Title: Police took $650 and refuse to return it

Question:
Hello,

I am sure this is more than what it seems and there's a larger plot. I was stopped very randomly at 4:30 am while I was in my car. I was getting high and the cop walked up to the car and knocked very hard on the window demanding that I open the door. Literally I had the needle in my neck already and I'm not about to get charged with possession, so I shoot it quickly.

I kid you not, he breaks open the window, unlocks the door from inside, and drags me out of the car then throws me on the ground. I have pictures of the cuts on my face from this incident. I get arrested and I ask what I'm charged with and I get ignored the entire time because other than paraphernalia, there is nothing.

But no, I find out that I get charged with possession of heroin, and with assaulting an officer. I did not assault him at all.

But all of that, I don't even care about. I had $650 on me and no other drugs. He pocketed the $650 and I ask the people there for it when I leave, they say they don't know about it. And I make calls, and everyone of them say they don't know or can't talk and just make excuses for this guy.

So essentially, I've been robbed by a fucking cop. And believe me when I say I have no money. No one wants to believe me because I'm an addict and it's his word against mine. And I've nothing left, and by the hour, I get sick from this. I can't work if I'm dope sick, and I can't score anymore since I owe people already, so I won't make money and ill probably get fired from that one job and not be able to pay rent and then be homeless.

So yeah, this fucking cop robbed me. No one believes me. And as a result, I'm probably going to lose my job and become homeless. The reason why this is a greater conspiracy is because I've been followed before because of the money I owe people. I think this cop took the money and gave to the people I owe.

I don't give a shit about whatever charges. I don't think the county cares if I don't show up or disappear. They won't actively go look for me, but I want my money back. And I'm serious when I say that I'm going to lose my job over this and lose this place if I don't get my money back.

So tell me how I go about getting this money back?

Answer:
 You're not going to get your money back because nobody is going to believe that any money was stolen from you.  Get clean and treat your underlying depression, otherwise you are just committing suicide very slowly and painfully.Answer #2: >I work at a convenience store, and I live off what I steal from there

I don't think you're going to get much sympathy here.  You're a heroin addict and a thief.  Why don't you get yourself in a program for drug addicts and try to turn your life around.

>The reason why this is a greater conspiracy is because I've been followed before because of the money I owe people. I think this cop took the money and gave to the people I owe

You're also paranoid.Answer #3: This is a troll post. It *has* to be.


Title: (NY) Can I be held responsible at the dog park?

Question:
I often take my dog to a dog park when I know a pair of dog walkers will be there with 16 dogs. He loves the stimulation and it truly tires him out.  A handful of other owners also come, and we all have a great time, a big doggie meetup. It is a lot of dogs, but it works out. They are all fixed and generally well-behaved.   The rules state no more than three dogs per person. While I know I'm only responsible for my dog, I'll pitch in with the big group if I'm close by. I'll redirect a dog from digging a hole or stop another from humping. No big deal.  However...

Dog walker texted me today and asked if I'm planning on coming. A government official has been coming to count dogs per person, and she wants to have as many people there as possible. I don't personally mind saying I'm with them. My dog greatly benefits from the group.
My fear is if I am at the park when the official comes and there are too many dogs per person. If I say I am with this group, can I be fined even though I only bring one dog?  I think we will just not go for a while.  Thanks in advance for any advice.

Answer: Is your question if you should commit fraud by lying to a government official in order to help someone else break a park regulation? The answer to that would be no.


Title: (still) fearing for my mother’s life

Question:
Dear Admin: Please read the title, this is one of the only places I have to turn to. Please don’t remove my post again, my legal question is now clearly stated at the bottom of this post.

I am writing this because I am scared for my mom. Earlier this year, her and my dad split up because long story short, he's a manipulator, textbook emotionally abusive narcissist, and bipolar with bad anger issues. Also, in a manic phase he developed an obsession with guns and bought maybe 10-12 guns in the course of a year (all while we were struggling financially I'll add). He's also an alcoholic and growing up I remember going on "vacations" without him when he would get really angry. I also remember the time he had my brother held up by his throat in the backyard, and the time he chased me up the stairs and hit me. What I'm trying to say is that he's a loose cannon, and can't control his anger. He's since moved a couple of states away back to our hometown while my mom stayed here.

This is the second time they are getting a divorce, the first was when I was in middle school and my dad pulled the classic "I've changed" story to reel my mom back in, which we all realize was a mistake now. While they were divorced (for about 4 years) they both dated other people. Now, my dad has convinced himself that my mom was cheating on him this second time around with the man she dated while they were separated. Mind you, my mom is an angel of a woman, and this man she dated is married now and a deacon of a church. So. There is no part of me that believes my dad's delusions about this so-called "affair".

Needless to say, this idea has driven my dad mad lately and he has been sending threatening texts and emails to my mom as well as trashing her on FB. She hasn't replied to a single one, which angers him even more. So much so that he showed up at her mother's house in our home state and was threatening that my mom better answer his calls. He also threatened to show up at my mom's former ex's church to "get" him (whatever that means).

My mom is scared to walk our dog at night, and scared for her own mother. And I'm terrified of what he might do. I just need to know what our options are. To my knowledge, I don't think he has directly threatened my mother's or anyone's life but surely that doesn't have to happen first before we can do anything, right? I just don't want anything to happen to my mom, and I'm scared he might drive here one day and do something if he still can't hear back from her.

We need advice, anything and everything helps. I'm just really worried. Thanks to everyone in advance.

LEGAL QUESTION: What are our best legal options here? And would going through the trouble of angering him to get a restraining order be worth it? He lives in another state and we live in South Carolina, if that makes a difference.

Answer: File for a restraining order, keep records of any and all threats, give your collected “evidence” to the police when you make a report.


Title: Prevent a no show tenant from appealing default judgement?

Question:
I took a tenant to court and he didn't show up. Having had a previous tenant do this to me before, I told the judge that I think the reason the tenant didn't show up was so he would appeal the default judgment to buy himself more time. Her suggestion was to do something (I wasn't quite following her) to force the tenant to pay what he owes me before he can appeal.

What is this process called? Also, when does his appeal window close? After the writ of restitution?

The case is in El Paso County Colorado.

Answer: The judge MAY have been referring to a requirement that a civil defendant post a bond equal to the judgment prior to any appeal.  It's called a [supersedeas bond](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supersedeas_bond) and if your tenant had to post it they would be out the money anyway, so appeal would be pointless.   However, state law may (or may not) exempt tenants from this requirement.  Read Colorado rules of court for "bond on appeal" or similar entries. Hope this helps


Title: (Minnesota) Petty theft but not reported to police

Question: I was caught taking $108 of sandwiches at my former workplace and they and their investigative unit bring me in. I paid back the money plus some and they said they would not involve the police. Does this mean that it won't show up on my record for future employment?

Answer: Okay, you can't just say you stole $108 dollars worth of sandwiches and not give us more to the story. Was this like a few really expensive sandwiches or a lot of cheap sandwiches? Were you eating them? Did you take in them in like in one big batch or was this over a period of time?


Title: My dog got into rat poison at my dog friendly apartment.

Question:
Wisconsin, USA

I pay a fee to have a dog in my apartment.
My dog got into rat poison last night that was under the furnace.
I took her to the vet immediately and now have $400 in vet bills.

My landlord told me she is the one who put the rat poison there.

The landlord said she would be willing to pay $200 of the bills and not all of it because I signed a 'as-is move in" form which means I chose to move into the apartment without an apartment cleaning or fixing. I did this because my other lease ended and needed to get into it early.

Any advice?

Answer:
 Your options are to take the $200, or to try to sue for the full $400.

Given that some of the liability lies on you(and an argument could be made for well more than 50% of the liability) I'd consider the $200 to be very fair.


Title: What is the legality of following/observing Police while on duty

Question: What is the legality of observing a cop while on duty in New York City

Answer:
 I would speculate that, assuming you do not interfere in any way, it is not illegal.

Having said that, what do you hope to accomplish?  A policeman’s job, even in New York City, is a boring drudge 90% of the time. You are going to invest a lot of hours waiting for (whatever) to occur, and very few Cops (they have to pass entry tests you know) are stupid enough to do (whatever) when they know some zealous crackpot is following them around.

Finally, after they get annoyed enough, they will just wait for you to break some law, any law (my bet is on jaywalking) no matter how trivial, and zing you for it. I would.


Title: Married less than 2 months in California, and wife wants a divorce

Question: Am I responsible for alimony?  we have a lease together, and she asked me to leave.  we were a month and a half into the lease, am I required to pay half the lease if she won't let me stay there?  I make minimum wage and have to pay rent where Im living now.  Also, all utilities at our apartment are in my name.  she asked me to leave 2 weeks ago, I told her I would give her til nov 1st to take over utilizes. Am I required to keep them on in my name or can I turn them off?

Answer:
 > Am I responsible for alimony?

California generally does not institute spousal support unless you have been married over 10 years or there is some unusual circumstance.

> We have a lease together, and she asked me to leave. we were a month and a half into the lease, am I required to pay half the lease if she won't let me stay there?

You do not have to leave, but the fighting would probably not be worth staying. You, Her, and the landlord will all have to agree to remove you from the lease. Until that happens, you are liable for 100% of the lease payments and any damages.

> Also, all utilities at our apartment are in my name. she asked me to leave 2 weeks ago, I told her I would give her til nov 1st to take over utilizes. Am I required to keep them on in my name or can I turn them off?

