Title: Food Allergy Danger @ Work

Question:
** This has been thoroughly answered and I feel stupid for not formally requesting Reasonable Accommodations, but I do thank everyone who commented or sent DMs for their help/advice.

Hello from Minnesota - USA,

My company's HR and Operations departments know that a handful of employees have severe shellfish allergies, myself included. I should note that I work for a Specialty Care Medical Provider that focuses on **food allergies**.

Today they served day-old leftover shrimp platters on the public-space counter tops in our lunch room. I avoided the lunchroom knowing it would cost me an epi-pen and a trip to the ER.
I still managed to have a reaction (chalking that up to doorknobs and shared space/surfaces) to the point that I needed to leave or risk potential anaphylaxis.

I ended up stopping at a CVS Minute Clinic where I was told I was late enough in the reaction that it wasn't going to get worse and Benadryl would help with the discomfort.

Questions are:

1. Can my company charge me with an unexcused absence?
2. Can they deduct the 4 hours from my PDO/PTO balance?
3. Was my company negligent?
4. Can I petition for Workman's Compensation to get this time off and loss of pay covered?

Any advice on if I should proceed with a fight against the unexcused absence and to regain my time off is greatly appreciated.

**Edited - Mobile Phone auto-corrected incorrectly.
*** Edited top to notify this has been answered.

Answer:
 > sent DMs for their help/advice.

Who DM'd? Name names. That is not tolerated here.

NAME NAMES!!!


Title: Girl poked holes in condom. She's pregnant. Is this sexual assault?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 No, it's not sexual assault.

No, it doesn't protect you from child support.

Condoms fail on their own all the time.Answer #2: I would note that just because there's a positive pregnancy test, it doesn't mean that the child is yours. You may want to consider getting a DNA test done.Answer #3: No. Her actions do not effect a child's right to support.


Title: Unsure what steps to take after incident last night. Very paranoid.

Question:
So I've had a new female friend for the past month. We've hung out three times. I've asked about her situation and she said she's separated. Last night I met her and six of her friends at a local bar by my place. She invited me out and I decided I'd hang for a few. So went to the bar and we were there about a hour before we decided to leave to my place. She was too drunk to drive her car so I offered to drive her in mine. I also hadn't been drinking and was sober. So we get to about a quarter mile from my place when two squad cards pull up very quickly behind me. I had a feeling I was getting pulled over. Sure enough their lights kicked on. I immediately stopped and put on my hazards then turned my dome light on and put my hands on the wheel. An officer approached me and asked for my license. I handed it over and he went back to his car. My female friend was white as a ghost and freaking out. I asked her what was wrong and she said the officer pulling me over was her ex-fiancé. At this point I'm freaking out and have a lot of questions running through my mind. He then approaches the passenger side and knocks on the window. She complies and he asks her "What are you doing". She responded that she was just hanging out. He then told her she needed to go back and pick up her car that she had parked at the bar. I started to respond "Sir do you think that's a good idea she's really drunk right now" to which he told me to "shut your mouth". He then told me "If you don't want drama I suggest you take her back to her car right now". He gives me back my license and no citations are issued. I wasn't speeding or breaking any laws when pulled over and obviously not drinking. Now I've heard her tell me her ex was pretty crazy but this was my first experience. I'm a little unsure where to go from here. I'm going to lay low but I have a few concerns.

1. I don't know how he knew where we were our how he tracked my car. He also knew what kind of car I drive. When we left the bar there were no cops around so I'm very confused how he knows so much about me.

2. He apparently knows where I live (old address was on my license but he knew where I currently live). I'm a bit paranoid staying at my place and think I'll stay somewhere else for a little while.

3. She said she will probably move away to avoid anything happening to her (she's afraid of him which just exacerbates my concerns).

Am I supposed to protect myself in any way here? I'm not an anti-cop guy at all. I really respect the hard work they have to do. But I also don't want to be harassed or put in danger as I drive in his jurisdiction a lot. Am I just being paranoid? This happened in Dallas. Thanks.

Answer:
 The hidden comment by litmus has a point

> The likeliest explanations here are that the ex has been tracking her phone

She should take a close look at her phone apps.  Google+, Android Device Manager, Wheres My Phone, etc.  Anything that shares location could be a problem if the ex had access to her phone in the past.Answer #2: Police do this kind of thing all the time. I work with a big number of former police officers, some of the stories I hear make my jaw drop.

Keep in mind, there is literally nothing you can do. If you were a female and scared for your life, you MIGHT have a chance but even then, you're probably screwed. If you file a complaint, you'll have a paper trail (I would do it) in case anything happens in the future. At the same time, there's a good chance you're going to get harassed by the officer(s) in question. Keep your doors/windows locked at all times and look into a wireless kit (they're cheap) to monitor where you park your vehicle.

Stay away from this chick for a little while too. Answer #3: Did you take her back to her car?


Title: Does This Make it a Crime?

Question:
This was 2 1/2 years ago, I was 16 at the time and this girl who I genuinely thought was 15 turned out to be 11.

I had genuinely no idea she was 11, but when I confronted her and left her for being 11, she claimed I had a hint of her being 11, of course this was not true, but I do remember asking if she was 13 or under to which she never said yes to being under, but she never outright denied it. But I thought the question was stupid since she genuinely sounded like she was in her 20s or something. Then her sister told me she was 11, I was shocked. So of course I confronted her almost immediately after and I left her with no hesitation at all.

But because I've asked this question to her and she claimed I had a hint that makes everything before illegal and makes me a pedophile. We were basically boyfriend and girlfriend, we said we loved each other, talked about kissing, and talked about my mental health concern witb pornagraphy at the time which was in 4th grade I saw a penis in porn and thought I turned gay, and that I haven't masturbated to porn in 3 months up to that point, I also would make sex jokes a 16 year old would make, basically saying "you like c*** and balls" over and over again to be annoying (I saw it in a callmecarson video and thought it was funny.)

I never solicited her to meet for sex, we never talked about us having sex, never exchanged nude photos (I never even knew what she looked like), and I never knew her age and didn't have a clue she was 11. But I'm scared that since I asked that question and she never gave me a direct answer that it makes it illegal in Texas. I'm about to go back to therapy but I'm literally having a panic attack in fear of them reporting me to the police because I committed a crime. I'm literally scared for my life will be ruined.

Answer:
 No, you’re fine, just like you’ve been told every other time you’ve asked this question under different accounts.

Please seek some help for your anxiety.


Title: Could some roundabout tricks be used to hedge against the risk of paying child support?

Question: Now I missed the mod thread about child support contracts, which was only unlocked for four hours while I was asleep. The thread just gave me the idea of signing a sort of insurance contract that for example I pay the girl (or maybe her best friend) a monthly fee of one dollar and am then entitled to a one-off payment of a huge sum of money in the event that I have to pay child support. Would such a contract be legally binding?

Answer:
 Nope, for the same reason every other contract to get around CS is not binding. Contracts that are against public policy are struck down by the court.

There are millions of clever ways to draft the same contract, but all of them are unenforceable. Answer #2: There *is* a roundabout trick that can be used to hedge against the risk of paying child support: a vasectomy.


Title: My neighbor planted a row of trees right on the property line

Question:
We get a lot of posts here that you cannot damage or harm your neighbor's tree, even if the branches are over your property.

Do I really have to avoid damaging a row of trees that were just planted, positioned intending that they would encroach on my property?

My neighbor just planted a row of Arborvitae right on the property line. They are about 2 feet wide now, so half of each trunk and about a foot of tree is on my side of the line. He added two feet of beauty bark on each side, including the side on my property.

I asked him to move the trees onto his property, and he refused. They spread 1 foot over the line now. When full grown, they'll cover 6 feet of my property, my entire side yard.

How much of the tree on my side can I remove? Can I chainsaw them in half, right at the property line? Why may I not legally damage these trees that were specifically positioned to encroach, that he placed right on the line? If he moves them six inches back, so the trunks are on his side, then I cannot touch them at all?

Answer:
 You can legally trim anything that over-reaches onto your yard.  However you cannot kill the tree intentionally, and if your trimming is negligent and causes the death of the tree you can be sued.

I mean you could start now by trimming anything over your side, and just keep with it.

No matter how close he planted them trees spread and eventually they could have reached into your yard anyways, where you could trim what is in your yard.


Title: If someone served on a federal jury a few months ago, are they able to get out of a state or local jury summons (Illinois and Wisconsin)?

Answer: No.  NAL, but I have served on a federal jury.  The judge in that case was very specific that while serving on the jury will get you released from service in federal court for 3 years, we could be called at any point to local court.  I got called to local court roughly a year later (though I did not have to sit on a jury that time).


Title: My mentally ill neighbor keeps spying on me, is there anyway I can get my rental agency to build a fence?

Question:
Before I go ahead and explain what's going on, I'd like to apologize for any grammatical errors due to typing this out on my phone.
Alright, so I've been renting at this residence for 4 years and always knew my neighbor was off. Her parents come and take care of her yard and check up on her but just recently things have gotten worse. I've caught her in the oleander bushes up against the chain link fence watching me in the dark. My dog was  going insane trying to bite her as I was watching her think she was well hidden, I coughed to let her know I was right there in my yard looking right at her and she scurried away.
I caught her again up against my chain link fence trying to give something to my dog or "shush" him when I looked up she was standing there looking at me watching me with a smile on her face not even 50 ft away. She scurried off then too.
She sits outside all day, and when I get to my car she stares at me, I live in Arizona and it's sometimes up to 120 degrees outside and she's out there in tattered clothing just standing there, all day long.
Her parents moved her little backyard she'd to block her from looking at us but just yesterday I heard something while outside and sure enough it was her (she has a motion sensor light) and she was up against her shed just standing there while I was outside talking to my boyfriend.
I can't take it anymore. I don't think she should even be living on her own. I will post pictures as well because from where she stands to spy she can look into my back patio door and see me in my kitchen.
I need my rental agency to do something about this. Can they?
TL;DR
 My neighbor keeps spying on me, can I get my rental agency to build a fence for the sake of having privacy, I do believe she's becoming obsessive.

