Title: I caused an apartment fire -- Colorado -- Asbestos -- Contraband in apartment -- I have several questions

Question:
First of all I just want to say I'm only looking for serious responses from people who know what they are talking about. Please don't lecture me or tell me I'm stupid or make jokes about this, i already feel horrible enough about it.

So I was boiling down some solvent on my stove to make hash and it caught fire and almost instantly the kitchen was engulfed. Got my arm and face pretty bad 2nd degree burns. Thought it was fine to do since there was no open flame but that is neither here nor there. It happened so fast I didn't have time to grab anything. I ran outside and didn't even have shoes.

Neighbors called fire dept. Response was quick. Paramedics took me to the ER for burns so I didn't see what happened after I left. Fire investigator came to visit me a few hours later. I told the fire investigator what I was doing and he said that the DA could charge me with arson, but thanked me for being honest about what I was doing and he would relay my sincerity and regret to the DA. My lawyer said it is unlikely I will be charged because it was not intentional. The police never came to speak with me.

The building manager changed the locks and is not letting anyone into their units until they get the results back from air quality testing. The results came back positive for asbestos yesterday. There are currently 8 units displaced. The manager said it could be at least 2 months before the units will be cleared for entry.

I DO have renters insurance. 100k coverage. The insurance people have been very helpful and put me up in a hotel for a couple of months. I'm pretty sure there is more than 100k in damage though. With 8 units displaced, am I also liable for their damages/relocation costs as well? What happens if the damages exceed my liability coverage? If I get sued, should I file for bankruptcy? Is there anything else I can do to protect myself?

The building manager said they can't let me into my unit to recover my stuff because of the asbestos. My insurance company said they could send someone out with a hazmat suit to go in and recover my essential personal items like contact lenses and cell phones, but the apartment manager is being uncooperative and not returning my phone calls when i try to schedule a time for him to let the guy in the apartment.  This also means the insurance people can't go in there and inventory everything until the asbestos is "abated". This brings up 2 concerns. First, I have about $6000 in cash stashed in various places around the apartment which I really need to recover. I don't trust the contractors because a lot of it is just sitting in my desk drawer and would be very easy for someone to steal.

I'm also concerned because I have some illegal drugs in my unit as well. They are contained within a box. Will the contractors OR the insurance people open the box? If they do open it, and see the drugs, will they call the police? Is it likely that the police will conduct their own investigation and search the apartment? If I have the insurance guy with the hazmat suit go in and grab the box, can I tell him to not open it?

Is there any way that I can legally force the apartment manager to let me into my unit and get that stuff out of there? I have considered just kicking down the door and running in and grabbing it myself. If I were to do this, could I get charged with breaking and entering even though its my apartment? The fire inspector told me the apartment was still technically mine I am within my rights to go in there and recover my stuff at my discretion.

A couple of last questions...

What happens with my lease? Do I still have to pay rent? Do I have to pay the $1700 lease termination fee? What about after the damages are fixed,  do I move back into my unit? It could be several months. How will this effect future rental applications?

OK so if you read all of that and can answer my questions or give me advice, i really appreciate it thank you!

Answer:
 Oh wow, this is a big deal.

First of all, home manufacturing of hash oil is still illegal in Colorado. In fact, it's a felony and can result in serious prison time.

Secondly, there's a very good chance that once your insurance company determines that this all happened due to your criminal activity, they are going to refuse to cover anything further and sue you for anything they've paid out thus far. This all depends on your policy language, of course, but it's extremely likely that they won't cover you if this resulted from criminal activity.

As far as your neighbors, yes you may be on the hook for their expenses and damages.

As far as your apartment, no you should not kick down the door and go in there. If it's sealed off and you're not allowed to enter, then that's that for now.

As far as your lease, yes you *might* still be on the hook for that too. It all depends on the language in your lease and how the legal situation plays out with regards to your illegal activity.

Dude, seriously, get off reddit and go talk to your lawyer.Answer #2: It seems like you want everybody else to obey the law and play by the rules except yourself.Answer #3: > My lawyer

This is the *only guy* you should be talking to or taking advice from. Possibly your insurance co, but I would leave those conversations to your lawyer as well. Answer #4: Yeah, I'm not going to dig all the way into this. However, I will say this: I wouldn't be so sure that your renter's insurance is going to cover this. You almost burned down the house in the production of an illicit substance.


Title: Our accountant helped my parents file for a chapter 7 bankruptcy. I was a cosigner, and now I have a delinquency on my credit.

Question:
So this is in California. My parents knew nothing about how bankruptcy works, nor why it works. They still don't, and neither do I. My only advice to them was to go to an attorney, but the accountant assured them that it wasn't necessary. He even pointed out that it would be cheaper if they file with him.

He advised that their credit was irreparable due to some credit steeling fraud. They never got a police report and just filed bankruptcy because they couldn't pay off the 20k debt that want theirs.

So to the part where it affected me, I helped them take out a loan, a little over a year ago. It was for about 2k... Small loan. My parents told the accountant that I was the cosigner for that loan and they  wanted to make sure it wouldn't affect my credit.
He told them not to worry and that the loan would just disappear. "No one will have to pay anything back, and his credit won't be affected."

So.... Now I have a slightly high credit utilization, but I got turned down on a car loan because of one delinquent account.... And it's that one.

We haven't spoken to our accountant yet, but still unsure of what to do.

Answer:
 > My parents told the accountant that I was the cosigner for that loan and they wanted to make sure it wouldn't affect my credit.

Those things are mutually exclusive.

> but still unsure of what to do.

You pay off this loan you took out or deal with the consequences. (credit damage, lawsuit, garnishment, levy). If you cosigned it's 100% your debt. It doesn't matter what this accountant allegedly said.


Title: [VT] Rental lease states we can have two dogs, so we got a second dog, but we didn't pre-approve the dog

Question:
Lease wording: "No more than two dogs and two cats are allowed at this property." Nothing about the dogs needing to be pre-approved. That's the only sentence about it in the lease.

House is fairly rural. Not an apartment. Yearly lease.

When we signed the lease, we had two dogs. Landlord didn't care what kind of dogs they were or anything like that as long as they weren't pit bulls. One of our dogs sadly passed before we moved. A couple of weeks before moving day, my parents gave us another dog (a little corgi, not a restricted breed).

I personally don't even think the landlords will care, or even notice the dog - they're not around often and he is very quiet and well-behaved. But my wife is worried they'll be upset that we didn't ask permission and will kick us out. I don't think they would be able to do that, or would even want to, it doesn't seem like that big a deal to me. Initially she didn't want to ask or tell them about it, now she wants to ask, but it's a little too late for that. I would've rather sent a text saying "hey, we were given a second dog after ours passed away, he's just a little guy - is this cool?" But what do you do now?

What do you think? And SHOULD we let them know, just out of courtesy?

Answer: I think you're fine. The lease says you can have two dogs- and you have two dogs. The lease doesn't say anything about the dogs being approved.Answer #2: I am of the opinion "better to ask forgiveness than permission." Asking doesn't benefit you in any way, since the dog is already there. Plus, you are not violating the lease, so if they chose of evict you it would be illegal. Next time you see that landlord just show off your cute dog and don't worry about it.


Title: [CA] Car dealer wants us to sign a new contract stating they made a mistake on APR

Question:
Long story short, we get a call about 10 days after purchasing a car from the dealer stating they made a mistake on the APR and want us to sign a new contract with the corrected rate. We we were quoted one rate with the payment terms we wanted and signed a contract with these terms.

This seems fishy and wondered if this is legal? The rate change is minimal, but it is an increase in payment that we'd just assume the dealer eats, not us since we weren't the ones who screwed up here.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Answer:
 Your google term is “spot delivery.”Answer #2: Yes, this link outlines your rights, and what to do to protect yourself.

http://www.lemonlaw.com/spotdelivery.htmlAnswer #3: My dealer did something like this after a week or two. "Oh, ok, nah, not interested. I'll drop it off and give you the keys tomorrow!" They gave up, and ended up actually going down in price to finance.


Title: Pot federally illegal in CA

Question:
So if you don't know already, marijuana is state legal in california, which means they cant arrest you unless you have over an ounce.

I just read an article about the feds busting down doors in sacramento looking for drugs and made over like 100 arrests (this was recent).

If the feds ended up busting down my door if I was growing a single plant, how fucked would I be? Would I go to jail? If so, how long?

---------

Edit: What if I had a med card? Would that change anything?

Answer: You don't go to jail. You go to federal prison.


Title: Job threathing me to bring back cc

Question: I just got off the road driving 15 hrs and accidenly left it in my pocket they are threatong police and harassing.

Answer:
 You sure have a lot of problems with this job, and your last one.

If you took a credit card that didn't belong to you, you need to make arrangements to return it ASAP.


Title: Can I pull up campaign signs.

Question: I live in michigan. I remember when I was younger around election time someone put a huge election sign in our front yard. It blocked the school buses veiw of me and I had to stand uncomfortably close to the road. I asked my dad to remove I and he said it was illegal to remove those signs people put in your yard. Is this true? If someone puts a sign in my yard can I take it down?

Answer: You can remove them from your own property but not someone else's, including city property


Title: Confused, frustrated, and scared. My Social Security number appears to be linked to a different person... [CA]

Question:
Not sure if this is the right place for this, because I have no idea what is even wrong. Identity theft? Human Error? I have no clue.

I am relatively young and hence, until recently, I haven't had to use my SSN for much.

However, I have done a few things recently with it and for some unknown reason there are always issues.

I just applied for a credit card, and according to the issuing company (Discover), pulls on all 3 bureaus returned a name that was different from mine. I sent them proof and they changed that on my file (at least ostensibly) and I was able to get the card. But then I tried to pull my credit reports and it was unable to verify me again.

