Title: I want to convert my homevids of when I was little from VHS to Digital. Question about nudity

Question:
[Florida]

I'm in my late 20s, and my parents want me to convert all of our VHS tapes of our homevideos to digital. These homevideos are from the late 80s to 90s, and we are worried the VHS tapes are deteriorating. My parents want me to bring them to a photo/video place in our hometown to have them convert dozens of our VHS tapes to digital format.

My question is: what is the legality of having myself on screen at the age of 4 being nude on these VHS tapes? I'll admit, I was a little annoying toddler who loved to run around naked screaming at the top of my lungs to grab attention from any adult, but now I wonder if this counts as being classified as CP? The videos show my siblings and I as babies/toddlers being nude at the beach, around the house, etc. Thoughts?

Answer:
 A work is not "child pornography" under federal law unless it features:

* A minor involved in a sex act

or

* A lewd and lascivious display of the genitals of the child

A regular home video of a naked kid in a bathtub is almost certainly not going to cut it.

Generally, the courts use the "Dost Test" to determine if the work fits  it uses the following criteria:

> * Whether the focal point of the visual depiction is on the child's genitalia or pubic area.

> * Whether the setting of the visual depiction is sexually suggestive, i.e., in a place or pose generally associated with sexual activity.

> * Whether the child is depicted in an unnatural pose, or in inappropriate attire, considering the age of the child.

> * Whether the child is fully or partially clothed, or nude.
> * Whether the visual depiction suggests sexual coyness or a willingness to engage in sexual activity.

> * Whether the visual depiction is intended or designed to elicit a sexual response in the viewer.
Answer #2: As Cypher_blue said, it is not CP.

However, if you are worried about someone at the video place making a stink out of it, they make fairly inexpensive VHS to USB players with video capture software.


Title: Ex-Girlfriend threatening to sue for 'forced abortion'

Question:
The title says it all.

I was seeing my ex for a little over 5 months. She got pregnant and was adamant about keeping the child. Neither of us is in a financial situation to raise one, and I recently got accepted to med school and can't see myself raising a child at this point in time. She kept reaching out to me for support/help and I repeatedly stated how selfish it would be to bring a child into the world under these circumstances and also how stupid it would be. We ended up having a heated conversation a few weeks ago that resulted in me picking her up and driving her to the clinic myself.

We didn't have any contact since until last week where she contacted me and threatened to sue me for forcing the abortion on her even though she asked me to drive her (which I can prove through messaging). Does she have a case and do I need a lawyer? What else should I be doing to protect myself?

Answer: She would have had to *consent* to the abortion and the doctor wouldn't have performed it if they felt she was under duress.  There should be a consent form *with her signature on it*, in the records of the clinic that performed it.  If she sues, you need to respond but she is going to have a hard time since you have a text from her asking you to drive her and the signed consent form that the clinic has.  You may have problems getting that form but a lawyer should be able to in the event that she does sue.


Title: Selling property with "life estate" in California

Question: My family just got an offer on the place where my grandmother lives, and they are willing to set up a life estate so she can stay there. It looks like everybody is gung-ho to do this. We would get half now and half when she doesn't live there anymore, for any reason (if she were to move). The property is large and the house the buyers would build would be far away. I had never heard of this concept until a week ago. What am I forgetting to ask? Do these situations screw people over somehow? It seems a bit like money for nothing... our life doesn't change much, grandma still lives there, we all just get checks... but I don't want to walk into something stupid. What should I be asking? Who should I be talking to?

Answer:
 What you are  proposing is odd. A life estate is unusual but not unheard of. I have no idea why a stranger buyer would buy a house subject to a life estate unless grandma is really old or has one foot in the grave from illness. That's a real hard way to plan your life.

The other odd part is half now, half later. Why? If the property is sold subject to the life estate I don't know why the money isn't all up front. It's not a land contract, it just seems like the money would all be up front. It may work out but I would look at it skeptically.


Title: Advice sought prior to meeting with former HR dept.

Question:
Advice sought: We would prefer to handle this without an attorney but that depends on the HR dept.How should we approach this meeting?

My son who is 28 years old has a meeting with representatives of the Hospital he used to be employed by. The reason for the meeting is to address things that occured in the last few months my son worked there.

He was a police officer for 4 ½ years at this facility and resigned amid harassing behaviour and bullying by his then Chief. The Chief yelled obscenity laden tirades aimed at my son while other officers were present (Son has witness statements). He tried to force my son to resign by questioning his mental health, and saying he was malingering from a workplace job injury sustained while subduing a out of control patient. He denied my son leave while he was trying to recover and forced my son to go to mental health professionals to prove his job worthiness. He finally placed a restraining order forbidding my son to come to his place of work. My son resigned but that was not enough for the Chief he sent a form to the state saying my son was mentally unstable. This was after health professionals agreed other than depression caused by treatment by this officer my son was fit.

The Chief has since been dismissed for reasons including sexual harassment and his workplace demeanor to others. During the harassment my son tried numerous times to get his grievances addressed by the proper channels. He was rebuffed and nothing was done until after his resignation and a long letter he sent to the CEO of the hospital. Now the hospital has reached out and asked for a meeting tomorrow.

In the months of his forced absence from work my son became depressed and then in final weeks of my sons leave of absence he began to drink heavily. He finally confessed to family what he had been enduring for 5 months. My ex-wife and I drove several hours and brought our son to her home. He is now facing bankruptcy now and the paperwork filled by his former chief is preventing him from getting work in law enforcement again.

The list of requirements to the HR dept are:

My son is asking them to address the paperwork filled by the former chief.

These below seem reasonable to me but I have never worked in HR.

Unpaid medical expenses
Back pay during the time he was not allowed to work
Expenses incurred due to having to relocate.

Lastly believe it or not he would like to return to work at the hospital, but in another capacity like patient transfer or such.

Answer: He should talk to a lawyer if he really think he has a case. He's not qualified to handle this properly.   He could damage any future case he might have.


Title: [WA] Landlord altered our contract (without our knowledge) and then submitted the altered version to the BBB. We have a copy of the original version. Is there anything we can do?

Question:
This is going to be long.

Thank you very much in advance for anyone who reads this and provides advice. Even if you are not a lawyer, I would really appreciate any advice.

A few years ago my family moved across the US and rented a house (my wife was moving for a job). We were moving from out of state and leased the house, site unseen.

When we moved in, there was a "move-in checklist" that we had to sign and return to document damages already present when we moved in. The place was in "OK" (but not great) shape, and this was noted on the contract with some things being labeled as "dirty" etc...

However, something about this contract realllly struck me as fishy. For example, the landlord went through the entire house and counted the number of nail holes in the walls in each room: 28 in total. Presumably this was because our lease stated that we could not nail anything to the walls? Anyway, it just seemed odd.

There were other odd things like this noted as well. "One small orange stain on the blinds"...(why does the color matter?) stuff like that was already filled in for us on the contract when they gave it to us.

Anyways, we added some other damages we found and then signed the contract. To be on the safe side, I made a copy of the contract before turning it back into the landlord.

Jump to two months after we move in. WA winter is coming. Coming from SC this is something we never experienced before, but are now intimately familiar with.

In winter, we get an email from our landlord "reminding us" to fill our oil tank for winter... Oil tank??? No one ever told us about an oil tank...

It is not mentioned in our lease (yes, I admit, I'm one of *those* types of people that legitimately read the thing). Not sure if it makes a difference, but I have this documented by emails. Cue a large back and forth between me and the landlord about this.

The result of our exchange is that the landlord promised to provide "proof" that the oil tank was full when we moved in. This never happened.

We decide to heat our home with a wood burning stove (fires are awesome btw). We do this for years. We do not use the oil tank heater. Not even once.

Jump ahead.

It is now time for us to move out. Sure enough, the landlord charged us to fill the oil tank when we moved out. We disputed the charges.

The landlord reported us to collections despite us sending them our dispute in writing multiple times (they did not respond to our dispute - just reported us to collections). We disputed the charges with collections. We also reported the landlord to the BBB.

The landlord responded to the BBB with our move-in contract. Funny thing is, the contract they sent the BBB had a little note added to it that read "please fill oil tank upon move out :)".

I respond back with our copy of the move in contract that does not have this note.

Landlord responds back and talks about other "damages" to the property, but does not address the issue of the altered move in contract.

Would this be a good time for a lawyer? Do I have a case? Should I just leave well enough alone and forget about our deposit?

Thank you in advance for any and all advice.

Answer: The BBB is worthless and has no real power. If the charge is below your state's small claims max, then you can file there and present your evidence that the landlord is dicking you around. No lawyer is needed.


Title: My Landlord doesn’t own the house I rent from him (PA)

Question:
Hello reddit and legal advice.  This is a terrible first post, I wish it was under different circumstances but I am desperately in need of help.  Im a college girl, and for my first place since moving out of my parents I have been renting a room in a townhouse located in PA for about 7 months near my school(month to month lease till October).  He raised my rent without giving me two months notice (in the lease terms) so I entered into a 8 month lease till May 2018 to avoid this happening again.  However, since then things have gotten worse and I am no longer happy living here and need to get out.  I’m looking for advice on how any of the following could effect the binding terms of my lease:

-He recently allows drugs, and has done drugs himself in the apartment despite the lease terms.
-He does not actually own the house despite telling me he did and signing the least with me(checked the property records with the county, his dad owns it)
-he renovated the entire basement/storage area to a bedroom/bathroom, removing my storage section (permits needed for redoing a basement in this way?)
-moved a person into that basement space 3 days after my 8mo lease was signed, so I had no clue what I was getting in to (4 unrelated people renting one town house now, plus him living there too.  possibly too many people in one PA townhouse legally?)
-I called the the homeowners association, they did not know any tenants live here or that he “owns” the house

Last time I had bought up being unhappy with messes in the house he clapped in my face and told me to check my expectations.  I am genuinely dreading talking to him about leaving, and so I want to know what if any terms broken in the lease or by general PA law could let me out of it early (or if this lease is even valid due to him not being the home owner).  I don’t want to put him through anything, just want out peacefully (and hopefully with my security deposit).  Please let me know if there is anything I can do, I am already depressed and living in this type of environment is hurting me.  Sorry about the shirt formatting and the length.   thanks in advance.

