Title: Sister in possession of medicine not prescribed to her and unmarked pill bottles. Seeking guidance. (VA)

Question:
Hello everyone, I've been living with my sister that we'll call Sarah (not her real name but anonymity). Sarah is in her forties, been dabbling in drugs her entire life and has a felony for forgery. She runs the streets all day long scoring illegal prescriptions, I've been with her and saw her in the act, which she had absolutely no problem exposing me to.

Recently I found a prescription all the way from camp LeJeune, NC, which to no surprise was not prescribed to her inside her purse. I took a photograph and a video documenting the unmarked pill bottles containing mysterious pills and the prescription from NC.

I've been in this uncomfortable living situation for the past 6 months of my life all because I had no where else to live. I just turned 18 this week. My sister also stole $300 out of my room the night before my birthday. She's undoubtedly the culprit; I would bet my life on it being her because she's the only one who knew I had a large sum of money... She forged our father's checks when she was younger. Just a lifetime thief.

She knew I wouldn't walk around the area we live in with $300 in my wallet. The money was hidden in my sweatpants inside my pants drawer (she stole the sweatpants too and tried to convince me I left my pants at my friend's house or maybe I took them off somewhere. Highly unreasonable and an obvious attempt to try to take the heat off of herself).

She'll never admit to stealing from me. I know I have no solid evidence other than being able to point out the obvious in this situation. All I do have is a photograph of me standing in front of that money with it all laid out on my dresser. Drug addicts steal and she's the only one who knew because she took me to get my pay. I don't know if I could be reimbursed, highly doubtful at this point. Not really expecting it either but that's ok.

I'd be in full cooperation with the law and hand over all the information I have on her. I just don't know where I should start. I can show them her stash of illegal medication... Now that I'm 18 I'm comfortable with doing so. Although, I do have one last question: I'd be willing to testify in court but out of fear of our crazy, former crack user brother I'd like to stay out of the actual picture as much as possible...

As in, the less I'd have to face my family throughout the process the better because I do worry about my safety a tad bit. I know I wouldn't be the one pressing charges or prosecuting her, the state would if I'm correct. I don't know about this stuff and I greeeeeatly appreciate any and all guidance.

Sorry for the scattered long post. Thank you all who take the time to read and reply. I'll provide additional information if anyone has any questions! I live in the state of Virginia. Have a good day all! :)

Answer:
 Just get out. You're 18 now. Time for a job and your own place. It's much too big a risk to your future to be living in the house with a felon.

Past that, put it behind you. She'll get caught or she won't. You're under no obligation to turn her in and it won't do you any good.


Title: Bank closing all my accounts

Question: So I do bitcoin trading and legitimate stock trading and binary trading. Last week I decided to withdraw a large amount of money ($392,000 AUD) for the first time to purchase a new car. However when the money was deposited into my account I was contacted by the bank to come into the branch to “have a chat”. I went to the branch and they talked to me about how I made that money and what I was intending to do with the money which seems fair. I told them I was purchasing a supercar and nothing else, they didn’t seem to think that seemed legitimate as I am 18. They said for now they were gonna temporarily freeze my accounts to investigate and it could lead to further actions. Are they allowed to do that?

Answer:
 Yes, your money seems sketchy as hell.

They will unfreeze your accounts when they determine the funds are legitimate.

You have no right to a bank account. As banks are private entities they can choose not to work with you if they think you are doing something shady.

I sure hope you're paying taxes on that income. Answer #2: If you've got 400k to blow on a car, you've got enough for an accountant and tax attorney to advise you on how to go about these things.Answer #3: I would have posted with a throwaway account as your post history shows some sketchy stuffAnswer #4: >Are they allowed to do that?

Yes. I am not a lawyer nor from Australia (where I assume you're located based on the reference to AUD), but it may actually be legally required for them to investigate that large of an amount of money being deposited into an account at once so that they can do an audit to find out where it came from.

I do sincerely hope you've kept on top of taxes for the income you've made from trading stocks and bitcoins, as an aside.

The reason for this is that large deposits are/were often associated with criminal enterprise. Someone as young as you making enough in stocks and bitcoin trading, while not at all unheard of, is at the very least unusual, and not typically where that much money comes from when an 18 year old drops almost half a million dollars into a checking account.


Title: I [M] taking our kids and leaving

Question:
Throwaway just because.

&#x200B;

Backstory

Some new information (well suspicions) have come to my \[M\] attention about my spouse \[F\].  We have 3 children together and all live in the same home.  my spouse and i have been having issue of our own for months now.  We are currently seeing a marriage councilor and are trying to work through our problems, though it is apparent that I am putting more effort than she is (multiple parties can attest to this, though for this, probably doesn't matter)

based on our councilors professional opinion (is also a substance abuse councilor) she believes there is a high probability that she is using.... again. (has used in the past, many years ago before we were even an item)  This weekend may be the last straw.  the lies, the sneaking around, the crazy stories etc.

&#x200B;

My Questions:

if something were to happen (she insists on leaving to "go to a friends house", where I suspect the drugs are being done) or otherwise covering up her whereabouts, what can i legally do as far as our kids go?

Can I tell her that i know she ins't doing what she says, something is going on and she doesn't want to tell me, so i am leaving with the kids?

or, You aren't allowed back into this house until ....

&#x200B;

My fear is that this is considered kidnapping (no domestic violence between us, no restraining orders etc.)  This is strictly to show her how much i care.

If she is using, I figure that if this were to happen, she won't push the issue.  if she does, that means she may have to com e clean with whatever it is she is doing.  Of course, I don't want to end up in jail or arrested because I'm trying to do whats best for the kids and I and because I'm the male in the situation ya know.

&#x200B;

also side notes:  I have questioned her multiple times about being in an affair.  ANY time, sexual, emotional or anything else, i always get a solid no.  while we have had our issues, the extent has increased over the last 4 months give or take.  she has pushed family and "old" close friends away or has drastically decreased contact.  Family knows something is going on and has also questioned drug use based on her physical condition.  Her job is a government job, high stress, high demands, low pay, etc.  She has an appt. with our councilor early next week in which our councilor plans to bring these fears to term with her (not going to be a fun day for me).  So i just need to get through the weekend.

&#x200B;

Also, i have tried to consult an attorney but haven't had much luck on just getting some quick advise without having to meet for an official consult (Easter weekend and all) , which I currently cant work into my day today.

&#x200B;

Any advise will be greatly appreciated.

TaT

Answer:
 You need a divorce attorney.

If you feel the kids are ever in danger, call the police immediately.

It's not a crime to take the kids if you have shared custody.Answer #2: You cannot illegally evict her from her home.

Assuming you are on all the birth certs, you can leave with the children.

If you leave the state she can file to have the children immediately returned to the state

If you do leave. Make sure you tell her where you are going, after you leave. So you dont look like you are running and hiding with the children.


Title: Is It Legal To Move My Kid Around So They Gain Driving Experience On Paper?

Question:
Hypothetical, just curious. The given circumstances are that I have endless amounts of money to throw at this, and the kid doesn't fuck it up by getting a traffic ticket or whatever. For ease of writing out a timeline, let's say the kid was born on 1 May.

Say I live in MA, where the minimum age to procure a learner's permit is sixteen, the minimum age to procure a restricted/junior operator license is 16 and a half, and the minimum age to procure a non-restricted license is 18. Let's pretend that as an entitled mom, I don't like that shite for my precious angel, and plan to get around it.

Say I buy a small property in South Dakota (where the lowest permit age is 14, the lowest Junior Operator age is 14 and three months, and the lowest age to hold a non-restricted license is sixteen) when my kid is thirteen. I change their bank statements, and their billing address for their Doctor or something to that address, however we don't actually move there. The day before their next birthday, we fly out, and then on their fourteenth birthday, they apply for a South Dakota Driver's permit and Motorcycle permit, pass the tests, and receive both of them. I immediately call and have them put on my insurance plan.

They then spend the summer in South Dakota, taking the Basic Rider Training Course, The Braking and Cornering course, and the Alive at 25 driving course. Maybe they also learn about South Dakota or something - not the goal, however might as well if they're there. On 1 August, they take both the motorcycle driving test, and the regular junior operator test, and pass both. I call, update my insurance, and fly back out to MA the next day. The kid ceases to drive or ride any vehicle or motorcycle, however I neglect to mention that my child is residing in MA with me, and I don't attempt to have them establish residency in MA.

A year and nine months later, on their sixteenth birthday, the kid converts their junior operator licenses into non-restricted ones in South Dakota. Six months later, we decide to sell the property in South Dakota, have the kid re-establish residency in MA, and then convert the Class D and Class M licenses over to MA. Are they back to driving Junior Operator licenses, or would they retain the right to drive without the restrictions that they haven't had for six months? When they branch out and get their own insurance policy at eighteen, will it show that they have four years of driving experience, or just the two they could legally drive in MA?

Answer: You’re talking about falsifying state residency. That’s illegal, and could land you in a load of trouble, not to mention would be a pain in the a** when the kid tries applying for universities (assuming they want to attend them, and you haven’t been caught). Also, you’d be hard-pressed to explain why their permanent address is in a completely different state from where you are trying to enroll them in school. You have plans to travel all the way there for your child to take the DL written exam and then again for the drive exam? And then again each time the license needs to be changed/renewed? Why is a DL so important that it’s worth all of this extra effort? You know the rules in certain states are lower because it’s expected that kids are likely helping with farm work? Not meant for people to try to manipulate.


Title: (NJ) Terrible Uber driver terrified my girlfriend enough to make her leave the car when he stopped on train-tracks.