But then, I just got a position where I had to do a background check... and the same issue. I get an email from the organization saying there was a discrepancy with my name and SSN.

And this happens with other services as well. I tried to purchase something that needed age verification and requested the last 4 of my SSN as one of the verifying factors, and again, it returns an error.

I am not even sure where to begin to hunt this down or how to. Is it possibly linked to identity theft? Did someone at a government office fuck up? Did someone at a private company fuck up? I don't even know who to call about this.

Topic:
Background Checks and Expungements

Answer:
 Start with the Social Security office itself. Are you still in possession of your physical Social Security card? Make sure SocSec's database is correct first and foremost.Answer #2: (1) Double check that you're using the correct SSN.
(2) If you are, then it probably is an identity theft situation.  See  https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/jun/22/14-million-illegals-working-stolen-social-security/


Title: Just got a weird call from federal law enforcement...

Question: So I got a call from federal law enforcement saying there had been a formal complaint against me and to call some number so an agent could speak to me. I haven't done anything wrong and I'm wondering if it's a scam.

Answer:
 It's a scam.

If you call they'll launch into some bullshit about a "complaint" and a "crime" and how you can make it all go away by mailing iTunes gift cards to Nigeria.Answer #2: The feds generally don't call suspects in advance to warn them they're being investigated. They show up in person, or if the matter is minor by mail.Answer #3: If the FBI wants to talk to you, rest assured they will come find you. Answer #4: The best part of this is when you realize that half the time these scams come from the wrong government agencies for the topics at hand (Ex: we've been getting contacted lately via phone by "The Department of Treasury" in regards to tax evasion.)Answer #5: Scam don't call.


Title: I think I may need a restraining order, but I'm scared. Any advice would be helpful. NY - USA

Question:
A month and a half ago, someone I was friends with for over 15 years threatened to slit my throat because they were drunk and I wouldn't buy them another beer. I had them arrested. After the were arrested (and I had unfriended all 6 of their fb profiles..) they started posting public stuff about murdering someone. like as soon as they got out of jail, but never used my name. Today when I woke up I saw where they had tried to join a fb group that I'm an admin of.. which means they're stalking me.

I would like to get a restraining order, but they don't know my home address. Isn't your address posted on the order? So would getting one just give them more info about me?
Topic:
Douche

Answer:
 First off, it's a leap to go from trying to join a fb group and "hich means they're stalking me." What was the outcome of them getting arrested? What were they charged with? If you are scared bring what you have to the police and explain the situation.

Eta: totally missed the last line and the question.  My apologies, I don't know the answer.


Title: Sat in Urine w/ an Infant on an American Airlines Flight

Question: Flew on AA369 on 12/27 Nashville-Dallas. I had my 11-month-old daughter in my lap. While boarding, I sat down in my seat and it was soaked. My pants got completely wet and it smelt horrible. I immediately told the attendants and had to wait with my child in the aisle for them to switch the cushion. This delayed the plane 35 mins. After takeoff, I realized the back of the seat was still soaked with urine even after they switched it. I informed the flight attendants again and one male attendant told me that the seat had “piss,” (in his words) on it. They soon accommodated us with some food and a drink. They told us that there would be an American Airlines rep when we landed. When I landed, there was no one there. I have continued to contact them and they are now offering me a $75 voucher. To me I feel that this is an admission of guilt. Should I seek an attorney?

Answer:
 An attorney to achieve what goal?

Also, American Airlines did the exact same thing to me a few years back, but with vomit. I'm with you! Answer #2: The fact that you had your child with you is irrelevant. I personally would want more than a $75 voucher (although I would accept a check) but I very much doubt that a lawyer would be in any way interested in this. In your place, I'd continue to negotiate.Answer #3: You've got a customer service issue, not a legal one. It's a negotiation. Answer #4: It's a settlement offer, not an admission of guilt. Unless you ruined your 3000 dollar Gucci jeans on those seats, I have a feeling your tangible losses are much less than $75, so I'd take the voucher.

The voucher is so you won't go to the media, not because they're afraid of being sued. It's up to you whether you want to take it and shut up, but all you'll get from going public with your story is a feeling of "beating American Airlines" and less money.

Alternatively, you can ask for more money and escalate the case higher in the American airlines food chain. This is probably your best option if you're ok with wasting hours to potentially get a hundred more dollars.


Title: Copyrighting my photo after it's been memed

Question:
Location:
Chicago, Illinois, USA
and Cyberspace

Context:
Back in 2011/2012 I had a photography portfolio on Tumblr. One of my portraits exploded and I became a meme. I had no problem with it, the memes were pretty funny. I also understood that the internet is forever. People like to steal photos etc. but it was okay with me at the time and even now for the most part.

The meme died down, but it's now 2017 and it's starting to make rounds.

I still own the photo's original RAW file.

Problem:
A friend tagged me on an IG post of my portrait from a meme account. This account has 40k followers (owner resides in NY). He claims his content is "original" or reposted. In my portrait's case, it's his "original" meme. His IG watermark is on my portrait.

His large following due to the memes he posts has allowed him to open up an online store to sell his own merch.

From my understanding/logic, he is not selling my photo or making a direct profit from it. But I see it as him using my photo as advertisement/content to rack in potential business opportunities.

Failed solution:
I asked him nicely to take my photo down. He gave me a lot of attitude and seemed apprehensive about it, but agreed to take it down. I checked his IG shortly after and the post wasn't there. A few hours later, I find out he has blocked my account and my photo was back as if it was never gone.

I have done a bit of research and have printed out a copyright form for my photo. I essentially want to be able to use my copyright for any future issues, and possibly this current issue with the rude IG account.

I am not trying to remove my photo off the internet. That's an impossible task and it's everywhere. What I do want to do is have some leverage if I see my photo memed in a way that defames me or is portrayed in an inappropriate manner.

Answer:
 Copyright in the US is automatic at the time of creation or publishing. You get some extra benefits from registering (like more $$ when you sue), that's all.

You're free to DMCA his butt off the internet at any moment.

Oh, and those extra $$ in damages? Not available to you anyway, as the infringement happened before you registered.

Answer #2: Just to be clear - is this a self portrait? Or did someone else take the photo? Technically speaking, the subject of the photo isn't the one with the rights to the photo - it's the photographer.


Title: Business Partner pulls out before launch, can I start business without him?

Question:
So a friend and co-worker of mine came to a couple of us with this rough idea for a business about a year or two ago and since then we’ve been working slowly on shaping the idea and molding it into what we want it to be. The past month or so things have gotten pretty serious and we are in the process of lining up our initial launch capital. I noticed that the closer we got to it being a real thing the less he seemed to respond to messages, and then this morning I got a text from him basically saying that because of stuff going on in his life (don’t want to put his personal life out there, but I do believe him) he can’t go through with it right now but maybe once he gets that figured out we can look back into it.

The issue is, that I still want to do this. I have an investor lined up for part of the capital and have an appointment with my local Small Business Development Center to help get started. Yeah, it was his original idea, but we helped shape and finalize it over the past couple years… Would he have any grounds to come after me/the business for stealing his idea / Intellectual Property?

Answer: You should speak to an actual lawyer.


Title: Landlord making us pay for neighbours gas and electric without telling us. What should I do? Please help.

Question:
I live in a student house with 3 other people in England. It's a 3 storey house but the basement is rented to 2 other people completely separate from us. They have their own front door and everything so they are not at all a part of our contract.

We are currently in the second year of living in the house, but only at the beginning of the second year did we realise that something was wrong with our electric and gas bills (we use Glide for our utilities by the way). We apparently used twice as much electric as we were estimated by Glide, and a lot more gas than usual to. We aren't heavy electric or gas users either.

Our gas meter is around the back of the house (by the basements front door) and our electric meter is actually in the basement so we can't check it ourselves. When we asked our landlord (I should point out that they are a student letting company) to double check our meters and everything, they took ages to respond and then gave us the same readings. At the end of the first year the people downstairs moved out, and we realised that there was a cleaning crew down there. So we went round and asked to look around. We could only find one meter (our meter), meaning that we share a meter with downstairs. And only recently did we discover that we also share the gas meter.

The other day we decided to knock on the basements door and ask to check our meter again. This is when they told us that they have their bills included (meaning their utilities bills are part of their rent). This means that our landlord is basically ripping us off by making us pay for our neighbours electric and gas and not telling us.

Please help. What should we be doing? We are also worried that they are going to install new meters and try and cover up that we were paying for our basements gas and electric for over a year. What can we do about it?
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer: You might get better advice on /r/LegalAdviceUK. I wasn't able to find anything about laws regarding utilities on a cursory Google search, but there may be more local bylaws for your area as well as normal guidelines.


Title: Hospitalisation abroad ?

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Does he have travelers insurance or trip insurance? That's the more common insurance to cover these types of cases than national insurance policies. If he bought his plane tickets with a premium credit card or airline miles card; it may have emergency medical insurance as covered benefit from the credit card.


Title: Person has car on my property. Refuses to pick up

Question: Hello Reddit. Pennsylvania here. Basically a friend of mine was in the middle of moving out of his parents and had access to a trailer on a particular day and asked if he could store it at my place for 2 weeks max until he found a place. Well he found one about a week later and has been moved in completely for a few weeks now. The car has been here about a month. Can I make him pay a storage fee until he picks it up? I don't want to tow it or anything because I'm not trying to make it expensive for him. Just an incentive to get him to move it. Thanks.

Answer:
 Here's the law - it's abandoned after 24 hours:

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/LI/CT/HTM/75/00.001.002.000..HTM

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/LI/consCheck.cfm?txtType=HTM&ttl=75&div=0&chpt=73

It's long so I'm not going to do your homework.

