Title: [WV] I signed a lease about a year ago, found someone to take over my lease before ever having moved in. Now a person on the lease currently wants to move out and is trying to pin the costs to me.

Question:
I'm a college student and during my freshman year I signed a lease to an apartment with 4 other friends, there was another in it, but he was on a separate lease living in the same space. I transferred schools and found someone to take my spot before ever having moved into the house. So my spot was covered this whole time. Then the person on the private lease moved out and they redid one of the rooms into a bathroom so that the person on the private lease could leave without paying.

Flash forward to today, I'm transferring back to that school, and I was going to move into the house, until money situations came up and I went with a cheaper option. I've not signed a lease to move back into the house, nor have I even spoke to the landlord about it, I only mentioned it to someone in the house that wanted to move out that I could've taken over for him.

Anyway, after hearing that I will not be taking over his lease, he tells me I'm still technically on the lease and I better be ready to fork over the money to him every month.

I don't see how I can be on the lease after having had someone take over my spot, and especially after one of the rooms was turned into a bathroom.

Answer:
 >moved out and they redid one of the rooms into a bathroom

That's really expensive, and probably against the lease (although I bet most landlords would be trilled for the added value), so I doubt this was something the renters did.

Did you sublease to Friend #5 or did he take your spot on the contract? If your name is still on the lease, use this opportunity to get out of the contract, since that can seriously come back and bite you in the buttocks later. Either way, they don't have a claim against you unless Friend #5 suddenly causes trouble and is subletting from you.

Obligatory warning: in case of law suit, show up for court with papers.


Question: [CA] I signed a birth certificate 15 years ago and discovered the child is not mine through a DNA test. I never removed my name from the birth certificate because I was a stupid kid at the time.  I received a letter today from an attorney general's office (so it appears) that is saying I have a child support review process meeting next week. The letter looks very official, but I am very skeptical. Am I liable for child support if I signed the birth certificate? What is the best course of action for me to take now?

Answer: Were you married to the mother? Did you raise the child?


Title: Need advice

Question: A roommate that used to live here skipped out on rent and sold 2 of my landlord's cars and packed all his stuff and left. What legal actions can we take? Please respond quickly, we don't have alot of time.

Answer: How did she sell cars that did not belong to her?


Title: SO about to get fired, boss has made advance a couple times

Question:
My girlfriend is about to get fired.  She figured it out while browsing for jobs online.

She is an assistant and travels with her boss a couple times a month.  Once in a hotel room and once at a sports event he has asked if she cheats and has also talked about his own cheating.  They work with the mother of his child.  He has also tried to get her to break up with me without her sharing any personal information that would lead to that conversation.  He also texts her late at night while they are on the road talking about how he can't sleep and other nonsense.  All of these things make her very uncomfortable.

She has only been with her current company for a few months.  Does she have any legal recourse?

LOCATION: California

Answer: She can find a new job.


Title: I recently finished serving on a jury and the law firm who represented the losing party is asking me to sign an affidavit about some things that went on during deliberation

Question:
Their intention seems to be to have a new trial conducted or appeal or something along those lines. They asked me questions about topics the jurors discussed, methods we used, and evidence that was or wasn't taken into account by myself and other jurors. They then asked me to sign an affidavit that basically went over some details of what we did while deliberating. I have no issue with the content of the affidavit, its all in my own words and truthful, but I figured I would ask on here before I commit to signing it. Does this have a chance of biting me in the ass down the road? It was a civil case if that matters, and I was one of the jurors who voted on a verdict in favor of the losing party. The trial took place in California

Edit: I went ahead and signed it. If shit hits the fan for whatever reason I'm sure I'll be back asking for help :)
Thank you all for your advice on the matter.
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer: Personally, I would not sign. You're under no obligation to help them. Answer #2: Unless you did something potentially criminal (like researched the case on the Internet in violation of the judge's orders, or took a bribe), probably the worst that can happen is you get subpoenaed to testify at a hearing on a motion for new trial. And even that is pretty unlikely.


Title: [VA] Reckless driving ticket while on probation.

Question: To make a long story short I was doing my best not to fall asleep on my way home from dropping my girlfriend off fairly late at night. Wasn't paying attention to my speed and caught a Reckless driving charge for 91mph in a 70. They want jail time and I can't afford a lawyer so they appointed me one. Pretty sure the judge hates my guts due to some other stuff I won't get into right now. My probation for said things was set to be over on the 25th of this month however with the pending RD charge my Probation officer wants to violate me. Court dates the 23rd of this month and my lawyer doesn't seem to want to do anything for me. Any advice?

Answer: Listen to your lawyer. Get your affairs in order you might be going to jail.


Title: Good Neighbor In Trouble. Need advice TODAY. My next door neighbor has the stolen laptop of someone I met before, she acted super shady and couldn't get into it and now she is asking for it back

Question:
My next door neighbor (Karen ^(\*Names changed)) told me that she was having issues with a laptop her daughter gave her and asked me to help, she is middle aged, a little hard to understand at times and not technical at all, she said she's had it a few years and couldn't get into it, she is a sketchy neighbor but Mr. Rogers is a personal hero.

I picked up the laptop and didn't get around to it for a couple of days because I travel a lot as a software consultant.

During those few days Karen said that she had someone at work take a look at it but they declined to help her because he was here on a long term work visa and said he didn't want to get in trouble.

She also said something about having it for several years and not being able to use it, but "it's not like the previous owner cares about it I've had it for three years", this was weird to me but I was distracted and didn't really get the implications.

I opened it an **saw that the user name was of someone who runs a childrens school down the street (Dweezil Zappa)**, the issue my neighbor was having is that she couldn't get into it **because she didn't have the password.**

Dweezil is a very distinctive name and I called her and sure enough 3 years ago when her school was under construction the laptop and construction equipment was stolen. **She came, by gave me the password and I was able to log in.**

**So now I am 100% certain this laptop is stolen.**

I texted Karen and asked her if she knew the laptop was stolen and that Dweezil had been in my home and had the password and everything.

She **changed her story**, and replied that she had bought it from someone 5 years ago (laptop is 3 years old) from some guy and she didn't know where or what that person was doing, and then I didn't hear back for 3 days.

Now she is asking for it back, and said "She can deal with that woman".

Should I go to the police? I don't really know how to proceed here.

My next door neighbor is part of a large family in the area and rents from her elderly cousin, it's a rough area and many of that family are close and also in and out of prison, I own my place but I've only been there a few years, it's selfish and maybe not an option but I prefer a legally clean resolution that hopefully doesn't end up with Karen blaming me, which is still an option at this point.

I have plenty of money, I could just buy a laptop for one of them, I don't think Karen is going to be down for that.

Legally what should I do?

I am never helping a neighbor with tech support again. What a mess.

Answer: Call the cops,  I would not give the laptop to shady neighbor.   Answer #2: Call the police. I think they would be very interested in this case.


Title: DUI question

Question:
lets say you drank earlier  and you are getting stopped by the cops,if you drink before you speak to the cops can they still prove you were  driving under influence?

state : florida

Answer:
 No, it won't work.

Alcohol isn't instantly absorbed into your system. So all the evidence of intoxication that I see on the scene (with the possible exception of odor of alcohol) is due to what you drank EARLIER in the night because the new stuff hasn't hit you yet.

So that will give me enough to arrest you.

Then we get to the station and do the breath test. This will be affected by the new stuff you drank, so you'll be more impaired than when you were stopped.

Not a problem. We take a sample, wait a half hour or so, and take a SECOND sample. That will give us the exact rate you are absorbing or eliminating the alcohol. Once we have that we can mathematically compute the amount of alcohol in your blood at the time you were stopped before you drank the alcohol.

You still get convicted.


Title: Neighbor is raising pigeons illegally. Called councilman's office multiple times over 2 years. It's now year 3, and thirty pigeons are still flying high. What now?

Question: It's not legal to keep pigeons as pets in Long Island. This neighbor has 30 pigeons that fly all over the neighborhood. It's absolutely menacing and dirty. My councilman's office has apparently sent N inspector the last 2 years. Somehow, even though it is plainly illegal, the pigeons are still here. [Long Island, NY]

Answer: Call animal control, not the councilman.  And call everyday


Title: My 16 year old sister and her 28 year old boyfriend ?!

Question: I'm in Pennsylvania where the age of consent is 16. So ive been told that nothing can be done legally about the 28 year old piece of crap who I recently found out is in a relationship with my sister. My question is could I have charges pressed on him for corruption of a minor? Is there any legal action I can take against this man? My sister refuses to understand that there is anything wrong with their relationship so I know she wont be pressing charges. But is there anything that can be done?

Answer:
 Your sister is still a minor, and your parents can restrict or forbid him from seeing her.Answer #2: Unless he provides her with illegal drugs, alcohol, firearms, tobacco, gets her to perform illicit acts in order to photograph / record her, or flat-out commits a generally-recognized crime against a person (assault, kidnapping, murder, etc), then you're pretty limited. You parents can exercise their custodial rights, however.

Here's Title 18, PA law regarding Minors: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/LI/consCheck.cfm?txtType=HTM&ttl=18&div=0&chpt=63 Answer #3: If they’ve been trading nudes over the phone your parents can nail him to the wall.


Title: Had a seizure at work. Does this count as workers comp?

Question: I work in a data center and had a seizure. I didn't suffer any injuries except for the seizure, so I was curious if this will count as workers comp.

Answer:
 Workers comp covers lost time and medical bills.

If you don't have any of these, you don't have a workers compensation claim.


Title: (IL) Buying a house. Do you know of any agreements that I can take to a lawyer for owning a home as an unmarried couple?

