Title: [NC] Bought a house. Found out a year later the outside is all lead-based paint.

Question:
I purchased a house just under a year ago that was built in 1940. The house had been flipped and been completely redone on the inside and painted on the outside as well as replaced all the windows and the roof.

When under contract, I noticed that the paint on the side of the house was already peeling and bubbling (it hadn't really begun to chip yet, but it was noticeably separating from the siding.) My agent didn't note any concern, and told me that if I chipped at it before owning it that I would be responsible for any repairs. So I left it alone. I had an inspection done, but it didn't mention anything about the paint.

Now, about a year later, a contractor was over for something unrelated and mentioned that when latex paint is put on top of lead paint it will bubble this way (at this point any siding that was not replaced has at least some bubbling with about half the paint either gone or just hanging off.) I got a test kit and it came out positive for multiple parts of the exterior.

I know that while looking at houses I got a general pamphlet about lead in homes, but I didn't get one specifically for this house. I'm trying to get a hold of the inspection to see if it mentions the paint, but I don't remember anything on it.

I signed a Professional Services Disclosure and Election form, but I didn't select or waive lead-paint inspection (it's not on the form.) On the State of North Carolina Residential Property and Owners' Association Disclosure Statement there is a line item that says
>Are there any hazardous or toxic substances, materials, or products (such as asbestos, formaldehyde, radon
gas, methane gas, lead-based paint) which exceed government safety standards, any debris (whether buried or
covered) or underground storage tanks, or any environmentally hazardous conditions (such as contaminated
soil or water, or other environmental contamination) which affect the property?

They checked "No" for this item. (Form [here](http://www.ncrec.gov/Forms/Consumer/rec422.pdf))

I found [some information](http://www.ncrec.gov/Pdfs/bicar/LeadBasedPaintReq.pdf) that said they "must be certified and follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination". This applies for when renovation disturbs "greater than 20 sqft of exterior painted surfaces" (which would apply since about 10% of the siding was replaced, the whole house was painted, and 13 windows were replaced).

Essentially at this point, all I want is my house repainted. From the day I moved in paint started peeling off the side of the house and I paid a high price for a house that looks great on the inside but falling apart on the outside. I don't particularly want to sue anyone, I really just want the house to look as nice on the outside as on the inside, but I can't afford to have a professional company remove all the lead paint.

I'm wondering. Did they lie when they said No to the lead on the disclosure form since they would have to have known about the lead paint on the outside? Is them painting the outside without doing any other remediation considered adequate to "abate" or "contain" the lead paint? Do I have any legal precedent or rights to  get them to remove the lead paint and re-paint the home or press charges? Is there a statue of limitations on how long I have to file suit? Is the realtor or just the contractor liable for not giving me a lead-based paint disclosure specifically for this house?

Thanks for any suggestions!
Topic:
Real Estate law

Answer: IANAL, but don't homeowners have to automatically warn buyers of danger if the house was built before a certain year? This might be just a Florida thing, but it was already marked with a warning for lead-based paint before I even took a look at the econtract.


Title: Going to be on a reality show on a major network - need help with the contract (it is possible I'm signing my soul away)

Question:
Hi,

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help. I've got 1 more business day to return a contract to a TV network on which I'll be on a reality show.

There is a TON of stuff that I'm really worried about, and I don't fully understand it. I don't have a lawyer and I really don't know whether to just sign it since it seems 'standard' I guess? Or maybe I can negotiate some of the sections out or something like that.

Anyway, looking for someone who can help me with this. I'd post the sections that I'm confused about - but I think they can sue me for doing that, so I'd really just like 30 mins of a lawyer's time here to just read through and let me know if I'm going to belong to American TV :(

Thanks!!

Answer: No one here will review your contract, as that would create an attorney -client relationship.  Essentially it will come down to if you want to be on the show, sign the contract.  If you don't want to be on the show, don't sign the contract.


Title: (Sorry if you’re sensitive) Legality of having employees clean up vomit?

Question:
Hi all, quick question for ya. For reference, we live in Florida. My mom recently bought a children’s resale store and obviously there are little ones running around. Sometimes the kids have too much fun and get sick everywhere, not a problem we’ll clean that right up! Except, after I (not employed, just visiting for the weekend) helped her clean up one such mess yesterday, her manager told her that employees are not allowed to clean up vomit because of the liability of one of them gets sick from it. To me, that sounds nuts. If Mom isn’t there, does the vomit just sit around waiting for her to come in?!

I personally work in an arena, and if someone gets sick us regular employees have to clean it up. Does anyone know more about the legality of having employees clean vomit up? I understand that it could be something where some basic training is required (we were given a 5 min. verbal spiel, so I’m thinking on that level) or maybe there’s some insurance coverage needed that she may not have because of her store’s scale? She would of course provide gloves and masks, so I really can’t see an issue with it. I tried to check out the labor health codes and such but I’m not very legal-minded and figured I’d get a second opinion. Any help would be appreciated!

Answer:
 [OSHA has regulations for cleaning up potentially infectious biological waste](https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.1030). As long as your mom provides gloves and appropriate cleaning supplies there is no problem with employees cleaning up vomit.

She should probably work out a store safety policy that includes procedures for common occurrences like this. Answer #2: Her workers comp carrier can probably provide her with some information about best practices.  But no, it's not forbidden, and her manager should stop giving legal advice.


Title: I owe the bank for a credit card loan, they're holding My lean release hostage until i "pay off what's owed"

Question:
I owe about 5k on a credit card with a local credit union.  I haven't been in the best place in life lately.  Got laid off work etc.  Anyway i called them telling them i wanted to start making payments to square up with them.  They however still have my lean release to my vehicle.  The vehicle has been completely paid off for months before I stopped making payments on the card.  Since that auto loan has been paid off and the car is mine, i have the title, can they legally hold it hostage like that?  Please help

In NY state

Answer:
 This practice is called cross-collateralization, and is frequently used specifically by credit unions to use all property put up as collateral against all debts held by the credit union. I can 100% guarantee there is a clause related to this in your credit union member agreement.

It's kinda scummy, and not disclosed nearly as well as I would like, but it's legal.


Title: [AZ] What do I do about my firearms and medical marijuana license?

Question:
I'm pretty upset and confused right now. Born and raised in Arizona and have owned firearms most of my life. I currently have two handguns, both were purchased from acquaintances as private sales. So there was no FFL transfer or bill of sale.

My doctor recommended I try our states medical marijuana program. I jumped through all the hoops and received my card two month ago. I purchased some topical creams which I still have in my home and some edibles & smokeables that I have consumed. The advice I was given about firearms and the states medical marijuana program has been conflicting. As I now understand it, I need to get rid of my firearms.

1. Can anyone clarify for me what the law actually is with firearms and medical marijuana?
2. Should I sell these through an FFL? Should I transfer them to my girlfriend who has firearms, does not consume marijuana and has a separate address; and should we do an FFL transfer or bill of sale?
3. Can I be retroactively charged with any crimes?

Answer: Illegal drug users are prohibited from possessing guns. Marijuana is illegal under Federal law.  You don't need to sell them, you can let somebody you trust hold onto them for you.  Or you can sell them by whatever method is legal in your State. You could in theory be charged with a crime as far back as the statute of limitation is for that crime.


Title: Sold a vehicle as an agent for a relative. Weeks later the buyer is saying she messed up the Title and need a letter from me and a copy of my license?

Question:
This is a followup question to an issue you helped me with approx one month ago. [Original post here.](https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/3o879g/how_to_word_a_bill_of_sale_when_selling_a_car_for/)
I had asked for help in completing the paperwork in order to sell a van for my nephew who has moved out of state.
I had him send me an email asking me to sell the van as his agent and granting me power of attorney to complete the negotiation, sale and transfer of title on his behalf.

I completed the sale (under $2k) and filled out the odometer readings, he had already signed the sellers line and showed the buyer where to sign.  She did not sign it in front of me.  I also gave them a Bill of Sale (and I have a copy) that included a statement that the buyer was aware that I was selling as an agent for the owner of the vehicle.

So now it's two and half weeks after the sale and she sent me an email stating:  "We're now in the process of registrating it but i messed up on the title. I got the re-assignment paper, they say we have to fill that out and also have you write them a letter informing them that i messed up on the title.  Also they would like a copy of your license now"

I am suspicious of this because I can't imagine why the RMV would ask for my license, or even a statement stating that I knew she was the person who "messed up" the original title, since I did not witness this.  I replied asking for more information about what they need and why.  I was wondering if maybe they needed proof of the person who was listed as owner on the original title, but that would be my nephew, not me.

So I am not sending anything yet, and was wondering if I am just being paranoid?  Should I write the letter they are asking for or send copies of my/his license?

My gut it telling me no, but I don't want to interfere with their ability to register the vehicle if it's just a legit mistake. There is also a slight language barrier on the buyers side.

I am in MA, buyer is in RI.
Thanks!

Answer:
 It's never reasonable to give copies of major pieces of identification to strangers; it's a commonly reoccuring theme in various social engineering (scam and con) attempts.

I personally would call the relevant RMV, and ask them if there is any valid scenario in which a botched title re-assignment would require you to give your ID to the buyer. If it is required, you could probably fax it straight to the RMV and avoid running the risk of identity theft that you'd have giving it to a private individual.

Either way, call them first then decide where to go from there.


