Title: [Michigan] My employer wants me to traverse black ice in a no traffic, non-lit area without a wingman.

Question:
I'm a security guard in Michigan.  We've had wind chills in the negatives over here in the past few weeks, as well as plenty of snow.  At our site, we would normally do patrols of an open area that had been demolished.  I work nights, when the temperatures are lowest.  At this site, there is a large area we're expected to patrol which has no lighting, and no traffic coming in nor out for the first six hours of my shift.  There's scant roofs and walls, but otherwise it's mostly open space on uneven pavement.

When I arrived the first night that it had snowed, our site lead told me specifically not to walk out there because of the ice.  This was several weeks ago.  Two weeks ago, one of my supervisors told me I need to do patrols.  We have tags that need to be scanned to prove we'd done them.  I complied and ended up slipping three times, thankfully with no injuries.  The entire area was covered in ice and snow.  Even with a flashlight, it was impossible to know where it was slippery, and it was impossible to traverse to each tag without stepping on large and frequent patches of ice even if I could see them.  It occurred to me in those moments that with how little traffic we receive, and how poorly lit the area was, if slipping had caused me to become incapacitated, it would be hours before anyone found me.  In that time frame, and at those temperatures, frost bite, hypothermia, and other forms of permanent damage up to death were real possibilities.  We have a check-in system, which started because two guards were caught sleeping on the job, but the official reason for it is our safety.  Basically, we now call or text (depending on the supervisor and other circumstances) every hour to confirm we're awake and okay.  There have been nights when I've gotten a call asking why I hadn't texted the past few hours.  One even called at the end of my shift saying he hadn't received any texts the entire night.  I was able to get a picture of the texts on my site phone, proving that they'd gone out, so this means there are times that texts don't go through or that our supervisors are ignoring them.  It demonstrated repeatedly that many of our supervisors don't take our safety as seriously as they're meant to.  Regardless, I let my supervisor know about the ice, and that I had slipped.  His response was to have me put it in my report that I was unable to patrol due to the ice.  I thought that was the end of it.

This week, the same supervisor told me that I have to do patrols.  He told me to do my best to avoid the ice, but there were no clear paths to the tags, and I let him know.  He said to get as close to the tags as possible and then get pictures.  I did my best to comply, but the pictures weren't close to the tags at all because the ice was so prevalent.

Being a pseudo nerd with plenty of free time, I decided to look up what rights I have in situations like this.  I know I'm not a lawyer, but from what I've read, it seems like courts in Michigan have historically favored employers in cases of ice-related accidents.  Their reasoning is that, you can see ice, and context clues will let you know there may be black ice, so choosing to step on ice would be self-inflicted harm and not protected by workplace safety laws.  It seems like my only option is to refuse to step on ice and wait to be terminated.  But I'm not a lawyer, so I want to make sure I'm understanding this correctly.  I have a wife and son whom I'd rather not leave with a hefty medical bill or no recourse in the case of my death.  If there's some way I can ensure that the company is liable in the case of an ice-related accident, I'd actually be okay doing patrols on ice again.

Other than that, I seriously have no problems doing patrols on nights where there is no ice.  I used to walk the entire shift just for the exercise, so this isn't a matter of laziness.  Just last night, the same supervisor spoke to me candidly about my patrol habits lately.  When I explained the situation to him, he seemed understanding, and said he'd bring it up the chain of command and have them contact me to let me know what's expected of me.  I don't like confrontation, but I also don't actively avoid it if it's important.  I would like to make sure I'm understanding the law correctly, and what my rights are, before I do end up having to confront upper management about this.  Thanks for your time.

EDIT:

There seem to be a lot of questions regarding my footwear.  I appreciate the feedback.  The company requires that I wear black, polished dress shoes for any and all sites as part of our dress code.  I ordered some Yaktrax, since I could attach them to my dress shoes and therefore not violate dress code, the day after I was asked to patrol on the ice.  This was in case I learned later that I was expected to patrol on the ice regardless of safety.  I reasoned that if it turned out I wouldn't have been expected to do so, at least they would be useful outside of work, given our weather.  The Yaktrax arrived the following week, about a day after I was asked to patrol the second time, so it would have been too late at that point.  I've had the chance to try them, sort of - they're fine on snow, dirt, pavement, and carpets, which I generally haven't had issue with.  They're slippery on tile and marble, but I understand that's not what they're used for.  I have yet to try them on ice, but I haven't been to work since they arrived, and the ice has already started melting during the day.  I'm not even sure if I'll get a chance to use them on ice before next Winter.  But if they're as effective as people say, then I'm glad I'll have them for next Winter, at the very least.

I should add, however, that my biggest contention isn't with the likelihood that I'll slip and become incapacitated.  I've been nimble enough not to fall flat and injure myself so far, as have many other guards.  Regardless of how likely death or injury is, even if it's a 1% chance, it would be a work-related accident for which I'll be culpable.  There are no safeguards in place to prevent my death or injury, no one salts the grounds, no one is on site to back me up or call for help, there's no training for proper ice safety, nor anything you might expect at any other hazardous work environment.  From what I've read on the Occupational Health and Safety Administration website regarding winter weather, employers are expected to cover these things.

https://www.osha.gov/dts/weather/winter_weather/index.html

I'm not asking to get my company in trouble, though.  I don't want that.  I just want to know if I'm understanding my rights correctly before I'm confronted about it.  It might turn out my supervisor was mistaken when he expected me to patrol on the ice, and nothing will come of it.  But I'd like to be prepared in case things aren't so smooth.  Thanks again for your time and input.

Answer:
 These things are like magic.  https://www.amazon.com/Micro-Spikes-855333000-Kahtoola-MICROspikes/dp/B0030I3Y48
Answer #2: The short of it is this. You need to do the job your employer stipulates, or they can terminate your employment.

If you need to purchase special equipment to do your job, that’s on you and you can deduct those purchases on your tax return.


Title: Getting a pedophile arrested

Question: I’m from a small town in Vermont and about a year ago my sister ran away with a 22 year old man. She was 14 at the time. He had brought her to the police station two days later because his ex step mom who they were staying with saw her on tv reported missing and made him return her. While she was missing we found out that she had been sneaking out at night to see him for the eight months prior and several people had told us that they suspected that the two of them were having sex. My parents brought this up to the cop on duty when she was returned, and the cop turned around and decided to launch an abuse investigation on my parents. The investigation never actually happened for whatever reason, but the point is the guy went free. We later heard from several sources that this cop was getting cocaine from this man’s father. About a month later, a police report was filed that this guy and my sister had lured one of her classmates (the one who told us that she might be with him when she was missing) into an abandoned building and tied him to a chair and threatened to kill him. His parents were asking for a restraining order on both my sister and this man. For whatever reason, his family never showed up in the court hearing, so those restraining orders never were served, but we got a restraining order on the man. I had begun sleeping on the couch in the living room instead of my room that I share with my sister, because I was suspicious of her continuing to sneak out. I had caught her several times. I knew that they must be communicating somehow, so I hacked into my sister’s several Facebook accounts (I discovered that she had several secret accounts with different names) and read her conversations with him. I discovered that he had been giving her drugs and that they had in fact been having sex. My mom hired a private investigator because we had lost faith in our town policemen. Shortly afterwards, this man fled the state but is continuing to talk to my sister. As far as we can tell, the private investigator has done nothing and hasn’t updated my mother at all and won’t even answer her phone calls or emails. A few months ago I discovered that both my sister and this man have been sending nude pictures to each other through Facebook, and they keep talking about how soon he’s going to come back and they’re going to run away again. My mom informed the PI via email, with of course no response. The man told my sister the address that he’s living at in the state that he fled to, so I also know where he is. I am very worried, and I know that my sister had made some bad decisions, but I also know that it’s a result of being groomed by a child predator. I am also sure that he’s doing this to other young girls. I don’t know what to do. My mom has pretty much given up on getting him arrested, and is just focusing on trying to reverse the brainwashing he did to my sister, but I feel like there must be something else we can do. Sorry for the long post, I just don’t know what to do, and I hate knowing that this scumbag is free.

Answer:
 I have to say, it's a little strange in your story that various groups (the police, the other family, the PI) started actions/retraining orders/investigations and then mysteriously stopped.

That said, your mother needs to call the closest FBI office. The exchange of nudes online, the fact that he's courting her across state lines, the possibility that there are other young women involved, etc., all contribute to this being more of a federal case than a local one.

That said, don't mention to anyone ever again that you "hacked" her Facebook accounts. Get the names of the accounts and hand them over to your mom, but don't log into them again. Even in your circumstances, you shouldn't be "hacking" -- that's a crime in of itself.


Title: Drink beer while driving car (open container) question? [NC]

Question: Assuming I am NOT intoxicated (BAC around .01 - .04... If I drink a beer while driving a car in North Carolina and I got pulled over: would this be  A) considered me breaking the “open container” law or B) considered me driving while intoxicated (I could get a DWI)

Answer:
 DWIs and DUIs are not charged solely because of BAC. That is only one determination of intoxication.

You could be cited for at least an open container, and possible DUI/DWI. Answer #2: They'd probably hit you with bothAnswer #3: You'd likely be going to jail for both and your car impounded.


Title: Please help me know, what is the best process and steps I should take??

Question: I'm 100% positive I found a mini hidden camera in a private bathroom in a public place. the camera could very well see everything n the bathroom as the bathroom is small. I want to go to the police and get a lawyer and sue this place for millions. since the bathroom is private you can lock the door and no one else may enter. I don't want the police to say it was nothing then try to sue the place themselves. I want this money and I want them to go down hard so this doesn't happen to anyone else in my town. What would be the best steps to take from start to finish to assure I can sue the hell out of them.?? professional opinions only please.???