Question:
My girlfriend had to get an Uber home from campus today and the ride was terrible. Its about an Hour or so, 35-40 miles, mainly driving on the parkway.

From what she tells me,

* the driver didn't understand English and had major troubles following the directions given by his GPS.

* He kept slowing down below 40 on the highway (for no reason) possibly to check his GPS again.

* He used the Emergency Vehicle Only opening in the guid-rail more than once to either change direction or get out of express, idk.

* once on local streets he constantly stopped traffic to simply look at his phone to try to understand the GPS

* lastly, after my girlfriend as already scarred enough, he stopped on the train tracks a few blocks away from her house and she says a train was coming.

She was so scared that she got out of the car on the train-tracks (shows he was obviously stopped for way too long...) got her stuff and left. She called her dad crying and telling him to come pick her up on the side of the road. It really doesn't help that her phone was mostly dead the whole time. Which is why she didn't try contacting me at all during the trip.

And on top of all the shit that she had to go through on the trip, Uber still charged her account over $100. Once she got home she called me crying and explained what happened...

Is there anything she can do besides call and request a refund and tell them what happened? I can't believe she was treated like this and how many times her life was put in danger by this incompetent Uber driver.

Answer:
 She needs to contact Uber and file a complaint. She will receive a refund and he likely will not be an Uber driver anymore. Answer #2: Not a lawyer.
Contact Uber.  Give them all the details.


Title: Officer exaggerated speed on ticket.

Question:
Got a speeding ticket today and it was 1mph over the tier for a lower fine. I'm not going to bore you with the details but I know I was speeding and how fast I was going which wasn't his quoted speed.  I may not be in the right here but the difference in fines is substantial.

 Any advice on fighting tickets in court?   Any help would be appreciated.

Ticket in NH

Answer:
 The officer likely could not care any less what the cutoff for the fine is.

You think you were going one speed, the officer thinks you were going another.

It's likely the judge will drop it down if you admit to the lower speed.  But the officer is not lying to increase the speed on purpose to increase the fine...


Title: Walmart scheduled me past my availability [Illinois]

Question:
So about 6 weeks ago I filled out an availability form for work and my boss signed to officially go into affect. On the sheet I have a max of 20 hours a week. Last week they scheduled me for 22 hours but I didn't say anything as it was no big deal. This week is finals week and I'm very stressed trying to study and they scheduled me 26 hours and I had to call off so I could get some work done, and that brings my total hours down to 22. I still feel like I can't get my work done.

My question is, is this legal? They signed the form and agreed to it. I'm 17 in Illinois. I'm not saying I want to sue them, if that's even possible. It sounds nice to get a cash payout from suing them but I'm not sure if it's possible or if I'd really do it. I just don't want them doing it again and I'm working I'll be fired for calling off even though they scheduled me past my hours.

Answer:
 Oh sweet child, you're going to get destroyed if you try to sue Walmart over this.Answer #2: Have you gone to whomever does the schedule and say "I'm only supposed to be scheduled for 20 hours a week, and the schedule has me well over that?"

You cannot sue for this.Answer #3: Your availability form is a *request* on your part.  They aren't required to abide by it.  If you have an issue with your hours, you can ask your manager nicely and remind him of your availability.  But if they want you to work more than that, they can tell you to


Title: Can I tell people someone sexually assaulted me and not be accused of libel? (TX)

Question: I was sexually assaulted in January. The DA decided not to take the case; the man admitted to fingering me without me looking at him, nonetheless giving him verbal consent, but the police officer in charge of my case says I don't have a case because it was at a kink club (I was distracted and kissing my girlfriend when he decided to put his hand up my skirt), it wasn't violent, and the guy stopped when I yelled at him. I'm still pretty mad about all this, and I want people to know what this guy did. Since he's not even being charged let alone convicted, I can imagine that telling people so and so sexually assaulted me might be considered libel. How do I get the info out there while avoiding a possible law suit?

Answer: What's your end game here? Do you associate together? Who would you tell that would even know him?   I just don't see what you hope you accomplish here for your efforts.Answer #2: You can't completely eliminate the possibility of being sued, but sticking to the facts is a great way to protect yourself.


Title: Weird Car Accident - Whos at fault

Question:
Hey guys, my boyfriend recently got into a weird car accident and we are wondering whos at fault. Basically, he was towing his grandfathers vehicle and was following all the guidelines following our state's laws on towing. Here is what happened:

He was towing his grandfathers vehicle with his grandfather in the second vehicle with a towing assembly of just under 5m long. My boyfriend had plenty of space to clear the inersection and fit afterwards. However, as he was driving through the intersection, a car cut in front of him and caused him to stop suddenly. He ended up going through the intersection while his grandfather was 5m behind, at the entrance of the intersection. The light turned red and cars started to drive through the intersection in the 5m gap between the two cars, driving over his towing assembly (chain type). After about 8 cars, the towing assembly got caught on the undercarriage of a car and did damage. Who is at fault.?

We live in minnesota

Answer:
 Whoa whoa whoa.

There was a 15 ft chain between the two cars, and he stopped with the towing vehicle on one side of the intersection, and the towed car on the other side?!Answer #2: I can already tell you it's going to be your boyfriend's fault because he should have used better judgment, moreso because he was towing.  He shouldn't have proceeded through an intersection without knowing he can make it.Answer #3: As I understand it, it was your boyfriends job to make sure the intersection was clear before he went through it.


Title: [Florida] can I make a website detailing how a company ripped me off?

Question:
So there is a certain company in Florida that ripped me off out of thousands of dollars. It seams and they pay a review company to give them thousands of good reviews online (this is much more apparent to me now).

I am pissed off and I feel helpless and I don't want other people to go through what I have.

So my question is, would making a website called (company name).scam.com open me up to get sued?

Answer:
 Yes, you can make that website.

And yes, you will likely get sued for making it unless you are very, very careful about what you post on it.

How much merit those suits will have depends on the specifics of what you will post, so no idea how likely you are to lose.

But only having to defend yourself will cost tens of thousands of dollars which you will never recover... be sure you can afford that in your quest to settle this feud.


Title: I'm a nanny. Parents took 6 weeks to pay me. I quit no notice. Now they are lying, threatening to sue and say they gave me advance pay that needs returning

Question:
Located in TX, USA
So. Bit of a long story. I'm stressed out. I know it's dumb to not have a contract now but I can't go back in time. BTW, one of the parents is a lawyer. So I'm a little alarmed. I don't know if they have a case. I don't want to be swamped with legal fees or tied up with all this.

I worked as a nanny. Got a better job offer and wanted to put in a proper 2 or 3 week notice but it was so difficult to get the parents to pay me. I kept having to ask. Finally get my 6 weeks worth of pay and I cash it then deposit into my account and send a text to them informing them that I wish it didn't have to be this way but I didn't feel comfortable putting my notice in without having received the pay I was owed. Because that's a lot of money. Also, before that it took them 5 weeks to pay me.

Parents are pissed. I understand. It's short notice that I won't be coming back but I was terrified about them not paying me. I was scraping to get by. This is a common issue nannies have. I'm a new one and wasn't aware of all the crap some nannies are put through by parents who don't want to pay for child care. He told me I was evil and to go to Hell. And a bunch of horrible things.

He is now saying I agreed to be paid a flat fee each week. I have been with them since December. And they've been paying me at an hourly rate the whole time I've been employed. It's notated on checks or when sent electronically. It will say $100 for 10 hours. $200 for 20 hours. And so on. (just an example.) I would think this proves that I had an hourly rate they agreed to pay. He also said I lied about the hours I've worked. I absolutely have not. I use a time clock app and I text the parents when I arrive in the morning. Proving my work end times would be a little more difficult. He told me that the wife felt bad for my sob story (um asking to be paid for hours you work in a timely manner is not a sob story it's called I need money to live on) and ignored that I lied about hours and paid me more than what i was owed. The good thing is all payments have been notated like I mentioned. If you thought I was lying you wouldn't have written the hours and corresponding amount you would have spoken up. He is now saying I have to return the extra money they gave me or he will sue and drown me in legal fees. He is implying that whatever they gave me beyond the 750 a week should be returned to him (once again this is something we never discussed. We discussed standard hours in the beginning which would have been a guaranteed 750 but any hours worked past that would be paid hourly and I've worked way past the originally agreed upon hours. Some days were 14 hours long). Not sure if he means anything beyond 750 from this particular check should be returned or from my entire employment history. I don't want to return any of it because it isn't true. Please give me advice! And I'll answer any questions you have. Hope I was descriptive enough. I'm just sick at my stomach. I have not texted him back anything yet.

Answer:
 Assuming you're in the US, the IRS requires nannies to be paid on a household payroll. Meaning, they need to have been taking taxes out, they need to have made you fill out a w-4, and you would have had to have pay stubs available to you. Sounds like none of this was going on.
Do they want to sue and have their major tax evasion revealed? Chances are they're just blowing hot air to intimidate you.


Title: [California] Under what circumstances will police subpoena a company over a lost phone?

Question:
Hi /r/legaladvice,

From my understanding, the police rarely care about lost or stolen phones. However, I have a pretty weird scenario and I'm wondering if it's worth trying to contact the police for help before giving up altogether.

