Title: Daughter said someone touched her. Child care won’t let me see the tapes

Question:
My daughter told me someone touched her when I picked her up from her first day at a new child care. She had been to the other locations a couple times and loved it but it was her first time at this particular one. She’s 3 and the way she said it I didn’t really think it happened but obviously hearing her say it was so scary. I called the manager as soon as we got home. The manager watched the tape and said there was nothing and she was a mom too so she understood my fear. I believed her. My daughter was in there for 25 minutes and I had gone back to check on her after 10 to make sure she was okay so I thought the likelihood of something having had happened was very slim. I chalked it up to her just saying someone touched her because we have told her no one is allowed to ever touch her in her private areas and she paused for a second before she said it. Still, I felt like I should see the tape so I called back again a week or two later. It was a new manager working so she said she would look into it and call me back. She didn’t call back so I called several times. No one was returning my calls so I went in but the manager was too busy. I waited 20 minutes to see her and they told me she would be a long time so I left. They promised she would call me back but nothing so I kept calling and she called back a couple times assuring me she was going to figure it out and that she had to clear it with her director before letting me see. I was tired of waiting so I called the corporate office and left a voicemail for her director myself, and the receptionist sent an email to the director and manager letting them know I’m still inquiring about the situation. Well today the manager called me back and said they can’t find the footage and they had new cameras installed. I am so upset my head is spinning. This seems like too much of a coincidence. New manager, new cameras, no footage. I just don’t know where to go from here. I went from being certain nothing happened but wanting to make sure to feeling like something did and they are hiding it. Another part of this that was pretty alarming that I didn’t think too much of at the time was that the male worker at the check in desk didn’t check her in even though I wrote her name into the sign in sheet and he gave us our name tags which they do when you drop your kid off. Another older female worker noticed she wasn’t checked into the computer about 15 minutes later and checked her in.
I’m just not sure what to do. If I should get a lawyer or call the police. I need to see that footage to know if something happened or not. I hate myself for not going straight to the police in the beginning but I didn’t think anything happened and I didn’t want to traumatize my child by having her examined or questioned or something.
Thank you for your time.

Answer:
 If you believe a crime has been committed, you call the police.Answer #2: You can and absolutely should file a police report and let them investigate.  They can request the tapes or get a court order for them.

The daycare has no obligation to show you the tapes.Answer #3: I'd recommend contacting the police immediately to make sure the tapes are pulled if there's anything still there that they claimed isn't.

the reason I say this is that I know some businesses overwrite their tapes every 3 days automatically. the reason I know this is because somebody hit my mom outside her senior apartment complex and there was no initial call to the police . The lawyer we got to obtain the footage very shortly thereafter  discovered the three-day overwrite rule and there was nothing we could do.

The biggest mistake made in retrospect was not securing the footage via the police, as opposed to having a lawyer request it and wait for a call back. the lawyer was contacted within 3 days, but unfortunately they didn't get back to him before that expired (which may or may not have been deliberate on their part).

Answer #4: Your daughter is alleging that someone violated her.  There are *myriad* reasons you need to go to the police right now, including (but certainly not limited to) how it might impact your relationship later in life if she feels like you didn't try to protect her.  I don't understand why you haven't picked up the phone and made a report already.  It defies all logic.Answer #5: Call the police, they can't say no to them.


Title: (FL) Threats of lawsuit for online review??

Question:
I checked stock on an expensive entertainment center with the company, and once confirmed placed my order. Well a day goes by and I get an email saying that the item was not in stock a discontinued.

I call them and they then patronize me and treat me horribly, telling me "well tough stuff haven't you ordered on the internet before?" in the most snotty, attitude written service ive ever experienced in my life.

After that, I went online to review the company and put my experience out there so others may know what they might deal with. Well this morning I got the following email from the company:

 Since you have resorted to threats and company defamation, you now have 1 option.  You may remove the social media reviews within 24hrs (10/12/2018 8:001m est).  Should you choose not to do so, your contact information & social profiles will be added to national registries and this case turned over to our attorney for processing of slander and defamation.   This will carry a minimum damages penalty of $30,000 and you to appear in SC state court.

Terms of use: (website)

Thank you for your urgent time and attention to this matter.

Donna
Accounts Manager

Should this threat be taken serious? There is no way they have ground to stand on. I would love some input on this matter because I am shocked by the complete lack of customer service from this company..

Thank you,

Answer: Sounds like a lot of bs. Slander is spoken defamation, while libel is written. As long as what you wrote is factual, they wont win a lawsuit. They certainly could sue you if they wanted. Try to leverage 75% off some other item in exchange to take the review down.


Title: Is a 3D printed model of my penis considered child pornography?

Question:
I'm genuinely curious as to if a 3D model of my penis is considered child pornography (I am a minor). I would like to create a 3D model of my genitals and 3D print it as a gag gift to my girlfriend. Assuming she actually wants that, is it legal?
Topic:
Juvenile and Youth Law

Answer:
 1.) I'm fairly certain it wouldn't qualify

2.) However I don't think this has ever been tested, but that would be my pretty certain guess.

3.) That said, let me save you; your girlfriend will not find that as funny as you do, consider not gifting her a model of your penis.Answer #2: This would technically fall under child porn if brought to a trial if you are under age. A 3D print of your genitals would be argued as a reasonably accurate depiction or facsimile.

"...a variety of sexual media involving prepubescents, pubescent or post-pubescent minors and computer-generated images that appear to involve them".


Title: (Pennsylvania)(tenant)moved into apt, week later everything is gone and it is being rented out again. Wtf do I do?

Question:
Ill try to be as factual as possible.

1.sign lease with (call him joe) joe for 1 year. First last month rent paid and security deposit.

2. Move into  apartment complex December 1 of 2014.

3. I go out of state on business related matter.

4. I return home, key still works, I enter my apartment.  It has all of my furnishings and belongings removed. Wtaf.

5. I call management only to find out the number only rings.

6. I went to the door of management and called again, it rings when I call but it is late at night but know I have the office number.

7. I stay at a hotel.

8. I return to the complex and wait for them to open.

9. We talk I explained what happened.  They tell me joe no longer works with them from what I can guess is a month.

10. I ask who has my stuff and money, she cannot help me.

11. I am thinking joe may have robbed me but we conducted everything in office on a regular work day and hours.

12. I speak with them again and now they have no record of joe. I produce a copy of the contract.  He states that is not our contract. I ask to see a copy. He declines to show me as he has no legal reason to.

13. What the hell do I do? Where do I even begin?  This is not an area in which I excel in.

Answer:
 Call the police and report theft

make several copies of your lease

find a lawyer who will send letter to complex-Joe had both actual and apparent authority to bind the to the lease contract.  They need to honor it by leasing you that apartment or another one in the building -they also need to disclose what happened to your property.  They may be civilly liable even if Joe stole it.  If they had any type of notice that he was a thief yet continued to allow him access to the building.

Do you have  insurance of any type?


Title: Grandparents' savings are being squandered by grandfather's donations to political groups

Question:
My grandmother has informed me that my grandfather is in the process of squandering their savings on contributions to the campaign and legal defense funds of a certain orange politician in the United States. Personal thoughts aside on the nature of the spending, she is mostly worried that she won't be able to leave anything for their children when they pass as they're both getting up there (mid-80s).

Reasoning with him is off the table—he's been driven by a right-wing Christian fundamentalist passion for years now, and he firmly believes that what he is doing is righteous. I don't know the details of their personal finances and accounting, but I want to know if there's any way she can protect herself and her savings legally, barring a divorce.

They live in Virginia, U.S.

Answer:
 How can you prevent your grandfather from spending his own money?

Will be tough without getting power of attorney, and you'd have to be able to show hes not in a proper mental state of mind to get that.


Title: get guardianship of a 16F

Question:
Let’s just assume that I, a 22F, am well established and successful and financially stable enough to do all of what I’m about to say next—because I am and I don’t want to explain.

Let’s just assume that the 16F has her shit together but lives in a shitty situation, and we and everyone around us know that she would be better off coming to live with me: mentally, emotionally, financially, educationally.

I have already looked all up into emancipation and we’re not sure that’s the right option, partly because I want her on my health insurance (amongst other reasons, and plus I truly would love if I can be her guardian personally. I love this girl with my whole heart).

I’m thinking I want guardianship. Her dad is neglectful, abusive, and mistreats her lovely self. The thing is, her mom isn’t awful, but mom lives out of town and 16F has a job in the suburb where we are (working for my company actually), friends, schooling. She’s happy and settled and I live in the same area so it wouldn’t disrupt her life. So I was wondering if transferring her father’s guardianship to myself was possible (with her mom on board! I only want to do this if it works the right way) and if so, where I can find more info and resources to accomplish this.

I have all the time and money I need to accomplish this. I literally just want to give this girl the life and love she deserves. Can you help me learn more?

Answer: What is the relationship between you and her?Answer #2: If the OP is sincerely looking for advice then imho we are entitled to know a few facts before rolling up our sleeves and trying to help OP figure this out.  Questions like:  is this 16yo peon a relative of any kind. How are you two connected.  As this stands - something seems fishy with this entire scenario. Answer #3: Are you, OP, any kind of relation to the child?


Title: Delivery company delivered package to neighbor after I requested NOT to do that. Everyone is blaming someone else. Not sure who I should be pushing. USA

Question:
I was expecting a very expensive (~5,000 USD) package via a delivery company last Friday.  It was shipped internationally and required a signature. I took Friday off in order to be home for it. To my fun surprise, even though tracking said it had passed through a point in another state at 9:04AM on Thursday,  they delivered it at 9:11AM Thursday in my city.  I wasn't home to receive it.

