Title: Can I legally shoot a cat with a pellet gun?

Question: I have a neighbor that has way too many cats, they're all inbred and just run around our yard. They climb through our trash, shit and piss in our yard, and climb on our vehicles leaving dirt paw prints everywhere. Can I shoot the cats with a pellet gun I own, it's a rifle that shoots 1000fps. I don't care about killing them I just want rid of them. Can I shoot the cats if they are on our property? I also live in Idaho, don't know much about these types of laws here.

Answer:
 >(5)  "Cruel" or "cruelty" shall mean any or all of the following:

>>(a)  The intentional and malicious infliction of pain, physical suffering, injury or death upon an animal;

>>(b)  To maliciously kill, maim, wound, torment, deprive of necessary sustenance, drink or shelter, cruelly beat, mutilate or cruelly kill an animal;

>>(c)  To subject an animal to needless suffering or inflict unnecessary cruelty;

>25-3504.  COMMITTING CRUELTY TO ANIMALS. Every person who is cruel to any animal, or who causes or procures any animal to be cruelly treated, or who, having the charge or custody of any animal either as owner or otherwise, subjects any animal to cruelty shall, upon conviction, be punished in accordance with section 25-3520A, Idaho Code.

>25-3520A.  PENALTY FOR VIOLATIONS — TERMINATION OF RIGHTS. (1) Unless otherwise specified in this chapter, any person convicted of a first violation of a provision of this chapter shall be punished for each offense by a jail sentence of not more than six (6) months or by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars ($100) or more than five thousand dollars ($5,000), or by both such fine and imprisonment.


Title: Is there any possible option to kick my wife out?

Question:
We have been decided upon divorce for 2 months but due to finances, haven’t been able to file, and she hasn’t been able to move out.

She has not been working and has only just interviewed for a job after leaving her last job after only 1 day. She also has her boyfriend over to stay the night sometimes.

The townhouse we rent (that my income pays for) is leased in my name with her listed as an occupant.

I don’t know my legal rights and I can’t afford to ask for much in the way of legal help. I just don’t want to live with her any more. What steps must I take to do this?

Answer:
 You want to be very careful and probably should go in person to talk to a lawyer. It's not cheap but you don't want to wrongly evict her. Also, deciding on a divorce but not divorcing is a bad idea. You open yourself up to situations like this. It is better to bite the bullet otherwise she will continue to be considered your spouse.

Men who kick their wives out during divorce are usually viewed negatively. Hence why it is better to talk in person with a divorce attorney to get their insight. Answer #2: One important factor is when your lease expires.  The sooner it expires, the easier it is to simply plan to move out then.Answer #3: You could rent a different place with the money you're paying to current place. If she and boyfriend want to stay they will have to figure out how to pay it. There is a heavy price to pay as you will be evicted for nonpayment and that hurts credit seriously, but if it's your only out...


Title: Whirlwind of Crazy

Question:
What can I do if my daughter's father and his wife continually violate the court order that is in place?

He has been putting her through alot and what he keeps doing now is talking bad about me to her, telling her I'm brainwashing her, telling her I hate him so much that I hate half of her, and so much more. When she tells me what happens, they get super mad at her and yell at her. Then they kind of shun her through out the day when she is there.  As in, they ignore her. They ask how her day is and she answers and when she asks the same question they tell her no comment. They wont let her play with her little brother.  I have told my lawyer but nothing seems to be done. I have also reported all of this to CPS but they have not done anything.

I just do not know what to do anymore. I feel like they are mentally and emotionally harming her.

Answer: What court order?  What specifically does the court order bar him from doing?


Title: Hospital refusing to give us back money they incorrectly took from us

Question:
 New Jersey - After giving birth, the hospital called my wife just a few days after getting home. They pressured her into paying $2,000 over the phone despite the fact that she was not in a proper state of mind at the time. She said no multiple times, but they refused to hang up and pressured her into paying.

My wife has insurance and we found out that the hospital has an agreement to not charge patients directly and everything should be billed first to the insurance (which was clearly ignored).

Through no fault of our own, the hospital was incorrectly billing the insurance, so the claim was denied multiple times, so at this time the hospital was not paid by the insurance company.

We have been trying to get the money back from the hospital ever since, and it's almost been a year now since my wife gave birth. We had the insurance company send a letter to the hospital saying that we should not have been charged the 2k, yet they are still refusing to refund us. It's not our fault the insurance never approved the claim because the hospital have been billing it incorrectly, and frankly it seems like they are keeping the money to see if the insurance will eventually pay the claim or not. It's there anything I could do about this? Is what they are doing even legal?

Answer:
 Can you submit a claim to your insurance company yourself?Answer #2: I'm not sure why your wife didn't hang up.

Anyway, it's all stupid complicated now thanks to her being unable to hang up.

You need the hospital to bill it correctly, which they won't because they've been paid and don't care. Then the insurance company can pay them properly and the hospital can issue the refund.

Good luck. I'd suggest finding an attorney - but even then it's probably going to cost you at least half the $2000.


Title: [NY] Which acts are actually considered illegal, in terms of piracy/copyright infringement?

Question:
So if I watch a movie online that is still in theaters, am I actually doing anything wrong? I'm assuming the website can get in trouble for HOSTING the "illegal" content, but am I technically breaking any laws by viewing it? Does the scenario change at all if I download the movie (for personal use, not to distribute)?

I've always been under the impression that you can't DISTRIBUTE pirated movies (what the website is doing), just wanted to see if it was now illegal to stream the movie now too.

Answer: There's no "personal use" exemption for copyright infringement. If you download it, you're creating an infringing copy.


Title: [CA] University is withholding transcripts after being involuntarily committed to hospital.

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Institutions are not obliged to release official transcripts or diplomas to individuals with outstanding balances.


Title: Bringing cigarettes into France

Question:
Hi, I'm not sure if this is the right place for this but I'm studying in Paris for a semester and taking a vacation in Morocco. My French host family told me to buy cigarettes for them while I'm in Morocco and to bring them back to them because it's cheaper. I looked online and say you have a customs limit of 200 cigarettes but they gave me enough money for 600 and I'm pretty sure they wanted 600. So what should I do, only being the 200 back or go through customs with 600. How would I go through customs then? Does it matter that I'm stopping in Spain for a couple days before I return to Paris?

Thanks in advance

Answer:
 If you take to many tobaco through customs and fail to declare it then you will have to pay penalties on top of taxes. Either way you would need to pay taxes if you take to much with you. Answer #2: NAL, just a lurker, a smoker, and an international traveler. Marlboros are cheaper where I live (California) than in most EU countries, so I prefer to bring my own. You are correct that you're allowed 200 (that's 10 packs or 1 carton) without having to mention it at the border. I have never traveled with more than that because the last time I researched the matter, if you you declare and pay, they're not that much cheaper.

If it were me in your situation, I would bring the friend 10 packs and no more. Bringing more and declaring at customs is more trouble than it's worth.


Title: Gym Van Plan

Question:
Hello, I'm sorry if my format seems strange as this is my first post, and im new to using reddit. It shouldn't identify parties but I live in Polk County Florida and am a fair bit of a gym rat. Unfortunately, all the gyms near me cost a lot and are out of my student budget, so I have a decent drive to get to my gym every day.

(Just a notice, as I myself am still doing research aswell, this has not been done yet)

About a week ago I had an idea to get around the long drive everyday for the summer, where I'll basically be living out of my gym anyways. I wanted to go to a scrap yard or on a local selling site and pick up a cheap cargo van for a few hundred, one that doesnt run so I can save some money. I could then tow it using my truck from the scrap yard to the parking lot for the plaza my gym is in, and set it up as basically a small room to stay in over the summer for a few weeks on end before towing it back home. Keep in mind, when I say gym rat, I'll be spending majority of the time on these days inside of they gym.

This is where I start getting into the legal ideas that cause me concern. I know in Florida it is illegal to opperate a vehicle without insurance on it, but as the vehicle wouldn't be working and would be impossible to opperate I don't know if I need insurance or even tags on the van. Also probably should have clarified earlier, but there are no towaway signs in the lot, so not sure if they could tow to begin with. I am an active user and have a decent relationship with gym staff, but not plaza owner. Is this illegal or is it okay to go ahead and do?

Thank you to any people who can help me in this. I belive this follows the rules, but am unsure, and if not please inform me of where to move it.

Answer:
 >so not sure if they could tow to begin with

Yes they can. As soon as they discover what you are doing, they will give you notice to move the van off their property. Then they will tow it.

As well as the parking lot will(obviously) not be zoned for residential purposes.


Title: [Missouri] Am I allowed to publish an official school board public hearing transcript?

Question:
There was recently a school board meeting/public hearing for a district teacher.  A court stenographer was present to provide an official transcript to the board and the teacher.  The public has been told that they can request a copy of the transcript from the school district for $0.10 per page.

If I obtain a transcript copy, am I allowed to publish it online in its entirety?  If not, to what extent can I use the document online?

Edit: Thanks for the responses, guys.  Before I posted this, I had sent an email to the Custodian of Records asking the same question.  She responded just now saying I am allowed to publish the document online in its entirety.

Answer: Public documents like that are public domain and you can publish at will.  There is no copyright on it.  The school board might get annoyed and decide they feel differently (and say it's copyrighted).  They'd be wrong.. but you could end up in a fight.


Title: Passport tearing and traveling in 3 weeks.

Question: My partner and I are traveling to Europe from the US. We are both US citizens and live in Ohio. We are leaving at the end is this month. His passport is not in the greatest shape. It's not torn, yet. But the page where his photo is appears as if it will rip out any second. Especially if it's opened all the way.  Is there any policy on damaged passports like this? Does anyone know if he will be denied travel?

