Title: [HELP] My roommate is neglecting her dog, putting our dogs in danger, and lying about feeding and walking them.

Question:
**We live in Ferndale Michigan.**

I’m looking for serious advice on how to deal with a situation of animal neglect that directly affects my life and the life of my dogs. I’ve included a long description of the situation as well as concise descriptions on each aspect there in.

**The situation in a dogpile:**

My roommate, Tina, neglects her dog to the point where I would personally consider it abuse. In the year that she’s lived in this house she’s only paid rent 1 and 1/2 times and has otherwise been supported, her dog included, by my girlfriend Ally who owns the house. She is about to kick her out but is worried about the well being of the dog once they’re no longer living here. I am looking for advice or information on any course of action that we can take to  ensure the dog has a better life. If there is a way  by law we can claim ownership of the dog, or have it rescued and placed in a better living situation this would be ideal.
Feel free to skim through and read the bottom to get the gist as this will take quite a few words to explain in detail. The names of the humans have been changed for the sake of privacy but the names of the dogs remain the same for the sake of what good dogs they are.

**Our Dog Pack:**
We have a pack of 4: Tina’s dog is Apollo a 120 lb pure bred Alaskan Malamute that she got from a breeder.
http://imgur.com/a/IMe9c I have a rescued Rhodesian Ridgeback Corgi mix named Bacon. Ally has a rescued Pit bull White Shepard mix named Chiq’n. Finally our other roommate Kyle’s dog Khons, is a Pit bull and also a rescue. Ally and I take care of all of the dogs because Kyle works 80 hours a week and Tina neglects Apollo.

**This is an account of Tina’s neglect of Apollo:**
The story goes that Tina got Apollo as a puppy when she was living in a one bed room apartment then eventually met my girlfriend and agreed to move into Ally’s house.  Apollo then moved in by himself with out Tina and lived there for 4 MONTHS without Tina. In the year that she has lived in the house she's only paid her rent once in full and half of another month.
**She doesn't pay for any of the dog food.** She said she doesn't feel bad buying it because she says she an't afford luxuries. That its Ally's fault for buying higher quality dog food. Apollo eats twice as much as any of the other dogs and is emaciated.

**She doesn't pay for the poop scooping service.**

When she comes home she immediately goes into her room and shuts the door without acknowledging Apollo or the dogs other than letting out a deep sign when he gets hyper and excited that she’s home. In the rare occasion that she lets the dogs out she’s been known to **leave them outside for long periods of time while she falls asleep in her room.** When she’s home with the dogs she stays in her room and leaves them in the living room and when she leaves the house she does so without paying an attention to Apollo.

**She lies about letting the dogs get out:**
From time to time members of the pack would bolt for the door when people tried to leave. While Ally was at work and Kyle was sleeping in the basement after a 4am inventory shift they received several phone calls each from friends and neighbors stating that **their Alaskan Malamute and Pit Bul where running down the street.** Kyle woke up and went upstairs to find the dogs in the living room. The dogs had been in Tina’s care and when he asked her about this happened **she outright denied it.** Eventually she admitted that they did get out but not when said friends had stated they had seen them.

**She lies about walking and feeding the dogs:**
	I've been around 4 months and lived in the house for 3 (It sounds crazy I know but I love the pack and she needs the help so we always justify it by saying we've been dating in dog years.)
In this time she's \only walked the dogs 4 times that Im aware of.
We walk the dogs as much as we can. I work as a dog walker, help foster dogs via pack walks with our dogs, and I'm in the process of enrolling in school to become a dog trainer. Even then we don't have the means to give Apollo the daily exercise he needs so he constantly bolts to get out the door and we have to keep him on a line in the back yard to keep him from jumping the fence. I actually have a huge scar developing from a burn I received When the line wrapped around my calf.

We went out of town for 2 days and asked Tina to get dog food and walk the dogs. We hid the leashes in the closet because on more than one occasion she's lied to our faces about walking the dogs.

We got back and the dog food hadn't been touched and the leashes were still in the closet. So the dogs wouldn’t have been fed in over a day and a half while we were gone if Kyle wasn't there to feed them in secret. She told us and Kyle that she walked all the dogs and walked Apollo extensively.

All 3 of their dogs use gentle leaders because their big, young, and very difficult to control. This applies for Apollo especially. When we asked Tina were the gentle leaders were she pointed to bacons spare easy walker harness and a rarely used zip leash that were underneath some Mail on a shelf where we left it.
When we revealed that she was in correct she lied and claimed to have walked all the dogs with out their leaders.

I dog all doggone day, dog. My parents bred AKC registered German Shepard’s when I was a kid so I've been handling dogs my whole life and I know there's no way I could walk all those dogs with no leaders. Even one of them without a leader is far too much of a hassle to go on any sort of a substantial walk.

**Tina let Khons out and didn’t even notice, leaving him to be wrangled by our one handed friend:**
She constantly lets the dogs get out of the house due to her negligence and disregard which caused for series commotion on our cities Facebook forum in which people have petitioned to have the dogs taken away.
Recently when we were not around she took Apollo on a walk. With head phones on she walked out the door with apollo and didn't close it behind her so Khons got out. Luckily **our friend with no fingers on one of his hands was able to catch him and bring him back inside without her even noticing that this had happened.

**She doesn’t ever brush him or clean up his shedding fur:**
We brush apollo because its summer and he has a hard time with the heat. When Ally asked Tina if she ever intended on brushing him or cleaning up his fur she claimed that the breeder told her that since he is a pure bred Alaskan Malamute he would not shed. We have also asked her to take a water dish and extra water with her when she walks him and **she refuses citing that their a several local businesses with water dishes outside for dogs. These dishes are commonly empty and filled with debris from being outside mere feet away from one of the busiest roads in our state.

**She lied about leaving all of the dogs out together just the other night.**
We had to go out and had no choice but to leave the dogs at home. (I took Bacon to my parents) Tina was home so we spoke to her about not letting the dogs out together un supervised because they get too hyper. We were only gone for a couple hours and knew that Kyle would be home soon. Kyle called us freaked out because when he got home all of the dogs were outside and Apollo was on his line (to prevent him from jumping the fence.) So we rushed home immediately.
We confronted Tina, via 3 way call while she was at a concert within a mile of the house, because she was the last one home and she claimed to have crated the dogs. She told us that someone must have come in and let our dogs out as a prank. She didn't come home that night or even check in on Apollo. She will be given notice of her eviction on thursday when everyone is home.

**Where we stand:**
I’ve grown to love Apollo and he has solidified his place in our pack and deep within our hearts. It would weigh heavy on my conscience if the dog where to continue living this life. f there is a legal way for us to keep the dog and continue to provide it a better life in our pack than that is what I would like to do. If all else fails I will settle for finding it a better owner/home where it can get the love and exercise he craves and deserves.

**We're building our case of ownership for the dog.** We are documenting all of the food that we bought for the dog with receipts and bank statements. I'm talking to a animal cruelty representative this week. Thanks in advance for all the advice.

**Tl;dr I am concerned for the well being of an Alaskan Malamute that is neglected by its owner. The owner lives with my girlfriend and I in the house that my girlfriend owns. We are looking to kick her out soon because she does not pay rent and her toxic attitude is a plague on our house and most of all because she neglects her Dog and is negligent with our own dogs and other pets. I would like advice on taking action on having the dog taken away from her so that it can have a better life.**

Answer:
 What do you want to do, sue her? You can't.

If the dog is being neglected, offer to keep the dog when she moves out. You can phrase it as temporary or permanent.

If you're seriously concerned about the dog, you may want to not ask her and instead tell her you're keeping it. Bear in mind that she can sue you for this, although I doubt she has the money. If you're feeding and providing for the dog and she isn't, you probably have some sort of claim to it.

You can also let her take the dog and call animal control on her. You may then have the chance to adopt the dog, but it's unlikely.Answer #2: Did she actually agree to pay rent and hasn't? If so you could offer to forgive the debt when she leaves in exchange for the dog.


Title: I was fired but employer is saying "voluntary termination"?

Question:
USA, Texas.

Following an argument with my boss over the continued outsourcing of my job functions to 3rd party contractors, I was fired. Today I received the separation information (which included a severance) but it doesn't clearly state the reasons for termination. The closest thing to an explanation I found is on one of the forms to extend medial coverage "qualifying event = voluntary termination".

This is a big deal because (a) it's not true and (b) I'm pretty sure voluntary termination will disqualify me from unemployment.

Looking for any advice I can get.

Answer:
 Apply for unemployment. If denied appeal. Do not sign anything which says you voluntarily quit. Answer #2: >  I'm pretty sure voluntary termination will disqualify me from unemployment.

Usually yes, but they are merely alleging that. If they claim that for your unemployment claim, challenge them to prove it. Like any other matter of fact during an unemployment claim it will be decided on the weight of the evidence.

Do you have something in writing that you are fired? How did it go down? Answer #3: I'm in HR and deal with insurance and COBRA a lot.  Since you've said the only place you saw "voluntary termination" is on your COBRA forms, I think I know what's happening here.

If you're terminated for gross misconduct, you are not eligible for COBRA.  When someone leaves employment here and I set them up for the COBRA notices, my administrator just has a drop down box for "Qualifying event".  The only relevant options are "Voluntary termination" or "Involuntary/Misconduct" (and death and a few others).  The HR person probably just selected the one that was closest that would still entitle you to continuation coverage.

That form will have absolutely no bearing on your unemployment.  The UI folks will not care what qualifying event they chose on your COBRA paperwork--they'll most certainly never see that paper anyway.

File for unemployment, state you were involuntarily terminated (as your story suggests you were), and wait to see if they fight it.  If they do, then appeal.  It's a pretty easy procedure, usually just a phone hearing, and you'll get to explain exactly what happened.


