Title: I'm ready to sue my ex-lawyer and I need some advice.

Question:
EDIT- I threatened him once more that if he didn't respond within a week, I would be filing a report with the local BAR and taking him to small claims court. I got a full refund three days later! Thanks everyone!

-

I'm trying to take my ex-lawyer to small claims court for
$3,500. He basically took this money and did nothing with it. I fired him for negligence. He initially wrote me a letter saying he would refund me, but it's been three months and he has not responded to any of my several phone calls, texts, or emails. I'm pretty pissed at the situation, and I want to get this over with and get my money back (if possible) ASAP. I'm about to do my research on the internet after I post this. But if any of you out there can share some wisdom with me, it would be much appreciated. Thank you!

I am in the state of Georgia if that helps.

Answer: Often the state bar will have some sort of dispute resolution procedure that may help you get paid.  You might want to research that first.


Title: Dog got loose and killed 2 goats need help. NC

Question: Dog got loose last night and killed 2 goats down my road and the owners are asking 500$ in 3 days or taking to court. Should I just pay them 500$ or should I get a lawyer ?

Answer: Do you want them to spend the time to find the actual value of the goats, and also hit you with attorneys fees and other incidental fees? And do you like spending time off from work going to court defending yourself when you and your dog clearly are at fault?


Title: Refused service for being a woman

Question:
Hello, 22 yr old woman here. To clarify, I have a very short hair style that is typical for men.

This afternoon, I walked into a small local barbershop in a suburban town where I just recently moved. Not a single person was there to get a haircut. I'm thinking this is great! I can get a quick haircut and leave. The barber, who was sitting in a chair watching TV, took one look at me and flat out refused to cut my already very short hair. He did not care to ask what kind of cut I wanted (I wanted a trim and a taper fade), he just firmly stated that he does not cut women's hair. I walked out a bit confused, but returned a few minutes later. I politely asked him that if he doesn't cut women's hair, he should have this posted somewhere either online or on the door because I wasted my own time driving out here (Note: I know that he won't do this, but I wanted to see what he would say). He snapped at me and said, "This is a barber shop. We just don't cut women's hair." This clearly isn't the issue at hand. I don't know if this is because I am a masculine-looking gay woman, but it was clear that he was not budging, and that he was getting very angry about me even being in this shop. I mentioned that I have been to several different barber shops previously and I have never been denied for being a woman, and he snapped at me again and said he didn't care. He argued with me further, then when I was visibly upset with him he told me to leave. As I'm still talking to him and walking out the door, he mentions that it's in my best interest to leave.  (A threat?)

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I walked out so distraught, and confused. If I had been in the same exact situation (new customer walking in, short hair wanting a simple haircut) but I had been a man, I would not have been refused service. It's that clear.

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My question is this: Can I file a civil lawsuit against this business for sex discrimination? I understand that private businesses have the right to refuse service to anyone, but I was refused outright for my gender.

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Answer:
 He is allowed to not cut women's hair just like another salon is allowed to not cut men's hair. Hair cutting for different sexes needs different skillsets and not all barbers are trained both ways.Answer #2: >but I had been a man, I would not have been refused service. It's that clear.

There is such thing like barbers, and barbers only cut mens hair.

which country?


Title: 13 year old son being accused of sexual assault. But he wasn't even on the campus at the time.

Question:
Yesterday my 13 year old son was called into the Principal's office. He declined to speak to them without me present, as I have instructed him to do. They called me and I said I could be there within the hour.
Because he declined to speak to them, they took witness statements from the girl and her friend, wrote him up on a 5 days suspension and the police took statements and are going to do an investigation.

Supposedly, he pulled her by her arm away from her friends, took her to an undisclosed location and touched her breasts and buttocks, over clothes.

My first question was - when did this occur?

They answered on Tuesday after school.

I picked him up at 3:12 (school gets out at 3:00), and I have video from another student, showing him playing on a tree, timestamped 3:06-3:07.  There is no way he would have had time to walk up to a group of people, walk with her to a different location, play on the tree and walk back to be standing out front, alone, in front of the school when I picked him up.

Details that are important are that my son is a defiant kid, he argues and talks back and likes to push boundaries on rules, especially with adults who don't stay calm. He likes to push their buttons. But he is not abusive to his friends and is not sexual in any way. I monitor his phone and internet usage, and he's not looking up anything that's not normal for his age group (lots of tiktok and youtube videos about cars). He is also on an interdistrict transfer to this school and this principal said the district will be reviewing his case for expulsion next week.

He is suspended for the next 5 days pending a school and police investigation. When do I notify the school that my location data on my phone supports that he was not on campus and that I have a video of him playing with other students, that is date and timestamped?

I've grounded him from his phone and all social media, so as to not make things worse (which rumors were spreading out of control by the time I took it, kids are saying he raped someone). What else can I do?

Answer:
 You can talk to a lawyer.

All of the behavior described could have taken place in 90 seconds or less.  Maybe the timeline will help you and maybe not.  He should not speak to the police without an Ok from a lawyer.Answer #2: >When do I notify the school that my location data on my phone supports that he was not on campus and that I have a video of him playing with other students, that is date and timestamped?

You don't.  The lawyer you hire to represent your son should.  Neither you nor him should say a word to the police or to school administration without a lawyer present.


Title: A middle school near me is bolting students’ lockers shut for not using their locks.

Question:
I am in New Jersey, and a public middle school in my town had been zip-tying students’ lockers shut for not locking them. As of recent, thy have started bolting them shut soon if students don’t use the locks provided by the school. Students are required to leave their personal belongings in the locker at the start of the day, or else they will be confiscated. The use of bolts and zip ties locks their belongings inside the locker, and the student also wouldn’t have access to their locker. Is there anything that can be done about this? Or is it perfectly legal?

(Sorry about formatting, I’m on mobile)
Topic:
School Related Issues

Answer: There are punishments for people that do not follow rules, that is the real world. This is perfectly legal.


Title: Possessing a Handgun in MO

Question: I live in Missouri. Saint Louis specifically. I am 18 and Ive seen that at 18 I can possess a handgun / have one gifted to me, but not purchase one. Can a friend or family member gift me a handgun that I can carry?

Answer:
 As of Jan, 1, 2017, anyone 19 or older can carry a concealed weapon without a permit and with no special firearms training, which previously was required.

https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/ozarks/2018/02/23/what-gun-laws-missouri/366868002/

You can own but not carry at 18.


Title: Fiancé does not want to surrender jewellery after she broke off engagement to my person of choosing.

Question:
My fiance broke off the engagement after making accusations that i cheated on her (which is not true). I believe the accusation was made in an attempt to try to keep the jewellery that she was given to her since it sums up to a pretty penny. I live in a different province. Eight hours away by car. So I made arrangements for someone in the same city as her to pick up the jewellery since that friend travels frequently closer to me. But she is refusing to give that person the jewellery. She is purposely making things difficult.
How can I force to give this person he jewellery?
Can i file a complaint with the police somehow?

Answer: Because you say jewelry and not ring, I am going to assume you mean NOT an engagement ring making the question how do you intend to prove that jewelry given to your betrothed was a conditional gift and not a mere gift?


Title: Michigan: Gave 60-day notice to landlord for intent to move out. Now told that I should expect apt showings from 8-5 M-F.

Question: I swore there was something about needing a 48-hour notice regarding non-emergency entry by landlords. Is Michigan lacking those laws or is there some exception in this situation?

Answer:
 That is absurd. The landlord is trying to comply with the law by giving you notice but this isn't what's meant by notice prior to entry. Notice prior to entry means that they need to notify you in advance before entering your property for a specific event. It doesn't mean that a letter can waive all rights to quiet enjoyment for a 60 day time span. If it did, that clause would be tossed into every single lease in America.

Shoot them an e-mail, text, and certified letter saying you don't consent to a generic notice of entry and expect reasonable notice to be provided before touring or entering the property. If they do come, you have no legal obligation to leave, be polite, or do anything to help them. You should document all violations and speak to a tenant defense attorney if it happens more than once.


Title: Bank sent my personal information to someone else.

Question:
My husband and I are in the process of buying a home. Our bank sent us a packet of information to sign and send back, only it was someone else's. They also sent our packet to the wrong person. We have already informed them of the mistake.
The packet contained both of our full names, social security numbers, birthdates, account balances, net worth, address, phone numbers, and our employers.
We're worried about what the people who received our info will do with it. Especially since we have no way of knowing if they have deleted the email and file off their phone or computer. We are in Texas.
What should we do??

Answer: This is ridiculously negligent of them, but you don't have a lot of legal power here since you so far have no actual damages (and hopefully won't in the future). If you do have your identity stolen and lose money over this, they would probably be liable. But assuming the other people are just dispose out the information, there's no legal harm. You could ask the bank to pay for you to get a credit-monitoring services for a couple years.


Title: (TX) Wife was fired for "excessive absences" but the company didn't follow the rules listed in the Employee Handbook. Her excessive absences were caused by sexual harassment claim.

Question: She missed work due to stress from a coworker sexually harassing her. She filed a claim, but no evidence was found (it was a she said / he said situation). She was given 1 verbal warning and 1 written warning about her absences simultaneously at an HR meeting. The Employee Handbook states that she must be given 1 verbal & 3 written warnings before termination. They just terminated her today stating that she was given multiple verbal & written warnings (lie - one each). She pointed out what the Handbook states, and they said they don't have to follow it. Does she have a case?

