Title: How can I help a 17yo friend of my son's? Need to get him away from parents, don't want to involve CPS. Pennsylvania.

Question:
My son has a friend who is an all around great kid.  He is 17 and won't be 18 until September.  I don't think he'll make it that long at home.  He's a hard worker, very kind.  His home life is a mess. Among other parental neglect, his parents have him convinced that he owes them thousands of dollars for cars they purchased using his money, or "loaned" against his future earnings.  He has to turn every cent he makes over to his parents and they give him $20 a month for gas, food, etc. They've basically enslaved this kid to pay for their laziness and poor money management.  He is the youngest and all 3 of his siblings moved out the day they turned 18. None are in a position to help him.  He is so stressed out and is very, very depressed.  I would like to help him out.

We are in a financial position to buy one of the cars from his parents for him to drive.  But this will only help the kid if he can get away from them.  We could offer our spare bedroom - he can live here with our other two boys, no problem for us.  As far as I can tell he owes them nothing for any other cars. He's a minor and cannot incur debt, correct?  If he moves out can they come after him for money?

I know there will be emotional blackmail going on, his mother is nuts.  I know it is very hard to leave your home, even if it's a toxic environment. I know it will be a long road, but this boy needs some relief or he's going to break.

Legally, what can I do to help?  Can his parents come after us because he's not 18?  We have emancipation in PA, but it's a difficult process and by the time it would work out, he'd probably be 18.

I know he'd need to get any important documents (SS card, birth certificate, etc.) before he leaves or he might never see it again.

I lose so much sleep over this kid's situation.  Help me!

Answer:
 If he's underage and his parents aren't on board with him moving out, you aren't going to be able to do much. Contacting CPS is the way to go.

It is a good idea for him to begin getting his important documents now even if he isn't going to be leaving until he's 18. The best you could do is be supportive to him now and help him in planning for his future. Keep him focused on that future to help him get through these last few months. Answer #2: One note: if CPS is involved, it may make it easier for him to go to college.


Title: (Ohio) Woman and children effectively homeless after Ex-Husband files protection order against new BF

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Not your circus, not your monkey's.

With that being said, the new BF can not evict your friend or the kids. It's their place too. If the BF remains in the residence than it will be the BF that is in violation of the Protective Order. If I'm reading this correctly, than it is the BF that needs to find another place. If your friend finds herself locked out of the building, she should call the police. They'll come and should remove the BF. Answer #2: Someone who is not the child's parent or acting in loco parentis generally doesn't have the same right to physically discipline a child. ([Details](http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/2919.22), [one lawyer's take](https://www.childinjurylawyerblog.com/2009/01/ohio_law_when_does_corporal_pu_1.html).) It's not completely clear to me that the new BF has any right to smack his girlfriend's children _at all_, and he should tread very carefully on this.

The boyfriend can and should get a lawyer and appear at the hearing to challenge the order. Until then, either the boyfriend lives elsewhere or the children live elsewhere. The temporary order is binding, whether or not it will be upheld at the hearing. If the boyfriend refuses to leave, he may face criminal charges for violating the restraining order unless your friend stays elsewhere with her kids.


Title: My math teacher stares at my friends in the fitness room. What can I do about it?

Question: I'm a high school student in Canada, Ontario. My math teacher also supervises the fitness room after school. Quite a few times my two closest friends (who I trust with my life) have told me how he stares at them while they work out. They've left early most of those times as a result. I told my mother and she spoke to one of the school's guidance counsellors, who is a good friend of hers, who said "it wouldn't be the first time." He's had accusations made against him for the same issue before but it was just word of mouth so nothing came of it. My friends and I want to do something about this, but we don't know exactly what we can do to most effectively deal with the situation.

Answer: Good job telling your mom. Thats the first step. They should tell their parents as well. If it continues tell the principal. Answer #2: I'm not sure what you mean by "stares at".  It's his job to keep an eye on the fitness room, so obviously he has to look at everyone inside it.


Title: A bullet came through my friends apartment wall last night, can she get out of the rest of her lease for feeling unsafe?

Question: We are just trying to figure out what the best move here is. Her roommate was there with her parents and I guess the dad almost got hit, any advice is appreciated!

Answer: Unless her Landlord is the one that shot, no.


Title: Sister collected unemployment for $1k until her boss put a stop to it and now she owes money. How will the money be taken back?

Question:
My sister had a job for a small company (less than 10 people) a few years ago and was let go on friendly terms. She filled out unemployment, collected it for a few months (total of about $1000), and the boss found out and put a stop to it saying she was fired for something that wasn't true. Since it was a small company, our state sided with him since he was the owner of the company saying she was fired for calling his girlfriend (who also worked there) a cunt, which never happened. The unemployment said that she'd owe the money she was given.

She decided then to go back to school instead of back to work. She's finishing up school and recently got a part time job. She's wondering how the money will be taken back. Will they take part of her check? Her entire check? Any ideas?

Answer: Did she appeal the determination that she quit instead of was let go? There is an appeals process.


Title: Is reckless endangerment still a crime if there was never any danger to begin with? [US law]

Question:
 Let's say there's an unattended bag on the street and the police set a perimeter around it for fear of danger.

Uncle Steve is tired of waiting so he walks up to the bag and just starts emptying it.

No bomb was found so there wasn't any danger to begin with.

Sure there was the "risk" of danger or harm to others but as it turns out in hindsight that risk equalled 0%

While I understand that crossing the perimeter without permission is a crime.

**Is the act of opening and emptying a harmless bag illegal simply because the bag is perceived as dangerous?**

on a sidenote:

I'm kinda tired of this "It's an unattended bag therefor it must be dangerous" mentality, I miss the days where a lone bag was turned in to a lost and found department nearby but that's not really important here.

Answer:
 >	I miss the days where a lone bag was turned in to a lost and found department nearby but that's not really important here.

Ok grandpa.  I suspect most of us miss those days as well.  But we live in a world where people load trucks with fertilizer and blow up federal buildings, fly airplanes into skyscrapers, and put pressure cooker bombs at the end of marathons, the days of treating abandoned packages as innocent are behind us.Answer #2: So, Reckless Endagerment is generally a state crime, so it's going to vary by statute.  Trying to look up a relevant statute on Google got me [this:](http://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=9A.36.050)

>(1)  A person is guilty of reckless endangerment when he or she recklessly  engages in conduct **not amounting to drive-by shooting** but that creates a  substantial risk of death or serious physical injury to another person.
(2) Reckless endangerment is a gross misdemeanor.

&#x200B;

...that's kinda weird.

To answer your question, though, risk is assessed at the time of the act and generally by a "reasonable person" standard, not post-hoc.


Title: Landlords trying to evict us because "lease has expired" (MI)

Question:
Renting a small house in Michigan. Recently received a letter in the mail, a Notice To Quit/To Recover Possession Of Property.

The reason is selected as other and more specifically "lease has expired". We are given 30 days to move or "your landlord/landlady may take you to court to evict you".

It's almost physically impossible for us to up and move within the time limit. My fiance and I have two small children and I'm going to school full time.

A little background: We moved into the home two and half years ago, we have renewed the lease twice, and within the last month and a half have realized the landlords didn't offer us a new one. But, we are familiar with them and they are parents of friends so we just have gone about our business and continued to pay.

There have been a few issues with the house, such as a very strong mold smell coming from the furnace/vents, especially during the summer months. Landlords brushed it off as "old house smell". We asked them to come back out again because it didn't clear up, landlord went under the house in the crawlspace and said there was a small leak and some mold. They may have sprayed something on the mold but not very sure since its very hard to reach with limited space in crawlspace (I honestly don’t think he even went more than a few feet into the crawlspace so no way he could have reached the leak/mold). Again, the smell was still very apparent a few months later but this time after he squeezed into the crawlspace, he said there wasn't any mold. Eventually we ask for the ducts to be cleaned, they said no and they would instead get a damper for the furnace pipe so the air didn't come up into the ducting from the crawlspace. They put a mechanical damper on, it shorted, but made it seem like it was in place and working properly. During the winter months is was better for a month or so without strong smell but I had respiratory issues for almost the entire Winter. Spring comes around and the smell comes back full force. After I looked at the system to close off the crawlspace ducting myself, they told us that the damper was actually broken, and brushed it off. We cover all the vents with plastic and tape and the smell is subdued during the summer. They told us they were going to add ventilation to the crawlspace but never did.

Winter comes around and it's time to kick the heat on, we were so frustrated that we just borrowed electric heaters and used those (didn’t want to have any more respiratory issues, especially if it could affect the children). It starts to get frigid so now I am forced to put my foot down and make them get the ducts cleaned properly. They wanted to hire out the cheapest duct cleaning but I emphasized the safety and precautions involved when dealing with potential mold and eventually they hired a more reliable technician to clean the ducting and fog it with a sporicide. Finally, after all of that, the heater can be used again.

During this time, my kids weren't able to stay in the house, and the hot water had began dwindling in the last month and a half. So while the landlords were over I explained that the hot water was only lasting 5 minutes in the shower now and we were having to supplement hot water from the stove to heat up the bath water for the kids. The kids were awfully sick at the time with terrible respiratory issues so they were staying with the grandparents so they could take really long hot steamy showers when they were having a respiratory attack.

