Title: [CA] employees not allowed to talk about pay?

Question: A manager at my job told us that we weren’t supposed to talk about our pay with each other, especially at work. I know this is technically illegal but we weren’t made to sign anything, is it still against the law if there is no written agreement?

Answer:
 Highly illegal.  It would be illegal to make you sign such a document.  [CA Labor Code 232](http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=LAB&sectionNum=232)

File a complaint with the DLSE's Retaliation Investigation Unit.  Or you can file with your local NLRB.  The NLRB may be faster at this point.


Title: Advice regarding citizens arrest and harassment (Webster Tx)

Question: [deleted]

Answer: "Citizen's arrest" is a bad idea 100% of the time.


Title: What could this angry father legally file against me?

Question:
-I live in Florida, Duval County
I'll keep this as short as possible. My girlfriend has an apartment with two other college students. The three of them are on a lease as well as the father of one girl. The apartment was sold to another management company a few months ago. This company is based overseas and is sketchy. After sending in two months rent we requested a receipt that we never received. Because of this we(along with another roommate) stopped paying rent, and heard nothing back until this month. Of course, our lease goes out in August. We owe nearly $1500 this coming week(which we don't have because other things came up and my girlfriend lost her well-paying job). We've called management and asked if we could be the only party penalized for paying late. They denied that request and because of that the girl's father cussed out my girlfriend threatening to get his lawyer involved if we don't pay. If you want info on why we can't pay or any other info at all feel free to ask me. My girlfriend and I are both 20 years old and don't have parents or family to support us financially(the father paid for the girl's rent and the other roommate is older and an engineer with a stable job). I'm concerned about what legal actions the father could take and open to any advice on the
matter!

edit:I'd like to reiterate that my girlfriend lost her job and has not been living recklessly. Nobody lives a error-free life but I've come here for help not judgement. That being said, I appreciate the useful feedback I've received.

We got the money and had no problems afterwords, thank you all for the advice!
Topic:
Landlord Tenant Housing

Answer:
 > We owe nearly $1500 this coming week(which we don't have because other things came up and my girlfriend lost her well-paying job).

So you stopped paying rent because you thought the company was sketchy (which is a stupid reason), yet now you somehow don't have the money?

> We've called management and asked if we could be the only party penalized for paying late. They denied that request and because of that the girl's father cussed out my girlfriend threatening to get his lawyer involved if we don't pay.

Of course they denied that request. The terms of your lease likely make all parties joint and severally liable, meaning they can come after any or all of you for unpaid rent. If the other roommate (or her father) end up having to pay the rent, they could definitely sue you for your share and possible any legal fees and court costs as well.

> I'm concerned about what legal actions the father could take and open to any advice on the matter!

Like I said, he could sue you. My advice: Pay your rent. Answer #2: If the father covered your girlfriend's portion of the rent, or was forced to via a judgement against all of you granted to the landlord, he could sue her for her portion.


Title: [US] Spotify revokes 2 years of subscription because the transactions was not made directly from their website.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 >We are talking about real legitimate and lawfully obtained codes, not shared or hacked accounts.

You didn't originally buy the code, so you can't know that.

The reason you can buy items like these online for cheap is because they are used to tumble funds from places like stolen credit cards.

Your course of action would be against the seller on ebay, and not spotify.


Title: Can I get in legal trouble for creating a Paypal account if I only plan to use it once?

Question:
I'm 15 and live in Australia. I know this post is kind of childish, but eh, at least I'm doing my homework before I go through with it?

To be honest, I'm going crazy with boredom. I'm homeschooled because I live in the middle of nowhere, no siblings, the internet connection is garbage and there's no one I want to be friends with who wants to be friends with me. My parents are really religious and hate computers and videogames. They will not let me get a job or do work experience. I've hated every sport I've tried and they're too busy to drive me around anyway. We don't even have Netflix. I'm learning a language in my spare time but I want a hobby thats less like schoolwork. My only other hobby is reading/writing.

I was thinking of writing a shitty list article for some website, getting paid a tiny bit of money, and spending that on a computer game. However, every site I come across will only pay via Paypal.

I'm 3 years too young to make an account and I heard that if I end up with more than $1000 Paypal will ask for proof of identification and take away the money/freeze the account because I won't be able to provide it.

If I use my real phone number, a fake address and a fake name, will Paypal contact my parents?? This sounds pretty dumb now that I'm typing it out but Im worried the police might get involved. I'm just so bored...
Topic:
Non-US

Answer:
 You are too young to open a paypal account and too young to get paid by those companies as well. Your plan has a lot of flaws.

There are plenty of free games on the internet... and even on steam.  Try realm of the mad godAnswer #2: Paypal generally needs a bank account in order to verify identity, which you probably don't have, and even if you did that would make it not possible to use a fake name/address.

These companies paying you will also need to verify your identity to make sure they don't do exactly what you are doing.

There are thousands of free games online that don't require internet after being installed. Check out /r/cataclysmdda or /r/dwarffortress for two of my personal favorite games that are 100% free. I've easily sunk over a thousand hours each into both.


Title: Father Threatening to Take Away My Motorcycle

Question:
I have two modes of transportation. A [Toyota Echo](https://www.google.ca/search?q=silver+toyota+echo+2000&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=8gNl6Sy4eJvCyM%253A%252C47A5HE_m4xZ3XM%252C_&usg=AFrqEzc-nG5TpikKXnKkVfKVDtHdixqvIQ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi5ranMqbTdAhXtUt8KHZCACfcQ9QEwBHoECAAQDA#imgrc=8gNl6Sy4eJvCyM:) and a [Honda CBR 125R](http://puu.sh/BtxQW/a37f62b5a6.png). My father bought me the car when I got my license; Insurance, title, and registration all in his name. I pay for fuel, repairs, and maintenance. I bought a Honda CBR 125R and have the title, registration, and insurance all in my name. I pay for everything.

Me and him got into an argument over [a tattoo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pioneer_plaque#Relative_position_of_the_Sun_to_the_center_of_the_Galaxy_and_14_pulsars) I'm getting, he threatened to take away his car. I removed all of my belongings, including modifications I paid for, out/off of the car and gave him the liability papers and registration(he already has the title). He then threatened to take away my motorcycle.

Is it legal for him to do this? If I wake up tomorrow and my bike isn't in the garage can I call the police and report it stolen? What will happen to him if it comes to that?

P.S. Toyota Echo link is not a picture of my fathers car, CBR 125R picture is an actual picture of my bike.

Answer:
 How old are you? I am going to assume that you are an adult.

The Echo is his, he can take it away if he wants. If you removed modifications that damaged the car (like you upgraded the stereo, then removed the stereo and now the car has no stereo) you can be liable for that damage.

If you own the bike he can't take it away. However, if you live with him he can kick you out, or stop paying for your tuition, or whatever else he is currently helping you with.


Title: new renters staying up till 5am outside talking loud and having music.

Question:
we live next to a really crappy house that has a lot of shady renters . I'm not sure what to do we been getting bothered by some new ones that moved in and they are in the backyard playing music and talking loud till 5am and during the week. They even started up a weed eater at 4am and was cutting grass im not sure if they are high or what. I want to call the cops but my mom is elder and is scared to call the cops because there is not any other neighbors next to them and she thinks they will point to us and they will start stuff with us. Im not sure how the cops handle situations like this.

I also have a feeling that the owner of the house isnt reporting that they made the house into a duplex and just put alot of people in there for cheap

Answer:
 Yes you can call and file a noise complaint. Most decent landlords don't like to see their properties in the police plotter and will take steps to fix the problem. Answer #2: As /u/Atlas__risen pointed out, filing noise complaints with your police is the best bet.  And do it *every time* this happens at absurd hours.  You may want to look into local noise ordinances for the specifics as some townships do set specific "quiet hours" where noise complaints are valid.  However, other townships do not set hours at all, such as the one I live in where the noise ordinance is essentially "any time it causes you substantial inconvenience".

If they attempt to carry out any kind of retaliation, report it immediately and make sure the police know that they are retaliating because you filed a noise complaint.

And in non legal advice: My experience is generally that it doesn't matter if they suspect you filed the noise complaints.  They do not own the place and they will understand that you call the police for things that upset you.  If they do in fact have any illicit substances, they will most certainly not want to give you any extra cause to summon the police.  That said, all of this relies on the premise that they are reasonable people.  I am giving them the benefit of the doubt.Answer #3: NAL:  If they are mowing in the middle of the night, they are high AF.  Time to get some cameras setup to protect your property.


Title: PULLED OVER FOR TALKING ON PHONE/BANNANA HELP!!!

Question: I was recently pulled over for talking on the phone and driving. I told the officer I was talking on my banana and pretending to talk to someone and that it's a weird thing that I like to do. My question is: is it illegal to talk on a banana and drive? lmk, I could be in a world of shit.

Answer:
 You can go to court and present your evidence/statement in your defense.

Perhaps, if the judge is asleep or insane it will work.Answer #2: Are you old enough to be driving?Answer #3: No.

The US has laws about perceived crime

If you sell a bag of flour to an undercover cop and call it cocaine, you are charged with distribution of cocaine

If you rob a store with your finger in your pocket to look like a gun, you get charged with armed robbery

If you talk on a banana like its a phone, and then be a smart ass to the cop,

The courts not going to find it amusing, and charge you with a distracted driving violation


Title: Couldn't breathe in my apartment. Now I can. (X-posted to r/AskDocs)

Question:
I need help. Throughout the month of July, I found it pretty difficult to breathe in my apartment. I thought maybe it was due to my nose surgery about a year ago (after stupid accident). I found it odd that I hadn't had any nose complications until then, but I figured a bone had suddenly moved or something.