Answer:
 A case for what? Unemployment? Yes, if internal policy was not followed.  It really sounds like she was just warned once so it's unlikely she will be disqualified for misconduct.

As to the allegation of sexual harassment, was she forced to continue working with this person or did the behavior stop? She can't just decide she isn't coming into work and expect to still be employed.


Title: Suing a Professional School for Misrepresentation of Services

Question:
(Tennessee) The medical college I am referring to advertised a 99% graduation and residency placement rate in 2012. The same year, they increased their class size by a significant margin, and as a result of the class size increase, they were only able to graduate/place 73% of their class into residencies. To put the numbers more simply:

2012: 149/150 students place into residency (nearly the entire class)

Large class size increase approved

2016: 175 / 242 students placed into residency.

Of the 92 students who were added onto the class, only 25 were placed into residency spots. That's a total failure rate of 73% of the class increase.

I am one of the students who failed out of the program as a result of this class size increase. We were not given any information pertaining to an increased failure rate. I believe I have grounds to sue the university for misrepresentation, and damages caused by failing out of their program (severe emotional trauma, was suicidal and have evidence to show cause of suicidality directly related to medical school failure)

Do you have any advice for me? I would be interested in hiring a lawyer with significant expertise in the field. This lawsuit could be potentially significant as far as financials are concerned, possibly in the millions of dollars range based on what my salary could have been as a doctor (I was accepted to other schools), the student loans that are owed to them, and the emotional trauma that was caused as a result of their actions.

EDIT: The idea is that they had to purposefully fail students in order to have enough students placed into residencies (to avoid screwing up their residency placement statistic). I think it may be possible to get the data they submitted to the accreditation council to see if they actually planned to have that many students attain residency. If there is a discrepancy, there could be something there.

Think "bell curves". They set the bell curve. They decide who stays and who goes, and what their attrition standards look like.

See https://consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/csi-denial-letter.pdf

Answer:
 I am sorry that you did not graduate/attain residency and I encourage you to seek whatever help is available to cope with that.

However...

A school cannot guarantee a graduation rate, they can only describe historical graduation rates and that seems like that this is the case here here. They are telling you that, *in the past* 99% of students have graduated and placed into residency. You seem to confirm that this is accurate.

You say the school did not give you information pertaining to an increased failure rate. I don't know how the school could give this to you. How would they know, ahead of time, who will and will not graduate, or even how many students will or will not graduate?

In the end "graduation" and "residency" are not services offerred by the school. They are merely statistics the school uses to imply the educational services it does provide are of a high quality.

I'm sorry, but I don't think you have a case, especially since you don't have an explanation as to how actions of the school *caused* you to fail.


Title: Am I bugging?

Question:
Hi All,

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2 weeks ago I went boating. I parked my car at a Marina in a parking lot. My friend had MJ that he just left visibly in my car. (I didn't know until we came back) It was a crowded lot and the MJ was on the ground of the passenger seat. It would only be visible if you looked in. I don't believe I received a citation and it was in the car when we came back.  But now am I stressing out that I may get something in the mail or in trouble. Sorry if this sounds paranoid, but I don't use and getting charged with something would be disastrous for me. Would I have been charged with something by now? How would I know? I keep stressing out about it, but not knowing anything is the worst part. I'm from NY btw.

Answer: You B bugging. Look outside. GLOBAL PANDEMIC. I wouldn’t snuff out a J on a cop’s face or anything, but Jesus Christ man you’re golden. Calm down.


Title: [Update - Boston, MA] a man at an off-leash dog park tried to beat my dog with a lacrosse stick.

Question:
Hi guys!

I took your advice, and called the Newton Parks and Rec Department to report the incident. To my immense surprise, a lovely animal control officer called me back who actually took the matter seriously.

He told me that realistically there isn't much that can be done since it will be this crazy man's word against mine, and it's very likely that crazy man will tell his own version of the story, which will very likely be something along the lines of my vicious, out-of-control animal brutally attacking him and his dog. (For those just joining us, I'm just being cheeky. Here's the original post: https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/3i7q6p/boston_ma_a_man_at_an_offleash_dog_park_tried_to/)

We also discussed the rules/laws of the park itself (Hunnewell Park in Newton, for those who were wondering) which is that all off-leash dogs are *supposed* to be confined to a small, off-leash area, but of course because the park is very rarely monitored, no one does that and it's become the norm to let your dog off leash to run around the big park. I was honest, and told him this, and told him that in the month since I've moved to this location and started going to this park, I've never seen a single soul use that designated dog park.

So he told me that while he would look into finding this guy, in the meantime he would start having the park monitored more closely by park rangers, and that they would start enforcing the fines that all of the park signs threaten ($50 for being off-leash in the on-leash area, $50 for not having a registered off-leash tag from the city of Newton). I've only just moved to the area but I've mailed in my application for a Brighton dog license, proof of which is needed to apply for the non-resident Newton off-leash tag, so I'm already on my way to being a law-abiding dog lady. I'm more than happy to pay the $100 for that Newton tag to legally keep me and my dog safe. These are all rules put in place to keep riff-raff out of the parks, and I'm really happy that they'll actually be enforced now.

He told me that next time I see the guy there, off leash in the on-leash area, to call the Parks & Rec department, and if he ever does anything to hurt my dog again, to call 911.

**Basically the TL;DR here is the the Newton Parks and Rec Department actually took me seriously, they're taking action, and sooner or later I'm going to take this crazy motherpupper down.**

Thank you all so much for your advice.

EDIT: [Bonus picture of my great yellow dog beast.](http://i.imgur.com/TJQCapf.jpg)

Answer:
 Well, now you've ruined it for everybody. Answer #2: Using the word "riff-raff" in actual speech makes me smile.

I'm glad they took it seriously.Answer #3: The dog park I frequent is closely monitored and while yes, it can be annoying at times, overall, I think it's good that they keep an eye on things and keep everyone and their pets safe.


Title: Drivers License has been taken from me. (not by court system, by family)

Question: I am 23 years old. I just moved to a new state (Ohio) to get away from a bad environment. That being said, I have problems with drugs and alcohol. I go to AA meetings every day and do what I have to do. My mother took my ID away from me because she thinks she is the sole reason I dont drink. She is also using it to stop me from using nicotine. -- That being said.. I would really like to have it back or replace it. I dont want to get in a fight with her over this. The family I left behind also lost my Social security Card and passport. So I think I need my drivers license to get new ones as I have a few people who want to hire me at this time. Thanks for any advice. Much appreciated

Answer:
 For the record, your license has been *stolen* by your mother. You are an adult, and she can no longer, legally, take your license.

That said, to save face, you could get another card issued.


Title: My roommate is moving out for the rest of the lease. How can I make sure she pays rent?

Question:
I apologize for the spam, as I posted about this same roommate in a different thread [here.](http://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/316u33/security_deposit_how_do_i_ensure_i_get_my_half/)

US, Massachusetts.

Both myself and my roommate are in on the lease together. I am assuming joint liability. Lease ends at the end of August. She is an abusive roommate and we will not be ending this relationship on good terms.

She is leaving this apartment with no intention of ever coming back. She has not said a specific date, but I'm assuming at the end of this month. As far as I know she hasn't found a replacement. I need to stay in the apartment because I have a job nearby. This puts me in an uncomfortable position where she has virtually no incentive to pay her half of the rent from May until August. I would like protection in case she stops paying for the rent, but I don't know how to do that.

So I have some questions. Assume my roommate is uncooperative and will either ignore, resist, or flat out refuse to do anything on her part if she knows it will help me.

1) What counts as a "verbal agreement", and how can you prove that it happened? I mentioned in passing one time, "I want to find a replacement for you so you don't have to pay rent for a place you aren't living in over the summer." and she had no objections to that statement. Is that an agreement?
2) If she stops paying rent, what is the acceptable amount of time to attempt contact before getting the courts involved?
3) If I can somehow convince her to sign an agreement that she is still responsible for her portion of the rent over the summer, what criteria is required to make it an official, legally binding document?
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer: You need to pay the rent in full. You can sue her for her share after the fact.


Title: Son may have accidentally damaged a schoolmate's phone; military parent insists we pay for it

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 >If I drop my phone in a crowded public space and someone behind me steps on it, how are they responsible for replacing it?

They are responsible for replacing it if they intentionally stepped on it.

>How far can this woman take this, and what's our liability here, as parents?

Your liability is to pay for the replacement of the phone. To force you to pay, they'd have to sue you and prove that it's more likely than not that your son intentionally stepped on the phone.

That being said, schools have a huge amount of legal authority to punish and restrict things that students can do. If you refuse to pay but they all think your son did it intentionally they may do things that fuck over your son.

Also from a non-legal standpoint, your entire post sounds like everyone involved thinks your son did it intentionally and your only evidence to support that not being the case is your son's testimony and that you seem to believe him 100%. How much do you trust your son not to lie about something like this? Remember there is no hard evidence of how it went down so you'll never know for sure if he is lying or telling the truth...and he realizes this too.


Title: [New York City] How the **** can we order my grandmother's birth certificate?

