Title: Stalker neighbor, what to do?

Question: Hi, I'm a disabled stay at home father and I've been having a problem with a neighbor stalking me for nearly 20 houses down for 3 years. It all started when I was driving into my park in 2016, their kids cut off my car, then he decided to come over and threaten me. I got him off the property with mace, made a police report and talked to management of my park. Before he left, he of course threatened my life. For nearly 3 years now, he's been going out of his way driving past my house (it's a dead end past my house) and he doesn't know anyone that way, i asked around and have seen myself that he just turns around without doing anything besides passing my house again. He's been going behind my house in the alleyway, there's nothing but sand back there, literally nothing else. Stopping behind and in front of my house, looking around, acting suspicious. He started wearing surgical masks so my cameras won't see his face, but he's the only one in the park with that mask on and this park is in the middle of nowhere. He's also been sending his kids to walk around in front of my house and do donuts in front of my house, in my drive way, just be nuisances. They've blocked me with their car from even leaving the park. I've called the cops several times, they say they can't do anything, the last cop said that if I called again they'd ticket me (i don't know how). I've talked to management, they talk to them, they pretend nothing happened and say it's public property. They did say they'd leave me alone but that stopped happening when the old manager got fired and the new one just don't care. What can I do? I'm literally too poor to move, I don't go outside, except once or twice a month to doctors. My SO only goes to work and stores, doesn't bother them either. My kids are all indoor kids. I do have security cameras with proof of all of it, also have a dashcam with proof of them blocking me and pestering me.

Answer:
 Im sorry you are going through this.
My mom had a similar issue with her neighbor harassing her.
The police also threatened my mom for calling too much saying they would "cite" her. She is in Illinois, do not sure if that is an Illinois thing or an everywhere thing.
I think you have adequate proof with the footage of harassment, I would try going physically into the police station, making a written statement, and giving them the video footage. You can try also getting a restraining order. Answer #2: If a vehicle is blocking your driveway, you can have it towed.Answer #3: Not a California lawyer, but I have read several hundred California cases on these facts.

You need to get a restraining order.  Walking by your house with no legitimate reason is a standard reason to get one.  Those cases usually involved the stalker also taking pictures - for no legitimate reason.  So if you can capture him doing that, you'd be on firmer grounds.  But the blocking you is definitely good grounds.

As to how you should go about getting one, I can't help you with that.  But, while you're figuring that out I highly recommend you put all the incidents on a spreadsheet and you keep detailing every single thing.

The restraining order probably won't be the end of your problem.  More likely the guy will violate the RO and you'll have to call the cops and have them enforce it a few times/throw him in jail.


Title: I think my contractor bribed the building and safety office (for permits) building my House addition and their mistakes have created a 3.5 year nightmare for my family and exposed my newborn to toxic mold and I want to sue everyone. CA, USA

Question:
This is such a long story but I will try to keep it as short as possible. My contractor, who is Licensed, bonded, has an A+ on Angie’s list build an addition on my house.

After they finished, it leaked every single time it rained in multiple areas. We’re in SoCal tho, so, it only rains a few months a year. Once it stopped raining each year, they’d be like it’s fixed! Then next year it would start leaking again. Long story short after 3 years of rain and leaks I went to the state licensing board (CSLB) and they made them work it out with us to fix it. It had literally not been waterproofed AT ALL. If you know anything about construction, they had no flashing, no slope, no waterproof membrane, literally just thin set and tile. (The roof doubles as a deck for our upstairs tenants as part of the duplex we own. We live in the bottom, rent out the top).

So I’m fighting with them to fix it while I’m pregnant desperate to get it done before I give birth. They promised to use a licensed waterproof co etc. and just in case there was mold, testing, remediation etc. There was mold and they delayed work until after I gave birth and I couldn’t sleep with my son in our bedroom (which is the addition) so I had to sleep with him in the nursery. They said it would take 3 weeks, it took over 3 months, our bedroom was torn apart and all our belongings thrown in our garage for months all while I am taking care of a newborn. Was a nightmare. They finally finished everything in March.

Oh and the entire time the owner of the company was absolutely horrible, sending me insane texts in the middle of the night, and at one point literally threatening me, in writing. Nice guy. They also had this horrible lawyer who lied and insulted me every time I talked to her. Anyways. I thought it was all finally over and was opening a bottle of champagne when I had a random plumbing issue where my bathtub bizarrely filled up with old food. Super gross. Assuming it’s from the dishwasher. Had plumber come. He went to use the crawl space under my addition to see what’s going on.

And... he was like oh hell nah it’s a fetid swamp of nightmares under there. I was like what the what? So we had a water remediation guy come out and take [these pics ](https://imgur.com/a/Whwrnx7) of our NEW ADDITION in semi
Arid Southern California full of mold, rot, bugs and fetid standing water. After having a mini breakdown I ended up having my parents super amazing contractor come look. He we like... uh... everything about how this is built is blatantly illegal. Is it permitted? And I was like they said it was? They charged me for permits? Our contract required permits? I didn’t talk to the permit people myself tho?

So he goes down to building and safety and tells them about it and sees that it is PERMITTED which is insane to all of them so they’re trying to get a hold of the lady who approved the permits because anyone with two eyes could see the crawl space was built completely illegally. And I’m guessing the roof too before they fixed it.

My homeowners won’t pay for it and the contractor definitely should and it sounds like building and safety might force them to fix it and bring it to code which would be easier than having to go through the whole CSLB process and dealing with these angry lying buttholes for 7 months and fighting with them to fix their mistakes. But now I’m thinking is nothing up to code?  I thought maybe the waterproofing thing was just somehow overlooked but now i think they must have bribed the inspector because their work was, as the good contractor says, ‘worse than some guy you’d pick up at home depot. ‘ We paid these guys 200k for the work they did. I was exposed to mold my entire pregnancy.  Kicked out of my bedroom and closet for months running on 2 hours of sleep with my baby.

I looked into lawyers for the original roof issue and it wasn’t enough $ to take them to superior court and too much for small claims which is why I was forced to negotiate with this evil company.

But the nightmare and toxic mold exposure continues.

I want them to be held accountable. Along with the inspector who approved their hack job. I don’t care about getting money. I want everything fixed, and I want them held accountable. Any ideas?
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 There’s not much you can do other than sue them in court and report them to their licensing board. Maybe now with additional proof of permitted things being done not up to code the licensing board might be willing to do more.

You said you looked at it for the roof issue but with all the new information and potential estimates maybe the $ is more potential for someone to take it up. You might have to front the legal fees and recoup them afterwards.

If you still can’t get a lawyer to take the case you can still go to small claims or file yourself. Small claims means you’ll be taking the hit on the damage over the limits but at least it’s some sort of vindication they screwed up.


Title: I was charged with possession of marijuana in Nebraska as an Iowa citizen and Im wondering what it all entails for me.

Question:
I was pulled over the other day and the car I was riding passenger in was searched and I was written a citation for possession of marijuana ( less than an ounce) and paraphernalia, I am an Iowa citizen and was driving through Nebraska.

Am I subject to Iowas laws regarding marijuana?
What other things can I expect to become problems because of these offenses? thank you for your time.

Answer:
 You are subject to the laws of the jurisdiction you are in, which means you are subject to Nebraskan law on marijuana in this case.Answer #2: > Am I subject to Iowas laws regarding marijuana?

You were in Nebraska at the time, so the charges will be brought and tried under Nebraskan laws, generally.

> What other things can I expect to become problems because of these offenses?

Possibly a fine, if this is your first offence:

> (13) Any person knowingly or intentionally possessing marijuana weighing one ounce or less or any substance containing a quantifiable amount of the substances, chemicals, or compounds described, defined, or delineated in subdivision (c)(25) of Schedule I of section 28-405 shall:
>
> (a) For the first offense, be guilty of an infraction, receive a citation, be fined three hundred dollars, and be assigned to attend a course as prescribed in section 29-433 if the judge determines that attending such course is in the best interest of the individual defendant;

Otherwise, a misdemeanor criminal record:

> (b) For the second offense, be guilty of a Class IV misdemeanor, receive a citation, and be fined four hundred dollars and may be imprisoned not to exceed five days; and
>
> (c) For the third and all subsequent offenses, be guilty of a Class IIIA misdemeanor, receive a citation, be fined five hundred dollars, and be imprisoned not to exceed seven days.

A misdemeanor drug conviction will make you ineligible to own firearms under federal law.


Title: [OR] My roommates are crazy and need to go.

Question:
My roommates are a married couple, and fight pretty frequently. Last night I came home and their fight was going over the line. I could hear then getting physical, so my other roommate and I stepped in and separated them. The man tried to fight me and we had to wrestle him to the ground. He also tried to fight a neighbor who asked what was going on. After the fact I found out she had pulled a knife and threatened to kill herself. He grabbed the knife and sliced his hand super bad.

They need to go, my question is how do I legally get them out. I live in Portland proper and know that renters rights are strict. They aren't on my lease and pay me rent in cash. Thanks in advance for any help.
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer: You should really call the police next time, you could be saving this woman's life by establishing that behavior like this =jail.


Title: [FL] Used to work as security guard, got told by Process Server I would be sued if I didn't allow them access to gated community.

Question:
Hello all, this is more of a posthumous dissection of an incident I had in 2016 back before I went back to school.

I worked as a gate guard for a private community near Disney World.

I was told:

- The gate area was our security company's property and I could trespass from the immediate gate area

- get the license plate and driver's license from the visitor.

- You must refer to the computer app's "approved guest" list for the address the guest/visitor gave you.

- if the vehicle or driver's license didn't match any entry on approved guests for that resident, you had to advise them to contact the residents to enter in the app and ask them to leave. You could not contact the residents yourself for ANY reason; they had to call the gate.

