Title: Ex bf abusing the system and keeping me broke and in court

Question:
Posting for my friend's account to help preserve privacy. This is her story:

I was with my abusive ex for 14 years. He was my first boyfriend, and i was too naive and wanted to believe things would get better, even while he was meeting girls from Craigslist while I was delivering our first child. I filed for divorce 2 years ago and we have been legally divorced for one. I supported our family nearly the whole time, even taking out 20k in extra student loans while in college to keep up finances during that time. He wouldn't allow me to work, so I did what i could.
 Fast forward to the divorce: he quits his job and goes on full disability (he was diagnosed with legitimate MS 2 months after divorce was filed) and tells me he's doing it because he will never have to give me a dime. I find out that he refinanced the auto loans and took $5k in cash out from them. I end up agreeing to take his vehicle with the loan because he cannot pay, and give him my car (that's fully paid for). He moved in with his mother because we sold the house, but she is married to a man who just got out of prison on a 15 year bid for raping his own daughters, and that man has moved his former cell mate into the house with them. I fought like hell to keep our children (both under 6 yo) from spending overnights in that house, pretty much letting everything else go his way as long as that condition was met.
So the verdict went like this: I owe the full 48k in student loans for myself, i owe $9,500 on the car loan, and I am ordered to pay him $200 in spousal support each month. He was ordered to pay me $8k for the loans etc, and no child support can be had as he is on disability. He was ordered to pay half the medical and other expenses for the children.
At first, we talked and he agreed that because I accepted all the other financial burdens, and because he was not going to pay me his financial burdens owed to me, I could just 'reduce' the amount he owed me by the $200/mo x the 36 months it was ordered for. That went pretty well for a bit, but he has not paid for any of his obligations for the children's needs at all, zero. I have not made even a request about this, because I wish to not open that fight up.
The children tell me that he does not feed them when they are with him, they get a bag of chips and the iPad and are left to their own means. He is now bed ridden, so he cannot physically care for the children nor protect them from the pedophiles that live in that house. This isn't much out of the ordinary for his level of care for them, but it drives my worries to the extreme.
I ended up paying $20k for legal council through the divorce, and I have not paid on my student loans because i literally do not have the means. I now am required to only pay $5 monthly for that so it helps but I am never going to be able to get ahead there, it doesn't even cover the interest.
My ex brings in about $6k a month in disability and his pension, and uses most of the money to keep me in court, calling me to tell me he will continue to use every penny to make my life hell until i decide to get back with him.
My job downsized and it left me without full time employment and benefits, although I still am employed in a 'casual' postition, working for others and on days when more staff is needed. This brings in about 20% of the salary my full time position did.
I have been representing myself in court for the last 5 months, and I thought it was over finally. 2 days ago, I got a letter from the court saying that he filed for me not paying the $200 a month he had verbally agreed to take out of what he owes me. He refused to ever sign anything about it, but for awhile he seemed genuine and I hoped he would keep his word. I am being called on for 'contempt' for not paying him the $200 monthly.

------ so with all this known, what avenues do i have? He owes thousands of dollars just for the children's medical bills which i have covered 100%. He claims that since he is on disability he is legally protected from any financial costs involved in the orders of the court for me and the children's needs. I understand the $ awarded to me in the divorce is unobtainable, but what about the money for the children's medical and school costs he was required to pay? I don't understand how he can be awarded partial custody when he cannot even take care of himself and does not do anything for the children while they are there- including hygeine and meals on many days (his mom often buys them candy or fast food while they are there, but when she doesn't they don't get fed and come home literally begging for food).
Am i totally screwed on getting the money for the children's medical bills? Is there any legal way of resolving the money I'm ordered to pay him by deducting it from the money he is ordered to pay me?
He calls with threats enough to get a restraining order but if I would do that there would be little chance of the children seeing him, and even though it makes my life hell I don't want to take that from them. I just want to be done. I'm broken, I'm broke financially, and I'm on so many psych meds just to not break down... I want this to end. Thank you in advance for reading this, any helpful input is highly appreciated.
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer:
 You need to go back to court and get full custody.

You could alternatively call CPS and report them not being fed and the hygiene situation.

I know you want him to be able to see them, but it doesn't sound like it's in their best interest to spend time with him.Answer #2: While going back to court for this, you need to also ask your lawyer about reducing your spousal support, given your income is 20% of what it was when it was ordered. You may not win this reduction, but it’s worth trying.

You should also speak to your attorney about whether you should call CPS. I suggest asking them before doing it only because some courts seem to possibly view parents making CPS reports as retaliatory, or in order to gain a custody advantage. If it were me, I’d call my lawyer and then CPS straight away, given the circumstances.

I can’t see CPS being ok with them being in the same household as a convicted paedophile or two, and it could also be a breach of their probation or release conditions. It may be worth finding out their probation conditions via their probation officer as a matter of urgency.

Good luck. Answer #3: Usually when a person is on disability their children receive a benefit.  Do your children receive a dependent benefit every month?


Title: Trying to get rid of a roommate.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 >an extremely flamingly gay hispanic man with a bad attitude moved in.

That's not necessary.

>but the gay one

urge to care is diminishing rapidly.

>(literally as bad as finding someone on Craigslist)

love how much you generalize people.

You should be in contact with your landlord and management about every one of these problems, and likely the cops - breaking things and stealing things is not cool.  Coming in and being loud at 3am is not cool and likely violating some sort of "peaceful living" portion of your lease.  The extortion is also a very shitty thing to do.  So, cool it on the adjectives and your personal attitude toward this guy, remain objective to your management and landlord after EACH incident and issue, and likely involve the police over serious matters.


Title: Landlord kept $800 of our deposit to repair & repaint the porch. We say "normal wear & tear;" no proof either way. Who wins?

Question:
I'm in Texas.

We recently moved out of a rental property, and the landlord withheld $800 of our deposit money to "repair/replace porch railing and repaint porch."

When asked about it by email, the landlord said "The porch railing was damaged/scarred and the porch needed paint as it had scratches."

We didn't cause any damage, and well, this is a rural, rustic place made entirely of old wood - EVERYTHING has scratches.  As far as I know, we left it just like we found it, so I don't think we should be footing that bill.

Unfortunately the only evidence we have is a couple of phone pics taken before we moved in.  They show that some general wear was already present (a few worn posts, scuff marks, etc.), but the pictures aren't very clear.  And we didn't take any pictures at move-out.

On the other hand, the landlord hasn't shown us any pictures of the damage we allegedly caused, either.

If we wanted to fight this, who has the burden of proof?

Answer: Demand it back and take him to small claims court, chances are the judge will rule in your favor, or rule the damage closer to the cost of paint, which wont be more than $80Answer #2: I am a landlord.  I would consider this wear and tear as well, even if it was scratched.  I would write a letter stating that the landlord has 30 days to return deposit.  If he does not, take him to small claims.  You are likely to win and the penalty for losing is trivial (cost of filing).


Title: The County land bank auctioned off my land attached to my house without notifying me.

Question:
My partner and I have recently moved to a big, dumpy city in the south (kinda like Detroit) to start over because the original city we lived in was getting ridicilulously priced for rent and we couldn't afford a down payment on a house.  We are starting over here and bought our house for 3 thousand dollars. It's giant, old, and falling apart. In a city that is exactly the same. We have plenty of construction experience so we didn't hesitate to jump on it.
The neighborhood is mostly abandoned and there is lots all around us where the city scraped tax delinquent homes and is now selling lots. So we bought the three lots behind our house with a cashier's check in person at the land bank. Our plan was to grow food
When we bought these three parcels from the county land bank, the lady told us she was obligated to publicly (in some kind of online newspaper that we weren't able to find) post that we were buying these three plots from the city and that for ten business days, someone else would be able to offer more money to the county and enter a "bid off". She said it was unlikely but to make sure that didn't happen, to call her office in ten business days to make sure all was well.
These 3 lots have been empty for ten years, no one has tried to buy them at all. So I thought we had a good chance. So I called her office back on the day I was instructed to, and got no answer. So I left a message. Got no return phone call. Several days went buy and I figured everything went through fine because our city is notoriously cluster f-ed and takes forever to get anything done.
Well fast forward a couple weeks I am  a thousand miles from my house and I get a call from someone at the land bank telling me that someone else offered 10 percent more on all three plots, two of them the bid off had already happened and they straight gave it to them, I had no warning, not opportunity to bid higher. Nothing. She told me I had one hour until my last property was sold off and asked me what my highest bid was, I told her all the money I had to put it down on the last property and sure enough, the same company bid 10 percent higher than me and took that too.
I can't help but feel personally attacked because there is thousands of empty lots all around my city that no one has tried to buy. These where the ones attached to my house. They sat empty for ten years. No one tried to buy anything. My partner and I seem to be the only two people in the world that care about making our neighborhood nicer, and I feel like we were f-ed.
Do I have any options here? I'm also concerned because the only place to file a complaint is at the land bank that seems to have a vendetta against us anyways. The land bank seems to be the place that is guilty, so I don't want to have to go through them to get help. I have links to documents I signed and whatnot but I'm not sure of the policies of this subreddit. Any advice would be life changing. We are not legal savvy and this is all our money in the world thanks
Topic:
Real Estate law

Answer:
 I would assume the buyer is only interested because they know someone else wants the parcels.  Expect them to contact you to try to make a profit by selling to you for even more.Answer #2: It doesn't sound like there is much you can do besides protest. Government workers are unfortunately not the most reliable about following through in a timely manner. Especially since it sounds like the person or company that outbid you was on top of things. Chances are they would have outbid you anyway on all three of the properties since they were willing to go over your highest bid for the one.