Question: We're buying a house but marriage is still further on the horizon. I want to make sure we're both protected in the case of death or a (god forbid) dissolution of the relationship. Additionally, I'm leaning the direction of joint tenancy but if anyone has expertise on the subject, I'm very interested in hearing more. Also, dumb question, what type of lawyer am I looking for to review this agreement with? I assume I will need to create a will with my partner in it (estate law), but want to cover bases. I'm in Cook County, IL. Thanks!

Answer:
 Because you will not be married at the time you purchase the property you will likely take title as joint tenants.  There is no standalone "agreement" that will establish ownership of real property in Illinois.  Title to the property will be vested in you and your SO through a deed, and the deed will set forth the specific type of tenancy you deem appropriate.
As joint tenants, each of you will hold an equal and undivided interest in the property. Joint tenancy in IL also creates survivorship rights so that upon the death of one of the owners, any remaining owners will take the rights of the deceased owner. This allows the property to pass to the surviving owner outside of the probate process. Additionally, if you and your SO acquire property as joint tenants before marriage and then get a divorce, the divorce proceeding will not affect the property; the two will remain joint tenants.
A real estate attorney will be able to answer any further questions you may have.


Title: [NC] How to pay divorce lawyer with no access to funds?

Question:
Hi,

I have a friend whose husband has separated in a highly hostile fashion from her. He has obtained temporary custody of the kids and has cut her off from all of their joint finances. She was a SAH mom and she didn't have a bank account of her own that he didn't have access to, it was all shared and now she can't get to it. She needs a lawyer to help her get support and access to her children, but has been told that she can't get one without already having substantial amounts of money ... I haven't been privy to these conversations, but I guess divorce lawyers don't work on retainer? Anyway, she can't get access to their joint money without a lawyer, which she can't get because of no money. She's basically homeless and is losing hope because she can't figure out a way past this catch-22. Does anybody have any advice I could give her?

Answer: She needs to contact a divorce lawyer and explain her situation.  Courts can often order the other spouse pay for the non-working spouse's divorce lawyer.  This can be laid out in the divorce decree.


Title: I was denied being able to get married, what steps do I take next? [Massachusetts]

Question:
I'm 21 and my fiancee is 49 years old, and we've been together for about 3 years now. We decided to have a private ceremony at a courthouse in a neighboring town. Also we managed to do everything that was required for the marriage including getting the licenses.

Well, the judge asked how old we were, and after we told him, he responded that we were not going to get married [today]. I was a little shocked. He said he couldn't, in good conscience, let an older man take advantage of me like that. He condescendingly told me it was for my "own good".

So now we wasted a whole day off from work, and everything so we couldn't get married. At this point, would we be allowed to get married elsewhere or is our ability to get married revoked? Is there any action I can take against the judge? I'm sure this isn't legal, is it?

Answer:
 FYI, pretty much [anyone](http://www.sec.state.ma.us/onedayweb/external/welcome.aspx) can officiate a wedding in Massachusetts if they fill out a form, pay the fee, and wait a week or so.Answer #2: Do you still have the license?

Perhaps you could get a friend to get a [one-day designation](http://www.sec.state.ma.us/OneDayWeb/External/Welcome.aspx) to do the marriage at a time and place convenient to you. I'm not sure about the requirements, but it might be worth a look. They say it can be had in as few as five days.


Title: Selling a car with a payment plan?

Question:
Hey there, I am planning on selling a cheap car tomorrow via Craigslist to a stranger via a payment plan.

He would pay 45% tomorrow, when I would give him the car but keep the title.

45% two weeks from now.

10% two weeks after that, when I would give him the title.

What I'm worried is that for the next month he would be likely be driving the car illegally or uninsured, possibly leaving me at fault for anything he does with it?

Whats the best way to keep myself safe in this process, if there is any decent way?

For reference, I'm in West Virginia, right on the border of PA and OH.

Answer: No No No No No No No. If you need me to type more Nos let me know. This is a bad idea for several reasons. If this is a "cheap" car and he can't come up with the full amount what does that tell you about his finances and ability to pay for car insurance?  If he crashes and you are still the registered owner you can be held liable.


Title: [CA] SIL won't take pictures and videos of our kids off Facebook. We want our kids to have online privacy. What are our options to get them taken down?

Question:
My husband and I decided early on that we didn't want any pictures of our kids on social media until they were old enough to decide that for themselves. We still have our profiles on Facebook so that contacts can find and interact with us, but we don't post anymore. This is mostly due to the invasive data that Facebook keeps on its users and even nonuser friends/relatives of its users. Yes, it's a digital world, and we're not trying to get off the grid or anything, just to give our family some privacy.

When the twins were first born, we posted three or so pictures that didn't include their faces or were partially obstructed. (We later thought better of it and took these down, too.) We explained to our relatives and close friends that we wouldn't put any more pictures up due to privacy concerns, and everyone was cool with it even if they disagreed with our decision. Except "Casey." My husband's sister came to visit when a few months after the birth, and took a few pictures and a video. We told her at the time that we did not allow pics of our kids on Facebook, and she said she understood. Later, they appeared on Facebook, and despite my husband (her brother) and I requesting them taken down several times for over a year, they are still up. She has now blocked my husband, so he can't even see if they ever do get taken down. We've also tried reporting it to Facebook, to no avail. The twins are only one year old.

Casey is a functioning adult with a job, a car, and roommates, but may have an undiagnosed intellectual disability. Her family thinks she may be on the autism spectrum, but the parent she grew up with didn't believe in getting her testing or help for whatever reason. All that to say, what works with others as far as persuasion isn't working with her. She said one time that she won't delete them because she doesn't know how to save them to her computer, and that's just how she saves all her photos. But now, when asked about it, she just shuts down and won't say anything.

We don't want to have to sue her or threaten a lawsuit, but it is very important to us (especially my husband) to get these pictures taken down. Our feeling is that she has disrespected our clear instructions in our capacity as parents, and if we have to take legal steps to get them taken down, then so be it. So how can we get this done? BTW she is in the same state but different county, about a 9 hour drive away.

Answer: You have zero legal recourse if she took the pics.Answer #2: What exactly would you sue her for??? She owns the photos, that's all there is to it. There is nothing you can do about it.Answer #3: If she took the pictures and the video, then she owns the copyright to them and you have no way to force her to take them down.


Title: [San Francisco, CA] My apt complex is sending residents a bill after discovering they were under billing utilities for a year.

Question:
My apartment complex performed an audit and discovered they were under billing for water, sewage, and trash from March 2016 - May 2017 and are sending all applicable residents a bill on July 1 for the difference. Is this allowed?

The relevant line from my lease as best I can tell is:
>Resident agrees to pay all charges (including utility deposits) not supplied by Owner, assessed by the utility provider (or Owner, or Owner's designated Billing Party) in connection with Resident's use of utilities during the term of this Lease, or the period of occupancy by the Resident, whichever is longer.

The notice I received says:
>The audit determined that during the months of March, 2106 through May, 2017, all residents were underbilled for their utility costs. Only residents that were residing in their unit during this timeframe were included in the recalculation of charges and the bill-back of the underbilled portions.

They are offering payment plans but I'm wondering if they're allowed to do this more than a year after the underbilling occurred? I'm also wondering if I can trust their audit as no details were given about it other than we now owe money because of it.
Topic:
Contracts

Answer: You have to pay what you agreed to pay in your lease. The statute of limitations on written contracts is years.Answer #2: They have 2-4 years to collect. Can't remember off the top of my head, on mobile, but this is legal, sure. Sucks but it was agreed to.


Title: Scammed by Ebayer. What do I do now?

Question:
Basic rundown: I was selling shoes on Ebay. Buyer wins for $530. I sent him the shoes. The day he got them, he filed for a return. I accepted and paid for the shipping. I got the box back yesterday, and within it, was some mustard, a pair of jeans, and some cheap chinese video glasses. Ebay just refunded him since I received the (a?) package, even though they can't prove that he did/ didn't ship me the shoes.

**So now I have my shoes stolen, and I won't be recieving my $530. What do I do?**

The most I have done besides talking with Ebay customer service is fine an IC3.

California, USA. Scammer lives in Miami, FL.

Answer: Keep calling eBay. You need to sort through to get a good rep. You can dispute a return. They should have told you that. Also, copy all the information from the sales record in case the guy gets banned and you can't see it anymore. Email address, mailing address, phone number etc. Answer #2: Sue the buyer in small claims court in the state s/he lives in.


Title: The police are not investigating my assault & intentionally ignoring me??

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 I'm not going to read all of that.

The police don't have to investigate any crime. You can call someone higher up on the chain of command and complain.


Title: What is acceptable proof of child support payment in Texas?

Question:
Hello, My ex and I had a baby in February of this year, we verbally agree to a child support payment each month. I've been sending money from my chase account to her's chase account electronically (chase quick pay) the last 2 months (with a memo stating "child support for june 2015 for example.) I wrote a check for Feburary and March. My question, is that sufficient proof of child support payment? can I get in trouble later if she decide to get nasty? what steps can i take to protect myself?
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 I can't see why bank records aren't sufficient evidence of payment.

IMO, you should consider getting a court order for both visitation and support.


Title: My friend got conned, wondering what can be done.

Question:
Friend got conned.

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She was promised a job, got  a 1,000$ up front payment and was promised a house to stay in.

The person had 'bad credit' so she got a loan for him, and foolishly signed over the bill of sale on a promise. She won't tell me how much the loan is for but I have a feeling it's for a significant amount.