I would tell your buddy something like "Hey, I know you just moved, but you need to come get your car.  I am having some work done and it's in the way.  If I have to move it then it's going on the street and it may get towed.  Sorry man."Answer #2: If it has been on your property for more than 24 hours the police can remove it at no charge. I respond to these calls all the time. You will fill out a Penndot form mv-952pp stating it's been there and the nearest available salvor will come and get it.  Give him a set deadline to remove or it will be towed. Preferably notify him in a form of writing such as certified letter and keep the receipts and a copy of the letter.Answer #3: What kind of relationship do you have with guy?? Are you really that anti social that you can't just call him and ask him


Title: (x-post from r/personalfinance cus Im not sure which sub I should post this in...) I got a workstudy job on my campus this semester. Submitted paper work and everything. Worked there the entire semester, never got a paycheck.

Question:
When I inquired why (multiple times), I was told the paper work was processed later and I should be in the system soon. Even long after all my paper work and the hours that I was tracking were turned in I still have received nothing. Can't even log onto our time card system. What should I do?

edit. Im in the midwest, USA

Answer: Go to student employment in person and don't work a whole semester without paychecks coming in.  Escalate to supervisors and explain the magnitude of the problem to date.


Title: If someone said about me "he probably made that up too" - could I sue them for slander for calling me a liar or is the wording too vague? The person who made this statement is in Oregon and it was on Twitter. They removed the tweet in a short time.

Answer: No.


Title: Counterfeited Check Scam - Lost $2500

Question:
Dear Legaladvice,

I know, I know.. I did my research on this forum, and I have made a stupid mistake. I was naive, stupid, and desperate for money. I fell for one of those Craigslist check scams and lost $2500. I now am wondering if there are possibly any next steps I can take.

I am a broke college student who was desperately looking for a job. I got hired as a "personal assistant" to an art dealer. She told me she works over seas and asked that I just would process payments, receive and send shipments of artworks for her. She said she would pay me $400 weekly for the position.

I gladly took the job. I am a full-time student who is overloading, so there hadn't been that many places that could possibly hire me. I had applied to hundreds of position around the neighborhood, but I just could not find a position that can fit my schedule. I really needed the money, and her saying that I would be able to do this in my free time really made the job attractive.

* Tuesday - she sent me a check of $2985.35. My task was to deposit the check, and send it to the auction company.

* Wednesday - I wire transferred $2500 to the "auction company", and kept the rest. I did not even know there was these kinds of scams, and I just thought (like many others who fell for the scam) once the money showed up on my account, I was good to go.

* Friday - Of course, the check ended up being a counterfeited check and now I am in loss of $2500. I filed the police report and called the bank right away, but they both have told me there is nothing they can do to help me. I also did file a claim online IC3 and FTC, but I am sure they cannot be much help either, as they must receive thousands of claims like these online. There isn't anything that my parents can do to help me as they're just scraping by too, and I know for a fact that my mom doesn't even have $1000 in her checking account. I was already struggling to pay off $2500 of credit card bills that I had, so now with the doubled the amount of debt I feel completely at lost.

Now here is my question, is there anything I can possibly do? I know the office number, cell phone number and account number of the scammer. I feel like the phone numbers may not be as helpful. But, given the fact that I have the account number of the person who has an account in the same bank that I do, I honestly feel like there MUST be something that I can do. Is there someone that I can talk to who can freeze the person's account (the bank refused to do it even when I told them they were the one who scammed me)? Should I hire a lawyer or go to another government agency?

I don't know the life just seemed a bit unfair. Last night, I was again applying for a job and then I found a posting for exotic dancer. I was seriously considering it, because I do not even have the money to pay for my rent for next month. Looking at the posting I got really upset, I know what I did was stupid and naive, but I wasn't the one who did the bad thing, right? Shouldn't the bad people in the world be punished? Why isn't there anyone who can help me with the situation?

I was also trying to find more information online and googled her phone number, and found comments on couple websites saying that people experienced the same thing as I did. She clearly is going around tricking multiple people this way and this makes me really mad. Please let me know if there is anything I can possibly do with this situation.

Answer:
 Those numbers probably are not legit numbers. It is easy to set up fake numbers. If the account number is real, it is of someone involved in a scam. Romance scams are usually good.

The money is gone. See if you can set up weekly payments. You may have to leave school for one or two semesters to focus on working.

I think it is scam baiters where you can report an account used in a scam but it won't be a legal process. The person is probably someone involved in a scam too.

Also, this is an old scam. It is older than you have been alive. It is at least in the 90s if not earlier. You are not the first and won't be the last.


Title: Mechanic shop burned down with my car in it

Question:
A few months back I got into an accident. Well flash forward to now and the car is just about finished with repairs it’s just getting finishing work done on it.
Well long story short the shop which was working on my car burned down with my car in it. I have absolutely no idea what to do as I needed the car to head back to college next week. Any advice would help big time.
Topic:
Insurance

Answer: What did your insurance agent say when you called and asked?


Title: CA commonlaw marriage, spilt, domestic violence

Question:
Long story short: My mother has been living and actively dating with the same guy for 12 years or so. Last night, he beat her pretty bad, she moved out on the spot, and he was arrested.
 Trying to figure out what her options are at this point as she hasn't worked in 15 years, has no car, and now no source of income. Is it feasible she could sue for alimony (assuming this guy isn't in jail for years) or some sort of restitution? Any advice for free legal representation for battered women would also be useful.

   As a family we can house her easily enough but long term is questionable. If it matters my mother is in her 50s so not quite able to draw social security not that she would get much as she hasn't worked a whole lot. Posting from mobile sorr for formatting errors, feel free to pm or comment just trying to figure it all out as she has no resources to do so.

   Will check for reaponses tonight after work (4 hours or so from now) thank you anyone who can suggest anything to do or research!

Answer:
 There is no common-law marriage in California.  [Link.](http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/california-marriage-laws-32188.html)

"Palimony" is a longshot.  They would have had to have agreed on finances at some point.  [Link.](http://www.lectlaw.com/files/fam14.htm)

[Hotlines document link.](http://www.fullerton.edu/universityblues/dating_violence/docs/DVCA%20Hotline%20List.pdf)


Title: Customer gave us 100 items to sell. Bank says we can't sell them

Question:
I own a used auto parts company.  We have customers who bring in parts for cash.  The way it works is we hold the items for 1 days to test them, then we give the customer a quote and then they either take the cash or pick up their item.

&#x200B;

4 months ago, a customer ("Bob") called us with 50 items to sell.  We drove to Bob's store and picked up the items.  2 days later we had a quote for him. Bob accepted our offer in writing (e-mail) and we thought we had another satisfied customer.  Bob was to come in the next week for his money.

&#x200B;

Before getting him money, Bob's bank called and said that they own Bob's items because of some foreclosure (they have a lien on the items). The bank has not shown us any paperwork of this, but they called us and said it was illegal for us to sell the items that they claim they own.  So we told the bank that they could pick up the items, but they have been sitting here and tested and since we are not buying them from Bob, we wanted compensation for the storage and testing of the items.

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It has now been FOUR MONTHS and this has not been resolved.  Bob's bank says they own the items, Bob says he owns the items and refuses to turn them over to the bank and he got his lawyer involved. Meanwhile, we have shelves and shelves of Bob's items.

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What are our options here?  Ideally, we would like to honor our agreement, pay Bob for his items, and then sell them.  If this happens, we would waive any storage or testing fees.  Otherwise, we would like the Bank to pick up Bob's items (at their expense) and ideally we would like them to pay for storage for 4 months and our testing.  Finally, Bob told his bank that he contacted his lawyer and now the Bank has answered our calls for 3 weeks.

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Can we draft Bob's Bank a letter stating that they have 30 days to remove "their" items from our store, and after 30 days they become our property?  Is there any way to recover our testing/storage costs?  Would we need to sue Bob?

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For your information, we have an email agreement with Bob that we were given permission to pick up the items, test them and then give a quote. We do not have anything more formal contract-wise than that.  Any help?

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Thanks a lot!

Answer:
 If bob doesn’t actually own the items he’s attempting to sell, any contract you may have would be null and void. They aren’t his to sell.
Selling them could in theory get you some hefty charges of anything from receiving stolen goods, laundering or theft.
You’ve reached the point of this being out of your control. I would speak to your businesses legal representation and have them contact the bank.

This is all assuming that the goods aren’t previously stolen and the bank is actually just a scheme to defraud you.


Title: Stepdaughter's grandmother kidnapped my kids for the day.

Question:
Ohio. Throwaway because I'm extremely upset right now and don't know if it's even a good idea to post.

Background: Stepdaughter (Let's call her "Elaine", 12) is in sole custody of her mother. Her father has had no parental rights for several years. Her paternal grandmother (Let's call her Beatrice) has had sporadic telephone contact with Elaine, but no visitation since her father's visitation was terminated.

Elaine's mother (my girlfriend; "Brenda") and I have a daughter ("Clair", 10).  We're still on good terms, but living in neighboring towns. Both girls split their time with both of us; the girls go to school in Brenda's district.

We've had previous issues with Beatrice. She's made false allegations against both me and Brenda. Beatrice has been previously instructed she's to have no contact whatsoever with Clair. Beatrice has previously visited Elaine at school without consent or permission from Brenda. Beatrice has previously requested to take Elaine on vacation with Beatrice in Florida.

Last night (Thursday, 13 Aug), and without knowledge or permission from either Brenda or myself, Elaine arranged to visit Beatrice in a park near Elaine's home for a picnic between 9 and 11 AM.

The girls requested and were granted permission to stay with a neighbor today (14 Aug). Brenda went to work early today, and returned home around 3:30 instead of her usual 5:30.

