Title: (AZ) Elderly assisted living home w/holding medical info & furnishings ransom until rent paid (10 days late & vacating May 1)

Question:
I am the power of attorney for my 84 year old grandfather.  He has been in assisted living for 5 years at a place in Gilbert, AZ that has about 6 beds (residents) in it (so it is a small place...not an institution).  My grandfather pays out of pocket -- doesn't have medicare/caid or any other assistance.  His monthly income (Social Security + private pensions) has always covered his $2600 rent...until this month.  There was a disruption to his pensions which is leaving him $1600 short this month (due on the 15th).

Along side this financial issue, the house called me on 4/18/15 that they want him out of there -- that he's now suddenly disruptive to the other residents and staff.  I made arrangements to move him to a new home with the next available move in date of May 1.  I let his current assisted living house know the following day.

Now the current assisted living household owner has gone batsh*t crazy:

1) She wanted him out THAT DAY (4/19/2015) -- even though I told her I am moving him on May 1 (first available date).

2)  She called me about 16 times on 4/19/2015 telling me that I had to get him TODAY or she would file "abandonment charges" against me for elderly abandonment.  (WTF?!?  I can't bring him to my house in the interim because he's in a wheelchair and I have a 2 story house).

3) She is witholding his medical information (medications list + date of last TB test) which I need to supply to the new house -- she says she won't give it to me until the day he's discharged (I am his durable power of attorney, medical power of attorney and proxy).  Well, I was able to get the medications list from Hospice but Hospice said they didn't have his TB date.  The problem is that the new house requires a TB test within 6 months of moving in so they need to know the date of his last TB test.  That's all we need -- the date of the last TB test.  She won't give it to me until he's discharged on May 1 or unless I pay his rent (which is currently 6 days late).  The problem is that IF we find out his date of last TB test was >6 months ago, I have to get him a new TB test before he can move into the new house...which takes 48 hours to do the test and get the results.  Bottom line: by withholding his medical info, she could cause him to become homeless for 2 days while we get another one done.  (My grandfather is wheelchair/bedridden, so it's not easy/common for him to leave the house at all without a lot of planning and coordination, else, I would just take him to a doctor or clinic and get another one done.)

4)  I provided her a list of furnishings of my grandfather's that we expect to collect on May 1 (a bed, dresser, 2 end tables, TV, recliner, kitchen table w/ 2 chairs, 2 floor lamps, and a small entertainment center) and now she's told me she will hold all his furnishings hostage until his rent is paid.

Here's the catch 22: with his pensions cut this month, he doesn't have the $1600 for his late rent.  (All other assets and savings have been depleted years prior and I am unable to supplement it.)  So, I would like to collect his furniture and sell it to pay his past-due rent (his furnishings are worth more than the $1600).  But, she won't let me collect the furniture until I pay the rent, making me feel like we are in a chicken-and-egg scenario.  She's gone off the deep end and is completely irrational and unreasonable.  She keeps texting me that she is going to call the police and see me in court and also charge me STORAGE FEES for the very stuff she won't let me collect!

Note:  His new place will be more affordable and will be in-line with his new income due to the cut in pensions.  His new income will allow him to ONLY afford his living expenses (e.g. his rent at new assisted living home), so next month, I will only have enough for his current rent and nothing left over to "catch up" on his existing $1600 rent owed problem...hence the necessity to sell his furnishings (which he is fine with...they are not family heirloom items or anything).

I am at a loss.  Advice?

TL;DR: elderly grandfather is moving May 1 to a different assisted living home.  He is 10 days late on $1600 rent but has no money or assets save for his current furnishings.  I want to sell his furnishings for the balance owed, but assisted living manager won't let me collect his belongings until I pay his rent.  What do?

Answer: I am not familiar with Arizona law but I would do some research and find out what state agency licenses assisted living homes and contact them ASAP! You might also want to visit http://www.avvo.com and search for an elder law attorney or senior's rights attorney in your area. Many will provide a low cost or no cost initial consultation.


Title: Jury duty and a bomb threat

Question: [deleted]

Answer: That's stone cold son.Answer #2: No.Answer #3: Your mom's in danger and the first thing you ask is whether you can sue someone who didn't cause her to be in danger?


Title: An exercise in legislation: helping Bitcoin project

Question: [removed]

Answer:
 > How can I approach problem of writing Bitcoin constitution? What to read? Where to start?

You don't. The chances of you getting the support of everyone in the community in all four groups are pretty much zero. In fact, I doubt you could even get the support necessary for consensus.

This is the fundamental flaw in open source projects without clear governance. Forks are the only option and, as you know, there's a civil war going on in the bitcoin world as a result of it.

tl;dr: short bitcoin and profit!Answer #2: /u/Zapopa should be able to helpAnswer #3: Since all these poppycocks are being dicks to you OP, I'll help you out:

We the People of the BitCoin Conglomerate, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for Bitcoin.

ARTICLE I
SECTION 1
All bitcoin owners who are scam artists should eventually steal all bitcoins from idiots who think that bitcoin is a legitimate economic system moving forward.Answer #4: Are you interested in creating *legislation,* or a series of guidelines for your club?


Title: (ONTARIO CANADA) Can my employer stick me with a bill for something that I did that cost him money? (Security work)

Question:
So let me start off by saying I work in security so I think the laws may be different.

I was originally scheduled for site A but my boss (head manager of the company) requested I go to site B instead. I said okay.

The position was just sitting at a door and using a metal detector on whoever came in. It was from 2200-1000. Around 0000 everyone in the building left. I stepped outside for some freshair (around 0030) and when I tried opening the door again it was locked. I stood there for a bit then started walking around the building looking for someone who could maybe open the door for me but there was no one. So I just went home. This morning I got a text from my boss saying "The building was swept by a bomb dog yesterday and the police will now have to sweep the building again, this will cost several thousand dollars.  I will be passing this bill onto you and I am terminating your employment immediately".

So my question is, am I really liable for this bill? On the other hand, can they deduct it from the last pay they give me (Would be around 500-600 at this point so wouldn't cover the whole thing).

Another thing. Last night when I got to my post a girl was there already (the one I was releasing). I asked her what am I doing here and she said (paraphrasing) "You just have to use the metal detector on the people who come in, but I haven't even been doing it either because they all work here anyway". Wouldn't that make me no longer liable cause the site was not secure even before I got there?

Secondary question: I was in the process of filing complaints with the ministry of labour for treatment on employees with this company. They didn't pay guards overtime unless the guard inquired about it. Guards were not giving a 30 minute break every 5 hours (on 12+ hour shifts). I had to work multiple 16+, 18+, 22+, 28+,32+ and one 36 hour shift (this was all 1 year ago). Will I no longer about to make these complaints?

Alright, thanks guys.

Also just as a side note, I will be hiring a lawyer if I actually am stuck with the bill, just want to know what to expect. Thanks. :)

Edit: Also a note, I did sign a contract with them about a year and a half ago but I can't remember what was on it. If the contract had something in it saying that I agree to pay for any damages would I be liable no matter what?

2nd Edit:

http://www.mcscs.jus.gov.on.ca/english/PSIS/BasicTesting/SecurityGuardStudyGuide/TheActandCodeofConduct/SG_act_conduct.html

I was also told that I could be fined under this act but I don't think I broke anything in it.

3rd edit: since my termination I have been offered 5 shifts from the same company via email. Although this may just be them forgetting to take me off the mailing list. Not sure if this affects anything.

Answer:
 Not a lawyer, not Canadian. But I am in security.

You abandoned your post. Full stop.

Before the lawyers get to any of the rest of this. You abandoned your post. Nowhere in the world of security is that ok. Canada may have some additional worker protections, but in the US, that alone is enough for termination. In my state, where you have to obtain a license to be a guard, you could also be subject to fines and revocation of your license.

Did you really not think to call anyone to let you back into the building? Your supervisor, the person you relieved, the person relieving you? Your buddy at another site? The client emergency contact in the post orders? You really thought going home was the best course of action? Even if you hadn't been able to reach anyone, sitting in your car until someone else arrived in the morning would have been a better solution.

I can't speak to the legality of anything here, as its not my field. But holy shit man. You couldn't get back inside so you fucking went home? In what world is that ok? They are paying you (and the client company is paying them even bigger bucks) to guard that building. Being locked out does not suddenly mean you aren't still responsible.

When you go looking for another job, do everyone a favor and don't get one in security.


Title: Should I create an LLC for my youtube income?

Question:
I have been making youtube income since around 2013 and next year I expect the income to be at least $11,000. I live in New Jersey and Google sends me a 1099 each year with my earnings and so far I have just added the income each year and tried to write off as much as possible.

I'm wondering if I should create an LLC for this income. Would it save me in taxes? Would I break even with the cost of opening the LLC vs what i would pay? If I do start one what is the best way to go about it?

Answer:
 Assuming you are the only member of the LLC, the IRS will treat it as a "disregarded entity," which means that, as far as the IRS is concerned, it doesn't exist.  So, won't affect your taxes in the least.

If you're looking for tax savings, you might consider setting up a SEP IRA.


Title: Petty roommate issues: she's a thief

Question:
Ok so heres the dilemma.

My roommate fucked my best friends boyfriend after a large party one weekend. I never cleaned up after her because I was tired of cleaning up after her, and she is a holier than thou slob. She put a bag of garbage infront of my roommate and I's door, I called her out on it. She called me dirty, I called her a succubus. Shes pissed I know that shes a mega slut. So naturally she takes her lock and locks up all my dishes and cookware in the cupboard. I cut it off later that day and put my stuff in my room. She calls me a cunt etc. Takes her stereo in her room and plays shitty rap on full blast for 4 hours until a noise complaint is called.

