Title: [CA] after almost getting in a car accident a man threatened he was going to call the police for damaging his car even though we made no contact at all, so I left..pls help more info inside...

Question:
I am a lyft driver in CA and after working all night I had stopped too get some breakfast and take a break.  I got in my car which was parked on the left side of a one way street, put my blinker on and looked in the lane behind me too make sure I was good to leave my parking space.  After seeing I was good too go I began pulling out of my parking spot, suddenly I heard someone lay on there horn and was very close to getting into a car accident...I was sure I was clear to leave my spot( this was a one way street with three lanes I was parked on the left side of the road). and I suspect that last minute the driver that almost ran into me switched from the middle lane too the left lane last minute.  So anyway, I felt like an ass if it was my fault and gave the guy the "my bad dude" wave.  I continued on my way and stopped at the stoplight 50 feet in front of us.
The driver I almost collided with then speeds up and slams on the brakes next too me at the light.  I thought he was pissed I unintentionally cut him off, so I was saying "my bad man I didn't see you coming it must have been my blind spot, I'm sorry." He was visibly angry yelling at me but his window was not down for whatever reason. He finally rolls it down and starts accusing me of crashing into him. I told him there is no way in hell! My car made absolutely no contact with his, I heard no noise at all, my car didn't even flinch when this apparently happened, i wasn't even considering it a possibility. So the man gets out of his car and steps in front of mine screaming and pointing at the RIGHT SIDE of his bumper, which was practically hanging off and scratched up too shit, which makes no sense because I was on his left side.  He than points to the front of my car which has some decent scratches on it but they have been there for months...he than takes down my license all while in a rage because I'm saying we didn't touch each others cars, and after he gets out of my way to get back in his car I just leave.  My reasons being that I am POSITIVE we didn't collide, his car was damaged too all hell borderline totaled(his driver door didn't even have the outer shell you could see the foam padding), and honestly he was acting erratic and I was slightly frightened he might do something unreasonable.
  I checked my car and there is no structural damage what so ever, no paint from anyone's car but mine, however I do have unrelated scratches that could possibly be mistaken for his made up scenario.  He was also claiming that I hit him with the front right bumper of my car, yet when I pulled away he was behind me completely...wouldn't me hitting him with my front bumper require him to be in front of me? Which would prevent me from casually driving up to the next light with no issues?  Should I contact the police? My insurance? Am I in danger of being guilty of a hit and run?  He seemed very angry and wrote down some information about my vehicle or myself but I'm not aware of what the specifics are..I suspect he was trying to get someone else to foot the bill for his already fucked up car.  I'm sitting in a parking lot researching solutions and getting a mixed bag of answers...Any advise on what my next steps should be is greatly appreciated.  Thank you for your time and for your legal knowledge.
TLDR:man claims I caused an accident to his already damaged car,However I am POSITIVE that our vehicles made no contact whatsoever.  He was acting erratic so I took off after he Finished writing down something about me and my car out of fear/confidence he was trying too scam me.  Should I be worried? What's my next move?

Answer:
 >Should I contact the police?

If you want to report him for road rage, then yes.

>My insurance?

No. There was no collision.

>Am I in danger of being guilty of a hit and run?

No. That would require actual contact **and** for either damage or injury to have occurred.

Practical advice: If you're a Lyft/Uber driver and you don't have both front and rear dash cameras, you're wrong. They will save your ass in events like this.


Title: I have a few questions about getting married at 17 with parental consent (OR)

Question: If your parents consent to you getting married at 17, is there an age limit to who you marry? Like it's illegal for a 17 year old and a 20 year old to have sex, but could they get married? If so, does being married void the whole statutory rape law considering the age of consent in Oregon is 18, considering one partner would be 17 yet married?

Answer: I can't find the specific law for OR, but generally, the law assumes you will consummate your marriage.  If they allow you to get married, it isn't illegal to have consensual sex.


Title: Daughter missing for 12 years found on FB looking to find out options

Question:
Approximately 12 years ago when my daughter was 2 years old her mother met a new guy and started telling my daughter he was her new "daddy". I had moved to another city for work and her mother not long after informed me she was severing all contact with me.

Fast forward 12 years of me searching online for her and my daughter. She was never online and stayed well hidden. A week or so ago I happened to be searching as I do every 6 months or so and found my daughter and her mom's Facebook profiles. They had created late 2013. I do believe my daughter was adopted by the guy her mother ended up with (and married/divorced).

What are my legal options to be in my daughter's life? I know there are a lot of psychological ones too. But I am looking to find out if I would have to pay back child support or if that would not apply. I am happy to know she is well but want to move forward the right way. This all took place and is in Harris County Texas.
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer:
 > What are my legal options to be in my daughter's life?

If she was adopted, you may be able to contest it.  If she's not been adopted, then you can file for custody and/or visitation in the place where she lives now.


Title: Parents not giving their personal info for my wife's i-130 form

Question: I am submitting an i-130 Spouse application through the DCF process in Manila, Philippines  and my Parents wont give their exact birthdate and other info which is required to file the i-130 Form. Is there a way to get this info without asking them ? My relationship with them isn't the greatest by the way.  This is very frustrating what do i do?

Answer:
 For the G-325A, if you don't know the information, just put unknown. USCIS won't reject the form if you don't know the information.

However, a lot of the biographic information for parents should be on your birth certificate (but that depends on the country you are from and the year you were born).


Title: I got 1500$ stolen from me on r/borrow

Question: Hey guys, I loaned a redditor 1500$ by Etransfer on r/borrow and have not received a cent back. The redditor stopped contact 2 weeks ago. What should I do? I know where she works, but thats about it... Is there something i can do? I am located in New-Brunswick and she is in British-Columbia.

Answer:
 Well, your title is wrong. Nobody stole anything from you. You made a loan that was not repaid.

One is a criminal act and one is a contract breach.Answer #2: That sub seems rather ridiculous to me.  Loaning money to a random stranger on the internet is a recipe for disaster.

If you have her information, you can sue her in court in her jurisdiction.  If not, write it off as a lesson learned, and next time leave the lending to the banks.  Answer #3: Why did you make this loan? To collect interest? What were the terms?  Answer #4: I didn’t even know one can loan money through reddit. I don’t think I can trust stranger enough for that.Answer #5: Both Canadians!

Sorry, I'm an US American, so this is American advice which, though we both are common law countries, may differ from what you'll do.

In the US, you'd sue the other person in a court that had jurisdiction over that person, in small claims court, without an attorney, for the $1500 plus court costs plus any other damages you suffered as a result of this (like the cost of a trip to British Columbia to go to court).


Title: Bought a huge trampoline for the backyard, how do I avoid getting legally screwed if someone gets hurt playing on it?

Question:
Location is Columbus Ohio. The trampoline has a big safety net around it to make sure people to fly off it and was assembled exactly as the directions dictate. It isn't located anywhere near any kind of hazards. I have home owners insurance and I'm gonna talk to my insurance agent about coverage for injuries and stuff, but I wanted to know what, if anything, I should do to minimize my legal liability in case one of the kids friends breaks a leg or worse.
As of now we're just asking each kids' parents if it's okay if they use the trampoline before they come over, and we always have an adult supervising.

Thoughts?
Thanks!
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 Get a very large insurance policy.Answer #2: The best way to minimize legal risk and liability is to minimize risk of injury, period.  Especially for a private homeowner.  It is unlikely that you are going to draft and have friends and family execute waivers and releases.  Therefore, the best thing for you to do is have solid safety rules in place that are designed for the protection of the people who are using it.  And enforce those rules without exception.  And teach your children about responsibility and safety so, when you are not there, they can act as an extension of you.

That is my best advice.  Good luck.


Title: Right to privacy in public

Question: Can you record someone in their car in a public place,or do they have a right to privacy? Two consent state btw.

Answer: Of course you can. There is no expectation of privacy in public, or places visible from public.


Title: Legal disowning of my mother despite being of age

Question:
Hey guys I am sorry for my ignorance. I’m staying in Cincinnati Ohio. I cut ties with my abusive mother in 2016. It was the best decision I ever made. I had been reading on laws in Ohio that are rarely enforced but still exist. They would require me and my estranged siblings to pay for any medical bills our biological mother could incur. She is mentally ill and has munchousens among other severe mental issues. She is constantly seeking attention from doctors, and others in power. I want her out of my life for good and for her not to be able to get revenge on me for walking out of her life. She is the vindictive to the point of overkill type. My dad is finalizing the divorce next month. How do I completely cut her out of my life for good? I honestly don’t care what it takes. What are my options? I’m going to be sending a letter of no contact at the end of this month and document it. She made zero contributions to our family financially my entire life (I am the oldest of 4). My dad paid for everything. Thank you for reading :)
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer:
 In the unlikely event a nursing facility comes after you you'd need an attorney to argue why a filial responsibility law should not apply.

You can take no other actions.Answer #2: The statute you are talking about is Ohio Rev. Code 2919.21(A)(3).

It is a criminal statute -- it doesn't create a right for a nursing home to sue you for money.  It has an affirmative defense that the parent failed to support you while you were a child.  It is also an affirmative defense that you paid what was "within the accused's ability and means."

But as a practical matter it won't come up because if your mom goes broke in a nursing home, she'll get Medicaid.  If the nursing home accepts Medicaid payments then, as a general rule, they can't seek payments from family members.

The bigger issues you'll face are emotional: dealing with her at family events, getting calls you don't want, snarky and mean comments to mutual acquaintances.  That sort of thing.

Good luck.  It's no fun having an abusive parent.  Even when you are an adult.


