Title: (CA) I don't have a regular work schedule and I do not know if I am working until the day before or day of. Usually I am notified just 10-15 hours before my start time. Is this legal?

Question: I work for a small private ambulance company and the scheduling is crazy. All our EMTs and field staff do not know if they are working the next day and their start time until the day before. On average I am given around a 10-15 hours notice before my start time, and if they decide to use me for night shift I am usually notified 3-6 hours before I start. I read through the California fair scheduling act but it doesn't seem to apply to my industry. I am paid hourly. Is this legal? does anyone have any resources that I can look into? Is there anything I can do about this.

Answer:
 There is no law which dictates how much notice you have to be given for your work schedule.

The Fair Scheduling Act...

> is designed to require California **grocery**, **retail**, and **restaurant** employers to provide employees advance notice of their work schedules

It does not look like you qualify for protection.Answer #2: The closest applicable concept is probably on-call pay. If you were required to be available to report to work with, for example, 1 hour's notice, then you could very well be considered to be "on call", which would mean they have to pay you at least minimum wage for the time that you're on call. 3-6 hours' notice could be getting into a grey area, but I doubt it would be considered on-call. [Here's an article](http://www.calrest.org/reporting-time-pay-vs-waiting-time-and-on-call-time.html) with some details about how that determination is made.Answer #3: Very common in private EMS. Unless you're a union shop (which I suspect you're not), you're SOL. Answer #4: I recommend not working for Ambulanz.Answer #5: The Fair Scheduling Act never became law, even if it did you would not be covered. Nothing that is happening to you is illegal. Answer #6: I have a step son in law who works in oilfield. The phone rings, he picks up his always packed suitcase & heads for the airport.  We were at his daughters birthday party & he got the call.  He kissed his daughter & wife. Waved to everyone & left. He's well compensated, but its a helluva way to live.


Title: My dad's psychotic gf (70 y/o) called the cops on him.

Question:
Sorry in advance if I don't have as many details as would be desired, but I'll try to do the best I can. So, I recently moved in with my dad, about 2-3 months ago. His gf moved in a short while after me. She doesn't pay rent, and neither do I, however she does sometimes cook, do some chores, etc. in addition to paying for a portion of groceries (usually somewhere around 30-40%). She starts fights with my dad about every 7-10 days about extremely petty shit, but it never gets physical. This time, it escalated to her "almost" breaking a window, apparently, and other destructive acts towards my dad's property, in addition to getting up in his face, yelling at him, and so on. It got to the point where, I guess my dad pushed her to get her to stop, and shortly after she called the police. He was handcuffed, fingerprinted, etc. and is now waiting for some sort of trial in court tomorrow. He has no past legal records or anything, and has two exes willing to vouch for him that he's NEVER been a violent person.

Currently, she's staying with a friend, even though she apparently has the ability to kick my dad out, for whatever that's worth. My father is also being allowed to stay in his house for the time being, but he's currently at work. I'd be more specific on the details of said fight, but, I happened to not be home during any of it, and I'm still not.

Anyways, point of the thread, I wanted to know what sort of legal options my dad has here, and which ones he should be aware of that he has, if any.

Thanks for any help you guys can offer, I really appreciate it. I'm not even really sure this thread makes sense for me to be making, but, I feel like I at least need to try to do something, given the current situation.

Answer:
 >I wanted to know what sort of legal options my dad has here, and which ones he should be aware of that he has, if any.

At this point, his best (and really only) option is to get a criminal defense attorney and listen to them.  If he cannot afford one, he needs to apply for a public defender.


Title: [California] I gave my roommate my 30 days notice and they claim I said I'd stay for six months

Question:
Basically:

* I'm on a month-to month lease. This is in writing but I don't have a copy, unfortunately.
* Roommate has a year lease with the owner, I'm definitely not on that.
* Roommate claims that I said that I would be here for six months. I'm positive that I never promised or guaranteed to stay a certain amount of time, but if I did say anything I would have used a qualifier similar to "oh probably around [x] months."
* There would be no indication of time frame on the written agreement.
* My move out date is 4 months after I moved in.

What sort of problems could my roommate cause? How can I protect myself? We haven't really argued about it yet but I have a feeling that we probably will tonight.

Answer:
 > Roommate claims that I said that I would be here for six months. I'm positive that I never promised

It doesn't matter. If he doesn't have a lease then he's month to month.


Title: Totaling your car out of town.. First day of vacation..

Question:
Okay so my girlfriend and I were going on vacation. We were driving down a county road, no stop signs, no traffic lights. There is a side street, and someone decided to run a stop sign. The person was towing a boat behind his truck. I avoided hitting the truck, but ended up hitting the boat.

Now this happened in Florida which is a no fault state. His insurance is only willing to pay up to $10k for the car. It's worth 14-15 fair market value. In my eyes the car is totalled. Both airbags did deploy, the frame rails where you bolt the fenders are non existent, and where the crash bar hotels onto the frame is hurt structurally. So in my eyes it's going to be totalled.

Now we have witnesses that spoke to the cop, and I have one of the witnesses information also. The driver isn't denying it was his fault. He just claims he didn't see the stop sign, even if there was a stop ahead sign, and also those white slow down vibration strips.

So this was my first car accident, and I'm completely lost as to what we should do. If we file through her insurance her insurance will of course go up, but if we file through his insurance we won't get the full value of the car.

We werent seriously injured, I have a bruised hand and it hurts me to stand more than 10 minutes due to lower back pain. She has tons of bruises, and pain in her chest and shoulder. We did go to the er, but that was a day and a half later.

Now other information is I'm a small business owner, my partner and I are supposed to start the build out of our first store next week. How am I supposed to deal with that if I have a hard time standing?

It's bad enough when you take your one week vacation, and it ends up being worse than working.. Now when I turn in the rental car she won't have a vehicle to drive.

So the question is ultimately should we file through his insurance and accept the $10k for the car itself? And try to make up the difference in a lawsuit with them? Or go her insurance company and make her payments skyrocket?

To make matters worse... Both cars involved are insured by the same company...

Answer: I don't like involving attorney's in anything i do.  But I understand that at times they are absolutely essential!  This would be one of those times.  Stop talking to the insurance company and start talking to an attorney.


Title: (wa) I think someone broke into my house and stol ONLY car keys

Question:
Went to bed with two car keys on the kitchen table, sitting next to a 3k desktop computer, laptops, and wallets.

Heard my dogs barking in 1am, which they never do.

Only the car keys were missing.

Should I call the police?

We had a garrage break in like 2 months ago, but they took everyrhing of value

Is stealing ONLY car keys a thing?

Answer: Yes, file a police report if you think they were stolen regardless of whether or not "it's a thing" to steal just keys.


Title: [New Hampshire] Slipped on ice in front of store, hurt back too much to go to work. Can I sue the store?

Question: I'm 23 m and I work in a job that requires me to do a lot of heavy lifting all day long. I slipped on ice and hurt back in front of a store earlier today (it was on the walkway coming in from the parking lot.) My back is in shooting pain to the point where I can't get out of bed, so I'm going to have to miss work until I get better. Can I sue the store that the ice slick was in front of? How do I do this?

Answer:
 I worry about this country's futureAnswer #2: Slow down.

First get medical attention.  You just laying in bed until you feel better will net you $0.00 in a law suit.  Then start calling around to local PI attorneys for consults.


Title: Employer not paying overtime, because of holiday

Question:
I'm in Washington state.
The last paycheck, which included Easter (a paid holiday), I worked 92 hours. I just looked at my pay stub and my company is paying me for 80 hours of regular work, at my regular hourly rate, 8 hours of "holiday pay", also at my regular rate, and then 4 hours of overtime, at 1.5x my regular rate. Is this allowed? I feel taken advantage of, because if this was a regular week I'd be getting 12 hours of overtime.

Answer: Did you work 92 hours or did you work 84 hours then have 8 hours vacation pay?


Title: Asked to leave my apartment.

Question:
So about 2 months ago I moved to a new apartment, I had been there over a month when the landlord, who I believe is the owner of the townhouse I had been renting, came to my door with a paper saying that the home owner's association that was in charge(not sure exactly how this works) of the townhouse I was renting wanted us out in 2 weeks. He said to me that my roommate's background, who is staying with me, was not up to their acceptable terms. I fail to see how this is ok after having been here for well over a month before this is an issue. This is in Illinois. We both signed the 1 year lease. Any help/info is appreciated.
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 You would only need to leave if the lease gave him the right to terminate it for the reasons he is stating.  Even then he can not make you leave without legally evicting you - a process that will take time and possibly a court hearing.

The landlord should have gotten any approvals required by his condo association prior to leasing the place to you and not after.  Now it is his problem not yours.

If you need legal help look for a local legal aid society on the internet as well as information on Tenants (renters)  rights in Illinois.

If the landlord got himself into trouble and needs your help to voluntarily leave in order to dig himself out then you might consider helping him.   You could ask him if he is in trouble with his condo association over this and let him explain it to you and then offer to move if he helps you find a new place, covers your expenses (moving and other) and whatever else you want to negotiate for.  But get everything in writing and cash in advance!!Answer #2: Does your lease say anything about it being contigent on a background check or anything? I doubt it. I have never seen it.

Tell him no. You will be abiding by the lease agreement that you and he agreed to.


Title: My neighbor above me is dumping dog urine/water onto my patio/balcony. (Florida)

Question:
I have lived in my current apartment complex coming up on 2 years now. I have not had any issues until recently when my neighbor above me started dumping dog urine/water onto my patio/balcony. She lives on the 9th floor and dumping dog urine buckets down onto my patio. She is cleaning it with buckets of water and some kind of chemical. ( I am on the 1st floor so I have extended patio/balcony that is not covered.) My patio dining table and chairs get covered in the dog pee. I am also suspicious that she is mixing it with bleach as it is staining the furniture leaving them discolored.