She begins to move out, and with it - steals my clothes, sign, jewellery rack, and rain coat. I ask for it back. She says not until I pay her for the coat she / potentially I lost months ago. Im like no.... your the brat of life. My other friend asks for it back she says no. My roommate asks for it back in text she says no. My roommate and I go to the police, they say they will get in contact with her and charge her if she doesnt give it back. I haven't heard from the police in 3 weeks, and shes moving the rest of her stuff out. Her mom says I stole from Maryann and I lost her coat. I told her mom I called the police and she was like we'll get the police involved as well. Heres the thing, her dad is a lawyer for a fish company. Hahaha so I know this is petty as fuck but what the fuck do I do?

Answer: This week on The OC....


Title: Ordered a good, 2 came instead of 1. More clarity in text bellow.

Question: Hi, so I ordered an expensive good. At first I wanted it shipped to my house, but then I had it changed to an on site pick up. So I picked it up and everything was fine. Today (2 weeks later) I signed for a package that is an identical copy of the first one I picked up. There are no extra charges on our credit card. Legally can I keep it, if I want to do the right thing do I send it back or call them?

Answer:
 Legally you owe them money for two or you return the second one unused. A mistake does not mean you get a windfall. Answer #2: Weekly post asking whether OP can keep a good based on a misshipment?  Check.

No, you cannot legally keep the item.  You pay for it, or you send it back.  If you try to link to the UCC or a webpage describing how you can be legally entitled to keep this item, I'll have an aneurysm.  It doesn't apply to your situation.


Title: Roommate euthanized his dog after it bit me. Rescue org is now harassing me.

Question:
I’m a law student that resides in Florida. My roommate moved in with me in mid-August with his dog. He told me that the dog was rescued from an abusive situation and was shy of new people. I had already met the dog so this was not an issue. Unfortunately, my roommate did not communicate the dog’s true behavior. The dog was an unpredictable biter and bit me on 3 separate occasions without warning.

I never filed a police report or called animal control because I wanted to protect my roommate. I didn’t want to take the chance of him having to explain a police report about his dog to the Bar. After the third time the dog bit me, I told the roommate he needed to get rid of the dog, or he and the dog had to move out.

Here’s where the plot thickens: we live in university-owned housing. The dog has attempted to bite multiple residents of our apartment complex. Our lease has a provision that prohibits aggressive dogs. The dog’s behavior was brought to the attention of the school and roommate was advised to get rid of the dog or be evicted.  Roommate contacted the rescue organization about re-homing the dog. In the meantime, he showed me the adoption contract. At the top of the contract was a provision explaining the dog’s propensity to bite unexpectedly, which my roommate initialed. The contract also stated that if my roommate were to return the dog to a local shelter, for any reason, he would be fined $1000 by the rescue organization.

The rescue forced a home visit in which they asked us to meet them (7 rescue people) outside. I tried to explain the biting incidents and the rescue folk were not interested in what I had to say because I was not the owner. They told my roommate they would not take the dog back until he had several expensive medical tests conducted on the dog and completed a costly training course. I was accused of lying about my dog bites and told I was acting crazy.

Two days later, my roommate made the difficult decision to put the dog down. The next day, he received an email from the rescue organization and it was mostly them dragging me through the mud. What bothered me about this email was that the rescue knew my first and last name. I never told them that, and I am not registered for anything under my school address.

A week later (today) my roommate received an email from the dean at our school who was made aware of the dog situation. She asked him to remind the rescue org that by federal law the school could not release a student’s information or even confirm a student’s attendance. Apparently, the rescue had called the school yesterday looking for information. This evening, I received an email from the rescue on my school email demanding that I send them pictures of my “alleged” dog bites. I’m very concerned that they found my school email address, as it includes my middle initial in it. How could they have figured that out?

At this point, I feel I am being harassed. I did not adopt this dog. I did not sign a contract for the dog, so why is the rescue org going after me? If they want to harass someone for putting the dog down, they should be harassing my roommate since he was the legal owner.

Should I contact an attorney to have a cease and desist letter for harassment drawn up?

Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 Lawyer here. Congrats - as a law student, you are getting your first experience in telling another person to pound sand, something you will do plenty of after you pass the bar.

You should also realize that "harassment" is much narrower than what laypeople think it is. Harassment is by its nature persistent or pervasive unwanted contact. Sending you an email is not harassing you.

You don't need a lawyer or a cease and desist letter. Just tell them that their demands are meaningless and leave it at that. Good lawyers know when the time is ripe to engage an opponent, and when the time is ripe to tell someone to go eat shit.


Title: (Portland, OR) I was doing yard-work and accidentally saw my neighbor's having sex, now they are threatening to sue me and spreading lies that I am a pervert

Question:
I was using the weedwhacker around my yard and my neighbor's were having a sexual activity with their windows wide open. I avoided looking in their direction and continued my work. I went into my home and made myself a sandwich and helped my son with his homework. Twenty mins later there is a knocking on the door, real erratic. I tell my son to go upstairs and I have my phone in my hand ready to call 911 cause I thought maybe a druggie was at the front door (I live in a rough area). It was the wife from next door screaming at me and calling me a perv. She threatened to sue me. I said I didn't see anything and I did not try to look in her direction. She pushed me on the chest and screamed that she would sue me for being a pervert.

When my wife got home, she was also accosted by this woman who claimed that I found her attractive (I don't) and that I was peeping (I was not; they left their windows and blinds open and made some noise). Mu wife was shocked and confused and came inside the house quickly. I explained the situation and she agreed with me that the wife next door is a crazy b-tch.

The next morning, there was a hand written note with many misspellings and typos claiming that she was going to sue me and contact my employer and tell the neighbors I am a pervert. What recourse do I have and what legal measures can I take to protect myself?

Answer:
 Legally speaking, I will second what craftycarnivalzombie and baseballfanatic12 said.

If you want to, then you can have an attorney write a letter telling them that if they engage in slander, liable, or defamation, then you will sue them to the full extent allowed by law.

If you want to get really creative, then you can inform them that you are considering the installation of a camera facing the space between your yard and their yard because it's a bad neighborhood and you've heard some strange noises coming from that area, and you want to let them know that they should probably close the blinds on their windows so that burglars etcetera cannot see into their home.  :-)Answer #2: Find that old article in the local news about the dude vacuuming his house naked and how he got in trouble for being in full view. Send them that and tell them to close the window and THEY can stop being exhibitionists Answer #3: Keep a record of what she writes you.

Unless you actually get note of a suit then don't worry.

If you feel concerned for your safety call the police.


Title: pulled over in MO, cop smelled weed, nothing was found, what now?

Question: This is part II of an original post. A person who claims to be an officer said that I could be added to a "Drug User" list that pops up during traffic stops. Does smelling marijuana and not finding it warrant putting me on this list? Also, does this list pop up like license plate readers or does the officer have to actually run my plates to get that information. Thanks.

Answer: Lists like this are maintained by the local department.  They have no legal weight and they do not generally count as probable cause for search or arrest purposes.


Title: Would a pardon waive Fifth Amendment rights?

Question: I've asked a question about fifth amendment rights before, and have been told that immunity could waive a person's right. Given the news that Trump is pardoning Scooter Libby, I thought I'd ask again about presidential pardons. Could a presidential pardon end up with an ironic situation where a pardonee gets forced to testify on Trump where he otherwise would not have had to if he didn't receive a pardon?

Answer:
 >Could a presidential pardon end up with an ironic situation where a pardonee gets forced to testify on Trump where he otherwise would not have had to if he didn't receive a pardon?

Yes.

The purpose of the fifth amendment is to protect a person's right to not be put into legal jeopardy through compelled self incrimination. The fifth amendment is not a blanket right to not be compelled to admit to having been involved criminal acts. When legal jeopardy is no longer a possibility, through a pardon, related conviction, double jeopardy, immunity, or expiration of a limitation period, the fifth amendment ceases to provide any protection.


Title: Immigrant with a work permit in California sick

Question: Here is the situation. There is a man who works at a very small business in california. He has a work permit but is not a legal resident. He comes to work one day already sick (unknown if its a cold or flu etc.). He never called to request the day off or mentioned being sick to any supervisors. While working his shift he becomes really cold, starts shaking, says he cant breathe and is sweating. A licensed Doctor was on site at the time and helped him. Emergency services were not called. The man asks if he can get any help medical wise. As an employer, is this a workers comp case? Will the company get in trouble for having him as an employee? Is he at risk of someone reporting it to ICE? Legally what should an employer do  in this situation. Thanks in advance.

Answer: This is not a worker's comp case. If he has a valid work permit, the employer won't get in trouble for hiring him. Seeking medical attention will not directly trigger a notification to ICE. There's nothing that can prevent an individual from reporting anyone to ICE for any reason.


Title: My brother signed my name as an endorsement to his student loans without my permission. What are my options?

Question: So i got my mail today and in it was a letter saying I (as an endorser  of my brother's student loans) owe them $2k but I never signed for this  meaning my shit head brother forged my signature and used my SSN for  this. I do remember him and his girlfriend begging me to do it and I  told them both no as I didnt want to risk not being able to pay it back  and sure enough I cant pay back $2000.00 My brother is in prison rn in  Hawaii, thats another story, but I mention it to make the point that he  obviously cant take care of this himself but I was a victim of fraud so  what are my options?

Answer: File a police report, and then contact the lender and let them know your brother forged the signature and that you would like to talk to their fraud department about removing the credit entry and removing you from the loan.


Title: How long can expect my first day of jury duty to last?

Answer: Until the trial is over or a plea bargain is reached. Anywhere from ten minutes to more than a year.


