Title: At least 1027 of my copyrighted photos uploaded to Google Maps, Google won't remove, uploader is in Malaysia, I am in Taiwan. Any recourse?

Question:
Dear r/legaladvice, thanks in advance for any help or insights.  I really appreciate it.

I am an adventure blogger living in Taiwan.  I find uncharted areas (mostly waterfalls) via satellite imagery, then explore the area, photograph the locations, draw maps to them, and in some cases, name them.

A few months ago I discovered that over 1000 of my images had been uploaded to google maps, from an account which I believe to be located in Malaysia.  I requested google to remove them, but it's been several months, and they have not done so yet.  These photos were downloaded from my website and social media accounts and uploaded without my permission (presumably for google maps points)

Online "reach" is my main commodity, but I also license content to other websites and news organizations. These are location-based photos have garnered millions of views without any attribution to me, and in my home market. In many cases these are not just my copyrighted photos, but also photos of myself.

Do I have any recourse here? Is it worth contacting a lawyer in Malaysia, can I do it from Taiwan or the USA? Or am I just SOL?

Obviously I want the photos removed.  The longer this goes on, the more traffic I lose, as users no longer have to visit my platforms to see the photos. This has affected the growth of my social media and web platforms, which impacts my present and future income, so damages/covered legal costs would be helpful as well.

Thanks a lot.

Answer:
 This is tricky since it is international, but you could start with re-contacting Google about the individual photos, one by one, and your issue in general.

If they know which pictures in particular are in violation of their content policies, they might act faster.


Title: t2nd update question/ TX: after 13 yrs bio-dad shows up/ He is a sex offender now!! HELP

Question:
Ok I dont know how to link my previous 2 posts but I have new information about the case. TDLR of last post: Bio dad actually showed, 13yr old doesnt have any desire to visit, and he is trying to get out of paying child support

So onto the new info: I will try and keep it short but there is a lot of info. While I am anxiously waiting for the legal aid to decide if they will take my case I put my private investigator hat on and found some disturbing info.

First the only reason he showed is because he is on bond (i think that was in my last post) and is facing 15 years for whatever he did. There are gang related things on public facebook along with proud drug use and shooting police.

The most disturbing of the lot is he is a sex offender!!! So back story. I was 15 he was 23. No one ever put the dots together and I am not the kind of person to pursue that because I knew damn well what I was doing. But what he is registered for is NOT my case and it involved  6 yr old girl.

He plead down from aggravated sexual assault First degree felony, to second degree felony of something that wasnt listed (this thing reads weird) he got 5 years probation, community service and some fines.

So my daughter is turning 14 soon. This information makes me incredibly sick to my stomach nervous about her visiting. I may not get legal aid to help and I need advice on how to show the judge in a professional manner that this man is not a good person and has no business being around my daughter. Before I learned this I was preparing myself for her to have a relationship with him and pull up my big girl panties and move on. Now Mama Bear is engaged. I know he likes young girls and she is basically a stranger so the father/daughter bond isnt there to deter him.

Any advice please.

TDLR: Bio-dad is sex offender, 14 yr old and 6 year old. I do not want him to have contact with her and I may be on my own to defend myself to the judge

Answer:
 Request a protection order. Answer #2: [Original post](https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/4gfp2g/exis_claiming_physically_unable_to_work_and/)

[First update](https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/4h2gmw/txupdatefollow_up_additional_details/)


Title: When is it okay to make a citizen's arrest?

Question: Asking from United States

Answer:
 Even when legal, a citizen's arrest is almost always a terrible idea.

What will you do if the bad guy chooses not to comply when you tell them they are under arrest?  You have no handcuffs.  You have few if any legal weapons. You have no training. You have no radio to call for backup.

You are not batman.

Leave the arresting to the police.  Call them.


Title: I got a call from the ICAC this morning telling me a girls mother called in a complaint about her 17 year old daughter exchanging nude photos with me [AZ]

Question: [removed]

Answer:
 There is no girl. It’s a scam. See the thread in the sidebar.

We get two or three of you a week here.

And stop sending pictures of your penis to folks. Nobody is nearly as impressed with it as you are.
Answer #2: Its gonna be a scam, expect a call shortly where you can resolve the issue by sending some cash via WU.Answer #3: No you didn't.  Block the dude who is pretending to be a girl and then calling you pretending to be a government agent.Answer #4: This is actually a great scam because 1) it’s kind of obvious in retrospect but understandably scary, and 2) teaches you a lesson about being a responsible online flirter


Title: I called to pay off someone else's debt. Within seconds, other people on my cell phone plan were getting calls asking for this person. Is this illegal? How can I stop them?

Question:
Tl;Dr family is being harassed because I tried to do a good deed.
Topic:
Consumer Law

Answer: They probably did a skip-trace.  When you called them, they took your number to your cellphone carrier and ask for any other numbers associated with that number.  It sucks, but it is normal.  This is a really remote lead, so they should not call back when told they have no idea who that is.


Title: Should I sue kmart?

Question: I’m a 17 year old male and I just got a job at kmart. Right off the bat I could tell how poorly managed the building was and how careless the staff were. A few days ago, they didn’t know what to do with me so they gave me this spray and a paper towel and told me to rub sticker residue off for the rest of my shift. Which was 7 hours. For 7 hours straight i was spraying some chemicals on metal and breathing in the fumes as they didn’t give me a mask. Yesterday I noticed a tight feeling in my chest. Then I looked at my fingers. Skin was peeling off them like crazy, and in the shower I could actually peel layer and layer off of my fingers. Is this something kmart has the right to do? Because this is making me worried.

Answer: If you have a medical issue then go see a doctor but without knowing what you were spraying we don't even know if you should have been wearing gloves.


Title: Thrown out of class for not Pledging Alliance to the Flag. [TX]

Question:
There was a substitute for my regular teacher today and she told me to get out her class for not wanting to pledge allegiance to the flags.

Not sure if she’s allowed to do that.

Very confused on what to do now.

I have her again tomorrow and probably gonna get thrown out again.

I know it was about the pledge because
She said “No Pledge no Class, Get Out”.
Topic:
School Related Issues

Answer:
 Teacher in Texas here.  Probably not your teacher.

Classrooms are required to do the Pledge and a Moment of Silence daily.  You, the student, are not required to do the pledge.

Strictly by Texas law, there is supposed to be a written notice in place from your parents excusing you from the pledge.  That law is vestigial at best, illegal at worse, and smart administrators don't try to enforce it.

Your sub?  Not smart or an administrator.  If you're not an American citizen, and your substitute did that?  Extra helpings of not smart.Answer #2: It's illegal for a teacher to punish a child whether verbally or physically for not pledging allegiance to an American flag. If this keeps happening, contact your local Civil Rights Attorney about this issue.Answer #3: You might want to contact the ACLU of Texas.Answer #4: No, this isn't legal. Two options:

1) Make a stink about it, get the ACLU involved, see if your parents are willing to support (yeah, I know you're 18, but it could be easier).

2) Enjoy the free time.Answer #5: There is actually a lawsuit ongoing right now over the exact same thing.

&#x200B;

[https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2018/09/26/black-student-refused-recite-pledge-allegiance-challenging-texas-law-requiring-it/?utm\_term=.addf4616b186](https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2018/09/26/black-student-refused-recite-pledge-allegiance-challenging-texas-law-requiring-it/?utm_term=.addf4616b186)

&#x200B;


Title: How would I go about modifying a divorce decree?

Question: I divorced my ex a few years ago, and some of the conditions included that I not move more than two counties away (this is in Texas), and that he gets custody of my son.  Recently I was offered a large promotion at work, but it's two states away.  Both my son and daughter have been living with me since long before the divorce. My ex is currently homeless and has multiple warrants.  He has also said that he will take me to court over this.  How would I go about modifying the conditions of the divorce decree without his agreement? Do I even have a chance here? I'm just trying to do what's best for my family.

Answer:
 He has warrants and is taking you to court? That will be convenient for the arresting officers.Answer #2: > He has also said that he will take me to court over this.

I mean, that sounds ideal. One, it'll make his arrest on the outstanding warrants much easier. Two, for custody and visitation issues, it generally matters less who files and more whether the proposed modification and remedies are in the childrens' best interests.

If you have a stable household, and your coparent has not been exercising his court-ordered custody, you should speak to the lawyer who handled your divorce about filing for a modification to the custody order to update it to match the status quo, and to lift the restriction on where you can live. You'll likely need to include reasonable steps to make sure he can have visitation, which may mean being willing to transport the kids back periodically once he gets out of jail and has a home again, but you're got a good argument backed by demonstrable practice that your kids should live with you primarily.


Title: $2000 charged to my credit card

Question: So in September I set up a Clash of Clans account on my samsung tablet, after checking bank statements because the account total wasn't adding up right, I have figured out that month after month $99 and other charges were placed on the card that I didn't do, all from "supercell" which is the company that owns Clash of Clans. My bank refused to do anything literally, Google literally told me "well you should have read the terms and agreements before signing up" whatever the fuck that means, and supercell isn't going to do shit for me either. So... What can I do?

Answer:
 Looks like other people have reported getting unauthorized charges from Supercell as well. Seems as if calling Google got some results for people.
 https://www.whatsthatcharge.com/GOOGLE-SUPERCELL-GOOGLE-COM-CH-CA


Title: Rear ended. Agreed to deal with dealing with it without involving insurances

Question:
Hi all,

So I got rear ended driving my step dad's car on the high way while on traffic. As soon as it happened I called my step dad who's the owner of the car to see how I can deal with the situation. My stepdad decided that since he got into an accident a month before, didn't want to get the insurance involved again since his rate already increased since the last accident not so long ago. So the guy who hit me and I decided to exchange info and agreed to not call the cops and pay it off on an agreement. Which has worked before in other situations.
Turns out that now this guy is not answering mine or my stepdads phone call to proceed with the agreement, I've got a picture of the scene, picture of his drivers license, insurance info and registration info. Do I have a case here? Also my gf was in the car with me and she could serve as a witness. I'm going to a lawyer tomorrow morning but this situation is not letting me sleep. Any advice would be appreciated.