This morning, instead of going to the neighbor's house, Elaine and Clair met with Beatrice in the park. There, the three of them decided for Beatrice to take Elaine and Clair from the park to Beatrice's home, nearly an hour away. The girls indicated the three planned to return home before their mother was supposed to get off work. Elaine claims to have called a friend's voicemail, and pretended to have a conversation where she asked for, and was granted permission for Elaine and Clair to visit Beatrice for the day.

Brenda returned home early, around 3:30PM. When the girls did not immediately answer, she activated the tracking software in their phones, and discovered Elaine was located at Beatrice's house.

Elaine and Brenda had a short SMS conversation where she indicated they were about half way from returning from Beatrice's home, and Brenda and I contacted the police.  Beatrice dropped the girls off a block away from Brenda's home, and immediately left.

The police officer who took the report, after consulting with Elaine and Beatrice, indicates that no charges will be filed against Beatrice. He repeatedly asked us if we wished to press unruly charges against our children. He indicated that if I wanted charges filed, I would have to speak to a prosecutor on Monday. Given my current mental state, having two days to calm down would probably be a good thing.

I want to vent. I'm literally trembling with anger, so I'll stop now and just ask for advice on how to proceed.

Answer:
 I completely understand your upset. My head would probably be exploding by now.

My guess is the PO made a conclusion that the girls chose to go so technically they ran away. I don't happen to agree. Kids will lie and sneak around for fun or in defiance. They seem to be starting the defiance stage a bit young but it's been awhile since mine were that age. I'd be very upset at their actions and follow through with punishment and counseling if needed. They both have been through family problems; it's a perfect recipe for this type of behavior. They're still young so it's good to address it before it gets worse.

The GM, in my opinion, is a completely different story. She's a grown woman who knew very well she had no right to do what she did. She enticed them to meet her and took them (one she isn't related to in any way) 30 minutes from home WITHOUT right or permission. How they don't charge her I can't understand.

IANAL so I can't give any real advice there, hopefully one will be along soon. I just wanted to say that I empathize. Keep breathing.
Answer #2: Best bet is to consult with a lawyer, and/or look into getting a restraining order.


Title: [MO] Executor of estate says that even tho I am beneficiary of life insurance policy the money belongs to the trust and disbursed according to trust.

Question: I am the beneficiary of a large life insurance policy. The deceased has a trust that holds the house and a large investment portfolio. The executor of that trust says that even though I am the sole beneficiary on the life insurance policy, the money from that police belongs to the trust where it would be split among several people. This money belongs to me right? I've already gotten a check from the life insurance company for the policy. The trust is NOT listed as a beneficiary on the policy.

Answer:
 If you are listed as the beneficiary then the payout should be directly to you, in full.  You should make sure this is actually the case with the insurance company, but if they cut you the entire check then it likely is.

Do not give the trust the money, someone is trying to steal from you.Answer #2: You are the beneficiary, not the trust. Answer #3: If you alone are named as the beneficiary, then it sounds like the money is yours. Double check with a local estate planning attorney


Title: [IL] Was in an accident. Cited for "failure to reduce speed."

Question:
I was in an accident today. First time. Woman in front of me braked suddenly. Apparently it's my fault despite the fact that she's the one who hammered on the brake (with plenty of room to brake slowly). I've got a citation sitting in front of me, and I'm facing a fine, having to go to driving school for a reduced fine (which is stupid considering the lady in front of me hammered on the brake), or even losing my license.

This doesn't seem fair to me. I'm walking away with a hurt neck, a towing fee, a car that's undriveable, and she barely had any fender damage.

My question is two fold. 1) Does it seem like I have a case to get away from this if I plead not guilty? 2)If yes to the first question, can I file a lawsuit for the damages?

Answer: You were following to close. And the proof is in the fact that you hit someone. You should always be far enough behind the car in front that if they slam on the brakes you can stop without hitting them. That's the law. There are a ton of reasons someone may need to brake.


Title: CA - Was a witness for an accident but driver is claiming otherwise

Question:
Hi All. I received a notice from the DMV stating I needed to provide an SR-1 for an accident. I've not been in any accidents, but I had spoken to the police as a witness for an accident where the at-fault party didn't stop. I called the police station to get information and it seems like the other driver went into the police station and filed a report. I asked about the initial report the police should have filed (the guy was injured) and the officer seemed to have no idea what I was talking about.

I'm confused about all of this. I've requested a hearing with the DMV but am going to need to provide proof that I wasn't even involved. How would I go about getting this and how else should I prepare? Do I need a lawyer? I didn't even know the guys name until I called the police station yesterday.

Answer: You can't prove a negative.  Tell them you weren't involved, and that you have no damage, no claim, and no police report identifying you.  Ask them to correct their error.


Title: Stupid guy in a stupid crash

Question: Yeah, I know I was stupid not having insurance (23rd male in college). I'm already dealing with those repercussions so I don't want a talking - to. What happened was I was distracted (not impaired,  the accident report specifies that.) Wasn't on my phone and I already proved that with the phone records. But still being distracted I ended up on a sidewalk and hit 5 people. No one is dead and the "worst" injury is a broken ankle. I have never been in this situation before and have no idea how to proceed. Any advice?

Answer:
 Wtf? Prepare to be severely sued. Hire an attorney. Answer #2: > Any advice?

Get a few jobs, you're going to need the money soon.

You should probably hire a lawyer as well.Answer #3: Assuming this isn't a troll, get a lawyer right now.Answer #4: If you are being charge criminally (which you almost certainly will be) you need a criminal defense attorney immediately.

You also should never address hitting 5 pedestrians as a minor thing.Answer #5: An attorney. Asap. You hit people with a car.


Title: [California] My manager has just stopped scheduling me to work at all. What is my best option?

Question: Basically, for 3 weeks now, my manager has just flat out stopped putting me on the schedule. I haven't been given any written warnings, or been in trouble at all really, in the last year. I did take 2 weeks off a couple months back for mental health reasons (I was hospitalized, but did not miss any work, and they were happy to give me time off), but other than that, no issues. I'm the assistant manager of a corporate retail chain, and I know they still need me, since they've been borrowing another manager to replace me on the schedule. When I spoke to my manager yesterday I said I'd like some more hours, and she said okay. Just got the schedule for next week and I still have 0. On top of that, the replacement manager is working a full 35 hour week. What should I do? (Besides look for work obviously) this is part time retail, non seasonal, in California. I've been with the company for a year and a half.

Answer: File for unemployment and look for a new job.Answer #2: This is a form of firing. File for unemployment


Title: Civil disobedience vs breaking the law for marijuana?

Question: So I'm wanting to organize a legalize marijuana protest at the Capitol building of my state (Boise, Idaho). I do not smoke marijuana, but I am wanting to provide marijuana bought by me from Oregon for anyone who shows up. It's obviously illegal in Idaho, so I am wondering what are the legal implications of providing, and of using for the protesters? I do not have any record of any sort. Could I be arrested and what would it be considered (misdemeanor or felony)?

Answer:
 "Civil disobedience" in the form of breaking the law is just breaking the law. There's no civil disobedience defense.

Yes, you could be arrested. The consequences depend on what you get charged with. A felony distribution charge is not out of the question.


Title: Jury Meeting Tommorow to Vote on indicting my Wife (18f).. What Can she expect?

Question:
Long story short, my wife and i broke up for a couple months last year and apparently she got herself into a world of crap with the low lives she was running around with. Cops questioned her about half a year ago about allegedly sending some money for her brother - who was involved in the drug game. She won't tell me if she really sent the money or not, or if there is more to the story and she was involved with something bigger or not. Like i said we were broke up at the time..

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Her brother ended up getting caught for doing what drug dealers and idiots do, which is sell drugs. Fast forward to the present and we have heard from family members that there is a Grand Jury voting on whether or not to charge my wife for allegedly sending some money for a drug dealer. She is not a criminal, she is a good person.. What we are wondering is if the grand jury does decide to indite

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She is a sweet woman. She was abused when she was younger and always felt like she owed her brother something because he assaulted the man who raped her when she was just a child..  She had her demons but cleaned up, got completely sober, and got a decent job as a Physical Therapist -  she is also a mother and now that she has cleaned up since this whole thing with the cops she has became a better parent than she ever had growing up..

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What happens if the grand jury indicts her ?  I know she couldnt have sent more than a couple hundred dollars, her brother never had much money at all to my knowledge. Will they take into account at all the changes she has made in her life, the fact she has no criminal record at all, the fact she is a mother with kids to take care of... I love this woman with all ive got and if i could put myself in her shoes to take her pain away, i would do it in a heart beat. Can somebody with legal knowledge please give me some help.. Been crying for days straight now since we heard about this all, and will remain distraught until we find out what happens next. Will they let her be free until trial if she is a good person with no criminal history, a job, and a motivation to want to be a better person?

Answer: An 18 year old physical therapist huh?


Title: [WA] Douche bag doesn't know how to be a safe gun owner. Help!

Question:
Hey everyone! I'm looking for some advice on how to get the law involved with this guy I went to high school with. When I knew him in high school he was always partying, getting suspended, and stealing electronics from other students. I think his family must be pretty wealthy because he just bought a $40k truck and always showcases himself blowing money on alcohol and expensive things.

What has really pissed me off and finally driven me to want to get involved are two things he's shared on his Instagram story:

1. He recently bought a Glock and shoots it incredibly recklessly. At the river, he was on a boat just popping shots off into the trees (POP POP POP POP) just to show off. He then posted himself finishing a Corona and throwing it over his head and littering into the river.