Answer:
 > He recently allows drugs, and has done drugs himself in the apartment despite the lease terms.

Doing drugs in a house doesn't invalidate the lease.  Unless he's manufacturing meth in the house, it won't make a difference to your lease obligations

> He does not actually own the house despite telling me he did and signing the least with me(checked the property records with the county, his dad owns it)

He's either an agent for his father or subleasing a room to you, both of which are legal as long as his father ok's it.  Which it's safe to presume he did.

> he renovated the entire basement/storage area to a bedroom/bathroom, removing my storage section (permits needed for redoing a basement in this way?)

Unless you live in the basement or were guaranteed use of a specific amount of space in the basement in your lease, that's not relevant unless he does such a bad job that he makes the house uninhabitable.

> moved a person into that basement space 3 days after my 8mo lease was signed

Again, unless that was your space he's leasing to someone else, that doesn't impact you.  The basement unit may or may not be legal, but that's between the person who lives there and him

> I called the the homeowners association, they did not know any tenants live here or that he “owns” the house

Again, that's between him and the HOA, it doesn't impact your lease's validity.


Title: UT- Wifes Retail job says no water or food during her shift.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 >  if they dont take the hint she wants to quit.

if she doesn't mind losing her job it would be far better if she got fired, then she could probably get unemployment. Having a discreet bottle of water is hardly misconduct.

Just brainstorming here but how about she just takes a "pee" break she she needs a drink?


Title: Can I hit him first and say it was legitimate defense?

Question: Some guy aggressively came to me and ask me if I wanted to fight him. I told him to show me what he got but he didn't do anything. I think he was just a coward  pretending to be tough in front of his friends. Nonetheless, I have  honor and I don't like being bullied. I was wondering if I could legally hit him first and say I felt threatened ?

Answer: no, you accepted a fight so there's no threat, you both are assaulting with no defense. if he escalates it to a higher threat level, say trying to stomp your head, which is how street fights end, then you can match that force until the threat has ended.


Title: Moved recently, rented a lovely house, realized on first night that there was too much noise

Question:
loc: Bryan, TX

I recently moved to B/CS area and had been looking for a place for me and my family. After looking at 8-10 places over the course of a week, I settled for a nice suburban house. We went through the basics and signed a lease on Friday (electronically; apparently they are accepted nowadays) and I moved in yesterday morning.
Last night, after all cleaning, shopping, working around the house, I went to bed around 11pm and after midnight, I had to wake up 3-4 times due to train crossing and its sirens. I do not necessarily mind the sound but I have my wife and newborn coming in soon. They are waiting for me to settle here; furnish the place etc. However, with all train crossing and sirens, I am not sure if my newborn will be able to sleep.

Do I have any right to cancel my lease? I only submitted my first month's prorated rent through the management company's website on Friday night (deposit will be submitted next week) and it did not go through my bank yet. If I have such a right, how should I take it up with the management company/landlord?
Even if I have the right, I am pretty sure they will resist to so.

Also, after canceling, would other places or people have suspicions in renting me a new place? I do not want to go through another hassle of looking for new places either.

edit: apparently it's been a problem in the area for a while;
http://www.kbtx.com/home/headlines/Bryan-Slows-Down-On-Plans-For-Train-Quiet-Zone-Downtown-265616981.html

I should have been smarter and check out these.

Answer: People live near train tracks, fire stations, etc and get used to it, even with babies, so will you. Soon you will be up 2 - 3 times a night, then maybe once, then not at all, then you will chuckle at people who can't sleep though a little noise. You should have looked on google maps. If your lease doesn't say you can get out of it for this reason, you can pay whatever your lease says to get out of it.


Title: My employer charges $1000 - $1500 a month for using company truck and fuel

Question:
TLDR: Company is taking $1000 - $1500 a month for using company truck and fuel and they're not paying for overtime.

I work for as an employee for a cable contracting company in Texas. We are paid every other week, started charging $310 for truck use, $25 for phone use, $1 for direct deposit, and we have to pay for all our own fuel even if we use the company card they deduct it from our check. They also do not pay for overtime. We get paid by install completed, $60 for one service (ex. internet only), $80 for two services (ex. internet and phone), $100 for three services (ex internet, phone, cable), and change of services are $60. When we get our pay stubs they divide the amount we earned in production by the hours we worked so that on paper it looks like they're paying an hourly wage and overtime but they really not it still evens out to the same amount we made for the installs completed. For the month of May, they deducted over $1500 total, is this legal? Is there any way to get that money back?

They do a lot of questionable stuff, there was a 4 month period where we were only working 2 days a week and only made roughly $1500 per month during that time with no compensation for the days they wouldn't provide work.

&#x200B;

Thank you for any advice or guidance in the right direction.

Answer: IANAL but I would definitely contact the Department of Labor. This doesn’t sound legit, but if it is I would look for another job.Answer #2: You should look for an employment lawyer, you sound like you're sitting on a good lawsuit.


Title: Hit and run

Question:
(CA)
Hello, I was accused of a hit and run car accident. I won with the insurance companies because there was no damage to me and my vehicle since there was no accident in the first place. But now my license is suspended. What can I do to get my license back? I am really stressed out and don't know what to do? Any input is appreciated!

Answer: You are probably gonna want a lawyer. Why is your license suspended? Were you charged with a hit and run? Did you have a court date that you may have missed?


Title: [BC, CANADA] Landlord forcing tenants to submit dog feces for DNA analysis.

Question:
Saw this in the news today, it's happening not far from where I live.  Just curious what people's thoughts are on it.  Is this even legal?

To summarize the article, one of the tenant's dogs carried out a bowel movement in a common area of the building twice, and now the landlord has collected the feces and is performing DNA analysis on it.  They're threatening eviction on anyone who doesn't comply.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/dog-poop-samples-demanded-by-burnaby-apartment-landlord-1.3061379

Answer: I don't know about the legality in Canada, but that plan is easily defeated. All the dog owner has to do is go to a park and find some random dog poop and say that it came from his dog.


Title: Are police officers required to check the car registration and proof of insurance when they pull someone over? (Indiana)

Question: I was recently pulled over for speeding at a well known speed trap location. When the officer approached my car and asked for my license, registration, and proof of insurance, I informed him my license was in the trunk. He told me to get it, and I did. I gave it to him and returned to the driver's seat, and he returned to his cruiser. About 5 minutes later, he issued me a citation for going 48 in a 30 (which I contend is faster than I was actually going), but he never checked my proof of insurance or car registration or informed me of how he knew my speed, or even that I was being pulled over for speeding and allow me to justify myself. I was coming from the local university with out of state plates, so I'm almost positive it's a money grab. The fine is a bummer, but I care more about the 4 points. Do I have grounds to get the ticket dismissed or somehow come away with no points?

Answer: Officers are not required to do anything during traffic stops. He could elect to not even check your license.  This is not grounds to get the ticket dismissed. Not even close.


Title: Does Judge Judy show up on your record?

Question:
A few weeks ago, I read about a group of friends who [applied to Judge Judy with a fake case](http://www.vice.com/read/these-guys-made-up-a-fake-case-to-get-on-judge-judy?utm_source=vicefbus).

Judge Judy ruled in favor of the plaintiff, so my question is, if there's a background check run on the defendant, could this fake Judge Judy case (or any Judge Judy case, I suppose) show up?

I would guess no, since Judge Judy isn't technically a real judge (plus, the cases Judge Judy tries aren't criminal cases). But I'm just wondering if there were any negative side effects of this group of friends lying to Judge Judy?

EDIT: I live in New Jersey, but Judge Judy is in California? IDK, a reddit bot yelled at me.

Answer: I was going to say no because she's a mediator/arbitrator and it's not real court. But you could build a fraud case against somebody who gains something of value through deception, or a group of people who conspire to commit fraud.


Title: Got given a car without asking it, now getting court threats from old friend.

Question:
Hi, I'm from the UK.

My (what was a) friend back in 2015 won a large sum in the lotto. It was around the £10 million mark.

3 years later, he's completely broke. He wasted it on going traveling around the world and buying nice expensive cars.

Now, he gave me around £30,000 and he bought me a brand new Mercedes in 2016 (cost around £50,000) when we where friends. Now I was sensible with the money, I saved it and spent it wisely.

I am the legal owner of the car. However, I never signed anything to say that I could keep that £30k if anything happens.

He's threatening to take me to court, saying there are loopholes in the law and I'll have to pay him back. I said that I never asked for it, he gave it to me and that it's his own fault for spending it stupidly.

I have no idea what to do, because I don't want to be taken to court and be made to pay a load of money, as it'll pretty much make me bankrupt.

Thanks

Answer:
 A gift is generally a gift, no backsies, but /r/LegalAdviceUK would be a better place to inquire.Answer #2: Remember: Never take legal advice from your opponent.  So him telling you about so called loopholes in the law, you should simply ignore him unless your own lawyer/solicitor tells you so.