I would also assume that you will be shortly contacted by the buyer who will offer to sell you the property for more then they bought it for. That, or they bought the property thinking that the area may be starting to gentrify and snatched up the lots so they could develop them later. Either way I'm sorry but legally speaking there's not much to be done.


Title: Girlfriend served by ex-fiance for rent money - Utah

Question:
Hi everyone,
I live in Salt Lake City, UT and my current girlfriend just got served papers for small claims court. I'll do my best to summarize:

Her ex-fiance moved out here from back east after my current girlfriend finished grad school. She got a job here and he came out to be with her, this was back in July. Things ended up not working out and the marriage was called off and they broke up.
We started dating in December about 2 months after the break-up. She moved out of the apartment that they co-signed a year long lease together. There was a verbal agreement that it would be best if she moved out. Her half of the rent when she was living there was about 800 dollars per month. The new place she moved into was 500 dollars per month.

He did ask for financial help about 3 weeks after she moved out, and they agreed over text message (these messages are saved) that she would pay the difference, 300 dollars to him every month. She offered to find him a roommate to help make up the cost, to which he refused.

So there are 2 months left on the lease, and my girlfriend was tired of paying and helping him. She went back over her payment history and she had payed all of May 2015's rent on her own. So she sent him a message saying, "I've already paid enough due to May of 2015, I'm not paying you any more money. I'd also like to come over and get my remaining furniture." He never replied.
3 weeks later she gets served that he is taking her to small claims court for 2100 dollars, claiming she owes half the rent since she moved out.

They still have a shared checking account and she thought about saying, just keep all of the checking account as she hasn't used it except to transfer the 300 dollars every month.

Is it reasonable to expect him to win and she will have to pay all of the 2,000 dollars? We couldn't find anything in the Utah rental laws saying that when you co-sign, you are legally required to pay half, rather it's agreed upon by the parties that signed.
We plan on consulting with a lawyer, but any advice anyone can give would be great so that we are better prepared for when we meet. Thanks in advance and I'm happy to answer any follow-up questions.

Answer:
 That verbal agreement means nothing. A contract was signed and she is leaving him to dry for the other half of rent.

Legally in any situation if you don't pay after breaking a lease, you will lose in court if the landlord sues.

Likely she'll have to pay the other half because she signed a contract with him.

If he doesn't pay, the landlord will sue him and her ex will sue your gf for the money owed towards rent (she signed for)

Your girlfriend is going to lose in court.

I'd be wary of this girl, you're being dragged into drama that you likely didn't sign up for.


Title: [AZ] stopping a shoplifter

Question: I was walking into Walmart this morning and a guy holding onto his jacket with significant bulges under it was running at a pretty good speed out the door as I was walking up. The point at which he passed me was just before the road in front of the store. He was being chased by no less than 3 employees, and I contemplated laying him out for a split second and then decided not. The question is, under these specific circumstances, what consequences could I suffer if I HAD tackled and/or tried to use force to stop him.

Answer: It's not your business. Don't get involved. You don't know what's going on you only think you know.


Title: My mom just got a letter in the mail evicting her for being late on rent that was due on the first. Landlord was out of town until the 4-5th of this month.

Question: Can he do this? My mom hasn't missed a payment in the 12 years that we have lived here. Along with this we have a leaky basement and a hole in the ceiling that was never fixed after water damage caused by an old shower. Also my mom payed them on on the 8th and the landlord cashed the check on the 10th. One day later the eveiction notice was made.(date on the paper) - Linesville, PA

Answer:
 He can send her an eviction notice if she's even a day late in rent in PA, apparently; however, since she's paid, the notice is now void [according to this](http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/eviction-notices-nonpayment-rent-pennsylvania.html). (Unless he's charging her late fees and she didn't pay those; she should pay those, if so.)

But if your rent is due on the first and your landlord is back in town on the 4th or 5th, don't wait until the 8th to pay.


Title: (IN) Can someone really sue for publication of private facts?

Question:
(USA, Indiana) Long story short, a neighbor does not like the other neighbor. So neighbor A posted a video of neighbor B allegedly speeding/maybe a rolling stop (?) through a street in the neighborhood. The neighbor A posted said video on a public neighborhood forum and berated neighbor B while also giving their full name and address.
Can neighbor B sue neighbor A for posting his name and address online?

Answer: I just can't find any "private" facts here...at all.


Title: [Virginia] Can I ask a neighbor to remove photos of my property from her photography website?

Question:
Hey everyone!  I have a psychopathic neighbor. Literally a psychopath. She seems to think she's a gifted photographer and she's had her kids laying around in my yard taking photos of them to post on her website. When I say a neighbor, I mean 400 yards away on a different street - but close enough.

So, as I didn't sign a release or anything, can I ask her to remove photos of my property from her business website?

Thanks!

Answer:
 You can ask anything you want.

If the photos were taken from a public location, though, it's unlikely you could FORCE her to do so.Answer #2: Doubt your can force her to take them down, but you could always ask.

And if they are trespassing on your property to take the pics, you can definitely work on putting a stop to that. Let them know they aren't allowed on your property (maybe post some no trespassing signs) and then if they do it again, call the cops on them. Answer #3: Virginia Lawyer here; there are some additional requirements in Virginia to make a person liable for criminal trespass that would be recommended than merely communicating a desire they not be on your lawn. I would post some signage, notify them by writing, and possibly file a Notice of Trespass with the local Sheriff. For information on how to do any of the following, speak with a local attorney.


Title: DIY Divorce

Question:
So my wife stated to me about 6 months ago that she wants a divorce. I thought things were going better with us, but apparently not. Anyway, we're both reasonable and not vindictive.

He have a 6 y/o son togther
We own a home together
All of our other finances are kept separate.
She states she does not want child support (however I will pay half of his clothes, food, extracurricular activities-I would offer this as I feel it's right)
We both agree to sell home and split the profit
She will have primary custody (he will attend the school I work at--BIG deal for me) I will get him every other weekend. We haven't discussed school breaks yet, but I don't see that being an issue.

Neither of us wants to spend a ton of money. Can we do this through mediation? Or is a lawyer for each of us really necessary. I have a feeling if I mention lawyer she will push for child support, which I can pay, but would rather pay as I said above.

Thanks for the advice!r

Edit: location CA

Answer:
 Mediation is definitely possible.  At least in my state, everyone filing for divorce gets sent to mediation anyway, lawyer or no.
Definitely make sure you understand the agreement you sign, though, and document everything.  Nothing verbal, and nothing “understood”. Making assumptions on a custody agreement is an express ticket back to court.


Title: Someone has been stealing packages off my doorstep; if I booby trap a package will I be held legally liable?

Question: Say I fill a package with giant hornets, venomous scorpions, or an aggressive venomous snake; could I be sued if the thief steals it and opens it?

Answer: You will be in more legal trouble than if you stood there and beat the thief yourself.Answer #2: Set up a hidden camera, that way you will avoid any legal battleAnswer #3: Yes, you would have both criminal and civil liability.


Title: [Washington] Can I file a letter somewhere that tells my neighbor I'll let him keep his fence up, but that if he sells, it has to be removed?

Question: The fence is a few inches on my property. Furthermore. He paid solely for the fence, do I have the right to paint my side of the fence?

Answer:
 Yes.

Sit down with an attorney and ask him to help you write up an agreement,  for you.  I am not sure which terms of the agreement will be legal or not.  I am not sure what all SHOULD be included in it.

But, basically, you would just say:  "You may keep your fence on my property until... provided that you maintain it... and this that and the other thing."

I am not so much look at this from the perspective of forcing the fence to be removed upon sale.  But, more this agreement would invalidate any claims against adverse possession.


Title: [TN] I recently got on a month-to-month lease with my apartment complex under the agreement that I would leave at the end of July, now they are telling me to leave at the end of June?

Question: I'm renovating my mother's home so I can move into the downstairs. My lease expired back at the end of May and we all agreed to convert to a month-to-month lease. I don't believe that the lease specifies when I have to leave, but we verbally agreed that I would leave at the end of July. Last Monday they called and said that they rented out the apartment and we have to leave at the end of June. I will have no where to go since the home will not be ready by then and don't even know if I can pack everything in time now. Are they really allowed to basically give us two and a half weeks notice to leave? I have a daughter who I share custody with. I'm nervous that not having a place to live (even if it's just for a few days/weeks) will hurt our changes of gaining custody.

Answer: They are required to give you 30 days written notice. If you aren't moved out after 30 days, they have to file eviction paperwork, then you go to court. They can't change the locks or physically remove you or your stuff until there is a court order allowing it.


Title: [CO] My sister was told she will probably be fired if she is diagnosed with anxiety.

Question:
I apologize if this turns out to be a long story. I want to paint a good picture of what has been happening,  but I'll try to keep it short. And it may not even be a legal question tbh, I know she can be fired and collect unemployment and that's likely what she will do, but I do feel like a few lines have been crossed and wonder if she has anything to defend herself with before she gets fired.

My older sister has some mild social disorders (ADD, mild hoarding tendencies, that sort) that make it somewhat difficult for her to function normally in society. If she isnt in a job that is a good fit she doesn't last very long. But she can be really friendly and personable when she needs to be, and when she has a job that **is** a good fit, she flourishes. We thought she had found that job and for the last 10 months things have been great, boss was totally cool, coworkers all got along, great. It's a small dental practice.