I saw on their website that if you aren't home they will attempt to deliver to a neighbor, and delivery itself instructs that if you DON'T want it to be delivered to a neighbor, tell the shipper, who will make sure they get the instructions.  I notified the shipper to request not to deliver to a neighbor and they agreed to pass on that info at the time of placing the order.

None of my neighbors have voluntarily given me the package, I have knocked on all the nearest doors with no luck. On Monday the delivery driver who dropped it off informed me which house he took it to, which is actually a tri-plex of apartments and has 9 residents. The signature the person who received it gave is illegible but the delivery driver said they said their last name was Johnson. The guy who owns the house it was supposedly delivered to says none of his tenants have that last name.

Meanwhile, the insurance provided from the shipper apparently does not cover cases where a neighbor signs for the package but never hands it over to the recipient.

As of right now the delivery driver says to blame the shipper, who failed to pass on the instructions not to deliver to a neighbor. The shipper says to talk to my homeowners insurance and see if they will cover it. I gave it a shot and my homeowners insurance says it's not covered under my theft protection but I should go after the delivery company. Filed report with police but they said it's incredibly rare for anything to come of those reports. They knocked on some doors and said other than that they can't really do anything, but added the item to their alert list for local pawn shops.

At this point I am out $5k and everyone I talk to is blaming someone else. I would appreciate any advice on who is legally most responsible here.  Thank you.

Answer:
 General advice: call your credit card company and dispute the charges.

Would love to offer specific advice, but you did not include your location. "USA" just doesn't cut it because you surely know that each state has different laws.Answer #2: If the seller won't refund and you paid with a credit card, try a credit charge dispute with your credit card company. You never received the product you ordered.


Title: Im working listed as a "Temporary Part Time Employee" at 40hrs/week.... Apparently its illegal to not give benefits?

Question:
21, INDIANA - so I literally had no idea if it's true. Interviewed for Full-time job and they came back and offered a "internship" deal that would "work I to FT" so I took it.

My position is officially "temporary part time" but I work 40hrs week on a hourly pay.

5months later and someone says "wait that's illegal to do that"

A quick Google search says they are right. But there has to be some legal thing where "oh you're listed as temporary so it's legal"

Answer:
 They can't keep you listed as temporary forever, it should be defined in their handbook.

So yes,  it is illegal to keep you as a temp to avoid having to provide you with benefits.

However, it is not illegal to fire you as a temp for no reason. If you start pushing the issue, they may fire you for no reason or find a reason.

Personally, I would not inquire about benefits, but inquire about when you no longer considered a temp worker. You manager may just be lazy and not thought about it. I had employees that were trainees for a year because I completely forgot to promote them in the system. (Pay/benefits and everything else was updated though)


Title: Crashed into vacant storefront while driving in parking lot with snow

Question:
This past weekend there was a snowstorm in New England. I decided to go practice driving in the snow and ended up going sideways over a curb into a vacant storefront.  I am a juvenile so I have a junior operating liscense, which restricts me from driving other people and driving past 12:00 at night.

Once I crashed, people came out of the stores around me and helped talk to me. Emts and police came and they were asking me questions, I told them I was going 25 in a 15 and I lied to them and told them I wasn't driving anyone when I was.

I got the citation in the mail yesterday (the crash happened on sunday). I am being charged with negligent operation of a motor vehicle, violation of a junior operator's restriction (having passengers) and speeding at a rate greater than reasonable for the road conditions.

I am confused as to why I didn't get the citation on the spot, and I was under the impression that the police didn't have jurisdiction in the parking lot and could not give tickets. Obviously I can't afford to not have my liscense for a year so any help is greatly appreciated.

Answer: Charges sound reasonable (crashing into a building shows negligent driving, 25 in a 15 shows speeding, having a passenger violates your license restrictions), police can ticket you typically anywhere in their town's jurisdiction, including public parking lots.  Police can also ticket you after the fact, based on their notes about the accident.


Title: Kids and Cars

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 If they are blocking the road with the plastic man you could potentially complain to the city about it.

The can park in front of your house anytime they like, assuming that they are not violating any parking regulations.


Title: FOIA request on Federal government satellite usage

Question:
The migraines started a few years ago. Now they've become a constant part of my waking life. I tried the standard over the counter medications that you can find at a corner drug store to only modest effect. I eventually figured out all on my own that the trigger was straying too close to a window. Just like all other government controlled wireless such as cellphones, TV, E-ZPass MA, iPad, TPM, smartchip, the radiation gets strongest when you are near a window. If I stay indoors and far away from the radiation flux for example in an underground card park I don't get triggered.

With more research with the information superhighway I came upon a frightening discovery. The US Congress authorized in a 1992 closed session disbursement of funds for purposes for this very nature. LUMINOUSAETHER is a program by which persons of interest are targeted for constant microwave satellite beam harassment to further the national interests of the United States and select allies.

I have already filled some FOIA request documents and asked my congressperson for help in finding the best office to receive it but have not yet received a response. At this point it may be the case that seeking help from here is not very efficacious. Is it possible that there is a conflict of interest? I am a dual-citizen with an EU country as well. Does anyone know a lawyer that can hired to help petition the European Court of Human Rights?

Answer:
 No lawyer will be able to help you.  See a psychiatrist and perhaps a neurologist.  Answer #2: You're not going to find the help you need from a FOIA request.  If you aren't a troll, you should speak to your doctor ASAP. Answer #3: look, all these other shills and sheep aren't gonna help you out one bit. But I, the glorious and gentile Mr. Posner (King is a first name, not a title of nobility, don't kill me), am willing to help you out!

first, you need some fancy shiny hats. not armor hats like my esquire brethren, but good solid metal like Tin foil, yes that's a good idea. This will stop the migraines. Then, for only 19.95$, you can order a temporal state portation device, placing the country within the EU allowing such a case. Finally, after then bouncing back to America with the device to file a FOIA, the court will be forced to rule in your favor as I shall (overnight, using my kingly, ahem personal non titled, persuasion) sew a new fringe upon the flag.

also, watch out for the greys, they are everywhere...


Title: My husband cheated on me, left and is now threatening to file bankruptcy. I need to know what my rights are, as well as what action to take.

Question: I live in North Carolina if that makes any difference,  and as the title states my husband cheated and left. I caught him cheating,  have video of him cheating and he contracted siphylis and HIV as a result of his fooling around. We don't have kids, but do own a house together and he is now threatening to file bankruptcy. Because he did not work for 4 months before he walked out I don't have any savings left and I will become homeless and lose my job if I lose this house. I'm really at a loss here, please help.

Answer:
 Get a month to month roommate or 2.

There likely are some people who are seeking a more short term dwelling (AirBnB is also an option)

It takes a long time for you to be evicted from your house. You need to get revenue streams up so you can get rid of your spouse asap and then worry about the house.


Title: Neighbour has left his van parked outside his house (on the road) for over two months, is there any law which can force him to move it?

Question:
My neighbour parked his van on the road outside of his house and has left it there for over two months. Every time I pull my car out I have to make a really wide turn to avoid the van and it's really annoying. On top of that, in winter when it snows, the snow truck shovels all the snow in our neighborhood and because the snow truck has to avoid and make a wide turn around the van, it is convenient for the truck to put all the snow right in front of my driveway so even more shoveling for me (happens every week in the winter. All the snow in our neighborhood is just placed right in front of my driveway).

Is there any law which can get my neighbour to move his van from there? He has an open spot in his driveway and has a two car garage. Can I file a complaint anywhere?

I live in Toronto, Ontario.

Answer:
 Actually because you live in Toronto you're in luck. In Toronto, if there are no posted signs there is a 3 hour maximum time limit. If you want to request for the enforcement of it (have him ticketed, eventually it would be towed) call 416-808-6600.

http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=29f6a84c9f6e1410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD&vgnextchannel=cd4c4074781e1410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD


Title: Is it illegal to use an unexpired visa money card with no money on it for free trials?

Question: I'm referring to those visa cards you can get at local stores that you can put money on to buy stuff online.

Answer: The free trial usually tries to temporarily auth the card for $1, so likely won’t work anyway.


Title: No ID and no SSN to get one Maryland

Question: As the title says I have no Photo ID and No SSN Card. I have my Birth Certificate but that's all I have. I've looked through the SSN website and even my local DMV. I called the SSN helpline and the guy I talked to told me there was nothing I can do. There has to be some way though. I'm over 18 as well so no using my parents stuff to get a new one. Any help at all would be highly appreciated.

Answer:
 I don't know who you were talking to. You can bring your birth certificate to a local SSA office and get a new card. It's simple. I've done it. Takes like 15 minutes.

If you want a driver's license you will need to go through your states requirements to get one. If you just want an ID an no driver's license, you need to bring your birth certificate, your SS card, and 2 documents showing MA residence to the DMV and get your state ID


Title: Alabama - Dog got out and bit my neighbor after he chased her with a broom handle

Question:
Hey r/legaladvice. I've always liked browsing this sub but also kinda hoped I'd never have to post here. Oh well.

Short version is as follows: One of my two dogs, who has always been a complete sweetheart, jumped the fence for the first time and bit a neighbor. He says he will settle out of court for $700, but two other neighbors who live in the same house as he does told me that my dog was wandering around and not bothering any of the other people that were hanging out outside for 5-10 minutes until the person she bit went outside with a broom handle and started threatening her with it (at which point she bit him on the calf).

Additional details: I am currently living with my mother, who wants to keep this off the books because the $700 we pay the dude will be much cheaper in the long run than the spike in her home owner's insurance if we let it go to court, and because she wants to avoid inciting any contentiousness in the neighborhood.

If anyone wants the full story I'll be glad to provide it but it's a little long-winded.