He's simply scrambling to recover from his own bad financial decisions, and figures that he's likely to threaten people and in their ignorance give him money back.Answer #3: I don't know about the UK, but the title is in your name, right?  And there was never a document stating the 30,000 was a loan?  I can't imagine anything allowing him to get money back.  Like Diablo said, /r/LegalAdviceUK would be better though.Answer #4: Everything you said lead me to conclude that the money is yours. You can give it back if you feel any moral obligation toward him but you have no legal obligation to do it.Answer #5: >However, I never signed anything to say that I could keep that £30k if anything happens.

It's the other way around - the money's assumed to be without restrictions unless there is evidence to the contrary.  So his issue is that **he** never made you sign anything saying he could take it back.


Title: [VA, US] Judge rules computers connected to internet have "no objectively reasonable expectation of privacy." What does this case mean for the layman?

Question:
I saw [this post](https://np.reddit.com/r/technology/comments/4qrbqm/) over on /r/technology, and my first instinct was to wonder what the other side of the story was.  I feel like it happens every so often that a court ruling gets hyped up and over-simplified, and later it is quietly revealed that it has a very narrow scope, or there were extenuating circumstances, or some other specific legal aspects go over the common person's head, and the actual result isn't the same as what the hype makes it seemed to be.

Is this another case where the reality isn't what the media makes it out to be?  Is it legit, but something that won't actually have any impact (such as someone "introducing" a bill that they know has no chance of getting passed)?  Or is this actually something to be worried about?  What (if anything) am I, the layman with no legal education, not getting from this story?

**EDIT**:  Here is a [direct link](http://www.eweek.com/security/home-computers-connected-to-the-internet-arent-private-court-rules.html) to the article from the other reddit post.
Topic:
Computer and Internet

Answer:
 > Is this another case where the reality isn't what the media makes it out to be? Is it legit, but something that won't actually have any impact (such as someone "introducing" a bill that they know has no chance of getting passed)?

Yes to both.  For a few reasons

1) This is a single Federal district court judge in VA.  As of now, it's binding on that region of VA and nobody else.

2) The actual dispute was over the validity of a warrant because there was a search warrant granted, which is what you need to do to search somewhere there IS a reasonable expectation of privacy.  There are legitimate questions as to the scope of the warrant and if it was proper, but either way this ruling still centers on police having a valid warrant prior to searching, which was already perfectly legal.

3) The judge's statement isn't binding as it relates to expectation of privacy because that wasn't the issue at hand.  The ruling relates to the warrant, the privacy thing was essentially an offhand remark, as far as the law is concerned.

Others might try to use it as the basis to support such an argument in the future, but I'd say the likelihood of that ruling expanding is basically 0.  Based on that definition, there is no such thing as privacy.  My house is nominally private, but you can easily kick the window in and get inside because it's "connected" to the outside world.  Answer #2: It seems to me that the search was limited to identifying criminals when they connected to the FBI controlled servers.  Though the words the judge used does seem to give a pretty broad scope for future searches.


Title: My neighbour is withholding something I accidentally kicked into their yard (a soccer ball).

Question:
I know this may seem extremely minor compared to some of the other stuff I'm seeing here but I just want to know what to do. It was completely accidental. It went over their fence and into their garage. It didn't hit anything except the wall which it couldn't possibly have damaged. He said he'd give it back in a week. Is this detinue or not?

Location: Cincinnati, Ohio

Answer:
 How old are you?Answer #2: To answer your specific question, in order for a claim in detinue to succeed, you must not only prove that he is refusing to return a ball, but also that you are the owner of the specific ball in question.  Absent clearly identifying marks on the ball, and proof that you are the maker or owner of the ball with these marks, a claim in detinue may be hard for you to make.

It may be easier for you to make a claim of conversion.

[edit:  easier, as in it's easier to jump 30 feet in the air, versus 300 feet in the air, both being extremely difficult without assistance]

Or even easier to get your brother to ask nicely for it back, and stop doing whatever is annoying your neighbor, who appears somehow inclined to teach the two of you a lesson.


Title: This seems highly illegal (Indiana). Friend of mine who is a minor and his friend were getting high at his house, his friend over dosed while they slept, when they woke up called the police and they confiscated his narcan

Question:
So back story is this, they were at his parents house in his bedroom, both using heroin and popping Xanax (stupid to mix and responsible for alooot of deaths but besides the point), both were fine a few hours after the fact and went to bed, next day he wakes up to his friend dead

He goes and tells his mom, they call the police. Police show up and all rip into him with lectures and other opinionated crap that was irrelevant because his friend just died next to him over night. They search his room and all they find was a box of Narcan (which really if he was aware his friend was dying could have used it). But the police officer confiscated it saying “only police and emergency vehicles are supposed to have this”

But here’s the absolutely stupid part, his school councilor is the one that gave the narcan to him! That aside, you can buy narcan over the counter in Indiana! It’s completely legal to have, for gods sake I have some at my house as well that my doctor ordered me to get if he was to continue seeing me

Seems to me like they’re in the long run dooming him, there is clearly drug use happening there that the police are aware of, and if someone ODs again they might die waiting for emergency help where they could be saved if they had narcan

Hopefully no one is getting high again after this fiasco but drug addicts are stubborn so really besides the point. Just wondering opinions on how legal it is for police to confiscate life saving medicine that’s legal for anyone to have

Edit: the backstory was for context only and irrelevant, my only question is how legal is it for officers to confiscate life saving medication. Yeah my friend could go get more if he has 40$ to blow on it which if yes drug addict u don’t, but irrelevant to the question

Yes drugs are bad, yes there is resolves like getting more narcan, but question is simply what legal action of any can be done over something that’s clearly illegal.

This is like if a police officer came into your house and confiscated your tylonal under the reason of “you don’t need this”. Except worse because if he’s stupid enough to get high again it can save his life if he has it
Topic:
Juvenile and Youth Law

Answer:
 > He goes and tells his mom, they call the police. Police show up and all rip into him with lectures and other opinionated crap that was irrelevant because his friend just died next to him over night.

That's hardly just opinionated crap and irrelevant, given the circumstances.Answer #2: Your friend can get more narcan over the counter. Is he upset about the monetary value of the narcan?  It would behoove your friend to get some education about safer drug use. Maybe you could help him get an appointment at a public health clinic. If he continues to use opioids he will find himself in this position again. The police do not have to be nice or kind.Answer #3: > Seems to me like they’re in the long run dooming him

He can just get it over the counter you said. Plus they're not to blame for his actions.


Title: [WA] In-laws sold our rented house without notice

Question:
Location: Washington State (WA), USA - Mr location bot

Throwaway because my relatives are on Reddit.

My wife's parents own three houses in Seattle. We have rented one from them since 2012 but we never signed a lease because they're family. We pay monthly rent and cover all utilities. They covered some general maintenance and repairs.

Last week, my parents in law announced they sold the house to their nephew and his wife, and we needed to move out by 3-26. We learned about this on 3-9. Seattle is a very expensive market and properties in our price range are competitive.  Finding a place to rent by 3-26 is not possible, and staying in a hotel until we do is not within our finances.

My wife's parents told us they were thinking of selling the property in general terms around January. They did not tell us they were in the process of selling or having inspectors coming through. What can we do? We are not concerned about our future relationship with her parents, we will serve them if we have to and deal with the family consequences.

What are our rights and options? Can they evict us by the end of the month? The move out notice was verbal, we have nothing on paper. Do we have any recourse or protection? We can scrape together cash for a lawyer, but this came as a total surprise.

Answer:
 If you're in the actual city of Seattle, they can't kick you out that fast.

The new owner can definitely terminate your tenancy in order to live in the house himself. However, he would be required to give  you 90 days notice of his intent to do so. This period *may* be reduced to 20 days in court if he can show that waiting 90 days would cause hardship, but until that happens, you have at least 90 days.

I'd recommend calling the DPD at 206-615-0808 and asking them about your options if your landlord(s) refuse to abide by the city's 'just cause' protections.


Title: Small business being attacked by the big guys? :(

Question:
So I work for a small business(butcher shop), and one of our competitors is safeway. They’re directly beside us.

Turns out one of our customers, who we do fundraisers with and have shared a lot of information with, does all the ordering for the Safeway next to us...
He’s been getting information for god knows how long from us and then using it to benefit their franchise.. is there anything we can do about this?!
Example- we’ll have a sale on say pork chops, next day or same day, they will have the same sale but blow it up bigger because they have the necessary equipment to do so..
or they’ll bring in specific items that we carry and try to steal our sales. (Bison jerky, marzipan, etc etc) and on the labels it even says “this store only.” Meaning no other store in this city carries the same items as this Safeway directly beside us!!!

is this any sort of breach of trust or?!
My boss doesn’t really know what to do, any advice would be super appreciated! Thanks in advance
Topic:
Douche

Answer: Welcome to competitive business.  Information is king, and leveraging purchasing power into deeper discounts helps you undercut competition.  Figure out a way to add value or service for customers that the other store can't


Title: CEO had me clean up an unknown chemical compound, more than likely muriatic acid, without telling me it was a chemical or providing PPE. Need advice on case.

Question:
PREFACE : I failed a workmans comp drug test and was fired.

The Operational Manager of the warehouse smokes a lot of pot, I do not AT ALL. I also share a wall with him in my duplex and his pot smoke constantly rolls through to our side, so I know I got a contact high from him.

I've contacted our OSHA auditors who identified the chemical residue to confirm that it is what I think it is, and will hear back in the morning.

I've documented the dates and times the cleanup happened, I have 2 other coworkers who are experiencing the same symptoms, feels like chemical pnuemonia, and have witnesses to prove that we were put into a 100+ foot puddle of the shit with no PPE and given rags to clean it up with water, which acid reacts to. The warehouse is hot enough to evaporate water, so even if the water reaction did not produce fumes, it was evaporated into the air once reacting.