- There were exceptions for: property maintenance (buzz through - get the number), emergency services + school bus (buzz through, get the unit number as they drove through and record it), deliveries (had to get the manifest from the driver/see a package with an address inside and record his driver's license, vehicle number), realtors (had to collect the realtor's DL, agency card, and a valid MLS, plus the client's if they were with them), home health aides (got their company ID and driver's license), taxis/UBER was a nightmare - none of the residents would call ahead or put in the app, and anyone could be Uber.

- if you have any issues, contact the supervisor.

On the last day before I quit, a gentleman rolled up to the gate in a black SUV.

Asked him for his ID, destination, how was it going.

He was chill, produced his ID and a business card for a company and said he was here to deliver subpoena for an address in another part of the complex. He flashes a bunch of paperwork to prove his point, which I can't be sure are official papers.

I tell him that I need to verify something with my supervisor, and call him. Get voicemail. Hang up, apologize for the wait and redial.

PS then became very aggressive, shouting about how it was illegal to deny someone serving papers access (even though I hadn't seen anything with state letterhead), how he had actionable grounds, and instead of arguing with him I let him through.

Did I do the right thing in just allowing him through? Or should I have denied access until I got my supervisor to confirm this was a legit process server?

Answer:
 None of what he told you is correct. He used intimidation to get you to break protocol. Sounds like the guy really wants to be a bounty hunter not a process server.Answer #2: A process server has zero authority for anything. They’re barely a step above a courier since they’re required to know some laws.

He may have also been pissed because he probably won’t get paid unless he serves the person.


Title: Family feeds our cat and now he doesn't come home

Question:
[removed]
Topic:
Non-US

Answer: you can keep him indoors, like responsible cat owners


Title: [NYC] Got hit in the face by a roadrager, no visible injury. Police say it's not assault

Question:
I was biking and a car overpassed me very close, in a workzone (where the bikelane was closed, hence my biking in the middle). The guy overpassed me in a tiny street, very close to me and nearly threw me over.

After yelling (and insulting him) he stopped his car, I put my bike down and went to him to insult him further, explaining its dangerous etc. The guy brings out a taser, tries to tase me, I jump back and think that this is going too far. He gets back in his car, drives away to stop 10m after at a red light. I take out my phone and take pictures of his license plate and his car, with him driving it. After which he comes out again and punch me in the face then drives off.

I called the cops, who came to take a report, and said that because I had no visible injury (my face was fine), they couldn't do anything.
I have witnesses, his plates, pictures, everything, I even googled him and found his full name, address, phone number (that idiot had custom plates).

How come the cops won't do anything? they say it's harassment at best.

It makes me so angry thinking the cops nearly condone such attitude.

Answer:
 Looks like injury is a requirement for criminal charges in NY. http://nydefenselawyer.org/criminal-charges/assault/

If the cops didn't see any signs on injury I can see why they made that determination. Did you bruise at all after the incident?

Edit: It looks like the cops were spot on about it being harassment.

>Harassment in the second degree.
  A person is guilty of harassment in the second degree when, with
intent to harass, annoy or alarm another person:
  1. He or she strikes, shoves, kicks or otherwise subjects such other
person to physical contact, or attempts or threatens to do the same; or
  2. He or she follows a person in or about a public place or places; or
  3. He or she engages in a course of conduct or repeatedly commits acts
which alarm or seriously annoy such other person and which serve no
legitimate purpose. http://ypdcrime.com/penal.law/article240.htm#p240.26

Harassment in the second degree is a violation. "Violation" means an offense, other than a "traffic infraction," for which a sentence to a term of imprisonment in excess of fifteen days cannot be imposed.

You can sue civilly since the standard is a bit lower. However your damages are minimal to non-existent.


Title: What should you do if you suspect your child wants to become a PI lawyer?

Question:
Throw them a kickass 2nd birthday party, I guess.

http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2015/07/28/mom-throws-dream-party-for-personal-injury-lawyer-obsessed-toddler/

Louisana, to appease the bot.

Yes, I know this isn't truly seeking legal advice, but I thought it might bring some levity.

Answer: Was there a trampoline, a dangerous dog, a careless driver, an icy walkway, an incompetent doctor, and someone serving too much alcohol to guests?


Title: I filed a report on my drug dealing neighbor recently. When I googled what is expected of me going forward many sites say NEVER talk to police period. Are these sites referring to if I was the suspect instead of a tip on someone else? Shoot me straight. THX

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 To quote one of the great philosophers of the year 3000 (Bender), I will say this:

> Those sites are an *idiot*!

Some of them mean if you're a suspect.  But plenty of them mean ever, ever, under any circumstances.

And that's every bit as dumb as "Always talk to the police no matter what."Answer #2: If you are getting investigated / questioned / charged, then talking to the police without a lawyer might get you in trouble. But that's only if you are the suspect.

If you are a victim or a witness, collaborating with the police is usually an excellent idea. If you have doubts, contact a lawyer to be sure.

If you are reporting a crime, then the best thing you can do is contacting the police.


Title: [San Diego CA] Potential landlord is asking a pet deposit for my Emotional Support Animal.

Question:
We have an appointment to view our new potential apartment this week. The property is pet friendly, and I have informed my new potential landlord that I have an ESA. He said as long as I have my paperwork, it should be fine. I do have my note from my therapist stating that I have a disability and that my dog helps me function in my day-to-day life. (She is also licensed with my city and up-to-date on all her vaccinations).

My new potential landlord told me that he will waive the pet rent free, but that I still have to pay a deposit for her before we move in in case she damages anything. I reminded him that this is illegal of him to ask since she is not considered a pet, legally, and sent him screenshots in an email of numerous legal sites stating the exact same thing.

What do I do if he insists I pay the deposit prior to move-in?

Answer: Do you have an ESA or a service animal? A service animal is trained to perform a specific task for its owner, while an emotional support animal generally isn't.


Title: My mom was almost killed because of an undercover cop

Question: [removed]

Answer:
 She can file a complaint with the local police department.

If she feels strongly about it, she can also speak with a local civil attorney. Don't be surprised if she is informed that this would be an uphill battle.Answer #2: NAL, but not seeing any mention of therapy.  Traumatic events can lead to PTSD if proper help is not sought soon after.   Might be worth the consideration.  Answer #3: Are you sure mall security is the right folks to be telling your mom about what happened? I personally would want to hear it directly from the police and not the mall cops. Answer #4: Your mom should get medical treatment if she is really struggling with this. However, I think the likelihood of her recovering any compensation is exceedingly low to nonexistent.Answer #5: >What if the cop fired shots? What if someone rear ended his car, startling him, leading him to press the trigger?

I doubt you can sue for "what if's".

&#x200B;Answer #6: NAL, but in general in order to sue you have to have damages.  So, let's say the cop had accidentally shot her, now she has injuries and hospital bills--those are actual damages.  Even then though, you would need to prove that they did something actually wrong--sometimes people are just in the wrong place at the wrong time and bad things happen and it isn't necessarily a lawsuit-worthy event.  This sucks that your mom went through it and I get why she is upset and why you are upset, but if you talk to an attorney be prepared for them to tell you that they can't sue for zero damages.Answer #7: No, she isn't entitled to compensation.


Title: I got towed at my own apartment

Question:
Location: Colorado

As the title states, I got home last night around 11 and when I woke up my truck was gone. I called the towing service who said that they towed my truck because it doesnt have a parking permit, which it does not.

The issue is that no one has talked to me about a parking permit since I moved in 5 months ago. Although there are posted signs that say "Parking permit Required. Towing enforced." None of the other vehicles in the lot have a permit and I have never been talked to about having one.

They want to charge me $285 to get my truck back but I dont feel that I should have to pay because of reasons listed. Do I have an argument or did I just get screwed out of $285?

If this is the wrong place to post please direct me to a more appropriate sub, thanks!

Edit: Added location

Edit 2: I got the truck back without incurring anymore costs. I have looked over the lease and it doesnt say anything about parking permits. I talked to my property manager and he said this problem has never come up in all the time he has worked with my unit.

I should also mention that this is a condo complex. Each unit is privately owned. The specific owner of my unit has contracted out to a property management company to handle all of the leasing shenanigans. In this way, there isnt really an office that I can just walk into a talk to. THere is an HOA that handles parking, garbage, etc. I should be getting their number and speaking with them tomorrow. Anymore advice is welcome! I appreciate you all thus far.

Answer: You need to pay $285 to get your truck back. Even assuming you are 100% correct in your argument, the tow truck didn't do anything wrong and they aren't going to release your truck until you pay them. You may be able to negotiate something with the management about a rent credit. I doubt it, but it's not impossible. But you need to pay the tow lot now.Answer #2: Check your lease and the apartment rules and regulations. If they have signs saying you need a permit, you probably need a permit. It's still breaking the rules, just like speeding is still speeding even if you've never been pulled over before and everyone else still does it


Title: Unable to collect a judgment (Mississippi)

Question:
Hi r/legaladvice

I was the victim of an assault in which I was awarded a 6-figure judgment by the jury, which compounds annually at nearly 10%. All appeals have been exhausted. This trial/judgment was several years ago.I would like your help, if possible.

The issue is -- the person who owes the judgment has been protected by his employer (family) and lives in a debtor-friendly state (Texas [at least they are listed as living in Texas, that could be falsified to avoid paying the judgment]). His employer (family) has plenty of lawyers, and have listed him as an "independent contractor" who owes money to his employer, making this individual apparently immune to paying the judgment AND blocking me from garnishing their wages.

