Title: Online dating profile is trying to scam me for cash by having me give a card or account info in exchange for "half of frozen funds" she manages. Indy police were not interested. She says she can "meet me" to get my card. What should I do?

Question:
Indianapolis, IN

I have a full conversation log and already submitted that, as well as her profile, to IC3 / FBI.  When I called the IMPD's non-emergency line, they told me to call the Attorney General's office, who told me they could only act if I had already been scammed.

I expected her to be a fake profile in Nigeria or whatever, but she seems really interested in meeting me in order to physically get a card she can use to "put money on from frozen accounts".

I'd like to get this scammer off the streets, but no one seems interested, and the FBI report has been met with silence thusfar.

Any ideas, other than to non-dramatically cut contact?

Answer: Ignore, ignore, ignore.


Title: Friend tried filing for divorce, judge won't grant it because the wife says divorce is against her religion.

Question:
The title pretty much says it all: a family friend in the Ocala, Florida area called my wife today to let us know he wants to divorce his wife.  They now have two small children (both around 3 years old) together and so he wants to do right by the kids rather than be trapped in a loveless marriage where they'll potentially be witness to constant fighting between parents.

He tried filing for divorce and they went to court.  His wife says she won't sign for the divorce because it's against her religion, so the judge is refusing to grant the divorce.  Now he feels stuck and helpless because he's trapped in a miserable marriage with no chance of making it work.  They've been married over five years and seen multiple counselors over four years so far.  Are there any paths to seek to get this divorce granted?  What should he do first?  What should he expect, good or bad?  Any information or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Answer:
 I really don't think you're getting the whole story here. Florida is a "no fault" divorce state - the husband doesn't need to provide a reason, and the spouse doesn't need to agree.

Edit: I think the likely explanation is that the husband tried to file it as an uncontested divorce; the judge kicked it back because the wife's refusal means it is contested, and the husband doesn't want to pay out for a lawyer to handle the trial instead of doing it the easier way. But that's just me. Answer #2: I am not sure but it almost sounds like he tried to file for an uncontested divorce, which obviously its not, and the judge correctly denied it. In FL, any spouse can file for divorce if the marriage is irretrievable broke, and literally all he needs to say in the petition is that it is. This would be a contested divorce and more complicated but he certainly can do it. You either did not get the full story, he did something wrong, or the Judge did something really wrong(unlikely).


Title: Boss made my coworker come in while sick, and I got sick from it. What can I do?

Question:
I work in the food service industry, and one of my coworkers came in sick tonight, she actually threw up in the middle of the floor as soon as she came in. My boss told her to work anyways, and wouldn't let her go home. That coworker has been working close to me and other employees all night, and I'm feeling a bit queasy. I had to take a 10 minute break and sit down because i started feeling nauseous. It might just be in my head, but if I wake up tomorrow vomiting, what are my options? I have the next 3 days off for going out of town to fix my car, and can't afford to miss these days due to sickness.

I work in Indiana, her vomiting was on camera, and she threw up multiple times throughout the night, all on camera as well, I think.

Answer:
 If you are coming down with the same bug, you didn't catch it tonight: you caught it from her previously (or you both caught it from another person). You don't become infected and come down with symptoms in a few hours.

Your boss though: having a food worker throwing up in a food prep area is a major error on their part. God help him if it's something that can be transmitted through the food.

I'd start looking for another job: one that treats their workers with respect AND follows appropriate food hygiene standards.

>Proper management of a food establishment involves ensuring that food employees do not work when they are ill and having procedures for identifying employees who may transmit foodborne pathogens to food, other employees, and customers.

>Management must ensure that food employees and "conditional" hires alike are aware of the reporting requirements for foodborne illness symptoms and diagnoses. When a food employee or conditional food employee reports either an exposure to, symptoms of, or a diagnosis with foodborne illness, the person in charge (PIC) must take action to prevent the transmission of foodborne bacteria and/or viruses from the infected food employee to the food. The PIC must understand the requirements for restricting, excluding, and reinstating food employees.

from http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/RetailFoodProtection/IndustryandRegulatoryAssistanceandTrainingResources/ucm113827.htmAnswer #2: Generally I like ginger ale for an upset stomach. Try not to eat anything too heavy, stick with plain bread until you are sure you can keep the food down. Answer #3: Have you had your bacterial / viral infection genetically tested and compared to your coworker's to prove it's an exact match to the strain they had? Because other than that there's really no way to confirm that was who your disease vector was.


Title: Maryland, USA - Comcast charging equipment rental fees on returned equipment

Question: As the title suggests, I'm having an issue where Comcast is charging me between $5-$10/mo for equipment that I returned earlier this year (mid 2018). Obviously it doesn't seem like a lot but that amount adds up over time. I contacted someone from customer service about this issue about 2 months ago and they told me they would remove the charge while they looked into this. Today I see my bill notification once again tack equipment rental fees for the returned equipment. When I returned the equipment to the Xfinity store, they didn't give me a receipt or anything, just scanned the items and put them in a bin so I'm not able to provide documentation. What should be my next steps? Filling a complaint with the FCC? Will toss actually get their attention? I just want the charge to stop and feel I'm entitled to reimbursement of the money that's been wrongfully charged.

Answer:
 Send a certified letter to Comcast. Explain that you returned the equipment, when and how you returned it, and that you are disputing the bill. Include the fact that you spoke to someone on x date at x time, include the name of the person if you have it, and they promised to fix the problem.

Tell them you expect to be reimbursed within x days. Say 10 days or the next billing cycle or whatever.

See if that resolves it.


Title: (Missouri) My ex-girlfriend and I own a house together and are trying to separate it fairly

Question:
In 2011 my girlfriend and I had been together four years and we decided to buy a house. We got a good deal on a government foreclosure in rural Missouri, 9 acres with a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom manufactured home for around $45k. After three years we were both unhappy for a variety of reasons. We were engaged for two of those years but she kept postponing our wedding date so that never happened. Eventually I decided to break it off when the depression was too much and nothing was changing. I lived in the house for a few months after we were officially split, then moved out in the summer of 2014. She refused to sell it, rent it, or let me live there.

She has been living there ever since paying the mortgage on our FHA loan. Both of us are on the mortgage and deed, with myself as the primary signer and her as the cosigner. We haven't had a lot of contact in the last two years as she didn't want to see or talk to me after I moved out. She essentially banished me from coming out to the property. Now we are trying to settle on this shared asset and separate ourselves from this mutual obligation.

I have two questions concerning what's legal and what's fair. She feels like since she paid the mortgage for the past two years she is owed a larger percentage of the value of the property. I feel like I did her a favor by letting her live there with a $400/month rent and not bothering her during that time. Any other housing would have cost her much more or been much smaller, with 1 bedroom apartments running around the same monthly price as our house. I was the one who had to go through the expense and process of finding new housing.

Legally, can she keep me away from the property? From living there if I so chose? What are my rights as one of the owners of the property? Will we both have to come to an agreement on if and when to sell it, and on how much each party receives? Can I force the sale of the property in some way? If we cannot come to an agreement, what are options for mediation or other legal avenues for resolution? We have been talking about getting it refinanced, either in her name or mine, but both of us want some kind of compensation for giving up our rights to the property but it's unlikely we can get a larger loan to pay off the other party. Neither of us have a lot of cash lying around to pay off the other out of pocket. Other options?

On fairness, does she deserve more of a share of the property when we sell it? It's difficult for me to objective about it. I don't feel like I owe her anything. I would gladly have taken over the payments and stayed there myself if it was ever an option, but she was adamant about staying there and I have only recently started to push for my claim.

I feel like we should sell it and split any profits 50/50 and be done with it. Or possibly she could let me live there two years and I'd pay the mortgage, then we could sell it. This seems fair to me.

That's the gist of it. Any advice or suggestions are appreciated. I do plan to speak to a professional, but I figured I'd ask the internet first. Thanks.

Answer:
 If you're both on the deed, both of you are equally entitled to live there. You can't enforce rent on her, and she can't keep you out through property law.

Symmetrically, if either of you wants to sell, then that party _can_ sell, either with the cooperation of the other owner or by suing for partition. If she wants to sell and you don't, you have the choice of convincing her not to, buying her out at the price you two can negotiate _regardless_ of whether you think it's a "fair" price, or waiting for her to sue for partition, which will split the sale price between you.

She'd have a good argument for being entitled to more than half of the equity if she put in more than half of the down payment and more than half of the mortgage payments over the time you've owned the house. It's not a guarantee that she'd get more than half the sale price, but I wouldn't hold my breath on getting half the sale price yourself, either.


Title: [WA] Car caught on fire and blew up on company (Credit Union) property.

Question:
My car was totaled on company property (it caught on fire and blew up). We are told to park in this specific area (work for a credit union), but there is no security cameras in the area. The fire and police report indicates that the fire was started by a cigarette that was thrown into a bucket next to our trash can. My car caught fire due to the plastic layering of the fence around the trash, direction of the wind, and the bushes all contributed to the cause. My company did not include my car in their claim and said I would have to resolve it with my own insurance (which I have done so far).

My supervisor is insisting that I should sue the company as it occurred on company property and that the credit union should have done something. She stated how if I get injured during working hours, there is L&I.

My question is if I have a case and should pursue legal action?

Answer: Talk to your insurance. Chances are they will pursue the companies insurance. Still may be worth talking to a lawyer as well to see if you have a case.


Title: (NY) Having been keeping other's shipment more than one month, and lost it. Any consequences?

