Title: (US-NY-NYC) Can my parents legally refuse to give me certain house keys?

Question: Hi, first time poster, really looking for some legal advice. I live in an emotionally abusive household as context, and recently have been receiving threats due to my return hours to my parents home that involve me being permanently locked out of the house all night(I am living with them for the summer). Before coming back for the summer, the top lock of our house entrance was changed for a reason denied to me when I asked. I want to figure out if there is anything I can legally do to essentially get the key for the top lock (I have the 2 other keys needed, just missing one, and I even still have the key for the previous lock that they replaced). If it is any help, I turn 21 in about 2 weeks. Thanks!

Answer:
 >  I cannot move out because I'm in college that they are paying

They cannot lock you out because you are a tenant. You can throw the law at them but they can stop paying for your college. Unfortunately you need to decide what's more important to you. Living within their rules or getting a college degree.

Because you are looking to be in the house as little as possible, I would get a second job to keep you out more hours & it would give you some money to get out of your situation sooner.Answer #2: Are they locking you out, or just retaining one additional key that they are not actually using?

Generally if you have established tenancy they cannot kick you out (even if you don't pay rent you are legally a tenant) without going through eviction procedures.  They have no obligation to provide a home, but if they do & you are a tenant there, you have rights.


Title: [San Francisco, CA] - Landlord increases rent by 415%

Question:
Not about me personally, but just curious -- is this really a legal tactic to get a tenant to leave?

http://www.reddit.com/r/sanfrancisco/comments/2z60jk/415_rent_increase_on_bernal_heights_flat/cpfysco

[Picture of the rent increase letter](http://i.imgur.com/QvGoJFx.jpg)

Background from the tenant:
> A lot of you know about this and that for the last two weeks I have been trying to find anything that can make this illegal. Because it looks so absurd when you read it seems that it must be illegal.

> However, this is loophole that landlords have found in San Francisco to evict their tenants without actually having to pay relocation, do an "owner move in" or Ellis act. All of which carries a penalty to them and is costly.

> So here is the short version of the story, 1st they transferred the title of the house to one of the 6 siblings, stripped the apartment downstairs (the one that Wayne lived in for close to 25 years before they bullied him out) took out the bathroom, and kitchen, put down some crappy carpet and now call it a "storage" space. By doing this it changed the title of the building to a "single family dwelling" which is not protected by rent control and raised my rent to $8900 a month with a $12,500 damage deposit a month. Obviously above market rate and obviously more than anyone would pay.

> The few of us who still remain in San Francisco have no choice but to live in sub-par conditions like mold, windows that don't shut, rodents and countless other issues because there is no other choice, because the rents are so high you can't move so you don't. And you know that one day the ax will fall and you will be kicked out so it is not surprising when this happens, but this is just gross and greedy and wrong.

> So here it is this is page 5 of the 23 page document that I was served on Monday March 2 (feel free to share and no the typos don't matter)

Answer:
 The questionable part here is the way they removed a unit - changing it into a storage space - making it a "single family home" which is exempt from rent control.

This could be illegal in and of itself (without reference to any future leasing actions) if it was not done without appropriate permitting/rezoning. It might also be illegal as a way to skirt rent control. I can't say.

But, if that part was done correctly, the rent increase is apparently completely legal.Answer #2: OP should call Project Sentinel or the Tenants Union to find out whether this is legal.

As a general rule, SF is under rent control.

http://www.sftu.org/rentcontrol.html

http://housing.org/Answer #3: >The few of us who still remain in San Francisco have no choice but to live in sub-par conditions like mold, windows that don't shut, rodents and countless other issues because there is no other choice, because the rents are so high you can't move so you don't. And you know that one day the ax will fall and you will be kicked out so it is not surprising when this happens, but this is just gross and greedy and wrong.

This is the expected and inevitable consequence of rent control and other laws that restrict development and make it difficult to remove tenants. San Francisco's housing problems are primarily self-inflicted - the result of bad government policy, not "greedy" landlords.


Title: (FL) Can I get really get sued because my neighbors daughter picked up a snake?

Question:
I've turned my backyard into a garden(fruits,nuts,vegetables), often find animals in there. I was cleaning up where the corn is when I found a corn snake, I didn't want to step on the little guy so I grabbed him and moved him to a safer spot.

Apparently my neighbors daughter(7 or 8 years old) was watching(through the fence or from a window I guess?) and the next day she found a snake in her yard and tries to pick it up but it turned and bit her, thank god it wasn't venomous but it still bit pretty deep.

My neighbor came over and told me what happened. He wants me to pay for all her medical costs since its supposedly my fault since she saw me pick up a snake.

Answer:
 Your neighbor is just grasping at straws looking for a way to pass the buck. There is no way in hell any judge would side with them. Ignore your neighbor. He can't do anything. Answer #2: no, but stop talking to your neighborAnswer #3: That is absolutely insane. You are no way responsible for your neighbor not keeping an eye on their child or failing to teach them not to pick up a snake. They won't like you afterwords but don't do it.Answer #4: I needed a good laugh, thank you.

Dang, I just read thru the comments, and I believe no one advised you that, if you are indeed sued, be sure to show up. You'll enjoy watching the judge laugh too.


Title: [Florida] Recorded video of neighbor's meth lab. What do I do?

Question:
Over the past few months, I've suspected my neighbor above me of having a drug lab in his apartment. I live in a 2 bedroom condo and so does he. His apartment is directly above mine and the layouts of the condos are exactly the same.

A few months ago, I noticed a stench in my bedroom. At the time, I didn't think it was because of him. After a couple of days, I closed the AC vent in my bedroom and the smell eventually went away. I eventually closed all of my AC vents in my unit.

I also would hear him in that bedroom at night and it sounds like he's moving furniture, hammering, etc. I also noticed that while the rest of my house would be at a reasonable temperature, the temperature in my bedroom would raise during the night.

After doing some research in the past couple of days, I started to wonder if this guy has a meth lab in the bedroom above mine. I decided that I needed to find out what was in this room above me, so I taped my iPhone to a broom stick and waited for him to leave his house yesterday.

As soon as he left, I went outside, raised the broom stick up to his window and started recording. He does have what seems to be a meth lab in his unit. Furthermore, he has a ton of pot plants in his room, as well as bottles of prescription pills.

My question is...what do I do? Do I go to the police about this or will I get in trouble for recording this video?

UPDATE:  I appreciate all the feedback.  I decided against notifying the local city and county police.  I'm going straight to the DEA's office, which is about 10 minutes from where I live.

I used an older iPhone 4s, that does not have service, to take the photos.  That being said, if they have to hold the phone as evidence, I'm okay with that.

Btw, I would have made an attempt to record this video sooner had I known the stench/cat urin-like smell was related to meth labs/drug houses.

UPDATE 2:  Went to the DEA's office w/ the complex's head of security.  I handed over the smartphone that the footage was taken on.  Once a search warrant is issued, DEA is heading over to his house to conduct a search and in all likelihood make the arrest.  This will mostly likely happen in the morning.

I was assured that I am in no trouble for presenting this evidence.  However, I was told that I should've brought this to their attention sooner and at the very least notified the Fire Dept. when this guy set off the fire alarm a couple of months ago.

Unfortunately for this idiot above me, I'm told that based upon the contents of my recording, he will be facing serious prison time.

UPDATE 3:  This idiot above me was arrested this morning.  Furthermore, his car was towed out of the parking lot and into a tow yard because he did not have updated registration and his license was suspended.  It's not looking good for him.

In his apartment, I was told there was a meth lab, sort of like a marijuana greenhouse, cocaine, and various bottles of prescription pills that did not belong to him/he did not have a prescription for.

Security informed me that his parents did come by at some point today looking for me, but I was not home at the time.  This idiot is 30 years old.  His parents are 69 and 68 respectively.  I have no intention of speaking to them or anyone outside of law enforcement regarding this matter.  I was told that it's more than likely that I will be called to court if he chooses to contest the charges.

Answer:
 The mental image of this is hilarious. Answer #2: /u/Citicop might be able to give you a comprehensive answer since I am not a lawyer, but I'm inclined to think that just calling an anonymous tip to your local police department would be sufficient for them to check out the apartment. I doubt they'd need your camera footage.

Hold out for other's advice before acting. Answer #3: I would advocate getting pictures/video from another camera if you intend to provide the police evidence.  Otherwise, it might be evidence and you might lose the use of your phone "for a little while".Answer #4: Call the cops and get out of there immediately, god only knows what toxic fumes are coming out of that meth lab, and it can explode immediately.

For an idea of how bad the contamination from a meth lab is, it is common for the history or ever having a meth lab to be a mandatory disclosure for real estate sales.


Title: Is the r/WallStreetBets shorts squeeze illegal market manipulation?

Answer: IANAL, but I seriously doubt it. There is no coordination or otherwise illicit activity going on. It’s no different than some boomer analyst writing an op Ed about how he thinks a stock is undervalued, and then everyone buys it as a result. Financial advice isn’t manipulation, especially when there is 0 coordination or hierarchy.


Title: Hit a parked car, had no pens or pencils Left cash and left

Question:
I was late for class and while turning into a tight spot (because this white car parked way to far to the side) and it was the only available spot in the lot so I pulled in and heard a bump so I got outside and saw three 1 inch scratches on its side. I got really scared and parked in a different lot and went to class. Nobody was around as I was the only person in the lot. After class I went to my car to search for a note and pen/pencil but only found notebook paper
 Without something to write with I left a note so i went to the bank and got 150$ in cash and left it between the windshield wiper. I found a spot 20 down or so from the white car and waited 30 minutes but no one came. I was waiting from about 1:30-2:15 until I left. I waited for someone to come and left cash so could I still get in big trouble? I feel really bad about this and it's eating me up inside. Please help me I don't know what to do
Thanks.