Yesterday I was at my boyfriend's apartment complex around 5pm before I took a Lyft to my local car dealership to pick up my car from maintenance. Within 10 minutes of getting off my Lyft, I realized I left my phone in the car. I know, my mistake. I immediately logged onto one of the guest computers and started tracking my phone using Apple's Find my iPhone. I put it on lost mode and watched as the driver went back to pick up a passenger from an apartment right next to my boyfriend's. I also messaged my boyfriend to call my phone, and contacted Lyft support during this time. Around half an hour later, my phone was located at an apartment complex literally half a block from where I live, and stops moving. Lyft gets back to me several hours later saying the driver did not find my phone in his vehicle. This likely means that a passenger he picked up found it and took it with them (and based off small-talk with my driver while I was in the car, the driver was not from the area, so I doubt he took it).

For the next few hours, I periodically called the phone, spammed the "Play Sound" feature every once in a while, and even walked around the vicinity my phone was located. Since I have a record of where my phone has been and at what time it stopped moving (6:02 PM PST), I went back to Lyft support and asked if they could contact the passenger that was dropped off at that location around 6pm to return my phone. I'm assuming by the radio silence from Lyft that this means no.

I've read from other people that Lyft does cooperate with police subpoenas, so I'm wondering if this is even worth taking up to the police with my device location history, since I heard they rarely give the time of day to lost and stolen phones. I live in a college town where 70% of the residents are students (as am I, and given the apartment complex of the person who found my phone is a popular location for students, I'm assuming they are too). I understand it was 100% my responsibility when losing the phone, but I feel like knowing vaguely where it is and that there's some possibility retrieving it is even more bothersome than losing it with no evidence whatsoever.

So yeah. I'm wondering if this is something even worth going to the police for.

Thank you! :)

Answer: It is strongly unlikely they'd seek a subpoena, as it's unlikely to lead to a positive outcome.  Even if they did find out who had the car after you, there's no evidence that that person's done anything.


Title: Can I smoke medical marijuana in my home/yard even if neighbors can smell it? [MA]

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 It's nobody else's business what your medical condition is, and it's not against the law to make a smell. Your right to swing your fist ends at your neighbour's nose, but your right to be pain-free goes up it with impunity :)

That said, if you want to be neighbourly there are things you could do. They do make 3" and 4" activated charcoal filters that'll fit into your vent ducts like giant sploofs. Not a great idea in a kitchen vent fan (the grease is a significant fire hazard) but elsewhere they work. Answer #2: IANAL, but I partake myself regularly and my fiance does not care for the smell in our apartment. I switched to a vaporizer which has been a fantastic solution for both of us. It does not have a lingering smell, its much healthier, and it is more economical from a usage perspective.  If you want to keep smoking, then I nth the activated charcoal filters, but generally speaking its easier to prevent the smell than to make it.

Edibles are also a good choice.


Title: Where my rights violated? Did my parents break the law?

Question: This is a long story but it begins three years ago when I returned home from vacation to discover my mother was married to a guy she hadn't spoken to in months I was 15 at the time and her new husband didn't like me for w.e reason and convenienced my mother to take me to the hospital and lie to doctors saying I was insane and tried to attack everyone in the house which was not true I was sent to a psych ward for about a week where they said I had anxiety which who wouldn't if you were forced to go to a mental institution without any idea why. I was then sent to a place with less security to figure out what was going on there I learned what the reports said and was given family conseling and they sent someone to observe the dynamics of the family my step father did not like this and had them sent away My mother had open heart surgery a few years before this and he wanted a kid etc. Well after many miscarriages one happened at home where my mother bled and discharged the embryo or fetus and my step father grabbed me and chocked me telling me to look at it and it was my fault etc. I called the police on my parents I was 16 at the time and the police did nothing and my mother covered up for my father. I went to live with family soon after this and now im 18 and back in this house and this past week my mother's husband snapped tried to kill himself by cutting his neck and stomach with a broken plate and took two bottles of pills before the police took him to the hospital he was there for two days then was released which I think is unfair because he's actually the crazy one and got me sent to the hospital for a month when there was nothing wrong with me. Is there anything I can do now take them to court? Is this illegal? I'm sure they wanted some form of benifits from me or he just wanted me out the picture Please let me know I am 18 now and this is on my record and before this drama and even after it I had never had any problems in school or with the law. Please tell me there's something I can do? I know this will have future implications on my career path.

Answer:
 Sounds like your best bet would be to move out of the home and never look back. Answer #2: >Please tell me there's something I can do? I know this will have future implications on my career path.

Focus on your own personal mental and physical health.  Move out, get some therapy.  The future implications on your career path should be the least of your worries.


Title: Caught making out in a library parking lot. [South Carolina]

Question:
So just a while ago I was caught with in my boyfriend in a library parking lot making out. I mean, I doubt this would normally be that bad but he was kind of grinding on me and uh... Actually I'm pretty sure it looked like we were fucking, but regardless.

Some guy comes up to our car window and starts banging on it claiming that we could be charged as sex offenders or something. I have a quick "o shit" and am ready to just leave (probably to a more secluded parking lot tbh), but the guy comes back and says he reported my license plate.

I don't really know what laws surround that, what any consequences may or may not be, etc. Is it likely they'll bother tracking me down? If they do, what would the effects be? I tried looking it up but my google foo in terms of legal things isn't very strong. Please help.

Answer:
 You're fine. Nothing is gonna come of it.

Pick a more secluded place in the future.


Title: My garage door opener is opening my neighbor's garage

Question:
Location: New Mexico, USA
My Neighbor does not live in his house (I see that he is in there 3 times a year or so). I've never spoken to him and don't have a way to contact him. My garage door opener is opening both my garage and his simultaneously. I called the manufacturer and they told me that his unit must be un-plugged when I reset mine so that the codes stop re-syncing. Should I open his garage, unplug his unit, fix the problem, and plug it back in? Is it legal for me to go on his property? What if I don't fix the problem and I forget to close his garage door and someone steals his stuff?

Answer:
 Call the installer and make it their problem. Answer #2: Send a letter to your neighbour's address, he most likely forwards his mail to where ever he is the rest of the time.Answer #3: Once you change your code it will no longer open his.

Don't go on his property.Answer #4: You should buy a new garage door remote for $25 on Amazon and reprogram your garage door opener with the new remote.  Answer #5: What is the procedure to change the code on your unit?


Title: My best friend could possibly spend the rest of his life in prison for a crime he didn't do.

Question: My best friend could possibly spend the rest of his life in prison for a crime he didn't do, I am fearful for him and his family. They can't fight it because the prosecutors have funds he just doesn't have, can anyone help?

Answer:
 I'm not sure why you think anything in that very brief and ambiguous paragraph is helpful.

1) what is the location?

2) what crime is your friend being accused of (and the relevant detail relating to that)?


Title: DUI on 30th bday

Question:
I was stopped for speeding in northern California.  I was going 50 in a 35 and once pulled over the officer asked how many i had.  i told him a few, but that i hadnt drank for a couple hours.  The officers then told me to step out of my vehicle and perform some tests.  I walked the line, and did a few other things.  I consented to a breath test and blew a .13.  I was arrested, but due to being cooperative, they didnt stick me in county, rather they let me call a friend to get picked up.

Any advice on whether i should lawyer up and try to go for a non callibrated equipment defence?

I have no prior offences except that I have 1 parking ticket and a fix it ticket for expired registration.

I honestly cant afford a lawyer, but if it means getting everything expunged then i just might.

Lawyer up, or just let the system run its course?

Answer:
 If you truly can't afford a lawyer, see if you qualify for a public defender. If you don't, get a lawyer. Keep an eye on DMV issues as well.

But no matter what, you need a lawyer.


Title: My job kind of forced me to get married three years ago.

Question:
So, I don’t want to go into much detail and I’m not looking to get anyone in trouble but I’ve been genuinely curious for a while.

At the time I was working for a religious private school and I was teaching preschool (teachers aid) and I had just been promoted to a brand new position (assistant director of children’s ministries) for the church. Maybe a month after I’d started that job I got called into my bosses office and told that I would either need to get married to my fiancé at the time, move out of our home until we got married, or find a new job.

Now, we were already going to get married, but the audacity of being told that surprised me. I didn’t do any digging on it and I figured since we were already engaged and I really needed this job, it would be fine. So a couple weeks later we went to the court house and just did it.

How unethical was that in the eyes of the law? Was he allowed to do that? If I’d said something, what would or could have happened? Again, I’m just curious. I know it was shitty. And everyone else that knew about it was kind of appalled. But I’m three years happily married and were actually happy we didn’t get to have an actual wedding.
Topic:
Employment Law

Answer:
 >How unethical was that in the eyes of the law? Was he allowed to do that?

Not an issue. It's not like your marriage was designed to get citizenship. A lot might be said about your employer's imposition on your own life, but you chose to work in a religious workplace, and they have leeway to make those sorts of calls in lots of jurisdictions.


Title: Implicated myself online

Question:
A few days ago I posted a story to an anonymous message board.. The story contained no names, but the location of the people involved. I was asking for advice but inadvertently implicated/admitted to what could be a serious crime..

After a while I exposed enough dots in the story for a LEO to put together my identity..

I was browsing from home and if the subpoena the site I'm sure they can track me down that way..

I am waiting for my lawyer to show up at his office now, but realistically how screwed am I? Can they pin it on me definitively since I was the only one in the house and the information I provided was unique and telling?

If it helps I was drunk and enraged and clearly not in my right mind during the posts, and the content of the posts defies what any character witness would say about me..

I'm shaking thinking about how stupid I was too put this stuff in writing under the guise of seeking advice for myself, how badly did I just destroy my life?

Answer:
 Does anyone else see the irony of this post?

...I couldn't help myself.Answer #2: If the police are after you, you almost certainly won't know until they show up at your door. They aren't in the habit of broadcasting their moves, because it gives people the chance to destroy evidence.

If somebody messaged you telling you that you're under investigation, they're trolling you.


