Title: What would happen if a sane person got arrested for a felony and remained silent FOREVER?

Question: let's say a felony suspect is arrested and remains silent and even refuses to talk to a lawyer. all he ever says is "i am remaining silent". would he still get a lawyer even if he refuses to talk to the lawyer? would he be in contempt of court for refusing to plead guilty or not guilty? would they try him in court anyway?

Answer:
 Yes, the suspect in question would be appointed a lawyer, or some other representative. A plea of "not guilty" would be entered.  The suspect would be evaluated for mental competency.  If he's found competent, just refusing to cooperate, then the case would proceed with his lawyer doing the best that he could.

The suspect *may* be found in contempt of court for refusing to answer certain questions - such as identifying themselves- but it's more likely that the judge will simply move on without the defendant's cooperation.  Contempt charges are much less common than TV would have you believe.

See, this sort of scenario *does* happen.  The courts are prepared for it.

You have to remember that suspects very, very rarely speak in court at all and when they do, their lawyer is almost always the one speaking on their behalf.  A normal defendant who is doing everything right may never actually speak a word to the judge, jury, opposing counsel, or anyone other than their own lawyer.

Even if your defendant refuses to read or sign paperwork, the court can declare that the defendant was made aware of the paperwork and its contents, and is refusing to sign, and accept that instead.

So... yes.  Unless this person is found not competent enough to stand trial, they would be tried anyway.  And convicted if the prosecution successfully made their case, and the defense could not.


Title: Triangl Bikini Legality? (Ohio)

Question: Triangl is trademarked and sells bikinis online. But, I also noticed many people selling identical bikinis without the triangl tag. Is this legal? They sell the same bikinis under their own company name. Does triangl own all the rights to the design of the bikinis they sell on their site? Or, if someone gets them directly from the source can they sell it themselves, without the triangl tag on it. Basically is triangl just a trademarked name, and they are just a middleman? Here is the triangl link: http://international.triangl.com/collections/swimwear/products/milly-santa-rosa-splash Here is a random seller: http://www.amazon.com/SOTW-Bright-Neoprene-Swimsuit-Swimwear/dp/B00UYWDCAE/ref=pd_sim_193_6?&ie=UTF8&refRID=0SCS6AQE9KS90Q3HXY8J

Answer: Clothing is notoriously difficult to protect with copyright. If you look at Victoria's Secret, you'll see almost identical [bathing suits](https://www.victoriassecret.com/swimwear/bikinis/the-flirt-bandeau-beach-sexy?ProductID=241299&CatalogueType=OLS). Odds are they just "stole" the design and are producing it cheaply and selling it at a much cheaper price.


Title: Haven't heard back from my lawyer for 8 months on a sexual harassment lawsuit

Question:
Sorry for the formatting as I'm on mobile and also I apologize if it's a bit long. I'm trying to get the best advice as possible on my circumstance at the moment.

First, a little background on the situation. Two years ago I was working at a large nationwide franchise (more than 500 employees, multimillion dollar company) of one of the four major phone carriers in the US. I had been working there for about 8 months (in Kentucky if it matters) as a sales associate and was constitently the top sales person in my district and often top 10 in the nation. I had a store key and was even had been told that I was being considered for the store manager position of the store I worked at as the current one was leaving.

The issue was the store manager himself. He had been sexually harassing me and another female employee repeatedly. Examples would be joking around about raping us, telling me I should prostitute myself out for extra cash, calling us whores, and that's not even the worst of it. So this other employee and myself filed a sexual harassment complaint with HR.

Not two weeks later, I was fired for a minor infraction, which was checking the bill amount on my own account. I was literally told that I was just being made an example of.

A year later (I know I should have filed earlier but it never occurred to me) I decided to file a lawsuit against them with a major lawyer in my area for wrongful termination, sexual harassment (the manager continued his actions after I filed a complaint with HR), firing me while pregnant to prevent me getting maternal leave, and giving me a write up for missing work due to a disability (which I had documented from my Dr at work).

I had a phone conference with the lawyer to give her the details. Then met with her in person to give her every piece of information she needed. She sent me home to fill out contracts for her which I returned just a few days later.

Since Then? I have heard absolutely nothing back from her (remember the last time I heard from her was in August 2016), complete radio silence. I have left messages with her assistant twice just to get some kind of update on my situation and the lawyer has not once returned my call.

My question to you all is, is this no contact from her normal? I understand it's not going to get resolved overnight but I also feel like it's been quite a long time since I have heard anything. What should I do about this? I'm not sure if I should seek another lawyer or if I even can. Or if you have any other supplemental advice on my case itself. I would greatly appreciate it!

Answer:
 >What should I do about this?

Tell the assistant that you're terminating the lawyer's representation if you don't get a call in 48 hours (review any contract with the lawyer to ensure you may do so).


Title: Wife's Ex Is Moving Closer

Question: My Wife's ex husband recently called to inform her that he is moving back to Michigan to "see the kids more."  My wife has sole physical custody of the kids with no court ordered visitation for the ex-husband.  If my wife allows the kids to see the ex more often, will that endanger her custody in the future?  Could the ex use the increase in visitations as grounds for more court ordered visitations in the future?

Answer:
 It likely won't endanger her primary custody (although that is a Judge's discretion), but it will likely impact his right to visitation. If he files for visitation, it will likely be granted because he *is* their biological father.

He's their father, and outside of being abusive, you should *want* him to be involved with his children.


Title: Neighbor Filming Audio/Video of Backyard (California)

Question:
My household has an ongoing problem with our next door neighbors in Carson, CA. We both live in houses side by side with a 6ft wall in between us, residential cul de sac. This neighbor lady works from home and is at home literally every hour of every day. I am a singer/songwriter by profession, and occasionally play piano or guitar which infuriates her. Since she exists in complete utter silence at all times, any muffled music coming from our property (even reasonably volumed radio) is enough to seriously upset her. She's even had the audacity to complain about the noise our garage door makes when opening/closing and the rumbling of the washer/dryer inside the garage. Over the past year and a half since moving in, we have tried to be polite to the point of not even playing any music whatsoever around her work schedule, but that hasn't been enough for her because of course when she's not working she wants to relax and still not hear anything. We've since accepted there's nothing more we can do to appease her so we simply carry out what we need to do when we need to do it. I pay for a separate rehearsal location for my band, but still occasionally rehearse at home by myself acoustically, for no longer than 45min or so at a time 3-4 times a week at the most, and never past the 10pm noise curfew.

She has recently sent us a cease and desist, claiming we're like a frathouse making noise all the time, blaring music and disturbing the peace. She has called the police on us 3 times for noise complaints during the day, and every time the officers told us we were doing nothing wrong and upheld that these were not valid noise complaints. Now, she is insisting to keep a video/audio camera propped up in her window pointing at our entire back porch area and part of our backyard, which is also able to see into the huge back room of our house through glass doors. It's very unsettling to constantly feel like you're being watched, and your conversations all being recorded. What if I have to discuss financial information or read credit cards etc over the phone? It's become quite a problem, so I had an officer dispatched to see from our perspective what is going on with the camera. While he was super nice and very much on our side about it, he noted that it's a huge gray area as to whether we have a *reasonable expectation of privacy* or not since she can simply poke her head out the same window and see/hear all of the same things...but she's recording us, so what gives? I was under the impression that recording audio without consent where someone has a reasonable expectation of privacy was highly illegal and/or a form of trespassing. The officer told us it would be more of a civil matter to take to court, since it's not a 'criminal' charge he couldn't tell her to take it down. He also joked about flashing the camera with nudity, which would potentially make it a criminal offense. I'm honestly down for that if it would confiscate her camera!

I'm making this post for any clarification that the above is correct, but also to see if anyone has any suggestions on how to prevent her from doing this outside of time-consuming and expensive legal proceedings. I'd be willing to upload pictures of the camera angle and what it's capturing of our property if it helps. Perhaps you're a local lawyer yourself and would like to get involved...thanks in advance to anyone who can provide some solid advice!
Topic:
Douche

Answer:
 You could probably position a bright light or low powered laser which would blind the camera sensor without damaging it. But no, her having a surveillance camera on her property isn't illegal.

Recording audio where you have a reasonable expectation of privacy is more troubling, but most places have stated you don't have a REP for sounds loud enough to be heard through the walls of the home.

You cant just put up curtains?


Title: Making out with a potential girlfriend. Girl's Ex barges in out of nowhere and assaulted me with weapon. Turns out she mastermind and is now calling rape. (Manitoba Canada)

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 > Any advice welcome

Hire an attorney.


Title: Gym changed names so I assumed my contract cancelled.

Question: My gym changed ownership, so I assumed my membership was over, now I have a $400.00 collections bill. What do I do? St George Utah area.

Answer: Pay it. Don't assume next time.


Title: Friends of the family suffering from health problems after the farm next to theirs installed an aneorobic digestor

Question:
According to them, they cannot do anything about it, but I'm convinced they can.

They say that trees and even some sheep have died in the area near the border between the farms, so they cannot use the nearest field any longer. They suffer from recurring headaches, and digestive issues. The health issues started soon after the digestor was installed.

They have talked to the guy owning the digestor, but he refuses to remove it as it is on his land and was expensive to set up.

Answer: There are no negative health effects to AD’s. How would they go about proving that this system is doing these things?


