Since I've moved here, there have been several occasions of cars parking in our lot. The lease states this is our parking space and part of the property owned by the landlord. The cars usually park like assholes or take up the last spots making it difficult for the ones who live here to park.

I've left notes on the vehicles to no avail, often seeing the same car show back up. Towing would be an obvious option, but my roommate is feeling extra vindictive.

My question: would it be legal in Colorado to boot these cars with our own personal car boot seeing as it is illegally parked on our property?

Bonus question: roommate wants to know if it's legal to charge these people to take the boot off

Thanks for the advice and have a great 4th of July

Answer:
 Typically it is "more" legal to have the car towed than to boot it.

Yes, you heard right, it is usually legal in most jurisdictions to have a car towed from your property. However, chaining it, booting it, etc is NOT legal and you can be liable for damages.

Some places require you to call the police first, others allow to contact the tow company. I suggest installing some signs that say "Private Property Resident Parking Only vehicles towed at owners expense by ScrewU towing Co 1-800-555-555"

And hang a "no trespassing" sign up. Worse case, get them trespassed. Which is usually a misdemeanor and requires court.Answer #2: Talk to your landlord. If your landlord isn't providing the spot in your lease than your landlord is in violation of your lease. They need to handle it.


Title: My wife was sexually abused as a child in the 1970's and did not report it then. She wants to report it now. What should she expect? (OH)

Question:
In 1976, a trusted family friend and neighbor groomed and then abused my wife when she was a little girl.  She didn't tell anyone about it until she was in her 30's.  The man who abused her is still alive and is now in his 60's, living in the same Ohio city in which the abuse occurred.

&#x200B;

Even though the statue of limitations is up, she wants to file a police report about the event.  What should she expect to happen if she contacts the police?

&#x200B;

Answer: If the SOL is up she should expect nothing.  Police won't do anything on a crime that can't be prosecuted


Title: TX Uncle passed away and I'm trying to help his daughter

Question: I apologize for my ignorance but I'm trying to help my cousin through the entire will and funeral arrangement process. Unfortunately, his will hasn't been found and we believe its inside a safe we have no combination to. If anyone could steer us in the right direction, it would be greatly appreciated. All we know at the moment is that he wanted to be cremated so we at least have less to worry about.

Answer:
 Call a locksmith and get the safe open.

Most residential safes are not particularly tricky to bust open.


Title: Wife got offered a better job with the place she works, person she was replacing decided she wasn't leaving and they gave the job back to her before wife started position. Any legal ramifications?

Question: (Michigan) wife got offered a better position with a the company she's with, the person she was replacing put in her two weeks then decided she wasn't leaving. Corporate made the store give the position back to the person she was replacing. Wife never started the position but was offered and accepted. Any legal ramifications?

Answer: Probably not but there's a reason you're asked to provide your location.


Title: Need immediate advice. Girlfriend wants my Information for custody of her kid.

Question:
Okay so basically She's been trying to get custody of her son an She's slowly been getting it. Well She's at court right now and wants my social. I'm VERY hesitant about giving this. Apparently its required to be around her son? Should I give her this info? Its over the phone and I know its her. She's asking right now so help asap would be very appreciated.

Edit: This isn't my son by the way hes from a previous relationship.

What I'm asking is beyond the obvious danger of relaying my information over the phone is there anyway this could bind me into a situation I can't get out of or would have trouble with?

This is in Florida

Answer: If she's right, and you don't give it to her, and she is not successful at whatever she is trying to do, she might break up with you because you're getting in the way of whatever custody arrangement she wants. Tread carefully little grasshopper.


Title: Grandparent Rights- Ohio

Question:
Hello!

Issues with my MIL have come to a head and we are going no contact with her (as of now that is the plan). I won’t get into the nitty gritty but she has mental issues (extreme paranoia about everyone including us, large part of why we’re heavily considering cutting ties). She is functional.

I have looked at all of the laws and want to make sure I am understanding Ohio law correctly.

My husband and I have a 3.5 year old and a 15 month old. We have been married for 6.5 years.

