Title: Grandmother scammed out of over $30,000 on a dating website

Question:
US - Florida

I am not sure what the best sub is to talk about this, but this morning my grandmother texted me to ask me if I can find some information out about an email. Turns out she joined some dating/meetup website for widowed people and she met this guy a few weeks ago and really liked him. She said they told her they were out on business in another country and their wallet was stolen and needed money to make some business payments. Anyways, whoever she was really talking to talked her into giving them $10,000 at first. By this time she was having daily conversations with this person over the phone and by text and email. They then later talked her into sending them another $25,000 for some reason. She told me she didn't have that money laying around but took out some home equity loan to help them. I just can't comprehend what just went on with her during the time she this has all been going on. I immediately recognized it was a scam and she didn't believe me until I sent her a link to an FBI article about romance scams. Her husband died earlier this year and she has been living alone and she said she felt lonely and was vulnerable. The only reason she brought this up to me was because I'm the "tech" person in family and they asked her for more money and became suspicious, she doesn't even want to tell anyone. I recommend she report it to the website she is using and maybe the police. Is there anything else that can be done about this?

Answer:
 You need to take your grandmother to the police station and file a report ASAP.  When and how did she send them the money?

This is also a sign that you may need to take control of any money she has left.  Unfortunately, as people get older they become more vulnerable to these scams and sick people take advantage of that.  Answer #2: >https://www.fbi.gov/audio-repository/news-podcasts-thisweek-romance-scams.mp3/view

>Is there anything else that can be done about this?

Report it to the authorities and the site.  However if this person is a Prince in Nigeria, it will be very hard for anything of substance to occur.

A very expensive lesson indeed.


Title: Friend Can't Get Transcript Transferred to New College

Question:
My friend went to a university two years ago, but it was too expensive and he flunked out because he wasn't prepared. He dropped out and this year has decided to go to a community college. He still owes $8,000 to his previous University and pays on it each month, but now they're telling him that he can't transfer his transcript until he pays his loans off in full.

&#x200B;

This doesn't sound legal, what could he do about it without applying for a new loan out-of-school to pay them?

Answer: All colleges are this way.


Title: multiple restricted paypal accounts

Question:
Okay so I used to have multiple incomes from people (mainly sugardaddies) for over a year. They payed by paypal.
-I’ve had 5 paypals
-3 of them were connected to my own bank account but with a fake name etc. The rest was connected to my friends bank account (also fake name and fake address)
-paypal restricted all of them after receiving 1300 euros (restricted means you have to send your passport and legal information so they can verify you otherwise your account is frozen)
-oldest account was restricted in december 2016 and the most recent one was december 2017
-i haven’t received any emails etc from paypal
-I disconnected all the emails (deleted them too) and also disconnected my bank account

is there any chance I could still get in trouble or anything?

Answer: You’re fine.  Quit worrying about it.  Don’t do shady things in the future.


Title: If I become disabled is there any protection that exist against an HOA?

Question:
A friend recently became disabled with GBS and is behind on his HOA dues. The HOA bylaws require every home owner to pay, no exceptions, so I was wondering if there may be some other protection or assistance. The best we can think of is just for him to sell the house and move, but he owes the HOA a few grand and doesn't exactly have the money to pay.

Location: Texas, USA

And for clarity since I get the impression some think his disability is an excuse; the disability is Guillain Barre Syndrome which is a condition where a person can become completely paralyzed.

Answer:
 Having a disability doesn't get you out of HOA dues. Could he even sell the house? Is he underwater?Answer #2: He is going to have to pay his HOA dues.  Check your city/county for relief agencies and disability/low income assistance.  He may qualify for some type of aid.

How is he paying his other bills and expenses?  Does he have a lot of unpaid bills or is the HOA the only one that hasn't been paid?  If he is drowning in bills with no income, he may need to file for bankruptcy.

If he has access to credit cards, or if the house has any equity to lend off of or get a 2nd mortgage, he should do that.  The HOA bill is fairly serious because it is a secured debt (the house being the security).  If he continues to miss payments, the HOA will put a lien on his home and will eventually be able to foreclose.Answer #3: One thing he should keep in mind that the majority of people recover from GBS.  Being disabled does not get you out of paying your dues/debts/etc. Your friend can speak to an assistance place to see if he qualifies for any subsidies/disability payment to help him pay.  But the short answer is no, your friend still has to pay even when he is sick.


Title: [CA] Should I call CPS on my co-worker?

Question:
I have a co-worker who is a single mother with a 14 year old child. She seems like a good mother, but she has admitted to using corporal punishment on her daughter.

She once told me how she would wait until her daughter was in the shower to hit her because hits sting more when the skin is wet. I told her how terrifying that sounded but she played it off like she was proud of her actions.

At our workplace, we are allowed to bring our children so long as it doesn't interfere with our work. There was one occasion where her daughter was giving lip, and my co-worker openly threatened to "beat the shit out of [her]." ("Her" being the daughter)

Finally, today when she brought her daughter, the girl had what seemed to be very thick bandages over her hands and wrists. I tried asking what had happened but she wouldn't answer, seeming annoyed that I had asked her that. I highly suspect that she may have suffered this by her mother's hands but it's only speculation as I have no proof.

Am I obligated to report this to CPS? I'd hate to be the cause of my co-worker being separated from her daughter--I'm afraid I could turn both their lives upside down.

Thanks in advance!

Answer:
 You are not obligated but if you feel a child is unsafe or at risk of harm you should call. Let CPS figure out what is going on and deal with it. You can call anonymously if you want. Answer #2: >Am I obligated to report this to CPS? I'd hate to be the cause of my co-worker being separated from her daughter--I'm afraid I could turn both their lives upside down.

Legally obligated, no. Morally, probably. It wouldn't be you causing the separation, it'd be the mother's actions. Separation is usually the last effort though, most likely they'd put her on warning and check in periodically.


Title: (FL) Landlord is psychotic and I'm being forced to move out by Monday. What are my legal options, if any?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 You can stay there, and when she changes the locks/removes your stuff/whatever she's going to do to keep you from accessing your apartment, call the police about an illegal lock out. That's option 1.

The bullying/harassment thing holds no water. She has to evict you legally.

Option 2 is to GTFO. While what she's doing isn't legal, it may be the best option practically. Biggest worry here is that she'll still come after you in court for unpaid rent, real or fabricated damages, etc.

You're in school. Does your school offer legal assistance to students?

If you are served with papers, do not ignore them. Answer #2: That's a giant wall of text for what I assume is a simple situation.  I skimmed it, so may have missed some details.

She cannot kick you out before your lease term expires unless you are evicted.  If you are month-to-month, she must give you 15 days unless your lease says otherwise.

If she changes the locks, you call the police about an illegal eviction.  They will not take kindly to her behavior.

She cannot force you to lock the doors unless your lease explicitly has a clause that says otherwise.

She cannot charge you fines for not vacuuming (or any other chore-like activities) unless your lease explicitly has a clause that says otherwise.

I'd suggest finding another place to live.


Title: [IL] Parents took my mail, should I call the police now?

Question: I had a credit card overnighted to me yesterday and my parents stole it, I don't care what kind of threats they make including kicking me out. What should I say to the police? They already admitted to taking it but they don't want me to have a credit card.

Answer:
 On the face of it, it sounds like your parents are trying to protect you from yourself.Answer #2: Ok, you're 29 years old and still getting mail delivered to your parents address? Have you never heard of a Post Office Box? Especially if your parents were known to have this behavior, though you didn't specify that.

You can file a mail theft complaint, though that's likely to end up with you getting evicted from your parents residence.Answer #3: So my suspicion now is that OP fraudulently put his parents as co-signers or something on the credit card, which is why they took THIS one, and how he managed to get it in the first place. Answer #4: I'm a bot, *bleep*, *bloop*. Someone has linked to this thread from another place on reddit:

- [/r/bestoflegaladvice] [Help me get into more debt!](https://np.reddit.com/r/bestoflegaladvice/comments/5rku7c/help_me_get_into_more_debt/)

[](#footer)*^(If you follow any of the above links, please respect the rules of reddit and don't vote in the other threads.) ^\([Info](/r/TotesMessenger) ^/ ^[Contact](/message/compose?to=/r/TotesMessenger))*

[](#bot)


Title: Felony charge what do I do

Question: arrested for entering auto and theft by deception both felony,  I have a landscaper company and one of my landscapers accused me of entering his truck and stealing a check.   My contract states half up front which he paid and remainder upon completion totaling $2200.  He paid me half upfront on December 18, 2012 and he meet with me and my girlfriend and paid the remainder 1100 on 12-24-2012.  Both checks have different dates and check numbers.  But he claiming he wrote both at the same time and I stole the other one from his truck because he didnt have the money to pay me so if he reports it stolen then the bank will refund the money.  What should I do?

Answer: If you were charged with two felonies, you need a criminal defense attorney. If you cannot afford one, plead not guilty and ask for a public defender.


Title: Salon Worker Cut My Ear

Question:
Okay, so I (20M) went to a salon about a month ago to get my hair cut. This was in a small town in Missouri. I work in a professional environment and am required to wear a suit as per my employment. Because of this, I got a buzz. I should also note that this is the first time I had ever gotten my hair cut at this location.

 I abhor getting haircuts as I have had countless cases of razorburn from stylists in the past and I typically will sit with my eyes closed until it's over. Because I hate haircuts my hair had began to get rather long, and my employer nicely told me that I needed to cut my hair, and my stepmother recommended a place. The stylist who was there was young, and had only started working earlier that month. I explained that I wanted a buzzcut because I wanted to have as much time between this haircut and the next, and she agrees. I sit with my eyes closed, and all of a sudden my ears begins to sting. Badly. I immediately think, *"this person cut me"*.