Title: Patient Abandonment

Question:
Located in Northern California

I've read that doctors are required to provide a letter notifying you ahead of time that they are withdrawing as your doctor, and the letter is your three months notice to obtain another doctor.

My primary doctor's office I attended for years told me one day they are discharging me and to leave the premise because they have called the police. This is after weeks of asking for help following surgery and not getting any assistance.

Now months of trying (tried in past and gave up and suffered consequences) I finally found help after deciding I deserve better at kaiser where they took xrays and identified my issue. It has been there for years and is causing my pain and other problems.

Here is how I was ejected. After trying to deliver a note to my doctor for the second time I asked to see if she was available. Told she was in room and would be done later. Now I am asked to speak to patient adviser where she tells me the doctor does not think there is anything they can do. No problem they can find. I am only trying for drugs. I insist calmly and politely that I do not want anything other than to talk to them and see what they can do. I recorded this.
Here I was told to wait for doctor to become free, I was outside by my car when someone at clinic came out and said they called the police because they believe there is no reason to treat me. I never did anything other than ask for help following surgery and treatment. Never any notice or warning of police will be called. I am baffled that I was treated this way by a medical establishment.
To get this clear I have no history of drug use.
Took months and nearly quitting after being rejected by all clinics unless I was in their zip code or waited nearly a month for an appointment.
Thankfully I am receiving proper care finally, but their lack of care at my primary care facility and ultimately complete abandonment has caused issues that I can't resolve so easily.

Please give advice on what I should do. Thank you.

Edit: source
http://medical-malpractice.lawyers.com/professional-duty-of-care/where-is-your-doctor-when-you-need-him-most.html

Patient Abandonment

The above event is an extreme example of patient abandonment. This is when a doctor fails to provide necessary medical care to a current patient without cause. Once a doctor-patient relationship is created, the doctor is obligated to treat the patient until the relationship ends. However, if there isn't a doctor-patient relationship, the doctor doesn't have a duty to treat the person.

The doctor's duty to treat a patient includes coverage for the patient when the doctor is away or otherwise unable to attend to the patient. Abandoning a patient in need of medical care without making reasonable plans for care isn't only unprofessional, but is considered medical malpractice.

Other examples of patient abandonment include:

Failing to transfer a patient to an appropriate level of care
Failing to respond to calls from a hospital regarding a patient
Refusing to care for a patient after arranging the patient's admission
Failing to treat a patient until new coverage is arranged
Proving Patient Abandonment

If you believe your doctor abandoned you during treatment, you must show that:

Your doctor had a duty to treat you - a duty was created when the physician-patient relationship was established
You had a reasonable expectation that your doctor would treat you
Your doctor failed to treat you although he or she was obligated to do so
You suffered injury as a result

Edit 2: Previous post. I simply looked up applicable case precedent relevant to my issue. I don't deny this post and only approached the case from a different angle. My apologies if this is frowned upon, but the other thread was going nowhere.
http://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/27lu4q/failure_to_diagnose_and_police_called/

**This was my primary care doctor.  For Years.**

Edit 3: Maybe it's just that no one wants to imagine their doctor of around a decade would suddenly, for no reason stop seeing you on scheduled visits after a surgery. Not respond within 72 hours after call or letter. Have some one else tell you they can't help you and give no option to go for help.

If this is fine behavior then ok. But I disagree.  Law does too.
California Patient Rights
Chapter I.
 Your Rights to Continuous Care, Second Opinions, Referrals and Information
http://www.calpatientguide.org/i.html

I shouldn't have had to even argue with anyone the validly of what I was stating.
Absurd as it may have been to you it was very disappointing and difficult for me.

Answer: Patient abandonment requires something akin to walking off the job, e.g., leaving the OR during surgery. I don't know the minimum set of facts, but I doubt that refusing to talk to a walk-in would meet the standard.


Title: Repeated Tickets? (OH)

Question:
My sister just got like 5 tickets in a row for not having a front license plate (5 tickets in 5 days). Apparently she didn't understand what the ticket was for, she assumed it was because she was parked in an illegal spot, as she has had some problems with her permit before, which is why she didn't act upon it immediately.

Anyways, is it legal (and enforceable) to give multiple tickets for the same infraction? And yes, she did use the car in between tickets (meaning that she removed the ticket, drove somewhere, drove back, got another ticket for the same infraction, rinse and repeat).

I think she's appealing it, but what are her odds of having 4 of the tickets removed?

Location is Ohio

edit: thanks for the responses. Looks like she's gonna be paying up soon then!

Answer:
 She kept violating the law...

If she parked in a fire lane five different times, should four of the tickets get dismissed?

She can go ask the judge or prosecutor for a break and hope one of them is in a good mood, but she has no legal case for getting them dismissed.


Title: Philadelphia police performing "Stop and warrant checks"

Question: So I've heard from a couple people who've recently had confrontations with the Philadelphia police. Basically what the police are doing is stopping the white people who they find walking on streets near known minority inhabited drug dealing areas.  Instead of searching these people as they typically do they are demanding these peoples names and ssn and running checks for active warrants. I believe it's noteworthy that those who are questioned haven't been witnessed engaging in illegal activity. I'm wondering why this can be considered legal. I would think this constitutes an illegal search and racial profiling. I'm not fluent with the law or my rights so I'd like to know if this is legal and what one could do when confronted with this situation. Is it even required to give your name in this type of situation? I wouldn't want to piss off Philadelphia police officers as I've seen first hand multiple instances of brutally and disregard for the law. If someone has any suggestions as to how to handle this type of situation it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Answer:
 So, there is a difference between stopping someone to talk to them and detaining them.

I can start a conversation with anyone I see if I want to with no reason at all.  During that conversation I can *ask* (not demand) their identifying information or license.

If you are stopped, **politely** ask the officer if you are being detained or if you are free to go.  If you are being detained, you may opt not to answer any questions.  If you are free to go, you may leave if you so desire.

Your state does not have a "stop and identify" law, so you are not required to identify yourself to an officer when stopped (outside of special circumstances like driving a car).


Title: I'm a 22 yo uninsured driver at fault for an accident. I need help.

Question:
After reading online, it seems I'll be getting a $500-$1000 ticket, and the other drivers insurance company will sue me for damages and medical bills. I was already in $10k debt before hand, which is why I'm so broke I don't have insurance in the first place. I've read that I need to get insured and get a lawyer as soon as possible. I only work part-time at a gas station. I'm looking for a full time job now and will be keeping my part time. I'm also probably going to have to move out of my apartment and back in with my parents. My car is currently unusable but I believe I can get it running for work transport at the cost of a New battery.

I should mention that the drivers 18 yo brother was in the back seat and his leg was broken.

What are my options and what should I expect to deal with in the future?

Edit: I'm in Kentucky

Answer: If you're too broke to afford insurance, you're too broke to drive.  I'm surprised your license hasn't been revoked.  You're going to end up in jail if you keep it up.


Title: Divorcing someone who's acting increasingly erratic. Maybe having a psychiatric break

Question:
Lotta excess fat here but IDK what is legally relevant and I left out alot of details.

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We are in NJ. So my step mom is retiring. Shes gona have a pension and also has $150k in a tax shelter annuity.

My biological dad who is married to her got this idea that they should use all of the tax shelter money to buy a house twice as expensive as the one we currently live.  Nobody is recommending this and it seems stupid from all fronts. She said no, probably the first time she has really stood her ground in their 20 year marriage, and my dad lost his mind.

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3 weeks ago when the issue first came up, she said she just wanted some professional opinions first. He flipped his shit and verbally/ mentally abused her for 5 days straight because she asked questions and didnt just blindly take his word for it and follow his lead. Not diagnosed but hes very narcissistic. Theres a video where hes screaming at her calling her all kinds of names and when she goes to respond he turns the radio up and yells ," LALALALALALA." just to give you an idea of whats goin on here." Your trash mouth is ruining my marriage." " We are buying this house , PERIOD."

On the 5th day my adult brother and I have had it. Tried to appeal to his better angels but hes still on a rampage.  We cant listen to him to talk to her like this anymore. Before I get home from work my brother gets in the middle of their argument and said some true things about how my dad is impulsive and that he doesnt have any money because hes shit with money. Well my dad starts verbally abusing my brother now saying he wants to fuck his mom and all types of crazy shit cuz hes jealous of their relationship. My brother and my dad fought and legally it was my brother who instigated the fight( my brother spit at him then my dad charged him) but cops were cool and didnt press charges or arrest anyone.

&#x200B;

So my Dad is now playing the victim. Takes absolutely zero responsibility for the drama the past week. Days later and now its all about how dad is the victim and he doesnt feel safe around my brother which is ridiculous. Texing us all crazy shit all day and night. I scheduled an appoint with my therapist whos trained to deal with narcissism. He came into the meeting all cool and relaxed. But by the end of the meeting hes completely blown a gasket,  yelling , talking over the therapist , screams at storms out saying hes gona go be baptized on the beach.

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So we come home later after the meeting to find he took a bunch of his stuff and ran away with the 2 dogs to his boat at the marina. 1 of the dogs is not his.  The next day hes pounding on my bedroom door early in the morning demanding that I quit my job and leave all my stuff behind and hes gona take care of me ( im 30 years old) cuz hes gotta a job for me to be a missionary. I called the cops cuz hes talking crazy . He had the 2 dogs in the his car with him and they looked traumatized. I was able to get the one dog but not the other and the cops watched him leave.  His motor skills are fine buts hes just acting crazy

The next morning a state trooper shows up at our house saying that we need to go down to the police station near the marina cuz dads in the hospital and the cops have our dog.   So durring the next 2 days we go to the hospital to visit him, try to get his keys to the boat and his car to make sure everything is locked up and safe.