You are not the landlord, so the issues with an illegal eviction from shutting off utilities are not an issue. You can contact the utility companies and tell them to switch it back to the landlord on the 1st, but the landlord can hold you responsible for unpaid utilities (see #2)Answer #2: If your name is on the lease you are 100% responsible for the rent. You do not have to leave the place. You have equal rights to live there.

Your best option is to talk to the landlord and the wife about taking your name off the lease.

Your lease may not allow you to turn off utilities. Check with the landlord


Title: Is there any way to get out of Power of Attorney?

Question:
Basically the title. I’ve been putting every ounce of energy and time off from work that I have trying to take care of my fathers assets. I try to talk to his former employer about what benefits he might get that I don’t know about, they deny my application and don’t even return emails now. I spend countless hours clearing out and cleaning his gross old house to try to sell it, nobody is interested other than one agent offering $25k less than what he owes. Try to talk to the bank about a short sale, application process has been going on for months with no answer. Try to move him to a different nursing facility (his guardian placed him in a private pay only facility, didn’t mention that he would have to move again once his money ran low) and his current facility wants 30 day move notice or he loses a $9k deposit, but no facility can guarantee a bed 30 days in advance. His stepdaughter is an addict who’s constantly trying to bully me into writing her checks from his account that she thinks she’s entitled to. The list goes on. It’s been a year since his wife died and I jumped in to try to help. By far the worst year of my life. I’d rather get punched in the face every day than deal with all this shit every day. Constant panic attacks, feel like I’m gonna have a heart attack. Is there ANY way out of this responsibility? I’m too young to be this stressed out and miserable. Everything I try to do for him turns messy and I honestly don’t think I can do this much longer.

Edit: PoA was signed in VT, father currently lives in NH

Answer: If you want, you can just stop doing all those those and whatever happens happens. A PoA doesn't obligate you to do anything it just authorizes you to do things.


Title: Employer charging for pay stubs

Question:
Where I work we get our pay stubs every two weeks. For any lost or misplaced pay stubs, my manager now requires a $5 payment for us to print off a new one. Is it legal to charge for pay stubs in Ontario?

Edit: location.

Answer: Probably legal to charge for a *replacement* stub since you already got one.


Title: [WA] Management at my job is demanding I work without meals

Question:
As said in the title, the management staff where I work for the past few weeks have been demanding I work shifts longer than 5 hours without a meal break.

They keep trying to make it seem like its my fault, like I "Didn't prepare to work the full shift" or they try to force me to sign some document agreeing to forfeit my meal break.

Because I know my rights, I have warned managers of the labor laws and the requirements of meal breaks. This harassment has been going on for a few weeks, and my electronic time stamp has recorded all of my 5 hr shifts extending with no meal break.

Is there anything I can/should do? I don't know whether to complain to our companies anonymous help line or to report this scenario to WA state LNI? both?

Answer: Well you can file a complaint with the state government [here](http://www.lni.wa.gov/WorkplaceRights/ComplainDiscrim/WRComplaint/default.asp). Seems straight-forward enough. Penalizing you for filing a complaint is [illegal](http://app.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=296-126-070). Its only a [$1000 max fine](http://app.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=296-126-226) apparently, so maybe your employer is willing to roll the dice and hope you fold, to mix some metaphors.


Title: If a teenager is legally emancipated, can they move to a different state?

Question: I don't need opinions on if legal emancipation is a good choice or not. I live in Michigan

Answer:
 > I don't need opinions on if legal emancipation is a good choice or not

That's fine, but you probably do need opinions on whether you are a candidate for emancipation. What state do you live in? How do you support yourself?


Title: Credit Card company will not tell me what's going on with my accounts, directed me to account specialist, can't speak to them until Monday. A bit paranoid

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 >Is there any chance that they could be getting ready to pursue legal action against me for opening the accounts under fraudulent circumstances?

Are you seriously asking if there's a chance the credit card company might come after you for the fraud you committed? Of course there is. Answer #2: You might want to go speak to a criminal defense attorney, since that could be a felony, depending on the location and amount of money.Answer #3: Nothing good can come from you talking to them. Nothing. Nothing at all. Don't speak to them. At all. Not a word. Anything you say, no matter how innocent could be used against you. This also applies to the police if they somehow end up involved.

You should try to talk to an attorney.


Title: Apartment security caught us smoking pot in my car, put the bong on the trunk, called the cops. Cops show up, tell us we're free to go. Need an explanation? [North Carolina]

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 > Can anyone explain the legal reasoning behind us getting off Scott-free?

Cop was in a particularly nice mood, or didn't want to bother with paper work for a bong. Consider yourself very lucky and stop doing dumb shit in public.


Title: Nebraska My boyfriend and me moved in together. His x-wife went to court and got spousal support stopped and now we can't afford the rent so we want to appeal but we don't kno how to

Answer:
 IANAL, but in my divorce it was stipulated that support could be evaluated if a change in circumstances happened. When she moved her BF in support stopped. She didn't think that one through and lost out on about 20k.

Why should the ex pay for you? You cannot contribute to the expenses of living together?


Title: [Washington] Getting kicked off food stamps and kicked out of college due to a clerical error- is it difficult to file an injunction to stop this myself?

Question: [deleted]

Answer: I work as a bureaucrat in a different state, but if you appeal right away they should have to reinstate your benefits while the appeal is pending.  I believe that is a federal rule.   If the timely appeal period has passed I would suggest going into the office to see your worker because they rather get the appeal withdrawn then deal with the paperwork needed for the appeal.


Title: [Canada] Arrested at campus bar and charged. Posted bail and was released under conditions. Representative at school now claims I cannot attend the University.

Question:
I was arrested at a campus bar, spent the night in jail and was charged. The next day I posted bail and was released under conditions. The conditions included several things such as refraining from alcohol, not entering establishments that sell alcohol, not going to that specific bar, living with my surety (person whom posted bail) and **avoiding the accuser (victim?) except for incidental contact**.

The issue came up that the accuser attends my same school during the bail hearings. It was decided that as long as I remain away from her and that she is not in any of my classes, my year, or anything else that it is considered incidental contact if we cross paths.

However a representative at school received a copy of the recognizance of bail which states I must "remain away from any place the person ... goes to school..." and now claims I cannot attend the University.

However, the issue came up during the bail hearing but I do not have proof of their claim that it is incidental as the school's officer is taking the recognizance literally.

What do I do? I'm already partway to having a lawyer on retainer. I'm about to return the school agent's call and explain.

EDIT: Thanks for the help guys. I'm not sure why I'm the butt of a few jokes but I guess it comes with the territory of being labelled a criminal not well versed in procedure.

Answer: I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that you were arrested for some degree or something related to sexual assault, correct?  Whether correct or not, the school can also discipline you, especially because this was a campus bar.  If you violated the school's code of conduct they can boot you out.


Title: Is clothing *in general* protected by the 1st amendment?

Question:
I've been searching for an answer as to whether or not a government, be it local or federal, could create a general ban on a type or color of clothing.

This discussion was originally sparked by France's recent actions, to which I made the assumption that such action would violate the 1st amendment in the U.S. I was then pointed to a case where East St. Louis purportedly banned certain colors and clothing in 2012, and faced no legal troubles. I have not been able to find any information on the consequences of this action, or lack thereof.

 The only relevant cases I've found involve a school's right to make dress codes, but I'm hoping their right to do so if they believe it *could* cause a disruption does not extend to the government in general.

Answer:
 Clothing is not itself protected by the First Amendment.  The expression you may make in your selection of clothing can be protected by the First Amendment.

In some cases my expression may be found to be protected speech (a t-shirt that says "Fuck Bush" or "Fuck Obama," for example).  It other cases it is conceivable my expression may not be determined to be protected speech, or I may find myself in a situation where my freedom can be restricted (in a school for example).

While we can draw inferences about each expression based on prior rulings, each expression has to be interpreted in it's own circumstances.Answer #2: A Jewish person wearing a yarmulke is protected under the 1st amendment.  I would think that a Muslim woman wearing a burqini would be held the same way in a US court.


Title: Parking Ticket at private university in western MA

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 > I am pretty sure that my 6th, 7th, 8th, and 14th amendments are currently being violated.

Oh shit!  This is big!

> private university

Never mind.

Appeal with parking services.  If they don't rule in your favor, pay the fine or you will not be able to register for classes or request official transcripts.


Title: Renting through Company, HOA placing lien and possible foreclosure on property?

Question:
Location: US, Florida Volusia County

So we are renting the house through a property management company. We wanted and obtained a two year lease after they asked the owner if it was alright and got apapprovedIn the lease the owner of the property pays the HOA. At this time we have been in the house for one year. We were unable to pay onlithe this month and when we went to pay in person their system apparently had us down for one year and we got it corrected. Seven days later we are served a summons by the local sherries department on behalf of the HOA naming us as unknown tenants of the property and mentioning the lien and foreclosure within. The owner is now no where to be found or contacted. As far as we can decipher we will be paying our rent to the HOAs lawyer as a debt collector for years of HOA back fees. We have no problem with that part but its the fact the property management company is unnamed on the papers and foreclosure is mentioned within the documents.

We believe it'll just be paying the HOA lawyer till we are done renting and hope that is all but I am concerned about what else may happen. Such as them coming after us for HOA fees onto of rent or fees for years we were not on or renting the property. Also why the management company seems to take no interest or concern.

Should we submit a copy of our lease to the court in case the management company that we don't believe will be present tries to say something otherwise?

Answer:
 IANAL.

Your contract to rent was between you and the owner.  In your lease, the owner is responsible for paying the HOA.  Since the LL did not pay, they are in breach of the lease.

