Title: Horrible DUI -Ohio

Question: On Monday morning around 4am I was arrested for a DUI. The circumstances are pretty disturbing. I went to a concert early in the night (Cleveland) at around 9:30pm I blacked out and don't remember anything about the arrest. I apparently decided I wanted to drive to Cincinnati to see my boyfriend. (A 4 hour drive). I have no idea why I would do that as I never, ever drive drunk and have always have a relatively healthy relationship with alcohol. I crashed and totaled my moms car and was apparently driving on the wrong side of the high-way. I have no recollection of anything for and suspect I was drugged at the concert. I did however blow a .214 which is well over the legal limit. After I got out of Jail I tried to go to a DR's and get a toxicology screen done on me but they said they could only do it if it was "ordered" not really sure what that means. Because I don't remember anything and was asked questions while I was not in the state to answer them will there be any leeway? I am so scared and confused and disgusted with my self any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Answer:
 A .214 is very high, and perfectly capable of producing that series of effects without any other drugs. In addition, given you blacked out it is possible you willfully consumed other drugs while drunk enough to have your self control seriously compromised.

First things first, retain a criminal defense attorney. You are stressed, worried, and afraid. An attorney will answer all your questions, be able to help you understand what to do next, and help you to understand what might happen to you.

For someone who is scared and confused, sitting down with an experienced expert can be very calming. Just answer all questions truthfully and do as he/she says.

>Because I don't remember anything and was asked questions while I was not in the state to answer them will there be any leeway?

If what you said is true it is very likely what you said will not at all be necessary to convict you. If you were driving down the wrong side of the highway, got into an accident totaling the vehicle, got out exhibiting signs of drunkenness and blowing a .214 what you said may not be needed to convict you. Many people are convicted with less


Title: In "My Cousin Vinny", could Vinny have just admitted to his lack of experience?

Question: When he first meets the judge, he lies about having had 16 years of experience in the courtroom. I understand why, once he lies, he has to keep that going, but would there have been any issue if he admitted to not having any experience right from the start?

Answer: It was a murder case in a state he wasn’t licensed in, so he needed special permission to practice for that case. If he admitted his actual experience level, the judge would’ve rightly told him to GTFO.Answer #2: I can't remember the details. Did he need approval to practice in a state he wasn't licensed in?


Title: I found my brother’s old drivers license and realized I could use it as an ID to get into 21+ venues for concerts etc. However, he is on house arrest. If someone were to scan the ID would it show that he is out of the county/state and then fuck him?

Answer: Don't do illegal things like using someone else's ID.


Title: Reddit, can I get in trouble for steal my own dog?

Question:
Glendale, AZ

About two years ago we got a family dog. Since then, he's slept with me every night, I've been the one to train him, take him to the vet, keep his bowl full of food and water, make sure his shots are up to date, take him for walks and car rides, and take him to the doggie park. Even his name tag was purchased by me and has my phone number on it.
I still do all of this.

About 6 months ago I moved out and the family kept the dog and refuse to let me take him. I hear all the time that they don't want him, they complain that he requires too much attention, and they complain that he's annoying. They are also violent towards him. I've seen them grab him by his fur and throw him outside and I've seen them smack him.

The whole time I lived at home, they referred to him as my dog every time he need something, made a mess, or needed to be taken care of. Now that I'm moved out, they won't let me have him. If I were to take him anyway, could I get in trouble with they law for that?

TLDR: If I take my dog from an abusive home, can I get in trouble for that? If so, how much trouble?
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 The dog is considered property, so the person who bought or adopted it is the rightful owner and you'd be stealing property if you took the dog without permission.

That being said, their recourse would be to sue you in court for the value of the dog. If the police are called, they will be told that it's a civil issue.


Title: At what altitude does privacy stop?

Question:
This is more of a hypothetical, so I hope this is the right place.

Recently, I was wondering if there is any law, regulation or verdict that in some sense defines - in three dimensional space - where privacy stops.

For example, when flying a drone with a camera over a populated area, at what point can one claim that the privacy of the people below is no longer violated?

What about recording a populated area from a plane? What about satellite imagery?

If altitude is one of the parameters, are other aspects also considered such as resolution of the image/video, or if a person is identifiable or not, or if design of the property itself is relevant?

Regarding the latter, is there a difference between a yard that is enclosed by hedges or walls and a yard that is completely open/visible from the street anyways, without any measure to protect the owner's privacy?

I'd also be interested how different countries approach this, so if you are not from the US, feel free to share what you know or where to find that information.

Answer:
 For property rights, it's assumed that above 360 feet rurally, or 500 feet in urban areas is controlled airspace by the FAA.

Generally outdoors you do not have a reasonable expectation of privacy, even if your property is fenced in. If it's viewable from the street or another house, it's generally considered "in plain sight".


Title: Intrusive Landlord

Question:
Hello Everyone,

Feeling very emotional right now so here is the story. I apologize for the length of this message but I'm currently renting in New Jersey, USA.

My lease is up May 14th, 2017 so my landlord has requested that she can show the house to prospective future renters in order to avoid a lapse in tenants/lapse in income. Makes sense so I gave her verbal permission in the beginning of the week (4/3/17) to show the house today (4/9/2017). In the same conversation she stated that she wanted to hire a cleaning service to clean the space to get it ready for the showing on her dollar on Friday (4/7/17), I didn't see any issue with this and gave her verbal permission, what the heck a free cleaning.

After the cleaning service left, supposedly the cleaning lady told my landlord that there was an issue with the cooking surface of our electric stove. So when I came home that night after work, my landlord and her husband, who I don't feel comfortable around since he was convicted of extortion and currently on supervised release were in my house unannounced (I didn't know about her husband until after we moved in). I immediately got a horrible feeling inside and walked up to see what was going on. The husband opens my front door as I'm walking up and yells over "we aren't doing anything funky!" to which I reply "that's what people say when they are doing something funky!" and we both kinda laugh it off but emotionally inside I'm leaning towards being terrified. In hindsight I feel like I should called 911 and reported trespassing right then but I didn't. They go on to tell me that the unit is going to need to be replaced and its going to have to come out of my security deposit. I wasn't in a position to argue and just wanted them out of my house so I told them I didn't cause this defect but Ill do some research into fixing it.

Come yesterday (4/8/2017) my landlord comes over, knocks on the door and tells me that the oven has to be replaced and is going to cost $700 from some quote she got at Lowes since we need to get an equivalent one that is made by the same manufacturer,  white, self cleaning, and has the smooth cooking surface. I immediately challenge her on this as I do not have $700 to waste when the stove is fine in my opinion and express my disinterest in going that route since I did nothing to cause this defect and believe it should be considered normal wear and tear for an appliance that gets used almost daily. She disagrees, says that since it happened during my watch it is my duty to fix it. I see her point and want to return the unit in the same way it was given. I start looking a several replacements units immediately and find a unit that is 400 dollars and several used units around 250 dollars. I let her know that I found some cheaper options and she storms over, looks at each of the potential options I found online and has some issue with each of them. She says "why dont you just get the one at lowes?" "because I don't have money to waste" and we continue to argue back and forth and she eventually turns red, says "I'm getting my husband" and storms out of the house. At this point, my heart is racing, I have no idea what he is capable of, and my feeling of safety vanishes. I run out and try to cool her down and eventually her husband says "why don't you just do what she asks?" to which I reply again "because I don't have money to waste" . We all continue to argue and I explain that I intend on leaving the house in the same way that it was given and try to cool the situation as best as I can.

Today (4/9/2017) She said the people would be coming by around noon so I decided to leave the house a little before since I want nothing to do with my landlord at this point and want to avoid all interaction at all cost since I find her unreasonable, obsessive, and mentally disturbed based on our last argument and previous arguments. I come home tonight and my stomach drops. The house is almost completely rearranged. There is some gross maple fragrance in the air, the bed is made differently, all the furniture is in a slightly shifted position, she rearranged everything on my night stand, she put away all the bathroom stuff in strange places, she rearranged my desk where I keep my computer (expensive monitors,  expensive tower), and in general made everything hard to find. I feel totally violated and not safe in my own home at this point, its as if she literally touched everything.

Going forward I want nothing to do with these people, I want my security deposit back and due to the history with her husband, I'm starting to feel my safety come into jeopardy.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks

edit 1: She just came by the house and was astonished that I was home and asked me to leave. I told her I will not be leaving and that I have a right to live here, not mentioning it's because I don't want her touching my things. She stormed off saying " this is not the agreement things are not going to go well from now until the end".

original text agreement as follows:
Friday 4/7/17 "Hi, We will be showing cottage on Sunday from 12 to 3. Realtor would prefer to show to prospective renters without anyone being home. Can we make that happen? Also Monday we will show again from 11 to 2. thanks again."
our Response "that's fine, that works for us"

I texted her back saying "I understand you prefer for the house to be empty for showings but you can't force me out of my residence, as long as I'm current on rent I have the right to live here undisturbed. Also saying "things are not going to go good from now until the end" makes me feel very uncomfortable. Once again you have our permission to show the house today and I'll ensure the space is tidy, clean and I'll be sitting quietly on the couch. "

her response "That is not the agreement that was made by text.  You and girlfriend agreed by saying "that works for us" so you have broke your agreement with me. I will be cancelling all appointments and I have taken the day off of work without compensation for today Monday April 10 2017. So that too will be taken out of your security.  I feel uncomfortable about our broken agreement!  @"

My response "I will be challenging you deducting this money from my security deposit  in small claims court if you decide to do so as security deposits can only be retained for unpaid rent or physical damage.  Also going forward please conduct all showings to prospective renters Mondays or Wednesday's  after 530 to 730 pm  or weekends  between noon and 2 pm as I have the right to be present for all showings. Also please provide reasonable notice of 24hrs minimum  before any showings so I can ensure the house is clean and tidy."