According to Ohio law a grandparent can only be granted visitation if:

1- The parents are divorced.
2- One of the parents dies.
3- The child was conceived out of wedlock.

Given that we do not meet these criteria we SHOULD have no concerns regarding grandparents rights if she decides to go that route, correct?

Additional information that may be needed. We never lived with her. Never needed her for anything. She doesn’t even babysit. Husband has a good job at a hospital, goes to school full time and is in the reserves while I am a stay at home mom. We own a home. We have moved a number of times due to the military but there are no more moves in the foreseeable future. We live 15 minutes from MIL.

Any and all advice is welcome!

Answer:
 IANAL If your get sent anything from the courts do not ignore it. Since your husband is in the military if anything comes from this you'll want to contact JAG and they'll help you. I don't know if you could get a consult from them if nothing has been filed, but maybe worth checking.  Answer #2: Ohio is weird in that it allows grandparents to sue for custody if they can prove the parents are objectively unfit and that it's in the best interests of the child(ren) to live with them. This usually means this is in cases where child protective services are involved and kiddo would be going to foster care anyway if no family was available, but not always. So yes, the chances are *very slim* that she can do anything, but they aren't *nonexistant*. She'd almost certainly lose her case by your description, but she can still sue- which means you'd need to respond in court.

If you are served a with a lawsuit (unlikely), do not ignore it, immediately hire a family law attorney, and be sure to make yourself available to go to the court date.


Title: Shooting thief with paintball gun

Question:
Someone I didn't know stole my phone at a party I was at. I have his address and I have proof that he's trying to sell it. I want my shit back, but he's the type to try and fight me. I'm not really about that. But I want to bring my paintball gun in case.
Topic:
Douche

Answer: There are these people called the police. It’s crazy. You call them, show them the proof, and if the evidence is clear, they will go to the person’s house and bring their guns with bullets, tasers, pepper spray, etc and take care of it. If the evidence isn’t enough for the police, then you don’t have enough evidence for you to go to this person’s home and threaten to assault them. Not even a lawyer guys.Answer #2: What's your question? Wait, never mind, it doesn't matter, because the answer is "call the police," and "no, don't be dumb enough to threaten someone with a weapon."


Title: How do I get my abusive father and stepmother to leave me, and my family, alone?

Question:
I want to make this clear first: I am 15. I just want to say that so everyone knows that I don't have as much legal power as someone of older age. However, my mother and sister are also included in this.

I also feel like doing it in bullet-point form, because all of these memories are just coming to me one by one. (Sorry)

\- Pulled out of a school every year because of father. I started in kindergarten. I was skipped to first grade in 2 days and had a great year but for no reason my father put me in a different school that made me complete first grade a second time. I had a great year at that school, had no issues, but my father put me in a different school for second grade for no reason. All these decisions were made without consulting my mother. He also put me on medication that made me worse (this has been confirmed by a psychiatrist) without telling my mother. For year he continued to increase and change my medications which only made me worse, until my mother got custody and got me off all the medications. Now, he continues to sabotage my schooling. He disagreed with my IEP team's decision to remove crisis intervention, which should not have been on there anyway after elementary school. Since it wasn't legally supposed to be on my IEP, the team was able to remove it despite my father's opposition, however he hand-wrote a note on the IEP, and that made it so the less-restrictive schools would not accept me. Now I am in a restrictive school, despite the fact that I have only ever succeeded in school when I was in regular programs. My mother and psychiatrist agree that I should be allowed to go back to my public school, but I feel powerless to make it happen, and with the court case going on, my mother is having issues making any changes legally without his agreement.

\- (About 9 years ago) I witnessed him sexually assaulted my mother, unreported.

\- (June 2010) My parents separated.

\- (February 2012) My parents divorce was finalized with 50/50 custody.

\- (November 2015) Father punched me in the nose; on-and-off bleeding for months. CPS was called for that too (in January 2016), but was never investigated.

\- (December 2015) Stepmother gashed my shoulder, with evidence. CPS was called, but for some reason, no action was taken. She also kept changing the story when asked. I reported the incident to the police as well, in January 2016.

\- (November 2016) My mother officially gained full custody, signed out of court, but she had us most of the time since the incident in December of 2015 unofficially.