Title: [Oregon] I'm 16 and just found out I'm pregnant, do I need a parent present/their consent at the doctors office?

Question: Just got a positive pregnancy test, I want to schedule a doctors appointment but I'm not ready to tell my mom. I have my insurance card and I have a ride there but does my mom need to sign paperwork or something for me to get care? I'm going to go to Women's Care if that matters.

Answer:
 If you are going to seek an abortion, [Oregon is not](http://sexetc.org/states/oregon/) one of the states that requires parental consent or notification. Because you are over 15, you are free to seek independent medical counsel without parental notification.

If you intend to keep the child, I highly recommend you inform your parents immediately.


Title: Assaulted by a Student, now what?

Question:
Today during class I was assaulted. Without going into the details, a student took a loose floor tile and hit me hard over the back of my head. I ended up going to the nurse's office and I had to leave in an ambulance to the ER to get 7 staples in my head for a deep laceration. My shirt was soaked in blood.
I have my principal's permission to have the next two days off before spring break. I am already leaving this school for somewhere else next year. Where, I don't know, but I have the needed references. I am on codeine medication and I will need to go back to the doctor's sometime in the next 10-14 days to have the staples removed. I want to leave this school on as good of terms as possible and I am not interested in 'milking' my injury. However, can someone please enlighten me about assault leave? This is Texas, and this is not a joke post.
Edit: I have already been told that all expenses are being covered. My principal recommended that I file charges against the student, and I plan to.

Answer:
 > My principal recommended that I file charges against the student, and I plan to.

So do that.  Call the police.Answer #2: > I file charges

You don't file charges, the DA does. You file a police report, hand it off to the DA, and the DA goes to town on that.

>I have already been told that all expenses are being covered.

On the job injury, damn right it's taken care of.Answer #3: Along with filing a police report, file a civil suit for battery with a deadly weapon. If you saw him coming, also sue for assault with a deadly weapon. As long as you didn't do anything that made his attack a proportional self-defense, you have an easy win.Answer #4: How old is this kid?


Title: I want to take my old roommate to court, but don't know his current address.

Question:
I had a roommate throughout the course of the last year who was consistently late paying rent. One month, he told me that his dad was going to give him some money for rent that month, so I (stupidly) paid his share of the rent for that month since I had the money at the time and the landlord was already getting annoyed with us. He didn't end up paying me back. Since then, I have signed a contract with him to pay me by a certain date.

He has since moved out, and that date has passed. I have everything I would need to win in small claims courts (e-mails, signed legal document, bank statements) but my only issue is I don't know his current address, and he won't respond to emails.  I'm wondering what the best course of action would be.

I know that there are process servers that you can pay to go find them, and I do know where he works. Is this something I should look in to? Could I sue him for the cost of this service as well? I've also heard that his last known address is sufficient, which would be our current address. Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance.

Edit: I live in Ottawa, Ontario.

Answer:
 Process serving can run a 100-200 dollars in my area. Some small claims courts do not allow you to serve the defendant yourself.

As a former PI, I'd pay the process server. He'll A) find him and B) keep the defendant from doing something stupid like trying to fight you. Answer #2: Some small claims courts don't let the plaintiff serve the defendant (by any means).  Some small claims courts require service by the sheriff (they could probably serve him at work).  You personally most likely cannot serve them in person.  A process server could probably serve them at work.  Process servers usually charge $50 - $200.Answer #3: This document will help you.

https://www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/courts/guides/Guide_to_Serving_Documents_EN.html

In Ontario, you can serve the notice. You're probably still best with hiring someone, as your roommate might try to avoid you if he sees you. You can have him served at work as well. I imagine since your roommate is a prick, you'd have no issues potentially embarrassing him at his workplace, so go for it.

You could also get a special motion, described in the above document, if you don't know his home address and either don't want to or are unable to get him at work.

As for recouping the cost of hiring someone, you can definitely ask for it in small claims. Whether it is granted or not is another story.

If you decide to do it yourself, perhaps bring someone with you to document the action, in case he tries to attack you. Recording of such a thing may not have merit, but your friend's eyewitness account may.


Title: My dad got married during a weak time in his life. Is he legally bound if no paperwork was filed?

Question:
My dad got married to she-devil about a year ago, when most people advised him not to. He did it anyway because he is stupid af. Although they did not get a marriage license, they did have a ceremony at a church with an officiating pastor. Btw, this is in the state of California.

Is the marriage legally binding? For example if he left her, would she be able to get any money out of him? He got injured at work a while ago and has a settlement coming in. He wants to use this settlement to finally leave her. She tries to take every penny he has so that he can't do anything on his own.

I don't even want to begin on how dysfunctional their relationship is. All I want is for him to get the hell out and take care of himself. He has to be on meds for his head pains since he was punched senseless at work. Any help is appreciated.

Answer: The question is whether or not a marriage license was applied for and filed with the appropriate clerk's office.  This license would have had to been signed by the pastor and returned to your father for filing.  If he didn't, then the next question is whether or not California recognizes common law marriages, which I don't think so.  So check if there is a valid marriage license first.


Title: [ON] Landlord taking parking spot away with 5 days notice

Question:
I will definitely call the Landlord and Tenant Board tomorrow, but in the meantime, I'm wondering if anyone has gone through something similar and can share their experience.
I live in Ontario, Canada and yesterday I complained to my landlord (not for the first time) about him using our front yard as his own for storage. He lives in the same building (triplex) but we each have our own front yards. He's doing some construction work on another part of the building and decided he could just park his machine right there in our yard. He has previously just walked in and stored other stuff, as well as cut some trees without notice.

He responded to my text and said he no longer had patience to deal with me. I said I would file a complaint with the Board if he couldn't follow the law. He then said that he was giving us a notice of termination of lease for his personal use. Then he added that he was taking away my parking spot as of September 1st.

I know what to do about the notice for termination of lease but I'm worried about losing my parking in less than a week. Our parking arrangement is part of the lease but parking is listed separately from rent. Still, I can't believe that he can just do this with 5 days notice.

Answer:
 He can't kick you out for the duration of your lease.

You can file a T3 form, ask for a rent reduction and penalty for the landlord cutting back on facilities, retaliating, etc.  Describe the whole situation. Answer #2: Was this whole exchange via text message? Sounds like blatant retaliation. I'm unfamiliar with ON law, but this is obvious retaliation, and he was stupid enough to put it in writing.
Your comments say your lease becomes month to month. Is there a law that states he has to give notice to terminate your lease at the end? Or notice of non-renewal or whatever? If so, then I don't think it sounds like anything he is doing is legal. Including the part about your legally rented space being used for his personal storage use. Answer #3: So here is the thing...

His "storage" that you are claiming isn't really storage.  My guess is he cut a tree and parked the lumber there while waiting for someone to take it away.  As far as the machine, as it is his building, him making repairs on any parts of the building or exterior probably would class the parking as non-storage and more part of the maintenance.


Title: I (F19) slept with someone (M21) in September last year. His friend just sent me a message with a photo, saying he filmed it. Where do I go from here? (AUS)

Question:
Hi r/legaladvice. I'm a bit of a mess right now, but the title sums things up.

In September I slept with someone, and in a recent conversation with this persons friends, have received a photograph of myself and this man, completely naked (obviously in a compromising position). Following this message I received "want the video as well?". I blocked him.

I have screenshots of the messages, have blocked the entire friendship group on social media and plan on going to the police.

The man (M~24) who sent these texts has all his information on linked in,
ie where he works, where he's currently doing post grad studies and where he plays sports (semi-professionally). Who should I contact first?
Any help appreciated.
Thanks

TLDR: sexual assault, possibly?

UPDATE:
Visited a police station and the woman who interviewed me explained that while there are grounds for me to press these charges, she will have to look into what they are.

At the moment, it is along the lines of "using Facebook to taunt" because they might not be able to prove he took the photo. I'll be called when there's progress, and I will update. I was told that he will be arrested and taken in for questioning, and if that all runs smoothly a court date arranged. In an ideal world he will plead guilty, however who knows what will happen exactly.

In that case, he should receive a fine and criminal record.

All I was really after is that the images were removed, however there isn't any way to guarantee this or for the police to do it. Hopefully because he is going to go through this, no one else will be taken advantage of.

Thanks for all the advice.

Answer:
 Go to the police.  Unless you are into some VERY weird shit you did not break a law and are the victim of a possible crime here.

The police will be far more interested in the possible criminal activity by those people and/or harrassment/extortion than in any sexual activity you have participated in.


Title: Someone hacked Kik onto my phone and sent sexual messages to minors

Question:
I am posting on behalf of my boyfriend (M26 UK) and with no better subreddit to use: it had been a long time since I had kik on his phone. Today (Saturday morning), my girlfriend calls me and shows me what kind of messages are those on my phone.

They all have things in common - messages were sent to 8 recent accounts on Kik, 6 of them having less than 10 days of existence; they were all sent to girls who are seemingly minors (based on their pictures) between the times of 3.06pm and 3.13pm on Thursday (and continued at different times during the last by the hacker) and they all attempt for a sexual conversation.

I work at a pub with BT connection and I am pretty sure that I have been hacked, not only because of the facts above, but also because at this time on Thursday I was sleeping and all these messages were sent during times my phone was locked. However I am not sure whether someone will use this misleading information against me. Should I go to the police? What do I do?
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 So you busted your boyfriend, he claimed he was hacked and your trying to work out if it's true?Answer #2: This isn’t possible, the hacking of an account to send photos to minors would be harder to cover than just making a throw away profile.

