Title: Live 40 miles from work, road connecting is frozen over solid, listed as closed online.-- Spunout into field with Blazer going to work. Call in. Can't or fired-- Attempt drive with Civic. Can't. Call in. Fired. Sadness. Help?

Question:
I work at one of the Marriott brand of hotels, and we had an ice storm last night in the panhandle of Texas. After attempting the roads, this being 1/21/15, I came back and called in. A guy covered my shift for me, thankfully, and all was well, other than a shift I have(had..) to pick up later this week.

I live in a **very** small town in Texas, about 40 minutes away from where I work, and connecting the two is a FM (farm to market) road that's fine, but doesn't get any love when there's snow and ice, other than a plow; once, maybe twice if the storm goes on for more than a day, but, it's never salted, and that's the thing. I work 11-7 as a night auditor (a hotel euphemism. I'm a watchman who copies and serves coffee.) and my trainer just got fired for stealing company time by just leaving during the dead times that I was training, and sleeping/getting high for a few hours, then coming back when boss man was coming in.

Tonight, the roads are much worse, but luckily, I've obtained a Blazer, and so I take off at 8:30 PM to make sure I have enough time. I make it about ten miles in 30 mins, and spin out into a field, get a ride back, call my boss at 9:30 and tell him I can't make it, and what had happened. He tells me if I don't make it in I'll be fired, and so I try to make the drive in my Civic, and everything that was slightly slush and mush, is now frozen in the same shape as the slush, so what was the easy part of the drive is now covered in these little ridges of ice. The road is listed as "closed" online, too.

Can they fire me after I've already wrecked once, and then am asked to drive on a closed rode with a worse vehicle, and then (carefully, like you would to a boss) refused? I really like(d) the job...

Answer: Yep, they can fire you for that.


Title: Punishment for lighting fire in dorm bathroom?

Question:
So a while ago my friends and I thought it would be funny to light a fire in our hall bathroom in our college dorm. I was contacted by a school detective recently and I want to know what could possibly happen to us as punishment/repercussions. I don’t want to say any more, but we have good reason to believe that they don’t have much evidence against us. One of the guys (the main culprit) wants to confess but we are urging him not to. What could happen to him if he confesses vs if he doesn’t?
Topic:
School Related Issues

Answer:
 Well they're going to expell you and probably refer the incident to police for criminal investigation. Considering they're contacting you, they already know you did it. I would contact a criminal defense attorney.Answer #2: > we have good reason to believe that they don’t have much evidence against us

All they need is one confession, or witness, or one flubbed answer. No one is likely looking for DNA or forensic evidence, most crimes are solved just by utilizing the human element.

Clearly someone has been talking since how else would the detective know to contact you?

Get an attorney and follow their instructions.


Title: Can I sue him?

Question: My dad has completely stopped taking care of me because I got a boyfriend that he doesn’t like. Can I build a case against him for it? And if so can I sue him for money plus emotional damage ? Also he’s the main parent in my life causing me to depend on him for everything

Answer:
 How old are you?

Also, do you think its logical that you can force your dad to care for you YET don't have to abide by his edicts  on who you see/where you go?


Title: What are my legal rights when someone scratches my car?serious replies only

Question:
So some backstory, about five days ago my car was scratched in an accident when a kid hit his bike into the side of my vehicle. The parents took responsibility for it when I had an officer show up to report the accident.

I was instructed by the officer to go to an auto body to get an estimate for the damage on my vehicle. I received the estimate and I presented it to the parents today and they refused to accept the estimate calling it "too high".

They told me they know a guy who can fix the damage cheaper than what the auto body I went to is asking. I don't really trust the two individuals or their "friend" and I do not wish to have my car fixed by someone who may or may not have the experience to perform the job especially paint-work when the winter is coming soon.

Do I have any legal action to choose the auto body that fixes my car in this situation? Btw, I live in CT

Answer:
 Yes. Your car, you choose. Best to get more than one quote. But not generally required.

If they refuse to pay, you sue in small claims


Title: My boss sent out an email last week to the office threatening to move salaried people to part time (NY)

Question:
He sent this email to the entire office-

All:
I've mentioned on several occasions that L's business for the first quarter 2015 was down and costs are up. Our business was not good in January and the first half of February.  We have had a large amount of paid time off in the first quarter when we needed everyone pulling their share to ameliorate the first two months. I hate to say this but I am not seeing a strong commitment to Leader on all accounts.

Our biggest costs are salaries, healthcare benefits, employee expenses and insurance. Healthcare costs have almost doubled. Employee expense checks go out every month, however our clients are paying 60-90 days after 30 days, so we are extending credit to them. That's why we must receive markup on all costs and expenses.

As you know, L is a for-profit business. We cannot operate at breakeven or at a loss. It is just not worth it for me and others who put in the extra time, work to keep costs down and create business for L. I lose too much sleep and time with my family!

As a result, I need to take some steps and re-institute some controls to cut our costs and stay on course to be profitable this year:

All business related travel costs are subject to the approval of me, Jim in P or Pete in my absence. Travel costs and other expenses must be recovered within the budgets of projects as set up by signed agreements and purchase orders. If the costs are not recoverable, you will not be reimbursed for them.

We pay expenses every 30 days unless there is an extraordinary situation, subject to my approval. Your expense accounts must be complete, correct and backed up with receipts for all expenses. No exceptions.

All marketing and sales expenses are subject to my prior approval. We can not afford marketing costs that do not directly create business for L.

All educational classes, training courses, conferences, trade shows, professional organizations and professional license costs are subject to my prior approval. We can not afford overhead costs that do not directly create business for L.

All proposal time is subject to the approval of me, Jim  in P or Pete in my absence. A proposal opening form must be completed for every opportunity and submitted to G.

All time spent out of the office must be noted to the office manager and entered on the office calendar. All time out of the office, including personal days and vacation time must be pre-approved by me or Jim  in P.

The work day at L is 8 hours, 8am-5pm, subject to some flexibility. Working from home instead of the office is not allowed, unless I approve it.

Professional salaried staff who are operating at a loss or break even for longer than 30 days may be moved to receiving pay on an hourly basis.

No purchases from vendors, contractors or suppliers can be made without my approval. G is the Controller, but not the ultimate purchaser. Don't put him in an awkward position.

All purchases must have a L contractor agreement or purchase order in place. No purchases can be made without approval and the proper documentation. All pricing  and specifications must be complete and accurate and costs within the agreed upon budget before a PO or subcontract agreement will be approved.

No vendors, suppliers or contractors will be paid for project costs or supplies before L is paid by the client.

This is a repeat: PLEASE copy me on all significant client communications, including all email/correspondence on proposals, job quotes, agreements, contracts, recommendations, opinions, conveying reports, agency correspondence, etc. Basically anything that I could be sued for. Since I won it, I am ultimately liable for this company. Communications are key with a small company.

I am hoping that by reinforcing these controls and steps, which are L policy, we will enjoy a good, successful year. I formed L over 21 years ago so it is my life's work, and I'm not going to let it slip. Over the years, I have been a benefactor to many, having paid employees millions of dollars in salaries, benefits and bonuses.  So please give this company the commitment and respect that it deserves!

Thanks,
M

**Come to find today that he moved me to hourly without speaking to me about it and only paid me of the time I billed out to projects and not entire time I spend in the office. If i had known i was going to be moved to hourly, I would not have stayed in the office for 8 hours a day wasting me time.**

this cant be legal right?????

Answer: No, needed to give you notice that was happening before it happened. Answer #2: Nothing in that email is relevant to your question so I don't see why you posted it. If you are an hourly employee you have to be paid for all time worked whether directly billable to a client or not. You can of course be fired if he thinks you aren't being productive enough.


Title: Got my permit to open carry and am now being brought to court for harrassment.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 > Help please, I'm 21 and have all my proper gun papers

But not enough training and experience to avoid playing with a gun while you're driving.

If you plead not guilty then you go to trial and defend yourself against the charges against you.

You need a lawyer, public defender or not.Answer #2: You sound like a genius. Get a lawyer and listen to him. Your own judgement can’t be trusted. Answer #3: Why were you driving with the gun in your hand? That would be considered brandishing, no?Answer #4: Are they suing you? Or did they call the cops and report you waving a gun around? **HUGE** difference between the two.

As I read 708.7 Harassment, you're very lucky it was only third degree. Hell, you're lucky you didn't get stopped and proned out at gunpoint.

When you were going through your firearms training, did anyone happen to mention the rules of guns safety? One of them is that you never let the muzzle cover something you're not willing to destroy. Were you willing to destroy your head? I don't care if it's in a holster. That was a stupid thing to do. As far as anyone could tell, you driving around with a gun pointed at your head. That's going to get people's attention.

In what world is it a good idea to point a loaded gun at your head ***while you're driving?***

if you plead guilty, you pay the fine. Not sure of the effects on your permit.

If you plead not guilty, it goes to trial.

Do yourself and all of the concealed carry permit holders in Iowa a favor. Go take all that training again, and this time, pay closer attention.


Title: Wealthy ex gave me HSV-1 over two years ago. Do I have any options?

Question:
I dated a billionaire for a year. During that year I contracted HSV-1 in my genitals. He admitted to having herpes when the sores showed up on me.

I had my first and only outbreak in August 2010. He and I broke up March 2011. I haven't spoken to or seen him since then.

It never occurred to me to pursue this because I've never had another outbreak and apparently, having HSV-1 in your genital region weakens the virus significantly so there is a chance I may never have another outbreak. I also feel like suing him for this might be a bit... overkill.