A week ago, I woke up and it was surprisingly easy to breathe. It was great. There was some construction going on outside my apartment, but I thought nothing of it. A few hours later and they were still working. I wondered how long it would be - a day long project or weeks? So I called my landlord and asked what they were doing. He just said they were "fixing something with the gas". He was also surprised to hear that I was already back from visiting my parents.

This whole week I've been able to breathe normally. Maybe I'm reading too much into this, but do you think the gas issue had anything to do with my difficulty breathing? I don't have knowledge about different kinds of residential gases that can affect breathing. The only one I can think of is carbon monoxide and if that was the issue, wouldn't my landlord have had to evacuate everyone? Are there any other types of gasses or lack thereof that would have caused my landlord to have to dig through the concrete to replace some of the gas lines? My apartment is right above the area where they were fixing things. I'm on the second floor and my apartment is basically an overhang above the concrete walkway. So if there was a leak or something I guess it could affect me more than others? Possibly? Idk.

For two days after construction, I had headaches - the same pounding headaches I get when the air pressure changes (like on a plane). I could finally breathe, but I had headaches. Now, a week after the gas line replacement I feel great.

Could this all be just pure coincidence? Any advice would be appreciated.

Also, do I have the right to know exactly what the issue was? My landlord seemed vague when I asked. Is he required to tell me? Location is the state of New York.

Answer:
 We're not medical doctors here, so we can't really tell you what was affecting your breathing. If you're concerned about carbon monoxide, get a carbon monoxide detector.

If it's something that could affect your safety and health, the landlord probably has a duty to tell you. If it's not, he probably doesn't have to tell you anything.


Title: Can you get arrested/charged for causing a missing persons alert?

Question: I am of legal mature age (19+) in my town (20, British Columbia, Canada) but if I were to leave town without telling anyone and cut off all communications, when I came back could I be charged for causing a missing person alert or something similar? It just came to mind and it got me thinking if someone could be charged for that, when you are in legal right to make your own decisions, because I've read that it's illegal for minors to do so (understandably.) I'm just curious if there were some sort of law preventing people from being able to just leave town unannounced. Thanks!

Answer: If you really don't want to tell any friends or family,please stop by the police station and let them know what's up.Answer #2: No, you're free to leave without notice. But realize that causing a panic like that could take manpower away from actual emergencies so don't be a dick. Just tell someone.


Title: Is it legal to purposely take a mortgage and foreclose on it

Question: My grandparents have a property that they own outright, and have for a few years. However due to health problems, they need to sell it and move into a assisted facility. I have tried listing the property, but there is very little interest. I heard from a friend that I could take out a loan from the bank to "fix up" the place, and then just leave the property to foreclose and have it be the banks problem. Is that possible?

Answer:
 There is such a thing as a "reverse mortgage", where the bank will pay your grandfather a set amount of money monthly; and then when your grandparents die the deed to the house is given over to the bank. The monthly payment you would get is based on the worth of the house and your grandfather's life expectancy.

It's going to be a far better thing to take out a  Home Equity Line of Credit, and then repay that line by selling the house once it sells.

Edit: Just saw the comment below that this was a commercial, and not a residential property. Then it likely wouldn't be eligible for a reverse mortgage. Answer #2: That's very foolish. You will ruin your credit for years by doing that, assuming the bank would approve the loan in the first place.


Title: Can my boss change a vacation day from 12 hours to 8?

Question:
I currently work for a large company as a exempt manager in Missouri. I work 12 hour shifts rotating on 5am and 5pm. Prior to this year one vacation day resulted in 12 hours paid vacation but now the company has changed their policy to say one vacation day is only eight hours so if I wanted to take a vacation day I would need 1.5 days of credit to get fully paid for the day off.

Is this legal? I tried looking up for president but I came up with garbage so I am at a bit of a loss.

Answer:
 Paid vacations aren't required by law so what he's doing isn't illegal. It would be at most a problem for the change to be applied retroactively. If, however, management decided the policy actually describes an 8 hour day and they've misinterpreted in the past, even the retroactive effect probably would be ok.

How is time accrued?  If people are granted 10 days of vacation on the basis of 2 8-hour-per-day weeks, this change may actually be fair too.


Title: Can my high school make me attend summer school for a course (P.E.) because Texas requires students to have P.E. My school didn't even offer for us to have P.E. because we are required to take the IB programme.

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 You're required to have PE to graduate. So either take the PE or you don't get your diploma.  Your call.Answer #2: What would you sue them for? If PE is required, you can either take it to graduate or choose not to graduate. Why can’t you take it during your senior year? It may require not taking an optional IB class, but if you need it to graduate, it’s worth it.

Side note: these arbitrary requirements in high school suck. I feel your pain. The real world is way better. Even when we have to do things we don’t want to do, it’s still better than high school. You couldn’t pay me to go back and relive that time in my life. Good luck & I hope it passes quickly!


Title: Creepy, alcoholic landlord wants to have his cake and eat it too with tenant law.

Question:
So, context, this is not my story, it is a situation that a few of my close friends are now in. This is occurring in CT for what it's worth.

My friends had been living with some extended family to build up a nest egg to get themselves into their own house for a while, with some setbacks. However, this summer, they finally moved back into their hometown after speaking with the husband's father ("Pappy"), who offered them a chance to buy his childhood home's mortgage out. This sounded great to a family that has spent the last two years juggling an overcrowded, borderline narcissistic household with their own kids to consider. But because this is r/legaladvice, they're not getting off that easily. Since moving in, the wheels have kind of fallen off the wagon. It's become clear that things are not going to go the way they were promised.

Now, he is demanding they pay rent, and that the home stays in his name. So no ownership. This is where my problems begin, but not where they end.

He is a drunk. Without fail, by 5pm every day, he's wasted and using it as an excuse to threaten their position in the household and hold the title above their head.

He is also incredibly controlling about what can and cannot be done-- he comes over ~once a day to do a check over of the house, makes sure things like coasters are being used, and he treats the house as if it were still his own (putting his car in their garage when his own house has a garage, taking things as he wants). It was worse before they took his keys from him. He would walk in whenever he wanted. He has put cameras in the house for surveillance before, and actually, before he moved in he removed EVERY lock from the doors except the external ones, claiming to his three teenaged grandchildren that "nobody needs to be able to lock doors but me". It should be noted that he has used this as an excuse to walk in on them in states of undress etc and he has displayed multiple instances of (some less than) covert sexual abuse.

But I say this primarily because it seems highly illegal-- if he refuses to sell the house to them and give up the title, then he MUST enter a landlord agreement, no? And this agreement would generally say he needs to leave them alone and give warning before coming over, not control their every move, etc, right?

As a sidenote, he has also expressed issue with the wife attempting to get a service dog for her disability, due to the previous tenants (his scapegoat daughter in law who got sick of his shit and flew the coop, but hindsight is 20/20) having a large dog that scratched up the floor/walls. This strikes me as illegal also.

I do not know the state of their agreement right now, whether it is in writing or verbal, etc-- I do know that this is rubbing me entirely the wrong way, and it smells fishy. So what can be done?

Answer:
 The sexual abuse aspect alone is something you could sue over, especially when involving a minor.Answer #2: I really don't know what you're asking here.

Could your friend make a case that he's a tenant, and that he's entitled to change the locks and take down video cameras inside the house? Probably.

Will the introduction of a landlord/tenant relationship miraculously heal the old man's alcoholism and remove all desire to see his daughter-in-law (or her kids) naked? Probably not.

One accidental glimpse of nudity during an unannounced visit is a mistake, two is negligence, but once you start getting to three or four occurrences without a fistfight breaking out, I start to question your friend's values and ability to look out for his family.

I get the "poor young family" thing, and I empathize. I really do. At this point however, your friend is essentially allowing his family to be abused emotionally (and sexually!) by his own father for the sake of cheap rent.

I'm sorry, but living in a tent is a better alternative. Have your friend look at places to rent, preferably far away from his father.


Title: [WA-USA] Husband financed $140,000 behind my back. Are we both responsible for the debt?

Question: [removed]

Answer:
 The advice remains the same as [the last time you posted this](/r/legaladvice/comments/67wjt6/husband_bought_equipment_on_loan_very_large/). If you have joint finances, and if you take no steps to separate them, at minimum your joint finances may be exposed.

Speak to a divorce attorney. You may or may not need to follow through with an actual divorce, but they're the professionals who can give you meaningful advice at this point.


Title: Rapist in the Military [oregon]

Question:
Hey everyone, I've never posted here before so please be understanding with me. Several years ago I was raped (about which I must be vague, sorry) and I've come to find that one of the offenders in currently in the military. This would not bother me except for the fact that he has to my face made a point of expressing his lack of remorse. In fact he bragged up and down about the whole thing and as far as I know continues to. I'm also aware of the rates of sexual assault in the military. If he was looking for a place to find victims who are afraid to come forward, then he found it. I'm not necessarily trying to get him discharged, but for the sake of everyone's safety I need to know that someone is keeping an eye on him and those he has access to. If I were to obtain that police report and determine who is responsible for him, would that be something they would even read or consider? Is it legal for me to do this, or can I get in trouble even if I attempt to contact them anonymously?

Thanks!

EDIT: I should mention that we were minors at the time of the incident and that a report was filed but at the time I declined to press charges for various reasons.

EDIT 2: All I'm getting is unsolicited advice telling me that I just need to take this before a judge which I won't do because I thoroughly enjoy breathing so I'd appreciate it if you could only respond to this: ***IS IT LEGAL FOR ME TO SEND THE ALREADY FILED POLICE REPORT TO HIS COMMANDING OFFICER?***

Answer:
 If he raped you why are you trying to protect him? A rape is one of those things that there's no half-way. You either keep quiet (never suggested) or you open the can of worms and he's exposed and hopefully brought to justice. No one is going to read an anonymous letter and "*keep an eye on him*" honestly. Answer #2: > IS IT LEGAL FOR ME TO SEND THE ALREADY FILED POLICE REPORT TO HIS COMMANDING OFFICER?