So I wait until she's finished because at this point she was mostly done, pay, and leave. I get home and realize that my ear is noticeably bleeding. Not by a large degree, but it is noticeable. Two days go by and my ear begins to scab but is still painful, and finally it heals. My ear is now misshapen. It functions as it should, but there is a decently-sized groove where a chunk was cut out of it. It is occasionally painful to the touch where it was injured but it is completely healed.

No, I do not have pictures of my ear before this happened. Yes, I told a few people about it, but I *didn't* bring it up the stylist who cut my hair or any other staff. At this point, because I already dislike getting my hair cut, I do not want to get it cut again. It's not that I don't want it done soon, I don't want it *done ever again.* I know, however, that I'll need to get it done for work and am afraid. What should I do?

Answer:
 You should see a doctor to make sure you ear is fine, and see a therapist about your emotional problems.

If you want to approach the salon about paying for your doctor visit, you can do that.  That's about all they're going to be liable for.


Title: Came outside to play with my kids and noticed a gigantic dent and scrape on the front of my van that I hadn't noticed before. Wife drives the van, happened over a week ago, she didn't tell me. What do I do?

Question:
WA, USA

Pictures of dent: http://i.imgur.com/yFcxbYC.jpg

My wife and I are in the beginnings of a divorce. We have two vehicles. A van and a car. Both vehicles are in my name only.

On 3/10 approx 3PM she made that dent while trying to leave the parking garage of her lawyers office (ironic?).

She neglected to tell me about it. When I asked her she says "YOU HAVE EYES! WHY DIDN'T YOU SEE IT UNTIL NOW??!?"

She also said she didn't tell me because it's "her van". She assumes because we are separated (still living together) that the van is hers now even though the divorce is just starting.

The van is in my name online. The insurance is in my name.

My question is: Do I call my insurance company and file a claim? It's been over a week. How do I prove that she did this? She's sending me photos now of when it happened so she obviously knew about it at the time and chose not to tell me.

What if she's lying and she was part of a hit and run? She lied to me about doing it (omission) what's stopping her from lying to save her own skin?

To those of you wondering how I couldn't have seen it. I go to work very early in the morning, it's pitch black outside. When I come home I would be facing away from the bumper to walk around the van towards my house. I would never see it.

Obviously I tell my lawyer about it, I assume.

Answer:
 You can file a claim. Why does it matter that she did it?

You need personal advice here, not legal advice. Answer #2: Wow I can't see why she wouldn't want to stick with such a charming individual as yourself.


Title: I was summoned for jury duty but the date is wrong

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 No. That is not how it works. The system probably just does not understand it is a leap year. You still have jury duty. Answer #2: >  Since this is a legal document and the date is incorrect, that would make this document void, correct

That is never ever ever ever ever the case.


Title: My brother is in jail on charges that his girlfriend made up for the 3rd time. MA

Question:
OK, so my brother started dating this girl (PC) and she was awesome at first. While he was in drug court, PC's tire went flat. PC has all access to his facebook so she went on it and sent herself threatening messages. My brother tried to prove that he didn't have access to his fb account, only she did but the judge granted her a restraining order, even though he was with the judge when her tire went flat.

My brother and PC have mutual friends, one friend contacted him and wanted to hang out, when he got there, PC was there and called the cops and he was arrested for violating the restraining order, therefore violating the terms of his probation.

He got out of jail and everything was going ok, until a couple days ago. They went to the store and he refused to pay for her stuff, she threatened to get him in trouble. The reports say that he was touching her butt even when she told him to stop. PC had a broken windshield from a rock, from a couple days before. PC took this as an opportunity to say he threw a tire rod at her car and broke it. Apparently he also threatened his boss (who just had surgery on his shoulder and can't do anything working on car related) was going to make it so her car can't run. He wouldn't threaten this since the guy can't even do that physically right now, so it seems like a lie. PC also told his friend's girlfriend that she was going to get my brother in trouble. I'm still trying to see if this was verbal or written communication so we can get that as proof.

He's in jail right now, he ran from the cops all weekend like a dumbass instead of going and telling his side of the story. The cops warned him last time that she does this to guys and to stay clear of her but he didn't listen. I have proof that she's been on his fb, he has pictures of the broken windshield from before she claims he did it. How can I help him? I have his lawyer's number and I intend on calling to tell him about everything I know about the issue, that he doesn't. The lawyer didn't show up to court with my brother, he hasn't even contacted my brother yet. I'm pretty sure it's court appointed. Is there any way I can help?

Also, I totally know that this might sound like a sister in denial of her brother getting in trouble, but it's not. I know he's a dumbass and I know he does stuff to get him in jail. This is all her. Also, if you're from a certain part of MA, you may have seen this in the news today and figure out who I am. I don't feel like it's necessary to use a throwaway because I don't give a shit.

Answer:
 Wait wait, even after her lying to get him in trouble the first time and then having him sent to jail, they went to a store together?  Is your brother just plain stupid?

He needs to drop her and all her friends, stop having any mutual friends, and get himself a proper lawyer who will attempt to defend him.


Title: (Central Texas) I'm being charged with a class-c misdemeanor, it is my first time ever dealing with the legal system. What are the first steps I should take?

Question: I am a college student in the DFW area. I was recently charged with a class-c misdemeanor for criminal attempt in a nearby county. I just called the courthouse and found out that the fine is more then three hundred dollars. This is my first misdemeanor ever, no speeding tickets or anything of like that. My friend told me that I should talk to a misdemeanor attorney. I don't have any experience with dealing with situations like this. So what should be my first steps be?

Answer: The fine is the least of your concerns. You want to if at all possible not have to start out your life with a criminal record.Answer #2: Definitely look into retaining a criminal attorney to deal with this. Your college may have some legal resources you can use, if they have a law school almost assuredly they've got free legal aid. If not, they will also be able to point you in the right direction. Contact your local bar association to find a lawyer to help you deal with this. As this is your first offense, you may very well be able to get probation and have this wiped off your record if you handle this correctly & promptly.


Title: [USA][Bronx, NY] Somebody backed into my car in a parking garage, I recorded the interaction afterwards and a woman first hit my phone, then blocked me from entering my car.

Question:
Hello everyone, first post here so apologize in advance if I have any formatting wrong. So we had just gotten out of Fantastic Beasts (good movie!) and my brother was driving us out of the parking garage when a man driving a van with his family backed up into our car which was a couple feet behind him. My brother was honking and yelling at him to no avail. The rest of the man's family (in two other parked cars around us) all barged out of their cars and started screaming and cursing at us. I told them I was going to call the cops and the woman said "you're going to need a death warrant" whatever that means.. My brother was completely flustered and scared, but I told him to call the cops and I began to record the interaction as well as the damage to both of our cars on my phone. I have a few minutes of them cursing and screaming at us, when one woman came up to me and pushed my phone extremely hard. I then tried to get into the passenger side of my car and the crazy woman said no and said not to ******* touch her and completely blocked me from entering. I have all of this on video as well. The cops then arrived and calmed down the situation a bit but they continued yelling and trying to blame us. One friendly cop listened to our side of the story and looked at the damage, but informed us that New York was a no fault state and to explain it to the insurance company. The other cop was not very helpful and basically just tried to get all of us to be quiet, before telling me and my brother to leave. When we left the crazy woman and her family were still talking to him. So I have a couple legal questions about this: 1. Is it legal to push someones phone when they're recording in a public area? 2. Is it legal to block someone with their body from entering their car? 3. How can one prove that someone backed into them and would the video do anything to prove our side?  Sorry for the wall of text and thanks in advance for the help!

^^^^Didn't ^^^^think ^^^^I'd ^^^^run ^^^^into ^^^^any ^^^^fantastic ^^^^beasts ^^^^after ^^^^the ^^^^movie..
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer: Congrats on your new enemies. You just put (likely) her in jail on assault... Possibly more. And it's probably going to be their insurance paying for the damages.


Title: Florida - My ex-wife won fully custody because my daughter was in a beauty pageant and I want this overturned.

Question: My ex-wife and me had split custody 50/50 for 5 years with no trouble but she went to law school after we divorced and she took us back to court and won full custody. She was mad because my wife put my daughter in a beauty pageant for kids under 7 and took her to the tanning salon and gave her highlights a bikini and stuff. It was just harmless bonding but I lost custody from it. How do I appeal or at least talk some sense into my ex-wife? She is a lawyer and I believe it was to her advantage in court and things were unfair. We are in Florida but the pageant was in Texas.

Answer:
 Who in the hell allows a ~7 year old to get in a tanning bed?Answer #2: there's more to this story than what you're telling us, OP.Answer #3: Can you honestly promise your ex wife that something like this will never happen again? That you understand why she (and most people) would find these activities age inappropriate for your daughter? That you understand the terrible health risks of tanning (if she didn't get a spray tan)? That you understand why she and the court saw this as damaging to your daughter and that in the future you will have more communication?  Because honestly, that is the only way you will get anywhere with your ex.

The pageant lifestyle for children is HEAVILY frowned upon and for good reason.  If mom is not on board, you need to nix this.Answer #4: You need to see a lawyer immediately. Appealing is complicated and time lines are very strict. You need to get on it tomorrow.


Title: Got unjustly fired from my job

Question: So me and my girlfriend just got let go from our job which really fucks up our lives. I'm gonna save you guys all the boring details and just ask what you would do if you felt you were unjustly let go from your job? Really need some help right now, thanks.

Answer:
 Well without details there is no way to know if any laws were broken so file for unemployment and good luck with the job search Answer #2: > Idk about you guys but that doesn't seem fair to me.

So you skipped work without notifying your employer and then were generally insubordinate.  Being fired seems perfectly fair to me.Answer #3: we would start with the story to see if you were actually fired illegitimately.  this sub isnt for ranting, if you want legal advice elaborate.

lets start with your location...


