Title: Shot and killed charging dog

Question:
Today I unfortunately killed a dog. As a dog lover I feel awful, but my safety was in immediate danger.

I am a self-employed landscaper and carpenter. I do a lot of residential work. I have my ccw permit for the state of Indiana and carry my concealed firearm at virtually all times. My client warned me he has "a pit bull that likes to bite strangers" when I called him to verify the day and time that I will be coming to build his deck. The scheduled day I called him while on my way and told him I would be there in 30 minutes and to please have his dog put away.

As I pulled in, he had a sign by his driveway on a tree that read "enter as your own risk, my dog bites". Before I stepped out of my vehicle I checked if the dog was in sight. When I didn't see the dog I got out and started walking to the door. That is when his pit bull came around the house from the back, charging at me. He didn't not bark or growl, only bee lined. I yelled and drew my firearm. I fired 3 shots, hitting him twice, I believe. I then re-holstered my weapon. The owner, hearing the shots, comes out and was beligerent. I got into my truck and called 911. Police took our statements and info and said to expect a call. I was then free to go, neither of us were detained at any time.

We're my actions justified?
I am very guilty and scared I will be charged or liable. I am worried because he had a sign and I was on his private property. But, I explicitly asked him to have to dog up, Confirmed my arrival time, and we had a contract permitting me on his property.

Also, if it matters, I do not enter my clients homes while carrying.

Answer:
 Grab a picture of the sign he has up acknowledging he's aware his animal's vicious. Answer #2: At this point you've done everything that matters you can only make things worse from here by talking.

Be quiet. Don't talk to anyone without an attorney. If you receive a summons, reach out to an attorney immediately


Title: Fake check withdrawn from my wife's account. What do we do?

Question:
My wife just called me up and said that a fake check for $2000 was just withdrawn from her account.

The check number has been altered, but my wife has the fraudelent check in her possession. We have the scan of the check with a name (not sure if it's actually the real name of the person).

What can we do? What should we do?

edit: located in US-NC

Answer: Call the bank and report the fraudulent check.


Title: [Florida] Threatening note left on my car

Question:
Just to preface, right now this is only a threat of a legal problem. I need some advice on possible preventative measures I should take before leaving my car for the next 5 days. I will be traveling 8 hours away to spend thanksgiving weekend with my family and leaving my car at my apartment building.

My boyfriend and I moved into a smaller apartment complex over 2 months ago. There are 8 units in each building, and one assigned/numbered parking spot for each unit. My parking spot is listed on my lease as number 5. I made sure to double check with the office the day I moved in that my parking spot was, indeed, number 5. I have since been parking there with no issue for the past two months.

This morning, I was greeted with a bright yellow sticky note on my rear driver's side window. This is the wording verbatim:

"You have parked in a Reserved Space Your plate & vehicle have been recorded and you will be towed if found in this space again."

I immediately called the leasing office when they opened and they were very nice. They double checked and made sure that I am in the correct parking spot. She also said she would go out with the maintenance guy and triple check that I am in the right place in addition to posting a notice in the building of parking space assignments.

This is all well and good, but I am feeling worried since I am about to take a trip over the weekend and will be leaving my car at my apartment building. I don't want to have my weekend ruined with a towed car two states away. I was thinking about getting a cheap surveillance camera to monitor my car while I'm away. Do you think this might be overkill or am I rightfully concerned? I am also tempted to leave a note in return. Any advice or insight will be greatly appreciated!

Answer: You've probably just got an overzealous neighbor who doesn't recognize your car. You've covered your bases with the rental office, so if someone *does* call in a complaint, "spot #5" should ring a bell. If the office has your vehicle description and license plate number, they'll verify that the car is legitimately parked before calling for a tow.Answer #2: I would leave a note in the same place that says "Whoever has an issue with my car being parked here, please call the leasing office"Answer #3: no one outside of apartment management should have authority to tow your car. do you have a neighbor who may be willing to text you with quick updates to let you know your car is okay?Answer #4: Before you leave, take a photo and message it to yourself. If you get towed it may help if you need to recover your fees.


Title: [IN] New neighbors are weird. At what point does weird become suspicious and what to do about it?

Question:
A co-worker of mine asked me to post this on his behalf.

**tl;dr** New neighbors act weird. What should he do about it?

He and his wife (Harry and Wanda) have lived in a rural neighborhood (large yards, old trees, low traffic, no through traffic) for several years. The house across the street had been vacant for over a year and was recently purchased by a couple. Harry initially dismissed Wanda's concerns over the odd behaviors and dress of the neighbors. They look black, but the neighbor-wife appears to wear middle eastern style headgear.

**Weird behaviors:**

The new owners moved in only at night. They had a U-Haul rental for over a week just sitting to be unloaded at night or late evening. The three sides of the house visible to Harry and Wanda all have blackout curtains that are never removed. Harry and Wanda both see the new neighbors exit and return through the attached garage. During the last cold snap a week ago, temperature was around 3F (-16C), the neighbors had the windows open on two sides of the house with a fan set up to tent into the curtin and blow outside air into the house. The neighbors do not use the waste removal services in the neighborhood. No trash cans have been out front for the 2+ months that the neighbors have lived there.

**Questions:**

His dilemma is that the neighbors are weird but, to the best of his knowledge, not doing anything illegal. Harry wants to know if he should take any action, and what that action should be. His biggest concern is appearing xenophobic but 2 months of observation leave him and Wanda feeling uneasy.

**EDIT** I'm leaving this up as a reminder for Harry: Don't ask the internet for advice if you aren't also ready to accept its ridicule.

Answer: The only thing weird about this, is your coworker is always looking out his window and staring at these people.


Title: Is There A Way To Change A Child's Name Without Consent of the Father?

Question:
Okay Reddit, here's the dilemma. The people here are not me, but my close family. My Aunt has an almost four year old son, and I love him more than anything. Aunt's last name is different to son's though. The reason is who we in the family call "sperm donor".

He's an abusive, terrible scum of a human being. Unfortunately, he is the father, though he'll never be a dad. My Aunt took a stand during her pregnancy. She wasn't going to put him as the father on the birth certificate, nor give the boy 'sperm donors' last name, but he showed up and basically forced her to.

So his last name is not ours, and everyone hates it. Sperm donor is not around, and when he is cops are called. We want to change his name, but we need his consent. The problem is he won't agree, and could possibly take my Aunt to court and end up with custody or visitation rights. That CAN'T happen. My cousin is an amazing boy, but soon he will need to know his name.

So, Reddit, if you know any way to work the system or go around the rules and change his name, please let me know. I love my cousin so much, and just want what's best.

Answer:
 She can have a lawyer make the request, at a very minimum the dad will be notified and allowed to contest the name change.

Regardless of the name change the dad can request visitation, there is no way to prevent that


Title: [CT] Friend charged with DUI even though passed a sobriety test because he refused a breathalyzer.

Question:
So this just occurred last night.

My friend had a beer about one hour before he went driving. (Also had one 4 hours earlier in the night.) As he was dropping another friend home, he happened upon a car accident that the police/ambulance were just finished cleaning up. The ambulance was on the right side of the road, and the police were funneling traffic on the left (wrong) side of the road.

He approached the scene and went left, but didn't see one of the police officers because he was dressed in black/there weren't any street lights on that particular spot. He almost hit him, but thankfully stopped several feet before him.

They pulled him over anyway and suspected him of drunk driving, because he almost hit the cop. He explained that it was dark, they were wearing black, and that they had no reflecting gear on. They made him do a sobriety test anyway, which he passed.

They then wanted him to do a breathalyzer, and he refused. The police told him "We still have to take you to the station because you refused a breathalyzer." He asked them why, if he passed the sobriety test, and they said they'd explain at the station. They never explained.

I'm not sure what other words were exchanged here. But when he got to the station they Mirandized him, asked him how much he drank, etc. They realized he knew some of the detectives at the station, so they "eased up" in how they were talking to him. Then his friend bailed him out. It was only then when they gave him papers that he saw what he was charged with -- he said "des cgs 14-2279" or a DUI.

Looking back, he realizes he shouldn't have let his pride in the way and just have taken the breathalyzer since he had nothing to hide. But they told him that because he refused the breathalyzer, they had to take him to the station.

**I know the whole spiel about implied consent when you get your license and xyz. But he took at least ONE test and he passed, but because he refused another that discounts the first test he took?**

Answer: If they were asking him to take a breathalyzer and then arrested him when he refused, he almost certainly did not pass the other tests. Answer #2: I love how people say "but he passed!".  No. Obviously he did not pass which was the probable cause for the arrest. You or he may have thought he did well but the only thing that matters is what the officer thinks based on his training and experience.  I've had totally shit faced people looks genuinely perplexed after I arrest them after FSTsAnswer #3: someone is confused here. first, you can get arrested even if you 'pass' a field test. as long as fop has PC, he can arrest you. you lawyer will attack his PC in the suppression hearing and the trial. second, pre-arrest breathalyzer does not invoke implied-consent laws. implied consent and penalties for refusing breathalyzer are all post-arrest. it's possible that your friend was ultimately charged because he refused the post-arrest test.  but whatever happened, he needs a lawyer to challenge the arrest or challenge the evidence of DUI. Answer #4: By the way, breathalyzer refusal earns a six month license suspension.