Answer:
 Bring your evidence to the police and an attorney. Don't expect millions out of this. You're probably going to be lucky to get thousands.

E: [Were you jerking it in a public bathroom again?](https://www.reddit.com/r/tifu/comments/39vazd/tifu_dont_get_caught_this_is_way_to_much/)


Title: FL: Sabotage ok? Someone is stealing my packages.

Question:
Someone is habitually stealing packages off my front stoop. Would it be legal to sabotage the thief with something like permanent dye, or some other method?

I don't want to hurt them (well, I do) but I would love to rig something so that they are immediately identifiable. I'm in an apartment, so installing a security camera is not an option.

Answer:
 Booby traps are illegal.  If they get hurt in any way you will open yourself to litigation.    Even if a piece of glitter gets in their eye and scratches it you could get in trouble.  It isn't worth it.

/u/Saumpro advice is much much better.Answer #2: I had an issue with people leaving broken appliances and garbage outside my apartment building. Although I was tasked with some responsibilities at the property, I didnt have the authorization to have actual security cameras installed.

As such, I bought a few plastic signs for a couple of bucks (the 24 hr surveillance ones) and used an old charger I had that had a flashing red LED  light when nothing was plugged into it, and stuck it in my window. It seemed to do the trick.

Maybe put up the signs with some weather resistant 3M Command strips. Maybe management will take them down, but they might not notice either. But if they do decide take them down, there won’t be any real damage to the surfaces you affixed them to, and you’re only out a few bucks.
Answer #3: You should see about having the packages shipped to locker of some sort (Amazon Lockers i.e.).
Also, talking to the building owners about the thief and see about the possibility pursuing legal action with them (not a safe environment, anything that may go against the agreement)


Title: [US-PA] Contract performed work without signed contract, help!

Question:
Last month I took an estimate on my driveway and steps being replaced. I was given a very broad estimate that did not capture everything so I made sure everything was documented through email from that point on. Work was scheduled to start 4/5, but weather postponed it to 4/25 because he had other jobs. I get a call on 4/19 saying their work was caught up, and that they could start the steps on 4/20, with them being completed on 4/21. They said they wanted a contract signed which would cover both of us which I agreed with, and that I would leave a deposit (bank issued check) in the mailbox that morning and sign the contract at lunchtime (3 hours later). I go back to my house at lunchtime and find no work was started yet. When I called contractor I was told weather was an issue plus they needed 24 hours notice for the concrete delivery and they'd be starting 4/21. I asked if they would have the forms and concrete poured all on 4/21, he said yes. He said he would pick up the deposit at 2pm on 4/20 to start work 4/21. I did not have any correspondence until receiving a voicemail at 3pm yesterday saying my deposit was insufficient and he needed more money to cover the concrete, along with a signed contract which would cover both of us. I had no issue with this, but I waited until I got home to call back. When I arrived home, I found that my existing steps were ripped out, and forms for five new steps were made, and very sloppily as well. There was no tarp or anything covering the dirt, and I had to go buy everything to save the hill because the forecast called for rain this weekend.

I called him and got thrown to voicemail where I expressed that I was upset at the work he performed after he said he'd have everything completed that day.

I attempted to stop payment of the deposit, but apparently that is not an option. What can I do from here? Thanks in advance!

Answer: Sounds like you are jumping the gun big time. They started the work. You can't allege they didn't do the job right when they haven't finished the job. It really sounds to me like he's doing his part, but you haven't done yours. Presumably the deposit amount was listed in the contract or previously agreed to? Did you pay the right amount? Did you give him the signed contract? Sounds like the ball is in your court now to meet your end of the deal. Panicking because a hard working contractor doesn't answer his phone on a weekend doesn't make sense.


Title: [Wisconsin] Any risk to submitting my letter of resignation publicly on the company's social media profile?

Question:
To put it plainly, I've been working for this car dealership for about four years. Recently the company has been going in a different direction which essentially means taking advantage of customers and actually going against the recommendations of our manufacturer by trying to focus on selling people maintenance they don't need, and sometimes even maintenance they shouldn't do.

I've proven myself successful at keeping the revenue flow going despite **not** trying to sell customers snake oil, yet my manager seems to be holding a grudge against me for not giving in and going along with the scam.

I have been fighting the good fight for over a year now, but I think I'm at the end of the line now. I need a new job and I don't care how much less my income may be because of it. I just want out of this situation. But, I want to make an impact on the company's reputation on my way out the door...

There are technical service bulletins published by the manufacturer for use by both repair technicians and the general public which highlight the problems with my dealership's maintenance services, and shows how my dealership is intending to scam customers against the manufacturer's recommendations.

I would like to publish my letter of resignation on the company's social media page (Facebook & Twitter) along with references and links to the necessary public bulletins, and outline my dissatisfaction with the company's practices.

What is the potential legal ramifications of doing so, especially since both the manufacturer's bulletins and my dealership's maintenance package specifications are publicly available information?

Answer:
 Well, you are going to burn any chance at getting a job recommendation, and likely create a poor enough impression of yourself that you will have trouble finding a job elsewhere. Plus, they are likely to just delete anything you post.

It's not worth it. If you know of illegal acts or violations,  wait until you find a new job and report them to the state agency that oversees dealerships and the manufacturer.


Title: LensCrafters won't give me my eye chart, saying they "lost" it. Is this legal in NY state?

Question:
I had an exam 2 years ago and bought glasses which have since been cracked, leaving me with no choice but to get new ones. I was going to shop online but I need my eye information.

Went to the store where a doctor examined me and they gave me a real run-around saying that they "changed the system" recently and "some things were lost", but that sounds fishy to me. Wouldn't a doctor work really hard to make sure no charts were lost? I've worked for *print shops* that kept hard copy records for longer!

What gives?! And what can I do about it?

Answer: If they lost them then they lost them. In practical advice, and at least in my experience, a lens shop is not going to accept a prescription that is two years old anyways.


Title: In an episode of Cory in the House, Cory accidentally gives away the deed to Alaska to a Russian ambassador. Assuming this deed is somehow binding, how much trouble would he have been in if he didn't fix his mistake?

Answer:
 The notion that the physical piece of paper matters is purely a construct of fiction, at this point. Even in states that still recognize unrecorded deeds, mere possession of an unrecorded instrument doesn't confer any right to the underlying property.

It's what's written on the deed that matters, so unless Cory sat down and wrote out "I, Cory Baxter, do hereby convey my interests in the property of The State of Alaska, to Russia, in return for $10 and other valuable consideration," and gotten it signed and notarized, there wouldn't actually be a transfer. Nothing would happen.

If he _did_ write that out, then it follows the form of a quitclaim deed, at least loosely. Russia would be able to assert whatever rights Cory Baxter had previously held to the state. However, since Cory Baxter did not own the state, Russia would receive no ownership from him. Nothing would happen - unless Cory previously owned real estate in the state, in which case the deed might convey that real estate to Russia.

Even in the _implausible_ event that Cory were in possession of a bearer instrument conveying fee simple title to the State of Alaska (what we think of as "ownership" in most cases), then all that would happen is that Russia would own the previously-public parts of the state, subordinate to the Alaskan government's and the American government's underlying sovereign interest in the land. If Russia refused to repudiate the transfer, Alaska would seize the whole state back via eminent domain, and probably bill Cory for the expense.

There's no deed that can convey sovereign interests. Changes in sovereign territory happen through diplomacy, and legislation, not through deeds and contracts.


Title: (TX) my dad could lose his job because of AT&T mistake

Question: My dad is a pilot and has to go through training every couple years to remain updated, and AT&T cancelled our account. My dad needs Internet in order to study to pass the training, and if he can't he could fail and lose his job. We used to own a house but we sold it and moved. The new tenants tried to establish a new AT&T account and AT&T called my mom and got confused because he thought our account was still at the old house. We talked to the guy calling and we confirmed 5 times that he should not cancel our account and that it was a mistake. He assured it wouldn't happen but it did. Now we called back and they are saying we have to wait until Wednesday for our new account to be activated. I don't know much but is there anything we can do? What if my dad loses his job... he is the only source of income and is old and is too old to find a new job

Answer:
 This isn't a legal question.

Libraries or places with free wifi exist. Cell phone hotspots are a thing. If you need internet to study there are options. Answer #2: Its your dad's responsibility to pass his flight training, not ATT's.Answer #3: He can go to a public library, or use public wifi (at fast food places, stores ect) with a laptop or tablet, until you guys get situated


Title: Car was stolen last night and I am being forced to pay for towing and getting it out of impound.

Question:
So long story short, my car was broken into last night and stolen from my house.  The person who stole my car ended up running out of gas and was immediately stopped by the police. The person is in custody and I was told my car is currently in impound. Police department says I am responsible for towing and impound fees. It’s about $300 in total which isn’t going to break me, but I think it’s ridiculous that I am responsible for these charges, when it was my car that was stolen. Can I file a lawsuit against the car jacker in order to avoid paying this?
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer:
 You can sue the thief but you have to pay now to get your car back. You may have insurance coverage for this. Sorry but that's how it works.Answer #2: You can’t avoid paying this. The towing operator did work that benefits you and deserves to be paid.

You can sue the thief and he may be ordered to pay in restitution. You can also see if your insurance covers this.


Title: Husband's employer did not forward child support payments. Non verbally seems to have fired my husband. help!

Question:
This will be long, but I appreciate any help I can get. I'll try to make it as clear as possible.