Question:
This person sent her shipment to my house twice. First time, we got schedule figured out and I have gave it to her. Second one, I notified her that her shipment is in my house. She have not came to get it for over one month. I have two other people living with me. I have left the shipment in living room and I cannot find it anymore. Now she is telling me that she will report me for this incident.
She have not made any efforts to get her item for one month. I tried to help her out as much as I could, but now she is going to report me. Will I be in any consequences for this?

Answer: You're being oddly vague, and the details matter here. Who is this person, what's their relationship to you, why was the package sent to your house, and what did you agree to beforehand?


Title: [USA] When can the police take my property?

Question:
Do you have to be charged with a crime before they can seize property? Can a police officer simply take something during an investigation if they believe you have something that could be useful to them?

Can a judge issue a search warrant without you being charged? Do you have to cooperate with an investigation's efforts? Are encrypted messages in and of themselves illegal or a sign of misdoing? Are there time limits for which an investigation can be open without evidence or progress?

If they come and ask for cooperation in an investigation, is it alright/safe to say "I want to talk with an attorney/lawyer before saying anything."

Answer:
 >Do you have to be charged with a crime before they can seize property?

No

>Can a police officer simply take something during an investigation if they believe you have something that could be useful to them?

Yes.

>Can a judge issue a search warrant without you being charged?

Yes.

>Do you have to cooperate with an investigation's efforts?

You may be held in contempt of court if you do not cooperate with things like providing keys to a safe for example, but you should consult with your lawyer before you cooperate.

>Are encrypted messages in and of themselves illegal or a sign of misdoing?

No.

>Are there time limits for which an investigation can be open without evidence or progress?

Usually yes.

>is it alright/safe to say "I want to talk with an attorney/lawyer before saying anything."

That is the only thing you should say other than confirming your identity and address.


Title: (TX) If you're being interrogated by the police, and you say "I refuse to answer any questions without my attorney present," what happens next?

Question:
If you've never needed the services of a criminal attorney, how do you go about finding an affordable, good attorney that is able to drop everything and run down to the police station, especially while you're sweating it out AT the police station?

This is such a very basic legal question that I feel like the vast majority of people (including me) do not know the answer to and never think to ask until it's too late. I had a look through the wiki and didn't see it answered.

Answer:
 They shout for you to "stop resisting!" and /r/legaladvice makes sovcit jokes about you asserting your rights.

Ok, more seriously, the police are going to try to trick you into "volunteering" information that they "totally didn't question you about" until you can contact an attorney.  The key step is refusing, then shutting your mouth and keeping it shut until your attorney arrives.


Title: Company keeps knocking on my door, even after supposedly being added to their "do not visit" list.

Question:
There is some type of energy company in my area that keeps knocking on my door and asking to see my power bill. They are not my actual power company, but I have confirmed it's not a scam. I don't believe their soliciting either, but rather providing some type of energy saving service. Anyway I work third shifts and don't appreciate being woken up to insistent pounding on the door, so I've never shown them my bill and always told them I'm not interested. I've even e-mailed the company who assured me I would be added to their do-not-visit list.

That was 4 months ago and I just received another visit. After telling the person I was supposed to be on their do-not-vist list and that I wasn't interested, they said "someone will be by again" before walking off... This is starting to feel like harassment.

What action, if any, can I take to keep this company from knocking on my door?

Answer:
 It is most definitely a solicitation. The want to see your bill to see if their program would benefit you before wasting your time trying to sell themselves to you.

The best solution I can think of, because it's the cheapest, is to make a sign for your door that says, essentially, "No Trespassing"

If they continue to knock on your door, despite a clear warning both ahead of time (calling the company) and immediately before they arrive (a sign saying to go away), then you can have the solicitor arrested/ticketed (assuming they get caught on your property) and potentially sue the company for their illegal harassment.

But I would save lawsuits for a last resort.


Title: Leasing Agent saying i have to stay another month because of 30 days of notice?

Question: So I moved into this place a while ago and I basically subleased a room from the previous person. Now I'm trying to move into a cheaper place and the new leasing agent for my current place is saying I can't move out until the end of the moth because I have to give 30 days of notice before I move out. The problem is I didn't sign anything when I moved in and I really don't want to spend another month in this place. Since I didn't sign anything when I moved in do I really need to give this 30 days of notice?

Answer: Location is not optional. But yes. You very likely owe 30 days notice. Answer #2: If your state requires 30 days notice, then that's that. You don't have to stay but you do have to pay.


Title: Sideswiped by a teenager not covered by his parents?

Question:
Hey a 17 year old managed to sideswipe his dad’s car against my parked car. I took a picture of his dad’s insurance card and made a claim with their insurance. I got a letter saying that the insurance wouldn’t pay out because the son was a noncovered person. I was wondering what my options were. Thanks.
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer:
 Make a claim through your own insurance.  They will go after the other party.Answer #2: If your own insurance won't cover it either, you're going to have to sue them yourselfAnswer #3: Insurance typically covers anyone who drives the car unless someone is specifically excluded. The dad excluded his son from his policy, likely to help with his own insurance rates. This does not absolve them of liability, it just means they will have to pay for it instead of their insurance. Depending on your insurance coverage, your insurance might go after them for you. Otherwise, you will have to sue them yourself.Answer #4: 1. File a claim on your own insurance if you have collision coverage.
2. Sue the boy and his dad in small claims court.


Title: Is it legal to sell company secrets?

Question: Firstoff, I have no intention of doing so, but something happened that made me curious about the laws surrounding proprietary information. A coworker was approached via email and offered $100 to have an hour long discussion about some technology that the company I work for is keeping secret. Beyond worrying about losing your job, would there be any recourse for a company to go after someone who sold information like this if there were no signed NDA?

Answer:
 They could, in legal parlance, "sue your balls to the wall". Answer #2: You'd get sued civilly and they'd ream you for everything you have and will have.

Plus, if it's something contracted out to your employer but owned by the government, add the potential for a prison penalty as a fun kicker to it.

Edit: alot of risk for minimal reward.  Granted, I wonder just how much one can glean from an hour long conversation but still....


Title: Hi, asshole ex borrowed money and refused to pay back. Used credit card too. In severe debt now.

Question:
I’m from Australia, I dated a guy for 2 years and lent him over $6000, he’s agreed to pay me back when we dated but is refusing to do so now that we’ve broken up. I’m in more debt because of him and now I also find out he’s been using my credit card for the last couple of months.
I don’t know how to proceed to get my money back and I’m freaking out.
Topic:
Douche

Answer: File a police report for the credit card if you didn't authorize it and contact your cards fraud department. Take him to small claims for the money but depending on your state the small claims cap may be 5000 dollars.


Title: Charged with Possession, Paraphernalia, and Trespassing. Help

Question:
So last night, myself and two other friends went to go smoke in the parking lot of a park/nature walk type of deal. About half way through, a cop rolls up and busts us. He knew there was marijuana in the car because we had been smoking in the car and was pretty obvious. He asked how much was in the car and I said 1g. (I was in the passengers seat, my friend was driving, and another one in the back). He then asked who's marijuana it was, we said all of ours, and who's pipe it was, we said all of ours. Both of which were true. All three of us are 18 in college and the drug charges could disqualify us for financial aid. The trespassing was for parking a car in a parking lot that you cant be at past 11pm, which we obviously didn't know. So i guess my question is just, what do I do now? I have a court date in about 2 months. Do I hire a lawyer? Tell my parents? Can I get these 3 misdemeanors removed so that employers cant see it? Can I get it reduced so I can keep my financial aid? How much will this end up costing me?

Thanks

EDIT: I live in the state of Missouri.

Answer:
 You should definetly consider getting an attorney.  Many states offer programs that allow minor misdemeanors to be quickly expunged or allow for deferred adjudication.  An attorney would be helpful in those circumstances.

You may qualify for a free attorney through your local public defender.  You may also be able to find help at Legal Aid or your college's legal resource center.


Title: Boss automatically takes vacation days?

Question: Title- a little misleading. My boss automatically deducts 3 vacation days(out of my 10) for the days between Christmas and New year. The company is closed during this time and no one has the choice to work during that period. - Is this legal?

Answer: It is legal. I suppose you could ask to take the time unpaid and save your vacation days, or use up your vacation days in the beginning of the year so you don't have any left (there may be repercussions for this).


Title: [WA] Hit a pedestrian while driving, they ran off. Should I report it?

Question:
A few days ago, I was driving home at night in the dark. I was completely sober. I turned left, but I saw too late that there was a person in the crosswalk. I braked hard, but my car still hit him, not hard enough to knock him down, but the definitely connected with him, and cars are, y'know, pretty massive. Anyway, he (justifiably) started yelling at me. However, as I rolled down the window, he just resumed walking. I yelled "are you okay?" at him, but he just swore at me and kept walking. I parked and waited around for a few minutes to see if he'd come back, but he never did. Anyway, after a few minutes, I gave up and drove home.

Anyway, here's my question: do I need to report hitting him to the police? Should I just call the non-emergency number and report the accident? I feel really bad about the incident, and if he turns out to have gotten more hurt than he realized and decides to report it, it's on me (and my insurance) to provide insurance. Also I'm wondering if by not reporting it, I've possibly left the scene of an accident, even though I was the one who stayed. Have I maybe committed a crime?

Answer:
 IANAL, just curious so I looked it up.

> (1) Unless a report is to be made by a law enforcement officer under subsection (3) of this section, the driver of any vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury to or death of any person or damage to the property of any one person to an apparent extent equal to or greater than the minimum amount established by rule adopted by the chief of the Washington state patrol in accordance with subsection (5) of this section, shall, within four days after such accident, make a written report of such accident to the chief of police of the city or town if such accident occurred within an incorporated city or town or the county sheriff or state patrol if such accident occurred outside incorporated cities and towns. Nothing in this subsection prohibits accident reports from being filed by drivers where damage to property is less than the minimum amount or where a law enforcement officer has submitted a report

http://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=46.52.030

My layman reading of that says that since you are not aware of any injuries or property damage you are not obligated to file a report, but you can. You certainly shouldn't be taking advice from me though.


