Title: In CA, can getting called at 2am for a shift change be harassment or illegal? Also having shifts constantly changed hours before.

Question:
Was originally supposed to have work today at 6am, was called at 9:40 pm last night and told to come in at 4 am. Then called at 2 am and told to actually come in at 6 am.  This is for a huge corporate store in San Diego, CA. Also, this is a very common thing, however I am just now starting to record dates and incidences.

What can I do? There don't seem to be any labor laws I can find that directly address this, but this is ridiculous. I am not on call.
Topic:
Employment Law

Answer: Find a new job. They can't force you to work, but if you don't want to comply with a schedule change, they'll find someone who does. Answer #2: IANAL but if I recall correctly, California labor law requires a 24 hour notice to change your shift unless you volunteer to do so. Furthermore, there needs to be at least 8 hours between shifts or else your time at your subsequent shift counts as overtime. You can file a complaint with the labor commissioner.


Title: Roommate has not paid his fair share what happens if i take his tv

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 That would be theft. If someone owes you money and refuses to pay, you sue them in small claims court. Answer #2: You would be arrested and charged, rightly, as a thief.

If he owes you money, you demand payment. If he doesn't pay, then you sue him. That's how the law works. You don't get to take the law into your own hands. Answer #3: That is theft.


Title: Getting screwed over big time by my "boss". What can I do??

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Sounds like your employer is trying to skate employment law and taxes for that matter.

File a SS-8 with the IRS.  And file a wage complaint with either your state or the Federal DOL (if your state doesn't have a labor board.)  Make sure ALL of your hours from the time you started working there are documented with as much detail as possible.


Title: Employer asking for our weight

Question: We are union so im assuming everything is on the up and up and he's only asking for safety reasons but he won't tell us why he needs our weight. Is he even legally allowed to ask us?

Answer:
 Yes.  He is legally allowed to ask.

As to whether he is contractually allowed to ask, it depends on your union contract.  Talk to your rep and see what they say.Answer #2: Is there safety equipment the company needs that is weight restricted?


Title: Working with a sex offender

Question:
Hey everyone,

For the past five months, I've been working a night shift job with a crew of five others. Recently, we found out that one of the guys is a registered sex offender (indecency w/child). Neither he nor management had notified us about that information. Is there an obligation between either of the two to disclose that to us before being hired?

Answer: If not under any supervision, then there is no legal requirement that they inform their employer or coworkers.


Title: Curious why our complex is willing to lose money on us.

Question:
Hi all,

This is a real-life situation that I'm in, but I'm posting it here instead of on legaladvice because I don't really think there's a legal question involved, although I suppose there could be. I'm mainly interested in the thought process behind what's happening and any clarity from anyone versed in landlord/tenant law or business practices. If there's a better place to ask this, I could not find it in a couple of searches so I'd appreciate a link!

&#x200B;

**The Situation:**

We live in California and have rented our apartment for two years. Our rent has increased a bit every year, and I know that's legal and have no questions about it. Our lease is coming up for renewal and ends July 28th, and we've received the documentation from them about what this year's increase will be. It sets our rent to $1882 per month.

&#x200B;

In doing price comparisons of different apartment options online, I found that our complex has five open units that match ours exactly (same layout/size, same floor, same location in the complex). Those are being advertised with a monthly rent amount of $1750 to $1760. All five of them fall within this range.

&#x200B;

Note that we've been nothing but excellent tenants and have barely even interacted with management, and the few times we have for maintenance etc. have been pleasant. We've paid our rent on time the entire two years, with most month's payments being in fact about three days early. So this isn't a case of them trying to force us, specifically, out.

&#x200B;

**The Puzzlement:**

Essentially, they seem to be willing to push out (via higher rent charges than the apartment is worth) good tenants with a documented history of on-time payments, and on whom all background checks, etc. have been completed.

&#x200B;

Not only that, they're willing to push us out in favor of the cost and uncertainty of new tenants ... who will be paying $120 less per month. This is a lose-lose for them in every way I can think of. FWIW, the info I have found indicates it's a fairly strong renter's market here at the moment, but that shouldn't even matter because *we're* paying the high price, not the new tenants they'd be able to force into doing so if the market was on their side.

&#x200B;

**My Questions:**

* Is there any reason I might not be seeing or understanding that they would do this?
* Is it a matter of them hoping we won't check the current going rates and will just pay what they say to?
* Or is it a matter of stupidity/not cross-checking themselves?

&#x200B;

If any of the above is in fact a legal situation, I'd love to know about it. Also, just for the record if we do decide to stay in this complex we intend to try and bargain down the rent based on this situation, so we've taken screenshots, etc. for proof. Any tips on such bargaining would also be welcome! Thank you!

Answer: They have a policy of annual increases.  It's really that simple.  They are betting you'll pay it instead of move.


Title: My ex-wife is opening credit cards in my name. (California)

Question:
My ex and I have been divorced since July 2015. She lives about 120 miles away within the same state (California)but I haven’t talked to her whatsoever after the divorce was finalized.
Yesterday, I called my credit card company regarding a completely unrelated double charge that showed up on my monthly statement and was asked which card I was calling about. Of course I was confused and gave them the last 4 of my card but asked if they had another one in my name.

Sure enough, they had one in my name opened in January 2016 with my ex as an authorized user. The statements go to her house and there is a balance of over $6,000 on it. They also told me there have been multiple 30 day late payments and a 60 day late payment. At my request, they cancelled the card and told me I need to talk to the police or a lawyer.

How can I make sure she hasn’t opened up any other cards in my name?

Answer:
 crazy .. she doesn't know how bad she made life for herself now

You definitely need to call the police and the DA in the area she lives.. fraud and theft come to mind along with harassment and many other things.. theft by deception.. identity theft..

good luck. Answer #2: Freeze your credit and go to the police to file a report. She is gonna get in trouble but hey she's already your ex so oh well hah. Pull your credit reports from the three bureaus using annualcreditreport.com and dispute any accounts and late payments/otherderogatory marks that are fruadulent.Answer #3: Just came here to say, I  work  for my nephew, he's a divorce attorney. He said something interesting the other day...that 'sometimes you never know who you *really* married, until you break up'.

OP's wife is a thief and a fraud. I'm sure OP would never knowingly marry a thief and a fraud. Answer #4: I'd file the police report IN HER TOWN - that way, its a layup for the police to get the arrest right away.

Answer #5: If your divorce had an MSA and there was a clause that said any debt acquired by her after the date of separation or dissolution is her sole debt - you could get family court involved to do a judgement against her. Family court judgments can be attached to bank accounts for garnishment or even a wage assignment order. I would write her a letter saying you discovered the fraud and will he going to court (small claims or family law).


Title: Hit and run California

Question:
Hi
Im currently 18 and was recently involved in a hit and run around the beginning of June. I left the scene without leaving any information since I didn’t think the damages were that big ( stupid I know). I was driving a car I was unfamiliar with and tried to park recklessly and hit another parked car. A couple days later we rececieved mail that we were involved in an accident. Since this happened I was suggest to file a report to the police which I did and later received a phone call to provide more information. I have recently received more mail informing me to appear in court which is giving me anxiety. I looked up punishments for hit and runs and the thought of the possibility of going to jail is really stressing me out. I’m not sure what to do since I’m extremely young and don’t know anything about the world yet! Please help

Answer:
 Do NOT call the officer. Or talk to any police. Or anyone. You also can’t undo the H&R by now contacting the other owner. And you filed a police report... on yourself. That’s a new one.

You are being charged with a crime. Tomorrow, hire a criminal defense attorney to handle this. That is the only answer here.


Title: “Contractor” is threatening to put a lien on our home.

Question:
Sorry for the wall of text.

So we hired “Ben” an unlicensed “contractor” to do some repairs to our home to get it ready for sale.  We agreed on $1,000 for materials and labor on Tuesday, He says he can start on Wednesday and finish on Friday, we agree (verbally, no contract). We meet him Wednesday morning at Lowe’s for supplies ($242.34) and he does about a third of the work. He asked us to send him $200 so he can pay his helper. We do. Next day (Thursday) no show. He finally texts around 2pm that he is sick and will come the next day. Friday he does about another third of the work and I asked him to do about some additional work we agree on $120 for materials and labor, I send him $100 to buy the materials. After he finished and leaves on Friday, he asked for the balance of the money, I say I would pay $400, and the balance when he finishes. We agreed he would show on Saturday at 0900 to finish. Saturday morning he texts and says he will be here after noon due to a family commitment. 2:30 I start texting and calling with no answer for hours. Finally at 5:30 I go over to his house to find out what the deal is. He won’t answer the door and sends son to tell me that he is sleeping and will be there in the morning. I’ve finally had enough and text him at 1800 “thanks for the work he has done, and that we wouldn’t need his help anymore”. He finally replies at 2330 that he was sleeping and that his phone was dead. When I wake up at 0830 this morning I see his text and reply “no thanks, we will find a way to get it done ourselves”. He say we need to pay him the rest of his money. Now we have paid him $942.34 of $1,120 leaving $177.68, and he has only done about 2/3 of the original list plus the extra work we agreed on. I tell him you didn’t finish the work, we have paid you for more than what you have done, let’s call it even. He says nope, $280 or he is going to the courthouse tomorrow and for $100 he will file a lien against our home, and tie us up in court for months preventing the sale of our house and causing us to lose the new house we have an offer on.

So after the wall of text, if your still with me, can an unlicensed contractor file a lien with no signed contract?

Additional info: Texas, USA. Our current house is homesteaded.

Answer:
 He can try. His subsequent prosecution for filing a false lien would be entertaining.