Is there anything I'm missing or need to look further into before proceeding with a legal case?

Answer:
 I was curious, so i looked up to see if you could fail a drug test from second hand smoke.  Here is one article i found.

>Can you fail a drug test from inhaling secondhand marijuana smoke?

>probably not.

>Since the amount of THC exhaled by marijuana smokers is so low, it would take a lot of secondhand exposure to fail a drug test.

>In a 2010 [study (pdf)](http://jat.oxfordjournals.org/content/34/4/196.full.pdf), researchers measured the effect of secondhand marijuana smoke on non-marijuana smokers.  The non-smokers were placed in a well-ventilated space with people casually smoking marijuana for 3 hours.  The researchers then took blood and urine samples from the nonsmokers. They found that THC was present, but the amount was well below the level to needed to fail a drug test.  Another [study] (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25326203) found similar results: Testing positive is rare and limited to the hours directly following exposure.

[source](https://teens.drugabuse.gov/blog/post/secondhand-marijuana-smoke)Answer #2: What are your damages?  Have you been to a doctor for treatment?  What long-term or permanent damage did you suffer?

You have to have suffered a loss or an injury in order to have something to sue over.


Title: I am a prisoner in my own house

Question:
I am 20 years old. My parents took me out of school when I was 15 and ever since then I have been trapped in the house. I have read similar stories like this here, but my situation is different. I have no job, no car, not even my license. I don't know what to do. I have no friends and no extended my family. My family lives in the country, 15 miles from town. I attempted to run away in December of last year, I walked all of the way to town, but I had no money, no where to stay. My parents reported me missing and I was picked up by a cop later that day and brought back.

How do I leave? I have diagnosed mental health problems that have been untreated for 5 years. I don't know what to do. I'm on the brink of suicide.

Florida.

Answer:
 Call a domestic violence/women's shelter.  They will have resources for you.  Good luck.Answer #2: You are above the age of majority.  They cannot legally stop you from leaving home forever.  Why did the police bring you back to your parents?  Did you tell them you are older than 18 and do not wish to return there?Answer #3: >	My parents reported me missing and I was picked up by a cop later that day and brought back.

As a 19 year old? What did the police say when you told them “I’m not a runaway, I’m a legal adult leaving the house of my own free will”?

It’s neither a crime nor weird to take a 15 mile walk.Answer #4: From someone who has been in a similar situation, you are in a mental health crisis. If you are on the brink of suicide, call the National Suicide Hotline
8002738255
There may be other resources, depending on where you live.Answer #5: Call the police and tell them smog your abuse. Build a case file against your parents if necessary.


Title: (North Carolina)I made concessions to please potential tenants they won't sign or pay

Question:
((I can't edit title- people moved in property will not sign or pay I need them out. They started bull dozing me from the beginning but it was not obvious until they were inside the property and started haggling me down on rent and deposit. ))

Hindsight is 20/20. I realize now my mistakes:
Holding rental property with out deposit or signed lease or any money what so ever.

The wife of the couple 23f and 23 m military put me on the spot several times.

Things I've tried to graciously provide but is turning and in fact turned into a nitpicking negotiating, bulldozing nightmare.

"Reduce the pet fee since one pet is emotional therapy but will not prove it"

"Let us paint (before even seeing the house it's recently been professionally painted for 2k)"

"Let us meet you in the middle of the night, give us directions for an hour, invite all our friends and bang on the door,oh we forgot the money, we didn't bring the signed lease, we couldn't find a printer, we don't want to sign the lease until we pay and didn't want to pay until we found out your a real person not a craigslist killer"

Everything screams (I'm an idiot me the op and they are entitled)

They've been in the house since 1am Saturday, can't get them to answer to meet up for the lease and payment, they promised they would but like everything else they just end up doing what they want.

When I called this evening they finally answered and instead of giving me a time to meet they say "we don't wanna pay the full month and want you to take off money from the deposit we have a list of discrepancies, and instead of 865 we want to pay 500"

I explained I already did the walk through with them every appliance is new, we did not provide a washer and had warned them that, now that is a bargaining chip for them.

I saw the writing on the wall and said
"You've not paid any money you've not signed a lease and you've not stopped making demands-it's clear I'm not going to make you happy this isn't working"

He says "I need a week" but also cusses me out and threatens me that they haven't signed anything so he doesn't have to do "jack S----"

I say "please no hard feelings but this will never work you've not jumped through any of the hoops that tenants are supposed to and I've had to do every single thing what your asking me to do now is too much special treatment"

The house could pass a military inspection it was spotless ontop and behind appliances professionally cleaned.

They are not in the same reality... I know really shouldn't have let them move their stuff in but they were "please don't make us get a storage unit tonight just for one night" and he is a marine who just got back the beginning of the month, I didn't know things would get so out of hand but they kept pushing.

I ended the conversation by saying I might be able to give you 48 hour but I need you guys out because I really did hold the house for you and this has gotten out of hand, your not wanting to pay and your taking advantage of me (my stupidity in reality).

What do I do?
I need to know my rights, I am getting a property manager but I would like to get them out since they have no intention of really paying and keep stalling.

I have his commands number but I do not know legally if they are squatters or what I have done. We only want them gone with out retaliating in the form of damage.

Answer:
 NAL

Contacting their command will likely straighten them  out real quick. Be clear you want them out.

Otherwise read up on the real estate law in your state to see what rights you have, or contact an organisation like the [Landlord Protection Agency](https://www.thelpa.com/lpa/associations/north-carolina.html) for advice.


Title: Falsely ticketed for Street Racing, please help!(California)

Question:
Hey guys! So as the title states I was falsely cited for street racing last night.

Last night I was headed to a friend's house to hang out and when I was almost there I was behind two mustangs. While the light was red I can hear these guys revving at Each other so I already knew what was coming. As soon as the light turns green these guys launch and are full out racing. I was behind them NOT racing and not even speeding. I had barely approached the speed limit when I was crossing the next intersection when I see 3 sheriff suvs turn in behind one of the mustangs.
I was at the light waiting for my turn signal to turn into the small neighborhood my friend lives, when my light turns green I start turning and I see the Sheriff coming towards me and followed me for a bit until he finally pulled me over.
He asked me for my license and registration took off. After a while came back and said my car would be getting impounded for 30 days and that I was being cited for Speed Contest, and no front license plate(I deserved this).

I'm still in shock about all of this. The deputy was no letting me speak what's so ever and was not allowing me too defend my self. It was a very frustrating situation because my car was basically profiled. My car does draw a bit of attention but it's unfair for me to be grouped in with these guys who were actually racing and I just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Any Help is appreciated. I'm still trying to process everything that happened. Thank you!

Answer:
 Book an appointment with a lawyer to discuss your options. Not much else you can do except this sorry.

And next time (although hopefully you already realise this) if you see two cars street racing pull over and wait until they are out of sight before driving off yourself so you don't accidentally get caught up by their bullshit.


Title: 17F, Family is in the process of obtaining permanent residency. How much control do my parents have?

Question:
Hey everyone,

As the title suggests, we're in the process of obtaining permanent residency and will probably get it in the next year, at most. Also, I will be turning 18 before June this upcoming year, before I head off to college in the fall. I live in Illinois if that matters.

I have a shitty home life and my parents threaten to take me back to my home country every time I do something that doesn't meet their standards. I know, as a minor and without a green card, they can do this. However, once I'm 18 and we've obtained residency, can they still take me back home to the country I have citizenship in? I'm unsure of whether they'll agree to give me my legal documents when I go off to college, as we have a place in the house where all of our legal documents are kept. Obviously, I'm not going to be able to call the police on them about this, because this is more of a preventative measure than a reactive one.

Also, I do plan on applying for citizenship as soon as we get our greencard, but I am aware that this can take years.

Additionally, I am dating someone outside of my culture (one of my biggest fears when it comes to my parents) who is a citizen. In the worst case scenario, we've sort of mentioned doing a contract marriage to keep me in the country. This wouldn't be illegal since we plan on being together eventually, anyways, once we're financially independent and all that jazz (yes, I'm young, but please don't give me emotional advice, only legal advice haha). My second question is, would this contract marriage even work in keeping me in the country?

Thanks in advance :)

Edit: I realized after making my post that I was trying to say "marriage in a courthouse," not "contract marriage." My bad.
Topic:
Immigration

Answer:
 Once you have your green card, only the state department can take it away, not your parents.

A "contract marriage" is by definition illegal. A regular marriage to your long term boyfriend, even if you're young, is not. I highly suggest you not refer to your marriage as such, even in jest. It's also unecessary if you already have your green card.

You must have your green card for five years before applying to naturalize; unless you're a spouse of a US Citizen. Then it can be three years.


Title: (USA, Cali) Going to court tomorrow for a traffic offense (failure to obey traffic signal) any advice on how to present my case, give testimony, cross-examine the officer?

Question:
EDIT: Did not win =( It seemed like the judge just fixated on one thing and then tore what I said apart, he didn't give me a chance to say anything after or ask any questions to the officer.

Thanks for your help, everyone!

Hello - Hoping to gain some insight/advice on going to court for a traffic offense.

Not sure if I need to go into detail, but I was pulled over a few months ago for turning left into a shopping center. The signal (left turning arrow) was yellow as I entered the intersection, turned red (almost immediately) and I completed my turn. As I turned I saw that the police officer maneuvered to follow me into the parking lot and then pulled me over for turning after the light was red (AKA red-light ticket, which is a $541 fine!!!) The speed limit on the road in question was 45MPH, I believe I was traveling around 40 MPH (maybe slower) to complete my turn. Also, the officer was facing opposite me in the intersection, so he could not actually see the illumination of the signal. And in addition the intersection in question was quite large, 3 lanes on each side plus a turning lane so it's something like 33 feet I needed to cross to enter the parking lot.