Then about a month ago he hired a new office manager, despite a few of the existing employees expressing their eagerness to step up and take on those responsibilities, feeling like they had a good group of people and could handle things without bringing in someone new. But they were overruled and he hired a new OM. She is overbearing and making all types of changes and morale is way down. To make things worse, the boss who everyone used to love is siding with the new OM. A few employees, including my sister, are discretely looking for new jobs already.

Needless to say, this has my sister stressed out, but she was hanging in there.... until 2 days ago. She asked to take an extra long lunch (2 hrs tops) to help with a family emergency and the OM and boss said no. In the past her boss has said several times that he has a "family first" approach when it comes to his employees and has been understanding, but this time he threw his hands in the air and said "You do whatever OM tells you to do. I'm not getting involved anymore. The next person who comes to me over this stuff is getting written up!"

 She was upset but went back to work. She later started feeling dizzy and anxious and they wound up taking her blood pressure and it was 180/107.

(Side note here, a few weeks ago she felt dizzy at work and her bp was high then, too, but not scary high. She made a mental note to follow up on that with a doctor, and finished her day out at work with no incident. So this BP thing has happened before, but she really was just finding out about it.)

An hour or so later they took it again and it was 208/115, so they told her to go to the ER. They also told her not to come back without a doctor's clearance. They didn't offer to drive her there themselves or call an ambulance, they made her leave and drive herself. In the midst of a hypertensive emergency.

She goes to the ER, they do a few tests. Her BP was returning to normal.  The doctor continues monitoring her pressure while he asks her pointed questions and the stress of those questions sent her BP dangerously high again. He said he strongly suspects this is coming about from stress, and that she has generalized anxiety disorder, and agoraphobia in addition to that. Both make a lot of sense now that we think about it, but she had never been diagnosed with those things and didn't know that letting herself get stressed could have such a dangerous physical effect on her.

Now this is where I think OM crossed a line. Probably not illegal, but SUPER shitty. She called my sister that night and without any niceties flat out asked my sister *what the official diagnosis is and what meds they put her on*. My sister was caught off guard and mentioned anxiety, but she did catch herself before disclosing any more info. The OM then told her that if this was an anxiety attack they don't think she will be able to continue to do the job. Despite the fact that my sister HAS been doing the job just fine, and is now getting a diagnosis and treatment to attempt to correct the issue! I think they are just looking at this as a way to get rid of her, because if they weren't they would give her a chance to recover and see if the meds help keep her BP stabilized. She has never been a bad employee to them, her feedback was always great before the new OM came onboard.

Again, sorry if this is boring standard "they didn't do anything illegal, they can fire her and she can collect unemployment" fare. We know that's probably the case. But I did think that making her driver herself to the ER when she was in a crisis, as well as point blank asking her about her medical diagnosis and medications, are both extremely inappropriate. And then using her specific diagnosis as the sole reason for termination? I just don't know. Does she have any leg to stand on besides collecting unemployment and chalking it up to another shitty life experience? Is there anything else we should know, like other programs she may qualify for or people she should talk to?

TLDR: Sister goes into a hypervolemic crisis at work, boss tells her to drive herself to the ER and she isn't allowed back at work without a doctor's release. ER doc says the crisis was brought on by anxiety and agoraphobia. Both are new diagnosis for her. That night her office manager calls asking what the official diagnosis was, and what meds they put her on. My sister made the mistake of telling her, and the OM said if this was an anxiety attack she probably can't do her job there anymore. It's a desk job, and btw this is the first time she's had to leave work because of this, so it's even not a reoccurring problem and she's on meds for it now! I just don't know wtf, probably not illegal but it still tastes 31 flavors of wrong.

I'm a big fan of this sub and just wanted to run this one by you all. Thanks!

Edited for typos

Answer:
 So that's not exactly "You'll be fired if you have anxiety".  That's "if you can't control anxiety attacks, then you can't do your job adequately".  I'm not a medical guy, but perhaps your sister should look into a service animal -- a dog that's trained to recognize changes in her behavior.

A comment about the boss and his siding with OM:  I've seen similar situations before.  In my experience, this happens when a boss is ineffective at discipline or direct interpersonal management -- he doesn't like the way people behave but lacks the fortitude to make things change.  So he hires an office manager who can do those things, and distances himself from the problem.Answer #2: A lot of people drive themselves to the hospital with high blood pressure. If they are an adult, your sister needs to make her own medical decisions. We tell people to call 911 if they feel like it is a medical emergency to cover own asses. I cannot tell her if it is a medical emergency based on the phone. She needs to make the decision for herself.


Title: Sexual Harassment Claim Help

Question:
Today i have just been terminated from my job do to a claim of sexual harassment that i and others no not to be true. They say they have written statments and i was wondering if i could legally ask to see those statments? This is all in Texas
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer:
 They will produce them if they challenge your unemployment on that basis.

Otherwise, move on, they can fire you even if you are not guilty.


Title: [US / Canada] Fraudulently obtained US citizenship - am I legally stateless?

Question:
My parents both only hold US citizenship, and for my entire life I was told I was born at home in the US. My birth certificate indicates this. However, I recently found out I was actually born in Canada while my parents were on vacation, and for some reason they thought it was (illegal?) to give birth in Canada? So they literally rushed back into the US to make it look like I was born there.

&#x200B;

My questions -

**Am I legally an American citizen, since my parents took a fraudulent path to obtain my birth certificate?**

**Am I Canadian? From what I understand I am entitled to Canadian citizenship just by being born there.**

Answer:
 Assuming this is true, you'd have the right to be a US citizen anyway, since both your parents were citizens and they were living here at the time.

You might have a right to Canadian citizenship if you could prove you were born there.

This is not a can of worms you should go out of your way to open, IMO.Answer #2: No, you are most definitely not stateless.  Even if you were born abroad, you'd still be eligible for American citizenship as your parents were Americans who were merely in Canada on vacation.

Before giving you any advice I should ask how old are you and what do you want to come of this?  Answer #3: Are you the same guy who asked this question a few weeks ago? If so, the answer hasn't changed. You're an American, good luck proving Canadian citizenship if your patents gave birth at home and smuggled you into the US without telling anyone.

If you aren't the same person, it all depends if you can prove the Canadian birth.


Title: [AL, USA] I was fired from my job over petty customer complaints, yet a coworker who assaulted another employee is still employed. Is there a case of any kind here?

Question: [deleted]

Answer: File for unemployment and look for a new job. There's nothing actionable here: employers don't have to be even-handed or fair.


Title: My SO was fired from her job. She was being sexually harassed by a man who put in ~20 years at this company.

Question:
My SO told her boss about how she was not feeling comfortable being around this guy and he just laughed it off. She did not want to straight up tell him that she was being sexually harassed because she is relatively new to the company. I guess word got around that she might go to the owner if this guy continued and the boss fired her. She asked for reasons and they could not provide any for her. Is there anything that we could do? We have Facebook messages of the harassment also.
This is in Illinois
Thanks a lot in advanced.

Answer: If she didn't formally report the harassment, they wouldn't have any reason to formally investigate it. As it stands, she sounds like a liability to the company if they are hearing things about her going to the owner. And they can fire her for it.


Title: Someone broke my suitcase

Question:
I just got back from a trip and I realized only when I got home that my suitcase was broken, the outside part is ruined. Someone from the airport probably handled it poorly, what can I do in this situation?
It was a really good and expensive suitcase. :/

Answer: OP- Since it sounds like you have no idea who (the airline, airport, or some other transportation company/service) caused the damage, you're going to have an *extremely* difficult time getting anyone to reimburse you.


Title: I was given a job title promotion effective April 1st, fired July 30th, all remaining employees who had the same title change got a check retroactive to April 1st on Oct 1st

Question:
This is in Connecticut.

Our department had a reorganization that was effective 01-April. I was given a job title that was one higher than my previous title. HR told us that there would be no other job changes at that time, but that come review time any salary increase would be retroactive to the 01-Apr date.

I found out from a friend that still works there that they all received payments on 01-Oct that was the difference in the new salary and was retroactive back to 01-Apr. he also stated that at no point was there a formal review and that the new salary and retro pay was just sent to them.

I was terminated from the job on 30-July for “lack of performance” during the meeting with HR they never cited any actual performance related issue and the only thing my department director kept saying was that I was disloyal to his team because I had reach out to the project management department to learn about positions and requirements of their department since I have a master’s degree in project management. My state’s unemployment claim was approved as well because there was no evidence I broke a company policy or didn’t perform

So my simple question is this, does the company “owe” me any retro pay from between 01-April through 30-Jul since during that time I was at a higher position than I was being paid for.

If they do, how would I go about contacting them or what avenue would I take to inquire or collect?
Topic:
Employment Law

Answer:
 >So my simple question is this, does the company “owe” me any retro pay from between 01-April through 30-Jul since during that time I was at a higher position than I was being paid for.

No.

You were promoted without a raise and accepted the terms by continuing to work for the company.

Any retroactive raises were surely dependent on you still being with the company by Oct. 01, which you were not.

Sorry, but I do not see a legal recourse available for you.

You were indeed entitled to unemployment (if not for the reasons you list), and I hope you found a new job since. Good luck, OP.


Title: Might have lost my fake ID on campus, what can happen?

Question:
Hey everyone, to preface this I am already 21 and it was really stupid of me to still have my fake ID's in my wallet (or to have them in general). Basically I was rushing from one class to another, and after the second class I went to buy a bagel and realized that all of my cards fell out of my wallet and into my pocket. I instantly started freaking out and checking my fakes, and I think I might be missing one, though it seems all of my other cards are still there (not missing debit or credit, etc). I could just be paranoid, but I am not sure if I had one or two of my fakes in my wallet, and I only found one when I checked.