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This is where it gets crazy and we are still trying to piece together what happened. But this is what iv been able to piece together.

Dad is pissing people off at the marina, starting shit with people, has our dog in the marina pool. Hes trying to lock people out of the pool.  He ends up calling the cops cuz he didnt feel safe and when they left he called the state troopers. They tried to get him in an ambulance cuz he wasnt acting right ( we inspected his boat there is alcohol everywhere his car is parked 5 feet away from the curb). He ends up goin to the hospital where they sedated him because he was acting " bizarre" (doctors words), And were afraid he was gona seize and he did end up having a seizure. But other then the seizure they dont know what was wrong with him.

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I talked to him a bit he was happy to see me and groggy from the sedation but kept saying how everyone at the marina was giving him shit attacking him, he said something about "taking someone out," the state troopers were , " his boys," he wanted to create a safe space for his family, and was telling my brother to quit his job again. Hes gettin aggressive with the nurses and wants to leave, I made it clear to the staff that he desperately needs a psych evaluation but as of now we are still waiting for it.

&#x200B;

My stepmom is afraid hes gona spend all of their money and Isnt sure if hes even mentally fit to sign a divorce contract. He has bills at the house he has to pay and shes worried about that too. Someone called today pissed cuz he committed to buying a 150k house boat. He might have a gun somewhere but we cant find it and its possible its not registered but we honestly dont know. We are thinking we need a restraining order but his name is on the house too.  Any advice would be great.

Answer: You need to get him psychiatrically evaluated before he is released, and tell the doctors at the hospital you believe he has access to a gun. He sounds manic and unstable.


Title: [WV] Can an older sibling have rule over who the younger two can see while in Foster Care?

Question: So my uncle has 3 kids, and they're ages 14, 12, and 9. The older two are not his, but hes raised them since they were 3 and 1. About half a year ago, he was arrested for a domestic charge, fleeing from the police, and violating a protective order. The domestic charge was dropped, and he did 3 months for the other two charges. His wife, who is the biological mother of all 3, failed a drug test and the kids ended up going into foster care. When my uncle finished his time in prison, he decided he wanted to divorce his wife and get custody of all 3 kids. The court ordered both my uncle and his wife to drug tests once a week, and claimed if they failed, they lost rights to their kids. He has passed all of them, while she has failed all but two. Neither of them are able to see the kids, but the welfare office said nothing is stopping any other family to see the kids, but for that to happen, the 14 year old has to agree to it, and her decision is the decision for the younger two. Is that actually true, or is there something fishy going on here?

Answer: Yes that is something CPS can do/decideAnswer #2: if that is what the welfare officer says that that is what goes.


Title: I deposited 2 checks via Mobile Deposit, those checks were later stolen and physically deposited into the fraudsters account and the money was taken out of my account. How do I get my money back?

Question:
First time Reddit Poster, I hope this is the appropriate subreddit.

Seattle, Washington

On 7/5 of this year, I received two paychecks worth $800 from my restaurant which I deposited into my Bank of America account via mobile deposit.

On 7/15 the $800 was reversed out of my account. I went to the bank to figure out what had happened and from their findings, at some point during the 10 days of my initial deposit, my checks had been stolen and physically deposited into their account, which was also a Bank of America account. The fraudster account was also closed shortly after.

So at this point, I'm confused as to how they are able to deposit checks with my signature and name written on them into their account. I'm also confused as to why after my checks were cleared in my account, that it was able to be reversed.

I filed a fraud claim with BoA, and after 3 months, received this Email.

"We have completed our research of the endorsement claim on your account.

As a result of our research, we have determined that we are unable to pay your claim for the following reason:

Pursuant to our Mobile Check Deposit Agreement, the payee agreed to be responsible for preventing a duplicate negotiation of the check they deposited using our mobile remote deposit application. The payee also agreed to retain the check for 14 calendar days from the date of the deposit acknowledgment, and thereafter to destroy any original check that they deposited with the mobile remote application. Due to the payees failure in safeguarding the item in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in the Mobile Check Deposit Agreement, Bank of America is not responsible for paying the claim"

Yes, obviously not keeping my checks in a more secure spot was my fault. Those checks were not destroyed after 14 days, because obviously they were stolen in around 10. They were taken out of my bag along with a few others items at my other job. A police report was filed. At this point I involve my employer whom signed my checks and the following email was sent to fraud claim.

Hello xxxx.

Since the start of this case at the branch level this is how we see it.....

Mr xxxxx(ME), my staff member deposited his check via his phone. Both checks with his signature. Within 7 days the checks were stolen out of his bag. After the checks were stolen AND deposited through a Bank of America atm....BofA retracted his photo deposit and granted the funds to the fraudster.

I think the bigger question is why did Bank of America allow a 2 checks where the name on the checks did not match the name on the account that it was deposited to? The way I see it is that Bank of America HAS A HUGE GLITCH IN THE SYSTEM. It IS CLEAR AS DAY That Bank of America retracted the funds and gave it to the fraudsters account. After the said fraudster received the funds the account was closed. If Bank of America and the system you use to safeguard YOUR customers were properly in place. Those checks SHOULD NEVER have been deposited into the fraudsters account

I ask that you kindly review this case again and reconsider the resolution.

Thank you "

He was a little brash lol Which warranted this reply from the claims department

"Good Morning,

I definitely understand your frustrations and I will try to address your concerns indicated below.

"Although the checks were cashed or deposited twice, our system recognized the check numbers had already cleared your account and prevented them from being debited a second time. As far as the payee’s account, if they reviewed the Mobile Check Deposit Agreement, it indicates that they should safeguard the check for 14 days and then destroy it to prevent it from being cashed or deposited a second time. I completely understand that the checks were stolen out of the payee’s bag; however, when he deposited the checks using his mobile phone, he may have wanted to keep it in a more secured place. Since the checks were not secured, the claim will remain unpaid.

I strongly apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Thanks!"

I am confused with the first part of the final email "Although the checks were cashed or deposited twice, our system recognized the check numbers had already cleared your account and prevented them from being debited a second time"

But they were debited a second time.. into someone else's account..

Obviously, with going through the claims department and receiving this email. Am I just shit out of luck? Is this something I can keep fighting?

Thank you for your time.

Answer:
 Get your state bank regulator involved:

http://www.dfi.wa.gov/consumers/file-complaint/banks


Title: Update: Parking Garage Damaged Car

Question:
[Original Post](http://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/1s070d/parking_garage_damaged_car/)

After doing a bit of research, I filed a complaint with the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs. I included all documentation, photos, receipts, repair estimate, and records of previous interaction. I also stated that I had witnesses who would attest to the state of the car before it got to the garage, the behavior of the attendant, and that it was not driven in the intervening time.

Today I received a call that while denying responsibility, in exchange for me dropping the complaint and not pursuing the matter in small claims court, the garage has agreed to pay the estimate for my repairs.

Thank you to those of you who offered your advice. It is greatly appreciated!

Answer: Glad it worked out! Thanks for updating us too. Update posts gives us a little glimmer of happiness and makes giving advice worth it to us.... until the next entitled shithead comes in asking how he gets his shoplifting charged dismissed. :) Answer #2: Only concern I have - what if the estimate isn't accurate? Like what if, while working, it takes longer than expected or something? When you put this agreement in writing (because you absolutely must get it in writing), consider working that in there somehow. I would hate for you to get screwed over when the estimate is off and requires extra work.


Title: Purchased a house in 2011 without knowing it had a lien, now I can't sell it.

Question:
I purchased a home in Kentucky, in 2011, through a mortgage company. Now I am trying to sell the property but am unable to because there is a lien from the previous owner for unpaid child support. There is no social security number or amount tied to the lien.

The new buyer's attorneys have been handling the resolution so far but have not had much luck. The social security office is not releasing any information whatsoever. I did find contact information for the previous owners, which I forwarded on to the seller. The only valid information ended up being an email address, which they did respond to. The attorney's had asked for the last four of his SSN and for him to sign an affidavit stating he was not the person who the lien was against. The original owner said they had never had children, and that they would not give out any other information or respond to any more emails.

I still have all of the original paperwork from the purchase, including a sheet that shows where I paid for title insurance. I'm not sure if that helps. All I know to do at this point is try to appeal to the original owner on a personal level and hope that he responds. Will the title insurance help me? Can I hold the mortgage company accountable if the house does not sell or the sale is delayed any longer? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Answer:
 > Will the title insurance help me?

Generally yes this is why you have title insurance. Have you contacted them?Answer #2: This is exactly why you purchased title insurance. Have you looked to see whether this lien was exempted by your policy?


Title: Coworker's soon to be ex husband slept with their (now 19) adopted daughter.

Question:
Not much more to add. She just got the bill for an abortion from planned parenthood with her soon to be ex husband named as the father and her adopted daughter the receiver of the operation.

She doesn't believe anything can be done. We are in Washington state and she believes that because her kid is 19 she can make her own decisions. What can be done?

Answer:
 I find it hard to believe planned parenthood would put the name of a fetus's father on a bill. Especially an organization that fights for the autonomy of women in their decision to abort.

Medical insurance may send an explanation of benefits, but it also is not going to contain that type of confidential medical information.  Answer #2: Call planned parenthood and verify the authenticity of the bill. As far as I know, they will not perform abortions without being paid up front. And they DEFINITELY would never put the father's name on it. This sounds extremely fishy.Answer #3: There's a certain element of truth to that. If a crime has been committed, then the young woman is probably the victim of it. What, if anything, does she want to do about it?

Your coworker can report this to the Washington police, regardless of her daughter's wishes. There are a few theories that might fit, including [child molestation in the first degree](http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=9a.44&full=true#9A.44.083) if he had sex with her while she was under the age of 18, or [incest](https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=9A.64.020), which includes adopted children under Washington's criminal code. Certainly, it's _deeply_ concerning that a parent would have sexual contact with their adopted child, and there's a reasonably good chance he's been working up to this by sexually abusing her while she was still a minor.Answer #4: What on the off chance the paperwork was incorrectly filled out?