The landlords came over a week after discussing this, and after the ducting was cleaned, and replaced a fuse for the water heater and replaced two heating elements in the water heater. This didn't help at all, at least not anything noticeable. They decided it must be electrical so they were going to have someone come out 4 days later. I told them instead I could have my stepdad, who’s a master electrician, come over and look at it that night to resolve this as quickly as possible and save them a few bucks. He found some serious issues with electricity (pipes rubbing and sparking, one of the pipes was the gas line!) and put a temporary fix to ground a line. No electrical issues were noted with the water heater. They came over two days later and tested everything themselves with multimeters to reassure themselves and finally decided to get a new water heater (which was 8 years or so old). They finally get the new water heater in a day or two later.

Since my fiance and kids were unable to stay in the house for 3 weeks plus while all of this was going on, my fiance called and asked if they could reduce the rent for this month since it wasn't livable for this kids. ( at this point my fiance was very frustrated and I believe at one point threatened to have an inspector come out if they didn't want to give us any leeway ) We didn't think this was all that drastic since this was something that should have been resolved long ago and could have been much more expensive if it was done as safely and as professionally as possible (when dealing with mold). They weren't too happy about this but they agreed to cut the rent to $300.

A week and a half later after all of this I get the Notice To Quit in the mail.

- I'm aware that since we are not under lease, it automatically moves to a month-by-month contract.
- We have on some months not payed by the written due date but have never missed a month and have payed 4 months in advance at one point
- They have never charged us a late fee and it has never been an overly expressed issue since they have always gotten rent before the month was over (and they are the parents of friends so there was some leeway with dates - we actually give the rent to her Son, our neighbor and a friend of mine, who then eventually gives to his mom/our landlord) Typically when they noticed it was late they’d give us a call and we would get the rent to them within a few days.

- With this information, and I'm sorry for the wall of text but I want to make sure that all information is there and hopefully it is all relevant, what do you think we should do?

- We have realized that it is not possible for us to secure a home and move everything out by the due date, so most likely we are looking at taking this to court

- I have spoken with the landlord today and offered to pay ahead 3-4 months of rent, since I am capable of doing it at this moment, and even repaying the other half of rent that they agreed upon, just to avoid all of this. (we have been in the process of searching for another home in the area the past few months but this is so much more added stress that we would rather smooth it over than to have to worry about going to court)

- Should I pay rent for this month or wait until this goes to court ? (rent is typically due by the 6th of the month and the "move by date" is the 28th of this month

- We are looking into free local legal aid since we are unable to pay for a lawyer but want as much information as possible (two little kids to think about so we really want to make sure we have our ducks in a row)

TLDR: Landlords hate this property and don't want to put any money or time into it. Finally put our feet down and made the landlords fix the problems and tried to make it as easy/cost efficient on them within means of keeping our family safe. Landlords now trying to kick us out because "lease has expired". Have until 28th to move or take them to court.

Really sorry for the wall of text but I hope it helps, and hope that someone/anyone is able to offer advice and information to us.

Thank you for your time!

Answer:
 Nothing after your first two paragraphs are relevant. You don't get to live in someone else's property without their permission.

Either vacate 30 days from your notice, or be evicted.Answer #2: As other people have said, you have no right to continue living there past the notice period.

You should absolutely pay rent for as long as you are living in the house. You'll probably owe late fees if you don't.

If you're capable of paying 3-4 months of rent ahead, you're probably capable of paying people to help you move by March. That will be *much* cheaper than getting an eviction on your record in the long run.Answer #3: They're not evicting you.  Evict has a very specific meaning.  They are not renewing your month-to-month lease.  If you don't pay rent, they will definitely move to evict you, and that will royally screw up your ability to get a new lease elsewhere.  Pay the rent, look for a new place, get out by the date specified.


Title: [New Hampshire] Defendant pays and says she won't show up to small claims court?

Question:
The defendant had refused to pay the $1300 she owed me and asked me not to contact her anymore. I filed against her in small claims court for the amount, so the claim was for $1390 (amount plus filing fees).

Three weeks later I received a letter stating that her time is too important to spend in court. Enclosed was a check for $1300. Her deadline for responding to the summons in in 8 days. How should I proceed here?  I am willing to not sweat the $90, even though I was forced to file a claim to convince her to pay up.

&#x200B;

Do I withdraw my claim, explain at the courthouse, let the claim go through? Am I taking on any risk to myself?

Answer: You can notify the court that you are no longer interested in pursuing. However, **make sure the check actually processes**.


Title: College Fines

Question: My college is charging me a $150 fine in Ohio for a late checkout. Its not all that much money but being a college student I'm also broke and don't want to pay it.  They tried to make me sign a contract at the end of checkout saying I agreed to pay $150 for being ten minutes late and I refused. There was also nothing in the housing agreement that clearly established that I had to pay a $150 fine so legally I never agreed to pay the fine. As a private entity are they allowed to just charge me it or threaten not to enroll me if I don't pay or do I have rights protecting me from unagreed upon additional fees.

Answer: OP- It would be reasonable that if you don't move out by the last day of your housing agreement, that you would need to continue to pay the university for your possession of your rental unit (I'm assuming a dorm room or university-owned apartment). I get they're calling it a 'fine', but you should view it as continued rent on the unit.


Title: [Los Angeles, CA] Fellow tenants changed the locks on our mailbox and gate and refuse to give anyone else keys

Question:
**TL;DR:** I live in a house divided into rental units. Tenants of another unit changed the locks on our front gate and our shared mailbox and are refusing to give anyone else keys.

**Background:**

The house is divided into three rental units (one unit on each floor). I live in the second floor unit with three other people. I am fairly certain these are illegal units. We all pay separately month-to-month and never signed a lease. The woman who manages the building -- let's call her J -- used to live in the third floor unit but now lives elsewhere. The landlord lives elsewhere and I've never been in contact with him/her. Everything goes through J.

We all share one mailbox. The house is fully fenced in and is accessible either by a locked front gate or by opening the driveway gate with an electric opener.

**Current situation:**

Around two weeks ago the locks were changed on the front gate and the mailbox was replaced with a lockable mailbox. Since the lock on the front gate had been broken for awhile before that, and we had had problems with mail loss/theft, I texted J and thanked her for doing the repairs and asked when I could get keys for the gate and mailbox. She responded that the first floor tenants (let's call them the Stones) did it and they don't want to give keys to the second floor tenants (me and my housemates) because they say our guests have been leaving the gate open when they leave at night. Technically, I still have access to the house since I can use my electric gate opener to enter the driveway. But I'd rather not have to take the gate opener with me everywhere I go.

As for the mail, there have been allegations of mail theft and credit card theft thrown around between J and the Stones, but I won't get into that in favor of brevity. I have had mail lost/stolen since living here but I'm not interested in making speculative accusations, I just want access to my mail. Currently, the Stones check the mail at their leisure and leave it in a pile by the back stairs of the house. J says it was actually the landlord, not the Stones, who installed the locked mailbox, but that the Stones were supposed to distribute keys to the other tenants and have refused to do so.

I have asked J repeatedly for keys and she is dragging her feet. Last week, I told her if I didn't receive keys by the end of the week, I would report mail theft to the post office and police on Monday (yesterday). I found [this](https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/investigations/mailfraud/fraudschemes/mailtheft/ReportMailTheft.aspx) website for filing a report with the post office. Then I decided to post here first.

**What I think I know:**

I read online that the law requires *each* unit to have its own locked mailbox. I think I probably have more ground to stand on demanding keys for the mailbox than the front gate, since the front gate technically isn't prohibiting access to anything. I also read that tenants of illegal units have the same rights as those in legal units.

**Questions:**

* Is it legal to install a locked mailbox and not give all tenants equal access to keys? Can I report them for mail theft?
* Is it legal for tenants to change the locks on a shared gate and refuse keys to other tenants (even if other tenants have property access through the locked gate)?
* If I report this to the USPS or police, is there a danger of the units being shut down due to being illegal? I don't want to lose my apartment.

Answer:
 It's illegal to deny you access to your mail. If J hasn't gotten you your mail key (after a week's time) and you've already threatened to contact the authorities (USPS and police) you should go ahead and do it.  Your apartment shouldn't get shut down, you'll just have neighbors and J with angry federal officers on their case.

As far as the gate goes, I'm not sure. Check your lease to see if it grants you access to the area, if it does then you should get a copy of the keys.


Title: Misleading customer service at the gym

Question:
Hello, I would like a refund on a contract that I just started at a gym due to misleading customer service. Last year I was on a contract paying monthly installments in this center. This year, the lady at the desk, let's call her Lucie, said I have to pay 3 months upfront fee to use the facilities (£84) which is ridiculous. I told her that I only need the facilities for two months and that in this contract I would be paying for an extra month of services which I won't be using. She went and spoke to the manager and came back and said that we do not offer this service anymore and that the 3-month upfront fee is what they do now as a student membership. Too much money I thought but hey I went for it anyways... (stupid me)... Next day I come in, different staff and they were confused and have never heard of such contract of 3 months upfront and have told me I could have still paid monthly instead which would be optimal for me. They said they will investigate and get back to me. The day after I come in and Lucie is there, I talk to her about it and she goes and brings back a sheet of membership options which she should have shown me the day I was signing up showing all the different membership options and there it was, the option optimal for me for monthly installments still available. Now the damage has been done because I have already signed the 3 months upfront contract and I asked them to talk to management and get back to me about a solution. They call me today and they said they can't offer anything which I expected and I just complained about the dull idiot behind the desk but management had her back. The money has not been taken out of my debit account yet and I have not also received a gym pass card from them even though I have repeatedly asked for one. What can I do in this situation? What happens if I stop the money from going out of my account? I wish I was recording the whole event, That lady was unprofessional and swearing casually on the job while talking to me too...
Topic:
Contracts

Answer:
 Gyms are notoriously bad about doing things like this.