Title: How can I prove the value of a Magic The Gathering card to a moving company?

Question:
My parents recently moved apartments and hired a moving company. During the move, my most valuable MTG card got scratches and bent and went from basically flawless (mint) condition (400ish €) to heavily used (250ish €). Can I file a claim against the company and how can I prove the actual value of the card (if possible)?

I know its not a lot of money but the card is the only thing left after playing the game for 7 years in my teenage years. The card in question is a foil (holographic) Tarmogoyf from the Futuresight set in German (example of listed prices here: Current price of a card like mine is at 550€ [https://www.cardmarket.com/en/Magic/Products/Singles/Future-Sight/Tarmogoyf](https://www.cardmarket.com/en/Magic/Products/Singles/Future-Sight/Tarmogoyf) ). I live in Germany. Thank you so much for any help! :)

Answer: Did you get the card graded prior to it becoming damaged? If the card was graded and you can then get it regraded this would be an excellent way to show how much it was damaged


Title: What order for arguments at trial? [NH]

Question:
I have a trial tomorrow morning. I have three arguments. 1. Double jeopardy, 2. MPC derives common law rule requiring joinder of related charges, and 3. Public policy - waste of time and resources.

As per the constitutional avoidance doctrine, should I lead with argument 2? Or should I lead with 1, because it is a more “serious” defense?

Or something completely different. Open to thoughts on this.

Thanks

Answer:
 You should lead with, your honor I would request a postponement so I can retain counsel.  This isn't the sort of argument you want to make on your own because you won't do it well. Moreover, we cannot quarterback your pro se litigation.Answer #2: This is like fake court for a class or a school club or something? Because if this is real court where you may actually end up incarcerated you absolutely need an attorney.  Whatever part of your brain thinks it's a good idea to do this yourself you need to ignore.Answer #3: “1. Double jeopardy”

Those charges have different elements of the crime in them, they can charge both, you can only be convicted of one.  This is common practice in NH state courts.

“2. MPC derived common law rule requiring joinder of related charges,”

NH is not a common law state.  If it’s not a statute in the NH RSAs then it doesn’t apply in NH law.

“3. Public policy - waste of time and resources.”

In NH you can be physical custody arrested and tried for a violation level charge.  I’ve seen district courts here try cases for people not licensing their dogs.  This argument will not fly.


Title: Cutting out parents, what to do about cosigned loan?

Question:
Hi /r/legaladvice, I have a problem. This weekend I am cutting off my narcissistic parents for good, finally.  However, I have a car loan through a credit union that is cosigned by my mother. I'm afraid that my parents will try to use this loan to screw me over in some way as retaliation. They do not have access to my bank account with the credit union. Is there anything I should prepare for when WWIII strikes? Will they be able to access my credit somehow? Maybe increase the loan amount? I want to take preventative measures to make sure this transition to no-contact goes as smoothly as possible. I live in Mississippi, USA.
Topic:
Credit Debt Bankruptcy

Answer:
 Just pay your loan.

Despite your rather absurd hysteria, your parents don't have some kind of menacing world-ending power on you. They staked their own credit on the chance you wouldn't be financially responsible, that's it. Pay your loan, and you won't have any problems.


Title: [WV US] Cops took all of my computer items while investigating my uncle

Question:
Long time lurker, first time poster (thankfully!), and always greatly appreciate all the advice you guys offer to those that need it.

To start, I am posting on behalf of my friend since he has little to no access of the internet.

As the title suggests his computer, Xbox 360, and several computers he was fixing up to sell were taken (his words, was anything with a hard drive). They left his wife's cell phone, possibly unintentionally, but that's how he reached out to me.

Him and his wife live in rural West Virginia with his grandma; an uncle who has been in and out of jail/prison for child pornography was staying at his grandmas house.  The police who were doing a check up showed up and presented a warrant to search the premises and take all "hard drives" to be searched back at their offices.

There is also another "tenant" that rents a room from the grandma and is unrelated to anyone, his items were also taken. My friend pays "rent" (utilities, grocery bills etc) to the grandmother - my thought process was that this creates a degree of separation between him and his uncle [everyone in an apartment building couldn't be investigated for one tenant]. His room remains locked and his wife is at home most of the time (no way his uncle would have had access to his computers).

His concern in all of this is that he was hoping to move out of state to go live with his dad (a bit more stable of a household).  The uncle had been in the house before 5+ years ago, and the same similar situation occurred; police confiscated all hard drives and it took them 3 years to return them once the investigation was completed.  He is also worried because he has been with his wife since they were younger (sub 18 years old) which for them was 7+ years ago and being young and in love shared private images - these images of his then underage wife would be on his confiscated hard drive.  They were never shared outside of their own private use and she is obviously not wanting to pursue any charges of any sort - would him just simply having these put him at risk?  He stated he also had about 300gb of additional "porn" (images and videos) but was obtained from "legitimate" places (pornhub, etc) so thinks they should all be "legal". The last concern is that of those computers he was fixing up to sell, he hadn't got around to checking the hard drive of some of them - he couldn't guarantee that they didn't have illegal items within them.

I've suggested for him to seek help from a lawyer so that whatever he has is not tied to the doings of the uncle and to maybe get the process of retrieving his stuff back in a more timely manner. I wanted to reach out on his behalf to see if there was any other advice you all might have.

I'll do my best to relay any and all of the advice anyone could provide I know he is certainly in a panic and appreciates the help as well. I'll do my best to follow up and provide replies and edits for info that I have or he provides to me.

**EDIT** Thank you for all the replies, I've sent the friend a link to this post for him to read everyone's input.

I did have one follow up question:

If his wife had claimed ownership of the computer would this absolve them both? I.e. she took the photos of herself, and they were never distributed just sat on her private computer.

Alternatively, let's say he said it's his computer but the files are her "property". Once married their property became co-mingled, would this also absolve them? This is assuming the police find and care to pursue.

**EDIT 2** Thanks again for all the information from everyone. I think a consensus has been reached that formal legal help is the only real alternative at this point.

I'll leave this post up incase it helps anyone else in the near term; I will probably remove it once he confirms he's seen everyone's advice so as to avoid anything too incriminating.

Answer:
 If he has underage pictures of his wife, he is in possession of child pornography. Her feeling on it would not matter, he could be charged with possession. Likewise she could be charge with production of it of she took these photos herself.

He should not talk to the police if questioned and should go ahead and consult a criminal defense lawyer immediately.Answer #2: With the pictures of the wife while underage there is slight a chance there isn't an original date on them (on the file or EXIF data), but one where they were transferred to the HDD. If this is the case his best bet is to not say a thing and ask for a lawyer.

Now, you haven't stated if the photos were loaded by him, or the wife. While the wife can get in trouble for underage photos of herself, the chances of that happening might be reduced than if it was him who saved/transferred them.


Title: Under 18 student who has no idea how taxes work

Question:
To start off, I'm under 18 and I work part-time at a tutoring daycare in Chicago, where I work 10 hours per week. I started the job a couple months ago, and minimum wage in the U.S is 10 dollars, but they have been paying me 8 dollars because of taxes. They claim that they're paying me less and withholding taxes so that they will file taxes for me, whereas If I received $10/hr, I would have to file them on my own. I chose the $8 because I thought that would less work for me. But, now, an adult has informed me that because I am under 18 and I don't make over 10k a year, I'm exempt from filing taxes. I'm just confused whether I'm supposed to pay money to the IRS or not. I also do not know whether or not I am a dependent on my parents, (I would assume so), but regardless, I don't even make 5k a year. Currently, my employer has withheld taxes from me. Looking for advice on how to move forward. Do I ask for $8 for them to file for me, or $10 and file myself? Sincere thanks to anyone who helps or reads this.
Topic:
Tax Law

Answer:
 You have a few facts wrong.  First, the minimum wage in the US is $7.25 per hour, the minimum wage in Illinois is $8.25 per hour and the minimum wage in Chicago is [$10.50 (increasing on July 1st to $11)](https://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/mayor/supp_info/minimum-wage.html).  So if your job is actually within the city of Chicago (and not a suburb) they should be paying you at least $10.50 *before taxes*.  If they are withholding taxes from your pay, they should give you a document which shows how much was withheld and a breakdown of what tax it was for (federal/state/city/social security/etc.).

You need to ask your parents if they are listing you as a dependant on their taxes (though they almost certainly are).

Also, you are required to file taxes if your earned income (i.e. wages from a job) exceed [$6,300](https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p929.pdf), not $10,000.  That figure is the income before taxes are withheld.


Title: Who's at fault for damage if Car A is parked illegally and Car B runs into it?

Question:
There's a video getting popular in another sun showing a Ferrari parked along a curb and a pick up backing into it while backing out of a parking spot across from it

https://www.reddit.com/r/ThatLookedExpensive/comments/q5bq9l/insurance_you_hit_what/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share

There are tons of people in the comments talking as if they know the laws and what insurance will do, but I'm curious what the outcome really would be.

Some say the Ferrari is parked illegally (no way to be sure from this perspective), therefore the Ferrari owner is at fault and the truck driver isn't.

Some say even if the Ferrari is parked illegally, the truck is still at fault and liable for damage cause.

Can someone give me an idea of what lawyers would argue (with insurance *or* in court) and what the outcome would likely be?