\-(March 2017) I started seeing a lawyer, court case began. Given best interest attorney in July 2017, more on that below.

(May 2017) My father sued my mother and the court date has been postponed a few times.

( April 2018) CPS was called on behalf of me and my sister against both my father and stepmother but it was not investigated at all because my mother had custody at the time and my father had no visitation.

I was appointed a best interest attorney for the case, but I haven't even seen her in at least 6 months and I feel that she is not looking out for my best interest. She hasn't even tried to get to know me at all and has not asked for my feelings on the matter.

All I want is to be free of my father and stepmother, and to be able to move and have my mother make decisions for my family without having to consult my father. It seems that since he was abusive to all of us, and his wife was abusive to me and my sister, that there shouldn't be a court case at all and that we should be protected. I also think that he shouldn't be allowed to have input in my educational decisions due to his history of sabotaging my education.

I live in Maryland. (For anyone who needs to know to get specific laws, etc.)

Please tell me how I can protect myself and my family.
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer:
 1) what did your father sue your mother for?

2) what is your custody status now?

3) what is your mother doing about this stuff?


Title: Can people which have severe, pain-causing genetic/inherited diseases sue their parents for giving birth to them in the first place?

Question:
After all, if these people would have *never* been born, then they would have *never* suffered in the first place. (Also, for the record, I live in California but am curious about this for the *entire* U.S.)

Indeed, this is certainly something that I am very curious about. After all, I am certainly very curious about various aspects of the law. :)

Answer:
 No.

To shed a personal light on it:  I suffer from a pain-causing genetic disease, which I inherited from my mother.  Except--as is often the case--my mother was never diagnosed; her symptoms were so mild they got overlooked because of her MS.  I didn't start developing severe symptoms until I was in my 30s--set off by a traumatic medical experience.  I had also had 2 children before that; now they've also got symptoms (although very minor at this point).

Should I sue my mother--who had no idea this condition even existed?  Should my kids sue me--even though I didn't know until after they were born?

And finally--*everyone* suffers in one form or another.  It's the human condition.  Who should decide how much suffering is "too much" and therefore worthy of litigation?


Title: (AZ) Sister's husband had an affair. She keyed and smashed the other woman's car and caused $500.00 in damage to it.

Question: The worst part of all of this is that the other woman didn't know he was married because he had given her a fake name and had gone so far as to rent an apartment so he could pretend he was single. My sister didn't know there was a home security camera by the other woman's driveway. What is the most likely outcome for her? The police have already been called.

Answer:
 She's going to be arrested, most likely, for vandalism and trespass.  Maybe other charges peppered in there.

When that happens, she should consult with a criminal defense lawyer.

She also needs to be ready to pony up money for the repairs to the car.Answer #2: She ~~needs~~ should get a lawyer.

Because she could get charged with a class 1 misdemeanor. [criminal damage of at least 250 dollars but maximum 1000 dollars in dammages](http://www.azleg.state.az.us/ars/13/01602.htm)Answer #3: She will, most likely, be arrested for vandalism and trespass, at the very least. She needs a criminal defense attorney immediately.

She will, at the very least, probably have to pay restitution to her victim. Her husbands infidelity does not excuse her criminal behavior.


Title: Questions on working with cops (Texas)

Question:
Hi everyone. I don’t want to give too much away in a public forum, but I wanted to know if anyone has information on having charges dismissed if you cooperate with police officers.

I was arrested on drug charges and given the opportunity to dismiss my charges if I do some specific things for them. Is this really possible? I mentioned this to a friend and they told me that the cops are under no actual obligation to follow through with the dismissal, even if I cooperate and am successful. But I also signed a contract, and in it, it states that my success will cause my charges to be dismissed. I find it hard to believe that they can go back on a contract.

What do you all think? I haven’t gotten a lawyer yet because as long as I succeed, I won’t need to go to court or anything.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I’m happy to discuss further details in a private message if there’s anything else you need to know. Thanks so much everyone.
Topic:
Drug Possession

Answer:
 It’s possible but doing this without an attorney would be unconscionable. 100,000% required.