Title: Girl says she had a child and says there's a possibility it's mine

Question:
So my ex-worker (20) just told me she had a child May 6th and that there's a possibility that it could me mine. We had sex once and she was on BC and then never heard from her again. She just added me on Facebook a few days ago to tell me this news. I meet with her tomorrow to talk about things. I was completely unaware of everything until this morning.

I'm (22) currently in my last year of college and with a lot of other things on my plate (dui among others) I am in no position to bring up a child nor do I even plan on it. Is there a way I could relinquish total rights to the child? I do not want anything to do with this situation and want it off my mind.

I live in California

Answer:
 > Is there a way I could relinquish total rights to the child?

Rights, yes. You don't have to see your child or make parenting decisions for them.

Responsibilities? No. If the child is yours, you are obligated to at the very least provide financial support to said child.Answer #2: > Is there a way I could relinquish total rights to the child?

Not unless there's another parent willing to adopt and take on those parental rights

Otherwise, you can't voluntarily relinquish your rights and responsibilities to the child (if it's yours)Answer #3: If she files for child support you have no way of getting out of it unless she finds someone else to adopt the kid.  Get a paternity test.Answer #4: First you need to find out if the child is even yours. If the child is yours, well, these are the consequences of having sex and unless the child is adopted by someone else you're likely going to be on the hook for child support. If you choose not to be involved with the child that's your choice and you'll have to live with that, but under most circumstances you can't just refuse to support a child you helped create.

Get a DNA test and find out if you even have a child (and verify a child actually exists) before you do anything else and don't sign anything or give any money until paternity is established.


Title: Got an oil change and they rolled down the window (New Jersey, United States)

Question: So I got an oil change at a local jiffy lube and for whatever reason they rolled down the driver side window in my car all the way. The issue with that is that my car is kind of old and the window doesn't always roll up without me pushing extremely hard to get it up but it'll role down no problem, because of this I haven't touched it since the summer. But now it is stuck and i have to go get it fixed at the mechanic. My question is, would I legally have the right to bill them for the repair?

Answer:
 Did you warn them that the window is broken and shouldn't be opened because it gets stuck?Answer #2: > My question is, would I legally have the right to bill them for the repair?

Why? They didn’t break the window, they merely rolled it down.


Title: [Canada] Cheapest "legal zoom" type service for a pre-nup?

Question:
Hey there

My fiance and I are needing to get a prenup done with very minimal assets on the table (mostly looking to protect my pension)

Is there a fill in the blank service that is based in canada that can get this done efficiently and cheaply?

Thanks

Answer: This isn't something to cheap out on.


Title: Friend's daughter is banned from mall for recording

Question:
Dallas, Texas

So my friend's daughter, who is 13 years old, went to the mall with 3 of her friends. She was in a store and saw 2 women physically fighting and thought to record it and put it on Snapchat.

Anyway, the store manager caught her and her friends, got pissed. reprimanded her and her friends, called the mall security, called the police and then proceeded to have her banned from the entire mall for life.

What can she do? I thought the mall was a public place and you were allowed to record. Can the ban be lifted?

Answer:
 The mall is not a public place.  It is a private commercial space.   The owners of the mall have the right not to allow someone on their premises.   It makes sense that someone who would post video of fighting would not be welcome in the mall, it doesn’t make the mall look great.

What was the ticket for?  Answer #2: > What can she do?

Not shop there.Answer #3: She has the legal right to record.

She just doesn’t have the mall’s permission to record.

She won’t go to jail for recording, but the mall doesn’t have to allow her to record, and doesn’t even have to allow her on the property.

Just because something is legal to do doesn’t mean you have permission to do it wherever you want without consequence.Answer #4: >received a 100$ ticket

You don't get a ticket for filming...


Title: Is my employer allowed to tell me that I can't give a reference to an ex-employee?

Question:
I'm in BC, Canada. I'm a trainer for new employee's at my place of work. I've always gave my business card to good workers when they left if they needed a reference.

Recently, a guy was laid off. During winter, this tends to happen as we slow down. While he was here, he butted heads with a certain manager. He left without incident and as he left, I wished him well and let him know I'd give him a fantastic reference as I felt he was a very good worker. This manager came to me and said that I was not allowed to give him a reference. Keep in mind that she is not my direct manager, and while I do have to work with her on some projects, she has very little say on my position. She did not clarify if she meant personal or professional reference.

Is she allowed to tell me this?

Answer:
 She can say it. You can ignore it. You can get fired for ignoring it, or pretty much any other reason your company wants (or no reason at all).

If she has very little say in your position, she may have no say over your job security. But its probably a good idea to check with the ones who do.


Title: [NE] Planning a themed event, but worried about copyright/licensing issues

Question: I am planning an event that will have an Alice in Wonderland theme, though won't use that name specifically. I was under the impression that Alice in Wonderland was in the public domain, but have had some concern expressed to me about liability when it comes to copyright issues, especially as related to Disney. If we are not using Disney's specific depictions of characters or elements from the stories, is there any risk? For instance, if we included teacups, playing cards, a cheshire cat, etc. on our materials, would we be in any danger of copyright or licensing issues?

Answer:
 Lewis Carroll wrote Alice in Wonderland in 1865. According to this page Lewis Carroll's books are NOT copyrighted.

http://www.alice-in-wonderland.net/resources/faq/#copyright

>Q: Are the books and the pictures still copyright protected?

>A: No. When the Alice books were published, they were copyright protected until 42 years after the first publication or 7 years after the author’s death, whichever was the longer. Later, the 1911 Act replaced the 1842 Copyright Act which extended the period to 50 years after the author’s death.

>This means that the copyright on “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” subsisted until 1907 and that of “Through the Looking-Glass and what Alice found there” until 1948. As Tenniel died in 1914, his illustrations came into the public domain in 1964. This includes the colored illustrations for the Nursery Alice.

>Between Charles Dodgson’s (Lewis Carroll’s) death in 1898 and the expiration date of the copyright, publisher Macmillan owned the copyright to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Wilfred Dodgson, executor of Dodgson’s estate, sold it to them.

>Notably the British Copyright act did not protect the stories and illustrations from being reproduced abroad. Many foreign publishers, for example in America, were therefore able to publish the story and Tenniel’s illustrations without permission from Dodgson, while they were still copyright protected in the UK.

>Disney’s cartoon movie still remains in copyright. If you wish to use movie stills, video, audio, or anything else from the movie, you’ll need to ask permission from Disney Consumer Products.

This means you can most likely use the theme as long as you don't use the images created by disney or any of their films.


Title: [Iowa] Guy hit my scooter, and wants to take it to his dad's friends Autoshop

Question: [deleted]

Answer: Take it to the body shop of your choice. Forward him the estimate (keep the original, give him a copy). If he refuses to pay, take him to court.


Title: My employee hasn’t worked for me in a year, are they still my employee?

Question:
A year ago, I was running my new/small yoga studio, and hired an instructor who substituted and was paid for two classes, before finding herself newly pregnant and needing to stop being active for the duration of the pregnancy.

I never had her sign paperwork for going on a leave, as we hadn’t started her on a regular schedule, she was on an as needed schedule. I was a new business owner then and my documentation is more thorough now. On average my yoga teachers work under 5 hours a week. Initially I thought she would start back teaching  after her baby was born, but in the year she has been gone I have essentially filled the position with other teachers. Is she legally still my employee, if she has not worked a shift in over a year? Is she entitled to hours when she’s physically capable to teach again?

Answer: Might change based on location but an employer is usually not obligated to offer any hours for any specific time period. Unless there was some contract involved saying otherwise.


Title: [MI] I was subpoenaed for an IP address from someone on a website I own, however I have no idea how to get this IP address and I don't keep logs of IPs.

Question:
[removed]
Topic:
Troll Post

Answer: Do you use a particular software/comment webapplication? (i.e. google sites, wordpress, etc.) I'm sure there are tutorials available online for this.


Title: Can I sue the police?

Question:
To make long story short... I am wondering if I have probable cause to sue the police.

Background:

Last night, I was at a bar/club and an unknown guy groped me. I approached him and told him to never put his hands on me and he decided to hit me. I hit him back and the next thing I know I was being “manhandled” out of the building. On site  were 2 cops that “monitoring the area”, I approached one of them and told him that I was sexually harassed and assaulted and he went on to tell me that he couldn’t help me. He said that he couldn’t enter the premises because alcohol was involved and I had to wait for the guy to come out before they could do anything.

I talked to an internal police investigator that said I was not to be told that by a cop and they were suppose to help me.

I literally have no way of finding this man that touched me and there’s nothing I can do about it now but reply the accident in my head. If the situation was taken care of at the moment I would have been able to press charges and have at LEAST a peace of mind.

What do you guys think? Is this legitimate to proceed?

Answer:
 No.Answer #2: The police have no legal requirement to investigate a crime. And even if they did, no obligation to arrest them or bring charges.

You don't have any cause of action here. Hey some counseling if you are struggling still after this


Title: I signed a lease, but I'm wondering if this is legal. I live in South York County, PA

Question:
Hey everyone,

I recently signed a lease in Glen Rock, PA and the property has turned out to be a nightmare. The landlord has addressed all of my issues except for the infestation of roaches, beetles, and ants which I was unaware of at the time of signing. I have been doing everything in my power, setting traps and spraying weekly, but they just keep coming back. I suspect that the walls are infested.

I want to break my month to month lease with a 30 day notice, as required by my lease. But there is a section saying that I have to find a new tenant prior to moving out and have to continuously pay rent until I find one. Am I required to do this? It doesn't sound right to me. Once you terminate a month to month, I should be in the clear by the time I move out. Am I correct in assuming this?