Question:
Background: My mother and I need extra copies of my grandmother's birth certificate for a dual citizenship application in the European Union. We have been trying to order copies for the past month with no success.

Problem: The name on her birth certificate and marriage certificate does not match the name on her photo ID i.e. she does not have a photo ID with her legal name on it. Her passport and driver's license SOMEHOW were issued with the middle name as if it was the first name. She has never had a legal name change. NYC office of vital records keeps denying her birth certificate orders based on insufficient ID.

Possible solutions: First of all, I think actually getting her to get a legal name change is out of the question. She's 83 and not about to go to court just to order a birth certificate. We have been considering the attorney protocol, but the issue is it is unclear who should notarize the application (the attorney or herself). If it is her, how will she notarize the application with this discrepancy? Do we just have to try multiple notaries until someone is OK with the middle name being the only thing listed on her photo ID?

She is not super cooperative because 1. she is 83 and doesn't want to run around that much 2. she is paranoid and doesn't want to get in trouble for her "illegal" name change

Another option would be to sign and notarize a statement authorizing me or my mother to order her birth certificate on her behalf, but I am not sure if such a statement would be accepted by the NYC office of vital records, and I am not certain that she could get such a document notarized without sufficient photo ID.

Before you say wait until she dies; aside from that being an absurd solution she is only 83 and I am not about to wait 8-10 years to order two copies of a birth certificate.

Answer:
 [here](https://www.health.ny.gov/vital_records/birth.htm) is a link to the NY State website about ordering birth certificates (note the extra link specific to NY City).  It doesn't appear to mention the notarized statement option, but does state that you could get an order from a NY State court.  Can't hurt to check with the court - maybe it's only a $35 form, maybe it's $500 for the order , it may be worth checking out?  The NYC site also has an option to talk to an customer service person online, maybe they can offer tips/tricks?

One other option, you may be able to check with NY Motor Vehicle Division see if her license was EVER issued in her full name - it is possible that they may have a list of any aka's (full name and/or married name and/or current name), you might be able to submit a copy of that to the vital stats to show that she is one and the same person?  Good luck!


Title: What does this mean? “The sentencing will have to be adjourned because the attorney has to withdraw from the case?”

Question:
A man who stole $1500 from me and several others has not been complying with certain conditions of his Deferred Prosecution Agreement Hearing and the court date is constantly being pushed back.

Even though I filled out a sheet for seeking restitution, is there a chance I’ll never get repaid?

Answer:
 > is there a chance I’ll never get repaid?

Always.  Criminal screw-ups tend not to have a lot of assets or (legal/on the books) income.  Answer #2: It means the defense has the right to legal representation and his current lawyer is withdrawing from the case, so he has been given time to find new representationAnswer #3: > What does this mean? “The sentencing will have to be adjourned because the attorney has to withdraw from the case?”

It means just what it says. The defendant needs time to find a replacement attorney.


Title: Girl is lying about Assault and Criminal Mischief... I'm being sued!

Question:
TL;DR: Wife's friend told police I pushed her even though I didn't. The city is now suing me for assault and criminal mischief.

Story:
In September a friend of my wife's (whom I do not get along with due to some personal reasons) attended my daughters birthday party. I asked her to leave a couple of times before telling her to leave and finally resorted to shouting at her which did make her leave the party.

After she left, she immediately texted my wife stating her camera was broken and I had done it when I pushed her. I didn't push her, though. About an hour later her boyfriend showed up to the park where we are hosting the birthday party and demands I give him $300 for the price of the camera. I told him no, so he parked his vehicle right outside the shelter all of our guests were in and called the police to report me for assault.

The police arrived and spoke with me, my wife, and the girls boyfriend. They determined there was nothing to worry about and told him to leave and apologized for the ruined birthday party.

Now over the course of the last few months this girl has reached out to my wife three times, each time stating I owed her money for her broken camera and each time increasing the price. My wife, unfortunately, has lost these text messages. I, each time, have reached out to the girl and told her I will not be giving her any money or be replacing her camera.

I received a summons in the mail in November for two charges: assault and criminal mischief. I represented myself at my arraignment and pretrial and will be going to trial in two weeks.

I've requested discovery and the city provided me with two pictures of the girl (one of her face, and one of her back with her shirt pulled up with a mark on her back), they also provided me with a list of witnesses and statements. The only witnesses listed are myself, my wife, and this girl.

My question is, can I really be found guilty for something I haven't done? Especially if the only evidence against me is a single statement?

The defense I have prepared revolves around my wife's location at the time of the yelling, as she has said she only heard us yelling and can confirm there was no physical altercation, however she was around a corner and could not see us. I've photographed the location, measured the walls in the area, and recorded sound on my phone to show anyone would have been able to hear something physical happening.

The only other thing working against me is my criminal history which includes a simple assault charge in 2007 and a disorderly conduct in the spring of 2016.

Any advice is appreciated... Thank you!

I forgot to include I am in North Dakota.

Answer: Your original post and your follow-up show that you are in way over your head. Get an attorney


Title: My service dog is not allowed to come to work with me!?!? (x-posted in r/service_dogs)

Question:
Edit - I'm in Portland, Oregon.

Today I was told by my employer that my service dog is not allowed to come to work with me. Some info about my work – I am a baker for a medical marijuana dispensary. The kitchen is set up like a warehouse:  one large long room. It is mostly used for overflow, storage, employee break space, bike storage,etc -  with the kitchen part being the very back third of the space, and only half of it reserved for my actual baking work.

I have been in communication with my employer about having a service dog for over 6 months, 2 months before I even got my dog. They were very supportive about the idea of me having one because my health conditions are severe (to the point that I have been declared to be fully disabled), come on without much notice, and impair me for several days at a time if I am not able to get on top of my symptoms early. They encouraged me to get a service dog ASAP so my attendance and performance would get better.

Once I got my dog I let them know the dog would start coming to work once the trainer (I hired one to help the dog personalize his training to my specific needs) gave the all clear. The trainer gave an estimate of 4-6 months before the dog and I were both ready, which turned out to be spot on at 4 months. In the meantime I would bring the dog in occasionally on my days off or when we were just having a short meeting. I did this for several reasons – 1) so they could get to know the dog and be comfortable with him being around; 2) so they could see how much the dog was helping me (which they commented on many times); 3) so the dog would be comfortable in the area I work and know how to keep track of me and my well-being.

I met with the trainer this past weekend and he said both the dog and I are ready. The week before I took my dog in with me to pick up my paycheck and was able to have a chat with one of the owners about how close to ready my dog was to start coming to work. She was very enthusiastic and supportive. She brought up a concern about making sure he would be secure so as to not bother any of the other employees. I told her I would be bringing a crate and that he would always be tethered to either the crate or me (depending on what part of my workspace I was in). She said that would be fine and that she was impressed with the both of us. Yesterday I told her he had passed his last test and the trainer gave the okay. She said “no problem, we look forward to having him here to help you”.

So today I loaded up all the gear – crate, tethers, bowls, food, toys, treats, extra bags, you name it. I get him set up in the area (the part used for storage where no food prep is done or supplies are kept) that they said to have his crate and such. I then clock in and start working. People are coming and going through my work space, talking to me, getting stuff on their breaks – all the while my dog is completely ignoring them like he should (even when my coworkers tried to get him to play) and keeping his focus on me. Once he gave his signal that I was starting to decline, which prompted me to take my meds and I was able to go back to work immediately (instead of 2 days later woohoo!).

About an hour after I had been clocked in one of the owners (the one I talked to *yesterday*) came in to talk to me. She said that it was decided that my dog wasn’t allowed to come to work with me and started listing off reasons why – he’s too big, his crate would get in the way, it will make everyone want to bring in their dogs, the room shares airspace with a kitchen. She said I could make it a short day and return tomorrow without my dog.

I’ve talked to my caseworker at an agency that advocates and assists people with disabilities. She said I am in the right and could take legal action if I want to or if I am fired because of this. I really don’t want to have to go that route. It’s hard to find a job these days. It’s even harder if you have a disability. But I really need to have my service dog with me.

Reddit, help a girl (and her dog) out, please!

Answer:
 First: Does your company qualify under #2 from this [Link](http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/restaurant_guide.html)?

Edit: Thanks for being one of the very few people with an actual service dog and not an ESA
Answer #2: Question I'll pose to those knowledgable . . .

It is a valid service dog.  But what about the counter veiling factors about cleanliness in an area that requires it?  I assume Medical marijuana isn't regulated like a food service or food packaging plant would be.  Part of me thinks that a service dog would not be allowed on a food line at a plant, due to cleanliness/hair reasons.

What is the standard used in this situation?  Undue hardship?  Genuinely curious, and this is not my area at all.


Title: [Florida] Just fell. What to do?

Question: [deleted]

Answer: So you're a courier and were on the clock? You should notify your employer so a workers comp claim can be started.


Title: [Illinois/US] Brother(24) is in a sexual relationship with a minor(16F), both are willfully missing, minors family have reported her missing and police are actively searching for brother. How screwed is he, legally? (additional details in text)

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Many, many serious felonies. Your brother is almost as screwed as someone can get without murdering anyone.


Title: [MA] What are my options regarding my school wanting my phone for no reason?

Question: [deleted]

Answer: If you don't like it, don't bring your phone to class.Answer #2: You really have no rights here.


