Title: [Ohio] Neighbor wants to get me for indecent exposure when I was in my own hous .

Question:
So I really screwed up big time.

I was sitting in my underwear and a t-shirt petting my dog. When I looked over at the window, the curtains were drawn and my neighbor was taking pictures of me in my underwear.

I feel like crying because they are going to call the police to get me for indecent exposure. I can’t afford to lose my job and it was a big screw up.

I was wearing a long t-shirt but I was just in my underwear.  I’m a woman too..

I don’t know what to do or what my rights ar .

Answer:
 > and my neighbor was taking pictures of me in my underwear.

Call the fucking cops.

You are allowed to be in your underwear in your own home. You're generally allowed to be in your underwear on the street if you're so inclined.

Your neighbor trespassing on your property, peering in your window, and photographing you? That's more of an issue.Answer #2: > they are going to call the police to get me for indecent exposure

No, 'they' aren't.

If anything, your neighbor committed a crime by photographing you.Answer #3: You were in your own house, and he was spying on your?

As long as you had no intent to draw attention you should be fine.  Answer #4: Your rights include not being surreptitiously photographed by your neighbor when in your own home. You haven't committed a crime, but you're more than welcome to report your neighbor to the police.Answer #5: Call the police about some SOB taking pictures through your window.


Title: Apartment seems to be charging strange "credit approval fee" during application. More weird coincidences inside (Texas)

Question:
Ok, so my GF is trying to move in to a new apartment in August. We found a place for her about two weeks ago and she applied.

Yesterday, she got an email saying that due to her "bad credit history" she was going to have to pay a $400 credit approval fee. This wouldn't be an extra deposit or go towards rent. It would strictly be a fee.

My GF was shocked because she had never been told she had bad credit so I suggested she get her report on credit karma.com. Her score was in the "fair" range so it seemed odd that she was being charged a fee to rent this place.

She did a little more digging and found that her score was lower than it should be because she there were two accounts in the report she didn't recognize.

She contacted the apartment saying there might be fraudulent activity on her report and if there was anything they could do to work with her on this while she gets the report fixed.

The apartment, in the same afternoon, replied saying that they don't see any indications for fraud in the report that they pulled and she's going to have to pay the fee if she wants to move in. I found it a little strange that an apartment complex would be able to determine what is fraud and what isn't on an applicants account.

My questions, does this seem fishy and like a scam? I know it takes fraud departments weeks to look into claims. How could an apartment do that in one afternoon and how would they even know what fraud looks like on a stranger's account? Is that even their call to make?

Moving forward, what can she tell the apartments? At this point I suggested asking for a refund for the application but I doubt we will get that and I'm just concerned this is a scam.

Thank you!
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 The apartment doesn't get to decide what's fraud and what isn't fraud. If those accounts are not hers, your gf may have them investigated and ultimately removed from her credit report.

The apartment does get to decide what they're willing to do in light of the information on her credit report. Including refusing to rent to her, or charging her an additional fee. Your gf may accept or reject that offer, try to negotiate something else, or likely fix her credit and reapply.


Title: What is the legal obligation to return an engagement ring in the event that the relationship fails?

Question: Does the gifter of the ring have any legal claim to the ring should the relationship dissolve?

Answer: In most jurisdictions, the ring is a conditional gift. This means if the marriage does not occur, regardless of who breaks it off or why they broke it off, the ring must be returned to the person who purchased it. As in all things legal, the location matters. Since you didn't provide one it is not possible to give a more certain answer. Answer #2: Location matters. Many places consider them conditional gifts, and they must be returned to the person who bought them if the engagement ends.


Title: Legal advice conserning smoking in my apartment (ontario)

Question: I entered a lease with my roomates, two of which do not smoke. I am fully aware that under the smoking laws here, i cant smoke in our kitchen, etc. I have read over my lease multiple times, and in there it says nothing about smoking in my room. Which is not banned under our laws. He threatened to hire a lawyer to get me evicted for smoking, but all of us signed the lease, and we signed seperately for our rooms. Sinse its not in our lease, or under ontario's law, he cant do anything, right? ( im not unreasonable with my smoking, its out a window, door closed, etc. he cant even smell it, just sees the ash tray and bitches. In my opinion, if he wanted me not to smoke, should have signed a lease without smoking)

Answer:
 I'm prepared for the downvotes for not having legal advice, but I can't let this by.  Regarding "he cant even smell it", you're kidding yourself.  A non-smoker can smell smoke, even if it's in a closed room out a window.  Even your ash tray reeks and stinks up the joint.  Answer #2: If it's not in your lease, then yes you are probably *legally* allowed to do it but...

Come on man, really? Is it that much trouble for you to step outside for 5 minutes to smoke? You live with these people so you are obviously friends or at least cordial to each other, and you live in the province with the mildest weather outside of southern BC. This is far more of a social issue than it is a legal issue. Don't be an asshole and just smoke outside.


Title: Question regarding medical malpractice and if our case is worthy of a law suit

Question: My mom felt a lot of pain after surgeons removed a plate and screws from her wrist. Went back to the hospital and X-ray shows that they left some piece of metal in there and she has to have another surgery to have it removed. She's in so much pain from it that she can barely function. Is this something she can sue over? If so, what are the first steps in starting the process so I can lead her in the right direction? We live in massachusetts

Answer: Medical malpractice is extremely case specific. Schedule a free consultation with a medical malpractice attorney in your area.


Title: Adoption of siblings

Question: I (30m) and my wife (29f) want to adopt my brother (3) and sister (6) from my dad. We live in Texas and they live in North Carolina but its a really bad situation. The mother is a fall down drunk who doesn't take care of the kids and my dad is just as bad. Child protective services recently got involved and as of this posting they have taken the kids and a custody hearing is set for tuesday. Is there anything i can do to try and get custody?

Answer: The parental rights of both of your parents would first have to be terminated by the state. That's very difficult to do. Answer #2: You can contact CPS and offer to have the kids placed with you. Be prepared to have a home study done. This will involve a review of your finances, health, home, etx to make sure y'all are fit to take care of kids. Before you can adopt, the parents rights will have to be terminated. This is very difficult, as parental rights enjoy constitutional protection. The states initial goal will almost always be to return the kids to the parents. The state does not work for you even if they say they agree with your goal of adoption. You should talk to an attorney in the county where the kids resideAnswer #3: North Carolina law allows a third party (you) to seek custody of minor children when the parents are acting in such a way that is inconsistent with the children’s best interests. This is not an adoption, does not terminate the parents’ rights, and allows the parents to seek a return of custody later on. I’m assuming you were notified by DSS when the kids were removed from the home, and they should have also sent you a form where you can volunteer to be considered for temporary and/or permanent placement of the children. Whichever avenue you choose to pursue, this is not something you should try and do yourself, so contact an attorney in North Carolina who specializes in family and juvenile law immediately if you have not done so already.


Title: Can I get in trouble showing movies at my corner bar?

Question: I'd like to host a monthly movie night at my local bar, admission would be free, maybe ask for a can of food to donate to the local food bank. Could I get in trouble with the movie companies for a public showing without paying any money to them? Thank you in advance.

Answer:
 When you buy a DVD you're getting a license for private exhibition.

What you're describing is a "non-theatric exhibition".   You can get a license to do it from companies like [MPLC](http://www.mplc.org/).


Title: Father not listed on my birth certificate

Question:
I am 32 years old in Las Vegas, Nevada, and I saw my birth certificate for the first time when obtaining a new Real ID. While my parents are married now, they weren't married when I was born, and the father field is blank on the form.

I did some research, and I found that the certificate can be amended to add him. However, it's not something I want to bring up if there's no benefit to it.

Some information I found online indicated I would not be entitled to social security benefits if he were to pass away, which I'm not worried about.

What are some other consequences of him not being listed on my birth certificate?

Answer: with your mom alive it doesn't usually have much consequences because she is the next of kin.  however if your mom were to die before your father then typically children would be the next of kin, so it could be an issue for inheritance, life insurance benefits, end of life health decisions, post death decisions (e.g. burial).


Title: [OR] Forced to listen to multiple radio stations at work, it is causing me headaches and interfering with my ability to do my job. Is there anything I can do to stop it?

Question:
So I work in a customer service desk position in Oregon, and that's about as specific as I can get. My workplace recently upgraded their music system, and now there is different music stations playing from different sources, and all of them can be heard loudly from my desk. All these stations are from different genres, all have vocalists, and all are intrusive and competing for attention in my brain. It makes it hard to think, hard to work, hard to talk to people, hard to do my job, and gives me physical headaches. I've asked my managers about it and they said it would be fixed by now but it's still not fixed. And I've asked to turn off all but one radio station so if we have to listen to music, it is just one thing, but they will not accommodate this and the control panel is code locked. I'm at my wits end. I love my job, I've been here for years, and I am paid well; but this is one new growing pain that literally feels like torture, and it's not just me. All of my coworkers on my shift have the same complaint and some of our guests have even noticed and said that it was 'jarring.' It makes us feel anxious, and stresses us out unnecessarily.

Is there anything we can do to get it to stop? I've tried asking management about it and explained the situation, but I don't think they understand just how bad it is or take it as seriously as I would like. There have been a lot of major changes in our workplace, and I understand they have full plates, and there are a lot of growing pains we are adjusting to, but this is just one too many and needs to be addressed. Any helpful advice or ideas would be greatly appreciated. I don't know what to do and it just sucks.

**Update!** I spoke with my managers this morning, and we are now able to turn off the music at night. It turns out it is a software glitch that they are trying to fix, but have no idea how long it will take. They want it playing during the day regardless, but since we work overnight, we are allowed to turn the music off. Thanks for all the advice though! You've been a boon! At the end of the day, my managers are good people who are willing to make it work.