Edit: NY

Answer:
 File a claim with his insurance company and let them pay you. Don't file a claim with your step-dads insurance.

Or waste a ton of time on small claims court. If you win there, it will still likely be his insurance company paying you.


Title: Being sued for medical bills. No idea what to do. (Indiana)

Question:
March 2015 I was in a car accident. I was t-boned in the drivers door by another driver. She was determined to be at fault and her insurance was supposed to pay for my care.

I have never received bills or anything from this. I was told my insurance (geico) and her insurance had it figured out. I trusted my bf (now ex) who’s policy I was covered under.

In these last three years my ex and I have split up and I moved. I recently got a summons to appear in court for unpaid medical bills stemming from my car accident! I don’t understand this. I called the hospital billing department and they said that not only did her insurance never pay anything but mine didn’t either.

I apparently owe almost $8,000 in unpaid medical bills and they admitted that all correspondence has been going to my ex’s address not my current address even though I filled out a change of address form.

I’m contacting my local legal aid office and trying to get help and I have my original paperwork that says it wasn’t my fault and that her insurance would cover it. What do I do? Am I totally screwed?
Topic:
Insurance

Answer:
 > I have my original paperwork that says it wasn’t my fault and that her insurance would cover it.

Was this paperwork issued by her insurance?  An insurance company can agree(or be ordered) to pay, but no other entity can make that promise on their behalf.

Reach out to your insurance company from that time and bring this up with them.


Title: Off duty police officers claims reckless driving with dashcam

Question:
Past: A off duty police officer had chased my car while doing some evasive driving and has told I would be charged, with over the speed limit and recklessness. Reported that he has footage and will use it.

Present: So I get a call from the police asking confirming who I was and what I drove, I am currently waiting on an interview at the police station.

Future: It is currently not looking good for me and need some direction of how to approach this situation.

I have called my lawyer and he has tried to assure me that I am in a good position to get off with traffic fines no criminal charges.

What I need help with: I want to know if I should play stupid, claim no evidence, how should I approach this? Can you guys give me an idea of what my options and outcomes are?

I am in Canada and do have a license.

Answer: I believe your options are to do whatever the lawyer you have told/tells you to do. Don't do anything without consulting him/her.


Title: My employer hired an in-house doctor. What do I need to know?

Question: I work for a +1000 employee company and they recently hired a general practitioner that will be at my place of employment 3 days a week for family doctor needs. HR is encouraging employees to make him your doctor. I'm excited but worried that since he is employed by my company that the doctor patient confidentiality may be compromised. Specifically to tests or consulting him on the severity of medical issues. Thoughts? This is in Indiana.

Answer:
 It won't be.  Doctor-patient confidentiality is strictly held, and "employed by your company" doesn't mean much.

HIPPA prevents most medical data from being revealed outside of those who need to know it for medical purposes.  Your company won't have that authority, in most cases - and if they do, his being employed by them won't change that.


Title: Do I have a case against my (would be) mortgage company for losing the house I was purchasing? [WA]

Question:
Last October I was pre approved and put an offer on a house for $220,000. My offer was contingent on the fact I had to get rid of a car payment to lower my debt to income ratio. I was trying to sell it for a while and the best offer I could get was from the exact dealer I purchased originally.. Only the offer was for $7,000 less than what I owed... Knowing I would be owning something much greater in the long run I accepted this and got a loan to cover the difference to allow the home purchase. I had home inspection done, paid earnest money... the whole 9 yards. It came down to less than TWO WEEKS before getting the keys when I reached out the loan officer and asked if everything was still good because I need to arrange things for the move in date... He then tells me "ooooohhh yeah actually we are having some final approval issues..." I'm thinking, why the fuck am I finding this out now, and why didnt they reach out to me??

Turns out, They said my debt to income was STILL too high.. Even after being pre approved, selling my car (for a loss), meeting their requirements for the loan (saying the payment had to be under $190 a month for the $7k), having inspection done, and giving deposit.

Well after it was all said and done, they sent me paperwork showing reason for denial. IT SHOWED OVER $40,000 IN DEBT! Not only did it still show my $30,000 vehicle, it showed the $7000 loan that I got to SELL the car... On top of my credit cards which had about 4000 total!

Do you think I have a case against them? I ended up with no house, no car but a loan and had to move back in with my pops.

Answer:
 > Do you think I have a case against them?

No, probably not. They are under no obligation to loan money to you. Pre-approvals are always contingent upon final approval and generally do not create any obligation on the part of the lender.


Title: How do I begin a discrimination settlement with my university?

Question: Long story short, obvious and documented discrimination lost me my chance to finish my masters degree. Would like to do a settlement with the school and keep things as quiet as possible. Do I just explain the details to the president in a letter and make a requested compensation? I’ve been in school and am broke as hell so lawyers are a tough option at this point, but I can figure something out with that if necessary. If so, how do I find one?

Answer:
 No way this is something you can handle yourself. You think this is an open and shut case and you can just write a letter and get money. That will 100% not happen.  You will need a lawyer. The process will take a long time and you are by no means guaranteed success.

In the meantime you have to live as though there is no possibility you receive any compensation and figure out your best option going forward. Answer #2: > so lawyers are a tough option

Any legitimate attorney will briefly discuss your case without charge and discuss options. If you have a documented case of protected-class discrimination, then finding an attorney to work the case for settlement compensation shouldn't be a problem.

You need an attorney. Do not communicate with the university until you speak to a lawyer.


Title: (Virginia) Shoplifted from my place of work. Police were called today. What should I do?

Question:
     Any advice would be appreciated. I have been shoplifting from my place of work. Today I was talking to my coworker and she said she saw several police officers. When she asked why they were here they said "Deli." I am a deli clerk. Another event that happened today, a customer came in today with a stolen credit card and bought all our itunes gift cards. I know this from talking with the front desk people after I got off. Why did I not get arrested after work today? Is the store gathering evidence to prosecute against me?
    I understand what I was doing is wrong, but I am just so hungry, my mom steals my debit card. And only buys fast food for herself. So I have no way to buy food, or anything else I need or want. I have no idea how to get on food stamps which I understand my family qualifies for.
    Obviously I will stop shoplifting. Should I get a lawyer? Have I ruined the rest of my life? Have I been caught? Am I going to get arrested or fired from work on Wednesday? If the store did call the police wouldn't they question or arrest me immediately? Wouldn't a grocery store contact me immediately? Or would they wait and build a case ?
I researched these laws in Virginia and the statute is quite strict in the commonwealth.
 There are video cameras everywhere, I realize how stupid this decision was, and will be grateful for any advice. Even if the advice is calling me dumb. I am just desperate. Thank you.
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer:
 Not legal advice, but if you need food, look up your local food pantry.  They should be able to help you out. Answer #2: If you haven't been confronted or arrested yet, there are two options:

(1) You have not yet been caught.

(2) They know what you've been doing, and are waiting until the total amount you have stolen exceeds a certain amount, at which point you will face felony charges. They are documenting everything and they are watching you.

You should assume it is option 2. Stop stealing immediately and keep your head down. If you are confronted or arrested, do not speak to the police without an attorney, but there is no need to hire one right now.

**edit:** My assumptions are based on my previous experience working in asset protection at a Target in Virginia. If an employee was regularly stealing, we would document it until it was enough for grand larceny, and then go after them hardcore.


Title: I requested off months in advance for personal time. Trip got cancelled and still took off, now my boss is considering to fire me.

Question:
Alright, so months ago I requested Friday-Monday off due to a personal trip. The trip ended up getting cancelled last minute and I decided I would just keep the time off instead of let my boss know the trip cancelled (I did request it as personal time anyways) well my boss figured out that my trip was cancelled and is now threatening to terminate my full time salary position and place me on part time. What can I do, if anything?

(MD) USA

Answer:
 > What can I do, if anything?

Find another job.


Title: Knox County, TN - LEO is downstairs apartment neighbor complaining of noise.

Question:
Throwaway for obvious reasons.

I live in an apartment complex and my downstairs neighbor is a police officer. He's made several complaints about noise when he's trying to sleep. Thing is, it's during regular hours, and its always just my SO and me here. He just came up complaining about noise at 9.05pm on a Friday night. And we're not being terribly loud, no music, just regular TV and some cards (although it was Egyptian Rat Screw, so there was some slapping on the table). We're afraid to have people over or to do anything except be super quiet because, well he's a cop and we're just normal folks.

I'm curious if anyone can tell me what my rights are regarding noise in my own apartment. And what I should maybe do about it. He's never been rude, but at the same time, when a cop is coming to your door making personal complaints about noise, if gives you pause. If it were anyone else, I'd tell them to call the cops if they feel I'm being unreasonable, because we're not, but since he is a cop, I'm hesitant. Any advice?

Answer: Honestly I think you should be more focused on trying to work things out with your neighbor then who is in the right legally. It would be better for you long term to work this out with him and find a solution both of you can accept


Title: (IN) Friend of mine owes child support, plans to temporarily own vehicle. title options?

Question: [deleted]

Answer: He can put that money towards paying down his arrears, instead. His kid takes priority over buying a car he plans to sell.


Title: A friend injured himself at my property is he able to claim.