I’m from the US, so please take my advice with a grain of salt.

How long has it been since you signed up? Were you supposed to have access right away or only upon billing or are they mailing it? It seems odd that they didn’t give you the access card immediately upon sign up. Every gym I’ve ever signed up for gives it to you immediately.

If you put a stop on payment, you will have breached the contract and they could come after you for it. If they still haven’t given you the card, they will have also breached.

Instead, if your card is charged and you haven’t gotten the access card, you should dispute the charge with the bank. Even if you have gotten the access card, you can explain the circumstances and try. Though if they find that the charge is legitimate, you have to be prepared to pay the money back, potentially with interest. You should ask about those consequences before formally disputing. I don’t think there’s much of a fee, but I’m not positive and it could be different where you are.


Title: Am I at fault if I don't yield to someone breaking a traffic law?

Question: Early this morning someone went straight in a turn left only and if I didn't yield they would've crashed into me, would that be my fault? I was being defensive at first but they really were gonna hit me so I yielded. If they hit me it wasn't going to be serious so I kinda feel like I shouldn't of and let it take its course and have him pay for being an idiot

Answer:
 Something I told my wife when she was learning how to drive: "Right-of-way doesn't matter if you're dead. It's better to be alive and wrong than dead and right. Drive defensively."Answer #2: In some cases there are conditions in the text of the traffic laws you may have forgotten.

For example, in Texas, if you have a green light but someone else is running the red, if you proceed into the intersection, you are breaking the same law as the red light runner.

In Texas, you both have to have the green light AND have a safe, clear lane where you can fully move through the intersection.

I can't speak to "fault" but in some cases you're violating traffic law if you don't yield to someone else breaking the law.Answer #3: Fault rules and right-of-way generally do not depend on other drivers obeying the rules of the road. If you drive in such a way that you cause an avoidable collision, there's a good chance you'll at least share fault even if the other driver broke the law.

In that specific situation, you probably would have been 50/50 at fault, and may even have been not at fault depending on the circumstances. Nonetheless, driving defensively and avoiding the collision was the right thing to do: being "right" and having a crushed car for your trouble would not have improved your day.


Title: I think I got ripped off

Question: My macbook doesnt go to sleep when I close the lid so I went to a computer technician store in town. They told me that it was going to cost $200 to repair the computer and that I can pick it up three days later. Three days later has passed and the technician calls me and tells me that he couldn't fix it and but that I'd still have to pay the $200 bucks anyway. Is this fair and if not what can I do?

Answer:
 His time to try and fix it is worth something, unless you signed an agreement or the store's standard policy is "you dont pay unless we fix it".

You are welcomed to take up whether or not a failed effort is worth the full price with his manager.  I don't see how a failure would be worth the same amount; presumably, they didn't need to use parts or anything.


Title: Police looking for hit and run suspect

Question:
NH, USA

So 2 cops knock on my door on a Sunday night, I had been home for a few hours. They ask me if "that's my car" in my driveway. I say yeah. They ask me if they can ask me a few questions outside. I say yeah. We go in my driveway, they basically say that there was a hit and run in an apartment complex near my neighborhood, just down the road and my car matched the description. I drive a silver Chevy Malibu.

I had to ask them several times where it was exactly, because I had never been there before. I was driving a few hours ago, but not during the timeframe they were looking for, which was about 30 min ago. They claim to have seen the car pulling away as they were arriving to the scene. I kept saying I didn't know where the place was and had to keep reiterating the directions to the apartment building, as I had never been there before and didn't know them by name.

One cop kept saying "I find it very hard to believe you don't know where that is." or "You're sure you weren't there earlier?" The other cop said that my car "felt pretty warm for not having been driven for a a few hours." They pointed to a tiny scratch of paint on my car and said "That looks like it could've been in an accident recently." I said that it had been there for a while. They continued to press and said not to lie and so forth.

I then asked if they had a license #. They just said: "what do you think brought us here?" I said "I don't know." They then said, "don't lie, we have video surveillance." They then continued to ask and ask until I just repeated myself enough times that I had been home the whole time and no one had borrowed my car. My roommate was inside taking a shower but saw me at home when he came home from work earlier.

They said: "its ok to admit to this, its just a small accident." They took my information and said they would let me know once they know anything.

My question to you guys is, do I file a complaint? I know the police are allowed to lie to you and to ask questions, but I felt a little intimidated and I'm a little shaken up about it. Should I not file a complaint in case they want to be jerks to me again in the future?

I was most certainly the first car in the area that they found as I live less than a half mile from the accident scene, but I'm not sure that gives them the right to question me the way they did. But they also didn't tell me the specific description, so how am I to know what they were actually looking for? Whenever I asked about what car they were looking for they just kept saying "why do you think we're here?" or "your car matches the description" granted my roommate's car is also a silver sedan which is parked right next to mine..

Most likely nothing will come of this, as I'm innocent and was never there, but should I/can I do anything?

Answer:
 The police have to be assertive in their questioning.  Imagine that they did find the perpetrator and the conversation went:

"Excuse me, were you involved in a hit and run just now?"

"Why no, officer."

"Have a nice day."

If they didn't press the people they question, they wouldn't solve a lot of crimes, would they?  Complain if you like, but from your description, I see nothing untoward here.


Title: [IL] I found a prepaid Visa credit card on the street. I checked online and it still has its full balance. Is it legal to use?

Answer:
 This falls under "I found a valuable thingy"--you need to take the card to the police so the owner can reclaim it. Typically, if a certain window of time passes and it goes unclaimed, the legal version of "finders keepers" comes into effect, and it's yours free and clear.  Answer #2: legally: not yet.

[the law regarding can be found here](http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=2227&ChapterID=62)


Title: ADA Accommodation Request Denied

Question:
I'll try to sum this up as briefly and clearly as possible:

- I have depression, which I've previously shared with relevant supervisors at my company.

- My job duties span the jurisdiction of multiple supervisors, but when I got promoted in October 2017, the VP of my department assured me I'd remain under my current supervisor and on my current team. The VP of my department informed me in March 2019 that he was moving me to a new supervisor despite the fact that nothing has changed about my job. I expressed my belief that this would likely spark a new bout of depression due to both the severity of the change (new seat, new team, new rules, new expectations, etc.), and the fact that this new supervisor has previously been unsupportive of the needs of my disability.

- I had a meeting in late March 2019 with my VP, current supervisor, and new supervisor. In the meeting, I was pressed repeatedly for details about my condition. My current supervisor vouched for the severity of my disability and confirmed the likelihood that symptoms would re-emerge under the proposed change. The meeting ended with the new supervisor saying that they would pause on making the change but in the meantime I should "do whatever I need to do to be okay with the change."

- In early April 2019 I presented my VP with a letter from my Psychiatrist stating her belief that this change would cause a bout of depression so severe that it would prevent me from doing my job. I formally requested an accommodation to remain on my current supervisor's team. He told me he would need to reach out to HR to see how to handle this.

- In the time since, I've had two meetings with HR, had my Psychiatrist fill out a form, and exchanged a couple emails with the HR Rep. Throughout the process, I've had little clarity on how long everything would take or what the likely outcome would be. Additionally, there were two vacant position on my current supervisor's team that I could have moved into but have now been filled. I finally received an answer today (July 17, 2019) via email that simply stated my request was being denied because it was not a reasonable accommodation. There was no mention of alternatives or further discussion on the matter.

I'm considering getting a lawyer and filing an EEOC claim. What should I do?
Topic:
Disability Issues

Answer:
 Your employer is required to make reasonable accommodations due to your disability. They have determined that your request to report to a specific person is not reasonable. I am inclined to believe them and, if that turns out to be the case, you have no recourse.

You can certainly argue that your request is reasonable but at the end of the day, it will end up in a court case and a judge will decide. Getting a lawyer is a great start to that process.


Title: Both divorced parents claimed child as a dependent and now we are not sure what to do. Please help!

Question:
So my girlfriends parents divorced and her father moved out of the house but he kept paying the house payment and my girlfriend and her mother continued living in the house per the divorce agreement. Well the problem arising is they both claimed her as there dependent on there 2014 taxes and now the IRS wants them to re file there taxes. The divorce agreement stated that her dad had the right to claim her. However she lived with her mother the entire year and payed for everything for her. Her father is now threatening to get a lawyer over the whole thing. My question is who has the right to claim her as the dependent?

some info-
My girlfriend was 19 at the time
We are in Iowa
The father has a quite a bit higher income.

Thank you for the help. Sorry for any errors I am on mobile

Answer:
 There is a court order. Why doesn't the mom want to follow the court order? Answer #2: The dad, per the court order, has the right to claim her.

If the mom has full custody and is fully supporting her, she could go back to court and have the judge modify the orders, but I can't imagine it would make financial sense to go to the trouble, especially since your girlfriend is already 19.

Perhaps mom could negotiate something with dad that she won't go back to court if he offers to reimburse her for the difference in her tax liability.  Since he makes significantly more than she does, the deduction is worth more to him.


Title: Almost got arrested for filling a Gatorade bottle with gasoline at a gas station.