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He said he will sell the car and keep the money

&#x200B;

She wasn't interested in a romantic situation so he threatened her and kicked her out of the house. She is on the lease but he threatened litigation against her.

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She moved a few states over for this job.

&#x200B;

She has email promising her a job and pay.

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The kicker is he hasn't paid taxes in 3 years and lied to her about a legal hemp business. She could probably have him sent to prison. I'm not sure if she'd get her car back in that situation

&#x200B;

Is litigation the best route?

Do you think the police could help her get the car back?

Answer: No, not if it's in his name. She can sue him for whatever he agreed to pay her back.


Title: sentencing outlook (1st time DUI, previous failure to appear, and previous driving on a suspended license) - CA

Question:
I am asking on behalf of my boyfriend who is currently in custody, was arrested last night. he has previous warrants in another city in CA, and his total bail is set at $85,000. I just want to know what to expect after he sees the judge on Tuesday. I have never gone through this process before and I don't know what to do. The bail is to expensive, so the bf is gonna have to wait till he sees the judge in a couple of days, but i'm afraid he's going to be sentenced to months for these.
please, any advice is greatly appreciated.
Topic:
DUI

Answer: Advice would be to get a criminal defense attorney. The bail is probably so high because of the active warrents he has.  There is the possibility of extradition to CA


Title: [USA- MO] How to prevent abusive parents from access to school records?

Question:
Hi LegalAdvice.

I turn 18 in a little less than a month. I've grown up in an emotionally/psychologically and physically abusive home for my entire life, something that is well-documented by numerous mental health professionals and my school's social worker/crisis interventionist. I'm working on putting together my escape/exit plan, and hope to be out of my home by the end of August 2018. Not only do I plan on leaving my abusive home soon after reaching the age of majority, but I do not want my abusive mother to have any access to my school or medical records whatsoever after I am gone from the home & am of legal age.

This school year, I'll be a senior in high school, and will be 18 before starting the academic year. In MO, you're typically 17 or 18 as a senior, so there are a fair amount of 18 year old seniors- though the majority of them have normal relationships with their parents and live under the same roof, thus making *"who has access to my records"* not an issue in most cases.

I'm somewhat familiar with the process of transferring the 'ownership', per se, of medical records from parent to child upon turning 18, and it largely seems more simplified (once child turns 18, is legal adult and thus in control) when compared to school records.

Legally, I *know* that I have the right upon turning 18 to be the sole accessor of my academic records, but **how exactly do I go about the process of officially barring my birthgivers from being able to pull my records, having access to InfiniteCampus (our online grade portal), having access to report cards, etc?** I've looked far and wide through my school district's website and manuals in a search for info on this specific situation, but haven't found anything. I know that this is probably more of an issue that I should take up with my school's administration, but I want to ensure that I know the legal rights that I have to academic privacy.

Feel free to ask questions if you need more info in order to find a solution/recommendation. Anything and everything helps.
Topic:
School Related Issues

Answer:
 See here. https://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/students.html?

This may not apply if you go to private school for which your parents pay the tuition. Answer #2: If the answer isn't apparent from any of your research, I'd start by walking into the office and just asking someone how. It may be a simple matter of the administration checking a different box on your record, or it may be a huge ordeal that they're not really set up to accommodate (in which case *then* you'll have to start getting assertive). Answer #3: FERPA is the law that covers this. The rights to your educational records are automatically transferred to you when you turn 18. Many school districts train their employees on this law to make sure the records of an 18 year old are not accidentally given out.

However, as long as you are a dependent on your parent’s taxes, they can access your records without your consent.

[FERPA FAQ](https://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/pdf/ferpafaq.pdf)


Title: No Insurance Car Accident - Allstate is seeking money as well as the owner of the car I hit

Question:
I was in a mild fender bender while my insurance had lapsed. I have since pled guilty in court to the accident and paying those fines. The owner of the car I hit is seeking restitution for the amount of $500, the amount of his deductible. I have no problem paying him for his troubles. I just now received a letter of a collection company collecting for Allstate (the insurance company of the man I hit) seeking $1016.99 for damages. Am I also required to pay the insurance company for the damage to the car? If so why do I need to pay twice? (There is no way there was $1600 in damage to the vehicle.) It's a bit confusing because I have received nothing from Allstate itself such as repair bills or even an initial letter from them asking for money.

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I would love some advice on how to deal with this, and would like to know if I'm legally obligated to pay Allstate. I would prefer to just pay the owner $500 of course. I'm not sure what the purpose of insurance is if the owner has been paying Allstate thousands of dollars every year, and when there is an accident, they don't actually pay for anything lol. Insurance companies feel like a big scam anyways, so i guess that would also make sense lol.

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Thank you!

Answer: Yes, you are responsible for all damage you caused. Your negligence caused $1600 worth of damage (which is really very little for body work) -- $1100 from Allstate, maybe also a couple days of rental car coverage, and the $500 deductible. You can always wait until you lose a lawsuit to pay


Title: Speeding ticket question.. likely a very stupid question

Question: [TENNESSEE] Received a speed ticket.  on said speeding ticket my date of Birth is listed as 10/17/84..  right year wrong month wrong day..  any possibility I could get it overturned on such a technicality?

Answer: It’s possible in the same way that it’s technically possible I can be struck by lightning three times while typing this response at my desk.


Title: Advice for protecting a disabled sibling who is currently unfit to be opening credit cards, but continues to get approved?

Question:
(Location update, sorry, New York, USA)
Any advice is sincerely appreciated.

It's a very long story, but the short of it is that my brother is 23, not severely disabled, but has a long history of learning disabilities, and behavioral problems, and has a sweet heart but has shown a dreadful compulsion for excessive spending. For what it's worth, he has a long history of relationship with his psychiatrist, and has been on a number of different behavioral medications for years now, including some impulse-control related medications. He's opened and racked up debt twice now in the thousands that he's been unable to pay off, that he's in the process of working with my parents on paying off, and this holiday season has brought the same problem again.

He was able to walk into a Kay Jewelers and open a store credit card with who I guess is their credit card affiliate company, Conmenity. My initial frustration was with the fact that, presumably, there's some credit check process, and information about his history of employment (zero) and his current income (also zero) and that after all that, he was somehow not only approved, but approved for a $4,000 credit limit.

He's in the past 2 weeks totaled about $1,200 in purchases at the store location, tried to hide it, eventually come forward and handed the credit card over, and I'm now trying to figure out a solution going forward.

I guess my question is 2-fold: Simply paying off the $1,200 is barely an option, money is tight for both me and my parents, (I'm beginning law school next year), but if we had to do it we could probably manage. I'm going over to the store location today to try and get the jewelry refunded, unfortunately, he's without most of the receipts, and without some of the original boxes. I guess I was hoping I could leverage some position about how it was unethical for him to be allowed to open a credit card in the first place to encourage them to issue the refund, I don't know, I don't have a credit card and really barely understand how credit cards work.

My second question is whether or not there is a process in place that can like, sort of put a lock on his ability to open new lines of credit. We are working closely with him, and therapists and psychiatrist but it's a difficult process, and it's not hard for me to conceive of a situation a week from now where he spirals out and his spending compulsion/addiction/whatever kicks in and he finds another store to walk into and open a credit with. Can we like, with his consent, flag his ability to open new lines of credit?

Thanks in advance.

Answer:
 I think you or your parents would need to get guardianship of him.

Without that, these are his credit cards, his purchases, his debts.  You have no rights to take them away from him and no obligations to help him.

That said, you could explain the situation to the merchants, and they might accept them to be returned.  But, you have not established how it was unethical for them to allow him to open the cards in the first place.Answer #2: The specific mechanism you're looking for is called 'freezing his credit'. It's how victims of identity theft stop the bleeding, by putting a lock on new credit accounts. Contact the major credit bureaus for help doing this, or hop over to /r/personalfinance for more detailed recommendations.

However, that's still something he'll have to do himself. A bigger question is whether any of you should obtain Power of Attorney over his affairs. Since it doesn't sound like he's completely incompetent, I don't think you can do this without his consent, but he can grant you financial POA if he wishes. That would let you (or your parents) manage aspects of his affairs on his behalf.

However, you would probably want the help of a family lawyer to do this and that would cost money. It sounds like not doing this is going to cost money anyway, at some point, though.


Title: My father has stolen my identity and potentially wrecked my life [Florida]

Question:
I'm pretty lost on what to do now. I always trusted in him. To preface he didn't really take care of me growing up. I had to get to school on my own, feed myself, buy my own clothes, entertainment all from when I first moved in with him. He would even take money from me.

Now I've found out he's been using my identity. Here's what I know.

1) vehicles and a driver license are tied to my social. They're all registered to me. As far back as from when I was 5, even to now, his current vehicles.

I could never afford a car before, but finally managed to save enough for one and when I started looking into my drivers information I saw there was already a license registered to me.

2) The home I moved into with him got foreclosed on, and it was in my name. Tied to my social.

3) He's jokingly said before that his company is in my name. He is crazy so I figured he was making eccentric jokes (most his jokes are not funny in the least usually), but now I'm worried this might be actually true.

I think he may be an illegal cause I know he wasn't born in the United States. The strange thing is that he can claim me on is taxes with his own social so I'm not sure what to make of this. Despite always talking about his home country, he's never gone back to it. Not only that, but when his father passed away he sent me to his home country and didn't go himself. I thought it was because they had a terrible relationship but now it just adds to my suspicions.

I'm currently going to community college but wanted to join the military for personal reasons. Now I'm thinking I might have to put the military and my school on hold while I sort out everything.