Of course. There are no laws against sending a letter.


Title: (MO) Buying a car at auction that was impounded and never claimed, what should I worry about?

Question:
I'm looking at purchasing a car at a public auction and it says that all of the cars were impounded but never claimed.  How does this legally work? Am I going to get a knock at my door years later from someone demanding the car? Am I going to get sued for having a car someone else owned years later?

I just want to make sure I'm not going to face any sort of backlash from buying at one of these auctions.

Answer:
 I worked in towing, this is how it went for us:

Car gets impounded

Time passes

Impounder sends certified mail to last known address of registered owner stating that they will be applying for the title and the owner has (x) days to claim their property

Impounder submits for ownership of vehicle to DMV as the property has been abandoned

Impounder gets title and is now the legal owner of the property

Impounder sells car.

Title transfers to buyer.

SO, if the title is in the name of the business that it selling it, no. Nobody can come try to claim the vehicle back from you.


Title: [BC,CANADA] Fired from job and not paid final paycheck, being blackmailed by employer

Question:
Hi, I fucked up a bit and ended up getting fired from my last job for selling lottery to one of my friends (we are both 17) as he is a minor. Both me and him were employees there, and were both fired for this. We are both being denied our final paycheck (his is about $200 and mine $350) and being told that she will report our offence to the police if we ask again. What should we do? I understand what we did was illegal, so should we drop it and just cut our losses on that last paycheck to not get in legal trouble? She has camera evidence of me selling the lottery to him.

Thanks for the advice, and I look forwards to hearing back from you all.

Answer:
 Blackmail is illegal. Jailtime illegal.

Withholding legally earned wages is illegal.

Fines assessed for selling lottery products to underaged kids caps at 15k for the LOTTERY SELLER. As in the person registered to do so.

Pursue your wages and contact the police if you're being blackmailed. You might be deservedly fined (stop being an idiot), your boss has screwed up significantly worse than you have at this point.


Title: US Customs seized my authentic watch and claims it is a fake...

Question:
I filed a petition saying that the watch (Seiko) is genuine and they have no reason to think otherwise. Learned today that my petition was denied, and Customs provided a list of reasons why:

1. All genuine Seiko’s are made in Japan and can’t be shipped from Singapore
2. Must indicate “made in Japan” and “water resistant” on the back
3. Must indicate “MOV’T Japan” on dial
4. Must indicate country of origin somewhere on the watch

All four of these are wrong. The first one is wrong to the point of profound stupidity.

What I want to know is, if I file another petition refuting all the above points, could I possibly get my watch?
Customs is so grossly misinformed concerning my watch that I’m afraid their incompetence is absolute...I don’t know how to communicate with people who are so far off base. Every Seiko they have seized may have been authentic based on their reasons for seizing mine...

I also am wondering if I could take this to court and avoid dealing with customs further.
Any advice from those with more knowledge and/or experience is much appreciated.

Answer:
 You need to understand that Customs doesn’t randomly seize packages to make your life hell. They seized it appeared to be a parcel of a large shipment. Under international agreements, the United States has a duty in some respects to interdict suspected forgeries from overseas. Your can likely inquire with the Office of the Inspector General at the department of Homeland Security. Answer #2: How did they seize it? You need to provide more info here.

- Did you order it online and it was being shipped to you?

- Did you buy it from Singapore and were you carrying it with you when entering the States?

- Were you wearing it when it was seized or was it in its original packaging?

- Do you have the original receipt?


Title: My name is ChefShwasty, And I've been harassed by my psychotic neighbors, and oppressed by my apartment complex...

Question:
1: http://imgur.com/gallery/LspSx

Text conversations^

2: http://imgur.com/gallery/DyeoT

My lease contract on the subject of noise^

3: http://imgur.com/gallery/kvR8xsB

The final text^

4: http://imgur.com/gallery/gh9J3

Local noise regulations with my own measurements in decibels^

5: http://imgur.com/gallery/XwHla3s

The official noise complaint^

6: http://imgur.com/gallery/cMo0S

Email correspondence with upper management^

7: http://imgur.com/gallery/Uu7I0

Most recent email with upper management^

Forgive me for my ignorance; Reddit is not my first language. Imgur is.

Those links are chronological and include text conversation logs, excerpts from local county noise ordinances, proof measured in decibels of my innocence, email correspondence with upper-management, and a lot of advice in the comments that usually gets addressed.

I've been told several times to come to you guys for help. I know I'm an outsider, but I've got no idea what to do.

Help me. Please.

Joe

Brief synopsis:

I live in Salem, Oregon, USA. I approached my neighbors upon their moving into an apartment below me in March. I offered my phone number to them, as they had a small child, and I wanted to make sure I'd never bother them. Texts happened every day, for every little thing. After about four months, I asked them to stop. They got management involved, who have previously proven biased in favor of people with children. I received an official noise complaint, but management, AND upper management refuse to give me a quantifiable noise ordinance. I'm well within State, city, and county ordinance.

Answer:
 Find somewhere else to drum. It's bugging your neighbors and in turn, annoying your apartment management that they have to deal with it.

Does your lease specifically address noise issues?

Edit: I see your lease is pretty vague on the noise.

I'm not sure why you would be afraid to walk around wearing shoes. That seems a bit dramatic. It seems their complaints have been specific to your drumming. Answer #2: Even if you are not technically in violation of local noise ordinances, your bigger problem is that your apartment complex has already made a determination that the noise you are producing violates your lease. You will not win this argument with them, and if you don't comply, it's clear they will evict you long before they tell your neighbors to back off.

Is it bullshit? Maybe. But you're fighting a losing battle here. Answer #3: Nobody is going to read all that. This isn't /r/readmeastory. Provide an executive summary of the key issues and what your legal question is.

edit: And you didn't even provide a location.


Title: Smoking during work hours banned, even off site.

Question:
I quit smoking three years ago but this is still really bothering me.

Starting July 1st my company has moved to a “smoke free workday”.

I have no issue with a company prohibiting smoking on their property but this takes it a step further. You can’t smoke at all, anywhere.

You can’t go home for lunch and smoke at your house. You can’t go for a drive and smoke in your car. If you “smell” like smoke the will take action.

I don’t have an issue with it as a hygiene problem. I don’t want someone to smell like BO Or dirty cloths or like they’ve been in a bar all night. I get that.

This seems like an employer overstepping their bounds. It looks like 29 states have laws to protect employees from being discriminated against while doing something lawful. My state isn’t one of those.

Would this really stand up in court?

Answer:
 You can smoke. And they can fire you.Answer #2: This is interesting from an HR standpoint. How do you prove someone was smoking off-site? If I came into work and someone said I smelled like smoke, I could easily say my SO smokes. Or that I gave a smoker buddy a ride to work that morning.

It would be interesting to see exactly what the policy says.


Title: Can you legally give your kids the exact same name? What if they're twins?

Answer:
 You *can*, but why would you? Do you want your kids to hate you?Answer #2: Hehe, ask George Foreman.
(His five sons are all named George.)Answer #3: We had twin boys at the school where I teach.  Both were named Devon.  They pronounced them differently.  One was pronounced in the regular way: Devon.  The other was pronounced Devahn.Answer #4: You can, but do you really want to do that to two completely innocent people who have to live much of their lives together?


Title: Friends are in a really strange situation

Question: This is a really weird story and you probably aren't going to believe me but whatever. Basically, two of my close friends have been dating since their freshman year of high school. We are now in our sophomore year of college. They are really good for each other. Part of the reason they bonded was because both of them have divorced parents. Well, we just found out this past weekend that her mom got married to his dad. They weren't dating as far as anyone knows, and everyone is completely shocked. The parents even knew the kids were dating. My friends are wondering legally what would happen if they tried to get married and adopt children (this is something they both want to do). We are in Michigan. I don't think it's incest but the law might because the parents got married first. They just want to live a normal life.

Answer: Legally nothing , but practically I would not tell people "I married my step brother/sister " without the "It's a funny story our parents started dating and got married 7 years after we started dating" add on.


Title: I spun out and hit a mailbox (owner does't care, is not replacing the mailbox), the city wants to charge me with failure to control a vehicle.

Question: Can I fight this charge? The office told me since I hit someone else property he has to write the report. We know the owner they neither care, nor are replacing the mailbox. Can I fight this or do I deal with it? I spun out during horrible weather and only my car and the mailbox were damaged. I live in Northeast Ohio if that helps.

Answer:
 > Can I fight this charge?

Yes, you can show up in court and contest the facts of any charge.

> We know the owner they neither care, nor are replacing the mailbox.

Doesn't matter; the citation is for not properly controlling your vehicle.

> Can I fight this or do I deal with it?

Only you can decide this.


Title: Why won't any lawyers take up my immigration case?

Question:
Throwaway for obvious reasons. I am located in the US.

My fiance who is in Iran was denied visa for only one reason - Trumps ban. We ensured that we had all documents plus more, including parents passports, school transcripts, degrees, for all family members.

The officer told us that they cannot give us Visa due to the travel ban.

We asked if there were any other documents that would have helped, and they told us no, everything looks great, but because of the ban we cannot grant you a visa.

We've contacted multiple attourney's and lawyers and not a single one wants to take on the case. We mention all our case details and they are ready to help but right when we mention Iran they backdown and say they cannot help. What is going on and why is everyone scared to take on these cases?

Can we file a lawsuit ourselves without an attorney or lawyer? We have all the documents including the paper that states only one reason: Trump ban. It's been over a year since we filed for the K1 and a few months more since we were denied and we just don't know what to do, to the point that we are now just looking for other countries to move to that will actually honor peoples lives and relationships.

Answer:
 > What is going on and why is everyone scared to take on these cases?