Question:
I ran out of gas so I walked to the gas station.

All I had were 2 bottles of gatorade so I started to fill them up and some lady came out of the store yelling and freaking out saying she called the police.

I was really confused at this point and the lady just kept saying you can't do that you can't do that. Cop showed up and was acting like it was a huge deal too and told me he should arrest me right then. He ended up taking the bottles and telling me I have to buy a gas canister which the store was out of.

Is this really a crime because I can't find anything about it online.

Thanks

Answer: You can't be serious. You should know that's not an approved container for gasoline. That *may* be against the law. If you have to transport gas, use a safe container.


Title: [New Jersey] In regards to the transfer of firearms by an absent resident and the retrieval of property inside a private building.

Question:
I have a very large problem. So let’s start from the beginning.

I live in the state of New Jersey. I have a friend who was originally a Cuban refugee, he has since become an American Citizen and is an official resident of New Jersey. For the sake of brevity we shall call my friend Jose. Jose rents a house from a landlord. For the past several month Jose and his landlord have been arguing about fixing his central heating system. The heating system has been broken since last March.

As far as I understand it’s the landlord’s responsibility, but the landlord wanted Jose to pay some excessive amount of money to have it fixed. Three weeks ago Jose told his landlord that he was going to Cuba for a month to visit his family and would be gone from October 16th to November 20th. Jose wanted the heat to be fixed either before or while he was gone so he didn’t have to return from Cuba to a freezing house in what is supposed to be a very cold autumn here in NJ.  His landlord was still demanding that Jose pay him a large amount for the repair. Fed up with the argument Jose hired a private licensed contractor last week to fix his heat. Jose payed them out of his pocket.

Last Saturday, the landlord somehow discovered Jose had hired the private contractors. The landlord is claiming Jose has violated his lease agreement and is threatening to evict him by this Friday if he doesn’t pay a “repair fee” to have it “re-done properly”. Keep in mind Jose is in Cuba at this point.

This is where I come in. Jose is a legal gun owner, as am I. We both have our FPID cards and each own several long guns. Jose’s guns are locked inside a safe inside his apartment, an apartment his landlord is threatening to throw all his possessions out of. Jose called me and asked if I could take his guns while he gets his property dispute sorted out. It would be something I would be happy to do, however there are several legal problems.

New Jersey allows the private intrastate transfer of long arms without a background check or FFL involvement. However, for the transfer to be legal the state requires the completion of [this]( http://www.njsp.org/info/pdf/firearms/sp-634.pdf) form in duplicate (requiring a signature from both parties) and the retention of a copy by both parties. So now I have several questions.

1.	Would me taking possession of Jose’s guns for a temporary time (several weeks) be considered a transfer at all?

2.	If so, would I be able to either

a.	Sign the transfer form in proxy for Jose with his express verbal consent,

b.	Get him to sign it by fax or some similar method,

c.	Or am I shit out of luck and do I need him to be next to me in person to sign the form? In which case Jose may lose his guns.

I have another problem as well. Yesterday I tried to retrieve some documents for Jose regarding his lease. They were inside his home. Jose had given me his spare key when he left for Cuba, he did not have another key cut and he gave me express permission to enter the building. When I arrived the landlord was there and denied me entrance to the building, stating it was “his property”. If I did end up transferring Jose’s guns to myself, would I have a legal right to enter the building to retrieve what would then legally be my property?

Edit: I should also add all communication Jose has made to me and his landlord since the 16th has been by phone.
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 LL can't just throw out Jose's stuff. And it would be atypical for an LL to be able to terminate a lease for something like this. L's proper recourse would be to withhold Jose's deposit for the "damage" Jose caused.

as for the form: idk if it's a transfer album why not just do it anyway?  and what's wrong with fedex?


Title: [PA] Cat vaccine reaction, TLDR cat lives, costs are high

Question:
Location Philadelphia PA

Took our cat to vet clinic for vaccines, did 3 year vaccines as recommended by the doctor on site. Doctor said the cat might be under the weather for a day or two. Cat was sleepy for 2 days but fine. Day 3 we came home to blood spots all over our apartment cat was very ill. Called the vet for an emergency visit. They performed an x-ray and told us that it looks like something is in the intestines but told us that they could not confirm it. The doctor recommended us to a larger vet hospital. We drove 45 minutes away to this hospital, left the cat overnight for IV and pain relief. They performed an ultra sound and blood work. After the results came in they believe it was a reaction to the shots. Nothing was in the intestines. The cat has recovered overnight and we have brought him home and he is happy again.

I want to know if it is worth taking legal action / is there any kind of legal action that I can take? I had to miss work, my girlfriend has been in tears for the entire time.

Cost breakdown:
Shot visit: $184
Emergency Visit: $218.00
Hospital Visit: $1000

I couldn't afford all the costs up front so I had to open a CareCredit card, interest free credit card for pet care, which affects my credit score.

I feel that the doctor should have known more about what was going on. The whole process was very upsetting.

Thank you for any information you can provide.

EDIT:
Thank you all for all your input. I'm not going to lie, my initial reaction was a more upset one. It's a lot of stress and heart ache when something like this happens. I am not going to sue my vet. Thor is home with us, he is sluggish, and has a minor cough. But from what the vet tells me so far, he should make a full recovery. Ill keep you posted. Once again thank you.

Answer:
 The doctor *DID* know what was going on. So did you. Nothing in medicine (human or veterinary) is risk-free. There is no doubt that you were told that everything your vet does (or even your own doctor) can carry risks.

You can sue if you want, but this sounds like a rare complication. As such you can't sue *successfully* for that. You had an option: to euthanize your cat instead of paying the bills.


Title: Will my health insurance ever pay one of my bills or am I fighting a lost cause? [NJ]

Question:
I gave birth to my baby four months ago and have been dealing with one of the bills for services we received during our admission. Prior to admission, we confirmed with our health insurance that we would receive no bills for the birth (except a $150 co-pay) as long as we stayed in-network. I called about three times prior to due date to make sure hospital was in-network and it was.

After baby was born, the doctors administered a hearing screening. It's mandated by the state of NJ for all newborns. What I didn't know at the time was that the doctor administering the test (a specialist) was not in-network. According to the hospital, there are no in-network audiologists on staff and when they checked with our health insurance, they were not provided an alternative. They didn't tell us this while we were there-- found out later.

Fast forward a couple months and I receive the bill from the hospital. It's $350 (not much compared to normal cost of birth but still who wants to pay for something they shouldn't have to? And we pay a high monthly bill!). Insurance ends up paying for a little over $100 and leaves the rest to us. I wrote an appeal letter and found out yesterday that they denied it. Basically, they told me that they didn't have to pay any of it but since we were at an in-network hospital, the ~$100 is all our plan allows. The guy on the phone made it sound like they were cutting us a break.

We paid the bill today because we don't want it going to a collection agency, but the hospital told me they'd reimburse me if the insurance ever paid them. So, should i bother with a second appeal?

In case it's important, the insurance is a major brand, although it is the federal edition (for govt employees). The branch located here in NJ says we can do a second appeal to company HQ in Washington D.C. Would I be wasting my time? Should we just write it off as a loss?

On my phone, so sorry for any mistakes.

Answer:
 I work in a medical billing and medical collection call center in a nearby state and we handle some NJ facilities. you should appeal this. The service was provided to you that you did not approve of and they did not do their due diligence to find you a provider in Network. Contact the company that has it been in touch and let them know that you would like to file a formal appeal and send it in writing via certified mail and ask that they get their client services department involved. It is not a lost cause to fight for your patient rights.

 If they do find again that this is "patient responsibility," you should pay it as soon as possible as some medical facilities do turn medical debt over to collection agencies as soon as 90 days. However, appealing will delay that process. They should be able to set you up on a payment plan. Many facilities only require $25 a month. Tell him that's all you can do and they will likely jump at the opportunity because many people do not end up paying even small copays and deductibles.


Title: What to do about international blackmail?

Question:
Not entirely sure where or whom to ask.

I am from Canada and my ex (who lives in the US- California) has explicit pictures of me/us together.  She has threatened to spread them amongst all of my family and friends if I don't talk to her/if she feels wronged by me.

I obviously don't want this to happen- it would absolutely destroy my life.  So even after a year post-breakup, I am still talking to her from time to time just to keep her pacified.  I don't think she's making empty threats because in the past, she had threatened to "out" me to my family and had actually followed through by contacting one of my family members.

What can I do?  If she was in Canada, I figure I could probably go to the cops here (right?).  But us being in two different countries leaves me in a constant state of panic, knowing that I can't do anything to prevent her from going through with this when she wants to.

(Also, I do realize that I clearly made a huge mistake but I lost my TARDIS, so here I am)

EDIT:
Her sate- California

Answer:
 You could try to contact the police in the city where she lives.  But keep in mind that it's usually not considered extortion or blackmail unless money or property is exchanged.  Simply threatening you into talking to her may not be any sort of offense.

At last count, 34 states have some form of revenge porn law on the books.  If her state is one of them, she could be liable if she disseminates the pictures.

But really, the solution here is to simply ignore her.  Her threat works because you continue to give her the attention that she craves.  If you remove the fear element, she no longer has any power over you.  Tell your friends and family what she's doing, to not open or respond to any messages from her, and then cut her loose.  They'll understand, and believe me, they don't want to see you naked any more than you want them to.