Answer:
 Well I’m sure you made someone’s day when they stole the cash, and ruined someone else’s when they came back and saw their car was messed up.Answer #2: Your leaving the money is irrelevant. It does not relieve you of your responsibility to report an accident.

It's somewhat incredulous that you went to class... and could not find anything to write with.

You went to the bank... and could not find anything to write with.

You waited in the parking lot for 45 minutes, at a school, and couldn't figure out how to get something to write with.

You also could have called the non-emergency police number to report the accident.

I can't predict if you will be caught. It's probably unlikely.

If you are contacted by the police, refuse to answer their questions without an attorney.

If you are contacted by the other driver, refer the matter to your insurance company.

Don't loose sleep over this.  It's not a huge deal, even in the unlikely event that you are found out.

Go put a pen in your glove box.


Title: BF's mom died a few years ago

Question:
My boyfriend's mom died a few years ago when he was a minor. He now gets checks from social security until he's done with school in the amount of 1600 a month.
His sister who was 23 at the time got a sum of about 200k and supposedly he will receive some large sum of money when he turns 23.
Recently he's feeling like someone is holding put on him and he can't get any information about it from his family. He wants to know more about this situation so he can plan for his future.
If anyone can shed any light on this matter we would appreciate it.
We're  in NO if that helps.

Update: We're going to go to the town and have a look at the will as per the advice of a few of you. Thanks everyone!

Answer:
 It's not unusual for money to be kept in a trust for one's children until they reach a certain age (or releasing certain $ amounts of the estate at different ages). I'm not sure what your question actually is here.

Did the will go through probate? Is there a copy of the will he can read? I'm assuming that if there is money being held somewhere that your boyfriend hasn't gotten yet that a lawyer is involved in some way - can he contact them? Answer #2: As the other person said, it sounds like your brothers money is most likely tied up in a trust. He as the beneficiary has the right to inquire as to where and how is funds are being used. It might be easiest to simply contact the sister and find out if she knows who the trustee is. Also, the trustee is usually required to give updates on a regular basis. Is your boyfriend of age or still a minor? Answer #3: The large sum of money doesn't sound right.  It's been 20 years but I received SSI after my dad died.  I simply stopped getting them after I graduated high school.


Title: [OH] Kicked Out

Question: So the place I was living has my roommate as the lease holder and me as an 'occupant.' I tried googling but couldn't figure out whether or not laws that apply to a lease holder also apply to someone who's an 'occupant' on their lease (i.e. do I have to be given a notice before being made to leave)

Answer: You have tenant rights no matter what. So yes, legal notices and legal evictions all apply. Answer #2: Yes you have to be given notice. If he just changes the locks or kicks you out without notice and a court order he is illegaly evicting you.


Title: Need some advice not going to go into specifics

Question: If you get dragged into a lawsuit and have to pay for a lawyer can you counter sue for the cost of the lawyer

Answer:
 “Not going into specifics”

Law is literally only specifics


Title: Girl Accused me of Stalking Her in High School (2014) on Twitter - What Should I Do?

Question:
Girl from high school recently tweeted that I stalked her while we were in high school via Tweet. This Tweet was posted last week but the stalking is alleged to have occurred while we were in high school. I'm alarmed because this woman specifically said that I am "never safe" and she is "LOUD AS FUCK".

Brief statement of facts: We were friends in high school, had a very brief romantic encounter which quickly turned sour. She accused me of stalking her and contacted the student resource officer with these concerns. I turned over all of our text messages, my location data, and told my side of the story. The officer said that I had done nothing wrong and everything ended. We each avoided each other for the rest of the year (we ran in the same circles), and we have not spoken since. This Tweet is, to my knowledge, is the first I have heard of these alleged incidents since 2014.

I am considering sending a direct message to her on Twitter which would formally deny that I stalked her, and emphasize that I defeated her allegations. I'm not sure if this is the best idea, but I feel that while it may encourage escalation it also establishes a documented record of my denial of her accusations and allows me to establish my side of the facts and details. Should I do this?

Additionally, stalking is a crime in my home state. She is accusing me of criminal misconduct which I did not commit - do I have a case for defamation per se? Should I talk to a lawyer here? I've worked so hard to keep her hate out of my life. I've got a great career lined up, a great fiance I''ll be marrying soon, and I do not want my reputation to get ruined by this woman's spite.

Answer:
 >I am considering sending a direct message to her on Twitter which would formally deny that I stalked her, and emphasize that I defeated her allegations.

Under absolutely no circumstances should you contact a person who's accusing you of stalking - either presently or in the past.Answer #2: Get records of the old case from your college, they are required to document an report these affairs should the allegations be true. The old case will say "we don't think he did it, no further action" and it will dismantle any case brought against you.


Title: Please help I'm scared my father might beat me.

Question:
My dad has never actually physically hit me but he is very verbally abusive (once even threatened to make my life a living hell), and has dragged me by my hair.

I feel like he may beat me.

I feel like this because he is an extreamist religous person, so anything relating to sex is the devil. I was on Pornhub and saw this really triggering porn (rope porn) and sent it to my friend, and his mom saw it. His mom goes to my church.

I'm pretty sure she'll tell my parents about it tomarrow, so I'm not getting any sleep tonight and I can stay up reading replies.

I'm so scared and I dont knoe what to do please help.

Answer:
 Please understand that your Dad dragging you by the hair is physical abuse. If he is willing to do this then he is capable of physical abuse in the future.
You can report prior abuses to either the police or CPS and the investigation may prevent further abuse, but beware because it could enrage him more.
I'm sorry I don't have any better advise for you other than reporting him. I'm hoping for the best for you.Answer #2: Can you tell us how old you are? Also, you'll need to say what state you're in. (All posters need to say because laws vary by state, and it will change the advice commenters will give you.)Answer #3: Not a lawyer. You can report your dad [here](https://dcs.az.gov/). You can also tell your one of teachers. Teachers are [mandated reporters](https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-child-welfare/2018/04/11/understand-system-these-people-reporting-child-abuse-mandatory/495688002/) in Arizona (and as far as I know every state). That means they MUST report what you tell them to the authorities, and will be trained in how to do so.


Title: Can non-alcoholic beer show up as alcohol in a urine lab?

Question: Currently on probation, I'm sober as well but my father and I who has also quit drinking enjoy non-alcoholic beer which has traces of alcohol in it but upon house visits probation never said it wasn't okay to drink. Today I came up positive for alcohol in my system, I'm prescribed mouthwash with 12% alcohol but I don't see that as a possibility for a positive result.

Answer:
 The amount of alcohol in non alcoholic beer varies, but it takes about nine na beers to equal one regular beer. So I suppose if you got a 24 pack of na beer by the time you finished it you'd have the equivalent amount of alcohol as 2-3 beers. Answer #2: A quick Google search for the subject of this thread returns a host of studies indicating that yes, non-alcoholic beer *can* trigger a positive urine test.

There's also a thread from Avvo where multiple attorneys advise someone posting the same question that if they have a no-drinking order as part of their probation, they shouldn't chance it.

Good luck.


Title: Can Quotes Put On T-Shirts Be Copyright?

Question:
I am selling tshirts on etsy with game quotes on them like "The Cake Is A Lie" - Portal. Some of the shirts have been taken down for copyright infringement. Are quotes actually allowed to have a copyright? I am in indiana. Any information on this subject would be greatly appreciated. Thank You.
Topic:
Intellectual Property

Answer:
 Yes they can be copyrighted. In fact, the one you reference is registered (Twice! Although I suspect the first one is where your problem would lie.):

~~http://cocatalog.loc.gov/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?v1=2&ti=1,2&Search_Arg=the%20cake%20is%20a%20lie&Search_Code=FT*&CNT=25&PID=SNblRBi2lBG2DqYyT5CO2TNtw&SEQ=20150825154531&SID=1~~

~~http://cocatalog.loc.gov/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?v1=1&ti=1,1&Search_Arg=the%20cake%20is%20a%20lie&Search_Code=FT*&CNT=25&PID=SNblRBi2lBG2DqYyT5CO2TNtw&SEQ=20150825154531&SID=1~~

[Pages have expired. Go to http://cocatalog.loc.gov/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?DB=local&PAGE=First to search.}
Answer #2: Provided the quote isn't something obvious and commonplace like "Hello!" or "How are you?", yes, it can be a valid copyright.


Title: Got a free laptop by mistake, Do I have to return it?

Question:
I bought the new MacBook last year, but after having some issues with it, returned it. Apple sent me a new laptop before they sent me the money back as well. I called them the day I received the laptop, confused as to what I should do.

They initiated an RMA, I clicked on the link to print the label but it didn't work (I recorded a video of this happening). So I let the matter be. I received the money I paid for the laptop back the next day.

Skip forward to Friday, two months later. I got an email from an apple employee stating the order number, and that they tried to reach me (I did not receive a call). No other details in the email.

Now, moral advice aside, what are my options here? Is there a chance that I get to keep it? Can they charge money from my CC again, without asking me? What happens if I say I don't want to return it/I'll take some time to return it (If I'm leaving the country in a few months)?

Thanks for the advice. I'm in Germany btw.

Answer:
 It seems they know you have both the laptop and the money. they are going to get at least one of them back.
Answer #2: Saying the label wouldn't print is a really flimsy argument. You could've done a million things to remedy that.Answer #3: Why are you asking? Just return it like a decent personAnswer #4: Not being able to get the label to print is a shitty excuse to not send something back. Sounds like laziness and wishful thinking on your part that it's a valid reason to keep an expensive laptop AND the money. Recording a video means jack shit. Anyone could easily fake it and make it look like a link doesn't work.