My husband works (worked?) for a guy who owns his own business. My husband is this man's only employee right now, but during busy times of the year there have been as many as 5 employees. It's a sub-contractor type situation.

My husband also pays child support for his 2 kids from a previous marriage. The child support payments are supposed to be taken out of his paychecks (we are in Oregon) and and then forwarded on to his ex. We found out a while back that his employer has actually been pocketing the money that he is supposed to pass on to the state. The child support deduction is noted on my husband's paycheck stubs (and luckily he has kept them all so we have proof) and we had no idea anything fishy was going on until my husband's ex contacted him about the payments. Around the same time he also got a letter in the mail stating that his driver's license will be suspended if he doesn't start paying again. He confronted his boss who admitted that he has not been forwarding the child support payments. But he did say that he was going to send the payment in right away. A week later, still no payment had been sent, and more promises about prompt payment followed. It has now been over a month and no payment has been made. My husband has been pretty persistent in getting this guy to do what he's obligated to do by law and has had several argument with his employer who at one point let slip that he would have to cut my husband's hours because he did not have enough money to pay it all. And this is exactly what happened. As of yesterday we can only assume that my husband's job is over even though he was never officially let go. He hasn't had any work in 4 days (normally he worked full time, 5 days a week), and his employer has become excessively dodgy and uncommunicative. My husband has also been looking for a new job since last month, but nothing has turned up, and now it looks like he's out of a job all together.

The state is aware of all this as my husband's ex has contacted both the Child Support department and the District Attorney's office letting them know that it's the employer's fault and not my husband's. My husband has also sent copies of his paycheck stubs as well as contacted them by phone. The only thing that they could say is that his license will not be suspended. Neither of the departments seemed overly eager to go after the employer (maybe they they just like to take their time). At this point we have no idea what we should be doing, or who we should be contacting to fix the situation. And until my husband finds another job, my job is now our only source of income which barely covers our bills, so we definitely can't afford a lawyer.

I want this guy to get what he deserves for so cold heartedly screwing us over. But I have no idea where to start.

Answer: Let me prefix this by saying I don't practice labor law. However, oftentimes state departments of labor take a keen interest in employers who are doing improper things with paycheck deductions. Although the deduction for child support is obviously allowed, it not being used for something proper may be within your state DoL's purview. It would be worth a short call to the DoL to see if they have anything to suggest for you.Answer #2: Have you tried contacting the Department of Labor?  Wage theft is their gig, and this is very clearly wage theft.


Title: Employer is refusing to give me Work Comp for an on the job injury

Question: I work for a decent sized landscaping company (over 200 employees). I was injured on the job on 5/13/19. My supervisor was informed immediately of the injury. Given that it happened late in the evening, and wasn't the type of injury that required an ER visit, I went home. Before work the next morning, I called my supervisor and asked where I needed to go to get medical care. My knees were swelled like cantaloupes and hurting very badly. My supervisor started complaining about how he was going to be short a foreman and a driver since I needed to go to the doctor. He told me that before I could go to get help, he had to call the owner and he would call me back. 7 hours later, after not hearing back, I called him. I told him again that I needed the Work Comp location and information because I was in bad shape. He asked me why I had not already been to them, and I reminded him that he hadn't given me the information or location yet. Again he tells me that he's got to call the owner, and he would call me back. After confirming that he would actually call me right back, I hung up. He called me back a few minutes later and proceeded to tell me that the owner told him that I wasn't allowed to go to work comp and that I was suspended. I asked him why I was being suspended, he told me that is something the owner would have to talk with me about. I asked him if I was correct in saying that the company is refusing to let me go to the doctor for an injury that occurred on the job and I am also being suspended for no reason? He said that he didn't know anything else, that it was out of his hands, and that the owner would be contacting me. The owner never contacted me. I retained an attorney regarding the work comp aspect of this on 5/28/19. He sent them a letter telling them to turn over the work comp insurance info. The company has until 6/11/19 to turn over the information, or a suit will be filed to make them turn over the information. So for the last 3 weeks I have been in agony. Both of my knees were severely injured in the accident. I can barely walk, even with crutches. I havent had any type of income since the injury because they suspended me. And as of this post, they havent responded to the letter from the attorney. I am wondering if there is any type of personal injury case, any kind of lawsuit what so ever, anything at all that can be done. Surely a company cant just treat an employee like this. Please help, any advice at all would greatly be appreciated! Thanks

Answer: You don't need their help to file a claim. Contact your State's workers comp commission.


Title: I am a 22 year old living in a city for an internship, and a guy is threatening legal action on me for some mail that was supposed to come to my residence in his name, but did not.

Question:
So here's the story.

I am a college student living in a city near my internship.  I'm subletting from a guy in a house with 3 other guys, 2 of which are out of town for internships as well.

This guy comes by a few weeks back before Bonnaroo and says he used to live there (he did) and that his Bonnaroo tickets (~$350) were mailed there.  I am only here for 2ish months, so I have no mail coming and told him I didn't check it, but the other roommate did.

The other roommate has been checking it daily waiting on money from the other 2 guys for utilities, and he says he hasn't seen it.

We let the guy know we'll keep an eye out for it, but it never shows up.  He comes back one day super pissed off saying we either stole it or sold them, but neither of those options are even plausible because he had the after cleanup crew tickets, so they had his name on them.

He called the USPS and they said they know they delivered them, but we haven't seen it.  We eventually have to tell him to not come on our property because he's coming by every day and texting us every day.

He's now telling us he is going to take us to court to pay him back for his tickets and legal fees.

Does he have a leg to stand on in a court?  Do I need to be prepared with a lawyer?

Any advice would be very much appreciated.  Thanks all!

Edit:  Bot's telling me I need to add location.  I am in Tennessee.  Sorry about missing that!

Answer:
 Tell him to not come back and leave you alone. Block him from texting you. If the harassment continues you can file a police report. This guy needs to learn some boundaries of what is acceptable behavior.Answer #2: He should have updated his forwarding address your not responsible for his mail.  If anything happens to show up mark it return to sender Answer #3: Step 1: Purchase small sand box.

Step 2: Leave sand box in front of door.

Step 3: Leave sign instructing those seeking information on mis-delivered mail to pound the sand for service. Answer #4: Call the police and make a report about this harassment. You want to get this on the record. Anything could have happened to his tickets. You're not responsible for them and he can't prove that you saw them or did anything with them. Answer #5: So this guy thinks you are responsible?  Wow! thats awesome!  I think ill mail cash to my old address then sue the people who live there for it!  Why didnt I think of this years ago!?Answer #6: Typically do homeowners have any responsibility regarding mail wrongly sent to their house? My wife and I trash everything we get not addressed specifically to us - do I have any legal obligation to do the whole "return to sender" thing?Answer #7: He can sue. He is unlikely to win. It will be small claims likely, no attorney needed


Title: Employer is docking a week of wages because I did not give notice. Can I do anything?

Question:
I live in the UK and worked for a company. I'm a student and the pay they offered was terrible (£20 per day) but I was hoping to learn a lot, so decided to take it. I was listed as a contractor, which is why they were able to pay me below minimum wage.

Unfortunately, this was not the case. I was made to do menial jobs. I therefore decided to quit but gave pretty much a day's notice.

I've now been told that a week's wages will be docked because I did not give notice.

Is there anything I can do about this?

Answer:
 /r/legaladviceUK

There's some kind of labour agency ran by the government in your country. Look them up and make a wage claim. This is definitely illegal.


Title: Leaving a note for police?

Question:
So, a little bit of context. I am an off-campus student at a small college, and the police station is on campus. The police department on campus is basically a series of glorified meter maids that hand out tickets periodically. They Don't Really provide any protection for the students, and they tend to be a nuisance more than an assistance.

Recently, I've been parking in the teachers lot. For many students, this is not an issue. They parked their everyday or nearly every day, and don't receive any sort of punishment. However, my car is very distinctive due to particular dense, and the police seem to be targeting me and Mike are in particular. Even when other students, who have a different parking pass, are parked in the teachers lot, I will often receive a ticket and they will not.

So, all that being said, I have come up with two potential solutions to my problem. The first, and I prefer this, is that I leave and identifying note on a police car that is parked in the teacher lot. I imagine this is not advisable for a number of reasons, so I have come up with a second idea. Thinking about leaving a note on my own car, with the explicit purpose that the police find it when they ticket me. Are either of these ideas going to get me in trouble?
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer:
 Let me reframe the question:

What is your end goal here?

Is your end goal to make yourself a target for parking enforcement? Because if so, this is a GREAT way to do so.Answer #2: I'm confused.  What would this note say and what do you think it would do?Answer #3: What are you going to put in the note?

Either way, if you're parking in a lot that requires a specific parking pass, and you don't have that parking pass, or you're not authorized to park in that lot, then it stands to reason that you might receive a ticket.  Just because others don't get ticketed is generally and largely irrelevant to any ticket you receive.Answer #4: Leaving a note is a great way to have the cops literally start looking for your car first every time they pass by the lot.


Title: Brother works for a company that has a "women's networking" event with no alternative for men.

Question:
Over the holidays my brother was telling me about this networking situation at his work and he feels it is extremely sexist and is almost discriminatory towards him. It just screams unfair to us both and I am really not sure how he can go about this.

Basically he works for a car rental company. This rental company has a program for new graduates from college he entered when he graduated a couple years ago. The idea is, you start off as a basic employee on the track to being in management in some form or another. He has been doing really well and has climbed into an assistant management role. This is pretty cool and good for him.