Full Story Edit: (Again, this is going to be a little long-winded. For storytelling purposes, we have F, a 1.5 year old female mutt, M, a 1.2 year old male mutt, and P, the puppy we found) Friday night my girlfriend and I found P, no more than 8 weeks old, on the sidewalk while walking downtown to get some dinner. We picked her up and brought her home for the night until we could find her a home/figure out what to do with her. Our other two dogs were not thrilled about this new addition. Saturday afternoon, about 10-20 minutes before F got out and bit the neighbor, we took P with us to visit my girlfriend's parents and see if they wanted P before we took her to the Humane Society. Apparently F was so freaked out seeing us leaving with P that she hopped the fence, which she had never done before. She wandered around for a bit before winding up in the incident that this post is about.

My girlfriend and I returned home to some random dude (**N**eighbor) coming down off our porch and approaching us. He told us that our dog had bit him and been hauled off by animal control, that the police and whoever else had already been by, and that he had medical bills. This first time we talked he went on about how he didn't want to press charges or anything like that but he had expenses and we needed to make it right because he didn't have insurance to cover it. I told him to touch base with me again when he had his bills from the hospital and we'd see what we could do.

Sunday morning he talked to us again but we didn't get to any kind of agreement. Monday morning two of the neighbors that lived in the same apartment complex/duplex building N was at told me that N was hanging out inside with one of them when the other came inside and told everyone that F was wandering around outside. N then went outside and picked up a broom handle and threatened F with it, at which point she bit him. A couple hours later N approached me and after a brief discussion, during which he said his insurance was taking care of his medical bills and emphasized how much his relatives were coming down on him to file a lawsuit/charges and asked how much I could pay him. I said $500 would be stretching what I could manage and he countered with $700. I told him it would take me at least a week to get that together, and that was the last we talked.

Answer:
 > He says he will settle out of court for $700

That might be a decent deal. I bet your mom's insurance deductible is at least $500, and that's assuming you are even covered (I bet you're not).

I bet he would take $250. But you shouldn't agree to pay him anything unless he signs a full release **and hold harmless** that covers you and your mom. Otherwise you could pay him and get sued anyway.Answer #2: IANAL!

Section 3-6-1 Code of Alabama:
>If any dog shall, **without provocation**, bite or injure any person who is at the time at a place where he or she has a legal right to be, the owner of such dog shall be liable in damages to the person so bitten or injured, but such liability shall arise only when the person so bitten or injured is upon property owned or controlled by the owner of such dog at the time such bite or injury occurs or when such person has been immediately prior to such time on such property and has been pursued therefrom by such dog.

You might have a defense if you can get some testimony that the neighbor provoked the dog. I say ignore the ~~lady~~ guy unless ~~she~~ he sues you (assuming you can get some evidence proving doggie was provoked).

Edit:

>If anyone wants the full story I'll be glad to provide it but it's a little long-winded.

Go ahead and type it up in a edit to this post if you feel comfortable doing so. We don't normally PM on this sub-reddit.


Title: (WA State) Getting divorced, husband allows his new love interest to move in, I've nowhere yet to go

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 If the divorce isn't finalized yet, then why don't you petition for this money in the divorce settlement?Answer #2: Did you happen to use a divorce lawyer for your divorce?

>Do I have any legal recourse for getting the woman he allowed to move in removed?

The house situation sounds like you and your husband are both tenants so removing her, probably not. You can always *ask* your soon to be ex husband to pay any increase in utilities during that period, he sounds like an inconsiderate dick so he may not agree to that and fight it.


Title: [TX] Resto initially thought my $100 bill was fake. How would I get my $$$ back if they had confiscated a good bill?

Question:
So I'm 187 years old, and I still use cash. (Grew up poor and having on hand provides feeling of security.)

Gave a $100 for a $70 restaurant bill. Waiter disappeared for change. And we waited. And waited. And waited. He reappeared looking a bit flustered, admitted that they'd thought the bill was bad, turned out their detector pen was old and they tried a fresher one.

No prob. Left him a nice tip, he'd been terrific.

But what if they had kept the bill? (I know they could have called the cops too.) I know it was good, it was an older-style bill but I'd gotten it in a bundle from the bank. Is there some pathway to follow up an unjust bill seizure?

Answer:
 I thought this was going to turn out what happened to my Dad. He was a old guy who loved his McDonald's breakfast.  One time he gave the cashier a $100 bill and she said...oops this is a counterfeit bill and I will have to confiscate this. My Dad said that's ok, but I want a receipt that you confiscated my $100 and at that point, she refused and gave my Dad his $100 back. My dad then went to His bank and they verified it was a good bill. My dad is telling me this story and could not understand why the McDonald's employee thought it was counterfeit.  I replied to my Dad that the pos cashier was trying to scam my Dad and have herself a nice payday Answer #2: You too can call the cops.

But how do you know the bill is good? Chances are the restaurant checked more closely than you did. And [banks mess up](https://consumerist.com/2012/05/21/if-the-bank-hands-you-a-counterfeit-bill-youre-probably-stuck-with-it/) sometimes too. If the bill really is fake, you could be arrested.


Title: If my employer tells me to jump into the dumpster to push down trash and I get hurt, can I sue? (Arizona)

Question:
Topic:
Employment Law

Answer:
 You can get Workers CompensationAnswer #2: You should never put yourself in danger or perform work that has a significant risk of injury for any kind of low wage job.

If you are terminated for refusing to perform dangerous or unsafe work, you can file a complaint with the Industrial Commission of Arizona.Answer #3: The Industrial Commission of Arizona and OSHA would definitely have something to say about you being ordered into a confined space without the approrpriate training or safety equipment/precautions taken.


Title: I got in a fender bender but the other guy drove off without exchanging information, should I be concerned?

Question:
This happened in Kansas if that makes a difference.First off, I have no idea if this is the correct subreddit for this question, but I figure I'd give it a go. Okay, so earlier today I was in traffic (the start and stop frequently kind) and the person in front of me stopped somewhat abruptly and I bumbed into him (Nothing super bad, the only physical damage was a few scratches maybe). I'm not going to pretend like it wasn't my fault, because it was, I should have been paying better attention. Anywho, this guy gets out of his car and I am profusely apologizing and he just starts screaming and cursing at me. He got back in his car, I assumed to get inssurance info, but then he just drove off. I wasn't really sure what to do, so I just went back home. Basically what I'm asking is can I get in any sort of legal trouble for not exchanging inssurance and going down that route? I'm 16 btw, so I don't really know how these things usually go.
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer:
 According to [this](http://kslegislature.org/li_2012/b2011_12/statute/008_000_0000_chapter/008_016_0000_article/008_016_0004_section/008_016_0004_k/), the other driver violated a statute.

Regardless of fault, you are supposed to stop and exchange information.  Chances are the other driver either had a warrant, or invalid driving data.

You could call the police and report it, then contact your insurance.  You are 16, so I would talk to your parents first.  Honesty with your parents is generally the best policy.  Whether you decide to file an insurance claim depends on the damage done.

Also, never apologize after an accident.  In certain areas that can be used against you when deciding liability.


Title: [Houston, Texas] Does neighbor's Ring Doorbell encroach upon my privacy. Apartments.

Question:
I have a apartment that's in a shared hallway/foyer to get to the units, 6 units with 3 on each side and every front door is lined up with the other across from it, they're probably arm's length/3 feet away from each other. My new neighbors have installed a Ring Doorbell that's apparently motion based and I assume records video/audio every time I come home or leave, or open and close my door, allowing sight and recording into my unit from what you can see at the front door. After brief checking, Texas appears to be a 'one party consent' state but one of the examples of that is if someone is in the video and consents, they can record. As this is a automated recording with just me as the other party and not consenting, is this a violation of my privacy since the inside of my unit is private with the brief exception of opening and shutting the door?

Any comments, suggestions, or information regarding my situation is appreciated, thanks!

Answer: If they can stand there with their door open and see you come and go, then they can almost certainly record it.  You have no reasonable expectation of privacy in the hallway of the apartment complex.


Title: If you won a large sum of money, say $1.6 billion, what would be your first legal step?

Question: What kind of lawyer do you need to hire? I'm genuinely interested in what a person should do in this case.

Answer: [This](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/24vo34/whats_the_happiest_5word_sentence_you_could_hear/chb38xf/) covers it so well no one else needs to bother trying.


Title: Can I be arrested for telling a lie to a family member who is in the FBI?

Question:
I have a family member (an in-law) who is going into the FBI.  It is illegal to lie to a federal agent.

Can I or my spouse (or my kids, or my father-in-law, or else in our family for that matter) be arrested for lying to this person, even if it's inadvertent?

I told my spouse that I am worried about this, and they thought I was crazy. However a lot of the literature available on this topic is quite scary, and makes it sound like you can be arrested for any lie, no matter how small, no matter the context, no matter the subject, and even if you didn't realize you were lying.

Take this scenario for instance:

FBI-family-member: "So are you guys going to have kids soon?"
Me: "We don't really know right now, we're just taking life one step at a time :)"

Now lets say my spouse and I actually do know that we want kids,  and in fact we have been trying, but we want to keep it to ourselves until we are pregnant and know for sure that it's healthy and we are keeping it (e.g., perhaps  we have a family history of miscarriages and we don't want to tell anyone until after our first trimester).

Can we get in trouble for this? My guess is that technically we can. I want to be wrong, but I don't see any way around the conclusion that if we want to remain 100% legally bulletproof we have to either avoid this family member or be extremely careful what we say around them from now on :(

Edit to add: I am in California (not that it really matters for this kind of question)
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer: no offense dude but i think you have budding mental problems.Answer #2: [18 U.S. Code § 1001 - Statements or entries generally](http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1001). This only applies to actual government matters so lying about non-work related things is legal as long as it doesn't constitute fraud, misrepresentation or some other crime that applies to everyone else too.