Title: Girlfriends school wants photocopy of my ID for prom

Question: My girlfriend is in high school (senior) and she wants me to come to prom with her. I’m 21, and the school says on the guest form they don’t allow guests over 20 to stop alcohol/MJ (which I will not/wouldn’t bring). I was fairly confident I could just scan my under 21 license, change the expiry year and DOB 1 year back, and laminate it. I know this is just as illegal as making my age older to purchase alcohol, but was fairly certain I could fool a bored HS teacher with nothing better to do on a Saturday night. But now it seems that I have to give a scan of my ID along with the signed guest form. Is there something the school can do with a printout of an under-21 license to determine its fake? CO if relevant

Answer:
 Yeah they can do what they were already going to do which is to check these licenses with the police to verify that no one, like yourself, is lying about their identity or details thereof. Also, if you think you’re clever or something you should remember that drunk driving kills tons of teens each year so they might take this a bit more seriously than you are right now. Btw, using deceit to gain access to a school is the kind of thing that can get you arrested, even without other criminal actions, depending on local statutes. Answer #2: Ask the school administration very politely for an exception to the rules.

*DO NOT* commit fraud to get into a high-school dance.


Title: I live in a NOMAD state. (No taxes) I purchased an item online through home depot and am being charged 25 in tax. Is this legal?

Question: For some context, the item is being shipped to Washington state so it can then be transferred to a barge and shipped to Alaska. I payed with an in state card and billing adress. Home depot is arguing with me saying they have to legally charge me tax because the item shipped to Washington. Whatever huh? Just wondering I guess.

Answer: You are conducting commerce in Washington State. You can be charged sales taxes for doing that.Answer #2: They are required to charge tax based on the state to which it is being shipped. That you are then transferring it to a barge is irrelevant.


Title: Landlord asking for legal fees for dismissed eviction, Ky

Question:
So this is long and slightly convoluted, hopefully someone can give me some advice here.

&#x200B;

I have resided at my current residence for three years now, since 2015. In June 0f 2018 my apartment complex was purchased by another company and the change was made over two months, June and July. In that time a temporary manager/maintenance person was handling all rent payments. In October of this year (2018) I received notice from the permanent manager that I owed rent for July 2018. I checked my records and had the receipt for the money order. I turned a copy of this money order receipt over as proof of payment. This did not have a payment amount on it so it was deemed invalid.

At this time I took the necessary steps to check with western union and found the money order had not been cashed. I sent in the form to receive a refund and had a 30 day processing period. All while doing this I was staying current with my rent (never had an issue before) and informing my property manager of the situation.

November this year we pay our rent per usual and a few days later receive notice that our November rent has been applied to the missing July rent. This presents a possible issue because now we owe for November without having received the refund for July yet. Upon checking the state laws on evictions I notice this statute:

>Acceptance   of   rent   with   knowledge   of   a   default   by  the  tenant  or  acceptance  of
>
>performance  by  him  that  varies  from  the  terms  of  the  rental  agreement  constitutes  a
>
>waiver  of  the  landlord's  right  to  terminate  the  rental  agreement  for  that  breach,  unless
>
>other
>
>wise agreed after the breach has occurred.

&#x200B;

So by applying November rent, clearly written and stated to be for November, while informing them that the refund is on the way, They did this so they could file for an eviction. Sure enough a few days later a sheriff knocks on the door to serve the eviction notice. Not even a few days later we receive the refund and pay what is owed, the eviction is dismissed. Now, December, we receive another notice in writing that I now owe the court costs they payed for the attempted eviction.

&#x200B;

I am sitting here trying to determine if I actually owe this. I'm guessing the way they applied my payments to work around that statute is probably legal, but, in my lease it states:

>(d) If rent is unpaid by the ***5th*** of the month for which it is due and the *Resident* fails to pay the full amount and late charges within ***7*** days written notice by the *Landlord* of the non-payment and of the *Landlord's* intention to terminate the *Lease,* The *Lease* will be terminated. *Resident* will be responsible for all applicable court costs.

Maybe I'm reading this incorrectly, that's why I'm here, I'm unsure, but I read this as saying "that when rent isn't paid the lease will be terminated and the resident will pay the court costs", except the eviction was dismissed and the lease was not terminated, so do I owe this?

&#x200B;

Answer:
 As far as the lease goes, the statement that the "*resident will be responsible for all applicable court costs"* is absolute if rent isn't paid on time. The leasing being terminated is separate from being responsible for court costs.

&#x200B;Answer #2: I don't think you should pay this because they did receive payment. They just didn't cash the payment.  I'd go back and get all the documentation and argue that you DID indeed make payment. Their failure to collect and cash is on their employee and the subsequent decisions are in bad faith.

Also, what is the clause in your lease regarding forms of payment?


Title: Can my boyfriend sign me out of school for the day?

Question: I'm 16 and my boyfriend is 17, technically an adult in Missouri. Can he sign me out of school for the day?

Answer:
 NoAnswer #2: Do you honestly think a school would let a random non\-related adult sign out a student? Do you honestly think a school would let a student sign out another student? Come on, kid. Don't be a fool, stay in school. Answer #3: Even if he was 18 he couldn't. Even if he was 19, 20, 21 or 25 he couldn't. Answer #4: Who told you he was an adult? Is he emancipated?

https://statelaws.findlaw.com/missouri-law/missouri-legal-ages-laws.htmlAnswer #5: Is he your legal guardian?  Then yes.


Title: Party got out of hand, people got stabbed. Where does this leave me/my family?

Question: I am a minor in the state of North Carolina. I convinced my mother to let me throw a party for my birthday, and many people who showed up who were not invited. As people were leaving, a fight broke out and resulted in two people being stabbed, both of who are not minors. Everybody still present at the party was breathalyzed, including myself. I blew a 0.0, two other minors were breathalyzed and had alcohol in their system. They were given citations for underage intoxication. My mother was then given a citation for contributing to the delinquency of a Minor. Where does this leave my mother and I? Could she be held liable for the stabbings? How bad is a citation and what would be the best way to proceed from here?

Answer:
 Time to get a lawyer, bud. Answer #2: This sounds like mistakes were already made.

Things were said to the police which resulted in citations.

Now, the best that can be hoped for is reductions of penalties.

Speak with a lawyer.Answer #3: Liable for the stabbings? I wouldn't be surprised. Normally criminal acts of third parties sever liability but she served alcohol to kids and violence is a relatively foreseeable result. Of course, someone has to sue first and the most liable one is the stabber. No reason to go after mom unless she has insurance or assets (like a house) and stabber doesn't.

She better have liability issuance...Answer #4: If you get sued, tell your mother to talk to her home insurance company. If she has liability as a part of her policy, that's your best bet.


Title: [KY] I owe back pay on child support so I don’t get a tax refund each year. What happens if I don’t file my taxes?

Question:
As the subject line says. I owe back child support because in my state it started when I was a minor. I didn’t start working until I graduated high school and got a job at 18. I’ve never received a tax return since it goes to the back pay. But if I don’t get my tax return then what happens if I don’t file my taxes at all, will the IRS just issue whatever I would have received to child support anyway?

It’s just never made sense in my head why I had to file along with everyone else if I would not be receiving any refunds.

Answer:
 >will the IRS just issue whatever I would have received to child support anyway?

Nope.  It's hard enough to get the government to cut you a check for money they legitimately owe you.  They CERTAINLY are not going to do it without the proper forms and returns.

>It’s just never made sense in my head why I had to file along with everyone else if I would not be receiving any refunds.

Taxes aren't about refunds.  They are about paying taxes.  Sometimes, that RESULTS in a refund, but not always.  And the IRS has every right to check and dispute your calculations.

You are required to submit tax documentation as a citizen of this country.  Failure to do so is a crime.

What will happen?  Who knows.  Tax returns can be important documents for other things besides just the IRS.  Eventually, you will want to move above board OR the IRS will catch on.  At that time, you will need to pay a tax attorney $$$ to straighten this out.  They aren't cheap.  If you are LUCKY, the IRS will accept your money, which will be far higher than your current total thanks to the the incredibly exorbitant fees/recalculations they are entitled to add on/perform.  If you are not lucky, you end up in jail.

You made a kid and one of the consequences of that choice is that you don't get tax returns for a while.  It's honestly a very minor consequence.  You try to skirt this, the consequences will get MUCH worse VERY rapidly.  Answer #2: Ask Wesley Snipes:

On April 24, 2008, Snipes was sentenced to three years in prison for willful failure to file federal income tax returns under 26 U.S.C. § 7203


Title: New landlord says I have to get rid of my cat.

Question:
I've rented from my landlady for three years with zero problems.  She has a pretty strict no pets policy but (in her words "because you're a great renter") she amended it to allow me to get a kitten last summer with the caveat that she would take $150 out of my deposit to get the carpets cleaned when I eventually move.

I have texts from my landlady from last May saying that I was allowed to get a cat and laying out the deal with the deposit.  I stupidly assumed that she amended my lease to reflect this agreement.

My building was just sold to a new owner and my new landlord has informed me that they have a no pets policy and that I need to rehome my cat or find somewhere else to live.  Will the texts from my landlady mean anything?  I'll find somewhere else to live (the new landlord has raised my rent by $75 for a place that is definitely not worth what I'm paying now so plus that so I already don't particularly want to stay) but I'm curious if I can stay here with my cat for a month or two while I look.

Answer:
 Are you on a fixed term lease or month to month?Answer #2: Depending on where you are, the eviction process might take that long, but you really don't want an eviction on your record or credit.