Title: [Illinois] - Girlfriend took a job offer (Full-time), put her notice in, arrived for orientation and now the job is part-time

Question:
As the title states, my girlfriend was offered a full-time job. This is at a nursing home, so she puts her 2 week notice in at her "current" job (now her former job).

Arrives to orientation today and suddenly it's not a full-time position, it's now a part-time position which means no benefits and not enough hours.

Is there ANYTHING that can be done here short of finding a different job? Obviously I don't think it's a place you would really want to work anyway, but now that's left a fairly major gap for her financially and medically.

Thanks in advance.

Answer:
 Start looking for a new job ASAP, perhaps see if her old job will take her back. Answer #2: Do any of the following apply:

1) She moved a significant distance for this job (like, to a whole new state)
2) She has a full-time job offer in writing.
3) Did she break a lease from an apartment and pay to terminate and sign a new lease on a new apartment to work at this job?

Best is just to try and see if her old job will hire her on again.


Title: I'm a 16 year old from NY. My boss wants me to work past 12am. Is that legal?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Not legal.

If school is in session for you, you may only work four hours a day between the hours of 6am to 10pm.

You can work 8 hours each day on the weekend and you can work a max of 24 hours a week.

If school is NOT in session for you, you can still only work till midnight.

Source: https://www.labor.state.ny.us/workerprotection/laborstandards/workprot/nyvsfed.shtm


Title: (WA) Are my kids and I financially responsible for another person's car accident?

Question:
I'm a lurker here but I read a similar post this morning for a hypothetical situation similar to what just happened to us. I debated whether or not to ask a question or just wait and see.

My kids (9 and 10) were playing in the park across the street. The street in question is a "neighborhood" through-way road, one lane each way and a turn lane. The speed limit for this road is 40mph and occasionally 25mph depending on location. Last night, they were playing in the park. It was raining. My kids are nuts, they love playing in the rain. Shortly after they came home for dinner, a cop knocked on my door. Evidently my kids ran across the street without looking causing a driver to slam on his brakes and hit a slick and plow into my across the street neighbor's mailbox (it's a big brick mailbox). The driver saw which house the kids ran into and told the cops. He got my information for the police report and asked my kids if they looked both ways. My kids didn't really answer but kind of acknowledged that they didn't see a car or didn't look before running across the street. The front end of the driver's car did not look drivable, but he appeared to be uninjured. The cop said he was going to give my information to the driver and my neighbor and told me that I was probably liable for the damages as his assessment was that the driver was driving appropriately for conditions and my kids ran out unseen and that we were all lucky they weren't seriously hurt. That can't be right that I'm liable for him getting into an accident, can it?

Answer: Yes, if the negligence of you or your children caused an accident, you can be held liable for damages. By 9/10 the children should know better, and a court will likely agree with that. The courts may not agree in this case, but in general, they (and you) can be held liable for damage caused by negligence.


Title: [FL] Interviewer asked illegal questions and made inappropriate comments.

Question:
TL;DR: Asked about ethnicity, religion, morals, disabilities, and how I was able to eat while unemployed during job interview.   Jokes about my weight and his religion offending me were made.

I was scheduled for an interview in Tallahassee today.  I arrive early at the location and the owner requests I sit in the far corner of his rather empty restaurant.  He comes back and requests I switch seats and sit with my back towards the rest of his restaurant as I was seated facing the entrance out of habit.

The interview starts off quite tame.  He asks about experience and education.  Then comes the first inappropriate question: "How have you been able to eat if you haven't worked in years?"  I go ahead and tell him my parents support me and do my best to shift the topic in a less personal direction.

Seemingly satisfied with my responses he proceeds to ask if I would consider myself honest.  Strange question, but why not at this point?  I say, "Yes, I consider myself honest."

The interview gets back on track and he asks me why he should hire me.  I tell him that I have the experience, I'm punctual, and bilingual.  He asks me what other language I speak so I tell him I'm fluent in Spanish.

The interview goes on and he asks me if I have any clothes that fit the dress code.  I tell him that I do.  He asks me if I have any questions, so I ask him about what his policy was on tattoos.

Now, I have several tattoos on my arms.  Nothing in bad taste, but I wear long sleeves to interviews and formal events.  I am a firm believer there is a time and place for everything.  That being said, I bring it up at the end of interviews so my employer doesn't accuse me of being deceitful if it's against company policy.

He asks me what they are.  I show him since they're clearly visible in the uniform he requires.  He then informs me that he requires body art to be concealed, even in the kitchen.  But not before he drops the first bombshell: "Based on your tattoos, is it safe to say you're an atheist?"

I was taken aback at this point, but I wanted to be as professional as possible.  I am a downright terrible liar, so I tell him I suppose you could say that but that it wasn't in me or anyone else's right to tell anyone what to believe.

I refuse to allow one slip on the interviewer's part to keep me from getting a job.  I've struggled to gain employment for going on 8 months of filling out, submitting, and following up on applications and several interviews.  I've dealt with awful bosses in the name of a paycheck, that's life.

The whole interview goes down faster than an anchor at this point.  He goes on to ask about me and my parent's ethnicity.  I go with it, since my resume clearly shows I'm not a local and I had already mentioned my birthplace in passing.

He proceeds to pry some more and begins asking questions about my parent's religion.  I go ahead and say they're Christian to shut him up and try my best to stay cool until the end.  He wanted to get under my skin and I refused to allow that.  He then explicitly asks if I have a disability, to which I say no.

Then, when I thought the worst part had passed, he decides it would be appropriate to make a joke about my weight.  "You're gonna be sweating in front of that oven, especially in long sleeves.  You're gonna get thin sweating it out, and if you get any thinner you'll disappear."

I force a smile and flatly say "yeah," but he wasn't done yet.  "How do you have a moral compass if you're the highest power in your life?"  This man was clearly testing me at this point and I refused to prove him right.  "I was raised right by my parents. They taught me morals," I firmly respond.

He had apparently not gotten the reaction he wanted, because he wrapped it up shortly after and scheduled me for a "probationary" work day in which the "crew" would rate me.  He made no mention of pay and it was quite obvious at that point that he already had his mind made up about me.

I go with it, since at this point the only thing I want is to make a dignified exit.  He jokingly asks me if it "would bother you if I put lines of scripture in the menu."  To which I responded that it is his store and he can do as he sees fit.  The interview has come to an end and he fist bumps me, since apparently I don't deserve a handshake.

I just want to know what, if anything, I can do about this.  I wouldn't be caught dead working there and I usually let things like this slide, but his behavior crossed so many lines all at once.  I refuse to give him the satisfaction of seeing me sweat or give him any reason whatsoever to call me unprofessional or belligerent, but I want to prevent this from happening to someone else in the future.

Thanks, Reddit.

Edit: Added him asking about any disabilities.

Answer: Well it doesn't sound like anything illegal happened. It's illegal to discriminate against job applicants based on religion in Florida, but it sounds like he was willing to hire you (or at least go to the next stage of the selection process), so there was no discrimination. If you took the job, you would likely to be subject to hostile workplace harassment. But you didn't, so... write a nasty Yelp review?


Title: Can urgent care refuse debts paid in pennies

Question:
I had a 1 month lapse in healthcare coverage during a time when I had a severe allergic reaction, I went to an urgent care facility, talked to a nurse for a bit, and was basically told to just go to the ER, that they couldn't help me.

This same urgent care were the ones that gave me medication that I was severely allergic to.

So I went to the ER and incurred hundreds of dollars in debts, which I will deal with later, but:

The urgent care still charged me for the visit. I tried to dispute that with them since they basically did nothing for me but they said because I spoke with the nurse that I owed them money.

So I owe them money. Obviously I'm pissed, and you can judge me for this all you want but I would like some advice here.

I want to pay the bill in pennies. I know that private business can refuse certain forms of payment for services not yet rendered but

Can they legally refuse legal tender such as pennies for the payment of medical debts?

Thanks in advance. I know this is a silly idea but I literally have no recourse here, they did nothing for me and I just can't sleep at night knowing they're going to fuck me like this without any repercussions.

Answer:
 Yes, they can refuse it.  Yes, it's a "silly" idea.  Answer #2: That statute you linked just says that they ARE legal currency and CAN be used. Doesn't say they have to accept them.

Also that snopes article says that the merchant can refuse that payment.

If you look up cases there's been several people trying to do what you have done and been refused.

While the person you physically dealt dropped the ball there's others behind the scenes that will deal with this in one way or another. Answer #3: Are you willing to stand there while they find someone who has enough free time to verify you have paid in full, and then performs that verification?Answer #4: Look at the remittance address... May not be exactly around the corner to pay for it. Also, what did the fine print say about payment when you sign the financial liability form before the visit? Did it say cash was a payment option?


Title: Underage bartender at restaurant

Question:
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

So I have a friend who quit working at this Japanese BBQ chain in Toronto, and he was telling me about all the illegal stuff that goes on in there because it’s Chinese owned. Then he mentioned that they had hired an underage bartender sometime in the past (almost 2 years ago). Now, I know he was treated really unfairly there so I was wondering if there was any way to anonymously tell whoever it is I can about that at least? He’s kept all the schedules that he’s ever been sent so there is evidence to prove that underage person was working the bartender shift.

Answer: As long as the tender isn’t pulling pints it’s fully legal. I know people who’ve worked in bars at young ages but only took orders and money


Title: Louisiana - who owns the washer/dryer in my rental?