2. Not even 5 minutes ago he posted a video of him at an outdoor and unsupervised shooting range (these exist all over the back areas of Washington mountains) just shooting shot after shot into the forest line. People could be hiking there and a stray bullet could kill someone! I'm an avid hiker with my wife and could not imagine her getting hit and killed because of an asshole like him. I used a gif creator on my Galaxy S9+ to record his story of him doing this without him knowing as evidence. I'll try to add a link in here. I am in the military, support private gun ownership, and know an irresponsible owner when I see one. This punk should NOT have a gun. What can I do to bust his ass? Any advice is welcome!

Video evidence: https://imgur.com/gallery/yV2c9pW
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer: If you have the video of him drinking and firing a weapon at the same time, you may be able to get him for reckless discharge of a firearm. Not sure though


Title: Immigrant and income from Onlyfans and Pornhub

Question:
Does immigrant have to report income they gain from Pornhub and Onlyfans?

I believe they are paying 1099 for the income gain from ad sales and subscription. However, if an immigrant does not have a social security nor legal work permit. If they make money from this, what they could do to report income or pay tax? (Does not reporting those income get you in any trouble?)

I’m just curious. Or becoming one.

Location: USA
Topic:
Tax Law

Answer:
 Yes, they are earning income and must pay taxes on it.  Failure to do so is a federal crime, and can result in permanent disbarment from entry into the United States.  (It's also a deportable offense, but so is working without authorization.)

Even if you don't have a work permit, you still have to pay your taxes.  The immigrant would file a W-7 to get an Individual Tax Identification Number.  Then, depending on how long they've lived in the United States, they'd file a 1040-NR or a full 1040.


Title: Catching someone illegally dumping and offering to let them pay a fee/fine/whatever instead of turning over to the police?

Question:
**Initial Question:**  When we catch someone illegally dumping trash into our recycling dumpster, is it legal to offer them the option to pay us a fine/fee/whatever instead of turning them over to the police?

**Updated Question:**  It seems the consensus is that directly asking for some sort of compensation and not turning them over to police is not okay.  How can we go about recouping the costs associated with dealing with dumped trash from the ones we catch, even if it's only the cost associated with that incident.  We're a services company, can I ask the court that they pay for the time spent cleaning at the hourly rate we usually invoice our clients?  (I am not sure this even goes to court, I think it's just a citation and a fine.)

Location is in the USA.

**Back ground:**  Our business has an RV storage facility on one side and a mini-storage on the other with a lot of college students.  We have people constantly dumping trash into our cardboard recycling dumpster.  When we don't catch this and clean it up, we get billed by the trash company (hundreds of dollars) to dump the whole thing as trash.  The dumping is at least a weekly occurrence, and usually more often.  Sometimes it's literally filled with boxes of junk from a storage unit or large RV parts.  We have even found an engine in it!

We have been working with both businesses to identify people doing it, and to their credit they provide complementary video evidence that shows people's faces and license plates in their facility and then driving into our driveway, gate logs, etc.  They also have posted signs and tell people when they sign up to not dump at any of the local businesses.  The problem we're encountering is the sheer number of people doing this, it's not just a few bad apples we can catch and stop, but literally new people every week.

The cops won't do much to investigate, but if we do all the leg work to gather all the evidence and hand it to them with a bow on top, they do issue citations pretty quickly.

**The question:**  I don't want to be turning people over to the cops for a one time occurrence, but this is out of control.  I would rather offer the people we catch the option to pay some fee that helps cover the cost of our cleaning, tracking people down, and payments to the trash company when we don't catch the dumping.

This seems like it could be considered Blackmail, but it could work out better for both of us.  By the time we actually track someone down and call them, we pretty much have all the evidence it was them.  If we give it to the police, the fine they pay with the citation is 2-3x the amount we'd want to cover the costs of dealing with this and we get nothing.  By offering them a deal, they'd get off with spending less money and no citation and we'd get some compensation to cover our time and expenses dealing with the issue.

Answer:
 > is it legal to offer them the option to pay us a fine/fee/whatever instead of turning them over to the police?

That sounds like textbook extortion, a crime. "Give us money or we call the cops."


Title: Got charged with Operating a Motor Vehicle in while in Kentucky, I live in Colorado but still have my Minnesota driver's license. If I don't return to Kentucky for the hearing how will this adversely affect my life (other than high insurance rates and the resulting bench warrant)?

Question: My blood alcohol level registered .07% as result of the blood test, but they are going to find THC in my system. If I understand the Kentucky statutes that I read, the two results almost guarantee that I will be looking at a DUI charge. Also from my reading I found out that states don't extradite for misdemeanors. I don't have the money to travel back to Kentucky, pay the fines, or hire a lawyer.

Answer:
 >Also from my reading I found out that states don't extradite for misdemeanors.

I've seen people extradited for misdemeanors.


Title: (NY) My boss allowed her daughter to observe a surgery in an operating room. HIPAA violation?

Question:
I worked as a medical assistant for a plastic surgeon a few months ago.  While I was there, she had an abdominoplasty surgery to do. The only people allowed in the room were the anesthesiologists, nurse, another medical assistant and for some reason, her college aged daughter. As far as I know, she wasn't employed by the medical office and didn't have any reason to be there in a medical capacity. She stayed for the entire duration of the surgery (which obviously meant that she was able to see the patient in a very compromised position). Once the surgery was over, she got on her phone and excitedly called her friends to tell them about the surgery.

I know this was probably all done for educational purposes but it felt very very unethical and HIPAA violation-y to me.  Learning is great and all but if I were having surgery, I wouldn't want the surgeon's kid to see me naked and in such a vulnerable state for learning purposes.

Answer: That’s not a HIPAA violation unless she got actual info about who the patient is. It’s common for students to observe surgeries.


Title: Cheque it out - Last name, Divorce Decree, & Photocopied State ID/Social Security Card

Question:
Location: Portland, OREGON

Alright! I hope this belongs here, and if not please direct me to where I need to go. I'll keep it short and sweet because I know your time is precious.

I have a check written in my previous married last name, however my bank account is with my current name so it does not match. I lost the divorce decree papers that the bank says they need for me to deposit it, I have provided them photo copied ID and Social Security of my married name but the insist I need the original paper documents.

I have tried just about everything! I've called vital records but they need the county I got a divorce in and I totally forgot since it was so long ago, my marriage partner is completely ignoring me, they are the one who set up the divorce I just signed the papers.

I just really need to cash this check as it is a large sum and I am in need of serious financial help, I NEED to cash this ASAP. I would have the cheque be rewritten with the proper last name however that could take 3 months and they still need my original papers too.

TL;DR I need to cash a cheque that is written with a different last name, which means I need to get my divorce decree but I have no idea what county I was divorced in. Please, any help or advice with this would HIGHLY appreciate you don't even know! Thank you in advance for anyone who takes the time out of their busy lives to help another desperate soul.

P.S.
I know I'm stupid for losing the important papers.

Answer:
 > I've called vital records but they need the county I got a divorce in and I totally forgot since it was so long ago

How is this possible?  There can't be that many places with jurisdiction.  It'd be one of the places you or your husband lived around the time of your divorce.

Your other options are to pay a public records service to see if the suit has been indexed anywhere.  Sites like Lexis-Nexis or Choicepoint do this for a reasonable fee.


Title: Termination of Parental Rights for 4 year old twins that bio dad has never met, so my husband can adopt.

Question:
Created a new acct, my other username has my name in it.

I had twins in August 2012, their dad and I broke up when I was 5 months pregnant and he has never met them. He has been in and out of jail and prison since I was pregnant, and even when he was out, never tried to contact me to see how they were. In October 2014 I sent him a facebook message (I know no other way to contact him) letting him know they were doing good and basically a very polite f-you. I started a relationship when my twins were 6 months old with a man that is in the military and we are now married. He is all the kids know as a dad and he is absolutely in love with them. I finally contacted my twins bio fathers family (he is back in prison) asking them to give him my number, because I want to talk to him. They relayed the message and let me know that he said he is not signing off on the kids and I am wasting my time by giving him my phone number because he wont be calling me. I know I can use military legal council, I just need to know what I should do. The paperwork I wanted him to sign (we lived in NV, just got stationed in NM for 2 years) was basically a new form that was a 2 in 1, it was for him to terminate his rights and allow my husband to adopt them. But clearly he isnt signing it. Now I want to know what to do? Does he even have a leg to stand on? He said that he understands my husband is their dad but he 'wants to be their father' what ever that means? Ill answer questions if I'm missing things :) TIA

I've never posted on Reddit before, I've only commented... so I hope this looks right

Edited to add: We were together for 1.5 years when we moved from MI to NV (October 2011) The reason we broke up in May of 2012 was because I found out he had become addicted to crystal meth and I knew I didnt want my children to grow up in that kind of world. He was draining my bank account, my uncle died and I went out of town and he sold my computer, computer desk, chair, even the COFFEE POT! So, after nights of him not coming home I decided to tell my parents what was really going on, and we went to a pawn shop around the corner from my house and had to file a police report to see if he had pawned anything. We went to the police station and they printed of 6 pages of things he had pawned... none of which were his. It was everything from the things I had mentioned, to my moms jewelry (from when we had to go out of town for my uncles funeral), grandmothers jewelry, grandfather's (who had just died) wedding band, etc. We found that out on May 5th while he still hadn't been home for the 2nd day in a row, and when he came back at 5:30am on May 6th I kicked him out. Hes been in and out of jail and prison ever since because of stealing and drugs.

Answer:
 He has a legal right to refuse and let the judge decide. It likely won't go well for him.

You need to hire an attorney. Jag doesn't do civil cases. They may be able to give you a referral to an attorney who can help but it is still going to cost 5-8k if not more if he refuses to sign and puts up a fight.


Title: Air gun for defense at restaurant?

