Title: My girlfriend was raped two years ago and wants to come forward. Help??

Question:
Hey, all. Before you continue reading, this is about a rape, so tread carefully.

I'm an 18 year old dude who is currently living with his, also, 18 year old girlfriend in Houston, Texas.

Two years ago, my girlfriend was forcibly moved from sleeping onto the couch, and was forced to receive anal sex from her "boyfriend". That puts her at an age of 16, which again, so was he.

She repeatedly told him no, and that she didn't want to do it, but he did it any way.

I was the first person she told, and she told me about five months ago. Since then, she's finally informed her mom, dad, and one of her best friends.

All of us want to step forward and do something to put this guy away, or severely penalize him in the game of life, but with this being two years ago, it seems like it'd be a whole lot of "he said, she said".

Tl:Dr - Girlfriend got raped two years ago, but now she wants to step forward. How could we make a solid case?

Answer:
 Look up the contact details for rape crisis centres in your area. They deal with this thing way more then they should have too and will have the experience necessary going forward. They can advise you on how to approach the police, a good lawyer to contact and also provide referrals for therapy if you'd like it.

Also check does your girlfriend have any text messages/ facebook messages or emails from him from the time? Sift through those and see if he ever admitted to what he did. Asking her to call her rapist to try and entrap him may be asking a bit to much of her as that could be very traumatic.


Title: [OR] Apartment complex sent me an extra check. Is it legally mine?

Question: [deleted]

Answer: No. Bank error in your favor is only a monopoly thing.


Title: Should I take action against auto repair shop for vehicle theft?

Question:
I am in Boulder, CO.

I dropped my vehicle off at an auto repair shop (4/11/17) for a fender repair/paint job. I gave them permission to drive from their shop to the paint shop which would be ~60 miles.

However they used my vehicle for personal use (which they admitted to) from 10-11PM at night, while driving over the speed limit for ~50 miles. I have gps proof of all of this as I have a python smartstart gps device in my vehicle. The driver who drove my car without authorization is one of the shop owners; the gps coordinate matches up with his address. The owner was driving my vehicle for their personal use on Thursday (4/13/17).

The shop refused to let me make payment on their repair because I said both verbally and in writing that I would not release them from any claims I may have against them. I was forced to call my local police department in order to retrieve my vehicle. On top of this the shop didn't even put the bumper on correctly. This was on Friday (4/14/17). I was at the shop for over 2 hours trying to make payment only to be refused until I called the police.

Based on what I've read; taking a vehicle for a personal trip without authorization is considered aggravated vehicular in the second degree and would be considered a class 5 felony as my vehicle is valued at over $20k.

Any advice?

Forgot to mention that the owner modified the original repair order and wrote that I had brought the vehicle in with x amount of miles and the end repair order showed the same miles as when I had bought it in. When in fact they had put on 110 miles. They tried to play it off like they didn't drive it at all.

Answer: File a police report, there's a good chance they'd be charged by the DA with the statute you mentioned. Answer #2: If you wanted, you could sue them for the cost of having the bumper put on correctly by someone else. In court, when they say "but you should have let us fix it ourselves" you say "last time I tried that you stole the vehicle".Answer #3: File a report and let the cops handle it.


Title: [GA] destructive tenant replaced doorknob with dead bolt.

Question:
Situation is as follows: my mother owns a home and was renting out a single bedroom to a tenant. We filed eviction for nonpayment back in January and we were successful but did not enforce eviction because he seemed to be better. Since then he has been menacing my mother off and on for various things, followed by being extremely nice and helpful so she wouldn't evict him. My mother lives in the home but has been spending the night at my house because she is afraid for her safety.

His lease is expiring October 31st, but in all likelihood we expect him to stay past then. And so, we filed for eviction last Thursday. My mother served him the paperwork Friday, and when he received the papers he immediately exited the house and started removing the security cameras on the exterior of the home. (These are legal, we have spoken with both police and our lawyer)

My mother got a notification that the cameras detected movement and as soon as she saw he had removed them, she called the police and met them at the home. She called me as well and I got there before the police officer arrived to help keep my mom safe. Between the time of her arrival to the house and mine, he came outside and asked her why she was sitting in the car and asked her to come inside. She refused and he said "did you call the police?" And she said yes. The tenants vehicle was parked in the drive way and the house is in a rural location. When the police arrived we entered the house and the tenant was nowhere to be found. He exited through the back door of the home and was likely hiding in the woods. We began looking through the house to find the cameras and when we went in my mothers room we were met with the stench of urine. The tenant had emptied what had to have been a gallon of urine onto her bed. Her 4" thick mattress pad was dripping wet along with all of her pillows, comforters, and the mattress itself. The police officer claimed this was a civil matter and that there was nothing he could arrest the tenant for, even though the value of the mattress topper alone was $320, which would easily bring the total up to $500, the threshold for FELONY criminal trespassing under the Georgia Family Violence Act.

I understand the police can pick and choose when to enforce the law. So that is not my question.

It is clearly stated in the lease agreement that the tenant MAY NOT place or change ANY door locks on the home without written permission of the land lord, and without providing a key BEFORE changing the lock.

The day after the police were called, we returned to the property. The tenant was not home, so we began to do a once over to make sure he didn't destroy anything else. We found that he had removed a locked door from its hinges to gain access, and then filled in the striker plate so the door would no longer latch. We found that the tenant had removed the locking door latch from the door that goes between the staircase to the basement and the main level of the home. We also found that the tenant installed a new door knob on his bedroom door with a key lock. We opened the door and replaced the door knob with the original one, which was left in his closet, and then placed his new door knob on his desk.

The next day we arrived and found that the tenant had again replaced his door knob, but with a dead bolt this time. This is clearly against both the lease and a safety hazard. We have security camera footage of him bringing his tool bag inside of the home (which he never did previously) which leads us to believe he is tampering with stuff in the home--also against his lease.

Are we legally allowed to remove his deadbolt? We have no desire to go in his room, but we need the ability to do so if there is an emergency.

Answer: Give the tenant a 3 day notice to cure or quit. If they don't replace the door handle in that time, start the eviction process. You said you expect the tenant to try to stay past their lease, so this would give you a few days head start on the end of the month. Answer #2: Don't touch the tenants stuff. Send a notice to cure or quit.


Title: How to patent a business idea?

Question: Title pretty much says it all... While I was in the hospital I thought of amazing business idea.  I have pretty much no idea what to do with this idea but it's new creative and I think it would be instant success. Anyways fast forward to the question. I have no idea how to go about starting this process. How much time and money really need to be put in to secure this idea.. It's something a broke 21 year old wouldn't be able to just jump and do so I would like to get the legal stuff done first

Answer:
 You cannot patent the idea. Plenty of people have ideas, what matters is how you implement them. If you produce technology or other IP in pursuit of that idea, you can reach out to an attorney to handle patents or other means of protection.

If you could patent a "business idea", we'd have far less businesses around these days.


Title: Car got repoed awhile ago. Now they want 5k from me.

Question:
New York State
So I'll try to not make this too long of a story.

I needed a car and had no credit, and made the bonehead move of going to one of those dealerships that takes anyone regardless of credit. Wound up with a 10,000 loan with payments of about 400 a month at 25% interest for a 09 Kia Optima with 65k miles on it. I'd be paying about 15k for a car valued around 3000 by the end of it.

Eventually I lost my job and I was unable to pay for the car on top of my other expenses (I wound up getting evicted and having credit cards and other bills going into collections during this period as I wound up being unemployed for 6 whole months)

I just randomly decided to check the mail at my old apartment to see if there was anything and I found a letter that said the company is suing me for 5k dollars for whats left of the loan and I must appear in court to deal with it.

Is there anything I can do here? I've just finally started to rebuild my life after all of that went down and though I have a decent job, I definetly do not have $5000 just laying around. I'm also going back to school this spring and will cut back on my hours at work, so my budget will be even tighter than it is now, so wage garnishing scares me (I'm also still waiting for my old landlord to eventually come after me for what I owe him, which along would this feels like it would be devastating)

Is there even anything I can do? I mean I signed the papers. Would getting a lawyer just wind up in me losing even more money on this whole thing?

Answer: They probably auctioned your car off for pennies and are coming after you for the deficiency between the auction price and the loan plus whatever fees they incurred from the repo. You owe that money.


Title: Got in a car accident which I was not at fault for. The other person's insurance has offered a bogus settlement. PLEASE READ AND HELP, MUCH APPRECIATED.