Answer:
 From FAQ US passport information:

>**My passport has been damaged. Can I continue to use this passport?**

>If your passport has been significantly damaged, especially the book cover or the page displaying your personal data and **photo**, you will need to apply for a new passport.  Conditions that may constitute damage requiring you to replace your passport include water damage, **a significant tear**, unofficial markings on the data page, missing visa pages (torn out), a hole punch, or other injuries.

>Normal wear of a U.S. passport is expected and likely does not constitute "damage."  For instance normal wear includes the bend of a passport after being carried in your back pocket or fanning of the visa pages after extensive opening and closing.

>If you need to replace your damaged passport, you will need to submit the following in person (See Where to Apply):

>The damaged passport;
A signed statement explaining the damaged or mutilated condition of your passport book and/or card;
Form DS-11; and
All documents required by Form DS-11, including citizenship documentation (i.e., birth certificate).

[This is info on getting a replacement passport in a hurry](https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/services/expedited.html)


Title: [NH] In a couple weeks, i'll be chaperoning a group of kids flying from NH to St. Louis. What do I do if they try to bump one of us?

Question:
I've been a little worried after seeing all the United Airlines stuff (though I understand that the guy was effectively trespassing and they were in their rights to remove him) about what would happen if an airline tried to bump me or one of the minors i'll be chaperoning. I can't leave any of them alone so if they tried to bump one of the minors or me I'd have to take all of us off (6-8 kids + me). If that happened, would we have to be compensated for replacement tickets for all of us? Would they avoid bumping one of us because I'm the only adult escorting a group of minors?
Topic:
Consumer Law

Answer:
 Airlines bump parties as a group, not individuals. That makes it very unlikely. But, that only works if you booked your tickets as a group. If not, call them up in advance with confirmation numbers and have them associate them together.

Are you building a crate? Answer #2: You take the bump and you figure it out with your travel people.  Just like literally everyone else who travels.

Getting bumped is fairly rare.  The good news is, if you bought your tickets as a group, they nearly always bump the group - or, to put differently, they will rarely bump the group as they would bump the whole group and not one person.Answer #3: They aren't going to bump a minor.


Title: Emotional Support Animal - Breed Restrictions?

Question: [deleted]

Answer: The landlord's insurance may have restrictions on certain breeds. In that case, the landlord is not required to accommodate an ESA of a restricted breed.


Title: (PA) Losing home and rent money over roommate finding drugs.

Question:
So I'm in PA.  I rent an apartment with a roommate.  Both of our names are on the lease and my names solely on the utilities cable/electric etc etc.  Well My roommate found drug paraphernalia in my laundry (technically his laundry but it must have come from mine.)  So he physically pushes me into my computer and yells about finding it etc etc.  He tells me hes going to find my parents who he sort of knows and tell them (I'm 24 so its kind of an odd decision/threat), but he also is going to try to have my landlord evict me.  I know I shouldn't be doing drugs but i'm looking to get a legal view not moral.

Also for what it's worth he has no evidence of the drug paraphernalia, its just his word vs mine.

So my questions:
Can I be evicted on the spot for his word saying something like that?  Do I have a period of time to find new housing?  Is my last months rent I paid forfeit?  I was planning on moving out already for other reasons mainly I was tired of pulling his weight when it comes to cleaning etc, so i'm okay with moving, I just don't have a plan to do so within 24 hours or something if he hit me with that later today.

Answer:
 The landlord can evict you both, but not one of you individually.

The landlord is very unlikely to be able to do so based on he-said/she-said statements. And it's very unlikely that the landlord is going to give two tugs about interpersonal drama and trivial amounts of pot.

Your roommate can't kick you out.

Both of you are fully liable for the lease until the lease is over.

Keep in mind that you all have to give notice -- the lease will specify if it's 30 or 60 days.


Title: I've (19F) received a letter from "We Save Your Copyright" asking me 3000€ for illegal download but I didn't do it and I don't have the money.. - Germany

Question:
Hi everyone. I live in Köln in Germany.

I'm currently in a big trouble and I really need your help.

I've been dating a french guy (22M) for several months after a school trip last year and he visited me in Germany last September.

While he was there, he was using a P2P software to download/upload a music soft. I didn't really pay attention since I don't really understand much in that field.

We broke up shortly after new year's eve and 2 days ago I've received a letter from the company "We Save Your Copyright" asking me to pay 3000 € for this file sharing issue.

I didn't do it and of course my ex-bf is not interested in paying it and denying everything. I'm still in college and I don't how I could even pay half that amount...

I'm suppose to give an answer by Wednesday.

Do I have any options here ?

Thanks a lot

Answer: Most likely this is an extortion scam. Discussion here: http://www.toytowngermany.com/forum/topic/279097-accused-of-torrenting-copyrighted-material/?page=76Answer #2: Good luck. If /u/Krautcop is still active you might want to ping him, I can't think of any other regulars that are Germans.


Title: [TX] Friend signed an employement contract that has no end date listed it simply says "until we can find a replacement" How can they give notice and quit?

Question: My buddy signed an employment contract that states he will work with the company until they find a replacement for him and then he can leave or he owes some penalty (something like 2-3 months income or some insane amount). Is this contract fully legal? In his employee handbook it states the position is at will but he had signed the contract or they wouldn't have given him any PTO. Is he completely stuck there until they replace him however long that takes or is there some state law that overrides this contract?

Answer:
 Texas is an At-Will employment state, and slavery was outlawed many moons ago...

Answer #2: They can just stop working. I don't see any court enforcing that. Penalties are frowned upon to begin with let alone for an at-will employee. An employer that would ask for such an agreement is likely to do other shady things so he should be careful.


Title: US - Legality of purchasing ADHD drugs from Canadian pharmacy.

Question:
I'm currently changing health insurance and my rx costs are probably going to shoot up. I checked the manufacturer and I won't qualify for financial assistance.

Are there any legal problems with ordering stimulants online from Canada? And do Canadian pharmacies sell them? I haven't had much luck finding them offered. I feel like I should be cautious ordering a controlled substance online, but I do have a prescription from my primary doctor that I've had a decently long relationship with.

Answer: In addition, a lot of the online "Canadian" pharmacy sites are actually scammers from Russia that will either provide counterfeit drugs or just take your money.


Title: YELP! Can I be sued for a bad review?

Question:
NEW JERSEY

So recently, I gave this place a bad review, and now he threatens to sue? Can he do that? I didn't write anything false and I did not attack his person either.

I don't think I should have to take down a bad review because of his threat of legal action.

Can someone offer legal help on this? Thank you Redditors

Below are the messages and the review I wrote.

Topic:
Removed - PII

Answer: Yes, you can be sued for that. Though so long as what you wrote is 100% truthful and non-defamatory, you'll likely win.


Title: Nana passed away while paying for Brother's college. Now he wants me to keep writing checks from her bank account (TX)

Question:
update from this:https://www.reddit.com/r/relationships/comments/36644u/is_my_brother_m30_using_me_f25_to_bilk_our/
Bascially, I have been acting as my grandmothers "secretary" since she went blind -- I was writing checks and answering correspondence for her but did NOT have power of attorney over her nor my grandfather, who has advanced dementia.  My grandmother was writing (well, she was having me write) checks to send to my brother to pay for college.
My grandma passed away today. My brother says he needs about $15,000 to finish paying for this semester (? how that works I have no idea since it is July) and is really laying the guilt on thick -- he can't come to the funeral because he needs to stay and look for a job, he is so worried he won't be able to get a loan by the time this payment is due, etc.
I'm not comfortable doing this because it was one thing to do it at my grandma's request, now that she has passed away, I'm pretty sure it is what she would want but I think it will look awful to other members of the family.  Also, this is much larger than any previous check I'd made at my grandmother's request.

TL;DR My brother was going to school on my grandmother's dime; now that she has passed away, he wants me to continue to pay out of her account.

Answer:
 Do not write the check. The money is not yours and you have no authority to write the check. They money belongs to your grandmother's estate and your grandfather. If you write the check, you are likely committing theft.Answer #2: Who is the executer of the estate? If he's entitled to some of the money legally, it may be possible to have a small initial disbursement before probate is finished.

But no, you cannot legally be paying out using her checks if you are not an authorized person on the account.

[Edit] Read the other thread. If you have doubts about where the money is going, follow up on them before lifting a finger to help. Answer #3: You have no right to the money. I'm not telling you anything that anyone here hasn't told you, but just wanted to reiterate. Your brother is putting you in a tough position, but I encourage you to resist. Also, there's nothing wrong with demanding proof (statements, receipts) in the future.

But in any case, as others have told you, this needs to go through the estate now. Now that your grandmother has passed, you lose the very real legal authority she gave you when she was alive to write checks with permission.

Unless and until she wills your brother some property or money from her estate, he is officially not on her dime anymore.


Title: Condo Association - Pet Policy Issue [Michigan]

Question:
My wife and I recently received a letter from our condo association.  We believe this was sent to everyone in the association.  It states they will be "strictly enforcing the pet by-laws as of 9/15/14."  We have 2 cats, they only allow 1 pet under 20 lbs.

When we signed the papers for the condo, we were not under any assumption that there would be pet by-laws.  We naively thought that was just an apartment rule.  I get that the "black and white" of this is that we didn't read the bylaws and it's not the condo's fault we didn't read this.  However, the bylaw packet given to us at the signing was an old, beat up stack of paper from the tenant who owned our place before the guys who flipped it and sold it to us.