He is *extremely* promiscuous and I have no doubt he's given it to other women without telling them.

Answer:
 Do you have a negative test result from immediately before you began sleeping with this person? Do you have a positive test from during or immediately after you began dating?

If the answer to both these questions isn't "yes", then you have nothing, period.


Title: Looking to live in the united states without a regular full time job

Question: I have friends that live in the United States that want to form a rock band with me. I live in Canada. I've done lots of research on this. Being allowed to live in the United States seems really hard and mostly seems to require getting a full time job of some sort. I won't have time for a full time job, as my band will be close to full time work. Were going all out in this. I k pw of several bands that legally live in different countries than each other but still manage to get together to make and play music in the United States. I will be turning 18 in a year. For the next year until I'm 18 I'm considering visiting the usa for half a year and then the band visiting Canada for half a year.

Answer: United States immigration agents are very unlikely to admit you for residency without a work visa or the means to support yourself. I won’t say “will not”, but the chances are something approaching zero. Answer #2: Immigration is going to want to know how you expect to support yourself without some kind of job.


Title: Rhonda Barchak, the former Texas district clerk who separated jury panels by race and geography, took the stand this afternoon in Brazoria County and pleaded the 5th to every question except to give details of her employment history.

Question: [removed]

Answer:
 >In other words, the Brazoria County justice system has ground to a halt. No new juries for criminal, civil, or family law trials for more than a month and a half.

This is insane. I live in Brazoria County and am appalled at how bad this is.Answer #2: I mean, if I were in her position, I'd plead the 5th too, because there's no telling what charges she could inadvertently talk her way into.

If the juries ended up either as representative as expected or **more** representative than expected (as her stated intention), then it's possible that trials will not be overturned.Answer #3: You cannot teach Critical Race Theory in Texas, but critical race theory was part of jury selection in Texas.


Title: [OH] Parental Alienation and Infidelity. Can my wife tell our kids?

Question:
I believe my soon to be ex wife may find out about my infidelity in the past. I want to know if she can tell our kids about my infidelity. My kids are young but old enough to understand the concept of infidelity (12M and 14F). Obviously if my kids found out they would be crushed. They look to me as the role model of the family and admire me and my ex-wife also treats me well and respects me. I believe if she finds out she might do something rash and tell our kids. We divorced mutually but she has not found out about my infidelity.

I want to know if telling our kids counts as parental alienation. My attorney is just telling me I'll be fine and she won't find out. Frankly, he is not that great of a lawyer.

If it is parental alienation, can I request additional custody or can I  make her keep quiet about my affairs?

Answer:
 Telling teenagers accurate facts and nothing more is not necessarily parental alienation, no.   Answer #2: Telling the truth is not parental alienation.  Answer #3: I am pretty sure a 14 year old girl knows what cheating is. Answer #4: It won’t play well before a judge, but honestly it’s probably not by itself enough to change custody.  You obviously cannot undo the past, so all you can do at his point is be a good dad.  Should she find out you should talk to her about how you do not want her to tell the kids and how you do not think it would be in the kids best interest for her to do so.Answer #5: The reality of the situation is that *your actions* are what will cause harm to your kids.

The "but-for" cause of the harm is the infidelity.  As in "but for BubblyImpress' infidelity, the damage would not have occurred".

Obviously, every event has multiple "but-for" causes.  But for the big bang happening 14 billion years ago, you would not have suffered this harm.  The law has rules for limiting the scope of causation, though.

As a rough guide (if not actual case law), where two but-for causes exist, a subsequent cause will not supervene a prior cause unless the subsequent cause was worse than the prior cause.  Note that "subsequent" doesn't just mean "happened after" -- a subsequent cause is one that is a direct result of a prior cause.

I don't see how "telling the children something true that impacts the family as a whole" is morally worse than infidelity.

That boils down to: The cause of the harm to your relationship with your kids will be your infidelity, not your wife telling them about it.


Title: Ran into a cop car

Question:
Happened last night, I ran into the back of a cop car after a few beers in North Carolina. The cop stopped in the middle of the road to make a U-turn without using a signal and without turning on his lights. He claims that I was driving too close and that I was driving under the influence. I know the first thing I should do is get a lawyer but is there anything else I can do?

Edit: Thank you for all of the suggestions.

Answer: I hear Alcoholics Anonymous is good.Answer #2: I don't think we're gonna be able to give any better advice than the lawyer you're about to get, but I would recommend getting a dash cam... not gonna help you now, but if there's ever a next time


Title: Leasing Company Has been undercharging me since I renewed in March and now wants the balance(my lease ends this week).

Question: So like the title says I have been being undercharged since March and my lease is up in a week(Colorado).  The payment is automatically taken out of my account each month and even when I visit the resident portal today it says I owe nothing and have a $0 balance.  I just feel like since it is the end of the lease term and they have mischarged me this entire time it constitutes a renegotiation of the agreement.   I also realize that the law doesn't give a damn about how I feel and that I likely have to pay the balance.  Do I have a leg to stand on at all?

Answer:
 >  I just feel like since it is the end of the lease term and they have mischarged me this entire time it constitutes a renegotiation of the agreement.

You feel incorrectly.

> Do I have a leg to stand on at all?

No.Answer #2: > I just feel like since it is the end of the lease term and they have mischarged me this entire time it constitutes a renegotiation of the agreement.

No.  You have an agreement to pay a certain amount of rent each month.  You haven't paid that amount, so you owe them the difference between what you agreed to pay and what you actually paid.  The fact that it was their mistake doesn't absolve you of that responsibility.  It's not a renegotiation of the contract.  It's them holding you to the terms of the existing contract.

I would, however, dispute any late fees or interest if they try to charge you those.


Title: (MI/MN) Is it possible to kidnap someone who is over 18 if they consent to it?

Question:
I've been served legal papers that I am being sued for kidnapping my consenting 18 year old cousin, along with theft of his clothes, laptop, and other personal items he brought with him.

His mom got someone to file a missing persons report on her behalf and claim he was 16, and the police have showed up at my home twice. I asked to speak with a lawyer if they were questioning me about a crime, and they gave up. He showed the police his birth certificate and records that he was a senior in high school but dropped out. They are suspicious but haven't pressed it further. He doesn't have a photo ID or his social security card.

Do I need a lawyer?

Answer:
 This sounds like an abusive mother situation. Kid turns 18, decides to get out and live with the cousin. Mom didn't like him moving out and/or dropping out of school so she lies about his age (OP, perhaps you should check an ID of his just to make sure he's not lying to you about age to get a place to stay. Not sure how well you know this cousin) to get the police involved.  Definitely consult a lawyer.

Edit: just saw that he doesn't have an ID. OP, like I mentioned, make sure you are sure of his age if possible. Answer #2: what does the title/heading of the papers say?  are they from a court? from a lawyer?Answer #3: I'm not sure if you are aware of this, OP, but age doesn't matter with kidnapping. You could kidnap a 90-year-old (although I wouldn't recommend it; they are notoriously high-maintenance).

I've seen people stick to the "kid" in "kidnapping" so literally that they use the horrendously constructed "adultnap" when referring to adults who have been kidnapped.Answer #4: You were served papers, get a lawyer asap.


Title: Sexual harassment at work

Question:
So at my job, my boss was paying several of my coworkers to have sex or do sexual things with him. I’m in sales. He would pay them in deals, cash, and other ways. One individual said no, and they were fired for that. I left the job because of all this and went to HR, but they are not doing anything about it. The manager also black listed me by calling all local companies and telling them not to hire me. Is this something I should get the police involved in? I want to talk to these other coworkers and see how many people are/were actually involved. Any suggestions?
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer:
 OP- I'd suggest you contact an attorney that specializes in employment law and have a consultation.Answer #2: Run don't walk to an employment attorney.  A lot depends on the size of the company, the state you're in, etc., but if all of this is true this would be very good case for constructive discharge and sexual harassment under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.Answer #3: It sounds like you, and at least one other person who was fired from that company has a very lucrative and very well justified lawsuit on their hands.

Get an attorney and pursue action. Go get paid. Answer #4: Go straight to an attorney. There is nothing the internet can do for you here.


Title: [WA]ATF Task Force Had SWAT Team Intercept me, Ramming my Car and Detaining me While They Searched my Home then Let me Go.

Question:
Yesterday morning, I was leaving my home and almost to my girlfriend's place when I notice a SUV turning behind me, then police lights flashing behind him. Thinking they are chasing the SUV behind my I signal and turn off the road. Then I am struck from behind and a loud boom (flashbang) goes off and a SWAT team is pulling me from my car at gunpoint. They zip tie my hands and take me to a car, read me my Miranda rights. I asked if I was being arrested, they said detained, but they needed to get me out of the neighborhood. Then they asked who was at my house. My Father was.
Some ATF agents and a sheriff's officer take me to a nearby station for questioning. Asking me everything about my state of mind and family life. About drinking because I have a DUI in the past from 2011. They showed me a sketch with a five-year old photo of me next to it, and told me a victim had picked my picture out of a lineup "without hesitation." Eventually they opened up that there had been some road rage shooting incidents lately, and an off-duty police officer followed a red jeep, similar to my father's, "back toward my neighborhood."
Once they were done questioning me they placed me in a holding cell, I assume waiting for the search of my home to be done. I've never had any weapons around me or in my house, so I'm very thankful there wasn't anything for them to find. After about a hour or so of waiting in the holding cell they let me out to get my shoes back, and drove me to where they towed my car. They asked to search my vehicle, I consented, and also allowed them to keep my phone overnight to search. My car was unable to start anymore, so they drove me home and let me return for the car the next day, and notified me when my phone was complete. I took a new battery with me and thankfully the car started, but the back bumper is all cracked and hanging now. I'm going to get some estimates for repair and look into a tort, but not sure what else I should look out for.