Question: We rent an apartment that was furnished with a w/d combo from the previous tenant. The lease only includes hookups and says that the landlord is not responsible for units. I have maintained the machines through multiple repairs, totalling about $300. It seems that if the landlord gets the enrichment from the betterments I have done to the machines, it would be unjust. However, I don't know if my maintenance of the machines means I  now own them. Who owns the units? Located in New Orleans, LA.

Answer:
 Did you buy them?  I'm not sure why you think fixing something means it belongs to you now.

If you really want to press the issue, you may be able to convince your landlord to reimburse you for the cost of the repairs, but I don't know if you're actually entitled to it.


Title: [DC] Allowed group of people to use shared house to throw 4/20 party on condition they cleaned, it's currently trashed and they have no intention of cleaning it.

Question:
Hey all,

Sorry if this is a stupid question but I just wanted to know my options. I share my house with eight other people, we're all students and we allow friends and friends of friends to come over and hang. We've had an issue in the past where guests wouldn't clean up after themselves but they really crossed the line this time. We agreed they can have a little 4/20 party on the condition that they clean up (it's all on text so there is digital evidence) but the house is absolutely wrecked and they don't intend on fixing it. In addition we believe they caused damage to the bathroom. I just want to know if we can hold them liable for the costs of cleaning the house and fixing the bathroom. What are my options here?

Answer: The nights still young


Title: (NEW YORK) My mom will be filing for bankruptcy in the coming weeks. Will my joint account be affected?

Question:
As stated in the title my mom will shortly be filing for bankruptcy. I am 17 years old and to be 18 in October and have and account under her name at a small credit union. I need to know if they can touch my account when they close hers and what I can do to protect myself, or if I should open an account at an entirely new bank?
Topic:
Credit Debt Bankruptcy

Answer: Yes; you should remove your money from the joint account, and be prepared to explain how you calculated just how much of the money was yours.  AFTER you have removed your money from the account, you and your mom should jointly ask about removing your name from the account.  You should get an account strictly in your name at a different institution...credit unions are generally better than banks.  It is possible that you will find it difficult to open an account solely in your own name before you turn 18.  In the worst case, you could keep the proceeds in cash for a few months, if you have someplace safe to store it, and if you can resist the temptation to blow it.  Good luck.Answer #2: Get your money out of that joint account immediately.  Open a new account at a totally different bank to put your money into.


Title: Reddit, will I be able to get a passport?

Question:
*I live in Pennsylvania

8.5 years ago i made some terrible decisions and ended up being a convicted felon. My felonies (without looking at the paperwork) are two felony 1 counts of criminal conspiracy: burglary (home invasion).

I have since totally turned my life around. I have aspirations to travel around and see other countries. I have been looking into a passport and am a little concerned that I won't be able to get one. Regardless of what I see here, I'm going to try.

But I was wondering if there was anyone out there with a similar situation who would share their experience.

Any feedback would be appreciated.

Thank you guys! I very much appreciate the feedback
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 If your felonies have been appropriately discharged - no warrants for your arrest, no outstanding probation, no outstanding restitution, et cetera - then there should be no issue with you getting a passport.

Your bigger worry is whether the other countries will let you in.  That's up to them.Answer #2: I don't believe it will stop you from getting a passport but it will certainly effect certainly countries allowing you to enter.


Title: Can you report someone for being a pedo while remaining anonymous?

Question:
Hi everyone, had a question for legal advice. I’m currently 16 years old. While being 14 to 16 I was in a sexual relationship with a person (who is currently 26.) As I got older I realized the signs of grooming etc and the reality of the entire situation got to me. Anyways, I was wondering if there where any legal ways the report what happened to me but remain anonymous? I don’t want to have myself identified or be interviewed or anything along those lines.  Is this possible? I live in California btw.
Thanks

Answer:
 Sure if you want, but it’s a great way to get ignored. The police won’t arrest the guy based on an anonymous tip and no other evidence. They might even just assume it’s a prank.

If it does go to court you’ll need to be a witness to get a conviction, due to the lack of other evidence, which will make it very obvious to the guy who you are.

If you think the guy is a danger to society you have a moral duty to report them but not a legal one.


Title: Epileptic friend stranded in Canada with limited options

Question:
One of the best people I know is in a really really shit situation, and I really need some advice. I want to be able to do something beyond just feeling intense heartbreak and injustice for her.

Some backstory: My friend (let's call her Mandarin) came to Canada from France last year as a nanny on a work visa. She planned to study here. But to be able to do that, she has to fulfill her 2 year work visa as a live-in nanny. Her employer treated her like shit. She sucked it up. She stayed resilient. She was determined to build a life here. They took her for granted a lot. They were selfish with vacations, calling her up at wee hours of weekend mornings (she is supposed to have weekends off) to babysit due to "emergencies". She sucked it up.

When she found out that her twin brother was getting married, she fought tooth and nail, gave in to countless sacrifices before her employer finally let her go back to France for a week. But when she visited the French consulate, they told her that she was not allowed to go back to France for 5 years. They didn't give a reason. Or maybe the reason was personal and she didn't want to tell me. That's okay. Mandarin cried for a long time, but eventually she sucked that up too. She was going to Skype her family on the wedding date.

She had 3 seizures this weekend. We were hanging out at her gf's place and she collapsed and start seizing and foaming from her mouth. Her eyes were rolling around. It was terrifying. Paramedics were called, she was admitted for scans and checkups. She finally woke up after what seemed like the longest hours that weekend. But the worst was yet to come. She doesn't have a health card. She'd applied for OHIP and was approved, but it wouldn't come in till July. So she would have to bear the brunt of the hospital bills. We're estimating at least $8000. We called her employer to notify them of what happened. They were annoyed, but seemed to show a tinge of concern. Until they heard about the potential bills (Note that she never once asked them to help her financially. She was actually so guilty she wouldn't be home in time to pick the kids). They told her they had bought insurance for her, and it might help cover some of the bills. But that would be their last resort. They told her not to mention their insurance to the hospital unless asked. On top of that, the hospital admin was being very curt with her because of her lack of papers. This one paramedic called her their "epileptic mystery".

Because of the seizures, she can't drive anymore. A vital part of her job. When she was discharged and went back to her bosses, they told her that they wanted a private MRI done to see "what was wrong with her brain". They started getting angry at my friends and I for calling the ambulance. They blame us for starting this domino effect of problems for them. She could've died that night, and they're pissed at us for "causing all these problems" for them. Because of her epilepsy and inability to drive, there is a huge possibility of her getting fired. If she gets fired, she can't even go back to France because of the consulate situation. And there is little chance of her getting rehired with her condition. She's completely alone. She has no family. Her only family here is her gf. Mandarin's gf and family have been doing everything they can to help as much as possible. The gf is especially stressed over with worry and anxiety over Mandarin's health and possibly losing her. Mandarin and her gf both has had multiple panic attacks ever since. But in the end, there is only so much we can do financially or legally to help her. She is at her wits end. Her bosses have been nothing but horrible, and she has no where to turn to. We don't know what to do. Please advise.

Answer:
 You're missing a big part of the story.  France can't tell their citizen that they can't return home.  It may be that she skipped out on mandatory military service and if she returns home she has to face the consequences, but a country can't refuse entry to their own citizen.

Also, contact OHIP.  If she's been approved for OHIP then a number exists even if she doesn't have the physical card yet.  They can tell you how to get her medical costs covered.


Title: Can/should I submit character witness to a criminal case?(TX)

Question:
A good friend of mine got pregnant with a guy she was casually seeing. She decided to keep the baby and the father seemed to be on board. He did not help at all with the pregnancy and spun out of control into drugs. He lost his job, was evicted from his own place before he and his brother got evicted from his brother's place. He admitted several times that he was having issues with cocaine and meth. He showed up to the hospital tweeking. He was arrested in 2014 for theft (50-500$) and eventually stopped showing to court. Any time that he contacts the mother it is abusive and frankly just weird. She has him blocked on her cell phone. Like I said, we wish that he would be a good dad because we love the kid. But we also hate the guy because he is NOT a father at all and he should not be around.

He was arrested a few weeks ago for DWI, possession of meth, possession of marijuana, and because of his warrant. Is there something I can do (I guess as a personal vendetta) to add character witness to the case against him (texts about wishing the child was aborted, or threatening to 'beat me up')? Is now the perfect time for her to try to take away his parental rights?

Thanks for any input legal or otherwise.

Answer: Personal vendetta's belong on the dance floor not the court room. Nothing you have stated really affects the charges. He can be a shitty person/dad we just don't want him to do do drugs and drive. You don't really have a great case to revoke parental rights. If she doesn't have sole custody, she could persue that. You can't lose parental rights by being a shitty person, you lose them by being a abusive parent. He can call her w/e he wants, and she can request restraining orders and supervised visitation. If he threatens you, you can report the threat. None of this will cause a court to deny the fact that he is the father of child and law will always hope he gets his act together and become father of year.


Title: IL. If someone found a website error that exposes social security numbers and more private information, is their a legal way to profit from this? Maybe a reward from the company or the federal government as a whistleblower?

Answer: That's not whistleblowing. You can contact the company and let them know and they may offer you compensation for exposing the problem. Asking them for compensation in exchange for you providing the information could be considered extortion.


Title: State liability for unsafe road in state park? (MN)

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 > Unbeknownst to us

Icy roads in northern MN?  In January?  Shocking!
You do have a duty to evaluate the road conditions, and drive in a manner that allows you to maintain control of your vehicle.


Title: [KS] Girlfriend sold her old car on a Facebook group and now buyer wants her money back

Question:
Hey there,

My girlfriend sold her car on March 28 for $1200 to someone. This person took the car on a very quick test drive and bought the car as is. Now, this person is calling and saying that my gf owes her the $1200, plus what she has spent on getting the car checked out. The phone call was very hard to understand and very early in the morning but it sounded like she was saying something about the lemon law in Kansas, but that looks like it only works if it's a new car. Is there anything this person can do? Does the lemon law in KS cover this? Is there any other law that we have to worry about or can we just tell her all sales are final and block her number?