You can talk to the new landlord and ask for more time or give your 30 day move-out notice and maybe keep the cat for that 30 days.

Unfortunately if the pet didn't get added to your current lease, then the texts won't mean anything. However, the new landlord shouldn't be raising your rent while your lease is current either (again, location dependant).


Title: Semi-Update: Grandma is trying to steal my daughter

Question:
So its been a few months and this nightmare is still going on. We've had several 30 minute hearings over a few weeks and my mother was going to lose. At that court date she told the judge directly that whatever the judge decided she would appeal and in the interest of judicial economy she wanted to transfer to the next judge... well this judge didn't have any time for a hearing for 1 month. It was supposed to be 23 June and he was giving us 8 hours. We show up the 23rd and this judge actually excused himself and referred it to another judge because he just didn't want to hear the case. The state also scheduled a Child Support Enforcement hearing against my ex for the same day because he's refused to pay and both him and my mother are simply trying to exhaust my finances at this point. During this time a stupid temporary order has been in effect that was originally only for 3 weeks, but because of all the postponements is still in effect which give my daughter one week with me one week with grandma alternating and 4 hours per week access with the ex. We'really set for a scheduling hearing 19 July and hopefully we can get a date for the next week. I'm 16k under in legal fees and don't know how much longer I can keep up the good fight. Good news is my daughter loves it here at the new house, has made lots of new friends and is picking up spanish quickly. Much to the annoyance of my mother. She's been even crazier, and now has pending investigations for mail theft when she was caught stealing my mail trying to find things to use against me in court. I still never got served, my writing of habius corpus is unanswered, de novo hearings requests are pending and all in all the family Court is a shit show. I would not wish this on my worst enemy... I'll post a picture of the court precedings so ya'll can see how screwed up this is. OH I FORGOR THE BEST PART! I'm adopted and had my records unsealed by the court and turns out she committed fraud to adopt me and lied to the court then too. Birth mother lied and said she wasn't married. Presumptive father was never notified of the adoption and the said I was a resident of texas who had lived with my adoptive mother since birth. I was actually raised by my grandparents and never moved to Texas until 4th grade. Almost 7 years after the adoption. Worst case I can pay to try and void the adoption which destroys and standing this insane woman has. The rabbit hole is never ending...

[Proof](http://imgur.com/kFXeYN0)

Answer:
 At least we now know why she thought she could get away with this. She did once before, with you. By simply lying to the court she got exactly what she wanted and no one called her on this. So, naturally, she thinks she can just do whatever she wants. When the same trick didn't work this time, since you called her on it, she just doubled down making a huge mess of things.Answer #2: Cases like this make me angry about the court system sometimes. You shouldn't have to pay thousands of dollars to defend yourself from insane bullshit accusations. I realize that's just how the system works and it's a work in progress, but I think it's fair to say that this has been an incredibly unfair burden on you and it shouldn't have been.Answer #3: [Original post](http://np.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/44sbq3/grandmother_is_attempting_to_get_sole_custody_by/)
[First Update](http://np.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/46m627/update_grandma_is_trying_to_steal_my_daughter/)


Title: Landlord with tenant issues in DC. I'm an owner who occupies one unit in a 4-unit building and a tenant is threatening to call the cops on me. She texted asking "me to keep out of her apartment" and I have not been in her apartment.

Question:
I suggested that she do call the cops, but she did not.
What if she does late some Tuesday night or something and local LEO does show up, what then?

Answer: If the cops show up, you don't *have* to speak to them - but frankly, just explaining the situation is your easiest answer, and the one most likely to end the situation.


Title: Enforcing a DNA test to prove parentage or fraud.

Question:
My father has been visiting and paying maintenance for a child for 8 years and the mother has recently divulged to him that the child is not his.

He has paid for a DNA test after this but mum is refusing to participate and won't  allow the child to see my father. She has also stopped accepting maintenance payments.

This is obviously tearing my father up and he needs to know one way or the other. If the child is his, he would like to see him. If he's not then he would like to claim back 8 years worth of maintenance payments. How would he go about this?

Please help, this is hurting us both. Thank you.

I am in the UK.

Answer: He'd need to file to modify his child support order (or to establish an order and paternity if one doesn't exist yet) and dispute paternity.  Then he can get the court to order a DNA test.  Recovering payments will be very difficult if it turns out not to be his child.  His best option would be filing a fraud lawsuit, but he'll need to prove that she *knew* it wasn't his child and misled him into believing it was.


Title: [US/OH] Is it illegal to encourage your spouse to engage in unhealthy habits such as eating junk food, so that they will be more likely to die and you can collect their life insurance?

Question: I'm afraid if I joke with my doctor about my wife doing that (I don't think she really is but the thought does cross my mind sometimes) that the doctor will call the police on her...

Answer:
 Only if your spouse is a vulnerable adult. If you're of sound mind, then your wife's advocacy for a questionable diet is a relationship issue, not a legal issue.Answer #2: No, that's not illegal and such a joke won't get the police called.

It might make the doctor question the health of your marriage (joking about how your spouse wishes you were dead isn't... widely accepted anymore), but nobody's going to jail.


Title: Job Offer: I recently received a Job offer which I accepted and signed the offer and send it back to the employer. Can I back off on that offer? I got another offer which is double my current pay.

Question: Would I be in any legal trouble that I am turning away my offer which I accepted and signed?

Answer:
 Depends on whether the offer included some financial compensation.  If it was something like "I accept $10,000 and promise to work there for a year" then you would be expected to return the money.

Most employment contracts these days are "at will" (and yours probably included that language) which means either party can cancel the contract whenever they want.

There's also the professional relationship issue to consider.


Title: Is this an employer drug testing violations in Ohio?

Question:
This didn't happen to me, but my boyfriend this afternoon. For background information, he is a felon, he is on felony probation, his probation officer does drug test (lab - urine) him regularly and he has been through all of the drug and alcohol counseling he was required for court. His employer knows all of this, there is no information about his legal history that they're unaware of. His boss actually paid his court fines for him to get off of intensive probation early. (His boss is a very well-off man. His personal attorney on retainer is actually the county prosecuting attorney.)

Today, his boss accused him of being on drugs, which he denied because he hasn't done any drugs. This happened because he left a light on in the office when he closed last night, and he counted the nightly deposit before putting it in the safe (it's all on camera, there was no theft). From what I've read on Ohio Drug-Testing laws there has to be reasonable suspicion for such a random test. I'm not the law, I'm not his boss, and I'm not a judge, but that doesn't seem like a reasonable suspicion to me.

 So his boss decided he wanted him to take a drug test. Random testing is a normal thing. But usually it's done off-sight and people that are certified to take specimens are the ones that do it (correct?). His boss's stipulations for this drug test were "if he fails, his boss will call his probation officer and the prosecuting attorney" or "if he refuses to take it his boss will call his probation officer and the prosecuting attorney." At this point this whole thing seems a little personal.

Instead of sending him to a certified place to do this drug test, his boss bought a 12-panel First Check brand drug test that you can buy at Wal-Mart and had him take it in front of him.

He passed it just fine. But he felt singled out, violated and discriminated against.

My questions are, did his boss have the legal right to 1) drug test him with a store bought 12-panel test? 2) to be present in the restroom with him while he peed in the cup? 3) take any legal action against him if he would have refused or failed the test?
And is there any legal course we could take against his boss for subjecting him to this today?

Thanks for your advice!

Answer:
 >His personal attorney on retainer is actually the county prosecuting attorney

Hahah, what? He's retained your county's DA? That's a farce.


Title: What happens if my wife tries to leave the country with our daughter, without my permission? [Florida]

Question:
My wife and I have a very tumultuous relationship. We have a daughter who is almost two years old. My wife is originally from Central America, and all of her family still live there.

 She has made it 100% clear to me that if we separate or divorce for any reason, she will move back to Central America to be with her family, and take our daughter with her.

 Although if I had to I could live separately from my daughter, I absolutely do not want her growing up in Central America. It is an incredibly dangerous place. I spent a lot of time there in recent years visiting my wife's family, and I've personally seen multiple dead bodies in the streets due to the incredible violence there. My wife has witnessed a murder and been robbed and attacked in the street at least three times that I am aware of.

 Additionally, our daughter looks much more caucasian than hispanic. This will draw unnecessary attention to her as she gets older, if she is down there. Extortion is an incredibly common occurrence there, and if word gets out that she has an American father, it is very likely that she will be threatened or even kidnapped in order to extort money from me. I wish this were not true but it is.

I know that any custody hearing would be very complicated, but I am also concerned that my wife could simply pick up and leave for the airport with our daughter in tow. How difficult would it be for her to 'flee' the country with a toddler? Is there any additional scrutiny for a single parent flying out of the US with a small child? My daughter already has a passport so she wouldn't need to apply for one.

 My job involves a fair amount of travel, during which I send my wife money for the bills since she doesn't currently work. So it's convievable for me that she could wait until I am out of state for a couple of weeks to pack everything up and take the money I send her to buy plane tickets or something like that.

 Thanks for any advice.

Answer:
 I believe that you said else where that your daughter already had a passport. A solution here may be for you to control said passport. It might not be a bad idea to get a lockbox that you control the key to and keep the passports and other important documents in there.

However, a better solution here could be to discuss this with your wife. You might want to create a relationship where you do not need to fear your wife taking your daughter like that.