Title: (ON, Canada) Dental surgeon accidentally rinsed my mouth with industrial cleaning solution, what are my options?

Question:
Hi everyone, so I had my wisdom teeth out and when I went for my follow up appointment my surgeon accidentally rinsed my mouth with an industrial medical instrument cleaning solution when he meant to use an antibiotic rinse.
For ~15 hours my entire mouth burned at a level of about 6-7 out of 10. The pain slowly went away and I am no longer constantly in pain as of this morning. Until this morning I was unable to eat or drink because it hurt/burnt at a pain level of 8-9 out of 10.

When I called my surgeon to mention this, which I thought had been a weird side effect of the rinsing solution, he told me that they have two bottles in the medicine cabinet that look very similar: one with the antibiotic rinse, one with industrial cleaning solution.

Currently, the majority of my tongue is partially numbed. I have sores in my mouth. When I went to see him, he actually gave me the safety data sheet of the material I supposedly ingested and it is a controlled substance, harmful and possibly fatal if swallowed.

I'm wondering what my options are more generally, what pursuing compensation would entail, whether I am able to pursue compensation if my taste goes back to normal, and whether it would even be worth my time to pursue legal action.
Help is much appreciated.

Edit: Sorry for the late replies, I was getting checked out by doctors, etc. Looking through the replies again now (may 13th ~1:45pm EST).

The issue is that I went to see my family doctor, who sent me to the ER, because they are more familiar with poison control protocol. The doctors at the ER were unbelievably rude and dismissive, telling me that there's no need to do any tests because I didn't swallow it, despite the fact that I explained that I had open wounds in my mouth (not to mention that your mouth is the place where you ingest things most quickly). They sent me home after 5 hours waiting around. I'm going to schedule a full physical with my family doctor, and I'm working from home this next week in order to do so.

Answer:
 Go to the doctor and get checked out. Keep track of your expenses not covered by OHIP, and of any longer-term harm. If you have uncompensated expenses, ask your dental surgeon to reimburse you, and sue in small claims (up to $25,000) or find a personal injury attorney (otherwise) to recover them if they refuse. Your dentist is insured, and your medical costs should be covered.

Make a complaint to the [Royal College of Dental Surgeons](http://www.rcdso.org/publicprotection/howtofileacomplaint), who oversee licensing and patient safety.

Answer #2: I work at a law office in Ontario and this happened to one of our clients about a year ago. She lost taste in her mouth and it was very painful. I can ask the lawyer who handled it more questions about the case if you want. I think the case is still ongoing.Answer #3: If you think you ingested or otherwise imbibed a potentially hazardous substance, your first consideration should be going to the hospital, not getting paid. Answer #4: I'm a bot, *bleep*, *bloop*. Someone has linked to this thread from another place on reddit:

- [/r/bestoflegaladvice] [OP must've said a bad word...](https://np.reddit.com/r/bestoflegaladvice/comments/6av8u9/op_mustve_said_a_bad_word/)

[](#footer)*^(If you follow any of the above links, please respect the rules of reddit and don't vote in the other threads.) ^\([Info](/r/TotesMessenger) ^/ ^[Contact](/message/compose?to=/r/TotesMessenger))*

[](#bot)


Title: Wells Fargo defaulted my student loan; I have printed proof from them that I made a payment to prevent this.

Question:
The title says a lot of it. In 2015 I lost my job and was having a hard time making payments towards my private student loan. I was managing, but would miss a payment now and again. With this loan, after 4 non-concurrent missed payments it would default. I have a print out from Wells Fargo showing a payment on the last day of the month, and then the loan defaulting despite this payment. What is my best course of action to hopefully save my credit and get this loan out of default? I haven't missed a payment toward the charged off amount for 13 months, I was just in a tough spot and Wells Fargo wouldn't work with me to prevent the default (I tried everything they suggested).

Thank you.
Edit - I am located in Tennessee.

Answer:
 If you have a local WF branch, go there and run it up the chain with a real person.  Bring ALL your relevant documentation and see what they can do there.

Start bugging them like crazy on the phone and escalate it as much as you can.  Answer #2: I had a very similar issue with Wells Fargo a few years ago concerning my student loan.  I recommend you print out bank records, everything you can and call them as many times until you get someone to work with you.   It took me a few hours of constant calling until I could get someone who would help.


Title: [California] A co-worker at work took my cel phone from in front of me, went through my texts as I told her not to, and then deleted a message that she said was not intended for me, saying it contained work information that I should not be privy to. Was that illegal?

Answer:
 Illegal? Yes. Illegal *enough* that a cop would do anything about it? Probably not. Answer #2: File a complaint with your employer. I doubt they'd be happy that they have an employee mishandling sensitive data and assaulting (I know it would quickly become a physical altercation if anyone tried to do this to my phone) their coworkers.

You're more likely to get them fired for this than arrested.


Title: Encouraging a minor to commit suicide (NY)

Question:
To start off, this is not for me. It is a situation that was relayed to me.

Several months ago, we had a young teenage girl die from a terminal illness in our town. It was a devastating death for the entire town and obviously for her parents. The girl's mother is grieving terribly. She repeatedly requested that her deceased daughter's long term boyfriend visit her & her family. He regularly visited but suddenly stopped going. It turns out the grieving parents were discussing a suicide pact with their remaining adult child & the teenaged boyfriend. He told his own parents everything & they are helping him in every way.

The boy's mom called the girl's mother & told her not to contact her son any longer. The mother found out recently that the boyfriend has started dating someone else. She called him, screaming how he was betraying the daughter & how ashamed she is of him for moving on, not caring etc. Now she's taken to Facebook to post about being betrayed & more thoughts about suicide. Prayers, posts about what horrible person betrayed her while grieving, etc are now being posted. Clearly she needs help. I'm not sure where her husband is in this. We are hoping he gets her help soon. He was there for the suicide pact talks.

If the boy's mother were to go to the police, would the actions above qualify for a restraining order? Would any of her actions be considered illegal? There was the recent suicide case in MA where there was a conviction for someone goading another kid to commit suicide.

Answer:
 >If the boy's mother were to go to the police, would the actions above qualify for a restraining order?

Maybe.

>Would any of her actions be considered illegal?

Maybe.

>There was the recent suicide case in MA where there was a conviction for someone goading another kid to commit suicide.

Yeah, but she told him to get back into the car and finish the job - and she didn't call the police to prevent a suicide that she had good reason to believe was in progress.


Title: Written a ticket for a weather-related accident, no evidence against me; offered conditional discharge

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Did you lose control of your vehicle or did you purposely crash it? Either way lines you up for careless driving - even with the best of outcomes or intentions.

Btw - if you hung back another hundred feet or so then the 18 wheeler wouldn't have been throwing enough snow to block your visibility. Trying to pass another vehicle in bad conditions while in a vehicle that was, admittedly, not well suited for the terrain was not your best option.

Officer didn't need to be there to witness your crash by the way. Doesn't take Sherlock Holmes when someone claims to be in an accident, their car is off the road and it shows damage in line with an accident.


Title: [KY] I'm being sued for a break-in I didn't commit in 2008. Don't know what to do from here

Question:
I am being sued by a home insurance company for something that occured in 2008.  I was issued a summons for damages in a home insurance case.  That puts me at age ~16 when this occurred. In addition I was in foster care - I wasn't allowed to go anywhere they didn't know about.  It wasn't possible.

Just doing some basic google searching it seems like this would fall under property damage and it's past the statute of limitations right?

 I have 20 days to respond.  Do I send my written response to their attorney?  I'm going through a really rough time financially right now and I can't afford to hire a lawyer.  Any help is greatly appreciated TY.

Answer:
 > I'm going through a really rough time financially right now and I can't afford to hire a lawyer.

You can't really afford *not* to.  Failure to respond or respond appropriately might lead to a loss on your part - and then you don't have a chance to fight anymore.

Talk to your local Legal Aid group about legal help, or find a local attorney.  If this is as big of an error as you claim it to be, it can likely be cleared up quickly.Answer #2: What venue is the lawsuit in ?   How large an amount of money are they demanding ?

Is this a summons from the court, or just a demand letter from an insurance company ?

If it's small claims court, then the requirements for your response are less stringent than in district or superior courts.   But you still need to respond.Answer #3: Do you know why they believe you are responsible?Answer #4: Do you have a common name? Perhaps this is a case of mistaken identity.


Title: Upstairs tenants' dogs are peeing down on our patio.

Question:
I'm thinking of taking my neighbors upstairs to small claims court. The complex we live in have patios that extend out from each unit. They have at least one dog that pees on the edge of their patio and it drips down on ours. It happens almost daily. And when their own patio gets too dirty, they dump water on it to rinse it and it rains down to ours. It smells like a back alley dumpster and we can't sit out there or keep anything out there. It's space we are paying money to rent, but cannot use. I've complained and complained to both them and the landlord, and it persists. So I've decided to file suit.

I have photos, video, and emails documenting how long this has been going on. I've come up with an amount that I'd like to be compensated for based on square footage of the patio and what I'm paying total per square foot per month. I'd also like to charge for punitive damages, since I've talked to them and the landlord several times. The tenant, particularly, gives zero shits.

Two questions. I've asked the landlord for the name of the tenant so i can file paperwork for the suit. They won't give it to me, which I kinda expected, but can I file and serve them without knowing their name? Also, are punitive damages a reasonable expectation? Would I be able to sue the landlord since I don't know the name of the tenant?

Denver, CO

Thanks in advance for the feedback.

Answer:
 You rent the place? You have no damages so you will lose the lawsuit. Good news, though, is that you may have cause to break the lease due to sanitary reasons.

If I were you I'd start looking for a new place asap.Answer #2: You are mistaking your landlord problem for a neighbor one. Your lease/ rental agreement is with the landlord, and it's on them to make it right as far as your use of what you've paid for.

