Title: Breastfeeding is not sexual abuse in Illinois! Right?

Question:
I'm sorry I'm getting to this post so late in the evening. I have a funky schedule.

 I'm the 22yo mother of 8 month old twins, I breastfeed them. My mother is in her early 40s and the happy mommy of a surprise son. Her son, my half brother, is now 5.5 months old. My mom cannot nurse him for medical reasons, I offered to nurse for her. All was good until my mother's deadbeat ex-husband and his parents got wind that I nurse my brother. They of course refuse to feed my brother any milk my mother sends with him when he visits, that's not here or there, but they also claim that my breastfeeding my brother is a form of sexual abuse. As if I get sexual gratification from nursing. They claim to have consulted medical professionals that confirm this and just today when my mom picked him up they said if it doesn't stop they'll call DCFS, to which my mom replied "Go for it!" My twins and brother have the same pediatrician, the pediatrician has said it is not just okay that I nurse my half brother, but "great!" I am also disease free. If DCFS shows up at our door, will they take the kids or arrest me? Can I be charged with sexual abuse? Incest? These are all claims they have made about me. I know my mom isn't worried, but I am. Please help me figure this out. Thank you for your time.

Answer:
 You rock, OP.

You might want to check with La Leche League to see if they provide any sort of legal advocacy for women with breastfeeding issues.Answer #2: Ridiculous. You can even donate breast milk to hospitals for babies whose mothers can't nurse for whatever reason. Answer #3: They claim to have consulted medical professionals that confirm this

Lol.

You are fine-you are following the time honored tradition of 'wet nursing'.

All the pediatrician whats going on-ask for a note on his prescription pad that you have discussed it with him and there is no legitimate medical or emotional health reason for you to stop doing what you are doing and that it is in the baby's best interest that you continue until he is at least X months old.

Thats way you have it if someone shows up (I doubt anyone will-certainly not the police.  The DCFS may be required to show up if someone makes an accusation (or at least I hope they are) but should understand whats going on).Answer #4: A "wet nurse" used to be rather common in some cultures.


Title: [GA] Terrifying phone calls trying to ruin my relationship / future

Question:
This is on mobile so forgive me for formatting but I’m freaking out a little.

About a month ago my boyfriend got a phone call from a fake number claiming that I cheated on him and that he was the real father of our unborn child. Let me emphasize how untrue this I have only been with my boyfriend for two years. We have had no public posts about our baby or disclosed any of the info this person has to the public. This man knows the name of our baby, when she’s due, and the neighborhood I live in. He also knows lots of personal information about my boyfriend, but when asked doesn’t seem to know much about me beyond my name. He also tried to get my bf to come fight him for some reason? That’s what he’s always asking he says to come meet him at [different place every time] and they’ll settle it out. Obviously we don’t want to meet this person.

He’s not making any sort of clear threats but calling several times a night almost every single night. All from these burner numbers that show up from all around our state (GA). What’s even weirder is he’s begun to call my boyfriend’s best friend and has personal info on him too, but it’s always leading back to us. It’s always vaguely referencing me and bf and our baby. We called the police who filed a report and began to track numbers but told us there’s nothing they can do as long as it’s coming from irregular fake ones. When they came to the house they almost belittled us saying oh it’s probably a jealous ex nothing to sweat over. And yes, I wouldn’t “sweat over” it. If this person wasn’t strategically bringing up my goddamn child.

They said to stop answering and for the most part we did but I can’t live like this. I can’t worry every time the phone goes off at night that there’s potentially a crazy person trying to get into my life?? Is there ANYTHING we can do to take legal steps in protecting ourselves if we don’t know the identity of this person. It’s beyond a prank this person is showing signs of being mentally unstable. We’ve asked every single person who knows anything about us if they have info and no one does. I know this can’t be uncommon but there has to be some sort of protection from the law we have beyond half assed phone tracking.

Answer: Nope. You have to be able to prove who it is first. Best advice is to change your numbers and/or hire a private investigator. Download a call recorder so you can record the calls, maybe someone will recognize the voice.


Title: Can an italian citizen adopt a USA 21 year old? [Colorado]

Question: My stepdad is legally married to my mother but my biological father refused to give up my paternal rights when asked when I was younger even though he has no custody whatsoever and has not had contact since I was about 1 years old. Can My stepdad still adopt me even though I am no longer a minor? What first steps need to be taken?

Answer:
 Is this adoption supposed to take place in Italy or in Colorado? In Colorado, it's perfectly legal -- try [here](https://www.courts.state.co.us/Forms/Forms_List.cfm?Form_Type_ID=91) for information. In Italy, sorry, no clue.

edit: punctuation helps.Answer #2: Ianal, but here's The ministry of justice website that your stepfather can look at from the Italian side of things.

https://www.giustizia.it/giustizia/it/mg_3_2_10.page

I'll translate the main points in the meantime:

An Adult can be adopted if the following criteria are met:

The adopter does not have their own children (legitimate or illegitimate)

The adopter is over 35

There is at least 18years of age difference between the adopter and the adoptee

Consent is required from:

Spouses of the adopter and the adoptee

Children of the adopter

Existing parents of the adoptee

There's a bit more to it than that, but without translating the whole page  you can quickly check if you meet the criteria or not

Edited because Reddit formatting is great


Title: [US/MO] Business waits to call after 9 years to collect a bill.

Question:
Back in 2009 I belonged to the local city owned/ran gym/multipurpose building for a short time. I had a membership for a short time but could not afford it because I was broke. I wanted to cancel the account. Thought it was canceled and done with until yesterday afternoon...

I received a phone call from somebody at the facility. They told me they were, "...going over old bills", and I owed them money;$315. I asked how they got that number and if they had the right person/number as I had not gone there in several years. They confirmed my name and cell phone. Apparently they had tried to collect several times on a debit card that I canceled when I moved banks. Of course there were fees due to the declined card, even though I wasn't going to their facility. They warned me that if I don't pay it will be sent to collections.

I told them I was busy with work, and I was, and would get a-hold of them at a later time. They gave me until the 30th, 8-30-17.

My question is after 9 years can they collect on a bill? I have read that Missouri is 5 years for debt collectors but it does not say anything about businesses before it is sent to collections.

I had an account with them for I think 3-6 months. I could not afford the membership so I wanted to close my account and leave. They told me there was a contract and I could not leave. However I could suspend my account for the remainder of the contract was up and then leave. Last I remember I suspended my account. I just think its very weird they wait 9 years to try and get money. They have had my phone number the whole time but this is the first time I have heard anything from them. No forwarded mail, no phone calls, nothing.

The place is a sore subject for the city. Consistently, every year for the past 7, they are in the red for the city. Even after raising taxes to directly fund them. And in the red I mean on average $350,000 in the red. The city bails them out every year and then cuts the budget of other areas of the city (parks, police/fire, roads, etc) to pay the bill. I feel they are trying to get money anyway they can.

Any lawyers from Missouri have any input?

Answer:
 >For written agreements that contemplate the payment of money or property, Missouri law dictates that the statute of limitations on this debt is 10 years (Missouri Revised Statute §5l6.ll 0)

They're within the statute of limitations. Pay and move on.Answer #2: Although improbably long, the statute of limitations for collection on a written contract requiring the payment of money is 10 years in Missouri.

> What action shall be commenced within ten years.
> 516.110. Within ten years:
> (1) An action upon any writing, whether sealed or unsealed, for the payment of money or property;

Answer #3: Realistically, for $315, it's probably cheaper to pay it than it is to fight it.  Make sure you get something documenting that's all you owe though so they don't come back after you for more.


Title: If you see a drunk driver, are you allowed to "pit maneuver" them for everyone's safety?

Question:
I am talking about situations where they are swerving all over the place, almost hitting people or other cars, veering into on coming traffic...?

If they are a clear and present danger to everyone else on the road are you allowed to stop their car with yours?

Answer: No.


Title: [CA] Spend a night in jail for saying "fuck you" to hotel front desk person.

Question:
We had 2 rooms at this hotel in bay area, California. At around 11 pm after the game at Levi's Stadium we came back to the room room and were chatting outside of the room.

Front desk person shows up saying he got complain from other guest that we are too loud. I said "fuck you" and continued talking for other 5 minutes and went inside of the room and was relaxing on the bed.

Now 20 minutes later Police knocks on the door and arrest me and my girlfriend for using offensive words in a public place and Disturbing another person by loud and unreasonable noise.

What are my options to fight back.

Answer:
 Hard to help someone who seems to be pretty clearly leaving a large part of the story out. People don't typically get arrested just for saying "Fuck you", and why would your girlfriend have been arrested at all if it was only you who said anything? Answer #2: Hire an attorney and learn better manners.Answer #3: If this is the whole story, which I doubt, the option for fighting back is when you go to court for whatever charges were filed Answer #4: A noise complaint is a noise complaint. You're probably going to have to take that one.