I have contacted management 4 times now and provided them with video and photos documenting the exact apartment this is coming from. (Sent emails with all of this evidence) They have failed to do anything at all. My husband went to the apartment and spoke with the tenant. She admitted it was in fact dog pee and didn't really show much remorse over the situation. She is still currently dumping the dog urine and I don't know what to do as management is ignoring this matter.

&#x200B;

What are my legal options?

Answer: If she is throwing bleach onto your patio as well then it could be a police matter because it is a toxic chemical.  If management is not doing anything then call the police and keep a copy of the report.


Title: Found a Bag of Cash

Question:
So the other day I found a bag of cash outside of a home improvement store and called the cops. I had never seen that much cash before in my life so when I called it in, I said that there was 10k in it. I called my wife when I found it and was trying to explain to her how much money was in the bag so I took a picture and sent it to her. From looking at the picture after the fact there was easily over 100k in the bag. I did not get a receipt from the officer with how much was in there and he did not take it out and count it, but he gave me his badge number, the case number for this event, and a phone number to call in three days. I call the number after the days pass and am told to talk to the Lieutenant, but he is not in so I leave a message. The call wasn't returned so I tried again and this time I was directed to the Property Room and she said that she knows what I am calling about and that someone has come to collect the money. I then ask how much was in the bag and she says 30k.

Basically I am at a loss for what to do next because I have more questions now than I have before.

I knew that there was an unbelievably small chance of getting the money back, but what should I do next?

Answer: From the sounds of it, nothing.


Title: GAY DIVORCE! Lesbian drama - need advice

Answer: Does your wife know about the husband you married in Columbia?


Title: My Landlord refuses to speak or contact me regarding a new lease, but keeps cashing our rent checks. I want a new lease though.

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Leave him alone. You are probably the most annoying person in the world to him. You will be month to month after your lease ends and either party can give notice to vacate. If you don't want to live somewhere without a lease, then give notice. Maybe he will change his mind and offer you a lease, maybe not, but you can't force him to.


Title: Need help with some legal advice. I drove on a soccer field with my friends and did some doughnuts then the cops came, got a ticket and the city wants me to pay $15,000 to repair the field.

Question:
[deleted]
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer: 15k to avoid a felony criminal record? Deal of the century right there.Answer #2: You will have to pay, vandalism is expensive sometimes.Answer #3: Cough up. And be glad they didn't arrest you. If they catch you trying to 'fix' the field, they very well may.Answer #4: Was this field, by any chance, actually a road? Or a parking lot, perhaps?Answer #5: Dang. Automoderator nowhere to be seen and I missed all the fun.


Title: If you dine and dash at a restaurant, but barf up your stolen food before you leave the premises without paying for it, is that still theft?

Question: If you barf up the food before leaving the premises and didn't pay for it, wouldn't that not be theft since you're not technically leaving with the food?

Answer: Uh…yeah


Title: (IL) Landlord wants to sell the house I live in, but lease still has ~6 months remaining

Question:
This may be long so bear with me...

I’ve been renting a house for ~18 mo at this point. The homeowner decided she doesn’t want the property anymore, so she sets up a meeting with a realtor. I chatted with her and the realtor and expressed that, at a minimum, if she wants me out before the lease is up I want my security deposit back, in cash, before we leave the property. I didn’t sign anything. (Still haven’t.)

About two weeks after the meeting with the realtor, she dropped off a piece of college ruled notebook paper with a half-cocked, handwritten “agreement” only agreeing to give me the deposit back, as it was the only thing I had asked for, and that, when the house sold, she would give me a minimum of 30 days notice to vacate.

AFAIK, you can break lease if all parties involved agree to break the lease. I’d like to leave because my current roommates are slobs.

Here’s where it gets complicated... She has been renting to us through a leasing agency. They have been less than gracious and I don’t want to deal with them anymore. I’ve read and re-read the lease and there are no mentions about the owner selling the property and what that process looks like and how it should be handled within the confines of the lease. I’m assuming this process is governed by laws on the books.

I know I have a few of options, and I have the upper hand because no matter what, I can stay through the term of the lease if I want to (as long as I keep paying rent, of course).

My concern is that, if I decide to break the lease, the leasing agency may take legal action against me. They haven’t been the kindest people to deal with, so this is my major concern. I also think I have the power to ask for more from the property owner, and that, even if she sells the property, that the new owners have to abide by the term of the lease if I decide to stay.

Let me be clear - I want out of this house. But I want to make sure I have my ass covered. I also want to be out of the house before it gets too cold and annoying to move. Thoughts?

Answer:
 The property would convey to the new owners subject to your lease.

If all parties to the lease would like to terminate the lease, that is possible, but it's got to be *all* parties.


Title: Is this sex discrimination? What are my options?

Question:
I’ll try to keep this brief:

I am a male cosmetologist. I just started a new job at a spa on the property of a large resort. Within my first two weeks, I’ve had two people not want me to preform services on them because I was a man (A manicure and a pedicure). The first client was actually a VIP celebrity guest and became very upset when he was told that he would have to pay for the service in full. After that, they have started asking gender preference to people calling in for all services, including nails and hair. Prior to this, they only asked for massage, facials, waxing or other “private room” services, for somewhat obvious reasons. I’ve asked other people, and nobody else has heard of gender preference for hair and nail services being a standard question at booking.

It’s been about a week now that they have been asking gender preference and my bookings have dropped dramatically. The other service providers there, all female, are getting full bookings while I have hours long gaps in my schedule, which sucks because I get paid commission. I talked to one of the front desk coworkers and she said that for nails some women have started specifying they want women while some just say no preference, but for hair she said most women have been requesting women. My argument here is that if they weren’t asking, most people wouldn’t have an issue.

The one service I am getting more of is Men’s Cuts, which sucks even more because I don’t really do men’s cuts in any level beyond the basics and have minimal skills and interest in them as well as that men’s cuts are one of the lowest revenue per minute services offered. A men’s cut is a 30 minute service that costs $30, compared to even the cheap nail services for for $50 for 25 minutes, in addition to the reality that while you can upsell nail services and women’s hair services, it’s very difficult to get men to purchase additional services or products like deep masks or take home, which further dampens my paycheck.

TLDR: Front desk asking gender preference for every service is affecting my pay and I want to know if that’s sex discrimination.

What should I do? I am afraid of going to my manager and saying anything because I just started, and I don’t wanna fly the coop straight to HR and put a target on my back. Am I overreacting? Do I have any options here other than deal with it or quit? It’s a great paying job but it feels extremely unfair to be booked and consequently paid less than everyone else simply because I’m a man.
Topic:
Employment Law

Answer:
 I’d recommend going to your manager and letting them know how much lower your bookings, and that you’d appreciate them revisiting the policy to determine if there’s a way to increase your booking.

For example, when the front desk only gives the option of male or female, clients may feel like they have to choose one if they’re only given those two options - and many will default to female as you’re finding.

Instead, when scheduling, the front desk could ask if a client prefers a male, female, or first available technician. The ‘first available’ option may make it easy for those who don’t care.

You could also ask other folks in the industry for ideas or tips on how they’ve approached similar concerns.

And finally, if your manager doesn’t come up with a way to make your bookings on par with the others, you could ask those other people in the industry who are able to provide parity to male employees, if they’re hiring.Answer #2: The thing here is that you can’t force customers to choose you over the other salon workers. Many people do have a preference when it comes down to things like this, and women are naturally more comfortable around other women. You could try talking to your boss, but legally there’s nothing wrong here.


Title: One of my neighbors stabbed the other.

Question:
I live in a three story apartment building in SF, CA. There are three stories with two apartments on each level. I live in a three bedroom on the second story with two other housemates. The building is old, so we can hear everything that happens above and next to us. One of the neighbors above us likes to party and often get into fights with each other. They’re not directly above us, but their music is loud enough so we can hear and they love to party on weeknights until 4AM. We typically keep to ourselves, but their partying escalated to a stabbing about five months ago. One housemate stabbed the other on NYE. He was immediately arrested.

After this incident, we realized that the apartment above was home to 7 people, which is definitely not okay. They sleep in bunk beds, which explain their 2AM hammering. They have also made extra copies of keys for their friends, so there are strangers walking in and out of our building at all hours. We see them walking back from the store with multiple 30 racks at 10 in the morning, so we know they’re turning up. All of our recycling bins are filled to the brim with empty cans every week. There are also empty cans and cigarette butts all over the inside of the building. Packages were beginning to get stolen from inside the building.

Anyway, we were shocked when the stabber returned to the building like nothing had happened. We immediately contacted our landlord asking for an explanation why they hadn’t been evicted. We explained that we felt unsafe in our own homes. She said that it was difficult to evict tenants, especially in SF. We were dubious because when we looked at the SF tenants union just causes for eviction, our neighbors met at least three of the causes listed. She doubled down that the only way to evict them was for us as tenants to build a case by documenting them (taking pictures, recording everything.) She also said to just be aware of our surroundings. (Which is like, okay cool thanks...very helpful!)

Lo and behold, last week there was another attempted stabbing. The only surprise was that it was a different stabber this time. He was promptly arrested and of course, he’s back. At the time of his arrest, one of the cops told my housemate that we had better get our locks changed.

This time our landlord contacted us. She did install cameras and change the locks to the main entrance and gates. Which has been helpful in the sense that now our neighbors’ friends can’t get into the building without a key. However, their workaround this problem is to repeatedly ring all the doorbells of the building until someone buzzes them in. They also wear their hats and cover their faces when walking around the cameras.