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If it did fall down while I was rushing to class and somebody found it on the floor and brought it to a college official so that they could reach out to me (not knowing it's a fake), what could come of this? It is a big university (40,000+ undergrads) so they will probably have to check the info on the card as well, and when they realize it doesn't match up I'm worried it could be a problem. I am also really worried that they might give it straight to the police so that they can return it, and the police could realize it is a fake.

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Am I being paranoid, or am I in deep trouble? I am in a really prestigious engineering program (top 5 in the country) and I don't know what I would do if I messed this up over something this stupid.

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Answer:
 Is your REAL name on a FAKE ID?

Brother... Answer #2: If anyone asks about it, decline to talk to them. Legally it's a weak case without you helping incriminate yourself, so not talking to the police is in your best interest.

The school does not need to meet the same legal bar as the police, they could take action independent of the police. However a criminal charge is more likely to cause them to take action, so that's the most important thing to avoid.


Title: Is it legal for my boss to require one-on-one meetings with me as terms of my employment? (CA)

Question:
 I do not feel comfortable having meetings alone with my boss- he often gives me approval for work and then insists that he hasn't. As a result, I've told him that I am only willing to meet with him if there are witnesses. I've expressed to him that meeting alone with him makes me uncomfortable, as he doesn't seem to remember the things he tells me and then accuses me of taking advantage of the company.

He has just told me that if I am to continue my employment, I must meet with him alone. Is it legal for him to require that of me? I'm working in CA.

Any info would be greatly appreciated!

Answer:
 Yes, it is perfectly legal for him to want to meet with you one-on-one.

Keep a notebook and keep a record of what you discuss when you meet with your boss.  Send follow-up emails after the meeting confirming what he wants done.  Basically create a paper trail.Answer #2: > Is it legal for him to require that of me?

Of course. There is no law against one-on-one meetings.

But I'll suggest another course of action due to the problem it creates. As ohio_redditor suggests, send an email after the meeting to memorialize it:

*"Dear Boss Guy, per our meeting this afternoon I will move forward on project X by purchasing Y and folding it into Z. The only outstanding issue is whether or not we're going to do Q, I'll await your word on that. If there are any additional details I need, please let me know. Thank you, Preguntona3."*

This isn't legal advice but practical advice. When I have meetings and my employees send me these emails it's helpful for me as well as for them.


Title: (PA) Divorce through Legalzoom

Question:
I am trying to get an uncontested divorce, i had a friend that used legalzoom in the state of PA and said that they would fill out the paperwork, and set me in the right direction for an uncontested divorce.

I received the paperwork and followed their directions which had me file in a county other than the one my spouse and I live in, I filed and my spouse had a lawyer look over the paperwork and she said that because of the county I filed in (I live in Chester county and i was told to file in Cameron county) that nothing was valid and i have to start over.

i hope i can get some clarification.

Thanks

Answer:
 > I filed and my spouse had a lawyer look over the paperwork

OP's about to lose some serious money on this.  If your spouse has an attorney, you absolutely need one.Answer #2: The lawyer is right. You gotta file in the county you live in. You should see if they offer pro se help.


Title: (IL) - Individual Lease, Roommate left heat off when she left for winter break and a pipe exploded

Question:
I live in an apartment on a college campus, and am renting one bedroom in a two bedroom apartment with an individual lease. My roommate is a Chinese international student who I don't know too well.

I left for winter break at the beginning of December because I had no finals. My roommate went home about three weeks later, and it appears that she turned the heat off when she left (we were sent multiple emails telling us NOT to do this and it is specified in the lease that the apartment must be maintained at 65*, which I was careful to do while I was here). Because of where we live, it went below freezing numerous times while neither of us were here, and on Saturday a pipe in the living room burst, flooding that room and all the rooms beneath us. When I returned on Sunday evening, the water had mostly been cleaned up and the pipe repaired.

I went into the office on Monday morning and was assured that, as none of this was my fault, I wouldn't be charged. However, I received an email this morning telling me to come in on Friday and "discuss charges with the manager". I have a lot of proof that I left early in December, long before she did, and I honestly believe that under an individual lease I shouldn't be expected to share charges for damage that someone else caused. Hell, they should know that I was trying to follow their instructions because when they went into my bathroom they would have found the cabinets open and the faucet dripping. I have renter's insurance but it'll be useless in this situation, as none of my stuff was damaged except a rug.

I can't contact my roommate, as she's currently in China, and I don't think I'd know how to get ahold of her anyway. I understand that *someone* will probably have to pay - are there any steps I should take to make sure it's not me, since I really had nothing to do with it?

Thank you in advance for any advice.

Answer:
 If you have individual leases, you will have to prove she turned the heat off.

Landlord could theoretically come after both of you regardless of individual leases.  However if you can prove you did not the heat off, you are fine.  Jointly and severally liability is not in play here.


Title: (NJ, USA) FIL falls for internet scams - next steps?

Question:
In recent years, my father in law (FIL) has become susceptible to online romance scams.  He feels lonely and alone, and is easy prey for "young women" who just need a few thousand dollars to return to the USA.  He has been told repeatedly and explicitly by his family, friends, and even Western Union once - that he is being scammed out of money.

It escalated further this holiday, as it became evident that he’s fallen victim to a textbook international gold scam.  He brought a large sum of money when visiting, and intending to exchange it in a neighboring state for physical gold or money.  His adult children all sat down with him and tried to convince him for *hours* that this was a scam - but no amount of emotional or logical reasoning could make him realize that he might be throwing his money away.

We all want to help FIL but he feels like he is being "attacked" from all sides.  We will be consulting with an elder care lawyer soon, as conservatorship (or guardianship) seems to be the only viable end state.  However, it should be swift and decisive - to spare time, stress, and expense for family and FIL alike.

Should we involve law enforcement as soon as possible?  (If so, who?)  Would this actually be effective in preventing FIL from sending money to dodgy sources, or more like playing whack-a-mole with other scams?   There is concern that if FIL sees further meddling in his affairs/independence that he will burn bridges, erect legal barriers, and/or keep better secrets - perhaps hindering conservatorship/guardianship efforts.

Edit: TIL the difference between conservatorship / guardianship

Answer: Is he mentally unable to care for himself? Because falling for scams isn't going to be enough for him to lose his right to be an adult and make his own choices.


Title: Please help- received a $1500+ bill for damages done to a pole in a city I haven't been to in years.

Question:
This is in Oklahoma.

I go visit my mom over the weekend and as I'm leaving she tells me there's some old mail she's been forgetting to tell me about. It's an invoice from Claims Management Resources in Oklahoma City in the sum of over $1500. It was mailed to my mother's old address in April. I haven't lived there since 2009.

The attached letter states that the amount is for the cost of labor, transportation, and materials to repair an Oklahoma Gas & Electric pole in Oklahoma City and that the damages to the pole were discovered on 3/25/2015.

I am beyond confused. I didn't do this. I live hours away from Oklahoma City and the last time I was there was when my grandma drove me and some other relatives to have lunch with my great aunt in 2012. No damages to any poles were done during this time. Before that, I hadn't visited OKC since I was a kid.

I contacted the number on the letter yesterday to explain my situation, and I was sent to someone's voice mail who has yet to contact me back. Hopefully I hear from them soon.

What can I do about this?

TL;DR- Received a bill for damages to a pole that I didn't damage in a city I haven't been to in years. Waiting to hear back from the company charging me and needing advice on how to resolve this.

Answer:
 > What can I do about this?

Exactly what you are doing.  Contact them, find out the reasoning, figure out why they're pinning it on you.  If it's improper, dispute the charges with them.Answer #2: I'd move all your communication to writing, and avoid using the phone. This way, nobody can "forget" or "misspeak". Send a short, polite letter (2-3 sentences should be fine) telling them what you told us: that you've never driven in OKC, you've never hit any poles anywhere, and you'd like a copy of all supporting documentation.

It could be that you were charged in a criminal proceeding and you never received the summons, and they're going on that.


Title: (California) Neighbor shooting birds, who can I call?

Question:
My neighbor is shooting birds (with what I assume is a BB gun).  Is there any law enforcement agency I can call on them?  I have photos of birds being shot and video of the sounds from their backyard.

I'm in San Diego.

Answer:
 That would be the law enforcement agency, otherwise known as the police. They should have a non\-emergency contact number.Answer #2: Sounds like something the Fish and Wildlife Department would be interested in.

Here is their website: https://www.wildlife.ca.gov

Edit: Appears they also have a 24hr tip line. 1-888-334-2258


Title: I work for Dominos in Washington

Question:
In their image standards it said you must be clean shaven, I went to urgent care since my doctor is retiring and they gave me a note saying "please allow (patient) to shave less frequently), he is allergic to shaving products"
They are telling me to shave on a daily basis still or I will be fired.
They also told me I need to get a note from a "real" doctor and not urgent care

Answer:
 This is your third post complaining about this job in five days. None of your complaints have been actionable.

It's probably time to find a new job.Answer #2: Im not sure if bearded is a protected class.

You don't need shaving products to shave. I use hair conditioner and it's the best thing Ive ever used.


Title: Landords fining me for HOA violations but never received HOA Rules

Question:
Colorado Springs.

Inoperable vehicle and Trashcans left out.

I've never received any form of HOA guidelines, when I emailed the HOA company (MSI HOA) they told me that it was up to the owners/landlords to give me the rulebook.

I just learned from a neighbor that the trash cans have to be inside the garage (I put them in back yard behind fence), so thats where the trash fees are coming from.