Question: A friend of mine recently came to my house and the front gate was locked . He decided to them jump it to get in and fell. He broke part of his shoulder and will be without use of his arm for awhile. He made the decision to jump the gate so I don't think he could claim . But I could be wrong , advice please .

Answer: If he makes a claim just send it to your home owner's or renters insurance and let them decide if they want to pay out.


Title: Tree law for real law

Question:
I’m in a group chat with 12 guys four of us are lawyers. One non-lawyer posts a photo of a five foot tall stump and asks what can he do about his crazy neighbor.

She paid a tree removal guy and he’s probably one of people who lose tic-tac-toe to a chicken and claims it’s cheating because this guy had to climb the fence to get in the yard. Neighbor supposedly convinced him it was the city’s tree and had blessed removal.

So of course I’m giddy. Tree law!!!!!

I fire off the basics. He’s friends with the Chair of the Department of Agriculture at the local college, seek help finding an arborist.

One of the other lawyers who is even older than I am and practices in timber country verified shade trees eligible for treble replacement in Arkansas unless the offender had probable cause to think it is on their property (4 foot inside fence).

Even funnier friend took a photo on Sunday with the tree in the photo.

So real tree law questions do happen.

Answer: Think this definitely qualifys for /r/legaladvice or /r/treelaw


Title: Motherflipping HOAs

Question:
VA, USA

Sorry for formatting, blah blah blah, mobile, blah blah blah.

Long story short: I just bought a house, three weeks ago, in a neighborhood that's never had an HOA (according to my new neighbor and real estate agent). Today, I receive a letter from some company saying that they are holding a meeting this Sunday to inform all homeowners in our area that they have established an HOA and will begin collecting dues (how much, no one knows).

My question is, though I know HOAs are Satan himself, but can they do this? The neighborhood was built over 5 years ago and hasn't ever had one. Am I required to pay these dues? What actions can I take to possibly dissolve this HOA? From what I've gathered, no one I have talked to so far wants this Association at all. What points should I bring to the meeting?

Thanks for your time.

Answer:
 Check your deed. Contact your title insurance and ask, or read over the paperwork you received prior to closing. If there’s an HOA, it’ll appear there.

Your neighbours cannot foist an HOA on you, but they can reactivate an HOA that already exists.


Title: [CA] My gf just rented a new house, now there is a bunch of trash and a person living in the shed! Please help.

Question: Okay background. I'm in my first year of law school and I'm trying to help but obviously don't know enough. To be clear I'm not acting the capacity of her lawyer at all just trying to help. My GF just signed the lease and moved into a new house with her friends. The problem is the property management company told them that they would have cleaned up the backyard, which has tires, rusty nails, and other dangerous materials all over it. They also said they would fix the broken AC but now are saying they will only put in small AC units in each bedroom and won't actually fix it. Lastly, there is a guy the landlord hired to fix up that house while it was still vacant and is still staying on the property in an outside shed (apparently my gfs roommates just told him to leave and he said he would be out in 30 minutes, but I still want to know if there is any recourse for something like that since he did stay there last night, my gfs first night there). What should she do? Her and her roommates are young girls without disposable income, but I really don't want to see her taken advantage of. Thank you.

Answer: this is a good time to Learn about contracts and written leases. obviously habitability matters, but were these oral promises or written, were they allowed as such in a modification clause, were they ensured in any way?


Title: Sexual Assault by manager at Cracker Barrel. What to do?

Question:
My girlfriend just got a job a Cracker Barrel about a week ago. She said that all the employees have to get searched before their shift (for drugs or cell phones), and then after their shift (for stolen items). The manager (who is a male) does all the searches. They suspected her of coming into work high, (she wasn't, but that's irrelevant), and asked to search her car. She refused because that's ridiculous, so she told them she was quitting.
   The manager took her into his office, and said she would have to sign a document agreeing to a drug test every 3 months, but that "if she helped him with some things" that he could let it slide.
   That's not it. She claims that every now and then the manager will grope her ass. And then one day, she needed a ride home. The manager offered her a ride, but said he would have to stop by his house first to grab something.
   She was only there for a WEEK. She quit today. She says that manager made her feel disgusting and she wanted to shower every time she got home. She's afraid to get all involved with lawyers and stuff because she's only 18, so instead she's writing a letter to Cracker Barrel corporate.

What should she do? She says if she even CAN press charges, she doesn't wanna follow through with anything unless I help her out. I don't know what to do, so I figured you guys could help.

Thank you
-Jake

Answer:
 What do you think the answer is..... when you feel you were sexually assaulted, you call the police. If she says she won't do it without your support, than that sounds like an easy decision for you. Me, I'd help her anyway I can.

Will this lead to a sexual assault charge? Based on your narrative, no. BUT, it's up to the police to investigate and the DA to prosecute so don't take our word for it. Even if the perv skates this time, you starting the paper trail could get him off the streets down the road so there's really no reason to not call the police.

With that said, this is ultimately up to your girlfriend to decide how to act. It's her decision. Don't force her, let her decide and you support her to your best ability.


Title: What if parent cannot pay for transportation in long distance visitation (OK)

Question:
We were just awarded temporary full custody and part of the order states my son has to visit his mother for the entirety of the summer as a part of a long distance visitation. According to our attorney, she has to pay for the trip to her and we have to pay for the return trip.

We neglected to ask... If she fails to pay for the flight out there, can WE get in trouble for not full filling the  visitation order? Logically, no. Legally..... I'm not sure.

Answer: IANAL but if the court says it's her responsibility to pay for transportation, and she doesn't do it, it's not your fault. As long as you are not doing anything to prevent or stop her from making the travel arrangements, then you're fine. Answer #2: IANAL but does the actual custody order, not just what your lawyer tells you, specify the responsibility for transportation? Seems like it should.


Title: Ways to get my mother (Canadian) to babysit my child in the US

Question:
Hello,
My spouse and I live in the US. Spouse is a citizen and I'm permanent resident. My mother is Canadian citizen and we are considering bringing her here to babysit our child, since our leaves at work are running out. I notice that Canadians shouldn't be in the US longer than 183 days in any year. Does CBP actually count the days prior to admitting a person? Let's say she stays 180 days and then leaves for a week to Canada... How possible that she would not be admitted back? Any help/advice would be appreciated.

Answer:
 Your Canadian mother cannot come babysit your US citizen child in the US. That would be considered working and she does not have authorization to work in the US.Answer #2: Your mother can come and visit you as a tourist, for up to 180 days continuously, but cannot do work while in the US on a B-2 permit for tourisim. Incidental babysitting likely won't raise any eyebrows; supplanting a local babysitter full time for six months might.

It's unlikely that _anyone_ will be admitted to the US for back-to-back six-month trips with a week's separation.

Furthermore, being out of her home province for that many days in a year will likely screw up her provincial health coverage.


Title: Can I held liable if I wave someone on, they don't check, and get into an accident?

Question: Especially around heavy shopping seasons when traffic is berserk, I often try to wave people to make their turn before I make mine. A few times, people have seen my wave and assumed that it meant the coast was clear, so they would start pulling out only to get honked at by a passing vehicle. When my intention was to imply that they should go before me only once the coast was clear, could I be held accountable if they didn't look and got hit?

Answer: Stop waving people. You're not a traffic cop. Let the driver make their own determination.


Title: 2nd amendment question

Question:
\`\`\`
Constitution of United States of America 1789 (rev. 1992)

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
\`\`\`

Does this mean that now that if US is a nuclear power, the constitution allows private clubs/militia to develop and own their own nuclear arms?

Answer:
 No.

No constitutional right is unlimited. The courts have consistently found that the second amendment, for example, can be curtailed to protect public safety - hence the constitutionality of concealed carry permitting laws, assault weapon bans, and the stringent limits on explosive ordnance.

Nuclear weapons are regulated under a maze of laws whose constitutionality has never seriously been in question. If you don't comply with them, you can't develop a nuclear bomb legally.


Title: Audible cancellation policy legality?

Question: Audible's business model is this: When you subscribe for a month, you get a token, which you can spend on an audio book. When you cancel your subscriptions, you lose all current unspent tokens. Is this legal? I looked at their terms of service, and it mentions this, but it still feels sketch. Note that these credits do not return if you resubscribe. They are lost forever.

Answer: It warns you to spend them before you cancel it. I dont know of any law that requires them to continue subscription benefits after you unsubscribe.


Title: Guy came into my Girlfriends work and gave her a sex business card

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Drop his card in one of those "Drop your card here to win a free lunch" bowls someplace.  He'll get harassed by someone trying to sell stuff for the next several years.  Victory to you.Answer #2: Where are you?

Chances are all you can do is throw it away and move on with life.Answer #3: YOU shouldn't do anything about it.  Let your gf deal with it with her boss or hr.

Also location matters.Answer #4: There's almost certainly nothing illegal about handing out a creepy business card, unless it's part of a larger incident of harassment or something.

Basically if this is an isolated incident you're probably SOL.


Title: Ex Husband used my SSN to open credit cards!

Question:
Hey guys! I need your help! So I’m getting ready to buy a new car. I check my Credit Report twice a year. I checked today & discovered that between August of 2018 and now, my ex used my info to open a Capital One & Walmart credit card! Then he maxed them out & didn’t pay them. I’ve contacted both companies fraud departments but they want the account & card numbers WTF which I clearly don’t have. Walmart says they don’t see me with my SSN. They think he opened it as the primary & had me as the co-sign or authorized user. I called him out on it via text & he said “it is what it is”. I’m going to freak the f**k out! The debt is in the thousands. WTF do I do?? HELP!!
Topic:
Credit Debt Bankruptcy

Answer: Go to the police and make a report. Send the credit company the report and theyll close the accounts and have them and the damage he has caused your credit reports taken off. Answer #2: Contact your local police dept to try to make a fraud report. Answer #3: It would probably help to save your texts with him where he essentially admits to fraud. Answer #4: Save the texts. There is a way to export them so you have the data instead of just screenshots. But print those, too. The police will use that as admission of guilt. Answer #5: Since nobody else has directed you to it yet, the FTC has a great website for [handling identity theft](https://identitytheft.gov/).


