Title: There's a squatter in my basement that steals our packages & deals drugs. Our super & landlord both know about it but haven't done anything for the past year.

Question:
In the basement of our 15-unit apartment, there are storage rooms. I am renting one of these rooms, and I've noticed this guy hanging who I assumed to be the super's assistant. We've chatted, and he seemed weird, but whatever. One day when I was reorganizing my storage room, I left a medium uhaul box of valuables out & forgot about it overnight. The next day I remembered, but it was gone. I told my super, and he said it must've been The Squatter, who is "Not supposed to be there!" I asked him what was going to be done about it, and he said he'll "be gone shortly."

It's been a month since then, the guy's still hanging around, and he & a couple other dudes keep coming in and out late on Friday/Saturday nights with duffle bags. I'm assuming these are drugs. So i started investigating with neighbors. Apparently this guy used to work for the super about a year ago, but got fired. However, he has a key to the building, and a key to one of the storage rooms, and lives in there. Multiple tenants have brought it to the landlord's attention, but nothing has happened. I'm guessing he just asks the super to take care of it, and the super says the same thing to him he says to me, "It'll be handled shortly." (You may be thinking that the super is getting something out of this, like money or something, but knowing him better than you I am 99&#37; certain that is not the case. Irrelevant anyway)

He's stolen stuff out of my storage before, and I have to triple check every time I go down there that the door is locked or I am going to lose all my stuff. I have caught him hiding & spying on me, and when I leave I see him sneak over to try to open my door.

What are my options? Any advice is welcome & appreciated.

Answer:
 1- Call the cops and report the theft & the drugs. They may not be able to force the guy out, but they can arrest him for that.

2- get the rest of the tenants together and demand - in writing - that the LL deals with this situation or there will be consequences. That is space you are paying for, and their failure to address this situation puts that space at risk, possibly breaching your contracts. That should be enough to light a fire under the owner's backside.

Unfortunately, squatters rights (and possibly tenant's rights) make just kicking the guy out dicey and complicated. But it's something your LL has to undertake, the tenants cannot do it themselves.


Title: Customer refuses to pay 3y/o invoice

Question:
First time poster from MA.

I manage the accounts receivable for my boyfriend's commercial mechanic business. We have a certain customer that is delinquent on 5 invoices, two of which are from 2016, one from 2017, and the last two from this year more than 90 days old.

This customer refuses to pay their statement because "they are too old". We send statements quarterly, pretty on the spot. So they have been aware of their balance for a while. I closed their account as few months ago and they have been making cash in hand sales only.

The invoice in dispute is a little under $500. My boyfriend is just irritated and wants to just let it go because he believes there is nothing we can do. I have little to no experience in accounting.

Legally, do they have to pay these invoices even if they are 3 years old? Should we bother to continue asking them to pay it? We are not looking to sue, just resolve. We are a small business.

Curious of your input and advice!

Topic:
Business Law

Answer:
 Contractual debt has a Statute of Limitations of 6 years in MA. This means you're more than capable of suing for this.

Even if the invoices were no longer actionable legally, you are well within your rights to refuse to do business with this person until they pay up, or to continue to ask for payment.

Practically, wtf are you doing letting this guy keep running up debt with your company? You ain't a bank.


Title: [AR] How can an officer tell that I'm texting while driving versus just using the GPS on my phone while driving when potentially pulling me over?

Question:
When officers pull people over for potential texting while driving incidents, how can they tell whether if a person is texting while driving vs. using a GPS while driving?  Sometimes when I'm driving while using the GPS on my iPhone in an unfamiliar location and see a police officer on the road, I get nervous about being pulled over and have no way to prove that I was not in fact texting.

I've never been in this situation before because I've usually put my phone down whenever I see officers on the road to prevent any confusion, but input on this situation would be greatly appreciated for future, calm car drives.

Answer:
 It doesn't matter if the driver was texting or not.

The law prohibits "accessing information on the internet" using a handheld device.

That could easily apply to GPS data.


Title: [US/CA] If I know I am divorcing my wife in 8 years what can I do between now and then?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Quit hurting your entire family because you're under the delusion that "staying together for the kids" is a real thing that actually works.  It doesn't, everyone can tell you're miserable, you're making everyone miserable, and you're just using it as an excuse to avoid something you don't want to do.  Get an attorney and then grow a pair and tell your wife you want a divorce.Answer #2: Don't do anything.  What you mean when you say "protect myself" is "how do I hide assets?"  Legally, you can't.  Just live your life and deal with finances at the time.  Obviously, the more assets you have accumulated as a couple, the better each of you will do.

By the way, staying in a marriage where you're unhappy for 8 years is stupid, and if you think your kids won't know, you're deluding yourself.


Title: Getting more and more collections notices from guy with same name.

Question: I moved away to grad school and then moved to California. I started receiving child support notices apparently from someone with the same name. I supposedly took care of it, but I've been getting more and more calls from collection agencies with my name, address, and phone number. Usually they go away when they see my social doesn't match, but now my data is getting merged into their files making it more likely for them to call me. Is there anything I can do to get agencies to stop calling me so I don't need to explain everything over and over?

Answer:
 >Failure to cease communication upon request: communicating with consumers in any way (other than litigation) after receiving written notice that said consumer wishes no further communication or refuses to pay the alleged debt, with certain exceptions, including advising that collection efforts are being terminated or that the collector intends to file a lawsuit or pursue other remedies where permitted

[Fair Debt Collection Practices Act](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_Debt_Collection_Practices_Act)


Title: Seems petty compared to most posts here, but large defects in cornflakes box

Question:
Hi, I'm an Australian living in Canada and have recently had a disappointing experience with this country's cereal. I had a new box of cornflakes, and after one bowl without any issues bar the occasional tiny black flake (which I see from time to time), I poured my next bowl and out came a black chunk roughly the size of the palm of my hand (comparable to an iPod classic in depth width and height). No doubt the black chips populating the rest of the cereal (especially towards the bottom of the box) had chipped off this mother lode. I don't think suing Kellog's is my best course of action, but I'm not sure how I best should get the lifetime supply of cereal that is clearly owed to me, or what I should otherwise be hoping to achieve with this discovery outside of a wild Snap Story.

Please advise!

Answer:
 Theres usually a quality control number you can call for these sorts of things - read the back of the box carefully for some sort of customer service line or the like

I imagine theyd at least be willing to refund you but if youre lucky sometimes they send a bunch of goodies for reporting such things

For example i had a box of airheads gummies that was all one flavor - they asked for a few numbers off the box then sent me like 20 boxes of the things as thanks


Title: [MD] Landlord didn't provide itemized list of damages within 45 days, we are taking them to small claims and they are threatening to counter-sue. Help?

Question:
We want to take our ex landlords to court for withholding our $2500 deposit and failing to provide us with an itemized list within 45 days of moving out. It took them well over 45 days to finally provide us with an itemized list, after first saying around the 60 day mark they had withheld the entire deposit because the 'repairs' exceeded that amount.  Now they are threatening to gear up with lawyers and counter-sue us for damages if we do take them to court. They offered us $900 instead. They say they will counter for damages done to the carpet (pets, which may have had a couple accidents and torn at the carpet on the stairs.) and 6 months lost rent because they have proof from their real estate agent (with blackbox logs) and witnesses (potential tenants) who are willing to testify in court that they found it uninhabitable due to a strong pet odor in the carpet.  (They say they showed it to 40-60 people and it was left vacant for 6 months)

What is my actual risk here in taking them to court? I live frugally and can't really risk a large counter-sue if they have the basis to do so. 6 months back rent would be over $10k, which is more than I would win if I won the initial case, even if the judge decided to award us 3x the deposit amount.  I could really use some advice here.  What I thought was an open and shut case has now become incredibly more stressful and we are debating biting our tongues and taking the $900.

Answer:
 I  disagree with /u/mcx9099 in that the OP could end up losing far more than the original deposit.

Mind you - how long does it take to replace carpets? A couple of weeks? A month at the most, so I think the whole "lost rent for 6 months" thing is unlikely to fly.

OP - on the itemized list that they gave you, how much are they claiming without the 6 month rent thing?

Edit - do bear in mind that while you could be awarded the 3 X deposit, it isn't certain. I researched this when my daughter was in exactly the same position as you (also in MD) and it appears that it isn't always (or even often) awarded.


Title: My employer is f#&%ing with my maternity leave (x-post from r/babybumps)

Question:
Hi there! Someone had suggested I post this here for some professional advice. I would appreciate any help or advice you may have. (I linked the original post because I've provided more information in response to some questions from other people).  I'm in the U.S. (Live in Wisconsin, work in Illinois) and have been working with my employer for 4 years.  We do have FMLA (with no pay) and Short Term Disability Coverage although I'm not sure exactly what that entails as our handbook tells us to reference our "plan brochure"

https://np.reddit.com/r/BabyBumps/comments/5zm8zc/my_employer_is_fing_with_my_maternity_leave/

TLDR; my employer made a bunch of maternity leave promises in addition to the handbook and has now backed out AND is making me work the last 2 of the 4 weeks they are giving me.

Answer: What is your legal question?


Title: Driving my boyfriend's (leased) car, hit by someone trying to turn right as they changed lanes.