Answer:
 It's almost impossible for the stationary vehicle to have any degree of fault in an accident involving a moving and a stationary vehicle. The only exceptions are going to be vehicles parked in front of a fire hydrant being rammed out of the way by a fire truck or something similar to that.

You as the driver of a moving vehicle have a responsibility to drive safely and that means not hitting stationary objects no matter how inconvenient and driving at a speed that allows you to come to a complete stop within your visible distance.


Title: [Texas] Tenent abandoned property, and hasn't paid over the past 2 months of rent

Question:
Texas

Hi, I am renting the house on a month to month basis since their original contract expired.

They told me around mid April their intentions of moving out, and they ask until the 5th of May to gather their stuff. I told them that was fine just to call me when they're ready so I can get the keys and start the process of returning the deposit.

They never called.

I call them starting from the 6th of may til mid June to see if I can get the keys from them and they choose to ignore my text and calls.

My questions is what is the proper way of getting possession of the house back. Since doing a cash for keys is looking to be impossible.

Answer: They gave you notice, and left the property. It has been almost 2 months, since they said they would be out. You can just go in, and dispose of any property, since it was abandoned, and you did not have to evict them, you have no duty to them for any remaining belongings.


Title: Church incident.

Question: I was at church, a pastor laid his hands on my already injured back in a forceful manner, got in my face, attempted to push me and forcefully told me to go sit down. I felt very uncomfortable by his threatening manner not only because of what he did, but because he is a much larger gentleman than I. Is there any legal action I can take? In Virginia. Have not gone to the police. Wanted to see if there was any legal action I could take, first.

Answer:
 If you are assaulted then you call the police. That is the first step, not the last. Size doesn't matter. Your story is a little confusing though.

> laid his hands on my already injured back in a forceful manner

So he touched you? Or pushed you?

> got in my face, attempted to push me and forcefully told me to go sit down

So he yelled at you but didn't push you?


Title: [PA] A gigantic tree in my neighbor's back yard fell into my yard. Who is responsible for the cost of clean up?

Question:
Pittsburgh, PA here. So, yeah, big old tree fell into my yard. No damage to property at first glance, but I need the tree gone. Should I start removing it, or do I need to send a demand that they remove it? My Mrs. Is an attorney, but this is far outside her wheelhouse, since she does family and criminal defense.

It's not an exciting question, i know, but if someone familiar with the applicable law could give a quick comment I'd be grateful.

Answer: Unless there is evidence that they were negligent and should have taken action to stop it from falling because they knew it was going to you are likely on the hook. If the costs are particularly high consider filing a claim with your homeowners insurance.Answer #2: Your yard. Your responsibility.


Title: Boss trying to pull a fast one

Question:
Hey legaladvice!!
I am currently in the process of getting out of one job and starting another in southern Arizona. I have put in my two weeks and am trying to leave in good standing.
My boss has never made known the amount of paid time off (PTO) we have accrued to any of his employees. I occasionally requested PTO be added to my paychecks and he has consistently given it to me. Like I said, there is no way for me to know how much time I have earned.
Well when I put in my two week notice, I guess he did the math and realized that he overpaid me by quite a bit throughout the year. He is now claiming that I owe him $1300 to reimburse him for over paying me. Am I obligated to repay that money? Or is he supposed to eat it since he paid it (and I have no way of checking to see if I have time saved up prior to claiming it)?
Thanks in advance for the thoughts and advice!

Answer: If there is no policy on vacation accrual and no access to your balance he has a very weak case he overpaid you.  Essentially it sounds like it was at his discretion. So you can tell him to pound sand, and file an unpaid wage complaint if he doesn't pay you for all the time you worked.


Title: Signed lease, now apartment people want me to sign two leases

Question:
North Carolina is the state. My wife and I are looking for a 1BR/1BA apt and settle on a place that is $975/month after they gave us the tour. The lease starts in August 2015. I filled out the application for August 2015-July 2016 (12 months). I need to make 3x my monthly income per month in order to qualify or have a guarantor/co-signer. My co-signer didn't pass the credit check, so they said my last 3 check stubs will work (I get paid bi weekly).

I called to ask if my lease is secured since I emailed my check stubs. They said yes, but since I am married, they can't have us both in a 1BR/1BA. They did not tell us only one person was allowed per bedroom before I signed any documents. They said I will now need to either

a) Get 2 separate leases in a 2BR/2BA apartment in the same complex (for $675 each, making it about $400/month more expensive for me)
b) if I don't want to do that and want to get out of the lease, I will need to find someone to take over the lease and pay $300 to transfer the lease over.

I told them no one told us this, they said someone did. They toured both me and my wife and we informed them we wanted a 1BR/1BA, they said nothing related to this. They didn't say anything when I filled out the application either. My leasing agreement states my lease "is payable in 12 equal installments of $975.00 - $975.00 as detailed herein."

I only paid the $25 application fee. I have not paid for anything else (administrative fees, security deposit, rent, nothing).

Should I just escalate this to a lawyer? Should I post the leasing agreement (with personal information removed)? I have read it and can't find anything about this. Thank you for any assistance.
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 This smells like bullshit on their end to me. Tell them to point out exactly where it says you can't have two people, especially two married people in a one bedroom.  It may be a square footage issue, but it would probably need to be a very very small apartment to run afoul of that issue (like <250 square feet).

In the meantime, you should start looking for other apartments, just in case. Even if they relent, do you really want to live with a landlord that will try and push you around?


Title: Frisking an underage person suspected of having a joint...

Question:
My 14 yr old son was hanging out at the park (OR, USA) with a couple of friends.  Some adults at the park either called the police, or flagged them down as they were passing the park coincidentally.  They claimed that my son and friends had been seen smoking a joint, and that they had seen and smelled pot.

The police officer talked with my son and friends, had them empty their pockets, and may have actually frisked one or more of them.  (I'm not clear on the frisking.)  Having found nothing of interest (since none of them smoke pot, or even cigarettes) they let them go.

Some acquaintances had claimed that this was probably illegal, since my son and friends were not of legal age to consent to a search.

I'm just curious whether this event was actually legal, and whether I should consider complaining to the local police station about the incident.

FYI, the officer was cordial and respectful otherwise, but it was a semi-traumatic experience for my son.

Answer:
 No location given but I'll assume you're in the US. In short, no, nothing wrong with this scenario.

1) There is no legal age to consent to a search and a minor's consent is certainly admissible.

2) An officer can stop and frisk with reasonable suspicion. Google around "stop and frisk" for tons of information and legal precedent about this. The definition of reasonable suspicion can be a bit complex, but just know that a cursory frisk requires an extremely low burden of suspicion on the officer's part.

3) The emptying of pockets is also fine because in all likelihood your son did so willingly. While he may not have felt like he had a choice, he most likely did. An officer might say "I need you to empty your pockets" in a commanding tone, so your son complied. This is fairly common. The officer may also claim probable cause on account of the particular circumstances of this case. It's hard to say definitely without further detail.

In any event, nothing strikes me as out of the ordinary here.


Title: My backpack was stolen which contained a copy of my birth certificate and social security card. What do I do?

Question:
They were just copies, not originals. And this was in Santa Barbara, CA
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 Report them stolen to the police.

If you're concerned about someone signing up for credit cards or loans in your name, contact one of the three credit bureaus (TransUnion, Experian, or Equifax) and tell them you want to put a fraud alert on your credit report.  This will prevent you or anyone else from opening a new line of credit, loan, or credit card using your name and social security number for 90 days.  This is free, and you only have to contact one of the agencies (they will contact the other two).

[This FTC link](http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/feature-0014-identity-theft) has more information about what to do if you're worried about identity theft.


Title: Do congresspeople who lose their re-election qualify for unemployment? Or are they considered “fired for cause”?

Answer:
 They weren’t fired — their job had a limited-time contract.  They rebid, but their competitor company was awarded the contract.

Welcome to DC where 90% of the people you meet are either contractors or subcontractors.


Title: My ex wife who is anti vax refused to vaccinate our 3 year old son, he died of measles in the hospital on Tuesday. What legal action can i take? (Ireland)

Question:
After 6 agonizing days in the hospital and her refusal to consent to the shot TO OUR CHILD he died very abrubtly. His heart just gave out.

I do not want to move on with this. She took everything from me and now I’m looking to seek legal action. What can I do? I’m so lost here

Anything helps

Answer:
 Contact a lawyer for consultation. They would have the best grasp on what legal action is possible and whether it’s worth pursuing in your jurisdictionAnswer #2: Who had custody of the kid?Answer #3: Man this has infuriated me beyond measure. I’m so sorry for your loss. I’d do everything in my power to get justice so like others have suggested, make it your life goal and seek professional legal advice.Answer #4: https://www.lawsociety.ie/lawinfo/ is a good place to start, to get an idea of the type of Solicitor you'll be looking for. You're likely looking at something under Dispute resolution or Family law here.

/r/legaladviceireland/ is the equivalent of this sub for Ireland, I'd advise cross posting this there for better advice specific to Ireland.Answer #5: I am so sorry for your loss but yeah like stated u should consult a lawyer and see what u can do


Title: Los Angeles, California. My daughter [16F] was found working in strip club, who is liable for this, her or employer?

Question:
A businessman friend of mine was doing a deal in a strip club a week ago, and he told me he saw a very familiar face performing whilst he was there, he told me that my 16-year-old daughter Lisa (not her real name obviously...) was performing and kissing some woman withbright red hair and tattoos in some on-stage lesbian action.

I told him it was crazy talk but he insisted he'd seen it, shown me the photo on the strip club's FB page; it was easily recognizable as my daughter.

When I found out I felt so furious I told like complaining to the strip club.