Title: Tobacco Free [NY]

Question: I'm currently attending a State University, in New York, where there are plans to foster and enforce a Tobacco Free environment. I'm interested in how that is possible, considering the legal age to purchase and use tobacco products is 19. I can understand the ban of smoking since CIAA has already heavily regulated where individuals can or cannot smoke. And since secondhand smoke is a well documented problem, it is understandable in regards to public safety. Yet chewing affects solely the person chewing - at least for health, the environment is another story - so public health is not a consideration. In addition, this ban applies to personal vehicles on the campus. I'm not necessarily seeking a way to fight the proposal, as personally my nicotine usage is rather minimal. I'm just wondering how this is not an infringement on personal liberties. While chewing does have obvious harms, I don't personally chew, it is still an individual's choice at a public university.

Answer:
 > I'm just wondering how this is not an infringement on personal liberties.

[Here's a PDF](http://www.hcd.ca.gov/codes/registration-and-titling/b_thereisnoconstitutionalrighttosmoke_ca_4_05.pdf) from the State of California on their stance that smoking is not protected by their state constitution nor the US Constitution.  There are many footnotes.

The same argument would apply to chewing tobacco, or to many other activities that don't qualify as fundamental privacy interests.


Title: Location: California Nabilone (Cesamet®) Drug Testing

Question:
My Union does not allow Marijuana use do to federal law. However, do allow the use of drugs with doctors prescription. Nabilone (Cesamet®) will test postitive for THC but, can be prescribed (schedule 2 drug) so, it should be allowed.

Could I in theory get it prescribed and then use Marijuana si9nce both will test positive but, one is legal federally? Loophole?

Answer:
 > My Union does not allow Marijuana use do (sic) to federal law.

That seems to be pretty definitive. "But what about--" is generally met with "no."

Finding ways to sneak around drug tests is outside the scope of this subreddit.


Title: [Discussion] FireFighter’s public opinion

Question:
A little bit of background, my dad is a firefighter and there is an election coming up for his current board.
He posted (on Facebook) of who he wants elected, and he was threatened with a lawsuit and told to remove his Facebook post. This was by the person who is currently on the board, who all of the firefighters hate and are trying to remove.
This is in California. I do not know anything about the politic laws, so if I’m missing a detail feel free to let me know and I’ll try to reply quickly.

Answer:
 Your dad can post whatever opinion he wants on Facebook. He should be clear that he is speaking for himself and not on behalf of his department.

People who threaten to sue over Facebook posts almost never actually do so. And when they do, they generally don't win.


Title: Massachusetts gas explosions aftermath

Question: My apartment complex was in the affected area of the northern Massachusetts recent fires and gas explosions. The complex received no damage but is part of the area that needs to have the pipes replaced. We’re back in the apartment now with electricity but no gas and expect not to have gas for weeks to months (though no one really knows for sure). We have no hot water, heat, or usable stove and the complex was previously paying the gas bill. Do we have any legal options as far as a rent reduction or having the complex pay the electric bill during this time? I understand MA laws require heat to be provided in September and keep the apartment a certain temperature and I expect it to drop below that temperature in the next week. We are planning to file a claim for the money spent during the time that we were evacuated with Columbia Gas. Any ideas if we have legal options with the complex even though the situation is out of their control?j

Answer:
 If you have no hot water, the landlord is failing in their duties - https://www.mass.gov/guides/landlord-responsibilities#duty-to-provide-habitable-premises

If the place is not habitable, you may be able to negotiate breaking your lease and move elsewhere if you want.


Title: Do we legally have to return a cat we took in?

Question:
Almost 2 years ago a cat showed up at my MIL's house in TN. She lives out in the sticks and knows all of her neighbors. None of them claimed the cat so she assumed it had been dumped. She eventually decided she didn’t want to care for it, so my family took her in. We live in SC.

My husband took her to our vet (we have 3 other cats – hence the name) to verify that she was fixed and to get her shots. At the time the vet told him she was not chipped.

All of our cats are indoor cats, but she keeps escaping, so earlier this week I decided to get her chipped while taking her in for shots. The vet came back and said she was actually already chipped. The chipping service sent an email to the owner who called the vet’s office, and then our local sheriff’s office, who contacted me. The owners want her back.

Here’s the dilemma. As a cat owner I would be devastated if one of my cats went missing and would want them back too. But we are not entirely sure we want to return her. It’s been two years. And because of her age, we have been caring for her longer than the original owners did. They never reported her missing. I also found out at the same vet visit that she has a mass on the back of her tongue that they think might be cancer. I scheduled her for surgery next week to remove it. I am worried if we give her back, they may not want to pay for the surgery and any subsequent treatment she may need.

I also looked up the owners online and am disgusted by their politics and racist facebook posts. I am trying to keep that out of the decision making process, but it’s still in the back of my mind.

I am not sure how far they are willing to go to get her back, but they did already call our local police about it. Are we legally obligated to return her?

Answer:
 > Are we legally obligated to return her?

Yes.  It's not your cat.  Your opinion about their politics is irrelevant.


Title: It smells like pot, all. The. Time.

Question:
So my wife and I live above a tenant who smokes pot three times a day. I don't really care except it makes our home stink like it. We're expecting or first child very soon,  and this isn't the kind of thing I want her exposed to at a young age.

I've spoken with the tenant,  he doesn't care. I've spoken with the land lord, and he doesn't seem to be able to/ doesn't want to do anything. I've said I'm at a point where I'm wanting to call the cops because it is an issue. I've pointed out to landlord that it's a violation of the lease agreement.

Obviously we should just move but can't afford to. What should we do?

Live in NY

Answer:
 You can call the cops but since pot use is decriminalized in New York, it's not going to amount to much.

And it doesn't matter if it's a lease violation.  That only means the landlord \*could\* kick the other tenant out, not that he \*must\*.

You should plan to move as soon as you can.  Answer #2: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/20/nyregion/marijuana-laws-new-york.html

> New York is getting closer to legal marijuana...

> ...In June, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that the city would hand out tickets to some people caught smoking pot instead of arresting them.

You can call the cops, and they may issue a ticket or they may not. Your landlord does not have to kick anyone out that they don't want to.


Title: ESA and breed restrictions/pet interview in rental? Modesto, CA

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 >and requiring a "pet interview". is a pet interview legal when it is an ESA and can they enforce the breed restriction?

Generally yes.  If this rental is covered under the fair housing act, there are some situations where a landlord can deny such a request.  For instance, if the ESA causes financial harm such as increased insurance premiums or loss of insurance due to the breed, the ESA can be denied.Answer #2: A pet interview is legal. As well, a rental may be able to deny you housing because of your ESA, even with the doctors note. The Fair Housing Act's definition of what qualifies for assistance is often more limited than what doctors apply. [You can read more about it here if you like (Question 3).](https://www.hud.gov/offices/fheo/library/huddojstatement.pdf) An impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities is the requirement, I leave it to you to determine.

I doubt you would get denied based on the character of your dog. I imagine they are more concerned with how it looks (how threatening) and the size.


Title: Client Refuses To Pay Invoice

Question:
I’m a self employed contractor who works in the image retouching industry. I’ve never, in my 20 years of retouching, had a situation like this before and I am looking for peoples suggestions on what to take as the next step.

I have (had) a client I worked with for the best part of a year. They have never in the past gone without payment for my services, but on the most recent (and last) project, they have decided they don’t want to pay me. I have been informed it has come down from the top people that it is too expensive and they won’t pay. Here is the thing.. I’ve been on the same rate as the day I started with them about a year ago. Nothing has changed. I have had larger invoices paid in the past, without hassle. They are a large company who just publicly listed in the stock exchange, and I know that cash flow is not a problem.

In regards to the project, it was approved by the client, they are since using all of the images on their website to make profit. I have sent maybe 5 emails to them asking for payment. The last two went to the CFO in which I changed my tone slightly (in a non threatening way) implied that if I don’t have an explanation in 7 days the matter will be escalated. I didn’t want to sound like a threat, and escalation is a broad term. I’ve kept things very civil, but have had zero response from them.

I have no signed contract (silly me), but I do have emails of them in inviting me in to the office for a meeting where they hired my services. I have all of my paid invoices and bank statements that prove they paid those. I have copies of emails of them delivering me the images for the current unpaid invoice. I have emails of them receiving the approved final files. I have screen captures of their website which is currently using my images, I have emails of our original agreed rate for retouching images a year ago. I have captures of the cloud storage where the files they sent still me to work on still currently exists. Basically everything except a contract. I feel like the contract can’t be a deal break and I should have a solid case here.

Just wondering what my next steps would be to collecting payment. In an ideal world, there is something I can do that forces their hand to send my full payment before getting lawyers/debt collectors involved? It’s a principle thing, rather than an emotional thing for me, albeit it being about 1.5months if work from my end that has gone unpaid.

Answer: First of all, stop doing business without a contract that has language that you can include legal costs if you have to sue for non-payment.


Title: My friend was just arrested for terroristic threats at 17 (GA)

Question: [removed]

Answer:
 > If he gets charged how likely do you think it'll be he can plea not guilty?

Like other criminal defendants, he will have the right to plead not guilty. However, it is extremely likely that everything needed to convict was included in the post. If he spoke with the police during questioning, he probably admitted that he posted it, sealing his fate.


Title: If I call a company and, when the person answers, I say to them, "This call may be recorded for quality assurance purposes," is that considered consent if they continue talking?

Answer: Yes... at that point the person knows you are recording and they can continue to speak or terminate the call. But, be sure the person is actually on the line and it's not a recording.


Title: Ex's Student Loans Taken Out Of Tax Return

Question:
Hi, this is for my sister. She never received her tax return and after looking into it, her ex's student loans were paid with her tax return. She never signed anything as far being a co-signer. He's a dead beat and works under the table and doesn't pay child support and probably doesn't pay taxes either. Is there anything she can do? What are her options?

&#x200B;

Thanks for your time.