Title: Please help -- my sister wants to help my dog pass without me present (Nova Scotia, Canada)

Question:
I won't get into much history however my sister has been taking care of my dog the past year and a half because a) no one else was available (she doesn't work so she has time), and b) the property she is allowed to stay (my mother's) doesn't have any stairs, which was needed as my dog's hips have been getting worse and worse.

My dog is 15 years old and I had her since she was 2 months old. She is having a lot of trouble laying down and needs help getting up now and was just upped to the highest dose of pain killers she can be. I've spent 10,000+ hours just walking her over the years, and countless more being with and caring for her.

They live in Nova Scotia, Canada. I am tempted to call all of the vets in the specific area to tell them the situation, though I don't know what legalities of this whole situation are or what responsibilities a vet has?

She initially offered for me to stay at the house for 2 nights, while her and her partner would travel for a few days - the partner who at one point threatened to kill me which I have on audio -- sharing this detail simply to give an idea of the type of people they are, the type of partner she attracted and stays with; he is the over-the-top charming type, needs and wants everyone to love him (I wouldn't buy into his bullshit which is where his death threat came from), and IMHO he is using my sister/family for access to money and resources.

She now texted me saying she regrets telling me that my dog was getting much worse, and that she was trying to be nice to me to let me say goodbye to her.

This is going to rip me apart. After she didn't back down from her statement that I can't be there, I tried to point out that what she's trying to do is the equivalent of if her or myself was prevented from being at our dad's deathbed in the hospital - who passed away a year and a half ago. Her response was that she is my dog's guardian and it's not up for discussion.

I don't know if I should email my mother to see if she can leverage the situation because that may inflame things and then my sister may not allow me to even visit or have time with my dog - or potentially put her down sooner than later. I think I have to though.

Is there anything legally I can do, do vets have any 'moral' obligation if they know of a situation like this exists?

Any ideas? Thank you.

EDIT: To clarify, as a lot of assumptions are being made
* My sister doesn't want her to be put down yet. I could hop on a plane tonight if that was the plan.
* My sister didn't pay for anything. It's my mother's money. Once again, it's my mother's property and my sister doesn't pay the bills there or the bills for the dog.
* It was the family decision that my sister would take care of her, alternatively we could have found a good farm/home for her, and then if there was time for us to get there when she was ready for help to pass, then everyone would be able to be there.
* The comparison to my father dying in the hospital: It's trying to engage her empathy -- it is absolutely the same thing if you consider your dog a family member/loved one.

EDIT 2: THANK YOU for the hard love. I am thinking now I should just go for the 'goodbye visit' and arrange for the vet to come then. It is my sister who isn't ready to let the dog go and is prolonging her suffering, not me.
Topic:
Canada

Answer:
 So just to make sure I understand. Your dog is in a ton of pain. The dog you havn't taken care of in over a year. And your sister who has cared for and paid for this dog offered to let you cover stay with her for few days. You don't like her boyfriend. So now she wants the dog not to be in pain anymore and you are mad.

You have no legal options hear. Thank your sister for caring for the dog


Title: My brother just bought a house and made my mom a 1% owner

Question: My mom is on ODSP and we live in low income housing my brother has been trying to by a house and now that he finally has he made my mom a 1% owner. So my question is since she collects ODSP will being a 1% home owner effect that in any way?

Answer: He can't make her an owner unless she agreed to it and signed off on legal documents, or he forged those documents. So, step 1 is to verify his claim. Its possible to get a copy of the title to see who is on it.


Title: I'm a recent graduate from a weed-legal state. I have a good chance at getting a job in a facility that tests grows. If I take it, what are the implications for future work under federal labs and labs under federal grants?

Question:
Hello everybody,

After having a discussion with /r/careerguidance (https://np.reddit.com/r/careerguidance/comments/6iqdb3/im_a_recent_grad_from_a_weedlegal_state_i_have_a/) and /r/labrats (https://np.reddit.com/r/labrats/comments/6iqksn/im_a_recent_grad_from_a_weedlegal_state_i_have_a/) , it was recommended that I post here.

I have a good shot at getting work in a facility that tests marijuana grows for quality using technical techniques. I have concerns that this could affect my future ability to enter work in federal laboratories or labs under federal grants. I couldn't find much online so I am turning to people who have more experience. This would be very good work for me to go for as far as work experience goes, it's just the legal implications that concern me.

This is in Washington state.

Thanks ahead of time.
Topic:
Drug Possession

Answer: Yes this can impact your ability to have a federal position and be eligible for federal grants. State law is useless here.


Title: What is the impact of a traffic ticket on my life and future prospects?

Question:
Not sure this is the best place for this, but I would like a little help.

About a year ago I got a citation for improper lane changing in Kansas. The story, if you care, is that I was in a roundabout and apparently the lane I was in HAD to turn. I know ignorance of the law isn't a good excuse but I wasn't aware of this at the time and kept driving around to get to my exit. In the end it was my fault and I was issued a ticket by a police officer.

I paid the ticket with 'No Contest', mainly because I was scared and sick that I had screwed up. I know it over dramatic but I consider myself a very safe driver. This is my first, and only, blemish on my record.

Now a year later I got notice that my insurance is being 'adjusted', now that initial sinking feeling has come back. What impact will this ticket have on my life?

I suppose my questions are thus:

* Will this ticket seriously affect my changes of getting scholarships, acceptance to colleges, and financial aid?

* Will it affect my future employment chances?

* Can I have this expunged from my record? If not, can I do anything to mitigate the impacts?

Thank you in advance for your help, my folks haven't been very helpful and I'm unsure where to turn or who to ask.

Answer:
 >Will this ticket seriously affect my changes of getting scholarships, acceptance to colleges, and financial aid?

100%, absolutely positively NO

>Will it affect my future employment chances?

Do you want to be a big rig driver? If not, no.

>Can I have this expunged from my record? If not, can I do anything to mitigate the impacts?

There is no impact. It will fall off your insurance after a few years.

Calm down, nothing bad is happening.


Title: [FL] Illegal stop and seizure

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Only reasonable suspicion is needed.  If he ran the plates through that state's DMV and no return came back, that is enough for the stop.  You are being charged with a felony, get an attorney.


Title: Employer has "a policy" to absorb 75% of my PTO

Question:
I work for a small business in Wisconsin. My last day with them is Friday (after a 2-week notice), and today I called the person in charge of payroll to ask what they do about my accrued PTO. The answer was "you'll get paid 25% of it on your final check."

That doesn't feel legal to me. I've found [this](https://www.employmentlawhandbook.com/leave-laws/state-leave-laws/wisconsin/), and it seems I fit all the criteria to be awarded full PTO payout. Do I have any grounds for a small claim suit or similar action?

Answer:
 Time to take paid vacation for the rest of the week!Answer #2: From your link:

>An employer is required to pay accrued vacation to an employee upon separation from employment if its policy or contract requires it.

Sounds like your employer is paying out your accrued PTO in accordance with its policy - which is at 25%.  What in your link makes you think you should be awarded the full PTO payout?  Answer #3: HR Manager, not a lawyer. Paid time off is *not* a legal requirement in the USA. Employers are only required to follow their own policy, and if the policy states that you only get 25% upon termination, then that is all you are entitled to. They can legally pay out none of your PTO if that was their policy, so **always** read the handbook upon hire. Answer #4: Do you have a contract?  Does your employee handbook (or other published policy of your employer) address it?Answer #5: I believe it comes down to whatever is listed in your company's handbook.  If they have a policy to only cash out 25% of your PTO, then Wisconsin [seems to think that it legal](https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/er/labor_standards/wage_payment_and_collection_law.htm).  Absent of some sort of forfeiture policy though they would have to pay all of it out.


Title: PA - subpoenaed as a witness. Or one slip court stating the hours that I was there

Question:
Apologies in advance for formatting. I am on a mobile.

I was subpoenaed as a witness in a criminal case. Today I am at the courthouse and my employer texted me saying that in addition to a copy of the subpoena (which I already provided) they need a slip from the court stating the hours that I was actually at the courthouse.

 I asked the clerk if I can get something like that and was advised they don't provide anything like that unless you're on jury duty. The district attorney involved in the case told me that my employer cannot require me to provide additional documentation.  The subpoena is sufficient and that if they doubt where I am then they can feel free to call the District Attorney's Office.  I can only imagine their faces when I get back to work and tell them that. Lol.

My question is can my employer refuse to pay me for the time that I was in court today if I don't bring in a slip stating the hours that I was there? I am a salary employee and was told previously that being subpoenaed is treated the same as jury duty by my company.

Answer:
 This is probably going to come down to what your company policy says. PA law doesn't require an employer to pay for court appearance time at all.Answer #2: I have enough overtime in to cover the time at the courthouse. So the pay is not really an issue. I was just curious. It will be interesting to see if my employer  actually will call the district attorney to verify that I was there today.

Answer #3: You can also usually will get a witness fee from the party that subpoenaed you.

http://law.justia.com/codes/pennsylvania/2010/title-42/chapter-59/5903


Title: [NC] A listener of our podcast has been in contact with us via email. We just noticed they post screenshots of the exchanges to a public facebook page. Will we find ourselves pounding sand if we ask them to take the posts down?

Question:
We have a small podcast which has attracted a highly emotional group of listeners. We receive a lot of messages. There is a submission form on our website, through which people can contact us. If we respond, we email them.

Someone contacted us through the submission form, we emailed them back, and after some limited contact, were informed by that individual that they "document everything," and also that they have a mental illness.

What we didn't know until today is that their preferred method of documenting is to post screenshots of our replies to their inquiries to a public facebook page.
We feel sympathy for this person's situation, but we don't want our communications to be posted on a public facebook page, especially those showing our email address.

We have politely asked the person to delete the posts. This person does reply, but the request is ignored and instead, they just respond with something unrelated, and most of the time repeating things they have written in a past email.