Also, as this was brought up in conversation, we mentioned to the realtor really early on that we wanted a place that our 2 cats would love too.  Yes, it may be silly to base our housing situation on whether or not our cats would love it, but regardless, it was something he knew about.  After all the paperwork was signed and my wife and I had a chance to look at the booklet, I noticed the rule and immediately contacted the Realtor about it who said "Don't say anything about it and they won't do anything".

The association is apparently going to 'wave' the 20 lb limit as there are many tenants with large dogs well over 50 pounds.  Even one person we know of who has 2 large dogs we see being walked often.

I'm curious as to what Reddit thinks.

----
Below is the long post I made on Facebook to my friends on this subject and there are a few other details I left out above. I've gotten a wide range of responses and many of them say "Say nothing".  What I wrote above is the 'short version'.
----

So,[wife] and I have a 'small' issue regarding our cats and our condo association, and wouldn't mind hearing what others thought.

We, along with the entire association it seems, received a letter stating that after 9/15/14, the Board will be strictly enforcing the 1 animal policy. That's a problem.

When we bought the place, our realtor was aware that we had two cats and needed to find someplace that would accept them. We knew of the limits at our apartment (1 dog or 2 cats allowed) and were within the limit. We assumed that with this knowledge, he'd show us places that worked for our fur family.

It wasn't until after we signed the dotted line that we found out that our condo association has a rule that states "No animals, including household pets, except one dog or one cat not exceeding twenty points in weight, chalk be maintained by any co-owner unless specifically approved in writing by the association."

We decided to keep the fact that we have 2 cats quiet. Our neighbor, who can probably hear more than she wants to, has even told us not to say anything and mentioned that they (the cats) are so quiet and sweet. I don't believe the other 2 co-owner in our building has an issue with them, or at least they haven't let on that they do.

Both [wife] and I believe that the complaints they are getting are from the many giant dogs that live in the condo that we've seen. A lady near us have a HUGE collie that goes up to my waist. [wife] has seen another person walking 2 dogs well over 50-60 pounds. And I've seen a husky well above the weight limit.

The letter states that as long as the animal is registered, they will let an (one only) animal above 20lbs to remain until it passes away. But nothing if we have more than 1 pet.

So, do I write and explain our situation and say we had no clue and there is no way we'd get rid of either of our cats, do we register just one, or do we say nothing at all and wish for the best?

If they say we absolutely can't have two, we would have to move. But that's bullshit and I really don't feel like trying to look for a new place. We'd likely have to get a house and neither of us want the responsibility of a full house right now.

Anyways, I'd be interested to know if anyone has gone through this and/or what your opinions are.

Thanks"

Answer:
 > I get that the "black and white" of this is that we didn't read the bylaws and it's not the condo's fault we didn't read this.

This is precisely correct.  You signed an agreement, and you're being held to it.  There's no legal issue here; in the future, read what you sign before you sign it.

You can certainly make effort to change the bylaws, if you want, or petition for an exemption.


Title: Local mechanic shop royally screwed me

Question:
Long story short, my car got flooded. It's a very nice car - this shop specializes in this particular brand.

I dropped my car off to them on March 6 - where it stayed until March 8. I then had it towed out due to suspicion that they were trying to get unnecessary repairs out of me.

Well, it turns out I was right. When I picked the car up after, it had 100 more miles on the ODO. This really pissed me off. I let it go, however.

A few weeks later, I get a ticket in the mail from a collections agency. Apparently my car was used to go on a joy ride in Boston, and got a parking ticket at 9:53PM. The car was in their possession and they fully admitted to me, over text, that someone from their shop must have taken it out. They told me that the person would be terminated, etc.

On March 7, my credit card was stolen. The credit card was in the glove box of the vehicle. I had to dispute the charges. The CC company said the chip was inserted into the machine and whoever used it must have had it physically present, which means one of the people from the mechanic shop must've stolen it.

My car also came back damaged ($1500 in damage - they bent my running boards).

It has now been two weeks since I've contacted the shop over all of this. I keep seeming to get a world of excuses ranging from "I'm so sorry I haven't paid the ticket yet I had to take my daughter to the hospital" to "I'll do it tonight". The ticket still remains unpaid. I was able to dispute the CC charges. I also want my running boards fixed.

This shop has:
1. Stolen my car and used it to go on a joy ride

2. Got a parking ticket and left it unpaid

3. Stole my credit card out of the glovebox (I'm Assuming since this happened at the exact same time).

4. Damaged my vehicle.

What should I do here? I just want the situation rectified but I do not trust them at this point. Should I go to the police? Contact a lawyer? Do I even have a good case? This is all extremely frustrating and I feel very taken advantaged of.

Thank you.

Answer: File a police report (now. Just call them over), pay the ticket, then go after them for all the damages in small claims. Good luck!


Title: [Texas] Roommate bailed in the middle of the night, left me with all her expenses.

Question:
tl;dr: Roomate bailed in the middle of the night, owing me $700. I didn't take preemptive measures, and now I'm afraid there's nothing I can do.

First of all, I know that there were several things I could have--and should have--done differently to mitigate this situation, but now I'm stuck and trying to seek any remedies possible to this situation.

I rent a house in Austin, TX, and the landlord allows me and my girlfriend to be the only two people on the lease as long as we pay rent on time every month. There are 3 other bedrooms in the house that we rent out on a month-to-month basis. We vet our roommates with only a "gut" feeling, and ask anyone that moves in to be courteous and respectful and give at least 30 days' notice if they want to leave so that we have time to fill the vacant room. Also, I pay all utilities in advance and the roommates pay me back their share along with rent each month.

Last month our roommate (we'll call her Sarah) was  $77 short for her payment (included rent and utilities), and told me she'd have the money this month. Fast forward to Oct. 7. I get an email from Sarah saying that she moved all of her stuff out in the middle of the night and that she is sorry, goodbye. She has not responded to any phone calls, texts, or emails since.

She still hasn't paid rent for this month, she didn't pay utilities for last month, and she is still $77 behind from last month's payments. At this point, I am out $700 that I have already paid to the landlord and utilities on her behalf.

Here's where it gets tricky. She never signed any agreement. I don't have any information on her except her name, phone number, and email address. Since she left after the 1st of the month, it is extremely difficult to find someone to fill her spot before November (although we are trying).

As a last resort I figured I'd look to Reddit. If there is anything I can do at this point, I'd love to hear your advice. But please don't tell me how stupid I am for trusting a complete stranger, without running a background check, without making them sign anything, without collecting a full month's security deposit, etc...I already know that was stupid of me. I tried to be a nice guy and help out a fellow human being, and this is how I get repaid.
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 You can sue them in small claims. Even though you didn't have a written agreement, she became a tenant when she started paying you and you have proof of the debts that she owes you.

As for finding them, that's a different story.


Title: Why do police try to get confessions out of suspects?

Question: Title. Probably a dumb question but I’m asking because I was always under the impression detectives try to get a confession out of a suspect during interrogation so that they have to plead guilty to the crime and therefore get guaranteed punishment. However I just learned that even if a suspect confesses to a crime then that suspect can still plead not guilty. So if the confession doesn’t affect the plea at all then what’s the point of getting a suspect confessing to a crime aside from knowing the person did the crime? Is there any other point or is it just to mark the case closed?

Answer:
 Assuming that the police have done everything by the book (I.e the person has been informed of their rights and declined the right to legal counsel and the right to remain silent), statements made during interrogation can be used as evidence against a suspect in court. So a case with otherwise weak evidence can be bolstered by a confession from the suspect.

EDIT: Of course, a confession can be tossed out if it was obtained through coercion, or if the police didn’t read the suspect their rights, or if the person requested legal counsel and the police continued to question them without an attorney present.


Title: What are your thoughts on Bush v. Gore (2000)?

Answer: Oh god, please don't bring this up. I promised to off myself if I ever had to hear "hanging chad" again in my lifetime. RIP.


Title: Possibility of playing sports during lockdown

Question:
This is taking place in Florida
Currently attending a sports academy where the training center is located at a different location than the dorm rooms. There is a 30 day lockdown that is being set in place tomorrow at midnight.
Can we still play during the lockdown because it’s considered exercise or do we need to stay in the house.

Answer: Going to a training center is not an essential activity. Stay at home.


Title: Canada & USA - Desperate for Cross Border Divorce and Custody Advice

Question:
TL;DR - American citizen marries Canadian in the USA (State of Nebraska) and subsequently produce child; now pursuing divorce. American citizen would like to return to the USA for support purposes with child; Canadian husband resists. Anything American can do?

I am an American citizen who met a Canadian online. I became a permanent resident of Canada in 2010 after marrying in the state of Nebraska in the US in 2009. We had a son together in the early summer of 2012. We separated in the early fall of 2013 and I physically moved out of the marital home because he has a history of abuse. From about January 2014 to July 2014, we have had 50/50 access to our son (every other day). I have been out of work since July 2014 due to illness (mental and physical) and pregnancy complications - which I will explain further in a moment. My boss was my mother-in-law and I worked for a not-for-profit, since it is difficult for me to get a teacher certification in Ontario (I have my Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education through the State of Nebraska). There are no jobs to be found for teaching in the area.

STBX-husband and lawyer have proposed a separation agreement that is unsatisfactory and not even close to what we're entitled to by law. And since July 2014, I have returned to being our son's primary care-giver since I've been home on EI. What I want is to be able to move back to Nebraska with my son so that I can achieve support from my family and friends and be able to pursue my career.

I don't know if this matters to the issue at hand, but while separated, I had an unexpected pregnancy with another man who is not in the picture. My daughter is 3 weeks old and I have sole custody.