Even after going through years of the legal rigmarole, I am stuck with tens of thousands of dollars in medical debt (from the assault) that is still on *my* credit history, let alone the judgment that I will never recover a fucking cent from.

I was on a contingency plan with my attorney, who seems to think there is no recourse and has seemed to move on.

Is there any other avenue I could pursue? As much as humans appreciate an emotional appeal, I will just say that my family is in need of justice that legal loopholes have denied.

Please help, if possible! Thank you very much.

Answer:
 I would look for an attorney in Texas who specializes in enforcement of judgments. Most attorneys don't know much about this area of law, so the fact that your lawyer has given up is not a strong indicator that the case is hopeless.

If you find a new attorney to take the case on contingency, make sure to first work out something with your old attorney about his contingency lien. If each of them wanted their 40%, you wouldn't be left with much. Your old attorney should be willing to take a lot less, since he's essentially written off the case at this point.


Title: [GA] Company never presented or had me sign their relo package but has a two year agreement with most new hires. Will I have to reimburse if I leave before two years?

Question:
Hi all!

I posted this in AskHR, but only got an "I don't see how" and I really need to know if I'm handcuffed to this place for another 10 months.

I've been at my current job for a year and a few months. I took the job purely to be closer to my family during a few health crises. From a lifestyle perspective, it has been fantastic. My work-life balance is much healthier, but, I'm not a good fit with the company. I'm successful, and I do my job, and I received "Exceeds expectations" on my review, but I think we all know we're trying to fit a square peg in a round hole.

My former employer has contacted me about every three months, keeping me updated on opportunities, and there is finally one near here (home-ish) that may be coming open in the next two months that I would be excited to take. I know a few of the folks there, and my SO is even good friends with one of the fellas there. So it sounds fantastic!

BUT we just hired a new person and she commented on the two year Relo package agreement. At first, I thought i just didn't remember the length, then when she showed me her copy, I realized I had never seen the document. I went through my personal emails from before I was hired on (the employment agreement from them to me, and the signed copy back, the offers, the information about my temporary housing, my benefits package information, my physical documents, etc). There was NO Relo package. I moved down on a weekend and immediately moved into temp housing, without ever signing a thing except at the apartment complex, which was just a move in/move out inspection form.

I never saw the document, even though it is apparently standard for all relocated new hires (which, makes sense and is what I expected), never agreed to a two year term, and there is no "length of contract" or similar verbiage in my employment/hiring agreement. I've also gone through my copy of the Salaried Associate Handbook and there is no mention of the relocation agreement. Will they be able to recoup the money spent on my Relo, or am I in the clear to go back with my former team?

Answer: You can't be held to a contract you haven't signed. Their general policy doesn't matter.


Title: Boyfriend's ex-fiancée will not allow him to see or contact their daughter even though there is no custody agreement and they have never been to court.

Question:
Just to preface this, my boyfriend lives in British Columbia, Canada.
My boyfriend was in an abusive relationship for 7 years with a woman who has Borderline Personality Disorder. They ended up splitting up a while back and at first, she allowed him to see their daughter. But it was always on her terms, even if they had made and agreed upon arrangements for my boyfriend to pick their daughter up. She would frequently change the plans, call him numerous times and berate him for "not wanting to see their daughter" or she would flat out cancel plans and tell my boyfriend he was not allowed to see their daughter.
My boyfriend is worried about the welfare of his daughter, considering that his ex does not receive treatment for her disorder and she also has a history of substance abuse. It has been 5 days now that she has ignored all of his calls, texts and emails. She is completely uncooperative and is doing anything she can to ruin my boyfriend's life, including making false claims about him being a drug addict and not putting in any effort to spend time with their daughter. She has 2 other children from previous relationships and both of the children are now in custody of the respective fathers because she has been proven to be an unstable parent.
My question is, can she legally be ignoring his calls, withholding information about their daughter, and denying him when he attempts to see her without any sort of court agreement?

Answer:
 If there's no custody agreement, then the ex-fiancee doesn't have to let him see the child.

He needs to go to court and get a custody order, then he can force his ex to allow him to see the kid.Answer #2: > can she legally be ignoring his calls, withholding information about their daughter, and denying him when he attempts to see her without any sort of court agreement?

Well yes. It is her daughter and without any court order, she can make a lot of the decisions. That being said, if your BF had the child in his possession, he could do the same thing to her.

Regardless of what your BF wants, this game will never stop unless he gets a court order for custody. Not only does it protect your BF's rights but more importantly it protects the child. I highly suggest starting to process for one like yesterday.


Title: Advice concerning grandparent visitation rights in Illinois.

Question:
Ok, I have a bit of a peculiar situation I need advice for.  This concerns my brother 26 years old who currently has sole custody of his daughter, after his ex-girlfriend died of a drug overdose about two months ago.  Within 24 hours of the ex dying, her mother tried to keep my brothers daughter from him.  The court sided with my brother and gave his daughter to him.

Over the next few weeks the grandmother would text my brother if she could see my niece.  My brother agreed and let the grandmother see the child on several occasions.  The grandmother eventually got fed up with trying to schedule visitation around my brothers schedule and has since taken him to court to get a court ordered visitation.

Their first court date was today and my brother came to court (without an attorney, he doesn't have much money), and had a meeting with the grandmother and her attorney.  My brother offered one overnight visit per month, and he would agree to bring the child by on certain holidays: Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving.

The grandmother refused and is countering with wanting every other weekend and EVERY holiday.  My brother then asked the judge to defer while he sought legal advice, I am going to be putting up the money for an attorney.  After the hearing today the grandmothers attorney pulled my brother aside and says that their chances of getting 50% custody are very good, and he should just take the every other weekend and every holiday deal.  It's obvious that this lawyer is trying to strong arm my brother.  That's when I agreed to pay for a lawyer of our own.

We had a meeting with a lawyer today and he seems to think that what the grandmother is wanting is excessive and that when it's all said and done she may even be responsible for legal fees.  That's not an issue at this time.

I hesitate to link to Illinois' law on this issue, since most of the pages I find have popups and stuff, but I was wondering what would be an ideal situation for both parties involved, what is a worst case scenario for my brother, and what is a best case scenario for my brother.

Answer:
 > the grandmothers attorney pulled my brother aside and says that their chances of getting 50% custody are very good,

Never, ever take legal advice from the *other guy*'s attorney. Their only motivation is to convince you to agree to their demands.

He is doing the right thing by getting his own lawyer. Grandparent's rights are pretty nebulous and most frequently dependent on what the parents allow. As to custody/visitation it is very dependent on the relationship that the grandparent(s) had before the issues arose. Did the grandmother live with and was the caretaker of the child before the mother's death? If so, then visitation will be more strongly considered.

Regardless, his own lawyer will give him better advice as to the state of his chances for visitation on his terms.Answer #2: "Illinois law refers to grandparent visitation as a “privilege.” It’s not a right. You do have the right to go to court and ask for visitation, but a court is not required to give you any."

[Source](http://www.illinoislegalaid.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.dsp_content&contentID=2402)

Essentially, the attorney is blowing smoke.Answer #3: He should NOT SETTLE!!  I didn't see an age listed (may have missed it) but generally burden is on grandma to prove an existing relationship that would be detrimental to the child to miss out on.

Brother has every right to say "I have no problem with grandma being in her life and I have accommodated visitation in the past but i don't want the burden of a court order interfering with raising my child".


Title: Grad school will not retroactively apply FAFSA (due to mistype) even though they had it the whole time

Question:
Hi!

Not sure if this is the right subreddit, I posted in personal finance too but I need some help! I recently completed a term of online grad school. I was accepted into the University, completed FAFSA and was approved, then at the end of the semester decided to switch to another program at another school.

This was in May.

I have now learned that my FAFSA was never applied due to one number of my social security number being wrong on my original paper work for enrollment in the university. They called saying they never received FAFSA, I talked to everyone and their mothers at both the school and FAFSA. Finally found out that they had my loan application all along they just couldn’t apply it since the information did not match. I went through the process to change my SS# on the schools forms but was informed that the school refuses to retroactively apply financial aid even though they had my application the whole time. I’m now trying to set up a payment plan but am unemployed (but actively applying for jobs!) due to a family situation. Any suggestions on how to deal with this loan or if it’s even okay they’re doing this?

Thanks!!

Answer:
 I work in financial aid.

This is not a legal issue. This is 100% on you. Federal student aid notifies you when your SSN doesn't match with what the Social Security Administration has on file. They had *a* FAFSA on file, but it wasn't *your* FAFSA. At my institution, we can't even view FAFSAs unless they are matched with a student's file-- and they don't match without the right SSN.

This is unfortunate but the school isn't obligated to retroactively apply financial aid.


Title: [MN] Restaurant overcharged my credit card by nearly 900%

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 If the $84 goes through, just do a chargeback with your credit card company.

It likely won't, though.  This is almost assuredly just a "hold" on your card, placed when you open the tab.


Title: Are companies allowed to restrict what you use your gift card with them on?

Question: A company refused to accept a gift card for a specific good.  I am in Quebec and was wondering if this is allowed?

Answer: Depends on the terms under which the gift card was purchased, but otherwise yes.


Title: Can I withhold rent if other tenants keep leaving the door propped?

Question:
Hi, I live in Amherst, Ma 01002 and have been having multiple issues with doors being propped open all day every day. We've had wild animals in the building and as it is now December it has gotten quite cold and makes doing laundry or even standing in my kitchen something that requires a winter coat. Ive sent at least three emails about this and have asked about them possibly installing door alarms for if they are left open for too long.
Just today during actual snowfall of 3-6 inches the door has been propped open 3 different times. Im planning on sending another email to my landlord/rental agency and am wondering if i can threaten to withhold rent as we've had this issue since September, and they haven't done anything about it. I could possibly deal with the cold, but at this point my roommates and i just don't feel safe.
Thank you in advance for whatever advice you can offer

Answer: Um, no.