You could send a certified letter to the LL explaining that rents will go towards the HOA payments.

But see a lawyer.  I think you shouldn't be in the middle here.


Title: [IL] Target security demanded my phone and tried to block me from leaving

Question:
Hi all, first post so I apologize if this isn't appropriate, but the other day I was at Target with my girlfriend and everyone could hear this woman screaming "My arm, my arm!" from by the rest rooms. I walked over and saw a security guard blocking the door where the screaming was coming from, I was by the registers, a good 30 feet away, I pulled out my phone with the intention of filming, realised there was nothing to film and walked away. A Few minutes later on my way out a guard approached me and asked if I had filmed. I said "No, but that's not your business" to which he blocked and said "Sir I need to see your phone" I said "absolutely not" to which he called for back up. He demanded my phone again and I told him to piss off, I shoved past him and left, him following us the whole way out.
I wasn't trying to be the "I'm I bring detained!?" kind of guy and assume that since its private property I don't have the right to film, but does Target security really have the right to block me and demand my phone because they suspect I was filming?

Answer:
 If they do not want you to film, they have every right to ask you to leave. If you refuse, you are tresspassing. You have no obligation to provide your cell phone to them.Answer #2: >"I'm I bring detained!?"

I'd laugh even harder if you had actually said that to him.Answer #3: I worked as a security guard, or TPS as they called it, at Target about ten years ago and unless they have seriously up their aggression that dude could be in trouble.  I don't mean legally, but from the company.  They wouldn't let me detain anyone even if I stood there and watched them steal, so I doubt he was within company policy unless it has drastically changed in the last ten years.  If I were you and wanted to pursue this my first step would be to contact the store manager and make sure they are aware of what happened.  Answer #4: I work AP at Target in NV.

1. Our policy is to not physically block anyone from leaving, or pursue anyone.
2. You are allowed to record! We do not confiscate phones or any personal property for evidence. If there is something that we feel is required for evidence, that is when we involve the police. Also, we have hundreds of security cameras. There shouldn't be anything on your phone that hasn't been recorded by one of them!


Title: Why do so many posters in LegalAdvice think that it is individuals that "press charges" and not the state?

Question: This might be more of a sociological question than a legal one but this misunderstanding seems to come up a lot and I was wondering if anyone could offer some explanation for it.

Answer:
 It's often used as shorthand.

"I want to press charges" means "I want to cooperate with a prosecution of the suspect."

The difference is negligible in most circumstances but often important in LA because people need to understand that whether or not charges get filed may not be up to them.Answer #2: They watch Law & Order where the cops routinely ask the victim if they want to press charges. But as others have posted, it's just shorthand in asking if they are willing to help the state.

A lot of the time, without a victim willing to be a witness it is just too hard to prove any wrong doing.


Title: My health insurance put my hospital bills in limbo until it went to a collection agency

Question:
Hi /r/legaladvice, I have an ongoing issue with my former insurance company that I can’t resolve. Last October I was hospitalized for the first time in my life at the age of 21. My life was grounded to a halt by an illness I did not understand at the time. I was diagnosed with Bipolar I. I was going through a full blown manic episode. After spending three days in the hospital, I was whisked away to a mental hospital . At the mental hospital I stayed for roughly 2 weeks. Now let me say during my episode I was in no place to make decisions for myself, especially financial. Thankfully my parents stepped in to help while I was recovering. They graciously allowed me to stay with them for months, and took care of me so I could get back on my feet. During that time I had to quit my job and drop out of school because my symptoms were pretty severe. After a month or two after my initial visit was the first time I heard that there was an issue with my health insurance.

This unfortunately became a trend that has lasted a year and is still ongoing. My insurance claimed I didn’t have coverage during my time in the hospital. I always paid my bills and I mean always. Sure enough it was a “mistake”on their end which they fessed up to multiple times on the phone. For the last year I receive unpaid hospital bills in the mail at least once a month.

I then have to call my insurance company usually on a Friday(I had to actual incorporate this into my routine). Not only that but I also have to call the hospitals and CEP (California Emergency Physicians) and beg them not to send my bill to collections. What I’ve come to find out is my insurance pays my bills, then at random times retracts the payments. This makes it incredibly hard to keep up with because new unpaid bills come in all the time. Once I get the new bills  straightened out, old bills that have been “payed” come back to me as unpaid. My insurance company always acts surprised whenever I call them, “We have no idea why this is happening sir, I’ll go ahead and update your claim now.” Then the claim gets updated, the payment goes out, and a month or so later, surprise,surprise, retracted again.

Today I finally got the news I’ve been worried about for a year now. One of my hospital bills has gone to a collection agency. Can’t blame them really my insurance has bullshitted them for a long time now. I have 30 days to reply, I’m in the process of contacting them right now.

Edit: changed 30 days to pay to 30 days to reply

Thanks for reading, any advice will be greatly appreciated.
Topic:
Insurance

Answer:
 > I have 30 days to pay it or my credit score tanks.

Who is this coming from? You get 180 days before it goes onto your credit report. And a medical bill goes off your report once it's paid.

Raise hell with your insurance since you have a year of documentation on this.

And, you know, open enrollment is happening now. Just sayin'Answer #2: Have you tried filing a complaint with the California Department of Insurance? https://www.insurance.ca.gov


Title: I have 9 driving while license suspended.

Question: [deleted]

Answer: You need to see a psychiatrist.


Title: [CA] Cops are suggesting a friend pay a victim "damages" and they will drop their investigation.

Question:
Two years ago a friend drunkenly tried to enter an apartment that wasn't his. Now two detectives are claiming that the victim wants several hundred dollars for "damages" and they will drop the investigation, and after the victim, my friend, and them all meet up that would be the end of things.

Is this legit? Shouldn't she be taking my friend to small claims court for damages? Are detectives the members of law enforcement that ensure charges being pressed or dropped?

Answer: This is a scam. One way or another. Have your friend get the contact information from the detectives and look them up to see if it checks out and they actually are who they say they are. On the off chance that they actually are detectives, go ahead and report their extortion.


Title: Defamation Lawsuit - Got Named Along With People I Don't Know By A Man Who Used To Hit On Me At My Restaurant

Question: I am writing this for my sister and I will try and make this as clear and concise as possible (Apologies for grammar ahead of time). This is happening in Orange County California. My sister (26 year old female)  is being named in a law suit for defamation and the person suing her (51 year old male) happens to be a lawyer. She is named with two other people (who she does not know and has no relation to) as well as a property management group that she has no connection with. She was served yesterday morning by a man claiming to be a sheriff (said sheriff also made a comment about the man being "crazy"). She is a waitress at a bar/grill in a small beach community and the person who is suing her used to be a patron at the restaurant (The property management group named in the suit is not associated with the restaurant she works at). She served this person a handful of times before he found her on social media and started sending her flirty messages (The dealings with him in the restaurant were normally and only grew awkward when he started hitting on her). She never responded to the messages and he stopped coming into the restaurant after she ignored the messages. He is claiming that she, along with the others mentioned in the suit, ruined his reputation in the city/community where she works and he lives. He is claiming that all mentioned in the suit made jokes about his sexual orientation by calling him "gay" claiming he has STD's which caused him to get kicked out of his apartment and cause emotional distress. When my sister was served the papers they were very vague in describing how she was involved -other than she was named in the suit. Her last contact with this person was over a year ago and all contact was through her work (Other than the facebook messages that she never responded to). My sister has a small learning disability (dyslexia and ADD) and is completely overwhelmed. I am trying to help her navigate and figure this all out and I'm not sure what to do. Any help as to where to get started, or how we should proceed, would be much appreciated. Please ask any questions and I will answer as best I can. Thanks in advance!

Answer:
 She needs an attorney. A defamation lawsuit, even an obviously-unhinged one, is not a do-it-yourself affair. The California Bar can refer her.

To win this suit, he'll have to show on preponderance of evidence that

- she made the statements he alleges she made,
- that they are statements of fact, and not opinion or pure rhetoric,
- that they are not privileged (this is probably the easiest hurdle to clear), and
- that your sister knew they were untrue or was reckless with regards to their truth.

Unfortunately, the statements he's alleging she made sound like the kinds of statements where those criteria will have to actually be considered, unless her attorney sees a procedural avenue to remove her from the suit quickly or can negotiate a settlement. My fingers are crossed, here, but this could get expensive.Answer #2: She needs a lawyer and needs to respond. The suit alone will likely financially ruin her.Answer #3: Does this person have a lawyer?  Is this case in small claims or superior court?


Title: Can my friends gym actually sue if he goes to a new gym?

Question:
So my friend is looking into some new gyms since he is moving soon but practices boxing and other martial arts. He was talking about it with the owner of the gym and he said if he does that he will sue him because in the fine print of the contract it states that he can't join another gym until a year has passed from his termination date.
Basically we are both wondering if that is even legal for a company to do.

In case it matters he has not been sponsored by them, has not fought for them and has not done anything other than take various classes over the time he was in the gym.

Answer: does said clause actually exist in his contract?  does said friend work for said gym?  if said clause exists in said contract as a non complete, it could be enforceable.  if he's a regular member, it's most likely unenforceable.


Title: [NC] My father is financially ruining my mother

Question:
Ugh my mom doesn't know what to do so I hope you guys can help! Ok so my mom has been married to my dad for about 24yrs. My dad makes way more money than my mom, she's a home care nurse and he's retired from the military working as a security guard. we have so many bill collectors calling our house all day every day. She has no idea what he does with the money and is very irresponsible. He offered to pay some of her bills and her car and she trusted him but found out he wasnt paying them at all or paying extremely late. They lowered her credit so much because of it.