Answer:
 Seriously, dude. STFU and hire a criminal attorney,Answer #2: 1.	You should not have given them consent to search your car but you absolutely should not have let them search your phone. They will be able to use that against you know and it doesn't matter if they had any cause or not. Do not let them search anything else without a warrant.
2.	You need a defense attorney immediately. You could serve many decades in prison if you shot at a vehicle in interstate commerce.
3.	It is very difficult to sue the federal government because of sovereign immunity. You will want to look into that with a civil rights attorney who is experienced in federal claims court, *after* you get a lawyer address the issue at hand.Answer #3: Two agencies, the ATF and the Secret Service, rarely make a move if they’re not confident of their course. Unless you’re Liam Neeson you ought to get a lawyer you can barely afford or you may not have to worry about the bumper.Answer #4: So, this phone that they searched.  Do you use it to post to Reddit by chance?  IF so, don't be surprised if they're reading this thread and anything else you post publicly on social media.


Title: My ex's downward spiral with credit card theft

Question: So here's the deal my ex more than likely stole 2100$ off of her moms debit card using her card number and possibly more off her bfs moms card and they're currently investigating the matter, so im trying to find out what kind of charges shes facing and how much jail time she is going to have to serve. Im trying to find out because we have kids together and i need to start planning accordingly when shit finally hits the fan for her.

Answer:
 Do you have a custody agreement? If so, talk to the lawyer that helped set it up and get it changed when she goes to jail.

If you don't have a custody agreement, now might be a good time to get one.


Title: I was in a car crash and have permanent eye damage and I am only being offered $50,000 settlement.

Question:
Backstory: I  was a passenger in a car accident in october 2015 and had to go to the hospital because even though I was not bleeding I was hurting all over and was scared I could have internal bleeding or something else. I went to the hospital in an ambulance and luckily everything was fine but I noticed I was seeing blurry from my right eye and I told the doctor but he said that they had ruled out a concussion and that it might have been the hit and it would probably go away. The next two days I notice I am still seeing blurry so I decided to go to a doctor in Mexico \(I did not have insurance. She told me she could see the damage and that I would require surgery in my right eye to fix it. I wanted a second opinion and went to a different doctor and he told me he could see the damage and that a treament of steroids might make it better because something inside my eye was inflamed. I took oral steroids which did not help and then the doctor adviced to get an injection directly into my eye, which I remember as being steroids too. It did not help either and its when I started looking for a personal injury attorney. The other driver was found completely at fault so I was suing her for the damages. I also have a huge lump\-like scar in my stomach which I think is a hernia but I am not sure but I am getting it checked out tomorrow. I had never seeked medical help for that because it stopped hurting and I thought it would go away in the future but it didnt.

Anyway, the case has been going on for a while and my lawyer told me that he is pretty sure the maximum the other party is willing to settle for is $50,000 on a $100,000 limit insurance. He told me that if we settled for that amount I would only see about $12,000 because of the hospital bill, ambulance, and legal fees. He also told me that if I decide to take it to court I would have to win about $75,000 to see the same amount because there would be a lot more expenses. The problem is that after the case started I saw a doctor in the United States on a lien bases and after several tests he said I only have about a 2&#37; loss of vision because the test showed I could see 20/20 with glasses. I told him the test were wrong because basically my field of vision is normal but in the middle there is blureness in a donut shape. So I can see right in the center but the immediate peripheral is blurry. So as an example I can actually read with that eye but instead of reading the whole word I need to look at every letter seperately and then combine them into an actual word. The problem is that because I was able to pass the test the doctor claimed my eye has minimal disability and since I drive for uber full time the other lawyer is asking how bad can my disability really be. I can drive, read, and live a normal life just because my other eye is fine but I would not be able to live a normal life or feel safe driving if anything was to ever happen to it.

So I was thinking of getting another doctor's opinion but just for the consult and test with that doctor the bill was $5,000 so I'm not sure if its even worth it. I was also thinking of seeing if one of the first doctors from Mexico could come to testify but honestly I am not sure if that is even possible. I am also going tomorrow to the hospital in Mexico and get my stomach checked out and see if its a hernia because after 3 years the big lump is still there and even if it wasn't should I not atleast be offered money for cosmetic surgery? I can't wear tight shirts because I look bad in them because of the lump. So I have until the end of the week to decide if I settle for $50,000 or take it to court and try to get the max \($100,000, which my lawyer said I am not likely to get because of the testimony of the doctor\). Also might be important to note that the person who I am suing died and I don't think they left anything really so I can't go after them.

TL:DR I was in car crash and have permanent eye damage and a big lump in my stomach and I have until the end of the week to decide if I settle for $50,000 or take it to court and try to get $100,000.

Answer: Nobody here is (or should at least) going to go against the advice of your lawyer. If you doubt his advice, get a second opinion from another local lawyer who is familiar with your case.


Title: My Arkansas landlord wants to charge me to reschedule his maintenance update

Question:
The property management company for my apartment notified me they would be entering my apartment on a certain date to complete and shower update. They ended up not showing on that date. I contacted him about when they might show. He said he would contact me when they were able to reschedule. I never heard back. Not even a notice on my door.

My lease requires 24 hour notice expect emergencies or when I request a maintenance issue be fixed.

Two weeks went by and I am using my shower like normal at 7:00 in the morning. I hear some vague noise on my living room that I assumed was my cat so I walk out of the bathroom in a towel and am greeted to four strange men standing in my living. I scream and slam the door and tell them to get out. They say they are contracted by the apartment to complete work on my shower but will come back.

I call the property manager and he apologizes and says he will get with them to come back at a later time or day. I tell him that they can come back today. Just like let me get dressed first. He apologized for not notifying me and said they told they wouldn’t enter until 8. He will let me know when, he says. I ask if they have keys and he said “yeah they get them from maintenance in the morning”. My door was locked so they needed a key to enter.

Another week passes and I get a call from the manager saying he needs to reschedule that maintenance in my apartment again. I ask when so I can make sure I am not in the shower. He says today at 2pm but he needs me to pay them $250 since they have had to reschedule.

It is rescheduling fee. I tell him I never reschedule. They surprised me in the shower first thing in the morning after I got no notice. I told him I wasn’t paying the fee. He said he would just tack it onto the rent. I notified him of the noshows. I don’t think this is on me. He says I sent the men away. I was startled by weird men waiting in my living room. What should I do?

Can he just do that? Can he roll it into my rent like that? Do I owe him? I never signed anything or requested any sort of maintenance. I never got notice. What happens if I don’t pay the extra $250 racked on to my rent. I have a year long lease with a set amount of rent and my lease said it requires 90 day notice to change that rent amount.

He wants me to pay the contractors directly when they show up. What?

Answer: It’s not your responsibility to be financially liable for the landlords poor planning.Answer #2: Does your lease mention any fee for rescheduling repairs? If not, then the landlord cannot force you to pay it.Answer #3: What does it mean to tack It on to your rent?  Is it an auto debit from your account?  If you pay with a check then continue to pay the normal amount and keep notes of all contact with the LL.


Title: Job pretty much throwing me under the bus after giving me an ultimatum

Question:
Alright. For rules purposes - I am in South Carolina. I moved here after escaping an abusive situation. A friend let me crash with them, got me a new job where she worked, etc.

I work at a big chain pet store. I started in grooming as an assistant. Shortly after I was hired, the salon manager left (who was a mentor), and the policy changed for having assistants; I could not be there without a mentor. Alright.

My current manager was helping open another store and knew I was a dog trainer, so she offered me the position at the new store. I agreed (applied, was accepted, etc.), but told her I needed a month to get everything together, as I had just moved and my finances were shot. She said this was fine and she was able to keep me on for another month with no issues.

A week later, I am basically told I have three options: I go to the new store the next pay period (which was in a week) as their dog trainer, I stay in that store and drop to MAYBE ten hours a week from full time with benefits, or I get fired.

I opted to go to the new store. I tried desperately to get a loan on /r/loan, as I did not have the amount I needed. I eventually take out a loan through a friend's parent for the amount of my first month rent and security deposit. I go to place the money on my home and talk to the new manager. She has no idea I am coming and they hired someone else to do my position.

I call my old/current manager, and she says she knows. That she talked to the regional (same for both stores) and I am being changed to a sales person, while being secondary dog training and helping in grooming. They offer me decent pay since I am now doing three people's jobs, plus commission for any training classes I do. I am a little worried about the workload, but okay. I need this job.

I put the money down on my house and transfer. Apparently my transfer wasn't approved - call old manager, bitch, it goes through instantly within an hour. New manager does not have the hours for me, bitches about my pay, tells OTHER PEOPLE about my pay (she said "wow, she is getting paid like a manager for doing nothing!"). New manager ends up having to fire five people to have me on the clock.

