Title: [MO] Just closed on new home; heating doesn’t work properly

Question:
Two home inspections and neither picked this up.

So my wife and I just closed on a Home last week for the first time and we were excited to move in.  Our first night the heat wouldn’t kick on so we assumed it was propane issues.  We purchased additional propane using our already dwindling funds.  It wasn’t the propane.

The furnace as it turns out has a cracked heating exchanger as the HVAC specialist told us, something any decent home inspection should have picked up if they’d spent longer than ten seconds looking.

So now that we have no money (my job laid me off the day after we closed - too far from any site of theirs), we have the choice of freezing in a home that’s 30 degrees or dying of carbon monoxide poisoning.

I honestly don’t know who to call or what to do.  We would like this fixed (and to hope to Hell we can afford mortgage now thanks to all this) or we’d like to simply just back out of this loan without the massive hit to our credit.  Our lender’s inspector didn’t pick this up and the seller’s disclosure mentions nothing of this.

On top of that, we paid for the propane he said he used warming the house, but if the limit switch kicked the propane off like the HVAC specialist said it did then how was any propane used and what did I pay for then?

What if anything do you recommend I do?  I’m at a loss.  My family’s about to be homeless because of job issues and we’re curled up in a corner room with space heaters until god knows when.
Topic:
Real Estate law

Answer:
 > We would like this fixed

Then fix it.

**If** you're owed something for this problem - which is not a given - it's not going to happen for months.  And any *further* damage, now that you know of the problem, is on you.

So first, fix the issue.  Then, go back to your inspection documents and disclosures to see what was stated about the furnace.  You may be able to sue the inspector **if** you can prove that the exchanger was broken at the time and **if** you can get evidence that his inspection was faulty.

You might be able to sue the prior owner **if** you can prove that it was broken while they owned it and **if** you can prove that they knew about it and failed to disclose.

In the end, however, it's more likely than not that you'll just have to repair it.  This is part of being a homeowner.


Title: Ex fails drug test giving birth to her baby and now DSS wants to do a home visit with me.

Question:
So the backstory goes like this:

Ex and I had a son together. She decided one day to split and go live the party life. I take our son and move on and meet and marry my now wife. Wife and I buy a house and have a new baby ourselves. Ex meets someone and they become meth heads together. At that point I sought custody of our son and won. Our custody arrangement states that I have primary care and she is to only see him every other weekend supervised at/by her parents. Which for a long time she rarely, if at all showed up. Ex and new boyfriend have extremely volatile and abusive relationship, she gets pregnant and new boyfriend leaves. Ex appears to have gotten it together enough now that she’s pregnant. Or so it appeared.

On to the issue.

Ex gives birth to new baby. I get a phone call THAT DAY from dss saying that they’d like to come do a home visit to check on my son because she failed a drug test (for marijuana) when she gave birth. This was not the first instance during the pregnancy that dss was involved. From my understanding, she failed for the same reason early in the pregnancy so I guess dss kept her on their radar. So dss calls me explains what’s happening and even asks if I’d be willing to do a drug test as well.

I have and want as little as possible to do with my ex. As I stated, i moved on and feel I’m doing well for me and my family. She is the unfortunate consequence for my young naivety. I do not regret having my son I just wish she wasn’t his mother.

So because of her actions and choices, I’m being dragged in by proxy.

My job is very laborious and in the interest of full transparency, I myself (responsibly) smoke weed at night before bed.

So what are my options as far as what dss is asking of me? Do I consent to everything? Do I seek legal representation? What happens if I take the drug test and fail? Will I lose my kids?

This is really the most stressful situation for me and my wife who have nothing to do with her and her problems except the fact she’s my sons mother

This is in SC

Answer:
 So your ex failed the drug test with the new baby and the baby isn't biologically yours, correct?  She then has supervised visitation but doesn't visit with your son.

I would tell them no and ask why they are even looking at you when you have primary custody and she hasn't visited your child in a while.

Also look into the medical CBD oil law that SC passed.  That will be a way to cover your ass in the future.Answer #2: Stop smoking pot. Set up an in home with dss. Don't agree to a drug test if you will fail it. Tell them you don't take drugs and don't feel the need to prove that. FSS wants you to be the good parent it makes things much easier for them. Make sure the house is CLEAN. Go grocery shopping the day before their visit and let them look around. Be the good guy!


Title: Police took my car, searched it and broke my amp (MT)

Question: Hello, I made a post yesterday about this, but the police found out I had drugs and took my car to search it. I realized that they actually broke my amp for my subwoofers. Can I take any legal action to get it paid for? Thanks!

Answer: Were you hiding drugs in your amp? Were you hiding drugs in other parts of your car?


Title: Am I required to return merchandise shipped to me that I did not order?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 > Am I obligated to return it or can they bill me for it?

Yes.

You DID solicit the merchandise, they just provided you with too many.  You can keep both and pay for the second one, or you can return the extra one.


Title: [NY] USCIS Marriage based I-130

Question:
I'm an international student under F-1 status and my girlfriend of 2 years is a US citizen. I'm well off where I'm from so have never really thought about this but recently realized we could get married and I could get a Green Card. This would significantly lower my college tuition and make me eligible to apply a lot of programs/internships/jobs I can not apply for currently.

This would not be a "real" marriage because neither of us is ready to get married and we're too young. But my gf is okay with the idea. We both live together at the same address and have been living at the same address for 2 years (for a year this was a dorm address). She's already an authorized user on a few of my cards and I could add her on my bank account, no trust issues or anything.

We are very much in love and are in a very real relationship but would not get married would it not be for the possibility of a green card. Is this marriage fraud? Would it be detected? A marriage ceremony if any, would be very small not more than 10 people who would know about all this - would this be a problem when trying to prove the legitimacy of the marriage? We are on the lease of the house we rent but have different insurance and separate primary bank accounts - would this be a problem?

Are there any other possible issues I haven't considered? Should I hire an immigration lawyer? (I've worked at my university's Visa and Immigration office and am pretty adept at assembling OPT applications and the like but never anything as complicated as a petition to change status to PR based on marriage)

Any help would be really appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Answer:
 > Is this marriage fraud?

Sounds like it.  You're only getting married for the benefit.

> Would it be detected?

Possibly.

> would this be a problem when trying to prove the legitimacy of the marriage?

Not necessarily.  The main problem when trying to prove the legitimacy of the marriage is the legitimacy of the marriage.

> We are on the lease of the house we rent but have different insurance and separate primary bank accounts - would this be a problem?

Not necessarily.

> Are there any other possible issues I haven't considered?

You can be removed and barred from entering the United States for a long time.  Your girlfriend can be prosecuted and face jailtime.

> Should I hire an immigration lawyer?

I always recommend immigration attorneys.  However, I don't recommend you commit immigration fraud.


Title: Charges are being pressed against me for accidentally killing my friends cat.

Question: [removed]

Answer: OP is a lying attention seeking troll. Please look at post hist before commenting. Answer #2: Get an attorney and some psychological help. Answer #3: You killed his cat, that’s animal cruelty, get an attorney,a psychiatric evaluation, and then go ahead and get yourself some more help on top of all that.


Title: Have a restraining order against my ex bf protecting me and my child (not his). Ex bf faked his death and changed his name 7 months later. I just received friend request from new name on FB, is that a violation?

Question:
Dated this man for only, almost 2 years.

Throughout that time my son (not his biological child) and I suffered Narcissistic Abuse from this man. Relationship ended (by me) 5 years ago. Ex continued to contact me and make threats.  So I got a 6 year restraining order (usually they offer a 2 year but in this case judge deemed 6 year was better for protecting me and my child). 7 months after receiving restraining order, ex faked his death and legally changed his name. When I tried to change name on restraining order, court wouldn’t allow me as “how did I know his new name?”and I shouldn’t have any contact. (Was contacted by some of his other ex gfs who suffered the same abuse after my relationship with him ended, and one of these gals shared this information with me) I know it sounds crazy, you can’t make this sh*t up.
Received Facebook friend from this new name. I know it’s him and I blocked immediately.

Do I have a leg to stand on in violation of restraining order?

I don’t want to deal with this man anymore just want him to leave me alone so I’m torn between just ignoring or pursuing further legally. 😖

Answer: I would go ahead and report the violation and let the court sort out the technical details. Now when you say he *faked his death* I just have to know for comeuppance sake, was a death certificate granted or is this jabroni just making people in his life think he's dead by disappearing, posting something on Facebook, and changing his name?


Title: [CA] Employer verbally told me I'm not allowed to leave the back room during meal period if there is only a new employee on the clock.

Question:
I work in a small shoe store and am a closing manager. I came in one night around 3 PM and soon after at 3:30 PM the assistant manager and an associate had to leave early for some sort of reason. At 5 PM a week old associate clocks in and around 5:30 PM I inform them I need to take my meal break and leave the premise to get food, eat, and return.

2 weeks later I am told by the manager of the store I am not allowed to do this. I must either have the associate get my food for me while I am clocked out and he is not, or sit in the back room so that I can process returns(regular associates cannot) while on my meal break.

Was this legal?

Answer:
 Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, if you have to remain on the premises, then it counts as time worked and they have to pay you for that break.

I am not sure how California's break time requirement are implicated.


Title: One question before I take my drivers license.

Question:
First off, I live in Las Vegas, NV USA.

My test is tomorrow, can I make a right hand turn on red legally?
I see people do it all the time but is it legal? I can never get a clear answer.

Answer: Yes, after coming to a complete stop. Did you not do driver's ed???