'Offensive words in a public place' on the other hand is extremely different, far more malicious as a charge, and flies in the face of a continued history of Supreme Court judgements on the legal nature of our right to free speech. Here's an [example](https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/crime/court-first-amendment-protects-profanity-against-police/) regarding a cause where the party that the 'offensive statements' were aimed at were police. You can see [here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_free_speech_exceptions#Fighting_words_and_offensive_speech) Wikipedia's mention of a few notable and related exceptions, none of which I believe would cover a simple 'fuck you' which has very definitely become fairly normal speech under the 'reasonable person' test (at least in my opinion).

I am _assuming_ that you are being completely honest and not leaving relevant material out.


Title: Client stiffed me, I'm not in the US, what are my options?

Question:
My client stopped working with me as soon as he got what he needed in software functionality. He took the chance not to pay me what he already owed me, and stiff me on a bonus that was owed to me at this time. Being in europe and my client in the US, what are my options now?

I know he has the ability to pay. I feel he's taking advantage of the physical distance and being just downright dishonest.

Answer:
 It depends on how much your client owes you. I it is beyond the small claims limit I would say that it might be worth it to investigate the option of hiring a lawyer.

I don't know if it is an option (since I'm not from the US) but you might be able to sell the debt they have to a thirth party debt collection agency. If at all possible you will get pennies on the dollar most likely but you at least get something and know that they will have a debt collection agency hounding their arses.Answer #2: Do you have a contract?

Did you specify in the contract what would happen in the event of non-payment?

Did you specify in the contract what jurisdiction would oversee any disputes?

Has the client ceased communicating with you?

Ball park how much does he owe you?

Are you at the point where it's time to send a legal letter demanding payment?

Do you have legal representation already or are you going to have to contact a lawyer local to your client?

[If you have no contract and no lawyer watch this video from start to finish and follow every word of advice. The lessons learned here are valuable and free. If you have no contract the lesson you learned from your client was valuable but expensive.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6h3RJhoqgK8)Answer #3: According to the contract you signed before beginning work, where are disputes resolved? This type of clause is called a choice of laws provision and might be titles accordingly.


Title: Crashed my car this morning, looking for legal advice

Answer:
 there may be a reduction class offered, if this is your first ticket.

note, that excuse is not a decent one, let alone one a judge would consider important.


Title: What are the repercussions for not transferring the title of a car to a new owner?

Question:
I'm "selling" a car to a trusted friend of a friend. The registration costs are more than what he is paying for the car, and that seems a little unfair. What trouble could I get in if the car was not switched? Would it just be parking tickets, or would I be on the hook for other issues?

Located in the US.

Edit: Thank you, I will not bring it up when we do the transfer.

Answer: This is a horrible idea. Like don't even consider it horrible. You could be liable if she causes an accident. Also this is a pretty clear attempt to avoid sales tax if you have that in your State.Answer #2: Well, he won't own the car if you don't transfer it.  The title is the proof of ownership.  So, yeah, if he plows through a group of kids while he's drunk, you're on the hook.  Plus parking tickets.  Plus storage fees if he gets it impounded.  Plus pretty much anything else BECAUSE YOU'RE STILL THE OWNER OF THE CAR.


Title: I think my property management is trying to fuck me

Question:
So i've been living at this awesome house for a little over a year now that I originally moved into with 3 other friends. We signed a year long lease on the 24th of January 2014 that expired december 31st 2014 and went to a month to month tenancy after that. Long story short all 3 of my original roommates ended up moving out and I ended up getting this coworker added onto to the lease. Things went sour between us for personal reasons so she ended up leaving in late September but screwed me over by putting in her 30 day notice late into the month and was on the lease till the 20 something of october but didnt pay a cent of rent for that month. Luckily one of the people I met on craigslist and had told to apply for tenancy was suddenly approved after I told the Property Management company I was going to have to put in my 30 day notice, so he moved in and helped pay rent for that month. Well it turns out that he wasn't actually put on the lease because the previous coworker tenant never signed the addendum releasing herself from it and getting her to sign it now was next to impossible. I actually tried and she threw it in the trash. So fast forward to now. He was never technically put on the lease and i've been having lots of problems with him and his gf that he moved in (which violates the lease) and threatened to physically harm me when I said she had to leave. So of course I put in my 30 day notice to my property management on the 3rd of this month assuming that when that was up I would get what little bit of the security deposit the landlord didnt screw me out of for cleaning or whatever and tell my roommate that when I leave at the end of the month he has to as well since I'm the last person on the lease. Well I find out that suddenly my old roommate had a change of heart and supposedly went in and signed the addendum papers releasing herself and adding the craigslist guy conveniently the same day I put in my 30 day notice. Now my property management is saying if I want my deposit back I have to get him to sign it over to me and give his 30 day notice. Is this legal? Can they really add him the same day I give my notice? Oh and when I asked for a copy of the most current addendum today they gave me one from august that has my old roomates names on it not to mention any bills from the property management place were addressed to me and my roommate that moved out in october all the way up until last month. Thanks

TL;DR: tried to add roommate on lease in October, only got approved when I turned in 30 day notice to property management (feb 3rd) so now I can't get my deposit.

Answer: No one is going to read this. You need to break your paragraphs up and add a summary.


Title: FL - only road home closed by police - how long can they reasonably keep people from accessing their home?

Question: This is nothing I am likely goin to act upon but i am curious. Currently parked in a parking lot two blocks from home. I can even see my complex entrance but police are have not been allowing any traffic for at least two hours.   Nor are they allowing pedestrians.    I’m not seeing any traffic coming out of my complex either so I suspect people are stopped from leaving as well.   Road is closed due to a traffic accident, rather than criminal activity or lockdown.   How long can this go on?

Answer:
 If it's a crime scene issue, it may take a few hours to get all the photographs and evidence they need as well as any necessary clean-up.

If it's a safety issue, then obviously they will keep it closed until the issue has been resolved.Answer #2: Do you know the nature of the traffic accident? Traffic accidents where people are DOA often end up getting sealed off so police can recreate the accident. Something similar happened when a drunk driver took out a pedestrian a couple years ago at my college.


Title: Can I get evicted for hanging a pride flag in my window? [TX]

Question:
I realize that I could be evicted if the landlord knew that I was actually queer, but they don't, and I'm pretty sure they're not allowed to just look through my phone and stuff for evidence, right? Can they evict me just based on suspicion?

Thanks.

Answer:
 Two things.

Thing 1.  Your lease will dictate what is allowed to be visible from the outside of your apartment.  If there is no mention about or against hanging flags in windows, then you are not violating your lease and they cannot successfully legally evict you based on that.

Thing 2.  If they were to evict you for being gay, they would have to actually go to court and tell a judge that.

But, once your lease is over, they don't have to allow you to renew it.

Edit-  The only legal reasons a landlord can evict you in Texas is for nonpayment or violation of your lease.  Here is the [Texas law](http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/PR/htm/PR.24.htm) that details some of that.

So, if your lease doesn't say you are not allowed to be gay.  Then being gay is not a legal reason for them to evict you.  That is not to say, they won't find some other mundane lease violation to use though.


Title: Who really needs to know my SSN? (Los Angeles, California)

Question:
I am a 16-year-old, so I still don't know much about the adult world in terms of social security numbers and such. Sorry in advance.

I'm applying for a need-based scholarship to attend a certain program (in Yale University if that counts), and they want my family's tax return documents to be attached to it. I noticed that my parent's SSN is located on the document. Do they really need the SSN?

Answer:
 The SSNs are used to look up your parents' tax returns, to verify their income. This is normal for a need based scholarship, they're not going to give it to a minor whose parents are making six/seven figures.

Edit: grammar.Answer #2: Hey, no need to be sorry about asking questions like this. You are still kinda new to the world, and obviously, you aren't dumb enough to hand you SSN to any Tom, Dick, or Harry out there. It's better to learn about it here from people who laugh at dickwads that haven't got themselves an attorney yet and answer all question the police ask them before running here and asking if they did anything wrong. At least you won't learn the hard way and suffer identity theft.


Title: A young child threw a rock at my mom’s car as we were driving home and my mom is scared of calling the police

Question:
So today my mom and I were driving home from volunteer work, we were on our road and we saw this child who appeared to be about 4 was standing at the end of his driveway, literally inches from the road. Luckily my street isn’t busy but my mom and I have bad anxiety so my mom slowed down just in case.

Bad idea.

He threw a rock and it was so on spot and he threw it so hard for a four year old?? My mom and I were so shocked. She pulled over, turned around and drove into the driveway. His mom came out (they had a terrible house. Looked like a trailer you’d see on Hoarders and they had junk all around the house) my mom told the woman that he threw a rock and she was like “Ohh sorryyyyy”. Her clothes had holes and she was missing teeth and was probably high.

We got home and I realized the passenger mirror had a hole on the back about the size of a quarter. I was furious. My mom has anger issues but she was somehow calmer than me. I was yelling at my mom to call the cops and she refused to because she said they were poor and couldn’t afford to replace the mirror, and that they were drug addicts and could try to murder us or set our house on fire. I was screaming “No” and said that if we have to be reminded of him every time we see the broken mirror then he should be reminded of me when he sees his face (I was considering beating him up). I’m never like this when I’m mad but I was so upset that our car is 14 years old yet the paint is like new and it hasn’t dulled at all and it looks new. Now we have to drive around with a broken mirror looking like an idiot. I know it’s stupid because lots of people have damaged cars but I didn’t want to be one of them because of a stupid kid.