I am there maybe a week when I am bitched out about not training classes yet. She has not put me in the system for I can, so I tell her this. They have also been scheduling me as a cashier only, which means I do not get time to speak to customers and thus sell classes. I argue this point as well. She goes to fix it, works on it until the holiday, finds out I have to go through a program to be certified by the company. Okay, whatever. I sell classes since she told me I could still teach them, set up schedules for those customers, etc. I end up bathing a bunch of dogs for them, advertising on my own time, get a ton of new customers in.

She was off the 29th and 30th, but called around 6-7PM on the 29th to tell the current manager on duty I am no longer allowed to do any grooming, any training, and she will discuss my pay cut when she comes in on the 31st. The manager was not supposed to tell me that last bit, but did for I could be prepared (she is getting tossed under the bus for other reasons, too, and we've been pretty much "war sisters" through this).

I have already decided I am contacting corporate after this meeting due to her treatment of me in general and this being tossed around stuff. Given I am now in a huge amount of debt, plus in a home I could afford on my current pay but not what I assume my new to be, I am furious. I would have never moved here if I knew this would happen - I did so on short notice, with five dogs in tow, alone until my boyfriend can make it here. I was already having trouble finding a place that would allow that many dogs - and for the area, I got a steal, given I have a decent house and yard for said dogs.

I do not have any proof (on hindsight, it looks like she intentionally avoided giving me written messages. I could probably pull some texts about it, but not much), but I do have quite a few people that have heard the old manager and I discuss this, as well as people that heard the new manager and I discuss it. Of course I have people that also heard her speak of my pay to others, as well.

I am wondering legally if there is anything I can do about this through an employment lawyer or anything. I am majorly stressed about this and I am unsure what options I have, as I know I cannot afford to live where I currently do on minimum wage. I had not been able to find another house in this area that would allow my animals, and I am not giving them up whatsoever.

I have already begun to look for another job in the meantime, but I would like to stay there if I get it worked out.

Edit: went back through the logs I do have and adjusted the time on things.

Answer: The narrative is a bit disjointed, but I get it, you're stressed. Did you move across the country or to another state for this promised job? Did they lower your pay without advance notice (as in, you worked a week and got a lower paycheck the next week with a lower rate that all came as a surprise)? Those would be the only two potential legal issues here. It is not generally illegal to have a job promise things and take them away, or to be poorly managed.


Title: Going topless in a city park as a woman vs a man

Question: In my city, the city ordinance clearly states that ANY PERSON shall not be allowed to appear nude or semi nude in a public space/park, though shirtless men are seen constantly in parks without repercussions. When I was at a nature park with a group, many of the guys had removed their shirts but when myself and two other girls had done the same, we were stopped and confronted by police officers that told us we had to cover up or we would be charged with public indecency. When the city ordinance was brought up and the fact that the guys were also topless but not being harassed, we were given tickets and the officers refused to answer any of our questions. The three girls were given tickets, the several guys weren't even talked to. Obviously we broke the ordinance, I'm not saying we didnt, but so do hundreds of men daily in the city. how is it only the females are charged when the men are committing the same crime? How can you use this in defense, as we will be going to a court date to have our side heard? MN

Answer: You can speak to a lawyer or the ACLU or whatever groups promote toplessness in the U.S. at the end of the day you may or may not win this one.Answer #2: Last I checked, there were at least three cases pending in federal courts around the constitutionality of the issue, specifically under the equal protection clause. You can contact the ACLU, but they're already on the case, so to speak, so it's one of those "wait it out and see what happens" situations.


Title: Landlady expecting to come into my home when I am not here

Question: [deleted]

Answer: What are you looking for? It looks like you didn't want her there with that little notice and she obeyed your wishes.


Title: My friend might be getting a felony charge

Question:
My friend got in legal trouble in June of 2014 for marijuana and Vyvanse possession. Initially, he was going to be charged for a felony because vyvanse (without prescription) are class 2 drugs. However, in lieu of the charge, he got a year of probation and treatment. Fast forward to September 2015. He was camping with some friends and he got cited for underage drinking. Other than this, he has had no violations whatsoever of the probation. Will he be let off, or will he most likely get a felony now? Any advice is greatly appreciated!!!
Edit: State of Ohio

Answer:
 Is he still on probation for the Vyvanse? If so, he can expect to have some quality time in the courtroom. Answer #2: it wasn't in lieu of a charge, but I'm lieu of the sentence, and this violation can and likely will be used to return to the orig sentence, plus the new charges. he needs an attorney. all that is only if the parole is still in effect. if it's over its done.

as for the new charge, any past charges are based on what was sentenced, so if he had it sealed nope, but if it is not sealed it likely is considered a prior and will impact the decision of the prosecutor. again, attorney is useful.


Title: Okay I need help ASAP.

Question:
Okay, here’s the thing. I’m 15(male) and I sent a nude to someone who I thought was my friend(I know I’m an idiot)

 I only did this because he said he would give me money and he lives far away from me(I live in Oregon he lives in Texas)

I sent him a full picture of my body in the mirror because that’s what he asked for. He screenshoted it like he said he WOULDN’T do.

 He also never gave me all the money he said he would ($100) (he only gave me $40) and he sent the picture to my cousins friend and he sent it to my cousin, from there it ended up with my older sister seeing it

(I met the guy on Xbox and he just happened to know my cousin’s friend’s gamertag and sent it to him via Snapchat)

He is threatening to send it to the rest of my family and friends if I don’t play Xbox with him all the time. Is there anything I can do to make him stop? He is in possession of child pornography, is that illegal in Texas??

I need help ASAP because he keeps threatening me and sexually harassing me over Snapchat. He sends creepy messages like “can I sleep with you?” “Can I come over?” “I want your dick” and that’s not even the tip of the ice berg!

He knows where I live because of the gift card code he sent me I’m assuming? I might be wrong? He specifically said to me, “why don’t I give your blue and grey house a visit?” When I called him out for threatening my family he said he was kidding and that he would rape me??

What can I do? Please help!

(Recap) I’m a minor who sent a nude to an adult and he is threatening by saying he will send it to family and friends, what can I do?
Topic:
Juvenile and Youth Law

Answer:
 This is time to go to your parents and the police.

This person is not your friend. This person has coerced you into producing CP, has obtained CP, and is attempting to sexually groom a minor child (you).

Forget your folks being mad or being embarrassed. This is a criminal. You aren't safe. You aren't anonymous. You make this go away with the police. Answer #2: As someone who made some stupid decisions as a child and had to come clean to my parents to get their help. Please, please tell your parents and the police. This POS needs to be put behind bars for a while.


Title: My 100 year old Grandma was sold a $4500 reading device with a verbal agreement from the suppliers that they would buy it back when she's done, but they renegged. (New Zealand)

Question:
A few years ago, my Grandma, who is now 103, started to go downhill quite rapidy in terms of faculties.  Shes a big reader, so to compensate for her slowly deteriorating eyesight, my mum arranged for a guy specialising in low vision from an optometry company to come and show her a few different devices to help her out.

In the end, she decided on a desktop magnifier, something along the lines of this:  http://www.ashlowvision.com/_fileUpload/Image/horizon-detail.jpg

It was quite expensive, $4500, and thats a lot of money for anyone, let alone a 100 year old lady who could pop off at any moment.  But the guy from the company said don't worry, if that happens, or her eyesight fails completely, the company would buy it back for a reduced rate.

Nothing was put in writing however, we took him simply at his word.

A year later, my poor old Grandmas eyesight has deteriorated a lot more, and her brain is slowly turing to custard so she forgot how to use it anyway.

Mum calls up the company and speaks to one of the people there about the buy back deal.  And they tell her that they don't do that. So my Mum calls the boss of the company about it, who said she would speak to the low vision guy, and call her back.
A week later, she calls back and says that no, they dont do that, and the only way they would ever take something back is if it was a lease deal, which was never even offered to my Grandma.

So now, my poor old Grandma is out of pocket a few grand, and my Mum is stuck with this desktop magnifier that is no use to anyone and she doesnt want, and cant seem to sell.  All she wants is to get rid of it and recoup some of the money that she thought she would be able to all along.

It seems to me like we dont really have a leg to stand on, and that its our word against theirs, but I thought I'd throw it out there and see if anyone has any suggestions or ideas as to what we may be able to do.

Cheers!!

Answer:
 http://communitylaw.org.nz/free-legal-help/

Give those guys a call. They'll know the New Zealand consumer law the best and they'll know what steps you can take to try to do something about this.Answer #2: If they stated they will buy it back for "a reduced rate" but never mentioned a number, that could mean 5 dollarydoos or whatever.  Even if they honored their verbal agreement if could be for next to nothing.Answer #3: Not legal advice, but see if you can arrange selling the device to a Senior center of something. They get one at reduced price, you get some money, win win.


Title: In the United States, can you go to prison for having sex or "planning" on having sex with a non-blood family member that is an adult?

Question:
To make a long story short, my wife confessed to me that she slept with her stepfather, and I'm in the process of filing a divorce. We are both of legal age, I am 29, and she just turned 29 as well. She had sex with him in Florida, and we both have discussed and planned to have sexual sessions with her stepfather, and mother. We made plans over the phone while I was in Wisconsin, and she was in Indiana.

What my question is, can this lead to prison, or are the courts mostly concerned with blood relatives and children? According to this source, it seems like courts are mostly concerned with these two. I have never read a news article of step family and in laws going to prison over sexual intercourse. In fact, an article I recently read said that 50-60% of stepfathers in the U.S. have intercourse with their stepdaughters, and the same goes for stepmothers and stepsons.

Answers very much appreciated. I am going through a lot of mental issues right now, and am seeking therapy. Thanks!!