The problem lies in this new "networking" company sponsored event that they have for women only. There is absolutely no other equivalent for men and no other networking events such as this one. Only females from all of the area branches are allowed to attend and meet other branch managers and executives. As we all know networking really helps with getting jobs. Especially at a company where young professionals move from assistant manager to manager and manager to higher up on the line. So the turnover and opportunity to get a new job is high. They move people up quite a bit. Now my brother doesn't have the opportunity to meet and network with people looking for replacements for the positions opened by someone moving up. Only women have the opportunity to meet these people. Also, this isn't a woman only type of thing. It isn't designed as a "women in the workplace" workshop with just female managers. It is just for female employees looking to move up, meeting men and women managers.

Again, I can't help but find this extremely sexist. My brother asked about it and they said "our diversity metric..." and how "female managers in this area are one metric we are trying to increase for diversity..." but I cannot help, along with him, feel that this is discriminatory towards himself and other men in that area. I mean he has no opportunity to go network with these people. Can you guys give me advice to relay to him? How to go about handling this? He isn't complaining to try to make some point. He is a hard worker who wants to also move up and can't help but see how this is unfair to not offer the same opportunities.

Answer:
 Get a sex change?

Until and unless he can prove that he was denied a promotion or otherwise actually/materially discriminated against, I don't see this being an issue. Nothing is preventing the men in the company from getting together and going bowling. Answer #2: He would need to make some demonstration that them having a "women's networking" event somehow caused him to lose a promotion or other opportunity that economically injured him.

You could also report it to the EEOC if you really wanted.

I don't see the big deal to be honest, despite what anyone says, women still have a disadvantage in the work place in many cases. I just think its an overreaction on both your part. Does your brother really plan to make a career at a car rental agency?


Title: California: Fired on Day 1 of New Job due to Massive Heart Attack-- Asking for a friend

Question:
A buddy of mine and I are in sales of IT products/services.   Companies give us quotas of $2M-$8M / year and if we hit that, we get half of our compensation from commission.  Our performance determines our income but also whether or not we get to keep the job.

&#x200B;

So, a couple weeks ago, my friend accepted an offer from a smallish IT company to start selling for them in a particular territory in the NE/Mid Atlantic. He resided in Maryland and mostly worked from home.  Again, the HQ of this company is in California.

&#x200B;

Well, he suffered a massive heart attack on his first day of work.  Will spare you the details but the company who just hired him, immediately fired him presumably for having the heart attack or so that they wouldn't have to pay for his health insurance to pay for the health care he needed (which exceeded $300K--another reason many of you should destress and go for a walk today perhaps).

&#x200B;

So, my friend is in recovery and he isn't thinking about stuff like this.  I told him I would look into it just to see if there was anything there from a legal standpoint.   Does the company that hired/fired him have any liability here?  I would presume that the company followed the law and has attorneys who advise them.  Sure, at a minimum it would seem they made a move that should likely bring bad karma but what about the legal front?

&#x200B;

I'm not emotionally tied to either outcome--whether he has cause of action or not.  I just want my friend to continue to heal up and move on with his life.  He was a smoker--if that matters to anyone.    My plan was to call an employment attorney in California and Maryland and get a free consultation but figured this might be a useful topic to gain insights as well.   Really appreciate any pointers or explanations of potentially applicable legal concepts.  Thank-you!

Answer: Your friend should still be eligible for health insurance through COBRA. Its more expensive as there are no employer contributions, but a lot less than 300k.  Have him talk to the social worker at his hospital and they should be able to help with all the paperwork.Answer #2: unless theres an employment contract stating otherwise, he is considered at will worker and can be fired for not being able to preform his job duties, which he couldn't do the first day and likely a few days after because of the heart attack. this is very unfortunate, but he wasn't there long enough to qualify for FMLA or any other likely sick leave the company may offerAnswer #3: So usually you have a 10-12 day grace period for enrollment in terms of company benefits (healthcare, 401k contributions etc...) Since it was his first day had he even set that stuff up? Usually it takes a few days before all of that is ironed out, unless he completed all of his enrollment paperwork before starting.Answer #4: Any employment contract stipulating reasons for legitimate termination?


Title: My friend did the hot wing challenge at Buffalo Wild Wings and they forgot to have him sign the waiver, what can happen?

Answer: Probably indigestion. The waiver is largely marketing. Waiver or not, no national chain is going to deliberately  serve food that's dangerous to consume.


Title: Employer Violating US and MO constitution? What can we do?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 The constitution, for the most part, constrains the actions of the US Government and the validity of the laws it passes, _not_ the actions of private citizens or companies. Your Second Amendment right to bear arms is not being abridged, here: your employer, equally, has a right to terminate you for bringing a weapon into the workplace. [SB656](http://www.senate.mo.gov/14info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&BillID=28098814) does not change that, or require your employer to permit weapons in the workplace.

Your employer probably can't confiscate your weapon, but _can_ fire you on the spot, and call the police on an armed trespasser if you refuse to leave.

If you don't like the work, find a new job.

If you're robbed at gunpoint, let them take what they like, then call the police after the fact, as you have likely been instructed to do. Your employers are insured, and you're no use to anyone dead. Being armed doesn't change _that_, either: by the time you realize you're being robbed, someone will already have a gun pointed at you.


Title: [OR] If the situation arose, could a person sue someone for stealing copious amounts of weed from say a commercial grower?

Answer: Sure.


Title: [New York City] Lying about the number of guests staying in a hotel room to save money

Question: [deleted]

Answer: It can have consequences, but probably not for you. They would probably charge the person who submitted their credit card for the extra people. Where do they expect y'all are going to sleep? Do you plan to share a double bed with your girlfriend, her sister, her aunt, and her grandmother? Awkward.


Title: [QUESTION] Is it really legal to smoke cigarettes/vape while driving in Arizona?

Question:
I know what you’re thinking: what kind of question is this?

But here me out:

Cigarettes and vaping products (such as juuls) contain/expose you to formaldehyde, which, under [ASC 13-3401(38a)](https://www.azleg.gov/ars/13/03401.htm) is illegal, and classified as a “Vapor-releasing substance containing a toxic substance” which lists formaldehyde.

The law gives no mention to a specific or exact amount to what is considered “toxic levels” however. So, my question is, why are people not being arrested and convicted for vaping or smoking cigarettes while driving if they contain formaldehyde in Arizona, which, by law, is defined as a illegal toxic substance?

Answer: r/legaladviceofftopic


Title: Long distance girlfriend is coming to me for a week, I'd like to share my room with her for that week. I pay rent in my religious parents' house (who had two of my siblings pre-maritally) and they don't want to allow it. Since I pay for the room is there anything they can legally do to prevent it?

Question: A few more details, her parents are aware and okay with the fact that we are sexually active, My parents are aware and sort of okay that we're sexually active but they don't want us to sleep in the same bed before we're married. I'm prepared to move out if it's such a big deal that my dad gives me a 60 day notice. I have an emergency fund and other savings plus a steady and well paying job for my age.

Answer:
 Get a hotel room. Do you really even want to bone with your parents right there?Answer #2: It's their house and their rules, even if you pay rent.Answer #3: I mean look at it like this.

Renting from your folks is probably cheaper than living on your own will cost, right?  Those savings, over a span of several months is probably more than the cost of a hotel room for a week.

You know the saying about choosing the hill you want to die on?  Personally, this isn't the battle I'd choose, but to each their own.


Title: Non-Parent custody - Nebraska, United States

Question:
A little strange situation.

I have a wife and step children, from her first marriage.  My wife's ex husband remarried, and had another child with his new wife. We also have had possession of that child since she was 48 days old. She is now 2 years old.

They asked us to babysit her for the weekend, and have never taken her back. She was in terrible health when we got her, spent 16+ hours a day in a baby swing, they were giving her water instead of formula, etc etc. We have never asked for child support on her, nor have we ever asked them to take her back from us. We have started adoption proceedings with them for her, as they do not want to keep her. However, they have not signed the final papers yet, as she is their ace in the hole against us.

Since we have gotten married, her ex and his new wife have been bargaining for less child support(he is already 5K+ behind)and parental demands on the existing step children by leveraging the 2 year old against us.

For Example: He drives a truck. he has a two door Cadillac, which is not big enough for all the kids. So my wife drives them in our van usually, and drops the kids and the van off, and drives his wife's car back. If she refuses to drive them on short notice(less than 24 hours), or will not take them to wherever he has parked the truck (sometimes upwards of 3 hours away, 1 direction), no matter the weather (most recently it was through a full on blizzard) they will take the baby away from us and give her to her maternal grandmother, until such time that we comply, or grandma gets tired of taking care of a baby. Then she is returned to us. We comply because we miss her, and do not want the step kids to have more problems with their father.

Anyway, my apologies about the long way around the barn, is there ANYTHING we can do legally to stop them from removing the child from us that we have literally raised ourselves for her entire life? As non-parents, we are afraid if we take legal action, either she will be removed from us, AND them and put into foster care, or they will just take her and we'll never see her again. He has literally used her to try to get us to cosign on a truck loan, asked for money, tried to get my wife to drop child support (the state is after him, we are not), and has attempted more than once to trade us for my 6 year old step son, in exchange for the daughter.

We want to keep the child. We raised her. She is "ours" and we love her. I'm tired of watching my wife bend to the will of a horrid human being who openly plays favorites with his children.

ANY information would be helpful. Thank you.
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer:
 IANAL but it sounds like child abandonment to me.  Do you have all her doctor's records? Answer #2: Assuming your wife had an attorney for her divorce, you should contact them and ask about seeking guardianship of the youngest. This will give you legal authority over the child and hopefully put an end to the shenanigans. Answer #3: IANAL. It sounds like drugs or alcohol is involved with the other parents.