One last thing to mention, I know he has no intention of helping me or stopping this. When I found out what was going on, I spoke to him about my future and how he hasn't helped me at all. He once wouldn't give me my social to apply for work, I had to get it on my own. When speaking to him, he said he's only concerned about his retirement and none of his kids. It was a smack in the face considering he didn't know I knew what he was doing with my personal information.

I don't know what he expects his life to play out like. He's proven to be crazy and manipulative and very abusive. So I haven't let him know that I know yet. I'd like to take an offensive legally before he can try to weasel his way out of this and screw me over.

Summary:
There are properties, a drivers license, and possibly a company in my name. I'm not sure what's gonna happen in all this, but I'd like my identity back.

Any advice at all would be great.

Update: Thank you everyone. You guys and gals are great. I've made of list of what you've recommended me. Knowing that once the authorities get involved he can't do any further damage really gives me peace of mind. I am worried however. He's been known to screw people over especially in a legal way. I guess I'll be sure to mention that to authorities.

Answer:
 Not a lawyer, but your first step should probably be getting the police involved. This has all the makings of a VERY SERIOUS fraud/ID theft case.Answer #2: /r/personalfinance has a very detailed section on identify theft in their wiki section [here](https://np.reddit.com/r/personalfinance/wiki/identity_theft). Going through it will help you answer a lot of questions going forward.

As others have suggested, pull up your credit report, flag everything that isn't you, and speak to the police. Answer #3: So obviously the primary concern is to absolve OP's responsibility in all these debts (past and present), which involves reporting the father for fraud (as everyone else is correctly suggesting).

My question is, if the business (and the cars, and the house) are worth something and are actually in OP's name (the titles, not just the debts/loans), could OP make a legal claim of *actual* ownership against these items? (I.E. actually take possession/control of them, or sell them and keep the money?)

Or would that be admitting to/participating in the identity theft?Answer #4: Contact the police.  [This website](https://www.identitytheft.gov/) gives very good steps for you to follow if your identity is stolen.


Title: Employer failed to withhold PAYG on annual bonus due to payroll error - 18 months later I have a surprise $6k tax debt. Are they liable to pay this on my behalf?

Question:
Melbourne, Australia.

Overpayment occurred in October 2016, identified in March 2018 when FY17 tax return completed.  At the time of payment, my BASE monthly salary was being paid to me by a different company to comply with visa regulations, due to location of role being in another country for 12 months.
Terms of employment of 12 month role stated I would be no worse or better off from a tax perspective due to this role being based in another country.  Bonus payment (seperate from base salary) still paid to me by home company, but they neglected to withhold tax from payment.  My position is that I can’t be reasonably expected to identify overpayment myself - $0 tax deducted, which I thought was correct as payments YTD by home company were still under tax free threshold.  I am asking home company to pay my tax debt as I did receive overpayment, but this was due to their payroll team error and I have spent and no longer have the money to pay tax debt.  What are their obligations?  I googled ‘estoppel by representation’ but don’t really understand it.  Or if there is a different legal precedent I can reference to support my position.

Thanks.

Answer:
 Were you provided a pay stub/slip?

I think it's highly unlikely bordering on impossible your employer would be responsible for paying your income tax because you spent it. In the US the answer would be "absolutely not".


Title: Neighbors are harassing me for Parking.

Question:
Hey there, legal friends. I'm in VA.

So, to make a long story short, I live in a suburb and my house is on a corner lot. Sometimes, to avoid anyone talking to me, I will drive my car to the side of my house and park on the correct side of the road, across from my fence. My yard extends past my fence by about fifteen or so feet.

My neighbors who live not across the street from my house, but two doors down from where I park, have repeatedly come up to me, and threatened me with legal action.

-"Excuse me, do you have any business being here?"

-"You can't park here. It's against the HoA."

-"You're being an asshole."

-"I'm going to call the cops on you if you keep sitting out here smoking."

-"I'm going to call the cops on you for littering."

-"If you don't move I will make you move."

There's more things of that nature, however, it all blurrs into the same subject.

My question is;

Can they legally do anything to me? I'm just minding my own business, smoking my cigarette and sometimes I'll call my girlfriend, who has heard them over the phone. That's it. My lights are on sometimes, but they face away from their home.

And,-

Is there any way to get them to leave me alone, legally? I don't really want to cause trouble, but now I'm afraid it's going to escalate. They've come by the front of my house before and took pictures of my car parked in the driveway, and in the street in front of my house. The HoA has no rules against any of these things.

Answer: Since your neighborhood has an HOA, you could appeal to the board (or the property manager).  Tell them what has been happening and ask them to send these neighbors a "cease and desist" letter.


Title: What can I do about a bad step teen child

Question: So i common law married my wife who has 4 kids and one the kids is turning out to be a really bad apple. I love all 5 very much but do not feel respected by the teen. I have provided countless opportunities but it seems she doesn't give. Now I found out she has sex and smokes weed. What can I do to kick her out or set her straight without getting into legal problems. I am not her legal father. I understand that she is a minor but I will not allow a person like this in my house. Thanks for the advice.

Answer: Wow. You obviously don't love her at all, or you wouldn't want to kick out a child for doing regular teen things. Assuming she's a minor, you can't just kick her out. Why don't _you_ leave? You're obviously not father material anyway. Your attitude is shameful.


Title: (VA) Neighbor is stiffing my teenager out of a $360 pet-sitting bill

Question: My 16-year-old daughter agreed to take care of our neighbor's five cats while the owner was out of town for over a month ($10/day x 36 days = $360), but now the neighbor has returned and won't return phone calls and text messages. Near the end of the job, my kid noticed a foreclosure notice taped to the door, and the house is a mess of hoarding. It's clear that the neighbor has issues, but the neighbor is not destitute. This stonewalling has gone on for about a week, and my daughter has called and texted daily. So my question is a) should my child try to sue in small claims court, b) file a mechanics lien, or c) try something else?

Answer:
 >So my question is a) should my child try to sue in small claims court, b) file a mechanics lien, or c) try something else?

A is the only available legal remedy. She can't file a lien.Answer #2: Mechanics liens are extremely limited , I'm not going to look it up but pet sitting would not apply.

So, small claims it is.  Hint , have the texts printed for the judge and keep the phone they are in in case its asked for. Answer #3: a) Yes

b) No but that attempt would give the judge a good chuckle

c) Don't do anything silly


Title: Some guy said he is going to report me to the police for "having fun" with my car on "private" property. Will anything happen?

Question:
[deleted]
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer:
 > I stopped at on the way home and I did some powerslides in my car. I wasn't doing anything super dangerous

Powerslides in the snow are incredibly dangerous.  There was at least one person around and one other car.  Either could have been hit if you lost control.

Yes, you can get in trouble for this.  You were trespassing and engaged in reckless driving, and there's a witness with your license plate number who knows what you look like.


Title: What exactly happens if someone files charges against you on the basis of a cc payment?

Question: I'm in Texas and I've recently been going through a rough time and a friend of mine donated some used high end handbags and scarves to sell online, in this case the issue is around a Louis Vuitton scarf and purse. This is a rich friend who's in a position to buy these sorts of things and she also sent me all the official packaging and paperwork and receipts to go with them. I sold them over an online marketplace (Mercari) where the customer gives you feedback then you give them feedback and the the funds are released. The buyer at first had no problems, gave me positive feedback, was super pleased and even said she wanted to buy more from me if I put stuff up. Yesterday, I got a comment (from a different user) on another scarf listing accusing me of selling a fake, and tonight the buyer out of the blue told me she went to a LV store and they said her scarf was a fake and she's demanding her money back. I've offered to refund her money in exchange for the return of the items once I have independent confirmation that they're not authentic, but she's hedging and insisting that she has a site where she can get confirmation to be used in a court case when she files charges with the credit card company, and not agreeing to my offer of a refund for the return of the items, which makes me think she may have seen the other comment and decided she could try to scam me out of the money she paid and keep the items. I'm selling these things in the first place to raise money for life saving surgery for my dog, and I don't have the money at all to get a lawyer or fight any kind of case. Like I said, my friend has no reason to lie to me about things and even sent the paperwork and receipt for things, which I sent to the buyer. It seems like a red flag to me that she continually ignores my offer to refund the money once I have proof and seems so intent on pressing charges without giving me the chance to investigate this. She won't give me the name of the site she's going to use, at first she said she talked to a LV associate then said she went into the store and looked at the labels, so I don't know if she's trying to scam me or is just mad that I may have unwittingly sent her a fake, a situation I've offered to rectify. Does she have the legal high ground here? What exactly will happen if she won't cooperate with me and files a charge with her credit card company? [Here are screencaps of our conversation thus far, and a photo of the receipt showing the item numbers.] (http://imgur.com/a/saWFi)

Answer: LV store clerks don't authenticate items, she is conning you.


Title: Was charged with Public Sexual Indecency in scottsdale AZ. What should I expect

Question: Went to a baseball spring training game. Got really drunk drinking all day and was arrested for Public Sexual Indecency 13-1403.A.1 This is my first time being arrested and I don't have anything on my record. I was hammered and can't actually remember what happened so I don't know how I would fight it.  What should I expect? Should I get an attorney? I don't really want  Sexual Indecency on my record for the rest of my life, and I surely don't want to be like a sex offender.

Answer:
 Yes, you should get an attorney. This offense is a class 1 misdemeanor, the most serious class of misdemeanor crimes, and is punishable by up to 6 months in jail. [ARS 13-707](http://www.azleg.gov/ars/13/00707.htm)

Be thankful that you won't have to register as a sex offender if you're found guilty.  [ARS 13-3821](http://www.azleg.gov/ars/13/03821.htm).Answer #2: > Should I get an attorney?