Title: Making me work during family funeral

Question: I live in Tennessee. I had an aunt die and my work is making me change my schedule to non standard work day. They are making me work during the funeral. What can I do?

Answer:
 You can choose to not show up to work, and potentially be fired for it. That's a terrible position for your employer to put you in. I'd find a new job even if they don't fire you.Answer #2: You can quit. You can not show up and see if they fire you. You can try to get a coworker to cover your shift. You can go up the chain of command and see if they'll accommodate your request.

You cannot compel them to allow you to take the day off, and they cannot compel you to show up. You can be fired for not showing up.


Title: [FL] Banned from walmart and accused of shoplifting, facing fines and a criminal record. what can I do to defend myself in court?

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Whether it was a mistake or not, technically you did try to leave without paying for something. For the best possible outcome, hire a criminal defense lawyer to help you come up with the best possible defense strategy.


Title: Neighbor attacked me, now is pressing charges against ME for battery

Question:
I live in a condo complex in CA and have had tension with this neighbor for the last year.

He has the parking spaces next to me in our underground parking garage and last year I began to notice little dings all across my passenger side door (right next to where he parks his car).  They dont actually dent the metal but make permanent scuffs on the paint.  I work from home and walk to the grocery store typically, so I very seldom drive my car and dont look at my passenger door often.  So I started to keep an eye on it after originally noticing and sure enough, the dings kept multiplying over a month or two to the point where I had 20 - 30  little marks all back and forth from his door opening onto my passenger door at the exact same height.  I got an estimate and for $200 they said they should be able to wet-sand out the marks.  I dont know who this guy is or what unit he lives in so I left the estimate on his car with a note telling him I expect him to reimburse me and left my phone #.  He called and just denied up and down that it was him or his wife/gf.  Given how little I drive my car and the location of the dings I knew it was most certainly him or his wife/gf even though he refused to take any responsibility.  So I had my door wet sanded and paid for it myself and hoped that this would be the end of it.

I finally saw him out by his car a week or so afterwards and confronted him - we exchanged words and it basically ended with me just telling him to be more careful from now on - he agreed.  In my mind that wouldve been a good enough solution.  The wetsanding didnt get out some the the deeper scratches though and over the next year I noticed more popping up(albeit much less frequently).  BTW His wife/gf is a fairly large woman and I have observed her before flinging open her car door and then bending over to get things out of her front or back seats, all the while backing up into the inside of her open car door and shoving it very close to contact with the side of mine(though I never have seen either of them actually hit it)

So fast forward to last Wednesday night.  I was leaving to pick up my wife from work and his car was idling in the thoroughfare of the parking garage, halfway directly behind my car(I think he was trying to alternate parking places with his wife, as we have tandem parking spaces in this garage).  I thought I should have enough room to squeeze out and as Im trying to navigate slowly around his car that is behind me, he runs over screaming at me that I hit his car.

I looked and there was no damage at all but he kept on yelling and getting in my face calling me names and blaming me. I was pretty angry that he would have the nerve to act like this given our history and also the fact that I have been noticing new dings on my door for a while.  I told him to show me where I supposedly hit the car.  He pointed to an area that has no noticeable damage and continued to hurl insults and obscenities at me.  I yelled back about all the damage he has done to my car in the past and is still doing.  We argued and exchanged insults and then before I knew it he started punching me in the face.  I defended myself and we went down on the ground struggling.  He ended up on top of me but I had him in a head lock and we struggled some more.  Then he started grabbing between my legs and squeezing my balls.  He said he wanted to call a truce and stop fighting. I agreed,  we both stopped.  We still exchanged angry words but ultimately went our own ways.

The next morning I was pretty sore, had a lot of scrapes and a black eye.  Im not one to go to the police typically, and since there were no witnesses I figured it would be pointless.  I started looking into video surveillance systems that would be practical for a parking garage with no power outlets this week and hoping things could just calm down since im apparently stuck with this guy.

Well today, I saw him in the garage again he called me a 'faggot.'  laughed and told me that he was going to "sue my ass off" and he was pressing charges against me for "felony battery".  I dont know if hes bluffing or not but I am now worried about what I should do.  My company conducts mandatory background checks yearly so I dont want this to effect my employment.  Should I go to the police and file a report right away while my scrapes, bruises and black eye are still there? Is it too late for that?  Do I need to hire a lawyer right away or can I wait until I actually hear something from his lawyer or the police? I really don't think I could afford a lawyer right now, any idea how much would it would cost?  I've never been in a situation like this before and have a completely clean criminal record.  I really appreciate any advice.  Thanks!

Answer:
 Your neighbor isn't the one who presses charges, they can make a Police report and then the Police will investigate after which they will decide to charge you or not.

If I were you seeing as he's already claimed to have made a Police statement against you I would be going down to make a statement against him yourself but I'd take an attorney with me. This is to prevent your from incriminating yourself and also to establish your self defence argument against any charges brought against you.


Title: Hurt myself at work but didn't report it. Now I am disabled. Need advice.

Question:
2 months ago while at work I felt a pain in my lower back while picking up a box. At first I thought I should report the injury to my supervisor because they are really strict about that but I did something really stupid and just finished out my shift without saying anything. My reasons for doing so were that we only had an hour left in our shift, the pain wasn't too bad just left like a minor muscle pull, and if I reported it I would have to see a doctor before I could return to work which would have cost me $600 in lost wages. I just assumed it was something minor, could take it easy the final hour of work, and I would feel better the next morning.

However by morning I woke up in agony and could barely stand up. Went to the doctor and he recommended an MRI but my insurance wouldn't approve it until 6 weeks of treatment had past. Well I just got the results and I have a herniated disc in my back. I can't stand up straight, barely walk, and cannont work at all. I've been on a leave of absense the past two months without any income and it looks like surgery is my only option to get better.

Now I don't know if I can get any kind of workers compensation since I didn't report the injury when it happened. I'm afraid if I try to I will get fired and lose my insurance which I am probably going to need in the future. Plus I really want to keep my job. I have no income right now and my saving are running out. I know I screwed up not reporting the injury but I could really use some advice right now. I live in Wyoming, USA btw.

Answer:
 No, you are not disabled. A herniated disk is very common and usually does not need surgery. You need a good physical therapy and work on it. It may take over a year for you to get back to normal again.

Find a good doctor. Any doctor/insurance who does therapy before an MRI isn't good for you. When I went to the doc for my herniated disk, the first think he did was order an MRI so he could see what was going on. Therapy without an MRI is dangerous!

It will take time and dedication, but unless you experience paralysis in your legs, you don't need surgery. Almost every 3rd person has a herniated/bulging/degenerative disk, even at young ages.

You can do it, don't give up! Answer #2: Although all the brochures for employees show you must report an injury within 10 days, [the actual WY code](http://law.justia.com/codes/wyoming/2011/title27/chapter14/section27-14-503/) states you have one year from the date of injury.

Do file, as soon as possible.  Be aware though, that they may review your medical care already received, and [may send you to a provider of their choice](http://law.justia.com/codes/wyoming/2011/title27/chapter14/section27-14-401/).

When you were injured, when you needed to start taking time off, did you tell your manager/supervisor at that time *how* you were injured?  Because if you notified them, they should have reported it--that will likely work in your favor, too.


Title: Abusive Husband Wants Me to Pay for Annullment

Question:
I (33F)got married to an American (Houston, Texas) man (53M)i'd known online for almost 1 year. I went to meet him and it was a disaster because he was verbally abusive towards me, humiliated me in public...and on an occasion even tried to kill me amongst other things. I was so fearful of being with him that i went back to my own country  (Singapore) after just 3 days of marriage.

Now he wants to have the marriage annulled on grounds of abandonment. I have no issue with the anullment (though i dont feel i abandoned him) except for the fact that i am broke and currently looking for a job while pregnant. The reason i am broke is because i blew all my money on the flights and also lending him money to pay for his debts and some things he wanted which he blackmailed me for. I was truly so stupid in the name of love. Now i am broke and he wants me to pay USD 500 which i really dont have on me. (it is 2x in my currency) Can he legally force me to pay if im unemployed?

He has also threatened to report me for greencard fraud even though i never even applied for green card or any kind of residency and returned to my own country without overstaying. I remember asking if hed apply for fiance visa for me before i came which he said he couldn't because of his prior criminal record and because he was technically unemployed.  (he is on a work placement program for veterans) Anyway i entered the US and left on a visa waiver without overstaying.

Will the authorities believe him blindly if he does report me? Another reason i left is also becauae i found out that he once molested (i dont know the details) an underage girl when he was 45. The charge  said sexual aggression against a child/ injury to a child. How can i be expected to stay with a man like this when im pregnant?

Answer:
 Did you get married in the US, on a tourist VISA? If he never applied for a K-1 then you must have entered the US on a different visa with intent to marry. Is that his angle?

If you never plan to return to the US, reporting you to immigration won't mean anything so I wouldn't worry about that. If the child you are carrying is his, you might want to see a family lawyer in your own country about any kind of custody issues that might arrive or if you ever want to pursue us citizenship for your child, assuming the father is currently a US citizen.


Title: (Indiana) My grandmother was scammed and needs charges removed from her credit card

Question:
My grandmother was just scammed into giving away her credit card information.  The scammers hacked her computer and told her they would fix it for a price.    The scammers got both her Discover and Master card information.  The credit card company (I'm not sure if just one or both companies) called her to ask her to authorize the charge for computer repair and she did, not realizing it was a scam.  When she found out it was a scam she canceled the credit cards, but the company said it couldn't remove the computer fixing change since she had already authorized it.  Is there any way to have these charges removed?
Topic:
Other Civil Matters

Answer:
 She can call the credit card company and dispute the charges.  If she authorized the charges, this may not be successful.