Do I just have to move out? My housemates have lived in this building for over a decade and we live in a safe, family oriented neighborhood. Can they really not get evicted? Don’t I have tenant rights to not die at the hands of the whackadoos above? Can the police do anything about it?

TL/DR: my neighbors have been partying and fighting with each other for the past couple of years, resulting in one successful stabbing and another attempted stabbing. Cops were called both times, arrests were made, landlord says we can’t do anything to evict them at this time.
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 You personally can't do anything to enough them.  The landlady may be able to, but she doesn't seem inclined to do so and you have no standing to make her enforce a lease with someone else.

You can move out.  It could be telling her you plan to do so will light a fire under her and get her to act in regard to the other tenants.

The only other possible option is if your city has ordinances about how many occupants can live in an apartment.  If there is such a limitation and these neighbors are exceeding it, you can report it to code enforcement.

You can also call the police non emergency number to report noise violations when they have their raging parties all night.  When it becomes clear that it's a habit, the police will start citing the residents and may, depending on local law, have the option to charge the landlady for their time if they have to come out every five minutes.


Title: [USA-MA] Won small claims judgement against landlord for not returning security deposit. Landlord still not paying it. Next steps?

Question:
I took my landlord to small claims court in May and won. She took my $900 deposit and pretty much did everything wrong (no escrow, no account number given, kept it without saying anything, severed contact with me, etc). The judgement was to pay $100 a month until it was paid off. She made one payment in June and that is it. I sent her a notice in September demanding payment but never got anything.

I filed a statement of failure to obey and the sheriff is going to be serving the paperwork tomorrow or Friday. Is there anything else I should be doing? If this doesn't work should I just send it to collections, or is there some kind of, I don't know, insurance I can bill or something? I'm almost positive she's going to be judgement proof.

Thanks!
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 >I'm almost positive she's going to be judgement proof.

If she owns rental property, you probably have a good chance of recovering money.

The next step, which if the sheriff is already serving the landlady he'll hopefully also guide you through, would be to file for a writ of execution against the landlady.Answer #2: Don't bother with a collection agency, they will just annoy the debtor with phone calls. There are agencies that specialize in enforcing judgments, but they probably won't take a case this small.

Look at your cancelled checks from when you were paying rent.  On the back there should be a stamp that shows what bank the checks were cashed at.  That gives you a hint of where the landlord might bank, and you can levy her account.

You can also file the judgment with the registrar of deeds to create a lien on whatever real estate the landlord owns.  Then she basically won't be able to refinance or sell any properties without paying you.


Title: Attorney tells client who’s behind on fees to give the money to him instead of the firm, then attorney quits the firm and pockets the money. Why the hell is this so common and why does it rarely lead to repercussions?

Answer: What makes you think that's common or doesn't lead to repercussions?


Title: [TX] Roommate moved his girlfriend into our apartment, she's already refusing to pay rent

Question:
My roommate (who is also a family member), my boyfriend and I have rented an apartment together for the past 2 years and split the rent 3 ways. The three of us are all on the lease. He's been planning to move his girlfriend in since last October (we checked with the management office, it's allowed, after a fee is paid and paperwork filled out) and we are supposed to start splitting rent 4 ways.

So he moves her in last night with all her shit, 4 days before February's rent is due, and this morning when I asked him for their portion of the rent he told me she's not paying this month. She'll pay at the end of February, for March's rent. And right now we continue with paying our thirds. So they're expecting a free month of rent for her.

I'm done with his shit. This is the end of a long line of bullshit I've put up with from him. Our lease is up in April and I'm out. Until then, I'm not giving her any free rent. I don't care if he pays her portion, but I'm not paying a third of the rent anymore when there's four people living here.

She's not been approved just yet by the management office. As of right now she's still a guest. No paperwork, no evidence of her having lived there, because she doesn't. How do I get her out of the apartment when she's there with my roommate's permission?

Thanks

Answer:
 > How do I get her out of the apartment when she's there with my roommate's permission?

You can't.  She has permission from a leaseholder to be there.Answer #2: Short answer is that you probably can't at this point.  You said yourself that she's a guest, so unless your lease has provisions about approving guests or the length of time guests can stay, you're just kind of out of luck.

Your options:  You can tell your landlord someone who wont be on the lease til March is staying and has refused to contribute to rent, despite planning to live there for Feb.  They may want to avoid giving this person any tenancy rights and have other options.

Additionally, you can sue her in small claims court for the missed portion of rent after she fails to pay it.  Whether or not she's on the lease, the judge will see the writing on the wall that she's implicitly moved in and failed to pay rent.


Title: [CT] involved in a fatal accident months ago, police want to ask more questions.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 >I called back and left a message but haven't received a call back.

I'd recommend not talking to them anymore about this. You gave an initial statement at the scene, "clearing" anything up or answering more questions isn't going to benefit you. Anything you say can be used against you in a criminal trial and a possible civil suit by the deceased family. Answer #2: The 5th Amendment exists to protect the rights of both the guilty and the innocent.    The stakes and circumstances are serious enough that you need to not answer ANY more questions without having your own criminal defense attorney sitting next to you.

YOU know you did nothing wrong.   But if police are calling months later to interview you, the only possible reason is that they are still investigating a crime.


Title: My cousin got a DUI in 2008 and got it expunged from his record a few years later. DMV still shows DUI. Any options?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 > I found this shocking that the DMV could override the court system and still hold someone liable for a dismissed case.

The DMV didn't override the court system. The DMV is separate. The news media is separate (if they reported on the DUI, they don't have to "expunge" their report). Social media is separate. Every place that the DUI might be reported, or appear, separate from the court system is... separate from the court system. An engagement applies to, and only to, the court record. It will likely fall off the DMV record in 10 years.

>*There is currently no way to remove a DUI from your DMV record, as the DMV is and administrative state agency and they maintain their own records. Dismissal (expungement) under California Penal Code 1203.4 only removes the conviction from your criminal record, it does not effect your DMV record in any way.*


Title: About to get evicted because boss isn’t paying the money he owes

Question: This isn’t me but a friend of mine is extremely stressed because for the past few weeks his boss hasn’t paid him the money he owes him. My friend is now about to get kicked out of his apartment, they are telling him he has to pay the rent today or move out and he has told his boss this. His boss told him to ask his friend to lend him money. I’ve already lended this friend money myself and I don’t want to lend him anymore because I’m barely financially stable myself and it looks like he might be quitting his job soon. He doesn’t want to quit though because he enjoys the work he does and the boss owes him money. I’m wondering what kind of legal action he could take to get the money he is owed and assure his boss pays him so he can be financially stable.

Answer:
 Your friend can file a dispute with the state department of labor for unpaid wages.  Your friend may have been constructively fired and may be able to claim unemployment.

Your friend should definitely look for a job.  Right now he doesn't have a job, he has a hobby.  If it was a job he would be getting paid.


Title: How do you think the Fyre Festival suit will pan out?

Question:
The only similar situation I can think of is Woodstock, although IIRC they actually managed to host a concert but were successfully sued for not providing adequate security. Tickets were around $6 each, but many more jumped the fence, so those who had bought the tickets wanted their money back.
I believe the promoters were in arrears for decades, but were able to pay it back by selling merchandise. Since nothing of value happened at Fyre, like concerts or anything, I don't see that happening in this case.

In addition, it seems like the only people who were paid, including vendors and employees, were the promoters of the event, like some of the models. Could they be forced to relinquish some of what they were paid?

Answer: The organizers blame middle managers. Bankrupcties declared. Lawyers get paid. Festive goers get nothing.


Title: Is it better to resist police orders? - in response to the shaver shooting.

Question:
I'm not trying to argue if the police shooting was justified or not. The issue i have is that Shaver was ordered to do unnecessary actions (crawling with legs crossed), and because of that he made the mistake of putting his arm back.

My question: What are the ramifications of refusing to crawl, and instead, putting your body face down, arms and legs crossed, and simply requesting the officers to come and arrest you? Would police have justification to shoot if you refused to move, but maintained a "safe" position with hands and feet crossed?

For those unaware of the shooting:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Daniel_Shaver

Answer: I was wondering the same thing. It seems like they intentionally tried to get him to make mistakes so they could shoot him. After watching the video, if this happens to me I will just get on the floor spread eagle and not move. Im no expert but that would give them no plausible reason the kill you.


Title: Got fired, need help!! (FL)

Question:
I am a legal permanent resident living in Orlando FL, I was working in on of the many hotels. I worked front desk there since Jan/15 and was fired a couple days ago for cash mishandling. They want me to pay back the amount that is missing from my "bank" and they have on camera footage of me receiving the cash, but no evidence of me logging the cash into the guest's account (I was checking a guest in). It occasionally happens that we get super busy, and there's a lot of pressure from upper management to perform 500 tasks at the same time, so sometimes I did end up logging cash received into the wrong guest's account, normally I double check everything whenever I have some down time, and fix any discrepancies and mistakes, but occasionally there's no time to do it, since we are also pressured to clock out at exactly the time we're supposed to, even if we still have work left to do.
Now they want me to pay back the money (which I didn't steal), and threatened to withhold my last paycheck. My question is: my last paycheck is less than the amount they want me to pay back, since the pay-period had just started, what are the ramifications if I don't pay them back? Can they press charges? What should I do?
I kinda don't want to pay them, since I didn't take the money in the first place...

Answer: You can file a complaint with the US Dept of Labor or sue them if they don't pay you on time. They can sue you for the missing money or file a police report.  They can't make deductions from your pay that would bring you below minimum wage. Florida has no additional protections beyond the Federal ones.