Answer:
 Did you tell your manager that customers are complaining about it? Unfortunately they probably care more about your customer's comfort than yours, so it may help get the ball rolling on fixing the issue. Answer #2: You probably have no legal recourse for a mildly uncomfortable work environment such as having multiple radio stations playing at once.

If you have a disability effected by the radio stations and addressing this problem is a reasonable accommodation for that disability, then that might be a way to go.

Answer #3: And everyone else is OK with this??


Title: Would I get in trouble for publicly revealing an affair? [CA]

Question:
You can see my other post in my history about the man I was seeing who was lying about who he was the whole time and was married when he told me he was single. Since it seems legally I can't do anything, I'd like to publicly out him. He is the boss of a company that's having an event soon. Would I be liable for anything if I were to attend and announce that he's a cheating piece of trash? Everything I say would be the truth based on what he's told me and what I know about him so I don't know if he could get me for libel. If I printed little flyers with pictures and texts of proof he's a cheater and passed them around how in trouble would I get? I'm relatively wealthy and could afford legal help if it's necessary. Maybe I'm just going crazy. Please advise.
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 You realize that your involvement in this will also be public?  And no matter what you claim happened, some percentage of people who find out about this from Google results (future employers, romantic partners, your friends and family) will decide you're a bitter, spurned homewrecker?

I think possibly you haven't thought this all the way through.

And yeah, he can sue you for defamation and you'll have to hire an attorney to defend yourself.


Title: wtf is gong on?

Question:
I have friends with this individual for 5 years. We went to school together. We stopped talking after school, and he recently hit me up. He's in business and has convinced me to be withdrawing money(from my account) from a deposit that only he knows where it came from. Today I met up with some guy he's friends with and was stupid enough to deposit over 20 thousand dollars.

Wtf is going on and what are the consequences?

Answer:
 Not a whole lot of information here, but it sounds like you're laundering money for someone or otherwise receiving funds from sketchy places.

That's a few different possible felonies.Answer #2: Was it a cash deposit or checks ?

Either your are the victim of a fraudulent check scheme or you are simply being used to launder money.Answer #3: Tell the police. Save any texts/emails he's sent you.

You don't want to be around those kinds of people.


Title: “Last Gas” signs?

Question:
In middle America you will often see “Last Gas x miles” signs next to gas stations on rural highways. These signs can be lifesavers for road trippers who know to refuel so they won’t get stranded somewhere.

Suppose a gas station is near the edge of “civilization”, but has a competitor 10 miles further. Is there any legal restriction to the first station having a “Last Gas” sign even though its competitor is the actual last gas?

Answer: On I-80 in Wyoming, those signs are put up by the state in the interstate. I'm sure there are regulations about who can and cannot put up those signs.Answer #2: business idea, open a gas station and name it "Last Gas 20 Miles"


Title: [MI] Assaulted by neighbor after complaining and calling the police multiple times. Can I sue the landlord?

Question:
I lived in charity or rent-controlled housing.  Not Section 8, but a local non-profit that owns several hundred units.  This city is popular with the homeless (which I was), and these properties essentially act as a 'sink' to keep them off the street.  We're geographically near a very large city and a great deal of people bleed over here.  This is relevant because I think this is more of a city business maneuver rather than altruism.

So I lived in this property for a few months, paid rent on time, no problems.  Some neighbors moved in above me who did the typical 'stomp on the floor' and noise harassment you can expect from this level of society.  They had pets in the apartment, 3 or more homeless/drug addict people staying there all the time, constant fights and noise.  I called the police several times and they did nothing, even with a blatant and recorded instance of domestic violence involving the tenant and his girlfriend.  They are around 30 years old.  The police were extremely sketchy about the issue, as after the second DV call, I went out to question them about the arrests.  There was a clear case of violence, the girl had marks, the tenant gave them access, on multiple calls to the residence, the tenant admitted they had a fight.  The police stated that because the woman 'didn't want to press charges', they could do nothing.  That's explicitly not how it works in this State.  So, Strange Issue #1 (actually #100).

I had written several emails to the Property Manager.  I indicated that there was violence, harassment, and violations of the lease.  The neighbor came outside on the balcony and urinated on my window, that type of stuff.  Another time 'they' threw food on the roof outside the same window, on the fire escape, and made noise.  I opened the window, started my camera, and recorded him.  He was stumbling drunk or on drugs, then clearly made a threat against me, saying he would 'kick my ass' if he ever saw me on the street.

So I sent the email to the police and the Property Manager.  After receiving no response from the PM, I called them.  A 'Case Worker' contacted me and asked what I had done to provoke the threat.

At this point I had already decided to 'escalate' the situation and told the PM so in an email.  I wanted the issue resolved, and indicated I would take legal steps to bring the issue to a head.  So I did.

The same neighbors were out on the porch shouting, arguing, fighting, and drinking.  This is in clear view of a major city street in a busy part of the city.  So I went out and yelled at them.  As I leaned out the door, the neighbor punched me in the jaw, as hard as he could.  He didn't get a good shot and I shook it off and that sort of set them back.  They were intending on beating me up, but frankly I think the fact that I didn't drop immediately after that shot made them change their minds.  I, in no way, made any violent threats or actions before or after the assault.

I called the police.  The police came and interviewed the tenant.  He admitted he had 'bitch slapped' me.  The police did not arrest them.  Strange #2.

I looked up the Tenant's record on the police blotter.  He had 5 open cases (including mine), a dismissed Sexual Assault (rape), several Drunk and Disorderly type offense, and about 10 Failure to Appears.  My case is now 5 months old, and there is just now a Bench Warrant to arrest him, if he's involved with the police.  He now has 13 FTAs in 18 months, including 2 on my case.

This criminal case is pending, but with what I have, the admission of an assault, I thought I would talk to the Prosecutor.  He indicated, reluctantly I thought, that it was a clear case, and they *did* 'pick it up'.  They have an admission so it's not a 'He said/She said' situation (I'm male as well).  But the Prosecutor indicated the Judge is 'lenient'.  It's hard to believe that with so many open cases, clearly indicating an escalation of offenses to include Rape and A&B, but that's Strange #3.

I finally broke down and called the PM and yelled.  I was angry, and I ended the conversation by explicitly telling the PM to fuck himself.

I was evicted.  They gave me a chance to get out, and the case was 'Conditional' so I have no eviction on my record... but I do.  It counts.  And, I had to scramble to find an apartment in a very over-housed city, at great moving expense.  I spent a good $2500 moving, and had to take an apartment I would not normally have rented to avoid being homeless and the formal eviction.

Can I sue them?  I'd like to take the company to court.  The CEO of the company is buddies with the Judge who is hearing my criminal case.  They are both involved with Homeless Remediation in the area.  I think there is some type of back-door encouragement to get me to move, as I am clearly not on the Homeless level.  I am very humble, but most of the people who live there are really needy people, except the tenants upstairs.  I am glad I moved, am grateful I was not homeless.  And I wanted to vacate a space for the needy people in the area.  But the tenant upstairs was just wildly out of bounds on every count.

The failure of the Company to prevent an Assault on me, resulting in eviction would be my grounds.

I am pretty intelligent.  I would take the case myself.  Outside of Court Costs, is there a possibility they could counter-sue?  I have paid all my rent, and have good visual record of the conditon I left the apartment in.

If for nothing else than to... how do I put it... revenge?  Not emotional revenge, but just to cost them for an extensive (far more than this very long post) episode leading up to an A&B on  me and my eviction.

I've reviewed my position.  I broke one door in my apartment, and they didn't charge me.  I'd pay for it, but in no other way have I violated the LT agreement in this state, but they did.  It was a month-to-month lease, so they did not, but they failed to protect me under the explicit terms of the lease.

So, can I 'cost them' on this?  Say I shell out a few hundred, can I take them to court (they have a local Retainer law firm who handled my eviction), and cost them hours on it?

Part of the reason is, it's a small town, in an unusual situation.  The CEO of the Property company dismissed me, rudely, and everyone at the company treated me... well... like dirt.  Really bad.

I feel I have to 'defend myself' in some way, and the only way I can think of is cost them 10 or more hours of legal time, otherwise I feel this town will just mow me over (from other indications here).

Feasible?

Answer: Did your landlord assault you?Answer #2: No.


Title: My employer wants me to do a review for the raise I was told I was getting 2 months ago...

Question:
     So some background to start I suppose. I'm a line cook in California at a up and coming restaurant. I've been there 2 years now and honestly it's one of the best jobs I've had.
    About 3 months ago I asked my head chef for a raise and he told me he would work on it and that I was deserving of one. Time goes by and he tells me that my raise was approved by the uppers and that it would be on my next paycheck. That was 6 weeks ago and I still have not gotten it...  I asked him about it and he told me that corporate was reworking the system in which they give people raises (business is booming and seems they are getting more corporate) and that they were on hold for the time.
   I probably should have pressed him a little more about it looking back but I just had a sit down for a review for the same raise they said I was approved for!?!
    They want me to wait another 6 weeks and prove what I already have proved to them and while they assured me they want me to get the raise it didn't seem guaranteed. This whole process seems shady and I've had very little updates or insight into what has been going on through this whole process.
      TLDR: It seems to me that I retroactively had my raise taken away and not sure if I really have and legal right to demand it now. Do I deserve back pay?
     Thanks for any insight you guys can give me a head of time and I appreciate anyone taking their time with the wall of text above : )

Answer: the only time you have a right to a raise is when the minimum wage in your jurisdiction rises to above your present wage. anything else is entirely at the discretion of your employer.


Title: [California] How to remove unwanted visitor at doorstep?