If the dog piss had damaged your property that you kept out there, then you'd sue the neighbor. But you say you don't have any personal damage, so this doesn't apply.Answer #3: Stop "talking" to either one of them, and start sending your landlord a demand letter by certified mail.  If you MUST have a verbal conversation, follow them up each time with an email or record them.

Your best bet at this point is to get the landlord to let you out of the lease, because they are breaking the contract with you by exposing you to filth and a unit that isn't fully usable; in particular, you want them to pay for your costs to move early.

Answer #4: You could get one of those silent dog repellant things and put it in your patio. If the dog won’t use the upstairs patio, he can’t pee on you.Answer #5: Does she have a car?

You can get her info from her plate #.


Title: Third party reservation websites creating fake hotel websites

Question:
So I work at the front desk of a hotel in Massachusetts, and this afternoon my manager showed me that if you google the name of our hotel, our direct website is the first result, and second is a fake website with the same url minus one word. The second website is from a third party. If you click on it it looks similar to ours, just a much crappier version. It has our description copied from our website, our pictures from our website, etc. It isn't as in-depth but basically has one page and the option to select dates, which if you click on them will bring you to the third party's affiliate's website page. I want to know the legality of this? It's false advertising and a lot of our guests have called us angry about our website because of this or that. Also if you call the number they list on the website they essentially act as if they are the hotel. What steps can we take? I tried to call and was prepared to go off on them but they gave me some non-existent phone number and it was a dead end, but I want to know what position I have before I do this. I'm not sure if this even illegal or any problem, but there has to be something against them stealing our content and posting it, or posing as us. Any advice would be great.
Topic:
Business Law

Answer: if they're copying your description and pictures, you can send them a DCMA notice.  You can also send it to Google to have them delisted from the Google results, and can do the same for other search engines as well.


Title: Ex had texted me saying that I owe him money when I don't and is threatening to take me to court.

Question:
I had broken up with my ex near the beginning of the year and I am now happily with someone new. Today, I had gotten a text from an unsaved number saying "I got your address. I want my money. You owe me $500. You got until next month."

After questioning why he would come to my house, he stated, "I'm not going to your house, you know who I am. I have other people for that."

Now, I have never borrowed physical money from him and I have never been given an electronic transfer of money from him either. There is no physical proof or note recording an exchange because it never happened. Bottom line: I have never received $500 from him that he says I owe. There may have been a case where he's taken me on a shopping spree out of the "kindness of his own heart" but that's it.

He has also stated that he will take me to court if I don't pay.

Part of me feels like he has a personal vendetta against me for splitting with him. In occasional short "how are you" conversations I've had with him since the break-up, he often talks down on my new relationship and tries to act friendly towards me. I have cut off all contact with him and blocked his number because I can feel his manipulation towards me in the things he had said.

I've never been in a situation like this and it is quite alarming as he had stated that he has my address. I no longer live at the address he has, but my family does and I fear for their safety.

What do I do in this situation? What are the best moves to make?

Answer: He can take you to court, yeah. But without proof that you owe him anything, a judge will likely just dismiss the claim. Even if he did give you money unless there's an agreement that the money is to be paid back, it's usually considered a gift. Just ghost him.


Title: Not allowed to cash our checks til boss says so..

Question:
So my boss is slowly but essentially running the non-profit business I am working at into the ground. For about the past couple months, only certain people are being told not to cash their checks until they can't anymore or until the boss says they can. My partner and I live in the same household & work at the same place, so that causes issues more for him than I (I have quite a bit of savings).

The checks have been handed out on payday, but not allowed to cash it. This last time, I just cashed it a few days ago without permission & my partner hasn't as of right now. I have told him to cash it today or tomorrow regardless of what the boss says, payday is now 3 days away. I have been told that's not legal by a friend. I looked up but I have no idea what all this means or if I am looking at the right thing. Is this type of thing allowed by the employer? Is this re-portable? What are my rights?

Located in Wisconsin USA.

(We know, we are looking for other jobs before leaving)

Answer:
 Not allowed, it means your boss is writing bad checks that won't all clear at once

Everyone needs to try depositing them all on pay day. I guarantee several will bounce. The bank would report him to the authorities for writing bad checks, and your boss will likely go to prison


Title: I'm a bartender and any drink or food I spill/mess up I have to pay for. Is that legal?

Question: Just started a new job in Florida at a bar. Whenever an employee messes up an order or we spill a drink we have to pay for it. We pay for it at a discounted rate but it doesn't seem right. If it's out of our hands or a customers fault then we don't have to worry.

Answer:
 So long as they don't take you below minimum wage they can charge you for it, the catch is that they cannot deduct it from your paycheck unless you agree to that.  Of course they can also terminate you if you refuse to agree to the deduction.  Also, if the deduction would take you below minimum wage they can also just terminate you.Answer #2: Many states have laws that specifically prohibit this kind of practice, but Florida is not among them.

You're protected only by the minimum wage rules at the Federal level;  see [FLSA Fact Sheet 16](https://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs16.htm#.UIFzImdXNxA).

The Federal law doesn't even require that you agree to the deductions.

This policy is probably why that bar frequently has job openings for bartenders.


Title: Former employer says they paid me too much 8 months after I resigned and are asking for their money back (New York, New York)

Question:
I posted this on another subreddit but was told to come here.

Basic Information:

I resigned in October and took another job without caring about the amount I was owed by the job I left. I get a call in December from them saying they still had a pay check for me. They send it. I deposit it. Now in April I get in the mail they overpaid me because I left in the middle of a payment period.

Just wondering if I have to pay or if this is just a courtesy they are asking for.

Thanks guys

Answer: If you didn't earn it, you have to repay it. Answer #2: What did they report on your W2? The total amount paid, or the total paid minus the overpayment?


Title: [California] Employer suddenly wants to keep my on call stipend

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 First question is if you have a contract, or an employment agreement. The easiest way to tell them apart is that an employment contract expires and must be renewed each period.

If you have a contract, you can insist they continue to honor the contract until it's end date, at which point they do not have to renew and you will be unemployed.

If you have an employment agreement, then they can modify the pay at any time as long as they notify you ahead of time, and you can decide to accept it or leave.


Title: “Breeder” I bought my dog from doesn’t have vaccination dates recorded [MO]

Question: About a week ago I was browsing online for a new puppy. I came across an adorable pup who was listed with the headline “I’m homeless! Please rescue me!”  So I drove the 40 minutes to where he was located. Upon getting there, I realized I was at a dog boarding kennel. I spoke with the owner and he told me that he is the owner of the boarding kennel and has two pet Pomeranians who have puppies every year that he sells. So the dog is not quite homeless. Anyway, I fall in love with the dog and decide to purchase him for $550. The owner seemed a little skeevy and I could tell the pup was a bit scared of him, so I wanted to give the pup a loving home. The owner said “I am guaranteeing you a healthy dog”.  Well, I took the dog into the vet and the vet was appalled about how skinny the dog is. She said things like “I hope you didn’t pay much for this dog”, “he wasn’t treated very well at his last home”, and he is “skin and bones”. Additionally, the dog is covered with fleas and has ear mites.  She wanted to see the vaccination records the owner provided, and I gave her the sheet he gave me. She promptly realized there are no dates on any of the vaccinations listed, so she didn’t want to give the booster shots without knowing when the initial shots were given. I emailed the owner and waited a week. No response. So I called the owner and told him about all the things the vet found wrong with the dog. The owner got extremely defensive and rude and told me the dog must have gotten the fleas from the vet and that I must be going to a bad vet. I told him I need the vaccination dates and he told me he doesn’t have them. He told me to bring the dog back for a full refund then hastily hung up the phone. I emailed him saying I need to know the name of the vet he took my dog to, but again, no response. What should I do about this situation? I don’t want to give the dog back because he clearly was mistreated there, and I’m in love with the dog. Is the owner legally obligated to have the dates of the vaccinations? I have no idea what to do.

Answer: The dog wasn’t given any vaccinations- start fresh.


Title: Is this legal for my manager to pay me this way?

Question:
This is in Texas. Haven't been able to deposit or cash my check at the bank for a few days.(not enough funds in the business account i guess) My manager said she will pay me out of the cash register tomorrow and for me to leave my check in their safe they have at the store. Havent ever filed taxes so idk if this will affect me negatively.

I feel like this is considered paying me under the table (I think thats what the phrase is called)

Answer:
 If they are withholding taxes from your check and paying them as appropriate, then it's not illegal.

It's only "under the table" if you don't declare the income on your taxes.

But "we don't have enough money to pay you right now" should be a huge red flag for you about how much longer they will be around.Answer #2: Like u/Cypher_Blue stated, a huge red flag to not have money to pay employees.

If they are stating they will take your check back and pay your what is on the check, it is legal. they are just cutting the bank out of the equation. If they want the check back and pay you more or less than what is on that check you have cause for concern.Answer #3: You're going to be out of a job in under a week more than likely. If they don't have enough in the bank to make payroll and are cutting deals (I guarantee you will not get paid in full, just enough to get you to keep working) the business will soon collapse and you will never be paid. My advice, if you aren't paid in full, file a wage claim now if you want any chance of getting paid before it's all gone.

Being paid "under the table" has to do with them and/or you not reporting it to tax authorities--cash is a way to facilitate that, but certainly not illegal by itself.