Title: Getting sued for medical bills in small claims court (WI)

Question:
Hello:

I found out today that the large medical practice in my town has filed a case against me in small claims court. I owe them some money from copays that I ignored over the years. I estimate that it all adds up to $1000 or so, plus any fees that I would need to pay for the court filing and lawyers. The reason I ignored their notices to pay before this is because my husband refused to give me money to pay these bills (he makes all the $), because he said that we are insured so we shouldn't have to pay for healthcare. Of course, I am not an idiot so I explained that we still do have to pay for our copays, despite insurance. I gave up that battle because I knew this would happen eventually and look who was right. I swear he is not a stupid man, but it probably seems like it from this post. Anyway, now he agrees that ignoring these bills was the wrong move.

As it stands now, the court date is at the end of the month. If I call the medical company that is suing me tomorrow, is there a possibility that I could settle outside of court if I pay them right away? Is this a good or bad idea? I do think the debt is owed, but we just didn't pay it before this. I am also concerned that I would pay them and then they would still try to collect on a debt. How do I get documentation that it is resolved if they want to settle? Finally, is there any room for negotiation at this point? Should I try to get the amount lowered, or is that wishful thinking?

I feel so stupid. Thanks.

Answer:
 IANAL

I would go ahead and call them. You know you're not going to win this case, so there is no way you could "hurt your case" by calling them. It's not like they can up the amount they're suing for even if you straight up admit fault on record. Worst they can do is say no, but I highly doubt they will do that. You could ask to reduce the charges, but I doubt they would agree to it.

As an aside, I would also probably explain to your husband how deductibles work. If he doesn't understand copay, I expect if you had a major health event and you had, say a $5000 deductible, you might find yourself in this situation again.


Title: Need help protecting my family in a divorce (Ontario)

Question:
A couple months ago my stepfather went missing a for a couple of days. One day we come home to find a letter on our table from his lawyer: he's divorcing my mother.

In the following months we've had to face roadblock after roadblock trying to get through the divorce. When my stepfather left, he took all the paperwork related to the house with him: making it especially hard for us to transfer ownership of the house to my mother alone. My mother already has a lawyer, and the divorce is still ongoing. We are trying to transfer ownership of the house legally, but we still need the mortgage statement and mortgage contract, both documents are still being withheld by my stepfather. We have already made my mother the account holder for all of the utility bills, the bills we received before that are still being withheld by my stepfather and collecting overdue fees. He also withdrew all the money from my mother and his's joint bank account, leaving my mother with no left over money as she did not have a personal banking account. Not to mention, my stepfather is also withholding my tax refund cheques which are being sent to his personal address for some reason.

I just wanted to know if there was anything we could do in this situation because we are feeling very vulnerable; as if my stepfather is trying to screw us as much as he can. I feel as though he is wrong to continue acting like he is and I was wondering if there was any legal repercussions for his actions.
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer: Your mother should not be trying to transfer any property without consulting with her attorney. The attorney can also assist with obtaining copies of any necessary documents.


Title: Girlfriend’s ex sold their boat to a random 3rd party. He did not do so with a bill of sale. The boat was under her name. She continues to receive tax bills for the boat. How can she get out of this?

Question: This happened in North Carolina if that matters. Neither party knows the buyer. Not sure if the ex could find out if he actually tried but i don’t suspect that he would since he’s not the one being impacted.

Answer: If he didn't own the boat and sold it, report it stolen.Answer #2: https://www.nccourts.gov/documents/forms/report-of-sale-of-motor-vehicle


Title: [Indiana] Is a school required to give up security footage if it may contain who committed a crime?

Question:
My parked car was totaled in a hit and run in the middle of the night.
I live next door to a high school with security cameras along the exterior of the building. A security officer from the school reported the accident, the police showed up and towed my car. This all happened from about midnight to 1 am and I didn't know until I went to leave for work in the morning and my car was missing. I filed a police report.

I was parked on the school's side of the road, so to speak, and directly in front of one of their security cameras. I contacted the school the afternoon following the accident asking to see the footage.  I was told that someone would review the footage and contact me. I called every week for 6 weeks after the accident. Each time I was told that the security officer was on patrol and not in the building, but that he would contact me. I have logs showing I placed the calls, but not recordings.

After 6 weeks, I sent emails to school officials explaining the situation again and asking to review the footage. The principal eventually replied to me and connected me to a "school sergeant" within the hour who pulled the footage, but said that too much time had passed and the footage only went back to a week after the accident.

I'm guessing I'm SOL, but several people suggested I should see a lawyer because they didn't produce the footage in a timely manner. Are there any laws saying a school (business?) must produce security footage that may contain a crime if asked?

Answer: No one is required to give you security footage unless you have a court order compelling them to do so.


Title: Was the receptionist at my doctor's office just being unprofessional or does this actually violate patient privacy laws?

Question:
First things first, I live in California. I scheduled an appointment with my primary care doctor and told the receptionist it was in regards to insomnia and possible referral to a sleep study when asked for the purpose of the visit. I'm in school every day and had to wait several weeks for the first appointment that didn't interfere with my classes.

The day of the appointment, I got to the clinic early and planned to not only talk to him about the sleep issues but some other health concerns I've been having. The receptionist came out from behind the desk and without any explanation, escorted me to a different office in the building and left. I was confused when someone came out and ushered me in to see a psychiatrist. She was perplexed as to why I was there when I explained the purpose of my visit and said she couldn't help me with the referrals or any of my other health concerns, as they aren't psychiatric in nature. She said all she could do was prescribe sleeping pills, which I didn't want. I wanted to diagnose the main issue in a sleep study. She told me to go back to my primary care doctor's office and see him as originally planned.

I went back to his office and asked the receptionist what was going on. She informed me that she had taken it upon herself to cancel my appointment with him on the very incorrect assumption that all I wanted was to get some sleeping pills. She had thought a psychiatrist would be a better doctor to see. This woman has absolutely NO medical degree or certification of any kind and she changed my appointments on her own (VERY incorrect) assumptions without even TELLING me first or asking for my permission.

I was unable to see my primary care doctor because she had already given my slot to a walk in and told me I would have to reschedule to see him. Because of my school schedule and how booked they are, I'll have to wait several more weeks. I told her how upset I was but she didn't apologize or even seem to understand why what she had done was unprofessional. This is not the first time I have seen shady practices at this clinic and will be switching to a new provider, but I am absolutely furious that the receptionist ruined my appointment and compromised my health care over this.

I'm not sure if patient privacy laws or anything have actually been violated, but I definitely want to know what I can do even if it's just filing a complaint somewhere.
Topic:
Medicine and Malpractice

Answer:
 I think there isn't any legal recourse here, but you should definitely report her to her employer. And find a different doctor's office to visit.Answer #2: Complain to the doctor.

Shitty scheduling has no real legal significance howeverAnswer #3: In addition to complaining to her boss, if this clinic is in your insurance company's network, maybe let them know too.


Title: [DC] Boss is a tyrant and slave-driver.

Question:
I work at a small nonprofit where the employee turnover rate is so high that in the 4 months I've been here, 3 people have either been asked to leave or fired, one hired, and everyone is under the impression we could be sacked at any moment for no reason. We are under constant threat of job loss. The boss expects us to work all hours of the day and to be in the office before 9am and after 6pm. They will constantly say things like "I work 16 hour days, this is not a 9-5 job!" and so on. In fact, it's only fair that I should be okay leaving earlier than 6pm after having to come in at 7am for an installation, right?

The boss is also constantly firing from the hip. Meaning they will send emails saying things like "do it now!" and they'll stop in your office to berate you and give you 10-15 things to do immediately. Shortly after that they will wonder why nothing is getting done.

The constant stress, demands to work all the time, and level of what feels like bullying just doesn't seem legal to me. Am I wrong?

Thanks so much for your time.

Answer:
 > The constant stress, demands to work all the time, and level of what feels like bullying just doesn't seem legal to me. Am I wrong?

Yes, you're wrong.  Nothing you describe is illegal, he's just a dickAnswer #2: Quit and find new employment.

Stress and bullying are great legal motivators to make employees work long hours and not argue about getting paid more.


Title: Friend received this letter from their landlord. Sounds suspicious.

Question:
Letter: http://imgur.com/w4mEcXT
This is Etna, PA.

I've rented for many years and have never heard of this. Is this normal and legal?

Answer:
 I've gone through these in two different states. It's basically an inspection to make sure that the landlord is following the rules. It's not an inspection of you but it's good to make sure that things are picked up/cleaned.

Basically, from the three that I've been through, they check to make sure that there are no code violations. For example, the ones I went through checked for smoke and carbon monoxide detectors as well as making sure that the basement room had an exit point in case of a fire. That sort of thing.

The fun one was when I rented from a scummy landlord and they ended up having to repaint parts of the house, replace some of the facia, and a bunch of other stuff. Fun times when the landlord tried to push that shit onto me and I was like "nooooo sir, that was here before we started renting and I got pictures to prove it."