Also, this is why you don't try to hire cheap contractors. Answer #2: You don't need a special license for a lien. It covers anyone who provides materials and labor on real property.

A written agreement is not necessary.

But what is required is a sworn affidavit. If he files a false lien, he commits perjury. Answer #3: From the admittedly limited information here, "Ben"'s behavior matches up pretty closely with that of a drug addict.Answer #4: You are likely fine. I suspect he will disappear. If he is dumb enough to lien or sue make sure to respond to it, but I highly doubt an unlicensed contractor will take it that far over a couple hundred.Answer #5: Also, save ALL texts and ALL records on your bank account of you paying him and any communication with him.


Title: My father (who is in jail) is threatening my mom (who he is married to currently) by making his girlfriend sell the house because he gave his girlfriend power of attorney.

Question: I have no clue what to do, my mom is disabled, as she has MS and can't really function, she can't really do anything without our help. I have been scrambling around all day trying to figure out what to do, I don't know how a divorce works but I don't know how that would even help, I want to get a hold of a lawyer but I'm in the hospital with my grandmother right now, but my main question is, can he even sell the house without my mom's consent? I'm from Pennsylvania by the way. Any help is greatly greatly appreciated, I'll try to give more info if anyone's needs it in time.

Answer:
 A question that might help the OP. Can they have the girlfriend arrested for trespassing on the property, even with a POA? Or would it just be considered harassment? Answer #2: >my mom is disabled, as she has MS and can't really function

Sounds like you should seek a POA or guardianship as well. You should then be able to assist your mother with the process of divorce.

Make sure her will is up to date as well.
Answer #3: Is your mother on the deed? Was the house purchased during their marriage?Answer #4: More importantly, is your father's name on the deed? If he has no ownership interest, the girlfriend can't do anything with the house.


Title: Falsely accused of adultery

Question:
Cincinnati, OH

I live in a three story apartment complex with my wife, which we'll be moving out of within the next couple of weeks. A man from the second floor has come up to my door twice today. The first time to ask if I'm having sex with his wife, and the second to say that his wife admitted to having sex with me.

I DO NOT EVEN KNOW THESE PEOPLE.

Called the police and they came out. They said that they had been at that couple's apartment for the past month because her husband keeps accusing her of cheating on him. The officer said that it was her opinion that this man is slightly unstable.

I love my wife and would never cheat on her. This man is convinced that I am his wife's lover. The officer stated that he has not been violent with all of her dealings with him, but I still worry for my wife and my own safety.

After the second dealing with him, I went down to his apartment to try and convince this man that I am not the one he's looking for. He has recordings of his wife, both video and audio. Heard a dog in one recording. I have a dog, ergo it must be me. I was in his apartment for a total of three minutes before saying I have nothing to do with this and walking out.

What do I do?

Answer:
 I would minimize contact and document any other contact by making a (non-emergency) report to the police. If the behavior continues, it may constitute [menacing by stalking](http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/2903.211) and you may be able to get a [protective order](https://www.womenslaw.org/laws/oh/restraining-orders/stalking-or-sexually-oriented-offense-protection-orders/getting-and-0).

However, this could all blow over since you're moving so soon. Any chance you can move out early?


Title: Should i sign this work place memo.

Question:
Memo States

"The driver and passenger of the **** patrol vehicle are responsible for any damage tyo the vehicle they may cause through carelessnesss or negligence. This includes opening the door while not following the procedures below. You work in a high wind enviroment and the driver's side door of the patrol vehicle has had to be replaced a number of times because of this. This is entirely preventable situation and expense. Failure to follow these procedures may result in disciplinary action, up to, and including termination.

Policy

1. ********* has a prevailing west wind. When parking the patrol vehicle, you wil park in a westward facing direction, or facing the direction of the wind if coming from a different direction.

2. when the driver and /or passenger opens the door to the patrol vehicle, you will securley hold onto the door through the process of opening the door, entering and exiting the vehicle and closing the door.

3 the doors of the vehicle will remain closed when it is left unattended

4 All employees will sign that they have read and understand this policy."

My concern is they are asking us to take responibility for acts of god we have no control over. by signing this memo can it be legally binding enough that if the wind tore the door apart can i be held financially responsible.

This is coming down from three seperate events of wind damage to the drivers door on the vehicle.

United States

Answer:
 NAL

This doesn't seem unreasonable to me.  Number one could be tricky but, at most, would only lead to wasted time finding appropriate parking.Answer #2: You're already "responsible for any damage to the vehicle they may cause through carelessnesss or negligence" under common law. I think this is more of acknowledgement that you've read and understood the proper way to open your door when there is strong wind. Answer #3: They're not asking you to take responsibility for something you have no control over. They're telling you you DO have control over this and asking you to confirm you've been informed of this.

If you follow procedure and the vehicle is still damaged, this agreement won't hold you responsible.

That's not to say the company won't still try to hold you responsible, but it would not be supported by this agreement. Answer #4: I lived in Kansas for almost 20 years. That wind can rip a car door out of your hand no matter how carefully you open it.

What if you can’t park facing into the wind? Few parking lots have 360 degrees of parking. You usually get 2 options for which direction your car can face.


Title: Roofing dispute, quote was X but invoice was 10X, now in process of going to court, in Ontario, Canada

Question:
Received quote for roofing job that was X, i.e. $5000, but it was written as $50,00.00 (we read it as 5k, never noticed comma, but vendor claims to have meant $50k)
Involved replacing shingles, skylights, vents, soffits, insulation and eaves, etc

The job is all done, no issues with that. But come invoice time, that's when we realize they meant 50k, not 5k. This is our first ever large renovation, so yes, stupid on us for not realizing that.

Other facts
- we did not get other quotes from other roofers (rookie mistake)
- they did not collect any deposit for the 50k
- paid 100$ assessment fee
- quote was corrected once as description forgot to mention skylight repair, and I asked if the total price would change
- no subtotals throughout quote, only one final total

We are in the discovery phase and are representing ourselves, any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Answer: You can still get quotes from other roofers, to see what their quote would have been. You will probably have to pay them a few bucks, because you will clearly not be giving them the work.


Title: Neighbor is using binoculars to record guests license plates

Question:
I own 12 acres of land in Rural Colorado.  Our 12 acres is only accessible via an access easement that runs across our neighbor's property.  On our 12 acres, I have a shooting range that I allow friends and family to use on occasion.  Our neighbor has begun coming up to the fence line and using binoculars to, I believe, record the license plates of vehicles using the range. The range is about 50 yards from the fence line, and almost a half mile away from his house.  I have personally seen him do this, and I have reports from at least 4 other people of him doing it to them too... is this harassment, and what legal recourse do I have to prevent this?

TIA

Answer: Nothing illegal. Just a weird busy body.


Title: I lost my job over a misunderstanding and they took it as “i quit”

Question:
Hello, to give more details about everything. I work at UCLA in dining services and it is good work during the school year. For the summer, people with less seniority usually get furloughed (no work until the next school year). But dining halls can call you and ask if you’d like to cover a shift for the day and so on. There just isn’t a set amount of hours or promised work weeks.

I got called into work, and they scheduled me for the next day but i got a job offer for something more steady over the summer so i called the dining hall (not my main one) and left a voicemail stating “i would not be able to work at this dining hall as I’ve found work for the summer” and that manager took it as i quit and completely terminated my contract with UCLA. As I’m no longer an employee, i was never notified by UCLA, i had no idea that i didn’t have a job to return to until a month later.

Now i just have no idea what to do, i called my union and explained the situation and they’re working it out but if there’s anything else i could do that would benefit me, i highly need this job as i lost my mother late last year to cancer and this is my only means of surviving cause I’m by myself. Any help would be appreciated

Sorry for the formatting, this is my first time posting.

Answer: I feel for you for what you're going through and hope this can all be resolved.  However, if I had a voicemail like that left without further explanation, I could make the mistake of thinking you quit as well.  And, I like to think I am pretty well reasoned and of sound judgement.  Your best and probably only bet is going through work channels such as your union and explaining it was a misunderstanding.


Title: My friend and I got jumped by a group of 16-17 year olds who we know the names of (australia)

Question: It took place about an hour ago at 10:30pm on a sunday outside a 7/11 which had cameras facing where the assault took place, there were about 6-8 of them and two of us and we both have cuts and brusing on the face (although not too severe) if  we were to go to the police tomorrow morning and press charges what could be done and would it be worth it? Thanks

Answer: tell you parents and then go seek medical treatment to ensure no major injuries. report it to the police (assault/battery, comspiracy, various other possibilities depending on circumstances) and then contact an attorney regarding a civil suit for damages.


Title: Is there any recourse for employees who have been mistreated by employer through subtle abuses and bullying tactics (IL)

Question:
My coworkers and I have expressed concerns internally about mismanaged expectations (telling client we will do x by y before the person handling x is informed about it, then becoming upset when x is rushed and incomplete or not done by promised time usually same day), unethical requests (faking documentation), and inconsistent implementation of policy (this team has to do the things, their peer group does not). The employees like me who are trying to solve problems and handle conflict responsibly are at our wits end and I am unsure whether this is a battle than cannot be won and therefore should not be started, or if giving up so quickly is what allows the behaviors to continue. The industry is unregulated for the most part (marketing) and people I’ve talked to about this say it’s not worth the effort to try and fight them on their bs. These behaviors are not outright discriminatory, but the way I see things being handled is concerning to me because the leadership knows we are not well off and need the job. People end up just leaving but I’m curious about the legal implications of these abuses I’ve seen happening for some time. My trouble is that it seems unless they are screaming and throwing things at people, they can do whatever they want because they’re in charge.