Question:
Hello, I am a 22 year old Personal Trainer who got in a car accident around 3 months ago(the beginning of April).  I was driving to work, about to merge on to the interstate, when a 74 year old woman driving a huge white van pulled out in front of me.  I was going about 45, and swerved at the last second to avoid fatal injury.  I immediately checked on her to make sure she was okay, which she was, so fine in fact that she literally didn't seem to be startled or even worried about her or my condition. I have since not heard from her, only her insurance adjuster. I suffered what they referred to as a "soft tissue" injury.  However, from my point of view, it was much more than that.  I went from squatting and deadlifting over 300 pounds, to not being able to breathe in slightly deep without feeling a deep sharp pain in the right side of my upper back.  It was hard to walk, move, or do anything at all (I work in a weight room by the way, where I have to put heavy weights back all the time).  I am a personal trainer also, so it made it really hard for me to get any clients.  I went to the chiropractor, who didn't even take the time to X-ray me or anything, instead it was a month and a half to two months of 5 minute visits where he would ask how I was doing...then adjust...then leave.  I stopped treatment there after a month or two, and now my back is okay, but still not 100 percent.  I just now received a settlement offer of $4,086.  I drove a 2000 Dodge Stratus that was in excellent condition, and it was totaled after the accident.  That alone is worth $3,000.  I've talked with parents and other people about advice, and they all give me the same "Well thats the best you're going to get" response.  That's just now how things should be. I understand all the insurance people want to do is pay money for the car, and "medical expenses(if you can call what I went through medical treatment) and I admit I sound naive speaking like this, but I've gone through a lot of emotional and physical pain due to this accident.  I still to this day have trouble driving a car because anyone who does a rolling stop from my right side instantly makes me freak out behind the wheel.  Please, anyone, give me advice on what I should do to reach the settlement I feel I deserve.

*Update* I also forgot to mention I was being told different things.  The insurance agency is calling it a "soft tissue injury", where the chiropractor said he thought I had a rib head out of place (but again, he took no x-rays).

*Update 7/16/15*
 This is where I stand. Allstate (Her insurance company) has offered $4500 but will not pay my chiropractor bill, nor will they pay for any additional x rays or mris. My back still hurts, and all I want is to make sure I dont have permanent damage (especially when I use my back all the time for my job). Im basically being left with a potential serious back injury for the rest of my life and they dont find paying for my chiropractor or for any tests just to make sure im okay necessary. I am scheduling a free consultation with a lawyer next week. If anyone has any additional advice please let me know.

Cumberland, MD

Answer:
 You were involved in a near fatal injury, suffered soft tissue damage, went from lifting 300 lbs to not being able to BREATHE without pain **AND THE ONLY DOCTOR YOU HAVE SEEN IS A CHIROPRACTOR**??? Dude!!!

#GO TO A DOCTOR NOW!!!

The insurance isn't screwing you, you haven't sought medical treatment. You could be doing amazing damage to yourself. My gawd man.

You can't get a settlement for medical expenses you haven't incurred. The fact that you haven't seen a doc gives them cause to think you don't need one, and there isn't any reason to offer you anything other than property damage. They are offering you more than value of car, they can't give you money for speculative injuries. Answer #2: > I went to the chiropractor,

That was your first mistake I feel.

Anyway, do you by any chance have collision on your vehicle? Because I would talk to my own insurance company.

Apart from that option, you probably need a consult with a personal injury attorney.

Do bear in mind it's called an "offer" for a reason. You can go back to the company and say "no, I want $x" but there's no denying that an attorney makes the task easier.Answer #3: You have three options:

1.  Take the settlement as offered.
2.  Negotiate a different settlement.
3.  Sue the driver.

You should talk to a local attorney about your options.  They can give you the best read on whether this is *actually* a bad offer.

In general, getting pain and suffering money for car accidents is rare.


Title: How much trouble could I get in for this

Question:
So a few weeks ago I entered a business. I was so confidently assured over and over again that it was totally legal etc etc (I have no knowledge about law) and trusted my friend. The business is using people’s Venmo accounts to trade crypto and avoid the fees of coinbase

Basically, what I do is find Venmo accounts to use. I posted Craigslist ad advertising for people to let me use their Venmo accounts for money. I’d have one of my colleagues call this person and the person would give them card info to enter in their account to send another person money with (the receiver) and after that I hypothetically would pay the person whose account I used.

I’ve only successfully used one person’s account so far but been in touch with many others. I’ve now had 2 “private investigators” mesaaging me telling me what I’m doing is illegal and now I’m having second thoughts. I’m being accused of money laundering and racketeering (seriously I have no idea what that shit means, I’m impaired when it comes to law... and spelling/grammar as you can see)

I’m stopping right now as this shit is sketching me out and possibly unknowingly involved in something illegal. The PIs claimed to have contacted the FBI.

If I were to get in trouble, given I stop right now, how much trouble could I hypothetically get in? Have I been involved enough to get in any type of trouble?

Topic:
Business Law

Answer:
 You've committed several crimes.  At first glance, it looks like money laundering, wire fraud and conspiracy to commit those acts.  You may have committed theft and conspiracy to commit theft, depending on where the money that's transacting through the Venmo accounts are really coming from.  (I seriously doubt that this scheme is simply to avoid fees for trading crypto.)

Lawyer up and don't talk to anyone about anything, even if they tell you its just to "clear the air."

Stop doing whatever it is you're doing.  If you're contacted by law enforcement, don't talk to them and tell them you're represented by a lawyer (provided that you actually go retain a lawyer.)Answer #2: Yeah, just about everything about this screams fraud, money laundering, or some other scam.

Worst case scenario for you is prison, depending on exactly what you all did.Answer #3: Sounds like your friends are having you use stolen credit cards to wire themselves money


Title: [OH] Elementary school allowed my brother to rack up $500 in lunch charges despite my dad being unemployed and will not waive them

Question:
So, the title tells the TL;DR of the story.

Rewind to the 2010-11 school year. My brother is 9/10 years old and in 4th grade. Growing up poor, I remember us being on Medicaid and having free/reduced lunch at school. For this school year, when my father applied for the lunch aid program, we were denied because my father made too much money. By September, my father was unemployed.

I remember this school year I was a sophomore and I packed my lunches. The only reason why I remembered this was because the high school lacked a microwave and I had to eat a lot of leftovers either disgustingly overheated if I didn’t put them in the fridge or inedibly cold.

I remember my dad forgetting to pack my brother’s lunch one day (single dad and this was when he was still working, so he was working 12+ hours a day) and since he was hungry, he decided that he would go and try to get the “free” meal (the schools here usually let you get a cheese sandwich with a milk and fruit cup if you forget your money). Instead, the lunch lady let him grab the actual main lunch option and didn’t tell him anything about paying. So, to a 9/10 year old, that means you have free lunch, right?

So, my brother told my dad that he got free lunch. My dad was confused as to why I didn’t have free lunch (because the free lunch application listed all of the kids in the household on it) but since he worked 12+ hour shifts at the time (7a-7p, so the office was closed when he was off of work) so we rolled with it. I wasn’t an adult at the time nor my brother’s legal guardian so I couldn’t ask anything about it for my dad. Our incubator is not in the picture.

3 months later we get a letter in the mail stating that my brother owes about $200 for school lunches. My dad is currently unemployed at this time. He starts sending my brother to school with money to try and pay the lunches but the school won’t take it and thus keep charging him more and more for getting school lunches. Altogether for that year, it was about $500 charged in school lunches.

Fast forward to 2018. My brother is supposed to graduate in May 2019. He’s still stuck with this school lunch thing despite us trying to dispute it multiple times. We haven’t threatened legal action to the school yet but is there anything we could do in this situation?
Topic:
School Related Issues

Answer:
 Kinda hard to imagine the sincerity of your father just blindly accepting the word of a 9/10 year old that lunches suddenly became free.  But, OK.

>  I wasn’t an adult at the time nor my brother’s legal guardian so I couldn’t ask anything about it for my dad.

Your dad could take the word from your younger brother, but you couldn't ask about it for your dad because you were not the legal guardian?  But... OK.  It really wasn't your responsibility, so I will ride with this one.

> 3 months later we get a letter in the mail stating that my brother owes about $200 for school lunches.

At this point, there was no doubt there was a problem, but he continued to rack the bills up to $500.

I don't know what legal action you could threaten.  It seems clear that your father owes the money.


Title: Does this count as child neglect?

Question: [deleted]

Answer: A lot of people seem to think that just because  it's  4 miles in a rural area that it would be a piece  of cake to walk. I live in a rural  area, surrounded by farms where you cannot walk through, and the only steets are 2 narrow lanes until you get to the freeway a few miles down. Hell, the only way to get to the school from my house ia down the side of a foothill. There is, allegedly, a little strip on the inside set aside for bikers, but it is definitely  unsafe for pedestrians  and you'd  be crazy to walk without being able to see what's  coming. Judging for not walking is ridiculous.


Title: Renting a house for 8 months. The owner want me to pay everything upfront. What prevents him from kicking me out after 1 month?

Question:
Hello Reddit,

I'm a foreign student coming to California for 8 months.
I've found the perfect home, but the owner wants me and my friends to pay the rent upfront.

I completely understand his point of view: We have no credit score, no co-signers, and we are students.

But what prevents him from sticking it to us after we've paid?

Answer:
 !!!!RED FLAG!!!!

Do not do this, I repeat do not do this.  Yes the law is on your side if you have a valid lease but you have to fight everything in court to get your own money back.  This is a very very bad idea.

edit: Also this is almost always a scam, there is a very good chance that the second you give this "owner" 26,000 dollars he vanishes and you are left with nothing.  Your lease will not be valid because the real owner didn't sign anything.  No landlord needs 8 months upfront, this is a scam.Answer #2: Are you certain this is the actual owner and not some scammer claiming to be the owner?Answer #3: This is almost certainly a scam. Very few states allow you to require more than a few months up front for a lease. IANAL but I'm guessing this guy is either not who he says he is (impersonating the owner) or doesn't actually own the place. Either way, if you transfer that money I'd bet the whole amount that it's gone.Answer #4: I have never once been asked to pay rent up front, that is suspicious and I would be very careful


Title: My dad just found out he may have a 26 year old daughter.