This sounds like the secondary step of contact for a pedophile. Starting a conversation on other social media platforms and then moving to a more secure and private messaging service for more illicit conversations.

The new profiles just suggest these girls started them specifically at the direction of the account holder to hold a conversation over a service they didn’t previously have.

This is common escalating behavior for a pedophile that needs to flagged to law enforcement. The actions, even if they were those of “a hacker” need to be investigated and someone needs to be identified as a Threat to children.


Title: Are there some drugs in the US that don't need a prescription but need a prescription elsewhere? How about needing a prescription in the US but not needed elsewhere?

Question:
Is it true that there are some countries where Inderal doesn't need a prescription and others where Inderal needs a prescription? Are there any other drugs like Inderal? This is very strange. How can countries differ on this? What country requires a prescription for Vitamin C? What country makes doesn't need a prescription for Ritalin/Concerta?

What drugs need a prescription in some places and don't need in other places?

I'm in Cleveland, Ohio in the US (as usual afraid of bots and not willing to disclose actual location)

Answer:
 Sure, there are plenty of drugs that are more heavily controlled in one country than another.

> How can countries differ on this?

Because each country sets their own laws and legislative priorities.  You live in a country where our **states** can't even agree on drug policy, why would you think all the countries would?


Title: [MN] Wasn't properly orientated at work. Wondering if I can take legal action.

Question:
I have the sheets I was suppose to sign saying I was properly trained to use a box cutter. Employer probably usually assumes everyone just signs it as they are being orientated because  its a fucking box cutter, but I said I'd keep it until I was trained to use one. Never was trained, so I still haven't signed the sheet and its sitting in a folder at my house.

Anyway, I haven't been injured, I use a box cutter almost daily. I'm just wondering if I can take legal action against my employer because I'm not suppose to be using one but they make me anyway.

Answer:
 You are what is wrong with this country. Answer #2: No words. Literally none.

Well not literally, but no. What damages have you suffered? Ask them to show you how to do it, sign the sheet, and quit being a troll/dipshit looking for a payout.


Title: (OH, IL) Apartment complex suddenly appeared on my credit report after two years

Question:
I  got a collection letter in the mail that I assumed was a scam because  it made no sense to me, (and in broken English) but I checked my credit  report and it's showing that I owe an old apartment in Ohio over $1200.

I  moved out two years ago because of a bedbug infestation, they kept the  security deposit (our roommate and our cat trashed the carpets and we  just wanted out ASAP because of bugs). We gave them 30 days notice beforehand, there was no animosity at all between any parties.

We paid the rest of the rent and fees in full with money orders, all done, settled, keys turned in.

Now  suddenly two years later I've got 2 months worth of rent owed to them?  There was 0 communication from them regarding this over the last two  years.

Also, an energy bill, I'm assuming  from the same complex, says I owe them $300 and that the account was  opened in 2017. I wasn't even living in the same state at the end of  2016, (In IL now) so what gives?

Answer: So, first step is to either send the collection company a debt validation letter or file a dispute with a credit reporting agency, who will send their own request for validation.  If it comes back as valid and you disagree, then you'll actually need legal assistance.


Title: I Received a civil infraction for defective equipment and expired plates, and I am fighting this ticket in court. Looking for any tips on cross examining a police officer.

Question:
A few weeks ago I was pulled over because my brake lights were not working in Southfield, Michigan. The officer followed me into the parking lot of my job and pulled me over in there.The license plate on my vehicle was also expired, though the officer would not have seen this until he had already turned into the parking lot.

According to the court clerk my only options are to pay the fine, write a letter to the magistrate, or request a formal hearing. I've opted for the later since I don't believe a letter to the magistrate will change my situation at all.

My plan at this point is to cross examine the officer in court and attempt to demonstrate incompetence on his part as a witness, then motion the court to dismiss the officer as a witness and strike his testimony from the record (including the citation he originally issued.)

Does anybody have experience with this kind of situation, and/or have any advice for me? I know I have a right to an attorney but my fines are only 130 dollars and an attorney would probably cost more than that, so I'm opting to represent myself.

Answer:
 Why is the police officer an incompetent witness? You're not contesting the facts (i.e., your brake lights were actually working at the time, or your plates actually were not expired at the time).

What on earth are you hoping to prove? Do you actually believe a judge will believe a police officer cannot determine whether white lights turn on when a car brakes? Good luck, you better find an eye doctor who will testify that the police officer is completely blind.


Title: I'm freaking out and would like advice

Question:
I live in Massachusetts.  Last week at a large bank, I got scared, angry, and freaked out and on the way out pushed the door way too hard and it rotated 180 degrees and broke the window behind it. I gave them my information and now a detective wants to talk to me. If I'm charged, this would be a felony. I've never been in trouble with the law and this wasn't on purpose, I just screwed up. I'm waiting for insurance, but I'm freaked out about being a felon/going to jail.

Does anyone know the likelihood that I'm going to be prosecuted and convicted of a felony? Any advice on what I should do since the police are involved?

Answer: Sounds like you might be a good candidate for anger management counseling, which may be an option depending on what you're charged with


Title: Employer mass texting nearly 200+ employees antiunion rhetoric before next weeks vote. I'm unsure if this counts as infringing on our right to organize.

Question:
Like the title states, starting today our employer has used a mass texting service they usually use for company wide notifications to ask us as a whole about what the union is all about. It's 100% antiunion rhetoric but I don't see this being against the law. I am personally on the fence about our vote next week and will be seeking more info from the union rep we have been in contact with.
Can share screenshots of the mass text if asked.

Answer:
 It would really depend on what exactly was said.

Here's the list of things they cannot do: [https://ufcw1189.org/node/527](https://ufcw1189.org/node/527)Answer #2: The fact they’re sending that is basically them telling you that the union is not good for them; ergo it’s probably good for you.Answer #3: Did your employer have your EXPLICIT consent to do so before texting?  If not, they could be liable for a penalty of 500-1500 PER TEXT to be paid to the text recipients.  Google TCPA for more information and consider contacting a TCPA firm.Answer #4: Tell whatever union you may be organizing with about the texts. The for sure have attorneys on board that know the law and can work through the NLRB.Answer #5: The National Labor Relations Act forbids employers from interfering with, restraining, or coercing employees in the exercise of their rights, especially in the run up to an election.  You should call the NLRB and let the Union know. Call today. What your employer has done may be a violation of the NLRA. Talk to an agent at the NLRB, it's free!

You DO NOT need an attorney to file charges with the NLRB. Filing a charge with the NLRB costs you NOTHING. If the NLRB's Local Region finds that your employer violated the law, one of Agency's attorney's will prosecute the violation free of charge.

Call the Regional office closest to you. You can find the closest Regional office: https://www.nlrb.gov/about-nlrb/who-we-are/regional-offices or call 1-844-762-6572.Answer #6: If anything, it's a clear sign that you absolutely need a union. They basically just flat out told you that they won't respect you with a very strong union.Answer #7: Union guy here. Love it.


Title: Sister got T-Boned by a guy blowing a stop sign. The guy has no insurance and didn't get charged and can't pay.

Question: So quick background my sister lives in Denver as the title states she got T-Boned, yesterday in fact. The guy had no insurance but didn't get a penalty for not having it. The Car is pretty wrecked my sister is thankfully okay. The car has 6,200.00 to fix but the guy is not going to pay for it so what happens now?

Answer:
 She can submit it to her insurance company if she has full coverage or uninsured driver coverage.

If not, she can sue the guy in court for the damages.Answer #2: If the guy or her don't have insurance to cover the damages then there isn't much she can do. Most states do have laws that suspend drivers licenses in the event that they fail to prove financial responsibility for an at fault accident. You could check with the local DA about getting that enforced.

&#x200B;

Does she have uninsured motorist coverage? That could possibly cover the costs. Answer #3: Doesn't she have uninsured motorist coverage? Hey everybody, take this as a reminder  and get uninsured motorist coverage.Answer #4: She should have uninsured driver coverage.  Her insurance company should go after the guy that T-boned her.  Is there a police report that shows the guy at fault?Answer #5: This is why you always buy uninsured/underinsured especially since it costs literally pennies more a month.  You should ALWAYS carry more than the required minimum insurance.


Title: I'm 19. Father added security camera in my room. Is this legal?

Question: My father had added security cameras all over the house for security reasons. Though he added one recently in my brother's (15) room and my room because he claims that he's "tired of never seeing us do homework and wants to record to us to check on us." Okay first off, I attend college and it's annoying that he doesn't ever believe I do my work at the school's library. That's beside the point though. I keep pointing the camera down or taping it up, but he always put them back in the same viewing position when I'm asleep. My room is fairly small so he has  a wide view of every corner of my room which is uncomfortable. I know since I'm under my dad's house he has the right to do what he wants. My mom however, who has the same right to the house as he does, is extremely against the idea of having cameras in her kids room. With the fact that I attend college too, my mom is willing to stand by if my dad tries to kick me out because we won't stand by his cameras, but that's another issue that I'm not worried about at the moment

Answer:
 Idea no one else has mentioned for some reason: inform your father this is child porn, against federal law, and carries very heavy penalties. People are debating in the comments whether or not it’s actually CP but I think that’s beyond the point. The mere mention of CP should be enough to get a reasonable person to go “oh god, never mind BAD IDEA”.

Also, I’m assuming those cameras connect via internet to stream the video? Inform him of all the scary ways that can go wrong. It’s been done before and it’ll be done again.