Question:
Yesterday without warning (text, phone call, etc.) my estranged father-in-law showed up on my husband and I's doorstep begging for us to have a relationship with him again. We did not give him our new address. He must have looked us up somehow, which is a bit unnerving. He has had boundary issues in the past, calling us almost every day, texting or using social media to contact us and now this.

If he shows up on our property again can we call the cops? What is the best way to handle this before having to go to the court and fill out a restraining order and deal with all of that paperwork? We are currently renting this place. Thank you!

Answer:
 You can call the police non emergency number and tell them somebody is outside your home and refusing to leave.

Short of filing a restraining order, all you can do is call the police every time.


Title: I paid my taxes twice and need advice

Question:
When I filed my taxes for 2017 in March, I was sent a notice from the IRS that said I owed $250-something from a distribution that I forgot to claim from 2012. They said I had to pay it by March 31st. I sent in a check for that amount on March 22nd. I was then sent a notice that when I received my tax return, they took out $260-something for that, including the extra they added in for interest.

Okay, so I paid once, which I guess didn't process by the 31st of March and they took it out again from my return.
I called H&R Block and asked them what would happen to this money. They told me it would balance out and the IRS would send me the difference in 6-8 weeks.

It is now the end of July and I haven't even received a letter that I overpaid and I never saw any of the money I overpaid. How would I go about getting this money back? I am in Rhode Island.

EDIT: I meant my taxes for 2016, but I think you guys knew what I meant anyway :)

Answer:
 Call the IRS and ask

Individuals:
800-829-1040


Title: [Serious] Received a "Notice of Traffic Violation" today in the mail for someone else's violation (California)

Question:
So earlier today I received a Notice of Traffic Violation from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department in the mail. The notice says that I ran a red light on a busy 4-way intersection. The notice included several images of a vehicle driving through a red light on a 4-way intersection.

Here is where things get confusing. The car in the image is not mine, the car in the image is blue whereas mine is black, the car in the image has 2 doors whereas mine has 4 doors, the license plates are different (only one digit off, but still not mine), and the person driving the car is not me. The person driving the car has a significantly darker complexion than I do and I have no idea who he is. I was absolutely puzzled when I received this notice as it very obviously is not connected to me.

My question is should I contact the agency that issued this notice and point out these mistakes or should I just take this directly to an in-person hearing in front of a judge?

I'm just picturing myself at the hearing and when they call me up they will be expecting someone with very dark skin to walk up but instead the very-white me appears lol.

Location: Los Angeles, California

Edit: Also I wasn't even on the road that day, I had the day off work and just stayed home.

Answer:
 I would call and try to get this fixed or at least notify someone that it’s not you and you have no idea who it is. I would not wait till the court date to start communicating there is a problem. And documentation of trying to get this fixed so if it does go to court you can show the judge you tried to not waste the courts time.

But that’s just me...


Title: IL - Sewer main busted off parents property. City says parents are responsible

Question:
The sewer main to my parent's house busted off of my parent's property, and the city says they aren't responsible. So my parent's are left to foot the bill. Is this legal?

Also when my parents had an issue with the water main when it busted I believe almost a year ago. It took the city over 5h to shut it off, and plumbers believe that may have corroded the sewer main pipe and weakened it.

What should my parents do?

Answer: The main line runs in the street. The service line connects the main to the house. Service lines are typically the responsibility of the property owner, AFAIK.


Title: [ND] Deceased father, sister and I are not in Will

Question:
Father of 6 children, 2 from first marriage (us), and 4 from second marriage. The Will declares everything goes to his wife. Neither of us are mentioned in the Will. Wife was appointed Personal Representative of his estate. I've requested from her an Inventory which she refused and stated there is no inventory of the estate. It was my understanding she is required to provide a copy to interested persons upon request. I am concerned as I was recently made aware she has sold one of his properties.

My questions are, even though we were not listed in his Will do we have the right to any of his estate if he explicitly gave it to his wife? I read you can contest the Will for being unintentionally omitted, but I only claim so by being one of his children. Should I petition the court for the inventory?
Topic:
Wills Trusts and Estates

Answer:
 It's pretty common for people to leave everything to their spouse. This causes some hard feelings in more complicated families. Do you think he was tricked into doing this? If this was in fact his wish, I urge you to let it be.

Not a lawyer but not legal advice anyhow. Answer #2: >The Will declares everything goes to his wife.

Then that is what happens.


Title: How do transient boaters and RVers vote?

Question:
I'm going to start traveling soon and I won't be living anywhere specific. I don't plan to qualify as a resident of any state. I'd still like to participate in presidential elections.

I imagine a lot of people who live on boats or in RVs are in this situation. What do they do?

Answer:
 They generally tend to skew Libertarian.Answer #2: Why won't you accept what I am telling you!!! Until you establish a new residence, your last residence IS YOUR RESIDENCE. Thats the rule. Now, you may want to get a PO Box, your moms house, your family, a bar you frequent w/e to get your mail but until you find a state you want to stay, the one you are in now is your residence.

Answer #3: Transient folks maintain a mail box somewhere.  That designates residence. You also will be paying taxes somewhere.  Same place for voting.


Title: How bad am I screwed?

Question:
So I(25M) have a very intelligent-evil-lawyer uncle to whom I talked about https://www.reddit.com/r/relationship_advice/comments/8jexu1/i_think_i24m_ruined_my_relationship_with_a_cousin/ without realizing he has no clue about it. I was filled with with too much guilt and he scolded for some completely irrelevant thing and I thought he was scolding for this. It's all terribly stupid but I was overwhelming with guilt. He definitely recorded the call, it was evident from his tone in the conversation.

He is terribly smart into coming out clean as he's been dealing with legal stuff for decades. I'm just worried he'll use this information against me. Is there anything I should be worried about? I'm not worried about anything legally as I haven't done anything wrong. But I'm terribly worried he would at some point use this to blackmail me. Or use it against me to ruin my social/family life at the first opportunity.

Answer: You are paranoid and should see someone about this.


Title: [canada] Downloding/torrenting movie. Got an email from my ISP regarding a company that will take "legal action" if I don't click a link and make a settlement. What do?

Question:
Basically my ISP sent/forwarded an email saying I've downloaded a movie without the owners consent.  Copywrited material without the owners consent is against the law blah blah blah

Here's a link to a settlement, if you don't pay the settlement we will take legal action that could be up to $5000.

I've heard I just ignore it, so I did and they sent me a second email stating the exact same thing so it kind of got me worried a little.

What should I do?

Answer: I am not canadian but to warn you they currently don't have your personal details and they want you to go to that link to get your personal details, because your ISP generally isn't required to disclose your details unless told by a court, Hence why they forwarded the email on their behalf.Answer #2: Don't click on anything and quit pirating movies, you're obviously bad at it


Title: Cell carrier not unlocking phone [AZ]

Question:
I recently moved and due to network coverage issues, I had to leave my previous carrier T-Mobile for Verizon. It has been over 4 business days and T-Mobile has still not unlocked my phone to allow for a Verizon SIM card. I have gone into stores, called their support line from a friend's house, and chatted with them online to no avail. Every time they say they are putting in a request and that my phone will be unlocked in 24 hours. 24 hours later, the phone is still bricked. I have no pending charges, my phone was paid for in full, and I have fulfilled all the requirements that T-Mobile says I need to in order to have my unlock request processed.

I work on call shifts and need a functioning cell phone. T-Mobile's network doesn't work in my new area and Verizon's SIM card won't work in the phone until T-Mobile unlocks my phone. I've been trying to find information on what happens when cell carriers violate the CTIA Commitment, but haven't found anything. It is getting to the point where I feel like my only recourse is to purchase a new unlocked phone and taking T-Mobile to small claims court for the difference in price, and I don't even know if that is even possible.

Do I have any routes I can take or am I just screwed?

Answer: Will a T mobile device work on a Verizon network? I know a lot has changed since LTE was introduced. But I thought GSM and CDMA cellphones were still a thing? The reason I ask is because my son's unlocked iphone 6 on sprint wouldn't take a sim from AT&T.


Title: Traffic light is green then turns to red. After 1 second, you get a green arrow allowing you to turn right. If you drive through this 1 second red light, is that still considered running through a red light?

Question:
LA California. I drive through an intersection everyday to work. The light almost always has the same pattern to it. The light is green, then turns  red, then about 1 second after that light turns red, you get a green arrow allowing you to turn right.

If you proceed to make a right turn during this 1 second red light, but get the green arrow, is this still considered running a red light?

[Here is the intersection](https://www.google.com/maps/@34.1488876,-118.3424515,3a,75y,92.72h,72.29t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sR9h0Vh2E90bHEaBCHW7mYw!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo3.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DR9h0Vh2E90bHEaBCHW7mYw%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D41.111115%26pitch%3D0!7i13312!8i6656)

Answer:
 Did you drive through a red indicator with no other signals lit? Yes? Then you drove through a red. Answer #2: Aren't you supposed to come at a full stop and then turn when you're in that situation?

So yes in both cases, you are running a red light. IIRC.


Title: Medical Malpractice or just missed diagnosis?

Question:
In October, I began having extremely severe headaches accompanied by nausea & vomiting, light & sound sensitivity, and extreme fatigue. I went to the ER and was told I was having migraines. They did a CT, which showed no brain bleeds or abnormalities. I was sent home with a packet about migraine headaches and told that if my symptoms worsened, I should come back.
About two weeks later while I was at work, I began having neurological symptoms. I could not read (as in, I could see the letters on the screen, but my brain couldn't process them.) My depth perception was off and I was bumping into things. My speech was slurred. I went back to the same ER and told them my symptoms. I was given a vision test (the one where you read the letters on the chart) and the doctor looked into my eyes. I kept trying to explain that the problem wasn't my vision, but my brain. I was given an Tylenol and sent home with a package about tension headaches.
When I was finally able to get in with my GP, she recommended I get an MRI. The MRI showed that I had had multiple Ischemic Strokes.