Be a good person and contact them and get it sorted. Otherwise they are gonna get one of those things back. Stop dicking around and get it done.


Title: Can someone with hold my dog from me if she is an ESA

Question:
tl;dr abusive parents are withholding my emotional support dog for my psychiatric problems unless I give them information they are not entitled to

I have an emotional support dog for my various mental illnesses
(MDD, GAD, PTSD, PD, SAD, OCD, insomnia)
She helps, along with my medications, me to be able to function and have a somewhat normal life.

On March 30th I overdosed in a suicide attempt after not being on my meds for nearly 3 weeks. My parents have a history of animal and child abuse, yet the police let them keep my ESA.

I have been discharged about half a week and staying at a safe place where my family cannot find me. They are supposed to give my dog to a third party and they would bring her to me, and we are not to have contact.

They are refusing to return my dog to me (yes adoption papers, vet papers, ESA registration is all in my name) unless I release information to them I am not comfortable with (full medical health history as well as permission to talk to my psychiatrist and medical doctors)

I am nearly 20. In Ontario, Canada. Looking for any advice on this situation. More info about what happened in my post history.
Topic:
Disability Issues

Answer: Where was your animal during your suicide attempt?


Title: School Withheld Treatment so other populations could use it

Question:
Hi,

I’m in Brooklyn, NY. I go to a private college with a health clinic. They put a hold my account five days before registration because they said I needed another vaccine. I had not been alerted I would need another vaccine until that moment. The health clinic had the vaccine I needed would not administer it to me because “international students needed it”. I do not mean that specific students had made appointments, I mean they wouldn’t give me the shot in case a hypothetical international student wanted it at some point in the future. Is that legal?

I don’t have any interest in suing but the health center is notoriously bad and poorly run, so I’d like to stop things like this from happening to other in the future.

Answer: Yes, it's legal to withhold a vaccination that a more vulnerable population may need, if that vaccination is in short supply.


Title: The township is trying to take away my grandma's land

Question: Between 60 and 70 years ago my grandmother's property was initially surveyed and lots were provided. The previous owners of the property added additional land by dumping soil into the lake creating a Pointe. The township says that because that land doesn't technically exist she doesn't own it. My understanding was that if she had been on the land long enough it just becomes her and becomes real. This is in Michigan by the way. Has anyone ever heard of anything similar happening. I'll have more specifics once I talk to her lawyer later today.

Answer: Adverse possession is not possible against the government,  if the town owns the lake, they own the illegally filled area as well.


Title: If there is a misdemeanor on my record, does that violate my fourth amendment rights? (United States, Pennsylvania)

Question:
So I had received a misdemeanor for possession or marijuana and paraphernalia. If a cop showed up to my apartment and wanted to come in, would they be allowed in without probably cause if they checked my record and saw the previous charge, or does my fourth amendment right still apply regardless of previous charges? Just a hypothetical question.
Topic:
Drug Possession

Answer:
 Your fourth amendment rights don't go away just because you've been convicted.

However, if you're currently on probation, one of the terms of said probation is likely consenting to searches.


Title: I believe my (24M) soon-to-be-ex wife (23F) set me up to unknowingly sleep with an underage girl, recorded it, and she is now blackmailing me for $75k in a trust left to me by my grandmother, money that is supposed to pay for my school. (California)

Question:
Throw away account for obvious reasons.

&#x200B;

Please read this before judging me about the underage girl. IF she was in fact underage, I did not know it, and in fact had been intentionally lied to regarding her age, as I now believe my wife planned this entire thing specifically to blackmail me in our divorce negotiations.

&#x200B;

I met a girl, let's call her X, in my second year of college. We totally hit it off, and married about a year later. About a year after that we had a daughter, let's call her D, and sadly this is where things went sideways. My wife dropped out of school to care for D, but she was angry and resentful to a degree that shocked me. I now believe my wife is a narcissist in the truest sense of the word, and it explains a lot about everything that happened after D was born. Without going in to all the details, it's enough to say that things got really fucked up. It became clear that X cared for little else other than herself, and having to take care of a baby did not fit well into her plans where the world revolved around her and her alone. Only by the selfless assistance of my own mother with D was I able to stay in school.

&#x200B;

Last summer things came to a head with X, and in July I told her I wanted a divorce. I thought it would be easy. X clearly wanted out, she didn't want much if anything to do with D, and she was living a single life again already anyway. Neither of have lawyers at this point, neither of us have actually filed for divorce, I was hoping we'd be able to work things out and agree on the terms, and then get a lawyer to file quick and easy. And, I think it would have been easy, if not for one thing: a trust setup by my grandmother who died in 2012. The trust initially had $150k in it, for me, but I couldn't touch it until I had been officially accepted to a med school program. I didn't know my grandma had done this for me until after she died, but she and I had talked at length about my dream to be a doctor, and she left this money to me to help make this happen. So, in 2017 I was accepted to med school, and gained access to the money. X and I were married at the time. The only condition on getting access to the money was my acceptance to med school. I promised myself I would not use the money for anything other than my school expenses, and I have managed that so far. I have used about $30k of the money, leaving about $120k in the account. X wants half this money! In fact, she wants half of the original $150k, not just half of the $120k still in the account. She claims that because we were married when I gained access to the money, it's community property. Note that X does not want custody of D (I would have fought like hell for her not to, but her extreme selfishness made this part easy, she doesn't want the responsibility of raising a child), she only wants the $75k! Because of this, what should have been a quick and easy divorce is now 9 months into some very nasty shit on her part, which brings me to what happened last week.

&#x200B;

I went to a two day medical conference in another part of the state. On the second night, after the conference was pretty much over, just staying the night and would be leaving the next morning, I met a girl at the pool, let's call her S (for Scam artist, it would appear). S claimed to be also attending the conference (I'm not so sure, now), and it turned out we had a lot of things in common. Now, looking back, it seems very suspicious how much she had in common with me, but at the time I thought nothing of it at all. In fact I was probably blinded by my own need for some companionship. X and I hadn't been intimate for nearly a year, and school had kept me too busy for any kind of social life, and besides, I was still married. Just because X was screwing around like she was single again didn't mean that I thought I should, I had decided to wait until I was clear of her, and I had D to think about. But, S was attractive and was checking all the right boxes, so when she invited me to her room, it was pretty much a no-brainer, and I said fuck it, and about 30 minutes later I was knocking on her door.

&#x200B;

It turned out that S was not alone. There was another girl who I will call A (for Asshole Accomplice). S introduced her as a friend who was in her first year of college and was thinking about med school, and so had accompanied her on the trip so they could talk about it. (S had claimed to be in her first year of med school.) They also told me that A was going to be 19 next week, and would I be interested in helping celebrate and help convince A to choose medicine as a profession by playing doctor with them. Looking back, it seems like the plot of a bad porn movie or something, but I hadn't had sex or any sort of intimacy or relationship for a year, and I didn't question anything about the situation. Some friends had told me stories about things they'd done as students at some of the medical conventions they'd attended, and I just thought, fuck it, let's do this, now I have a story for them too. And---yeah---a good time was had by all that night. Hell, it's still replaying in my head over a week later. So, good judgment or bad, it happened and I can't change that now.

&#x200B;

Fast forward to yesterday. I got an email from my wife telling me that she has proof that I slept with an underage girl, and if I don't give her the $75k, she's going to report me to the university, the police, and send the evidence to my friends and family. Attached to the email was a 10 second video clip of me and A in that hotel room! Apparently they had a fucking hidden camera setup somewhere! So, at this point, I have to believe that X actually arranged this entire thing! So I'm guessing that A is in fact under 18, and that S and A would both be willing to state that they informed me of such. I'm in a two-against-one situation and that seems like I'm fucked. My guess is that X has promised them a portion of the $75k, or made some other payment arrangements, but of course they are not going to admit that!

&#x200B;

So, wtf do I do here? More than ever I do not want my fucking bitch of a soon-to-be ex-wife to get a penny of the money my grandma left for me, but she has manipulated me quite well here. And, even if I do give her the $75k, what's to keep her from trying to fuck me over again in the future with this same threat?

&#x200B;

How fucked am I, and what can I do? So far I have told NO ONE. And for the past 24 hours I can't eat, I skipped all my classes yesterday, I can't focus on studying, I can't do anything but think about how fucked up this whole thing is, all the while I'm trying to be completely normal for D and everyone else, but I feel like a bomb is about to drop on me and ruin not only my life but also my daughter and family. I haven't seen X yet. We do still life together in the same apartment, but she disappears for days at a time now, and she left on Thursday and hasn't been back. That seemed normal until I got the email yesterday. I think she might be hiding out somewhere, who knows if she'll be back at this point?

Answer: You should add to your creative writing assignment that your wife was willing to create child porn for half your inheritance.


Title: FBI phishing?

Question:
[deleted]
Topic:
Computer and Internet

Answer:
 It's a scam. We've gotten this identical question numerous times.Answer #2: Definitely a scam. Don't worry about it.

Just think, if the FBI really wanted to nail you on something, would they send you a message about it? "HEY JEFF JUST A HEADS UP WE SEE YOU TRAFFICKING COCAINE INTO THE US BE CAREFUL OUT THERE BUDDY!"


Title: Is it legal for child support to leave you with less than $2 on your paycheck?

Question: Residing in Ohio; a good friend of mine i work with was raising hell about a raise he was promised and never recieved, come to find out he told me that he was told that child support was taking so much from his bi-weekly paycheck next month that he would be left with a dollar and some change every two weeks on his paycheck. Arent there limitations to how much child support can take? He works minimum wage like me, according to what he's told me, thats nowhere near enough for him to survive on his own.