No one is afraid. The travel ban is being heard in Supreme court. Theres no point in challenging a case right now as any judge will wait until the big robes say yea or nay. Answer #2: No one is entitled to enter the country.


Title: Should I have an issue adopting my step-daughter?

Question: Hi everyone. I’m looking to adopt my 10 year old stepdaughter. I’ve been in her life since she was roughly 8months old, she’s lived with me for about 6 years, and I’ve been married to her mother for the last 2 years. She does see her biological father regularly, but the relationship is not great, and he is not on her birth certificate.

Answer: Dad can still fight even if he’s not on the birth certificate. You’ll need his approval. Answer #2: If dad agrees, you should be able to do it fairly easily.  If he refuses, you’ve got next to no chance of doing it.


Title: Mom died due to drunk driver

Question: Hello, my mom passed away over two weeks ago due to a drunk driver. She was hit and passed away immediately. The person that hit her is out on bail and free to live his life while attending his court dates. What legal action can I take. Our mom was taking care of our grandmother full time who is disabled. I am also doing a online fund raiser to help with her costs, any advice on how to go about that is also appreciated. If anyone has been in a similar situation I would really appreciate what advice you have for me. I'm unsure of what to do right now. Thank you.

Answer:
 Speak to a personal injury attorney about a lawsuit against the drunk driverAnswer #2: Find out if the driver has insurance and have the executor of your mother's estate file a claim.  Make a demand for the policy limits.  You should also research your mother's auto insurance to see if she has "uninsured motorists" and/or "underinsured motorists" coverage.  In the event the other driver is not insured, a claim can be made on your mother's insurance policy through the "uninsured motorists" coverage.  If the other driver has insurance and the limit is less than what is on your mother's policy, it is possible to make a claim through the "underinsured motorists" coverage.  If you make an "uninsured motorists" claim, it is important that you understand what the expectations are from mother's insurance company before you sign any kind of release with the other driver's insurance company.

Knowing what state you live in matters greatly.  There are time limitations for the legal aspects here and they vary greatly.


Question:
Employer made me sign a paper saying that I forfeit my previous two weeks of pay if I don't put in a two week notice when quitting. I put in my two week notice but she's saying that I didn't.

I told her I was putting in my two weeks and she told me to leave. I was nervous and scared and I'm a weak ass bitch so I did :(

I obviously have no proof of this happening so I'm not sure what to do. Not even sure if this is the right place to post this, I've just never had this sort of problem before.

Am I totally screwed?

Answer: Usually when you put in two weeks notice, you do it in writing to avoid situations as exactly as this. If the employer decides to fire you as soon as you hand in your notice, that's on them. You follow their instruction to give notice.


Title: Colorado law states that an employer is required provide a 30 minute lunch break for every 5 hours of work performed. Does this mean an employee is required to accept and take said lunch break?

Question:
The way I interpret the [Colorado Labor Law for “Breaks (rest and meal periods)”](https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdle/node/20596) is that an employer is legally required to provide an employee with a 30 minute “meal period” for every 5 hours of time worked. However the law does not directly state that, as an employee, I am required to accept and take said lunch break.

Can an employer force me to take a lunch break?

This comes into question because my boss says that I cannot work a 6 hour shift and then clock out for the day. He is requiring me to take a 30 minute lunch and then clock back in for no shorter than 30 minutes before I leave for the day.

Is my interpretation of the law incorrect? Or should I be able to work a 6 hour day without taking a lunch

Federal Labor Law is not much help but [here](https://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs22.pdf) is the link to the DOL as well.

Answer: Your employer can require it.


Title: Boss harassed and slandered me, have everything screenshotted

Question:
Hi all, thank you for reading in advanced!

I worked for a housing startup for a little over a month and my boss left a digital cookie trail of all sorts of sueable shit.  Most of the stuff was directed toward the other cofounder, including threats to break his legs and " come after him" etc, so i think i am out legally with that but i did read everything and it added to my stress levels

My particular situation is odd because a. The company was doing something Illegal (putting more people than allowed in a house). It wasn't very clear at the beginning and i was sold on it by saying "its like lyft before lyft was legal" so I came on board and over the next few weeks I realized that it was clearly breaking a lot of rules and was going to make my exit, but I'm unsure if the fact that I stuck around and helped out will be more harmful in my case.

I realized how much stress from the harassment he put me under and I am suffering from a lot of emotional/psych damage because he had planned to ruin my reputation while forcing other people to gaslight me.

Other people showed me what he was telling others to say to me, and that's when I was quick to step down and start finding other places to live.

The cofounder asked me to help him separate from the guy who was clearly abusing all of his employees, so I helped plan a few exit strategies and the boss (whose name the lease was under) evicted me immediately and then showed up to the house asking for me by name/hostile (i took this as a rational fear)

I was too scared to go back into the house so I left all my stuff for a few days, crashed at a friend's, and had to call the cops to do a citizen standby to get my stuff to feel safe.

All while my housemates were also harassing me.

Not sure how I should approach this situation. He also owes me over $500 for a deposit.

Thank you all, any advice is welcomed :)

Answer:
 Based on what you've posted you could either file a wage complaint if the $500 is owed by company or take him to small claims court.

What has he said directly about you that is "sueable" in your eyes?


Title: [NY/CA] Am I in trouble? (sexual harassment)

Question:
I (20-something male) had a mutually consensual fling with a coworker (20-something female) who is technically my superior. I am worried that I could be fired/demoted or that she could be fired/demoted. Here are the facts as far as I am aware.

The company is headquartered in California, but we work in an office in NY state. She DOES NOT decide if I am hired/fired, what my pay is, or what my schedule is. She IS involved in my performance reviews and she does technically supervise me, so I think it is fair to say she has some influence over my standing. We are no longer seeing each other and are on good terms. We had a friend check the company policy manual, and there is no policy explicitly banning the relationship. There is also a reputation in the company for hook-ups between coworkers.

Here are my questions:
How much trouble are we in, overall?
Am I in trouble as the more junior employee?
Is she in trouble as the more senior employee?
What can we do to minimize damage? Is there anything we can sign or admit to that would mitigate the damage?
Does the company technically have to do something if they are aware of the situation? Can this just be forgotten about and signed off on in some way?

Answer: What makes you think you are going to get in trouble over this?


Title: When will he be arrested? Stressed!!!!

Question: I am a victim of a sex crime.  Class A Felony in my state.  I gave a recorded statement and picked him out of a photo lineup Tuesday last week.  The detective told me he would be arrested by the weekend and I would get a call.  Today is Wednesday and I've heard nothing. I've checked online and he hasn't been arrested. Any idea as to what could be going on?  I don't understand how all this works and it is stressing me out. Thanks for any advice you can give.

Answer: Call the detective on the case and ask for information. Ask if the police department or court has a Victim's Advocate you could speak with.


Title: Upper Manager Threatened To Fire Whole Deli Crew if Deli Manager Quit, Help?

Question:
California, United States.

>Sorry if this is the wrong subreddit. If it is, can someone point me to a more appropriate one?<

Hi, I recently started working in a Safeway Deli, almost a week ago. Today, the Deli Manager pulled another worker and myself aside to let us know that she said she was going to quit and that her Upper Manager threatened saying, "If you quit, I'm firing your whole crew" in front of the morning staff.

So, next week the Deli Manager is going to train everybody in specific roles (Upper Manager said we were working like shit) and have us sign a paper saying that we were trained. She also said that training and paper signing will serve as a "verbal warning" in the eyes of the Upper Manager. So, after the training and signing, if something would be a write-up, instead we're fired (which is bs for me since I just started and haven't received any punishment or warnings for my work).

The Deli Manager said she has interviews lined up and still plans to quit.

&nbsp;

And this is where I ask: What do I do?

The person I'd complain to is the person who made the threat.

It's complete bs for me, seeing as how I just started and I'm already under threat of being fired.

Whatever paper they want me to sign, I basically have to sign, since I'm assuming I'd be fired otherwise.

If anyone is familiar with Safeway management structure, the Upper Manager is directly above the Deli Manager as far as ranks go. Who do I make a complaint, etc. to? If I even should.

Thanks in advance.

Answer: She can fire you for being a 49er fan if she wants. Nothing illegal about any of this unless you have an employment contract that says you can only be fired for specific reasons.


Title: speeding ticket help, life ending....

Question:
i really need some advice, i really fucked up today. i wasnt trying to speed, was taking a friend to work and he was gonna be late because of me and my guilt and sense of urgency carried into my driving with me intending it to. didnt even realize i was speeding until i saw the cop. got me at 56 in a 35, thought it was a 45 but that irreverent. the ironic part is im the one always lecturing my friends about speeding.

i understand i was breaking the law, and despite my intention i was speeding excessively and deserve the ticket.

here is the hard part; i just got accepted into school to become a mechanic for Porsche and they take speeding tickets super serious face and the ticket could undermine everything ive worked so hard towards the last few years and bring my entire life to a crashing halt....

im not sure what to do from here....

Answer:
 > here is the hard part; i just got accepted into school to become a mechanic for Porsche and they take speeding tickets super serious face and the ticket could undermine everything ive worked so hard towards the last few years and bring my entire life to a crashing halt....

That sounds like something that would have been FANTASTIC to consider before you decided to speed.

Get a lawyer.  Have the lawyer talk to the prosecutor to see if the violation can be plea bargained to a non-moving violation.Answer #2: I totally agree with citicop. Get atty. But,  life advice,  not legal. ......one never knows what other doors might open IF this one with Porsche closes. This might seem like life ending but its not even if something better doesn't open up for you. It's just that life will be different than you planned/expected at your young age. It's NOT then end of the world


Title: Special ed kid getting off the hook of sexual assault because he has autism

Question:
So, the kid in question has light Autism and isn't with the special ed teachers, instead, he is with the rest of the student body attending classes with them.  However, it started with an accusation that he pulled down his pants (not underpants, fortunately), on school grounds, in front of a girl.  The girl ran, and didn't tell anyone, and avoided this kid.  Later the same girl accuses the kid of kissing her on the cheek without her permission.  Unfortunately, I did not witness these events so I can't prove it happened to anyone.  I tried to get this girl to report him to a teacher, but she wouldn't because "he's special".