Title: [FL] Semi truck hit my car, driver claiming I'm at fault

Question: I was recently involved in an accident on my way to work, a semi truck merged into my lane and swiped my car. No injuries thankfully. We pulled over, had a police report made and I contacted his insurance. His insurance is through his work. Now the driver is claiming I merged into his lane and I'm at fault (in the police report). His insurance is waiting for his statement and trying to get in touch with him. It's been two weeks now. When is a good time to hire an attorney and get my car fixed? I'm trying to avoid going through my insurance because I live in a no-fault state and my premium will skyrocket.

Answer: Insurance companies have THE best attorneys. It would be probably be cheaper for you to go through your insurance company even if it raises your rates than to try to fight this on your own


Title: Breastfeeding Law Protecting Woman's Safety?

Question:
I was wondering if anyone knew if there is a law to protect a woman's safety from toxic chemicals and substances while breastfeeding. I know if you're pregnant, you can be accommodated but what about breastfeeding? I currently work in an area where I'm exposed to toxic chemicals where I sit at work. I've asked my boss if my desk can be moved while I'm breastfeeding  for a few months and he said no.

I wanted to add that the only thing that I've found is the affordable care act that states a woman must be allowed to pump and have a safe place to do that. But it doesn't say that her workplace has to be safe.

Answer:
 What does the MSDS say about the chemicals in regard to breastfeeding?

 Edit 1: OMG I have cake!

 Edit 2: I was thinking about your post some more...you can probably contact La Leche League to get pointed in a good direction: http://www.lalecheleague.org/

 You can also talk to your doctor or the baby's pediatrician: [CDC](http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/repro/breastfeeding.html). I was a jet engine mechanic for about 4 years worth of breastfeeding...which is why I am asking you what your MSDS says. If you work around chemicals there should be an MSDS readily available for you to peruse, and it should have information for pregnant or nursing mothers. I was allowed to work even though I was nursing, I learned through research that most airborne chemicals don't make it into your milk. Other than that, I wore PPE. Do you work directly with toxic chemicals or do you inhale them from a distance...?

 [KellyMom says](http://kellymom.com/bf/can-i-breastfeed/chemicals/mom-chemical-exp/).

 >Things that are used on the skin or inhaled are rarely absorbed into the maternal bloodstream in significant enough amounts to reach the milk. For something like this to pass into the milk enough to affect baby, mom’s exposure would probably need to be to such an extent that she becomes very ill.

 (More CDC) [Should women exposed to environmental toxins breastfeed](http://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/disease/environmental_toxins.htm)?

 >Breastfeeding is still recommended despite the presence of chemical toxins. The toxicity of chemicals may be most dangerous during the prenatal period and the initiation of breastfeeding. However, for the vast majority of women the benefits of breastfeeding appear to far outweigh the risks. To date, effects on the nursing infant have been seen only where the mother herself was clinically ill from an toxic exposure.


Title: Motion was dismissed. Now what happens?(NY)

Question: I was served by a debt collector that buys debt in bulk.  I responded because I had never heard of them, asking for verification of the debt.  They provided partial information so that I at least learned where the debt originated, although I thought it had been satisfied years ago.  So, they filed a motion for summary judgement for today.  I showed up, the judge saw the paperwork, saw that I was there, saw my filed response and the fact that the Plaintiff couldn't be bothered to show in court, and the judge dismissed the motion once I stated my name for the record.  My question is, now what?  Is it over?  Can they file again?  Will they sell this "debt" to someone else, and I will have to go through this all over again?  Please help!

Answer: Can you give us the exact language the judge used? Normally, motions for summary judgment (a particular procedural step) are "denied," but causes of action (the case itself) are said to be "dismissed." Two very different things. Do you see anything on the docket yet about what exactly happened?Answer #2: The fact that their motion for summary judgment got denied does not mean the lawsuit is over. You are still being sued, they just didn't succeed in convincing the judge that they deserve to win without a trial. They can probably file another MSJ if they want to, but they don't have a file another lawsuit against you because this one is still ongoing.


Title: My father is bed-ridden and my step-mother appears to be making moves to restrict access to his blood children, what should I do in anticipation?

Question: [Salt Lake City, UT] Background: My father had a heart attack in late September of 2016 and has been put on blood thinners. His back had been injured since then in a hit and run accident where the other party hasn't been found. The accident has injured his back and made it difficult to move. One and a half weeks ago, he fell while trying to use the bathroom and nearly choked on his own vomit because he blacked out due to the pain. Edit: He cannot have surgery on his back because of the blood thinners until October, leaving him bed-ridden. Since his visit to the ER for this, my step-mother seems to be making moves to restrict access to my father. A message was sent to my siblings and me from her daughter (my step-sister) outlining very strict policies of visitation. I can post the message in the comments if needs be. The message had a tone of her taking an offensive legal step towards guardianship of my father. What should I be doing in anticipation of a legal dispute of guardianship?

Answer: Have you spoken to your father about this? It's better you make him aware now, rather then after she has convinced him you all abandoned him and he should alter his will to benefit only her.(Not the only possible scenario but a likely one around here.)


Title: [CA] Cockroach infestation and landlord's insurance company trying to short change me.

Question:
Edit: I am located in California. So this is quite the saga and I am using a burner account for fear of a future landlord somehow finding out. I apologize for the length.

About two years ago I moved into a non-rent controlled apartment. Upon move-in I noticed water damage and cockroaches. The landlord told me the prior tenant was bad and that it would be taken care of, so they delayed move in by a week. When I moved in, no sign of roaches... at first. Within about four weeks I noticed roaches crawling in my bedroom. I notified my landlord of the problem and they sent out a crew to treat my apartment. They had me pack and wrap all of my things up and vacate the apartment for 24 hours. While inconvenient, I thought it was over. I was wrong.

To make a long story short, over the next year and a half the landlord sprayed my unit over a dozen times, requiring me to pack up my stuff each time. Over the course of that time, I regularly had cockroaches crawling through my kitchen, bathroom, living room, and on more than one occasion crawl on me while I slept. I keep my apartment very clean, so I am not the cause of the problem.

I asked my landlord (in writing) multiple times to try different treatment methods, treat the other units at the same time as mine, and provide a permanent solution. When I finally felt like this was getting nowhere, I reported them to the board of health. The inspector (obviously) found roaches and wrote up a violation. The landlord sprayed again. Upon reinspection, the board of health found it to be corrected because no roaches were present. (Which was normal, since they take about two weeks to reappear). When the roaches reappeared I reported it again. A violation was found, the landlord sprayed, and then passed reinspection.

Finally, I just decided to move out. It became clear my landlord would not fix the problem. When moving out I had to throw out my bed, couch, and fridge, for fear they contained roach eggs and I would be bringing it to my new place. I then sent a demand letter for damages to my landlord, who got the insurance company involved.

I read a bit about the warranty of habitability and housing code rules, so I know if there was a violation I should get a portion (or all) of my rent returned to me from the date of the violation. Therefore, I asked for about half of my rent for the year and a half, the cost to replace my furniture, and some money for my suffering. In total that would be around $30k.

The insurance company disagrees. After some back and forth, they are only offering $3k. They state that since the landlord repeatedly sprayed and "fixed" the problem they met their standard of care and have no liability. They also claim they do not have to pay the replacement cost of my furniture, but the fair market value of used furniture. I feel like they are severely undercutting me, but I am also worried I may not have as strong of a case as I think. Is their offer reasonable? And have they really met the standard of care necessary as they claim? I could understand if they sprayed 3 times, but over a dozen and the problem never permanently went away...

I appreciate any help!

TLDR; Landlord sprayed for cockroaches over a dozen times, but never fixed the problem. Insurance company claims they met the standard of care and is only offering $3k after lots of back and forth. Is that a reasonable offer?
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer: Cross post this to /r/Insurance since they might have more feedback.


Title: [NC] recurring Internet purchase question.

Question:
My girlfriend buys a product called graze.  It is a healthy snack box that is sent on a continuous schedule.  Money is tight and she had her debit card expire so she simply didn't update her card information with the website to let it expire. Today we checked her account and her new card information was on the website.  It appears graze company obtained her new card information and is charging her card.  Is there any recourse for this?

Edit: we think graze went to her bank and got her card info.  Am I missing something with how they could obtain her new card information?

Since we discovered this I got her to actually cancel her card with graze, but we were still charged again on a new card they shouldn't have had.

Any help or advice would be awesome!
Topic:
Computer and Internet

Answer:
 >so she simply didn't update her card information with the website to let it expire

This is not the same thing as canceling her account with Graze.

Banks fairly commonly honor recurring charges submitted on expired credit cards as a convenience to their customers.  There's just no evidence or reason to believe anyone has done anything wrong here.  So no - there is no recourse.


Title: Boss asked me to work overtime, then screwed with my hours.

Question:
So the boss asked if I could come in Saturday. I had some family stuff going on and said I was sorry but I couldn’t come in. So the following Monday when I showed up to work I was told to go home because I didn’t come in Saturday and that if I didn’t start coming in on the weekends I would get more and more time cut.

So can he cut our normal working hours for not being able to work every Saturday?

Answer:
 He can yes, but if the change in hours is substantial you may be able to file for unemploynent under constructive dismissal.Answer #2: Location matters.

But yes, he can.


Title: [TX] If I get guardianship over my mother and she causes an automobile accident, will I be liable? Can I be sued?