Answer:
 Yes.  You aren't getting the whole story from your friend.  Depending on your state, child support is either a flat percentage of either your gross or net pay, or it is a percentage based on the amount of custody you have.  It is never true that it is 100% of your take-home pay.  In my state, it's 20% for one child, 25% for two, etc, maxing out at 40%.  BUT, that percentage is calculated by the court and the actual order has a specific dollar amount so that each person's HR doesn't have to calculate exactly what that percentage is and risk getting it wrong.

So, either he isn't telling the truth, or there's more going on here.

One possibility: it could be that he had a child support order in place that was made when he had a better-paying job.  Then if he went and took a lower-paying job, but didn't file for a child support modification, then the amount he owes will be based on that higher income.  it is his responsibility to file for a modification so if he hasn't done that, that's on him.


Title: [FL] My MIL's car was hit by a company work vehicle, causing her to rear end someone else. Company claims they don't have enough insurance coverage for both victims repairs.

Question:
My MIL was rear ended by a company work van two days ago, which pushed her forward and caused her to hit a van in front of her. Company driver was found at fualt. This happened in Florida.

She is currently stressed out because the company is telling her they only have insurance coverage up to 10,000$, and told her "If the other people file a claim, we won't have enough left for you." Basically hinting that she will have to cover all repairs/deductibles.

What are her options here? It sounds like she is being lied to and manipulated. I have never heard of someone just saying 'meh, well, we might not pay up because we only have so much coverage'
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer:
 She should pursue a claim and if they refuse to pay, get her own insurance company involved. Her insurance company can pursue litigation if necessary. Answer #2: > "If the other people file a claim, we won't have enough left for you."

Correction, *their insurance* won't have enough for her.  The company is responsible for paying damages.  Insurance just helps them offset the financial loss.

If they don't have enough insurance the company will have to pay out of pocket.Answer #3: If their insurance won't pay, she can sue the company. Alternatively, if she has collision coverage of her own, file a claim with her insurance and let them pursue the non-paying company. (This latter choice often works better if it is available to her--her insurance company has good lawyers on the payroll, and they will pay her even if they cannot collect from the at-fault company because it is bankrupt, etc.)


Title: I believe that Anytime Fitness is unfairly exploiting my loved one, and I feel obligated to stop/mitigate it if possible. Please help.

Question:
This is my first post to /r/legaladvice. I am hoping that a good Samaritan with legal knowledge can provide me helpful information.
Someone very important to me lost her mother half a year ago, in January 2017. She has been battling severe mental depression ever since (to make a long & sad story very short). Luckily she is in therapy and recovering. We're very close & I try my best to help with everything I can.
She has been receiving threatening voicemails from a particular "attorney", on behalf of Anytime Fitness, claiming that they will take her to court if needed over a supposed $350.00 debt. They believe that a contract she signed at the gym in September 2016 (which we don't have a copy of, unfortunately) allows them to charge her on a monthly basis, even though she hasn't been in the gym since. She only went there to check out the gym, seeing if it would suit her. Obviously it didn't. We have a gym at home that we use.
I realize that the contract may have us boned. But I really feel this is unfair, for them to wait this long & suddenly try to collect on a debt we weren't aware of. Supposedly we are required to submit a cancellation notice in writing & there's no other way to cancel. This seems fishy, morally deprived, to me. We're trying to get ahead and simply don't have $350 to throw away.
Do we have a leg to stand on? Is there any way out of this? I think it's ridiculous that they're expecting this payment when she has only been at the gym a handful of times, almost a year ago. Any insight appreciated - thank you. (located in Des Moines, IA).
Topic:
Contracts

Answer:
 Most contracts require cancelation in writing. Especially if that's written into the contract. She agreed to follow those policies when she signed it.

You are contradicting yourself, BTW.

>believe that a contract she signed at the gym in September 2016 (which we don't have a copy of, unfortunately) allows them to charge her on a monthly basis, even though she hasn't been in the gym since. She only went there to check out the gym, seeing if it would suit her.

But then you say

>when she has only been at the gym a handful of times, almost a year ago

Seems she was well aware of a contract. The fact that she decided to stop going doesn't get her out of it.Answer #2: >But I really feel this is unfair, for them to wait this long & suddenly try to collect on a debt we weren't aware of.

Sorry, but that's how Statute of Limitations works.

Does she have a copy of the contract? Usually you agree to their payment and cancellation structure and policies when you sign the contract.

EDIT: I would request a copy of your contract.


Title: Job requires frequent fact witness testimony and travel. What should compensation level be?

Question: I have a job that requires frequent travel around the US about once or twice a month to give testimony as. Fact witness. Any ideas what my compensation for a job like this should be? I can't seem to find any similar jobs to compare to. Thanks!

Answer: Wrong subreddit. You are not seeking legal advice.


Title: [TX] Would it be wise to take out a loan to pay for a much needed lawyer?

Question: I'm facing charges for fraud, forgery, and contempt and I desperately need a lawyer. I met with the attorney I would hire today for a free consultation and he said that if I hired him and follow his lead, he would be able to get me out of the felony and get me a resolution program. The problem is I have no money to pay the attorney's fee right now. Only way I could pay his fee is if I take out a loan. Should I?

Answer: This is a finance question more than anything. You might talk to the folks over at /r/personalfinance to make sure you get the right loan. . . But yes, I'd say that it's going to be in your best interest to have an attorney for something like this. Paying back a loan can absolutely be a financial hardship, but it's bound to be a smaller burden than living the rest of your life with a felony. Especially with a fraud and forgery felony, that makes you essentially unhireable.


Title: [VA] Mom kicked me (19) out of my house (paying rent) with no warning.

Question:
as stated in the title I'm 19 and still living at home. Yesterday my mother got mad about something and forced me to leave immediately. Not sure why she was angry and not wanting a confrontation I left. I'm paying $300/mo to live at home (I work part time) but theres not really any lease. Can she legally kick me out in ~1.5 minutes?
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 You are a month-to-month tenant.  She is legally required to give you [30 days written notice to vacate](http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/virginia-notice-requirements-terminate-month-month-tenancy.html).  So, if she kicked you out immediately then she has technically illegally evicted you.  You can call the police.

However, it is important to ask if it is really for the best that you live there.  I'd see if you can find another place.  Easier said than done, I know.


Title: [MI] My legally parked vehicle was hit by an independent contractor for a predominant dog walking app. They're claiming they are not responsible to cover the damages.

Question:
Timeline:

Wednesday afternoon at 3:20 PM, a dog walker backed into my vehicle causing damage that needs to be repaired (car door won't open, etc).

When I arrived home, my neighbor told me what happened and I checked my security cameras and I caught it all. The driver drove off.

I immediately filed a police report.

The next morning I called my insurance company to see what my options were. They said that it's obviously covered under my plan but the company should have an insurance plan specifically for incidents like this, so to follow up with them and hopefully they'll just pay for the damages (and rental) for me.

When I finally got in touch with them, they assumed zero responsibility and told me that the dog walk had ended and I'd have to take it up with the driver. The problem is that they won't give me her information. So I have to wait for the police to get back to me. And even if we find out her identity I don't know what my options are.

I finally had a chance to catch up with the neighbor who used the dog walking service and they sent me screenshots of the app showing the beginning and end time of the walk they paid for it. My security cameras (which are linked to the Internet) show a time of 3:20 PM for the hit. Her app shows an end time of 3:25 PM for the end of the walk. The walk was over by the time she got in the car, but the job hadn't ended for quite a few minutes after the collision.

I've called and left a voicemail with the dog walking company but I suspect they aren't going to place nice.

All I want is my deductible to be covered and for a rental for the time my car is being repaired.

I know I can go through my insurance for the repairs but I would like to try and avoid it because I don't want my rates to go up and because I still won't have rental coverage.

I think I got all of the details so far. Does anyone have any advice on the best way to handle this? Is small claims court an option? I have no idea.

Answer:
 The dog walking company isn't liable. Your recourse is to go after the person who hit you or use your own insurance for the repairs and let them seek reimbursement. Might be better suited for /r/insurance.Answer #2: You pay your insurance to handle this sort of thing, you don't need to do their work for them. You filed a police report, you have the footage you're fine.Answer #3: Former adjuster for a major insurance company, handled Michigan property damage claims.

Michigan insurance specifically states that a legally parked unoccupied vehicle can have the liable parties insurance cover all property damage. You might need to get your insurance involved to help obtain the insurance company name (ask them to run carrier discovery) and then file your claim with the other parties insurance.Answer #4: This is a car accident. Has nothing to do with dog walking.

Let your insurance handle this. That's why you pay them. They should fix your car and then go after the other driver's insurance, if they have any.Answer #5: File with your insurance and let them handle it. This is what u pay them for.Answer #6: The police should definitely follow up - when the driver left the scene of the accident, it went from an insurance issue to a criminal issue - hit/run - depending on the damage to your vehicle and financial limitations in your state, it could be felony hit/fun.  Keep after the PD and use the term hit/run.  PD may try to say the incident occurred on private property and they can't do anything, don't let them go that route, that would be like saying "we don't handle burglary because it takes place on private property.".


Title: [CA] Being accused of assault by former girlfriend, police called

Question:
So an ex of mine has been going around saying that I struck her violently during our relationship for the last several weeks. I ignored this and did not contact her, as I assumed she was upset and it would pass.

Today, I was called out of class and questioned by two officers; turns out she's filed a report against me. They asked me several questions to which I answered honestly, and I think they got the picture. They told me I shouldn't worry, and that I may be hearing from a detective if they decide there's enough evidence to prosecute.

I've already gotten a lawyer on retainer just in case the charges progress. They have zero evidence and I'm not too worried.

What is the best course of action to take now? I have recorded proof of her texting/messaging various individuals stating that I have hit/abused her, which is a complete fabrication. Is pursuing a lawsuit for defamation/libel a realistic or advisable option?