Title: Friend trespasses then uses unauthorized recording on my property against me

Question:
Guy I used to be friends with had a business dispute with me... long story short, he goes into my house when only a minor is home without permission. I show up and he's inside. He secretly records me threatening him with very serious things only after I asked him to leave which was before the recording. Now he filed a restraining order and plans to use this recording in the hearing.

This is California, which is a 2 party consent state. Is there any reason he will be able to admit this? Thanks.

Answer:
 [It shouldn’t be admissible](https://codes.findlaw.com/ca/penal-code/pen-sect-632.html).

>(a) A person who, intentionally and without the consent of all parties to a confidential communication, uses an electronic amplifying or recording device to eavesdrop upon or record the confidential communication, whether the communication is carried on among the parties in the presence of one another or by means of a telegraph, telephone, or other device, except a radio, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) per violation, or imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or in the state prison, or by both that fine and imprisonment.  If the person has previously been convicted of a violation of this section or Section 631 , 632.5 , 632.6 , 632.7 , or 636 , the person shall be punished by a fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars ($10,000) per violation, by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year, or in the state prison, or by both that fine and imprisonment.

>. . .

>(d) Except as proof in an action or prosecution for violation of this section, evidence obtained as a result of eavesdropping upon or recording a confidential communication in violation of this section is not admissible in any judicial, administrative, legislative, or other proceeding


Title: Boss’s boss not responding well to my two week notice. Need guidance!

Question:
Yesterday I put my two week notice in. I had worked at the company for four months as a contractor eventually to be hired. Due to a 30% increase of salary and family reasons I decided to leave the company after coming on and being a salaried employee for three months.

My manager was fine with it she went to my director to get a counter offer. However this is when things get WEIRD!

Director questions me why I’m leaving not believing me that I would leave a job that pays 60k no bonuses etc. a year for one that pays 81k  a year with an annual guaranteed bonus of 5-7%. He doesn’t believe saying it seems to spontaneous he continues to question me and I start babbling basic answers like “I also don’t like the culture” and “I don’t like the solos that exist in our department” and he even laughs at me when I say “I’m looking for an industry change.”

After giving him nothing I leave his office and go home barely mitigating a full blown panic attack. I then get a call from the agency that contracted me before I was hired on at 6pm. They ask “director called us wants to know why you quit and where and if we knew that you were going to quit”
Should I go to HR?
Is this violation of my employment records or privacy or harassing?
Should I just deal with it?

I accepted this position because two weeks prior the company had publicly let go 8-10 employees who had no notice at all. This occurred in front of the entire department at an immediate all hands on deck department restructuring meeting. Grown men cried.

Answer:
 Nothing that you describe is unlawful.

You left a job after 4 months. It's a thing that irritates an employer, as hiring/onboarding is expensive. It's perfectly reasonable to ask questions regarding that.Answer #2: I'd go back to the director and explain how what he did made you feel uncomfortable and that you are trying to leave the company right (giving notice) and with that being said you expected a level of professionalism you do not feel is being met. If he is unwilling to give you the professional courtesy then follow it with "if it makes you feel better then consider today my last day. Thank you for making it easier" grab your stuff and leaveAnswer #3: They can ask, you don't have to answer.  If they get too pushy, you can always tell them to stop or consider their next pushy question as them telling you that they don't want you to finish your last 2 weeks.Answer #4: Deal with it and move on. They didn't do anything illegal and stirring crap will most likely just end up with you leaving early and a bad reference in the future.


Title: Was followed just now on late drive, kind of freaked out

Question:
NJ, USA

So I was coming home from my girlfriend’s home just now and on the way in a wooded area, a car parked on the side of the road was just sitting there till I passed it. Once I passed it, it started following me all the way near my house (which was for 15 minutes) he was constantly up my ass, it alarmed me because he was making every turn I was. So I started to make random turns to see if he would keep following me, and he did. At this point I was terrified so I drove to the police station and as I entered I guess they realized where we were and he sped off. I didn’t go in the station but just went home instead. All I know is that it was a tan sedan, is there anything I can say to the police? It was really odd and freaked me out. This person couldn’t know me so it can’t be a prank, my gf lives an hour away and no one knew I was there so it had to be a random person.

Answer:
 Yes. You can tell the police exactly what you told us here. Answer #2: Obviously they CAN know you by proxy. Maybe it’s an ex of your girlfriend, or a current lover. Don’t be so naive as to not consider all possibilities. Answer #3: You could file a police report.  Might at least get an extra patrol through the area and possibly help establish a pattern if the person continues following people.Answer #4: Call the police and provide them with all of the information you have, including the path you took. Keep an eye out for this person going forward. In addition, you might want to vary your behavior. That is, don't go to the same place at the same time every day. Vary how you get places, so on and so forth.

It could just have been a one-time weird thing, or it could be something else. Keep your eyes open, and if you see anything more, lead the person to directly to a police station next time.

You also might consider getting a dashboard cam that films both in front of you and behind you. At least if you are concerned this will continue. This will provide evidence to the police of what is going on.

Also, if you haven't told your girlfriend, you might want to. She may recognize the description of the car.


Title: I'm 18, can I get surgery on parents insurance without their consent?

Question:
Two years ago I slipped my disc at the gym and it left me practically crippled for the longest time. All of my doctors recommended I get surgery or at least an epidural to fix my injury, but my parents, being the antiscience hippies they are, refused these options and had me doing mainly physical therapy coupled with a load of alternative pseudo-scientific garbage rather than actual medical treatment.

I recently turned 18 and I was wanting to finally get real treatment. Even if my parents don't consent, can I legally get surgery on their insurance if I pay the copay with my own money? I wouldn't expect them to pay a dime.

(I live in California.)

Answer: You are 18 , you don't need their consent.  Just make sure you get a detailed quote for all of your costs that insurance doesn't cover.  Most (not all) insurance plans these days require significant out of pocket costs


Title: 18 year old girlfriend ran away from her mom to stay with me, her mom is threatening to have me arrested

Question: She has a rough home life and can't take living with her mom anymore so she moved in with me and now her mom is threatening to have me arrested because she "has documentation that she is mentally unstable" but the documentation was from before she turned 18. Is she just trying to scare me or what? This is in Tennessee to clarify.

Answer:
 When you're a legal adult, it's not "running away."

It's called "moving out."Answer #2: Just for curiosity sake, how old is OP?Answer #3: Mental health provider here:

Just because someone has a diagnosis doesn't mean they are "disabled", that is a different categorization and one that carries significant weight.  Just because someone is disabled doesn't mean they are considered mentally incompetent; this requires a ruling from the court.

Unless the mother has been given guardianship over her adult daughter by a court (meaning the mom can make decisions for her daughter), the daughter can do what she wants now that she is 18.

It would be a good idea to talk to your girlfriend about this and find out *why* her mom thinks she has guardianship.  It is possible that your girlfriend has a diagnosis that isn't being treated, make sure she doesn't need any medications refilled or renewed.  If the mom is the one that is so bad her daughter was driven away, you both might want to get a few sessions with a therapist to help deal with it.  Her mom is still a part of her life and there are pitfalls you both may face in your relationship.  If you have insurance, a free clinic through school, or an Employee Assistance Program, consider using it.


Title: Coworker had surgery on his hand, forced back to work.

Question:
One of my coworkers cut two tendons and two nerves in his non dominant left hand that renders his index finger unusuable and is very painful (he has little to no grip strength in that hand). After his surgery he got a doctor's note saying he should have at least a month off of work with phisio therapy.

After 10 days into his leave, management contacted him and told him he needed to come back to work the following day since the doctor's note was just a recommendation and he would be on light duty. If he did not come to work it would be recorded as a missed shift. We are currently short on staff

It should be noted this incident was an accident that occurred from work. We live in Canada and work in a Union. Our Union president was unreachable thus far.

In the case of an emergency at work, the coworker would be unable to respond and act accordingly due to his injury.

Any advice would be appreciated, I doubt a doctor's note is just a  'recommendation' so this sounds fishy.

Answer:
 Employers have a duty to accommodate disabilities. Doctors cannot dictate that accommodation - accommodation is "reasonable", not "preferred".  Doctors CAN provide a note or letter outlining restrictions and limitations (e.g. can't grip, can't lift more than 20 lbs, etc) but the employer can then offer duties that don't violate those restrictions and limitations. So requiring the employee to attend on light duties is not illegal.

Points to note:

* if the injury occurred at work, is the provincial WCB agency involved?

* If the employer is violating the duty to accommodate (such as by requiring duties that violate the limitations and restrictions), your coworker needs to get the union involved. If the union president is not available, what about anyone else on the exec (VP, treasurer, etc)? Do you have a job steward? He needs to start calling them.


Title: Can Barack Obama be the next Vice President?

Question: Public opinion aside, is there anything stopping Obama from acting as Biden’s running mate?  One obvious barrier would be the need to step up as president if required, but according to [this Washington Post article](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/19/AR2006101901572.html) the 22nd amendment states only that an individual cannot be elected to President for more than two terms, but does not explicitly state a person cannot serve more than two terms.

Answer: There is some disagreement on this topic, but a majority of constitutional scholars lean toward "no."  The real answer is: it's whatever the Supreme Court says if we ever find ourselves in that situation.


Title: Wrongly accused of academic dishonesty

Question:
Location: California

I have been accused of cheating on a final exam in one of my classes last semester when I  didn't. It seems that apparently I have the same wrong answer as a student who was sitting next to me. After talking to the dean and trying to prove my innocence, apparently the professor does not buy it and has chosen to move this case towards a hearing.