Answer:
 Try calmly explaining to your rental agency the situation, ask them if that is something they would consider.  If not, then somewhere like Adult Protective Services may have a better outcome.Answer #2: Window coverings.  Cheap - decorative - functional. :)

Blinds, window shades or curtains.  They are your friends.  They will keep her from looking into your house.

It's not your landlord's fault that she is your neighbor, nor is it their responsibility to mitigate the effects of her behavior.  Window coverings, and, if you want an extra layer of protection, motion operated floodlights and/or one or more video cameras.  Good luck.Answer #3: I went ahead and called Non-emergency and requested a well check. Told them the situation and how it's gotten worse, about her appearance getting worse and the fact that she stands outside all day long in the heat. They haven't showed up yet but I hope they can see that she needs help. Thank you everyone who's commented and given me a lot of good ideas. Answer #4: Call adult protective services. Call the police (nonemergency) and ask about a wellness check. Explain what you've said here. Be calm but insistent.

If she's self neglecting to the point that she's not doing things to avoid potential heatstroke/cleaning herself/etc this is something they'll look into.

Keep your dog inside unless you're with it and keep an eye on what it goes near/tries to eat.


Title: Unplanned pregnancy and the repercussions from the mother keeping it

Question:
Hello,

First time posting here, throwaway for obvious reasons.

I met a girl about two months ago.  We had sex the night we met and subsequently continued seeing each other.  Roughly two weeks after meeting her, our condom broke during sex and I come to find out about two weeks ago that she got pregnant as a result.

I have advised her to get an abortion - for many reasons.  I think people should bring children into the world because they want to be there to provide a happy, healthy, loving, supportive home for them, not because of a condom breaking.  I have told her that I want NO part in having a child - I don't want to raise it, I don't want to pay for it, I don't want to meet it, I'm not in love with this girl and I don't want a lasting relationship with her, etc etc.  She's heard it all.  But it seems she is intent on keeping it.

She has told me that I don't need to be a part of the kid's life at all and in fact she doesn't expect/want me to be a part of it.  She has family and lots of friends and seems to think she won't need any help from me.  She also comes from money, at least to the extent that she doesn't want mine.

**Which leads me to my point (thanks for reading)**:  As far as I'm concerned, words are meaningless until they're written on paper and something is signed.  It's not that I don't believe her when she says she won't come asking for child support, but what do I know?  I've known this girl only through a mostly sexual relationship for only a matter of weeks.  Is there a way that an attorney could formalize this spoken agreement between the two of us into some kind of contract that would preclude her from seeking child support in the future?  And I'm fuzzy on the basics too:  Would I even be responsible for child support to begin with?

I live in Washington state and she lives in Nevada.

I realize this is a touchy subject for some, thanks in advance for keeping your value judgments to yourself.
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 > Is there a way that an attorney could formalize this spoken agreement between the two of us into some kind of contract that would preclude her from seeking child support in the future?

No.  Such contracts are unenforceable as against public policy.

>Would I even be responsible for child support to begin with?

If she goes to court to establish paternity, and the results say that you are the father, then yes you could be held liable for the child's support.Answer #2: Nope. Such agreement isn't enforceable. The child you created has a right to that support. Pregnancy is a risk regardless of what contraception is used, a risk you willingly took, and this time you lost. You can't be forced to be a father as far as I know, but you can be forced to support your son or daughter until aged 18. Answer #3: As the biological father, your child is always entitled to support from you, and the child's mother cannot sign away that right.  You are responsible for child support regardless of what happens next.

Your discussion of abortion is not relevant.  You can't force a woman to have an abortion nor can you stop her from having one if she wants to.  Nor does her decision whether or not to have the child have any bearing on your ultimate liability.

Obviously this has major consequence for you that you can't change.  It feels like fundamental inequity in the application of law, but any other way would be worse so in this sense it is the lesser of evils.


Title: Neighbor has called the cops on me 3 times in 4 days. What can I do? Mentor, Ohio

Question:
Last post:
https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/4u10nm/who_do_you_go_to_when_you_are_afraid_of_the/

I've been a lurker for years and years and never needed to or thought I'd post, especially here, but I really am scared, I've blocked out the windows with towels, I walk the 15 extra minutes to walk around the block, to not pass his house, I'm trying to leave town asap, and I'm really scared. Every step I take seems to escalate the situation, even doing nothing but trying to run. I really, desperately, need help.

I posted two days ago, when it was 2 police visits in 3 days.  Today I've had another visit from the police, 3 visits in 4 days, "for screaming outside at the neighbors".

Questions:
1) I didn't think they could file a noise complaint during daylight hours, and I was operating an angle grinder while working on my bus and had no issues,,, I literally feel like there is going to be a visit each day.

What Can I do about this?  Just document it and??? what?  I need him to leave me alone for 30 days so I can get the hell out.

2) Should I talk to the police if they come again?  Can I hide and just ignore their knocks?  I'm trying to fix up and sell my house and get out of town.  I literally feel chased out of town.  Or, do I have to answer the door, and all their questions?  If I ignore their knocking, what will happen?

3) I was taking pictures of my house directly before the police visit today, so I can post and then SELL it, because this neighbor is scaring me, I thought, doing nothing wrong...

I'm being forced out ahead of my schedule, having to sell my house earlier than I wanted, and in a rush... What should I be doing now, to pursue legal action, beyond documenting everything, once I've moved?  Is that a route I should even think about?

I've been scared to even go outside, because I feel like he's outside watching and waiting for me to leave to he can break in, slash tires, something...

Please, any advice would be helpful, I've reached out to a few lawyers via email, and haven't gotten anything back, yesterday or today, and I'm scared of being shot by either the police or this crazy guy.

And If I die, get shot, something, it was my neighbor two doors down,,,

Answer: Maybe seek out a mental health professional. I'm not saying that to be a smart ass. You have one crazy neighbor that's called the police 3 times on you and it's stressing you out like this causing you to sell your house? That's not normal. Answer #2: Why are you scared to talk the the police? People make all kind of baseless noise complaints. The police are used to this. They generally also have policies that require them to check things out.


Title: Hit and Run

Question: My dog was involved in a hit and run. We tracked down the killer, called the cops, and nothing was done. I feel that both the guy and department needs to pay for just allowing someone to kill my family.

Answer: Was your dog on a leash? How’d they even hit your dog? If you have leash laws, and you weren’t abiding by them, the driver can actually sue you for damage to their car.


Title: Car I purchased was supposed to be a 2018 Ford Fusion. Actual car is 2017.

Question: I recently purchased a used car at a dealership. The salesperson and the contract for the sale say it is a 2018 model. A few days ago the dealership called me to confirm the VIN\# on the vehicle. That is when I noticed that the VIN number does not match the contract that I signed to purchase the car and it is not a 2018 VIN number, but a 2017 VIN. They have called back asking me to come in and sign some more paperwork. What are my rights and responsibilities going forward. (Utah)

Answer: They owe you the make, model, and VIN on the papers you signed or your money back. Don't sign anything else and don't accept anything else (using your best judgement).


Title: Can grandparents have any influence on step-child adoption?

Question: Im seeking legal counsel on Monday but I'm curious if anyone has any knowledge or experience. I'm planning on adopting my step-son who is 8 years old, we reside in Texas. His mom passed away over two years ago and DH and I have been married for a year. I've told SS about my plans ans he's so excited for me to adopt him. My only concern would be with his maternal grandparents as they are kind of crazy sometimes and are known to make up lies about DH and I. Will they be interviewed at all or will they have any affect on the adoption process?

Answer: I don't believe that with one parent alive, that they have standing to oppose the adoption but don't quote me on that. They can however sue for visitation if they choose. That would be regardless of if the adoption went through or not.


Title: Does my apartment manager HAVE to have a key to my apartment?

Question:
I live in WA and rent an apartment where we currently live and have for the last 7+ years. Over the years somehow my apartment manager no longer has a key to our apartment, and now they are asking for one. I want to know if I am required to give them one? Not the only reason, but one of the big ones I don't want them to have a key is they keep the keys in a detached shed, on a numbered board. You can see the board and keys through the window of the shed if the blinds are open. The shed has been broken into in the past - and it would not take a genius to figure out that those keys go to our apartments. I like that they don't have a key and without starting a huge fight, I want to know if legally I'm required to give them one?

&#x200B;

Side note - A few years ago I locked myself out. The manager did not have a key then and did not request one. I called a locksmith to get in and paid for it myself.

Answer: What does your lease say? Typically, landlords want a key so they can respond to emergencies in the apartment, such as water leaks.


Title: Police took my laptop as evidence, changed password. (Wi)

Question:
A year ago I was arrested for a DUI for not submitting to a blood test which led to narcotics charges after my car was searched. Durring the search they also took my laptop, thinking it was stolen for some reason.

I had contacted the local PD after I was sentanced to get my belongings returned as I wasn't charged for having a stolen laptop. It took 3 months for the DA to release my property, which the officer in charge of evidence said was unheard of. Today I picked up my things, went home and turned on my laptop to find that my password has been changed. I know that it has been changed because I have the password written on a piece of paper in my safe since I used this laptop to store my cryptocurrency.