Question:
A month or so ago, my dad was talking to an old friend. At some point in the conversation, the friend tells him that one of my dad's old girlfriends was trying to get a hold of him because his daughter wants to meet him. My dad was shocked, had no idea of her existence, but did not deny the possibility because the break up was abrupt and the timeline fits. The daughter is 26, two years older than me, and apparently just wants to meet him. The mother explicitly stated that she is not interested in money—we don't have much anyway—but that worries us just because she mentioned it.

So now, we are just torn between a multitude of emotions. Because first of all, if she really is his daughter, she is our blood, our family and thats kind of amazing! We already have a unconventional family of sorts; I have two "brothers" a half-brother on my dad's side who also has another half brother on his mom's side. My dad raised my half-brother's half-brother and he changed his name to ours once he was 18. This would add another half-sister to the mix and I would have no idea how to explain my family tree when anyone asks. Complication aside, we would have another family member and are very excited about the opportunity to connect with her. The only negative is we haven't had any involvement in her life and are unsure of what type of person she is or if she has any negative intentions.

**TLDR: My dad kinda got around. Are there any liabilities we should be aware of regarding the recent discovery of 26 year old daughter in California.**

Any advice or insight whatsoever would be greatly appreciated.

Answer: I doubt he would owe child support; encourage him to meet her.


Title: Might get sued for car accident that wasn't my fault by my passager.

Question:
On my way to school 2 days ago I was hit by a driver coming out of a subdivision, sun around, and then hit a pole. My car is totaled, I'm just sore, and my massager got a concussion and is sore. I fear that my passager (my friend of a lifetime) is probably going to sue me (not really him, just his parents). He keeps calling me to get a copy of the police report, her info, and went to the police yard to get pictures of my car when my mom went.
I live in Livonia MI
I fear he is going to come after me to pay for his hospital bill and then use the excuse that his back hurts to get as much money as he can from me.
Would he be able to sue the other driver? I had liability insurance. Would it be worth trying to sue her for my injuries (my neck hurts very bad)?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you

Answer: Call your insurance company and ask them those questions. Your insurance company should handle all the legal aspects and determine who needs to be paid and who needs to be sued on your behalf. That's why you have insurance :)


Title: Walmart not letting my grandmother who is a cashier wear gloves to work (TX)

Question: My grandmother is a cashier at Walmart in a small town in Texas. They told her today she cannot wear gloves while working the cash register amid the COVID-19. Is this legal?

Answer: I watched a cashier at McDonald’s use her gloved hands to count cash in the register and then rub her eyes and then scratch her nose.  The gloves were pointless.  Hand hygiene is much more effective.  Hand sanitizer, use often.


Title: [CA]Another Officer constantly reporting other officers to Internal Affairs. Now it's my turn, what are my options?

Question:
I work with an Officer in a Federal Law Enforcement Agency,  that will report agents for things like not having their boots shined properly, showing up 5 minutes late, and not having the correct wattage flashlight.  A month ago he asked a new officer if he thought Michelle Obama was hot, when the new guy replied "No," he reported him for being racist.  The new guy happens to have a black wife and is a volunteer fireman and youth pastor in his church.  He will now have to wait 6-9 months to clear his name(working a desk when he should be out on the street).  He's also on new hire probation, and could possibly lose his job if the claim is substantiated.

Management has been unhelpful.  This Officer has over 20 years in the agency, and if anyone here has worked for the federal government will tell you seniority makes you untouchable except in the most severe circumstances.

A few days ago the Officer in question came up to me and asked me why I didn't want to listen to what he had to say.  He will often started telling stories to no one, and try to make eye contact with someone.  I simply walked away from him as soon as he started talking.  Today I get an e-mail from IA stating I am a subject in an investigation and I need to hand over certain documents and e-mails.  The Officer in question was listed as the reporting party.

If what ever he is accusing me of is unsubstantiated, and he lies on his report would I be able to go after him in court for anything?

Answer:
 Union. Union lawyer. Private lawyer. In that order... How is IA letting him get away with this shit?

Also assuming you have done nothing wrong you should be fine, but you should probably go get some real advice from people with real experience with federal IA, which is no one here...Answer #2: I suggest getting everyone he has complained about together and continue to push management more and more.  Outside of the union suggestion, being a bigger irritant than he is to your superiors may be a way to go.Answer #3: Don't allow him to intimidate you, that is his power. Why doesn't someone report him for creating a hostile work place? Answer #4: It might be worth posting in r/LEO r/ProtectAndServe or r/Police to see if anyone has more specific advice from within the system, as I'm not sure if you will have much recourse from attorneys, although I'm wondering if the new guy might have more room to fight back?


Title: My apartment is infested with yellow jackets. AGAIN! What are my rights?

Question:
I live in Baltimore, MD, inside the city limits.  When I first moved in back in October 2014, it became immediately apparent that there was a yellow jacket hive in my unit. I was finding dozens every day flying around my unit. I immediately requested a unit change, but was denied and was told I would have to let maintenance attempt to fix the problem first.

I called maintenance, who sprayed my unit three times over the course of a month before they were finally gone, and during this time, I was staying at my parents' house since wasps happen to be my number one phobia.
After mid November, the wasps disappeared, and I thought everything was ok, until last week when a heavy rainstorm caused my ceiling in my walk-in closet to burst from a huge amount of water that was leaking through, and maintenance had to completely remove my ceiling in my closet. Again, I've been staying at my parents' house while this was being taken care of.

Today, when I finally returned to my unit, I was getting my stuff organized since I had to throw everything out of my closet, when I noticed a big honking wasp flying around my kitchen. It then proceeded to fly up into the giant hole that maintenance created.

I really, really, -REALLY- hate wasps, and I have again requested to be moved to another unit, and management has said they will 'see what they can do'.

If they end up not offering me anohter unit, or asking for a rent increase for the move, what are my rights to cancel the lease? Pest situations aren't clearly defined in my lease, beyond that I am required to comply with all instructions of the exterminator.

How bad does it have to be before the unit is considered uninhabitable and I can break my lease without penalty?

EDIT : I will be meeting with the rental agent/property manager tomorrow, and will be firm in my right to be moved to another unit.  This is the third major disruption since I moved in - first being the wasps, then the ceiling exploding, then the wasps again.

I did speak to my next door neighbor, who told me that the unit I live in has had problems since the beginning - all previous tenants have only stayed in that unit for a few months before being moved to another unit, mostly due to flooding.  I was furious when he told me this, because the management knew that my unit had issues, and still rented it out without fixing the problem.

My sister is an attorney, fortunately, and will be getting involved if this is not settled tomorrow.  If anyone can offer me some advice on what to say to them tomorrow, it will be highly appreciated.

Answer:
 Regarding the yellow jackets, pretty much nothing.  I guarantee those fuckers will ignore and all court orders, so attempt to enforce court orders against them is just going to get you stung.

Say you want your unit to be made habitable promptly or you want to move.  Imply you and your sister will be very strict with your definition of the unit being habitable, so moving you is a better option for the landlord.  Then once you've moved out of their place, call in a tip on the unit to the city housing inspector.


Title: Urniating in Public - Washington State

Question:
Should I get a lawyer for this? I wad charged with a misdemeanor. COP was a particular asshole and I had some words with him, feel like instead of giving me an infraction he took it upon himself to give me a court date out of revenge for not falling for his tricks to get me to admit guilt. I have a totally clean record and never been in court or in handcuffs.

Edit: My question has been answered thank you very much fore your help.

Answer:
 It appears you failed to list the source of your sense of entitlement in your post. Please click "edit" and update your post to include a reason for your [bullshit entitled attitude](http://conservativehideout.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/sense-of-entitlement.png) so we can be better dicks to you.

*I am a bot whose sole purpose is to drive you crazy.*


Title: My mother has my kids because my ex abused them. How do I get them back?

Question:
About 2 years ago my kids told my mother that my ex wife was hurting them. I stopped giving my ex money and convinced her to let the kids go to Indiana with my mom (we’re in California).

I couldn’t take my three children cause all I had at the time (still live here actually) was a small studio apartment. My girlfriend and I want to move to Ohio and get the kids back, but my mother won’t show me her court ordered guardianship so I don’t even know what’s going on legally speaking.

When I move out here (specifically I’ll be in Ohio, mom and kids are 10 minutes away in eastern Indiana) what do I have to do to get my kids back? I’ve never abused my kids, they love me and my gf, and want to live with us.

My mother is refusing some vaccinations (flu, hpv, and one other I can’t remember) which I’m not ok with. She smokes cigarettes in her room and car. Her house WAS a mess (my gf and I are here on vacation to see the kids and the first thing we have to do is clean up her messes), and just knowing my mother she’ll do anything to maintain custody because she has nothing else.

Obviously I’d like an amicable solution, but I have a feeling she’s going to fight tooth and nail to keep them even though they want to be with me.

I’m not sure what my first course of action is going to be. I have not mentioned to my mom I want the kids back but she knows we’re moving close by.

LegalAdvice- what do I do?

Answer:
 Over the last two years have you maintained contact with the kids? And/or had regular visitation?

Was a court involved in this?


Title: ADHD and accidentally 'stole' items

Question:
This is actually unfolding now as we speak. I'm getting a citation and a court date.