She will also want to cancel the cards and have new ones issued.Answer #2: BTW, you should post this on r/scams, since lots of people post about this particular scam there.


Title: [CA] Driving with suspended license, DUI, and a hit and run. What do I do?

Question:
I Broke up with my fiance recently. We were together for five years and had been broken up for a month at this point, she agrees to hang out with me on my birthday and we decide to go to the bar. We have a good time and seem to be courting again, she ends up leaving that night with the bouncer.

She basically tells me to fuck off so I drive a few blocks before returning to speak to her before she leaves with him. I end up speeding and crashing into a tree. Cops arrive after she calls them on me and charge me with a DUI even though my breathalyzer read .03 because I had pot on me and tested positive on their blood test, a suspended license because of a littering ticket I never took care of and forgot about, a hit and run on the tree because I drove across the street to the parking lot to talk to her and a 5150 because I was feeling like shit.

I feel hopeless and even more suicidal than when this all first started, I think I may have ruined my life and any chances of finding a better job. I can't afford a lawyer and have to wait for my arraignment to speak to the public defender. I'm extremely worried and depressed about all of this.

What should I do? What penalties should I expect?

Should I just plead guilty or take it to court?

Answer:
 At the arraignment speak with the public defender. If you can't afford a lawyer, that's all you can really do. It's hard to tell you what penalties you're going to face, because the DA will probably make a plea offer.

You should speak with the lawyer who is appointed to your case about what course of action you should take. None of us have enough information to be able to advise you.


Title: New Landlord Keeps Leading Me On

Question: I feel a little silly asking this question and I never thought I would be the person to consider suing over emotional distress but my new landlord is seriously effecting my mental health and life. For the past three weeks I have been trying to move into her property. She posted an ad on Craigslist for a cheap mobile home that looked like the perfect place to move away from my ex and start a new life. I met her that Friday after work and looked at the unit, put down a deposit and made plans to move at the end of the next week. Next Thursday she calls me to tell me I can't move in the next day because rain got in during the last minute renovations but she's handling it and has a friend coming over with fans to dry it out. The next time I talk to her she says the contractor lied to her and the unit isn't ready to move in again. Another week goes by. Now she says she's going over to check that the power has been turned on, it hasn't, it rains again and he can't finish until the next day. He supposedly finishes it but they can't get an inspector on the phone to come over and sign off on it. Sunday night comes and she calls me again saying I can get the keys after work and she'll meet me there. Monday at 1130AM she texts me saying she has an appointment at 4pm but it's shouldn't take long. At 6pm I text her asking what's going on and she tells me she's still at the appointment and I should wait at home. I waited until 1030pm before I finally snapped. She has wasted so much of my time I feel like I should be charging her. I waited and wasted two entire weekends, have hired and rented multiple moving companies and trucks and keep having to cancel them(luckily I wasn't charged for canceling the movers) and have felt sick to my stomach for these past three weeks, gotten heartburn everyday, and have been grinding my teeth in my sleep, and have gone so far into depression and anxiety that I'm thinking about suicide every day again after years of being stable. What do I do guys?

Answer: You need to have actual damages to win a lawsuit.  What are your damages?  You aren’t going to win anything based on a claim of anxiety and depression.


Title: Can my dad get sued for not taking care of our house that's getting foreclosed on?

Question:
In Illinois.  So our house is in a process of foreclosure because my grandparents' didn't have a will when they died and it's not currently under my dad's name.  Supposedly my dad has tried to get the house under his name and has gone to court but it wasn't cleared up there.

Well besides that, I've become worried that the bank might take some action against my dad for the state of disrepair the house is in.  It is really just beyond repair.  The front stairs to the house is collapsed, the front door has no lock, the bathrooms are in horrible condition, the floors are grimy, the kitchen is disgusting, there are multiple broken windows, etc.  I would call it unlivable except we live here.  Is it even likely that some kind of punitive action will be taken against my dad once we leave the house for the state it is in?

Answer:
 No, but you do have to worry about the Municipality coming in and tagging you with $$$$ violations, condeming the place and forcing you to move, etc, which won't mess up the foreclosure but will irritate the bank some.

Getting the house out of probate really shouldn't be an issue. What's the holdup there? Was it underwater already?


Title: TX - Pitbulls escaped from neighbors yard and attacked me this time. Forced to kill dogs.

Question:
I post [this](https://np.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/7acg7p/tx_couple_of_pitbulls_chewed_through_their_fence/) a few days ago about an issue with this.

The police were informed of the attack and did not really do much as the video was pretty dark. The solution we came up with was trail cameras on the property closer to the front.

I was helping to install them when I was attacked. I looked up to see the two dogs running at me full bore. Running as not an option as they were on me pretty quickly. I kicked at one and they both ran away but turned around and growled at me. I pulled out my pistol and pointed it at them.

My brother in law came out the house and fired off 2 rounds of birdshot into the air to try to scare them off.

This made them run away. I put away my pistol and went back to work.

About 5 minutes later I hear my brother in law call out to me and suddenly I am on the ground with a dog trying to bite my face.

I was able to get my gun out and shoot it a few times in the stomach.

I was unharmed but my shirt was covered in the dogs blood. We called the police.

The second dog shooting they witnessed as the second dog came back as they were literally driving down the driveway. The second dog came up and latched itself onto my brother in law's pants leg and would not let go. Police started speeding down the driveway, long driveway, and my brother in law tried hitting the dog. The dog let go for just enough time to actually grab some meat this time.

I pulled out the pistol again and shot the second dog in time to see the officers running up. They had me put my pistol away and called out an ambulance for my BIL's leg. Animal control was called. Unfortunately the dogs were not up to date on their rabies. Well anything really the owners did not give them any shots at all.

The owners are currently MIA and the police are looking for them. They did have home owners insurance though. Is it possible to make a claim against their insurance with them being MIA?

How would we even do that? We know the company that provided the insurance, but not the policy number.

Also no. I am not in trouble for shooting the dogs. Police saw the second one and saw the camera footing, form 4 different angles, of the first one.

Answer:
 Get medical treatment and keep everything documented.  If you're going to sue you need to document costs, including work you had to miss so you could get medical care.

On a side note:  You should probably finish installing those cameras in case your neighbors show up trying to start something.Answer #2: Wow. That escalated quickly! Make sure you get those cameras working as you might see some retribution form your neighbours who were so quick to go to "get off my property" over your sister asking for vet costs, as this round of costs will surely be much higher.

Insurance might take the money out of them as this situation is due to negligence and that usually voids insurance policies.

Definitely document everything and make sure that your pets and livestock if you have any will be monitored for intentional poisoning and cameras covering your whole property if possible, but especially your buildings and home.

I hope that you all heal quickly and that the neighbours do right by you all and make financial restitution, but in case they don't, take care and be wary of your safety.Answer #3: My homeowners insurance doesn't cover pit bulls unless they have been temperment tested. A lot of insurances are this way unfortunately. Considering how irresponsible these people are I think they snuck these dogs in without informing the insurance company. I don't this their house insurance would help :/


Title: [FL] Can my lease be terminated like this?

Question:
I'll try to be succint. Home we have rented for almost 3 years went through a forclosure. (I think the company we rented from had a quit claim deed, and we were informed when we first rented that there was a legal dispute over the property.)

The bank was given ownership of the house at the beginning of december. Within a week we were visited by a property management company and they said they'd be our new liason, if we had a lease we wouldn't be evicted etc, but the bank was offering us money to vacate by 12/31.

I sent him a copy of our lease. It's good through May. I contact him to find out where our rent gets sent to now.

Today he says the banks attorney has a letter in the mail to me stating that our lease is terminated and we have to be out by 1/23.

I'm confused because I thought I had rights as a tenant, that they had to honor my lease. (When I was looking into it, I thought the only time the lease would be terminated was if the owner intended to use it as their residence and even then they had to give a certain amount of notice...this is NOT the case at all here.) How can they just say its terminated? I haven't received the letter yet, I'm sure that will contain a little more info but this is less than ideal.

Do I have any options?

Answer:
 Unfortunately, the Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act of 2009 expired the end of 2014. Whether or not your lease can be terminated is dependent on when you signed it. If the lease was signed before the most recent landlord (not the bank) took out the mortgage on the house, then the lease has to carry to full term. If you signed the lease after this landlord took out the mortgage, the lease can be terminated.

One thing to consider is how good the maintenance and services will be while the house is owned by a bank. They might hire a third party company, but don't expect wonders. It may be best to see how much the bank will offer in terms of a buyout. It's basically free money.


Title: [TX] Is my employe being a little sketchy with overtime payment and lunch breaks?

Question:
TX
Service industry job, non-salaried employee.

My employer has now required us to clock out during our 10-15 minute break in which we consume food. Our shifts last between 7-9 hours. We are not given any other breaks, and no one takes longer than a 15 minute break. I’ve found some information below, I’m I able to confront my employer about this?

"While lunch breaks are not mandatory, the federal Fair Labor Standards Act stipulates some general rules regarding lunch breaks, and Texas state law mirrors these laws. Essentially, a break of 30 minutes or more constitutes a lunch break, and federal and state law do not require employers to compensate employees for this time when employees are not engaged in work while eating. If an employer provides a break shorter than 30 minutes, it must be paid"

source: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/texas-workforce-lunch-requirement-10113.html

Also this hasn’t happened to me yet, but I’ve heard it happened to other employees. When an employee has worked over time in a pay period, instead of paying their time and a half, the employer splits up the checks by putting 40 hours on one check and the remaining hours on another check, both checks paying the employee out on their regular hourly. Can I file a complaint on behalf of coworkers?