My mom still won’t call the police because of fear of what they would do, however she said if he’s outside by the road again she might call them. Also my dad came home and saw it and was furious and said “If I was there that kids ass would be a fucking shoe factory” I wish my dad was in the car at the time because I probably wouldn’t be having this problem now.

I’ve told my mom that if we followed through with a lawsuit then we could place a restraining order against them but my mom says they dont work because her mom filed one against my moms dad and the police asked him to leave and the policeman was scared and was shaking (my moms dad is scary and abusive) and he walked to the end of the driveway and said he’d leave then he came back.

Anyways, what would happen if my mom called the police? And if the family tried to murder us?
Topic:
Douche

Answer: Huge overreaction. Ummm...who beats up a four year old? If they are as poor as you describe I suggest you let it go and get it fixed when you can afford it.Answer #2: you should contact your insurance and the police. you can report the damage to your car, but that doesn't seem like enough to get a restraining order. your insurance may want a copy of the police report to verify the damage and how it was caused. just some advice, you and your family should stop threatening to beat up 4 year olds


Title: Is this legal?

Question:
I live in Florida and me and my friend are minors(17 years old)

So I was at a friend's house and we were playing on his Xbox. Now it is very much worth mentioning that he bought it with the money he saved. He also bought the TV he was using. (This is important)

His stepmom came in the room and started scolding him about not taking out the trash. He shouts back and it is a bit of a back and forth.

After 2 minutes, she claims that she will take away his Xbox. He said she legally can't take away property that he paid for. She said she could still take it. He threatened to sue her which was enough to make her back down.

My question is, is my friend right? Can a parent take away a child's possessions if that child paided for it?

Answer: Yes, a parent can discipline their child.Answer #2: Yes, the parent can take away his xbox.


Title: [NH] Ex-wife saying only people she's met/knows/approved of can watch our daughter.

Question:
Got divorced last year, have a new girlfriend, ex-wife doesn't know my girlfriend or my girlfriend's family well but I do, so they have to watch our daughter from time-to-time. Ex-wife doesn't like that girlfriend and girlfriend's family haven't gotten to know her and so now she says they can't watch our daughter. We have 50/50 custody. I'm assuming she has no right to tell me who can and can't watch our daughter, but I want to be sure and Google isn't giving me answers. Any information anyone could provide would be much appreciated.
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer: Unless the custody arrangement says otherwise, she can't dictate who can be around your child.  If there's an danger to the child being around those people, it will be a problem for you.  And it's possible she takes you back to court to try to modify the custody agreement.


Title: How legal is the bait bike prank?

Question: The bait bike prank is when you leave a bike/scooter/whatever lying around in a public space and tie a long strong rope to it so the thief unwittingly gets pulled back/crashes by trying to get away with their stolen bike/scooter/skateboard/whatever... If they get seriously injured would they be able to sue whoever placed the bait bike there, despite the fact that they literally tried to steal the item? I mean, what is the bike thief going to say in court to the judge? Are they going to admit to their face that they got hurt trying to steal a bike?

Answer: Highly illegal. That is nothing but a booby trap and they are illegal... just like putting a shotgun trap inside your home to shoot robbers, or poisoning your lunch with laxatives for anyone at work that may steal it from a communal fridge.Answer #2: In general booby traps are illegalAnswer #3: Consider the following scenario: Thief A steals the booby trapped bike, crashes, and suffers serious injury requiring intensive or long term injury. They admit the circumstances to the doctor, who reports it to the police. The police charge Thief A with theft, and they get away with a fine or minor jail time. A trap like this is intended to cause harm, and civic-minded police don't want vigilantes out there, so they charge Trap Setter  B with criminal assault. They may or may not have good evidence to convict, but Thief A wants as low a charge as possible and has good incentive (spite, revenge, etc.) to give them all his information about Trap Setter B. Months later (or years later)Thief A has large medical bills and has already served his time, so has no reason not to sue Trap Setter B for the intentional civil tort of battery (exact name will vary by jurisdiction) to recover that expense. Medical insurance, if relevant, may even insist on it. At the very least, Trap Setter B will need the expense of a lawyer to defend them, and there's a decent chance Trap Setter B would lose that case and have to pay out civil damages.


Title: Neighbor bordering on harassment

Question:
My girlfriend and I live in Pittsburgh, PA in an apartment complex that gives us the choice to pay them extra in order to park in their private lot or to just park on the street (we have chosen the latter.) Which brings me to a man who lives on the street on which we park, roughly 200 feet down the road.

Over the past several months he has approached both my girlfriend and I separately on the street, never both of us at once, and attempted to persuade us to not park in the direct vicinity of his home (which does not include its own driveway) and instead park literally anywhere else. This wouldn't be too out of the ordinary if his behavior wasnt that of an erratic stranger that keeps approaching me in my car.

He has accosted my girlfriend on two separate occasions and stared her down on another. He has approached me in my car at night and knocked on my window. And this evening as I was on my way to the movies with my girlfriend, I was stopped at a red light in the neighborhood and he happened to be riding by on his bike, at which point he noticed me stopped at the light. He then proceeded to circle my car no less than 2 times on his bike and then ride off.

I'm curious what steps I can take should his behavior continue to make us feel unsafe. I'd say I am level headed enough not to let emotions get the best of me, however I will not tolerate intimidation.

Thanks for any advice guys.
Topic:
Douche

Answer:
 To be honest, your reaction seems unreasonable to me. I don't see how these events, even with the as of yet unsubstantiated descriptor of "accosted," would make you feel unsafe.

For that reason, I don't see what possible legal remedy you would have for someone trying to talk to you in public. That's... in no way illegal.


Title: I screwed up big time tonight

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Location?

> Obviously I need a lawyer?

Obviously you need a lawyer.

>  I can't goto jail

Should have considered that before you decided to commit some crimes.


Title: Divorced, atheist father -- mother indoctrinating 5 year old - religion is covered in parenting plan (Missouri)

Question:
Background:

1) The parenting plan states that religious upbringing, camps, and activities are to be jointly decided by both parents, however "regular church services" do not apply to this provision. This was added since my ex attends church, and we didn't want to make it too restrictive cause child care issues, etc.

2) We have been divorced for 3 years and have a 5 year old daughter, she is our only child. Ex is remarried and I have a girlfriend.

3) My ex has been found guilty for contempt once before (she wouldn't let me skype and limited me the telephone only, even though our plan specifically says I can skype during reasonable hours). She will also do things like withhold health insurance from me so i couldn't use it citing "privacy concerns" -- so that's the type of person she is.

So the question is: At what point will courts say "you've gone to far", or will they ever? She is very actively training my daughter to believe in God right now, that he is real, participates in church and prays. I am NOT looking to restrict exploration of religion. But I do feel active indoctrination without a discussion on our part breaches our agreement. I do believe it's way too early to be teaching this to her. I've brought up the concern to my ex but she doesn't care, she's going to try to indoctrinate her no matter what and is not interested in any rational conversation regarding her religious upbringing.

Any advice? I don't plan on taking action right now but I do plan on monitoring the situation closely. For example, if she starts going to camps and things like that without her mother then I think it's taking steps to far. Is that fair?

Answer:
 You have thirteen years left of this. She is religious. You choose to make a baby with her. She is not going to stop teaching her child about her religion. The courts cannot make her. You are welcome to share your beliefs during your parenting time. Answer #2: This is asking for a very scary precedent to be set. The second the government tries to enforce what religious principals are or are not taught behind private doors is the second they've gone entirely too far.

Regardless of your stance on religion, government intervention into religion practiced in private residences should scare the hell out of you.

She has her time with your child TOGETHER to share her beliefs, you have your time. How would you feel if she were actively petitioning the courts to force you to take your child to church when you have her? We'd be having an entirely different conversation then.


Title: Clause for Charging

Question: My firm has gotten several bar complaints and the time to respond is costly. Can a firm put a clause in the fee agreement to come back and charge for the time to respond?

Answer:
 Why is a lawyer, or someone in the law business, asking for legal advice on reddit. Must say something about your practice. Answer #2: No, you cannot bill your clients for the time you spend responding to their complaints to the State Bar about your unethical and unprofessional behavior.Answer #3: LOL, sure, if you want to add yet another ground for disciplining you.

OTOH, it's a great way to warn your clients where hiring you might lead.


Title: Guy who hit me and totaled my car last year is suing me: where do I even start?

Question:
Last year I (21F) was involved in a car accident at a four way stop where I had the right of way, and a car went shortly after me, hitting my passenger’s side and sending me spinning. Here are the facts:

• His car hit mine, totaling it
• It was a city vehicle and he had filed for worker’s which they had granted him and their insurance found it to be my fault
• My parents wanted to sue but we never went through with it, now they want to counter sue (they’re suing my dad too since his name is on the car)

We are already looking for an attorney and I believe we have to call the insurance company too. Is there anything else I’m missing? I’m really nervous right now.

Answer: Call your insurance, tell them the other party in last year's collision is suing you, and forward the documents as your insurance directs. This is what you paid them for. I wouldn't rush to hire a private attorney just yet.