Answer:
 Tell that person to pound sand and that the sale was final. Used Vehicles are not covered, and it was on the buyer to check out any issues with the vehicle prior to purchase. Answer #2: Assuming she sold it correctly, has a record of it with a bill of sale, and transferred the title correctly, she can safely respond "lol no refunds"Answer #3: There is zero possibility that a car that sold for $1200 between private parties is covered by any state's "Lemon Law".

Kansas specifically only covers vehicles sold new to their first owner, and basically acts as an enforcement of the manufacturer's warranty.

All private-party sales are as-is by default.   There isn't even an implied warranty of merchantability.   If the words "as-is" appeared in the bill of sale, or in any communications regarding the car, that's the end of the discussion.Answer #4:
Block her number and move on. Answer #5: She has zero legal standing, ignore her. Block any and all contact with her and do not be afraid to file harassment charges if she escalates matters.Answer #6: Protip: Put "as is" on the receipt of sale, and keep a buyer-signed copy.Answer #7: Your gf should tell the buyer to suck on a lemon. Answer #8: [Read this.](http://thegarage.jalopnik.com/when-the-buyer-of-your-used-car-threatens-to-sue-you-1745615004)

Might give you some insight.Answer #9: based on other comments, it looks like you shouldnt have any legal troubles, but if you follow their advice on how you handle it, you may end up with some personal trouble. Try not to be a dick about it, since doing so may agitate the buyer even more.


Title: If I was to get a divorce, how much of my content would my wife be legally obliged to keep?

Question: I've been having big arguments with my wife for about all of our year long marriage and I'm about fed up with her and being unhappy, but every time divorce is mentioned she tries to remind me of how many things she says she can take away from me. The thing however is, she's only had one job (at McDonald's, I'm in the military) and about 99% of the property we have either I paid, or am paying for. I did make the mistake of not signing a prenuptial agreement stating what's mine and what what's hers. I live in the state of Florida and like I said before I'm in that military and I want to know how safe would I be to keep my items after a divorce? The major items we have are two vehicles and a house. Both vehicles are completely under my name and the house is split between our names. I'm willing to give up ownership of the house to her (because I know she has 0 way of paying for it at all). What should I do?

Answer: Anything you acquired (assets and debt) during the time of the marriage would be considered marital property. You won't just be able to "give" her the house and be done with it. You're still obligated to that debt. If she can't afford it and you don't want it, you'll likely be forced to sell it. I'd imagine she'd get one of the cars. Your personal property that was bought during the marriage would be split between the two of you. You'll likely have to pay alimony. I doubt it would be for very long however if you've only been married a year.


Title: What is the legal status of marijuana seeds in the US?

Answer:
 Marihuana is a [Schedule I controlled substance](http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/21cfr/21usc/841.htm) at this time.

> (16) The term "marihuana" means **all parts of the plant Cannabis sativa L.**, whether growing or not; **the seeds thereof**; the resin extracted from any part of such plant; and every compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture, or preparation of such plant, its seeds or resin. Such term does not include the mature stalks of such plant, fiber produced from such stalks, oil or cake made from the seeds of such plant, any other compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture, or preparation of such mature stalks (except the resin extracted therefrom), fiber, oil, or cake, or the sterilized seed of such plant which is incapable of germination.


Title: Third party refuses to show footage in his dash cam.

Question: I was recently in a collision with three cars. One of the members of the accident claims to have a dash cam installed in his car, but refuses to show it? We currently have a lawyer handling this case, but he mentioned that it'd be difficult to get the footage from him. I assumed it was legally required to provide all forms of evidence.

Answer: Unless there's a subpoena compelling him to do so, he's not obligated to share anything.


Title: GA Proof of Force Disabled

Question: Is being profoundly physically disabled implied force in rape? I ask this because I cannot fight back and each time I have been raped, the man never had to use force as it it defined (they just take away my walking aids then I can’t move) so it’s always been against my will but without proof of force.

Answer: There is no legal obligation to "fight back." Force isn't a function of the victim's actions, it's a function of the perpetrator. Are prosecutors/police claiming that they cannot proceed because of your disability? You should immediately contact RAINN and your local victim's advocate to start escalating this.


Title: Father will not pay child support, moved across the country. What are her options?

Question:
Hi,

My ex wife recently found out she is pregnant. We are in Utah. He moved across the country to Florida presumably to pretend like this never happened.

She doesn't have a lot of money. She can't afford to pay lots of attorney fees. Is this the type of thing where the state can help a single mother get the child support she is owed? There is no formal agreement or court order yet. Would she need to pay an attorney to file such a claim?

I'm happy to answer any questions if further detail is needed. I just want to help her know her options and my knowledge of the law is limited.

Thanks!

Answer: Your ex wife needs to give birth and then establish paternity through the courts to name him as the father. Once that’s done, it doesn’t matter what state he moves to he will still owe.


Title: [NY] Ex BF has created an IG dedicated to publicly shaming me

Question:
My ex previously tried getting into contact with me but I ignored him. He contacted me on several social media sites and through text.  The texts were angry (i.e. whore, bitch, etc) but nothing that was like physically threatening. I deleted his messages and ignored him until I had enough and told him if he ever tried contacting me again, I would call the police for harassment. He stopped.

Fast forward one week and yesterday, one of my girlfriends told me about how he created an IG that airs all of our dirty laundry. He followed every single one of my IG followers, friends, family, coworkers. He goes on and on about how I cheated (I did but so did he) and how I'm a lying bitch. The posts are mostly just old conversations/arguments we've had with captions saying how I'm a horrible person. Technically its not slanderous but it is beyond embarrassing.

I told him that I would call the police if he contacted me  but the thing is, he hasnt. He just has this stupid IG account now which doesnt actually count as contacting me. Yes I can probably report it to IG but whats to stop him from making a second account? Do I just have to live with this until he gets over it?

Answer:
 So it sounds like your ex is telling the truth and you admit it.

You can try to contact IG and see if they will take it down.  Other than that, ignore the page.  Bringing attention to his IG will only inspire him further.


Title: How can I abandon my impounded car? [x-post /r/personalfinance]

Question:
So I had my car towed for unpaid tickets (IL) two days ago and was asked to pay $700+ to get it out. I'm a bit broke so...

1) ~~Can I get it out for free given that I used it for work (delivery driver) ?~~

2)If I decided to abandon it, can I get my stuff out of it ?

3) Can I sell it to the towing company ?

4) Do I have to file something ?

Thanks

Answer: The easiest way is probably to sign the title over to the towing company in exchange for clearing your debt with them. A lot of companies are willing to do so, providing that your car is worth at least as much as your debt to them.Answer #2: Ask the towing company if you can sign the title over to them. I have done this twice in Illinois after cars were totaled in an accident, and I think they charged me $100 each time and waived the towing and impound fees. They let me get my stuff.


Title: [Pennsylvania] Arrested

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 > I said "I don't consent to a search of my vehicle"

Sounds like they had probable cause, so that doesn't matter.

> I was never read my rights.

There are lots of misconceptions about Miranda warnings.

> What can I do?

If you were smart, you'd find a criminal defense attorney.  And stop with the Kratom.

### Side effects of Kratom: ###

* Prolonged nausea and diarrhea
* Psychotic episodes
* Muscle pain / tremors
* Depression
* Delusions
* Panic attacks
* Paranoia

**Edit:** Oh, and it's addictive, too.


Title: What if I wanted to make the police believe I was a serial killer when I had actually done nothing wrong?

Question:
Location? Meh, let's say California, although something tells me it's unimportant to this question.

So this thought occurred to me today as a radio show I listened to was discussing the Zodiac Killer.

Let's say it's the late 60s and there's a relatively close series of killings that happened in my city. There was no reason to suspect the deaths were linked together, but I'm on the couch and recognize this as my opportunity to screw with law enforcement.

I send them a series of letters claiming I, the mysterious letter writer, perpetrated each of the killings, and sending them false information in order to keep them guessing. Meanwhile, all I have done in this time is spend moments of my life that I'll never get back writing these ridiculous letters.

I haven't testified that these things occurred under oath, I've only mentioned them in correspondence; I never filed a police report, so I'm not guilty of filing a false report.

Surely I can't be able to do this completely without consequence. What am I guilty of?

Answer:
 Well, the City could certainly sue you for the manpower they wasted chasing your false leads.

You could be reasonably argued to be mentally ill if you believe that you did these things you did not do and could wind up in a hospital.

Also this:

> Vehicle Code 31 PC reads: "No person shall give, either orally or in writing, information to a peace officer while in the performance of his duties under the provisions of this code when such person knows that the information is false."Answer #2: The law is broader than just filing a false report. Providing fake information itself is a crime.  Here's a whole list of crimes in California that could apply depending on the specifics:
http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?lawCode=PEN&division=&title=7.&part=1.&chapter=7.&article=


Title: Dealership Doesn't Change Registration on Trade-In, Gets Ticket, Fine is Sent to Me - Is This Legal?

Question:
Obviously I am in the process of contacting the dealership, the DMV, and the city about the fine to prove the vehicle was not in my possession during the time the ticket was given out; it was for toll evasion. They accepted the trade-in June 29th of this year and I signed all the paperwork to take it out of my name. This incident took place about two weeks ago and the ticket was issued October 1st, so after 13 weeks the car is still in my name. A couple of phone calls or emails should solve this and get me off the hook however it's pretty lame the dealership would leave it in my name (probably) to save a few bucks on registration. I'm glad the ticket was just for toll evasion and not something more serious or that no crimes or accidents occurred, as I would have to prove my innocence at that point. This is in San Diego County in California.