Question:
So, around 8pm yesterday evening (right about the time that it starts to get *really* dark), I'm driving the 2 miles to my boyfriend's place of employment to pick him up. The speed limit is 40MPH; I am going 45 with the cruise control set. Then, suddenly, cue car in front of me having a realization-- a little late, it seems to me: they need to make this turn at the light! She slows down to about 20MPH, begins switching into the right lane _where I am driving_, and THEN the blinker goes on and she begins *slowly* making her turn. And I am _right behind her_. Her headlights were off, and I barely had time to slam on my brakes. I turn the wheel, and she attempts (too slowly) to straighten out and we end up getting both of our cars side-swiped. Now, because she was still in the _other lane_, I had a little bit of room to maneuver, which led to the damage on both of our card being fairly light, however my driver's side door does not open due to severe denting on the crease, and the handle is split.
However, she made the insurance claim first. So, I'm wondering, who would be at fault, and what are my options?

_*SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION*_:
I live in Texas. I am 22 years old.

The lease is in my boyfriend's dad's name, and my boyfriend is on the lease as a driver, but I am not. Obviously, he was not yet in the car with me.

We called the police, but the dispatcher just told the other involved party the same thing that I did: we simply needed to exchange liscenses and the registration for our respective cars. So the police never came.

There are no other cameras and no other witnesses.
She insisted that I was "speeding" (implying a higher speed than the socially acceptable "5-over" rule), and kept repeatedly claiming, "I know; I was going slow!" as though this somehow works in her favor. She denied making the illegal maneuver (lane change+a turn in the same instance), as well as insisting that she DID, in fact, have her headlights on.

My boyfriend has several other claims on his insurance (or, more accurately, his father's insurance, which they...share? Not exactly use how that works, but I assume some of you might.) There are 2-3 from 2018 alone. I do not have information about her driving history.

I, not having a car, do not have insurance. However, I'm not sure about the relevancy of this, as the insurance covers the car and not the driver in Texas.

Her insurance had a lot of information crossed out; I need to look again because there is a possibility that her new car had not yet been added. Will update later if necessary.

My boyfriend's car is a 2017 Hyundai Elantra. She drove a brand new 2019 Buick which was less than a month old, according to her. It still had paper plates.

(Not trying to come across as prejudiced, but I know that our legal system and insurance companies can be, so I felt it may be prudent to mention this:) She is an Indian woman, young, and speaks very broken English (though her liscense looks like it is U.S. issued. Not sure what a Visa or citenzenship card looks like, but I know her I.D. did not look like mine. Will update after further inspection if comments imply that this information is in any way relevant.

Oh, and lastly, after we got out and finished exchanging information, I fainted. She called the dispatcher back to call an ambulance, but I came-to and told her not to. (I do not have health insurance.) I came home with a severe headache lasting several hours.

Answer: Your bf should contact his insurance and let him handle it. If you are a habitual driver of the vehicle and not named on the policy, they may deny any coverage and possibly drop his policy.


Title: Girlfriend took off with the kids, money and car.

Question:
Hey everybody thanks for taking the time. Well lets get started about 2 weeks ago me and my girlfriend got in a fight on her birthday; long story short I came home and she had moved out she took a couple small things from the house and all the money from our bank account which was soley in her name. We both had our taxes deposited in her bank account mine was for around 1200 and hers was for over 8000 due to the earned income credit for the kids in which we agreed to split her tax money and have her claim both kids. I was also the stay at home parent for the last year so i have no job and no car. She agreed to let me have them for weekends but i am not sure if i should file for custody still do to the fact of how unpredictable shes been acting. I'm going to have a job in the next week but beside that im kind of scared that because i dont have a car i will lose in court and then lose the weekend agreement i have with her right now because I know she'll throw a fit if I file. Also do I have a leg to stand on in small claims court for her taking my tax money and the money she agreed to split?
- I live just outside Detroit Michigan

Answer:
 And this, friends, is exactly why you should never be a stay at home parent when you don't have the legal protections of marriage, and why you don't put all your money in someone else's bank account.Answer #2: This is "you need a lawyer" time. Answer #3: > i am not sure if i should file for custody still do to the fact of how unpredictable shes been acting.

You have to act quickly on that. Otherwise she will create an "established custodial environment" with her, and you will have lost your opportunity for custody.

> do I have a leg to stand on in small claims court for her taking my tax money and the money she agreed to split?

Yes.

But beware that she might make a counterclaim if there are joint expenses you haven't paid. That's what I would do.Answer #4: You need a lawyer, immediately.

Do not try to do this yourself.  She is not on your side.  She could easily keep the kids and then start demanding alimony and child support payments.  Spend some money and get a good lawyer first.


Title: I'm getting kicked out of my house

Question:
Hi all, I really need help as I'm very lost and pretty devastated over this.

I moved into a house in Canada last year, and was signed onto the lease around October. About two months ago, I had my ex boyfriend signed onto the lease, but we had been dating at the time. While we were together, I decided to have a brief holiday in Australia (where I am from) and he has broken up with me and told me that he has taken me off the lease. I have contacted the landlord to tell her I am coming back, but because of the time difference I haven't heard back from her.

Where I live, it is impossible to find housing. I was lucky I found that place ages ago, and I don't know what to do because everything I own is still there.

Please help me, I don't know what to do.

Answer:
 Someone who is also on the lease cannot "take you off the lease."  It sounds like you & he have separate leases with the landlord.  Your lease should still be in place.

You will need to work out what happens with your ex, but the landlord cannot just boot you, nor can your ex.


Title: Hey there /r/legaladvice! We over at /r/ECR need some advice for a situation effecting a LOT of people!

Question:
Long story short, we over at /r/electronic_cigarette have come to find about a very shady situation going on with a vendor. A high percentage of orders going through their system have ended with credit card charges ranging from tens of dollars to even thousands. This has been going on for months, and it took until the community began calling fraud departments  to even get any kind of response from them. Their response was more or less that they "now know of the security breach and have completely fixed it in July," yet there are people still coming up and saying their credit card info was stolen from an order as recently as last week. One thing that really has us concerned is that after some digging around, we found that the owner of the company has a criminal past that includes theft, drug posession, burglery, and 2nd degree murder. A lot of people are assuming that the owner is possibly behind this whole scam, but we have no way to prove anything. Also, for several months if you called about the issue, they would simply tell you that it was not their fault what-so-ever, and that their security is fine.

The company is based out of Florida which apparently has some super strict 30-Day law about credit card issues like this, and with people having reported stolen info months ago, I'm pretty sure that they should be in some big trouble, but they don't seem to be.

People in the subreddit are all discussing back and forth random things like getting a class action lawsuit in motion or something, but no one is really sure what to do? We just want this problem to stop, as the company has lied to our faces about fixing the issue, and more and more people are becoming victims. This company does make great products, so a lot of people are continuing to buy from them daily, as not all of their customers browse forums and know about this issue.

What can we do with this situation? Is there anything we can do as a community, or is this going to just end up as a situation where one person needs to hire a lawyer/attorney to get the ball rolling? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

**EDIT:** Personal info removed. Sorry about that!
Topic:
Business Law

Answer: The affected customers can dispute the charges with their credit card company, file a police report, and/or sue for any damages.Answer #2: Stop doing business with that vendor and have all affected credit cards cancelled. This will not affect your credit since only the card gets cancelled; the account is not closed. I'm surprised the credit card companies did not do this automatically when the fraud was reported.Answer #3: I'm not an attorney or anything, but the first thing I would do is call the police department closest to where the business is located to report the credit card fraud. They're probably familiar with the guy, &  unless a real dick answers the phone, they can help direct you to wherever else. Answer #4: You need to remove the identification of the company, and the owner.  I can restore the post when you do.


Title: Illinois: my brother sold my puppy when I went out of town. I want him back, if that is possible?

Question:
I got a puppy not too long ago and I live with my family. My brother wasn't too fond of the puppy and sold it to a buyer on Craigslist on Wednesday evening. The buyer has all the records and equipment I had for the dog as well. I tried to contact the buyer, but he would not respond. Is there anything I can do?
Edit: thank you all for the advice. Guess I'll just have to move on as I am not willing to sour my relations with my family. I was hoping to seek advice that wouldn't get my brother in legal trouble, but that doesn't seem to be an olion. Once again, thank you those that replied swiftly.

Answer: Make your brother give you the money for the puppy, at least.Answer #2: Contact the buyer again. If you somehow know where he lives, ask him in person.


Title: Someone else claiming I made up being raped as a child

Question:
Someone else is saying I made up being sexually abused, and they say I made up being a tomboy "trans" as a child.

Is there anything I can do? I wished this was a troll post but it was a troll. I just feel so defeated, that some random can come in and define my life for me. I just hate that I'm gonna die with someone else claiming my life as their own and claiming they know me. I was raped for real and it deeply affected me. I tried everything but the police tried to lock me up.

This is all true, my dad knows it.

Answer:
 Presuming you're in the USA: You cannot stop someone from holding the opinion that you're lying.  You also can't stop them from telling other people their opinion.

If they are communicating known untruths - that is, they are making definitive factual statements that they **know** are lies - you could conceivably sue them.  That's going to cost you way, way way more than it's worth.  Answer #2: What damages do you have? Have this person's claims caused you any damage other than being upset?

Is this person saying something they believe to be the truth, or are they saying it maliciously in order to hurt you in some way? Damage your reputation, for example.

Is this part of a pattern of harassment? Is this person contacting you against your wishes or doing anything else harassing?

Is this person impersonating you or someone you know?

Location will be important (as I'm sure location bot will jump in with in a minute) but without damages, defamation, harassment, impersonation, or some other, bigger thing than upsetting your feelings it is likely not much will be able to be done.

To get the best help we can give, you will need to be able to clearly say what is happening with a somewhat decent amount of detail Where, when, how, what, and why may all be important to giving the best advice we can.


Title: Betting site accidently credited me a fairly large amount of money - Can I withdraw?