Tl;dr
Can my employer legally be held accountable for being cruel and inconsistent or am I being too delicate?

Answer:
 >  Can my employer legally be held accountable for being cruel and inconsistent

No, being a jackass is not illegal.

> unethical requests (faking documentation)

Depending on the documents and who the forgeries are being provided to this may be an issue.


Title: is it legal for a landlord to block access to a paid service such as Netflix?

Question:
My Landlord is using open DNS to deny me access to netflix which is a service i pay for directly through Netflix and not him.  My lease agreement does not specifically cover the internet so as far as i can tell he can block what ever he wants when ever he wants and I can't do anything about that, but would blocking me from using my Netflix account be an exception because He is preventing me from receiving goods and/or services which I have already paid for?

This is not a case of total internet shut down, but targeted open DNS blocks on several of my high trafficked websites.  I would be pleasantly delighted to be wrong about not being able to do anything about it.

Answer:
 Moooove out of your parent's house and stop calling your stepdad your landlord you weirdo.Answer #2: >but would blocking me from using my Netflix account be an exception because He is preventing me from receiving goods and/or services which I have already paid for?

No.  Not at all.  You are not entitled to free bandwith.


Title: Landlord isn't advertising the apartment I vacated (Ohio)

Question:
I posted earlier this morning.  I contacted my landlord and the story has changed.

&nbsp;

I broke my lease because of a cockroach infestation.  The law says I have to give the landlord 30 days to fix the problem.  I can't live with cockroaches for 30+days, so I vacated the apartment and turned in my keys. I gave a proper legal written report of the problem to my landlord including appropriate code citations and the threat of escrow.

&nbsp;

I moved out by the end of July and still paid August rent.  Now September is coming up and I don't want to have to keep paying for this fiasco.  I am thinking about putting my rent in escrow, but I'm not sure what this will accomplish.

&nbsp;

The landlord has hired a professional exterminator and according to the county this is all that they are required to do, even if the problem isn't fixed.  I'm so outraged when I think about the situation.  If I put my rent in escrow will the courts try to mediate an outcome between us, or will they just see that the landlord is trying and hand my money over to him?

&nbsp;

They also are making no outward appearances of advertising my unit in the manner they advertise their others.
&nbsp;

Should I call their bluff and just stop paying?  That is what my friends keep advising.  Is having an eviction on my record really that bad? There are no lawyers that really specialize in this, so I have no idea who to trust.

&nbsp;

I am in Cuyahoga County,

PREVIOUS POST:
&nbsp;

On July 1, 2016 I took possession of an apartment. By July 7 I noticed the cockroach infestation. I called the health board, wrote a bunch of letters to the landlord threatening escrow (citing local code), and contacted my local tenant organization.
&nbsp;

Everyone told me that as long as the landlord showed they had a professional exterminator dealing with the problem there wasn't a whole lot I could do. I had to give him time to fix it.
Obviously I can't sleep with 2 inch bugs crawling above my head, so by July 20 I turned the keys back in and vacated the apartment.
&nbsp;

I paid August rent and the landlord put it back on the market.
Conversations between he and I always get heated and emotional on my part cause I'm pissed that I've paid $1500 (security and 2mos rent) on a place I spent 5 nights in.
&nbsp;

Legally I know I'm on the hook until it's re-rented. Today I looked into things to see what I should do about September.
&nbsp;

It is saying I no longer have an active account on the Landlord's website where I paid rent. My apartment isn't listed as available on their site, and there's no Craigslist ad (the company heavily promotes there).
So it seems they have re-rented my place and not informed me about it. I want to get my ducks in a row before I reach out to them.
&nbsp;

So my question: am I entitled to my security deposit back even though I broke my lease? It seems like they should just to play nice, but they are not known for being nice.
Like my title says, I'm in Ohio.

Answer:
 >The law says I have to give the landlord 30 days to fix the problem. I can't live with cockroaches for 30+days, so I vacated the apartment and turned in my keys.

Does it? IANAL, but it likely depends upon how infested the place is. You have warranty of habitability, and the landlord has an obligation to protect you from conditions which endanger your health and safety. If one can prove that the place was *so infested* that it was practically impossible to live there, then judges have been known terminate the lease or consider one constructively evicted. But the place has to be so infested that you can reasonably claim that you had no choice but to abandon the apartment.

Have you spoken with an attorney? You are at the point now where you should. At the very least, they can likely negotiate a termination of the lease for you.

*Edited for clarity*


Title: AC company giving my dad the runaround?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 1st thing is get at least 3 other companies to look at it and put it in writing what is wrong. Take lots of pictures. You want to document everything. Your parents will have to pay to replace the system. Once that is done you can take the old company to court.
I had to do the same thing and won in court because they are the professionals and you shouldn't need to hire someone else to check their work.


Title: Can I be arrested at the DMV if theres a warrant out for my arrest? IL

Question: I live in Illinois and theres a warrant out for my arrest for not showing up to court. My new court date has been scheduled but the warrant remains until then and I absolutely NEED a new State ID. Will they be able to arrest me there if I'm just going to get a State ID not a drivers license?

Answer:
 There is no "immunity" at the DMV.

You can be arrested there if a police officer finds out that you have a warrant.

Will they find out?  I have no idea.Answer #2: I've personally been in an Illinois DMV and watched someone get arrested for an outstanding warrant. Take it as you will, OP.


Title: [Ann Arbor, MI] My landlord is charging me full rent for a partial month

Question:
I'll be moving in to my new apartment mid August and my landlord is charging me full price for the month. My move out date is stated as July 31st as of next year. Is it legal to charge a full months rent for a partial occupancy? In my experience landlords would prorate the month to reflect the partial charge.

Edit (Additional information): I'll be replacing current tenants who move out on August the 10th. I will not have access to the room for the entire month of August 2015.

Answer: Ok, your landlord is wanting to charge you rent while another tenant is occupying the unit? I haven't looked up the code, but I can assuredly tell you he can't do that.


Title: Living alone in highschool

Question: So basically my parents are moving to the opposite side of the country in summer. I am currently a junior in high school. Although I am old for my grade and will be 18 before this summer. I currently live in Tennessee. I would really like to continue to live in Tennessee while I finish high school. I have a few options of where I could stay but it is not currently in my school district. I would like advice towards the legal access I have to get grandfathered into my current high school and still live in TN without my parents. Is there any legal reasons I must be with my parents during high school even if I'm 18? I am in a good relationship with my parents and they would be helping me financially. I do work as well making roughly $400 more or less per two weeks. I do have my own reliable transportation as well. I'd also like help with any questions I haven't thought of regarding this matter. Thank you very much for any help.

Answer:
 If you're an adult you can do adult things but you have to pay for them and be responsible for everything.  Talk with your parents about this.

Edit: missed the district.  Talk to your principal to see if a waiver is possible.Answer #2: You're legally an adult, so no you're not required to live with them, but unless you've got someone to essentially foster you, you'll have to provide for yourself while still spending probably close to 8 hours a day in class.

I supported myself my senior year while living with my boyfriend, and even with him working a full time job and me working part time, it was a hungry year, and my grades slipped a lot. Plus you can absolutely forget about extracurriculars. Basically everything fun about high school will no longer be an option, so really think long and hard about whether or not it's worth it.


Title: Resigning; Employer is threatening to deduct wages for previously used vacation

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 >I know this isn't legal.

You are wrong.  103.455 doesn't apply to you in this situation.  That statute prohibits deductions for  "defective or faulty workmanship, lost or stolen property or damage to property . . . ."  That isn't what is happening here.  They advanced you pay for leave which you had not yet earned.  They can recover that out of your last paycheck.

>This is a pretty sketchy situation, and definitely isn't right. They can't deduct my wages for any reason.

Its not sketchy and is entirely right.  They can deduct your wages, if they didn't you would be getting paid for time you didn't earn and that is what wouldn't be right.


Title: [TX] Filing for divorce and my wife wants to sign a second lease. What am I obligated to pay for?

Question:
We’ve been married less than 3 years. Throughout this time I have had the sole income and have put her through graduate school. She has been studying full-time for her career (i.e., not maintaining the household). This summer she will graduate with a doctorate and plenty of earning potential. We have no kids.

Divorce is decided and soon to be filed. It will be a no-fault divorce.

We rent our apartment. She claims that our apartment is uninhabitable to her for emotional reasons, even if I offer to stay with family and friends and leave her the place. She wants to leave the lease and sign a different lease with some friends.

Emotionally, I would support her doing this, but she feels entitled (morally and legally) to a lot more financial support than I think is reasonable. Here are my questions:

Between now and when our divorce is final:

* I am assuming I will have to pay all rent on our current lease (as I have always done) with no expectation of recovering this, but let me know if that is incorrect.
* If she says she cannot live in our apartment, am I obligated to leave the apartment or provide her an alternate housing option?
* If she signs a separate lease, how does it affect me, my separate estate, our community estate?
* Am I obligated to pay for her living expenses?
* As of a week ago, she had plenty of money in personal (non-community) accounts to cover her expenses. She has since transferred that to her parents’ accounts. Does that affect my obligation to pay her living expenses?
* Do I have the right to prevent her signing a second lease? Alternatively, is there something I can do to ensure that if she signs a second lease, it obligates me to nothing, does not reduce her obligation in our current lease, and does not affect our community property?
* Are my obligations different at the different stages of the divorce process (e.g., during the 60 day waiting period after filing)?

During divorce negotiations:

* How would a court divide our lease and a possible second lease that she may sign? It seems like the fair way to do things would be that we share equal responsibility for our current lease, and any second lease would be her responsibility alone. However, I am concerned that a second lease would be assigned partially to me if we are married when it is signed. I am also concerned that all liability in general may be assigned to me disproportionately since I currently provide the sole income.