Title: What info is an HOA obligated to give out? Wisconsin

Question:
I am a board member for an HOA involving a condominium complex. One of the unit owners has incurred some fines for a variety of reasons. (Unlike many HOAs, we rarely fine our members and most of the unit owners get along very well.) He did not pay his fines and has now incurred a late fee.

His response to this was to demand the contact information for everyone living in the building and he has stated he will not be paying for anything until he receives it. I'm aware that the board is required to provide information to HOA members when requested such as meeting minutes, bank statements, copies of bills, etc. However, are we required to provide him with the personal contact information of all unit owners? This is in the state of Wisconsin.

Answer:
 Not a lawyer but an HOA manager. His obligation to pay assessments is not contingent upon anything. If he refuses to pay, pursue collections in whatever manner you usually handle delinquencies.

As for contact information, do you have a privacy policy in your documents? Has he submitted a formal records request? Do you even have a number and email for every owner?

I'd tell this guy that you don't disclose phone numbers and emails without the owners permission but that the name and address of each owner is publicly available via county records, and he is welcome to look them up. Or knock on doors for that matter.


Title: Ks employment law getting laid off 4 days before the end of my probation period. Need advice

Question: I am afraid I am being laid off at the end of my shift today.  I would have been eligible for medical dental &  vision insurance 4 days from now.  I work in a cabinet shop,  and for the last 86 days I've been so worried about the toll this job (fumes, dust, chemicals) has been taking on my body,  but felt comforted knowing that id finally have some health care after 90 days.  I put my last pair of contacts in the day I started, thinking 3 months,  I can do this.. (I pay $100 for a set of lenses,  and $200+ for an exam w/o insurance).  Should I file cumulative injury reports for my eyes and lungs and joints before I go?  I don't even know if I will even qualify for unemployment,  how will I possibly pay for the care and treatment of any injuries this job has possibly given me?

Answer: What makes you think you've been injured?


Title: My employer took and used my notary stamp on multiple documents when I was not in the office

Question: While out of the office my employer forged my signature and used my notary stamp on multiple documents.  I found out once I was back in the office after looking through some of the documents.  The stamp was kept in my desk drawer, unlocked.  I understand it is my responsibility to keep it safe, and I have started keeping it at home.  Do I have any legal recourse? I don't expect to be there long and would like to take action. I am in Washington.

Answer:
 Have you reported this yet? This is a pretty serious violation. In Virginia, impersonating a notary is a Class 6 felony; on top of any possible perjury implication if the documents your boss notarized are court or government records. Answer #2: I am a notary, not a lawyer. I would contact an attorney. I am not sure if my E&O insurance would cover this.

Also, keep your stuff in a **locked** box that only you have the key to. It it your responsibility to secure these things, regardless of whatever your employer wants.Answer #3: You need to contact the proper authorities about it and have the documents stamped voided. Not sure why your employer thought it would work, as you are supposed to keep a log book of times you use your stamp. If it doesn't sync up then unrecorded stamps are invalid. Answer #4: Your primary concern should not be your legal recourse but your legal liability.Answer #5: My stamp just sits on my desk, anybody I work with (and a few others who come into the back) have access to it. Didn't really think I needed to lock it up.

Yikes Answer #6: What was your employer's motive?  Saving money?  Saving time?


Title: I failed lie detector test even though I was telling the truth, what do I do now?

Question:
(NJ) Long story short, someone robbed my parents of money and the police think it's either my brother or I. My brother took the test and passed which I knew he would cause Im sure he didn't do it.

 Then I took the test and failed miserably, worst grade possible. I'm just not sure how this is possible tho cause I 100% did not steal money from my parents.

So at this point what do I do? My parents believe me and told me they will drop everything and not press charges. But the police said no matter what they're gonna come after me. There is no proof besides the lie detector test so I feel like at this point they're just bluffing and trying to get me to admit to something I didn't do. Any feedback would be greatly appreciate. I will also go in more detail if I have to. Thank you

Answer:
 > Then I took the test and failed miserably, worst grade possible.

They don't grade lie detector tests.  You don't get a B- in telling the truth, your answers are either viewed as true or false.

Did you actually see the results, or did they just tell you that?  Because police are allowed to lie to you, and they may have been trying to induce a confession.

You need to hire a criminal defense attorney if you're charged, and stop talking to the police about this altogether.  Answer #2: How old are you...?

If the police accuse you of a crime, you don't speak to them without a criminal defense attorney protecting you.


Title: UPDATE - I ended up going to court to fight a debt collection (Hawaii). I need to go back for "status" - What does that mean?

Question:
[Here is my original post](https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/3luajh/i_got_summoned_to_court_for_debt_collection_what/). In Hawaii, the first court date you just show up and accept or deny the debt. The lawyers in my case and in a lot of other's cases did not show up. The judge calls you up and you just say either Accept or Deny. I said Deny, and the judge gave me a later court date to come back to review Status of the case. There was no presenting of facts or anything from myself or from the plaintiff.

I couldn't tell from the other returning cases what "Status" means. Any helpful hint? What am I supposed to do now?

Answer:
 It means you update the court as to the status of the case.  Examples include:  Have you settled?  Are you negotiating? What is the status of the negotiations? Have you exchanged discovery?  Are there any issues with discovery? Are you moving forward to trial?  And so on.

If you have any questions about the procedures or what happens at this meeting, feel free to ask the clerk of the court or the Judge's judicial assistant.Answer #2: Contact the plaintiff and ask them to provide you with all of their documentation that you owe them the debt (they will need proof that you signed an agreement with the original creditor, documentation of each charge (not a summary of the total that you owe), and proof that the debt was assigned to them by the original creditor.  If need be, you can request all that as part of formal discovery.

Learn the magic words.

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/532/magic-words

EDIT:  Oops, I see from your original post that I already sent you the above link.  Litmustest1 is presumably right about the purpose of the "status" hearing.  But you don't want to be surprised by what they present.  Contact them and request documents.


Title: Child support hearing thrown out of court do to forged documents, magistrate friends of person who forged them.

Question:
My mom has been in a child support battle with my little brothers dad for at least 14 years now. He's never had legit income so collecting anything has been about impossible. He currently owes a little over $20,000. He just inherited a settlement from his father dying. So my mom went to court because this income could be seized. Turns out his sister got documents signed by a judge without my mom present saying that my mom gave up custody to her. She presents these in next court hearing and magistrate tells my mom she now has no case and isn't my brothers mother. Mom is devastated. Then a week later discovers through facebook, the sister to my brother's dad and her mom are all friends with the magistrate! It's all in facebook. Cookouts, conversations so my mom took screen shots of all of it. What should she do now? State ohio
Edit: auto correct turned "gave" into "have
2 edit: these extra facts- sister of my brothers dad who came up with these documents is a social worker, also my mom has seen papers now and they do not have her signature on them which you would think they would of at least tried to forge. Also the judge above the magistrate that threw out case is the one who signed these documents without my mom present and without any signature or any documents from my mom. The sister was also collecting welfare daycare income for watching my brother through the years she is now claiming she had custody of him!
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer:
 Your Mom should be cautious about leveling any accusations against the magistrate. Instead, she should get a lawyer to help her challenge the claim that she gave up custody. She can ask to see the documents, and if they're forged then she can say as much, but she doesn't have to come right out and say the magistrate is corrupt. And whatever your Mom does, she definitely should not accuse the magistrate publicly (e.g., by posting something about his alleged nepotism on Facebook). That would have the potential to backfire in more ways than you could count.Answer #2: IANAL - Does your mother have a lawyer? Has she been representing herself in the child support proceedings?

*Edit: Changed "custody" to "child support".


Title: Can my property management company force mail to be delivered to a different location?

Question: I live in IL. Recently the company that owns my building decided they don't want to pay someone to be at the front desk all the time so they have put notices on the front doors telling Fedex, UPS and US Mail workers to deliver mail to the main office several blocks away. This really sucks, is it actually legal???

Answer: For FedEx and UPS, probably yes. For USPS, if they aren't allowing the mail carrier(s) access to the post boxes, that could become an issue.


Title: NY: Employee's daughter threatening to go to DOL if we fire her mother

Question:
I assistant manage a small gym in NYC. We have a small staff and only 2 people on cleaning staff. Both are Latin American and only one speaks any English, and they hate each other. We've had an issue with the one lady who doesn't speak english for years, and the only reason she still has a job is because the manager is too much of a softy to let her go because she's older and doesn't have any kind of retirement.

I've been trying to communicate with her about her relationship with the other member of the cleaning staff and the incredibly poor quality of work she's been delivering and have taken the new stance lately of "I don't care if you like me, do your job". She doesn't like this and is getting very defensive about every tiny thing.

Anyway, her daughter speaks english and called me to talk about what's going on with her mother at work. Not only did she call me racist because I mentioned that her mother doesn't speak English after being in Ny for nearly twenty years (I didn't say it in a derogatory way, it's rather matter of fact), she told me that if I fire her mother they'd be taking it up with the Department of Labor.