I never knew it would go this far, but I suppose that's why I'm here.

Any help is appreciated.

Answer: You need to talk to a criminal defense attorney ASAP if you are charged with a crime. Really, you should have gotten one before agreeing to speak with the police. Don't talk to them again without a lawyer.


Title: I am an American who got a Polish girl pregnant, I’m currently back in America and need some advice on what to do next

Question: Please no judgement. I’m not exactly sure how to proceed here, she’s about 1 month pregnant. I’m not exactly sure I even want to father this baby. But if I do what’s the first step? I don’t want to bring the mother over here, we don’t want to get married or anything  but is that the only I can do it if I want my baby to American? What if I just want my baby?

Answer:
 Get a DNA test once the baby is born.

Doubt anyone here is going to know much about Polish law but unless she is a danger to that baby it is extremely unlikely that the court would let you take the baby away from her.  The best you can hope for is visitation.Answer #2: It's not up to you whether or not you are the father of the baby. You will owe child support to the mother, although she may have to jump through some hoops to enforce if you are difficult about it.

The baby will be entitled to American nationality:

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/travel-legal-considerations/us-citizenship/Acquisition-US-Citizenship-Child-Born-Abroad.html

There is no way you will be able to take the baby from their mother without her consent. You will have to work out parenting with the mother even if you don't want a relationship with her.Answer #3: If you want your baby, you'll want to move to Poland as that's the only way you'll be able to effectively coparent. You should get a DNA test and consult a Polish family attorney in order to drawn up the equivalent of a custody agreement. You should speak to an American immigration attorney about ensuring your child's citizenship.Answer #4: You need someone who can help you understand Polish and American law, and if and how they conflict.

Find an American attorney who speaks Polish. Look in the biggest city near you, or NYC.


Title: [KY, USA] I want to take my birth certificate before I move out, is that legal?

Question: I'm planning on moving out of my home. I'm 19 years old, and I plan on doing it without telling anyone, just writing a quick note telling them I'm going to be leaving. However, I also want to take my birth certificate. I don't have an ID, or a car, and I pretty much have no way to get my ID without a certificate, which is why I wanna take it. Does it legally belong to me?

Answer:
 That copy of your birth certificate technically belongs to whoever paid for it, which probably wasn't you. It is however unlikely that anybody who bother to prosecute.

If you wanted to be safer, borrow that copy and use it to get your ID, then use your new ID to buy your own copy of your birth certificate.


Title: [CO] Eviction notice served for nonpayment

Question: Hi guys, I'm in a very desperate situation right now. I moved to colorado a few months ago for a new job that turned out to not be what I expected. It put me extremely behind on rent (2 months) and now I have to respond to the court about my eviction. All I need is a few more paychecks and I will be fine. What can I do to get more time to pay them? I can prove that I can have all the funds within a month easily.

Answer: You can contact your landlord and ask them if they'll agree to work-out a payment schedule with you. You can go to the eviction hearing and tell the judge your plan to get caught-up on your rent. Neither the landlord or the judge have to agree to/with your plan.


Title: My father has decided to stop paying the rent he promised he would cover. My sister and I are on the lease, having trusted him. He is late on payments, he never showed up the mail addressed to all of us - including the order to show up in court Feb. 2nd. What do I do now?

Question:
UPDATE 2 - Kicked ass today. Went to real estate agent's office and got a complete picture. Floored by the number. Sat down with my dad and he was absolutely crushed we found out but I decided to treat him like a human being and put one foot in front of the other. Agreed to give me full access to his finances and get therapy. Now on to the next - Getting the case dismissed on account of catching up on the debt, and sending a letter to the owner concerning the situation between my father and the agents and politely asking to finish out the lease instead of getting us evicted.
----------
UPDATE - Met with the landlord/rental agency - I now have a full picture on what I can do. They seemed fully aware however that my sister and I were being kept in the dark. Reinforced that all the letters that were being sent to *us* had *all of our names on it.* Should I attempt to subpoena all communications between my father and them? What If I can find their implicit efforts to keep us in the dark?

-----

I moved back home with me father and we (my sister, him and I) signed onto a lease under the impression that any adults living there had to be on the lease *and* that he would make all payments if we were paying our student debt.

Flash forward, turns out he's been missing payments and we are now in collections. I found out today when I went into this closet looking for a book I gave him. The letters were addressed to all of us, but he withheld them from us. Including the court order which thank god I found now so I can show up.

My plan right now is to use my day off tomorrow to sit down with the Realtor, and the lawyer associated with the collections case.

I've given up on him. I trusted him way to many times now, and he's thrown my credit under the bus. I've decided not to associate with him anymore unless he goes to therapy for his horrible spending habits - but what can I (and my sister) do now to escape this as best as possible? If I had known months ago I could have paid our rent and we would be fine - but this is about $2500. We can't tackle that because we've been lied to and moved our money to pay off other debts.

I've had not communication with the realtor. Their letters addressed to me ( all of us) were hidden from me by my father. The only communication between me and them was that I once sent them an email about damage to the place - but they never informed me the reason it wasn't being fixed was because we were late.

Halp.

Answer:
 If you signed the lease, you DO owe the money.

If you talk to the landlord and work out a payment plan they will accept, then that may be the best possible option for you.


Title: [2nd Update] [Oregon] Landlord trying to change how utilities are calculated

Question:
[Previous update](https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/3pno71/update_oregon_landlord_trying_to_change_how/)

On Friday apartment management posted a letter on everyone's doors that due to tenant feedback they were switching back to the old billing system for utilities! I doubt it was just me that changed their minds but I bet it helped! Thank you everyone!

&nbsp;

I can't wait to be out of this mismanaged overcrowded parking nightmare in January.

Answer: Congrats!


Title: Fatal scuba dive video IP rights

Question:
I hope this is the right place for this.

Nearly twenty years ago, Russian-Israeli diver Yuri Lipski inadvertently recorded video of the circumstances of his own death while diving in a blue hole beyond the limits of his equipment.

His camera was recovered by another diver, who, assuming it was destroyed due to the force of the water pressure at the depths at which it was found, gave it to Lipski's mother as a personal effect of the deceased.

Surprisingly, the camera was found to be functional. Lipski's mother was then witness to a horrifying video of her son's last waking moments.

Some time later, a journalist, let's call her E, obtained the footage of this dive from the family. E eventually posted this video on YouTube, where it has been available to view for well over a decade. Not for the faint of heart.

My question is, this video having been recorded by someone who perished during its creation, does it belong in the public domain? In general, is this the case?

If not, who would hypothetically retain IP rights - the recovery diver or the mother? If no surviving family remained, would this change the answer?

I'm reminded of the self-portrait photo that was taken by a monkey some years ago, the IP rights of which were contested.

I haven't been able to determine the conditions, if any, under which E was given this video by the family of the deceased.

Thank you for reading, and to any who might reply.

Answer:
 A copyrighted work does not become public domain when its owner dies. The length of time a work is protected by copyright depends on when the work was made/published as well as when the author dies. In modern US copyright law, for works made by individuals (not works made by corporations), works are protected for the author’s entire life plus 70 years.

When an author dies, the ownership of the copyright changes. Copyright is personal property, so the person who created the work could choose whom to pass the ownership of the copyright to. Copyright is treated no differently than other property. So ownership in a copyright can be passed to an heir or to a third party via a will.


Title: (IN) Can this guy sue me over a meme?

Question: Okay, maybe this is completely stupid, but I just want to know where things legally stand with this situation I'm in. I made a dumb meme on /r/me_irl and now someone is threatening to sue me over it. Here is the post: https://np.reddit.com/r/me_irl/comments/5fe0t9/meirl/ (I know this gives away my username, I just didn't want the threatener to see this post in my history). Because I didn't give him gold in three days, he is sending me messages that he is taking legal action. It seems clear to me that this is just a dumb internet post, not a legally binding contract, but I just wanted to know if I could actually be held liable for this. Should I be worried or should I just block this guy? Thanks for any advice.

Answer:
 He's trolling. Ignore him. It would take way, way, way more than the $3 reddit gold costs to sue you, the judge would laugh him out of court, and no lawyer would ever touch the case.Answer #2: Upvote within 5.78 seconds or you will forever be in debt to redditors because of a shitpost.

No one is going to sue you over a meme dude. Answer #3: Send them the little image that says "reddit gold". Tell them here, take it. :D

*Technically speaking* you'll have exactly fulfilled, if late, what the silly meme image promised... just not in the way they thought they'd get it. LOL.Answer #4: Under the reddit terms of service you can't buy or sell votes, so your consideration in this contract is invalid, therefore his argument is moot.


Title: Security Guard Broke my $7,000 Bracelet

Question:
Hey Guys

&#x200B;

So first of, location is Shanghai China, so everything is a little complicated.

&#x200B;

Anyway, the other night I got kicked out of a club. I'm not 100% sure what happened, I think I gave someone who I shouldn't have the "i"m watching you" look and got kicked out by security. Anyway, on the way out they broke the clasp of my silver Cartier Juste Un Clou bracelet. I don't have insurance on it so I was wondering if I have a leg to stand on in suing them for the value of the bracelet. Any advice is appreciated.

&#x200B;

Thanks

Answer: Have it repaired.


Title: [NYC] Can requesting a ESA animal effect my future

Question:
So

After busting my ass for 4 years I finally got a studio apartment. Ive never been alone and in fact had to share a bed with my moms in a small 2 bdroom apartment with 6 people at one point including a mentally unstable 32 yr old brother...