Source 1: http://www.ndaa.org/pdf/criminal_incest%20chart%20_2010.pdf

Source 2: https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/948/051

Answer:
 >  In fact, an article I recently read said that 50-60% of stepfathers in the U.S. have intercourse with their stepdaughters, and the same goes for stepmothers and stepsons.

I don't know what kind of incest articles you are reading but no. 60% of stepfathers have not had intercourse with their step daughters.

> . I am going through a lot of mental issues right now, and am seeking therapy

Keep on doing that. You may want to give them a ring today.

Answer #2: >We are both of legal age, I am 29, and she just turned 29 as well. She had sex with him in Florida, and we both have discussed and planned to have sexual sessions with her stepfather, and mother.

I'm not sure I understand your narrative:  You were going to bang her mom, and she was going to bang her step-dad.

She bangs the step-dad and now you are divorcing her because of it?  Did you ever bang her mom?  Did she bang her mom?Answer #3: You keep saying you are divorcing her for having sex with her stepfather when it was planned to eventually happen. Why are you divorcing for following through on plans you made together? Did she have sex with him before you agreed it would happen? Are you mad because you didn't get to bang your mother in law while your wife banged your father in law? Did you have a change of heart? What is it?

*showers*Answer #4: This is a joke, right?


Title: If you buy a piece of land, how high up in the sky and how low down in the ground is considered as your property?

Question:
If you buy a land to build a house on, its size is usually phrased in terms of square meters and dimensions (let's say, 30m x 25m = 750m²).

However what was always weird to me is that you're paying for what is esentially 2D space to build 3D space in it, so what I've always wondered about is when I look up into the sky, how far up is the space I own, and theoretically how high can I build a skyscraper or send a drone/satellite or whatever, and not hurt my country's aerospace, but stay within the limits of my own "air/space property".
And also in the opposite direction, how deep in the ground can I dig before it stops being considered my property? What if hypothetically I decide to build a multi storey car park/garage, or that I want to bore a hole in search for oil or other minerals on my land?

Does this depend on stuff like whether the land is for commercial, housing purposes, or if it belongs to the state? Do these laws vary from country to country? If so, feel free to write what those laws are in your place.

TL;DR: If I buy a piece of land, how high above its area and how deep below its area do I own?

Answer:
 It's complicated.
In the US, by default, you own all the way to the center of the Earth, but often, especially in gold- and oil- rich Western states, the mineral rights to land have been separated from surface rights at some point in the past by deed. In big cities, there may be public easements underneath your land for, say, subways and utilities. So, you have the right to dig as deep as you wish, so long as you don't encroach on or impede the owner of the mineral rights, don't violate the easements, etc.
You also nominally own upwards to infinity, but at some point above your property it becomes navigable airspace controlled by the FAA and building into that airspace requires permitting and adherence to FAA guidelines. At 100 km above the surface of the Earth, it becomes outer space which is apolitical by treaty and the US can't defend your real estate claim there.Answer #2: So what if someone flies a drone over your land?  What are your rights as land owner?Answer #3: I love this question because of the implications involving Libertarianism.

I have read that prior to the late 1800s it was thought from Roman times you owned everything up to infinity.  With a need to build elevated trains in Chicago, a redefinition of how much above ground space you owned occurred.  Later, the Supreme Court also rules on this to allow airflight.

But, if you're of the Libertarian Constitutionalist kind of person, this was an unlawful taking of property.  Planes should not fly over my land without paying a toll, and the same with satellites.  In fact, when Earth's orbit turns so that my property has Mars directly above it, I apparently own Mars.

That's just so goofy that I love it.


Title: Boss changing my work schedule up to an hour before my shift begins. (Colorado)

Question:
The title is kind of confusing, simply because she changes the work schedule the way she does. I'll start from the beginning though.

I work as a lifeguard for a fairly busy recreation center in Colorado. I'm a teenager who works ~30 hours a week and attends school full time. Neither my grades nor my paychecks suffer as a result of this, I've been doing it for 2 years and am well-adjusted to the situation.

My supervisor and I have a strained working relationship to say the least. She's been known to fire people for no stated reason (colorado, as far as I know, is an at-will-employment state, so this seems to be, although irritating and toxic, legal).

She doesn't like me due to my manner of enforcing some rules that she likes to bend. For example, she will often let her friends (she is mid-30's btw) in to the pool after closing time, while the rest of the lifeguards are cleaning and setting up for the next day, and swim with them. This is, again, after closing time while she is still clocked in. (She's a full-time supervisor who gets paid hourly.)

The other lifeguards and I have kicked her friends out of the pool before while she is either changing, in the restroom, or otherwise out of the pool area. She, understandably, gets extremely angry and threatens to fire us, but does not because the same crew of 4 lifeguards closes every night, and it's hard to find new closers.

That is until recently. She's been offing us closers off one-by-one the past few weeks. I'm the only one remaining at this point. She's fired all of the other closers for essentially no reason, which is technically legal, I think.

My case is different. I'm good family friends with my supervisors direct superior, who hired me in the first place. I've more than proved my worth to the facility and have been known to act as the Manager On Duty when all other mangers are gone. In short, hopefully without sounding too arrogant, I'm indispensable.

So my supervisor has to take it to the next level. Recently, she's been editing our online schedule an hour before my shift is supposed to begin, changing the time I was supposed to start to an hour before hand. Example: it's 4pm and In supposed to start at 5pm. At 4:05 she changes the schedule so it says I start at 4pm, then she calls me and berates me for being late, and I rush over.

This has accounted for me being "late" 7 times in the last 2 weeks. This is, of course, unacceptable. I am now under investigation by my supervisor, her supervisor (family friend), and the facility supervisor for misconduct and general lethargy and am most likely to be fired as a result.

What are my options here? On the webpage where the schedule is posted, there isn't a "last edited at X time" update or anything, so I can't definitively prove that she's been changing the schedule, but I do have screenshots on my phone of the "before" and "after" changes taken 5 minutes before the hour and 5-15 minutes after the hour.

Please help, I really enjoy this job and the people I work with and don't want to lose it!

Edit: I should also say the reason I'm "being investigated" instead of being immediately terminated is because of my unique situation amongst the facility. I've made myself (hopefully) indispensable

Answer: You should tell your supervisors supervisor about this.


Title: I fell victim to check fraud, and got hit for $3500. My bank is not helping me out or taking any responsibility.

Question:
I received a check from what I thought was a professor at my school for a part time personal assistant position. It ended up being a scam, and my bank account ended up frozen.

I’m reaching out to find out if my bank should be taking responsibility. Here’s there order of events:
Nov 19: I received the check, and mobile deposited it.
Nov 20: Bank tells me the funds are available in my account.
Nov 21: “Professor” tells me how to spend the money.
Nov 26: Check is rejected by the bank, and the funds are taken out of my account. My account is frozen until I am able to put additional cash in the account to bring the balance over zero. I file a police report with my local precinct and the FBI’s IC3.

I’ve learned through all of this that there’s a difference between “funds available” and “check clearing.” The bank tells me the responsibility is on my shoulders to verify the check. Is that true? Should the bank have released the funds to my account before the check cleared? Is it worth arguing with my bank again to pursue their claims?

Answer:
 No, your bank is not responsible for you depositing a fake check.

Answer #2: This scam is very common and warned about on pretty much every job site.

Your are responsible for the money.

The Job was obviously fake. Easy money isn't easyAnswer #3: NAL but worked in banking for years. Yes, it is on you to make sure a check is legitimate. This basically comes down to trust and common sense. If you aren't 100% sure if the check will clear, ask for a money order or certified check.

I take it that since they removed the funds and you have to bring your account back up, you used the money. In this case there isn't really any "responsibility" on the bank. They aren't going to give you the money anyway because they allowed the funds to go through. If you let the money sit in your account the only harm that would have been done is a returned check fee which you likely could have had waived. It can take up to 14 business days to process a check fully.


Title: Getting paid under books

Question: My boss is paying me under he books he hasn't asked me for my SS or anything like that. Could anything happen to me if I don't work on the books. I'm only 18 and this is a summer job in construction. I get $18 under the books in Manhattan.

Answer:
 "Off the books" or "under the table."

Either way, it's tax fraud.


Title: I got my marriage license, got an empty marriage certificate in the mail... What to do? - marriage in Minnesota

Question:
Hi folks.  I went with my lady to a county office and applied for a marriage license... They said it would come in the mail in a couple of days, it did. But the issue is now there is a certificate with it that requires witnesses... I am confused, are we legally married, we already had a cultural wedding overseas, so we are just trying to get legally married.... What do I do now?

I looked online but no luck.

Answer:
 No, you’re not legally married by Minnesota law until that paperwork is signed, witnessed, and returned to the courthouse, unless you were legally married in the country where you had your cultural ceremony.

According to the quick googling I just did, you have 6 months from the date that certificate was issued.

Contact the office where you applied for the license, they might be able to give you the name of a local magistrate/justice of the peace, then all you need to do is make an appointment with that person to officiate a civil ceremony. Show up with two friends, go through the formalities, and you’ll be married!


Title: 8 years ago.I got the tip of my finger amputated because of a staph infection mrsa of a hospitals unwillingness to do anything b/c I wasn’t in my home state and had no insurance....too late to sue? I just want my hospital bills gone...help!

Question: The first hospital was in PA but I live in NY

Answer: In PA the statute of limitations for Med Mal is 2 years. It doesn't sound like you've only recently discovered the issue. It doesn't look like you can still sue.Answer #2: You received services, you need to pay the hospital bills.