I know the first ER doctor did exactly as you would expect. I'm a completely healthy 23 year old with absolutely no risk factors for stroke and all the symptoms of a migraine. But the second doctor didn't even perform a routine neurological exam. I truly believe I have a case for a medical malpractice case but I'm not sure.

I know that most attorneys provide free consultations, but honestly I'm so nervous to approach an attorney about it before getting some confirmation that I have a case. If this is the wrong place to post, I apologize.
Also, I'm in California. Thank you!

EDIT: I realized that I left out a huge chunk of information. After getting the MRI results back, I was admitted to a different hospital. I was kept in the hospital for most of November running tests and trying to figure out what caused the strokes. After a third stroke and almost every test in the book, I was diagnosed with Primary Vasculitis of the Central Nervous System, which is extremely rare and hard to diagnose. I definitely don't blame the ER doctors for not recognizing the vasculitis, but rather not recognizing the strokes.

Answer:
 Migraines can give people neurologic symptoms, and the second physician at the ER could see the images and reasoning of the prior doctor - if we scanned the head of every migraine patient who comes to the ER (weekly in the case of some of our patients) we'd literally have no time to scan anyone else.

I think my question for your GP would be if you *really* had strokes, since that's EXTREMELY unusual for someone in your age group, short of some unusual hereditary disease. What is more likely is that your GP is mistaking the MRI findings of migraines with strokes, since both are white demyelinating lesions.


Title: Left my camera in an Uber, driver is not cooperating in returning it.

Question: [deleted]

Answer: You've tried to be reasonable and patient but it hasn't worked. I think you should go ahead and file a police report. It's possible the driver has already sold the camera. You should file in the jurisdiction where the driver lives. Police may do nothing so you should also file in small claims court.


Title: Need Help! Scammed by a moving company...what can i do!?

Question:
Original Post: https://redd.it/7q6muv
Okay, so the meat and potatoes:

Just over a week ago I was notified by my work that I would be getting a interstate transfer. I'll be going from KS to CA. They want me there in 3 days from today! Due to the short notice nature, It was going to be easiest to rent a truck and do it myself. However, after trying to reserve the moving truck, the rental co. notified me that i'd be unable to tow my vehicle using their equipment. (Penske) The plan was, at that time, to drive the moving truck loaded with my entire house, and my vehicle in tow. Too easy. BUT, Apparently my vehicle is too large and would provide an inherent safety risk. Now, i'm doing this alone, so i obviously can't drive both the tuck AND my vehicle at the same time! So, I proceeded to try Budget trucks... same response. Finally, I contacted u-haul, their response was a bit different - they said that their equipment might handle my needs, BUT they would only be able to rent and allow me the trailer after a 'thorough' vehicle inspection to verify safety compliance. (BMW X5)

At this point, its Monday and 5 days from my projected/planned move date, i'm stressing out immensely and frantically trying to find an alternative solution. So, in comes Google... at some point, I apparently entered my contact information somewhere, because as I sat there freaking out about how I was going to make this move happen, both my phone AND email started going berserk! All moving companies harassing me for my business! Literally, probably 5-7 moving companies all calling at the same exact time... and some over and over.

I answered one call. It was a kind, soft spoken, young lady who stated she was from a reputable moving company who would like to provide me with a quote for my upcoming move. I explained to her the situation, in detail, and let her know that it needed to happen very quickly and that my budget was rather minimal. (I didn't want to waste my time so she could quote me something like $10k!) She said "of course, sir... we're the best money can buy, but we also understand your situation so our goal is to make this as easy and budget friendly as possible" So i said heck, why not!? It's an option, and sounds much easier than trying to do it all myself! After what seemed like an hour on the phone with her thoroughly going through an inventory, she emails me a quote and asks me to review it with her while still on the line. I open up my email, and there it is... just under 7,700 lbs at about $.42 per pound, about $4,800 total. I feel it was accurate as I arrived here with 6500 lbs just 3 years ago, and actually downsized a lot since then. So, a little excessive, but better safe than sorry. This did not, however, include packing services either, just pick-up and delivery. All that would be extra. This was probably a fair price, but a uhaul w/trailer was running right around $2k. Keeping that in mind, I kindly thanked her for taking the time, but let her know that this was just out of budget and I'd have to pass. After some cunning sales talk, I still kindly obliged. But then, of course, she says "hey! look who just walked in... my sales manager, i'll get him on the line and I know he'll be able to work something out!" And without even having a chance to respond, i'm on the phone with the 'sales manager.' His voice wasn't as sweet, and his tactics were much more aggressive. In short, he threw in some "discounts" and was able to bring the total charge down to .35 per pound. This brought my total down to just over $3,400. Again, I tried to thank him and oblige, but he REFUSED to let me hang up! Even mentioning how moving myself would be a horrible idea and attempting to scare me away from anything or anyone else. His line was "just click the SIGN link on the estimate and stop worrying man, we'll take care of the rest" He repeated that about 5 times. But, I stayed solid, and eventually was able to get off the line.

I went to bed... with a lot on my mind. Woke up on Tuesday, and of course... same movers, all calling, over and over. Including the one i did speak to the night before. Annoying, but it made me think - $3400, and I don't do anything (Everything was previously packed, by me, before all of this) Or, $2k for a Uhaul, pack and load all myself, another $800 or so for fuel over 1700 miles, hotels, headache, driving a big ass unfamiliar truck, etc... So, my cost analysis really wasn't all that much of a difference in the end.

So, I answered 'P Van Lines' when they called again. it was Sherry, the original sales lady. She said "I know you had some time to think, so why don't we go ahead and move forward, lets get this move set up so you can stop stressing" But, I had specific questions/requirements... I thoroughly communicated these to her:

Weight. I'm being reimbursed by my work for ONLY the EXACT weight. So, I explained this to her. Her response: "The estimate is just that, an estimate. If you sign today, you lock in your .35 per lb rate. After pick-up, we'll determine your exact weight, and adjust your charges accordingly" Almost verbatim. I even asked multiple times to verify that if I came in UNDER, i would then end up paying less than what was quoted. Again, she reassured me, multiple times, that I would only be charged for ACTUAL weight, regardless of how much. Even went on to bash other companies about how they low-ball estimates by estimating far less weight just to bait customers, but she was doing the complete opposite and would likely be saving me money in the end.

Pick up date: I needed to be picked up Saturday (today!) to line up with travel arrangements. I explained this also. She verified with her dispatch, and again, stated that they had an empty truck that would be more than willing and available to load/pick up on Saturday... BUT only if i signed and moved forward asap as trucks are dispatched all day, and schedules update quickly. (Made sense)

Contract. I was tired, stressed, anxious...just wanted this move over with. So, i explained to her that if the above mentioned were accurate, then it would make sense for me and i'd be willing to move forward. Again, she reassured me that she was well aware of my situation and needs, and that i needed to just rest assured. So, I signed the contract...only after very briefly skimming.

So then... theres more.

Deposit. After I e-signed the estimate, she stated I would need a $1000 deposit to secure transport and move forward. Not too big of a deal, I thought. BUT, she then mentioned that they would ONLY accept Cash, check, or money order. Kind of threw me for a loop... red flag definitely. I was hesitant, so I talked to the manager again.

Manager was very pushy. Stated over and over how they were one of the best moving companies I would find, and were offering me a deal of a lifetime. He specifically stated "open up google right now and type in our name - you'll see an A+ rating, great reviews, and you'll see that we've been in business for 30+years. NO other moving company can say that" He then guided me through their website and to an option for e-check, so i went that route.

Now they have my $1k in cash, and thanked me for my business. They say next step is to just sit back, relax, and I'd be contacted by Q.A prior to the move to validate and confirm a time.

Three days later, now friday, I finally get a call back. It's QA. Says he just needs to go over the inventory with me to insure no discrepancies on pick up day. After going line by line again, he adds a handfull of boxes (i wasnt sure of the exact #, so he said we'd overshoot) in order to save me trouble. Again, he stated it was better to over estimate, than the opposite. With that though, he sends me an updated estimate of now $4200! All for just a handfull of boxes that may or may not even be there. Heres the kicker, since it's a new/higher estimate, the deposit thats "required" is now more as well. He wants me to pay another $400 to move forward. At this point, i'm angry, and I let him know there was no way I was giving him a supplemental deposit. He calmly agrees, and just decides to carry it over into the balance to be paid later. BUT, still needs me to sign the new estimate. Now i'm thinking out loud, and i say "well this is all just an estimation, so the true weight, which I know is much less, will still come into play and that's all i'm paying for, so this is irrelevant anyway." He seemed shocked after I said that. Told me that's not how it worked. The estimate was what I was binded to, and that it only protected me from any additional cost of under-evaluation. So, the now 8000 lbs would be what i would be paying for, regardless. Again... I know with 100% certainty that i dont have anything over or even near 6500 lbs. I was really upset now, as this was completely contradictory to what i was originally told, and what I made such a big deal about with the sales team. To top it off, I was driving and signed the new estimate on my iphone, right before he said all this. So, he assures me that he knows what hes doing, and that his quote is going to be spot on. Then, send me to customer service to confirm delivery time.

Customer service gets me on the line. They say i'm scheduled for Sunday pickup after 3pm!! WTF! NOT Saturday morning, as originally discussed.

So, this is where things get interesting.

Original sales woman states i would only pay for the true/actual weight. Estimate is just an estimate, they would adjust my bill accordingly after the fact. That was a LIE.