When charged with a crime, the answer to this is almost always yes.  When the word "sexual" is in the name of the crime, then it's definitely yes.

If you can't afford an attorney, as for a court appointed attorney when you make your first court appearance.


Title: Tenant unable to care for herself

Question: I am renting the basement of my two-flat to an elderly woman in Illinois. She is frail and often needs help from her long time friend(1st floor tenant) to care for her. Recently, I've been starting to smell urine more often. What kind of recourse do I have in this matter? What would be the most gentle way of address this issue? Thanks in advance.

Answer:
 Call adult protective servicesAnswer #2: There's not a lot that you, yourself, can do.

There is an agency that is there to help adults who can't care for themselves. It's the [Illinois Department of Aging](https://www.illinois.gov/aging/ProtectionAdvocacy/Pages/abuse.aspx).Answer #3: I've had this happen with one of my tenants and I spoke with her daughters who then helped move her into a home.  Can you ask her for the contact information for her family and speak with them?


Title: My juvenile child was busted writing her initials in cement.

Question:
UTAH.  She did it, she knows it was wrong, and we had a lengthy discussion about defacing another person's property. She understands why it was wrong and she feels terrible about it now. Our legal problem is, that this happened during school hours on the last day of school. They were let out early without notifying parents. Is the school responsible for my child during school hours? Is that an angle I can fight this with?

Update for questions asked:

She is in 8th grade

The cement was city property and a homeowner saw them. One of the children wrote their entire name in the cement, and once she was contacted she implicated the rest of her friends.

The police came and asked my daughter if she was involved  and admitted it.  No arrest was made.

City wants $1500 in damages for 3 little initials.

Answer:
 >They were let out early without notifying parents.

I'd bet quite a lot that you could have looked on the school website, checked your daughter's schedule, or just asked her you would have found out this was going to happen. I really, really highly doubt the school just said "ah fuck it, let them out early, who cares" and released them early with no notification.

> Is the school responsible for my child during school hours? Is that an angle I can fight this with?

No. Your daughter is still responsible for committing a crime, at school or not. It is not the school's fault she broke the law.Answer #2: >Is that an angle I can fight this with?

No


Title: Need advice, brothers dealer got busted [Alberta, Canada]

Question: Hello, my brothers weed dealer got busted last week. Previously my brother bought weed off of the dealer (about an ounce) so a fairly large amount, telling him he will "pitch" it for him (sell it). Instead of selling it, he split it up with all of his friends (including himself) for their recreational use. Anyways, today he got a facebook message from this dealer who he presumes is on bail asking if he wants to "pitch" again. He thinks it is a set up, and clearly isn't interested as he doesnt sell, only uses recreationally. Should my brother worry about getting rid of all his recreation weed incase he gets raided and police pin him as a dealer? (he keeps his friends weeds too as they all live with their parents)

Answer: Your brother needs to avoid this guy like the plague and get rid of anything he has left. If he isn't being a CI, he's low on money and the police are watching him like a hawk.


Title: [Tx] giving my parents my child - temporary custody or adoption?

Question:
I know this may be a specialized question but I am mentally unwell...i am trying to get better but my daughter is nearly a year old. Her father is not in the picture despite a court order dating back to late 2017. He's seen her maybe a few weeks total her entire life and she turns 1 in a few weeks.

Due to my mental health I just feel like I can't care for my daughter the way she deserves right now. She has the best relationship with my parents and is behaviorly great with them. With me she's the total opposite and I fear my mental health is affecting how she's growing up.

Is there a way I can give my parents temporary custody or have them permanently adopt her without her father interfering? With as long as he's been gone, I can actually file for termination of rights via physical abandonment  in my state. In 2 months it qualifies as financial abandonment. He just doesn't care but I don't want to have the state auto give him custody (she doesn't know him period or his family. He lives 8hrs away by choice and never asks about her he also is heavily into the drug and party scene) just because he's on her birth certificate.

I feel like it would be best for everyone that I give her to them temporarily to care for while I get my mental health under control and become a better mother for her.

To clarify she's always cared for and fed and happy. According to everyone else I take great care of her. I just currently feel I am drowning under my mental health issues and health issues that are making my mental health worse and I don't want it to reach the point of contemplating ending it all. I've had thoughts like that crop up and it scares me to want to get it fixed before it gets worse.

Is there a possibility of this in Texas? Or is this something that is lawyer in my area territory.

Answer:
 Both temp custody and adoption are options. Neither will be easy as the father has a right to be noticed of either legal option. And had a right to go to court and give his opinion.

Your best option is for everyone to go talk to a local family attorney to address the best routeAnswer #2: I am not a lawyer and can't really speak to the legal side of your situation, I can however speak to the medical side of your situation. You should make an appointment with an Obstetrician to discuss everything, as your symptoms are almost assuredly postpartum depression. Evidence tends to show that mother and child interacting during PPD treatment is beneficial for both.

Get in touch with an OB (preferably the one that handled your pregnancy), most offices make patients suffering from PPD a priority when scheduling a short term appointment. Until you see your physician make use of your parents whenever they are willing to watch your daughter and it is okay to let her cry. If she is in a safe location and you begin to feel overwhelmed it is just fine to step away for a moment and compose yourself.Answer #3: Are you in therapy? Isn’t it normal for kids to be better behaved with everyone else? With their parent, they test boundaries and feel safe doing it. It’s pretty common to hear your badly behaved child is great at school. Maybe some parenting help might bridge the gap? Just make sure you are making the right choice for the right reasons.


Title: Getting rid of moochers? (Massachusetts)

Question: [deleted]

Answer: If you feel the kids are in danger or being neglected call CPS.


Title: [Ohio] How much notice my does my roommate have to give me to move out (no written lease) if I'm up to date on rent?

Question:
I am in Ohio. I paid my November rent on October 30th so I'm paid up through November. We have no written lease, I have been living with them for 14 months and have never paid late. I have always written in the memo line "[Insert month - year] Rent" and can get check images from my bank to prove it.

 My roomates (Boyfriend & girlfriend) and I got into an argument because I felt they were being disrespectful roommates and I finally said something about it.

They just sent me a text saying we need to talk (we haven't spoken in nearly a week) or I need find somewhere else to stay. I will be gone for a week for thanksgiving and returning December 2nd. I have no issue moving out after I return but it's not feasible for me to move out before then.

Just want to make sure they can't kick me out, although if they refund me my November rent I would consider moving out now and try to find a way to make it work.

EDIT:

* My DL is from California, that is where i will be moving back to in about 6 weeks.
* I have had mail sent to my current Ohio address, although not much since none of the utilities are in my name and my bank/credit cards all have my California address
* The boyfriend owns the home

Answer:
 you have a month to month which means you are covered through the end of December, as long as notice is given by the end of this month (30 days prior to date it's effective in period. so here earliest is January 1st if given by December 1st).

if they own the house this will change.


Title: I cannot afford medical tests my job requires.

Question:
I just wasn’t sure what if anything can be done to help in this situation. I work for a non profit in NYS that does not offer health insurance. I have to get a yearly physical and now they are requiring a test for TB as well. When I called around it appears to be around 500$ for both and I just don’t have that kind of money.

I am having a hard time getting ahold of anyone at my work who can answer questions. There are hundreds of employees but they did let me know they won’t be paying for it and they don’t have to offer health care since it’s a non profit. I was fine with it last year since it was 125$ for the physical but now it’s so much more.

Is there anyways I can get some sort of health care if my job doesn’t offer it? I make minimum wage if that matters. They told me the other day via email I have till Friday. Thank you all.
Topic:
Employment Law

Answer: A TB test at CVS is like $40 topsAnswer #2: Shop around for prices.  Check with places with walk in clinics CVS or Target, your local Health Dept, low income clinics, etcAnswer #3: My TB test was free. I just called the local health department.


Title: [RI] Is doxing legal?

Question:
A person on Facebook has released my home address, my phone number, my home phone, date of birth, where I work, and the phone number for where I work, my first and last name.

They released my info, and I contacted them, and they said they fetched my info using whitepages and other websites.

Have they violated any laws?

Answer: Yes, it's legal for this FB person to disclose this information about you.


Title: [New York] My landlord is trying to evict me because he doesn't want to fix the roof.

Question:
The court paperwork lists the reason for eviction as nonpayment of rent, but we have the receipt to show that it was paid. The property manager admitted that the owner said he can't afford to fix the roof, so he would rather let the house sit empty. I learned from the neighbors that the last tenant had informed the landlord, and then moved because they wouldn't fix it.

What are my rights in this? The rent is paid and we haven't violated the rental agreement. What is the landlord's responsibility?

Answer:
 You show up to court with your receipt demonstrating you paid rent.

You then read up on NY law regarding repair and deduct Answer #2: If the house isn’t habitable for you to live there, then you can’t live there.

However you will want to fight and make sure it  doesn’t show as an eviction for non pay. You just want it to be a lease release. You and your landlord agree to cancel the lease and you move out.


Title: Laid off for illegal immigrants

Question:
I was recently laid off from a job cooking in a kitchen, I was told it was bc they had to give shifts to other cooks that the restaurant could afford to pay, those workers were two illegals the owner told the head chef to hire the day after he hired me. So I was essentially just laid off for two illegals.

I was working in the kitchen bc I just got out of the military am trying to go to school (I.e. I'm legal). Can I sue?
Topic:
Business Law

Answer:
 Your recourse is to find another job and/or file for unemployment.  You are not legally entitled to a job and you can be fired for any or no reason other than for being a member of a protected class.

If you believe your previous employer is engaging in illegal activity, then you can and should report that.