Any advice on how to proceed or would taking further action prove to be futile?

Answer:
 You can ask them to take it down.

They don't have to take it down.  There's no legal issue here.


Title: [Idaho] My sister-in-law wants an abortion, but her husband (my brother) doesn't.

Question:
I'm sorry for the oddity of this post. My brother lives in Idaho with his wife and I live in Delaware, so I'm not too sure about the laws there. They've been married for three years and fighting for two and a half. A while ago, my brother told me they were going to counseling and improving their relationship. Well, my sister-in-law is pregnant now and she wants an abortion. I talked to her too and she's unhappy with the state of the marriage. He quit his job to work for a startup and it's going nowhere financially. They argue and I know this is TMI, but apparently she indulges his needs in the bedroom and he doesn't. She thinks bringing a baby into "their mess" will cause everyone harm. My brother doesn't want her to abort the pregnancy. Is there anything he can do? I suggested more counseling and a sit-down conversation to discuss their future. But I don't know about the laws.
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer:
 She doesn't need his consent Answer #2: He cannot prevent her from getting an abortion and force her to have the baby, no. If he's not working or supporting her in any way now, she's right, a baby isn't going to make things better.

He should see a divorce attorney if he really cannot accept her choice to abort.Answer #3: My question, is whose side are you on OB? Are you trying to find legal advice to prevent the abortion from having an outlet to happen? While this might not be the legal advice you’re looking for, I think you should just suggest your brother gets a divorce lawyer, because anything he does to prevent that abortion will likely be illegal.Answer #4: She has every right to control her body and what is growing in it. I understand why this will be tough for your brother, but he does not get a vote here.Answer #5: I've seen a lot of articles about lawsuits where a man was suing a woman over having/not having an abortion. Generally, the courts seem to always rule in the woman's favor provided she gets an otherwise legal abortion. There are plenty of people on both sides more then happy to drag these lawsuits out and make them a nightmare for everyone involved though. I've never seen a case like this in a marriage though, usually the people are dating or already split up.

I'd suggest more therapy and potentially a divorce. I can't see a relationship surviving a person suing their spouse over having their baby


Title: in Nebraska, i caused 3500 damages to my roommates car, do i owe him

Question: I was backing my roommates car out of the drive way, their is a fire hydrant sitting at the end, when i hit the hydrant the back left part of the car got popped up on the hydrant, its a ford explorer sport so it sits pretty high, the damages were $3,500 dollars with, he decided to go with the $1,900 dollar check and use it towards a new car and wants me to pay him the difference which is $2,100 dollars. He had insurance, thats where he got the nineteen hundred from. Do i LEGALLY have to pay him any money?

Answer:
 Depends what the fair market value of the vehicle is.

You can expect his insurance to be coming after you for the claim they paid.


Title: (PA) MVA; can I get anything out of this?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Your insurance will handle it with their insurance.

It sounds like you want to sue someone for extra money, but it doesn't work that way. No one was seriously injured, the damage to your car will be fixed, etc. You won't get extra money above and beyond that.


Title: Can the mother really 'sue' us over this?

Question:
[Queensland]

My niece is like 5 years old, my sister and her husband were busy so they got me to drop her off and pick her up from school (I'm the next of kin/guardian for when the parents can't be contacted). When I was there this boy ran up and yanked my niece's hair, I told him to go away, he came back again and hit her so I told him to fuck off before I give him a hiding. In the afternoon at the gate both the teacher and the boy's mother were there while the boy was throwing stuff at my niece and running back and forth slapping her on the way past, when I got onto the grounds the boy hid behind his mother and I asked the teacher and mother why they were allowing this to happen and they said the kids were "just playing". In the car I told my niece she should just punch that boy in the head or something (I didn't think she would do it)

This week my brother was in town and my sister wanted me to drop my niece off at school again, I said I was busy so she contacted the school and had our brother to drop her off. Apparently he was waiting with our niece when the boy's mother came up screaming at him for 'threating and verbally abusing' her son. My brother didn't know what she was talking about however while the mother was yelling at my brother my niece ran up and punched the boy so hard he fell over then she stood over him and screamed "my uncle said I could do that!" So my brother got into even more trouble with this woman. The mother now wants to sue the family/take us to court. I'm wondering if she has any grounds?

Answer: She can try to sue for assault and battery (two different causes of action), but unless her son has some actual injuries, it's not going to go anywhere. You can win nominal damages in a civil case. So, she could sue you and maybe get the cost of a happy meal to cheer the kid up.


Title: My neighbor is building a small rocky wall so he can guide drainage from his pipe to my yard. The pipe is attached to his shed. (Alaska)

Question: I haven't seen anything coming out of his pipe but he wouldn't build a rocky wall if there's going to be nothing coming out. I am worried if it is something toxic or dirty sewage or something.  Even if it is just water, I don't like the idea of someone trying to drain something into my yard. What is my right? What should I do?I have a photo but I wasn't sure posting a pic is allowed here. I live in Alaska.

Answer:
 This sub prefers shitty MS Paint drawings.

Your first option is probably to ask your neighbor (politely) what the hell he's doing.

It's pretty likely that he can't intentionally route his drains onto your property without your permission, so your next option is probably a real estate attorney.Answer #2: Talk to the town first, that's always free.


Title: Need to move out ASAP, but discovered that a prior landlord claims that we owe money.

Question:
We moved out of a house, and understood that the living room carpet would likely need to be replaced, and a small hole in a wall would need to be patched.  After a few weeks, I contacted the former landlord (property management company) and asked about the remaining deposit.  She laughed, and started rattling off some really shady info about damages "so far":

* light bulbs
* A/C unit repair
* carpet for the entire house
* massive hole in the garage wall (I have timestamped photo proof of it existing before we moved in)
* kitchen tiling

She said they weren't done yet, and would send me the itemized list later.  I called a few more times and could never get anyone to return my calls, and never saw a bill.

Fast-forward to today when I'm trying to apply for other properties, and discover that they put me into collections, and sold the account off to a deplorable "law firm", who has never tried to collect from me.  They added an extra $1700 on top, and will not budge at all on it.  My first and only phone call to them has left me shaken for the whole day.

I am not responsible for any of the nonsense that was claimed on the phone, and now this is stopping me from finding a place to live.  Nobody that I have applied to will even consider my application as long as this debt is on my credit report.  I have to be out by the end of the month, but cannot possibly afford to pay this ransom.

How should I proceed?

Location: Texas

Updates:

* the debt has been with the "law firm" since Oct 2014.  I'm pretty sure that I don't have any option to contest the charges against the landlord.

* the reason for the urgency in moving out is long and complicated, and it literally just got worse.  The nutjob that we are renting from is, now, a former friend.  She was going through a divorce a week after we moved in, and we took pity on her and said she could move back in (it IS her house) and let us out of the lease.  Tension has been very high between both families, and she is now telling us to move out this Friday, under the threat of calling Child Protective Services.

* she doesn't really have a case with CPS, but they are brutal to deal with regardless.  The worst she has on me are illegal recordings of me screaming at brats

Now what advice do you have?  :-(

Answer:
 You can likely sue your former landlord for not returning your security deposit within 30 days.  Spoiler: they're likely to countersue for the damages.  You can litigate your dispute.

>I have to be out by the end of the month

It is overwhelmingly unlikely, unless you and the landlord miraculously find some common ground to settle, that this will be resolved by the end of the money.


Title: A coworker who works evening shift suddenly got fired and they're making me take some of her shifts, but I'm stricly night shift. Can they do this? Missouri USA

Question:
I work 10pm to 6am and the coworker who got fired works 2pm to 10pm. Suddenly on the next schedule print out I have 3 of her evening evening shifts,  one of which is a double (16 hr shift). I did not volunteer for this. I have other obligations and cannot handle the workload of a 16hr shift.

I told them I cannot pick up these shifts and they told me I'd have to find someone to cover for me. Can they just throw the burden of this on me?

Answer: Assuming that you're an at-will employee, as most are in the U.S., your employer can require you to work whenever it wants and for however long it wants provided that it pays you for time worked.


Title: UPDATE: Moved out of duplex. Landlord hinting strongly that I won't be seeing a deposit back. Advice? (Utah)

Question:
[Original Post](https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/48el6u/moved_out_of_duplex_landlord_hinting_strongly/)

So I hadn't gotten an itemized list or anything from my landlady so I sent a letter with return signature which was refused.

Then today my brother got a certified letter post-marked a day before the 30-day deadline to provide us something.

In the letter the landlady not only says she is taking the full deposit, but is also requesting an additional $1,133.09

$1,075 for 43 hours of cleaning - (WTF?!) The place was NOT that dirty, as seen from the video in my previous post.

$150 for carpet cleaning - Can she do this when she told us not to clean the carpet ourselves?

$75 for carpet repair - This is fair, there were some tears and a burn spot.

$186.75 for curtains - None of the curtains were damaged by us. They were damaged by the sun over time... They were OLD

$60 for blinds - Fair, the children damaged some of the blinds.

$159.09 for replacement blinds - Not sure why this wasn't included in the previous amount for blinds.

$250 for servicing the furnace - Why the hell is she charging us for servicing the furnace? That is landlord responsibility isn't it?

$25 for a load to the dump - Fair, maybe, the trash bins were completely full.

$146.25 for misc repairs, which include the following: Two plungers, two sink drains and plugs, two outlet covers (I don't remember any outlets being damaged and it wasn't mentioned during moveout inspection), eight light bulbs and three candelabra light bulbs, furnace filter, paint for mildew, repair to master closet door, two new door stops, electrical repair to ceiling fan (because two bulbs would not light up, no damage by us).

$31 for return check fee for a returned check early in the lease.