It sounds silly to have to pay my landlord indefinitely even after my lease is terminated.

Answer: A month to month is just that, a month to month. Those rules sound more like the clause for a (fixed term?) lease to break it early. Assuming your not misinterpreting your lease and it isn't really month to month you should be fine with 30 day notice


Title: Why haven’t laws in the USA been created to prevent companies from collecting, storing and selling your data? Or at least a law that would require them to give the consumer 50% of the profit for the sale of that data?

Question: I find it unfair that you pay monthly fees to a bank for the service of storing your money and yet they can sell your private data and you aren’t compensated for that sale. Why hadn’t their been a law to stop that?

Answer:
 You realize that the number of sitting congressmen who have fallen for a Nigerian prince email scam is probably greater than zero, right?Answer #2: This is one of the policy platforms Andrew Yang is running on for 2020.Answer #3:  Because the people that profit off selling your data have people in charge of making the laws to make sure nobody loses a nickel and it’s greed greed greed and we get to pay for it.Answer #4: Because it's not your data. It's data about you. The distinction is important because you don't own, and shouldn't have any claim to ownership, of data that you either voluntarily have out or that was collected in the course of you using someone else's private service. It doesn't belong to you any more than a videotape of you taken with a convenience store security camera while you were shopping. If you don't want banks to have your data, don't give it out.

Also, if you're paying monthly fees to a bank, you need to find a better bank.Answer #5: Have you ever noticed how important people in the tech industry host fundraisers for candidates?  There’s your answer.Answer #6:  Most banks pay you to store your money with them.

Sounds like you have a crap bank.Answer #7: Because when you use that service you agree to those terms and conditions. If you don’t like them then don’t use that particular service.


Title: Where I live you need to pay a plastic bag tax(Montgomery MD, is it tax evasion if I don't pay it.

Question: Where I live you need to pay a plastic bag tax when using a plastic bag at the grocery store. If the check-out station has a clerk they will charge you for any plastic bags you take, but if you're at a self-checkout station the machine ask you to note the number of bags you use. If you state that you have used a false number of bags is that tax evasion?

Answer:
 No, it's theft.

Bring your own bags.Answer #2: It's theft.


Title: [CA] Can a tourist drive when he or she has an Indian driver's license?

Question: Basically what it says.  This person is here for a limited time and does not intend to stay here.  Person does not have a International Driving Permit.  License is in English (English is official language in India)

Answer:
 >The State of California does not recognize an International Driving Permit (IDP) as a valid driver license. California does recognize a valid driver license that is issued by a foreign jurisdiction (country, state, territory) of which the license holder is a resident.

Your friend will be fine.


Title: (OHIO) Renting with previous eviction over 7+ years old

Question: So here’s the situation, my dad is trying to rent an apartment but he has a previous eviction blip on his record from 2010. Now more about this, he wasn’t actually evicted. Basically, the apartment building needed to do some drain work on the toilet and they removed the toilet and then after they removed it the maintenance guy said that he would be back the following Monday to finish the job. The toilet pipe we left uncovered and when other residents in the building flushed the toilet it overflowed all over the apartment. He refused to pay the rent because of the major damage that it had caused, and in turn the eviction process started. They dropped the case though because they were highly negligent and it was a serious health hazard so it wasn’t pursued and it was dropped by them. It was basically called even and there wasn’t supposed to be a record. So today we go look at this amazing apartment to rent and we were under the impression that there were no evictions on his record but once the landlord looked it up it came up. It was supposed to be off of there after 7 years and it’s still on the city website and the landlord won’t let us apply until it’s removed off of there. Now can we just call to have it removed since it’s their fairly it hasn’t been off of there after the seven year period? Or am I able to go to the justice center and have it removed as I am his adult daughter and he has given me permission to be his power of attorney in this case? The reason he can’t go there is because it’s only open from 8:30-4 and that’s the exact hours he works. We need this done ASAP and I don’t know where to start to remove this.

Answer: It comes off a credit report after 7 years, not court records


Title: Roommate wouldn't leave before end of 30-day notice.

Question:
Linn County, Oregon

 My old roommate lost his job, after having to pay his share of the bills for a few months I was too broke to keep living there. We turned in a 30 day notice, but I couldn't stay there that long as he was driving me crazy, acting very strangely, irresponsibly, and not sleeping (I suspect meth as he has a history).
Well I got all of my things out of the apartment a few weeks early and started staying with my mom. I went back on several occasions to clean, throw away any trash items, etc. but he wouldn't move his stuff before the 30 days was up.

So I just received a bill from my landlords having to remove his things that added up to about $1500. But I haven't been able to get in contact with my ex roommate for some time, I've heard from a mutual acquaintance that he's been committed to a psychiatric ward. I have 7 days to pay this before it falls to my grandmother (the guarantor) I make minimum wage, I can't afford this even if I felt responsible for it.

Do I have any options?

Answer: Not much. You owe it based on your lease. But your roommate is liable. Since he is not employed and in a psych ward he has no way to pay. You should pay it and sue him but you will likely never see that money. If you don't pay you will ruin your credit and might get your wages garnished.


Title: Shoplifting curiosity

Question: So I'm a lurker on a few shoplifting forums mostly because I enjoy the stories of people getting caught. I've seen them mention booster bags before, homemade tinfoil bags which block RFID signals and make alarms useless. If caught with one, it's a felony, and also elevates whatever shoplifting charge into a felony from what I could understand. Now I also know there are commercial bags, wallets, and purses with RFID blocking capabilities. So I was wondering, if you were caught concealing an item in store in one of these RFID blocking bags, and it was discovered that your bag was an RFID blocker, would you receive the same felony charge as you would for using an actual booster bag? Or would you still be handled like a basic shoplifter?

Answer:
 Probably better suited for /r/legaladviceofftopic.

But intent plays a lot into what charges are feasible.  If it can be demonstrated that a person was using such a bag to help them shoplift, then I don't see any reason why it wouldn't be treated exactly the same as a home-made bag.


Title: I got hurt at work 2 weeks ago and my boss is trying to keep me from filing a workers compensation claim.

Question:
[Georgia, USA]

I work as a security guard at a parking deck. 2 weeks ago I was making rounds and tripped over a PVC pipe sticking up out of the median in front of the security booth. When I caught myself I landed off the median and about 6 inches down where the median drops off. I called my boss right away and he told me that I needed to finish the night and go to the E.R. the next day, which I did.
I was told that I may have a pinched nerve in my back and that I sprained my groin when I fell. They referred me to a specialist and said if my back still hurts in a week to go see the new doctor. My boss right away told me not to bother because I'd have to pay out of pocket since he isn't on the company's list of physicians. He told me to give him some time to set up an appointment with a company doctor.
2 weeks went by and he finally called me this morning and took me to a doctor that gave me light duty for a week. On the ride home I asked him if workers comp was going to reimburse me for the time I've been missing and he flew off the handle. He said "don't even think about filing with them" and "if I was your commanding officer in the army I'd beat the shit out of you for bringing it up."  In the time from start to finish, I've had to call the insurance company directly (mainly to confirm that my boss actually filed a claim) and to get my case info so I can give it to the hospital because I'm getting the bill in the mail to the tune of $1,300.
I've also been paying for the meds out of pocket, luckily they've been cheap, but the insurance company has offered to send me a card to pay for the meds. In the meantime, I called the doctor I saw today and asked him to put me on light duty since he told me that it could be 5-6 weeks until I'm healed. My boss might fire me for that, but at this point I don't care. I'm limping around and probably shouldn't be walking up and down a 7 story parking deck anyway. As someone mentioned before, what if I have to detain someone? So far, my ability to do my job has been narrated solely by my boss, who despite having been in the military, is not a doctor.
Topic:
Labor Law

Answer:
 Hey, I would contact a lawyer in Georgia that specializes in workers' compensation.  Your employer and their comp insurer are 100% responsible for paying your medical bills and paying you temporary disability for any time you miss from work.  The caveat is that they get to pick who you go see.  In addition, once you're all better, you may be entitled to a lump some payment for any permanent disability you might have.

Another thing is that most states have provisions that your employer can't fire you for making a comp claim.  Talk with a lawyer in GA to protect your rights.  Also, don't quit your job.


Title: sexual harassment on a minor. (URGENT)

Question: hello reddit. i am having alot of trouble getting help.. my girlfriend who is 17 is having alot of trouble with this other guy at school. last year he was sexually harassing her (threatening rape, trying to grab her butt and chest.) this was before i met her. she just told me all this the other day. they made a report to the school and he only got detention. they went to the school(her parents and all).. she is 17 now and he turned 18 today. this year has been better because well she has a boyfriend that is uhh how do i put this. 400 times stronger than he will ever be. but we are in different classes of course. so last week he was like touching her arm her leg.. she slapped him and came and found me in a different class.. what legal trouble can he get into if he does that sort of thing now that he is legally an adult sexually harrasing a minor at school? please help ive tried everything but breaking his nose and she wont let me do that... please if anyone could give me information.. she is scared for her life that he will actually try and rape her but i can only be with her in school not out of.. I am 16 and i live in maine. if any of that matters.. i just need help please its urgent

Answer:
 Have her document every incident, have her report it to the teacher whose class she's in at the time, make sure she tells her parents (get them involved), have her ask to move seats away from this creep, and to have a school administrator/counselor involved after every incident.

She should schedule a meeting with her parents and a school admin to address the issue as well.