Title: Can a judge alter the way you plea?

Question:
NJ. I was at municipal court today and prior to my traffic ticket, several defendants were accused of what the judge referred to as serious offenses. These defendants clearly were not prepared for court, and several of them when asked how they plea said they plead guilty. Some of these sentences carried jail sentences, so it really was in their best interests to speak to a public defender/private attorney however they did not seem to have considered this route.

When faced with someone who responded that they plea "guilty" for those the judge would say something along the lines of:

"I'm going to put you down as a not guilty plea if you don't object, get an attorney, public defender, etc"

Those individuals would realize that the judge is clearly hinting that speaking to counsel is in their best interest and ask for defender/etc.

From my point of view the judge is doing these fellows a favor since they don't really seem to realize how much at least speaking with a lawyer can help, however is it legal?

As a side note, this gives me a lot more trust in our local municipal justice system.

Answer:
 This is perfectly legal.  The judge has to determine that a defendant has understood, and waives, his rights before allowing the waiver.  The defendant has the right to a jury trial.  Pleading guilty waives that right, so the judge needs to determine that the defendant is in the proper state to plead guilty.

No judge will ever be sanctioned for ensuring that a defendant gets his rights.


Title: Asking husband for a divorce soon. What to do before then? (Texas and Tennessee)

Question:
[deleted]
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer:
 First: Tomorrow morning, first thing, take $25 and go open your own bank account. You need this.

Not legal advice, just practical advice.


Title: [VA]Wife had son when we met, biological father completely absent. Need advice on easiest way to adopt

Question:
When I met my now-wife, she had a 9 month old son. That was almost 4 years ago. Fast forward to now and the biological father has seen the child two times since I've been with my wife, both of these times where almost 3 years ago. No contact since, no asking how he's doing, nothing. My (step)son knows no other father but me and I intend to keep it that way.

When they got divorced, my wife didn't ask for any child support since we didn't need it, but mainly because we didn't want to give him any reason to try and be in the child's life.

I would love to adopt him because he's my son in all aspects of the word except legally. The biological father is the kind of person who would refuse the adoption simply because it's something he can. He has no interest in the child's well-being whatsoever.

My question is since the biological father has had no contact in 3 years and we're not even certain where he lives or what his phone number is, is there any grounds for any abandonment laws to where we wouldn't need his approval to adopt? If not, how do we go about starting the adoption process if we have no idea how to get in contact with the biological father?

Answer:
 You need to hire a family law attorney to look into your options here.  Abandonment is a possibility, but the chances of that working are very court and location specific.

In the general case, it's difficult to remove parentage from someone who doesn't want to give it up.  You should be prepared for a bit of a battle.Answer #2: You will probably not be able to do this without notifying the bio dad.  You should talk to a family law attorney to get the ball rolling.  If you truly aren't able to find him, the judge may eventually allow you to use an alternate method of service.

Your attorney will be able to tell you exactly how it works.


Title: [Concord, CA] Our apartment complex wants to collect pet rent that they haven't been charging us for the last 15 months, and they want it all right now.

Question: When my wife and I moved into this apartment complex, we picked this place because it was pet-friendly, we said we had a cat up front, and we signed the paperwork agreeing to pay the monthly pet fee ($50).  The first month my wife paid the amount she thought she should pay, and then the next month she noticed we had a $50 credit on the account.  When she asked the office (in person, no documentation of the communication) why weren't charged the pet rent, they said they would fix the issue.  They never did.  They have been auditing their information and they realized they never fixed the error, and now they want all of the pet rent ($750) in one lump sum.  Do we have any grounds to not pay the full amount, or not pay the amount from the prior contract, or is our best bet to just appeal to their good nature and see if they will let us pay it in parts?  Thanks for any advice.

Answer:
 Their clerical/computer error is not free money for you.

You should have been holding this money because you knew you owed it. The contract you signed trumps whatever crappy software they are using. They're not obligated to fix an "error" that shows a "credit" on an account when you know you owe that money because there's a paper with your signature saying you'll pay it.

You can't claim that them expecting it as a "lump sum" is a problem when you should have been paying it every month regardless of a known clerical/computer error showing otherwise. What were you spending *their* money on that you no longer have it and why should they care?


Title: [USA-CT] Someone took my phone, and I remotely recorded them with it.

Question: Basically my phone was taken but I have Cerberus installed which allows me to do all sorts of things remotely, one of which is to record them or take photos. I did that and got the location as well. Is it illegal for me to collect this kind of data without their permission when they stole my phone?

Answer:
 I'm not as certain as others that there would be criminal liability where/if the thief was recorded or captured.  I think that a strong argument exists that such a person, using a stolen device about which they know nothing, would not have a reasonable expectation of privacy.

Interestingly, because of the existence of the very type of product you're describing.  It's something people put on phones to use in the event they're stolen.

That doesn't resolve the issue, though, since an audio or video recording could include a third party who would have no reason to suspect their privacy is compromised.  Whether that's a hypothetical purchaser of the stolen phone, or someone roped in by monitoring of the thief, probably wouldn't matter.

edit: In light of the statute regarding voyeurism (which would cover photos and video-only recordings), I wouldn't expect screenshots or vidcaps to bring criminal liability.  I would expect that audio would be your main concern, and then only with regard to persons other than the thief.

Answer #2: Walk in and tell the police you have had your phone stolen but that you have Cerberus installed. Then offer to access it for them to give the location and any other information they need. Do not mention that you already have their location or video/pictures.Answer #3: This is a mixed bag. You can report the phone stolen and tell the police the location. However, in doing so you may reveal that you recorded someone while not a party to their conversation, which is also illegal. Just keep in mind that this is a possibility when reporting the theft.


Title: Am i still legally married? please help..

Question: long story short i got married a few years back in Annapolis, MD & my ex husband who is in the military filed the papers in Alexandria, VA after we were separated for quite some time. when i got the divorce papers in the mail (in 2012 while i was living in Miami where we're both originally from) all i did was sign the dotted line & mail it back to his attorney. Now i went back to using my maiden name because i got a new ssc, but i never signed any paperwork stating that i restored my maiden name, & i also can not find my divorce decree ANYWHERE. ive searched the online courthouse where the divorce paperwork was filed & nothing. I still occasionally talk to my ex husband so I asked him if he could try to find the paperwork since hes still enlisted & maybe it would be easier for him to get a hold of it, but he also said he had no luck. im completely confused on what to do. is it possible that i sent the paperwork but his lawyer didnt do anything with it? he got married briefly (& now divorced again) to someone else so i ASSUMED hes not able to legally marry again unless we are officially divorced, but if thats the case then why tf cant i find my damn divorce decree? Also was i supposed to get some type of "congratulations you are now divorced" official notice?

Answer:
 1.Call the Clerk of Court for that specific county and ask them to look it up.

2.Are you sure you have the right county?

3.Call the attorney that did the divorce and request a copy of the final decree or ask how to get a copy.

4.Call the Vital Records agency for that State and see if they have any record of it.


Title: Fired for disciminatory reasons

Question: Live in the State of Michigan and I know we are an at will state meaning an employer can fire you pretty much at any time for any reason. However my fiance's situation seems a bit odd and just wanted to get some advice and see if indeed there was any wrong doing on her employers part. So basically long story short my fiance and I were expecting a child in September of this year. We lost the baby about a month ago unfortunately. As is common in these kinds of situations my fiance has been depressed and just going through the greiving process. She went back to work after missing a few days like nothing was wrong. Her employer told everyone in her office about her situation (which I think is incredibly fucked up to tell the whole situation). Her first day back on the job 2 employees gave her baby shower invites (again I think is fucked up knowing what she just went through). Needless to say her returning to work was not a pleasant situation. She continued working and doing her job normally. Two weeks later her boss pulled her into the office. He said she was a great employee, always on time, and one of the best people he has working there..however since her "incident" it didn't seem like she wanted to be here and that they were letting her go. In my opinion it sounds like her being depressed or greiving was the reason why they fired her (discriminatory?). They didn't say because she was late, causing issues with co-workers or anything like that. Also wanted to note that she had also filed a compliant with HIPPA because her manager was the one who went around telling everyone she worked with about her situation which is a HIPPA violation. Now I understand the HIPPA thing might be a different factor in this scenario but I was just thinking that being terminated for the reasons they gave her seem like it can't be legal to do. Anyways just wanted to get some legal adivce on how I can help her aside from her continued job search. Thanks!

Answer:
 Her manager is not her healthcare provider and is not bound by HIPAA.

Did she qualify for FMLA and pursue it regarding her depression?Answer #2: Her boss sounds like a jerk. It was a crappy thing to do to her. I had miscarriage a few months ago and I know the wild ride she's been on with hormones and grief. That said, I don't think he did anything illegal here. It's likely that her grief was affecting her job performance, which is understandable, but doesn't make it illegal to be fired. Also, he isn't legally obligated to keep medical information that she shared with him confidential. Should he? Yes. Must he? No.


Title: Dr's helper said procedure was covered by my insurance. It wasn't. Dr's office says "Helper doesn't have the authority to say that, therefore it's not our fault." Now in collections. Help!

Question: [removed]

Answer:
 It is not the doctor's office who is responsible for knowing or telling you what is or is not covered.

You needed to check with your insurance company if you wanted to be sure.Answer #2: In all your checking you never called your insurance company?

> I want this off my credit report!

Then pay it. Because you agreed to pay for anything not covered by your insurance, and you didn't bother to check with your insurance.


Title: What can I do to help my mother who is involved in some type of money laundering scam?