Anyway, it's really no big deal. The inspector shouldn't be riflin' through your stuff. Think of it as more of an inspection of how well your landlord maintains his or her property. It all depends on what your city ordinances are as to what the inspector is inspectin'.


Title: Charged 4 times at strip club - is that legal?

Question:
So we made the bad decision while we were in Vegas to go to a strip club - they are some smooth talkers haha.

Anyway I paid for one dance, they told me $100 bucks I tipped $20. I signed the reciept. I still have that reciept it’s the only thing I signed for. They charged me for $100, $131 twice and $230. I’m going to call my bank when it opens because I never approved of all those only one for $120 - which they tacked on $11 to.

I’m pissed that I went and was dumb enough to use my card and not cash.

Do I have a chance of getting some of the charges disputed and reversed?

Answer:
 If they charged you more than you agreed to you can dispute the charge. But if you were intoxicated you may not remember. Answer #2: It's always better to use a credit card. If you used a credit card, just dispute the charges. They'll have to provide a signed receipt to their credit card vendor, which, if what you say is correct (and you didn't black out and sign a bunch of other receipts), they won't be able to do and the charges will be reversed.

Quick question, have you gone into the club and inquired? They should be able to show you the signed receipts if they have them. If not, they might be willing to issue a refund on the spot simply because they don't want a ding on their file with the CC merchant. Too many chargebacks is bad for business. Answer #3: I think the $100 charge is the actual legitimate charge. Usually tips don't show up on pending transactions, so it'll be pending as $100 then post to the account as $120.

If they've all already posted, I would dispute all of them and tell the CC company you authorized a transaction for $120 and nothing else, which is not one of the charges on your account.


Title: California: Landlord/Owner allowed convicted rapist to move into cousin's apartment building. Can she be penalized for breaking her lease?

Question:
At the start of this month a man moved into my cousin's apartment building. She recognized him from the news and so did many of her neighbors. The man has multiple convictions for attacking, mutilating and raping women. He has spent more than half his life in jail for these offences. He was released from jail after completing his last sentence and was in a halfway house but he completed that requirement so he is allowed to live wherever he wants (his crimes don't involve children so we can't use the apartment being close to a school to get him out). He raped and stabbed his last neighbor in her sleep before he went to jail and my cousin's and his apartment shared a balcony with a sliding glass door as the only barrier. The landlord and owner are aware of his past but 'don't care as long as he pays his rent'. Now me and some friends have moved her stuff out and she is not going back as long as he is there. I'll pay if I have to because she can't afford to but l'm wondering if she can be penalized for breaking her lease like the owner is threatening her with? The owner could sue for millions but she's not going back.

EDITED TO ADD - I'm sorry if this was a stupid question or if it offended anyone. I have never leased before and don't know anything about the law in this area. The people who sent me hateful messages calling my cousin and myself sluts who should be raped have been reported to the admin. Your horrible messages were uncalled for.

Answer:
 A neighbor's criminal history is not a reason to break your lease.Answer #2: >  I'm wondering if she can be penalized for breaking her lease like the owner is threatening her with?

Yes. She is bound to the terms of the lease. Answer #3: Yeah, there's lots of reason to be upset here, but a this other guy isn't a party to your cousin's lease any more than someone building a factory next door or wild animals moving into the area would be. Do I believe that your cousin should get out of there? Absolutely. But she signed a deal that said "I will be here from date X to date Y and pay Z". That deal is still legally binding. She could offer to buy out the contract, pay the penalty in the lease for leaving early, or continue to pay rent but move elsewhere.

Look at the specific lease in question, it should have provisions for bailing spelled out. She's probably on the hook for the rent until someone else rents that specific apartment.

Still, the contract is to protect everyone, even the people who make bad decisions and should know better. I'm sorry that I can't tell you what you want to hear here, but this is a time to rally around to support your cousin rather than anything else.


Title: Pulled over by undercover cops. They want me to snitch. (Chicago, IL)

Question:
Last night a buddy and I were pulled over and we had a little bag of pot with no more than 0.2 grams in it. I told them where I got it from and now they want me to pick up from the guy WITH MY OWN MONEY and call them when I do so. The whole thing isn't sitting right with me. I don't know what to do.

UPDATE POST: https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/47fmai/update_pulled_over_by_undercover_cops_they_want/

Answer: Stop talking to the cops. If they want to talk with you tell them you won't say anything without an attorney present. And it might be time to level with your parents.Answer #2: Hey man, I'm going through the same thing right now and think long and hard about whether or not your willing to wear a wire and work with the anti-drug taskforce for several months in order to get rid of a UPM charge. Me and my buddy, who are in a similar situation, decided it wouldn't be worth risking our lives and testifying in court over a little bit of weed. That's not to say we didn't hear them out completely but I would go with your gut feeling and realize that this isn't the only thing they will ask you for to get rid of this charge and they're going after much more serious drugs then marijuana. They will have no second thoughts about putting you in dangerous situations. Your situation does seem a little off to me as well because, like you, I'm wondering why in the hell do they expect you to use your own money. If they're willing to get rid of the charge in exchange for one 'buy' then I would get it in writing


Title: Is CPS allowed to deny visits that the court granted?

Question: I was granted visitation with my son once a week. The first two weeks I showed up and the worker said they were cancelled due to Corona Virus. After that my worker says they need the courts to fix the date on some paperwork for me to get my visits. The courts are closed due to Corona. Now everytime I call she says she will talk to her Supervisor. It's been almost 4 months and I haven't had any contact with my 7 year old. Are they able to do this? Are my rights being violated?

Answer: Where is your son that you have to interact with CPS every time you see him?


Title: [DC] I started a small business and receive a letter claiming trademark infringement

Question:
I have a small business that I started about two years ago.  I got a letter from another company saying I was engaged in trademark infringement.  They said they have a registered trademark, but my lawyer says its on the supplemental register so it doesn't matter at all.  We received a call a few months ago from the other company and basically told them to fuck off, then got the letter.

We didn't reply to the letter, and then I woke up and our YouTube page, Facebook, and other pages were taken down.  They even contacted some of our distributors.

They've been in business for a little over 10 years, but only have used the trademark for about eight.  I told my lawyer we didn't want to change our name, so he sent them a letter telling them to back down and that we were ready to sue for damages saying they lied on their trademark application and were actually committing fraud against us.  The letter sounded great, but now we haven't heard anything back.

Our lawyer is really cool, and really told the other guys how we felt on the phone and in the letter with really strong language, but I am getting nervous that we haven't heard from the company yet.

My lawyer says we'll win everything, but I'm wondering what everyone else has to say about it.  I'm nervous because someone else told me that works for an attorney says we could lose the case.

Answer:
 You have a lawyer who has all the facts of the case in front of them.

None of us will be able to give you a better prediction for the outcome than your lawyer.Answer #2: If I was you would consult with another attorney that is familiar with trademark laws. I think you are getting bad advice. IANAL.


Title: I was pulled over while blackout drunk this past weekend, Aggravated DWI with multiple other tickets.

Question:
Let me preface this by saying that I am absolutely filled with shame and regret. I have been crying every second that I’m alone since I woke up on Sunday, and I’m thankful that I was stopped by police rather than hurting someone else or myself. I normally take criticism really well, but please if you are just going to lecture me don’t bother commenting. I already know how bad I messed up.

I do not remember getting into my car, I planned on taking an Uber that night. I’m not sure what changed my mind.

The first thing I remember is the sobriety test, which I failed miserably. I also blew a .24. I received the following tickets: DWI, Aggravated BAC, no headlights, driving the wrong way on a one way, speeding (50 in a 30), unsecured front license plate, uninspected vehicle, possession of marijuana.

The speeding wasn’t on radar just an observational guess, and no part of my route home was a one way. I never speed, I obviously don’t remember the incident but I find it unlikely that I was going that fast in a downtown area. I had a dirty bowl and no more than a fingertip sized amount of marijuana in the car, and I had not been smoking it that day.

I have an appointment with a lawyer that specializes in DWI cases on July 3rd (that was the first date available) and my first court appearance is July 11th. I am well aware this is very bad, I’m hoping to avoid jail time at least. Just looking for some advice please and thank you.

This is NY state.

Answer:
 Your attorney will get all of the details of the case and they will give you the best advice.Answer #2: Ok, forget the speeding, unsecured front plate, uninspected vehicle, headlight and the other stuff because there are infractions and result in points/fine but are not criminal in nature. The DA/Police have stacked charges in order to get a plea bargain out of you (Please to the DWI and we'll remove all the other stuff). Your (and your attorney's) focus should 100% be on the DWI as that's a criminal matter in NY and can have grave consequences.

I'm thinking you're nervous about this and are researching this as much as possible until July 3rd. It's fine to lear a few bits of information online and here if it calms you down but do not do anything unless instructed by your attorney. Don't signup for anything, talk to anyone, get modifications on your vehicle, pay an infraction, nothing. You did the only and best you could do by contacting an attorney and scheduling an appointment. Now you'll need to keep quiet, wait, and do exactly as your attorney says.