Question:
Have had a couple instances where the coffee shop i work at has homeless people that will come in and start problems, last time it ended up with one trying to hit me with a wood stick and absolutely destroying the front of the store. I am a minor (17) and I own a Glock 17 air gun that shoots metal bb’s and I assume it would be illegal for me to carry it concealed on my person incase of something like this happening?
Topic:
Juvenile and Youth Law

Answer:
 Probably illegal.

Absolutely a terrible idea even if it is legal.


Title: What if I get jumped because I had to pay a court order but didn’t pay it even though there’s not a time limit

Question: So i heard this adult I got into a car accident with is mad because I haven’t paid him for a car accident that happened a year ago. He took me to court and the judged ordered me to pay 3500 in damages with no time limit but I was still 17 at the time and worked a part time. Hes getting mad and is trying to sue me again and on top of that I heard he is going to jump me because I haven’t paid. What can I do?

Answer:
 If he threatens you or is violent with you, call the police. An outstanding judgment is not a valid reason to break the law. In the meantime, avoid confrontation with him as best you can, and try not to be alone where he is.

He's able to enforce a civil judgment by garnishing your wages or seizing money from your bank accounts, and in some cases by having personal property seized and sold at auction. The specifics vary by jurisdiction. In any case, you'll either get a letter about it, or be served with further paperwork from the court.

If you can pay, do pay. If you can manage a payment plan, offer to set one up, then stick with it.


Title: Dealer rescinding car 15 days after purchase. I really need some advice before talking to bank or dealer.

Question:
Long time reddit user here. I've always read horror stories and how dealerships or landlords basically screw people over. I never thought that it wouldn't happen to me, I just thought I would be smart to avoid stuff. I really need your opinion on my situation. I'm using a throwaway for many reasons.

THERE IS A WALL OF TEXT :(

I'm in the state of California. I'm fairly young (21) and have never financed anything in my entire life. I have no credit history. My brother has been working a good job and decided he should buy a new car! Yay! Unfortunately, his credit isn't that great and although it is just a low score (no points or anything like that) the bank we financed  through wouldn't do the deal unless he had a co-signer. That's where I come in, little unexperienced me with literally nothing to help with but my job experience (1.5 years).

The car we financed was listed online for a great price(13,995), then after it was all said and done we were signing stuff till we saw what they listed on the price of the car to 17,995 which was an extra 4 thousand on the price not including the rest. We didn't sign anything until they brought the price down to what was originally listed. They said they couldn't because cargurus website automatically lowers their price after a listing has been there sometime. However, I recall my brother telling me the listing was placed only 3 days prior to us going in to look at it. Why would it automatically lower so soon. Whatever, my brother really needed a car since his wasn't working. He was ready to sign regardless. I was angry. They had us there for like 5 hours and I was just a freaking co signer. My brother was mad at me because I wouldn't sign even though they just slapped a bigger price tag. I said no until they lowered the price some. And no again And then lowered some again. They also said the price had to be raised because the bank wouldn't do the deal for so cheap or something like that and that they would take a big hit. We negotiated at 2 k over the original asking (15,995) price because they said they wouldn't go any lower. Whatever we signed. However, they put the car in my name? Why? I don't know too much how this works so I just sign stuff. Some paper work lists my brother as the primary and me as co signer and vice versa on other forms. I'm told it's no big deal. Whatever. We take the car. It's over 15 days since we've "purchased" the car.

We just received a letter from the finance dept stating the bank could not come to terms with the deal and they are rescinding the car and they're giving our down back. Great no problem says my brother and family, they say the paperwork was never finalized so the contract is null....is that true?. I read up on similar situations and it looks like a spot delivery type thing which if I remember correctly is shady and possibly illegal. My brother finds out why the bank didn't go through. We never provided proof of residency. ...I'm actually homeless...me and my family were evicted sometime back (not looking for sympathy). I have no proof of residence that matches that of my ID. My brother ends up getting a different car somewhere else and we all pretty much agree that we just don't need the car anymore now that he has a new one. I wanted to unwind the deal but they said it's not that easy. Also, since I have the car in my name, I pretty much take blame for whatever happens right?  Since the purchase we've put almost 2000 miles on it... I'm worried they'll try to charge for the usage. When we bought the car we weren't told the car had minor issues like slight misaligned steering, the rear windshield wiper gets stuck and there is a real tail light malfunction. I feel like they would try to screw me over and try to charge me for stuff we didn't cause.

To be honest, I have nothing against the people we interacted with during the whole thing. Our salesman was awesome and genuine. The manager was great and so was the finance manager. I don't want to look bad to them but their job is to sell cars (plural) I just bought my first ONE. I don't know what to do, I'm not necessarily scared just worried they'll try to repo it and my clean record gets rekt by stupid misunderstandings and scams.

Please ask questions below so that I may clarify and add necessary info.

tl;dr I cosign a car for brother, spotty paper work, I end up being the primary owner. Told it's no big deal. I'm told bank didn't go through with deal, car is being rescinded after 15 days of ownership. Under assumption of spot delivery. Added lots miles to car in short span of days. Afraid I'll be charged for excessive use. Worried they'll repo and rek my clean record. I want my munni back. I'm not good at summarizing ..

tl;dr 2.0 I'm getting fucked over by the dealer and bro

Conclusion: Got fucked over by dealer and bro. FUCK

thanks for reading {-}7

Answer: You have to return the car. it's not paid for. Whether or not you can be charged for use will depend on what you agreed to.


Title: [NY] New septic system on my new house failed before we even moved in

Question:
The wife and I just closed on our first home last Wednesday.   Part of the requirements of the sale was for the seller to install a new $23,000 raised bed septic system as the old one did not pass inspection.

They installed the new system, we closed, and 2 days later while I'm there working on the property I notice water is flowing out of the distribution box and down the side of the raised septic bed.

I had the contractor who installed it come out and he wasn't surprised because he witnessed high ground water there.   He suspects that it's the original septic tank, which was reused, or the new pump tank he put in that ground water is seeping into.    That ground water is then pumped into the leach field, but the leach field can't handle that much water (it's very wet here now).

Since the peculation of the soils in this area are poor, the country who permits, approves, and inspects the septic system required that the sellers and us both sign a waiver that they're not at fault is something is wrong with the designed system.

When I asked the contractor who's going to pay for repairs he started get agitated and saying it's not his fault and he was following the county's specs.   Of course the county is going to say it's not their fault either.    Remediation would probably be pumping the two tanks, seeing where things are leaking, and then sealing them with concrete.  That may require digging up the soil around the tanks.  I have no idea how much that costs but could easily be more thank $1000.

I contacted my closing attorney, but our fees for closing do not cover post-closing issues and she also doesn't do litigation.

What should I do?    I don't feel like I should be paying for the County/contractor/sellers mistake when the system dies when it's not even being used.

Thanks.

Answer: There must be some form of warranty on the work from the installer, even if he gets agitated at the thought.


Title: Can my employer legally record me with Nest Cameras?

Question:
Everything I have read regarding surveillance at work states that it varies by state but that audio recording is a no no due to federal wiretapping laws. I’ve got a pending lawsuits against my employer (I’ve posted here several times, hey it’s me the whistleblower 🙋🏼♀) and I am a breath away from unplugging all of these cameras. I emailed attorney, she is out of office today on vacation. HELP!

Arizona

Answer:
 Generally, wiretapping and one/all-party consent laws kick in when one has an expectation of privacy.

An argument could be made that you have very little, if any, expectation of privacy at work (outside of places like the bathroom, etc.).

If you have pending lawsuits against your employer, you should bring this issue up with the attorney(s) representing you.

I would not advise going around and unplugging or interfering with equipment that does not belong to you.Answer #2:  It's legal except in places like the bathroom (and sometimes a break room).

Depending on location,  if you have a private office,  that may or may not be legal within the office.

If you disconnect any of the cameras,  you're employer is well within their rights to fire you in almost every version of this scenario.


Title: My son was taken away from me by his mother 14 years ago, and I'm trying desperately to reconnect.

Question:
Names and city locations will be changed for privacy, but I will include the states.

Context: In 2014 my son (we'll use the alias Ryan) was born.  His mother (alias Kate) and I were never married, but we both signed the birth certificate and left the hospital together.  Kate didn't tell me she was pregnant until she was 3 months along.  When Ryan was born I was 19, and Kate was 20.  Kate at that point already had a daughter (alias Amber) from a previous relationship.  When Ryan was an infant he would cry the instant anyone other than Kate would hold him.  Suffice to say she constantly would have him in her arms.  So much that I never had the opportunity to bond with him, or have any skin to skin contact while he was a baby.  This always caused an argument and eventually I went to live with my father, and got to work.  Eventually I got the summons to go to court for child support.  During the hearing I inquired about visitation rights, to which Kate adamantly stated that she was against any scenario where she would be required to leave Ryan alone with me.  The judge seemed to see it her way, and simply stated that the child support would be garnished from my paychecks indefinitely.  It's worth noting that this all took place in Connecticut.

When Ryan was 2 years old, Kate took him and Amber in secret to Florida.  She waited a few months before finally sending me a letter stating that she took her kids to Florida so that she could raise them with the support of her extended family, in a better, safer community than the one she was living in (in CT.)  She included a phone number where I could reach her.  When I called, what she ultimately told me was that she would not be returning to CT, and that she did not want me to be involved in Ryan's life.  She urged me to sign away my rights as his father, at times even offering to pay me thousands of dollars to do so.  I always refused, and to this day child support payments have automatically come out of my paycheck.  Throughout the past 14 years, there have been periods where I was out of work, and thus support payments added up.  So every year at tax time my refund goes towards that balance.  My $1200 stimulus check was intercepted and went to the balance, and I'm assuming that should there be another round of stimulus checks, that too will go to child support.