I thought Lisa was at her friend Vicki's house, she told me this on Friday that she was staying over and would be back Sunday night. Vicki's parents knew Lisa was having a sleepover.

My daughter is 16 but looks 18, and I've already had to get a restraining order for some guy (Ron; not his real name) who kept following her to and from school. Ron doesn't even live in our neighborhood.

Who's legally liable, the strip club, for employing a 16-year-old (Lisa confessed she pretended she was 25) or Lisa herself?

I have grounded Lisa for this and banned her from speaking to Vicki but my question isn't a parenting one, it's a legal one.

Answer: I'd let it go. Your daughter lied and had fake ID. Nothing good will come from making it a legal issue.


Title: [Ontario, Canada] I you sign the last page of a legal document but don't see any of the other page at that time, is the document binding?

Question:
I was given a document in PDF form via email... a few revisions to make sure my name was correct etc, to review, print and return. In the end, myself and other employees were late in doing so, so we were each given the 'final' page of our respective documents to sign and date when they were needed.

Technically they could have changed the entirety of the document and we are unaware.

Is this legal? What happens if they've changed something without our knowledge?

Answer:
 In principle: you can be held to any contract you agree to, and not to contracts you were never aware were being extended. There's no meeting of minds if your employer alters the entire agreement except for the last page, but never shows you the alterations.

You can communicate that agreement in just about any form that's reasonably unambiguous, although signing the contract is by far the most common and easiest to record.

In practice: if you later find that you need to dispute something in your employment agreement, and your employer pulls out a fictitious contract, it will likely fall to you to demonstrate that the contract you agreed to is not the one your employer claims you did. Since you have a paper copy of the contract as offered, I don't think that would be _much_ of a problem, but it's an unnecessary complication.

There's a reason that standard practice is to number each page and show the total number of pages on each page, and to have at least one party initial each page to show that they've seen and read it, as well as signing the last page to indicate their acceptance. However, it's rare that that level of record-keeping is actually required by law, or necessary in court.

Obviously, if you _never_ saw the rest of the contract, you should not sign any of it.


Title: (California) Need restraining order help. URGENT!!

Question: I don't have too much time but I need help asap. My father (piece of shit) who I've had a restraining order against for the past 2 years came to my mother's home drunk tonight. She also has a restraining order against him. When I saw him we started arguing telling him to get out and things escalated quickly. I punched him and broke his phone. He is just sitting on the front porch right now talking to himself saying fu** you, son of a b*, etc. Will I be in trouble if I call the police on him? Please help asap

Answer: Call the police and inform them of the restraining order.Answer #2: Hmm would you be in trouble for calling the police on someone breaking the law? No, you won't. Call the police now.


Title: Ok, something stupid is going on in my school

Question: A teacher in my school has accused a friend of mine of calling her something. This is a lie, but the higher ups in the school have decided that if my friend says he called her something, he will be  suspended, if he doesn't they are pressing charges. I find this to be complete stupidity and I didnt even know this was possible. How can I help my friend?

Answer: Calling someone a drunk isn't a crime, so tell him to choose option B, the "pressing charges".


Title: TX license not eligible due to unpaid tickets/warrent. Now in Military living in Hawaii. What are my options?

Question: Before I joined the navy I got two traffic tickets in TX. I also got a "failure to appear" due to the fact that I was not present in the court dealing with the issue at the time. The court has been sending notices to my old address about the issuance of a warrant. My expired TX license is listed as ineligible. What are my options for either getting a new license in HI or renewing a TX license?

Answer: You should be more worried about your chain of command finding out that you have a warrant. Do not post further and consult your JAG office.


Title: MA unemployment question: I am in a catch-22 because I was allowed to resign?

Question:
Hi.  Long story short, I was a public school teacher let go for 'conduct unbecoming a teacher'.  I feel like even trying to explain is going to tar me further, it was a witch hunt.

I accepted the opportunity to resign rather than be dismissed, and school administration said they would not dispute my unemployment claim.  I filed for unemployment, trying my best to fit my situation into the tightly structured, online 'fill in the blank' application.

This was six weeks ago, more or less.  Unemployment just got to my file now, and called me to say there is a discrepancy:  I am saying I quit due to impending discharge, the school is saying I resigned on my own for personal reasons.

My question is broadly 'what is the best way to respond to the unemployment inquiry' about what happened?  I want to claim my unemployment, and I don't want to have to explain what I didn't do...

thanks so much.

Answer:
 You truthfully state what happened and answer any other questions they may have. You say that you were told to "quit or you will be fired".

> and I don't want to have to explain what I didn't do...

That's not going to to fly. They need that information to make a determination. If your employer alleges misconduct but doesn't have sufficient proof, then *generally* it will be held that there was no misconduct since the burden of proof is on the employer.  You have no right to silence in the unemployment system if you want to collect benefits.  However all information you do provide is protected from disclosure. And honestly you have nothing to worry about. The people that review unemployment cases have seen everything under the sun and won't remember you after claim is processed.


Title: Pulled over and arrested in Illinois for speeding

Question: [deleted]

Answer: So you were driving like a complete moron and you got arrested for it. Where is your legal question?


Title: [USA] When it comes to sports betting...

Question:
I live in a state where any form of gambling is illegal. I'm curious if there's a 'loop' (for lack of a better term) around it:

Example: If I were to hold a 'competition', in which people competed against one another for a jackpot and I only charged a processing fee, would that be legal?

I was thinking of a 'fantasy' NFL season. Players pay $10 dollars and get $1,000 of fantasy/play money. They 'wager' on the lines every week, whatever amount they like. At the end of the season, the winner with the most 'fantasy' money, wins the jackpot.

Answer:
 Your state's laws would control here.

In general, most states differentiate between "gambling" and "games of skill".  Playing something like roulette is gambling; something like a basketball tournament is a game of skill.

Your legality would turn strongly on whether your fantasy football game would be considered a game of skill or a game of chance.


Title: Car Accident Trouble

Question:
I was recently in a car accident involving 3 cars. I was the car in the middle. The insurance company says I am 50% liable for the damage of the car in front of me. But I was perfectly fine before the car behind me rear-ended me. This all happened in Dallas, Texas.

What can I do so that I don't take any liability in this accident? I assume getting a lawyer is the best solution but what kind of lawyer? Your help is deeply appreciated. I have lost sleep because of this.

Answer:
 Their argument will be that, you didn’t leave enough space between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you which could have prevented the car in front of you getting hit.
If you want to fight them you would have to prove that you did leave enough space and that the car that hit you was going too fast to be able to avoid collision with the car in front of you.


Title: Neighbor cut down tree onto my car.

Question:
My car was parked on my driveway that is adjacent to the wall dividing my property and the neighbors. There is a tree on my neighbors property that somewhat sticks over my driveway but barely at all. My neighbor decided to have his gardener cut down most of the tree, I'm talking like the entire top half. When I came outside last night part of the tree branches were over the wall and resting on my car. I had to go somewhere so I lifted the branches up and over back to his wall and noticed there were several scratches along my back hood and side of the car. The scratches aren't particularly deep, but there are several and they are noticeable. I have not mentioned it to him yet, but intend to do so tomorrow morning. I'm just wondering what possible options I may have if he doesn't take the news well. I am in located in California.

I should have taken pictures of the branches on my car, but unfortunately did not. I did take pictures of the scratches and leaves and such on my car.

Answer: This seems pretty cut and dry. All you have to do is decide which to sue...the gardener, or your neighbor.  Or let your insurance company deal with them.Answer #2: I'd let my insurance company fight his insurance company over it.Answer #3: If it's not to late see if you can snap a pic of the tree that fell on your car.Answer #4: As a side note, it sounds like they 'topped' the tree, so you may also want to look at whether tree topping is allowed in your area. In my part of CA it is illegal. When you cut the top off a tree the new branches that will replace all of those original branches will be weak and more likely to fall during storms and such. It is not a healthy practice. It also opens up the tree to infection and death, especially if done improperly, and I am just going to guess someone who didn't care that the branches were landing on your car isn't going to care about details in general. The fine for topping a tree in my area is in the thousands.


Title: North Carolina USA employer retroactively docking pay, confiscated another employees phone and deleted video from it, also possible insurance fraud...

Question:
Posting for a friend who works at a care/therapy facility for special needs adults. They are a small organization, about 15 clients. The woman who runs it lets employees take clients out for fun, like to the park, beach, etc. Which is great and the clients love it, but she doesn't reimburse her employees for gas money, and doesn't really have a set list of rules for this type of activity. The whole thing is very unorganized and not very structured. My friend quit last week because they told her she had to work 7 days a week, when she signed on for 5. She said no she couldn't do that, and the employer said she was going to dock her pay back to minimum wage for hours she had already worked. Is this legal? It sounds really sheisty.

My friend spoke with the manager saying that she didn't feel right that the facility isn't really doing therapy with the clients like they are supposed to, they are just babysitting with almost zero supervision or structure. (friend has worked in care facilities like this before and everything is typically very well documented and organized and they must do certain actual therapy type activities, and have certain standards in order to be covered by various healthcare insurance networks). The following day, everyone was called in for a meeting and the manager lady told everyone they were not permitted to take clients to their homes anymore. (all the employees were doing this, as they were told it was ok. Some abused it and would sit at home getting paid while the client sat there doing nothing at all.)

Then yesterday, another employee had a video of one of the clients behavior while in her car with her, to document so they could better serve the client and manage the outbursts/behaviors. The lady who runs the place took the employees phone, and when the employer refused to fork over her cable to connect it to the computer, another employee was forced to volunteer her cable. Manager plugs in phone, deletes the video. Luckily, employee has an iPhone so the video is backed up to her cloud anyway, but that is some messed up stuff. My friend thinks the manager did this to delete any evidence of the clients going in the car with employees, which  apparently isn't supposed to be allowed. My friend supposed they are doing or not doing a lot of things that would disqualify them from being covered by most clients insurance.