If he’s so adamant about you and your siblings studying, have him set up a desk or two somewhere in a more common space of the house for you to study at. It isn’t a perfect solution, but it’s a helluva lot better than cameras. Answer #2: Take the camera down and call CPS. Answer #3: If your brother is undressed in front of the camera, your dad could be hit with child pornography charges. Also, cameras in rooms are generally considered a massive invasion of privacy.


Title: son sells parent's home. please help

Question: We purchased our home ten years ago and in good faith took our names off the title assuming our son would let us live out our old age in this home. Our son has resorted to elder abuse and is threatening to leave us bereft of home and hearth onto the street. We paid the mortgage for the last 10 years. What is legally ours when our names are not on the title anymore (his name is on the title)and what he is required by law to split the money when he sell our beloved home. Thank you for your helps.

Answer:
 Why did you take your names off the title? Why not just live there and then leave it to your son when you died?

Even if a son is 100% trustworthy, if you put it is his name, and he gets married and then he dies, or gets divorced, you could lose part or all of your house.

Did you do this to avoid creditors or to qualify for government assistance of some sort? If so, a court may be unsympathetic to your attempt to reclaim the house.  If you gave it to him, he can generally do with it what he pleases.

Answer #2: If his name is on the title and yours is not it is his house.  He can legally sell it if he chooses.  You are legal tenants, so he will have to give you appropriate notice to move out.


Title: [Update] Father suddenly sent me a copy of his will that is notarized, but undated and makes no mention of his wife of 20+ years

Question:
Original post: Father suddenly sent me a copy of his will that is notarized, but undated and makes no mention of his wife of 20+ years

📷
Just in case it's needed: Location is Connecticut, USA

I finally got my father to call me at a time he could talk. What he told me put things into a whole different realm. I asked him why he was suddenly sending out the will, and what he was trying to accomplish. Cutting to the chase, he said he's afraid, and that his wife has been saying a lot of things, including that she could just kill him.

I didn't mention much about her or her behavior in the previous post because I didn't want to influence the advice given. However, she's been unstable for a long time, every so often calling myself and other family members to accuse us of tricking her into marrying my father (we didn't even meet her until after they were engaged), among other things. I'll not put too much detail into this, but she's so toxic that her only son avoids her, and won't even sit next to her if they end up at a restaurant.

Apparently, in the last couple of months it's gotten much worse, and he's afraid to leave her alone in the house because of threats to destroy his important papers, computers etc. She's been making threats about divorce, about selling the house they own (separate from divorce), and other things. He doesn't want to sell the house, and he won't just leave and "give it to her", which is where the threat of "I could just kill you" has come in. He's set up a camera in their living room (not a secret one, an obvious Nest Cam), but he says the threats are made elsewhere so it's picked up none of them.

My father also told me that he's sending me some paperwork (legal paperwork and other things) for safekeeping.

I'm planning to call the PSE (CT Protective Services for the Elderly) tomorrow to find out what can be done. I'm also going to ask him for the credentials for his Nest account in case anything happens.

My question is now: What am I missing in what I can do here?

Answer: It sounds like the wife may be suffering from dementia. Something is seriously wrong with her.


Title: Can I sue a Video Game Company for Corruption?

Question:
Title. Also throwaway account because I'd prefer others who know my main don't see this (personal reasons).

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Regardless, last year I was banned for violating a company's ToS. As far as I disagree, I can see their view and as they clearly state they can "terminate your use of the site at any time for ANY REASON".

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However, another user did the exact same thing as me but on a larger scale.

This "other user" happened to be a developer (not officially, but they made games) so they weren't employed by them which meant they are like every other user who has the ability to make games freely.

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I'm wondering if there's anything I can do to sue for money I've lost ($1500+ spent) because the fact someone technically on the same level as me can get away from being banned because they have special ties with the company.

Maybe I'm way out of line here, I'm not sure, which is why I'm asking for advice.

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Thank you.

Answer: You will spend lots of money to not get the outcome you seek. I'd let this go.


Title: Why is There No Attorney-Client Privilege When Consulting With An Attorney?

Question:
Why not?

And can the attorney just take what you say and go tell whoever he wants what all you said?

If you write to an attorney for a consultation, can he disclose your writing and send a copy of it to whoever he wants?

If you write to an attorney for a consultation, does what you wrote/your writing become subpoena-able by the opposing party, if the attorney ends up taking your case?

Answer:
 The premise of your question is incorrect: communications about the formation of an attorney-client relationship *are* confidential, for precisely the reasons you identify. As expressed in the ABA's Model Rule of Professional conduct 1.18(b):

>Even when no client-lawyer relationship ensues, a lawyer who has learned information from a prospective client shall not use or reveal that information, except as Rule 1.9 would permit with respect to information of a former client.


Title: Do I really need to do my taxes this year?

Question:
***MN, USA***

For starters I *do* understand the legal importance of *paying* your taxes but this year is a bit different for me.

To keep things short... In all of 2016 I made a grand total of $20 from a job I started about a week before the year ended. Less than $3 withheld for taxes. Every year I have gotten money back because of the way I file/mark things. And I don't really feel like spending an hour+ filling out forms and waiting weeks to get a grand total of around $1 back.

The "Do-Good" part of me says to "do it" but the practical part says "why bother?"

Answer:
 It took you longer to make this thread than it would take to fill out a 1040ez form

But to answer your question, you don't have to file.


Title: (California) I got a moving violation trying to avoid a potential accident. How can I go about contesting it?

Question:
I was driving on a 2-lane road and stopped at the light. Another car pulled next to me, and I assumed they were going to try to make a right. When the light turned green, however, they cut me off. Shortly down the road, I looked down for half a second to adjust my radio and I looked up a second later and they slammed on their brakes for seemingly no reason. To avoid hitting them, I swerved into the middle lane and readjusted past them. A sheriff was heading in the other direction and pulled me over. I explained what happened to the cop and they gave me a ticket for a VC 21651(A), or driving over a divided lane. I accept that I broke the law by driving in the middle lane, but how would I go about lowering the fine? Is there any advice anyone can give me about how to proceed?
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer: You can either attempt to defend yourself in court by explaining the situation honestly, or you can hire an attorney to do it for you.


Title: FL - 14 year old was molested, CPS and PD showed up.

Question:
Asking for a friend, the mother, throwaway for reasons...

14 year old (f) told her adult sister about it and the sister is a mandatory reporter. Sister made the report yesterday and CPS showed up with the PD at the mother's house yesterday evening. The teenager spoke with them at length and told them everything. Offender is the father of the youngest sibling (5f), it happened 4 to 5 years ago. It is my understanding that this is very common, that an older sibling comes forward when the younger sibling gets old enough to start being a potential victim.

Mother is no longer in contact with the offender, he was mentally and physically abusive to her and she has a permanent injunction against him that has been in place for several years that also includes her youngest child.

CPS initially started the investigation with a premise that the mother was negligent in some way for failing to keep her children safe from the offender. She argued with them last night about it, something to the effect of "I have stood in my driveway with CPS and the PD next to me when he (abusive asshole ex) calls my cell phone, and you have told me there is nothing you can do to stop him so how can you say I am not protecting them when you guys wont do anything about him?". CPS calmed down with that part of the discussion after that but the case remains open for X days as policy I believe.

CPS told the mother that they would be pursuing charges against the him, so it looks like things have been handed over to the police investigators. Mother lives in one county, offender in the next county over. It looks like the crime happened in both counties over multiple incidents.

CPS also advised that the mother should get the teenager added to the injunction. There is concern that the offender will come after the family over this, he knows where the mother works and where the family lives and has harassed them before. Mother has started exploring self defense options but getting a CCW will take a while. If the mother feels that she needs to get out of the area, will her taking herself and her kids to a friend's house in another state where she is safe be a problem with either the CPS investigation or the criminal proceedings against the offender?

So what happens next? I assume that the teenager will be interviewed a few more times, before any charges will be filed and before a warrant is issued, am I right on that? What kind of a time frame is typical to go from a credible report to a warrant? What kind of bond amount is typical for such charges?

There is some concern that the statue of limitations may be an issue here, but I can't find that there is one for a crime against a minor like this...

Should the mother be seeking legal representation at this point? Does she need someone to help her navigate any of this process? If so, what is the likelihood of being able to get a firm to represent her that wont charge a fortune?

Is it worth looking into civil action over this considering that the offender is in his mid 20's with little to no assets and lives with his parents who also have little to no assets? There is no paternity establishment for the youngest child and thus no custody agreement, visitation or child support in place, father is not listed on the birth certificate either.

If civil action is taken, what kind of claims should be considered to be made and what kind of damages should be expected to be awarded?

Answer:
 Moving out of state is fine but she should notify the prosecutor where she is going so they can stay in touch.

There will likely be a forensic interview then no more interviews should occur.

Time frames vary wildly. Could be weeks or months.

SOL generally doesn't start until the child turns 18.

Mom doesn't need an attorney since she isn't involved. The state is pressing charges. If she wants to pursue civil charges she needs an attorney who may work on contingency.


Title: Colorado. Can a current employee be held liable for using recipes which a former employee “owns”?

Question:
At the beginning of the year my wife was hired as a barista at a local coffee shop. The manager at the time (we’ll call M) was the person who interviewed, approved and trained her. Shortly after my wife was hired M quit without notice and we just left it alone assuming that there must have been personal reasons between M and the owners. M had brought in drink ideas which had been sold at the shop for some time before and after her quitting.