Anyway, my testimony is basically the above: that I crossed the stopping line when the light was yellow, it turned red while I was in the intersection, to avoid potential hazard and avoid blocking traffic I completed my turn.

I've heard that in some courts the judge will try to make you slip up or say the wrong thing. I'm not concerned with keeping my story straight (I don't think I did anything wrong) but I am worried about things like distance, speed, etc. What is the best way to handle questions like that?

Secondly, what kind of questions should I ask the officer? I feel it's relevant to point out that he could not see my signal clearly, he would be making an assumption that the light was red based on the light facing him but I'm not sure how to clearly point this out in cross-ex.

Lastly, any tips for staying calm/cool/collected? I get very stressed out around law enforcement (police have always freaked me out) as well as that it's going to be stressful to speak in front of a lot of people. If I get flustered I'm worried I will lose my chance. THANKS!!
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer: Just be brief and to the point; your testimony as you stated here is fine.  You will only have a few minutes.  There are probably 20+ other traffic trials scheduled.


Title: Neighbor stopped me this morning to tell me about her bug infestation. Claims the bugs are coming from "my" tree. Should I be worried?

Question:
Edit: Location is Tennessee, Knox County

Apologies for missing the location...

I've owned my house since 2009. My back yard has a 6-ft high privacy fence that borders on an alley way. This morning, my neighbor from the other side of the alley stopped me to tell me that she's having a problem with an infestation of box elder bugs (red and black bugs, not harmful, just a nuisance) and that the pest control company she hired told her that they're coming from a tree on my property. The inspector said that the bugs are following the branches that overhang her roof and getting in that way. The problem is that the tree is outside of my fence, and it's somewhat unclear whether the tree belongs to my property or the neighbor to the right of me, or if it's the property of the city. It *looks* like its mine because my fence takes a corner out to go around the tree, but I'm not 100% sure that it isn't also partially on the property to the right of me.

This is the first contact I've had with this neighbor, ever. I've never even seen this woman before. I've seen the bugs gathering on the telephone pole and fence in previous years, but not this summer. This is the first I've heard of any kind of issue.

So I guess these are my questions...

1. How do I find out if this is on my property besides paying to have a survey done? I absolutely cannot afford that.
2. Can I treat the tree myself since it appears to be on my property? (A quick google search says dish soap, diatomaceous earth, and borax are effective treatments/deterrents.) Are there any potential drawbacks to treating for the bugs?
3. Could I be held responsible for the pest control services she had done? (I know from this sub that people *can* sue for anything, but the question is more or less could she actually win, particularly if I had never been alerted to a problem?)

Thanks for any advice!

shitty MSPaint drawing because I know you all love this stuff: http://i.imgur.com/Yay2vxU.png

Answer:
 > How do I find out if this is on my property besides paying to have a survey done? I absolutely cannot afford that.

You can just go down and review property records and make your best guess. Survey is only way to know for sure if no one knows the real boundaries.

> Can I treat the tree myself since it appears to be on my property? (A quick google search says dish soap, diatomaceous earth, and borax are effective treatments/deterrents.) Are there any potential drawbacks to treating for the bugs?

Legally? No. Remedial steps after notice of a problem not only do not imply liability nor negligence, they are actually the proper steps and show you are a reasonable person who mitigates appropiately. Treely? No Idea. Go to r/treeadvice.

> Could I be held responsible for the pest control services she had done? (I know from this sub that people can sue for anything, but the question is more or less could she actually win, particularly if I had never been alerted to a problem?)

Potentially. Are these bugs common? Is this tree treatment a normal prudent thing people do in your area to stop these bugs? First off, is she actually damaged by the bugs? Like, are the bugs dangerous/harmful in anyway or does she just hate them?

Thanks for pic!


Title: What's the worst miscarriage of justice caused by a relatively minor technical / procedural error that you're aware of?

Answer: [This one is pretty horrible](https://www.reviewjournal.com/crime/courts/supreme-court-reverses-vegas-sex-assault-conviction/).  The judge didn't swear in the jury (on purpose, despite both Prosecution and Defense lawyers requesting it), and the conviction was overturned.  The trial was over the sexual assault of a 4 year old.


Title: Bank is using my friends private savings account to pay joint savings account's debts of her legally separated SO

Question: My friend has been legally separated from her husband for 11 months. He has continued to use their joint account, which is empty. The bank pulls money from her savings to pay the balance. She has paid for over 2k worth of his purchases and bills recent;y. She finally had the bank stop this practice but they are stating that by her name recorded on both accounts, they never needed to ask her permission or even warn her of spending on the joint account. Is there anything she can do?

Answer: She needs to remove her name off of the joint account. She'll likely need her ex's permission to do so.


Title: I just moved into a new flat. Just found out last tenant was found dead (originally a murder investigation). I was not informed by the letting agent.

Question: I just signed a 12 month lease for a flat (UK) and have recently moved in. I just found out that the last tenant here was found dead a few months ago and that it was originally investigated as a murder. I was not informed by the letting agent before signing the lease. If I pull out of the contract I have to pay every months rent until a new tenant is found (up to a year). I feel very unsettled about knowing what happened here and it explains the large amount of decorating that has just been done. My gf doesn't want to visit. Are there legal grounds for me to pull out of the contract without paying potential fees on the basis of them not providing this information?

Answer:
 /r/LegalAdviceUK

For what it's worth, in the US, real estate or rental agents have no obligation to inform potential buyers/renters of a death in the home or rental unit. It makes no sense. People die all the time in all sorts of places, including (and especially) homes. But, check with your local folks on LAUK.Answer #2: Whats so bad about this? Dont let it get to your head


Title: (SD) Our co-worker drove my girlfriend and me home from work after closing. Co-worker let the police search her and her car. She got let go but my girlfriend and me got done for for weed and hash.

Question:
Our co-worker was driving and she ran a yellow turning red and was pulled over The cop said he smelled marijuana and asked her if he could search her car. She fucking said yes and let him search her car and her purse and herself.

He didn't find anything. He asked me and my girlfriend if he could search us. We said no and our co-worker said that we weren't allowed in her car then and she gave us bus fare and left without us. The cop had called for another officer. I was detained on suspicion of weed because the police said I smelled. I refused a search but they did one anyway and found hash in my pocket. My girlfriend's purse was half unzipped and the police saw her weed. I said it was mine but they arrested both of us and I got charged for the hash and her for the ounce, both felonies.

Our co-worker passed a drug hair test and because she also passed the search the cop did and co-operated they didn't charge her. She totally let the cops search her and her purse and the car and didn't protest.

But my girlfriend and me got charged and have to go to court soon. Is there anything we can do to get them dropped? We didn't give permission and no one read us our rights until after the searches and we think they just did it because our co-worker agreed and we didn't. Location is SD thanks.

Eta: we also got fired from the store we worked at and we got denied unemployment

Answer: Get a criminal defense lawyer to argue your case. That's about all you can do. And don't accept rides from people if you're carrying drugs...THEY can be arrested for your drugs. You put her in a dangerous spot. But in any case, get a lawyer.


Title: Maids ruined a table is it worth pursuing?

Question:
I recently hired a maid company(In North Carolina) as my wife and I both work 60+ hours most weeks. The first three visits we haven't had any trouble, but on their last visit our black kitchen table is now white/grey across half the tabletop.

Now the table cost about 400$, it is certainly not "ruined" I can still eat off of it, but the value is severely diminished. I am planning to call the company in the morning and request our last cleaning (95$) be refunded to us. If they refuse how would i pursue this in a small claims court or whatever?

Edited: location

Answer: If the maid company is properly insured then their insurance company would handle a claim. is there any info on their web site or in any paperwork you signed?Answer #2: If its a larger cleaning company it happens all the time and they will even have a form.  Just call and let them know what happened.  They likely have "a guy" that they send out to fix the finish on furniture, scratches in fiberglass, etc.


Title: Asked to resign

Question:
Hi everyone!

This is my first post to this sub so I apologize if this is not the right place.  I’m looking for some advice regarding how I was asked to resign from my job earlier today.

For the past two years, I’ve been working on campus at my college.  Earlier today at the end of shift, my supervisor asked to speak with me in private.  That’s when I was asked to resign and told I would no longer be given any hours.  A short summary of what she said was that:

-When I hired you, it was to work afternoon shifts and your title states that.
-You can no longer work afternoon shifts, and so I will need to give your hours to someone who can work in the afternoon.
-I can’t technically fire you, but you will need to resign because I need to have hours to hire a new person.  I will no longer be giving you any hours as of the end of today.

I could really understand this if it was not for the fact that my supervisor previously agreed to give me hours during the day.  Moreover, when I was hired I was asked to work afternoons but I was not specifically hired in as an afternoon worker.  My supervisor is trying to say my title is of an afternoon worker, but that is not the truth.  There is no specified morning or afternoon title.  Everyone, regardless of what time they work, has the same title.

Also, this isn’t the first time I worked morning shifts.  For a whole semester prior, I worked in the morning.  It was never previously an issue.  Another worker who’s been there longer than me and who normally works afternoons has recently been working in the morning for the past month.  Nothing was said to him, only me.

I hope I covered most of the points.  I apologize if the formatting is weird, I’m on mobile.
In the end, I really don’t want to be forced into giving my resignation, I find that this whole thing was really unfair.  I feel lied to about the “your title specifies I hired you to work afternoons” because that’s not the case at all.  My title is the same as everyone else’s.  They also agreed to give me these morning hours and I have proof in emails.  I have no income other than this job and I need to pay for school supplies and rent, I have no idea what to do from here on.