Title: Haunted by a past sexual experience, please help.

Question:
I'm sorry for the wall of text that will surely follow, but this is a long story and I need some help.

I am a 25 year old male living in Canada. Roughly six or seven years ago, I hooked up with a friend of mine ([f], we'll call her Beth) for a one-night stand that ended up turning into a three-way with another male friend (we'll call him Dave).

The three of us had been drinking all evening and it was no secret that Beth and I had feelings for each other for a while now. Dave also had strong feeling for her. The three of us were on the couch watching some TV after some drinking, and all of a sudden Beth started masturbating between the two of us. Beth had always been very comfortable and open with her sexuality, so it didn't bother us in the slightest. Beth then moved herself to the floor, and pulled the both of us to the floor with her. She grabbed me by the shirt collar and started making out with me rather aggressively while she told Dave to go down on her. We obliged as we were drunk as well, and we did not hide from each other that we both had feelings for Beth. Things progressed rather rapidly, and we ended up having sex in the adjacent room. There was a moment where Beth wanted to stop real quickly because it was started to hurt, so Dave and I immediately stopped and asked her if everything was okay. She then said yes it was just a quick pain but it had gone away and she wanted to continue. After I was finished, I left Dave's house to go home, and Dave and Beth continued to have sex.

And here we are today. I am now married with a child on the way, and the memory of this night haunts me to this day. I know that Dave and I did everything we could to make sure that Beth was comfortable, but I still can't shake this feeling like I did something very very wrong, and that I will pay the price. All three of us were drunk and the entire situation was initiated by Beth herself, but in today's world it seems like even if everybody involved has had alcohol typically the courts will side with the woman if she ever decides to file for sexual assault. I have not spoken to Beth since, so I have no idea what she is up to or how she is doing.

Here is my conundrum. This experience has been haunting me as of late, and I feel like I need to reach out and contact Beth to see if she's okay. I feel immensely guilty in case I was at fault for something that damaged her in the long run, but like I said, I have no idea how she's doing at this present time. I have a wife with a child on the way, and I do not want any of that taken away from me, but I fear that if one day Beth decides to take this experience to court, I may lose everything.

 I have told my wife, who has assured me that I was not at fault, seeing as all three of us were drunk and Beth was definitely the one who initiated it.

What should I do? Should I contact Beth and see how she's doing? My only fear is that contacting her will urge her to take this to court which obviously I do not want, seeing it was just a drunken mistake on all of our parts as teenagers.

So far remaining silent has increased my anxiety to levels I cannot even describe. I am nauseous almost everyday and I feel like it won't be long before I develop some sort of ulcer because of the stress. I do not want to lose my job, wife and child due to a drunken mistake I made as a teen. I'm losing sleep, and it's driving me insane. I don't know what to do. Please help me. Thank you.

Answer:
 This is far less of a legal problem than a psychological one.

Get help for your anxiety- that's the real issue here.Answer #2: Not much in the way of legal advice other than I wouldn’t reach out unless she does. but maybe you should consider talking with a therapist.  You seem to be a very thoughtful guy who wants to do right.  A therapist may be able to help guide you through your feelings of guilt.  You did nothing wrong.  She initiated it and everyone involved was drunk. I hope that you are able to find inner peace with this situation


Title: My girlfriend’s phlebotomy course was a scam and has just disappeared off the internet (Texas)

Question:
Hey there,

My SO heard of a phlebotomy course around our town that was easy and very accessible. She attended a session or two, where a woman by the name of Katie appeared to lecture and give out information. Later, she received emails with a notice that they (the company) were having technical difficulties and would need to receive an email with final exams, etc. before 9/21 to receive a certificate by 9/24. My girlfriend complied with all of these instructions, however that certificate never came.

Long story short, the students were required to pay $100 online through a website named texasahcp.com. After sending in her coursework, it has been months with no response from the company, or Katie. The website, which has redacted domain information on ICANN, is no longer being hosted, and all of the phone numbers in relation to Texas AHCP have been disconnected. The address was also revealed to be false. The invoice, which was generated by Square, was paid in full. In early August after the payment was received, they sent an email with an “Invoice Cancelled” header, again generated by Square. A refund was never issued. The company information at the bottom of the form is falsified and, upon googling Texas Academy of Healthcare Professions, nothing can be found.

While it was just $100, I’m convinced that this woman, and potentially other parties, are scamming young adults looking to further their careers. The $100 is *not* the concern, mind you. I just don’t want this to happen to anybody else, and I’d love to see these people potentially arrested.

While I fear this “company” has committed a crime, I am unsure of what we can do to prevent this from happening elsewhere. I tried digging through the emails to find an IP address of the host used for that domain, but to no avail. The domain no longer resolves to a host, but I’m 99% sure Square hosted that site judging by the invoices. Who am I to contact? Is there any more digging I can do?

Answer:
 First off, I recommend going to the bank and explaining the situation, probably can initiate a charge back, if I'm not mistaken. Bring all your evidence so you have a case if the scammers decide to fight it.

https://www.usa.gov/federal-agencies/federal-trade-commission see about contacting the FTC to report it


Title: Sister fearful of losing her kids... (Custody questions)

Question:
I have a younger sister (mid-20's) who has two young children (both under 10) and she has been having ongoing issues with the children's father. She is no longer dating him but she has been letting him see the kids a couple times a week for a few hours each time. However, this arrangement is becoming extremely problematic.

The kids' father is emotionally and mentally abusive to my sister and the kids. He is unable to hold a steady job, was recently committed to a psychiatric ward for a week for suicidal threats, has had several run-ins with the law, and has been inconsistent with his child support payments.

I am adamant that my sister needs to get an attorney and settle this in a court of law before this guy decides to pack the kids up on one of these day visitations and take them out of the state. Unfortunately, he has bullied her into thinking the court will award him custody of the children. He has convinced her of the following:

1. Since she has a part-time job as a bartender (ie not a lot of money for legal fees) and lives with her mother, the court will look down on that.
2. This is happening in North Carolina, and he has convinced her the law is more favorable to fathers in this state.
3. He has supposedly cleaned his life up the past two months and has convinced my sister a court would side with him because he makes more money than her.

My sister believes all this junk and as such, doesn't want to get an attorney. She lives with my mother, and between the two of them have always made sure every need of the children has been met. How can I a) reassure my sister any judge would laugh this guy out of court when he asks for custody and b) find her legal assistance?

Thank you so much for the help.

Answer:
 Not yet a lawyer, not legal advice, but information.

Check out [this](http://www.lawhelpnc.org/find-legal-help) site. It's a great place to find a low cost or free consultation.  Also [this](http://www.lawhelpnc.org/issues/family-and-juvenile) page should have lots of information on the law and your various rights so your sister can be informed.


Title: Roommate's girlfriend recorded argument from next room. Is this legal?

Question: So last night my boyfriend and I had a really bad argument in our apartment, and the walls are incredibly thin. For example if I raise my voice slightly above normal volume it can be heard in the next room. Our roommate's girlfriend was asleep in his bedroom, and woke up. She recorded our argument, and left the next day because she was uncomfortable. My boyfriend and I are okay, we just needed to work some stuff out. I live in rural Georgia in the US, and I know that it's a one-party consent state when it comes to recording private conversations, but how does that apply to people who are not a part of the argument/discussion? Was it legal for her to record our argument?

Answer: The minute you start yelling loudly enough that a person in the next room can hear you clearly and record you without any specialty equipment, you've made them the third party in the conversation.


Title: [TX] URGENT being sued over pr0n

Question:
So I have a friend, who is an illegal alien, that shares his pr0n with me. I don’t know if he produces it or what but he’s always coming up with new videos to show me. It’s on VHS cuz we’re old school and there’s no digital footprint. Anyway, recently I guess he was released from jail on an immigration bond (idk what he did) and is threatening me to either give his “intellectual property” back, destroy it, or get ratted out to the authorities about it being CP unless I pay him the amount. I don’t think it’s CP but a majority of it is Mexican and, knowing the state of the country and the industry, they are probably forced to do it in some cases. But that can’t be my fault. So today the police came to my apartment to ask me about the case but I just pleaded the fifth and told them to get a warrant. I’ve hid the videos and I want to keep them. So what I want to know is: does this illegal actually have ammunition on me? He can’t prove shit. Can’t I just call border patrol and have him sent back for making threats? And if the cops seize my property, 1. Can I invoke private property rights on them to prevent them from seizing it? Pron isn’t illegal after all. 2. Are they still able to play vhs for evidence since it is obsolete tech? Thanks for your help
Topic:
Immigration

Answer: Dude, if there's even a remove chance there is CP on there, and the cops find out about it, yes they can absolutely get a warrant and come seize it. Yes, they can also play VHS tapes.


Title: Gender discrimination at work,how to proceed?

Question: A woman works for a company that in the last 5 years has never promoted a woman into a higher position. Several women have been told in the past the reason they wouldn't be cross trained on other equipment is because the machinery might be to much to handle. Talking to management has done nothing except being "punished" be being put into less desirable work assignments for a period time. How can these women file a claim against the employer ? The state is indiana

Answer: They can file a complaint with the [Indiana Civil Rights Commission](http://www.in.gov/icrc/).


Title: Who had the rights to a patent from University research?