Question:
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer: Well if she is unable to function to the point of needing a legal guardian, she shouldn't be driving. So likely you


Title: Someone hit my car pulling out of the space behind me 2 weeks ago. Now, the vehicle that I remember being parked behind me is back, with damage that exactly matches my own.

Question: In my town (suburban NY), there's a lot of street parking, and as I have an apartment, it's my only option. A few weeks ago, I came out to my car in the morning to see that somebody had hit it on the drivers side rear corner hard enough to scrape some paint off. It's a plastic bumper, so there's no danger of rust, but it still looks poor. I remember from the night before that I saw a car I've seen numerous times parked behind me, so the car probably belongs to a local resident. Today, I saw that car again, and they have damage to their passenger side front corner. The color matches the paint on my car, and the location matches exactly. Can I proceed from here, or should I just forget about it? Would the police file a report, or will they just tell me that the evidence is circumstantial? Can I take civil action, with a likelihood of winning? Thanks.

Answer:
 Take lots of pictures, now. Including the two cards in one shot, a picture of the guys license plate, and close-up of the damage.

Send them to your insurance company and get a claim started. In the mean time, take your car to get an estimate on repairs.

IANAL but I have owned a car and have had a few minor scrapes to deal with.Answer #2: You can report the matter to the police, and/or try suing the person or making a claim with their insurance company.

Your chances of success, without a confession, are low.  But it's not impossible.


Title: Living in car - what legal things do I need to know?

Question:
Hello,

Long-time reddit user, using this as a throwaway. I will be living in my car starting on June. What are some legal things that I need to know?

-How would I update my driver's license?
-How would I register to vote without a permanent residence?

I live in Baltimore, Maryland

Answer:
 You need an address. Ask a friend if you can have mail sent to them or get a PO box. Many allow you to use the physical address.

You need to know the local laws, where you can park, where you cannot. Don't be an ass and you should be fine. Most walmarts allow you to stay in their lots. If the police tell you to move them move, don't argue.

Try /r/vandwellersAnswer #2: You are allowed to "camp" on BLM or Federal Forest land for 7(?) days at a time.  I did this and parked my car out in BLM land in a new spot every few days.  Answer #3: Make sure registration, insurance, and driver's license are current.

In Maryland, especially in store parking lots, police use license plate readers and scan tags and the last thing you need is an insurance or registration infraction causing your car to be towed. In the city, it's illegal to sleep on your car. Also, it's parking violation to keep your car in the same parking spot for 48 hours.


Title: [Utah] Can a cop pull you over in their own personal vehicle without a uniform?

Question: Does a cop have the authority to pull you over not in a cop car (in this case a truck)? Also, on the ticket, it is in a different officers name. Is this fightable or completely legal?

Answer:
 This isn’t so much a legal issue as a departmental policy issue.

When some is a state peace officer, they don’t have an on and off duty status. They have the legal authority to enforce the law any time and anyplace within their jurisdiction.

Departmental policy and officer safety concerns limits what they *should* do, but doesn’t eliminate their legal authority to do so.


Title: Equal Pay Act / Nepotism question [USA, GA]

Question:
**Wall of Text**

To preface, I work for a small company (14 employees). My job is in the office doing record requests and various other client services duties. Three other people work in the office, plus the President CEO. Of the other three, two are the CEO's sons. Let’s call them John and Doug. The remaining worker is the Operations Manager, let’s call her Jane.

The rest of the employees are drivers for the company. Everybody is hourly, WITH THE EXCEPTION that the two sons make commission for "sales." Each of their monthly commission is on par, or more, to what I take home each month, in addition to their hourly wage. And that itself is $5 more than mine. They make twice as much as I do.

Important: the owner likes to say this place is a family business. I got my job here because I am friends with one of the sons, Doug. But, I started at the bottom and worked my way up to my current position.

I work directly with the other son, let's call him John. We share an office. A typical work day is me doing all my duties, which includes answering phone calls and scheduling clients. It is a very busy business $$$

The entire office consists of Jane, John, and Doug (who barely answers the phone), and myself.

So, the business is set up like this: Clients call to schedule our services, or a new client calls to request our services. I am required to tell them how it works, what we do, etc. But, I’m not allowed to give them a quote. **Only John can give the quote.** From that point, if a client agrees to his quote, he gets his commission. Sometimes, the call is for a huge job that nets $5k and he gets 10%. Often, the call is followed by cackling, greedy laughter.

So, Jane and I have talked extensively about this. And she has spoken directly with the owner about it several times. Jane and I are perfectly capable of giving out quotes (in fact, before John came to the company, she was giving quotes but making no commission). The owner refuses. Plus, John would have a mental breakdown if we “took away from his commissions”. In addition, we have even asked if we could do active sales and prospect new clients. But no, that goes to Doug.

So, basically, the only two people who are able to make more money are the owner’s sons.

Now, the legal question is in regards to the Equal Pay Act.

Forget about John for a minute. The story now goes to Doug. Doug does outbound sales and has the title of Sales and Marketing Manager. He makes phone calls (sometimes). Drives around and passes out flyers (when he wants to get out of the office), plus that;s his idea of marketing. He only uses one of the computer programs the company uses for operations, and that is simply a contacts/calendar/note-keeping program. Plus the standard Excel and Word. He refuses to learn how to learn and use our main program that does all the accounting and scheduling for our clients. He mainly spends all his time on Facebook promoting his personal agendas, which he tries to argue is work related because his Dad the owner is a sponsor. It’s an art club. And if he isn’t doing that, he is usually just staring at his computer, literally. Now, since Doug is my friend, I’ve talked with him a little bit about this, and he claims the reason he is paid more is because, since he does sales, he brings in revenue.

Then there is me. I have a shit ton more responsibilities. I have to be more tech savvy in my position. I manage a database of our client’s records that are in our off-site storage. Every day, I get dozens of requests from lawyers, doctors, accountants, and banks to have their records delivered THE NEXT DAY. This effectively puts me in a position of a lot of accountability and responsibility. I do an insane amount of work compared to Doug. I have to use more skills than Doug. I have more responsibility than Doug. And my job requires more work than Doug.

So, would I have a legitimate claim under the Equal Pay Act?

I have asked for a raise in a polite manner and also reiterated my many responsibilities. And I did get a raise. But not much. And I was told since I was getting that raise, I wouldn’t get our standard yearly raise. The owner said he simply wasn’t able to give as much as what I asking. And the kicker? When raise time came around, the Owner gave a raise to his sons quintupling what everyone else got!

How do I know this? I am the goddamn file keeper of the company. I have to scan every fucking document we make.
So, would I have a legitimate claim under the Equal Pay Act?

I realize the only real solution is to find another job. I am looking. So, everybody please don’t say find a new job.

As for suing the owner, that would be tough because all the big firms in this city are his clients and friends. Plus he could easily falsify what Doug actually does and minimize what I do.

P.S.- My Dad is a lawyer. So is my brother. They say just quit, it's not worth the fight.

EDIT: Our employee manual states we can't talk about wages with other employees (illegal). And, the manual uses strong verbiage against unionizing.

Answer:
 The EPA has nothing to do with anything you've mentioned. At *all.* It's aimed at reducing wage disparities based on *gender.* Favoritism is perfectly legal, so long as the reason isn't because someone is a member of a protected class. Basically, they can pay you less because you aren't family, because you don't preform the same duties, or because your socks don't usually match. They just can't pay you less because of your gender, race, religion, etc.

Your dad and brother are correct.


Title: Is it legal to use a fake profile picture for work?

Question:
I’m a freelancer and i’ve been struggling with wanting to increase my marketability on sites where a profile picture is a requirement. So I got the idea today to use a computer-generated person as my profile picture, using https://thispersondoesnotexist.com/

Is this legal? I imagine i’d technically be impersonating a nonexistent person. I can guess that it would cause trouble if I were to do it on social sites or anywhere that my appearance is supposed to matter, but I’m not trying to sell my appearance on work sites. I’m just trying to do honest translation work without being judged by my appearance. I feel like this is a futuristic solution to my problem, and I just want to know if there’s anything wrong with using my legal name and information on a face which isn’t mine-or anybody’s. Thank you
Topic:
Computer and Internet

Answer:
 Will you ever be meeting any clients in person? Will anyone see you face to face?

Generally, this isn’t illegal since the person is nonexistent but it’s very misleading. What if one day your work requires proper identification like a state ID and you don’t match your profile picture at all?


Title: (CO) Dram Shop Law?

Question:
I ordered pizza and my SO went to grab them. I didn't know he was already dunk at the time since he hid it from me. He also ordered a beer while picking up the pizzas which he chugged there. He got home so fucked up and angry that he started throwing things and I called the police. They questioned him outside and he admitted to having 4 strong drinks and a fifth one when he picked up the pizza. My SO was arrested for domestic violence, criminal mischief, and child abuse. I am so mad at that place that served him even though he was visibly messed up and I wanted to call about their liquor license but when doing a google search, I stumbled on something called dram shop law. It says that it is very difficult to prove but I have a receipt and a phone record that shows less than an hour between calling the pizza place to place an order and me calling the police. The financial stress of the legal defense is going to break us and was wondering if they have any liability. Thanks all!
Topic:
Alcohol Related Other than DUI

Answer: I'm confused.  You know your SO better than just about anyone and you didn't know he was drunk, yet you think a total stranger should have known.  How can you be so sure he was "visibily messed up", if you couldn't tell?  IANAL, but the fault lies entirely with your SO.


Title: Wife passed away last July. Just got a medical bill. Should I pay it?

Question:
I understand I may be required to pay her medical bills but I don't feel like I should give them anything.  I'm thinking of sending them this letter.    Should I send it or just pay the bill?

&#x200B;

First, let me say, if you insist on me paying for my wife's medical expenses, then I will. However, I don't think I should send any money.  Let me explain.