Now because he wasn't tri care on time they put us on the standard where we pay $150 instead of $12 co pay. When she confronted him he lied to her about it. Also instead of paying bills he bought a new car which is just adding to the pile of bills which some my mom doesn't even know about. he even put out a 2nd mortgage on the house without her even knowing and tried lying in her face when she found out. They even went through a bankruptcy when I was around 10yrs old and got out of it because she took over the money. After they got out he went back to his old ways and she fears they might have a 2nd bankruptcy soon.

She tried talking to him many times to let her see what needs to be paid so she can make a plan to be able to pay everyone on time. All he does is yell at her saying that he doesn't need help. Is there anything my mom can do legally where he has to tell her where the money's going, like maybe getting a lawyer?
Topic:
Credit Debt Bankruptcy

Answer:
 >like maybe getting a lawyer?

If she wants a divorce, sure.  But there's no legal issue here.  It seems like a relationship issue. Answer #2: The only thing is a divorce. Other than that the law does not dictate conduct of marital finances.


Title: Employer found out about my Facebook post despite privacy of post set to friends only

Question: [deleted]

Answer: We can't speculate as to how they got access to the post. In the future, maybe you'll reconsider ranting about your employer on social media.


Title: (Massachusetts) My tenant keeps adding pets to their family...

Question:
Our original agreement didn't allow any. We are dog lovers ourselves so we sympathized and amended the agreement to allow one dog.

There are now two dogs and a cat.

Can I raise rent?

Answer:
 > Our original agreement didn't allow any. We are dog lovers ourselves so we sympathized and amended the agreement to allow one dog. There are now two dogs and a cat.

So they have an illegal dog and two illegal cats? If your tenant is breaking the lease, you can evict them according to your lease. If you want to allow the new pets, you can offer an amended lease allowing the additional pets at an increased rate. If they don't agree they need to get rid of them or be evicted (if you choose to enforce it).


Title: Roommate wants to gain control of a trust, help!

Question:
Roommate(17 at the time)'s dad died and life insurance left him a sizable amount of money, and his uncle set a trust up for him since there was no will. Roommate is 23 now and the trust states he will get the remainder of the money at age 25. Can he go to court to get control of the money?

Side note, his uncle is insufferable and rude and tries to control his life even though he's an adult, since the uncle has control of the money. Roommate is unsure of whether or not his mother (legal guardian) signed the paperwork for the creation of the trust, but he knows he did. He's going to get a copy of the contract so we can see. If her signature isn't on it, wouldn't the contract be void? Because the only lawyer present was his uncle's who drafted the paperwork. And even if her signature is there, could he argue that he was taken advantage of in his grief to sign something neither he nor his mother truly understood due to not having their own representation? Thanks in advance!

Answer: He needs to retain an attorney for this.


Title: Facebook humiliation

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 > I know arrests are public record, but is this even legal?

How is posting a public record publicly even a question?

Of course it's legal.  They are telling factual information regarding public records- they are saying that John Smith was arrested for Trespassing.  Not that he's guilty of it.


Title: (CO) Violated a restraining order

Question: I have paranoid schizophrenia. For most of last year and into this spring I had voices claiming to be people telepathically communicating with me and I thought I was being stalked, and I thought I had been sexually assaulted by different people. I pressed and dropped assault charges against some people thinking that they had honestly assaulted me and dropped them when "their voice" convinced me to. I harassed on person on facebook a lot because I thought they had been stalking me and talking to me telepathically. For a while I had voices telling me that that person was going to be killed by someone and I freaked out and posted hoards of facebook statuses about it trying to warn everyone, and I kept calling the police for wellness visits on them because I thought they were going to die. They got a restraining order against me along with their SO, but when I was checked into a crisis center (low level psych ward) I called the police again for a wellness visit on them because I was still in a psychotic episode. Apparently this lead to a warrant out for my arrest in March that I didn't know about, I was switched to another psych ward and discharged to go home. I was in a car accident today and the police told me about the warrant and booked and released me. I have a court date in two weeks. Is there any way I can fight for a lighter sentence because of my condition? It's hard for me to remember a lot and accept reality for what it really is when I am in psychotic episodes and I was in one and inside of a psychiatric ward when it happened. I didn't think I had any other choice other than to call for a wellness visit because the universe was just screaming to me that I had to save their life, I wasn't in my right mind. I haven't contacted this person since and I've slowly come out of psychosis these past few months with medication. Also, I have an attorney that was appointed to me when I was in a hospital, should I call them about this or try to find someone who specialises in a certain type of case for the court date? Thank you for any insight and help.

Answer:
 Contact your attorney. They are there to help you.
I hope you get help it sounds like your going through a bad time. Just remember things get better.


Title: [CA] Newly-immigrant Chinese neighbor sends cease and desist letter for us

Question:
This is ridiculous and I would like to double check with you guys.

I’m Taiwanese. My new neighbor is Chinese, just came from China and doesn’t speak much English. After saying that I was from Taiwan, his attitude switched 180 and became nasty towards me.

I have cute Taiwanese stickers (like a bear, the flag, etc) on my car and a few small Taiwanese flags stabbed in the ground in my garden and garden.

Today I got a cease and desist letter saying I have to remove all my affiliation with Taiwan or else he’ll serve me with legal action. Presumably by a lawyer because it’s in English.

I have a security footage of him walking into our garden, taking out the little flags and surveying them. He put them back but this really freaks me out.

Does this not violate my 1st amendment?

Answer:
 A cease and desist is a request done with the help of a lawyer. That's all it is - a request. It means nothing and there is nothing your neighbour can without a court order.  There is no legal action he can take since displaying Taiwanese flags and images are not illegal.

Keep the letter for your own records and call the police regarding harassment if he continues to be an idiot. Answer #2: You wouldn't lose any suit over this. He may end up being deported if he keeps up trespassing, CA police won't do much, but complaints to DHS might. If a foreigner causes significant disruption to US citizens and residents, they can have their Visas revoked... How likely that is is anyone's guess. Someone advised you go to ICE, but that's bad advice, he probably is in the country legally.

What you can have on your home is unlimited from a state point of view, you could have really offensive anti Chinese flags outside your home... Virtually nothing can be done legally or civilly.


Title: [NY]- Suffered car damage due to no indication of road work

Question: I recently suffered some cosmetic damage to my car due to road work in my town. I did not notice any road work signs prior to driving over the damaged road. To be specific it was not a pothole, it was the rough depression created by the transition from the ripped up pavement to the normal pavement. The repair will cost around $800. Is it worth my time to file a notice of claim with my town clerk in hopes of reimbursement for the repairs or do towns usually claim no liability for situations like this?

Answer:
 In Ohio I had this happen - someone had removed a manhole on the opposite side of the construction zone and not replaced it all the way in the hole correctly - and there was no indication of something wrong.  When I drove over it in the dark, it popped up and dented the bottom panel under my passenger side door.

I was on my way to prom at the time.  Stopped and took note with my date as a witness - and put the manhole back right so it didn't happen to anyone else.  Called the city the next day to file with them, and they later got back to me that no one had reported any other issues so they were denying the claim.  Meh.Answer #2: While municipalities usually have funds set aside and a system set up to make claims for things like this, I recently read that the success rate in getting any form of settlement from them is in single digit %.


Title: School has posted my childs photos to a social media platform without my consent for 3 years.

Question:
I contacted the school and asked all photos of my children be removed, they told me they can try but it all goes thru a different PR company. I never gave consent to the social media platform, the school, or the PR company. When i asked the school to show me a copy of the consent form with my signature ( because i couldnt remember signing one) The school said they have like assumed consent, which i can opt out of, but they dont have me on file for opting out. For 3 years now they have been posting my childrens photos online. My children are 6 and 8 and this is a violation of their Privacy. The school has their own App ( that i did sign up for) that they use to send me pictures of my kids and notes from their teachers, behavior charts etc.  so i wasnt aware the pictures were on another platform i just thought that when they took the photos it went thru their App.

I contacted the social media platform, they said i can send them links to every photo and they will look into it. I do not use this social media platform ( nor am i willing to sign up with them to review all the photos) and i only found out my children were on there by a  an old friend sending me the pictures. Now im being asked to personally go thru every picture ( a few thousand)  and get the URLs of each one including my children. I asked them to close the page untill this issue is resolved.  They wont investigate untill i give them all the images URLs. Its certainly gonna take some time for me to personally review all thoses photos, and im not even sure if i can access all of them due to me not having an account. This can end up taking a week or two for me to find time review all this because im quite a busy person. How can i get these photos off their platform as quick as possible? Do i have full access with out an account. I feel every picture is in violation due to the school not having consent from any parent, since the school goes off assumed consent. Any way im concerned about what type of data has been collected from my children already , im concerned about my kids safety. Can i make them close the page and send me all pictures posted by the school to review? The social media platform told me thru email that i can gain access thru a friends account?  Is my only option here to ask for access to someones account that im not even close to? What if no one gives me access to their account? So my question is can demand the albums be blocked untill review?

Answer:
 Are you aware that any other parent could post pictures of your kid taken at an event open to parents and there is not a thing you could do about it?  Answer #2: People can take pictures of children in public. That's not illegal.Answer #3: My opinion won't likely be a popular one, but here goes.
Under what statutes are you deriving a "right to privacy", which would prevent your childrens' photographs to be put on social media?
Although I respect your concerns here, the school hasn't done anything unreasonable.  In fact, they have given you a path, granted a somewhat laborious one, to get those photos removed.  You don't like that path, which is fine.  But I'm not sure you have any avenues from a legal perspective.
All of that being said, this might be a violation of the rules of the school, and might be worth chatting with the local school board (if a public school), or the applicable governing body (if a private school).Answer #4: Where are you located?