Edit 2: 4/12/2017: My landlord just texted me saying "so sorry but that is not how it works, read section 17 of your contract that you and girlfriend signed"

Section 17 states "...if the lease is not renewed as per section 27 of this lease agreement, landlord shall then be allowed access to the property at any time prior to the end of the Term for showing of property to prospective tenants."

This seems unlawful to me as "any time" implies without notice and she could come in whenever she wants as long as she is joined by prospective renters, even if no one is home. By signing the lease, have I already given her permission to do this?

Any help on how to proceed next is greatly appreciated. Thank you
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 You are moving out in a month so just minimize your interactions with her until then if you are this uncomfortable. Nothing you have said here should be making you get dramatic enough to start saying that your safety is in jeopardy.

If she charges you the full value of the stove when you move out then sue her in small claims as you should, at most, be responsible for the cost of a used one.


Title: Ex Boyfriend impersonating me on Social Media, inluding LinkedIn - internet laws question

Question:
I am from Eastern Europe and I'm not asking about country-specific laws because in my country, nobody is going to do anything.

Anyway I dated this guy ONE AND A HALF YEARS AGO. I *dated* him, we weren't even in a relationship. We had maybe 5 dates in total. We had great communication, but there was something off about him + I wasn't physically attracted to him + he had been teaching in my Uni - - so I decided to cut it.

First he was clingy about it, blocking and unblocking me on facebook, sending some messages blah blah, but eventually it stopped.

In February last year, someone broke into my apartment at 5 AM and went srraight into my room, nothing was stolen. My roommate described a guy simimar to the ex, and from the picture, he said it could have been him. However, there was not evidence to go to the police AND it could have been just paranoia. A number of times, someone rag the bell and ran away (neighbor witnessed it was an adult), then I moved and it stopped. I also changed my number at the time because someone kept calling me from a private number.

Also a profile named ''Miles Parson'' added me on Facebook (zero mutual friends etc, one pic etc) but I thought nothing of it, and just ignored the request. (that was all more than a year ago)

Anyway, a month ago I posted a translation pronect ad and maybe 2 weeks ago or so, someone messaged me about translation work. I am a freelance translator so at first there was nothing fishy about it.

They wanted me to translate 100 pages for them, I said sure. I called the person (common in my country), they answered but there was silence, and they sent me a message that they wanted to do business through facebook. I said no, I only do it through mail. He told me his mail wasn't working (it ringed bs bells to me) and was really persistant, told me he had another friend who needed translation etc. He also was eager to know which city I was in, asking me 4-5 times during our conversation.

In the end, I gave in (100 pages means a lot of money for a student :/) and he added me. Guess which profile added me? It was Miles Parson.

I freaked out at that moment and ignored the request and blocked that profile. I received maybe 10 messages asking what is wrong + the number called me, my boyfriend and my sister a couple of times (I used their phones to contact the number because my phone credit was empty)... And if they answered the call, it was completely silent.

It escalated quickly.

That night, my father (who I don't even live with) received a landline phone call. The person said 'Hello, this is Sarah's (me) boyfriend, is she there?'', my father was like wtf, isn't she living with you? He said ''She is on her way home, she told me that she has a family death case, so she went home today and I keep calling her, but she isn' t answering. Where is she now? Which city is she in? ''

My dad called me afterwards and I told him it was a scam. So now both my, my actual boyfriend, my sister, my dad and I start panicking.

The number kept calling and calling. I had no idea who that was.

My sister has a phone identification app and she gave it a go for this number. She typed the number in and BINGO - full name of my "ex" appeared.

Next day, I went to the police. They told me they can't do anything because there are no violent threats.

Anyway, that night, a couple of numbers called me, my sister and my boyfriend. At first I didn't know what was hapoening but I found out very soon. There was a fake FB profile of me - my photos, my personal information, my family tree details, personal info about my father and sister. The profile was also messaging random people (including some friends who sent me screenshots).

The guy obviously went abnormally long lenghts. I have a genealogy website profile where you can see my family tree. But you need to pay to see the details. So the guy paid to see my family tree. Also about personal data  - I have no idea how he obtained it.

So with my friends' help, we managed to get that profile deleted from Facebook (lots of us reported it).

I confronted the person, told him I knew who he was etc etc, he denied it, but never called again and I thought it was all over.

Until today I found a LinkedIn profile with my name and the same details and description that was on the Facebook profile. Extremely personal information.

I am angry. I don't know what to do about this. This can ruin my professional picture (even though there is nothing inappropriate). I am really freaking out. I reported it but most of my friends don't use and don't know how to use LinkedIn so they can't report it. I don't know what to do.

I mean, is there any way I can get protected on the internet from people impersonating (and obviously harassing) me? My country won't do anything. How the hell can I protect myself from this?

Tl:dr - A psycho ex date stalked me on social media, then made fake profiles of me, with personal information, and I have no idea how to deal with that or how to protexžct myself.

Answer:
 You will not be able to get a good answer without letting us know which country you are in. Your grammar leads me to believe former Yugoslavia/Balkan States (you did make an accent mark that makes me think Czechia, but that isn't far off, but I am not sure. At any rate, we don't know your country's laws or whether you are a member of NATO or the UN.

The first thing you should do is contact the the sites about this. Generally, they will take the profile down. (Make sure you don't have a common name).

What potential damages do you have?  Are employers looking at that, for example?


Title: Removing A Fentenal Drug Dealer

Question:
I got a new neighbor a year ago, moved in as a guest and has been selling drugs since day 1.  At first it wasn't noticeable but as his customer base grew it became ridiculous.  His door is opposite mine in just a 4 foot wide hallway.  He has a great many dw deliveries and the runners and buyers are in and out all day.  I complained to management but they said I needed proof.  I put a camera inside my apartment because the activity goes on at all hours and someone is always trying to get in or knock or beg for drugs, confused and at the wrong door.  Then I got burgled and I know it has to be this guy because he watches my every move and like a fool I left for a two hour doctor appointment only to come home and slowly notice things were missing, drawers were open and sure enough cash and other valuables were missing.  I'm 72 years old and do not want to go to the police, he'd say I was a senile old woman.

Every Monday he ships out his drugs using USPS.  When he first started he was nice and brought up a package for me telling me he was a college student and needed to get to class.  He also asked if I would mail a small USPS package to his mother because he had to get to class and gave me $20.  I was happy to help a new neighbor but the return address was not his and I thought it odd.  I sent it for him thinking maybe he was sending for another family member.  Stupid me.

As the months went on I complained often to my manager.  The activity was getting worse, late hours, guitar playing, smoke pouring out of his place in a building that doesn't allow smoking and no one complains.  Many of the young neighbors buy from him and can tell he talks bad about me because they used to say hello but now avoid or ignore me.  Today is Monday and he is doing a high volume business to/from PO just a few blocks away.  He goes, picked up boxes, comes back, loads them of all sizes, prints out labels and sends them off.

Now how do I get this guy out of my building, out of my life, without being dragged into a legal mess?  More importantly, this guy is vicious.  When I first new of him he was with a couple of guys standing on the street, our apts face a busy area, and he was more animated than the other two guys with him.  Then some guy walking by tries to go around them and he punched the guy smack in the neck almost knocking him down and screamed for him to get away "you faggot!".  I started to call 911 but the guy apologized, was holding his face, people were all staring and he got up and hurried away.  Again, I'm 72 and one punch like that and my life is over.

Is there any possible way to alert the USPO and stop this guy in his tracks and remaining anonymous.  He has a car, transports pounds of weed and other drugs, I wrote down his license plate number, make and model and know when he goes on his drug runs  because he brings it back in big backpacks and duffle bags.  They could strop him while driving and catch him then and there.

He doesn't like me altho I stay hidden here like a hermit now.  Afraid to go out, management has told him I complained.  When passing on the stairway he gets too close and sort of 'chortles' his voice as though he's going to fall or push me.  I'm just scared all the time.  What a way to live out the last chapter of my life.  How can I make it so I feel safe again?

Answer:
 Do not do anything Batman would do. Don't gather evidence, don't confront the criminal, don't brood over the city.

Call the police at a non-emergency number and let them handle it. If he is using USPS you can also report it to them.Answer #2: If you don't want to go to the police, you have limited options.  I highly recommend contacting the police, and [maybe the postal inspector](https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/contactUs/phoneus.aspx) to let them know you suspect this address is shipping drugs through the postal service.

If you fear for your safety, your absolute best bet is to move somewhere else.


Title: Reefers at my back door!