Title: I’m a Property Manager in CA-US. Client told me to put a clause into a lease renewal requiring tenant to pay $100 per repair— is this enforceable?

Question:
I originally posted this general question to r/landlords and received great advice.  But I’m curious about the law on this issue.

My client told me to put a clause in a lease renewal requiring the tenant to pay the service fee of his home warranty which amounts to $100 per call.  This seems to be an increasing phenomenon, though not common with my clients yet.

We do not include this in our agreements.  I do not feel that it is enforceable.

I’m wondering if any legal minded folks on reddit have  legal reasons that I might pose to this client.  Practical reasons have not been effective.

Answer:
 It is enforceable in some states, can't speak for California, though.

It is a bad idea in general, though, as it discourages tenants from reporting problems. We had such a clause added to our lease in the past, and I don't think we reported a single problem afterwards.Answer #2: All landlords are legally required to offer livable or habitable premises when they originally rent a unit in California, and to maintain it in that condition throughout the rental term.

Also, how much does your client want to get fined for violating building codes and health codes?


Title: I have a settlement agreement with a relative for abuse that was done to me as a kid. If I legally change my name, is the contract still enforceable?

Question: [CA] The payments are setup such that I wouldn't need to tell them so long as they continue banking at the same institution.  If they change their institution and I need to reveal my new name to them (because the new bank requires it for whatever reason) they will still be bound to continue payments to me, correct?

Answer:
 yes. changing your name doesn't void contracts. the contract is with you, not your name.

If it did void contracts, that would be a really easy way to get out of debt....


Title: My university residence is fining people exorbitantly, what can I do to see where this money is going?/reducing fines?

Answer: What do you mean by "exorbitantly"?  Are they charging more than your agreement allows for?


Title: [CA] Employer laid me off but fought unemployment. Desperately need help/advice...

Question:
This occurred back in October and November of 2014 to be specific and I will try to be as forthcoming as possible with as much information as possible while still remaining semi-anonymous. Also, I need to backtrack and explain the full story so whomever reads this can understand the situation at hand.

I was hired by a company (in March/April 2014) to be contracted to work on oil rigs offshore. We were supposed to work one week rotations (so one week on, one off). Depending on the type of platform and the work that was being conducted, there were almost always two employees from my company stationed out there - one for the day shift and one for the night shift (12-hour shifts). However, during this time maintenance was being performed on one platform so only one person was required to work an upcoming shift (there was only going to be operations during the day, therefore no one would be needed at night). I had some personal stuff that I needed to attend to on a following week, and since my week off was coming up, I called a coworker and asked if I could take his shift so I could ensure I would have the week off that I needed (I was actually on standby for the first week, therefore the following week I would have been off. The personal issues needed to be taken care of the following week, if that explains everything better.). He agreed after I explained the situation and called our boss and told him. I explained I already spoke to "Coworker ___" and he did not mind me taking his shift. Our boss gave the okay verbally (I had previously submitted a "Leave Request" as per company policy but after never receiving an answer from my boss I decided to call the coworker then spoke to my boss directly. I still have both my copy of this leave request and the email dated when I sent it to my boss after he claimed he never received it...)

If the dates help (also we worked Tuesday morning to Monday night for day shift, and Tuesday evening to Tuesday morning for nights):

 - Week of October 14 -21: I was not working but considered "on shift" since I would have worked but the platform was undergoing maintenance.
 - Week of October 21 - 27: This was the shift that I covered with permission from my boss.
 - Week of October 28 - November 3: Week I needed off.
 - Week of November 4 - November 10: Week I would have returned to work.

After ending my shift on October 27th, I received at text message from my boss on the morning of the 28th stating I needed to return to the platform on the 31st and work the night shift and work until I got relieved (meaning it wouldn't be a one week rotation). To be honest - I completely ignored it. I had already been given verbal confirmation that I could have that week off and was not about to cover a shift that he was able to work (my boss would go offshore and work these shifts only when no one else could. There were also two other people available to work this said shift that would have started on the 31st.) I called my coworker who was now out on the platform working, told him I wasn't going to come in and told other employees out there the same thing. The operators who ran the platform even told me they didn't want to see me out there knowing I was off shift and told me my boss could not force me to go out there. So, feeling cocky since I felt untouchable, I didn't do anything. Friday the 31st rolls around and the supervisor (who I had great rapport with and was one of the people who told me not to show up) called my boss and said he needed to send someone out to the platform. My boss didn't answer a single call apparently. Saturday morning I awake to several missed calls/voice mails/text messages from my boss frantic and demanding to know where I am and why I am not out there. He also ordered me to go out on the next available transport. Again, I did not do anything as I had already been given this time off. Eventually, a different coworker covered the shift. The last text message I got from my boss was on Sunday, November 2nd and stated that I needed to return to the platform Tuesday morning and work until relieved because a different coworker had resigned, therefore no one would be able to relieve me.

On Monday the 3rd, I sent an email to my boss explaining the situation as it happened - he gave me verbal approval to not work that week and allowed me to do a shift trade. I also said I would go out and work for one week, but I was submitting my courtesy two-week resignation with this email (Therefore, I would work one week beginning on November 4th, then after coming home on November 10th I would be off work one week for a total of weeks and no longer be employed with the company.). Within a few minutes I received a response back stating that I was already fired by the owner as of Friday the 31st for not showing up and to return all of my issued gear/equipment to our shop so payroll could finish processing my final paycheck. I show up a few hours later to turn my gear in and my boss had my sign a statement that he had prepared stating why I was fired. I did not make a statement on it even though there was an option to and just signed it. I inquired about my paycheck and was told it would be processed by the end of the week and would receive it around then. I know that this is in direct violation of a California labor law that says if an employee is fired on the spot, then they must be paid right then and there. Not later on when it is convenient. I was fired on Friday and it was now Monday. I remember chuckling to myself and just shrugging my shoulders and then walking out of the office...

In January of 2015 I began attending a vocational/trade school and used a portion of my GI Bill to pay for it. While attending, I did some research and found out that I could file unemployment through the state even while attending a full-time school if I was unable to work 20 hours or less (the school was from Mondays through Saturdays and concluded in mid-April). So, I filed online sometime in March and waited to hear back. The reason I waited was because I already had some savings plus I was receiving living expenses from the GI Bill. I knew it would take a while to start collecting and to also find real employment, so I waited til the school was close to concluding. About two weeks later, I conducted a phone interview with a representative and explained the scope of the story. Eventually, I found out that my unemployment claim was denied which completely baffled me. Also, during this time, I had put in a change of address with the postal service (originally I was going to move after completing the vocational school, but those plans fell through) so by the time I got the last letter from the unemployment office stating I could appeal the decision, it was already past their deadline and too late. Now, I had spoken to a few different people (other contractors that worked on the platform, a representative from the state labor office, etc) and all of them said I should rate it. Although California is an "at will" state, I was terminated from my position while on time off, and had proved it to the unemployment office. Hell, I still have all of the paperwork, emails, text messages, and pay stubs documenting my side of the case here...

So this now brings me to the present: /LegalAdvice, I need help. I am practically at my wit's end because I was definitely counting on being able to receive money from the state while I am in this transitional period and still looking for employment. (The vocational school I attended did not guarantee a job right out of the gate - I merely earned a certification that makes me much more competitive in the field I am trying to work in.) Knowing that my former employer screwed me over and was able to deny the claim infuriates me. So my questions that I pose here are:

1) Do I have any sort of legal standing or recourse to do something about this? This old employer knows that they are able to hire people and use them/treat them like shit (for example, telling me to come in on time off and telling me to work until I can be relieved).

2) How difficult would it be to do something about this? While this seems like I am being spiteful and vindictive (yeah, somewhat), the problem remains that I still need help. I am practically broke, so it will be difficult to pay a labor law attorney for help. If I am able to file some sort of claim, or go through an attorney to file something in an attempt at a settlement, I am more that happy to go that route though. I will just have to plan it very carefully or call upon family for assistance.

3) What trouble could they get in if a judgement is found in my favor (if it makes it that far in the legal system)? If this needs to be brought to the attention of the state labor board (there were other shady things they were up to, such as keeping portions of per diem from our paychecks), what power does the labor office have? I have heard through the grapevine that they are rather slow moving and usually don't do a whole lot (please someone correct me if I am wrong as I am basing this off word of mouth from others). If they are able to levy a fine against them I could at least feel good about myself knowing I rattled the cage and hopefully they will not end up treating other employees like shit.

4) Am I able to file unemployment again, even though the first claim was denied and I missed the window to file an appeal? The unemployment website is tricky to navigate and hopefully someone here has more experience with it since I have never filed before.

I think that covers about everything. Again, I have documentation for everything that I have stated and will even be willing to scan it/upload it to Imgur if people would like proof or it can help formulate a plan of action. Everything I wrote above is the 100% honest truth and two former coworkers could even be called upon to verify my side of the story. If anything needs clarification I am more than happy to answer any and all questions, but will do so both I and the former employer can remain as anonymous as possible (I don't need their lawyer threatening me with slander or a libelous statement). Any help or suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 - SoCalVet

Answer:
 TL;DR - I asked for time off, they initially gave it to me, then changed their minds.  I took the time off anyway, then got fired.  Can I fight the unemployment denial.

OP - You were fired for cause.  Your employer, absent a contract or union saying otherwise, is allowed to cancel your scheduled time off.  They did, and notified that was the case, then fired you for not coming in.  That's a shitty thing to do, but it's legal.  Not showing up for a scheduled shift is definitively "misconduct" sufficient to fire someone for cause for unemployment purposes.