EDIT:  Grammar


Title: Fiance's company about to be questioned by DEA later today - instructed to not say anything without company's lawyer. What should she do?

Question: She is an x-ray tech at an urgent care suspected of doctors prescribing pain meds for money. She does not know of anything incriminating but was still told by her supervisor to not say anything without asking for a lawyer present. What should she say to the DEA?

Answer:
 It is useful to consider the different entities and that each will be acting to defend itself and will NOT be acting in the best interests of the others.

-- the individual doctors who may be being targeted

-- the clinic as a corporate entity

-- the other individuals, such as your fiancee, who work there

Each is susceptible to law enforcement action if each is believed by the government to have taken any illegal action.  The clinic's lawyers will NOT be acting in your fiancee's best interests and there's no benefit to your fiancee from having them present.  Speaking to the DEA with company lawyers present INCREASES her risk since now she could not only talk herself into criminal charges, anything she says can be used against her by the company to fire her.

If she believes there's even the slightest chance that she has done anything illegal at all, she needs her own lawyer hired to represent her.  She needs to understand that anything she says in front of company lawyers will be repeated to company management and used to fire her.  She needs to understand that any lie, no matter how minor, she tells to DEA agents is a federal crime by itself.
Answer #2: She needs to obtain her own lawyer.

"I'm so glad my client talked to the police" -no lawyer ever


Title: Restaurateur wrote a check as payment for work, then canceled after I cashed it

Question:
Houston, Texas.

I worked a brunch at a local eatery. Was referred by a friend who had done one previous gig with the guy. The owner (after not answering my calls and texts) paid me by check (not the full amount owed, btw) after I showed up at his other restaurant. After reluctantly giving me the check (wrote the check, handed it to a manager, and promptly left the site), I quickly drove to my bank (in hindsight, should have gone to HIS bank) and cashed it. A few days later, my bank account indicates that the check came back.

At this time, I am formatting a demand letter, along with a printed copy of the check (downloaded from my bank), to be sent by certified mail.

After 10 days, I will file a complaint with the DA. And go from there.

The amount of the check was $128. A relatively small amount overall, but principality being the main issue, I will not lie down on this one. The guy is a shady fast talker, and I want to bring forth the full extent of the law.

Any advice is appreciated, thank you.

PS- My friend experienced the same thing, canceled check and all. We plan to separately, but equally, pursue legal action.

Answer:
 The DA's not going to care. This is a civil matter, not a criminal one.

If you need to enforce your wages, either file a wage claim with your state's labor department, or take the restauranteur to small claims, for the full amount outstanding plus any returned check fees you've had to pay, plus your filing fees.


Title: “Hit and run” on last few days of probation

Question:
My probation ends on June 8th for a class A misdemeanor. Recently I was driving and I was at a red light. I could turn right on red as I was the first one to go. As I take my foot off the gas a woman hits the front of my car with her hand, and walks back to the side walk. I stop and roll down my window to see what the deal was but she just proceeds to yell at me. I roll my window up and drive away. As far as I knew she was some woman trying to fake me hitting her.

I get a call from HPD a few weeks later telling me that she has reported the incident and it was all caught on the metro bus camera that was right behind me. I give my side of the story explaining that I was in no way trying to do a hit and run and assumed she was homeless and crazy.

Fast forwarding today, HPD calls me and tells me there is a warrant out for my arrest and to turn my self in by Monday. I search online and don’t see any warrants for myself. I’m scared and confused. What should I do!?

Answer:
 I would strongly recommend speaking to a defense attorney before turning yourself in, and certainly before making any further statements about the incident to anyone, especially the police. I know you meant to explain your side of the story and defend yourself, but you inadvertently admitted to pretty much every element of the crime you’ve been accused of.

If she was trying to manufacture an insurance claim, it will not have been her first time. A defense attorney will find a record of her having made frivolous claims in the past.

If it was an innocent close encounter, and she was not struck by your car, the video will evidence that, or the bus driver will be called to give give a statement or even testify to what occurred.

There are avenues to find exonerating evidence that a defense attorney will look into. You will not be able to do so yourself. And every further word you speak to police will be damaging your case.


Title: [Oklahoma] A blood donation almost killed me, now I have medical bills, don't want to sue if I don't have to.

Question:
I gave blood last Friday, it was one of the donations where they take out blood cells then pump plasma back in. During the plasma return my injection began to itch like crazy, my lips and mouth were burning, I began coughing violently, and I had diarrhea. I wound up on the floor of the Men's room at the grocery store, with EMTs taking me in an ambulance. The ER doctor diagnosed me with anaphylactic shock. My fiancee was looking online and found that there is a type of human error possible where they mix up the saline and anticoagulant bags, injecting anticoagulant directly into your bloodstream and causing severe allergic reaction which fit my symptoms to a T.  I am a longtime blood donor and don't want to sue, but I'm going to have to pay a $250 copay for the ER visit and God only knows what for the Ambulance. Should I try to deal with them directly or do I need a lawyer first? All I want is my medical bills paid.

TL;DR Blood draw went bad, their fault, would like them to pay medical bills only. Lawyer or no?

Answer: If you sue you're going to have to prove they mixed up the bags and caused your issues. Just having "symptoms fit to a T" isn't good enough.


Title: My roommate and I got robbed after helping out my coworker during a tough time.

Question:
Summer 2016. I had a coworker of mines (40 plus) lost her apartment and got an eviction on her record. She gave me a sob story and asked if she can stay with me while she finds another place. I first asked my roommate (we're 22 and 21 at the time) and he met her and said yes. (thinking it would be like few weeks to a month.) It turned out to be around 5 months. She was in a financial situation so we let her pay anything (rent, gas, etc.) but we would split the groceries. While weeks past everything seemed to go well. She had a car and I didn't at the moment. So we used her car to do errands, take my roommate to classes etc. Here where things go crazy. She asked my roommate and I if she can let her son (17, who I've met on several occasions when she would bring him to work) stay with us. (while asking us she made some hints that he was staying with his dad all along). He stayed with us for about a moth and then robbed us with his friends. Both me and his mom. worked at similar hours so we were both out of my apartment. He left the apartment before my roommate went class. My roommate called me to say we've been robbed. Everyone got back home first except my coworker son. We lost about 3 grand of belongings. The cops came over and took our statements while my coworker and son sat there. Some of his items were "taken" be he refused to give a statement. That's when I suspected him even more. While we gave our statement he sat their apparently texting his friends who he robbed with, making sure that they weren't suspects. The next day I placed a hidden recording device in my living room where he and his mom crashes. I caught him on record bragging about the items they stole from us. I was gonna kick his ass then and there but my roommate really wanted his things back, so we called a cop. The cop heard everything and went in to arrest him outside my apartment in front his mom. His mom was crying and couldn't believe he would rob the same people who are helping him while he's homeless. We worked out a deal that we would get back out items and we wouldn't press charges (I was gonna press charges but my roommate just wanted his things back that he worked really hard to get.) The officers ran his name turns out that he was recently released from a juvenile correction center. We were here thinking all along that his dad kicked him out (saying that he was a dead beat), he just knew his son is a piece of shit that he doesn't want in his house. We got back 80% of our items and she promised to pay us back the remainder that the other guys ran off with. We were robbed in November 2016, it's now August 2017. Never got paid a dime yet. We have a police report with both my coworker and her son as the suspects and text messages of her promising to pay us an exact number we gave her. Do we have enough to go back to the cops or civil court to make a case?

Hope this story helps some of you guys out. Don't ever let someone down on their luck stay with you. They have NOTHING to lose and will rob you.

Answer:
 Let's say you were to sue, can you attain the value of 20% of your assets from a person with $0?

Can't get blood from a stone.  Would it be worth your time?  Your recourse is against the son, not the mother.  The son is homeless.

Edit: completely left out the accomplices.  Do you have identities of them?Answer #2: If they stole your belongings while you were not physically present, you were not robbed. They stole from you, the charge of which is theft. It's not even burglary, because they were legally allowed to be present when they stole the items. This is important, because when you sue in civil court, you will sound uneducated if you claim they robbed your house.

Sue in civil court. Use sound math to determine the *damages* (amount of money or monetary representation of the items that were stolen) and present that evidence, along with the police report and screenshots of the conversations, as evidence.


Title: How do laws regarding Emotional Support Animals work in regards to rental properties?

Question:
I live in California and I'm curious how it really works.

I've tried doing my research but everything I find is fairly vague and doesn't really help or explain thoroughly.

Essentially I am looking to have the following questions answered in regard to ESA's in CA and renting:

* Can we have an ESA in a rental that normally wouldn't allow pets?
* Do we have to notify the landlord that we have one or more ESA?
* Do we have to/Can a landlord make us pay a pet deposit for an emotional support animal?
* Is a landlord allowed to deny us obtaining a rental because we have ESA's?

Answer:
 This largely depends on how many units are on the property you're renting, because landlords of smaller properties don't have to abide by the same legal restrictions that larger properties do.

But generally yes, you have to notify the landlord of the pet, the landlord can't charge an additional deposit or fee, but you are liable for any damages the animal causes, which can be taken out of your security, or you can be sued for it.


Title: (OH,USA) When you are required to show a LEO ID, do you have to physically hand it over to them?

Question: I know there are instances when you can refuse identifying yourself, but when demanded by a law enforcement officer, can flashing your id be sufficient, allowing the officer to read all information. Say you feel you will be unlawfully detained if you hand your ID to said officer.