Title: [Michigan]Father physically attacked me when trying to leave with my dog, police told me I need to open a civil dispute

Question:
This is a very long story. I will try to stick as much to the facts and keep it short as possible, but it won't make sense to anyone without some backstory. This is a situation that is almost like a time bomb. It's the same cycle of dysfunction that my family has always fallen into. But now I am an adult and I won't tolerate any of it anymore. I am going absolute no contact with either of my parents and my brother. They are unhealthy and toxic people and I just want my dog so I can be done with them. My father is 57 years old and I am a 26 year old female, if that needs to be mentioned.

6 weeks ago, I was on the phone with my father arguing about the gate being left open, and my dog who had a very expensive surgery that I raised/ paid for, got out and climbed up the stairs, which is a huge no. My brother (31) came running down the stairs, hocked a loogie in my face, and started screaming at me. He followed me around the house after I told him repeatedly to leave me alone. I called the police, made a report, no arrest was made. The police told me I should move out. That was more than fine with me, I was planning on moving out in the spring anyway.

Things have been tense in the house since. My parents are very of the mentality that you never call the cops on family. My brother has served time in jail for aggravated assault already, so they were very angry and blamed the whole situation on me. They didn't care that he came out of nowhere and spit on me. They think it was my fault for fighting with my father and I deserved to be spit on. They wanted to have me committed (I was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder and bipolar II, two summers ago and spent a week in inpatient, this has seemed to deem anything I say or feel as being invalid in their eyes, and I am written off as crazy). I had to explain to them that they could not have me committed because solely because I was upset and crying.

I've been slowly moving my stuff to my new house and had one more trip to make yesterday. We have been arguing about ownership of my dog. I searched for her online and found her from a breeder in another state. My mom came with me to get her because I needed to borrow money from her. I named her. My mom told me not to worry about paying her back, but the understanding was that she is my dog and my mom knew I was going to take her when I moved out. The deal was that I also take the two cats in the house. One of them is my moms and one of them is mine. Well, my father got attached to my dog, so did my mom very recently. That's not my problem. I take her to the vet. I buy her food. I take her out on walks. She sleeps with me every night. I have purchased a pet license for her, to which I have the receipt.

Anyway, I go to get my stuff and my father mentions changing the locks. He told me that he no longer wanted me in the house without someone there to watch me. So, after my car is packed up, I quietly carry her down the stairs and open the door. He tackled me to the floor and elbowed my jaw and shoulders to get her from me. A physical struggle occurred for a solid minute before he gained control of her and dragged her across the floor to he living room. I chased after him, I tried to grab her and he shoved his arm in my face. He may have been drunk. He is an alcoholic and I could smell beer on his breath, he told me he wasn't drunk and could pass a breathalyzer. But I don't know. For what it's worth, this is also the fourth time in my life my father has gotten physical with me, the last time I was 16 and he was driving me home from work drunk, I offered to drive because I had my permit and he backhanded me and gave me a bloody nose. I did not call the cops then because my mom didn't want to.

I called the police, and after taking both of our statements, he was arrested. They told me that this is now a civil dispute, so I could not take my dog. I have to go the court house today to get things rolling to get her back. My health insurance kicked in march 1st so I was planning to go to therapy after the incident with my brother. I wanted to have it in writing from a mental health professional that she is my emotional support animal. I need her. I suffer from PTSD. She has been my therapy. She's my life. I can't stop crying. I can't eat. I can't sleep. I just want my dog. She is legitimately like a child to me. I have not spoken to lawyer yet. I don't know where to begin to find one. What kind of lawyer would handle this? Please help me. The cost is no matter to me.

I also want to add, I do not have any bruising on my jaw. That's what hurt initially after the altercation but now I do have shoulder pain that's shooting down to my elbow and I feel bruising underneath the skin.  I am concerned because I am a server and I am always lifting trays and I have to carry heavy boxes too. I'm not sure if I should go to the doctor, because I don't think there's much he could do.

And before anyone suggests I try to work it out with my parents, I have tried. I asked my mom to go to therapy with me. She called me hyperventilating, angry that I suggested it. She flat out refused and said she will never go to therapy. She thinks that any therapist will just tell her she was a bad mom.

I'm sorry, I probably included a lot of backstory, but I do feel it is kind of necessary to paint a picture. The situation is bizarre, I know. I do have one sane brother who has been in very limited contact with my parents since he moved out and got married. He has been in therapy as well, and seems to be the only other person to understands how crazy both of my parents are, and their favoritism for our other brother has been very blatant from childhood.

*update* guys, I just spoke with my friends father in law who is a lawyer. He suggested that I just go to their house to retrieve my property(i.e. My dog) when they are not home, and if the police show up to my new house that as long as I provide them with evidence of ownership, they can't remove her from my new house, but it won't change the matters that's it's a civil dispute. He said that since my parents have not formally evicted me that I have every right to be in that house to collect my things. I don't know how I feel about this.

Answer:
 Dogs are property, legally.

The police cannot readily determine on scene who owns what when people who cohabitate go their separate ways.  So the recourse to recover the dog is to sue your parents for it in small claims court.


Title: Employer keeping certain tips

Question: For the purposes of state to state, tip laws, ill say that I live in Washington. Normally, in store, when an employee helps a customer, the receipt that prints out has the employees ID Number on it, so if the customer put a tip on it will go to that employee, either electronically or at the end of the night. If a customer submits an order online with a credit card, "Server Power" will be printed on the receipt automatically, and any tip that the customer writes in will not go to the employee that helps them when they come in, but to the store to essentially pad their bottom line. Is it legal for my employer to keep those tips as store income? Especially because the customer assumes the tip will be going to the employee that helped them, or at the very least an employee.

Answer: This is illegal. They are allowed to pool tips and distribute them amongst employees as they wish, but fundamentally tips belong to the *employees* not to the employer. However, if the "tip" is a mandatory service charge then it's not actually a tip and the employer can keep it. But it sounds like what you're describing is a true tip (i.e. the customer determines whether to tip and if so how much), in which case it is illegal for your employer to keep it.


Title: I’m afraid I’m going to lose everything because of a debt.

Question:
A year ago someone while driving someone crossed the center line and hit my car head on, totaling it. My interest rate was pretty high and I hadn’t had the car for long so I was upside down in the loan. GAP insurance didn’t cover the total loan because of this. The finance company only would accept full payments in the amount I was paying before, nothing else, which I can’t afford because I had to get another car.

Now the debt went to a law office (debt collector) which filed Statutory Demands on both my wife and I, demanding %25 of both of our incomes. I absolutely can’t afford that. I’ve read that failing to keep up with a statutory demand can result in the court forcing the debtor into bankruptcy. I really don’t want that.

Is there anything I can do or do I just have to suck it up and accept my fate?

Answer:
 Not familiar with Ohio laws specifically, but I think more information is going to be required here. From your description, the other driver was at fault and you were paid out the full value of the car, correct? Did that money go to pay down the loan or did you keep it? How much of a loan balance remained once that was paid? You say you had gap coverage, but is it possible you had a variant like a loan coverage policy? Gap insurance would typically satisfy the entire difference, but variants exist that pay off a fixed percentage of the car’s value. Did you get the policy from the dealership or through your insurance company? Was an agent involved? How much did that policy pay and how was that amount determined? Did that money go to the finance company? What balance remained after that policy paid out?

If you’re getting a statutory demand and they’re talking garnishment, it sounds like you already have a judgment against you. It sounds like you don’t dispute that you didn’t continue paying on the remaining balance, but were you notified of a court proceeding related to that unpaid balance? Did you respond? What happened?

The reason all these questions might matter would be to try and figure out if all possible insurance policies paid out the correct amount, if the money went where it was supposed to, and what the current posture is of the proceedings against you.


Title: Rear ended an Uber car and he's asking for lost wages? (Australia)

Question:
So this morning I was driving to work. For what ever reason my brain didn't tell me there was a car stopped ahead. By the time I see it and slam on the brakes, but my foot slipped and rear-ended a car (roughly 10 km/hr). The car that I hit ended up hitting had a bent back fender, but my car had not even a scratch.

This was my first accident so I didn't really know what to do, we pulled over to the side of the road and exchanged phone numbers, names and took pictures of his car. Later he called me and asked for my (I'm renting but insured) insurer, address, car plate number.

Then he told me he won't be able to work for 3 days so he said I have to pay him lost wages ($350) to his bank account, is this legal? Wouldn't the insurer pay for it? I noticed that he was an Uber driver from the sticker on his back window but he didn't mention it at the accident scene and I didn't either.

I'm a bit stressed out about this situation and not sure what to do, could anyone advise me on what to do?
Thankyou

Answer:
 You contact your insurer, assuming you have comprehensive and not just third party, and follow their advice, which will be to let them deal with it.

Do not pay him anything.


Title: My father is posting pictures of me without my consent, what can I do? [Texas]

Question:
Hello everyone, this is a throwaway.

I'm [21F] posting here to figure out where to go from here. My father is my abuser, he's tried to kill me three times before I reached adulthood and cut off contact with him. I never went to the police or CPS with what he was doing because he worked for the police department and always told me they'd never believe me. I severely regret that now.

I thought I was finally rid of him. For the past 4 months, he's finally stopped trying to contact me. I have screenshots of texts telling him that if he tried to contact me again, I would call the police, and from then on, he's stopped. However, my sister just informed me that he has been posting pictures of me on his facebook without my permission. My sister has subsequently taken screenshots of those as well. Is there anything I can do about this? Maybe a restraining order? I have all of my social media accounts private, no one can see my pictures unless they are friends of mine, which leads me to believe that the few family members I have left on my facebook are either letting him access their account, or they're sending pictures of me to him. Is there anything I can do, legally (I'm in Texas btw)? Or should I just block those family members as well?