However I have no inoperable vehicle, and cameras on the house to prove it. http://i.imgur.com/ln4jaf5.jpg

It's been over 3 months since they told me they'd give me / email me the HOA rules, but nothing yet.

They have not given me anything other than an email telling me the owners want $200 more on rent for HOA fines. No mail, nothing with a photo or log of the problem, no license plate or even a make/model.

So, what should I do?

EDIT: Landlords just called after I forwarded security camera of driveway to them. Seems that are in agreement with me that since I didn't know the rules I'm not liable.
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer: So don't pay the $200. If he takes it out of your security deposit you can sue him. Stop trying to argue with the HOA you don't owe them squat.


Title: [TX] My roommate turned in his keys and surrendered the apartment to avoid eviction. Can he do this without my consent?

Question:
I co-lease a two bedroom apartment with my roommate. Our rent is paid jointly, and I'm fairly sure our lease subjects us responsible to everything as a pair. We had some issues [detailed here](https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/5pydea/tx_getting_evicted_because_roommate_has_failed_to/). Yesterday, my apartment manager notified me he came in and surrendered his keys, and now it's up to me to decide what to do.

Is he legally allowed to surrender the unit/his keys without us doing it jointly? Instead of surrendering the unit, I'd much rather him work out the outstanding balance on his account with the apartment managers so I can still have my unit for when I visit for school/work (visiting my parents right now).

"Our" account also has $3000+ in fees from unpaid rent and late fees. I do not want to be subject to any of this, and he knows that it's all his fault/responsibility. I did request of him to provide written notice/documentation that he would be accountable for any balance in the account. Is this fair/accountable?

Answer:
 >Is he legally allowed to surrender the unit/his keys without us doing it jointly?

I don't know what that means.  Sure he can turn in his keys and leave, but that doesn't remove his obligations to pay whatever he's supposed to pay as per his contract.  If he doesn't pay his portion of the rent, then you are responsible to the landlord to bring the FULL rent to current.  If you don't pay all of the rent that the landlord is due, then the landlord will seek in court to recover the unit (formally evict both of you), and then sue both of you to recover any lost rent that the two of you should have paid.  The eviction may go on your "record" and you may have trouble renting for several years.  If your landlord sues you, or you pay your roommate's portion until you can get a sublet, then you can try to recover any of your losses by suing your old roommate (hint try to make sure you know where he is living and where he banks - because if you have to sue him, then you'll want that information).Answer #2: Sure. He's still (jointly with you) responsible for the unpaid rent, but at least with regard to the landlord, so are you. If you both don't pay, then the guarantors become liable.

Vacating the property can avoid an eviction being recorded. It does nothing in terms of rent owing, other than possibly not incurring further rent.


Title: Got Called Out and Breathalized (f/19)

Question:
This is in NC. Me and my 3 friends went out to the club just for a girls night. We pregamed and took an uber straight there. While waiting in line apparently someone had told an officer to come check on us cause of my friend being pretty loud and I guess it disturbed them that much. We were dumb enough to say that we had a shot of alcohol and agreed to a breathalizer. Me and my other friends are 18-19 and the other 22 so she was good. We blew and he charged us with underage possession of alcohol although we had nothing on us only our phones, money and ID. I'd understand if we got charged with under the influence or something like that but no. Is that the same thing or did the officer mischarge us?

Tldr/: Had a girls night and went out. Got called out and breathalized and was charged with underage possession of alcohol but had nothing on us. Were we wrongfully charged ?
Topic:
Alcohol Related Other than DUI

Answer: When you are currently drunk, you (a) have alcohol inside of you and (b) it’s pretty indisputable proof you very recently had possession of alcohol before  it was inside you.


Title: Do I have grounds

Question:
I'll do my best to explain this as well as I can, because it's complicated.
So I have a boss who is a monster. He's bullying and controlling in a way unlike I've ever seen. He owns and runs the company with his family, his wife is HR and it's on the same page with him, so there's no reporting his behavior to the company.
All the employees (including myself) cannot stand his behavior, but a lot of people live in the small town his business is in and don't have other options for good pay. These employees are the best group of people I Have ever met at a company, and the best co-workers I've ever had.
I could leave this business (and I will) but I don't want to leave the other employees here unprotected, and I'm curious to know if there's a way I can report him for abusing employees through irrational demands, or if there's no options? If you'd like details, I can explain I'm the comments.
Thanks again!

Answer: Theres nothing illegal in what you described. Your legal option is to quit.


Title: [UT] Gave notice of intent to vacate. Now landlord wants extra rent based on non-existent lease.

Question:
I'm renting a home in Utah county and I moved in two years ago, in August 2017. There was no lease paperwork and no rental agreement, I just started paying Rent and utilities on a month by month basis. At the end of June 2019 I decided to look for another place. I didn't find anything until mid July, and when I signed the new lease, I told my landlord I was leaving.

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I assumed that not having a lease meant there were no restrictions on when I could move out. For any first-time US renters in this thread, **That was a false assumption.** Turns out, even if you didn't sign a lease, your state has laws requiring you to give notice before moving out of a month-to-month tenancy, [found here](https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/state-rules-on-notice-required-to-change-or-terminate-a-month-to-month-tenancy.html). In fact, all but four states require some minimum notice, of which Utah is one. As far as I can tell, Utah tenants are not legally required to give *any* notice before ending a tenancy, unless it's spelled out in a lease or rental agreement.

&#x200B;

According to my landlord, I'm required to give a full calendar month notice before moving out. When I challenged him on this policy he said, "It was in the listing. It's the policy you agreed to by moving in". Since I only gave him two weeks notice instead of a full calendar month, he tells me I still owe August rent + utilities.

&#x200B;

So here's the question: **Is rental policy found "in the listing" where I "agreed to \[it\] by moving in" considered a valid rental agreement?**

&#x200B;

I've done some research on this already, but my findings have been inconclusive. Here's what I've found so far:

*  [Utah accepts verbal lease agreements.](https://www.american-apartment-owners-association.org/landlord-tenant-laws/utah/) I don't have to sign a contract to be bound by a lease.
* The terms of the rental agreement supersede state law.
*  According to [Utah State Code](https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title57/Chapter22/57-22-S4.html?v=C57-22-S4_2017050920170509) 57-22-4(6) the landlord's failure to provide a written agreement, while required, is not grounds for invalidating the agreement.

On the other side of things:

* I didn't sign anything when I moved in, and the only verbal agreement we made was how much rent I owed for the first month.
* If the listing is considered a valid rental agreement, nobody has a copy of it. Even if the landlord has a similar listing, there's no way to prove what was on the listing I saw in 2017 when I moved in.
* Without a rental agreement, I'm bound only by Utah State Law. (I'm not sure if this makes me a tenant-at-will)
* Nowhere in Utah Real Estate Code [57-22](https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title57/Chapter22/57-22.html) or [57-17](https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title57/Chapter17/57-17.html?v=C57-17_1800010118000101) does it mention notice of intent to vacate.
* The only state laws governing notice to vacate / intent to vacate [Specify the landlord must give 15 days notice.](https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title78B/Chapter6/78B-6-S802.html?v=C78B-6-S802_2016051020160510) The tenant isn't mentioned. As far as I can tell, tenants aren't required to give notice in Utah, unless it's spelled out in the lease / rental agreement that notice is required.

I'm hoping somebody here is familiar with Utah rental laws, because my search hasn't given me a solid answer. What do you guys think? Does the rent listing count as a rental agreement?
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 You are a month-to-month tenant. Utah requires month-to-month tenants to give notice 15 days before the end of the month. To end your tenancy before August 1st, you need to have given **written notice** on July 17th, or earlier. Written notice isn’t a text message or a verbal statement.

As for your question about the required notice in the listing; it’s moot now. Oral lease agreements are only valid if they are 12 months or less. Anything more than that either requires a written lease, or goes by month-to-month tenancy laws.


Title: whats the extent of fair use?

Question: [removed]

Answer:
 > to my knowledge (which could quite possibly be wrong), it's basically when you can use copyrighted material as long as you are not making money

Yes, that is completely incorrect.

> I was wondering if it would be legal to make a star wars game that's 100% free. With the characters and music etc.

No, that would almost certainly get you sued.


Title: I pled guilty to a conspiracy charge, but my alleged co-conspirator took the charge to trial and was found innocent. Doesn't this prove the conspiracy didn't happen and I should be set free?

Question: [deleted]

Answer: No. You chose to plea instead of trial, so you are stuck with the conviction.


Title: Does a radar work if the cop is behind me or is he going to claim he was pacing me ?

Question:
Had a run in with a god complex state trooper who claims I was speeding but he was so far back and could not have been pacing me.

I am going to court to fight it, he had a attitude form the get go and just need to know if it's possible to radar me from beind.

Thanks.

Answer: Radar absolutely works on cars going the same direction.


Title: Getting MyLife.com emails 3-4 times a day. Can't unsubscribe without logging in. I never signed up.

Question:
So MyLife.com emails me "updates" 3-4 times a day. I have tried to unsubscribe but that requires me to log in. I never signed up or created a log in, so I don't know the password, and I don't want to go any further into their shit services page, risking any viruses or cookies.

Some of the emails reference negative reviews of my personal information "that could ruin job prospects". Now, I realize they're trying to sell a service here, but it almost feels as if they're trying to blackmail me into purchasing a product they've created to get rid of negative reviews written on a site that they also created. This doesn't seem legal by any means.

Any help on stopping these emails without attempting to log into their shit site?

Answer: Block them using your spam filter.