Question:
I'm looking for some advice here.  I'm a resident in the UK firstly.  Today I logged into an old sportsbook account I had for a site I only ever placed 1 bet on, and it lost.  Upon logging in, my balance was around £400 which is obviously a mistake on the sites behalf.

I was wondering if I'd be committing any crimes by not notifying them of their error and withdrawing it?

Answer:
 If they *withdrew* money without asking you, would you just let it go?

I doubt it.

They can sue you for the return of the money for sure, and they will win.

You may also be criminally liable depending on the circumstances.

You cannot keep money that is not yours.Answer #2: Just called support, looks like a won some sort of bonus without even betting so I'm in the clear :D  Thank you for the advice though everyone.


Title: Do you think it should be legal for Sallie Mae to refuse loan consolidation?

Question:
I recently called Sallie Mae due to my high interest rates on 3 separate loans. I was looking to consolidate in order to lower my overall interest, only to find out that they do not offer a consolidation plan any more. If they offered it when I agreed to take out the loans, shouldn't it still be an option for me? Thoughts? Feelings? Feedback? Suggestions on how to get a better rate on these large private loans?

Edit: Location:Baltimore/Metro Area


Title: Super-Speeding ticket in Houston County GA under 21 (99 in 70)

Question:
[deleted]
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer:
 >The cop caught me going at a speed of 107 in a 70 mph zone, but only gave me a ticket for going at 99 mph so I would not get charged with reckless driving. He told me if I appeared in court for this ticket, he would tell the judge I was actually driving at 107.

You need to count your lucky stars at this point.  Reckless driving aside doing 107 is a good way to get someone else killed.

At this point, you're going to need a traffic attorney to handle this.


Title: [AL] Management encourages hourly employees to work off the clock

Question:
I work in the accounting department for a fairly large company. People in my department range from entry level clerks to analysts, coordinators, and managers. Depending on title and job duties, employees are either paid hourly or are salaried. All clerks are paid hourly and are strictly required to work from 8:00 - 5:00, with a 1 hour unpaid lunch during the day. My company is very adamant about not allowing overtime.

I’ve noticed that a very decent number of accounting clerks in my office who show up early start working as soon as they get to the office, and they won’t clock in until 8:00. Management is fully aware of people doing this, and hasn’t done anything about it. I’ve asked a couple supervisors about it, but they weren’t concerned and actually thought it was a good thing that employees were working off the clock. I’ve seen clerks work as much as 30-45 minutes of free, unpaid labor every day, and they nor management seem aware of any issue.

On top of this, my company’s clock-in/clock-out system rounds to the nearest 15-minute interval (ie. If you clock in at 8:02, the system would show that you clocked in at 8:00). Because of this; every single hourly employee clocks in at 7:53, since that’s the earliest they can clock in and still abide by the 8:00 clock-in rule. They do the same thing with their lunch breaks, where they won’t take the full hour. While management strongly encourages this kind of behavior, they are extremely adamant about clerks not clocking out any sooner than 5:00. If an employee clocks out at 4:53, or even as late as 4:59, management will immediately raise concerns about it.

I’m really confused how allowing hourly employees to conduct unpaid labor is so heavily encouraged. My company is very large, and HR is about as strict as you can get. I’m curious to know if what my company is doing/allowing to happen is illegal, and if any action needs to be taken.
Topic:
Employment Law

Answer: If the clerks are paid hourly, then working off the clock is quite illegal.  The company would owe back pay plus fines.  It's very very serious. Just takes one person to file a wage complaint with your state and they are done for.  Extra trouble if there is written or other evidence of pushing to work off the clock.


Title: House arrest and landline outage

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Why is everyone suggesting call the police? What possible assistance could the police provide to someone who is unintentionally violating their house arrest? The police enforce laws and let courts resolve technicalities like OP's. The only outcome I can imagine is the police thanking OP for letting them know he's violated house arrest and arresting him so a court can figure out what to do.

Call your lawyer, he's the only one on your side.Answer #2: Ever think about just going to the local PD or Courthouse, let them know what is going on and camp out there until the situation is resolved?  Not saying turn yourself in for arrest, but so they know where you are.


Title: Trader Joe’s multivitamins

Question:
I purchase & consume Trader Joe’s brand multivitamins, specifically the “High Potency” ones. I was randomly comparing an empty bottle from last month & a new one I picked up today & the percentages are all different. The packaging is the same & it tastes the same. Is this.. legal? For something like a multivitamin that you specifically pick to suit your dietary needs, you take it daily, & you rebuy it not thinking twice about it, but now you’re getting a different multivitamin. I’m in California
Topic:
Medicine and Malpractice

Answer: Yes, it's legal.  They're allowed to change their formula.  That's why there are labels.


Title: Is a sex offender allowed to work near my school?

Question:
I live in California, San Diego. At our school, we have an open campus, and we are allowed to go out to go get food, and there’s a lot of food places, so a lot of people go and get food there. Well, we recently found out that the owner of the Panera close by is a registered sex offender, and it’s fairly close to our school (700 ft.) So, I was wondering if he’s even allowed to work there, or if he has to move elsewhere. I saw a lot of things about living near a school/park, but only not allowed to work with children.
So is he allowed to work there? Or should someone be called about this?

Answer: Registered sex offenders are no longer banned from living or working within 2000 feet of a school or park following a 2015 California Supreme Court ruling.Answer #2: Yes he can work there. There are no restrictions on that. Depending on his classification and how long it's been he has to report where he works to somebody.


Title: If a cop spells your name wrong on a speeding ticket doni have to pay it?

Question: I live in ontario canada a opp officer gave me a ticket but spelt my kast name wrong... He used an i instead of an e. Technically the tickets not issued to me then do i still pay it

Answer: Yes, you are still responsible for it.


Title: How can I prove I am not a snitch?

Question:
Sorry if this is not the correct sub-reddit for this post. If it is not please tell me a more appropriate one.

&#x200B;

Last year I was arrested for a class 1 and class 2 felony for distribution and possession of roughly 10 lbs of cannabis. After  a year long court battle I finally finished going to court for my charges and was given second chance probation for two years with no felony conviction. This was my first offense and I did not snitch on anyone to get the deal I got. There are people in my life who I can't just leave and are worried about me because they believe I may have said something about someone else. I never did so I know I have nothing to worry about but how do I prove to those people that I never said anything/snitched?

Answer: Not a legal issue.  You can't prove a negative right?  People will think whatever they want anyways.


Title: Overpaid my wife's tuition for spring semester. What can I do to get the refund.

Question:
Hi Everybody. I am a grad student in a university in texas. My wife recently started her graduate studies in the same university. Both of us are out of state students. However, I am a TA. SO my out of state tuition is waived. However my wife is not a TA and we paid her out of state tuition for spring semester.

yesterday we got to know that she is also eligible for out of state tuition waiver. I did some research and it seems it is right. I should have applied for out of state tuition waiver at the beginning of the spring semester.

My question is where do I begin this process? I am thinking about going to Student Business  Office tomorrow, but that office is well known for running students around.

I am terribly sorry if I am not giving enough information or if I am in the wrong sub. I have no idea what to do and where to begin.

Answer:
 Unfortunately, this sub isn't especially helpful for you. After all, this is about six months of refusals and frustrations before a lawyer can begin to be helpful. Ask this on your school's individual subreddit as well as something generic like maybe r/academia.

Odds are you're going to have to wait until after the semester has begun for the school to process refunds.


Title: Girlfriend and her co-worker were wrongfully terminated, I posted about it online, and I've been threatened with a libel suit. [NC] [CA]

Question:
EDIT: I messed up the title. Girlfriend quit, was not fired. The other guy was, though. My bad, you guys.

Okay. This probably doesn't make me look all that good, but here goes nothing. Girlfriend is working at a shop with a co-worker when inclement weather hits. They call the manager, who tells them they are to keep manning the shop. Meanwhile, streets are flooding and cops are directing and diverting traffic.

They call the owner, who gives them the okay to close up shop. Well, the next day, the co-worker gets fired and my girlfriend quits before she can get fired too. They were told that this was because they closed up early.

Well, in a fit of admittedly ill-advised heroism, I repeatedly post this story to the shop's Facebook page until I get blocked, share the story, and post a Google review. Cut to the next day and the girlfriend receives a text from the owner telling her that what I did was illegal and that he will be contacting his lawyers about suing me for spreading lies on the internet.

I go into damage control mode, delete everything, confirm that the shared posts were also deleted, and make my account private. All in all, these posts were up for 24 hours.

Now here's the thing: I'm fairly certain my account of events is truthful and accurate, despite the owner's objections. The other employees apparently have my back in a very big way, and some have also been informed of possible legal action for similar posts. It's been a week and I've received no letter from any attorney. I live in NC, the owner lives in CA. None of us make much money and likely can't afford representation or a settlement of any kind. Also, rumor had it this particular shop was being shut down anyway due to poor management.

So here are my questions:

1. Am I likely to be sued for libel or harassment here?

2. Do I have a snowball's chance of winning this thing?

3. Should I delete this post too and assume you all are wishing me the best of luck?

EDIT: I seem to have goofed up my wording in the title, so I apologize for the confusion. I'm not alleging that my girlfriend was wrongfully fired, just the other guy. So no, we're not the ones considering suing.

Also, yes, it's one sided. I know. I'm fairly certain I've got my facts straight, but as I understand it, I'm liable if I actually don't.

Answer:
 1. You probably aren't going to get sued.

2. Your girlfriend and her friend weren't wrongfully terminated. Actually rereading your post, the title and the post are conflicting. According to what you wrote, your girlfriend wasn't even fire. She quit. ~~California~~ North Carolina is an at will employment state, and they can be fired for virtually any reason, with very few exceptions. The manager doesn't even need a reason to fire them.