You have the option of appealing the unemployment findings.  The instructions should be on the notice you received when your benefits were denied.


Title: VA: friend gets fired for being assaulted at work.

Question:
Tl;dr: Friend gets assaulted at work, doesn't fight back and suffers decent amount of bodily harm. (At least two stitches and broken shoulder) No investigation occurs and gets fired three days later. Is that okay in the state of Viginia?

I'm not seking advice but more so just to know what is legal and illegal in the state of Virginia. He is already meeting with an attorney this is more so for my own education.

Last Saturday my friend is working in the back of his job putting tires away. (Sadly, no cameras back there) One of his really aggressive co-workers comes in and throws the tires around that he just put away. My friend tells him he needs to put them back since he just spent several hours putting them away. Co-worker refuses. Tells them again to put them back. Co-worker starts to speak aggressively towards him and looks like he is about to attack him. My friend grabs the tire rack and holds on while co-worker wails on him. Friend falls to the ground in his blood and calls for help. Other workers call the police and they are both sent home. (Not even take him to the hospital. His family takes him there once he gets home. )

Three days later the district manager comes in. No investigation is called for, they both get fired for "violence in the work place." The co-worker had no bodily harm on him but my friend is in horrible shape. Is the company allowed to fire my friend even though he did not fight back?

Answer:
 Yes, he can be fired.

He also likely has a civil claim against the coworker who assaulted him, and can make a police report to document the incident.

Some states, like [West Virginia](http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/5772210) have exceptions in their at will law for self defense, which might have applied in this situation. It does not look like Virgina does though.

Also, his actions probably don't rise to the level of willful misconduct, so he should apply for unemployment. The company is sure to contest it, but I think he would have a good case.  [This is a PA case](http://www.leagle.com/decision/1987608104PaCommw504_1538.xml/PEEPLES%20v.%20UN.%20COMP.%20BD.%20of%20REV.), but has a similar fact pattern before the unemployment board. Answer #2: You should immediately seek out local counsel to answer your questions. A Personal Injury lawyer is ideal. One of the most important questions you will need to answer is whether or not the management knew of this person's violent tendencies and what actions management may have taken or did not take.

Otherwise; yes, you can be fired. But you may have a personal injury claim.


Title: Is there any law against not letting your HOA know that someone else will be living in your home even if it’s your child of legal age?

Question: Basically my dad works overseas he is away for a year or more at times and I am in school so he lets me live here and I  have lived here for as long as we have had the house. We own the house not renting it. HOA fined me for something stupid that I know I have proof against so basically since my dad isn’t here I have to be the one to go dispute this and I just don’t want to get screwed by saying that I am the only person living in the home when everything is under my dads name is there any law or any way they could retaliate legally if they find this out? I live in Florida if that matters

Answer: If your dad is working overseas, the house is still his legal residence.  You both live there, he’s simply away for an extended period.


Title: Online dating girl lied about age, sent nude pics, what is the precedent here? Please help.

Question:
[deleted]
Topic:
Computer and Internet

Answer:
 It's a scam.  Seriously.  Probably the most common scam on this sub.Answer #2: The precedent is that it's the most common scam people ask us about.

There's no underage girl.  There's no dad.

They will try to extort money from you, and that's it.Answer #3: The precedent is this is a scam. There is no girl. There is no father. There is no investigator (Who will be next). There are no charges to avoid by sending them gift cards or whatever other nonsense they want.

It's a scam. It's the scammiest scam that ever scammed. Block them, move on, send out your dick pics with more discretion. Answer #4: Let me guess, the father threatened legal action unless you "pay for her therapy" or some other bullshit right?

It's a scam. Delete any account they contacted you through and block any numbers. You probably weren't even chatting with a girl.


Title: Parents cutting my disabled bro out of their estate and want me to deal w/him; how do I prepare (CA/AZ)?

Question:
This will be long. Tl;dr at end.

I'm in CA, 36, committed partnership with a steady job and baby on the way. No debt, 401K, I'm in no way rich but I'm fine.
Parents are 65 and 71, in excellent health for their age. They live in AZ.
Brother "Drew" is 30 and lives in same town as my parents. He was adopted and pre-adoption demonstrated an unspecified disability that has been variously diagnosed as schizophrenia, Asperger's, depression, developmental delay, you name it. The truth is no one really knows what's wrong with him- but he never graduated, has poor social skills, doesn't/won't work, plays video games, takes care of himself only sometimes, and doesn't want anyone to tell him what to do but has failed to launch.

The [young man whose parents eventually evicted him from their home](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-44213623) sounds exactly like my brother. It's like a petulant 13-year-old's brain in the body of a 30-year-old. He's fairly unpleasant to be around- manipulative, whiny, and entitled.

However, he collects disability in the state of Arizona, which pays for him to rent a small in-law apartment and live on his own. My parents have co-signed for him but do not financially support him other than occasionally buying necessities as a gift.

He also really wants a gun (this is relevant). He insists that he needs it "for self-defense" but again, it's like a 13-year-old. He says, "I've read a lot of military books and manuals. I would be careful and only use it on an intruder or a criminal." (!!!!) I KNOW with his awful impulse control and inability to read the situation he would end up shooting the mailman or his landlady or one of us through the door. He lives in a safe area, rarely leaves the house and does NOT need a gun.

My parents do not have guardianship. They would have to take him to court and they would likely lose.

So, the legal question. They have been estate planning. They own two mid-range properties in AZ and have about $750K in other assets.

They had originally planned to will my brother the small condo they own so he would have a permanent place to live when they can no longer co-sign. However, they are sure that he will easily be taken for a ride as he has no idea of the value of money- someone could offer him $50K or $10K or whatever and he would be like, "sweet, video games and a new car and a gun!"

They don't want to leave him cash as it's literally like throwing it into a fireplace. If they could leave him a small amount in a trust per month that might work but would likely jeopardize his disability payments, he would blow through the cash, and then be destitute without help.

So they're stuck. Right now they're like, "OakTeach, we're just going to give it all to you and YOU make sure he doesn't starve!" but I'm sure if there was a better option they wouldn't do that.

My brother WILL end up under a bridge when my folks are gone unless I do something to help him. He's unpleasant, but he's family, and I know their "dying wish," as it were, will be to have him safe and cared for. My folks are disability rights and independence advocates and have done EVERYTHING to try to get him supports- counseling, meds, rep-payees, group homes, supported employment-- but unfortunately he's just independent enough to opt out of every kind of help and stagnate. Do I fight him in court to be his guardian? Do I offer something like a group home? Do I keep ownership of the condo and rent it to him for the amount of his current rent? And will he have any legal rights to/ a case for their assets if he's left out of the will?

Tl;dr: 30yo bro has unspecified disability mild enough that he is his own guardian but has few to no adult skills and terrible priorities (guns and video games, basically). Parents don't want him to have access to major assets or cash but want him to be taken care of or at least get something when they're gone. They want me to deal with it. How can I help them (and my brother and myself) plan for this uncertain future?

Answer: Your parents should speak with an estate attorney that specializes in trusts for disabled adults.  Your parents can certainly will your brother funds that will allow for his care by trust, which will limit how your brother can spend things.  They can put you as the trustee of the trust (if you are willing to serve) or they can identify another individual or organization such as a financial institution.  That would control how the money would be spent (e.g., the funds are earmarked for paying off property taxes or direct payment to utility companies, etc.) without jeopardizing your brother's disability payments.


Title: (PA, USA) Boss is doing some shady stuff, can I get in trouble for it?

Question:
Recently my job has been very short staffed due to people leaving for varied reasons, I am 16 years old and i'm required to take a 30 minute break after 5 hours of work, and I can only work 40 hours a week, my boss recently told me that I can just work during my break and past my 40 hours and he'll just fix it in the system, I know this is most likely illegal, can I get into any trouble for this or just him?
Topic:
Labor Law

Answer:
 He'll fix it in the system? You mean like, not paying you for all your extra work?Answer #2: You can't get in any legal trouble, but he is screwing you over.

You are absolutely 100 percent entitled to any wages you earn through working. Furthermore, not giving you a break and working you past 40 hours a week is violating labor laws, maybe even child labor laws.

Don't let this guy screw you out of money you've earned by working, but don't screw yourself by working more than you're legally allowed to.


Title: Naked in home but open window = illegal?

Question:
living in neighborhood that are close to each other . If my neighbors or others see through my window/door while I'm naked inside my own house, is that some sort of pubic exposure, child abuse, misdemeanor?

State: PA

Answer:
 Depends on the specifics, but generally, no... unless you're doing it on purpose or recklessly, generally meaning you know and expect people will see you naked.

So walking around your bedroom and someone happens to catch a glimpse through a window?  *Generally* not illegal.

Intentionally or recklessly being naked in your ground-level living room in front of a giant picture window 3 feet from the street?  Might be illegal.


Title: [AB, Canada] A dumb, immature (maaaaybe slightly disabled) woman (19F) wants to have sex with me. Could I come back at me as some sort of rape?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 NAL.

Not legal advice but life advice. Do you think she would tell her mother? Because if so, then you will have to deal with crazy. And if the mother tries to sue you, go to the police, or go to the press, is that really something you would want to deal with? If she wouldn't tell her mother and is mentally capable, then everything would appear to be okay.


Title: What are my options being trapped in an emotionally abusive household?

Question: My father is emotionally abusive towards me, I'm currently 15 and my B-day is in a little more than a month. A friend of mine explained to me how my father was abusing me and it makes sense. It's gotten to the point where I'm unmotivated to go to school and even to do basic chores (Dishes, Trash, ETC.). I really think moving out and living on my own would be the best course of action. What are my options, and how do they work? I'm unable to get a job (parents don't allow me to) so i have no way of making money. I live in Texas.