Months pass, and I don't hear anything super bad about this kid.  Then, he starts asking every girl he sees if they like hugs, and devolves into "Do you want a hug".  There's nothing wrong with that, But, it began to get annoying when he would ask the same people day after day.

Then, apparently, this kid did something to one of my friends (that I can't seem to get out of her), and now she hates the kid.  He'll walk by her and ask for hugs still, and she will say no.  Until just recently, I hadn't witnessed him do anything.  The following is a description of the event as a remember it.

Kid: Makes a joke

Friend (being nice): Makes a joke back

Kid: "You're funny"

He then proceeds to rub and scratch her back, which he did not ask at all.

Kid: "You are the sweetest girl I have ever met in my life"

Friend: Says nothing

Kid (while walking away): "I like you, just to let you know"

Minutes later

Kid: "Can I sit next to you?"

My friend was on the end of the row of chairs, I was sitting next to her and my brother was sitting next to me.

Friend: "There are not any seats available next to me."

Kid (talking to me now): "Can you move over a seat?"

Me: No

Kid: "Well, I guess I can just sit behind her then"

A few minutes pass, and then he reaches out and essentially gives my friend a shoulder massage for 7 seconds, then sits back in his chair.

Kid: "She has the silkiest hair too, aren't I nice."

My friend is very uncomfortable at this point, and it is visible, as she sits as far forward in her chair as she possibly can.  I don't pester her about it that day, and leave her alone.

The next day I tell her to report him to one of the teachers.

Friend: "Well, he's not doing anything illegal, so he's not doing anything wrong."

Me: "He touched you, multiple times, without your consent."

Friend: "Yeah, well he has autism."

&#x200B;

My question is: What do I do in this situation?  I can't tell anyone since he hasn't done anything to me, and all the girls I try to convince to at least tell a teacher about this, claims well he has autism.  I really need help.  I will answer any questions that help clarify anything as well.

Answer:
 Where is the sexual assault?Answer #2: You're an uninvolved 3rd party.  If the people being touched by this person don't want to do anything about it, then that's that.

Nothing you've described amounts to sexual assault.

> What do I do in this situation?

Nothing.  MYOB.  It appears that no one directly involved with this has any kind of problem with it, and if they do, they're the ones that would have to take action.


Title: Help.. My Landlord wants money....

Question:
Hi Everyone, please bare with me. I've lived here for 3 years no prior problems.

Then on Jun 3rd I was given a 3 day notice no reason then on Jun 5th I got a court paper for non payment (my rent was due on same day). My landlord ended changing her mind and I accept to stay. Because is hard to change homes and my 14 yr old daughter goes to school near here.  So now Im using a low income program to pay my landlord 2 months rent (June and July) She is accepting the money and letting me stay. The only requirement is to issue a 1 yr lease and agrees but wants $380 for court fees first so she can cancel the court eviction. She is coming on Tuesday and wants me to have the check ready. Is this how its done? Because she did submit a paper to court requesting a court date date but I haven't received anything yet.

She is coming on Tuesday and wants me to have the check ready. Is this how its done? Because she did submit a paper to court requesting a court date date I got a paper by mail, but there was no court date set yet... what do I do? Pay her that money? I wont have any proof of the court. Never been in this situation. I just found out though a text from her.

Im in California.

Answer:
 > Then on Jun 3rd I was given a 3 day notice no reason

What do you mean no reason? It sounds like the reason is the fact that you haven't paid rent for two months.


Title: Tampered glass kitchen door fell and shattered. Ruined whole house including furnitures. What are my option to go after the Interior Design firm who I contracted to renovate my house.

Question:
Imagine in the middle of the night, you hear roaring thunder in the kitchen and you went to see the glass shards everywhere as if it was exploded. This is what happened to my kitche door which is tampered glass. If an hour earlier, anyone from my family could’ve hurt coz we were sitting near that area.

The house is new. I just moved in three weeks. The renovation was contracted to The Interior Design firm with quite a lump sum. There is no way this kind of defect can happen unless they cheated on material used.

I called immediately to interior designer at 1 am. All he can do is come back on Monday to install new glass panel door. Today is Saturday!

I don’t care about new door. I care for my family safety. I have a 2 year old son. Now glass shard everywhere and my wife and I up all night trying to clear all powdered glasses.

Sofa is ruined. TV and soundbar had glass everywhere. Floor has all scratches now.

So reddit, what are my options? I worry for all other glass panels in house, I concern on the materials of everything. On top of that, I gonna have to throw all sofa away. I can’t risk my family injured by glass shards.
Topic:
Non-US

Answer: “Tempered” glass is manufactured to not create *glass powder* or piercing edges when broken. It’s why it’s more expensive than regular glass and required under specific conditions.


Title: Daycare owner claims we still owe

Question:
I withdrew my child from daycare a month ago. I gave the director the written notice 2 weeks beforehand, everything was good. Literally as we were leaving on her last day, she asked me if i was current on tuition payments. She claimed that a long time ago i allegedly missed a payment and haven't been paying in advance for a long time. She said something like that back in January and i fixed it-or so i thought. She continues to send emails and i continue to ask for documentation of the original missed payment. The last time i asked for documentation to support this, she sent me a long email saying she was doing us a favor and being nice by not informing us that we owed additional money.

The most i have been sent is a statement from my child's last month of care where a payment i have a record of was not reflected. She knows what i need but just isn't providing any proof. Can she sue us or try to report us to a collections agency somehow? Wouldn't she still have to submit proof anyway? I have been paying faithfully in cash since the beginning of 2017 and she has never given a receipt, unless you consider the end of the year statement as a receipt.

Answer:
 She can sue, because people can always sue for whatever they want, but in Court, she will have to show her proofs - everything you've been asking her to provide.

The big problem, though, is that you've always paid in cash and never received a receipt, so your issue is going to be trying to prove that you made the payment.  You said you have a record of some payment not being reflected.  What is the record?  Do you have bank statements showing the cash being taken out in the exact amount usually paid to them?


Title: Can a police search someone sitting in a parked car? [Texas]

Question: A few months back I was arrested for possession of adderall and LSD. At the time of the arrest I was sitting in my car in a parked car with a friend waiting to drive him to work the late night shift (so it was 11pm-12am, he worked just across the freeway). While sitting smoking cigarettes and listening to music in a parked car not moving I was approached by first 1, then 2, then eventually around 5 police cars (affluent town, less than wealthy vehicle caused suspicion I guess). The 1st cop came to my car and began to ask questions, after a few minutes a 2cnd cop came and asked some more questions e.g. what were we doing there. After telling them about my friend's work he asked to searhc my car which I denied, then he told me he smelled marijuana. Note nobody in my car smokes marijuana and we'd been chain smoking cigarettes for a good 15-20 min prior and it was raining outside so the windows were kept up. If anything that car reeked of tobacco. I was demanded out of the car, they even stuck their hands in my car to unlock it as I was fumbling with my wallet chain that had tangled with an aux cord. They put me against my car and searched me against my consent and found the drugs then searched my car and found (& charged me) a bottle of normal store-bought e-cig liquid with tested positively for a methamphetamine metabolite. I was arrested. Was this search at all legal? I at no time gave consent and several times denied it. Also is there a defense here at all?

Answer:
 I thought this looked [familiar](http://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/2px8di/texas_car_searched_while_parked_officers_smelt/)

You got some pretty good answers last time.Answer #2: >Was this search at all legal?

If the officer smelled the odor of cannabis (which I believe is still illegal in Texas) emitting from inside your vehicle, however faint or masked by something else, then yes, it was a legal search.  It doesn't matter if you give consent if they have probable cause (the odor).  As for a defense you would need to show the officer did not/could not have smelled cannabis and was either lying or mistaken.


Title: Kentucky- is this an ex post facto issue? (Constitutional law)

Question: Basically I got a DUI when I was young awhile ago. No aggravating factors, got pulled over because a taillight was iut. It is the only thing I've ever been charged with. At the time, Kenkucky law was after 5 years of good behavior and completion of the requirements I would be able to expunge. The prosecutor cut me a deal that if I waived my rights to counsel and a trial and immediately plead guilty she would not seek jail time and with 5 years of good behavior with 6 months of no license and 2 weeks of drivers ed: I could file for expungement and the DA's office (state) wouldnt oppose at the hearing. I did all those things. At year 4, the KY state legistlature passed a law changing expungement for DUI from 5 years to 10 years (2016). Now, my ability to get a nursing license is threatened because I havent gotten the charge expunged. I feel like I'm not being punished even longer. Advice? Does this count as an expansion of punishment after the fact as the constitution states about ex post factor punishment extensions? Is there any recourse for this? No the law didn't grandfather people in. Really need a lawyer response on this one (yes I'm looking for lawyers in the mean time but it seems especially niche)

Answer:
 You’re first mistake was heading to court on a DUI charge without a criminal defense attorney. Essentially, you allowed the prosecutor to be your de facto lawyer. But that’s neither here nor there now.

Yes, you’re probably going to need a local attorney to give you advice now. Theoretically, the new law wouldn’t apply to you because you’ve served your sentence. Just because the law doesn’t have an explicit  “grandfather” provision doesn’t necessarily mean you are subject to it.


Title: [CA] What do I file to appoint guardianship of child in case of my death?