Answer:
 [Obligatory mention on the difference between tax return and a tax refund](https://www.reddit.com/r/tax/comments/ampln2/tax_return_v_tax_refund/).

Was it a state tax refund that was taken or a federal one?

> She never signed anything as far being a co-signer.

Is she sure about that? She didn't possibly sign up to be an endorser on a PLUS loan?Answer #2: This may have been legal if the ex-husband's name was on the account where the return was sent for deposit.

She should start by contacting her state's department of revenue and asking for something formal or written as to why her return was garnished.  Even if you think you know why, get it in writing.Answer #3: File an [injured spouse form](https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-8379) assuming this is the IRS and there was a marriage.


Title: Do I have to return my work shirt?

Question: I live in TN. I work at a seasonal restaurant. I never signed an employee agreement. They say that they will hold my last pay check if i don't return it. What is the worst outcome of me keeping my shirt?

Answer:
 Is your shirt worth your last pay check?Answer #2: Did you buy it?

If not it belongs to the company.

This is so incredibly petty that it's absurd.


Title: suspecting terrorist

Question: The police & military suspecting me that I'm a terrorist even I'm not, because of my behavior, i have psychological problem, social phobia & PTSD, their suspecting me because of my attitude/behavior that different from the others, what should i do? where should i seek help?

Answer: You should seek a psychiatrist


Title: Can my (former) boss require me to pay for a company phone that was not paid off by end of employment?

Question:
Location: Michigan, USA

Just like the title says. Today was my last day at my job. This job provided me a company cell phone. I just got a new phone in december and there is about $600 left to pay on it. As I was leaving today, my boss said "well I don't want to be stuck with a $600 phone I don't want so think about it over the weekend and email me how you want to pay for this phone"

Additional Notes:

I was the only employee with a company cell phone, I didn't have a phone when I started there and they decided to pay for my phone so they could get a hold of me when necessary (I was our IT manager).

I was paying for the phone out of my paycheck. My boss paid for the service but I was paying for the phone. It was on a company account and my name wasn't attached to the account in any way

I also paid for the phone I had before this, she kept both phones when I left but I think what she wants is me to pay the rest of the current phone off (~$600) and keep that phone. So even though I was "paying" the monthly installment plan on the phone, I don't keep those phones after they're paid off.

There is no written agreement regarding this, our employee handbook only says all company property must be returned or they will withhold my final paycheck to pay for it

So I guess what I'm asking is, can she force me to pay for the phone? Can she withhold my final paycheck?

Answer: No you can't be forced to buy company property you don't wish to purchase. If anything they should refund you everything they've taken out of your pay check for that.  You did authorize that in writing right?


Title: Am I able to sue my employer for violating child labor laws?

Question:
I am 17 years old and I have been working at Chipotle for close to 6 months now and the motto the mangers have at my location are if you don't get your work done in time then you don't get a break. According to my home state, Ohio, the child labor laws require 16 and 17 year old to have a break before their 5th hour of work if working for more than 5 concurrent hours.

I have my clock out sheets which display the time I clocked in and the time I clocked out along with the total time worked saved up since July 20 to now. 9 out of 11 are over 5 hours of work but only  3 of them had a break. However I have no proof that I did get those breaks because our breaks are paid and so I stay clocked in. So the issue is that since I have no proof I got those breaks the judge wouldn't know if I was lying when I said I didn't get a break the other 6 times.

So my two questions are am I able to sue Chipotle for violating child labor laws according to the state of Ohio multiple times, and two if I was able to sue them would I have a good case against them or would their lawyers eat me alive. Any help is much appreciated. Thanks!

Answer:
 Have you asked for your breaks?

 Calling the corporate offices will often set clueless managers straight.


Title: Charged 300% Gratuity on Bar Tab (PA)

Question:
I was at a bar last night and bought 2 beers, $4 each.  I forgot to close out my tab, but didn't think much of it because it was only 2 drinks and they didn't have any signs up saying that if I didn't close the tab, they would over charge me.

When I checked my checking account today they had charged me $25 which is over 300% of my original tab.  Is it legal for them to do this?  Especially since they had no signs up saying they would do that?

Answer: call them and ask what happened first. If they refuse to refund the charges, file a chargeback with your bank.


Title: Apartment I'm renting flooded due to landlord's toilet hose. Do I have options?

Question:
I live in Gainesville Florida at a complex called Hunter's Run.  On Tuesday I'm came home to find my apartment completely flooded.  The upstairs neighbor's toilet line had busted and filled his floor with water which came straight down over almost every part of my apartment.  So far my damages include a 42" 1080p TV, XBOX360, PS3, leather couch sectional, a variety of other furniture, and so on. The apartment complex allowed my wife and I and our 2 dogs to stay in a corporate apartment they keep stocked in the same complex temporarily.

The cause of the leak was identified by maintenance.  Apparently they used a metal toilet hose with a plastic nut, which may have been overtightened, and eventually cracked.  The carpet cleaning service deals with this constantly and told me that he sees this happening a lot because no one will go with the metal nuts that are a few dollars more expensive.  My lease states that the landlord will not be responsible for property damage, even if their negligence is the cause, but I've been told that I can still argue my case despite that.  Fortunately, I asked for the hose when it was immediately changed so I can show it to the insurance company and/or a lawyer.

My complex is in the process of changing managers and an assistant manager is in charge right now, so every decision has to go through the regional manager.  I've gotten permission to transfer to another apartment, but the closest one is an upgrade (an additional $31.00/month), which they expect me to pay, that includes the new appliances I have been promised the last 3 times I renewed my lease.  I think they should allow us to move there and keep our current rate. I have the regional manager's phone number, but I have not contacted her directly yet.  I'm trying to get back in touch with the carpet cleaning service to see if I can get more information about the use of plastic nuts being the cause of this often.

We have renter's insurance and our deductible is $1000.00, which I think we will clear pretty easily.  A claim adjuster is coming out on Monday.  I've also made an appointment with a student legal service at my university because I'm a graduate student.

My question is about my options moving forward.  I'm planning to ask the regional manager to allow us to move into the upgraded apartment at our current rate and to pay our deductible.  Does this seem like a reasonable request despite the lease? Are there any other avenues I can pursue?  Being a grad student, $1000.00 is a lot of money to my wife and I and a lot of our possessions have been ruined and will need to be replaced (game systems not so much, furniture is important though).

TL;DR
Apartment flooded because a cheap nut was used in the toilet line of the apartment above us.  Lease says landlord is not responsible, but I think they should help out some.  Thoughts?

Answer:
 Wow, an OP with renter's insurance!  Good for you, you unicorn!

There may or may not be a fight between your insurance company and the landlord.  If they can get the landlord to contribute to the loss, they will pay you back your deductible.  It sounds like the landlord is negligent here and that you have the proof in your possession.  That's clearly going to help you if it goes to court.

Additionally, the insurance company will probably help you with the small increase in rent.  That's a pretty standard benefit built into the coverage.

At this point, you've done pretty much everything you can do.  If you're not happy with the response from the insurance company, you can hire a lawyer at that point, but it would be premature.  Answer #2: >My lease states that the landlord will not be responsible for property damage, even if their negligence is the cause

You can't disclaim negligence in most cases. I think this is one of them.

>Does this seem like a reasonable request despite the lease?

Yes. I would do the same. You may want to file your claim right away, it may help with the additional rent if that's only temporary.


Title: Dad [WA,US] seeking advice on Wife [out of state] demanding me to sign for passport

Question:
My wife separated from me for two years, when she got pregnant. Its been 1.5 years since my kid is born. She doesn't tell where she lives and has changed all the contact numbers. However, I keep writing to her to meet the kid. So far she has allowed me to see the kid in a public place twice. Since its been long since i met my kid, I asked her if I can spend more time with my kid. She is now asking me to sing for the kids passport which I am not willing to. Can you please help me on how to handle the situation? I feel pressured.

I don't want to go to the courts since I am hoping to give my kid a full family somehow and I fear that if I go to the courts, then, she might go berserk and break whatever is left. Hence I am concerned how to respond to this.

Answer:
 You need a visitation order. Now. Right now. This is not going to get better just by trying to please her. With her refusing to allow contact with the child no way in hell I would sign the passport documents. Get thee to a lawyer. Answer #2: >I don't want to go to the courts since I am hoping to give my kid a full family somehow

Obviously we don't know the complete situation but I would say that ship has sailed. If you want any kind of relationship with this child, you are going to have to go to court. And the sooner you do it the better, both for you and the child. I wouldn't sign the passport application. I most definitely wouldn't sign if the mother has ties or family in another country.Answer #3: It's a bit too late for no courts. That's really your only option. You don't have to sign the passport if you don't want too.


Title: Landlord did not give us any of our deposit back nor a list detailing the cost of repairs. I want to file small claims but she is telling me I'll be responsible for all legal fees since I took action first. Is this true?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Never take legal advice from the opposing party.

If you sue your landlord for failing to return your deposit plus the itemized list, it's unlikely you'd be ordered to pay your landlord's legal expenses. You'd have to pay _yours_, but in small claims often you can seek to have the defendant pay your filing fees if you win. The amount in question is so low that you'd be suing in small claims, so no lawyer required; if your landlord gets a lawyer, that's her problem to pay for.

Edit: now that you've posted your location, [here's a guide to your state's small claims process](http://judicial.alabama.gov/library/docs/smguide.pdf).Answer #2: > She has most recently said we are no longer allowed to call/text her and that we must go through her attorney.

The rest is bullshit; that part is valid. Communicate through her attorney.

> I would like to file a claim, what do I do next?