It is very expensive to live near Toronto with few job prospects, and none in my particular field, with no familial support whatsoever. My mom has traveled here to stay with me for awhile, but this is not a permanent solution, obviously.

Is there anything I can do to be able to move back to the States with my son? I don't mind meeting up with his father for visitation a few times a year, or having my son go with his father during summers when he's older, but for the entire first year of our 2.5 year old son's life, his father was not interested in parenting him at all, and he still relies heavily on his family to help him (and me if he's just not in the mood to take care of our son). He has the house and I'm paying more in rent than I would have for the mortgage just to survive. It's been really difficult.

Anything I can do? Any suggestions? Should I give up on the dream of returning with my son (and daughter) to the US and make the best of it here as a couple of family lawyers here suggested? I'm desperate to figure out some way to make this entire situation less difficult. Thanks in advance.

Answer: You almost certainly cannot take the child to another country than the one he's been living in unless the other custodian agrees. Given that you will almost certainly both be granted custody, your only solution is probably to convince him.


Title: Ohio: Friend wrecked my girlfriend's car and will not provide her insurance details. How can we get their insurance if they won't give it to us?

Question:
This is in the state of Ohio. It's been about a week since my friend wrecked my girlfriend's car, and friend is being incredibly dodgy about insurance. She ignores texts and won't return call. Last night we reached her through her roommate, and she promised the details before the night was over... but here we are the following day with no follow-up.

 The driving conditions were poor, and she was driving 70+ in a heavy rain storm. She crashed the car into a median wall, drove the car to the other side and ramped the car over a random knee-high piece of asphalt into the nearby trees. Luckily, most of us were okay... my girlfriend suffered the most with her leg being skinned, a minor concussion, and pulled muscles in her back. The car is not drivable. The bumper was stripped, the shocks busted and the door was pried open.

She didn't give her insurance to the police, and conveniently couldn't find her keys in her house when we took her home.

Our insurance is waiting for her insurance details. It's been 5 days.  I've texted her everyday and it's getting harder and harder to be polite about this. We talked to her roommate, and he's offering to get us her license plate number... but I'm not sure if that can get us anywhere. Are there any other avenues that we can take?

TL;DR Friend wrecked car with girlfriend and I as passengers, she never refused to give insurance info but is being VERY dodgy about it. How can I get this info?

Thanks for taking the time to read this!

Update: We got the info. Due to the advice here the subject of small claims and other legal terminology was brought up, and we got the information an hour later. Hopefully the insurance will be dealing with this from here on out. Thanks for all the advice!

Answer:
 The way this generally works is:

If your girlfriend's friend is a permitted driver, e.g. not specifically excluded on your girlfriend's policy, or exempted by the terms of the policy, then

a.  Your girlfriend's coverage is primary

b.  Your girlfriend's friend's coverage is secondary.

This means that her coverage is only relevant to that claim if your girlfriend's policy limits are exceeded by the damages, and it does not sound like that is the case here.

So, your girlfriend has made a claim under her policy.  She will be responsible for the deductible, and her rates may go up.

Your girlfriend's insurer wants the info on your girlfriend's friend's insurer because they will have a claim against her to the extent of what they have to pay out.  Her insurer may have to cover her for this.

So, there's really no reason the claim can't go forward with your girlfriend's insurer.  Their ability to collect on the back end is not your girlfriend's problem.Answer #2: Something seems weird. When I let somebody drive my car they are doing so under MY insurance. Is this not how it works in Ohio? In Texas when you loan the car you loan the insurance.


Title: [OR] Police released "private" information to neighbor

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 > Were any laws broken by the police officer who released my # to the neighbor?

No.

You can report your neighbor's calls to the police, if you want.


Title: Ex won’t leave me alone

Question:
Buckle up kiddos, keep your hands and feet inside the ride at all times, stalker triggers ahead, MI checking in.

3 years ago, I broke up with my crazy ex-boyfriend. We were toxic together, and there is absolutely no way in hell I would ever get back together with him. Things had gotten physical from both ends, we lived together with 4 other people, and I had had enough. I asked him to not contact me again, blocked his phone number, and deleted our text messages (my dumb ass.) While I patiently waited for our lease to end, he would come up to my room and knock on my door and talk to me even though I asked him to leave me alone. He would threaten to call our landlord and tell her about our extra roommate if I didn’t talk to him, but I never caved. At one point, he waited outside the bathroom until he knew I was getting out of the shower, and tried to hug me while I was naked under a towel. In this house, the girls lived upstairs with our own bathroom, and the boys lived downstairs with their own bathroom. There was absolutely NO REASON for him to be upstairs.

When our lease FINALLY ended, he proceeded to try to contact me through every form of social media possible, every time I would NOT respond, and I would immediately block him. I had to block him on LinkedIn. LINKEDIN. He would even go as far as to make new accounts just to try to message me long ass fuckin messages that I wouldn’t even read.

So here’s where I need help. The first year after we broke up, he sent a Christmas present to my parents house with a letter (that I no longer have, again: my dumb ass.) Reading between the lines, I realized this meant he still knew at least one of my addresses. Then he started to contact the people close to me, including my Nsister and one of our old roommates. Both of them would respond even though I begged them not to. But he couldn’t contact me, so I ignored it.

Then he contacted my current roommate. He told her he was handing out political flyers in our town, even though he had already graduated and moved back home, and had come across her name. He told her he went to her house (our house) to deliver a flyer. I don’t positively know for sure whether he knows we live together or not, but we post a lot of shit on social media, so he could have put the pieces together. This was just a few months ago, 3 YEARS AFTER WE BROKE UP. If it matters, she did not respond and immediately blocked him.

The most recent attempt at contact was him emailing me (my dumb ass forgot to block him on email) and sending me another long ass email that I almost didn’t read. Then I noticed he mentioned how he plans on getting a job through the Substitute teaching portal in my town, where I work. He says he wants to work for my district. I have no doubt in my mind at all that if he gets the job, he will find me in whatever classroom I’m in and attempt to talk to me, in front of students. His degree was in sports business management, nothing near education at all. The only reason he would want to get this job would be to find me. I’m sure of it.

So now he knows my hometown address, my current address, and where I work. I really don’t like the subtle ways he is dropping hints of knowing all of these facts. It makes me uneasy and sick to my fucking stomach. I want all contact to cease, and I made that clear from the very start. My question is, what tf do I do? Restraining order? I feel like he would had to have threatened me to make a restraining order possible. I really REALLY really don’t want him to show up to my work, that is so unprofessional and embarrassing. I plan on leaving the country to teach abroad in the fall, so would it even be worth it to go through that whole process? HALP.

Topic:
Douche

Answer: Have a lawyer write him a cease and desist letter. Gather all the documented contact you have now and continue to document if he contacts post ceast and desist letter. Consider talking to your boss pre-emptively to tell them you have a stalker. If he continues contact after the c&d or escalates, file a police report.


Title: Father and Infant Legal Issue in Maryland

Question:
My husband left our infant unattended in the car for 12 minutes (official report says 15). It was in the evening, 64 degrees, she was asleep, and he parked in a way that he could see the car from the entrance of his quick errand. The police were called. Baby was taken to nearby hospital without his consent. What frustrates me is that in Virginia, where we live, this would not have been considered an illegal charge against him, but in Maryland it is and this is where he was.

Anyway, we have a good lawyer, and all of that, chances are the charges may potentially be dropped...

My question is, we're getting billed by the county for the services of transportation and my husband is trying to figure out if we're legally required to pay for a service he did not consent to and what would happen if he didn't?

Answer:
 > What frustrates me is that in Virginia, where we live, this would not have been considered an illegal charge against him

Child neglect / child endangerment is a crime in all 50 states. You would risk a charge anywhere.

>We're getting billed by the county for the services of transportation  and my husband is trying to figure out if we're legally required to pay  for a service he did not consent to and what would happen if he didn't?

The police had exigent circumstances to break into the car and have the child transported to ensure they were OK, since they had no idea how long the child was there. So yes, you're going to pay, and if you don't, you'll be sent to collections.

I get it - I'm a parent, I've been there where I don't want to drag them out of the car. But I've also had a friend who lost their kid in the Florida sun because they forgot their kid in the car. Dozens of children die this way every year, which is why police will assume the worst and take action.


Title: Woman I dated says I "stole" her p***y after a consensual evening. Concerned of unfounded rape accusation.

Question:
I am a 42 year old single male.   About 6 months ago I met a 43 year old single mom.   We hit it off, and have been dating on and off.  In that time we did not have sex.

About a week ago I receive some suggestive texts.  Sounds like fun.   We get together, have a nice evening, stay out very late (about 3:30 in the morning) and although I didn't think it was the time or place (her kids were home sleeping), she convinces me to come in.   We proceed to have consensual  sex on her couch.  I know it was consensual because it was her idea, her condoms, she put the condom on me, and climbed on.

Fast forward a week, and ask if she is free on Sunday (I was traveling for work on Saturday).   I get a message back that she doesn't want to see me, and that I stole the pussy from a single mother (her words, not mine).

I know the contact was consensual, but for what ever reason she has changed her mind.   My concern is that she may accuse me of rape and ruin my life.   How do I protect myself against that happening?

Answer:
 > How do I protect myself against that happening?

In short, you can't. You can't stop someone from lying. You should keep any texts or messages as proof of your relationship. Keep in mind that even if you were in a relationship, she still has the right to refuse to consent to sex.

You should stop speaking with the woman. Block her on all your accounts and if the police show up, don't say a word except for, "I have no comment, I would like to speak to a lawyer."