Now some three months or so later the shop’s Facebook page posted a picture of a drink in order to hype it up for summer and M posted some angry comments about it being one of the drinks she supposedly created. Some Facebook drama later (comments being deleted and reported by the owners, more angrier comments being posted) M has posted that she is now copyrighting every drink she says she brought into the shop and will be pursuing action against not only the owners of the shop but every person who has poured those drinks for the shop.

It should also be noted that my wife’s position at the shop was changed to be baking mostly for about two months.

Is my wife liable for doing her job? Are recipes owned by an employee when that employee brought them in for use by that establishment?

Answer: A mere recipe (ingredients and instructions) cannot be copyrighted.


Title: My dads house is under my uncles name [CA]

Question:
Kinda long post, but trying to post as much info as I have.  My step dads house is under his brothers name and one of his sons name as well, they co signed.  My dad and mom have lived at his residents for close to 16 years, and have always made the payments themselves from my dads bank accounts.  His brother has never contributed any money and his sons have helped with some of the bills.

Now a few years ago, my dads son passed away unexpectedly, leaving his brother as the only living co-signer. His brother has gone on to tell my dad, that he refuses to sign the house over to my dad, and has attempted to put him in a elder home, my dad is in his upper 70s and not in the best condition.  However we as a family try to watch over my dad, and have so far prevented any type of elder home.

My question, can anything be done about the house?  As mentioned, his brother has never helped out with any payments and every payment has been taken from my dads account.  We are in the Los Angeles area, if that helps in any way.

Thanks for any help or advice.

Answer:
 What kind of agreement did they have that the house was purchased by brother and son, but with payments made by dad?

At this point in time, the house is apparently legally owned by the brother, and your parents are essentially paying rent, with the rights of a tenant. If you have some evidence of an agreement otherwise, then get thee to a lawyer.


Title: Getting a county job after specifying you are not a county employee

Question:
I'm in California. I recently applied for a job with San Francisco county. During the application process one month ago, I selected that I was not an SF county employee. I was recently given a tentative offer for that job, and after some background check which could take up to two months, I would theoretically get a full offer.

Two months is a long time; I'd love to work in the meantime. I was just offered a separate substitute position *also* with SF County (different department), which I'm thinking I could take for the immediate two months before the other job's background check finishes.

Would taking this part-time job in the meantime jeopardize my offer with the first job, because I specified that I was not an SF County employee at the time? I am not sure why they asked whether I was an SF County employee.

Answer: This is a question for their hr. You're not dealing with laws right now, just policies and practices for a very specific group.


Title: Legal liability for injury in recreational hockey league (Oregon)

Question:
Hi /r/legaladvice,

I’m part of the governing body of a recreational adult street hockey league. It’s a 6 team league, and the 6 captains make up the league governing body. We are responsible for managing league fees, securing city permits for our events, maintaining league equipment, and handing down suspensions for players who violate league rules ways that are dangerous to other players.

We have one player who has now been suspended on multiple occasions for attempting to injure opponents (butt-ending & spearing). He’s a really nice and mellow guy under normal conditions, but as soon as someone pushes him a little too hard, or accidentally whacks him on the ankle while going for the ball, he retaliates way out of proportion. He seems to lack impulse control or have an anger management problem. I am 100% convinced that he will eventually injure someone. There was already one incident where he speared an opponent very hard in the groin, which would certainly have resulted in serious testicular trauma had his opponent not been wearing a cup.

Some of the other captains want to keep giving him “one more chance”, but I’m concerned that if/when this player eventually causes a serious injury we could be civilly liable for not doing enough to protect players from what I see as an entirely foreseeable outcome (by expelling him from the league).

What responsibility do we have, legally speaking, to protect league members from players who exhibit a pattern of reckless/dangerous plays?

Answer: If you are a governing body, you could definitely be open to liability for exposing them to someone like this especially since you have a pattern of conduct which is being ignored. So while participating in a league such as this does give you some protection against injuries normally, it wouldn't protect you in a case like this where the league's negligence is opening up players to injury. This is why organizations have insurance.


Title: Moved into new apartment in Louisiana-can landlord evict me if she is getting calls from ex-husband?

Question:
I am separated and moved into new apartment on May 20. I signed a 12-month lease, and I am the only person on lease. My husband called police to report that I was a danger to myself (untrue). I did not answer door. The next day, he called my landlord and told her my new boyfriend is a sex offender (true). She called me and said boyfriend cannot be on property. I told her I will obey that rule. Then, she said if she received ANY MORE CALLS from my husband or anyone, then she will ask me to leave apartment.
My first month's rent is due today, and I want to stay at the apartment. However, my husband will not stop causing trouble and I hate to plunk down $1500 today and get kicked out two weeks from now.
PLEASE ADVISE.
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer: THANK YOU REDDIT LEGALADVICE


Title: My mother and I share a doctor, without me present I was talked about. Is this grounds to sue?

Question:
I am a 22 year old male living in Arizona, USA with a very over protective mother. Due to epilepsy I have been unable to drive so my mom takes me to my doctors appointments. I am prescribed a low dose of adderall for ADHD. Recently my mom was going through my room and found an old bottle and freaked out thinking I was selling them. She then spoke to my doctor at her next appointment saying I was abusing my meds and my doctor took me off my prescription.

My question being is this grounds to sue my doctor as my medical treatment has been altered by another patient of his without my consent? My mother insists I cannot sue because she has been at my previous doctors appointments, but I was NOT present at the appoint where I was discussed.

Answer:
 It doesn't sound like your doctor released any private information about your medical treatment to her.  If he had told her you were on Adderall, that would violate FERPA [edit: HIPAA, not FERPA].  However, she was the one that told him.

He has the right to modify your prescription due to information he receives from other sources.  If you disagree, you should talk to him about it.Answer #2: Your doctor can accept information about you from a credible sourceAnswer #3: IANAL. Even if your doctor violated HIPPA, you could make a complaint but there's no ability to sue him as an individual under that law. Might be easier to just switch doctors, one that you can take public transit to and cut your mother out.


Title: Nightmare Neighbors moved in below me, want to move, lease isn't up for another 7 months, wondering if I have any options?

Question:
Sorry for the long post but this guy is ridiculous:
Okay so I've lived at the same apartment for the past four years. I pay in advance every month, and haven't had issues with any neighbors/complaints. Until now. About two months ago the bridal store that was beneath me, (Which I never heard a peep out of them at all before, they were always quiet), had to relocate. Without any kind of notice, a new barbershop starts doing construction at 7am on a Saturday below me. I actually let it slide the whole first week, (oh they'll just getting prepped, it'll stop soon). Well it didn't, and I had to go down and speak to the owner personally about the noise. He just laughed in my face about it and said, "Yeah, the floors are thin, can't do much about that. Didn't anyone tell you we were moving in this week?" I explained to him I had received zero notice, and he had zero concern that this was my place of residence, doing absolutely nothing about the noise.

The next week, it's still going on, construction at odd hours of the day/night. Add in blasting music and loud construction workers talking over each other. I put in a request about the noise to the police, they confirmed they asked the owner to turn it down. The business was silent for the rest of the evening, (this was going on at 11pm at night). Next night, same thing, I contact the police and also put in an email to some city officials asking about the rules for noise. Surprise, what they were doing was against city codes.

They restrict their obnoxious noise to between the allowable hours of 9am-6pm. I try to be sympathetic and hope that once construction is done, the salon won't be that loud. I was very, very wrong.

They've now been opened for four weeks, and they are open from 9am to 7pm....Seven days a week. They blast music so loud, my floor sometimes shakes from the bass, and I can hear every song they play. On top of that, the owner is the loudest douche I've ever heard in my life, always yelling at employees and I can hear every word.

I've started keeping tabs on my police calls, emails to city council, and did inform my landlord twice,(no reply so far?) I've even called his business and emailed him personally, being as sympathetic as possible when explaining my situation. The owner doesn't reply ever to my emails, and the first time I called he didn't hear me or answer, then when I started talking to him he hung up...

I've decided moving out is my goal at this point. The cops stopped by tonight, after I explained the noise that had been going on since 10am. After chatting with the owner, he explained to the cops I'm a racist and just don't want to hear hiphop music...
#1) Everyone working there is white.
#2) I love hiphop music, but sometimes I'd like to be able to read or do normal things without hearing him.
#3)Him and his coworkers still talk ridiculously loud on top of smoking beneath my window. (smoke free building).

Anyways, after the cops left I could hear the owner perfectly from my apartment start cursing my out, and then he's been blasting country music instead the past few hours...
I'm not the only one upset, these are small one bedroom apartments with multiple tenants above them. I've been thinking of moving when my lease is up anyways, and started to prep, I'm just not sure I can live here for next seven months. I have diagnosed anxiety which doesn't help and also will need to be able to study for classes next semester with atleast some peace. Any advice on what I should do for solutions would be most appreciated. I'm mostly afraid if I ask to forgo my lease if they'll make me keep paying it, even though this is a very in-demand area & I know they could get a new tenant asap in here.

TLDR: Contacted multiple resources over the past couple of months, telling them about a barbershop that blasts music non-stop, no change. Want to move but don't know what happens when breaking a lease.

Answer:
 This is one of the risks you take when you live in mixed-use property, or really in any kind of shared property. Just because your neighbours are quiet today doesn't guarantee you quiet neighbours indefinitely.

You're doing the right thing by leaning on city law enforcement regarding noise and nuisance issues, and you can continue to do so. They can continue to believe that your complaints are motivated by race if they like; noise ordinances are race-neutral.

Only in a few jurisdictions (Ontario is the only one I can think of off the top of my head) would your landlord have even a vague obligation to intervene on this or to consider terminating your lease on this basis. You can always ask, or try to negotiate a buy-out or sublet, though.