I don't doubt that they'd seek legal council on some sort of discriminatory basis  if we did fire her, but it's really the fact that it's nearly impossible to run business efficiently because she doesn't do her job well and I can't spend 45 minutes on the phone with her daughter every time I need her to sweep the locker room or not put out ripped up towels. She's lazy, I often catch her on her tablet during work hours and have to ask her to do obvious things. Whenever I ask her to do anything she gets defensive and tells me how long she's been with the company and how old she is and that I have to respect her. I'm not disrespectful to her, but she doesn't understand that this is a job and if she doesn't perform she will lose it.

So if this does happen, if we let her go and they go to DOL...can they really do anything?

Answer:
 They can go to the DoL, but that doesn't mean anything will come of it.
As a precaution, maybe start documenting everything. Answer #2: Start documenting each time you have to correct her work habits or the quality of her work. Date, time of day, specifics-ie. Employee X failed to perform assigned task of sweeping again and had to be reminded. Employee X stocked locker rooms with ripped towels contrary to established policy. And so on. You can decline to accept the daughters calls.

Check with owner to make sure he will back you up on this


Title: My current employer requires us to get on "all hands on" conference calls and drive 8 hours for trainings but refuses to pay me for the hours spent. What should I do?

Question:
This has been going on for the past 3 and a half years. I am in the state of Utah, and I am starting to get annoyed because of a recent event. About a month or so ago my manager told us to clock in before we left for a training and then clock back out when we get home. He said we would be paid for the entire training and all of the hours spent driving. So I clocked in at 9 in the morning and we got home at 9:30 at night. I was bummed that a whole day was waisted but at least I was getting paid right? Wrong, a week later I noticed my time punches had been adjusted by my bone headed regional manager. After noticing what had happened I confronted my manager... he said, "oh yah, I knew he (regional manager) would probably adjust those hours." So why did you tell us we would be paid for the travel and training time?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Answer: report to Utah's DOLAnswer #2: It's wage theft.  I'd speak with a local labor attorney and see what be or she suggests.  You may be entitled to quote a bit of money.


Title: [Spain] Can I (17) and my boyfriend (18) send each other messages of sexual content? (No photos, only words)

Question: As the title says, I want to make sure it isn't a crime before doing it and bit us in the ass later, I'm talking about text messages only, we won't send any photos (I know that's CP and a foolish thing to do).

Answer: A good legal rule of thumb - it's better not to transmit content that could be considered questionable until you're both legally adults.


Title: [Ontario Canada] Does a Living Will supercede a PoA in the case of funeral services?

Question: My friend's younger sibling, a transgirl, recently died in result of a car crash, and is going to be cremated and buried in the family plot. The problem comes from the fact that their parents are refusing to have the sibling buried under their legally changed female name, instead wanting for her birth name to be on the plot (a clearly male name). She was very sickly, and so had specified she wanted her chosen name to be on the plot anyway in case her cancer returned. Does her will, signed and notarized, take precedence over the wishes of the parents? She didn't die quickly and was comatose for a week, and the parents had PoA, does this change things?

Answer: Every type of PoA I know about expires at death, so unless this is something different, then yes the will would take precedence.


Title: Pedestrian hit and killed by car in Idaho, questions about prosecution.

Question:
My friend of 10 years got hit and killed by a driver while in a crosswalk on July 4th, 2016. Police have not released new information and the woman has not had ANY charges pressed against her.

I repeatedly contacted our local journal, and all they posted was that the accident was "still under investigation."

Can anyone give me insight as to why they may not have prosecuted the woman in the car yet? A month seems like a long time considering they know who hit him. Does toxicology take this long? Are they simply putting the case on the back-burner?

Any insight about these types of accidents is greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer:
 I am sorry for your loss.

A month or more is not uncommon.  In fact, the police/DA have all the way up to the statute of limitations to charge the driver....if they even wanted to.  They don't even have to.

Incidents involving death take a long time to investigate to be thorough.  And because it is automobile related there is going to be tons of math/equations and other things for the police/DAs office to go through.  Not to mention any traffic cams, bystanders cell phone pictures/videos, black boxes from the car and things of that nature.

Even if they decided to go forward with criminal charges, they would likely seek an indictment from a grand jury and the grand jury may not have granted it.

For answers, your friend's family needs to contact which ever investigation unit is handling the case and ask them.


Title: [Holland/Amsterdam] My photo was sold through flickr and was hanging everywhere in London, but I only got 50 euro's for it.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 €50 is a pretty good price actually, for a stock photo. I work in a similar business and photos get used like this all the time. Unfortunately this is just how it works when you sell your photo as a stock image, like you did when you agreed for Yahoo to sell it as such. How widely it's used in the end makes no difference. I've seen huge marketing campaigns using photos which I know for a fact cost only £20 or so from Shutterstock. It's the marketing agency that made the big bucks from your photo.

It's really cool for your portfolio though, and you should hold on to the pictures of your work all over London. Answer #2: I looked at the Getty images stockphoto site, which would seem kinda similar, so it isn't directly applcable, but you can use it to compare. I found they charge between 11 and 29 dollars a photo. And offer subscriptions to make it even cheaper. For this price you would get a standard licence. Of which they have to say the following:

>Examples of how you can use licensed content include: websites; blog posts; social media; **advertisements; marketing campaigns**; corporate presentations; newspapers; magazines; books; film and television productions; web and mobile applications; product packaging.

I would say that based on what they say here, and as your situation is kinda comparable, that 50 euros isn't an inherently unfair price.


Title: I rented a room with a high rental rate because of a bunch of added perks but they are disappearing.

Question:
I moved to Philadelphia for a job in August. I found a homeowner who was renting out a bedroom.  They advertised all kinds of perks - an in-home gym, washer/dryer, amazing internet, huge cable package, furnished bedroom with electronics in it, hot tub and more.

Because of all these benefits they charged higher for rent than you would ordinarily pay.

However over the past month the owner has begun to have financial problems and is getting rid of all the perks. Cable and internet have been cut down to the bare minimum - local news channels only and we went from 150mbps internet to 3mbps. The furnished bedroom included a huge TV and accessories that she has sold. She is also selling the hot tub and it is being picked up tomorrow by the buyer. She even sold the washer and dryer saying she is going to start doing laundry at her sister's and I should use the laundrymat. She is currently trying to sell the gym equipment and that will be gone before too long too I'm sure.

Even though she advertised all of these things, none of them are spelled out in my lease.  Do I have any options?  I know I might be screwed but it is worth trying since I am now paying more than anyone else I know for a shittier place than anyone else has...

Answer:
 > Even though she advertised all of these things, none of them are spelled out in my lease.

You just answered your own question.  If it's not in the lease it doesn't matter.


Title: Ex-boyfriend's dad and stepmom came to my house and stole my dog. Can I get my dog back and get them arrested?

Question:
So, my ex-boyfriend and I adopted a dog together eight months ago with both our names. However, we broke up two months later and he abandoned the dog and never really actively tried to get him back. At the point, I was his sole and only caretaker. I changed the owner's name at the adoption center to mine, and I registered him under my name in my town.

&#x200B;

My ex's dad and I spoke yesterday and he asked if I needed a place for my dog to live ( because I am moving into a no-pets apt in August). I said sure, if you want to take him for a few months. He then proceeds to tell me that he wont be keeping the dog, and that their family friend wants the dog. I tell him something along the lines of, "I'm not okay with that. I will keep the dog." He nods and agrees.

&#x200B;

Fast forward to today, his dad told me he would drive to my house to pick up their old tv from my room. I was not home at the time and told my roommates not to let him in until I got home. They ended up letting him in and he and his wife claimed that they would take the dog for a walk, so my roommates agreed to the seemingly harmless proposal. One of my roommates told me that ten or so minutes later, everyone else left the house and my ex's dad and stepmom came knocking on the door again and said that they wanted to get the tv, so my roommate shows them up to my room and they get the tv (no biggie, this was agreed on).

&#x200B;

So, what happens next is actually psychotic. They take the tv, slam the front door, put my dog in their car and drive off. I come home and realize the dog is gone, and I call one of my roommates (who left before I got home) and she tells me what happened.

&#x200B;

I have firmly texted both my ex and his dad demanding my dog back and it has been over 8 hours since I sent the first texts.

&#x200B;

Can I call the police on them and report the dad and stepmom for stealing my dog?? Will they get arrested?

Answer:
 Call the police, then call the police, and then call the police. That should do it but just in case call the police immediately.Answer #2: If it was me I would gather all of my paperwork showing ownership. Go to a gas station/shopping center parking lot near their home and call the non emergency line. I would tell them I need a police officer to go with me to retrieve stolen property.

They would be more likely to show up and help and not cast it off as a civil issue if you were preparing to exercise your legal rights. It would be in the best interest of keeping the peace to help you get your dog back. If you have documentation and even your roommate from them your ex's parents took the dog. I think with this approach you would at the very least be able to file a report without them brushing it off as a civil matter.Answer #3: You should have called the police immediatelyAnswer #4: Nice roommatesAnswer #5: Call the police. That is theft and it should be sorted out fast.  Don’t feel like you are going to ruin their lives - no one is going to prison over something like this, but the cops are in the best position to sort it out fast. If that doesn’t work, file a replevin civil action tiger the dog back.Answer #6: When my cat was stolen, the police told me it was a civil issue despite me having ALL proof of ownership. If your ex’s parents claim it is their dog, be prepared to take them to civil court.