Title: Restaurant gave my friends and I horrific food poisoning what can we do?

Question:
My friends and I ate at a seafood restaurant (mind you, a very nice and EXPENSIVE restaurant) on a trip to San Francisco, CA.

One of my friends and I ordered the exact same dish. Several hours later at pretty much the exact same time, we both got VIOLENT food poisoning. My boyfriend had tried a little of my dish and got a milder case (but still bad) of food poisoning a little later than we did. It was so awful. My friend who also got sick became so dehydrated (he couldn't even keep down water) that we had to take him to a hospital. None of us could eat for almost 3 days after, we all missed several days of work and I had to see a doctor for antibiotics in order to keep down food. It honestly took a month before I felt completely myself again.

We of course immediately told the restaurant and they sent us on a wild goose chase promising we would eventually be compensated - they would pay the bill for our meal and my friend's hospital bill (which was several thousand dollars). This weekend, they sent us a letter that pretty much said "We have no reason to believe we gave you food poisoning so sorry nope".

This restaurant is the ONLY place we ate on our trip that would explain who got sick in our party and when. We have filed complaints with the health department, the BBB and left bad reviews but they still aren't doing shit.

Does anyone have advice?? Is taking them to court the only way we could get them to pay up?? We don't want to because we're all young and don't have a lot of money (this meal was meant to be a very special treat for all of us) but we don't know what to do at this point. I'm so angry and frustrated and honestly the experience was really traumatic.

Answer:
 Well, the BBB is basically Yelp for old people, and no one is going to really care about an online review claiming food poisoning because it's rarely true.

Unless you can prove that you got food poisoning from the restaurant you aren't likely going to succeed in a lawsuit. A couple of people who spent time together getting sick at the same time isn't really proof. Answer #2: > Several hours later at pretty much the exact same time, we both got VIOLENT food poisoning. My boyfriend had tried a little of my dish and got a milder case (but still bad)

Since human beings eat and drink multiple times per day, it's going to be very difficult to prove a direct link between that particular meal at this restaurant and your illnesses.

They likely served the same meal to multiple parties throughout the day. If your party is the only one to get sick, that would give the restaurant reason to believe they were not the cause.


Title: Ordered something illegal in my state and they sent it

Question: I recently ordered a taser from eBay before reading the "fine print." IT was 9nly about 10 dollar's so it wasn't a big deal, but after I read the details it said they can't ship it to New York which is where I currently live. This this the address I had them send it to. On their comments it says if you order an item to states that they are not allowed to ship to they give you a full refund, no exceptions. Now this item has already been processed and is being shipped. My question is can I be held responsible for getting this item? At the time I was unaware of the laws regarding this item, but they had it listed and they sent it anyway. Just curious as to what to do once it gets here. Thanks in advance for any advice.

Answer: To be safe, you should refuse delivery and return the item to the sender. NY weapon laws aren't something to screw around with.


Title: I’m a minor and a victim of revenge porn

Question:
I recently moved to California for my last year of high school and for better college opportunities. A few days ago, my boyfriend told me that he got a message from a stranger on a brand new Instagram account, warning him about me and saying that he has my nudes. The account deleted itself shortly after. I asked my boyfriend for more details out of worry, and he says he has not been contacted since. I decided to talk to my school administrators about the situation, and because we did not have a lot of info at the time, they advised me to be more careful and to contact them again if anyone else messages either of us. Later that night, a friend of mine tells me she had them shared to her and she told me who it came from. The guy who is sharing them is also a minor, 17 years old. He does not go to my school, but I am 100% positive it is him. I have his first name and number. If I were to press charges, how can I protect myself? Otherwise, what would be the consequences be for me?
Topic:
Juvenile and Youth Law

Answer:
 Are they your pictures? Did you know this person took pictures of you? Answer #2: I represent children under 18 and just had a case like this. Same thing, my client had filmed a sexual act with the guy and had sent him nudes. He threatened on Facebook to release them, taunted her, messaged a guy she wasn’t even going out with and said “you better be careful, this girl’s been a lot of places and I have proof”. He also used fake profiles to harass her and threaten to release pics. That’s all we needed to get a temporary complete stay away order of protection including a clause especially referring to electronic communication, either directly or through a third party. We had trouble serving him but when he showed up he was given an Attorney for the Child, too. I told her (other atty) that we were going to go to the police on the child porn angle also and she talked to her client and he backed right down. He agreed to the one year order of protection. It’s been complete radio silence since.

Don’t mess around. Go to the police. They’ll probably just take an incident report. Then go to family court and file for an order of protection. At least in NY you only have to have been in an intimate relationship with someone to be able to file in family court. Believe me, once he realizes the trouble he is in he will never do this again.Answer #3: Revenge porn is a crime in California. You can press charges, if you desire. The specific penal code is for revenge porn is California Penal Code 647(j)(4).


Title: Neighbors Music and Parties

Question:
I've lived in my townhouse for a little over a year now. I've had zero problems till very recently. New neighbors moved in to an apartment across the street. I've had to call the cops two nights in a row become of noise that I can hear from an interior room of my house. Tonight there had a huge party with 100 plus people.

What are my options? Will something be done if the police are called enough times? Is there anything legally I can do? I wish I hadn't renewed my lease before all this started, I can't live and sleep with this activity going on. Please help!

Answer: Look up your town/city/county/planet/galaxy/universe's noise ordinances.


Title: (ND) Apartment landlord mistakenly cleared out my garage. After confronted, returned some items, but then went home before returning my motorcycle. What can/should i do?

Question:
Me and my girlfriend moved into a new apartment may 28. The garage they originally gave us was full of Managements remodeling supplies, so they gave us a different garage. Flash forward to yesterday(july15): i get a call at work from my girlfriend, who is freaking out, that all of our stuff in out garage is gone. This stuff includes: mattress and box spring, brand new bicycle, motorcycle helmet, mini fridge, headlight, and an yamaha fj1200 motorcycle. I got her to to calm down and go see management, as if we were robbed, i cant see why they would would take a decade+ old mattress.

The maintenance guys were getting a new apartment ready, and the garage was still attached to a different apartment on paper. Instead of checking with the office, they removed all of our possessions. When i got home an hour later(i work out of town), only my motorcycle helmet and the mattres/box spring had been returned, and the office was closed.

I called the manager on her cell phone and asked for the return of my stuff. She wanted to wait until the next day to return it. Intold her that i wanted it now, because it was mine. She told me she would call maintenance and have them open the garage where my things had been moved to.

She called me a half hour later and told me maintenance was gone, and she wanted me to wait until the next day. I asked if we could knock some money of rent next month in compensation for rent, and she told me i was "overreacting." I said ok, she said thank you,  then immediately hung up.

Is there anything I can/should do? Am i entitled to anything, or should i just let it go once i get my stuff back today? I have a year lease, and i dont want to piss off management any more than necessary.

EDIT: I understand that mistakes happen, even if they are completely avoidable. I'm more upset about the fact that only some of my itsms were returned that day, and the left before returning the rest.

Answer:
 > Am i entitled to anything, or should i just let it go once i get my stuff back today?

If you get your stuff back, let it go.  It's an honest error and you did overreact.

If your items are not returned, or are returned damage, you can ask for compensation and/or sue them.  Answer #2: Had something similar happen to a friend, except they "threw it all away". And by that I mean management told them it all went in the dumpster, but we're pretty should the maintenance guys kept the kayak, snowboard, tires etc. So they were rightfully angry, management told them it was no big deal, etc. A day or two later, management told them to come up with a list of everything and it's cost/value (that was never made clear) and so they turned in a replacement value list with a little padding for the hassle too. They had their money by the end of the week and were actually pretty happy about the whole thing.

Point of the story is be nice, work with them, and give them a little time, they're people too and it might work out really well. If you get angry and insist that it's not right if you don't have it asap, they're going to drag their feet and you won't be happy at the outcome.


Title: Is it ok for me to steal from someone as compensation for the fact that they broke my phone?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 You sure sound like a troll. In the unlikely event that you are not... Stealing from here would be theft -- regardless of whether she broke your phone.

If you want to recover from her, you have to sue her. Answer #2: >Is it ok for me to steal from someone as compensation for the fact that they broke my phone?

Of course it isn't. Theft is a crime. Your options are to talk to your parents, her parents, the school, the police (intentionally destroying someone's property is also a crime), and/or to sue her. Answer #3: No, of course it's not legal. It's theft.


Title: Is it normal for a Florida Home Owner's Association to want keys to property?

Question:
My grandmother has decided to move into assisted living but does not want to sell her home due to the emotional value of it. She has told my husband and I she would like to give it to us.

We are thinking it over as it would mean some changes for us, and one of the things I am doing is looking over the paperwork for her home owner's association.

One of the things in the documentation is that they want a key to all structures on the property "including the house, garage, shed and any other permanent structure, and including fences or enclosures for use in emergency situations at the discretion of the association board."

I am already raising eyebrows at a lot of things in the documentation. Frankly I have never lived in an area like this before. Is this a normal expectation or should we be steering clear of things like this?