What, if anything, can I do about this?

Answer: Contact the department and ask them about it?


Title: Are non-compete clauses in California legal?

Question:
So I’ve been offered a consulting job where I’ll be working from home which is in California. Within the offer letter there’s a non-compete clause that says I can’t go to any competing firm for 18 months from the end of my employment. The last part of the contract says
“This Agreement will be interpreted under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia”

Would this non-compete clause hold up if I decided to change firms?

Answer:
 California courts have consistently shut down NCAs for virtually any employee working in that state. Including state of law clauses in said NCAs.

You should consider such a document an extremely large red flag, given that your employer is either ignorant of this or willfully ignoring it.


Title: My Son's Mother refuses to get him to school on time...possibly facing disciplinary action from school

Question:
So kinda weird situation. My ex and i have 50/50 custody from top to bottom. I pay her no child support and she pays me no child support. We split the week up in a static way that works for both of us very well. Generally...we get a long very well. My son is on a intra-district transfer (for very particular reason) and ever since pre-school (he's now in 3rd grade) he's been late anywhere from 10-15 times per schools year because of his mother. He's never once been late with me. In fact, he naturally wakes up each day at about 6:30am, we leave the house at 7:30 and to get to school at 7:42 and wait for the bell to ring at 7:45. His morning pattern is like clockwork. It never changes...up at the same times, dresses, eats breakfast and out the door everyday he's with me on the same schedule. I have zero problems with behavior in the mornings. To men this tells me his mother, who ive confronted about this before, does not properly use her time in the morning. He's often told me that they're late because she woke up late or was still getting ready. She's told me that he doesnt listen and she's not going to fight with him and they will leave when they leave.

So....with all that...ultimately it his her responsibility to get him to school whether he gives her a hard time or not but she very actively and aggressively has told me she doesnt care and if he loses his transfer then "whatever".

What can i do?? Is there any legal recourse on my end that i can hit her with to wake her up (literally and figuratively)? My ex is very irresponsible (how irresponsible you ask? Hasnt done her taxes in about 7yrs....after we ended it...and regularly doesnt pay her bills...shes very lazy)  and will literally go against me (or anyone) if she feels threatened or angered by.

Thanks in advance.

Answer: Is there not a bus that your son can take to school? If not, yes, it's her responsibility to ensure that he gets to school on time. The only way to rectify this is to modify the order citing that he's late & get M-F custody over your son.


Title: Not allowed to speak Spanish

Question:
VA- posting for my mom since she doesn't have Reddit.
She works at a retail store where one of the employees speaks little English. She was speaking to the employee in Spanish to tell her what to do since her English is not good and sometimes it difficult for her to understand. An employee got offended by this and told management. Management told her not to speak Spanish anymore and told the other employee (who speaks little English) not to speak Spanish as well. My mom asked management if it was okay to speak Spanish to her customers since some of them don't speak English and she was told as long as there is not employees around.
What are the ramifications of her continuing to speak Spanish? And what should she do if she gets fired for speaking Spanish?

Answer:
 The company has it backwards.  It's permitted to speak Spanish to co-workers and the employer cannot make a policy limiting this.  Forever 21 got [slapped with a suit](https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Forever-21-accused-of-illegally-implementing-11037889.php) by the State of California last year for this.

If she gets fired for speaking Spanish to co-workers and it does not have a negative impact on business, your mom can file a complaint with the EEOC or the VA equivalent.

They can have rules in place restricting it to English-only for customer interaction, but this is typically for banking, insurance, and other contracts.  Not typical in retail but it's possible.


Title: [CA] Burglury/Assault

Answer:
 Turn the voicemail over to the police, that is intimidating a witness/victim and it's a crime in itself.  Your girlfriend can file a restraining order against all of the people that broke into her home but sooner or later she may be evicted.  Either way, she needs to be given proper notice of the eviction and that gives her time to find other accommodations.  They cannot evict her within the week.  They can possibly give her notice within a week as long as it complies with any existing lease and state law.

Given the situation, it's probably best for her to get the hell outta there.


Title: (HI/FL) Aunt took a Painting from my Deceased father claiming 'He Gave it to her' - No will

Question:
Hi All,

I'm coming for some advice regarding a sort of odd situation. When I was small, My parents split up and my Father lived in Hawaii and I lived in FL with my Mom (Who had Custody of me). Recently, my father passed. My father, had very little to his name (Really was only living in an apartment with one bed, No insurance at all). However, he did still have a painting of him by a Local Artist (Diana Hansen Young if it matters). I asked him before he passed, to have this painting to which he told me yes, but it was at my Grandmothers house (She has dementia and can't even remember he's passed). I visited him right before his passing, but I live in Florida and one of his closest friends (Who he signed a POA over to while he was alive) has been helping me go through his things and sending me what little I wanted. (At the moment, it's a glass sculpture I bought for him for Christmas and a little wooden box with a pendant my grandmother gave to him). I couldn't fly the painting back home with me as it was very large, so I was planning on having it shipped after he passed. I learned yesterday from my Aunt that "He gave that to her" (She is a caretaker for my Grandmother and had access to the painting; as my father could not move before he passed) and now she has blocked me on social media. Are there any steps I can take to recover this painting Legally? I am the only next of Kin and my father had no will; Will I need to prove it was his? (It's a painting OF him...)

Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you.

Answer: It sounds like whoever is managing the estate of your father (is that you or the "close friend who had a POA for your father"?) could raise the issue of theft of the painting: preferably first by directly reaching out to the aunt, and then by calling the police to report the theft if necessary. If the Aunt claims that the painting did NOT belong to the estate ("he gave it to Grandma before he died"), then there is a dispute over the facts which probably could only be resolved with a court case, where you would indeed need to "prove it was his" (and she would need to "prove it wasn't").


Title: Oregon: Roommate refusing to endorsing check.

Question:
TLDR: had two roommates, big fight everyone has moved out and they are refusing to endorse the check back for deposits.
Can I do anything to get my money?

Answer: Who's they? What check? To whom did you pay a deposit? What agreement did you have, with whom, for rent and the deposit?


Title: [US NJ] Licensed Optician fearing for his job. Help!

Question:
Hey guys and gals,

Quick backstory. I'm a Licensed Optician in NJ, and work at a Walmart Vision Center. I've been working at the optical for almost a decade and have seen various managers come and go, but our most recent one, I believe, is out for my scalp.

I work with two fellow licensed opticians and an unlicensed manager with no former optical experience. She (the manager) and I do not get along well.

A quick few points as into why...

* When she was first hired, she felt the need to tell one of the other opticians that she felt I was overpaid and did no work around the vision center. (Mind you, I am actually paid the least as I am 20+ years younger than the other opticians. I also led sales for 2014.)

* We have a marker board that logs our daily sales totals vs our sales goals for the week. I had a particularly rough sales day, which she felt the need to highlight in red marker with frowny faces for all to see. There even was a copy of our sales report left out, again highlighted and circled with "What Happened?!?!" (A negative message has never been left out for ANYONE, regardless of sales. Hasn't happened before, nor after. I feel like I was singled out.)

* She has texted me a link to a police blotter from my county that included someone with my specific last name. I have a very specific last name. I feel like she was trying to dig up dirt on me, came across someone who is of no relation and felt compelled to share anyway.

I can't tell you why she felt the need to come right out and talk trash about me, but I suppose it has to do with me being her own sons age and earning far more money than her. Since then, I have been the hammer when it comes to enforcing NJ State Laws regarding dispensing eyewear and handling prescriptions. She was trained in a state that does not follow licensed dispensing and was cavalier about our state laws regarding dispensing.

I've had to confront her multiple times about the following issues

* She has handled customer glasses attempting to repair and work on the frames. She is not licensed to handle prescription eyewear.

* Entering Rx's into our computer system incorrectly. Whether it has the incorrect symbol (+/-), or just the wrong powers altogether, I've had to go back and redo the work on a number of instances.

* She has dispensed glasses to a customer after store hours. I went to shop after we closed and witnessed her lingering around handing out glasses to a customer whom is also an employee of the store. I also confronted her about dispensing. We even have a sign that says "No dispensing or adjusting glasses by unlicensed personell"

As one could imagine, this has created an environment lack of respect and disdain in the workplace. Point is, she has no business working in this field and I am being told by the Opticians that she has been telling them that she is trying to go to upper management to get rid of me for lack of respect and attitude.

WELL WHY DIDNT YOU CALL THE STATE BOARD!

* I have no idea if I am protected by any whistleblower laws

* I am worried I'll be canned for causing a stink

* I do not want to get the other opticians into any trouble with the board

One final tidbit. She knows the other guys login and passwords for the computer, so naturally I suspect that she might mark things as dispensed in the computer under their codes.

What do I do? How do I protect myself?

Answer: Honestly, you need to bring this to corporate-level people. As much disdain as I have for Walmart, there's no way that company would allow this to continue if they knew about it. In fact, I'd hope the moment you mentioned "unlicensed manager dispensing glasses", termination papers would be on a desk being drawn up. Licensing boards are nothing to fuck around with, regardless of how big a company is.


Title: Can my family take my car from my girlfriend [FL]

Question:
Hi, i am currently leaving for boot camp for the army in 1 month. I am planning to add my girlfriend to my insurance and leave my car with her. However, my parents, who purchased the car outright and whom i make a monthly payment to (no paperwork) say they won't allow it.

The car is in my name, as well as the insurance. How can i make sure that my parents cannot claim my girlfriend is using the car without my permission while i am in basic training? Im in Florida.