The next step is to file in small claims court.Answer #3: unless your lease says you have to pay her legal fees if you lose then that is not the case. and it is absolutely not true that you would have to pay her legal fees because you sued her.

there are court fees you will have to pay to sue her, but you can recover that if you win.

if you are indigent you can ask thoes court fees be waived.

if you have strong evidence that disputes the landlords claims for damages you should absolutely sue her.

please note that civil lawsuits are public information and future landlords may be able to see you went to court with an ex landlord. if that matters to you.

you didnt mention what state you are in so i am speaking generally.


Title: New Landlord wants to kick me out or increase rent amount disproportionately NJ USA

Question:
So 3 months ago I decided to sign a residential lease agreement for a room in the state of New Jersey (central). I gave the security to the land lord (who lives in a different state and handles the house through a local mediator) thinking the 6 month contract agreement would hold no matter what.

Turns out the land lord was evading state taxes on the property (and a bunch of other things) and his assets (including the house I live in) were confiscated by the state and put to auction.

Now the new land lord (I am guessing that he won the auction) tells me that he is going to hike the rent for the room by $300. He is threatening immediate eviction if I can't or don't pay the hiked rent for the upcoming month by next week. He also tells me that the authorities have his back, leading me to believe that maybe the auction wasn't exactly fair.

In any case I need to know my rights as a legal tenant. Can he force me to evict if I don't pay by next week? What are my rights if he does decide to call the authorities? Is it legal for him to hike the rent by $300 and subsequently force payment until I find a new residence?

Thank You.

Answer:
 >He also tells me that the authorities have his back, leading me to believe that maybe the auction wasn't exactly fair

Or he's lying out of his ass.

Your contract is still valid.  If the landlord wants to change it, he has to make you a better offer. Answer #2: He's trying to threaten you into breaking your lease, but he can't change your rent like that. You have a contract with the landlord of the apartments, and he is now the landlord. It doesn't matter if he signed them or not, they are binding to the landlord, not a specific person.

That being said, if he's really a douchebag he can do plenty to make your next 3 months miserable. You can assert your rights and stay the rest of your lease, or you can assert your rights and arrange a cash for keys scenario.Answer #3: IANAL, but I'm pretty sure that, given your lease is essentially a contract, it cannot be altered within the time frame defined by said contract, unless both parties consent.

He purchased the property, and all leases/contracts transferred with the change in ownership. Answer #4: Pursuant to the [New Jersey Foreclosure Fairness Act](http://www.nj.gov/dca/divisions/codes/publications/pdf_lti/f_bulletin.pdf) any person acquiring a foreclosed property containing one or more residential rental units must provide notices to the tenants within 10 business days after the sale, letting
tenants know that ownership has changed hands and that the tenants are not required to move because of the foreclosure.

The tenant shall not be pressured by anyone, including the person making the offer to accept any offer to vacate the property. Pressure tactics include an unreasonable or unconscionable rent
increase.

tl;tr -- tell new LL to pound sand, so to phrase it


Title: How long does it take to charge and arrest a rapist ?

Question: The detective says it’s not a strong case but it’s up to me if I want to pursue criminal charges for a rape that occurred 5 months ago.  I told him I want to press charges but after 5 months my ex bf who is the perpetrator is still not charged/arrested. Why it takes so long ?

Answer: No one can possibly even guess about the nuances in your case, especially based on a three sentence paragraph.


Title: [CA] Lived in an apartment for year and a month as a roommate, landlord disabled the key fobs I own and super tenant urging me to move out.

Question:
Hello there! first post so not sure if I get everything down properly but I currently am in a big pickle.

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In 1st of Dec 2017, I have moved into an apartment as a roommate to someone else. I have found him on a asian community ad page on Facebook. He offered me a room for around 800 a month, and until recently I have been living fine. Due to both my low understanding of proper rent procedures and such, I did not get a lease, and recently the landlord has disabled my key fob because "She does not like random people and outsiders coming in and out of the apartment." After asking my roommate, he clarified that the 1 room apartment is under his mother's name, and the current legal residents are: His mom, stepfather, and my roommate's brother. He also told me that the landlord does not like my roommate living here because he is technically not on the lease, but his mother managed to convince the landlord about living here. Note that none of the people who "lives" here actually lives somewhere else.

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Now, about a week ago the landlord has installed a second gate to prevent trespassing and been actively disabling key fobs for people who has them but are not tenants. And because I was not notified to the landlord to live in the apartment, she disabled mine as well.

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What do I do now? My roommate "suggested" me to find another place to live, as both of our schedules conflict and he is often not home when I try to get into the apartment. I have already paid this month's rent, and I am not even sure if I can afford a new place in the city. Waiting for my roommate to arrive in cycling uniform outside the apartment for hours end is exhausting, and I don't even know what options I have right now. Help...
Topic:
Real Estate law

Answer:
 The landlord you're talking about isn't your landlord. The person who offered you the apartment (your roommate) is. Even though you are not on a lease, you are what is called a month to month tenant.

Your roommate has illegally evicted you. It may be because of the higher landlord, but that does not matter. You no longer have access to your apartment, and as your landlord, your roommate is responsible.

You may even have squatter's rights at this point since you have been there for over a year, making the higher landlord your landlord as well.

Regardless, you really need to find a new place. You can also very easily sue for this month's rent back in small claims courtAnswer #2: San Francisco has very strong tenant protections.  Please google for a local landlord -tenant association to help you. They usually help for a little money or are for free.


Title: I believe a employee at a amusement park stole my phone and i have evidence to back up this claim, how do i go about this?

Question:
I visited Six flags of America on the 14th of July (2019) the first ride I got on my phone slipped out of my pocket, literally within 30 seconds of getting off i pat my pocket notice its gone and go to the ride operators. The two ladies operating the ride said that they've seen the phone (they even described it!) the phone in question is a lilac purple s9 + a very distinctive phone one lady said they can't get it right now and that if i wanted it back id have to wait until 9:00 o'clock when the rides/park closed and retrieve it from lost and found, we let them know we lived out of state but all they said was still go to lost and found (my cousin being a witness to this). We finished riding all the coaster in the theme park very quickly then went to lost and found, we couldn't wait until 9:00 because we had to get back on the road (we live out of state in NC) so the lost and found said fill out a report and when the phone is turned in they'll be able to mail it to me. This greatly relieved my stress because 1. they knew where the phone was and they could ship it to me 2. a possibly damaged phone is better and cheaper then a whole new one. Fast forward to today and i check my emails, i noticed that i was getting status updates that said things along the lines of "we are still searching for your device". I thought this was very weird seeing as though the employees in question knew where it was, my mind thought that maybe it fell under something or was trapped in was unreachable, i sadly went to the find my phone tracker to confirm my suspicions but it uncovered something entirely different. my phones tracker is so good that it made me a whole timeline! my phone left the park the same day i did, my phone shows that it left the park at 7:21pm (a good few hours after we left), drove about 37 minutes away stayed at a address for about 26 minutes, then driven for a bit more to it finally stopped in a place in D.C (i have the name of the apartments but i wont disclose it) it got to this address at about 9:30pm on the 14th, my phone also pinged from this address the 15th of July at 2:30pm, i believe whoever stole it lives at this address considering the drive from this address to the park is only roughly 30 minutes. I know the general look of these girls, i know the time frame down to about the hour it was "lost", i know the ride it happened on and i know what time it left the park, and i know where it was taken, what can be done?

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TL;DR: My phone was stolen and i have a lot of evidence including pointing to six flags employee taking it, including when it was 'lost', the ride it was "lost" on,when it left the park, and where it ended up.

Answer: Call the police, make a report, give them your evidence.


Title: Do you need to be married to adopt a toddler(5) in Ohio?

Question: I've gotten mixed answers from the research I've done myself, but pretty much the title is self explanatory. The child in question is 5, father is completely out of the picture, have a biological newborn currently with the mother. I'm told its insulting, but I really hate the idea of marriage, I believe its bullshit. However, that's off topic. If you have questions just ask

Answer:
 So you're romantically together with a woman who has a 5 year old child and wish to adopt the child legally without marrying the adult?Answer #2: A different legal observation. If you two are unmarried and she is incapacitated in the hospital, you are not the legal decision maker by default. You need the appropriate medical power of attorney and health care proxy documentation.

Her parents and immediate siblings will control her medical needs. Best hope they are on board. Answer #3: Marriage can be a lot of things to different people (religious, cultural, social, legal aspects). But for you, it is the most straightforward way to set some legal defaults that will be invaluable if you plan to live a joint life with your girlfriend.


Title: [Florida] Fired after almost 5 years of hard work, and all because they think i stole a soda.

Question:
Hello everyone, im not sure exactly where to post it, not sure if its something that i need help with or just move on lol.