As a former emergency foster parent, I'll tell you that the state putting her into foster care when there are stable, capable, loving, willing, and able guardians available is extremely unlikely.

If it were me, I'd file immediately for custody.  If my hunch is right, mention the drugs/alcohol. Unfit parents, drug testing etc.  You sound like an amazing, loving, stable family. I've transferred kids to families like yours before and it's a joy knowing our kids are going somewhere like that.

Do you have records of them abandoning their child with you? Texts, emails, etc?

Sounds like you have medical PoA (is that the right term?), Do you have guardianship?  Is she on your insurance?  What is going to happen when she starts school? You need to get this straightened out ASAP.


Title: To late to claim my last paychecks?

Question: I live in Southern California, and no direct deposit. So I made a pretty poor call in that I did not pick up my last two paychecks from my last job in the end of October 2017 when they were ready. I called my work about a week ago and asked if It was a good day to come pick them up but they said they no longer have them. Every paycheck I had said you have 180 days to claim. Its been far less that that. Are they obligated to still give me those last 2 checks?

Answer: They are, and if you don’t claim them they’re to be turned over to the state as unclaimed property.


Title: Texas - Car & GPS Locator on it from dealership

Question:
Hey there LegalAdvice,

First time posting here. I had something rather alarming happen to me today. Here's the story.

Situation: I purchased a car from one of those high interest in-house financing "tote the note" places. When I purchased the car I explicitly asked MULTIPLE times if the cars had a GPS locator system on them (normally used for recovery of their property in the event of non-payment). They told me no each time I asked and even said "we do not use GPS locators on our cars." I was rather skeptical because at this place they had fairly newer/nicer cars with not crazy high mileage like other comparable dealerships. You could pay 1,500$ and walk out w/ a 2010 Fully loaded suv with ~50-80k miles on it (in 2016).

Fast forward about 6 months ago, I had got a new credit card (Trying to rebuild my credit) and I asked if my payment date could be switched from the 1st of the month to the 7th of the month (so my card statement could close and be reported to the credit bureaus properly) and they said yes, no problem. On the 6th of that month, they repo'd my car. I realize this is a huge problem by itself that they agreed and reneged resulting in my car to be temporarily repod, but they apologized and said it was just a paperwork error, returned my car and even gave me a 100$ discount on my payment for the trouble. This is the situation that led me to believe that there was a GPS in the car. I do not feel they could've just found it that easily.

Fast forward to today now. I've got my credit repaired as much as possible and really have a solid footing w/ my finances, everything is in order for me now so I wanted to go pay off the full balance of the car and avoid the ~25% APR with it. There was ~8k left on the financing option, I cashed them out for 6,900$ and own the vehicle now. When I asked for a complete list of all payments made since Day 1 of my having the vehicle, the lady printed me out a sheet that had all the info on every payment I had ever made. This sheet also included every note they had ever made about my account (IE my request for my payment date change, etc) but it also had a note that says "A/R Changed to has GPS" submitted @ 11:36AM on 3/21/17. I called the car dealership immediately when I noticed this and asked "Does this car have a GPS in it" they said yes. I asked her "how long" and she said "Since you've bought the car." I'm supposed to be picking up my title tomorrow and I asked them if they could remove it, they said no I'd have to do that myself.

The Question: Is this illegal or some kind of invasion of privacy? They just straight lied to me multiple times, although I can't prove it as I didn't record the in person conversations that I had when I asked them if they did have GPS in their vehicles. Do I have any recourse at all? I feel like this is at best EXTREMELY unethical and perhaps illegal. What can I do?

Location: Arlington, TX

Answer:
 It is actually illegal.  [Link](http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/PE/htm/PE.16.htm#16.06).

> (b)  A person commits an offense if the person knowingly installs an electronic or mechanical tracking device on a motor vehicle owned or leased by another person.

> (c)  An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor.

Go through your purchase documents and ensure that this isn't mentioned anywhere in the documents you signed.

Assuming it isn't, you go to the police and make a report.Answer #2: Texas is one of the few states that actually [criminalizes the unauthorized private use of a GPS tracker.](http://codes.findlaw.com/tx/penal-code/penal-sect-16-06.html)

Get out your contract and look through it very carefully to see if there's anything that refers to their rights to monitor and repossess the vehicle.

If they managed to get your "effective consent", they're in the clear.   That includes hiding something in the fine print that you signed without reading.


Title: (Australia, VIC) Threats from a psychiatrist at hospital

Question:
This happened a little over a week ago.. I've been needing medical attention ever since but have been scared for my life for what the consequences could be for me..

I went to a hospital a few times for some stomach pains, they did some X Ray's on me and found nothing. I have since decided to go see a specialist for my stomach.

I have then had had some other sort of pains come on to do with my muscles and that has been becoming worse and worse day by day.. I went to the hospital and they refused to have my checked as from that point that thought it was all a mental issue from inside my mind and referred me to the CAT team AKA Mental Health Team to speak to a psychiatrist

The psychiatrist wanted me to have pain numbing pills. I told the doctor to scan my body properly to see and fix the problem not just numb it but he refused to allow me to have scans and was forcing me to pretty much make my only options psychosis numbing pills.

After I told the psychiatrist that I would rather much feel the pain then have it numbed so I do not do more damage without knowing the doctor then acted very bizarre and threatening on me saying AND I QUOTE! "If you decline my medication but come back for my help or go to ANY normal GP, doctor or hospital, I will track you down and PERSONALLY give YOU a life sentence and make the rest of YOUR life a LIVING HELL!" while slowly raising up over me and pointing his finger at me in a very dark and evil tone..

(Possibly by doing something illegal on me to try make me psychotic for the rest of my life?) note: I am in no way psychotic he diagnosed me and said I have nothing but mild anxiety.

I have since been very scared to go back to ANY hospital or see another doctor as I am worried to what this doctor will do since he is keeping tabs on me..

I am not sure what to do, or who to turn to but I do not feel safe going back to my hospital even though I am in desperate need of medical attention.. He also said this threat infront of a younger doctor he was training and my mother..

The most stressful part of my experience is the traumatic and evil way the doctor told me these words while giving me this death stare and taunting me..

Any advice will be appreciated.. Thank you..

Answer:
 if you feel the doctor was threatening you, lodge a complaint with the hospital administrators.

The doctor has no way to track you in the manner in which he suggests. Go to another hospital or GP clinic, take a family member/friend with you to sit in on the appointment so you have some support.


Title: Received Text From Old Boss

Question: Hi everyone, I worked for two years for a company where it was encouraged to become friends and network with our clients. I left my old company to start a business, still in the same industry, but a completely different service than my old company. I sent out an email to everyone in my network inviting them to an event where I was going to discuss my new service. That email made it back to my old boss, and he texted me today that I’ll be hearing from his attorneys. I never signed a non compete, nor am I actively trying to take his clients. Is there anything I should be worried about?

Answer: Nope. You didn't do anything wrong.


Title: Life time software licensing agreement.

Question:
I had a business that ran for some years 2009 - 2014. During that time at some point my partner needed extra money quickly and offered our product for a lifetime license. I was young and naive at what this actually meant for a software company.

Fast forward. My business partner and I have split ways. I don't have a contract per-say- but I have in writing that I am responsible for the software to do whatever I want with. If i wanted to I could resell it, or recreate it under a new name and sell the packages again. I have done nothing with the packages we offered or with the company at all since 2014.

The issues comes I am now having some of those lifetime licensing clients come back and need support on the software. The issue they need support with is a validation error based on the dates that we used as a security measure. They can not actually use the package with out me going into their system and fixing some DLLs after windows security updates.

Am I able to ask that they pay a support fee for my time now that that company is basically gone or am I under obligation to reactivate the software package? I would like to segue to freelance support for them as i am earning a living off freelance and no longer want to work for free.

EDIT: The company was formed in New Jersey.

Answer: A lifetime license allows them to _use_ the software, but it doesn't necessarily promise that the software will be updated or maintained, or that technical support is included or even offered.  Of course, all of this will depend on the wording in the license agreement that is in place.Answer #2: What were the terms of the licensing agreement?  Is your company still a going concern?  Do you still have an ownership stake?  Is it an LLC or a partnership?  Questions like these will determine whether you are on the hook individually for updating the licensed software.


Title: [MI] My mom is being drowned by child support obligations.

Question:
I'm 27, my sister is 20, and my sister lives with and is being supported by my mom, and I'm on my own.

Is there absolutely anything my mom, my sister or I can do to convince the state to not take away half her minimum-wage paycheck and give it to a pointless, useless drunk asshole that none of us have seen for years?

This is especially important as she was arrested for not making payments, despite half her wages being garnished.  (Immediately released, but that doesn't stop her from losing her fucking job)

Answer:
 If there was a court order and this is back support, no. She owes what she was ordered to pay.

If this is continued support, she needs to file to have it stopped. Answer #2: Is he, or has he ever, raised her children without support from her?  Answer #3: Is he raising any of her children?


Title: Cooperating about paternal rights - any help would be appreciated!

Question:
Hey /r/legaladvice,

I'm a guy that has gotten his female friend (not in a relationship) pregnant. Why and how isn't important but now we are trying to figure out the best course of action together.

She's early (6-8 weeks), wants to keep the kid and doesn't expect any involvement from me. She left the choice of my involvement up to me and after considering my options, I told her I didn't want to be involved except through contact with her in a non-mandatory capacity. A few photos over the years, stuff like that. I've read up and likened it to an 'open adoption' which she has supported wholeheartedly. She wants the kid and that's all that matters to me. I'm glad she will have it.