Edit: You already signed something? Call attorneys as soon as they open for business. I hope you have a copy of that signed document.


Title: Missouri officer had roommate sit in the car with him while he checked her info for no headlights...Rights when officer asks you to get out of a vehicle?

Question:
Hello! My roommate was driving home from her parents house about  when a police officer pulled her over for not having her headlights on while driving. She said that the cop had her get out of the car and sit with him while he ran her information. As if that was not alarming enough, the officer told her to shut the door of his car. They were alone together in the car.

She told me that the entire time she was scared of being raped or sexually assaulted. I asked her if she thought the officer was real, and she said yes because of the lights on his car and the police radio communication. That's all she told me before going to bed a couple of minutes ago. She ended up being let go, no ticket or anything, but she is pretty shaken up. This was her first time ever being pulled over. I have never been pulled over, but I told her that I would have never have gotten out of the car for something like that.

That made me wonder:  did she have to get out of her vehicle? What are your rights in that situation? Although I have been driving for a very long time, I believe that all people get pulled over at some point in their lives, and I want to know my rights.

Answer:
 Was it a freeway or busy highway? Did the officer leave his emergency lights on during the entire incident?

This was probably for her safety. She had no headlights and was on the side of the road at night.


Title: Am I legally required to have two license plates if I drive from a state that only requires a single plate?

Question: I’m driving from LA to WA. In Washington we are required to have both a front and back license plate but in Louisiana you are only legally obligated to have a back license plate. Could I get pulled over or even charged for not having a front plate? (I will be living in Washington for the foreseeable future)

Answer:
 If you become a resident of Washington, you are required to move your car registration to Washington.Answer #2: You have to abide by the requirements of the state in which the car is registered. Answer #3: >Could I get pulled over or even charged for not having a front plate?

You can get pulled over in a two-plate state for having no front plate, but you can't be ticketed for it:  every state recognizes the valid registration and display of registration tags/plates of a vehicle from a visiting state.

>I will [register my car] eventually.

You have 30 days to get everything vehicle-related taken care of when you establish residency in Washington.   In general, signing a lease or taking a job means you've established residency.

You also must have a [Washington State driver's license](http://www.dol.wa.gov/driverslicense/moving.html) to register a vehicle here, so that's the first thing to do.

You have to show proof of insurance (with coverage in Washington) to register the car, so it's implicit that you need to do that as well.

Once you've got your license and insurance, you must [title and register your vehicle.](http://www.dol.wa.gov/vehicleregistration/moving.html).

As a special sort of welcome, the Department of Licensing offices for driver's licenses/IDs and the Licensing Agency offices for titles/registrations/plates are completely different.     There are a lot more DOL Agent offices than there are DOL Driver's Licensing offices.


Title: I want to play a secretly recorded conversation between me and a (car/auto) mechanic, on my radio show - it has been put to music. UK

Question:
The song does not include either of our names, any location details etc. It is not to shame him individually or his business, but as a means of entertainment. He talks in cliches and riddles and it goes well with the song. Obviously he doesn't know he was recorded, so perhaps that's a problem. He would be identifiable only by someone recognizing his voice.
Topic:
Computer and Internet

Answer: Not legal advice, but any recording program you use to combine the vocals with music should have the ability to alter pitch while retaining the same tempo.


Title: boss says he mailed me cash 2 weeks ago, i never recieved. refuses to pay me

Question: what do i do? i was supposed to get paidand he was going to send a money order thru the mail but 2 weeks later when i ask if i can come down to the office to get paid he says i told you i already sent u cash 2 weeks ago.. i get USPS informed delivery emails every morning telling me what i am going to be getting in the mail . this is working for a taxi rideshare company the guy and his wife have owned for 8 years and they have about 40 vans working raves and concerts..

Answer:
 He said he was sending you a money order, not cash.  If he sent cash, he's out of luck.  If he sent a money order, he can cancel it and send it again with tracking.  Only an idiot would send a money order in the mail without tracking.  If he refuses to pay you, you can file a wage claim with your state's labor board.Answer #2: Send an email stating that the payment via money order was never received. Ask him to check its status and let him know it needs to be reissued if it cannot be tracked to compensate you for your work.