Title: Hoping to write a Disney Parks cookbook

Question:
I am wanting to write and publish a hard back Disney Parks cookbook. Can I do this and use the Disney name, pictures I have taken at Disney, and Disney food/attraction names?
Topic:
Business Law

Answer:
 Your photos? Sure.

Everything else is up in the air. The Mouse is notorious about protecting their intellectual property. Because of the potential costs down the road if you're wrong, this is something you should run by a IP attorney.  You may be able t license the use of the food/attraction names.Answer #2: Nope nope nope nope nope, bad news. You will most certainly get a cease and desist letter from Disney if you make any kind of money whatsoever


Title: I bought a lemon

Question:
Hello all! Happy New Years!

So I’m 20. And I bought a Subaru brand new from the dealer. Bought it Friday night, drove it home and 15 miles later the check engine light came on. Something about hill start assist. Drove it back to the dealer Saturday morning to see what was going on. I was following the salesman to the service center in my car, coasting at 5 mph, when the car started shaking and then stalled. The engine just cut out. The salesman heard the car shutoff and asked me if it just shutoff and I said ya. He nervously asked me to roll it into the service station. After a diagnostic (took like 20 min) the mechanic was convinced I “full throttled it” and I loosened a cap or something. He reset the check engine lights and told me to drive smarter, not to put the pedal to the medal and to take it easy cause it’s a 4 cylinder car. I drove it home and later that Saturday the light comes on again. All day Sunday every time the car got to around 1000 rpm when I was at a stop light, stop sign, and yielding, the engine would just shut off. It’s send me into a small panic session as I put it back in Park to turn the car back on. Monday morning I went to the dealer and told them I don’t feel comfortable driving the car, that it was a hazard, and that I wanted a new car but the same model. I was aware there was a 72 hour return window or something. The manager said that the state of Arizona has no such thing. He offered to take it in and repair it, but I don’t trust that car.

What are my options?
What laws is the manager talking about?
Is he just trying to scam me out of a viable option?

Car is a 2017 Subaru Impreza.
I live in Arizona.

Any help/advice is greatly appreciated! Thank you!

Answer:
 >  take it easy cause it’s a 4 cylinder car.

That is a load of crap. There are plenty of performance 4 cylinder vehicles. The Impreza, and frankly any modern vehicle, should be able to take plenty of wide open throttle to redline limiter.

Realistically, they have to be given the opportunity to repair the vehicle. Read the Lemon Law links and hold them to it.


Title: [WA] I want to create a TV show, the characters are people I personally used to know and am planning to use their real full name, could I be sued?

Answer: Yes you can be sued.Answer #2: Regardless of how you are think this would hold up in court, no media company is going to broadcast a liability time bomb like this.Answer #3: If you really want to do that. You need to get them to sign a release.  Which means you would probably have to pay them.  If you are showing any of them in a negative light, there could still be problems.


Title: My friend wants to leave her sorority, but... (Pennsylvania)

Question:
I'll start by saying I'm not even sure where to post this.

So my friend wants to leave her sorority. She tried to withdraw, but she said it was extremely complicated and basically impossible. She then said that she would just stop attending sorority events and act like she's not a part of it anymore. To which the Nationals said she made a "life long commitment". They said they would fine her and put her school account on hold, therefore barring her from signing up/registering for classes. Is the sorority legally allowed to do this? If she doesn't want to be a part of the sorority, they can't hold her hostage for life. There has to be some way for her to leave. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you in advance!

Answer:
 Is this a sorority or [Sea Org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_Org)?Answer #2: Former Greek Life president weighing in here.

There are two memberships held here: one with Nationals, and one with the local chapter. Normally, members pay dues to the local chapter, and the local chapter (which is usually a non-profit organization legally) pays Nationals.

Some Greek life organizations' local chapters have the power to issue academic holds for unpaid dues. The Greek Life Office (or equivalent at the school) should have some staff who can independently confirm or deny this is the case. Similarly, they should have knowledge of the proper method of withdrawal from the sorority without consent of the members.

Unless thus sorority is a major outlier to what I've seen, Nationals can't do dick about it.Answer #3: The university should have some type of legal aid for students. I don't know about greek life, but if she didn't sign a contract owing money to the sorority, she could likely just leave. I don't believe they can do anything to her school account. Check with the university legal aid, and if necessary, consult an attorney. Personally, I would bail and see what the sorority does. Sounds like a lot of bark, and no bite to me. Answer #4: She might want to contact the university ombudsman.  IanalAnswer #5: When I dropped out of a fraternity after pledging, I did have to sign a NDA (which I broke somewhat and, luckily, they didn't care to enforce), but that was it for paperwork, and this seems incredibly unreasonable. She might want to contact some higher-ups in either the sorority (hopefully the most sympathetic ones possible) or the school to determine her options.


Title: Asain USA citizen ( in the US army reserves) removed from consideration for job because they didn't ready his resume and his name is Chinese= he’s must not be a US citizen

Question:
Ok first time posting sorry if I do this wrong. My husband is originally from China, but has been in the US since 2011 for college. During his time here he joined the US Army reserves and got his US citizenship. He just graduated from college with BA degree in environmental science this last December. He has been applying to many different positions and was able to secure an interview at one company he particularly liked. He went in and did the interview I never heard anything back from the company. He’s been reaching out and trying to figure out what was going on and was able to reach someone at the company today. He was informed that they thought he wasn’t a US citizen and they didn’t go through his resume thoroughly to confirm this so they took him out of the running for a job position. I’m wondering if this is legal, because honestly this doesn’t sound right. They can’t put him back in the running for the position he says because they have already filled it.

If anyone needs any additional information let me know. I have left out the name of the company and his school and such to protect privacy at the moment but if that makes a difference please let me know.

Answer:
 This is a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act (for employers with more than 15 employees), and of the Immigration Reform and Control Act (for employers with at least 4 employees). There are exceptions to the rule regarding citizenship if another federal law has stipulated that the position must be held by a US Citizen; however, assuming the citizenship status of a candidate based on the perceived ethnicity of their name is likely a case of discrimination on the basis of national origin regardless.

You can file a complaint regarding this matter to the Office of the Special Counsel for Unfair Immigration-Related Employment Practices. You have 180 days from the date of the violation to do so.  [www.justice.gov/crt/about/osc/](http://www.justice.gov/crt/about/osc/)  has instructions for how to prepare and send your complaint.


Title: Need advice about getting back priceless home videos of my sister

Question: I need some advice about how to go about getting back some family video tapes. My sister was murdered in 2012. As you can imagine, it has been a horrific ordeal for my family especially considering the man we believe killed her has never been charged. I have since moved away from the area. About four months ago a man got into contact with my dad through a mutual friend and expressed interest in making a documentary on my sister's case. My dad agreed to it and without my knowledge handed over the only copies of home videos that we have of my sister as a baby and all of us together as kids. He was apparently supposed to make copies of them for us. I was upset when I found out that someone I don't know has these irreplaceable videos and told my dad that he needed to get them back. By this time the guy has them for months and my dad said he had forgotten the man had them. He has tried reaching him several times trying to get them back and the man is avoiding him it seems. I even sent him a message on Facebook asking for the videos and it has went unread. I am wondering if there are any steps I can take to get back these videos that are priceless to me? This is in Illinois.

Answer: Pay an attorney to send him a letter demanding they be returned.  That should get his attention.


Title: Divorce law help

Question:
Hey. Married one year. Have 6 month old daughter.

Husband and i have agreed divorce is best option due to lost feelings. Willing to sign.

I have a boyfriend who lives in state B who is willing to adopt LO so that H can give up his parental rights and all can be happy.

Is there a way to make this work for everyone? All parties consent but do we still need to go through court and what will most likely happen?
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer: Yeah, giving up parental rights is kind of a big deal. This needs to go through a legal process and I wouldn't try to DIY it for that part. Without the custody issues, the divorce is no-fault and mutual, so that'll be pretty simple. But consult a family law attorney on it all to start out with.


Title: [WA] If someone is about to take a polygraph for a federal position. Just curious, what happens if someone doesn't want to admit that they knew someone did an illegal substance during a bachelor party?

Question:
If someone is asked about being party to illegal activit, what happens if at a friend's bachelor party they know the friend did a drug? Let's just say the person taking the polygraph didn't partake, but they also did not report it.

My question is: if they ask the person "have you been present during illegal activity?" Could someone be legally held responsible for not taking action? I know about the

It is the equivalent of walking into a police station and filing a report, since it becomes police record immediately (whether hired or not). Except worse because the person would be admitting to not filing the report. So, yeah, just curious what would happen?

Answer:
 Before the polygraph, they are going to read you each question and talk through your answers. Be upfront- "I know this happened, I did nothing." The examiner will tell you whether that's a "yes" or "no" on the actual test.

If you have a question about a question, ask it before the test. Otherwise, you'll register as deceitful and that's a good way to not get the position you seek.


Title: My Grandfather died and his girl friend's family has control over his life insurance and 401k

Question: Recently my Grandfather as passed away, his girlfriends family has seized control over his life insurance and 401k. The girlfriends daughter was signed as a beneficiary on the 401k. Is there any way my family can get these assets back. According to my Father there is no way we can get these back but I wanted to see if there was because they were wrongfully taken by people who didn't care about him. (Note I live in New Jersey)

Answer:
 If your grandfather elected his girlfriend's daughter to be the beneficiary, there's little to nothing you can do.