I was shopping with my wife. My oldest boy who is seven is prescribed sleep medication. So, we had two carts. My wife was pushing my oldest in one cart and he was asleep. I was pushing our shopping cart of merchandise with my two year old in the front. Long story short, I went to the bathroom and then went to check out. I got distracted thinking of what I was going to make for dinner and my kids and so forth. I absentmindedly headed towards the car. I got stopped by loss prevention and realizing my mistake tried to go back and pay for it. They were not having it.

The most fucked up part is that I used to work at this store, I had more than enough money to pay for it, and the store KNOWS that I have really bad ADHD. I've yet to find a medication that can truly control it.  Right now, I'm not even on actual ADHD medication. I'm on mood control stuff, Zoloft and Wellbutrin. Which, Wellbutrin is supposed to help with it but it barely does anything.

I'm also high functioning Autistic and trying to get that diagnosed officially and taken care of.

And a manager that used to work with me and knows how ADHD I am was back there and just stared stupidly at the wall.

I'm pissed, I'm depressed and feel like crying, which I never cry. I don't really do emotions. I feel betrayed and hurt and so much more. They also kept my refrigerator bags.

So, my question is, what are my rights? Do I even have any? Can I sue them or am I just fucked over due to one absentminded mistake? Please not, I've only ever gotten in trouble with the law once before, and that was a speeding ticket back in December.
Topic:
Disability Issues

Answer: Can *you* sue *the store* because you attempted to leave without paying, absentmindedly or otherwise? Of course not, that would be outrageous. Were you charged with theft or shoplifting?Answer #2: Removing items without paying is still stealing even if you "forgot." Your right is to plead your case in court. You do not get to sue somebody for your mistake.Answer #3: You want to sue the store because you walked out without paying for a cart full of merchandise and they called the police? That’s not how it works. You need a defense lawyer to help you with the criminal charges. Tell him about your severe ADHD problem. The fact that you aren’t taking anything for it is not a good look, though. And “they know me” isn’t actually a defense.


Title: [CA] Got my girlfriend a dirtbike for birthday/Xmas. She crashed into my neighbors car.

Question:
First off, I know I'm stupid for letting her try it in the street.

It was technically the neighbor's friend's car. Mid 2000s Toyota Camry. Both the neighbor and his friend were super cool at the time, and just glad she was OK, as am I.

Her insurance called today and is not covering it (No surprise there). I called the guy to tell him they aren't covering it and that I'd pay out of pocket (I make more than her and have a lot larger savings). He said his insurance already filed it as an uninsured driver claim.

What am I looking at here? I plan on calling his insurance company today and seeing what they say, but I assume they're going to pay him out then move to sue her/me/us.

I'm aware we are at fault, and feel terribly bad that I got my girlfriend in this position. What can I do to mitigate a lawsuit and prevent the insurance from charging me astronomical fees?

Update: Filed a claim with my renters insurance. The adjustor said they don't know if anything will be able to come of it, but they'll try. They also said I should hope my girlfriend doesn't try and sue me (!). I don't think that will be an issue, but I suppose stranger things have happened.
Topic:
Insurance

Answer:
 You made a mistake. Good on you for owning up and wanting to make things right.

His insurance company will most oikely send you a demand letter fornrhe payout before beginning any legal procedures.Answer #2: They will likely contact you and you can negotiate to resolve the claim with them. Ask for a couple of reasonable estimates of the damage from different reputable shops if possible.Answer #3: Do you have any tenant or homeowner's insurance?

When he files it with his insurance they will ultimately go after your girlfriend or you. Perhaps this is something you can see if your tenant or homeowner's would cover. Although, I'm not a lawyer.


Title: Mailed documents instead of being served, can I file a motion to dismiss (w/o prejudice)? [Georgia]

Question:
Long story short I was mailed some court documents (USPS first class) for a civil case by the opposing attorney and not served them notifying me of a court date. I just received the documents and the court date is in less then two weeks. So I'd like to file a motion to dismiss without prejudice based on insufficient process / service of process to give me some time and force the plaintiff to re-file the case. At this point I have not retained a lawyer (as I just found out about this), and would prefer to handle this initial portion pro se as it _seems_ fairly straightforward.

I believe in my state (Georgia) this is not an acceptable way to notify, but would like to make sure.

Is this a feasible option for a dismissal without prejudice?

I've seen a few templates online, is there one in particular /r/legaladvice would recommend?

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

Answer:
 You would be best suited not wasting your time on a motion arguing insufficient service, when in reality if service was insufficient such that you would be able to prevail on a motion to dismiss, you wouldn't even know about the complaint in order to file the motion.

Spend time finding an attorney.  If you can't talk to one before court, go to court and ask for a brief continuance while you search for an attorney.  I highly doubt a judge will deny such request if you can show you made good faith efforts to find an attorney before going to court.


Title: Are public schools in South Carolina allowed to enforce a uniform policy?

Question:
My kids attend public schools in SC.
My younger child’s elementary school recently sent out a letter describing new, stricter uniform requirements and notifying everyone that parent-signed uniform waivers will no longer be honored. They provide contact info to help parents who find the uniforms financially prohibitive.

Both of my children’s schools’ policies state that students will be allowed to borrow compliant clothing from the school if they show up in clothes administration deems inappropriate, and that repeated violations of dress code will result in disciplinary action.
 I’m wondering how legal is this?

The rules prohibit hats from being worn on campus. My child has a medical reason to wear a hat when outdoors. I’m confident that the school will accommodate her with a quick conversation or maybe a doctor’s note (which I have). But what if they don’t? Or what if my child did not have this specific reason to wear a hat outside, and I was just a parent concerned about sun exposure? I assume (perhaps naively) that people who have medical, religious, or cultural reasons to opt out of uniforms are allowed to do so, but what if a parent simply feels, for whatever reason, that following the dress code isn’t good for their child, but the school administration disagrees? Maybe the kid doesn’t have any diagnosed sensory issues but he finds the uniform too itchy and distracting to be able to focus in class. Maybe an early- bloomer is afraid to wear clothes identical to her peers because she feels like the uniform just draws attention to the way her body is different from her friends? What if a parent just predicts too many problems that could be exacerbated bu strict uniform/dress code policies; a son getting spontaneous erections who isn’t allowed to wear an untucked shirt to cover them; a daughter afraid of getting publicly reprimanded for wrapping her sweater around her waist after being surprised by her first period. Do parents have a legal right to simply opt out of their public school’s uniform policy? Thank you!!!

Answer:
 >Maybe an early- bloomer is afraid to wear clothes identical to her peers because she feels like the uniform just draws attention to the way her body is different from her friends?

So they would want to wear something completely different from everyone else and draw *more* attention to themselves?

If you don't like the school uniform you can bring it up to your local school board. If there's a legitimate medical reason for why the child needs to deviate from the uniform, it will likely be allowed but a lot of your questions fall into to the "tough shit" category.Answer #2: Schools, even public ones, are given wide latitude to enforce dress or uniform codes. But they have to grant reasonable accommodations (medical, religious, financial, etc). If you have an issue you can speak to the school administration, but they're within their rights to make these codes.


Title: Does Elon Musk break laws by launching his SpaceX stuff?

Question: [removed]

Answer:
 >Is what Elon is doing legal?

Yep. If doing things idiots can't comprehend was illegal, life would be very difficult indeed.

>Or can anyone with enough dough just launch shit into space?

Pretty much, yeah. He's got FAA clearance and is insured up the wazoo. That's pretty much all he needs, legally speaking...Answer #2: Well, last night in San Diego SpaceX launched out of an Air Force Base, so it's safe to assume they had all the relevant permits. In fact, most of their launches that I know of have been from pre-existing launch sites, owned by NASA or the Air Force.


Title: [OH] Received a misdiagnosis from psychiatrist that has impacted my financial and emotional situation. Would I even have a case?

Question:
In college, I was misdiagnosed as only having an anxiety disorder, while I actually have anxiety and ADHD. This has led to a myriad of problems and I believe the psychiatrist I met with bi-weekly, as well as the related center who officially diagnosed me, acted with haste and bias that resulted in a misdiagnosis and mistreatment.

To elaborate: I was treated for ADHD, though unofficially diagnosed, as a child and Concerta worked for me. My parents took me off of it when they were warned it could stunt my growth. I was a very active kid and managed the symptoms well through high school. ADHD students are often known for being disruptive, but ADHD individual can also focus on topics that interest them. In school, I was "naturally gifted" and could either focus on classes that interested me or I read a book and tuned it out. The daily homework assignments provided me with enough structure that I never got behind. In fact, without any additional studying, I graduated Valedictorian and received a prestigious scholarship.

In college, I began to struggle a lot and barely kept my grades up for my scholarship. I noticed that I couldn't focus, was very impulsive, had trouble managing my money,etc. All of the ADHD symptoms that previously were manageable through structure, no longer were. I developed anxiety because I couldn't cope with it all.