Is there any way I can successfully prove my innocence? I'm finding it hard to prove that I'm innocent since all I have are the study materials I used, my thought process behind writing down the wrong answer, and my clean record.  I plan to apply to medical school this June and although I know I earned at least a B, I'm pretty much willing to settle for any grade as long as  I am not wrongly accused of academic dishonesty on my transcripts.

Thank you ahead of time for any advice you can give me!

UPDATE:  I ended up hiring an attorney to help me on my case.  After acquiring both exams and explaining how I got to the solution to each question (via study materials, lecture notes, and lecture slides as well as my thought process behind every question),  I have been cleared of all charges and will be able to apply to medical school with no problems!  Thank you all for your help!  Really appreciate you guys helping me go towards the right direction.
Topic:
School Related Issues

Answer:
 > I have the same wrong answer as a student who was sitting next to me.

Out of curiosity, why do they think *you* cheated and not the other guy?


Title: [FL] Employer doesn’t want to pay me holiday pay for Veterans Day

Question:
I work in South Florida and my work place “celebrated” Veterans Day on Friday, November 10th (All employees got paid holiday pay for that Friday). My day off is on a Friday but the actual holiday is November 11th, which I worked. Can my employer not pay me the holiday pay because I didn’t work the observed holiday but on the actual holiday?

Edit: our collective bargaining contract states that Veterans Day is November 11

Answer: That's perfectly legal. Their policy is that anybody who was scheduled to work that day gets off and paid the holiday. You were not scheduled to work that day so you don't get paid for the Holiday.


Title: Hello, I need some advice. My mother used all the money left to me in my dad's will. TX

Question:
So to sum everything up quickly, when my dad died he left me $XX in his will for my college education, however I wasn't 18 yet, so I had to give the money to my mom until I was. She succeed in spending all of the money he had left me on who knows what, she claims she doesn't know where she spent it. Now all the money he left me for my college is gone.

Can my mom do this? I am over 18 now if that is important.

If there is any important information that I left out, please just ask.
Topic:
Wills Trusts and Estates

Answer:
 Likely yes, she can do this. The money was left to you without a trust (I assume). So your mother had care, custody, and control of that money.

You should consult with a local attorney as it might depend on what the will actually said.


Title: (Oregon) I'm a phone dominatrix and a client gave me his CC info over the phone to use as I pleased. Am I fucked?

Question:
So this guy gave me his CC info for me to spend however I wanted. This is totally normal, a weird fetish but whatever, a great one for me! However, a friend of mine has me all scared that if he files a fraud alert on his CC that I'll take the heat for it. Could that happen? I ordered some things online last night, not much, but then the transactions starting being declined.

Am i about to be in major trouble for consensually using a guys credit card?

Answer:
 The *much* safer way to do this is for him to add you as an additional card holder. Otherwise, there is a fairly high risk that you run into trouble when he changes his mind. Answer #2: Ah, a findom thread. One of the few kinks I truly _do not get_.

The legal elements are this: if you can't prove you were authorized to use the card, there's some chance that you may end up needing an attorney, and some chance you could face jail time if convicted of fraud.

Verbal authorization counts, to the degree that you can prove you had it - a cardholder who is otherwise in their right mind can legally give you permission to use their card - but it's often difficult to prove that verbal permission existed and included the purchases you made with your client's card.

Ideally, get added as an authorized cardholder.

Less ideally, get _written_ permission to use the card.

Less ideally yet, record your calls. Oregon is a one-party state, so you don't need to notify other parties that you're recording. However, consider whether you might record yourself committing other crimes, such as prostitution, and balance the risks.

Otherwise, it's probably not worth the risk to use someone else's card.


Title: [Rhode Island] Dog wasn't on leash, barked at another dog, Cops called.

Question:
THE SHORT VERSION: My sister and I were walking our dogs without leashes since they are very well behaved and relaxed. It's dark out and some guy walks past us with his dog (from behind) and begins barking at our dogs. One of our dogs charges, but just barks, and doesn't physically touch him or his dog at all. Guy becomes a yelling and raging asshole, won't back away from our dogs (who we now had by the collars) and calls the cops. Silly sister gives him our address, and a Policeman is at our doorstep several minutes later. He told us Animal Control will be involved.

HERE IS THE MORE IN DEPTH VERSION, SHOULD YOU BE INTERESTED AND HAVE ADVICE THAT PIVOTS ON A MORE DETAILED ACCOUNT.

Kind of a big story. We were walking our dogs as we always do every night at 8:30 around our neighbourhood. We usually have leashes, but tonight we didn't take them. We usually have them off the leash anyways. They are really well behaved, and have been taught to sit whenever a car, person, or another dog walks by. They are two labs, Sparky (11) and Buster (3) Anyways, it's dark out, and we were just about back to our house, when out of nowhere another person walks up behind us with their dog, and spooks us. Their dog begins barking at us. Our dog Sparky snarls, and charges his other dog, but in the end just barked and growled. There obviously was some sort of hostility between the dogs, so my sister and I grab our dogs by the collars and put them in-between our legs, locking them in place. We ask the other gentleman if he is okay, but he ignores us and keeps walking. He stops about 20 feet down the road and then turns around, yelling "Hey do you kids have your dogs on a leash, because I'm CALLING THE COPS!". He then begins walking back towards us, WITH HIS DOG, until he is actually within 5 feet, prompting all the dogs to lunge again. My sister, a highschool student and me, a 19 yo college student and enlisting member of the Coast Guard, begin trying to tone down the situation by talking to him and asking if he and his dog are okay. He just starts yelling louder and louder that he's calling the cops, and that this is a dog-on-leash zone, and demands we tell him our address. We keep telling him that it was a misunderstanding, he spooked our dogs, and we want to come to an agreement and find a solution to the problem. But this was just another classic asshole. He actually awoke several neighbours, who came out to watch the scene. His dog WAS on a leash, but was lunging for our dogs, since he was so close to us. By comparison, it was actually a bigger dog. At one point he begins walking away, further yelling at us, but (I don't know why) my sister tells him our address. He then turns around again, comes back into our space, within mere feet of 3 obviously upset dogs, and goes off on another rant. He belittles us calling us kids, tells us we were stupid, all while continuing to create a dangerous situation by having the dogs so close to each other. He begins walking away again, but turns around YET AGAIN to come tell us that "I live right around the corner in the blue house, come see me if there is any problem."

So we walk back to our house, which was 2 houses down, and we wait for about 20 minutes before a policeman knocks on our door. We say hello Officer, all the usual stuff. My father (Colonel in the Marines) invites him into the house for a coffee, and we have a brief discussion regarding the incident. The dogs come up, sniff him, take a few nice policeman pats, then lay down nearby. The policeman even comments on how they are very well behaved dogs, who seem very relaxed and even keeled. He tells us that by law the Police Department has to open a report, and that animal control will be in contact with us. The policeman seemed very comfortable, and seemed to think it was a big misunderstanding. We asked him if the other dog was okay, and he said other dog was unscratched, as it "had jumped on him as they opened their door". He also word for word said "He seems to be blowing it our of proportion, calling it an attack when there wasn't any sort of physical injuries, except maybe an escalated heartbeat".

So my question to Reddit is this. What are we looking at? Yes our dogs were off the leash, but this was the first time in our lives that my sister and I had seen them act aggressively. They are very passive dogs. We had literally walked them (without leashes) right past two dogs who were on electric collars, and they completely ignored them.

What sort of legalities are we looking at? My Dad said he wouldn't be surprised if he got dragged into court for this. Could this guy seriously screw us over because our unleashed dogs barked at him?

Answer:
 > Yes our dogs were off the leash, but this was the first time in our lives that my sister and I had seen them act aggressively

And that is why this law exists. They are animals and you cannot predict their actions. Prior history of good behavior does not allow you to break the law.

Criminally it is up to the police ( or animal control) if they want to charge you with the leash violation.

Civilly he has no damages and likely has nothing to sue you for. Luckily for you.

BTW, as someone who this happened to, it is fucking scary when someone's dog lunges at you aggressively. Damage or no. It is illegal so stop doing it. Next time someone could get hurt then you are on the hook for a lot more and your dog gets put down all because you don't want to use a leash.


Title: Is using paraquat for weeds prohibited or not in the US?

Question:
Hello there! I have a question regarding paraquat. I couldn’t find a clear answer anywhere. So, I’ve decided to ask here. Hopefully, you won’t see my question as stupid. I wonder if paraquat is legal or not in the USA?

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For those who don’t know, paraquat is a chemical that applies to kill weeds in the garden and prevent their appearance. It might seem helpful, but it’s also dangerous to use it. It might cause severe health problems, and some of them might even turn into serious chronicle diseases. As far as I know, this chemical is banned in some countries. But I’m not sure if it’s forbidden in the USA. I see that many people buy it and actually use it to spray weeds. In the meantime, I’ve accidentally run into the article. After reading which I’m not sure if it’s legal or not to apply this chemical.

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I moved to the USA from Italy a couple of years ago. I recently paid the deposit for my first house. Now I’m working on setting up everything and making this place liveable. I also wanna make a lovely patio and work in my garden. Also, I wanna grow some fruits and vegetables there. But all my neighbors actively spray their lawns with paraquat. Sometimes, it’s even impossible to get some fresh air outdoors. In Italy, it’s strictly prohibited to use chemicals such as paraquat.

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Besides, as far as I know, it’s banned in all EU countries and in Switzerland. However, I’m not sure if it’s legal to use it in the USA. Maybe some states have different laws regarding this poison? Or all my neighbors suddenly have a license to use it? I’m not even talking about when they try to convince me that this poison can actually benefit the garden.

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Anyway, if possible, I would like to hear a bit more details about using paraquat in the US. Besides, is there any legal way to ask my neighbors to stop using it near my backyard? I would appreciate any piece of advice!