That's all fine.  I have no problem with paying child support.  The purpose for this post is with advice on the best way to reconnect with my son.  It's a delicate situation and it would most likely do more harm than good to show up out of the blue with a bombshell like that.

Ryan has grown up with a stepfather, and now has a total of 7 or 8 siblings.  I reached out this past Christmas by sending him a card and including all the ways to reach me.  I addressed it to Kate and asked her to deliver the card at her discretion.  I sent another card on his birthday, again asking that Kate look it over and deliver it when the time was right.

She finally answered my calls and texts and told me that sending the card was reckless, and admitted that she has been lying to him for the past 14 years.  He doesn't know I exist.  He doesn't know his real last name.  I'm afraid to reach out to him directly because of the potential damage that could do, but at the same time she is going out of her way to make it difficult to make any progress.  Should I wait 2 more years until he is 18, or should I get a lawyer and get the ball rolling now?

I have left out large gaps in the timeline, but I'm ready to answer any questions anyone might have to help them to better understand the situation.

TL;DR - My son's mother took him away when he was 2 years old, and now he's 16 and has no idea I'm his father.
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer:
 You should talk to a lawyer about your options. The fact that you chose to not have contact with him for so long will not help your case for visitation and he's old enough that a court will listen to his opinion. So even if you file it's possible that he will say he doesn't want to see you and that will be the end of that.

Once he is 18 you can reach out to him and he can decide if he wants to have contact with you or not. Before you do so I would strongly recommend you speak to a therapist about how to approach him and to ensure you're actually easy to be a consistent presence in his life if he chooses to have contact.


Title: Contempt of court child custody agreement (cont.), my ex threatened me and my boyfriend and we called the cops (North Carolina)

Question:
I've already made a post here before that ended up comforting me a lot when it came to telling my ex about my current boyfriend.

First when I told my ex hes like "No I don't want him around the girls" then after 15 minutes of talking he changed his mind and was like " Ill be the bigger man and he CAN BE around girls but"... then goes on to giving me rules on what he cant do around the girls(Obviously)

then after I get home with my girls ( my ex help put the girls in my car and said goodbye to them fully knowing I was going to introuduce the girls to my new partner) he calls and says that "dont be surprised if you get served papers" and that hes denying custody to me.
I have our whole conversation RECORDED on my iphone of him stating everything when I told him about my new partner. Can he renege what he said verbally?????  He just straight told me it was okay when I talked to him in person and now hes freaking out and going to serve me papers.  I have the whole thing recorded lol....

  he threatened to hurt him saying: "I'm not gonna be the one to get hurt... I'm a lot bigger than him and I've been in more fights than him... If I see him it's not going to end well."

After I rushed home I warned my boyfriend and we called the cops, I hate living in fear that he's going to show up at our home.  And the only reason he knows where we live is because he's required to by our custody agreement.  However, throughout the year he has sent me a mass amount of texts (despite me telling him to stop), saying mean things...  I don't like how he's able to do that, abusing the fact that we've to stay in contact because we have kids together... and I don't like how it makes me feel when he says something mean but he won't stop.  Today was the last straw when he threatened him and now I want to know if there's something I can do about it.  Here are the texts he's sent me and I was wondering if they would help when filing for a restraining order or if I wanted to sue for harassment.  Is this viable enough to use?

http://imgur.com/a/opDuK#gPHDdMa

^^^^^ Album for the txts he has sent to my phone.

He's been quoted as racist using derogatory terms like: "Nigger" and mentioning that his race is Black like it's a bad thing.  He would send me pictures of our daughters crying saying that they miss me and want me to come back.  I initially left him to get away due to being scared to tell him I wanted to leave, so I went to my mother's hometown and stayed there...  But he served me papers for staying out of the state without his permission and they ended up going back with him.  Sadly now, we have joint custody with him as primary and I have them in home 2-3 days a week (despite me visiting them every chance I can) he still uses that against me to make me feel bad.  I don't know what else to do.

Answer:
 I don't think you have enough here for a restraining order.  What you do have is some pretty good evidence to request 50/50 parenting time.  He has repeatedly sent you pictures of the children crying because they miss you.  He has repeatedly asked that you come back to him so the children can see you more often.  That puts him in a crappy position to claim the children are better off seeing you less with the current order.

Yes, he can renege on what he said and file in court.  This could actually be a blessing.  Respond by requesting 50/50 parenting time and attach his texts.  It would be best of course if you have an attorney.


Title: [IL] Landlord is asking me to check animal traps in the attic. Attic is detached from my unit.

Question:
I rent a top floor unit in an old building which is one of 4 units.  I recently heard some noise from the attic and it turns out that some squirrels have decided to make the attic their winter home. I told the landlord and he had a crew sent out today to set up traps.

When I got home I saw a pamphlet stating that their is a law that traps need to be checked daily. I texted the landlord to let him know so he can come over to check. His response was that myself and the other tenants should be checking the traps. I usually don't mind doing some stuff around the apartment myself, but I'm not crawling my ass into this dirty old attic with some wild squirrels after working all day. I dont even know where the traps are. The access point is also in a hallway so it's not like it's inside my actual unit.

Am I legally required to do what he is asking? Thanks for any advice you can provide.

Answer: So tell him you're not going into the attic. But don't expect your problem to go away overnight either.


Title: Ohio - Someone was granted a restraining order against me for a really dumb reason. Can I fight back?

Question:
Location: Ohio. I live in Cuyahoga County and my ex-husband lives in Franklin County. I was served with an ex-parte domestic violence protection order from my ex-husband today. There's a hearing on 8/28. I have a list of 15-20 attorneys recommended to me by friends, and I'm definitely going to call a few of them on Monday. I'm pretty upset right now though, and I'd love your thoughts on a couple of my questions.

I haven't contacted or seen the guy in years. In fact, when they told me who it was from it took me a minute to remember who that was. He was incredibly physically abusive during our marriage, but I never got the nerve to ask the police for help. Fast forward to today... I haven't seen him since our divorce in early 2014. We haven't had any contact outside of a few emails about things like leftover utility bills, his grandmother dying, etc. We don't follow each other on social media and have very few friends in common.

On 8/13, I made a comment on a friend's public facebook post acknowledging that I'd been physically abused in my prior marriage. I didn't name my ex-husband. The comment was framed within the metoo movement and talked about how I deal with lingering flashbacks from the trauma. Someone sent my ex a screenshot of this comment, and the very next day a magistrate actually granted the ex-parte domestic violence protection order based on it!! I'm absolutely going to comply with the order, obviously, but I'm confident that I can find an attorney to have it dropped at the hearing.

He did this once before, right after our divorce, and the protection order was dropped at the hearing three days later. I didn't even have to attend the hearing. He kept the paperwork though, and has faxed copies of it to my employers over the years as well as posting photos of it on social media with accusations that I abused him. I have a feeling he's going to try that again this time. I haven't experienced any actual damages from this behavior, other than some mild embarrassment and headaches, but that doesn't mean I won't in the future.

Questions:
If I do succeed in getting this protection order dropped, will it show up on any background checks or public records?

If I don't succeed in getting this protection order dropped (unlikely), will it show up on background checks?

What can I do to prevent him from doing this over and over?

Is there a way to recoup my legal fees?

Can anyone recommend a good resource that helps me understand where first amendment rights end and slander / libel begins? I'm not going to stop sharing my story because I think it's important for people to speak up in times like these, but I also don't want to cross into any weird gray area.

Thank you!

Answer:
 At this stage, with the evidence you have of **his** harassment, I sincerely hope your lawyer gets his application vetoed and succeeds in one for you. Best of luck. Answer #2: You need to lock down your social media, and consider modifying how you list your employer on LinkedIn. "Senior sales associate for major car dealership" vs "sales associate for BMW"Answer #3: Even temporary orders can show up on background checks, yesAnswer #4: INAL

Court filings are typically protected speech and one can write anything and it’s protected by the first amendment.

This is why you need evidence to support your side

If your story is true, I don’t see anything you did wrong and there shouldn’t, based on what you wrote here, be anything permanently ordered.

Often times, Judges don’t know what’s going on and they’ll err on the side of caution pending a hearing and issue these emergency orders...which are later dismissed.

Your ex likely just wants attention and contact from you - unfortunately, Court is one of the ways people like him do it. Medical care is another...

You might do a search on “vexatious litigant law” for Ohio and see if there are any statutes in place.

Based on what you said, I feel the protective order will be dropped and nothing will matter.

Personally? I’d fight this without a lawyer as I’ve done a few times in the past  (my ex has filed these against me before and in similar fashion to what you explain...only to have nothing happen later)

Keep doing your best at no contact with this person, as well. I wouldn’t have anything to do with him. Nothing.

Good luck


Title: [CA] Is the military coup attempt in Turkey considered a "war (declared or undeclared)," "civil war," "insurrection," or "rebellion or revolution" for insurance purposes?

Answer: Almost certainly yes.Answer #2: I would be absolutely stunned and surprised if it was not considered in this category.


Title: My co-worker told me a story from 18 years ago. I told him he deserved a felony but he says his hands are clean. Settle this debate once and for all!

Question: J, my co-worker, told me that when he was 18, he had his own apartment and it was known as a 'party joint', where people went to drink. One of these nights, two different people said they wanted to come, but had their kids for the night. J said the kids could come with, and hang out in the other room while the adults partied. Well the 15 year old boy got the 12 year old girl pregnant that night while everyone was playing pong. Is J responsible for anything in t hi is situation?

Answer: Probably not. Having kids in your home during a party isn't illegal.


Title: My car is registered in New York State. An officer in Delaware had warned me that I can receive a ticket if my windows are too tinted. Is this allowed?

Question: [deleted]

Answer: yes. Why wouldn't they be able to enforce local laws?