Title: (TX) I got my first speeding ticket yesterday and I feel like something is a little fishy.

Question:
I'm 17 years old and yesterday I got my first speeding ticket. I was also driving with 3 friends (I have DL restriction G that only allows 1 friend because I'm 17) so that got me another violation.

Apparently, I was driving 41 in a 30 and that was the main reason he initially pulled me over but then when I gave him my license and registration he saw that I had the restriction and told me I was violating that as well, which I was. I will admit that I wasn't supposed to have all 3 friends in my car but when he printed out the ticket and gave it to me, it said that there were **no passengers** which doesn't make sense because on the ticket it says I'm violating a DL restriction but if it says there were no passengers, I don't know how that's possible. Then as I was driving home, I drove back down the same road to double check the speed limit signs and it said 40mph, which I also don't understand because I was going 41 in a "30". Another thing that grinds my gears about this is, my friend got pulled over by the same cop 30 minutes before me on the same road going 59, and since his dad was in the car with him and is also a cop, he got off with a warning. I know I was wrong to have 3 friends all in one car and I'll accept that and pay whatever that costs, but the speeding incident is fishy to me.

Is there anything I **should** do, or should I just pay whatever the amount is and move on? I also don't want this on my record because I plan on attending the USAFA and I know they won't care about a speeding ticket but I would like a clean record. Thank you.

Answer:
 If you're sure that the speed limit for the entire road (from when he spotted you until you pulled over) is 40, then you can contest the ticket and bring that up as a defense. It doesn't matter what the speed limit was where you pulled over though; it was wherever he observed you and began the stop that matters.

You're most likely right about the AFA not caring.  After all, they want zoomies who feel the need...the need for speed (although admittedly, that was a naval pilot's line). Answer #2: >I will admit that I wasn't supposed to have all 3 friends in my car but when he printed out the ticket and gave it to me, it said that there were **no passengers** which doesn't make sense because on the ticket it says I'm violating a DL restriction but if it says there were no passengers, I don't know how that's possible.

Since the ticket was for having passengers, this is simply a clerical error. The offense (having 3 passengers) is a more important factor than the clerical error - which will simply be corrected.Answer #3: > Then as I was driving home, I drove back down the same road to double check the speed limit signs and it said 40mph, which I also don't understand because I was going 41 in a "30".

Driving down the same section of road going the same direction? Did it ever switch from a 40 to a 30 or vise-versa, or was it 40 the whole stretch?


Title: NJ - Drove "friend" to airport

Question:
My "friend" needed a ride to Laguardia Airport in NYC. This is a 3 hour drive easily from where we live in NJ.

I assumed he would pay me for my trouble. He covered one toll and gave me $25 for gas.

Could I take him to small claims court for the roughly 4 to 5 hours it took me to return home from the city? Traffic was insane, I have lots of texts to prove that I was stuck on the island in gridlock from 520pm until 10pm.

 Is there some way for me to be paid for what came out to be over 8 hours of my time? Can I not receive the "going rate" of a car service because that's the role I played?

I felt very taken advantage of and when I pressed him to actually pay me for my time he laughed at me and I told him to leave my car which he didn't. I mean it was super upsetting and I just wanted him to get out and he wouldn't.

Answer:
 You assumed, but you don't mention discussing it. So you did him a favor, and now want to sue him over it?

C'mon, man. You're not just in the wrong here, you're being a bad person.Answer #2: This isn't serious, right?

Unless you had an agreement beforehand that he would pay you for your commute time, then you have no legal claim.  Answer #3: >I assumed he would pay me for my trouble.

Well that's where you were wrong. You should have discussed this before hand.


Title: [PA] My kids and I live with my fiance, whose name is on the deed to the house.

Question:
How can I go about ensuring that at no point in time will he be able to legally evict any of my kids or myself? (Even if just for peace of mind. I seriously am not on any of the paperwork; he bought the house 2 years before I even met him.)

I have signed nothing related to living in said house, thus there's no lease of any sort. I'd like to feel a little bit more empowered at this point.

Answer:
 You cannot. You are tenants and all tenant laws apply.

Buy your own home if you don't want to worry about eviction beyond your control


Title: [NY] Nanny cam has view of bathroom...it may have recorded me.

Question:
Started working for this family a few months ago. I wasn't made aware of any nanny cams in the apartment. I only found out there is one because the father contacted me from the nanny cam. It is located in the living room but has a clear view of the bathroom.
Usually I keep the bathroom door slightly open to keep an eue on the child. I am worried the camera and by extension the parents may have seen me and/or recorded me while I was using the bathroom.
Is this legal?

Answer: In the general case, if they can see what you're doing from a place they're authorized to be, there's no issue.  Obviously, if the camera was placed *specifically* to catch the bathroom, there might be a problem.  But if it happens to do so when you don't take proper steps to make the area private, there's no issue.Answer #2: Generally, if the camera was in the living room, and only meant to get the living room, and the potential bathroom shots are only due to you not closing the door completely, they did not do anything illegal. Since you fail to make the area completely private, this one is on you. Close the door in the future.Answer #3: No, it is not legally the parents fault that you failed to close the bathroom door. Answer #4: Close the door...


Title: Can I still press charges? Crazy story

Question: So a high school student and I got in a fight, but before anything physical happened, I tried to talk to her to avoid any violence. She threw the first punch and knocked me down pretty hard that I got a concussion. The next day both of us get suspended for "mutual combat". May I still press charges for assault and emotional problems?

Answer: You can file a police report, assuming the cops will let you. That's about it.


Title: Fucking $800 ticket

Question:
I got pulled over going 10 over without license,insurance, or registration. I have all those things but did have them in the car at the time. Can I get some of the fees dropped if I bring proof?

WA state

Answer:
 You can most likely take those items to court and the judge will either drop the tickets or cut them down significantly. You'll still have some court fees I'm sure.

As for the shitty attitude. The law states that you must have them on you. Leaving your shit at home is your fault and your fault only. Personal responsibility is a great asset to have.

As for the speeding tickey. That's on you. Don't leave your checkbook at home.


Title: I am a Michigan resident. I live in Jackson MI. I would like to have my water tested, but am unsure who would give us unbiased results.

Question: Much like the residents of flint, my water often comes out brown with an off putting taste. I am connected to the city water supply. I would also like to help get Rick Snyder removed from office over the lack of accountability of the flint crisis, but am unsure of what to do or who to get in touch with. Any guidance would be appreciated.

Answer: you should move to ohio instead, our water is clean, hasn't caught on fire since the 70s!


Title: Randomly, mid shift, my manager asks me to clock out for unpaid, unscheduled, breaks in my schedule, while never permitting paid breaks, even on shifts over 6hrs. These amount to over an hour some days unpaid during my scheduled hours.

Answer:
 Not a lawyer. How long are these breaks? Are you allowed to leave the premises? Go do what you want? Are you expected to be able to return to the office immediately when called?Answer #2: According to CO law, employees are entitled to at least a 30 minute unpaid, uninterrupted break if they work more than 5 hours. This doesn’t mean “up to 30 minutes”, the law specifically says “*at least* 30 minutes.” These breaks are always at least 30 minutes and are uninterrupted, right?

As far as I can tell, the only CO labor law your employer is breaking is not allowing you to take a 10 minute paid break for every 4 hours worked.


Title: Fiancé and I split after having a dog she adopted for a year.. She wants the dog put down (FL)

Question:
So, my fiancé and I broke up. She adopted a dog about a year ago. The dog lived with both of us, bonded with the dog I have had since he was 6 weeks.

Since she adopted the dog, the papers and chip are in her name. The dog is 3 years old and healthy. She is threatening to have the dog put down since she can't care for it and doesn't want anyone else to have it.

The dog was technically ours, and I can provide for it. What are my options to stop her from putting the dog down? Can I get an injunction?

Answer:
 No responsible vet will euthanize a healthy animal under those circumstances.

Offer her money for the dog.  It will be cheaper than going to court, and quicker.Answer #2: If the dog was adopted via a rescue and not just your local shelter contact them. Usually they have lengthy contracts you sign when adopting a pet and one of the stipulations is if you cannot keep the pet it must be returned to them. Animal rescue groups are usually no kill and would be pretty annoyed at her for planning to kill a perfectly healthy dog with no behavior concerns. They may have more of a legal leg to stand on.

Good luck and as one animal lover to another I hope the dog is ok and gets to live with you. Answer #3: > The dog was technically ours

It is technically her dog.  She adopted it, and the papers and chip are in her name.  If you can provide any documentation of you providing for it, you could have a case why you could also be considered the owner.

In the unfortunate case you can't provide the documentation that supports your claim of ownership, you can't decide what she does with her property.

I don't know any vets that would put down a perfectly healthy animal.Answer #4: This is social engineering rather than legal advice, but does she have any friends who really love animals, perhaps this dog in particular? You could call that friend and sound worried and ask if she thinks your ex will really do it. Chances are pretty good the friend will rain holy hell down on your ex.

Also, congratulations on escaping that psycho.