You can contact a probate lawyer to look into all your grandfather's assets and determine if you are entitled to anything, though.


Title: My father and I own a house together. He will not listen to my thoughts when it comes to selling the property.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 > My father and I own a house together. [...] keep in mind my name is not on the title

I hate to break this to you, but you do not own the house.

Consult with an attorney, because your only recourse here might be to sue your dad. And that might not even help, so you need an attorney to go over all the paperwork between you and your father, the whole history of these transactions.

Everything else is more well-suited for /r/relationships. Good luck.Answer #2: It appears your family received money, they bought the house and you are not on the title.

You have zero influence, legally, on anything the rightful owners of house do.


Title: Prostitute on tinder threatening to blackmail me

Question:
Saw a girl on tinder while on vacation, profile mentioned she was looking for a sugar daddy etc. Had some extra cash so I said fuck it. Messaged her and ended up sending her $500 on Venmo (really really stupid I know) which she requested, then she ghosted me. She is now asking me to send her more or she’ll call the cops and say I tried to pay her for sex. I have blocked her on Snapchat (this is the only way we’ve communicated other than tinder). She knows my name but not where I live. The only evidence I can think of are the Venmo payments which she requested. I did not screenshot her threats (again stupid I know), I kinda just freaked out and blocked her.

I honestly think she’s bluffing and don’t think she really has anything on me anyway but I’m trying to put my mind at ease. In anybody’s opinion should I be worried about this?

Answer:
 If you met her through tinder, you’re fine, because y’know, it’s tinder and it has a purpose. If she says anything, she’ll most likely get in trouble too.

P.S If you have another $500 lying around I’d be happy to ghost you for it, I’ll do a better job than herAnswer #2: You're fine, move on.


Title: I forgot to pay my stripper

Question: Ya I fucked up. So I went to the local strip club and ended up absolutely smashed. Got some dances from a girl all night and ended up giving her 60 at the beginning. At the end of the night I had no cash so I went to the ATM to get 60, stripper is watching over my shoulder and in my drunken stupor I used the wrong card and got declined, she walks away and I use the other card and get my 60 out. After that I remember leaving and the bouncer asking if I had paid and I said I did. Next morning I wake up and find that 60 in my jacket pocket. Long story short, should I be worried about having a warrant out for me or something? Or am I just blacklisted probably? Also to note is they took my ID when I got drinks and possibly scanned it? Idk should I be worried ?

Answer: Just go back to the club and give her the money. There isn't a warrant out for your arrest, they won't do that for $60.


Title: Girls changed mind about selling tickets

Question: My boyfriend and I have been planning for months to go to Osheaga. We saw on the facebook page that two girls were selling their tickets for $280 (they were $310 online). We messaged them and confirmed that they would sell the tickets to us, checking back at a later date as well to confirm that they would still be selling to us. We are both in the Hamilton, Ontario area, so we decided that we would meet up when they received their tickets in the mail and pay in person. They showed us pictures of the receipts for their tickets to prove that they had purchased them. I paid for accommodations in Montreal and we both booked days off work. The concert is the last week of this month. I messaged them today to ask if they had received their tickets and they said that they forgot to tell us, but they had decided to go instead of selling. Tickets are now sold out and are going for $600+ each. Is there anything at all we can do about this that would be worthwhile?

Answer: Unfortunately you can't do anything about it. The transaction was never made thus the seller has no obligation to sell you anything. Take this as a lesson learned when it involves you taking time off and putting down money for travel and lodging. Try to get hard tickets next time via stubhub or eBay. Even these routes are not bullet proof as I've heard horror stories of people's tickets getting rejected at the gate and now they have no means of getting in. I'd say since you're committed already, pay the $600 and enjoy.


Title: Does the defendant have a responsibly to disclose evidence before trial?

Question: I’m a witness for a friend and somehow they made him wave his rights to knowing the evidence against him in order to make bail. The states attorney told him they want to question me at the police barracks. Is my friend required to inform them of the evidence, including witnesses that he has as defense, prior to his court/trial date? He plans to take this to trial, this case is in Pennsylvania.

Answer:
 Your friend needs a competent lawyer.

> somehow they made him wave his rights to knowing the evidence against him in order to make bail

That isn't a thing.  Your friend doesn't understand legal procedure.  He's going to fuck this up.

> Does the defendant have a responsibly to disclose evidence before trial?

If your friend is asking you this question, your only answer must be: You need a competent lawyer.  I am not a lawyer, you should not be asking me these questions.


Title: [CA] Afraid my fiance's ex wife will try to go after my pay for child support after we get married.

Question:
My fiance and I want to get married, but I'm afraid that after his ex wife finds out, she will try to go after my income for child support for their two kids.

When they got divorced (in Nevada, where she still lives), in their agreement they put that he would pay her a certain amount of child support each month through their banking accounts. We currently live in California, where I work and he doesn't because he currently gets paid through VA and GI Bill benefits because he is a veteran. She recently found me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and blew up at him when she found out that we do a lot of things together (such as we have Disneyland season passes). She threatened to bring him to court (despite the fact that he pays his child support on time every month and gives extra when she asks for it) and tried convincing him to find a job. He had to explain to her that the only reason we are able to do extra activities is because I am working and the money that I make from my job funds the things that we do on our free time and that the money he gets pays for just child support, rent and bills. Telling her this got to her calm down, but now I am afraid that when we get married, she will attempt to bring us both to court and ask for more money and because I am the only one working, she will be able to have my pay garnished.

So now I'm wondering if there is anything legal I can do to prevent her from doing this.
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 NAL, but my understanding is that if the divorce took place in Nevada, the child support laws of Nevada will apply, not California.  They do take spousal income into consideration.  You should probably consult a family law attorney in whatever state the custody/child support agreement took place in. Answer #2: My brothers ex tried this. Before they got married, they signed a prenup. His income was his and hers was hers. They filed taxes separately, kept separate bank accounts and he paid her rent - she owned the home individually. Talk to a lawyer - there are ways around this. And you may want to keep fun stuff you two do off social media even if you are private. She is obviously watching and may have someone you both know feeding her info.Answer #3: IANAL, but my understanding is that in most states  the formula they use wouldn't take your income into consideration at all.

Edit: this might help. http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/4361676Answer #4: Per federal law, your income is not part of any alimony or child support agreement with your fiance's ex.

Also, it would behoove him to not give extra money. That money means nothing to the courts and AG.

If she has him blackmailed like my ex has me, I can understand why he would give her extra $, but that doesn't mean jack shit to the court.


Title: Hiding tiny speaker that beeps hourly legality? [US]

Question: I want to make a couple hundred tiny speakers that beep hourly and can't be turned off.  I want to also direct the people who find them to a website to log their location and a comment.  Is this legal in public places? Private places? Can I hide them in items which I then sell?

Answer:
 The ad agency for Cartoon Network had to pay $2 million  after they caused a bomb scare in Boston with a bunch of LED signs they placed around the city.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Boston_Mooninite_panic

https://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/05/us/05cnd-hoax.html


Title: Texas: Type 1 diabetic. My employer is changing insurance providers. Premium's the same, copay on all my medications increasing by $40-$75.

Question:
On monday we had a company meeting for our annual open enrollment. They gave us this new provider's plan, and told us we have until today at 5PM to make a choice and turn in our paperwork. The old plan listed all my critical supplies (insulin, needles, strips, meters) as critical or preventative and the copay on them was $0. The reps for the new plan said that the copay will be either $40 or $75 for a 90 day supply, depending on what each prescription is coded as (all except for one are coded as $75). I know that on the surface that doesn't sound like a heavy increase, but I'm only paid $9 an hour and have 5 different prescriptions, and only one of those has an assistance card that will make any reasonable impact. I'm also on the county indigency program, but that doesn't cover my medications if I have insurance. If I work 40 hours a week and don't have insurance, then they'll drop me. If I don't work 40 hours a week, then I can't afford my rent. I can't just quit and find a new job, because if I make more than I make now, I can't get the indigency, and if I don't have insurance I definitely can't pay the something stupid like $2500 month out-of-pocket costs.

I was diagnosed at 19 (just shy of 10 years ago), and while I do everything I'm told to, I still don't have the nuances of managing this like someone who developed it as a child down. Changing my medications to anything cheaper or different is a dangerous crapshoot, and if history is to be believed, will result in me being woken up by the paramedics 4+ days a week.

It's looking like my options are either stop eating, stop taking insulin, stop living in a building, or make a career out of threatening suicide in front of cops and living at the pavilion. I'm not really sure what to do and was wondering if there was anything legal that could help me.

Answer:
 >I can't just quit and find a new job, because if I make more than I make now, I can't get the indigency

And yet it seems that the only way out for you is to get out of your welfare trap and find another job that has enough pay for you to make rent and a good health insurance plan so you can afford your medication.

I am sorry that you find yourself in this spot, but there is no legal avenue for you to pursue.

Good luck.Answer #2: I have a friend that takes Humira and I believe she has to pay a co pay of like $400 a month. But she was also able to reach out to them and they were able to giver her a discount of I think $390 per order. All she had to do was show proof or purchase and receipt.

I don't know if any of your drugs could do something similar, but it may not be a bad idea to call and find out.


Title: Double dipping would this be illegal?