Title: I was involved in a minor fender bender. Advice on settling with cash (Without contacting insurance).

Question:
It was my fault and we decided to settle it with cash. It was a REALLY minor fender bender and we already got the estimates from the body shop. We're gonna go to the same body shop and I am going to pay for both cars. I wanted some advice on how to write an agreement saying that we settled it with cash and that no further action will be taken. Contacting our insurances is out of the question.

Thanks

Edit: I'm in Florida by the way.

Answer:
 Yeah, here's some advice.

Don't.

This is why you have insurance. Not just to pay for the damage, but to provide a defense when this fool suddenly discovers mysterious soft tissue injuries months from now.

Call your insurance. Any increase in premium is worthwhile. You may not even be surcharged on a small enough accident.

IANAL.


Title: Age of consent.

Question:
A guy (16) has told me (F20) that he was interested in me before he learnt my age and that I still have his interest. I admitted that I felt the same. Nothing will probably happen from this but I want to make sure I understand the laws of age of consent if something does happen. Especially as I’m a first year student studying teaching. And I have autism so I often misunderstand things and I don’t want to be charged with stationary rape because I misunderstood the laws.

I always thought that the laws in Australia (and everywhere else) were that you could only date someone 2 years older/younger than you until you’re 18. But I googled it for my state and the first result was Wikipedia saying that the age of consent is 16 (I don’t trust Wikipedia obviously) and a state government website said:

“Sixteen to 17 years old-
A person who is caring for you or supervising you, like a teacher, youth worker or foster carer, can't have sex with you or sexually touch you or perform a sexual act or indecent act with you or in front of you, even if you agree, unless they are married to you. However, it is not an offence if the person honestly believed you were 18 or older.”

So if I’m not in a position of authority over him and I’m just his peer. What is the law?
Topic:
Juvenile and Youth Law

Answer:
 Where are you located, specifically?

Every state/country has different laws and rules.

You and a 16 year old are NOT peers, even if it is legal and you should let him be a kid and find an adult your age to date.


Title: My Sisters Multi Millionaire Ex Boyfriend

Question:
So my sister dated this guy who owns an company for a little over 11 years. They broke up 6 months ago when I caught him cheating on my sister. while they were dating she had $2000 transferred into her bank account every monday. When they first broke up he said that she could have the $2000 for the rest of her life. They both went and got lawyers to make sure that she would get the money, however the contract said $2000 every monday for 10years and not the rest of her life. She did sign the contract since $2000 for 10 years was better then nothing.

Him and I are getting together this weekend since were still friends. I was thinking about bringing along my iPod and recording the conversation and seeing if i could catch him admitting to the fact that he said $2000 for the rest of her life and not for 10 years. If I did catch him on tape admitting this would she be able to get a lawyer and take him to court and win? They lived together, and we all live in canada. thanx!

Answer: Sounds like your sister is too greedy for her own good. How about just moving on with your life and not living off others?


Title: Grandparents Rights?

Question:
So, I have this intense fear of my Future Husbands Mother pulling a “Grandparents Rights” hand when the baby comes. But does Grandparents Rights apply to someone who isn’t a legal citizen of the USA and all their papers are forged? This woman is callous and vile. She has threatened my relationship with future husband in the past and refuses to give us his birth certificate specifically so we can’t get our marriage license. Anyway we have a little one on the way and she has apparently been telling people that she will try to take custody of my child when born. Although I know she won’t be able to get custody, the fear is her lawyer will tell her all about Grandparents Rights. Everyone I came in contact with her she would talk about her lawyers and how great she gets along with them.

Sorry if my format is bad or my post is out of sorts. I’ve never posted on here, my hormones are everywhere and I’m way too stressed out about everything right now. Feel free to take it down if it’s not appropriate to be posted.
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer:
 Grandparents rights are rarely a thing.

When two custodial parents say “no” it’s even more rarely a thing.

And that’s just for visitation. A push for custody has about as much chance for success as me throwing a baseball to Mars.


Title: (New York) Is it legal to pay extra for a declawing service?

Question: Hi, I want to buy a cat for my kids for christmas and a guy is selling cat with a declawing service for an extra $400 on top of the $200 cat cost, is this legal for me to buy if it is offered by the seller with the cat purchase? Thanks

Answer:
 It is illegal to declaw a cat in New York for any non-medical reason. The fact that you're purchasing the cat "with a declawing service" doesn't make the declawing itself any less illegal.Answer #2: Ignoring the issue of how abusive it is to declaw a cat, and the poor idea of giving an animal as a Christmas gift, it is also illegal in your state (because it is not humane). Before you get a cat you should probably do some minimal research on cats so you know how to care for it.Answer #3: Cat declawing is illegal in NY. [The law](https://nyassembly.gov/leg/?default_fld=%0D%0A&leg_video=&bn=A1303&term=2019&Summary=Y&Actions=Y&Text=Y)

If you are being offered a declawing service, you are not dealing with an ethical cat seller.


Title: Fast Food Place Leaking onto Food, What Do I Do?

Question:
I live in WV, but work in a Dairy Queen in Kentucky. I worked there for awhile in the fall, didn't particularly enjoy them but needed the job. Eventually as the snow piled up, the owner wouldn't give the money to fix the roof. Water started leaking, and I mean LEAKING. Onto the computer screens that show orders, onto the grill, onto the cart that holds all the lettuce and other burger toppings and onto multiple places in the floor.

So.... What do I do? I wanna report it because it can't be healthy, but, how can I do it and remain anonymous?

Thanks /r/legaladvice.

Answer: Look up the contact information for the local health inspector.  Report anonymously.  If it's leaking onto the order terminals, this is something a customer could notice.  It's common for the public to report health code violations.


Title: [WI] without power 3 nights now; what do I do?

Question:
I've been without power for 3 nights now due to the LL not fixing the wire that connects the house to the main line.
LL had someone come check out the issue and said it was fixed, just needed an inspection.

Called the city and they told me he hasn't even purchased a permit which he told us he did.

All of the food in the fridge and freezer is bad now.

I'm also subleasing 2 other people, am I liable to them at all?

Please help I don't know what to do.

Thank you all so much.

Answer:
 Being without power for an extended period usually entitles you to a reduction in rent for the period. Inform your landlord that until power is restored you don't plan to pay rent and see if that gets him into gear.

If you're the master tenant and are getting rent checks from the subtenants, then yes, this applies to them, too.Answer #2: Not a lawyer myself. A house is not habitable without electricity, and this is an emergency. Send your landlord a letter via certified mail (and/or an email, CCing the sublettors) stating in no uncertain terms that if the electricity is not fixed within a certain period of time (I'd say no more than 72 hours) y'all will be deducting the cost of fixing it from your next rent payment yourselves.

Also: consider calling 311 and seeing if there's a housing board or tenants' rights association in your area that can back you up legally. Contact a building inspector as well.

http://www.tenantresourcecenter.org/repairs_in_wisconsin


Title: Flu swab caused irreversible eye damage.

Question:
I live in New Hampshire.

A few months ago (end of Feb/early March) my mom had to go to the doctor for a flu swab. She has leukemia and was due to go in for a stem cell transplant very soon, so when she came down with a cold it was kind of a time-sensitive thing that we figure out if she had the flu or not.

She went to our local doctor's office and after an ordeal that this isn't the place for, she had the swab - but the way they did it was questionable.

As far as I know they're supposed to rotate it a couple of times for a couple of seconds, but they rotated it the entire time, for a minute or so, and they only stopped when my mom told them to. She also thinks they put the swab too far into her nose. It ended up causing a hemorrhage in her eye, which she's since had surgery for, but the damage has been done and now she can't see very well out of that eye - she says it's like there's a big floater in it.

We're just wondering if there was anything we could do, legally. She'd been checked out by her primary doctors/the doctors who have been treating her for her leukemia (who are the ones that recommended her for surgery to treat the hemorrhage) but no one has mentioned anything about taking legal action. She's an artist professionally and with the state of her eye she's unable to work on her craft at all.

Thanks in advance.

Answer:
 The bot must be out having a few. The usual spiel goes something like, medical malpractice is too fact specific and you need to consult a medmal attorney. Call the bar association for a referral and see if they have a free consultation.Answer #2: > It ended up causing a hemorrhage in her eye

How did someone determine the hemorrhage was caused by the flu swab?

That would be very extremely unusual, and I can't picture how it would even happen. A swab in the nasal cavity cannot touch or put pressure on the eyeball. A wall of bone keeps the two areas separate.

We do much more invasive things in that area without causing eye problems. For example, one treatment for severe nosebleed is to pack the nasal cavity with a liquid-filled balloon. That presses a lot harder than any flu swab, for much longer, and research shows that it does not put any measurable pressure on the eye.Answer #3: Talk to a medical malpractice lawyer but being in the healthcare field, this sounds totally ridiculous


Title: My University is requiring me to pay $5000 for their mistakes that happened a year ago

Question:
TL;DR at the bottom.

I've been a student at the University of Utah for a few years. In my freshman year, I was hired by their hospital for 30 hours a week. After 6 months, I began to receive half off tuition as one of the benefits.

After a year, working so many hours was very taxing on my schooling, so cut my hours back to 20 hours, which also meant I no longer had the tuition benefit.

The following semester(spring semester), I still received half off my tuition balance even though I wasn't supposed to, but who am I to tell the school I'm supposed to be paying more?

Spring Semester ends, summer comes and goes, Fall Semester begins and once again, half off tuition is on my payment account.

Now the university caught there mistakes and are requiring me to pay them $5000 to remove the holds on my account. Am I actually required to pay back the tuition they took off my account? I don't have the money, and I don't know what to do.