After divorce:

* Is there any way she would be entitled to spousal support/alimony? This seems wild to me given the circumstances but she feels she is entitled to it.
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer:
 Alimony is not awarded in Texas, and spousal support is only under specific circumstances that don't seem to apply.

However, if your soon to be ex is hiding funds (transferring money to her parents) you need legal representation.  This is not going to be an easy divorce.Answer #2: Oh boy, she's already transferring potentially community asssets already and basically demanding alimony. Texas is a community property state you're going to be on the hook if you sign another lease.

Do not, and I mean, do not, agree to anything, sign for anything, and do not move out until you consult a attorney. She's going to demand alimony, and bleed you for everything she can.

**Get a attorney now**Answer #3: She is getting ready to take you to the cleaners.

Get a lawyer.


Title: My brother is divorcing his wife, she has opened credit cards in his name, opened his mail and stole cards. Cops said they can’t do anything? (Florida)

Question:
My brother filed for divorce in May of 2018. It has been a ridiculous Process. Most recently he found out she has opened 3 credit cards in his name, attempted to open 2, and Maxed out 3 of his cards she never had access to. His lawyer (who is very hard to reach) told him to make a criminal police report. Including filing a report regarding his car. She uses a vehicle in his name, while she is in New York right now, not in the state of Florida and won’t tell him who has the car or where it is (it is not in New York).

The officer who came to his house told him there was nothing he could do. Because they are married it is not illegal for her to do any of this. And basically told him he is SOL as far as her opening cards/stealing his money and adding debt.

I guess my question is, does he really have no recourse legally with her basically stealing his identity? I also forgot to mention she has opened his mail after he told her not to.

This is just a very small portion of the crazy and vindictive things she has done. Thank you in advance for your time reading and answering my question.

Answer:
 Was the officer at least willing to make a report? If so, he could at least use that as evidence to the credit card companies that the debts are not his, either when they sue him or he needs to dispute the fraud on his credit report.Answer #2: Police won’t do much.
https://www.fbi.gov/resources/victim-services/seeking-victim-information/assistance-for-victims-of-compromised-credit-card-information

Report it online to the feds call all 3 TransUnion ect have them lock your credit history. Request copy’s from all 3 dispute all bogus things she did. On the 3 cards you do have call them inform them what’s going on and dispute everything.

As for the car I don’t know enough details to recommend what to do on that. As for the fraud on the credit report it will take time but, all will be removedAnswer #3: Your brother should take a look at this and follow what it says: https://old.reddit.com//r/personalfinance/wiki/identity_theft , especially locking down his credit and reporting the identity theft.Answer #4: Regarding the mail, did that happen in Florida or New York? Where ever it happened, contact the local post office... they don’t take too kindly to people opening mail that they are not supposed to.Answer #5: He should also contact his credit card companies and any companies he doesn't deal with that she got cards from. Credit card companies take fraud very seriously.Answer #6: Cops are not lawyers and should not be offering legal advice.  File a report online if you have too


Title: How can I dismiss and expunge a citation for “unnecessary and unusual noise”?

Question: I’m currently a student and live in an off campus house. My housemates were having a huge party and obviously got noise complaints. Police arrive and I am the only one in the house so the officer asks for my id and proceeds to write me a ticket. It states in violation of sec 255 sub 24. “On the date, time, and location the defendant knowingly and intentionally hosted a large house party which created noise that could be heard a block away”. I moved into this house much later than my housemates and I personally did not sign a lease but I have paid 2 months rent and a deposit. What is the best way to handle this? How can I get this dismissed and expunged? I am trying to become a state trooper or police officer and really do not want this affecting me negatively.

Answer: What's your defense?


Title: My father has a car that he is behind on payments with for over 3 years, No one wants it, what type of legal options does he have for getting rid of it

Question:
Car was purchased in USA, Pennsylvania. Currently living in Massachusetts.

My dad is way behind payments, shit got tough, even before we moved no one came to repo the car even though our address was on documented (my dad fell behind on the payments about a year before the move)

My grandma has even apparently called repo companies in the area who said they wont touch the car because they dont have an order out for it.   I guess its in control of the bank because my dad took a loan out for the car, so the bank owns the car or something. My grandma also said she called the bank and they said they dont want the car (im assuming they just want the money)

At the same time, when we moved up here though my mother was threatened that a warrant was going to go out for her arrest (my moms name was on the loan too) for stealing the car.

Theres a shop down the street that doesnt care if its not being paid for they can just junk it and they'll give my dad some money for it (my grandmother for some reason doesnt understand that this is illegal because we dont own the car, even though we've lived up in mass for quite a few years now even if they were to one day show up, my dad would have no answer for what happened to the car)

We dont have the title on the car so we cant get it registered in the state so we cant get it inspected (It would probably look funny driving around with a PA license plate and a Mass inspection sticker)

My grandma wants the car to go. It causes a lot of fights, I dont think any of us really know what to do with it

What can we do to get the title of the car, or at the least get the car off the property legally

edit: Some addition details i shoulda mentioned,  Cars been around for about 7 or 8 years.

We DIDN'T run from the debt, like I said things got hard and our house was seized by the bank. we had no where to go, we'd be homeless, I was 16 and in highschool, we moved up to live with family.
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 > What can we do to get the title of the car

You can pay the loan off.


Title: Internship is requiring me to provide part of my promised salary for myself

Question:
Hello! I'm new to this sub and not very knowledgeable when it comes to the world of legal advice, so I am here to ask a question.

I have a summer internship coming up, where I work for 7 weeks and they give me a $2,000 scholarship in return. However, they are now informing me of their "give/get" campaign, which requires that I pick either give or get. If I pick give, I agree to give $250 of my promised salary back to the company. If I pick get, then I am required to send campaign letters to 10 mailing addresses asking for donations, aiming to reach $250 in gathered funds. I have already picked give because the letters are due tomorrow and I did not know until today.

They are a non-profit organization so I can understand why they might fundraise here and there, but I feel like this is on the border of legal. Is this something that they are able to do? It was advertised as a $2,000 scholarship, so I feel like this is a sly move on their part.

Answer:
 This sounds like it was done in a really scummy way, but they can require you to participate in fundraising \(the get option\).

This is not legal advice, but as a former intern and non\-profit manager, I would say it's totally okay to send your boss an email or text and say you've changed your mind, and your letters are going out tomorrow.

You can also just say you are not in a place where you can afford to "give" and need some extra time for the "get" option.

Copy and paste a generic fundraising letter that you find online, and mail it to large corporations. It'll likely get tossed and your obligation is fulfilled. Answer #2: Do you have any signed documentation?  Their wording will be important.  If they have any ambiguous wording in the advertisement, that works in their favor.  If you signed anything that detailed how the scholarship would be delivered, they can't spring a different means of acquiring it afterwards.Answer #3: What are the repercussions of not raising the $250.00 from choosing "Get"


Title: [CA] Friend is dealing with a squatter.

Question:
My friend has been dealing with a squatter who has racked up thousands in utility bills in her name, has not paid rent in 6 months moved another friend in, and continues to find ways around unlawful detainers and using hazardous living situation/bankruptcy to throw wrenches into the slowly grinding gears of the local justice system.

I have full permission to move in as a tenant and/or another squatter. I have permission to do absolutely whatever I want. Loud parties, be obscene in every imaginably legal way, whatever.

What would my repruccussions be if I "squat" and just change the locks?

What could be potential repruccussions if I be a "tenant" and make life miserable, maybe start inflating 10,000 balloons and fill the entire house? If she called the cops on me multiple times as a "tenant," what could possibly happen to me?

Basically what would be the best way to go about doing this without ending up in jail or with a misdemeanor?

Answer:
 >just change the locks?

Sued for illegal eviction

>what could possibly happen to me?

Depends on what laws you break.

Edit: and possibly sued for constructive eviction

The best thing to do is for the landlord to follow the law and file legal eviction proceedings in court


Title: Brother has an arrest warrant

Question:
My idiot little brother tried to shoplift. He said he tried to steal a necklace, but I know that's probably BS because the warrant on the municipal courts website said theft under $100.

He never mentioned to anyone, and now he has an arrest warrant on him..

It states the amount at $645.

If someone pays it will he be fine or will he still be possibly arrested?

Edit- not sure how to edit the title on baconreader but he is in Texas.

Answer: No, paying it off at this point does nothing about the warrant or the penalties he faces.  The most reasonable advice is to get a criminal defense lawyer and see about turning himself in under their advisement.


Title: Employee is obviously experiencing some kind of acute psychosis. Looking for advice on how to handle this from a legal standpoit. [California]

Question:
Hi team.  So I'm the supervisor of a small group of people in an office that has no HR.  I have a lady under me who is usually very kind and sweet and a good worker.  She has never been a problem. . . until now.  I am 90% sure she is experiencing a manic episode (I have bipolar 1 myself so I'm familiar with some of the symptoms.)  She has been very erratic and unpredictable, moving and rearranging her desk as well as talking about demons and mind reading and aliens and all kinds of crazy things.  Yesterday she came to work wrapped in christmas lights with rocks taped to the bulbs because "it blocks psychic beams." She is very quickly becoming an office pariah and she is humiliating herself.  It's so sad (and it's double sad that no one else in the office sees that she's ill and is judging and laughing at her).

So obviously she is a huge disruption and others are starting to complain.  Upper management is ready to fire her but seriously guys, she is a great employee she is just sick.  I don't know the first thing about human resources or how to properly or legally deal with these sorts of things, but wouldn't it be possible for us to just give her a couple of weeks off and encourage her to see a doctor or something?  I am familiar with FMLA but in her state there is no way she is going to be able to go to a doctor, explain her situation, fill out paperwork and submit it properly.