Title: [IL] Woman I’ve been involved with has been living with me since she has no place to go. Am I allowed to give her a timeframe to leave?

Question:
She’s been living with me for two months now. She got laid off, had really no place to go. So I offered and now she’s been living with me. Judging by what she has said and how comfortable she is, it seems as if she has no plans of leaving.

I don’t want to like kick her out. However can I give her a time frame on how long she can stay here?

Answer:
 >She’s been living with me for two months now.

By this time, she is considered a month to month tenant - you do not need a written lease to acquire that legal status.

IL requires a 30 day notice to terminate a month to month lease.

https://www.landlordology.com/illinois-landlord-tenant-laws/

Good luckAnswer #2: She's a tenant and you have to follow the process to remove her which starts with written notice.   You might want to consider paying her to move out sooner but get this in writing that she is in agreement and gives up all claims she lives there.

> I don’t want to like kick her out.

That's good, because it open to up to an illegal eviction lawsuit.


Title: Is this some kind of scam?

Question:
Originally posted in r/nostupidquestions and someone suggested I ask here.

Something has happened and I can’t make sense of it. While it all feels suspicious, I cannot figure out how it might be a scam or what someone could gain from it. Please help.

A week ago, I received a package from an online vitamin/supplement company (am I allowed to specify which?) - a large container of protein powder. I didn’t order it, had never heard of the company, and there was no invoice or packing slip in the box so I had no idea who ordered it. The package did not require a signature upon delivery.

Expecting that my credit card info may have been compromised, I kept checking my account online and the charge never showed up. I only have one card so it wasn’t hard to keep checking. It occurred to me that someone may have opened a new card in my name so I ran my credit report and two credit bureaus confirmed that there are no cards that I am unaware of with my name on the account.

Yesterday, I contacted the online business’ customer service (they claim to have no telephone customer service line so this was all conducted via chat) and inquired about the order (order number was on the package’s shipping label). They said an account had been made with my name on 5/30 and the order had been made on 5/29 (they didn’t answer when I asked how the order could have been placed a day before the account was created). Both my first and last names are extremely uncommon, and I am 100% positive that there is no one on earth with my identical first and last name combo, so someone deliberately created a fake account in my name. The order was made with an Amex with my name and billing address and they gave me the last 4 digits of the card number. They wouldn’t tell me anything more because even though I received the package and the account is in my name, I do not know the account login info.

I immediately contacted Amex and they confirmed that (while my name is in their system because I had an Amex many years ago) there is NO card in their system with my name and billing address that matches the last 4 digits of the card that was supposedly used to make the order. I asked if someone could have opened a card with my billing address with a slight variation in my name and they confirmed that there is no card in their system that has my address as its billing address. The card that the customer service rep described simply does not exist. So how could the charge have gone through?

What does someone have to gain by falsely creating an account in my name, ordering stuff with a fake(?) card, and then sending the item to me?

Who ends up paying for the item? Amex doesn’t have a card in their system that matches the one used to make the order so I won’t get a bill and I can’t imagine how Amex would end up paying for the fraudulent charges since the card doesn’t exist in their system. The supplement company wouldn’t send stuff to random people at their own expense.. right?

After I told the customer service rep that I didn’t make the order and don’t want the item, they offered me a refund and said I wouldn’t need to pay to ship the item back. I asked how they would apply a refund to a card that Amex confirmed doesn’t exist and they didn’t really answer. When I said “sure go ahead and refund the card”, the chat suspiciously disconnected and the next rep claimed a refund could not be provided since I could not provide the account login info, even though I literally have the item, live at the address to which the package was shipped and allegedly billed, and am the only person in the world with the name that was on the card allegedly used to make the purchase. I’m frustrated and confused.

I googled and the company isn’t small. There were plenty of bad reviews but I couldn’t find anything about the company and a similar situation happening to someone else.

This all feels wrong and like someone is trying to mess with me, but I cant figure out why. Any thoughts?

Answer:
 This sounds like a form of [brushing](https://clark.com/scams-rip-offs/amazon-scam-brushing-warning-deliveries-you-didnt-order/).  I don't think there is a clear, succinct legal issue yet, but if they try to use your identity to improve their poor reviews, then it might be cause to involve law enforcement and/or an attorney.  I would keep monitoring your credit reports at the very least.Answer #2: On the News a little while back there was a story of a couple that constantly receives boxes from Amazon with junk trinkets and such made in China.  They called Amazon and were told that they are not on the hook for the orders and there is nothing they can do about stopping packages to their address.

&#x200B;

From the sound of it, Amazon prioritizes reviews on a product based on if you actually order it from them or not.

&#x200B;

If you lookup the products you received on the website where they were shipped from, one of the reviews for the product might be the party that sent them to you.

&#x200B;

Another point on checking your credit.  Sometimes new accounts don't show on your credit report right away and can take a month or two.  Remember to check back on your credit report again in the next 30 to 60 days to see if anything new appears.


Title: (California) help with my disability.

Question:
I’m 39 when I was born I stopped breathing turned blue and had grammal seizures and other seizures. I talked to a therapist about my controlling family and my sisters “husband” threatening me. Through out my life I’ve always been “mentally” handicap somewhat borderline. My therapist who I told my whole story said that social services will take me away. But where would I go ? How long would I be able to stay? I don’t know where to look up that info thanks.
Topic:
Disability Issues

Answer:
 Are you asking what would happen if you contacted Adult Protective Services? They would review your cause and assist you with finding housing, maybe put you in touch with legal representative to explore if you qualify for SSDI or other income.

If you are in your home with your abusers, they may be able to place you somewhere. We can't know the specifics but basically they would try to help you become independent.


Title: [Hypothetical] Would it be illegal for me to turn off someone’s life support if they are forced to be in my house, using my machine and my power.

Question: I get the hypothetical of them being forced to be in your house is unrealistic, but maybe the machine they’re using is super unique and only you have it, and it can’t be moved from your house.

Answer: Yes, it's murder.  Murder is pretty consistently defined as knowingly or willingly causing the death of another person.  That's what you'd be doing


Title: I sold a car and the person wants his money back

Question:
Basically it’s my friend. But he sold a private party car to a guy for $4500. Everything was working fine. A few days later the guy said the check engine came on and the kid said the mechanic said it was a cat leak and that will cost $600(shouldn’t cost more than $20). But here’s the catch, he wants the money back because he thinks he has 30 days to return it. My friend gave the buyer a bill of sale saying “as is” and there’s 2 witnesses. The buyer also signed the title of the car. He forgot to sign the bill of sale but he signed the title. The DMV says once the buyer gets a car “as is” then he it’s the buyers and no court cases or refunds can come. The buyer wants to take my friend to court now even though the bill of sale clearly said he knew what he was buying and that the sale was “as is”. What should he do?
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer: Ignore the guy but don't ignore a court summons.  Hold on to all the documentation.   Present everything if it goes to court.


Title: Student Debt --- Can a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy help?

Question:
So I'm a recent graduate (2013) from a private art school in Philadelphia. By the end of my studies I had racked up roughy $30,000 in Federal debt, and about $90,000 in private debt. Currently, my Federal loans are on an income-based repayment plan. Since I make roughly $21,000 a year (before taxes...I manage a coffee a shop), my federal debt does not need to be paid for now.

My private debt is an entirely different story. I have 5 NJCLass loans that total near to $90,000, and my parents cosign on 4 of them, while my aunt has cosigned one.They break down as follows:

Loan 1: $31,000
Loan 2: $19,000
Loan 3: $18,000
Loan 4: $16,000
Loan 5: $2,000

Each loan has it's own interest rate, and they all float between 7% and 8.8%

My private loans are under a 30 year repayment plan, and my monthly total for all 5 is $852 a month. This adds up to being just about half of my entire income.

Since I went into repayment two years ago I have somehow managed to make all of my payments in full and on time (aside from one month where I was in negotiations for a temporary relief period due to a house fire at my parents house). I can continue to make these payments...but it also is preventing me from really making any forward or upward motion in my life. I have no back up funds, am lucky if I can put $50 in my savings account a month, and I have very little freedom to do anything besides work and sleep (such as beginning a career). Simply paying rent and buying groceries drains just about all of my funds that aren't being used to pay these loans back.

I know, of course, that student debt generally isn't discharged through bankruptcy. I have been wondering, however, if a Chapter 13 bankruptcy could provide me any help. My initial thought was:

If I file a Chapter 13, then I won't be required to pay on any of my debts (I only have student debt, by the way) for 3-5 years. This would free up my $850 a month, which would equate to $30,600 for 3 years, or $51,000 for 5 years. I was wondering if, under a Chapter 13 bankruptcy, I could take that $850 every month and pay it directly towards ONE loan, rather than dispersing it through 5. This would allow me to actually pay off several of my loans in their entirety during the bankruptcy period. There's also a possibility of my financial situation becoming better, and therefore giving me the ability to pay more during the bankruptcy period. I don't think I would be able to pay ALL the debt off in 5 years, but I could make a much more significant dent because, as I pay off entire loans, I would eliminate the ridiculous interest that they accrue.

Once the bankruptcy is over, I'll be left with a much smaller amount of debt, and possibly would be able to refinance it (something I can't do because of how little money I make).

I am under the impression that interest will capitalize at the end of my bankruptcy period...It seems to me that it still would be a sound course of action in my circumstances. I'm also not positive if I'd be able to continue to pay my loans directly while in bankruptcy.