Thanks in advance.

Answer: Splitting those hours between checks is illegal. They HAVE to pay tha over time rate. Report that shit.


Title: Did I get charged with the wrong drinking crime?

Question: [deleted]

Answer: 35 hours is nothing. Do your damn service time.


Title: Oldest brother has a warrant, will my family get in trouble for not turning him in?

Question:
My brother has a warrant, his ex-girlfriend claimed he hit her. He has a criminal record (drugs and I think some violent stuff.) He didn't go to any of his drug tests during his court, he says it's because he didn't want to pay the fee. The judge told him he has to go to a rehabilitation clinic, it costs a fortune and my parents don't have the money for it. From my understanding judge told him it was that or 90 days in jail, and she said the next time she sees him he has to make the choice (or something like that.) He skips out on court and has been living like a fugitive for the past month or so. He refuses to turn himself in and my parents won't do anything about it. I for one am totally against this, he causes many problems within the house and needs to go. I have 2 questions, if the cops decide to serve their warrant and come to our house to arrest him will my mom and dad get in trouble for not turning him in? Is there anyway I can anonymously get the cops to come get him from my house? He never leaves the house so there's no chance of him getting pulled over or anything like that.

EDIT: I'm located in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. I'm not even 100% sure if he has a warrant, they haven't sent a letter to our house. I know is he skipped out on court the day he was supposed to go to jail, so I thought it was a safe assumption.
Topic:
Criminal Law

Answer:
 If cops show up with a warrant and they lie or fail to comply, yes they can get in trouble. But thats the only way they get in trouble. They can't lie to protect him, they can't refuse to turn him over if they are presented a warrant.

You can probably call the police and just give an anonymously tip that you know where a fugitive is. Answer #2: Big picture - this won't work out for your brother.  Warrants follow people more or less forever.  The best thing he can do is contact an attorney and arrange to turn himself in.  This isn't the 1800's when it was possible to disappear over the horizon.  Your brother **will** get caught, and the sooner he realizes this the better.

*Unless he has enough money to move to a non-extradition country like Venezuela.  Then he can live on the lam for as long as he has money to live on down there. Answer #3: > Will my mom and dad get in trouble for not turning him in?

If your parents know there's a warrant out for his arrest and they continue to help your brother, they're putting themselves at risk. The police *probably* won't care as they're really after your brother, not them.

> Is there anyway I can anonymously get the cops to come get him from my house?

Call the non-emergency police number in your town and let them know he's living there? Call from a pay-phone if you're concerned about anonymity.


Title: Does this guy have any legal standing for trademarking all potential Redskins replacement names?

Question:
Apparently in Virginia [some guy trademarked all the possible names to replace the Redskins team name.](https://sports.yahoo.com/tons-of-redskins-nickname-options-have-been-trademarked-by-a-guy-in-virginia-154239747.html)

Considering the team has not decided on a name yet, does the man who trademarked them have any legal right to the name the Redskins end up choosing?

Can the Redskins take that trademark from them or will there have to be a lengthy court battle to even use it in the first place?

Answer:
 Bad-faith trademark applications can be overturned, and filing a bunch of trademark applications in a field of business the applicant doesn't actually do business in is a no-brainer.

What the applicant is likely hoping for is that the team considers it cheaper to settle and buy the rights than to litigate. That may turn out to be the case, or it may not.


Title: My dog mauled someone breaking in. The robber wants to sue and have my dog put down as well as get his medical bills covered.

Question:
In Texas.

He broke in and my dog ripped out his eye, and took off his nose and ear. He will need plastic surgery and will have scarring to his face and neck.

Can he win a lawsuit? And in general can my dog be put down even if he doesn't win? A police report was filed and an ambulance picked up the robber from my house. I thought he was dead and I couldn't approach him because my dog wouldn't let me. Paramedics confirmed he was alive and took him to the hospital for surgeries.

Answer: In TX, you have a pretty good defense as he was in the act of committing burglary. But if you get sued, you will need an attorney to use this defense in your trial.


Title: Alarm company won't provide passcode to switch monitoring companies... is this legal?

Question:
Hey Folks,

i own a business in the state of Rhode Island. When we opened years ago we had a local alarm guy (from Massachusetts) install a standard burglar alarm. We paid for the system in full as well as the alarm companies labor to install it (this wasn't an ADT, "FREE" system or anything).

Once the alarm was installed, we were signed up for monitoring, so if the alarm goes off, they'll notify the police if they can't get ahold of me. The monitoring is pretty expensive, I did some searching and was able to find other companies online that will do the monitoring for significantly cheaper.

I signed up with one of them and went through the procedure to switch over. When they dialed in to perform the switch, they informed me that the default password on the alarm has been changed, and they were unable to proceed without it. I contacted my alarm company to get the password, and was shocked when I was flat out told  "No, I don't give out my installer code". He refused to budge, basically saying if I don't want to use him for monitoring, I should replace my system with something else. Keep in mind, I PAID for this system in full. it's MY alarm, not his. (In my line of work, I deal with computers, and this would be akin to me installing a server at a clients location, and refusing to give them the password).

I didn't sign any sort of contact before or after the install, so I'm not sure if this is legal.

What would my course of action be here? I don't have any damages right now since the alarm still works. If I wanted to switch monitoring companies, would my only recourse be to get a new alarm installed and then sue for that cost? This alarm is about 6 years old, so I find it hard to believe a judge would give me a brand new alarm. I don't really want to replace my alarm as it works fine, but I don't want to be raked over the coals every month in monitoring fees. Is it possible to sue to get a passcode?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Answer:
 If you own the system and he's refusing to give you access to it, I would liken that to a software engineer providing code to a company but then time locking it so that it self destructs if he's terminated. I would call it fraud and sue him for the cost of replacing the necessary bits.

As a security and crypto freak, I would smash that system with a hammer right this instant because it sounds sketchy as hell. Answer #2: It sounds like there's also a [Dealer Program Mode](http://www.doityourself.com/forum/electronic-home-security-systems-alarms-devices/545402-reset-code-napco-alarm-panel.html#b) - I would try calling another Napco dealer and seeing what they say, they may have another code that could work. The default code is 456789, and 123456 is also common... so maybe give them another try. I'd also examine it for any six digit number on it... he may have used something from the serial, for example.

Alternatively, I'm seeing the control panel for sale for around $100-$150.


Title: Pretending to be a hot babe 4 free pizza?

Question: [removed]

Answer: You mean besides the obvious fraud?


Title: (Hawaii) Just moved in, Landlord won't turn on gas.

Question:
I searched this topic and I know it's been asked in various ways before, but I can't find the answer in looking for.

My husband and I just moved in last night (haven't unpacked boxes even).  We tried taking a shower and the water was cold.  Tried making my newborn a bottle, water was cold.  I called our property manager and she said we have to turn on our gas.  I grabbed the lease and let her know that it says our landlord pays gas.  She said it was a mistake on her part but that we are required to pay it, and if we didn't want to pay then they will give is security deposit and first month rent back.

I understand mistakes happen and this by no means identifies them as a bad company.  But we don't want to move out.  It's costly and takes forever and we'd have to apartment hunt AGAIN.  The reason we signed the lease was because of all the utilities they include!  If we pay for gas. We'd be paying around $300 extra every 2 months, which makes our living expense here just as much as our old apartment.  We moved so we wouldn't have to pay so much.

Anyway, I told her that we won't be signing the addendum and requested it just be taken out of our rent.  She said no and that our only option is to move out scot free.

Who do I call?  I've read the Landlord Tenant code for Hawaii and couldn't find anything.  I've read that lease 5 times and it doesn't say either.  I don't want to take our landlord to small claims court, I just don't want to pay for gas.  If we decide to terminate the lease, would they be obligated to pay moving fees?  Like I said we JUST moved in and have already spent tons of money moving here.

Thank you for your help!

Answer:
 If it's in your lease, it's in your lease. Go ahead and let the property manager know you'll be sending them your natural gas bills when they start coming in, and that you'll still expect them to reimburse you for them.

If they don't pay you back for the bill(s), take them to small claims court after a few months of unpaid utility bills.


Title: I’m being threatened with a second ADA lawsuit from the same attorney

Question:
So back in 2016 my small business was served with a lawsuit from an individual alleging the bathrooms were not ADA compliant. That suit was eventually settled out of court with the plaintiff for x amount and also for her attorney’s fees. The settlement release also had a stipulation that the lawsuit would be dismissed with prejudice.

Now, the same attorney has contacted me and said that another plaintiff will be filing an ADA suit against me for the bathroom as well. My question is would the dismissal with prejudice prevent the second suit? And if not, what would my options be? To settle it again (this would probably mean another suit could come up again and again, right)? Or should I just make the bathroom ADA compliant to avoid future headaches (would doing this prevent the current second suit)? Thanks in advance!

Answer: IANAL but am very well read in disability law due to being disabled. The first lawsuit does not prevent others who feel they have a claim under ADA from suing you. You can settle again, but that won’t prevent future lawsuits. Fixing the bathroom to be compliant now will not stop the current lawsuit, as that discrimination has already occurred, but would stop future lawsuits. As someone who has a disability, just make the damn bathroom compliant.


Title: What do I do when my ISP sends me a false Notice of Copyright Infringement?