Question:
I'm talking refrigerated trucks. 6 months we moved into our house, a grocery opened in the shopping center behind us.
If we had known it was going to be there, we never would have purchased the home. Their loading dock is about 40 feet from our back gate, and trucks waiting for the dock park along our fence line.
The trucks are refrigerated, which means the motor is constantly running. At times, the trucks will try to park there overnight. It is like having a truck stop in our back yard!

I've done all of the usual stuff - talked to corporate, emailed my councilman, called the police when it's loud. Nothing has  come of this, except 2 signs located along our fence line, that say "don't park between these two signs". One of these was knocked down
by a truck, and no one obeyed them anyway.

A few years ago, we put in all new windows, to help with the sound.
This was $18,000. After that, we planted fast growing bamboo along our fence line. This was $3,000. These upgrades have helped some,
but it's still noisy as heck in the back yard.

We live in a smaller, somewhat exclusive, town.  We are not  fancy folk, but a lot of people here are. We have discovered that city officials are NOT on our side. I guess the tax revenue from the business is more important then a homeowner. The Chief of Police came and parked behind our house to hear the noise. He said he
heard nothing. Another time, we called the police because a truck
was parking overnight. The policeman came back and said the truck
HAD to park there, because the driver was out of hours. On
Saturdays,  there are usually 3 or 4 trucks lined up to make deliveries.

The delivery hours for our town are 6AM til 10PM. There is supposed to be a 30 min window for deliveries, which they never obey.

We just found out that the grocery is expanding. I am crushed.
We will never sell this house, and we live with the noise all of the time. Ultimately, we would like them to build a sound proof wall
at the back of their loading area. Has anyone ever had a similar experience? What did you do? Do we have any legal recourse?

Edit:
We live in Louisiana. We moved here from out of state, and had to buy a home in a single weekend. Our realtors told us that the shopping center behind the house was for " smaller" businesses. They said the previous tenant was a
small drug store. We had no way of knowing that a grocery would go in 8 months later. I don't know if we could have found this out somehow or not.

If this were built now, it would not conform with current zoning laws. But, the shopping center was built prior to the current ordinances, so it is grandfathered. I did read that if there is an expansion, or if the "footprint" of
the building is changed, then it must conform to current regs. I emailed
the planning department about this, and they emailed back, saying basically
"You're wrong and you suck". Everyone in "city hall" has been rude and
acts like I am a pain in the butt (which I am, I guess !). Haha.

Answer:
 It's likely the plans for the store were available for public inspection at the time of the purchase so I don't see what recourse you would have.Answer #2: I'm not sure there's anything you can do about the noise. If they stick to the 6am to 10pm hours, there's not much you can do.

If they park in a way that obstructs you getting your car into your garage, then you can just keep calling the police to have the trucks moved.

I live in the downtown core of a large city. my building's parkade is opposite a pizza place, the moving bay of two large buildings, and I share the lane with two grocery stores. There are times it takes me half an hour to get out cause trucks are blocking me in. There's not much that can be done. Usually, by the time parking enforcement people come to ticket the trucks, the trucks are gone.

You can put the house up for sale. Keep track of delivery hours and do your showings when the deliveries are not happening.


Title: Can workplace prohibit an emotional support animal?

Question:
My wife has a note from a psychologist prescribing an emotional support animal (you can see my history for more information).

The health department at her work (fast food restaurant) said the dog needs to be trained before they let her bring the dog to work. Is that true, or can she bring the dog anyway?

We're in Utah. The dog is an 8 week old Shih Tzu.

Answer:
 Yes, and because she works in food handling, probably should prohibit it. ESA's are not service animals, and they aren't covered under the same rules. It absolutely should be trained. Answer #2: Can't speak for anyone but myself but I sure wouldn't want to eat at a restaurant where an employee was taking care of their dog while working, especially a puppy. Seems like this should violate some type of health laws. Answer #3: [Utah law](https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title62A/Chapter5B/62A-5b-S102.html) regarding support animals does not recognize an animal that is purely for emotional support as a "service animal".

They are correct.


Title: Is it legal to take a companies video game without permission and put it on a console for you to sell?

Question:
The title explains my question. I need to know what law there is against taking a companies developed Video Game that was for sale without their property, and then putting that game on your own video game console. A one hit wonder rapper SouljaBoy thinks this is completely okay, and keeps taking games from Nintendo, Sega, Sony, and more. I would like to know what law prevents this because this rapper thinks this is okay. It would be greatly appreciated!
Topic:
Intellectual Property

Answer:
 Basic copyright law prevents that. With ruinously expensive consequences.

Nintendo in particular is notoriously litigious.


Title: Bought a new laptop from Best Buy, checked my manufacturer’s warranty and it turns out the laptop was sent in for repair for an unknown issue about a month before my purchase date.

Question: 6 months after buying the laptop, both hinges became loose on the screen. I did not drop the laptop and I have kept it in a case whenever I go. I do play video games extensively however, 4 hours plus, which causes a lot of heat on the laptop. I bought a  Acer Nitro 5 , so it is meant for gaming. Is there anything I can do about this? I have Acer’s warranty on the product, but they said they don’t cover physical damage. Acer wants 400 dollars for repair if I send it in. I spoke to Best Buy and they told me tough luck, even though I was supposed to buy a new laptop from them, not one sent in for repair a month earlier.

Answer:
 The fact that they sold you a previously-owned laptop as new is actionable, but at six months that's going to be difficult. This is something you'll want to engage your state's Attorney General on. Keep printed copies of the documentation you have showing that the laptop was previously repaired.

The fact that the laptop has suffered physical damage will definitely work against you regardless.


Title: Breaking lease, been there less than a month NC

Question: [deleted]

Answer: $275 seems pretty generous to me...


Title: (CT) What is the legal standing of those Radar Speed Signs?

Question:
I am talking about the LED signs that detect a drivers speed and posts them.  This has nothing to do with the speeding cameras, this is a device that sits on a trailer police put out to calm traffic.
Everyday I drive to work on a road that is notorious for speeding.  To match the speed of traffic I typically drive 10-15 miles above the speed limit.  The road is a vital corridor of commuter traffic and a state route.
Since I see it everyday I have noticed that it typically clocks me 2-4 miles per hour higher than my speedometer.  The speed limit is 45 MPH on this road and while I usually slow down as I get close what is my exposure to police?  Can they use this to pull me over if they happen to be behind me?  Assuming that they can issue me a ticket for this does it fall under the same radar rules as the radar gun?  Can I ask for the maintenance and calibration information in court?

Answer:
 Those are not used for ticketing purposes.

They are a community policing thing to raise awareness of speed and also they can be used for statistical things- average speed of cars on the road, number of cars, etc.

Yes, if they tried to use it in court, you'd be able to ask for maintenance and calibration as part of your defense.

But if an officer is behind you and wants to give you a ticket he could also pace you or use the RADAR in his car to do that or to confirm the speed on the sign.


Title: My daughter is suspended from work with a possibility of being fired.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 You can help get find a new job. This doesn't sound like a place she wants to work.

But she can be fired for not asking for permission to clock out.


Title: (San Diego) employer is telling employees not to talk with somebody who has filed a claim against the business. is this legal?

Answer: They can tell you not to speak with a former employee, and fire you if you ignore the directive and speak with them.


Title: [PA] My car was hit during a merge when the guy drove up next to me to cut me off. Who is at fault?

Question:
I was on the left lane of a two lane highway when my lane closed. The traffic was moving but at a slow speed. At the bottleneck, I was ahead of the car on the right lane. So, I signaled and merged right (zipper merge). The other car decided not to let me in and drove up next to me and then cut me off. I was already half way into the lane at this point. As he was cutting me off, the rear driver side of his car scraped the front passenger side of my car. Who is at fault here?

When I was googling for an answer, some people said that the one in the merging lane is always at fault because the other lane has right of way. Some said that if you're ahead and merged legally, and the other car sped ahead to cut you off, then they are at fault. Some said that both cars may be at fault.

If you are familiar with this type of collision, please let me know what you think. Thanks.

Answer: You are at fault unless he hit the rear of your vehicle. He has possession of the lane, it is your duty to make sure it is free before you move over otherwise you are required to yield


Title: Walmart Watermelon Suit - How do you get to 2.5M in compensary damages, much less 7M total?

Answer: I'd be interested in seeing that footage that the jurors saw. Since multiple people were getting their feet stuck in the pallet, something might have been weird with the pallet or how the display was set up that Wal-Mart should have corrected.


Title: Neighbors park in Handicapped Spots

Question:
I have two handicapped spots to split between me and my neighbor. Neither of us are handicapped but my dad is a disabled veteran and they park in the spots with their regular cars. It’s a small parking area so, there’s not tons of spots available but still they can’t park there legally. I called the non emergency police line yesterday and they came out and gave them a warning. They moved the cars.

Well they are right back there today. What should my next course of action be?
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer: Call the non-emergency police line again.


Title: Virginia - Bought a CPO car from a local Honda dealer, got a great deal. Now I need to sue and am being told I have to use arbitration. Plot Twist - When purchasing, I refused to sign the arbitration agreement. Not sure what my next steps are.