Answer: If the car is titled to you then your can do what you want with it. You may want to give her a notarized letter that she has your permission to use the car.


Title: [CA] Six years ago, the police took our guns as “evidence”. They still won’t give them back. They are family heirlooms

Question: My sister used to work in real estate and apparently some of her work was fraudulent. The police raided my sisters home, her attorneys home, and my home (not sure why they came into my home). They took any and all paperwork they could find from each location. They also took several guns that have been in our family for decades. Six years later, and we keep going in circles trying to get the guns back. They were finally going to release them to my dad, but my dad is in court for a different work deal and is about to plea out to a felony. If he’s a felon I’m sure they won’t give him the guns back. I’m not a felon however and would really like these guns back. They belonged to my grandfather who is no longer with us. Is there any way that I can get the guns back instead of my dad if he pleads out to the felony? Any help is greatly appreciated, thank you!

Answer:
 You need to file a claim for return of property.

I would send a request in writing demanding property return.

> Six years later, and we keep going in circles trying to get the guns back. They were finally going to release them to my dad, but my dad is in court for a different work deal and is about to plea out to a felony.

That's a problem.

> If he’s a felon I’m sure they won’t give him the guns back. I’m not a felon however and would really like these guns back. They belonged to my grandfather who is no longer with us. Is there any way that I can get the guns back instead of my dad if he pleads out to the felony? Any help is greatly appreciated, thank you!

Two things that concern me. Are they still in their property department? They could be destroyed by now.


Title: [Mauritius] Lost almost all of my money after new government vengefully shutdown the bank I was at.

Question:
Hi reddit, this is a tricky one. For the past decade, I invested my money in a very famous bank in my country. It was so famous because it offered more than attractive interest rates. It is also worthy to note that they were heavily linked with the government at the time.

Fast forward to 2014, election time and a new government thrashes the old one. trying to keep this as simple as possible,
the new government removed every political nominee of the old government in the country. Moreover, they completely shut down the bank where my money was kept at with the excuse of a pyramid scheme. So far, there has been no proof of this, and it's clear now that they only shut down the company out of vengeance of past history.

If it was not obvious yet, I've completely lost all of my money over there and after some strikes and complaining, the government
made us sign a certificate saying they will repay the full capital amount (excluding interest) in equal installments every July until
fully repaid.

This is where they fuck me and thousands of other people. They haven't paid the last two instalments and long story short,
they want us to sign a new contract by the end of the month which says they will only repay 60% of the capital sum. Now this seems shady and there's no way I'm signing this contract as my hands will tied after and I won't have any power if I decide to go to Court.

Also, it should be noted that people who invested under $10,000 will get their full capital back and those who invested even a dollar more will get about 60%, which I think is not fair.

Unfortunately, most of the victims are only talking and not being very efficient. I consulted several lawyers already but they are not that keen because they said it's a very tedious, difficult and long case. They told me they would have to do their own research to come up with a case that the bank was not doing a ponzi, that the new government is in the wrong and that I am a victim.

There's also a strong possibility that you are unfamiliar with my location, but the best I can tell you is that our legal system is similar to of England's.

What are my options here? I'm desperate and about to lose it.
Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks reddit.

edit 1: spelling

Edit 2: Location is Mauritius.

Answer:
 You'll forgive most people in this subreddit if they decline to provide legal advice for a jurisdiction that they'd struggle to find on a map. "It's kinda like British law" is nowhere near sufficient.

Consult with a local attorney. It's entirely possible that they've got sovereign immunity.


Title: I fell for an online dating scam. Need help. (x-post with /r/personalfinance) [Pennsylvania)

Question:
As the title says, I fell for an online dating scam. I thought I was smarter, but no. I should have realized it was a scam from the get go, but I was an idiot.

Long story short, I have about 7k in credit card debt, 5k spent on items from Amazon, and I sent roughly 8-10k through moneygram. I have some of those receipts and pictures of others used as proof, with the confirmation number. That money is gone because they picked it up. They also have my bank account number.

I will go to the bank today to cancel that account, but is there any way I can recoup any of my losses?

Thanks again for the help, and I learned my lesson.

EDIT: This was a 419 scam. Nigerian online dating. Found girl via match.com, moved conversation off of match to email and yahoo messenger. They promised to pay me back and more once "she" arrived in US. I only gave up my checking account with PNC through a pic of a voided check, which would be used to put funds into my account from her deceased mother's benefits. There have been "delays" which is an excuse to pull more money from me. I believe the only personal info they have on me is the voided check. No SSN, no credit cards, no passport copy, etc.

Answer:
 I posted a link to this on r/scams.  This sounds like what is generally known as a "romance scam".

As you probably already know, any money sent by Western Union or MoneyGram cannot be traced or recovered.  It's not clear what you meant by "I have about 7k in credit card debt, 5k spent on items from Amazon".  If you meant that you purchased goods and had them shipped to someone overseas, then those gifts are also untraceable and unrecoverable (and you can't contest the charges as fraud or anything like that).

The scammers probably cannot take money directly out of your PNC checking account with just a copy of a blank check, but it's a good idea to go to the bank, explain the situation, and change your bank account number anyway - because it's hard to be sure that you didn't give the scammers enough information (or that they can't find enough information) to pretend to be you when they call the bank.

Finally, google "romance scam".  You will find a lot of resources.  Learn from this, but don't beat yourself up too badly.  LOTS of people fall for these types of scams.  Maybe you can tell your story publically and become an advocate so that others will be forewarned (or not feel so badly if it happens to them).


Title: Crazy Renter

Question:
Have a house with a few college students renting on a standard ca lease with a year contract.  House is split in half front house and back.  Have a girl who moved here Feb 1 this year living in back house whom seems to actually have some weird tendencies and wanders around opening doors going into others areas etc.  She is just WEIRD. Hasn't officially done anything wrong really other than that. The other ladies only say shes odd but.

My wife and I have small children and animals which she often asks to be around which has always been denied.

How do I justify the notice to properly terminate the lease if we feel that she just needs to go asap?

Answer: Until she violates her lease or stops paying rent you can't do anything.


Title: Is it legal to shoot cats on my property?

Question:
I own many acres of land in Missouri, and I quite enjoy looking at my squirrels and rabbits, however recently stray cats have moved onto my property and quite frankly they are invasive species. Not only are they killing my wildlife and raiding nests, but they are urinating on my house/padio/deck. In a weird way they also demanding that I take care of them. They try to sneak into my house, and if I'm having dinner on my porch with my family and grand children they'll try to steal food from the table. I've tried to shoo them away, but they hiss and scratch at you. They won't fall for the cage traps I have, and they aren't tame enough to hold, so I can exactly drive them to my shelter.
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer:
 Assuming that:

- You (generally) live outside city limits; and

- These cats are feral (ie, no owner); and

- State law permits the killing of animals that are threatening the welfare of your family, livestock, or property; and

- You are otherwise in compliance with the law (IE, not shooting them with an NFA weapon if they're regulated in your state); and

- You are killing them humanely (IE, using an appropriate caliber and preventing undue suffering or inhumane death)

Then yes, you can kill them. I'm not a cat person, but have no beef with people with house cats or that take care of their animals. However, feral cats? I loathe them.

You can also call your local animal control and see what they say. If you have neighbors that might phone the local sheriff, it's generally somewhat courteous to give them a heads up anyway.Answer #2: You did not post your location, which makes it impossible to answer your question well without magical powers.

Assuming you are in a rural area in the United States you may very well be able to do so. In most cities you could not.


Title: Is this legal

Question:
Hello,
I have a question and saying this sickens me because it happened to my sister. Anyways my sister went to wash clothes and she sees a man who looked like he was in his thirty' sand my sister is 17 he started hitting on her and saying sexual comments things he said " I need someone like you in my bed" someone please reply

Answer:
 Do you remember when you posted this and got at least three reminders to tell us where you are?

**That's because your location makes a big difference in the answer.**

50 states, 50 different sets of laws.

Assuming you are even IN the USA.


Title: House up for Sheriff Sale today... What now?

Question:
EDIT: I'm in Pennsylvania

Here's my situation...

My exwife moved out of our house and I stopped paying for it.  Today it goes up for Sheriff Sale.  I don't want to save it.  I really don't even care what happens from here..

UNLESS of course they can take money from me by any means. Are there any legal ways for US Bank to dip into my bank account or anything of that nature?  Can they take my tax refunds?

I'm not concerned with credit (I'm single.  I save well and spend wisely)

Answer:
 If the house sells for less than is owed on the mortgage they certainly could come after you. Answer #2: Hope you're in a non-recourse state, because your attitude might smoke you in the very near future.  Whee is your bank account?

As an aside, saying you spend and save wisely in a discussion about how you deliberately defaulted on a mortgage instead of treating it like an adult is absurd.


Title: (MN, US) Would I get in trouble for putting an anti-theft trap on my flag pole?

Question: There's a bunch of people running around my city stealing people's American flags right now. Would I get in trouble if I electrified my flag pole or put some sort of substance on it that'd make them smell if they got it on their skin?

Answer:
 Yes.

You can't set booby traps legally.


Title: Doctor Refusing to remove stent even after near fatal infection

Question:
Context: My grandmother required a ureteral Stent for a kidney stone removal, surgery went well and it has been a month since then.

Fast forward to this weekend, she is rushed by ambulance to emergency room after being found unresponsive by my mother in her home. She currently has an infection and I was told her condition was ‘touch and go’ up until last night. Infectious disease team recommended that the stent be removed as quickly as possible now that her blood pressure has stabilized, but the urologist responsible is not being cooperative. He does not believe the stent to be the cause, and will only see her by appointment at his office. Obviously this isn’t going to work out because she’s going to be in intensive care for quite a while. ICU has contacted him and he still isn’t helping.