So my friend quit. Now it's 5 days past payday and she and this other employee whose phone was confiscated  have yet to get paid. My friend has had constant issues with getting paid since she started working there 4 weeks ago. Yes, all of this crap happened over only one month's time.

So my question is, what can my friend do, and maybe can we get a link to the laws pertaining to this situation or any advice on what to do next? I told her to contact the labor board and they may investigate but I don't know if that's good advices I thought I would ask here since I'm not a lawyer. Thanks!

Answer:
 1.  No.  Her pay cannot be docked retroactively.
2.  Wages to terminated employees have to be paid on or before the next regular payday
3.  Your friend can contact the NC Wage and Hour Bureau or sue.  If she sues, she's entitled to twice the amount owed her, plus interest (at 8% annualized) and, probably, her attorney's fees.

Here's how this is likely to play out: your friend contacts an attorney.  Attorney sends letter to employer demanding repayment.  Employer says "Oh crap" and pays up to avoid paying double damages and fees.  If your friend wants, she can write that demand letter herself and save on the attorney's fees for doing so.

She shouldn't have a problem finding an attorney to take the case -- fees are usually awarded in "bad faith" cases like this.

Cite to the wage and hour law:  http://www.ncleg.net/enactedlegislation/statutes/html/byarticle/chapter_95/article_2a.html


Title: Robocalls won't stop even though I've been on the do not call list for years (FL)

Question:
Basically what the title says. I've been getting upwards of 10-15 calls a day. All are robocalls and most will call back 2-3 times in a row if I don't pick up. I tried blocking the number and they just call from a new one.

I have been on the no call list for many years, and I verified this recently. How do I make them stop? I heard about getting money for these types of calls, do I need to go through a lawyer/attorney?

Answer:
 Realistically, there's not much you can do. Many if not most of these originate from outside the US, despite the spoofed US numbers.

Anecdotally, it seems like there has been a big uptick lately, and it's a pain in the butt.


Title: Getting fired over the color of my work shirt

Question:
Hey! This is my first post on reddit, excuse the formatting.

I was recently threatened

Answer:
 Since you provide exactly zero context, the generic answer is:

1. In the US, but maybe not Montana, it would be legal to fire you for this.
2. If you are in a union, speak to your union rep immediately.


Title: Doordash hacked, hacker provided their address, should I do something?

Question:
Hi LegalAdvice,

Someone just hacked my doordash and ordered food to be delivered...hilariously, they had it be delivered to my address. I was able to get the order canceled and change my password and delete all card info saved there (ugh, never again) and checking my card activity, this is the only thing that's not been done by me.

However I see that they had added a delivery address in California to my doordash account that I have never been to and a google maps search shows is a house.

Should I take any action here besides what I've done, or do anything with the information about their address? I'll also request a new credit card but is there anything else I should be doing?

I'm in Illinois.

Thank you!

Answer: Yep, call your local cops and the cops in the city where the new address was posted. File a report.


Title: [USA/CA] Received parking ticket with completely incorrect license plate number, at a time when my car was still in the garage.

Question:
I received an Oakland parking ticket several weeks ago when my car was still in Berkeley. I parked my car around 1:00 in a two hour zone, came to move it at 2:00, and found a ticket on the windshield.

The ticket says that the time of violation was 10:00am, for a license plate that is absolutely incorrect. No letters or numbers are shared by mine. However, the last four digits of the VIN listed are correct. The make of the car is correct, but color is wrong. Finally, the ticket has a picture of my license plate on it.

I sent a letter to the Oakland government but they insisted the ticket is valid. Today I got a ticket with altered information, changed to match my car.

Do I have any recourse?

Answer:
 I would fight that ticket. Take both versions to the hearing.

There are clerical errors and then there are complete mix-ups. This is not a clerical error.

How do you know your plate photo was taken at 1:20 p.m.? If there is a time stamp on the photo that differs from the time of the violation, that is another discrepancy you can raise at the hearing.


Title: Ohio: I was pink slipped and held involuntary at a psych ward, now my job is threatening to fire me?

Question:
Long story short: I had a suicide attempt about two weeks ago. I told my work and asked if there was any kind of help I can receive, they pretty much told me it wasn’t their problem. This past Monday (10/8) I went to the hospital because I couldn’t stop vomiting. The hospital found out about my attempt, pink slipped me and sent me to a psych ward to where I was released yesterday (10/11). My friend  call both my staffing agency and my actual workplace on Tuesday (10/9) to let them know I was being held against my will at that psychiatric hospital because that is the day I arrived  at that specific hospital and was unable to contact them. I received a call this morning from my staffing agency; they pretty much said that my absence from work was sort of a “mini vacation” without approval and they were never informed I was in the hospital even though they were TOLD EXPLICITLY I WAS BEING HELD INVOLUNTARY. I explained to them that I had just been released the day prior and had no opportunity to contact them yet, and she informed me that she will have to contact my actual workplace to see if my position is “still available”, because my absence is being seen as “irresponsible” and “they have a business to run.” I have a screenshot of my friend’s phone proving he contacted both the staffing agency and my workplace informing them of my situation on 10/9. I also have my discharge papers from the bullshit hospital I had to stay at. Can they legally fire me even though I was pink slipped? Both hospitals I stayed at said no, they can’t and I told them I was in jeopardy of losing my job because it’s run by complete morons . What power do I have?
Topic:
Employment Law

Answer:
 How many employees does your company have within 75 miles of your location? How long have you been working there?

The issue you have here is this, if your company has more than 15 employees then the ADA would protect you from being discriminated against based ONLY on the fact that you have a disability, such as depression. However the ADA does allow you to be terminated if you are unable to do your job with a reasonable accommodation which must be asked for ahead of time.  Moreover, randomly missing shifts is more or less never a reasonable accommodation under the ADA.

If your company has 50 or more employees and you have been working for the company for more than a year then you could be eligible for FMLA which would protect your job while you are getting treatment for a serious medical condition (like happened here) and would allow for intermittent unscheduled leave to deal with the issue (this is major distinction between the ADA and FMLA).

But without the answer to the number of employee and the time you have been employees its impossible to say for sure.  The default rule is at will employment, which means that you can fired for any reason or no reason at all so long as the reason isn’t membership in a protected class or taking a protected action.  Ohio has no sick leave law or protection from termination for need for leave for medical treatment/sick leave, so you would need the protection of one of the above federal laws .


Title: Neighbor is lying to my city about my dog's behavior and is trying to get her put down. (Richmond, BC, Canada)

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 If the city pursues something, get an attorney.

But I think you should take your dog to a trainer. It doesn't matter if you know she isn't aggressive. She appears that way to others. She can be trained out of that. And frankly, she bit another dog for barking. That's not playful.


Title: If you accidentally kill your partner during sex, how is that charged?

Question: Like, if a woman sits on a man's face and he suffocates and dies, how is that charged? Is she charged? Is it manslaughter or murder? Debating with a friend, and we aren't sure. Thanks

Answer:
 Depends on the exact jurisdiction, but I would hazard a guess that *if* any charges were filed, they would be for involuntary manslaughter.

On the civil side, you would probably see a wrongful death suit too.


Title: Location Bot stahp! What the hell is going on anymore?

Question: [removed]

Answer:
 As I understand it...

/r/legaladvice is being made a zone for serious business only - they want posts from people who need help, comments from people who provide help, and nothing else besides. They don't show any visible sign of giving the first beginnings of a shit what the readership want (unless it aligns with that goal, or you're in their little circle of friends), because the majority of the readership don't fall into any of the aforementioned categories.

Because Update posts tended to attract comments from the terrible unwashed masses seeking entertainment (and maybe worse sins that that; idk, I'm not a moderator, wouldn't have seen the worst of it), rather than anyone needing or providing help, they were *going* to be locked and the discussion redirected to /r/bestoflegaladvice ... but that sparked a shitstorm of recrimination because not every update is really "bestof" material, and people like easy entertainment, and this seemed like fly-tipping their toxic waste rather than responsibly disposing of it. Meanwhile the announcement was beset by snobby derision from certain parties and flamey-rage from others.

So the role of /r/bestoflegaladvice was "reconsidered", and redefined to serve only as a passive repository of all the 'best' posts/comments, with no commenting at all. Meanwhile /r/legaladviceofftopic is designated as the place for all commenting not seeking or dispensing legal advice (hence why anything that people want to actually discuss needs to be cross-posted here... which is maybe happening partially automatically in the case of locked Update threads?). I imagine this did very little to quell the shitstorm, but meant far fewer people could find a place to actually post their discontent.

So now we have an /r/bestoflegaladvice that has lots of subscribers, but no commenting and an /r/legaladviceofftopic that allows commenting but has very few subscribers.


Title: My friend’s property manager moved him to a 3 bedroom apartment, and two of the rooms are used for storage. Maintenance workers frequently have to retrieve and put away things. what legal action can he take. (Carbondale, IL)

Question:
My friend had a two month lease for a 3 bedroom apartment. Rent was $900 a month and $250 initial cleaning fee. He told the property manager he was having trouble finding roommates, and asked if they could help him find some in the same complex. They couldn’t find any, but they offered him an apartment where two bedrooms are used for storage. The maintenance workers frequently are in and out of his apartment. We suspect but can’t prove they are entering his apartment while he’s gone without calling him.