Total: $2158

Deposit: -$1025

Balance owed: $1,133.09

I would like to know if there is anything here I might be able to fight. I can't check my lease because she still hasn't provided me with a copy. I have been asking for a copy since July of last year.

Answer:
 Just wondering who your landlady is?  It looks like she's paying $250/hour thereabouts for a cleaning service......... I can clean!

Seriously, that's ridiculous. Sounds like getting half your deposit back seems fair?


Title: My cat got taken off me and adopted out, Is there anyway I can get her back?

Question:
[deleted]
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer: Weird, 11 hours ago you were looking for partners for your Xbox One online video game..... Previously you were talking about your PC gaming rig. You should probably sell that stuff and get a home... Are you just trolling us with the story of the french homeless man who got his pet stolen by chance?


Title: Disabled parking violation (washington state)

Question: [deleted]

Answer: It really doesn't matter how long it was for, you broke the law by doing that. If you pulled you car in and did a Chinese fire drill and ran around it only to get back in and drive away, you still technically illegally parked in a restricted zone. You had no right to park there. You can try to contest the ticket but most places aren't very lenient with violations like this. Next time just walk back the few hundred feet, it's a lot cheaperAnswer #2: You're out of luck. If you can't afford expensive tickets, don't commit expensive violations.


Title: Brother died in 2015. Yesterday I received a letter stating I’m responsible for paying his mortgage.

Question: My brother was unmarried and left everything to his girlfriend when he died. She never put his will through probate, nor did she refinance his home (in which she continued to live) into her name. A storm sent a huge tree through the roof of the home. Insurance would not speak to her as she was not on the mortgage. She walked away from the home. Now my siblings and I received letter from attorney representing a “trust” established by a home flipper who wants the property, stating we owe the mortgage. No idea what we are supposed to do. Any advice?

Answer:
 You are not responsible for paying. Especially if you never personally took title of the property.Answer #2: Just an FYI because you’ve gotten other good responses already:
This is a method the house flipper is using to attempt to buy the property cheaply and exclusively. He is likely a bank contractor used to manage the property during foreclosure. They know the property is going to auction eventually and will try any means necessary to procure it on the cheap before they have to bid against someone else. It would seem as if they want you to claim the property so they can then buy it from you. There is a potential the situation could work out to your advantage, you should have a real estate attorney review the situation. It’s also possible the bank could supply pictures of the homes internal condition as it stands To give you an idea of value.

Edit: I forgot to mention this process can take years or months depending on a variety of factors. So, if a house flipper wants to find a deal the best way to do so is by being proactive as opposed to waiting for the bank or government to move to settle debts.Answer #3: \>left everything to his girlfriend when he died.

I'm wondering how you know this. Did you and/or an attorney confirm it, or did you just hear it from the girlfriend? If the will was never probated, theoretically it might be invalid for some reason, in which case presumably you'd be an heir as next of kin. Is it possible that the trust attorney knows something you don't about your interest in the property?


Title: 18 yr old sister runs away from home and is now engaged to an asshole. Do we have any power in the law to stop this?

Question:
My 18 year old sister ran away from home and refused to fix any existing troubles with her family. She now lives with her boyfriend and his enabling and manipulative family. They are now engaged and she expects to live with him where ever he gets stationed. Is there anything we can do to stop this within the law?

Edit: Her boyfriend is very controlling. Controls her communication, transportation, when she can see her family, who she can talk to. He tells her what to say and manipulates her into doing what he wants. We have seen many red flags of manipulation and control. She is blind to these wrong doings.

Answer:
 I'm not sure I understand the question. This person is an adult. What exactly do you want to stop them from doing?Answer #2: Yes, for example: you can talk to her, take her to the movies, give her advice columns to read, prove to her why that would be a mistake. Can you somehow force her to leave the guy? No. At 18 she is an adult and has the legal right to shape her own life, warts and all.Answer #3: Blessed Art Thou for LegalAdvice is now snark free. Answer #4: You should likely reconsider trying to control her life decisions because that will not entice her to return. Also once you're 18 it's not "running away," it's just moving out.Answer #5: I know this isn't what you want to hear, but your sister is now an adult.  Legally, she can make her own decisions about who she gets engaged to, where she lives, and who she does (or does not) associate with.

You have not indicated that she is severely mentally ill.  However, if she is, her legal guardian may have some options available.


Title: Being sued for joint credit card debt assigned to ex-wife in divorce. What options are there? [WI] [SC]

Question:
A friend of mine had his divorce finalized two years ago in Wisconsin, at which point several thousands of dollars in credit card debt was assigned to his ex-wife.  She's since moved to South Carolina and remarried.

Yesterday my friend was served with notice he's being sued for ~$5300 by the creditor for the debt assigned to his ex-wife.  Since it was a joint account I know there's probably nothing he can do about that but I'm wondering what options he does have.  Specifically:

- If his ex can't be served in SC will the case proceed solely against him?

- If he has to pay up and sues his ex for damages, would the case  be heard in Wisconsin?

- Would a judgment in his favor apply only to his ex or both her and her new spouse?

- Would petitioning to hold the ex in contempt of court serve any purpose or is that just petty?
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer:
 >•If his ex can't be served in SC will the case proceed solely against him?

Yes.  But of course nothing prevents him from telling the creditor how to get a hold of his ex.  He can also cross-claim against his ex as part of his defense.

>•If he has to pay up and sues his ex for damages, would the case be heard in Wisconsin?

It is not clear how the credit card debt was "assigned" to his ex wife, but if it was part of a court-ordered/approved divorce agreement, then he could sue in that same court (or as part of that same case) to enforce the agreement.

>•Would a judgment in his favor apply only to his ex or both her and her new spouse?

He cannot sue his ex's new spouse.  However, her jointly owned assets could be attached if he got a judgment against her.

>•Would petitioning to hold the ex in contempt of court serve any purpose or is that just petty?

That wouldn't be the most appropriate filing, and it wouldn't really be useful.


Title: Harassment via traffic citations. Anything I can do?

Question:
I am in the US in the state of Florida.

About three years ago, my wife and I moved into a house that is labeled as historic and is protected by our local historic preservation society. It has a two car “garage” that can’t fit any modern vehicles as it was built in the 20’s.  With that said, we park our cars in the drive way. The house is built closer to the road than most houses, likely due to the time period when it was built.

Since we moved in, there was been an older gentleman who drives by every other day and calls the police on our house for us parking on the “side walk.”  Most of the time, “Community” officers will come knock on the door, explain that they are just writing a warning because an anonymous tip keeps coming in for this house that someone is parked on the side walk.  For the most part, however, these community officers don’t seem to care enough to write a violation that would involve a fine.

The other day however, we received a Warning Citation from the local police department.  This has been going on so long and I am so frustrated.  I want to end this before they write a ticket with an actual fine and it becomes a bigger deal. It’s the same man who drives by my house and calls the police every other day and I am sick of it. Most of the people in our neighborhood are quite a bit older than my wife and I, so I am not sure how to take this whole debacle.

What can I do? I know that technically we are parked on the side walk, but no one actually seems to care.  It’s difficult because our drive way is so short that it does technically intersect with the side walk. I’m worried though that on a long enough time line, this is going to escalate.  Is there anything I can do about this anonymous man constantly calling the police on my house for this extremely petty thing?
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer:
 It doesn't sound like you are being harassed but it does sound like you are parking illegally. You can end the warnings/citations by parking in a legal manner. Answer #2: Not a lawyer, but have worked with cities in public safety and with historic residential districts. Parking is often a challenge when you move into a historic home or neighborhood.

A blocked sidewalk is not just an annoyance, but a serious safety hazard, especially for children or the mobility impaired.  Unimpeded public sidewalks are also critical for emergency personnel response.

I suggest you talk to your city’s code enforcement and planning departments and learn what legal options are available for parking at or near your home. It sounds like the police have given you several warnings so they’re trying to cut you some slack. Also find out if anyone in city planning can suggest options for modifying your home or property so you can park your vehicles safely and legally. Good luck. Answer #3: You shouldn’t be parked on the sidewalk. Is there a way to park without crossing the sidewalk?


Title: High school wrestler infected with MRSA and endured 3 weeks of agonizing pain before being told to go to a doctor, this injury left 2 gaping holes on my neck, the doctors said it was potentially deadly due to its severe condition and location on my neck!

Question: This also demobilized my neck and shoulder, and could barely sleep for the 3 weeks of agonizing pain!

Answer:
 Well where were your parents in all this? Why didn’t they get you to go to a doctor? Why didn’t you take yourself off to see one?

I’m really not sure why you thought it was up to your coaches to tell you when or if you should get medical help if you were in “agonizing pain”.Answer #2: Sue for what?Answer #3: Why did you wait through three weeks of pain before going to a doctor? Or wait for your coaches to tell you to go?


Title: My boss accused me of stealing money.

Question:
Here's background on who I am:
I am a college student.  Freshman.
I have never had a job before.
I have no criminal record.
I did not steal the money.

I started working at a deer processing plant on Friday (3 days before this post) and the owners were really friendly.  They payed me cash on the second day and on the third they reported money missing to the police.  The only evidence they have against me is footage of me walking into the main store area where the register is while nobody was in there.

This morning I came in (at 8) and it was just me and the two owners.  I got started working outside and then the deer skinner got there an hour later.  He told me that the owners were already going over the tapes when he got there.  The only people in the business that could have taken the money were me and the two owners.

After the police finished asking me questions, the female owner told me I could leave then if I wanted or I could stay and finish up, but she said she wasn't going to ask me to come in anymore.  I waited an hour or two and decided to leave.  I told the female owner I wasn't comfortable working there if I wasn't trusted, that I hoped she will find her money, and I told her I hoped she would have a nice day, then left.