Title: Got caught jaywalking while drunk and then got my fake ID taken. What do I do?

Question: [deleted]

Answer: You need a lawyer to have the best chance of getting a favorable resolution. If this happened on campus you are also likely going to be facing student judicial services as well.


Title: Starting a business in a legal gray area, need advice

Question:
I live in Florida. I am starting a business that will purchase sexual pictures of women from them, for the purpose of reselling them, and then have people on the internet pretend to be those women, and sell the pictures. What legal pitfalls must I be aware of, and how do I avoid them. I was thinking some sort of disclaimer about how all of the people you talk to are paid actors. Would that cover me?
Topic:
Business Law

Answer:
 One big warning:

This is the statue for [wire fraud](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1343)

The key here is that if you transmit anything over state lines via the internet that is part of a scheme to get money or something else by fraud, you can get in a lot of trouble.

I don't know the details of your business, but if you are trying to get people to buy these pictures by pretending that the people talking are the people in them, you need to consult with an attorney to make sure you are not running afoul of this statute, at the least.Answer #2: This is not a gray area, this is a black area.  Don't engage in fraud on the internet.


Title: Disability and Gender Discrimination (NYC)

Question:
I have a severe (but NOT contagious) skin condition, and my naturopath recommended I start going to a sauna. I live in NYC so there are plenty of saunas/spas/bath houses, but they are all segregated by sex, and I am a non-binary person who doesn't ID as either sex. I do NOT feel comfortable in the men's section, and would prefer the women's section, but I am non-op, so that has been a problem in certain spaces.

SO I finally found a spa out in Queens that seemed willing to accommodate me. I explained my situation to the manager, and she said it would be fine, but there also might have been a language barrier (a lot of the spas around here are Korean-owned, and I don't speak Korean XD).

I went 3X and there was no problem, but then the manager lady said I couldn't come anymore, and she said she could get in trouble with the CDC because of my skin condition! I offered to bring in a note from my doctor saying I'm not contagious, but she still said no. I think the real issue was my gender, but I want to know if it is discrimination either way, to deny me entrance because of my gender or my medical condition?

Answer:
 A naturopath is not a real doctor.

Get an actual note from an actual doctor and maybe you'd have a leg to stand on.


Title: My lawyer died, and he was a one man law firm, now what? Courts in New Orleans are still closed.

Question:
I retained a criminal lawyer on 3/10/20, and then Covid happened and shut down courts in New Orleans. I had last contact with him on 4/10/20, a normal check in. With everything shut down I figured no contact was normal. Today I reached out, and learned he passed away two weeks ago on 4/19/20. His phone and website are shut down, with no forward information. What should I do now? Courts are still closed. Obviously I need to hire a new lawyer? The money($1500) I payed him is gone? No way to get that back? Thanks in advance take care, and be well.
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer:
 You may be able to recover your money. Lawyers are required to retain a separate account for client funds. This is definitely cause for a continuance. Your new attorney may want additional time to prepare for the case.

Louisiana has eccentric laws in many ways. You may have heard people talk about the Napoleonic code. But I do know the state bar has special rules about matters like this. The Louisiana rules for professional conduct have a specific rule governing this,

 [Rule XIX Section 27.
](https://www.ladb.org/Material/Publication/xix.pdf#page=47)
[SECTION 27 APPOINTMENT OF COUNSEL TO PROTECT CLIENTS’ INTERESTS WHEN RESPONDENT IS TRANSFERRED TO DISABILITY INACTIVE STATUS, SUSPENDED, DISBARRED, DISAPPEARS, OR DIES
](https://www.ladb.org/Material/Publication/xix.pdf#page=47)

Hope this helps.


Title: Can I get a restraining order against former child care provider? [DFW, TX]

Question:
My daughter went to an in home child care provider.
We found out the woman/provider was abusing our children. Cps had findings og physical abuse, neglectful supervision, drug use, etc.

We didnt file the cps case, but she assumed we did. She has made false reports against me, drives by my house constantly, calls the cops for various unfounded reasons.

I tried to file harrassment charges, but we dont have enough evidence.
Is it possible for me to get a restraining order against her on behalf of my daughter due to the abuse there is evidence of? I am just trying to find some way to keep her away from out family before things escalate.

Answer:
 If CPS found all that evidence of child abuse I would hope that criminal charges were brought forth.  If that is the case, she should have some type of stay away condition set already.

If you know which prosecutor's office is handling the case, it may be wise to give them a call.Answer #2: >  Is it possible for me to get a restraining order against her on behalf of my daughter due to the abuse there is evidence of?

No, because she's not doing that.  You can't get a restraining order to stop someone from doing something they're not doing.

You should continue reporting her behavior to the police, and they may be able to take action at some point.


Title: My landlord says I have no tenant rights

Question:
I live in California. Sorry for my grammar in advance, I am at work and this is time sensitive. My landlord knew I was looking for roommates because the previous roommates were going to move out. He even suggested places to post, for example craigslist. Yesterday my new roommates moved in, and I paid him the rent for the month of May. I have him the usual amount and he said it was short $150. He said he had mentioned to me he was raising the rent when he did not. He knew how much I was renting the room for and how were going to split utilities and everything to the dollar because he and I discussed it. We argue for a bit because there was never anything in writing or verbal, so he is using me not being in the contract against me. He raised the rent by 12% and says if I don't like I need to get the hell out. I asked why he was raising the rent and he said because the last apartment he rented out was rented for the new price. I paid him $400 as a deposit so he can paint the walls and clean the carpets. He says I have no tenant rights because I am not in the original contract. All the people in the original contract have moved out and now I am starting a new contract and says he is free to do what he wants with the price. I am a college student and it is hard for me to move out in the middle of finals and nowhere to go. He never told me about the price increase until yesterday that I paid the rent. I have not signed any contracts yet because he mentioned his wife is still working on the new contract with the new price. I am so frustrated that he waited until I found roommates and they filled out the application to rent(not the contract) and moved in some of there stuff to tell me about the 12% increase. I told him that the guy upstairs pays 30% less than I do for the same apartment and he said he didn't care what they paid. Please give me advice to help me resolve this situation in the best way. This is a month-to-month and I have been living there since June,2014. He said that starting June I need to pay the new price. According to what I read online he is suppose to give me 60 day notice for any price increase above 10%. Please help me. I feel he is taking advantage of the situation. I can move out in July but I don't want him to evict me when I tell him I am not signing the new contract because we never agreed to the new price. The eviction will hurt my credit and my reputation.
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 > He says I have no tenant rights because I am not in the original contract.

That's not correct.  However:

> All the people in the original contract have moved out and now I am starting a new contract and says he is free to do what he wants with the price.

He's absolutely correct about that part.  If you have no lease, and you're starting a new lease, he can charge any rent he wants.

You're correct about the 60 days notice.  That only applies if you're staying month-to-month, though.


Title: Had sex with woman from tinder, condom broke, 1 month later I convince her to get aboriton. Now she is threatening me with lawsuit claiming psychological issues from abortion. Should I laugh out loud or get a lawyer? (California)

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 You dont need a lawyer until you get served court papers. If those papers come get one for sure.

I suggest you go no contact with her until papers show up


Title: Apartment management harassing us with fines for “in picked up” dog poop.

Question:
Me and my wife recently bought a puppy and our apartments allow them. They require each dog to be swabbed for DNA testing when we get them. Fine no big deal. Recently they have delivered a fine to our door of $300 dollars per “infraction”.  We have gotten 5 in the last three days. We are very diligent about cleaning up after our puppy as we realize it is a shared space and unsightly for all.

We can’t afford 1500 dollars in fines being recent college grads. We have no documentation stating the rate of the fine and the references in the letter point  to a clause in our lease contract stating we must cover testing fees.  which are 28 dollars and not 300. We live in Minnesota, please help. We are freaking out with what to do. We have a meeting with management on next Tuesday. Thanks so much

Answer: I'd bet they never actually tested the poop and are just hoping folks will pay it. Ask for evidence.


Title: Hearse and roundabout

Question:
On my way back into work from lunch today I was travelling round a roundabout when a hearse pulled out on me (the first car in the line) and gave me an evil look. I couldn't have stopped to let him on because its a busy roundabout and there was a car behind me. Am I in the wrong here, or was he?

I am located in the UK.

Can't edit title

Answer: Was he leading a funeral procession at the time?  Where are you located?


Title: I threatened to kill my dad, who sexually harassed me and abused me as a child. He has me on video threatening him- What’s the worst he can do with that video?

Answer: Turn it into the police and request that you be charged with criminal threats.


Title: [TX] Mugshots.com has published my arrest record for which there is an order of non-disclosure. What can I do?

Question:
I was arrested for a Class B misdemeanor in Texas several years ago. Can't remember what I plead, but court's disposition was deferred adjudication, which was completed and discharged. Later I was granted an order of non-disclosure. My arrest record, along with my mugshot, is publicly listed on Mugshots.com. Can I use the order of non-disclosure to force Mugshots.com to unpublish my arrest record? Can I sue Mugshots.com for publicly listing this information?
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer:
 >An order of nondisclosure is a court order prohibiting public entities such as
courts and police departments from disclosing certain criminal records.