Answer:
 Without a job you cannot become legally emancipated. It doesn't matter what state.

If you believe you are being abused, tell a teacher, they are mandated reporters.


Title: Moved back home and haven't heard from new probation officer even though I was supposed to get a visit from her within 10 days

Question:
I was put on probation in August and had to move for my last semester of college but now I'm back and I told my last probation officer I was moving back home and gave him my address twice and was supposed to get a visit within 10 days and it's been over a month. Am I supposed to do something or can I keep waiting? Does this happen a lot?

EDIT: I'm in north carolina.

Answer: I'd suggest contacting him to let him know.  At least then you have backup if you do get dinged for something.


Title: UPDATE: The old tenant of my apartment (in Pennsylvania) contacted me about the landlord withholding her deposit because of the carpet being replaced. To my knowledge, it wasn't replaced and they're trying to pocket her deposit. What do I do if this happens to me next?

Question:
[Original](https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/3iumsg/the_old_tenant_of_my_apartment_in_pennsylvania/)

The old tenant went to my landlord's office today and it's worse than we thought. To give context, the tenant before her lived in the apartment 10+ years and the carpet needed to be replaced. The old tenant (Anna) only lived in the apartment 9 months and moved out a few days before I moved in. She didn't end up bringing up our conversation to the landlord to my knowledge.

They gave her invoices for the carpet replacement that took place BEFORE SHE EVEN MOVED IN. AND they are charging her for one of the air purifiers they left with me, which they already owned when I moved in. Because the carpet apparently cost the rental company $1700 at the time, they think it's justified and are spinning it saying "this is how much it cost when we replaced it for you Anna, and this is how much it will cost to replace again now that you've ruined the carpet." They're really trying to just pay for the original carpet replacement in the first place. They don't have an invoice for the "future" replacement. They also claim to have changed the carpet pads the first time it was changed.

They're claiming they're going to replace the carpet during my lease (I never got any notice about this.) So they're keeping her full security deposit and pet deposit. I have no doubt they'll find an excuse to charge me the same when I move.

Should she take them to small claims court/send an official letter demanding the security deposit back and why? I want to know what I can do when the time comes where I'm also facing this.

Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 Sounds like the previous tenant should take the landlord to small claims.

As for you, since it sounds like you recently moved in, start taking pictures of the place in detail so if you get dinged for damages you can fight it in the future.Answer #2: IANAL but when I was living in apartments in Louisiana I was told by my apartment manager that legally they had to replace the carpet every so many years and could NOT charge for it if it was due to be replaced anyways. We did not get charged for carpet replacement when moving from one apartment in the complex into another because our old one was due to be changed anyways.

Might want to look into the local tenant laws and see if there is a similar law.


Title: DH told me he was "done" and wanted a divorce 36 hrs before he got on a plane to Alaska.

Question:
My (34f) husband (38M) and I have been married for 15 yrs and we have 3 kids together. 11,13 and 14.  Just over 2 weeks ago his friend calls and asks him to come work for him on a boat in Alaska. He'll be gone until around October. Just before he left he told me that he was "done" with our relationship. That he wasn't getting what he needed or wanted and he would be seeing an attorney when he gets back. Let me say that I absolutely DO NOT WANT a divorce! While my husband can be an @$$hole he's my @$$hole. While our marriage isn't perfect it's not terrible either. No one has cheated, no one has major addictions and neither of us is abusive. I feel like one day he got up and just decided that this (wife and kids) wasn't what he wanted.

Now to my question. I'm not comfortable using the money he makes while he's up there even tho it will go into our joint acct. However I'm not stupid and I'm not "too proud" to use it if need be. Since we got married my career/ job has always been put on hold for the needs of our kids. I have no degree and very little work experience in the last 15 yrs. I know that I can't pay all of our bills and buy food and things that the boys need. Unless of course I work all the time and am never home. Which wouldn't be fair to the boys since one parent is already away. Would it be fair to use just enough as to what the courts would issue for child support? (My state has an estimate calculator for it.) I'm concerned that since he told me before he left that if I use any of it I could get into trouble. My other thought is that maybe if he see's that I've managed to save some of it he'll soften and want to work on things instead of just throwing me aside. I WILL be seeing an attorney for formal legal advice. However they're all booked out for over a month in my area.  I'm hope all this makes sense!

Answer: If he’s putting the money into a joint account and nothings been filed yet then just continue like normal. You could always just ask him.


Title: Can I Get Charged/Sued For Exploiting a Loophole and Violating The Terms of Service?

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Yeah....what you are describing is not exploiting a loophole.....


Title: Can a landlord do a blacklight inspection after I've left if they did not do one before I moved in?

Question:
Edit: Can I be held liable for things discovered during a blacklight investigation if they did not do one before I move in? I have no issue with the blacklight investigation in and of itself. Good for them. It is their property. I do have an issue with them charging me for 20 years worth of carpeting though.

Location: California

Hello! I am actually a law student and received a ridiculous bill from my previous landlord for damage to carpet they "discovered" during a blacklight investigation of my apartment.

I know the previous tenant not only had pets, but also had a serious medical disorder that forced them to move to a one-story apartment. There is substantial damage to the stairs allegedly that we did not do. Period. I have spent hours looking for any applicable laws regarding a blacklight investigation if we did not have one when we moved in. We did not have one when we moved in. I am now disgusted because they found stains all over the stairs, and I am wondering if the previous tenant like just had an orgy on his stairs. Can they charge us for things found during a blacklight discovery when they did not do one when we moved in?

Addition: Re: Carpet Life-Span: I found this on Google and cannot find what legal resource Google is citing. Does anyone know? Google: "Even if no damage to the rental property carpet has occurred, age and normal wear eventually triggers the need for replacement. Under California landlord-tenant guidelines, a carpet's useful life is eight to 10 years. The cost of replacing the carpet after 10 years falls to the landlord."

Feel free to cite actual laws/link them or relevant court cases for me to review. I want to use this as a learning experience as much as I am furious we are being charged for this crap. Your contribution to this post is very appreciated.

Answer:
 Rather than going to case law, most of this can be dealt with [using advice from the Department of Consumer Affairs](http://www.dca.ca.gov/publications/landlordbook/sec-deposit.shtml).

A landlord can do a blacklight inspection if they want. If they plan on coming after you for damages in excess of your deposit, or defending a deduction from your deposit in court, they'd generally have to show that the damage occurred during your tenancy, and that the amount deducted is commensurate with the cost of repairing it.

Stains that can only be discovered by a blacklight inspection and which are neither normally visible nor an ongoing hazard to health and safety might not be your problem at all, and you obviously should not be held liable for pre-existing damage. Furthermore, the carpet is a depreciable asset - even if you did damage it, your liability is at most the pro-rated portion of the carpet's value given its remaining useful life: the landlord can't hold you liable for the full cost of an old carpet, or push the ordinary costs of maintaining and upgrading the property back onto you.


Title: Living in Seattle, the fire alarm in my apartment complex keeps going off in the middle of the night. It's giving me panic attacks and preventing me from sleeping. Am I able to use this to get out of my lease without paying the lease-break fee?

Question:
Apparently this was a bigger issue before we moved in a month ago, and we were told it was totally resolved. But it has been happening again over the last few nights- being woken up in the middle of the night by a blaring fire alarm, having to evacuate, etc. Last night it went off half a dozen times. We'd evacuate, go back in when the alarm stopped, and 10 minutes later it would go off again. It gives me panic attacks, and has stopped me from sleeping because I just lay there and WAIT for it to go off.

If this keeps happening, I cannot keep living there. It's too damaging to my quality of life. Can I use this to get out of my lease without paying the break-lease fee?

Answer:
 You may try calling the fire marshal as well. I'm surprised if it's going off that much the fire department isn't threatening to fine them. Answer #2: Why is the alarm going off?  If there are legitimate issues causing it to go off, you have no recourse.Answer #3: **UPDATE** followed up with the fire marshal and heard that I can't file a 'formal complaint' (they think- they're getting back to me) but that filing even an informal complaint lights the fire under the buildings butt to get it fixed.
Unfortunately, there's no easy way to get out of my lease because of this, but by submitting repair requests every time it happens (through their portal and as an official letter sent certified mail) and then after repeated failures to repair (if it keeps happening) I can either negotiate to get out of my lease, citing that I was told when I signed the lease that this issue was resolved, or I can submit a notice of intent to vacate due to unmade repair letter, in which case they can still send my lease-break fee to collections and I'd have to take them to court.

So, not a great outcome. HOPEFULLY if all the tenants start filing complaints, the fire dept will be on the building to fix it. If not, I will have to go through the process of filing formal intent to vacate because of failure to repair, which will likely get challenged, and will likely end up in collections.

Lousy system.


Title: [OR] Land Lord repaving, tells us to park at the safeway, Safeway posted towing warning.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Find somewhere that you can legally park

Or ask Safeway manager about it


Title: [IN] TV caught on fire

Question:
Hi guys,
A few nights ago I was playing a video game around 2am when the screen began flickering on my 4 year old 60" Vizio (I believe the model is E601-a3). I turned the TV off and turned it back on and got no screen, but could still hear audio. Suddenly I heard a very loud bang with some sort of ricochet, and before I could turn the TV off I heard a hissing noise, and the TV began smoking - - violently. It got exponentially worse before I had the chance to remove the cord from the outlet, and finally stopped smoking after 10 minutes of being unplugged.