Title: GF works as a server where they refuse to pay for meetings and 15 minute before shift time. (FL,USA)

Question:
My girlfriend has been working at a diner for a year, where if she is scheduled for 3:00pm to work, she must get there at 2:45, and MUST start working, doing side work, and often having tables transferred to her from the morning people who are leaving.
They do not pay for the 15 minutes that she and other servers work, and they say if you don't show up 15 minutes early, they will write you up and eventually fire you.
They also sometimes make her attend hour long mandatory work meetings, in uniform, and will not pay for that time either. They do this under the threat that if you don't show up, you will be fired.
I understand that Florida is a fire at will state, but would this be a case of wrongful termination? Or is this somehow legal?

P.S. They also treat their employees poorly, calling them idiots and other nasty names, in earshot of customers.

Answer:
 The Fair Labor Standards Act requires employers to pay for company meetings and for all time worked if the employees are hourly. Even though your girlfriend gets tipped, I'm sure she is paid at least the $4.23/hr minimum FL requires for tipped employees. Under the FLSA, employers must pay for time worked to the nearest quarter hour, and rounding rules apply here. That means the employer wouldn't have to pay if someone shows up to work 1-7 minutes early but *would* have to pay if someone shows up 8-15 minutes early.

Your girlfriend should file a complaint with the Wage and Hour Division and not say anything to her employer. She doesn't want to give her employer any leverage.

>P.S. They also treat their employees poorly, calling them idiots and other nasty names, in earshot of customers.

Being mean isn't illegal. Even if your girlfriend succeeds with a wage claim, her long term strategy should probably be to find an employer who isn't so shady.


Title: I’m thinking of making an album inspired by Marvel characters. Do I need to get a patent to use the names or anything like that?

Question:
Title. I want to make original music but based on marvel characters and I want to use the names. Anything I need to do? If I need to talk to marvel how would I do that? Very uneducated on this matter. I live in Texas.
Topic:
Intellectual Property

Answer: Hire an entertainment attorney to represent you and secure the proper licensing rights. This has nothing to do with patents, and it will be an uphill battle, most likely.


Title: (staten island, New York) I believe I was improperly served family court papers. What should I do?

Question:
Hello reddit, long time reader and first time poster here for your help.

Backstory - the children have lived with me for the past 8 months. Their mother had been evicted after spending her rent money on her now ex-boyfriend for months and they came to live with me. I had already filed for custody a month prior. She was consistently irresponsible, ignoring their basic medical educational and hygienic  needs. They were constantly exposed to domestic violence between her and her varying partners, as well as her partying, drinking and smoking. They have developed extraordinarily since moving in with my wife and I and I would hate to see them regress should she gain legal custody.

Today, 3/13/15, I was served a summons for family court to appear in court on 3/17/15. It is my understanding from having previously served her that you need to serve a summons with at least 8 days or more advanced notice. What should I do?

Also, the petition for custody should be filed within the borough of residence, which is Staten Island, but was filed in Brooklyn.  Can I request it be moved to Staten Island due to undue hardships in attending court dates without disrupting my childrens schools schedule?

As a father in the family court system, I have already experienced the court favoring the mother. What can I do to help the court see my side unbiasedly?

Any advise is helpful.

Answer:
 You either appear and deal with the issue on the merits, or you appear and move for a continuance or for the service to be quashed based on the late service, which will just move matters to a later date.

>As a father in the family court system, I have already experienced the court favoring the mother. What can I do to help the court see my side unbiasedly?

Stop believing this nonsense, for starters.  Seriously.  It comes across, whether you intend it to or not, as contempt for the court.  Just address the merits using admissible evidence.

If you have an actual concrete case of bias based on something the court has done or said (not just the fact that you lost something), then address it through appropriate channels, such as an official complaint or recusal motion.


Title: My little brother (11 years old) was left behind on a field trip in another state

Question:
He sent on a school sponsored field trip today at carowinds amusement park for a choral concert.

He was left behind and we were not informed until the bus arrived at his school this evening.

What are our options? We live in south Carolina.

Answer:
 Your first option will be to raise a stink with the administration school board.  This was a huge mistake, but a mistake nonetheless.

It is unlikely you can sue the school for anything, and it does not seem you or your brother have suffered any damages (even if you could sue.)

I see no mention in your post about your brother.  I hope he is doing well.

> What are our options?

Mostly getting your brother home safe.


Title: My bf and I broke up and now he wants me to move out of our apt. Do I have to?

Question: My bf and I have been living together for about three years and both our names are on the lease. However, he always paid rent. Our lease ends in November. He wants to quick me out since he pays but do I have to leave? Could he leave and I keep the apt to pay rent?

Answer: Technically no because you’re both on the lease. But make sure that if you do leave you let the landlord know to take you off the lease, you wouldn’t want to be blamed if something goes wrong after you leave


Title: Injured by boss's negligence...

Question: Okay, so here goes. I'm at a bit of a loss right now. About 6 weeks ago I was working (cash under the table) as a special events food vender. My employer, another coworker, and myself were unloading a very large commercial ice chest (like the ones you see in front of gas stations) from a trailer on a non motorized dolly. The ice chest had a broken wheel so my boss haphazardly used the dolly and some wooden boards to lift it up until it was high enough to get the broken wheel out from underneath, and pull the machine out. As we are pulling the machine, I'm behind it trying to keep it stable. One of the boards snaps, the machine drops, pins my foot to the ground and collapses on top of me. About 700 pounds crushes my left ankle and fractures my knee and I'm out of work. Obviously I didn't have workers comp and my boss is refusing to help me in the slightest. I've been out of work for almost two months and bills are piling up fast. Is there any possible recourse for my situation? This was in Tennessee if that matters.

Answer:
 Even when paid under the table, you can still file under workers compensation. It then becomes your bosses issue, and how to pay for your medical services.

That said, speak to a personal injury/workers compensation attorney, yesterday. This is your bosses problem, regardless of how they paid you. (The government would *love* to hear your story about him paying his employees under the table, BTW.)


Title: Can somebody use a voice recording of me in court, if I didn’t know I was being recording?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Ohio appears to be a "one party consent" state which means that as long as he was the other party to the conversation that he recorded, then it was legal.

Whether or not the judge allows it as evidence is a different matter.

If he is blackmailing you, maybe report him to the police - unless you were confessing a crime to him then maybe consult with a criminal defense attorney before reporting the blackmail.

DON'T PAY HIM.  You can never buy silence, only rent it.


Title: Roommate's car was stolen. What do we need to do to get the police to take action and get the car back?

Question:
Unfortunate first thread ever. My roommate hooked up with a girl Monday night (the 19th) and was in the process of driving her home when she asked him to stop and get her cigarettes. He got out and entered a gas station to buy them, and when he returned he found that she had driven away with his car. He called the police and provided all the information her had, and then was dropped off back home and that's when I found out.

Since then, we've found her social media and all kinds of information about her through publicly available means and we've called the police on a non-emergency line to add what we found. All of our attempts to contact her directly have been met with ended calls and silence. However, despite knowing where she works, where she could be, and her close friends and family, there's been no definitive action taken by law enforcement and he needs his car for work. They say they're looking for it on the road, but have been dismissive about the social media findings.

What can we do to get his car back? Are we able to find it ourselves and then call again as an emergency? Should a lawyer be hired?

Answer:
 You've done what you can with police.  If you find the car, you can call them.  You can also pursue a civil suit to recover the car itself (replevin) or to sue her for money damages (civil theft). Answer #2: Friend had his stolen recently. He told me that the cops flat out said unless they pull it over, or get a call with it’s location it’s a waiting game.

He called his insurance, they gave him a rental and told him if it didn’t turn up in 4 weeks they’d cut a check for fair value.

So essentially you’ve contacted the police, now contact the insurance with the police report. Keep an eye out and ask around, get the word out, and maybe it’ll turn up. Answer #3: You could see if his car shows up at her work.  Also, keep your eyes out on craigslist and other local classified ads, in case they try to unload it.  (Could potentially try to sell it cheap, no title, parts car, etc).

I wish I had advice to offer on the police non-action part.  I've experienced the same issue, where the perp could be tracked down if they actually put in any effort, but they don't particularly care.


Title: Parking nazi

Question:
So my mother-in-law lives in a townhome community in San Diego which is not gated. Over the past few months the community has been over taken by a parking nazi. He is self proclaimed and has no power on the hoa board however he drives around taking pictures of guests licenses plate. Their policy is a visitor can not park in a visitor spot for more than 3 days in a row and or if they park in a visitor spot for 7 days a month they are considered a resident.

The past two times I’ve been there he has taken a picture of my licenses plate. No where does it say on their hoa form or posted in the community that we are be recorded.

I like my privacy and I know some places have a camera but I don’t like this guy driving around taking a picture of me personally (took a picture of me when I asked him nicely to stop)  and my car/licenses plate. He does this just to make sure we aren’t there too often.

When I confronted him, he said he has every right to. Which from my understanding he is just a regular tenant. He keeps track of the licenses plate and keeps it on an excel sheet (from what I know). I am wondering if this is legal because I really don’t like it.