Answer:
 > can flashing your id be sufficient

No.  The officer also has to determine if the ID is proper.  That includes determining whether it's physically consistent with state standards for identification.

Also, the more of an officious little shit you are during encounters with the police, the worse they'll go for you.  Choose wisely.


Title: Are Ted Nugent's comments about Democrats ("keep your gun handy, and every time you see one, you shoot one") protected under the First Amendment?

Question:
> Don’t ask why. Just know that evil, dishonesty, and scam artists have always been around and that right now they’re liberal, they’re Democrat, they’re RINOs, they’re Hollywood, they’re fake news, they’re media, they’re academia, and they’re half of our government, at least. So come to that realization. There are rabid coyotes running around. You don’t wait till you see one to go get your gun. Keep your gun handy, and every time you see one, you shoot one.

[(Source.)](https://www.mediamatters.org/video/2018/04/06/nra-s-ted-nugent-compares-democrats-rabid-coyotes-keep-your-gun-handy-and-every-time-you-see-one-you/219877)

Does this fall under the exceptions to the First Amendment (specifically I'm thinking about the Brandenberg test)? It certainly sounds to me like he's advocating a specific violent action; is that enough to qualify it as "imminent lawless action"?

Answer:
 Yes, it is probably protected by the First Amendment.

1. He is probably using an analogy: "Just as you don't wait until you see a rabid coyote to get your gun, you don't wait to see a political enemy to fight for your side."
2. Even if he's not using an analogy, this is not specific enough to count as an "incitement to imminent lawless action". If you're not literally whipping up a lynch mob and aiming it at a specific target, it's probably protected speech. If he had said "Everyone, grab your guns, march on CNN headquarters, and we'll end this fake news media once and for all!", then we could talk.Answer #2: When I read this statement, I believe he is using an analogy. He is using a the "keep your gun handy, and every time you see one, you shoot one" to refer to a previous point which probably has something to do with "getting rid of the problem."

However, I did not review the whole context, I only read the quote. So it is possible that he is literally asking people to shoot other people, but I find this very unlikely.Answer #3: Not an answer, but curious how close it is to this phrase, associated with the Nazis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/That%27s_When_I_Reach_for_My_Revolver


Title: I think my father-in-law is using us for tax evasion, but not quite sure

Question:
Obvious throw away account.

My father-in-law owns several successful local businesses. While he used to do this with my wife before we were married, I am concerned because he still asks us to do it. And that involves me now since we have a joint account.

For one of those particular businesses, he has my wife as a partial owner (taxes are filed under her name, but we receive no income from it and we do zero work for running the business). Every few months, he will write us a profit share check for $6k - $8k (he physically writes the check, but the company name is on the check), have us deposit it into our bank account, then we write him a personal check for the same amount.

I'm very concerned about it. I have a feeling he does this to avoid taxation on part of his income. Last year when we did our taxes, he reimbursed us for the taxes on those checks.

Is this process legal, or am I in some sort of grey area?

**UPDATE**

Just talked to him. It's so he only gets taxed at my wife's income tax bracket, which is MUCH lower than his. He doesn't want to pay taxes on his income bracket.

Please tell me what points I can make if we get caught, what good concerns would be to bring up. He's a smart guy, but I need a strong argument/something concrete to show this is illegal.

Answer:
 Uh huh. You want to stop doing this right now. Could be for taxes, could be flat-out embezzlement, could be any number of fraud-related things. And your name is all over it. Answer #2: If anything its money laundering.

Why do people agree to do stuff like this is always beyond me.


Title: Employer chooses to pay late lunch fine

Question: Hello, at my workplace (a rather large blue collar company) we are entitled to a lunch break and two rest breaks for 8 hours. But many of the employees work 10 hours and only get one 30 minute break. Additionally, my boss Will openly say no to you on the 5th hour of work even if you are begging to go. They say they will pay the penalty and get back to work. This happens nearly every day and it has become almost a company policy at this point. I know there is a fine for not giving a lunch but can a company that is obscenely rich pay for them every single day with almost no consequences. They probably make more money off that employee that they pay out.

Answer:
 You can make a complaint to the DoL if you feel they're systematically trying to deprive employees of lunches as well as the 10 minute breaks.

That being said there ***are*** legitimate reasons for some industries to not be able to take lunches so there's no blanket law against it other than the meal penalty.

All that being said ensure you are actually getting paid your meal penalty (which should be your hourly rate multipled by 1.5) as well as your overtime. Many companies in CA "build in" an extra 30 minutes for lunches (IE working 8:30-5:00 instead of 9:00-5:00) but if you don't take your lunch your owed your meal penalty and the straight time worked which would give you an additional 30 minutes of OT each day.

If you're afraid of retaliation for asking for your meal penalty and OT only speak to your employer in writing (email or text) and begin looking for other jobs.


Title: [Frivolous] Can I sue the city for an erroneous parking ticket? (Toronto, Ontario)

Question:
So, this is a two part question here.

#Part the first

I received a parking ticket for being too close to a fire hydrant today.  The particular code I violated is as follows:

> No person shall on any highway park any vehicle; within three metres of a point on the curb or edge of the roadway adjacent to any fire hydrant

As a surveyor, I have access to some fancy tools.

[Pictures](http://imgur.com/a/5yw3A)

The first picture is a screenshot of the LIDAR scan I performed, and the second pictures is of the scanner, and a tape extended to the 3m point.  The orange by the bumper is a nail I put in the asphalt marking the end of the bumper, just in case I have to go back and measure it again.

So, I checked, my car is 3.1882m from the hydrant.

I want to submit this, along with the cars gps tracking, and my dashcam video in order to prove that I didn't move the car.

**Question 1.** How would I submit all this information as a part of discovery?  Just burn it to a DVD?

#Part the second

**Question 2.** Can I sue the city for wasting my time?  Are there any dangers with taking the city to small claims?

1. $100 for the ticket (a matter of principle)
2. Time lost from doing the scanning, calcs, and drafting
3. Lost wages, from going to fight the ticket in the first place.  This takes a couple hours to begin with.
4. Other hardships.

I'm wouldn't be looking for millions, but something to cover the cost of this.

---------------------------------

Just so you guys know, I'm not super serious about the second part, I'm more looking to see if it can be done.  I know you can take someone to small claims for whatever you want, but how do you take the city, or parking enforcement to small claims?
Topic:
Traffic and Parking

Answer:
 > I measured and I'm 3.2m from the hydrant.

Bring your measurements and any photographic records with you. Show up at your court date. Plead not guilty and present your case. Parking infraction trials aren't tremendously formal.

> Can I sue the city for wasting my time?

You can try. The city isn't wasting your time: the ticket was issued in good faith, even if the measurements are wrong and the infraction is dropped. You're not going to get any of the four things you want, and you might end up on the hook for the city's legal costs fighting you.


Title: [MI, US] IT company that I work for went from paying us our normal rate for work at home, but recently switched us to "on call" duties for the same work and only $30 base pay and time for whatever calls we take. Is this legal?

Question:
So, to elaborate, I work IT help desk. Our company recently went 24/7 operations which means the phones need to be manned at all times. We started out doing 8 hour shifts with straight pay no matter what, but now they've changed.

My responsibilities include answering client calls and assisting them with technical problems. On the "off hours" (anything outside 9-6 M-F) we can work from home but they changed the pay schema to say that we are only getting a very small flat sum for being "on call" as they now put it plus the time that we take to work calls.

We are expected to be tied to our computers to take phone calls from customers but we are now getting paid significantly less for it. On paper, yes we are not technically working for 8 hours but we need to sit in front of our computers to take the call. You want to take a shit? You take the computer with you into the bathroom and hope nobody calls. Same with eating or anything else you have to do.

Answer:
 Look up the difference between "waiting to be engaged" and "engaged to wait". You situation is most certainly going to fall into the latter category.

A good general benchmark is going to be "Are you free to go to the local pub and have a beer?" or "Are you able to watch a movie and then respond when you get back?". If you can't even go to the bathroom, that's "engaged to wait" and you deserve to be paid.

You can inform your employer of this. You could print out a few pamphlets and leave them laying around. Once your employers realize that they can't do this, the policy will change. If not, file a wage claim.


Title: Family has been renting house. Owner bailed on us, used payments for something else rather than for the mortgage. Lost the house to the bank. Bank sold house after foreclosure. Now receiving eviction notice.

Question:
We've been living in a house for which we've been paying rent for approx. 4 years. A couple of days ago, we received a letter in our inbox letting us know that the owner's property has been seized. Shocked, we contacted the owner, and it results that he has not been making the monthly mortgage payments. The bank then foreclosed the house, whilst we were still living in it, and then sold it to some client in an auction. Today, we received a letter from the client's law firm, letting us know that we have only 3 days to vacate the house. We have nowhere else to go: my father has been trying to build his credit to effectively take out a loan to get a house, but he's yet to reach that. According to the financial advisor  we were speaking to in the bank, it'll take him 6 months for him to recover his credit. We need some help. Any advice, guys? This is my first time posting, so I'm sorry for the horrible formatting. I'm in a bit of a pickle. I'm located in Pasadena, Texas.
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 what state?

if you have a lease, the lease remains in effect. if you don't, new owner can terminate your tenancy as early was the notice period required in your state (which may be 3 days). AFTER the notice period runs, he can begin an eviction lawsuit.

assuming no lease, you should contact new owner and negotiate a moveout.  maybe even try to get a cash for keys. Answer #2: They can't evict you in 3 days because you (presumably) have not done anything to warrant an eviction. Seems like the new owner is confused about what notice to serve when.  They can, however, end your month-to-month tenancy with a 30 day notice. If you don't move at the end of the 30 days *then* they should post the eviction notice.