Question:
I live in Louisiana. My ISP, Cox Communications, e-mailed me a Notice of Copyright Infringement concerning the HBO show Vinyl. I do rent an apartment out via Air B&B, and one of the guests may have downloaded it against the house rules I set. The weird thing about the e-mail is that it was sent on May 1st, but states that the infringement occurred on May 2nd. I do use torrents but have not pirated HBO's show Vinyl. I have an HBO subscription. I watched Vinyl about a month ago and thought it was pretty boring. This is a throw away account if you couldn't tell from the name.

EDIT: The post date is May 3rd for anybody looking through this post in it's archived state.

Answer: Ignore it.   If you get subpoenaed, don't ignore that.   It will probably never come.Answer #2: As far as the internet line goes, you as the subscriber are responsible for the activity of your guests.


Title: Online 'friend' sold me over $3,000 worth of gift cards, which later disappeared from my account when the company found out they were invalid (I, of course, had no idea). Do I have any grounds to sue him on?

Question:
I've been here before, but I need extra help.

I bought over $3,000 worth of Amazon gift cards from a friend for about 85% of their value. I applied them to my account before sending payment, and I thought everything was fine and dandy.

**I was using these gift cards to ship Amazon items to multiple people with 2-day shipping using Amazon Prime. This is actually against Amazon Prime's TOS, so does that ruin my case?**

About a week later, the balance disappeared from my account. Amazon told me that it is because the gift cards were found to be invalid. They didn't specify how, but I am assuming CC fraud. Amazon could not refund me the amount, which makes sense.

**My e-friend had actually bought the gift cards from someone else and resold them to me.** I knew this when I purchased the cards from my friend. However, the online friend told me that they could assure that they were legitimate, and that they also had the ID of this person at the time I agreed to the transaction.

When the balance was invalidated and I told them, they admitted they never had the ID of the individual. They also said some sketchy-seeming things as if they had actually intended to sell me illegitimate gift cards -- again, this only came out after the balance had disappeared, and before that they were acting reputable/professional/honest. I have logs of all my chats with them, although I don't know if it will help any.

We both live in the US, but in different states. I have proof of their identity. I paid them for the cards through my bank, and I believe there is a record in my bank showing the purpose of the payment was "gift cards".

Information I have:

-bank payment records with stated reason

-their bank account number

-their full name

-their state, and possibly their address if Google is serving me well

-their cell phone number

-their email address

-their facebook, twitter, linkedin

-chat logs with them

So yeah... How should I proceed? Do I have any ground to stand on here?

**Someone said before that there's a chance that if I try to sue them, I will put myself at risk of being criminally charged. Is this true? What can I do to prevent this?** I truly didn't think they were illegitimate gift cards because the e-friend had acted as if he was 100% sure, and plus who scams people who have your ID? I guess I'm naive. **But I *was* abusing Amazon Prime TOS, so maybe I can get charged for that?**

edit: Conversation where e-friend told me the 'source' of the cards:
http://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/35puxj/online_friend_sold_me_over_3000_worth_of_gift/cr6nx2e

edit2 (Still no answer): **If I do get criminally charged byproxy despite having no ill intentions, then what exactly are we talking about this encompassing? paying a fine? being in jail? I might take the risk depending on the severity of what could actually happen to me.**

Answer:
 > I truly didn't think they were illegitimate gift cards

True or not, no sane person will believe you. You need to be prepared for that.

You can not get charged for violating a TOS, but Amazon could take action against you likely cancelling your Prime account.

You can sue your friend but honestly no one is going to believe you thought someone was selling gift cards at 85% value legitimately. A Judge may throw it out believe you were willingly involved in a criminal act.


Title: If I die, how can I give my mother full custody of my child and not ex husband?Texas

Question: My ex abusive husband has been using meth, charged with child endangerment after fleeing from police on foot and leaving his kids (not our kid) alone in car, had gotten into fights with new partner in front of our son because she gets jealous of my son and of me... hasn’t paid child support in over three years and never stuck to his visitation schedule, doesn’t call to check on our child for months at times. I am basically a single mother and only receive support from my family specially my mother which is a second mother to my son. If something were to happen to me, how can I make sure my mother or any of my siblings gets full custody of my son? His dad can’t keep a job and is always on and off with his girlfriend, they don’t have their own home and have three kids together . I have to make sure my son is with my mother, in a stable loving home and not with his father who chose drugs and a girlfriend over him. Also my ex husband’s whole family is not stable nor do they have anything to do with my son. My ex mother in law is the only one who gets to see my son and takes him out or to stay the night with her but I would not trust her enough to give her custody. My mother takes and picks up my son from school and watches him when I work or go to school. She is, like I said, his second mother. How can I put this on paper and make it impossible for his father to have a say so on who my son were to stay with if something were to happen to me? Where do I start? Who would I talk to about having this done legally and the right way?

Answer:
 > If I die, how can I give my mother full custody of my child and not ex husband?

You would first have to get his parental rights terminated, and nominate your mother as his guardian in your will. It would be up to the court to decide who becomes his custodian.


Title: My friend is going to university and I'm worried his mom will threaten to pull funding if he doesn't keep her informed.

Question:
Hi /r/legaladvice , my friend is going to college in Georgia ( in-state ). My friend has had a sucky upbringing by his mom. Throughout k12 school she's always been helicoptering and been emotionally abusive to him. Now that he's going to college, my friend(who we will refer to as Taylor from now on) will be able to spread his wings a bit. He wants to cut down on communicating with his mom.

At orientation for college, Taylor was told he could get his parents to sign two forms (optionally). One was a financial release form (his parents are funding his schooling), the other is a grades release form so that his parents could see his grades at all times.

Upon getting home from orientation, Taylor was confronted by his mom who asked for both forms. He told her he didn't want to release his grades, but his mom told him that if he wants to have school be paid for with the college fund, she needs to have full access to grades.

My question is, is it legally ok for the mom to withhold the college fund if the grade form isn't signed? Taylor doesn't want his parents to force him into or out of school, extracurriculars, or other pastimes if he's not getting straight A's.

Answer: She has no obligation to pay for school.


Title: Reckless Driving in VA (90 in 70)

Question:
I have been driving for 3 years and this was my first ticket. I honestly swear I was doing 80

I was charged with Law Section 46.2-862: Reckless driving
Speed 90 in 70 mph zone (laser)

I was clocked in New Kent County, driving down I-64, around 5:30 AM.

After browsing through similar posts, it seems that the only way to avoid pleading guilty to a misdemeanor is hiring an attorney, but is there any way I can keep my record clean without the attorney?

Any advice, comments, suggestions would be appreciated.

Answer:
 >but is there any way I can keep my record clean without the attorney?

Since 0 is not recognized as a chance of probability on a scale of .00000000000001 to .999999999, there is a chance that you, with zero legal experience, could get the ticket completely dropped without the assistance of a professional.

Let's be real, you are facing a misdemeanor.  You should hire a lawyer.  This is a serious offense and could affect your life in a negative way.

Answer #2: > I honestly swear I was doing 80

If that's the sum of your defense then yes, you really need a lawyer.


Title: Why do farm hands not have to be paid overtime in Alabama?

Question:
And is there anything an employee can do to help themselves in this situation such as tax relief  or something? Coming home with $350 a week has suck

Edit: not even farmers in California are protected until 2022

Answer:
 > Why [characteristics of a law] in Alabama?

Because the representatives chosen to the legislature of Alabama by the people of Alabama decided that's how it should be.Answer #2: Why? In the abstract it's because agribusiness contributes to elected officials and farmworkers generally don't. With regard to Alabama it's even more that way because "right to work" laws and other legislative acts have gutted the power of unions.  This is an issue resolved at the ballot box.


Title: I (46M) took my son to get his 12 month vaccines done at our family doctor. While I was there, I asked our doctor if we could renew my prescription for cannabis as the current script was done and I was thinking of lowering the dose.

Question:
My doctor said he wants to discuss this and why not while I am there, just needs my health card to charge for the visit. So, we discussed it all, and he told me he was going to lower my script for me and wanted to see me in again in a few months. He leaves. His associate comes in, gives his speech to me and I murmur I remember you from when we were here last time. Then the associate asks if he can examine my son for whatever reason as he is learning under our family doctor. He then does the strangest thing, he starts to take my sons diaper off and says I just need to make sure his “balls” have dropped. I snapped back “excuse me? Why do YOU need to make sure? He’s 12 months, pretty sure it’d be in his file if they hadn’t by now.” My doctor comes back in as I am now bundling my son back up. Gives me my next appointment date and the associate leaves the room abruptly. I asked our doctor how many times does my son need to have his “balls” looked at to make sure they have dropped.. he looked at me strangely and said once. I told him about his associate and he said he would talk to him to see what’s going on and we would talk soon. I left with my son. A few days go by, I get confirmation from my producer that the script has been put through and confirmed the details. My doctor didn’t lower the script and the most oddest part is, the script is for a full year and not the 3 months that my doctor originally told me as he wanted to see me again to see how I am doing on a lower dose.

I have called our family doctors office and left several messages and I am not getting any response back. They usually get back within 24 hours, and this isn’t usual behaviour for them not to get back to a patient. I am now getting worried about what is going on and why my doctor didn’t do what he said he was going to do with my script and what happened during the supposed “talk” he had with his associate about the unnecessary examination of my sons genitalia. It’s been almost 2 weeks now.

Note: I get a prescription for cannabis to help control some of the symptoms from chemo. The Cancer has been responding well to the treatments, but, not so much for the rest of my body.
Topic:
Medicine and Malpractice

Answer:
 I think you may be wrongly correlating your cannabis prescription with the events at the office.