Answer #2: She shouldnt have quit, now she cant file for unemployment.

If you only post the truth, he can sue but he will lose. Go ahead and repost the post if you're still pissed, and he likely wont sue you cause he wont find a lawyer willing to take the case.


Title: My neighbors outdoor cat hurt my cat. She refuses to pay acceptable amount of damages

Question:
Thursday night my cat gets attacked. Hers is outdoor 100% and mine is not. I take him to the ER and he has a follow up appointment on saturday. On sunday I talk to my neighbor about the bills (350 total) I dont hear anything for two days and on wednesday I ask whats up and he directs me to his daughter. I go meet with her that day and I requested only 70% compensation and that she keeps her cat locked up. She said she would only pay 120 (half of the ER bill alone) and would not keep her cat indoors. I didn't cash the check and asked again informing her that 70% was me being generous. She again refused and I did end up calling animal control (its illegal for her cat to be outside) they told me I couldn't pursue the crime (because both cats were outside) but i could still pursue small claims for the financial side. after a few days I again reached out apologizing for my "behavior" and asking for a comprimise of 50% the total bill (250) she not only refused but said she wasn't responsible for anything. I tried to explain that the crime isn't what i was after, I was going for small claims for compensation for the vet bills. She proceeded to call me, yell at me, tell me I have no case (i have a witness) and then told me to stop "harassing her family" I only spoke to her father once and texted him once two days later, thats when he sent me her way. and I've only spoken with her once in person and had a few text message conversations. I dont know where she's getting harrasment from. She then said she would give me 120 or nothing and if I took her 120 then i couldn't "harass her" or "pursue" anything else. (almost like she was offering hush money, she definitely said i'm paying you to leave me alone) I dont have the time, energy or money to go through small claims and this little brat is getting on my nerves. I just want help with the almost $550 vet bills from her cat injuring mine. (the injuries were bad, ER visit plus a specialist for eye care, I was told he might lose his eye and if he just bumps it it could need stitches. not just a little patch him up injury, he's been wearing a cone now for almost 2 weeks and its looking like two weeks more is still needed)
SORRY! forgot to mention my location: SLC, Utah

Answer: Why do you think your neighbor is at fault? Did it occur on your property? Did you see which cat provoked the fight? Answer #2: Was your cat also outside when the attack happened?


Title: can i kill someone if they want to be killed?

Question: if they sign a contract stating they want to be killed would i get in legal trouble for killing them?

Answer: Nope you can’t kill someone


Title: [WA] Painter changing price of work after the fact

Question:
A month ago I requested an estimate for painting my house. The painter said he checked out the house and will get me an estimate. A few weeks go by and I don't hear from him.

Having a deadline to meet, I get started on the work myself. He texts me and asks if I got the estimate. Nope, I did not, and I am already working on the prep. He emails me an estimate for $1900. I tell him I have already started the work, but if he wants to do the painting after I prep he can. I tell him my last day to get it done is Sunday. We talk about what is prep and I ask how much for just the painting. He says $650. Keep in mind that the entire conversation is text messages.

I then spend Friday and a long Saturday finishing up the prep, pressure washing, scraping, priming, masking, and removing hardware fixtures. He comes out on Sunday, sprays the house and paints the trim.

Monday comes along and out of the blue he says he will take $1500 instead of $1900. I dispute that and he says the $650 price was a misunderstanding.

TLDR: Painter gives me estimate of $1900. Texts me a new price of $650 because I already did the prep work. After painting he says $1500.

Answer: I think you'll need to transcribe the text messages to get an answer on this one.


Title: [Ontario, Canada] Tenant's lease just ended. She is refusing to sign a new lease. How do I evict her?

Answer: Assuming she is paying her rent and has a self contained unit you cannot evict her. She can stay as long as she wants month to month.


Title: [Seattle,Wa,USA]My ex-gf is forcing me to move out on no notice at all. We're both on the lease.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 You are on a lease and have an equal right to live there.

She cannot kick you out in any way. (Expect for an RO or other court order)


Title: Neighbor’s fence or lack there of...

Question:
So I live in S. Florida, and when the hurricane came through last year it damaged the fence badly that separated my property from the house next door, which has been under renovation by a developer for 3 years.  The house is 80% done, but much of what’s left is the cosmetics of the yard.  Anyway,  the developer told me not to worry he would take the fence down as it was pretty ratty wood fence that’d been up for years and now had fallen down in a couple places and had holes.  I was mentally ok w this as he said he would be putting in a nice modern style fence.  The rest of the fence came down by him as my family was staying out of town for a few weeks. ( we had no power and a huge tree fall in our roof. So my wife and two went to her parents.)
About a month after the storm no fence had gone back up.  Two months and he said he was working on the permit. Month 3, still no fence I told him it was not safe for my kids to be outside in the yard w no fence and construction debris flowing over, like chipped cement, nails and such.  I also had to put up some flimsy orange fencing from HD because there was a pool on property next door w no pool fence.  But it still left the front of the property open and anyone off the street could wander back to the unprotectedand unclear swamp pool.  Month 4 I called the city about the pool. (Anonymously.) They came out, he put more crappy flexible orange fence/ netting. I guess that satisfied the city.
I’ve been asking every month for an update about when the fence was putting in.  Around month 6 he sent me a screenshot when I texted him of some nonsense of permit online section requiring changes. And saying he was equally frustrated. Month 8 he called me to say the fence was going up that week.  Month 10 and still nothing.  He has now stopped responding and answering me.
There have been a few other issues over the months. Like asked him to have his guys clean his yard before my kid’s 1st bday party of construction debris, and they had a lingerie photo shoot inside the house that was clearly visible from my kid’s play room while my mother-in-law watched them.  When I called he pretended he knew nothing about it and would get to the bottom of it.

For at least a few months I’ve been pretty sure they are really not interested in building a fence because it allows them to show off this ridiculous oversized home better than behind a fence.

Is there anything I can do to move this forward?
Few final points
- I’m pretty sure the fence was on my property, but not sure I can prove it at this point.
- At first I was also ok w letting the developer handle it because we were very strapped for cash and we’re having issues w our insurance to even cover all of our other property damages from the storm. (That’s still going on.)

Im very close to putting up signs facing the property while crazy stuff about sewage issues or hazard signs, and walking around butt naked in my yard anytime I see someone coming to check out the house.

Answer: *You*  can put up a fence on *your*  property but you can't force someone else to put up a fence on *theirs*  as long as their pool fence is legal.


Title: I sold my car to a scrapper and they either sold it to, or are selling it through, an auction service. The auction service is claiming my car was titled in another state (it never was) and it's now somehow my problem. Do I need a lawyer? What kind?

Question:
This is in Utah.

Original post here: https://np.reddit.com/r/cars/comments/4ak1co/scrap_yard_who_i_sold_my_classic_car_to_claims/

History: I had a '66 Cadillac that, after fifteen years of me just limping it along, got to a point where restoring it to safe driveability was going to cost me more than buying the same car in the same (but driveable) state would have, so I opted to scrap it.

We used a scrapper we found online (the only one who would pay anything... something like $250, or less), but it turns out it's also the scrapper our regular (and trusted) mechanic uses.

We signed the title over to them and thought that was that.
Since then, they've called us about once a month telling us that there are issues with the title, something about the vehicle being titled in another state. The problem is that's simply not true, at least not in the time I, or the person I bought it from, had it (~20 years between us).

Since the original posting, we've also been sent a letter (https://imgur.com/xf7L0Kb) and the vehicle has been listed, with "clean documents," on the auction site (https://www.iaai.com/Vehicles/VehicleDetails.aspx?itemID=20583761&RowNumber=0&loadRecent=True)

Is this something I need to worry about? Is it somehow a scam? Am I legally obligated to do anything after proving, to the best of my ability, that I've never titled the vehicle out of my state?

Thanks.

Answer:
 Unless there's some specific law on point, I wouldn't be concerned. If you had no knowledge of another claim to the vehicle, purchased it, and sold it as so, there's probably not much they can do to you. Answer #2: The letter says you gave them a Utah title and the DMV says it isn't titled in Utah.

So was the title a Utah title?


Title: I'm a minor, can my parents force me to get a job?

Question:
I'm 16 years old, in Connecticut, and I did a stupid, stupid thing. Some friends and I had a prank gone wrong, and we got caught. No one was really hurt, but the school, my parents, and the police were involved.

My parents have cancelled a ski trip I had paid for, taken everything out of my bedroom and bathroom except for my bed, school uniforms, pajamas, gym clothes, books and basic toiletries.

A parent drives me to school and picks me up. I can't do extra curricular or have a phone/xbox/computer/ipad. I can only do my homework at school or in an old desktop my dad set up in the living room- it's doesn't have internet access. My only "entertainment" is a weekly trip to the library. There's this whole checklist of stuff I have to do to earn back these "privileges".

The school has made me tutor this special ed ( I don't know what the right term) girl  who got caught up in the prank, which is ok, because I feel really bad about it- it wasn't supposed to be directed at her.

I'm not complaining about this- I'm just saying that I'm *am* being punished.

But now my parents have told me I need to pay for my portion of the damage, about $2000 and I have to get a job, and it has to be a SPECIFIC job- at the mall, at the grocery store, or at Starbucks. They told me they want my friends to see me working there.

They won't let me work in one of their offices (I've done that for both) or baby sit, or use my money from birthdays and holidays and stuff. I have a trust fund, but they handle it until I'm 25. I have a college savings account, but they won't let me use that either.

I'm super frustrated because I didn't even want to do this stupid prank, and the girl who insisted isn't being punished at all- her parents paid for it, they aren't grounding her, and she can't tutor anyone because her grades aren't good enough.