My wife was being treated for stage 4 colon cancer since 2015 at the James in Columbus Ohio.

Treatment had been going fine and my wife was doing ok. While on vacation in Greenville, my wife and I came to your emergency room on July 7th with stomach cramps and fatigue. After a CT scan, the doctor diagnosed her with ascites. They also took blood and said that there were indications of elevated white blood cells. They gave her a pain med prescription and a nausea prescription. They gave us discharge papers and as my wife stood up to leave, she vomited all over herself and also soiled her underwear. The nurse said we're still ok to be discharged. We drove to several CVS pharmacies all over Greenville trying to find one that carried the pain prescription. It took two hours. After several hours of decline we were back at the E.R. again.

She was extremely weak and in tremendous pain. I attempted to follow her in the entrance that the ambulance uses but I was instructed to use the main entrance by the gentleman driving the ambulance. I went to the main entrance and stated my wife just arrived by ambulance. The woman working the E.R. window asked me to be seated and they would let me know when I could see my wife. I waited two hours when I finally decided to ask if it were possible to see my wife yet. The woman at the window spent much of this time on her phone. She let me through when I asked. Why she or no one else notified me sooner is beyond me. I got to my wife’s room and she was in bed crying from the pain. No one had visited her yet. I found a doctor and he requested an I.V. be started. The nurse could not even get it started using my wife’s chemo port or an actual vein. She made several attempts before they tried using some weird ultrasound device to find a vein or something. That also failed and they got a nurse from oncology who quickly accessed her chemo port. The whole time my wife was suffering. They admitted her to the ICU floor and started her on broad spectrum antibiotics and pain medication. She was sedated most of the time after this. The next day she crashed and they were able to resuscitate her. I never felt so relieved in my life. The doctor in charge at the time asked me if I want them to attempt to save her if it happens again. I was very confused why he would ask me this and told him so. He said she wouldn't survive if it happens again and they need to know if they should attempt to resuscitate her if it does. Never did he indicate that he was concerned that it would happen again or that it was a possibility. I was still just so relieved at the moment that they brought her back. If he had expressed any concern that it would happen again, I would have said a few things to my wife instead of thinking about making her comfortable. I really never occurred to me that it would happen again. A few more hours later she crashed again and died. The panic and grief have been unbearable and to top it off, your automated voice system called me in the next few days to see if the patient was feeling better.

I'll always wonder if they admitted her during our first trip to the E.R. and started antibiotics sooner if she would have survived.

I hope you can understand my frustration at having to pay for this experience now. It was lacking every step of the way except the nurse from oncology.

Again, if you still insist that I pay, then I will. I await your reply.

\--End of letter

&#x200B;

Thanks for taking the time to read.  I'll add that this wasn't her first infection.  In 2015 she had a few that were successfully treated but required hospitalization for about a week each time.  The final infection seemed to follow the same pattern so I was certain that she was going to recover again.

&#x200B;

Answer:
 I am so sorry.

The hospital did nothing wrong, they operate under something called triage, which is saving the patients that can be saved in order of how close to death they are.  Your wife was... beyond modern medical intervention by the time she reached the hospital.  There was nothing they could do.  Stage 4 cancers are... a lot more serious than you appear to understand.Answer #2: If it's a debt that's only in her name, no, legally you do not have to pay it. The estate, if there is one, *shouldn't* pay it unless the claim was properly presented within six months. See [here](http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/2117.06v1) and [here] (
https://www.ohiolaw.net/estate-planning-probate-law/2016/12/12/ohio-law-for-deceased-debt/).

This is independent of any question about how they treated her.

I'm very sorry for your loss.


Title: Are mandated reporters legally required to report outside of their professional life?

Question:
Say one was a mandated reporter, in mn, and in the course of their personal life they learned of something which warranted reporting. Are they legally mandated to report, or does the mandate extend only to their professional interactions?

Of course we *should* all report if someone vulnerable is in danger! I'm just curious about how far mandated reporting extends.

Answer: Normally if that person is told about a situation that they would need to report, they have to legally report it.  Even if they are not operating in the position that makes them a mandated reporter.


Title: My mom got in a drunk driving accident and made me take the blame

Question:
My name is Ben and I'm 19.

As a quick background on my mom she is a pretty severe alcoholic and has some sort of behavioral disorder that she refuses to get any help with.

I have my license but yesterday she drove to the store with me in the car and got in a pretty severe accident when she half blew a stop sign. I say half blew because she looked and just did not see the car and went.

As soon as it happened she told me to say I was driving because she was drunk. I got out of the car to check on the other driver and it was a woman in her 40's who was not responding to anything.

I called 911 and the police and ambulance came and I told the police I was driving. Now I am having second thoughts about this whole thing and am worried that the woman may have sever injuries and I will be charged with something.

Is there anything I can do or is it too late since I made my statement to the police?

I just really really really don't want me or my mom to go to jail so if anyone can help I would appreciate it more than you could imagine.

Thanks Reddit.

Edit: Maryland

Answer:
 Get an attorney right now. You're both going to be in an incredible amount of trouble, your mom more so if you can get yourself off the hook.

EDIT: The court can go easy on a lie in the heat of the moment, the further this process goes along the harder it's going to be to unravel the shitstorm that's about to unfold. You need to tell the truth for your own sake, as hard as this is to do. You're not doing your mom any favors by lying, she needs to face the consequences for her actions and you don't need to ruin what can be an otherwise fantastic life for yourself depending on what happened to that other woman.

EDIT: [When OP forgets to switch back to his story telling account](http://imgur.com/cLPJuwY)


Title: (Australia) Can a bus driver not let kids of and then chase them down when they get off

Question:
I live in Australia.   So yesterday I was on the public bus home it has a mix of three different schools 2 being high schools.
So I was on the bus when one of the kids asked to be dropped of at the bus stop across from a bakery as he had an eye appointment at a shop a couple hundred metres away. The kid was in year 7 and 12 years old and had a brother one year younger. The place we're the boys wanted to get off was also my stop so I offered to walk them over. When he refused he said that it wasn't the boys usual stop so he would not be letting them off whatsoever. I stood to get off the bus and the boys stood too only to be cut down by the bus driver yelling at them to sit down and that there not getting off, at this point the youngest starts crying saying there appointment is at 4:00 it was ( 3:40).
Later I found out from my sister who gets off a bit after me to go straight home that at the boys mum had rung and told them to get off at the next stop. So they did very quickly and when the bus driver realised he jumped off the bus and started chasing them down the street screaming at them to get there asses back on the bus.

Can a bus driver not let kids off a public bus on at a legal bustop???

Answer: Imagine if the school bus driver had let a twelve year old off in a random area just because the child said so without a legitimate note or any communication from the guardians and something happened to the child. Bus drivers are responsible for the children in their care until the children are deposited at their stops. The school will have a policy set in place for changing bus routes or drop offs, and a phone call in the middle of the bus ride is not going to be the way to go about it.Answer #2: It could be that the driver is not permitted to allow school children to exit the bus anywhere other than their normal stop, but you might get more answers on /r/AusLegal.


Title: Unexpected Animal Abuse Charges. I feel sick and scared.

Question:
Thanks for reading. This whole situation has made me feel awful. I love my animals to death and would never do anything to harm them. I live in Minnesota. I have a 100 lbs husky and a 40lbs Aussie. The husky is very large for his breed. Average weight for males is 50-60 lbs.

October 13th my dog tore up my back yard when he was being angsty and trashed some expensive items. I punished him by spanking him, open handed, grabbing him by the scruff of the neck, and shoving his nose in the destroyed areas. If anyone has owned huskies they know they are loud, bold, and very destructive when they want to be. My husky is particularly dominant. When he was punished he yelped loudly and my neighbors heard it. This was in my own fenced in back yard. A nosy, busy-body, retired, neighbor called the cops on me. The officer arrived, asked me a few questions, saw my dog, and left. I complied, showed them my dog, and my parents visiting from Ohio made fun of me for the rest of the day. I thought it was all over with as the officer didn't indicate a citation, or that anything was wrong. She just asked for my name and number and asked about what happened.

Today in the mail I received a citation for ANIMAL ABUSE. I feel awful on the verge of tears. My husky is 8 years old. He's getting up there in age. I feed him premium food, give him toys, walk him every single day for at least an hour, I pick up his poop. He means the world to me. I have no idea what to do or why the officer suddenly decided I should be cited for animal abuse. My neighborhood is full of old people with tiny frou frou dogs. None of them have large animals that can cause real damage to property or other animals.

The citation I received said the date of offense was Oct. 19th, when I was in Puerto Rico (documented) almost a week after everything happened. The citation also said it was issued that same day. It has no court date or fines on it. I tried to call the court system but I was on hold for an hour and a half until they closed. My call was never taken. I figure I should start talking to a lawyer. I want these bogus charges dropped. I don't want my dog taken from me. Please help. I'm scared.

Answer:
 Time to come to terms with the fact that you may love your dog, but you're still abusive.

Get a lawyer, find a good trainer, and be able to honestly tell the court that you sincerely regret ever hitting your dog, because it doesn't do a thing to discipline them, it just shows them that the person they love and trust most in the world can be cruel.
Answer #2: By your own admission, you abused your dog as a form of punishment and received a citation for it.  It doesn't matter how much money you throw at him in toys or food, hitting an animal isn't an acceptable form of punishment.


Title: Had affair, got pregnant. Whose consent do I need for putting the kid up for adoption?

Question: My state recognizes my husband as the father since we are married. If he is willing to sign the adoption paperwork is that legal? Or does the bio dad have to sign even though he is not recognized as the father by the state?