I’ve called the hoa board had haven’t read anything. He gives people fake tickets too. I will get a picture soon from someone I know who has received one by him and will add it.

Answer:
 Your license plate is not private nor a secret.

He can take pictures of whatever he wants as long as it's in a public place.Answer #2: He can take pictures of people and cars on a public street.

But what kind of "fake tickets" is he handing out? What do they say? Is he pretending to be some kind of law enforcement officer? Is he collecting money from people?


Title: Legal Questions regarding The Shawshank Redemption

Question:
This post is inspired by a post over on r/asksciencefiction.  Here is a bit of information in case you have not seen "The Shawshank Redemption."  SPOILER ALERT!

Andy is falsely accused of murdering his wife.  20 years later, he escapes.  While incarcerated, he helped the warden funnel illegal bribe money into several bank accounts under the fake name, "Randall Stephens."  Upon breaking out of the prison, he poses as the imaginary Randall, withdraws all the money in cash (worth over 2 million dollars in 2019) and then goes into hiding in Mexico.

The end of the movie took place in the 1960s so tracking missing people/ money was not as easy as it might be today.

Let's say 2 years after Andy escapes, the true murder of Andy's wife confesses to his crime.  Would Andy then be free to make himself known?  If he had not stolen the illegally obtained money, would he be able to sue for restitution for all the years he was falsely imprisoned?

Because he had stolen money, I assume he would be charged with robbery and possibly laundering.  Could a lawyer argue he shouldn't be imprisoned for those crimes because he already served time for a crime he didn't commit 20 years prior?

Answer: You don't get credit against new crimes if you served time for a different crime and are exonerated. You can sue for damages, and you'll likely get a payout and then the matter is settled. He'd still be guilty of everything he's actually guilty of, including the escape, and the state still could and would prosecute him for that.


Title: Smoking Weed on a Beach in California - Ticket

Question:
As the title suggests, I went to LA for a trip to see some friends and smoked weed out there. We were at Hungtington Beach (eh) when me and the guys visiting sparked up. 2 minutes later I was getting a ticket. $125.

Do I have to pay this? Is this something that can just like not be an issue as long as I don’t fuck around in Cali anymore?

Appreciate any advice, I understand I sound like a dumb dickhead.

Answer: Yes, you have to pay it, or you will quickly have a very expensive debt that's sent to collections and screws with your credit report.


Title: I took my mom's credit card to open some csgo case, I think I'll get a knife, but I wasted $500 and got nothing. I didn't tell her and now she reported her bank that she didn't do that transaction. I am literally crying, what will happen ?

Question:
I'm a stupid yet addicted to case opening. I thought I'd get a cool knife and sell it for decent profit and return the rest of the money to my mom. But, I fucking lost everything on shitty guns. I didn't have guts to tell her the truth, so I rather kept my mouth shut. She noticed $500 in the statement and immediately reported to the bank that she hadn't used the card for $500.

I'm shitting my pants. What will happen ?Would bank send police over here ? Would I go to jail ? Can I apologize to everyone and promise that I'd work my ass off and pay off that $500 ? I have a part time job at k-mart.  Would they accept it ?

I'm 16 and from Baton rogue, LA if that matters.

Answer:
 You need to fess up and take whatever punishment she decides to give you.
If you don't tell her this will eat you up, never mind what happens in the banks investigation.Answer #2: The bank will investigate the charge and possibly link it to you.If your mom then does a charge back you can say goodbye to your steam account. Steam will ban your account for fraud. Answer #3: Sounds like your down the road to a gambiling problem. You may want to get some therapy too. Addiction starts off small until it's a bigger problem.


Title: I'm a High School baseball coach. School says I can't use deer training because of lyme disease liability risk.

Question:
[removed]
Topic:
Personal Injury

Answer: Wrong.  It's still a school activity.  And it could get you fired.Answer #2: OP I'm going to need to see video proof that this is a thing before I devote a single brain cell to your question.Answer #3: Couldn't you avoid the deer tick concern by using rabid dogs instead? Answer #4: Is this a real thing or did you just make it up? Regardless, the school administration is in the right here. Not just because of the possibility of Lyme disease (though it's there), but because there are so many other possible liability issues. Not to mention the animal cruelty.Answer #5: Uh-huh. That happened.


Title: (Myrtle Beach, SC] Landlord is refusing to go month to month- wants me to sign another lease.

Question:
Im currently living with two additional roommates in a housing unit for a reasonable price. We are all in our early 20s and have questionable near futures (next 3-6 months as far as job opportunities go). Our lease is expiring on July 31st, and despite our lease saying that after the initial term we can continue to pay on a month by month basis, the landlord is demanding we sign a new 12 month lease or give 30 days notice. He tells us that we can give a 30 days notice within the confines of the lease and still terminate, but what he doesnt mention is the clause in the lease that states we would have to pay the remainder of the leases cost to do that. We are thinking of simply not doing anything, as the lease states either the tenant or the landlord must inform us via first class mail of any changes to rent or desire to terminate the lease.

My questions are;

What choices do I have to stay a little bit longer but not an entire year?

If I wait until he sends a notification of termination or he doesnt send one, can I still be evicted? Would that damage my reputation for future housing options?

If he gives me a 30 day notice on July 4th, do we have to be out by August 1st, August 4th, or August 30th?

I also have a clause that I will update this thread with when I get home that I could use help with, as it talks about "the definition of a thirty day notice" and its quite confusing.

Tl;Dr: Im trying to stay in this house a little longer due to upcoming jobs/lack thereof. Landlord says I cant go month to month despite the rental agreement and REQUIRES me to put in a 30 day notice. What is the legality of this?
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 It sounds like you’re wanting special treatment beyond what the landlord offers in the lease.

You’re not entitled to his property for the time you deem fit. You have no recourse. Either sign the lease, or terminate.Answer #2: The landlord does not have to allow you to stay over the lease period.


Title: (Houston, TX) My friend was attacked after kissing her girlfriend in the school hallway, school did nothing.

Question: My friend was walking in the hallway with her girlfriend and they kissed each other goodbye. Someone saw this and proceeded to grab her backpack strap and yanked it as hard as possible before shoving her into a wall. This was in the middle of a crowded hallway with cameras every few feet. She reported the incident to the school, who proceeded to do nothing. They didn’t check the cameras or talk to any witnesses. This happened about a year ago, and still nothing has happened. I honestly don’t know what to do, this is a public high school with a great reputation for dealing with racism and sexism, but cases of homophobia or transphobia are often ignored. Is there any way to get the school to change or to share the information I have in a public setting?

Answer: The school can choose to not take action. She can report the assault to the police but due to the amount of time that has passed, they probably won’t do a whole lot with it either.


Title: Aunt neglects my abusive grandmother's existence and won't help my mother take care of her.

Question:
[Non US] Is there a way to set a deal with a lawyer in which both daughers have to contribute in taking care of my grandmother? (sharing the responsibility)
If you want some backstory, my grandma has been living with me and my mom for the last 2 years, and my aunt REFUSES and makes excuses to not help my mother take care of my grandmother, because she's "annoying".
My mom took care of my grandfather ON HER OWN for years while keeping a full time job, and managed to pay his hospital bills and debts alone. She sook help from my aunt, but she refused to.
My aunt has no job and is financially supported by her husband, she has no friends, no kids and has a load of free time on her hands, whenever we needed her to take my grandmother or grandfather to the doctor, she came up with an excuse. She was no help for years, but now that I'm older and understand the situation, I think it's time for her to help my mother take care of the woman who raised them, good or bad, it's her mom too.
Since talking to my aunt is no help, I'm desperately seeking legal advice, I don't care if it'll create a fight between my mom and my aunt, we are both tired of being the only ones to help.
Thank you in advance for your advice!
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer: Your aunt has no obligation to care for her abusive mother.  Your mother also has no obligation to do so.  I assume your mother does it because, in her opinion, it’s the right thing to do.  But in making that choice, she can’t impose an obligation in her sister.


Title: Arizona, employer fired and fined me $500 on my way out

Question:
So i was fired and fined $500 on my way out. The fine was for poor work performance unfortunately but i didn't break or damage anything or steal. Just wasn't thorough enough for the high standard. They have written consent from me when i first started for the fine. The problem I'm having with it is it was only supposed to be $200. Now that they fined me $300 additional and refuse to pay it to me I'm looking into how legal the fine is to begin with. From what i have gathered online is they can fine me with written consent due to A.R.S. 23-352 but i keep seeing this section under it that says

Wage deduction with consent

An employer may deduct wages from an employee's paycheck only with written consent by the employee for the following:
• cash shortages
• breakage, damage, or loss of the employer's property
• dishonored or returned checks.

It doesn't have a statute attached to it but it keeps popping up on multiple websites so I'm curious if it is viable. One of the websites i was looking at is http://www.azlawhelp.org/viewquestions.cfm?mc=2&sc=18&qid=22249 but when i follow any link on the website it only gives me the A.R.S. 23-352.