Start looking for a new place asap.


Title: Roommate abusing dog

Question:
I am a college student currently renting in a house in Florida with four other people. Given the local wariness about renting to college students, only one of us is on the lease, along with several of his family members, none of whom live here. We each pay him our share of the rent and utilities, which he in turn pays to the leasing company. For the most part, living here has worked out well, with only a few minor incidents.

A couple months back, our roommate (the one we all pay rent to) took in his friend's dog without any of our knowledge or consent. Evidently, his friend had to move out of a pet-friendly apartment and needed someone to watch his dog while he found a new place. At first, our roommate was somewhat neglectful of the dog, but not abusive. Sometimes the dog wasn't taken out enough so he would pee on the floor. He has never been walked except when one of us (the other roommates) would do it.

In the last week, our roommate has gotten much worse. He's taken to locking the dog outside in a cage for an entire day, even if everyone is home. If the dog ever pees on the floor or knocks over a trash can, he'll pick him up by the throat and drag him to his cage, then throw a blanket over it (in Florida, where it's already 80-85 degrees out). He's being deprived of food, water, and exercise but every time one of us tries to confront our roommate about it, he says "the dog's fine" and "it's none of your business." Now he won't even talk about it, saying that "the discussion is over." We haven't pushed very hard for fear of being evicted (It would be nearly impossible to find a new place to stay before July) but the four of us are in agreement that something needs to be done. What sort of actions can we take?
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer: Call Animal Control. Now. I'd think you'd be in more trouble for failing to report animal abuse than for subletting without landlord permission. Also, the person who'd be in trouble with the landlord is the one who signed the lease.Answer #2: Ohh, let the dog out of its cage and take to the humane society. Tell your rommate that it escaped and youre glad for its sake. What can he do? If the owner knew, they would remove it most likely.


Title: [US, NJ] Restaurant management makes employees fill out fake customer satisfaction surveys, threatening retaliation if their quota isn’t met. Is this illegal?

Question:
This is my first ever reddit post, so go easy on me!

Let me preface this by saying that I work at a restaurant that is a franchisee of a large, corporate, well-known American chain. The location is in New Jersey.

Every month, management forces each server to fill out four customer satisfaction surveys, which print out automatically on random customer checks. We have to specifically include our names in each survey, pretend to be a satisfied customer, and make our reviews “believable” by providing details about the visit. If a server does not fill out all of his/her surveys, management retaliates against that employee by making him/her work a menial job that generates less pay, and that they are not necessarily trained for — for example, dishwashing, hosting, bussing tables, etc.

It’s rumored that management does this because one of their monthly bonuses depends on this quota of customer satisfaction surveys.  Management has neither confirmed nor denied this.

Does making employees fake satisfaction surveys— off the clock, might I add —to meet a quota and threatening retaliation with menial jobs for less pay violate any employment laws?

Answer: I personally would send this information anonymously to Corporate Human Resources.  Want to bet they nothing about this?


Title: I am a victim of a Peeping Tom's tomfoolery. (NC)

Question:
This happened late last week, so it's still fairly fresh in my mind. I'll start off by going ahead and stating that both the accused and I are male. Basically how the story goes is that I caught my much older roommate taking photos and/or video of me in the bathroom after I had gotten out of the shower through a small crack. I immediately confronted him, called the cops, and they questioned both of us. The accused all but admitted to the crime. The cop was able to get a search warrant and came back, taking his phone, ipad, computer, and taking him to jail. Later I found out he was charged with "Possession of photographic image from peeping" which I understand is a felony.

I am recovering from depression and this event has brought back a little bit of feeling depressed. It's been four days since the incident and I'm not sure what I need to do or what my rights are in this matter. I'm curious about a restraining order or anything else that I may need such as a lawyer. Also, what can I expect from the police as they said they may need to contact me in the future.

Thank you for your time and advice.

Answer:
 >It's been four days since the incident and I'm not sure what I need to do or what my rights are in this matter. I'm curious about a restraining order or anything else that I may need such as a lawyer. Also, what can I expect from the police as they said they may need to contact me in the future.

You've already done what you can in terms of immediate response. Calling the cops was the right thing to do, and it sounds like this roommate is going to get what is coming to him. You can certainly petition the court for a restraining order, and at the moment you shouldn't need a lawyer. The police will probably follow up with you to keep you updated, and they may have more questions if their investigation is incomplete. Answer #2: If you really want to ask about a restraining order, go ahead and call the police non emergency line and ask. We cant really vouch for the likelihood of it happening though, but there's no harm in giving them a call.


Title: Caught stealing from work($150)

Question:
Hi,

I am 90% sure I was caught stealing from my employer. I took a pair of sunglasses worth around $150 dollars(Stupid I know). I was planning on never showing up again.  I have most likely been recorded stealing. If it makes a difference, I'm a college student and have never been in trouble with the law before. What should I expect from here? What precautions should I take to protect myself legally?

Thanks,

Answer:
 You can expect to be fired with cause disqualifying you from unemployment, and likely have the police called on you for theft.

Depending on your employer, you may instead get a civil demand letter saying to pay a fine to settle the matter entirely.

The precautions would have come from before you actually stole the thing.  At this point, the ball is in your employer's court.


Title: Vendor no showed at our wedding [VA]

Question:
Several friends had recommended a DJ for our wedding.  He does this professionally but part time and by himself.  Through email, we communicated with him and outlined what was to be expected.  All parties agreed to the terms.  We paid him $600 several months before the wedding.  We did not sign a formal contract with him, which looking back, was a mistake.

He did not show up at our wedding.  It was very stressful but we got through it.  He has gone completely silent.  I know the right step involving him is to go to small claims court.  However, this is my actual question.

We paid for wedding insurance.  It specifically stated that if certain vendors, including the DJ, did not show up, they would pay us the amount we paid to the vendor.  Now the wedding insurance company is not being responsive.

Because we did not have an official looking signed contract, is the insurance company not responsible to pay out?  We did have an agreement outlined through email and proof that we paid for the service.

Answer: Does the insurance state that agreements with vendors must be in writing?Answer #2: Have you tried contacting him?  Our wedding photographer died before our wedding, we found out when reading his obituary in the newspaper.


Title: Someone forked my private repository and released a product with it

Question:
Hi there Reddit, this is my first post!

For years I’ve worked on a project with a friend of mine, me doing all the coding and he the art.
When we decided to work together with a company (without a contract), a few months later the company broke off the working relationship, and went on developing the game themselved.
When that happened, I explicitly said that I did not give them any permission to use my (standard, unlicenced) copyrighted code, and they said they would rewrite it all.

Now, with the company releasing the project, a meta file made me suspicious. It was the exact same format I used to make, with some serialization (it was a save file) having classnames and variable names exactly the same.
I just looked into my GitLab repository after a few months (I’ve had given up the development basically) I noticed a ‘‘private fork’’ of my repository.

They claim the product has all rewritten code, but (with their consent) I looked into the decompiled code, and it has 70-100&#37; the same stuff in the classes I made.

What can I do now?
Please help! (It’s a russian company, that changes things i’ve heard…)

I hope people will see this and respond, as I’m desperate now worrying for my copyrighted code.

Thanks in advance.

Answer:
 Between the Netherlands and Russia, I'm going to say your best bet is find an IP attorney that's familiar with international cases.

It's probably going to cost a small fortune.


Title: Are these money-making ideas legal? [Global]

Question:
I'm poor. I don't want to be poor anymore.

How do the following stand legally? This is all internet based stuff so it will involve people all over the world. However I'm personally based in [NYC] on a visa, I'm a [UK] citizen.

- Creating adware that displays ads in people browsers (installed via web scripts or email)
- Creating a [botnet](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botnet) to be used for bitcoin mining
- Creating ransome-ware (installed via web scripts or email)
- Creating a program to look for unencrypted bitcoin wallet keys and taking the money
- Selling illegal services and never delivering the goods
- Hacking into webcams and ransoming money

I know a couple are probably 100% illegal, like the webcam one, but if i don't target anyone in NY or the US would anyone even investigate me?

How about the others on the list? I'm not saying they're moral things to do, but where do they stand legally? I can try to limit it to non-US people. Excluding the adware one.

Answer:
 All of those things are 100% Federal pound-me-in-the-ass prison time.

If you're actually capable of doing any of those things, why are you not capable of using those skills in a legitimate profession?Answer #2: Here's a clue: when your plan involves the word "ransom," it's probably not legal.


Title: customer is threatening getting an attorney over food poisoning

Question: So a couple months back a customer called in saying her whole family got food poisoning from my family's restaurant. We gave her our business insurance and thought that was the end of that. Queue 1 month later and turns out the person working the claim has been fired and no one was working the claim actively. So i get a call from the customer angry at our insurance and i had to call in to see what is up and got it sorted or so i thought. Today the customer calls me again saying that our insurance still has not helped and that the adjuster is calling them a liar and not wanting to help. The customer said everyone in her family has been calling the insurance company and kept getting the run around. Now the customer is threatening my parents that she is going to sue us and call the local news and newspaper. I am waiting until tomorrow morning to call the insurance company since it is past 5 pm.