Question:
I am currently doing independent research at a University in Idaho, and I have a very hands-off advisor who let's me guide my own research. I am currently designing some hardware, and my advisor mentioned patenting it.

My question is about who would get ownership. I'm being paid to research at the University, and there are some research grants for funding.

Would I get any credit? Is there some way I can get my name partly on the patent if I did all the designing AMD theory myself? Would the University or my advisor get all the credit? I just want to refer to it as my work, seeing as I'm spending so much time designing it.

Answer: What paperwork did you sign given you are being paid to research? That would be the first place to look as I would guess that is where the terms around intellectual property are to be found.Answer #2: Does your university have an intellectual property office? Talk to them. Your name would most likely be on the patent, but you may find that the university will get a large percentage of any commercial profits from your inventions. I know it doesn't seem fair, but they are paying you and providing you with the materials to do your research.


Title: Our landlord won't let us access an outdoor storage house.

Question:
My roommate and I are renting a house in Texas. There is a small permanent outdoor shed/mini house that is split into two sections by a wall. One section functions as our laundry room and has it's own door, the other section functions as a small storage room and also has the yards drip system controls inside. The landlord did not give us a key to this storage room when we moved in, claiming that he is storing some of his own stuff in there.

I recently asked him for a key so that i can store some things in there as well, and he said he would not give us a key because we verbally discussed not having access before we moved in, and he says we have plenty of space in the house to store things if we want.

Apart from using it as storage, I also want to access the drip system so that we can reduce the water used in the yard. we have to pay all utilities for the property and our water bill has been quite high since before we moved in.

It does not say in our lease that we cannot access this storage room or drip system. Is this illegal in Texas?

Answer:
 >It does not say in our lease that we cannot access this storage room or drip system.

But does it say you *do* have access to it? Answer #2: If the lease doesn't specifically give you access to the storage area then you can be denied access. It's not part of the house and isn't a nessesary habitability requirement.

What does the lease have to say about property maintenance and related expenses. Does it mention irrigation? You may not be allowed to adjust the irrigation. With a lease that requires you pay all utilities your only option would be to sue for excessive use of the water and hope the court agrees he's using more water than nessesary.Answer #3:  You're renting the house. Not the storage shed, right? Completely legal unless you had some sort of agreement on the lease to use the storage space.


Title: My Loan Repayment Company has Limited the Number of Times I can Pay per Month

Question:
Given my loan situation, the best thing to do is to make small daily payments rather than one big monthly payment.

The company that owns my loan will not allow more than 8 payments per month. They told me it is for my protection so I don't overdraft my bank account. They will not let me pay over the phone. The only option for me to pay is by mailing a check. Every. Single. Day.

They charge me interest every day (even weekends), but I can't make payments every day (except by mail).

I am in California, but I took out the loan in Washington, DC. It was for law school.

It seems my only recourse is to file a complaint, but I really don't want to get in a legal battle with a loan company. Unless, of course, you all tell me there is a law requiring them to let me pay when I want to.

Answer:
 How much are you paying daily? That seems like such an inefficient way of approaching this. I can see why they limit the number of payments a month, from an accounting standpoint. I'd do weekly payments instead, if I were you. Answer #2: Why are you paying daily? Do you get paid daily?

It's not surprising they don't want to process 30 tiny payments, it costs them money to process payments.


Title: Receptionists at Psychiatrists Office Admit to Screening and Ignoring My Calls and Problems Result... Please Help

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 What they did was almost certainly not illegal, and sounds completely reasonable under the circumstances. Every doctor, psychiatrist, psychologist, etc I've called plays a recording that says "If this is a medical emergency, hang up and call 911." Your typical psychiatrist's office is not equipped to handle an emergency, and them forgetting to refill your prescription is not an emergency. Anxiety is not a life-threatening disorder, stop pretending you were permanently damaged because no one returned your phone call for 2 hours.

For reference, I have severe Tourette's for which I'm getting ready to undergo brain surgery to correct. Last week I dealt with a very rude nurse who wasn't passing on my messages that DID involve life-threatening information. I didn't harass the doctor over and over, instead I emailed the reception desk and asked them to pass along the message instead. All said-and-done, it took about an hour to get everything corrected, and I didn't piss off anybody that has my sensitive medical information.

This isn't legal advice, just life advice: grow up and stop playing the victim. You had a bad day because of a mistake, that happens. Don't make this pebble into a landslide.Answer #2: This isn't a legal issue. You should find a different psychiatrist, preferably somewhere more convenient for you.


Title: [GA] My BIL'S girlfriend found out I was pregnant again and threatened to report me to CPS. What can be done?

Question:
So this is my husband's brother's girlfriend. She is 21 and thinks she knows everything. She has had it in for me since day one and is convinced I'm an unfit mother. I also have a hunch that she is trying to get my children. She has an obsession with having babies.

Because of the specific state my house was in a few times when she came over to babysit, and because of developmental delays my son has been experiencing, she is targeting me as the source for all of this. Multiple times after she babysat she contacted my husband and claimed that the states the house was in at the time was neglectful, which is untrue. My husband works a job where he's gone 18 days and home for 7, so the house does get messy during those times because I'm my sons sole provider.

Now that she's found out I'm pregnant again, my SIL (so my husbands sister) called me and warned me that girlfriend told her she was filing a report. She also says that she took a video of my apartment and my son last time she was there (last week) and will be handing that over.

The thing I'm worried about is that when I lived in NY when my son was born, I was suffering from PPD. When I took him ror a checkup the doctor filed a report and wouldn't let me leave with baby and I had to take parenting classes, but this was over two years ago.

I'm scared if she files a report I won't be allowed to leave the hospital with baby. What can I do legally? Can I sue her for defamation? Also can I get a restraining order because she took videos of my child without my consent?

Answer: Making reports to CPS is usually a protected action that you can't sue about. You can protect yourself by making sure your home is safe and inhabitable for an infant. Answer #2: Yes, this is a super sucky situation. But you do not deny that your home is in a state of squalor that would concern CPS. So you need to (in order of preference and not mutually exclusive) either clean your house, cut back on your hobby group meetings, or find a babysitter who you trust.


Title: Is it illegal to say you don't have health insurance, even if you do?

Question: This has to do more with health services that would be free if you dont have insurance. Technically both would be free, but you would have your services paid for by 2 different entities.

Answer:
 Lying in order to obtain something of value is called fraud, and is a crime just about everywhere.

Having your care covered by insurance is not free. Your insurance pays your bills on your behalf because you have a contract with them and because you pay your premiums on time. Insurance moves the costs around and pools the risk, but it doesn't make those costs vanish.


Title: Do I owe my tenant money for leaving early?

Question:
Michigan user. Tenant moved in back in February, charged him $500/month. Made him pay me $1000 for first and last month's rent. He basically had a 1100 square foot, freshly renovated home, all to himself, for months. He bitched and whined about every little thing - I gave him discounts for certain renovations being done. Prior to him moving in, he knew of my plans for the house during his stay. Other times he gave me some bullshit about his ATM only depositing so much money, so I got shorted $20 here, $20 there. My fault, I know. Now the house is up for sale (it's a flip). He told me late April/early May that he would start moving his things out to his new apartment (never gave me a definitive date that he would be out).

It's May 19, 99% of his furniture has been moved out since about a week ago. He has not said anything to me, and I know he is waiting for me to say something. Do I owe him a portion back of the additional $500 he gave me upon moving in? Couldn't he just lie and say all his stuff has been out since, hypothetically May 3, and that I owe him ~$470 back? And in my defense, can't I just say, "well I haven't been at the house in 3 weeks, how was I supposed to know when you were officially out?" and claim that I owe him less.

I am confused. Please let me know what to do, if I should do anything or just WAIT for him to say something... he still has keys, garage door opener, and 1-3 items left at the house. He's waiting for me to speak up.

Answer:
 "He has not said anything to me.. ."

Then he has legal possession and you CAN'T take the place over. He has not notified you that he has quit his tenancy. He has not removed ALL of his stuff. He has not turned over keys. He is still a tenant and he will owe you rent on the first if he does not give you notice sooner.

Since you want rid of him, I would suggest you attempt to contact him at the end of the month and then ask him if he intends to terminate and if so when can you expect him to finish moving out and turning over keys.


Title: Friend was assaulted at a bar, I witnessed the whole ordeal. Friend is aware that she was assaulted but won't press charges. What should I do?

Question:
I was at a music show at a bar. I was sitting by the bar, watching one of the bands play. Bathroom was right beside me, and my friend was in line. This guy, let's call him Douchebag, cuts everyone in line and forces himself into the bathroom, locks the door behind him. My friend keeps knocking on the door, and Douchebag slams the door into her face in response. He then gets out, starts screaming at her, calling her a bitch and flipping her off. He was about to hit her again, approaching her with his fist clenched at his side, when someone pushed him away. He then goes outside, starts screaming and crying to the owner of the venue, who is his friend. Owner immediately takes his side, even though Douchebag lied about everything that happened. He tried saying he didn't slam the door into her face, but I saw it clear as day, and so did many other people. Owner and doorman began laughing about the entire thing to my friend's face when she told her side of the story.

She doesn't want to press charges, even though she has several witnesses, me included.

What can be done about this?

Answer: She does not press charges. She informs the police, and they issue charges if they feel charges are warranted.


Title: Towed from a complex within an hour of being there?