Unless Mugshots.com became a public entity (hint: it isn't) then no you cannot use that order of non-disclosure. And no you cannot sue, if you do that you will likely create a bigger online pressence of your previous arrest.


Title: Girlfriend has informal agreement with homeowner to live in a room. Homeowner does not have legal permission to rent. Neighbor calling cops. (Minnesota)

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Of course you refuse them entry. And this isn't really a criminal matter anyways, it's more of a code enforcement type of thing. Answer #2: > She does give money to the homeowner in exchange for living there.

Living there with the permission of the owner is enough to establish tenancy.

> Is the homeowner in violation of the law?

Maybe. Does the city or county have zoning laws or building ordinances that restrict a homeowner's ability to offer tenancies? If so, they may be fined, and fined periodically, until the tenant is gone.

> If they say my girlfriend cannot live there anymore what kind of timeframe will she have to find a new place to live and move out?

If she has a term lease, she's entitled to occupy it until the end of the lease. If the city orders her out (unlikely unless the building is being condemned), she can sue the owner for breaching that lease. The landlord cannot end the lease early unless the lease allows it or they come to an agreement (usually of the "I'll pay you to move out" variety).

If she's not on a lease, then she's month-to-month by default, and the landlord owes her a month's notice before terminating her tenancy. I think. Minnesota notice is weirder than most jurisdictions.

> What should we tell the cops?

"Come back with a warrant" is always popular. However, I can't see any reason the police would be involved. There's no criminal law element to this. There may be municipal ordinances (which are normally enforced by code enforcement, not the police), or civil law issues (which are enforced by the plaintiff personally).


Title: Ex GF has belongings and refuses to give them back. Can I get a LEO involved?

Question:
She has a bag of belongings, including a fire arm of mine and refuses to give anything back until I take my name off a vehicle, which she cosigned for. I know she has no grounds for this, and I am concerned about her well being and not being licensed to have the weapon. I have tried to handle this in a civil manner but she continues to refuse. Can I get law enforcement involved?

Florida
Topic:
Douche

Answer: You could try. Law enforcement may tell you that it's a civil matter, though with a gun in the picture, they may be a little more inclined to help you out.Answer #2: It would seem to me that you should contact the police and make a report since she has taken your firearm.  While the police might not care much about general stuff I'd think a firearm being involved ups the stakes sufficiently to interest them.


Title: Pulled over in Tennessee with a marijuana pipe and a small container. Officers search my vehicle and was only able to find .5 in total of marijuana.

Question: I was pulled over the other day and given a misdemeanor citation for marijuana and a pipe, what is the best way to deal with this? Would it be smart to say I just had these items in my possession and they were not mine? I was charged with: 39-17-418 - Simple possession or casual exchange and 39-17-425 - Unlawful drug paraphernalia uses and activities. Thanks for any help.

Answer:
 Ownership and possession are different things. Get an attorneyAnswer #2: "but it's not mine!", said everyone busted for drug possession, ever. How would you prove that? Is it even true?Answer #3: It doesn't matter if you say it was yours or not, you were still in possession and had paraphernalia. Stop talking to the police and get an attorney. Your "idea" is a confession.Answer #4: It would not be smart for you to try to say anything, get an attorney. Answer #5: >Would it be smart to say I just had these items in my possession and they were not mine.

The law is about possession, not about "ownership".    To actually be acquitted, you would need a very strong argument either that police didn't make a valid search, or that you didn't know the marijuana was in your car.

It's very uncommon to make the argument that you didn't know about the marijuana in your vehicle.   If it's in somebody else's luggage, or if it's deeply hidden and you just bought the car... then it's a possible defense.

If it was really your weed, you need to hire a criminal defense attorney and try to get them to bargain down the penalties.   If this is your first offense, a deferred adjudication and probation are probable, since under 1/2 ounce is the "small amount" limit in Tennessee that makes this a Class A misdemeanor.


Title: Ticketed for parking in front of my own house?

Question:
Okay so I've never really posted here but a friend of mine mentioned that it really helped him once.

My father's birthday was about a month ago and our 30+ member family all came for a surprise party. Altogether we ended up with about eight cars but we have a very long driveway so we could fit seven. That left me out on the street, so I parked slightly on the lawn slightly on the street. When I came back after few hours I had a parking violation cited "On grass in front of residence".

It's really not an expensive ticket I just feel that it's kind of ridiculous that I have to pay to park in front of my own house. Is this worth fighting? And if so how would I go about that?

This is all in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer: If the law forbids parking on the lawn, it doesn't matter if it is your house or not, unless the law makes an exception.


Title: Got burned at work and my boss is being shady about workers comp while insisting on compensating me directly

Question:
Location: California

Throwaway, just in case.

So at the end of last month there was an incident at my work involving a pot of oil that caught fire. Long story short, and this is not my brightest moment, my manager had me move the still flaming pot outside, my hand started burning near the back door so I had to drop the pot, and it splattered onto my hand and arm. My manager didn't check if I was okay until I left a bit later and told them I wouldn't be able to make it in the next day. They asked if I needed to be checked out but the burns weren't that bad so they just gave me some aloe vera to rub on it.

After getting home and doing some google-fu I found out that any burns on your hands (among other places) need to be checked out just in case. So I texted the owner and gave them a brief description as to what happened and that I'd need to get checked out. They were on vacation and gave me the number of another person in charge to take care of it. That person had me go to a clinic and get it all sorted out. The clinic confirmed what I had already thought, the burn wasn't that bad and I would just need to wrap it for a little over a week. I wasn't able to do my job with a wrapped up hand though so I had to miss time. I texted the person who sent me to the clinic and asked to used some of my sick time since I couldn't afford to wait to see how this was settled.

The only time I was contacted while I was gone was to ask when I'd be coming back. I didn't think too much of it but it did seem weird that my bosses weren't having me fill out any workers comp paperwork. The owner calls me the day I had to return to work to tell me that there was a mix up at the clinic and they had the wrong workers comp number. They then told me to bring any bills I might get in the mail into work so they could take care of it. They also told me that they didn't know if workers comp would cover my lost wages since I was gone less than a week. Which was wrong, I was gone a week and a half but I didn't argue that point because the owner told me they were going to call and find out for sure and let me know later that day what was said.

I didn't hear back that day. The next day I texted them saying I needed to talk about what happened. No response until they called me the day after that. In that phone call I found out the manager had completely lied to the owner about what happened and had thrown me under the bus. The owner didn't even know the pot was on fire or that my manager had directed me to move it. During that phone call the owner told me the least they could do was cover the lost time so I was content. The owner also told me I wouldn't need to go to a scheduled check up and that since I wasn't there when the claim was filed that workers comp might need to call me to interview me (hasn't happened yet).

I got my check a few days after that (yesterday) and it was short. Not only that but the owner had used sick time to pay me which left me with negative sick time. So I did the math to find out how short on hours I was and texted them letting them know and said I would've rather not have used sick time since I'm negative now. I also put in that text that I had looked it up and workers comp would cover lost wages if I was gone for more than 3 work days, I had missed 5 total. Because of that I asked for a copy of the claim so I could call workers comp myself and get it sorted out. I got a response saying that they weren't trying to trick me and that they'd cover the rest of the missing time but they didn't say anything at all about workers comp. They also said they used sick time because that was the only way to pay me. I got another reply this morning saying a check with the missing hours would be ready tomorrow.

Well this morning my wife called the clinic and they told her they hadn't heard anything from the insurance. They also told her that it didn't matter that my boss said the check up wasn't required, if I didn't show up for it then it would look like I wasn't cooperating. Which could've left me being the one owing for the visits (I don't care if the owner told me they'd cover the bills, I don't want to owe anybody anything). My wife then got the policy number and called the workers comp insurance. Turns out the policy lapsed at the end of December.

So putting all the pieces together, the owner must've lied to me about correcting the wrong number at the clinic, since the clinic gave my wife an expired policy number instead of the new correct one. They must've pivoted towards compensating me themselves since they didn't have workers comp insurance at the time of my injury. They (knowingly or not) gave me bad advice regarding the check up which could've left me owing money for the visits.

&#x200B;

Which brings me to a few questions:

1. I'm sure it is but just in case: is it illegal for the business to not have workers comp insurance?
2. Is it legal for them to compensate me directly? (With or without workers comp)
3. Am I in any legal trouble for accepting that compensation?
4. Am I under any obligation to report this incident to some agency? I wouldn't even know where to report it to
5. If the window for a workers comp claim goes by, what does that mean for me? I assume I'd be on the hook for the medical bills but would it have any other effects I might not be considering?

&#x200B;

As far as I'm concerned as long as the medical bills and lost wages are covered I'm fine. I doubt the owner would screw me in that regard. I just don't want this to bite me in the ass down the road. I've been burned (pun intended) quite a few times in the past and would like to avoid it happening again.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and thanks in advance to any responses!

Answer:
 My concern would be that the employer fails to pay the bills, and months later the debts come knocking at your door. Secondly, if there are complications due to your injuries in the future, I would worry that it may be harder to make a legit claim to worker's comp for assistance.
https://www.dir.ca.gov/dwc/InjuredWorker.htm