Answer:
 Why do you think they are spraying paraquat?  It's only sold to people with a private applicator's license and is not commonly used by homeowners.  And if they were spraying their lawns with it, it would kill the grass where they spray.  The only people I know with private applicator's licenses are farmers.

If they are spraying their entire yard, it is much more likely some sort of over the counter 2, 4-D mix, which might be a drift problem for a garden on a hot day.  If they are just edging, it is probably just glyphosate, which is essentially odorless and doesn't volatilize.Answer #2: Polite conversation asking that they don't spray near the property line will probably get you quicker results than legal methods.

That said, chemical application of powerful/restricted herbacides or pesticides are typically regulated at the State level (the Federal EPA typically doesn't deal with issues this small). Here is a listing of the State Agencies that deal with licensing pesticide application:

https://aapco.org/2015/07/28/resources-2/

I would contact the one that applies to your State and ask how to report unlicensed application of herbacide.Answer #3: A google search tells me that while still legal in the US, it is restricted to licensed professionals. The EPA *might* be who you would report this to but I am not sure.


Title: I was witness to a fake speeding ticket my wife received. Should we fight it in court?

Question: Before we start, I'm not just another person complaining about getting caught, my wife drives annoyingly under the speed limit.  If you check her gps, it took her 30 minutes longer than it should have to reach our destination.  I was staring right at the speed when we got pulled over, and she was going 50/55.  I thought we had a missing light or something, he asked us where we were going and we told him almost hours away (it was a road trip) and the cop told us we were going 76/55 but not to worry he will change it to 74/55 so she won't get a reckless.  We were both shocked.  My assumption is after learning how far we lived, he assuned we wouldn't show up in court and wrote us a total bs fine.  What is the best way I can fight this?

Answer:
 You can always plead not guilty and tell your version of events in court.Answer #2: You *are* just someone complaining about a ticket. Neither your wife’s usual driving habits nor the total duration of your trip have any relevance on her speed at that moment.

Like everyone with a ticket, your wife can pay her fine, she can look for a plea bargain, or she can fight.  A lawyer helps with the last two options.  Your and her testimony as to events is meaningful.  It’s not clear you can prevail on that testimony.  Especially because when pressed in cross examination, you couldn’t see the speedometer and don’t really know how fast she was going in that moment.  In comparison to an officer who is going to testify as to how he measured her speed specifically.Answer #3: >I was staring right at the speed when we got pulled over, and she was going 50/55.

The officer had measured her speed well before he pulled her over. Had you been staring at the speedometer for the previous minute or two? He may have clocked her a mile or two prior to where the traffic stop occurred.


Title: (MN) My girlfriend's twin sister committed rape by deception against me and got pregnant; she's threatening to sue me for child support

Question: [removed]

Answer: In the unlikely event that this isn't a troll, yes that is rape by deception. No, there's no such thing as a financial abortion.


Title: [Belgium] State is asking a lot of money of my mother, giving less welfare, ... Wondering if it's allowed?

Question:
Hello

I'm 17, and I've recently been hearing from my mother when she talks to my brother (she doesn't want to say it directly to me, whenever I ask she just says "Everything is fine, don't worry." even though I can see she's telling me a comfortable lie), that the state has been cutting back on a lot of her welfare that she receives due to being disabled (she has a massive leg wound that she got from an accident 40 years ago which still hasn't healed, fibromyalgia, recently she's torn a shoulder muscle which the doctors say can't be fixed, something in her wrist about which she says it basically cracks every time she tries to do some sort of wringing motion and also hurts a lot.

What I'm wondering about is if it's still acceptable for the state to still cut back on her welfare so massively, to the point where she has to sell her car that she recently bought (due to her 15 year old Toyota pretty much breaking down) to cover all the costs and skip surgeries that she needs to fix her wrist and shoulder, while probably taking other various measures, with this I mean: I've been 'suffering' under it to because it's hard to **not** notice that I get less than the other kids at school, have to skip out on trips, ... but those are sacrifices I'm willing to make.) She has to feed 3 children on her own (me, my brother, and my sister) and I'm starting to really, really worry, about her health, both physical and mental, but teachers at my school have also noticed that this stuff reflects back on me, and I just want to help in any way I can.

So I came here because I heard that this is a good way to get some legal advice, and I think this counts as legal advice because it has to do with the state and all that stuff (OCMW, FOD, ... Belgians will know these terms), and there isn't much more I can do myself. It just surprises me all this stuff isn't against some sort of law, too.

Thanks in advance

Answer:
 >Belgians will know these terms

Sadly there aren't many people from Belgium here.

But since I'm from the Netherlands (so there isn't really a language gap when searching for laws) I will inform you about a couple of things.

Yes the government can cut back on benefits. Here are a couple of potential reasons.

1.  Due to her not qualifying for those benefits any more (doesn't read like that is the case here.
2. Due to the fact that the benefits got lowered across Belgium.
3. It wouldn't surprise met that Belgium has the same option as the US and the Netherlands as to garnish money from income (yes benefits are considered income) up to a minimum level.
4. Due to her not sending in the proper paperwork or going to mandatory meetings.

Sorry but I really cannot tell if it is something legal or something illegal happening since the information needed to tell simply isn't here.


Title: Is my landlord allowed to send people to work on the house without notice?

Question: I live in CT. I woke up this morning to 3 guys on ladders against my bedroom window and I have no idea what they're meant to be working on. LL is not answering my calls. Is this legal?

Answer:
 Yes, it's legal.  You have a right to notice before anyone *enters* the place you're renting.  These guys are working on the outside.

Tell your landlord you would appreciate a heads-up next time so you can close the blinds in advance.


Title: Disabled adults and pregnancy (NY)

Question:
Basically, I have a younger brother who is 27, but functioning at the level of a child. He was adopted from overseas as a kid, and the agency mislead our family as to his true age and medical history. He wound up being diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome and borderline intellectual functioning among others.  You can’t necessarily tell by looking at him that something is wrong, but once you interact with him, it is very obvious.

This weekend he told me that his “girlfriend” is pregnant. This woman is apparently another member of his day program. I have no idea what her level of functioning is. I don’t know if either of them are capable of raising a baby, or even capable of giving consent. Should I reach out to the young woman’s parents? The program coordinator? A lawyer? This is a giant mess and I have no idea how to handle it.

Answer:
 Inform the program coordinator of what you were told. No point going to a lawyer just yet unless his girlfriend is a minor. Wait until there is actual evidence a baby is coming.

> Should I reach out to the young woman’s parents?

No no no no. Let the program talk to them.


Title: I live in North Carolina. And my daughter is a teen. Today in line for the bus a boy slapped her on her ass, hard, and purposefully. Can anyone help e with links about what kind of self defense she can legally use to protect herself from this sort of harassment?

Answer:
 If this was a school bus, speak to the school's administration and possibly file a police report.

If this was a regular bus, file a police report.

As far as self defense, that highly depends on which of these it was.  Her taking self-defense classes local to her area would probably be a wise course of action.Answer #2: Self-defense laws generally do not serve women well in these kinds of situations. She'd be able to use force to prevent the assault, but not to retaliate after it's over, and in cases like this, it's almost always going to be over before she can react.

Even if there's reason to believe he'll do it again (and there almost certainly is), she wouldn't be entitled to beat him up.


Title: Never rent from a friend.

Question:
So lesson learned in the title, but I'm having some trouble towards my move out date. I might just be venting, but advice or telling me if I'm being unreasonable would be greatly appreciated.

My friend owns a 3br/2ba house and I rented a room from him for the past 10 months. He would never write up a lease, nor look at any lease I suggested to him. Still, I moved in with a verbal agreement: flat rate (utilities and Internet included), although he never requested a security deposit or pet deposit. There was never a set length of my lease as I was changing careers and wasn't sure where I'd end up living, so he just told me he needed at least 30 days notice.

Now that I'm moving out in a week, he's saying I owe him new floors and a year of pest services soon after I move out. He's got two dogs that are inside/outside in our wooded area...yet my inside cat is the *only* reason we've got fleas. I've gone through several cleaning processes, cat is on meds, and gets baths - they're are no more fleas, nor have there been for a while. Also, even though one of his dogs is a nervous shit that digs in the carpet and the other one is a demon that eats/rips up the carpet with toys, the cat is the sole reason he needs new carpet in the bedrooms.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but verbal agreements can't be changed at will, yeah? Not only is this something he didn't prepare for prior to me moving in, he expects me to shell out almost half of my months earnings on expenses that weren't part of our original agreement. He says it isn't fair for me to leave him like this with that expense falling solely to him. Well he gave me an estimate and after a little research I've come up with a proposal.

Technically I shouldn't owe him anything - he wasn't smart enough to plan ahead of time like a landlord (I'm his fourth or fifth tenant, so it's not his first rodeo), carpet deprecated to 0% of its original value since he bought the house (and actually right before I moved in). Still, I'm not s heartless bitch and I think it's very generous for me to pay him (at a maximum) one months rent (like a deposit) plus 40% of that amount (the going rate for pet deposits). That leaves him with over half of the expenses, but I think it's better than leaving him out to dry or choosing to set myself back quite abut as I start out in this next chapter.

I guess I'm looking for a little validation here. Am I right for not wanting to fit that bill? Should I negotiate further or tell him to take my offer or leave it?

TL;DR The situation with my roommate/landlord/friend seems like I'm being taken advantage of.

Edit: I'm in Alabama. The bot got me.

Answer:
 > he's saying I owe him new floors and a year of pest services

For making me read this, you owe me a new car.

He's allowed to _say_ anything he wants, but no, he can't unilaterally decide that you're responsible for a major renovation and a year of subsequent maintenance after your lease solely because you lived there and you have a cat.