Title: [CA] Mom wants to divorce my deadbeat step-dad, but she's worried about having to pay alimony.

Question:
Using a throwaway account because my family and friends are on reddit.

My mom married a guy about 8 years ago, and he's a nice enough guy, but there are some serious problems within the past few years. When they first got married, they were both working and shared income together. After about 2 years, my step-dad had a heart attack and was diagnosed with diabetes, and didn't take care of his health. For a while he was unable to work, but then was encouraged by my mom, my family, doctors, etc. to go back to work. My mom was willing to support him through these troubles and went back to school so she could get a job with more income, but she never wanted to fully support him for the rest of their lives.

Step dad refuses to go back to work, thinking he's entitled to Social Security now, even though multiple doctors and SSA told him that he's ineligible. Now it's been 4 years since he's had any income. My mom has since graduated from school and is making significantly more money, and step dad is content to sit on the couch and do nothing but complain about his health (which could be better if he would take care of himself).

They used to live in Ohio and have since moved to California. Step dad came along and told my mom that he'd be happy to work here, but hasn't even tried to do an interview for the past 2 years they've been here. My mom wants a divorce, but she doesn't want her hard earned money going to the deadbeat on the couch because he refuses to work. They are wading in debt, and her new income will start to help get out of that, but she's also afraid that he's racking up his own personal debt on credit cards because he doesn't have any income.

My questions are:

* How are alimony claims made in California? Is there any way that my mom can avoid paying alimony in a divorce in CA?

* Since they were both working when they were married, and my mom believed that they would both work for income, would she still be required to pay him alimony even though he refuses to work? (She entered a marriage agreement with the belief that he would both be working for their income, and he refuses to go back to work.)

* IF she did agree to pay him alimony, would that payment be based off of their income when they first got married, what it has been recently, or now with my mom's new job?

Any advice or general info would be very helpful.

TL;DR - Stepdad is a lazy asshole and my mom wants to divorce him but won't if she has to pay him alimony - she's worked her ass off for a comfortable lifestyle and didn't expect him to be a couch potato when they got married.

Thank you!

EDIT: formatting
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer:
 She should file for divorce to establish a separation date for purposes of future debt.  She will need a lawyer.  Spousal support claims are made during the divorce process.

Based on CA law, if there is evidence he's capable of working, she will probably be paying spousal support (it's not called alimony) for some period of time to allow him to find work and get established -- maybe up to a year.  She will not be paying it forever.

There is no magical way to avoid paying spousal support.


Title: What Penalties Might One Face for Manufacturing Fake IDs?

Question:
I have a friend (whom I shall refer to under the pseudonym 'Jane' for the extent of this question) that sells fake IDs in New York at her college. I am worried about what the penalties are if she is caught and I am unclear as to what the typical punishment is for a good student at a very prestigious institution. Moreover, I am not sure whether the manufacturing of fake IDs actually constitutes a felony or a misdemeanor under New York's penal code. I am not knowledgable as to how Jane produces these, or what kind of 'state-issued' identification she uses in forgery.

Is there anyone who is able comment on this? Thanks!

Answer:
 God help her if she sells one to someone involved in serious criminal activity or terrorism.

Nobody will care she is a "good student at a very prestigious institution."Answer #2: Making a fake ID is forgery in the second degree, which is a class D felony.


Title: Will the FBI or ATF find out that I went to a shooting range illegally (unknowingly)?

Question:
I moved to the US a few years ago on a work visa. During the time I had my work visa, I went to a shooting range twice with friends. I later learned that non-immigrant aliens (i.e. foreign people that do not have a Green Card) are forbidden by federal law to "possess" a weapon, which means even holding one. After I found out about this, I stopped going to the shooting range with my friends.

I now have a Green Card and want to purchase a rifle. I'm paranoid that when they run the background check, they will find out that I went to a shooting range (which btw happens to be at the same place where I want to purchase that rifle - best price I could find) and deport me.

How likely is that to happen?

Answer: Don't worry about it. There is no mechanism for them to discover you were at a shooting range. It's not like the ranges report to the government everybody who comes there and shoots. They would lose half their customers over fears that the government is keeping a list.


Title: Can a landlord prohibit sexual activity on the premises?

Question:
This question applies to the state of: Idaho

I am not in *need* of advice, since seeing the lease I am obviously not going to sign on to this property. Rather I'm just curious because this is really funny. You can see the rules here: http://collegiateinn.com/rules.htm

It claims "No sexual relations are permitted on the premises." This is also on the actual lease document. Is this actually legal to regulate? Can a tenant legally be evicted for committing the sin of fornication on the premises?

Previous tenants say that the manager is very *very* Mormon, preference is given to LDS people, and if you aren't you will basically be harassed, called out, and encouraged to convert.

It kind of stinks of religious discrimination.
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 > It kind of stinks of religious discrimination.

It is.  That part of the lease is entirely unenforceable.

Similarly, only leasing to, or at least giving preference to LDS members is all sorts of illegal.

However: It's probably wise to move on and find a different place, as you noted.  No use being the court case that corrects his behaviour.  Answer #2: Idaho has a Religious Freedom Restoration Act at Idaho Code § 73-402.  Realistically, I don't think it would provide the landlord any cover here, but after _Burwell v. Hobby Lobby_ it's hard to be 100% sure on anything where RFRAs are involved.Answer #3: i guessed this would be related to a religious nut. wasn't wrong.Answer #4: I'm surprised no one has challenged this:

>No animals, other than Seeing Eye dogs for the blind, are permitted.


Title: Under-21 Got a DUI + Other charges. Need advice.

Question: So I was drinking at a party (wasn't overly intoxicated) & afterwards headed to go and get something to eat. On the way to my destination I ended up flipping my car off the interstate on a sudden sharp curve. (Combination of drinking and it being 4am) (Yes I know, terrible decision.)  But anyways, I'm being charged with DUI, failure to stop upon striking fixture, and improper driving on roadway (something along the lines of that). My question is what are the repercussions? Will my license be suspend? If so, for how long. Will I face any jail time? Also, they did a blood test but it was a couple hours after I got to the hospital. Additionally, I was on morphine when the officer asked for consent for the blood test. This is in the state of GA. What is the best course of action? I can't afford a lawyer.

Answer:
 This:

> wasn't overly intoxicated

And this:

> ended up flipping my car off the interstate

Seem to be mutually exclusive to me.

You need a lawyer here.  You face possible jail time, license suspension, fines, sharply increased insurance costs, and a host of other legal problems.

The morphine + alcohol information makes this WORSE for you and not better.


Title: Help.

Question: Hey I am posting here as a last ditch effort because I don't know what to do. It all started like a month ago when somehow someone got a hold of my debit card info through Playstation network and bought like 200 dollars worth of stuff. As soon as I noticed I went to my bank and disputed the charges. A week later my bank calls me and says that most of the charges were successfully disputed and they are still working on the last two. After that almost immediately my brother couldn't get on his Playstation network account and it said he was banned. He then calls Sony customer support and they say that he dispite charges with them so they refunded them and banned him until he pays the rest. He never disputed any charges on his account it was me. And the bank has verified that he received zero money from Sony but they won't let up. What should we do?

Answer: Sounds like your brother bought a bunch of stuff with your debit card and got banned as a result of you disputing the fraudulent charges.


Title: Seller on Aliexpress is trying to sue me

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 So you bought products, and then they didn't work. Rather than telling them there is a problem, you defrauded him and claimed they never arrived. You have clearly done this multiple times. You have figured out how to work the system. He has proof you received the item (via tracking number), but you claim since there are inconsistencies sometimes with the system, that it's not proof.

You owe the guy his money. Pay him. You can then choose to file a claim for the malfunctioning items.

He is likely bluffing. Nothing is likely to come of this. If you do receive a suit, respond to it.

It's people like you who make the world a worse place to live.


Title: As a Californian, what are my options if I see someone breaking into my car parked in front of my house?

Question:
My car was broken into last night. They went through everything they could but the only thing they took of obvious value was the dollar or so of spare change in my cupholder.

If I had walked out and caught them in the act, what could I have done?

A quick look through stand your ground and castle laws seems like if I confronted him by shouting for him to leave, as long as he says "I need the money, I mean you no harm" then my hands are tied. I can't so much as punch this guy because there is no threat of immanent peril to my own life, so any action I take against the thief is assault on my part. I'd just have to call the cops and watch as the thief runs off.

I have cameras so hopefully police will catch the thief but if I'd woken up to the car alarm and caught them in the act, what would my options be?

Answer:
 You outlined your options pretty clearly in your own post. I'd add that if someone's breaking into your car, it's reasonable to assume that they might be carrying a weapon, and any choice on your part to try to stop them from breaking into your car could very likely end with you serious injured or even killed. Nothing in your car is worth that much.

Don't leave items of value in your vehicle, certainly not in plain sight. If you see someone breaking into your car, call the police and don't make your presence known until they arrive.