Sales lady reassured me that we could lock in a truck for saturday... even stated it was empty and just waiting for a job (it's off-season) That was a LIE.

New estimate. They have a new estimate, signed, that's almost $1000 more than what i originally agreed to.

Deposit. They ONLY took cash, or cash alternatives... so that i wouldn't be able to dispute the charge. They have my money - $1000!

BBB rating - per the "manager" A quick google search of "Presidential Van Lines" returns a company with an A+ rating, originally established in 1984, by the name of 'Presidential Van Lines, LLC' Just like the manager specifically stated. BUT... further investigation shows that this company ceased operations in 2004, and operated out of VA. An actual BBB search shows 'Presidential Van Lines' as a non-registered company with NO rating, out of FL. Manager both LIED and posed as a different, much more legitimate company!!!

So, its now Saturday. They will not be picking up today, as originally stated. I'm now paying nearly $1000 more than what was originally quoted, and am apparently locked into NO LESS than that amount. ($4200.) They have my $1000 deposit. They want another $1600, in cash or money order, when they pick up. (half of the remaining balance)

Now, they are obviously a very dishonest and rogue company. I refuse to give them a single dollar more... AND everything i own. BUT, they have my $1000 deposit. Per the signed estimate, the deposit will not be refunded if within 7 days. I'm obviously within that window. Putting all the puzzle pieces together finally. So... i'm getting ready to call and "fire" them now, today, Saturday. I'm going to do my best to TRY to recover my money... but i know it wont be easy. I'm ready to fight.

...and now I still have to figure how i'm going to move all my stuff halfway across the country in the next two days!

Any previous experiences similar to this? Any tips/suggestions/ideas on what I can do moving forward while still being able to recover at least SOME money? I'm going to try to be professional and courteous, but also point out all LIES and deception that I have now caught them in.

Wish me luck!

Answer: If you want someone to respond to this you are going to have to substantially shorten the post to relevant facts only.


Title: Doctor recommends lab test "<$100", now insurance won't help and I'm charged $1500. [USA/GA]

Question:
Hey Folks,

My story is pretty simple.  My wife and I were seeing a specialist doctor to help with infertility and the doctor and nurse recommended us get a nonessential lab test.  We asked how much it would cost, and they said it was not expensive.  When we said we didn't want to pay more than $100, they said it definitely wouldn't cost us $100.  So we had the test drawn.

Now our insurance has denied to help pay for the test.  The doctor's office and care has all been "in network" for our health insurance, but they sent this one test to a special lab that is out of network (without checking with us if this was okay).  So since it is out of network, our health insurance is denying our claim.  We are being billed over $1500.  We do not make that much money and can't afford a bill like that!  I am afraid we will be taken to collections or court or something.

We live in Georgia, both work full time, pay all our bills, etc.  The good news about all this is that the fertility treatment worked and we are expecting :)

Any advice?

Answer:
 At the end of the day, it's your responsibility to know what and what not your insurance covers. If the specialty lab was out of your network, that isn't the doctor's problem; it's yours. File an appeal with your insurance or ask the lab for a payment plan.Answer #2: First step is to appeal the decision with your insurance.  It is unusual for health insurance to deny coverage for an out-of-network provider.  The usual thing to happen is that out of network providers are covered at a lower rate (IE 60% vs 80% for in-network).

So your first step is to appeal the denial.  Contact your insurance company to find out how to do this.Answer #3: Call your insurance and they may fix it. Tests prescribed by an in-network provider are usually covered, even if the lab they sent you to is out of network. However, you often have to flag it to your insurance company.

If that isn't the case, you're responsible.


Title: Delaware - Company claims they're legally obligated to force PTO on certain days

Question: This is the second time this has happened in the 8 months I've been with this company. Company wide email goes out, stating that operations will be shut down on specific dates. Some select employees will be allowed to work, but other salary employees are legally required to spend PTO on those days. A cursory Google search tells me that an employer is within their rights to force PTO to be taken on certain days, but nothing about it being a legal requirement. Anyone have any insight?

Answer:
 Yep its legal and typical.  Manufacturing does this all the time. They do a summer maintenance shut down for a week or two.  And everyone takes their vacation at the same time.

Banking and finance does the same thing but for different reasons and not everyone is out at once. They say you must take 2 weeks every however many months.  Thats done on the theory that if you're doing something illegal with the money it will shake it self out in two weeks. I'm sure there are other regulated industries that have them same thing.  So mental note: If you're going to manipulate money at a bank make sure the scheme can go three weeks with out intervention.


Title: Roofing co threatening to place lien on property for not paying the work, even though we never had a signed contract

Question:
Husband and I own and investment property (wa state) and have a property manager. We asked them to bid a new roof, as we knew the prop needed one in order to keep our insurance. Over the course of several months, they said they could not find a roofer available so we told them we’d find our own. We ended up finding one, contracting with them and getting the roof replaced, while keeping our prop manager in the loop. As our roofer finished the job, our prop manager calls us saying that the roof had already been replaced, but this was due to their error as not contract had ever been signed. They did receive a bid, but did not go through with anything. Their roofer apparently got confused, thought they had a signed contract and replaced the roof without notifying our prop manager. When we found out about this, we checked the permit filings with the city, and no permit had ever been filed.

Now, we’ve received a threat from the roofing company’s lawyer to put a lien on our property. In their documentation, they gave us a copy of the bid, but I still see no contract signed between prop manager and them.

Is this just an empty threat or do we need to lawyer up?

Answer: Lawyer up. I would in both situations. They want paid, which I understand. But nothing was signed. Was there a paper trail or emails?


Title: Does my apartment complex legally have to fix this?

Question:
I live in Indiana. I've been having issues with water in my apartment when it rains. My apartment is below ground level and the door into the shared hallway does not close all the way so water gets in and floods the hall, which in turn floods the hallway just inside my front door, which also leaks over to my bedroom as well (which doesn't get as soaked but does get damp). I've contacted them twice about this now and they've had maintenance come over to soak up the water (which still leaves the carpet damp) but have not offered any permanent solution. I don't want to have maintenance come to my apartment EVERY TIME it rains a significant amount. Sometimes I just deal
with it but i'm sick of it now and I don't pay to live in these kind of conditions, not to mention I'm worried about mold growing. Does my complex have to fix this? It's definitely not something I was aware of or that they told me before I moved in. There is a really tiny drain outside the door where the water come in and they have used the excuse that the rubber mat was covering it when it rains. But when it rains for several days straight, that tiny drain really doesn't do crap anyway.

Answer: You have the right to a [habitable rental property](http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/top-8-landlord-legal-responsibilities-indiana.html), I do not know if this rises to the level of non-habitability. You're going to have to navigate some rabbit holes: http://www.in.gov/ihcda/2328.htm; https://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/states/indiana/renting/tenantrights. Try calling some of the numbers here: https://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hcc/hcs.cfm?webListAction=search&searchstate=IN, they may not be correct, but if they can't help you ask if they can point you.


Title: Trans person starting work at a privately owned christian daycare centre. Boss told me not to tell the kids about my identity or I'll get fired. Do I have any legal ground or am I fucked?

Question: For more details, I look pretty ambiguous. I have adults and children alike asking me what my gender is, and I suspect the children I'm working with are going to be no different. The boss told me to not answer any questions the kids might have regarding my gender because "it's the parents choice if they want their kids to be exposed to that lifestyle" or else I can't work there anymore. I live in Texas and have already looked into anti-discrimination laws for LGBTQ issues, but I don't know how that applies to privately owned religious institutions. I feel like this is just going to be a rhetorical question but maybe someone on here might be able to give me some insight.

Answer:
 There are no trans protections in Texas, state-wide. There are ongoing cases where the EEOC (federal) is trying to utilize case law on "sex stereotyping" to protect trans employees.

Dallas/Fort Worth, Austin, Houston and El Paso have laws protecting employees from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. However, if you were in one of those cities you'd need to dig into the actual statute the city used to see if a religious daycare center is exempt, or if a business with fewer than XX number of employees is exempt (these are common). I would imagine most daycare centers have fairly small staff.

Are you in one of those cities and how many employees are there at the center?


Title: PA supreme court pregnancy child abuse question

Question: Is this ruling retro active? Me and my significant other found out she was pregnant almost 5 months along in 2014. It was a very rough few years and we were pretty heavy into drugs. Doctors told her if she stopped the baby would die. Two months later her father passed. Our first son was born in withdrawal and was immediately taken from us. We struggled for months to get sober on our own under CYS supervision to no avail. Eventually signed open adoption papers with his foster family who were great loving people. But they cut contact before his second birthday. If I'm understanding this ruling correctly cys should have had no legal grounds to take him in the first place, right? I always felt I would of gotten sober a lot sooner if I didnt have him ripped from us like he was. We've since had another child and are doing great. I just think of him constantly and this verdict has wheels spinning in my mind.

Answer: What exactly are you asking? The adoption isn't going to be undone here. That would not be in the child's best interests.Answer #2: The grounds for him being taken involve his having two parents who were drug addicts.  He was taken with his best interests in mind.  How is it you feel he was taken illegally?


Title: [OH]Receiving marijuana in the mail, when decriminalized.

Question: [Cincinnati, Ohio recently decriminalized marijuana possession up to 100g.](https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/news/2019/06/12/council-votes-to-decriminalize-marijuana-in.amp.html) Since possession of marijuana isn’t illegal, and RECEIVING it as a gift isn’t illegal. What charges, if any, would one face if they were caught receiving marijuana in the mail. From what I could tell, receiving marijuana in the mail is only a federal offense if you use USPS; not FedEx or UPS.

Answer: If it were to cross state lines at all it would still be a federal crime. Plus the transport in any method of commerce like FedEx or UPS would likely violate the terms of your agreement with those companies and could draw interest from the feds.