Title: This may seem unorthodox but what are my rights as a underage drinker. At my own house with people I know very well. If in a situation cops were to arive at my doorstep. [TX]

Question:
Topic:
Alcohol Related Other than DUI

Answer:
 You have no "rights" as an underage drinker.

As a person, you have the right to not open the door to the police.  You have the right to refuse to answer questions.  And if you're not driving, you have the right to refuse to blow/blood test.

The police have the right to arrest you, if they determine that you are committing a crime (which underage drinking is).


Title: I believe my company is committing fraud

Question:
I work for a small (< 2000 employees) government contractor. I found out that they are billing unallowable costs to the government. Greater than $100,000. I brought up my concerns with management and told them I would resign if they didn't fix it. In response, they turned it around on me, saying I was trying to threaten them. Consequently, they have made my life a living nightmare for almost a year now. They took away all of my work. I mean all of it. I sit in my office doing nothing all day. I believe a gag order was put out, because no employees talk to me any more. I've come in some mornings and my office door is locked. My manager has tried to humiliate me in front of other employees. I was up for a promotion before all this happened, but then he told me indirectly it was out of the picture. Is what they're doing common in the industry? If I leave this job, will I encounter it at another contractor? Thank you.

p.s. if you need specific details about how they're hiding the unallowable costs, please pm me.

edit: The company is in Maryland.

edit2: No, please do not PM me, per the subreddit rules.

Answer:
 >p.s. if you need specific details about how they're hiding the unallowable costs, please pm me.

The subreddit rules don't allow PM requests.

You have to do two things. To report the shady business practices, contact the Federal Trade Commission. To report the hostile work environment created after making a good faith complaint, contact the EEOC.


Title: [AZ] Sales tax applied to rent?

Question: I pay my rent online through a service provided through my complex. When I submitted my payment  (I don't have recurring payment set up so I see my charges before I pay) it charged me 13.99 in sales tax... on rent. I've never had this before and don't want to go into my lease office annoyed and angry. What should I do?

Answer:
 NAL but my complex adds a fee for paying rent online. They call it a convenience fee though, so maybe just question your lease office if that's what it is? Answer #2: >I've never had this before and don't want to go into my lease office annoyed and angry.

Could you... go to the lease office without getting angry? I.e., *calmly* ask them why they're charging you sales tax on rent?


Title: [MN] Landlord/Building Manager entered apartment without notice and saw a bong. What problems could this cause me?

Question: My landlord/building manager entered my apartment to drop off a copy of the lease to renew, as well as to bring an AC unit into my bedroom. I was not given notice, nor gave permission, for them to do this. In my bedroom was a bong with residue on it. While my relationship with my landlord has been good, and they've made no mention of it, could this cause me any legal issues/what are possible ramifications of this?

Answer: So you use a water pipe to smoke tobacco occasionally. Who cares?


Title: Iowa, US - Grandmother is being stalked, trespassing on property. Police won't do anything.

Question:
I'm not certain if this is the place for it, but here goes:

My grandmother (90 years old) was recently widowed in late September. In November, she got a call from a "wrong number" from a guy looking for some random girl. Grandma told him that he had the wrong number and since then has been calling at night telling her lewd things, that he loves her, and just not making any sense. He's also been threatening her, and most recently this week has told her that he's outside her window waiting for her.

We've gone to the police with a report of the times and what this man has said, but he appears to be calling with a burner phone and grandma has a landline so they can't trace it. Our family also doesn't have good standing in the tiny community so they're not inclined to take us seriously and seem to be dismissing us, telling grandma they'd send a squad car to drive past the house a couple more times per night and that's the only thing they can do unless the stalker hurts/kills her.

It seriously looks like someone is going to hurt her and/or someone is casing the house to rob her. Right now we have a couple relatives spending the day/night with her, but we all live pretty far away and we can't keep it up much longer. She won't leave her home due to the memories attached to it from her late husband either, but we're trying to convince her to leave.

Is there anything else we should be doing?

Answer:
 Has anyone other than your grandmother seen/heard one of these calls?

Here's a possibility to consider: this might be a symptom of dementia. I had an elderly relative who thought someone was stalking her, calling her, and even getting into the house and moving things around. It was hugely upsetting for her, but it was all in her head. In addition to other avenues you're exploring, get her assessed for dementia.


Title: Accused of sexual assault by ex-girlfriend

Question:
Hi. Made this throwaway because I'm looking for help. As stated in the title, a woman I dated briefly (2-3 weeks) accused me of sexual assault after I ended the relationship. In my view the encounter in question was consensual (although we were drunk). I can provide more details if relevant.

This all happened about 6 months ago. Recently I received a communication from a 3rd party ( a sports league that myself and my ex play in) saying they'd been informed that there was a pending legal situation involving me and sexual assault.

I haven't received any communication that I'm aware of from any sort of law enforcement, nor am I aware of mutual friends being contacted. I performed a self background check for outstanding warrants and it came up clean, although as far as I can tell if an arrest warrant has not been served it wouldn't show up here (the background check is probably more for past convictions and bench warrants).

The sports league organizer asked me to voluntarily back out of the league. I'd prefer not to, although I don't want to agitate the woman, and I'm worried I'd be opening up a can of worms by remaining in the league. However, I'm worried that since this is voluntary, I'd be admitting fault (unsure if this is the right term) by backing out of the league.

Can anyone weigh in what I should do regarding the league, and if there are any steps I should be taking in regards to the larger legal situation? I've obviously saved all communications I've had with the person. Considering contacting a defense attorney/law firm. Wracked with anxiety about this, any help would be appreciated.

Answer: Spend the money and talk to a criminal defense attorney about this. It is worth it.


Title: car dealership stole down payment from me

Question:
in 2012 i took out $10,000 cash to put a down payment on my first car. i went in to buy a jeep at a dealership, when i was filling out paperwork, everything happened so fast, i was excited to buy a new car, they told me that everything was good, but I dont have proof of transaction, they gave me a shitty little receipt, but i didnt think anything about it at the time, i was just happy to drive my car. i have a bank statement from the same day that i pulled the money out as the same day that i purchased the car. now i owe way more than i should and i dont know what to do.

am i fucked? please help!

Edit: im located in california

Answer: This sounds to me as if you need someone with good math skills to help you go over the loan paperwork and explain how it works.


Title: Canadian Rights issue: Can an elementary school ban hugging?

Question: My little brother's school recently brought in a strict "no hugging rule" 3 strikes, and you're suspended. Aren't there constitutional issues with this? Thanks

Answer: You honestly believe that there is a constitutional right to hugging?


Title: Fire because of something I didn’t do

Question:
I’m from queens New York, and have been working at a Restaurant/Bar for 2-1/2  Years.
I started as a busser and worked my up to becoming a waiter, shortly after I received a promotion and started bartending as well. I have never been written up. I have had perfect attendance and even went so far as to work on my few days off  on countless occasions because they were short and needed servers or bus boys. Saturday I was given a “indefinite suspension” while they “investigate” the ongoing speculation. However I have spoke to my manager (who happens to be a friend of mine) and he has told me the owner (who is the one dealing with this issue) 100% plans on canning us and is hoping he can just keep us on indefinite suspension long enough to resign on our own so he won’t have to pay us unemployment. I saw we because my girlfriend IS ALSO getting fired.
 I went to eat at the restaurant on Tuesday when I was off from work. I came with my Mother and Grandmother for my Grandmothers birthday. A hostess and part time night manager whom I don’t get along with was working that night. We ate and drank good( lol I’m 18 and they still served me but that’s besides the point) our bill should have been roughly $270 without tip I know this in retrospect because the owner read these figures out to me. The assistant manager another friend of mine comped $200 worth of food for us including some things that we DID NOT ORDER they were dropped at the table by the runners and were a gesture from the head waiter. Only one waitress took care of us, we’ll call her Carly. Carly and my girlfriend were pooling, for those not familiar this means sharing tables and tips and working together instead of on your own. Despite them pooling my girlfriend did not once come to our table however they were taking orders under my girlfriends key so all the tables Carly went to were under my girlfriends name on the Aloha computer system. The food taken off the bill was done by the assistant manager using his keycard and there is video evidence of this. There is also video evidence my girlfriend never came over to the table and we only had one server (Carly) interact with us. I was suspended under the claim that she convinced the assistant manager to comp my meal for me and I in essence “stole” from the establishment. However not only did I not pay the bill ( my mom did I left the tip) in no way shape or form as I liable for the food that was comped nor is my girlfriend. I believe we were both fired having to do with our relationship which we do not make public but somehow found it’s way to him. I spoke to my manager and he basically substantiated my inference that we were fired because neither of us got on with the hostess/ part time manager, as she reported us. There is a difference in age and race of my girlfriend and I and I’ve heard the owner isn’t fond of things like this. The two people technically liable for the issue (Carly and my friend the assistant manager) were bother questioned but never got in any sort of trouble despite Carly being the one who printed and dropped my check and the assistant manager being the one to remove all of the food. The assistant manager even admitted to the owner that he chose to take all of that off the bill as I was a friend of his and it was mistake. But still my girlfriend and I were fired for something neither of us took any part in. My question is do I have grounds to sue my employer based on any type of discrimination or double standard in the workplace? Like I said before my record is squeaky clean at the restaurant I’ve never had so much as a complaint from a customer nor have my drawers or house money ever come up short. What can I do ? (I don’t want my job back I would never work somewhere that doesn’t respect me or my personal life and Im already in the process of getting another job with a letter of recommendation from my acting manager who had no say in this decision)

Answer: File for unemployment, and look for a new job. Nothing illegal in regards to the firing.