Title: New homeowner crew - can my neighbor sue me? claims my house is causing a leak in his

Question:
I bought a townhouse in Houston, TX that has a shared wall with my neighbor who is claiming my balcony is causing a leak on his side and wants me to fix it asap.

location: houston, TX

**Background:**
I bought a townhouse that has a shared wall with my neighbor. Both townhouses are identical except he converted his carport into a bedroom. The townhouses are each 3 stories, high, 1st floor is a carport had no garage door, it was just a concrete slab with a roof above it. After converting his carport into a bedroom, he noticed severe water leaks into the new bedroom. The contractor said it was from the roof. So my neighbor replaced his entire roof. Leaks continued. Contractor said it was from his balcony (we have a big balcony sitting atop the carport). The balcony has ivy on the exterior brick wall and stone for the floor of the balcony. Contractor said the ivy has caused the brick to be porous and the stone is old and porous so the water must be coming from there. So my neighbor had all the ivy cut and the stone removed and replaced with basic wood (looks terrible). Leak continues. Contractor said it's because of the metal flashing on the roof (it wasn't replaced). Neighbor had that replaced yesterday. Contractor cut a giant hole in the shared wall (didn't hit my side though), which shows that the wood in the wall was semi rotting due to water leaks (the rot was above the balcony which leads me to believe it came from the roof). Contractor says that water is leaking from my balcony and is running along the shared wall and into my neighbors 1st floor bedroom. Contractor says he will need to remove the stone on my balcony and put down torch paper then spray my exterior walls with sealant and replace the sealant running along the balcony in order to fix my neighbors leak. Contractor says the stone in my balcony will crumble when he removes it and he will just fill it with cement and paint it to look like the other stone since he likely won't be able to find stone to match. I asked the contractor why they can't just seal my neighbors side off to shield my "leak" from his side and contractor claims that because we have a shared wall (with a firewall) that they can't shield it (I'm calling BS on this).

**My thoughts:**
1- contractor is full of shit. This is the same guy that the previous home owner used. When I bought my house he was supposed to repair the threshold of a door that would leak water... he replaced it but it still continues to leak. He's a fast talking old guy that seems to not really know what he's talking about in general. For him to say, oh it's your roof... no it's your balcony... no it's your neighbors balcony makes me think he has 0 clue what he's talking about.
2- my carport has a small leak (only when it rains hard) that mirrors where my neighbors leak is on his side. It's very minor, not causing mildew or damage... and it's an exterior car port I use for storage so I don't really care that it's leaking. I also plan to convert my carport into a bedroom in the future and would have the builder ensure there are no leaks at that time. I don't want to spend $$$ to fix a leak on my side that has no effect on my currently. I don't have that kind of money.
3- I do like and feel bad for my neighbor but I don't see why they need to come on my side of the house to fix it.

**Questions:**
1. why can't my neighbor do something on his side to protect himself from my leak?
2.  if I do nothing, am I liable for anything?
3.  is the contractor full of shit?
4. any idea what the potential problem was and how to fix?

Answer:
 Check if neighbors had a city permit to convert the carport into a bedroom. I bet they did not, and it's uninspected.

The building was not designed for the carport area to be an interior area, so the deck above it was not designed to provide the same drainage as a roof.

If there is rot inside the wall, there was water inside the wall. So how do they justify ripping up your stuff?


Title: Arkansas: Tenant has moved out, but is dragging his feet on removing his property. 25 days late on rent at this point... can i consider it abandoned, change locks, and take property? If not, what is the process?

Question:
Im in Arkansas.  Month to month lease, $650 security deposit.  No stipulations about 30 day notice to move or anything.

Tenant has been moving out in stages for over a month.  **No one has stayed in the house in a month.**  As of now they are 25 days late on the rent.  Last month he informed me that they were moving, paid a half months rent, and said he would be out by the 27th.  However, he has been dragging his feet for a month, and his "ill be out on such and such" deadlines come and go, often without any contact from him.

He has indicated that he will pay the back rent (**even writing "owed $400" on their money order when they paid for half a month last month**), but i have no guarantee that he will.  As of today, the back rent is equal to the security deposit... but i will have no money for excessive damages, and right now im estimating the damages will be $100 to $300.

I have multiple text messages where he has told me that he will be coming to get the rest of his stuff, clean the house, and drop off the keys, but he never shows, or he shows and gets a few things and leaves.  I'll politely ask for an update, and he will say something like 'ill be there tomorrow to get the rest and give you the keys', and then i wont hear from him for 5 or 6 days sometimes.

The most recent communication was that i asked him for an update on the 16th.  He said he would be here on the 17th to finish cleaning and give me the keys.  On the 17th i asked what time he would be here... no response.  On the 18th i told him i needed some communication... no response.  I also told him i would be entering the property to make sure the pipes wouldn't freeze... no response.  Today is the 19th.

I have been in the property and taken a video of the entire house.  There is a handful of items in/around the house - washer/dryer, couch, old riding mower, dog pen, ~$2500 broken down vehicle - can i legally consider it abandoned, change locks, and take the property?  If not, what is the process to do so?

Thanks for any help.

Answer:
 In Arkansas, you can file a notice to vacate after 5 days and have them evicted. However, you may not change the locks yourself or remove their property by yourself - you must get the court order before doing so.

Send them a certified letter with the details, and tell them you are terminating the lease for failure to vacate. After 5 days, file at the county courthouse for eviction.


Title: Colorado - Separated, wife asked for a divorce last week. No paperwork has been filed, do I need to help her pay rent?

Question:
* I never signed any paperwork on the house.

* Most of the bills are in her name. The ones that aren't I am getting taken out of my name.

* We both have full time jobs, she makes slightly more than me.

* We agreed (verbally) to share custody. Split the days right down the middle. I feed them and take care of them on my days, she does on hers.

* I live with my parents right now, who said they will start charging me rent which then she will have to help pay if thats what it comes down to.

She is saying that it is my legal right to have to help her pay for stuff. I disagree, I say that since we have joint custody, that we are splitting taking care of them right down the middle, that the only things we should have to pay equally are daycare and anything special like that. I pay for my rent and the food and gas and everything it takes for me to take care of my kids, she can dam well do the same. Am I right?

Answer:
 You posted here yesterday.  From that it sounds like neither you nor your wife actually own the house.

I know you don't want to hear this, but you need to stop trying to do this yourself. It sounds like she wants out and you want to save the marriage. A lot of people in your position capitulate in the hopes of somehow saving the marriage only to be screwed later when your divorce is final.

You need to go talk to a family lawyer, get a custody agreement that clearly spells out everyone's rights and work out a property settlement that is to everyone's liking.

Don't do these things yourself, there are complicated jurisdictional rules relating to custody and child support orders that you will not be able to figure out on your own. You don't want to get screwed. Answer #2: You have to continue to pay for everything as you normally were. You can't simply stop because that won't look good in court, and can be considered abandonment. If she hasn't filed, why haven't you? Divorce is a two-way street.


Title: [VA} Is it illegal for a coffee shop to give us penalties and take our tips?

Question:
This is in Virginia, and the wage ranges from $7.25-$10 an hour if that helps.

So at my workplace, I noticed that my managers have given us "tickets" whenever we do something wrong. Missing your uniform? $15. Coming into work late? $15. Messing up a drink? $10. This comes straight from our tips when we pool them at the end of the month and seems a bit unethical and not really heard of.  A slightly related scenario that happened recently: the landlord fined the shop $200 due to someone leaving trash on the side of the road and failed to throw it away. My managers aren't able to find out who did, so instead, they took $200 worth of our tips and paid that fine to the landlord.  Are things like this illegal?

Answer: All of that is very much illegal. Answer #2: Someone smarter than me will have to speak on the legality of this, but regardless, you should get out ASAP. If your employer makes a mistake that costs you your job, do you think they’ll compensate you? Probably not. What if next week there is another $200 “fine” that never actually happened, but your boss is short on rent? Too many red flags. A good manager would investigate to find out which employee did the act, and correct that specific employee, not take their money. Take care of yourself. Answer #3: Keep track of your hours and deductions. Make copies, save to the cloud. Find new employment because your employers are unethical and will likely repeat illegal behaviors. Once you are in your new job, file a wage claim with your state, using your documentation of the illegal deductions as evidence.


Title: Restraining order for a Yelp review

Question:
I currently have a protection order against me from the owner of a funeral home I reviewed on Yelp.
I am totally fine with staying away from her (I do not even live in the same state and have never met the woman) but I want to know what my rights are as far as my Yelp review.
Does it violate the restraining order to have it up? I am not removing it either way, because the events I wrote about took place (she stole a body without authorization and then tried to hold it for a $1300 ransom) and the stuff she says in her "evidence" is a bunch of made up nonsense that I'm amazed got her any kind of protection order at all. She says I "hacked" people to leave her fake reviews and I didn't. She says I made multiple Facebook accounts to bash her business, and I didn't. She says I forcibly had her Yelp review removed, which I didn't, Yelp removed it because she tried to review her own business which is against their TOS.

She contacted my "workplace" which is just Twitch and tried to slander me to them and accused me of all kinds of identity theft/hacking.

Honestly she has harassed me far more than I have done to her, but the court ruled in her favor since I wasn't there to respond (Why would I fly to another state for this, especially when such nonsense should have been dismissed?)

Anyways, I just want to know what this restraining order covers and could punish me for, as it does not explicitly tell me what to do aside from don't come near her and they scribbled in "cease electronic harassment / posting regarding petitioner" on the last page.

The order says her name, not her business.

I blocked her on Facebook some time ago and told her to leave me alone but she was angry that I didn't take down the review, and I still won't. She stole a dead body and tried to force money out of the grieving family for christsake. I'll go to jail before I delete it. I just want to know what my rights are, and what I'm allowed and not allowed to do.

I didn't know restraining orders could even extend to social media, since social media generally has a lovely feature called "Block" so, since I am not actually making any fake profiles or fake reviews in other people's names, as she says I am doing, do I need to hire a lawyer to protect my freedom of speech?