If your cat legitimately caused abnormal damage to the flooring or if he can show that your cat caused a flea infestation, he can take reasonable steps to have the damage repaired or the fleas exterminated, and then sue you for the costs if the two of you can't reach an agreement. For an extermination, if you end up liable for it you'd end up liable for the proportion of the cost attributable to your actions; for the carpet, if it's already at or near the end of its useful life, he may be awarded very little even if you're found liable.

Absent a written agreement to the contrary, the most he can come after you for is damage above normal wear and tear that he can show is a result of your tenancy. Anything beyond that is a friendly gesture on your part. Ultimately, this is one of those situations where you have to decide how much it's worth to you either to preserve some semblance of a friendship or to avoid a small claims suit.


Title: My landlord overlapped my lease and wants me to move out

Question:
Hi Reddit, I'm sorry for any grammar mistakes - I'm on mobile.

I'm currently in Ohio for an internship (I go to school in another Ohio city) and have a lease signed through Aug 20th. My landlord signed another lease after that starts the 15th. He wants me to move out before then to accommodate the other party (I signed the lease first). He has another unit that he wants me to move into, I said I'd do it but no paperwork has been written up. I found out recently he's still showing it so it's likely I won't have that option anyway. I have an appointment with student legal services through my school tomorrow, although they said they don't have jurisdiction in the city where my internship is. I tried explaining the situation to him (I don't have anywhere else to live) and he talked about why I'm giving him a hard time even though he's bent over backwards for me.

I'm trying to find out what exact questions I should ask tomorrow at my appointment, and if you guys have advice. I'll answer any questions I can.

Hiring a lawyer doesn't make sense to me because it's only five days.

Thank you guys for your help, I really appreciate it

Answer:
 You don't have to leave until the end of your lease. Negotiate with your landlord. Maybe he will pay so you can stay in a hotel for a week. Answer #2: > he's bent over backwards for me

He's asking *you* to bend over forwards.  If he wants you to move out, he has to make it worth your while.  You hold all the cards.


Title: My 84 year old grandmother is psychologically being abused by my aunt who is a medical professional. If I have audio/video evidence, how do I proceed? NYC

Question: My aunt is a nurse and she constantly yells at my grandmother for repeating herself as well as tells her lies which cause much anxiety. There is a camera and microphone in her home for her safety. Is there any way I can use this evidence to report her? How would I report someone who is NOT a medical professional for psychological abuse?

Answer: Your search term is "elder abuse." It's going to vary location by location.


Title: The legality of a fail-deadly systems (from today's /r/funny discussion)

Question:
So, I was always under the impression that a fail-deadly style feature to prevent piracy or to deactivate a website (and even destroy data) for non-payment would be a completely legal measure  to ensure prompt and complete payment from a client. It seems like in the discussion [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/39adgg/this_is_why_you_pay_your_website_guy/cs1sjej), there is a lot of opinion that it would be illegal and could land you in hot water.

Is there any validity to that? Would the destruction of data created by a website that the client did not own or have rights to be illegal?

Location: United States

Answer:
 A good rule of thumb in cases involving the internet is to compare it to a similar real world situation, so here goes. I enter into a contract with you to buy 100 widgets. You deliver the widgets but I don't pay. The widgets are in my warehouse. If you break into my warehouse to get the widgets, you have at the very least committed criminal trespass and at the most you stole my widgets. While a website is kind of a good making it is a service, so in that case lets say that I hire you to do landscaping work for me. You do it but I don't pay. Later that night, you trash my yard. Again there will likely be criminal consequences.

This is called self help and it is generally frowned upon by the courts because it can create problems like this. It is especially frowned upon when there are legitimate recourses to take in which to get paid. Contracts are legally enforceable, in part, to prevent the disutility of self help solutions to contractual disputes. If someone doesn't pay for your website work, you sue them.


Title: SO cleaned out my bank account. Can I take him to court? Quebec Canada

Question: . My SO had taken my bank card and got access to my account and cleaned it out, am I able to take him to court to get my money back?

Answer:
 If you gave your SO your PIN, you'll likely have to sue him to even try to get your money back. If your SO discovered your PIN otherwise (how?), then the bank will likely make you whole.

Call your bank. Depending on what they say, consider calling the cops, too.Answer #2: Sounds like theft. Your SO had no rights to your money and no permission to access it, is what I'm gathering... so yeah, call the bank, see what they say. Get them to issue you a new card with a new PIN, too, so he can't abuse the old one again. I'd file a police report as well, to get it documented that he did this, if not to get the ball rolling on an investigation and possible criminal charges.

From there, I'm really not certain which order things would go in, or who/what might be most productive: the bank, the police, or civil court.

Best of luck to you. I hope it works out well, and quickly.

Edit: shoot, I didn't realize about the common property thing. I may be entirely wrong. :( Better check with someone who'd know better to be certain. The police might be able to tell you if there's anything to be done about it when you talk to them, at least....


Title: Does my business partner's wife have any legal claim to our business?

Question:
My business partner and I have an LLC in Florida, with a S-Corp designation, that we both have a 50% basis in. Last week he decided to divorce his wife. Does she have any legal claim against the company? I'd think that he would just owe her a dollar amount equal to half of the value of his basis in the company, but I want to know if there's more to it than that or if I should be seeking representation for the company in this matter as well.
Thank you!

Answer:
 What does your operating agreement say?  Typically, the rule is that you cannot be forced to have somebody else as a business partner against your wishes.  So, she might be able to get a portion of his economic interest in the company, but would not be entitled to any rights in management.  Assuming you had an attorney prepare an operating agreement, this is all likely spelled out there.
Answer #2: > Does she have any legal claim against the company?

While she does have the right to her share of the marital assets, Florida is not a community property state and the property acquired during the marriage is divided equitably (equitable division) between the spouses instead of 50/50.

Unless you were forward thinking and included a limitation on the transfer of shares or a buy-sell agreement, she (and her lawyer) can argue that they want any percentage of her husband's share of your company up to her share of the marital assets.


Title: My friends roommate was recording them in their living room [Texas]

Question: I'm friends with a group of  3 college girls renting out a house with a fourth roommate none of them get along with. They found a nanny cam recording the living room and kitchen area. Is this legal? They made copies of the footage on the camera in case she tried deleting the footage. None of them were aware of the camera and the time stamps date back over a month.

Answer:
 No. It is not legal to record inside a private home without the consent of all adults who are living there.

If the nanny can by chance catches the bathroom or a bedroom, or has footage of anyone undressed it can increase the legal severity of the situation.

Are they sure the camera belongs to the fourth roommate?   Any chance it was placed by the landlord or another person coming in and out of the apartment?   If the first footage is of roommate #4 looking at the camera up close it's fair to assume it's her.

Regardless, they should call the police and report that someone has been recording them without their knowledge.  Ask the police to search the rest of the house as as take the nanny cam.

If they see cameras in the future they should call the police immediately - not touch the camera.

Btw - it is legal to record conversations you're a part of without informing the others. So your friend could put a voice recording app on her phone and record any conversations she has with roommate #4 in case that person mentions the camera. But they should leave questioning her to the police.


Title: Tenant is smoking weed and has people in home that were not on the contract and not allowed. How do I get her out as fast as possible? (FL)

Question: Recently on of my fathers rented houses had a leak. My dad sent a plumber to the house and the guy said the house was a mess. It stuck of weed and was full of people who weren't supposed to be there. My dad bought this house in the bad side of town and wants to get them out. How can he prove that these people are living there against the contract so he can evict them?

Answer: You have to give them a 7 day cure or quit notice for any lease violations then you can go to court to evict them.


Title: Is it legal to take a photo of someone in your home without their knowledge?

Question:
Im in California.

You may have seen my previous post about the care givers mistreating my grandmother. We have fired one company and 2 additional caregivers in the last week. It's been hell.

My current question is this. We arrived at my grandmothers and found her caregiver sleeping on the job  (her shoes were off, her wig was off, she was all comfy for her bedtime nap...taken while making time and a half of course). We snapped a photo of her sleeping as proof in case she told the company we were lying. My question is if that photo is legal. I plan to attach it to the complaint of misconduct I am filling with the state.

We now have nannycams in the house and I know those are legal so I think the photo SHOULD be legal but I want to be sure.

Bonus question, are we legally required to pay her if she was sleeping on the job (which is completely against company policy and IMO is neglecting her patient)?

Thanks.

Answer: NAL, but it would depend on whether the caregiver had a reasonable expectation of privacy. If she was sleeping in a common area of the house, such as a living room, you’d be okay, but if it was a bedroom, particularly with a closed door, that would be more questionable. The law in every state gives a person a high degree of privacy in their own bedroom, but whether that right to privacy would extend to a guest sleeping in one’s bedroom I think would depend on how that state’s voyeurism laws are written.


Title: How do no communication statements work?

Question:
I received a call from a “Deputy” using a private number and they basically stated that someone I had a argument with has called them and if I contact them then I will be risking a harassment charge.

I thought this would only be possible with a restraining order. I thought restraining orders were documented too.

Does this mean I can’t contact them in possibly a month or so to try to see if they want to be friends?

I’m in upstate New York and I’m 16

Answer:
 It could have been an officer talling you to leave this person alone before it goes further.   It could have been someone pretending to be an officer to tell you to leave this person alone.

The bottom line is leave that person alone.  They know how to contact you if they want to be friends.  Stop contacting them.

You would get more than a phone call if a Restraining Order is placed.  Don't let it get that far.


Title: (CT) Tenant refuses to leave the property since December, keeps getting excuses for later eviction court date. What do I do?

Question: I am a landlord in Hartford with a four-family property. One of my residents stopped paying rent around December. She leaves the apartment a mess and hs been the source of several noise complaints. I tried to work with her and figure out a payment plan but they still refused to pay. I presented them with a 30, 60, 90 day past due letter and finally tried to set up a court date for eviction. She has postponed the last three court dates and now is trying to have it postponed until she has her a baby in 3 months. Please help me reddit!