I know this is only barely a legal question but I can't find another active sub where I would be able to connect with people who might have some good suggestions for me.  Any help is appreciated.  I just need a way to deal with this that will satisfy upper management and help this woman first of all get better and second of all keep her job.

Thank you so much.

Answer:
 If she's not able to take care of herself, call Adult Protective Services, or whatever it's called where you live.  That would be a place to start.  They might be able to help you find a next step.Answer #2: When she was hired on, did your employer obtain paperwork from her that would list "in case of emergency" contact info?  'Cause this is an emergency.Answer #3: You can tell her you're worried about her health and offer to drive her to the hospital.

You can call the police and they can determine if her behavior has reached the level of a 5150--that will allow them/an ambulance to involuntarily transport her for an emergency psych evaluation.Answer #4: Call Adult Protective Services. That's what they are there for.


Title: What do you think about expanding the definition of sexual assault to include situations where one lies about being on birth control or sabotage condoms?

Answer:
 I think that lying about being on birth control may fit more under rape by deception.

There is a push [in New Jersey](http://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2015/02/nj_man_who_inspired_rape_by_fraud_bill_sentenced_t.html) to create a sexual assault by deception law which states;

>"an act of sexual penetration to which a person has given consent because the actor has misrepresented the purpose of the act or has represented he is someone he is not."

I can see lying about birth control definition carved out in a similar fashion.Answer #2: A [particular case in Nova Scotia](http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/condom-piercer-loses-supreme-court-appeal-1.2563227) appears to have established exactly this precedent. In addition, the attempt to extradite Julian Assange to Sweden appears to have originated from a similar situation, and I remember a particularly silly episode Law and Order: SVU wherein the detectives catch a man in the act of condom sabotage and proceed to confront him with the dozens of former girlfriends he impregnated by stealth and then left.


Title: [NYC] I'm about to become an illegal subletter. What problems might this cause for me?

Question:
I'm working in NYC for the summer, and I signed a sublease agreement with a guy who is conducting field research out of the country for the summer. I'm supposed to move in on Saturday.

I found out today (from my sublessor) that he did not follow the proper procedures for notifying his landlord (management company) of his intent to sublet, and instead told the management company that I was a friend who would be taking care of his apartment while he was away (i.e., a guest). Additionally, my sublease specifically provides that I am allowed to have a pet (and we specifically negotiated this term); but while the building is pet friendly, he does not pay pet rent, and his lease with the management company does not authorize him to have a pet.

This information came to light when the sublessor told me that the management company had told him that guests are not allowed to bring pets into the building (which doesn't surprise me—but, of course, I didn't plan to be a "guest"). He relayed the information to me, but basically said that he didn't think it would be a big deal.

I let him know that I was unhappy with this situation and that I would not have entered the lease if I had had known that he did not actually have the authority to sublet or to allow me to have a pet, but I haven't decided how I want to deal with it. It will be pretty difficult for me to make new arrangements in the next three days, so I'd like to do what I can to make the current arrangement work.

&nbsp;

**My general question is: what problems might I face if I proceed with the subletting arrangement as it stands?**

&nbsp;

**What could happen with respect to my ability to occupy the apartment if the management company discovers that I'm an illegal subletter?** My understanding is that NYC's laws place no restrictions on overnight guests (even in the tenant's absence) as long as the tenant is not taking payment from the guest while the tenant lives elsewhere. I'm only going to be living there for three months. Would I be correct in thinking that, as a practical matter, if we maintain that I am just a visiting friend (which is what my sublessor has told his landlord), I am not at serious risk of being denied the right to occupy the apartment? I understand that my agreement is with my sublessor, and his agreement is with the management company, but I have no idea how my status as a "guest" would affect the management company's ability to deny me access to the apartment. **Even if the management company decides that I'm not a guest and instead (correctly) determines that I'm an illegal subletter, does it have the power to evict me?**

&nbsp;

**What could happen with respect to my ability to have my dog visit the apartment?** Again, as a practical matter, I'm not sure how big a deal this will be—the dog will be remaining at my permanent residence with my husband for the summer, but boarding is inconvenient and expensive (and I'm going to miss the dog!), so my husband plans to bring the dog with him when he comes to visit me every other or every third weekend. There are a lot of dogs in my sublessor's building, and our dog isn't a barker, so it seems unlikely that our "illegal dog" will be detected during his infrequent visits, but being able to have my husband visit with the dog was sufficiently important to me that I only considered apartments that were advertised as "dog-friendly" and made sure that a term specifically allowing the dog was included in my sublease. Again, I understand that my agreement with my sublessor is separate from the lease he has with the management company, but what will happen if I'm told by someone from the management company that I can't have the dog in the apartment? Can I tell them to take it up with their tenant (my sublessor) and go about my business, or will that have a domino effect, putting him in breach of his lease and subjecting him to eviction . . . thereby subjecting me to eviction?

&nbsp;

**Lastly, is there anything I can do to amend the lease to accommodate these newly discovered concerns, or should I consider the lease broken due to the fact that my sublessor is incapable of delivering on everything that was promised in the sublease?**

&nbsp;

**TL;DR: Signed a sublease with a guy. Found out he didn't get permission to sublet and didn't have the power to allow me to have a pet. Moving in three days. Should I be worried about the fact that actions I take in compliance with my sublease may put him in breach of his lease, or should I consider that his problem and stop worrying about it? Will representing to the management company that I am his guest, rather than a(n illegal) subtenant enable them to deny me access to the apartment for actions that breach his lease (but not my sublease)? Practically speaking, are these things that I just shouldn't worry about because illegal subletting is so prevalent in NYC?**

[Edited (7:43 am) for grammar.]

Answer:
 So. I am not a lawyer, but I am someone with practical experience of landlord-tenant disputes in NYC. This is not **legal** advice but rather **practical** advice that's applicable in the 95% of situations where neither landlord nor tenant are particularly litigious.

My general advice is just to relax. Take a deep breath. As you noted, these kind of situations are very common in NYC and almost every landlord turns a blind eye to tenants subletting. Even if things do take a turn for the worse, it will be your subletting landlord that ends up in the shit, not you.

You should be fine, as long as you don't lie and say you're a guest instead of subletting the place if shit hits the fan. Avoid admitting that if you can but if push comes to shove (ie, they start talking about you trespassing, etc.) you would be relatively safe if you're subletting. If you're a guest and the actual tenant isn't there and they decide they have a problem with you, then that can easily cause all sorts of problems. They may even determine you're trespassing and call the cops. But if you admit you're subletting you will have certain protections and the landlord would have a dispute with the official tenant, not you. You'll be fine. You wouldn't have to worry about having the locks changed on you, if they discover the pet they will just have to start charging the guy the pet surcharge and even if they do try to evict the actual tenant the process moves so slowly that your housing should be safe until your summer placement is over.


Title: A guy dropped 3 plates on my leg at the gym... [Canada]

Question:
...I escaped the worst of it, but should I still sue 2.5 months later?

I was at my local college gym. A guy who was squatting 315lbs decided that it was best that he removed 3 plates off 1 side of the bar, so the other side of the bar with the other 3 plates proceeded to slip off and rained down on my leg. Luckily, feeling the first plate graze my knee, I moved my leg out of the way only to have the other 2 plates graze my shin. The guy responsible quickly tried to tell the staff at the gym that he "didn't see what happened" and that it wasn't his fault. The gym was very cramped and I was in no fault at all from where I stood, on my side of the squat rack. The guy was irresponsible. The rack/weights are very old, I'd say a few decades old, hence the weights slip off easily. My friend luckily was a witness and explained everything to the staff who took down a report. The gym staff just gave me some ice and told me to go home and that it would be healed in "no time".

My shin/ankle was severely bruised, and continues to ache to this day (2.5 months later). I may have been stupid not to call 911 that night instead my friend drove me back home. The pain got worse the night of the incident so I got my dad to drive me to the hospital for an x-ray. The doctor said nothing was affected on my shin bone, so I spent the following 3 weeks sitting around and icing/compressing/resting. The worst of it is now gone but there is still some discomfort and minimal bruising, so I went to my family doctor to get an xray and ultrasound 1.5 months into it, they didn't bother to call me back about it, I assume there's nothing long term although I am gonna go see the results soon.

I'm really angry at what has happened so far, mostly angry at myself for not responding more harshly against both the college gym and the idiot who made the irresponsible and lazy mistake. All in all there is an incident report and a hospital report (both with the respective institutions). Is that enough for me to sue these people? What would be the best way forward? I've gained weight and being unemployed has compounded my depression along with this.

My friend who was a witness is really pushing me to sue, but what would I sue for and is it even viable?

Answer: You tell us? Why do you want to sue? To make a point? If that's the case, don't bother. If you want to recoup any financial losses you suffered, that's a good reason. Answer #2: Call 911? Really?


Title: I want FULL custody of my child (CA)

Question:
Hello,

I \[30F\] currently have joint custody of my daughter \[9F\], but her father \[32M\] is a terrible and irresponsible father. He doesn't help her with homework, buy anything for her (I'm talking about necessities), help with doctor's pay, etc. I've dealt with this over the years and I'm really not looking for much from him. He doesn't help out with her because he has 3 other kids with his current girlfriend and says he doesn't have the money.