Title: Friday Shitpost: Top All Time LA Comment

Question: Post your top all time /r/legaladvice comments so we waste time at work.

Answer:
 It is both my top LA comment, and my highest karma from anywhere:

>Dumb: fucking a 15-year-old when you're in your 30s. Dumber: getting pregnant by said 15-year-old. Dumbest: seeking legal proof of paternity.

>Your call after the call to your lawyer should be to the police.

From this [post](https://np.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/6bwv62/texas_35yo_pregnant_woman_claims_my_15yo_son_is/?utm_content=title&utm_medium=user&utm_source=reddit)Answer #2: Apparently [this](https://np.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/5j2max/my_husband_drained_our_accounts_and_wants_to_kick/) is my top comment of all time, which is weird - it's not a particularly well-researched or detailed comment.

My lowest-rated comments are all the times I've told people to stop storing firearms loaded.


Title: [PA] Bought a used car from dealer yesterday, 100miles/12 hours off the lot, car won't start etc. Am I protected by anylaw? 12 hours of the lot

Question: The car was sold as is with the basic mechanicschoice warranty. I test drove it and it was fine. Now the same day as the purchase all the dash lights come on saying transmission,airbag etc... Everything failure. This seems huge. Can I take the car back to the dealership? What rights do I have in being compensated for the repair. Today is literally the day after.

Answer:
 A weak or bad battery can cause all of the dash lights to illuminate.

The vehicle may have been sitting for a long time resulting in a weak battery... or it may have been marginally bad to begin with.

I'd pull the battery today and have a place like Advance Auto or Autozone load test it... then get with the dealer tomorrow in seeing if they'll help assist with the replacement if that's the problem.


Title: Received Traffic Ticket and Have 10 Days to Respond. Courthouse is Closed Until May 4. Help!

Question:
Hello r/legaladvice,

Michigan, United States

I received a ticket on 4/11 for going 65mph in a 55mph zone. The citation requires me to pay the ticket or contact the court within 10 days. I would like to schedule a hearing in hopes of getting the citation reduced to a non-moving violation since my driving record is perfectly clean, and there are some additional circumstances to the case. The court will not be open until at least 23 days after the citation was written, so what do I do?

Failure to respond to the citation within 10 days will lead to a default judgement and suspended license according to the back of the ticket. I don't want to pay the ticket and have my insurance increased because the court is closed and does not have an answering machine to leave a message. I sent an email using their website, but it will not send me a confirmation email, so that is not much help.

How should I go about managing this? I reached out to two lawyers, but they charge $300+ to take the case.

Answer: See if you can call the court or check their website. If you can't contact anyone,  call the city Attorney or State Attorney Generals office. One of them should be able to tell you how to handle this. They may tell you to mail in the citation(keep a copy) with the bail amount and request a hearing. Then you will have time to deal with it when the hearing date come up.Answer #2: Call the non emergency line and ask for a supervisor. They are more likely to have information on how to handle it.


Title: (FL) (Tenant) Apartment above us flooded, please advise

Question:
The apartment above us flooded when the discharge hose on their washer broke about 3 weeks ago. Now we have a huge discolored soggy spot on our utility closet ceiling, the electrical socket where the washer plugs in has a huge wet spot around it, and my son's closet which is on the back side of the closet has wet carpet and walls and ceiling. It took them 3 days initially to respond to our maintenance request, which I think is absurd considering the nature of the event.

Our A/C has been on the fritz, cycling on and off for the past month or so as well, if it's related I don't know, but we can't really run it much because it just keeps turning on and off. Our lease states that if we move out before the end of the lease we have to pay X amount of money or pay rent until it's rented out again. We don't necessarily want to move out, but based on their seeming lack of interest (the maintenance guy literally said he can't do anything about it) in fixing this issue, I don't feel comfortable paying another months rent. My wife is 7 months pregnant and my son is almost 5 years old, I do not feel safe having them around wet electrical sockets, and I know it's only a matter of time before the mold sets in, being in Florida and all. I don't consider these safe living conditions for my family.  The place has also had a roach problem since before we moved in. They kind of did a bait and switch on us by showing us a really nice building, then moving us into a dumpy one. My fault for not inspecting the exact unit, lesson learned. I'm very unhappy with the situation.

I have photos on my phone that I have been taking since this all started. What are my options here? Someone told me I should deposit the money into an escrow account and deliver them a letter demanding the problems be fixed. My friend just left this complex as well due to mold problems in his hallway from a leaking bath tub, they offered to let him move into another unit across the hall. If they try to move us to another unit will they pay the movers? I was in the hospital in May and I have some serious damage, so I'm about worthless when it comes to moving anything heavier than a few pounds. I don't think I should have to pay to be moved because they won't keep up with their maintenance.

If I do end up having to move out I won't be able to afford the move, the new place, and the cost of leaving the lease early. Rent is due on the first, and I don't know what to do. Any help is appreciated, thanks!

EDIT: [Some pictures of the damage](http://imgur.com/ozmd1rz,oVIDk9u,Cr5Mp1K,3upBOh4,EAgtWPd,vBHleKP,mf4UIpY#0)

Answer:
 OP- Sorry to hear that you're in a difficult situation. I'll do my best to give you some business and legal perspective. As usual, IANAL.

1) Have you notified your property manager about the issue(s) in *writing* (and via certified mail)? It's going to be important to have a paper trail you can point to so your PM isn't claiming that you never notified them.

2) Have you tried reaching out to your property manager's corporate office for assistance (assuming they have one)? That would be the first point of escalation/step I would take.

3) It doesn't *look* like an functioning AC unit is a requirement in FL. Assuming this is true, your malfunctioning AC unit wouldn't be grounds to break your lease. [Here's](https://www.furnacecompare.com/air-conditioners/is-air-conditioning-a-right.html) a good article on AC units in Florida rentals.

4) The water around the electrical outlets does seem potentially problematic. You might try contacting your local code-enforcement office (your city our country should have one) and seeing if they'll have an inspector come out to your unit to take a look at it.

EDIT- Cleaned up the formatting, added more detail to point one.


Title: Swindled by renters?

Question:
I'm a college student and I had been scoping this complex out, but I feel like I've been wronged and need to know if these are the grounds to have my contract terminated early.

1. The complex advertises free wifi outside of their buildings, in their brochures, and in their contract, but until after I sign most of the forms, they tell me it isn't included and I have to pay. Up until then I was told in was included, my mother even called to make sure beforehand so I don't understand why I'm being charged.

2. I had my application to live their approved last month, but because of my job, couldn't move in within the period they wanted me to. So, they voided my deposit and application, however, I did not receive my deposit back and they held onto my information and continued to call me on regular basis (every other day) to come in, despite my apprehension.

3. I was told after I signed the contract that they won't be able to finalize it until after I officially move in (bring my stuff in) and fill out some more forms by a due date. However, they seemingly changed their minds about that rule when I tried to get out of my lease

4. I filled out a reservation form and was guaranteed a room on the second floor, but until after I sign the contract they hand me the keys and tell me I'm on the first floor and they're charging me additional money for that. I brought it up to the staff, but they all sided with each other and said it was on the first floor the whole time

5. I had a emergency situation that so affected my finances arise and I told them before I even stepped into the room, that I was going to have to cancel the lease and I thought they would have no problem since i hadn't even seen the room or moved anything in and they told me another girl was trying to rent my room and told me to come in the next day"or else she'd take it" which I think only pressured me further to signing

6. I literally called 5 minutes after I signed because I felt a bad feeling in my stomach, and asked to go over it again, but they avoided my calls

Are these some grounds to get me out of my lease without any trouble? I understand how important a contract is, but I do feel like I was mislead and taken advantage of most likely because I am young and look even younger. Please help

Answer:
 You list a handful of times you could have easily walked away. Instead you let them push you to do something you weren't sure about.

Be more assertive in the future. Read your lease like a hawk to see what it says about wifi and canceling. And if they don't follow the lease log it by emailing them with yourself cced and telling them to address it.

But none of these are reasons to break a lease... Probably.


Title: Employeer got a cat in out office, my wife is allergic

Question:
About 6 months ago, my boss got allowed the request of one of my coworkers to get a cat for the office. I protested and said my wife may be allergic but he/she said that they had always wanted a cat and it was going to happen. It did.

Come to find out, my wife is severely allergic and can tell if the cat has been near me at work. Coincidentally enough, for the first time in my life, I have had allergies that have really hurt my health as I have preexisting conditions that affect what medicine I can take. I am considering getting a allergy test and if the results are positive for cats, then show it to the boss with a request we no have a cat.

What can I do? Should I just say I will only work from home.

Edit: I am in California

Answer:
 > What can I do? Should I just say I will only work from home.

You can try. Absent an employment contract or union membership that states otherwise, you can probably expect to be fired (I'm going to assuming you're in one of the vast majority of states in the U.S. that would make you an at will employee).Answer #2: You can ask, but your employer could still allow the cat. I'd argue that would be a case for constructive dismissal and you could probably get unemployment if you refuse to work around the cat.


Title: (GA) Friend is about to be kicked out of his parents house, is there anything that he can do?

Question:
A close friend of mine was told today by his parents that he may be kicked out of the house tomorrow. Given that this is all happening on such short notice, he has no where to stay or go. I understand that as he is an adult, they have no obligation to support him or keep him under their roof, but I'm wondering if there's a legal way to buy him enough time to find other arrangements. Some states require that landowners give a certain amount of notice to tenants before eviction, but I'm not sure he would qualify as he doesn't pay rent.

Any advice?