Answer: You can give them a key, just doesn't necessarily have to work. I would always change locks to a key that isn't necessarily an easy to pop lock. Like 90% of home locks are useless anyways. Look into how many burglaries in that neighborhood have been reported. Sounds funky to me. I've never heard of that, and I would never give permission for someone to enter my home under any kind of contract. We have bonded and insured people for house sitting in this state, they need to butt out of it. Answer #2: Obligatory /u/Zapopa [quote](https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/36m230/fl_hoa_claims_my_girlfriend_is_speeding_and_that/crf4fye)


Title: (CA) Husband is seeking divorce, wants to keep our only vehicle, should I be compensated?

Question:
[deleted]
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer: Each of you is entitled to half of community property, including the current value of the car less the amount you owe on it.  If there isn't other property available to make up for that amount, yes, a court could require it to be sold and the proceeds split.


Title: Toddlers above me run and jump every night until 12:30 AM sometimes later (Chicago).

Question:
I am not a parent so I'm trying my hardest not to misjudge this situation.  It's not that they wake up and run around a bit which from what I understand is completely normal for toddlers.  It's that the lady and the kids don't get home until 9 pm every night and then the kids run and jump until 12:30 to 1:00 AM when they finally go to bed.

I work at home and am in school so I am often studying late into the night. The non-stop running and jumping really interferes with my work and studying.

I have contacted the association and they have taken my side numerous times and have sent them letters but nothing has changed.  They essentially have said that because she is an owner there is nothing they can do.

I have spoken to the mother many times and she always takes a hostile and rude stance.  At first, she would tell me she doesn't know what's wrong with my ears.  Then she would say well the kids aren't sleepy. What do you want me to do?

During the day, it's fine because she works and they go to daycare but at nighttime, it's basically a playpen up there until almost 1:00 Am.  I do not want to go up there anymore.  The perception is unfortunately against me with me being a male and her being a single mother raising 4 kids on her own.

Because of my health, I an unable to sell and move right now and will likely not able to for a few years.  I have been advised numerous times to call the police by others but I am afraid they will take her side and I will lose whatever leverage I have left.

Is there anything that can be done?  I don't want anything bad to happen to her.  I don't want her situation to get worse but I can't live like this.

Answer:
 Okay lemme clarify a few things: you both own your apartments? It seems that there's a resident's association of some sort. They're on your side in that her unit needs to be quieter. Are there consequences she faces (fines, etc) if she isn't abiding by their request/demands?

From a non legal advice perspective, have you tried noise canceling headphones? Earplugs? Could you ask her to put down a rug (if it sounds like they're running on hardwood)? How old is this place? Unfortunately some buildings are constructed in a way that sound carries super easily.

I think that after re-exploring these points, you may want to consider contacting the police. Try to get a measure of how loud it is to document this, and expect to make multiple calls to the non-emergency line. Luckily, I don't think you need to worry about it making her situation worse, because it's unlikely that the police will do much more than tell her to keep the kids quieter at first, and if it continues to be a problem she could face fines.

I can't *promise* that any of this will help, but I think it's worth looking into.Answer #2: If you’re an owner too, get on the association board if you can at election time. The association ought to have plenty of power to do more than write letters.


Title: Leer manufacturer agrees to refund dealer 100% of their money but dealer refuses to refund me 100% of mine.

Question:
I live in Arkansas but my travels take me all over the country. I recently purchased a Leer camper shell for $2511.36 through an authorized dealer in Louisiana, whom also installed it. When I picked up the truck, everything looked okay, and the dealer said they tested for leaks and all looked well. Days later, back in Arkansas, the shell leaked substantially. I took it to a new dealer in Arkansas and they inspected the camper shell and found some paint issues along with the leaks. I contacted the Leer manufacturer about the situation and they offered to ship the shell to their facility for repair but due to the amount of time for repair and my travel constraints, they agreed to refund the original dealer 100% of their money if the dealer agreed to do so for me in return, with me returning the defunct shell. At first, the dealer agreed to refund me 100% of my money but later said that they would give me all but $500 back with no reason. Potentially making several hundred dollars in profit at my expense. The Louisiana dealer wants me to return to their store for them to "look" at it, costing me the fuel and time to get it back.

What are my options for getting a full refund?
Is there anyway to possibly return the shell to a Leer dealer and dispute the charges on my credit card?

Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 If the dealer is backing out of the seemingly clear cut deal that they had with the manufacturer (we pay you, you pay him), have you taken it up with the manufacturer? I'm sure they would want to know. Also,
>but later said that they would give me all but $500 back with no reason.

did they really just give you no reason at all? What was actually said?


Title: (NC) Freelancer: My client just locked me out of the website I was building for him, no rights were transferred to him, what should be my next step?

Question:
UPDATED: Simplified text into an outline.

Hi legaladvice,

I've come to you as a last resort to a situation that has developed very badly over the past week. I'll outline the story below in the effort to receive some direction or advice from anyone who knows what ought to be done next.

Outline of highlights:

 – I am a freelancer.

 – I was working on building a website for a client since July 2015.

 – The agreement was verbal, not written.

 – I was receiving payments regularly up until Nov 2015.

 – At this time, client is aggressive about inability to pay me.

 – We agree to temporary significantly lowered payments, with expectation of eventually catching up.

 – I continued working and invoicing.

 – Client becomes very unprofessional and aggressive, trying to intimidate me. I'm discovering he's a deadbeat, retrospectively I'm sure of it.

 – I realize this is when I should have stopped working and demanded payment, but I didn’t yet.

 – 01/08/16 client misses a payment, I contact to receive. Back and forth emailing.

 – I lock client out of website backend at this point. Client asks for login info. I withhold.

 – I email client education on my ownership rights, as a freelancer the website is my Intellectual Property, he is only given the right to access the website backend as long as he is paid in full.

 – 01/15/16 Client behind my back hires another website developer.

 – 01/16/16 this new web dev hacks (yes hacks, I had everything locked down) into website and deletes my admin user account. Also locks me out of everything else.

 – At this point I am confused, and am seeking guidance. Time is of the essence.

Now this is where I ask you Reddit, what am I supposed to do next? The three main options I’ve come to in my mind are these:

1) Email the new company the client hired to illegally remove me, telling him that it was illegal for him to do so, and to stop immediately. Also maybe warning him about this husband guy.

2) File a cease and desist, get an attorney to send them a letter, and/or file something in small claims court. My main concern here is that I don’t have any written agreements, so I’m not sure how strong my case is.

3) Give up, cut my losses, and move on. Maybe make a nightmare for their business by getting people online to comment all over social media how this company is a scam and to never buy from them.

I’m open to any and all comments and even criticisms here, I know there are things I could’ve done better and I want to learn. But please keep things constructive, I didn’t post this to be beat up online.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Answer:
 (1)  You were locked out of the website.  Who owns the account at the hosting provider?  If it's you, disable access from there.

(2)  You can certainly sue in small claims for the unpaid amounts.  Verbal agreement is tough, but you probably have some emails and stuff that evidence what your agreement was, even if the agreement wasn't in writing.

(3)  Another option is to sue for copyright infringement.  You own the copyright to what they took -- it was your creative expression and you never assigned your rights to them.  (Assignment of copyright has to be in writing).  At most, they received an implied non-exclusive license.  But, that license should have terminated once they stopped paying for the work.

You can sue in small claims by yourself.  Suing for copyright infringement requires an attorney, and would be heard in federal court.


Title: My boyfriends employer hasn’t paid him in 2 months and we’re now about to be evicted

Question:
My boyfriend and I are both college kids and work side jobs so we can pay rent and bills because neither of our parents support us because they don’t support our relationship. Anyways my boyfriend works for Panda Express which we thought would be a good company since they pay $11 an hour and promised to give at least 35 hours a week . We were both excited for that since we were barely getting by before and he quit his other job at PF Chang’s to work for panda full time since they said they’d give him more hours if he did . So they basically Fouseytubed my boyfriend and even though he works 40 HOURS A WEEK plus overtime sometimes, he still hasn’t been paid a CENT. He found out his manager didn’t even put him in the system for a whole month so she basically had him working for free. And when he finally did get a check (after the first month and a half ) they spelled his name wrong so we couldn’t cash it and he brought it to the attention of his manager AGAIN and she never did anything about it . So now he had to call Human Resources himself for like the 10 th time over the course of two months and they’re finally going to issue him his check but it’s not going to come in until next Thursday which is way past when rent is due and we still haven’t fully paid last months because they literally didn’t pay him , so we’re in the process of getting evicted because his manager literally just sits on her ass and doesn’t do anything . Is there a way we can file a lawsuit or get her fired ?
Topic:
Labor Law (Unions)

Answer:
 You can and should file a wage complaint with the DOL.  They will investigate and issue sanctions as necessary.  Given that this is a large company, I have a feeling corporate will intervene and correct this the moment the DOL gets involved.

However, this is a separate matter to your eviction proceedings.  You may want to consider looking into a personal loan or line of credit you can use to cure the nonpayment and stop the eviction.

In the meantime, your bf should find a new employer that pays on time.  You don't have the time to wait around at this place for this all to get sorted out, as you need a reliable source of income now.


Title: I take adderall for my ADHD, and I'm absolutely fed up with being treated like a criminal.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Not a legal issue, except in as much as you've got a prescription for a controlled substance. The laws surrounding those aren't flexible, and people can and do regularly lose their livelihoods for even relatively minor lapses in protocol. Your regular doctor made a mistake, and their practice is correcting it as quickly as possible by having someone else see you on short notice, but there's no legal or professional obligation for anyone to be nice to you about it.

Share your story with your congressperson and advocate for saner drug policy, perhaps? Other than that, speak to your doctor when they return about your disappointment with their practice's attitude towards you.