Money orders are always traceable. He should have the receipt with the tracking number and can call to confirm the money order was cashed. He could also provide this to you. If it shows as not cashed he can cancel it and reissue, ideally tracking with usps to confirm receipt. If he claims it was somehow cashed, you will need to file a claim. Cashed money orders can be retrieved and will have an endorsement like a check so if it was made out to you and improperly deposited there would be significant legal repercussions to the casher.Answer #3: I agree with the poster above. If he can’t show that you received cash then that’s his tough luck. That’s why most businesses don’t work in cash for their employees. Call your labor board and let them know the situation so it’s already in progress if he says he’s unwilling to pay.

If by some chance he does agree to resend the money you can cancel the complaint.


Title: NY- someone on our new block doesn’t want us here, presumably because we are Jewish.

Question:
We just moved to a new neighborhood, and we are the only visibly Jewish family on our block. It looks like someone is not happy to have us here.

The Building Department was called so many times for made-up violations that I might as well just give the inspector a copy of our keys. CPS was told that we abuse our kids, and now we have random drop-ins from social workers. (Neither of these is a big hassle- we just let them in when they come. It’s upsetting more in concept than in practice.) Random trash has been making its way onto our lawn, some of it really nasty. Twice, someone left dead birds on our front-step and there’s no nest on our roof. Our delivery boxes have been stolen.

We spent everything we had on the down payment for this house, and we can’t afford security cameras, at least for the next few months.

Any practical advice is appreciated.

Answer: Can you afford to NOT have security cameras at this point? Even the fake ones might deter.


Title: Can I successfully sue my ex for not making mortgage payments? (Wisconsin)

Question:
Almost five years ago, I bought a house with my ex-fiance.  Two months after closing, she broke up with me and I moved out.  We had a verbal agreement that she would live there and keep up on the mortgage payments while I rented elsewhere.

Last December, I received court papers for a foreclosure (I knew she had fallen behind on the mortgage), and discovered that she had abandoned the house two months prior, and hadn't made a single payment in 2013.

Eventually I learned that she inherited a house from her now-husband's grandma, and had known for over a year that it was going to happen.  She didn't make me aware that she was inheriting a house or abandoning the one we owned.  All she did was have her friend text me once last fall to tell me the house was going into foreclosure and nothing could be done.  It's obvious that she just stopped making the payments to save the money while she waited for the inheritance.  It wasn't long after I moved out that I first discovered she was falling behind, and since then has bought a couple vehicles with her husband (who is named in the foreclosure) and a snowmobile, and also went on a trip to Hawaii.

Since then I've moved into the house, signed up for government HAMP assistance, and have gotten the house out of trouble.  She complied with the various things she had to sign in order for this to go through, but it's now out of trouble.

What I'm wondering is, can I successfully sue her to recoup what she didn't pay before I moved back in?  Those past payments are now on me to cover, and I'd like to not have paid for her to live for the last year or so.

Also, there were appliances that were included with the house sale.  She sold those to someone, and put in pieces of junk just to say that appliances were here.  I bought new ones, and I figure the ones that were here were half my property.  Can I recoup half or all of the cost of that, as well?

Thank you!

Answer:
 You can certainly sue her. Nobody here can tell you if your suit will be successful - that's up to the court.

Small claims court would probably be the easiest and most appropriate; the maximum limit for small claims money judgements appears to be $10,000 in Wisconsin. If you want more than that, you should consult with an attorney to discuss your options.

Keep in mind that if she has nothing to pay you with, you will get nothing, regardless of the decision of the court. If she works, you may be able to garnish her wages, but that's another separate process and this could all easily amount to being more trouble than it's worth for you. That's your call to make, though.

Good luck!


Title: Pregnant and need an abortion. The father has gone MIA but I can’t pay for the procedure without his help. Are there any legal options to remedy this situation? [TX]

Answer:
 Call Planned Parenthood or your local provider. Almost all of them offer charitable services. Answer #2: Texas does not obligate a purported father to provide for prenatal medical care. The father does not, legally speaking, owe you anything for this.