My major, major issue with this is we often leave this TV on for the dogs when we leave the house (we seem to think it helps with their anxiety). Had I not been literally right in front of the TV, we likely would have returned to no dogs and no house. I am certain if given more time that this TV would have burst into flames. What, if any, are my options here? My girlfriend wants to pursue it legally, she is very upset that it put our dogs in danger.

Thanks for reading.

Answer:
 Contact the company. See what they offer. You are, at most, only owed what you are out, which is a 4yr old TV (or what that is worth)Answer #2: As an electronics technician it sounds to me like an electrolytic capacitor went bad in the power regulator. The TV was never in any real danger of catching on fire. Answer #3: Call the manufacturer and report it.

You have no damages for "what-ifs", as in since it didn't happen you can't pursue them for it. Answer #4: If you're out of the warranty period, which I assume you are, you don't have much recourse. You can contact the company anyway who knows, they may just replace it.

You don't have any damages though, and you can't sue for things that might have happened.


Title: I recently crashed my employer's hotel shuttle bus (full of personal injury lawyers) into the building's portico. My boss coerced me into driving it by lying about me being on the insurance. Court date coming up next week. How to proceed? (NJ)

Question:
Ever since this has happened I feel vaguely like a major slight has been done against me, and I'm wondering if there's something I should have done or should be doing to protect myself.

I work at an independent 4-star hotel that hosts weddings. Usually the weddings are onsite (we rent out several ballrooms), but sometimes the wedding party will opt for an offsite venue, which happened in this case. The wedding reception took place on a nearby college campus, of which many of the guests were alumni.

The hotel has an 11-seater shuttle bus (basically a converted U-Haul van). Usually, our bellman would be responsible for driving the shuttle back and forth to the venue to pick up/drop off passengers. But we had a bellman shortage--two bellman had quit, and one was fired. Therefore we had no night bellman. To remedy this, the hotel outsourced the shuttle duties to a local car service for the wedding. Our concierge set up the reservation, and everything was seemingly in place for the wedding guests to be dropped off at the venue at the start of the event, and picked up/taken back to the hotel afterwards.

I'm a front desk agent, and I was working on the night of the wedding. Everything was going smoothly. The concierge had written down the times that the local car service was scheduled to pick up the wedding guests. I was working until 11pm. At 10:45, we started getting calls from guests at the venue. They were wondering where the car service was? The first pickup was supposed to start at 10pm. I called dispatch, and the rep told me that they didn't have ANY car service scheduled to work for the hotel that night, and that they didn't have any available cars either, because it was a busy Saturday night. (I later found out that, while the concierge did call to schedule the pickups, the car services' computer system was down at the time, and technical error turned to human error.)

So the calls from the venue kept flooding in, and I started to panic. We had about 40 people to pick up a mile away, there was no taxi or car service in the area that could accommodate us in such a short period of time. What made things worse is that we were a skeleton crew--it was only myself and the front desk supervisor at the desk. The supervisor was 20, a very sweet girl, but a new hire, her first management position, and woefully incompetent at her job. It took me several tries to convince her that the current situation was really urgent, and after some cajoling she called our boss, the assistant general manager.

The manager said, "Well, one of you has to take the hotel shuttle bus and pick up the guests." We all looked at each other. Besides the two of us, there was a young man from the engineering department on duty that night. He immediately said, "My license is suspended, so I can't drive the shuttle." The supervisor hates driving, so she said, "I don't feel comfortable doing that."

My manager got me on the phone, and he said, "You're on the hotel insurance, so you can legally drive the shuttle. I need you to do this." I knew that he didn't have anyone else, and that I had experience with driving this type of vehicle (even though I had never driven this particular one before). So I agreed to do it.

I took the keys, pulled the shuttle bus out of the parking lot and towards the venue, about a mile away. Everything went smoothly as far as the journey itself. The bus quickly filled up with wedding guests, some of them heavily intoxicated, and several kids of different ages. My protests that the bus could only seat eleven were quickly drowned out by excited cries of, "There's still room! I think we can fit all of us!"

There weren't 40 guests, but there were definitely over 20. Some people had to stand, but everyone fit on the bus. I drove the bus smoothly back to the hotel, and successfully made it to the parking lot. People started to cheer. I thought to myself, *time to land this baby* and started inching my way slowly towards the portico, with the intention of parking under it.

At five miles an hour, I made contact, to my surprise. That extra bulge/bump thing situated on top of the bus hit the wooden planks of the portico. With an apparent 9 inch difference in height, the shuttle bus at first glance appears to be able to fit neatly under the portico. In fact, I went so far as to make the reasonable assumption that the hotel wouldn't purchase a shuttle bus that could not fit itself under its own portico. The collision felt like going over a speed-bump too hard. Some of the passengers gasped, but the impact wasn't intense enough for anyone to fall over, even the standing guests.

I was sitting there in shock, but the mood was jovial as everyone started exiting the bus. Some people asked me if I was okay. I reversed the bus slowly and several wooden planks fell down. The damage didn't seem too extensive. Guests were laughing and taking pictures as they slowly made their way inside. I called my boss immediately as soon as I got back in, and he seemed disgruntled but told me that I could go home. Right before I was about to leave, a gentleman called the front desk. He started ranting and raving to me about how he had two little girls on the bus, and how they had smashed their heads into the back of the seat in front of them when the shuttle bus "crashed into a wall." When I tried to correct him, he got even angrier and told me that he was coming downstairs to speak to my general manager right away. It was utter chaos from there. It's so strange to see an entire mob of people slowly turn against you. When I first arrived back, some of the guests went to the front desk and drunkenly told my supervisor what a saint I was, and how they were lawyers, and how they wanted to make absolutely sure that I wouldn't get in trouble for the portico incident.

Then, as soon as the guy came downstairs and started drunkenly ranting and raving about how he's going to call the cops for what happened, and how half of the wedding party were personal injury lawyers and they would sue the pants off of me and the hotel, the mob mentality struck up and everyone there felt the same.

I called my manager again to fill him in, and he told me, "Can you leave? Just leave if you can slip out the back door. The supervisor and the night auditor will handle it." I did as he said. Ten minutes later as I'm driving, the supervisor called me and said, "You have to come back. The police have been called, and they want to talk to you."

I returned, feeling as though I had no choice. The cop met with me in the parking lot of the hotel. I showed him the portico, the shards of wood on the (otherwise undamaged) shuttle bus, and explained to him everything that had happened that night. The cop seemed to understand what was going on, and told me that he knew that the wedding guests appeared "less than helpful" when it came to the situation. He issued me a ticket for careless driving.

The next day, when I talked to my coworkers, I was told that my boss had lied to me to get me to drive the shuttle. There was no way that I was on the hotel's insurance to drive that vehicle. That process involves a clean driving record check, and a lot of extra paperwork from HR. We concluded that my manager didn't want to come back to the hotel to remedy the situation like he should have. Indeed, he didn't show up to work for the next two days (and the other manager was on vacation)--leaving the rest of the staff to deal with the backlash. What ultimately ended up happening was that the guy with the two little girls decided instead to settle on having the entire wedding party/guests' rooms comped, a $3000 loss to the hotel.

My mom used to be a traffic cop, and she told me that the cop was in the wrong for giving me a ticket, and that it was his discretion. It clearly wasn't as simple of a case as me carelessly
driving. Also, I was not ever told that the bus doesn't clear the portico.

Last month, I went to court for the ticket. I pled not guilty, and now my new court date is scheduled for next week. How should I proceed?
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer:
 > My mom used to be a traffic cop, and she told me that the cop was in the wrong for giving me a ticket, and that it was his discretion.

If it's his discretion to give it, then he's not wrong for giving it.

You can offer your defense to the ticket.  Generally speaking, though, as the driver your job is to drive properly or to decline driving the vehicle.


Title: Bumped into an old man while skating. Am I screwed?

Question:
I'm in California...
So I was skating on campus and ran into an older gentleman (60s or 70s?) who works on campus and he fell down. I was travelling through a cross walk skating down a side street and he was crossing. I was going very slow (like 3MPH) but he was a pretty short and small guy and I'm 200lbs. He got right up and told me he wanted to report the incident and to follow him.
I did. He was clearly fine so I assumed it wasn't going to be a huge deal. I profusely apologized etc etc, but as soon as we got into the office, he said he had back pain. I thought it was kinda fishy but like I said, he's pretty old. He may have actually gotten hurt. Who knows.
Anyway, campus police came to take our statements and it turns out that I can't skate on campus (even though I was on a street).
He also calls the paramedics and wants to take an ambulance ride to the hospital, though I suspect it's because he has no car. I make a statement to the police saying a bumped into him and go to class.

If you need more info, please ask!

TL;DR: I knocked an old guy over while skating. He went to the hospital.
Am I screwed?

Answer: get an attorney, if he has damages you are. you were opperating against the rules in an unsafe manner. plus you hit a pedestrian at a crosswalk.


Title: I got in a relationship for about 2 years, now I'm geting accused of rape

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Delete this post and get a lawyer.


Title: This is done and over with, but I'm still curious as to what this police did was right.

Question:
About 3-4 years ago in Ohio (I was 17), I had bought a pack of white strips from Kroger. I tried only 1 strip and they hurt me so bad I was in pain for hours and decided to return them. When I went to return them, they were  going to accept it, but my mom (the person who owned the card used to buy them)  wasn't there, so I had to wait.

We went another day, and then they weren't willing to take them.

I talked to my boyfriend (at the time)  and he said that at Walmart they accept anything, as long as they have it in store and has a bar code on it. He worked at Walmart and said he saw them re-selling items returned from other stores all of the time. His mom said she's returned things from other stores a few times as well.