Question:
8 block complex served by 4 garages. Towed within an hour of being there. They have a sign that says have to go to some of the restaurants to get a parking validation immediately and only valid for 3 hours.

Went to a different restaurant first and then was going to get drinks at the one next door on the list. Apparently I was followed by someone and then they towed.

My argument would be immediately isn't defined in terms of time. Walking from the farthest garage to the farthest restaurant takes 20 minutes in the complex. Gonna try to get a hearing in front of justice of the peace to file a dispute on the tow using immediately as not a time. Think I have a chance?

Answer: Immediately is understood in common vernacular to mean right away, which is after parking you go there. Being at another restaurant for an hour then going is not immediately by any stretch.


Title: [california] Can I record phone calls and later use it in court if I had to?

Answer:
 Yes, with the consent of all parties to the call.  California is an all-in state, requiring consent from all persons in a conversation for legal recording.Answer #2: California requires the consent of *all* parties to a telephone call in order for the call to be recorded.  That's going to be direct and knowing consent - you shouldn't stand on implied consent.

If you don't have that consent, not only have you committed a crime but the recording will almost assuredly not be used in any court proceedings.  California is very clear and strict on that.


Title: Suing for HPV?

Question:
[My post in r/relationships](https://www.reddit.com/r/relationships/comments/3cbjhu/me_26_m_with_my_exfwb_32f_of_4_years_ago_she_is/) explains it in more detail.

Basically, a crazy girl gave me HPV four years ago. I recently relocated her and want to sue her to stop her from spreading it to other people. As a matter of public safety.

Could I do that? How do I go about doing that?

Answer:
 HPV is the most commonly transmitted STD - almost all sexually active adults will contract it at some point in their lives and it can be incredibly hard to diagnose absent symptoms, which the majority of carriers don't have. How do you know that she maliciously or knowingly transmitted it to you?

Even based on your /r/relationships post (which almost no one here is going to read, by the way) you don't even know if she gave it to you.Answer #2: You really don't present well in that post you linked.

In most US jurisdictions you don't have a cause for action, but your location matters here.Answer #3: No, you can't sue someone for maybe giving you an STD that you can't prove she gave you just because she's getting married and moving on with her life and you want to prove you're not the crazy ex (even though you totally are).


Title: RE: A post a made a while ago where the situation has changed.

Question:
Please read: http://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/27apo6/data_protection_actcomputer_misuse_act_help/ and then read what I have to say below.

I never reported the issues higher than the school, which I now regret. I recently decided to look to see if the issues had been fixed as I was bored and had ignored the issue for a while, and sure enough, most of the issues were still there. I could still access sensitive data, the same way as before, with no 'hacking' needed, just clicking on network in explorer and going to certain servers.

I emailed the head of IT saying I believe the issues to be being ignored and is anything going to be done to which I got no reply, in the end, I got called to a meeting where I was basically black mailed with "Stop accessing the file, it can't be fixed, so it's staying as it is so stop accessing it and don't tell anyone, if you access or tell anyone, we will report you to the police and block all access to the network (causing me to fail A-Levels)"

Now I am really confused about what to do as I don't particularly want to just ignore the issue, but I guess I have too. Am I breaking any laws? is the school? I just want some help if anyone specialists in this.
Topic:
Computer and Internet

Answer:
 First, graduate.  Risking your ability to graduate is probably not worth it.

Then, report to the school, the dean, the president, and up the food chain, in writing, that you became aware of this problem and alerted the school on date X, and that their failure to fix it may be a violation of the data security acts.Answer #2: Is there an ombudsman of sorts? Most large organizations (such as a school) will have an ombudsman to act as a neutral party.

As this is an IT problem with IT being lazy and/or incompetent by exposing such sensitive data, IT would prefer to sweep it under the rug. It would make the IT dept look bad.

An ombudsman might be the person to go to. They exist outside of the org chart and because of this they're not beholden to any internal politics.


Title: Investigators Went To My Old Employer To Ask Questions

Question:
Yesterday investigators went to my old place of work to try to find me and ask me questions. I left that job about a month ago because I got a new job somewhere else. On My last day of work at my old job sometime right before Christmas I went out with some fellow coworkers from the same place and apparently got into a fight with one of them. I have no recollection of this ever happening, mind you i was very intoxicated. A couple days later after the incident i received a call from an investigator wanting a call back they left a voicemail. I let it pass as it was the holidays. When I got back home i saw that there is a card with a sheriffs name and case number on my kitchen counter. I looked online to see if there were any pending cases against me but didn't find anything. I have no idea how it got there. Later about a week ago I received another call from the same investigator wanting a call back. I let it pass again, and yesterday investigators went to my ex employers place of work to try to find me and ask some questions.

I work in a law firm and live in Florida.

&#x200B;

TLDR: Blacked out one Night. Investigators are trying to get in contact with me.

Answer:
 If you’re thinking that you may have assaulted someone while blacked out, don’t talk to the police without a criminal defense lawyer. Don’t say anything. Not. A. Thing.

Lawyer. Now.


Title: Restraining Order

Question: I recently broke up with my ex and she placed a restraining order on me. The reason we broke up was because she was cheating on me with multiple people and she was also lying to them, making them believe they were the only ones in her life. I want to let these people know the truth, since I don't think they know, but I'm afraid this might somehow get me in trouble. Would it be safe to let these people know what she is really doing?

Answer:
 Nothing good can come of this.  If she already put a restraining order on you, either there is more to this situation than you are telling us (meaning perhaps you were an ass to her in ways that make you somewhat culpable) or she is unstable.

WALK AWAY.  "but muh first amendment right to free speech" too bad, it isn't worth it.  Take this as a lesson in being more judicious in picking a partner.

Otherwise, be prepared to be in and out of court dealing with her allegations of you violating this order, and then new orders issued if you are convicted of violating the order and so on and so on.

&#x200B;

If you really think that it is unfair that this order exists, retain an attorney to fight it.  Yes, you could appear pro se to address the matter, but in all likelihood you are too close to this emotional situation to properly advocate for yourself.  A lawyer who represents himself represents a fool.


Title: (Florida) What is the potential fallout from not delivering my child to his mother if someone who is a danger to the child will be with the mother?

Question:
Today is the last day of school for my son and, as per our parenting agreement, I am to deliver him to my X. The issue is that there is an event this evening involving my child's half-sibling. My X invited my mother to attend the event. My mother has been mentally off for a few years and is no longer involved in the lives of my family, or my sisters family because of her manipulative ways and questionable things she does around children. (for the record, we have had a mental health professional check to see if my son was physically or sexually abused and the MHP does not believe he has been, I have also talked with him and he said nothing like that happened.) My mother has never had her mental health checked (no baker act, etc...).

My son has been seeing a mental health professional for the last year and has made great progress in dealing with the divorce in general. He has also stated to the counselor that he does not "feel ok" when he has been around my mother. 3 different times, my X wife has invited my mother to attend events, against my pleading with her to keep our son safe. One time, my son became so agitated by my mother, that he began to cry and had to be taken to another area to calm down, (he asked repeatedly to talk to me on the phone and my X would not let him call me).

Legal details: Officially, my wife and I share 50/50 custody of our son. He lives with me 2 counties away and attends school in my county. I get time with him during the school week, one weekend a month, and 2 weeks during the summer. I receive no child support. There have been multiple other issues with getting my X to follow the parenting agreement. I also understand that there are no grandparents rights in Florida.

Financially, the divorce drained me. The divorce itself took almost 3 years, settling where our son would attend school took another 6 months. I can't afford to take this issue to court financially, and the system is so slow here that it could take months to get in front of a judge after mandatory mediations, etc...

I have been researching how to get a restraining order against my mother on behalf of my son, but I am having to do all the legwork myself (can't afford the cost).

My son loves his half-sibling (who was my step-child for 8 years). I do not want to punish either of the children by keeping my son away, but I cannot deliver him to someone that causes him stress and anxiety. My son's MHP has even reached out to my X to advise against facilitating interaction between my son and my mother.

I was given the advice of just not delivering him. I was told that, given the situation, it would get expedited before a judge, and that once in court, I would have my chance to explain why I thought my son was in danger. It would also allow me to provide proof of all the ways my X has violated the parenting agreement.

I don't want to expose my son to someone who is a danger to him for a weekend. However, I am scared that the fallout from this will be that he has to change schools to live with his mother. I just don't know what to do.

Answer:
 > I was given the advice of just not delivering him. I was told that, given the situation, it would get expedited before a judge, and that once in court, I would have my chance to explain why I thought my son was in danger.

Whoever gave you this advice clearly wants you to get arrested, I wouldn't trust them. Half-jokes aside, they are very very wrong. You should never, I repeat, **never** violate a court order. If you believe your son is in danger for some reason, you need to petition the court for a change in the custody order with possible restrictions in regards to your mom. Barring that, you follow the order to the T. That includes handing your child over at the time the order states. Period.