At that time, I went to my school's psychiatrist, explained that I had been treated for ADHD as a child and that it had begun to negatively impact me. She declared in the initial meeting, that I, "couldn't possibly have graduated valedictorian if I had ADHD," and proceeded to treat only the panic attacks. She suggested I see the associated clinic at our psychology department to get an official diagnosis, which I did. I explained in great detail, along with my mother whom they conducted a phone interview with, about all of my symptoms and the effects. I scored in a high percentile on some of the tests, but only the normal range for things such as working memory and executive functioning (two of the biggest problems for ADHD individuals). The official diagnosis read that those particular score were inconclusive and they said I overreported ADHD symptoms, which could indicate I was attempting to receive a particular diagnosis. In reality, I explained to them my exact experiences, as did my mother. The diagnosis reports that I explained my difficulty with time management and project planning. Reading the final paragraph of the diagnosis, they make no mention of this and follow suit of my psychiatrist who declared I was too smart to have ADHD.

I switched my major to something easier so I could graduate, ended up with a year's worth of student loans, and am up to $2000 in credit card debt due to my previous impulsiveness. I had to leave my paid position due to daily panic attacks, which lead me to seek treatment again. I was given another informal diagnosis, though this time of ADHD again. The new psychiatrist noticed the symptoms the other one ignored. She started treating my anxiety first, but after switching to Concerta, I have improved in many facets. I'm studying my original major for free on Coursera and actually learning the material and I have lost all of my desire to spend impulsively etc.

Due to the clear improvements, I am wondering if I would have a case against my previous psychiatrist and the clinic that diagnosed me? I know mental illness is a difficult fight because it can be easily left open to interpretation. I've done a lot of research. The reason I believe they both were negligent is because of the haste at the initial appointment and the way my diagnosis paper ignores every symptom except for my anxiety. Had I received help at the time, I would not have any student loans, nor would I have the amount on my credit card. I'm certain of this due to the lack of impulsive spending I've had since being properly medicated. On top of the monetary problems, I have the emotional distress of knowing I didn't get to complete my chosen major and experience college as I should have and lacked access to all of the help I could have received through disability services.

Answer: med mal is very fact specific and you can always meet with a lawyer, but i highly doubt you have any case.


Title: [AL] I work in Dining Service at my University, run by Sodexo Inc. I started off as a Student Worker. Three months ago, I was promised to be given promotion with pay raise, which has not been fullfilled.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Promise for a raise is like a promise for a hug. No one is entitled to a hug and it feels bad when you don't get it like you thought you would.

Unless you have a contract that states you will get a raise at x time or after y conditions, all you got is that promise. I can't give you a raise but I can give you a hug, metaphorically much like the raise your manager is giving you.


Title: Moved in with my mother. She went off the deep end, kicked me out, changed the locks and kept all my belongings and my dog!

Question:
Please help.
She's refusing to answer my calls or texts. When I come to the home she threatens police and restraining orders.
I need to know what options I have for getting my things! She has my dog! I have no clean clothes, I've just been staying on friends' couches and it's been almost 2 weeks now.
I'm desperate here guys.

Answer: call the police. she has illegally evicted youAnswer #2: Ask for a standby so you can retrieve your dog and all your things. A police officer can accompany you to keep the peace. You probably should find another place to live regardless of establishment of tenancy. It doesn't sound like it would be safe for you to stay.


Title: Weird high school choice situation

Question:
I'm an 8th grader in Texas, and I'm a good ass music player, haha. I'm applying for a magnet high school which has an audition process. My grades last semester were right at the edge of being able to apply, which is kind of nerve wracking, but I'm not too worried. I've gone to a tag school from 4th grade to now, where everyone is super accepting and nice "nerds" like me. I have social anxiety, long hair, and I'm gay, so I'm kind of scared about transitioning to a normal public school if I don't get in. Then I looked into online HS (Texas Connections Academy) and I'm really interested in doing it. I have a hard time with planning things out and am super forgetful, so having everything due at once would be super cool for me. My mom isn't quite as find of the idea, but it is perfect for me, and I'm sure. I've even talked to people who did it, and they were into a similar situation as I am. Do I get to pick my school, or am I stuck going to a normal public school if I don't get in?

TL;DR   I applied for a magnet high school, don't know if I'll get in, want to do online school if I don't because anxiety, mom doesn't want me to, who gets final choice?

Answer:
 > I applied for a magnet high school, don't know if I'll get in, want to do online school if I don't because anxiety, mom doesn't want me to, who gets final choice?

Your parents make the decision


Title: Property law for German WWII POW

Question: So, my fiancées grandfather was captured by allied soldiers in WWII, brought on as a translator in North Africa and after the war settled in Canada. He still has in his possession a land title proving ownership of a fairly large piece of farmland in Germany that belonged to his family. My question is what are the odds he would still have a claim to this land 80 years later? What would be some good first steps for investigating the legal ownership of the land almost a century later?

Answer:
 That is going to be a tough one.

You can completely forget about any claim if that farmland is now part of a country that isn't Germany.
Germans have tried to lay claim on lost property due to being removed from their land and been told to go pound sand.

Go find a lawyer that can tell you based on the title whether there's any claim to begin with. And if there is it's going to take at least a decade to come to any kind of fruition. So don't count on anything. Answer #2: Close to zero, given the lapse in time, _but_ post-war land claims are a somewhat unusual area of law, and it would be prudent of granddad to speak to an attorney local to the land for advice before writing it off.Answer #3: >a land title proving ownership of a fairly large piece of farmland in Germany that belonged to his family.

Well, where exactly?
One of the first steps would be contacting the local authorities. For many german states you can take a look at property lines online.


Title: Texas Attorney General and false reporting to credit bureaus

Question:
Fairly specific issue.

I've been paying child support for 5 years. Am currently 7000$ ahead on my payments just because. Haven't really needed credit that entire time. Last year go to check my credit score and it's in the low 600s, which is very confusing because prior it was perfect.

Turns out that the Texas Attorney Generals office (which in our case is responsible for disbursing my child support funds) reported me as having not paid any child support for 44 months straight.

Of course I print out their records from their site and show them that that's not the case but their response was essentially "Yah but our records show you didnt pay, so the reporting to the credit bureau is accurate" It didnt seem to matter to them that their records also show I'm paid in full AND that it would have been impossible for them to not receive payment as they were withdrawing directly from my wages the entire time.

I'm kind of at a loss as to what to do next. I challenged the reports at the credit bureau, providing the AGs own records that I had paid every month but they didnt accept that.

Any ideas on what my next step should be?

Answer:
 When you find out, let me know. They're on my credit report twice. Makes no sense and I get nowhere when dealing with them.Answer #2: Escalate this within the AG’s office. I assume you’ve probably lodged a complaint [here](https://childsupport.oag.state.tx.us/wps/portal/CSIMobile/MobileCSIFeedbackPublic/!ut/p/a1/04_Sj9CPykssy0xPLMnMz0vMAfGjzOItDCwsDC1MDLwNzI1cDBz9_I19fRxdDQ0sjfQLsh0VAa-EpEg!/).

If so, I’d express your concern about how their incorrect information is affecting your credit rating unfairly, in an email to the AG’s personal office. And possibly contact your state Senators and Congresspeople. Answer #3: Dispute the debt with the credit bureaus, they will have to request validation of the debt. Dispute it with the state as well, in writing and certified.

Also ask for it to be placed into “dispute status” with the bureaus. Keep copies of all letters sent. If they do not mark the debt as disputed, it’s possible you have a fair credit reporting act violation if you have damages. Tell the credit bureaus you are current and send them proof.


Title: Can I face any legal repercussions for playing a joke on a co-worker?

Question: [removed]

Answer:
 Assuming this isn't a troll post, that was a lawful termination.

I'd count myself fortunate if you are not criminally charged for assaulting him with your various bodily fluids.


Title: [California] Can an employer force their employees to give them their friend's contact info for recruiting purposes?

Question:
There is a big company out here that is really hard up for workers (the place sucks ass and everyone knows it). They recently implemented a mandatory policy that all employees must list 5 people they think should work for the company so that their recruiter can call them. They are not treating this as an optional thing.

Ethical reasons aside, is this legal? It does not sound like it would be something covered explicitly with labor code (unless termed over it or something), but it sounds like a violation of privacy laws.

To be clear, this is not the standard employee referral program stuff at all. This is turning a list into their recruiter directly, not recommending to friends that they should sign up. Scary thing is that this company is not MLM'y at all either.
Topic:
Labor Law

Answer:
 Bwahahaha, that's awesome.

Yeah, it's legal to ask.  And it's legal to fire you if you refuse.  No you don't have to give them real names, or numbers.  Talk to 5 friends, make up fun names, and have your friends do their best impressions of Monty Python's Pontius Pilate, Miracle Max, and any other favorite character.

Your employer sucks, and you should probably find a new job.  On the other hand, if they fire you for this prank, you're most likely still eligible for unemployment.Answer #2: trouble recruiting + ridiculous request

i don't think the penalty is firing to be honest, that would be rather counterproductiveAnswer #3: It legal.

If I worked there, I'd use it as an opportunity to list 5 people that annoy me and then LOL when they get calls from a recruiter to work at the sucky place. I'd probably pick my 5 worst former co-workers from my prior jobs or something. Answer #4: Go to your regional subreddit and describe the nature of the work and ask for people seeking jobs to PM you for a referral.


Title: threatening to cut my hair

Question:
im not really sure what flair to use for this.

my father threatens to cut my hair if i so much as put it in a “rat-tail” or bun or whatever. he says he’d cut my hair while im asleep if he catches me with my hair like that.
i just wanted to ask, could he legally do that? i mean, i wouldnt have given him consent to do that, and while hes not harming me in any way, i feel like that would definitely break something?

another question. he says that if i ever joined the army, which i never would, if i were caught with hair like that, my superior would yell at me and cut it himself. now, i found that hysterical. could a superior in the military legally do that?

thanks.
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 Laugh if you want but yes, the military gets to tell you how you can wear your hair among many other things.Answer #2: Yes - if you are a minor, your parents are allowed to dictate how you cut your hair.