Is there anything to be done about the situation?
Topic:
Medicine and Malpractice

Answer: Your grandmother can authorize the team at the hospital to remove the stent.


Title: Won a city contest for $1000 and only being given $500

Question:
My town had a contest for two public murals with a $500 prize and a $1000 prize. I submitted and won the $1000 section. Afterwards they decided to give me only $500 and give $1000 to the winner of the smaller contest. This makes sense because that submission was much more complex than mine... but I was really banking on that money, and they didn't let me know of the change in amount until almost a month after I won. Would pursuing the $500 be silly? Any advice would be wonderful!
Edit: Forgot location! I'm in Idaho.

Answer: What was in the small print of the contest rules?Answer #2: Was this money supposed to support the painting of the murals, with the artists responsible for doing that? Like, did you get $500 in order to paint your mural somewhere, and did they decide to give the other winner $1000 because the other mural would be more expensive to paint? I'm just spitballing. This is likely dependent on what the contest rules actually say. Have you asked the person running the contest (I assume there is a human being at the town who was in charge) why this happened?


Title: I'm being sued by my neighbor at my apartment complex due to second hand smoke in Oregon.

Question:
I was served earlier this week and my court date is in a month or so. I used to smoke on my balcony in the apartment I've lived in for a year. The portion of the complex I'm in has 4 units arranged in a square, with balconies in the middle that are over a center courtyard.  About 6 months ago, "Ellen" moves in to the unit with the balcony that's diagonal from mine. She says she has all sorts of health issues, and demands myself and our other neighbor across from her stop smoking. I tell her I'll be happy to not smoke during times she'd like to have her windows open. Our other neighbor pretty much said the same thing, and she did not find this to be good enough. A bunch of neighbor drama ensues, most of it between "Ellen" and the other neighbor.

The complex has been pretty unresponsive to the whole situation. Our leases allows for smoking on the balcony. All they've done is ask to do a walk through as Ellen told them that I've been smoking inside (which I have not). They did, said everything looked fine and to try and avoid her.

My other neighbor has also been sued. Our court summons say pretty much the same thing related to the cigarettes. His also has other charges, including harassment, presumably because they've been arguing quite a bit. The exact thing it says I'm being sued for is "negligence".

Ellen and I have not interacted at all in months. I actually quit smoking 2 months ago, so that is the silver lining to this entire situation.

I'm not sure how to proceed. Most of the lawyers in my area that advertise free consultations have pretty bad reviews. I am paying off a lot of debt right now and honestly do not have any extra money at the end of the month.

Is it feasible to go to my court date without a lawyer? I'm worried that if I go to a free consultation the lawyer will insist I need them, even if I may not.

Is there a way I can get the money I am going to loose by missing work that day back? I'm assuming the only option is to sue, but it's not a lot of money so I may have to cut my loss there.

Is there a way this could end up backfiring on me and I could be successfully sued in this situation? Not breaking any laws, my lease, or doing anything besides having a cigarette on my balcony twice a day. Similar threads in this sub have lead me to believe Ellen has no recourse at all, but I'm actually being sued for the first time and it's pretty scary to be honest.

Thanks for any advice reddit!

Answer:
 What court are you being sued in? Small claims or superior? The summons you were served with should contain a reference to the actual section of law which they're accusing you of having violated. Can you post that, as well?Answer #2: I'd argue that her suing multiple people for the same issue shows that she doesn't actually know where her problem arises. The fact that you are/were a smoker doesn't prove that your smoking is actually an issue for her.

I wouldn't worry about the lawsuit anyhow. You need to respond, but she needs evidence that you have caused her harm, and that she's actually been harmed.

On a side note. You have to love individuals that believe the rest of the people in the world should live their life in a way that appeases them.


Title: Grandmother is being taken advantage of by son's girlfriend

Question:
Hello,

I'm not exactly sure if this belongs in this subreddit, but I didn't know where else to start. I'm feeling very helpless, so any and all help is appreciated. Thanks so much!

My Uncle is almost 40 and is still living with his mother (my grandma). Unfortunately, he also has a girlfriend who has a very young son, and they have moved in with her as well. They are leeching off my grandmother and it is taking a large toll on her. She spoke with my mom (her daughter) this evening and is wondering if it would be possible for the girlfriend to be committed. My uncle's girlfriend is borderline abusive to my grandmother, and my grandmother is worried about her mental health and thinks she is a potential danger to them both (as in her own self and my grandmother).
I looked up how to get someone committed in our state (Nevada), and you need to be a spouse or blood relative. My grandmother can't petition to get her committed, it seems.
She doesn't want to kick them out because she is worried about her relationship with her son, I guess. Does she have any other options legally to deal with this? Like, this woman is just living in her home. Is it just up to her to suck it up and kick them out? Is there another way to petition to get this woman help? What steps (if any) can be taken? Should she try to get a restraining order or something?

I guess I don't really know for sure what I'm asking or if this makes sense. I'm just a 20 year old who is worried about her grandmother and not sure how best to help her. Any advice about a better subreddit to post this in is greatly appreciated, sorry if this doesn't belong here.

Thanks!

Answer: Legally she needs to kick them out. There are elder abuse laws in most states. These are in place to protect the elderly and their financial assets. You can also have an elderly family member become a legal dependent. This can help protect their assets and give a more rational family member the legal authority to kick those people out.


Title: (IL) Can I drive on the left side of the street to check my mailbox?

Question:
My mailbox is across the street from my house, which is on a 2-lane residential street with no lane marker (though there's a narrow painted bike lane on the mailbox's side). Is it legal for me to drive on the left side of the street to check my mail before pulling into my driveway?
EDIT: to be clear - there's no painted lane divider line, and my understanding is that that's equivalent to a striped divider, which means that driving in the left lane is permitted at least for _passing_; my question is whether that permission is specific to "when passing" or more generally "when safe to do so".

Answer: No. You cannot drive in on coming traffic. Answer #2: Your reasons for wanting to do so not withstanding, it is not legal for you to drive on the wrong site of the street to check your mailbox, or to "jaywalk", or to drive faster than the speed limit, etcetera, but the likelihood that you will receive a ticket for this illegal activity depends on the totality of circumstances.


Title: Las Vegas - Disney - Question about Trademark / Copyright .

Question: I am writing a Disney app for free cause I'm obsessed with Disney, I also own a domain name with "Disney" in it, am I going to get sued if I don't make a dime and it's purely fan made?

Answer: Yep. To love Disney and yet not know how litigious they are? For shame. Answer #2: Probably.  Whether you make money or not doesn't matter to a trademark infringement suit.


Title: I’m a 20 y/o entrepreneur and student, have been falsely accused of sexual assault, spent $15,000 in legal fees. Expelled from University. Is there anything I can do?

Question:
Hello, made a throwaway because this question has been bothering me. I am a young male under the age of 25 and I have been falsely accused of sex. assault by two people I have never even spoke too. To keep it short, incident was claimed to have happened in a 7 minute ride-share van ride with 6 people in it at night time. The driver, myself, my friend, the two “victims”, one of which wasn’t even sitting near me and one of their boyfriends. I did not know either of the 2 accusers, and never even spoke to them. They basically claim that I forcefully “poked both them in the vagina” with my fingers. Which is ridiculous for multiple reasons but I’m not here to convince you of anything. Neither of them said anything to me the entire time, it’s extremely weird.

I was arrested twice on two different days for this 6 months after the fact. Despite tons of lies from the accuser that I feel like would have raised questions to any reasonable adult, there’s still no “evidence” in the discovery file besides my friends statement that pretty much says nothing happened. The rideshare driver also stated nothing happened but I don’t believe it’s officially on record.

I have obtained a lawyer and they’re doing a fantastic job but the court dates are continuously being rescheduled by the prosecutor which I find fishy.
So, I had some questions.

I’ve spent over $15,000 CASH in legal fees, expelled from university (although I wasn’t attending at the time), cant enroll into another university because of previous, and the amount of business trips + other events/tasks I’ve had to reschedule because of this is ridiculous. Don’t even get me started on the depression of being robbed blind.

-Is there any chance that filing a civil suit after the fact would be worth it? What is the % of people that get their money back after being screwed like this?

-Is there anything I can do to help my case? I have no prior criminal charges. So far I haven’t even been able to talk in court. My lawyer does all that for me I guess. If it helps I’m the founder of a nonprofit and have started a few businesses.

Answer:
 Once your case is over, perhaps a civil suit would be an option - defamation likely a good route - but this is state dependent. This assumes you're found not guilty, however, so I think it best to focus on your current defense right now. If this was a matter where the accuser called uncle and fessed up, it would be a different situation.

Listen to your lawyer.

Edit: not guilty.exe crash - also, being found guilty would close to door on a civil action.Answer #2: Filing false claims is  illegal and if you can show they were false you can sue them on top of the legal punishment they will face by the police.Answer #3: You should list your state. If you live in cali you're in for a treat, no sarcasm.Answer #4: Just curious, was there a dash cam in the van? Some have a view facing the occupants as well.