Ive been working for this company selling parts for a while, The store did not have a commerical dept, and i spoke to the district manager on duty back then, and we spoke about opening the commercial dept, because i came from a competitor and i had a lot of experience. Ive always been told, and felt i was doing a great job. hitting big bonuses, Almost always meeting target numbers, completing all my task, and keeping all customers happy, most importantly not leaving anything that i could do up to anyone else, it was the way i have always working, you can almost say i have ocd!  the job is very stressful and i depend on people doing their job right to be able to get my job done. Any little mistake in inventory, can throw off my sales, and lead up to making a customer angry, and them complaining to me about it. I want to get to the point of the story. So after 3 years my store manager transferred to another store. For about a week we did not have a store manager. The district manager made the decision to hire a store manager with no experience in the business whatsoever. At this point my job became a living hell. At first i just thought of it as just part of the job, and i figured it would get better with time. With no experience, a lot of the problems came down to me. The store manager not knowing about parts made him and most of the staff asking me simple questions, or even complicated ones, which led to me not being able to complete my daily task. Also, not knowing how to manager the system, or not knowing my customers (which was very important in my dept), also the manager not managing the personnel correctly led them to not doing their job either. Which leads to  me having to do their job, and mine. taking care of regular customers, training new employees, the inventory being out of whack, the phones not being picked up, the store not being cleaned, and many others. which seems like small bullshit but at the end it piles up. it got to a point where it was just too stressful for me, and i was not receiving any help from the manager, this led to me having a bit of an attitude at times with other employees.  i would reprimand drivers for not getting the receipt signed,or return slips, or not doing vehicle inspection correctly, and he wouldn't tell them anything. It would land on me again, and make me look like the bad person who just wants to have things my way. this would stress me out even more because i felt like i was not getting help from anyone and the store was just going downhill. Now, there has also been other issues in the store like for example, on the days i would be off, there would be money missing sometimes. and instead of fixing the problem or investigating it, they would just close the register short, and create a bigger problem with LP. the next day i would come and just do my research, because i was impeccable with my paperwork, and it was mostly an easy fix. After a lot of bullshit, and arguing with my employees about getting the job done correctly, his truth came out and blamed it all on me. I pulled him to the side and told him that i was not being help and the drivers do whatever they want because hes not reprimanding them like he should, and a lot of the stress that is landing on me ,shouldn't be. after i said that he said it was my fault, that i led to all the problems, and that i was just rude to people. This is when i couldn't take it anymore and i said since im the problem, then ill be leaving for the day and ill be back tomorrow. He threatened me by saying he was going to fire me. So i went home  and i wrote an email to the district manager explaining my situation, and the reason why i left for the day. The next day i came in, and he had taken it upon himself to fire me from the company. Now i couldnt clock in, or do any work until it was fixed. Then my healthcare was terminated because they thought i was fired. The same morning the territory manager and district manager came and we had a sit down talk with the store manager as well. I did not feel right just blaming everything on him because i have never been like that. i have always tried to solve problems myself, or just move on, until it got to this point. But he was saying a lot of things were my fault, and apparently did not understand what he was not doing correctly. after, i sat down with the district manager and we spoke personally about the situation i was having and i teared down, telling her that i did not bring any personal problems and all the stress was from work. She promised she would be on top of the store more often, and will make sure hes doing a good job to be able to make it smoother for me and be able to get my own job done. i felt like she got a little closer as  my boss, and maybe friend. after this point i knew that going back to work was not going to be easy. I knew he was gonna have it out for me and was gonna try his best to get me out. So that day i returned to work and pretended like nothing happened. the next day, i get to work and he wants to write me up, for being tardy almost two weeks back. Now this was extremely unfair, because i understood i had an issue getting there on time, but it would never exceed the 10-15 minutes, which i guess he considered the worst. I had been doing this for more than a year, and the manager before understood, and knew that i stayed late all the time,  and did a lot of extra work which made up for it, so he always looked out, and didn't make a big deal out of it. So i made a call to the district manager and she said she couldn't do anything, so once again, i put my big boy pants on and moved on. i  signed for the write up, and i tried my best everyday to get there on time. which i did, for the most part. this proved to me even more that he was out to get me.  Since  he couldn't find anything else to write me up for, he had someone, or himself, called LP to report that i was stealing sodas. now my customers and people i have to take care of in every way to buy from me. so i always tend to buy them sodas or candy when they walk in, and i usually just add my water or my soda in there as well. this helps me keep an invoice average of at least $10 or more. Since i didn't see anything wrong from it, i have been doing it for some time. Never have i been in the need to steal any type of merchandise from the store. I used to be known for caring too much for something i didn't own. i used to chase people who steal from the store, and since it was a bad neighbor hood a lot of times, had to rip it off their hands, or call the cops.  I really did care for it like it was mine. So all this caught me by surprise when LP showed up to the store and sat me down with the district manager and asked me a lot of questions about the process of my job. after he explained everything he did and a lot of how, he mentioned what he was there for, because he said i wasn't bringing it up. when he told me that it was a soda it seemed crazy to me. So i went ahead and told him what i usually do and we went and also printed receipts of proof that they were paid for and were included with the customers purchases. they looked at it the entire wrong way and made it seem like i was inflating my sales, and i was trying to pay a cheaper price  for the sodas by putting it on a customers account. So after he asked more questions and wrote everything down i continued to do my job. the next week on Tuesday when its almost time for me to leave, my district manager and another one from another district showed up and as soon as he walks in he looks at me and says, "it smells like rat in here" which seemed very strange and almost rude at the same time. after that she gets someone to cover my position and tells me that they have decided to let me go. I simply said ok, i think you guys have a lot more to worry about that, than someone who you think is stealing a soda. now here i am, feeling like i wasted 4 years of my life. i didnt know if i could do anything about this, but at least i get to share to who ever gives a shit lol. and sharing always helps.

thanks to who ever took the time to actually read

Answer: Extreme TL;DR. It sounds like you were doing something you weren't supposed to do on multiple occasions, including arriving late to work and adding soft drinks and snacks to customer invoices and they decided to fire you. You can appeal to your employer or to a supervisor, or anybody who will be willing to listen to you, but in general they can fire you for any reason not related to a discriminatory class.


Title: Hamilton, Ontario Canada - tenant "stole" stove from rental unit?

Question:
I rent a small house out in Hamilton, Ontario (Canada).

I have hired a paralegal who is only dealing with serving the tenants papers and going to the tribunal.  The tenant was served papers due to their habitually late rent (they also have rent outstanding but I am not dealing with that yet - see 2) below).

Since the papers were served, the tenant (see 1) below, he may not even be a tenant legally??) is complaining about many things.

Tenant phoned me Thursday to tell me the stove wasn't working, at all, completely dead.  I had an electrician in the next day to verify the outlet was working as we had been having a bit of trouble with the outlet previously.

I purchased a new stove Saturday and called the tenant to say it was being delivered tomorrow and the delivery person would be picking up the old stove. (I requested the used appliance place I purchased the new stove from verify if the stove was not working, and if so, was not damaged intentionally).

Tenant told me he got rid of the stove (must have been Saturday morning as it was in the house last night when the electrician was there).

Now I have no way of verifying if the stove wasn't working, and plus I was to get a bit of $ back if I scrapped the stove.

I told the tenant know he should not have got rid of the stove without my permission as it came with the house, so it was not his to get rid of, and that it may constitute theft as I have no way of knowing if he sold it, or if the stove indeed wasn't working.

Do I have any recourse? I only paid $300 for a new (used) stove, so if I have to eat the money I will, but this whole thing doesn't sit well with me.

1) To add to this, I have a rental agreement where only the mom was moving in with her two young children.  I had no idea this man was moving in as well.  Welfare contacted me in December asking if a man was living there, and I said I didn't know (which I didn't), and that there was only the mom and two girls on the tenancy agreement.

Turns out, he has been living there from day one, because when I did up the tenants receipts for 2015 I noticed he was paying the rent via email money transfers.  I believe they were committing welfare fraud, am I obligated to report this?

2) Also, they said they purchased things for the house (to repair a toilet for example) and they would take the money off the rent and send me the receipts.  I have never received the receipts and this happened over a few months to a total of around $500.  I'm not sure if this is considered non payment of rent since they should have receipts?  I suspect they told me they bought things they did not, or said the parts were more than they indeed were.  But I don't know what to do.

Answer:
 You can sue in small claims for the stove. He had no right to "throw out" your old stove. But, the value of a potentially broken used stove is not much, and that's all you'd be entitled to.

You have no legal obligation to report what you suspect may be welfare fraud. You can if you want.

No receipts = you have no proof they bought anything, and therefore they didn't pay the rent in full.


Title: Company won't let us take home tools we didn't check in when we started working here. I checked in no tools. What should I do?

Question:
The company I work for is shutting down it's plant in a little over a month. I am an electrician and I had to provide personal tools. We are now being told anything that wasn't checked in when we came to work they won't let us take home.

This isn't good for me because my entire tool set was never checked in. No one said their was an option to do this. They also bought me replacement tools over the years.

Answer:
 First thing first. Take photos of all your tools, tool boxes, carts, and bags, every single one. Find any receipts, or any other proofs of purchase and take photos. There's some other good advice here, but you may need an inventory at some point. Might as well make one now.

Edit: Also, they can't keep your tools. They can fire you, which may affect your unemployment, but they can't just steal from you.


Title: [New York] Nail Salon fumes' are going directly into the apartment but Landlord is telling me to deal with it

Question:
This is in New York, Brooklyn.

A couple months ago in October, a nail salon opened right behind my apartment/commercial use complex. Soon after, I started smelling fumes inside my apartment, the ones you usually smell after a polish. I'm pretty sure the fumes from the nail salon are coming in from a duct in my apartment's boiler room, as it shares a wall with the nail salon. The fumes are strongest there.

First, I contacted our landlord to tell him the situation and he said there's nothing he can do. Then, I contacted the DEP (NYC Department of Environmental Protection Police). The DEP has sent four people over so far on different occasions, but all the times it was outside business hours or when the salon literally opened for the day, and thus, no fumes were being produced or even present. I keep asking them to come during business hours but they say that their agents work on their own time and whenever they can come, they will come.

Now today, my landlord asked me to stop calling the DEP and that the situation is unchangeable and I should just deal with it.

About the nail salon - I've been inside and the fumes are incredibly strong. I reported to the Department of Labor for unsafe working conditions and also the Department of Business for illegal business (no ventilation) but there has been no follow-up for months.

The fumes are really bad, and I'm not sure if it will affect my roommates and I's health.

What kind of legal recourse do I have in this situation? Thank you in advance.