As far as the army... can't tell if troll, or really out of touch.


Title: My husband was terminated from his job in October, I just realized we are still receiving checks from his old job, can they force us to give back the money?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Yes, of course. Your reasons provided are irrelevant. Answer #2: Is it possible that the checks could be severance pay?  Was your husband a long term employee that was let go because of a lack of business or a consolidation?  (Of course that would have been discussed, and a mistake is a more likely scenario.)

In any case, hiIamdarthnihilus' advise not to spend the money and to let the company know still stands.


Title: [Minnesota] The House That Won't Sell

Question:
My parents are in a frustrating position with a home they cannot sell.  It's been on and off the market (mostly on) for the last ten years.  Multiple sales have fallen through.  They now live out of the area and I think real estate agents are just toying with them for listing contracts.

It's an old home in a small farming town.  I understand its drawbacks.  They've gradually dropped their price from approximately $130,000 to $70,000.

Anyways, after the most recent drop they finally got another offer.  It was e-mailed to my father, but the domain is a small town realtor site and it got caught in his junk mail.  The buyers rescinded after several days to a week of inactivity by my parents, who were unaware an offer was made until it was too late.

I guess my question boils down to, is not calling my parents to indicate an offer had been made unethical or just poor business practices?  Or is an e-mail sufficient and "tough shit" that they hadn't safelisted their realtor?

It just seems as though any agent aware of the listing history would think it odd not hearing back from them after an offer has been made and want to follow-up.

If it's unethical is there anything to be done?  Should they be entitled to keep earnest money?

I'm fairly certain of the answer that it's unfortunate but not unethical or illegal.  I just am fishing for any silver lining because the house is an anchor around their neck in what should be enjoyable retirement years.

Answer: Your parents didn't accept or counter the offer, so there is no earnest money deposit yet. The offer expired. There's nothing illegal about that. Why wasn't the offer sent to your parents' listing agent anyway?


Title: AZ: 4-251 possession of an open container in a vehicle

Question:
Were my right's violated in any way? I have no previous record. I am a college graduate with good grades, I have a job, and I am trying to get into graduate school. Do I have any chance of getting these charges dropped?

I was in the driver's seat of a car which was parked in a parking-lot. I was alone, it was night time. The car's engine was on and the running-lights were on, but not the headlights (this model of car always shines it's running lights when the car is on; they can't be turned off).

I noticed 3 police officers looking at the car. They eventually walked away. About 15 minutes later I noticed the same officers looking at the car again while the car was running and the running-lights were on, this time they approached the car.

I believe these officers had body cameras on.

When the primary officer tapped on the diver's side window the car was turned off and the keys were not in the ignition. A second officer who walked up to the passenger window noticed a bottle of wine in the center console. The bottle was opened, I was not touching it.

The primary officer asked for my ID, which I gave him. He asked me some questions about what I was doing and these are the things I said:

I was drinking from the wine bottle in the car. The car was previously turned on so the A/C would be on. I was about to go to a concert at a venue which was right across the street from the parking lot, I was drinking in the car because I didn't want to pay for drinks at the venue. I had been drinking for about 30 minutes and I had drank about 3/4 of the bottle. I was not planning to drive after the concert and had plans to leave the venue with friends. I said they could search the car.

The officer asked me to hand him the bottle, which I did. They had me step out of the car and walk to the back of the car. The primary officer began taking down my information. He asked me what the year of the car was and I said I wasn't sure. I said the year could be found on papers which were in the car. One of the other 2 officers then walked up to the diver's door of the car and opened it without asking me and took the insurance papers from the door panel without asking me, I said nothing.

The second officer used his radio and a few minutes later 4 or 5 more officers walked up to the scene. One of these new officers asked me to blow in to a breathalyzer which I did. They did not tell me what it read, I only say them write something down on a clip board. They said they were conducting "practices" with the breathalyzer. They didn't perform any other tests on me.

I was charged with AZ 4-251 possession of an open container in a vehicle. They did not arrest me. They did not impound the car.

Advice? Thank you.
Topic:
Alcohol Related Other than DUI

Answer:
 > A second officer who walked up to the passenger window noticed a bottle of wine in the center console. The bottle was opened, I was not touching it.

You were cited with having an open container.   Said open container was in plain view.  There's no issue here.Answer #2: They had you regardless, but next time don't answer any questions.


Title: No one will allow me to complete community service due to my charges. What do I do?

Question: Long story short: I defended myself from an attack, but now I am being charged with battery. I got a pre-trial diversion. Not a single volunteer agency is accepting my application because I was charged with a 'violent crime' and now I feel trapped. My deadline to complete the hours is coming up. What the fuck do I do?

Answer:
 You should have a probation officer.....you need to ask them. they may have a resource for you.

Pick up the phone.. Salvation Army, Goodwill, Animal Shelters...

Hell, call the highway patrol and see if you can volunteer picking up trash on the side of he road.

I have been through this.... you have to be more proactive.Answer #2: You're really not trying hard enough...
Many of us have been through this and it sounds like you're only applying to a very limited type of org.
Go back and ask for a list of agencies that would accept your assistance, the work sucks but I guarantee you the list is not short.Answer #3: There should be a website for all available places that do community service. But honestly, your best bet is to ask around at your local churches, sports clubs, boat clubs, any non profit organization basically, they can help alot.


Title: Stuck in a Title I case, can't afford a lawyer but should I take out a loan to afford one?

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Take out a loan, ask friends and family, sell some stuff -- do whatever you can to get a lawyer for this.


Title: Was in the car with a driver who got arrested for DWI. The found marijuana and paraphernalia in glovebox; charged us both. [Austin, TX]

Question:
Title covers most of it.

It was one in the morning, driver was barely over the limit when they pulled her over. About 10 minutes after taking her out of the car for sobriety test they saw me moving around.

I found an empty beer on the floor. For some odd reason I stuck that empty can in the glove box. The officer came up to the window, asked me to get out of the car, cuffed me and put me in the back of the cop car.

They searched the car and found 0.10 grams of weed and a few pipes between the center console and the glove box.  I had no knowledge either of these were there. (Tinder date, i'd met the girl about five hours prior to arrest.

She got a DWI and whatever else. Both of us were charged for Possession of Marijuana (Class B) and Drug Paraphernalia (Class C) under the justification that the items were "within arms reach of both of us".

The officers were actually from Sunset Valley and I don't recall ever being read my Miranda Rights. After being handcuffed in the back of the car and cuffed to a bench at the police department for around 3-4 hours the cop drove me home and dropped me off.  I'm 28 years old and my last legal trouble was a DWI Conviction as a 21 year old.  Would really like to keep my record looking as clean as it has since that DWI.

Any advice?

Answer:
 >Both of us were charged for Possession of Marijuana (Class B) and Drug Paraphernalia (Class C) under the justification that the items were "within arms reach of both of us".

The legal concept here is constructive possession

>I don't recall ever being read my Miranda Rights

This doesn't matter

>Any advice?

Get a lawyer to defend against the drug charges, they're fairly serious. A lawyer will help you mount a defense against the constructive possession charges.


Title: What would my husband and I [CA] need to do to become the guardian of my 14 y/o sister [GA] with my parents' permission?

Question:
My parents are both unemployed and struggling with drug addiction (DFACS knows and has removed my sister once before, family living nearby has stepped in and cared for her without DFACS involvement before). To say the least it is not an ideal environment for my sister.

My husband and I are approaching 30, financially stable, and want to offer to let her move out here with us until she's 18. Assuming my parents are on board, how would I get the ball rolling to do that? Is this something that requires paperwork in both states or just the state where my parents live? Would this be something that needs to be approved by a judge? Any advice on how we could go about becoming her guardian would be great.

Sorry if any of my terminology is wrong, I'm still not clear on what exactly the difference between having custody and having guardianship is.

Answer:
 IANAL.  I do know, however, that you may likely need a real lawyer to do this guardianship properly.

You need to be able to put her on insurance, and to have authority to make any medical decisions that could become necessary.  You also want to make sure that your errant parents can't change their minds and jerk her back to them, or that they can't manipulate you with *conditions* that you have to meet to let her stay with you.  Addicts don't think rationally, and could decide that you and your DH are a source of funds.

You are kind and loving to want to do this.  Make sure that you do it properly, so that this girl has stability during her important years.


Title: My mom's bf didn't show up to jail and I've been summoned for a $5k bond

Question: My mom's bf was jailed in larimer county (fort Collins, CO) and because I trusted her I signed to bond him out. He didn't show and now I'm being summoned to a hearing for forfeiture and citation to show cause. What ground if any do I have to stand on for getting myself cleared off paying this bond because I only make 1k a month and barely scrape by. I went to where their last known living location is and found that theyve been shooting up drugs and took a bunch of pictures. I want both of these people out of my life and free from any court. Please I'm begging for any help because I don't know what to do

Answer:
 You have very little chance of not paying the bond.  That's what you signed up for.

You can also locate the BF and get him into custody to avoid the forfeiture.