Question:
I am trying to take the dealership to small claims court, I am not going to get into the details as to why, but a mechanic I trust as well as another dealership came to the same agreement that the car that I purchased was obliviously misrepresented by the dealer.  The repairs needed are ~$3,800

My wife and I bought a car 2-3 years ago and I refused to sign the arbitration agreement.  It was a separate document from all the other documents.

I told the finance guy that this was a non-starter, I will not buy a car from them if I have to sign the arbitration agreement, I will walk away from this deal.  After quite a bit of back and forth with him, his boss and the GM, him and I signed across top of it "Customer refuses to sign agreement" - Just to be clear - Both I and the fiance guy signed this.  I have a copy of this document.

I had them served and they (their legal representation) kicked back a letter saying that I need to use their Arbitrator per the purchase agreement.  I sent them a copy of the arbitration agreement that says I refused to sign and I will see them in court.  They sent me another note saying that the finance guy had no authority to allow me to NOT sign the agreement and the fact that I have my signature anywhere on that page means that I agreed to the arbitration agreement.  I call bullshit on that one.

This back and forth has been going on for a while now and I am set to go to court at the end of next week.  What do I do now?  Based off the back and forth correspondence, I think that no one is going to show up.

**EDIT** - A lot of questions about the car situation.  Long story as short as possible, I purchased a 2012 CPO model with less than 1,000 miles on it.  I was told that the previous owner had it for about 7 weeks.  He wanted a 2013, they were not in when he bought it, he was in a tight spot, ended up buying the 2012, the 2013 came in 7 weeks later, he negotiated with the dealership, got a great deal on the 2013 model.  In less than a week, they processed the car, "inspected it" and put it up for sale...I bought it that following weekend.

I personally never inspected it, the story seemed legit, it had a clean CARFAX, all that jazz.  Turns out the previous/original owner was involved in an accident days after the initial purchase, had the car fixed, and "returned" the car prior to the CARFAX report being generated on it.

When I purchased the car it had its original warranty as well as the Honda CPO extended warranty.  At the time of purchase, the dealership represented the car as new with a bonus extended warranty, in brand-new condition.

Several weeks ago I went to get my oil changed, have a check engine light looked at, and inquired about an odd squeaking in the back.  The mechanic that I trust asked when I was in an accident, I told him I was never in one.  He brought me into the shop and showed me the underside of the car where there is OBVIOUS repair work.  He sells cars on the side, pulled a CARFAX for me, and showed that there was indeed an accident.  He told me that there is NO WAY that the dealership would have been able to look this over when I first purchased the car.  The underside of the car is now suffering from rusting and the squeaking (according to my mechanic) is due to bad rear shocks (accident related) and poor repair work from the company that did the repair job.

The other dealership I went to threw the car up on their rack and the service manager told me that they would never have approved this car as a CPO as it had quite obviously been in an accident.

To get the car to a non-squeaking condition, the other Honda dealership quoted me at the almost $4,000 price tag.

I hope this satisfies a majority of car related questions.

Answer:
 Go to court as normal. If it's AAA or JAMS arbitration in the agreement that you didn't sign (which are the most common types), you have the right under the AAA/JAMS rules to file in small claims court anyway.

Edit: Just in case you need it, the rules allowing you to file in small claims court are AAA Consumer Arbitration Rule R-9 and JAMS Consumer Minimum Standards 1(b).Answer #2: They will probably show up, they are just trying to strong arm you into going to arbitration before court. The "anywhere on the page" thing is complete bs, and the other part is an agency law issue. Either way you didn't sign the arbitration agreement so appear to have a strong case.Answer #3: If they didn't have the authority to sell you the car without you signing the agreement, have your lawyer offer to settle the matter by unrolling the deal for a full refund to you. Answer #4: I do not know Virginia law, but in my jurisdiction, if an arb agreement is presented to you and you do not sign it, but you do sign the rest of the contract, they cannot force you to arbitrate. Take 'em to small claims court and tell the judge you refused to sign the arb agreement.I cannot imagine the law differs in VA, especially given that you told them you wouldn't arbitrate (which, by the way, was a hella smart move, good for you).


Title: Had my first DUI this morning...

Question:
BACKGROUND INFO:

I am 19. I live in Washington state. I went to a Halloween party last night. Had a few drinks around midnight. I was heading home to get my ID badge for work and my bumper fell off. Had to pull over to fix it. In the process I got stuck in the mud and a highway patrolman stopped behind me. He made me do an on the spot sobriety check. I firmly denied that j consumed alcohol anytime in the past 24 hours. Essentially, I was taken to the station and given a breathalyzer. I had a .05 BAC. Normally this would be acceptable, but like I said, I'm under 21. In my state the acceptable range to drive on under 21 is .02. I was given a court date. I was incredibly cooperative from beginning to end.

INFO I VOLUNTEERED

*That I had not consumed alcohol (lie)
*I told him that I had consumed mouthwash which may interfere with the results (Lie)
*My personal information
*Where I had been the night prior

I understand that I did give some unnecessary info here. Trust me, but I was very tired, as I had not slept the night prior.

Considering my very low BAC, as well as the fact that I will hire a good attorney and it is my first offense, what can I expect in the days, weeks or months following this event?

Answer:
 Your attorney might be able to get you into a diversion program. You should get one of those sooner rather than later.

Edit: you also appear to have been intoxicated on ecstasy the night prior and should seriously consider deleting this entire account.


Title: Parents are "reopening divorce". What does this mean for my minor sibling, and how can I protect her? (Florida)

Question:
Okay, parents got divorced 7 years ago. Both have since remarried. I am their eldest child at 26; my youngest sister is 16.

Technically my parents split custody, with my mom as primary. My father (we do not speak; he blames me for the divorce) sees my sister maybe a weekend every other month despite my mother making her available.

So, onto questions. My father is moving to reopen the divorce, I am guessing to renegotiate my sister's custody and child support. He has never followed the parenting plan, stopped working full time in order to pay almost no child support (while living off his trust), and is now claiming that my mother is not communicating with him/keeping my sister from him. My mother has piles of emails to prove otherwise.

He has threatened to bankrupt her with court proceedings in the past. Is there a point at which  him repeatedly dragging her into court for non-issues or just made up ones becomes a legal issue?

He is also extremely likely to push for my sister (who has her license) to begin to do the 3 hour drives to and from his house, in order to make it more "fair". My sister has a restricted license as she has a medical condition that is well controlled but she still has occasional issues; currently he and my mother meet halfway for pickups and drop offs. This will be thrown out, right?

And at what point is my sister able to say "I really don't actually want to visit dad and Stepbitch"?

And what does "reopening the divorce" actually mean?

Also his lawyer is openly bitchy, unprofessional and rude in emails to my mom and her lawyer. Can she be reported for this?

TL;DR: Dad is asshole who pulls mom back into court or mediation over non-issues in parenting plan, or flat out fabricated problems. His lawyer is openly rude and unprofessional in emails to my mom/her lawyer. What are the consequences of these two things/are there even consequences?

Also, he wants my sister (who has a medical issue) to drive 3 hours each way to bring herself to and from him on his weekends as opposed to him meeting my mom halfway. This will be thrown out, right? Is my sister old enough to say "I don't want to see him"?

Answer:
 >Is there a point at which him repeatedly dragging her into court for non-issues or just made up ones becomes a legal issue?

Yes, but you haven't described anything that would support such a claim.

>And at what point is my sister able to say "I really don't actually want to visit dad and Stepbitch"?

She is 16, so she could presumably make her wishes known to the court.

>And what does "reopening the divorce" actually mean?

Presumably as you suggested, "to renegotiate my sister's custody and child support"

>Also his lawyer is openly bitchy, unprofessional and rude in emails to my mom and her lawyer. Can she be reported for this?

No.  If your mother has an attorney, then your mother should be talking with them, and not you talking with us...


Title: My senior project idea got rejected because of a law called FERPA

Question:
So my idea was to send out an autism spectrum quotient test to the whole school, then, in the results of that test, I would link a video that I'd made explaining what autism is and how it affects those who have it. The idea was that the test would spread awareness with the video spreading information. I feel like more people would watch the video if they'd taken the test, you know?

But apparently the test would be violating FERPA. Would it be illegal if it was 100% anonymous? I wouldn't use it to collect any data - only to spread awareness. Or should I just completely scrap the test idea?

Answer:
 The school isn't going to disclose student contact information to you, full stop. That information actually is protected, and the school can get in major legal trouble for unauthorized disclosures. They also aren't going to distribute your test for you: putting every single student through a school-endorsed autism test puts the school in the awkward position of holding extremely sensitive medical information - something I'm sure they very much do not want for a variety of legal reasons, and which they have no business inquiring into in the first place.

In other words: no. Doubly no since you're not even using the data: collecting data in bad faith will, once you're at the university level, get your ethics board _extremely_ riled up against you, too.


Title: EB games has scammed me

Question:
I bought a pre owned copy of far cry 5 for 28$ however inside the case they had far cry 4. Can I sue them? I'm guessing not because it would seem as though I've put in far cry 4 disc myself. Is it even possible to return? Thanks.
Topic:
Consumer Law

Answer:
 >I bought a pre owned copy of far cry 5 for 28$ however inside the case they had far cry 4. Can I sue them?