I think I'm being framed, but I don't have any evidence to prove it.  The owners didn't let the police look at the footage.  There's a camera that watches the cash register but they (for some reason) couldn't look at it, and they didn't fire me even though they thought I stole from them.

What are my options?

Monticello, AR.  USA

Answer:
 1.) Do not talk to the police without a lawyer

2.) Stop talking to the owners, move on

Answer #2: Not a lawyer, but I think I can provide a bit of insight. Unless they have even a little bit of proof that you stole it, I dont think that you would ever be found guilty of this, especially when you factor in the camera on the register, which would probably get "accidentally" deleted before a trial. Also, they paid you in cash? So in other words, they were paying you under the table? Uhhhh it wouldnt be wise for them to pursue anything


Title: Lawyer continued to bill while not responding and then dropped case - Massachusetts

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Contact the MA bar association. They should have a mechanism to help resolve fee disputes, and you can also file a complaint about their services.


Title: AL- friendly neighbor mowing slung a rock through my back glass of my SUV and it shattered

Question:
I live in a very small town in Alabama.  I currently rent half of a duplex and my truck was parked in the carport.  I live next door to a woman in her early 90's and the nice man across the street mows our yards.  He's a retired principal and football coach and just does hers for free but since mine is the same yard and we're friendly, he cuts mine too.  He says he likes mowing and it only takes him five minutes so why not.  When I first moved in, I asked him how much he would charge me and he basically said nothing, but I know you go past a liquor store now and again and would you pick me up a bottle of whiskey.  Of course I did, and we have texts back and forth about what kind and where I left it for him and whatnot.

He's a well respected man around here and I basically live up on this hill with all of his family.  They own a lot of the houses around here.  His three sons all live basically all around me.  In any case, we were outside checking in on the elderly neighbor while he mowed my yard.  I had just asked him if I could borrow a battery charger and he rode his lawnmower down to the house to get it and brought it back to my place.  I'm inside and I hear a crash as his lawnmower went by.  Go outside and he's still mowing the other side of the neighbor's place and he and his son are out there looking at golf clubs the son just bought.  He had no idea that he had accidentally busted out my back glass.

I guess my question is more of an ethical one.  He said man, i'm out here mowing your grass for free, and all this, you can imagine how that goes, then he gets a call from his wife who is recovering from a surgery and he has to leave.

Long story, but what in the world would you do?  I like him, respect him, and even though he's slipping a little from all of his concussions from football (what the son told me).... my Dad says this is Separate and Apart from any agreement.

He (mower) had just asked me a couple of weeks ago if I would be sort of "on call" for if his mother needed something done like the water line busted or something, if they were out of town with his wife's surgery, and I said of course!

We had just within 5 minutes of the incident had all of these pleasant exchanges and then my glass is busted.  Son said "Accidents Happen" and all of that, but here I am with no back glass and glass all in my vehicle and yard and whatnot.

What would you do in order to keep the peace and at the same time reach some fair resolution, given that he was doing me a favor with the yard, I was to do him a favor if he needed it, but this just happened.  Straight up accident.

&#x200B;

&#x200B;

Answer:
 > What would you do in order to keep the peace and at the same time reach some fair resolution

If you <hopefully> have comprehensive insurance coverage on your vehicle, it will cover your broken window, less your deductible,and will not affect your premiums.

IMO, you should file a comp claim with your insurer and eat the deductible, seeing as how your getting your grass cut for "free".


Title: Apartment Complex Opening My Mail

Question:
So I'm in college in Maryland and my car registration is about to expire so my mom mailed the registration to me. When she mailed it she sent it to the address that I have been using successfully with no problems for about 3 months. Today I get a call from the apartment complex's office saying that I have am important letter waiting for me there. I thought this was kind of strange because it meant that they either opened my letter with my car registration or I have a spam letter with the word "IMPORTANT" written on the  front. I go to the office and pick it up on my way to class. They ask me to provide ID and then give me the letter and with a post-it note telling me how to properly address to my apartment. I take it and on the way out I noticed that it was opened. I asked out loud "Wait, did you guys open this?" I waited a few seconds and didn't get a response. Since I was in a bit of a hurry I just left and decided I would deal with it later. I don't like the fact that they opened my mail and are most likely doing this to other tenants as well. What should I do? What are my options? And am I overreacting?

Thanks in advance. If you need more information please ask

Some more information about the letter:
It had the street that the office is on and my building number and apartment number as well as my full name.

Answer: You are overreacting. If it wasn’t properly addressed, someone must have opened it by mistake. Unless you aren’t telling us more details, you have no reason to believe they’ve done this to other tenants. Let it go and make sure your mail is addressed the way the complex instructed you to address it.


Title: Student Loan Forged Signature Fraud?

Question:
First off, I'm from a pretty poor family - that's important later. Anyways, I graduated high school in 2009 with plans to attend a private university. This university was far too expensive for my family. Any responsible parent in this situation would've let their kid know that they couldn't afford it; however, my parents were drug addicts. I was unaware of any specifics of the financial aid or private student loan process. I assumed that maybe a small amount of loans were needed, but I had no idea the actual amount. That being said, my mom took out massive amounts of Wells Fargo private student loans so I could attend this school.

I know now that every year these loans were nearly $20-25k. Additionally, I recently found out that these loans were borrowed at a 12.99% interest rate, and that my grandma and grandpa were apparently the cosigners. The issue here is that I had never signed any documents to receive these loans - my mother forged my signature, my grandpa's, and probably my grandma's. Furthermore, my mother never provided me a means to access the account where this money was kept.

Fast forward to now: I had dropped out of college in 2011 (I ended up deciding to go back to a public university in 2014). In 2012, I finally opened up a checking account at Wells Fargo. This was the first time that I became aware of the extent of these loans. \*\*Again for clarification, I knew some loans were taken out from somewhere but I didn't know the lender, the interest rates, the amounts, or the number of loans.\*\* So after seeing the amount (\~$40,000) I continued the process of paying back defaulted federal student loans in order to enroll in school again. I got back into school in 2014 using federal student aid.

After that in 2015 or so, I went to Wells Fargo for a lost debt card and the teller mentioned something about a 12.99% interest rate on a balance around $45-50k. As you can imagine, I began to panic. I have one more semester left in chemical engineering and from 2015 - current the balance has raised by nearly $20000. It's currently around 70k.

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My question is whether or not my mom did something illegal by forging my signature on these loans. I'm also wondering if I am actually accountable for this debt on loans when I never signed agreement to the terms. I did the math and I'm going to be accumulating about 20k in interest within the next 2 years. I am absolutely certain that I will be unable to make payments to even take care of the interest - let alone the balance. Do I have any legal recourse if I throw my mom under the bus? Sorry for being long-winded

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Thanks

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Answer:
 Forging signatures is generally illegal, yes.

It might be difficult to convince anyone that your signature was forged when you, you know, accepted and spent the money.


Title: A family member always said they had the music for a song stolen from them by a popular band. Now they may have the proof. Is it worth pursuing? The song is one of the most famous of the modern times...

Question:
I'm not going to get into details really but I was always skeptical of the claim. Now someone from back in the day contacted him about old recordings they had found from the late 70s with the music in question. They also have proof that the bands practiced in the same studio and hung out frequently.

I've listened to some of the recordings and it's almost exactly the same song with the lyrics changed. Same meter, same chord changes and everything the first recording we have is from 1979 as well as others from the mid 80s when they met The song released in 1991, which was several years after they shared studio space...

Answer:
 Marvin Gaye successfully sued Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams because ‘blurred lines’ is ridiculously close to, if not straight copied from ‘got to give it up’. So the precedent is already there

I will mention that these are all well known celebrities and we all know that the world works a little differently for them.Answer #2: Check out California Lawyers for the Arts. They may take your case on pro bono or on a percentage basis.

I had 3 digital art copyright cases that they were able to help me settle.


Title: I was arrested for public drunkenness.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Without your state, nobody can provide you with any assistance.

Having said that, he who represents himself has a fool for a client.  If you're facing a criminal charge, you really can't afford to not have an attorney.  You're already having trouble with simple discovery.  How do you plan to handle other, more complicated challenges in the criminal process, should they arise?


Title: [CA] Cried and sulked, but now I must be proactive. However, I do not know which direction to take.

Question:
Hey guys, I mostly lurk so excuse me if i mess up my post. I received a DUI less than a week ago and i was severely depressed for the first couple of days thinking that my dream of going to med school would be just that, a dream. How it would break my mother's heart when she found out that i drink alcohol and even worse that I received a DUI. I decided to bite the bullet, come clean, and face the music.

A quick disclaimer: I by know means am trying to make light of the situation. This was a mistake I made, but definitely a serious mistake. However, beating myself up will not accomplish anything and I must learn and move forward.

I want to now be proactive, but I do not know how to proceed. A bit about myself. I am a recent graduate form a uni, first offence period, I am currently studying for the MCAT, working, and volunteering (in a hospital and a club for kids affected by cancer). My breathalyzer was o.11 and am still awaiting the blood test. I'm hoping my good record plus extra curricular that give back to the community will aid me in some way. Can anyone tell me what my odds are with this?

Here are a few things I am looking to get answered.
Should i get a lawyer or a public defender? I am not rich and even looking into getting a bike for commuting seems like it could break the bank.

If i do choose to go with a lawyer what should i look for in a lawyer? I received mail saying that a lawyer can set up my dmv hearing and help with that for free, but i am afraid that there is a catch.

What can i expect at a dmv hearing? I was honest with the police and said i drank and they have my BAC, what is there left to do there? Should i say anything? Or just go to accept my punishment?

Any other advice with the DUI that I may not be aware of?

Thank you in advanced, I'm totally lost and any bit of info helps!
Topic:
DUI

Answer:
 > Should i get a lawyer or a public defender?