Answer:
 Try calling OSHA  about the fumes the workers are inhaling. They don't take stuff like this lightly.Answer #2: Dunno, just adding a different reason to maybe contact.

https://www.dos.ny.gov/licensing/complaint.html

The Department of Licensing. Perhaps fume ventilation is a thing professions estheticans are responsible for.  I don't know if it is, but if no one else can think of anything.


Title: Legal advice on boyfriends charges?

Question:
Okay so i posted here a few days ago but with little info about my boyfriend being arrested for lsd.

Okay so the story goes like this with the information i achieved:

My boyfriend gave this girl research chemical tabs and the next day she got caugt with hash, mj, paraphenelia, and the tabs. So its speculated that the cops who hate my boyfriend told her to snitch and theyd lower her bail (which is somehow lower than my boyfriends) and they searched him and his house but they found nothing. He was arrested still though because they claim they found something but his grandma and brother standing right there saw they found notning.

How is it looking for him?

He has an attorney and I am from new jersey

Answer: It's looking like he needs a criminal defense attorney, and shouldn't be making any statements to the police without one. Stories and speculation like this might work on girlfriends and family, but generally aren't very effective legal defenses in a court of law.


Title: They Won't Let Me See My Kid

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 If you have an agreement which states that you may see your child at a certain time interval, you can go to court to enforce that agreement.Answer #2: Colorado doesn't have a law specifically permitting or prohibiting postadoption agreements, but generally speaking, the agreement would most likely had to have been approved by the court.

What does the agreement say about enforcing your right to see the child?


Title: [OH] Extended warranty on car includes a "disappearing deductible" that applies when we get the car fixed at the dealership. But the selling dealership doesn't work on that type of car. I feel they misrepresented what they were selling us.

Question:
We bought this car and warranty 5 years ago. The warranty still has 20k left on it.

The service contract we signed included three options:

1. $100 deductible
2. $100 "disappearing deductible", where it would normally be $100 but would be waived if the selling dealership services the car. This option had a pre-printed check mark on it (meaning it was not a check mark that we wrote in)
3. $200 deductible

Now, after 5 years, we finally need to use the warranty. We called the dealership and they said they do not service our car. (We bought a trade-in VW and they are a Mercedes dealership).

I talked to the extended warranty company and they said the dealership has the option of outsourcing the repairs to somebody else (meaning we take the car to the dealership and they take it to somewhere else), or issuing is a refund of $100 when we take it to a different licensed service center.

The dealership is refusing to do either of those things and says that they only provided the disappearing deductible as a "courtesy" in the event that they actually could fix the car. However, we were never explained that and the contract doesn't reflect that.

What are my options? We have signed an arbitration agreement. What should I expect the outcome of that to be? My desired outcomes, in order of preference:

1) a full refund of the entire warranty, since it feels like we were sold something unusable

2) getting the car serviced somewhere else and the dealership writing is a $100 check

3) the dealership outsourcing the repair (I don't love this option because I tend to distrust companies that have already refused to work with me, from a customer service perspective)

4) we are issued a refund for he difference in the $100 disappearing deductible version of the contract and the $200 version. The dealership says they have no record of how much the $200 version cost. Then we would pay $200 on our own to get it serviced.

5) nothing happens, we have to get it serviced somewhere else and pay $100

Are there any options I am missing? Has this happened to anyone else? What else can I do?

Answer:
 Not a lawyer, but it's doubtful you would be able to get your full warranty refunded, even if you sued them. At best, which still seems doubtful, you would get a prorated amount back for the time remaining. The warranty itself isn't unusable, the deductible issue is the only one in question

You can get your car serviced for the $100 deductible elsewhere and then send a demand letter to the dealership for that amount, and then sue if they don't respond.


Title: Dancer in NYS, undercover raid last night - Where is the line with entrapment?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 The remedy for entrapment is civil court not criminal so you can't "press charges." Sorry about that.

Next, it's not entrapment because you weren't actually coerced into doing something you wouldn't normally do.  Entrapment can be a defense to a criminal charge but since you won't be charged with anything it's not entrapment. Make sense? The cop was a dick, yes. But you did the right thing and said the correct things. Put it behind you or make a complaint (in writing) to his superiors or internal affairs.


Title: My boys' gymnastics teacher was just arrested and the facility will likely close. Is there any way to recover the money I've pre-paid for the next couple months worth of training? [CA, USA]

Question:
Background: To my horror, I found out today that my boys' gymnastics instructor has been arrested on multiple sexual abuse charges. Details are sketchy at this point, but he apparently sexually abused at least 3 different teen/pre-teen girls over the past 4-5 years. Although I am literally sick to my stomach over the news, I do not believe there were ever any issues with my children, as we had only been with this gym for a couple of months and I was present at every one of their sessions.

So, my question: We have prepaid roughly $1000 in a package deal that covers the next few months worth of lessons, charged to a credit card about 6 weeks ago. Do I have any hope of recovering any of that money, and if so, how might I go about that? I presume this is the end for this business. As is pretty typical for operations of this nature, the business is an independent local gym operating under a national governing body. It's a small facility, the one who was arrested is the only instructor, and his wife is listed as the registered agent and manager of the LLC. Thanks for any help.

Answer:
 Contact the wife for a refund, first.  If they're not able or willing to refund you, you'll have to sue.Answer #2: This is small claims territory if they refuse a request to refund.  But if the place is really going out of business, there may be nothing to collect.

You can see if your credit card company can partially charge back, once you have proof the place is going out of business.


Title: [Colorado] Getting fined for a car I sold

Question:
I sold a car to a friend-of-a-friend in February. I forgot to get the plates.

It was ticketed outside her house in March. It went unpaid. I end up getting the tickets in the mail in late May. ($400 total)

I come to learn that she didn't register the car.

I wrote the Denver DMV, explaining the situation and providing a Bill of Sale. They then requested a plate cancellation receipt (which I got) and a *notarized* Bill of Sale.

The buyer is pants-on-head retarded, and kept making excuses why she couldn't show up to do the notary. Finally I got her to agree to meet today. I get a call from our mutual friend to let me know that she went into work, rather than show up or communicate to me that she wasn't coming to the notary appointment.

I wrote the Denver DMV again, explaining the situation, including the Bill of Sale and Plate Cancellation Receipt. Aside from that, what can I do?

Answer: Unfortunately, probably nothing, unless you can convince someone at the DMV or court to break the law for you.  With the plate cancellation, you won't get charged for further tickets, but without co-operation from the buyer, you are probably going to have to pay the ones that have already been issued.


Title: Can my 17 yr old bro go to jail?

Question:
Im 15 in the Philippines.
I'm writing this in the bathroom.
My bro is a narc. Always cursing people stronger than him(me,my father etc) and assaulting people weaker than him(every girl in house including mom, granny and lil bro) can he be bought to jail? Been doing this for more than 5 years honest ly I'm shaking rn

Answer: If you and your dad are stronger, then sit him down and tell him to change or gtfo. Whether he goes to jail or not, he doesn't have to live with you. Everyone in the house should stand together and not tolerate abuse


Title: [WA] Can my employer deduct pay because I quit?

Question:
I work for a residential window cleaning company as a summer job. I am heading back to college this fall and told my boss a few weeks ago I would like my last day to be Aug 30. Over the weekend I realized I had something going on the morning of Aug 30, and texted my boss asking if I could move my last day of work to Tuesday (Today).

However he planned several jobs that day that would require a full crew, and essentially told me no, I need to work that day.

I tried to reschedule my other plans, however there is a cancellation fee and they are booked through the day I leave for college, meaning if I cancelled there would be no way to reschedule.

After telling my boss that he said that the choice is ultimately mine, but any unfinished work for that day would be deducted from my paycheck. I am paid an hourly rate, while others are paid a percentage of the job (eg if a job is valued at $200, they would make $40).

Since I am paid an hourly rate, is it legal for my boss to deduct work he is unable to complete because I quit?

Answer: He cannot deduct monies from payment for hours you already worked.  You're entitled to every hour worked.Answer #2: Tell your ex-boss to pound sand. This is illegal. Inform your boss and if you don't get paid, file a wage claim. You are an hourly worker, not a contractor. You are at will, which means you can quit at any time.


Title: Smoking at Work (PA)

Question: I live in PA and we have a law regarding smoking in the work place. It is only supposed to be allowed in designated areas. But where I work that law is ignored. I work in a red neck heck hole and almost everyone there smokes. So they light up whenever and wherever, the supervisors even join in. It causes me great difficulty in breathing, and causes my eyes to slam shut. I have thought of complaining to the state, but I am worried about retaliation at work. It would be obvious that I was the one that caused the state to do something. I am basically the only non tobacco user there. It is not right that I have to suffer every day so that others can puff away. It is against the law after all. I should be protected. What can I do?

Answer:
 Find another job.

Report it.

Start at the new job.


Title: Let go from routine police stop with only Learner's Permit

Question:
BACKGROUND: I am 18 with only a learner's permit in Texas.

STORY: I was driving home when I was pulled over for not having my tail lights on at night. The cop asks me for my license and insurance, and I handed him my permit and insurance. He went back to his car and I guess scanned my information into his system. He handed me my items back and told me I was good to go.

1. Can I be charged at a later date for my actions?

2. Could my insurance rates possibly go up?

UPDATE: I'm talking about being charged with driving with only a permit.

Answer:
 Cop here.

If you were not issued a citation at the time it is doubtful you will be at a later date.

It is possible, but unlikely.


Title: (FLORIDA) Default judgement against now dissolved company.