Title: [B.C. Canada] How to go about legally forcing someone to remove photos of myself from Facebook.

Question: So my situation is as follows, a family member has photos of myself on Facebook, I do not want photos of myself on the internet. Asking family member to remove photos of myself has resulted in a no answer because they are "proud" of me. Facebook's own mechanism for trying to get the family members photos of myself taken down didn't work when I had Facebook and now I no longer have one because again I don't want my shit on the internet. I guess my next step is to sue for them to be taken down but I have no idea exactly what I'd be suing for to get this or how to approach a lawyer about this. Any advice would be appreciated. Edit: PS Not interested in any possible emotional arguments about how this may hurt someone's feelings or make me look bad, I just want legal advice in regards to solving my problem.

Answer:
 >   I do not want photos of myself on the internet.

That's nice but you have no legal means to enforce that unless you took the pictures. You're thinking the law gives you a right that it doesn't.


Title: (CA) What legal rights do I have (and what can I accomplish) by suing my neighbor for nuisance? Do I have a case?

Question:
My husband and I have two young daughters and for years have dealt with an ever increasing next door neighbor problem.  I have much more than what I think I can fit here, but to start:
1.  She is a hoarder and rats and bee swarms have come onto our property as a result.
2.  Dogs that bark at ALL HOURS OF THE night.
3.  Drug addict/alcoholic 22 year old daughter with friends that sit outside of my bedroom window smoking (this floats into my bedroom, even with windows closed) yelling, laughing (again, at all hours)  When I text the mom to ask her kids to go inside, move away from our window, I get screams from the daughter for my husband and I to "f off"
4.  My daughters have heard "why won't you f me, you fing this and that" in addition to various other arguments between daughter and boyfriend and are terrified that the daughter and boyfriend are going to hurt us or break into our house.
5.  This past Saturday a violent outburst occurred, my daughters TERRIFIED and police were called.
6.  Over the years, the daughter has thrown cigarettes (lit) onto our roof, left drug paraphernalia on our lawn, etc.
7.  my husband and I cannot remember the last time we slept all night because of these neighbors.

I HAVE HAD IT!  My children are frightened, I am frazzled due to fear, lack of sleep and frustration.  We aren't rich and can't just  move and don't feel like we should have to.  What can we do?
Thank you so much!  There is more, but I want to type it all up concisely, this is just off the top of my head.

Answer:
 1 - call the city

2- call animal control

3- smoking is not illegal. Call the police for  a noise complaint if they are loud

4 - That is part of living with other humans near by. Buy an alarm and teach them when to call 911

5- Sounds about right. Call the police if something happens

6- Get a security system with cameras

7- get sound proof curtains, white noise machine.

8 - move


Title: Does wishing someone that they get cancer or that their children develop down syndrome count as a threat?

Question:
How about wishing someone get raped by the devil in hell? I promise this isn't an internet argument and that the person said they will go to the police for threatening her with these insults.

Ontario, Canada

Answer:
 This probably doesn't count as uttering threats. However, depending on how, why, and how often you have wished these things, the cops might decide it's criminal harassment, stalking, disturbing the peace, or some other crime. So please stop being a douchebag.

Incidentally, you don't "develop" Down's syndrome. You either have it at birth or you don't. You're not very smart. My advice for people who are not very smart is to avoid criminal activity. Some people might be able to avoid legal issues by being exceptionally clever. You are not those people. So please stop being a douchebag. Answer #2: Does the speaker have the capacity to make the threat come true?


Title: Crossing the line to physical confrontation

Question:
I currently attending a weekly gathering of people and while everyone there gets along just fine, 1 person there is constantly under everyone's skin for a variety of reasons. However he has taken a disliking to me and started out just more or less being a jerk to me. Just saying mean things for the sake of saying them even when I'm purposely focusing on not interacting with him. I have a financial reason why I visit this place so simply not attending will hurt me financially. I've asked him on numerous occasions to not address me at all and to just avoid me as I do him. It has progressed to statements that are borderline threatening. I was telling others about my upcoming vacation and he butts into the conversation and says that he hopes I die while I'm there. Vague statements that could be taken as threatening but do not include a direct timeframe intended or a physical action to indicate they're going to actually happen. Basically I'm at the point where not only is it wearing on my emotionally and mentally but the threats continue which somewhat worry me. The location is a private club which I am not a member but am the guest of another member. If I were to take the threat and physically retaliate am I legally within my rights or am I in the wrong? Additionally I don't know much about a restraining order or how they work. Would this be something to consider? Would it stop him from being able to enter the club which he himself is a member and I am not and only a guest?

Ultimately I feel like something should be able to be done to stop myself from having to endure this even if it means I'm able to physically confront him about it. It's not my goal but it's one of those things where it just feels like what should be done based on what he's saying. If you need any additional information just ask and I'll see what I can provide.

I am in the state of NJ of that has any impact on which laws are applied.

Answer:
 You absolute do not have the right to attack this person.  If the situation is bad enough that you feel threatened you alert the police.

Have you spoken with the people that organize these meetings?  As a private group they have the right to deny entry to anyone for any reason.  So even if you were able to get a restraining order they could simply say X is our member, you are not welcome here".  And that would be that.  In fact, you would get in trouble if you tried to go knowing that he was there.

So yeah, talk to the organizers first.  That's your first recourse.Answer #2: From what you've described he isn't threatening to harm you. You should stop being around him, leave if he shows up, don't answer phone calls, block his number and his profile on Facebook and that should handle your problem in full. Retaliation is never ever acceptable or legal. If you beat him up you will go to jail, possibly prison.

If he actually threatens you, you can call the police to report a threat.

Lastly, hoping someone dies on vacation is horrible, but not criminal.


Title: South Carolina, Concerns after being robbed at gunpoint

Question:
I am concerned about whether or not this person will be able to find information about the person who reported them to the police.

First, some background.
This was not me, but a friend. This friend was walking down a street in a major city in South Carolina and was approached by a man wearing a hoodie and a mask. They pulled a gun and demanded my friend's money. My friend said they did not have any and the man ran away without taking anything from my friend. My friend called the police almost immediately and they were able to find the person. By the time the police picked the person up, they had successfully robbed someone else. They were charged with:

* attempted armed robbery
* strong armed robbery
* possession or a kinfe/firearm during a violent crime

The person had a total bond of $150,000, which they posted almost immediately. So they are not in jail anymore. My friend is very worried that they might be able to find them if they are looking for some retribution against the person who reported them.

This gets to my questions. I know that victims have protection in South Carolina, which are intended to stop any personally identifiable information about the victim from being released. So,

1. Can he still find my friend?
2. How could someone desperate enough for money that they would rob people on the street possibly be able to post a bond that high?
3. What can we do? This is certainly affecting our sense of safety in our home (we live together) and in our city. Moving isn't an option, but we are worried about staying in our home.

I am not sure if this is the best place to pose this question but we are rather scared at the moment and I can't find any definitive answers on whether or not the justice system would have protected my friend's information well enough that we would be completely safe. Any and all help would be appreciated.

**TLDR;** Someone tried to rob my friend at gunpoint and now they are out of jail. Can they find us and what can we do if they can?

Answer:
 1. We have no way of knowing, and I don't know why you'd think we would.
2. See #1.
3. You can move. If something actually happens, you can call the police.


Title: [Georgia] Neighbor in condo above me got salty I filed a small claims case against him after trying to sort this out ourselves. So, he filed a stalking temporary protective order against me forcing me to get out of my own condo.

Question:
My neighbor successfully obtained a temporary protective order against me by claiming I have endangered / threatened / pressured / intimidated him by knocking (loudly) on his door announced, and calling him non-stop from multiple numbers.

Prior to this, a leak from an appliance in his unit damaged my unit and we tried to sort this out by my insurance but my insurance failed to collect my deductible and gave an option to sort it out on my own.

So, I sent him a notice via email and attach the letter at his door and knocked and walked away, and a certified demand letter via USPS. We communicated via email (I told him to email me if he has any questions) and I gave him a deadline to reimburse my deductible or I will file a case in small claims. He refuses to pay for it (even tho, in the very beginning he sent a message that he will pay for damages).

After the deadline, I filed a small claims case against him, and a couple days later, he filed a stalking temporary protective order within 200 yards against me which forces me to get out of my own condo and find another place to live. We have a hearing against his protective order in May.

I will be talking to a law firm this week, but what are my options?

If I win the stalking hearing, can he pay for my attorney fees?
Based on these Georgia codes:

- [§ 9-15-14(b)](https://law.justia.com/codes/georgia/2010/title-9/chapter-15/9-15-14/)

- [§ 16-5-94(d)(3)](https://law.justia.com/codes/georgia/2010/title-16/chapter-5/article-7/16-5-94/)

If I win the stalking hearing, can I sue him for the days I missed out on rent due to his TPO?

What can I do to counter-sue him for his claims?

Answer: You need a lawyer; this is absurd. Did you even get a chance to attend the hearing for the protective order?


Title: Officer enters home because he had my child.