Answer: Legally his parents need to give proper notice, but that doesn't mean they won't ignore that and put all his shit out on the lawn and change the locks. If that happens, his only recourse would be to sue them, which he's not guaranteed to win and the lawsuit isn't going to keep him warm in the meantime even if he does win eventually.


Title: Neighbor in my commercial building, remodeling...with lots of jack hammering. It's disrupting business for everyone in the building. Any liability here?

Question:
Basically we share a building with a tenant, a surgery center, that decided Monday morning would be a good time to do jack hammering for their remodeling...on top of a phone room with 100 people. Thousands in marketing dollars and payroll is being lost per hour. They briefly paused but stated they will resume at 11am. The manager running the show stated they were not doing anything illegal. Whereas it might not be illegal wouldn't it create liability to disrupt someone's business like that? Aren't there noise ordinances for such activity?

Your thoughts appreciated. Thanks

Edit: locationbot advised that I should include a location. This is taking place in Pompano Beach FL.

Answer:
 There are noise ordinances, but they usually don't apply to permitted construction work during designated hours. It may be something to take up with the commercial building owner as something that violates your lease, especially if advance notice wasn't given.

If you list your city someone may be able to point out the specific codes for your area.


Title: Landlord shut my power off n the wrong day, all of my food went bad.

Question:
a few days ago I got a letter from my landlord saying a bill was due by the 7th, and if it was not paid in time my power would be shut off on the 9th. Well, yesterday (the 6th) the power was apparently shut off when I was at work. We didn't get power back on until around 230am today (the 7th).  I lost a TON of food from my fridge and freezer, probably $200 worth of meat, eggs, dairy, etc... This appears to be a mistake on the apartment offices end. I will walk in later today to discuss my situation with them. What can I do?

Edit: I'm in Florida

Answer: Are you sure the food is bad? That doesn't sound like enough outage to ruin *everything* as a closed refrigerator is a great insulator.


Title: Running late? Your shift is cancelled!

Question:
Hey everyone! My employer recently announced she’ll be cancelling shifts of employees who don’t show up on time so we “shouldn’t bother”.  Is this legal? To my understanding it isn’t. I live in Ontario, Canada.
Topic:
Canada

Answer: I could be wrong but I believe its 24 hrs notice to cancel a shift. Just call ministry of labour. They're there to answer your questions


Title: Dog repeatedly attacking me.

Question:
I live in a somewhat urban area (Cincinnati) and there is a dog who has attacked me twice, both times they have attacked my two dogs but neither time enough to go to the hospital. I’ve contacted its owner and it sounds like they’re using the dog as a fighting dog. The police will not do anything citing it just being a dog. Animal control issued a fine and won’t do anything else. My neighbors all have also been attacked. What should I do? Obviously I don’t want to hurt this dog in any way, shape or form but something needs to be done.
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 Where do the attacks take place, are any of the involved dogs on leashes, and do they involve actual bites?

It looks like in Hamilton County a dog can be designated as a nuisance dog, vicious dog, or dangerous dog.  Ask the cops/animal control what that entails.  Every time there's a bite call the cops and animal control, and if a human gets bitten report it to the county health department.


Title: Contesting a "Following Too Closely" ticket...Court TOMORROW!!! Please help

Question:
This is my first time posting in this sub so please try not to annihilate me...

I was issued a ticket for **Following Too Closely** a month ago. I am contesting the ticket because I was not, however there is some evidence stacked against me.

Here is the order of events:

* Referring to the [picture](https://i.imgur.com/s34gk18.png), I am the yellow car. I was stopped a car length behind the Nissan Rogue in front of me. I was driving a Honda pilot. Basically, she pulled into traffic and entered the other street but stopped short. She admitted this to the officer because she was scared she would be hit by oncoming traffic. The oncoming car was in the left\-most lane so it wouldn't have hit her anyways.
* I was right behind her but when she stopped so suddenly, I made impact with her car. Given that [my car](https://i.imgur.com/Bk7jkVp.jpg) is a bigger SUV than hers, [it unhinged her plastic bumper.](https://i.imgur.com/qHyyFPO.jpg) There were any scratches or anything. It was just a little unhinged. I offered to put this back for her but she didn't respond to that and I didn't pursue.
* Officer showed up to the scene, confirms this happens all the time because of the obvious layout. He says since I made an impact, he would have to cite me for following too closely.

**How do I defend myself tomorrow?** The only other infraction I have had was a dismissed ticket 2 years ago for not having current registration, a warning for going 60mph in a 55mph zone and an accident that was determined to be the other driver's fault. I am a careful driver. Simple physics can tell you that if you are proceeding to the yield area and the other person is leaving and they stop immediately, unless you are machine that can react that fast, you will not be safe unless you are like 20 feet behind that person.

I don't have any money to pay for this ticket and I definitely don't want it on my record. Please give me some advice on this. The only notes on the ticket are: Following too closely, 9\-419. And there is a cross next to accident.
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer:
 By default if you were unable to stop in time in response to the person in front of you braking you were too close. That's why you got the ticket you got.

>unless you are machine that can react that fast

hence why you were too close.Answer #2: Unfortunately, the fact that you hit the driver in front of you is pretty solid evidence that you were in fact too close.

Even though most people don't, you are legally expected to maintain a safe stopping distance between you and the car ahead of you, even if they stop unexpectedly.


Title: I work at a community pool and am required to handle large VATS of hydrochloride acid and chlorine, I am only 16, is this legal?

Answer:
 Are you wearing protective gear? Answer #2: I cannot find resources specifically mentioning the combination of "16 years old" and "pool chemicals" but there are plenty of regulations around those chemicals for people of all ages:

[https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/swimming/aquatics-professionals/preventing-pool-chemical-events.html](https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/swimming/aquatics-professionals/preventing-pool-chemical-events.html)

How do you interact with the chemical? Are you transporting open containers, or transferring it between containers? Do you use it in well-ventilated areas? Are you given protective clothing?Answer #3: Edited for location that went up:
The DOL guidelines say that even properly certified lifeguards aren't allowed to enter or work in chemical storage areas, including any areas where the filtration and chlorination systems are housed.

In PA, all minors are prohibited from working in locations or occupations designated hazardous by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. It doesn't look like working with chemicals is explicitly banned in PA except for those involved in making explosives, mining, stripping paint and such.


Title: Buffet style service animal questions

Question:
1. Are service animals allowed into the buffet line?
2. Are the customers allowed to feed the service animals (our restaurant food)?
3. Is it considered a health hazard if the customer feeds their service animals?

Im in california.

Answer:
 #2 has to be no. It's all you can eat, not all you and your dog can eat.

That's forbidden, just like taking food "to go" is forbidden.  You can absolutely throw someone out of your buffet for bringing in a service animal and feeding it.

Answer #2: >Johnson [a public information officer for the Washington state Department of Health] said service animals don’t need to wear a vest but when it comes to restaurants, bars or other businesses that permit food or drink, he says **service animals are not allowed on chairs or to be fed at the table**.

>“Seating, food and drink are provided for customer-use only,” he said. “The American Disabilities Act gives a person with a disability the right to be accompanied by his or her service animal but **covered entities are not required to allow the animal to sit or be fed at the table**.”

[Source](http://mynorthwest.com/372875/should-service-animals-be-allowed-here/)

>So when can you legally ask a person and their service dog to leave the premises? Again, the Department of Justice has been very clear that there are only a few instances in which a team may be excused from a place of business:

>Aggressive behavior (such as growling, lunging, snapping at people or other animals)
[list]* Urinating or defecating inappropriately
* Inappropriate barking
* Unwanted attention towards other patrons
* **Eating off the floor or tables**
* Disruptive behavior requiring excessive efforts from the handler to control the dog[/list]

[Source](https://www.fastcasual.com/articles/treatment-of-service-dogs-at-restaurants-and-the-law/)

I can't find specific law, but these are answered by ADA experts.


Title: Can my brother get some sort of custody of his kids ? Their mom has blocked him everywhere...

Question:
Kids are 5 and 6
My brother never legalized them because they lived with us until summer this year.
Mother has mental issues, she is prescribed to a lot of medication. Used to go to therapy

She is slow and just crazy. I’m not trying to be mean, but you can tell she has some sort of mental issues there more you talk to her. She doesn’t have a lot of sense.

Thankfully she doesn’t abuse the kids but she does some questionable things.

She won’t let my brother see them anymore, has blocked him everywhere because he got a gf. She is very obsessive with my brother. She tends to message the girls she finds that are involved with him saying that they will get back together.

There are texts, calls and some evidence that she has problems and is obsessed with my brother. But is there any way my brother can get some sort of custody?

They never got married. But she did live in my house rent free for 7 years. She had even changed her address to our house. My brother tries to see them as much as she let him, gives her money, has brought them clothes and toys. He has a good secure job, a car, no record, lives in a big house (but with our parents, he pays rent tho)
She lives with her family , all her siblings have mental problems, they lived in a very small and dirty house, she has no job, no car, no education, the cops have been called on her by her family.

Is there any chance??. She just served my brother with child support, but he says he can’t get visitation because he hasn’t legitimized them?

Answer:
 >But is there any way my brother can get some sort of custody

Yes.  Your brother needs to go to court, have his paternity legally established, and then move on to negotiating custody and support.

Since she has begun the support process already, your brother should take what he has received to a family law attorney and ask them how to proceed.