Title: Attacked by tenant in home invasion, attempt to stab me with a knife, landlord attempts to evict me instead.

Question:
After several months of noise harassment from an upstairs tenant I began tripping breakers in the shared laundry room to get it to stop. I had contacted the landlord and the local sheriff’s office for assistance and both were unhelpful.

The noise problem was occurring at 130 in the morning from the upstairs tenant who claimed that I was making noise by playing my television too loudly during daylight and prior to the 1000pm noise curfew.

I was concerned about this and made every attempt to resolve it by lowering the volume of my tv and finally downloaded decibel meters to use on my smart phone and tablet to measure noise levels and keep them reasonable. The noise variance is between 50 to 60 decibels at any one time. Indicated as between ‘soft rain’ and ‘quiet conversation’.

I had been able to overcome this person’s attempts to harass me with his noise by running a desk fan and using earplugs but finally two weeks ago he moved the stereo down into his garage adjacent to my wall and played it there. That’s when I started interrupting this with turning off the breakers for the garage only.
The police who had come out previously had stated that if they could not hear his music outside the residence there was nothing they could do but did acknowledge that is was intolerable in their opinion.

When I tripped the breaker at 130am he came running down the stairs to restore it and continue his noise but I opened up the laundry room door to confront him. At this time he attacked me and attempted to enter my residence and I found out the following morning he had attempted to stab me through the door with a knife which penetrated the other side of the door. The sheriff who came out to investigate said they could not determine fault even though this guy had an  abrasion wound on his fist and blood drops on the floor and damage to the door including the stab wound with entry and exit holes…

I emailed the landlord about this shortly after the sheriff left and she did not respond for two to three days, consistent with her lack of help in the past. I told her I was processing a no contact/anti harassment order against him and her response two days later was. . . An eviction notice against me delivered by this guy’s two sons.
My problem is I suffer from PTSD and severe depression and anxiety, out of work, no savings and no one I can rely on financially for help in getting out of this.  I started a new job last week but won’t get my first full paycheck until a few days before I’m due to be evicted. On top of this I have no car and my bus commute is such it takes two and a half hours to get to and from work, basically commuting between 5am and arriving home close to 6pm.

Is there anything I can do to prevent this eviction and have this tenant and landlord held legally responsible for what they’ve done? She informed this guy of the anti harassment order which has prevented him from being served and I feel endangered my health and safety by doing so.

This is in Snohomish County WA.

Answer:
 > Is there anything I can do to prevent this eviction

What is the cause for the eviction?  That will determine whether you have a chance of fighting it.Answer #2: Is this an eviction notice, or a termination of tenancy notice? Did you have a lease?

To be honest, shutting off your neighbors power was a bad move. If you have a lease, I wouldn't be surprised if that is a violation of the terms. If you don't have a lease, your landlord can terminate your tenancy with 20 days notice before the end of the final rental period.

As far as your personal problems with your neighbor, if you have PTSD, severe depression, and anxiety, provoking your neighbor by shutting off his electricity is probably not the best strategy. If the cops refuse to do anything here, you can't force their hand. Your best bet is probably going to be simply finding a new home at this point. Answer #3: If you don't make a lot of money, and you are a legal US resident, you may be eligible for free legal services in civil cases from a group associated with the Legal Service Corporation. [Here](http://lsc.gov/find-legal-aid) is a webpage that allows you to search for a local LSC affiliate. The group will need to verify that you qualify for its services because they can only provide these services to certain people.

Many of thaw organizations deal with landlord tenant matters,


Title: Registering Myself as an Emotional Support Animal

Question:
So, we've had repeated discussions in /r/legaladvice about how the registration process of Emotional Service animals is not regulated and how the certificates from these websites and registrars are legally meaningless (although occasionally are cited in contract and housing disputes).

With that said, seeing as there have been various weird things from emotional support turtles, cats, dogs, or pigs registered, is there any reason one could not register an Emotional Support Person?  *Homo sapiens sapiens* is, after all, an animal.

Answer:
 If you want to admit publicly that you do a "job" most frequently occupied by a cat, knock yourself out.

If you're looking for free rent, plane seats, or admission anywhere as a result -- be prepared to be laughed at.


Title: How to get a men’s shelter investigated and possibly shut down in the state of Maryland.

Question:
Hello, I’m a councilman for a relatively small district in Maryland and would like to know what steps must a resident take to initiate an investigation into a men’s shelter.

The shelter is grossly mismanaged, lacks supervision, and seems to have no accountability measures in place for unruly tenants. I’ve contacted the owners of the shelter, as well as the proprietors of the program that selects the tenants, to no avail, and made several inquiries to the county regarding the operational dysfunction of the shelter. The county looked into it and the tenants behaved for a while, but their unruliness started again and the county, as well as the local police, have so far been pretty apathetic and insouciant about it.

Well now things have escalated, and one of the men has started harassing a resident of the town. What would be her legal recourse? I contacted the local courts and they informed me a peace order may be the best solution, however we must know the perpetrator’s full name, which the shelter will not provide.  Does anyone have suggestions of how we could force the owners of the shelter to disclose this information, or maybe another possible solution?

Any guidance will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Answer:
 The shelter is not responsible for the criminal acts of the people who use it.

If this guy is harassing someone, then that victim needs to call the police when it's occurring and report the crime.  The police will be able to identify him when they arrive, and then she can get that info to the courts for a peace order.Answer #2: >I’ve contacted the owners of the shelter, as well as the proprietors of the program that selects the tenants,

I think you should post a little more about who owns the shelter, and who finances them- without identifying info.  It sounds like you're describing some kind of privately operated drug treatment facility or mental health group home.  Oversight at those can be problematic, getting it shut down would revolve around the question of whether the people who pay the bills are getting what they pay for.  I've seen some news stories about privately operated treatment centers for opiate users, some of the proprietors are absolute garbage.

If it is a church run or purely charitable operation, they probably have quite a bit of leeway in what they offer, and very minimal oversight.Answer #3: You do not describe any reason to shut it down, rather than a single allegation of harassment.

Do you have a glut of mens shelters in your area willing to provide services for all of the clients of this one if you shut it down and have you considered the impact upon them?


Title: I need an answer

Question: My husband was arrested in Arkansas on a feloney warrent out of Louisiana. The charges was assult on abother person who tried to stab him with a knife. I wanna know if that other person does not show up in court. What will happen to him?

Answer: There are half a dozen steps and months between today and the day the victim has to show up. The victim will be compelled to show up.  If you think your going to try to convince the victim not to show up, you'll soon be in a cell as well.


Title: Would this legally be considered child abuse?

Question: I have a friend who recently told me about how she is punished by her parents until September for some things she did. How her parents punish her seems excessively cruel. They took her door. They don't allow her to do ANYTHING, not even read books. She can only do homework, doodle on it, or sit and think. She can't sit on the furniture or go anywhere. I also think she mentioned sleeping on the floor in a shared room with her sister. I can only imagine what else they might be doing that she's not telling me, would this be legally considered child abuse? What would happen if I reported it?

Answer: Nothing you’ve described would be in and of itself abuse.


Title: Business partner withdrew from LLC, taking 50% of cash on hand [NY]

Question:
My friend formed a two member LLC in NY to do design and construction management services. She and her partner have personal difficulties working together and last night and have continuously argued over the direction of the company and over operational concerns. Last night, the LLC partner sent an email to my friend (*and to their current clients!*) stating that she was quitting and withdrawing from the LLC. She also withdrew 50% of the cash on hand (a 4 figure amount), money that has been paid by clients whose projects are in progress and that is meant for expenses related to the ongoing work.

I advised her that it looks like embezzlement to me, and that she should retain an attorney, stat. The partner is, of course, entitled to some of the LLC's assets during a winding-up process, but to withdraw them in this way appears to violate the law. Any advice?
Topic:
Business Law

Answer:
 That's not necessarily embezzlement. It really depends on what their operating agreement says, how the ownership is split, and a number of other things.

Your friend should definitely speak to an attorney, but it's more likely that the partners and their attorneys will just hash out an agreement to wind down the company, who gets what, etc.


Title: I may be being falsely accused of rape

Question:
I'm a college student  from isla vista santa barbara
Who was told he may be in some hot water due to being told I had raped someone.
I'm freaking out because it's not true.
I have no idea what to do I'm scared

Answer:
 At this point really nothing much to do.

Don't talk to anyone about it, especially the accuser if you know who it is.

If police want you to come down to the station to "sort things out," either refuse or only do so with a lawyer.

If arrested exercise your rights to remain silent and get a lawyer.

Basically right now don't talk about it. Live normally. And consider to start looking for criminal defense attorneys in the area to call on if it gets to that point. Basically so if you do need a lawyer, you already have someone ready to go or at least in mind.


Title: I [21F San Antonio TX] outed my ex for being a cheater to his fiance. I am scared of retaliation, such as him leaking my nudes or vandalizing my car.

Question:
Hello everyone, I am a 21F. Last night I told my ex's fiance that he is a cheater. I will not get into further details about that because I think it's irrelevant. I have proof that he is and she approached me with concerns and I told her the truth.

The man is currently in Navy Basic Training. He will graduate in 2 weeks or so.

I am not sure how the news is being taken among his family and her, I know understandably that they are upset. I am scared that he, or his friends, will retaliate against me. He has nude and naked photos of me saved on his phone. He knows where I live.

What precautions can I take to ensure my safety and reputation? My roommate suggested I tell my apartment complex about suspicious cars matching his own or his fiance's. She also reminded me that I can also report him to his CO if he does harass me.

I am most concerned about the naked photos, because that seems the easiest way for him to enact his petty revenge. Please let me know.