Title: Girlfriend won't let me see my son. Spent the last 11 months of his life with him and now I haven't seen him in 3 days

Question: Okay I don't really know where to start. My and my girlfriend have been together for around 5 years and we had a child together 11 months ago. He has my last name but me and his mother are not married. My girlfriend moved in with me over a year ago and our son has lived with me his whole life. We got into a argument and she left and took my son and has not let me see him for 3 days. Is there anything I can do? Also we live in Alabama

Answer: Absent a court order you have no legal right to see your child. You need to file for custody


Title: Is it illegal helping a17 year old sneak out of their parents house?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Your next move is to cease ALL contact with this girl.

If the police come to speak with you, do not speak with them. If you are charged with a crime, get a lawyer asap.


Title: legality of using different names

Question:
hey all :) What are the rules once you legally change your last name?  Are you allowed to use your maiden name or is that considered a twisted form of fraud in some way ?

I [reluctantly] took my husband's last name and I'm wondering if I can buy a house, open a line of credit, or apply for a job with my maiden name, (after I officially changed it to my husband's at the social security office...)

It feels like I'm using a different identity but I'm still the same person so I'm not sure how this works.  any advice is helpful!

Answer:
 IANAL but if you legally changed your name then THAT is now your LEGAL name for all purposes.Answer #2: You should use your legal name for legal documents (mortgages, jobs, lines of credit, etc.) -- the same name that matches your various forms of ID (SSN, driver's license, etc.).

For anything else, you can be called whatever you want.

You can always change your name back if you choose.


Title: I am in need of some serious help

Question:
I live in New Orleans. I have a serious problem that I am trying to get help with. I have my son his sister and his brother living with me. I had to take them from their mother for being mentally unstable. I had to place a protective order against her to protect the kids and myself from her, which included temporary custody, but the po has lapsed. I don't know my legal standings with custody or anything like that. Now, I have received an opportunity to move away andfor the 4 of us to start a new life far away from here. The problem is, that when I talked to the kid's mother and told her that we may be moving cross country she had a fit and told me that I have no rights to take them out of state, and if I do she will call the fbi on me. I don't know if she would be able to do that or not, but I am willing to fight in court to keep them in a stable home where they are loved and cared for. So, I guess my question is, where do I stand legally on just packing up and leaving. Any help would be very much appreciated.
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer: You need to get full custody and a move away order. You do not have custody in a way that allows you to drop their mother from their life like that. And the current state you are in has jurisdiction over their custody. You should hire an attorney if you want a chance to move with them


Title: My car was towed from the parking lot at the housing complex where I lived and the impound wants to charge me $1,000+ to get it released.

Question:
All of this occurred in New Jersey.

So the car was left in a parking space behind my house for a few months while I was away at college. I have all the documents for it (title, registration, & insurance card), plus I have it registered under the same address where I live. They take issue with non-residents using their lots to park their cars.

Well anyway, I came back from a week of tough finals to find my car missing from the spot where I had left it last. Turns out they had towed it the day before without any type of notification to me personally. According to my mother (technically the head of the household), they had placed a warning sticker on my windshield indicating that the car was parked "illegally" and that I would have to remove it immediately. I had no way of knowing. Sure they verbally told my mother who COULD have relayed the message to me, but legally, should't they have contacted the OWNER of the vehicle, rather than the head of the household?

In addition, even if for whatever reason they were in the right, by what grounds did they have the authority to tow my vehicle? Their notice that I was parked "illegally" is not only ambiguous, it is unsupported by any preexisting policies and did not allow for rebuttal (since I was not notified).

So a week or two later, due to my inability to come in sooner because of work, I visited the housing office and demanded answers. The two women who attended me did not have concrete reasons for why I was towed. One began my claiming that there was construction and that my vehicle was in the way, I responded that I was on winter break when there was construction, and that I had moved my car for the duration of the construction. Next they argued that my mother had told them that my car was immobile due to mechanical complications (which it was), but I refuted that all that should matter should be my paperwork; the car would have remained immobile either way because no one was driving it while I was away. And finally, before I cut the conversation short because I wanted to speak with their manager (who wasn't in) they admitted that they were getting a complaint that the vehicle hadn't been moved in a few months; again, I was away at college and couldn't bring it with me.

I had left the car sitting there for SEVERAL months my first year away at college and never had any problems then. I'm wondering if I can get this mess appealed and have my car returned without paying the hefty fee.

As a side note, I visited the impound where it was located only to retrieve my personal items, and the clerk at the front desk refused to even let me see the vehicle until I payed the fees. Is this legal? How can my personal belongings be kept away from me? Hold the car but at least let me retrieve my personal valuables...

TL:DR: Car was towed from parking lot without notice even though I had proper documentation for parking there.

Answer: On mobile so this will be brief. Get the car out NOW to mitigate damages. You MIGHT have a case (or not) for some reimbursement but now that you DO know you need to not let any more fees accrue.


Title: [NJ] If you use your car to help police in a chase, and it gets damaged, would insurance cover that?

Question:
This is just a hypothetical. This morning on my drive to work i saw a cop in pursuit of a car on the highway. Idk what the driver did or anything, but as they were closing in on me from behind (in a different lane) my mind went back to watching crazy high speed chases on tv and sometimes seeing civilian drivers pull infront of the suspect to slow them down, or even take a crash to stop them all together.

My mind briefly entertained the notion of doing so but i decided against it rather quickly, but the I got to thinking about who would pay for any damage in that instance, I assume you'd be forced to pay it mostly(if not entirely) yourself, since you put yourself in the position of it happening. Was really just wondering.

Answer:
 I think the best answer here is to keep in mind that there's a gigantic difference between "I was driving safely in my lane when all of a sudden another car came out of nowhere and hit me" and "I was driving safely in my lane when all of a sudden I saw a police chase and decided to endanger myself, endanger others, and break the law (reckless driving, improper lane change, violating speed limit, disregarding traffic control device, etc) by using my own vehicle to get involved".

If it's the latter, you'd almost certainly be 100% liable to your own car as well as any other cars involved, to say nothing of the potential for loss of life. If it's the former, your insurance would pick up the damage and likely subrogate against the other driver.


Title: [TX] Someone from NH filed a restraining order against me. The order says I have to show up in NH next Tuesday. What will happen if I can't make it?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 On Monday, call first thing in the morning and ask if you can appear by telephone. Then start calling lawyers in New Hampshire and find one to advise you further.

If you fail to appear and don't make other arrangements, the order will almost certainly be granted in your absence.Answer #2: Since next Tuesday is General Election Day, you might also be able to argue that the New Hampshire court would be depriving you of your right to vote in Texas.


Title: Involuntarily admitted to mental hospital in NYS. I didn't get an ambulance and was forced to ride handcuffed with cops. Can I sue?

Question: A couple weeks ago, I went into a doctor's office agitated and left being admitted to a hospital under section 9.45 of the New York Mental Hygiene Law. This says that an ambulance is authorized to transfer me. I was handcuffed by cops, paraded out of the doctor's office, and was very uncomfortable for the 30-minute drive to the hospital. Did somebody do something wrong?

Answer:
 > Did somebody do something wrong?

Nope, police officers typically handle the transport. The statute simply says that an ambulance *could* transport if requested, not that they have to.

Answer #2: No, you can't sue because you have no damages. Move on.


Title: My fing spouse moved me across the fing country just to divorce me in a better fing state, is this fing legal?

Question:
As the fing title says, 7 months ago we moved from CA to FL. To work at a family-owned business. I agreed for a lot of reasons that are better suited for a relationship forum, but never thought the marriage was in trouble.

Wednesday I was served. Fing hell. Divorce, after 19 years. Talking to a friend and he says "oh yeah, you moved from a community property state to an equitable distribution state, you'll get far less in the divorce." He also added "plus you're now stuck in Florida." Nice friend. He also said get a lawyer, which I'm going to do of course.

So is this legal? Can you just move your family across the country to pay less in a divorce?

Answer:
 There's actually a long rich history in the United States of spouses moving to different states in order to obtain divorces

http://renodivorcehistory.org/timeline/Answer #2: It looks like he wanted to get you to Florida, because the business needed him, and he didn't want to fight for custody across the country. If he gets joint custody in Florida, you could be stuck here, as long as your kids are minors. I'm not a lawyer, but this happened to someone I know.

On the bright side, there are some wonderful things about Florida, if you know where to look. And no state income tax!


Title: Cable technician refused to take Cable box so after 8 months we threw it out. 10 months later they have started to charge us for it.(MN)

Question: We downgraded our cable service 12 months ago.  A technician had to show up to do the change over in which we no longer needed the cable box for (it was just basic non HD channels).  We tried to give the box to the technician but he said that they did not need the box back.  I was a little worried so I opted to keep the box just in case.  After about eight months of dusting it every day we finally decided to throw it in the trash.  Four months later we see an itemized cable bill that included the cable box for $10 per month.   Before that they never charged us for the box.  They have never sent us a request to send it back.  They never called or emailed.  I called them and they say that we are liable for the box.  Is there anything I can do?

Answer: Technicians don't take them. You have to turn them in. That's standard procedure.Answer #2: Sorry to focus on the wrong thing....but **you dust everyday?!?!**


Title: Wanting Custody of My Trans Sibling

Question:
I'm in Franklin County Ohio and I'm trying to get custody of my 15 year old brother. The issue is his dad (same mom, different dad) his dad is controlling and near abusive. He also refuses to allow my brother to transition. Going as far as to throw out his 'boyish' clothes and tells him to show off his body as 'most girls would die for a body like that.'

His father even put him in therapy to 'fix him' and when the therapist recommend Gender Therapy, his dad cancelled his therapy.

Our mom lives farther away and currently his dad has the most pull. Our mom agrees with me bringing him to my place.

Any advice would be appreciated!