However, recently, having discovered that our daughter has been curious and watching porn on the phone I gave her, he wants to immediately point fingers and say that I am okay with all of this. First of all, I do think it is okay for her to be curious. He wants to immediately take her to a therapist and get her "treated." I don't agree with his parenting at all and he's actually always absent. I found out from our daughter that he is rarely around, and he just leaves her at home with his girlfriend and her kids, but he also won't give up custody.

I want full custody of my daughter now, and I was wondering if anyone could tell me what kind of paperwork I would need to file for court and if I need to gather any evidence?

Thank you in advance.

Answer:
 You're not getting full custody of your daughter. That rarely, if ever happens in non-extreme cases.

Talk to a family attorney if you'd like. You can get an official child support order if this agreement isn't working out for you. Answer #2: You have disclosed no grounds for you to get full custody.

In fact, I am concerned that you are not getting behind the father's suggestion that the 9 year old child gets therapy after being found to be viewing pornography.

You should get an attorney, and do exactly what the attorney says.  And, I suspect that the attorney will tell you that if you don't take this matter seriously, and you resist getting the child therapy, that that might be used against you in a custody battle.

Therapy does not necessarily mean that the child is being "fixed" or "treated", or there is anything wrong with the child.  But, it's important to have an objective person talk with the child about what she saw, how it effected her, and find out if there might be any other problems going on that lead to the age-inappropriate behavior.

Also, install monitoring and filtering software on your child's phone.Answer #3: If he's been a part of her life, even if it's not to your sanctification, for 9 years and there isn't anything major going on, I seriously doubt you're getting full custody of your child. You can try, but I seriously doubt the court is going to take away his ability to have some say in parental decisions. I'm not sure admitting that you're okay with allowing your 9 year old daughter  to watch porn would help your case, either. If you want to pursue this, I'd advise you to consult with a family law attorney in your area.


Title: A large dead branch from a neighbor's tree fell on my car and damaged it. Should they have to cover it?

Question: A large branch fell on my car and damaged the roof. I already filed a claim with my auto insurance company and I have the coverage to fix it but I still have a $500 deductible. Is it possible for me to get the neighbor's home insurance to cover it instead and save me this cost? How do I even go about doing that? I live in Massachusetts, if that helps.

Answer:
 You can ask your nieghbor for thier carrier and file a claim. If they won't give you thier insurance info you can sue them directly.

I doubt the home owners insurance will pay out and you'll likely piss off your neighbor.

If the branch was dead above your property you could have handled it on your side. If it was a known hazard you  should have likewise known not to park under it.

The nieghbor is responsible for known hazards on thier property. If the tree was otherwise healthy, the branch was your problem. If an unhealthy tree on thier property fell across the boundary because they neglected to address it, then it would be on them.


Title: pregnant sister's work dropped her right below full time so she no longer has insurance. PLEASE help!

Question:
Hi Reddit, I am posting on the behalf of my sister today. She is a PTA for a nursing facility in PA and her work has known she has been pregnant for 6 months now. Today the just reduced her to 20 hours a week which makes her ineligible for health insurance. She is obviously devastated. I am pretty angry myself and cant imagine they would like publicity of them dropping insurance on a lesbian that's due in 2 months.
No other job is going to pick her up for her to get insurance. What do you guys suggest is her best course of action here?
She could get married in a pinch. She has been with her significant other for 8 years and they have had a house together. apartment for 5.
Isn't there any law to prevent this? its 2016 after all! : (

Answer:
 Her being a lesbian and pregnant has nothing to do with this - unless someone can prove the only reason they reduced her hours is related to her either being pregnant or being a lesbian. That will be very hard to do.

She can (as /u/countykerry pointed out) purchase coverage on the exchange.


Title: On Today's Episode of Questions from Law & Order SVU: could a doctor lose her license by disclosing the patient's medical history...to the patient?

Question:
There is an episode of L&O: SVU where one of two identical male twins receives a botched circumcision (they're both [him](https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/560539756107284480/q-WJ9QHw_400x400.png)). The parents are like, "he's already halfway there, let's just make him a girl,  ^^(probably ^a ^direct ^quote)." The parents do not tell the twins the truth because a pervy therapist who makes the twins sexually molest each other convinces the parents not to.

 This all comes out when one of the twins commits a crime. The detectives finger the unaltered twin because DNA from the scene is male. The doctor to whom the title refers discovers the truth and wants to tell the twins. The pervy therapist threatens to report the doctor to the "medical review board." He says he'll have her license for what, to me, seems to be hardly as much as a HIPAA violation (there were people in the room other than the altered twin). She tells them anyway. The altered twin decides to live as a boy, explaining that he never once felt right.

 Law and Order SVU takes place in New York. The twins were minors. What would happen if the therapist followed through?

Answer:
 Fun fact: this is based on a real case.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Reimer?wprov=sfla1


Title: [Serious] Traffic Ticket

Question:
So i was driving my step sisters to there religious school and a NC State trooper pulled me over for not wearing a seat belt. I have been driving for almost a year now and rarely do I wear a seat belt. Not once have I been pulled over. When he asked if there was a reason, i said no. Didnt really think it through and now it might have made the situation worse. And tbh I was beginning to think cops actually cared about that. In any case im stuck with a $200 ticket. I have been **unemployed for 2 weeks** now and **dont have enough money** in my account to pay the **ticket and bills** (including $250 car bill) and $1000 debt. I need any and all advice to help me not pay this ticket. I have had a speeding ticket and I used my PFJ on that. But that is the only other ticket I have had. I live in NC and driving a 08Sentra if that matters.

**IF I COULD AFFORD IT, i WOULDNT MIND PAYING IT. BUT i CAN NOT AFFORD IT**

Answer:
 > I have been driving for almost a year now and rarely do I wear a seat belt.

FYI: this is incredibly stupid and dangerous.

You can try to fight it in court, but you would have no defense. You could plead guilty and ask lenience so that the fine is possibly reduced, but you would still have to pay whatever they determine that you have to pay. The court doesn't care that you can't afford it. You can ask the court clerks about possible payment plans.


Title: Shady motel - I think they're trying to fleece me

Question: Hi guys, I need some advice.  Last Saturday I met a kid that said he was turning 21 at the bar.  He asked if he could stay at my place because he had nowhere to go but I can't have strangers staying here.  I offered and got him a motel room at a local place for $65 signed on my CC, he seemed really nice and knew some people I know so I truly do believe he was ok.  The following day the Motel charged me $200.  I was never made aware of the charge even though the motel had my contact info.  I found out yesterday and called them to see what the charge was for (if they could tell me he broke something fine, I'll take it for being charitable).  They weren't able to tell me why they charged me the extra $200 but said they could after they called their payment company... they offered to update me later in the day at a specific time, they never did.  I called again today and the lady said to call back when the manager was there.  I called at her specified time and he wasn't there so I left my contact info again (nevermind they have it 3 times now) for a call later today.  That call never came.  I felt something sketchy so I disputed the charge with my CC.  What can I expect?  I truly feel they were trying to scam me as I never received notice of the charge on my card.  How do I stop them from doing this to other people??  I live in a semi-touristy area and I don't want our tourists to be taken advantage of.  All advice is welcome.  Thanks reddit!

Answer:
 It's not uncommon for a motel/hotel to make a charge not just for the room, but also for possible room service/minibar tabs. Then when they close out the account, that charge is reduced. Are you sure the charge is actually $200 and not some kind of hold?

Mind you, bless you for being such a nice guy but maybe, just maybe, don't do this again. You could have been on the hook for several thousand dollars worth of damage should he have trashed the room.

If you have a signed copy of the registration that says $65 then I think you were right to dispute the charge. Your CC company will follow through with the motel and then make a decision.


Title: My genitals were mutilated at birth by order of my parents, do I have any legal recourse?

Question:
My genitals were mutilated at birth in a public American hospital for religious reasons (non-medical) and consequently I have an extremely hard time 'getting off' from direct stimulation, I have a 2 inch scar and have had frequent infections as a baby or so I was told. I have experienced undue stress and hardship because of this in my opinion, both of my girlfriends informed me that my situation wasn't normal from their experiences. When I masturbate I have to stimulate the base of my penis and this can take quite awhile and makes sex extremely embarrassing.

I am not looking to reprimand the doctor or extract any measurable amount of wealth from my parents, i'm simply seeking a minor judgement ($100 would be fine) as I have no desire to pursue this criminally and afaik remediation is required for a civil case. If it isn't then i'll only ask that a finding of guilt is made. I wish to do this so I can finally put this terrible situation this behind me. I've made all the right, hard choices in life and have consequently done pretty well for myself, my biggest issue in life was forced on me at birth against my will and not being able to fix it has me quite depressed at times. Do I even have standing to take this to court?  I simply wish for male children to have the same protections as females, I can't begin to understand why it was legal for my parents to remove a portion of my penis due to some dogmatic religion.

Any thoughts or assistance would be greatly appreciated.

e: These replies were pretty harsh and largely incorrect, I contacted an accredited lawyer and if all goes as planned we will be petitioning the ninth circuit to hear our case. I meet with him later this week and the case will apparently be partially based on contingency which is more than I ever could have hoped for. Perhaps one day you will hear about this in the news and males will be afforded the same protection against infant genital mutilation as females, wish me luck.

Answer:
 >edit: Followed what happened to be the only factual advice here and contacted an accredited (irl) lawyer, we will be petitioning the ninth circuit to hear our case.

No, he won't.

First, you didn't contact a lawyer on a Sunday afternoon.

Second, you have to file a lawsuit in district court first, which requires an actual reason for federal jurisdiction, which you do not appear to have.Answer #2: Lol come on OP. Your edit is a lie, don't do that to us.

You expect us to believe that you actually talked to an "accredited" lawyer at this time on a Sunday evening/afternoon and came up with a plan to petition the 9th circuit in a half hour.