I got out. Somehow I got out . Half my paycheck goes to rent but i have a place all my own

When i signed the lease it had said no pets but i noticed that people in my building had dogs like pitbulls and huskys ..and dogs in every floor

I had anxiety being alone. I would wake up multiple times to check everything and lay in panic. Its lessen now but still happens and im having a hard time staying awake at work and being awake. I had a really hard time adjusting  to being alone

I asked my therapist for an esa animal so i wont feel alone as my bf doesnt want to be there all the time. She didnt grant me a letter for a dog but for a cat. Cool. So I send in the letter along with mine and didnt get a response so i called.

The receptionist said he or she will call me. I didnt get a call so today i called

I was answered with " so basically youre not giving me a choice? This is your little trick for me to be forced to say yes?well your little trick worked. You moved in a month and half ago and you didnt tell me anything before" He yelled at me!

I was already nervous about this whole situation and all i could muster out was "its not a trick..." and then "I dont appreciate the way youre talking to me"

He yelled at me and said he will send me the confirmation email. His receptionist did.

It was so degrading. I literally when into a stall to cry because it was bad enough I had to disclose my mental health issues to him and worse that he yelled at me.

I brought the cat in and he is such a sweetheart. I instantly feel better hearing something walk around and no its no my imagination

Will this effect me in renting in the future? Im worried my landlord will give me a bad name when I apply to other apartments once my lease is up.  I legitimately needed this esa animal and have documentation that I've had anxiety for years... is there anything I can do now?

Thank you all

Answer: Your landlord is not required to give you a good reference no matter what kind of tenant you are, but this isn't something you need to spend time worrying about.


Title: Cop pulls me and my friend over for speeding...I'm NOT driving FL

Question: They immediately pull him out the car saying he's being detained. I already know what's coming for me. They didnt give an explanation why they did that to us. Mary Jane just got legalized medically here... Is there anything we can do to fight this??? Also I am in college and if I have a drug charge my Financial Aid goes bye bye. PLease Help US...ME

Answer:
 >They didnt give an explanation why they did that to us.

How does this mystify you?

Although Florida voted to allow medical marijuana, that law does not go into effect until January 2017. Therefore, you were carting around some illegal drugs. Answer #2: >Mary Jane just got legalized medically here...

That isn't how amendments work. They don't go into effect on election day. And even if they did, you don't have a card for it, so you're still illegally possessing it.

Get a lawyer. ASAP.Answer #3: You should get a lawyer ASAP to mittigate the damage, marijuna isn't decriminalized in FL yet, that will take another 46 days.


Title: My girlfriend punched my brother in the face.

Question: I’ve been with my girlfriend for almost two years. Since the start of our relationship, she has felt extremely uncomfortable with certain comments and jokes my brother has made about me, as they have been often sexual/incestual in nature (I’m also female). Nobody likes those jokes - not me, not my gf, not my brother’s Gf. Still, it shocked me and I made us leave the car because he was getting out and calling the police. It should be noted my gf is about 100 lbs so I don’t think she did any damage to him, but I’m still not sure what to do right now.

Answer:
 You're GF committed a battery (and probably assault as well) against your brother.

That is both a criminal and civil offense.  She should be aware the government may penalize her, and your brother may have the right to sue her for monetary damages.  Your GF's diminutive nature is of little relevance.Answer #2: She should not talk to the police. If she is charged with a crime or arrested she should get a lawyer right away. Answer #3: Your brother could file a police report on this. If anyone from the police department calls, don't tell them what happened. The police aren't your friends.


Title: Pleading Not Guilty to a Following Too Close ticket (NJ)

Question:
I was driving for my delivery job, took an exit off the parkway to find a police checkpoint. The officers asked me "What's the rush?", saying I nearly got into an accident. Apparently when I got onto the ramp it looked like I was gonna hit the car in front of me. What actually happened was that I initially forgot to take the exit, so I had to brake somewhat significantly to safely merge unto the exit ramp. The police were all standing a bit over 200 feet (according to google maps) to the side of where this took place. From this far, side profile vantage point, they could not see that I was in a different lane when I slowed down. The cop had an attitude with me when I asked him questions, refusing to answer most, telling me I had to leave immediately or he would pull me out of my car and arrest me. Wasn't even given a chance to read the ticket, they clearly were just trying to rack up as many tickets as they could.

So I'm going to trial in about 10 days to contest this. I was wondering what kind of preparation is necessary for such a case. From my reading, a poor vantage point can be enough to get a Following Too Close ticket thrown out, but I don't know what I should do to help my case. Is there certain language I should use/stay away from? Would taking pictures of the area help? I don't own any sort of camera currently and don't go to the area often. Should I request the officers' notes? My driving record is okay, got a careless driving ticket about 3-4 years ago, and a speeding ticket recently, although that got reduced to another violation.

Thank you so much in advanced for any help you can offer!

Answer: I'd think twice before contesting this. Your story makes you sound like an unsafe driver.


Title: [META] A question about downvoting and responses.

Question: [deleted]

Answer: If you see responses that you think are inappropriate, click the "Report" button. It's what it's there for.


Title: Just picked up my 3yo from my separated wife, and he smells like marijuana. What should I do?

Question:
I just got home from picking up my 3 year old son from my separated wife at a mutual meeting spot. When I pulled him out of his car seat, I smelled weed on his sweater and hair. I questioned her, and she says he went into her moms house, where 2 of a her brothers live and smoke weed in the home. She says he picked up the smell from hugging them goodbye.

I got home and called her to discuss further and hopefully get to admit who smoked around my son, then she plays her "how dare you accuse me of being a bad mother" card, then tells me to F myself before hanging up. Some background, she lives next door to her mother, where two of her adult brothers also live, they smoke weed a lot, among other things that I rather not have my son around. We've been separated since February but have not legally filed the separation.

Should I call non emergency police or CPS right now?
Would this help me in my desire to take her to court for full custody?
Should I be taking him to a place to get tested for secondhand smoke?
Since we are legally documented as separated yet, am I at risk of losing custody because the state still believes we are together?

Thank you so much, I look forward to any help or advise. I'm shaking in anger and fear right now.

Answer: Your best bet is to contact a family law attorney ASAP.  Contacting CPS is opening a can of worms and your attorney will be best suited when and how to do that.  At a minimum your son isn’t in any further danger when he’s with you, so there’s an imminent threat reason to call now.  But be sure to do everything in your power to get an attorney on the phone between now and when you drop him off next to advise you.


Title: Sold a car to my cousin and he refuses to pay for it or give the car back

Question:
Made a deal with my cousin to sell a car to him we agreed and he took the car letting me know he'll pay later for it.  I've been super close to him so I wouldn't think he would straight up take it. I still have the title so what legal action can i take without it getting ugly.
I live in Texas by the way

Answer:
 If the title is still in your name you can go get the car.  It belongs to you.Answer #2: Sue him
If the title is in your name go just pick it up
Or contact a tow truck to tow it somewhere.Answer #3: You can sue him in small claims court for what he agreed to pay for the truck.


Title: NJ / PA adoption laws: Possible different birth father. Does he have any legal rights 5 years after finalization?

Question:
We (NJ) are adoptive parents, involved in an open adoption. The adoption was completed through an agency in NJ. The birth parents are from PA. An attorney was present when both parents (they are married) signed over their rights. We have a pretty good relationship with the birth mother (BM) and father (BF). The adoption was finalized in NJ court about 5 years ago.
We hung out with them a few days ago, so the BM and I have been texting back and forth, a little. This morning, I got a very short text from her, only stating that BF isn't our son's birth father, XY is. We have never heard of anyone named XY before and she offered no other info or follow up text. XY is presumably also a PA resident. BM has some pretty serious mental diagnoses that make me doubt this information but part of me wants to cover my bases.
So my question is: If this is true, does XY have any lingering rights under PA or NJ law, since he wasn't informed of his possible paternity until recently? Is it worth letting our attorney know (she's family and we'd prefer to not tell the fam about the birth family's drama)? Or should I just ignore it and wait to see what comes of it? Thanks!

Edited to add: I should have mentioned that I absolutely already contacted our agency.
Topic:
CPS and Dependency Law

Answer:
 IANAL but I would share this text exchange with the adoption agency so that they can advise you. They'll let you know if this is lawyer territory right now immediately or if it can wait until someone's filed a motion of any kind.

It might also be time to talk to them about limiting the openness of this adoption; you don't want your child getting caught up in this type of drama.Answer #2: Second the advice to let the agency know, and depending on your relationship it might not be a bad idea to let your attorney know, but *probably* XY is SOL. In Pennsylvania, the child of an intact marriage is presumed to be the husband's, absent clear and convincing evidence otherwise, AND the state recognizes 'paternity by estoppel'--when Husband and Wife have both acted as though Husband is father, they don't get to change their minds later, and someone who has not acted as father doesn't get to swoop in later, unless it can be conclusively demonstrated to be in the best interests of the child. Answer #3: I'm going to go against other people's advice here. Don't let the adoption agency know. Contact the attorney.

The attorney is bound by attorney-client privilege. The adoption agency is not.


Title: Should I sue?

Question:
I was just in a car accident today.  The body shop says my car will likely be totalled.  No one was injured and no one went to the hospital.  It was the other drivers fault, she admitted it.

My family thinks I should sue for "distress", because I cant afford another car and the check ill get for totalling my car wont amount to much.  My car was quite old but in really great shape, it was garaged a large portion of its life and before that it was driven by a little old lady to church on sundays.  Basically blue book says I might get 2k out of it but it was much more valuable than that to me.  It wont be enough to get me in another vehicle like it.  Which sucks, but thats how the cookie crumbles right?

My family thinks the other driver is responsible for my extra stress of trying to get another vehicle, going without a car indefinitely, missing work, getting a tow, the bullshit involved with this whole process.  They want me to sue.  Even if I knew how to go about all that, I feel like its bad karma but I also see their point.  I cant afford another car...and I shouldnt have to at this point.