Question: My mother has met a man online and has been talking to him for about 8 months. During this time period, she has never met him and has claimed to have Facetimed him one time. The pictures she has sent of him to me are obviously photoshopped. I have reverse image searched and found the original pictures that do not have his face badly photoshopped onto them. This man claims to be an American but is serving in the military overseas. After awhile, instances started coming up that required my mom to send money to Africa and the Netherlands. One time she even had to send a brand new Samsung Galaxy phone overseas. He took out multiple payday loans in my mom's bank account which caused her account to become overdrawn to the point that they shut that account down. Now, the most recent thing has been a $59,500 check written to my mom. The money was only in her account for 15 days and she informed me the money was gone because she sent it all back to him. I am wondering who I can report this to or what can I do to show my mom that this is obviously a scam

Answer: Well this isn’t money laundering, but it is a scam.


Title: (SD) My ex-daughter in law exposed my granddaughter to marijuana and my son got blamed for it

Question:
They have been divorced since she was 18 months old and apart since she was 6 months. They have shared 50/50 custody since they separated. My granddaughter is 30 months old now. A night after my granddaughter was picked up from my son's home my ex-daughter in law brought her to the emergency room saying that she was acting strange.

My granddaughter was high. She tested positive for marijuana and a hair test showed past exposure as well. My ex-daughter in law denied exposing her to drugs. My son was questioned also. He does smoke marijuana occasionally but never when his daughter is with him. The authorities used an online photo of him smoking to "prove" it was him, and because my ex-daughter in law is loudly anti-marijuana they believed her over him. He had some hashish in his pocket when he was arrested for exposing his daughter.

Normally with all this evidence I would obviously believe that my son did it but my ex-daughter in law verbally told my wife and I outside of the courthouse that she exposed their daughter several times knowing that my son wouldn't be believed and would be blamed for it as revenge for him cheating on her. She has denied saying this since but we both heard it. My son has lost custody, our family cannot force my ex-daughter in law to let us see her, my son has criminal charges pending and my ex-daughter in law wants to make custody loss permanent. We are devastated. She framed him, how can we prove it?

Answer:
 >30 months old now

Once your granddaughter has passed into years, you can stop counting the months. She's 2 and a half. You need to help your son get a lawyer. Answer #2: Ask the courts to drug test her. From what you say, your kid carries around hash without thinking about, and posts pictures online of him smoking, so I find it a little hard to believe that he completely abstains when his kid is with him.

I also find it hard to believe that the ex admitted to getting her kid high to frame your kid. That's that epitome of moronic. Answer #3: Not defending what ex-DIL did but you probably need to let that go and face the fact that your son is a selfish moron for screwing around with illegal drugs while his custody rights were hanging by a slender thread. Time to get him into a rehab/12-step program and lawyer up, so he can make a good showing at the custody hearing.


Title: [Ontario, Canada] tenant living in basement apartment refuses to leave.

Question: My friend has rented out his basement apartment to a guy for the last 10 months. Over the winter he got behind on payments (two months behind) but promised to slowly pay it back as he was able to. He is a seasonal worker and so is my friend so he cut him some slack. The issue was he could never quite get ahead each month and now owes $3200. Finally he put his foot down and gave him until the end of July (full month notice). They then agreed that this weekend he would be out. Now the tenant is pushing it further into next week. He claims he will call the police if any of his stuff gets touched. They didn't sign a formal lease. He paid in cash for the other months. My friend has written agreements and documentation of all money owed including bank statements. What can be done here? Is my friend just stuck waiting until it is convenient for this guy to leave? We live upstairs in the house.

Answer:
 He should call the police if his landlord touches any of his stuff. Self-help evictions are illegal in Ontario.

Does that tenant share either a bathroom or a kitchen with the owner of the property or a relative of the owner?


Title: Is it legal for company I work for to deduct money from my paycheck?

Question:
Hello,

Made a mistake of $500. They are willing to charge low amounts of $50 per check but can only deduct if I sign a payroll deduction form. Other wise they won't be able to deduct that amount but will let me go for costly mistakes I have made.

I wanted to see if it's legal for them to deduct? If so, only with a signed deduction form right?

Answer:
 It is legal for them to deduct with your permission.

And legal for them to fire you if you refuse to allow the deduction.


Title: Losing my son.

Question:
My ex wife informed me that another man was trying to contest the paternity of my son. My son is just about five years old. Apparently, her ex boy friend before we dated believes the child is possibly his. My ex assures me that she didn’t cheat and the child is mine.

I found a picture of this man on Facebook. Spitting image of my son. Im a lost for words. I don’t know what to do. I feel like i just lost my son after 5 years. I confronted my ex and she still says he resembles me. Im not to certain, I feel like i have to force myself to find my traits. Last week we conducted an in DNA test and sent it off.

I personally do not want to know the outcome. I feel like I’m better off not knowing. I would have a hard time living with the fact that he isn’t mine. I pay child support, (1100/mo) but that has never been a complaint for me as I came from a broken home.

I cannot blame this man, if i I was in his position I would want to know.
If the possibility exists that my son is this mans and he takes us to court, what will happen? Will i lose my son?

We are in PA.

Edit: Thanks everyone for the support!
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer:
 The emotional bond and memories are still there and no test can take those away. Sometimes unrelated strangers look a lot a like, and sometimes people see things they are looking for that actually aren't there. Long term it really is best if paternity is known, if nothing else than for your son in case there is a family medical history he needs to be aware of. Answer #2: > If the possibility exists that my son is this mans and he takes us to court, what will happen? Will i lose my son?

You can't "lose" your son as long as his mother wants you to have a relationship with him. Even if the boy is not your biological child, his mother is free to let you visit him all she likes.Answer #3: I'm so sorry. I had a similar issue with a similar aged child and luckily I was the father. I didnt even want to do a test I was so scared, etc. I cant imagine my reaction if the test came back negative. Good luck brother. Answer #4: It will honestly be up to a judge and what you want. If you want to fight to retain custody you need to hire a good attorney with experience in things like this.


Title: Fined for Possession of alcohol in a state park (Pennsylvania)

Question:
Hello everyone.

Recently got hit with a 186 dollar fine (25$ for the fine, the other 161$ filed under ‘costs’). Curious about a few things. We were stopped at the end of our hike by park rangers in a trail and they searched our bags and found beer (we also had a trash bag for our empty’s cause we aren’t savages). They did a field sobriety test on one of our gang to make sure he could drive and then cut us loose. None of us are under 21.

1) how will this show up on a record? I get state police background checks for school to be a teacher and I’m wondering what the deal is with this. I have the option of pleading guilty and paying the fine or pleading not guilty and going to court to argue it, but I don’t really know if this is a civil or criminal type issue.

2) should I fight it? We weren’t visibly intoxicated, and the fine seems extremely large for the offense. We were also not in a “public” setting like a picnic area.

3) I have a concealed carry permit. How will this effect license? Will I need to get it renewed?

TL;DR - Fined for having alcohol in a state park. All members of party over 21, 1 member tested and passed sobriety test and drove home. Fine is split between 25 for “fine” and 161 for “costs”. How will this fine show on criminal background checks? Should I try my case in court? Will this impact a PA concealed carry permit.

Thanks everyone for advice in advance.

Answer:
 In PA, § 11.209 section b part 2 explicitly prohibits consuming or possessing alcoholic beverages in state parks. However, it seems as if this is no different than a parking or speeding ticket.

In other words, this is just a citation and slap on the wrist. If you’re a habitual offender there might be more recourse for the rangers, but as of now I don’t believe it will have any effect on your life and future plans, other than making sure you dont consume alcohol there ;)

[Here’s a list of all of PAs DCNR rules. ](http://www.docs.dcnr.pa.gov/cs/groups/public/documents/document/d_001192.pdf)


Title: Fired and need advice in Arizona

Question:
I would like to work at the mine I was at but I was fired by the contractor and I'm still suspended but I have a right to sue for retaliation. Supposedly it'd be to late to sue and  it would be thrown out. But I'm interested in applying At the mine but I can't need expert advice http://imgur.com/30wU92y

Edit
Yes My own words say I was fired for horseplay because that day a guy on our crew cornered me and grabbed me by my collar and tried to get me to fight him. Our foreman Felix fired us for horseplay because no punches where thrown. And I'm not sensitive it's the fact that I was fired and it was retaliation.

I have a new job already. I want to apply for a position at that mine though. I guess I will just ask a real attorney or wait till my suspension is over.

Na I don't mess around when I'm working at all. I never violated any msha rules. I was not a snowflake but the opposite

Answer: The "little snake" comment is not even close to sexual harassment and you were clearly fired for horseplay according to your own words. You do not seem cut out for working in a mine and may want to consider something a little more fitting for a person with your level of sensitivity and snowflakeness.


Title: How do you take one traffic ticket to a DA, get it dismissed, and still get a failure to appear?

Question: This just happened yesterday: My boyfriend and I live in western North Carolina. We both own our own cars, we both have drivers licenses, and both cars are legal. Last October my boyfriend was driving my car to work because his was tore up. He got pulled over and given a ticket because my inspection sticker was dead, thus my registration expired. Pretty simple, so I went and got my car inspected and a new registration sticker immediately. I took my boyfriend's ticket to the court house, showed the DA the ticket, and she said it was dismissed. I even asked the woman: "Mam, is my boyfriend clear as well?" She told me yes and I went on with my life. Yesterday my boyfriend was pulled over, told his license was revoked, and he had to park his car and better not drive it. He called the DMV and sure enough, it was revoked due to a failure to appear in court! I called my local clerk of court who told me it was for that same dumb ticket! I talked to the DA who informed me that he had to come into court and get himself cleared as well, that only I was cleared. My question is, is this true? If you have one traffic ticket and it's dismissed, does the owner of the car and the driver have to both come in with the exact same proof? He was also charged with driving on revoked yesterday. This is going to cost a fortune, and I meet with the DA Monday, and I wonder if I can...respectfully call BS on this woman if this turns out not to be true.