I'm sure there's a lot of information about Chapter 13 that I either don't know or have misunderstood. I'm considering going to a lawyer to officially discuss the matter, but I wanted to reach out to all of you for some advice as well.

EDIT: I'm also wondering if it may not be best to just go into Default. I know that wage garnishment would be a fraction of what I'm paying right now. However, I wouldn't want adverse affects on my cosigners.
Topic:
Credit Debt Bankruptcy

Answer:
 You cannot discharge student loans in bankruptcy. Answer #2: Getting rid of student loans is very, very hard.

The standard is simply super steep. You have to demonstrate poverty, persistence, and good faith. That means your living expenses need to be all of your income, this state needs to persist for almost all the duration of the loan (so, no prospect of getting a new job or promotion), and you have to have paid thus far despite it kicking your ass.

Sure, discharging your debt would obviously be good for you. The problem is that without a chronic disability and poverty it's really hard to meet the minimum criteria for debt relief. The big problem is that you should have known what you were getting into when you signed up for classes at the beginning.Answer #3: It appears people misunderstood your question.

Filing for Chapter 13 bankruptcy will [freeze your regular student loan payments](http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/student-loans-chapter-13-bankruptcy.html), which are treated similarly to credit cards or medical debt for the purposes of the automatic stay.

I'm not sure how feasible your plan to target repayment of specific loans will be though. You have to develop a repayment plan where you will pay the bankruptcy trustee x amount of money each month and trustee then makes payment to the creditors according to the repayment plan. Your creditors will be party to the proceeding and can file objections to your repayment plan proposals.

You would need to meet with a bankruptcy attorney to figure out if your plan is possible and/or worthwhile given your circumstances.


Title: Is it legal to trace images from a video game and use them in a YouTube video? [US]

Question:
I've been writing some episodes of an animated series I plan to post on YouTube in the future, after my animation skills improve. A few of the episodes, however, have scenes that take place in an amusement park. My animations are hand-drawn (I never could figure out computer animation, and I think traditional/2D looks better anyway).

To hopefully avoid the tremendous work that would be animating these rides from scratch, I briefly considered building a replica of the amusement park in Roller Coaster Tycoon 3, taking some videos, and tracing the images to use in my animated series. But before I decide to do this, would it get me in any legal trouble?

A few notes:

1. Credit would be given to the makers of RCT3.

2. I would only be tracing the rides themselves (and possibly some scenery)

3. I don't plan on making money off of this series

EDIT: Thank you for your responses. I have contacted Frontier via their website for permission and am awaiting a reply.

Answer:
 Not a lawyer, but had some experience a while back with DMCA laws. Long story short, I had multiple takedowns, but since I could rely on fair use (non-profit educational, small portions used), YT reinstated my vids and I didn't got any legal action. (They do have my pers. info, though).

What you are looking for is derivative work. Remember that such work prolly won't fall under fair use protection. Just adding credit and not monetizing isn't protection.

Your best bet to make it nice and legal is to contact the rightholders and ask nicely: https://www.frontier.co.uk/contact

Best of luck!


Title: [VA] Rear-ended by a driver going 35-45 while we were stopped. 7 people in the brand new car, 4 minors, what should we do?

Question:
Hello!

Yesterday while my family and I were coming back from a road-trip, we were rear-ended right before entering a tunnel. There was traffic in our lane so we were driving about 2-3mph, while the other driver merged into us driving about 35-45mph. We were driving a 2016 Suburban and he was driving a Nissan Maxima. Needless to say, his front body was totaled. Our bumper is caved in on the back-right side.

My mother who was sitting in the passenger seat could not move her neck at all. She felt numbness throughout her upper body. She had to be taken away on an ambulance. After she got some scans, she suffered a strain in her neck. She is going through a lot of pain. As for the others, 4 under 18, myself at 18, and the driver, my sister (24) went home. This morning we all woke up with pain in our neck. I felt a little discomfort yesterday, but todays pain and tightness is much worse.

I have a few questions:

1) since this car had only a few thousand miles on it, what should we do? It was literally purchase from the dealer (2016) just a few months ago. It suffered a lot of damage in the back bumper.

2) Surely the car's value is depreciated from the accident, even after we get it fixed. What should we do about that.

3) Further, what should we do about the injuries to our necks? We are all going to get X-Rays right now.

Should we consult with a lawyer? Should we not talk to the other insurance? Please help.

Answer: Everyone involved should get referrals from their doctors about the stiffness today. It can take a few days for soft-tissue injuries to begin to hurt. For example: When you work out too hard you don't hurt immediately but hurt badly the next day. That's an example of a minor soft tissue injury. The fact that you're hurting more today is consistent with injury resulting from the accident.


Title: Restraining order, but his truck is parked across the street?

Question:
My husband isn't supposed to come within 1000 feet of my home, which is across the street from a gas station. He's already been spotted at the gas station by the staff, but now his truck has been parked behind the building in the alley for 4 days. He's been seen across town at work, so it's entirely possible he might be having it repaired, but why there? There are several auto repair companies in town.

The truck is in view of my back yard, and already has the kids wondering if he's there and asking about him. That's fine, they miss him and want to see him (as do I want that for them), but he's refusing visitation because it needs to be supervised.

So the kids are checking for him every day now, and I have to worry about him peeking in on my yard and house whenever he picks up the truck. Do I have any recourse other than to call in a violation? I don't even know how to approach the business to ask what the hell the truck is doing there.

Answer: Just call the police and tell them the situation. They’ll investigate and determine if it’s a violation.


Title: Legal Package Sent Through USPS "Seized By Law Enforcement"

Question:
I had a package of Kratom shipped to me from Florida to New York. It is legal in both the originating place and here in New York. I know it was seized because the tracking on the USPS site tells me it was "Seized By Law Enforcement".

&#x200B;

They said to contact the U.S. Postal Inspection Service but I can't even find a number to call on the website.

&#x200B;

I've read they can't open it without a warrant. I'm fine with giving them permission to open it, there's nothing illegal in it, I just want to expedite the process and get my package or be refunded for my trouble. What should I do?

Answer:
 That doesn't mean you can legally ship it.

Alcohol is legal in every state. I cannot just put it in a box and send it. That is illegalAnswer #2: You aren't getting your kratom back.Answer #3: Just because it's legal in the originating and end state does not mean it is legal in the states where it travels through while in transit.


Title: My mom is interested in giving her employees an incentive to vote, but she's worried it might not be legal. Can she do that? (TX)

Question: My mom owns a small company (<15 employees) and is interested in encouraging them to vote. She's not going to encourage them to vote one way or another, but she wants to give them a really small bonus if they bring home an "I voted" sticker. One or two of her employees are ex felons who might not be done with probation yet.

Answer:
 It’s illegal.

It would not be illegal to, for example, give everyone a paid day off on the 6th. Answer #2: Full stop. This is illegal.

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/597Answer #3: Early dismissal at 3pm on the 6th is what we're planning. Answer #4: A legal incentive would be giving everyone a compensated extra long lunch, early go home, or late start on the day of so people inclined to vote have plenty of time to do it.Answer #5: My boss used to give all employees an extra hour at lunch (so a two hour lunch break instead of one) on voting day.  That extra hour could be used to vote or eat or sleep or whatever. That might be a good plan for your mom.Answer #6: I give everyone who requests it a half day off, and don't ask anything about how or even whether they voted, as I know many of my people are not eligible to vote. Answer #7: Could I run a raffle that the entry is showing my your "I voted" sticker as means of entry?

Would it change things if there was an alternate entry vs. the only way to enter being the sticker?

I was actually going to ask about this myself, as I'd like to run such a raffle at my store.


Title: I produce copyright protected products which are shared on pirating sites. Is it legal for me to distribute fake versions of my own product that contain viruses as a deterrent to prevent people from pirating my content?

Answer: No. "Two wrongs make a right" still hasn't been made law.


Title: (Ca) Is it legal to get denied when you request a day off from work?

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Your employer is not required to give you requested days off.


Title: Just signed 1 year lease a month ago, landlord says I have 2 weeks to move out any advice please...

Question:
I am currently living in a two bedroom that was built sharing two walls of a house in Orange County California. (We signed a 12 month generic california lease agreement in January, we've paid rent on time and paid a semi-large deposit and have been very good tenants overall) It has it's own living room, bathroom, Kitchen, and entrance from the side gate that is separate from the main house.  City had reports on grandparents living in a renovated garage in the house we're connected too. The inspectors determined the garage had to be a garage again.  Now my landlord is saying we have to be out in a couple weeks because the inspectors also determined our place is illegal as well because it has a kitchen that was not permitted. I believe he needs the two bedrooms for his family.  I understand and would be willing to move but two weeks is not enough time for me to figure that out.  I currently support myself, older sister and her kid my nephew.  The landlord told me this over the phone yesterday. The inspectors were around 2 or 3 days ago.  What kind of tenant rights or protections do i have in this situation.  How illegal is our place?  How long do we have. Im scared of the stress of finding a place to live all over again.  Thank you if anyone can help.

Edit 1:  Thank you for the overwhelming responses everyone!  I plan on contacting Legal Aid for my area Monday when they are open.  I haven't talked to the landlord since he called me yesterday.  My goal and best case scenario is for me and my family to still be able to live here, we are okay sharing the main kitchen with the landlords if they have to take out the kitchen.  I don't think they are trying to screw us I just don't think they realise how binding a lease is and how much of a burden it will be on us to move.  It's frustrating transferring school districts for my nephew again in the same year along with all the other financial and transportation stresses. I'm really hoping there's an option to stay.   I will update on Monday and I will definitely continue reading all the advice. It's making me feel better.
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 Ask your landlord to find someplace else for you to live, pay any extra cost himself, and pay for the costs involved in moving. This is his fuckup, not yours.