He is still paying $900 a month for half of the living space. He signed a 3 month lease and has paid $2950 for those three months rent. What legal action can he take against these people who are screwing him over? Aren’t they breaking the law by having him live in a “storage facility”?
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 > What legal action can he take against these people who are screwing him over?

They told him the other two rooms were used as storage **before** he moved in, right?


Title: She is pregnant, What are my rights and obligations as a young unwed father?

Question:
My ex girlfriend (40) is pregnant with my (25) child.  What are my rights and obligations outside of child support ?  She is having a lawyer wright up an agreement to be signed and notarized after our child is born.  How do I find a family lawyer in NYC to talk to about this?  I want to make sure I protect my self if I am not going to be the custodial parent.
A few concerns Have are health care for the kid, custody and visitation, I don't want to stay in NYC forever but wont run from begin a father.  Dads out there, how have you make it work with your Baby mamma and stay the positive role model in your child life?

Answer:
 Your State Bar association runs a [referral service](http://www.nysba.org/lawyerreferral/).

Do not sign anything without having your lawyer review it first. Generally, voluntary agreements are less effective than a court order, but if the two of you reach a custody and support agreement that you're both happy with and that ensures you both provide for your child, then you can likely file to have it entered as an order. (Skip the notary.)

You have an obligation to provide care and support for your child, whether that's in the form of parenting time or financial support. No agreement with the other parent can discharge your obligation to your child, but you seem to be on board anyways, so I doubt that'll be a problem for you. You have a right to access to your child, and can seek redress through the courts if you can't reach an agreement with the other parent.


Title: Please help...I am at my breaking point. I don't know what to do here, or what my rights are.

Question:
I signed up for Reddit (long time lurker) because I'm in a situation that has plagued my life for sixteen months now, and it has come to a head.  I'm a 29/F.  I work at an animal shelter where I make $30K a year, and am soon to be starting a second job on evenings and weekend working at a local sporting arena, because I am having trouble making ends meet.  I am in $3K credit card debt, $30K student loan debt from my masters, $7K in car loan debt (my car was totaled in the accident, and was a very old car, so I got paid out very little), and I have to have dental work performed this month that will end up being $1.2K (which is something I have already been freaking out about, because it is going to wipe out my emergency fund savings).

Last June, I was in a major car accident where my car was totaled.  It was seven cars.  My old beat up car skid on wet road, and in a split instant, I jerked my steering wheel to the left (I was in the far right lane), to avoid the front collision.  A work van smashed into me, sending me into traffic, where another car slammed into me.  The van proceeded to continue down the freeway, and hit three other cars.

My insurance covered $25,000 in property damage.  It has been sixteen months of harassment from different insurance companies, a never ending parade of dismissed decisions from the insurance companies.  No one could come to a settlement.

I hired an attorney to essentially keep on retainer.  I had difficulties finding one that would take me on, so I worked with one who was a volunteer at my shelter - even with his 'reduced fees' I still paid over $2,500 (my entire savings at the time), for him to basically take my case on, get paperwork, get stuff together in the case of a trial, etc.  That was last July, and I haven't work with him since.

Today, I received notification from one of the other people in the accident's insurance company lawyer.  They are saying that their claim exceeded my limits, and t hey are looking for me to "make a contribution towards the remaining excess" in the amount of $5K.  They said "Please contact our office immediately to discuss payment options, including a payment plan agreement if you require, or one lump sum options.  If we are unable to reach an amicable settlement, we will file suit against you, and seek judgement for the full amount of the claim, including cost of suit."

I spoke to my insurance company, and they told me to essentially call the lawyer, express my financial situation, and tantamount to grovel for them to drop this because of my lack of financial resources.

I left them a message, but they never called back.  I'm so hopeless, desperate, and confused.  I am trying to hard to make ends meet, and make a dent in my debt, but I cannot afford this.  I can't even afford a $100 monthly payment, let alone a full payout.  I barely have enough money to cover the dental work I'm having performed this month, then I will be broke.  I don't know if my insurance company is acting in my best interest - do I grovel?  Or is that admitting guilt in a way that they can use against me?  I cannot afford a lawyer, definitely not the one I had before, what do I do?  The thought of paying this out for the next decade of my life makes me so depressed, I don't even think I could go on.  And if I do that, I don't even know how to go about this.

I'm trying so hard to be a good person, to make a difference in the world, and to get myself out of the debt that poor planning got me in.  I just don't know what to do.

Please be gentle, but any advice or guidance you have is appreciated.  Today has been a low point in an already bad few years, and I have no family to support me or help me whatsoever, and I'm feeling terrified, alone, and hopeless.

I feel like an idiot, and completely stupid writing this.  I'm almost 30 and I'm embarrassed that I am so ill equipped to handle this.

TL;DR Got in bad accident, insurance company lawyer is telling me to fork up money, or they'll sue; looking to know what I should say/what worst case scenario is.

Edit: As Reddit reminded me, I forgot to include my location.  I'm in Pittsburgh.

Answer:
 You have a lawyer, right?  The guy on retainer?  You should call him.

In general, your options are:

1.  Pay the 5K
2.  Negotiate a smaller number and pay that.
3.  Tell them you're not paying anything and risk a suit.


Title: (IL) Condo board refusing to approve repair of massive sinkhole in parking spot, retaliation suspected

Question:
Background: Very small (under 20 units) building in the northwest suburbs of Chicago.  Building is financially shaky, very low reserves and lien on the property for a recent major repair which we are paying off over five years.

We resided in the unit until this year, when we rented it out and moved to a house.

We have a difficult board member with a history of harrassing, threatening, and retaliatory behavior against owners who have displeased her. At present my spouse and I are in her crosshairs. There is significant history I'm not getting into on Reddit , but I am certain that what I am about to describe is retaliatory. I may even have enough to prove it in court, but I want to wait and let things potentially deteriorate further to strengthen our case if necessary.

We have a massive sinkhole in our parking spot that is large enough for a child to fall into, and for an adult to wrench their ankle or knee very badly. I'm assuming it would cause some property damage to a vehicle as well. Our tenant is still using the space but is obviously eager for the sinkhole to be repaired.  She has a larger SUV so she maneuvers around it. However the sinkhole is getting larger and eventually will become an issue.

We went to the Board, provided photos and asked for an immediate emergency repair of this safety hazard. There are four members of the Board; the difficult woman, and three others. Of these the difficult woman said NO and the others all said yes, so board consensus was to fix. Email consent was provided to the property manager to repair the sinkhole.

This was a couple of weeks ago.

The repair has not been completed so we checked in the other day.

The property manager told us yesterday that the difficult woman has told him he lacks the "authority" to hire the workers to repair the sinkhole, and apparently he is afraid she will sue the property management company if he tries to honor the board's directive to fix the sinkhole. He said he needs another email from the Board authorizing him to hire the workers even though this has already been done.

In the meantime, our parking spot, a limited common element, is a safety hazard. I sent the photos to our previous property manager who works for the same company and he was shocked by the condition of the spot. The Board is responsible for keeping up the building and grounds, so my contention is their refusal to fix it despite repeated requests and documentation constitutes a breach of fiduciary duty. At least this is what I am going to tell the attorney I consult with, if things don't turn around very soon.

Adding to the muddle: we are overdue for Board elections and we are asking why they haven't occurred, we are told that the current Board "hasn't set a date yet" and won't communicate with the property manager to set said date. Seems very strange and potentially suspicious to me as well, since the difficult woman is a part of the Board and may be the person holding things up (the other Board members are very reasonable and one of them forwarded me emails she sent to the prop. mgr. asking for a date to be set).

Is it lawyer time yet?

Answer:
 > Is it lawyer time yet?

Yes.Answer #2: I dunno, but it might be worth telling the property manager that it's possible they would be included in a suit if someone (or their car) was injured by that sinkhole, since the PM did know about the sinkhole AND had authorization to perform work, but didn't do it. Answer #3: Chicago Property Manager here.

Sounds like the PM is skirting the issue.  If he has Board authorization (2 out of 3 of the members or more) and the one difficult Board member is throwing a fit, he is still authorized to go ahead.

There may be other reasons it is not being done, such as internal Board strife, the PM knowing that he will lose this client if he goes ahead (if the woman is Board President she may be able to fire the PM company), or even something like your building is broke and they are waiting for funds.

Do not do anything yourself as the parking lot is a limited common element.  Any repairs you do may legally have to be reverted to it's original non repaired condition if someone decides to sue.

Is the pothole in your spot specifically, and is your spot deeded?


Title: Help..am being sextorted i think

Question: [deleted]

Answer: You are being scammed. Ignore and move on.


Title: Recent victim of fraud...bank won't help...am I screwed ?

Question:
Our small business was the victim of fraud. Our book keeper was writing checks to herself and paying her bills. The bank just went through a 100 day investigation....and declared they are not liable and they wont do anything for me. Not even the most recent stuff. We discovered this and reported it to the bank within 90 days.

What are my options?

Spend thousands on an attorney and sue a super rich bank?

Pickett and walk around with signs outside their place of business?

Does anybody have any history of success pressuring a big bank?

Am I being stupid ?

EDIT: USA, OHIO

Answer: Why do you think the bank is liable? You're likely going to have to go after the bookkeeper herself


Title: What is the punishment for those teachers who force students to say The Pledge of Allegiance in the United States?

Question:
Topic:
School Related Issues

Answer:
 Principal or superintendent to the teacher:

"Stop doing that." Answer #2: what exactly do you mean by punishment?

Depending on the district, the principal or board of ed may just need to remind them that they cannot actually 'force' students to say the pledge.  But this isn't something they would lose a job over.

Edit: THEY can't punish YOU for not saying the pledge. If that is the case, you need to bring this to the attention of a parent or school.