Ethically this seems wrong and shady, but legally is it a problem? Thanks, friends!

Answer: Does your state require you to turn in a piece of paper stating the sale of a vehicle?


Title: If we get divorced will the domestic violence charges be dropped?

Question:
[deleted]
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer:
 No they will not. Chances are you will go to jail, or at least get arrested. It is time for you to retain a criminal defense attorney.

Also what you did was totally unjustified.


Title: Noncustodial parent is moving out of state and a further distance (120 miles). Is the custodial parent required to meet the noncustodial parent halfway?

Answer: As a general rule, whoever creates the distance is responsible for travel costs/arrangements unless  the parties reach an agreement for something different.


Title: My bank has charged me over $100.00 in overdraft fees because they changed their terms.

Question:
My bank recently changed their terms and services. They have started charging a $1.00 monthly fee of which I was unaware of at the time. My account had $0.56 in it when it got over drafted to -$0.44.  Since that day I have been charged over $100.00 in overdraft fees because my account was over drafted BY THEM FOR LESS THAN A DOLLAR.

I have very little money, when it was at -$25 I added $26 and they STILL charged my account the next day($4.00 overdraft fee). They told me the charge of the current day is only shown the next day.

Is this legal? Is there any way I can get my money back? Taking them to small claims court will be difficult since I do not have time, I'd only do it if it is a guaranteed win.

Location is Puerto Rico.

Answer:
 Have you tried calling the customer service department and discussing your concerns with a representative? Answer #2: I am not a lawyer.

You can file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau http://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/ but there is no guarantee they will find for you (the bank will show where they notified you of the change) but who knows?

Note that it can take months to get a response -- it took six months for me to get a response and decision.


Title: [CA] Dad's going into 4th Marriage. No prenup. ~$1M estate. SOS.

Question:
**Backstory:**
So obviously this is half due for /r/relationships as well, but he's not going to listen to me on that front. I'll give some background anyways.

Dad is a very woman dependent person. Extremely needy. When he's single, he's on EVERY dating site all the time. He says "I love you" on the 2nd date.

After the 3rd divorce, things were calm for a bit. Then he drove 300 miles to pick up some woman with no visa. She stayed at our place for a year or so. She had no savings, nothing. My dad was spending thousands on English classes, clothes, whatever. My dad is a whale.
She was also stealing from us, but he didn't care. (I didn't know).

She left, and now he's with someone else. Very similar situation. She's actually employed (eh) and is semi-legal. The marriage is supposed to help with that. Hell, she even totaled a car of ours.

**The important stuff:**
They're getting married at the 5 month mark apparently. My dad has a house and a government pension. Some assets in cash, whatever.

I'm not going to dive into why this is a disgustingly horrible idea (what I mentioned earlier was the tip of the iceberg), but I want to know what happens worst case scenario. I'm in college. I can't shield him financially if he loses the house and his pension isn't enough.

**TL;DR**
Dad going into 4th marriage. House + Pension + Assets. No prenup. Have advised (e.g. literally 0 reason not to), but he refuses. (See first paragraph).

What happens?

Answer:
 The pension is his separate property.  The house will start as his property, but as soon as community assets are used to pay for the mortgage, insurance, improvements, etc., it can become a community asset.

Hard to say with other assets without knowing what they are.

If he doesn't have a will, at his death, she'll get all community property and half his separate property.

He's crazy not to get a prenup.


Title: Landlord says I have to take down window covers, not mentioned in lease. WA.

Question:
I recently moved into a new apartment on the 1st floor of the complex. My living room has huge windows that look out onto a courtyard where there is a gazebo for people to smoke under. My neighbors like to hang out there and chat for long periods every day. People are walking by my windows all the time. I like to sit around my apartment in the nude but I don't like having the blinds drawn all the time, so I ordered $100+ of [fancy removable window clings](http://www.amazon.com/ARTSCAPE-01-0106-Wisteria-Window-24-by-36-Inch/dp/B000Q3LZYG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1439598988&sr=8-1&keywords=window%5Cwisteria) to apply to the bottom half of each window. I put them up yesterday, and I today I got a voicemail from my landlord saying they don't allow any types of window coverings and that I need to keep my blinds drawn if this is an issue.

I checked my lease and it doesn't say anything about window coverings. I feel like I have a right to privacy in my apartment and a right to use the windows how I want. My apartment is like a cave all the time now. Opinions?

Answer: I would simply ask where it says in the lease that you aren't allowed any window coverings and if he can't tell you where it is they proceed to tell him to eat dirt. Do keep in mind that this might cause issues when trying to renew your lease thoughAnswer #2: I'd check the lease for more general restrictions about maintaining a uniform appearance, or keeping the windows in their original condition, things of that nature. I think it's pretty likely that they have some sort of clause in the lease that will allow them to keep you from putting up that sort of thing, even if they don't say anything about window covering specifically.


Title: No lease, eviction rules (canada, ontario)

Question:
I have been staying with family and paying $80 a week (320 a month) at first it was voluntary but then they grew dependent on the money and I was happy to contribute. Last week ironically on family day there was an argument with another individual and they threatened to evict all of us within a week. I have no problem moving out but a week is not very much time. I have been paying for about 2 years and never thought I would need a formal lease which now would protect me. I need to know my rights, how long I can legally stay and I am having trouble finding it.

If this information was obvious or available then I do apologize. I am on a bit of a timeline now and I could really use the assistance. Thanks for your time.

Answer:
 I am an Ontario landlord.

Do you share a kitchen and bathroom with your landlord? If so, the Residential Tenancies Act does not protect you. You can be evicted on very little notice--as you are a weekly tenant, a week's notice will likely be considered sufficient, although there is nothing actually defined in law about this.

If you do NOT share, and are in a fully separate apartment, then the Residential Tenancies Act applies. They cannot evict you just because they don't want you there anymore. They need a reason such as nonpayment of rent, although in this situation, it would likely be because they want to take the space back for themselves.... the form says 60 days notice.


Title: Can I Report a Serial Negligent Animal Killer?

Question: Basically the title, white cat type of girl has multiple lizards and other exotic animals that she will let die because she and her S/O don't "like it". Then she usually posts Snapchats about her new animal, which is usually the same type as the ones she's killed. Anything I can do?

Answer: Report them to animal control and the ASPCA or whatever your local chapter is.


Title: [USA] I am transgender and I am about to apply for a passport for the first time. My transition is complete and all of my identity documents have been updated. Do I need to disclose my status and provide medical documentation of my transition as part of my application?

Question:
The State Department has information for individuals who are trying to update their sex on an existing passport (See: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/apply-renew-passport/sex-designation-change.html), but it is unclear from this if any of these requirements apply to transgender people who have never had a passport before.

My birth certificate, Social Security record, and driver's license have all been updated to reflect my name and sex change, and neither I nor my parents have ever applied for a passport on my behalf in the past.

Thankfully, I live in a state where I was able to have my birth certificate reissued in such a way that there is no record of my name or assigned sex at birth, and I am not visibly transgender, so I don't necessarily expect this to be an issue during my application. Nor do I really want to discuss the matter if I can help it.

I do, however, want to be prepared ahead of time if I am legally required to provide medical documentation or to otherwise disclose my status so as to avoid unnecessary delays in processing. I've had enough beaurocratic back-and-forth for one lifetime already.

Thank you for your time.

Answer: The sex that's printed on your identity documents is your sex. Unless the form specifically asks you whether you were AMAB/AFAB, I see no need to volunteer that information.


Title: Just got a DUI in Indiana. I can't afford an attorney but the judge denied to appoint me one. Need as much advice as I can get. 19M

Question: So... the title speaks for itself. I went to my first court date last week with paperwork to be turned in in order to get a public defender. The paper work had information such as my income and bank account balances. I also included that I was $10,000 in debt in student loans so far. I only have about $1200 dollars saved up and will be unemployed and searching for a job in about a month because I am employed seasonally. The judge denied me a public attorney because of the money in my bank account. Does my debt have no influence? is $1200 isn't even enough for a lawyer is it? Do you guys think there is any way to appeal this? Any advice helps!

Answer: Not legal advise.  Almost any lawyer in this situation is going to save you more than they will cost you.  The fees for a DUI add up quick, getting just one of those reduced will pay for the lawyer by itself.


Title: [California][TV] The show "American Crime Story" depicts the jury going stir-crazy after months of sequestration - what rights does a jury member have when a trial lasts for an extended period?

Question:
The FX TV series *American Crime Story: The People vs. O.J. Simpson* portrays jury members starting to lose it after months of being confined to their hotel room, forbidden any contact with the outside world, no access to television or printed media, deputies who act like drill sergeants, and minimal contact with their loved ones or even other jurors.

Is the jury in a case like this truly sequestered 24/7? Do jurors in a prolonged trial like this have any right to demand concessions from the court, or possibly even get an attorney involved?  Would a cabin-fevered and bored-stupid jury be grounds for appeal?

Or was it all exaggerated for television and the actual situation wasn't nearly as jail-like as the show makes it seem?

Answer:
 I didn't see the show, so I don't know how bad it was [but here is an article](http://lawnewz.com/high-profile/what-it-was-like-when-o-j-simpson-jury-spent-8-12-months-sequestered/) which describes the conditions, complete with news articles/TV reports done at the time. They *did* protest, and delayed the trial a day.

I don't think it's anything anyone would choose to do for 8 months.Answer #2: IANAL and I've only seen two episodes, but I remember when the trial was going on feeling bad for those people. How do you even take care of your kids, bills, house, or job?


Title: Will I (18 M) get in trouble for what I did?

Question:
So I am currently 18 years old attending high school in the United States \(don't want to go too specific on where I live\).