Nothing I said is libel/defamation. It's true. If she takes me to court, like actually takes me to court, I would win.. but as far as this protection order goes.. What would constitute a violation? She lives in Idaho, I live in Washington.

Answer: You should have hired a lawyer to represent you at the hearing for the protection order (actually, far before that). In fact, you should hire one now, and ask them these questions instead.


Title: [WA State} Can My Wife and I Use One Divorce Attorney?

Question:
After 9 years of marriage, we've decided to get a divorce. We're both civil to each other, and neither of us has retained an attorney. Wife knows I have a legal plan through work, and is fine saving money with this as long as it's fair. I've spoken to one attorney, and she says it's great if we can do this amicably. However she said she can't represent us both. She can help us, but would need to only speak or meet with me. Is this accurate? Is there a way to have an attorney represent us both?

I'm concerned that if that's the case, and I tell my wife, she'll get frustrated and retain her own attorney... which of course will cost us much more $$. We have no children, and don't own a house or property. I'm fine splitting savings/retirement 50/50. I understand I'll likely need to pay some maintenance since I make the majority of the money. But I'd just like to do this together without two attorneys and us disagreeing on what an appropriate maintenance amount would be. If my wife gets her own attorney, she'll demand a significant amount for support.

Finally, can I keep her on my health insurance plan after the divorce if we agree and add it into the divorce decree? I'd like her to have that option. Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated. I make $150k annually, she makes $35k.

Answer:
 A lawyer represents one side. You're looking for a mediator or an arbitrator.

The heath plan question might be a better one for /r/insurance. You want to make sure the insurance company isn't going to let you pay for her and then not cover her if something goes wrong.


Title: Ontario, Canada. Crazy neighbour has harassed gf and I for 4 years. Today he decided to shove me, so I defended myself and was charged with assault causing bodily harm.

Question:
[deleted]
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer:
 1.  Self defense has to be reasonable and proportionate.  You broke his face.
2. This is a charge that can result in imprisonment,  You should get a lawyer if you can afford it.  If you can't afford it, you'll have to use duty counsel.  You can apply for legal aid, but unless your income is similar to or less than you would get on Ontario Works, you probably won't qualify.
3.  Your first step should be speaking to a criminal attorney.
4.  Yes, you are absolutely in danger of being sued civilly.  Your home insurance might not cover it since you've been charged with a crime, but it wouldn't hurt to give them a call.Answer #2: >my gf is the one that calls the cops, yet I am the one charged?

Breaking someone's skull will have that effect.

 When the cops show up and someone is that badly injured they aren't usually going to just let you go based on your description of what happened.
Answer #3: Yeah IANAL but this is definitely an assault charge at the very least. You were not defending yourself, stop saying that because it's not true. You were pissed and attacked.Answer #4: Would you clarify... He set up a dumpster in your yard & then you shoved him into his own dumpster, breaking his face?

Not legal advice, but if you haven't done so already, you need cameras on your property.


Title: Religious discrimination?

Question:
Location: TN

First of all, I am on mobile so I apologize for any mispellings.

My boss has written me up 3 times for "proselytizing" at work. I do not mention religion at work. Each time has been for leaving something in my car, such as a bible or church program. She hasmall patrolled the parking lot looking into cars for these items, taken pictures, and written me up. Last month, a family member passed away and she asked for a program from the funeral for proof so I could take some time off. This program had a bible verse on it so I received a final warning.  Recently my mother in law mailed a birthday card to my work (I don't know why she didn't mail it to my house). Boss opened it, and it was a religious card. She says I am now facing termination.

I have told her that this is illegal discrimination, and she feels that it is impossible to discriminate against Christians because they are in the majority in the US and you can only discriminate against minorities. She also claims to have found a loophole by saying that she is terminating for misconduct since she had made it clear that no religious items are to be on property.

I know I should find a new job and I am trying. I live in a small town and have had two offers pulled after they call her. I had a friend call to find out what she is saying, and she said that I was a religious nut who is about to be fired for misconduct. She the told me that she can't belive my disloyalty and that she would make it impossible for me to find another job.

What should my next steps be?

Answer:
 None of this makes sense.

If you're fired file for unemployment and then have her present proof that she fired you for religious reasons... or what ever she makes up for a reason.Answer #2: Frankly this sounds fake, but its obviously illegal if it isn't. If it were true, you could sue the employer for religious discrimination in violation of the federal Civil Rights Act and presumably Tennessee law and recover damages. You'd obviously want a lawyer to do that, so again assuming this isn't bullshit, go have some consults with local employment attorneys.


Title: Got laid off. Company owes me $6,700 in missed paychecks. (GA)

Question:
Company had been doing poorly for the last 5 months and as a result missed several paychecks. I was paid $500 here and there but at the time of laying me off I’m currently owed $6,700. I got an itemized list of the money owed to me on my last day from the accountant.

Owner promises to pay asap but I’ve worked for him for 5+ years and he has a history of being terrible with money and paying vendors. Also he probably does not have access to the funds as he owes everyone who works there about that same amount (6 people) What legal steps should I take?

Answer:
 File a wage claim or sue. The former is easier. If the company goes bankrupt, file a claim ASAP. Wages are first among the unsecured debts

But you can't get blood from a stone, and it sounds like you should be prepared for that possibility


Title: Me and g/f broke up. She was granted temp. custody of 2 year old daughter.  She has grand mal seizures. Any help would be very appreciated.

Question: We live in Wyoming and they seem to favor the mother --- Me and my girlfriend have been drifting apart for a long time and we finally decided it was time to go our separate ways.  Instead of going to work the next day, she went to the courthouse and got a temporary protection order so she could get granted temporary custody of our daughter.  The protection order will be dismissed in court, i'm sure.  My biggest concern is that she has grand mal seizures.  She has had several in the past several years.  She doesnt have an aura before she has the seizures.  This is a very dangerous situation for my daughter to be in for obvious reasons.  She could be cooking and have one, eating and choke to death, fall over on our daughter because our daughter likes to follow her around or while she's driving.  We were always able to work around this because I could watch over both of them and diffuse any dangerous situation.  Now that i'm away from them, I have no way of helping either of them.  Is there anything I can do about this in court?  Is there really any solution to this situation?

Answer: The very, very first thing that stands out in my mind is that she drives. Has her license ever been suspended because of her seizures? This will matter.


Title: [AK] Due I have any legal recourse for the inadequate education I am receiving from public school?

Question: I am having major issues with the education I am receiving from public school. Currently I am a junior and I feel as I have received inadequate education. Not only do I have teachers who simply dont care and regularly make mistakes like losing assignments and failing to put in grades etc. Also my state has one of the highest drop out rates and my city has had lots of controversy regarding the school district. I feel as if my education has suffered due to bad teaching and administration, do I have any recourse for this?

Answer:
 >*Due* I have

Honestly I can't decide if this typo is accidental or deliberate. Answer #2: You have no recourse at all in terms of suing.  You can ask your parents if there is another educational option like private school or online classes but that's about it.  There are schools like this all over the countryAnswer #3: you can vote when you're of age. and you can have civic involvement and try to change things. Answer #4: >do I have any recourse for this?

Nope.

Even if you did, why would suing help? Then you're just taking *more* money away, resulting in a *worse* education.

When you turn 18 you can vote or run for office to put more money into education.Answer #5: I am a physician. I am also a high school dropout. The high school I went to in the late '60s was shit.

I went to Community College, transferred to University, &c, &c. Took a while as I always had a job (until Medical School-no time for an outside job then).

Ultimately *you* are responsible for your education.


Title: Are there any legal obligations that come with leaving a sorority?

Question: As title said, I’m trying to leave my sorority and they said to disaffiliate I have to return my new member pin (which is a tiny triangle badge) and my initiated member pin (which is gold and sapphire and cost $450 out of my dues). Do I HAVE to give back something I paid for to leave properly? I worked for it and paid for it? I asked if there’s anything stating to give it back and she sent me a picture of the disaffiliation policy but I don’t recall signing anything that said “if you leave you MUST give back said items”...

Answer:
 You'll need to read your membership agreement. This stuff should be set out there. If you agreed to return it, they can sue if you breach that agreement, and _may_ win - costing you the $450, plus their filing fees, at least. If you never agreed to return it and there was never an expectation that you'd do so, or if you did agree but the agreement is legally unenforceable for some reason, then they can still sue you, but likely wouldn't win.

Don't go by what you recall. Read the agreements you actually signed.


Title: Dealing with online fraud

Question:
So recently, I made a purchase on the Facebook Marketplace, but it was just a scam and I lost $270. But here's the catch - I was purchasing on the marketplace against facebooks terms of service. I'm 17 years old so I made a purchase while I was underage. Because of that, I don't believe there's anything I can do to get my money back. I screenshotted conversations with the seller, and they even made a status update admitting to fraud, which I screenshotted as well but the seller has since deleted. Honestly, I'm just a stupid kid who saw all the red flags in that purchase, but neglected them all because of my desperation I suppose, but I digress. Is there anything I can do?

A quick side note - I also found their address from a quick google search, and I'm tempted to just drive over there and demand my money back from them. I know that's just impulsive thinking, however, $270 is A LOT of money to lose as a 17 year old.

Answer:
 Driving over and confronting a scammer (or the person who’s identity the scammer used) is a terrible idea.

When you buy against the terms of service, you may still seek support from the transaction coordinator.  They may or may not refuse to help for the terms violation. And may or may not ban you from the service.


Title: Got Ringworm from a kitten adopted from the ASPCA should I sue them? My nephew ended up in the hospital and a host of other things happened.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 I don't get it. Pain and suffering? Just get some damn Lotrimin, treat the fungus, and move on.Answer #2: No.