Answer: There is no general right to prevent others from posting your picture online. Maybe this could be a condition of a RO. But absent that the copyright holder (person who took the picture usually) could send a request to facebook to take it down.


Title: [MASS] Employee fires after giving two week notice

Question:
As the title says, my girlfriends co-worker was fired/told not to come in after she had given her two week notice. From what I understand, the employer still has to pay the two weeks if they fire you.

Just looking for confirmation on this, and any advice on the situation.

If it matters, it is a dental office (private practice)

Thanks
Topic:
Labor Law (Unions)

Answer:
 > my girlfriends co-worker was fired/told not to come in after she had given her two week notice.

Most companies do this, FYI. Knowing that the employee is leaving can make them a liability (not caring anymore, not taking proper precautions, etc). You are only entitled for pay for hours you work.


Title: Spouse received a letter today about an unpaid traffic ticket in Texas. He's never been to Texas.

Question:
We are in Missouri and the letter came from the Missouri Dept. of Revenue. The letter states that the spouse will lose his driving privileges in Missouri at the end of this month due to an unpaid traffic ticket in Texas. Again, he's never been to Texas. The information in the letter -- his name, address, license number -- are all correct. There is contact information for a judge in Texas and contact info for the Missouri License Bureau. There is no info about the date of the "ticket" or the amount owed. He renewed his license two weeks ago and nothing was said then.

The spouse is livid and confused. How should he proceed with addressing this? Should he contact the judge in Texas first (there's only a phone #, no email)? Or should he start with Missouri? He's going to get started on this tomorrow (Tues.) morning from work.

Note: He's checked his credit cards and bank accounts and everything's fine -- no suspicious activity.

**Edit:** 43 minutes since OP: Helpful(?) update: Spouse just searched the Texas traffic violations database and he's not in it. What could this mean?

**Edit #2 3/3 5:40pm:** Spouse was able to go to the driver's license office this afternoon to try and get some insight and they were absolutely no help; they wouldn't even listen. Tomorrow he's calling the Texas judge and is sending an email to the Missouri contact (which he's verified as legitimate).
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer: Why not call both? Call Texas first as Missouri is likely only enforcing the suspension from Texas.Answer #2: Does this letter give a date for the alleged infraction? Had he sold a car that could have been taken to Texas and gotten a parking ticket (or whatever this was) without fully transferring title? By "license number" do you mean driver's license or license plate?


Title: My 16 Year Old Sister Got Caught With A Felony Amount of Pot

Question: This took place in Ohio. She is 16 years old. She got caught with an undisclosed, but felony amount, of marijuana. She got caught with it in school. She's not very bright. It was divvied up into several little bags, suspected intent to sell/distribute. What are we looking at here as far as a sentencing?

Answer:
 What was she charged with? She needs an attorney.Answer #2: Sounds like she might have a lot of charges pending. She needs an attorney today. Answer #3: Sentence will depend on the county.   Most likely, probation.  Most juvenile detention centers in Ohio are way over-crowded, so they tend to keep only violent offenders.  It will not be bound over to adult court.  If she does not have a record, I would guess probation, maybe house arrest and community service, drug screenings/treatment.

edit: forgot to mention mandatory license suspension.


Title: Can you get in trouble at an underage drinking party if you weren't drinking?

Question:
Say you are at a highschool party where everyone is drinking, but you choose to remain sober.  The cops come and bust the party, and breathalyze everyone, proving your sobriety.  Can you still get in trouble for being at the party where this took place?

I ask because my friends have said this has happened to them before, but I find it odd.  I live in VA.

Answer:
 The question is: "In trouble for what?" What do they mean by "trouble?"

The cops reported them to their parents and they got grounded?

They were arrested?

They were charged with some crime?

They went to trial and were found guilty of some crime?

All of those could be "trouble." Some of them are likely (the first two), possible (the third), unlikely but not impossible (the last).


Title: [Wisconsin] My father was injured in an auto accident and is expecting a large settlement. He told my mother that the man who hit him died of brain cancer. My mother found the guy on facebook, he is alive and happily engaged. What shady business is my father up to?

Question:
Ok, this is a long story. I will try to be concise as possible. My father originally got in an accident in early 2012. He was driving his pickup on the highway when a deer walked out in front of him; he slowed down, and a semi rear ended him. He ended up getting back and neck surgery and is unable to work.

Some of the details are hard for me to remember, but I'm sure some of you who are more familiar with the legal process will be able to make sense of it. My father found a personal injury lawyer and the lawyer decided to wait as long as possible before filing the lawsuit with the court so that more of a case could be built upon some of my father's degenerative injuries from the accident--the case was filed with the court in late 2015. The lawsuit was supposed to be settled a year after the case was filed. So in late 2016, there was a court hearing and my father said the insurance companies apparently couldn't decide who should pay for things so the judge supposedly gave the companies another 18 months before he would consider the case again.  This just seemed wrong to me. And to top it off, my father also told us that the driver of the semi died from stage 4 brain cancer shortly after giving his testimony a few months prior. This also seemed a little off, but we went with it . . . until now. We Googled the driver's name and ended up finding him on facebook. He had recent posts and was recently engaged. This completely confirmed any suspicions we had about the "drawn-out" lawsuit and made us wonder what our father was planning.

So the other half of the story is that my parent's marriage is not great and my father filed for divorce late 2013-- he ended up cancelling because my mother convinced him that they should settle it out of court and then file jointly. My parents own a farm and a lot of equipment; my mother was planning on selling the equipment to buy out his half of the land/house so that she could pass the land on to my sister and me. My father basically just wants to get out of Wisconsin and buy a yacht and go down to Florida or somewhere warmer where his aches and pains won't be so bad.

Could the lawsuit really last another 18 months (or longer) before he gets a settlement? We think he might be trying to stall so that my mother settles the divorce with him out of court before he receives the settlement--that way he will get the money for half of the farm AND he will be able to keep all of the money from the settlement.
But, can he have any control over when he receives the settlement or how fast the process moves? Is it possible for him to hide the money from the settlement somehow? Why would he lie about the semi truck driver dying? There are many accidents all over the U.S. everyday, so there must be some common process all of them go through. If I'm not mistaken, this case is probably no more special than any other accident, so does what I've said so far about this case sound similar to other cases, or does something seem off? What is the expected timeline for a lawsuit like this?

Answer:
 You may be on the right track that your father is trying to delay the settlement until after he can resolve the divorce. But like /u/ooogoodlawd pointed out, depending on state law your mother may not be entitled to any of the settlement money anyway, regardless of whether a settlement is before or after the divorce.

So the question that your mom wants to ask her divorce lawyer is whether your father's pending settlement for his personal injury claim is relevant to her divorce claim in Wisconsin. It may very well have no bearing and all belong to your dad regardless.

The other driver being dead or alive has no relevance.   Answer #2: I may be wrong, but I thought settlements are like inheritance where only the person who receives the settlement is entitled to it, regardless of marriage.


Title: Let nephew borrow unused car, it is now impounded.

Question:
So my nephew was having some financial issues, so I let him borrow an old Honda I was not driving. He worked out of town, drove it and it ended up breaking down. He said he got it parked somewhere safe and he would take care of it. We had discussed him buying it off me, so I gave him some time to work on it/get the money together.

Come to find out, it had been towed and impounded for a yet undetermined amount of time. Now I was given the option to either pay to get it out (not worth it), or sign the title over to the lot (not a big deal, it was junkyard bound if he didn't buy it). I have been unable to get in contact with my nephew about this matter. Do I have any actions I can take against him to either A: teach him a lesson about responsibilities  B: get some form of restitution ?

Answer: You can sue him. Sounds like it is small clains territory. Look up small claims procedures for your state on google.


Title: Criminal Defendant taking the stand--terrible idea or the only way? (SoCal)

Question: Southern California--Throwaway for obvious reasons.  I’m not asking for legal advice, just a general question.  I’m a defendant in a misdemeanor criminal case, and the main point of guilt/innocence rides on WHY I sent those flirty text messages to that underage person.  Although we have an expert witness in the form of a psychologist, who will say it's not to get in her pants, along with some character witnesses saying what a great guy I am, my attorney is advising me to take the stand.  But nearly EVERYTHING I read says don’t take the stand, you’ll only make your case worse.  So my question.  When the point of the trial is about motive, what are some pros/cons on taking the stand?  What can I, as the defendant, do to prepare myself, and what kind of questions would the DA give me?

Answer: Nobody here is going to second guess your attorney.


Title: My friend is Venezulan and a US citizen currently living in Georgia. She's been looking into bringing her parents over to the US from Venezula but she's only 18. Are there avenues she can take even if she isn't 21 yet?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 [Your friend cannot petition for family members until she is 21.](https://www.us-immigration.com/blog/can-minor-u-s-citizen-children-sponsor-their-parents)  The parents on their own may qualify for some sort of independent benefit or status.  They should consult with an immigration attorney who can explore any options they may have.

However, the cheapest and most likely option is that she will have to wait until she turns 21 to sponsor them.


Title: Questions about "Man confronts undercover officers and TSA agents at LAX when they ask how much money he is carrying." What are the rights of citizens and LEOs?

Question:
[This video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6L1G4n4wlgs) just [hit the front page](https://np.reddit.com/r/videos/comments/689o16/man_confronts_undercover_officers_and_tsa_agents/).

As a lay person I think the guy handles himself very well, but I know nothing about the laws that come into play in this sort of interaction between citizens and LEOs.

What are his rights and obligations? What are the rights and obligations of the LEOs? What are they allowed to demand/require of the citizen, and what aren't they allowed to demand/require?

How should I act if I find myself in a similar situation?