Answer:
 File a wage/hour claim for the lost wages. Go to your state Department of Labor and if they won't help you with that, call the Federal DOL. Answer #2: Even *if* the law allows it for "poor work performance" (which it likely doesn't), your consent must be for a specific action. In other words, you can't sign at the start of employment for "sometime in the future, if this-or-that happens".  You'd have to give consent, for example, "on 6/1/16 my drawer was short and I consent for a deduction to be made".

Also, even IF either of those things were allowed.... the deduction can't take you below minimum wage. Answer #3: It never ceases to amaze me the kind of illegal shit that employers make up on the fly and try to get away with. It is so obviously dodgy that they will inevitably get caught, so I don't know why they even bother. Answer #4: Super illegal. Your best bet is the state Dept of Labor. Feds probably won't care because the case is too small and a private employment lawyer won't pick up such a small case. But you were definitely screwed. Make sure everyone you know hears about this so they don't end up working for these douches.


Title: [US/CA] Landlord is charging us for party

Answer:
 par·ty

ˈpärdē/

noun

noun: party; plural noun: parties

1. a social gathering of invited guests, typically involving eating, drinking, and entertainment.

synonyms:	(social) gathering, (social) function, get-together, affair, celebration, after-party, festivity, reception.


Title: My wife and her sister were beneficiaries to their mother’s life insurance policy. The policy was for $500k. She received a check for $11k today.

Question:
Her father is the Executor. Has been known to do a lot of shady things with money. At his wife’s passing he let my wife know that she should be getting $250k from the policy. A couple of weeks ago he started acting really weird and questioning us about our finances. I started to suspect something at this point. She received the $11k check a couple of days ago and has been trying to question him about what is going on but he keeps brushing her off. As the Executor of the estate can he alter the allocation of the money? Or is there something else happening here that we are unaware of?
Topic:
Wills Trusts and Estates

Answer:
 A life insurance policy should be passed through the estate.  It is a non-probate asset meaning that the insurance policy should've been paid directly to the beneficiaries.  Find an estate or probate attorney immediately.

Did the executor pay the 11k or was it a check from the insurance company?  If it came from the executor, you need to lawyer up asap and notify the court about the insurance policy.  Get a certified copy of the insurance policy from the insurance company and compare that with whatever copy you have naming you the beneficiaries.

If it came from the insurance company, lawyer up and demand the full amount of the policy limits, the $250kAnswer #2: When my husband died, I had a life insurance policy for $X. It was also some sort of investment. So at his time of death the value was $X+$15K.

For some reason, they paid out the $15K immediately, in check form, and then once I submitted the death certificate, they did a bank transfer for the $X. So it was more like closing an account...and then later getting the life insurance.

This might be the same situation. Best to call them though.Answer #3: You should go right to the insurance company first to see if you were listed as a beneficiary on the policy.  If you are the beneficiary, the insurance company would pay you directly for whatever percentage you are listed as beneficiary.

If the beneficiary was a trust that your father controls, you want to get a copy of the trust documents first to see what is going on.

Hope this helps.


Title: (California) My boss forced me to sign a document I was not comfortable signing (as I had not been able to read it) and physically blocked me from leaving until I signed it. One of many incidents, I'm just wondering if seeking legal advice (offline) would be a good idea.

Question:
**Update: I was able to get a meeting with Stanford's Legal Counseling Office tomorrow afternoon! This means I will absolutely be missing work tomorrow, and hopefully this will help me figure out if it's safe for me to just quit or if I have to keep sticking it out for a while before anything can be done. I'll also be contacting the California Board of Labor (they aren't open today), so hopefully that will help as well. I'll be gathering all of my documentation about the job - my offer letter, etc for all of this. Thank you all so much for all of your help!!! And of course, I appreciate any advice if anyone has any more to offer :) Again, thank you!!**

***Edit: Thank you to those who responded, it's really helpful! I will be doing a lot of reading based on your suggestions, and contacting the appropriate people. I really appreciate the help! ....but I think this subreddit might have a downvote brigading problem. I apologize if I offended anyone with anything I said, as it seems all of my responses were downvoted quite a bit.***

Yeah, so, as the title says, my boss forced me to sign a document I wasn't comfortable signing, and physically blocked me from leaving unless I signed. I had to leave at a pre agreed upon time to get to a crucial doctor's appointment, and my boss pulled me aside 10 minutes prior to that time to go over this document detailing new hours she'd decided on for me, and detailing various job tasks and responsibilities she'd decided on for me and their deadlines.

We were able to get through about 1/3; I kept emphasizing that I really needed to leave, as she was already aware, and my window was closing. At that point I was already 10 minutes late. I finally asked her if we could finish going over it after my appointment, or after the weekend when we were all back in the office, and she said no - I had to sign it right then it there. We went back and forth several times, me telling her I wasn't comfortable with that because there was still a lot to go over, and her telling me I couldn't leave until I signed the document.

Eventually, it's nearly 20 minutes past the time I needed to leave. She said to me (exact words) "We can either sit here all day and go over everything until its clear, and then you can sign it, or you can just sign it now and leave."

Completely infuriated, but also desperately needing to leave to get to my incredibly important appointment, I scribbled my signature and tried to leave, while she stopped me twice more to make me write out my name shorthand and put the date and time.

I emailed HR about it immediately after to make sure the incident was documented, but I don't know what to do at all. I am beyond angry.

This isn't the first thing that's happened with this job, and this boss. Two weeks ago, I was hospitalized for a spine injury for 3 days - these were, of course, unpaid days. As a result, I was forced to work 11 hour days this past week to "make up" for the days I missed, without any additional pay. I believe this is discrimination based on a medical condition but I'm not sure.

I could go on and on and on about the rest of the harassment. I believe they are "mobbing" me, a psychological term I recently learned about which means that management tries to get you to quit by basically making your life a living hell - and if that's what they're doing, they are succeeding.

I don't think I can stand another day in that god awful place, especially with the health problems I just began having, and the fact that I am expected to compromise my health for the job but they will not accommodate my health at all.

I am trying to get in touch with the California Board of Labor but unfortunately they won't be open until Tuesday, after I should have gone back in. I'm really not quite sure what I'm supposed to do. She is currently sending me harassing emails about job duties she wants me to be performing over the weekend as well, although I am not allowed to work from home (this is a very, very specific rule), and obviously would not be paid for any of this.

I am a salaried employee, so I'm sure that makes a difference.

I just really need to figure out a good course of action - I want to not go in on Tuesday so I can get some legal counsel, but I'm not sure if legal counsel will do me any good.

Obviously I'm not looking for representation, or any official advice - just hopefully some thoughts and insights. Anything would be incredibly appreciated.

Thank you so much for reading.

Answer:
 There's any number of reasons that this "contract" could be unenforceable.  No meeting of the minds, unconscionability, lack of consideration, and duress immediately jump to mind.  You'd need to meet with a California lawyer who practices employee-side employment law to get an accurate read on your situation.

Anyway, my advice is that you should call the police and report an unlawful imprisonment or kidnapping any time someone blocks your means of exit and physically prevents you from leaving.

Does your spine problem, or any other of your mentioned but unspecified health problems, constitute a disability?  If so, you might want to consider making a request for a reasonable accommodation to work from home.  If they denied it just because they're shitty people, that could open them up to an EEOC claim.


Title: Left Cayman Islands with unpaid doctor's bill. Warrant upon return?

Question:
A friend lived in the Cayman Islands about 10 years ago. During that time they got in a fight and suffered a boxer's fracture. Went to a local doctor and was informed that surgery was required. They did not have money (about $1500) to pay for the surgery but the doctor was very nice, said that was okay and that they could pay on a payment plan. Had the surgery and then left the islands a few weeks later, without making any payments. Never heard anything about it and went on with life. They have been invited to a wedding on the islands and now they are a little concerned there might be a warrant waiting for them if they were to return.
Does anyone know if this is likely to be the case? Friend does not think the doctor would have pursued legal action but even if the doctor did, would there be a warrant issued for something like this?

Answer:
 So you accepted and agreed to a payment plan and then knowingly ditched out of the country. Congrats, you're an asshole. Way to ruin it to other people in the same position who actually intend to make good on agreements. Answer #2: >They did not have money (about $1500) to pay for the surgery but the doctor was very nice, said that was okay and that they could pay on a payment plan. Had the surgery and then left the islands a few weeks later, without making any payments.

Now planning on flying back to the islands for a wedding. (i.e. has the ability to cover a $1.5k medical bill) and is worried that his lack of integrity will catch up with him.

Wow, what a duche.

Will there be a warrant out for his arrest, and he'll be shamed in front of friends and family at the airport?

Almost certainly not, but we can still hope. Answer #3: I'll pray that he's arrested at the wedding.


Title: [VA[ Is it legal to build a gun if you're not planning on selling it, giving it away, or showing it to anyone else?

Question: I want to build a muzzleloading firearm for my own personal use. Is this legal?

Answer:
 Per Federal Law, a muzzle loader, with certain exceptions, is not a firearm, as it is defined as an antique. That doesn't really matter as an unlicensed individual can make a 922r conforming Title I firearm for their own use. There is case law that states a prohibited person cannot possess a muzzle loader in Virginia. Answer #2: It's legal to build a firearm anywhere.