Answer: This is not a legal question. You have no legal recourse here unless and until he does something illegal. Revenge porn is illegal in Texas, but there's nothing you can do right now. Answer #2: Seems like you would have worried about these things before you decided to interfere in their relationship. He's done nothing illegal.Answer #3: You have no legal recourse, because nothing illegal has happened.


Title: Self defense? (il)

Question: Last night, (Christmas Eve) I was drinking with some friends at a Christmas party. A girl who is very, very, intoxicated, I am male by the way,  starts accusing me of selling cocaine to her father, that is not true so I am not worried about that but she starts hitting me over and over again in the head and the face (i have knots and bruises to prove this) after taking about 8 shots I catch her arm and she hits me with her other arm so I grab that one too to buy enough time to plan my escape. After this I leave immediately with a friend. 2-3 hours later someone calls me and tells me that she has bruises and cuts on her arm. I'm sure that her wounds are self inflicted but if she tries to take legal action and lies about it. Am i going to be arrested?

Answer:
 No one here can guess what she might do.

If the police come, decline to talk to them (politely) and hire an attorney. Answer #2: If you trust your friends, have them send written statements about what happened. Probably the second-easiest way to do this is to have a friend each one individually "hey, what happened with kingcg last night?" Easiest way is to text them yourself.

Also, if you happen to have any cocaine or other drugs at your residence, I would get rid of that in case she does go to the cops and they get a warrant.Answer #3: This is not currently legal advice, but it might save you from needing more in the future.  You don't have to put up with people who do things like this.  You don't have to put up with abusive or otherwise bad people.  And if you do stay around people like this, they will drag you down.

Sorry to preach, but too many people get screwed out of misplaced loyalty to their "friends."


Title: Stolen laptop accuzation

Question: A friend of mine aquired a laptop that was reported stolen. They have accused him of stealing it, but only on the grounds that they tracked it to his home. Can ASUS laptops be tracked if stolen? Is this a ploy to have him fess up. What should he do?

Answer:
 There are ways to track lost or stolen laptops, yes. Seeing as how they managed to find it was in your friend's possession, I'd assume they have some proof of that.

Who is asking him about this? Did he know it was stolen? Where is he located?


Title: Friend accidentally ripped out internet cable, doesn't think he is at fault.

Question:
Friend of mine who lives in a trailer park just called me to rant about yet another one of his shenanigans.

There is a cable that runs from his neighbors house laying on the dirt road that leads up onto a pole on my friends side of the road.

So apperantly as my friend was dragging some downed limbs across said road that one of the branches snagged the cable and ripped it out.

The neighbor wants him to pay for it, but my friend insists that he shouldn't because the cable shouldn't be lying across the road in the first place.

All in all my friend is a bit over his head with these kind of issues and I'm hoping you guys can help lead him in the right direction as far as legal advice goes. He's sure that if he took this to court he could win, but I doubt it. I think he is better off just giving the guy the money before he bites off more than he can chew.

Answer: I would be interested in seeing if the cable was laid correctly and who laid it.  If it was laid incorrectly or illegally, your friend might just have a defense.


Title: Stolen Mail

Question:
Hello! On mobile so sorry for any errors in advanced.
So I live in a home with a few other people in it. There’s this one nasty old man who the other housemates are sure has done some stupid stuff, but whenever we talk to the landlord who lives on the property he never wants to point any fingers to the old man.
My boyfriend and I are suspecting the old man of stealing my boyfriend’s mail now.. just today as my boyfriend was walking to the front door he saw the old man shove mail into his jacket and hustle inside. When my boyfriend checked the mail box it was empty, and we’re almost convinced that there’s no way all that mail was for just him, seeing as we’ve almost never seen anything addressed to him in the year and a half we’ve lived here.. Only big thing that was stolen was a gift card so far, but W2s are bound to be on their way soon so we’re worried— we just don’t want him to have his personal information.

We’re not sure what to do since we’re moving out of state in 2 weeks. We’re looking to get our mail forwarded now rather than later I suppose, but it’s frustrating to think that he has any of our previous mail. Is there something we can do in that time frame or should we just move on?
State: MA

Edit: Added location
Topic:
Douche

Answer: Report the mail theft to USPS. They take theft pretty seriously. Report the incidents every time they happen. In the meantime, you might want to start mail forwarding, changing addresses, and notifying your carrier. You can do a temporary mail hold (e.g., for being on vacation) with the post office locally and pick it up before you move.


Title: I've decided I'm not paying a speeding ticket I got. What's the absolute worst that can happen? (Georgia)

Question: Edit: I mailed the money order. So, it doesn't matter anymore.

Answer:
 The stupid is strong with this one.

Don't be surprised when you're pulled over again and arrested after the cop finds you have a suspended license. If you got a $700 speeding ticket in the first place, you clearly aren't making sound decisions in your life, so listen to us. Get a lawyer to have the ticket reduced or dismissed. You will thank yourself in the long run.Answer #2: You'll have a bench warrant issued for your arrest, and the next time the police interact with you you'll go to jail. You'll then go to court and be made to pay for the original ticket, likely plus quite a bit.

You can avoid legal issues for a bit, but you can never get away from them without dealing with it. The longer you wait, the more they'll fuck you. It's your choice.


Title: [Ohio] I need a lot of help. Rape and death of parent. [Serious]

Question:
Some background:
I'm a 17 year old living in Ohio. My dad died from a careless doctor when I was 7. We have been told that there would be no point in suing, as we don't have proof. He had an AVM that ruptured in his brain. He got sepsis in a hospital in Pennsylvania. He died shortly after that. Mom moved on quickly and moved me to Ohio with her new boyfriend (2 months after my father's death). I was raped and abused for 2 years (8-10). I've been mutilated and tortured, tied up and starved. I was circumcised at 8 years old. I'm a female. I have the scars to prove what he did to me... I suffer from rape-related PTSD. We moved away from there, but that wasn't the end. I was 12 when I got raped by my best friend's, 18 year old brother. I am currently living with my mom and my brother, who has autism. He often has violent outbursts. He's fantasized about killing me on multiple occasions. My mom handled this by putting a lock on my door, and telling me to sleep with a knife. I've talked to professionals about the rape. I've told them about both situations, they told me it was too late. I was 14. Now it is actually too late for the first one. He died from an OD last March, and I will never get justice for that. The second man is now a father. I'm so broken, and have been home-schooled most of my life. I don't have any friends, and have never had a real relationship. I can't sleep without having flashbacks and night terrors. I'll wake up with bloody palms and bloody gums.

You might wonder why a mother would let this happen to her daughter, and why I'm still dealing with emotional and physical abuse at 17... money.
I've been receiving survivor's benefits from my father's death. I've had fights with my mom about this before. My entire life I've found ways of making my own money, paying for my own food, helping pay rent.. I've had the same bed for 11 years. It's broken and painful to sleep on. I got a full-time job last year, and pay for my own car, insurance, groceries, rent, clothes, laptop, etc.. My mom also works. I went to file taxes today, and saw that I was getting a much larger amount in survivor benefits than I was lead to believe. How come I've never seen a dime of these? Up until I turned 16, my mom received her own survivor benefits. What is she doing with all of this money? It's definitely not going towards my education. We were in a severe car accident when I was little, and my mom collected a very large amount of money. Spent every cent on herself. Any money that I have saved for college is from working or babysitting. I feel as the my mom has betrayed and neglected me. I wouldn't even eat if I didn't buy my own food, and there's been weeks where I actually couldn't afford to eat.

 I turn 18 towards the end of this year, and was wondering what my options are. Can I still get justice for the rape or the death of my father? Can I get anything from my mom? Or should I just move on and try to make it on my own? I need advice. All input is appreciated. Thank you for your time!

Answer:
 >##Report Child Abuse and Neglect 855 O-H-CHILD

>The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services has launched 855-O-H-CHILD (855-642-4453), an automated telephone directory that will link callers directly to a child welfare or law enforcement office in their county.

>Reports can be anonymous.

http://jfs.ohio.gov/ocf/reportchildabuseandneglect.stm

Call 911 if you are in immediate danger.

Answer #2: First, you very much need therapy.  You're in a bad, bad place, and you need a professional to help you work through this.

It's very unlikely you can take any action for your father's death.  The statute of limitations has likely run out long ago, and proving medical malpractice at a late date would be very difficult.  If these people who told you not to sue were attorneys, it's likely there's no suit to be had.

As for your attacker, you might be able to proceed there.  The statute of limitations, criminally, is 20 years or so for some crimes.  You should consider filing a police report.


Title: NY - Landlord is raising my rent by 60% is that legal?

Question:
Moved into an apartment in Brooklyn 3 years ago. Rent has gone up about 150 a year and we are at 1825 now. My lease is up June 30th. My landlord verbally informed me that my rent will be going up to $3000 and will now include the floor below us.

Its pretty much a full apt but with no kitchen, that is connected via a locked door and small set of stairs. There is no kitchen,  and the building is only allowed 3 units, so he cant make it a separate unit. In other words they need to be on my lease.

He is pressuring us to sublet it. This is not ideal as we have a small child and who the hell wants to rent an apt without a kitchen, i dont want the hassle or stress.

Forgive me if i am unclear. Is this legal? Any advice?!

Answer: He is raising the rent when your lease is up, correct?


Title: Law Enforcement of Reddit: my little sister is being stalked at her place of work by a man 3 times her age with multiple stalking/harassment charges. What steps should she be taking besides the obvious of reporting it to her managers and HR?

Question: We are located in Pennsylvania - thank you!

Answer:
 ....call the cops?