Question: So my uncle is the vice president of a company which hires contractors to do a certain type of work. My uncle is the one who determines which contractors the company uses. This company is based in illinois. He would like me to start a company with his money for which we would end up doing 3rd party work for his company. He would recieve profits from my company then. As well as his bonuses and normal pay from his company. This may also be an attempt to have certain types of violations be over looked. Would this be illegal?

Answer:
 Highly unethical, at a start.

If his company is unaware of this, he's committing the crime of embezzlement.


Title: My neighbors let their dog roam free for hours on end, leading her to crawl under my car as I’m trying to back out of my driveway [GA]

Question:
My neighbors have a miniature golden doodle that they let run around the neighborhood at all hours of the day. Thankfully this dog is very sweet & quiet, but honestly isn’t all that smart.

They will let the dog out, and return back inside, not watching the dog & will leave her outside for hours. The dog has also recently began running behind and underneath my car when I’m trying to back out of my driveway. I don’t want to accidentally hit & kill their pet.

The neighbors seem really nice but I’ve had some bad experiences with them, from them leaving nasty notes on my car to them blaming me their unspayed cat got pregnant, even though my cat has been fixed. I just don’t want to give them the opportunity to make this a big deal. What can I do for now, & in the unfortunate event something happens, what can I do then?

Answer: Call animal control and let them take care of the problem.   This is exactly what they exist for.


Title: Neighbor is afraid of our dogs and won't rest until she gets us in trouble for something

Question:
TL;DR Old lady neighbor is terrified of our well behaved dogs who stay entirely in our property, and is just waiting to catch us on any kind of violation because she wants them taken away. Is there anything we can do to safeguard ourselves against a spiteful dog-hater?

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I live with my family in a rented property outside of Reno, NV. We've been here a little under a year now, and since near the beginning of our stay we've had issues with our neighbor, an older lady. We have three dogs, a golden mix, a collie, and an akita mix. None of them are huge or aggressive dogs, but we have a large fenced property and they will bark at people passing by. They also bark at the neighbor when she is out in her yard, but we try to be attentive and call them in whenever we hear them barking. She also has a dog that barks as much or more than ours, some sort of collie mix.

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Some months back we received a visit from animal control saying that they'd received noise complaints about our dogs barking too much and being aggressive, and our chickens getting into our neighbor's yard. The officer did a quick inspection and found no issues or violations, and had no complaints about the temperaments of our dogs. He said this was an "educational visit" as there was nothing we were actually in violation of, but warned us to make sure our dogs don't bark too much.

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We paid a visit in person to our neighbor to see if there was a way we could resolve things on a personal level without involving the law. We told her it would have been more neighborly for her to come to us before reporting issues to animal control, and that we were perfectly willing to make reasonable accommodations. We're very careful not to escalate situations and we tried to be very gentle, but our neighbor did not want to listen to reason. She went on and on about how our dogs were monsters and would "charge her" at the fence, and how she'd had a peaceful life until we moved in and we'd "ruined her paradise", and how our dogs didn't have jobs so they just ran wild. Her friend was even in the house with her urging her to consider our good intentions, but she was just getting more hysterical. We wound up leaving and within the next few days we took steps to fix any potential issues. We used construction netting to fence off an additional 6-10 feet of our own yard all along the property line (which is by no means a small area), started being even more vigilant about bringing the dogs in anytime we heard a little barking or saw the neighbor out in her yard, and requested that the landlord think about putting in a fence, possibly splitting the cost with the neighbor. We haven't heard anything about the potential of a fence, and we don't really have the money to make such a large project happen even if the landlord was ok with it. The netting has given more space between her yard and our dogs, and kept the chickens from getting into her yard (the only reason they did is because she piles all her horse's manure right at the fence near our bedroom window and the chickens liked the bugs in it). She still screams at our dogs and stares daggers at us, but we hoped that was the end of things.

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Today we had another visit from animal control, which was much more candid. I walked out and got our dogs, who were mildly barking at the officer, but they came up to me halfway down the driveway and I took them inside. Chatting with the officer, he said that he has been getting more complaints. He spoke with her personally and she said, "Can you please just find ANY violation?" The officer said she was very upset but there was absolutely nothing he could see wrong with our animals or the way we were doing things. She apparently then said to him, "Fine, I guess when their dogs come over here and kill my dog, then there will be a violation!" He decided to visit for another "educational visit", but really it was a courtesy to us, informing us that we've got a very angry neighbor who will be watching us like a hawk for any potential issue, all because she's afraid of our good boys.

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Where we stand now is on the right side of the law, but definitely feeling very nervous. We've had insane neighbors before who have vandalized our property and we had one of our dogs get suddenly ill and pass away after eating something it found just inside our fence on that neighbor's property line. That was a different location and situation, but we're understandably nervous about a repeat occurring. I don't think our dogs would ever do anything without major provocation, but it's really unfortunate that we can't feel comfortable in our own home letting our dogs out into the yard.

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Is there any sort of action we could take, some sort of personal safeguard beyond just keeping our dogs cooped up inside, or is there someone we should talk to to create an official record just in case something happens? The officer said we'd be in the clear unless our dogs were getting over the fence, but are there any potential pitfalls we should look out for?

Answer:
 Install a home surveillance system that records and archives footage from outside your house. This is for your own protection and the protection of your dogs. This will be the easiest way to prevent anything from going wrong.

Secondly, start requesting records from the city of all the complaints. You could file a police report next time she makes false allegations, or speak with a city attorney to get the city to sue her for misuse of public assets.Answer #2: What concerned me was her saying

>"Fine, I guess when their dogs come over here and kill my dog, then there will be a violation!"

That strikes me as extremely worrisome. I would highly recommend walking your fence line to make sure there aren't any "treats" that she tosses over when you let your dogs out. As you and others have already said, get a camera security system.

Document everything you possibly can. I would try and reach out to your landlord about that fence again and ask for their opinion on if the situation and ask if they have any suggestions. Answer #3: This is the second place you've lived with neighbor issues? You had one who poisoned your dog. Now you have another who is extremely upset about them. Do you have any impartial friends who could give you their opinion about your dogs? Something that you're doing is scaring/upsetting these people. I'd keep my dogs inside unless directly supervised outside if I were you. Answer #4: Installing cameras is important to keep your dogs safe. Its not super far fetched to think she could do them harm with the amount of hatred she's expressed toward them.


Title: I've read that it is illegal (in the US) to record someone without their consent. What if someone has been threatening me and I want to obtain evidence for self-defense?

Question:
I am curious in general, but there is a little context for my story.

I moved to new a building in Chicago this September. The building has two front entryway doors; an aluminum door is followed by an older wooden door. Coming home from work around 1am, I find the aluminum door locked for the first time. Usually, only the wooden door is locked. In a minute, I figure out that the aluminum door has the same lock as the back entryway, so I enter and leave the door as I found it.

About an hour later, Scumbag Steve comes home and starts ringing my door buzzer like crazy.  He is wasted and furious. He doesn't have keys for either exterior entryway (wtf) and somehow I was supposed to know that without him telling me.

I left my apartment three times to let him within half an hour because he locked himself out again twice. Not one thanks. I am friendly and I try my best not to be condescending despite how stupid he is. He is actually threatening me throughout the ordeal. He is going to "knock [my] ass out for this" and similar violent threats. He is also going to have me evicted (he and the landlord "come from the same town". Seriously dude?).

I was trying to be neighborly. I shrugged off the violent threats, but he had his three strikes. I've touched base with the landlord and requested for keys on my neighbor's behalf.  As a courtesy I let him know that I will be calling the police if this tenant gives me trouble again I'll contact the police.

Long story short, I have no more patience with this guy. If there are any more threats from him in the future, I want to have some solid evidence (in case he attacks me and I defend myself; and to build a solid case against him).

Answer:
 Call the police if someone threatens you. You don't have to let someone in that you don't know - and you actually shouldn't let anyone in unless you know them.

As far as recording, it varies by state. In IL, there was a recent opinion that seems to make one-party consent the norm. [Read up on the laws here](http://www.dmlp.org/legal-guide/illinois-recording-law). Your best bet is to just call the police when this guy gets rowdy rather than trying to record him, because that will just agitate the situation.Answer #2: Illinois' two-party consent law was recently ruled to be unconstitutional.

In theory, you may be free to record any conversations under Federal law, but I'm not aware of any cases indicating that you can or cannot since Melongo. Answer #3: Certain states in the USA are "all party" consent states  - everyone in a conversation must give knowing consent for the recording.  Others are "one party" states.

Illinois has been "all party", but that law is in a state of flux right now.  The state supreme court has made rulings that will require elimination or significant changes in that law.

In short, your best bet for now is to act as if Illinois is all-party consent.  Realistically, recording him isn't necessary; if he threatens you, call the police.  Otherwise, ignore him.  If I'm understanding correctly, you guys are both tenants.  You don't owe him anything, including letting him in.


Title: My (22F)'s dead brother's (10 M, died 2006) bonds from our grandparents are now mature, but they are all in his and my estranged father's name. What to be done?

Question: Hi reddit, sort of a tough one here. To make it short, my younger brother died in December of 2006 when he was ten and I was 11 (we also have a younger brother who was 7 at the time and is now 19). Throughout our childhood, my paternal grandparents had given us each a dozen or more small bonds for birthdays etc, and I guess because they are my dad's parents, the bonds were made out to us (the kids) and my dad. The problem here is that he  bonds have matured and my dad's name are on all of them, not my mom's, and my dad is more or less out of our lives. My mom wants to be able to cash them and split the money between my brother and I, but we know that if we approach my dad to cash the bonds, he will just take the money for himself. Is there anything that can be done here? The person who purchased the bonds (my gradndpa, 76M) is still alive. The bonds were purchased in New York, and we live in North Carolina in the US. Is there any reasonable way we could cash the bonds at some point without going through my dad? Thanks guys.