Answer: If you think there is any abuse you need to call CPS and let them handle it. You aren't getting custody without his dad losing custody and that wont happen unless there is abuse or neglect. Telling him what he can and cant wear isn't abuse.Answer #2: Your mom is likely the only person who could get custody here. Nothing you are describing meets the level of abuse that would terminate a parent’s rights. That would need to happen before anyone who is not a parent of the child to get custody. Your mom would have a good argument that she would provide a better home for her son, but she has to be willing to go to court and argue for that.


Title: [Texas] Neighbor called the police on me discharging a weapon in my garage to kill a possum. Should I get a lawyer?

Question:
I shot my 22cal with sub sonic ammo in my garage to kill a possum that was eating my cat's food. I used sub sonic (It's 800fps) so I didn't have to worry about it penetrating my walls, then fence, hitting someone.  Apparently my neighbor heard this and called the police on me.

Today I got a call telling me to come into the police station for a citation. Will they try to arrest me? Should I bring a lawyer?

Answer:
 You could use the ["It's coming right for us!"](http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Nt6kKhlX8vU) defense, and explain that you thought it was rabid.

/s

I'm actually honestly a bit surprised the police didn't come by to do a welfare check. For all they knew, you could have been suicidal.

You should consult with the lawyer; you can probably go down and collect your citation without answering any questions, but if you are asked, you should have your lawyer present before answering.

Did you legally own the gun? Because that's another potential issue. Answer #2: [Likely a misdemeanor](http://codes.lp.findlaw.com/txstatutes/PE/9/42/42.12)

You would be best served by an attorney


Title: [michigan] signed application for rent at one price, landlord "made a mistake" and the price is now higher

Question:
hi all,
this morning i received an email from the apartment complex lease consultant that i worked with previously. i am supposed to be moving into my new apartment in june. i applied using their computer and esigned a doc that said i'd be paying ~1300 for my rent, which, i mentioned to her, was the top of my budget. this morning, she emailed me saying she "made a mistake, doesn't know how she did it" and says that my rent will now be ~1400, which is quite a bit more than anticipated (i did not look for apartments in that range whatsoever previously). i have another pdf in writing of the costs i'd be paying initially and per month, but my signature is not on it. however, i mentioned i did sign the documents and "locked in my rate" with my application and paid fee. any help would be awesome.
thanks!

Answer:
 Did you sign a lease? If you signed a lease (and the landlord signed it too) for $1,300, then that's your monthly rental rate for the term of the lease (usually one year).

However, if you did not sign a lease, then they can say the new rental rate is $8,000 a month if they want. Until you have a lease signed by both parties, you don't have anything.

Did you actually pay the landlord money? What fee did you pay and to whom did you pay it?


Title: I made an ANONYMOUS report to CPS. A social worker knew the person I reported and told them who called, now I'm in serious danger

Question:
I called and made an anonymous report to child protective services about child safety after some things I observed this past weekend when visiting the home of a relative. I even told CPS on the phone that if this person found out that I made the report, my life would be in danger. They said I'd not be able to hear of any follow up if I didn't and I said that's fine, it's of massive importance that no one find out who called and they assured me that it wasn't legal and wouldn't happen. I've heard this person that I reported threaten to kill people and seen him pull guns on people over the years so I'm really not being dramatic fearing for my safety. Guns all over the place with kiddos running around was my biggest concern but there's also a full on moonshine operation there and he doesn't use car seats when driving kids around drunk.

Well, the morning after I made this anonymous report and left no identifying information, I get threatening phone calls saying that a CPS worker called them and gave them my phone number as the person who left the report.

What happened was a social worker at CPS knew the person I made the report against and when she saw his name, she decided to get involved to cover for him. It wasn't assigned to her, she intervened and I say cover for him because she went out to the home instead of any one else and even said that if any other social worker had come, they'd be required by law to remove the kid from the home.  Instead she overlooked a long list of dangerous and illegal things to cover for a friend.

She also had to go in and look up my number on the caller ID because it was anonymous and I know this because this social worker admitted that's exactly what she did.

Now this child is still in danger and am I. At the very least, this woman at CPS needs to lose her job for the safety of kids everywhere and I need the fact that I am now in danger to be rectified. I know her name and all, I'm just leaving that out on purpose. How should I handle this?  What are my legal options? I am in North Carolina.  Thank you!

Answer: Get a restraining order and a lawyer—you can definitely get some $.  You might even find a non-profit that will take the case for free or a private lawyer that works for a contingency fee.Answer #2: Can you prove any of this?Answer #3: How did you learn about what happened?


Title: My finance's HOA is trying to impose fees on me for moving in with her. Do they have a right? (Florida)

Question:
My fiancé has owned her townhouse for 10 years.  She never submitted to or paid for a background check.  None of her prior roommates have submitted to or paid for a background check.

Her declaration of condominium (written in 1975) states that transfers of property must be approved by the board.  The transfers listed are sale, lease and gift.  The declaration does not mention background checks or fees.

During the last year, a new group of people have taken control of the board.  They have not amended the declaration of condominium.  Some people have consented to a background check and paid a $100 fee for the service, so there is some precedence to the policy (even though it's not in writing).

I moved into the townhouse my fiancé owns in June of this year.  The board wants me to sign consent for a background check and pay $100.  Do they have a right to impose these fees on me?  Our townhouse has not been sold, leased or gifted.  The declaration does not mention a background check or additional fees.

The board wants to pay their lawyer to decide if these fees apply to me in this situation.  If the lawyer decides that I have to pay the fee, I will also be held liable for the lawyer's fee.  And, their lawyer may be biased to agree with their interpretation of the rules.

What do you guys think?  Thanks in advance for any advice!

Answer:
 It's hard for anyone here to give you solid advice because we don't have access to all the condo bylaws/policies. Assuming your narrative is 100% correct and there really is no such documentation, then they cannot impose the background check and/or fee.

Ask the condo board to point you to the section in the bylaws that document the fee. If there's nothing in the bylaws, then politely tell them to kick rocks.Answer #2: IANAL - but have been on HOA boards and HOA president, if it is not in the by-laws, it doesn't exist and you can't be forced to participate in the whims of the new board.  The by-laws can be amended but that generally requires a quorum of all homeowners.  And in FL my Mom bought into an HOA, a background was required but it cost something like $35 - not a $100.


Title: I'm a CA small business owner with an employee who went on workman's comp over a year ago, settled recently with insurance company and just sent doctors note of work restrictions.

Question: I'm a very small business owner in orange county, CA. One of my employees went on workman's comp over a year ago. It's not relevant whether I believe their claim or not because that's the insurance investigators job....and quite frankly,  that's why we have insurance.  My employee lawyered up immediately so I have had zero contact with them. A few months ago the case was settled out of court but I was given no information. The insurance company had dropped me due to the incident at my yearly renewal so I'm unsure what their obligation to provide information to me is. Recently, a stranger walked in and told me that she was dropping off a doctors note on behalf of the mother of the employee (22 y/o). It was a note with lifting restrictions and limited duties. I'm all for hiring a lawyer to look after my best interests but I have limited funds, limited time and I honestly don't even know where to begin. On a side note, I'm originally from Wisconsin and I'm a little overwhelmed with how legally aggressive and entitled this area seems to be.

Answer: If it's been more than a year you don't have to rehire them even if you can accommodate.


Title: totaled my car to avoid hitting a lady's dog

Question:
Location: Strathmore, Alberta

I was returning to work from my lunch break going northbound along this road (51.069904, -113.842334). This road is very bumpy, covered in gravel and very narrow. I accelerated to about 50 km/h and at about 200m into the road, I saw a lady with her 2 unleashed dogs playing in the roadway. As I attempted to pass the lady and her dogs, they were still running all across the road, so I had to swerve to avoid hitting one of the dogs. I lost control of my vehicle and ended up in the pond on the left side of that road. I sustained only minor injuries. The lady and her dogs were unharmed.

A bystander called the tow truck which came and eventually towed my car to a junkyard for $250. I have no collision coverage, so when I called my insurance company, they said there was nothing they could do. When we were about to call the police to come, the lady left, giving me her license plate # and phone #. When the police arrived, all they did was have me fill out a statement and take a photo of my license and registration. They said they would forward my statement to the Strathmore police dept.

I now need to go buy a new used vehicle to get to and from work ... What should I do?

Answer:
 >I have no collision coverage, so when I called my insurance company, they said there was nothing they could do.

You've made a police report so you are done.
Unfortunately when you chose not to carry collision insurance you also chose not to have the car repaired or replaced if you wrecked it.
You are on the hook to buy another car.

You may be thinking that the actions of this lady caused your accident and she is responsible but it doesn't work this way. Your vehicle should have been under your control enough that you could avoid  hitting someone in the road without totaling your car. Attempting to pass instead of slowing down was where your error occurred.

Of course accidents happen- that's why we have insurance.
If you can't afford to replace a car then collision insurance is a really good idea.
If you want to pursue her paying for anything you need to do so in small claims court.


Title: Pulled over, not sure if cop's speed detection method will hold up if I challenge ticket

Question:
In Michigan, Washtenaw County, I was driving home with my gf the other night, going about 72-73mph with nearly no traffic. a cop passes me doing about 75, so I figure if I stay behind him there’s no way I can speed, let alone get pulled over for speeding. Accordingly, I relax, stick behind the cop, and don’t bother to check my speedometer (big mistake).

Suddenly, the cop decelerates to well under the speed limit, and I pass him going 70mph…at which point he turns on his lights and pulls me over. He says he pulled me over for speeding! I haven’t had a speeding ticket in *years.*

When I ask how I could possibly have been speeding when I was just matching his speed, he says he paced me at an estimated **84mph.** From what I’ve gathered, while I was keeping behind him, he very gradually sped up, and I, not thinking a cop would trick me into speeding, stuck with him and didn’t notice. However, I am positive I wasn’t going as fast as he says I was. My car has a lot of issues, and I don’t even feel safe driving that fast. I would have noticed.