Answer: You and you the legal father of the child, your husband, can put the baby up for adoption. Unless the bio father steps up before the process is complete, when it's over it's over and that's that.


Title: TX - Roommate took a shotgun to his computer as a search warrant was being issued.

Question:
A few days ago I answered the door to see police at the door. They tried coming in but I initially refused until they showed me a warrant.

I guess my roommate saw what was happening and went into his room. The next thing I knew I hear a shotgun coming from his room. I turn to look but was quickly thrown down to the ground and cuffed.

I was on the ground for a bit until I saw a wolf spider crawling across the ground towards my face. I freaked out and an officer stepped on it. I was immediately picked up and they set me on the couch.

They immediately told me that I was not under arrest but that they wanted me to come down to talk with them. I refused at first until they told me that they were there for my roommate and that I was not in trouble.

While talking I saw police officers pull a computer that had an obvious hole in it from where it was shot. Sad part is my idiot roommate didn't even shoot the hard drive. He shot the center and destroyed the motherboard.

Long story short is I followed to the police station and initially started to answer questions. I say initially because I answered two questions. If I were injured from being handcuffed and how long I had known my roommate.

After that they asked me something like. "Have you ever noticed your roommate display any strange sexual behaviors?" I answered with "how should I know" and they asked me if I had ever seen anyone young looking. I immediately shut up.

Now I have never actually seen anyone young looking like he asked but then again I never really paid my roommate any attention. I did not speak again for the two hours they had me in there other than asking for water and to pee.

They let me go and I came back to my place ransacked. My PS4, XBox one, old non working laptop, old cell phone, and other various electronics are gone. All of my roommates electronics are gone as well. They left the TV and the cable box though.

I had my current laptop in my car when they searched my place. Since the warrant named my roommate they searched his car but not mine. SO I still have my laptop.

Couple of questions here.

One is the rent is due soon and they left the envelope that had the cash in it. Can I still legally use this money for his half of the rent?

When can I expect to get my stuff back? The warrant was for any electronics in the apartment or his car. But they took my stuff too.

Will I legally be required to turn over my laptop to them if they asked for it? If yes will I break any laws if I nuke the hard drive? (Program that does multiple reformats of the drive. Even a lab could not produce anything off of it.)

Answer:
 **Don't do anything to your laptop!**

Contact an attorney *immediately.*

You were very smart to keep your mouth shut after answering the two questions. You said the warrant was for *any electronics in the apartment or his car.* Unfortunately that does include your electronics. You will absolutely want to contact an attorney to answer your other questions.Answer #2: All these people saying you won't get your items back for a long time are wrong. From personal experience (the FBI coming to my house for the same reason the cops came to yours, taking out electronics and searching through them) you should get them back relatively soon after they search through them, assuming you have nothing nefarious on your devices. Took us about 2 weeks to get our stuff back. Answer #3: I had my computer searched for cp from an accusation my son who doesn't lve with me made against my second ex wife. (there was no cp) he was just upset and acting out by making stuff up.... Anyways my computer was gone a year almost to the day. So yeah. It's going to be awhile man. Hopefully they are quicker with your stuff seeing as its yours and not his, and I'm assuming the warrant didn't name you?? Lawyer up and get your shit back.


Title: [Texas] What is the correct process to request proof of debt on a credit report?

Question: My lady has a bit of debt in collections that I am trying to help her get out of and fix her credit (it's not much, about $1500). It's about 3 years old, before we started dating, and I want to get verification from the debtors that the debt is actually legitimate before I pay it (she doesn't recall what the debt is for). Right now no agency is contacting her, it's just showing up on her credit report. What is the correct process to do so? Do I contact the original debt holder or the collection agency that it got passed to?

Answer: /r/personalfinance has a wiki that explains how to deal with debt collectors. Always deal with them in writing.


Title: Can I sue a pharmacy for not giving me my meds on time?

Question:
Didn’t know if this belonged in r/nostupidquestions but here we go. I had an severe infection that needed antibiotics for so
I went to go pick them up around my lunch break on a Friday at 12:30, now I’ve used this place forever and they always close their pharmacy early at say 2:00. There was a new guy working and he closed right as I got there and told me they would be open until next Wednesday because of a holiday weekend. The infection got so bad that I had a fever of 104 and chills for three days straight all and no OTC medicine worked. All because the guy at the counter closed an hour and a half early.

Answer: Did they close after you dropped off your prescription but before you picked it up, or before you dropped off your prescription? Did you make any effort to contact your doctor for a replacement script or to find another pharmacy to fill it?


Title: Landlord failed to send itemized bill of deductions from Security Deposit and is keeping the whole deposit. Told me "Good Luck" at the end of a phone call. Do I have any grounds to stand on? (Virginia)

Question:
State: Virginia

My lease went from Mid-November 2015 to Mid-November 2016 with 2 other roommates on the lease.  After I caught one roommate stealing from me, he immediately moved out and destroyed some of my things in a temper-tantrum (separate issue; he went from an honored military Veteran, to a wanted felon in 16 months).  The other roommate and I could not maintain the cost of the lease, so I moved out within the same week (Mid-September) and the third roommate moved out Early October.  I contacted the Landlord explaining my moving out Mid-September before I completed the move, and explained the third roommate's intentions to leave early October.  The landlord agreed to allow us to "break" the lease early, and accepted partial payments for the month of September and did not accept October's full or partial rent, in spite of my offering to do so.

The Commonwealth of Virginia requires that landlords send an itemized list of safety deposit deductions to a forwarding address within 45 days of move-out.  Yesterday was that 45th day, and I called the landlord today, the 46th day after move-out, to inquire whether or not she intended to send the itemized list as I want the list to help justify my $5,000+ lawsuit against the thieving roommate.  The landlord said that she was "doing me a favor" by not sending me the itemized list as then I would owe HER money for breaking the lease early, in addition to the "damages" to the property, which were incurred by the thieving roommate during his temper-tantrum.  She then ended the call with "good luck."

My question is; do I have legal ground to sue for my entire/partial safety deposit back (as allowed by Virginia law)?  Or do I risk a bill for the broken lease, in spite of the various allowances and agreements given to me by the landlord (accepting partial payment and refusing to accept continued payments on the lease)?

Thanks

Answer: Small claims, now. This is typical slumlord nonsense and you should be able to shut it down hard and fast.


Title: I was arrested for attempted strangulation... I didn't do it!

Question: [deleted]

Answer: You need an attorney yesterday. Don't agree to any deal or answer any questions without one.


Title: How should I respond to a company blatantly abusing DMCA to have my product review removed?

Question:
The company using citing use of their trademark in their DMCA takedown request.

I have written a review of their product, all 100% truthful, no libel. As far as i'm aware im protected via fair usage laws.

My host will not restore the content until i have the filers written permission stating that they agree to have the content restored (as if they'd ever agree to that). Host has basically told me I need to lawyer up to fight it.

What would the folks of Legal Advice recommend? I hate to say it but it seems whoever has the biggest wallet wins these types of situations.

Answer:
 >The company using citing use of their trademark in their DMCA takedown request.

That's odd, since DMCA does not cover trademarks. If taking down the review is causing you damages, such as lost ad revenue for your website, you may want to consult with an attorney about a counter-suit to recover those damages.

As for your hosting provider, are you paying them to host your website? You may want to check if the terms of service cover this situation.Answer #2: Find a new host for your content.

Lawyer up and fight as your current host wants.

Move on.

Pick one.


Title: Can you reject a religious vegetarian from adopting a pet?

Question:
Entirely hypothetical situation here: I work with an animal rescue non-profit to vet applications from potential adopters. If I came across an application that appears to be from a very welcoming and loving family, but they say they cannot handle any animal food products on account of their religion and would feed their cat or dog a vegetarian diet, would the organization get it trouble for rejecting the application?

For context, almost any veterinarian would say cats and dogs need a carnivorous diet unless there were severe medical issues preventing that from happening, so I’m curious as to whether the rejection would be religious discrimination against the adopter or warranted as acceptable in the name of the animal’s welfare.

Answer: If they are admitting that they would be improperly caring for the animal by feeding them an incorrect diet I think that is more than enough grounds to deny adoption. It has nothing to do with their religion, they’ve admitted on the application that they would be improperly feeding this animal, thereby putting the animal in harms way.Answer #2: This wouldn't be religious discrimination. This would be refusing to adopt to a family who cannot properly care for the animal. If they told you they would not feed it a proper diet, for literally any reason, you could refuse to adopt to them. You have a legal and ethical responsibility to look after the best interests of these animals. In other words, their religion doesn't excuse their responsibility to take care of their pets. If they are not able to work around the requirements of their religion to enable them to properly care for a pet, then they don't get a pet.Answer #3: I would recommend this family adopt a rabbit, guinea pigs, mice, rats, or other herbivorous animals. They should be rejected from adopting carnivorous animals.


Title: [TX] Am I legally protected in any way if I speak my mind about unions at my job?

Question:
I'm the guy that gives people an introduction to our store when they first start working for us. It involves a few hours of covering company policies and general "philosophy" of the store.

I've recently been given a video to show as part of that introduction. (Just the video, no real instructions.) It's one of those typical "we hate unions" videos where the video is a mix of misrepresentation, fearmongering, and lies ("no union has ever saved a job or someone's wages", "you could lose the right to speak for yourself", "you could be denied the ability to do your job", etc).

I'm wondering how 'at risk' I would be if I were to show the video and then immediately afterwards contradict it with my own opinion/perspective. Does the NLRA or any other law provide me with any form of protection, or am I essentially taking my job into my own hands at that point?
Topic:
Labor Law

Answer:
 Hey! I'm a former union organizer and rep, nowadays I work independently as a lobbyist, often on behalf of union.