BULL. SHIT.Answer #3: Just in case the "petitioning the ninth circuit" in the edit to the original post didn't spell out troll strongly enough, the OP here replies to the /r/bestoflegaladvice thread by saying:
>[His username didn't immediately give it away that he was a troll? For wannabe internet lawyers y'all sure are thick.](https://www.reddit.com/comments/35j5ys//cr4wt2x)


Title: (CA) Upstairs neighbor's dogs urinate and defecate on deck above my patio, which drips down. Recourse if management company is unwilling to do anything?

Question: I live in an apartment building in the bay area in CA. My upstairs neighbor (moved in less than 1 month ago) has been letting her two small dogs use their deck to urinate and defecate, despite there being an abundance of grassy areas within 50 feet of the door. The waste leaks through the deck onto my outdoor, fenced in patio which is directly below. Our patio has essentially become unusable because of this as there is urine everywhere. I have left a polite note on my neighbors door asking them to stop and have contacted the management company as well asking them to intervene. They have been unresponsive in addressing previous issues with neighbors. Would I be within my rights to withhold paying all or some portion of my rent as long as this problem continues, as long as I make it clear to the company that the urine/feces problem is the reason why?

Answer:
 You have to actually give the management company a chance to fix the problem. When you asked them to intervene, did you do so in writing, preferably via certified mail?

Answer #2: Look up county/city ordinances on dog waste, or just call the code office and tell them. It will either be a code about picking up after your animal or something regarding not upkeeping a lot such that it causes a hazard or nuissance to neighbors (ie trash or animal waste causing a smell or contaminating neighboring property).


Title: Chicago, IL - Assaulted by bouncer

Question:
Hello,

I'm looking to what I should do next in an incident that occurred last night.

At around 1:55AM I was standing on a public sidewalk waiting for friends in front of a bar. Two bouncers approached me. A large black male and a smaller Italian male. The two approached me and told me that I was not allowed to stand where I was standing. I told them that I wasn't causing any trouble and that I was standing on public property. They told me that I had to take five steps backwards, which would've put me in the exit ramp of a parking garage. I told them I wasn't going to. The two bouncers began to become physical with me to the point that the large black male held back the smaller Italian guy. I ended up taking a step back while telling them that I didn't have to do anything that they were telling me to do.

After being forcibly moved by the bouncers, I went around them and stood closer to the curb. The two bouncers followed and I told them that they were assaulting me and that I would call the cops. They told me to go ahead and do so. My phone had been low on power during the night so I had it shut off. I powered it on but it was taking a while so the two bouncers called 911 first. When my phone powered on, I decided to turn on the camera. I have a shot where I am standing in the curb and then I bring the camera to eye height to film the encounter and point it towards the large black male. The male then (on camera) lunges for the phone. Punched my face under the right eye while tackling me to the ground and forcibly taking my phone from my hands.

Luckily, I was able to stop the video and lock the phone before they took it from me. The video is saved but it's only 4 seconds long. The bouncers then laughing saying I was going to jail and that they will just erase the video. I walked away from the two bouncers and awaited the police while the bouncers verbally assaulted me.

The police finally arrived and the bouncers said that I had assaulted them. The police asked me what happened. I told them exactly what happened and that I would  like my phone back. The police went and retrieved my phone from the smaller Italian male and handed it back to me and told me to go on my way. As I was walking away, I checked my phone to see if the video survived. It had. I showed he video to the officers that responded. They didn't seem interested in it so I recorded the two bouncers talking to the police to make sure I had video of both of them.

A couple hours later, I filed a police report on the incident with the Chicago police department. I cited the entire events including being restrained and assaulted by the employees on public property. I have mild swelling under my right eye and scratches on my chest from the incident. I still have both videos and if there is video of the street taken by the bar or city it will show that I did not initiate any violence, I never struck or physically touched either bouncer. Both of the bouncers initiated the physical contact and forcibly restrained and assaulted me.

Should I pursue this further and what would the next move be if I should?

Thanks for any help!

Answer: What are the odds that you were earlier kicked out of said drinking establishment?


Title: Custody of a child

Question:
Is it true I cannot have full custody of a child due to my psychiatric history? A friend told me this last night. I am not pregnant, and I have ovarian issues that may prevent me from ever getting pregnant, but if that happened it would be a blessing. I would want to give my child the best life I possibly could; better than I ever had growing up. But now since I was told I would never have full custody, I feel defeated. I have been in psychiatric units in the past. Is this true, that I could never have full custody of my own child? I am so upset about this and it breaks my heart. I am from the US, for context.

My psychiatric history simply consists of past suicidal ideations from 1) mental abuse 2) developing epilepsy at 24 & the trauma of that 3) childhood trauma 4) a near death experience in 2019

I posted on another r/legaladvice and was told by two people that my friend is wrong. Which is a huge relief. It was taken down because they said the question was hypothetical (messaged the moderators). Any additional information would be great! However, I may take this down since I already received an answer from two people. Thanks everyone!
Topic:
Update

Answer:
 No, just having a mental illness or history of psychiatric treatment doesn't automatically mean that you have to give up custody of your child.  There are lots of parents who have a mental illness.

The only reason that a mental illness or other health issue would result in your losing custody would be if you were unable to care for your child for some reason.  For example, you won't lose custody if you have depression.  But if, due to your depression, you neglect your child, the child may be taken out of your care.

Even in cases where a child is removed from your care, it's usually only for a short time.  So, in the case of our depressed mother, if she starts treatment and shows that she has improved, she'll be allowed to have her kid back.

>A friend told me this last night.

Have you considered that this person isn't actually your *friend*?


Title: I'm taking this guy to small claims court

Question: [removed]

Answer:
 Sorry but your post isn't clear to me.

What I understand is that:

1. you bought a car.

2. you financed the car and the monthly payment is around $450.

3. You believe the car to be a lemon.

4. you taking the seller to small claims court (has nothing to do with the financing/insurance).

5. you believe that you will win by default (I don't know why you believe that they seller won't show up but okay).

what I don't know

1. What legal question you have.

2. why you believe that your car would get repo'd and why that would look bad on their end?


Title: Is it legal to work remotely for a US company if I move out of the US?

Question:
I am a US citizen and will be moving out of the US soon. I work from home for a company in my state, and I was wondering if it was legal to continue working for them once I move out of the US. Since I won't have my current US address anymore, I've heard that if I set up a PO Box or use a mail-forwarding service in my current state as my address, then that's fine - but I wanted to ask to see if anyone knows for sure.

If it is not legal, then I will just quit my current job once I've moved. I don't want to risk doing anything that could get me into trouble, so that's why I'm asking. Thanks :)

Answer:
 Many US companies outsource various portions of their labor force.  I see no legal issue with United States law with you working remotely from outside the USA.

There may be other legal issues like taxes and stuff that could be wildly different from working from within the USA, but those are just complications, not legal barriers.


Title: I [26F] just found out my old fwb [33M] took a secret sex tape of us and then shared parts of it with a group chat of his male friends

Question:
[removed]
Topic:
Douche

Answer:
 Police report.
Civil lawsuit.
Answer #2: This would be considered revenge porn in the UK but its also voyeurism since you didn't know. Please get him convicted. Answer #3: Darieth Chisolm had her ex-BF do this with revenge porn. He sent photos of her undressed to her colleagues.

She found that she had to report it to the FBI and they had to have actual photos of her private parts so they could charge the criminal with copyright infringement? It was something like that. In her case, no state or national law protected her from these being spread all over the Internet, so copyright law was the only thing she could invoke.

Here is her TED talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/darieth_chisolm_let_s_call_revenge_porn_what_it_is_digital_domestic_violence

She started a non-profit to try to get laws changed and help others. Maybe you can find help there? https://www.50shadesofsilence.com/survivors-message/

Please do not despair in going after this guy. The political tides have turned a bit and now maybe law enforcement and lawyers will listen to you. Answer #4: Did this take place in HK? Is he still in HK?

I'm not sure, but I'm reasonably certain this isn't legal. If this took place in HK and you're both still there, let me know and I'll ask a friend of mine in the HK police force what you should do.


Title: Received job offer, worked a few days, and then the job offer was rescinded. What now?

Question:
Job offer was in California, but I live out of state.

Just like the title says, I was offered a job as a video creation position for a startup in Silicon Valley. After a month-long intense 1 audition and 5 interviews (3 phone/skype, and 2 in-person), I finally received the call on a Wednesday that they were giving me a verbal job offer. The hiring manager told me the salary, relocation package, benefits, stock options, and relocation fees. The agreement was I would work remotely until I moved out to the SV about a month later.

They said they would send me a written job offer on that Friday, but in the meantime I was receiving e-mails from one of the marketing managers wanting to go over ideas for the first video.  He wanted me to hurry and rush a rough draft out, and come up with a detailed 100 day strategy plan.  Thursday night I sent both over, and the next morning I had some feedback and ideas for changes for the next draft.  Friday morning, I got a text from the hiring manager that  things were still good to on the written job offer, but they just needed until Monday to finish the written offer. He told me to keep working with the other manager on the video drafts.  Over the weekend I worked on two more video drafts corresponding with the marketing manager until he just stopped e-mailing me.

I texted the hiring manager again on Monday and he set me up for a phone call the next day, where he as nicely as he could told me they had changed their mind, and decided to not move forward after all. I understand that since I didn't receive written offer I may not have many options, but I sent them an invoice for 3 days of work at the hourly rate I would have made based on their job offer.  It has been almost a week and I haven't heard anything back about if they will reimburse me.  I turned down a few promising interviews I could had had because I thought I had the job, and now I am pretty far set back. Any help would be appreciated as I don't know what to do other than to keep applying for other jobs.