I appreciate you taking the time to read.  If you have any advice about whether or not this is legal for them to do, please let me know.  I am going to contact my union tomorrow as well, but the union isn’t all that amazing; I’ve tried to reach out to them previously through email about some other things my supervisor has done in the past and they didn’t respond.

TLDR:  My supervisor is trying to force me to resign, saying that she’s not going to give me any more hours because my job title is that of “afternoon worker” and I no longer work in the afternoons.  That is not my job title.  Everyone’s job title is the same regardless of what time they work.

Answer:
 Resigning means you're not eligible for unemployment. Whether they officially fire you or just stop giving you hours, you're eligible to apply -- so go do that.Answer #2: Make them fire you or take the schedule with 0 hours as evidence and file for unemployment.

Getting 0 hours is constructive dismissal.


Title: Can my mother kick me out immediately, and what can I do if she turns the power off?

Question:
I'm M20 still living at home with my mother in Virginia. She essentially got mad and is now telling me that I have to move out right now. I pretty much called her on it and I said you can't do that. She started to argue that she could and then I walked away. She then went downstairs to the basement and started turning off the circuit breakers to my room.

What can I do?

Edit: I'm paying her $300/month. I understand that moving out is a good option but I'm really just asking if I can do anything about her turning the power off and trying to kick me out tonight.

Answer:
 Technically, she cannot kick you out.  You are a tenant and are afforded rights as such.  Technically, she must give you written notice to vacate.  If you do not leave, she must evict you via the court system.

This doesn't mean she has to give you food, internet, TV, allow you access to anything of hers, etc.

If she does turn off the power, you can call the police for an illegal eviction.  It is unlikely that they'll do anything about it, as it is a civil matter.

Practically speaking, however, you should pick your battles.  If you can't afford to live on your own, you need to live by her rules.  You're getting free rent.  If you want to live on your own, you can go do it. You're an adult.Answer #2: Not sure why everyone is looking down their nose at OP. It's really not uncommon for a 20 year old to be living with his parents in 2015. It's really difficult out here. This is a textbook illegal eviction.

OP, she has to give you 30 days to move out, or she files an eviction. Turning off the power in your space is illegal, but I doubt you want to call the police on your mother over a fight. Your best bet in this situation is to go online and find a roommate situation. I'm sure it won't be too difficult to find a bedroom for 300 a month.


Title: [WA] Underage girlfriend...

Question:
I'm 21, she's 15 and a half. The age of consent is 16 here, and I haven't "done anything" with her. On the contrary we haven't even met in person yet... I have absolutely no intention of taking advantage of her, we love each other a lot, but I worry about how people perceive these things. And we have talked about sexual things, though not with any intention of doing them... at least not for awhile, while she's a minor. I dunno. I'm just worried there may still be some line I'm crossing.

I'm also curious about my psychiatrist. If I tell him about her (actually I have but I had a small panic attack and lied about her age...), is there any justification for him to worry that I'm taking advantage (I'M NOT) and disclose any information to authorities? The privacy agreement I have with him is vague, the part I'm worried about is:

"If disclosure is legally compelled and/or permitted because I have reasonable suspicion that you are in such mental or emotional condition as to be dangerous to yourself or to other persons or the property of others."

Am I just paranoid? Am I the scum of the earth for falling in love with someone a bit too young? What's the deal here? I don't know what to think anymore but I don't want this to blow up...

Answer:
 Well, since /u/thepatman covered the legal aspect  here, I have to get something off my chest...

I don't understand how people can consider each other boyfriend/girlfriend without meeting in person. This stuff makes me feel old. I remember when you had to spend quite a bit of time hanging out and dating someone, in person, before considering them a girlfriend or boyfriend. Now it seems people exchange a few chats, texts, emails, and pictures and they are in exclusive relationships without ever even holding hands.

OP, seriously, how does this work??? Enlighten me please.


Title: Teenagers harassing me and my housemates, threatened to shoot us then built snowman in our backyard.

Question:
Sorry for spelling/grammar mistakes, I am on my phone

Washington state resident here, I'm a student living with other students. A group of four teenagers has been harassing me and my housemates for the last three days. It started when they were climbing on our neighbors roof and were shouting at us in our backyard. We left them alone because we figured that would be the last we see of them but later that day our house windows were smeared with cupcake frosting. Again not a big deal, just teenagers being stupid. It wasn't until two days ago when I was walking home from the grocery store when they followed me and we're waiting for me in my alley near my house. There is one boy about 14, another girl a little younger probably, and two 10-12 year old boys. The oldest boy had a two-by-four and was swinging it like he was preparing to hit me with it. I lied and said that they were on camera and that caused them to back off temporarily, but the girl said she had a 45 on her and was going to shoot and rob me. The older boy then started walking towards me in my yard saying he was going to fight me. I'm not gonna fight a kid so I just went inside and called the police. The next day they build a snowman on our back porch and again I called crime check to report it. My question is how am I supposed to deal with this? I don't want to get harassed on the street and I don't want to have to fight any of them incase they do actually pull out a weapon. I bought pepper spray but I'm worried since they know where I live that using it would dramatically escalate the situation. Any advice would be great. Thank you.

Answer: Call the police (non-emergency line) and report the activity. You'd be surprised at how quickly they will decide to bother some one else once you get the police involved.


Title: Landlord stole $1100. (Texas)

Question: My ex-landlord has taken $1100 from my roommates & I $1400 security deposit. She has written us an extensive but far from flawless letter explaining what she did with it. She claims she cleaned the house for 37 hours @ $20/hr totaling to $740 of labor and she also spent $75 on carpet cleaning services ALL of which was completely unnecessary because we kept a well cleaned house. She has even told countless of individuals that we were her cleanest out of all of her tenants. How do I go along the process of getting my money back?

Answer:
 You can sue her in small claims. But remember that your clean and 'show property' clean are two different things.

Edit: but that is a super high price. My 3 br 2ba place was quote at 300 and change by an expensive cleaning service.


Title: [NJ] Gas station attendant "accidentally" ringing people up for too much gas, forcing them to pay.

Question: Earlier today I had to get gas, and I stated I wanted 20 regular. A few minutes go by and I hand him a 20, and I thought that was the end. He wanted me to pay another 7 dollars, and I told him no. He basically said I had to pay or else he would call the police, so I told him to call them. Police came by and took both of our reports. I gave him my phone number, and went home. The police came by, and I also gave them my phone number. State police called me and they told me I had to pay. Can he seriously do this? Why can't I just funnel that bitch back into a gas can and give it back to him if he wants it so badly?

Answer: It's a he said/she said situation and you do have an extra $7 in gas, it stinks but unsurprising as an outcome. Btw your title makes this sound like it was a wide spread issue of overcharging rather than a single miscommunication issue.


Title: IVF Clinic Lied to Me About Fertility Procedures After Telling Them I'm a Lesbian (USA, NC)

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 The clinic is presumably trying not to get tied up in a "we want our friend to be the genetic father of our legal child" scheme. Such plans come up in r/legaladvice often enough, and I can only assume fertility clinics hear it even more often.

There's no legal issue here. The clinic isn't obligated to work with you, and can require that you sit through a spiel about only using donor sperm if they want. Requiring notice if you cancel an appointment is legal as long as you're aware of the requirement up front, which you are.


Title: My girlfriend and I signed a lease yesterday and then received she got off a waitlist and we no longer need an apartment in Cleveland. We notified the landlord that we wanted to terminate the lease before we had received a signed copy from him. Are we obligated to honor any part of the lease[Ohio]

Answer: Yes, you are obligated to honour every part of the lease you signed.


Title: what are the cops going to do?

Question: im a minor (17), got arrested for marijuana possession under 50g and marijuana paraphernalia (both misdemeanors in nj). this was about a week ago and they called my parents today asking if i could come to the police station tomorrow? i didnt ask for a lawyer or anything when they arrested me because they basically caught me red handed. what are they going to do with me tomorrow at the police station because its not my court summons they just want me to come

Answer:
 Nothing, because you're not going without an attorney. If your parents take you there anyways, or if you're arrested, politely tell the police you're not answering questions without an attorney, and then shut all the way up. Don't even confirm the sky is blue.

Ask your parents for help getting an attorney. You need one. A misdemeanor record isn't the end of the world, but it will seriously impact your future in some ways. A lawyer is your best shot at either getting the charges reduced, or ensuring that you are tried as a minor, or at presenting a defence.

If you can't get a lawyer, wait for your arraignment in court, plead "not guilty," and request a public defender. Do not present arguments when doing so, just say "not guilty, and I need a public defender."


Title: (AL) Father died without a known will, step wife took everything but is now deceased as well - do I have any right to our house?

Question:
My father died in 2018. I moved out of our house around 2014, and he remarried. His step wife didn’t allow me to enter our house within the first few days after he died, and after I was able to come, I was only allowed to go through my things stored in the attic. I have reason to believe they might of destroyed his will, but I’m unsure if he had one. I called a few county clerks offices to see if they could help, but they weren’t able to find anything.

Now the step wife died last year. To my knowledge, her daughter is still occupying our house. I don’t know who legally owns the house now, as the step wife and her family cut all contact with me.

Is there any sort of legal action I can take to reclaim my dads house and any remaining assets?
Topic:
Wills Trusts and Estates

Answer: That's not what "step wife" means, just FYI. Was the wife co-owner of the home?