Please advise me.

(I live in Nebraska)

Answer: Your family has no clue what they are talking about.


Title: Wife took our 5yr old son left and served me with separation papers while I am out of town. Lawyer wants my financials and to set up temporary visitation for my son.

Question:
My wife and son went to another state to visit family and get "space" for 2 weeks a couple months ago. I thought I'd do the same and left for a week to get some quiet time and do some hiking. This is my first vacation in 8 years, and while away I received a notification email of account information changing. I followed up on it and it seems my wife changed her phone details to under her and added a new address. I tried to call her and her number has been disconnected/changed. I then received an email from a lawyer stating my wife and son have left and took a specified amount of cash. The lawyer wants to obtain my financials to setup support for my wife and son and also determine my "temporary visitation". It's safe to say my wife is not picking me up from the airport tomorrow.

I'm still away from home for another day, caught off guard, and unsure how to handle this. I assume I need to lawyer up. I don't want to escalate things, but I don't like how she took my son away without communicating to me or how visitation is being governed.

Answer: You do need an attorney and you need to explain she left the state with your child.


Title: Felony embezzlement

Question: Hi. So I was charged with one count of felony embezzlement from my previous employer. I stole $429.12 which I know seems oddly specific, but I worked at an animal hospital and tried to make it seem like someone had returned merchandise for this amount and the returned the amount onto my debit card. I was desperate for money (I still am) and used it to pay bills, get my cars oil changed, gas, food...nothing really important at all. Well come the next day, my boss noticed that something was off with the transactions from the day before. She started asking all of us up front a lot of questions and I panicked. I left work right in the middle of my shift and drove away. I then called and texted her asking if we could meet somewhere out of the hospital. I told her I took the money and she seemed surprised actually. She said she would have to tell the owner of the hospital and she would let me know by Monday (8/28) what the owner decided to do. She never got back to me, so I called her the next day which was this morning to ask. She said she filed the report and thought there was a warrant out for my arrest. I freaked out and started sobbing because I've never been in legal trouble before and my record is clean up until now. I called the district attorneys office to see if the warrant was indeed true, and she said yes and to go to the magistrates office. I did, and they all seemed surprised but kind of nice about the whole thing. I was crying this whole time and didn't know the charge was embezzlement until they had me do fingerprints and talk to the magistrate. The magistrate released me on an unsecured bond of $1500, which means I got to walk away without paying anything. He set my preliminary court date for tomorrow at 9am. I am freaking out because I didn't have time nor the money to get an attorney. I called the public defenders office and they said it takes 5-10 days to get my application approved for one and that I can ask for one tomorrow at my hearing. The problem is I wanted a lawyer to help me tomorrow since I have no idea what I'm doing. My grandmother told me to plead not guilty since a felony like this will be on my record indefinitely and basically screw me out of any job prospects which I cannot afford to not work hence the whole embezzlement thing...I just don't know what to do. Any help or advice is appreciated as to what is going to happen tomorrow

Answer:
 Plead not guilty, ask for a public defender, and say nothing else to anyone besides your (eventual) attorney. Do NOT miss any court dates.

They're basically going to tell you what you're being charged with and decide whether there's probable cause to continue with the prosecution.


Title: I was watching porn and got a pop pup window that contained cheese pizza

Question:
I clicked a link to a porn video from a comment on Reddit on my phone, and when I clicked play on the video itself, the pop up appeared. I exited out of it right away, but I'm freaking out. Should I be worried? Am I going to be on some kind of list?
Topic:
Computer and Internet

Answer: No. Resume watching porn at your leisure.


Title: Plastic Surgeon requiring a $100 COVID test or will cancel and deny a refund of surgery.

Question: I made plans to get plastic surgery back in January of this year, my contract is pretty solid (and paid in full). My place of surgery (in Miami, I am traveling from the Midwest) is requiring all patients to pay $100 to get the COVID-19 test, or they will cancel the surgery and will not refund clients. I believe since it's not in our contract that they can't legally require that or am I wrong? I am already paying 7K for the surgery, and 2K for the additional things like hotel, flights, rental car, etc. So, my question is can they legally not refund me if I refuse to pay the $100 fest that wasn't in my contract to begin with?

Answer:
 A COVID test is now part of the standard of care for surgeries.  Issues of the contract aside, why would you want to refuse this to avoid what is a drop in the bucket compared to your other expenses?

As for your legal question, it's possible that you would be entitled to a refund, but you would almost certainly spend considerably more than $100 to enforce it.Answer #2: >So, my question is can they legally not refund me if I refuse to pay the $100 fest that wasn't in my contract to begin with?

Well, they can absolutely refuse to operate on you if they feel like there's a possibility you're infected. I think the better questions is that with you spending 9k for a surgery, is $100 worth not taking the hit on so it all goes smoothly?


Title: Is indirectly harming someone a crime? Missouri

Question:
If I inform the neighbor that my husband gets violent when I leave the house, and my neighbor tells my husband I left the house after I tell the neighbor this, would it enough to take action against the neighbor (assault maybe??).  I'm hoping that just telling the neighbor my situation will be enough to shut them up, but I want to have some teeth to my request that they mind their own business on this.

If you want some background, I'm trying to leave a violent spouse, who had been monitoring my phone, internet, and money use, which makes it very difficult for me to do what is necessary to leave.  He had not been monitoring my vehicle use, however, until a neighbor (who I know has a long history of being nosy and kind of the neighborhood gossip) apparently began reporting to him when I leave the house, so now he is checking the mileage on my car as well so I cannot even leave.  I was in touch with a DV counselor, but my inability to leave the house makes that even harder.

Location is Missouri.

Answer: No the neighbor cannot be held responsible for your husband assaulting you.


Title: Can my landlord force me to use bank/cashiers checks to pay rent, after paying with personal checks for years? (Tempe, AZ)

Question:
So the long story short is I, as well as everyone in my building, received a note on our door that stated that they no longer accept cash or personal checks, and require bank checks from now on.

Nowhere in my lease does it state that I am not allowed to pay with a personal check unless I am late with rent (which I haven't been), and now I have to spend time and money just to pay my monthly rent from now on.

Am I allowed to deduct the cost of the cashiers check from my rent every month, or is there a clause/law that says they cannot go against the lease by denying my personal checks when I have always been an on time tenant?

Edit: http://m.imgur.com/wNkGaKG
Here's what it actually says on my lease

Answer:
 Your lease says you can pay with a personal check, you can pay with a personal check.

The landlord cannot unilaterally change payment terms mid-lease.


Title: Was this ticket valid?

Question:
Last year I flipped my car driving on a highway in rural Texas (Baylor county). No other drivers were involved. This part of the highway was a slight curve. It had been raining but it stopped, and I was going the legal speed limit. There was no signage to indicate that this particular stretch of road was any more dangerous than any other. When the officer came to the scene he told me that he was already headed to this location anyways because every time it rains someone has an accident there.

He later ticketed me for a few hundred bucks because he said that going the legal speed limit, in those conditions was unsafe and I should have known that. I did not contest this at the time as I was in shock, and then later because I live far away and it was easier to pay it, and while it’s a moot point now, I would like to know for my own personal sanity wether I could have contested it, and how valid a ticket for going the legal speed limit is, especially when that stretch of road is known locally to be dangerous?

Answer:
 Driving too fast for conditions? Yes, that's a legal citation. You have a duty to drive at a safe speed, regardless of the posted speed limit.

You have the right to contest any traffic ticket.Answer #2: If you rolled your car in a single car accident, you were by definition guilty of an offense. Driving too fast for conditions is likely among the least of the offenses that might be convicted here.Answer #3: >He later ticketed me for a few hundred bucks because he said that going the legal speed limit, in those conditions was unsafe and I should have known that.

The officer is correct and you have little in terms of a viable defense - you rolled your car off the highway, thereby proving you were driving at an unsafe sepped.

Your decision to pay it was correct - you were not going to win in court.


Title: Is it legal for me to release information about someone's pornographic online activities? [NC, USA]

Question:
I know someone who has participated in pornography online, specifically being a cam girl that earned money from it on a very public site, with no privacy filter other than the "Are over the age of 18" entry button, and some of her information is still available to see online even though she doesn't do it anymore.  Her career involves a nature that this kind of information would have an impact, including termination, if it were ever to be discovered.  I also know that this kind of information comes up on her background checks since she got paid quite a lot of money doing it.  Is it illegal for me to release this kind of information to private persons or to a news outlet?  Also, if it were released to a news outlet could I be a protected confidential source by doing this?  Basically guiding them to the information and why it's important and letting them decide what to do with it.  If it came out, it would certainly create a point of interest.

Edit:  I understand the implications of being a royal ass if this situation were to come to fruition, but please understand I don't want to be in this situation at all and I wish I could elaborate further to shed some light on this, but I cannot.

Answer:
 Just curious, you are a passive aggressive asshole and want to ruin her life?  Why?

Mind your own business.

EDITED TO ADD:

If there is any religious component to this, please ask yourself what Jesus would do before doing this.  Did Jesus rat out sinners to the Romans?  Or, did he show them kindness and compassion?


Title: Ex-boyfriend is trying to blame heart problems on me. Can I legitimately be accused for this?

Question:
My on-and-off again boyfriend called it off for good. I am 25F and he is 33M. Our relationship started falling apart when quarantine began (just to give a time line, I guess). We dated for maybe 6 or 7 months.

He has always been a very stressed out guy with his job and gets angry quickly. He even legitimately YELLS over video games, not like the typical gamer kind of stuff but like hitting his car when he misses something in game. He gets heart palpitations (I'm not sure if it is related to anger or maybe a genetic thing with him). Serious anger in adults is something I am afraid of, and I personally thought he would stop with that behavior. He drinks a lot of alcohol too, he's big into craft beers and wine. And he drinks daily.