Answer:
 Absolutely get a lawyer to expedite this. 5 months with no payment is ridiculous that they keep postponing.

You legally have the right to inspect the premises. Use this right to inspect and take pictures of any damage she may have caused. Casually look for drugs (you can't open drawers, but if you see it out, then take pictures). Essentially, look for additional reasons to bolster your case that there should be no more delays.Answer #2: Do you have a tenant/landlord attorney advocating for you? If not, you need one. Go to housing court and observe the attorneys; ask a few of those you think are good (who win their cases and seem to be on good terms with the judge) for their cards.


Title: Cops made a mistake while trying to pull me over, ended up being very threatening. How bad was it?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 > Is there anything here to pursue legally

You can't take legal action based on what *might* have happened.

> I feel is a testament to the power-trip that many cops, particularly in small towns, go on.

I'm sorry you feel that way.  He believed at the time that you were fleeing, and so that's how he reacted.  Cops are only human.  He realized that he made a mistake, he apologized.  That hardly sounds like a guy on a power trip to me.


Title: Landlord is handing over my debt after no notice

Question: So here's my situation, I moved out of my old apartment 2 Oct. My old landlord just me a bill for security deposit charges which was $420. But the stamp on the letter from the post office was on 3 Nov. It the letter it states after 2 Nov they will hand over my debt to a collection agency. I looked up some Florida statutes http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0000-0099/0083/Sections/0083.49.html. Section 3 (a) says they have 30 days to notify me of charges.

Answer:
 There’s nothing wrong with your landlord using whatever agent he chooses to deal with the receivable he claims due from you. Including a debt collector.

The involvement of the agency doesn’t change the nature of your debt. You’re still entitled to dispute it. And still have a period of time to pay before your credit should be affected.


Title: Roommate evicted tomorrow, intends to leave items here until the end of the month—new roommate moves in the first of the month (NC)

Question:
In North Carolina

Here's the situation: my roommate (referred to from here on out as capital-R Roommate) was awful and got evicted. Roommate has a history of violence and moved into the house while under parole. Roommate has damaged my property and my other roommate's property, and I'm pretty sure Roommate slashed our tires. Which is to say Roommate isn't a person I'm comfortable with being around anymore. Roommate was served a vacate notice by my landlord last month on the 24th and tomorrow is supposed to be gone. Roommate is living elsewhere currently—I saw them yesterday morning and haven't spoken to them or seen them since. Roommate is under no written lease, and has communicated to my landlord that theyintend to keep their items here until the first because Roommate says Roommate can't find anyone to help move their stuff. (I doubt this is true because throughout the whole process Roommate's lied to either me or the landlord or both of us about their plans and I imagine that Roommate will keep lying if Roommate can get away with it.) The landlord seems to be fine with this. I'm not.

I've paid for the remainder of the month in full and am not comfortable with the idea of their items staying here any longer than tomorrow, because I don't want to have to continue to deal with their anymore than I have to. If on the 25th their items are still in the house, what am I supposed to do about it? Am I denied full use of the premises I've paid for simply because Roommate's decided to leave their stuff here? What obligations are my landlord under to me and my roommate? Is my roommate forced to forfeit the key tomorrow, or does the landlord need to change the locks if Roommate refuses? My landlord is a bit of a pushover is the major issue here. I'm not comfortable with Roommate having access to the home because Roommate is a spiteful and violent person who has shown disregard for my property—I'm even less inclined because Roommate will have no right to it.

I have a new roommate moving in the first of June to help pay for rent. On the first when the new roommate moves in and the items are still there, what can we do then? There are only two rooms which can really serve as bedrooms in the house, and one of them are full of my exroommate's stuff.

I expect that I can't do anything since I'm only leasing the apt. and am not the landlord, but I figured I'd ask. I honestly fear for the safety of my property and my pets while the roommate has unfettered access to the home. I really just want to feel safe in my own place, which is something I haven't felt for months. Thanks for any help.

Answer:
 Talk to your landlord.  Make it clear that if the old tenant's stuff remains, you expect him to pay rent because he's still storing stuff (meaning you and new guy pay less), or if he isn't paying rent, his stuff needs to go away because you'd be expected to take care of his property.

It is not an unreasonable thing to communicate to your landlord.


Title: [UT]Every time I have blood work done through my doctor I get sent a bill from the blood work company... even though I've already paid the company.

Question:
So I came home from work today to find a bill in my mailbox.  It was an invoice for $33 from a blood work company that I'm not going to name just to be safe, but I'll call it BWC.

I have to get blood work from my doctor about every six months, the cost of which is included in my doctor bill, and is sent to BWC, but the two times I've had blood work done, BWC has sent me an invoice for the services provided.

The first time BWC sent me a bill, they actually sent it to my parent's address instead of mine (despite me not living with my parents, being an adult, and not having their address anywhere in my file), and when I got the bill from my parents, I paid it immediately and then contacted my doctor.

My doctor's office sent me an email back pretty quickly saying that it had been paid at the same time my blood sample was sent to BWC's office, and that they had sent me an additional bill for some reason.  My doctor's secretary assured me that they would refund the money I had paid for the second bill; and after dragging their feet for almost a month, BWC returned the money to my account.

Today I received a bill from the last time I had to have blood work done for $33, but this time the invoice said it was past due and they would be sending it to a collections agency soon.  I'm really worried about my credit getting completely screwed over $33 that I've already paid, and so I'm thinking that I'll pay the bill and then focus on getting a refund even if it means waiting almost a month again - I can afford $33, but I can't afford having the only thing on my credit be negative.

I've contacted my doctor, and I've tried to contact BWC, but since it's Saturday there's no way I can get a hold of someone until Monday.  Additionally, BWC makes it extremely hard to contact an actual person even during business hours.

My questions is what do I do?  I'm not looking to sue anyone, but should I pay this? What would the negative consequences be of not paying this? How do I make them stop sending me additional bills?

Edit: I just noticed that the bill was sent from their NC office, when the tests were done in their AZ office.  I'm doubt that changes anything whatsoever, but I thought it was interesting.

Answer: Keep attempting to contact the lab and following up with whoever handles billing for your doctor. Medical billing is the most confusing thing on the planet, so you might have to get both of them in the same conference call. I keep a spreadsheet to track medical bills because you sometimes end up with bills from eight places for one procedure.


Title: Is it a good idea to disclose recreational drug use on medical forms? Doctor is located in VA, I live in DC

Question:
I get health insurance through my employer and am having my first physical in more than a year at a clinic that is located at work (it's a big campus in VA). The forms that I have to fill out include a 'Social' category that asks about smoking, alcohol consumption and recreational drugs use (including method of use: smoked, snorted or injected). I don't have any drug habits, but occasionally use drugs recreationally in a way that I consider safe and healthy. In my last physical with a private doctor I was completely honest and was told I didn't have to worry about any negative health effects.

How confidential is this information? Will I be putting myself at risk with my employer if I answer truthfully? Will this information be passed on to future insurers and have a negative impact?

Thanks!

edit: I have never been and do not expect being drug tested, nor have I heard of any other employees being drug tested. I'm not sure if there are any clauses in the employment agreements I signed that pertain to drug use. Overall, the attitude of the company seems to be willful ignorance.

Answer:
 >occasionally use drugs recreationally in a way that I consider safe and healthy

So, drug interactions are a thing - even with totally legal OTC things and supplements and even plain old *food*. St Johns Wort and (of all things) grapefruit juice can decrease the efficacy of birth control pills; acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), and naproxen (Aleve), and acetaminophen (Tylenol) are all contraindicated for people taking blood-thinners like warfarin (Coumadin); and so on.

Forget legal advice for a minute - you need to disclose this shit from a *health* perspective. Your drug use may or may not be "safe" or "healthy" on its own, but once you start adding other things into the mix (and again, "other things" can include remarkably stupid shit, like over-the-counter NSAIDs and herbal supplements) you're running risks of drug interactions if your doctor isn't aware of them.

[Edit] But, since this **is** /r/LEGALadvice, [here](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK64825/) is what the NIH says about substance abuse-related services.Answer #2: Why don't you leave that section blank, and then discuss it to your satisfaction during your physical with the Dr.?  I think that would be perfectly OK.

I don't think the form is there for any other reason than to facilitate your visit, so the Dr. doesn't have to spend 45 minutes on your family's medical history, etc.

It is a legitimate thing to bring up in the course of an exam, as /r/AnnaLemma points out, there could be contraindications if you were given medications in the future.


Title: TN - FIL bought an iPhone XS from AT&T’s online store. Now they’re accusing him of stealing it.

Question:
He bought the phone last week. When he received it in the mail and tried to activate it, it locked up so he called customer service to see what was going on. They accused him of stealing the phone, and he was hung up on by multiple customer service reps. He also went to a few local stores to try and resolve the issue but no one was able to help him, and they’re still treating him like he stole the phone.

I also reached out to AT&T on Twitter yesterday and they said they were looking into it, but they still haven’t gotten back to me. They are telling him he still has to pay for the phone (over $1000) despite mailing it back. We also have proof (the tracking info) that it was mailed back.

What are his options here? Are there any organizations he can contact or make a complaint with besides AT&T because they’re clearly not interested in helping resolve this. Should he contact a lawyer? Thanks for any advice and I apologize if this is the wrong place to post this, I’m just trying to exhaust all options here.

Answer: He can sue AT&T in small claims for his money back. Answer #2: He can file a complaint with FCC. He has some kind of proof of purchase I assume?


Title: [California/LA County/COVID-19/Labor Law] My employer is having me work from home and answer company cell phone for Customer Service but only wanting to pay me for when a call is received and time spent on that call. They are not wanting to pay for me being available during business hours.