TL;DR: My university gave me half tuition for two semester when I didn't qualify and now, after a year, they wan't me to pay it back.

Answer:
 Yes, you need to pay it back.

If they over charged you, you'd expect them to make it right.


Title: Update: Budget rented me unregistered vehicle

Question:
I posted in December looking for advice after getting a ticket for an unregistered vehicle that I rented from Budget/Avis in New York  ([link](https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/3ulv0v/new_york_state_rental_car_had_expired/)). They removed my name from the ticket, which I confirmed by calling the court clerk with the ticket number. I also checked my driving record with the DMV - most people said it wouldn't affect my record but I wasn't sure so I paid the $7 for peace of mind, there was nothing. No refund.

Actions taken: called Budget four times, until given a case number; filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau stating that my primary goal is getting the ticket out of my name and secondary goal is a refund; called the town clerk.

I have also taken a vow to never, ever rent from them again. They were horrible throughout - this all happened after I hit a deer and they refused to send a tow truck until I signed up for another days charges. I was in the middle of nowhere late at night with a totally inoperable vehicle. Then the police got there to take an accident report and I also got a ticket. The correspondence they sent me was completely incomprehensible. It's possible they were always planning on removing my name but all the people I talked to were complete jerks who told me I shouldn't have hit a deer if I didn't want a ticket, instead of explaining the process.

 The last thing I got from them sent me off into a new tizzy because it was a copy of the ticket, with my name on it, a note explaining the fee was late and would now cost $200 instead of $50, and a copy of a check they claimed was sent to pay it.  Nothing about the corporate substitution at all, which is all I care about. But like I said, I called the court and confirmed I am in fact removed from this situation.

Edit: sorry so sloppy, on a phone.

Answer:
 www.elliott.org has a list of executives for budget and other travel related companies.  I'd send an email to those executives and then perhaps post on the elliott forum for further assistance and adviceAnswer #2: Not legal advice, but I do feel for you.  I rented a car get to a job 500 miles away and before I left I thankfully noticed that the registration was expired on my car as well.  I got a new car for it (however stay away from Mazda 3s) and was lucky I saw it.  I don't know if they just forgot to check or cheapness or what.

EDIT: Didn't see what was said, but if it was about the Mazda 3 comment, my sister took hers back after having issues with starting reliably and lemoned it, and mine ended up with some brake issues (ABS kicking in when it shouldn't) and the entertainment computer rebooting constantly before I took it back at the end of my rental.  Bear in mind this car only had 5000+ miles on it, so it was fairly new.)Answer #3:
>...told me I shouldn't have hit a deer if I didn't want a ticket

Lol *what*? Do they not understand deer? This is literally the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard in my life.


Title: My car windshield got smashed and I got punched multiple times in the face. This happened all over stolen beer at a high school party.

Question:
I brought a 30 rack of beer to the party with the intention of sharing it and keeping it with me when the party was over. When the party ended and people left, this guy (call him Logan) stole my almost full case of beer and drove off. I drove a mutual friend of Logan and mine and had the friend call Logan to find out where he was so we could grab the beer. We met up and Logan claimed that "there wasn't any beer left". He was pretty drunk and started throwing punches at me when I called him a liar. He hit me multiple times in the face, there is no bruising but I have a headache. I didn't fight back. When Logan was driving off I poured a half empty can of beer that I found in the bed of his truck on his car. He got out of the car chased me into the neighborhood. He eventually quit chasing and headed back to where my car was (next to his). He grabbed something from his truck and smashed the windshield. The mutual friend saw everything. This happened last night. He sent me texts saying "I'm really sorry", "I was blackout drunk man" and "I can pay for the windshield" I have a few questions. Is it too late to file a police report? Can I report Logan for Vandalism and Assault? The mutual friend had been drinking and I was sober driving for him, will he get in trouble for under age alcohol consumption? We're all 17. Thanks

Windshield: http://imgur.com/9NmywMu

Answer:
 > Is it too late to file a police report? Can I report Logan for Vandalism and Assault?

No, it's not too alte.

> The mutual friend had been drinking and I was sober driving for him, will he get in trouble for under age alcohol consumption?

You both could.  I can't answer whether you would, but in most jurisdictions I'm aware of you would.Answer #2: Sounds like you provided alcohol to minors. Getting cops involved probably isn't going to help you. Instead of calling the police, why don't you just have Logan pay for the windshield?


Title: Girlfriend say's I have raped her

Question:
[deleted]
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer:
 For future reference: when your sexual partner explicitly says "stop," you need to stop. Answer #2: Yes, it was rape. [Source](https://www.legalaid.vic.gov.au/find-legal-answers/sex-and-law/sexual-assault)

In the future, if someone says no or tells you to stop, ***stop immediately.*** It doesn't matter why you think they're telling you to stop or whether you think you'll get caught. If you don't stop, it's sexual assault at the very least.Answer #3: I am not a lawyer nor in Australia but for the love of everything why did you talk to your friends about this? If she pursues this and the police interview your friends, now the police can say "She claimed she was sexually assaulted by OP. Furthermore, **OP's friends all confirm that this happened because OP admitted it to them.**"

Shut your mouth and pray that she doesn't pursue this any further. And seriously think about hiring a local attorney. I honestly don't know if it is better for you to cut all contact at this point with her or not. Either way don't admit anything to her that can be used against you later.

Finally, make backups, take screenshots, etc of the text where she says she enjoyed it and wants it to happen again.

Edit: food for thought: If you had gotten caught by her parents, do you think she would have thrown you under the bus and claimed rape?


Title: [SC] Being Left Millions in Undeclared Cash

Question:
So, my family immigrated to the US when I was about 3 years old, and brought along a VERY large sum of cash. The amount is in the tens of millions and only some of it was declared to customs (so that we had enough legal money at our disposal). However, my family didn't want to pay taxes on the majority of it, so they brought it in secretly and have had it stored on our property ever since.

Fast forward to now, and a very close relative of mine is terminally ill and will likely not survive for more than a year. This relative is also the one who the money belongs to and they want to give me millions of dollars of this money that the government has no idea exists.

There is no way of going back and finding how the money was earned or where it came from and if it is a crime to sneak money into the US and if there is a statute of limitations on said crime, I can assure you we would be past that point by now.

So, my question is, how should I handle this money? Is it possible for me to declare the money and pay taxes on it so I can use it freely without worry?

I would prefer to do this the right way if it's feasible, but if the money would be seized because it can't be traced back to a source of income, that's not acceptable. The only person who acted in or had knowledge about bringing the money over is my sick relative. So if there would be legal ramifications for them, should I simply have them leave the money to me in their estate so they would escape any criminal charges and then I could pay the taxes on the money?

Essentially, I want to keep the money and I want to do it legally, no matter how high the taxes are. Is that possible?

Answer:
 oddly enough, i have heard of similar stories a few times, and each time there was no money

the relative lied because they were delusional, or to get extra attention from family members who wrongly believed they would get a big inheritance

assuming in your case there is money, make sure the relative has a will, and you know where the funds are located

you will need to speak to an attorney about this, because there are tax, estate, and criminal law implicationsAnswer #2: You need to speak with an estate or tax attorney


Title: [TX] Best course of action if sleeping in a car and police knock on the window.

Question:
Let's say I'm driving and I'm getting sleepy so I pull over to take a nap. I'm not sure where legally the best place to pull over would be, but wherever it is, let's say an officer taps on the window and starts asking me questions. What would be the best course of action here? I want to avoid getting slapped with a charge like a DUI at all costs. Do I just refuse to answer any of the officer's questions? Do I admit to sleeping in the car? Do I take a field sobriety test if he asks me to? Would he take me to jail if I refused?

Anyway, I'm asking what would be the best course of action to minimize the chances of going to jail?

Answer:
 > Anyway, I'm asking what would be the best course of action to minimize the chances of going to jail?

Don't do stupid things.  If you're going to pull over, get off the road into a parking lot, at minimum, and a place for sleeping(hotel or some such) preferably.

You can refuse to answer questions or participate in sobriety tests.  That will likely make your day harder, not easier.  Refusing the tests, in some places, will lead to a suspension of license **regardless of the outcome**.


Title: [Kansas] Is there any duty that an HOA decision to be reasonable?

Question: I'm planning to ask my HOA for permission to install solar panels. The Declaration doesn't to mention solar panels. Can the HOA use its general power to disallow solar panels when the Declaration doesn't to mention solar panels on the back side of my roof? My house is on the edge of the neighborhood.  It is two stories high so no one will even be able to see the roof when standing in the neighborhood. I've heard the HOA has previously rejected proposals to install solar panels. But I can't think of a reason they could conjure up to reject me because they won't be visible. It seems such a decision would be arbitrary and capricious. Do it's decisions have to have a rational basis?

Answer:
 No. There is no duty for the HOA to be reasonable as long as their decisions do not violate any laws / ordinances nor violate the covenants or by laws of the HOA.

EDIT: Not legal advice, but a side note. While I am not going to dwell on why they don't permit solar panels, I will say that I would personally never install them if I lived in Kansas because of the potential of hail storms to damage the panels. KS is no stranger to big supercell thunderstorms that produce baseball sized hail or bigger. No, it's not the thing that will happen every year in any given location in KS, but that would be a consideration of mine in case something like that did happen.


Title: [NJ] Charged with DUI for marijuana.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 This is the problem with marijuana, there aren't really any effective impairment tests.  The urine tests do nothing more than test for metabolites - the byproduct of when marijuana is broken down by the body and cleansed from your system.  Because impairment is the standard, not the presence of metabolites, you're boxed into a wall because they're going to say that you acted impaired (and being up for 30+ hours is really no different than driving drunk).  Juries are increasingly aware that marijuana can stay in your system for 30+ days and impairment is nowhere near that long.  Your best bet is to seek out an attorney and go from that.