Title: [Illinois, United States] Wrist damage from handcuffs

Question:
I was arrested for driving on a suspended license (which I didn't even know was suspended I never received notice. What happened was I was rear-ended at a stop light by a driver not paying attention, and after I give the cop my license he tells me I have a suspended license and has to arrest me. I was unaware of anything suspending my license, so they put the cuffs on and in the car I tell him they're to tight and I can't feel my hands. I wasn't argumentative, I was compliant the whole time and he said he'd loosen them and never did, wrists are messed up and I'm considering going to the hospital to have them looked at, but I want to know am I liable for the hospital bill and can i do anything if for example nerve damage occurred? This happened today (10/17/2015) about 4 hours ago

Side note I asked him why it was suspended and he said the system doesn't say why it just says judgement, I don't have any tickets or anything out against me)

Is there anything I can do?

Answer: You can file a complaint with the department and a claim with the city.  If they refuse the claim you will have to sue.  In general you need to get treated first so you can prove damages.


Title: [Minnesota] School messed up on providing me health insurance and now won't enroll me because it is past the due date for enrollment for this semester.

Question:
So, I signed up for my university's health insurance policy for this semester. The insurance was supposed to run from January 20th - August 20th. Yesterday I needed to refill my prescriptions so I called the school pharmacy and they informed me that I was not actually covered by the university's health insurance.

I called the help line for the health benefits office. Essentially this is what happened:

1. The directions to enroll on the website tells you that you just have to hit a special check box when registering for your Spring courses and then make sure your address is up to date in the school's records. So I did that under the impression, by that page, that was all I had to do to sign up for insurance. [Here is the link to that page.](http://www.shb.umn.edu/twincities/students/shbp/enroll-or-waive.htm)

1. Because I waived enrollment in the fall semester (I was on my parent's insurance until I turned 26 in October and opted for temporary health insurance for the remainder of the Fall semester) they "automatically" waive you from possible enrollment for the Spring unless you send them a special form. However, these directions are NOT on the directions to enroll. These directions are under the "Frequently Asked Questions" portion. I didn't have any questions, I read through the policy, understood the coverage, understood the directions page, and enrolled (or so I thought).

2. Turns out because I didn't send these papers in and I only clicked on the checkbox wishing to enroll, that they didn't enroll me. Nor did they inform me that I wasn't enrolled. So I come to find out 2 months later that I haven't had insurance all this time.

3. I spoke with someone on the phone yesterday and they told me that this has been a very common problem due to the directions on their website and that, because of that, they are still allowing people to enroll late. She informed me that all I needed to do was fill out the forms and email them into the office. I did that immediately, and today I got the response that they can not enroll me because it is past the deadline. I then called the office and asked for clarification since I was told something completely different the day prior and the person on the phone said the same thing as the email response, "you're past the deadline, we can't do anything for you."

4. I am now stuck without proper insurance until I start my job in the middle of the summer. I can opt for temporary again, but that doesn't cover some of what I am needing from health insurance right now. I also have the potential to get the Obama insurance tax penalties for a break in insurance or for using temporary insurance.

Is there anything I can do to try and get insurance? Any help or guidance would be great! If you have anymore questions for clarification let me know. I know it seems ridiculous that I didn't know until now, but I just hadn't needed to use it until now! So I hadn't thought about it.
Topic:
Insurance

Answer:
 > I spoke with someone on the phone yesterday and they told me that this has been a very common problem due to the directions on their website and that, because of that, they are still allowing people to enroll late. She informed me that all I needed to do was fill out the forms and email them into the office. I did that immediately, and today I got the response that they can not enroll me because it is past the deadline. I then called the office and asked for clarification since I was told something completely different the day prior and the person on the phone said the same thing as the email response, "you're past the deadline, we can't do anything for you."

My suggestion: keep doing this, bring it to the higher up. If the person you are talking cannot help you, then ask to speak with upper management. Stay respectful but also insist that they need to fix this because it is their fault for creating a confusing setup, especially since they admit that already.


Title: [IL] Manager just sent me home from my serving job.

Question: Did not "write me up" but transferred $260 worth of tabs to someone else. I feel cheated out of potential tips (about $50 worth) Do I have a leg to stand? Thank you in advance for any help!

Answer:
 We need a lot more info than this.  Why were you sent home?

Generally, staffing decisions like that are legal.Answer #2: Yes, he can send you home. Whether he can transfer the tips to someone else could be fact dependent, but $50 isn't worth going to a lawyer over. It's possible the state's wage and hour board might do something, but I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't.Answer #3: I'm from Texas so take this with a grain of salt.

The manager can absolutely transfer your open tables to another server and send you home. If you have already collected payment for a table, you have the right to the tips left by those guests subject to any credit card fees or tip outs.

Overall, it sounds like at best your boss was having a shitty day and at worst you work for a shitty company. Neither is good if you want to make good tips.
I suggest keeping an eye out for another potential job.

Related sidenote: I just had sent a server home during the shift (fired on the spot) a few weeks ago for ignoring his tables in favor of drinking beers on the loading dock and then lied to my face about it even after I showed him the video. I transferred all his open tables yo different servers and I collected the cash and credit card slips from his tables that had already paid and made sure that he got that money on his last paycheck.


Title: Can I get fired doing marketing for my store in my free time even though I am not apart of the marketing team?

Question:
I work at a local Pet Store in KY and our business was not doing so well, I personally thought due to marketing. Inspired by the Wendy's twitter account, I created an account on Twitter for my store and started making memes and helping people on twitter with it and replying back to people on it, mind you all on my free time. The work I do is surprisingly something meaningful to me and I hate to see it do bad. My job normally work as a cashier and stock, not anyway affiliated with the marketing team. I only started this because the marketing is severally lacking. In no way have I done anything to offend or say anything bad about the store or affiliated brands.

Is it possible to be completely fired or even worse for doing this?

Answer:
 They can fire you for sneezing in the wrong direction.

Unless you’re fired for being part of/doing a protected class or action they can fire you for whatever they want.

Impersonating your employer’s business on Twitter without their knowledge? Probably fireable. You may be a marketing wiz, who knows. But don’t ever do anything like that without their permission Answer #2: Yes.  You are representing your company without your company's permission.   It is not up to you to what is and is not a good marketing campaign.


Title: Getting sued for a car I sold in NJ

Question:
Hello Reddit,

On January 22nd I sold my first car. It was a 2005 Honda CRV with 251,XXX miles on it. I listed the car on craigslist for $1950 and sold the car the same day. The final sale price was $1700 to a fellow named Josh. The car was sold as is for a low price because it was starting to have transmission problems. Josh was in a hurry so he told me not to fill out how much the car was sold for nor the mileage at the point of sale. I bought the car when it had 236,XXX miles and that is what the Title of the car had on the front when I sold it to Josh. Josh told me he was a mechanic and owned a shop and was going to buy the car to fix it and resell it.

Fast forward to today. I receive a letter from my county court stating that I am being sued for $5500 by some one else, not the Josh person I sold it to. They are claiming I sold the car to them on 1/25/15 (three days after the car was actually sold) with 52,000 miles on it and that when they went to the DMV they found out it had 252000 miles on it. This of course is not true. The car was sold on 1/22/15 to Josh.

Reddit, please help! If you need any more details I will provide them.

Answer:
 "Josh" wasn't in a hurry, he was pulling a scam. How long can the price and name take to fill out on a title?  How did that not set off all kinds of red flags?

You're going to have to go to court and defend yourself.  I hope you have some kind of proof of the transaction between you and Josh.  At the very least, you can bring the original Craigslist ad. Hopefully you've got something else.  Maybe texts or emails between you and "Josh" if he contacted you through there.
Answer #2: Also, you should hope the person suing you has a signed bill of sale with your forged signature.

Bring your license, passport, and maybe a couple other official documents that have your signature, so you can show whatever signature on that bill of sale isn't yours


Title: My local gas station across the street is extremely irresponsible.

Question:
The gas station across the street from my house has always been a quick stop for me. For the last 3 years I've gotten coffee from them nearly every morning along with some snacks. Just last year they rehired an entire new set of staff which is extremely irresponsible. So far, they've violated so many sanitary codes. Last month my brother and I got some Starbucks Coffee from their coolers and drank them. When we began feeling sick we checked the dates on them and noticed that they were over 3 months out of their use by dates. Although this was partially our fault for not checking expiration dates, the employees should be on top of dairy products making sure they're not expired. Having been a former employee, I know very well that they do pressure employees to remove products 3 days before they expire. But these employees don't care at all. Me and my brother have since made sure to check expiration dates and noticed that a large amount of this gas stations products are 1 day to 3 weeks expired.

I've since avoided shopping there up until last night. That was a mistake. I got some of their brewed coffee and finished most of it before I felt sick. Again. I looked inside of my coffee and noticed this slimy black stuff building up on the top of the coffee. I dumped it into a clear cup and noticed some chunky noodle like substance floating around it. It's absolutely disgusting.

Normally, I would speak to the store owner and even the HR department, but having done it twice now, they couldn't care less about enforcing sanitary rules.

This kind of stuff is one way to get a lot of people extremely sick. I now have to schedule a doctors appointment for a second round of foodborne illness caused by these people. I fully intend to avoid this gas station by any means, but I don't want to let it go. I believe by now these people need to be held accountable for their negligence. Where do I go from here? I'm fairly certain that the goop in my coffee is bacterial growth which is a result of not cleaning their coffee makers for a long period of time. I can't even begin to imagine how many people drank the same coffee as I yesterday.

EDIT: huh, thought I put my location in. I'm in denver colorado. Sorry.

Answer: You can report them to the city health department.