Answer: You’re entitled to be paid for the time you worked. But that is really the extent of your recourse.


Title: Girlfriends room mate spilled wine on my laptop and won't pay.

Question: [deleted]

Answer: You can sue her in small claims court, for which you don't need a lawyer. You are only entitled to the market value of the laptop just before being damaged minus what she's already paid you.


Title: Do people have an expectation of privacy in someone else's office?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 If you think people are coming into your office without permission you need to notify your supervisor not play detective. Unless this is your business and you're paying the rent, it's not "your" office.Answer #2: OP, is this a government office? That could seriously change the rules, especially if its supposed to be a secure area with privileged information.  A lot of private firms/think tanks also handle privileged information.

Setting up an unauthorized VPN into one of these places is a huge no no. Thats like spy level no no.

Source: not a lawyer, but I grew up going to my dad's office on the Hill after school every day and i saw people getting yelled at for having camcorders or journalists trying to record private interviews in hallways.

Plus, my dad handled sensitive, espionage act protected information in both the Department of Health and Human services and a private think tank. Therefore, different rules apply to those buildings.


Title: (TX) Worried tenants are trying to take advantage of me

Question:
Sorry for being so long but I figured I needed to write the whole situation out.

A couple months ago my parents purchased a house solely to rent it out. I agreed to do them a favor and try to manage the property (something I have never done before).
Prior to leasing it, work was done to improve the property. Among which was wood flooring to a den area. Unfortunately something was wrong with the door that led outside and the area was damaged from rain. Work was done to replace the floor and the door/frame as well as some outside yard work to try to control the direction of the water. We waited a month (of which it did rain) to make sure the area stayed dry and we did indeed fix the problem.

So now I get to the issue. Within three days of the tenants moving in there was a giant thunderstorm and of course that room got water into it. What had happened was the French drains on that side of the house got clogged with dirt. We redid the landscaping to make sure it wouldn't happen again and asked the tenants if they wouldn't mind living with the now buckling floor at least until the next rain (to make sure it wouldn't happen again). They were OK with this. Also supposedly a rug got damaged from the rain, so we agreed to buy a new one to replace it.

A day after the next rainstorm (and no signs of flooding), I scheduled the contractor to come out as soon as possible (2 weeks). During this time I keep getting phone calls from the renters (mainly the wife) complaining of the floor getting worse and worse. I apologize and tell them we are waiting for the contractor.

Finally the contractor shows up, the floor takes two days to repair. The husband worked from home during this time and was told that even though they were going to put plastic up to mitigate the dust, there would still be some just because of the nature of pulling up flooring. He understood and was ok with this.

At dinnertime I get 7 phone calls in the span of 15min from the wife and passive aggressive voice-mails claiming that the dust levels are unacceptable and that we now have to pay for cleaning/maid service because it's that horrible.

My husband and I show up the next day (the second day of work) when they finish to make sure everything was done properly. We were greeted by the husband and discussed the wife's attitude. He admitted the dust wasn't that bad. I told them as a sign of good faith (read: to back off)  they agreed to deduct one weeks rent from the next month. He seemed happy with this and we also had replaced the rug with a brand new one. I sent them an email in writing to confirm the rent deduction. (I have yet to receive a written confirmation back)

Now I need to state that one weeks rent could easily pay for a cleaning service to come out more than once. My parents (the owners) just wanted to be left alone and hear no more complaining.

Of course at dinner time, I get more phone calls and angry voice-mails from the wife claiming that the crew damaged an entertainment center. And we need to now pay for her to take it to a furniture repair place (as well as complaining about the dust again)

I asked her (in text) to send me an email with pictures of the damage. Looking at it, I think they are trying to get us to pay for something that was already damaged. The inside of the cabinet is damaged (which is weird because I doubt it was opened to be moved otherwise things would have fallen out) and some weird spots on the top as well. (I can post pics if it helps)

I have no way of knowing if it was previously like this or if the crew really did damage it. I am inclined to tell the renters this and not pay for anything else. I feel like we have been more than accommodating and good landlords. I just don't know what to do. I'm worried they are trying to see what else they can get out of us.

Thanks in advance.

Answer:
 Wow you gave the tenants the upperhand here. As a landlord with over a decade of experience,  I have learned never to let them do that. They definately see that your wallet is open.

In a situation like this I would write back and say that if it was indeed damaged by the contractor, he would be the one responsible to pay for it. While I will forward this on to him, I am thinking he might say this damage wasn't done by him and point to the fact that damage was done to the inside so it must have been already like that. But I will see what he says. In the future, I would like to ask that any non-emergency requests, please make them during business hours. Of course, if there is an emergency or something that requires immediate attention, please feel free to contact me at anytime.

On a side note, I would ask them if they wish to break the lease and leave now. They are not worth your efforts. The most expensive thing that can happen to you is you lose your desire to be a landlord. I have made hundreds of thousands of dollars of the years that I wouldn't have made if I lost my desire.


Title: I need help with potential extortion. I owed this guy some money for good reason but now he wants more. He hasent said he will take it to court yet but I want to be prepared if he does. What shout I do?

Answer: Location and actual useful information are important. Right now your post doesn’t tell anybody enough for them to offer meaningful advice.Answer #2: Threatening to sue you is generally not extortion. Parties threaten to sue each other all the time. Extortion is threatening to go to the police.


Title: My ex-roommate verbally attacked me after I asked her to not contact me anymore. What can I do?

Question:
Hi ya'll. First time posting here so I hope I do it right. I'm in Oregon. I had a craigslist room mate from March-August of this year who slowly escalated a strange relationship with myself and my live-in boyfriend while we lived together. She cried on his shoulder a few times, seemed infatuated with me, then began making accusations after we stopped living together. She always had a tendency to build things up in her head that were not really a big deal IRL, and we had to de-escalate random tensions when we lived with her. It got to be like we were tiptoeing around her for the last month we lived with her, but finally we were free. She deleted us from Facebook and we figured she was done with us.

 About a month later she texted me, saying she had a warning for me about my bf. I have screenshots. She said "I would prefer if you didn't tell [bf] I texted you. I'm sorry to say this, but I'm not comfortable with him."
"It's nothing about you so don't worry; it's more of a warning (?)"
I told her I'd prefer to talk over text than meet in person, and she said she wasn't comfortable having it in writing. "It's probably not my place anyway."
I said "That's true, thanks anyway."
She said "After all is said and done, I do respect you. I hope you have a happy and successful life."
I replied, "You too [ex-room mate]. Please don't contact me again."
She said "Wasn't planning on it," then I blocked her.

Flash forward to a month later. I'm filming a student protest as a part of my job and she shuffles to the front of the crowd, flips me off on my camera, then shuffles back into the protest. After the protest ended and I stopped filming, she came up to me while I was seated in a chair and started screaming in my face. She was screaming, less than a foot from my face, leaned over me in my chair with her finger inches from my nose. She said my BF psychologically tortured her, that I bullied her, that we were gaslighting her (not possible with no contact, right?). She said I was being racist when I put my hands in a praying position while trying to calm her down (She's half white, half asian and I'm white). She said she would sue BF for what he did. I asked what he did, and the only actual allegation I got was "He convinced you that I was in love with him! I'd never like your disgusting boyfriend!" Her tirade lasted for several minutes. I left soon after it ended. I have footage of her flipping me off from the stage and documentation of what happened. My friend who was there wrote a witness statement. I'd like to get some advice on what future steps I can take: I'm afraid this could happen again, and I don't want her to keep interfering with my work and my life. I have to continue attending public events for my work, and she might be at them. How can I get a restraining or stalking order against her?

Answer:
 You can ignore her and move on with her life.  It isn't illegal to yell at someone or to be crazy.

She isn't stalking you and hasn't done anything warranting a restraining order.Answer #2: >How can I get a restraining or stalking order against her?

You can't because there is no basis to justify one.  Grow up and move on with your life.


Title: Is it rare for a woman to get sent to a federal prison? [WV]

Question: Curious.

Answer: No, it's not.  Women who commit federal crimes go to federal prison(nearly always).  Answer #2: Nope. Even female celebrities who get convicted of federal crimes go to federal prison. Remember Martha Stewart, or Lil Kim, or Lauryn Hill?


Title: Aunt wants me to sign paperwork in regards to a will where I was left a share of the estate can I contact the lawyer who’s overseeing everything?

Question:
Grandma’s will stated that I, along with my 4 aunts and mother, were to split my grandmothers estate evenly.

That means I get a 6th of it.

My aunt texted me and said I had some paper work that needed my signature so that I could receive my share of the annuity....there is more than just an annuity I know for sure.

I do know she’s hired a lawyer to probate the will and that my aunts and mother are incredibly upset that I was included in the will and refuse to speak to me.

I do not believe my aunt will be too forthcoming with information either.

So would I be out of line in contacting the lawyer who’s handling the estate since I’m named in the will? Or would they not be allowed to speak to me because my aunt is the executor?

Can I have access to the total sum my grandmother had left so that I can be sure they aren’t trying to screw me over?

At this point I don’t want to hire my own lawyer, that would basically eat up the money left to me in the will.

Answer:
 I wouldn't sign anything your aunt gives you without getting a lawyer to at least go over the documents.  The probate lawyer works for the estate and advises appointed executor of the estate, they don't have to talk to all of the heirs.  The probate attorney is doing what is best for the estate.  Your lawyer will do what is best for you.

Once a will is filed with the court it becomes public record.  Look up how the county the will was filed in handles this.  Some have a searchable database, others require you to come to the courthouse.