Answer:
 We sold all insurance at State Farm, minus health insurance (though some underlying), including business insurance but only thing I can think of food wise I worked with was a pretzel stand chain.

The insurance company definitely has some doubts, hence delay. They very well could have dropped the ball in this case, with that employee being terminated. The insurance company has lawyers that will go to bat for you guys, they definitely don't want to pay at all for any reason, right or wrong. Answer #2: From a practical standpoint, proving what caused the food poisoning is actually pretty difficult.  It can hit within an hour or take days to develop (I've had both).  In my case I sucked at cooking.Answer #3: IANAL but I am a licensed insurance agent in FL. Refer them to your insurance company. That's what you have it for!


Title: Not an alcoholic but here i am

Question: Im just a young girl trying to make a life for myself. I have a child i have sole custody of and i work 2+ jobs. I dont even go out much just to have the energy to up keep my work and home lifestyle. It was my birthday roughly a month ago and a long time friend of mine invited me over to drink at his house. I had planned on staying so i wouldnt drive home drunk. Well situation some how ended up with me reaching for the car keys and driving down the street where i parked and fell asleep on a curb. I had no recollection of driving nor wanting to drive since i blacked out. I do not usually drink much and my friends were all pretty drunk as well so they were not able to stop me from leaving. I ended up waking up to a hospital room with a notice to appear at the foot of my bed awaiting a court date for the end of this month... wth do i do now? I did not crash the car or anyone elses car. I literally drove down the street and parked and fell asleep. I am going to get my police record tomorrow and i am going to request a dmv hearing before the 10 days. But do i have a chance at beating this here? I dont even go out much and drink or party.. i dont drink alcohol on a daily basis. I dont even buy alcohol for myself once a week not even once a month.. i do not go to bars. I do not smoke. I am pretty straight and narrow but i guess i didnt regulate my intake of alcohol well enough that night and here i am.. help?

Answer:
 >wth do i do now?

You appear at your court date, if you can you might want to get a lawyer.

> But do i have a chance at beating this here?

Based on your side of the story it's clear that you where driving drunk.
 So go and get a lawyer because all the other information is irrelevant.
Answer #2: You need to accept responsibility for your actions. Your entire OP is a story of how you don't deserve a DUI. The truth is (and depending on your state) DUI is very complex and myriad factors are taken into consideration to determine guilt. Do not represent yourself. Lawyer up.Answer #3: I assume you were charged with a DUI? Do you even remember anyone waking you up in your car to take you to the hospital?Answer #4: Lawyer time.  You were drunk enough to not remember your ride to the hospital, on top of everything else.  Your only chance at minimizing the damage at this point is an attorney.  Then you show up to court and figure out what to do from there.


Title: Car accident, other driver won't leave me alone

Question:
Line of cars in front of me in traffic stopped suddenly, I stopped as well. Next thing I know I hear a loud thump and there's a motorcycle in my back bumper. I get out, keep her still, call her daughter for her. She leaves in an ambulance and her bike is towed. Meanwhile her daughter keeps calling me screaming wanting to know "what I did to her mom". I keep telling her I don't know anything, to meet her mom at the hospital where she's getting checked out until finally the call "drops" and I refuse to answer anymore.

We both had insurance, I figure everything is good. I went to the ER to get checked out just because I'm pregnant and everything is fine.

Now though the other driver keeps calling me. I answered initially and she kept grilling me about what happened. Says she doesn't remember and that she had a brain bleed from the accident. She also admitted she was ticketed for the accident.  I haven't answered her calls since and she's leaving messages that she has more questions. I just want to get my car fixed and move on. What obligation am I under to talk to this person?

Edit: Sorry, we both live in Illinois.

Answer:
 You are under absolutely no obligation to talk to this person. Answer #2: You don't have to talk to her at all.  Just block her number.Answer #3: I went through something similar once where a young girl hit my car and her mother wouldn't stop calling me. Don't talk to her. You have insurance for a reason, so let them handle it and only deal with YOUR insurance representative. Talking to her directly can only lead to bad things, as she (or her insurance agent) could potentially try to get you to say something they can use to blame you for the accident.
Answer #4: Block herAnswer #5: Talking to her is a terrible idea.  Your auto insurance is the intermediarie for both of you.


Title: Is it legal for a school to fly a black lives matter flag?

Question:
I don't know if this is the right subreddit but I'll post here anyways. This is in Vermont. My school is going to start flying a black lives matter flag with the America flag everyday. Are they allowed to do it? I've heard that schools aren't supposed support different political views and groups. Are they allowed to do this?

Edit: this isn't too big of a deal I'm just curious

Answer:
 There is nothing illegal about this, AFAIK.Answer #2: Are you sure you want to open that can of worms?Answer #3: Not too much illegal about it, and really nothing to lose sleep over either. Answer #4: The First Amendment means that schools can (generally) engage in subject matter discrimination: no abortion protests, no gun protests, no race protests.

Schools **cannot** (generally) engage in viewpoint based discrimination.  This means if they allow anti-abortion protests they must also allow pro-abortion protests.  Pro-gun and anti-gun.  In short, the school isn't allowed to take sides.

So if the school is flying a Black Lives Matter flag then they are also required to accommodate other flags addressing that subject matter (I have no idea what that subject matter is).  That might be a "Blue Lives Matter" flag (on the subject of police), a "White Power" flag (on the subject of race), a Nazi flag (political affiliation), or some other flag addressing the same subject matter raised by the "Black Lives Matter" flag.


Title: [Crystal Minnesota] I live in a neighborhood without sidewalks. Can my neighbor force me to walk on the street when I go by his house?

Question:
There aren't any sidewalks in my neighborhood so when I walk my dog I walk on the lawns right next to the street (I'm never more than two feet away from the street). I want to avoid the traffic on the streets and also the ground can get very hot and I don't want my dog's paws to get burned.

Today as I was walking my dog someone from the neighborhood came out and told me that I'm not allowed to walk on the grass and that he'll call the cops if he sees me doing it again. I just said "okay" and kept walking.

When I got home I looked at the property lines on the map. The map wasn't extremely detailed but it does seem to show that his property line does not extend all the way to the street.

So I have two questions. If his property line does in fact extend all the way to the streets then am I actually breaking any laws, even if I'm just briefly walking past? How can I find out exactly where the property lines start in my neighborhood so I can avoid trespassing and getting cops involved?

Answer:
 If you can, get an official map from your city/town and find out where the property line is and where the right of way is. As long as you stay in the right of way the cop should just tell the guy to quit being a dick.

There should be a right of way and that's where things like gas mains, water mains, sewers, and sometimes power/phone/cable are located. As a homeowner you do not own the right of way but you are expected to maintain it.

Hope this helps


Title: Caught Someone Trying To Break and Enter. What Could I Have Done To Him Legally?

Question:
I live in Baltimore City. My bike was stolen out of my garage on Sunday at about midnight.  Last night at about midnight my roommates witnessed, and got a video, of a teenage male in the area between our house and detached garage, trying to get into our and our neighbor's house/garages.

This is not an easy area to just "wander" into, he had to climb over fences and walls to get there, as we are sandwiched between other row homes. It is completely enclosed.

We took the cautious route and just video'd him rather than going out and confronting him, not knowing if he had a weapon or possibly high on PCP/meth/bathsalts or some other crazy drug.

I know this is not advisable, and every will probably tell me that we did the correct thing, BUT had I chosen to confront him (I was mad, he stole my nice bike!!), what could i legally have done? Can I tackle him? Can I hit him with a baseball bat? Can I shoot him? Can I forcibly constrain him until police arrive?

I *could* have been fearing for my own well-being if this makes a difference.

Thanks for your advice!

Answer:
 States laws do vary, but as far as I'm aware MD follows what I describe below.

You can only use reasonable force.  What is reasonable, basically it's what the average person would consider reasonable.  In reality it's what 12 jurors sitting in a nice safe jury box in complete safety months removed from the crime will agree is reasonable. Generally, for example, you can't hold an unarmed person at gunpoint for example.

In most states, MD included, you can't claim self-defense for property.  If someone is stealing your TV, you can't use self-defense clauses to prevent the theft.

Castle doctrine may not apply here either because the rules are a bit fuzzy on what constitutes your "home".  Is a detached garage part of your home?  Even an attached garage part is questionably part of your home.  I'd have to dig into MD case law for that but it's unlikely you could use Castle Doctrine to remove the "duty to retreat" component of self-defense.

And one of the other components of self-defense is you can't be the aggressor.  If you're filming safe behind a locked door, I guarantee if you unlock that door and go out to confront the perp, a jury will consider you the aggressor.

Your best course of action is to be a good witness.  Property just isn't worth it.


Title: Can I be fired from my job because of this?

Question: I was given some Lara tabs from a coworker and  another employee knew about it. Fast forward a couple months. Her and I do not get along anymore. She has threatened to go the boss about me taking painkillers at work. If I was drug tested I would not test positive anymore nor do I plan to take them ever again. So what do I say if I am brought into HR or Department Management?

Answer: Generally speaking, yes, you can be fired based on unsubstantiated rumors.  If your mean co-worker claimed to have seen you at an Eagles concert, and your boss hates the fuckin' Eagles, you can be fired for that too.  Even if she's lying about seeing you.