We've agreed to have a full termination of my legal parental rights AND my child support requirements. I won't ever be entitled or able to take custody and she won't ever be entitled to anything from me. Full legal termination would be ideal. We wanted to ask a lawyer about how we could make this happen and press ahead but I thought I'd come here first with a few questions:

1. Is this possible? Can we make an agreement (as early as now) that will guarantee this?
2. Would this kind of agreement be legally enforceable or will it rely on good faith from both of us forever?
3. If so, will these agreements be legally binding here (NYC) but also interstate and internationally?
4. What should be done about the birth certificate? If she keeps my name off there and all of this a secret, will that be all we need? Would it be best for us to just not enter my name in ANY official capacity? I feel like that wouldn't protect us both in the event that the situation changes.
5. What kind of lawyer should I speak to about this? Divorce? Family?

We've both heard some horror stories about this situation so we want to protect one another and set up a strong support system so we can focus on a healthy pregnancy for her. We want to keep a good relationship between us and if we get this strong legal foundation, we can build more trust over time.

Thanks for your help! Any responses or PM's would be appreciated.

Answer: You don't have to participate in the kid's life but you can't terminate your support obligations.


Title: Child support 18 years old

Question:
I have son that is 18 in high school that's about to graduate in 4 months. We did not go through court system (no court order) but agreed on certain amount I'd pay every week. I've been meeting with her every week  for about 10 years and giving her money orders.  My question is once he has graduated out of high school I'm I obligated to pay child support?
Sorry about that I stay in Illinois.

Answer: There's a reason you're asked to provide location. Sometimes retroactive child support is a thing.


Title: Fired and no one wants my case

Question:
So a very long story i will try and make short...

Where I was employed, a new guy started in January.  I brought up several times that he was not working to my superior.  They come back on me that i don't communicate.  They make me read a book which seems to be well known on Reddit called "How to win friends and influence people".  Now, I was an hourly employee and not salaried, also in Missouri which is an at-will state.  They gave me 30 days to read this book, this included weekends in the time frame and also I was fired on the 30th day first thing in the morning so that eliminates one day there.  The fact that they didn't set any time aside for me and added it on top my duties didn't allow for much time to read.  The fact is that they wanted me to read it on weekends but i didn't because I was hourly.  Is there anything I can do?  Is there anything illegal about an employer wanting people to work on their own time?  And why is no one wanting to hear my case?

Thanks in advance.

Answer: It sounds like you were going to get fired regardless of whether you read the book or not. Just move on and try to find a better work environment.


Title: Employees Required to Clock Out When Systems Are Down (NY)

Question: Can a part-time, hourly, at-home data entry employee be required to punch out when systems are down and be expected to be ready to punch back in when systems are back up? NY, Erie County.

Answer:
 I think the employee is "engaged to wait" if there is an expectation that they have to stay near their computer to punch in whenever the systems happen to go up; and therefore the employee is working and should be getting paid.  [Link.](https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/29/785.15)

I believe this would differ if the employee is told "You are off duty until 6PM".


Title: Abusive Mother- Desperate for advice.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 You call CPS every time she has concerning bruises.

Kids get bruises. So they need to be actually concerning for abuse.


Title: Girl Friends employer's fail to recognize the California Rest Break law. What can she do?

Question:
Hello,

My Girlfriend is working at a very popular small food establishment(franchise) in Southern California. The shifts of the non-essential employees (food runners, cashiers, bussers) are tailored to be <5 hours to avoid having to provide the unpaid meal break that is required after 5 hours of work. They do not allow their employees to take their 10-minute paid rest-break (link to what I am going off of below) by basically brushing  it off and telling the employees that they do not need to take them because there is work to do.

The reason I come here is because she feels she is being mistreated at work. The business is new and popular and she is on her feet constantly for the full shift and complains about her back hurting all the time and beyond that she is getting written up for "standing around and doing nothing" when she has to use the restroom for extended (lady) time.

I am very unfamiliar with CA law. Can anything be done?

Edit: Grammar and link - http://www.calchamber.com/california-employment-law/Pages/meal-and-rest-breaks.aspx

Answer:
 She can report them.  http://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/HowToReportViolationtoBOFE.htm

They can fire her (but of course not in retaliation for reporting, but for some entirely "unrelated" reason.)

She can sue.

Best bet: first get a new job.  Then complain to the DOL and ask them to collect compensation for the time denied on the employees' behalf.  Best if she can get the "do not take the mandated break" rule in writing.


Title: [CA] A friend and the celebrity leaks

Question:
So I have a friend (we are both minors) who has mentioned he may have checked out Mckayla Maroney's leaks about a year ago, and may have accidentally stumbled upon a potentially illegal photo that shouldn't have been there amongst the legal ones. I remember hearing at one point that it might not have been legal, although there is a fair bit of evidence supporting the fact that it's a giant bluff on her lawyer's part to get them off the internet. He freaked out after it popped up in conversation and I told why it might have been shady. Is there a cause for concern here, or is it something to just move on with?
Topic:
Computer and Internet

Answer: Delete everything and move on with your lives.


Title: I fell behind on payments to a student loan to Navient. Navient is now contacting a co-signer to another loan and demanding he make the payments. Can they do this?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 You can contact the [Consumer Finance Protection Bureau](http://www.consumerfinance.gov), and the [Department of Education](https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/disputes) if they continue this demand.

I suspect that this is just a fishing expedition, but I would report this behavior as it may be illegal and is definitely unethical.Answer #2: Just for future reference, Navient can be pretty good about payment deferrals for a few months in the case of a job loss, medical expenses, etc. I had some medical bills last year and I couldn't make both payments and a quick call into Navient and they deferred my payments for 3 months Answer #3: I think we'd need more details (IE what he signed, what you signed, what they are asking for) but in general if he didn't co-sign the loan they are asking for he has no obligation to pay them.
Answer #4: OP - what state are you in?

First off, if your cosigner isn't cosigned on *that* loan, then they have no business calling them in the first place.

Second off, even attempting to contact the cosigner is actually against the law in some states. I know for a fact this is the case in Michigan (Sorry, I can't find any material on a list of states though).


Title: [MI/SD] Maybe this question isn't appropriate here, but I was wondering if I was required to tell a courthouse I need to appear.

Question:
So here's the story:  I was ticketed for driving 75 in a 65 in Jones county SD, in a construction zone at the beginning of may.  I am a CDL driver as part of my job for university so I was afraid of getting the points on my license, so I intend to drive from MI to SD to contest the ticket.

A little background on the charges:  In SD, speeding is not a points violation, but in MI, it is, carrying 3 points because it occurred in a construction zone.  I intend to fight on the grounds that the punishment in SD doesn't match the one in MI and attempt to pay the fine in exchange for a more reciprocal penalty.

As for my question, though, the courthouse says to call in advance if I intend to fight my ticket, as I pay the fine even if pleading not guilty since I am not a SD resident.  I was wondering if I were not to call, then show up at the courthouse and no one was there, would I be able to use that as an acquittal?  Or am I legally obligated to call for a trial.

Thanks!

Answer:
 > I was wondering if I were not to call, then show up at the courthouse and no one was there, would I be able to use that as an acquittal? Or am I legally obligated to call for a trial.

If you don't give them notice that you're going to dispute the ticket, there won't be a hearing scheduled in the first place.  So, no, you wouldn't be able to argue that the case should be dismissed because the officer didn't show up.


Title: What happens when you don't go to jury duty

Question: I'm a full time college student in NYC and I received a letter to attend jury duty but I can't make it what happens if I don't go ???

Answer:
 Request a postponement. They will usually grant one unless you've already used them up.

Failing to appear for jury duty could get you a bench warrant.


Title: [CA] Lawsuit complaint filed at old address. Plaintiff's lawyers are lying about me accepting the complaint

Question:
I have a civil litigation case filed against me for a car accident, during march of last year.
They filed the complaint in june and delivered the complaint to me during that time.

The police officer who filed the accident report took down my address on my Driver's license, from where I had moved out a month ago from the accident. I had duly updated my DMV and USPS postal address (with postal forwarding).

**The plaintiff kept sending the complaint at my old address. Since I was an Indian person and the residents of that old address were also Indian, the person who delivered it claims that he delivered it to a John Doe who was also Indian and matching my profile.**

I was not living there at that time. I have a signed leasing document called change of occupancy that proves that I was not living in that apartment during that time.

In California, I can lose the case by not responding to a complaint in 30 days, and plaintiff's lawyer is arguing that i am lying about not being there. I have that above mentioned change of occupancy document and a lease document for my new apartment where I was living at the time of the accident and at the time of the complaint being served.

Will I get in trouble for this? Does this mean that I can lose the case by default?
My insurance claims adjuster asked them to resend the document but hasn't heard back.

Answer:
 You should find out if there is a case pending against you, in what courthouse/county, and on what day.  Most Calif. counties have online searchable databases on their websites.  You should be able to find your case in there.  Or call the court clerk.  Or go to the clerk's office at the courthouse.

Armed with that information, hire a lawyer. Lawyer can file an answer and/or a request for more time to respond.

A lot of people think it's a good idea to act as though they don't have to show up because they weren't served properly.   Usually, doing this provides no benefit, and risks being stuck with a default judgment.  It's MUCH harder to dig your way out of this if you've already "lost" on paper.

Get on top of this, talk to a lawyer (edit: or keep after your insurer to find out this info).


Title: Car was recently hit and the other party wants to claim a different vehicle (one not involved in accident) for a lower deductible/better damage coverage. Should I be worried?