EDIT:

Downvotes huh?

> No, a license is not required to make a firearm solely for personal use.
Answer #3: You can build a muzzleloader, no problem, from a kit or from parts you get from anywhere, or just machine it yourself.  You can do the same for any other rifle or pistol, as long as the gun itself isn't subject to special regulation (short-barrel rifle, sawed-off shotgun, automatic firing, etc.) you can also build a cannon or gattling gun.  Answer #4: [The ATF website is a good resource.](https://www.atf.gov/firearms/qa/does-individual-need-license-make-firearm-personal-use)Answer #5: Google "80% Receiver".  There's an entire industry devoted to helping people manufacture their own AR-pattern firearms for personal use with no serial number.  Perfectly legal, although not surprisingly California tried to ban them recently.


Title: I want to become a teacher but I have misdemeanors on my record

Question:
&#x200B;

I already have a college degree in graphic design but I want to go back for a second degree. I want to become an elementary teacher. However, a few years ago, I managed to obtain 2 misdemeanors (non-violent). I don't know if it's worth it to apply to an early childhood education program if there's a chance I won't be granted my license due to my record. Is my goal of being a teacher unrealistic?

Answer:
 That’s going to be state specific. Go to the licensing agency for teachers in your state and look up their list of disqualifies. You might also talk to a few teachers in your state to get a sense of what districts are looking for.

Deception of any kind will almost certainly get you automatically disqualified, so be honest, up front, and be ready to explain how you have changed.

You might also ask around on teaching subs, they might have a better sense of what districts in your state look for.


Title: What laws do i need to follow to keep my party from being shut down in Colorado?

Question: Im 19f. Last year i had 2 partys in may for birthdays and such and everytime the cops came. Now when anyone has a party in my neighborhood the cops come to my house. Im having a graduation party in may and i want to know what i need to do to keep the cops from coming. I dont break any laws. I dont get tickets but the cops making my guests leave everytime. What can i do to prevent this from happening this year? I do plan on drinking as i have permission from my legal guardian and i will be on my own property but i dont wanna deal with the cops anymore. Anyone know what i can do?

Answer:
 Have your party during the day, let the neighbors know the start and end time of the party in advance, and keep the noise down.Answer #2: >I do plan on drinking as i have permission from my legal guardian

To keep it legal, anyone and everyone who drinks underage will need to have their own parent/guardian *physically present* at the party to consent.Answer #3: You can’t do anything to prevent your neighbors calling the police.


Title: City wants us to get rid of dandelions in our front yard. We want to keep them for bees, so how should we go about fighting this?

Question: I'm located in SeaTac, WA.

Answer: Is there an actual city ordinance that prohibits dandelions in your lawn? Are there bigger issues with your landscaping, like not mowing, and dangerous structures, and junk cars? What else aren't you telling us?


Title: [IL] Friend got charge dropped but i didnt

Question: Me and friend were at a forest preserve and got both charged with being under the influence, i got my charge changed to a speeding ticket somehow but he got his completely dropped. Ive already gotten my court fees however im wondering since we were in the exact same scenario if im fucked at this point and have to pay or is there any way to get my charge dropped as well.

Answer: No. Someone else getting a better deal doesn't entitled you to their outcome.


Title: Need to take possession of dogs from my ex

Question:
Location: Northern VA

Greetings all. I am hoping to find some information on how to handle the situation I'm facing. Over 3 years ago, I split with my ex-boyfriend and left our two dogs in his possession. I've recently found out that he is not properly caring for the dogs (poor living conditions, no vet visits, possible neglect.) I am trying to figure out how to take the dogs into my possession legally. One dog is micro-chipped and registered in my name. I do not recall if the other dog is registered in my name or not. Either way, I have pet insurance and proof of vet bills for both dogs in my name.

There are some concerns if myself or a member of his family (who are in favor of me taking the dogs based on the conditions they're in) tries to take possession through court proceedings or local animal control, that he may retaliate with violence. He has made extremely violent threats to all of us. We are pursuing action against him related to those threats but have found the process does not do much to really prevent him from turning to violence if he's hell-bent on it. I am safer as I have no communication with him and he does not know where I live but the concern that he may blame his family and become violent towards them is very real.

The way I see it, I have three options.

1. Take the dogs. A member of his family could get the dogs in their possession fairly easily and then turn them over to me. He often leaves the dogs outside of his home unleashed and they have run off before. Both dogs have gone missing multiple times. It would be pretty easy to park down the road from his home and get them to come with us. We would not have to go onto his property and he would be unaware of it. The obvious concern there is whether or not I can legally just take them that way since I can prove ownership in the past. The draw to this idea is that, since they've disappeared before, he will just think they've run off, been picked up by animal control, or possible stolen by someone unrelated and won't have reason to blame either myself or his family. This is the option his family is most in favor of and they may do this whether or not I take possession of the dogs afterwards.

2. Call Animal Control and have them do a home check. If the conditions are poor enough, they may take possession of the animals and then I can go through the process of adoption through the county. The downside of this idea is that is does not guaranty the dogs will be taken from him and he will assume a family member reported them and possibly become violent. I also am unsure if them getting taken from him means that I can easily go and take possession.

3. Go through legal proceedings to try to gain possession. Again, same concerns as option 2.

Ultimately, the goal is to legally gain possession of the dogs without provoking violent retaliation on his part. This is a very difficult situation for a lot of reasons and is causing significant stress for both myself and his family. Any advice or information you can provide on any of the above options is greatly appreciated.

Answer: #4 is the best option: pay him to hand them over.


Title: Have 2100 dollar joint collection account on my credit report because my roommates never paid rent months after I left the apartment?

Question: I filed a dispute proving I moved late august and our lease was up in late october. They decided to stay past the lease and never paid the rent in november, yet it's still on my credit report. I disputed it with equifax, and they didn't do anything even though I don't owe anything since I left months earlier. SO how can I get this shit off of my credit report? Not sure what sub would even be appropriate for this question.

Answer: Were you all on the same lease? If so, that's your debt. You can pay it and sue them.


Title: School does not reimburse for mileage (AL)

Question: I am a professional student in the medical field. We have off-campus rotations that we have to attend. Most are within city limits and can be walked to or ride the bus from the school. We have one rotation though that is 55 miles away (110 miles roundtrip) that we have to go to for a half week. Given a 53.5 cent/mile rate from the IRS, this will cost students around $180. The school refuses to reimburse us even though we are doing work for them (I do not know if it is technically for them, it is at a county health department). Is there any way that students can get reimbursed for this expense? I feel like it is a lot to take on since we are doing work for them.

Answer: First, you're not an employee, you're a student. So, the rotation is for your education, not to perform a service. Second, employers generally aren't required to pay for a mileage reimbursement even for employees.


Title: I have a question about moving in with my grandparents... this mostly has to do with how I change their home address as mine (since I'm 18, and technically they aren't my legal guardians).

Question:
Location: U.S.

Sorry for the long title, I'm temporarily moving in with my grandparents this summer since my parents are moving to another country. I plan to stay in the U.S. so that I can enlist in the Air Force. My question is, how do I change *my* home address to *theirs?* Since I'm 18, they aren't my legal guardians, but I'm also not paying for any of their bills, so what proof do I have of legally living there? Do I register at some government office?

If there is a more specific sub-reddit for questions like mine, please let me know. Otherwise, any knowledgeable information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 Do you have a driver's license? If so, you'll need to visit your local DMV and get that changed--that will pretty much be enough.

If you get any letters in the mail--any bills, etc--then you should also go to the nearest post office and fill out a change-of-address form. Otherwise, just start using your grandparents' address on anything you'll provide an address for in the future.


Title: Bill Cosby Conviction Overturned

Question:
Question.

The current DA backtracked on a deal.
The DA backtracks on deals, and police lie all of the time.

Will this open the door to people saying "I believed the prosecutor / cop was helping me"?

Answer:
 >Will this open the door to people saying "I believed the prosecutor / cop was helping me"?

Not really. The majority held that Cosby had reasonably relied to his detriment on a promise made by the prosecutor that his statements made in a civil deposition would not be used against him in criminal court as he would not be prosecuted (and therefore that he had no 5th Amendment right against self-incrimination). This is not the same as a vague assertion that someone felt that a cop or prosecutor was helping them. [The majority itself wrote](https://www.pacourts.us/assets/opinions/Supreme/out/J-100-2020mo%20-%20104821740139246918.pdf?cb=1):

>The circumstances before us here are rare, if not entirely unique. . . . As the concurring and dissenting opinion observes, the circumstances of this case present a “constellation of . . . unusual conditions.”

See page 75.


Title: Getting sued for $3000 when this person agreed to be paid $30 for some work...

Question:
In our email communications this guy clearly stated HE wanted $30 for some programming work I wanted to get done for a for-profit commercial project. I paid him and everything was all good. Now 5 months later he is threatening to sue me for $3000 for using his work in the for-profit project I'm implementing.

So I was wondering if this person has a valid case considering the fact he originally asked for $30 when I assigned him the work.