Diseases, such as ringworm, are a known risk with animals.  You assumed that risk when you adopted a kitten.  The ASPCA does their best to ensure all animals are healthy, but like anything medicinal, they are unable to be 100% sure of that.  This is ESPECIALLY true with felines who do not do well in crowded, shelter environments and can contract illnesses quickly in such conditions.

The kitten's behavior is typical kitten behavior.  MANY kittens chew wires.  My fully grown cat still will chew headphones or charging cords.  Kittens can be super destructive.  Just like puppies.

I am sorry you didn't do your research to understand the risks of adopting an animal before you did so.  Next time, make sure you are fully prepared to take on this responsibility before doing so.


Title: Am I required to disclose statements I made in an email if asked? (Tree law??) WA State

Question: [removed]

Answer:
 You don't have to share anything.  You produced a work product for a client (the estimate and assessment) and that's that.

In theory if a tree falls and hits the neighbor's house and then there is a legal dispute, you could end up testifying as to what you advised this client.  You don't have any liability, it would just be to establish what the client knew, you don't have any exposure for providing an accurate assessment and removal cost.

If you think the neighbor is up to no good, the response would be that the client owns the report since he paid for it and go talk to him.  If the neighbor wants a report he can hire his own arborist.Answer #2: Unless/until you get a subpoena, you have no obligation to share anything. The neighbor could not hold you liable.Answer #3: You can offer to assess the same trees for this new neighbor. Other than that I’d cease all communication unless you are ordered to testify in court.


Title: [GA] Tenant has moved in and hasn't paid full deposit or first month rent

Question: They signed the contract and took the key, they paid half the deposit and said the next half they will pay the next day. I said they could not move in until paid first month and deposit but they had already moved in and will not reply or pay me. Is our contract not even binding? Are they just sitting in my house? Do I have to still give a 30 notice or call police ? Please help me

Answer:
 Why did you give them the key before they had paid you? In any case the police are not going to help. [Here is an overview of the process you'll need to follow.](https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/eviction-notices-nonpayment-rent-georgia.html) Read it thoroughly. If they do not leave and do not pay rent you will have to take them to court. You cannot change the locks or do anything illegal like that:

>The landlord can file an affidavit with the court to begin the dispossessory proceedings if the tenant refuses to move out of the apartment after receiving notice. The landlord must obtain an order from the judge before the tenant can actually be evicted.
>
>A landlord in Georgia cannot evict a tenant without a court order. It is illegal for landlords to change the locks on the door or shut off the utilities to the rental unit. This type of behavior is often referred to as a "self-help" eviction, and it is illegal in Georgia (see Ga. Code Ann. § 44-7-14.1).

[Here is a helpful guide your state publishes as well.](http://www.consumer.ga.gov/uploads/pdf/GA_Landlord_Tenant_Handbook_2017.pdf) [PDF]


Title: Is it difficult for lawyers to work long hours and be expected to dress so formally?

Question: I've always heard attorneys work long hours; I'm no stranger to doing this myself but I admit if I'm doing something like ten hours a day I can get a little lazy and forget to shave or reuse an outfit (out of whatever sense of shame I have left I won't go into details).Thankfully I work in a call center where I have a very informal dress code; but I have no idea how I'd survive if I had to do like ten hours ish and get a suit and tie ready every day. Is it hard for you guys to do that or am I just lazy?

Answer: I'm not a lawyer but had to dress professionally for years, as well as when I was pregnant and working 10-13 hour days. It's just what you have to do for some careers.


Title: I work in a pizza place. They just installed fingerprint scanners in lieu of a pin# to log in to the computer. Do I have a legal right to opt out of giving my employer my fingerprint?

Question:
I just don't like the idea of them having my prints on record, and I would be a little surprised if they can legally compel me to provide said prints. I would prefer to continue typing in my pin.

Also, should I provide them my fingerprints and the data is stolen, do I have a right to sue them for potential damages? I really just have no idea how this all works. Thanks for any help.

PS: Seattle, WA

Edit: thanks for all the replies, folks. Looks like the consensus is my paranoia is unfounded based on how the devices actually work. I appreciate the info there. Also, apparently having someone's fingerprints would prove useless in almost any imaginable scenario. But the biggest thanks goes out to those who replied about the legal ramifications here, as that was more my concern than anything. I'll provide the print if I must, but if I had a right to withhold it, I would have exercised that right. Thank you for clarification.

Answer:
 You misunderstand how most fingerprint readers work. They don't store an image of your fingerprint that can be misused in anyway. The fingerprint file on their system can't be used to get into your laptop or phone in any way. They can't create fake evidence from having your print, nor is it in a format that would enable them to do a background check with it.

They can't legally compel you to do anything. They also have no legal compulsion to continue employing you. Answer #2: No you don't have to, but you can be legally fired.

What possible damages do you think you could suffer from somebody knowing your fingerprints?Answer #3: No, you don't.

Also, FWIW, those don't actually keep a copy of your prints on record.  They scan several small areas of your finger that comprise something like 5-10% of the total surface area of it, and compare the same area when you scan in & out.  So even if someone could hack one of those machines, all they'd get is useless dots that couldn't be used for anything other than to compare against your actual finger.

Source:  My old company used these and I was the guy who had to explain this to paranoid employees.


Title: [TX] My friend's deadbeat husband ran off with their 2.5 year old kid tonight after a fight. Legal options/advice?

Question:
Yep, this all went down minutes ago. She was texting me about it almost in real time.

Basically I have a work friend, if it matters yes I originally liked her romantically, but she didn't reciprocate. Doesn't matter though. He worked the same job, and started liking her about 2 months after I did. Well they quickly ended up living together, and more or less got married eventually (she is muslim, she told me they had a muslim ceremony and she considers them married, but they were not legally married by the state). At any rate they've been together over 4 years and had two kids together in that time. A 2.5 year old girl and a 8 month old girl or so. She also had a 8 year old boy from a previous relationship. He also has a daughter with another woman (about 5 or 6 years old now I think), but rarely sees her and doesn't care to, she stays with the mother. Both the couple in question are mid 30's or so. Both have jobs, he is a security guard and has access to guns FWIW.
Anyways I worked with this guy for years so I know his personality. He isn't all bad, but in general he's moody, manipulative, conniving, immature, etc. While he could be a lot of fun with a good personality when happy, he was prone to frequent bad moods at work, to where some days he would barely speak or offer a greeting even to people he considered friends.

Anyways I stayed friends with the girl, mostly behind his back, since we still work together (me and the girl still work the same job, he got fired a few years ago). Basically she has told me how he is a piece of crap, he has his deadbeat friends over playing cards and videogames at all hours. He is 35 or so and yes, he does that. He is barely capable of taking care of their kids, since he will just crash asleep early in the morning after videogames. Lately it seems to have come to a head. This past Monday she was forced to call in to our job because he had been up all night playing cards with friends, the 8 month old was sick, having trouble breathing through nose etc, and she knew he would just be crashed out asleep rather than take care of her, and the 8 yr old needed a ride to school at 7AM plus some sort of important function later in the day and she knew he wouldn't do that either since in her words "he already cussed me out". Our job is such we are not allowed many call ins, so even one is a big deal and could lead to a writeup.

The 2.5 year old daughter he loves, supposedly she has told me he does not much care about the 8 month old (he has also flat out told her he doesn't love his daughter with the other woman, thats what kind of guy he is). He knows she loves her kids to death, and uses that for leverage, he has repeatedly threatened to take the 2.5 yr old if they split up (knowing this is her greatest fear). He has said he will lie in court and say she is a terrible parent and so on, and will hire a lawyer (even though he basically never has a dollar to his name) to take the girl etc. The woman is an immigrant from Africa btw, she's a little naive and very scared of losing her kids, tends to think black people let alone immigrant muslims (she is black he is white) dont have rights in America, all that stuff. so even though I tried to assuage her, I feel like she believes him about that he will take their kids if they split up. Of course the scumbag knows she fears this and plays on it as much as he can BTW about her immigration status, AFAIK she is fully legal.

She has mentioned in the past if they get in fights, he is worried she will take the 2 year old and "run away". He will even take the 2 yr old with him if he is going somewhere if they have a fight, in case she tries to "run away" supposedly. I can say as foolish as I consider her, the girl has no intention of leaving him.

I hope that's not too much backstory. Anyways apparently just like an hour ago, she texted me they got in a fight and he left with the 2 year old girl. Took her to a friends apt. Didn't tell her where he was going. She had to play phone roulette with his friends to find out where he and the child was. Now, it's very possible all this could blow over. But I cant stand this guy's attitude and I told her that's kidnapping. I'm resisting getting involved but I've met this 2 year old and I care about her a lot too. Honestly I dont think she's safe with him, the woman has told me enough about his bad parenting (it's not like he is mean to the kids, just that he doesn't care or watch them properly), not to mention his friends are hardly upstanding characters themselves. I feel like it's a dangerous situation just that the 2 year old is with him in his friends apt even for just a night. I'm tired of his bullying and BS as well. I told her I might talk to a lawyer in the morning, I told her that's kidnapping and she should call the cops on him (even though legally, I dont actually know for sure)  but in the meantime, there's this.

I've considered calling the cops about this situation, tonight. but I dont know the law here. I dont want to make the situation worse, if he feels threatened who knows what this guy could do. He is very emotional.

Law? Advice?
Topic:
CPS and Dependency Law

Answer:
 Without any sort of custody arrangement, he has as much of a right to take the kid as she does. She can consult with a family law attorney ASAP and file for custody and leave him, if she chooses to.

You'd be well advised to stay out of it yourself though. It's not your battle. Answer #2: Friend, cut this down about 85% if you're interested in getting some more responses. We need like bullet points here.Answer #3: It isn't kidnapping, it's his child. I really doubt you're getting the full story seeing as you are her friend. She should get an attorney and sue for custody if she wants.  I am not your attorney.