 Just go up there in person.
 Calmly explain the situation, try to treat both matters, your concern about the associate’s actions and your script, separately.Answer #2: Do you have a legal question?

Doctors often check children for child abuse signs. It is part of their jobAnswer #3: You're not going to like this, but you got yourself flagged as a difficult patient for minimal contact. Congratulations. Consider next time saying something more akin to "Oh no worries, that isn't necessary because it was checked last time. It should be in the file."


Title: [Canada] University displaying SIN openly

Question:
Hey, so I'm making this post just to see if anyone could tell me the potential legal implications of the following scenario.

For Americans SIN = social insurance number

Okay so my university just decided it wanted to update its student portal page to something they think is more fitting (looks terrible). While on the new student portal I noticed that when I go to my profile page that my entire SIN is openly displayed for the entire world to see.

This is a huge concern because it means that anyone at the university is suseptable to identity theft , if they go on their profile while someone is walking by it doesn't take much time to be able to memorize a 9 digit number. It also concerns me because even government sites wont display full SIN's because of the potential of identity theft.

If anyone currently at the university experiences identity theft in the future is the school not opening themselves up for a giant lawsuit for negligence?

Answer: [Spooky](https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/a0oh3c/my_university_website_is_now_posting_every/). Two posts about it in the same province, within minutes of each other? I have to assume you both go to the same school.


Title: California: Crowdfunder Didn't Deliver. Can I get my money back?

Question:
I signed up for an indiegogo crowdfunding campaign back in May. After several months, the company has not delivered. I gave them some time after their campaign ended and they sent a few updates citing manufacturing issues and a key member leaving, but that they were soldiering on. The last update they sent was mid July. Back in October, I asked them what was going on. They cited their difficulties and said that they were still going to deliver on their promise, but their initial batch that they had ordered were not up to spec. I kept them in the back of my mind, but sent them an email the other day. Their domain has lapsed and their email is getting answered by a bot of the hosting company.  I tried contacting them via their Facebook page a few days ago, but I haven't heard back from them. I like to think that they are just having internal issues, but the inability to contact them makes me feel like I've been scammed. Am I out the money I contributed? What options can I take from here?

The company is based out of Portland if that makes a difference, but I am in California. I paid with a bank card.

Answer:
 You gave money to some random people based on a description of a product that doesn't exist, without security or a contract.  They're not beholden to you.  Crowdfunding exists as a way to circumvent centuries of contract law--if they had taken their idea to a publisher, a product company, or an actual investment broker there would have been contractual terms for failure to deliver or if the result were substantially different from what was promised.  Any of those parties would have the recourse to sue them and win.

You have none of these things.  You don't even have a direct agreement tantamount to paying someone to paint your chicken coop and they never did it.  You're not an investor and you didn't hire them--you're a _donor_.


Title: [NJ] I am moving to a new apartment, and the company wants me to pay a $350 dollar pet fee, and $50 dollars more per month to house my service dog. Is this against the ADA policies and fair housing act?

Question:
I am deaf on my right side. I can hear, but in the middle of the night, I tend to lay on my left side rendering myself efectively deaf. I have a service dog who is trained to: bark and wake me up when there is a knock on the door, bark and wake me up when there is an intruder, Bark and wake me up when my alarm goes off. He is also in the process of being trained to wake me up for a fire alarm (he should be trained in this by my move in date).

There is pets allowed on the property, and the fees mentioned above are consistent with anyone else. Thing is, my service dog is not a pet... I have googled and have had a hard time getting a concise answer, even from the ADA website.

Answer:
 Your service dog isn't a pet first of all.

And no, they cannot. While they can charge you for damage it may cause, they can't charge a "pet" fee since it's not a pet.

https://www.animallaw.info/sites/default/files/FHEO_notice_assistance_animals2013.pdf

(warning large PDF)

From Page 4

A request for a reasonable accommodation may not be unreasonably denied, or conditioned on payment of a fee or deposit or other terms and conditions applied to applicants or
residents with pets, and a response may not be unreasonably delayed.


Title: If a family member who lives with me dies in their room and I find, months later, that there are drugs in their room that weren't found by police officers who responded to the 911 call, then what should do?

Answer:
 delete this post and throw it away. if it's something big and can't just be trashed, you should call the policeAnswer #2: Just get rid of it. What the police don't know can't hurt you.Answer #3: My father recently passed, and we had prescribed opioids in the house for him.  The nurse liquified anything that would dissolve (rubbing alcohol can help), then poured it outside.

Solids like patches were cut into little pieces, put in a ziplock, bleach or alcohol added, then the bag zipped shut and thrown away.

She does not take them anywhere else for disposal because it's the legal implications of being caught with the stuff in the car, even as a hospice nurse.  But by ensuring everything is rendered unusable before disposing of it, she's protected, we were protected, and no one can take the stuff and use it. And it didn't go in the water supply.

Hopefully this gives you some useful ideas.


Title: Google is fraudulently trying to charge me $200

Question:
Dear Reddit,

For most of 2014, 2015 and 2016, I was using Google’s Fiber service in the Kansas City area. At the end of November I moved out of the state and returned my cable box at the store (I have photos of me doing this). By the start of December I had physically left the country. During this time however, I had neglected to cancel my account, given that as an early adopter it was only $0 per month.

Sometime in mid-December, I received an e-mail thanking me for the return of my cable box BUT ALSO telling me that a new box had been “checked-out”. Here is the transcript of said e-mail:
> Hello,
> Thanks for returning your Google Fiber equipment for [my address], Kansas City, MO 64112-1671. We've received the following:
> Device
>
> Serial Number
>
> Network Box
>
> GNAFNS######## [serial number of box I returned in November]
>
>
>
> As part of your Basic Internet service plan, you've also added the following Google Fiber equipment:
> Device
> Serial Number
>
> Network Box
>
> GNAFNS########

Remember, at this point I was **no longer in the country**. Obviously, the transaction they listed above couldn’t have physically taken place. I have receipts and travel tickets showing that this is indeed impossible. At this point I was a little bit confused, but I figured they would work out the problem. No cigar.

Since then I’ve received multiple e-mails requesting that I return this additional ghost box. How can they legally hold me accountable for this box? If they did give this box to somebody (potentially a new tenant in the apartment where I lived), they clearly didn’t ask for any identification. How can they legally charge me for a fuck-up on their side?

I tried contacting support but they essentially told me that it wasn’t their problem and that they would forward it to specialists who would contact me. As usual, the specialists never got back to me and when I went back to support they said that the specialists found nothing.

This month I received an invoice saying that I will be charged in about a week or two for the $200-some dollars for this box.

Is this legal?

My plan is to notify my bank and get them charge back the charge once it appears but I have no idea if that will work or not? Do I have any other recourse?

Thanks,
throwawayheidelberg1

Answer:
 There's a difference with Google Fiber compared to other cable providers.  The boxes are tied to your address as well as your account.  So, if you switch to a new location, you actually have to cancel/turn in your equipment and get a new account/equipment for your new location.

The problem came in that you thought that they would sort out the issue on their own rather than you taking action on it when you first got the email.

Google support is usually pretty good.  What you'll need to do is escalate WHILE on with support, rather than having them contact you later.  Then, while staying calm, you need to assert that you cancelled your service and account on XXXXXX date, and you were erroneously assigned new equipment.  Have them verify that the equipment is not being used and not associated with your Google Fiber account.


Title: [WA] Upstairs.neighbor smoking pot in porch

Question:
I live in a large apartment complex, on the first floor. Two college aged guys recently moved into the apartment above me, and today when I came home, one was smoking pot on their porch. It overlooks a small forest so they wouldn't be very noticeable to passing traffic.
Now my apartment smells skunky  (had the windows open while we were gone).
Recreational pot is legal here now...would the apartment managers look at this like someone smoking a cigarette on their porch, which I think is legal?
Anything I can do?

Answer: You can report it to managersAnswer #2: it's legal when on private property and outside the view and smell of the general public. if what they're doing is legal, then your only recourse to keep your windows closed.


Title: Rules of thumb

Question: Hi r/legaladvice i'm going to college and i plan to have only consensual sex i don't drink and i don't chase drunk girls . what is the best plan to not get falsely accused of rape by some vindictive bitch. My main goal in life is to not get put in jail so i was wondering what steps i should take to keep this from happening and how to provide evidence to backup my claims if something like this did happen. You know like general rules of thumb besides becoming a eunuch.

Answer: I wouldn't worry about it much.  With an attitude like that, you won't be getting laid.


Title: If you're arrested while driving in NYS and have a pet in your car what happens?

Question: I had posted about a week ago due to my license suspension and while I cleared that up it made me wonder. My dog had needed to go to the vet and I was having trouble getting a ride (I eventually got one). Had I chosen to drive him and subsequently been arrested, what would happen to him if there were no one else in the vehicle with me? Would they send him to the pound, or let me call someone, or do they have sort of a CPS (Animal Control?) that comes in for that situation? This is in New York.

Answer: It depends on the severity of the stop. For a suspended license, we'd let you call someone to come and get your pet. If you or the pet are violent, though, it's Animal Control.


Title: Dealership sold vehicle it knew would only last a year

Question:
Hi everyone,

I've been lurking on Reddit for something like a year or so and figured this would be one of the best places to ask for advice.

In October of 2015 I purchased a used 2010 Ford Focus from Dealership A. It was about $10,000 and my dad cosigned a loan with me. My car payments are $217 a month and I have more than 3 years left on my loan.