I’m going with call the cops. Answer #2: She should report this to the police as well and look into getting a restraining order. She should also document every single thing this man does. Every time he shows up at her work, every time he calls, every time his car appears, etc. It can be very hard to prove stalking and noting everything can go a long way. Answer #3: Besides calling the police, right now, she should also be very, very cautious. Have someone walk her to her car after work, have her call security or someone to walk her inside when she goes to work. Let all her co-workers know about this person. The company can ban this person from their property so she should tell them ASAP.


Title: Papaya Salmonella Outbreak Urgent!!

Question: I recently went to Smoothie King for the first time in my life and had the "strawberry xtreme" which contains a papaya juice blend and strawberries. After drinking it I took a nap and woke up confused. I felt abdominal pains, constant diarrhea and lost my appetite. I then went online and self diagnosed myself with salmonella poisoning. I then read [this article](http://www.self.com/story/salmonella-outbreak-papayas/amp). So I was wondering if I can get some form of compensation. I have been living in hell for the past two days and I have missed my mother's birthday. Does anyone know  a way to check if the papaya juice I was given came from the afflicted region?

Answer:
 A self diagnosis is going to net you exactly zero. You also have no damages. You can call and see about getting a refund for your drink

Edit word


Title: [NY] I just quit my day job and I cant help but feel there has to be some sort of legal option for receiving reparations. Can anyone offer me feedback?

Question:
Hi,

I am 25 years old male. I live in New York State. I was employed from about February 2015 up until today 12/2/2015. I worked as a laborer/Novice mechanic for a commercial air conditioning company that is also owned by my father.

It is a family business with the only other employees being my older and younger brothers.

On the morning of Monday 11/30/15 I was due in at work at 5:30 AM. Typically we all meet at my fathers house where the business is based out of. The schedule changes everynight and we are told around 7-8pm everynight.

11/30/15 I wake up in my apartment at 4:45AM and I call my older brother/coworker to make sure hes up and heading towards my fathers. He informs me that he is ill and wasnt able to sleep and that he needs me to drive into NYC for our work today.

Me and My other coworker (younger brother) head to my fathers house. As I walk in the door just shy of 5:30 am my father tells me to sit down and proceeds to tell me he himself is ill and has been vomiting up blood all night. That he cannot work today and is going to the hospital.

I tell him to take my little brother with him, and explain that our oldest brother is also ill, that he will be here within 10 minutes (which he was).

My father has a panic attack/breakdown/anger attack and begins throwing his furniture around the room. He has a fireplace that was lit in which he through his chair into, then ran over picked it out, and threw it against his window.

He screamed at me and my younger brother and called us all sorts of names like useless, ungrateful, while his dog bit us. Within a few minutes my older brother arrived and he continued to throw furniture, shoes, remotes, at us and around his house.

We tried our best to calm him down but he wouldnt have it. Since then I went to talk to him yesterday night. I told him he has to call and apologize to my little brother (who currently still lives with him) because he wont leave my apartment, he is scared to go home.

He says he would rather sleep in my cold, termite infested, mold growing, spider filled attic than go back because hes scared of his Father.

He became enraged a second time and told me not to come into work today. However, this morning I wake up to texts of "Bring my work truck to my house" followed by "right now".

I bring the work truck over and I tell him "Payday is this friday, give my payroll check to my older brother, dock for me today, thursday, friday."

To which he replies "Its payday when I say its payday." and "You'll get paid when you get paid".

At this point I say to him "Dont fuck with my pay I do honest work and I have bills" and he has a third meltdown.

He picks up a shoe and throws it at me, followed by him screaming and spitting in my face. He continues to tell me he is going to murder me, and that I'm worthless, then tells me to get off his property and go fuck myself.

Afterwards, I walk out to get a ride home, and he comes outside and grabs me by the shoulders pushing his nose into mine spitting in my face and telling me more deameaning things.

Now I'm sitting in my room, looking for a new job with this terrible feeling and a desire to do something about it. For background information, I have always had an off-on relationship with the man but this is the first time he has ever walked all over my basic rights as an employee.

Is there anything at all I can do to fight for some sort of reparations? What kind of case would I be fighting? Is there any chance that a guy with essentially no security/backup fund/savings CAN fight a successful lawsuit for abuse on the job?

I apologize for any unnecessary information. I simply dont know anything about law and I'm just trying not to leave any details out.

Answer:
 Unless you have a contract, you can be fired at any time for pretty much any reason.

Your only recourse is to receive your pay owed for days worked, and possibly unemployment.  That's it.


Title: [Idaho, US] Ex-wife stating kids aren't mine.

Question:
Hello Reddit,

I was divorced from my ex-wife approximately 2 years ago after she abandoned my Son (5) and Daughter (3) one night after I discovered that she was cheating.

I have 50/50 legal custody and the kids stay with me full time and visit her every other weekend when she decides to take them. Since our divorce she has constantly told me that our kids aren't mine biologically nearly every single time we have exchanged them and when she messages me on facebook.

I am planning on going to get a proper biological test done so I know as a matter of fact but I absolutely love my kids and am on all of their documentation (Birth certificates, etc.)

1. Are there any legal repercussions to me validating that they are or are not my biological children?

2. Is there anything that would give her an advantage in court if it was proved that they aren't mine?

3. If they are mine biologically do I have a case for parental alienation? (She has told me in front of my kids that they aren't mine)

Thank you guys and gals for all of your input!

Answer:
 As long as you're on the birth certificate and are their father in a legal capacity, you don't need to go through a DNA test unless you'd like ease of mind.

1. I can't think of anything good that can happen.  Worst case is you find out they aren't yours and cannot do anything to remove yourself as their father in a legal capacity.

2. I can't think of anything she could do to get advantage.  She acknowledged you as father for the last few years.

3. Potentially, yes.  A lawyer would have to look into the details of the matter and advise you as to if her actions raise to the level of alienation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, or are having a negative impact on the children in a manner that would make it in their best interest to not be around the children.Answer #2: She cannot treat you as their father when it suits her and not as their father when it doesn't. And it doesn't sound like she has much of a case for custody regardless.


Title: Gym membership that may be scamming me

Question:
I reside in Ontario, Canada. I've been having an issue with regards to a gym membership. I'm just wondering what I can do and what I am aloud to ask for.

Back in Janurary, I had a friend who got employed at a gym (was employed for 3 months but left because he got settled into a career). They were having a promotion, and if i signed someone else up, i would get a free 12 month membership. (I payed my activation fee and first/last month of $180) In the contract it stated that they had to be current on all their payments to the gym. Now, the person I did sign up had a falling out with the gym and ended up owing a large sum of money to them. The gym never contacted me about this.

On October 9th, I received a phone call from the district manager for this gym chain (I have the voice mail because i missed the first call, but i called back immediately). In the call, she said that the person under my contract missed a payment, and that i was due to pay for the month of October, however, the person under my contract was not who i signed up under my copy of the contract. In fact i had no clue who this was. I expressed my concern on the matter trying to gather some information, and asked if they could validate to me in writing that i was going to have to start making payments, which she said is against their policy to do. We also agreed that i could come in and pay cash and if worst comes worst she could "freeze" my account until this matter is figured out. She said she would call me back soon with an update.

3 days later i received a voice mail explaining that she was still working on it. I called her back but no one answered. I called again and left a message asking for her to call me back. No one got back to me so i called again the next day which again no one answered. I tried stopping by my gym but no one was in the office. I ended up forgetting about it thinking that they must have solved any problem that was going on. On October 28th, I noticed they tried to withdraw $39.99 out of my account. They never gave me a set date at which they would withdraw funds, and i was upset because we agreed that i could pay cash. I didn't have the funds in the account at the time because I didn't know it was coming out. My bank charged me a $45 NSF fee. I payed my NSF fee and put another $50 in the account (because the contract said they can charge 2.5% in interest). The next day they tried to withdraw $60 out of my account, which again bounced and i got charged a $45 NSF fee.

I didn't know what to do so i tried calling them to deal with the matter, no one answered so i left a message asking them to contact me. They again tried taking funds out ($80) the next day. Again I tried contacting them by phone, and then stopping by my gym which no one was there (during their posted hours too, I kept a journal of times/dates i went). a week past and no funds were taken out, however a week later they tried another 3 more times, which i was charged another NSF fee every time, and their price went up every time. On the final day, one of their collections agencies contacted me, saying i owed $180 to them. He was able to forward me to the manager at the gym, which over the phone we agreed i would come in and pay $80 that week, and the rest the following week.

When I got to the gym, I brought a witness with me. I went into the office and she turned a camera on me. I asked if she could break down what all the fees were for and she said it was against their store policy to share that information with me. I asked 3 more times, to which she declined. She then pulled out a new contract saying that i had to sign it. I asked if i would get a copy of it, and she said no. I tried to take a picture of it, to which she said i could be punished financially by them if i tried to take a picture of it. I payed $80 cash to her, and asked for a receipt. She said that it was against the store policy to offer me a receipt for any payments made directly to the gym. She then told me that i was asking too many questions and that i was acting like a child, and that i needed to sign the contract or i would be punished by having my free month being delayed another 60 days. She pressured me into signing the contract giving me no choice to say no or face punishment by them.

I don't know what i can do or where i can even get started. I feel like I can't even go to the gym without being insulted by the staff. I got charged close to $250 in NSF fees by my bank, plus the fees that they refused to break down for me. I feel extremely wronged by this business. Any help on this matter would be much appreciated.

Answer:
 [Filing a consumer complaint](http://www.ontario.ca/page/filing-consumer-complaint) - Government of Ontario website

I'd start by reading what's available on this site.

I'd also go to your bank and ask to do whatever is necessary to block the gym attempting to withdraw funds again, so that you won't get any more NSF  fees.   Dealing with the gym only in cash gives you much more control (insist on receipts).