Have you even tried contacting them?

> Is it even possible to return? Thanks.

See previous point.


Title: Being sued for student loans?? Advice??

Question:
I’m not sure who else to go to for advice, but I’ve read and agreed with a lot of people’s advice here for other people’s situations...so here it goes. I will try to be as brief as possible, and if I’m missing any important info please ask.

I took out student loans for college starting almost 15 years ago. Once I was out of school I started paying on them even though the payment seemed a bit steep, I made it work.

In 2011 I had a son and was having issues with payments then, but still tried my best to make things work. Not too long after he was born, I was just unable to make ends meet as it was, and his father was not helping financially...so I found myself in a pickle. Considering I was having trouble even finding enough money for food, student loan payments were at the bottom of the priority list. A few years later when I was making a couple bucks more I thought about getting back into making payments, but they had defaulted and the payments were astronomical at this point and I couldn’t afford them. I was having a lot of troubles with catching up on making payments toward any debt I had, so I sought advice from a bankruptcy attorney.

So...after much deliberation, I filed for bankruptcy. Now I know student loan debt isn’t forgiven, but the attorney I used for the bankruptcy did give me advice on how to best deal with the student loans. His advice? Don’t pay them. He said not to send them a dime and let the statute of limitations run out on them so they will be unable to collect on them. In the state of Kentucky he said it would be a considerable number of years, but the statute would eventually run out. He said my credit would basically be screwed, but that would be my best option. He was my attorney and seemed to have decent advice regarding the rest of my bankruptcy, so I took his advice.

Last week I received a summons from the county sheriff department in which I live; I’m now being sued by a company that bought out my student loan debt for the full amount of all 3 loans. I did some brief internet research and it appears as if I don’t contact them and set up a payment plan, that they can eventually garnish my wages up to the full extent the law will allow.

I called the company and said that I basically couldn’t afford much per month right now, but I was wanting to get some payments sent in so my wages don’t get garnished. I asked if $10 a month per loan would be sufficient and he put me on hold to get an approval. He came back and said it couldn’t be approved for that low of a payment and that they could do $250 a month. Per loan.

That amount would be absolutely crippling for me. The company that contacted me is a debt collection attorneys office and my boyfriend said their job is to basically get as much money from me each month as possible. I did ask if they would offer a settlement if I offered a one time lump sum payment...he said it would depend on the offer but it is something they would definitely consider.

My loans total just over $45k.

My questions are...

1. Is it feasible to call back another day and talk to someone else and maybe offer a smaller payment per month? Is a monthly payment in this situation negotiable? He seemed stern about the monthly payment amount but once I hung up and talked to my boyfriend, he said it’s their job to sound stern but that if I’m insistent enough, they will negotiate. If they will negotiate...how low are we talking? Because $250 per loan a month is nowhere near a ballpark figure that I could afford.

2. If I chose the lump sum payment, how low do you think they will go for that? I have some money saved up and I am willing to give them every last dollar I have if it means settling my student loan and getting rid of it forever. But I don’t have close to $45k.

I want to make right on these loans, but I’m afraid of being stuck with a payment that is so astronomical I can’t afford to even exist. I’m already working two jobs because my son’s father doesn’t help financially, I would have to get a third job to even begin to come close to being able to afford those payments. But on the other hand, I can’t afford to have my wages garnished either. My boyfriend said that them garnishing my wages won’t come until after a court battle, so it’s not like it’ll start right away. Even though the summons I was given by the sheriff required communication within 20 days.

I guess I’m just looking for some advice on how to proceed. Clearly my attorney wasn’t the smartest, and if I had known this would happen years later...I never would’ve gone this long without doing something. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you all.

Apologies for the formatting, I’m on mobile.

I originally posted this in r/personalfinance, but realize you all may be better suited for this...

Answer: If you haven't been served a summons and complaint yet, you haven't been ordered to pay anything. If they don't want what you can pay them, let them take you to court. You can go to the hearings yourself and try to negotiate with the lawyer over the case who will be more reasonable than the collection agency phone guy (he's literally just there to bilk you for everything he can). You're going to have a little less bargaining power because of wage garnishment (my state doesn't allow for that). Wage garnishment sounds scary but it's a formula. It won't be an excessive amount. The court won't leave you destitute. If you are truly bad off your agreed monthly payment may be more than the garnishment. Also, judgments expire if you don't renew them. If they aren't getting much from you it might not be worth the effort to renew the judgment. With all this in consideration, they may just accept a lump sum from you if you have it to be able to pay them for satisfaction or a greatly reduced judgment


Title: Owners tried to cancel lease

Question: Hey guys, I’m in a bit of a predicament. So my lease at my current apartment is ending on July 1st. Me and my roommates found a new townhome and we’re SUPER excited about. We have signed the lease for this place and put down deposits and fees and are ready to move in on the stated move in date of July 1st. Then yesterday out of no where we get an email from the people that own the townhome (which is weird in itself as we never talked to them personally, we only talked to their rental agent). It says this: “Hello Ladies, my Name is [owner],  my Husband [owner] and I own the property that you wanted to rent on [address].  Unfortunately we had a sale pending on the property and it has been sold.  We are happy to refund you any in deposits paid but we are canceling the lease right away. “ Is this legal? Are they allowed to cancel the lease after we have all signed the agreement?

Answer:
 That gets to be a complicated question in terms of what your recourse is.

Since the owners used an agent, they cannot cancel the lease (I am assuming they did not sign the lease, but their PM/REA did.) The agent you signed with can only do so if there is a contingency for this circumstance, but generally they can not do so, and a sale itself does not invalidate the lease. The lease transfers to the new owners.

However, they might not give you the keys, which is effectively canceling the lease, but leaves the agent, or whoever signed the lease, open to your damages in locating and securing another unit. It is almost impossible for force performance through a lawsuit in housing court, so start doing the following simultaneously:

Press the person you signed the lease with to allow you to have the unit because there is a lease in place.

Negotiate with them on a buyout amount they pay you for your trouble.

Start looking for a new place, and document your expenses. You can sue for this amount if the above two fail.Answer #2: Does the lease say that the owners can cancel the lease if the property is sold, or does the lease say anything about the landlord's right to cancel the lease under certain circumstances?


Title: My ex-girlfriend used my personal information without asking me to get a student loan.

Question:
Hello everyone,

My ex-gf was a on a F1 Visa the moment she used my personal information to get a loan through Discover Bank.

No, she didn't ask me before she applied (She knew my SSN, Address, name etc). Applied for it online and I NEVER got a letter telling me so from the bank. She know lives in Asia and I have no way to contact her.

My credit score is fucked up now (430).

What are my options?

NJ - New Jersey
Topic:
Credit Debt Bankruptcy

Answer:
 File a police report for identity theft. Use that report to dispute the loan with the credit bureaus. In the future, protect your information a bit more carefully.Answer #2: There is pretty much no way to resolve this without you sending her to jail or getting her deported.

So call the policeAnswer #3: >She knew my SSN

Never make this mistake again.


Title: (NY) is it illegal to keep a wrong order?

Question:
So I order items a, b and c from an online retailer. Item c arrives as expected, but instead of a and b arriving, the box contains items d, e, f, g and h. Items d-h are worth significantly more than a and b combined, so keeping them isn't a loss on my part.

I'm wondering if keeping these items is against the law? If it's not illegal and this company catches on, can they ask me to return the items, or charge me after they notice?

I understand keeping the items is probably *morally* wrong, but what about legally?

Edit: for what it's worth they told me to just keep it, and they're sending the correct items expedited. Now that's service.

Answer:
 You can return them or pay for them.

You cannot keep them without paying.


Title: Helping a friend who's done fighting her parents (Merced)

Question:
Location: Merced, Ca

Defense Party: GF (girlfriend) and K (GF's housemate)

Attacking Party: K's Parents

Issue: K is being forced by her parents to move out this weekend due to being unable to find work in the Merced area (where unemployment is 10.4%) within the past 6 months. However, K and GF are renting an apartment together until May, and also K is GF's ride for classes most days. GF's parents even cover two-thirds of the rent for that fact.

Other information: K is 23 years old and has a trust left to her by her grandparents. Her father has not released the trust to her because he wants power over her education decision. K's parents are well off, and don't really have much to bicker about. Plus, K is not bad in school, and was doing well at the JC here in Merced, was getting mostly A's. The only issue was that she can't find a job, which she has tried. And her parents stressing over that fact is really inconsiderate.

If you can help, that'd be great, if you want more info, I have a lot of stories.

Answer:
 So K is a 23-year-old unemployed junior college student whose parents are paying her rent, and you want to know if K can legally (through lawsuit or other means) force her parents to continue funding her lifestyle at your GF's apartment?

Short answer: No.

Long answer: Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.Answer #2: > I have lots of stories.

This isn't the subreddit you're looking for.

Answer #3: Ok lets take bets, what are the chances this is a wannabe raised by narcissist issue?