Question:
Hello Reddit, I worked for a company in 2015 as a 1099 contractor.  During this time pay checks were few and far between but we were always assured they would catch up, yes it was stupid to believe.  After racking up an $8,000 plus bill I finally left, but was still never paid.  I ended up taking my boss to small claims for $5,000 during which time he dissolved the company.  I showed up in court and got a default judgment for $5340 and now have to try to collect.  When the company dissolved the sole owner took the clients with him personally to get a new job with a similar company who now services those clients.  I need to submit a statement of claim (not sure what that is, or if it needs to be more than the judgment paperwork from the court and I was told by the judge it sounds like he fraudulently transferred the client base to his new employer which may make him personally liable.

Any help/advice/etc is much appreciated.

Chris

Answer:
 I think you might need to file a NEW claim against the owner of the old company personally, alleging that he fraudulently transferred or conveyed assets from his (old) company to himself personally and then dissolved his (old) company in order to avoid paying the judgment debt to you.

I don't think that his client base can be "assets" in that sense, and I don't think that the new company he currently works for can be accused of accepting fraudulently transferred or conveyed assets, but I am not sure.


Title: Company owes me $7000, but went bankrupt

Question: Hey legal advice, so this didn't actually happen to me, but a good friend of mine. He owns a clothing company that that sells to karmaloop (a big online retailer). Well, they went bankrupt without paying my friends clothing company the 7k they owe them from their shirt sales. Is there any thing he could do to get his money back? I realize they did go bankrupt so it's almost a lost cause, but I thought I could post here and ask about it anyways.

Answer:
 If the bankruptcy is finalized he is SOL. If not he can put in his claim with the court but he will likely be at the end of the line. Answer #2: This is an unsecured debt, so it'll be the lowest priority to get paid back.  You're probably looking at pennies on the dollar, if anything (depending on the type of bankruptcy and the location).

If the bankruptcy is still open and the court is accepting proof of claims, you can file one and hope for the best.  If the bankruptcy proceedings are closed, then the debt has been discharged and you're out the $7,000.


Title: Help with a Cult

Question:
Hello

About 3 years ago my partner had a miscarriage and soon after fell under the control of a man who claims to be an emissary of God and a living saint.

At first I went along with it as my partner seemed happy for us to go visit this man and his 'channel' for sessions that I can only describe as exorcisms. Although there were no fees we were encouraged to leave gifts, this doesn't include flights from UK to his base in Germany and hotels. Over the whole period I gave him thousands of Euros.

Eventually I began to have grave reservations about this man as the things he was telling my partner about me were extremely disturbing. That in a past life I had been a murderer, rapist and paedophile. Over the years he has convinced my partner that I am all these things even today.

For the least three years he has urged my partner force me back to finish my spiritual cleansing but I have refused. Since then I have had to leave my partner as the pressure to worship this man is constant. My partners has mild schizophrenia which she refuses to address even though her family history points this way compounds the mans influence as her aural and visual hallucinations all come from his daily contacts with her.

Because of this Ive had to give up two jobs im one step from homeless, drink and drug issues (sober for 3 months now!!) also felt suicidal for last 2 years. I've also supported my partner financially a great deal. She gave up her job to become a spiritual healer despite having major debts.

Today was the last straw. Since I moved out she is increasingly adamant that I am having sexual relations with men women and children and today she assaulted me, I had to call the police.

I want to take action against this man thats ruined our lives.
He was a famous Italian fashion designer based in Dusseldorf but went into bankruptcy. He re-appeared as this new character and claims to god like. At the start he mostly targeted people with terminal illness. There is one poor chap who has been coming to see him to regain his sight.

Any legal advice especially from German/Dusseldorf where he is based or UK folks, as Im based in London.

Even if I could find a way to stop him contacting my partner that would give me the time to get her to speak to anti cult people. I have a counselor who is the top UK expert ready to help us. Obviously If I could get my money back and maybe even damages that would be better. Ultimately I want this man to stop doing what he is doing as Im sure other families have been ripped apart by him.

God Bless

Answer:
 Try r/legaladviceUKAnswer #2: https://cultinformation.org.uk/

This is a site that helps people who are victims of cults.  Answer #3: It's possible that what he did is a crime in Germany (Beleidigung, üble Nachrede and/or Verleumdung) and also a tort. You should consult a lawyer in that area to sue him and you likely would need to file a report with the local police.

All three offenses involve disparaging comments made about a person publicly or condoning their publication/dissemination in increasing severity.Answer #4: Congrats on your 3 months sober, and trying to help those this man has taken advantage of. Good luck to you!


Title: Was in a car accident, but wasn't my fault

Question:
So let me establish that I've already gotten this ordeal settled. But I do want to know if I was limited in terms of settling for less because of my lack of knowledge in the whole insurance business.

Anyway, I was hit, and my car was totaled by a 74 year old man who ran the stop sign even though I had the right of way (He apparently didn't see me coming, from a busy street). His insurance (USAA) claimed 100% fault for him, and decided to follow up on that claim with his insurance because I have full coverage with State Farm.

Unfortunately, they deemed my car as being less than what I paid for it. However; I only settled with this lesser amount because they had said that since my car was totaled, and not more than what they had thought it would cost to fix, they based the price of "similar cars" to determine an the price of my cars' worth.

I accepted, not thinking to try anything else because she (insurance adjuster) outright told me that I can't ask for more money because it was totaled, and that my "personal opinion" of its worth is not valid. I have proof to show that I have not yet finished fixing my car even though I've exhausted the amount they gave me for my car. It still needs a paint job for where it was hit (the fenders, hood, bumper, and radiator support), and a new windshield. This would bring it back to it's previous state before the accident.

What I want to know is if it is still possible to get more to finish up my car even though I've agreed to the amount they gave me? If It's worth it to do so, and if I can even get anything at this point.

As a side note, do y'all think that she lied to me about everything just to get me to accept her offer? I felt that she was surprised when I told her that I was going to accept; she stood silent for a bit with a "yay I got this idiot" kind of tone when she broke her silence with an "ok thank you"

Thank you all for anything! It's been bothering me for 6 months, and Reddit is awesome for experiences like this, and I feel that other's experiences will give me a better way of handling this problem the next time it may occur.

Answer:
 No. The car was totaled. Meaning it would cost more to fix them the car is worth. You are not owed more than the car is worth. Answer #2: As the car is totaled, they are only obligated to pay you whatever the car is worth (its fair market value). But, if you can prove that the amount that they are offering you is not the "fair market value" in your local market, you can negotiate for more.

Many years ago, I was able to do some online and "want ad" research (back in the day when want ads were still a thing) to show that my car was worth about $2000 more than what they offered. They saw my documentation and agreed. So, if you look up Kelley Blue Book values (private sale) and/or craigslist offerings and/or other sources to show that your car is worth more, then you can try to negotiate.


Title: [SC] Grandmother got out of hospital bed and injured herself when staff would not respond to her paging; Can my grandfather sue for malpractice?

Question:
I'm asking this on behalf of my grandfather. We live in South Carolina. He really hopes it doesn't have to come to this, but if it does, he is highly considering a lawsuit for medical malpractice. This is the story:

A couple weeks ago, my grandmother became extremely confused. She tried to use the toilet with the lid down and ended up having a fall that broke her wrist. She was incomprehensible and could not understand anything anyone was saying to her. This prompted us to call 911 for an ambulance to take her to the hospital.

At the hospital, they found stage 4 cancer in her lungs, as well as a tumor in her brain that is likely also cancerous. They determined that this tumor was the most likely cause of her severe confusion and memory lapse. This is the start of what we believe to be potential malpractice.

For starters, they did a biopsy of her lungs in order to determine if it was large or small-cell cancer. Somehow or another, they completely screwed it up the first time. This meant that they had to painfully poke her and prod her AGAIN, and greatly delayed crucial lab results to determine potential treatment AND her transfer to physical therapy. Not only that, but an important machine broke down, further delaying the second biopsy AND her transfer to physical therapy.

This here is the kicker, though, the part we really think could qualify as medical malpractice on the basis of negligence. About a day or two ago, according to the hospital staff, my grandmother needed help and was paging them. By the time they got to her, they had found her on the floor. Apparently she had tried to get up and get help on her own. This would have to mean that she was ignored for an extended period of time in order for her to become impatient like that. And they KNEW she had issues with confusion, impatience, and trying to get up on her own, probably from the tumor in her brain. I do believe she had already attempted to get out of the bed once or twice without having even paged for help. Now she has a black eye and a possibly broken hip that she didn’t have when she initially came to the hospital. They’re going to do an x-ray, and if it really is broken, my grandfather is highly considering a lawsuit for malpractice.

If he did try to sue, would he have a legitimate case?

Answer:
 > This would have to mean that she was ignored for an extended period of time in order for her to become impatient like that

Not really. Like you said, she was confused and impatience. No way for you to know if it was an extended period of time. Either way you need more info ergo obey the AutoMod. Answer #2: The biopsy stuff is not malpractice. Shit happens sometimes. Equipment not working, samples not being quite right, etc is not someone falling outside he duty of care.

The for the fall etc, you will have to show that they negligently ignored her. You don't know what happened, neither does your grandfather. You say your grandmother is confused etc, so she doesn't even know all that happened.

She slipped and fell. That sucks. I don't see how it's anyone in particulars fault. "They should have known" doesn't make it negligence.


Title: How do most judges behave in the courtroom, and what is talking with a judge like?

Question:
I was thinking this past weekend that the only knowledge I have of a courtroom or judge is what I've seen on Judge Judy. And that can't be accurate. I know this probably sounds like a silly question but it would really put my mind at ease.

My dad passed away on Saturday and I am going to ask to be the administrator for his estate (he did not have a will), so as I understand this process will involve court proceedings to make sure his debts/assets/etc are taken care of and I'm nervous.