Title: child support hypothetical

Question:
If after a divorce one parent chooses to purposefully under employ themselves (example: a doctor quits his job and becomes a fast food worker) the court will continue to demand child support based off of the former doctor's previous salary.

However, what happens if after an emotionally turbulent divorce that parent becomes too unstable to keep his/her high paying job? Lets say the unstable parent is diagnosed with depression and rather than resgining from their postion as a doctor,  the parent is fired for constantly showing up to work drunk or high (or both)? The parent is doing so poorly that he/she can only keep a simple retail job and earns around 10$/h.

Would the court lower the child support payments of the parent in this senario?

Answer:
 This happens very frequently. The courts in those cases, where there is voluntary underemployment, impute the prior income to the underemployed party.

Of course there are always cases when this would not happen. For example, if a doctor making $300,000/year has his medical license revoked for Medicare fraud, he clearly cannot make the same money as before. A court would then look into how much he could reasonably be expected to make under the new circumstances.

In your scenario, the question becomes whether the parent with the high paying job (let’s say doctor) would be seen to be VOLUNTARILY under employed. Again, the court would need to determine voluntariness. Did the doctor see a therapist? Try medication to get stable? Were they getting high or drunk at work before the divorce? Were there any mental issues before the divorce at all? What is the evidence proving a serious mental issue as opposed to a fabricated one? Further- is the depression likely to be temporary? Is the doctor able to go to rehab and get sober and practice again?

 All this would require a lot of testimony and evidence and most likely a hearing with several experts.

Lastly remember that (in every jurisdiction I know of), child support is always flexible. For better or worse, some parents abuse the system every time they have the smallest change of circumstances. What might be seen as a temporary drop in income today may not be seen as temporary six months down the line.


Title: Cracked Windshield and Dashcam shows dealership mechanics getting food and drinks (2 Questions)

Question:
Texas, UNITED STATES. for the bot.
recently dropped off a new-used car at a dealership where I purchased it from. I received a loaner car and when I returned it at some point, the windshield cracked. The repair shop wants $650 (Outrageous and overprice) to replace or they'll file a claim with my insurance. I'm more afraid of my insurance rates increasing because of this. I am fully covered, as I just purchased a 25kish vehicle. Should I plead for a lower bill for the windshield or let insurance handle it?

Secondly my dashcam footage I had in my car shows the mechanics taking my car to a local gas station (The car had half a tank, audio even has mechanics saying they could drive to a certain city an hour away and back) and going into the store and buying drinks and coming back into my vehicle. They also moved my belongings from my cup holders to hold their drinks. This I mention because I feel like I can bring it up about the first issue as it's pretty disappointing to see my car being used for more than repairs and testing.

I have today to decide what to do, any questions feel free to ask, thanks!

Answer:
 Windshield cracks won't raise your insurance premium. Just have it fixed via Safelite or whoever your insurance uses.

I wouldn't mention the audio recordings unless you live in a one-party consent state.


Title: I'm a children's author of a book series for kids with a certain kind of disability. A nonprofit org within the same community has just registered themselves using my book title as their name, and are promoting my book's sequel (so they know they stole the name). Can I claim trademark infringement?

Question:
As my lengthy title says, I am a children's author of a book series written to help kids with a certain disability. For the sake of discretion, lets call the first book "Amazing Kids" and the sequel "Amazing People". In reality, both titles are more specific and not easy to copy accidentally. My books were published in 2016 and 2017.

I have not previously registered a trademark or copyright for the titles of my books.

I have just been notified that an organization called the equivalent of "Amazing Kids Foundation" has been created and registered as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and that they are not only within the same community for the same type of disability, but they also list "Amazing People" on their website's Resources page and intentionally do not list the first book, "Amazing Kids". So they absolutely know my books exist and that they stole the name from me.

This organization just came into existence a few months ago, my books were published years ago, and they are aware they stole the name. Do I have any case for trademark infringement here?
Topic:
Intellectual Property

Answer:
 Talk to a trademark attorney. Many offer a free initial consult.

You have some trademark protection even without registering the mark if the reasonable consumer would think that foundation was yours, based on the name. The example you gave was very generic so you would probably have no case. The attorney can tell you whether you have a case in the real example.


Title: Friend stole case files from abandoned halfway house in West Virginia.

Question: So my friend brought a stack of case files to school today. They have a bunch of peoples information in them. My friend says that while in West Virginia they broke into and abandoned halfway house through an open window and found the files. They then took the files home to North Carolina. My question is what should they do with them. My first instinct is to burn and stop talking about it. My friend say that since she wore gloves they won't get caught and they can keep them. How bad does this have the potential to be.

Answer:
 > My friend say that since she wore gloves they won't get caught and they can keep them.

I don't think your friend understands evidence or theft or fingerprints.

> How bad does this have the potential to be.

Well, your dumb friends broke into an "abandoned" halfway house in the boonies in October and haven't been killed by a hatchet-wielding maniac in a hockey mask, so you're not at the absolute worst.

Trespassing and burglary are still bad. So is showing off evidence of said trespassing and burglary.Answer #2: >they can keep them.

 For what purpose other than to do other illegal things?Answer #3: Your friends are major boneheads.

You need to report this to the authorities listed on the file folders and explain that your friends took these from an abandoned house. Under no circumstances should you/your friends "burn" or "destroy" these files, under no circumstances should you/your friends divulge any of the information to anywhere public (through social media, media, or otherwise), and DEFINITELY under no circumstances should you use identifying records to try and obtain more information about a case by posing as a person listed in the case file.

Your friends need to speak with an attorney about surrendering these files to the proper authorities, and you need to put as much distance between you and them as humanly possible.Answer #4: OP, realistically speaking, one of your best actions here is to distance yourself from these friends of yours and don't get involved in this at all or you may end up entangling yourself in their crime.  If you participate in destruction of this property and it's found out, you'll likely suffer some adverse criminal or school related consequences.


Title: “Voluntary Resigned” during Parental leave

Question:
Can a company say that you voluntarily resigned while you are on California parental leave? My wife received an email saying that because she did not answer a phone call and return the call, she voluntarily resigned. She had been in communication with hr and both parties were aware of the parental leave lasting until may 10th.
Topic:
Employment Law

Answer:
 During California new parent leave you actually are banned from doing any work of any kind.  That includes picking up calls from work or answering emails.Answer #2: There are circumstances in which an employee's failure to perform duties is a constructive resignation, but that requires

>The claimant voluntarily committed an act or engaged in a course of conduct which;

>Left the employer no reasonable alternative but to discharge the claimant and;

>The claimant knew, or reasonably should have known, the act would jeopardize his/her job and possibly result in the loss of employment.

https://www.edd.ca.gov/uibdg/Voluntary_Quit_VQ_135.htm

At a glance, it doesn't seem as though your wife's circumstances fit that criteria.


Title: [Pennsylvania] I was running away from my abusive father and ended up in a bad car accident due to my mental distress.

Question:
I wasn’t sure what to tag this. My charge is for failing to stop at a stop/yield sign so I figured traffic.

I don’t want to put any irrelevant details here so I will try to be as informative as possible without being too detailed or redundant.

I live in a complicated home situation and my father has physically attacked me in the past. It got to a point where it was really bad and he hit my car windshield with a shovel and I ran away from home for about a week.

I had no intention of going back permanently. My dad lives where he works and I had to go back to his house to get some medication I needed that was at his house. My dad works nights so I went at night to get the medicine but I was very afraid and panicked because he was in close proximity. I moved as fast as I could and left as soon as I had everything.

Because of my mental distress, panic, and fear, I was trying to get away as fast as I could. There was a stop sign at an intersection by my Dad’s house and I didn’t stop fully. I rolled the stop and an incoming truck t-boned me and my car ended up completely totaled. Glass windows shattered, I was in a lot of pain, and if I had been a second earlier then I would most likely be dead due to impact.

There was a cop on the scene who questioned me and an ambulance who took my vitals. I didn’t go to the hospital that night but I woke up in a lot of pain the next morning so I went the next morning.

I did a CAT scan and everything showed up fine and I took some tests and some medicine for my head. A psychologist of the hospital came and, because he heard about the situation with my dad as well as my past history with depression, he recommended a mental hospital to me.

I signed myself in because he made it seem like it was the best decision both insurance wise and for my health. I was discharged from the hospital I went to and I spent 8 days in the mental hospital. Not the best decision and not what I needed, but I’m rolling with it.

Anyway, I have a court summons and they gave me a large fine. I plead not guilty because of the distress I was in and I’m not sure if this was a mistake.

I’m going to write in a continuance for extended time but I’m not sure if I’ll just be meeting for a few minutes with the cop for him to determine or if it’s a full hearing/trial.

Also, my totaled car was taken to a yard without any expressed permission and now they’re asking for hundreds of dollars so I’m not sure what to do about that.

Overall, any advice? How do I proceed and what do I do? Is a lawyer necessary or should I just do the best I can with the cop?

Is this a big deal?

Thank you for the help and feel free to ask and clarification questions.
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer: I'm not a lawyer but from a legal perspective I don't see how you can argue this. If you  were in well enough a state of mind to choose to operate a car you were in well enough a state of mind to obey a stop sign. Being in a fearful panicked state of mind is not a free pass to the laws of the road. You should seek counsel with an attorney and they will beat be able to help you navigate from hwre. As for your car it's not like they could leave it on the middle of the road and since it was totaled no one was going to be able to drive it anywhere