Answer: So to clarify by rephrasing your post, you’re looking to cash out bonds that are currently the property of only your dad without him knowing?  That’s stealing


Title: [OK] My doctor's office shut down with no official warning...

Question:
(throwaway for obvious reasons)

Some background info on the health center I use(d): It was bought by the Muscogee Creek Nation a few years ago, and now they've decided that they no longer have the money to keep running it. There were rumors about the hospital shutting down for a while, and it was recently announced that it was for sure happening. (There was an article posted in the local newspaper - no dates or anything afaik.)

So anyway, I called my doctor on Friday to make an appointment, and I got a voicemail saying, "Effective immediately, the Muscogee Creek Nation will no longer be providing services to this office." I never received any official warning about when the offices would close (as in, no letter, phone call, etc.). I know other people who see the same doctor, and they didn't receive any notice either.

Is it legal for them to "dismiss" me with no warning like this, and no chance to get a referral or anything? Or am I just out of luck?

Answer: You're out of luck.  Doctors don't have an obligation to treat any specific patient at any time, save in cases of legitimate medical emergency.  They're a business that can close like any other.


Title: Split up with gf after 7 years and worried about agreement signed 2-3 years ago!

Question:
Me, my ex, and her father all live in Indiana.

2-3 years ago, we ran into money troubles.  We both had full-time jobs, but were paying too much in bills.  Her parents have given her a credit card with her name on it, but it is in the parent's name (she was given this before I met her).  To help buy groceries, she would use it.  We also had to move, and used it to pay for food and moving costs.  To be clear, she used it in the past to pay for unexpected expenses and has always called to get permission.

Eventually, we all agreed to meet to discuss the amount of money used on the card, and to put a financial budget together.  We settle on repaying him $1,500 and signed this document; nothing other than on a standard paper with his company's letterhead. No terms of when to repay or any other timelines were written.  No one made copies, and no reason to distrust since we had been together 5 years at the time and was expected to be wed.

Fast forward, we have not repaid a single dime.  We have not been asked to either.  We never really came out of our paycheck to paycheck life, and he knew that.

He hasn't contacted me on this, but since we recently split I am worried he might.  What would I be responsible for?  I assume half, but wouldn't she have to repay her half as well?  He can't just "forgive" her half and come after me, right?

Answer:
 >What would I be responsible for?  I assume half, but wouldn't she have to repay her half as well?  He can't just "forgive" her half and come after me, right?

Maybe half. Maybe the whole, if the court finds you were jointly and severably liable.

And of course he can forgive her half and come after you. There's no law that says a creditor can't forgive a debt in whole or in part.


Title: Photo used for MLM marketing by wedding makeup artist. (NY)

Question:
Hello, I have a quick question regarding the use of photos in a Facebook post premoting a makeup artists MLM product.

I hired a makeup artist for my wedding and had the trial in August. Everything went well and decided to book her for my wedding in October. Between the trial and the wedding she got involved with a MLM makeup company and decided to use some of the products for my wedding day makeup. It looked beautiful and I was happy. She also brought a friend along to help with hair for everyone else.

I went to go review the two artists on Facebook and noticed the friend of hers posted my trial run and day of makeup back to back with a blurb about how this makeup is amazing and blah blah blah. I don't like MLM companies so I really don't want my face involved.

There were no contracts signed.

So I don't plan on making a fuss or asking her to take it down, but I want to let her know if she needs to protect herself incase another bride or client is in this same situation. (there was another incident earlier which lead to  pricing issue which i am also going to bring up as a reason why she needs a contract).

Does she need to inform clients if these are going to be used as marketing for her MLM makeup? Or does it not matter bc she took the photo and can do what she wants with it.

Answer: [NY law](https://law.justia.com/codes/new-york/2014/cvr/article-5/50/) gives you rights to not have your image be used without your permission for a commercial purpose. If you don't like this, tell her to take it down. If she refuses, you'll have to go through the legal process to do it, weighing if it's worth it to you then.Answer #2: Yes, she should have a release for this or at the very least get verbal permission from her clients. Obviously that can be disputed but makeup artists do it all the time. She should also have a contract for her services. I'm surprised she hasn't gotten stiffed yet given the nature of her business.


Title: Friend moved out of his parents house, found the first apartment he could and payed $1400 (1100 in first/last 300 in security). I offered he come live with me, and he accepted. Is he entitled to his money back (he signed a lease)? He never stayed there or even got the keys. Florida

Question:
Friend was kicked outta his parents house. He crashed on my couch for a day, then the next morning he went out and rented the first apartment he could. He paid $1100 for 6 weeks (2 in july and "last") rent and $300 in security. Later that same day he told me about this and expressed his struggle for barely breaking even in his expenses each month after rent, bills, and food.i told him he could rent a room from me for $200 and he decided that was the better deal. He called the landlord for his money back and the landlord said he could only get $300 back. Is this true?

He was under emotional duress from just being kicked out if that matters. He also never got the keys or spent the night there or anything.

If he does get only the $300 back is that place his for the next month? Or does breaking the lease rule that out.

Answer:
 So, here's the bad news:  florida does *not* have a duty to mitigate for landlords, meaning that he is on the hook for the whole lease term if the landlord wants - an entire year of rent.

The good news: He's willing to let your friend out of the lease *and* refund the security deposit.  That's *really* a good offer.

It's not likely the landlord will let him stay *and* be generous with letting him break the lease.

$1100 is a cheap price to pay for learning about legal contracts and signing things without thinking.Answer #2: > He was under emotional duress from just being kicked out if that matters.

It doesn't.

Did your friend sign a lease?


Title: $1000 scholarship "awarded" but is now being withheld (ND)

Question:
I just finished my senior year of college, and I was fortunate enough to receive a $1000 scholarship from an alumni of my fraternity in March of 2018. This annual scholarship's recipient is decided upon by our fraternity's alumni board, although the money was donated by an individual. This money was not actually given to me yet. There was no formal contractual agreement at all, as is typical with scholarships.

In November of 2017, a few members were found guilty of vandalism. I was president at the time of the incident. It was not directly connected to the fraternity. The court proceedings didn't conclude until April of 2018. The Alumni Board, our advisers, and current president decided that there would be punishments for the entire fraternity. They decided that one of these punishments would be to withhold any scholarship money awarded to those individuals involved, as well as those in leadership at the time. These scholarships are typically $100 for having above a 3.0 GPA, and $500 for a 4.0 GPA.

Basically, my scholarship is being withheld due to a decision from the alumni board, and even though I was not personally involved, I am being fined 10x more than anyone else. I have tried to settle this personally with the alumni board, but the current alumni president is an idiot.

Is there any legal action I can take? Are the alumni obligated to give me this scholarship because they awarded it to me? All help is very much appreciated.

Answer: No legal action.  The alumni control the awards, the brothers who committed the vandalism are accountable, so is the leadership.


Title: My mom renewed AT&T contract in MY name...now I’m in collections

Question:
3 Years ago I lived with my mom while I was 18. I decided to get WiFi for our home with att. It was something I could afford and was paying for a long time. Eventually my contract ended and I was with their u-verse month to month which was great because I could cancel at any time. I moved away from home for a few months and they agreed to keep paying if I left the service ( my dumbass agreed to this -_-)  She called to lower the monthly cost because it was getting expensive and instead they offered her to bundle with direct tv and have “even more saving” this would however, renew the contract with att. She did this without my permission or knowledge. I’m upset that att did not ask to verify my social security number or anything. She was just able to add and make changes to my account.
A few months later I went to open a new line for the first time and was told there was an outstanding balance for a business (my moms old business) that had internet and phone line that wasn’t fully paid. I was furious but I paid it on the spot in order to get my new phone and move on with life.
Fast forward to today I tried to get an Apple Watch added to my line and was told that I have ANOTHER OUTSTANDING BALANCE. I was pisssst. Turns out my mom moved and att was not available in her area so she terminated the service but did not pay the contract closing fees. What are my options at this point? I’ve learned not to have any financial interactions with my mom but how can I remove this collection. Do I just pay it or dispute it?

Answer:
 Sign up for credit karma, or another credit monitoring service. Find out everything on it. If she has other major debt in your name, reporting the identity theft is your only alternative to paying it.

If she has your SSN, you probably need to freeze your credit going forward.

Signed, Dad kept phone bills in my name for 20 years and I was too much of a wimp to close it down. Got stuck with the final $800 bill, of course.


Title: Mentally ill relative keeps asking for advice on how to get a gun.

Question:
This is in Georgia. He was involuntarily admitted to a mental hospital while out of state after threatening to kill himself while in a clinic he’d checked himself into.

They will not drop the matter and will get extremely upset when confronted about their past issues with mental illness. (Eg “Maybe it’s not a good idea for you to get a gun...”)

Are they allowed to rent a gun at the shooting range? How about owning one?

I read conflicting advice on this. I can’t remember i the local shooting range does a background check on people if they’re merely renting vs purchasing a gun. I’m trying to figure out what’s going to happen when they inevitably try getting a gun - whether renting or buying - as they’ll likely lose it and become (wrongfully) infuriated with the family member that had them admitted.

I’m most concerned their involuntary admittance to a mental hospital won’t show up on the background check since they were out of state when it happened.

Answer: Was he 5150ed or adjudicated as mentally incompetent and committed? They are very different things.