Title: NC Lowes hardware refuses to put my raise on current paycheck

Question: I'm 20 and work at a Lowe's hardware store. I recently received a $1.11 raise, I was scheduled to get the raise on 4-18 (date of hire yearly raise) but I didnt get it until 2 weeks after that date. I had to mention it several times to the hires up for anything to happen, they finally got the raise for me and I got one week pay at that rate last paycheck. This pay check they put me down to my previous rate, what happened to my raise? Anyway they refuse to give me the difference for this weeks 80/hr paycheck. Ive worked 36 days at my rate before my raise costing me a total of $288, is there anything I can do to get some of my money back or am I just getting screwed out of my yearly raise?

Answer: Conceivably you could file a wage complaint for the difference. If you plan on staying at your employer long term you'd have to decide if you're willing to be known as the squeaky wheel.


Title: My friend lost his kids due to some drug related stuff in a family court / dependency court. Can he go back to work as a nurse without resolving that?

Question: This is in Florida.  He used to work in nursing, but he has not worked for some time. During the time he wasn't working, he lost his kids in court due to some issues he had with opiates. He failed a few (around 10 or so) court ordered drug tests , and now the mom has full custody. Now he needs to make some money.. will he be able to renew his nursing license? Will he be able to get a job? He has not yet resolved the custody issue, but he seems to be working on getting clean.  Is he required to self report this to the nursing board when he attempts to renew?  Is there a moral obligation to report this to the nursing board?

Answer: I assume since he has court ordered tests that he failed a few times, he has been involved in some legal issues.  Those have to be disclosed.  Given that he has a problem with opiates, he is likely going to struggle to find a nursing job.


Title: Crazy neighbor is making outlandish claims against us to break lease with a TRO

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 >Should we get a lawyer? Should we provide proof that the leasing agents won't move us despite requests to do so in order to avoid her and to comply with this order

Yes.  To the lawyer sure, it is not relevant and most likely won't be needed.  Since she is already lying about you, you have no idea where this could turn.  Get a lawyer, then will guide you though and help you.  As two young professionals you probably have the money and if getting out of your lease is what you want - the lawyer can probably help with that as well.

You can contact the state bar to get a referral to lawyer in your area.  [California Bar Referral](http://www.calbar.ca.gov/Public/LawyerReferralServicesLRS.aspx)Answer #2: Generally, Civil restraining orders have a high burden of proof (clear and convincing), which is the civil equivalent of beyond a reasonable doubt (rather than simple preponderance).  This will be a difficult task for her to reach.

Nevertheless, I would get an attorney, and ask him to seek attorney's fees if you prevail.  (Unfortunately, this is rarely granted.)  Usually there isn't much prep for this type of hearing, though, so I don't think it will cost you too much.

If you are not going to get an attorney, I would file a Response to Request for Civil Harassment Restraining Orders (Form CH-120) before the hearing to explain your position in writing.  Make sure you appear, or the order is likely to be granted. Bring any declarations, witnesses and/or character witnesses that you can.Answer #3: >we have complied with the order to stay 2 yards away fully

The restraining order really only requires you to stay more than two yards from her?


Title: Unsure of my rights as a grandchild to a person who is (suspectedly) being abused [California, US]

Question:
Backstory is my grandma has dementia and her daughter, my aunt got power of attorney over her when the dementia first started. Unfortunately my aunt has used up all of my grandma's money including all the money my late grandpa left for the rest of the family, sold her house, put her (at least) $60,000 in debt, and moved my grandma to a home.  Although my aunt denies spending all her money, it's totally been proven true with bank statements, but none of the rest of my family had the money to hire a lawyer and pursue legal action on that front.

Anyways, the money part isn't important anymore.  When my aunt found out that I was visiting my grandma in the home she put her in, she moved her and hasn't told anyone where she is.  I vaguely know what town she is in but the only information I've been able to get out of her is "She's in a regular house with other women."  I don't know what that means and I worry she is being abused.  Before her house got sold, my aunt was letting this trashy woman and her 18 year old son with an ankle bracelet live in my grandma's house with her.  My question to you guys is how can I go about locating her?  Should I hire a private investigator to follow my aunt and hopefully she'll lead them to my grandma?  If somehow I do find out where she is, am I able to go pick her up and take her to lunch? Or can my aunt like get me arrested for kidnapping or something?  Sorry if this isn't the right subreddit, but any help would be appreciated.  It's been over a year since I've seen my grandma last and I just want to make sure she's okay before it's too late.  Thanks
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer: Can you call Adult Protective Services? They might be able to help.


Title: Sued for giving an appraisal?

Question:
[deleted]
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 No one here can tell you and asking the internet is not going to help you. You need to pay a real attorney. If it is frivolous they may be on the hook to pay for your attorney. But only an attorney who can read everything can tell you anything at all about your case.

If you lose your are paying 15k, so it sounds like an attorney is a cheaper bet


Title: I want to move out, but emancipation laws are tight.

Question:
Before I start, I live in Alabama.
I'm currently bordering on the age of 16 and for several years I've been striving for independence.
My issue is that I just keep finding vague answers on this matter.
I'm in a situation where my parents fully consent to me having this so-called independence, but emancipation is only available to someone of 18 years. (19 is the age of majority in AL.)*
As I cannot legally go under these types of contracts, my parents can. Would it be available for me to live nearby in a apartment by myself, so long I could have them sign necessary documents? They would also still be in my life, but not every day. Perhaps paying rent from time to time, but most likely only the down payment and first month's. I'm near to getting my GED, (I'm not in public school) 16 is the minimum age for testing, but the only difference I believe that makes is just proof of an education. Elaborate if there's more.

I did my research on how much I can work at my age and where. There's no restrictions; they can work me to death at full wage, so affording it would be about at the same difficulty.

Is this in any way possible?

If it would make things easier, I could have an adult roommate?

This would also take place after I am 16. Not now.

*Marriage at the age of 16 is the only other available option, but there are contradictory laws so it keeps kids from being stupid and getting hitched. (i.e no high school, no drivers license)

Thanks for any and all help.

Answer:
 You're 15.  If you aren't already able to support yourself somehow, then emancipation is not for you.

All teenagers strive for independence. But that doesn't mean that they are ready for it.

Finish school, focus on getting a job, maybe trade school or college to give you a path to independence.  But you aren't there yet.


Title: Just found out that my talent agency owes me residuals for a commercial from 2015 and 2016

Question:
I was in a commercial in 2014 and contractually due the residuals from the airing every year after that. I received the initial payment and residuals for 2014, in 2014, and nothing after that. The Talent agency who brokered the deal is paid and then a check is cut for me after they take their 10% cut. As I never received anything after that, I assumed the commercial was no longer aired and didn’t think anything of it.

Fast forward to today, and I get a letter from the IRS that I did not declare all of my income in 2015. I do some digging into the W2 they listed, and it turned out the production company aired the commercial in 2015 and 2016, paid my talet agent, and issued the W2 in my name. I was never paid that money and would not have been aware had the IRS not sent the letter. The talent agent is giving me the run around and has been ‘looking into it’ for 3 weeks now.

Can I file a wage claim? The wage claim site for TX says the claim must be within 180 days of the money owed date, but would this date have been 2015/201) or now as I was just made aware? This same question also applies to small claims which state the dispute needs to have been within the past 2 years.

The agent is in Texas, filming was in Texas, and I am now in California. I assume I would have to file in Texas Small claims. The amount due before their fee is $4,000.

Thanks in advance for your help, LA.

Answer: This almost certainly isn't a wage claim situation. You need to sue them, and as you guessed, you likely need to do it in Texas.


Title: I'm thinking about using a 1-2 second sound effect of a door closing from a show made 10 years ago in a small indie game. Should I do it?

Question:
The sound is distinct meaning if they heard it, they would recognize it, but at the same time this episode was aired 10 years ago and it's been years since the show ended.

Do the creators look out for this sort of stuff or even if they heard it, would they take action?

[US]

Answer: I am extremely curious how the sound of a door closing could be so memorable and recognizable.


Title: Original Roommate leaves appliances, wants them back 5 years later.

Question:
I currently live in a rental property in California and a former roommate (one of three original renters) just texted myself and the other original renter about needing to pick up the Washer/Dryer set she originally brought when we moved in by the end of next month.  It has been almost 4 years since she lived here, and we have had two other people rent that room in the time being, not counting the current tenant in that room now.  Can someone give me some advice on whether or not she has any claim over the appliances now? She gave no intention on picking them up until today, and none of us have spoken to her in years.

TL:DR - roommate from 5 years ago left washer dryer and now wants them back

Answer:
 Abandoned property is the landlord's responsibility to handle. If they didn't go through that process there are a lot of arguments that can be made but none of them end with you being able to just keep the washer and dryer. If the landlord had correctly followed Cal. Code of Civ. Proc. § § 1984 and 1985 then they could have said "take them within XX days or they will be sold or disposed of." In order to sell it, there needs to be a public auction, there needs to be a notice printed in a newspaper. The proceeds given to the treasury of the county. But I'm presuming none of that happened.

Did she get signed off the lease?

While this sucks and this is ridiculous, just give her the washer dryer. It's the easiest thing to do. Answer #2: Would they be able to charge the person wanting the washer dryer back a " storage fee" for the four years they have had them?