Question:
[deleted]
Topic:
Wills Trusts and Estates

Answer: Your problem is: appointing a guardian via a will (which most responsible parents do) isn't a slam dunk unfortunately. Even in situations where both biological parents agree. Here you dealing with a child who has one "unknown parent" and if there is **any** possibility that this parent isn't unknown but simply unnamed you are going to have potential issues. I really think this isn't a DIY situation: you need a competent family lawyer and even then I have to say that if this "unknown father" turns up, you're going to have issues.


Title: Is it illegal to post my name and picture in a pamphlet

Question: The black injustice society copied a screenshot of a tweet of mine. Posted it in over 1000 pamphlets and posters and put them everywhere. The article explains that I am ignorant, racist, and lack of cultural awareness.  Is it legal for them to use my name and picture while giving negative comments towards me if I do not wish to have my name and pictures up

Answer:
 Opinions based on disclosed facts (your tweet, in this case) are protected speech.

I'm assuming you live in the US, which seems fair based on your [unearthed post](http://i.imgur.com/NcpVN38.png).

h/t [u/ScribbleJ](http://www.reddit.com/user/ScribbleJ)Answer #2: You publicy gave them and everyone else on planet earth that info. They can also have an opinion about you. They can express that opinion how they like. No different then someone saying they hate Chili's and explaining why.

If you did not want your name and picture posted to everyone, you should not tweet stuff under your name and picture. Answer #3: On the one hand, you have a copyright in your tweet and your picture, a right to control the use of your likeness, and a right to be free from maliciously false statements that impact your reputation or standing in the community.  On the other hand, they have a First Amendment right to certain speech.

How that balances out on these scant facts, nobody can tell you.  Your best bet is to consult with an attorney in your area.


Title: Transient Hotel Closing/Eviction

Question:
The transient hotel in Indiana I'm  living in for the past 6 months is being sold/closing. I have received mail here and have my own key and private room.

I was given about a month announcement that it's closing May 11. Today I was told it's closing on the 4th and I have to be out. Basically 3 days notice when I still have 2 weeks.

Am I legally considered a month to month tenant? Do I have a right to an eviction notice? Are the cops gonna drag me out anyway because they don't know the laws?

Answer: Hotels are exempt from landlord-tenant laws, so you're not a month to month tenant.


Title: A biker fell on the side of my car and got injured.

Question:
Today, I was driving down the street, A 25 mph zone. I saw a biker and move a little bit over to left lane and give her more space, she is a lady at her 40s I think, but still, somehow she lost balance and fell next to me car and scratched my car along the way. She was injured and ask me to take her to the hospital, I hesitated a bit because she was bleeding and I think it's better to call the ambulance and let the professionals to deal with the injuries and take her to the hospital. But she insisted so I just drove her to the hospital.
Later her husband show up and we had a talk and agree on that it was an accident and no one is at fault. I understand that if I do call an ambulance that poor lady will have to pay a hefty health bill and whatnot. But wouldn't calling an ambulance be a better solution to this situation? What can I do differently next time if I were to be this unfortunate and this happen to me again.

Answer:
 "I'll stay here until the ambulance comes, but since I am not a medical professional, I don't want to risk injuring you by transporting you myself."

And/or

"The ambulance can provide you care as soon as they arrive and get you to the hospital faster than I can."Answer #2: Yes, calling an ambulance is the better option. If she is insisting you tell her very firmly that no you will not under any circumstance allow her inside your car. Then you proceeded to call an ambulance and let her decide then whether or not to go to the hospital. IANAL Answer #3: Sounds like the lady is at fault because she losþ her balance and fell into your car. Bicyclists are not required to carry insurance so if you're looking to be compensated for the repairs required onnyour vehicle you'll need to make a claim in small claims court. Answer #4: IANAL and I think laws will vary around the country on this.  In the city I live in, an automobile is required to give the bike 3 feet when passing.  This is because the draft of the car can make the biker wobble and they can fall or be pushed around.


Title: Will not filing anything in regards to his daughter result in back child support for my boyfriend?

Question:
Hi, I've tried discussing this with my boyfriend multiple times, but some things I'd like to seek advice from people who know way more than I do concerning child support. This is in Oregon, by the way.

This might get lengthy.

My bf has a three year old daughter with his "illegal" ex-gf who has overstayed a temp visa (about 8 years now, no green card), he's not on the birth certificate, and they have no papers in terms of child support except that he gives her $100-200 in cash a month and usually whenever she demands cash (supposedly for their daughter).

I told him I believe she might eventually file child support papers with him (which she's threatened whenever she rages about him not doing her bidding, not giving her cash when she wants, or only allowed to see his daughter when it's convenient for her and she feels like she's not mad at him) and he'd get penalized for back child support because he has absolutely no record of ever supporting his daughter even though he isn't on her birth certificate. She's gone on drunk rants about how she's been saving the money to get her green card and threatens to file for a large sum of child support from him because she's never worked and constantly berates him as a dad even though he tries to see his daughter everyday in the time slot his ex allows. I believe she hasn't filed simply because she has overstayed her visa.

He has not established paternity before with any test and only found out after they broke up she's cheated on him before multiple times, and while a sad thought, I said it's a possibility his daughter isn't actually his so he should do the test and also to simply be established as her father.

Should he file papers and establish paternity with official child support agreements? Will this bite him in the ass if he doesn't and they continue on like this until she feels like filing?

I just don't want to see him getting screwed over for something he could've prevented or made right and his ex is honestly a bit crazy and threatens him a lot so I'd like to give him more sound advice. Thanks

Edit: He shuts down the subject because he feels it's none of my business, but considering it affects him and seeps into our relationship because his ex-gf threatens him every time she demands things when he's busy with me for a bit and who knows later down the road

Answer:
 NAL

According to Oregon law, your b/f currently has no legal relationship to the child. Until paternity is established in a court of law, he has only a moral duty to provide support for his daughter. Only after he is legally established as the father can he be responsible for child support, and apply for a parenting plan (aka custody)

That said if he can't show evidence of involvement and support in his child's life he may find it difficult to get much in the way of visitation if she ever files for sole custody as she can claim he has ignored his daughter since she was born. He should be noting in a journal each time he gives her money or visits or cares for his daughter and should try and do so for the last three years too.

I'm not sure if the ex will really be willing to go to court though given her illegal status. She may be at risk of deportation if she tries. This is a big issue because if she is deported for any reason, your b/f currently has no way to ensure his daughter stays in the US, because he has no legal rights as her father.

Your ex really should consult a family lawyer to decide what is best for him and his daughter


Title: [AL] I was given wrong info by an academic advisor which led to my scholarship being revoked. Do I have a case against the school/advisor?

Question:
[deleted]
Topic:
School Related Issues

Answer:
 You didn't get wrong info. You specifically ignored the recommendation of your advisor.

It's on you to know the conditions of your scholarship and meet them.


Title: Girlfriend left me 3 weeks after signing a 6 month lease with me. Am I screwed?

Question: [deleted]

Answer:
 Generally, You need to look at your lease and see if you are joint tenants (you more than likely are.) That means you are both liable for the whole amount of the rent. If you are living in the apartment, you need to pay the full rent. You can then sue her in small claims for her half.

You ignored 3 prompts for your location so this may not apply.

I don't understand this business about a legal agreement for the keys with she now has back.


Title: [Wilmington, NC] About to sign a lease for my first house from a private landlord, this stipulation is scaring me...

Question:
> ATTORNEYS' FEES. Should it become necessary for Landlord to employ an attorney to enforce any of the conditions or covenants hereof, including the collection of rentals or gaining possession of the Premises, Tenant agrees to pay all expenses so incurred, including a reasonable attorneys' fee.

Is this typical/expected? I mean I'd be okay with paying if we were found guilty or at fault, but I wouldn't like the idea that we pay him even if we were found innocent. Can someone please sed some light on this for me?

Answer: Attorney's fee clauses are either reciprocal or invalid - meaning both parties get fees if they win or no party gets fees.  They cannot have a one-sided fee clause.  They should have to pay your fees if you prevail. That said, according to [this](http://www.hiller-law.com/News.html?entry=winner-gets-attorneys-fees-in) and other articles on the subject, NC courts generally don't enforce attorney fee clauses except between businesses, and the enforcement of fees is relatively new.


Title: [TX] Owner/boss of company asked me to get him drugs WTF do I do?

Question: I went in for OT today and our boss took me and another coworker to lunch. During lunch he blurts out "I need a drug dealer." He then proceeds to ask/tell me and my coworker he needs Vicodin specifically and its for his "back". Later I asked him about it this time I recorded the conversation wtf do I do? Hes also threatened physical violence in the past which I also have recordings of and is a general HR nightmare.

Answer: *Just say no.*Answer #2: "Sorry, I don't know any drug dealers".  End of conversation.


Title: Pranks that lead to murder?

Question: I saw [this thread](http://www.reddit.com/r/funny/comments/30tsa2/subway_nightmare/) earlier that shows an extremely scary prank.  I'm curious, if this took place in the USA, let's say New York, and someone took out a concealed carry (which they had a license for) and started shooting these "zombies", what kind of punishment would they be in for?  Would they even be in trouble since most people would probably be fearing for their life in this situation?

Answer:
 If somebody reasonably fears for their life they can defend themselves up to and including lethal force. It's very fact specific. I don't think pranks like that are funny at all unless everybody is in on it. If that's just some women trying to get somewhere on the subway, fuck them.Answer #2: [Section 35.10 part 6](http://ypdcrime.com/penal.law/article35.htm) says you can use physical force on someone in self-defense.

As to whether they would "be in trouble":  There are no laws specifically about fake zombie attacks, so if the woman in the fake video had shot at the zombie actors, then it would be up to the DA to decide whether they thought she had committed a crime, and, if so, to charge her with the crime.  Then there would be a trial, and it would be up to a judge or jury to decide whether a reasonable person would view the shooting as self-defense.


Title: My parental rights were terminated 9 years ago. Can I put my now adult child on my health insurance?

Question:
In NJ.