Question: I live in California. Police were called by neighbors because my daughter was outside unattended. Her mother was putting our son down for nap. She’s 5. Police come, bring daughter to door and knock a few times and had to wait slightly longer than normal. By the time her mother could get pants on and respond to the door the police officer opened the door and walked in. Because he (officer) saw a pretty messy house he alerted CPS (child protective services) and now my 5 year old daughter and 18 month old son are gone. They are threatening to put them into foster care. The police officer told me that because he had a child he was allowed to enter. Is that true?

Answer:
 >The police officer told me that because he had a child he was allowed to enter. Is that true?

Most probably yes, but at this point that is the least of your concerns. Police do not remove two children because the home was pretty messy. In this story they may have removed them because a five year old was playing outside long enough for the police to show up and then it took your wife an exceptionally long time to open the door (i.e. small child outdoors with zero supervision) and/or because the house was a hazardously messy.

You need to get a lawyer asap.Answer #2: CPS doesn’t typically remove children on a first visit unless there’s reason to believe the home isn’t safe. Basically a house has to be not just messy, but dirty. Also, from your wording it sounds like your daughter was playing outside alone instead of just wandering off. That’s obviously not okay. What if she had been hurt and tried to get inside but her mother was busy with the baby?

At this point you should worry more about retaining a family law attorney to help you navigate CPS than fighting the legality of a search.Answer #3: It only matters if he was legally allowed to enter if there's a criminal charge pending.  It won't impact a CPS matter.

Most "messy house" (as opposed to "filthy, unsanitary house") cases are disposed of promptly with some kind of services, and the kids are returned home.


Title: Apartment complex in Florida lying about A/C. Left us in the heat for 3 months

Question: Is there anything we can do to get rent back or cancel the lease without penalty? We put in 3 work orders where the repair guys came in and said we weren’t setting the unit correctly, only to admit it was broken and replace it with yet another broken unit after 3 months of the apartment getting well above 80 degrees. We now have a unit which is too loud to sleep and the temporary unit they gave us was allowing rain in so we had to remove it and now it’s either the sound of loud metal banging or heat. We were promised the second broken unit would be replaced in a week and it’s been nearly two weeks with no response to additional requests. Please help, we do not wish to pay for being lied to and given unlivable conditions. Thanks

Answer: In Florida courts have ruled AC is part of implied habitability. This is very regional, local attorney question.


Title: Sister got into an accident. We have the drivers info but she canceled her insurance the next day. What do we do??

Question: So a drunk female driver hit my sister's car. She called the cops and they refused to show up unless there are serious injuries. She felt bad for the girl so decided to just take down her information and let her go. Calls her the next day and found out that she blocked my sister's number. Called the insurance company and found out she dropped the policy. At this point we have a police report and are waiting for the insurance company to give us a call back. We need help on what to do next.

Answer:
 Just to be clear, are you saying 1) the policy in force at the time of the accident and the drunk driver dropped the policy AFTER the accident occurred or 2) when you called the insurance company they simply said that the policy had already been dropped in the past?

Either way this sounds wrong, I can't imagine cops refusing to show up to an accident with an allegedly inebriated driver regardless of whether there were injuries.


Title: [North Carolina]Friend accidentally shoplifted in Walmart

Question:
My friend was shopping in Walmart and carrying about $50 of items. One item was an $8 glass jar of oil that she was afraid of dropping, so she carried it in her purse and forgot to pay for it. The security team met her at the door.

She says she was escorted into the office where they had her sign a paper giving them permission to take her photo. She did not read the paper, just signed it, and does not have a copy of it. They made a photo copy of her driver's license and also showed her the security footage.

She acknowledges it does look like she was shoplifting and there is no denying that she did not pay for it, so her intentions don't really matter at this point. The police were not called. Walmart told her they would be 'sending her an affadavit in the mail' that she must sign and return right away. According to my friend, that's all that was said.

She has no record, never been charged with anything, including shoplifting. How serious is this? What should she expect? What even IS the gist of an affadavit in this sort of situation? Walmart has something of a reputation for no tolerance, so she is very concerned.

Answer:
 If only Walmart had shopping carts...

Advise your friend not to sign anymore documents without first reading them. Answer #2: An affidavit is a sworn statement of testimony. It sounds like they want her to sign a statement admitting the theft. Which they will likely follow up with a civil demand letter asking for money well in excess of the value of the stolen items. If she doesn't pay, they may sue (or just threaten to sue). Separately, with or without her signature, they may report it to the police. Even if she pays the demand letter.

It's serious. Your friend should probably consult with a defense attorney who has handled similar cases. I would do that before signing anything (else).Answer #3: Yeah, I don't believe it. How did she pay for her $50 items without looking at her purse? Why wasn't the shopping cart good enough for a jar of oil? Hopefully she learns something from this.Answer #4: LOL
That is a funny reason to put something in one's purse.  It might be true, but I doubt anyone would believe it.

I am only guessing here, but I assume she will get an affidavit to sign which will be a summary of the situation that she must agree to and presumably it will include a bill from the "security department at Walmart" that she will agree to pay.  The bill will presumably cover their costs of detaining and processing her.  If she doesn't sign the affidavit and pay the bill, then I suspect they would sue for the amount of the bill.


Title: *HELP* Will this go on my permanent record?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 "Permanent Record" is a term that has no meaning. Criminal record is the term you're looking for.

You need a criminal defense attorney *now*. Do not trust what the police tell you. Informant cases mean you are basically their toy, and at any time they are unhappy with what you do they can revoke their agreement and charge you with the original offense. You would need to get in writing and go before a judge before I would ever agree to be an informant.

If you are charged and arrested, potentially yes this could go on your criminal record forever.


Title: Sociopathic Brother-Very long story short

Question: 22 year old, uneducated, unemployed, sociopathic, “verbally” abusive, addict little brother is terrorizing my mother’s home. Cops said they won’t arrest him until he actually HITS my mother??? Is there anything I/we can do before this happens? Putting a heavy mental toll on everyone involved. I’ll add more info if necessary. Thanks in advance

Answer: YOU can't do much. YOUR mom can evict him pursuant to the laws of your jurisdiction if she wants to.


Title: [spoilers] How would the trial go after the end of the movie Seven?

Question: As legal professionals how would you defend/prosecute David Mills (Brad Pitt) in the case of the killing of John Doe (Kevin Spacey)?

Answer:
 I don't think there's a trial.

He takes a plea and serves his time in a mental hospital instead of jail.

Worst case scenario is murder 2, due to the sudden passion and whatnot.

But there's also a strong argument for temporary insanity there.Answer #2: In theory, he's either guilty of murder 2, or he's NGRI, depending on how the facts hash out once he's interviewed, evaluated, and the experts testify.

In practice, since he's a cop, he'll be overcharged with murder 1, and, depending on the culture of the local DA, either he'll plead out to involuntary manslaughter, or they'll go to trial, he and Somerset will testify that Kevin Spacy lunged for one of their guns and that they were in fear for their lives, the jury won't be instructed on lesser includeds, and he'll be acquitted.


Title: My manager forces me to take really long unpaid breaks, when there are no customers around is this legal?

Question: Hello all, I live in Ontario Canada. I found a job at a fast food place and have worked there for over 3 months, something has been troubling me. I get scheduled for around 6-7 hours everyday, but only really get to work for like 3-4 hours a day, because during the hours when we don't have any customers, my manager would force me to take 1-3 hours unpaid breaks. Is this legal?

Answer: If you are required to be on the premises then he is required to pay you for that time.  It's very possible that your scheduling will have greater protections due to Ontario almost certainly having better labor laws than the US, but I don't know enough about Ontario's labor laws to speak to that.


Title: Who has the most legal say over a disabled family member if the legal guardian has passed away?

Question:
My dad just recently passed away and I have two younger sisters, one who has Down syndrome (I’ll call her M) and is mentally around a toddlers age. She is 27, and my dad was her legal guardian. Our mom passed away when we were younger and now we are still living with our stepmom who was married to my father for 20+ years. My other sister didn’t have a job so she had been watching M during the day while I worked.
We’ve been going through the process to set up IHSS and get the provider set up for M. But now my other sister has had a melt down and she wants to call IHSS and claim we don’t want the money or provider and to put M in a home. If none of us has conservatorship, does that mean she legally can’t do that? Is my stepmom the legal guardian since we’ve been living with her for so long and married to my dad even though M is technically an adult at 27? I don’t want to put my sister in a home but I don’t know what rights we have and who makes the decision. The conservator will take about 6 months to process, if I apply for sole conservatorship, and my sister does to, what is the chance I can get sole custody so she doesn’t put M in a home? We are in California.

Answer: Without any documents providing a direction, I would think that the guardianship would revert back to the court until the new one could be determined. Contact a  guardian ad litem for further advice.


Title: [PA] Sold a guy from West Virginia a camper, now he is threatening to cancel the check.

Question:
Okay, so I don't know if this is the proper thread, if not, I'll delete it. Also, I told my boyfriend to not accept a regular check, because I've always heard it's not smart, but at the last minute the guy said his wife never got to the bank (friday night, he was supposed to come early saturday morning before we traveled to family) and that he'd use a check from his business account and I guess provided enough proof that he had the funds that my boyfriend decided to proceed. I've already been giving him shit for not demanding a cashier's check, as well as his dad. So, we know that was a bonehead move.

Now, it's a day later and the guy is saying that the toilet is leaking, the septic tank has a hole in it, there's water line damage through the entire thing, and that it wasn't winterized.