Can my parents force me to work and then take my check? I'm not excusing what we did, but I feel that this is excessive.

Answer:
 >Can my parents force me to work and then take my check?

Absolutely. You caused damage and they're making you pay for it.

Good. Parenting.Answer #2: Wow, it sounds like you have really good parentsAnswer #3: >Can my parents force me to work and then take my check?

Yes. While you're still a minor you have to follow their rules. You can refuse to comply, but remember that when you turn 18 your parents have zero obligation to let you stay in their house. In which case you'd have to work anyway and pay for your own living.


Title: [Oregon] I recently got a speeding ticket for going over 100 mph on a highway and I just got a new speeding ticket (over 10 mph) - What does this mean for my license?

Question: I got a speeding ticket for over 100 mph on the highway back in October 2017. I paid the fine and my license was also suspended for 90 days. I just got a speeding ticket in the mail from a photo radar going 48 mph in a 35 mph zone with a $170 fine. What does this mean for my license? Is it possible that it can be suspended again? I read online about second offenses and depending on the circumstances, I can get larger fines, license suspended longer, etc., but is driving over 10 mph considered a second offense? What other fines and/or suspensions will I get from this second speeding ticket?

Answer:
 Driving over 100 mph is a specific offense that imposes suspension as part of the punishment.

https://www.oregonlaws.org/ors/811.109

Otherwise, you'll be restricted to no night driving if you have 3 or more violations in 18 months or suspended if you have 4 or more violations in 24 months.

https://secure.sos.state.or.us/oard/viewSingleRule.action?ruleVrsnRsn=186309

The fine on the ticket is the fine.


Title: Customer demanding a refund for bespoke goods

Question:
Location: United Kingdom

A customer has ordered eight of these bespoke items, and paid in full for all of then. Then they decided to cancel them all after a family member of theirs was dismissed from the business for several offences. Two of these items are completed and the customer has agreed to receive the two that are complete. Goods were bought to work on three more of these orders, while designs were never submitted by the customer for the other three. I have been advised to refund only the difference between sale price and cost of the goods for the six incomplete orders but the customer won't accept this.

The goods bought for these six orders are of no use to the business in the foreseeable future as there is a plan to change what products we manufacture.

It is important to note however, that the full prepayment of these bespoke goods, wasn't a requirement, nor were they taken as a deposit (fault of previously mentioned family member).

Can I legally only refund the difference between the sale price and cost of goods for these incomplete orders or am I required to refund in full?

The orders were made over 21 days prior to a refund being demanded.

Answer:
 Where are you?

In several states, a "merchant" who fails to post/explain a return policy is obligated to accept returns for a full refund.


Title: Husbands ex has an restraining order on him, this morning she was standing in our driveway. Can she come on our property?

Question:
My husband and his ex had a nasty divorce 5 years ago. It was one of the worst I ever heard of. When We started dating 3 months after the separation she called the cops and told them he was suicidal and tried to have him involuntary committed. So you get the picture. As part of the divorce agreement she wanted a restraining order. He granted it. He didn’t care he wanted to be rid of her.
Well here we are 5 years later and the woman was standing in our driveway this morning when my husband left for work. He was pulling down the driveway as she walked up so he just left. I was already at work. Can she do this? Should he have called the police? I am going to be home alone next week while he goes to Miami on a business trip and I am freaking out now. I have a friend coming over to install a camera on the outside of our house tonight. What do I do if she comes back? Sorry for the wall of text I am shaking as I am writing this.

Answer:
 Unless the order is a cross restraint then only she would be protected and there is no lawful order for her not to contact you. However since your husband isn't allowed to contact her this could put him in a bad spot if something happens or she decides to say something happened.

Yes call the police and notify them esp if the restraining order for your husband is still active.  If it Still active you need to have your husband go to court and have the order vacated or file a cross restraint if he can.

The video is a good thing to do cause it will give you basis to stand on if you or he needs to go to court. Answer #2: Restraining orders have expiration dates.

If it's still valid, yes you should contact the police. Answer #3: Step one is to read the restraining order. It may or may not be joint, it may or may not have expired.


Title: [California] My Biological Father just stepped back into my life after 19 years, i'm 19. My Mom wants justice or re-payment after all these years. I'm legally an adult, what can we do?

Answer: You don't do anything. If your mom is entitled to child support, she can seek it through the court system. It's not your fight. Don't view it as "we". Answer #2: Was your father ever court ordered to pay child support?Answer #3: If there was never a court order to pay child support then there is no "re-payment"


Title: (Charles County, Maryland) What can I legally do to keep people off my land and stop them from stealing stuff?

Question:
I live in the back woods and have a bit of land with shed for stuff like lawn mowers and gas. I go to go mow the lawn and check the gas in the mower. Come to find out the gas from the push mower was drained, the riding mower was drained and damaged, and all the gas cans emptied. This isn't the first time this has happened but it wasn't up to this level. I have no clue how they get in the shed because it's locked and is locked when I go to get the mowers and stuff.

Other than surveillance, what can I do(legally, because there's plenty I can think of to do but most probably won't be legal in my state) to keep them off my property?

Answer:
 "because it's locked and is locked when I go to get the mowers"

A.	Someone with access is stealing your gas (got kids?)

B.	Your lock sucks get a better one.

Any other windows hole' s openings? walk around the shed check for loose whatnots


Title: Am I allowed to wear brass knuckles working as a bouncer?

Answer: I believe most everywhere in the US considers using brass knuckles an attack with a deadly weapon, so you would be able to use them in the same way you would be able to use a firearm. Also if you can't bounce without weapons you probably should look for a different line of work.


Title: Do I have the right to serve a prison sentence is solitude with no other inmate interaction?

Question: I watch all these prison shows and it looks absolutely awful. I don't see how it's legal to force you to be locked in a cell with a potentially deadly person. Do you have the option to bunk by yourself or in solitary for your entire sentence?

Answer: Yep.  It's one of the check boxes on the form you get every day - the same one where they ask you to pick out your menu; the preferred time slot for your daily massage; what brand soap you like; put in your request for a good tee time; etc.


Title: My divorce attorney disappeared off the face of the earth.

Question:
Hey guys,

My divorce attorney vacated her office in October with myself trying to reach her a month before that. At this point - I am going on 3 or 4 months from our last communication which was that she was to submit an agreement to my ex-wife that we could sign and file so we can finalize our divorce.

I had to find out from her co-tenants in the office complex that she had left. Her phone still rings. Her e-mail doesn't bounce back. And yet still no return communication.

Should I report her to the BAR Association? What are my options in this situation?

My divorce is very simple and all we need is a separation agreement written up, submitted and approved by the courts (From what I understand). My ex-wife and I are on good terms now and just want to get this over with.

Thank you all in advance for all of your help and input. Very confusing and unexpected situation.

Answer: In addition to the advice from u/ballsack_Kentucky I would say that yes you should report the person to the bar. Answer #2: I would contact another lawyer ASAP.  Explain your situation to the lawyer and go from there so your divorce can be finalized.Answer #3: Call the bar association and say you can’t get a call back from your attorney.


Title: (OR) Car dealership asking that I sign a new contract

Question:
I just bought a new car, and it was written in the contract that my first loan payment would be deferred for 90 days.  I just got an email from the finance manager saying that it turns out they can only defer payment for 60 days and need me to come back to sign a new contract.

Do I have to?  What could happen if I don't?

Thank you!

Edit:  Thanks, you guys!  I'm going to look at the contract tomorrow and search for some of the terms you've pointed out.  Really crossing my fingers that I can just tell them no dice!

Answer:
 No, you don't have to sign a new contract.  You and the dealership already have a binding, enforceable contract.  Tell them "No thanks; I am happy with the current binding, enforceable contract."
Answer #2: This [FAQ on Spot Delivery](https://www.reddit.com/r/askcarsales/comments/37rp04/what_you_need_to_know_about_spot_deliveries_or_i/) from /r/AskCarSales might tell you what you need to know.


Title: If a salesperson clarifies a part of a contract in an email will that later be legally binding?

Question: Contract says there may be minimal increases in the price due to external factors, fuel cost increase, etc. I asked what the cap is and the salesman said 5% yearly. Should I ask for that in writing or the email would serve as proof if they later increase it above that amount?

Answer:
 Always cya yourself with things in writing regardless.  Follow up phone calls with verification emails about things discussed.

Emails are a lot better than he said/she saidAnswer #2: If you haven't signed the contract yet, you should definitely ask for that to be included.


Title: (BC, CAN) Under what conditions is it considered self defense if one person attacks another?

Question: I have heard multiple explainations, between who "swings first" or that one person can "bait" another into attacking them (Through verbal remarks). Also, does anything change when one of, or both parties are minors?

Answer: It's very fact and situationally dependent. There is no one size fits all answer. You have to look at the totality of the circumstance and whether the action of the actors was reasonable.


Title: Group of seniors caught with alcohol, serious responds please

Question:
Not sure where to start... I just hope to receive some advices.

Today was one guy's birthday. He brought some champagne to cheer with his classmates (this is not usual but happens time after time, normally far away from school tho). So it's a long break between classes and loads of people are smoking outside of school and the champagne guy happens to be one of them.This is all like 25 meters away from school teritory.

So the guy offers everyone to drink and they agree (in a way of "eh, fuck it. I'm in"). 15 people take a few sips each and then we see some woman staring at us with her phone in hand. We suspected something but didn't pay too much attention, just gone back home/to classes.

Surprise surprise, she reported us to our school and tommorow we (6 of those 15, only these faces were visible.Of course I'm one of them) have to report to principals office at 9:00.