Question:
The title gives most of the information but I will clarify.

I work as a Customer Service Agent for a high dollar, low volume, bespoke product manufacturer. When I am at the office during business hours I am expected to answer all calls to the Support line (a cellphone that I keep on me at all times when at the office and required to take home with me) immediately with a goal of a 90% answer rate.

\*\*\***I am the only Customer Service Agent for this company.** \*\*\*

I provide all of the TIER 1 product/tech support for our product as well. A majority of my time **is** spent waiting for support calls, managing our ZenDesk, and working on projects assigned to me by my Supervisor. There are many days where I simply sit at my desk being available for work to come in. If a call comes into the Support Line after hours I am required to record my time via Toggl. I am expected to pick up the call, handle the issue if it's quick or generate a ticket in ZenDesk and inform the customer we will be able to handle it in the morning when the rest of the office is in. If I miss the call I must reply via ZenDesk with an "after-hours" type message within 8 hours. The business owner advertises 24/7 Customer Support. Yes, I am the one who has to answer the calls on weekends as well.

Our offices closed 2 weeks ago due to COVID-19, my employer had me start working from home so our customers could still get support. Everything we use is web-based and they previously gave me a laptop for weekend calls when I am out of town doing my own stuff. I must have wi-fi and a laptop to take most of our calls as I need to remote into the client's machine and make changes. I was being paid 8/hrs a day M-F and OT for any additional work done outside of that during the past two weeks of work at home.

My boss contacted me this morning informing me that I need to record all time spent working and that once special projects (busy work) dry up and the current tickets are updated, I will not be paid for being available during business hours but still be required to keep my metrics up.

I let them know I'm happy to keep working on special projects but that I need to be paid for the time spent being available. I need to be at my desk in order to do my job (office or remote) and to keep up the requirements they've set for me. My Supervisor proceeded to let me know that "a lot of people are laid off and not being paid" and "well you can't go outside right now anyway so why wouldn't you be available?". He is claiming to not understand why I am upset at this proposal and invited me to speak with the owner, I will do that once I have some ammo to back me up or enough information to accept this as a bullshit situation that I cannot change.

I feel that they are using this pandemic to take advantage of my time and exploit me. Is there any legal basis for them to be required to pay me for my time?

Answer:
 The issue is if you are waiting to be engaged or engaged to wait. At its most basic this issue turns on if you are reasonably free to do what you want with your time. It doesn’t sound like you are, so you are engaged to wait an need to be paid for all time.

If they won’t pay file a wage complaint.

You can file a complaint with the California Department of Industrial Relations [here.](https://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/howtofilewageclaim.htm)


Title: Friend being blackmailed over nudes

Question: My friend sent nudes to a random person online in exchange for nudes. He sent her pics of his face-non nude, as well as nude pics without face. She was able to find his Facebook and is threatening to send the pics to co-workers and family members, as well as saying he is abusive and sexually harrasing her as well. She will send them through a fake Facebook account if he does not send her $500. Is there anything he can do legal wise or through the police?

Answer:
 You can never buy silence, only rent it.  Blackmailers will only every keep asking for money.

Either your friend should call the bluff and not pay up.

Or report it to the police for documentation (it is very unlikely any police agency will investigate this and actually make an arrest seeing as how it is likely this person is a scammer from overseas).


Title: I have no money and need to leave my husband. (Oregon)

Question:
I’m in Oregon, Clackamas County.

I need to leave my husband. I am a full time student (with scholarships) and have children with another person that does not pay child support (can’t be found.) My husband is emotionally and financially abusive and will not leave our rent to own house willingly. This is the best place for my kids as they’ve been going to school here for 3+ years and i can afford it when my best friend moves in, even though I’m not working now. I’d ideally like to get student loans and a part time job to afford it so i can finish school and make better money for my kids. My husband makes 100k a year and has no obligations. I feel it’s fair for him to be the one to leave, but he’s not okay with that. He told me to leave and he’d keep my kids. That’s a fuck no from me. He’s an alcoholic and I’ve already had to call the cops on him twice since living here for less than 6 months.

We’ve been married for 5 years. I need to get out ASAP. The abuse is increasing and I feel unsafe in my own home. I don’t know what to do with no money and my kids and my dog. I want them to be stable as much as i can provide. I heard Oregon is an alimony state and i don’t even know what that means. How can i get access to finances until i can provide a stable environment for my kids? I don’t have any one here to rely on really so i feel stuck and don’t know what to do.

Answer:
 I'm sorry you're going through this. You eventually will need a divorce lawyer. Start by getting in touch with the National Domestic Violence Hotline for first steps on how to get out of the relationship safely.

[https://www.thehotline.org/contact/](https://www.thehotline.org/contact/)


Title: Ex-boyfriend gave me his credit credit card - never used it. Could this still be a problem?

Question:
First up i live in Australia. Okay so basically my ex gave me his credit card and pin which i strongly objected to but he was determined. Sick of arguing about it and now wanting to turn what was supposed to be a 'nice gesture' into something weird i reluctantly agreed. Of course I knew i would NEVER use it and all throughout our relationship (3years +) I did not not. Never even touched it. We broke up 6 months ago and he never asked for it back - we are currently not talking.

After we broke up, i actually ripped it into like 10 pieces and burnt it. With all this being said, is it possible that one day he can accuse me of stealing money? Would he have any sort of claim?

Answer: He can accuse you of anything. He can sue you for anything. If he can't prove is was you that did it, he won't have a very successful claim. Credit card companies track the time and location of the charges. If you weren't there in the location at the time the card was charged, he won't have any type of viable case at all. But on top of all of this, your boyfriend would look like an idiot if he tried to bring anything against you without using his credit card company's fraud division first.


Title: [Oklahoma] How do I prepare to testify for my customer?

Question:
So I've been selling cannabis and nothing(I don't ruin lives) more in my area for the last few years and I've always been really successful because of my great customer service. One of my customers was recently arrested a few days after buying half an ounce from me, however the police are saying that he had 3x this amount. He's reached out to me to testify that there is no possible way he could have this amount. I have text messages showing he only bought half an ounce from me. This dude smokes a ton, but this is the first time that he's ever bought more than an eighth from me. He's a good guy. The cops have to be dirty here.

What I need help on is how to make myself seem trustworthy to the court. I know that a drug dealer isn't exactly a respectable profession, but I have proof and honestly don't believe my customer did have that much weed.

Answer:
 Wait, so you want to testify in court saying that he couldn't have had that much pot on him because you didn't sell him that much?

Oklahoma is ridiculously strict on drugs dude, you'd be screwing yourself over. Even if they can't get you on dealing charges, you'd become a target for law enforcement.Answer #2: I have to believe you are a troll.  Because if you aren't, then you're quite possibly the stupidest person I have ever encountered on /r/legaladvice, and that's saying something because we regularly have sovereign citizen crazies.

In case you aren't a troll, newsflash, people can buy from multiple suppliers.  Odds are that your customer is now actually working as an informant.  And if you actually testify that you sold someone weed you're going to jail for a damn long time.


Title: Advice on a red light ticket

Question:
About a week ago, I ran a red light and a ticket for it. I never done it before so any kind of advice is most helpful.
What happened was: I saw a green light but there was a good 90-100 ft between me and the intersection. So I sped up to beat the light but as I was speeding up, the light turned red and because if inertia (or just bad judgment), I went into the intersection anyway. As luck would have it, there was a police car parked right there in the direction I was going, so I was stopped and got ticketed. The policeman was actually a nice guy, he told me that my options are to pay for the ticket ($105) or request a hearing. I googled a bit and it seems the main issue is not the $105 fine (although it’s not an insignificant amount) but the associated increase in insurance premium. So my question is, is it worth it to request a hearing? There’s almost no question that I ran a red light. Maybe, just maybe, the front wheels were creeping on the pedestrian crossing by the time it turned red if I want to justify myself but I’m almost sure it wasn’t.
How can I get out this without hurting my insurance premium? Is there even a way? Should I just bite the bullet and move on? My insurance premium was just beginning to drop down to a level I’m comfortable with but now it looks like it will become prohibitive for me to keep a car.

TL;DR Got a red light ticket from a police officer. Is it worth it to request a hearing? Is there a way for it to not affect my insurance?

Answer:
 Those are the consequences for your actions. You ran the light and got caught. Drive better.

You can go to court and hope they reduce the charge, but it is unlikely unless you have a good reason (which it doesn't appear that you do).


Title: Bf (22) was told he will be let go in 4 weeks as he is no longer an apprentice.

Question:
Hi everyone! We're in Scotland UK so this is probably very specific, apologies for that but any advice and/or clarification would be great :)

My bf was an apprentice electrician and works with a company (I.e no longer attends college etc). He recently passed his FICA/trade test which means he is no longer an apprentice and is now a fully qualified electrician.

His employer advised him today that they would be letting him go, and gave him 4 weeks notice. The reason for this was apparently that there are no full time positions available.

I understand this may be perfectly legal, but it just seems strange to me that he can have full time hours as an apprentice but now that he's qualified (which means his wages go up a good £4 per hour) there's no work?

Can someone clarify that this is okay? My boyfriend was planning to leave anyway, so he's not totally broken up about it but it just doesn't seem fair and like a way to save money.

Answer:
 > it just seems strange to me that he can have full time hours as an apprentice but now that he's qualified (which means his wages go up a good £4 per hour) there's no work?

The increase in the price of labor can change an employer's decision on whether to continue hiring him or not - nothing strange about it.

I hope your boyfriend can find a job that is right for him soon.

>it just doesn't seem fair and like a way to save money.

Businesses need to make money, and keeping labor costs under control is a big part of that.

And they are giving him 4 weeks notice - it seems they are trying to handle this in the best manner possible.