Question:
California residents.

My car was parked outside my apartment and someone hit the side of my car. They're being 100% cooperative and admitting all fault. I took plenty of pictures of the collision and you can clearly see a the car model. Yet, the other party wants to claim their other car (completely different model) in order to avoid paying a high deductible and to give me better damage coverage since my frame is compromised. I can easily crop the photos but I'm not sure if I am in the wrong by allowing them to do this.

/r/legaladvice, what should I do in a situation like this? Go with it or report it?
Topic:
Insurance

Answer:
 Why would you involve yourself in insurance fraud to benefit the person that caused the accident?

Do NOT do this. Answer #2: That is insurance fraud. It is illegal.


Title: [wv] sales rep left behind piece of technical gear a few years ago

Question: Some European sales rep was through my office about three years ago and we were the last stop on his trip.  He left behind a fancy specialty computer and accessories, and said a call tag would be issued to pick it up.  Never happened, stuff sat in a few huge boxes eating up half my storage space for a year, my coworker having emailed him numerous times about getting it out of there.  He responded that he told 'them' (we had no knowledge of who) to pick it up and it wasn't his deal.  At some point, I decided to start using it, just because it was in the way and some of my own stuff was in need of repair.  Since then the sales rep has changed companies and my coworker has moved on.  Just in the last week some company in California is looking for it.  They offered to sell it or pick it up (current value is somewhere in the 5000-6000$ range).  Can I issue them a storage bill or just ignore them? On one hand, I don't really care much about having or not having this piece of equipment, but it still ticks me off how long it sat in the way and we didn't want anything to do with it (at the time it was probably valued around $20,000).

Answer: If it's been three years its almost certainly abandoned. I'm not sure about west Virginia but this is something that's determined by days/months not YEARS


Title: Is it illegal if I told someone that I went to art school and then they paid me to paint a portrait of their family, but I never actually went to art school but the painting was perfect?

Question:
I haven't actually done this, I was just wondering. Like if someone was just naturally as talented as someone who had attended an art school i.e. they both technically possess the same skill level.
Also thought I would get a straighter answer here than in AskReddit.
Thanks for any thoughts!

Manhattan, NY.
Also just got called into work, so I'm terribly sorry if i don't reply straight away.

Answer:
 WTF ?  why would you lie about going to art school.  It's not like law school before practicing lawAnswer #2: Your contract can be voided and they wouldn't have to pay you.

Also, it *could* be criminal fraud.


Title: College discrimination

Question:
My wife is currently taking a 1 year coarse at our local college and is afraid she is going to be kicked out if she fails one of her classes. This would be normal and not really a huge issue as its pretty much the way it works in college but the problem here is she has a classmate that she knows failed and hasn't been removed due to a doctor's note claiming she has anxiety, she also has a large number of special treatments helping her through the coarse that include: no due dates on any assignments (everyone else receives late marks), no practicum hours required, attendance not required (others can't miss more than 1 day per class), and she receives personal counciling from her teacher that other students are not aloud to have. I'm just not understanding how this is even legal to do, my wife and this other woman both paid to take this coarse and my wife's incredibly stressed about it and to make it worse she  has to watch this other woman have everything handed too her and walked through the whole coarse with her hand held. It's unfair that my wife may be kicked out of the coarse if she fails a class but this other woman doesn't have to follow the same rules. This woman is not going to be properly trained for her future job how can this be legal?
Also this is in Canada

Answer:
 I'm sorry. How on earth is this your wife's problem or business? Does this classmate having accommodations made that help her function through a disability somehow impact your wife's grade?Answer #2: So you feel your wife is being discriminated against because she doesn't have a recognized disability and is not given help for said disability that she doesn't have?

Paging /u/I_work_in_HIED just because


Title: [NY] My highschool has been locking the men's bathrooms for the past two years and not allowing anyone to use them. Is this legal?

Question:
Hi all,

In my school, they lock the men's bathrooms and force us to go across the school to a middle school bathroom. This has been going on for two years, and if I need to go in between classes I am guaranteed to be late as it is so far out of the way. Is this legal?

Answer:
 I'd be bringing that up at the next school board meeting.Answer #2: Chapter 29 of the New York State Building Code requires 1 water closet and 1 lavatory for every 50 occupants in Educational buildings. If the buildings have them but they are not available during the time that the building is occupied, then they are not providing the required water closets and lavatories.

New York City has a different Building Code but the requirement is the same.

Usually an existing structure does not have to be brought up to current code, but an alteration that makes it worse is not allowed.Answer #3: You and your friends should get your parents to bring this up to the administration.Answer #4: I don't know of a law specific to NY governing this, but you could probably make a good legal argument that it's wrong. Fourteen states thus far have passed something similar to Ally's Law which requires public bathrooms be available, especially for medical emergencies or when someone needs immediate access to a toilet. The original law came after a girl named Ally Bain experienced an "accident" as a result of her Crohn's disease and wasn't able to make it to a bathroom in time. She was denied access to a bathroom at a retail store under the pretense it was for employees only.Answer #5: You have no bathrooms available to you in the building at all? I can think of a way to motivate them to change this policy but it's disgusting. Some people just need to have "accidents".Answer #6: If its 2 diffrent buildings there could be some sort of building code violation.


Title: Foreign Exchange friend was ticketed for 27 mph over § 46.2-862 in VA, USA. Is terrified of revoked license and jail time.

Question:
My friend is a Brazilian exchange student here on a VISA. She's been here for over a year and has no priors on her record or points on her license. Yet because Virginias speeding laws are so severe she is both A) afraid of jail time/revoking visa and deportation, and B) afraid of them revoking her license as she is required to drive as part of a work-study for her exchange program. Either scenario will immediately end her exchange, which will otherwise culminate this August when she was expecting to return home.

As far as I understand it Virginia considers 27 mph over reckless driving and considers reckless driving a Class 1 misdemeanor with a maximum punishable offense of 6 points on your license, a $2,500 fine, and up to 12 months jail time.

I have tried, w/o success, to reassure her that by showing up, admitting fault, and possibly speaking with a prosecutor, that there is IMO no chance a judge imposes either aforementioned punishment on a first-time offender. Especially one here for an educational opportunity and one who is leaving the country in 3 months anyway. However, IANAL and would request to know how realistic her fears could be and how she should best proceed to avoid such punishment. Also whether there could be any complications BECAUSE she is on a VISA.

Answer:
 Stop giving her legal advice. You're wrong and it's not helpful. She needs an attorney.Answer #2: > Virginias speeding laws are so severe

Serious penalties for going nearly 30 MPH over the speed limit doesn't really make the cut for "overly severe".  Your friend was driving extremely dangerously and does not belong on the road.

> I have tried, w/o success, to reassure her that by showing up, admitting fault, and possibly speaking with a prosecutor, that there is IMO no chance a judge imposes either aforementioned punishment on a first-time offender.

Are you a lawyer?  Your friend is right be dubious of your advice here because it's awful advice.

Your friend is facing serious legal charges, and she needs a lawyer who specializes in traffic offenses.


Title: [California/Employment Law] Possible wrongful termination. Went to ER, fired without warning 10 days later.

Question:
I worked at a small 50- room hotel in central California as a front desk clerk for the last 6 months, full time.

While working a 3 to 11, at approximately 5pm, I begin to suffer serious genital pain, lack of urinary retention and blood in my urine. I inform my co worker who was still on shift till 8pm of the situation, and please contact the manager of the hotel to inform of her of the situation, while I immediately drive to the nearest Emergency Room, and that I would return asap.

Coworker agrees and I do so. Spend 5 hours diagnosing and treating a particularly virulent kidney infection, during which I received a phone call from my coworker stating that the manager had been informed, and I didn't need to return that night.

10 days later, I receive my check on payday, and my manager nonchalantly says "This will be your final check." When I press her for why in the world I'm being fired with zero notice, zero written or verbal warnings, she at first immediately claims that I "do not require any reasons", which I understand is true.

Eventually she relents and says "you should not have left your coworker alone on X evening." When I respond with, "you mean on the evening where i took myself to the ER while i was passing blood clots and in considerable pain?" And she simply nodded and said "Yes, that's correct".

Do I potentially have a wrongful termination claim based on this, and due to this being all verbal, how do I go about proving this? The entire conversation was however, stated in front of a third party, the head of maintenance.

Thank you.

Answer: No. You can be fired for any or no reason, including taking off in the middle of your shift.


Title: We are two students who search a flat, is "landlord" a scammer who does identity theft?

Question:
Me and my friend are two students who enter college this year, and it is rather hard to find an apartment in Berlin where we want to study, since we live 6 hours away from it.

So last friday I find a fitting apartment on one of those websites where you search for apartments etc, and contact the person who put it on there. The text about the rooms sound good, but there is only an email adress at the end without a name to contact him. He replies the same day, telling me some details about the rooms in englisch (not in german, which I rather expected because the description of the rooms also where in german). I reply in englisch and ask for pictures of the rooms because there werent any on the website, and I also tell him that I can talk to him in german if he wants, because I thought he may be only writing in englisch because there are many foreign students who come to Berlin to study.

He then tells me ( still in englisch) that he Is in America until the end of the year, and asks me about details when we want to move in etc. This conversation goes on for a bit, notice that I still dont know his name or anything, but he sends me some pictures, which look good for a student apartment and seem to be connected to each other ( meaning they belong to the same apartment), although He said doesnt have a layout plan of the rooms.