Thing is, I have no criminal records or anything relevant to this and I'm not sure what can this lead to. I have no advice with law and I have no idea what we should say. Just the standard truth and honest apology? Something we should avoid? We don't want anything serious to happen because there's only a month left until our exam and if we get dropped out no school is going to accept us at this time of year... Sorry for the messy post, posting in a bus.

Answer:
 I so badly wanted this post to be about elderly seniors. I was thinking maybe some old folks had a party at the old folks home and management was being a dick about it. How disappointing.Answer #2: I assume that this is the "high school" kind of senior and not the "retired" kind of senior.

I also assume that you're not in the US.

Both assumptions are relevant.

If the school calls the police, do not talk to them without your parents and/or an attorney.  If the school does not call the police, be apologetic enough with the school staff to avoid expulsion.

Oh, and stop hanging out with idiots that bring banned items to school.


Title: If you had child porn tattoo'd on yourself, could the state force you to remove it?

Question: Weird hypothetical of course, but what would happen in such a situation?

Answer:
 You'd be in possession of child porn.

And you could be arrested and sent to prison for it.

And then, when you got out (or while you were in) you could potentially be charged with possessing it again (because you're still in possession of it).

However, generally speaking, computer generated or hand drawn images are not considered child pornography federally, unless they are "indistinguishable from" an actual child.


Title: Charged with underage possession after walking out of store. (Ohio)

Question:
I just got out of class and I went to the same convenience store I always use my fake ID at. I **usually** put the alcohol in my backpack after I buy it, but since I just got out of class my backpack was already full. So I walk down the street with the unopened case of beer in my hand and after about 5 seconds an undercover cop shows me his badge and asks for my ID. I was stunned but I gave him my real ID then he asks me to sit down and also asks for my fake ID so I gave it to him as well.

I know that a fake ID charge is very bad news and I asked and confirmed with the cop that I wouldn't be charged for my fake ID thankfully. The cops proceeded to write my ticket along with 2 other kids caught before me and were telling me to "be smarter" and that they drank in college too but they "were smart about it". This really frustrated me because I don't know what I could've done differently.

When I asked how much the ticket would be one of the cops told me that it would depend on the judge and how good my lawyer is. He added that I "definitely wanna get a lawyer". Now I'm a hardworking college student and I don't have money for a lawyer, let alone pay an underage possession ticket, and I want to know if its really necessary for me to get a lawyer. I figured there's not much I can argue in court.

So a recap of all the questions I have: Was I required to give the cop my ID for carrying an unopened case of beer? What could I have done differently to "be smarter about it"? Is it necessary for me to get a lawyer? What should I say in court if I don't get a lawyer?

Answer:
 >What could I have done differently to "be smarter about it"?

Not be seen in public with alcohol while underage

The trick is for the alcohol to be in your house with you without being with you outside your house. Now how that happens is a complete mystery, I expect you leave money under your pillow and the beer fairies deliver it.Answer #2: >Now I'm a hardworking college student and I don't have money for a lawyer, let alone pay an underage possession ticket, and I want to know if its really necessary for me to get a lawyer. I figured there's not much I can argue in court.

How much did the ID cost? How much beer have you bought with that ID? How much did the beer cost? You *can* afford an attorney. You just don't *want* to.

Get an attorney. You might be able get PTI and have the tickets go away. MIP convictions could affect scholarships and your enrollment in school. Hiring a lawyer would be cheaper than dealing with those consequences.


Title: [FL] Can I have my legal firearm in my car as a student?

Question:
I'm a legal ccl holder for the state of Florida. I'm also a student at a local college. Many times I'm not coming from home when I go to class, and many times I do not go back home after class. ie; I sleep over my gf's house.

I want to know if it's legal to leave my firearm in my car in the parking lot, as a student.

Would the laws be different if it weren't a student and just a visitor of the school?

Does it change if the firearm is disabled? (Slide, frame, and magazine all in separate locations in the vehicle)

Answer: There was a court decision in 2014 that said you could keep it in your car in the parking lot.


Title: [USA, Seattle] Egregious gender discrimination at a tech firm?

Question:
My SO works at a small/mid size, publicly traded tech firm in the PNW. She and her female coworkers have been struggling with the senior VP of her department for years. He has serious personal issues: alcoholism and abusive behavior towards women - weight comments, personal attacks, etc. The worst example of this is when he pressured a woman who had just been diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer to work several extra days over the fiscal year end crunch, rather than seek immediate medical treatment per her doctors' advice. She agreed, for fear of losing her medical benefits, and is now fighting for her life. Thankfully, she's improving and it looks like she is now planning lawsuit.

Aside from interpersonal behavior, he has demonstrated a years-long pattern of gender preference in hiring and promotion. Out of 30 some-odd hires, only 2 or 3 have been women. Similar situation with promotion. While other departments enjoy generous bonuses, 'team building' events and stock options, employees in this department have received very little despite stellar work performance. It's strongly suspected by several managers that this VP reallocates or pockets the budget for bonuses.

The VP in question is gay, and has a very clear 'type'. Handsome young men he has hired, many of whom are low and mediocre performers, typically rocket up the company ladder, while high-performing women have had no promotion for years. Example: This holiday season, he took several new hires (all male, young, handsome) clothes shopping at expensive downtown stores.

Despite his poor performance, chronic absenteeism and alcoholism, the company seems reluctant to do anything about him, leaving him free to wreak more havoc. In a recent example, he came to an employee with a request to wire $50K or so and stood over her, screaming that she needed to drop what she was doing, bypass the normal checks and balances, and send the money immediately. She took a look at the wire request and pointed out that it originated from a false email address. To my mind, this is well beyond harassment - this could have easily had serious legal repercussions for the erstwhile quick-witted employee.

So how bad does it have to get? What constitutes actionable gender discrimination? What kind of evidence is required to build a case? My SO is thinking of leaving, which is a shame because it's a good job with a company that's going somewhere.

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

EDIT: Going to this company's HR department with grievances isn't an option: They have a distinct reputation for retaliating against complainers. Apparently, their main job description is planning the company's $500K christmas party.
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 >It's strongly suspected by several managers that this VP reallocates or pockets the budget for bonuses.

FYI, this is nearly impossible to do at a public company with Sarbanes Oxley controls.

Given your description of a wire I assume that she works in corporate treasury.

I used to work in corporate treasury at a $10 billion oil company.  Guess what?  We didn't get the same bonuses and benefits as the petroleum engineers and geologists because they were the ones who made the money.  Corporate Treasury is just support.

Now, this doesn't take away from your main thrust which is gender discrimination, but when it comes time to try to get a lawyer to take your case you need to have a firm and concise description of illegal activity rather than just flinging random mud at the wall.

Your issue here is whether or not this guy is discriminating against women on the basis of gender.  That's it.

Answer #2: Going to HR is a necessity, without documentation that you complained about the problem, any harassment or discrimination claim is vastly harder or impossible to proceed with.

His drinking habits and budget allocation is irrelevant, and the 10:1 hiring ratio is about in line with the tech applicant pool in many areas so it may or may not mean anything.

The main focus should be his favoritism towards the new hires he is sexually attracted to (in this case young men) leading to discrimination against women and older men.


Title: When someone stalking/harassing you starts threatening everybody against testifying

Question:
I'm in in this awful situation where an individual (whom I have no relationship with, other than being friends of friends of friends), threatened me if they saw me with another individual, which ended up happening. This individual knows where I live.

I already have a restraining order and talked to a lawyer, I'm just so disoriented in my head from how crazy this is that I'm willing to get advice any way I can, and I do need advice and I can't afford expensive lawyers.

My question is regarding how the stalker is going around threatening everyone. My friend told me: "they said they're going to have you buried in the swamps," "that they're part of a gang," but also that "I don't have any problem with this person so don't bring it up I will deny it, I have to protect me, just like you have to protect yourself, but I wanted to let you know so you can get out of here."

The stalker does not have full-time legal employment, but is known for earning their income illegally.

The other person who I was seen with (who is just a nice friend of mine) in question in the case said, "I will write you a basic statement, but this person is so crazy and I don't think they have any reason to come after me, so I just want out." I don't know if they will testify in court against this person, who sent them threatening texts as well. They did write me a statement, but said "I just want out of this, this is absolutely insane." "They'll be back for blood if anyone does anything to them."

I have received threats on text from this person, but mostly stuff such as (reworded) "you're toast if I decide not to speak to you soon. Text me back." A lot of stuff insinuating threats, not direct threats like have been said in person. I have received other threats of harassment such as "I'm going to make everyone hate you and you will never be able to show your face around here again."

I live in Washington state, and my end goal is just to move across town. I need to get out of my lease though before moving to afford another place, if that's possible in the next few days. I asked the judge at my hearing if they could help me with that. The judge asked if they had assaulted me or brandished a firearm yet, in which case the judge could take affirmative actions to start protecting me, but neither of those are true. They said "talk to your landlord and in your next hearing bring it up again." I did email my landlord today, but I don't know if they will do anything and my next hearing isn't for weeks.

One other person said, "If I go testify, this person told me they will come after me, but if I get subpoena'd of course I will tell the complete truth... it's just if they see me as betraying them they will come after me."

I'm going insane! I did go and buy a gun which I am sleeping with, but I can't sleep at night.

Is there any way to subpoena the text messages from the stalker's phone, even if they have deleted them? I know they have sent other threats to other people over the phone. I'm just so worried no one will be willing to testify against this person, and I'm literally scared for my safety. I don't know what to do. I don't know if even going through this court process is the right thing.

Answer:
 Call 866-4CRISIS (427-4747) talk to someone.