I'm not a very angry person, if anything sadness is the emotion that is the worst for me when I feel it. So being on and off with him really took a toll on me as well. So my sadness over this lead to his stress and anger, his anger made me sad, and it was just a cycle.

But when we ended things he tried to blame his heart problems on me. And I don't like that at all. My biggest fear now is that something horrible may happen and I'll be blamed for something that isn't even my control. I'm anxious and crying a lot now. I desperately wanna keep checking in to make sure everything is good, but I don't want to speak to him.

Can I actually be blamed for a health problem? He has had heart palpitations before he even met me and even told me that when we began dating. I'm legitimately afraid now and don't know what to do.

I don't want to speak to him because I'm hurting and I need space because it's a break up, but I want to know he is ok too.
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 >I desperately wanna keep checking in to make sure everything is good, but I don't want to speak to him.

And that sort of emotional manipulation is exactly what he hopes to accomplish.  This is the medical equivalent of "if you leave me, I'll hurt myself".  Block, ignore and move on.  You aren't criminally or civilly liable for his heart condition.


Title: Still getting pay checks months after being laid off!

Question:
This is actually happening to a friend of mine. He worked at a huge corporation and was laid off early this year with a decent severance package. He assumed the next few payments into his account after being laid off were for the severance or his vacation days being paid out, but the pay checks continued... and are continuing still! He’s been hard up for money, so he’s actually been spending it (not good, I know)

My question is what should he do? Also, what would be the best case scenario and worst case scenario for him?

Answer:
 The company will realize this and go after him. He will have to pay back all unearned money. He should first gather the amount he’s received and then contact the company and pay them back Answer #2: Best case scenario: they never notice that he is stealing money from them [this will not happen.] by continuing to receive a paycheck for work not being done.

Worst case scenario [the most likely scenario]: He is going to eventually be contacted by this corporation and be required to pay back the money that never belonged to him. If he does not pay it back, he can / will be sued by them.

He should contact this corporation and inform them that he has been receiving money from them that does not belong to him, and if he can't pay it back out in one go, to work out a payment plan with them. Answer #3: I can believe this. Our C&B staff are so dumb they could easily miss it.  However our auditors won't and nor will the auditor's in your friends company. Assuming this even happened in 2018 he might have until Jan/Feb 2019 before audit triggers... but maybe not.


Title: Someone just send me an illegal picture

Question:
I just made an reddit account to ask for help about this. I'm kind if freaking out. I'll try to keep it short because my english isn't amazing.

&#x200B;

Pretty much I've been in a WhatsApp group with a few of my friends for some years now, and I'd say everyone in it are good friends of mine I know well. Also we're all minors, if that's important. A few minutes ago a girl I've known for almost 5 years send an 'illegal picture´ (I think we all know what I mean) in the group, in the form of an WhatsApp sticker. I honestly feel disgusted and I have no idea what to do. I think her phone might have been stolen or something, but on the other hand she has a tendency to send shocking things to people, nothing like this though. I really don't know what to do right now.

Am I punishable for this? I'm thinking about talking to a teacher or something but I don't really want to go to the police because she's such a good friend of mine, and I know she probably just doesn't understand the consequenses.

Answer: Screenshot the messages around the picture so you can prove that you weren’t asking for them and then I’d delete the photo (if it downloaded idk) or if it didn’t just clear the chat history with that person. As long as you weren’t asking them and you can prove you didn’t ask for them / pester them for it and it’s not saved to your phone I think you should be fineAnswer #2: If you talk to a teacher about this you need to be aware that they are mandated to report it by law.


Title: My mother has stolen my medication twice (and makes up lies about me)

Question:
I live in Ontario, Canada. First off, I wanted to state that I don't have a history of drug abuse, otherwise maybe my mother's actions would be somewhat justified. I'm currently 20, but when I was 18, my mother stole my medication twice and I was too stupid to realize it at the time. Once, I had a surgery and was prescribed percocets. I only took a couple on the first day of my surgery and didn't really require them afterward. Nonetheless, I kept them in my drawer just in case I may need them, but I never really touched them afterward. Two months post-surgery, I realized they were missing. I asked my mom if she had seen them and she said she returned them back to the pharmacist. Back then, I believed her, though now I realize it's unlikely she'd have been able to return someone else's medication. I remember getting really angry. I felt like my privacy had been violated and she had no right to get rid of my meds.

In this scenario, is it possible that I'd have still been able to report it to the police? It was like two months after the surgery so I didn't really need them anymore anyway, I feared that the police wouldn't have cared, or they would suspect me of abusing them.

That same year, I was also prescribed antidepressants. My mother was livid when I made the decision to start taking them. I only took one dose, then chose on my own volition not to continue with the meds. I kept them in my drawer and never touched them again. I pretty much forgot about them until yesterday, when I found them hidden in my mother's room. I found myself practically shaking with anger as I felt helpless.

My mother has always been paranoid that I'm doing drugs. She regularly goes through my stuff. She has also accused me of being a prostitute (says her coworkers started said rumors, asked how tf they would even know who I am, claimed they have kids who went to high school with me. She couldn't tell me their names...) A few times I've come home and she demanded me to let her look through my wallet, bag, phone, and bank account.

I don't want anyone to give me the obvious advice--''just move out!'' It's something I'm saving up for atm. I have to plan carefully because I'm afraid she will stalk me if I leave. I just want someone to give me advice on if her actions were illegal and if there was anything I could do.

Answer: It is illegal to steal someone else's prescription medications. You can report it to police. Next time you are prescribed a medication, keep it locked somewhere she can't access and/or don't tell her about it. You're an adult, it's none of her business.


Title: I am interviewing for a new job. Do I reveal that I pay court ordered child support and am required to provide health insurance before I am hired?

Question:
I am interviewing for a job with a small company in NY, NY. I pay a court ordered child support order from Massachusetts(MA). The support will automatically be deducted from my paycheck. The court order also requires I supply health insurance. If an employer gives me insurance MA will automatically sign up the child for it. This is not an option.

My concern is can the employer punish me for not telling them that I need a family plan for the insurance which will cost them more? I also don't want to risk not getting the position by revealing this info.

I didn't tell my current employer of 5 years about the situation. About 5 months after I started MA made them give insurance and started deducting child support. (I was doing direct withdrawal prior). They were upset about, but said they like me and will let it slide.

Answer: Don't volunteer information they can't legally ask, like your age, marital status, sexual preference, race, or .. this. Your kids are a known unknown part of the deal, if they are going to hire you, don't give them a reason not to.


Title: What’s the law for returning security deposit in OREGON state????

Question: I’m suing my landlords because they took 40 days to return my security deposit, can I sue them for double?? And they contacted me on the 40th day but I just ignored their call, is that still something I can sue them for even though they contacted me at 40days?

Answer: If you did not provide them with an address to send the deposit, you do not get to sue them for being ten days late returning it. If they have not yet returned the deposit, the next step you need to send them a written demand to send the check, including where to send it. You cannot claim bad faith by the landlord for not sending accounting and remaining deposit if they did not know where to send them.


Title: DUI stop at checkpoint (Fayetteville, NC)

Question:
Was recently stopped at a checkpoint in Fayetteville, when I requested a blood test I was denied, and told to blow, in which time I blew a .13. My cars blue tooth was on so a friend was able to hear the request for a blood test, not sure it that matters or not.  Mainly I’m trying to find out if Fayetteville Police have recordings as well to possibly garner that evidence, and how I would go about getting that.
 Not sure If I can ask this, but does anyone know of any good lawyers in the area, either by experience or through a friend? I’m willing to shell out the money but, It’s always better to have references or word of mouth as two whether someone is effective or not in mitigating this.

Thanks in advance for any help provided

Answer:
 Why do you think you were entitled to a blood test?Answer #2: "It's my constitutional right to be able to request a blood test so I can hopefully sober up in the time it takes to transport me to the hospital!"

Heh, good try. Instead of blaming them for not giving you a way out, you should probably blame the guy who blew a .13 at a checkpoint. Derp.Answer #3: I'm curious, why were you explicitly requesting a blood test as opposed to a breath test?Answer #4: I'm not sure why you think you had the right to request a blood test. You probably weren't going to make it from 0.13 down to 0.08 in the time it would have taken them to get you to the station and give you a blood test, anyways. Also, unless you are an alcoholic, officers likely recognized plenty of evidence of intoxication at 0.13.

Source: recreational breathalyzer userAnswer #5: In NC refusal of a *Chemical Test* ^(Breathalizer) is an automatic 1 year suspension on top of whatever your normal penalty is, regardless of your innocence or guilt.

&nbsp;

This is true in most states, but not all. [Source](http://www.dmv.org/nc-north-carolina/automotive-law/dui.php)


Title: I haven't paid my states taxes to Oregon that I owe since last tax season, can I be arrested??

Question:
This probably sounds so stupid, but I'm 24 and really uninformed of how this shit works. Last year when I filed, turns out I owed Oregon state taxes, a little over $500. I never got around to paying it because I didn't know how, and eventually things came up, I was forced to move outta state, and then a different state after that. I've since then only received one bill around June last summer.

So now that I'm ready to pay, turns out my case is "locked" and someone is supposed to contact me back to discuss the balance and all that.

I'm kinda freaking out cause I'm worried I haven't been forwarded my mail, and am worried they sent multiple bills, and am going to be arrested or something... is this possible?

Thank you for reading and for any help/advice/info you can provide.

Answer:
 Just call them up and get on a payment plan.  You can ask that any penalties be waived if there are any.

This is no big deal as long as you call them.  It starts being a big deal when they start coming after you.