My rights were terminated to my only child 9 years ago. My child is now over the age of 18 and had contacted me. She is homeless and needs medical treatment and mental health treatment. Can I put her on my health insurance through my job? I still have the original birth certificate.

Answer: No, your legal relationship as parent/child hip


Title: My ex has a no contact order against me. Viewing her snapchat story is NOT a violation from what i've read on the order?

Question:
Before the order i made a fake snapchat account that had a few messages so it didnt look brand new and i added her on that fake one (fake name).   After i've been bailed out, i noticed she accepted my snapchat request on this account and she has stories posted. Is viewing her stories on that account a violation of no contact order? If so, how? And realistically, would it or how would it be proven?

On the order it states for the second third and fourth part of the order i cant have physical contact with her or violent contact. cant be within 500 feet residence place of employment, car, anything.

The first part says "communicating in any WRITTEN FORM, either IN PERSON, telephonically (BUT IT SAYS COMMUNICATING. VIEWING A STORY ISN'T COMMUNICATING) electronically, or any other manner either directly or indirectly (THROUGH A THIRD PERESON, BUT IT'S STILL IMPLYING COMMUNICATING WITH HER) then it says if they share children they can schedule ways around it.

Answer:
 How about you just leave her alone? It's best for the both of you.Answer #2: Adding her on Snapchat even under a fake account was violating the order as you made an attempt to contact her.Answer #3: Practical advice - many judges recognize that the law as written is not sufficient to cover all the latest internet developments.  Although there may not be any legal wording that specifically mentions "Snapchat" or other online resources, that doesn't mean that the court won't recognize online contact as contact.

You have a no contact order here for a reason.  Don't get yourself in even worse trouble by trying to test the boundaries.  Be smart and move on.  Don't interact, watch, view, or in any way have contact with your ex.  The end.Answer #4: I sincerely hope this is a shitpostAnswer #5: I would say that sending a snapchat request is in violation of the order. I would also say that you need to get your priorities in order and stop stalking your ex.


Title: Jiffy Lube went through my glovebox.

Question:
WA. Went in for an oil change. Fifteen minutes later, a mechanic comes in and hands me a phone and tell me I need to talk to my insurance company, and handed me my insurance card which was in my glovebox.

Told me I had a small crack the size of a pea in my windshield. My insurance said it didn't need to be replaced, so it was based on what I wanted. My insurance told me that they would cover the cost of a full windshield replacement if it was totaled. So they told me to refuse. Hung up. Told Jiffy I didn't want anything done except my oil changed. They became upset and tried claiming it was dangerous.

Do they have a right to intrude on my privacy by searching my car for my insurance, and forcing me to talk to my insurance?

Answer:
 Nothing they did was illegal.  They seem like a poorly run Jiffy Lube thoughAnswer #2: This windshield "upsell" is a regular scam at repair shops and car washes. Frequently there is absolutely nothing wrong with the windshield. When people hear the word free, they make bad decisions.Answer #3: Not legal advice but I worked at Jiffy Lube as a teenager, they have the most corrupt sales tactics. They would show you a sample of your transmission fluid and it would be all brown and burnt looking and tell you if you didn't change it your transmission would burn up. Thing is that sample of your transmission fluid wasn't your transmission fluid. They do the same thing with the air filters, show you some dirty air filter that isn't yours. I worked up top but I know for a fact that many of the guys down below would just wipe the oil filter clean and not actually change it.
I wouldn't take a matchbox car to Jiffy Lube. Answer #4: There's no legal issue here.  You can file a complaint with the company and you can stop patronizing them.  That's it.Answer #5: They didn’t force you to do anything. File a complaint with the manager and move on with your life.


Title: Backyard is walled in by neighbor, painter wants access to my property for 8hrs/5 days. (California)

Question:
I live in a city and have a backyard that can only be accessed by going through my home and out the back door. The yard is fenced in with buildings all around it, and the yard is right up against a 3 story building (not our property).

I got home from work today with a note on the door saying workers will need access to my backyard for 5 days, from 730am to 430pm.

That means I need to take a week off work so my neighbor can paint their house...Im inclined to say no here.

Can I say no? Or can I at least demand that they are only allowed on my property on a weekend when I can be home?

I can't miss work for a week because my neighbor wants to paint their house.

What are my rights?

Answer:
 "I will be happy to let you do that, but I will, of course, need to hire somebody on-site on my property to supervise and I expect you to pay that person.  Your people will need to use the restrooms on your property.  Further, you must indemnify me against any damage to my property."  Then, find somebody you trust who can sit in your home and do that.Answer #2: This is really simple. The painters use a platform like window washers.Answer #3: Say no. No need to inconvenience yourself if the neighbor is going about this with a note from the painters.

If your neighbor wants to be smart about it he/she will come over with a bottle of wine and a freeze dried steak and offer to pay for your house sitter while his guys come in and out of your property.


Title: Letter to Parole Board, need advice

Question:
I have a second cousin who was convicted of possession of child pornography, and would like to write a letter supporting him for his first parole hearing.
I'm positive that the material (a cd) was found in his home. Cousin had allowed his brother to stay in his home briefly. No children live or are frequent visitors to my cousin's home, as he is older and has only a grown son and no grandchildren, etc.
Cousin's brother had been convicted years ago and is on the sex offender registry due to sexual assault on a child under age 14, and the CD was left at Cousin's house when his brother moved out. Material belonged to the brother. Another issue (not related to CP) prompted the search of Cousin's home, and the other issue was dismissed as the accusation was unsupported by evidence.
How can I write a letter of support for Cousin? Do I address the brother's known behaviors? Most advice I've read is to show that the parolee is remorseful and will have family support if released, etc. Doesn't seem to apply in this situation.
Thanks for any advice.

Edit to include location: I'm in MA, Cousin lives in CT

Answer:
 Don't make excuses or try to pass the blame. He was convicted, in the eyes of the parole board he is guilty. They are not interested in hearing about why you think he is innocent. Answer #2: >  and will have family support if released, etc. Doesn't seem to apply in this situation.

Yes it absolutely does. He is going to have time finding a job and getting a home where he can legally live. As a family member, best you can do is essentially vouch that yours is a head and fridge he can use while he tries to become self sufficient.

Forget the stuff about the brother and how its not his fault and focus on how you can assist in helping him live under the restrictions he will have to if he is given parole.

You know where he can get a job? You willing to give him money for a security deposit for a home? Is there a family home he can stay in?


Title: School allows sexual predators on property

Question:
Ok, here I go. So my little sister is 13 and socially akward. a Male "parental volunteer "from her school has added her on Facebook and has asked to come to my parents house and "hang out " when my parents aren't home. And even has asked to touch her butt, tried to sexually groom her and my parents found confronted the school and the school has removed him from his position but still let's home on the property, what can I do?
Topic:
School Related Issues

Answer: File a police report.


Title: You’re an Uber/Lyft driver. Your passengers become rowdy and threaten not to pay/cancel the ride. You tell them to leave but they refuse. Can you just start driving to as remote a location as possible to scare them into complying?

Question: I keep seeing these deplorable videos pop up on social media. Of course, the prudent thing to do is to call the police, but I’m always interested in the extent to which people are allowed to engage in self-help. Obviously, this sort of thing varies widely by state. What would it take for this response by a driver to rise to the level of kidnapping?

Answer:
 When faced with any problem you should always escalate it to the “felony zone“. Disagreement? Threaten. Simple case of rowdy drunk people in the place that many rowdy drunk people go every night? Threaten harder. And always take yourself away from safety, civilization, and rule of law immediately whenever possible. It is The Way.

It’s also always mandatory to scare random people into the most extreme action possible. This is the only way to find out who is an extremely good fighter, carries a knife, or is an excellent shot with her concealed handgun.  Yes. This.

Legally speaking....of course.


Title: Lawyers of Reddit, what tips would you recommend us for better reading & understanding business contracts?

Question:
There are those business contracts which span hundreds of pages - how do you keep focused on each item and how do you not lose your patience to read until the end?

edit: location - London, UK

Answer: Hire a lawyer to explain it?


Title: Teen startup looking to protect ourselves and be legal - NY

Question:
Hi R/LegalAdvice,
Myself and two friends are almost a week away from launching a website (been almost 7 months of work!). We're ridiculously excited and believe there's big potential. I'd like to keep the specifics private but our site mainly involves an E-Commerce operation and an Affiliate operation. We offer affiliates an option to upgrade their tier and receive certain features. They can achieve this either through a direct payment or hitting a sales goal. My dad is worried we may be opening ourselves up to more legal liability by offering a paid service. God forbid we have to bring things to an end at some point, would we have to refund the purchases of these "advanced memberships"?

Second issue:
We literally have no terms and conditions or anything of that matter. My two friends and I all signed contracts we made stating our roles and amount of equity/shares owned and then scanned and uploaded the documents to each other and made duplicates so I believe were fine on the management end? We also have each invested a considerable amount of money and just want to make sure everything's fine there. However what can we set up for our affiliates or do we even need to?

Third issue:
We're all 15 ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. I'm sure I've violated a few rules along the way in terms of age restrictions on several programs we use including PayPal etc. However, my parents are fully aware and had originally created them for me. I'm not sweating that too much but for Shopify and several other things I need to have Tax ID's and enter my SS#. Should I have my dad "sign up" and use his info even though I'm running the entire operation? What are the legal ramifications and is it even likely that the Paypl thing would become an issue? If we did register it in my dads name would we have to go back and register the business and everything in his name?

So now my final questions are:
A: What can we do to protect ourselves?
B: Do we need an LLC and can someone guide us to the right place to begin that?
C: What do we do in the case that we have to shut down when people have paid for memberships?

Topic:
Business Law

Answer: INAL, you should consult a small business lawyer if you are worried about liability. They would be able to help you set up an LLC. Would probably need to be under your parents because you are 15. They would also be able to help you set up terms and conditions.