However, call Planned Parenthood and lay this out for them. They may be able to point you at a low-cost option or otherwise give you some advice.Answer #3: There are several charitable funds available in Texas to help low-income women pay for their abortion. You can call Planned Parenthood, or google the Texas Equal Access Fund if you're in the North Texas area. There are options for you!


Title: (IN) My friend wants to "paper" her ex's neighborhood. Is this even legal?

Question:
She found out that he's living a double life and wants to write the truth on a piece of paper, make 1000 copies, and leave them on every door step and car in his home neighborhood and the neighborhood his business is in. Is this even legal?
 (I know she's crazy)

Answer:
 If she wants to open herself up to a defamation or defamation per se' civil suit, then by all means have her do that. Or, she can be an adult and simply cut ties with this man and not expose herself to civil litigation.

Information on defamation in Indiana:
http://www.dmlp.org/legal-guide/indiana-defamation-lawAnswer #2: Any one or more of littering, slander/libel, defamation, plus some places have laws about being unable to post flyers on things you don't own, such as cars, mailboxes, utility poles, other people's houses and businesses. Some of these could be civil offenses, some could be criminal misdemeanors, it depends on the city/county.

Or she could just forget the guy and move on.


Title: Got robbed (10 years ago), BoA was a dick about it. Just curious what the best way to handle this situation would be

Question:
I don't even know if this is legal advice, exactly. But I was thinking about this, and wondering how I could have handled it better - and more specifically, wondering what LA would have told me.

In 2007, I went through a drive through, then pulled into a parking spot to eat my food. Another car pulls up next to me, yadda yadda yadda, I end up with a knife to my throat and hand over my wallet, phone, MP3 player (it was 2007, kids; those used to be two separate things). A high-speed chase ensues, I lose them, end up back at In'n'Out, and call the cops. I'd gotten half their license plate when I first left (criminal pro-tip: don't commit crimes while driving a car that has license plates ending in '999'), and before I'm done telling the cops what happened, they get a call that they found the car. They take me over, I ID 'em, they're arrested, hooray! The system works! And fast, too!

But then . . .

So, at the time, I was twenty, and broke. My wallet had no money it, but it did have a debit card, which was linked to an account which . . . also had no money in it. But in the half hour or so before they were arrested, they used it at a gas station to the tune of $150 bucks or so, in two transactions, leaving me way negative.

I, naturally, disputed those charges (I don't know if I did that correctly or not; back then I'm sure I didn't even know the phrase 'dispute this charge'). I called them the next day (the robbery happened around 11:00 pm) and told them my card had been stolen. But, it happened on the weekend, and somehow the charges showed as posted on Friday.

I honestly don't remember exactly how it got resolved, but I know that it took about six months, my account stayed negative, ended up getting closed, they put me in chexsystems, so I couldn't open another account elsewhere, and I had to take my paychecks across town to cash them at the issuing bank. But eventually they let it go, although I don't think they ever admitted that I *wasn't* a lying piece of shit scammer somehow.

Anyway, I'm just wondering - if this happened to someone today, what would have been the right way to handle this? Take the police report to BoA? Escalate within BoA? I mean, I didn't really have any damages, so there's probably not much (if any) legal recourse. I guess I'm just wondering if there was something I could/should have done to light a fire under BoA, so it didn't drag on for six months.

Answer:
 As a practical matter, I imagine it would likely be simpler to say it was a fraudulent charge, and not mention that  the police were involved at all since that might require more paperwork. Answer #2: Get a police report on the theft, call BoA, tell them it was fraudulent and give them the report number. By law they are required to take certain steps.

Debit card legal protections aren't as robust as credit cards, though many issuers now voluntarily five them the same level of protection as credit cards.