Does your lease say anything about early termination by the landlord? You can also offer to end the lease early in return for money. Ask for a lot, enough to cover the costs of moving and to make you feel better about the inconvenience. Answer #2: Here's a link as a start to getting some legal advice.

http://www.fairhousingoc.org/landlordtenant/

There's a phone number and an email address at the bottom as well to get specific answers to your situation.

Good luck and all the best wishes. :-)


Title: Driver left their car in the road for three hours without calling 911, I hit their car

Question:
On Monday, I was coming down an off ramp and hit a 15 ft. long patch of oil. I lost control of my car and was unable to stop it, and I slammed into a car that had presumably hit the same oil patch and slid into the barrier. The rear of their car was in traffic, and their hazard lights weren't on. I did some damage to their back bumper (they had front end damage but the police gave them a separate incident number, since that damage was not my fault) and my car is totaled, airbags went off and all.

When I got out of my car, and looked at the other car, they'd left a note that said "we are waiting for a tow!" and had the address of a cafe about a half a mile away. I ended up getting both cars towed off of the off ramp by some good samaritans and down to a parking lot away from traffic and potentially other drivers sliding in the oil. I called 911, an officer responded and contacted the DOT, who immediately cleaned up the spill.

The driver of the car returned just as the police got there. They claim they "turned their hazard lights off to save the battery" and had no reason for not calling 911 and at least alerting them of the oil spill, but explicitly said they didn't call any sort of emergency services aside from their tow, which they said they called for at 9:00am, and it was around 12:30pm when I hit them. The driver was a young woman, maybe 23 at most, and just generally had a shit attitude towards me for hitting her car and seemed to have no idea what to do following an accident.

Can they just leave the scene of the accident, which puts other drivers at risk, without alerting the authorities? I'm somewhat injured from the crash and have a big bruise where I jerked back on my seatbelt. My boyfriend is really banged up. I missed a couple days of work recovering and am still very sore. I have liability insurance, and I'm not worried about paying for the damage, since technically I was at fault, but do I have any sort of recourse since they took no measures to  make the situation safer before leaving their vehicle in the middle of the road?

Answer:
 How would their hazard lights have helped you not uncontrollably spin into their vehicle?Answer #2: > Can they just leave the scene of the accident, which puts other drivers at risk, without alerting the authorities?

Doesn't matter. Even if they can't, that wouldn't help you.

> I'm somewhat injured from the crash and have a big bruise where I jerked back on my seatbelt. My boyfriend is really banged up. I missed a couple days of work recovering and am still very sore. I have liability insurance, and I'm not worried about paying for the damage, since technically I was at fault, but do I have any sort of recourse since they took no measures to make the situation safer before leaving their vehicle in the middle of the road?

Their car was stationary and visible. Please explain *exactly* what you think they should have done to "make the situation safer", and how that would have prevented you from colliding with their car.


Title: [San Diego][California] Health insurance company wouldn't accept payment attempts and now I have no health insurance.

Question:
I have been a member of said company since late 2016 using the same checking account to make automatic payments. I had no problems until 2018 rolls around. This health insurance company got a new website and with it came a lot of problems. Starting in 2018 my automatic payments stopped working.

I made multiple attempts on their website to re-set up my recurring payments. For three months I attempted to delete my automatic payment schedule, submit a manual payment, re-make my automatic payment schedule, etc. When I would make a payment using their website it would appear to go through, so I thought everything was fine. It wouldn't be until the next payment date that I would go on and check and see that my payment was reversed for some reason. I called the insurance company to see why this was happening and they said it was my bank reversing the payments. I called my bank and they confirmed that they weren't reversing any payments and that there were no transaction attempts from the insurance company. I checked my checking account transaction history and my bank was right, not a single attempt to pull money out of my account from the insurance company.

In March I decided (after seeing my account status was suspended) to use a credit card to make my payments and made a payment for all three months. The payment finally went through. Not long later I received an email from one of my doctors' offices saying that my insurance was claiming that my account was suspended. I called my insurance company (last Monday or Tuesday) and they informed me that my account wasn't just suspended, my insurance coverage had been cancelled. I explained my situation and the operator submitted an application for reinstatement. I never received a call back so I called them again today and they said my request had been denied and that my actual insurance coverage cancellation date was January 1, 2018. I explained my situation in even greater detail, stressing the fact that I had made multiple attempts to pay my premium each month. I told them I can provide evidence that not a single attempt to pull money from my account was made. I told them that I had gone through this whole three months of the year going to doctors thinking I had insurance coverage. The operator on the phone told me that their system went through an upgrade and that their payment system was messed up and I was supposed to re-set up my automatic payments (which, like I said, I had done). I asked the person multiple times why I was being punished for a bug in their system. I asked the person if I could talk to whoever goes over the requests for reinstatement, I could not. I asked if they could attach our transcript or even attach our whole phone conversation to the request. The person on the phone said they were writing down notes on the request. I asked the person to call me back when my request gets approved or denied.

I received a call later on that day (today) from the insurance company. It was the same person from earlier. As you can guess, my request got denied. I asked for a refund of my money I had paid for the three months of coverage that, technically, I never had. I should get it in 30 days. The problem is that I used my insurance coverage during these three months, and now I'm going to have to pay for every single doctor visit, physical therapy session, x-ray, and MRI that I got this year. I don't have a problem not receiving my premium payment if it means I will have had insurance coverage.

I got home today and checked my mail. A letter from the insurance company stating:
"We changed our system for 2018 to modernize and serve you better. It was a big change that didn't go as smoothly as we expected. We are very sorry about the problems you had as a result. Any inconvenience you've experienced is unacceptable..." They included a number to call for these problems, it is the same number I had called both times to try to get my coverage back.

TLDR: Made multiple attempts to pay my insurance premium. They all got reversed (due to a bug on their end that they admitted twice to) until finally I used a different account to pay. They say I have no insurance coverage for the whole year. I used my insurance. Now I am going to have to pay for all the doctor visits.

At this point I don't want a reinstatement, I just want coverage for the first three months of the year. Is there any way this is possible? The only thing I can think of doing is filing a complaint with the BBB

Answer:
 Your local elected officials could be a great resource for you. This is the kind of thing they like getting a win on. Try reaching out and asking for someone who handles constituent issues to look into your case.Answer #2: NAL, but with the latest letter in hand, I would call back one more time, and see what they can do for you.

And don't bother filing anything with the BBB; as someone here said, "It's like Yelp for old people."Answer #3: http://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/101-help/


Title: Friend isn't getting paid at his job

Question:
So my friend works for this company, we'll call it "Scumm-E". Scumm-E is currently on a tax lien for not paying their taxes and they just now informed all their employees that they will not be receiving their paychecks. So my friend and all the other employees just worked for two weeks and are not getting paid for the hours they put in. Is this legal from the tax lien or is this bullshit?

We live in Pennsylvania, united States.

Edit: To top it off Scumm-E still expects their employees to work tomorrow

Answer:
 No, it is not legal.  Contact the PA Department of Labor, file for unemployment, and find a new jobAnswer #2: It's not legal.  However, if the lien exhausts the company's coffers there's nothing to be done to force the payment - you can't get blood from a stone.

Your friend's recourse is to file a wage claim with the state.  Answer #3: Because claims for unpaid wages due to insolvency do not fall under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) unless the employer willfully failed to pay wages owed and filed for bankruptcy as an attempt to avoid paying wages, the U.S. Department of Labor has no jurisdiction in this area and will not accept claims. That is, if they are filing bankruptcy. File before they do, so you don't need a lawyer to collect.Answer #4: Honestly, the best legal advice is to file a wage claim and quit. Preferably, everyone quits.

This company isnt going to get any better. They seem close to filing bankruptcy, and if they do you're screwed.


Title: (CA) Wife [36] opened credit cards in my name

Question:
So we've been in agreement for a mutual divorce since Nov, and I'm out of the house.  I've been trying to get a mediation process started for several weeks now with her dragging her feet, and today I find out (from her) that she's opened up a credit card in my name.

I've already closed out the account (Capital One) but I'm concerned what this means for mediation, this has to be a process we both agree to, she has indicated she would do the mediation (even after she told me about the credit cards) so I would figure this might all get handled by mediation and avoid having to press criminal charges on her.

At the same time I'm wondering if I'm being an absolute idiot even still considering this, she pays no part of the mediation fees and can back out any time and royally screw me as I'm taking out loans just to DO the mediation.  My question is if I should just hire a divorce attorney and serve her at this point?

Last option, if she does the mediation and we sort it all out, great, if she backs out can I go ahead and file the criminal charges against her?  Not using this in a blackmail sort of way, at least explicitly, but it might keep her ass in line.

I have a mediator who can serve as my lawyer if this all goes tits up, and I'll hear more from my lawyer no doubt, but thought I'd ask what I could here anyhow, more opinions are always better.

Answer:
 Lawyer, lawyer, lawyer.

Then turn her in to the police. If you found one thing where she broke the law and did something that benefitted her while screwing you, there are likely more. Notify your bank and everyone else to turn on identity theft protections. One of my friends spent 4 years dealing with his ex wife walking into three check casher places and screwing him right before she showed up to sign divorce papersAnswer #2: Find a lawyer who'll do a free consultation and run this by them.

(IMO) she has already shown she is willing to break the law and drag her feet. Get a lawyer and serve her, you gave her the chance for a mutual mediation and she screwed you over.