If you have a choice, you won't qualify for a public defender. They are intended for people who cannot afford a lawyer at all. That doesn't mean *don't want* to pay for a lawyer, that means people who have absolutely zero means for paying for one.


Title: IL, MO, CO 5 year old accident, insurance company bankrupt, "my fault" and other insurer is coming at me for $25K

Question:
Hey! I've been struggling to find help to my situation.

I was in an accident 5 years ago with a punk 18 year old kid who was going at least 60 on a 30 and he struck my car as I was turning left. This happened in Kansas City, and was technically my fault. (but massive negligence on his part).

Officer who responded to call had no access to system, so she gave me a court date and told me she'd call me at the end of the day. No call ever came (i should have gotten her business card).

About 3ish months later I show up on the date the officer gave me, only to find that there was no accident in the system, and they told me to hire an attorney to sort things out. 6 months later and too many hours and dollars spent... I finally get the accident reported into the system properly and pay the ticket.

Our insurance assured us that we would have the claim paid, and we never heard from them, the family of the kid, or his insurance company. We assumed it was settled and moved on with our lives.

A little over a week ago, a process server dropped an un-dated Summons in between the screen door and our front door. It mentioned that the insurance company was suing us for $25K for the claim.

In a panic I started inquiring for legal help.. but the court case is so soon. (This Thursday). My research showed that MO has a statute of limitations (of filing a case) of 5 years, and Colorado (state where insurance company is located) has one of 2 years, and IL (where I am now has 2 years as well).

The case was filed on May 11th, 2017 and the accident was May 12th, 2012... the summons wasn't dated by the process server, but was delivered on like June 10-13th or something (i forget, i just remember i had less than 2 weeks before court).

Worst part of the whole ordeal is that our insurance company in Colorado was closed down in 2014 due to the controller/founder getting caught up in Securities fraud, which has just made the whole experience all the more stressful because I know I did so much of this by the book and it seems to be haunting us still.

There's no way I can pay $25K or afford an attorney right now, nor find someone so last minute.

The positive (not sure if it is one) ... the kid who hit us has been posting images of his hobby regularly on facebook, which is doing wheelies on public roads, even to the point of posting images of him with cops trying to pull them over.

The case is this Thursday, so any tips on what I should be saying to the judge when I show up would help.

I've already inquired with some local legal teams and havent heard much of a response.

In short : Accident occurred in Kansas City, MO.... insurance was bought through agent in IL, our insurer was based in Colorado Springs, CO. I found the NAIC# through dozens of phone calls and digging on the internet.

Feel free to be abrasive and blunt... just maybe not too abrasive I'm a little sensitive though right now because I'm nervous about the situation because it's been a hard month, as I was recently robbed of all my camera gear and it just added to the frustration of life at the moment.

Answer: What was the name of your insurer? Often there is a fund setup to cover ongoing obligations of defunct insurers which should be able to help.


Title: Question regarding license suspension after DUI

Question:
Thank you in advance for taking some time to read this. I am a 25 year old male in the state of Iowa.

The first chunk of this text is more so a recap of my accident/situation, but may not necessarily play directly into my questions here.

A couple weeks ago I got into a little accident. It was dark, cold, and icy, and I slid off the main road and up over a curb. Did some damage to the front end of my car, but no one was hurt, and no property was damaged.

As I start assessing the situation, (tried to get it in gear, realized the master cylinder was gone as the clutch wouldnt come up, started thinking about needing a tow truck, etc) I see some cop lights in the distance. Sure enough, they come over, and ask the usual questions... Yes, I had had a couple beers earlier in the evening while playing some pool with some friends, but I was by no means 'drunk'.

After talking to the cops, answering all their questions calmly and coherently, and going through the dui tests without trouble, I blew a .12, so they informed me I was being taken in for OWI, and I would have a 90 day license suspension, which would go into effect in 10 days.

I was not very clear on how the license suspension worked until I spoke with a friend of mine that has had a DUI in the past. I was originally under the impression that the decision to suspend my license would be determined at my court date, but I later realized that was not the case. My friend mentioned that during that 10 day grace period, I could 'appeal' the license suspension, which would delay (stay?) the suspension from taking immediate affect. this could push it back a few months, and give me time to get stuff in order with work, rides, etc. before the suspension takes affect.

I did go online within my 10 days and applied to appeal my license suspension. I received a letter a few days later stating that my appeal was granted. I then received another letter informing me of a phone hearing regarding this appeal.

Based on the evidence at hand, (the fact that I was over the legal limit, regardless of first time offense), I do not believe there is any chance of having my license suspension dropped, and I fully understand that. I appealed it in an effort to delay the suspension from starting for a few weeks/months.

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

Where my questions regarding the phone hearing start:

Should I hire my (or another) lawyer to handle this phone hearing for me?

Since I appealed the suspension myself, could I even hire a lawyer at this point if it is recommended?

If it is not necessary to hire a lawyer for this phone hearing, are there statements I should prepare? Things I should avoid saying?

What should I expect to come out of this phone hearing?

Any advice anyone can give me will be very helpful. Thank you.

Answer:
 > but I was by no means 'drunk'

> I blew a .12

Ahh yea, you were.

According to the below link in 30 days you can apply for a temporary restricted license. This is an administrative matter separate from your criminal charge. An Iowa specializing in OWI cases can give you a better idea if your appeal has any chance.

http://www.iowadot.gov/mvd/ods/owi.html


Title: 17 yrs old 61 MPH in a 50MPH. No device listed on how I was tagged

Question:
State: Michigan

On my ticket, there is no device listed but he said he got me with a radar and I feel I wasn’t going 61 but around 56-57 (still speeding, yes, but probably wouldn’t have gotten pulled over as that’s how traffic moves on this specific roadway).

Answer:
 >there is no device listed but he said he got me with a radar

Then he got you with radar and a clerical error on your copy of the ticket won't change anything for you.

>I feel I wasn’t going 61 but around 56-57

That defense in court will not do you any good.


Title: Ex tricked me to get pregnant, am I liable for child support?

Question:
So, I had been dating my now-ex for 6 years, since we met in our Junior year of high school. We've always been faithful and just figured we'd end up together, but we never formally got engaged. It wasn't something that seemed important to me.

About two weeks ago, she tells me the "good news" that she is pregnant. This shocked me because, not only do we use condoms, I was told she was still on the pill. I kind of freaked out, said some harsh things, spent a few days at a friends and blocked her number and email.

After a few days to calm down I finally called her. I told her that I was not ready for a kid, because I wanted to finish college and get my degree and a stable job first. I was also curious how she got pregnant since we use two different methods of BC. I had assumed she must have cheated on me. Nope. She told me that she was tired of me not proposing and had stopped taking her BC, as well as had *pinned* all of our condoms. I was irate and told her to jump off a bridge and hung up.

She now claims I either have to agree to marry her; which I'd rather flee the country than be married to a psycho bitch, or that she'll take me to court for all medical costs and child support. Can I really be liable for costs if she admittedly intentionally deceived me into getting pregnant? Had I known there was no BC, we would not have been having sex.

Thanks for any advice, figured I'd ask here first since I can't really afford a lawyer right now due to school.

ETA - In Illinois

Answer:
 Did read your post.

Your child is your responsibility, full stop. Your best course of action is probably to wait for the child to be born, then get a paternity test establishing whether you are the father. Based on the results of that test, _your lawyer_ and _her lawyer_ can negotiate a custody and child support plan, and have it turned into a court order.

Congrats, dad!Answer #2: Congratulations! You're gonna be a father :)Answer #3: Yes.

Didn't even read the body of your post. Answer #4: This thread is hilarious. He's talking about it like it's a kitten he can just pass around.Answer #5: You didn't bother to list your location, but it's probably a good idea not to sign the birth certificate without a paternity test.Answer #6: Dude, are you sure she is even pregnant?  It sounds like there is a good chance she is lying and just trying to get you to come back to her.


Title: Just received "Notice of Infraction" letter in the mail. It contains a speed ticket. I'm interested in fighting it and the entire concept of "Automatic Surveillance Policing" by requesting a hearing. Help!

Question:
I live in the state of Maryland.

As the title says, I just opened a letter claiming to be from the District of Columbia Metropolitan Police Department. In it, it states that my vehicle was photographed violating District of Columbia traffic regulations on a date/time early September. It claims my vehicle was clocked at 39mph in a 25mph zone, Violation code T119. There are 2 photos in the letter of a vehicle taken at two different times. I can't make out the license plate in the photos, but there is a "blown up" image that does match my license number. I have some good questions I want answered about the photos in question and how they were taken. The fee is $100 and no points on my license.

I feel like I don't have any kind of defense for myself as to whether or not I was in fact speeding, just rationalizations or explanations (I sped up to merge past another car pulling out) or apologies/appeals to sympathy that would just mark me as guilty. The photos are there, I suppose, although I can't quite figure out what they prove, exactly. I can't really remember the day in question.

I haven't checked the "online evidence" yet because I can't connect to dmv.dc.gov right now, it seems to be down? I also haven't told anyone in my life about this yet, although I plan to talk to my parents, brother and girlfriend about it later for advice and support.

There is an option to request a hearing. I strongly desire to do that and contest this accusation, but I have no idea how to defend my position. I'm not the type of person who does well under the pressure of a courtroom, and am terrified at the thought of having to speak alone before a court with no idea of what it will be like. What I want is for someone to help represent me in an official way, someone who knows about this procedure and can help me fight against this. The letter states that I can waive my right to a hearing by paying the fine. This will also put the offense on my file, and I really can't afford the consequences of that right now on my insurance. I also can't pay the fine very easily, this month in particular has been a financial hardship and I'm still slowly recovering from that. "Gulp and pay it" is what I did for my last speeding ticket in another state, and I don't care for a repeat.