Answer: The customs law of the United States require him to disclose how much money he is bringing into the country. (Or rather, he must disclose whether he is carrying more than a certain amount, and if so, report the specific amount.) A failure to disclose when required can cause the property to be forfeit; it would be seized, and the person bringing it in, or anyone else with an ownership interest, could dispute the seizure in court.


Title: My father's been demoted after 13 years with the company and he won't be able to make his bills.

Question:
Location: British Columbia, Canada

My dad’s worked at his job (a company of 50+) for 13 years and he is the most senior person there. He worked 40 hour weeks at 17 dollars an hour + 2 dollar an hour peace work bonus. It is a physical job.

A couple of weeks ago his manager came up to him and told him that the next Monday he would be starting as a night watchman on the graveyard shift (he usually alternates days to afternoons) and his hours would be cut, and he would now only be working 24 hours a week. As most of you know, it's very difficult, if not impossible, to live on that while paying off mortgage.

My dad is in his 60’s, but he is still able to perform the job tasks. He does have type 2 diabetes as well, not sure if that's relevant but just putting it there. The town he lives in is very small, so there’s not much other opportunity for work.

Is there anything we can do about this, other than just take it? We aren’t sure what his options are, if there are any at all. Would greatly appreciate if someone has some insight. Thank you.

Answer:
 Ianal but I remember reading about a Canadian law that says intentionally reducing a worker's wages through reducing hours or a demotion prior to retirement or termination so pension is drastically reduced is illegal.  Would appreciate if a Canadian lawyer would comment on this.Answer #2: This might actually be age discrimination. You should consult with an attorney.Answer #3: Is your father a contracted employee?

This is classic constructive dismissal tactics. It sounds like your father should contact the labour board with this information, it may be recorded in their records from previous employees and could help with his case or help future employees.Answer #4: NAL

This would fall under constructive dismissal in BC.
There isn't a big penalty to the employer in BC for firing an employee.  They only have to pay 8 weeks salary as severance or give 8 weeks notice.
However, they would have to pay him for the 8 weeks at the average salary of the previous 8 weeks.

So...  If they cut his wage in half for 8 weeks then fire him then they saved half that money. And if we walks before they fire him then they don't have to pay anything.

Right now he could (theoretically) refuse the cut to his hours and hope they fire him so they would have to pay the eight weeks. If he works for the lower salary he may waive the ability to argue constructive dismissal as he may be seen as accepting the new terms.Answer #5: If you haven't already, post this up to r/legaladvicecanada with the BC flair. It will gather attention there from people who know the laws.


Title: 16 and looking to get emancipated in Virginia. Need a little help.

Question:
My parents are my lifely burdens. They're unsupportive, mentally abusive, alcoholic, ("ex") drug addicts and I need to leave. They are holding me back in life. The house is literally falling apart.

Where do I start?

I saw that I needed a Petition for Emancipation but I can't seem to find one for my state just yet.

I have 2 jobs lined up (animal hospital/bussing) and family members that are willing to take me in, I have help from one of my older friends (and neighbor who's helped me with previous issues and has always been a really good friend to me) in finding a good free/low-cost lawyer that's specialized in emancipation/family conflicts.

What am I missing?
Topic:
Juvenile and Youth Law

Answer:
 A judge isn't going to emancipate you unless you demonstrate you can support yourself while not compromising your education.

In short, emancipation is for teenagers on TV shows and pop stars.

If your parents agree, a far simpler course of action would be getting their permission to live with family members.Answer #2: In Virginia to become emancipated, unless you are married or in the military, you first need to be living apart from your parents. If your parents don't agree or at least acquiesce to you living apart from them, then you can't be emancipated. Second, you need to be supporting yourself, so you need a job with enough income to meet all your basic needs, so you can demonstrate to the court that you are okay on your own.

You need to accomplish the above *before* petitioning for emancipation.

EDIT:  Why are you seeking emancipation here? You don't need to be emancipated to live apart from your parents and support yourself. You just need your parents to allow it. And if they don't allow it, you can't get emancipated anyway.


Title: CA/ID- Cops told my mothers ex-brother in law (who is retired from that department and lives out of state) she was put on a psychiatric hold. Is this legal?

Question:
Hello. My Mother and Father have been divorced for a few years now but this whole saga has gone on for a decade. Both my parents are horrible examples of how to be mature adults and not bring your children in to the middle of things. They antagonize each other and won't let things go. My father cheated on my mother multiple times and my mother hates him, but will take him back any second because she wants her family again. It's quite sad actually.

Flashback to a couple months ago and she is going off on one of her tantrums again and sends my sisters and I a picture of a knife saying she's going to kill herself. She's done this before. They are all empty threats but we call the cops anyway. The Long Beach PD shows up and they have to 5150 her which is the psychiatric hold and take her to the hospital.

This is where my uncle(dad's brother) comes in. He is a 25 year vet of the LBPD and recently retired and moved to Idaho. My mother today started screaming at us asking who told our father she was in the hospital and none of us did. He uses this kind of information to antagonize her and make her crazy. Turns out he found out from my uncle (his brother).

Are the cops allowed to tell a retired cop, who is no longer a family member, about things of this nature? Is there perhaps a HIPAA violation?

Edit: HIPAA not HIPPA

Answer:
 *HIPAA

No. HIPAA covers health care workers giving out patient information when they are not authorized to do so. Cops don't have to keep that information confidential.


Title: Adopted a cat, forms said spayed, cat is currently in heat

Question:
I adopted a beautiful cat named Tuki from an an animal rescue located inside of a pet store. She came with paperwork claiming that she had been checked by vet and found to have a previous scar that shows she has been fixed. I paid an 150 dollar fee to cover adoption fees that includes spaying and first vaccinations. Tuki is around a year old.

Since getting her home she had started to act like she is in heat, presenting herself to other animals and people as well as unending  crying. So we took her to a vet and he shaved her stomache and discovered that the only scar there is an umbilical cord scar.

Her papers from the rescue were signed from a vet on 1-15-2020 I adopted her on the 18. She had a full belly of hair when I adopted her leading me to believe they never actually checked her for being spayed.

The shelter is offering me a free spay an hour and half away from where I live and where I adopted her. I feel that this is torture to my cat to take her so far for an invasive procedure

Answer:
 >Her papers from the rescue were signed from a vet on 1-15-2020 I adopted her on the 18. She had a full belly of hair when I adopted her leading me to believe they never actually checked her for being spayed.

It's isn't "they" it's a vet, and that's a big conclusion you're jumping to, not that it matters especially.

>The shelter is offering me a free spay an hour and half away from where I live and where I adopted her. I feel that this is torture to my cat to take her so far for an invasive procedure.

It isn't.  Cats get transported much farther than that all the time, and it doesn't hurt them.  You can ask them if they will provide transport, or you can research a low-cost spay closer to home and ask if they'll pay for it.

>What kind of legal option do I have against the shelter?

It's not a shelter, it's a rescue, or they wouldn't be doing adoptions inside a pet store.  I guarantee you they have little to no money.  I suppose you can sue them for the cost of the spay, if it's worth appearing in court for less than $100.

>Perhaps the store that housed her and gave me the paperwork and assured me she was fixed.

So you want to get this rescue kicked out of the store where they do adoptions.  Great.  What happens to the cats they need to adopt out then?

You are really making a big deal out of something very minor.  A vet made a mistake.  This isn't a conspiracy.  Get the cat spayed, and be grateful she's healthy.  This is not an insurmountable obstacle.


Title: Parents leaving the country for a month, CA USA

Question:
As the title states my parents are leaving the country for 1 month and are leaving my brother (14) with me (24). Advice if i need any documents stating that my brother is under my care for that time period? Do i need to have it notarized? Medical documents?
A quick google search only revealed information for non relative situations. Thank you very much legaladvice

Answer:
 A notarized letter stating that you can make medical and educational(if needed) decisions is good to have in case of emergency. Answer #2: You should get his insurance cards and a medical POA.

That will allow you to make medical decisions for him in an emergency situation.

IANAL, there may be more documents you need.


Title: Husband trashed our apartment and walked out on me and my son

Question:
Hi everyone,

I came home from work last night and when I got home, our apartment was trashed, all of my clothes were torn apart and my belongings were damaged.  He left the fridge open as well.

I called the police immediately and filed the reports, but they said there's not much they can do because he did used to live there.

My 12 month old son is currently at a friend's house and she's aware of the whole situation, making sure he is okay.  I'm very worried about my son and my husband has access to my accounts so I a keeping an eye on them.

What should I do from here?  **I live around Chicago, Illinois.**

These are just the basics and I can provide more information tomorrow.  I am just very distressed right now and hopefully can have some advice on how to approach this situation and properly press charges for tomorrow.
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 1.  If you are afraid for your safety or your child's safety, apply for a temporary restraining order.  There are a number of groups in Chicago that can assist:  http://www.nationalcenterdvtraumamh.org/resources/chicago-and-illinois-domestic-violence-agencies-and-organizations/

2.  Take out enough cash to carry you through a week or two, in case your accounts suddenly develop a problem. Redirect any income to separate accounts.  (Change your direct deposit, and if they can't change it before the next pay cycle ask for a check for this one cycle.)

3.  Let your child care provider know of the situation, and that the child should only be released to you.

4.  Document, document, document.  Take pictures.  Save text messages.  Document everything.

5.  Change passwords to any accounts that you think he might know passwords to, including social media.

Answer #2: http://www.womenslaw.org/laws_state_type.php?id=509&state_code=IL#content-7805

File for an emergency restraining order.  This is harassment.  You can do this without a lawyer.