Title: Got hit by uninsured driver, police 'lost' the police report

Question: [TX] I was rear ended by another driver which caused significant damage to my car (almost none to hers) but no one was hurt.  I called the police to file a report but since it was a minor accident, they made me file it over the phone instead of sending an actual cop to the scene.  Several days later I came to find out the insurance info she gave me was expired.  Thus, I went to the police department to get a copy of the accident report only to find out that they don't have one.  They have record of the phone call and they assigned the incident a case number but all of the important info seems to have never been recorded, including the other divers plates and VIN number.  All in all, the police seem extremely apathetic to help me and I don't foresee them actually doing anything to make the situation better.  Thus, do I have any type of recourse against the driver that hit me without a police report?  Do I have any recourse against the police for failing to provide a police report?  What are my options, if any?  Thanks!

Answer:
 Contact your insurance. Unless you only have liability, they should be able to assist you. If you only have liability then you'll have to sue the other person yourself for any damages.

Also, call the police non-emergency number and let them know that the person that hit you did not have insurance and file a complaint against the officer that took your initial phone call.


Title: I met a doctor who told me when patients come to her wanting an abortion, she makes them feel guilty on purpose, won't give them a referral, and won't even tell them the names of other doctors who could help. Should I report her?

Question: I'm from Victoria, Australia. I met her in person through friends of friends, not through needing a doctor. I also do not need an abortion, but I feel like this is very very wrong.

Answer:
 Apparently this has to be said.

Pushing agendas will get you banned. Being stupid will get you banned.

Read the sub name. Read the rules. Follow them.


Title: Friend just got out of a relationship where they were living together. He moved out and doesn't want to pay rent anymore (contract ends in September). What options can she take?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Find a roommate.

Talk to her landlord and see what options are available

Pay the rent and sue him later.

Walk away and take the hit. Likely pay a ton of money to the landlord for breaking the lease.

Those are the options


Title: Next door neighbour threatens dog, threatens to call the cops.

Question:
So, I’ve had a dog for about 6 years now. He’s older(large dog) and he can’t seem to learn to leave people alone when they’re outside the fence. But he only barks when someone’s walking past that he can see. Aka he’s fine if he’s in the back of the yard.

My neighbour has threaten my dog(“do something about him or I’m going to”) and when we’re getting him in and trying to get him to stop barking at them he asks if we’re going to get him in.(what do you think we’re doing, bud?)

Anyways, today my mom got fed up with him doing this shit and pointed out that if you ignore him and talk to him(the little girl teases him standing on the porch and making faces at him, he doesn’t like them) and just go to the car(it’s winter, why are you standing outside even?) he won’t bother you.

We don’t let him go out when they’re outside gardening or anything, and if we do we realise and get him in. His barking annoys us too, why would we want him outside barking? His mom doesn’t mind and even tries to pet him sometimes, to which he just runs away because he knows better than to let strangers touch him.

Anyways, my mom told him to call the cops. Like I said, he’s an older dog. I’m worried the cops will take their side if they claim he’s agressive(which he isn’t).

I’m just worried about my buddy...
Topic:
Douche

Answer: I would recommend cameras facing the areas where the neighbors could interact with your dog. That way you will have proof that the dog was not being aggressive in the event there is an incident.


Title: Is it legal for my employer not to allow any lights on while we're working? [AZ]

Question:
I work for a well known thrift store in Arizona. The company is hurting financially right now and as a way to cut back on costs, they're making it mandatory to keep all lights off, except for in the main store where people shop. So me and my coworkers have to work in the back in the dark. You can still see, but light from outside is very minimal, so you have to strain your eyes to see.

It's not an awful working condition to work in, but the eye strain is causing me and some others some headaches. Can they do this?

Thank you!

**tl;dr:** The company I work for is making it mandatory to keep all lights off to save on money. Located in Arizona.

Answer:
 It sounds like your employer is, at a minimum, in violation of the OHS Act and may also be in violation of state and local laws as well.

OSHA has established lighting standards in an office setting at 50 fc (foot candles) or 538 lumens.  Its unlikely that the ambient light in your work-space is providing this level of illumination.

From the OSHA website:

> Workers have a right to a safe workplace. The law requires employers to provide their employees with safe and healthful workplaces. The OSHA law also prohibits employers from retaliating against employees for exercising their rights under the law (including the right to raise a health and safety concern or report an injury). For more information see www.whistleblowers.gov or Workers' rights under the OSH Act.

>Workers may file a complaint to have OSHA inspect their workplace if they believe that their employer is not following OSHA standards or that there are serious hazards. Workers can file a complaint with OSHA by calling 1-800-321-OSHA (6742), online via eComplaint Form, or by printing the complaint form and mailing or faxing it to the local OSHA area office. Complaints that are signed by a worker are more likely to result in an inspection.

Your state's offices:
Phoenix State Plan Office
800 W. Washington Street, 2nd floor
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Business Hours: 8:00am-4:30pm PT
(602) 542-5795
(602) 542-1614 FAX


Title: [CA] Landlord wants to sell property but carpets will need to replaced

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Yes, she can enter with proper notice to replace carpets. You're making it a bigger deal than it is though, it's not like you'll have to move all of your stuff entirely out of the place. They'll just do it one room at a time.


Title: Employer won't send me final paycheck and Department of Labor isn't helpful.

Question:
I quit my job a little over 3 weeks ago, April 20th, without notice. The pay period was May 3rd and I hadn't gotten paid through direct deposit, so I contacted my employer that morning. He told me that they would mail the check that afternoon and it would arrive in a couple of days and said I should contact HR if I have any questions. As of today, I have yet to receive my check so I contacted HR who then directed me to another person within the HR department. That contact wouldn't pick up and was "unavailable" so I called him again and he told me to deal with it and hung up.

&#x200B;

I then contacted the DOL and it directed me to the Ft. Lauderdale Wage & Hour Division here in FL, and the representative entirely unhelpful and said that they only enforce the federal minimum wage and couldn't help me. Then he gave me the number to the "local" Wage & Hour Division. Then that representative told me I had to mail my employer a Demand for Wages form, wait 15 days for a response and if they didn't respond I would have to file a Wage Recovery form to the County for processing...

&#x200B;

Do I really have to go through all of this bullshit to get the paycheck I worked for? I thought the DOL would immediately handle all of this themselves and do a thorough investigation on the company. I've already waited 3 weeks for my damn paycheck and they they want me to wait an additional 15 days after mailing a form, and then file a wage recovery form if they don't respond.. Nevermind that the company retroactively reduces pay for hours already worked to minimum wage, which is illegal..and I would have to contact the DOL again. The representatives for the Labor Departments in Florida are extremely unprofessional as I've had to call numerous times just to get them to pick up the phone and they have a nasty attitude for some ungodly reason. which is why I'm wondering if there's another way to go about this nonsense.

&#x200B;

TLDR: Quit my job a little over 3 weeks ago, haven't received my final paycheck so I contact federal DOL which directs me to DOL in FL. They wants me to go through hoops and bounds to MAYBE get the paycheck I earned. Paycheck is in limbo.

Answer:
 > Do I really have to go through all of this bullshit to get the paycheck I worked for?

Yeah, that's why they told you that.

They're not going to run out and grab your paycheck for you.  They have to give them time to fix on their own, **then** they do an investigation.  They don't have to believe you're owed money just because you say you are.  Then, and only then, can they take action.


Title: A friend told me if you have a winnable civil case you don't have to pay lawyer fees. How true is this?

Question:
I've always been told that if I win a case, the other lawyer pays for my lawyer fees. And if I lose a case, I pay for their lawyer fees.

But I did a quick search and I see that each party pays for their own lawyers fees. After reading that, I'm all kinds of confused.

Answer:
 There are different rules internationally. In the American Rule, (yes that's it's name) each side of a case is responsible for paying their own attornies fees. This was done in an effort so that anyone can sue without fear of the idea that if they lose they'd be responsible for two sets of attornies fees and if they'd win they merely need to take the fees out of the judgement they won.

Now there are exceptions on a state by state basis. In some states, if a motion is granted where one side can show the case is meritless and being done with malicious intent, then the offending party may be forced to pay the fees for both sides. Also business contracts can stipulate that any legal disputes will be paid for by the losing party. As well in some cases for violations of civil liberties, the state allows the plantiff to petition for the payment of fees by the losing side.Answer #2: Where people often get confused is with contingency cases.   You see advertisements for lawyers saying you don't pay a dime until they win.

But this is an arrangement between you and the lawyer.  You agree that if you win a payout, the lawyer takes a percentage.  This is usually how class action suits work.

So technically the loser is paying what the judge ordered.   But you don't have to cut a check to your lawyer so you don't feel like you are paying.


Title: My landlord is slowly becoming a slumlord. Is there anything I can do about it? CA, Bay Area

Question:
Long, many parts. TLDR at the end. This is California, Bay Area.

Moved into a sort of "permanent mobile home park" type neighborhood back in february. The houses are mobile homes but, not mobile? If that makes sense.

The way this neighborhood works - gated community. People own the "mobile homes" but pay monthly rent for the land (like 900 bucks or something). Ran by what I guess is a property management company. We didn't know any of these details until well after we had moved in, signed a lease, etc.