Okay, so full disclosure, the holding tanks (black and gray) do leak when too full. We bought it like that. It's either a seal where the tank connects to the piping, or there's a crack at the top part of the tank. It's impossible to know without dropping the tank from what we have been told. It's not like we were hiding that from him. We assured him that it was fine for us. It was just an indication you need to empty it soon. We lived in it for over a year, it wasn't much of an inconvenience.

As for the winterization, that was done November 30th when we moved out. We did it ourself so it's not like we have a receipt. The camper had a very simple built in winterization system so we figured we would save a couple bucks and do it ourselves. We put at least 4 gallons of RV antifreeze in it. He grew up camping in a camper, his family had a permanent site at a campground 10 minutes from their house, he knows the process of winterizing a camper. So, I'm pretty sure we didn't do it wrong.

He said they emptied the tanks and that the guy with him knows about campers and said there wasn't a lick of antifreeze in the tanks. Which is bullshit because we ran it through the lines and then dumped a few gallons down all the drains directly.

He came to see it the weekend before he bought it (bought it yesterday) and all of the slide outs wouldn't go out, the batteries were dying. The bedroom one went out, half of one of the living room one went out, and the other one didn't move at all. So yeah, he couldn't do an entire inspection. I'm sure that does make us look shady if he genuinely is having these problems right now. We have a battery charger that we could have used but he had other campers he wanted to go look at. When he bought it he said he was going to put new batteries in it so he didn't care. So cool, easy enough.

I loved our camper. It was comfortable living in it. We would still be living in it, but we are getting married and figure we should have more adult-like living quarters, so we were going to use the money for a down payment on a house.

Our worst case worry right now is that he is going to stop the check, keep the camper, and we will be out the money and our quickest way to make a sizeable down payment on a house.

And within starting this post, I have been informed (I stayed out of the whole process for the most part, never met the guy or anything) that at the titling place, the guy didn't have his license on him so it got transferred into his buddy's name. (The guy's truck wasn't set up for a 5th wheel yet so he got a buddy to come with him to use his truck that had a 5th wheel hitch.) Which just makes me feel like I should be worrying more.

Yes, I know, we are idiots.

He just replied saying to not bother cashing the check so... yeah.

Answer: Cash it at the buyers bank first thing tomorrow morning.  Like be waiting for it to open.  If you can cash it, you're fine.  If not you can sue in small claims.  He still owes you the money, but it will be much harder if you can't just cash the check.


Title: [CA] Can I as a california male buy birth control without a prescription

Question:
http://laist.com/2016/04/09/free_the_vagina.php

I don't plan to buy any, but I wanna know.

Answer: No. The whole point of the new procedure is to make sure the BC is to make it easier to get BC, but still be safe for the woman taking it. There are some women for whom it is **not safe** to take BC. If the pharmacists sold them to you, the only options are that you are buying them for your own personal use (which is obviously not for birth control) or to give them to a woman for whom it may be unsafe.


Title: How is forgetfulness treated in court?

Question: Ex. Someone thinks I know something and ask me questions. I say I dont know. They bring in something showing I should know, but I just simply forgot

Answer:
 This is fairly common and called "refreshing the recollection of a witness." If this is done on direct examination then that side is doing so to introduce evidence that is helpful to their case. If it is a minor detail you forgot, like a date or address, then they can explain away that you forgot because of it being a minor detail and memory fades over time. If it's a major detail that goes to the reason there is a court hearing then they did a poor job preparing their witness.

On the flip side, on cross examination the attorney will do this to discredit the witness and show that their memory is faulty. They will argue that if this witness can't remember these details, how can we be expected to believe the rest of their testimony. This can be especially powerful when the details or fact forgotten is damaging to the other side's case as it could show the bias of the witness of only remembering helpful details but "forgetting" hurtful ones.


Title: Woman reached into my car to take my keys. Is that legal?

Question: I live in South Carolina and was involved in a minor fender bender with a stationary car. It was parked in the street and I didn't have room to back out. I thought i was clear, but wasn't. I stopped and owner of the vehicle beat on my window and screamed I had just hit her car. I was well aware. I told her I would grab my insurance information and proceeded to open my glove compartment to search. My car is in park. This lady reached through my window and tried to yank my keys from my ignition. I pushed her out and took them out myself. She pulled open my car door and attacked me for my keys, which she got a hold of and broke. The whole time she screamed profanities at me, then spit in my face. She told the cops that she didn't do any of this, yet had my keys when the officer arrived. I told the officer and he asked if there were witnesses, which there were not. What l want to know is if her admitting to stealing my keys is enough to press charges and what would they be?

Answer:
 >enough to press charges and what would they be?

That is all up to the police and the DA. You called the police, the investigated, let them handle it.


Title: (Toronto, ON) Is it better to renew a lease than go month to month?

Question:
I've recently moved into an apartment, so I have a lease.  This will expire Oct. 31/17.  My question, after reading so many posts here regarding leases/month to month tenancies is, is it better for me to renew the lease next year or just go month to month?  Is it safer to have a lease? FYI I have lived in this apartment building before, went month to month after my first year's lease, and didn't have any issues.  But now I'm wondering if it's better for me to always have a lease.

Thank you!

Answer:
 So much terrible advice in this thread.

In Toronto there is basically no reason to sign another lease, your landlord can't give you notice, you have what is basically rent control and lose nothing being month to month.


Title: Antique bottle find abandoned place

Question:
Hi all,
So I was exploring some old abandoned places in my town today, quite possibly from the late 1800s to early 1900s (an old barn and house.) I took pictures in the barn and house. While I was walking through the woods out back of the house I found a huge trash pile (lots of old appliances, tin cans, car parts and lots of glass) I found some really cool old bottles and took them home. From what I can tell, some of the bottles are from the same time period. Is it illegal that I took them? It wasn’t in the barn or home and it was very clearly a trash pile. I didn’t think taking old glass bottles could be illegal but now I’m worried.

Answer:
 Technically probably. You took something from a property you were on while trespassing. That's generally not allowed. Practically no one's likely to come after you unless it turns out the bottles were valuable.

If this is going to be a reoccurring thing I'd suggest going to you local city hall and requesting to see the tax records for the property you were on. That should give you the owner's name and address so you can contact them and get permission to both be on the property and clean it up. Answer #2: You were trespassing on someone else’s property. That’s a crime.

And you stole stuff. Also a crime.

So yes. You have committed at least two crimes.


Title: Help.

Question: My mom , little brother and I facing domestic violence and we wanna get rid of my abusive father but he threatened to kill us all if we decide to leave and I'm tired of him he beats my mom and beat us whenever he's angry he's a control freak . We wanna leave him but we are so afraid because we are immigrants we just arrived Kingston (which is in Canada ) and we are not sure what to do, we are too afraid to make a move , especially my mom . What shall we do ? We are really miserable and wanna get our own life away from him safely .

Answer: Kingston has an extremely functional and helpful network for helping victims of domestic violence, I used to volunteer for them, they do not care at all if you are an immigrant please trust me.  Go down to the police station like attheeolian said, they are good people they will help you. Answer #2: Get in the car now and go down to the police station and explain what's happened. If they have a domestic violence unit or anything similar, ask to speak with them.


Title: [LA] Foodstamp fraud?

Question:
I apologize in advance if this isn't enough of a legal issue. Part of why I'm posting is because I have no clue how much trouble I could potentially be in.

I just moved here from out of state a few months ago with my boyfriend. We have been staying with my mom. I found out I was pregnant and after a lot of consideration and my mom's persuasion, we realized living here for a while would be better for us in the long run financially.

Anyway, recently my mom ran into a crappy surprise that messed her up in the financial sense, so she has been a nervous wreck. She applied for food stamps, got them, and then encouraged me to do the same. Since I don't know much about applying for assistance, I asked where to do it and what kind of stuff I'll need and she offered to just do it for me online. All I would have to do is provide verifications or whatever else they request. My phone interview was scheduled for today and about 10 minutes before my caseworker called, I mentioned I'd be getting a phone call soon and she says "okay. Oh and btw, if she asks, your bf doesn't live here." Wait, what? But he does live here. "I claimed it's just you and me on both of our applications. If you tell them he's here they might not give either of us benefits"

This freaked me out. When the caseworker called, she inevitably started asking where the father of my baby is. I said we weren't speaking and he wasn't currently involved in any way (saying this actually hurt a little). I've been panicking ever since I got off the phone. He is here, he is involved. He works and his direct deposit goes into my bank account (though his name isn't on the account). This address is where he gets mail and it's on his employment forms. Everyone knows he is here. He signed his name as the father at the pediatrician I set up, and his name is going to be on the birth certificate in a few weeks. What happens when they figure it out? I confronted my mom about it and she says "well if they ask for a bank statement or anything we can just take a screenshot and I will edit it on my computer" WHAT? NO. That is the opposite of a good idea.

I can't stop thinking and worrying about every bad way this could play out. I read a bunch of stuff online about food stamp fraud and the possibility you could be charged criminally or even go to jail. I don't think they'd send me right to jail over food stamps I haven't even been approved for yet, but i don't want to face any punishment. I've never been in any kind of trouble before and I definitely don't want to start right now.

What is my best course of action from here? If I do come clean to my caseworker, will I get disqualified for a long time from receiving food assistance? How else could this affect me? Will my mom get in trouble? I feel like a little kid that just screwed up and knows it.

Answer: You should cancel your application before you begin receiving benefits. You don’t need to elaborate about why.