I then agree and say that I like the apartment and ask on how to make it official. His response is:
 He will send me a contract which I have to sign and send back to him, then transfer the deposit and the rent of the first month, and then we will send me the keys per mail.

He doesnt want to send the keys to a friend so we can visit the flat at first, because of "past experiences".

----This is where I thought this may be suspicious.

I started to do some research on the Adress of the object, and found out that the same rooms where put on multiple apartment websites, but unlike the one which I found it on, these ones had a name at the contact part. I searched it up and it seemed to be an artist living in Berlin who even said on a website that he makes his rooms available for tourists to live in.

The next day I get the contract after he asked for some of my personal Information. Now this one is finally written in german but there are  obvious grammatical Errors in them which suggests that it is a rather poorly translated contract.
It also Turns out that its not the person whose name is on the other websites, but the adress on them and the description text is the exact same as the one i applied for.

I ask him if its possible that we visit the rooms to make sure everything is as we discussed it and then we would sign the contract immediately.

Now he replied with the following:

"As I told you earlier I only have the keys of the flat with me here so there's no way I can show you. I told you about this things previously and you agreed that I should send the contract to your email.
Well, I understand if you cannot proceed but I assure you of safety
with your money because the contract is legal from my lawyer.

My suggestion is that if you can pay just the rent alone I will post
the keys to you and after you receive the keys and move in you pay the deposit. If this is satusfy with you or not please tell me immediately so I won't keep waiting for you all day as I have other interested applicants too."

Is he trying to talk me into making a quick decision by lowering the price I have to transfer? Or is he a maybe a legit person who wants to get this over with?

Answer: This is a common scam. Don't send them any money, possibly call/email/mail something to the artist to let them know their address is being used, and maybe call the police. Answer #2: It's a scam.


Title: Can I claim self-defense for attacking someone who is yelling and screaming and threatening me?

Question: Title says it all. Could I claim self-defense and get off with minimum punishment if I attack someone who is screaming and yelling and threatening me?

Answer: No.  You would be the aggressor if you physically attacked someone who is yelling at you.


Title: Is my college allowed to force me a meal plan I don't want?

Question:
I go to a college in NJ and  the food at my college is not good. I go to the cafe usually once a day. I don't like how my school has a rule where freshmen and sophomores are forced to choose the unlimited meal plan. I emailed my school's resident life office and they didn't solve my situation when I asked for a different meal plan (I want only 80 swipes because it's a lot cheaper than unlimited.)

The plan I currently have is Plan A. The plan I want Is plan H, but I am not allowed to choose it because I am currently a freshman. I also saw a post by someone that to get my money's worth for Plan A, I would have to go to my cafe 3 times every day including weekends.

Meal Plan Rates:

Plans A-E are for all students, but freshmen/sophomores can only choose these options.

Plan A: $1748 0 flex points unlimited swipes

Plan B: $1848 100 flex points unlimited swipes

Plan C: $1948 200 flex points unlimited swipes

Plan E: 2348 600 flex points unlimited swipes

Plans F-H are for juniors, seniors, graduates, and commuters.

Plan F: $1287 80 swipes and $400 flex points

Plan G: $1414 (I don't know what this is )

Plan H: $877 80 swipes

Cash Price per Meal

Breakfast: $5.70

Lunch: $10.00

Dinner: $12.30

Answer:
 Almost certainly yes. I say almost because it will be entirely dependent on the contract you agreed to when you enrolled.

Edit: you do realise your post is incomplete? Not that filling in the blanks is likely to make much difference...


Title: Hoping this is the right sub...not sure what to make of last night

Question:
My sister called me this afternoon very uneasy and I'm not sure what to make of the whole story, so here it goes..

Last night she went out with a friend to a restaurant/bar and it was a completely normal Friday night. A couple hours into the night someone stole her phone off the table while they were both looking at a TV. On the way home she was driving and they got pulled over by the city police for not having her headlights on. She drives a brand new Lexus SUV with automatic lights that can't be turned off manually aside from pulling the fuse. When she pointed at the road and pointed it out the fact her lights were clearly on the cop started asking if she knew where her phone was, which was strange because she hadn't called the police and reported it stolen yet (figured she'd wait until she got home and report it in her town). Asked her about it for about ten minutes and said she was free to go so she went home. Apparently some time after this the same police department found the phone at a police station. At 2 30 in the morning she gets a frantic call from our parents because the police called from a blocked number asking about her whereabouts and what her brothers name was (could me me or my brother). They also called a random work related contact from the phone. At 3 in the morning, the police from this town left their jurisdiction in a squad car to drive two towns over to my sister's house and tell her they'd found her phone. At five in the morning they drove back out again and delivered it to her. Not only does she live two towns over but is also unincorporated and in county jurisdiction. She could tell someone had gone through the phone including the photos.

She works for a company that's sort of a side project of the owner's. The owner's primary money maker is being the CTO of an international company who has their headquarters in the same town. Last night someone not only broke into her work and went through their offices, but they also broke into the headquarters of this corporation where the owner is the CTO. Somehow they knew the only area in the whole building where the alarm system doesn't function properly due to the engineering equipment nearby.

A couple of these things by themselves we'd just pass off, but all this weirdness in one night just has us on edge. Should we be concerned about anything, or is all this likely just strange coincidence and those cops were just bored and friendly trying really hard to get someone their phone back?

Answer: semi-legal advice: tell your sister to put a damn pass code on the phone. Not only will it prevent this crap, it will make it difficult for the police to search it if she's ever arrested.


Title: Child custody issues, what are my options?

Question:
My ex has had custody of my kids since we got divorced about 8 years ago. Everything was fine until about 2 years ago she started dating a guy with no job and an extensive 10 year rapsheet for drug related charges. She now lives at his house and does not come home to manage the kids for weeks at a time. My son recently told me he hasn't seen his mother in about a month. When she was confronted with this she brought her mother to the house so she would never have to be home. Problem with that is her mother has serious gambling addiction and she has stolen hundreds of dollars from the kids and is abusive to them and regularly harassing them for money. There are some indicators of drug use by my ex such as having the police looking for her saying someone was fleeing police in her vehicle. She has also totaled a car and had 2 other cars totaled by mysterious means. There was a car given to my ex that was supposed to be for my daughter when she turned 16 but she gave it to her boyfriend. She also let the house that the kids live in lapse into foreclosure and is now planning on taking the kids to the boyfriends house in the inner city. They live in a decent suburb right now. My son rarely goes to school and is failing his classes. There is little to no discipline or guidance happening at the house. The kids do what they want, stay up as late as they want. Now I am hearing from the kids that their mother has missed almost 5 weeks of work in a row because she's "depressed". I personally think she's in rehab. If we go to court can I subpoena her medical records to show she went to rehab? What are my options? What should I do aside from contact a lawyer? I am able to take the kids so they can live with me. I make enough money to support them. Especially if I no longer have to pay child support.
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer:
 Call CPS to report the issues with lack of supervision and care.  If the situation has gone on this long, whatever you do, you can expect to be grilled hard about why it took you so long to intervene.

CPS can get an emergency custody order for the kids to stay with you, should they find your home to be acceptable, and custody will then be decided through the family court process.  If for some unfathomable reason CPS declines to get involved, hire a lawyer to file an emergency motion to amend custody.


Title: Employer advising me to voluntarily quit with a severance package....wants a decision right away, just got paper this morning....help

Question:
Hello,

My employer has asked me to quit (in a round about way, stating I'm not fast enough for the job, he's backpedaling on this, stating that wasn't his intention) my problem is that the severance package is 2 weeks paid, and  health benefit paid (which is due to me anyways) I have a wife and two children, and I would prefer unemployment, so I have somewhat of a safety net in case I don't find a job right away. He's pressuring me to sign  the severance package today and I'm not comfortable with this....any advice (he also stated I can't talk to anyone about this, so throwaway acct) IOWA

Answer: They aren't mutually exclusive. You are being asked to quit. That's the same thing as fired in the eyes of unemployment. Take the severance, and file for unemployment. Truthfully disclose the severance if they ask and look for a new job.


Title: [EU] Google Play is blocking use of apps I bought because I also have an "illegal app" on my phone

Question:
At the moment I can't use an app (Mi Band Tools) which I bought on Google Play because Google doesn't want me to have an app installed that can be used to remove adverts, licensing checks or modify other apps (Lucky Patcher & Lucky Patcher Xposed module). At the moment Lucky Patcher just sits there without being used, but that seems to be too much for Google.

I disabled every option for Google to check my phone for viruses and it still checks my other apps.
Is this legal in the EU?

[Screenshot of disabled app](https://i.imgur.com/0vYMiyw.png)

[FAQ that I need to uninstall Lucky Patcher xposed module to use Mi Band Tools again](http://help.mibandtools.com/knowledge_base/topics/invalid-license)

[Screenshot of disabled inspection for any apps but the 'Play Store-Apps'](https://i.imgur.com/WVHsmC8.png)

Answer: This is included in the terms you agreed to when you signed up for Google Play. How enforceable those terms are in the EU is somewhat up for debate, but your fastest remedy is probably to either remove Lucky Patcher and move on, or - if you're still within an appropriate window of time for it - to request a refund on the apps you can't use. On a grander scale, Google does not have to do business with you if they don't like your app choices.


Title: As US citizens, both Meghan and her baby will be liable to pay US taxes -- which could potentially open up the notoriously private royal accounts to US tax inspectors

Answer:
 Are the royal accounts notoriously private? The Queen has paid tax since 1992, and I was of the impression that her accounts are published each year.

Also, just to point out that the Duchess of Sussex is not the first American royal family member. CNN possibly need to Google 'abdication crisis of 1936...'