Title: Moldy bread got is sick

Question:
This is the second time I have purchased a couple bags of sandwich bread and they went bad a week before expiration date.  The first time we noticed when the bread was almost gone. This second time we got sick from our stomach and checked the remainder of the bread and on whole bag is moldy the partial bag is also moldy. Very very little mold but it is there.   What should I do? Thanks
Topic:
Consumer Law

Answer:
 You should stop eating moldy bread.

If you buy a new loaf of bread and find it has mold you can ask to return it.Answer #2: Where are you storing your bread?  I know in the summertime I have to keep it in the fridge or it will mold.


Title: Employer is asking nonworking employees to send them a check to pay for health insurance premiums (COVID related).

Question:
Long story short: my company has had no work to offer employees because of the COVID-19 shutdown, but has done the "reduction of hours to 0" thing instead of laying us off. They paid our health insurance for the previous month as a gesture of good faith. We just got an email saying they will continue to pay for half of our insurance premiums next month, but we need to send them a check for the remainder.

This feels hinky to me for some reason. Am I just being paranoid?

EDIT: California, USA.

Answer: You can have them cancel your employment and insurance but if you want the insurance to be active you have to pay your agreed upon premiums


Title: Fake account on Instagram

Question:
Hey guys!
So, I have a question about a fake account on Instagram.
There was this girl that I used to talk to, but then we kinda split up and didn't talk anymore.
Just out of curiosity I made a fake Instagram account, pretending I'm a different person etc.
I talked to her for a bit, and then she suddenly told me about her having a gay best friend, who I happen to know. Anyways, she always mentioned that gay friend, so I asked for his name.
She gave it to me, and then me & the account went quiet.
Anyways, she then texted me and told me about a weird account texting her.
I acted like I didn't know of anything, I asked her what it was all about.
She didn't want to tell me, then she asked If I made the account, I replied something along the lines of "Yeah, of course ;)"
Not admitting anything though, just out of irony and curiosity.
Now the thing is; She thinks that I made the account (which I did) and somehow some rumors went around that this boy is gay, even though it was supposed to be a secret, and she puts it on me, saying I'm the owner and that I told it to everyone.
I denied that and clearly stated that I didn't make an account.
Anyways, we met up to talk about it, I told her that I didn't do anything (which IS a lie) and now she threatened to call the cops on me and track back the IP.
I didn't actually sound her out or anything, I just asked for the name of this boy and she gave it to me.
So basically she acted stupid, because she just gave out important info to a "stranger".
I already deleted the account completely (not de-activated), completely deleted, and I wonder if she will actually be able to track down my IP and if I can get sued for it.
Because Police & the government have probably more things to take care of than a gay boy being outed because his best friend likes to talk.
So my 2 main questions are;
1.Can they actually track down my IP? I don't think I did something wrong because she gave out serious information?
2.And if they track it down, can I get sued?
Thanks!
(Sorry for the long text, and sorry for it being written in a weird way, if you want a detailed version, I can deliver.)

Answer: Find yourself a therapist, because you need one badly.  If you are sued or criminally charged say nothing to anyone except your attorney.  Cyberbullying is a crime, and Instagram is more than happy to help the police track you down if they get a subpoena.  The fact that you've already confessed in text makes this a very easy case.


Title: (FL) My bipolar brother was squatting in a house and he is a fight with the owner

Question:
I'm scared for my brother. The homeowner was in another state for seven months for the trial of the person who murdered her relative. She stopped the mail and turned off the utilities while she was gone. My brother had been living in her house for six months when she came back. She found him there and since he is a stranger she called the police but they're saying it's a civil matter and won't make him leave. So he's still there and she's living somewhere else but is taking him to court to get him out. I know my brother needs help for his bipolar disorder. He had never even met her, they were complete strangers. The utilities are still off and I have been there and it is gross inside now. But because he is on medication (which I don't think he takes all the time) and he has not threatened himself or others the hospital won't commit him and the police won't do anything. How do I help him?

Edit: Help him means get him help for his mental illness. Not help him stay in the house or not have legal trouble. I fully know what he is doing is wrong and I feel for the homeowner. I tried talking to him but he won't leave the house and he has other people bring him stuff like food. He won't listen to me and I'm worried for him.

Answer: For his mental illness? He's an adult. Unless he's adjudged incompetent by a court, on the advice of a medical professional, all you can do is advise him and work with him. The only way you could compel him to accept help would be to seek conservatorship over him, which is a massive responsibility.


Title: How do I report a dead person's gun stolen in NC

Question:
A person I know basically stole a pistol from one of their relatives that had pasted. Where I live you have to get a pistol purchase permit to buy a pistol even for private sale and inheritance. I told them how to get a permit and make it legally theirs and they refused to get one. I'm pretty sure they have done or are engaged in something that makes them ineligible to own a gun.

Who do I report this to and how?

TL;DR How do I snitch on someone in possession of a stolen pistol that might also be selling drugs.

Answer: Call the police


Title: What's the legality of blocking an illegally parked car on your property?

Question:
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Earth.

[Here's a picture of the car I boxed in. (Subaru)](http://i.imgur.com/c83uW5A.jpg)

[Toronto bylaw enforcement says:](http://www.toronto.ca/311/knowledgebase/34/101000039234.html) "call us and we'll tow it".  But who knows how long it'll take for enforcement to show up.

I'll be letting them out in 20 minutes regardless, but I'm wondering about the legality by jurisdiction (not just here in Toronto, but other places as well.  Call it curiosity).

The note doesn't say anything snarky, just "This is not public parking".

----------------------

Edit: Five minutes later and I've let her out. Nice lady, made a mistake. She was apologetic. I'm still curious about my question though, because sometimes people come by and leave their car for hours.
Topic:
Canada

Answer:
 If you park illegally you can be ticketed and/or towed.

The reason why you parked illegally is going to be completely irrelevant.


Title: [NY]Can a 'see what you won' type contest give you a prize you have already been given?

Question: Tmobile has a promotion where as a subscriber every Tuesday you get free stuff. They sometimes run additional 'Play now and see what you won' type events along side it. Is it legal for the 'prize' they give you from the additional 'Play Now' to be something they have already given you? Also it does not even actually give you the additional item, it simply says that is what you won but leaves the list of redeemable items the same as before. For example this week one of the given items is a free E-Cookbook. After selecting the Play Now and being notified that I won a free E-Cookbook I still only have one available free E-Cookbook listed under my stuff. This is the second time in a row this has happened and I'm just seeing how heavy handed in my complaining to them I can be.

Answer:
 The "winnable" prizes are limited, you can look up how many are available. If you fully read the terms and conditions you would definitely see that T-Mobile is doing what they promise, no more, no less. Don't be the guy who complains to some poor phone support person about this. Answer #2: >This is the second time in a row this has happened and I'm just seeing how heavy handed in my complaining to them I can be.

Why don't you just delete the stupid app that doesn't really give you anything like I did after trying it for 3 weeks?


Title: Someone from Mexico stole my artwork and is selling it on Facebook

Question: The site is based out of Mexico, but I live in Australia. They are selling t-shirts with my artwork on them. I will Issue a takedown request. How difficult is it to sue and force them to pay a royalty to the creator of the print? It's a small site with no personal information besides a paypal url

Answer:
 > How difficult is it to sue and force them to pay a royalty to the creator of the print?

Incredibly difficult. Sorry.


Title: Parents got their bank safety box "liquedated on behalf of the state due to infrequent activity"

Question:
Riverside County, California

My parents have quite a bit of money and jewelry stowed away in a bank safety box since the early 90s. Same bank. Same box. A couple of days ago, my dad went to check on the belongings and was aghast to see that the key hole was drilled out. Turns out, the state took the money because they had not checked up on the assets soon enough. My dad talked to the teller and she initially said that "most of the time, situations like this happen when one does not pay the rent of the safety deposit box". When he informed her that he was all up to date, she went and checked only to come back with an even more twisted explanation of the infrequent activity. We can't do much until Monday when the proper representatives are going to be in. But my parents are rightfully hysterical. Can the state do this? What can we do? What other, further information should we know before going in on Monday (background stuff).

Pertinent information:
1) The last time my parents checked on the box was November 2013. So less than three years.

2) The assets were seized in June 2015, but dad didn't find out till yesterday.

3) My parents had a sizable lump sum of cash in the box. The bank does not allow cash to be put in the box, so can we be penalized by this policy? If so, to what tune?

We are also scared that money will be taken out. We literally have no proof how much money we have in there with the exception of having it manually written on the envelopes that the money was in.

Please help.

Thank you all!

Answer:
 Run an unclaimed property search [with the California State Controller](https://ucpi.sco.ca.gov/UCP/). Does anything come up?Answer #2: It sounds like the teller your parents talked to may have been confused. It's much more likely that the bank turned over the contents of a box mistakenly identified as abandoned to the state than that the state prompted them to turn it over.

I would guess that a similar numbered box is actually abandoned and the bank drilled your parents by mistake. If this is in fact the case then the bank is liable. As others have suggested go back in on Monday and speak to a manager.

As long as the money is legitimate and you parents can show its origin of needed, I doubt that will be the focus of the issue. Answer #3: Not great news, California (and other states) have been [known to do this](http://consumerist.com/2007/07/02/havent-checked-your-safe-deposit-box-in-3-years-california-may-have-seized-your-stuff/). This article is from 2007, which states there has been a federal order stopping this program, but I guess they started back up. The links in the article are dead now too.

[Another](http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=4832471&page=1) article from 2008.

An [FAQ page](http://www.sco.ca.gov/upd_faq_about_q01.html) about the Unclaimed Property Program in California.Answer #4: I work at a bank and we do this when rent is past due. There is a notarized report that is made and turned over to the state along with all the contents. I don't think there are any penalties for having cash in there but they may be able to close and terminate the lease for having cash stored in there, this is what my bank does.