Title: [Switzerland] Got punched in the face

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Swiss here. To give you more information you need to post your Kanton here as the process varies.
In general they are guilty of assault with bodily harm (Körperverletzung) and Threatening (Bedrohung), maybe disturbances of peace (Hausfriedensbruch).
The police basically already pointed you in the right direction: You need to see a doctor asap (Preferably now - go to the ED/Notfallpraxis) and get your injuries documented. Make photos NOW,preferably with a clean SD card in your camera if you can.
After you did that you go to your local police (here your location becomes important, as we need to figure out which police agency is responsible, e.g. KaPo,RePo,StaPo) and file a report/apply press charges.
After that it is the decision of the prosecution if they follow up and bring him before a penal court, punish him directly or do nothing. (In theory you can get accreditation as a party in the process if you choose to get a lawyer but it is highly unlikely that this would change anything here)
Nevertheless you can still press damages in a civil court
This will require a lawyer that you have to pay but as prices are different here compared to the US and you might get help from the state it might be worth it. Even when they life off welfare you can something deducted from their money.


Title: Boyfriend hit our neighbors car and he's not sure if he's in the wrong

Question:
So basically, the city we live in has an order where it is illegal to park on the street.

Our neighbor (who moved in literally 3 days ago) parked his black mustang on the street DIRECTLY BEHIND OUR DRIVEWAY and when my boyfriend was backing his truck up at night he felt a little bump and realized he got this man's car.

What's the verdict? How much trouble is he in? He is fully insured, but considering it's illegal to park on the street, is it really his fault?

In Tennessee

Answer:
 >He is fully insured, but considering it's illegal to park on the street, is it really his fault?

He hit a stationary object, it is 100% his fault. Your boyfriend did not adequately monitor his surroundings while reversing and hit another vehicle. Yes, your neighbor was wrong, but your boyfriend wouldn't have hit them if he was a better driver.


Title: Does this small claim have jurisdiction?

Question:
Edit: Submitted my claim, will let you guys know when I win. Peace~
Topic:
Business Law

Answer:
 Say this was a car, not a computer, and you just bought a water pump for it. When putting the water pump on, you strip a bolt due to what you perceive as a mis-milled bolt hole and render the car unusable.

Guess what? You don't get to sue for a new car.

Considering any competent person should be able to remove the backing plate in minutes, your damages are minimal.

My advice to you is to man up and get the damned thing off. Get some locking pliers, snip the plastic shuttle off to access the knurled nut underneath, and crank it loose. I'm sure Corsair will send you a new plate once you've got it off.


Title: (MN, US) Coach searched hotel rooms on overnight school trip despite *potentially* not having Reasonable Suspicion.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 He knew for a fact that you had alcohol. In what way did he not have a reasonable suspicion that there was more? Answer #2: > *potentially* not having Reasonable Suspicion

Doesn't matter. The reasonable suspicion standard would not apply to your coach. But even if it did, he had reasonable suspicion.

> do I have a legal basis to dispute this?

No.

But I am wondering, dispute this how? Were you arrested and want to mount a defense in court? Do you want to sue the coach or the school?


Title: Store won't honour the EU's 2 year warranty system

Question:
Hey guys

I'm trying to activate the warranty on my phone (OnePlus 3T). It started displaying a lot (and I mean A LOT) of problems. The one that upsets me the most is the intense overheating. So I was advised to look into EU's legal warranty laws in my country (Portugal). It clearly states that the consumer can choose between repair, replacement, or refund (you can check yourself [here](https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/consumers/shopping/guarantees-returns/portugal/index_en.htm)). I wanted to go for a replacement because the overheating problems really upset me due to the explosion hazard.

The support told me that they don't have this practice and I want to know if any of you has gone through something similar, and how you solved it. Thanks a lot.

Answer: Possibly best to contact whatever agency there deals with consumer protection. (NAL)


Title: [VA] Help with a fake ID

Question:
Earlier today I was pulled over for speeding, as I was pulling out my id I accidentally pulled out my fake instead of my actual id.

I fumbled a bit then handed the officer my actual id, but he asked to see what the other one was. So he caught me with my fake. I was given a ticket for possession of a fake id (Va law section 18.2-204.2). I was then told to show up in court on a certain date.

How much trouble am I actually in for only getting caught with a fake, but not in the act of using it? Is this serious enough that I should seek out an attorney for my court date in a few weeks? Or am I just going to get slapped with a fine?

Answer: Yes, get an attorney. Criminal charges can never be expunged in VA