So I tried my luck there. I looked at the shelves first to see if they had the exact same product. And they did. So I returned the strips and had no problems.

About a week later a cop shows up and he tells me and my mom that they caught me on camera stealing white strips off the shelf. I explained to him that I didn't, and had the receipt from kroger to prove it (because I didn't think I committed a crime).

He says, "if they're from kroger and returned to Walmart, then that's theft by deception.". And he wrote me a court notice.

I lost my job, because I thought telling my manager was the right thing to do.

When I went to see the judge she thought it was stupid and that it wasn't worth being there for. She still had to give me community service and I got a 3rd degree misdemeanor.

Luckily I was 17 when this happened or it would have been on my record.

So I'm confused still. I know lying to get me to confess is OK for police to do, but it seemed more like he came to charge me for one thing, but charged me for another instead. I didn't think they were allowed to do that?

Answer:
 He investigated one crime and discovered another instead.  Yes, it's legal.Answer #2: They can do that, and do it all the time. Answer #3: police are good at their job, he was deceptive, but well within the law.

Make sure you get it expunged and/or follow up with ARD and automatic expungement sometimes they don't purge them unless you follow up.  A theft charge is serious and can cost you jobs in the future.  Lucky not arrested, and only summoned for court, a theft arrest would have stayed and you'd have to explain it for the next decade.  now that you're 18 don't do stupid things anymore, they stay with you.


Title: Can I go to jail for this?

Question: [deleted]

Answer: This is a very common scam. Block them and cease all contact. If law enforcement approaches you, do not speak to them without a lawyer.


Title: [GA] My roommate's manager told her she isn't allowed to speak spanish to her co-workers

Question: Hi I was hoping I could get some advice for my roommate. She was born in the United States but her She works at a locally owned cafeteria style restaurant. My roommate works in the front serving food and preparing togo orders. The majority of the cooks and people who work in the back speak little English. Today she was talking to one of the cooks on the line in spanish because he told her he was very bad at English and her manager told them both no Spanish on "my line". I wanted to know if this is legal. I know in Georgia you can fire anyone at any time for any reason, but I don't understand why you wouldn't allow your employees to communicate in the way that is best for them.

Answer: It's legal while working. As a supervisor, she needs to be able to hear and understand what is being said in order to properly supervise it. Sounds like a perfectly reasonable request.Answer #2: On duty - perfectly legal. On break - very risky because there is no justifiable business reason.  Employees don't get to decide "what's best for them". They are paid to do what they're told. if they are told to only communicate via pig latin on written notes while on the clock, then that's what they do.


Title: Younger Brother Was in Traffic Accident, Now Being Sued

Question:
Hello /r/legaladvice, I'm sort of in a panic here. last summer (August 4th) my brother was in an accident with a motorcyclist right in front of our house, in Washington Township, Michigan. Recently, my brother and the company my father owns were served in the lawsuit. My dad's company is a small start up, and I don't know if they'll be able to afford this.

Here's a summary of the accident (I'll try not to sound biased, my dad and I saw the whole thing). My brother left to grab himself some lunch from the Jimmy John's in town around 2:00 that day, while my dad and I did some yard work. There was a motorcycle going up and down our street all day, and he was speeding ridiculously. I'm not trying to spin it in my brother's favor, but the guy was going at least 60 in what's a 35 zone. He was just riding around, enjoying the nice weather. My brother had been inside, so he had no clue the guy had been riding around when he left. My dad and I sat down on the porch with some water, because it was about to rain and it's something we like to do. We see my brother pull up and come to a near-complete stop as he's about to turn -- our house is at the base of a hill, and there's pretty limited line of sight past said hill -- the motorcyclist comes flying over the hill and slams right into my brother as he's mid-turn. He flew off of his bike and landed on our lawn. My dad ran over to the guy while I called 911. They loaded him in the ambulance -- he was hurt, but fortunately conscious and talking. The police arrived and I don't want to start a tangent, but they were fucking horrible. They told my brother who was in tears at this point (he was 17) that he'd probably killed the guy, as my brother later told me, and my dad's girlfriend arrived later and I told her the guy looked alive, for lack of better words, and an officer got in my face and said the guy's injuries were very serious. Which freaked us all out. They later told my dad the guy would make a full recovery, wtf.

Anyway, the guy lived down the road and his wife ran over and apologized for the whole thing, and said something like he's had this happen a few times and was speeding, and they seemed super shady about it, looking back.

So now, he's suing my brother, my dad's company, and my dad's insurance, and it says under Common Allegations that the amount in controversy exceeds $25,000.00. Does that mean he's suing more than that? We're middle class, by no means wealthy, and he's trying to play it off but my dad's very worried about it, it's killing me to see them so nervous like this.

The paperwork they were given says:
Count I - negligence claim as to defendant *my brother*
and lists a bunch of laws and traffic violations he's citing, that the plaintiff suffered pain and humiliation

Count II - Negligence, owner's liability and Vicarious liability claim as to defendant *my dad's company*

Count III - Negligent Hiring, Retention and Supervision as to Defendant *my dad's company*

Count IV - Underinsured Motorist Claim as to Defendant Allstate Insurance

Count V - Claim for First Party Benefits as to Defendant, Sentinel Insurance Company

Is he really going to win the suit? This would likely bankrupt my dad's company. My brother's only 18. I just can't believe how this guy's wife was spouting apologies and blaming her husband and shit, and then decided to sue us.

My brother recieved a ticket for failing to yield, which he paid and took care of. We thought about contesting it because the hill is in such a location that there is literally no way to see over it, my dad and I have gotten in near accidents just trying to leave the driveway before. There's no sign, either.

My dad has a lawyer for his company that's pretty good as far as I know, he will probably represent the company and my brother.

The car insurance is in the company name, which is why it's being sued, I'm assuming.

I don't know if I'm giving the right information here, just tell me what else you need. I feel sick to my stomach, this could ruin my family financially. Will they really make us pay that if we don't have it? Is it all on us, or will our insurance pay a significant amount? Is there a reasonable chance that we will win? Please help us, reddit. I'm desperate, and I'm worried about my family.

Answer:
 >My dad has a lawyer for his company that's pretty good as far as I know, he will probably represent the company and my brother.

He might participate, but your father should have informed their insurance company immediately of the accident. Do you know if he did so? Hopefully they did, as it has been almost a year. It is odd they did not contact the insurance company first to resolve this without a suit. Sometimes signals get crossed.

They will provide an attorney if he is sued, and likely attempt to settle this for as little as they can.

If your dad purchases appropriate auto liability limits, this is not a big deal. If he made a penny wise pound foolish decision or the medical bills are tremendous, this could end up harming the business/brother/dad and resulting in them owing the man.

Do you know what their limits are?Answer #2: Just let insurance handle it. That is what they are paid for.


Title: Fired from new job.

Question: A few weeks ago I started a new job, I was very excited and even left another job to start it. Unfortunately, for the first time ever in my life, I had a seizure while at work, on the clock. The emergency services were called and I was taken to the emergency room, where I was then later admitted to the hospital. A few days later I received an email from the manufacturing manager telling me that they were going to have to terminate me due to the medical incident I had on the factory floor and the subsequent missed days that followed. I was discharged and the doctors at the hospital told me that all my tests and imaging looked normal, that I was fine and I didn't have a persistent medical condition that would cause these seizures, and cleared me to go back to work, but now I don't have a job to go back to. What I would like to know is if it is within their power to just terminate me like that without having to face any discriminatory consequences? What should I do about this, if anything? I live in Florida if that makes any difference.

Answer: Unfortunately FL is an at will state and they are allowed to fire you for missing days of work regardless of the reason for the absence.


Title: Google blacklisted my sites years ago for competing too successfully, what can I do?

Question:
About 7 or 8 years ago I ran an internet publishing business. Through some data analysis I was able to very successfully compete with Google and Amazon for high value product terms. Google banned all of my sites once my revenue exploded and I had taken over the number 1 spot in many search terms related to these products. They said I had too many "inorganic links" when I had even pointed these out to them on their forums months earlier and was told not to worry about it. They gave me the run around for awhile and then banned my entire Google account as well when I wouldn't stop asking them to explain themselves. Not once did an actual Google employee respond to me other than to tell me repeatedly that I had too many inorganic links and that was all they would ever tell me. I even put in a lot of work cleaning these up at their request under the claim they would unban my sites and providing evidence only for them to tell me they wouldn't do anything after all.

Eventually when banning me didn't work either a Google engineer finally admitted to me that they couldn't believe I had been banned, they unbanned my account, but they said they couldn't help me with my other issues because it isn't under their purview. I even got some press among popular SEO blogs about what had been done to my business.

About 3-4 years ago I saw a business was suing Google for the exact same thing being done to them. Their lawyers claimed that Google's terms were so broad that any website could be in violation and that Google was arbitrarily enforcing their rules. I reached out to the law firm and was told that unfortunately the statue of limitations for whatever they were going after would have already expired for me.

I still dwell on this especially as I see it happening to YouTube content creators lately. Google copying their content, blacklisting them, refusing to discuss, etc. I still wish I had just immediately sued.

Is it really too late to pursue anything in this situation? If not, what is my best path forward?

I still have lots of evidence saved showing all kinds of shady behavior by Google throughout this whole ordeal.

Answer: Your post makes no sense, but you're free to speak to an attorney.Answer #2: If the attorneys working on the very same issue said that the SOL had already run, then you are probably out of luck. But to know for sure, you'd need a cause of action. On what basis would you sue? Generally, Google can terminate your account for any reason. You'd need something unlawful, such as an antitrust violation.