Answer: Did he explain why he thinks that you owe him $3000? That looks suspiciously close to $30, and $30 wouldn't normally pay for a programmer to even finish their coffee; is it possible that he thinks you agreed to pay him $3000 originally?


Title: 2 Weeks of Parent Observation in Classroom

Question:
Some context: I'm an NJ teacher, and I have a particularly nasty student. Mom refuses to buy that her sweet angel could possibly do wrong, and has taken issue with her daughter getting ISS for damaging another student's personal property. After a few negative conversations, mom shows up to parent teacher night, accuses me of not being in my classroom during the incident, and schedules to observe my entire class everyday for 2 weeks with the counselor. At this point, it feels like a vendetta/harassment. Is it legal for her to be in my classroom everyday like this, especially without a background check? Can the school legally allow this?
Topic:
School Related Issues

Answer:
 You should consult with your teachers' union representative on this. Answer #2: Yes, the school should be allowed to do that. I assume your school does not background check every parent who volunteers?

If you are not comfortable with it then talk to your principal.


Title: German Sixt wants to fine us for the car damage even though the car was insured

Question:
Hey Reddit

So me&my friends got into a really sticky situation and need your help to know if we’ve got a way out or not. Pls bear with me cause I’m gonna try and go into every detail so I don’t leave anything out. Here it goes:

We were in Germany (all of us - foreigners) and decided we wanted to do a road trip to Hamburg and back. We were starting from a town not too far away from Stuttgart but, because our decision was a bit last minute, we could only rent the car we wanted from the airport. And so we rented an Opel Grandland from Sixt there but decided to return it to to a Sixt rental in our town, which we warned the company about.

The woman at the counter who I talked to upon arriving at the Sixt store at the airport suggested we insure our car; since I already rented from Sixt a couple of times without getting the car insured and everything went smoothly I was hesitant, but the woman insisted, saying if we get the car damaged even slightly without insurance the costs could rack up so much we would pay as if we damaged the car completely. She suggested we add at least the cheapest insurance to our order, arguing «that way we are protected against minor damage done to the car». So we agreed and got that cheapest insurance.

Flash forward to the day we bring the car back late in the evening (around 10; it was already very dark) to the Sixt station in the town we lived in. Since we had no accidents on the road, no suspicious sounds or close contacts with other cars, we didn’t take pictures of the car, just looked it over to make sure everything was alright and, having done that, put the keys in the key box and went on our way.

3 days later I get an email from Sixt saying they discovered new damage done to the car: a 5-10cm scratch on the side (you can see it on the pics). That mail also contained a link with an online form for us to «assist» Sixt in discovering the circumstance of how the car was damaged. Problem is, we saw the mail too late, and by the time we did the link had already expired. Still, we thought that, having bought this insurance against minor damage, we should be in the clear and there’s no real reason to worry.

Two months later and I get a new email from Sixt; this time it’s a bill for the damage. 950 euros. We were obviously in shock and could not understand how that could be. Turns out, the insurance we bought LIMITED our responsibility to «a minor amount» of 950 euros, e.g. it doesn’t matter if Sixt values the costs of fixing the damage at 10000, 2000 or 1000 euros - we always have to pay 950 (unless they value it at any sum less than that, then we pay exactly that sum). Problem is, it was never explained to us in the first place how our insurance really works. And also, by the end of our trip the car was in the same condition as when we took it (but, unfortunately, no one thought of taking pictures of it).

Any additional info is in the pics links to which are at the end of the post (since reddit does not let me attach them). We are all students so even splitting these kind of fine (even though we know we’ve done damage to the car) is just so incredibly much for us. And also, for additional context, we are now all outside Germany in our different native countries since none of us are German residents (we were only there for our abroad study).

So, that’s about it. If you think there’s any way around paying this fine - pls comment and tell us how, it would mean a world to us.

Thanks in advance.

PICTURES:[https://imgur.com/5pQ3Sp8](https://imgur.com/5pQ3Sp8)

[https://imgur.com/K2cMnzt](https://imgur.com/K2cMnzt)

[https://imgur.com/JX2xVIR](https://imgur.com/JX2xVIR)

[https://imgur.com/lryJxqF](https://imgur.com/lryJxqF)

[https://imgur.com/YYkEZX6](https://imgur.com/YYkEZX6)

[https://imgur.com/JidxpMt](https://imgur.com/JidxpMt)

[https://imgur.com/K2cMnzt](https://imgur.com/K2cMnzt)

[https://imgur.com/TqMDl0u](https://imgur.com/TqMDl0u)

[https://imgur.com/ZNxNawu](https://imgur.com/ZNxNawu)

Answer: Does your contract say what your deductible was? If it says 950, those are the terms your agreed to when you signed.


Title: Possible wrongful termination?

Question: I was recently terminated from wayfair.com, I am in the Utah office, for "Harassment" because I used to Google to research people in management. Its my understanding that's safe within 1st amendment. I used to collect Intel for the army and I had no malicious intent in researching the two I did. Any opinions or advice?

Answer:
 The 1st amendment applies to government actions, not private ones.

If you don't have a contract with your employer, and you weren't fired as a result of being a protected class (race, sex, religion, etc), then it's probably perfectly legal for them to have fired you for the way you used their computers at work.Answer #2: >Its my understanding that's safe within 1st amendment.

Your behavior, and getting fired for it, has no relationship at all to the first amendment. A lot of people have curious almost superstitious beliefs about their constitutional rights, and I would suggest reading the bill of rights over at least once.

>I used to collect Intel for the army and I had no malicious intent in researching the two I did. Any opinions or advice?

You got fired. Unless you have a contract with your employer or they are bound by some sort of union agreement, they can fire you for almost any reason.

I would file for unemployment and start looking for a job. I would also not research people in management in a way that lets them know you are doing that, as it could seem very creepy.


Title: How to prepare for a Wrongful Termination suit [Louisiana]

Question:
What can I do to proactively protect myself in the event that I am wrongfully terminated?

I am new (6months) to my company, and am a  senior manager.  I was brought on to to turn around on underperforming facility with serious safety issues.  The facility deals with very critical parts,  that if failed, could induce major environmental and health hazards.

Very quickly, it became evident the quality was also a huge concern. As our components are so critical, I immediately implemented a broad quality containment protocol, and notified my superiors.  This included a fairly significant recall that we estimate cost somewhere in the millions of dollars.

While supportive at first, my boss was very quick to chastise any and everyone who put any sort of conversation on the topic in writing or email. There were several conference calls where the senior management team was briefed by him on how to avoid incriminating documentation via email.

This was my first red flag, but the company was taking appropriate action to contain the issue. I chalked it up to a liability exposure issue and went on with my business.

Over the last few months, it seems that every layer that is pulled back reveals another huge failure. Some of the processes were willful violations of regulatory protocols that had been in place for years, and are not quick things to fix. The containment protocol has raised costs and slowed down output, and the long term fixes will take months to implement fully, with 7/8-figure investments.

I have been under tremendous pressure to relax quality standards, most of whichour government regulated. Recently, the pressure has really started to come to ahead.  Forms are being scrutinized, reports are overwhelming, deadlines are tightening- all at the direction of my boss.  My goals sheet, which is used for performance evaluations every six months, was recently changedwith some very out of place verbiage. I am the only manager that this has been done to.  I have recently been given several "personal assistants" To help me manage correspondence, etc. idly enough, they report directly to my boss, not myself.

My only saving grace is that my facility has gone from last to first in all safety, compliance, and quality metrics. We were the second highest producing location, but are now 4th, with a 15% drop in production. This is out of over a dozen locations.

I wouldn't be surprised if  I am terminated in the next couple weeks, as I refuse to violate regulations and release a faulty product, putting lives at risk.

In preparation, I have began to back up all email on removable hard drives daily. Ever since the first meeting about self-incrimination, I have kept a detailed journal summarizing all calls & convos.  I have made copies of goals and metrics, especially as relates to other locations.

I also have enough documentation to prove our non-compliance for years. I have not turned it in to the Feds, as so far, the company has upheld my decisions and taken some containment measures. I have 100% confidence that the day I leave, these measures will be dropped.

Any other suggestions? I am sure the termination will be for something unrelated.
Topic:
Employment Law

Answer:
 >In preparation, I have began to back up all email on removable hard drives daily.

This in itself may be something the company could terminate you over.

>Any other suggestions? I am sure the termination will be for something unrelated.

File for unemployment when you get fired.


Title: should i wear a suit to court?

Question: i have court on wednesday in Philadelphia for a drug possession charge.  should i wear a suit?

Answer:
 It literally cannot hurt.Answer #2: Yes. It does make a difference. It shows a respect for the court and any judge will respect you more if you do it. It may not change his or her mind on anything, but it might if a decision is very close.Answer #3: What does your attorney say?

It absolutely can't hurt.  I would say that generally the defendants aren't expected to dress as good as the attorneys in the room.  But it is very important to look pulled together and dress well.  Whether that is a polo and some khaki's, or a full suit.

If you have a suit, I'd say wear it.  If you don't have one, don't go out and buy one.  Safe that $ for your court fees.