Anyway, the guy was a bit of a dick, and slapped me with a nearly $300 fine for an “up to five over” violation. I got a video of most of my interaction with him (don’t think he noticed it filming, phone was in my dash mount), but it’s pretty unremarkable and doesn’t show what I think is the most important part, i.e. our driving prior to the stop.
The most potentially helpful bit has this dialogue:
Me:  “Okay, sure. So just to clarify, police are allowed to speed in order to trick people into speeding so as to pull them over?”
Officer: “Yep, yes sir.”
Me: “Really? Okay…good to know”

He told me to consult his superior if I thought the cop broke any laws…but I think (perhaps cynically) that there’s not much chance of that leading anywhere. The ticket says my options are to Admit Responsibility, Admit Responsibility With Explanation, or Deny Responsibility. I feel like the second option is all I can do…but I can’t help but think an explanation won’t do any good. I’m just a student, and not only am I strapped for cash/don't want the points on my record, but I want to avoid funding a police department that uses such nasty tactics to make money.

So my questions are: legally speaking, can he get away with this? What is my best course of action? Is there a way to avoid having my premiums increased?
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer:
 > So my questions are: legally speaking, can he get away with this?

There's nothing to 'get away with'.  You were stopped for speeding.  It's on you to know your speed.  "I was just doing what everyone else was doing" is not now, and never has been, a defense.

You can certainly try to fight the ticket in court, but your only option on defense is to try to prove that you weren't exceeding the limit.  Given that you don't know what speed you were going, this may be difficult.


Title: I covered for a coworker while he was sick on Tuesday and now he says I owe him my Sunday shift. Can he do that? What if he tells my boss I'm not trading shifts?

Question: [PA] He claims its not fair that he lost a shift and he demands that I replace it with one of mine. But I need the money so I don't want to lose a shift either, I just worked for him because he was sick. Sure I was able to make an extra day's worth of money but I was doing him a favor. He's gonna hold this over my head forever. Someone told me they overheard him talking to the schedule manager the remove a shift from me and give it to him, and the manager said no. But I'm afraid he might try to override and go to the owner. What can I do?

Answer: If the manager said no then what do you think the co-worker is going to do? Calm down.


Title: what can I do about neighbor?

Question:
Moved into new house last winter. We share a driveway with a neighbor. He lives with his mom, no job, and basically gets drunk and blares his stereo. He takes it up a notch when he brings out drum sticks to play along with the music.

You would think he would have some sort consideration and that people might not want to hear music blaring.
I don't know what final resolution is. I'm not trying to start a confrontation with the police but this is not something that is ok.
Every morning I think about breaking the sticks or cutting the cord to the stereo, but those are replaceable things and obviously not legal.

What are my options?

Edit: I live in PA.

Answer: Have you gee I dunno *talked to him* about it?


Title: [Tennessee] What will happen if/after I call CPS?

Question: I'm 18 yrs old and recently moved from my home. In my home lives my mother and 7 siblings, 2 of which are step siblings. I've taken care of my siblings for as long as I can remember. My father lives in NY and is not apart of my family at all, I'm the only one who sometimes talks to him. He refuses to help. My step siblings father and my mother are no longer together, I have no idea where he is but he is useless right now. My grandmother is in a nursing home and the only other family I have will not help right now, I've called and talked to them all. My mother is an alcoholic  and abused her prescription pills. She doesn't work, claims disability and doesn't leave her room, completely ignoring my siblings. She is usually passed out sleeping for most of the day. If I call CPS I know they will find enough alcohol and drugs on the premise to warrant taking my siblings away, also I can pretty much guarantee they'll find my mother under the influence. If they take my siblings away, I'm assuming they will be put into foster care and most likely split up, as no one is going to want to adopt 7 children. Can someone just clear up what exactly will happen after I call? Will I be able to see them still if they are taken from the home? Thank you

Answer: CPS will investigate and determine if the situation warrants removal if the children. You should still be able to have contact


Title: Michigan State uni tripled my rent

Question:
Hello friends,

Just dropping in to seek out any kind of legal advice I can get towards my current issue.

So I'm guessing that most of you have hear the story of Larry Nassar, the corrupt Michigan State Sports Medicine Physician who sexually molested hundreds of female athletes, including olympians, and got away with it for years before finally being brought to justice. Well, a direct result of this justice was the increase of just about every facet of my education here at MSU(housing, tuition, bike permits, parking permits). I most recently felt the weight of this as my rent for the summer looked like it was going to be $240/month(per person so around $960 for the whole apartment of 4 people for 1 month)(the price that literally helped me decide that I wanted to live here for the summer)) and then changed to $733/month($2932/month for the four of us). This seems unlivable for a college student working 1 summer job and taking classes. This all comes after a statement from the interim president, John Engler, who expressed that the money for the victims would come from Michigan State students and Michigan taxpayers. I told this story to a group of my friends who then directed me to this page to seek help.

Any legal advice would be greatly appreciated as I feel this topic has been dissected heavily already.

Thanks!

P.S. This news article from the Chronicle states a couple places that Michigan State could pull money from to easily cover this settlement cost instead of draining students wallets. Idk if this helps at all but it seemed interesting enough to add. [https://www.chronicle.com/article/Michigan-State-Just-Agreed-to/243431](https://www.chronicle.com/article/Michigan-State-Just-Agreed-to/243431)

Answer:
 > This all comes after a statement from the interim president, John Engler, who expressed that the money for the victims would come from Michigan State students and Michigan taxpayers. I told this story to a group of my friends who then directed me to this page to seek help.

MSU is a public university.  The money is going to come from the students and taxpayers somehow.

> my rent for the summer looked like it was going to be $240/month ... and then changed to $733/month

Did you sign a lease at $240/month?


Title: Kansas City, MO - Fell into a sewer drain due to a loose/unattached cover.

Question:
Last night I fell into a sewer drain.  I was walking to my car and stepped on the drain cover.  The cover was made of light-weight plastic and not attached to the drain hole, only sitting on top of it.  The cover flipped, causing my entire left leg to plunge into the hole.  I have some scrapes and bruises on both legs, a sore wrist from catching myself, and a tear in my shorts.  I doubt these are considered "serious injuries," but is there any legal issue here for the city?

This happened after a gathering with a group of friends, many of whom brought kids.  I shudder to think what would have happened if one of the kids had stepped on this drain cover.  I'm glad it was me and not of them!  Thanks in advance.
Topic:
Personal Injury

Answer:
 This is giving me flashbacks to 1L Torts. Practically, if you lack damages, you don't have much legal recourse.

Legally speaking, whether you have recourse will depend on the sovereign immunity laws in your locality.


Title: My grandmother (88f) passed away, now I (23f) don't know what to do from here about my family's bloodline trust.

Question:
So my grandmother just passed away about a week ago, and my family has a bloodline trust fund set up. My dad had been taking care of all these matters (hiring an attorney to ensure my aunt wasn't taking advantage of my grandma in her older age) and I really wasn't in the loop too much. My dad's side of the family has not been close with me until recently because of my mom and complicated divorce issues.

My dad passed away unexpectedly in November, so now it's just me, my uncle, and my aunt. I don't know the name of the lawyer my dad had been consulting with.

I just got reconnected with my uncle after my dad passed, so I really don't want to be insensitive and start asking about the trust, but when my dad was on his death bed, he was adamant about me keeping in touch with my uncle to make sure I get taken care of. What steps do I follow now? Should I connect with a lawyer about this or will the money automatically get dispersed to the three of us? How long is too long to wait?

Answer:
 You can use your dad's deathbed statements to open up the discussion with your uncle without being insensitive.  Say, just as you did above, "Dad was adamant on his death bed about me keeping in touch with you (uncle) about this bloodline trust. Can you (uncle) tell me what steps I should follow next or what I should expect to happen?"  This should (hopefully) result in a productive discussion.

You have not mentioned a will regarding your dad's estate (his home, vehicles, personal possession, personal financial accounts).  It's possible that is a separate issue entirely from the trust.  You may want to hire a probate attorney to assist you with that.Answer #2: I have no legal qualifications, only sad experience of similar from losing loved ones.

My strong advice is to ask ASAP as relatives, especially ones who have not been previously close, will start vanishing fast in the days following.


Title: (Illinois) Not allowed to have a cell phone inside courthouse building.

Question:
I went to pay a court fine the other day, and apparently, in my county no member of the public is allowed to carry a cell phone into the building. I understand that filming in courtrooms isn't acceptable, nor is playing on your phone in the court room. But this seems wrong to have a blanket ban in the building.

The building has other functions. The county clerk's office is in there as well as the sheriff's dept. Along with a few other public servant floors.

I saw sheriff officers with their phones out, as well as attorneys. Not to mention, other public employees in the building absolutely being able to bring their phones in to work with them.

The county clerk's office also had several signs posted that any photos or videos are strictly prohibited, but they have several cameras facing the lines and counters.

Is this illegal for them to prevent people from bringing in phones? Is it illegal for them to prevent people from filming public servants on the job? I've seen many videos of people bothering government employees, but it still seems like a 1st amendment right to be able to film in the public areas.

Answer: If people were allowed to have their phones they’d be playing babysitter to all the people who’d be talking on their phones in the courtrooms, cell phones going off everywhere. It likely came out of necessity from people being idiots and not understanding respect in certain situations so it got blanket banned for everyone.


Title: Dead-beat dad called asking if I was willing to take a DNA paternity test.