Title: If someone forced you to do art for commercial use and you didn’t explicitly give permission but your parent or guardian did is that legal?

Question:
So.
Basically.

I’m 17. Turning 18 next January, so I can’t actually do anything yet. I refused to make a logo for my aunts small business that she would use for commercial use, but I was threatened with my family shunning me and my mom taking my stuff (which I paid with my own money, I make money doing freelance art stuff).

She forced me to make the logo for them with these threats, and then said that I HAVE to let them make money off of the logo without paying me a DIME. My family isn’t nice to me. I’m not going to be playing nice with people who are disgusting to me and some of which verbally or physically abusive. All I can do right now is go to my biological father about it but he won’t be able to do much as he’s far away.

Is this legally being used, their logo, since technically it’s not their copyright and they haven’t gotten permission from me but instead my guardian after I was forced to make it for free? There’s no written contracts or agreements. All this was verbally done from my mom.

I’m curious now because honestly I am pissed that after doing this for them they are trying to steal from other artists by taking their images off of google, claiming it as their own and making money off of it without the other artists permission + them being a total jerk to me when I came out ++ being forced to do this is just annoying in itself and just yikes. They also ask me to pay EXTRA for their shirts to support a “small business” (ironic since my art is my job. And it’s a small thing.)
Topic:
Business Law

Answer:
 You can copyright your art.  However, since you can't enter into a contract, your parents can sign your rights away.  You might consider getting a PO box and using that address to register your copyright online (before your aunt uses it (i.e., publishes it)), so that your parents don't realize what you are doing.  After you turn 18, then you can enforce your own copyright.  Copyrights can only be transferred via written agreements.  If your parents only give your aunt verbal permission, that would be a license at best.

* https://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-who.html

* http://www.lumlawgroup.com/how-can-a-minor-register-a-trademark-or-copyright/

* https://www.copyright.gov/registration/

* https://www.copyright.gov/register/sound.html

* https://eco.copyright.gov/eService_enu/start.swe?SWECmd=Start&SWEHo=eco.copyright.gov


Title: Employers accidentally direct deposited $3,000 into my bank account.

Question:
This is in South Carolina.

I have a part time job in SC. It's not much but it pays the bills. I've been getting my paycheck direct deposited into my bank account since I've started.
Recently, my boss accidentally put in the wrong amount of hours for me and quickbook automatically calculated and sent my paycheck. My boss obviously wants his money back but I don't want to get screwed for "not reporting income" or something when filing my taxes next year.

Is there anything I can do to make sure I don't get in trouble?

Is there something that I should be aware of?

Answer:
 > Is there anything I can do to make sure I don't get in trouble?

Yes. Return the money that doesn't belong to you.  Make sure it's not included on your W-2.


Title: Trying to find out if an expensive gift I have received is stolen so I can sell it. How would I go about this process and if it is stolen what should it do.

Question: I recently received a gift from one of my older friends. He is not necessarily the best character and gave me this gift after helping him do some odd jobs. The gift was a Rolex watch and I have had it for a while now. I have recently come upon hard times and now need to sell the watch. The person who wants to buy it wants it authenticated but I am worried that it is stolen. How should I go about this process and if it is stolen how do I protect myself from any legal trouble.

Answer: If it is stolen, not only do you believe it *could be*, but you are in possession of it, which is a crime in itself.


Title: Obviously Pregnant woman denied restroom use [CO]

Question:
My SO is visably 9 months pregnant and walked into a 24 hr convience store and tried to use their restroom as a small child was crushing her bladder. They told her no and that they closed their bathroom at 10. Assuming since its a convience store all this is on camera as this exchange happened at their registers. Do we have any legal options for recourse?
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 First off, it it were in any way possible, had it been me manning the store of course I would have let her use the restroom.

> Do we have any legal options for recourse?

What are you seeking? She's presumably already used another bathroom. Do you want money? Them to be fined if they violated CO Rev Stat § 25-41-101?
Answer #2: Take look at this and see whether all of the conditions were met.

https://law.justia.com/codes/colorado/2016/title-25/health-care/article-41/section-25-41-101/


Title: How does a HOA or Condo Association legally force people to comply?

Question:
My mother is part of a Condo Association where a tenant of a particular condo is causing trouble and basically flouting the rules.  The Association can impose fines for rules, but cannot enforce payment.  Is there any legal action the Association can take against the tenant? Or are they up shit-creek basically?
This is all in Maine, USA

Answer: They can issue fines, which if not paid, allows them to put a lien against the property.


Title: Am I gonna get sued by Disney?

Question:
I am writing a stage adaptation for the 40th anniversary of ESB (Empire Strikes Back) to perform at my school. All ticket proceeds would go to charity. No one is making money here all of it goes to charity.

&#x200B;

Am I good?

Answer:
 >	No one is making money here all of it goes to charity.

Which isn’t relevant to copyright and trademark infringement.

That said Lucas Films, even now that it has been under Disney ownership for a while is supper supportive of many fan projects and might be receptive towards allowing this.  That said, you are going to want to reach out to them before you do this.Answer #2: Do you have permission from Disney?


Title: [MN] Moved out of apartment and a latch from a window was missing. It was not noted as there or missing when we moved in on our inspection. The landlord is now saying that since it is "vintage" she would need to replace all of the latches to make them match. Can she charge us for this?

Question:
If she can charge us, can she charge us for all of the latches or just the one?  She said she is having trouble finding a vintage one that would match.  I think its kind of ridiculous.  Its an 80 year old window latch and it was bound to pop off at some point.  We never even noticed it.

Edit:  Also, we moved out on June 30, 2015.  Its been nearly three weeks since we moved out.  Does this play a role at all?

Answer:
 Replacing every latch in the apartment probably isn't reasonable. Replacing the latches in that room may be reasonable. It's definitely reasonable to charge you for the one missing one.

Window latches also cost about $5 a piece so do that math and figure out how much it matters to you.


Title: Is my mother entitled to some sort of severance pay?

Question:
US, CA. This is a bit tricky to explain because I don't fully understand what is going on but I will try to give all the details. So my parents helped a really good friend open up a restaurant, they knew each other back in a foreign country and moved to US. He borrowed money from us to help open the business but it was borrowing not investment so we don't have a stake in it. The real problem comes down to a couple days ago.. my mom got fired by our friend after 6 years of working since the opening and even before the opening of the restaurant because we also helped set-up. My mom was pretty much the manager/waitress, she would count the money at the end of the day/week and give out paychecks and all that stuff so she was a huge part of the business  from the very beginning.

The main reason why my mom got fired is because my father is opening up a new restaurant very soon within the next few months. So he probably feels threaten and is scared that my mom will tell the customers about the new restaurant and steal them away. So without talking to her about this worry he just fired her a few days ago with no notice or anything. She is the best worker and does so much for the business. We hosted so many parties there and had friends host countless parties over the years. Brought so much business into it and he just fires her because he is scared. They've known each other for over 30 years. So is my mom entitled to anything? I'm pretty sure my parents won't want to pursue any legal action though.

Answer:
 She's owed any wages that hadn't been paid to her as of the date of her termination.

That's really it, sorry.


Title: Turkish Airlines Refuse to Pay Compensation Stated in their Own Policies

Question:
I had a flight with Turkish Airlines booked on December 23, 2019 (departing at 10:35pm) from Boston to Singapore with a transit in Istanbul. After sitting on the plane for 2 hours, we were informed that the flight was cancelled due to mechanical error of the plane.

We were sent to a nearby hotel to await further notice (by the time we checked in to the room it was 5:00am on Dec 24th).

After receiving no news, we (2 of us), booked new flights with United. The morning of the 24th the hotel notified Turkish Airlines passengers to stay another night.

Skip ahead to a few days after arriving in Singapore I decided to reach out about refunds as well as compensation payments as per their own policy which can be found here ([https://turkishairlines.ssl.cdn.sdlmedia.com/file/636029672890722479CP.pdf](https://turkishairlines.ssl.cdn.sdlmedia.com/file/636029672890722479CP.pdf)).

This also follows the “Regulation on Air Passenger Rights” as per this link here ([http://web.shgm.gov.tr/doc4/shy-passenger.pdf](http://web.shgm.gov.tr/doc4/shy-passenger.pdf)).

According to the policies outlined by both Turkish Air and the Regulation on Air Passenger Rights that they follow, they should be compensating us $600 (euros) each for a total of $1200 (euros not dollars) in the form of cash or check (as stated in Article 8.4 of the Regulation on Air Passenger Rights).

My initial request for this compensation payment resulted in them saying they will give me 25,000 bonus miles for their rewards program to which I refused.

Their 2nd follow up was 300 euros worth of traveler’s check only valid for their airline as well as a Business Class upgrade for one leg of a flight, to which I also refused.

Their 3rd follow up was 780 euros worth of traveler’s check only valid for their airline, to which I also refused.

Their 4th follow up was 780 euros worth of traveler’s check only valid for their airline and a 30% discount on a future booking, again to which I also refused.

By this point I was getting frustrated and requested to get an email response from a manager to which they responded saying they can only offer these compensation packages (despite their own policies stating otherwise).

What can I do or who can I go to in this situation to get my proper compensation?

Answer:
 Can you try this website called Airhelp?  [https://www.airhelp.com/en-int/](https://www.airhelp.com/en-int/)

Based on the flight info, they can advise if you are eligible for anything..... which it sounds like you are otherwise Turkish airlines wouldn't keep amending the offer.

I haven't used them but got the name from a travel related website.  Good luck.  Airlines are a law unto themselves.