Title: Got bit by a dog while on a job, how should I proceed?

Question:
Let me start by saying I do commercial and residential Pest control in Houston Texas. Today, as I'm spraying the outside of a customers home, I was randomly bit by a fairly big dog. The bits itself was very painful, but it didn't leave much of a mark. There's a few bite marks on the skin, but only one tooth went into my skin. Dog was probably 60-80 pounds.
I have fairly good pain tolerance as my shoulder pops out of place all the time, and it doesn't affect me too bad. But this bite has me feeling like I almost pulled a muscle or something(got bit on the upper part of my calf, right underneath where my knee bends). It has me limping at the moment, just because the less pressure I put on it, the better.
I don't have health insurance, and my work claims that they are too small to offer workers comp. I want to get this checked out, not only to prevent any transferable disease, but I also just want to see the situation the bit out the surrounding muscles in etc.
Do I have proper grounds to get the home owners to pay for such medial bills? Also, this has been the 3rd time I have been bitten on this job and I'm starting to be scared of dogs. Do I have proper grounds to sue? They were very negligent with their dogs and I don't want this to happen to anyone else.

Answer:
 Workers comp is a cost of doing business....... And it's not all that expensive. I'm shocked that of all things, a pest control company doesn't carry worker's comp.

Anyway. Yes you can likely file against the homeowner. If it were me I would do it through small claims without an attorney. Very probable that the insurance company will then go after your employer.


Title: Severed left index at work - Am I getting screwed?

Question:
Hey there Redditors,

Freshly made account because I'm not sure and I'm hesitant to talk to lawyers since they might try to convince me to pursue a lawsuit that ends up screwing me in the long run.

So here's what went down:

I'm a large scale CNC machinist that makes parts for plastic injection molding machines (specifically the extrusion barrels) I've been doing it for a year and six months and the company treats me really well and all the uppers love my self-start, get shit done, no excuses attitude.

Well in April 2019 I was working on a 2 ton piece (picture a huge tube) and I was in the process of straightening it, this process is basically put the tube between two steady rests (you can google "steady rest" and see pictures of them) with a hydrolic jack in between the two steady rests. We roll the tube on the steady rests with an indicator that rides on the ID (Inner Dimension - basically inside the tube) so when we roll the OD (Outer Dimension) on the steady rest we can measure how far off the inside is to the outside (basically the ID and the OD have to be really close to matching), and when it's not we jack up the tube and hit it with a hammer to move the ID to match the OD. Well as you can imagine when it's jacked up the tube likes to slowly in small increments "walk off" the jack when you hit it repeatedly with a hammer, when this happens we always just gave the tube a small shove to where it would sit back on the steady rests when we would lower it back down. Well, that didn't happen this time. I gave it a little shove and the jack fell over...as the jack fell over my hand slipped inside the 2 ton barrel as it began to crash down and it crushed my left index clean off.

The docs said it was too badly damaged to reattach (and oh shit, pain, I cannot even tell you).

Now the company has been real good about shit, it's not like they are treating me badly. I'm back to work already on light duty, training a new guy - same pay (which is pretty damn good pay) I got my work comp which kept me afloat until I could return to work and work comp is paying me 20k USD over a period of like 30 or 40 weeks for the loss of my finger. I'm also going to be filing a life insurance claim through insurance that I had for "Dismemberment" but that hasn't been done yet.

But people at work and outsiders look at me like I'm crazy. I hear all the time "why haven't you taken these people to the cleaners?"

Like, in my head I think "Well, I haven't ever taken a dime I didn't earn." then I think "Well, didn't I earn it? -Looks down at hand missing finger-"

I'm not looking to pursue some small legal deal where I end up with what amounts to a few years salary and if it's not substantial, I don't want to risk work cutting my throat by losing my job. Also, there's the moral part where why should I go after a company legally when at least from what I see, they have treated me pretty damn good?

But on the other hand (yes, you may laugh) I don't want to screw myself over. So that's really what this is all about. Am I getting screwed?

TL:DR - Lost finger in a work accident, I got some compensation and I'm keeping my job - am I getting screwed?

Answer: Unless you can show that the company was reckless or intentionally caused your injury, your exclusive remedy is workers comp.  You can’t “take them to the cleaners,” your lawsuit would be dismissed.  The company hasn’t fired you, they have done what they are supposed to do with someone who is hurt on the job and is now disabled.  I see nothing here that screams something is off.


Title: Is school a valid reason to postpone a trial?

Question:
Location - Alaska, USA

My trial date for traffic court (for going 9 above on a highway) falls right in the middle of my finals week for school.  While the day itself isn't during class, I might be out-of-town; this is because I go to school outside of town, and am trying to graduate this year; I've been considering staying out-of-town at a motel for finals week in order to avoid the commute to and from school.  It's also my first time in court and I want to avoid this additional stress around such an important time anyways.  I'm not sure what to expect.

I will also be preparing for a friend's destination wedding out-of-state (I am on the bridal party) that follows right after finals week, if that "helps" - the date had been set because of school in the first place.

Are any of these a good reason to request a postponement?

Answer:
 School is a good reason.  The court will decide whether it's good enough.

"I'm in a wedding" is not.


Title: [Georgia, USA] Land/Property Line dispute - My new neighbor seems to be having a big issue with a buried cable (Poorly done MS Paint drawing included!)

Question:
**Prefix: Sorry for the long read. It's a weird situation.**

So, my wife and I bought our first house very recently. So recently we have not yet moved into it as I'm doing some painting/remodeling before we get ourselves and our stuff in there.

Monday I had a plumber come out to do some work in the front yard that involved digging up pipe. As he should have, he called to have underground wires marked a few days before and they came out and painted lines. He did his work, was done by 2:00 on Monday. I finished up and left around 3:00.

The next morning/Tuesday morning I come over to get started back to work and stop at the mailbox to check the mail on my way up the driveway. As I stop another car immediately parks behind me and the driver gets out and introduces himself as the owner of a house that butts up against mine, property-line wise. He states that there's a buried utility cable crossing over from my property line to his, and that I need to move it, or he'll go about taking legal action. He states that he had a surveyor come out and mark the property line. I look up the driveway and see that there are indeed posts in the ground where there were none when I left the day before, with pink plastic tape going between them marking a line. I explain to him that I just bought this house, I have no idea what line he's talking about, but I'll look into it and if I can move it I will. He says it's not if I can, that it's necessary that I move it. He would appreciate my cooperation. He says he's looked up and found nothing about any easements allotted for utilities, so I need to move it. That's more or less it, then he leaves. I go up to get a closer look at the house and this is what I see:

http://i.imgur.com/FlJp1QG.png

Red: Other guy's house
Grey: My house
Brown: My back porch
Green shit: Moderately wooded area
Blue: Small drainage creek. Always has water flowing through it, but not much. Runs about 3-4 feet deep, and 3-4 feet across.
Pink: Where the survey line is
Orange: Where the underground wire was painted/marked
Black: Where the wire comes slightly above ground, as whoever buried it seems to have done a poor job

Later that day I called the previous homeowners about something unrelated, and asked if they had ever had any similar interactions with that neighbor. They told me that some time ago (6-12 months ago) they were grilling out on the back porch when he approached the house walking up through the woods. They asked what he was doing and he stated that he was thinking about putting a fence up at the end of his property. They asked if he had a survey map and he said he did and would bring it over, then they never heard from him again and never thought anything else of it.

I've called the telecom company I'm going to use and they plan on sending someone out to look at the wire and if it's theirs move/rebury it, if it's not they'll try to tell me whose it is. That said, my questions are:

1. What are my obligations with this wire? I don't mind moving it if it's unreasonable and I don't want to be difficult/a dick about it, but this is a pretty shitty way for him to welcome us to the neighborhood and I suspect it won't be the last issue he brings to us.
2. Is there a way I can verify he had a surveyor come out and actually survey the property lines, and he didn't just stick some stakes in the ground and is making all this up? What are his obligations to give me proof if I ask for it?
3. If this guy does decide to go through with his old plans of building a fence on my side of the creek, is there anything I can do about it? I don't at all care if he wants to build a fence, but building it at the end of his property line over the creek adds no value to his home but reduces value from mine, making the side yard "weird". Is there any way (other than asking, as this guy didn't give me the impression he'd play ball if asked nicely. Though I'm not against trying it!) I could prevent a fence on my half of the creek from happening? The neighborhood doesn't have a HOA, if that makes a difference.

*Edit:*
4. The pink tape running across my side yard looks really tacky. Do I legally need to leave it up?

Thanks for the read and your time.

Answer:
 IANAL, but it was my understanding that utility cables are the property of the provider, not the homeowner receiving service, and therefore if he has an issue with this cable should he not be taking it up with whoever owns it? I would have thought that any arguments about utility easements should be had with their legal department.

Not that getting a survey is a bad idea. If the guy is planning to throw up a fence, you definitely want to be sure he isn't annexing your backyard in the process.


Title: [Georgia,USA] Can my employer require me to take an unpaid 30 min lunch break?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 What is wrong with you where you think lunch breaks make you lazy? Answer #2: >  If I don't want to take a break because I am vehemently against them can they force me to take one?

Yes.  Answer #3: Yes they can.  They can't make you eat lunch, but they can tell you that you need to stop working and break your daily shift into two pieces.Answer #4: Furthermore this is a chain with strict rules who will fire you if you keep fighting over this to keep out of legal hot water.

Take the god damn break and yell at management you need more staffing or hours to account for the change in responsibility. If you work your break you are pissing off, you, your manager, your coworkers, HR and their lawyers. And your union if you have one.