Title: Hypothetically, could a police officer tell you to roll UP your window?

Question: [Virginia].Lets just say you pull up to a check point, and the officer checks your license and wants you to roll up your window checking for legal window tinting. If you say "my window doesnt work" and he finds that fishy, could he make you roll it up? I feel like he would say "well let me give it a try" (obviously not trusting you) am I in my rights to say "No, you cant reach into my car and try to close it". Just curious, would that require him to get a warrant?

Answer: Why would you have an illegal tint on only one window?  He could see the tint on the others.


Title: I was accused of elderly abuse and never was questioned

Question: I was working for home health care and I was accused of elderly abuse of financial exploitation of my mother  my mother. She was my clients and we had a checking account together I would write out checks  The bank thought I was writing out too much money so they called APS on me  they came knocking at my door when I was not home and talk to my mother my mother had told them that I did not do her any harm and I did not steal from her  they wanted to talk to me but I never got to talk to them at all because I was always doing errands for my mother.  Six months went by and then I got a call from my work stating that they wanted me to come in and talked with them  I went in and talk to them and they fired me  and told me that APS reported me to the states attorney  I got no notification that the case was closed  got nothing in the mail about me being on a registry or anything  I never was arrested and I never got the police called  my work try to tell me that they filed with the state of Illinois and that they were going to have to let me go  I told them that I did not speak with anybody from APS and I did not even know that I would be on a registry  this investigation was six months ago and now they were just telling me I was fired  I looked up state of Illinois rules and by law they were supposed to send me something in the mail stating that I was on this registry and I am not really even sure if I'm on it because I never received a letter in the mail at all  I feel like they fired me  wrongfully.  Since I was never arrested and I was never proven under law or had to go to court or anything how can they find me guilty and put me on a  registry for elderly abuse is this even legal to fire me for this.  They said I could never work in the healthcare field ever again which I don't understand I don't even think I'm on the registry but my work said aps filed it with state of Illinois that I am but if I never got a notice or a letter from the states attorney stating this then why would I be on the registry.   I really need some advice and I need some help on what to do.  My mom is disabled and I was getting paid to take care of her and now I've lost my job. I need some good advise please help!

Answer: Thank-you for using four periods, and one exclamation mark!  There is no way to know what your legal advice is based on the run on sentences.


Title: [TX] Can local authorities arrest me for getting mailed something and bot wanting to mail it back

Question: So someone sent me an item without me paying for it isnt his fault for sending it can i be arrested he threatened to call the police for my city and tell them the situation how would they respond to this situation i will probably return the item as i said but im not in town atm so will have to wait till i get home but he doesnt believe me

Answer: Punctuation, muthafucka, do you use it?!


Title: Charged with a hit-and-run, but the charge seems unfair and now I lost my license and have to go in front of a judge. [IL]

Question:
I'm a 17 year old living in a suburb of Chicago. This past week, I drove a car (registered in my dad's name) to get a haircut at a local strip mall. I pulled in next to a car carefully (I'm a good driver and would know if I made contact). The driver of the other car was sitting on the trunk when I pulled in, so he would DEFINITELY know if I made contact with his car.

When I came out after my cut, he was waiting there with a police officer. He stated that I must have hit his car when I was pulling in, then that he was actually in the massage parlor next door to the barber's and hadn't seen me pull in (he was sitting on his trunk!). I looked at his car with the cop and sure enough there was damage in that area though no paint was exchanged (my car's black, his orange).

The officer told me that she was inclined to believe the other driver (a much older guy) and that in addition to filing the accident report for insurance, I was being charged with a hit and run because I left to get a hair cut. I told her the facts as I saw them and she advised me not to say anything else but that she had enough grounds for a hit and run charge. I asked her if she could check security cam footage to prove that he was sitting on his car when I pulled in, which she said was 'not [my] responsibility' and that I would have to contact the strip mall for their security info and get them to forward it to the police. My license was taken pending an appearance in front of the judge. I didn't admit fault, but said that I didn't think I had hit his car. When I told the officer that the other driver was sitting on the trunk of his car, she gave me a look over her sunglasses and ignored the comment.

What can I do here? The ticket is definitely not cheap! Will the hit and run charge automatically make the insurance companies rule in the other driver's favor? Is there anything that I can do about the officer's conduct, or is that just barking up the wrong tree?

Answer:
 Seems like this might be an insurance scam that the officer is participating in.

If the guy is in the massage parlor, how does he know YOU hit his car?  He comes out and finds his car damaged; what proof is there that YOU hit him?

Is your car damaged?  Video the entire vehicle.

Photograph the parking lot.

You must notify your auto insurance company that there's a claim and you should tell them you don't believe you damaged anyone's car, but they won't help you with the ticket (it is just a ticket, not a criminal charge, right?).

Any ticket for hit-and-run is going to do bad things to your auto insurance rates.  If you feel you are innocent, you should contest it vigorously.  Hire a lawyer.
Answer #2: Subpoena security cam footage from the strip mallAnswer #3: The car is registered to your Dad. Is the insurance under his name too? May want to consider contacting insurance company and finding out what they advise Answer #4: > What can I do here?

You can go to court and fight the ticket.  That's what the process is for.

> Is there anything that I can do about the officer's conduct

The officer had plenty of cause for the ticket.  You can't complain because you were legitimately ticketed.  You also can't complain because the officer didn't let you give your argument on the spot.  The street isn't the place for that - the courtroom is.Answer #5: Try contacting a local law society (like http://chicagobarfoundation.org/find-legal-help/) where you might be able to get legal help for free or at low cost. If anything they can probably give you a referral to some lawyer who might help you. Answer #6: Here's the deal, lawyer up, you can't afford not to


Title: [MA, USA] Auto shop put a used engine in my vehicle and claimed it had 76k miles on it. I pressed them for documentation, and they sent paperwork indicating it has 91k at the time of install.

Question:
Is this something I should pursue? I know it's only 15k miles but it is a dishonest move. Now I have an engine in my vehicle thats more worn than what I agreed to.

In all honestly if they told me they found an engine with 90k, I would have been okay with it. But they said 76k, and put that in writing for me.

Should I try to get some kind of compensation or just say oh well, shit happens? For what it's worth, to date I've spent about $1500-$2000 fixing their careless mistakes made during installation, and there are still more issues I haven't tackled yet.

Answer: If you paid for an engine with 76k miles on it, and you got one with 90k, you should be entitled to a reimbursement for the value of the difference between the two engines.  It's probably not a ton, but I'm guessing a couple hundred bucks maybe.


Title: Does a misdemeanor domestic violence conviction bar you from owning a firearm under federal law?

Question: [removed]

Answer:
 A firearm is any weapon that uses gun powder to fire a projectile through the air. Obviously a semi-automatic is a goddamn firearm...

Yes, a domestic violence conviction bars you from owning a firearm under the Gun Control Act of 1968.


Title: OR, delivery truck blocking my garage frequently

Question:
Yo legal advice, I have some questions.

I’m in Oregon, and I live in an apartment building that is behind a bar with an alley in between. The bar in question has a personal parking lot, and space in front of it to park. My garage has about 10 tenants cars in it, and you exit the garage to the public alley out to the street.
I’ve lived there over a year, and frequently I am late to things because the bar will have their delivery drivers park in front of my garage in this public alley, rather than in front of their establishment or in their parking lot.
The drivers are always rude, and it takes them forever to finish dropping off the food and move out of the way. It’s an issue for all of us living in this building.
This morning it happened again and the driver literally laughed at me and told me that the apartment building shouldn’t have built a garage here. Myself and another tenant had to get to school/work, and while we were waiting for him to move, a THIRD tenant was trying to get in the garage too. It was a mess.
I called the bar once and they said that it wasn’t there problem
Today I sent messages to the corporate offices of the bar and the delivery truck complaining about this, and I’m going to talk to my landlord later on today.
What else can I do? The local laws state (summarized)
“No person except to drop off or pick up a passenger may block public or private driveways”

Answer: You should talk to your LL as they're the ones who would need to take action here, they should call their towing company (assuming they have an agreement with one for their own garage) and have the truck ready to be towed when it does this next time.


Title: [CA] Lease is up at end of the month, afraid sketchy roommate won't vacate.

Question:
Long story short, there are a total of 4 of us on the lease.  The 4th/shitty roommate just moved in a couple of months ago and has caused more problems than we'd like to deal with, so we are moving out at the end of our lease (end of this month).  We already notified the landlord 60+ days in advance and the shitty roommate knows that our lease is up on July 31.

We are worried that he won't vacate at the end - are we going to be held responsible if he tries squatting?  Will the landlord be able to take all of us to court even though the lease is up?  What can we do about the deposit if he decides to squat?   Can we get him to sign some sort of release form that will hold him accountable and responsible for anything past July 31?   Can we sign an agreement that he will be responsible for paying us back if the landlord keeps our deposit?

EDIT:  We plan on being completely moved out by July 25/26.  All of the utilities are in my name.   Am I legally allowed to have them all shut off in an effort to force him out by the 31st?

Answer: In short, yes, you can all be held responsible. And you could get him to sign something saying that he's liable, but you would have to take him to court to enforce it. Is he on the lease or is he your subtenant?


Title: Question about unfair treatment with CPS

Question: To start with I am a male and i love in MN. The CPS is involved with my child because of the mother. They eventually had to include me because of a bruise that “mysteriously” appeared after the grandparents had the child. CPS has only been actively with her but are limiting my access and putting restrictions on me for no reason. They are not actually doing anything with me to help me get my child back. Almost no communication with me even though they have put restrictions on me. Do i have to go to her boss or should i get a lawyer ?

Answer: You need a lawyer. While they may not be actively investigating you, you're still party in this case, which means you're basically a co-defendant.