Title: Booked a $1000 flight an hour after Trump’s Europe speech. Can I get money back from the State department or airline?

Question: Basically the title. We panicked and booked flights back to the US after Trump’s speech and dropped a bunch of money. At the airport we read about the clarification tweet when it was already too late to cancel. Is there anything I can legally do to get money back from the government?

Answer: The government is not responsible for flight decisions you made.


Title: Lawyer failed to communicate a prior settlement offer and now claims he's entitled to almost 75% of the current offer. Options? [CT]

Question:
I received a missed call from my lawyer early last month, which I then returned right away (wasn't able to get phone out of my pocket quickly enough). When I spoke to his secretary she told me he said he called me in error, and that the settlement offer he spoke of in the voice mail he left me was in fact for another client.

Fast-forward four weeks, we're in a settlement conference with the other side. During the conference he hands me a paper that states our claims, and it also mentions a settlement offer from the other side. It had the same date as the phone call. In the intervening period between the phone call and the settlement conference neither I nor my co-plaintiff received any type of communication regarding offers from the other side.

Did he have an obligation to confer with us about that offer?

Two days ago he "settled" the case without a full blessing from me and my co-plaintiff. I told him I would accept a certain amount but that I would need to confer with the other plaintiff, but he said he acted under my authority. In the process he's claiming $25k out of a $34k settlement.

What are some of my options here?

Answer:
 1) an attorney must convey all offers of settlement to the client
2) without client authorization, an attorney cannot settle case
3) his percentage of the settlement should be set out in a fee agreement that you signed when you retained an attorney (33% is pretty standard in personal injury cases)
4) if he settled for $34k, he is probably entitled to $11,220 + fees and expenses (experts, filing fees, etc) that he fronted

You may contact another attorney ASAP, you can file a complaint against him with the bar.


Title: [IA] Neighbors below us beating dog and blaring obscenely loud rap on a regular basis.

Question:
So for awhile now the people below my boyfriend and I have had to listen to them beat their dog. After awhile I called animal control after the police told me so. It didn’t stop them but it has happened less so it seems.

The last time they did it though(I should also mention when we hear the dog yelping we pound on the floor) I pounded once again and they’ve been pounding on their ceiling back and then they came up here and pounded on my door. I didn’t answer because I hate confrontation and I’m pretty small and my bf was away at work. Eventually they left and since they’ve taken to really blaring rap music almost on a daily basis. I haven’t done anything about it. The cops won’t care. If they do they’ll probably get off their fat asses when the music stops playing and I doubt it’ll change anything anyway. I don’t want them to know it’s us calling these people and I have no doubt they’ll assume and guess it’s us filing these complaints.

What other choices do I have?

We have considered moving to another apartment but it’s not financially possible for several months. I want to do something about it but I don’t want it leading back to us.

Thank you for any help.

Answer:
 Complain to your landlord about the noise.

Call the police about the animal abuse and any time the noise violates city ordinances.


Title: Landlords requiring sign-in to building

Question: My friend goes to school in PA and they have had a bad string of shootings in the area, so her landlord has decided that all residents must check in with a guard and sign in before they are allowed into their apartments. Can they do this? Can they put stipulations in after a lease has been signed on what you must do in order to enter your apartment everyday? The guards have been giving her issues because she is deaf in one ear and often walks home with headphones on, so if they dont deem her signature good enough, they will file a complaint with the landlord over her walking away and not signing in properly.

Answer:
 > Can they put stipulations in after a lease has been signed on what you must do in order to enter your apartment everyday?

Likely yes. But check your lease if you want to be sure.

>  The guards have been giving her issues because she is deaf in one ear and often walks home with headphones on, so if they dont deem her signature good enough, they will file a complaint with the landlord over her walking away and not signing in properly.

Well all of this is a entire other ball of wax. WTF is not signing "properly"??? She potentially may have a Reasonable Accommodation issue due to her disability but I don't see a nexus between her hearing and "proper signature"


Title: Retaurant looking to sell our sauces by the bottle

Question:
I work in a kitchen in NC and convinced my boss we should bottle our sauces. We only want to sell through the restaurant.

 First of all : what's the difference between selling someone a 16oz styrofoam cup of sauce (as we currently do) and selling a16oz mason jar of sauce with our logo? Do we even need to do anything?

Secondly : where do I start? Any advice is appreciated.

Answer:
 Actually, there's a lot more involved.  That label has to have calories, fat, carbs, protein... a full nutritional break down on it and that means your sauce has to go to a certified lab for testing.  FDA is involved and expect an inspection of your facility.  What changes are you going to have to make to have your sauce shelf stable?  What are your canning facilities like?

We just added two new sauces to our line and it's taken months to have them ready to hit the shelves.  On the other hand, our soups - which are frozen and sold in plastic tubs - don't have to go through any of that.Answer #2: Your restaurant should contact their attorney.Answer #3: ncagr.gov has resources online for individuals and businesses

http://www.ncagr.gov/fooddrug/food/foodbiz.htm

http://www.ncagr.gov/fooddrug/food/commercial.htm


Title: [Ohio] Fired for Severe Morning Sickness (x-post from r/pregnant)

Question:
Hi Reddit!

I am carrying a baby for two wonderful friends who live in a different state. I am 7 weeks and 2 days pregnant today and have been suffering from debilitating morning sickness for a little over a week. When it started last week, I was sent home from work and told not to return for until I felt better. Shortly afterwards, I saw a doctor who diagnosed me with hyperemesis gravidarum and prescribed me Zofran, which has reduced the vomiting but not done much for the nausea. Even though I am able to keep food and liquids down now, strong smells still make me feel very queasy, and I am constantly nauseous -- I spent my week off work laying in bed feeling terrible.

Today was my first day back, and I quickly realized I couldn't handle it. I am the lead server at a restaurant, and all the cleaning chemical and food smells were making me feel awful. My job is generally fast paced, and I have the extra responsibility of overseeing my staff on top of the guests that come in. My GM sent me home and said that he couldn't schedule since this is the second time he's had to scramble to find coverage for me. He also mentioned that he would look into hiring someone else to fill my position.

Right now I am looking into entry level jobs that won't put me around strong smells, so no bars or restaurants. I am also looking for a job that would provide me with FMLA, which is unheard of for the service industry. I was thinking of filing for unemployment, but am not sure about how it works. I'm meeting with my lawyer on Monday to discuss the adoption process, and I am planning on asking him for advice about what to do for my job and financial situation. Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions for other financial resources? Would be qualify for unemployment benefits?

TL;DR: lost my job due to severe morning sickness and am wondering if I can file for unemployment and if there are other things I can do for income while I'm still very sick.
Topic:
Employment Law

Answer:
 Absolutely file for unemployment, you should always do that.

Pregnancy can amount to a disability and so you would be entited to reasonable accomodations but if you can't complete your job then that is not really going to help you.


Title: Upon moving out landlord is requesting full months rent for a month we will only spend 3 days living there

Question:
Quick intro: Moving from 1 apartment to another, both in Massachusetts.

 I'm currently on a month to month lease in my current apartment. My new apartment will be ready to go September 3rd. My current landlord said if I stay beyond August 31st then I'd have to pay all of September's rent.

 My new landlord says this is bs and I'm getting scammed. He says I am only required to pay a pro-rated portion of my rent based on how long i stay and forcing me to pay anything more is illegal.

The thing is my current apartment is part of a large complex owned by a corporation which owns several other large complexes. I feel like 1) They should know their rental laws and 2) They'd have the money/lawyers to drag this through the courts.

Not sure how to approach this...any advice would be greatly appreciated

Answer:
 You are a month to month tenant, meaning the renewal period is one month not three days. You most likely owe for the monthAnswer #2: If you pay monthly, you have to pay for the month.

If your former landlord re-rents the location before the end of September, then they would have to pay you back for the time the other tenant is living there (they can't rent it to both of you)

It may be cheaper to put your stuff in storage and spend 3 days in a Air B&B


Title: Is the parent liable for the actions of their child at school, if another student was injured?

Question:
Our 10 year old gave another child a black eye on the playground, now the parents are trying to contact us regarding "incurred medical expenses" resulting from the incident.  AFAIK, the incident was settled at school, by the teachers (*in loco parentis*?) and the injured child was determined to be hurt, but not seriously injured.

To note:  Our child does not have a history of bullying and this was an isolated incident.

Are we liable for these medical expenses, or is the school?

Thanks in advance.

Sorry all.  Edit to say we are in **Michigan**

Answer:
 > Edit to say we are in Michigan

Michigan does not impose vicarious liability on parents in the circumstances you described, but additional facts might lead to parental liability. What were the circumstances of the black eye?Answer #2: Maybe they got in a fight over not following directions like "provide your location". Answer #3: What are medical expenses for a black eye? Ibuprofen and a bag of ice? When I grew up it was just ice...


Title: Cops arrest my wife in domestic violence charge. Need help

Question:
I am going to give fake names here
My wife: Kim
Wife's brother: Tyler
Wife's mother: Jessica

Here is the story: Kim went to Dayton Ohio to visit her mom and brothers today. Her brother Tyler has a history of abuse and violence. He has hit Jessica several times over the last couple of years. Nobody has ever reported him. There is significant damage to the house from his out bursts

Today Tyler was in one of his moods and started to get angry and acting the way he does when he gets violent. Kim tried to get herself and her mother out of the house but Tyler would not let them leave. He blocked the doorway physically preventing them from leaving. He then got in both their faces screaming. Kim and Tyler ended up in a skirmish physically. He would not let them leave and was to the point of probably hitting somebody again.