Title: I think someone I know is taking videos of me, posting them on the internet, and making money off of them. (CT)

Question:
Im a high school senior who lives in CT and about a few months ago people have been walking up to me in the middle of the sidewalk and saying they watch my videos.  I dont have any social media other than reddit.  I care about my privacy very much and have made it clear to people that I know that I dont like my picture taken, and I think someone who ive had issues with in the past has been taking videos of me.  The reason I think this person if profiting off this is because one of the people that walked up to me has claimed to have gotten an ad on one of "my" videos.   Ive searched my name everywhere and cant find anything, and I have a pretty good idea of who is taking the footage, but I dont know what I can do to stop it.  Is there any legal action I can take to get these videos taken down?
Topic:
Intellectual Property

Answer:
 In order to issue a takedown notice you need to know where the videos are being hosted and that you are actually the person in them.

Instead of searching by your name have you considered an image search of your face?Answer #2: My advice for right now is not to jump because if you accuse the wrong person it could come back to you.

If you run into another person who has seen your ad, picture or video then I would honestly act dumb and ask what site they saw it on so you can narrow it down for a search, you’re going to have to use more then your name because they likely won’t be stupid enough to use it so you’ll have to use key words like “teen, blonde” etc to narrow the search.


Title: Restaurant called the cops on my husband for not picking up an order (CA)

Question: No legal advice ever

Answer: I suppose you could owe the original restaurant the price of the meal. . . but that's not a criminal issue. I'd ignore it. I doubt they call the cops. If they *do* call the cops, I doubt they do anything about it.


Title: I drank and wrote an email and now I am scared someone will sue me.

Question:
I've been colorfully debating my old insurance company for the last two years about when and when I didn't cancel my insurance policy and at times it is gotten heated. It is over $10 but it is the principle and a hill I will die on if I have to. I swear to god.

I recently again am being hounded by them and sent in my proof yet again to begin the cycle of them telling me I am wrong and me telling them they are wrong and then resending the proof and then then losing it and in the end neither budging.

I am exhausted. I have been dealing with a sick kid who vomited on me more than once today. It was on my leg when they called. I yelled. They yelled. They hung up. I have to make rolls tomorrow but they have to be homemade or else everyone will think I am failure. I can't.

I checked my email and there was an ad from my old agent. The one who didn't cancel the policy when I first asked. Asking me to
Come back because I was a valued customer. Valued my ass.  The one who started this hell. I was so angry. It has been two years of this.

I tagged my boyfriend in for kid duty and sat down to work on some work emails I was suppose to do earlier but couldn't. I had a glass of wine and then another.

And then like I was staring  at his email and I started writing and I didn't mean to hit send but I did.

I called his kids ugly, i don't even know if he has kids. They are probably great kids. I insulted his dog. I used words. I didn't threaten. But I used a lot of angry and colorful words about his reading comprehension skills and now I am on glass three of wine and everyone in the house is asleep and I can't make bread and I am tired.

I am so tired.

So do I apologize or is he going to read that in the morning and decide to sue me?

I am scared to wake someone up and asking them exactly what consisutes defamation because I feel like I made enough mistakes today.

This is in Missouri. But I am only visiting from out of state.

Answer:
 You're being absolutely ridiculous and cannot be sued for defamation just because you said mean things directly to him. You can't defame him to himself.

 Here's a link: https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/defamation-law-made-simple-29718.html

 You should have another glass of wine away from electronics. I'd make fun of you for feeling like a failure about the bread if I hadn't totally been in your shoes before. Happy Thanksgiving!Answer #2: Three questions:

1. How much do you earn per hour?

2. How much time would it take you to earn $10?

3. How much time have you spent on this drama so far?

I am hoping those three questions are pointed enough to point out the obvious problem with your approach. If they are not, then have fun dying on a ten dollar hill.

EDIT:

Fourth question -- how much did you pay for the wine you drank that led you to drunkenly, angrily arguing over a matter of ten dollars?Answer #3: You are probably still under the influence which is continuing to cloud your judgement on how big an issue this is.

Drunk email
followed by
Drunk reddit post

Go to bed... be a failure once in a while, it helps you appreciate your successes more.Answer #4: It's totally legal to tell someone off, no matter how brutally, so long as it didn't include threats of violence. Defamation would be telling other people maliciously untrue statements about the agent that damage his reputation. It doesn't sound like you did that.


Title: [NC] What are the legal ramifications of parking a motorcycle in a same spot as another vehicle that has double parked diagonally taking 2 parking spots, and the vehicle not being able to open the driver's side door as a result.

Question:
Im not asking about if there are better ways of dealing with a chronic asshole parker, but just purely the legal side of parking a motorcycle like I described.

Raleigh, NC

Answer:
 You're not the parking police, and you're not the parking batman.

The likely legal consequence is you'll have to sue the driver of the car to repair the damage to your bike that will occur when it gets knocked over as he's trying to get into his car.

You don't fix parking like an asshole by ALSO parking like an asshole.Answer #2: You can't purposefully block someone in, no matter how justified you feel.

Your cycle could be towed, and you could be cited.


Title: DUI question.

Question:
[deleted]
Topic:
DUI

Answer:
 >I've been telling her to cooperate and plead guilty to everything involved

What? No. Do not tell her to do that it's terrible advice.

She needs to get a lawyer who can give her actual advice.


Title: Please Help. My father's neurologist would get very close to my mother. The doctor has kissed her on the cheek, touched her shoulders, and has tried to hold her hand. My parents became so uncomfortable with his behavior that they switched doctors. Is there anything I can do about this?

Question:
My father (59 y/o) is a Parkinson's patient, who would see this neurologist about once every 3 months for 7-8 years. My mother (49 y/o) would accompany him to help translate from English to Spanish, and each time the doctor would pay more attention to my mother than my father, hug her, rub her shoulders, try to hold her hand, and even once gave her a kiss on the cheek. His behavior became so uncomfortable and caused so much tension in my parents' marriage that they had to switch doctors.

This is an especially unfortunate situation because this doctor, who is one of the leading neurologists in Southern California, helped stabilize my father's Parkinson's and was able to slow the disease's progression. This was the main reason why my father stayed with him for as long as they did.

OTHER INFO:
- When my father tried to act as a physical barrier to separate this doctor from my mom, the doctor would get frustrated with him
- The doctor would ask my mom to contact him and even gave her his personal email

What, if anything, can I do about this?

Answer:
 You can file a complaint with the California medical board.

http://www.mbc.ca.gov/consumers/complaints/


Title: Custody Help

Question:
My gf’s brother’s broke up with his gf with whom he has a child and shares custody with. She started doing drugs (meth) shortly after they broke up. Not that long ago she was driving with their baby in the backseat in the middle of the night and somehow ended up flipping the car. The baby suffered a few injuries, the biggest one being a buckle fracture in her foot. A few days ago the ex called my gf’s mom and asked if she thought it would be okay to cut the cast off so they could go camping. Obviously she was told no but when the baby was dropped off today, her cast had been removed. Is this enough for her brother to get full custody of their child?
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer:
 GF's brother needs to call CPS now. The end. He then needs to get a lawyer to work on trying to get custody which will not be easy.

> Is this enough for her brother to get full custody of their child?

Nobody can give you a definitive answer. It's complicated and a judge will have their own opinion. Dad needs to look out for his kid which means CPS and a lawyer.


Title: [CA] If police get a call that someone is "suspicious," do they have the right to demand ID of that person?

Question: I've seen quite a few videos where the police say they received a call about a suspicious person and they, by law, must see their ID.

Answer:
 You must identify yourself when stopped and requested to identify by police that are actively investigating a crime or potential crime. The police are suppose to be able to indicate what crime they are investigating in order for their legal request for identification to become a legal obligation for identification, but don't expect to get that in the moment during the stop. They'll have a ready made reasoning similar to "it's a known high crime area and the suspect was acting nervous in the prescence of police" or "we detected the smell of raw marijuana and began an inquiry" that will find its way into the police report and/or court.

Now, you have to identify yourself, but you usually don't have to provide an actual ID, just you name. The exception would be if you were stipped while operating a motor vehicle, when you would be required to provide the driver's license you're legally obligated to be carrying while driving.  Don't give a false name when asked; the cops will find out and lying to the police will get you charged.Answer #2: California is not a "Stop and Identify" state. You have no legal obligation to identify yourself unless you are under arrest.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stop_and_identify_statutes


Title: Car Totalled

Question:
My girlfriend was recently involved in a traffic accident. She was rear ended on the highway. The other driver was found at fault.

Today, someone came to asses the damage and declared her car totalled. That person told her they would pay out ~$12000, however she still owes ~$16000 on the car. We don't have much and she loses her rental car Wednesday. We don't know how we can afford to get her another car while still owing $4000 on the ruined vehicle.

Is there anything that can be done? Or is she just SOL?

Answer: I take it she didn't have GAP insurance? If not, she's SOL. She needs to pay the bank the $4000, and it may be due immediately now too.


Title: Got 'caught' shoplifting, how badly can I be prosecuted?

Question:
I live in Kansas and today I went to WalMart to get some groceries. I saw a $5 DVD up front and put it in my bag. I checked out and went through the doors and the alarm went off.

I played dumb at first then said I forgot to buy something (I know the greeter and she didn't suspect me). I ditched the DVD and bought the thing I forgot.

I'm just over 18 and am scared. I've never done something like this before and never ever will again. I feel horrible and know I will be prosecuted, but I want to know how badly.

Answer:
 Did the police come, and who stopped you and took your info?

Also, stop shoplifting. You're not very good at it.


Title: A guy grabbed my ass in public and I want to do something about it

Question: Yesterday I was at the mall walking to my car when a car drove very close to me behind me and the guy rolled down his window and grabbed my ass and drove away, I have his license plate number what can i do?