What on earth kind of Orwellian police state nightmare is this? I was visiting D.C. for a fun day out, and they slap me with this automated threatening form letter blackmailing me with blurry photos for $100? I am a good, safe driver 99.999% of the time. I grew up in north Virginia and had an incredible teacher in my Dad, the safest and most attentive driver I know. I use my turn signals, I move to the right lane unless I'm passing, I make room for truckers, I don't drive aggressively or dangerously or speed beyond reason. None of this seems to matter if you don't follow the law ONE HUNDRED PERCENT of the time, because of hidden cameras. I didn't even get the option of negotiating with someone at the moment of the incident, just a dispassionate and inhuman notice in the mail nearly a month later. I want to fight not only this letter but the entire concept of this shit. What are my options, and what can I do to improve my situation? Desperately looking for advice, and if your advice is "just pay it" I would appreciate a damn good reasoning to go behind it, because my instinct is to fight this with everything I have. I want this kind of thing to stop happening anywhere.

Answer:
 Do you have any reason to believe they're wrong about you having done 39mph in a 25mph zone?Answer #2: You sped. You're going to pay a fine.

> None of this seems to matter if you don't follow the law ONE HUNDRED PERCENT of the time

That works this way for most laws. If I don't stab someone for 37 years but then have a bad day o' stabbing, I'm going to be in trouble for that.Answer #3: > and if your advice is "just pay it"

Just pay it.

>  I would appreciate a damn good reasoning to go behind it

Because you got caught exceeding the speed limit by 14 mph.

I'm not going to get into a philosophical debate about speed cameras in general -- I'll just say that, currently, they're largely a legally-accepted method of fining people who exceed the speed limit.Answer #4: "What I want is for someone to help represent me in an official way, someone who knows about this procedure and can help me fight against this."

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What you are looking for is a traffic lawyer. You can hire one, but it'll cost you way more than $100.


Title: Employee is to make themselves available to report to work on scheduled days off. Must stay within reasonble distance from work place.

Question: This would obviously restrict the nonexempt employees off activities and uncompensated time off.  Does this run afoul of any KY state labor laws?  if there are laws denying this ability to be placed on call without compensation, can the union group voluntarily elect to be placed on call?  In effect giving up statutory law protection for a union contractual agreement.

Answer:
 > can the union group voluntarily elect to be placed on call?

Unions are the only situation where you can legally give up a statutory labor law right.  If this is in the context of a union contract allowing for this, it is almost assuredly legal.


Title: (PA) DUI Charges

Question:
My boyfriend was recently charged with his second DUI. On the paperwork sent to him, it states he is being charged with DUI of a controlled substance - 1st offense. His prior DUI was for alcohol and he completed ARD. I've also looked at his docket online, his prior DUI is listed on the court summary, so it's not like they missed it.
Is this being treated as a 1st offense since it's a controlled substance and not alcohol? Or was there some sort of mess up? He's meeting with a lawyer tomorrow, I'm just trying to get an idea. The difference is 3 days vs 90 days in jail if found guilty, so pretty large. Thanks in advance.

Answer:
 Your lawyer is the best one to answer this. Generally though, clerical errors like that can be amended during the court proceedings and will not hinder the prosecution's case.

The best advice is to stop drinking and driving. ARD apparently didn't work the first time, so you should probably expect a harsher sentence this time.


Title: Can I Attend The Legal Proceedings of My Attacker?

Question:
I was the victim of a violent crime 17 months ago.  The police identified my attacker, but the DA chose not to prosecute.  My attacker stalked me, pressed charges against me, & generally ran a smear campaign against me up until about 6 weeks ago, when he disappeared from sight.  I have been traumatized beyond belief by this situation, and attend weekly psychotherapy to deal with PTSD symptoms & severe social isolation I had developed after the attack.  I have made significant progress, & am beginning to be more social & am much happier these days.
I recently discovered that my attacker has been charged with many felonies, including organized crime & significant drug charges. His preliminary hearing is on Wednesday.  I want to go.  I had a really hard time accepting that he was not going to be held accountable for what he did to me, & I want to see him in court, being held accountable for something.  Some of my friends are concerned for my safety, if my presence will somehow make someone think I assisted police in their investigation, and have questioned if it is even legal for me to show up when I have a restraining order against him.  He is incarcerated, & will be held on a detainer until the charges are resolved.  Can I go?  Should I be concerned for my safety? I am in PA

Answer: You can go. I urge you not to unless you have a therapist give you their blessing. This has the likelihood of triggering all sorts of setbacks. Please don't consider this unless you have the blessing of a therapist that knows the trauma you experienced and feels this would have some therapeutic value.


Title: Cleaning apartment when roommate is violent-Idaho

Question: I'm on my way to work right now so this will be short but I'll try to answer questions throughout the day. I have to be out of my apartment by the end of the day, but my roommate is staying and taking over the lease by himself. I don't feel extremely safe around him as he has a history of abuse/violence. I have a few boxes left and some furniture, and I also have to clean the room/bathroom etc. I am willing to do this if he leaves me alone, but he goes in my room without permission. I did not have a deposit at the place, and since the lease isn't being broken and he will be using my room for his kid when I leave, the apartment complex is not requiring a full checklist done like they would if we both left. My question is, once I get my stuff out, if he starts harassing me once I'm trying to clean, is there any action that can be taken against me if I leave without finishing the cleaning? I've been avoiding the place for the last couple weeks because I don't feel safe there, and he told me he went in my room and through all my boxes, so I have no idea if he trashed my area or not.

Answer:
 You could certainly ask for a police escort to retrieve your stuff.

Since you don't have a deposit at stake, I'd leave as soon as you felt threatened.


Title: Selling my motorcycle without my permission.

Question:
I got into some personal trouble and I live with my parents, so to set me straight my dad said he is going to sell my motorcycle..but it’s under my name and my insurance, no ties to my father whatsoever.
If he sells my bike without my consent, what are my options?!

Answer:
 A motorcycle is titled property.  It cannot be legally sold without the owner signing the title.

Edit: typoAnswer #2:
If you have the title then you can call the police and reclaim your stolen property from whoever buys it.


Title: Want to get divorce going on military deployment

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Talk to your CO. They'll point you to the military legal resources available to you.


Title: I wrote an email to the city about my non essential employer operating during covid-19, it seems the city handed the email over to my employer, I was confronted about it, then laid off.

Question:
In March, the city my job is in, had an email setup where we could ask or voice our concerns about the pandemic. It was stated it was anonymous, so I sent a letter saying I didn't think the precautions were being taken seriously at my work and it contradicted the Govonor's and the County's orders. I specifically asked that they kept me anonymous, because I felt my employer would retaliate.

The next day the VP of the company confronts me asking if I wrote a letter to the city. I said I did and questioned how he recieved the email (of course he said nothing).

The next day, I am furloughed, and 2 months later (after hearing absolutely nothing from my employer), I received a call saying my position had been removed and am laid off...so now what?

This feels like retaliation. Is there anything I can do? Can I do anything about the city handing my anonymous email over to my employer?

Answer:
 https://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/WhistleblowersNotice.pdf

>A “whistleblower” is an employee who discloses information to a government or law enforcement
agency, person with authority over the employee, or to another employee with authority to investigate,
discover, or correct the violation or noncompliance, or who provides information to or testifies before a
public body conducting an investigation, hearing or inquiry, where the employee has reasonable
cause to believe that the information discloses:
>
>1. A violation of a state or federal statute,
>2. A violation or noncompliance with a local, state or federal rule or regulation, or
>3. With reference to employee safety or health, unsafe working conditions or work practices in the
employee’s employment or place of employment.
>
>An employer may not retaliate against an employee who is a whistleblower.

Contact the DLSE to see if they think you were retaliated against. (Or speak to an attorney.)


Title: Would a will still be valid if I change my name?

Question:
This is a hypothetical since my parents have so much debt there isn't going to be anything left over to inherit lol. It's also possible that I've already been written out since I've been no-contact since 2014.

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I'm transgender so I'm changing all of that stuff. I'm also going to be changing my last name as well to that of my maternal grandmother's maiden name. I live on the other side of the country so my birth state (and where parents still live) will have a  certificate that will have their names on it but the name of a totally new person they don't know. In my state there is no requirement to publish name/gender change in newspapers (plus I'll be changing my state papers to non-binary, which birth state doesn't have an option for).

I've made an effort to make it as hard as possible for them to track me down and/or abuse me financially (hence part of the reason I'm changing my last name) but the group chat is talking about the guy who's writing some of his kids out of the will so it got me thinking: since my name (and any other details they think they may know about me) will be different than what's in the will, would I get anything? How much effort does an executor of a will go into hunting someone down? I'm sure a PI could find me if they made an effort. In all my info about transitioning legally I've found there's never been anything about being in the will of others so I have no idea here lol

Answer: Your parents' will is not affected in any way if you change your name. If you stand to inherit, but the will names you by your old name, your name change paperwork from the courts will be sufficient to show that you are the person identified in the will even though you no longer go by that name or have it on any of your other identity documents.


Title: Accidental Viewing of what I believe is Child Pornography

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 This gets asked almost hourly.

No one will arrest you for one accidental incident.


Title: Employer took money from my checks for health insurance. I’m working part time and do not qualify for benefits. Employer refuses to reimburse the money they took out for insurance that I don’t qualify for.

Question: I work 32 hour weeks. A fellow employee was in the same situation and threatened the employer with legal action. They ended up reimbursing the money taken out with no legal interference. Are they allowed to do this? If not, what steps should I take next? I appreciate any help in advance

Answer: If your company counts as an Applicable Large Employer, working 32 hours a week does entitle you to health insurance.