Anyway, when I was in the process of buying this car, the rocker panels had to be replaced before I could officially get it. Dealership A had to send it to their sister dealership, Dealership B, in order to do the body work needed. Car comes back, looks great, and it's officially mine. Fast forward to now, and the rocker panels are rusting quite badly. It probably won't pass inspection after this coming long New England winter. This weekend I brought the car back to Dealership A and they said they'd take pictures and ask their head service dept. guy what my options were. According to the head service manager, they barely had any record that my car had been sent to Dealership B for replacement rocker panels. Moreover, the head service manager spoke to a technician from Dealership B about the body work they performed two years ago when I was awaiting my car. According to the head service manager, the Dealership B technician said, "Yeah those were supposed to be good for about a year." Here is the crux of my issue: I was NEVER told that the rocker panels would only be good for one year when buying the car. It also sounds like Dealership A wasn't really told this information either. I obviously wouldn't have financed a car for 5+ years if I knew the rocker panels were going to rust out in less than 2. After telling him how ridiculous this is, the head service manager at Dealership A said he's going to call Dealership B back to get more information and also get the general manager of Dealership A involved. I'm currently awaiting a response from the head service manager.

So, my legal question is: do I have any sort of legal avenue to venture down if the Dealerships do not resolve this in a favorable manner? It seems completely unethical and (one would hope) illegal to sell a car that is financed for at least 5 years with replacement parts THEY put on that would only last 2 years tops (in their own words). I live in NH and am a college student, if that helps.

Hopefully I followed the directions for this sub properly. I read the rules before posting. Sorry if anything is formatted weird (mobile) and thank you in advance for any feedback. Let me know if any more information would be helpful.

Answer: There is nothing illegal about selling a car that has mechanical issues. That's why there are warranties. What warranty did you get with the car?


Title: EU - Girlfriend's Mother is trying to disown her after flying her to another country

Question:
My girlfriend's mother has been abusing her for most of her life. We both go to University in Scotland. Her mother flew her to Prague under the guise of a nice family vacation (which she was unwilling to attend but felt obligated to do so anyway) and on the 2nd day of their trip, her mother is trying to kick her out of their accommodation claiming she never wants to see her again. This post is very short because things are unfolding at the moment and I'm trying to keep her off the streets. I'm primarily worried about getting her home safe. But I think we need legal help to do that, I thought the police maybe able to help but it doesn't look like kidnapping is the correct term. Please advise ASAP.
Topic:
Non-US

Answer:
 It sounds like your gf needs to get a flight back to Scotland. Does she have possession of her passport or does the mother have it?Answer #2: Approach your University. See if they have a legal advice clinic, but also see if they have some sort of aid fund. Some universities do have the ability to provide aid of a level which would allow her to obtain a plane ticket. It might be in the form of a loan which she would need to repay, but its doable. Start with your head of department and see what advice they can offer.

Meanwhile if she doesn't have her passport and can't get it she needs to urgently go to the American Embassy and get some help from there.  They should have the ability to issue her an emergency passport, but whether they'd let her fly off to Scotland is unsure. Either way she should atleast consider getting consular help.


Title: College misled me into thinking I had enough credits to graduate with an associates when I actually don't.

Question:
I transferred out of my 4 year school to go back to a community college back home (2 year). They accepted most of my credits last semester and I took a full time schedule (15 credits) and I was planning on getting my associates degree next semester. The counselor there told me i only needed a math, a science, and two gym classes. So those were the classes I took. Then I received a letter I would not be graduating because I do not have enough Residency credits, but I fulfilled all of them with my transfer credits, WHICH THEY ADMIT TO ACCEPTING TOO MUCH OF THEM. Is there anyway I can get my money back? Or force them to give me my degree? My family is falling on hard times right now and I might need to enter the workforce.
I'm in Long Island, NY

Answer:
 I had a similar problem once. Unfortunately, every student handbook I've ever read (6 or 7?) stated that students were solely responsible for figuring out graduation requirements/credits. I know that seems ridiculous, but they can get away with it.

The school won't take liability for advice given in the counseling office in contradiction to printed graduation requirements. Review the written graduation/credit policies to see where you stand. Good luck! Answer #2: How long were you enrolled at the community college? Typical schools have a requirement that you must be enrolled for a length of time immediately prior to graduation. Either way, it's not really their responsibility to keep track of those things, it's yours.


Title: Can I buy a gun

Question: I’ve been wrongly diagnosed with bipolar disorder and rightly with depression and anxiety, never been to a psychiatric hospital and not currently on medication but have taken antidepressants in the past for anxiety. Can I buy a firearm?

Answer:
 Reading through your posting history, it is clear you're not allowed to purchase a firearm. You talk about taking Psilocybin mushroom, which are a drug according to the federal government. On Form 4473 they ask if you are using any illegal drugs. Lying on this form can result in criminal charges. And telling the truth would lead to you being denied the right to purchase a firearm.

So, no, you can not buy a gun.


Title: [US] If you have student loans and leave the country, what can anyone do about it?

Question:
I mean, you already have your degree. What would stop you from going overseas somewhere, possibly the EU, and erasing the debt yourself by turning a blind eye towards it?

Honest question, I've been wondering this recently. I don't currently have any debt from student loans. I know it can be a real pain in the butt though.

**Per location bot:** I'm in Ohio right now.

Answer: National borders are not impenetrable shields. It may make it harder but certainly not impossible.


Title: Can I get my manager(s) in trouble for drinking on the job?

Question: I work at a fairly new restaurant. My manager(s) are pissing me off, and I see them frequently drinking a glass of wine or beer right after the peak of the night, etc; or in the back while doing paperwork. I know it's illegal to drink on the job, how could I report this anonymously?

Answer:
 > I know it's illegal to drink on the job

How do you know that? It's not.


Title: Finding An Attorney For Risperdal (drug) Class Action Lawsuit

Question: [deleted]

Answer: You're going to need to be a lot more than just "pretty sure."


Title: [KY] Can my wife's employer require her to work with these conditions?

Question:
My wife works for a company that owns several "locations."  Currently, each location is staffed with two employees.  She is the manager, with one employee that works in her location under her.

The employer is shifting things around so that her location will now only have one employee (her).  They are expecting her to open and operate the business from 9am to 6pm Monday and Wednesday thru Friday, and 9am to 1pm on Saturdays, and closing the business on Tuesdays (that is to be her "day off" each week).

When she asked about lunch breaks (since she will be the only one there), she has been instructed that she will need to just plan to bring her lunch and eat there.  She has been told that she will only be able to "close" the office for "10-15 minutes" should she "occasionally" forget to pack a lunch and need to "run out and grab some fast food real quick."  But she was advised not to make that a "common occurrence."  She is not to clock out for a lunch.  She is to remain clocked in from the time she gets there (usually around 8:15 am) until she leaves (usually around 6:15 to 6:30 pm).

One caveat is that the company says they provide her a "30 minute paid lunch break" that she is not to clock out for.  However, she is not to actually "close" the office but rather to eat her lunch in between customers when she can.

Is this legal?  If not, what kind of recourse does she have?  If she were to file a labor board complaint, would it be anonymous, and if not could her employer fire her for filing such a complaint?

All I've been able to find online is this, and I'm unsure if they somehow know a loophole that we do not:

>*Am I entitled to a rest period, and do I get paid for this time?*

>You are entitled to a rest period of at least ten (10) minutes during each four hours you work. The rest period is a paid break.

>*Am I entitled to a meal period, and do I get paid for this time?*

>You are entitled to a reasonable period for a meal no sooner than the third nor later than the fifth hour of your work shift unless you and your employer have mutually agreed to some other arrangement. A duty-free meal period does not have to be paid.

>Source:  http://www.labor.ky.gov/dows/doesam/Pages/Frequently-Asked-Questions.aspx

Furthermore:  The company said she had x-hours per year of vacation time.  She has already put in for her vacation time off in the next couple months, however her boss is now saying that she "may not" get her vacation days off, as they may not have anyone else to cover for her.

Also, she is paid "hourly" if that makes any difference.
Topic:
Employment Law

Answer: It sounds like they are asking her to "mutually agree" and if she doesn't I bet they will find somebody else who will "mutually agree".Answer #2: IANAL I am a customer service manager and former retail manager for several small businesses in MA. Depending on how many workers there are total and/or if they have them separate under different company names this may be totally legal. Sucks, but it's legal. I've been in that position several times. I suggest she look for a new job. Working all day by yourself is a huge bummer.


Title: Michigan. Can a trailer park make a tenant pay for inside house repairs while renting the mobile home?

Question:
Friend is looking to rent a mobile home in Michigan.

 They will not be buying the house but will be renting the house as well as the lot for a flat fee.

 The park has explained to them that anything that needs to be repaired while they're living in the home, such as pipes bursting, washer/dryer, sink clogs, etc, the tenant is responsible for any and all repairs.

Understand that this person is going to be renting the home as well as the land.

This doesn't seem legal to me. I would think that the tenant rights would just be like renting an apartment.
 Where anything that goes wrong; that the landlord would be responsible for repairs not the tenant.

Please advise and thank you.

Answer:
 Yes they can put this in the lease and if your friends sign the lease they would be responsible.

However, I the only way I would sign such a lease is if the rent was low enough to make it worth it.  You got to do some risks calculations on that.  Usually better to just pass and move on to someone who offers a more favorable lease.

The washer dryer thing isn't that big  a deal.  You can calculate how much it would cost to replace washer/dryer if they break.  If rent is cheap enough it might be worth it.  Say it's a 1200 dollar washer/dryer set and both break so that you have to replace them.  Ostensibly that's $100 a month on a 12 month lease.  Less if you plan on staying longer.  So if your rent is $100 less a month than other places, since it's a known cost it's not a biggy.