Answer: Call the non-emergency line and make a police report.Answer #2: File a police report. Depending on where you are, that's probably sexual assault.Answer #3: Chances are this guy is a repeat offender.  Call non-emergency police line and report it.Answer #4: And... notify the mall security that you will need them to preserve any video they have of the parking lot that day.Answer #5: Call the police.


Title: Niece can’t get drivers license

Question:
Not sure if this is the right sub for this but unsure of where to go.

My niece is 15 going to be 16 in March, she currently is living with a aunt and uncle (not of my relation) her mother is out of the picture (she was removed but rights never terminated) they will not help her get a drivers license (I think they just keep her for the government check) and we have begun to try to help the issue is getting two forms of ID school transcripts are one we plan to use but we can’t figure out how to get a birth certificate or ssn as both require photo is to get. She doesn’t have the, her parent could get it but doesn’t want to “waste her time on doing that”

Answer:
 Whoa whoa whoa slow down. First of all only her legal guardian(s) whoever they are can do what she needs. Plenty of kids don't get the license at 16 anymore (when I was a teenager, it was close to 50% but it's below 25% now). Part of the reason it's it's become so expensive.

So secondly, whoever she lives with will then have to pay for her to have insurance or at least report her to their insurance, which they may not be able to afford. This could cost the aunt and uncle a lot of money.

[Read this](https://www.dmv.org/ne-nebraska/drivers-permits.php) for various restrictions but this is probably not a battle you can participate directly in. I'd also consider posting over at /r/insurance about what the aunt and uncle are facing in terms of the change to their insurance with a 16-year-old living in the house *even if they do not explicitly add her to their policy*.


Title: New York - Received an email from American Airlines subjected "In Preparation for your Upcoming Flight" for a flight they had canceled without informing me

Question:
I recently traveled from NYC, and missed the first leg of my round trip flights. As the title mentions, I received the email and took it for what it was, since my flight was supposed to be just 36 hours later.

The customer service department informed me that missing the flight, regardless of circumstance, is considered a breach of contract. They apologized for me receiving the deceitful email but told me that they could not grant me any compensation. I was told that the email was automatically generated when my reservation was created, and is still sent even if the reservation was canceled.

They are unwilling to acknowledge that the email was misleading, and inadvertently confirmed for me a flight reservation that did not exist. I did not have any heads up or receive any notice that my return trip was canceled, but instead received an email from the airline referencing a nonexistent booking.

Is there anything I can do? Thank you.

Answer:
 Why did you delete and repost?  There's still nothing you can do.

The fact that your return trip would be canceled if you missed your outbound flight is relatively clear in the terms and conditions.  Their email slip up is undoubtedly insufficient to change those terms.


Title: Brother-in-law borrowed $10k from his father 10 years ago and has been paying his father back monthly. Did the math and found out he has overpaid his father by more than 3 times the original loan, but his father has said nothing. Trying to figure out his best option before confronting his father.

Question:
My brother-in-law, let's call him **Jack**, borrowed money from his father, let's call him **Bob**, in 2008 when Jack turned 18. Bob told Jack to make monthly payments to him and he would update him when the loan was paid off, and that the loan would be interest-free. On the way, Jack has occasionally borrowed more money from Bob for small odds and ends on the agreement that Bob would add it to his total owed and update him when he's paid in full. This has all been under-the-table; no contract or loan agreement was ever signed.

Jack and his wife (my sister) were visiting my wife and I recently, and my sister wanted to work with me on coming up with a 5-year financial plan to pay off debts. As we were figuring out Jack's debts we realized that Jack has paid Bob over $30,000 over the last 10 years with monthly cash payments, but he has only borrowed ~$10,000 in that time.

Jack has never been a money person (fortunately, my sister is). That's part of how this happened in the first place, that he needed his dad, Bob, to help him with large purchases. He just assumed Bob would tell him in good faith when his loan was paid off, and borrowing small amounts of extra money every couple years has kept it from being obvious to Jack how much he has overpaid.

We're not very clear on whether this was an honest mistake on Bob's part. It's possible Bob has enough money that Jack's monthly repayments have not really impacted his bottom line, and he simply has forgotten to keep track of any of it. Maybe when Jack confronts him, Bob will go "Oh, that's fair, here's the extra $20,000 back" -- but Bob is a little unpredictable, and has behaved in a somewhat hostile manner to both Jack and my sister in the past.

Unfortunately, all of Jack's payments to Bob have been with cash. The purchases Bob made on Jack's behalf were digital so some record should exist of the total amount he should have owed, but as far as we can tell there's no official record of Jack's monthly payments to Bob. Many others have been aware of Jack & Bob's financial arrangement over the last ten years and could testify to Jack's monthly repayments, but I am still worried that this would come down to a "Bob's word against Jack's" situation.

After talking to Jack, this is a very precarious situation. From Jack's perspective, he would be happy to simply cease making monthly payments to Bob on the belief that his debt is fully repaid; he doesn't want to sue Bob for the extra $20,000 because he doesn't think it is worth the familial strife that would create. But Jack is very worried that if he ceases making payments to Bob, that Bob will pursue him in court and claim he owes $10,000.

**Finally, my question:** Legally, how should we prepare to confront Bob about this? Can Jack do anything to protect himself now? What would be the consequences for pursuing Bob for the $20,000 he overpaid? I'm hopeful he can simply cease making payments to Bob because I think his legal case to reclaim the $20,000 is extremely shaky because the loan was never recorded in writing and all of his payments have been in cash. I'm hopeful the loan not having been recorded means that if Jack simply stops making payments, that Bob won't be able to do anything about it. But if Jack ceases to make payments and Bob becomes hostile toward him for that, Jack may change his mind about suing him.

Thanks very much for your help!

Answer:
 >Bob will pursue him in court and claim he owes $10,000.
>
>What would be the consequences for pursuing Bob for the $20,000 he overpaid?

With no records of payments and no proof of an agreement, this won't go very far in court. If Jack has paid him back in full, he should cease payments.

&#x200B;


Title: (CZ) Bought a used Nintendo Switch for Christmass, got box full of junk, I have a feeling some random dude impersonated the delivery guy...

Question:
[CZ]

So i ordered this console, the delivery company called me they have a package for me, and if iam home and what is my adress, they stated they lost the adress.

Okay, that can happen i gave it to them and they arrived. The delivery guy went straight in to the building, so did not see his truck.

He had everything, the package, the book where you signed all that.

However, when he called me, i asked if he knows what it is, he said it looks like a console (how did he knew? There was no writing on the box, no store name, nothing).

So i bring it home, open it, and bam, box is full of old newspapers and tissues....so i checked the box to see the adress of the guy that sent to me, there was nothing, only my name and adress...

So i went to the police, telling them what happened, but they said the probability of they catching him is low...

So i lost 240 usd and a gift for Christmass.

What else can i do, if there is something. Im really sad and angry, and i dont know what to tell my young cousin we wont get it, cause i promised it to him...

Thanks.

Answer:
 Dispute it with your bank and chargeback if you paid with your cardAnswer #2: Never pay cash unless your meeting with the person selling it.

You also check the item while the guy is there.

If he says he'll deliver it. Don't let him. Answer #3: Where did you order it from that they'll let you pay cash on delivery?


Title: Keep getting the runaround regarding returned evidence

Question: First a little background. From PA here. Got charged with an M1 (18 § 6106 §§ A2, Firearm Not To Be Carried W/O License-No Crim Viol). I have called the police district multiple times and can't get a clear answer on how I go about having my handgun returned. I am on probation (I know I can't possess a firearm...) however, I would like to get it released to my father. I want it sold so that I can use the money towards the court costs. I don't have the cash at the moment to hire a lawyer. What would be my best course of action?

Answer:
 Have you already been sentenced for this crime?

If the case is still open, then the gun is still needed as evidence against you and won't be released.


Title: (CAN) Accusation of drug use on the Job

Question: So a co-worker and I are "beefing" he's decided to throw a low blow and accuse me of using illegal drugs at work on company property. Even if the actions are true does he have any grounds to accuse me of doing this to management? He has no definitive proof. His "witness" is his best friend who wasn't supposed to be on company property to begin with. Everything is hear say. Is there anything I can do with regards of slander and harassment? Thanks a lot!

Answer:
 > Is there anything I can do with regards of slander and harassment?

Well, have you been using illegal drugs at work?


Title: Can I move out of state with kids?

Question:
My husband was arrested 2 nights ago after strangling me in front of our kids (6/7) I’m also 3 months pregnant. He saw the judge today, he has been charged with 3 counts, 1 a felony. He has a no contact order with myself and our kids. We have lived in Wisconsin for 1 year, and I want to move back to my family in Oregon. That’s where we lived before moving here. I’m not sure how much longer he’ll be in jail for, he has 2 more hearings. Am I allowed to move with my kids out of state?
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer: unless you have a custody order telling you otherwise, you can take your kids anywhere in the country with you


Title: Ohio: Gas company took down neighbor's 90-year-old elm tree. Is she totally hosed?

Question:
So our neighbor had a gorgeous elm tree in her front yard. When the houses along that street were built, mainly in the 1920s, the street was lined with elms, most of which sadly fell prey to Dutch elm disease and were replaced with oaks. Hers was one of the two remaining elms.

A gas line apparently ran close by it, and it sprang a leak which was not large enough to pose a safety threat, but large enough to damage the elm. When the gas company finally got around to checking on it, the elm was basically dead. So they approached the owner, our neighbor, and told her that they didn't know whether the gas leak killed the elm or not, but they'd remove it at their own expense, fix the line, and pay to have a sapling or two planted. (She would buy the sapling; they'd pay the cost of the planting.) Rather than consult an attorney, she consented to this plan.