Question: My absent dad called me a few days ago asking if I would be game to take a DNA test for something dealing with the possibility of him being infertile (him and his wife are having trouble conceiving a child). I see this as a ploy into simply finding out whether I am his son or not. I remember when I was a young child (between ages 5 to 7) he started having to pay child support, and he asked my mom if he could have a DNA test then to which she obliged, but he decided not to do it. My problem is that I am soon to be 22, and I am wondering why at this point would he ask me to take a DNA test and should I do it? Would there be any ramifications from me taking the DNA test? I forgot to mention, the location is South Carolina.

Answer: Maybe he checking to see if you are a possible donor.  Kidney, bone marrow etc. (not sperm) personally I'd ignore him.Answer #2: Cytogeneticist here. Is it actually a DNA (paternity) test? If actually a chromosome analysis he may have been found to have a chromosome abnormality which can affect his ability to have children (reduce his fertility). We often suggest other fam membs have chromosomes analysed as these are often inherited, with other carriers finding the same fertility probs.


Title: Co-signing an apartment

Question:
I’m considering being a co-signer for my friend who recently got out of a bad relationship and got all of the money in her joint bank account drained. Since then she’s opened a new bank account and has been saving money and is looking to rent an apartment for $600. She makes roughly $2400 a month, as a co-signer would there be any contract or agreement I can look up that would be beneficial on my end? Thanks in advance for any advice offered.
Topic:
Contracts

Answer: You realize this would make you responsible for all rent any any damage she does right?


Title: Dcfs scare

Question:
My stepson is diagnosed bipolar and on the spectrum. He has a lot of difficulty controlling his impulsive, obsessive and sometimes violent behavior. He has also had psychotic episodes where he has had to be admitted to hospitals for periods of time. He used to live with his mother but was expelled from his middle school because at that time he was UNdiagnosed. He moved in with us and was diagnosed and is currently on many medications and seeing a counselor.

We thought he was doing well...at high school, decent grades, on football and track team, has a girlfriend...well, he has become obsessive with this girlfriend and this has lead to some poor choices and near psychotic breaks such as 1. A few weeks ago driving off without permission, not answering his phone and calling his mom to say he was about to jump off a bridge- cops and his dad ended up finding him. We continued counseling and he seemed to be doing ok. Then 2. A couple nights ago he had told me that he had to work on homework that was NOT due tomorrow. Said ok great that's a good choice being ahead of your homework. So I didn't really mind that he was face timing and talking to his girlfriend the entire time.

Then his dad comes home and asks him when the homework is due and he says "tomorrow." So since he lied, I took his phone away and said he could have it back when he's finished so he could concentrate. Well he didn't like this and FLIPPED OUT calling me names and screaming at me. My husband starting yelling back at him and stepson took a swing. So, my husband grabbed him ?husband is 300 lbs, stepson is 170 but sooooo strong) to keep him away. They ended up struggling pretty bad- husband was kicked in the stomach and punch in the face by the kid. He ended up taking my stepson down to the ground.

Apparently overnight stepson has scratched his own face and arms- has a history of this- and developed a bump/ bruise on head from the struggle and being taken to the ground. He told the nurse at school and the nurse called dcfs on my husband. We dropped kid off with his mom last night. Kid also stole another cell phone from us to take to his moms. We have a good relationship with mom and she explained to case worker that kid has a history of violence with her and her husband as well. Case worker was very skeptical. DO WE NEED A LAWYER? Also- do we need to collect evidence of his violence and mental illnesses? We are thinking about sending kid to another hospital facility because I am scared of him and so are his brothers. This is so stressful and the kid is acting like it's funny and no big deal. Please advise! We are in Illinois.

Update: as of today- Saturday a little more than 24 hours later- no one from the PD or the DCFS has contacted my husband OR me. They have only contacted his mother and stepfather (he does not normally live with them). So, we aren't even sure what's going on. Will we hear from someone soon? We plan to contact a lawyer tomorrow.

Answer: Providing proof to the worker about his past episodes and violent tendencies should help dispel any skepticism. Whether the child needs to be hospitalized is an issue you should discuss with his doctors. Discussing it with a local lawyer wouldn't hurt, but the department isn't the police. The quickest way to get the department out of your life is usually to be polite and honest.


Title: [MI] I told my boss I had epilepsy and was fired the next week.

Question:
I have a audio recording of me saying I can’t work as many hours because I have epilepsy and I’m in school, also my my paper my GM wrote for me when I applied said my work would be 15-20 hours a week. Fast forward a week and I was working 38-40 hours a week. I told them on top of school I need enough hours of sleep to not have seizures and I’ve been seizure free for 5 months now. I just said I can’t work close on days where I’m required to wake up before 10am, and on days where I have my 9am class I’d need to be out by 11pm/1am at the latest.  On days where I work at 10am, it’s the same story.

I’ve been working 40 hours when I said I’d be working 20 hours max on my sheet the GM filled out and I verbally said. I’ve told them about my medical and mental health for school/my body and then I was fired the next week.  I don’t know how easy it would be to prove it was because of epilepsy but is there anything I can do? Do I need them to say it out right?
Topic:
Employment Law

Answer:
 Do you bring in a letter from your doctor requesting these accomodations?Answer #2: Okay, so just to clarify, you advised him your schedule was changing because of school, correct?

Had school not been a factor, would you have been able to continue work normally?

It sounds like school got in the way of work, not a medical disability.


Title: [PA] I (18m) received unsolicited nude photos from a girl in my class (16f). Not sure how to proceed.

Question:
So there's this girl in my physics class who I know but haven't really spoken to much. She made a few attempts with flirting at the beginning of the year but I'm not single so I shut her down pretty quickly. We hadn't spoken since October when suddenly last night I received three photo texts from her. When I woke up this morning and checked my messages I saw that I had these three nude images. Since I didn't have her number I asked a few friends who do know her to confirm that it is her phone number that sent the photos, and they said that yes, it was her number. Since she is 16 I know this is considered child pornography, so now I need to know what to do next to cover my own ass and make sure I don't get in trouble for this. Any help would be appreciated.

Edit: Here's an update for anyone following this thread
https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/4ausu6/pa_i_18m_received_unsolicited_nude_photos_from_a/

Answer: ITT: Grind phone to dust, bury dust under Fukushima.Answer #2: And whatever you do, don't show anyone.  Don't show your friend to confirm it's her.  Don't show your parents when you ask what to do.  Don't show the police or your school because you want authorities involved.  Delete.  Delete. Delete.  Do not pass Go or do anything else until they are deleted.  Getting arrested and going to jail so so much worse than you can imagine.  Your phone is a ticking time bomb and you need to defuse it because it will blow up if you ignore it.


Title: [CA] I'm on an LPS Conservatorship, and I have a payee who receives all of my social security benefits, so I was just wondering about how I can become my own payee again?

Question:
So how do you do this?

I wouldn't mind still having to be on a conservatorship, but I at least want my own money.

Answer: Who is your conservator?  Presumably it is a family member or the Public Guardian/Public Conservator.  Assuming they hold conservatorship of your estate they would make all decisions regarding your rep payee.  If they do not have conservatorship of your estate you can go down to the social security office and have them change/remove the rep payee.


Title: I may have messed up [US]

Question:
So me and a few friends live near a school that the faculty irresponsibly leave unlocked. In the summer we go in exploring sometimes and just generally mess around. A while back we found a key that opens every door so some nights we go in there and explore. The other night we went in and got chased out by a janitor and the school checked the cameras and posted pictures to a facebook page. Some parents of my friends saw the pictures and brought my friends into the PD. (That info was relayed to me by a friend who is at the police station right now). He called and told my friend and I to stop by the police station as apparently they are being charged with breaking and entering. I'm freaked out.

My three friends are minors and I'm not.

I've been making sure to ignore any calls and texts from friends for the night, and it's currently 9:45 PM anyway.

I'm just a little worried about how seriously they'd be taking this and not sure about how to proceed. Please help!!

Answer:
 >So me and a few friends live near a school that the faculty irresponsibly leave unlocked.

I completely understand.  My sworn enemy often leaves his torso completely unexposed and fully susceptible to a knife.  It is his fault when I stab him.

>posted pictures to a facebook page.

I read this and I was *realllllyyyyy* hoping that someone tagged you in the picture.

You've committed at least breaking and entering.  You should get a lawyer if the police contact you.Answer #2: You committed (at least) trespassing and maybe theft if the keys were taken without permission.  That's a minimum of two crimes.

If the police contact you get a lawyer. You're gonna need one.Answer #3: MAY have messed up?   I'd say it's fairly certain you did.    Don't go to the police station just because they ask you to.    Nothing beneficial will come of that.

If they have enough evidence, they may come arrest you.   Be respectful of the officers if you get arrested, but maintain that you are not willing to be questioned or answer for anything without an attorney.   Don't discuss these incidents with anyone, not friends, not family, not the police.  Just your attorney.   They can advise you on how to best proceed.   Just don't incriminate yourself before you get one.


Title: [California] They doubled our property taxes. Over the phone they can't give a reason for the increase...

Question:
This is in California. My mother owns a house and her property tax bill paid every six months used to be around $3k per period, and now all of the sudden we get a $6k bill. No explanation, just a bill that says "adjusted" on it.

On the phone they asked if maybe she had expanded square footage. Not the case. She had a couple bathrooms restored and that's it. No major work.

Real estate friend suggested lawyering up and not talking to anybody on the phone. Anybody know any alternate recourse before spending on legal? Any reasoning behind the increase? Could it be a mistake?

Answer:
 Ask the assessing office to justify the change in property tax.

No attorney needed to do that.