Title: Chicago. My landlord essentially told my roommate and I that he wants us out because my roommate is a homosexual. Specifically saying, "I dont want people like you living here". What can we do?

Answer: The Illinois Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination in housing based upon sexual orientation but this does not apply in all instances. Can you describe your living arrangement? Apartment, duplex, condo, home? Does the landlord live there? Are you month to month or are you in the middle of a lease that you both signed?Answer #2: Contact legal aid at your local lgbt center. They will be able to tell you exactly what to do.Answer #3: The Center on Halsted is a great resource for LGBTQ people in Chicago.Answer #4: Isn't this also a potential civil rights violation?Answer #5: Great tips in the thread so far. I'd like to add that you may want to prepare yourselves to move out no matter how things progress. Regardless of legality, it sounds like you'll always have issues with the landlord and the relationship is bound to deteriorate further.


Title: Dad died and his parents are clearing his estate. Urgent help.

Question:
My dad died with no will and wasnt married. My Dad died in Oregon where he was living, im in Texas.

Sounds like my grandparents were paying my dads rent, and now that hes dead they have been going daily to his apartment and taking stuff from his apartment.

Other than flying out asap WHAT CAN I DO?

How can I prove theyve taken stuff? This seems so tricky.

They are 100% taking everything of value from his property and leaving nothing. This is illegal right?

I need help..

Answer:
 You should probably contact a lawyer and document everything so you know what was taken.

I, myself, am not an attorney.


Title: Mother is withholding a bond in my name from my Grandmother. I am 18 and am hoping to use it to pay for college, is there anything I can do?

Question:
As stated above. I’m an 18 year old high school senior. I’ve started my look into college after graduation and as you’d imagine I’m looking for financial aide in every nook and cranny of my life. When my grandmother died she left me some sort of bond worth 15K that earns interest every year, I don’t know how long ago she purchased it or how much it’s currently worth. The one thing I do know is that that lump of money could do wonders in alleviating some of the financial burden coming my way.

However when confronted my mother firmly stated it was for a house not for college and that I shouldn’t want to disobey my deceased grandmothers wishes. Obviously this is all just curiosity and I’m just wondering if there is any action I can take moving forward.

If it helps I live in Oregon and am 18.

Answer:
 You would have to find out the conditions of the bond and if it's being held in trust. Some pay out at 18, others at 21 or even later. If it is in a trust, your grandmother may have stated what she wanted the money to be used for.

Ask your mother exactly what the bond is and how it's being held for you.


Title: Town police say they are going to start towing students cars off a residential town street next to the school with no legal grounds that I know of.

Question: I live in Latham, New york. The police involved here are of the Colonie PD. My school has a small parking lot reserved for senior class only, we have around 500 people in each class, so you can see why there would be a problem for say juniors who want to drive into school. There is a residential area behind the woods in the back of the school that a TON of us park in (Im a junior myself). A few days ago one of the jackasses in my class did a donut on somebodies damn lawn. Besides that incident there have been no other disturbances to these peoples day to day lives, we just park on their streets, make sure we don't block driveways or mailboxes and do a good job of that. Today we all received an email from our principal that he had received multiple phone calls from residents complaining, and one from the town police saying tickets will be issued and cars will be towed from this point out. But for what? Its a public street with zero no parking notices. If somebody could just let me know of some reason they could do this, or if they are just trying to scare us out. Thanks.

Answer:
 >  one from the town police saying tickets will be issued and cars will be towed from this point out. But for what?

We have no idea.  If/when you get a ticket, come back and tell us what you were cited for.

Answer #2: > Besides that incident there have been no other disturbances to these peoples day to day lives

I think you are wrong about that.  The donut was probably just the last straw,


Title: Do I have a lawsuit against Domino's pizza?

Question: On three separate occasions my Pizza Profile has been hacked and the three people, in separate locations, have used my stored banking information to order food. I have had no other profiles, on any other platforms, hacked before, so it seems to me like it could be a security issue on Domino's behalf. How would I go about looking into this, and might I have grounds for a lawsuit......?

Answer: You have no grounds for a lawsuit.  Change your password and do not store *banking* information anywhere.  If you want to store a credit card, fine.  Bank information, no.  Pursue getting your charges refunded with Domino's and your bank.


Title: Worried about possible lawsuit. Asset protection help please! NC

Question:
Hello!

So two and a half years ago, my future wife rear ended somebody at a stoplight who rear ended a police officer. The damage to the other vehicles was very minimal and the person who my wife rear ended filed a claim for slight neck injury. However, this morning my wife received a phone call from her insurance company because the police officer who was involved is just now filing claims for shoulder injury that he apparently suffered during the collision. It sounds like he has already received about 38K worth of treatment and still needs surgery, which would most certainly go over my wife's insurance policy's personal injury limit of 50K. The insurance company said that their lawyers are involved and it is very unlikely that they would ever go after us unless they could prove we have enough money to pay for the damages.

My question to you is, should we transfer the money in our joint savings account to one that I still have under my name to protect our assets? We live in North Carolina, so we are not affected by community marriage laws. If it makes a difference, we only have a little under 10K in our savings account.

Thank you so much for your advice!

Answer:
 What you are proposing is a fraudulent transfer.  It can be discovered and does not look good in front of a judge.  And for 10K, certainly not worth it, as not all of that would be subject to a judgment anyway.

Also, most likely, there is going to be a settlement, and it will probably be for insurance limit or less.


Title: Hypothetical: Can I use supernatural forces as an excuse for self defense/stand-your-ground?

Question:
I know not everyone believes in the supernatural/religious, but could it be used as a possible means of self defense?

Examples:

1) I loudly chant out a demon summoning ritual to scare off/ threaten an intruder. Also, if demon does get summoned and killed intruder, am I liable for the demon's actions or can I claim the ritual as an act of self defense?

2) While being followed by a stranger at night, I threaten them to back off unless I curse them with ancient blood/satanic/wiccan curses. Also, would putting a "curse" on someone count as an assault in the court of law?

3) State to a very obvious phishing scam caller that unless they put me on the "do-not-call" list, I will summon the spirit of their grandmother via necromancy, and have her haunt them for the rest of their lives. Bonus points if I am allowed to actually do said necromancy rituals if phisher does not reply/comply?

Answer: When you prove the supernatural exists, we’ll make case law that answers your questions. Until then, the courts do not the capacity to manage (1) demons, (2) mermaids, (3) fairies, and (4) all other manner of things that violate the physical bounds of our universe.


Title: Neighbor falls dead tree on my yard, causes damage to my property. Neighbor is being difficult about repairs [WA]

Question:
My neighbor had a large dead tree on his property aimed straight for my house.  Half of the branches were hanging over my property, but the tree itself was on his property.  I brought it up to him a while ago verbally and again a couple weeks ago via text.  He went to cut it down (by himself) and made some critical mistakes in the process.  It landed in our backyard, doing a fair bit of damage to some of our mature landscaping, including some older trees.

He's since cleaned up the tree on my property, but when I asked him about fixing the damages he said he was "doing me a favor by removing the tree in the first place."  Now he is agreeing to replace one of my damaged trees, but I'm still pretty uncomfortable with the whole situation.  I'm trying to be a cool neighbor about it and I am definitely relieved that the tree is no longer a risk for my home, but I'm also stuck with a yard that isn't as nice as it was before the tree fell.  I feel like he should be doing everything possible to make me "whole" again, but just want to make sure I'm not missing anything before I talk to him tomorrow.  Anything else I should consider?

Thanks in advance.

Answer:
 If he has homeowners insurance it may cover any liability arising from his failed Paul Bunyan impression.

He’s liable, though. If you negligently chip down a tree and cause damage, you owe for all of the damages you cause.


Title: [Iowa] DSL thief neighbor has been running up my quota overage fees.

Question:
I'm still investigating how far back this goes, but basically my neighbor has been plowing through data and mediacom has been billing me.

How much proof do I need to have in what I hope will be small claims court, depending on how much money this turns out to be? Did I have a responsibility to notice I was using more data than I should have been? How do I prove the offending devices are my neighbor's and not mine? I have logs of my neighbor's 2 tivo DVRs downloading like mad, but I don't know how to prove those aren't mine. We have automatic bill pay and a few months of huge bills went by without us investigating.
Topic:
Computer and Internet

Answer: How are they connecting to your DSL?


Title: Wrongful Termination?

Question:
I work for Bank of America. While I was on my own medical leave, they transferred me to a customer contact role. I hadn't had a customer contact job in more than 10 years. Within 6 months, I was back on medical leave again, due to my anxiety and falling back into depression. BAC put me in a role taking customer calls regarding their accounts being frozen or closed (not at their request).

My doctor said I can return to work in a non\-customer related role (like what I've been in for the last 10 yrs).  Unfortunately, B of A does not have any open roles with no customer contact. They are giving me until June 28th to find a job within the company. If I can't find one, the accomidations manger explained they will "terminate our relationship", effective June 28, 2018 (AKA: fire or lay me off?) .  It should be a lay off and they will hopefully offer me a severence package. My questions is, what am I entitled to, if anything?  I would not be in this situation, had they not moved me into this customer service role in the Anti\-money Laundering dept. They were very aware of my medical conditions and ingored it and me, as well as the affect the job was having on me.   I'm sure they were hoping I'd quit since they could replace me for much less money and wouldn't have to pay unemployment.  I've been there nearly 14 yrs and have nothing but outstanding reviews. I was also promoted to Officer, announce Feb. 2017 (I was on medical leave.) I believe they transferred me to the new role because my current managers did not want to deal with the paper work of me being on FMLA leave.

Answer: The key is that they have to make a *reasonable* accommodation if you have a disability. If they don't have a position that accommodates your disability, creating one specifically just for you would likely be deemed unreasonable.