Answer #2: If you have a PO against someone and they contact you and threaten you the proper response is to call the police.


Title: If a person is assulted by a sheriff's deputy and caused 10k in medical damages before being wrongfully thrown in jail, is there any legal basis for taking action against the deputy or the sheriff's office if the 6 month statute of limitations has passed?

Question: I'm in Phoenix Arizona

Answer:
 You don't post where you're located, so it's difficult for us to give any real advice.

Generally, once the statute of limitations has passed, you have no recourse.  The statute can fail to toll, in some circumstances, so you may still be able to file suit.

Your chacnes of success are strongly dependent on the facts of the situation.  A negative outcome does not automatically mean you have a winnable suit.


Title: (IL) Was hospitalized for illness and released, missing 3 days of work under PTO. Boss is saying I can't return until I get a doctor's note saying I am ok to return. Nothing in the handbook about it.

Question:
I was treated for a condition at a hospital, and afterwards, I was moved to an inpatient alcohol treatment center that I agreed to participate in.  After spending a night there, I realized it was not going to be effective, and checked myself out of the hospital and signed a form stating it was against the advice of the doctor.

Returned to work today and provided documentation of my hospital stay, and my boss told me I needed to leave immediately because without a note stating that I was ok to return to work, they would be liable for anything that happened.  There is nothing in the employee handbook that states this is required (except for worker's comp and pre-approved extended leave, which this was neither).  I spoke with HR and all they said is that it is not required, but is a reasonable request.

The problem is since I signed myself out, I'm afraid that the head of the inpatient program will say that in his opinion, I am not fit to return to work.  My medical condition is cured and is not at all an issue.  I'm afraid that this will also provide my employer with information they are not entitled to (that I chose to seek alcohol treatment).

I'm not neccessarily looking to sue, I just don't know how to proceed?  Should I just keep showing up?  Should I stay home?  Should I get a lawyer.  Any advice is appreciated.
Topic:
Labor Law

Answer:
 This likely won't be a very big deal. Most notes of this nature are very brief, it goes something like:

>"[Name] is medically fit for work."

Thats usually the entirety of the note. If you ask nicely the doctor or person who treated you will likely write the note for you. Its typically not a big deal since its so very brief and it takes all of 5 seconds to write.

This is all assuming that the doctor believes you are fit for work, of course. If the doctor doesn't believe you are fit for work then all bets are off.


Title: Can my mother sell me her house to avoid her husband taking it upon her death? Is this better than a will? [MI]

Question:
My mother hates my step-dad, but the situation makes it difficult to divorce. She owned the house for 20 years before they got married. She's super worried that if she dies he'll inherit the house automatically and sell it just for his propensities for cars and other unwise spending. She has always meant for the house to go to her kids, but doesn't have any idea how to even start a will process, or even if naming one of us as executor can ensure the house stays with us instead of him.

I heard someone mention she should just give ("sell") it to me now, and that this would ensure that when she dies my step-dad couldn't do anything with it.

Is this legal? Any ideas on how to begin that process if so? Can I "buy" her house for $1.00, or can she give it to me? If she does how do we ensure everything's fine with her still living there?  Would I then by a landlord or?

Thanks!

(Michigan)

Answer:
 Don't try to come up with any schemes.

You mother should see an estate attorney.


Title: Buying a house and my girlfriend who isn't going to be on the title wants to give me money. How does this work? New York

Question:
The bank mentioned that any money given to me after a certain point has to be accounted for as a gift. He mentioned something about how my girlfriend can't be seen giving me funds to pay for the house. I'm going to be getting about 2k from her over the course of the next month. How would I disclose that? Is there a legal workaround I can do?

Sorry if this is the wrong place for this question.

Answer:
 Your mortgage lender's underwriting department will want a fairly complete picture of your finances, including any obligations you may have such as outstanding loans. They also want to be sure there aren't any plans to give away part of the title you will be using to secure the loan. You will have to account for any large payments so that your lender can consider them.

If you receive a gift of money, and it is a bona fide gift with no strings attached, your girlfriend can fill out a gift letter for you to give the lender. Your lender should have a copy of the forms - just call them and ask. It's unlikely that two grand will set off any major alarms, but underwriters can be pretty thorough and have the authority to deny your loan for nearly any reason at all, so be honest with your lender and work with them if they return with concerns.

If your girlfriend wants to loan you money, or expects you to put her on the title later on, insist on getting the agreement in writing so that you can show your underwriter what the terms are and what your exposure is. Intentionally hiding a loan so that you can be approved for a mortgage you might not qualify for is fraud, and can, in principle, send you to jail as well as cost you your house.


Title: I'm getting married and my landlord won't let me out of my lease

Question:
I am in Utah, and I am getting married in a few weeks, I know.. total shot gun, but whatever. I live in a house with 4 other female roommates and the lease says no male overnight guests and that noone can spend the night more than 3 times every 6 months.

Anyway, I am getting married, and I obviously want to live with my spouse, but I can't afford to pay two rents, and stay in this contract. What can I do?

Answer: Your lease agreement should tell you what happens if you break the lease. Most of the time it is something along the lines of an extra months rent. Your best options would be to either break the lease and pay extra for doing so, or wait until the end of the lease to move.


Title: Assaulted by belligerent customer at work, police report filed etc, now my hours have been cut. What rights do i have?

Question: Long story, customer smacked me. I was working alone and had to get management cops were called etc. I got called in on Friday thinking it was for work and it was just to talk to HR for an hour and I'm now not scheduled all week. I get they're trying to make me quit but why? I was the victim??

Answer:
 What is your specific legal question and location?  Is it possible that management is evaluating your participation in this altercation and needs to review it?

Answer #2: It's impossible for us to say WHY they are doing something.  But it is worth noting that just because you were ultimately the victim does not mean you are entirely blameless in this situation.  If your employer feels that you escalated the situation or otherwise contributed to the situation in a way they do not want associated with their name, they may justifiably feel that terminating you is the best option.  They may not know currently where they stand with you, and have not scheduled you for a week to give them time to investigate the incident.  Both are very reasonable responses.

Or they may just not want to deal with any of this, and it's easiest just to fire you.  Depending on your location, that may be entirely legal.

In any case, if they are not giving you hours and not giving you a reason why, that amounts to constructive dismissal, and you should file for unemployment.


Title: Can I sue my state for not legalizing medical marijuana?

Question:
I have been suffering from depression and anxiety for my whole life and never wanted to go on antidepressants because of side effects and fearing of shitting my brain. However, everything changed since i started smoking weed.
I live in Italy and the're currently discussing legalizing it, however I'm almost sure it'll end up in nothing like always cause they're a bunch of idiots and too scared of taking profits away from mafia to do anything about that.
So, can I sue my state for keeping me away from a medication that works in case it won't be made legal? Thanks

Answer: Oh muffin, that isn't the way life works. Besides, what quantifiable damages would you sue them for?


Title: [Texarkana, TX] Mom pulled over for driving nude, now is set to appear in court. What next?

Question:
My mom was pulled over for speeding by police in Texarkana (the Arkansas side) by the Arkansas State Police. They'd pursued her for speeding, and when she did pull over, the officers found she'd been driving nude (a female cop and an old guy as a cop, IIRC), she was stopped on a side-road, told to appear in court, although I cant remember what for (IIRC it was not just speeding).

Is there a law against driving nude? Could she face indecency charges.

BTW, I'm 24, my mom's 53, if that's even relevant here. I also live at home with my mom since I moved out from bf's house, he left me for his other woman out-of-state.

I'm not sure what to do here, legal quandary, any legal eagles able to shed light on this? I appreciate this is an unusual question but be patient with me.

AFAIK, the only other nude driver was featured somewhere on social media on CONUS Archive of an old dude in a Chevy pickup pulled over 12/27/92 so there's some precedent, maybe (i.e. this offence has happened before)?

Answer:
 What does your age or some social media post have to do with this?

Your mom needs an attorney. If you get us the numbers like /u/Citicop mentioned, we can easily find you the language of the law. But yes, I'm willing to bet a beer that there is any number of laws they could have cited her with for driving in the nude. Answer #2: https://caseinfo.aoc.arkansas.gov/cconnect/PROD/public/ck_public_qry_cpty.cp_personcase_setup_idx

Go look her up.

If she was stopped by the Arkansas State Police, she'll be charged in Arkansas, not in Texas.

The Speeding will be in addition to disorderly conduct for driving in the nude. Unless she was engaged in some sort of sexual activity while in the car, in which case she'll be charged with indecent exposure.Answer #3: What, specifically, was she charged with?

We'll need the statute numbers or local ordinance numbers to be able to tell you anything here.


Title: False Child Abuse Allegation

Question: Someone I know had their daughter falsely accuse them of sexual abuse. She said to her mom that she was just trying to relate with her friend because her friend was talking about being abused. Her friend told the counselor at school, the girl freaked out and stuck to the story of molestation because she was scared. she was not expecting the situation to blow out of proportion. My friend's daughter is 12, she wants to fix this, what can she do? I'm in the United States

Answer:
 She needs to tell the cps worker that she was lying.

However, you should stay out of it. There's a chance the daughter was molested and is being pressured to recant. Let the workers do their jobs. This is not your circus and not your monkeys.


Title: Louisiana - Trespassing charge on my wife who was a passenger in our car.