We (my gf and I) live in one bedroom of a 3 bedroom "unit." It is a mobile home that has been divided in two. On the other side of the wall is a 2 bedroom unit. When we moved in, the other side had a family, there was a Chinese woman (no english, recent immigrant) living in one of our 3 bedrooms, and the other bedroom was empty. We also were, as terms of the lease, given access to the shed in the back with a working (and quite nice actually) washer and drier.

A month in, the landlord moves in a Chinese immigrant family (again, no English) to the empty room. Mom, dad, 8 year old kid. A week after that, the woman who lived in the other room brought her own mother and 6 year old son in from China. That's, including my GF and I, 8 people in the 3 bedroom unit and 3 in the 2 bedroom next door. We obviously pitched a fit but the landlord just ignored us. The family in our unit moves out only for another one, same size, to move in. It was like our landlord was just seeking out recent immigrant families to stuff into this tiny room.

I wouldn't mention the fact that all our roomates were Chinese immigrants if I didn't think it was relevant - **this is where the slumlord bit starts showing**. I speak Chinese, my girlfriend is Chinese, so we would hear the going-ons. Landlord giving advice on how to claim asylum to get around visa restrictions. Landlord assuring one of the famiies they don't need to get a license plate, nobody gets pulled over for that in CA. Landlord going in detail how to spoof an address to get the kids into good schools in a better zip code.

Around now is when we found out that it's against neighborhood policy for "owners" to rent out the home - they must live there, or their family must live there. No rental tenants, no air BNB, nothing. No wonder the landlord told us to just tell the security guards we were "visiting family" the first time we came to see the place!

Our life had become hellish with this overfull house and we were looking to move. Then I lost my job and money got tight and we had to suck it up, but luckily both families moved out and my GF and I found two nice people to fill each of the rooms, respectively. We went out of our way because more families kept coming to see the place, so we "lent the landlord a hand" filling the rooms. The family next door moved out, as well.

The washer and drier die, landlord says "tough luck, go to a laundromat." **This is red flag 2** for slum lord status - *the landlord extends the shed in the back, and turns it into a two bedroom, one bath with kitchen unit.* It is now today. A family of 3, mother, father, son, recent Chinese immigrants, has moved into the back. The unit nextdoor is empty but more families come to see it every day.

At this point, I'm starting to get scared. I went into that shed unit, it's clear the walls are plywood. There's no insulation and, knowing our landlord, I doubt it would pass any kind of code inspection... but it's hooked up with a kitchen, electricity, the works. Not to mention, we've got the one driveway, which we already fill up with 3 cars. Assuming two people could potentially move in next door, that's 5 cars we'd have to fanagle around with.

**So here's my questions**:

1. The landlord has gotten bold with her renting of the property and I doubt 5 fucking cars getting juggled around every morning and night is going to go unnoticed for long. I'm surprised the neighborhood hasn't caught her yet. What happens when they do, and fine/evict her/try to evict us? Are we responsible for her fuckup here? What could happen to us?

2. Obviously, we are not happy that we suddenly have another house sticking off the back of ours. Landlord just kind of... did it... without consulting us, talking about parking solutions, talking about how the bills will work now, nothing. Do we have any recourse here? Any options?

3. What happens if her hackneyed new unit on the back causes the whole place to literally go up in flames? I have renter's insurance but this is just so weird I feel like Allstate would find it trivially easy to say "lol nope you don't get shit" in the worse case scenario.

The lease is literally the first link the landlord found when she googled "California rental agreement English." She first wanted us to sign a lease she had drafted in Chinese, which I refused to do because my reading ability isn't good enough for me to be confident in signing a legal document. So we drafted a basic one together in English. Nothing more complicated than deposits are dealt with in it.

I am responsible for not bailing at the first sign of dodgyness, yes, that is correct. Money is tight and I judged it worth the risk, up until now, to stay here until our savings hit the point where we can pack up and move to another place safely (I estimate mid-September). But until then, I would appreciate any guidance from you guys on where I stand.

**TLDR** Landlord has propensity for moving entire immigrant families into single rooms, sectioning off our home to add more rooms, and attaching jurry-rigged new "units" onto our house in order to stuff more people into it. Is there anything we can do?

Answer:
 Slowly turning into a slumlord? He split a mobile home in three and rents it out.  That's already slumlord territory.Answer #2: Your post was way too long so I just read the tldr.

[Here](https://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~asucrla/) is a renters rights resource you can use and talk to somebody about this specific situation.


Title: if you have > 10k cash, all obtained legally, should you just deposit it and let them file a CTR?

Question: [IL] If cash is legal and had taxes paid on it, can you just deposit it at your bank?  Obviously structuring isn't an option, but how big of a deal is the CTR they'd file for a large deposit?

Answer: Not a big deal. Retail stores do it a lot. The problem is when people try to structure deposits to avoid the reporting.


Title: [PA] Friend is selling his AR15. I want to buy it, but not sure if it all can be done under the table or if I’m required to do something to transfer ownership to me.

Answer: As long as the AR is configured as a rifle and not a pistol there is nothing required for the transfer to take place. PA has no registration for rifles and there is no FFL (federal firearms license) involvement required. A bill of sale is a good idea, containing both of your signatures and the serial number of the rifle at minimum.


Title: [USA AL] in any state can a parent be fired for what their kid did, even if it not on the work property ?

Answer: Yes, in pretty much all of them.


Title: [California] Is it possible to opt-out of unemployment insurance?

Question:
I've been unemployed twice in my life. Both times I applied for unemployment, and both times my application was turned down for no reason.

In the future, I would rather just not have unemployment insurance. I feel like it is somehow unconstitutional to charge citizens for a service, but then turn around and deny the use of that service by those very same citizens who paid for the service.

Answer:
 No.

> both times my application was turned down for no reason.

No it wasn't. You may not have agreed with or understood the reason, but there was a reason. You have appeal rights. Did you exercise them?Answer #2: Not in an official sense. (If you were running a Non Profit the org has more options, but employees don't). You can move into independent contracting, and entrepreneurship though, and effectively dodge it. An Uber driver doesn't have unemployment insurance.

Also unemployment is never denied for no reason. Answer #3: >both times my application was turned down for no reason.

No, they always give a reason when they deny an application (even if you disagree with the reason).

What were the reasons given for the denials?


Title: Lost a job opportunity due to a game of BS telephone.

Question:
Apologies in advance if this is convoluted. Everyone involved and all companies are in New York City

About a year ago, I was working as an account manager at one of the big 4. A very high profile client, one who spends a significant amount of money with the firm, decided that a kick-off happy hour would be a good time to show me pictures of his penis. I went through the proper protocol with HR, but the company prioritized the client and refused to speak to him about it, per our handbook. Rather than a protracted legal fight, I decided to take a generous severance and leave the company for another job.

I signed what my attorney called a fairly standard severance agreement, which included an NDA and disparagement clause.

I thought this was all over until last week - I was headhunted for a company that was offering a significant increase in salary from my current job, and they told me in the interview that I had the job, pending agreeing on terms.  This was not a "well we feel positive;" I was literally told, "we are keeping the seat open for you,  take your time. "

Also ruring the interview,  I also discussed with one of the interviewers a mutual acquaintance, Erin.

Erin and I worked at the Big 4 firm together for about 2 years, though left six months before I did for completely unrelated reasons. She remained close friends with Jake, who worked on my team and stayed with the firm.

A couple days ago, I got a call from the new company, saying they were rescinding the offer. They wouldn't specifically say why, but after a bit of digging with someone I knew there (this is an incestuous world), I was told it was because I lied about the reason I left company #1.

It turns out that company one told the people on my team that I was fired for cause,  and Jake, in a social sense, told Erin that. When my interviewer told Erin they were giving me an offer, she mentioned that, and that's what led to all of this.

I've definitely talked to an attorney, but she's worried that since technically Erin violated the non-disparagement, and doesn't work for company 1 anymore, that I have no way of recouping anything.

Any insight before I pay more money to a second attorney to confirm?

Answer: Isn't the company telling the team you were fired for cause a violation of a nondisparagement clause? I think that's what you said you signed.


Title: [WA] Minor using false identity "bought" my laptop, taking it, and refusing to pay

Question:
Not too sure what my options are here. I previously knew someone fairly well, and made an arrangement (which I can prove) to sell my laptop to them for roughly $1,000, with the payment being delayed. This person has since moved elsewhere, and is refusing to make the payment.

Here's the twist: the person used a fake identity when we made the sale. I later discovered their real identity, discovering that the person is in fact a minor. I can prove the link between the two identities. I don't believe the other person knows that their true identity has been discovered (maybe why they're okay with blatantly stealing).

Finally, I feel that taking legal action here could actually be a threat to my safety (due to what the person in question is like), so I only want to proceed if I have a strong case. My guess is that small-claims court is most appropriate, but I'm not sure what implications there are due to the different states, and due to the fact the other person is a minor (it was my understanding that minors could be bound by contracts in Washington state).

You guys, as always, are great, and I really appreciate any advice offered!

Answer:
 Contracts with minors are voidable by the minor except when it is for necessities. I doubt the laptop counts for that so the minor can void the contract. This isn't the end though. If a minor voids a contract the contract never happened. If the contract never happened you never sold your laptop. Minors can void contracts, but they can't steal your laptop. You can sue him and would likely win.Answer #2: If you can prove up the two identities, you can refer the case to a prosecutor.  The minor committed identity theft.