So what is it actually like to go to a court hearing? Are most judges kind and helpful (especially if you are self-representing) or do they usually not suffer fools lightly (even in civil cases like this where there's been no wrongdoing)?

Are judges most often accommodating, i.e. if you request something, are they likely to grant it if all parties agree?

Can you talk to them like normal people or am I supposed to start each sentence with Your Honor? Do they ever joke around at the hearings? Or is everything really somber and serious? (I am mainly talking about less serious civil matters like fairly straightforward probate, vs. felony kidnapping or something).

Thanks a lot.

&#x200B;

Answer:
 Lawyer here.

It somewhat depends on your judge - they have different personalities just like everyone else, and they have different demeanors on the bench. Some will joke around if the situation calls for it, and some will be very serious no matter what.

But judges are taught to be very patient with pro se (self represented) parties, and most will be kind and helpful to someone in your position, so long as you’re polite.

You won’t need any formal language, but it’s good to call the judge “your Honor” if you can remember. You don’t need to start every single sentence with it, just use it when you’d normally use someone’s name or title.

Yes, if the parties all agree to something the judge will usually approve it. The exceptions to this are things that are legally mandated, like child support in cases where the kids receive public benefits, or things that affect the court’s schedule.

You should go to your state court’s website and see if they have a self-help section. There are often a lot of great resources there, including step-by-step guides and forms that will explain how different legal proceedings work. If you have questions about what to bring with you, you can find the number for the judge’s clerk (assuming you know what judge is assigned) and call during business hours.

Good luck, and I’m sorry for your loss.


Title: (Ga) Should I press charges for sexual assault?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 I think you should seek counseling and follow the advice of your counselor. As a woman who has also been pressured into sex, I wouldn't feel comfortable reporting an instance like you described. Answer #2: Get a counsellor. The legal system is not equipped to fix your life, and the most it could possibly offer is punishing the other party.

Having said that, that story sounds awful, and I think it's entirely reasonable to be quite upset by it and to want to seek legal retribution. _Pressuring people into sex is not okay_. You have the option of filing a police report, but, given that this happened three years ago and given that there's very little further evidence, I doubt much would come of it unless he's got other open police reports from more recently, or unless he's already facing sexual assault charges.


Title: [California] - Cop showed up to my apartment at 11pm...

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 The way I read this is:

Someone that knows your name and that you have a .38 revolver got caught with a .38 they should not have.

Police ask where it came from.  Person gives your name.

Police show up to see if you are, indeed, missing a .38 revolver.  You are not.  Person lied.  Police thank you and leave.

My guess is, this wasn't the police messing with you.  It's someone that just got in trouble.


Title: Witness helping me by coming to small claims court said the person taking me to court offered him money not to go. He's coming anyway but I'm curious if that's illegal in Iowa?

Question:
There was an incident involving my dog that someone is taking me to small claims court for. There are two witnesses who saw and agreed to help me by providing statements/coming to court to say what they saw. Their statements are favorable toward my side of the situation.

The person taking me to small claims is arguing that one of these people is lying. But apparently for the other person, she actually offered them money to stay out of the situation.

I am wondering if that is illegal.

Thank you.

Answer: Tampering with a witness is always illegal. The judge will be interested to hear about it!Answer #2: It's a great way to lose a small claims case and earn a criminal record.Answer #3: How did the other party offer the witness money? Was it in person, or over email/text?


Title: Is there any logic for states that allow the towing of illegally parked cars (all states do, I believe) to oppose using the boot?

Question:
*Boots (attached to wheels) prevent a car from being moved until owner pays a fine for illegal parking.*

In 2013 Hawaii banned [booting cars](http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/22810971/car-booting-banned-in-hawaii/).  The story writes:  In the meantime, (the boot company owner) will be working with lawmakers on new legislation that would instead establish clear guidelines for the booting industry.

*No progress was ever made on drafting rules.* (Hawaii is sometimes slow to attend to matters like this.)

Now there is a party with a device, the [Barnacle,](http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2019/01/22/parking-enforcement-tool-called-the-barnacle-just-made-its-hawaii-debut/) that sticks to a windshield, also disabling a vehicle from driving.  It is being introduced on the island of Kauai.  Commentators assert the device will be banned under the same rationale the boot was banned.

It is not clear that legislators' earlier opposition was strictly a matter of lack of regulation; commentators assert there is something fundamentally unfair about booting as opposed to towing a car.  *Is anyone aware of the basis for that unfairness claim?*

It seems odd.  Having a car towed is generally much more of a hassle; towing fees usually exceed $250 and the violators often have to travel some distance to get their vehicles.  (cab fare?)  Booting release usually costs less than $200.)

Answer:
 There are a few reasons. Safety and accountability are near the top of the list.

Immobilization devices can be attached by anyone, with little or no legal justification required. Legitimizing their use makes it harder to take action against people who misuse them: criminal charges for mischief or civil suits for the resulting damage and loss of use take time and cost substantially more than the towing fees. Tow lots aren't always the most ethical businesses, to put it mildly, but they do, at least, have a fixed address, and it's relatively expensive to buy a tow truck if you don't intend to make at least a semi-legitimate business out of it.

Furthermore, immobilization devices make vehicles substantially less safe if the owner attempts to drive them anyways. Someone attempting to roll away with a boot on their car is likely to damage the street, their car, and possibly any other nearby vehicles and pedestrians as the boot impacts the road and car body. Barnacles similarly don't actually stop a car from moving, and a determined idiot might think they can drive off with their head out the window - putting the public in quite a bit of danger until they're pulled over.


Title: Pending assault 4 charge.

Question:
I am 20f and my ex is 22m we’ve been together since we were 18&20. He is a correctional officer and I recently found out he was cheating on me with someone at work. Ofc I was pissed and we got in a big fight I took his phone and we fought over is and I wouldn’t let it go it went on for about 5-10 mins until we were on the bed and I have asthma so he had his elbow in my chest and I couldn’t breathe so I started scratching for him to get off of me and I got to the point where I was out of breath so I just let go the phone and let him have it back. I left him alone for a little But I was determined to find out who this girl was so I went to get his Apple Watch and looked through his messages and found out I calmly said his name and when he came in the living room he saw me with the watch in my hand and leaped at me pretty much so just like the phone we ruffled around and in the event of that happening he got hurt ( I had my phone in my hand and he got the watch back and was holding it and I reached over his head to grab it and my pop socket cane off of my phone and it dropped on his head pretty hard) I immediately apologized but it seemed like he was tired of the fighting and call the police. To make a long story short I got arrested. I was compliant with the cops gave my story (my friend was also there spending the night) and I went to jail on an assault 4 charge. I got let out the next day March 26th. He got an EPO(emergency protective order) on me the day I got arrested. So I haven’t spoken to him since I’m back at my dads and told him about all the abuse I went through with him how he beat me in the back punched me in the face put a gun to my head and forced me to do oral sex on him and when I didn’t he would throw stuff at me and my dad wasn’t having it and made me get an EPO on him a MONTH LATER ...(4/27) The day my court date was originally supposed to be but then it got moved to August 30, 2020. So today we had a zoom call and we talked and I pretty much read my statement and all that The thing is I don’t have proof or dates because I never thought I would come forward with this information so I basically cried and said I’m going to drop charges because I didn’t want to get an EPO IN THE FIRST PLACE I said I don’t hate him I dint want him to lose his job and I’d rather just squash all of this. I’m scared of him I really am because he is an evil guy, And he has enough information against me to put me behind bars for a decent amount of time I thought me not pressing charges would encourage him to show a little bit of empathy (he Has notes that date back to the time we met of my behavior, like he was keeping tabs on me like a child) I can say I HAVE never hit him 1 because we have a rule that if you hit me I hit you back and two because I would never intentionally hurt someone I love and I love him to death i would never harm him the scratches were self defense I need help I’m so confused I don’t want to go back to jail I’m enlisting in the USAF after all this covid shit  is over and I can’t with a criminal record. There is a lot I didn’t tell but I don’t want to look like I’m retaliating and I have no proof but he isn’t fit to be an officer. On top of that my mom (Who has always been abusive to me as a child and literally hated him because he is white and I’m nigerian-American) is now siding with him she texts him and talks shit about me saying she’s sorry about what I did to him, mind you she didn’t have his number the whole time we were together she’s instigating and doesn’t like seeing anyone happy but this isn’t about her)  I’m really scared and I don’t have money for anything a lawyer, bond nothing me being stupid and Young put all the money I had into getting our first house renovated, plus I am a student and I stay home and cook clean ect. I’m also Muslim if that helps so it’s kinda traditional to take care of the house. And I did miscarriage with his child due to stress and he would also hit me in the belly and I was unaware I was pregnant for two months. Someone please reply give advice anything I like in Louisville Kentucky and I’m scared for him and myself because like I said I don’t have it in my heart to see him suffer lose his job anything I just want to not be with him for my own safety.
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer:
 90% of the information here is irrelevant.  You're facing criminal charges and need to consult a criminal defense attorney.  Your ex can refuse to cooperate in your prosecution to some extent, but at the end of the day it's the state pursuing charges against you.  You can contact the police re. previous incidents but they may question the timing of your allegations.  In the event you're convicted of DV, a career in the USAF is a non-starter.Answer #2: >1 because we have a rule that if you hit me I hit you back

Mutual DV isn't smart.

You have a *lot* of stuff going on. First, this relationship is likely over. Second, you need a criminal defense lawyer. Request a public defender if you don't already have one. Ideally you wouldn't have spoken to the police but that ship sailed already. Third, the odds of you getting in the military if you're convicted or plead guilty are nearly 0%. You need to come up with a backup plan.