Question:
We're getting an attorney, but I'm trying to set my wife at ease.  Here goes:  My wife and I have been married for three years and I have an ex-wife from whom I've been divorced for 13 years.  My ex-wife and I have two teenagers.  My spouse and ex don't really get along and she has said before not to bring my wife when picking up or dropping off the girls.  Usually, that's no problem and I rarely even think of it.  However, the night before Thanksgiving of last year, we had taken the kids to go eat and I realized we didn't have time to run home and drop my wife off.  We simply drove the ten miles to my ex's home.  By then, it was dark (wintertime @6:00) and I don't want to drop my kids off on the side of a dark country road so we turn into the driveway, drop the girls off, back out and head home.  The whole thing took three minutes or so.  As soon as we arrive home, the sheriff's department is visiting us and left a citation for "remaining after being asked to leave".  The being asked to leave I'm assuming is because she texted years ago for my wife not to arrive.

Long story, but I'm trying to wrap up.  Since then, I've gained custody of my children (she volunteered) and she has attempted to drive to my home instead of meeting at a neutral spot, for her visitation.  The whole thing is weird, but I was dropping my daughters off at the time I was prescribed to at the place I was required to do so.  My wife is very upset and she had no criminal intent by a mile.  She was simply riding with her family.

EDIT:  We spoke to the DA, who told her "not to freak out" but that she needed an attorney because my ex is adamantly pushing this.  Arraignment is tomorrow and we do not have an attorney yet because of money (which seems to be a goal of my ex)
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer: Hire lawyer.  Defend bullshit case.  Sue ex-wife for costs.  Minimize unsupervised contact with ex wife going forward.  Do everything by email or text.  Save emails and texts.


Title: Another House Arrest Question (London, Ky)

Question:
So, my house arrest journey should be near its close.  I began home incarceration in April and have served a 9 month sentence.  I have been unable, however, to keep up with the monitoring fees and also dropped my tracking device which cracked resulting in a $500 debt for repair.  I'm currently unemployed, as is my husband.  We lost our vehicle and can rarely find a ride to the store let alone to job hunt and put in applications.  I have no idea when we can pay off the $879 we owe the monitoring company.  Will they still release me from house arrest or do they have legal grounds to somehow extend my sentence?  Yesterday was my last day, but I'm afraid to go to the monitoring company with no clue as to what will happen.
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer: If your obligations included maintaining tracking device coverage, and you then failed to do so, they can likely impose the original sentence or extend your house arrest.


Title: [Illinois]Our college student organization has run into a problem with running a tournament for Super Smash Bros.

Question:
I am one of the officers for my college's Super Smash Bros. Club. We plan to run tournaments for Super Smash Bros. Melee and Smash 4 where participants contribute money to a prize pool which is then distributed among the players who placed the highest. However, we decided to run this idea with our student organization office as protocol, and we were indirectly told by our school's lawyers that these kind of events infringe upon [Illinois' Gambling Laws](http://www.gambling-law-us.com/State-Laws/Illinois/) because there is no clear distinction which determines Super Smash Bros. from being a "game of chance". After a discussion with our student organization office and the officers of our club, we decided our best course of action would be to argue to our school that Super Smash Bros. is a "bona fide contest for the determination of skill" (Section 18 subsection b) which would then grant us the opportunity to run a tournament with money involved.

Does anyone think that we're heading in the right direction for this? If so, how should we approach our school with this argument?
Topic:
School Related Issues

Answer:
 If you want to be clever, invite the attorney to play best-of-three of Super Smash Bros against one of your expert tournament entrants.  After the attorney gets destroyed, ask him smugly if he still thinks it's a game of chance.
Answer #2: That is how I would approach is and you'd have to show that there is skill involved. I'd use the argument that there are practice/training modes as well as different difficulty levels. Why would these exist if not to allow for progression and the growth of skill?


Title: My exchange student friend [21F] started having a physical relationship with her host father [M 50s divorced] when she was in CC

Question: [deleted]

Answer: I will never understand the need for people to infantalize grown, adult women as utterly helpless and incapable of making their own decisions and choices.  Answer #2: It's not illegal for two able-minded adults to have a relationship, physical or otherwise. If you believe this person violated university or exchange program policy, you can report them to the university/program.


Title: [NY][USA] Does the "Humans of New York" guy need signed releases to post photos of strangers?

Question:
Obviously the people are posing for him but does he need their signed permission to post on Instagram/Facebook/his website? Also, what about for his published books that he sells?

I was just curious.

Edit: There's a lot of contradiction in the comments. I don't think we have a solid answer yet.

Answer:
 He does not ask for a model waiver or anything.  The pictures are taken in public after he asks.

Source: was in HONY


Title: Free to use all the money in deposit account?

Question: My grandma and I have a checking account where my dad's child support goes into every week or so. I am over the age of 18, but he's behind on it because of prison. I used the money at my leisure and now my grandma wants me to pay it back within 4 days, is there any legal action she can take since the account is in my name too? The account was made when I was younger. We can both use it freely. I live in Kentucky.

Answer: She can sue you for sure. That was not your money to spend. That money is to pay back your grandmother for the money she spent caring for you. It was not your money to spend.


Title: My SO's ex is breaking child custody agreement and endangering her kids' health

Question:
Location: West Virginia.

I'm going to try and be as vague as possible here, because I really don't want anyone involved to come across this post.

My SO has two kids, one is 5 and the other is 13. In the divorce, the agreed upon vistation/custody schedule was 50/50, a few days with my SO and a few days with the ex every week, with a few minor deviations for emergencies and holidays.

Problem #1: For the past year or so, the ex has been (seemingly) doing everything possible to avoid taking the kids when it's their turn. There is ALWAYS an excuse (i.e. the ex and the ex's current spouse are sick, the toilet at the house is clogged, the AC/heat isn't working, etc.) My SO and I have had the kids for a month straight... and this is the second time this year it's happened, in addition to taking them on other random days that aren't ours. We have both caught the ex lying multiple times about having doctor's appointments when in reality the ex and the ex's spouse were having a date night at the movies, so you understand why we both have trust issues about the ex breaking the visitation/custody schedule. I don't mind having the kids around full time, but the issue is that the ex is collecting benefits from the state because of the kids (i.e. Medical cards and food stamps). I'm pretty sure the fact that we've had them nonstop for about 45 days now and the fact that the ex is still getting assistance is illegal, right? I told my SO that the ex needs to be told either to get back on the 50/50 schedule or give us full custody... it seems very unfair and unhealthy for these kids to be jerked around and have the schedule changed on them (and us) at the drop of a hat, whenever it's convenient for the ex.

Problem #2: Last year, the 5 year old started getting really sick. When we still were going by the 50/50 custody schedule, the 5 year old would come back to us coughing, wheezing, and having horrible allergies. Both of the kids would smell awful coming back. Come to find out, the ex wouldn't bathe them at all, and the ex and the spouse were both smoking indoors and in the car. The youngest has developed asthma and chronic bronchitis because of this, and will likely be on steroids forever. CPS was called, and the ex was told to stop smoking indoors and to clean the house top to bottom because of the smoke/tar residue.
When the kids came home from school yesterday, they both were talking about how bad the ex's house smelled, and how the ex "uses hippie smelly stuff" to cover up the smoke smell. The ex has been known to burn incense indoors after smoking. I'm pretty angry about this, considering that CPS has been called before about smoking indoors, and the ex/spouse are doing it again. We also found out that they have three cats that they aren't supposed to have (a) because their landlord prohibits pets, and b) because both of the kids are allergic).

Is there anything I can do about this? My SO doesn't want to go back to court, but I believe the ex either needs to get back on the schedule or give us full custody. The kids aren't safe with the ex, and we have them 95% of the time anyway. It'd help a lot if we were able to get assistance, since we are essentially raising the kids without the ex's help. Also, will calling CPS about the smoking/indoor cats do anything? As I said, CPS has been called (more than once) about the ex's living conditions, so they do have a record, but I don't want to stir up crap if it's not going to help.

What can I do (or advise my SO to do)?

EDIT: I should also mention that no child support is being provided on either end.
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer:
 You'll need to go back to court, or at least involve your lawyer to get the custody agreement modified.Answer #2: INAL

Lets be honest, the Ex isn't going to change their living conditions from the sounds of it nor do they sound like someone you want children to spend 50% of their time with.

You need to keep a record and document everything with dates. I'd call CPS again personally as it'll only help you document the Ex's living conditions in an offical record.

You'll need that because also need a lawyer because you are going back to court to request full custody. Answer #3: INAL

I would also document every excuse the ex gives in regards to holding to the 50/50 custody agreement and call DPW in regards to the food stamps/medical card issue.  The kids need their medical assistance and they obviously need to have food, but it appears the ex is collecting benefits on the basis that the children are there half the time when they aren't.  I'm not an expert, but that sounds a lot like fraud.  Answer #4: Just to clarify and expand on the other comments. It is your SO that will have to go back to court or speak to a lawyer as he is the parent. You yourself don't really have any grounds for seeking custody.


Title: I have been subpoenaed to appear as a witness against someone that I have a restraining order against. What will happen/how will this work? (MN)

Question:
A year ago I obtained a restraining order against my father, as did my mother and brother. I don't have it in front of me currently, but it might technically be an order of protection.

Within the following months of the orders being filed, my father violated all three of ours. First, with an email that was sent to all three of us, and second a phone call and voicemail to just my brother. The local police department filed the charges and the case is between the State of Minnesota and my father.

We have been subpoenaed to appear in court to testify as witnesses. Does this mean regardless of the restraining orders/orders of protection we all have to be in the same room as him? The parameters of the order state he cannot be within a quarter mile of any of us, but what happens in this specific situation?

Answer:
 If subpoenaed you must appear.

How can the court find that he violated the order without your testimony?

The courtroom is a controlled environment where your father will not be able to speak to you or touch you.

You will not be in the courtroom until you testify. When called, you answer questions avoiding eye contact, and leave.