That video is incredibly typical. I used to lead trainings for new organizers where we'd have them watch and take detailed notes. We know exactly what they like to say, and how to overcome them.

Now, you say you're the guy showing these videos. Are you HR or anything of the kind? That can complicate things for you.

As to your questions:

>I'm wondering how 'at risk' I would be if I were to show the video and then immediately afterwards contradict it with my own opinion/perspective.

You'd be very much at risk in this scenario. You are correct that you can generally talk union, and that it's generally illegal to fire or otherwise discipline folks for their plans to organize. However, there are guidelines. In this situation, I'd imagine you're expected to say things related to the business and not much else. Talking union in these situations is dangerous, and you may very well be fired for doing so. Talking union in a break room or on a shop floor is usually fine. I use the softball test: would it be okay to talk about your daughter's softball game? If so, it's okay to talk union.

My recommendation? Show the video without comment. Talk to them about your opinions at a later date.Answer #2: Paging u/ramady.


Title: family got involved with a phonecall from an ex, and now she's in the hospital. are we somehow legally responsible?

Question:
i'll try to make this story as concise as i can without leaving out too much detail. i'm a young lesbian, and i broke up with my girlfriend about two months ago because the relationship was fairly unhealthy (she would repeatedly threaten suicide if i tried to break up with her). although i didn't owe her anything, and though i should have blocked her entirely and completely from everything and didn't, i felt the civil thing to do was tell her i was pursuing someone new so she didn't continue to think that we would be getting back together. after about an hour of her pulling her old 'well i should just kill myself' shtick, she called me.

during the call, my sister walked into the room because i was clearly distraught by the way my ex was talking to me, and started yelling at her, loud enough that my mother got involved as well. while i'm grateful that they defended me, her cousin messaged me on facebook messenger a little while after. i had sent him a message when the mess started, asking if he would try to talk to her because as much as i wanted away from this girl, i still didn't want her to hurt herself. call me a bleeding heart if you will, i know i am.

after about half an hour, her cousin claims that my ex is in the hospital. i knew she had a heart condition but whether it was for the heart condition or an attempt, i don't know. her cousin sends me a message claiming that i 'will get in trouble because she's i the hospital'. i don't know whether to take it as legal trouble or as a vague threat, *but i would just like to know if i could be held responsible for her trip to the hospital. none of us told her to harm herself in any way. and secondly, what are the next steps i should look in to or take?* she lives a fair distance away from me and i don't think she knows exactly where i live. she knows where i work but my employer is aware of the situation because i warned them two months ago that she might start calling them looking for me. i know that i have some of the societal blame for even telling her that i was pursuing someone new in the first place, but what about legal blame?

Answer:
 I can't see any possible way you could be liable for her medical bills unless you specifically and intentionally took actions intended to injure her health. Block all of these people and do not engage any further.

You share precisely none of the blame, here, socially _or_ legally. You didn't owe your ex an explanation, or closure, or a soft let-down, and if she was using threats of suicide to try to control you, she's honestly extremely fortunate that you didn't just ghost off into the night, as would have been entirely your right.


Title: My nudes are being threatened to be leaked to my church

Question: First post I don’t know how to “reddit”. Long story short is I got to frisky with a stranger online. We exchanged phone numbers and I accidentally included pictures of my face in the nudes I sent. They are now asking for $1500. What can I do about this?

Answer: This is a common scam. Whether you pay or not, they may send your nudes to the church or other people on your friend list. If you pay, they'll just ask for more money.Answer #2: Well you don’t pay. You contact the police.


Title: California: Ex-Band Mates holding borrowed gear as collateral against the property owners will.

Question:
Kinda a complicated situation.

To make it simple, I have friends who were in a band. 3 guys. The singer started the band about a year a go and my 2 friends joined about 8 months ago. Just recently my 2 friends have quit the band, but are having trouble getting their equipment back.

The singer claims they owe him a total of $331 for merchandise and studio time. They have not received any royalties for merchandize and album sales and they are not under contract to pay the money. However the singer is holding 2 guitars which are not owned by either of the 2 ex members and need to be returned promptly. He also is holding a PA mixer and a few other small items which are owned by the two guys who were in the band.

There is no legal contract that ties this collateral to that money he claims they own. What is the best way to get the gear back? Can I have a lawyer write a legal threat to bring him to civil court?

Sorry I am very novice when it comes to how the legal system works.

Answer:
 Your friend's first step would be to write a letter demanding the return of the equipment -- it should not mention anything else like the supposed loan or any other arguments, just list the items and demand immediate return. I prefer return-receipt mailing of a notarized letter, so you have proof it was sent (and the notary has a copy) and proof that it was received. Give a deadline -- 30 days from mailing, say. If the property is not returned, in full and in the same condition it was in, they will "pursue any and all available legal action, including filing suit."

Step two, which may not be worth it unless your friends live in some nice suburban area where the police have nothing better to do, is to call the police **non-emergency line**. Maybe they'll be willing to meet your friends at the location and put some fear into the guy.

Step three, if the deadline comes and passes, is small claims court. It's easy as pie -- they look up the location of the court, go in during business hours, and ask for the forms.

Throughout this process, mature professionalism. No pre-arguments, no discussion of other topics, no background story about the band, no mention of the money that is supposedly owed, no snark, no telephone calls or emails or in-person arguments -- just the letter, the police, and the court paperwork: Mr. So-and-so has property X, Y, and Z and is refusing to return it.


Title: The opposing counsel lied to the court. Any recourse?

Question: The lawyer for the opposing party motioned for a continuance because he stated that he would be out of town during the week of a scheduled trial.  I have hard evidence that he was in town during the whole week and specifically during the scheduled hearing.  I was under the impression that being deceitful is a huge no-no, but do courts generally excuse this level of lying?  Do I have any recourse?

Answer: IANAL. Life isn’t black and white, s/he might have been planning to go out of town and then their plans changed. Focus on yourself and your side of the trial. Answer #2: Why in the nine hells are you keeping track of the whereabouts of the opposing counsel?


Title: Falsely accused of battery and other horrific charges by a total stranger (25M Los Angeles, CA)

Question:
Around 2 months ago I received a notice to appear in the mail from the DA's office which stated I was being charged with misdemeanor battery. This was extremely confusing and troubling for me because I never commited such an act in my life nor have any criminal history. I'm the geekiest person I know and fix computers for a living and am an inventor of assistive electronics for the blind and disabled. So after talking to family and friends I decided I needed a lawyer and found a reputable one on Avvo who was willing to give me a discount and payment plan due to my low income situation. He understood that I would be unable to take time off of work due to a high probability I would be fired, and told me he would be going to court for me. He gave me many assurances that the prosecution's case was weak and since I had not been arrested and no bail was set, I was not going to go to jail and my fears were largely unfounded, and I had little choice but to trust him. Now things are really starting to look bleak for me.

The arraignment was a month ago and that's when I found out the extent of the charges against me. Apparently 9 months ago a taxi cab driver claimed he dropped off two passengers at my apartment building at 3:00 AM who refused to pay then beat up the driver and threatened him with a knife. When I heard this I was absolutely sure I would be cleared because there are cameras in front of my building and in most taxi cabs and well, I didn't do it and they can't prove something that didn't happen.

What I found out next after meeting with my lawyer completely terrified me and has caused me many nights of lost sleep since. Neither cameras were working at the time due to "technical difficulties" and the victim singled me out in something called a "six pack" where the police show the victim 6 people's ID photos, and the he singled me out immediately and was adamant and "100% sure" it was me who did this to him 9 months ago at 3 in the morning. I still don't know how to cope with this knowledge.

Yesterday was the pre-trial hearing and the victim still believes it was me, my attorney wasn't able to get it dismissed despite submitting photo, bank, phone, and work schedule records showing I was at work early that morning among other evidence, and now I have to show up and take off work to face the charges in person. My attorney at first told me his trial fee would be a very large amount but then last night he offered to do the trial for free, which made me feel a little better. Then he said the prosecutor was going to offer a plea deal at the next hearing and that he feels a jury would be very highly likely to convict me based on the  taxi driver's testimony and the fact that I lived in the apartment building at the time.

I've faced many struggles and hardships throughout my life, been on my own since I was 15 and have suffered and learned quite a lot but this really takes the cake. I've sought counseling and had my bright moments, but it just doesn't seem to help. I don't need help understanding myself or my situation. I'm not going to accept a plea deal over something I didn't do and I'm facing a year in LA county jail and a tarnished criminal record if I'm convicted. I know it sounds drastic, and maybe a bit crazy but I'm tired. I live with constant physical pain and have several other serious problems I won't get into. I would rather die than have to go through either of those outcomes.

I just don't know what to do, Reddit, I'm at the end of my rope so to speak.

Answer:
 What exactly is your question?

You have an attorney who you trust. Listen to him. Do as he says. Answer #2: At the pre-trial hearing, did you attorney ask the cab driver where he initially picked the two passengers up from?  That could be a good way to find an alibi.  I.e. if he picked the passengers up from a bar a half hour away, maybe there is camera footage or records at the bar showing you weren't there.Answer #3: Why did the police have your picture in the 6 pack to begin with? Feel like we're not getting the full story.Answer #4: >Then he said the prosecutor was going to offer a plea deal at the next hearing and that he feels a jury would be very highly likely to convict me based on the taxi driver's testimony and the fact that I lived in the apartment building at the time.

Seriously? He told you that?
Answer #5: Something to talk to your attorney about is hiring an expert witness on the subject of eyewitness identification, IF you are determined to go to trial, and especially if the driver is of a different racial background than you.  One of the foremost experts in this topic in the country is at UCI.  You will need to find the money for it, though.