>since I'm a female and no female officers were at the station at the time of my arrest or in the room while I did the urine test (I was alone in the bathroom), it cannot be used against me

No one gives a shit that no females were present.

>will the town reimburse me on the money I've already paid out for the fine?

Which fine?  If you've already paid, no.


Title: (Chicago,Illinois) My Father's Short Term disability checks have been cut, he is cleared to work with restrictions, but his employer has not found a position that meets those restrictions, and he was informed that his health insurance was cut.

Question:
My Dad is/was a truck driver. Back in July he suffered a minor stroke on the job. His employer sent a supervisor to the scene to secure the truck, wielding water, and ice packs (as he did not know he suffered a stroke, but was told by a witness that he was exhibiting heat stroke/actual stroke like symptoms)

EMT's were NOT contacted, and he was returned to work after telling his supervisor that he was confused and going to the wrong addresses. (the supervisor was driving the truck as my Dad delivered the packages)

When he went to the hospital the next day, he was informed that he in fact suffered a stroke (not heat stroke) and after tests were administered his peripheral vision was impaired by a substantial amount, and as a result he cannot drive a truck anymore.

He hasn't worked in 8 months and counting. His employer/union did NOT file this as a workman's comp case opting for temporary disability. That was cut as of January so he has NO money coming in from his employer, and as a result of him not working for this extended period of time was sent a letter informing him that his medical benefits for himself, and my mother had also been cut as of January 19th.(He received said letter February 21st)
He has been cleared to work with restrictions, but his employer has NOT found him a position to meet those restrictions.

I'll spare you the implications of what this has done to me financially to support them.

What are my options, thank you so  much for reading this wall of text. I appreciate your time.

Answer: They didn't put it through WC because work did not contribute to the illness or injury.  His best bet is probably to look for employment elsewhere.


Title: [Georgia] As a bus driver, do I have to let people out anywhere?

Question:
The title doesn't necessarily deal the question I have justice. I am a bus driver for my university, and every route has locations that I stop at every time. I've been told by me employer that these are the only places that passengers may board or exit the bus. However, sometimes people will come up and demand that I stop the bus right there. It is very likely to be dangerous to comply, and it would certainly hold up traffic and my schedule if I did as they asked; however, I've seen before that it is generally illegal to keep people in a place forcefully, such as forcing someone to stay in a restaurant or something of that nature.

So, in summary, do I have a legal responsibility to allow passengers to exit the bus whenever they wany?

Answer: You have a legal responsibility to yourself, your employer, and your passengers to only let them off at designated spots. If you let them off anywhere, you risk a lawsuit. Let them call the cops if they want. The cops will laugh at them.


Title: [US] Do I have rights to my dog's image and likeness?

Question:
[US] I have an unusual dog, so sometimes when we're out walking, people will take pictures of her. A few times, she has shown up on TV or in magazines without my having signed any kind of release. If the photography happened in public, is her image fair game, or do I have rights related to its publication?

Thanks.

Answer: You don't have any rights to pictures taken of your dog in public. Answer #2: In the US, rights to pictures taken in public belong to the photographer barring a contract stating otherwise.


Title: My driveway has 2 parking spaces and my upstairs neighbors keep blocking my car in. Any steps I could take?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Update: I did a 3 point turn to go around the truck that was blocking me (the impala was parked off to the side and that's the car they left in) and I come back and they have THREE cars parked in the driveway!!! I'm not even gonna play games and park behind them at this point.

Hoping to talk to them tomorrow about it and call my landlord again. Anything I could threaten with legally???

Answer #2: yikes.  to be clear ...

> who have two cars

are they parking both cars there?  with yours there are 3?Answer #3: Update: my landlord stated the previous tenants lived here 2 years and "never had an issue with parking" so I guess we'll see how long it lasts. She stated she'd talk to them again. I told her I have proof of every time they've blocked me in and I realize she's in breech of my lease by not allowing me to park freely. Answer #4: What does your lease say? Are you entitled to a parking spot?


Title: [TEXAS] Landlord claims I didn't give proper notice of moving out. Being sketchy with deposit.

Question:
My was supposed lease ended on June 31st. I called the company and asked my leasing agent if I can have extended to July 31st. They said that was fine and asked my to send them a email that stated that. I sent them this:

"This is email is to ask that our lease at [redacted], Denton, TX is extended to July 31st. Thank you!

-Names redacted
-Names redacted
"

Here the next order of events:

- August 7th: I get a call from accounting within the companies department claiming I might be responsible for some rent due to us not properly notifying them. I forward the previous email to him and he states he will call me the next day. I did not receive a call.

- August 12th: I called and stated to the front desk staff that I was supposed to be called back and received nothing. She sent me to accountings voicemail.

- August 21st: I call again. Sent to voice mail again.

- Today: I receive this email.
> In regards to your move out and charges for August. Unfortunately the email that you have forwarded to me is not a "notice of intent to vacate" as we discussed on the phone. The statement made in the email above is that you wish to "extend" your lease to July 31st, but nothing in this email says anything about terminating your lease on July 31st. In order to have a notice to vacate it must be clear that you wish to terminate or end your lease on a certain date. The above email does not make that statement. I do have some good news for you though. We were already able to find a new tenant and they moved in on August 18th. This means we can not charge your for the time that they are paying for. In a case like this we also credit an additional 5 days for the normal make ready turn over time. Long story short is that this means we will reduce the amount of rent charge for August by 23 days. You will only be required to pay for 8 days of rent in August. We should have this statement updated by the end of next week and will send you a copy of the final account statement once it is completed.

Keep in mind I was never notified of the condition of the apartment (cleaned it very well so I was expecting the deposit back) or that it had been filled. So I have no idea if they found something wrong with it before having someone move in.

Thank you for any help possible!

Answer:
 It sounds like they switched you to a month to month lease when your lease ended, which means you should have given them 30 days notice. You should just pay the 8 days rent in order to avoid the hassle of a lawsuit.

I don't see anything in your email about the deposit?


Title: Can I put my name on my 2 year old step daughters birth certificate?

Question: My girl friend has a 2 year old daughter that she had at the age of 15 she knows exactly who the father is and has confronted him about it multiple times. He refused to have anything to do with her duaghter. She has a paternity test proving he's the father but he has no clue If this peace of paper exists or not. He has recently tried to involve him self in his duaghters after 2 years of being a dead beat. My girlfriend and I are trying to find a possible way for me to also have custody over our daughter so he can't ruin our lives. Please help

Answer: So your girlfriend is 17?  How old are you?  Answer #2: No.  You must be married to adopt as a step-father and even then it is extremely difficult to do if the bio-father will not agree.  Answer #3: Get her to go after him for child support.  That's the best thing for the daughter.


Title: How to serve someone who has avoided 3 other service attempts?

Question: I was contacted to serve an individual that has been avoiding multiple service attempts, even going to the extent of having her apartment security not allow people to her floor. How should I go about serving her? I live in California btw.

Answer:
 I second the sit and wait method. Find out when she goes to work, or comes home from work.  Or find out where she works and serve her there. The process server I use uses all those tactics with good effect.Answer #2: Substituted service, pursuant to [section 415.20](http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=ccp&group=00001-01000&file=415.10-415.95) of the CA Code of Civil Procedure.Answer #3: wait till she comes out of her building. Otherwise notify the sheriff in your town.Answer #4: The serving party (plaintiff most likely) can petition the judge for substituted service.  The whole idea of escaping a lawsuit by dodging service is a TV/movie trope.

If the Plaintiff started off by mailing notice of suit with a request to waive service, then any cost involved in serving beyond the one-and-done fee can be recovered from the dodging party.  At this point, paying the Sheriff might be a good idea, since California courts consider this situation to be unreasonable on part of the person avoiding service.Answer #5: Mail 'n Nail - otherwise known as substituted service. Generally gotta first get an order authorizing it, though.


Title: Currently in the Process of Being Evicted

Question:
I need some advice on how to deal with the situation in which we are currently in.

A little background. We are living in Southern California. My mom, brother, and myself have been living with my step father for close to 12 years. We live in an apartment complex in which he is a current employee. I don't believe he pays rent. We have never payed any type of rent to him.

So today, he sent out a text to all of us in which he stated that we have until June 1st to get all of our stuff and leave. He said that he will be changing the locks.

Is there anything that prevents him from giving us such a short notice?

Thanks for the help!
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 Self-help evictions are illegal in California, and if your stepfather locks out the other occupants he could be liable to them for their actual damages (temporary accommodations, etc) plus punitive damages. To a certain extent: "sure, try it."

Legally, he can end their tenancy with him with 60 days' notice, and evict them - _through the courts_ - if they don't vacate.

However, as a practical matter, I would take him seriously and help your mother get her stuff into storage this weekend. The fact that it's illegal to lock someone out doesn't mean he won't try it, and it's a civil issue, so there's only a limited amount the police can do to intervene.

Your mother's next stop should probably either be a domestic abuse shelter or a divorce lawyer for assistance.


Title: Is there a such thing as getting your name on a list at a hotel you’ve been evicted of that prevents you from checking in in the future?

Question:
For example a messy room. I was evicted for having a messy room. Manager claimed he went in there by accident. I had to check out a week early for a business trip and had to check into another hotel that was triple in price. It was the only place nearby available.
Topic:
Business Law

Answer: A hotel can refuse to allow you to stay there for any non-protected reason.