Title: Georgia dog bite/attack at work from veterinarian's aggressive dog

Question:
In June 2014, I was attacked by an adult dog at the veterinary clinic I worked at. I quit working there in July 2014. The dog that attacked me belonged to the owner/veterinarian of the clinic who was out of town that week. The dog was supposed to be in our boarding area, but the office manager had let the dog stay in the office alone the day the incident occurred. I didn't know the dog was in the office until I walked in to the office to send blood out for lab work. The moment I walked through the door, the dog lunged at my leg and bit my right thigh. The office manager had me fill out an injury report immediately afterwards, and stated that the dog had done this before!! I had no clue the dog had an aggressive history until she told me. I had only recently started working at the facility. The bite was so bad that it bled through my pants and she had to take me to an emergency clinic to be cleaned and examined.
My bite still hurts to this day if I cross my legs, if it's cold outside, or if someone or something touches the area. If I wanted to sue, who would I sue? Would suing the business alone give me workers compensation for the medical bills I've accrued since then to relieve the pain? Should I sue the veterinarian as a non coworker at the time because she wasn't present when her aggressive dog was allowed to roam the office, or should I sue the office manager for not following protocol with boarding rules while the dog was there. Is there a possibility or advantage if I sue the business, the veterinarian/owner as an individual, and the office manager as an individual all at the same time?
I'm at wits end with this pain and the scar on my leg. I do not have all the means to pay for treatment needed to put me back at where I was before the bite.
My neurologist has diagnosed it as nerve damage by the way. He stated it may never heal to 100% and if it does, it may take years. It will cost a minimum of $1000 to remove the scar with surgery.

Answer: Seems like something that should be handled through worker's compensation.


Title: Does my mother have any legal influence over where I live, as a minor?

Question:
Okay, this is a bit of a long story, so please excuse the wall of text. My mother is estranged from me, and has been since April. I have not spoken to her since then. The incident prompting this was her sending me to live with my father. After getting in an argument with me, she drove me and my two siblings (nine and fourteen) my father’s house. None of us (including her) knew where my father was. As it turns out, he was on his way to Chicago. He had to turn back and drive four hours so that my siblings and I wouldn’t be left alone overnight. (None of us knew if she was coming back). Apparently, sometime during all of this, she had texted my father telling him that we wouldn’t be coming back to her house until we had a custody agreement that gave him full custody all the time.
(This did not actually happen. She had the realization within a couple of weeks that “oh shit, I done fucked up” and decided to keep legal custody, even though we spend 90% of time with our dad now. I feel like that’s important.)
She’s made several attempts to reconcile after this, claiming she wants to have a better relationship. I told her I was not remotely interested, and asked her politely to give me time. She did not respect this and continued to pressure me to come over to her house and speak to her, which I did not.

So for the past five months, my mother has barely been involved in my life. I’ve blocked her on all social media and barred her number. (I know that this may seem like a bit of an overreaction on my part, and I can see why it would look this way, but honestly this is just the latest in a long string of bad behaviour. I’m done with forgiving her only to have her turn on me a week later. Until she learns to change her ways, she will no longer have a relationship with me. So that’s that.)

Anyway, plans have been made for me to go live with my grandparents for a trial period of six months. I’ve had mental health issues in the past, and my dad thinks that me being surrounded by a supportive family system would be helpful. I agree. All of my extended family lives in the same city as my grandparents- my dad is the only one that moved away. So I have many aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. there. I’d be going to the same school as my uncle and one of my cousins, and I’d be staying with my grandparents. This is about three hours away from the rest of my family, but I would be visiting every other weekend by train, and my father visits a lot. Plus I plan to FaceTime my siblings often- I’ll miss them, the little shits. Point is, the plans have all been put in place.

The problem is, my mother (who is apparently bitter) is threatening legal action. She’s been cut almost completely out of the loop for all of this- she was asked if she would allow me to go and gave a tentative yes as an answer, but she doesn’t have any details beyond the school and who I’d be staying with. That’s fine with me. She’s really not a part of my life anymore. If it comes to a legal battle, I am perfectly willing to testify that she has worked her very hardest to become as little of a parent to me as possible over the past two years. I doubt she really cares where I live, to be honest- she just wants to maintain some vestiges of control over me.
Sorry. I’m bitter.
Point is, does she have any legal recourse? She’s threatened to take my father to court, but is there actually any basis for her to wage a case upon? I know I have a fair amount of rights in court as a sixteen-year-old, but I don’t know how those would extend to living space....

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Answer:
 > keep legal custody

If your mother has legal custody, she can decide where you live.


Title: 5th Degree Assault, assortment of others (MN)

Question:
Last night, I made the biggest mistake of my life. I let emotions and alcohol get the best of me, which resulted in the situation below.

I'll make this short. Walking home from the bars, I came to a group of about 5 guys. We talked for about 5 minutes, until one of them started saying some really disrespectful stuff about Memorial Day. With this being a sensitive subject for myself, and the added emotions that alcohol brings, I swung and struck him in the face. After this, things are really blurry. I remember immediately apologizing, however the cops came and took me in.

My citations include 5th degree assault, disruptive intoxication, and disorderly conduct.

My question is this: what is the likely outcome if I go into court with/without a lawyer (please, just a guess. I understand you guys cannot predict the outcome perfectly). Also- my major is in special education. How detrimental are these charges to my future? I am not that far into my major, so I can change this if need be.

Thanks again guys, really hoping for some honest and helpful answers.

(Bonus question: how much will a lawyer cost?)

Answer:
 You want a lawyer for this. You straight out assaulted someone-- you want someone who's familiar with the ins and outs of your local court system in your corner. Particularly in light of:

> Also- my major is in special education. How detrimental are these charges to my future?

Uhm... massively. If you can't control your fists when people say things that you find offensive, you really, really don't belong around developmentally challenged kids. I get that there were extenuating circumstances from your perspective, but that's the overarching narrative-- and is why you need an attorney. Beg, borrow, do whatever you have to do to afford one.


Title: My friend's Facebook account is monitored by his school

Question: My friend and I live in the UK and he goes to a separate school. He says that he has talked about suicide and his school took the liberty of monitoring his Facebook account and look through his posts and messages. One time, he posted a meme about suicide and his school took a screenshot and talked to him about it and on another occasion he was shown screenshots of his messages. This seems normal to him and apparently other people at this school are having this happen to them. My question is that this is surely not legal? This is a huge invasion of privacy and he has to think about what he says because his school will take matters in to their own hands. Im not sure how they monitor it but he says that he hasn't given them his phone or anything.

Answer:
 He's voluntarily putting this information on a website that has no obligation to keep it private for him. Facebook's privacy settings have no legal force.

You may want to try r/legaladviceuk.


Title: Submitting ADA Request with Job Application?

Question:
I am on the Autism Spectrum. I have documentation confirming this. While I have not been expressly prohibited to drive, I have never driven and people in my family have suggested that I shouldn't drive due to my challenges. I feel that I could justify not being able to drive based on my last psychological evaluation or could even do a reevaluation where I bring that up as a concern to the evaluator.

I'm interested in working as an educator and will be receiving my degree in education reasonably soon. There are a few school districts in my area that require having a driver's license for jobs that only require travel to other locations on rare occasions, such as for certain professional development opportunities and conferences. 85-90% of the days in the school year, you're just in one building during your work day and not operating a vehicle. Is there any way that I could preemptively submit an ADA reasonable accommodation request with my application asking to be allowed to use ride hailing apps or carpool to these events at my own expense if I get the job? I'm nervous those school districts won't consider me for an interview if they see I don't have a driver's license without any context.

Answer: My advice is to wait until you are offered a position to discuss accommodations. While you can’t be discriminated against based on your disability, it’s very difficult to prove why they didn’t contact you for an interview.


Title: [NY] Gender pronouns in the workplace.

Question:
Hi, I've been contracting full-time for a local firm. Recently they hired a new contractor who insists that they, their, and they're be used as the person's pronouns. The person also does not want to be referred to as man, or guy.

Though I don't mind trying to use said pronouns, it got me wondering about the legal rights an individual has to insist on using specific pronouns in a work environment. NYC if it makes a difference.

Answer:
 NYC [has actually legislated](https://www1.nyc.gov/site/cchr/law/legal-guidances-gender-identity-expression.page) this.

You have to call them what they want to be called.Answer #2: There are no legal implications for you.

Your employer could fire you.


Title: If someone cancels Child support themselves Can they reopen the case later? USA PA

Question: My Dhs ex closed his child support case with the state about 2yrs ago because her other childs father was paying 3x what DH was supposed to. So she decided to close the case and that was that. She recently found out that we are having a baby and is trying to reopen the case out of spite because she knows if he misses a payment he will end up in jail and away from me and our child. WE have it in writing in a text from her she "wants to hurt us and his pockets."  Is that even possible? If you willingly close a CS case yourself how is it right or fair to the other parent if you can willy nilly just reopen it out of spite?

Answer:
 Yes, the custodial parent has the right to file support against your husband, despite the fact that she may have waived that right in the past. Answer #2: Child support is there to support the child. It is not the right of a parent to choose to cancel it. Nor is it the right of another parent to refuse to pay. As such, if one parent doesn't pay there is always a chance that the other parent will decide to file and seek child support going all the way back to the birth of the child.

The fact of the matter is that, even if one parent decides to cancel court about child support, the other parent (assuming they would owe) still owes. In this case, your husband has likely owed child support all this time. The fact his ex chose not to pursue it does not take that obligation away. Nor does it matter why she chose not to pursue it. Her text is irrelevant to the obligation. There is still an obligation to pay to support one's child until that child reaches 18 (in Pennsylvania) and longer in some other jurisdictions. Answer #3: Your husband has a legal obligation to support the child. This can be started by the mother of the child or the government at any time going forward.