A couple weeks \(1\-2\) ago, as my mom was dropping me off at school, I didn't look before I opened the car door at the curb. There was a bicyclist riding by and the door jammed into his face. He fell down.

He told me he was ok, but the car door was damaged. I said sorry.

Fast forward to now.

The car is in a repairshop getting fixed.

Earlier today, my mom found out that the boy who I hit's mom is friends with her friend.

My mom's friend found out that the boy actually got his hand swollen. He went to the nurse right away, who called the police, and he was sent to ER.

He is feeling better now, and his hand is slowly healing.

My mom got his mom's phone number from her friend and left a message saying she was sorry.

This is messed up. You might be wondering, \*why? You're fessing up and coming clean for your mistakes.\*

Well, now his mom has proof to sue us for what I did. We might have to pay for his medical finances. His mom is divorced so they don't have a lot of money, and my mom's message is proof that we are the culprit for his injury.

I know we should've just stayed quiet to avoid the potential legal mess, but what's done is done.

My mom's friend said the boy's friend's mom was laughing and probably won't sue, because if she was planning to, she would've responded to my mom's message by now, but she didn't.

But you never know.

What I want to know is, under the case that she does sue us, would I get in any trouble?

I am an adult \(18 M\), but I don't have my license yet. I have my permit and I'm still learning.

Also, what would happen to my mom \- the person driving?

Would we have to pay for his medical finances? I mean, ER can be pretty expensive.

I'm really worried and stressed about the potential consequences we'd have to face. I have an English paper due tomorrow but am having a hard time writing because of this.

I've learned my mistake and will now always look in the side view mirror to see if there are any pedestrians coming before I get out of the car. I have also briefly apologized to be boy, and if I do ever encounter him again, I will give my condolences to him even more, now that I know how serious this is.

Thanks

Answer:
 Your mom’s car insurance can take care of his medical treatment.

And no one messed up by getting in touch with the injured party and his mom. He hurt his hand, and needs to resolve that.


Title: [PA] Brother in law's estranged friend alleging he rubbed up against her, what will happen?

Question:
Repost because I was frantic the first time

Brother in law's estranged friend is threatening to report him to the police because she's claiming that while they consensually cuddled together 5 years ago, she feels he rubbed up against her backside sexually.

What can come of this? I'm worried about him and getting together legal representation on his behalf.

He doesn't want this police report hanging over his head forever when he applies for jobs

Answer:
 Stop freaking out. If the police come calling, he should be polite and decline to speak with them. Unless and until that happens, you're freaking for no reason. Answer #2: A police report won’t show up on a background check, only a conviction. If it happened like he says it did, it’s extremely unlikely that charges would be filed, unless he texted her something like “sorry I unwontedly poked you with my boner”Answer #3: > while they consensually cuddled together 5 years ago, she feels he rubbed up against her backside sexually.

So she gave her consent, but she doesn't feel his intentions were aligned with hers? I don't understand how that is a crime.


Title: Is it legal to build a fort in the United States?

Question:
Can I build a fort with a moat, cannons, and a small standing army?

We would have a garden, some cattle, and small arms along with the cannons. We would declare the valley as hours and declare war.

This is all hypothetical of course, but it was the topic of debate yesterday.

What are the legal consequences that could be faced?

Answer:
 If you own the land, you can build any structure on it that complies with federal, state, and local laws and building codes.

The small arms are probably fine.

Cannon may be a no-no unless you comply with very very strict ATF rules.

If you declare war on the United States, you're going to have a very bad time of it.  Treason is the only crime specifically defined in the Constitution, and you can be executed for it.


Title: [USA/MN] What can I do about the USPS leaving items out in the open at my apartment building? Stuff is getting stolen! A package insured for $50, and of $49 value, had a lost/stolen claim refused because "it says it was delivered". Stolen, torn open stuff was just thrown on the floor by my door!

Question:
Is it legal for them to just dump shit in an area with 30-50 people traveling back and forth through it every day?

Why don't they hold anything?

Is there anything I can do if the official claims process isn't working? It's like being told "no it wasn't" when you go to them saying "my stuff was stolen"!

I don't work for a living to go home and draw up elaborate schemes to cheat the USPS, and I don't care if they're trying to forge an iron-clad policy doctrine that protects them from that possibility. I just want my stuff to stop getting stolen!

Who thinks it's safe to drop valuable things in plain sight for tens of people who can just pick it up and walk away with it?

Am I supposed to lose sleep and guard the door every time I think a package might be arriving?

What do I do?

Answer: Get a PO box.


Title: Property management company denying receipt of certified mail; we paid return receipt and know they did

Question:
We sent an early termination notice via registered certified mail with return receipt. We met all conditions and know we'll have to pay a fee. We received USPS proof of receipt with timestamp, signature, and date. Property management company denies receiving it, said a building secretary had signed and they don't have the notice so no, we can't terminate lease early. I went in person and had them scan in the notice and USPS proof. I had to beg for proof they'd done that (they said no to a screenshot or printout of my account), but I finally left with a leasing agent's signature on a copy of the termination notice. I was told the account would update immediately and the termination fee would post immediately. Those things still haven't happened and they're not returning calls.

What can I do? Should I just leave on the date we gave them? Forego the move-out inspection and turn off utilities and lose our deposit because they're probably going to deny we gave them notice and not communicate with us to set the inspection up? Take them to court after the fact?

Edit: I'm in Georgia, USA.
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer: Do everything as you would had it been accepted. If they don't send you your deposit back to you sue them in small claims court. You have proof they received it whether they want to admit it or not. That will hold up in court.


Title: [TX, USA] Are courtroom dress codes enforceable?

Question:
*Texas, United States*:

I know somebody who was sent home from a court appearance to change into something other than the shorts that they arrived in. Disregarding any suggestions of what might be good and bad strategy concering first impressions and the like, I'd like to know whether it would be an offense to refuse this request.

The most relevant type of law which I can think of that might apply to this situation would be *contempt of court*, which I understand to essentially equate to acting in defiance of some lawful commandment given by the court, so I suppose the most critical question to answer in this hypothetical scenario is whether it would be lawful for the court to prohibit clothing that is not legally considered indecent.

Here's where I'd like to get into the local details. In [the Government Code of the State of Texas, Title 2, Subtitle A, Chapter 21](http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/GV/htm/GV.21.htm), Section 1, Subsection a [(BTW)](/s "By the way, is there some shorthand to writing all of that? I'm not experienced in writing about laws") prescribes that the court must require that proceedings be conducted with *dignity*. It seems, then, that the argument to prohibit any items of clothing must be based on the grounds that it is *un*dignified. My guess would be that anything which isn't already declared *indecent* elsewhere in the law must be assumed to be decent at the least, but who has authority to claim what is dignified and what isn't? Tell me the answer isn't really as simple as, "the court does." Though I'm not sure that any exist, its seems within the realm of possibility that a court could considers no less than a matching suit and tie to be dignified, which seems unreasonably restrictive to me. What happens if the person happens not to own a suit (a likely scenario in today's society)? I apply the same reasoning to the pants scenario. What if somebody doesn't own pants, only shorts? In such a hot state as Texas, that isn't even as unlikely as it might sound. There's no legal requirement to own pants, as far as I know, either -- or even clothes at all, for that matter -- but there *are* laws concerning what is indecent, in terms of clothing, in public. Everything else must be considered acceptable, right?

Anyway, I realize this probably seems inconsequential to whoever reads this, but sometimes I find these little nuances in our laws to be interesting. By the way, is there some way that I might search for previous cases relevant to whatever topic I think up? Like Google, for case law?

**Edit**: New question, in light of the responses I've received: If the judge truly determines the beginning and end of the discussion of what is to be considered *dignified* in the courtroom, could a judge then declare a dress code as off-the-walls as "No red on Thursdays, No collared shirts on Fridays, (etc.)," that others might find ridiculous, as long as he or she claims this to be necessary for maintaining the court's dignity? Who judges that judge's judgment of what can be classified as *dignified*?

Answer:
 >  I'd like to know whether it would be an offense to refuse this request.

It's not a request, it's an order.  And ignoring court orders is contempt of court.  Answer #2: All I can think of when reading your request is the sequence in "My Cousin Vinny" where the judge tells Gambini to wear something "made out of some sort of... cloth".


Title: Niece’s father allowed to have child return after spending a night in jail for beating her older sister. (FL)

Question:
Trying to figure out what either myself or the children’s Grandmother can do in this situation. Quick rundown; My niece wound up at her boyfriend’s house with bruises on her face, neck and back from her father abusing her. BF’s mother called the police; they arrested the father and took the 2 girls (17 and 12) to their grandmother’s home. He was later released without being charged. She (the oldest) decided to not file charges against him, provided he was given mandatory counseling. The State has decided to not file any charges at all, and are having the youngest return home (she was beaten by the step-mother a few months prior, CPS got involved, however no charges filed.) Grandmother is in FL, where grandparents have no rights if I remember correctly, and I’m in a different State. Can we file an appeal on her behalf or anything?

Edit: Removed line about oldest getting a restraining order. She got the paperwork but never filed for some reason.

Answer:
 Someone can call CPS and try to get them to reinvestigate. Maybe they didn't know where to look, and you could help in that way.

But it seems like the path of least resistance is to get there kids to talk to the police or CPS. You might also suggest the kids talk to someone at their school. If they start with someone they know, they may be more willing to talk openly. And that person can report to CPS.Answer #2: She's definitely scared of losing her father and he's probably filling her head with garbage that they're gonna lose the house and they wont have an income or something. That's what abusive family members tend to do.Answer #3: You and/or the grandmother can still call CPS. You don't need any custodial rights to call them and let them know. Heck, if you saw someone you've never met before abusing their children you could call CPS.

Do the kids have a safe place to stay longterm?