Title: Letting go an older employee. California

Question: I have an employee who is in his late 60's. He has done good by me so I am somewhat lenient towards him. His value in the company is diminishing, he frequently makes mistakes and forgets things. His balance is also getting worse and I see him stumble quite a bit. He is not ready to retire. I am afraid he will fall and get hurt while on the clock. Not sure if this is the right sub but looking for advice as far as letting him go or pushing him towards retirement before it costs me. I am now documenting mistakes in case I need to just start a write up process that will lead to termination. I assume I cannot terminate him on his physical well being? As in he is no longer suitable to work. Any advice is appreciated.

Answer: Do you have an HR department to help you? This has pitfalls but can be done to mitigate exposure. Don't mention his age at all in any document or discussion. Focus only on job performance.


Title: (IL) Red Light Cam Ticket for Dead Father

Question:
This is certainly not a serious issue but I figured I'd confirm that my pound sand assessment is correct.

My father passed in mid-2015.  I handled the Estate and closed it in fall 2016.  A month or so ago I got mail for him from Arizona that pertained to his car.  The car was sold within the family and currently IS in Arizona so I opened it instead of doing my usual "Deceased, Return to Sender" notation and leaving it for the mailman.  Well, it was for him because the ticket was from May 2013.  I kid you not.  So it's a six year old ticket which I received no notice of from summer 2015 until spring 2019 despite having his mail forwarded by the post office for 6 months following his death.  I will also note that I followed Illinois law by buying ad space in the local paper to advertise of his death for any potential debt collectors.  My understanding is we are now well past the point when debts should have been brought to my attention and the estate is closed so this is uncollectable.  I did call the number on the original notice to inform them of his passing.  They just seemed confused and I marked another letter from them "Deceased, Return to Sender".  I received another letter from a law firm in Chicago doing collections on their behalf so I'm now thinking there's a small chance he did owe money.  However this would be the most insane collections behavior I've ever encountered.  Should I ignore it, tell them to pound sand, or something else entirely?  This still seems like a bizarre scam to me.

Answer:
 IANAL,

https://codes.findlaw.com/il/chapter-755-estates/il-st-sect-755-5-18-12.html

They had two years to figure this out.


Title: Ontario - 350$ ticket for not having a flashlight, whistle, etc. on a kayak while being 15 feet from my dock

Question: I'll keep it brief, but I was literally sitting in my kayak right beside my dock, obviously without any of the mandatory boating items on me (because I was on a kayak) when two cops came up and gave me a 350 dollar ticket for not having a whistle, lifejacket, or flashlight. Where tf am I going to keep a flashlight when I'm on a kayak that literally has 0 storage? Not to mention I was 15 feet away from the dock. Is that really a law in Ontario or am I getting screwed?

Answer: Short answer yes, those are [the regs](http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-2010-91/page-6.html#h-43), and you can stow your flashlight in the nose, or on your person, or clip it to your PFD. It doesn't have to be some great honking thing, it just has to work.


Title: Roommate Spent 4 Months of Rent on Other Things (WA, USA)

Question:
This past week my 6 college roommates and I received a letter from our landlady informing us that we have not paid four months of rent ($10,000+) in the past year. Myself and five other roommates thought it had to be a mistake given that the first month missed was last January and then again in May, October, and December. Since we have all been college friends for four years, we thought it must have been an accounting error or something related to the landlady's side of things. We waited for the other roommate, who is in charge of officially paying rent, to get back from class. I did a check of our joint account that I share with him since I pay utilities and saw that these months had no record of a cashed rent check from our landlady. I started to get nervous about it, and he walked in at that point. We looked through the account records and realized that for these months he had transferred these funds into his own account because "he had run out of checks and had to pay it through his personal account since he had checks for that one." However, this is where it starts to get extremely questionable. My roommates and I are not sure if he wrote the checks, sent them to the landlady and she either didn't or couldn't deposit them because of him spending too much of his personal account money (i.e. our own rent money) or if he simply didn't send the checks and kept them and spent them. We want to give him the benefit of the doubt since we have been friends for four years, but given that we received no notification from our bank or landlady that the checks bounced, it  seems that he didn't send them.

Since we have received the letter, he has been contacting banks to inquire about loans and has talked to the landlady about paying back the $10,000+ over time. However, we have been pressuring him to only do the loan since we are also on the hook for this even though we already paid. The payment back over time through an agreement with the landlady makes no sense to us given that he could have a much more formal process and repayment process through the use of a loan from a bank. We do not want to have to be financially responsible for helping pay back the amount in question. What do we do?
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer: If he can't pay the landlord immediately, the rest of you will need to. Then you can sue the other roommate for whatever he spent and his share of whatever you end up paying.


Title: [United States, general] Does Civil forfeiture work in the opposite direction?

Question:
This is all hypothetical, but it's been a question I've had since I first heard of the topic...

A police department can forcibly take things such as money or other commodities away from me and sue them as if they were animate objects. In the meantime, that municipality or department can use my money or other thing however they wish, with or without a guilty verdict, and I may never get them back.

Can I sue the department in that same way? What would happen if I walked into a courthouse and filed suit against the department's vehicles or radios and then tried to collect?

If that wouldn't work, why not?

If it would, why has nobody done it yet?

Answer:
 Short answer: no.
Long answer: nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooAnswer #2: > Can I sue the department in that same way?

you wish.

the law doesn't exist to create such a claim. such a suit would not even pass the laugh test.


Title: [CO][US] The postal service has, in the past, refused to deliver our mail because my car is in the only place I can put it.

Question:
**Edit: So this thread turned into a circle jerk of people trying to tell me to park my car who knows how far away from my house when it's just fine right in front of our house where it is, even though my question was if we could ask the post office to combine our mailboxes with other mailboxes in the cul de sac.**

https://i.imgur.com/xpigGBN.png

Here is my MS Paint picture tax.

**How should I bring this with the post office if it happens again in the future? Could we get our mailboxes legally moved to be in front of the other houses (6 total) so that the mailboxes are in two groups of three instead of three groups of two?**

Thanks!

tl;dr: we currently get mail, we haven't in the past because of two cars close to the mailbox but not blocking it.

Edit: you can read some of my replies in the comments as to why this is the only close place I can park my car. tl;dr: of that is that we are a really congested neighborhood a stone's throw from a school.

Answer: I don't think you have a recourse.  You can leave the area in front of the mailbox clear, or you can pick your mail up at the post office.


Title: Can a written statement saying that a party will not press charges be valid in Colorado?

Question:
Hey everyone. Personally at a huge crossroads right now in a situation that can destroy my life.

I am 22, have been seeing someone for about a month. This person decidedly concealed their true age from me which is 17. I only found out her true age yesterday, but the damage is done. We have exchanged sexual imagery via text. Her father contacted me, and after discussion says he does not want to press charges.

The father and his family would rather not go through court or do anything legal wise. The father suggests this (and this is all after getting off the phone with him moments ago, and all details have not been worked out)

They do not want legal action taken, but do not feel like I should get off just like that. I agree, and also accept responsibility for my action. They intend on destroying the girls phone, and would like me to pay for it, in exchange for a written document that would be signed by them, saying that they will not press charges. The parents and daughter live in SC, will be moving to Colorado in the next few weeks, the daughter was here visiting.

Can a document, as described, hold up down the road? Would something like this protect me if say they change their minds? What steps should I take. They claim the total amount for the phone is just over $800.

I am personally terrified and emotional, and I know what happens to people labeled as sexual predators.

Any help is appreciated! Thanks for reading this far.

Answer:
 If you never met this girl in real life, you don't have to lie to us.

This is a super common scam.

Block them and move on.


Title: A friend has a dog sitter, who smoked a bowl one day (nonsmoking home) and then next day turned the camera towards the wall.

Question:
There is reason to believe the dog sitter stole, because friend said somethings were in different places (reason friend reviewed the footage)
The dog sitter was aware of the camera when hired, and it's not in a discrete location.

Can the friend do anything?

Answer: Fire the dog sitter. If your friend discovers something is missing and believes the sitter stole it, he can report it to the police Answer #2: Fire the sitter...contact the police if something was stolen.


Title: Wells Fargo is foreclosing on my parents house after rolling in debt without their permission that made a payment they couldn't afford.

Question:
I will do my best to explain this concisely and to the best of my knowledge of the events.

My parents had a debt with the city for street repairs that they were paying off. Wells Fargo bought that debt and rolled it into their mortgage without my parents permission. They did not understand what was happening or why their mortgage had increased and attempted to refinance. After being denied they learned that Wells Fargo was not supposed to combine those debts without their consent.

They got a lawyer who instructed them to apply for bankruptcy in order to force Wells Fargo to act in a way that would expose what they attempted so that a court could see it (I don't know the details of this process).

For an unknown reason to me they were denied bankruptcy. The next step required action by the lawyer that did not happen as fast as it was supposed to and Wells Fargo had an eviction notice placed on their house.

Until the last event Wells Fargo had been placing the house on Zillow and other adds before any foreclosure was placed, harassing my parents during this process.

I don't understand the order of events or what my parents could even do. Until the debt was rolled together they were able to pay for everything no problem. Everything since seems to be to force them out of a house they have been in for 30+ years.

I will try to provide more detail if asked. My parents are beyond confused and don't understand how and why this is all happening. If anyone knows of a different route to help them it would be helpful as the lawyer they got didn't seem to be of any.

Answer: There’s not much to offer you because we are getting the story essentially fourth-hand. They may have needed a better lawyer, one capable of explaining the process to them and at this point specifically a legal malpractice attorney if a late filing led to the default.