Title: I live on a boat and my gf may be moving in

Question:
I live on a boat in MA. Normally I'm docked at the same marina which functions as my address. My girlfriend is considering moving in with me and paying some amount we'd agree upon. She would not be taking any ownership, the boat is solely in my name. I've seen enough horror stories in this sub to wonder how to protect myself:

* Would I be a landlord in this scenario?
* How might one write a lease for a boat?
* Am I under any obligation to keep the boat in the same spot?
* If we go cruising, perhaps to other states or other countries, how is the lease enforcible and who has jurisdiction?
* If we were to break up, can I just drop her off at land or do I have to evict her? Does this change if we're in a far away place?
* In this scenario do I have to pay for her transportation back to where we started?

Obviously I'm not anticipating any problems like this and I think even if we did break up it would be cordial. I'm partly trying to cover my bases and partly just curious. Thanks!

Answer: any time that you allow someone to live with you, whether they are paying you or not, you are effectively (and legally) serving as a landlord.  If you were to break up, you can't just toss her off the boat, it'd be an eviction like any other.


Title: Legal Question regarding a Swatting case I read about a few years ago

Question:
I saw a story a few years ago online about a man who was swatted by someone he encountered online gaming. During the ensuing event the man thought the officers inside his home were home invaders and ended up shooting and killing one before realizing they were LEO.

I never got to see the outcome of the case and searched for it to no avail. Maybe someone has a link?

But it had me wondering, in this case, what would be the outcome for the man? Would that be considered self defense since he was technically an innocent man whom was the victim of a swatting incident, or would they pursue murder chargers in that case? It seemed to be an interesting moral dilemma and I wanted to hear from someone smarter than I.

Answer: There are plenty of no-knock cases where officers were shot by the homeowner.  One in texas the guy shot 3 officers and got off.   it would probably play out like that somewhat. Answer #2: It was in Kansas. the family sued Witchita PD and the person who was 1200 miles away was arrested in LA and extradited to kansas, he was charged with literally everything they could think of on a state and federal level.  The officer who killed the guy was exonerated. Answer #3: Not enough facts. What state did the occur in? Did the police announce themselves when they entered?


Title: (NY) Leaving liquor on public property?

Question: I'm probably just paranoid right now but in an effort to get all the liquor out of my house I left a few bottles at a train station. I didn't want to throw them out because it seemed like a total waste when someone could use it. Is this illegal since maybe someone underage could pick it up?

Answer:
 How on earth do you figure they're gonna trace the booze to you? You didn't write your name and address on them did you?

Don't worry.

- if most people find them, they'll leave them alone.

- if a wino finds them, he'll drink them

- if a janitor finds them, he'll empty them out and dispose of the bottle or just throw the whole thing out.

- if a police officer finds them, I'm sure they'll cordon off the whole train station and call in CSI. The bottles will be dusted for fingerprints and they will find YOURS in the database because thats the kind of kid you are; the type of n'er do well rapscalion who leaves alcoholic beverages sitting around in public, OF COURSE you're in the fingerprint database. Don't worry, if you're prepped and have your go bag ready like the career criminal you are I'd say you have at least a 20 minute head start. Thats plenty of time to Uber to the airport and hop the next flight to Madrid.

edit: I was just kidding about that last part. Unless they're in a backpack that might be mistaken for a bomb or something and the swat team gets called, a few bottles in a paper bag aren't going to raise any suspicions... and the police wouldn't even waste their time.


Title: Discriminated against during the hiring process because of my disability.

Question:
I recently applied for a position with an NBA team in Sacramento, California.  During the interview process, I heard one of the team's employees ask a group of other team employees why I wasn't screened out because of my disability.

Another employee of the team stated to me that I was going to get called back for a second interview the next week and the person who was supposed to contact me never did.  The employee that told me that I was going to get called back the next week had a nervous laugh the whole time that he was interviewing me.

I had been warned by an employee that the team discriminates in the hiring process.  I have been in contact with the league offices about this situation.  I told them that there needs to be some education as to what people with disabilities can do.

I could have easily done the job even though I use an electric wheelchair.  I've been working at my current job for seventeen years.  I told the team that I was willing to volunteer my time because I need the experience as I try and transition to a different career.

I need advice please.  Thank you.

Answer:
 >NBA team in Sacramento, California

How many of those are running around?


Title: How far can/do graduate schools go back for criminal background checks?

Question:
I'm located in Michigan and have been contemplating grad school for some time. I have 3 misdemeanor convictions for some alcohol related stuff, one of them is 8 years old the other are 4 years old. For more context, I'm contemplating between a MBA or Applied Statistics or Operations Research

I plan to disclose everything on the application, but obviously I don't want to tell more than necessary. Also any help on how the state laws are enforced would be helpful. Say Colorado says they will only allow employers to go back 7 years. Is this enforced for applicants residing in Colorado or is the company that is headquartered in Colorado not allowed to go back more than 7 years on applicants from any state....Lastly I assume educational background checks are not regulated the same as employment, so what are the differences?

Thanks,

Answer:
 > I plan to disclose everything on the application, but obviously I don't want to tell more than necessary.

Those two things don't seem to go together.

Answer the questions honestly.  If they say "Have you been arrested in the last 1/3/5/10 years" then be honest.

If they say "Have you ever been arrested" then they want everything.

Lying is far more likely to keep you out than minor issues from four to eight years ago, I'd bet.


Title: In an odd legal situation, getting conflicting advice from lawyers (NC/PA)

Question:
So I have been on probation for weed possession in NC and got a DUI in PA recently. The NC probation of course states that getting arrested is a violation of the terms, as well as consuming drugs/alcohol. I somehow was able to get the officer/DA to sign off on a program in PA (called ARD) that essentially puts me on probation for 1 year and drops the charges if I don't screw up.

I am aware that my failure to report the DUI to the PO in NC is going to put me in a world of hurt if she finds out (although I'm only a few months away from completing probation the second offense happened in September). I am just curious as to what will happen when my NC PO revokes my probation for getting a DUI--will that also violate my probation here in PA? I have spoken to several lawyers up north and both recommended me keeping my head down and that the fact that my NC PO thinks I live locally will keep her from finding out about the PA DUI (I drive down to meet her monthly and gave her fabricated transcripts that I attend UNC Asheville). One lawyer in NC said that she will find out at some point and that I will be on the hook for two offenses once again. Any ideas?

Answer:
 Well the good news is that you were already in violation of your probation even before the DUI because of moving out of state and that document fabrication.Answer #2: > One lawyer in NC said that she will find out at some point and that I will be on the hook for two offenses once again.

Three perhaps four. You are forgetting you are lying to your probation officer about your wherebouts and have falsely submitted documents.


Title: Pulled over for forgetting headlights, forced sobriety tests, searched car without probable cause

Question:
My friend and I living in Dallas, TX had a couple drinks at a local bar and drove from one side of the parking area to the other so she could park her car overnight without being towed. She forgot her headlights. Cops stopped us and told us about the lights, and began asking where we were and asked if we were drinking. I tried to chime in from the passenger seat that we aren't obligated to answer but he told me to "shut my mouth and let the lady speak". He became suspicious because she seemed nervous and asked her to step out to do field tests. She even got breathalyzed and passed.

During this time other police officers had arrived and were opening the back doors to the car and searching around without any probable cause whatsoever.

Not to mention the entire time the cop creepily hit on my friend who he assumed was intoxicated. He treated us both so poorly for absolutely no reason. I asked why I, the passenger, was being held, and he threatened a public intoxication charge if I left even though I was being extremely cooperative and civil (not posing a danger to myself or others). They let us go, but I'd like to report this incident somehow. Not sure how to proceed.

Thanks in advance!

Answer:
 Getting in  car and driving it at all any distance at night without lights outside of a bar is absolutely probable cause for DUI. Doesn't seem like driver refused any test nor search. Its a blurred line when it comes to permission where the rights holder does not object and the government actions are open and obvious.

>I tried to chime in from the passenger seat that we aren't obligated to answer but he told me to "shut my mouth and let

But later:

> even though I was being extremely cooperative and civil

Really?  You find telling someone they don't have to speak as extremely cooperative?

> They let us go, but I'd like to report this incident somehow.

The local police station should have a place you can file a complaint. Only thing I see as wrong is the sexual harassment though and really thats a better compliant if its coming from the victim and not just a witness.


Title: I’m being accused of flytipping because an amazon package with my name and address was found amongst the rubbish

Question:
I received a signed for letter from the council this morning. Opened it up and immediately felt sick. The council has found apparent evidence that I’ve been flytipping. This evidence is an amazon package with my name and address on, next to a large dump of furniture and other rubbish. The town where the flytipping occurred is local, but in my 29 years on the planet I’ve never been there. I’m disabled and don’t drive, there’s no way in hell.

I live in a new build block of flats. The bins are emptied by the council and a private company, usually alternating. I have no idea who this private company is so I can contact them and see if they dispose of waste correctly. It’s the only way I can think that my package got there.

I’m being threatened with prosecution under the environmental protection act 1990, and have been given a form to fill in and no other contact to resolve this. It says if I don’t respond within 10 days it will be passed to the legal department for consideration of formal enforcement action. “This will preclude you from having the opportunity to explain the circumstances and the facts, as you are aware, surrounding the case.”

I feel like I don’t have a leg to stand on here. I’ve never been to the location of the flytipping, I’ve never owned furniture as in the pictures. The amazon package must have come from my bin shed. I always make sure to dispose of my rubbish correctly, and I am usually hot with getting rid of names and addresses. This one has slipped through. I have evidence that I’ve never been to the site, via my girlfriend’s car’s black box. She is the only mode of transport I rely on to get around. What are my options?

Answer: What the heck is flytipping?