The elm is gone; the sapling is planted. Other than being dead (likely from the gas leak), the elm was perfectly healthy; no rot, no disease. My non-lawyer understanding is that at this point, our neighbor has no hope of recovering any damages, but given the age and type of tree that she lost, I thought it might be worth checking.
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 Tree was in the front yard close to the street? Probably on the easement and therefore the municipality can do with it whatever they feel they need to.

Two months after I bought my first house I came home to the two trees between the sidewalk and the street turned to mulch. They were starting to interfere with the water lines.


Title: My dog bit someone, but it's not really my dog anymore..

Question:
Texas, I was told to post here to be sure. I adopted a dog and he was great. The first day I had him he did growl at me when I tried to check his stitches after neutering and he kept chasing my cats so I was worried about him attacking me or them. I contacted the pound and they gave me some tips which seemed to work and he started letting me check his stitches, giving him tummy rubs, grooming him etc. but he did keep chasing my cats. He started making their lives unbearable and we had to make the decision to either return him to the pound or find him a new home. He was already due to be euthanized when we picked him up so I opted to find him a new home.

This girl responded to an ad I posted and she said she just fell in love with him. She kept being flaky whenever it came to picking him up but she eventually turned up. The dog barked at her when she got here and was very protective of me but he eventually loosened up and gave her kisses and let her put his leash on him. She said she would have to bring the rehoming fee (I wouldn't put a dog up for free in case it's taken as a bait dog for fighting, and even the pound told me to put up a rehoming fee). She was due to come back in 4 days to give me the rehoming fee and I'd give her the paperwork/all his microchip info.

She said the dog was doing great and sent me photos. Then a couple of days after she took him she started complaining about him peeing in her house. I said I'd never had an issue with him peeing inside and gave her some suggestions. We then didn't hear from her for a couple of days. When we were out of town she texted saying she was getting rid of him because he'd bitten her. She said she was taking him to a place out in the countryside that would be great for him as they were a rescue place. I was very upset and angry at her too because it sounded like she had just got fed up of the dog peeing and was making an excuse, and we weren't around to do anything about it. She said if he couldn't go there then she'd find him a home and she wouldn't allow him to go back to the pound so I shouldn't worry.

Fast forward another 4 days and animal control turns up at my house. The officer tells me she has my dog and that he bit someone. She tells me this girl (same person) had FOUND my dog a COUPLE OF DAYS AGO and he had bitten her. She'd tried to get him in to this rescue but they had declined so she had called animal control (the pound!). I told the officer exactly what happened and she said it was completely different from her story. I showed her text messaged and emails as proof and this officer was just as pissed off as I was (I was blubbering out on the driveway with all of the neighbors watching, it was horrible). The officer said she had all she needed and that she was on our side (the girl had also given a different phone number to what I had which also didn't help her case) but now I'm just concerned. Is there any way this can come back and I can be held accountable? I have proof of her agreeing to buy the dog, proof of her coming to get the dog, proof of the dog being in her apartment and sleeping with her dog over a week ago, and proof that she was due to bring a rehoming fee and that the dog was technically now hers. I'm really upset about the dog, if I find out he has to be put down because of this I don't know how I will live with myself. I know he was going to be put down if I didn't adopt him anyway, but I clearly made a bad judgement with this girl. She just kept saying how it was "meant to be" and how she could "see it in his eyes that he was the right dog for her" so I really thought he was going to the right place.

tl;dr I adopted a dog, it didn't work out. Someone adopted the dog from me, she says it bit her, she had animal control pick it up and she pretended she had FOUND the dog two days ago when she'd actually come and collected it from me almost two weeks ago and I have proof. Could I still be held accountable?

Answer: I'm not a lawyer, but it sounds like your in the clear. although, in the future, I would suggest fostering a dog before you buy one, so you know it will get along with your other pets.


Title: [Michigan] Got into a car, other party left

Question:
So I got into a accident on my way to school today. It was mostly minor damage. Me and the other party exchanged information and I was ready to call the police to get a report. The other party said they had to get to work and left.  I parked in the parking lot next to where the accident happened and called the police. They told me to come down to the station. Went to the station and they I would not be able to file a report without the other person.

I'm pretty sure the other person was uninsured and also high (saw a vape and smelled like weed when she got out) when driving. That's why they left when I mentioned the police. I sent a text to the person letting them know I want to meet at the station to file a report.
How should I percede?

Answer: Go to the station and file a report. You don't need the other person.


Title: Neighbor parks in my spot so then I have to park directly in front of my mailbox

Question: My neighbor repeatedly parks in my spot in front of my house. I’m not sure what to do anymore because I’ve asked so many times for them not to park there and yet, they still park in my spot. I have to ask them at least 3-4 times a week if they can move their car so that I can get my mail. It’s so annoying because my mom had a stroke a few months back and VA sends her meds through mail and there’s been times it couldn’t be delivered because of these jerks.  I just came home from my sister’s game and guess what? They’re parked in my spot. Can I do anything at all? I’m located in Georgia.

Answer: Is it a spot deeded to you, or do you just consider it your spot? If it is the former, you can have the vehicle towed. If it's the latter, deal with it.


Title: Otterbox is threatening to sue me for selling counterfeit phone cases on eBay

Question:
I knowingly sold counterfeit phone cases at a low price on eBay, and they are threatening to sue me, or resolve this problem through a settlement of $4500. I started this small business to put myself through college, while working a part-time job in a restaurant. Is there any way of getting out of this, or do I just have to suck it up and pay the settlement?

edit: I live in California

Answer:
 You knowingly broke the law and violated someone's copyright/trademark. There is no magic here.

You can pay or wait and see if they sue you which will cost more.


Title: [USA, MI] is it a legal requirement to have the correct make/model on the back of a vehicle?

Question: Could i hypothetically put a Chevy logo on a mustang or could i get a ticket for trying to mislead cops (even if this isn't my actual intention)?

Answer:
 I'm about 99% sure that this isn't illegal, even in Michigan.

Might be a good way to get shot driving around Flint, but other than that you should be fine.Answer #2: You wouldn't be misleading the police. If you're pulled over, your registration will have the correct info on it.

It would look pretty stupid though.


Title: Could I get into legal problems for writing webscraping software for a company?

Question:
I have a company who wants me to write some software to scrape data from a website who has terms prohibiting it, the company has said they'd take full responsibility for it if the website pursues legal action against them.

But, if I wrote the scraping software in the first place and sold it to them, does that make me liable to legal issues? Even when this company has said they'd take responsibility?

Answer:
 NAL, not legal advice, etc...

"We'll totally take responsibility" will probably last right up until a nastygram from a lawyer shows up, then you can expect to be hung out to dry if at all legally possible.

Answer #2: As a software developer if I was asked to scrape a site that was clearly asking not to be scraped I'd politely refuse the project.

If you wanted to be unethical about it but still cover your ass you have the client provide you with an offline "template" or "example" that was to be scraped, develop your software based on that, and then provide your software with a configuration that allows the client to enter the root URL that is to be scraped. That would technically separate you from whatever site is being scraped since you only developed against a template provided by the client.

Even with all that it doesn't mean they wont get sued and try to throw you under the bus.Answer #3: Lol of course you can. You know it's against the TOS, and the minute any claim comes in about the software your company will claim ignorance and insist you told them it was legal.


Title: [GA, USA] Leaving child with my parents while traveling internationally

Question:
My wife and I will be traveling internationally for just over a week. We will be leaving our child with my parents during this time. Is there a document that I need to have signed/notarized that gives them full medical control while we are away? I may be overthinking this, but wanted to make sure we have all of our bases covered.

Thanks!

Answer:
 In the past, my wife and I have filled out an Medical Treatment Authorization Form. Here's an example of one: https://e4k.berkeley.edu/medicaltreatment.pdf

You should also have it notarized.


Title: Can there be implications to adding an accent mark to my last name (when it's not listed on my birth certificate)?

Question: I have an odd last name with an wonky pronunciation.  I feel that adding an accent mark to one of the letters would make fewer people struggle with it.  Could I run into issues if I begin writing it with an accent mark?

Answer:
 In the US, you can technically use any name you want as long as you don't do it for purposes of fraud.

For example, a Michael may start accounts under, or sign as Mike in normal practice without any legal complications. The key is that when a "legal name" is requested, you should provide the exact spelling as represented on your Birth Certificate and Social Security cards; although I highly doubt adding a cedilla or acute accent mark will throw any flags in this situations since birth certificates in the US will not have diacritics at all.


Title: Partner opened up competing business next door.

Question: I am the owner of my upholstery business starting 7 years ago in Ontario, Canada.  I hired my friend to work with me (didnt include a non-compete clause) who had zero experience, and taught him everything I know.  He worked with me the last 5 years and even convinced me to hire his 3 sons who I also taught everything.  He decided to specialize in carpentry and I focused on the design and upholstery aspects.  We started getting so busy that we couldnt keep up, and he talked me into co-signing on the emtpy business next door to us so that he could do the carpentry there, and I would do the upholstery here.  Within a month, him and his sons are doing upholstery and even created his own business name and sign out front that says "upholstery".  He is literally the door right next to mine in a business plaza . He knows all of my contracts (we do restaurants, hotels, gyms, as well as residential work) and I'm certain he's contacting the business owners and undercutting my prices to try to get them to leave me and sign with him.  Without a non-compete clause, is there anything I can do considering I have cosigned on the lease for his business?

Answer: Employees owe a certain certain duty of loyalty to their employers in common law, particularly if they are key employees. The law in that area is complex enough that you should consult a lawyer.