With the civil case, I think you can add a claim of fraud.


Title: My neighbor has started a gun range in his backyard. It's driving me nuts. [Connecticut, United States]

Question:
My neighbor owns a piece of land across the street. We live in a rural area and there are lots of trees. They are shooting more into unoccupied woods than anything.

I have no real evidence of this, but I'm certain that this guy has people pay to come and shoot guns. I hear loud guns every day. There is this loud, constant banging on Saturdays and Sundays, sometimes on weekdays too. They will sometimes shoot well into the night, at 9:00 or 10:00. I can sometimes hear screaming and yelling. Every time they shoot their guns, it gets my dogs riled up and they start barking. The people who come to use the gun range speed up and down the road (speed limit is 25, they go 50-60). A couple of them are also incredibly creepy. There is an older guy who will drive past me several times when I'm walking my dogs and ask weird things, like if I have a boyfriend.

I've called the cops a few times, especially when they're shooting off the guns late. They have always said that they support gun rights and if these guys want to shoot off their guns, that is their constitutional right. Is that true? Is there really nothing I can do about this? I think if this continues, I might have to move out.

Answer: Check to see if there is a law about shooting within x distance of a road. But if you don’t live on a paved road this may not apply.


Title: HOA Harassment but we are not members of the HOA. (Texas)

Question:
Our home was built before the HOA was created and the owners did not wish to become members. When we purchased the house the HOA sent us a letter asking us to join and we declined. This is not the first violation letter we have received but every time we get a new one my husband gets more and more upset. In this current letter they are threatening to issue a deed restriction violation if we don't repair a broken fence post. I understand its a simple fix but that's not the point. Do they have any legal right to do so? What, if anything, can we do to get them to leave us be.

ETA: We've lived here for four years and have never paid dues or been sent any letters requesting that we do so.

[Update](https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/4o7w9x/update_hoa_harassment_but_we_are_not_members_of/)

Answer:
 at this point you'll want to check with an attorney, to see if 1) you were bound 2) you didn't accidently bind yourself. Answer #2: Someone may have just accidentally (inadvertently?) sent them to you. They may not know you don't belong to the HOA. They might be new on the board, or just assumed you are part and never checked. If you own a home where people all around you do belong to the HOA, this seems even more plausible...

Might just be a misunderstanding. Have you ever just asked them about it?Answer #3: What happens when you remind them that you are not a part of the HOA?Answer #4: First check your deed and make sure you havent some how been added to the HOA.

Then respond in writing (use certified mail) that you are not members of the HOA and that they cant fine you etc. Keep a record of this. If/ when you receive any further letters/ notices of this nature keep them and then report the HOA for harassment.


Title: (Arkansas) Change temporary guardianship for my child

Question:
I was arrested and incarcerated for possesion of a controlled substance and felony posession of drug paraphenelia and someone filed for emergency temporary guardianship of my infant.  Now I have been released and would like to have my child placed in the guardianship of another couple.  Also, the couple who has my child are both lawyers.

Edit: They have had my child for 38 days.  She is 17 months old.  I want her because the couple that has her is denying court ordered phone visitation, because I want her in a home of my faith, because I believe they won't ever give my child back, and because I want her to have a relationship with her siblings.  I already have a stable home picked out for her that is willing to take her.

Edit 2: DHS was never involved.  Does that help my case?  The only reason these people have custody is because they were baby sitting her when I was arrested.  When they heard I'd been arrested they filed an emergency petition for custody which was granted.  The woman who currently has custody wants my daughter because she's unable to have her own biological kids.  She'd been pretending to help me for over a year just so she could get my daughter when I eventually screwed up.
Topic:
CPS and Dependency Law

Answer:
 You petition the judge to end the guardianship and transfer it to someone else. It is not terribly likely to happen but your can try. It also depends on how long the infant has been with these people. Answer #2: Once you lose your kid, you don't get to dictate who gets her. Had you transferred guardianship before your child was removed, it would have been different.

Best bet is to hire a good custody lawyer and comply with CPS.


Title: Unsupervised kids and dog in yard

Question:
Hi all,

We recently moved in to a new house and are having a constant issue with two very young kids and their dog. The kids (guessing 5-6 and 8-9) come outside to play and bring their puppy with them. The issue is that they let the puppy run off-leash and it constantly gets through our fence in our yard then the kids open the gate and come into our yard. We like to let our dog roam in the front, but any time she is outside the puppy would come, squeeze through the fence and the children will follow. Even when we were sitting outside and asked them not to come in the fence and we would retrieve their dog. They just disregard us and come in anyway.

Our dog is very nice but likes to jump, especially when she sees little dogs or kids. So we just don't want these kids wandering freely through our yard (plus I've been picking up poop that is very obviously not my dogs in my fenced in yard). We've asked nicely (and now sternly) for them to keep the dog leashed. They responded that their mom "doesn't like leashes" and they don't have a leash. We eventually gave them a leash. I've asked to talk to their parents and they tell me they either aren't home or that their parents are sleeping (at noon). I've never seen an adult, and they live in an apartment so I'm not sure where their parents are.

We are tired of reprimanding and trying to reason with these random kids but don't know what the reasonable next step is.

Thanks in advance.

Answer: Generally a call to local law enforcement is enough for parents to start taking action. Leash laws are in place for a reason - dog safety and people safety. If the parents don't want to do anything let them keep spending money on fines, springing their pupper from doggo jail and court costs. If it keeps up they won't be allowed to own pets.


Title: Odd circumstance regarding our mailman (Chicago suburb)

Question: [deleted]

Answer: No, the post office isn't liable


Title: Mum spent $ on a carpet, company went belly up before we got it and after payment was processed. How do we get our money back?

Question:
We are in Australia, us in NSW, company in Victoria.
It's an online shop where you design your carpet, pay, it's made and sent to you. She's bought other carpets from them.
They seem to have gone belly up. Phones disconnected and website down.
Who, how and where?
Where do we start to get our money back?
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer: Dispute the charge if you paid by credit card.


Title: [Alabama] Family broke into my shed

Question:
Throwaway because I'm kind of spooked about being doxed and don't want anything about my location/setting anywhere around my main.

My aunt and her family's lawn mower broke down. I have a lawnmower my dad basically built when I was a kid. He's had the frame since he was pretty young and he put a pretty hefty motor on it. The thing is a hog and makes mowing a breeze. I only say that to explain I'd have no idea how to value this thing. I basically just know how to maintain it/use it.

Anyway, they knew I had it and decided they wanted to 'borrow' it without asking. They took a pair of bolt cutters to my lock and took my mower. They also left my shed door wide open. Because of this, I lost about 60$ worth of dog and 25$ of cat food to trash pandas.

I've contacted the police, and they said they can't really do anything. My aunt's husband confirmed they took it when I asked and refused to tell me where it was. He refused to talk about it any more. The police won't do anything because it's my word against his (he presumably played dumb) and the person who tipped me off won't rat them out to the police for fear of stirring the pot.

I should also note my aunt's husband and 2 of their kids are cops, though they don't work near my home. I want to think that's unrelated to the cops I called's inability to help, but I'm kind of cynical.

I'm at a loss. Any ideas?

Answer:
 If the mower's still in their possession, you should call the police back and insist on making a police report for theft. Escalate to a supervisor if they won't take your report.

If, for whatever reason, the police won't get involved, then you'll pretty much have to take your family to small claims. What would it cost to buy a mower of similar quality and capabilities? That, plus the cost of a replacement lock and the replacement pet food, would be your damages. Unfortunately, small claims in Alabama can't order the return of property, but the judge may allow them to return the mower in return for dismissing the suit.Answer #2: > I've contacted the police, and they said they can't really do anything.

This is a cop being lazy. GO TO THE STATION and file a police report.

If you get push-back, does your county have a sheriff?


Title: Potential Failure to Report Question, GA

Question: Hi there, I just had a quick question. I am currently on misdemeanor probation and am scheduled to a do a mail-in/call-in report each month. I was scheduled to report today, and I have been calling in attempting to reach my officer all day. Every time it has gone to their voicemail, and I even sent an email several hours ago asking about this. I have left 2 different voicemails with them, and will continue to call regularly until the office closes. My question was is there any potential way that this could come back on me as a failure to report, given all the attempts I have made to contact them? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

Answer:
 I would agree that if you have evidence that you've called and left messaged, you're okay.

I'd follow up on Monday.  Call your regular probation officer to make sure she received your email and voice mails.

Kudo's to you for doing your due diligence.  Refreshing to see someone accepting responsibility and seeming to go above and beyond.


Title: Can people legally sell digital pfd of sheet music from dead musicians like Mozart or Beethoven?

Answer: You can sell pdfs to the same extent you could sell physical copies.  These are public domain works so anyone can reproduce them, and you can generally legally sell things secondhand that you have purchased (this can be complicated with digital copies) but you can't make copies if there is something about that particular work that would create a new copyright.  I don't know how that would work with regard to sheet music but as an example *The Odyssey* is in the public domain, but a particular translation may not be.