Answer: Hmm... Technically the DA would seem to be right; your boyfriend didn't appear. He drove a car with an expired registration and was cited. If he advocates for himself and shows her the initial issue was promptly fixed and the rest was a misunderstanding based on not knowing his license had been restricted or suspended, though, maybe the DA will be willing to drop the whole thing. But if he got caught driving again when it can be shown he knew the license was suspended, the DA might have a reason to try to nail him. Talk this over with a good attorney before talking with the DA.


Title: Fiance's coworker made some threats to sue if she gets fired, does she have any legal grounding?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Doctor's notes don't mean anything once you leave high school.  The company can fire her for missing work.  There is no need to investigate the doctors' notes.

The company is not allowed to discriminate against an employee for being in a protected class.  That is unlikely to be the case here.

If the owner wants to let employees take lots of days off without firing them, that's the owner's prerogative.
Answer #2: They can fire her for missing work. They can not fire her for missing work. If your finance sticks her nose where it doesn't belong she could also be fired.


Title: Thought I got a new great job now -3500.0 in my personal bank account

Question:
So I just graduated college. For the first two months I did contracting work and that went great it ended and I had to look for new gig.

Just like my first gig I found this one on Craigslist it was a guy named Lambart. I submitted my resume and few days later after some emailing and filling out a form he provided. (Which now I can’t access and can’t remember exactly how personal information I submitted to him was) basically I start last Monday (10/8) every day he would send me a check I was to mobile deposit by email. He would send me picture of front and back and I would print out back of check sign it and then mobile deposit it. By Tuesday or Wednesday he was sending me two checks a day.

Basically when the checks cleared the following business day I was to go get a gift card to Apple for the full amount and send him the information of the gift card. (Little red flags raised in my head) oh btw he is out of country he says till next week so that’s why he had me do it. But yeah so doing this for a couple days and on about Wednesday or Thursday the first check from Monday bounces. I tell him he says nw just use one of the two I sent today to reimburse. Ok fast forward to this Monday all the checks have bounced. I have told him this and me and him decided to have him mail out the checks today to me. He is going to provide tracking information for this package so that made me feel a lil better

I call the bank to ask why checks bounced and they convince me this all fraudulent.  That since I sent him the gift card info back I am liable. They also say even if he sends my physical checks to reimburse me (and my first paycheck) do not cash them or I could face legal action and cut ties with me as their bank customer.

Questions I have immediately:

- why would I not want to try and deposit these checks to get my account back to 0 and possible paycheck I know they said legal action but i am screwed with this debt I need to see if these at least work

-is it possible this isn’t fraud? I know it’s very likely it is but there’s still a little hunch that tells me it might not be.

-what legal action can the bank take If I try to deposit the actual physical checks to reimburse for the bad mobile deposits?

-I can’t pay back this debt and it will go to collection how bad is that gonna screw me?

Answer:
 Shit dude I didn't know people like you still existed. This is a classic scam and you fell for it. You're never getting that money back, and you owe the bank.

> what legal action can the bank take If I try to deposit the actual physical checks to reimburse for the bad mobile deposits?

The checks are bad. Nothing will make the checks not bad.

> is it possible this isn’t fraud?

There is a 0% chance this isn't fraud.Answer #2: > why would I not want to try and deposit these checks

Because they're fraudulent.  And now that you know they're fraudulent, you go from "victim" to "felon" if you deposit them.Answer #3: Your misconception: the checks are not "clearing" the following day. They are being approved, but it actually takes weeks for the money to really "clear." That is how this scam works, they target people who think the checks must be good because the money shows up in their account.

Personally, I also find fault for banks allowing people to withdraw funds that aren't real funds yet, but, that is how it has always been and there are reasons for it. Answer #4: You were scammed. This was absolutely fraud, you will never see physical checks and you have no recourse against the bank. You would have cause against the guy sending you the false checks, but I imagine you will quickly find that said "person" does not exist.Answer #5: They should be covering how to avoid scams in either highschool or college. This is a total scam and also pretty well known.

Answer #6: There's essentially no chance that this is anything but fraud.  Edit: check out the r/fraud sub and see what they say, if you want.


Title: [Michigan] My house has been foreclosed - deed is in my name, mortgage is in mom's name (now deceased) - Am I legally responsible for the debt?

Question:
My mom died in 2010 and my sister and I inherited her house, which I was living in at the time. The deed of the house was transferred to mine and my sister's names, the mortgage stayed in my mom's name (the statements come addressed to "The estate of" my mom's name). I continued living in the house and my sister and I took over the mortgage payments.
We fell behind and now the house is in foreclosure. I still currently live in the house. When I contacted the mortgage company to discuss available options I was told that they can't give me any info b/c I am not listed on the mortgage. I explained that it's my mom's house and she's now deceased - they said they need proof that I have authority over my mom's estate before they can talk to me.
So my question is: If the mortgage company doesn't get proof that I'm the executor of the estate, can they still legally hold me responsible for the foreclosure? For example if I was to just walk away from the house at this point, would they be able to come after me personally for the money that's owed, or would they just be S.O.L.?

Answer:
 the debts of the estate are paid from the estate. if there's no money left in the estate, they get screwed. *this is true even if you're the executor.* the executor is responsible for paying the estate's bills and disposing of the property *from the funds in the estate*, but is not responsible personally if there's too much month left at the end of the money. you lose the house, though.

the fact that you've continued paying for the house personally should not give them an additional claim to your money, but be extremely careful to not sign any acknowledgement of the debt. they'll try to get you to believe you must pay them; this is not correct.Answer #2: Based on the facts presented, you should not be liable for the mortgage.  The lender's recourse is against the property, which is why they are foreclosing.

Is there any equity in the house?  If so, you would be better off to sell the property than to let it go to foreclosure.  Answer #3: The mortgage company can't make you pay the note, but they may well be able to foreclose.

> The deed of the house was transferred to mine and my sister's names, the mortgage stayed in my mom's name

Did you have an attorney review this transaction? I can't imagine that you can give away a house encumbered by a lien without the lien-holders' approval. You may not have title like you thought you did.


Title: [NC] Is it illegal to lay in your aunts lap if your BOTH fully dressed and the aunt is under the covers?

Question: So my aunt is staying with us, and my dad hates her. I usual go in the room she is in and sit on the bed with her and look at cat videos. One day I was really flipping sleepy and I laid down in her lap for about 2 seconds until I shot back up when he walked into the room. Would this be pedophilla? I'm 15 if that helps.

Answer: It isn't illegal, I don't know why you could possibly think that.


Title: [Minnesota][California][Washington][North Dakota][Montana] I may have outstanding tickets/fines in a few states from the time I spent on the road, and I was wondering how I can accumulate these records and start cleaning up my criminal history?

Question:
I am currently living in Minnesota. I was caught hopping a train here, but I have already taken care of that charge, fine, and already finished my probation. In North Dakota, I was charged with open container and minor in possession. I was arrested and taken to jail, but they released my friend and I in two days but were unclear about whether the charges were dropped or not. I never received a court date and they have no address on file for me.

In Montana, I also received an open container ticket. The cop in question told me to finish the beer before he was finished writing the ticket and I could keep it. Is it likely that this ticket was even filed? I lied about my age (young/stupid) and I was not of legal age to drink at the time.

I also got an illegal camping ticket in Montana with no court date, I was told to make a court date by phone (but I had no phone). Will these minor citations/infractions hurt my chances of getting a job after I finish college?

In Washington, I am fairly sure I have an outstanding warrant for trespassing against the railroad. We were caught in Chelan County and ticketed and sent on our way. We skipped town (not about to wait through the winter in Washington for a court date made months in advance). I don't know how to find out if the warrant has been renewed or if the charge still stands in Washington.

Finally, received a citation for smoking a cigarette on the Venice Beach boardwalk in California. No signs were posted, the cops in question were clearly targeting travelers/other homeless. Did not take this citation seriously at all.

I am just wondering how I can find a comprehensive look at what an employer would see on a background check. What is a service that most employers would use to check my background?

Is it worth it to get the rap sheet from the FBI (the one with the form and fingerprint roll)? I want to check my NICS status because I am applying for a concealed-carry permit soon (I live in a dangerous area). Would the records the FBI provides include any outstanding warrants/citations/infractions that I still have out there? I know that being a fugitive from justice bars me from both carrying/owning a firearm, and could potentially affect future employment.

Thank you for any help you could provide!

Answer:
 Time to retain attorneys in all of those states. Yes, they will show up on background checks.

I'm trying and failing to identify an employer that would be okay with that demonstrated pattern of behavior. Answer #2: Since you only make 11/hr, you may be eligible for civil legal aid. Check [here](https://www.lawhelpmn.org/) for the services for your locality. Answer #3: Yikes, that's a pretty sticky situation you've got yourself in, but at least you remember everything you've done and the general location. Do you remember the county or city these occurred in? Usually you can look online and see outstanding tickets or warrants against you on the clerk of court websites. I'd start there and if it's not available, call the court it was issued by. Write down all of the relevant information so you know what you're up against.
This won't magically disappear or go away easily but you're taking the first step, and that's a good thing.Answer #4: If you can't afford to pay 5 lawyers you can contact the office of the public defender for each city where a crime was committed.