Kim had her head thrown into the wall and was hit so she bit Tyler. Jessica called the cops. The cops arrive and arrest my wife, Kim, for domestic violence as they saw the bite mark. Both Jessica and Tyler told the cops she acted in self defense. Cops didn't care. Jessica kept pleading with the cops saying they were arresting the wrong person. Cops don't care.

Kim is now facing a misdemeanor 1 for domestic violence.

I need help. No idea what to do. They set her bond at 25000 dollars which is absurd. We hired a bonds man who got her out. The arraignment is tomorrow morning. The state is prosecuting. Not Tyler.

I need help with three things

1. How to get this dropped if possible
2. Legal arguments and best methods
3. Do we have a case for wrongful arrest. Jessica called fearing for their safety and these idiots arrest the person protecting herself and her family. They not only arrest the wrong person but they leave the violent and dangerous person on the streets.

Answer:
 You need to hire her an attorney.

At the arraignment she should plead "not guilty" and not say anything else to anyone. She should not try to explain herself or argue the case at that point. If you cannot afford an attorney, after pleading "not guilty" then at that point ask the court to appoint an attorney. If she qualifies she'll get one. If she doesn't qualify, then hire the best one you can afford.

#1 and #2 can be handled by your attorney. #3 is something to (potentially) argue in court (the second part, not the wrongful arrest). I get what you're saying but that is not what constitutes a wrongful, or false, arrest. To be guilty of false arrest, the police must act without authority, or beyond the scope of their powers. Answer #2: 1. Get a defense lawyer or wait until you're assigned a public defender if you think you qualify for one. Tell him everything. If your story is supported by the evidence, "Jessica's" statements, and police reports, then your lawyer can take it to the prosecutor and ask him to dismiss the charges. Unlikely, but possible.

2. Trial is where you'll likely end up. Again, leave this to your defense attorney to figure out. But based on your facts, it's possible a jury will find Kim not guilty.

3. No. They saw a bite mark. They had Tyler's statements. They don't need proof beyond a reasonable doubt to arrest, just probable cause.


Title: [PA] Arrested for simple possession three weeks ago and still haven’t been charged, why is this taking so long

Answer:
 Three weeks is a *short* time in the justice system, not a long one.

Police and prosecutors are overworked and deal with urgent issues before ones that can wait.  They have much more than three weeks to bring charges against you, so your case tends to wait.


Title: I own a home next to a church. People loiter on my property immediately after service. What if someone gets hurt?

Question:
I live next door to the church in the suburbs of Philadelphia, which as far as I can tell, everyone is very pleasant and friendly.

I noticed today though, that immediately after service, people often loiter at the edge of our driveway, and sit or play on the stones that line the edge of the driveway on the property.

A few questions:

**If a kid were to slip and fall, would I be liable?**

**What's the best way to prevent an issue here before it happens?**

Answer:
 First, make sure you’re in a solid insurance situation. Consider acquiring umbrella liability insurance if you don’t already have it.

Second, have you spoken with the pastor of the church? Usually they can bring this up during the announcements portion of the service. I can’t think of a reason why he wouldn’t be sympathetic to your concerns. Third, consider getting some cameras and point them at the location where this activity is occurring. If push came to shove, visual evidence could be hugely beneficial if you were ever faced with a legal action.Answer #2: The reality is you will probably be sued \-\- although most likely will win.  That said, I would definitely recommend an umbrella insurance policy.  They are usually cheap and will cover you if something happens.  At a minimum I would make sure I had 500k of liability on my homeowners.

I wouldn't put up signs, etc. unless they were becoming obnoxious.  I'd rather be a good neighbor.Answer #3: Can you put up a short type of fence?  Maybe picket fence or a split rail fence.  Just along driveway to keep them offf you property.


Title: Home Inspection, missed big issue... (Indiana, USA)

Question:
We bought our home in October of 2015. We discovered recently moisture under the hardwood in our laundry room. Looks like the dryer vent is made of PVC piping which is against code, the vent is also too long, and not angeled properly.

We are now looking at a general contractor having to replace the pvc with correct material, fix dryer vent closure, fix hardwood floors, and replace some drywall and possibly more once they get inside the walls and floors.

Do I have any ability to go back against the inspector for not catching this in his home inspection? Can I sue for some or all of the work?

Tl;dr missed improperly installed dryer vent in home inspection, can I sue?

Answer: The inspector is liable for missing anything *in plain site*. Can it be seen? Secondly, when was the home built? It may not have been against code when it was built, and oils therefore be grandfathered in until replaced.


Title: Can my firm get in trouble if I berate a JA?

Question: A judges assistant is being a complete idiot. If I were to just tell her how awful she is at her job in a mean way, do I get in trouble for that?

Answer:
 Yeah, probably.  Just like any other time you berate someone unprofessionally.

Either bring it up to the judge or zip it.


Title: Crazy story. Aunt pretended to be mother on the phone with crematorium, stole ashes. Legal action?

Question:
So my aunt D is this horrible person who never leaves us alone. She has pretended to be someone else on the phone on more than one occasion. She harassed my other grieving aunt two weeks after my father passed, pretending to be a dear friend of his, trying to keep inheritance money from my mother. She has made multiple false accusations about my mother sleeping with attorneys and such. She was kicked out of an old folks home for causing multiple scenes. She accused the kind, loving guardians of my other, disabled aunt of being inappropriate with her at night. She told my best friend I was going to sue him, though I don't know for what. And it goes on. Really.

So, long story short, she is truly crazy, and never lets up. Recently, my grandma passed away. My mother had power of attorney, and the will was clear. My mother let her siblings know that if they wanted some of the ashes, they could pay their fair share of the cremation, and receive them. No one offered to help. But good ole' aunt D called the crematorium, pretended to be my mother, and had the ashes divided amongst the siblings.

Yes, it's petty. But we are sick and tired of her. I'm curious if this is solid grounds for legal action. Seems to me she broke the law twice here. Advice is appreciated.

Answer:
 Have you posted this before under another account?

If not, there was a recent story involving someone else’s crazy aunt, a death/funeral, and identity theft.


Title: Dad in prison....so...

Question:
Hello all
I am in need serious need of some advice, direction, guidance, help!
So my fiancee is a great man. He had a rough start at life, got caught up and did some time. Since he got out 2 years ago though he has been doing BEYOND amazing!
He has had a job since the first week he was out. He went to college for hvac, got a job for hvac, bought a car, pays his bills, pays his child support, complies with probation, etc.
Well his baby momma is a truly narssicistic, selfish, greedy young lady. Since he got out she has made his life hell. It's always a huge ordeal for him just to talk to the kids. He pays child support and every time she needs cigs, or can't pay a bill, or the kids need something he sends $$$ to her. They live a state away. She's just something else. I will never ever understand why women make it so hard for men who really want to be fathers. Anyways. Well he made a mistake because that's what humans do and he smoked some weed ended up missing his overnights. So he's gonna have to go back and do his sentence.
Well baby momma found out. She told him she was taking the kids as soon as he hit the yard.
Can she take his rights away from him while he's incarcerated??
Is that a legit possibility?
What can we do to stop this, or help keep it from happening or what not.
I know this was kind of long but I really appreciate it!

Tx custody

Answer:
 >complies with probation

Like the part about not associating with other felons?Answer #2: Probably not, although he might have to hire an attorney.Answer #3: IANAL But He probably needs to consult a family lawyer to make sure that they can’t terminate his rights while he’s in jail.

In order to terminate his rights, she has to file for it. It appears that the court has to consider that unless it’s a crime against the child or the other parent, and he has acted in good faith and tried to remain in contact with the kids, it’s going to be a tough road for her.

What’s more likely to happen would be she could potentially file to modify the custody arrangement so your BF gets less time.

You said he’s made a lot of.. not so great choices, and based on your post history, neither have you. That being said, not associating with felons is part of his probation (and yours). It sucks but it might be for the best to walk away until each of you is through this rough patch. Answer #4: Your fiancee clearly is not a great man if he can't stay out of jail and is about to marry a method user. Oh, and has a kid he forgets about.

He can consult a lawyer.


Title: Colorado. Landlord's "exact reasons" for keeping damage deposit? "Unit turn"

Question:
The landlord was late getting my deposit back to me and wants me to give the whole thing back to him. His reason? He sent the list of damages to some address I never heard of and the list contained two items:

Unit Turn

Supplies

He's sent me to collections to get it. I'm suing him for treble damages because, though he gave me the deposit back, this is a bad faith effort to keep the deposit for no reason.

Any comments?

Answer:
 Sounds like you are doing the right thing. If you provided the correct address to send the deposit and list of damages then you are good on that front. Have you taken pictures of the property upon leaving to show no damage?

If it helps ease your mind, I don't really see a judge liking vague terms like Unit Turn and Supplies as it doesn't actually show damange beyond normal wear and tear. Is there a cost value listed for each of these line items?Answer #2: "Unit turn" is real estate jargon for the process of preparing an apartment for the next tenant. While it could conceivably _include_ repairing damages, it isn't a type of damage, and it certainly doesn't belong on a list of damages.