What worries me though is "pipes bursting"  that could be thousands of dollars.  Since you don't know what the costs COULD be going in, it doesn't amortize well.  If you can get renters insurance that covers damage that is your responsibility, then it's not as bad.  Check with your insurance company before signing.

Finally... no matter where they rent they NEED renters insurance.  Why people don't carry it is beyond me.


Title: [MN] I purchased a domain name and now I am getting calls from random people multiple times a day.

Question:
Okay, so to start I know very little on privacy laws and what companies can do with my information but I’ll try to keep it detailed.

So, on Saturday I bought a domain name from a large company so that I could build a website. While buying it I had to put in my personal info ( Name, Phone # etc. ). Now, I am starting to get calls from random people offering website or logo design which I don’t really have a problem with but I do have a problem with each of them calling at least 4 times in a row and interrupting me in my classes. I’m wondering if there is any legal repercussion to me changing my personal info that is registered to my domain so that the calls and emails would stop or if there is any way that the domain company can stop giving out my info (which I’m pretty sure they are doing). Location: MN

Answer:
 They probably aren't giving your info out.  There are bots that mine the data from WhoIs queries.

Many companies where you purchase your domain from have options where you can make this info private.


Title: 3000$ Collection Fee on 4500$ Debt

Question:
Hello,
I have a small business based in Wyoming.
We had an account with a supplier go 20 days past due and they sent the account into collections. (New AR person that didn't know us. We have 4 year relationship with this supplier). The Collection "attorney" is based out of Denver, CO and I recieved a phone call demanding a payment of 7500.00 to settle the debt. I told him that I had no idea who he was and to not call back. I called the supplier and they apoligized for sending the account into collections and sent them a check for the amount I owed them and they said that they would deal with the collector. 2 months later I get an email from this supplier stating that I need to send them the 3000.00 that the collector had charged them. They said that the collector took the fee out of a check they received from another customer that was behind on their bill.
What should I do?

Answer:
 > They said that the collector took the fee out of a check they received from another customer that was behind on their bill.
What should I do?

What I would do would be to write back saying "I am quite sympathetic about your situation, but the issues you have with a third party collection agency who bills you incorrectly are not my problem and I do not intend to pay this charge which amounts to a an interest rate 460%. If you need my testimony in your dispute with the collection agency please feel free to reach out."


Title: How do I stop this nonprofit?

Question:
A nonprofit that is anti-abortion seems to do more than just education here in NJ. It's not a big nonprofit, relatively small, but still annoying.

Well they said they drafted a policy proposal...and that seems like lobbying which I don't think nonprofits can do...so is there anyway I can legally do something to stop them?

Answer:
 > and that seems like lobbying which I don't think nonprofits can do

You think wrong. Answer #2: Nonprofit organizations are permitted to engage in issue advocacy before the legislature.  What they are not allowed to do is participate in campaigns on behalf of a specific candidate.

You can [file a complaint with the IRS here](https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/irs-complaint-process-tax-exempt-organizations)Answer #3: You don't get to silence somebody because you don't agree with them or you think they are annoying. That's not how free speech works in a free socienty.  The right to petition the government is guaranteed in the Constitution. Answer #4: You can form a non-profit that does the exact opposite of what they are doing.


Title: I don’t want my son to see his grandma

Question:
I live in Texas and my husbands mom (my son’s grandma) wants to see my son. He is 3 months old and we have been feuding since before we he was born. I don’t want her to to be in contact of my son because for one she is an alcoholic. She has been one for the last 18 years and has a history of drugs. She almost even overdosed 5 months ago. It’s in hospital and police records since my husband had to call ambulance for her.   She still has 3 younger kids and continues to drink in front of them and drives drunk with them. Last thing, she doesn’t respect my wishes with my son. I don’t feel comfortable that my son would be safe when she is around. Now she wants to get an attorney to see him. What can I do to prevent her getting rights to see him? Or is even possible for her to get rights to see him? Thank u for ur help.
Topic:
Custody Divorce and Family

Answer:
 Texas grandparent rights only apply if one of the  following circumstances exists:

* The parents divorced;
* The parent abused or neglected the child;
* The parent has been incarcerated, found incompetent, or died;
* A court-order terminated the parent-child relationship; or
* The child has lived with the grandparent for at least six months.

If you have records of her having a history of drug and alcohol use.  Keep them handy.  Should this go before a judge, you'll need to show she could be a danger to your child.

Final thought,  what does your husband say? Its his mom.  What are his thoughts on this.  It will make a difference in court if he one your side or her's.


Title: [MS] Parents kicking me out.

Question: My parents are kicking me out January first of 2017. I'm 19 years old living at home. I have a job and no debts. I own my own car. I'm at a community college right now. My parents have no real reason why they want me out, and they supported my brother and sister well into their 20s. My sister still lives at home with her fiancé and child. Is there any action at all I could take to not get kicked out.

Answer: You can persuade your parents to let you stay. Answer #2: Have you offered them rent? If the issue is financial, that may assuage it.


Title: [US] If you go missing and are declared dead and then come back can you get your stuff back?

Question: So let's say that you get kidnapped or lost for a while and get declared dead, If you then come back will everything you own still be yours, for example your house, If no one inherits your things do they stay yours? What about the money you have in the bank, If you're legally dead does the money continue to gain interest? Is it legal to just leave and go on some private vacation and not tell anyone get declared missing and then come back?

Answer:
 [Check this out](http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/09/us/ohio-legally-dead-man/)

TL;DR: Your question actually happened. Declared dead in the 90s, had 3 years to challenge, didn't, challenged later, still legally dead, no stuff.


Title: Issued a parking ticket by mistake

Question:
How do you go about contesting a parking ticket that you should not have received?

Here’s alittle background:
I borrowed my moms vehicle for a week while she was abroad on vacation since I was in my hometown for a friends wedding. The ticket was dated and timed during the time that the wedding was taking place, as I was in the wedding party (and had been drinking champagne all day) that car was parked at home the entire day.

Is there any way to prove that the ticket was written for another license plate? It’s completely impossible that it was my moms car and now collections is coming after her months later and she’s tripping balls about it.
Topic:
Canada

Answer: The ticket didn't have information on how to contest it? If it's been sent to collections by now it's probably too late. The time to contest this was months ago.Answer #2: I had this happen to me a while back call the establishment and ask them what make and model they have on record and if not tell them so. They may have you send a copy of its registration along with a note explaining it as most times the handwriting is sloppy so when they enter the plates into the system your car shows up.


Title: Could you sue a college for actively making it harder for you to get a job?

Question:
Someone I’m very close to was pressured to go to a small religious college that only offered a liberal arts degree. She graduated, but due to the nonspecific nature of her degree, she’s found it incredibly hard to get a good job (something she desperately needs in order to pay off the student loans she had to take out to go to said school).

Is there any precedent for something like this? I thought of it almost like defamation, where you’d have to be able to prove that. damages occurred as a result of going to the school (which would be really hard, obviously).

We were both interested, though, so I figured I would ask.

Answer:
 Did the school force her to make a bad investment by taking a loan to study something that, everyone knows, isn't lucrative?

You can't blame others for your own bad decisions.


Title: [CA] 4 people on lease, can a 5th person live with us?

Question:
So I'm signing a lease on a 4 bedroom house with a group of 5 people (myself included). The master bedroom of said house is very spacious and can easily accommodate 2 people. However, the landlord says he wants a max of 4 people living in the house and that 5 people is just too much. My group and I are pretty desperate to find housing before school starts and we don't have many choices left willing to take us. So I told him that there will only be 4 people...signing the lease. I was planning on making a separate contract with the 5th person not on the lease (I guess like subleasing?).

Legally, is this possible and could I get away with not telling the landlord that the 5th person is living with us as well or would major problems arise?

Answer:
 If your lease has any clauses regarding subtenants or occupancy limits, you will be in violation of it.

Also, its really not a good plan to lie to and mislead your landlord.


Title: My old job gave my W2s to my ex-boyfriend...? How to proceed?

Question:
I used to work at this small restaurant chain. They practice a lot of illegal things, such as hiring undocumented immigrants, paying under the table, making servers tip out back-of-house employees, etc.

I was unfairly fired when I asked for a schedule change to accommodate with college.

Anyways, my ex-boyfriend was in there eating for lunch and they gave him my W2s to give to me!

I have no desire to see him and meet up with him, and isn’t this illegal? They gave my W2s to someone who isn’t me, instead of calling me to get them or mail them.

I’m pretty pissed about this, I’m wondering is there anything I can do about this situation.

edit- US, Maryland

Answer:
 Yes, you *should* be really pissed about this. Your w2 has your social security number on it. You need to advise them that they owe you your w-2 by January 31st. It is not your problem they misplaced it. As far as you're concerned, someone in Nebraska has it. It is not up to you to obtain it from your ex.

Report them to the IRS by calling [1-800-829-1040.](https://www.irs.com/articles/contact-the-irs) That link will also take your to the IRS page. Answer #2: Yeah, that's surely not a legal delivery mechanism.  That said, if you have your tax documents now and your ex didn't use them in some fraudulent way, you haven't really suffered much in the way of harm for which you can seek redress.

If you just want to punish them, you could report their misdeeds to your state's labor department I guess.Answer #3: Take note that you can't reorder W2s directly from the IRS until after February. You are able to request them that way. You can also demand the company give you new W2s.